YOU and GOD

A Major Baptist Doctrine

A preacher once attended a big convention and heard a message in which the speaker used the word “procrastination” several times. So fascinated by the word, a new word to the novice, he determined then and there to use it in one of his upcoming sermons. He did just that, incorporating the word “procrastination” three times in one of his messages. A lady approached him after the service and asked him just what that word meant. Trying to conceal the fact that he really did not know, the preacher finally said, “Why, don’t you know? That’s one of the major Baptist doctrines!”

Yes, sometimes one might conclude that “procrastination” is one of the major Baptist doctrines; at least, the way some of us practice it!

We may often preach “never put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” but then, do we practice it?

“He was going to be all that a mortal could be; no one should be kinder or braver than he…. tomorrow; A friend who was troubled and weary he knew, who’d be glad of a lift and who needed it, too; On him he would call and see what he could do…tomorrow. Each morning he stacked up the letters he’d write and thought of the folks he would fill with delight…tomorrow. It was too bad; indeed, he was busy today, and hadn’t a minute to stop on his way: ‘More time I’ll have to give others,’ he’d say…tomorrow. The greatest of workers this man would have been; the world would have known him had he ever seen…tomorrow. But the fact is he died, and he faded from view, and all that he left here when living was through was a mountain of things he intended to do…tomorrow.” (anon.)

Therefore, we should prize the time that we have: “And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” (Romans 13:11,12)

“Go to now, ye that say, today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (James 4:13, 14)

The Psalmist adds his insights into the brevity of life and the elusiveness of opportunities: “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am; behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth, and mine age is as nothing before Thee….” (Ps. 39:4,5)

“Forenoon and afternoon and night, and day is gone; so short a span of time there is twixt dawn and evening song. Youth, middle-life and old age, and life is past; so live each day that God shall say, ‘Well done,’ at last.”

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1)

D.L. Moody, the evangelist, told a story about a minister who was working on a message about the urgency of accepting Christ without delay. As he was preparing the sermon the pastor fell asleep and dreamed he overheard a conversation of a bunch of demons in huddle as they were trying to come up with the best way to keep people on earth from accepting God’s plan of salvation. One of the evil spirits said, “Let’s tell people the Bible isn’t so and that it is not God’s Word and cannot be trusted,” but this idea was discarded as insufficient. Another one said, “Let’s tell then that God does not exist and that Jesus was just another good man, a prophet of God but not Messiah,” but this idea got nowhere with the devils. Finally, a third demon said, “Let’s tell them there is a God, a Savior and a heaven and a hell, but let’s assure them that they’ve got all the time in the world to be saved; we only need to convince them to put off making the decision now.” “That’s it,” the other demons shouted gleefully. (copied)

We may not have the opportunity tomorrow. Peter was wisely asked to “come to Joppa without delay” when Dorcas lay dead. When on a mission for a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s servant, having found the perfect match of God’s making, was implored to wait with Rebekah’s family for a few days before beginning his homeward journey with the bride to be. He refused to be hindered for he had been “in the way” and God had led him. (Gen.24:55,56). He dare not put off another day what God had definitely led him in doing. That day was the day of opportunity for Abraham’s servant and he dare not waste it!

So, press on. Do today what you can do, refraining to put off until tomorrow what could be done today. Reject the “Major Baptist doctrine of procrastination” and get it done today.

I read a testimony of a well-known Christian leader of yesteryear who was impressed to go talk with the then head coach of a winning west coast football team. But, the campus leader reasoned, “His views are contrary to everything we stand for,” and thus, he was intimidated about talking to the famous coach. Four years passed and the Christian leader hosted a party at his home for the football team, players and coaches. He would later testify, “Do you know who the last to leave was? The coach. He was hungry for the Word of God, so I asked him if he would like to come to church with me to which he replied, ‘I’d love to go to church with you.’ I told him as soon as I got back from a pending out of town trip, I would call him and make the arrangements. ‘He is going to become a Christian,’ I thought. But, the next day, having taken off on my trip, when I got off the plane there was the headline on all the papers, ‘Coach ___ _______Died of a Heart Attack Last Night.’ “I was devastated and to this moment God has used that to help me when I’m tempted to procrastinate.” (WorldChangers)

Selah.

To My VELLENTINE

My dearest Ellen, on this day,
I want to come to you to say;
My love for you will falter never,
I’ll love you always, dearest, ever!

It was a day so long ago,
To my delight I got to know
A girl named Ellen from Wilkes County,
A girl that brought to my life bounty.

You’ve proven sweet, true, kind and dear,
I’ll always want you ever-near;
Your beauty takes away my breath,
I’ll love you always unto death.

Our hearts were knit and we are one,
‘Til our life’s journeys here are done.
It’s been a joyous trip in life,
With you beside me as my wife.

God blessed us with our children three.
They made our hearts beat fast with glee.
We’ve seen them grow before our eyes,
To give us grandkids as a prize.

We have a home, a place of love,
Blessed with God’s favor from above.
We’re blessed in riches that abide,
In God’s great grace we take our pride.

We’ve loved and laughed and even lost,
At times we’ve had to pay great cost.
It’s part of life to face stark death,
But God in love gave baby’s breath.

