YOU and GOD

Fear or Faith

The once-shepherd boy queried “whom shall I fear?” and “of whom shall I be afraid?” He might have filled in the blanks with the spear of King Saul, the rebellion of Absalom, the armies of the Philistines, or any number of persons who wanted to see this charismatic, young, anointed future-king wiped out. But David, rather than cowering in fear, affirmed: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear…of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps.27:1)

As you survey your landscape, you could probably come up with your own list of things to fear. Putin’s threat of nuclear warfare; out-of-control inflation; 401k plans that have “melted” by twenty or thirty percent, with no foreseeable endpoint; escalating crime that is creeping from “bad neighborhoods” to an ever-enlarging city circumference , threatening even your neighborhood; political polarity and divisiveness that are harsh, sometimes cruel, and at best nationally numbing as we seem stuck in a quagmire of selfish agendas, which advance personal interests at the expense of the good of our body politic; and, worse, a people who once proudly called themselves “one nation under God” morphing into a spiritually apathetic, practically atheistic nation that has embraced “gods” while abandoning the “God” that it once pledged loyalty and allegiance to. If you cannot fix on one or more of the aforementioned fear factors, there are no doubt myriad more within your life orbit. Do you suffer with a terminal disease? Are you agonizing over a broken relationship that seems irreparable? Is your job on the line, so that you are not sure from day to day if this will be the day you receive that “pink slip?” So many things that might cause us to fear!

When America was entering the depths of the Great Depression, one of our past presidents tried to allay our national fear in his First Inaugural Address, in which he assured us that “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

One of our great astronomers had etched onto his tombstone the words, “I have lived too long among the stars to fear the night.”

Evangelist Jerry Sivnksty, a favorite local church evangelist who has ministered God’s Word to our generation for over 60 years, once taught our church to memorize Ps. 56:3: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (Ps. 56:3) It’s amazing how, when a tornado or hurricane or flood warning is issued, clinging to that simple yet powerful, soul-mooring anchor of David the Psalmist will calm if not chase away one’s fears.

Then, Paul, who faced enough frightful, life-threatening scenarios in his lifetime to have died a thousand deaths, as it were, simply said, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim.1:7)

Dr. and Mrs. Nelson Bell were in China in 1938 when the Japanese invaded and put them and other Christians in a dangerous place. On Christmas Day, Dr. Bell wrote his mother, who was in America, that it had fallen on him to lead in devotions a couple of days earlier that week. He wrote, “It dawned upon me that our Lord, tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, hungered, thirsted, was tired, became angry and gave every evidence of His humanity, but He was never fearful. Fear, therefore, must come from lack of faith—sin. Just as we never become sinless, so we never entirely lose fear, but it surely is His will for His children to live with peace in their hearts, trusting Him and His promises.”

John Chrysostom was a gifted fourth-century preacher who was exiled for his powerful preaching but could not be muted nor intimidated. He wrote: “What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness are the Lord’s. Will it be loss of wealth? But we brought nothing into this world and can carry nothing out. Thus all the terrors of the world are contemptible in my eyes, and I smile at all its good things. Poverty I do not fear, riches I do not sigh for, and from death I do not shrink.”

Charles Spurgeon once commented, “It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust.”

Fixing our focus on unknown or uncertain elements can conger up fear factors. The children of Israel, having listened to the report of 10 of the 12 spies sent to scope out the Promised Land, were afraid to proceed because they feared the size of the enemy, the enormity of the task ahead, and the negative outlook presented by all of the 12 reconnaissance teams but Joshua and Caleb. Fear can rob us of potential blessings and victories, as it did that generation of fearful men and women who chose to believe the “minority report,” missing the realization of possessing that land flowing with milk and honey.

Jesus, in His classic Sermon on the Mount, addresses our common worries about life and its nagging necessities. He bids us to “Take no thought for your life…life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.” He illustrates by pointing to the ravens, the lilies, and the grass of the field, all of which are recipients of the Creator’s care. He concludes, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Will you receive His good counsel? Review that inventory of pesky, probing, possible fear mongers on your horizon and reply, as David would, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Him.”

Bid fear farewell! Have faith!

He Gave Some Evangelists

Joe Mark, local church evangelist, was called to his eternal rest on the first Lord’s Day of October, having served his Savior faithfully as a gifted evangelist for more than five decades. Joe was one of my favorite evangelists, and he probably held eight or ten meetings in our church over the years. His preaching was plain but powerful. He aimed for the heart and seldom missed. His invitations were direct, discreet, and discerning.

Joe was a Midwesterner by birth, growing up in Illinois where, following his marriage to Elizabeth “Betty” Millikan in 1956, Joe and Betty would enjoy 56 years of marriage before the Lord called Joe to his heavenly home. They never had children, and most of the 45-plus weeks of the year that Joe traveled in revival meetings were by himself. Betty stayed home, worked at State Farm, and kept watch over the family cat.

Joe graduated from Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, MN, and then from Tennessee Temple Seminary, after which he served for a few years on the staff of Calvary Baptist Church in Normal, Illinois, under the direction of Pastor Bud Weniger. He was the outreach director during those years, and when he left that assignment Joe had a good understanding of what it meant to be a pastor in a thriving local church. He drew upon those experiences and that garnered wisdom as he ministered to local churches all across America for 53 years until his home-going.

Joe’s hobby was reading, and he took pleasure in sharing a good book with a friend. One of the first questions he would ask when arriving on the scene for a meeting was, “What are you preaching on now?” That was followed by the question, “What are you reading for that series?” Then, in a few days, a book would arrive in the mail—one from Joe’s library—on the subject of the current series. They were always first-rate books—books that I usually did not already own.

