GOSPEL SONNETS - Chapter 2 - Section 4

GOSPEL SONNETS

By Ralph Erskine

Chapter 2

 

SECTION IV. – The working of the Spirit of faith, in separating the heart from all self-righteousness, and drawing out its consent to, and desire after CHRIST alone and wholly..

 

THE bride at Sinai little understood

How these law-humblings were designed for good,

T' enhance the value of her Husband's blood.

The tow'r of tott'ring pride thus batter'd down,

Makes way for Christ alone to wear the crown.

Conviction's arrows pierc'd her heart, that so

The blood from his pierc'd heart, to her's might flow.

The law's sharp plough tears up the fallow ground,

Where not a grain of grace was to be found,

Till straight perhaps behind the plough is sown

The hidden seed of faith, as yet unknown.

Hence now the once reluctant bride's inclined

To give the gospel an assenting mind,

Dispos'd to take, would grace the pow'r impart,

Heav'n's offer with a free consenting heart.

His Spirit in the gospel-chariot rides,

And shews his loving heart to draw the bride's;

Though oft in clouds his drawing pow'r he hides.

His love in gracious offers to her bears,

In kindly answers to her doubts and fears,

Resolving all objections more or less

From former sins, or present worthlessness.

Persuades her mind of's conjugal consent,

And then impow'rs her heart to say, Content.

Content to be divorced from the law,

No more the yoke of legal terms to draw;

Content that he dissolve the former match,

And to himself alone her heart attach;

Content to join with Christ at any rate,

And wed him as her everlasting mate;

Content that he should ever wear the bays,

And of her whole salvation have the praise;

Content that he should rise, though she should fall,

And to be nothing, that he may be all;

Content that he, because she nought could do,

Do for her all her work, and in her too.

Here she a peremptory mind displays,

That he do all the work, get all the praise.

And now she is, which ne'er till now took place,

Content entirely to be sav'd by grace.

She owns that her damnation just would be,

And therefore her salvation must be free:

That nothing being hers but sin and thrall,

She must be debtor unto grace for all.

Hence comes she to him in her naked case,

To be invested with his righteousness.

She comes, as guilty, to a pardon free;

As vile and filthy, to a cleansing sea;

As poor and empty, to the richest stock;

As weak and feeble to the strongest rock:

As perishing , unto a shield from thrall;

As worse than nothing, to an all in all.

She, as a blinded mole, an ign'rant fool,

Comes for instruction to the Prophet's school.

She, with a hell-deserving conscious breast,

Flies for atonement to the worthy Priest.

She as a slave to sin and Satan, wings

Her flight for help unto the King of kings.

She all her maladies and plagues brings forth

To this Physician of eternal worth.

She spreads before his throne her filthy sore;

And lays her broken bones down at his door.

No mite she has to buy a crumb of bliss,

And therefore comes impoverished as she is;

By sin and Satan, of all good bereft,

Comes e'en as bare as they her soul have left.

To sense, as free of holiness within,

As Christ, the spotless Lamb, was free of sin.

She comes by faith, true; but it shews her want,

And brings her as a sinner, not a saint;

A wretched sinner, flying for her good

To justifying, sanctifying blood.

Strong faith no strength nor power of acting vaunts,

But acts in sense of weakness and of wants.

Drain'd now of every thing that men may call

Terms and conditions of relief from thrall;

Except this one, that Jesus be her all.

When to the bride he gives espousing faith,

It finds her under sin, and guilt, and wrath,

And makes her as a plagued wretch to fall

At Jesus' footstool for the cure of all.

Her whole salvation now in him she seeks,

And musing thus perhaps in secret speaks;

 "Lo! all my burdens may in him be eased;

The justice I offended he has pleased;

The bliss that I have forfeit he procured;

The curse that I deserved he endured;

The law that I have broken he obeyed;

The debt that I contracted he has paid;

And though a match unfit for him I be,

I find him every way most fit for me.

"Sweet Lord, I think, would thou thyself impart,

I'd welcome thee with open hand and heart.

But thou that sav'st by price, must save by power;

O send thy Spirit in a fiery shower,

This cold and frozen heart of mine to thaw,

That nought, save cords of burning love, can draw.

O draw me, Lord, then will I run to thee,

And glad into thy glowing bosom flee.

I own myself a mass of sin and hell,

A brat that can do nothing but rebel:

But didst thou not, as sacred pages shew, (1)

When rising up to spoil the hellish crew,

That had by thousands, sinners captive made,

And hadst in conqu'ring chains them captive led,

Get donatives, not for they proper gain,

But royal bounties for rebellious men,

Gifts, graces, and the Spirit without bounds,

For God's new house with man on firmer grounds?

O then let me a rebel now come speed,

Thy Holy Spirit is the gift I need.

His precious graces too, the glorious grant,

Thou kindly promis'd and a greatly want.

Thou art exalted to the highest place,

To give repentance forth, and ev'ry grace. (2)

O giver of spiritual life and breath,

The author and the finisher of faith; (3)

Thou husband-like must ev'ry thing provide,

If e'er the like of me become thy bride."

 

(1) Psalm xviii. 18.

(2) Acts v. 31.

(3) Heb. xii. 2.

Love is Not a Feeling

On this Valentine's Day everyone is focused on "love."  What is love?  That's an age old question, isn't it?  One thing that love is not, is simply ignoring someone in their error.  True Christians are constantly being told they are unloving or insensitive when they share the message of the Gospel.  Which is more loving, smiling at someone as they worship their false god, knowing that if they die in that condition they will burn in hell?  Or confronting them, and warning them of the impending doom?  I say the man who will declare the warning the loudest is showing the greatest amount of love.  On this day of "love," let's read what the scripture declares love (charity) to be:

 

1Co 13:1-13

(1)  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

(2)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

(3)  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

(4)  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

(5)  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

(6)  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

(7)  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

(8)  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

(9)  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

(10)  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

(11)  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

(12)  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

(13)  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

 

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The Bible as our Rule of Life

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

(2Pe 1:3)

 

There is a troubling tendency in our age.  It seems to grow more prevalent each day among Christians.  This tendency is that of sincere Christian believers embracing unorthodox doctrine.  When questioned about their unconventional beliefs, their reply is often "God has revealed this to me.  I won't change my mind unless He reveals to me something differently."  I guarantee you that at some point in their future God will have "changed His mind" and revealed something new to them.  The problem is that when we base our doctrine on gut feelings or special revelations given to us personally by "God Himself" we have no standard with which to judge these newly embraced convictions.  The referenced scripture above (2 Peter 1:3) gives us an assurance of how we may know all things that pertain unto life and godliness.  This is through the "knowledge of him."  This knowledge comes from the Word of God alone.  Christ Jesus is the Word incarnate.  (John 1:1)  The Reformers' cry of Sola Scriptura rings throughout the ages.  Scripture alone must be our absolute standard for judging all doctrine taught by men.

