Category: General

Choose your weapons! How shall we live? Each one of us has already made a choice. Perhaps we do not even realize we have made the choice, but we have. We are either living by force or by faith.

The Bible says in 1 Samuel17:45, “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of lsrael, whom thou has defied.”

David summarized the battle that was about to take place. It was not really a battle between a shepherd by and a giant. It was not even a battle between the army of lsrael and the army of the Philistines, though it may have appeared at first glance to be a national conflict represented by two champions, one representing each nation. David declared, ” … Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts … ”

Notice how carefully God states this for us. Again we read, “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me … ” This is the way the giant was coming, ” … with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield … ” Then David said, ” … but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts … ”

” … Thou comest to me … ” and ” … I come to thee … “; it is always one way or the other, but it is never both. We must decide whether we are going to face our problems with a spear, and with a sword, and with a shield; or if we are going to face them in the name of the Lord. We are all going to live either by force for by faith.

It goes without saying that the world’s way is the force way. “I can overpower you. I can out-run you. I can out-scheme you. I can outtalk you. I can out-anger you. I can out-scream you. I can out-fight you. I can out-spend you. I can out-force you.” That is the world’s way. That is the only way those who do not know Christ operate, whether it is in business, at home, or in personal conflict. It may manifest itself in many different forms, but it is always the same. lt is not the Lord’s way.

The Lord’s way is to trust in Him. That is the faith way. There is one open secret that reveals whether we are living by force or by faith -our secret, private prayer life. No matter what we say about how we are living, we are not living the faith way if we do not have a prayer life.

Do you know that once you come to the place where you trust God, everything else is settled? The fact that Goliath was a soldier, a giant, and a Philistine champion did not have anything to do with whether David would go down into the valley or not. It was all dependent on whether or not David would trust God. Once David placed his faith in God, everything else was settled. I think we fight many battles we do not need to fight, and get involved in many skirmishes we do not need to be involved in. The truth is that we have one great thing to decide; it is whether or not we are going to trust God.

How are you going to live? In your personal life, family life, and business life, are you going to live by faith or by force?

There is only one way to know Jesus Christ. Do you know Him? You may have grown up in a Christian home and have a Christian mom and dad, but this does not make you a Christian. There is only one way to God. That is to know Him by personally trusting Him by faith as your Saviour. Have you trusted Him?

This decision to live by faith cannot be made by anyone else. By faith, take every need in your life to the Lord. Many people are crushed under a weight God never intended for them to carry. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Cast all your care upon the Lord Jesus.

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God … ” (Psalm 14:1).

There are some people who say they are atheists but hardly know what the word means! We have in mind the person who has reached that position as a result of careful thought and deliberation. In our view, he is a person to be greatly pitied.

Think of the tremendous leap of faith he must have taken when he concluded that all that goes to make up this incredible universe just happened by blind chance. Design everywhere, but no Designer. Inflexible laws, but no Law-maker!

Or think of the agonizing mental struggle he must have had concerning the beginning of this universe. Have the elements which compose it always been, or did they have a beginning? If they had a beginning, where did they come from? If they have always been, we give to senseless matter the attribute which Christians give to God He is eternal and forever lasting.

And for the courage it must have taken to discredit the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 ). If that statement is false, and there is no God, then the whole of the Bible becomes a tragic hoax. The Book which has been the inspiration and comfort of untold millions is just a collection of myths and pious superstitions. Why read at funerals the sweet 23rd Psalm if there is no Lord to be your Shepherd, and no heavenly home to which we can aspire?

And then the confidence in one’s own judgment that he is right, and that the millions of others who believe in God are hopelessly wrong. Some of the noblest and keenest minds have been humble believers, but if there be no God, then with the rest of us, they were poor deluded fools.

And then, finally, the atheist deliberately condemns himself to a life with no invisible means of support! He must face the trials and challenges of life alone, even the greatest of all challenges we call death.

Yes, the atheist takes a tremendous gamble. If he is right, and he will die like a dog, all will be well. But say he is wrong, and there is a God with whom he must reckon- what then? Pity the poor atheist, better still, pray for him!

Here is a question to think on: In the long run, is there much difference between the out and out atheist and the man who says he believes in God and yet spends his life ignoring Him? Atheist or not, we all need not only to believe in God, but in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

There are many true believers who are not enjoying the fulness of the Spirit as they should. They need a crisis, a step of surrender and faith, yielding to the control of the Holy Spirit who dwells within.

There is one great crisis taught in Scripture – the crisis at regeneration, passing from death to life, from darkness to light. The normal life for a Christian is to go on in the power of the Spirit, abiding in Christ, and growing in grace. But what of the Christian who is not doing this? The Christian who is defeated and dissatisfied? The Christian who perhaps has not had a clear-cut experience of conversion? He needs a crisis. Not a second work of grace, but getting back to what he had, or entering into the realization of what salvation means.