Joe’s preaching was never boring or exhaustingly lengthy, nor ever built upon “shaky” exposition. He knew God’s word and handled it adroitly, but always on the level and in the language of the common man. You did not have to be Bible College graduate to know what Joe was preaching about. His voice was commanding, and his pulpit demeanor in good taste. He never embarrassed this pastor by what, or how, he said anything. His messages were Bible-based, and his titles were sometimes intriguing: “Cult of the Comfortable,” “Scraps and Leftovers,” “When Demons Dance with Delight,” and “Hell is Enlarged,” among others.

Joe was a favorite camp speaker because of his ability to talk to junior-age boys and girls in a way that they could understand. Camp Assurance in Danville, IL, was a favorite destination of his during summers when (then) Camp Director Scott Randolph needed a camp evangelist. It was never a “duty” for this seasoned evangelist to give weeks of his summer ministering to boys and girls at camp.

Joe grew up in a broken home and spent lots of evenings in a local Macomb, IL, tavern with his granddad. Thankfully, a good, Bible-preaching local Baptist Church found Joe (or he found it), and he was able to make sense of life as he learned, loved, and lived the Bible that this church was preaching and teaching. Joe never got over his childhood—with virtually no father, and a grandfather who “watched Joe” while he and his grandson visited a saloon nightly. He never lost his passion or his compassion, and in his voice was a twinge of love—compelling, calling love for his hearers to come to Christ, in whom they could enjoy an abundant life.

As with most evangelists of Joe’s era, before convenient motels became available for housing special speakers and local church guests, Joe amassed a repertoire of jaw-dropping stories of incidents that occurred with people in places that he was “put up” for the week. One particularly memorable story was about a beautiful “mansion” at which the pastor dropped him off to lodge in for the week. The homeowners were gone, so Joe had the run of the place. After giving him some instructions, the pastor left. It was not long before Joe discovered that he was not the only houseguest in that beautiful paradise palace in the Sunshine State. It seems, as Joe related it, that there were snakes in every room, under and around every planter. Joe had to retreat to his car for cover and, alas, spent the week dodging the creepy, crawling, cursed from the Fall reptiles!

Another story occurred in the home of an older bachelor with whom Joe was assigned for the week. The house was cold that Midwestern winter, and Joe could see snow in the cracks of the floor and walls as he woke up shivering in the morning. Not to worry—his host had just the solution. With a chain saw, the old man cut a square opening in the wall that separated Joe’s bedroom from the adjoining bathroom, allowing the warmer air from the bathroom access to flow through the opening in Joe’s wall, and thus providing some heat! There were, of course, many more stories, but I have forgotten most of them and should kindly spare you any others anyway!

Joe was like a brother, real time, to many of his preacher friends, myself included, and we would have lots of laughs together. For instance, there was the week that we put Joe up in the church parsonage. It was/is a beautiful dwelling place, but at that time it was uninhabited, so there happened not to be any window coverings in any room, though in the master bath one could still find privacy. So, true to form, Joe was careful to tell us that without any window coverings, there was a long line of traffic outside on the street in the evening hours. Joe surmised that word had gotten out about the absent window coverings, and that people were driving by to catch a glimpse of “my physique.”

There was no other preacher/pastor/friend with whom I would rather spend a week in serving God. As a fellow Midwesterner, we enjoyed a mutual love for many things, and I could always feel at ease in his presence. I will miss Joe dearly and cling to the hope that when God called Joe into His presence on the Lord’s Day, it was not “Good-bye,” but only “So long…see you soon!”

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, ‘Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”(Rev.14:13)

Are You Like Christ?

It is well to aspire in our Christian walk day by day to be Christ-like. “O to be like Thee, just to be like Thee,” we sing as a hymn from time to time. So, the question that ought to haunt our hearts is, “Am I like Christ?” Here is a simple yet profound test: read Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many.” In other words, Jesus said that His mission was to serve. What is your mission now, as a follower of His? Jesus said in that same passage: “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.” That’s the divine perspective on servanthood. Is it ours?

One pastor aptly said, “Instead of being great servants of God, try to be a servant of a great God.” (Pastor D. Burgraff) D.L. Moody: “We may easily be too big for God to use, but never too small.” (Quoted by J. Sidlow Baxter in Awake My Heart, p.57)

In 1 Cor.4:1, 2 Paul uses the term “steward” to refer to “ministers of Christ.” The meaning of the word steward in these verses is of course “servant.” A study of that word reveals that it is used of first-century slaves—not just any slaves, in fact, but the lowest order of slaves. They were sometimes called “under rowers” because, in boats of the day, powered by oars in the hands of men, the lowest level of men with hands on the shortest oars were called just that. Theirs was the hardest and hottest job of all, lasting for hours each day. As was the case with most slaves in that Roman Empire, they were owned by masters who considered them nothing more than dispensable property. The master’s will was their will, and it was a matter of life and death, survival, to please him. Unquestioned obedience was expected. The servant’s only question was, “Master, what wilt thou have me to do?” The servant had no time of his own; no personal days, no holidays, no days off. That is the concept behind first-century servanthood. Jesus said He came to be a servant and that His followers should expect to become a “servant of all.” Pretty challenging statement to read and realize in this 21^st century, is it not?