 

The alternative is very concerning.  When we leave behind the truths of scripture, we open ourselves up to a plethora of strange ideas and concepts.  I certainly don't claim to have the market on truth cornered.  I may have misinterpreted some scripture passages.  To the extent that I have misinterpreted scripture, I deserve to be corrected.  Yet, how should this correction come?  It should come through the sharpened edge of the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.  I believe that I stand on a firm foundation by holding to truths expounded in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.  The men who drafted this confession spent countless hours in the Word of God expounding it and applying it to an outline that lays out what they believed.  The 1689 Confession is not infallible.  It is a document written by fallible men.  However, the great pangs taken to insure its correct interpretation of scripture make a much greater impression upon me than a modern, surface reading of scripture, with the intention of arriving at a pre-conceived desired "end goal" of proving some new fangled doctrine.  I recently read an article knocking the views of Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and A.W. Pink.  I greatly admire all these men.  Each of them faithfully expounded the Word of God.  Yes, they are just men, and they are fallible, but I have a feeling that they are not near as fallible as the modern author who sought to discredit them.

The World’s Verdict of Christ and His Followers; Or, The Truly Devout Ridiculed and Reproached by the Profane

Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
(Isa 8:18)

This morning we had several children in our family who were sick. Therefore we were unable to fellowship with other believers in our Church fellowship. I took this opportunity to read excerpts from one of Ralph Erskine’s sermons. This sermon is highly relevant to today and describes, almost to a T, what many of God’s people are facing from other professing Christians. Read these words, and be encouraged that we are not the first generation who faced persecution for standing up for the truths of scripture. This sermon was delivered by Ralph Erskine in his own church at Dunfermline, December 16, 1772. Remember that date as you read, for this could very well have been written in 2008. What I am recording here is the very last page out of about 11 pages of sermon. He ends with a question and an answer. Imagine the fire in which it was delivered, and I believe it will be an encouragement for you as well. The base text for this sermon is given above.

QUESTION:
“What help, in order to bear reproach for Christ, will you offer us?”

ANSWER:
A man that would bear reproach for Christ, must be a Christian indeed, a believer indeed; otherwise he will never bear his reproach aright. It is he and the children whom the Lord hath given him, that are signs and wonders: if you be not among his children, you cannot be a zealous sufferer for him. Yea, a man that would bear reproach for Christ, needs to be, not only a believer, but a strong believer, having much Christian courage, that he may bear a hiss, as well as a hymn; I mean, a hiss of reproach and disdain, as well as a hymn of applause and commendation: to bear this, requires the armor of patience and spiritual courage, for marching through the world’s contempt and hazard, being looked upon as a monster, and made the scorn of fools: and all this requires the strength of faith; “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” Heb. xii. 2. And , in the following words, we are called to “consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we be wearied and faint in our minds; for we have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. It requires much zeal for God, and love to him. Alas, who can say, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up?” It requires a good cause and a good conscience: if a man be firmly persuaded of the goodness of the cause, it will help him to bear reproach; while he doth not suffer as an evil doer, though he be reproached as such: and a good conscience is an encouraging thing in this warfare; also, “having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ,” 1 Pet. iii. 16. iv. 15. In a word, it requires constant dependance upon the Captain of salvation, who was “made perfect through sufferings.”

Finally, Let us all consider and remember, that the cause of Christ will be a prevailing cause in the issue, however it be reproached in the world. There is a schism, a rent, and division in the world, Sirs, ever since the fall of Adam; a battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent; between Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels; but Michael and his angels, Christ and his children, will carry the day; and contradicted truths will be effectually cleared and vindicated; if never fully here, yet the day of the Lord will be the valley of decision, when the great cause of true religion will be decided, and the serpent’s head broken so as that he shall never hiss nor spit his venom any more.

It is now a day of reproach, a day to be lamented, for the bitter calumny that takes place therein; yea, I may call heaven and earth to witness, whether ever gospel preachers and professors suffered a hotter persecution of the tongue than in the apostate age, wherein, if some ministers fall foul upon the sins and errors of the times, the very naming thereof is enough to offend, though yet the nation be sinking under the weight thereof. Never was a gospel ministry more contemptible than in our day. Satan has used many instruments, and most of them have had their effect, to bring the dispensers of gospel ordinances into contempt; and it is still more lamentable, that many have had a sinful hand in bringing their own ministry under a reproach, and laying stumbling-blocks in the way of the success of the gospel, and marring the edification of souls, by sad compliances with the public defections of the day and errors of the age.

It is a day wherein the gospel of Christ is contemned. The time has been when some have thought it worth crossing the seas to enjoy the everlasting gospel: but now, that it has become plenty and cheap, many are loath to cross the streets to hear it upon a week-day, unless they have some other errand, perhaps to compliment a neighbor with their presence at a baptism or a marriage. How much are we souring upon the gospel, and loathing the honey-comb!

It is also a day wherein some of the friends of Christ are openly bantered, and lampooned, and gazed upon as signs and wonders; and wherein many sacred truths are publically defamed and ridiculed; and heart-enemies to revealed religion and to the gospel in its purity, in the mean time taking occasion utterly to run down the gospel. What am I saying? In the name of the great God I defy all the powers of earth and hell to run it down: they may sooner run down the flowing tide or the sun rising in its strength than run down the least of the dictates of eternal truth; “Not one jot or tittle thereof shall fall to the ground.” Dagon shall fall before the ark; and the rod of Aaron shall swallow up the gods of the magicians.

It is likewise a day wherein providence is shaking both church and state; and particularly the ark must needs shake, when they who carry it are stricken with axes and hammers, and many are knocking at all the four corners of it at once, namely, the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, to get it broken to pieces, while open enemies, (viz: cursed Popery and abjured Prelacy,) are making inroads upon all corners of the land, in the public view of the church: she, in the mean time, unthoughtful of her danger, seems to be doing nothing, but, by intestine broils, cutting off her right hand with her left.

In a word, it is a day wherein that word seems to be made out, that there “shall be scoffers, walking after their own lusts:” drunkards, whoremongers, atheists, blasphemers, debauchees, and profane scoffers of the age, now have their day: it is now their hour, and the power of darkness. This is matter of lamentation. But, however, God will have his day ere long: and it will be a glorious day when Christ will appear, in all the glory and grandeur of the upper world, to the everlasting terror and confusion of all his adversaries, and to the eternal joy and honour of all his friends, who, though now they are for signs and wonders, by way of reproach, will then be for signs and wonders by the way of renown; when Christ will present them blameless unto his Father, saying, “Behold, I and the children whom thou hast given me,” ‘who, as they have suffered with me in my reproach in time, must now reign with me in my glory through eternity.’

O sirs, let us seek, above all things, to be on Christ’s side, on the side of truth now, and on the right hand road to heaven, whatever rubs we may meet with by the way, so as we may come to be on the right hand of the throne in the day of the manifestation of the sons of God.

May the Lord bless what hath been said: and to his name be praise.

Scrimmage Game 2008

There's a time in high school football when there are two groups of players contending for separate goals, yet regardless of the score at the end of the game, the home team is always the winner. Sometimes one side may be a little better than the other. But in the end, it doesn't really matter who wins. This particular game makes no difference in the team's season record. The type of game I'm referring to is that of a "scrimmage." For those of you familiar with high school football, this isn't a difficult concept. It's simply the same team, splitting their players into separate groups, and playing each other for practice. While there may be a bit of competition going on, the guy across the line from you is your buddy. You'll both be fighting for the same goals when it really matters. In fact, sometimes these scrimmage games can determine who the "starters" are. So, yes, there's a competition there, but when all is said and done, both of these groups form the same team.

