WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?---COTTON MATHER

(By American Puritan, Cotton Mather-1663-1728; grandson of John Cotton, and the son of Increase Mather).

“It is impossible to ask a more weighty Question! It is deplorable that we hear it asked with no more Frequency, with nor more Agony. The Spirit of Slumber which the Poison of the old Serpent has brought upon the children of Men is to be deplored exceedingly. Awaken us out of this [terrible] stupidity, O God of all Grace, lest we perish [eternally]. My Design is to bring in a Good and full Answer to this Weighty Question, Oh! how Thankful ought we to be, for the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, that makes us able to Answer it! The Gospel which we have in our hands, this a Gospel of such astonishing Mystery, of such Heavenly Majesty, and of such Consummate Purity, that it can be no other than the Word of God; It must be of a Divine Original. Oh! highly Favoured People, who know this Joyful Sound! Oh! Unavoidably and Inexcusably Wretched, if we disregard it.”

GRACE ABOUNDS- J.C. PHILPOT

(Mr Philpot has so many choice things to share, so I thought I'd share another with you. I hope you don't mind)

"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Romans 5:20

In order to know what grace is in its reign over sin, and in its superaboundings over the aboundings of iniquity, we must be led experimentally into the depths of the fall. We must be led by God himself into the secrets of our own heart; we must be brought down into distress of mind on account of our sin and the idolatry of our fallen nature. And when, do what we will, sin will still work, reign, and abound, and we are brought to soul poverty, helplessness, destitution, and misery, and cast ourselves down at the footstool of his mercy—then we begin to see and feel the reign of grace, in quickening our souls, in delivering us from the wrath to come, and in preserving us from the dominion of evil. We begin to see then that grace superabounds over all the aboundings of sin in our evil hearts, and as it flows through the channel of the Saviour's sufferings, that it will never leave its favoured objects till it brings them into the enjoyment of eternal life! And if this does not melt and move the soul, and make a man praise and bless God, nothing will, nothing can! But until we have entered into the depths of our own iniquities, until we are led into the chambers of imagery, and brought to sigh, groan, grieve, and cry under the burden of guilt on the conscience and the workings of secret sin in the heart—it cannot be really known. And to learn it thus, is a very different thing from learning it from books, or ministers. To learn it in the depths of a troubled heart, by God's own teaching, is a very different thing from learning it from the words of a minister or even from the word of God itself. We can never know these things savingly and effectually, till God himself is pleased to apply them with his own blessed power, and communicate an unctuous savour of them to our hearts, that we may know the truth, and find to our soul's consolation, that the truth makes us free!

(In Ears From Harvested Sheaves for December 8)

UNTO THEE I LIFT UP MINE EYES- J.C. PHILPOT

"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens." Psalm 123:1

O how simple, suitable, complete, and blessed a remedy is this for all our distresses, when the Lord is pleased to open our eyes, and fix them on himself. He must do it all. If the eyes are to be upon him, he must first give us eyes; if lifted upon him, he must raise them upwards; if kept upon him, he must hold them waking. It is good to be in this spot. There are times and seasons, perhaps, when we seem to have no religion whatever; when we look, and look, and look, and cannot find a grain. Where is our spirituality? where our heavenly affections? where our prayerfulness of spirit? where our tenderness of conscience? where our godly fear? where our meditations upon God's word? We look, and look, and look—they seem gone. Now, perhaps, in the midst of this uncertainty we are brought into some painful exercise, some affliction, some temptation, some apprehension, something that lies with weight and power upon the soul. Now is the time we want our religion. But it is gone, it is gone, leaving us empty, needy, naked, and bare; religion, as regards its blessedness and comfort, we seem to have none. This is emptying work; this is stripping the soul as it were to the very bone. But what a preparation to receive the religion which is from above! How the vessel must be emptied of the dirty water of creature religion, well rinsed, and washed out, to have the pure water of heavenly religion communicated from the divine fountain. God never mingles the pure stream of heavenly religion with the dirty, filthy water of our own creature religion. We must be emptied of every drop, so to speak, of our natural religion, to have the holy and spiritual religion, which is from above, poured into the soul. But to look, and look, and look, and find nothing but emptiness, nakedness, barrenness, and destitution—to have a "great company" of enemies all coming against us, and we as weak as water—what an emptying for divine filling, what a stripping for divine clothing, and what a bringing down of self for the raising up of Christ. True religion consists mainly in two points—to be emptied, stripped, made naked and bare; and then to be clothed and filled out of Christ's fulness.

