THE WORD IN THE WILDERNESS

John the Baptist would be in the wilderness of preparation when he received the Word for proclamation. It is interesting how many of God’s men were readied for public declaration through private isolation. Moses was in the wilderness caring for his father-in-law’s flocks when the Lord spoke to Him. It took him forty years to graduate from that “seminary,” but what a man of God he had been molded to be!  David was likewise tending sheep when he was summoned to become the shepherd of Israel. God assigned him a work, but also gave him His Word. The anointing with oil was an attestation of the anointing of the Spirit. Further, Amos was a shepherd whom God set apart for prophetic declaration. Do you see the pattern here?

It is good to be alone with God—to be apart from the din and clamor of our world. Horns honking, engines racing, radios blaring, voices calling—all the raucous noise that can drown out the still, small voice of God. 

This time I am now spending has often been referred to as “the daily quiet time.”  It has been the pattern of my Christian life to rise early in the morning to meet with the Lord. Being alone, having conversation with God as I hear His voice in Scripture and lifting my voice in supplication in response. If there is anything that has propelled me forward in maturity and prepared me for ministry, it has been this daily discipline. It has been said that my worth to God in public is what I am in private.  How can I speak for God until I hear from Him?

Yet, this is not sermon preparation, but the spiritual preparation of the preacher. There is a time for study in anticipation of the proclamation of God’s truth from the pulpit. Certainly, God may give us a message as the one I am sharing today. Yet, the intent of morning devotions is for our own growth in godliness. It helps me to be and not just to say.  

Of course, the daily quiet time is vital for every Christian’s development and not just meant for preachers. Before God called me to preach, the pattern had already been established in my life.  Whatever the nature of service in the church—a Bible study leader, a deacon, a children’s worker, a member of the finance committee—each disciple needs development and this discipline is demanded.

I would also advocate a “sabbatical,” for elders in the church, as such a time is often called. I began a yearly pattern of a few days away alone with God to pray and plan. It may be profitable after a number of years in church work to have a longer time—several weeks to reflect and be refreshed. Visit other churches, hear from other preachers, just soak in without having to give out.

 “If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.”  (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬‬). Some of us have been so busy swinging the ax, that we have failed to sharpen the edge. We work feverishly, but not fruitfully.  Go to the woods, not to cut logs, but to pause and regain your edge. 

Does God have you in a season of being in the wilderness?  Do not strive to escape, but rather embrace it as the providential hand of God shaping you for your work.  You can turn the time of present inactivity into future productivity.  Wait, reflect, grow, prepare—God knows where you are and can get you where you need to be.  A dear friend gave me that counsel as a young student at Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute (now College). It was the crucible of refining—helping to make me a man God could use. 

The work continues.

THE PROMISE OF POWERFUL PREACHING

 

There is a puny, pitiful, punchless, powerless preaching that is pointless!  It is tragic and worthless. Concerning this, Paul spoke of God, “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬‬). “Letter” preaching may be “by the Book.”  That is, the content is Biblically based and doctrinally sound—as it should be—yet, is dry and deadening to the hearer. Old Vance Havner said, “You can be straight as a gun barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  It is the Spirit who gives life. He is the promised power in our preaching. Remember how in the vision of a valley of dry, dead bones, Ezekiel was told to preach to them—and this we must. But, it was when the Word of God was accompanied by the Wind of God—that same Divine Breath of Pentecost—coming into them, that they had life, (cf. Ezek.37:1-14). 

With this in mind, consider the promise of our Lord in Mark 13:11. “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.”  (Mark‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬‬). In the context, where the preacher is arrested and will be indicted before a judge for preaching the Gospel, he will have no library, no Bible, no occasion of sermon preparation. Yet, there is no need to fear, for the Spirit will give the right message—an anointed one—in such an occasion. This does not mean under normal circumstances that we should not study and prepare, instead trusting spontaneity in proclamation. Should such need arise, God will provide. Yet, if we can prepare, we must. Do not be like the old boy that said, “Sometimes I preach from notes and sometimes I just talk out of my head.”  That is apparent from some sermons you hear! God does not bless laziness.  Study and have something to say.