Let us not limit God in his working, and let us not fail to be ready for new and great outpourings of the Holy Spirit in the closing days of this age. For the days are upon us when nothing will avail to break through the overwhelming power of the enemy except supernatural power beyond what most Christians have known anything about.

There is a great and mighty power awaiting any Christian who will truly believe any word of God. For no word of God is void of mighty power.

Here is a missionary who has had miracles of answered prayer and marvels of God’s grace at home and abroad. The great flood-tide of new power came into this missionary’s life through accepting our Lord’s prayer promise in John 14:12-13, ” … He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do … And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do … ”

Here is another missionary whose testimony for Christ is beginning to shake a whole continent; his transformation came, and his whole being was shaken with joy and power when he realized the meaning of the words that ” … Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (2 Corinthians 13:5). This young missionary’s hunger for God was stirred by Hudson Taylor’s testimony of the transformation of his own life through learning the meaning of faith; then it was that Hudson Taylor entered into the meaning of John 4:14, ” … whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. .. ”

And so we might go on and tell of the miracles that followed when some word of God was believed, ” … Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22); ” … My grace is sufficient for thee … ” (2 Corinthians 12:9); ” … yield yourselves unto God … ” (Romans 6: 13 ); “For to me to live is Christ … ” (Philippians 1 :21 ); ” … God is faithful … ” ( 1 Corinthians 10: 13). I am thinking of miracles wrought through Christians who believed one or another of these mighty “words.”

All the most mighty promises of supernatural power are conditional upon that which is simplest in the Christian life, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to those who believe that the rivers of living water are promised (John 7:37-38). It is those who believe on Him who shall do greater works than those Christ did in the days of His flesh (John 14: 12). Faith is the key that unlocks the reservoirs of power laid up for us in Christ, which the blessed Holy Spirit is eager to make available in our lives (Mark 11:22; John 16:14-15). Whatever the mystery of His working, ours is to yield and to believe. This is all we can do (Romans 6: 13).

A Man and His Soul “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir” (Isaiah 13: 12).

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

The Redeeming Blood of Christ “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 18-19).

The Inspired Word of God ” … the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:9-1 0).

Wisdom and Understanding “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold” (Proverbs 3:13-14).

The Knowledge of God “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold” (Proverbs 8:1 0).

A Good Name “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1).

The Trial of Your Faith ” … ye greatly rejoice … That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1 :6-7)

“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were scaled with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians I: 12-13 ).

‘”Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” was written by a most remarkable woman, Louisa M. R. Stead, out or one or her darkest hours-the tragic drowning of her husband.

Louisa Stead was born about 1850, at Dover, England. As a youngster she felt the call of God upon her life for missionary service. She arrived in America in 1871, and she lived for a time in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1875, Louisa married a Mr. Stead, and to this union was born a daughter, Lily. When the child was four years of age, the family decided one day to enjoy the sunny beach at Long Island Sound, New York. While eating their picnic lunch, they suddenly heard cries of help and spotted a drowning boy in the sea. Mr. Stead charged into the water. As often happens, however, the struggling boy pulled his rescuer under the water with him, and both drowned before the terrified eyes of wife and daughter. Out of her “why?” struggle with God during the ensuing days flowed these meaningful words from the soul of Louisa Stead:

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise; just to know, “Thus saith the Lord. ”

A short time later, Mrs. Stead and her daughter left for South Africa, where Louisa worked diligently as a missionary in the Cape Colony for the next fifteen years. Here she married Robert Wodehouse, a native of South Africa. In 1895, Louisa’s failing health made it necessary for the family to return to America for her recuperation, during which time Mr. Wodehouse pastored a local Methodist church. By 1900, Louisa’s health had improved sufficiently for the family to return once more to the missionary station at Umtali, in Southern Rhodesia. Something of her same life-long trust in God can be learned from a communique Louisa sent back shortly after her arrival:

“In connection with this whole mission there are glorious possibilities, but one cannot, in the face of the peculiar difficulties, help say, ‘Who is sufficient for these things!’ But with simple confidence and trust, we may and do say, ‘Our sufficiency is of God.'”

After ten years of further service, ill health again forced Louisa to retire. Her daughter, Lily, who had become Mrs. D. A. Carson, continued to serve for many additional years in the mission field of Southern Rhodesia. After several years of prolonged illness, Louisa Stead Wodehouse died on January 18, 1917, at her home in Penkridge, near the Mutambara Mission, about fifty miles from Umtali. After her death, a fellow missionary wrote concerning the continued use of “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”:

“We miss her very much, but her influence goes on as our five thousand native Christians continually sing this hymn in their native language.”

