But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6, NKJV

Prayer. Have you taken time lately to consider the majesty of prayer? As I was having my quiet time this morning, I opened my prayer list and paused for a moment to think about what I was doing: entering into the very presence of the living God – the creator of all things; the sustainer of all things; the sovereign ruler over all things. I was about to engage in personal conversation with God. Read that last sentence again, and this time take time to think about it – to really think about it. Prayer is engaging in a time of personal, one-on-one, conversation with God.

As of November, 2022, the population of earth reached the 8,000,000,000 mark. Eight billion! My mind can’t quite grasp that number. Eight billion individual persons living on this planet right now. That is mind-boggling to be sure.

And the invitation offered to us by Jesus is to enter into our private place of prayer, close the door, and begin a conversation with God, who sees and hears in secret. Now please don’t rush past this. Take some time and give serious consideration to this important matter. When you go into your prayer room – wherever that prayer room is – the distractions of the world do not hinder God from hearing you pray. You have His undivided attention! He sees, and hears, you as you converse with Him.

This is truly amazing, is it not? When I think about my own ability to focus on something, it doesn’t take much to distract me. I am so easily distracted by the least little thing. When I begin to pray, my mind is all of a sudden filled with so many thoughts – of things I need to do, of people I need to see, of places I need to go – and I am, all of a sudden, pulled in a hundred different directions.

But God, who sees and hears us from our secret place, is never distracted. The Bible invites us to come into the presence of God, to spend time conversing with Him, believing that He is there with us, listening to our every word.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7, NKJV

Take your time reading this verse from the J.B. Phillips translation of the New Testament:

So, humble yourselves under God’s strong hand, and in his own good time he will lift you up. You can throw the whole weight of your anxieties upon Him, for you are His personal concern. 

1 Peter 5:7, JB Phillips translation

Don’t miss those last words: You are His personal concern. He cares for you, personally. He is there with you, in that private place, all distractions aside, listening intently to your prayer. With everything else going on in the world, with the needs of 7,999,999,999 others demanding His attention, He invites you to meet with Him in private. His ear is bent toward you when you enter into that room.

Please don’t rush past this. Please take a few minutes to think about this matter of conversing with God. Take time to thank Him for this amazing privilege. Give serious consideration to the majesty and magnitude of what you are doing every time you engage in conversation with God. You are His personal concern!

Until next time:

Blessings!

Imagine, if you will, the stranger I introduced in my previous post arrives on the scene today – November 21, 2023. He comes into the midst of moral relativism, cultural confusion, societal perplexity, religious plurality, and political dissension and division. He comes into the arena of human activity and behavior that is, in essence, as it was in the days of the judges: every man did what was right in his own eyes. He comes into a world steeped with the idea that there is no absolute truth, except for the truth that there is no absolute truth. (That, however, is a contradictory statement: if there is a truth that there is no absolute truth, then that truth would be absolute. The argument caves in upon itself!)

His heart is broken as he sees life – innocent, unborn life – destroyed, aborted, murdered. He witnesses the lack of moral consciousness as people go out of their way to protect the life of animals while at the same time wantonly taking the life of humans, who bear the image of the living God.

He is further saddened by the reckless disregard for the authority of Scripture by those who embrace lifestyles and behaviors that are clearly denounced in the Bible. Of course, when they believe that there is no source of absolute truth, then they feel comfortable in believing what they wish and acting in ways that are to their own liking and preference. He stands firmly on the Biblical principle of marriage being between man and woman.

As he continues to observe the actions and activities of the human family, he is deeply troubled by the way so many show a total disdain for the Bible’s teaching about human sexuality. Scripture teaches that God created male and female, period. Yet, as he looks intently on the affairs of man, he sees men identifying as women, and women identifying as men. He witnesses the concerted efforts of those who would destroy the family structure as described in the Bible. His heart is torn by those living in relationships that are forbidden in Scripture.

As his eyes continue to take in the sordid affairs of mankind, he sees hatred and animosity in every direction. Blacks hate whites; whites hate blacks; Arabs hate Jews; Jews hate Arabs. Hatred runs deep and seems to be growing unabated.

He has now come into this world which has for the most part rejected the teachings of Scripture. And sadly, so many who proclaim to still believe in the Bible constantly reject the teachings found there by their acceptance of so many practices and behaviors that are clearly denounced by the Bible’s teachings.

Now, for just a moment, think about this stranger coming to your house. He is there, standing at the door, gently knocking, hoping to be given entrance. Would you feel comfortable letting him in? Would you feel at ease in his presence? Would he feel the warmth of your welcome, or would he experience the coldness of heart? Would he find you living according to the teachings of the Bible, or would he find you embracing beliefs and behaviors which are contrary to Scripture? Would he sense a spirit of love toward your fellow man, or would he witness a spirit of hatred toward someone of a different ethnicity? Just how would you feel if this stranger came for a visit?

