Saturday Night Musings

Some reports that I have been reading recently indicates that the majority of Americans favor states to authorize off shore drilling for oil that has been banned by the government. Other reports say there is enough oil in ANWR to provide crude oil for any type of energy need for every American for the next 50 years! Still others have said there is more than enough oil in America to provide the need of 7 billion people in the world for 200 years. With the price of gas now over $4.00 a gallon, I say, “Go for it and make my day”! 

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” There has never been a time when the grace of God did not exist. There will never come a time when the grace of God will ever be extinguished. There is enough grace in the coffers of God to provide salvation for every person who has even been born from Adam to every person that will ever be born until time changes into eternity. The meal barrel of God has never run dry; there is always enough for one more scoop for all men. 

This grace that has now appeared was personified in God’s only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came by way of a lowly virgin’s birth, he lived an obscured life, and was brutally crucified as a lamb who opened not his mouth on a old rugged cross. Buried in a tomb for 3 days and arose with a commanding victory over sin, death, hell and Satan. This gospel was in accordance to God’s own purpose and grace before the world ever began. Because of the appearing of Jesus Christ (the incarnation), death now has been abolished and the hope of eternal life is now available to all men. 

I am not sure I can explain the grace of God, but I have experienced the grace of God. By way of preaching, the gospel was made known to me. By this grace I have  been saved through faith, of which I have nothing to boast. It is a gift. The life that I now live, I live by his grace. It not only has saved me, but it sustains me in any given situation. When the time comes for me to die, this grace will secure me as I step into life eternal. Vance Havner used to say, “While he could never explain how black coal buried under a mountain could be transferred into light in his room, he was not going to sit in darkness until he could.”  Enjoy God’s grace. 

Only the mystery of God’s grace can save foolish people who are bound for hell and turn them around for heaven. Only the marvelous grace of God can save the disobedient and the deceived and set them free. Only the matchless grace of God can save the lustful and pleasure seekers for the purpose of pleasing God. Only the miracle of God’s grace can save the hateful and hating each other into the kindness and the love of God. When this change takes place even in the worst of men, it is because of the manifestation of the grace of God. 

The grace of God is a free gift to all men. Because one man’s deed death was brought to all men, also  one man’s death brings the gift of God’s grace to all men. Because He came, He is now the Saviour for all men. What does this mean? It means forgiveness; forgiven by the shedding of his blood. It means we are now made free; free from the curse of sin. It means we no longer have to live in fear; fear that once enslaved. It means fellowship with God and His Son; fellowship in the family of God. It means dwelling in the House of the Lord forever. Dr. B.R. Lakin used to say, “You wouldn’t mind if I shouted a little would you?” 

It seems to me that if there is enough of God’s grace for all men, then all men should have it! 

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 Meet James Francis Ryan, Private First Class of the United States Army. He is one of four brothers enlisted in the armed forces. Three of his brothers were all killed on the same day during World War II. A military unit was dispatched to go find Private First Class Ryan to bring him home to a grieving Mother who was about to receive the news of three sons being killed. When Ryan is found in the heat of a battle, he refuses to leave his battalion of which most of them were killed, before returning home to his Mother.  Private 1st Class Ryan was a good soldier for the United States Army. Saving Private Ryan—1998  

Paul told Timothy, his son in the faith to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. It was given with the idea that “once a soldier, always a soldier”. He goes on to say, that a soldier of Jesus Christ has but one purpose—to please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. There are some “spiritual” soldiers like Demas who loved this present world and are short-term. Even some of these have gone AWOL. These are not good soldiers of Jesus Christ. 

A good soldier of Jesus Christ believes as long as the battle rages over the souls of men, there is no place for retreat or retirement. The World War that  is paramount today is the battle between Christ and Belial. Christ is seeking to save all that will come to him and Satan is seeking to devour all who have not come unto Him. We who are soldiers of Jesus Christ will never leave this war until we have witnessed and won everyone. We will witness many who have died in this battle and like them, we choose to die in it as well. What good soldier of Jesus Christ is there that would not want to die like this? 

A good soldier of Jesus Christ is one who knows he will have to wade some blood before victory is ever achieved. There is a time of war, and there will be some casualties. There will be some very hard encounters. This is a time for adults not cry-babies. There will be many days of suffering, going without, and longing for the time there will be no more war. But until then, a good soldier of Jesus Christ is persuaded that the one who has chosen him is also able to keep him in his commitment against that day.  

A good soldier of Jesus Christ knows that his weapons in this war are not guns and bullets, but rather spiritual, when it comes to the pulling down the strongholds of the Devil. He is found on his knees in prayer calling on the name of the Lord for divine intervention. The Devil is not easily conquered, only the Lord can defeat this enemy in his pursuit against all that is of God. 

A good soldier of Jesus Christ is one who believes if you suffer for the one who has chosen you, you will then also reign with Him. There will be given “medals of honor” (rewards) when he comes. A crown of righteousness awaits for all who loves his appearing as they serve him. 

A good soldier of Jesus Christ will make full proof of his rank. Having put on the whole armor of God, he preservers under the banner of strength from the one who has chosen him. He will be instant in season and out of season. He will always be alert, he will always be ready, and he will always be willing if necessary to make the greatest sacrifice—the laying down his life that others might be free. He will fight, he will keep the faith and he will finish his course. 