(In Ears From Harvested Sheaves for November 13)

WE HAVE NO REAGAN- by W.F.BELL

Our fortieth President from 1981-1989 was Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004). Though his latter years were spent in sadness and physical decline, still his memory is cherished by conservative Christians who are students of American history. We only wish we had a Reagan among us now to confront the absolute political and social madness of our times. Reagan was originally a Democrat, but switched parties in the 1960s, and it amazes us that anyone (with any degree of spiritual concern and political conservatism about them) could remain a Democrat in our day. For those of a new generation who either did not know or have no appreciation for Ronald Reagan, here are some quotes from him for the historical record, and may these words be burned into our sad, fearful hearts:

"We must have the clarity of vision to see the difference between what is essential and what is merely desirable; and then the courage to use this insight to bring our government back under control and make it acceptable to the people."

"Work and family are at the center of our lives; the foundation of our dignity as a free people. When we deprive people of what they have earned, or take away their jobs, we destroy their dignity and undermine their families."

"We have been told that there are no simple answers to complex problems. Well, the truth is that there are simple answers, just not the easy ones."

"Government doesn't cure inflation, government causes inflation."

"If we can get the federal government out of our nation's schools, maybe we can get God back in."

"I don't care if we are liked around the world, I just want us to be respected."

Such was the strong language of our beloved former President Reagan. No man has ever graced the Presidency with more dignity and statesmanship, writing a book against abortion (contrast this with our current President-elect). But, alas, ours is a different day, and it certainly seems our God has hidden His face from us, and in such a trying time we can only think of these words of Jehovah to Israel: "For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you" (Isaiah 54:7-8). No, we have no Reagan, but may this mercy in Christ Jesus be our portion, or for sure we are doomed.

TAKE ME AS I AM WITH ALL MY SIN AND SHAME

By J.C. PHILPOT

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved." Jer. 17:14

Here is this sin! Save me from it!

Here is this snare! Break it to pieces!

Here is this lust! Lord, subdue it!

Here is this temptation! Deliver me out of it!

Here is my proud heart! Lord, humble it!

Here is my unbelieving heart! Take it away,
and give me faith; give me submission to
Your mind and will.

Take me as I am with all my sin and
shame and work in me everything well
pleasing in Your sight.

EXTOLLING GOD WITH OUR MOUTH---C.H. SPURGEON

(MORE GOOD WORDS FROM MR. SPURGEON)

Happy is he whose fingers are wedded to his harp. He who praises God for mercies shall never want a mercy for which to praise....Our thankfulness is not to be a dumb thing; it should be one of the daughters of music. Our tongue is our glory, and it ought to reveal the glory of God. What a blessed mouthful is God’s praise! How sweet, how purifying, how perfuming! If men’s mouths were always thus filled, there would be no repining against God, or slander of neighbours. If we continually rolled this dainty morsel under our tongue, the bitterness of daily affliction would be swallowed up in joy. God deserves blessing with the heart, and extolling with the mouth—good thoughts in the closet, and good words in the world.
—C. H. Spurgeon, Psalm 34:1, The Treasury of David

IF AND A TRIPLE PROMISE---CHARLES SPURGEON

"If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Called by the name of the LORD, we are nevertheless erring men and women. What a mercy it is that our God is ready to forgive! Whenever we sin let us hasten to the mercy seat of our God, seeking pardon. We are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that after receiving so much love we yet transgress? O LORD, we bow before Thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of sin! Oh, the sevenfold infamy of it in persons so favored as we have been! Next, we are to pray for mercy, for cleansing, for deliverance from the power of sin. O LORD, hear us even now, and shut not out our cry. In this prayer we are to seek the LORD's face. He has left us because of our faults, and we must entreat Him to return. O LORD, look on us in Thy Son Jesus, and smile upon Thy servants. With this must go our own turning from evil; God cannot turn to us unless we turn from sin. hen comes the triple promise of hearing, pardon, and healing. Our Father, grant us these at once, for our LORD Jesus Christ's sake. (From Faith's Checkbook for October 13th).

