The Love of Jesus - Octavius Winslow

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“There existed no love but the love of Jesus equal to the work of salvation.

Love less divine, less strong, less gentle, could never have won your heart, uprooted your enmity, tore you from your idols; enthroning Christ, all of Christ, Christ only, Christ supremely, Christ forever!

Beloved, nothing shall take the love of Christ from you, or separate you from it. It does not ebb with the ebbing of your feelings; it does not chill with the chill of your affections; it does not change with the changing scenes and circumstances of your life.”

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“There is no other solution to the marvellous mysteries of His Incarnation and Sacrificial Death but this: Christ has loved us.

There is not a circumstance of our Lord’s history which is not another form or manifestation of love.

His incarnation is love stooping.
His sympathy is love weeping.
His compassion is love supporting.
His grace is love acting.
His teaching is the voice of love.
His silence is the repose of love.
His patience is the restraint of love.
His obedience is the labor of love.
His suffering is the travail of love.
His cross is the altar of love.
His death is the burnt offering of love.
His resurrection is the triumph of love.
His ascension into heaven is the enthronement of love.
His sitting down at the right hand of God is the intercession of love.

Such is the deep, the vast, the boundless ocean of Christ’s love!”

—Octavius Winslow, The Sympathy of Christ

HT: Of First Importance

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Christians and the Sabbath - Tim Conway

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HT: Puritan Fellowship

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John 10:27-29

The following two verses may be the most densely promise-packed verses in all the Bible. Each promise brings out a little different shade of the same truth.

John 10:27-29
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

This blessed redundancy gave encouragement to author of "How Firm a Foundation" to do the same.

“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Faith In His Love - Octavius Winslow

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“You are not called to believe in your love to God, but in God’s love to you! Do not argue, ‘I cannot love God! I have striven to my uttermost to do so, but have failed in all my endeavors, until in despair I have abandoned the thought and relinquished the attempt.’ Be it so- no effort of your own can strike a spark of love to God from your heart. Nor does God demand the task at your hands. All that He requires of you is faith in His love, as embodied and expressed in Jesus Christ to poor sinners.”

– Octavius Winslow, The Foot of the Cross

HT: Of First Importance

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Conquering Prayerlessness - Andrew Murray

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CONQUERING PRAYERLESSNESS

By Dr. Andrew Murray

The greatest stumbling block in the way of victory over prayerlessness is the secret feeling that we shall never obtain the blessing of being delivered from it. Often have we put forth effort in this direction, but in vain. Old habit, and the power of the flesh, our surroundings with their attractions, have been too strong for us. What good is it to attempt that which our heart assures us is out of our reach?

The change needed in the entire life is too great and difficult. If the question is put: “Is a change possible? Our sighing heart says: “Alas, for me it is entirely impossible!” Do you know why that reply comes? It is simply because you have received the call to prayer as the voice of Moses and as a command of the law. Moses and his law have never yet given any one the power to obey. Do you really long for the courage to believe that deliverance from a prayerless life is possible for you, and may become a reality? Then you must learn the great lesson that such a deliverance is included in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, that it is one of the blessings of the New Covenant which God Himself will impart to you through Christ Jesus.

As you begin to understand this, you will find that the exhortation, “Pray without ceasing,” conveys a new meaning. Hope begins to spring up in your heart, that the Spirit – who has been bestowed on you, to cry constantly, “Abba, Father” – will make a true life of prayer possible for you. Then you will hearken, not in the spirit of discouragement, but in the gladness of hope, to the voice that calls you to repentance.

Many a one has turned to his Inner Chamber, under bitter self-accusation that he has prayed so little, and has resolved for the future to live in a different manner. Yet no blessing has come – there was not the strength to continue faithful, and the call to repentance had no power, because his eyes had not been fixed on the Lord Jesus.

If he had only understood, he would have said, “Lord, Thou seest how cold and dark my heart is. I know that I must pray, but I feel I cannot do so, I lack the urgency and desire to pray.” He did not know that at that moment the Lord Jesus in His tender love was looking down upon Him and saying “You cannot pray; you feel that all is cold and dark; why not give yourself over into My hands? Only believe that I am ready to help you in prayer; I long greatly to shed abroad My love in your heart, so that you, in the consciousness of weakness, may confidently rely on Me to bestow the grace of prayer: Just as I will cleanse you from all other sins, so also will I deliver from the sin of prayerlessness – only do not seek the victory in your own strength. Bow before Me as one who expects everything from his Saviour. Let your soul keep silence before Me, however sad you feel your state to be. Be assured of this – I will teach you how to pray.”

