Oh, Precious is the Flow!

"Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19)

The human heart is truly an amazing organ, beloved! This reality was brought home to me last week when because of severe chest pains I found myself in the emergency room of our local hospital. Before that night was over I had been transported to a heart center where I underwent a catheterization and the implanting of two stents to open blocked arteries. Now the flow of blood is once again unrestricted and I am feeling so much better. What a way to be reminded that the human heart is a glorious gift from God and you can believe that I am now a firm believer! And I intend to do my part to take care of my heart by healthy eating and by getting the exercise that I need. It feels so good to know that once again the blood is flowing as it should!

The Apostle Peter wrote that you and I as Christians owe our eternal redemption to the flow of blood, beloved. He said that we have been bought by "precious blood," the blood of the Lamb of God shed for us and staining the rugged wood of Calvary's tree. Robert Lowery was a popular Baptist preacher throughout the east during the mid to late 1800's. Later in life his interest turned specifically to writing and publishing gospel music. In 1876 he gave us the song that so wondrously states the simple fact that we must ever, ever trust only in "the precious flow" of Jesus' blood shed on the cross for us.

What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon this I see - nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing, this my plea - nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone - nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done - nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace - nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness - nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know - nothing but the blood of Jesus!

I have learned most recently, beloved, that the flow of blood through the human heart, God's own gift to each of us, is indeed a "precious flow." But the fountain that flows even today from Calvary with the same power to wash our sins away and to put us in right standing with Him for all eternity is truly most precious of all! Oh, precious is the flow! Thank you, Father, for the fountain filled with the blood that will never lose its power!

Ron

Back, Back, Back, Back....GONE!

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)

Anyone who has ever loved baseball is familiar with the sound of Chris Berman's voice calling out as a home run ball makes its way toward the bleachers - "Back, back, back, back...gone!" This week my grandson who is an avid baseball fan and player and wants so much to make a career of it called me to let me know with great pride that he had just hit his first "over the fence" homer in competitive baseball. For those of you who love the sport and want details, it was a drive over the left centerfield fence and carried over 300 feet. For a thirteen year old, that is quite a poke! In fact, he let me know that he was so intent on just watching the ball disappear that he almost failed to touch first as he rounded the bases!

The Apostle Paul in his final remarks to the elders of the church in Ephesus spoke of the importance of "rounding the bases" in his own life spiritually as a Christian. He stated first that he did not consider his own life - dreams and aspirations - to be anything that should stand in the way of what the Lord Jesus had given him to do. His one overriding purpose in life was to "finish" his course and to fully carry out the ministry to which he had been called of God. That ministry, of course, was simply to let the Gentile world know of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross and the gift of eternal life by God's grace through that sacrifice.

Each one of us who are Christians today is "standing at the plate" ourselves, beloved. This is our turn at bat and our focus needs to be on rounding the bases and making it home, accomplishing fully what we ourselves have been called by God to do. We need to make it our intention to cause our living to so attract people to Christ that those who know us will come to know Him as well because of us. To make this ministry happen, however, we are going to have to adopt Paul's own attitude toward our personal lives, not to consider what we want as so dear to us that we would allow anything to interfere with the fulfillment of our mission for the cause of Christ.

This same apostle who stated here so emphatically his desire to live completely for Jesus Christ would one day write to his young protege and declare as he looked back over his life that he had "fought the good fight," that he had "finished the course," that he had "kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Oh, that one day you and I will look back on our lives and be able to say the same thing as did Paul! Or to put it in this present baseball vernacular, to know that we have made full contact and that we are sailing homeward - "Back, back, back, back....gone!" May God bless you as you impact upon your world for the cause of Jesus Christ!

Ron

The Problem with Fig Leaves

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings" (Genesis 3:7)

God has a real problem with fig leaves, beloved! How many of you have ever taken time to note what happened immediately after Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to make loin coverings for themselves to hide the stark reality and shame of their nakedness? Do you recall the statement about their innocence recorded in the closing verse of the second chapter?

"And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed" (v.25)

But as soon as they disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden tree, that wonderful innocence was lost to them and they became acutely aware of their guilt and their shame became centered in their nakedness before God and one another. Quickly sewing fig leaves together to form crude aprons, they covered their sexuality and just as quickly ducked in among the trees to hide themselves from God.

