BY CHARLES WOODRUFF
"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" Hebrews 2:10).
A Captain in today's U.S. military is a high ranking officer. In the U.S. Navy the rank of Captain is equivalent to U.S. Army Colonel, which is higher up the ladder than the Air Force, Army or Marines Captain. So when we see the King James phrase "captain of their salvation" we realize it is an officer of high rank in the military. But, actually the same Greek word is translated "author" in Hebrews 12:2. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Some versions say "leader", "originator", "founder", "author", etc... Jesus Christ is all that. He is the author, leader, originator of this life changing event, this thing, this joy which we call salvation. Our following of this leader is not to simply be going forward in a congregation one time to make a confession of faith, but is a lifetime of endeavoring to follow Him who is the Good Shepherd. The sheep do follow Him. I remember well the hymn we sung so often in my Southern Baptist childhood "Where He Leads me I will Follow".(see link: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/h/e/wherehlm.htm ).
To sum it up, a captain is a leader. There is much more we could say, but that is beyond the purpose of this short meditation. As His sheep, we should be prepared to do as the old hymn says, and follow Him today wherever He leads and "Go with Him, with Him, all the way".
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
TRUTH ESTABLISHED- CHARLES SPURGEON
“The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment” Proverbs 12:19
Truth wears well. Time tests it, but it right well endures the trial. If, then, I have spoken the truth, and have for the present to suffer for it, I must be content to wait. If also I believe the truth of God, and endeavor to declare it, I may meet with much opposition, but I need not fear, for ultimately the truth must prevail.
What a poor thing is the temporary triumph of falsehood! “A lying lip is but for a moment!” It is a mere gourd, which comes up in a night, and perishes in a night; and the greater its development the more manifest its decay. On the other hand, how worthy of an immortal being is the avowal and defense of that truth which can never change; the everlasting gospel, which is established in the immutable truth of an unchanging God! An old proverb saith, “He that speaks truth shames the devil.” Assuredly he that speaks the truth of God will put to shame all the devils in hell, and confound all the seed of the serpent which now hiss out their falsehoods.
O my heart, take care that thou be in all things on the side of truth, both in small things and great; but specially, on the side of Him by whom grace and truth have come among men!
(From Faith's Checkbook for February 26th)
Truth wears well. Time tests it, but it right well endures the trial. If, then, I have spoken the truth, and have for the present to suffer for it, I must be content to wait. If also I believe the truth of God, and endeavor to declare it, I may meet with much opposition, but I need not fear, for ultimately the truth must prevail.
What a poor thing is the temporary triumph of falsehood! “A lying lip is but for a moment!” It is a mere gourd, which comes up in a night, and perishes in a night; and the greater its development the more manifest its decay. On the other hand, how worthy of an immortal being is the avowal and defense of that truth which can never change; the everlasting gospel, which is established in the immutable truth of an unchanging God! An old proverb saith, “He that speaks truth shames the devil.” Assuredly he that speaks the truth of God will put to shame all the devils in hell, and confound all the seed of the serpent which now hiss out their falsehoods.
O my heart, take care that thou be in all things on the side of truth, both in small things and great; but specially, on the side of Him by whom grace and truth have come among men!
(From Faith's Checkbook for February 26th)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
HIS WORD
Our heading for this blog uses Psalm 119:105 to call attention to God's word as our necessary daily guide "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Often we fail because we are not readers of the word. If we read it at all, we read it superficially. If we read it, meditate on it, memorize it, then it will be a blessed help to us. Remember in this same Psalm it is written "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). This does not keep us from sin altogether, for we are told "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Also we are told "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (1 John 1:10). So we do sin, sometimes sins of commission, and sometimes sins of omission -- but we do sin. Yet an answer for this problem is again found in Psalm 119:9 "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." So the word of God is our nourishment, our protection, our light. These things we need for our daily walk in this fallen world. The reason so many believers are defeated, discouraged and depressed is lack of meditation in God's word. We need to be in it daily, and pray to God for forgiveness and guidance daily. CW
Saturday, February 2, 2008
PURITAN BIBLE NOTES
Read this from the notes of the Geneva Bible -1587. (The English Bible of the Puritans)
I Thessalonians 5:22 - (13) Abstain from all (h) appearance of evil.
(13) A general conclusion, that we waiting for the coming of Christ, do give ourselves to pureness in mind, will, and body, through the grace and strength of the Spirit of God.
(h) Whatever has but the very show of evil, abstain from it.
I Thessalonians 5:22 - (13) Abstain from all (h) appearance of evil.
(13) A general conclusion, that we waiting for the coming of Christ, do give ourselves to pureness in mind, will, and body, through the grace and strength of the Spirit of God.
(h) Whatever has but the very show of evil, abstain from it.
Monday, January 21, 2008
GOD'S ENEMIES SHALL BOW
Today being "King Day", I thought it would be good, as always, to honor the real King. Today's meditation from Faith's Checkbook by Charles Spurgeon is very fitting for that tribute, don't you think?
