Where Are We?

(John 3:16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

To me this verse is the very definition of the Christian faith.  Our Bible, The Old King James Bible, teaches us that from the front cover to the back cover, Jesus the Christ is the reason for this Book.  It also shows us that the primary teaching of the Bible is that you “Believe.”

              However, the problem is that word “Believeth.”  It does matter what you believe, and folks how you believe it.  Some will say “Oh, Jesus is or was a good man, a prophet, and was later made a god.”  

Of course, in order to really understand, a person must first believe that our Bible is trustworthy, and believe it is without fault or error.  The Bible is the focus and the central place God has put the revelation of His Son, Jesus.  Our teaching (The King James Bible), is the Word of God.  It is trustworthy, reliable, and without fault or error.  This is not a negotiable topic.  

              Jesus tells us in the verse above that “whosoever believeth” is a means of stating I am not concerned about what you have been, nor am I concerned about what you are.  Just accept God’s Son in belief, and everlasting life is given to you.  Those who want to clean up their act and rid themselves of their sin and hypocritical ways are assuming an impossible task.  God tells us in: 

(Ephesians 2:8-9)  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  

This “faith” is the belief that Jesus will do as He said in John 3:16.  If you think this is not correct, I believe you do not believe your Bible.  Jesus didn’t say, well, if you are really good, and you follow my precepts for a few days, then maybe I will give you “everlasting life.”  He said I will give, regardless, if you will believe. We need to be sure of one more thing: not works, but your belief.  

In (Hebrews 10:22)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  

              You must be sincere in your belief.  A “true” heart is a sincere heart, a heart filled with faith.  Faith that you know with assurance (without doubt) that Jesus the Christ is God and that He is Your Saviour.  

We are told in (Joel 2:32)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered:... 

Peter quotes Joel in (Acts 2:21)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  As stated in both passages, “And it shall come to pass…”  all because of faith, belief, and nothing more.

              So, where do you stand, with Christ and His eternal life, or wondering where you will go when your time on this earth is complete.  Paul tells us in:

(Romans 10:9)  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.    

              If you will believe, and confess in your heart, and to others, that you believe “…that God hath raised him [Jesus] from the dead...” if you will do these two things, God will do the rest.   You then have everlasting life, as Jesus promised, and now you are saved from hell.

              Where are you today?

Bro John R. E Chastain 

A Very Present Help

                As I read the scriptures in Psalm 46:1-3 quoted below, a verse in Isaiah comes immediately to my mind:

Isaiah 41:13  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

              The phrase “…a very present help…” is what I want to key for this devotion.  In Isaiah, “…the LORD thy God…” tells us “…I will help thee.”  What more could we want than to know that our LORD God is present and He will help us.

              On any given morning, we feed our “welfare” cats at our back door.  It is always interesting to note when one gets grouchy, which ones will leave the scene and which stay.  Generally it is a Tomcat who gets pushy, (though there have been some very grouchy females,) and the other Tom’s start looking for an exit.  Yet, some stick around and encircle my legs, hanging close to me for protection.  They treat Sharil and I as if we are an “ever present help.”  (We are not an “ever present god.”) 

              Yet, many Christians claim “…very present help…” but seldom grace the doors of God’s House.  Others gather at Church to worship our Living God, the Creator and our ever “…present help..,” yet are much like our welfare cats.  When the feeding is done, no acknowledgement to God is ever given.  Many refuse to come to Sunday School, and the Sunday and Wednesday evening services.  Yet every one who is a member here wants the blessings of God.  They want themselves, their relatives, and friends on our prayer list, yet are not willing to be a blessing to God, or their so-called “Church Home.” 

              Our cats, unless providentially not able to attend, are always at their “feeding services,” rain or shine, night or day.  They attend.

              I can just hear it now, “Well Bro John we are much above Cats in God’s Creation.”  Believe me, I agree, but the cats know from whence their blessings come.  If we as Christians are not at the “feeding trough” of God and hearing His Living Word, how can we claim Him?  God teaches us that:

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

  

Our “faith” needs feeding.  We need the “…very present help…” and we want His help,  yet we will not “put out our hand” for His “…very present help…”

              We as Christians have become the “vagrants of the world.”  We will do anything but “Trust and Obey” God.  We will change our Bible to a softer reading, less restricting version.  We will change churches to go to a Church where services are singing praises to Jesus and speaking only of His endless love.   What about commitment?

              God expects more of us than being a “welfare recipient.”  He expects us to be “producers of fruit.”  He expects our attendance in Church.  He expects us at all the services. 

