Stop to Review

By R.D. Sandlin


“All these things are against me.” Unknown to the old patriarch, God was behind the scenes working everything out for Jacob’s good. Because of weakness of faith, and weariness of the flesh, we, like Jacob, respond in the same manner. We often misapprehend that which is for us, as being against us. It proved otherwise in Jacob’s case, and it will in ours. True, humanly, everything was working against him; but, Divinely, it was all working for him.



No wonder the sweet psalmist said, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help...” The suffering servant, Paul, had grasped this blessed truth in his life. Listen to him: “For our light affliction [severe sufferings], which is but for a moment [twenty years], worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” How did he come to this concrete conclusion? By simply not looking at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” So says our precious Lord.



Hind-sight always proves the truth of Romans- Ro.8:28.

Are You Willing to Stake Your Life on Your Prayers?

You Are if You End Them With This Word

"The sum of Your word is truth," – Psalm 119:160

Truth – You must leave our post-modern paradigm behind. You must walk away from the conception that truth depends on your point of view. That was Pilate's mistake. In his world, truth was relative to the situation. He stood in the middle and was unable to find any firm ground. Today, Pilate's version of truth permeates our society. Just ask the politicians, lawyers, accountants, CEO's and judges. What is truth? According to our sages, “it all depends.”

If you want to know what the Bible says about truth, then you must understand this word, 'aman. A great many Hebrew words come from this root but they are all associated with one concept: certainty. There is absolutely no possibility of contextual vacillation or situational alteration in the root 'aman. In fact, the imagery is so solid that in its present tense it always means continuously certain. God's idea of truth never changes.

How different is our contemporary view of the truth of our faith! We have been seduced by the Greek postmodern culture into believing that faith is hope based on something that isn't certain. We speak of faith as though it were wishful thinking. We act as though faith is beyond absolute reliability. If it were certain, we say, then we wouldn't need faith to believe it. But this is entirely backward. Biblical faith is unconditionally anchored in the trustworthiness of God and God always speaks the truth. Therefore, my faith is as certain as the God who vouches for it. What is truth? It is what God says! Period! Any time I think, act or feel based on anything other than the solid truth of what God says, I am expressing a faith that has nothing to do with the Bible. I might as well believe in tree spirits!

When we complete a prayer with the word amen, we are really speaking Hebrew. Amen is simply a variation of 'aman that literally means, "I fully endorse the truthfulness of what has been said." Wait! Is that what you really mean when you say, "Amen"? Did you really mean, "Lord, everything that I have said to You is absolutely true and in complete agreement with Your word"? Are you willing to stake your life on your prayers? That's what you are doing! You are endorsing truth before the author of all Truth. You are not echoing Pilate's modern religion. You are saying, "I know You, God, and I know what You have said and that it is true and, now, what I say is in line with You."

Amen! The truth stamp.

– Skip Moen

No New Thing

Ecc 1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

At sunrise, I find myself driving down US Highway 49 in northeast Arkansas headed toward Marmaduke. The lay of the land is flat and I can see for miles across a cornucopia of planted fields. What the soil may lack in quality, God has made up the difference in available water for irrigation.

What variety! As drive along gingerly, I pass fields of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, rice and a plethora of vegetables. With the windows rolled down the truck is filled with the aroma of life. Forget about stopping to smell the coffee, this is a real blessing.

I began to think about Moses sending out those men to “…search the land…” He instructed them in Numbers 13:20, “And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.”

Oh my, the land was fat. The Bible says in Numbers 13:23 , “…a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; ...” Can you imagine? One cluster of grapes so developed, it had to be carried on staff across the shoulders of two men.

As I roll along, I view corn stalks that are two feet taller than any I have seen in the Midwest. The soybean plants are so leafy they almost cover the ground between the rows. The rice plants are bulky and against the backdrop of dawn’s early light they create a luxuriant carpet of green across the landscape.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to see your wonderful hand in all that meets the eye this morning and to better understand what the prophet knew in Jeremiah 32:17.

Correct or Corrupt

by R.D. Sandlin

I am not as concerned with the outward “fashion of this world,” entering into the Church as I am with its philosophy creeping in. Outward fashions come and go; they pass away. But philosophy is ingrained in the inner-man, and controls all his decisions.

We should not be surprised by anything the world does. After all, the leper cannot change his spots or the Ethiopian his skin. But we should be shocked when the world’s philosophy of political correctness is transferred into our assemblies, and we become “religiously correct” instead of Biblically governed.

I believe this is one of the purposes of the modern-day translators. It seems they believe God needs a vocabulary that fits with their idea of correctness. He must not offend secular man with His sacred Words.

Humanism is deifying man and humanizing God; there seem to be many Christian humanists today.

Risky Business

1 Samuel 24:6 “And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.”

However unworthily a pastor, evangelist or missionary is acting, they have been permitted to hold those offices by God himself, and God can just as easily remove them from those offices. God is still on the throne and nothing that men do has ever taken Him by surprise. Even David, who knew he was appointed to reign in place of Saul, and whose life Saul had sought to destroy, knew that he did not have any right to take away his life; He is my master, I am his subject. He is the Lord’s anointed, and therefore revered in the Lord’s sight.

1Peter 2:17 “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

1Timothy 5:19 “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”

Be very cautious of speaking, and receiving, evil reports against those whose business it is to preach to others. Do not even consider an elder as guilty of any alleged crime, or wrong doing, unless it is proved by two or three witnesses. This the Law of Moses required in respect to all. Those whose business it is to correct others will usually have many enemies; great caution, therefore, should be used in accusations against such persons.

As I travel the highways of this land, I am hearing an ever increasing number of accusations being brought against those who God has established as pastors, evangelists and missionaries. Worse yet, folks are casting these reproachful remarks in a public forum.

The Bible says, “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Matthew 18:15

That is what we all seem to forget. Instead of accusing and attacking those who may have deviated from the Word of the God, we should first, pray for them, and second, we should go to them according to the methodology plainly given in Matthew 18:15-17.

You Just Never Know When

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Sometimes you just never know when a blessing is coming your way.

Today, I find myself sitting at a truck stop adjacent to I-85 in South Carolina.

The climate appeals to me. It is summer heat with a slight breeze.

While sitting on the rear bumper of God’s truck, I view the surrounding landscape.

The grandeur of His handy work moves my soul.

My senses treated to the lush vegetation, the colorful flowering plants and the wonderful smell of sweet nectar drifting through the evening air.

In my thoughts, I can hear the refrain, “It is well with my soul.”

It is a favorite hymn, and this day, more than ever, it strikes a resounding chord that draws me even closer to my God. My God, who created this earth.

“Lord haste the day…” Oh my, I can hardly conceive of heaven, but I have a promise. 1Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What seems so beautiful today, will not even measure when we stand in our new Jerusalem.

Quotes

A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can from a mountain top . -- Unknown