Chapter XX1.1 - MISC
MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS
Ezekiel 3:18 These words were directed not to unbelievers, but to a prophet of God, who was commanded to go and to preach. The people to whom this prophet was commanded to go and to preach were the Jews. We also are commanded to go, and to preach-to the Jews!
True, we live in a different dispensation. True, the gospel has gone out to all nations. Nevertheless, the prophets’ task to go and to preach to the Jews has not been cancelled. Our responsibility toward the Jews has by no means been diminished. We still must go to the Jews, and preach, and warn: or their blood will be required at our hand! THE SEEKING JEW The Jews are a seeking people. Whatever else may be said about Jewish life, this must be recognized, that at the heart of it there has always existed a great hunger-the hunger after righteousness. It is true, that, lacking the necessary element of faith, the Jews have come lamentably short of their goal, but it can hardly be denied that they have made a decided effort to reach it. "Israel, which followed after righteousness. . ."-one of St. Paul’s trenchant characterizations of his people-has all the tragic memory of lost horizons clinging to it. But the horizons are there, it is only the sight of them that has been lost, and across those horizons, Jesus the Messiah is slowly but surely making His triumphal return to Jewish thought and life. THE FRUIT OF THE VINE
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:1-2). When one becomes a Christian, his first concern is how to please the Lord: "What shall I do to work the works of Him who saved me?" Experience teaches us that a Christian may be faithful, obedient and fruitful, or he may be unfaithful, disobedient and unfruitful. There is so much church work today that parades under the name of the work of the Lord that it is possible for people to be pressed with religious activities and still not be fruitful servants of the Lord. In John 15:1-8, we have the Lord’s teaching on the fruit of the vine. But before entering into a discussion of it, we want to make the statement which we hope you will keep in mind, that the fruit of the vine and the fruit of the Spirit are two different things. In our Scripture lesson, the Lord designated Himself as the true vine and the Father as the husbandman. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ constitute the branches. In verse 2, we have the two types of branches in the Lord set forth; namely, the branch that does not bear fruit, and the branch that does bear fruit. When it comes to a discussion of fruit-bearing, of necessity we must declare ourselves in certain terms concerning two truths: (1) Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing. (2) Rewards are a just recompense or remuneration for work done by a Christian.
Then we want to also emphasize three truths concerning the grace of God in the salvation of a lost individual. (1) One does not have to do any good work to be saved. (2) One does not have to do any good work to stay saved. (3) One does not have to do any good work to show that he has been saved. If salvation is by grace (and it is- Ephesians 2:8-9), then God considers neither our merits nor our demerits. With what difficulty do we grasp the truth of the grace of God! We want to see merit in those being saved and demerit in those not being saved, when the gospel truth of salvation by grace is that God justifies the ungodly and declares righteous the unrighteous, and is able to do so because He is the One who made the penalty for sin and also paid the penalty for sin. If an individual is not leading what some people call a Christian life, it does not mean that he is not saved. We read in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 that it is possible for a Christian not to have a single good work to his credit. It must ever be so, else salvation is not by grace.
Now in the study of the fruit of the vine, we read in John 15:2, "Every branch IN ME that beareth not fruit He taketh away." This passage of Scripture has been a source of strength to the Armenians because of their misinterpretation. It has also been an enigma to the Calvinists because of their failure to understand the difference between salvation and rewards. The literal translation of this verse is, "Every branch in me that bears no fruit He takes up. " The Greek word airo means "to lift up." It was used by the Spirit when He spoke of Jesus lifting up His eyes and looking on the fields. It was used of the man who lifted up his bed and walked. It was used of the enemies of Christ who took up or lifted up stones to cast at Him. Now let us look at it once more. "Every branch in me that bears no fruit He lifts up. " A very slight knowledge of the natural development of the grapevine which our Lord used as an illustration is very helpful. Often the branch will drop down and run across the ground for 30 or 40 feet. This branch can bear no fruit. The vine-dresser therefore lifts up the branch and places it on a trellis so it will bear fruit. All he does is lift it up. Often when our Lord sees a Christian bearing no fruit, He lifts him up-transfers him from one church to another, from one town to another, or from one state to another; and many times, having been unfruitful in one place, he becomes fruitful in another. We find Scriptural examples of children of God not bearing fruit, and God lifts them up. Moses became unfruitful through sin and was taken to heaven. Elijah became unfruitful through despondency and was taken on to heaven. In I John, we read that there is a sin unto death for Christians; and sometimes those who are unfruitful because of sin, experience physical death and go on to be with the Father. This means their opportunity for service with subsequent rewards is brought to an end, though their salvation is never in question. One can ascribe to the truth of Scripture that this branch which bears no fruit is in Christ. As we search our own hearts we are forced, under the power of the Holy Spirit, to acknowledge ourselves as unfruitful servants standing in the need of confession, forgiveness and special empowering of the Holy Spirit, that we might yet be fruitful while the Lord permits us to remain here on the earth.
Now we come to the branch that bears fruit. We are shocked when we come to realize that the things which we thought applied to the unfruitful branch applies to the fruitful branch. "Every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it." This means He cleanses, refines, purifies, cuts off, separates; and all for the purpose of making it to bear more fruit. We shall never forget our feeling when we first saw a vineyard after it had been pruned. We had seen the same vineyard with its luxuriant branches and foliage, and after it had been pruned, we thought it was ruined. Upon inquiry, we learned that the vines must be pruned if they are to bring forth more fruit the next year. Now we come to understand and appreciate one of several reasons for Christian suffering. When one boasts of no suffering, no persecution, no hardship, he is simply proclaiming to the world that he is an unfruitful branch and is not being purged in order that he might bring forth more fruit. Study the lives of God’s true and faithful servants and you will find that it is preeminently true that every branch which bears fruit He purges it that it may bring forth more fruit. We are sure many can call to mind individual friends who have suffered greatly because of their fruitfulness, and it was for the purpose of making them to bring forth more fruit.