CALVARY WAS A VICTORY----CHARLES WOODRUFF

This world sees Christ as a fool, the Bible as a lie, God as a myth. None of this surprises us. Most in Hollywood see Christ as either unimportant or as a fool. The politicians see Him as a fool, because practically all of them are “Christians” when it comes time to run for office, no matter what positions inconsistent with the Christian faith they may take, or how grossly sinful their lives have been. Yet, our generation was not the first to see Calvary as a defeat. “Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). Satan didn’t know (not being omniscient as God is), or he would have opposed the crucifixion. The prophecies were there telling of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, but I doubt that Satan understood them. Calvary was a defeat for Satan, and the resurrection sealed it forever!

It was not a defeat for Christ. He conquered death, hell and the grave! In Him we conquer all that too. Yes “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”(Romans 8:37). And He loved us before the foundation of the world! On that hill outside Jerusalem called Golgotha (place of the skull), death came to Christ but could not hold Him. But, the death blow was given to Christ’s enemies, and God will manifest that as it pleases Him.

For us it is our victory over death (I Corinthians 15:1-7).
For us it is our victory over the world (Galatians 6 :14).
For us it is our victory over self (Galatians 2:20).
For us it our victory over the flesh (Galatians 5:24).
For us it is our victory over the devil (Colossians 2:15;
compare with Ephesians 6:12).

AMAZING GRACE HOW SWEET THE SOUND

John Newton's great hymn as found in his hymnal produced at Olney Church in England, where he was pastor, pointed to the following verses as his scripture inspiration for the hymn. "And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God" (1Chronicles 17:16,17). Truly God has done the same for each of us that He has designed to save, bringing us, unworthy sinners, to a place of exaltation, and has made us kings and priests before Him --truly Amazing Grace!

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But GOD, who called me here below,
Will be for ever mine.

(In later hymnbooks the following verse written by an unknown person was added. Most modern hymnals only have four verses, including this one as the last verse).

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

(Some say these additional verses were part of Newton’s original “Amazing Grace”, but the Olney hymnal has them as “In Evil Long I took Delight”. Certainly not as well known as “Amazing Grace”, in fact it is almost obscure today. Same cadence and meter as AG).

In evil long I took delight
Unawed by shame or fear;
'Til a new object met my sight,
And stopped my wild career.

I saw One hanging on a tree,
In agonies and blood;
Who fixed His languid eyes on me
As near His cross I stood.

Sure, never 'til my latest breath,
Can I forget that look
It seemed to charge me with His death
Though not a word He spoke.

My conscience owned and felt the guilt,
And plunged me in despair;
I saw my sins His blood had shed,
And helped to nail Him there.

Alas, I knew not what I did,
But all my tears were vain;
Where could my trembling soul be hid,
For I the Lord had slain!

(Here is some good information on the verses) http://www.gospelweb.net/JohnNewton/amazingwords.htm

(For more see http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/m/a/amazing_grace.htm

A STRONG HEART- C.H. SPURGEON

In thinking about the former meditation on Waiting Upon the Lord, I came across this thought on the subject by beloved brother Charles Spurgeon. I hope it is a blessing for you.

"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD" (Psalm 27:14).

Wait! Wait! Let your waiting be on the LORD! He is worth waiting for. He never disappoints the waiting soul. While waiting keep up your spirits, Expect a great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it. The promise which should cheer you is in the middle of the verse -- "He shall strengthen thine heart." This goes at once to the place where you need help. If the heart be sound, all the rest of the system will work well. The heart wants calming and cheering, and both of these will come if it be strengthened. A forceful heart rests and rejoices and throbs force into the whole man. No one else can get at that secret urn of life, the heart, so as to pour strength into it. He alone who made it can make it strong. God is full of strength, and, therefore, He can impart it to those who need it. Oh, be brave; for the LORD will impart His strength to you, and you shall be calm in tempest and glad in sorrow. He who penned these lines can write as David did -- "Wait, I say, on the LORD." I do, indeed, say it. I know by long and deep experience that it is good for me to wait upon the LORD.

WAITING UPON THE LORD---CHARLES WOODRUFF

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31.

This verse is part of a context of four verses beginning at verse 28.These verses in Isaiah 40 greatly exalt the omnipotence of God. Verses 29 and 30 show us that even young people get weary and need to be strengthened. It also shows that our strength must come from Almighty God. That part of the context is rather easy for a Christian to digest. The difficult part, as I have found in almost 45 years of being a Christian is verse 31; waiting on God.