So, Ellen, darling, this I write,
To praise you for your life and light.
You’ve been a beacon true and dear,
To all who’ve known you far and near.

I pray your days left here below,
Will gladness, pleasure, blessings know;
I’ll love you ‘til I cannot breathe,
And only then from you will leave.

Your Devoted Husband

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” (Song of Solomon 8:7)

Can You Be Sure You Are Saved?

I have previously written about why some people will not make it to heaven. For some, that begs the question, “Can I be sure that I will go to heaven?” One thing is certain: God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet.3:9) You can know that you are going to heaven if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, calling upon Him to save you. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Period. No baptism mentioned with reference be becoming a believer. No church membership. No amount of good works: “Not by works of righteousness we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” (Tit.3:5)

Yet, it is true that some fear they will not make it to heaven. They have with their heart believed and with their mouth confessed Christ, but their doubts remain. They lack the assurance of salvation. No one can lack the eternal security of being saved, for that is a matter that is totally in God’s control. We are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation….” (1 Pet. 1:5) Our security does not depend upon our being assured; God keeps us secure in Himself, based upon our believing and receiving His Son Jesus Christ as Savior, and all who have done that are eternally secure in Christ. Jesus said that we are in His Father’s hands; He has given us eternal life and we shall never perish. (John 10:28,29) A believer could not possibly be more secure, being “in Christ” and held by God’s power unto the day of realizing our eternal salvation.

But, having said that, it is possible because of lack of understanding, training or the presence of unconfessed sin for some whose security is sealed in Christ to lack assurance. Assurance is not to be equated with security. So, in this post I want to speak to the subject of “Blessed Assurance.” Those words introduce a song often sung, “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine….” Every child of God possesses eternal security and every believer can and should realize the assurance of salvation.

John Newton, author of the Amazing Grace hymn, once said when asked about the certainties of life, “When I was young, I was sure of many things; there are only two things of which I am sure now: one is, that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Savior.”

Spurgeon, the legendary 19^th century London pastor, has been quoted as saying that he was “so sure of his salvation that he could grab onto a corn stalk and swing out over the fires of Hell, look into the face of the devil and sing “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.”

You can’t be sure of your salvation by trusting your feelings, for “Feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving; My warrant is the Word of God—Naught else is worth believing.”

And, if you have not already learned to cling to that classic verse upon being sure that you are saved, please read and reread I John 5:12,13: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life; and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

S.D. Gordon told of a Christian lady whose age began to tell on her memory. She had been a great Bible student, but eventually all that she had memorized of God’s Word had left her but one verse: “…I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” (2 Tim.1:12) As the lady’s last days continued to approach, all she could remember of this verse was, “That which I have committed unto Him.” And Gordon said that on her death bed all she could recall was “Him” and she kept saying this to herself—”Him, Him, Him.” “She had lost the whole Bible but one word, but she had the whole Bible in that one word.” (copied)

So, you are certain for heaven because of the security you have in God through Christ. That is absolute certainty which yields irrefutable security, because of the finished work of Christ and the fact that our salvation depends upon what He did (at Calvary) not what we do. But, you may, while being totally secure in Him, not have the assurance of which Paul spake in 2 Tim 1:12. You can be sure; God wants you to possess assurance and it is a matter of believing that what God says is true: “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” It’s just a matter of believing and receiving the gift of God which is eternal life. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12)

What Commitment Looks Like Up Close

I have written recently about commitment (“If I Falter, Push Me On”) but I want to revisit that subject again in this post from a slightly different perspective. I want to write from the vantage point of a pastor who in 50 years of pastoring has seen about every kind of commitment there is to see and I want to share with you what the real thing looks like, up close and personal, as opposed to theories about or stories taken from inspiring devotionals. What I share here will be out of my own first-hand observation. Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin once wrote that communists were “dead men on furlough” indicating that they had died to their own self- interests for what was in their warped thinking “a greater cause.” These people of whom I speak, some living here, some now living in heaven, were very much alive while dead to self. I have seen commitment for Christ and His Church in:

A young man who, when I came to Thompson Road Baptist Church in the fall of 1979 was heading to Pillsbury Baptist Bible College where he would graduate four years later then return to his home church to become our volunteer organist. My predecessor’s wife, Judy Moritz, had encouraged Dan to take up the organ as he was highly proficient in music. As of today, Dan has played on our Allen organ every Sunday for more than 40 years, seldom missing a Lord’s Day. One could describe him as highly skilled, but his pastor of 40 years would use just one word: committed!
Two godly women, neither of which attended Bible School or had any specialized teachers’ training, but who for more than 40 years, showed up Sunday after Sunday to team teach a 1^st grade Sunday School class. Theirs was a labor of love and of loyalty, impacting for His kingdom’s sake hundreds of precious boys and girls. They wanted nothing in return, were seldom thanked, always cheerful and faithful and it was my privilege to greet every Sunday of the year Shirley and Barb, 20^th and 21st century real-time examples of teachers who lived commitment; and to that list of faithful, dedicated teachers who showed up Sunday after Sunday with no prodding or pushing just passion for ministry, I could add scores of names.
Roy, an ex-leather neck who was for 25 years what we would call the Head Usher. He took his job so seriously. If he were not at church, rain or shine, snow or sleet, one hour ahead of when starting time was announced, he considered himself late. He gave extraordinary attention to the slightest of details. He always placed a glass of water on the pulpit for the preacher just in case it would be needed. One Sunday, someone played a practical joke on our Lead Usher and dropped a gold fish into the glass of water that Roy had earlier placed there. He was so embarrassed that he was ready to “throw the towel in,” feeling that he had let me down and had let His Lord down. After an hour or so of “personal” work I was able to convince Roy that it was not his fault and that it had not bothered anyone. He stayed on and on and on until some months ago he was sidelined with a life-threatening illness requiring him to “sit on the bench” for the first time that any of us could remember. He was a credit to the U.S. Marine Corps but so much more to His Lord and Savior whom he served proudly yet humbly with unquestioned commitment.
Bus Workers, drivers, helpers and “captains” too numerous to mention by name who every Lord’s Day would show up at church two hours ahead of when Sunday School would begin to fire up some busses so that they could bring boys and girls and some adults to Sunday School and Church who would otherwise not be able to attend. Hundreds maybe thousands of souls were added to His kingdom through this often challenging and always labor-intensive work for Christ. It was most often “convicting” to watch them in action, working in VBS during the heat of days with no AC and with 50 or 60 very anxious and active boys and girls excited about getting to VBS; then having dropped them off, returning to take them back home when they were even more wound up than earlier. These workers epitomized commitment.
A lady who specialized in collecting beautiful flowers and vases from yard sales or other places so that when there was a church dinner, special occasion or seasonal change she could, with a few helping hands, make the church an attractive place to meet with beautiful arrangements. Her ministry demonstrated in ways often unsung but never unseen, commitment. While she did this, her husband, who had a truck with a snow plow, every time there was snow would be in the church parking lot long before most of us were awake, making sure the snow was plowed so that we could get into the parking lot and out again, safely. Commitment described this otherwise quiet Christian couple.
Choir members, instrumentalists, music leaders who week after week, hour after hour, fine- tuned their skills while tuning up their hearts spiritually so that Sunday after Sunday, they were faithfully making joyful and inspiring sounds that His Spirit used in His mission of sanctifying saints.
A Dad and his son(s) and later his daughters who, during eight months a year, would drive to church every Friday with heavy mowing and yard maintenance equipment in tow so that on Sunday the church yard would be “mowed and blowed,” and looking neatly manicured. It was a job for which most people would never know whom to thank, a job the church was never “billed” for, but, week after week, work that was done by a family team because of their commitment.
Jerry Farley, now 92, grounded because of “macular,” but for 35 years served His Lord through serving His Church. Employed by Allison’s for decades, Jerry never confronted a mechanical problem that stymied him. It was his job and job skill and he put it to work for His church, saving multiplied thousands of dollars in repair costs whether in building needs, broken down busses, electrical and mechanical headaches, Jerry was (and in many cases still is) the go to man. Saved at the downtown church of Ford Porter (“God’s Simple Plan of Salvation author), Jerry and his wife Fran never got over what God did for them and they spent most of their lives thanking Him by serving with extraordinary commitment.
Faithful deacons who through thick and thin, gave careful counsel, demonstrated compassion and concern for God’s servants and service, and led by example with godly exhortation. Any pastor who stays in a church any length of time does so because of a cadre of men and women who are loving, loyal and lasting in their support and sustenance of God’s man and ministry. I cannot begin to name all such, but I will just mention one: Henry Davee. He goes way back, but if you knew him and his sweet wife, Mable, enough said!

Well, I have not yet begun to scratch the surface. I am sure everyone of the above-mentioned soldiers will censor me for calling any attention to what they did, and I am not in any way trying to repay them; only Jesus can and will do that at the Bema seat. Every pastor of any size church knows exactly what I am talking about. There is never a “one-man” ministry that pleases God; it is always a team effort and never without men and women whose lives, if one would be pressed to characterize them in one word, would be summarized thusly: “Commitment.”

Stay tuned for a future installment of “What Commitment Looks Like Up Close” as I’d like to share some more sketches of men and women that have helped, under God’s watch care, to shape my life.

P.S. To my faithful “You and God” readers, a prayer request: Recently, I have been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. It is a cancer of the blood that impacts negatively the bones. There is no known cause or cure, but with aggressive treatment, which I am now in, does sometimes go into remission. Please pray with Ellen and myself that we shall be at rest and peace in God’s will, however it should be. We are trusting in His never-failing goodness and in His all-sufficient grace. I will try to keep the “You and God” posts coming, but if I miss an occasional installment, it will be because of this new twist in our journey. Thanks for your prayers. I will keep you up to date from time to time.

“Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.” (Ps. 32:7)

“If I Falter, Push Me On”

Jesus said that “whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it” (Luke 9:24). Losing one’s life for a cause is commitment; losing one’s life for Jesus’ sake would be the ultimate commitment.

Commitment in the 21^st century has been put to the test as we are about to enter year three of a Flu pandemic. We tip our hats to people in the health-care field whose commitment to caring for the Covid-19 victims has been legendary and heroic for the most part. Doctors, nurses, EMT personnel and myriads of others whose sacrificial commitment has meant the difference between life and death for countless numbers of people. I know we could add teachers, Moms, neighbors, fellow church members and many others to that list.

