Every Nation – The Mission Fields on our Doorstep

Let the Whole Earth Hear His Voice

Our Lord Jesus Christ focused on ethnolinguistic people groups in the Great Commission. When the Lord commanded us to make disciples of every nation, He used the word ethne, from where our word ethnic comes. The Great Commission is not merely to take the Gospel to every one of the 222 countries in the world, but to each of the, at least, 16,000 ethnolinguistic people groups in the world. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'” Matthew 28:18-20

Confusion About What a Nation Is

Unfortunately, many are today confused about the concept of nations because there are a group of state representatives in New York calling themselves the United Nations. Of course, most of them have no legitimacy at all. They are mostly gangsters with flags. The United Nations is today the largest collection of unelected dictators, mass-murderers, drug-traffickers and human-traffickers on the planet. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption…” 2 Peter 2:19

A Biblical Nation is an Ethno Linguistic People Group with a Shared Faith

In the Scriptures we see that the Hebrews remained Hebrews, even after 480 years in Egypt. They never became Egyptians. We are not geographic accidents but demographic descendants. We are not called to make converts, or “decisions”, but disciples. We are to make disciples, not only of individuals, we must start there and of families which is vital, we are not only to disciple congregations and communities. The Great Commission commands us to make disciples of nations – all nations! The Scripture emphasise that all the families of the nations of the earth are to sing His praises in every language and tongue. “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your Blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’…” Revelation 5:9

Demographic Realities that Challenge Missionaries

As examples of how demographics have changed and present challenges to missionaries: There are 250,000 Arabs and 40,000 Iraqis living in Detroit. There are more than a million Japanese living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city of 8 million, 10% of the churches are Korean speaking. In Marseille, France, a city of two million inhabitants, 31% are from Africa, mostly of Arab origin. In Minneapolis/St. Paul, there are 136 languages and more than 70 ethnic groups represented. More than half a million people in the twin cities are immigrants. There are now more Buddhists, (56,000), living in the twin cities, than Assemblies of God adherents in the whole state of Minnesota. There are twice as many Muslims (111,000) living in the twin cities than Assemblies of God adherents in the whole state of Minnesota. There are more Bulgarians living in Chicago, than in the capital city of Bulgaria, Sophia. In Cape Town, South Africa, we have large communities of Muslims from Restricted Access Areas such as Somalia, Eritrea, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few.” Matthew 9:37

The Mission Fields Next Door

World Missions are no longer only across oceans, deserts and mountains. Many nations have moved into our own neighbourhoods. Some Mission frontiers are no longer that geographically distant, but culturally different and literally in our own neighbourhoods. “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already ripe for harvest!” John 4:35

The Power of the Printed Page

To reach these many nations, we need the Word of God in every language. “The Lord gave the Word; great was the company of those who proclaimed it.” Psalm 68:11

Faith Comes From the Word of God

“So then Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17. Do you have Gospel booklets and Scriptures to distribute to those you encounter on a daily basis?

The Power of God

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to Salvation for everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16. Are you regularly giving Gospel booklets to your friends, co-workers, neighbours and strangers? The Lord commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all Creation. This is a command, not only to go into all the geographical world, but into every level of society. We must go into the world of business and education, the judiciary, government, entertainment, economics, medicine, sports and the arts. And we are to proclaim the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness of sins. We must deal with the primary issue of sin. People are not innocent victims needing deliverance, but guilty sinners needing forgiveness and mercy from Almighty God. “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” As with Christ’s Incarnation we need to become one with and identify with the people we are sent to. We need to live and speak the Gospel in their language and in their culture.

Living and Powerful

“For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. Stock up on Spiritual ammunition. We are involved in a world war of worldviews. This is a battle for hearts, minds and souls. What we do now will have consequences for eternity.

Invincible

“So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Do You Want to Change your World?

If so, then plan now to join us for the inspiring and life-changing Great Commission Course (GCC), 25 June – 14 July 2021. For over two decades, participants of the GCC have come from as far afield as Australia and America, Britain and Botswana, Canada and Congo, Ghana and Germany, Namibia and New Zealand, Malawi and Mozambique, Sudan and South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The GCC is a uniquely practical Missionary Training programme for all who desire to be more innovative and effective in cross-cultural evangelism and discipleship. The GCC is an intensive, boots on the ground, body, mind and spirit training programme with daily outreaches and practicals with hands-on ministry, designed to stretch your mind and muscles, to widen your vision and to deepen your faith. Make Christ’s Great Commission your supreme ambition. Give up your small ambitions and follow Jesus!