But J.L. Massee reminds us that “service can never become slavery to one who loves.” God loves us, saved us, called us to serve, and gave us one requirement: that we serve faithfully. We never are too old (or too young) to serve faithfully. This past week, I rejoiced to hear that my dear friend of many years, evangelist Joe Mark, was graduated to glory at the age of 80. Joe was one of my favorite evangelists. An avid reader with a dry sense of humor, his lifelong labors of 53 years in local-church evangelism endeared him to pastors and people alike. His obituary concluded that the thing that characterized Joe most fully was not the number of years he traveled in ministry, nor the number of churches and pastors he encouraged, nor even the number of lives transformed through His masterful preaching of God’s Word. The one word that sums up what evangelist Joe Mark will be remembered for is faithfulness. Month after month, year after year, he did what the Lord called him to do, and he did it faithfully for his Master. He was never disqualified. He lived a life of integrity. He never watered down his message to get a meeting. Our church was blessed by having Joe for several revival meetings through the years, and I was never disappointed in any of them. He was consistently faithful and faithfully consistent.

A.E. Whitham pictures an imaginary preacher as he gives a report of a visit to the New Jerusalem: “In my wandering, I came upon the museum in the city of our dreams. I went in, and an attendant conducted me around. There was some old armor there, much bruised with battle. Many things were conspicuous by their absence. I saw nothing of Alexander’s or Napoleon’s. There was neither a pope’s ring, nor even the ink bottle that Luther is said to have thrown at the devil. I saw a widow’s mite and the feather of a little bird. I saw some swaddling clothes, a hammer and three nails and a few thorns. I saw a sponge that had once been dipped in vinegar, and a small piece of silver. Whilst I was turning over a simple drinking cup which had a very honorable place, I whispered to the attendant: ‘Have you got a towel and basin among your collection?’ ‘No,’ he said, ‘not here. You see, they are still in constant use.’”

Are you, as His servant, using the tools He has gifted you with? Is it your first and foremost desire, each day, to please your master, with the hope of having Him say at His Bema seat that you were a faithful servant?

A very young but extremely talented concert pianist, performing for the first time in his professional career, kept the audience in rapt attention. When he finished, almost every person in the audience—all but one old man—expressed their approval with a lengthy standing ovation. Yet, when the brilliant artist got off the stage, he was seen with his head in his hands, displaying disappointment with what he had done. His manager approached him with unreserved adulation, but the artist said that he had failed. Asked why he would think such thing—given the affirmation that all but one man in the crowd had given him—the young artist said, “That one old man is my teacher.” So it is with stewards: our one Person to please is our Master, and His approval is what we desire. The applause of the world, if ever given, will wane. His approval is eternal, and it is the only one that we seek.

A young man had been installed as pastor in a rather large church. After his first sermon, a member pulled him aside and, realizing the new pastor was very young and the audience was very old and seasoned, the well-meaning member said, “Pastor, I wonder how you will ever please 700 people.” To which the pastor, without a moment’s hesitation, replied, “Sir, I am not here to please 700 people; I am here to please one Person, my Lord and Savior. If I please Him that will be my reward.” This would be a wise perspective on all our ministries as stewards of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve me, him will My Father honor.” (John 12:26)

He Saved Others

On the darkest day of Jesus’ incarnated life amongst men on earth, at 9 a.m. at Calvary, the Jews who demanded His death stood watching Him suffer to the end. The crowd jeered and cheered as the cross was plunged into the hole on the hill where Jesus, sinless Son of God, bore in His body the sins of the world, tasting death for every man. It was a sordid scene. Only a handful of His followers were able to endure the sight. But many of the Jews, including their chief priests, watched with pleasure until Jesus gave up the ghost. Toward the end of the six suffering hours on the cross, they cried in jest, “Save Thyself, and come down from the cross…He saved others, Himself He cannot save.” (Mark 15:30, 31).

He saved others. Matthew and Mark record those words, but Mark is more specific, telling his readers that “Likewise the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; Himself He cannot save.” Those same mockers knew that they could save no one. They also knew that Jesus could save anyone, as He had demonstrated, time and again, right before their very eyes. Pilate, the Roman governor who released Jesus to the crowd for crucifixion, knew that it was for envy that the chief priests clamored for crucifixion: “For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.” (Mark 15:10; Matt. 27:18) The religious leaders could save no one—and Jesus could save anyone who willed to be saved. Thus, the envy and the crucifixion! He saved others!

In His dying hours, He saved the penitent thief hanging on one of the two crosses that flanked the center cross upon which Jesus was crucified. Luke, in his gospel account of that dark deed, tells us that one of the malefactors hanging beside Jesus, having acknowledged his sin and guilt, said “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.” (Luke 23:42). Jesus then assured the penitent sinner: “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Soon after those words were uttered, Mark says that Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” The last thing the seeking Savior of the world did in His incarnate flesh was to save a soul from the eternal Hell to which he had been heading! He saved others!

His resurrected body, on the first day of the week, having been entombed for three days and three nights, was seen first by Mary Magdalene. She was the woman from who Jesus had cast out seven devils, her life having been dominated by the Devil and his demons until she met Jesus. He first appeared in His scarred, risen body to show this devoted follower of His that death could not hold Him, and that He was a “first fruit” proof of the fact that there would be more resurrections to follow. Mary was the first to break the news to the cloistered eleven chosen apostles that, indeed, Christ had risen from the dead. What an undeniable testament to the truth in the person of this once demon-dominated woman: He saved others!

Then, early in His ministry, the despised Jewish tax collector Mathew, working for the Roman government—and cheating his way to prosperity at the expense of his fellow countrymen—heard Jesus say those two powerful words one day, “Follow Me.” Matthew responded and, instantly, he was converted to Christ, to freedom, forgiveness, and faith—an irrefutable, undeniable, living proof that He saved others! Jesus would later do the same thing when another tax collector, Zacchaeus, “chief among the publicans,” was saved by faith when Jesus entered Jericho, where this notorious wealthy cheat lived and practiced his double-dealing trade of lining his pockets with money that was over and above what he was required to send to Rome. When Jesus met this man, perched above the crowd on a branch of a sycamore tree, He said, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” (Luke 19:5) And abide He did! Before the day was over, our Lord proclaimed, “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:9, 10) And save He did! Zacchaeus, despised and declared a publican, but recognized by Jesus as a candidate for salvation, repented and believed that day, much as Abraham, a Jewish forefather, did centuries earlier. (Romans 4:3) He saved others!

