Archive for February, 2023
Where Does Love Come From? 10/26/03
I Timothy 1:5
JESUS CHRIST said, “…love one another…”
He also said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God…”
Some years later one of His immature young followers wrote to give insight as to the fountain head of love. As a refreshing fountain has to have a source so must love. Our text uses that principle to illustrate the origin of love in a life. The illustrative fountain has three heads:
THE HEART, THE CONSCIENCE, AND FAITH.
Once while flying out of Cairo I was impressed by a large dark area in that vast expanse of sandy desert. As we neared it I could tell it was vegetation. Upon inquiring, I learned the government had drilled for oil and had simply dug a very expensive water well. The water was conserved and used to irrigate this region of about one square mile in size. All they did was let the water be dispersed over the dry sand and vegetation sprung up. For centuries the seed had been collecting needing only water to grow. Perhaps the best seeds of love are yet to spring up in your life.
We live in a spiritually dry and thirsty world needing love. You can be that fountain of love. I beg you, don’t be a mirage.
The meaning of the word “love” needs to be established before considering its source. AGAPE is the Greek word translated love. It speaks of full loyalty to God and boundless good will to people. The Greeks had various words for love. PHILEO was one used for brotherly love. Combine it as a prefix to ANTHROPOS, the word for man and you have the word philanthropy, meaning the love of mankind. PHILEO combined with SOPIAS the Greek word for knowledge and you have the word philosophy, the love of knowledge. Combined with the Greek word for city, POLIS and you have Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.
There was the Greek word EROS which spoke of physical or sensual love.
At the time of the New Testament there was no Greek word adequate to express the love of God. They took a little used word that appears only four times in classical Greek writings and gave it a new meaning, AGAPE. It is the selfless self-giving love of God. There is nothing physical or sensual about it. Love as used in this regard means to desire and devise the best for others.
Love for God prompts us to let go of whatever we are holding to and latching on to God. Let go and latch on. There is no good in holding on to anything in time of a storm if it isn’t tied down. In the storms of life the only real and sure anchor is Jesus Christ. To love Him means to let go of the unanchored objects offered by the world and latching on to Him.
Some of you I am reminding, others are perhaps gaining this perspective for the first time. A baby isn’t born knowing how to love. It is born with the capacity to love but learns to love or hate by the way the parent relates to it. Perhaps you were deprived of one or both parents who didn’t show you proper love as an infant and loving is difficult for you. There is good news. Along comes the Heavenly Father to show us love and thereby teach us to love.
“We love Him because He first loved us” (I John 4: 19).
Once we love Him and know how He loves us we are well on our way to knowing how to love one another. He loves us with all of our faults, frailties, and failures. How are we to love others? As He loved us.
Only in America has love become so mixed up. Only in America have so many things become so mixed up. ONLY IN AMERICA – – – – –
Can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
Only in America … are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
Only in America … do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
Only in America … do banks leave both doors open and chain the pen to the desk.
Only in America … do they put brail lettering on drive-in bank windows.
Only in America … do we leave expensive cars parked in the driveway and leave useless things and junk in boxes in the garage.
Only in America … do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we don’t want to talk to in the first place….
Only in America … do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America … do we use the word “politics” to describe the process so well: “Poli” in Latin means “many” and “ticks” means blood-sucking creatures…”
Only in America … do we use the word “love” when we mean “lust.”
Satan subtly wants to divert our love if not deceive us into not loving. In the intriguing “Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis Satan gives his servant Wormwood advice on how to reduce the effectiveness of Christian love. He suggests dividing a persons life into concentric circles. The inner circle represents a person’s will. Next is the intellect. Last is one’s fantasies. It is “out there” he suggests keeping a person’s love. The deceiver says to his disciple:
“Do what you will, there is going to be some benevolence, as well as some malice, in your patient’s soul. The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbors whom he meets and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know.”
In other words, it is easy to talk about loving people in other countries or different locales than we. That does little good. In doing so the deceiver channels our love into lakes of unfulfillment.