So it is in today's presidential race. When I look at the slate of candidates, by and large, they all support the same things, whether they are Republican or Democrat. Some talk a different talk. Some "change their minds" where they stand on such important issues like abortion (i.e. Mitt Romney) when it seems politically expedient to do so. But by and large a vote for any of these tricksters is going to be a vote for four more years of "status quo." That's an optimistic attitude. The pessimist side of me is concerned that the status quo will not improve, but degrade—regardless of who wins the presidency. On the issue of abortion, we see that after eight years of the Bush presidency, a baby can still be killed through all nine months of pregnancy for any reason whatsoever, despite the rhetoric concerning the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. This is utterly unacceptable, considering he had a Republican Congress and Senate for half of that time. On the issue of sodomy, we see that President Bush has appointed far more sodomites to high ranking government positions and ambassadorships than President Clinton ever did. Likewise, under Bush's watch, we've seen sodomite "marriage" or "domestic partnerships" flourish in several states. Those are just a few of the social issues. On the financial side, we've seen Republicans raise taxes and increase spending just like the Democrats have done…repeatedly. Sure, Bush gave us some needed income tax cuts. But he didn't decrease government spending, but rather increased it. I'm only picking on President Bush and the Republicans because they have made themselves out to be the friend of conservatives. Yet, from what I've observed, I'd be hard pressed to say they were conservative by looking at their actions. It goes without saying that the Democrats are no saints themselves.

So, what do we do about it? There are only two candidates currently for whom I'd consider casting my vote. These candidates are Rep. Ron Paul and Gov. Mike Huckabee. Of the two, I perceive Rep. Paul to be a better agent in producing real change, though I tend to think Gov. Huckabee's position on abortion and sodomy are stronger. Short of either of these two winning the Republican primary, I think the general election is going to simply be a "scrimmage" game where no matter who wins it's the "bad guys" who'll be in power.

GOSPEL SONNETS - Chapter 2 - Section 3

GOSPEL SONNETS
By Ralph Erskine
Chapter 2

SECTION III. – The deeply humbled soul RELIEVED with some saving discoveries of CHRIST the Redeemer.

WHEN thus the wounded bride perceives full well,
Herself the vilest sinner out of hell,
The blackest monster in the universe;
Pensive, if clouds of wo shall e’er disperse;
When in her breast Heaven’s wrath so fiercely glows,
‘Twixt fear and guilt, her bones have no repose.
When flowing billows of amazing dread
Swell to a deluge o’er her sinking head;
When nothing in her heart is found to dwell,
But horrid Atheism, enmity, and hell;
When endless death and ruin seems at hand,
And yet she cannot, for her soul, command
A sigh to ease it, or a gracious thought,
Though heaven could at this petty rate be bought;
When darkness and confusion overcloud,
And unto black despair temptations crowd;
When wholly without strength to move or stir,
And not a star by night appears to her:
But she, while to the brim her troubles flow,
Stands, trembling, on the utmost brink of woe.
Ah! weary case! But, lo! in this sad plight,
The sun arises with surprising light.
The darkest midnight is his usual time
Of rising, and appearing in his prime.
To shew the hills from whence salvation springs,
And chase the gloomy shade with golden wings,
The glorious husband now unveils his face,
And shews his glory full of truth and grace: (1)
Presents unto the bride, in that dark hour,
Himself a Saviour, both by price and power:
A mighty Helper to redeem the lost,
Relieve and ransom to the uttermost; (2)
To seek the vagrant sheep to deserts driven,
And save from lowest hell to highest heaven.
Her doleful case he sees, his bowels move,
And make her time of need his time of love; (3)
He shews, to prove himself her mighty shield,
His name is JESUS, by his Father sealed: (4)
A name with attributes engraved within,
To save from every attribute of sin.
With wisdom sin’s great folly to expose,
And righteousness its chain of guilt to loose,
Sanctification to subdue its sway,
Redemption all its woful brood to slay. (5)
Each golden letter of his glorious name
Bears full deliverance both from sin and shame.
Yea not privation bare from sin and woe,
But thence all positive salvations flow,
To make her wise, just, holy, happy too.
He now appears a match exactly meet
To make her every way in him complete,
In whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells, (6)
That she may boast in him, and nothing else.
In gospel lines she now perceives the dawn
Of Jesus’ love, with bloody pencil drawn;
How God in him is infinitely pleased,
And Heaven-avenging fury wholly appeased:
Law-precepts magnified by her beloved,
And every let to stop the match removed,
Now in her view her prison gates break ope,
Wide to the wall flies up the door of hope;
And now she sees with pleasure unexpressed
For shattered barks a happy shore of rest.

(1) John i. 14.
(2) Heb. vii. 25.
(3) Ezek. xvi. 6, 8.
(4) Matt. i. 21.
(5) 1 Cor. i. 30.
(6) Col. ii. 9, 10.

Christian Patriarchy

What exactly is Christian Patriarchy anyway? I’ve heard some crazy ideas about people’s misconceptions of what that term entails. They speak of men with harems, utter despots in their homes waiting for their wife and children to wait on them hand and foot. I’m not sure where they get their information, but that is certainly not Christian Patriarchy. Christian Patriarchy is simply “servant leadership.” It is a man sacrificing his own hobbies and interests, his own “life of luxury” for the good of his family. It is a man who will not only die for his family if necessary, but he will daily die to his own selfish desires in order to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He is a manly man who will protect his family from an evil world, while bathing them in the truth of scripture. A Christian Patriarch does not dishonor his wife. Rather, he loves her more than himself. True Christian Patriarchy emulates Christ. Is Christ our leader? Certainly. Does He set rules for His family? Absolutely. Is He a tyrant walking all over His subservient family? God forbid such blasphemy. Here is the pattern:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
(Eph 5:25-29)

Those who know me know that I love to read and quote men who lived long ago. However, for a nice change of pace, I’m going to quote a poem written by a man who is very much alive today. Doug Phillips is a Christian leader and a father of eight children. This poem comes from his book, Poems for Patriarchs available at: VisionForum.com

The Patriarch
by Doug Phillips

More noble than the valiant deeds of shining knights of yore,
More powerful than earthly plights that make the rich man poor,
More kingly than a royal throne or a lion with his pride,
Is he whose babes sleep well at night sure Daddy will provide.

There is a spirit in this land and Jezebel’s her name.
She’s calling you to leave your home for power, fun, and fame.
She wants your wife, your children too – she’ll never compromise,
Until your house is torn in two by listening to her lies.

But though a hundred thousand million men may fall prey to her lures,
And wives en masse leave home in search of “more fulfilling” chores,
Though preachers praise, and friends embrace, her pagan plan of death,
Stand strong and quit you like a man with every blessed breath.

Stand strong and rise, O man of God, to meet this noble call,
The battle is not new you see, it’s been here since the Fall.

Your wife is your helpmeet, my friend, and not another man’s,
So care for her and keep her far from Mistress Jezi’s plans.
Protect, provide, and give to her your undivided life,
This is the dear one of your youth, your precious bride, your wife.

And rally to those tiny ones who trust you for their care –
A lifetime spent discipling them’s a lifetime pure and rare.
For when they put their hand in yours and know a Daddy’s love,
You’re showing them a picture of the Father from above.

Look not toward worldly goal or gain, or for your liberty,
Look only into their sweet eyes to find your ministry.
Devote your heart and sacrifice and make your manly mark –
There is none so great as he who finds his call as patriarch.