              What do you expect from Him?                               

Bro. John R. E Chastain

Psalms 46:1-3     God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  (2)  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  (3)  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Has He Done Marvelous Things For You?

                  In Psalm 98 below, it tells that God has done marvelous things.  The question of course is, “What about me?”  This is the season that we as Christians need to stop and take a look at ourselves, and “Count Those Blessings.”  

              I know our first thoughts might be, “What has He done for me?”  For myself, He has blessed me to the point, I couldn’t count those blessings even if I wanted to count them.  You see if I started to reminisce over them, I might see a point where I wasn’t blessed and start dwelling on the “Why?”  God watches us, and God knows our ways.  The verses below also tell us He will judge us, but that judgment will also be with equity.

               Sometimes in what I do for the Lord, my heart isn’t always where it ought to be.  I imagine that is true with you also.  Consequently, I will not always be blessed because I did something for the Lord.  

(Hebrews 10:22)  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

              If we attempt to do anything without the Lord, we are not in “…full assurance of faith…”  We are then doing what we want in the “faith” of ourselves so that we can accomplish what we want.  We do this regardless of what God may have requested of us.

              Is that where your heart has been this year?  If you want to be closer to God, you must decide to follow Him, not yourself.  Make that “…joyful noise unto the Lord…”

              Only you can make the decision to follow Him.  Only you can decide that Jesus will be your guide.  Decide today, and start receiving the blessing God wants to give you.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Psalms 98:1-9  O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.  (2)  The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.  (3)  He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  (4)  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.  (5)  Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.  (6)  With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.  (7)  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.  (8)  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together  (9)  Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Put On Charity

              In Colossians 3:12-15 quoted below, we see the word “charity.”  When we use this word today, it means something different then when Paul used it so many years ago.  We think of charity as caring for the down trodden, those needing help to get back on their feet.

              However, Paul was using the word to mean, “Love,” a love of our brethren, our sisters, our parents, a Godly love, a love shown to us by God.

When God placed His only begotten Son on the cross to die for us, He showed that love, an enduring love, an everlasting love.

              Our scripture tells us to “put on charity.”  We as Christians are to put on love and show it to the world.  As Christian’s, the world sees us as hypocritical.  (Not that they aren’t also,) but we sometimes put on “a different face” in the church house, and then go to work sounding just as worldly as those surrounding us.

              You see, we have to watch not only our walk, but also our talk.  When we tell someone we love them, (Godly love,) do they believe us or are they wondering when the next foul thing will come out of our mouth?

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

              This is a very misused verse.  It is not our excuse to go ahead and sin. It is our verse to tell us, we will sin, so be very careful in our walk and in our talk. (Most use the verse to go ahead and deliberately sin.)  When we put on charity, it ought to be a love that ignites others to want to be like us, and have a heart that is ignited of this love.

              “Put on Charity” with a seriousness and conviction to do the work of God, knowing in your heart, in your soul, and in your mind, that you are doing the best for God you can.  Then along with your Salvation you can have the “…peace of God…rule [ing] in your hearts.”

              Now knowing we have that peace, be thankful for what God has given, and what He will give.  Let us be thankful and glorify God and His Son Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Colossians 3:12-15  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13)  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  (14)  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  (15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Our Confidence

         Our scripture below tells us at least two distinct things; one that we must pray, and the other to have confidence in the Lord.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)  Pray without ceasing.

            We sometimes read this verse and think that God never wants us to stop praying.  That is not the case. He doesn’t want us on our knees praying until we starve and die, nor does He want us to forsake earning a living. (He wants us able to pray constantly. He wants us to be ready to pray.)  At those times, when we are working or playing and a person’s name comes to our mind, we need to stop for a moment and pray for that person.  It doesn’t have to be a long wordy prayer, just a prayer from our heart.  The Holy Spirit will direct us in what to say, but “do it,” pray.  Then we are to go on about what we were doing.

            The second part defined on our bulletin cover states, “…we have confidence in the Lord...”  Three very important words were left off the cover.  They are “…touching you…” and “…both…”  When we read the whole verse in context, we see that it is a two-way street. We do one part and God does the other part.  The “…both…” implies that work on both sides is required.  We follow God’s commands, and then we receive His blessings “…touching you…”  The more we yield to His commands, the more blessings we will receive “…touching you…”  

            Touched by God daily is my desire.  With confidence of faith, I know what I must do, do you?  Have you been touched?