The photo of me on the right attests that I am not a young man anymore, as verse 30 speaks about, and if I have learned anything in my years of this pilgrimage, it is that when I do my own will I get in trouble. In other words, not consulting God about every matter often results in pain. Just when I think I have really learned this, a new test comes, and, alas, I fail again! I am glad HE is a forgiving God. I am glad Christ has patience with me. In Christ I draw my strength! In Him who healed the sick, raised the dead, spoke peace to repentant sinners; yes, in Him I am strong.In Him, we are spiritually strong as an eagle, and we do not get weary nor do we faint. Praise the Lord! (I suggest that you read Isaiah 40:28-31 in your own Bible. Selah).

Remember He said "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

MAN'S TOTAL DEPRAVITY- ARTHUR W. PINK

Arthur W. Pink was born in Nottingham, England in 1886, and became a Christian in his early 20's. After his conversion He went to Moody Bible Institute, but dropped out after two months. He pastored his first church in Colorado, then wound up in Australia, Kentucky, England, back to the USA and elsewhere on preaching itineraries before spending the final twelve years of his life in Scotland. He was more successful as a writer than as a preacher.Yet most of the success came after his death. He published most of his writings in Studies in the Scriptures, a monthly magazine which he published for 30 years. Most of his books, which have helped many, later came from this magazine. He died in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland in 1952. His dear wife carried on the magazine for a time after he died using some of his unfinished studies. His writings have become very valued by many Christians in our day, especially for their doctrinal exposition.

Here is a sample of Pink's writing, regarding Man's Depravity which can be found online, as can most of his writings .
"It is a doctrine of great practical value as well as spiritual importance. The foundation of all true piety lies in a correct view of ourselves and our vileness, and a scriptural belief in God and His grace. There can be no genuine abhorrence or repentance, no real appreciation of the saving mercy of God, no faith in Christ, without it, There is nothing like a knowledge of this doctrine so well calculated to undeceive vain man and convict him of the worthlessness and rottenness of his own righteousness. Yet the preacher who is aware of the plague of his own heart knows full well that he cannot present this truth in such a way as to make his hearers actually realize and feel the same, to help them stop being in love with themselves and to cause them to forever renounce all hope in themselves. Therefore, instead of relying upon his faithfulness in presenting the truth, he will be cast upon God to apply it graciously in power to those who hear him and bless his feeble efforts.

"It is an exceedingly illuminating doctrine. It may be a melancholy and humiliating one, nevertheless it throws a flood of light upon mysteries which are otherwise insoluble. It supplies the key to the course of human history, and shows why so much of it has been written in blood and tears. It supplies an explanation of many problems which sorely perplex and puzzle the thoughtful. It reveals why the child is prone to evil and has to be taught and disciplined to anything that is good. It explains why every improvement in man’s environment, every attempt to educate him, all the efforts of social reformers, are unavailing to effect any radical betterment in his nature and character. It accounts for the horrible treatment which Christ met with when He worked so graciously in this world, and why He is still despised and rejected by men. It enables the Christian himself to better understand the painful conflict which is ever at work within him, and which causes him so often to cry, 'Oh, wretched man that I am!"' (From the introduction of Gleanings in the Scriptures; Man's Total Depravity, Moody Press, 1969).

A.W.Pink's writings are very readable and edifying. His books may be purchased from online booksellers like http://amazon.com, http://christianbook.com, http://www.wtsbooks.com and others. CD-Roms are available with most of his books on them. Also, I recommend his excellent biography by Iain Murray (Banner of Truth).

These two sites offer free reading and downloads of his writings: http://eternallifeministries.org has most of the books. Copies of Pink's monthly magazine Studies in the Scriptures are being reprinted, and may be obtained from Chapel Library at http://www.mountzion.org

NORTH CAROLINA HILLS--VANCE HAVNER

I grew up in the North Carolina hills. From our front porch we could see at night the lights of five little towns. From the back porch one could see Grandfather Mountain, Table Rock, and companion peaks standing like sentinels along the western skyline. My home community was called Jugtown because in the early years there were little shops up and down the road where the potters wrought vessels of clay. I lived the simple, happy life of an old-fashioned country boy. I tramped the woods with a shepherd dog... Father was an austere but devout Christian, the pastor's right-hand man at old Corinth Baptist Church. The country preachers always stayed at our house on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in each month, when they came by horse and buggy to preach the monthly sermon. Some of those sermons were long enough to last a month and sounded more like filibusters-but it was sound preaching. Father always let me sit up late on those Saturday nights, before the open fire, and listen to him and the minister talk about the things of God. It beat all the television that has been seen since.

