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.

The Same Lord

                In our verses from 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, quoted below, Paul is teaching us regardless of what we are, regardless of what we have become, and regardless of the depth of the valleys or the height of the mountains we obtain, He is the same Lord.

            We know God and His Son Jesus through our Faith. However, we are told that we have a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.  We still cannot see the Holy Spirit, but the knowledge of His existence is within us.  I cannot touch, nor can I hear the Holy Spirit speak, but I know He lives within me.

            There are moments, even hours, I can feel His presence. He has changed my direction, He has changed my attitude, and definitely cleaned my mouth and my mind. 

            When Bro Huntress phoned me and asked me to come to Fundamental Baptist in view of a call, I immediately said “no.”    (I had not been seeking a church; I assumed that Lighthouse Baptist in Benton, AR, would be my first and last church.)  Finally, I told him I would pray and ask God for direction.  It took several days for the Holy Spirit to get through my thick skull, but He did.  The knowledge I was given was unquestionable.  God was ready to move me to another church.  (I knew others were also praying concerning what God would have me do.)

            Our problem with our Salvation is that we usually leave an important part out of our lives.  We do not consider what the Holy Spirit is doing for us through the Lord.  We get prayers answered and go about our lives ignoring “the answer.”  “The answer” may be an answer we do or do not like.  Instead of giving God the credit through the Holy Spirit, we sometimes tend to attribute it to “luck” or “good fortune.”  We may even allow “Mother Nature” to give us good rains, or good crops.  

            We do believe we have one God, one Lord, and one Holy Spirit. Why then can we not live the way He asks us to live?

Bro John R. E Chastain

1 Corinthians 12:4-7  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5)  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  (6) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.  (7)  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Hear God’s Word

                As I read the scriptures in Isaiah 1:10 quoted below, a verse in Romans came immediately to my mind:

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

Isaiah, as did Paul understood the need to “Hear the word of the LORD.”  In the times both men were speaking, there was no King James Bible available for an individual to read.  The Temple Priests of Isaiah’s time had access to the Pentateuch, and the Apostles preached through letters, based on Jesus’ teachings.  All of the Apostles except Paul were uneducated.  Both Peter and Paul were the leaders, yet Paul, the educated one became the most prolific writer of them all.

              So now that we have a Bible, why do we have to “Hear the word of the LORD?”  When we read, our comprehension and retention isn’t as high as when we “read and hear.”  (We get double duty, retain more, and have a better understanding of the studied scripture.)

              This is why it is imperative that we read our Bible at home, bring it to Church, and read the scriptures as they are given.  The Preaching, the reading, and the hearing makes for a better and more secure understanding of God’s Word.

              Notice in Isaiah 1:10 that we are told “…Learn to do well…,” not in terms of the world, but on God’s terms “…give ear unto the law of our God,..”  As Christians, our primary failing is in the thought, “I am doing alright, not into sin too much.”  The question is if we know we are intentionally sinning, then “How much sin is too much?”  We as Christians are going to sin, (it is our nature) given to us by Adam.  Our task through the Holy Spirit and looking toward Jesus is to sin as little as possible.  When we realize we have sinned, we must go to our knees and ask Jesus to forgive us.  In that prayer we must be repentant, (sorry and willing to not repeat that sin,) and ask Jesus to forgive us and help us not to repeat that sin. 

              Does your heart want “to do well?”  Are you “hear[ing] the word of the LORD?”  Have you forsaken the “…the assembling of ourselves together…?” (Hebrews 10:25)  Are you growing in the Lord?  Are you exhorting others without a complete understanding, or because of your absence from church are you  “…learn[ing] to do well…?”

Acts 9:6  “… astonished [Paul] said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?...” 

Have you asked?

Bro. John R. E Chastain

Isaiah 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:16b-17  … cease to do evil;  (17)  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Our Everlasting, Eternal, Forever Home

      When we read Psalm 23:6 quoted below, it refreshes our memory that when we got saved, we received a home in heaven.  We found we are strangers just passing through this life here on earth.  This earth, for the time being, is the home of the devil and sin.

      Yet we dwell here for now, our home is being prepared as we tarry for the Lord.

(John 14:2)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

      Jesus, The Carpenter, is preparing my place.  It will be complete when I arrive, and it will be furnished and ready for occupancy that second God calls me home.

      Now I do have a problem envisioning Jesus walking around with a tool belt, loaded with hammers and nails, and an air compressor standing ready to be used by Christ to complete my mansion.  Jesus won’t need to do all that.  He will speak my mansion into existence.  

      God will call me home, and poof there I will be at Jesus’ feet.  Jesus, my Saviour, will then take me by the hand and guide me to that new mansion, created just for me.  “Oh What A Day That Will Be, When My Jesus I shall See.”  Have you made your reservation yet?  Do you have the Masters Card?  Do you have an Eternal, Everlasting Forever home?

Bro John R. E Chastain

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

He That Believeth

"When a man ceases to believe in God,

he doesn't believe in nothing. 

He believes in anything."

-G. K. Chesterton

            John, in 1 John 5:1-6 quoted below is speaking to believers. Those who believe are born of God, and they believe they are born of Him. The author above is telling us that an atheist is a person who claims to believe in nothing. 

            I know that a person who claims himself as his master has a fool for a follower. He will believe and follow in the big bang theory, in evolution, and anything else unimaginable with no proof of concept. He likes theories. 

            I spent twenty-five years of my life placing scientific theories in my mind, and so long as it had a scientific basis, I believed it whether it was theory or fact. (Though I don't think I would have ever believed in Oprah's religion, yet her new religion is just a work-over of the old "New Age" which is a rejuvenation of the Biblical Baalism.) 

            You see these people are without a doctrine. Without a Bible, without a Sunday School Teacher, and without a Preacher, how are they going to know? Not having a good Biblical grounding is nothing. Then anything goes. 

            When anything goes, then everything or nothing happens. There is no control, it is total lawlessness. We can find horrible, undefined happening next door, or just down the street. 

            We must believe in something, and our Jehovah the God of Heaven and the Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ is real. There is no theory in the Bible. 

Bro John R. E Chastain

1 John 5:1-6  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  (2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  (3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  (4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  (5)  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?  (6)  This is he that came by water and blood,even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.