Yet, there must not be reliance on preparation in your study, but dependence on the Spirit. He is the One who breathes life into dead bones. Preaching “by the letter,” is deadening. It may induce nodding heads of agreement as to content, but then leads to nodding  heads of slumber. It is promised, “the Spirit gives life.”  God’s man can claim the promise of the Lord not just when summoned from a prison, but when standing in a pulpit: “But whether is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” 

How does this happen?  I heard Stephen Olford say years ago, that there must be “emptiness, prayerfulness, and yielded-ness.”

There must be emptiness. God does not fill a man with His Spirit that is  full of himself. A glass cannot be filled with milk, if even a quarter of it is full of lemonade.  You must empty the glass and then you can fill it. Spiritually, this demands our repentance. We confess our sin and claim God’s forgiveness.  We head to the cross and die to all that we are in order to live in all He is.

There must be prayerfulness. James said, “Yet you do not have because you do not ask,” (4:2d). We must pray in faith, asking God to fill us. It is His will to do so, for He has commanded, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,”. (Eph. 5‬:‭17‬-‭18‬‬). 

There must be yielded-ness. This is the surrendered life of utter dependence on the Spirit of God. As being filled with wine means one is under the control of alcohol, so being filled with the Spirit demands we be under the mastery of God. When I stand to preach, I need to be gloriously intoxicated with God!  As alcohol will impact every dimension of my life—how I think, see, speak, feel, and walk, thus the one who is filled with the Spirit will find his mind directed by Scripture, his vision focused on eternity, his mouth declaring transformative truth, his heart full of love, and his walk aligned with the Word.

This is the promise of powerful preaching!  May the Lord bless us with preachers on this Lord’s Day who stand and speak in the anointing of God’s Spirit!

THE CONGREGATION OF THE COMMON

  

There were a relative handful of those who held the reins of power and abundance of possessions who followed Jesus. One thinks of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and a few women of Herod’s household. Matthew and Zaccheus had been wealthy, but surrendered their status and substance to follow Jesus. There was an occasional ruler of a synagogue and Roman centurion, but that is about it.

The vast majority of those who received Christ’s words were common people. The peasant Prophet had a receptive audience in the poor, needy, outcasts, and such. Jesus had a message of hope to those who were the dregs in the bottom of society’s cup. The common people not only heard Him, but “heard Him gladly”!

One is reminded of Paul’s words:

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”  (I Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭29‬‬)

There is an uncommonly great message for the common people.  

Notice it does not say “not ANY wise…not ANY mighty, not ANY noble,” but “not many,” so we need not abandon all hope of reaching those who are scholars, successful business leaders, and in positions of power. Yet, only a handful of the “upper crust,” will respond to the Gospel. It is a sad reality.

Yet, the preacher need not despair, for he will often have a listening ear among those who are struggling to survive from day to day. In almost a half century of preaching the Gospel my experience attests to this. I have embraced it and seen people lifted from the depths of depravity and despair to the glory of being children of God!

So, stop complaining if this is the makeup of your congregation. Jesus was not “too good” to preach to such a flock, though He was the King of Glory, and only perfect Man. I can be like Jesus in serving the congregation of the common. May I be found preaching in the nursing home, the prison, the homeless shelter, and in the little brown church in the wildwood.  I do not have to speak from an elevated pulpit in a massive cathedral or on a spot-lit stage in a high-tech mega church facility.  If God calls me to such, then it is grace, but wherever—it is for His glory.

Matthew West put it this way in song lyrics:

Why You ever chose me
Has always been a mystery
All my life I've been told I belong at the end of the line
With all the other Not-Quites
With all the Never-Get-It-Rights
But it turns out they're the ones You've been looking for all this time

'Cause I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

Moses had stage fright
And David brought a rock to a sword fight
You picked 12 outsiders nobody would've chosen
And You changed the world
Well, the moral of the story is
Everybody's got a purpose
So when I hear that devil start talking to me, saying
"Who do you think you are"
I say...

I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

To this I say, “Soli Deo gloria!”

