“Is not this the carpenter”? Mk. 6:3
When our Lord revealed Himself as the Christ to His neighbors in Nazareth, this is all they could see. “He’s the carpenter!”. Yes, in God’s perfect order He was a carpenter. Sadly, their eyes and hearts of flesh could not see the real carpentry work He did to save their souls. In the garden, He fashioned from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the fall and rising again of many in Israel. Lk 2:34. In His incarnation, He laid the ax to the tree of Israel, that a tender Branch shall grow from its root. Is. 11:1. He planted and fashioned His trees of righteousness with a Seed to yield fruit after its own kind. Gen. 1:12 He fashioned Noah’s Ark from gopherwood, and the Ark of the Covenant from shittim wood. In saving Gentiles, He grafted a wild branch into the fatness of the olive tree. Rom. 11:17 Most gloriously, He took the cursed tree of the cross, and by His death made it the Tree of Life. Oh, what a Carpenter He is; “His work is perfect.” Deut. 32:4 ~GE
“Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” Jer. 6:14
The wisdom of the world speaks false peace to men by telling them that their sin is not their fault. They are a victim of their circumstances or are simply afflicted with a disease. Religion speaks false peace to men by telling them that their sin is their fault, but that they have the power to fix it. By decision and dedication, they can amend their ways. The gospel speaks the truth to sinners by telling them that their sin is all their fault, and they can’t fix it. It shuts sinners up to Christ as the only One who can put away their sin and give them peace with God by the sacrifice of Himself. ~GE
Every problem we have in this world that cannot be solved with money will eventually be solved by time. What a blessing it is when the Lord is pleased to show us that we have a problem beyond this world. A problem that no amount of money, nor an eternity of time can fix. Our real problem is our sin, and consequently the need we have to be reconciled to a Holy God. That is a problem that only God can fix. That is THE problem that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to solve for His church. Christ came into the world to save sinners… and Save every one of them is exactly what He did. ~GE
Circumcision of the Heart
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3:3
Many seriously err in believing that New Testament water baptism is the corresponding equivalent to Old Testament circumcision. In fact, the New Testament counterpart to Old Testament circumcision is the circumcision of the heart. Just as every male of Old Testament Israel was required to be circumcised in the flesh, so every member of spiritual Israel must experience circumcision of the heart. So, what exactly is this circumcision of the heart? If it means that all the desires of the flash are cut away from my heart in the new birth, who can find hope that they have been born again? No, the circumcision of the heart is a work of grace done by the Holy Spirit, causing every born-again child of God to have all their confidence in fleshly means cut away as any hope of their salvation. They rejoice in Christ Jesus alone for all their salvation and have no confidence in the flesh. ~GE
Loved, Forgiven and Humbled
Just as the ability to love is the result of being loved, and the ability to forgive, is the result of being forgiven, so true humility is the result of being humbled. What is more humbling than for a sinner to be saved by the free and sovereign grace of God in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ? ~GE
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28
What is the “GOOD” for which our God works all things together? The answer is simple. The only true good there is, or ever has been. Christ. Our loving, merciful God is bringing to pass all that His elect need to bring them to Christ, in this life and in the life to come. What could be more good than that? ~GE
WDJD
Rather than pretending to be followers of Christ by proudly flaunting a bracelet with the initials WWJD (What Would Jesus Do), let us wear a band around our hearts that reads WDJD (What Did Jesus Do). Looking in faith to Christ and His accomplished work of redemption, will give the true child of God all they need in this life, and in the life to come. Only then will we be free from the curse and the rigors of the law, knowing that He has fulfilled all its demands. Only then can we rest knowing that He went to the cross to put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself once and for all. Only then can we come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need. ~GE
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim 2:5
As the sin-bearing substitute hanging on a tree between heaven and earth, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One that can touch God without being destroyed, and touch sinners without being defiled. ~GE
We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight
Contrary to all outward evidence, the thief on the cross believed that the Man dying beside him was his only hope for salvation. There was nothing in his physical sight to convince him that Jesus was Lord, or that He would be reigning over an eternal kingdom. Yet he prayed; “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”. So, what did he have to cause such hope? The same thing you and I have. He had the word of God and he had the Spirit of God. That is all he had, and all he needed. That is all we have, and all we need. If we look for anything else, (feelings, experiences, change in life, etc.) we will be walking by sight rather than by faith. Saving faith comes by hearing, not by seeing. When the Spirit of God takes the Word of God and gives faith to the children of God in the Son of God… they hear those blessed words of hope; “thou shalt be with me in Paradise”. ~GE
Who Gets the Glory
“Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory...” Ps 115:1.
There are many messages in the world that promise salvation. Only one gives to God ALL the glory. The gospel of God’s free and sovereign Grace in the glorious person and accomplished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, is the only message that will cause a sinner to declare, “not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory...”.