In the actions of those first parents, beloved, we discover fallen human nature gloriously displayed for all to see. Take first the fact that they tried to hide from God. Sinful man has been hiding from holy God ever since! Do you recall what the Apostle John recorded in the third chapter of his Gospel?

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (John 3:20)

The second thing that Adam and Eve did was to try to "cover up" their guilt and shame with something their hands had made. I once heard someone define "religion" as man's attempt to reach out to whatever his own concept of God might be. That's a pretty good definition! As stated, all of the organized religions of the world amount to nothing more than "fig leaves" before God. They are man's attempt to hide his true need from God, to earn God's favor by his own merits, to appease God's offended holiness by any and every means possible.

But did you notice what God did with the fig leaf aprons that Adam and Eve had made and with which they had adorned themselves?

"The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21)

Pay very close attention to the term "garments of skin." What kind of "skin" did God harvest from which those garments could be made? The only choice He had was the hides of some of the animals of the garden. In other words, blood had to be shed...something had to die in order for the sin of Adam and Eve to be properly covered. And when God slew those animals that day, beloved, He took the first historical step toward an old rugged cross and the final sacrificial Lamb that would ever have to die for anyone's sins. You see, there is a problem with "fig leaves," with any and all of man's attempts to make himself acceptable unto God. And one day fallen man will realize that truth, but it will be too late!

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Matthew 7:22-23)

Prophecy? Casting out demons? Miracles? Nothing but "fig leaves," beloved! Just like church membership and baptism and money in the offering plate - if that is how we are attempting to make ourselves acceptable unto God. It didn't work for Adam and Eve and it won't work for us today.

Redemption is God's gift to us, beloved, not our gift to Him. Redemption must be God's idea, not ours. And redemption always requires a sacrifice. But God loves us so much that He was willing to make that sacrifice Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He was willing to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (1 Corinthians 5:21). Or to put it in keeping with our theme here, He was willing to strip away the "fig leaf aprons" of our own righteousness and clothe us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Forget the fig leaves, beloved. The Lamb's garments are ready for us to receive and wear for all eternity! Praise God for such a glorious salvation!

Ron

Shooting Hoops in the Sanctuary

"If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 'Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!' (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using) - in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence" (Colossians 2:20-23)

At the risk of violating sacred traditions when it comes to the sanctity of church sanctuaries, beloved, let me confess to you that I had a wonderful time with my son and grandson this past week as we were "setting up" the Life Center at their church near Richmond in preparation for the Thursday night youth ministry. A part of that preparation involved pulling out and setting up (Get ready! Here it comes!) a full-sized professional basketball goal for the teens to use. And after all the preparations had been done, we grabbed a b-ball and had a blast shooting hoops together right there in the Life Center.

Now most churches, at least the ones I know, don't allow children to run in the sanctuary, must less do something as radical as shooting hoops. But this church is different, a refreshing exception for one simple reason - they believe that the church should be more about people than about buildings. Now please don't misunderstand. On Sunday mornings members and visitors gather in that same Life Center to worship God and then it is set up as a sanctuary of worship. They have taken the term "multipurpose" to new heights. On those occasions the basketball goal is nowhere in sight and not a single b-ball is dribbled.

The Colossian church had sadly been infiltrated by those who taught them that true spirituality consisted of rigid external rules for living - rules concerning what they could not eat or even touch as Christians. They in essence handed out a list of "don'ts" for the Colossian believers to carry around with them in order to fulfill daily righteousness! Today many churches do the same thing, burdening their members with man-made rules and regulations concerning everything from keeping the church sanctuary "holy" to places they might frequent when not at church. Paul wanted them to know that, while such rules might appear spiritual, they are really useless in helping us to live for Jesus Christ. He urged them rather to allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to be their guide in such matters of exemplary living. Today we have the inerrant and infallible Word of God applied to our living by the Holy Spirit to direct our living for God's glory.

So if reaching your neighbors with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ requires you to grab a b-ball and shoot some hoops, beloved, even if it might be in a multipurpose church sanctuary, then by all means go for it. I assure you that the church of Jesus Christ will survive! And you might have the joy of leading some lost one to the Savior who loves them and gave His life to set them free from sin.

Ron