Dr. Peter Hammond

Frontline Fellowship

P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725

Cape Town South Africa

Tel: 021-689-4480

mission@frontline.org.za

www.FrontlineMissionSA.org

www.ReformationSA.org

Daily Devotional 6-4-21

Fellowship with Jesus

How sweet it is to see Jesus fellowshipping with His own beloved people! There can be nothing more delightful than when the Holy Spirit leads us into this fertile field of delight. Let the mind for a moment consider the history of the Redeemer’s love, and a thousand evidences of His kindness will come to mind. The purpose of them all has been to draw us to Christ and to weave the mind of Christ into the thoughts and emotions of the renewed soul.

When we meditate upon this amazing love and see the Head of the church endowing her with all His wealth and power, our souls may well faint for joy. Who is able to endure such a weight of love? Even a partial sense of it, which the Holy Spirit sometimes grants us, is more than the soul can contain; how transforming a complete view of it must be! When the soul shall learn to discern all the Savior’s gifts and is granted the wisdom to fathom them and the time to meditate upon them, such as heaven will afford us, we will then commune with Jesus in a more intimate manner than at present.

But who can imagine the sweetness of such fellowship? It must be one of the things that have not entered into the heart of man, but that God has prepared for them that love Him. If we could burst open the door of our Joseph’s granaries and see the plenty that He has stored up for us, we would be overwhelmed with His love. By faith we see, as in a mirror dimly, the reflected image of His unbounded treasures, but when we actually see the heavenly things themselves, with our own eyes, how deep will be the stream of fellowship in which our soul shall bathe! Until then our loudest songs shall be reserved for our loving benefactor, Jesus Christ our Lord, whose love to us is wonderful, surpassing the love of a man for a woman.

From: https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/daily-devotionals/latest/?gclid=CjwKCAjwnK36BRBVEiwAsMT8WCR8UteIwaWlAyP4o9ZIuAWio8l7qmAM1nDcB3pFiYr-jOUNkgMsShoC68IQAvD_BwE

Daily Devotional 6-3-21

Paul’s Way of Reading Holy Scripture

The authority of Scripture is the very foundation upon which the argumentation of Romans begins. Immediately after Paul introduces himself to the church in Rome as the apostle to the Gentiles (1:1), he talks about the gospel he proclaims, which “[God] promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures” (v. 2). Next, he quotes an ancient creed, which probably dates back to the Jewish Christian circles in Jerusalem and consists of several Old Testament doctrines (vv. 3–4). As has been mentioned, the theme of Romans also includes the assertion that the proclamation of justification by faith is in line with the Old Testament “as it is written” (vv. 16–17). The argumentation from Scripture continues in every chapter hereafter.

Consequently, primary support for the theme of Romans is provided by Hab. 2:4. The verse may be translated in two ways, depending on whether the expression “by faith” is combined with the subject “the righteous” or with the verb “shall live”: either “the righteous by faith shall live” or “the righteous shall live by faith.” (1)

In the end, the difference between the two sentences is insignificant, yet the first option corresponds more closely to the assertion that the quote should argue for—namely, that God’s righteousness is revealed in the gospel “from faith for faith” (v. 17a). Additionally, at least 3:21–22 and 5:1 refer back to the theme of the epistle, with a clear correlation between “faith” and “righteousness”: “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe” (3:22) and “therefore, since we have been justified by faith” (5:1). (2)

It seems that chapters 1–4 provide a detailed explanation of what justification by faith is (the first part of v. 17b: “the righteous [ . . . ] by faith”), while chapters 5–8 clarify what the eschatological life is like (the second part of v. 17b: “shall live”). Certain lexical data support such a thematic division:

In 1:18–4:25, the terms πίστις and πιστεύειν are used twenty-nine and eight times, respectively, but in 5:1–8:39, only a few times each.

In 1:18–4:25, the terms ζωή or ζῆν are used only a few times, but in 5:1–8:39 these terms are used over twenty times altogether.