1. Its origin: Although Halloween has become a night of fun and superstition, it had a serious beginning with the ancient Druids. They held a celebration in honor of Samhain, Lord of the Dead on November 1st. It was their belief that on the eve of this festival, Saman (Samhain) called together the wicked souls that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals. They believed that on this night, ghosts, spirits, fairies, witches and elves came out to harm people. From them came the present day use of witches, ghosts and cats. Trick or Treat originated from Ireland when a group of farmers went from house to house begging food for the village Halloween festivities in the name of their ancient gods. The Celts added the custom of wearing costumes made from the skins of sacrificed animals. The Romans added a ceremony honoring their goddess of fruit and trees, from which we got bobbing for apples. The Jack-O-Lantern, symbol of a damned soul, was named for a man named Jack who could not enter Heaven or Hell and as a result had to wander in darkness with his lantern until Judgment Day. Finally, Halloween was “Christianized” by the Roman Catholic Church in the A.D. 800’s and incorporated into “Allhallowmas”, the evening before being “All Halloween”. The celebration of Halloween is a survival of ancient pagan beliefs! Orange, black and red, Satan’s colors are used.
2. It is obvious that the elements, symbols and traditions of the Halloween observance with its emphasis on goblins and demons, witches and skeletons, ghosts and apparitions constitute a dabbling with the very things which Scripture forbids, and places Christians in the realm of demonic activity. Anton Lavey, “Black Pope” of the First Church of Satan, in his book “Satan’s Bible” states Halloween is one of the three highest days of satanism and is not taken lightly by them.
3. Please read these Scriptures: Lev. 19:31 and Deut. 18:10-13. True Christians should separate themselves from these symbols and be identified with God’s people!

The fire alarm called out the professional firefighters when an apartment house in New York began to bum … and John Herko was there too. People were trapped in the building, and Herko went in. He found Douglas Billman, a four year old, and fought his way through smoke and flame to carry the boy to safety. The fireman finished the job, but no one was happier than John Herko, who hugged the little fellow and could scarcely let him go.

Why was Douglas so precious to him? He had never seen the boy before. But in bringing him safely from the fire, John had discharged a debt he had carried for thirteen years. Thirteen years ago his son had fallen into the water, and was drowning; a woman who was near jumped in and rescued him from probable death. Now Herko says, “Ever since then I felt that I owed some child a life.”

Not everyone feels such a sense of obligation. Some accept deliverance as a matter of course; and if they should do a big favour for someone else, they take much credit to themselves. This is especially true in spiritual matters. Heow many Christians feel an obligation to witness for the Lord, and seek to introduce others to the Lord Jesus?

Paul said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14). What made Paul a debtor to all the people? I twas, first of all, the fact of his own salvation. Christ had sought him out on the road to Damascus; but the salvation which Paul experienced there was for all men, not just for him and a chosen few. People in every nation had a right to know about it. Second, it was because the Lord saved Paul for that purpose (Acts 26: 14-18). Third, the love of Christ drove Paul on to tell others everywhere about the Saviour (2 Corinthians 5: 14-20).

Did Paul’s experience differ from yours? In detail, no doubt it did; but we are all debtors in the same sense that Paul was. We are “Saved, saved to tell others of the Man of Galilee.”

Someone came to tell you of Calvary and the way of life. Someone made an effort to introduce you to the Saviour. Don’t you feel a sense of obligation because of that? If all Christians felt like John Herko, if we were all willing to brave danger and go to real trouble to help another soul because we and our friends were helped, thing what an impetus it would bring into the work of the churches! Take the burden of debt upon you; watch for the chance to pass on the blessing you have received. God will guide you to some soul and teach you what to say to win that soul.

If I can win some precious soul to Christ, And know that when I leave, he’ll carry on, And maybe win some other to his Lord To carry high the torch when he is gone; some shall stop me in the Glory/and, And say, “I’m here because one day you came To tell me of the Saviours matchless love, ” Then I can know I have not lived in vain.

Jesus said, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). Worry cannot produce a better tomorrow or change yesterday, but it can spoil a perfectly good today.

It is impossible to list a single benefit from worry. Someone said, “Worry is like rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.”

Someone gave this estimate of what most people worry about: Things that never happen, 49%; things over the past that can’t be changed by all the worry in the world, 30%; needless health worries, 12%; petty, miscellaneous worries, 10%; real, legitimate worries, 8%.

We doubt if there is any such thing as a “real, legitimate worry,” since the Bible says in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing … ” The literal meaning is “don’t worry about even one thing.”

WORRY IS UNWISE

There are three reasons why worry is unwise: 1. It is harmful to one physically, mentally, and emotionally; 2. It makes one a poor steward of his time and energy; 3. It shows a lack of faith in our Heavenly Father’s care for us and in the integrity of His promises.

Dr. W. C. Alvarez, a stomach specialist at Mayo Clinic, said, “Eighty percent of the stomach disorders that come to the clinic are not organic but functional … most of all ills are caused by worry and fear, and it is my experience that faith is more important than food in the cure of stomach ulcers.”

