Who Cares?
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” (Psalm 142:5) To the Laodicean church Jesus said: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16)
David hounded by King Saul found himself trapped in the midst of overwhelming odds. As he looked around he could see no one to trust, and no one who really cared if he lived or died. His words were: “no one cared for my soul.” Saul cared; that is why he hunted him, to kill him. God cared; that is why He rescued him from a state of no hope. Those who were apathetic did not care one way or the other; they were “neither cold nor hot.” If he lived or died was his own problem; after all, we have our own lives to live and things to do!
That is the point about apathy; it cannot look beyond itself, and “sufficient for me is all I need.” Apathy is unconcerned about others. Apathy lacks interest and attention in spiritual matters. Apathy is unresponsive to the preaching of the Word of God. Apathy is unmoved by the multitudes dying condemned to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Apathy is uncommitted to the witness of Jesus, to the study of the Word of God, and to a prayer life filled with a burden for the salvation of others. Apathy is void of all spiritual zeal. It has a “ho-hum” attitude. Apathy cares for no one but “self.”
“Apathetic” describes the character of most churches today. Their interest in heavenly matters is all but non-existent. At the preaching of “thus saith the Lord,” there is hardly anyone responding. Hearts are unmoved, tears have vanished away, and consciences are void of feelings. The common attitude is “it has nothing to do with me.” If souls are lost for all eternity, “what is that to me”? Apathy in the churches makes the Lord Jesus want to vomit!!!! It is better for a church that is refusing to be made hot in the zeal of God for the witness of Jesus Christ to close its doors than to remain self-righteously indifferent in His sovereign truth. Perhaps, if the ax were laid to the root of dead churches, others would pray for a rekindling of that Spirit-filled fire of the witness of Christ. CARE and LIVE!!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Hope is.....
Our Lord Jesus Christ:
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;" (1Tim.1:1)
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" (Titus 2:13)
What a sure hope we have as believers! In Christ there is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION! This is the sure hope that enabled Paul and Silas to sing in the prison at midnight even after being severly beaten.
This is the sure hope that enables Christian martyrs in the past and in the present to face death with the assurance and unwavering resolve which stirs them to declare:
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Rom.8:18)
How wonderful to contemplate the day when this faith and hope become sight!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
He is Near
I was reading a quote from Calvin last night and was reminded again of God's abundant goodness to us. He truly sheds His grace upon us in manifold ways.
Calvin says: "When the church has good and faithful teachers and others that labor to show us the way of salvation, it is a sign that our Lord Jesus Christ has not left us, nor forgotten us, but that he is present with us, and watches for our salvation."
Isn't it wonderful beyond description to know that when one of God's people speaks His word to us or ministers to us, it is Christ who is present speaking and ministering!
As Peter declares: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen
(1Pet.4:10-11)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Geneva
"Ever since in the creation of the universe he brought forth those insignia whereby he shows his glory to us, whenever and wherever we cast our gaze...And since the glory of his power and wisdom shine more brightly above, heaven is often called his palace. Yet...wherever you cast your eyes, there is no spot in the universe wherein you cannot discern at least some sparks of his glory."
(John Calvin/Institutes 1.5.1)
Here are some of the photos that were taken in Geneva at St. Pierre Cathedral:
1.)R.C. preaching in the Cathedral of St.Pierrre where Calvin preached.
2.)The Bell towers of the church.
3.)Me and Calvin's chair!
4.)The front entrance to the church.(the massiveness of which is not really captured by pictures!)
(John Calvin/Institutes 1.5.1)
Here are some of the photos that were taken in Geneva at St. Pierre Cathedral:
1.)R.C. preaching in the Cathedral of St.Pierrre where Calvin preached.
2.)The Bell towers of the church.
3.)Me and Calvin's chair!
4.)The front entrance to the church.(the massiveness of which is not really captured by pictures!)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Great is Thy Faithfulness
I receive these brief devotionals on a regular basis from this pastor and here is another that spoke to my heart.