Now the final thought, "What is the fruit of the vine?" Many think it is the wine, while others think it is the grape juice, jelly, jam and preserves. But if you will take a grape and hold it up to the light, you will see that within are some dark spots. The skin of the grape holds the pulp and the pulp holds the juice, all for the purpose of providing nourishment to the dark spots which are seeds. The fruit of the vine is another vine. The fruit of the Christian is another Christian. The cycle of life is not completed until one reproduces himself; and a Christian can do that only under the leadership of the Spirit of God as he witnesses to the lost and sees them born from above through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the teaching of the story of the vine, a fruitful Christian is one who is used of God to win others to the Lord.
It would be false to say that salvation was intended for the Jew first in preference to the Gentiles. Paul has in mind the right of priority in time and order because of the heritage of Israel. As to this right, God has recognized it by making Jesus to be born of the Jews; Jesus recognized it by confining his earthly ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; by forbidding the twelve to go into the way of the Gentiles; by commanding the apostles to begin the world-wide evangelistic campaign at Jerusalem, the capital of Jewry. Paul recognized the priority of Israel by going first to the synagogue in each city to preach to the Jews, and then he went to the Gentiles of that city. Israel has been called to the task of EVANGELIZING THE WORLD and if she is to fulfill her calling she must herself be evangelized. ARE ALL MEN CREATED EQUAL? A fallacy that is common currency today is that God created all men equal. That statement is false. After Adam fell be begot sons and daughters in his own sinful image and likeness. Since the fall, not only has God not created men in the flesh but no two men have been born into the world with equal potentialities, capacities or rights. Some are born rich, some poor; some normal, some crippled; some white, some black; some intelligent, some mentally incapacitated; some born to rule, some born to be ruled; some to be masters, some to be slaves; some to be saved, some to be damned; some strong, some weak; some healthy, some sickly; some ambitious, some slothful, and ad infinitum. Do not ever be guilty of saying God created all men equal.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Among innumerable signs pointing to the soon coming of the Lord, the most prominent are the ones growing out of man’s attempt to throw off the authority of God and exalt man himself. We see this evidenced by: (1) man’s attempt to abolish the relationship which God established between man and woman (Genesis 3:16; Ephesians 5:22), (2) man’s attempt to abolish capital punishment established by God (Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:1-4), (3) man’s attempt to curse Shem whom God has blessed (Genesis 12:3), (4) man’s attempt to bless Canaan whom God has cursed (Genesis 9:25-27), and (5) man’s attempt to build a worldwide church which is the prerogative of the anti-Christ (Revelation 17:1-18). Submitting to the Word of God, however humbling it may be to the flesh, is far better than the supernatural exaltation of the flesh, thus dishonoring the Word of God.
MISUNDERSTOOD
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits,. afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rnle and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:22-26).
: This particular passage is misunderstood and has been grossly misinterpreted in recent months in current religious periodicals. The general theme of such interpretation has been that Christ is now ruling and reigning on His throne and will continue there until every enemy has been put under foot. It is thought that the church is supposed to be the one to put all enemies under foot, and with its great program of philanthropy, social service, education, medicine and reform will usher in the millennium, apart from and without the personal presence of Christ.
Let us look carefully at this passage of Scripture which is set in the midst of this great chapter on the resurrection. Bear in mind that Scripture must be interpreted in the light of Scripture. Scripture does not contradict itself; but prejudice, tradition, denominational jealousies, and preconceived ideas cause many to ignore and overlook much that is in the Scripture. This particular passage is logical and analytical and does not admit of the misunderstanding that is manifested. The subject under discussion is the resurrection; and the Holy Spirit is setting forth the Scriptural truths that there is more than one resurrection. Of course we see that strikes immediately at the argument that there is just one general resurrection which takes place at the time of the end. Revelation 20:1-15 shows that the first and second resurrections are separated by a thousand years. Acts 24:15 separates the resurrection of the dead into two resurrections - that of the just and that of the unjust. Daniel 12:1 separates the resurrections, one unto everlasting life and one unto everlasting contempt. John 5:28-29 separates them as the resurrection unto life and the resurrection unto damnation.
Now our passage in 1 Corinthians 15:22-26 sets forth the following truths:
I. ALL ARE GOING TO BE MADE ALIVE. This includes both the redeemed and the unredeemed.
II. EVERY MAN IS GOING TO BE MADE ALNE IN HIS OWN ORDER OR COMPANY. The word order is a military term and has the meaning of division, platoon, company. We also have order used today in a way that brings out the same truth in this Scripture; for instance, we have the Order of Elks, the Order of Masons, the Order of Moose, etc., distinguishing one group from another group. So shall it be in the resurrection - not all will be resurrected at once, but different groups raised at different times. Let us note the order of resurrections:
A. Christ the firstftuits: You will notice that "firstfruits" is plural; therefore it includes Christ and some others. A study of Leviticus 23:9-14 shows that the offering of firstfruits was made up of several stalks of grain into a sheaf. Matthew 27:51-53 tells us that when the veil of the temple was rent in twain, the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints arose, BUT, they did not come out of their graves until after Christ’s resurrection because He was first and they followed Him, and with Him apparently constituted the firstfruits. That event took place about 30 A. D.
B. They that are Christ’s at His coming (1 Corinthians 15:23); but when we turn to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, we find there are two groups belonging to Him: (1) the dead in Christ which arise first, and (2) we which are alive and remain, caught up together with them in the clouds.
