Our Healthcare

(Matthew 7:13-14 KJB)  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

            When I read these verses above, many avenues came to my mind as to how to use these verses.  What application can I get without stretching the points so far that the concept is more secular than spiritual?

            So, with that in mind, I want to discuss “Our Healthcare.”  Some of us “old timers” remember our American History, that this country was founded on Christian principles by men who were Christians.  They followed God’s lead and His direction.  I imagine if the founders and the men and women who died to create this land under God’s view could come back and see this sickly nation, their hearts would grieve.  

            We have a Congress that is so bent on serving themselves, and not the people whom they represent.  They have gotten off “the narrow way” and moved to the “broadway,” just as Israel has done so many times in the past.  We as a nation do need Healthcare Reform, but not for the people, but for our government.  Our Government is sick and it needs a spiritual transfusion. 

(2 Chronicles 7:14 KJB)  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.

We are quickly becoming a nation that requires “gifts” from the government and our government thinks they have that power.  We no longer look to God for our provision, we look to Uncle Sam.  The problem with that is when we look in the morning mirror we should see “Uncle Sam.”  Those who don’t see him are blind to the truth.

            We as Christians need to spend more time with God, and more time on our knees asking God to intervene into the “goings on” in Washington.  We need God’s help there, but we need God in our individual lives first.  If God is not the leader of our thoughts, it might be that we are on the “wrong road.”  The “broadway” leads to destruction, the direction our country is headed.  But some of us, who claim salvation through Jesus Christ, have not left the “broadway.”   We are still hanging onto our old ways and just claiming Jesus for “security.”

            Jesus gave us:

(John 3:16 KJB)  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.

In John 3:16 a sincere heart is implied and we know this implication by reading the verses before and after it.   

            Do you have a true heart, a heart that wants to follow Jesus, and a heart that wants the Saviour leading your life?  Without that sincerity, what road are you on?  Are you relying on God to carry you through life’s trials, or are you expecting our secularized government to take care of you?  If you seek secular help, your road may be the “wrong road.”  

            Ask Jesus to come into your heart.  Call on Him and allow the Holy Spirit within.  Allow the changes God will make in your life.  You as an individual must be the one to make the decision.  It is not a light decision.   It is so important. Accept Jesus.  Believe now.  He will not turn you away.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Sing Praises Unto My God

                In Psalm 146:1-6, quoted below is the verse, “…I will sing praises unto my God…” This quote reminded me of A. W. Tozer, (a Protestant Preacher,) who said, “Christians don’t tell lies, they just go to church and sing them.”

              I started thinking about the songs in which he might be referring.  The first song I thought of was, “I Surrender All.”  That very first verse states, “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give.”  This might be a song we sing with a heart that says, “All to Jesus I surrender some, All to Him, I freely give almost all.”  Can we call this a lie when our heart should be “[singing] praises to my [our] God?”

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 desire to grow closer to God, (and we all need to,) we must begin with a “true heart.”  In other words, a sincere heart, a heart that is honest, and a heart that seeks repentance.  You and I will never be sin free, nor will we be free from our tongue and its lies.  However, we as Christians must seek from the Lord the help that is needed to repent to be a stronger Christian, (we must strive to be a Christian with a full assurance of faith, a faith that understands the need to “surrender all” and to freely give.) Moreover, we must be desirous to walk away from our personal evilness.

              How many other songs can we list?  Read and listen to the words we are singing to God as we lift our voices up to Him.  How many songs do not reflect our life when we are away from the Church?

              Our Psalmist states, “O my soul” what can we do?  First, knowing we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour, we must go back to our own heart, and seek what we are.  Are we the Christian who can state without doubt, “I am sincere and truthful as I can be, yet, I know as the Lord knows, I am a sinner incapable of being totally truthful.” 

              Ask the Lord to help you, and beg Him to forgive your weakness.  He will help you.  Seek Him.  Consider your praises, and set within your heart to praise Him worthily.  “O my soul…I will sing praises unto my God…”

                                                                           

Bro. John R. E Chastain

Psalms 146:1-6  Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.  (2)  While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.  (3)  Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  (4)  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.  (5)  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:  (6)  Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

“And Again…”

(Hebrews 2:10-13)  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,  12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.  

              In Hebrews 2:10-13 above, we find a Christian renewing his vows before God.  He declares, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church I sing praise unto thee.  And again, I will put my trust in him.”