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor…”
Three characteristics of the foundation of love are mentioned. Explore this triad:
I. A PURE HEART (present motives)
HEART in the Hebrew language was used in the O.T. because there is not a word for mind or brain. To understand a word in the Hebrew it is proper to define it in association with words with which it is linked.
PURE comes from the word KATHAROS meaning clean as opposed to dirty. The word was used for separating the chaff and dirt from the wheat.
A “pure heart” belongs only to the person made right by the right relationship with Christ. Such a heart can then manifest the fruit of the Spirit, which involves love.
Psalms 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.” In this verse heart and thoughts are linked.
Satan subtly suggests sin is a better alternative than love for the Lord as the path to the good life. The wages of sin can be quite good in today’s competitive market, but there are no benefits and retirement is pure hell.
Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts…” Thus, from Hebrew and Greek it is seen that heart and thoughts are equated. Therefore, Timothy is appealing for followers of Christ to have pure thoughts, the right motives.
This is needed for:
“Out of the heart are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).
“Man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh upon the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).
God alone cleanses the heart (Psalms 51: 10, 11).
PURE means not double minded. It was a word used to describe purging an army of all potential traitors. It described milk with no water added to dilute it.
If there is bacteria in a substance it will grow. If there is yeast in bread it will multiply. If there is impurity of thought in a life, it will grow. The mind must be cleansed. It must be cleansed from self-centeredness if it is to have love for Christ.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Literally, He said HAPPY are the pure in heart. You will never find happiness apart from having an undivided mind, that is, God controlled thoughts. Only a pure heart produces love for Christ.
Sir Galahad said, “My strength is the strength of ten because my heart is pure.”
II. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE (past action)
Huck Finn said, “Sometimes a fellow’s conscience takes up more room than all the rest of his insides.”
Sir Arthur Doyle, author of “Sherlock Holmes, sent a telegram to ten acquaintances anonymously reading: “All is discovered. Fell at once.” All ten left town at once. A guilty conscience torments.
The assistant principle picks up the intercom, clears his voice, and your automatically pick up your books and start for his office.
You are riding down the road and hear a siren. You automatically slow down and reach for your drivers license.
Your wife in the next room answers the phone: “Hello. He did what? Who told you?” You are climbing the wall. Conscience strikes again.
The Greek word used in our text and translated “conscience” is SUNEIDESIS. It literally means “a knowing within.” How what is known within is programmed is the critical issue. To have a good conscience it must be programmed by God’s value standard, the Bible.
Our English word CONSCIENCE comes from the Latin CON-SCIENTA, meaning joint knowledge or co-knowledge, knowing together with. A conscience is a poor guide unless it knows the Word of God.
Hearts not informed and influenced by the Word of God can become insensitive. We are seeing this increasingly in America. An illustration of it comes from the Japanese conquest of China. Christians were herded into trenches, bound and put on their knees. Youth were forced to watch initially as soldiers shot them. The youthful response was one of abhorrence. Next the students were forced to do the shooting. Eventually students were forced to enter the trenches and complete the act with knives. They were then highly rewarded and bragged upon. Soon they began to relish the task in order to obtain the rewards.
In America youth watch violence while enjoying their favorite treats of candy, popcorn, and preferred beverage. Their conscience is dulled and has become insensitive. Then we wonder why there is so much violence by youth who seem to feel nothing. They have a conscience seared by a hot iron. A cauterized conscience is a non- feeling conscience. Once they enact violence and are shocked back into reality they have to live with the incubus of their act.
A clear conscience is one:
A. Guided by God’s special revelation as a norm.
B. Makes wise judgements and issues instructions which are obeyed.
C. Produces “Godly sorrow which works repentance unto salvation” (II Cor. 7:10).
D. Not only condemns the bad but commends the good. Hence the result is faith.
A guilt conscience motivated Swietzer to go to Africa and Bunyan to write “Pilgrim’s Progress.”