Now here we have two distinct groups; a hope prevalent among Christians since the day of Christ’s ascent into heaven has been to be among the living when Christ returns. 1 Corinthians 15:54-56 gives us the triumphant cry of the two groups. Those who died and put on incorruption cry out in the resurrection, "0 grave, where is thy victory?" This is because the grave could not hold them. Those who are living and put on immortality will shout, "0 death, where is thy sting?" This is because they did not taste of death but were caught up alive.
Now here is where the majority of commentators get lost: "Then cometh the end WHEN. . . " (notice that the end does not come until after WHEN). The true meaning is that the end will come when, or after, Christ has put all enemies under His feet, has put down all rule and authority and power, and has destroyed death. Verse 25 tells us that He must reign until all of these things are accomplished, THEN comes the end. The confusion comes as a result of the mistaken idea that Christ is now ruling and reigning over the earth. This is an error, for Satan is the God of this age, ruling and reigning not only over the earth but over the powers of the air. See Ephesians 2:2; John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4, and in particular, Matthew 4:8-10 wherein Satan as the God of this age offers to Christ the kingdoms of this world if He will fall down and worship him. If Satan, then, is the one who is ruling over the affairs of men, what is Christ doing? In Luke 19:11-12, we read that He has gone into a far country to receive a kingdom, and after He receives it, will return. According to John 14:2, He has gone to prepare a place for us. Hebrews 7:25 tells us He is fulfilling the type of the Aaronic priesthood, having entered into the Holy of Holies by His own blood and is now making intercession for His own. 1 John 2:1-2 shows us that He is now our Advocate, or lawyer, who pleads our case before God, when according to Revelation 12:10 Satan accuses the children of God.
One of the contributing factors to the misunderstanding of this entire passage of Scripture can be attributed to the fact that such interpretation does not distinguish between the offices of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King. It is imagined that these three offices are discharged simultaneously, when according to Scripture, they are discharged consecutively. As Prophet, Christ came into the world and bore testimony to the Father. This resulted in His death. After His death, He entered into heaven to be our Great High Priest to plead for us before God the Father. He came as King of the Jews and they rejected Him. He is not to be King of the church or of Christians. He is the Head of the church and the Bridegroom of the church, which is also called the bride. He is to rule and reign as King of the Jews. He is not now reigning over the Jews, but the day is coming when He will return, and as King of kings and Lord of lords reign over the Jews and bring all the Gentiles into subjection unto Himself. Judgment and justice belong to the administration of righteousness which will not be established until Christ returns and establishes His kingdom. Justice and righteousness do not prevail now. We are living in the era of grace-in a day when God justifies the ungodly, saves the sinner and redeems the damned, simply because He wants to and not because they merit or deserve it.
III. As stated in the paragraph immediately above, Christ must return to the earth and reign until He has put every enemy underfoot. Psalms 2:8-9 tells of the day when He shall rule with a rod of iron. Revelation 19:11-21 tells of the day when He rules with a rod of iron and treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 14:14-20 tells of Christ shedding the blood of His enemies when He returns in judgment as King. Joel 3:9-16 tells of the judgment of the Gentiles when He returns. Isaiah 63:1-6 and Revelation 19:13 tell of Christ being splattered and covered with the blood of His enemies when He returns in judgment as King of kings. The whole tempo of Scripture from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21 is set toward the day when Christ triumphs over His foes, shall have conquered all His enemies, shall have put them under His feet, and shall have established His sway. Then after the last enemy, death, shall have been destroyed, Christ shall turn everything back to God the Father that He may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:27-28).
Let us rejoice and give praise to God that Christ today is pleading and interceding for the saints and not executing justice upon us. Let us open our hearts, our minds, our souls, our whole being, and receive the blessed truth that God is now dealing with us in grace. Let us pray for the coming of the Lord when we shall be caught out of this sin-cursed world into the presence of Christ, because not until then will there be set in motion these events which will culminate in the supression of every enemy of the Lord God Almighty. Let us join together in the final prayer of the Scripture: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." THE TWO WITNESSES
There have been a number of inquiries of late about the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11:3-12. We have worked out this outline which might be of help to all who are interested.
1. The mission of the witnesses is to testify in Jerusalem during the last three and one-half years of the Times of the Gentiles (Revelation 11:3).
2. The witnesses are the same as the two olive trees and the candlesticks described in Zech. (See Revelation 11:4; Zechariah 4:2-4; Zechariah 4:11-14.)
3. The witnesses will perform the miracles of Moses and Elijah. Fire will devour their enemies (2 Kings 1:14; Revelation 11:5). They will shut up heaven that it rain not for three and one-half years (1 Kings 18:1; Revelation 11:6). They will turn water to blood and smite the earth with plagues (Exodus 7:1-25; Exodus 8:1-32; Exodus 9:1-35; Exodus 10:1-29; Revelation 11:6).
4. They are immune to death until they have finished their testimony (Revelation 11:7); but when they are killed they will remain in the streets of Jerusalem untouched for three and one-half days. (Note that Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.)
5. While their dead bodies lie in the streets, they will be viewed by people of all nations (Revelation 11:9). It is interesting to note that this could not have been fulfilled until the present day of jet plane travel and television.
6. After three and one-half days, their bodies will be revived and they will ascend into heaven in full view of all their enemies (Revelation 11:11-12).
7. The identity of these witnesses seems to be Moses and Elijah. They perform the miracles, wonders and works of Moses and Elijah. Then there is the transfiguration (Mark 9:4; Luke 9:30-31) where we see Moses and Elijah talking with Christ about the death which He would accomplish in Jerusalem. That of which they are speaking is the content of their testimony in the streets of Jerusalem during those three and one-half years. The Spirit of God tells us in 2 Peter 1:16-21 that the transfiguration is a preview of the coming kingdom of our Lord.
