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Who is Jesus?

19 January, 2011 (19:04) | My Walk With God | By: Earl J

I got good news; our Kingdom has cornered the market on Good News, His name is Jesus.  Tune into the ‘good news network’ everyday; via the Word & Prayer.

“greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world”

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

He is your Redeemer, Attorney, Advocate, Wonderful Saviour, Physician, a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother, The Victor, the Morning Star, Counselor, Highest Priest, Brother, The First, The Last, The Alpha and Omega, The Ever Sufficient One, Conqueror, The  Awesome God, A Reigning King, Salvation, The Regenerator, The Word Who became Flesh and dwelt among us, Deliverer, The Joy of the Father, Peacemaker, Life Giver, Emmanuel – God With Us, An Ever Present Help in a time of need, All in All, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.

He’s everything and more but this is all that I can recall right now!

Darn I feel good after saying that!

David Brainerd’s Journal, July 1745 – The man who ‘did the right things’ but wasn’t saved

16 January, 2011 (14:57) | My Walk With God | By: Earl J

This is a beautiful story and well worth the read, it’s about David Brainerd’s interpreter who thought that he was saved, and did the ‘right things’ but never came the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the last entry is well worth the wait. My comments are formatted like this :-)

Lord’s day, July 21. Preached to the Indians first, then to a number of white people present, and in the afternoon to the Indians again. – Divine truth seemed to make very considerable impressions upon several of them, and caused the tears to flow freely. – Afterwards I baptized my interpreter and his wife, who were the first I baptized among the Indians.

They are both persons of some experimental knowledge in religion; have both been awakened to a solemn concern for their souls; have to appearance been brought to a sense of their misery and undoneness in themselves; have both appeared to be comforted with divine consolations; and it is apparent both have passed a great, and I cannot but hope a saving, change.

It may perhaps be satisfactory and agreeable that I should give some brief relation of the man’s exercise and experience since he has been with me, especially seeing he is employed as my interpreter to others. – When I first employed him in this business in the beginning of summer, 1744, he was well fitted for his work in regard of his acquaintance with the Indian and English language, as well as with the manners of both nations; and in regard of his desire that the Indians should conform to the customs and manners of the English, and especially to their manner of living. But he seemed to have little or no impression of religion upon his mind, and in that respect was very unfit for his work, being incapable of understanding and communicating to others many things of importance; so that I laboured under great disadvantages in addressing the Indians, for want of his having an experimental, as well as more doctrinal, acquaintance with divine truths; and, at times, my spirits sunk and were much discouraged under this difficulty, especially when I observed that divine truths made little or no impressions upon his mind for many weeks together.

He indeed behaved soberly after I employed him, (although before he had been a hard drinker,) and seemed honestly engaged as far as he was capable in the performance of his work; and especially he appeared very desirous that the Indians should renounce their heathenish notions and practices, and conform to the customs of the christian world. But still he seemed to have no concern about his own soul, till he had been with me a considerable time.

Near the latter end of July, 1744, I preached to an assembly of white people, with more freedom and fervency than I could possibly address the Indians with, without their having first attained a greater measure of doctrinal knowledge. At this time he was present, and was somewhat awakened to a concern for his soul; so that the next day he discoursed freely with me about his spiritual concerns, and gave me an opportunity to use further endeavours to fasten the impressions of his perishing state upon his mind: and I could plainly perceive for some time after this, that he addressed the Indians with more concern and fervency than he had formerly done.

But these impressions seemed quickly to decline, and he remained in a great measure careless and secure, until some time late in the fall of the year following, at which time he fell into a weak and languishing state of body, and continued much disordered for several weeks together. At this season divine truth took hold of him, and made deep impressions upon his mind. He was brought under great concern for his soul, and his exercise was not now transient and unsteady, but constant and abiding, so that his mind was burdened from day to day; and it was now his great inquiry, "What he should do to be saved?" His spiritual trouble prevailed, till at length his sleep, in a measure, departed from him, and he had little rest day or night; but walked about under a great pressure of mind, (for he was still able to walk,) and appeared like another man to his neighbours, who could not but observe his behaviour with wonder.

After he had been some time under this exercise, while he was striving to obtain mercy, he says, there seemed to be an impassable mountain before him. He was pressing towards heaven, as he thought, but "his way was hedged up with thorns, that he could not stir an inch further." He looked this way and that way, but could find no way at all. He thought, if he could but make his way through these thorns and briers, and climb up the first steep pitch of the mountain, that then there might be hope for him; but no way or means could he find to accomplish this. Here he laboured for a time, but all in vain; he saw it was impossible, he says, for him ever to help himself through this insupportable difficulty. He felt it signified nothing, "it signified just nothing at all for him to strive and struggle any more." And here, he says, he gave over striving, and felt that it was a gone case with him, as to his own power, and that all his attempts were, and for ever would be, vain and fruitless. And yet was more calm and composed under this view of things, than he had been while striving to help himself.