After all Paul had done how could he have a clear conscience? Verses 12-15 explain. The same principle applies today. In I Timothy 1: 12 – 15 Paul bursts into joyous celebration over what Christ had done in his life. His story is that if Christ could change him Christ can change anyone. Jesus Christ is the personification of the Christian gospel. The essence of a Christian witness is telling others what a change Christ has made in your life. Paul was a blasphemer, a persecutor of the followers of Christ, and a man of aggressive violence who enjoyed unleashing pain on others. He was a bad dude.
Even the best listeners have a tendency to fade out occasionally in following a thought. Fine tune your mind in order to retain what now comes.
In verse 13 Paul makes what appears to be a statement that conflicts with the idea of grace. He says, “I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly.”
Superficially that makes it appear ignorance was the basis of his forgiveness. That is never true.
In listening to persons give testimonies sometimes it appears they are glorifying their sinful past. Often this leaves the impression that the only way to have a good testimony is to go live a life of debauchery and drug abuse and then “get converted.” Not so.
What Paul was saying in this statement of his ignorance was there is nothing chic, cool, or glamorous about living in sin. As a matter of fact doing so is grounded in unbelief and is utterly stupid. Sin is always the product of conscious refusal to obey God. It is always the mark of ignorance.
How can a person with a carnally complicated and corrupt past gain a clear conscience? By having a cleansed life. How is it possible? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
Simple isn’t it? Yes, but not costless.
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6).
III. A GENUINE FAITH (projected goals)
GENUINE means without hypocrisy. Are you living on a pretend faith? Faith produces works. Faith is consistently expressive. Is your faith a mirage?
The test of your faith is does it prompt obedient action? If what you call faith doesn’t, it isn’t faith its froth. It is a religious front that is a fake.
There are some very special times that can be used to demonstrate faith. Use the difficult times in life as occasions to demonstrate your faith in the living Lord. Instead of complaining and whining use those difficult moments as meaningful times to exhibit your faith and thereby prove His faithfulness.
John Wesley was making his way to Georgia from England aboard the ship “Simmonds” in 1735. He watched in total amazement as a community of Moravian passengers continued to worship God and sing in the midst of a violent Atlantic storm as if nothing were happening. Wesley marveled at that kind of faith. It motivated him to ask God to help him develop that kind of faith for the big storms of life. If people see that kind of faith in you they too will be motivated to place their faith in our Lord.
In love our Lord has discretely established faith as the means by which we obtain life’s greatest blessings and numerous other valuable ones. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is the positive means by which we respond to the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.
There are some things that we might like but can’t obtain on our own. For example, if there were a cube of pure gold measuring 13″ X 13″ offered to you would you accept it. If you were told that for it to be yours all you would have to do is come pick it up personally and take it with you, would you do it? A thirteen inch cube of pure gold! Would you like it? It is yours if you simply take it. Most persons would love to have such a quantity of gold. Regardless of how badly you would like it you could not meet the requirement for obtaining it. You could not pick it up for it would weigh one ton. You couldn’t meet the standard of picking it up.
For you to pick up the gift of salvation God has made it possible for the “whosoever” of John 3: 16. All that is necessary is faith in Christ.
It can never be spelled out too simply or too frequently. There are four basics we do well to learn.
Use the personal pronoun “I” to refer to yourself and repeat within yourself the following:
1. I am not God.
2. God is God.
3. I sin when I get #1 and #2 reversed.
4. Jesus Christ came to help me get #1 and #2 in proper order and to forgive me of #3.
When we, by faith, put those four in proper perspective we are in position to obtain the wonderful gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
You will never truly live until you have established a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
When you have you shall never die.
The Aftermath
“casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ….” II Corinthians 10: 5
This instruction is given to Christians. Therefore, it must be Christians as susceptible to carnal thoughts and fleshly allurements. They are vulnerable to worldly schemes by deceiving individuals. Naivety plays a large role in the deception of Christians.