Moses and Elijah were the witnesses on the Mt. of Transfiguration and logically must be the witnesses spoken of in Revelation 11:1-19.
WANT A BLESSING?
It is noticed in many prayers, both public and private, that the Lord is besought for certain blessings. Ofttimes we hesitate to ask for specific blessings and simply request the Lord to bless according to His will. It is because we stand in the need of blessings and because we are seeking the blessings the Lord desires to give His children that we want to call your attention to a few passages of Scripture. The Lord has enumerated many blessings which He is anxious to bestow on us, and all we have to do is put ourselves where these blessings can be manifested.
1. In Revelation 1:3, the Lord promises blessings upon those who read and hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things that are written therein. He does not say what the blessings will be; but we can rest assured that any blessing from God is sufficient, adequate and appropriate. The meaning is simply this: if one will read the book of the Revelation, God will bestow blessings upon that one. Our own personal experience has been that after a drought of warmness in fellowship with the Lord, we can turn to the book of the Revelation and read it through daily for several days in succession, and the Lord blesses beyond all expectation. Try reading the book of the Revelation through daily for seven days and you will see and experience the blessings of the Lord.
2. God has promised special blessings upon those who will remember and help the poor, for He says in Provo 21:13, "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard." Here we learn that answers to prayers at times are dependent upon our response to the cry of the poor. Proverbs 19:17 says, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again." This is a promise of God to repay whatever one gives to the poor. Again, our personal testimony is that never once have we suffered loss from giving to the poor; on the other hand, we have been repaid many fold in blessings, both material and spiritual.
3. "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10). Here is the promise of abundant blessing upon all who give their tithes to the Lord. (Do not let the word storehouse confuse you. There is much false teaching abroad in the land today relative to the storehouse. Here is the truth concerning it. Leviticus 27:30 tells us that all the tithe is the Lord’s. The Old Testament saints carried it to the storehouse, which was the temple, because that was where and only where they could meet God. Since the rending of the veil in twain, no longer has a building constituted God’s meeting place with His children, but rather in this day of grace, the storehouse or meeting place is as given in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." This place of meeting could be in a church building, in a home or anywhere; so today, to take the tithe to the storehouse is to put it wherever the Lord’s work is being carred on.) Do you want a blessing? Put your tithe in the Lord’s work. Seek the leadership of the Lord, and not man’s, as to where to put it.
4. Possibly the greatest source of blessing is to be found in connection with God’s chosen people, Israel. God loves Israel. So many people hate them that God has promised special blessings upon all who will prove themselves to be a blessing to Israel.
Note in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee. . ." This was spoken to Abraham and his posterity, the children of Israel. There has never been a portion of Scripture that has been more literally fulfilled than this. God’s blessings, both materially and spiritually, have followed those who have loved, prayed for, and ministered to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This has been true individually and nationally. Also, God’s curse has been upon every nation or individual that has hated, mistreated, or neglected the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The fact is that nations rise and fall according to their attitude toward and treatment of I.lrael. In Psalms 122:6, spiritual and material prosperity is offered to those who will pray for the peace of Jerusalem. There are several things you can do in regard to Israel that will guarantee the blessings of the Lord upon you and your family: (a) Pray daily for the day when Israel shall be at peace in her own land; (b) pray for the salvation of Jews with whom you may be acquainted; (c) pray for mission organizations, churches, and individuals who are laboring for the salvation of the Jews; (d) use a part of your tithe and offerings to support those who are laboring among the Jews. A word of caution: In the administration of your tithes and gifts, it is not necessary to let anyone know what you are doing, for Jesus Himself said that you are not to let your left hand know what your right hand does. Your tithing and giving is unto the Lord-He alone needs to know. There are those today who set themselves up as administrators of your affairs and they would tell you where and what to give. Beloved, you are accountable to the Lord, and no one else, in this matter of stewardship. Want a blessing? We wonder.
LAWS NECESSITATED BY SIN The entrance of sin into the bloodstream of the human race became the occasion for a marked change in God’s dealings with man and the other living creatures. While some of the laws came into existence in the name of a curse, all were established as laws which are still binding upon the human race. Man’s failure to understand this, coupled with his philanthropic desires apart from the Word of the Lord, has resulted in much confusion in the affairs of men. We are listing these laws with the prayerful hope that they will throw light upon God’s dealings with the human race, and that those who read this may have a deeper appreciation of God’s plans and purposes.
1. Genesis 3:14 -A curse is pronounced upon all living creatures, and the serpent is cursed above all of them and made to go upon its belly all the days of its life. That is one curse that will never be lifted as long as the serpent lives.
2. Genesis 3:15 -The law of enmity is established between Satan and the woman and their progeny. That will continue until Satan is cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
3. Genesis 3:16 -Increased pain and multiplicity of conception is to be the portion of womankind. This continues as long as woman is in the body of flesh, and that will be until deliverance comes through the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Genesis 3:16 -Because of woman’s part in the original sin, she shall be in submission to her husband. Man is given the rulership over woman, and this means she is to have neither voice nor vote in the government of man. In 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we learn also that she is not to have power or authority in teaching man.
5. Genesis 3:16 -Because of sin, the ground was cursed. It brings forth thorns and thistles, making planting and harvesting a severe burden for man.
