All The Counsel of God

Christ’s Command to His Disciples Still Confronts the Church Today

A HUNGRY WORLD

Christ’s words point to a hungry world, ” … give ye them to eat.” This is our world, the world of men and women, of boys and girls; the world of Africans, of Asians, of Americans, of every nation and tribe that inhabits the globe. This world is hungry; hungry for words of life and liberty and light; but in it there is no bread available to satisfy the famishing spirits of men.

THE URGENT TASK

The divine command points out an urgent task, ” … give ye them to eat.” To feed these hungry spirits is the great need of our times. It is not sufficient that we educate the masses, but that we evangelize them. “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11-12). Hungry stomachs need bread, not bones; hungry hearts need God’s Word, not man’s theories.

A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

This command points up a personal responsibility, ” … give ye them to eat.” The church of Christ is composed of individuals; therefore, the church as such will never fulfil her responsibility in the matter of feeding a hungry world until each individual Christian faces his own responsibility in the matter. Upon each believer there devolves this responsibility of getting the Gospel to the ends of the globe.

” … give ye them to eat.” Unless I deliberately close my eyes, I cannot but see the hungry world. The task is urgent, for “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:7). Am I facing and accepting my responsibility in doing my part in the urgent task of feeding a famishing world?

“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8)

There is nothing more depressing or more devastating than to feel that life is over – – that it has nothing in store for you. But, life is never over for the Christian. We are the children of God and have eternal life in us, even here in this present world. Jesus told the church in Philadelphia. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door.” This is an immortal promise made to all who choose to follow Jesus.

1. THE OPEN DOOR OF SALVATION

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1: 15). Through the riven side of the sinless Son of God, the door of salvation was opened, and He has swung open

that door, saying, ‘Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Rev. 22: 17). Jesus tasted “death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). You may walk through this door while it is open. Don’t delay. Someday, it will close for you, and then there will be no hope

2. THE OPEN DOOR OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

There is a land of power and victory for the child of God. Jesus said, ”Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). This was a promise to the disciples, but in Acts 2:38, Peter said, “This promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The door of the spirit filled life is open to you and me. “Be ye filled with the Spirit”(Eph. 5: 18). Nothing, and no one, can keep you from being filled with the Holy Ghost, except yourself.

3. THE OPEN DOOR OF SANCTIFIED SERVICE

We are saved to serve our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The service of the Lord must be done by sanctified, or set apart, servants. We can never carry on heaven’s business in the energy of the flesh. It is only after one is filled with the Holy Ghost that he is able to be a witness and work for Jesus and worship God in an acceptable way. The door of sanctified service is open to all who are saved. Enter in!