Then, too, the selfless people who have packed up truckloads of water, food and clothing and transported life-saving essentials to tornado victims (Mayfield, KY) and to fire and flooding disaster areas, and the list seems never ending. So, to say that in the 21^st century commitment is something that we know little of would be a gross misstatement. We are deeply grateful for the committed folk whose stories remain mostly untold but whose heroics have meant that people are alive today that would not otherwise have survived but for the sacrificial, tireless efforts of people of compassion and commitment.

I write as a life-long (adult life) pastor and minister of the gospel. Commitment to Christ and to His Church has also been put to the ultimate test. Pastors have in many cases had to preach to empty rooms; visitation and personal ministry, one on one, to the dying and to their families, to shut-ins who otherwise live in isolation has for all practical purposes ceased. Funerals have had to be postponed and sometimes by-passed. It is a totally different world than it was on my last full day of ministry as a senior pastor, September 9, 2019. I am saddened by the landscape of ministry in 2022 with its new and not familiar nor facilitating restraints. Many pastors and Christian workers are experiencing depression and I understand many have left the ministry and many churches are no longer in existence because of the toll taken by the pandemic. Commitment in 2022 is still needed and maybe more so now than ever.

I heard about a young man who was engaged to be married (some years ago) and he wanted a duplicate made of a picture of his beautiful fiancée. The photographer noticed on the back side of the photo this handwritten note: “My dearest Tom: I love you with all of my heart. I love you more each day. I will love you for ever and ever. I am yours for all eternity. Signed, Diane.” (“P.S. If we ever break up, I want this picture back.”) Not exactly the kind of commitment you need in order to build anything!

At the other end of the commitment spectrum was the testimony of Sophie who worked in a large apartment complex. A resident once said to Sophie, “Say, Sophie, I understand that you are a Christian.” “Yes, Sir, I am a child of the King,” she replied without hesitation. “Oh! So, you must be a Princess, since God is your King.” “I sure am.” “Well, if God is your Father, and you are a Princess and a child of a King, do you not think it is beneath your dignity to be found here in New York City scrubbing these dirty steps?” Not daunted, Sophie replied, “There’s no humiliation whatsoever. You see, I am not scrubbing these steps for Mr. Brown, my boss. I am scrubbing them for Jesus Christ, my Savior!” (copied/unknown)

I read once about an Afghan doctor who was practicing under the Taliban and could not examine his female patients unless they were fully clothed. He would shout instructions for surgery, if needed, as he stood outside the operating room in the hallway. For all of this, he received $30 a month if he were paid, yet many months there was no paycheck issued. When asked why he would continue working this way for 30 years, he replied, “Love of profession. Love of Country.” That kind of commitment to a profession, under the most inhibiting restraints, is pretty much unheard of in today’s world, Christian or otherwise.

The title of this post is “If I Falter, Push Me On.” That is part of a fuller statement, known as the motto of the French Foreign Legion, “If I Falter, Push Me On; If I Stumble, Pick Me Up; If I Retreat, Shoot Me.”

I am writing this and sharing some thoughts on commitment because it behooves all of us who name His blessed Name, the name of Jesus, who said that if we would lose our lives for His sake, we would in fact save them, to examine our own commitment to His cause, to His commission and to His Church.

One time it is said that a Rwandan believer was forced by His tribe to either renounce Christ or face certain death. He refused to give up his allegiance to His Savior and was executed on the spot. The night before he had written “The Fellowship of the Unashamed,” which reads:

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made—I’m a disciple of His.

I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense and my future is secure.

I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am lifted up by prayer and I labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up until, I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work until He stops me…And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me…my banner will be clear.” (Unknown)

What Keeps People Out of Heaven

Since my “You and God” blog hit your “inbox” last Tuesday more than three quarters of a million babies have been born worldwide! Some “guesstimate” that of that number, ninety percent of them will live, die and go out into eternity without having embraced the faith “once delivered,” the life-saving, soul-saving gospel of Jesus Christ, the “Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Every snap of the finger more than two persons die somewhere in the world. That’s every 10 seconds that 26 people go out into eternity and of those twenty-six people 2 are Buddhists, 4 are Hindu, 5 are Muslim, 8 are secularists and 7 are Protestants. The truth is that of the 26 people who die somewhere in the world every 10 seconds, one could only hope that maybe four or five of them have truly heard the gospel presented and by faith have trusted Jesus Christ as personal Savior. His name alone, is the name whereby souls are saved. (Acts 4:12)

Many people simply have never heard a clear presentation of how to be prepared to meet God. “How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

Most of us can understand why someone who has never seen a Bible, never been inside of a church, never heard a gospel message would die and go to Hell if salvation were through Jesus alone who said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)

But it is beyond understanding why men who have had every opportunity will refuse the gospel and go out into eternity with no hope. But they do and they will. What keeps people, we might ask, from going to heaven? God surely is not willing that any should perish, but that all men should come to the truth. He wants NO PERSON to be separated from Him and from Heaven eternally. He has done everything possible to keep souls out of the place, Hell, that He originally created for the Devil and his angels. Yet men will choose Hell over Heaven. Why? Let me suggest a few reasons in answer to that question:

The fear of what others will say. (John 12:42,43) We are told in John’s Gospel that when many heard the message from Christ and saw His miracles, they still did not believe on him; but many others who saw and heard the same miracles and messages did believe but STILL did not confess Christ and it was “because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him lest they should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 12:42) Jesus had warned these people that they should not fear people who can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; “but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matt. 10:28)

Billy Sunday, before He became a widely heard evangel for Jesus Christ, was a professional baseball player for the Chicago White Sox. He was with a group of his ball buddies one Sunday afternoon and as they emerged from a Saloon, they heard a group of people playing instruments and singing gospel hymns and testifying about how Christ could save from sin. Those songs and testimonies triggered in Sunday’s soul memories of a log cabin in Iowa, an old church and a godly mother. Tears flooded Billy Sunday’s eyes and when he could speak, he said, “Boys, I’m through! Going to turn to Jesus Christ. We’ve come to a parting of the ways.” Some of his companions mocked him while others remained speechless; only one encouraged Billy to go with God. But Sunday turned from the ball buddies and entered the Pacific Garden Rescue Mission and cast his life upon God. He would later put it this way: “I became instantly a new creature in Him.” The ballplayer became one of America’s noteworthy evangelists holding massive meetings in some of America’s largest cities as thousands joined him in turning from sin to salvation. He refused to let the fear of man keep him from faith in God. Many however do not make that life-saving decision.

The love of money. Paul warned young Timothy that “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (I Tim.6:9) A rich young ruler once engaged Jesus about eternal issues and when Christ told the wealthy man to let go of the security of his money and material possessions, and to follow Him, “he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions.” (Matt.19:22) He made a bad choice for his eternal destiny and did not go to heaven because he chose riches over righteousness. An eternally bad decision.
Religion, ironically, will keep people from going to heaven. A sincere scribe, schooled in all things religious, having agreed with Jesus on matters of the Old Testament concerning what the law taught, but not confessing Jesus as Lord (Mark 12:28-34) went away having not chosen heaven, as Jesus commented, “thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven.” But as one aptly said, “To miss heaven by an inch is to miss it by an eternity.” King Agrippa would later tremble at the preaching of the apostle Paul as he said, “Almost thou persuadeth me,” but almost will not avail. People have and will miss heaven with “form over faith,” with a creed but not Christ, as a member of a church but not a member of His Body, His Church; as baptized in water but not by the Holy Spirit, as having to the inth degree all the trappings of that which is ritual but lacking that which is righteous. This is why some will miss heaven.
One more thought: Pride will keep multitudes from missing heaven, because it will keep people from acknowledging they that are sinners and from accepting Christ, and Christ alone, apart from any good works that they can do, as Savior. “Pride goes before destruction,” and it, pride, was the original sin that caused Lucifer to lose heaven and multitudes to follow him. Pride keeps prospective Christians from humbling themselves and becoming as “little children.”
I must include just one more reason: procrastination. In Acts 24:25, having heard a powerful appeal from Paul to accept Christ, Felix, a governor, responded, “Go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

What is keeping you out of heaven? Nothing I trust! But if one of the above reasons, or some other stumbling block, has kept you from believing and receiving, read Luke’s account of a rich man who missed heaven but out of Hell begged Abraham to send someone to tell his still earthbound brothers to accept God and heaven and to miss Hell. It is a sad and sobering story. (Luke 16:19-31) Do not let anything keep you from missing heaven!

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Five Golden Rules

Our Lord in His Sermon on the Mount plainly stated what has come to be known as “the Golden Rule.” He said: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)

Peter, in his first epistle, succinctly stated another brief rule for Christian living when in I Peter 3:8 the Apostle that in the Garden on the way to Calvary took out his sword and smote off an ear of the High Priest’s servant, said, “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.” Neatly wrapped up into one sentence Peter gives his readers what might be considered “Five Golden Rules” for Christ-like living in a world in which we live as pilgrims.

First, be ye all of one mind, governing our relationship to other believers. It means that in the body of Christ there should be a “same mindedness.” Paul, writing to a “near perfect” church, admonished that the church needed to exhort Euodias and Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. (Phil.4:2) In that same epistle Paul characterized believers as those who should have the “mind of Christ,” and His mind was first a mind of humility: “But He made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men…He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil.2:5-8) There should, then, be an absence of division and divisiveness in His Church and, as someone aptly noted, “nothing will get the attention of the world as this.”

It has been noted that flocks of geese often fly in “V” formation. In so doing, each bird, flapping its wings, creates an upward lift for the goose that follows. When each goose is flying in formation it has been calculated that the whole flock has a 71% greater flying range than if they were to fly alone. When one goose begins to lag behind, other geese begin to “honk” that lagger back into formation. Even in the natural world, God has created an illustration for us of the power of like-mindedness!

Next, Peter posits that as believers there ought to be “compassion one of another.” Compassion causes us to “feel with” others. When it is practiced, judgmentalism is not actively present. People who are compassionate one to another pray genuinely for those who are suffering or weak and they will give purposefully of themselves and of their means to minister to those who are in need of special help. It will move us to enter into the grief and disappointment that our brothers and sisters in Christ are living with. We have a high priest, a mediator between God and us, who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and this will move us to be touched likewise because of the infirmities of our family in the faith as well as the larger community of unbelievers.