Little Boys and Keys

Over the weekend we bought our six year old, Justin, a new pair of tennis shoes. Included was a little gimmick miniature flashlight keychain put there by marketers to make sure a child will hound his parents to buy the shoes. In any case, he had fun with it on the way home in the back of the van. There was one thing that puzzled him, however. What was that little metal ring attached to the chain for? After we got home, Justin asked me the question. I responded that it was a keychain, and I proceeded to show him the little metal rings on my own keychain. Then he started in on how he wanted keys like Daddy. He also wanted two of those little key fobs just like Daddy. I told him those were for my car and the van and he didn’t need them until he was old enough to drive.

I thought it was over with, and it was just one of the hundreds of questions that a six year asks throughout the day. However, he came back to me later on Saturday and asked me again, “The next time you go to the store, will you buy me some keys?” He didn’t seem to grasp the concept that keys fit in some type of lock. So, I looked through my keychain and found a key that fit a lock that I had no idea where it was. He was excited to get a key for his keychain, but I made the mistake of chuckling and commenting to my wife that I thought it matched a lock that used to be on a friend’s trailer that had been stolen a couple of years ago. Justin had a confused look on his face. I hoped that I hadn’t crushed his imagination. Quickly I changed my tone and found another old house key that didn’t fit our current house and let him have it. Then I had a better idea. I went to the drawer and drew out a spare key for our current house. Of course, this tickled him. After I gave him the key, I followed it up with a lesson about how to open the door locks. He spent the next 30 minutes opening and closing the lock on the back door. Since we have church at our house, he also enjoyed the opportunity on the following day to show his friends his new house key.

I pondered what I saw in this. Why was this such a big deal to him? I have a few ideas why.

1) He got to “be like Daddy.”
Little boys have an innate desire to do manly things. Simply having a ring of keys in your pocket seems a manly thing to do since he’s always seen me with mine.

2) It was a “gadget.”
Performing a simple mechanical action of turning a key and watching the deadbolt go in and out provides hours of entertainment for an inquisitive mind who wants to know how things work.

3) It means being allowed to do something useful for the family.
Oftentimes when we come home at night after being in the van, the little ones will fall asleep. I usually have my arms full of children as I’m either carrying the baby seat carrier, holding my one year old sleeping daughter, or holding my 3 year old sleeping son. Justin realizes that he may be able to “come to the rescue” by unlocking the door when Daddy can’t get to his keys.

4) Lastly, it shows a level of trust that we’ve given him.
Having a key to the house means that he’s been given permission to unlock the doors at home. After all, we wouldn’t hand out house keys to just anyone who asks. So, it’s special that he is someone we would trust with this responsibility. We’re also teaching him that he needs to be responsible not to leave the keys outside so that anyone could come in.

5) It makes him feel more mature.
Being smack dab in the middle of seven children, Justin is in that “limbo” stage where he’s not sure if he identifies with the older children or the babies.

So, if you want to bring some joy into the life of your six year old, give him a set a keys, and make sure one of them is the key to the house.

No Sin Greater Than Another?

Why are you judging that particular sin? After all, no sin is greater than another.

Have you ever heard anyone make that claim? What’s more interesting is that more often than not this assertion is made in defense of a “politically correct” sin. It is usually in defense of a sin that has a whole movement dedicated to promoting it and recruiting new members, for they are unable to reproduce members on their own. Yes, I speak of the sin of homosexuality.

The main verse that I hear others use when trying to justify their sin is this one:

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
(Jas 2:10)

Now, this is a very valid point, and one that must be considered. After all, this scripture is part of God’s Holy Word. Can we understand James to be telling us this paraphrase:
“Don’t try to keep the law, because if you mess up and fail in just one area, it’s just like you broke all of it.” Certainly this is not what James is saying. For if you read the rest of James chapter 2, you will see a clarion call for Christians to add works to their faith, else we show that our faith is dead. (James 2:20) What verse 10 is telling us then is that fallen, unregenerate man is totally depraved. We are born into this world with a sin nature. Every transgression that we do is deserving of eternal hellfire. Therefore, there is a bit of truth when we say that “no sin is greater than another” because the sin of lying will send you to hell just as fast as the sin of homosexuality.

However, just because any sin is vile enough to send you to hell, apart from the saving grace of Christ, I want to show you that God’s Holy Word does set some sins as worse than others. Consider:

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
(1Jn 5:16)

So, then we see that there is a “sin unto death.” This sin is so bad that John does not even admonish his readers to pray for those who have been observed in participating in it. He does not prohibit prayer on their behalf, but he does withhold his admonishment as he would admonish us to pray for others sinning “lesser” sins. At the risk of a digression, I want to point out that this “sin unto death” is the very same sin spoken of here:

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
(Mat 12:31)

This blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, this “sin unto death,” is the utter falling away from and turning against the Lord of Heaven. One such example we have from scripture is Judas Iscariot.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
(Mar 14:21)

Here is an example of a man who walked daily with Christ for over 3 years. He heard His teaching. He saw His miracles. Yet, he showed himself to be a vile betrayer of the God Man Jesus Christ. No one can convince me that Judas Iscariot was forgiven of the sin he wrought against God.

So then, we have seen that there is at least two “levels” of sin; sin unto death, and sin not unto death. Do we see any scriptural examples of levels of sin in those sins that are not unto death? I declare to you that we do.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(Mat 5:19)

Here we see someone described as breaking “one of these least commandments,” then teaching this to others. He is still described as being in the kingdom of heaven, though he is called the “least” in the kingdom of heaven. I would point out once more that the only reason he’s still “in the kingdom of heaven” is through the atoning blood of Christ. Because, remember, without the blood of Christ the very least sin will send us to hell.

To get back to the premise of this article, let us ask ourselves: Is the sin of homosexuality worse than other sins? Is it worse than lying, for example? To answer that question, let’s read what the Bible has to say about sexual sins in general:

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
(1Co 6:15-20)

So then we see that fornication and adultery are worse than other sins, because they are sins against our own bodies, which are the temple of the Holy Ghost. So, certainly if we are not to “join ourselves” in illicit heterosexual relationships, we can easily apply this passage to homosexual behavior as well.

So, let’s recap what we’ve seen so far. There is a definite distinction between the sin unto death and sins not unto death. Within the sins not unto death, we see that sexual sins are worse in that they are sins against our own bodies. Do we see any scriptural justification for homosexuality being worse than illicit heterosexuality? Read with me from Romans chapter 1:

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
(Rom 1:26-28)

We see in this passage homosexuality described as “against nature.” Certainly illicit heterosexual sin is condemned in the scripture. However, in passages such as these, the Holy Spirit speaking through the Holy Word of God condemns homosexuality in very strong language. We read of the utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah over the sin we know as “sodomy” today because of their wicked ways.

So, when you wonder why Christians like myself “harp on” the sin of homosexuality, and why we aren’t out decrying the sin of gluttony, for example, perhaps you will now understand that God has given us in His Word examples of sins for which He has judged nations and cities. In modern society, we see groups organized to promote the sin of homosexuality declaring it to be “normal.” It is a spitting in the face of God. It is calling Him a liar, for to say that homosexuality is normal is to contradict Romans 1. Therefore Christians *must* oppose this abomination. We must refuse, as much as in our power to do so, to allow it to be rooted in our society.