(Romans 12:1-2)  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,which is your reasonable service.  2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove whatis that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

            We must know we have presented our bodies as a living testament to God by walking the walk and talking the talk. Otherwise, what do we have?                                                

Bro John R. E Chastain

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5  Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:  (2)  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all menhave not faith.  (3)  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.  (4)  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.  (5)  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Our Assurance

(John 10:28-30)  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.   ³⁰ I and my Father are one.

Sometime back, when my grandson Nicholas was knocking the bricks off the foyer of our previous church, I noticed that some of the bricks were attached to the concrete block wall and some were not.  But to a bystander, all the bricks appeared solidly anchored.  

When delving into a persons’ belief most appear solid.  There is no need to thump the watermelon as they seem to know where they stand.

Those bricks were solidly placed, or so they seemed.  Thousands of people are accepting the Lord each year, but church growth is declining.  Where is that solid foundation that these folks claim?  It isn’t in the King James Bible, because what little they do read, even if they get something from it, they do not apply what they have learned.  It isn’t in their church, because, even though they claim membership and are members they don’t attend.  Many don’t even know who their current Pastor is.  This is a problem of every church, the membership that never attends.  These members have no grounding, nor knowledge of where their grounding is based.

(Ephesians 4:30)  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

If you understand the above reference verses, you do know where your grounding is based, and you know you are sealed until redemption.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Serve The Lord With All Your Heart

           1 Samuel 12:20-22 quoted below tell us to “Fear not…”  yet, we are a people of vanity and we show NO Fear of the Lord.   That is, our lives show we are a worthless people.  We claim God through His Son Jesus, like the modern and historical Jews, yet, He is not important to us as Christians, and certainly not to the world.

            God pleads with us time and time again to repent from our wickedness. He asks us to get back to our Jesus and love and concern ourselves about Him.  God asks us to turn away from the vain things, (the things in our life we apply importance to,) yet they are vain (worthless of no value) to God.  He tells us we will not profit from these things, yet we follow them.  

            What is the good of a barn full of goods, when God calls us home?  Pride is the seat of our vanity.  We are so proud of our things, yet, God says they are vain.  We may gain with a “full” large barn, but what about the reward we expect at Christ’s judgment seat.

(Matthew 6:19-21)  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal  20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

              God knows where our hearts are, what He wants us to know is, “Do we know where our hearts reside?”

            Knowing where our hearts reside will give us a start in our repentance, the changing of our ways, ridding ourselves of the vain things of life,  learning to please God, learning to serve Him, and learning to obey our Lord Jesus.  We are a naturally stiff-necked people, resistant to change, and resistant to being told we are wrong.

            Yet, God is pleased we are His people.  He will never forsake us. We have left God behind, behind all those “things.”  If we will turn from them, God will bless us.  Serve Him with all your heart.

Bro John R. E Chastain

1 Samuel 12:20-22  And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;  (21)  And turn ye not aside: forthen should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.  (22)  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

Praise The Name Of The LORD

              In our verses from Psalm 148:7-13 quoted below, we can see we have been challenged to praise the LORD God Almighty. As a “born again” Christian, we should know within us that we must “Praise the LORD.”

            Knowing that this Psalm of David is a “song” and by reading all of this Psalm, it is a “praise and worship” of that time. (Though, we can tell it is not a 7-11 song, you know seven words eleven times.)  David is singing his heart to God.  The word “LORD” as it is written tells us he is singing to Jehovah.

            Most of the time, singing in church, [congregationally] we sing because we know the song, so we are not considering the words, just singing.  While singing, we should be like King David, singing from our hearts.  So, what if we come out flat or off key, God thinks it is wonderful, because it is from our heart.

            It is just as imperative for you and I to be as worshipful today as King David was hundreds of years ago.  God expects us to be excited about our worship service.  He expects us to get excited in our singing.  Our job, just as King David’s, is to Glorify God in All that we do.  

            At Calvary in Palestine, there was a woman we all called the “God Bless You Lady.”  She always walked down the receiving line away from Bro Huntress shaking everyone’s hand and saying to each of us, “God Bless You.”  I was told that in her younger days she was a good singer.  (She had since lost her singing voice.)  The thing about her was she might have known she had lost her voice, but she sang for the LORD, not for the congregation, and she sang from her heart.

            Therefore, while we are singing read and consider the songwriter’s words.  Consider what verses he might have used, and the author’s heart, then after mulling these thoughts, what about your heart?

