For The Truth

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The Battle is the LORD’s

. . . and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12 NAS

One of the things that this passage reveals is the great relief our Lord gives us through the doctrine of divine election. This does not excuse us from our responsibility to tell of God’s great love that He has provided through Christ (Matt. 28:19,20). Nor does it remove from us the necessity, as ministers, to faithfully know and teach His Word (Deut. 6:6,7; 2 Tim. 4:1,2). What it does do is relieve us from the burden of what the hearers do with the message we have delivered.

As I began to walk more closely with the Lord, I began to struggle with the issue of winning the lost. I would witness again and again, and sought continually to improve my ability share effectively, seemingly to no avail. Adding to my discouragement would be comments from leaders whom I respected; who said that to fail to win others to Christ was to fail in one’s witness.

It wasn’t until God’s Spirit brought my attention to the witness of Noah (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5) that I began to understand that we are responsible for the sowing of the seed, but the harvest is the Lord’s. Consider that great men like William Carey and Adoniram Judson faithfully spent many seemingly fruitless years in our Lord’s service, yet their success is not measured in numbers, but in their faithful service. There is such encouraging relief in this knowledge. As pastors we sometimes feel a greater sense of burden as we prepare to present the great truths God has revealed to us from the Scripture. Our responsibility is to present to those in our care God’s love and spread before them the banquet of God’s truth. Whether they partake or not is not within our control. What is within our control is what we do with the time we are given with them, therefore, let us preach the word; and be ready in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2a NAS).

May God bless our service to Him so that we might rejoice like the father of the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

Friday, February 08, 2008

THE SERVANT IN BATTLE


OLord,

I bless thee that the issue of the battle between thyself and Satan

_______has never been uncertain,

_______and will end in victory.

Calvary broke the dragon’s head,

_______and I contend with a vanquished foe,

_______who with all his subtlety and strength

_______has already been overcome.

When I feel the serpent at my heel

_______may I remember him whose heel was bruised,

_______but who, when bruised, broke the devil’s head.


My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conqueror.


Heal me of any wounds received in the great conflict;

_______if I have gathered defilement,

_______if my faith has suffered damage,

_______if my hope is less than bright,

_______if my love is not fervent,

_______if some creature-comfort occupies my heart,

_______if my soul sinks under pressure of the fight.

O thou whose every promise is balm,

_______every touch life,

_______draw near to thy weary warrior,

_______refresh me, that I may rise again to wage the strife,

_______and never tire until my enemy is trodden down.

Give me such fellowship with thee that I may defy Satan,

_______unbelief, the flesh, the world,

_______with delight that comes not from a creature,

_______and which a creature cannot mar.

Give me a draught of the eternal fountain

_______that lieth in thy immutable, everlasting love and decree.

Then shall my hand never weaken, my feet never stumble,

_______my sword never rest, my shield never rust,

_______my helmet never shatter, my breastplate never fall,

_______as my strength rests in the power of thy might


The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Here's Ed!

This post is for the purpose of introducing Ed Stetzer. I was able to meet him (by way of introduction of a former classmate from SEBTS, Tim Rogers) at the Building Bridges Conference this past November at Ridgecrest. I believe that exposure to this LifeWay Researcher has some value to my small but dear readership, particularly those of the GNBC flock. I say, “believe” because I am still tentative as to my thoughts an feelings concerning Ed, but am venturing to introduce him ex ante my final (reasonably so) assessment. I know, these are vague and non-committal terms, but if you understand the breadth and depth of my loyalty once given then you may understand my caution. It could be stated in juxtaposition to Mr. Darcy’s statement on his opinion of others. In other words, my good opinion once given is nearly impossible to lose. Anyway here’s Ed Stetzer, the young and vital face of LifeWay Research. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.