Well, in all honesty, he does. He is always standing at the door, always knocking, always seeking entrance. But he is not going to force his way in. Have you left him standing at the door? Oh, you hear the gentle knocking. You know he is there. And yet, there are things inside that you really don’t want him to see. So, he’s left outside. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

The Lord Jesus Christ is always looking, always knocking, always seeking someone to open the door and invite him in. Where is he today in your life? Are you inviting him in by looking to his word for guidance and direction, or are you leaning on your own understanding? Are you standing with him, or do you bar that door to keep him outside, at a safe distance?

Today, he stands at the door and knocks. He will come in to those who open the door. Why not do that today?

Until next time:

Blessings!

Imagine a place in which dwelt people who enjoyed living under the care and teachings of civic and religious leaders. These leaders invested their lives in tedious study of the law which had been passed down generation to generation for centuries. As a matter of fact, they had continuously added further explanation to the law by adding amendments and corrections, which came to include hundreds of explanatory notations which, in reality, caused more confusion than clarity. But, the people tried to live up to the law – both the original as well as the amendments and additions.

After hundreds of years of striving to live by the teachings of their leaders, it was all of a sudden discovered that a stranger had come into their land. He came with strange teachings that did not seem to be in alignment with what they had been taught. He didn’t really contradict their teachings, but rather he gave them what he described as the true meaning of the laws which had been passed down generation to generation.

Multitudes were intrigued by this man and his teachings and explanations. They were mesmerized by his ability to teach with such clarity and eloquence. Yet, they were confused because his teachings were in many ways so revolutionary. He certainly had some interesting ideas, but could they really trust this man? After all, they didn’t even know where he was from!

Things began to quickly change when he confronted the civic and religious leaders over what he referred to as their hypocrisy. First of all, he denounced them personally because they were placing such heavy demands on the people while not living up to those demands themselves. Second, he said the leaders had replaced the sincere teachings of the law with their own traditions and were weighing the people down with their excessive legalistic burdens.

The leaders began to plot and scheme, devising plans by which they hoped to silence this man who had become such a nuisance. He was causing such dissension in the minds of so many of their constituents, and they felt as if their persuasive hold over the people was beginning to erode.

So, they came up with a scheme which would prove fatal to this newcomer. They persuaded some to bring false testimony against him, accuse him of treason, and have him executed. Which they did. He was sentenced to death because they rejected his message of truth.

This fictional story of an imaginary town doesn’t do justice to the story of Jesus as it unfolds in the pages of the New Testament, but I hope that it shows us just how difficult it would have been for the people of Jesus’ day to embrace His teachings in the backdrop of what they had been taught for hundreds of years by their leaders. It was a radical, revolutionary message that Jesus brought. He was calling for them to renounce the false teachings of those leaders they had been following and trusting for so long. He was calling for them to place their faith and trust in Him, the One to whom the Old Testament prophets had pointed, and the one of whom John the Baptist said, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

As we come to celebrate another Thanksgiving Day, let us be thankful for the coming of our Lord, bringing light and life to those living in darkness and spiritual death. And as Thanksgiving ushers us into the frenzied Christmas season, let us remember to take time to reflect on the magnitude of God’s grace and love which reached out to sinful man with such majesty as we see in the story of the coming of the Messiah.

We will delve deeper into this story in my next post. But for the next few days, please take time to give consideration to how difficult it must have been for the people of Jesus’ day to embrace His teachings, and how difficult it continues to be for many who are living lives and lifestyles, embracing worldly philosophies and practices, which must be repented of in order to enter into a true and sincere relationship with God through Jesus Christ the Lord.

Until next time:

Blessings

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16, NKJV (Jesus speaking)

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24, NKJV

The Scriptures teach us clearly that we are saved by grace, through faith, which, in its totality, is a gift of God. We do not work for our salvation; we do not earn our salvation; we could never merit our salvation; we cannot buy our salvation. There is nothing we could ever do to get right with God on our own terms – we must come to Him on His. And there is one, and only one, means by which we can be saved: through Jesus Christ.

Once that has been settled, our lives are changed forever. We are new creations: the old has passed away and all things have become new. From that moment on we are to live our lives for His glory. We are to shine brightly so that others might see Jesus in us.

Why is it that so many who profess to know Jesus bear no resemblance to Him? You might think that I am being overly judgmental, but we are told in the Bible that people would be known by the fruit they bear. We do make evaluations based on what we see and hear. We do make judgements. We are just to make them carefully and correctly.

