"Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way." (John 4:50)
If you desire to, "go your way," with any peace, comfort, and confidence today, we can do so only when, "....the man believed the word that Jesus spoke...."
Many of you have been spared the unbelief, the doubt, the questioning of higher education. Now I am thankful for the enlarging of my world view of which the university and grad school were a part. I can tell you, however, that there was an underlying spirit whose attempt was to cast doubt on, "the Word," e.g., the origin, the authenticity, the "accuracy." The questions concerning when, "the Word," was written, by whom, the editing and reliability of the ancient texts, etc., did more to give modern Christendom not only the pastors in many local congregations, but also the bishops, the superintendents, etc. But we cannot lay the blame solely on leadership. Man has a very real proclivity to believe what he wants to believe, "Has God said...?" was the question to our first "parents." They did not have any evidence to the contrary; they just chose to disbelieve, which is really disobey, "the word that Jesus spoke to [them]...."
Nothing has changed. Even though the Dead Sea Scrolls have substantiated rather than cast more doubt on the "reliability" of the Bible, people still, and not only in academia, but also at the water cooler, give their uneducated opinions about the Bible. Notice that of all the, "Blessed," in Matthew 5, it is of those who are, "the pure in heart," that Jesus says, "will see God." The man in our text believed, "the Word Jesus spoke to him," and "[saw] God." I don't know how we "get" that. The fearful thing to me is that one either has it, or one does not. There is something very real in believing, accepting, obeying, "the Word that Jesus spoke.., and a, "pure heart...." David asked, "Create in me a clean heart, O God...." Such a prayer is not only for forgiveness, but also for "seeing." If I read correctly, "seeing" is not from the mind, but the heart.
Others see and hear much of what we do, but they do not, "....see God." When anyone reads or hears, "the Word of God," proclaimed, only, "the pure in heart...see God." When we go to our places of business, our schools, when one feels swamped in a political season, or any endeavor in life, nothing changes. Only, "the pure in heart...see God," at work, fulfilling his Word.
If you desire to, "go your way," with any peace, comfort, and confidence today, we can do so only when, "....the man believed the word that Jesus spoke...."
Many of you have been spared the unbelief, the doubt, the questioning of higher education. Now I am thankful for the enlarging of my world view of which the university and grad school were a part. I can tell you, however, that there was an underlying spirit whose attempt was to cast doubt on, "the Word," e.g., the origin, the authenticity, the "accuracy." The questions concerning when, "the Word," was written, by whom, the editing and reliability of the ancient texts, etc., did more to give modern Christendom not only the pastors in many local congregations, but also the bishops, the superintendents, etc. But we cannot lay the blame solely on leadership. Man has a very real proclivity to believe what he wants to believe, "Has God said...?" was the question to our first "parents." They did not have any evidence to the contrary; they just chose to disbelieve, which is really disobey, "the word that Jesus spoke to [them]...."
Nothing has changed. Even though the Dead Sea Scrolls have substantiated rather than cast more doubt on the "reliability" of the Bible, people still, and not only in academia, but also at the water cooler, give their uneducated opinions about the Bible. Notice that of all the, "Blessed," in Matthew 5, it is of those who are, "the pure in heart," that Jesus says, "will see God." The man in our text believed, "the Word Jesus spoke to him," and "[saw] God." I don't know how we "get" that. The fearful thing to me is that one either has it, or one does not. There is something very real in believing, accepting, obeying, "the Word that Jesus spoke.., and a, "pure heart...." David asked, "Create in me a clean heart, O God...." Such a prayer is not only for forgiveness, but also for "seeing." If I read correctly, "seeing" is not from the mind, but the heart.
Others see and hear much of what we do, but they do not, "....see God." When anyone reads or hears, "the Word of God," proclaimed, only, "the pure in heart...see God." When we go to our places of business, our schools, when one feels swamped in a political season, or any endeavor in life, nothing changes. Only, "the pure in heart...see God," at work, fulfilling his Word.
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* The article on our Blog today reveals the deteriorating situation in Germany. We have received contributions which have enabled us to purchase our airline tickets, and all we need now is to secure our housing. We are still a "go." Please pray with us in the coming months for provision and wisdom concerning this Fall's Mission in Berlin. Read the article at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* The article on our Blog today reveals the deteriorating situation in Germany. We have received contributions which have enabled us to purchase our airline tickets, and all we need now is to secure our housing. We are still a "go." Please pray with us in the coming months for provision and wisdom concerning this Fall's Mission in Berlin. Read the article at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