“The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord”May the Lord bless this meditation to YOUR heart. cw
(Exodus 7:5).
The ungodly world is hard to teach. Egypt does not know Jehovah, and therefore dares to set up its idols, and even ventures to ask — “Who is the Lord?” Yet the Lord means to break proud hearts, whether they will or not. When His judgments thunder over their heads, darken their skies, destroy their harvests, and slay their sons, they begin to discern somewhat of Jehovah’s power. There will yet be such things done in the earth as shall bring skeptics to their knees. Let us not be dismayed because of their blasphemies, for the Lord can take care of His own name, and He will do so in a very effectual manner.
The salvation of His own people was another potent means of making Egypt know that the God of Israel was Jehovah, the living and true God. No Israelite died by any one of the ten plagues. None of the chosen seed were drowned in the Red Sea. Even so, the salvation of the elect, and the sure glorification of all true believers, will make the most obstinate of God’s enemies acknowledge that Jehovah He is the God.
Oh, that His convincing power would go forth by His Holy Spirit in the preaching of the gospel, till all nations shall bow at the name of Jesus, and call Him Lord!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
REVIVAL OUR HOPE- COMPILED BY W.F. BELL
"I see the churches expanding their building facilities; increasing their office space; adding a new wing or new building for a family center, or for educational or recreational purposes; but, I say again, I never see a church having to increase the size of the prayer room. This, I am convinced, is because the preachers themselves are shrunken in the habit of prayer. A revival of prayer in the pulpit would mean a revival of prayer in the pew." Leonard Ravenhill
"I do not understand Christian people who are not thrilled by the whole idea of revival." Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"The Bible was written in tears and to tears it will yield its best treasure. God has nothing to say to the frivolous man." A. W. Tozer
"I believe if you and I were adequately impressed, fully alive to the tremendous issue, we could never pray mere prayers. We could never allow words to run out of our mouths, which we call praying. We should be down on our faces in a tremendous conflict on God's side against the evil menace that is seeking to devour the life of God's people." T. Austin Sparks
"The church patronized is the church paralyzed, therefore the church in peril. The church persecuted is the church prayerful, and therefore powerful." G. Campbell Morgan
"The self-satisfied do not want to pray. The self-sufficient do not need to pray. The self-righteous cannot pray." Leonard Ravenhill
"When the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the Gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that people seek something else in the way of delight." C. H. Spurgeon
"Think of the many tricks by which the church today apes the world to attract men and money....But God works from above with fire from heaven....One meeting where God answers by fire is worth all our convocations in the energy of the flesh." Vance Havner
"Evan Roberts of Wales, Jonathan Edwards of New England, and George Whitefield of England and America -- were all great reapers in public because they were all great weepers in private." Leonard Ravenhill
"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jeremiah 9:1). "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18). "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy" (Psalm 126:5).
"I do not understand Christian people who are not thrilled by the whole idea of revival." Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"The Bible was written in tears and to tears it will yield its best treasure. God has nothing to say to the frivolous man." A. W. Tozer
"I believe if you and I were adequately impressed, fully alive to the tremendous issue, we could never pray mere prayers. We could never allow words to run out of our mouths, which we call praying. We should be down on our faces in a tremendous conflict on God's side against the evil menace that is seeking to devour the life of God's people." T. Austin Sparks
"The church patronized is the church paralyzed, therefore the church in peril. The church persecuted is the church prayerful, and therefore powerful." G. Campbell Morgan
"The self-satisfied do not want to pray. The self-sufficient do not need to pray. The self-righteous cannot pray." Leonard Ravenhill
"When the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the Gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that people seek something else in the way of delight." C. H. Spurgeon
"Think of the many tricks by which the church today apes the world to attract men and money....But God works from above with fire from heaven....One meeting where God answers by fire is worth all our convocations in the energy of the flesh." Vance Havner
"Evan Roberts of Wales, Jonathan Edwards of New England, and George Whitefield of England and America -- were all great reapers in public because they were all great weepers in private." Leonard Ravenhill
"Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jeremiah 9:1). "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18). "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy" (Psalm 126:5).
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
THE BIBLE'S FIRST PROMISE- C.H. SPURGEON
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel, and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head! This was virtually done when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, and broke the power of Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord’s Second Advent, and in the day of Judgment.To us the promise stands as a prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel: but we shall triumph in Christ, who sets His foot on the old serpent’s head.Throughout this year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by experience, through the temptations of the devil, and the unkindness of the ungodly who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text, and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall still reign in Christ Jesus, the woman’s seed. (From Faith's Checkbook for January 1st).
This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel, and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head! This was virtually done when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, and broke the power of Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord’s Second Advent, and in the day of Judgment.To us the promise stands as a prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel: but we shall triumph in Christ, who sets His foot on the old serpent’s head.Throughout this year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by experience, through the temptations of the devil, and the unkindness of the ungodly who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text, and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall still reign in Christ Jesus, the woman’s seed. (From Faith's Checkbook for January 1st).
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