6. Genesis 3:19 -Man must labor, and in the sweat of his face eat his bread.
7. Genesis 3:19 -Because of sin, death has entered into the world and will continue until it is destroyed as the last e,nemy of man (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). With the new beginning established by God with Noah and his family after the flood, we find under the covenant God established with Noah and every living creature (Genesis 9:9-10) certain additions to the original and fundamentallaws given to Adam and Eve. They are as follows:
8. Genesis 8:22 -As long as the earth remains, there will be seasons of planting and harvesting. The earth will have cold and hot seasons called summer and winter; and day and night will continue to follow each other. Again we say, these will continue as long as the earth lasts, and the earth will not be destroyed until the consummation of God’s plans and purposes pertaining to it (2 Peter 3:10-11; Revelation 20:11).
9. Genesis 9:2 -The fear of man is to be upon every beast, fowl and fish.
10. Genesis 9:3 -Every living creature is to be meat for man. (See also 1 Timothy 4:1-3.) 11. Genesis 9:4 -Man is forbidden to eat blood or flesh with blood in it.
12. Genesis 9:5-6 -Whatever animal or man is guilty of taking the life of a man shall be executed by man (society or the governing body of society).
13. Genesis 9:7 -Man is to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
14. Genesis 9:25 -Canaan, representing the whole Hamitic race, is to be the servile nation. Being such they have no political rights and are to be the servants of the descendants of Shem and J apheth. This curse will not be lifted until the establishment of Christ’s kingdom upon the earth (Zechariah 14:21).
15. Genesis 9:26 -Spiritual blessings for all mankind are to come through Shem and his descendants, Israel.
16. Genesis 9:27 -Japheth and his descendants (Gentiles) are to be enlarged and fill the earth.
These fundamental laws established by God, in the main, are political, social and material. They are to be enforced as long as the earth remains. God’s children should have no part in seeking to revoke, annul or overrule these laws of God. THIS GOSPEL MUST BE PREACHED For some years, the postmillennialists and a-millennialists have been using as their theme song: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). As they chant this verse over and over, their conclusion of the whole matter is that Jesus Christ is not coming back until every person in the world has heard the gospel of Christ. This false deduction is then used as a club to beat their listeners into submission to their mission programs, forcing them to increase their gifts so more missionaries can be sent out and every ear thus hear the gospel-that not until then will Jesus return the second time. The advocates of the above view are willfully ignorant of this one truth; namely, the gospel was preached to every nation and creature under heaven in all the world before 64 A.D. The fact of the matter is, this gospel went out to the ends of the earth to every language and people soon after the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
NOW, the end of the matter is this. From the day of Pentecost until today, there has been nothing to hinder the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air for His saints. Your attention is called to three passages of Scripture testifying to the fact. that the gospel was preached to the ends of the earth immediately upon the coming of the Spirit of God at Pentecost:
(1) Acts 2:5 -" And there were dwelling at Jerusalem devout men; out of every nation under heaven." These men from every nation under heaven came to Jerusalem for the observance of the Feast of Pentecost according to the requirement of the law of God: "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose: in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty" (Deuteronomy 16:16). The purpose was fulfilled when every man heard the gospel in his own language on the day of the Feast of Pentecost and returned to his home with this message. Right then and there the gospel of the Kingdom was preached in every nation for a witness.
(2) Romans 10:17-18 -"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yea verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."As the Apostle Paul is addressing the church at Rome, the Spirit of the Lord speaks through him and conveys the news that the word of glad tidings has gone into all the earth and unto the ends of the world. This is the second proof of my promise that from the day of Pentecost until today, there has been nothing in unfulfilled prophecy to be fulfilled before the coming of the Lord.
(3) Colossians 1:23 -"lfye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. . ." This verse is of great interest because Mark 16:15 says, "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The word creature is the same as used in Colossians 1:23.
Please note this conclusion-our Lord said in Mark 16:15 to preach the gospel to every creature in all the world. In Colossians 1:23, the Spirit of God says through Paul that the gospel has been preached to every creature under heaven; so, the coming of the Lord is not waiting on the gospel being preached in all the world, for that was done within the range of experience on the day of Pentecost ten days after the ascension of our Lord. The disciples were required by the Lord to remain in the upper room ten days between His ascension and the descent of the Holy Spirit. There was no preaching, no witnessing and no missionary effort at all in these ten days. But when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the gospel was preached on that day in every language to all nations.
Now I want to show what men are doing by interposing their mission programs between us and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I quote: "But, and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming . . ." (Matthew 24:48). "But, and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming. . ." (Luke 12:45 a). These two verses taken together say that the Lord calls anyone who interposes any event or movement or prerequisite before His coming, an evil servant. The postmillennialist qualifies as an evil servant because he says the Lord delays His coming until after the millennium. The post-tribulation premillennialist qualifies as an evil servant because he says the Lord delays His coming until after the middle of the Tribulation which is the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week. Many missionary leaders qualify as evil servants because they say the Lord is not coming again until their mission program has been completed. There is just one group of people who, in theological terms, can have the opportunity to qualify as faithful servants, and that is the group who, in the light of the above, would be called pre-tribulation premillennialists. This term describes those people who believe that the rapture takes place before the Tribulation according to the teaching of the Lord, and that this event can take place at any moment. Your attention is called to the following Scriptures to show that the Lord commanded and expected us to hope, pray, watch and wait for His Son from heaven, and that we are not to be watching for the Great Tribulation, the millennium, world evangelization, or the anti-christ-but for the Lord Jesus Christ in His second coming: Matthew 24:37; Matthew 24:40-42 hew-42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 24:50; Matthew 25:6; Matthew 25:136, 13; Mark 13:34-37; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10. In these last two verses, there is set forth in no uncertain terms the order as prescrihed by the Lord: (1) they turned to God from idols; (2) they served the living and true God; (3) they waited for His Son from heaven (not the Tribulation, not the anti-christ, nor world evangelization-but His Son). All of this was because (4) we have been delivered from the wrath to come (the Great Tribulation).