Vance Havner, from his biography Journey from Jugtown by Douglas Malcolm White; published by F.H. Revell, Old Tappan, NJ 1977.

WATCH AND PRAY FOR AMERICA---CHARLES WOODRUFF

Many in our day are perplexed about all the problems being faced by this once great nation. Incredibly high oil prices are driving up prices on food and many other commodities. Floods in the Midwest are also driving up corn and grain prices, displacing thousands from their homes and taking quite a few lives as well. Also, fires in California, continuing drought in the Southeast and other calamities. An increasingly liberal congress, and judges legislating from the bench (as in the infamous "gay marriage" case in California). On top of that we have the most liberal Democrat in history running against a maverick Republican that many conservatives do not trust very much. The future of the Supreme Court, congress and the military all seem to hang on this November's election. Does it really? Well, humanly speaking -- it does! But, there is a God who overrules the affairs of men. He raises up kings and those in authority (see Romans 13:1). Is all this that is happening His judgment on the once moral nation of the USA? We know in Psalm 9:17 He says "The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God." We know that ancient Israel was judged in Isaiah's day as it is written: "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward" (Isaiah 1:4).This sounds like the United States of America! Remember, England and Canada also continue their downward slide!

What is the answer for our once proud and strong eagle nation? The same as for Israel of old. Please read the entire first chapter of Isaiah, and especially this verse: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). As we pray for our nation, it will do us good to ponder also 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." If the true Christians will do this, who can say God will not, according to His own sovereign will, turn things around? We are commanded by our Lord to pray for those in authority (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4). Let us pray for our land on this time of reflection of 232 years of independence. There are really no political answers! Those of us who are truly His, must not even attempt to be independent of God!

HERE I STAND- MARTIN LUTHER

When God revealed to Martin Luther "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17b), there was a revolution in his soul, which ultimately led to another revolution called the Protestant Reformation. This was to influence history for most of the following 500 years. While others before Luther had seen some of the truths he did, he was the catalyst. He was not a perfect man, but a man God greatly used. When a prominent Christian TV network founder recently sat with a Catholic priest (who has a program on his network), and he said "I am not a Protestant -- I am not protesting anything", this man was sadly exhibiting an attitude held by many professing Christians. He is not only ignorant of history, he is seemingly unaware of what is going on in our day. How can we not protest abortion, gay marriage, the coddling of child molesters, public indecency everywhere, and the attempt to silence preachers from speaking on biblical issues? Ironically, the Roman Catholic Church agrees with most evangelical protestants on much of this. They are being picked on by the liberal media and politicians as well as evangelicals. I still believe Luther was right, but we may have to fight the common enemy for now. Can you and I stand for righteousness and say what Luther said in 1521? "Here I stand -- I can do no other -- God help me!"

LENINGRAD- 1978

I took this picture 30 years ago this coming August. So much has changed in 30 years! Instead of Leningrad, it is St. Petersburg (it's original name under the Czars). Instead of the USSR, it is Russia again with less territory under it's control. Instead of widespread persecution of believers, there is much freedom. I was in a camp meeting here in Georgia USA this week, and a brother told of passing out Christian literature and witnessing in Moscow's Red Square. You could not do that in 1978 without getting detained and possibly arrested. Pastor Bob Doom, director of Russian Bible Society, P.O. Box 6068, Asheville, NC 28816, showed me the Latvian Bible they have recently printed, which was only a dream of Latvian Pastor Yanis Smits back in the 70's. They also have published an Interlinear Russian/English Bible, a Russian Bible Dictionary, and many other excellent tools that can be freely shipped in now. When I worked in ministry to the communist lands, this could not be freely done. Our ministries had to take them in secretly. Yes, so much has changed for the better, not only in the USSR, but in all Eastern Europe, and even China, . Our land has changed too, but sadly for the worse. If the liberals and socialists that are out to take away our religious freedom have their way, America will be no more. Pray for all these countries, and ours! You may call RBS for more info at (800) 252-8896.