Forsaken by All
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
By heaven’s eternal decree, Jesus came into the world for the ultimate purpose of dying upon the cross. When He was working miracles, multitudes flocked to Him. When He fed the multitudes, they gladly took all they could from Him. However, when Jesus began to teach hard things, the multitudes dwindled to the few. When Jesus was determined to do the will of the Father and to finish the work for which He was sent, it is written: “And they all forsook him, and fled.” (Mk. 14:50) Jesus was left alone to fulfill the will of the Father. Forsaken by all, Jesus finished the work for which He was sent. The Sacrificial Lamb of God died upon the cross, forsaken by all.
When Paul the Apostle stood to give his defense in the judgment hall, he said: “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me...” In Paul’s determination to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences, he found himself abandoned by man, especially when it came to the heaviest yoke of the calling. Yet, in contrast to the Lord, Paul wrote: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me...” (II Tim. 4:16,17) Man forsook him, but God did not; God ever remained his Comforter.
When Joshua was commissioned by God after the death of Moses, God told him: “...as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage...” (Josh. 1:5,6) In his calling he would be alone to fulfill his duty, but God promised not to forsake him, and He never did.
King David wrote: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread. ... For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever...” (Ps. 37:25,28) God never forsakes the righteous!
The heavenly calling of God frequently brings one to journey through the valley forsaken by all men. No man can tell you how to fulfill the purpose of God for your life. Those closest to Jesus tried to stop Him from going to the cross. Those closest to Paul tried to stop him from fulfilling his destiny. The hardest part of God’s calling is when those closest to you THINK they know what the purpose of God is for you, even better than you know what it is. Do what God has called YOU to do, and He will never leave you standing alone!
Forsaken by All
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
By heaven’s eternal decree, Jesus came into the world for the ultimate purpose of dying upon the cross. When He was working miracles, multitudes flocked to Him. When He fed the multitudes, they gladly took all they could from Him. However, when Jesus began to teach hard things, the multitudes dwindled to the few. When Jesus was determined to do the will of the Father and to finish the work for which He was sent, it is written: “And they all forsook him, and fled.” (Mk. 14:50) Jesus was left alone to fulfill the will of the Father. Forsaken by all, Jesus finished the work for which He was sent. The Sacrificial Lamb of God died upon the cross, forsaken by all.
When Paul the Apostle stood to give his defense in the judgment hall, he said: “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me...” In Paul’s determination to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ regardless of the consequences, he found himself abandoned by man, especially when it came to the heaviest yoke of the calling. Yet, in contrast to the Lord, Paul wrote: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me...” (II Tim. 4:16,17) Man forsook him, but God did not; God ever remained his Comforter.
When Joshua was commissioned by God after the death of Moses, God told him: “...as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage...” (Josh. 1:5,6) In his calling he would be alone to fulfill his duty, but God promised not to forsake him, and He never did.
King David wrote: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread. ... For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever...” (Ps. 37:25,28) God never forsakes the righteous!
The heavenly calling of God frequently brings one to journey through the valley forsaken by all men. No man can tell you how to fulfill the purpose of God for your life. Those closest to Jesus tried to stop Him from going to the cross. Those closest to Paul tried to stop him from fulfilling his destiny. The hardest part of God’s calling is when those closest to you THINK they know what the purpose of God is for you, even better than you know what it is. Do what God has called YOU to do, and He will never leave you standing alone!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Experiential Knowledge
To Know the Love of Christ
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
It is written: “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”(Eph. 3:19)
Three things need to be noticed in this passage:
First, - TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST - It is one thing to hear about the love of Jesus Christ but quite another to know intimately the love of Christ. Folks may hear about the love my wife and I have for each other, and they may even witness the evidence of it; but they do not know it intimately because this love is not directed towards any outsider. It is the breadth and length the depth and height of our personal relationship that makes it peculiar to us. No one knows the quintessential of this love but we. So it is with knowing through a personal relationship the love of Jesus Christ. Religionists are mere wishful thinkers, outsiders, and “Peeping Toms” lusting for what they do not have. Yet, to know Christ is to know the love of the Christ. Only true salvation can bring this intimate relationship.