And how about the demoniac of Gadara, who—so full of devils that he was known as Legion—lived in the mountains and tombs because no chains could bind him and no man could tame him; yet, when he first laid eyes upon Jesus, he ran and worshipped Him. Surely, this possessed person could not—would not—be saved. But, moments after that initial encounter, Jesus cast the devils out of the bedeviled. Soon thereafter, the man was seen sitting clothed and in his right mind—having been instantly converted to Christ through faith. He petitioned his newly found Savior to let him follow Him, but Jesus told him that he could do kingdom work right there where he had been considered by his fellow townspeople to be a hopeless case. All of this is carefully documented by Mark in the 5^th chapter of his gospel account of the life and labors of Jesus. Once again, He saved others!

Little wonder, then, that on that dark day at Calvary, those religious chief priests—powerless and moved by envy—mocked Jesus with their chant: “He saved others, Himself he cannot save.” Oh, yes, He saved multiplied multitudes, and He continues saving those who cry out “Have mercy on me.” But He would not—could not—save Himself that day, for He had committed to finishing the atoning work the Father had sent Him to do.

How about it, reader friend. Has He saved you? If not, you see it is just a matter of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as these “worst case” souls were saved by the Lord Jesus, so you can be saved right this moment. Won’t you? Will you?

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

A Pastor’s Pastor

“Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute…honor to whom honor.” (Romans 13:7) It is well to acknowledge gratefully the accomplishments of fellow soldiers of the cross, giving thanks to God for the impact their light has made among us while its brightness helped to guide us on our journey with confidence and trust.

Pastor Bob Taylor and his helpmeet of 60 years, his yellow rose from Texas, Joan, are a team that many would like to honor and pay tribute to. I first met them shortly after they were married and took up residence in Reveal Dormitory at Bob Jones University as dorm supervisors. They were kind and gracious to sometimes thoughtless, if not rowdy, young men away from home for the first time. My main job at that time, dorm-wise, was to make sure I did not warrant any special attention from this Tennessee-Texan team that was newly married and establishing their home in a dorm for young college men. I succeeded, and the next time I gave any thought to Bob Taylor was when, as a pastor in Kansas, I saw him preaching on what was then a very popular Sunday evening television hour for Christians, “Rejoice in the Lord,” which originated from the Campus Church of Pensacola Christian College. Pastor Taylor founded the church in 1974 and led that ministry, airing a daily radio broadcast, “The Pastor’s Corner.” He also served as Campus Pastor, offering biblical counseling to faculty, staff and students; leading the Pensacola Christian College ministerial students; and contributing regularly to the spiritual well-being of the campus family through his chapel messages.

In time, Bob and Joan and their three sons moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he assumed the pastorate of Colonial Hills Baptist Church, following the 32-year ministry of that church’s founding pastor, Dr. Wendell Heller. From August of 1988 until his retirement as senior pastor of Colonial Hills Baptist Church 21 years later, Bob Taylor shepherded one of the outstanding fundamental ministries in the United States. He was also a leader in the Indiana Association of Christian Schools, the Indiana Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of Churches, Hope in Crisis, the Bob Jones University board and Gospel Fellowship Association. His pastoral ministry was known as an example—both at home and abroad—for its balance, involving both missions and local church evangelism.

Bob Taylor was a “Pastor’s Pastor.” He was gracious, treating everyone equally with kindness and respect. He raised the bar of pastoral excellence among his peers. He was a true friend who, in humility, would both share and seek advice. His Christian walk was Christ-like and challenging.

Golfers, whether they were locals or visiting evangelists and missionaries, often discovered that Bob Taylor would—graciously, of course—take his competitors “to school,” as it were, demonstrating skills on the green not often seen in amateurs. He loved the game, and his reputation as a great golfer is widely known.

He is also widely known for his administrative and organizational abilities and careful attention to detail. Another Indiana pastor friend, at an IFBF Christmas banquet, once “roasted” Pastor Taylor as a person who had all the paper clips in his desk lined up in the same direction—and the shirts in his closet, as well as the socks in his dresser, all hanging or pointing with precision. His demeanor is always pleasant, and his acceptance of you as a person is ever assuring. His helpmeet, Joan, was always by his side and remains so today, serving, living, walking, and working as an inseparable team. They now enjoy living in a retirement community and treasure moments with friends, their CHBC family of faith, and their three sons and eight grandchildren. They continue ministering through a weekly Bible Study in their assisted living quarters.

From those early days when I was a sophomore living in the shadow of the Taylors’ dorm apartment—admiring from a distance of this seemingly suave while soundly spiritual Christian gentleman/pastor—I and my wife, Ellen, have had the privilege of becoming good friends with Bob and Joan. I no longer try to avoid him, as I did in the dorm! Ellen and I love having lunch with the Taylors and other couples with whom we have served in ministry in Indiana.

Happily, Pastor Taylor, upon his retirement as senior pastor in 2009, was succeeded by Dr. Chuck Phelps, whose ministry at Colonial Hills Baptist Church carries on the tradition of excellence that characterized his two predecessors. Until recently, Pastor Taylor taught an adult Sunday school class numbering upwards of 100 people, mostly retirees, at CHBC.