The renowned Dr. Charles Mayo himself said, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system; and it profoundly affects the health.”

Another medical doctor said, “Worry sets up a general disorganization of the system, makes and liberates all sorts of bodily poisons, throws glands and their functions all out of gear, and lowers the resistance to the very edge of limpness … prolonged and great worry may mean an eventual breakup, flabby heart, hardened arteries, premature senility, paralysis of the will which may ultimately lead to suicide.”

Worry wastes energy. A large industrial firm discovered that nine out of ten cases of workers inefficiency were caused by worry.

Worry produces imaginary troubles and often gives a small thing a big shadow. Someone once said, “To worry about what we can’t help is useless; to worry about what we can help is stupid.”

WORRY IS UNNECESSARY

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

Later in the same chapter, the Lord promised us food and clothing, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (verse 33). Since the Father ” … knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (verse 32), and since He has promised that ” … these things shall be added unto you” (verse 33), then worry is unnecessary.

“The tongue spills out what the life contains.”

“May I see your tongue?” That’s what the doctor asks us when we visit his office for consultation. It is a well-known fact that the tongue serves as an index to our physical condition. Likewise, the tongue is a good index to our spiritual condition. Jesus Himself said at one time, ” … out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Our words definitely reveal our character, although many of us seem to be unaware of that fact.

If you were walking from the well carrying a bucket of water and someone jostled against you, there could be spilled from the bucket only that which it contained. As you walk along the way of life, you are constantly being jostled by people. If your life is full of ill nature, bad temper, and ugly disposition, those things will be spilled from it. If it is full of Christian spirit, you will spill a smile or some pleasant remark as people bump into you. You can spill from your bucket only that which it contains.

THE TONGUE DEFINED

In the Bible, the tongue is called ” … an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). It is spoken of as false, lying, froward, naughty, perverse, backbiting, and deceitful. There are six things which God hates; seven are an abomination to Him. Of these seven, three peak of the tongue: ” … a lying tongue … ” (Proverbs 6: 17); “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6: 19).

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, made this statement, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue … ” (Proverbs 18:21). How true! Think of the jurist who must use his tongue to pronounce either the death sentence upon a man or to declare his innocence. But spiritual death and spiritual life are also in the power of the tongue.

Spiritual death has been defined as “anything which separates one from God.” What power the tongue has here! How many people have listened to the words of atheists, agnostics, infidels, Christ haters and rejecters, and have gone down to spiritual death – eternal separation from God!

The tongue also has the power to bring spiritual life to others. Millions have heard the words of eternal life from the lips of others and have believed them and received spiritual life, eternal life, as a result. Faith comes by the hearing of God’s Word. Jesus said, ” … He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life … ” (John 5:24). It has ” … pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 ).

We have the glorious privilege and opportunity of using our tongues to proclaim God’s Word, thereby bringing spiritual life to others. What greater or more worthwhile use could we make of our tongues?

Good homes, good Churches and good communities are built upon godly relationships. The most common cause of failure in a relationship is a failure to live by and respond to God’s Word, which results in the fullness of the Spirit. When a believer is filled with the Spirit of God, he or she has the mind of God to go through relationship problems correctly.

You should read Ephesians 4:30 – 5:18. When we are filled with the Spirit (not the same as baptized with the Spirit) we manifest the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-24. All interpersonal relationship problems stem from one or both parties walking in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. In other words, if you are not in tune with the Spirit of God, you will not be in tune with others. Look up and read Romans 12:1-2, 9-20; 13:8-14. There is something wrong with a person who continually has conflict with others and always has to make new friends because of relationship problems with others. Friend, you should have some lasting friendships, and you will if you are saved and Spirit filled. Here are a few simple thoughts on developing lasting, Godly relationships:

1. Control your thoughts. Acts 5:3 states about Ananias and Sapphira that “why hath Satan hath filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 tells us to cast dawn imaginations and bring our thoughts into captivity. When your thoughts are out of control, your life is out of control.

2.   Control your tongue. (James 1:26; 3:1-18) A loose tongue will destroy a godly relationship. In fact, it is Satan’s greatest weapon. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

3.   Control your temper. (Ephesians 4:30-32, 1 Peter 2:1-3) A loose temper is not excused by the Word of God. No Christian should brag on having a bad temper. That Is like saying, “I am not under the control of the Holy Spirit.” Also, it reveals that the person is walking in the flesh rather than the Spirit.

4.   Don’t lose sight of Satan’s plan. (2 Corinthians 2:9-11) v11 says, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” James 3:16 states, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

Please read 1 Peter 3:7-17 and start working today to make and maintain lasting Godly relationships. Satan wants to cripple your home, destroy your friendships and testimony thereby getting the advantage.