Friend, are you entangled in the thralls of homosexuality? While this sin is an utter abomination in the eyes of God, I have shown in this article that it is not a “sin unto death.” There is forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. Read what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
(1Co 6:9)

But he turned right around in verse 11, with:

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
(1Co 6:11) (emphasis mine)

There is hope. You may turn to Him for forgiveness and salvation. Christ has promised that He will not turn away any who come to Him.

Dominicum Servasti – Have you kept the Lord’s Day?

I just finished listening to a very well done teaching series on the Lord’s Day. Dr. Matthew McMahon does a very good job of showing from the scriptures of why we worship on the first day of the week. He answers the question of whether the fourth commandment is part of the moral law, or simply part of the ceremonial law that was done away with at the resurrection of Christ.

Dr. McMahon is a paedo-baptist Presbyterian. Although I disagree with him on infant baptism, I have found his handling of the Word of God to be quite good. To hear a very good teaching on this subject, visit his website at http://www.apuritansmind.com/CD/DominicumServastiAudioCD.htm

One point that he mentioned that I had never considered before is that in the creation ordinance of a Sabbath day rest, we are never told that the day is actually Saturday (or the ancient name for that day). The Israelites recognized this day as their Sabbath when the Lord brought them out of Egypt by His mighty hand. The next day was the Sabbath day, and it was kept holy to the Lord.

For the Christian, Christ has brought us liberty from the bondage of sin. Therefore we worship Him on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. It is the Christian Sabbath, the keeping holy of this one day out of seven unto the Lord.

Check out McMahon’s series. I enjoyed quite a bit.

2007 Year in Review

2007 was a year of tremendous blessing. The first anniversary of our time in Oklahoma happened in February. For a secular company, I have greatly enjoyed working with Dobson Communications. I have a good working relationship with my peers. I earned the highest award for IT. It was an award of Excellent Customer Service. It is nice to be appreciated for the efforts I make in my job. I was also happy to have earned this in less than one year of service. Later at the end of June, I would discover that Dobson was being acquired by AT&T. As I write this, I am now an employee of that huge company, though my day to day work has not changed much. Whether I stay with AT&T for a while or not, the Dobson acquisition gave me needed impetus for furthering my pursuit of self employment. I have investigated several possibilities, including copywriting, real estate investing, and pulling telephone cable. Any of these options would allow me to work for myself, incorporating the help of my children, at least more than what they are able to currently do in my corporate position. I am still happy with my employer, though the shake up is a wake up call not to get “too comfortable.” Change is most likely on the horizon sometime in the near future. Whether this change is just a transfer to self employment, or yet another move, remains to be seen. Thankfully we can trust in the providential hand of a loving Father God who ordains all things according to His good pleasure.

For the first half of 2007, we were relentlessly working our way toward the goal of 400 gold coins in Jamestown, Virginia in Vision Forum’s “Jamestown 400: Our National Treasure Hunt.” We had a great time and learned a lot of history along the way. On May 14th and 15th, we, along with 100 other sleuths, were up into the wee hours of the morning working on the final two days of the Jamestown 400. It was exhilarating as we received our “Congratulations!” from Jack as we solved the final clue. A month later, we were exploring the hallowed grounds of America’s founding, first in Williamsburg, then Yorktown, and Jamestown on the last day. My family and I managed to stay in the hunt on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, not being eliminated until Friday morning when the top three finalists went on to hunt for the physical gold. While we were disappointed not to actually get to dig for treasure, we realize that God has foreordained all that comes to pass. In His plans, He willed Melanie Thomas to become the “Fifth Trustee.” We were thrilled, however, to make it to the final 14 contestants, and for the opportunity to search for clues in Jamestown, when most of the contestants were eliminated after Williamsburg or Yorktown. This will truly be a time we will remember for the rest of our lives. It has also renewed a fire within me to learn all I can of history when on vacation. This Jamestown trip definitely tops my list of all time favorite vacations. The souvenirs we have from our Jamestown hunt are a three ring binder packed full of research, some 3 foot by 5 foot maps downloaded from the Library of Congress, and printed off at Kinko’s “just in case” (we never had to use them), a contestant t-shirt, and a ton of memories that we will cherish forever.

Sheri was an amazing trooper during our Jamestown hunt, as we packed our family of 8 into a very small hotel room for a week. Not to mention that this was June, and she was pregnant with our seventh child, Samuel Davies Southerland. He was named after the famous Virginia missionary who we learned more about in…the treasure hunt, of course! Samuel was born on October 29, 2007. After hoping for a VBAC, and changing doctors for that purpose, Sheri wound up getting yet another cesarean section after Samuel decided to turn sideways on the night of his birth. He was born at 3:15 AM Monday morning.

On November 15, 2007 my father’s mother, Gran-Gran, as she was known by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren went home to be with Jesus. Gran-Gran left a godly heritage for her family. She always stressed the importance of prayer. As I’ve mentioned more than once in this blog, Gran-Gran is the one who taught me to read and instilled in me a love for reading. My family and I will miss her greatly. Indeed, we already do. However, with the passing of a loved one, I am reminded of God’s plan for life. We lose those we love, and God blesses us with children that carry on the heritage to the next generation.

Finally, this is the first year that we, as a family, have stopped celebrating the holiday commonly known as Christmas. I have studied this out for several years. Our church has been a great encouragement in this area, as two other families also hold to these convictions. We visited family as they celebrated this holiday. It seemed to go well. I hope that the name of Christ was glorified in our actions and that we were a witness to them as we shared our reasons for not acknowledging a day that has never been commanded in scripture, promoted by the Roman church, and thoroughly mixed with pagan ritual.

All in all, 2007 has been an outstanding year. We have grown spiritually (and in numbers!). 2008 seems to be poised to bring us closer to many of our goals. Michael will turn 13 in December. As I prepared for Brittney’s “rite of passage” when she turned 13, a large focus of 2008 will be the final preparations for Michael’s ceremony. I have great plans that I will share in later blogs. I am excited to see the things that God has planned for us this year.

GOSPEL SONNETS - Chapter 2 - Section 2

GOSPEL SONNETS
By Ralph Erskine
Chapter 2

SECTION II. – Conviction of SIN and WRATH, carried on more deeply and effectually on the heart.