On April 16, 2009, at an IFBF meeting at Colonial Hills Baptist Church, the following citation was read in honor of Pastor and Mrs. Taylor:

“In recognition of two of God’s choicest servants who have labored selflessly amongst the brethren and tirelessly on behalf of the Indiana Fundamental Baptist Fellowship of Churches, we salute with thanksgiving to God Dr. and Mrs. Bob Taylor for 20 years of ministry at Colonial Hills Baptist Church of Indianapolis, Indiana and for the sterling example of Christian virtues and for the benchmark of ministry excellence that you have left for the generations to come. You will leave us spiritually richer for having been fellow laborers with us these past two decades. May your future be filled with greater blessings than you could dream of, and may all your days on this earth’s pilgrimage be full of love and joy and peace through his matchless grace.”

“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim.3:17)

And, Bob Taylor, Happy Birthday on this 4^th day of October, 2022!!

Only A Sinner

If you are a child of God today, that is, a born-again, washed in His blood, believer in the Lord Jesus Christ solely for salvation, then you can truly say, “I’m only a sinner, saved by grace.”

That’s right. We wholeheartedly agree with the Apostle Paul, writing under the Holy Spirit’s superintendence in the inspired Word, that “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.” (Eph.2:8,9)

What have we to boast of then? Salvation was planned and purposed in the wise counsels of the Godhead. God bought us, He sought us, He caught us and He’s got us, all by His matchless and marvelous grace. Boasting excluded! “I’m only a sinner saved by grace.” An unknown (to me) preacher said wisely “He who sings his own praise is usually off key,” and never was that truer than when the subject is salvation which is “the gift of God…eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Then, too, what else are we tempted to boast about? Whatever you have has been given to you. Are you in fair or good health? Your next breath will be drawn at the mercies of God. Do you live in a comfortable house, with a beautiful family, enjoying a productive and profitable career, worshipping with a spiritually robust community of believers who are pastored by a man of God committed to teaching the whole counsel of God? Then, count your blessings and name them one by one, because all of the above and anything good that you could possibly add to the list are from God as gifts of His grace. He is keeping His promise beyond measure: “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:19) I know Paul was writing to a generous local church when he penned those wonderful words to the believers in Philippi, but churches are made up of individual members of the body and I am confident that members of that Philippian assembly could recite personally how that even through their sacrificial living and giving God had supplied all of their needs. I can testify that from my childhood I claimed this verse as a “guidepost” for my journey with Him, and for the past 70 plus years I have never had to fret or stew about needs being met. As my pastor at Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis, when I was in seminary there, Dr. R.V. Clearwaters, said to his congregation many times, “Nothing over, nothing lacking.” Pastors in independent Baptist Churches have never been known to be “well-heeled,” but I have never asked a pulpit committee what kind of salary or benefits I might expect when assuming the position of pastor; and, through the years (not boasting on anyone but God who promised me as a lad that He would supply all my needs according to His riches in glory) I have turned down many offers at budget review time for a raise in salary. He never fails and the present economic landscape looms with threatening clouds but His promises still stand. So, what have we to boast of for all of these blessings? I am still “Only a sinner, saved by grace!”

Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech to Trinity College in Hartford, CT in 1918, and what he said about boasting in general, not about our salvation or God’s goodness, might deserve our consideration: “I wish it were possible to censor all boasting, and devote ourselves to achievement; not to improper exaggeration of what we have done, and above all, not to grandiloquent statements of what we are going to do. Remember that every great speech that has come down through history has obtained and kept its place only because it represented either achievement in the past, or a resolute purpose for achievement in the future.” Yes, and we who are His can say, past, present or future achievements are to His glory and our mantra ever remains, “I’m only a sinner, saved by grace.”

Paul wanted every person to know that even the powerful preaching of the cross that demonstrably transformed lives was not anything he dared boast about: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Gal.6:14) He also said to the Corinthian Christians: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness…Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men…But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise…and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and the things that are naught, to bring to pass the things are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.” (I Cor. 1:23-29) We marvel then at the wonders of His grace and glory and humbly confess once again, “I’m only a sinner saved by grace!”

One John Bangs wrote: “I love to watch the Rooster crow; he’s like so many men I know who brag and bluster, rant and shout and beat their manly breasts about the first blame thing to crow about.” But when it comes to our position and privileges before almighty God, we have nothing to “crow about.” It is all of grace and for His glory.

On Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, Queen Elizabeth was lowered to her final resting place in Windsor Castle’s King George VI Memorial Chapel in the Royal Vault, having reigned over England’s empire for 70 years. She was universally acclaimed as a good person, a good Queen; and some believe that she was a woman of faith and had a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Only God knows where she is spending eternity, but an interesting story was told the days leading up to her burial. Someone close to the Queen overheard her saying to another person, “I hope the Lord comes back in my lifetime,” upon which the other conversant asked, “And why is that, your majesty?” She replied, “So I can cast my crown at His feet.” That story, if true, resonates in the hearts of all Christians, worldwide. We look forward to that day when we by His grace will join the multitude before His throne and where we will join the “four and twenty elders (and) fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that lived for ever and ever, and cast (our) crowns before the throne….” (Rev.4:10) And, we shall do so knowing full well that we are “Only a sinner, saved by grace!”