              Where do we stand in regard to our volunteering our trust in God?  We all stand and sing when directed; otherwise, we just sit.  Is there no honour from our heart for God’s Word, and the song declaring His Word?  How anxious are we to have allowed the message to touch our hearts to the point of bringing us down to the altar?  (Begging God to accept us back, begging God to forgive us of our sins.)

              Our scripture speaks of “And again…” which should define every person reading this devotional.  Who among us is without sin?  Who among us has remained sin free this week?  Who among us is not in need of “And again…” and “And again…”

              I listen to national preachers who wail at the failure of the “Man in the Pulpit” to preach against sin and preach repentance.  I believe this failure comes because of the faint hearts in the pews.  The Pastor is afraid of losing those who give (not always from their heart), of their tithe.  We seem to be afraid of the “numbers game.” As the congregation dwindles, because sin and repentance is preached, apparently the offerings dwindle.  Numbers again, yet we have seen in our verses “And again, I will put my trust in him.” Where is the trust, where is the faith?   

              Ah, trust and faith is still a matter of obeying.  We will declare Jesus Christ here in Church.  Actually, except in the preaching and teaching, His name is rarely mentioned.  We discuss the crops, the rain, a car accident, football games, or something going on down at the Ritz Theater.  When is Jesus heard?  

              We as Christians need to listen to ourselves, our conversation, our life, what are we showing to the world, our family, and our brethren?  In many of our situations, seldom are the discussions about Jesus.

              We (you and I) need to get our thoughts and our lives back on track and get our faith renewed, put our trust back in the Lord “…again…”

              This is the day.  This is the hour for you to drop to your knees and do it.

Bro John R. E Chastain

Are You Faint of Heart?

(Isaiah 40:28-31 KJB)  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

            As I read our scripture above, Romans 10:17 comes to my mind.

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

            God is asking us, “Hath thou (you) not known? Hast thou (you) not heard?..”   

            With all my heart, I would like to know that what I preach and all that is taught here at Fundamental Baptist Church enters each listeners’ heart, and convicts each heart to serve the Lord our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus.

              Yet as we re-read, we see “He giveth power to the faint…”  “Faint” is defined “as being weary.”  Those who are working for the Lord, and have come to that time, feel they need to “slow down” or “quit.”  God will honour all we do.   Slowing down or quitting is not what God wants us to do. 

              He tells us later that those who use themselves may be to the point of total exhaustion or total weariness.   Our scripture says, “…the Lord shall renew their (our) strength and they (we) shall mount up with wings as eagles;..” We will run and not be weary, and we will walk and not be faint.

            We as Christians must gather ourselves together and fight this weariness.  This Church must not lose our zeal for the Lord.  We don’t want to find ourselves having lost our “…first love.”  

(Revelation 2:4 KJB  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

            Jesus the Christ died and spilled His blood on that “Old Rugged Cross” for our souls.  We must not forget the souls of the lost here inWellington, (along with our love for Jesus and His compassion,) and for the people of the world.  Remember what Jesus did for you. 

              Where will your soul go the day God requires it?  Will that be a day of rejoicing for those left behind knowing you have mounted up with wings as an eagle, or will it be a devastating day, knowing you will be burning in Hell eternally?                                       

Bro. John Chastain

Are You A Christian or Are You Half A Christian?

(Mark 1:14-20)  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel16  Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.  18  And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.  19  And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James theson of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.  20  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

            I am reading a book with an Introduction of a message by Bro Charles H. Spurgeon, an English preacher of the 19^th century. 

            He said “My brethren, we are not half Christians; that is the reason why we have not half success.  We are Chistianized, but I question whether we are thoroughly so.”

            His statement about being Christianized is the word I will use to help us understand our duty, “…Come ye after me…”  We as Christians do understand to some degree our responsibility to the Lord.  We understand we are to tithe. We acknowledge that we must support missions, support our church, and our Pastor.  

            However, when we look at our lives, we might find we are only a “half Christian.”  We may not refuse, but we step back from “…ye after me…”  We attempt to live a Christian life, but when the “wheel needs greasing,” we sometimes look to the Pastor or our pew neighbor to take up the slack.   We may place more importance on our secular worldly lives than we do on our responsibility to the Lord Jesus and His Father, our God in Heaven.

            I know, and I understand where we each are in our lives. We have to eat and pay rent, but we each must understand the necessity of following in the steps of our Lord Jesus.  He tells us He will make us fishers’ of men.  He will do that, though we may get to the realm of unwillingness to follow and be the best Christian we can be.  