So proudly forward is the bride, and now
Stern Heav’n begins to stare with cloudier brow;
Law-curses come with more condemning pow’r
To scorch her conscience with a fiery show’r
And more refulgent flashes darted in;
For by the law the knowledge is of sin. (1)
Black Sinai thund’ring louder than before,
Does awful in her lofty bosom roar:
Heav’n’s furious storms now rise from ev’ry airth, (2)
In ways more terrible to shake the earth, (3)
Till haughtiness of men be sunk thereby,
That Christ alone may be exalted high.
Now stable earth seems from her centre tost,
And lofty mountain in the ocean lost;
Hard rocks of flint and haughty hills of pride,
Are torn in pieces by the roaring tide.
Each flash of new conviction’s lucid rays
Heart-errors, undiscerned till now, displays.
Wrath’s massy cloud upon the conscience breaks,
And thus menacing Heaven, in thunder speaks:
“Black wretch, thou madly under foot hast trod
Th’ authority of a commanding God;
Thou, like thy kindred that in Adam fell,
Art but a law-reversing lump of hell,
And there by law and justice doomed to dwell.”
Now, now, the daunted bride her state bewails,
And downward furls her self-exalting sails;
With pungent fear, and piercing terror brought
To mortify her lofty legal thought.
Why? The commandment comes, sin is revived, (4)
That lay so hid, while to the law she lived;
Infinite majesty in God is seen,
And infinite malignity in sin,
That to its expiation must amount
A sacrifice of infinite account.
Justice its dire severity displays,
The law its vast dimensions open lays.
She sees for this broad standard nothing meet,
Save an obedience sinless and complete.
Her cob-web righteousness, once in renown,
Is with a happy vengeance now swept down.
She who of daily faults could once but prate,
Sees now her sinful, miserable state.
Her heart, where once she thought some good to dwell,
The devil’s cab’net filled with trash of hell.
Her boasted features now unmasked bare,
Her vaunted hopes are plunged in deep despair.
Her haunted shelter-house in by-past years
Comes tumbling down about her frighted ears.
Her former rotten faith, love, penitence,
She sees a bowing wall, and tott’ring fence.
Excellencies of thought, and word, and deed,
All swimming, drowning in a sea of dread,
Her beauty now deformity she deems;
Her heart, much blacker that the devil’s seems;
With ready lips she can herself declare
The vilest ever breathed in vital air.
Her former hopes, as refuges of lies,
Are swept away, and all her boasting dies.
She once imagined Heaven would be unjust
To damn so many lumps of human dust,
Formed by himself; but now she owns it true,
Damnation surely is the sinner’s due:
Yea, now applauds the law’s just doom so well,
That justly she condemns herself to hell;
Does herein divine equity acquit,
Herself adjudging to the lowest pit.
Her language, “Oh! if God condemn, I must
From bottom of my soul declare him just;
But if his great salvation me embrace,
How loudly will I sing surprising grace!
If from the pit he to the throne me raise,
I’ll rival angels in his endless praise:
If, hell-deserving, me to heaven he bring,
No heart so glad, no tongue so loud shall sing.
If wisdom has not laid the saving plan,
I nothing have to claim, I nothing can.
My works but sin, my merit death I see;
Oh! mercy, mercy, mercy, pity me!”
Thus all self-justifying pleas are dropped,
Most guilty she becomes – her mouth is stopped.
Pungent remorse does her past conduct blame,
And flush her conscious cheek with spreading shame.
Her self-conceited heart is self-convict,
With barbed arrows of compunction pricked:
Wonders how justice spares her vital breath,
How patient Heaven adjourns the day of wrath;
How pliant earth does not with open jaws
Devour her, Korah-like, for equal cause;
How yawning hell, that gapes for such a prey,
Is frustrate with a further hour’s delay.
She that could once her mighty works exalt,
And boast devotion framed without a fault,
Extol her nat’ral powers, – is now brought down,
Her former madness, not her powers, to own;
Her present beggared state, most void of grace,
Unable even to wail her woful case,
Quite powerless to believe, repent, or pray:
Thus pride of duties flies and dies away.
She, like a hardened wretch, a stupid stone,
Lies in the dust, and cries, Undone, undone!

(1) Rom iii. 20.
(2) Wind, or quarter.
(3) Isa. ii. 17, 19.
(4) Rom vii. 9.

It’s a Wonderful *Lie*

Here’s little pop quiz. Which of the following three Christmas pop culture sayings contains the absolute truth?

#1
Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.

#2
You better watch out, you better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why.
Santa Claus is coming to town.

#3
Long time ago, in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas Day

If you answered “none of the above,” then you can skip this article, as I suspect you already know what I’m proposing here. If you answered either #1 or #2, you need more help than I can offer you. However, if you believe, as the majority of American society does, that Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day, read on. I may be able to enlighten you a bit.

Does the Holy Bible really say that Jesus was born on Christmas Day? If you think so, please email me the book, chapter, and verse where this is stated. (mike@mikesoutherland.com). I know for a fact that the date of Christ’s birth is never given in the scriptures. However, there is a way we can know *for sure* when Christ’s birth did *not* occur. In Luke 2 verse 8, we read the following:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
(Luk 2:8)

It is well known that shepherds in Israel brought their flocks in from the fields sometime in October and did not take them back out until March due to the frigid temperatures. Therefore, though we can’t know the date of Christ’s birth, we can say with a certainty that it was not December 25.

So, why December 25? That may be a good topic for another blog entry, but the short answer is that this is the date for the winter solstice. When the Roman church desired to “win converts” among the pagans, they decided that a good tactic was to dress up their existing holidays in Christian garb and allow them to continue. That’s exactly what we see happening with Christmas, Halloween, and Easter.

But to return to the original purpose of this article: Should we continue in promoting a lie as we celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25?

Step back for a moment and imagine yourself as a non-Christian (if indeed you are a Christian). First, you have someone explain to you that their God is a man who was born of a virgin. This is impossible in nature. Next, this same God-Man grows up and is violently murdered. But three days later He rises from the dead. At this point, you are thinking: Surely this is a myth because these things *don’t* happen. Your friend is assuring you that God’s Word is true and it can be trusted. Later that year in December, you see your friend commemorating Christ’s birth. When you ask him where that is found in the Bible, he opens to the book of Luke. However, in searching through Luke, you never find the date given. In fact, the date is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Yet your friend hangs on to his “traditions” regardless of its status as a myth. It could be that your friend even tells his children of a man in a red suit that comes down the chimney bearing gifts. At this point you, as an unbeliever, relegate all your friend’s stories to the category of fairy tales…virgin birth, resurrection, Santa Claus…they all look the same. Your friend has failed to uphold the truth of the Gospel through his vain imaginations.

Dear Christian: Is your Gospel message intermingled with lies? Could it be that God did not give us the date of Christ’s birth for the very same reason we are never given a picture of Him? God has ordained the means with which we are to worship Him. Annual observances of His birth are nowhere commanded. Just as we are not to worship a supposed image of Christ, we are not to commemorate a supposed date of His birth.

You’re Brainwashing Your Kids!

“You’re brainwashing your kids!” Recently that accusation was thrown my way by someone observing the “different” way we are raising our children. Ignoring for now that I don’t own any goats, I praise God that I am “brainwashing” my “children.”

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
(Deu 6:4-9)

Although the person accusing me of brainwashing certainly did not mean it as a compliment, I rejoice that outside observers can readily see that I have taken this verse to heart. When the world looks at us they should immediately be able to see a difference. If they don’t, we should question whether we are really making a difference in the lives of our children.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
(1Pe 2:9-12)

My wife and I are not seeking to raise children. What? We have seven of them, and we aren’t seeking to raise children?! No, my friend, we are seeking to raise godly men and women who will carry this torch of reformation to the next generation. If you try to raise children, that’s what you’ll get…little children in adult bodies. So we opt instead to raise adults. No one has to teach them to be immature. They do just fine learning that on their own. Yet maturity is something that must constantly be taught. So, what’s the risk in raising adults rather than raising children? Well…we might just end up with mature men and women trapped inside the bodies of “teenagers.” Would that be so terrible? Earlier this month I learned of a young man who was mature beyond his years. He died in a car accident at the age of 19. Please read the following tribute to Michael Billings and listen to the sermon he delivered at age 17. Here is the link: http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/2007/11/3118.aspx

Oh, that my children would have this level of maturity at 19… Hmmm, I bet Michael Billings was “brainwashed” by his father.