WANTED: A MARTIN LUTHER
Approximately speaking, from about 500 A.D. until 1500 A.D., there was a period of time commonly referred to as the DARK AGES. There were many contributing factors which combined to produce this era. One was the surrendering on the part of the church of the Blessed Hope. The Christians ceased to look for the second coming of Christ and settled down in the world, adopted its philosophy and attempted to establish a world civilization which, in effect, was simply leaving God out of all its plans and purposes. In the light of history, our conviction is that the primary factor in producing the Dark Ages was the taking away of the Bible from the people and putting it into the hands of the denominational leaders, which at that time was the Church of Rome. It usurped the authority of the Word of God and the Bible became a closed book. Only the Roman priest had access to it. The people were forbidden to read it, and the heresy known as the "infallibility of the Pope" was adopted by the Roman Church. This was used to brainwash the people with the idea that only the Pope could understand and interpret the Bible. With the coming of Martin Luther, the Bible became an open book, and with the invention of the printing press, the common people had access to it. When they started reading it, they began to leave the Church of Rome, and the Word of God dispelled the gross darkness of Roman superstition in which they had been engulfed. John 8:32 says, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." This was demonstrated as true. Rome sought to suppress the reading of the Bible; they chained it to the pulpits; they burned all they could get their hands on; they burned the translators at the stake as well as the printers. Today, Rome still hates the Bible, and everywhere they can possibly do so, keep it from the people. In a word, the main pillar of strength of the Roman Catholic Church is keeping its constituency in total ignorance of God’s Word. With the release of the Bible from Rome and its free access to the common people, there was what is known in history as the REFORMATION. Out of this movement came innumerable groups of people who met in homes and other places and worshipped God according to the dictates of their own consciences, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God.
But, with the passage of time, there has again developed the same situation which existed before the Reformation; and if one like Martin Luther does not arise, we are headed for another era like the Dark Ages. God’s Word is light, and only where it is disseminated, only where the common people have access to it, only where it is preached from the pulpits and taught in the schools, in these places will light dispel the darkness which envelopes the world.
What is the situation today? Once again denominationalism (Not just Rome) and kindred groups who claim not to have been a part of the Protestant movement are seeking to keep the Bible from the people. Great ecclesiastical hierocracies have been developed under the guise of denominationalism. The principal purpose of each denominational program is not to tell the story of Jesus; it is not to teach the Word of God; it is not the evangelization of the world, but it is the propagation and perpetuation of its own denominational life and program. They discourage the study of the Bible in Sunday School classes, forcing rather the study of propaganda sheets and literature published by the denomination. In fact, today as never before, Matthew 15:1-3 and Mark 7:7 are being fulfilled: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
Today, the leading denominations of the world refuse to recognize any church or Sunday School that teaches the Bible instead of the traditions of men, which, in short, is the denominational literature. Today, a man can go through a denominational school, graduate from the denominational seminary, and become a pastor of a great denominational church without a conversant knowledge of the English Bible. The fact of the matter is, the denominational program has its ministers so involved that they have no time for the study and the ministry of the Word of God.
After prayerful consideration, observation and experience, we would say advisedly that the source of strength of the great so-called Protestant denominations today is the same as that of the Roman Church-namely, keeping the common people in ignorance of the Word of God. They claim to be teaching it, but instead they are teaching their leaders’ interpretations and not the Word itself.
If another Martin Luther does not appear on the scene to rebuke the denominations and urge them to give the Bible again to the common people and restore it to its rightful place in the pulpits, encouraging the men of God to preach the Word of God, then the Dark Ages into which we will lapse will eclipse the first one. In closing, here is a statement made by Dr. John R. Sampey, late president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and whose classes we were privileged to attend: "Young men, when you get out in the pastorate and begin to visit among your members, you will go into the homes of some aged saints of God. As you sit and talk with them, you will be impressed with their knowledge of God’s Word. When you ask them where they attended Bible School or if they took a Bible correspondence course, you will receive a negative answer; and finally, you will ask them outright: ’Where did you learn the Bible?’ Then, they will tell you they learned it on their knees before God, the only place where it can be learned." This, from the president of a great seminary! The Protestant Church is no more the authority for individual Christians than is the Catholic Church. The sole authority for an individual Christian is the Word of God under the leadership of the Spirit of God. May He have mercy on the preachers, teachers, churches and denominations that dare to place themselves between the lowliest Christian and the Word of the Lord!
LOOKING FOR HIM
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Deb. 9:27, 28).
Many there are who believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but not many are looking for Him. We believe the following characteristics distinguish those who are looking for their Lord:
1. There is an abiding faith in and an absolute hope of joy in His imminent return, based on a firm belief in the Word of God. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know" (John 14:1-4). "And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over His own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Deb. 3:5, 6).
2. There is manifested a real love for His appearing. "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). Loving His appearing becomes so much a part of one that it is the chief topic of conversation and the motivating principle of the daily walk.
3. There is such an ardent longing and such an earnest desire for Him and His presence that one constantly cries out, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
4. There is a confident, patient waiting for Him, uninfluenced by failures, disappointments, and all manner of discouragements by unbelieving friends. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh"(James 5:7-8).
5. So sure is one of His soon return that he makes personal preparation for it and is ever ready. "And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s passover" (Exodus 12:11). "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (Matthew 25:10). "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Revelation 19:7-8). "UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM. . ."