Many a one will acknowledge: “I see my mistake; I had not thought that the Lord Jesus must deliver and cleanse me from this sin also. I had not understood that He was with me every day in the Inner Chamber, in His great love ready to keep and bless me, however sinful and guilty I felt myself to be. I had not supposed that just as He will give all other grace in answer to prayer, so, above all and before all, He will bestow the grace of a praying heart. What folly to think that all other blessings must come from Him, but that prayer whereon everything else depends, must be obtained by personal effort! Thank God I begin to comprehend – the Lord Jesus is Himself in the Inner Chamber watching over me, and holding Himself responsible to teach me how to approach the Father. This only He demands – that I, with child-like confidence, wait upon Him and glorify Him.”

If fear and hesitation still remain, I pray you by the mercies of God in Jesus Christ, and by the unspeakable faithfulness of His tender love, dare to cast yourselves at His feet. Only believe with your whole heart –there is deliverance from the sin of prayerlessness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). In His blood and grace there is complete deliverance from all unrighteousness, and from all prayerlessness. Praised be His Name forever!

- Rev. Andrew Murray, in The Prayer-Life (1920)

HT: Narrow Transcription

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Necessity of Love + A Caution

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I've been listening to Jimmy Needham's album Not Without Love recently. One of the songs on the album is called "Come Around." Here are the lyrics:

I thought I’d win them all with words
I’d say a smooth little line to win the room every time
And they’d be moved by what they heard
My tongue as empty as my heart
It’s not enough to play the part
O Jesus give me more than words

CHORUS:
We pass out paper facts all week but they won’t come around
We can debate theology but they won’t come around
Apologetic reasoning but they won’t come around come around
There’s only one way they’ll come and its love

I am a one man marching band
And you’ll be mighty surprised to realize just how I’m playing my songs
Its all live music ten till one come hear some cymbal crashing, son
And maybe hear me beat the gong

CHORUS

Men with other men loving the mammon more than God, man
They’re in a sinking ship and who can save them? God can

Maybe for a minute I can get back to the heart of it
Sure I’ve got zeal but does love have a part in it?
Passionate words and beautiful phrases
They just don’t mean much if I don’t have Jesus in it

CHORUS

And its love
And its love
And its love
And its love

The central point of the song is clear: winning people to Christ requires more than smooth speech, passing out tracts, and being able to win theological debates. It requires a life of love poured out for the sake of others. Apart from love, ALL of our efforts are nothing more than a noisy gong and clanging cymbal (see 1 Cor. 13). (Do we REALLY believe that?!)

But here's the point I want to make. The last line of the chorus says this: "There’s only one way they’ll come and its love." The problem is that this isn't correct either! True, people won't "come around" with mere slick speech, good tracts and theological debate. But they also won't come around through love either!

Don't believe me? Look at the life of Christ. What greater evangelist has there ever been? Who has ever preached the gospel like Him? Who has ever lived a greater life of sacrificial love than our Lord? And yet, not even He won over everyone He shared the Gospel with.

The bottom line is this: without love, ALL of our efforts are worthless and are a stench in the nostrils of God. But even love is not enough; we need the power of God through the Holy Spirit. We need to preach the gospel "by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven" (1 Pet. 1:12). We need the wind of God to blow (John 3:8), or nothing will be accomplished. Sometimes the wind will blow 3000 into the kingdom (Acts 2), and sometimes just one (Acts 16:14). God is responsible for the increase (1 Cor. 3:6).

Whatever the case, we can be sure that there will be no results whatsoever apart from the working of the Spirit of God. Even the purest gospel combined with the most sacrificially loving life will bear no fruit without the aid of the Spirit. We must pray brothers and sisters; we must pray for the wind of God to blow.

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The Difficult Doctrine of Divine Election - Mack T

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Question on the Difficult Doctrine of Divine Election

I received this question this past week

Bro. Mack

I am sincerely asking you to explain election again to me. I have looked at it, studied it, and prayed about it, but I just don't see it. If I am wrong about something I need to be corrected. I am honestly seeking the truth of this matter according to God's Word.

My reply:

Dear brother,

Praise the Lord for His mercy, that He helps us walk in the light.