Hoodwinked people had rather stay wrong than to admit they have been so naive as to have been duped. If wrong about a matter, admit it and get on the right side of the issue. That is a sure way to demonstrate integrity.
Here is a pertinent adage, Mark Twain is reputed to have said. “It is easier to fool somebody than it is to convince them they have been fooled.”
It has been noted that we are not helpless victims or recipients of our thoughts. We can choose to stop our thoughts and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Thoughts of lust, thoughts of anger, thoughts of fear, thoughts of greed, bitter thoughts, evil thoughts – they are part of every thought that may be and must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
What are the steps in doing this? By being inquisitive regarding our thoughts and actions. Employ the interrogative by asking: who, whom, what, when, where, why, and sometimes how. What will be the aftermath?
Adhere to the wise counsel often employed by that great philosopher Barney Fife, “Nip it! Just nip it in the bud.” That is, stop it while logic and reason prevail and before emotions take over. Figuratively, if you are not going on the flight, stay off the plane.
Know that in every issue there are two factions, one good and one evil. To be discerning remember: “….walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other….” (Galatians 5: 16, 17)
There is no neutral ground. The median ground between traffic in New Orleans is called the “Neutral Ground.” Allegedly it was the ground between two warring armies, not occupied by either. In the spiritual realm there is no neutral ground.
Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” (Matthew 12: 30) He also said He had rather we be hot or cold, but not sickening lukewarm, that is, lacking convictions, half-hearted, fit for nothing.
Keep in mind, every thought has a consequence. Think right to do right.
Numerous sources have been credited with saying, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building their nests in your hair. Shoo off improper thoughts before they nest in your will.
Happy Valentine’s Day
For whom the day bears the name is uncertain. Nonetheless, African, Roman or Umbrian all have a saint for whom they lay claim. None of them were romantic.
A Roman priest named Valentinus seems to be the most logical. He was arrested during the reign of Emperor Gothicus and put into the custody of an aristocrat named Asterius.
Valentinus talked incessantly about Jesus leading pagans out of the shadow of darkness and into the light of truth and salvation. Asterius made a bargain with Valentinus: If the Christian could cure Asterius’s foster-daughter of blindness, he would convert. Valentinus put his hands over the girl’s eyes and chanted:
“Lord Jesus Christ, en-lighten your handmaid, because you are God, the True Light.”
Immediately the child could see, according to the medieval legend. Asterius and his whole family were baptized. Reacting when Emperor Gothicus heard the news, he ordered them all to be executed. Valentine was beheaded.
The Christian concept of love was expressed by the Apostle John:
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (I John 4: 7, 8)
John did not use the Greek word “Eros,” which means romantic love. Eros is the Greek name for their god Eros, also known by the Roman name Cupid, the god of love. Around Valentine’s Day Cupid is depicted as a chubby, cherub-like figure, who shoots persons with love arrows. The type of love of which John spoke doesn’t come from an arrow out of Cupid’s quiver. It comes from God.
For clarity John identifies the source of Agape by saying “God is love.”
(I John 4: 8 & 16) Selfless, self-giving love describes the character and heart of God. He adds “love is of God.” It is to be reciprocal between God and man, and between persons. Got it, selfless and self giving.
Near every home is an electric transformer. It changes the type of electricity coming from the source to a form that is usable in the home. Love coming from God is to be transformed in our lives and made usable as John says by loving one another. “….everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
Sing this little chorus:
“Let Your love flow through me
O Lord make me a blessing wherever, I may be
Keep me pure, keep me clean so that You might be seen
O let Your Love, let Your love flow through me.”
Now go out and show people you have been born of God and know God by loving one another.
Be My Valentine
There are many moving Valentine stories. This is one of the best.
Little Chad was a quiet, shy child. One day he told his mother he wanted to make a Valentine for every boy and girl in his class. Her heart sank. To herself she said, “Oh, I wish he wouldn’t do this.” She had seen how the other children ignored and mistreated him. Walking home from school Chad was always a few steps behind “the gang.” They laughed, talked, and hung on each other, but ignored Chad. He was never included.