–Bill Bryant

• Text:         I Corinthians 14:7-9.
• Intro:
  • There are 6 little words of only one syllable in the Bible, yet though seemingly unimportant, they convey some of the greatest truths in the universe.
  • These 6 little words are
    • SO,
    • LO,
    • HO,
    • NO,
    • GO,
    • WOE.
  • Let us make these little words a big part of our life:
• 1.   SO = to a SURPASSING DEGREE.
  • ‘For God SO loved the world that he gave.’ (John 3:16).
    • ‘SO’ describes the greatness of God’s love to all mankind.
  • a) God’s part: – loving and giving.
  • b) Man’s part: – believing and receiving eternal life.
    • ‘Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.’ I John 3:1.
    • ‘We love him because he first loved us.’ (I John 4:19).
      • Even if we don’t love God, He loves us.
• 2.   LO = to DRAW ATTENTION TO.
  • ‘Then said I, LO, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God’. (Hebrews 10:7).
    • These words “LO, I come”, excite heaven, make devils tremble, and make believers rejoice because the Son of God has come.
  • If Christ had not come, there would be:
    • no salvation,
    • no hope,
    • no forgiveness of sins,
    • no peace,
    • no justification,
    • and no heaven,
      • just sin, darkness, judgment and hell.
  • ‘LO’ gives hope to the sinner.
    • We need to draw people’s attention to the fact that Christ has come, died and rose again for the sins of the world, and eternal life is available.
  • ‘LO’ tells of Christ’s voluntary coming to earth.
    • Christ came to fulfill Old Testament prophecies, and to be the sacrifice for our sins.
    • Let us draw people’s attention to Christ’s sacrifice for their sins.
• 3.   HO = SURPRISE, TRIUMPH, INVITATION to salvation:
  • ‘HO, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ (Isaiah 55:1).
  • HO = a word of invitation to salvation full and free,
    • ‘without money and without price’ (to us), yet ‘with a price’ (to Christ).
      • ‘For ye are bought with a price.’ (I Corinthians 6:20).
  • Jesus paid the full price for our salvation.
    • If we know that price, we dare not ‘neglect so great salvation.’
• 4.   NO = ABSENCE OF.
  • ‘There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus.’ (Romans 8:1).
    • NO CONDEMNATION is great news to a convicted sinner.
      • a) Where is there no condemnation? – In Christ Jesus.
      • b) To whom is there no condemnation? – To them which are in Christ Jesus.
      • c) When is there no condemnation? – NOW.
      • d) Why is there no condemnation? – Because the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all – Isaiah 53:6.
  • Romans 8 begins with ‘no condemnation ’(8:1) and ends with ‘no separation’ (Rom. 8:35-39).
    • See John 5:24.
• 5.   GO = MOVEMENT FROM A PLACE.
  • “Go and preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15
  • “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them…..” Matthew 28:19-20).
  • “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” – Mark 5:19
  • “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” – Luke 14:23
  • This is a command from Christ to His disciples to go and tell.
    • Let us respond to Christ’s call by saying “Here am I, send me”. (Isaiah 6:8).
• 6.   WOE = AFFLICTION, BITTER GRIEF, CALAMITY, CURSE ON.
  • The Apostle Paul said – ‘Yea, Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.’ I Corinthians 9:26.
    • There are millions of people that are searching for the truth of God.
    • They need someone to show them.
  • “If thou forbear (abstain from) to deliver them that are drawn unto death..’ Proverbs 24:11-12.
    • If you are really saved, you’ll want to see others saved.
    • If you really know the Lord Jesus, you’ll want others to know Him, and live like Him.
    • If you really know something of heaven, you’ll want others to go there.
    • If you really know the power of the Gospel, you’ll say with Paul in Romans 1:14-16, “I am a debtor, I am ready to preach the gospel, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
• Conclusion:
  • SO = to a SURPASSING DEGREE
  • LO = to DRAW ATTENTION TO
  • HO = SURPRISE, TRIUMPH, INVITATION to salvation:
  • NO = ABSENCE OF.
  • GO = MOVEMENT FROM A PLACE
  • WOE = AFFLICTION, BITTER GRIEF, CALAMITY, CURSE ON
• Q:  Is your life communicating the messages of these 6 simple words?
  • Get saved now.
  • Live for Christ.

The problem with many so-called Christians today is that they only believe the Holy Bible as long as it does not infer with their lifestyle. Yes, they believe that you are saved by grace through faith not of works. They believe Christ died for theirs sins and only a person’s faith in Christ’s shed blood pays for all their sins and keeps them out hell.

When they come to such verses as ^“ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17, many will choose to ignore it because it interferes with some of their ungodly lifestyle activities. How about this one, ”Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

The problem is many Christians have so much of the world and the things of the world in them that they have become comfortable down here. You see believing every word of the Holy Bible would make you feel uncomfortable. Most will attend churches where you are never challenged to examine self and see how you match up with the Words of Almighty God. Most become offended very easily when you mention what the Holy Bible says about some of their lifestyle choices.

The words of God tells us, Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165) So, when someone claims to be a Christian and are easily offended by what the scriptures say about their lifestyle then the problem is they do not love the words of God. However, they love the words of the feel-good preaching they listen to every Sunday. They love the words of their favorite so-called Christian personality they listen to on so-called Christian radio and television.

The words of God say, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Notice the verse says “…all things are become new.” This includes your lifestyle as well. Has your lifestyle previous to your salvation passed away and are you truly a new creature in Christ or are you someone that claims to be a Christian but your lifestyle reflects the world and the things of world?

I. Mind your tongue! Do not let it speak hasty, cruel, unkind, or wicked words.

2. Mind your eyes! Do not permit them to look at wicked movies, books, pictures, or objects.

3. Mind your ears! Do not suffer them to listen to wicked speeches, songs, or words.

4. Mind your lips! Do not let tobacco foul them; do not let drugs enter them; do not let strong drink pass them; do not let food of the glutton enter between them; do not let foul words proceed through them.

5. Mind your feet! Do not let them walk in the steps of the wicked.

6. Mind your heart! Do not let the love of sin dwell in it; do not give it to Satan, but ask Jesus to make it His throne.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5).

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50: 15).