THE WAY, WHAT, AND WHY WE HEAR THE WORD

The parables of Jesus recorded in Mark 4 are about preaching and teaching the Word of God, and how that supernatural act brings spiritual life and growth to those who hear and heed it. As we come to the Lord’s Day and the gathering of the saints, let us do so with confidence that God’s intended results will come from that life-giving Book. We are likely familiar with the parable of the sower found in Mark 4:1-20. It deals with the condition of the soil—that is, the human heart. Only the soil that produces a crop (in varying measure) is good soil—one out of four hearers in this illustration. The Lord does not change the thrust of his sermon, as He proceeds further with four other parables, that we will group under three headings.

First, consider THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD IN SHINING LIGHT, (v. 21-23). 

Sin is for the shadows. This is the dark depravity of the human heart. The preacher is meant to take the Word of God as a Gospel light to summon men and women from the darkness to Christ who is the Light of the World. Pastors need to speak plainly. The light is not meant to be stuck under a basket of confusion or under the bed of comfort. The first type of teaching leaves the hearer scratching his head and the second style, rubbing his or her eyes. The preacher is not there to impress the people with his profundity or confound them with his obscurity. They need the light of truth plainly and simply communicated.  The congregation needs to come with preparation—ears to hear.  The best sermon will not help someone who is absent or absent-minded.  This has to do with the way we hear.

Second, note THE RECEPTIVITY OF THE WORD IN SHARING TRUTH, (v. 24-25). 

The church member has a responsibility to be selective in what they hear. They must make sure there is an alignment of the preacher’s sermon with the truth of Scripture. Obviously, the church needs caution to determine if the instruction is doctrinally sound or theologically deviant. If you attend a church or are part of a denomination that has departed from the Word, then you need to depart from that congregation. Saturate the place with your absence!  However, preaching can be so basic for so long as to end up giving people a bottle full of milk, sermon after sermon, and never nourish them with a plateful of meat!  Again, we do not start with fundamental matters and move on from them, for there will always be those in the fellowship who need the simple Gospel for they are lost, with others who are babes in Christ needing to be spoon fed. Yet, the preacher must give more than that for others are eager to grow, being receptive to the truth. Expository preaching produces a well-balanced diet for all stages of spiritual development. It will sort out the receptive hearers from the carnal crowd.  Some will ravenously consume it as they know it is feeding their soul. Others will spit it out and move on searching for a sugary sermonette that puts them in a spiritual slumber. This relates to what we hear.

Third, observe THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WORD IN SOWING SEED, (v. 26-‭32‬‬)

In both these parables, there is similarity in presenting the productivity of God’s Word when it is faithfully sown.  The preacher is not responsible for fruitfulness. He is accountable for his faithfulness. We do the sowing and God does the saving. It is not a product of human ability, but heavenly activity. The preacher must make certain to cultivate the soil, sow good seed in abundance, and prayerfully prepare in faith for a harvest. He must be capable of gathering and conserving.  Do not be disheartened if there seems small progress. God can grow a church into a large work, not only in terms of numbers, but in Kingdom impact. Preacher, trust God and press on!  This speaks to why we hear.

If the Word of God is faithfully proclaimed then there will be results. God has promised this supernatural impact. Everybody who sits under the Word will leave changed by it. It is to the welfare of those who receive it, “For whoever has, to him more will be given,” (v.25a). But, sadly, it is to the worsening of those who reject it, “but whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him,” (v.25b).

THE FLOCK OF GOD

The flock of God is the focus of 1 Peter 5. In concluding his letter, Peter offers a word of exhortation, (v. 1, 12), to the church—God’s flock. It is an exhortation to the shepherds and to the sheep. 

He begins with THE CHARGE TO THE SHEPHERDS, (v.1-5). The example of the shepherds and their exposition of the Scriptures are vital for the health of the sheep. As shepherds, pastors are called to feed, lead, and bleed for the sheep. They feed them by proclamation of the Word, lead them by demonstration of the way, and are willing to bleed for them in provision for their welfare.  

These do not work for material gain, but wait for eternal glory. This labor is not to be viewed as a drudgery we’ve got to do, but as a delight we get to do!

The gravity of our responsibility as pastors rests in the reality that the church is not ours, but belongs to Christ. They are not cattle to be driven by domineering, but sheep to be led by demonstration. While we will certainly exhort them, we must be an example to them. You better practice what you preach!  Jesus loves every lamb and we had better. There will be an accountability faced at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If we have been faithful to care for the flock, a special crown awaits the shepherd. 