While he was giving me this account of his exercise, I was not without fears that what he related was but the working of his own imagination, and not the effect of any divine illumination of mind. But before I had time to discover my fears, he added, that at this time he felt himself in a miserable and perishing condition; that he saw plainly what he had been doing all his days, and that he had never done one good thing, as he expressed it. He knew, he said, he was not guilty of some wicked actions that he knew some others guilty of. He had not been used to steal, quarrel, and murder; the latter of which vices are common among the Indians. He likewise knew that he had done many things that were right; he had been kind to his neighbours, &c. But still his cry was, "that he had never done one good thing." I knew, said he, that I had not been so bad as some others in some things, and that I had done many things which folks call good; but all this did me no good now, I saw that "all was bad, and that I never had done one good thing;" – meaning that he had never done any thing from a right principle, and with a right view, though he had done many things that were materially good and right. And now I thought, said he, that I must sink down to hell, that there was no hope for me, "because I never could do any thing that was good;" and if God let me alone never so long, and I should try never so much, still I should do nothing but what is bad, &c.

This further account of his exercise satisfied me that it was not the mere working of his imagination, since he appeared so evidently to die to himself, and to be divorced from a dependence upon his own righteousness, and good deeds, which mankind in a fallen state are so much attached to, and inclined to hope for salvation upon.

There was one thing more in his view of things at this time that was very remarkable. He not only saw, he says, what a miserable state he himself was in, but he likewise saw the world around him, in general, were in the same perishing circumstances, notwithstanding the profession many of them made of Christianity, and the hope they entertained of obtaining everlasting happiness. And this he saw clearly, "as if he was now awaked out of sleep, or had a cloud taken from before his eyes." He saw that the life he had lived was the way to eternal death, that he was now on the brink of endless misery: and when he looked round, he saw multitudes of others who had lived the same life with himself, persons who had no more goodness than he, and yet dreamed that they were safe enough, as he had formerly done. He was fully persuaded by their conversation and behaviour, that they had never felt their sin and misery, as he now felt his.

After he had been for some time in this condition, sensible of the impossibility of his helping himself by any thing he could do, or of being delivered by any created arm, so that he "had given up all for lost," as to his own attempts, and was become more calm and composed; then, he says, it was borne in upon his mind as if it had been audibly spoken to him, "There is hope, there is hope." Whereupon his soul seemed to rest and be in some measure satisfied, though he had no considerable joy.

He cannot here remember distinctly any views he had of Christ, or give any clear account of his soul’s acceptance of him, which makes his experience appear the more doubtful, and renders it less satisfactory to himself and others, than it might be, if he could remember distinctly the apprehensions and actings of his mind at this season. – But these exercises of soul were attended and followed with a very great change in the man, so that it might justly be said, he was become another man, if not a new man. His conversation and deportment were much altered, and even the careless world could not but admire what had befallen him to make so great a change in his temper, discourse, and behaviour. – And especially there was a surprising alteration in his public performances. He now addressed the Indians with admirable fervency, and scarce knew when to leave off: and sometimes when I had concluded my discourse, and was returning homeward, he would tarry behind to repeat and inculcate what had been spoken.

His change is abiding, and his life, so far as I know, unblemished to this day, though it is now more than six months since he experienced this change; in which space of time he has been as much exposed to strong drink, as possible, in divers places where it has been moving free as water; and yet has never, that I know of, discovered any hankering desire after it. – He seems to have a very considerable experience of spiritual exercise, and discourses feelingly of the conflicts and consolations of a real Christian. His heart echoes to the soul-humbling doctrines of grace, and he never appears better pleased than when he hears of the absolute sovereignty of God, and the salvation of sinners in a way of mere free grace. He has likewise of late had more satisfaction respecting, his own state, has been much enlivened and assisted in his work, so that he has been a great comfort to me.

And upon a view and strict observation of his serious and savoury conversation, his christian temper, and unblemished behaviour for so considerable a time, as well as his experience I have given an account of, I think that I have reason to hope that he is "created anew in Christ Jesus to good works." – His name is Moses Tinda Tauta-my; he is about fifty years of age, and is pretty well acquainted with the pagan notions and customs of his countrymen, and so is the better able now to expose them. He has, I am persuaded, already been, and I trust will yet be, a blessing to the other Indians.

Three days later here’s the entry:

July 26 – Preached to my people, and afterwards baptized my interpreters children (the man mentioned above)

This man’s whole house was saved!

What if revival doesn’t come?

13 January, 2011 (20:23) | My Walk With God | By: Earl J

Are you ready to meet Him, TODAY?

Jesus said:

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all." -Luke 17:26-29

What were the ‘days of Noah’ and the ‘days of Lot’ like?