            We must concern ourselves with lost souls.  We must concern ourselves with the growth of the brethren.  Where are you this hour?  Seek Him, and ask Him to help you do the whole job, and become a full Christian, not just a person who is “Christianized.”

Bro. John Chastain

A Pastor’s Prayer

(2 Corinthians 13:5-10)  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?  6  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.  7  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.  8  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.  9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.  10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.  

              Re-read 2 Corinthians 13:5-10 above. These were farewell verse from Paul to the Church at Corinth.  This is not my farewell, but as we read these verses, I know that Paul was telling these people “my heart.”  I may not have prayed those exact words; however, God knows my heart and these words convey my thoughts.  

              If I could for a moment think about Job and, “how he prayed” for his children:

(Job 1:5)  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Don’t we all pray for our children for the same reason that Job stated? Consequently, our text from Paul is not only a “Pastor’s Prayer,” I believe it is also a “Parents Prayer.”

              Paul is talking to each of us, that we should avoid the sins of the world, and seek after righteousness.  Our problem is that we as individuals seek for others; our children and our grandchildren, yet, we try our best to leave “me” out of the equation.  

              When, if we really look at our heart, do we stand within the boundaries of righteousness or is our place looking and partaking of sin?  The problem we have is we know where we stand.  We pray for others to move and get right, but we stand fast regardless of our own knowledge.  

              Not only was Paul speaking for us, he is speaking to us.  Your Pastor (Paul) is praying for you to move into a closer relationship with Jesus, and pray while you move for your Pastor to have the strength and power and the wisdom to lead you.  Pray he will have a closer walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul has given us direction, “Examine yourselves…”  Then just do it.

Bro John R. E Chastain

How Content Are You?

                In 1 Timothy 6:3-8, Paul tells us that being content is a very important commodity.  Our contentment with our Spiritual Life, our Family, and our Church is what drives us.  These three are also related to our secular life.  Our overall contentment requires we always focus from our Spiritual identity with God and His Son Jesus.

              We as Christians need our contentment with the Lord.  However, I believe most focus their personal contentment with the secular world.  We are all concerned with what is happening in government, (world crisis) and what is happening on our jobs.  All these, (and more,) usually take precedence over God and His Church.  We involve ourselves with discussions we know little about, and argue with perverse disputings and evil surmisings, all the while thinking we are being godly without the necessary knowledge.

              So what are we to do?  Our scripture tells us “…from such withdraw thyself…”  Our gain within the world is of no value concerning our eternity.  We were born naked, penniless and with nothing, and will take from this world nothing.

              Our only asset we leave this world is our character shown by our contentment with our Lord.  Our Children, our Grandchildren, (no matter how we attempt to influence them with what we are,) will not always reflect our character of contentment.  Our only hope in our “seed” is:

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

We may leave them a monetary inheritance; however, it will soon be gone.  Our real inheritance for them will be our “great gain” through our contentment in the Lord, and His Church, and how we worked “to turn our back on worldly ways” and keep ourselves separated for God.  Our hope is that in their “age” they will remember us, return, and “seek the contentment” they saw in their remembrance of our character. 

              What does your “seed” see in you?  Where is your contentment?  Is Jesus the Christ your Saviour?  If so, why is your back turned away from Him?  Repent of your sin, face God, and get yourself back into the “perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:2  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.                                                              

Bro. John R. E Chastain

1 Timothy 6:3-8  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;  (4)  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  (5)  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  (6)  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

He Gave His Life For Many

           As we read the scripture below, we read in the last verse Jesus is prophesying His future, telling us what He already knows will happen.  

              That is one advantage of being God; He knows, and you and I suppose we know.  When I make our plans for the future, for example, I have 2010 pretty well planned out.  Yet, not being God, any prophesy (planning) on my part as to what will actually happen in 2010 is just a guess on my part.  It all might happen as planned, or changes may come about.  (Jesus may come before 2010 and none of what I planned will happen.)

              Yet, Jesus, our God, our Lord, and Saviour died on “The Old Rugged Cross” for not only my sins, but for the sins of many (all).  He intentionally planned the date and the time of His death.  He knew before the beginning of time the date, the hour, the minute and the second that His human spirit would be removed from His earthly body.

              You and I are not required to climb on that “Cross.”  We are not required to martyr ourselves physically.  However, we as Christians are to die spiritually, and martyr our souls for the cause of Christ.

(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.