I confess that this particular doctrine is very difficult for many and is hard to come to understand, in light of many other truths which the Bible speaks of, such as the gospel being offered to all and all being called to believe, and that if anyone, anywhere, desire to be saved and come to Christ, they are to immediately repent and believe, and they will be saved.

This is not something I can address quickly, especially am leaving immediately for Missouri for a week.

At this point, I would encourage you just to seek the Lord about it; tell Him everything you feel and think about it; if it is not the truth, then you don't want anything that is not true; on the other hand, if it is true, we ought to want to understand it, even if it goes against all we have ever been taught;

So just be prayerfully asking the Lord to show you what He wants you to see, asking Him to show you by His Spirit if this is a truth from His Word or not; then read the Scriptures with an open heart to him;

Remember also that it is not a matter if election is in the Bible--it's all over the Bible; there are too many references through the Old and New Testaments which speak of the elect, election, chosen, predestinate, etc, in many passages; so it is not a matter if this is IN the Bible, but rather it is a matter of what the Bible is actually teaching about it; I have seen professing Christians who hate the very idea, and will not even read or face the specific Scriptures that directly speak of it; this, sadly, is very unfortunate because they are rejecting a part of the very Bible they profess to believe.

So, at this point, do this specifically-- get a concordance and look up every reference on these Bible words: elect, election, chosen, predestinate; read every passage in its context and just see what the Bible actually says; don't read into it what you WANT it to say, but rather see what it actually says;

Its not a matter of my opinion, or yours, or anyone else's; the only issue that is important is what God has said and has revealed; that is all that matters.

Remember also that Jesus said to the Pharisees "You make the Word of God of none effect through your traditions"; I have seen over the years that I have often believed things, not because the Bible taught it, but because of my church traditions and my religious training; I finally came to the place of wanting only the truth, fully the truth and nothing but the truth, regardless of what my church believed or what I had been taught. I believe this is where we have to come to, of desiring to know the full counsel of God, regardless of the cost.

So keep on searching the Scriptures with an open heart and mind, asking the Spirit of God to lead you to see what He wants you to see. Then later, we can talk about other resources to read.

Be encouraged-- it is God's truth we want and He wants to show us all that is of Him. He will teach you faithfully because you have the Holy Spirit as your teacher, and He has promised to do so.

-- Mack Tomlinson

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"This is Brokenness" by John Collinson

This article on Granted Ministries site was a real help to me today. The introduction:

Sometimes it is asked what we mean by brokenness. Brokenness is not easy to define but can be clearly seen in the reactions of Jesus, especially as He approached the cross and in His crucifixion. I think it can be applied personally in this way...

Read the rest here.

The Bottom Line: Matt. 6:13 - Mark LaCour

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Mark LaCour

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"And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Matt. 6:13).

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Raynald III, a 14^th century grossly overweight duke in what is now Belgium had a younger brother Edward who, after a violent quarrel, succeeded in having Raynald imprisoned in Nieuwkerk Castle. A room was built around the incarcerated Raynald with near normal-sized windows and doors that didn't have a single lock or bar on them, but slightly smaller than Raynald's massive frame. All Raynald had to do to regain all his title and property back was to leave the room -- a simple task made extremely difficult because Edward each day sent to the room a variety of delicious food. As Raynald grew fatter Duke Edward was accused of cruelty, of which he answered: "My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave anytime he so wills."

Three truths from the illustration and above verse: First, being delivered from evil depends on not being led into temptation. They're a set. Like a front porch to a house, no trial or temptation is neutral. They're ordeals that either strengthen or weaken, depending on how they're handled. Christ teaches us to pray to be delivered from not only evil, but also from what carries us there (Jam. 1:14). Temptation isn't sin, but sin can't thrive without temptation. Or in Raynald's case, his fight wasn’t in how to get through the door, but in how to get around the food.

Second, every temptation is under the direct supervision and control of God -- or the prayer would make no sense. The Spirit led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted, and He was delivered (Matt. 4:1). God led Ahab into temptation at Ramoth-Gilead and he wasn't delivered (1 Kgs. 22:20). Both were under the sovereign control of God -- yet God tempted neither (Jam. 1:13). When God has a dirty job to do, He gets a dirty person to do it.