Here is a promise for all time, never dated, and never too late to be claimed. It is a “tried and proved” promise. It calls for THE SIMPEST POSSIBLE OUTCRY: ” … call upon me … ” When all is lost we can still cry, and the one to cry to is the Lord. That cry is the simplest possible thing which could be demanded. No time limit is put on this cry. It does not say cry early on the Lord. No, the promise is as wide as possible in its invitation. There are no limits to the grace and goodness of God. Just call on the Lord, not on the church, not on the minister of the church, but upon the Lord of the church. Go to the top where the real power is. The Lord never breaks His Word. You can depend on no one else but Him.

THE GREATEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME: ” … I will deliver thee … ” How great will the outcome be! God will deliver thee. The way of deliverance, the method of deliverance, the time of deliverance, or the manner of deliverance are not even mentioned. Those are matters of God’s sovereign love.

But the greatest possible outcome is guaranteed, deliverance is absolutely sure. Back of the promise is the “I will” of the Almighty God who ” … fainteth not, neither is weary … ” (Isaiah 40:28). Heaven and earth will pass away, but this word of His will never pass away. Call and depend upon it, the answer will be yours.

THE HAPPIEST POSSIBLE OUTLET: ” … and thou shalt glorify me.” What an outlet of praise, behavior, and witness will be the result. There will be happy acknowledgement that it is the Lord’s doing. God will be given all the glory. There will be happy contentment. The winter will be over at last, and the times of our delivering God will overflow our hearts. There will be happy impartment. Telling others will be our happy employment. Praise the Lord!

The bugles of God sound the advance! Faith knows nothing of retreat! The Lord of hosts is with us. The devil is a defeated foe. The bitter cry of the unsaved millions, “Come over … and help us” (Acts16:9), is only less powerful than the thrilling command of the Lord Jesus Christ, ” … Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16: 15). Unreached tribes, unevangelized areas, closed lands – we face them boldly in the power of the Spirit, and with faith, prayer, love, and sacrifice. Lift up the banner of the cross! On…on…for the Lord hath delivered them into our hands!

LOOK ON THE FIELDS!

Millions benighted in superstition-ridden Confucianism and demon-haunted Taoism; millions steeped in the groveling idolatry of Hinduism; millions crowding the sorrowful temples of Buddha; millions in the ugly grip of sensual, degrading, fanatical Mohammedanism.

Millions debased themselves in the shrines of Shintoism; millions groping in the fear-haunted darkness of animism and fetishism; millions shadowed beneath the sinister cloak of false, apostate Rome; millions of Jews rejecting Him, Who is the glory of God’s people Israel; and millions without number, nurtured, trained, lost and perishing in the cold, insubstantial, futile atmosphere of dialectical materialism, political delusion, and Christ-crucifying secularism – a mighty host marching to the grave without Christ!

IS IT NOTHING TO YOU?

A gigantic task! True, but we have a mighty God, a mighty Gospel, a mighty power! Mighty and Almighty! ” … greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John4:4). The Lamb of God is still on the throne!

We do not believe in the so-called “Christianizing” of mankind. We deny the inevitability of progress. We have no faith in social reform to meet the heart-need, nor in humanism to elevate character, nor in education to usher in a new world order. We abominate futile, discredited, apostate modernism. For one thing and one thing only do we stand: world evangelization. Ours the high calling to tell out the good news of salvation through the blood o God’s Son, Jesus, wherever the foot of man has trod!

“The best tonic I know,” wrote that veteran warrior, C. T. Studd, “is to remember we are in for the final great fight, the evangelization of the unevangelized. It is God’s will, and He will not fail! The best cure for discouragement and qualms is another daring plunge of faith!”

Our God honours faith, answers prayer, and works wonders!

Onward with God for evangelization! He will not fail!

Each believer is bound by his own voluntary profession as well as by the command of the ascended Lord – to act with as much earnestness and energy in giving forth the Gospel as if none but himself were summoned to the service, as if none but himself were chargeable with the world’s continued darkness. The evangelization of the world must be the one great object to which life, labour, and means are consecrated!

If we are to witness yet greater triumphs of the cross, there must be a deeper yieldedness to Christ, a daily walk with Him, a constant seeking His will, a definite expression of Calvary love and holiness, in obedience, self-denial, and prayer, and a real launching out in faith in the power and wisdom of God-for the accomplishment of His will. So shall we be strong and do exploits.

A leader like Moses, who refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, but was willing to go with God.

Army generals like Joshua, who knew God and could pray and shout things to pass rather than blow them to pieces with atomic energy.

A food administrator like Joseph who knew God and had the answer to famine.

Preachers like Peter, who would not be afraid to look people in the eye, and say, “Repent or perish,” and denounce their personal as well as national sins.

Mothers like Hannah, who would pray for a child that she might give him to God, rather than women who are delinquent mothers of delinquent children.