THREE BAPTISMS
Matthew 3:11 -"1 indeed am baptizing you in water for repentance; but He who is corning after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire."-(Weymouth)
Here John speaks of baptizing in water. He tells us that when Jesus comes He will baptize in the Holy Spirit and in fire. In considering baptism, keep in mind the one who officiates, the one who is baptized, and the element into which one is baptized. Concerning John’s baptism, which also is similar to Christian baptism, John was the baptizer, repentant sinners were the ones who were baptized, and they were baptized in water.
So-called Spirit baptism finds Jesus doing the baptizing, believers are the ones baptized, and the Holy Spirit is the element into which they are baptized. 1 Corinthians 12:13 is a little confusing because of the mistranslation of the preposition "en." In the King James, it is translated "by," but the Greek translation is "in." This makes the statement read, "For in one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." The Holy Spirit baptizes no one. On the other hand, all believers are baptized by Jesus Christ into the Holy Spirit, and since all believers are baptized by Christ into the Holy Spirit, they are one body.
John said that not only would Jesus Christ baptize in the Holy Spirit but He would also baptize in fire. This takes place at the end of the age, very likely in connection with the judgment seat of Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, tells of the trial of a Christian’s works by fire. The literal translation of the salvation of a man whose works are destroyed as described in the fifteenth verse is, "yet so as through fire." Our Lord, speaking in Mark 9:49, calls attention to the fact that all Christians shall be salted with fire, that is, shall be purified, refined, or sterilized. Revelation 2:11 promises that the overcomer shall not be hurt of the second death, which is some aspect of fire. Do not confuse this baptism in fire with purgatory, because it has to do only with Christians after the rapture of the saints.
These things are mentioned in the hope of stimulating a deeper study of the three baptisms of Scripture: baptism in water, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and baptism in fire. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT In the gospel of Matthew, there are three extended discourses by our Lord: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT in Chapters 5, 6 and 7, THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM in Chapter 13, and THE OLIVET DISCOURSE in Chapters 24 and 25. Since there are nearly as many different interpretations of the Word as there are interpreters, and since so many modern interpreters have delivered these three discourses over to the Jews, it seemed good to me, the Lord willing, to set forth in order why I think the Scripture teaches that these three discourses have a relationship to the Christians of the church age. Matthew 5:1-2 states explicitly that the Sermon on the Mount was spoken to His disciples. There is a vast difference in the general use of the word disciples as used here and as used in Matthew 10:1 where His commands were given to His TWELVE disciples. I was not one of the twelve. Therefore, Matthew 10:1-42 was not spoken to me. But I am one of His disciples, and Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29, THEREFORE, was written to me as well as to all of His disciples. So many with whom I am acquainted try to make the Sermon on the Mount to be the Laws of the Kingdom, to be those statutes which will prevail during the Millennial reign of Christ. I want to show in this discussion that the conditions which will prevail during the Millennium are not the same conditions for which the Sermon on the Mount was written.
1. Evil is dominant in the period for which the Sermon on the Mount was given- Matthew 5:6 shows that a premium is placed on hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
2. Strife and discord are prevalent-in verse 9, peacemakers are to be especially blessed.
3. Corruption is widespread-in verse 13, the disciples are called the salt of the earth, preventing the entire corruption of the age.
4. Moral darkness covers the earth-in verse 14, Christians are designated the light of the world.
5. The love of money is everywhere present-chapter 6:19-24 reveals that the disciples are torn between love for mammon and love for God.
6. Theft, adultery and divorce are everywhere present-the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:28; Matthew 5:31; Matthew 6:20 warns the disciples against such indulgences.
7. False prophets are abroad in the land-in Matthew 7:15-20, the disciples are warned against them.
8. Food, clothing and shelter occupy the time and attention of most of the disciples-our Lord urges the disciples to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first.
9. The Kingdom is not present-in Matthew 6:33, Jesus urges His disciples to seek the Kingdom, and in Matthew 6:10, He urges them to pray for His coming Kingdom.
10. Ambition, jealousy and pride predominate-in chapter 5:3, special blessings are offered to the poor in spirit.
11. Persecution will be very much in evidence-chapter 5:11,12 states the disciples will be blessed if they are persecuted.
12. Wrong doing is present-in chapter 6:14, the disciples are urged to forgive.
13. Christ is hated-in chapter 5:11, the disciples are to be persecuted because others hate Christ.
14. Satan is still at liberty-free-in chapter 6:13 (ASVI, disciples are to pray to be delivered from the EVIL ONE.
15. The Lord is absent-in chapter 6:16. the disciples are to fast, and they do not do that when the Lord is present.
16. The poor are still in evidence-in chapter 6: 1. instructions are given to the disciples as to how to minister to the poor.
17. The Kingdom is not yet established-the whole of the Sermon on the Mount is filled with FUTURE heavenly hopes and FUTURE heavenly rewards which will all be PRESENT when the Kingdom is established. The Sermon on the Mount is written to those who hope to enter into the Kingdom of the heavens and share the honor and glories with the Lord when He shall rule and reign for a thousand years. The Sermon on the Mount is, in fact, rules and regulations to be observed by all who would inherit the Kingdom. Matthew 6:33 is the key verse of chapters 5. 6 and 7. Seeking the righteousness of God and to enter into the Kingdom are cause and effect. Those who seek to attain the righteousness of God through obedience to the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount shall inherit the coming Kingdom. In fact. the whole of the gospel of Matthew is written for prospective residents of the Kingdom, of which the local church may be described as the nursery.
"Things Commanded" (Matthew 28:201 include the Sermon on the Mount.
ACQUIRING AND USING KNOWLEDGE
There are three ways in which an individual can glean from the writings of others as manifested in the habits of three different insects:
1. The grasshopper: This insect never seeks food until it is hungry and then takes only what it needs. This is typical of the individual who never seeks any information until he needs it and then seeks only that.