“Naught have I gotten but what I’ve received; grace hath bestowed it since I have believed; Boasting excluded, pride I abase, I’m only a sinner saved by grace!” (James Gray, 1851-1935)

The Lost Axe Head

Elisha the prophet had just exercised serious discipline upon his servant Gehazi for lying to Naaman, the Syrian captain, and to Elisha. The punishment: lifelong leprosy for Gehazi and the plague of leprosy upon Gehazi’s posterity forever! One would assume such harshness would keep enrollment in the school of the prophets down. But not so. Enrollment soared so much that the school outgrew its dormitory and classroom space and needed a building program. (2 Kings 6:1) Lesson to be noted: Lowering standards of deportment in a school, church, or organization that has the Word of God as its rule for faith and practice will not diminish enrollment. To the contrary, it may have the opposite effect! (cmp. 2 Kings 5:27-6:2)

So, school leaders petitioned Elisha for permission to build. They sought not only his permission but, wisely, his presence. Elisha was on board, and the plan was that each of the sons of the prophets would take on the task of “felling a beam” of a tree near the Jordan river, from which the expansion would be built. Interestingly, they did not engage a feasibility study for the project; nor did they “float” a bond program to finance it, nor even a Kosher bake sale! They just rolled up their sleeves and individually went to work. And, all went well until…

Until one of the aspiring prophets lost his axe head! It was a borrowed axe, and the last the young lumber jack saw of it was when the axe head disappeared into the Jordan river. That was an immediate crisis, and the instinctive response of the borrower was to cry out for his master’s help. Explaining the dilemma, the young man told Elisha what had happened, underscoring the fact that the axe was borrowed. The prophet asked him where the axe head had fallen into the water, the exact place. Elisha then instructed him to “cut down a stick” and cast the stick into the water at that very place. It was done as per instructions—and, lo, the axe head “did swim.” The young prophet to be took it up, and the problem was solved.

We can learn from these seven verses, 2 Kings 6:1-7, some lessons that might just help us through some of our life crises today:

(1) The axe head was lost while the son of the prophets was working. Never do anything and your tools will never get dirty, dull, or damaged. You will not get anything done—but you will always have nice, clean tools to work with, when and if you ever decide to go to work. God has given us tools with which to work, tools for ministry. They are called “gifts” in Eph. 4 and I Peter 4:10. There are varying gifts to be used for edification (building) of the body of Christ, the church. Sadly, too many believers have put their tools on a shelf and are not using them to build His body.

(2) The young man lost his axe head at a critical time—just when he was felling a beam. You will no doubt do the same if you are in the heat of a battle working to advance His kingdom. Just at the worst time, just when it is most important that your work not be interrupted, you will find yourself in a crisis moment. The Devil knows your most vulnerable point, and the most opportune time to strike. Beware of his strategy.

(3) The young man was wise in crying out to his master. We would do well to do the same. Jesus is Lord of the church, and He is our Lord. At that critical moment, that crisis moment, when we have lost our axe head, as it were, in the course of our labors for Him, we must not forget to cry out to Him, “Master!”

(4) The axe was borrowed. Whatever we have with which to serve our Lord and His church is either a “gift” or borrowed. There is, in our flesh, no good thing. (Rom.7:18) The body we possess, the next breath we draw—both are borrowed. The prophet in training knew it would do no good to keep on hacking away at the beam with an axe handle—no matter how good the handle was. The size of the tree was not an issue, either. He needed an axe head, and without help from his master, it was a lost cause.

(5) The prophet Elisha wanted to know the exact place where the axe head was lost. That axe head was his power—power now lost. We have been given power. (Acts 1:8) Our power will never be lost, for He indwells us. But we may lose access to the use of His power for service. We may lose power with Him in our prayer closet, our quiet time, our devotional worship of Him. It will do no good to keep busy with activity; the spiritual beams in our life cannot be felled with the prettiest handles, nicest looking “tools,” most fervent activity. We must have the source of our power, His Holy Spirit, at liberty to fell the spiritual beams in our ministries.

(6) To retrieve the power, a stick had to be cut down. We may have to be cut down also. Our Lord Jesus was prophesied in Isaiah 11:1 as a branch out of the stem of Jesse. As the branch, He was cut down. He humbled Himself, He learned obedience through suffering; He was crucified, having been humiliated. The stick was cut down before the power was recovered. Cutting is painful, but for service it can be very productive. (John 15)

(7) And, our Master can miraculously make the lost axehead (our power) “swim” again right before our eyes. All the young man had to do was reach out and take hold! The power was back, the work resumed. Paul, the Apostle, knew what it was to have been cut down. He writes to the carnal Corinthian church, “Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities—that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Have you grown weary in well doing? Are your tools on the shelf clean he but not being put to good use for His glory? In the heat of the battle, did Satan get to you, so that you lost your power? Go back to the place you lost it. Confess your sin; cry out to your Master for help. Let yourself be cut down, so that in humility you can once again see His power at work in your life.

“And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” (Eph.1:19)

Your Power Source

An American, viewing Niagara Falls with an Englishman friend, said, “Come and I will show you the greatest unused power in the world.” They proceeded to the foot of the falls, and the host remarked, “There is the greatest unused power in the world.” His Englishman friend replied, “Oh, no, my friend, the greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the living God.”

Jesus promised His followers, before He ascended to heaven following His resurrection, that “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” (Acts 1:8) That promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2, and from that day forward to the present hour, every person who receives Christ as Savior is indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. (John 14:17)

A lady once said to a preacher, “I got the Holy Spirit last night.” (Unless she had just been saved, that was the wrong terminology.) The preacher said, “I know something better than that.” She asked, “What could be better than that?” To which the man of God responded, “It would be far better if the Holy Spirit could get all of you.”

Again, the 19^th century evangelist D.L. Moody was the subject of a committee of ministers searching for the right man to conduct a city-wide evangelistic campaign. One young minister wanted to know why the committee would consider Mr. Moody, asking, “Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” There was silence before an older, godly preacher replied, “No, he does not have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on D.L. Moody.”