Third, if not being tempted is the optimum prayer, knowing every temptation is manageable is the optimum promise (1 Cor. 10:13). It's one thing to be left to your gluttonous self in a room surrounded by food; it's another to be there with the Spirit as a "personal trainer" helping you to refrain, showing you freedom through the windows. God's faithfulness is on the line when He promises to never allow us to be tempted beyond what we're able. What He doesn't promise is to control your lust in that temptation (Jam. 1:13-15). That depends on His mercy, which He's under no constraint to give.

Trials and temptations -- you can't grow without them (Jam. 1:2-3), and you should pray to avoid them. But once in them, prepare to "lose some weight," as God has never promised to "widened the door" (2 Cor. 12:8-9).

-Mark LaCour

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Getting the Gospel Right - John MacArthur

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"I am amazed at some of the things that have been said and written in recent years about the gospel. I fear that in many circles a different message is replacing the good news of salvation. I'm not talking about the attacks on the gospel from liberal religion or the theology of the cults, but a skewed message that has sprouted from right within conservative evangelicalism."

MacArthur goes on to answer the questions:

• Do we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, or as Savior only?
• Is repentance from sin essential to salvation?
• What is faith?
• What is a disciple?
• What is the evidence of salvation?

Read the rest HERE.

HT: Mona

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What's Up With the Rapture? - Mack T

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What's up with the Rapture?

This question came to me this week:

"Concerning the rapture, which one is true-- Post trib, Pre trib, Mid-trib or what? what is your view? Just wondering, it has been brought up several times this week in our Bible study."

My reply:

This obviously is a long, complicated discussion; we would have to talk some in person on this sometime to make it workable rather than by email;
Honestly, to me it doesn't matter much; many godly men disagree on this area of biblical doctrine, not just on the so-called rapture (a word not found in the New Testament), but even disagreeing on the millenial reign of Christ and the major details of the Lord's future return. There have been godly, Christ-honoring saints over the centuries who have been pre-millieniallists, some post-mil and some amil. That's just the way it is. If a person can't acknowledge that, they will just remain ignorant.

It seems clear that the main emphasis and main points in the N. T. are these about the Second Coming:

Jesus is coming

- He's coming soon
- He's coming visibly
- He's coming bodily
- He's coming in final cosmic judgment
- He's coming to take his bride to heaven
- He's coming to judge the dead & living
- He's coming to wrap up human history
- He's coming to establish perfect righteousness
- He's coming to rule and reign forever and ever
- He's coming to make us perfectly like Him
- He's coming to receive us unto Himself forever

He is coming for me, so I am to be about my sanctification with a passion, as John says to us in 1 John:

"Beloved, now we are the sons of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is; And everyone who has this hope (the Second Coming as a believer- MT) purifies himself, even as He is pure."
- 1 Jn. 3:2-3

Therefore, what do Jesus and the N. T. writers tell us to be concerned about regarding future eschatological reality?

"BE READY . . . for you know not the hour that the Son of Man cometh"

"Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure."

That is my eschatolgy and I am satisfied in my heart that this is enough for any Christian to know.

Obviously there is more to it, but that is what the New Testament majors on and emphasizes. I am satisfied to know that much and by God's grace, to endeavor to live in light of it. I will leave the more complicated details to the smart guys.

-- Mack Tomlinson

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Notes From The Road

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I just returned from a road trip to Northeast Iowa (my old stomping grounds), and return with some random thoughts from the journey.

1) I don't know how many times I've had to learn this lesson, but I never have the "free time" I think I'm going to have to read and pray while I'm visiting family. It just doesn't happen. The bottom line is that I must be "read up" and "prayed up" before ever getting into the car to leave town. The spiritual battle on the home front is nothing to take lightly, and I simply cannot count on having time while I'm there to get to where I need to be in order to fight. Preparations for battle are taken care of BEFORE setting foot on the battlefield!

2) When you drive through the Midwest, you see a lot of "three cross" displays outside of church buildings and homes. They usually look something like this:

Something always seemed odd to me about these things, but I could never put a finger on what it was until this trip. It's the fact that the center cross, the one the Lord Jesus would have hung on, is always made to stand out in some way. It's usually always taller than the other two and sometimes a different color as well. This seems to me to send a message that is completely opposed to that portrayed by the life of Christ. Jesus' life was one of constant humbling and taking the low position, never being loud or showy, but always taking the low route. Wouldn't it seem odd then, if at the most humiliating point of his life (hanging on the cross), he was suddenly given a position of prominence and exaltation? I'm probably just overreacting here, but it seems like these cross displays would be more accurate if the center cross was actually much smaller than the other two, not sticking out in any way. That would seem to be more consistent with the life of Jesus we have in the New Testament.