Out of everyone in the world, only Noah’s family was saved. Out of all the people in Sodom and Gomorrah, only Lot’s family was saved (but his wife dies when she looked back, turning into a pillar of salt).

I’m not sure that I see any scriptural evidence that there is going to be a Great End Time Revival’, hopefully, I’m 100% wrong on this one.

Surely the book of Revelation tells us that the bride is without spot or wrinkle but His bride, the true bride, has always been that way.

Between the book of Malachi and the Lord’s birth there was a 400 year drought without the Holy Spirit shed abroad in people’s hearts. Nowadays, with the Holy Spirit poured out in the hearts of believers He is starting to be perceived as common by folks. God help us when we start to view the Godhead as a common thing because in grieving Him we have no one left to run to.

I got a new revelation regarding the scripture where Jesus washed the disciples feet, he said:

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” -John 13:8(b)

I’m praying that God would wash me, not me wash me (that’s legalism and self righteousness), ‘Him wash me’ so that I will be clean. I want to be pure and white as snow when He calls me home through the ‘washing of the water of the Word’, inwardly. Inner peace, inner love, inner joy and inner freedom, just like Him. I’m not there yet and to be honest I don’t know if I ever will be but I will keep holding on to the hem of his garment. He is so Worthy and Wonderful!

He has been ‘Faithful and True’ to me, and He’s still washing, at times it is painful but the end result is AWESOME because I’m closer to Him!

I love you Lord!

Regarding ‘The Purpose Driven Life’

10 January, 2011 (23:05) | My Walk With God | By: Earl J

For those of you who are wondering, I did read the book, twice.

I was reading a post from a very broken man the other day, he went to church, he did the works, and he had a life that would have been considered by everyone that he knew to be Christ-like.  He had been in the church for 30 years doing these things, but he was not ‘born again’, by his own words, not mine.

He had been in a church that taught all of the nice things that Jesus taught about doing good works, feeding the hungry, visiting people in the hospital, working funerals etc. yet he was not (by his own admission) ’born again’.

How can this be?

It’s very simple, he never fell under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he never changed (repented) and was never ‘born of the spirit’.  He never came to a point in his life where he could testify ‘I was going in this direction, and then I was born again and repented, Jesus now gets glory from me’.  Yet, he was comfortable in his church. The man above went to an altar, said a prayer, and it was a ‘dead work’.

He was a religious humanist, here’s the definition:

“Religious humanism is an integration of humanist ethical philosophy with religious rituals and beliefs that center on human needs, interests, and abilities.”

This belief system is not predicated on a Savior who came to earth to die for our sins.  We can do all of these things but still not be born again.  Since we could do all of these nice things before Jesus walked the earth, was there no need for Him?

Jesus said that these people we worse off than they were to start with, because now they believe that they are ok, yet still on the ‘broad path’ to hell.  Additionally, they are comfortable going to church, well until you start talking about holiness, sin, hell and the need for a savior, that makes them uncomfortable.  Why is this?  Holiness is like being 100% healthy in your spirit, it’s not a ‘hassle’ unless you believe that there is some kind of hidden benefit of sin.  If you went to the doctor and he told you that out of a thousand cells you only have 3 that are cancerous would you be happy with the report?  Would you listen to his reasoning on how ‘it’s only 3 cells’?  Or would you ask him to eradicate it from your body?

This not the message of ‘The Purpose Driven Life’, the book is about ‘living a better life’.

Without conviction and repentance there is no being born again no matter how much better you feel.

No one here is ‘assassinating Rick’s character’ I’m talking about his teachings, big difference.  I have no idea whether or not Rick is going to heaven, that would be judging of the sort that Jesus spoke against.

No, I’m not a pastor, an elder, a bishop, or anything of the sort, I’m a man who has broken every commandment.  The ones that I didn’t break physically I broke in my heart, like Jesus said.  I’m a person that realizes that I deserve hell, and every other judgment that could ever be passed out to me.   BUT, Jesus picked me (I didn’t pick him) and by His great mercy, He reached down into my septic tank of a life and He saved me.

Now I serve Him, not so He can make me rich, not so that He will feed me, not so that I can have a new car, not so I can live a better life.

I serve Him not because of what I can get out of Him, but what He can get out of me.  He died for me, it’s the least that I can do.

Hold To God’s Unchanging Hand- Lindell Cooley

9 January, 2011 (14:38) | My Walk With God | By: Earl J

Here’s one of my favorite songs, I love the words, and I like bluegrass too.  I pray that God richly blesses you with His presence today!

Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Refrain:

Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Trust in Him who will not leave you,
Whatsoever years may bring,
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling.

Covet not this world’s vain riches
That so rapidly decay,
Seek to gain the heav’nly treasures,
They will never pass away.

When your journey is completed,
If to God you have been true,
Fair and bright the home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view.