Truly, salvation is of the Lord and his people love it that way. The Lord gets all the glory in ELECTION having chosen us for no other reason than his own good pleasure and will. He gets all the glory in REDEMPTION, having by himself purged our sins with his own precious blood. He gets all the glory in REGENERATION, arresting us on the road to destruction and making us willing in the day of his power. Our God gets all the glory in SANCTIFICATION, keeping us from falling away and causing us to be renewed in faith day by day. He gets all the glory in GLORIFICATION, by presenting us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Every other message contrived by man robs God of his glory and credits it to man. “Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be (ALL) the glory...”. ~GE
Why must we continually hear the gospel? Because our fallen Adamic nature is always looking for something other than the glorious person and accomplished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our old man is relentlessly pointing us away from Christ. His pursuit is in minding the things of the flesh. He always walks by sight. The grace of faith is our only hope to silence this wretched man. That comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
“Except THESE abide in the ship, YE cannot be saved.”
Acts 27:31
The Lord told Paul to warn the captain that if anyone left the ship, no one could be saved. If one person for whom Christ died is able to be lost, there is no hope for anyone to be saved. It is all 276 souls or none. ~GE
Those who are destitute of the truth suppose that gain is godliness. I Tim. 6:5. They look at any improvement or increase in their physical circumstances as evidence of God’s approval and blessing. But godliness with contentment is great gain. I Tim. 6:6. Great is the mystery (hidden truth that must be revealed by God) of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh. (Tim. 3:16.) Oh to be content with Christ alone for all my salvation. That is the evidence of God’s blessing.
“Feed me with food convenient for me.” Prov. 30:8b
I like easy. Easy is comfortable. Easy is painless. Easy requires no effort. On the other hand, hard is difficult. Hard is demanding. Hard is stressful. Just because we prefer easy over hard, does not mean that easy is always good and hard is always bad. Often it is the opposite. The Lord knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Oh for the faith to ask Him to feed us with food convenient (necessary and appropriate for the hour). To trust Him and be content with His wise and good portion. Easy or hard, it is always good. ~GE
Is Man’s Will Free?
Yes and No. The will is free to choose whatever it wants. Innumerable times a day we consider many options and always choose the one for which “the will” has the greatest inclination. No one can ever choose anything against their will. Herein lies the problem. Man left to himself will not come to Christ because his unregenerate heart has no desire for Christ. He must be made willing by the new birth. If anyone wills to come to Christ, it is because God made them willing, and they… will in no wise be cast out. ~GE
Buyer’s Remorse
I saw where someone wrote a book on the “de-churching” of America. They attempted to explain why fewer people are going to church today. Of all the causes they gave, I believe they missed one big reason: Buyer’s Remorse. Any company that oversells and under delivers will eventually go out of business. The so-called “Church” today is promising what they cannot deliver. They promise health, wealth, and happiness. They present God as a part of mans self-help plan to a better life. Most people’s circumstances don’t really change much when they “get religion”. They soon become disenchanted with the hype and quit.
The Lord, and His faithful undershepherds, never make such empty promises. To the contrary, we tell men up front that coming to Christ will add to their troubles in this world. In addition to all the common trials of life, you will have the daily struggle with an old man you never knew you had before. Added to that, the world will hate you. The promise: Life Eternal, and that He has, is and will deliver. ~GE
Deluded
Men of a sound mind are generally logical. They will not embrace an obvious contradiction. They simply cannot make sense of it. Until it comes to spiritual matters. Then the most analytical person will swallow non-sense and think nothing of it. They will say God is eternal, omnipotent, sovereign, and immutable, yet he is dependent upon man for something in order to save.
Is this not clear evidence that God has sent them a strong delusion because they received not the love of the truth? 2 Thes. 2:10-11.
If God makes a man deluded, he is deluded indeed. Oh Lord, do not leave us to ourselves. Put us in our right mind and cause us to love Christ. ~GE
Faith and Repentance
We are by nature so works oriented that if not careful we’ll turn faith and repentance into a work. True faith is by its very nature the absence of all works. It is finding in oneself no good thing. It is to be shut up to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only One who is good, for all our acceptance before God. We must never view faith as our contribution to salvation.