There is no place for egotism. It is a grace that we are called to serve and it is grace that enables us to serve. Let us clothe ourselves—not with robes of royalty, but dress ourselves in humility.

Peter, then moves to THE CAUTION TO THE SHEEP, (v.6-14). The enemy of the sheep—the devil—is a ravenous, roaring lion. Lambs are no match for lions. They are not fast enough to flee and not fierce enough to fight. Yet, as we humbly admit that, we have available the power of God to strengthen us. Indeed, we are no match for the devil, but he is no match for the Chief Shepherd!  

So, this is a call to humility, (v. 6). A prideful attitude assures us of being overcome. It turned a beautiful angel into a demonic spirit, and Satan uses the same ploy to get at us. 

There is further a caution against anxiety, (v.7). The roar of the lion is meant to paralyze us with fear. We are to cast all our cares on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us!

Then, we have a command for sobriety, (v. 8 ). By no means do we ignore the peril with naïveté, but have an awareness with sobriety. We are not to be afraid, but we are to stay alert. The danger is real. The devil wants to destroy and devour the flock. 

We must have stability, (v.9). Do not race off, but brace up!  Should we have to suffer for our stand, do not back down. Satan will use his minions to attack us. He hates us. This world is not a friend to grace. Others have suffered for the cause across the centuries, and in many countries do so today. Why should we think to be the exception?  

Trust in God’s sovereignty, (v.10-11). The Lord reigns!  Christ is conqueror. The grace of God will usher us into the glory of God. 

Abide in the community, (v.12-14). We are not in this alone. There is a community of faith to encourage us. Love on one another. There is a refuge in the church for the believer—an oasis of peace. We may have peace of mind, because of our peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen.

SERVING AND SPEAKING WITH SINCERITY

You can do the right thing for the wrong reason and it is still wrong. Case in point: the Pharisees of Biblical times did many right things—fasting, praying, giving, reading Scripture, and attending worship—yet did it for the wrong reason, as a religious show.  There was outward conformity, but inward hypocrisy. God desires for us to serve Him and speak for Him, but with sincerity. In contrast to the Pharisees, we have the Apostle Paul who declared in summary of 2 Cor.2, “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ,” (v.17‬‬).  There are three basic elements of such motivation and manner of ministry.

Serving and speaking with sincerity calls for RESTRAINT, (v.1-4). Paul had chosen to communicate with tenderness in a letter, rather than with toughness in a visit. There were many issues in the Corinthian church that called for confrontation. So, he had addressed these needful matters in his first epistle to them. It was painful discipline, but essential correction. 

Yet, Paul felt no joy in having to bring them to tears. His hope was that their repentance would be an ongoing work of the Spirit among them, so when he did visit there would be joy and not grief. While there were still issues (and always will be until  Christ returns and we are glorified), the Apostle writes with restraint. Having “spanked,” them, Paul will now hug them.  Corporal punishment of a child is not to become damaging abuse. It is to be administered with restraint and done in love rather than anger. This is true in dealing with sin in the church.  Then sorrow is supplanted with smiles!

Serving and speaking with sincerity seeks RECONCILIATION, (v.5-11). By this, we do not refer to the reconciliation with God brought in salvation, but reconciliation among the members attained by church discipline. 

Sin in the body affects the whole body. When a member must be disciplined, it is a painful process—a spiritual surgery. Apparently that rebellious member was now repentant. The correction had achieved its purpose, so the erring member was to be forgiven and reconciled to the congregation. Failing to practice church discipline is wrong, but so is a purpose of rejection instead of restoration of the sinning member. Satan will take advantage of being permissive or punitive concerning sin in the body. 

Unrepentant sin is a cancer in our soul. If the church is soft and overlooks the sin in the name of love (while shirking truth), then the malignancy spreads. This is what Paul had to forcefully address in his first epistle to them. Yet, if we are severe in confronting the sin in the name of truth (while neglecting love), the result is the amputation of the member, bringing loss to both them and the church. Admittedly, if the cancer of sin is not dealt with through the removal of the malignancy of wickedness, then to save the body, the member has to be “amputated,” but the hope is that the chemotherapy of confrontation and the radiation of repentance will deal with the disease, without the amputation of excommunication!  Satan would kill or at least cripple the church body by diverting us to being permissive or punitive. He is so crafty, promoting either “love,” or “truth,” when God’s way calls for both in balance. 