BETHESDA ORPHANAGE

George Whitefield was not only a tremendous preacher mightily used of Almighty God in the Great Awakening, he also had a mission work among the Indians, and in 1740 he founded an orphanage near Savannah, GA which still exists today. They still care for orphans physically, but alas, the spiritual needs are not so much a concern there today as with Whitefield. In our day, in my judgment, we could use a man like Whitefield. We definitely need revival. Lord make us instruments of thy truth! Amen!

LOSSES OVERCOME- CHARLES SPURGEON

This week I want to share not only a portrait of Spurgeon, but one of his finest meditations:

“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25).
Yes those wasted years over which we sigh shall be restored to us. God can give us such plentiful grace that we shall crowd into the remainder of our days as much of service as will be some recompense for those years of unregeneracy over which we mourn in humble penitence.

The locusts of backsliding, worldliness, lukewarmness, are now viewed by us as a terrible plague. Oh that they had never come near us! The Lord in mercy has now taken them away, and we are full of zeal to serve Him. Blessed be His name, we can raise such harvests of spiritual graces as shall make our former barrenness to disappear. Through rich grace we can turn to account our bitter experience, and use it to warn others. We can become the more rooted in humility, childlike dependence, and penitent spirituality, by reason of our former shortcomings. If we are the more watchful, zealous, and tender, we shall gain by our lamentable losses. The wasted years, by a miracle of love, can be restored. Does it seem too great a boon? Let us believe for it, and live for it, and we may yet realize it, even as Peter became all the more useful a man after his presumption was cured by his discovered weakness. Lord, aid us by thy grace.
(Faith's Checkbook for May 18th).

ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOUR BLEED

Puritan preacher Isaac Watts is known as the father of modern hymnody. He wrote such hymns as Alas and Did My Saviour Bleed (At the Cross), When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Joy to the World, O God Our Help in Ages Past, and Jesus Shall Reign. He wrote theological books such as Improvement of the Mind, Vol 1 and Vol 2, A Short View of the Whole Scripture History, etc. He is best known for those wonderful hymns. Until he began writing his poetry set to music, most Protestant churches only sang psalms set to music, a tradition strongly influenced by John Calvin. The Bible clearly gives us liberty for these kinds of God honoring music: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-20).

SOUNDING BOARD

What about preaching in the centuries before we had sound systems. How did the congregation hear the preacher? Every preacher did not have a voice like George Whitefield, or like Ian Paisley of our day (You could certainly hear these two voices for a great distance). It is said that Benjamin Franklin once measured how far he could clearly hear Whitefield preaching to an outdoor crowd in Philadelphia. After pacing off the distance and calculating how many might be gathered in the area, he estimated that he could be easily heard by more than 25,000 people without amplification!. This account is in Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography which is available online http://www.earlyamerica.com/lives/franklin/

Other preachers of the past, preaching in churches, needed a little amplification such as provided by the sounding board above the pulpit in this church I visited in Prague in 1982. The sound would go out in all directions enabling a congregation to comfortably hear the minister throughout the building.

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS- JOHN BUNYAN

Possibly the greatest book every written, other than the Bible, is Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan wrote it from Bedford Prison where he spent 12 long years from 1660-1672 for refusing to submit to the state church. Modern readers have some difficulty with some of the words, but there are annotated versions, and modern English versions. I recommend the original if you are a good reader. The book seems to force you to "Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5). It has blessed millions. You can read it online at Chapel Library.
http://www.mountzion.org/johnbunyan/index.html

THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MINE HEART......

.....THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE (Psalm 119:11). So you think God's word is hard to read and take to heart in a modern Bible of the 21st century ? What if all you had was this ?

WORDS TO PONDER

AMEN! 'NUFF SAID!

GULF SUNSET

I have always loved sunset pictures, whether in the mountains or at the seashore. This one was taken in April 2007 at St Petersburg Beach, Florida. I happened to catch one lone person walking down the beach on this rather chilly evening. "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1).

TRAGEDY AT TOCCOA FALLS

In the wee hours of November 6, 1977, the earthen dam holding back Kelly Barnes Lake above Toccoa Falls gave way after three days of of steady rain.176 million gallons of water burst out into the half mile downhill run to the lip of 186 foot high Toccoa Falls. It swept down on the campus of Toccoa Falls Bible College which was directly in its path. In that flood, and its aftermath, 39 people died. (click the link: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/news/historical-toccoa/)
I was in full time mission work at the time. I don't remember where I was exactly that night, but I remember visiting the college for the second time in my life some months later. All seemed normal then, as it did when I was there for a evangelism seminar about four years before the flood. Until February 29th of this year (when I had a delivery at the college for my part time courier job), I had not looked closely at the falls and the creek below in the canyon. The falls is not so impressive when you have seen Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, as I have. But it is a beautiful setting, streaming over colorful, solid rock. Now, re-reading the story of the dam break in Georgia, some 150 miles north of my home, reminds me of how God works in mysterious ways.