3) On the way up to Iowa I was listening to some music when John Mayer's "Heart of Life" came on.

The basic idea of the song is that, even when times are rough, we need to remember that "the heart of life is good." It's a catchy tune and, to be honest, I like the song. But a couple of thoughts here. First of all, what in the world does "the heart of life is good" even mean? As far as I know "life" doesn't have a "heart" to speak of. Mere existence is just that: mere existence. And if you reject the Bible in favor of, say, evolutionary naturalism, then you're really in trouble because evolution has no heart whatsoever, as it's been taken out and replaced with a "survival of the fittest" ethic where bad things happen to people in order to weed out the weaker elements of society. Hardly something to write a song about!

Secondly, notice the hypocrisy here. John Mayer can sing a song about the heart of life being good, and people go bananas and buy a million albums. But what happens when someone says "God is good"? Suddenly everyone is in an uproar, wondering why there is so much starvation and murder and rape, etc. in the world if God is good. What a joke! I want to see some outrage directed at John Mayer! If "the heart of life" is so good John, then why is there so much starvation and murder and all kinds of suffering in the world? This "heart of life" you talk about must not even exist, because if it did, all this bad stuff would not be happening! But of course, no one is going to object to Mayer's song, because deep down people WANT there to be SOMETHING good behind everything, giving meaning to suffering and direction in times of hopelessness. They just don't want that "something" to be the God of the Bible! Rom. 1:18ff is fulfilled yet again...

4) Outside of Dunkerton, IA I saw a sign that said "Jesus is Lord Over Dunkerton," or something close to that. I appreciate the sentiment, but if Jesus is Lord AT ALL, then He is Lord OF ALL. He is Lord over every single town, village, city, and hamlet in the entire world! Of course, that Lordship is only recognized now in the hearts of believers (Rom. 10), but there will come a day when it is recognized by every part of creation (Phil. 2).

5) While on the trip I read Longfellow's peom "Evangeline," which is one of his most famous and enduring works. It's a tragic love story, which I'm a sucker for. Anyway, I don't know much about Longfellow himself, but I was encouraged to find this quote from him: "Not father or mother has loved you as God has, for it was that you might be happy he gave his only son.—When he bowed his head in the death hour, love solemnized its triumph; the sacrifice there was completed." I love that phrase "love solemnized its triumph." But I like the way Jesus said it even better: "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."

6) On the way back I stopped to see Vaylard Zupke, a dear man of God in NE Iowa. Among other things, he stressed to me the importance of finding another man (or woman, if you're one of our three female readers) to pray with on a consistent basis. He talked about Peter and John in the book of Acts, going to a specific place at a specific time in order to pray. He said that it has been one of the greatest joys of his Christian life to have someone to pray with at a specific time on a consistent basis. This is advice to act upon brothers and sisters!

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Before and After - Jimmy Needham

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I went to hear my brother Stephen Gates play some tunes last Friday evening at a restaurant, and one of the songs he played that caught my ear was a cover of "Before and After" by Jimmy Needham. I had never heard of Needham before, but the song was a real blessing. Here it is:

The story behind the song is given by Needham on his website:

The big, dark secret of my past was my addiction to pornography. Since the age of nine, I had been an addict. I didn't become a Christian until my sophomore year of high school, but the battle with porn didn't conclude there. In fact that is where it started. I hated it, yet I kept returning to it. It was such a time of frustration, shame and disappointment in myself. One night after stumbling yet again, I fell to my knees in my room calling out to God, trying to tell him how sorry I was, and that I knew I had let him down. In that moment I had a vision. I saw the LORD kneeling beside me. Slowly He slipped His hand onto my back. He didn't say a word, but He was there, and I knew that He was loving me through my struggle. That moment gave me a new sense of hope and eventually led me to be completely free from pornography later in college.

Praise the Lord that He is able to deliver! I ended up downloading Needham's entire album today, and would commend it to you. The music is fresh, and the lyrics full of truth. And what's more, you can currently download the entire album from Amazon for $1.99! That, my friends, is tough to beat.

