November 2007 Archives
THE RIVER AND THE ROCK
" Love not the world, neither the things that
are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him. For all that
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh
and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away and the lust
thereof: but he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever. " (1 John 2:15-17).
In the sublime language we have read,
two basic ideas are set forth, which we shall
present in two figures. One is the river,
the other the rock.
The river represents things trasient-
"the world and the lust thereof." the world
is outside us, lust within us. The world and
the lust thereof "passeth away". We note
that the tense is present. This means that
these things are in the act of passing away
even while we live. The world attracts us
and allures us only for a time. Even before
they are done with it, men cease to care
for the world. Passions burn themselves
out. Appetites and desires soon fail.
The rock represents the man who obeys
the will of God, who conforms his life to the
divine pattern (1 Peter 2:21-23.) The river
passes on, but the rock remains---"abideth
for ever".The same hopeful lesson is
embedded in the parable of the two
foundations, to which the Master gave
utterance (Matthew (7:24-27).
As the procession of the years moves on, the
evil propensities outside us and inside us
pass away; but the man of God, like the
giant Gibraltar, stands in the current and
defiies the changes of time. The house of
his character shall never fail."
Let's let Christ live in us and build in us the
character that never fails.-Byrl Brockman
THOUGHTS OF IMMORALITY
Aristotle: "Whatever that be within us that feels,
thinks, desires, and animates, is
something celestial and divine, and
consequently it is imperishable."
Cicero: "When I consider the wonderful activity
of the mind, so great a memory of
what is past, and such a capacity for
penetrating into the future; when I
behold such a number of arts and
sciences, and such a multitude of
discoveries arising; I believe and am
found persuaded that a
nature which contains so many things
within itself cannot be mortal".
Byron: " I feel my immortality o'er-sweeps all
my pains, tears, all time, all fears;
and peal like the eternal thunders of the
deep, into my ears this truth, .
"thou livest forever.".
Yes, these and other men of the past agree that
man does not cease to exist, but will live
Eternally. Many times in the Bible this truth is expressed.
In view if this fact, it is in our eternal interest to
become just a Christian, and let Christ direct our l.ives.
Byrl Brockman
LIKE THE COMPASS
Like unto ships far off at sea,
Outward and homeward bound, are we.
Before, behind,and all around,
Floats and swings the horizon's bound,
Seems at its distant rim to rise
And climb the crystal wall of the skies,
And then again to turn and sink,
As if we could slide from its outter brink.
Ah! It is not the sea,
It is not the sea that sinks and shelves,
But ourselves
That rock and rise
With endless and uneasy motion,
Now touching the very skies,
Now sinking into the depths of the ocean.
Ah! If our souls but poise and swing
Like the compass in its brazen ring,
Ever level and ever true
To the toil and task that we have to do,
We shall sail securely, and safely reach
The Fortunate Isles, on whose shining beach
The sights we see, and the sounds we hear,
Will be those of joy and not of fear!
May we all work to the end that we always point
to God as the direction we are going.
THE GREAT PHARMACIST
"We know that to them that love God all things work together
for good, even to those that are called according to His
purpose." ( Romans 8 ;28)
All things are not good; but those people with rightly
directed affections"all things work together for good."
A young man relates his story of a visit to a pharmacist
in his shop. He found him at the counter piling up
powders on three pieces of paper. When asked what the
powders were, the pharmacist replied that they were
poisons. The visitor then asked if there was enough in
the three heaps to killl a human being. "There is enough
to kill more than a dozen human beings," was the relpy.
What did he intend to do with these poisons? He was
informed that medicines were made after this fashion.
"What, making medicines out of poisons that kill people?"
The pharmacist smilingly replied,"When properly mixed,
they do not kill, they cure."
If life were one round of pleasure, it would kill. If life were
one round of sorrow, it would crush.
When the various experiences are mixed together by
the great Pharmacist, "they do not kill, they cure."
God works in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interrpreter,
And He will make it plain.
.
god
RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH
There is so much misunderstanding of the message of the Bible because
many do not know the purpose of the Old Testament, writtem by inspired
men of God.
A careful consideration concerning the purpose of the law of Moses,
will help us to a better understanding of the Bible.
God promised Abraham that all nations would receive a blessing
through his seed or family. He gave the Old Testament as a law
and formed the nation of Israel in order that Christ would come from
Abraham's family or seed.
When God's law through Moses served it's purpose, it expired by
divine limitation. The law was our schoolmaster--tutor to bring
us to Christ (Gal. 3:24). The world needed to be taught that "God is,
that He alone is the rightful ruler in the affairs of men, and that
sin brings ruin upon us, and too, the world needed to be trained
in the elements of worship. Men needed to be lifted above the
carnal things of sense and sight to a higher spiritual plane,where
they might appreciate and take hold of the eternal things of
faith. "But now that faith is come, ye are no longer under a
tutor," or a schoolmaster, (Gal. 3:25)
Friend, let the Bible speak to you in it's context. Believe it, and obey it,
and heaven will be your eternal dwelling place.
A TIME TO LAUGH
Grandpa was strong on practicality. As a young minister,
he preached a trial sermon in a village church, hoping
to be called to that pulpit. Later the officials met with him
to question his abilities .Wanting to be sure they got an
educated man, they, with the help of a school teacher, had
worked up a few special questions to test him. The lead
man with an air of scholorship. began: "Preacher, would
say a hen sets or sits?"