Carl Sandburg described Abraham Lincoln this way: "Not often in the story of mankind does a man arrive on earth who is both steel and velvet, who is hard as a rock and soft as a drifting fog, who holds in his heart and mind the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect."  In dealing with erring members, we must have a hand of steel in a glove of velvet!

Serving and speaking with sincerity demands RELIANCE, (v.12-17). As we consider the challenges in church life in this pagan environment  and our own human frailties, we ask with Paul, “Who is sufficient for these things?”  How can I be tough and tender?  The answer is, “I can’t,” but Jesus can—and He is in me!  Paul will answer this question, “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬‬). It is in reliance on Jesus—His virtue and victory—that we can serve and speak with sincerity.

At Troas, Paul would see a vision of a man from Macedonia begging him to come share the Gospel. Paul would be obedient and take the message of Christ to Europe for the first time, (v.12-13). That is how the Gospel came to Corinth on the Grecian peninsula and the church was established. It was in reliance on God’s guidance and grace that the Apostle accomplished this work.

Relying on Christ, we are “more than conquerors,” (cf. Rom.8:37). Paul illustrates the principle here, of being conquered by Christ in order to be conquerors with Christ, (v.14-17). The Apostle uses the imagery of a Roman general returning in triumph from battle. The cavalcade winds through the city of Rome, preceding through the cheering throngs, with the priests swinging burning braziers of incense. To the captives who had surrendered to the conqueror, it was the smell of life, but to those who had resisted it was the stench of death. The former group would become servants while the latter would be slain. The Gospel we share has the same effect. Those who receive it find eternal life, while those who reject it enter everlasting death. The Gospel witness has a fragrant aroma of heaven, as well as the smell of hell’s smoke and sulphur. 

None of us are sufficient for the magnitude of such a ministry. For this, we need the power of God and Christ’s Gospel. Only then can we avoid being religious racketeers who peddle God’s Word—offering scraps of truth concealing toxin—for personal profit. Let us take our calling with utmost sincerity. God has called us and holds us accountable as to whether we are speaking an undiluted message with unselfish motive.

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

 

Life here and hereafter is about choices. 

I think of the scene in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” where the Knight who guarded the Holy Grail—the cup Christ drank from in the Last Supper—beckoned, “choose wisely,” for the wrong cup would bring death and the other life. The American businessman working with the Nazis drank from the golden, gem encrusted, glittering cup. When he was doomed to death, the Knight said, “He choose—poorly.”  Indiana Jones chose the simple cup of a Carpenter. “You have chosen wisely,” was the Knight’s affirmation. 

The wise choice for us is God’s way.  On the surface, it may not have all the sparkle of the world’s splendor, but it will prove of enduring radiance in glory!

THE SUMMONS OF WISDOM, (8:1-11). It is a blessing to us in our senseless ways that God takes the initiative in calling us with a summoning word. Left to ourselves, we would follow the path of folly—as sheep to the slaughter—but, God is gracious and reaches out to us. In our natural state, we would give ourselves to the pursuit of trash, packaged as treasure. Wisdom beckons us to true wealth.

THE SUCCESS BY WISDOM, (8:12-36). Only a fool would determine to fail in life. The problem is that in our depraved mind, we are proud and pursue a perverse pathway. If we would humble ourselves before God and seek His way, we will find the success He means for us. There awaits eternal wealth and everlasting worth—all we need here and abundance hereafter!  Wisdom’s attributes are akin to Deity’s, for they are of Divine origin.

THE SHELTER IN WISDOM, (9:1-18). Wisdom builds a house that is secured and supplied, (v.1-6). 

It shelters us from the scoffer, (v.7-12). The scoffer is resistant to reproof. His questions are not from genuine desire for wisdom, but to generate questions in the witness and undermine faith. If you are well-acquainted with Biblical bread, you will have no appetite for forbidden fruit. You will sniff it out before you bite into it.  If you chew on it, you might spit it out, but you are more likely to swallow some of it. I do not have to taste dung to know it is not chocolate pudding!