However, I am not speaking here of making judgments of others, but rather of taking a long, hard, serious look at ourselves. Are we living lives of righteousness? Are we striving to bring glory to God in all we do and say? Do others really see Jesus in us? Again, let’s be reminded of the words of the apostle Paul: whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

Take a moment and think about what difference it would make in your life if you put forth a conscious effort to do everything for His glory? If we took seriously that admonition, how would it affect our behavior, our attitude, our ambitions, our outlook on life? How would you be changed if you did everything consciously and consistently for His glory?

Is it readily obvious to others that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, or would your co-workers and acquaintances be surprised to learn that you profess to be a Christian? Does your life and lifestyle, your behaviors and beliefs, bear testimony to being a sincere and serious disciple of the Lord, or is your life more in alignment with the ways of the world? Do you look at life through the lenses of the world, or through the lenses of the Word of God? Are your decisions based on leaning upon God for guidance, or do you make them by listening to the world’s philosophies?

I tell my students at Fruitland Bible College at the beginning of each quarter to develop the desire to do all that they do for God’s glory. Write a paper as if you were going to hand it to Jesus, personally. You are not doing it for a grade (at least that’s not the most important reason!), but rather you are doing it for Him. When you study for an exam, do the best you can do, because you are doing it for Him, and He deserves your best.

When you are going about your daily routine, whatever that may be, remember that you are a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t let you light be dimmed by the trappings of the world but live your life by the authority of God’s Word and do everything for His glory. Remember, we are to do whatever we do for His glory. We are ambassadors for Christ. Our vocation, as Paul says in Ephesians, is to walk worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to strive to never do anything that would bring shame to His name.

So, to recap, based on the authority of Scripture alone, we are saved by faith alone, which is the gift of God’s grace alone, and is offered to us through Christ alone, which leads us to live lives of righteousness for His glory alone. Let this be the deepest desire and the guiding principle of our lives!

Until next time:

Blessings!

What does it take for one to be saved? What is the formula for salvation? How can one be absolutely assured of his salvation, and know that his name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Jesus offers the answer:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6, NKJV

What an astoundingly absurd assertion! How could Jesus say this about Himself? It takes me back in my mind to an argument raised by C.S. Lewis in his book “Mere Christianity”. To summarize Lewis’s argument, he said that Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. We are faced with what Scottish preacher John Duncan (1796-1870) called a ‘trilemma’. To summarize Duncan’s argument, he said that Jesus either (1) deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or (2) He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or (3) He was divine. Liar, lunatic, or Lord. Deceiver, deceived, Divine. A true trilemma!

When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany, he was standing against the Catholic teaching that salvation comes through the church. Luther was arguing that salvation comes through Christ, and Christ alone. It is salvation by grace, through faith, period. Nothing can be added to the completed work of Christ.

It is quite clear that the New Testament writers understood this to be true. As Peter spoke to the rulers of his day, he said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And in his first epistle, Peter argued:

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, and He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 Peter 1:18-21, NKJV

No wonder John records for us in his Gospel that, “Jesus came unto His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Jesus was despised and rejected then, just as He is today by multitudes. The vast majority of the world has bought into the lies of the devil, which, to a large degree present a substitute for the real thing. And, sadly, much of the deceit of the devil centers around the means of salvation. If he can convince someone that salvation comes through a physical entity – like the church – then that individual will never see the need to come to Jesus by faith, and be saved by grace, which is the one and only means of being truly saved.

To add further clarification, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of those pivotal and crucial words from Ephesians:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV, emphasis added

Focus for a moment on the words I have added emphasis to. We are not saved by works, but we are saved to work. Our works for the Lord come about as a result of our salvation from the Lord. Once we have received the gift of salvation – a gift given to us by the will of the Father – then we realize that we are a new creation in Christ for good works. So many seem to be deceived – either by self-deception or by embracing another of the lies of the devil – that how we live after being saved is of little consequence. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are His workmanship, created for good works! That is our post-salvation purpose in life. (This will be the focus of my next post, which will zero in on the fifth sola, Soli Deo Gloria – To the Glory of God Alone. We exist for His glory!)

So, let’s recap what we have learned. On the sole source of authority, the Scriptures alone (Sola Scriptura), we learn that we are saved by faith alone (Sola Fide), which is a gift given to us by grace alone (Sola Gratia), through the Lord alone (Solus Christus). If you have been saved by this wonderful work of God completed through His Son, Jesus Christ, then bow before Him in gratitude, and submit to Him in servitude, that our lives might show forth the amazing work of His grace.

Until next time:

Blessings!