Children like Samuel, who would talk to God in the night hours.

Physicians like Luke, who could care for physical needs and introduce their patients to Jesus Christ who is a specialist in spiritual trouble.

A God like Israel’s instead of the dollar god, the entertainment god, sports god and the auto god.

A Saviour like Jesus, who could and would save from the “guttermost to the uttermost.”

About a Godly Attitude Towards Unbelief

1.TRY THEM

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

2.MARK THEM

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

3. REBUKE THEM

“This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13).

4. HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

5. WITHDRAW THYSELF

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).

6. RECEIVE THEM NOT

“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 1: 10-11 ).

To our day, false teachings are fostered by misplaced hospitality.

7. HAVE NO COMPANY WITH THEM

“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed” (2 Thessalonians 3:14).

8. REJECT THEM

“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject” (Titus 3: 10).

9. BE YE SEPARATE

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be y separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

To the question, “… Where is the LORD God of Elijah? … ” (2 Kings 2:14), we answer, Where He has always been- on the throne! But where are the Elijah’s of God? We know Elijah “…was a man subject to like passions as we are…” (James 5: 17), but alas, we are not men or prayer as he was. One praying man stands as a majority With God.

God is by-passing men today, not because they are too ignorant, but because they are too self-sufficient. Brethren, our abilities are our handicaps, and our talents our stumbling blocks. Elijah came on the Old Testament stage, out of obscurity, a full-grown man.

Queen Jezebel had routed the priests of God and had replaced them with groves to false deities. Darkness covered the land, and gross darkness the people, and they were drinking iniquity like water. The land, fouled with heathen temples and idolatrous rites, saw smoke curling from a thousand cruel altars every day. All among a people who claimed Abraham as their father, and whose fore bearers had cried unto the Lord in their trouble and had been delivered out of all their distresses. How is the glory departed? The salt lost its savor? The gold become dim?

In the midst of this measureless backsliding, God raised up a man- not a committee, not a sect, nor an angel, but a man a man of like passions as we are! As then, so now, God says, “… I sought for a man …”, not to preach but to “…stand in the gap …” (Ezekiel 22:30).

Abraham and now Elijah both stood before the Lord. The blessed Holy Spirit wrote the life summary of Elijah in two words, “he prayed.” No man can do more for God or for men than that. If the church today had as many agonizers as she has advisers, we could have revival!

Praying men are our national benefactors. Elijah was such; he had heard a voice, seen a vision, tasted a power, measured an enemy, and, with God as partner, wrought a victory. The tears he shed, the soul agonies he endured, and the groans he uttered are all recorded in the book of the Chronicles of the things of God.

Then he emerged to prophesy with divine infallibility. He knew the mind of God. He – one man – strangled a nation and altered the course of nature. He stood as majestic and immovable as the mountains of Gilead as he shut up the heavens with a word. Wonderful indeed it is, when God lays hold of a man! Earth can know only one greater wonder just now, and that is when a man lays hold of God. Let Moses in the spirit groan, and God cries out, “… let me alone …” (Exodus 32:1 0). We follow Paul in doctrine, but not in suffering. We would Elijah’s accomplishments, but not his banishments.

Brethren, if we all do God’s work, in God’s way, at God’s time, with God’s power, we shall have God’s blessing. When God opens the windows of Heaven to bless us, the devil will open the door of Hell to blast us. God’s smile means the devil’s frown.

The preacher may help anybody and hurt nobody. He may go with the crowd; the prophet goes against it. A man freed, fired, and filled with God will be branded unpatriotic if he speaks against his nation’s sins. He will be labeled unkind because his tongue is a two edged sword, and unbalanced because the weight of preaching opinion is against him.

The preacher will be heralded, the prophet hounded. We love the old saints, missionaries, and martyrs and will read their biographies, reverence their memories, frame their epitaphs – do anything except followtheir example. We cherish the last drop of their blood, but watch carefully the first drop of our own.

John the Baptist did well to evade prison for six months. He and Elijah would not last six weeks in the streets of our modem cities. They would be cast into prison or some mental institution for not muting their message. The difficulties to world evangelism are legion, but difficulties give way to determined men.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?

Got any mountains you cannot tunnel through?

God specializes in things thought impossible,

And He can do what no other one can do.

The price is high. God does not want partnership with us, but ownership of us. Elijah lived with God, thought like God about sin, grieved over sin, and spoke against sin. He was all passion in his prayers, and passionate in his denunciation of evil in the land. He did no smooth preaching. Passion fired his preaching, and his words were on the hearts of men as molten metal would be on their flesh.