As stated earlier, theoretically both translations lead to the same theological goal. (3)

The use of Hab. 2:4 as the foundation for defining the theme of Romans works well with the subsequent line of thought. The passage contains two key concepts that reoccur in chapter 4. There Paul similarly quotes an Old Testament passage with the same intent. He refers to Gen. 15:6, which, like Hab. 2:4, speaks of both “faith” and “righteous(ness).” So the argumentation from Scripture in 1:17 leads to the much more thorough exposition of Scripture in 4:1ff. In other words, the definition of the theme and the treatment of the theme correspond exactly. (4)

Obviously, it was first the prophet Habakkuk (and not Paul or someone else) who assumed that the Jews would follow in their fathers’ footsteps. Considering the oppression and violence of the Babylonians, Hab. 2:4 appears to treat a similar issue as Gen. 15. In both cases, the people involved face an impossible situation. In addition, it is about their trust in God, who, despite challenging circumstances and many severe obstacles, will intervene in the near future. Interestingly, similar language is used in both cases: “faith,” “faithfulness,” and “righteous(ness).” In Hebraic context, there is no clear difference—much less a contradiction—between “faith” and “faithfulness.” The righteous will save himself from the national catastrophe only through his faith and faithfulness (Hab. 2:4). Likewise, Abraham is declared righteous by his faith (Gen. 15:6) and is then willing, in his faithfulness, to sacrifice his own son Isaac (Gen. 22). In the New Testament, James in particular emphasizes that connection (2:21–24). At its most fundamental level, even Paul’s reasoning goes in the same direction. He proclaims justification by faith with the help of Abraham’s story (Rom. 4) and admonishes his listeners to present their own bodies as “living sacrifice[s], holy and acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1). (5)

Thus Hab. 2:4 is an excellent summary of the arrangement, structure, and scope of Romans. To be sure, Rom. 1:17 does not misinterpret the purpose and content of the Old Testament quotation. With Israel’s ancestor as an example, Habakkuk emphasizes not only faithfulness (obedience toward the law) but also faith. For his part, Paul emphasizes Abraham’s faith in Rom. 4 without turning a blind eye to faithfulness. Further evidence for the close connection between Hab. 2:4 and Rom. 1:17 is found in the contexts of both passages thoroughly discussing God’s wrath revealed against the ungodliness of mankind (see especially Hab. 3; Rom. 1:18ff.).

Consequently, the authority of Scripture concerns an essential part of the theology of Romans. The gospel flows from the Old Testament. It is intended for “the Jew first and also [ . . . ] the Greek” (1:16). Next, we proceed further. A more detailed examination of the meaning and use of the arguments from Scripture follows. As with the previous presentation (see chapter 3), the three main divisions of Romans will again be taken into consideration without addressing every Old Testament quote or allusion. That kind of investigation would greatly increase the task at hand. At the outset, with an overall emphasis on chapters 1–8, several general principles will be outlined. Then the focus will turn to chapters 9–11, which contain rich material. Finally, a couple of concrete examples with practical consequences will be studied, especially in light of chapters 12–15. The results will be evaluated in the conclusion.

From: https://www.1517.org/articles/pauls-way-of-reading-holy-scripture

Daily Devotional 6-2-21

Is It Just All Relative…?

As we start a new season we will be addressing contemporary questions in the light of the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth.

In recent decades the uncertainty of postmodernism has echoed throughout the West – in academia, the media, the school classroom and in the political arena. Because we are here by chance, we’re told, there is no God and no external objective truth. Your truth is just as valid as my truth. Increasingly political correctness, framed by our feelings, informs our decisions and relationships. For it’s all relative, of course.

Indeed, we’re told that anyone who expresses belief in a sovereign God, is too immature, too insecure, to enjoy the freedoms of the brave new order. It’s all relative, of course.

When we think about it, the talk of relativism, freedom, and maturity, reflects Adam and Eve’s attempts to throw off what they came to view as God’s constraints. And certainly, it’s much easier to go through life thinking we are part of a giant cosmic accident.

That said, let me explore three themes we find in the closing section of Mark, chapter 3. Mark focuses on two groups of people: Jesus’ family who thought that he was out of his mind; and some Jewish leaders from Jerusalem who said that Jesus exorcised demons because he himself was from Satan (3:20-22).

Unanswerable questions. Mark tells us that Jesus called the Jewish leaders over and raised some pointed questions: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand”. ‘What you’re saying is illogical,’ Jesus is saying. ‘If I am from Satan or from Beelzebub, and I am releasing people from his power, that’s mutiny.’ It would be like a political party imploding because of internal divisions. Jesus’ questions were unanswerable.