            What are you doing for Him today, tomorrow, and until eternity?                                                      

Bro John R. E Chastain

Psalms 148:7-13  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:  (8)  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:  (9)  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:  (10) Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:  (11)  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:  (12)  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:  (13)  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Back To The Future

                As I read the scriptures in Hebrews 13:7-11 quoted below, a verse in Revelation comes immediately to my mind:

(Revelation 1:8)  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Our Lord Jesus has always been and will always be.  He is the Christ pre-incarnate and the Christ incarnate.  He has not changed, and He will not change.  He is our Past, our Present, and our Future.

              Knowing who Christ is, is key in the way we live our lives.  We, by accepting Jesus as our Saviour, have purchased our Future.  We did not purchase it with works; we purchased it by our Faith, just as Abraham did.   From the Cross, Jesus paid the bill with His blood, consequently, we have a “blood bought” Future.

              My question is where are we in our Future?  Have we slid off the road towards our “Future” dallying in sin, playing in the world, and not concerning ourselves with our Future?

              Get “Back To The Future,” get yourself back on the road that Christ put you on when you were Saved.  Only you can reverse your trend, and get yourself “Back To Your Future.”  God teaches us in:

(Romans 12:1-2)  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  (2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

You are the one, the only one who can renew “your” mind.  You do it by getting under the Word of God, by reading His Word, and by learning to pray “again.”

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

              You may have to change friends, and you may have to get into another social circle.  What is more important to you, getting “Back To The Future,” or your present social life?

              So what are you going to do?                           

Bro. John R. E Chastain

Hebrews 13:7-11  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.  (8)  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  (9)  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.  (10)  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.  (11)  For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

Our Foolishness

            In our verses from Titus 3:1-7, quoted below, we can see that we as Christians must be reminded to follow our civil laws. We are to speak kindly, be obedient, and show meekness to all men.

            Paul is reminding us of “Our Foolishness” of time past when others helped us, remembering us in our hard times. Sometimes it occurs to me how hard my heart must have been (before I was saved), and how I refused charity when I needed it. Yet, now the problem I have is my heart may not be as soft as it ought to be.  It certainly isn’t like Jell-O, but sometimes when confronted with certain tasks, I take notice of my lack of compassion.  It isn’t that I want to lack compassion, nor is it that I don’t have compassion, it is the incident that bothers me.

            Paul wasn’t telling Titus this because he thought Titus lacked any more compassion than he had.  He was telling Titus to be on guard, and be careful concerning others.  He is also telling us to be aware and be cautious as we all have some of that “heart hardener” within us.

            The next time someone reminds you of their hard times, (before you give them an answer,) remember your hard times. Remember when Jesus Christ accepted you, wrapped His wonderful arms around that “old cold heart,” and within seconds melted all that hardness away.  Remember the man who had compassion on you, but also for the sake of your own heart, remember what you were before Jesus melted your heart.

            Paul is telling us not to be foolish in our compassion.  We all must have a caution within us that alerts us to hazardous situations.

            What is the condition of your heart?  Is it putty in others hands, or is it strong for the hand of the LORD?

Bro John R. E Chastain

Titus 3:1-7  Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,  (2)  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.  (3) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.  (4)  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,  (5)  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  (6)  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;  (7)  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Sin Has Changed Us

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."   -- Samuel Adams (letter to James Warren, 12 February 1779)

          When I read this, and I know the intent of Samuel Adams was political, but I saw something else.  If we look at certain words and check for synonyms, the word “virtuous” can be compared to “morality.”  By rereading the quote from Samuel Adams “While people are [moral], they cannot be subdued, but when…they lose their [morality] then they will be ready to surrender…”

              The problem I am attempting to relate to isn’t political, but by tying this to you and I, our church, our Bible, and our lives, we should be able to see that as we surrender our morality, (sin,) we will sink deeper and deeper. Then we are more willing to give up other freedoms so we can hang onto our besetting sin.

              We can see this in our church attendance.  I don’t know why some people have left this church in the past, except I know that most aren’t going to church anywhere. Others are openly reveling in their sin.  I imagine they left because of their besetting sin.  It may have only been in the infancy when they left, yet it continues to abide with them.

              Another thing we will do is allow the character of our church to deteriorate into an apostate church by denigrating our Holy Bible to some perverted translation and yet calling it the Holy Bible.  We will accept that change, because sin has changed us.

Joel 2:12 - 13 (KJV)  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  ¹³And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.  

          God has asked us to come back.  He doesn’t want our things He wants our heart.  Samuel Adams has told us what will happen when we denigrate ourselves to sin.  Now is the time to listen to God.  Put away the sin and come back to Him.