It shelters us from the seductress, (v.13-18). Folly is personified as a prostitute. She offers you a night to “live it up,” but her bed is that of the dead!  I think of these words in the Eagles’ pop song, “Hotel California:”

    Mirrors on the ceiling
    The pink champagne on ice
    And she said, “We are all just prisoners here
    Of our own device"
    And in the master's chambers
     They gathered for the feast
     They stab it with their steely knives
     But they just can't kill the beast
 

    Last thing I remember, I was
    Running for the door
    I had to find the passage back
    To the place I was before
    "Relax, " said the night man
    "We are programmed to receive
    You can check out any time you like
    But you can never leave"

As a teacher of mine was fond of saying, “A word to the wise is sufficient.”  Let us listen to wisdom for it is a matter of life and death!

THE WAR WITHIN

Paul spoke in Romans 7 of the battlefield inside the believer—wanting to do right and doing wrong.  There is no text more illustrative than in the confession and condemnation of Peter in Matthew 16. Within a few verses, Peter goes from speaking on behalf of heaven to speaking on behalf of hell. He went rapidly from hero to zero—from the pinnacle of commendation to the pit of condemnation.  In the former case, Simon was Spirit inspired and in the latter, satanically inspired. He went from being a solid stone to a stumbling block. 

It does not take long. Each day and then throughout the day, we have to humbly cry out for grace. With deep contrition, we must confess that we are capable in our worst moments of descending into depths that are a bottomless abyss. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer.17:9). Even at our best moments, we ought acknowledge what Jesus taught, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ” (Lk.17:10). 

The best of men are capable of doing the worst of things. We find Noah in the ark, securing deliverance for the world’s inhabitants and then in his tent, drunk and naked to his shame. There is Moses through his faith leading Israel out of Egypt, but then due to his failure incapable of leading them into Canaan. David can bring down a giant with a slingshot, but is brought down by his lust for a woman.

Need I go on?  In desperation, we must cry out with the Apostle, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom.7:24). But, then he looks up and says,  “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom.7:25). The desperation of Romans 7 is followed by the deliverance of Romans 8. That chapter begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation. In between there is much about the groans we experience here, but the glory that awaits hereafter. In the meantime, God is shaping us as human clay through the pressure of problems and firing us in the kiln of adversity in His pottery shop.  There is this:

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Rom.8:28-30).

I love the lyrics of this song, written by Ada R. Habershon and performed by Keith and Kristyn Getty and Selah, entitled, “He Will Hold Me Fast.”

When I fear my faith will fail

Christ will hold me fast

When the tempter would prevail

He will hold me fast

I could never keep my hold

Through life's fearful path

For my love is often cold

He must hold me fast

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Saviour loves me so

He will hold me fast

Those He saves are His delight

Christ will hold me fast

Precious in His holy sight

He will hold me fast

He'll not let my soul be lost

His promises shall last

Bought by Him at such a cost

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Saviour loves me so

He will hold me fast

For my life He bled and died

Christ will hold me fast

Justice has been satisfied

He will hold me fast

Raised with Him to endless life

He will hold me fast

'Til our faith is turned to sight

When He comes at last!

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Saviour loves me so

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Saviour loves me so

He will hold me fast

https://youtu.be/3OOphIgGkjM

THE ANOINTING

 The only perfect Preacher—the Lord Jesus—preached with the anointing of the Spirit. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel…” Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1 in reference to Himself. We too may—and we must—as messengers of God have this might from God!  Consider the quotation of Lloyd-Jones in the first case, the experience D.L.Moody described in the second, and in summary the prayer of Olford in the last one.  In the words of the old hymn, “All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down; Brethren, pray and holy manna will be showered all around.”

THE POWER OF UNBELIEF

As I read these sobering words I thought how many times God might have used me in a greater way had I only trusted Him more. Pastors may be struggling to lead their flock forward because either they or their congregation just do not trust God. Our preaching on faith will have little impact if our practice of faith is absent. Lord, increase our faith!