And Jesus presses his critics with a second theme: Undeniable power. In verse 27 we read: But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

Many in Jesus’ day suffered from demon possession. Perhaps they had played with the occult and subsequently were possessed by a force far beyond their own power to overthrow. But Jesus’ coming revealed a superior power. It was like the beginning of spring in Narnia when the snow, brought about by the white witch, began to thaw. People could see for themselves that Jesus wielded a far greater power than the forces of evil. And the Jewish leaders could see it too.

In Mark chapter 3 we discern the reality of a cosmic power struggle. In comparing himself to the stronger man who has come to plunder the strong man’s house, Jesus is likening the force of evil to a medieval baron, locking men and women away from their true heritage. But with Jesus, someone stronger has come to plunder the strong man’s house. The powerbase of the evil one is under attack and the fortifications are crumbling. The exorcisms that Jesus carried out reveal his superior power.

Now it’s important to note that Christianity is not dualism with a conflict between equals, the power of good and the power of evil. The question is, ‘How then should we respond to this man who wields such divine authority?’ Will we simply echo the mantra: ‘It’s all relative of course’?

Unforgiveable sin is a third theme. “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter;” Jesus said. “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin” (3:28-29).

Jesus’ words about the unforgiveable sin are amongst some of most misunderstood in the Bible. We need to remember that verse 28 precedes verse 29. In verse 28 we learn that Jesus holds out forgiveness for all our sins. This is amongst the most glorious and freeing promises in the whole of Scripture.

There are times when we all feel the weight of a serious thing we have done, and we wonder, ‘Can God really find it within himself to forgive me for this?’ There may be someone reading this who feels such a burden. Be assured, when we truly turn to Jesus in repentance and faith, our sins are wiped clean from God’s memory.

That said, a chilling warning follows: “But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin”.

Mark 1:10 tells us that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism equipping him for his unique ministry. And throughout his ministry we see the continued work of the Spirit – not just in Jesus’ miracles but also in his teaching and preaching. Indeed, throughout the Bible we see the Spirit of God and the Word of God working together. To reject the ministry of God’s Word is to reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Now, Jesus is not condemning our questions and doubts. Professor Charles Cranfield wrote in his definitive commentary on Mark’s Gospel: ‘It is a matter of great importance pastorally that we can say with absolute confidence to anyone who is overwhelmed by the fear that he/she has committed this sin, that the fact that he/she is so troubled is itself a sure proof that he/she has not committed it’ (CEB Cranfield, Mark, p.142).

How sad it is when people reject the Holy Spirit’s work as the gospel is brought to them. It can happen when they observe the glory of the universe around us, and yet insist that it has all come together by chance; or when they follow politically correct stereotypes, refusing to accept the Bible as God’s special revelation.

We are not adrift in a sea of moral uncertainty. Right and wrong mean something. Good and bad, true and false, mean something, because Jesus is there to give these words meaning. “I am the truth,” he says in another place.

At the end of it all, the absolute nature of these fundamental values and truths will assert themselves over every single human life. We shall be placed against God’s plumbline, and that plumbline will be Jesus himself. Then we will discover how ridiculous is the cliche, ‘It’s all relative of course’.

© John G. Mason

A prayer. O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: do not leave us desolate, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to where our Savior Christ has gone before, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for evermore. Amen.

From: https://anglicanconnection.com/is-it-just-all-relative/

Daily Devotional 6-1-21

Stunting Worship

The visual impact of the furnishings and the buildings of both the Old Testament tabernacle and temple was awesome. The eyes were dazzled with a sense of the splendor of God.

Sound was vital to Old Testament worship. The choral compositions of the Psalms were moving to the Spirit. They were accompanied by the full harmony and rhythm supplied by the harp, the lyre, the flute, and trumpets. The piano and the organ are marvelous instruments, but they cannot produce the sounds that the other instruments provide. Hymns and choral anthems are greatly enhanced when they are supported with greater orchestration.

Old Testament worship involved all five senses. The element of touch is missing in most Protestant worship. Charismatic groups emphasize the laying on of hands, which meets a strong human need for a holy touch. Early Christian worship involved the placing of the pastor’s hands on each person with the pronouncement of the benediction. When congregations got too large for such personal attention, the act gave way to the symbolic gesture of the benediction spoken by the pastor with outstretched arms. This was a simulation of the laying on of hands, but the actual touch was lost.