It seems to me to please him who has chosen us unto him to be a soldier, is only a good soldier of Jesus Christ so long as you keep your boots on the ground. 

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There are only two requirements to be the President of the United States: 35 years of age and living in America for 14 years as a natural born citizen. There are at least 15 requirements in this text to be a bishop…elder…pastor of a local church. 

The calling to the office of a bishop is a desire for the good work of God. It only comes when one reaches out for it as a noble work rather than a mere vocation of life. It is a life-long calling without any retirement. The gifts and the callings of God are without repentance. 

Blameless. One whose integrity is above reproach, as clean as whistle! 

Husband of one wife.  Permit me to be more practical than doctrinal at this point. The ministry is a difficult calling as it is. Keep it simple to one husband (man) and one wife. Anything else can be a can of worms!  By the way, only a man can qualify for the office of a bishop!  (You may want to send this to: Mr. Warren Jeffs…Utah State Prison!)  

The man must be vigilant, one who is not soon shaken in matters. He must be sober, one who is serious. He must be of good behavior, one whose testimony contradicts worldliness and selfishness. A bishop must be given to hospitality, one who will answer a call at 3:00am in the morning, and rise to give as many loaves as is asked of him. Apt to teach, qualifies the man who can handle the Word of God and to rightly divide it at a moments notice. These words are true, if any has a  passion for these, then seek the office of a bishop. 

A bishop is not be given to wine.  Another time for me to be practical. If 10 bottles of beer on the wall will make you 100% drunk, then one bottle will make you 10% drunk. Preacher, don’t look on it, taste it, or give it to your neighbor to drink. It will bite you like a snake and make you look less like the man of God and make you more like a senseless stammering idiot. Abstain!  

The man of God can not be a striker; he must live in the spirit and always keep the flesh at bay. The bishop can not be greedy of filthy lucre. He lives by the gospel he preaches. A cup of cold water to him is far greater than a gold mine to others. He is to be patient, one who can safely wait upon the Lord. He can not afford to be a brawler. It will be easier for him to embattle a strong city than to win back a brother that has been offended.  Pastor, remember Achan who sought for that wedge of gold. You can not afford to loose it all over a mess of potage. You can not become covetous. The love of money will corrupt. O man of God flee from these! 

A Bishop is one who rules his own house having children in subjection. He is the head of his home with a conviction that his home is to be Christian. Dysfunctional families may be found in the pews, but not in his house. When there is strong leadership and willing obedience in a preacher’s home, then there will be an example that will withstand any thrown stones.  You will never qualify for the office of a bishop being a novice. My Dad had a saying for this: “You are still wet behind the ears”.  Remember Mark, the young man who could not take the pressures of ministry and fled. Also, the man of God must have a good report from the press. 

It seems to me that some bishops are a two-termer like some presidents. O bishop, feed the flock which the Chief Shepherd has made you overseer till you are called home. 

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   “Could it be Satan?”  

There has been more speculation and discussions over this mystery of the Bible than any one subject. This man of lawlessness is the epitome of many evils. He lives above the law without any remorse or regret having no morality whatsoever.  Who is he? 

I think I know who he is! 

Before the soon coming of Christ, this man of sin will appear on the scene as a man of peace who will turn into a monster of blasphemies and will have a world at his feet to follow him. The stage is set for this man because of a great exodus of people today beginning to fall away from the truth. Let no man deceive you. There will not be another great awakening. There is coming a time when men will live as if there is no God. That man of sin will be seated in the temple in Jerusalem as God and his ways will be found in every church in the world. That man of sin is wicked. His power to convince and deceive mankind of his lies as truth is almost unthinkable and unbelievable. That is who that man of sin is. 

Mark the words of the Bible, that man of sin will be a man. He will live in total defiance of God who is his creator while exalting himself to be a god-man. No, that man of sin is not Satan, but a man who is filled with Satan. He will follow that of his father, the Devil. He will be a murderer and will be a two-fold child of hell. He has a heart, but one that is cold and calloused against anything that has to do for the cause of God or Christ. Remember these words and see if I am not right as to who that man of sin is. 

This person has great power and lying wonders which will hold a world audience captive to his eloquent speaking ability. Yet, he is like a wild lion on a chain. He will be restrained by a force until that force is removed. Once the restraining force has been withdrawn, then his true colors will be manifested as being full wickedness and evil. When that happens, look out! This beast of a man will seek to devour all that is of God and called of God. His “gospel” will not be the gospel of good news, but rather one of agnosticism. He will preach that the coming of Christ is a myth and a fairy tale which will draw a thunderous amen from a world who has gone wild after the golden calf. That is who that man of sin is.  

This mystery man is known in the Bible as the Antichrist, the son of perdition. His allegiance is to none other than Satan. One who is on target to kill, steal, and to destroy. Before he is destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the Lord, he will have devoured more people in so much that the Holocaust will seem like it never happened. For some strange reason, God will permit billions of people to believe his lies and will forever remain lost in this world and the next. That is who that man of sin is.  

L-o-s-t! The most horrible word in any language known of men. The state of all people who have never once believed that Jesus came to die for their sins. Their hearts have never been moved by the sufferings of Christ. They have never experienced a  life of overcoming sin and have never witnessed Jesus being part of their lives. Lost, just like that man of sin. 

It seems to me if we know who that man of sin is, we should be telling others who JESUS is!    

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