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Problems With Premillenialism - Sam Storms

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Sam Storms:

"My departure from Premillennialism was gradual and came as a result of two discoveries as I studied Scripture. First, I devoted myself to a thorough examination of what the NT said would occur at the time of Christ’s second coming (or Parousia). What I found was a consistent witness concerning what would either end or begin as a result of our Lord’s return to the earth. Sin in the lives of God’s people, corruption of the natural creation, and the experience of physical death would terminate upon the appearance of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, and the inauguration of the New Heavens and New Earth would ensue. But why is this a problem for Premillennialism? Good question.

If you are a Premillennialist, whether Dispensational or not, there are several things with which you must reckon . . ."

Read the rest HERE.

HT: JT

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What Is Spiritual Growth? - Terry Rayburn

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Courtesy of Terry Rayburn at Grace for Life:

Huge amounts of ink or pixels are used in discussing spiritual growth. However, very little ink or pixels are used in clarifying what spiritual growth actually IS.

Most who attempt this tend to parrot others who say things like:

1. Become more obedient to God’s Word,

2. Become more conformed to the image of Christ (whatever that means),

3. Be more like Christ in behavior (as in WWJD?),

4. Develop the fruit of the Spirit.

I’d like to take those one at a time, show where they fall short, and then take a stab at defining what spiritual growth really is.


Read the rest HERE.

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The Wind is Blowing in East Texas - Mack Tomlinson

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What follows is a ministry report from a dear brother in Texas, Mack Tomlinson. May it encourage us to pray for the blowing of the wind in our own parts of the country.

The Wind is Blowing in East Texas

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating men is like the blowing of the wind. I saw this reality this weekend in east Texas, where I had been asked to preach a simple weekend series of meetings for a group south of Longview, Texas, deep in rural east Texas.

I have chosen my words carefully here, so as to not exaggerate, but to give an accurate report. The events are as follows:

I had been asked to preach for the weekend by a young pastor and his wife who had begun a Bible study in their home after seeing some relatives converted. The woman's father and brother, both oil-field workers, had been powerfully saved simply through the witness of this couple and ongoing prayer. These men were transformed and have began to really live for Christ. Others began to be affected by their lives, became hungry for truth and, seeking out other real Christians, began to come to the study. These people come from such backgrounds as Amish, Catholic, Southern Baptist, Independent fundamental Baptist and others.

As the study continued over the weeks, more and more people made their way to this rural countryside home, and before long, their large living room was consistently being filled with people of all ages-- elderly people, middle-age couples, young couples, single people, teenagers, and young children. The simple truths of the Bible began to take hold of hearts and conversions have continued. Now the study has become a steady and real movement of God's grace, in the beginning on Tuesday and Saturday nights, and now on Sundays as well, often until the midnight hour.

As they gather, the singing is fervent with reverence and no foolishness, the praying is orderly, yet genuine and real, and the desire for preaching and for biblical truth is strong. And the presence of God is real and manifested. The wind of God is blowing and people from several counties in east Texas are being affected.

The unique aspect of this work is that it is not a spiritual thunderstorm that has come suddenly, like some think is supposed to happen when the Holy Spirit begins a reviving work. Instead, it is more like a steady, gentle light rain that has continued week after week, which has not stopped for several months.

I had been scheduled several months ago to preach for them, presuming it was just a small church wanting a weekend Bible conference. But when I arrived this weekend, I saw the wind was already blowing. I came into the midst of people living in the reality of the presence of the Lord, with real joy, spiritual hunger for truth, tears, brokenness, genuine love for each other, and a burden for others. From the first minutes that I arrived, I saw God at work. The wind was blowing.

I came to the weekend somewhat tired and battling discouragement. I had planned during the previous week what I would preach. But as I arrived and was preparing, I was convinced that my planned messages were all wrong. I saw God at work already. As I prayed, 2 new passages came to me, with a conviction that I was simply to preach from these, with no further preparation or notes, but was to simply trust the Holy Spirit to apply His truth, as I poured out my heart concerning the meaning of the passages.

As I preached, I began to experience exceptional liberty to share the Word, with great help from the Lord. God was present in reality. The truth began unexpectedly to come forth with unusual freedom and utterance. Among the entire group I observed deep hunger, serious attention, extensive note-taking, and real reception to truth. It was like seeing with your eyes the good soil of receptive hearts spoken of in the parable of the sower. People were being affected right during the preaching, which lasted probably 1 1/2 hours. When I stopped, several asked me to keep going, but I knew I had nothing else to preach at that moment. Questions began to come from all over the group and we continued for another hour, talking about truth, doctrine, conversion, spiritual life and reality, with joy and obvious open-heartedness from the entire group.