The young sage from the hills answered,"I don't care if
she sits or sets. What I'm interested in is: when she cackles,
is she laying or lying?"
There were no more questions, He got the job.
THANKSGIVING
At this time of every year, we have Thanksgiving.
We know from studying history that this day came
when the Pilgrims and the Indians had a peaceful day in
which they shared a meal together and thanked
God for their many blessings. This day has been observed
from our nation's beginning.
Thoughts from Hezekiah Walker:
"I am grateful for the things that you have done.
Yes, I am grateful for the victories we've won.
I could go on and on and on about Your works,
because I'm grateful, so grateful just to praise
you, Lord.
Flowing from my heart are the issues of my heart -
gratefulness.
Grateful, grateful, grateful, grateful
gratefulness."
All of us in our nation have so much
to be thankful for.
Here are a few of the things we are
thankful for:
1. God is alive and well.
2. Jesus is at His right hand interceeding for His people.
3. Jesus still invites us to turn our lives over to Him.
4. Our nation is the greatest in our world.
5. We have so many freedoms that others do not have.
6. The founders of our nation coined the statement;
"One nation under God, with freedom and justice for all."
7. Material things such as food, clothing and housing;
WE ARE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE!
As we think of the many other things we enjoy from day to day,
let us not forget that God supplies the material blessings, as well
as the spiritual blessings that we all can enjoy if we surrender to
the will of God.
Byrl Brockman
JESUS, THE GREAT "I AM"
The little expression---"I am"---appears frequently
in the sayings of Jesus, as recorded in the
Gospel of John. It gives us a key to his
marvelous personality and mission in the
world. let's study these sayings one by one:
1. "I AM THE LIVING BREAD" which came down
from heaven: if any man eat this bread
he shall live forever." (John 6:51)
2. 'BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM." (JOHN 8:58)
3. "I AM THE DOOR; by me if anyman enter in,
he shall be saved" (John 1O:9).
4. ''I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD; and I know mine own,
and mine own know me." (John 10:14).
5. "I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE: He that
believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live."
(John 11:25).
6." I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE: no one
commeth to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
7. "I AM THE VINE, ye are the branches." (John 15:5)
From these verses we learn that Jesus is the
bread, the light, the pre-existent one, the
Father's equal and co-worker;
the door, the good shepherd; that he is the
ressurection and the life; that he is the way and
the truth and the life; and that he is the vine.
Unto the hungry hearts, Jesus is the bread;
Unto the men who seek God, he is the
pre-existent one, the Father's equal and
co-worker; unto men who are shut out, he is
the door. unto men who feel the need of
loving care, he is the good shepherd; unto
men who grapple with the death monster, he
is the resurrection and the life; unto men who
are lost, he is the way; unto men who have
been deceived,, he is the truth; and unto me,
whose lives are barren, he is the vine.
Friend, if you have not come to know Christ in
this manner, learn of Him and let him become
your faithfull companion in your life. ---Byrl Brockman
f
WHEN TEARS ARE WIPED AWAY
REVELATION 7;13-14
This wonderful word-picture from the pen of the
beloved John closes with a tender expression:
"God shall wipe away tear from their eyes."
These are not the tears of all men, but the teas
of God's prople. Out of the great tribulation they
they had come. Because of the tribulation tears
had fallen. With their tears the pages of history
are stained.
1. There are tears of pity-compassionate people
weeping the fearful doom of hardened
sinner. ( (Luke 19: 41-41)
2. There are tears of sympathy---tender-hearted
friends who share sorrow, who weep with
those who weep. (John 11:35
3. There are tears of bereavment---David
weeping for his son Absolum. ( 2 Samuel
18:33) ,A Rachel weeping for her children
because they are not (Matt. 2:16-18).
Every day and every hour of the day such
tears are falling.
4. There are tears of penitent souls, who
weep over the memory of tragic
mistakes (Luke 7:36-38; 22:54-62).
5. There are tears of anxiety---earnest workers
who are deeply concerned with the moral
and spiritual well--being of the people with
whom they live and labor (Acts 20:31).
6.There are tears of sacrifice--tears of good
people who suffer privations to the end that
the family of God (His church) may grow.
Yes, someday life with all of its tribulation will be over.
The Lord as a loving shepherd will wipe away all
tear from the eyes of the faithful Christian. This
means thst he will remove the cause of sorrow---
sin and death. From his unwastng fullness, he
supply all our wants.
RESEARCHING OUR ROOTS
Many of us are interested our family origin.
We go to court houses and cemeteries
to find information regarding our family origin.
Though this is very important, we belong to
a family that is more important than our earthly
family. Christians are a part of the spiritual
family of which Jesus is the head.
In search of the beginninng of this family,
we do have a sure source. It give us a sure
history of our beginning.
Jesus walked with his disciples about
three years, teaching them about
this family he is the head of.
Just before Jesus ascended back to
heaven he gave what we know as the Great
Commission in which he tells us
to go preach the gospel to all the world.
The book of Acts of the Apostles is
the story of our beginning as the family
of God with Christ as its head.
It comes as no surprise, that as we
enter our earthly family by our birth
into it, we are, also, born into the spiritual
family. In order to learn how we are
born again, we search our roots in
the book of Acts and follow the
same example of those who became
Christians in the first century.
Byrl Brockman-
"May God give us honest hearts
that we will research our spiritusl
roots and conforn to the pattern
given us as we read of conversions
in the book of Acts."