2. The ant: This one not only seeks food to satisfy its present hunger but also stores up vast supplies to be used during the winter months. A such like reader not only seeks the information he needs but develops a good file and index system and stores an abundance of material for future reference.
3. The bee: This insect gathers from all the flowers nectar which passes through its own system and comes out honey which is used not only to satisfy present hunger but also that of future generations. Such a reader gleaning from all sources allows such knowledge to pass into and through his own system of thinking. and as the Holy Spirit leads, such knowledge comes out at the time and in the precise way to be a blessing to others. Of course, the last is preferred.
KING OF THE JEWS
I want you to study the following passage of Scripture very carefully and determine whether it is spiritual or literal. Luke 1:30-33 : "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold:
(1) thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son;
(2) and shall call his name JESUS;
(3) He shall be great;
(4) and shall be called the Son of the Highest;
(5) and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David;
(6) and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever;
(7) and of His Kingdom there shall be no end."
"To the ungodly, God presents eternal life as His gift. Believe in the finished work of Jesus for you, and you are saved in Christ. Rejoice. But when you become a believer, and already possess eternal life, there is a prize set before you, to be sought for by diligence and effort. You are elected to eternal salvation. But a place in the glory of the thousand years of Christ’s earthly reign is a reward to be granted by Christ according to works."
MILLENNIUM
MILLENNIUM-This word is a combination of two Latin words: mille meaning thousand, and annum meaning year-a thousand years. This expression does not appear in the Bible and I think perhaps the doctrine of the Kingdom has suffered greatly by the use of the word Millennium instead of the words the kingdom of heaven, which mean, "the rule of the heavens over the earth." THE ANTI-CHRIST
1 John 4:3 -"Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
2 John 1:7 -"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (R.V.)
Two forms of The Greek verb "to come" are used in these references to the Lord’s "coming in the flesh."
"Eleluthota" is the perfect tense and means "has come" (1 John 4:2-3). "Erchomenon" is the present participle and means "is coming" (2 John 1:7). The one denies that HE HAS COME in the flesh, the other denies that HE IS COMING AGAIN in the flesh, and both attitudes are characteristics of the anti-christ."
CALL UPON ME .. And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psalms 50:15).
Early in my ministry this verse of Scripture came to be peculiarly mine in that many were the times that I claimed the promise. I would call upon the Lord, He would deliver me and I would give Him the glory. Eventually, there came those days when I would call upon the Lord and deliverance was not forthcoming. Such experiences called for heart searching as I tried to learn why my prayers were unanswered. On one occasion, I went back to this Psalm and began to study it and the Lord directed my attention to the verse immediately preceding, which is as follows: "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High." I remembered from Php 4:6 that thanksgiving was to be an integral part of prayer; but the shocking part of the verse was the command "Pay thy vows unto the most High."
Like many other Christians, I have been guilty of making vows unto the Lord in the hope of appeasing Him, or compromising after a fashion. As I would seek to bargain with the Lord, I would promise Him something on the condition that He would do certain things, little realizing exactly what I was doing. I have made vows unto the Lord and forgotten some of them even for years, only to have them suddenly brought to my attention. I want to say that it is not pleasing unto the Lord, according to the New Testament, for Christians to make vows. The Old Testament states that it is better never to make a vow than to make a vow and not keep it. But through experience and personal contact, I have come to appreciate the fact that many prayers are not answered because of vows which have not been kept.
Notice the order in verses 14 and 15. First, offer unto God thanksgiving. Second, pay thy vows unto the most High. Third, call upon the Lord in the day of trouble. Fourth, the Lord will deliver. And last, thou shalt glorify Him. When we come into the presence of the Lord to make known our request, there should be humble thanksgiving offered unto the Lord for His manifold blessings: life, salvation, providential care-which includes food, clothing, shelter-and the many precious promises that are given. Ingratitude is a too common sin among many Christians. In 2 Timothy 3:1-17, Paul tells us that one of the major sins in the last days will be the sin of unthankfulness. I have the privilege of dining with many Christians and I am constantly amazed at the large number who begin to partake of the Lord’s bounty at the table without giving thanks. We should pause many times daily and thank the Lord for manifest blessings.
Then pay thy vows unto the Lord. I have been with many Christians in time of death, adversity and have heard many make vows unto the Lord. For instance, one vows to attend church and Sunday school regularly if the Lord will spare his life and raise him up from the sickbed; another vows to pay his tithes unto the Lord if the Lord will do certain things; another vows to give up some bad habits if the Lord will raise his child from its deathbed; another vows to give two tenths to the Lord if He will prosper a certain business venture. I could go on indefinitely, telling of vows which individuals have made in my presence of what they would do if the Lord would do certain things. I have seen the Lord do the things asked and the individuals straightway forget their vows, The carelessness of people in regard to the vows which have been made unto the Lord! The Lord says pay thy vows and then-not until then-call upon Him in the day of trouble. Perhaps, one reading this article just now is conscious only of unanswered prayer. Search your heart under the leadership of the Spirit of God and see if there be unfulfilled vows on your part, The promise of God is unequivocal. You pay your vows, then call upon Him. He says He will answer-which means He will hear your prayer, He will grant your request, He will give you the desires of your heart; and then He wants you to give Him the glory. I have had more than one individual ask me to come and pray with them concerning illness, surgery, financial difficulties; and when the Lord heard and answered the prayer, the glory was given to the doctors, the hospital, to their contacts or their own business judgment, but never a thought of giving the Lord the praise, honor and glory.
Any of you who are desirous of a closer walk with the Lord, a more blessed and personal fellowship and answered prayers, read with me once again these two verses: "Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High; And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me,"