CALLAWAY GARDENS

Even in our Georgia winters, you can find flowers. My eleven year old granddaughter was on a field trip last week to the beautiful Callaway Gardens, not far from here. This girl took some photos with her new camera. She is going to be a much better photographer than her PawPaw. This is a great shot, don't you think? I am thankful for her and all my grandchildren.

GOING THE RIGHT WAY

Whenever I am looking at railroad tracks going away from me into the distance, I think of Psalm One (the Psalm of two ways) . For me the last verse expresses it. "For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1:6).

BLESSINGS FROM THE SKY

In the drought stricken South, many , including me, have been praying for rain. In the last couple of months God has graciously answered and given us quite a bit more rain. We are still way behind, but we are catching up. In my county of Coweta the reservoirs are almost full now. This very day we received about 1 and 1/2 inches of rain, very hard rain and some storms, but we receive it gladly. In January we received something we rarely get here --snow! Look at this! I know it's not much for you yankees out there, but for us it was a nice surprise.

MISTAKEN VOICE IDENTITY

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27). On December 4, 2007, the day before Andy Williams turned 80 years old, I saw him on a morning TV show from Branson, MO, singing Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It reminded me not only of Christmas being near, but of an incident in my life long ago. Some buddies and I were at the Los Angeles airport in 1959, or 1960, and one of the guys spotted Andy Williams walking hurriedly across the airport, evidently to catch a plane. We went over and talked to him. He was very cordial to us, in spite of one rather tipsy friend saying to him “Andy, you have something on your shirt. Don’t you know this isn’t good for your image?” He said with a laugh “I’m sorry, I’ll try to do better.” So I chimed in, trying to be friendly “Andy, I just love your record Portrait of my Love, It’s a great song.” Andy said “You are right; it is a great song, only I didn’t sing it. It was Steve Lawrence.” I was a little embarrassed. I felt about three inches high!

I was not a Christian at that time, but today, I see an object lesson in that incident. I heard a voice that sounded like Andy Williams singing a song, but it wasn’t. There was a difference I hadn’t noticed in the voices, though similar. By contrast, Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27). When we hear His voice, as His sheep, we make no mistake – we follow Him and not another because He knows us, and draws us. His sheep are not interested in following another.

MATTHEW HENRY- 1662-1714

I am back to the long hairs again. Maybe because I have so little hair left! Their hair may have been long, in the style of their day, but the Puritans were students and teachers of God's word. Actually,by Henry's time late in the Puritan era, most were wearing wigs. Of all the great men in that era, few have remained an influence among evangelicals in general. An exception, because of his commentary on the whole Bible is Matthew Henry! His commentary (in both full and abridged form), is still widely consulted today. We salute this helpful brother who personally wrote everything all the way into part of Romans. The rest was finished by others, largely from study notes he had accumulated. Spurgeon highly recommends him, as does George Whitefield, and I add my voice to theirs. Read the Bible first of all, and read Matthew Henry.

THANKING GOD FOR THE RAIN

We have been in a severe drought in the deep South. Recently many churches around have been praying for rain.(please see my article at cyberwordoftruth on Rain) Our Georgia governor, Sonny Purdue, called a prayer meeting for rain, and was scorned by many in the news media, especially some of the weather people, who evidently believe that "mother nature" gives rain; or that it is purely a weather pattern thing. Well, I wasn't laughing, but praying with Sonny for rain, as many other Christians were. God has heard our prayers, and instead of being the driest year in Georgia history, the recent rain brought lakes up a little, and made 2007 the second or third driest year ever. We still need, and pray for, more rain as the new year begins, but rely on the Sovereign God of all the universe to give it to us. When I see the beautiful rain, I can't help but think of my dear wife's flowers when the raindrops are on them. This picture was taken earlier, before the drought, but always gives me hope that God has not forgotten His people, yes, praise His Name, "For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).