Second, - THE LOVE OF CHRIST PASSES KNOWLEDGE - It is amazing how the unregenerate know exactly what the love of Christ ought to be; but in truth they know absolutely nothing. According to the Holy Scriptures, the love of Christ surpasses the knowledge of man. Those who have in fact experienced the saving grace of God and the love of Christ that was responsible for purchasing their salvation know they do not fully comprehend what kind of love this is or what prompted such great love towards them.
Third, - THE LOVE OF CHRIST FILLS ONE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD - How does one fathom all the fullness of God filling up the knower (not hearer) by the love of Jesus Christ? Yet, as it is written, to comprehend with all saints the breadth and length, the depth and height, and to know the love of Christ fills one with all the fullness of God. It has its beginning in the heavenly birth, and it grows by an interactive loving and knowing relationship with Jesus which opens the reservoirs of the soul to be flooded with the fullness of God. The saints have yet to even scratch the surface of the wonders of it all. To know the love of Christ is the fueling energy of one’s rejoicing in the spirit with joy unspeakable and full of glory!
From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
It is written: “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”(Eph. 3:19)
Three things need to be noticed in this passage:
First, - TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST - It is one thing to hear about the love of Jesus Christ but quite another to know intimately the love of Christ. Folks may hear about the love my wife and I have for each other, and they may even witness the evidence of it; but they do not know it intimately because this love is not directed towards any outsider. It is the breadth and length the depth and height of our personal relationship that makes it peculiar to us. No one knows the quintessential of this love but we. So it is with knowing through a personal relationship the love of Jesus Christ. Religionists are mere wishful thinkers, outsiders, and “Peeping Toms” lusting for what they do not have. Yet, to know Christ is to know the love of the Christ. Only true salvation can bring this intimate relationship.
Second, - THE LOVE OF CHRIST PASSES KNOWLEDGE - It is amazing how the unregenerate know exactly what the love of Christ ought to be; but in truth they know absolutely nothing. According to the Holy Scriptures, the love of Christ surpasses the knowledge of man. Those who have in fact experienced the saving grace of God and the love of Christ that was responsible for purchasing their salvation know they do not fully comprehend what kind of love this is or what prompted such great love towards them.
Third, - THE LOVE OF CHRIST FILLS ONE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD - How does one fathom all the fullness of God filling up the knower (not hearer) by the love of Jesus Christ? Yet, as it is written, to comprehend with all saints the breadth and length, the depth and height, and to know the love of Christ fills one with all the fullness of God. It has its beginning in the heavenly birth, and it grows by an interactive loving and knowing relationship with Jesus which opens the reservoirs of the soul to be flooded with the fullness of God. The saints have yet to even scratch the surface of the wonders of it all. To know the love of Christ is the fueling energy of one’s rejoicing in the spirit with joy unspeakable and full of glory!
Friday, July 3, 2009
"After Darkness Light"
Here are some scenes from Wittenberg. This is that well known place of the posting of the 95 Theses and it is also where Martin Luther and Philip Melancthon spent most of their time teaching and preaching.
In this first post I have included a picture of an original copy of the aforementioned 95 Theses.
Second, there is a view of the inside of the "Castle Church" where Luther nailed the Theses (written in Latin) to the door in order to elicit academic discussion. (and we know the rest of the story! The Theses was instead taken and translated into German and spread far and wide.)
Thirdly, there is a picture of the room and table where the famous "table talks" would take place. While these theological discussions were occuring students were able to sit around the walls of the room which were equipped with benches and glean from the learned conversations.
Fourth, the towers of St. Marys church are seen. This is where Luther and Melancthon preached and held services for the town.
More to come!
In this first post I have included a picture of an original copy of the aforementioned 95 Theses.
Second, there is a view of the inside of the "Castle Church" where Luther nailed the Theses (written in Latin) to the door in order to elicit academic discussion. (and we know the rest of the story! The Theses was instead taken and translated into German and spread far and wide.)
Thirdly, there is a picture of the room and table where the famous "table talks" would take place. While these theological discussions were occuring students were able to sit around the walls of the room which were equipped with benches and glean from the learned conversations.
Fourth, the towers of St. Marys church are seen. This is where Luther and Melancthon preached and held services for the town.
More to come!
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