D.L. Moody painted a word picture of Jesus in His risen body meeting with and commissioning His disciples to go into all the world with the gospel. Moody pictures wide-eyed Peter as he asks Jesus if they must go to the soldiers who drove the nails into His hands. Again, Peter questions whether they would need to go to the man that drove the spear through His side; and Jesus replies “Yes, tell him there’s a nearer way to my heart than that.” And those early disciples entered into the compassions of their Savior as the Holy Spirit came upon them “and broke down all their boundary walls.” Thus, Peter would later write “…have compassion one toward another.”

Next, the Apostle, who in the shadow of His cross denied that he even knew Jesus of Nazareth, would exhort his students to “love as brethren.” Every blood-bought believer has the same relationship to the Father: we are sons of God by faith. Each of us has in store the same inheritance “… incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” (I Pet.1:4) Every one of us who name His name have the exact same privileges (adoption, security, spiritual power), the same access through Christ to God the Father in prayer; the same provisions (“all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”) (Phil.4:19), and the same promises in and through His Word. How can we not love our family and how cannot that love reach beyond family to fellow travelers in this broken world who so desperately need the hope and help that God’s Good News provides?

“Oh, the love that God must have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) I have never been able to preach from that text. I have often thought I would; but it is so high that I can never climb to its height; I have just quoted it and passed on. Who can fathom the depths of those words: ‘God so loved the world’? We can never scale the heights of His love or fathom the depths.” (D.L. Moody). But Peter simply says “Love as brethren.”

Fourth: Be pitiful. That means, “have a tender heart.” Do not be quick to cut off others; do not be calloused to the misery of others; do not be insulated from the distresses of others. Here is the gold standard: “In all their affliction He (God) was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity, He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9) Knowing what He has done for His undeserving people, can we not “be pitiful?”

Finally, “Be Courteous.” You can do this if you but recognize your position as a servant, and then acknowledge your privilege as a co-laborer. Jesus who said that He did not come to be ministered to but to minister and who most often called Himself a servant always displayed courteousness, even when goaded and treated in the most inhumane way. Whether in answering those who asked Him questions as they would try to trip Him up and in responding to ill-founded charges against Him, or to replying to those who would criminally crucify Him, Jesus never spoke unkindly or acted discourteously. Can we allow ourselves, His ambassadors in this foreign age, to do less?

So, for the remainder of 2022, we have our work cut out for us: Be all of one mind; have compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful and be courteous. Can’t do it? You are right! You can’t, but He can and will do it through you:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (Gal.2:20)

Be Strong and of Good Courage

Those were the words God repeatedly set before Joshua, the successor to Moses who had died having led the Israelites out of Egypt and through a 40-year maize of a wandering wilderness journey. At the age of 120 Moses, who had received the 10 commandments from God’s hand on Mt. Sinai, Moses, the larger-than-life legend, was, simply put, dead. Who could, who would follow this giant of the faith and faithfulness but his right-hand man, his understudy, God’s choice for the commission, Joshua.

It would be a herculean task. Taking the nation of young men and women with their children, in to possess walled cities, fortified city-states that would, as Jericho, appear impregnable. Who would dare take upon himself the assignment? Only the person picked and prepared for the task by the Lord Himself, the great God who lived before Moses lived and who would live after Moses died, the Lord Jehovah.

Joshua is called as recorded in Joshua 1:1: “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua….” What God said was that Joshua was to arise, go over Jordan with all God’s people, unto the Land, the promised land, flowing with milk and honey, to possess “Every place that the sole of your feet shall tread upon, that I have given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” (Joshua 1:3)

That call was accompanied by God’s commitment as recorded in verse 5: “…I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Two people are a majority anywhere, and on any occasion, if God is one of the two persons. It would be foreboding, but not outside of the realm of faith. “Cowardice asks the question, ‘Is it safe?’ Consensus asks the question, ‘Is it popular?’ Courage asks the question, ‘Is it right?’“ (Rod Rogers) And if it is right the safety issue will not top the list of determinates. Nor will the issue of what does everyone else think? God assured Joshua that the commission would be a success because “I will be with thee.” God’s commitment with His call is sufficient to move the man of God.

Doubtless, though, it would require courage. “Only be thou strong and of a good courage…be thou strong and very courageous….” (v.6,7) That’s why those words from God must have made all the difference to this not so young (80 years of age) recipient the mantle of Moses: “…I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (v.5) Ever feel, traveling on the narrow road of which Jesus spake in His Sermon on the Mount, that it is lonely out here? Edgar Guest wrote some lines that are apropos here: “The easy roads are crowded and the level roads are jammed; the pleasant little rivers with the drifting folk are crammed; But out yonder where it’s rocky, where you get a better view, you will find the ranks are thinning and the travelers are few.” But with God by your side and His promise ringing in your ears and through your heart that “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” you will muster the courage to go on. “Where the going’s smooth and pleasant, you will always find the throng, For the many, more’s the pity, seem to like to drift along. But the steps that call for courage, and the task that’s hard to do, in the end, results in glory for the never-wavering few.” (Edgar A. Guest, The Few)