Old Testament worship included taste and smell. The fragrance of burning incense gave a peculiar sense of a special aroma associated with the sweetness of God. One of the first gifts laid at the foot of the manger of Jesus was that of frankincense. Most Protestants reject incense without giving any substantive reason for its rejection.

Taste was central to the Old Testament feasts as well as the New Testament celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The injunction to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8) is rooted in the worship experience. The people of God “tasted the heavenly gift” (Heb. 6:4).

Perhaps we have stunted worship by excluding elements that God once included and deemed important.

Coram Deo

Reflect on ways you might involve your physical senses in worshiping God in your private devotions.

Passages for Further Study

Psalm 150:3-5

From: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/stunting-worship/

Daily Devotional 5-31-21

God’s Memorial Day

We set aside Memorial Day each year to remember those who gave their lives in the armed forces. We remember those who died on far away battlefields to bring freedom and democracy to oppressed peoples. We commemorate their actions by honoring them in ceremonies across the land. We sometimes call it Decoration Day because we decorate the graves of fallen heroes with flags and flowers.

When Israel crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land for the first time, God commanded Joshua to pile up a heap of stones at the place. “So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” The stones memorialized God’s great grace.

Then too, as a great statue of David memorializes the work of Michelangelo, the universe commemorates the genius of the living God. “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1). We see His might, power, glory and strength in the brightness of the distant stars, the glow of the blazing comet, and in the shadow of a lunar eclipse.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Romans 1:20). The universe is God’s Memorial. Every day is therefore God’s Memorial Day.

Click here to listen to a message called, “Talk About God from Creation.”

From: http://dennyprutow.com/daily-devotions/

Daily Devotional 5-28-21

Your Troubles Will End Soon

Here is a precious truth for you, believer. You may be poor or suffering or unknown, but for your encouragement take a moment to review your calling and the consequences that flow from it, and especially the blessed result spoken of here. As surely as you are God’s child today, so surely will all your trials soon come to an end, and you shall be rich to an extent that is hard to imagine.

Wait awhile, and your weary head will wear the crown of glory, and the worker’s hand shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. Do not bemoan your troubles, but rather rejoice that before long you will be where no longer “shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore.”1 The chariots of fire are at your door, and it will take only a moment to transport you to the glorified. The everlasting song is almost on your lip. The portals of heaven stand open for you.

Do not think that you can fail to enter into your rest. If He has called you, nothing can divide you from His love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link; the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. You are secure; that voice which called you at first shall call you yet again from earth to heaven, from death’s dark gloom to immortality’s unuttered splendors. Rest assured, the heart of Him who has justified you beats with infinite love toward you. You will soon be with the glorified, where your portion is; you are only waiting here to be made ready for the inheritance, and with that done, the wings of angels shall carry you far away, to the mount of peace and joy and blessedness, where

Far from a world of grief and sin,

With God eternally shut in,

you shall rest forever and ever.

1) Revelation 21:4

From: https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/daily-devotionals/latest/?gclid=CjwKCAjwnK36BRBVEiwAsMT8WCR8UteIwaWlAyP4o9ZIuAWio8l7qmAM1nDcB3pFiYr-jOUNkgMsShoC68IQAvD_BwE

Daily Devotional 5-27-21

Faith in a Sea of Unbelief

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:23-27)

This narrative, gives us an example of faith and unbelief, in order that we may learn how mighty the power of faith is, and that it of necessity has to do with great and terrible things and that it accomplishes nothing but wonders; and that on the other hand unbelief is so fainthearted, shamefaced and trembling with fear that it can do nothing whatever. An illustration of this we see in this experience of the disciples, which shows the real state of their hearts. First, as they in company with Christ entered the ship, all was calm and they experienced nothing unusual, and had anyone asked them if they believed, they would have answered, Yes. But they were not conscious of how their hearts trusted in the calm sea and the signs for fair weather, and that thus their faith was founded upon what their natural eyes saw. But when the tempest comes and the waves fill the boat, their faith vanishes; because the calm and peace in which they trusted took wings and flew away, therefore they fly with the calm and peace, and nothing is left but unbelief.