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV

Some of you, perhaps, have read my book, “Manifestations of Grace”, or have noticed the title of my web page, “It’s All About Grace”. Grace is such a powerful and beautiful thing to consider. We are all recipients of God’s amazing grace. Whether we are a believer or not, we all experience His grace.

A simple definition of grace is God’s unmerited favor and love extended to the unworthy. More elaborate detail and definition could be given, but for our present discussion we will use that simple statement to guide our thoughts. In my previous post attention was given to sola fide – faith alone. However, special notice should be given to the verse quoted above (the same verse from the post on faith). Grace, embraced by faith, is the means by which we are saved. It is not by works, it is solely the gift of God. It is, indeed, His unmerited favor and love extended to us.

God always takes the initiative in bringing about one’s salvation. Jesus made this crystal clear when He said that He had come for the purpose of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10).

For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

He takes the initiative. No one is seeking Him. Being dead in trespasses and sins means that we are totally unable to come to Jesus. Were it not for the drawing, life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, who quickens us (brings us to life spiritually), enabling us to understand spiritual truth, and the Son of God taking the initiative in extending grace to the unworthy, none would ever be saved.

Another personal story shared by one of my readers shows how powerful this saving grace is, and how it reaches to the depths of human behavior. Read slowly and carefully the testimony of Donnie Helms:

I didn’t come from a happy home. My parents hated each other and that hatred was physically manifested on several occasions. My mother did take my brother and me to church every Sunday morning and evening, and most every Wednesday, but there was no Christian atmosphere at home. My daddy was cold to religion and the church. He went out of his way to avoid preachers and anyone who had anything to do with church. He called my mother a hypocrite, and rightfully so. She wasn’t exactly a Proverbs 31 woman. To him, her actions only served to reinforce his beliefs about church and religion. They divorced in 73/74. In 76, my brother and I went to live with our dad.

In April of 77, my daddy surrendered his life to the Lord, and from that point on we were in church every time the doors were open. It was a hollering type of church, (No snakes), and once saved always saved was not taught. As a teenager I found myself camped out on the brink of hell. I was having to get saved every other Sunday. When I got to my mid-twenties, I had had enough of church, preachers, and anyone who called themselves a Christian and I, along with my second wife, walked away from the church and God. Two years later, in July of 93, our marriage ended. That’s when I began to plunge deeper into my sin than I had ever done before. At the house I was dad. Away from the house I wasn’t! And every other weekend was spent in pursuit of the next conquest. But even in the midst of my debauchery, people were praying for me and God was listening.

Fast forward to late October, early November 1997. My choice to continue living a sinful life caught up with me. My ex-wife informed me that she was moving to Tennessee and taking my youngest two children with her and there was nothing I could do to stop her. Dealing with her was like bailing water on the Titanic, it was a nightmare, as was my sinful lifestyle. I was miserable and her breaking news did just that, it broke me. After I got off the phone with her I walked outside and said “God! Please don’t take my children from me. I’ll stop living the way I’m living and will go to church, just please don’t take them from me.” Now please note: This is the first time I’ve prayed in years. And also take note: I didn’t ask Jesus to save me. I was bargaining with God!

Two or three days later, my ex called me and told me that her plans had changed and she was not going to Tennessee. The next Sunday we went to church. My thought was “Ok God! I’m holding up my end of the bargain.” But God!!! The next Sunday, November 16, 1997, this broken man fell down at the front pew of Faith Baptist Church in Lilesville, NC, and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. I prayed Lord, I give up! But it can’t be like it was before. I’m all in! I totally surrender my life to you. I had no idea that God was going to right then, confirm for me that He was now in control of my life.

After the pastor had prayed for me, he asked me to stand up in front of everyone as a public profession of faith. I did NOT want to stand up in front of people who for the most part I did not know. Please understand! I took zeros in high school because I would not stand before a room full of people and give a 3 minute presentation. This for me was a big deal. But God!!!

He said you don’t have to say anything just stand up and let me introduce you. Reluctantly I did, and after he said everything he had to say, he turned to me and said, “Brother, is there anything you want to say?” My mouth flew open and I began to speak. I knew right then something radically wonderful had happened to me.

And now, I stand before people every Sunday and preach the gospel. Only God!!!

Rev. Donnie Helms, Pastor, North Wadesboro Baptist Church, Wadesboro, NC

Grace! Wonderful, powerful, saving grace! Of course, grace extends to all of life. God gives grace to face the difficulties in life, as we learn from Paul after he prayed multiple times for God to remove his “thorn in the flesh”. God told Paul that He would not remove it, but that His grace would be sufficient to live with it. God’s grace is operative in our lives every moment of every day. We are the beneficiaries of His grace and should be eternally grateful for this amazing gift. Why not take some time right now to thank Him for His amazing grace.

Until next time:

Blessings!