Like faith, repentance is also a sovereign work of grace in the heart. The Holy Spirit changes our minds about God, about ourselves, and about how God saves sinners. Yes, it involves sorrow for sin. But let us never think we can sorrow sufficiently. God-given repentance is not wallowing in the mire of shame and sorrow for sin. That can very quickly become a work. It is agreeing with God that I am, left to myself, nothing but sin. It is looking, not to my repentance, but to my Redeemer for all the hope of my salvation. ~GE
It's All Good
I heard a man say after experiencing a disappointment; “It’s all good, there is a purpose in it.” We believe that our God works all things together for good to His elect. We also believe that our God is a God of purpose. Yes, for the believer it truly is all good and there is a purpose, but what is the “good” and the “purpose” we are looking to find? I fear that for most, it is nothing more than a silver lining on a dark cloud. They speak peace to their own hearts with the power of positive thinking. They are looking to soften their disappointments with the hope of a better outcome. For the believer, we look in our trials for the hand and the face of the One who sent them. We know that He alone is the Good in all our troubles and that His purpose in all things is to glorify Himself in the hearts of His people. ~GE
Justice or Mercy
All men approach God in one of two ways. One pleads His mercy. The other demands justice. The poor and needy, the weak and wounded, the fallen and fearful, will come pleading for mercy. Their hands will be open and empty. The self-righteous, the proud, the strong, will demand justice based on something they bring in their hand. Those pleading mercy will know that the only thing that satisfies the justice of God is the sacrifice Christ made on Calvary’s cross. They will pray with David; “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies…” Those demanding justice will try to obligate God with something they have done. Their voices will be heard to say; but Lord, have we not done many wonderful works in thy name? Justice demands reward based on works. Mercy looks in faith to Christ for grace. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Rom. 4:4-5. ~GE
Blessings and Curses
To God’s elect, everything is a blessing. Everything is purposed by their Heavenly Father for their good and for His glory. Through faith, they can be thankful in all things, knowing that “all things” are the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning them. To the reprobate, nothing is a blessing. All the privileges, benefits, and goodness of God they enjoy in this world will only add to the weight of judgment they will suffer for not believing on the One who provided them. ~GE
Satisfied, Yet Not
The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ecc. 1:8b.
This is certainly true with the natural eye and ear. Even when impressed with what it sees and hears, it soon looks for something more. How far we will travel just to see and hear something new. Truly the flesh cannot be satisfied. But this is also true of the spiritual eye and ear. Oh, we are satisfied to have Christ Jesus as all our righteousness and justification before God. We dare not look anywhere else, and we dare not listen to anyone else. However, we are always looking and listening for more of Christ. We have not yet apprehended that which has apprehended us. We are always pressing toward the mark for the Prize. Phil. 3:13-14. We are always peering to see through that dark glass more clearly. I Cor. 13:12. We can never be satisfied with yesterday’s Manna. We long for that day when we shall behold His face, and like David, shall only be fully satisfied when we awake with His likeness. Ps.17:5 The Lord keeps the hearts of His people full and hungry at the same time. ~GE
Everlasting Righteousness
“Thy Righteousness is an Everlasting Righteousness…”
Ps. 119:142a.
The Righteousness of God is everlasting because God is everlasting. It is immutable because He is immutable. It is Holy because He is Holy. Christ Jesus the Lord is the Righteousness of God. Lest we are found in Him, we have no Righteousness. Our heavenly Father has made Him to be all our wisdom, Righteousness, sanctification and redemption. All OUR Righteousnesses are as filthy rags. The reason men go about trying to establish their own Righteousness is because they are ignorant of the Righteousness of God. We do not frustrate the grace of God, for if Righteousness come by the law then Christ died in vain. Even as Christ was raised from the dead and ascended to His rightful place in glory, we wait for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness. There is laid up for us a crown of Righteousness which the Lord, the Righteous Judge shall give us in that day. And so, Everlasting Righteousness began in eternity past and shall continue in eternity future. ~GE
To Be Saved
The Philippian jailer asked the apostles; “Sirs, what must I do to Be saved?” Acts 16:30. We hear men speak of “getting” saved or having “got” saved. What is the difference? When you “get” something, it is nothing more than a thing to be held as a possession. You can admire it, or you can put it in your pocket until you need it. To BE something is a completely different thing. The very essence of your being is changed. Nothing remains the same. You find yourself in Christ and He in you. You are a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17. You are not your own. You’ve been bought with a price. I Cor. 6:19-20. You are able to say with Solomon; “my Beloved is mine, and I am His.” Song 2:16. Is this not the reason why men are willing to “get” saved, but will not “Be” saved? We will not have this man to reign over us. Lk 19:14. ~GE
Why Have a Bible Conference?
Our annual Bible conference in many ways is the highlight of our year for at least three reasons.
1 We are able to have a concentrated time of worship and gospel preaching over a three-day period that glorifies our God by exalting the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of our souls.
2 It provides us the edifying experience of fellowship with each other and many of our brethren from sister churches.
3 It gives us an opportunity to extend a “special invitation” to lost friends and family in hopes that the Lord will do for them what he did for the Samaritans. “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the world.” Jn 4:40 ~GE