But what is this unbelief able to do? It sees nothing but what it experiences. It does not experience life, salvation, and safety; but instead the waves coming into the boat and the sea threatening them with death and every danger. And because they experience these things and give heed to them and turn not their fear from them, trembling and despair cannot be suppressed. Yes, the more they see and experience it the harder death and despair torment them and every moment threatens to devour them. But unbelief cannot avoid such experiences and cannot think otherwise even for a second. For it has nothing besides to which it can hold and comfort itself, and therefore it has no peace or rest for a single minute.

Therefore, God bestows faith that it should deal not with ordinary things, but with things no human being can master such as death, sin, the world, and Satan. For the whole world united is unable to stand before death, but flees from and is terrified by it, and is also conquered by it; but faith stands firm, opposes death that devours everything, and triumphs over it and even swallows the insatiable devourer of life. In like manner, no one can control or subdue the flesh, but it reigns everywhere in the world, and what it wills must be done, so that the whole world thereby is carnal; but faith lays hold of the flesh and subdues and bridles it, so that it must become a servant. And in like manner no one can endure the rage, persecution, and blasphemy, infamy, hatred, and envy of the world; everyone retreats and falls back exhausted before it, it gets the upper hand over all and triumphs, and if they are without faith it mocks them besides and treads all under its feet and takes pleasure and delight in doing so.

The heart so severely experiences in this battle sin and death, the flesh, Satan and the world, that it has no other thought than that it is lost, that sin and death have triumphed, and that Satan holds the field of battle. The power of faith however experiences but little of that. This is set forth in our narrative, when the waves not only dashed into the boat, but even covered it, so that it was about to go under and sink, and Christ was lying asleep. Just then there was no hope of life, death had the upper hand and had triumphed; life was lying prostrate and was lost.

This story is a comforting example and doctrine, how we should conduct ourselves, so that we may not despair in the agony of sin, in the peril of death, and in the tumult of the world; but be assured that we are not lost, although the waves at once overwhelm our little boat; that we will not perish, although we experience in our evil conscience sin, wrath, and the lack of grace; that we will not die, although the whole world hates and persecutes us, although it opens its jaws as wide as the rosy dawn of the morning. These are all waves that fall over your little bark, cause to despair, and force you to cry out: “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”

From: https://www.1517.org/articles/faith-in-a-sea-of-unbelief

Teaching by Doing

Recently, my brother David Day invited me to join him for evangelism outside the Montgomery Biscuits’ Riverwalk Stadium. He encouraged me to take my two oldest girls, six and four years old, along to pass out some tracts for the first time. So I asked the girls if they’d like to come along, to which they both replied excitedly, “Yes!” Their excitement built up throughout the week until we got into the parking deck. My oldest said, “Daddy, I’m scared and nervous.” I replied, “So am I, baby.” So we decided to pray and sing Isaiah 41:10 (thank you Corner Room!) and our fears were calmed. This was just one of many, many teaching and learning opportunities that the Lord provided to my girls and me. We covered everything from what God expects of us in evangelism, His effectual calling of men to Himself, natural man’s downright refusal to submit to God, their rejection of the gospel, how God calms and uses us despite our fears and shortcomings, and much more. I’ve never been in a context with them where I had their attention for so long and they listened so intently.

I’m grateful for this first experience, and I won’t soon forget it. Lord willing, there will be many more like it! Take your kids’ witnessing. I promise everyone will be blessed! 

By Chris Brown

Daily Devotional 5-25-21

Experiencing God’s Discipline

I had a football coach who had hands the size of catcher’s mitts. When we got out of line, he would stand in front of us and place his hands on our shoulders. As he rebuked us, he would begin to squeeze our shoulders. When he did that to me, I could hardly keep standing.

During my days in seminary, I went through a difficult period. I went to one of my professors, Dr. John Gerstner, for counsel. When I told him what I was experiencing, he made the simple comment, “The Lord’s hand is heavy on you right now.” I immediately thought of my football coach. I had vivid memories of a heavy hand on me.

When God puts His heavy hand on me, it hurts far worse than any punishment wrought by my football coach. This is not to suggest that God is “heavy handed” in the pejorative sense. But His hand of discipline can be heavy indeed. It would be far worse, of course, if I screamed at Him, “Take Your hands off me!” … and He did. If God ever took His hands off us, we would perish in an instant.

Coram Deo

Thank God for keeping His hand on you.

Passages for Further Study

Psalm 32:4

Psalm 94:12

Psalm 119:67

From: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/experiencing-gods-discipline/