His mother decided to go along with him. As he requested she bought the paper, glue, and crayons. For three whole weeks Chad worked every night until he completed the 35 Valentines.
On the big day Chad was excited as he left home with his 35 hand-made Valentines.
His mom knew what to expect so in order to be prepared to cheer him up when he came home she baked him his favorite cookies. This would help ease the pain of his disappointment.
That afternoon she waited with the warm cookies and cold milk. Hearing the children coming from schools she looked out the window. Sure enough, same scene. The group laughing, talking, and hanging on each other with Chad a few steps behind.
As he walked in the house his hands were empty. She choked back the tears.
“Mommy has some warm cookies and cold milk for you Chad,” she said.
He hardly heard a word as he marched by with his face aglow, and all he could say was “Not a one … not a single one.”
And then he added, “I didn’t forget a one, not a single one!”
This is the kind of self-sacrificing love in Christ’s name that can reach hardened hearts and win them to Christ.
Jesus didn’t overlook one of us. The “whosoever” in John 3:16 confirms this.
Agostino d’ Antonio, a sculptor from Florence, Italy, worked diligently on a piece of cairina marble. In frustration over his failure to do anything constructive with it, he discarded it. Other sculptors tried in vain to work with its obstinate composition. Michelangelo saw the massive discarded marble and had it brought to his studio. Painstakingly he began to work on it. Slowly his skilled hands began to release the hidden beauty in it. Eventually his efforts resulted in the classical work of “David” being freed.
The secret of the success was not the stone, but Michelangelo. Look at your life! Is it incomplete, perhaps you even have a feeling of being discarded. You are a potential masterpiece. In the hands of Christ He produces nothing but His best from your worst. In love, commit yourself to Him.
God Is Calling With a Message for You 10/26/03
James 4: 7-10
JESUS CHRIST, the resurrected Lord of new life, said to the church in Philadelphia, in ancient Greece, that which is applicable to our church today: “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it…” (Revelation 3:8).
Together, we the redeemed of the Lord who constitute the membership of this fellowship are called “the church”. What is applicable to the church is related to the individual.
First, a word about us. Then a word about you. For how you respond affects all of us, the church.
The Lord is swinging wide the door of opportunity for us to take bold dramatic steps of ministry and service. In His wisdom He is choosing to challenge our faith. In His love He is granting us an opportunity to think big and act bold. No person can shut the door. We can with cowering and timid spirit fail to go through it. Our negative nature can cause us to question and quibble. We alone can cause what the Lord has in mind to fail. We are often our own worst enemies.
God is setting before this church an open door of opportunity. Months ago this church prayed and sought God’s will in selecting a Pastor Search Team. Thus, this process was begun in prayer. It should be concluded that the Lord composed this team in answer to the prayers of all who sought His will.
For months they have prayed, researched, traveled, and interviewed many people seeking God’s will. This church assigned them the task of finding the person they believe to be His minister for this hour. In light of their prayerful search it is reasonable to conclude they have found the will of the Father in this process. For a ?? person team to reach unanimity is a miracle in itself. They now in one accord with great enthusiasm are ready to recommend the person they are convinced is God’s man to lead this beloved church.
If you believe in prayer you have to trust the process and product.
Opportunity will be provided for persons to meet him and his wife and hear him.
The church on September 17 by unanimous vote gave the Pastor Search Team the authority to set the date and time for a special conference to hear and vote on their recommendation. That decision has been entrusted to them and they have exercised there responsibility to the church by setting the date and time.
I want to appeal to every member to focus on what we are doing and not become divided by how we do it. It is being done by the responsible group in the way they are responsible for doing it. Opinions might well differ on how it should be done. Let’s support those responsible for the decision and their decision.
If we are going to be ready to consider moving as a body through the open door we need to be ready spiritually.
James 4: 7-10 lists some steps of preparation we each need to take. Therefore, now comes the practical personal part of this new year’s challenge.