XMAS by A.W. Pink

Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen…for the CUSTOMS of the people are vain. (Jer. 10:1-3)

Christmas is coming! Quite so; but what is “Christmas?” Does not the very term itself denote its source – “Christ-mass.” Thus it is of Romish origin, brought over from Paganism. But, says someone, Christmas is the time when we commemorate the Saviour’s birth. It is? And who authorized such commemoration? Certainly God did not. The Redeemer bade His disciples “remember” Him in His death, but there is not a word in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, which tells us to celebrate His birth. Moreover, who knows when, in what month, He was born? The Bible is silent thereon. Is it without reason that the only “birthday” commemorations mentioned in God’s Word are Pharoah’s (Gen 40:20) and Herod’s (Matt 14:6)? Is this recorded “for our learning?” If so, have we prayerfully taken it to heart?

And who is it that celebrates “Christmas?” The whole “civilized world.” Millions who make no profession of faith in the blood of the Lamb, who “despise and reject Him,” and millions more who while claiming to be His followers yet in works deny Him, join in merrymaking under the pretense of honoring the birth of the Lord Jesus. Putting it on its lowest ground, we would ask, Is it fitting that His friends should unite with His enemies in a worldly round of fleshly gratification? Does any truly born-again soul really think that He whom the world cast out is either pleased or glorified by such participation in the world’s joys? Verily, the customs of the people are vain; and it is written, “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exo 3:2).

Some will argue for the “keeping of Christmas” on the ground of “giving the kiddies a good time.” But why do this under cloak of honoring the Saviour’s birth? Why is it necessary to drag in His holy name in connection with what takes place at that season of carnal jollification? Is this taking the little ones with you out of Egypt (Exo 10:9,10) a type of the world, or is it not plainly a mingling with the present-day Egyptians in their “pleasures of sin for a season?” (Heb 11:25) Scripture says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6). Scripture does command God’s people to bring up their children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4), but where does it stipulate that it is our duty to give the little ones a “good time?” Do we ever give the children “a good time” when we engage in anything upon which we cannot fittingly ask the Lord’s blessing?

There are those who do abstain from some of the grosser carnalities of the “festive season,” yet are they nevertheless in cruel bondage to the prevailing custom of “Christmas” namely that of exchanging “gifts.” We say “exchanging” for that is what it really amounts to in many cases. A list is kept, either on paper or in memory, of those from whom gifts were received last year, and that for the purpose of returning the compliment this year. Nor is this all: great care has to be taken that the “gift” made to the friend is worth as much in dollars and cents as the one they expect to receive from him or her. Thus, with many who can ill afford it, a considerable sum has to be set aside each year with which to purchase things simply to send them out in return for others which are likely to be received. Thus a burden has been bound on them which not a few find hard to bear.

But what are we to do? If we fail to send out “gifts” our friends will think hard of us, probably deem us stingy and miserly. The honest course is to go to the trouble of notifying them – by letter if at a distance – that from now on you do not propose to send out any more “Christmas gifts” as such. Give your reasons. State plainly that you have been brought to see that “Christmas merry-making” is entirely a thing of the world, devoid of any Scripture warrant; that it is a Romish institution, and now that you see this, you dare no longer have any fellowship with it (Eph 5:11); that you are the Lord’s “free man” (1 Cor 7:22), and therefore you refuse to be in bondage to a costly custom imposed by the world.

What about sending out “Christmas cards” with a text of Scripture on them? That also is an abomination in the sight of God. Why? Because His Word expressly forbids all unholy mixtures; Deuteronomy 22:10, 11 typified this. What do we mean by an “unholy mixture?” This: the linking together of the pure Word of God with the Romish “Christ-mass.” By all means send cards (preferably at some other time of the year) to your ungodly friends, and Christmas too, with a verse of Scripture, but not with “Christmas” on it. What would you think of a printed program of a vaudeville having Isaiah 53:5 at the foot of it? Why, that it was altogether out of place, highly incongruous. But in the sight of God the circus and the theatre are far less obnoxious than the “Christmas celebration” of Romish and Protestant “churches.” Why? Because the latter are done under the cover of the Holy name of Christ; the former are not.

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Prov 4:18) Where there is a heart that really desires to please the Lord, He graciously grants increasing knowledge of His will. If He is pleased to use these lines in opening the eyes of some of His dear people to recognize what is a growing evil, and to show them that they have been dishonoring Christ by linking the name of the Man of Sorrows (and such He was, when on earth) with a “Merry Christmas,” then join with the writer in a repentant confessing of this sin to God, seeking His grace for complete deliverance from it, and praise Him for the light which He has granted you concerning it.

Beloved fellow-Christian, “The coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (Jas 5:8). Do we really believe this? Believe it not because the Papacy is regaining its lost temporal power, but because God says so – “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). If so, what effects does such believing have on our walk? This may be your last Christmas on earth. During it the Lord may descend from heaven with a shout to gather His own to Himself. Would you liked to be summoned from a “Christmas party” to meet Him in the air? The call for the moment is, “Go ye out to meet Him” (Matt 25:6) out from a Godless Christendom, out from the Christ-deserted “churches,” out from the horrible burlesque of “religion” which now masquerades under His name.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). How solemn and searching! The Lord Jesus declared that “every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt 12:36). If every “idle word” is going to be taken note of, then most assuredly will be every wasted energy, every wasted dollar, every wasted hour! Should we still be on earth when the closing days of this year arrive, let writer and reader earnestly seek grace to live and act with the judgment-seat of Christ before us. His “well done” will be ample compensation for the sneers and taunts which we may now receive from countless souls.

Does any Christian reader imagine for a moment that when he or she shall stand before their holy Lord, that they will regret having lived “too strictly” on earth? Is there the slightest danger of His reproving any of His own because they were “too extreme” in “abstaining from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11)? We may gain the good will and good word of worldly religionists today by our compromisings on “little (?) points,” but shall we receive His smile of approval on that Day? Oh to be more concerned about what He thinks, and less concerned about what perishing mortals think.

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exo 23:2). Ah, it is an easy thing to float with the tide of popular opinion; but it takes much grace, diligently sought from God, to swim against it. Yet that is what the heir of heaven is called on to do: to “Be not conformed to this world” (Rom 12:2), to deny self, take up the cross, and follow a rejected Christ. How sorely does both writer and reader need to heed that word of the Saviour, “Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thou crown” (Rev 3:11). Oh that each of us may be able to truthfully say, “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Thy Word” (Psalm 119:101)

Our final word is to the pastors. To you the Word of the Lord is, “Be thou an example of believers in word, in deportment, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12). Is it not true that the most corrupt “churches” you know of, where almost every fundamental of the faith is denied, will have their “Christmas celebrations?” Will you imitate them? Are you consistent to protest against unscriptural methods of “raising money,” and then to sanction unscriptural “Christmas services?” Seek grace to firmly but lovingly set God’s Truth on this subject before your people, and announce that you can have no part in following Pagan, Romish, and Worldly customs. – A.W. Pink

Good Bye Gran Gran

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
(Ecc 7:1)

This morning, I received a call from my father. His message was that we have lost my grandmother. Gran Gran, as she was known by her grandchildren, stopped breathing this morning at 3:15 AM. She was truly a virtuous woman.