We are to present our bodies (the container of our soul) a living sacrifice. We are to transform our minds to the likeness of God, to be what is “The Perfect Will of God.”  We both know we will never achieve a complete likeness of Him, but we have to prove, grow in the Lord, and seek that acceptable “Perfect Will of God.”  

              We have used the Wordless Book in our children’s classes to descriptively show them the stages: Our Sin, His Blood, His Salvation, and Our Growth in the Lord.  Once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour, our next step is to Glorify God in all manner of our walk.  Our first step is repentance, and then Baptism, now our task is to grow in Him.  We are to seek Him in the Word of God, seek Him in the Preaching, and seek Him in the teaching.

(2 Timothy 2:15)  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Bro John R. E Chastain

(Mark 10:35-45)  And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.  36  And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? 37  They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.  38  But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?  39  And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:  40  But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.  41  And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.  42  But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.  43  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:  44  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.  45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.  

The God of Hope

            As I read our scripture below, the phrase “The God of Hope” is a name for God.  It helps me realize what He has really given me.   He has given me Hope, Hope of souls saved, and Hope that knowing one day God will call me home to that “Home of Hope” that is waiting for me.  That Hope is the joy and peace of understanding my Christ died on that “Old Rugged Cross” just for me, not for me alone, but for all those who will call on His name in belief.

(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.

            God gave “…His only begotten Son…” because He loves us.  He wanted us to have that hope and know that through the gift of His Son’s blood on that cross, that we know He is the “God of Hope.”  He is The Living God, the God who embraces us with The Holy Ghost, a gift given when we call on Jesus’ name in sincere belief.  We do not receive the Holy Ghost (Spirit) for any other reason.  The Holy Spirit was given to us to be the “Comforter” when Jesus ascended into the Heavens.  It is the source of our Hope, our Joy, and our Peace.  It is through the Holy Spirit we are taught. He teaches, we learn.

            So many times I have heard, “When I came into this church (or another church) I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit.”  It isn’t that the church building has the Holy Spirit, it is the “Church” which contains the Holy Spirit. (The people are the church.)  It is our Hope, our Joy and our Peace which is given to us through the Holy Spirit (Ghost).

            Do I feel the Holy Spirit?  Yes at times, yet salvation is given by faith and faith is belief with knowledge.  If you don’t have the knowledge, your faith is likely weak.  It may be because of weak church attendance, or because of seldom reading or not reading your Authorized Bible.  If you want to feel the Holy Spirit, get involved with God’s work, (not earning your salvation,) but working the salvation you have.  Read your Bible, attend a church which preaches the Bible, teaches the Bible, and one that is concerned for your soul.  Attend a church that is concerned that your soul might be headed straight for Hell, and through Bible teaching will get you off that road, and get you on a secure protected Highway to Heaven.

Bro. John R. E Chastain

(Romans 15:13-14)  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.  14  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

It Is Good For Us To Be Here

            As I read our scripture below, the phrase “it is good for us to be here”leaped out at me and I thought, “It is good that we have a church to attend.”  Sometimes I have a problem with the knowledge that we as believers are seldom on a mountaintop seeing the glories of God.  Most of the time, I think we are down in the valley and being just a bit short sighted on who Jesus really is and what He is all about.  Maybe we are wearing those “Rose Colored” glasses the world tells us we are wearing.

              Our worship service ought to be a time when we come to church ready for a “mountain top” experience.  I know there are days that I am not as ready and my expectations fall short.  You and I, through our prayer life, and our expectation of what God can do should drive us to a mountain every day, not just Sundays and Wednesdays.  

              God tells us through Peter; “it is good for us to be here,” not just in Church, but here on earth.  It is good to do His will here where we are.  Heaven will be better, and what a “mountaintop” experience that will be, yet, until that day, you and I need to experience that “mountaintop” that Peter, James, and John experienced.  We need to see God in a light that is beyond our comprehension. Our problem is we do not expect to see Him until that day, so we muddle along and stay in our valley of choice.

                        

(Joshua 24:15)  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

            We as individuals need to choose who we serve, and then serve Him with all our hearts.  Because we are here (in this congregation), I believe most have chosen to serve the Lord.  In our service, expect He will give us an experience beyond anything we have experienced.  

              It is your choice.  Experience Him or the world.  Which will you choose?

Bro. John R. E Chastain

(Mark 9:2-9)  And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.  3  And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.  4  And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus5  And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.  6  For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.  (Mark 9:7)  And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.  8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.  9  And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.