After closing the service, the people tarried, sharing, praying, and talking about Scripture, with several seeking the Lord with brokenness until after midnight. As I was trying to doze off to sleep late Saturday night, I was awakened by noise outside my room, as young men were talking about the things of God with zeal and joy, not realizing their voices were keeping some awake. The wind was blowing.

Sunday was just as good. People arrived early; they began to spontaneously sing worship songs and were sharing with joy. They couldn't wait to begin the time. What I had planned to preach in the morning was wrong again. After praying, I took new 2 passages and did the same thing again as the night before, with the message lasting 1 1/2 hours; it seemed like 30 minutes. The message led into conviction, honesty, confession, and questions for over an hour. The wind was still blowing.

In the afternoon around the meal tables, all anyone talked about was Jesus, the Bible, doctrinal issues, holiness, the true gospel, how to love their families, and how to walk with and glorify God. It was an atmosphere of joy and heavenly reality. I had come into a place where the wind was already blowing and I just happened to be blest to get in on it.

The meetings did not continue with me preaching more nights. But the wind was blowing as I left; it was very obvious that this work which had started several months ago has continued until now. It could turn into something more extensive if the wind begins to blow stronger.

As I was experiencing what God was doing this weekend, it was as if the Lord said to my heart, 'I am always at work in the earth and I am always saving people all over the world daily'. The Scripture then came to my heart with joy that speaks of Him being a God that is "working salvation to the ends of the earth."

So please pray for this work of God in east Texas. Ask your church or ministry to pray. It has the same kind of initial marks which were there in some real revivals in history, when the wind of God mysteriously, sovereignly and graciously began to blow. It's blowing now--even in rural east Texas.

-- Mack Tomlinson

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Poor, Beggarly Prayers - Paul Miller

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“Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king. You have become your prayer. As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: ‘I want to see the king.’

Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word, ‘Jesus, I come in the name of Jesus.’ At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on, and the door flies open. You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.

The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through. Jesus isn’t just the Savior of my soul. He’s also the Savior of my prayers. My prayers come before the throne of God as the prayers of Jesus. ‘Asking in Jesus’ name’ isn’t another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. Is it one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect.”

—Paul Miller, A Praying Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress 2009), 135

HT: Of First Importance

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Who Is On The Throne Today? - John Stott

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“In our vision of ultimate reality, who is occupying the throne today? Are we authentic New Testament Christians, whose vision is filled with Christ crucified, risen and reigning? Is guilt still reigning, and death? Or is grace reigning, and life?

To be sure, sin and Satan may seem to be reigning still, since many continue to bow down to them. But their reign is an illusion, a bluff. For at the cross they were decisively defeated, dethroned and disarmed.

Now Christ reigns, exalted to the Father’s right hand, with all things under his feet, welcoming the nations, and waiting for his remaining enemies to be made his footstool.”

—John Stott, The Message of Romans (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 162

HT: Of First Importance

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Fully Focused on Christ - J. I. Packer

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“The holiest Christians are not those most concerned about holiness as such, but whose minds and hearts and goals and purposes and love and hope are most fully focused on our Lord Jesus Christ.”

- J.I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 134.

HT: Of First Importance

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Giving Up on Self-Effort and Resting in Jesus

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Give up on self, Trust on Christ Alone from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

HT: Puritan Fellowship

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Country Profile: Bangladesh

A few facts on Bangladesh:

1). It has the largest single unreached people group in the world - the Shaikh muslim people. See Joshua Project here and here. There is a 0.00% status of professing evangelical Christians among their 130 million. And that's a very broad accounting considering we are using the two terms "professing" and "evangelical." But even still 0.00%.

How does that break down practically? That means, you won't find 1 professing Christian among ten thousand people, nor would you find 100 professing Christians among 1 million of the Shaikh muslims. Perhaps the statistics are way wrong... that would be great, but it's probably wishful thinking.

2). Surprisingly this is the same people that William Carey went to in 1793. Technically he was right across the border in Calcutta, but essentially it was the same people and same language, Bengali/Bangla. He translated their bible in 1801 with revisions in later years.