Gran Gran taught me to read when I was around three years old. I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t read, and I remember going to Kindergarten and reading the “note to parents” at the top of my worksheets. She furthered this love for reading by taking me, my brothers, and my sister to the library…regularly. We’d check out the maximum of 25 books each…so that between the four of us we’d tote 100 books back to her house, half of which we’d have already read or previewed before we got home.

Most everyone I know who loses someone they love reassures themselves that their loved one is “in a better place.” Unfortunately, often times this is not true. Indeed the scripture says that “wide is the gate that leads unto destruction, but narrow is the gate that leads to life, and few there be that find it.” I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Gran Gran is one of those few who entered that narrow gate. She was a woman of prayer. She told us often of the power of prayer and let us know that she prayed regularly for all of us. She trusted in her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Gran Gran and Pepaw gave me my first “real” Bible with my name on it. I carried that Bible into the government school system and became a thorn in the flesh to the bureaucrats employed there.

Gran Gran left us a heritage of knowing God and living out what we say we believe. Her favorite book of the Bible was Proverbs. Chapter 31 describes her well.

Gran Gran, I miss you already. But we have a hope unlike that of the world. I will see you again at the feet of Jesus.

Samuel Davies Southerland

Introducing...

Samuel Davies Southerland

born 3:15 AM 10/29/2007

weighing in at 7 pounds, 3 oz

20 1/2" long

He is such a blessing. Samuel is named for the Revolutionary War preacher and missionary to Virginia during the mid 1700's. He was also a president of Princeton University back when it was the College of New Jersey. Davies is described as one of America's greatest preachers. He saw many souls come into the Kingdom under his ministry. Though I had heard of him before this year, I was reminded of him through the Jamestown 400 Treasure Hunt. Samuel Davies played a part in the hunt as the answer to the question about a "prophet" who declared that George Washington would play a very important role in his new country...before Washington became famous.

My prayer for Samuel is that he would touch many lives and call forth God's elect from the four corners of the Earth. Like his namesake, Samuel will be used mightily of God in His Kingdom.

GOSPEL SONNETS - Chapter 2 - Section 1

GOSPEL SONNETS
By Ralph Erskine
Chapter 2

SECTION I. – Of a LAW-WORK, and the workings of legal pride under it.

So proud’s the bride, so backwardly disposed;
How then shall e’er the happy match be closed?
Kind grace the tumults of her heart must quell,
And draw her heav’n-ward by the gates of hell.
The Bridegroom’s Father makes, by’s Holy Sp’rit,
His stern command with her stiff conscience meet;
To dash her pride, and shew her utmost need,
Pursues for double debt with awful dread.
He makes her former husband’s frightly ghost
Appear and damn her, as a bankrupt lost;
With curses, threats, and Sinai thunder-claps,
Her lofty tower of legal boasting saps.
These humbling storms, in high or low degrees,
Heav’n’s Majesty will measure as he please;
But still he makes the fiery law at least
Pronounce its awful sentence in her breast,
Till through the law(1) convict of being lost,
She hopeless to the law gives up the ghost;
Which now in rigour comes full debt to crave,
And in close prison cast; but not to save.
For now ‘tis weak, and can’t (through our default)
Its greatest votaries to life exalt.
But well it can command with fire and flame,
And to the lowest pit of ruin damn.
Thus doth it, by commission from above,
Deal with the bride, when Heaven would court her love.
Lo! now she startles, at the Sinai trump,
Which throws her soul into a dismal dump,
Conscious another husband she must have,
Else die for ever in destruction’s grave.
While in conviction’s jail she’s thus inclos’d,
Glad news are heard, the royal Mate’s propos’d.
And now the scornful bride’s inverted stir
Is racking fear he scorns to match with her.
She dreads his fury, and despairs that he
Will ever wed so vile a wretch as she.
And here the legal humour stirs again
To her prodigious loss, and grievous pain:
For when the Prince presents himself to be
Her husband; then she deems, “Ah! is not he
Too fair a match for such a filthy bride?”
Unconscious that the thought bewrays her pride,
Ev’n pride of merit, pride of righteousness,
Expecting Heav’n should love her for her dress;
Unmindful how the fall her face did stain,
And make her but a black, unlovely swain;
Her whole primeval beauty quite defac’d,
And to the rank of fiends her form debas’d;
Without disfigur’d, and defil’d within,
Incapable of any thing but sin.
Heav’n courts not any for their comely face,
But for the glorious praise of sov’reign grace,
Else ne’er had courted one of Adam’s race,
Which all as children of corruption be
Heirs rightful of immortal misery.
Yet here the bride employs her foolish with,
For this bright match her ugly form to fit;
To daub her features o’er with legal paint,
That with a grace she may herself present.
Hopeful the Prince with credit might her wed,
If once some comely qualities she had.
In humble pride her haughty spirit flags;
She cannot think of coming all in rags.
Were she a humble, faithful penitent,
She dreams he’d then contract with full content.
Base varlet! think she’d be a match for him,
Did she but deck herself in handsome trim.
Ah! foolish thoughts! in legal deeps that plod;
Ah! sorry notions of a sov’reign God!
Will God expose his great, his glorious Son,
For our vile baggage to be sold and won?
Should sinful modesty the match decline,
Until its garb be brisk and superfine;
Alas! when should we see the marriage-day?
The happy bargain must flee up for aye.
Presumptuous souls in surly modesty,
Half saviours themselves would fondly be,
Then, hopeful th’ other half their due will fall,
Disdain to be in Jesus’ debt for all.
Vainly they first would wash themselves, and then
Address the fountain to be wash’d more clean.
First heal themselves, and then expect the balm:
Ah! many slightly cure their sudden qualm.
They heal their conscience with a tear of pray’r;
And seek no other Christ, but perish there.
O sinner! search the house, and see the thief
That spoils thy Saviour’s crown, thy soul’s relief,
The hid, but heinous sin of unbelief.
Who can possess a quality that’s good,
Till first he come to Jesus’ cleansing blood?
The pow’r that draws the bride, will also shew
Unto her by the way her hellish hue,
As void of ev’ry virtue to commend,
And full of ev’ry vice that will offend:
Till sov’reign grace the sullen bride shall catch,
She’ll never fit herself for such a match.
Most qualifi’d they are in heav’n to dwell,
Who see themselves most qualifi’d for hell;
And, ere the bride can drink salvation’s cup,
Kind Heav’n must reach to hell and lift her up:
For no decorum e’er about her found,
Is she belov’d; but on a nobler ground.
JEHOVAH’S love is like his nature free,
Nor must his creature challenge his decree;
But low at sov’reign grace’s footstool creep,
Whose ways are searchless, and his judgments deep:
Yet Grace’s suit meets with resistance rude
From haughty souls; for lack of innate good
To recommend them. Thus the backward bride
Affronts her suitor with her modest pride.
Black hatred for his offer’d love repays,
Pride under mask of modesty displays:
In part would save herself; hence, saucy soul,
Rejects the matchless Mate would save in whole.

(1) Gal. ii. 19.

Halloween...Again...

This is a tired subject. How sad it is that every October sincere Christians need to give reminders to their fellow believers on the evils of halloween...

Regardless, I did just that in a Toastmasters speech today. I gleaned much of my material from the following website:
A Puritan's Mind

Bottom line...reject this evil holiday. "Reformation Day" is a much better "alternative" (if such a thing is needed):
Reformation Day 2006