One well-respected Bible teacher said it well in a message he preached 60 years ago on Romans 5:1-11: “Wherever the Christian church is weak (and it is weak in many places), and wherever Christians are weak individually, it is always because they have never graduated into the high school of the Holy Spirit—they are still babes in Christ, no matter how long they have been Christians.” (Ray Steadman)

The Bible teaches that God the Holy Spirit indwells each believer; He also instructs, convicts, guides, and intercedes in prayer for us before the Father’s throne of mercy. (John 14:17,26; 15:26; 16:8; Romans 8:16) The Holy Spirit is God the Spirit, often referred to as the “third member of the Trinity.” He possesses a will (I Cor. 12:11), omniscient knowledge (I Cor. 2:10,11) and all the attributes of personality. (Rom. 8:27; 15:30; I Cor. 2:13) He is known in scripture as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord God, the Spirit of your Father, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God’s Son, the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of worship and truth, the Spirit of life, faith, adoption and love, and the Spirit of eternity, grace and glory. He can be lied to, resisted, grieved and blasphemed. He is God and is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent. He is likened in scripture to breath or wind; a dove; fire, light and living water; the earnest of our inheritance and the seal of our redemption.

Any believer who earnestly strives to serve and please God must know, hear, follow, and trust the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. Someone asked how he could know the Holy Spirit was living in him. The answer: the same way you know there is music on a DVD. You can read the label and believe it is truthful, or you can play the DVD and hear the music. We can believe the Holy Spirit indwells us because God tells us in the Bible He does; and we can experience His indwelling presence as we obey God’s Word in surrender and observe His mighty working in our lives—moment by moment, day by day—as we are filled by God’s Spirit for service.

British pastor and author John Stott was the subject of a friend’s tribute on Stott’s 80^th birthday. The tribute read: “Stott has begun each day with a prayer like this: ‘Good morning, heavenly Father. Good morning, Lord Jesus. Good morning, Holy Spirit.’ Stott then goes on to worship each member of the Trinity individually, acknowledging and praising them for their work in the lives of believers. He then continues, ‘Father, I pray that I may live this day in Your presence and please You more and more. Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow You. Holy Spirit, I pray that this day You will fill me with Yourself and cause Your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three Persons in one God, have mercy upon me. Amen.’” (copied)

I like what Maurice Wood commented about the working of God’s Holy Spirit in our day-by-day Christian living: “The Holy Spirit loves to so arrange men’s circumstances that they are brought within the sphere of God’s influence.” Well, we know that there is not a place on earth that we are not within the “sphere of God’s influence,” but I think we know what Wood meant. We read in the Bible how God arranges the circumstances in and through the lives of His people—either the nation of Israel or the Church that He is continually building. And we can attest that He is still leading, guiding, guarding and arranging our work and walk to bring us to our realization that there is nothing we can do apart from His Holy Spirit’s empowerment that will please and glorify God and yield eternal dividends.

A mouse and an elephant were constant traveling companions. One day, after they had crossed a bridge that spanned a deep ravine, the mouse exclaimed, “Boy, we really shook that old bridge.” Thus it is with God and us. We really “shook” that old bridge. But if there is any shaking done, it is the Holy Spirit of God that does it.

The British missionary Hudson Taylor wrote, “Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail. All giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them.”

Let us never attempt anything for God’s glory and for His Kingdom’s advancement without obeying the injunction to “be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18) Every Christian is already indwelt; filling comes through surrender to God’s Spirit, moment by moment. He is our sole source of spiritual power. Without that power, we are powerless. Never forget it. Never forget Him.

“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55–on the occasion of Stephen’s martyrdom.)

God’s Formula for Success

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep; but I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

So, Robert Frost is a poet pausing beside the woods pondering the deep wonders of the forest’s beauty, and thinking of the promises which he had made which forbade him to stay any longer in that enchanting spot.

Promises. Many make them in haste and keep them, if at all, in misery. One philosopher said, “We must have a good memory to keep all the promises we make.”

God does have a perfect memory and He has never made a promise He has not kept (or will not if the fulfillment comes in the future). He promised Abraham that Israel would be liberated from their bondage in Egypt after 400 years, and they were!

He promised the nation again that they would be taken captive for 70 years, and they were!

He promised, through His prophets, that a virgin would conceive and give birth to His Son, the Savior of the world, and in the fulness of time, and in the very town predicted, she did! And Christ, the Messiah, was born.

God does keep every promise He makes! In the third chapter of Proverbs, He makes some special promises that include length of life, peace, favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

In verse six He promises success. Success which is not measured by the standards of secularism; not by popularity, not by the size of bank accounts, or the height on the world’s ladder of success to which one has risen, not by the number of degrees one has been awarded or the wardrobe he possesses, or the size and location of his house, or the make or model of his car or the authority he exercises over others. God uses none of these measurements in assessing success or failure in a person, but He does have his divine measurements, including:

(1) Whether we are trusting in the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” He admonishes. Hear what the Word of God says: “…have no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil.3:3); “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man; it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” (Ps.118:8) Even trust in friends may prove disappointing: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, which did eat of my bread (think Judas Iscariot) hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Ps.4:19) Surely, do not trust in beauty: “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty and played the harlot because of thy renown.” (Ezek.16:15) Lying words are not to be trusted: “Trust ye not in lying words….” (Jer.7:4) Nor is “your own” way to be trusted: “Ye have plowed wickedness…because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men, therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled.” (Hos.10:13,14)
But, do trust in the Lord:
“Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust.” (Ps.40:4); “Trust in the Lord…and verily thou shalt be fed.” (Ps.37:3) “Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” (Ps.37:5); “What time I am afraid, I will trust… in God I will praise His word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” (Ps.56:3,4) “Trust in Him at all times ye people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” (Ps.62:8) “Therefore we labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, specially of them that believe.” (I Tim.4:10) see also: Ps.84:12; 91:2; 125:1; 34:8; 31:1; 18:23; 25:20; 16:1; 7:1)

(2) Whether we are trusting Him with our whole heart. Unreserved, unfaltering, unquestioning trust, based upon faith, not feeling.

