TRUTHS (From PREACH THE GOSPEL.org)

GOD COULD- ARTHUR W. PINK

"God could, if He so chose, make the fields to grow crops without the farmer plowing them and sowing the seed, but that is not His way; that is not the method He selects. God could keep us in health and strength without our taking any food at all or wasting time in sleeping if He so chose, but that is not His way.

And God could save every sinner on earth tonight without them believing if He wanted to, but it is not His way!

I am not limiting God, I am describing to you the plan and method that God Himself has set forth in His Word, and if you would be saved, sinner, you have got to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself."

-A.W. Pink, "Christian Fools"

CHRISTIANS NEED MELLOWING-W.F. BELL

This will not be long, so give me just a moment (most of us don't like "long sermons" anyway).  "Mellow" means "ripe, soft, and with good flavor; sweet and juicy."  And in the figurative sense, it means, "softened and made wise by age or experience."  Remember this definition.

When I was younger, some godly, older men would often say to me, "You are preaching the truth, but the way you say it is too harsh."  Thus I learned (hopefully) that you can do a right thing in the wrong way, or putting it in scriptural language, I learned that we should always be careful to "speak the truth in love."  I just read a recently printed message on the new birth, and the wise, elderly preacher said this:  "And I mean this without intending any offense toward those precious children of God, who believe the contrary system.  I have learned, or, at least I am trying to learn, to be more considerate, to be more courteous, than I have in the past toward those precious children of God, who have never come to understand and to appreciate some of the doctrines that are so precious to you and me."  He has "mellowed," in other words.  Note the kind words, "those precious children of God," and "I am trying to learn to be more considerate, to be more courteous, than I have in the past."  Let us all learn here that we must view others as true children of God, even though they differ with us in doctrine or denomination.

What of you, dear friend?  I still know some elderly men who need mellowing.  We must remember what Elihu said, "Great men are not always wise" (Job 32:9), nor are young men always arrogant and foolish.  Grace must temper us, no matter what our age.  Especially our tongues and attitudes.  There was strife among brethren all through Scripture, but it is not for us to emulate (Genesis 13:8; Luke 22:24).  Our only Model is the Humble Servant of Jehovah, our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 22:27; John 13:15).  Men can often make us brash and harsh, but not so our lovely Lord.  Listen to these quotes:

 "The tongue is in a wet place, and easily slips."  "The tongue is not steel, but it cuts." 

"The tongue bites sharper than the teeth."  "I consider looseness with words no less a defect than looseness of the bowels" (John Calvin).

"But the tongue can no man tame" (James 3:8) -- nor our harsh, unloving attitudes.  Only the softening, mellowing grace of God can do that. 

REPENTANCE-MATTHEW HENRY

"Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it."   Matthew Henry

COMING AND ASKING-D.L. MOODY

Let us meditate on this saying from Moody. It is really something to think about as we approach a new year. How we need revival in our land. Let us pray for revival as we welcome 2014. Amen!

BECAUSE HE CHOSE TO...BROWNLOW NORTH

                                                                        

         Some little time ago, after the conclusion of one of Mr. Brownlow North's addresses in Edinburgh a young man came into the room where he was receiving persons anxious for private conversation, and said to him, "I have heard you preach three times, sir, and I neither care for you nor your preaching unless you can tell me why did God permit sin." "I will do that with pleasure," was the immediate reply,—"Because He chose to." The young man, apparently taken by surprise, stood speechless; and Mr. North again replied, "Because He chose to; and," added he, "if you continue to question and cavil at God's dealings, and vainly puffed up by your carnal mind, strive to be wise above what is written, I will tell you something more that God will do,—He will some day put you into hell-fire. It is vain for you to strive with your Maker—you cannot resist Him; and neither your opinion of His dealings, nor your blasphemous expression of them, will in the least lessen the pain of your everlasting damnation, which, I again tell you, will most certainly be your portion if you go on in your present spirit."

         "There were such questioners as you in St. Paul's time, and how did the apostle answer them?" “Nay, but O man, who art thou that replied against God” (Romans 9:20).”

         The young man here interrupted Mr. North, and said, "Is there such a text as that in the Bible?" "Yes, there is," was the reply, "in the ninth chapter of the Romans; and I recommend you to go home and read that chapter; and after you have read it, and seen there how God claims for Himself the right to do whatever He chooses, without permitting the thing formed to say to Him that formed it, 'Why hast Thou made me thus?’ Remember that, besides permitting sin, there is another thing God has chosen to do, — God chose to send Jesus. Of His own free and sovereign grace God gave His only begotten Son to die for sinners in their stead—in their place; so that, though they are sinners, and have done things worthy of death, not one of them shall ever be cast into hell for his sins who will receive Jesus as his only Saviour, and believe in Him and rest in His Word. I have no time to say more to you now: others are waiting to see me. Go home, attend to what I have told you, and may God the Holy Spirit bless it for Jesus Christ sake."

         This conversation took place on Sunday evening. On the following Friday, Mr. North was sitting in a friend's drawing room, when the servant announced that a young man wanted to speak to him. On being shown upstairs, he said, "Do you remember me?" "No." "Do you not remember the young man who on Sunday night asked you to tell him 'why did God permit sin'?" "Yes, perfectly." "Well, sir, I am that young man; and you said that God permitted sin because He chose to, and you told me to go home and read the ninth chapter of Romans; and also that God chose to send Jesus to die for such sinners as I am; and I did, sir, what you told me, and afterwards I fell down at God's feet and asked Him to forgive my sins, because Jesus died for me, and He did; and now I am happy—oh! so happy, sir; and though the devil still comes sometimes to tempt me with my old thoughts, and to ask me what reason I have to think God has forgiven me, I have always managed to get him away by telling him that I do not want to judge things by my own reason, but by God's Word, and that the only reason why I know I am forgiven, is that for Christ's sake, God chooses to pardon me."

         The changed expression of the young man's countenance was quite sufficient to account for Mr. North's not knowing him again. It was radiant with joy and peace.

         Dear reader, the first lesson a poor sinner has to learn, is to trust in the Lord, and not to his own understanding; to trust God not only for what he does understand, and for what is explained, but for what he does not understand, and for what is not explained. This is faith, and such faith honors God and saves the soul. This is receiving the kingdom of God as a little child; and let us ever remember that it is written (and the scripture cannot be broken), that unless we receive the kingdom of God as a little child, we shall in no wise enter therein.

        "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8.)

         (Copied from an old tract in my files- author unknown)- (emphasis mine-cmw)

         Brownlow North was born January 6, 1810, and died November 9, 1875 and was known as the great Evangelist of 19^th century Britain, God’s hand was on him in unusual way. When converted at age 45, he had been a sinful playboy, but went on to be remembered as one who spoke to the common man. Several books of his sermons have been published, but all seem to be presently out of print. The best are “The Rich Man and Lazarus” and “Wilt Thou Go with This Man?” You may find used copies at Amazon.com. Here is a link to a brief biographical article about Brownlow North.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownlow_North_%28evangelist%29