So, Joshua has God’s call, His commitment and His charge for courage. Next, God gives Joshua in the simplest of terms, the command: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (v.9)

What has God commanded you to do this year? Where has He directed you to go? Are you afraid? Does the prospect overwhelm you? Peter jumped out of the boat having seen Jesus walking on the water, then began to sink. Bramwell Booth of the Salvation Army told a story of his father, General William Booth and himself. “The old General,” he said, “had a great liking for Peter, but I always thought him a rather wobbly type. On one occasion I said to my father, ‘How do you explain the circumstances of Peter’s getting out on the water and seeing Jesus, and then with all of this to convince him, suddenly losing his faith and sinking?’ Well do I remember the old General’s reply, ‘Bramwell, my boy, you would never have gotten out of the boat.’”

With God’s call and commitment and charge to be courageous, we can and must obey His command, trusting Him to take care of our natural tendency to be afraid or even dismayed.

Finally, at the end of this great chapter which tells us of the change of command and of commanders, comes a word of caution from the willing hearted people themselves: “Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken to thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.” (v.18) That’s from the followers of Joshua, the children of Israel, who, having witnessed the call and commission of their new leader, with God’s guarantee of success in the doing of His will and work, join in as a great choir saying, “we will do it and if anyone rebels and refuses to follow Joshua and Joshua’s God that person will die!” The chapter closes with the choir singing and saying “Only be strong and of a good courage,” taking the lyrics from the words of God Himself. What a great day; what a great dawn for a new chapter in the fledgling nation’s history: the call, the commitment, the courage, the commandment and the caution to, in Caleb’s words, “take that mountain.”

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth: but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

Success

Jim Binney, Christian counsellor, said “Success is the continual achievement of what God wants me to be and the continual achievement of the goals God has helped me to set.”

Pastor and author John Piper interestingly said this about success: “Our true success will never be known until all the branches of all the trees of all the seeds sown shall blossom in the sunlight of God’s eternity.”

Charles Malik chimed in: “Success is neither fame, wealth, nor power; rather it is obeying God. If you seek, you will know; if you know, you will love and if you love you will obey.”

Success has been elusive for many. Neil Diamond sang a song that gave testimony to that fact: “Did you ever hear the story about the frog who dreamed of being a king, and then became one? Well, except for the names and a few other changes, when you talk about me, the story’s the same one. But I’ve got an emptiness deep inside; and I’ve tried and I’ve tried, but it won’t let me go.” A man that by many would be considered successful concluded, “I’m not a man who likes to swear, but I’ve never cared for the sound of being alone.” To him, success brought an emptiness, an aloneness that he could not rid himself of no matter the crowds, acclaim or achievements.

In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 19, a rich young man, by any of the world’s measurements, a success, came to Jesus asking the Master what he lacked, for though he was wealthy, his soul was not at peace and he was not confident about his eternal destiny. After a brief exchange with Jesus, Matthew relates that this very successful, wealthy and religious young man departed from Jesus sorrowfully, for the one thing that Jesus told him he was lacking, a willingness to cease trusting in his material possessions and instead trusting and following wholeheartedly God, His Word, Way and Will, the young man was unwilling to do. A successful failure against the backdrop of eternity.

So, in searching for success, it is imperative that one posits first and foremost a right relationship with God. Success by His standard is not measured by the world’s canon but by the question, “What is your relationship with your Creator? One of trust, obedience, submission?” This is where and how success begins and unless one is in tune spiritually with the God of the universe, it matters not the heights to which he or she rises on the world’s measuring scales, success will be elusive and the emptiness will continue to be nagging.

But if you are in a right relationship with God through faith in the one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, it is well that you should desire to succeed in pleasing Him. No follower of Jesus should desire to be a failure, but rather should look forward to receiving what the apostle Paul looked forward to receiving, the crown of righteousness “which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:8) It is good that each believer strives to hear his Lord say, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

So, on a practical note, concerning success, hear what some have shared with those who would be interested in achieving success in order to glorify God:

Lorne Sanny, founder of the Navigators, said, “If you are suffering without succeeding, someday someone will succeed after you. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because someone suffered before you.” On the front end or the back end, success usually will mean at some point, suffering. That may be why the wealthy young man, mentioned in Matthew 19, went away sorrowful. He would not allow the fact that to follow Jesus, giving up an enjoyment and dependence upon his wealth, would mean without doubt, suffering.

Teacher and author Kenneth Gangel, quoted Henry Ford on the subject of success: “Success is not rare. It is common. Very few miss a measure of it. It is not a matter of luck or of contesting, for certainly no success can come from preventing the success of another. It is a matter of adjusting one’s efforts to overcome obstacles and one’s ability to give the services needed by others. There is no other possible success. Most people think of it in terms of getting; success, however begins with giving.