To be ready to go through the open door of opportunity there must be:
I. COMMITMENT (Verse 7)
A. First, positively. You must “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”
This calls for a conscious willful action on your behalf. It requires you making a choice. Some persons arrogantly refuse to submit themselves. Each of us must respond to the self asked question: “Whom shall I serve, God or myself? Shall I make it my chief concern to do the will of my Heavenly Father, or shall I demand and assert my own way?”
It is said that when Aaron Burr, one of the most controversial personalities in early American life, reached the age of 21, he squarely faced the issue of whom to serve. Resolutely he decided to turn his back on the God of his fathers. As a disgraced murderer, tried for treason and executed his body was laid to rest at the foot of the grave of his grandfather, Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was one of the most revered clergy/statesman of his era. The graves of the two illustrate the difference between one who seeks first the kingdom of God and who chooses slavery to self.
B. Second, negatively. “Resist the devil…”
The devil and his allies, the world and the flesh, have designed and do desire your spiritual destruction.
Resist the devil: Through prayer, Bible study, Regular public worship, Association with friends who are committed Christians
II. CLEANSING (Verse 8)
A. “Cleanse your hands” = outward actions
B. “Purify your hearts” = inward attitudes.
Medical science had not progressed in that day. A common concept was that blood carried in it ideas. They became conscious thoughts when the blood flowed through the brain. It was known that the heart pumped the blood. Therefore, it was thought that the heart was the point of origin of all creative thoughts. Hence, an appeal to cleanse the heart was a directive to change the thought pattern. Don’t let your mind dwell on evil ideas. Purify your thoughts by driving out the wrong concepts and ideas with Bible oriented ideas.
A critical negative spirit needs to be purified. If you are going to think the Christ thoughts the mind must be purified of negativism.
A study shows that for every one negative input eleven positive inputs are necessary to counteract it.
There is a new book entitled “The Theory of Twenty-One.” The author shows as a result of research that out of every 21 people, 20 think negatively about everything. Only one is a positive person.
In another book by a different author entitled “Hide-N-Seek”, persons are urged to inventory their 16 closest relatives. Be objective who among them was negative and who are positive. Most persons will conclude they were reared in a negative environment.
Pray to be the “one” among 21.
III. CONTRIBUTION “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep…” (v. 9)
These are 3 evidences of repentance. Don’t waste your pain. Let it be used of the Lord to draw you to Him.
Kuhino Diamond
IV. COVENANT “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord”(Vs 10)
The word “covenant” means an agreement or testimony. Actually, our Bible is divided into a new and old testament, literally, new and old covenants. A covenant is an agreement. Therefore, agree with the Lord that you are going to “humble yourself.”
It can result in a new beginning. “The Land of Beginning Again” by Louise Fletcher Tarkington:
So I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all out mistakes and all our heartaches,
And all our poor selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old cost at the door
And never put on again.
A renewed covenant will result in guidance.
King George VI of England during World War II made the following words vital in his new year’s address: “I said to a man who stood at the gate of the year – ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.'”
The Lord will guide persons who made a covenant with Him.
Again I say this calls for a willful personal commitment from you. You are called on to make a choice.
George Beverly Shea, a name well known in Christian music, had to make such a decision as a young man. He was offered a significant secular recording contract and a major media job. During the time he was wrestling with this decision the Lord used his Godly mother to help make the decision. She copies 2 verses of Scripture and placed them on the piano. Shea came in and found them and sat for a time meditating on them. Slowly his fingers began to wander across the keyboard as ever so gradually his commitment as expressed in his newly emerging song beloved by millions. He wrote and sang:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-scared hand.
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
Beverly Shea made a covenant with God. He decided to follow Jesus and that decision has influenced every other decision he has made.
Make your decision today. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow” (Proverbs 27).
God has set before us an open door in ’01. No person can shut it. You can refuse to go through it, however. Likewise, you can choose to go through it.