(3) Whether we are leaning on the Lord or on our own understanding. “Be not wise in thine own eyes….” (v.5) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isa.55:8,9)

(4) Whether we are acknowledging Him in all our ways. Acknowledging Him in our marriage, our home, our job, our business dealings and our relationships with people of all walks of life. The question is not “What do I want?” The question is “What does God want? What is His will?”

(5) And whether He is directing our paths. He may lead you o’er a route not known; He may take you to some places you would not have chosen to go. He may not show you what is ahead next, but He will lead you, and when He leads you, your way will prove prosperous and you will enjoy good success finding favor in the sight of God and man. (Provs.3:4-6)

“No chart or compass have the birds that migrate every year; they know they will be shown the way; they feel no doubt or fear. Can we not be as filled with faith? Our minds as free from doubt? Can we not trust in God above, to point our pathway out?” (unknown)

A lad in the Alps had fallen off a cliff while trying to reach a rare flower deep in a ravine. What to do? Another boy, small enough to be let down on a rope, volunteered to attempt to go to his friend’s rescue with these words: “I’ll go over if you let this man hold the rope.’’ The man was his dad. We, brethren can “go where you want me to go, dear Lord and do what You want me to do,” because our Abba (Father) is holding the rope! Trust Him! With all of your heart!

“Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust.” (Ps.16:1)

A Good Man

Who wouldn’t like God to say of him that “he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith”? That is what He said to the whole world of a man who is usually overlooked when a list of the great saints of the ages is reeled off. (Acts 11:24)

Barnabas is the man of whom I speak. Though he was always in a supporting rather than starring role, he was a key figure in the New Testament Church in its infancy.

The world has its role models today, and young people look to them for leadership. They set styles, dictate tastes, and foster fads. Millions mimic their words and ways.

It is an excellent thing when the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ—when any local New Testament assembly that exists as a church, with a mission to perpetuate God’s truth through the publication and proclamation of His Word, and through the planting of like assemblies of the faithful worldwide—has men and women who are role models, especially for our youth. People they can look to and see how, in a practical way, a Christian lives; what he likes; how he looks and what he listens to; in sum, how he lives the life of a believer in a world not friendly to people of faith.

I hope that some who are reading these lines will determine, with God’s help and by His grace, to be that person. Not that you want to be someone or something in and of yourself, but for God’s glory, and for the help of someone else who might look to you for leadership.

Our youth have seen too much of the world’s darlings; they need to see someone who is Christ-like. Sadly, all too often, when young people come to church, they see men and women just like the models of the world. They too often see carnality, covetousness, adultery, and pride.

Because God spoke so highly of this one called Barnabas, we would do well to consider what it was about him that God blessed. If we can’t set him up as a 21^st-century role model, we can at least—and should at least try to—duplicate in our lives those character traits that made him the good person that God said he was.

First, Barnabas was dedicated and surrendered to God. (Act 4:34-37) He was engaged seriously in doing the work of God. God says of Barnabas that he was a man full of compassion, generous, and honest. When an offering was taken up in Antioch for the saints in Jerusalem who were suffering the effects of famine, it was sent by the hands of Saul (Paul) and Barnabas. He was a trusted and trustworthy co-laborer of the Apostle Paul. (Acts 11:30)

Though he was not one of the deacons of that first church (Jerusalem assembly), he possessed the qualifications of one. He was said to be a man “full of the Holy Ghost.” That means he was saved (born again), surrendered to the Lord, and filled with the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 5:18) A person such as Barnabas who is filled with the Holy Spirit evidences that filling through the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.” (Gal. 5: 22,23) These have been—and are—the “norm” of Christian living. Barnabas was such a Sprit-filled believer. His life of surrendered service still speaks to us in 2022.

Also, Barnabas, companion of the Apostle Paul on his first missionary trip, was known for his loyalty. He was loyal to the young John Mark, who had made a bad decision when he returned home during that historic first missionary journey (embarked upon by Paul, Barnabas and John Mark). Barnabas was ready and willing to give John Mark a second chance when plans were made for the second missionary trip. Not so with the Apostle Paul; for him it was “one and done.” Again, we note Barnabas’ loyalty to Peter, who had “dissimulated” with some Jewish converts to Christianity who wanted Gentiles to submit to circumcision. Barnabas, “son of consolation,” was willing to give these Judaizers the benefit of the doubt, so much so that he sided with this departure from the truth until Paul came to set things straight. He was loyal, perhaps to a fault, to his friend Peter. (Gal.2:11-14)

And in Acts 15:26, at the church council in Jerusalem, convened to address the matters concerning circumcision, faith, grace, and law, Barnabas is identified by “chosen men of Antioch” as a man who, with Paul, had “hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He was with Paul at Iconium when the rulers of the city planned to stone them. He was with Paul when chief men of the city persecuted them and threw them out of town, and again at Lystra, when Paul was stoned and left for dead. No one who reads the book of Acts doubts that this “second man” with Paul was, like his missionary mentor, the Apostle, a man of great courage.

Paul was the great Apostle. The last half of the book of Acts and one-half of the New Testament was either about him or written by him. Barnabas had a supporting role—but Paul could not have done what he did without the aid of his loyal and trusted companion.

May God give His church today a host of men and women like Barnabas, “son of consolation.” Not only in spirit but in might. Men who will be totally dedicated and surrendered to the work and will of God. “Laymen” and “Second Men” who will hold up the arms of the leader. Men who are Spirit-filled, loyal first to our Lord, the Christ, and then to His appointed leader.

Men who will hazard their very lives, if need be, for the Lord Jesus.

“For better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows no victory or defeat.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

“And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” (Acts 4:36,37)