One of my former pastors and teachers, Richard V. Clearwaters, pastored the Fourth Baptist Church in Minneapolis for 42 years. He was also founder of Central Baptist Theological Seminary. No one would have questioned his success. He was an extraordinary pastor-teacher and a master administrator. It was my privilege to have Dr. Clearwaters speak at the church I pastored in Indianapolis, shortly after he had retired. He said something that would yield an insight as to why he was successful; and so that I would not forget it, I wrote it down: “I recently retired (at 82) but still go to the office between 7:00 and 7:30 every day. My wife said, ‘Why do you go to the office every day at 7:00 when you are retired?’ I said, ‘It’s an old habit; I’ve just got some things to catch up on.’” People who have achieved success have cultivated some good (though “old”) habits through the years that have made them what they have become; those people, like “the Doc,” probably never feel like they have really ever “caught up” on everything.

One final thought from a person who reached the top rung in his profession, Sam Walton: “The key to success is to get out into the store and listen to what the associates have to say. It’s terribly important for everyone to get involved. Our best ideas come from clerks and stock boys.”

Knowing that some, if not many, of the readers of this “You and God” post are pastors or Christian workers, I leave you with this question: since it was important for Sam Walton to “get out into the store,” is it not also important for those of us who minister in God’s Word and Work to get out into the sheepfold and listen to what our people have to say? It just might enhance the possibility of our being or becoming a “successful” pastor, teacher or Christian worker.

“Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” (I Cor. 4:2)

Missions Musings

Have you read the inspiring story of William Borden who was heir of the Borden Dairy estate in Chicago when God called him to the mission field of China (Mongolia)? He had attended Yale University where he founded a city rescue mission ministry as a student, then graduated from Princeton Divinity School whereupon his parents engaged Walter Erdman to accompany him on a cruise around the world. Young Borden had by then already committed himself to going to China as a missionary, turning his back upon what would have been a financial family gold mine, writing in the flyleaf of his Bible, “No Reserve.” While on the cruise, Borden contracted spinal meningitis in Egypt. He had already by then written another note in his Bible “No Retreats.” He would succumb to the spinal disease at the age of 25, never having made it to Mongolia as a missionary, but after his death a third note was found written in the same flyleaf of his Bible, “No Regrets.”

Three powerful resolves that reflected the heart of a potential multi-millionaire who turned his back upon material riches to serve as an ambassador for Christ in a needy land. Many no doubt would have considered William’s life a “waste” due to a misguided series of decisions on his part. But God keeps the only valid assessment of Borden’s life and eternity will without doubt reveal that seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness is never misguided. Borden’s decision to surrender everything to Christ in the service of His Lord touched, and continues to touch, lives in a way that would defy human comprehension or calculation.

No Reserve. No Retreat. No Regrets. As I thought about those powerful affirmations, it reminded me of many other words of wisdom that missionaries or missionary statesmen have uttered that continue to impact lives long after they may have been gone. May I share some with you that have touched my heart and continue to do so:

“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” William Carey

“Life is God’s great gift to be preserved for Him; not thrown away.” John G. Paton

“Do not have your concert first, then tune your instruments afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all in harmony with God.” J. Hudson Taylor

“This is no time to be idle. Oh, my Savior, may I not live to myself but to Thee.” Robert Morrison

“Not my plans, not my glory, but God’s plans for His glory.” Mary Slessor

“Is it pleasing to God?” Adoniram Judson

“My only joy is that when God has given me a work to do, I have not refused it.” C.T. Studd

“Lord, make us luminaries in this dark land.” Ann Hasseltine Judson

“There was a man, they called him mad; the more he gave, the more he had.” James Ray

“I look upon foreign missionaries as the scaffolding around a rising building. The sooner it can be dispensed with, the better; or rather, the sooner it can be transferred to other places to serve the same temporary use, the better.” Hudson Taylor

“Overseas American businessmen outnumber missionaries by 100 to 1.” Impact, May 1981

“If God wants you on the mission field, neither your money nor your prayers will ever prove an acceptable substitute.” Anon.

“Our biggest need for missions is not for more money but for more prayer. There are more Baptist preachers in Texas than in the rest of the world.” Missionary Roland Simmeonsson

“It was a Jew who brought the Gospel to Rome; a Roman who took it to France; a Frenchman who took it to Scandinavia; a Scotsman who evangelized Ireland; and an Irishman in turn made the missionary conquest of Scotland. No people have ever received the Gospel except at the hands of an alien.” Dunkin

“I have had one long honeymoon with Christ on the mission field.” C.T. Studd

“We have twenty-five cents and all the promises of God!” J. Hudson Taylor

“The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God will not keep you.” Ron White

“Should a voyager chance to be on the point of shipwreck on some unknown coast, he will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary may have reached there first.” Charles Darwin (Ok, not a missionary nor a missionary statesman, but I thought considering the source this was too good not to share!)

“Lord, send me anywhere, only go with me; lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any tie that binds me save the tie that binds me to Thy heart. O Jesus, my Lord, my King I again consecrate my life to Thee.” David Livingstone

“Dear friends, you sometimes say, ‘will the heathen be saved if we do not send the missionaries?’ I will ask you another question, ‘Will you be saved if you do not send out any missionaries-because I have very dreadful doubts about whether you will.’” Charles Spurgeon

Editor’s note: Like a bee collects nectar from flower after flower, I have collected these quotes and quips from sermons, articles read, books and various and sundry sources over a lifetime of ministry. I have tried to carefully and accurately credit the proper sources.