3). Bangladesh has the highest population density of any country in the world. It's a bit smaller than Missouri, but 30 times more populated. For all my Missouri friends, imagine 30 St. Louises, 30 Kansas Cities, 30 Springfields, 30 Bransons, 30 Jeff Cities, 30 Columbias, 30 Kirksvilles, and 30 La Platas. That's alot of people. 90% Muslim, 10% Hindu, 0% Christian.

4). It's extremely impoverished. I'm told the capital city, Dhaka, which is bigger than Missouri alone (6 million people) has 1/3 of the people living in the slums.

5). Currently HCMS supports 5 local evangelists in some of the tribal Hindu villages. Though apparently in the cities things are somewhat safe and Christianity is not illegal, in these tribal Hindu villages there is much persecution. Pray for these brothers literally risking their necks for the sake of the name! Through the limited involvement our local church has had with these men, we know that the believers among the tribes are beaten and threatened frequently.

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Here are some pictures. What is the Lord up to in this part of the world and with this people? Believe me, he sees and watches all that happens and knows each person by name, and even each hair on their head. Is this the next Nineveh that will receive the Lord's mercy in the gospel? My question is, why has the gospel not taking hold here? 200 years ago they had William Carey the "father of modern missions" translate their bible! Today among the muslims ... 0.00% Christian.

May God be glorified through Jesus Christ among these people.

... We Can't See Jesus

I've read these two interviews with Helen Roseveare.

http://www.urbana.org/articles/the-cost-of-declaring-his-glory

http://www.jesus.org.uk/ja/mag_revivalfires_congo.shtml

Even after months things she said keep floating around in my head. Her openness about how God dealt with her pride is brutally honest and a tremendous blessing. Remember, this lady saw amazing revival, yet she herself had to die to pride. Praise the Lord that he is absolutely resolved to purify us, his bride.

If I understand her right the two following accounts are one and the same incident.

Account 1 -

After building a 100-bed hospital and maternity complex, developing a training school for national paramedical workers, caring for a growing number of regional clinics and health centers, the day came, when on a medical ward round in the hospital, I got mad with a patient and let rip with a fluency in Swahili rarely surpassed. As we left the ward to cross the courtyard, my African assistant quietly put his hand on my arm and rebuked me.

"Doctor," he said, "I don't think Jesus would have spoken like that."

I'm sure he wouldn't, but it wasn't easy to take from student from the forest land. We returned to the ward, I apologized, and John, my assistant, preached the gospel.

This was merely a symptom of my state of heart. Shortly afterwards my African colleagues made it possible for me to go away for a ten-day break. I went to our local pastor's home, basically that I might sort myself out with God. Eventually, after three miserable days, Pastor Ndugu came to my help.

"Helen," he said quietly and patiently, "why can't you forget for one minute that you are white?"

It was the first of many appalling shocks as he opened up to me something of my heart condition, including this race prejudice. Subconsciously, I didn't really believe that an African could be as good a Christian as I was or could know Jesus just as I did. Slowly Pastor Ndugu led me back to the cross to a new level of identification, for a new cleansing from this racial pride and many other subtle forms of pride that he made me recognize and face up to, and then for a new filling with Calvary love.

When I returned to our hospital village, I was met by a group of my African team, and before I could, begin to explain, one burst out, "Hallelujah!" I looked at him astonished. "Oh," he said, "you don't need to say anything, your face tells us. We've been praying for you for four years!" And I had gone out to them as their missionary. The first major cost was to my pride, but from then on, I entered into a new heart identity, not only with our Lord Jesus, but also with my African friends and co-workers.

Account 2 -

I spent a long weekend crying out to God. There was little of victory in my life. I was frustrated, hurt and empty, knowing the right answers but getting nowhere.

On the Saturday night I went to one of the pastors and his wife and said, "Please help me!" His response was clear although he was very gentle - "We can see so much Helen and we can't see Jesus. Everything revolves around your vision, your work, what you will do."

I knew he was right. That was all he said, but somehow Jesus was there. I spent the following ten days in the presence of the Lord, broken. It was wonderful.

You can't live forever on the mountain top. You have to come down into the valley to do the work. You must never look back on the blessing - you must always look on. We contain the treasure of the Lord Jesus. It doesn't matter about the beautiful thin china ware or the cracked old earthen pot - what matters is the treasure within. The key thing is that God and God alone is glorified.