What is our motive?

This is an excerpt lifted from an article in The Sovereign Grace - MESSAGE, July-August, 1991 issue. E.W. Johnson wrote this article, he is the former pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, AR. Bro. Johnson is now with the Lord.


In light of the great commissions of our Lord (Matt 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:45-47), Bro. Johnson wrote:



But is it not true that we cannot be used of God in the calling of His elect to salvation unless we preach the gospel to all nations, to every creature, as God is pleased to open the door to us, for it cannot be known aforetime who the elect of God are?


Before a person is called effectually to faith in Christ, it cannot be known that he or she is of the elect of God. The elect of God are found in strange places.


Who would have thought that the woman at the well at Sychar would prove to be one of the elect of God?


Who would have thought that the dying thief was one of those whom the Father had given to the Son? How could this have been known before that thief was called to salvation?


Who would have thought that the great enemy of the early church, Saul of Tarsus, would prove to be one of the elect of God?



Yes, certainly in obedience to the great commissions of our blessed Lord we must preach the gospel to all the world, as God opens doors of opportunity, but what is our motive?


Are we seeking to save all men, or are we seeking to be used of God in the calling of His elect to salvation?

emphasis is mine


Supporting scriptures

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.  Matt 28:18-20

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:15-16

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:45-47

From the pen of Pastor Gene Breed, Grace Baptist Church, McDononough, GA

This is a bit lengthy but I believe you will find it a blessing.

THY KING COMETH

Zechariah 9:8 And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

The Christian has much to cause him to Rejoice greatly! He is like unto no other religionist in the entire universe! His God actually dwells within him! His very body is the temple for his God’s habitation! His God’s Incarnation is a proof of his own regeneration! All other religionists must have their paintings, their religious jewelry, their visible symbols and idols to strive, in vain, to keep their god in their minds. But the Christian has his God, by the Holy Spirit, dwelling within him!

John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.


Notice the personal reason our Lord God gives as the sole cause of this joyous worship! In verse eight we are told by His own mouth, I will encamp about mine house! And then he gives the understanding that He has set loose the Greek Gentile King (Alexander the Great), to destroy the Medes and the Persian kingdom as he clearly prophesied in the Book of Daniel.

Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. 20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

But he instructs his people, who are at this time clearing away the rubble and rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, that this scourge will not come nigh them.

Psalm 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
 
His personal presence and protection shall be theirs through all that then occurs on earth!

 

Not An Army!

Notice that he does not say, “I will raise you up an army for your protection!” That would be a cause of rejoicing! But he shall only send them one man! And that one man shall be lowly, and riding upon an ass! – One man! That’s all they get! But that one man is God Himself! To see him is to see the Father! For he and the Father are one! (John 10:30).

To begin the population of the entire world, God created one man – Adam! To deliver his people from the power of Egyptian bondage, God raised up one man – Moses! And to deliver the church from it’s sin, God came himself, as one man – the man Christ Jesus! NOT an army! But God came Himself!

Zech. 2:10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zephaniah 3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.


The church in every age must come to see that it is one body, but made up of individual members. (1 Corin. 12:12,20.) And none of those other members was able to redeem them, (Psa. 49:7), nor to grant them the life they enjoy among the body as a whole. They must all learn that they can relate one to the other only as they first relate to the Head, even Christ! Our God is a jealous God! In fact, his name is Jealous! (Exod. 34:14). And every individual believer will, at some time in their lives, be isolated to that God without other human distraction! He will exclusively provide Himself as the reason for rejoicing greatly!

 

Not Even the Destruction of the Enemy!

The cause of great rejoicing before the Lord is not only that God is providing himself, and not an army. But the source of this great rejoicing is also not to be found in the destruction of their enemies! In verse five of this chapter we read, the king shall perish from Gaza, Israel’s enemy! But that is not set forth as the reason for this great rejoicing!

The disciples fell into this trap, provided, not by the Spirit, but only by their inordinate affections!  

Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

And in the very next verse Jesus properly rejoices!  
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

God coming in effectual revelation to his elect people is the cause of great rejoicing! Notice: THY King cometh unto THEE! A personal God coming personally in individual salvation to his people!!!

 

His Kingdom Character

The Lord instructs us in Book of Daniel that there were four Gentile kingdoms – the Assyrians, under Nebuchadnezzar; the Medes/Persians, under Darius & Cyrus; the Greeks, under Alexander the Great; and the Romans under the Caesars – then there would come in during the Roman reign a kingdom which would never, ever, ever be conquered, nor replaced! – the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ! His is a spiritual, gospel, eternal kingdom, set forth by his illustrious death as the final sacrifice!
 
Daniel 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (the Roman Empire) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter.

Daniel 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

But because men cannot SEE this kingdom, unless being born by the Spirit (John 3:3,5), they erroneously imagine with their unregenerate spirit that it has not come! Unconverted religionists have unmercifully chopped up the scriptures in every unbelievable attempt to prevent anyone from believing Christ is the presently reigning Lord! They utterly refuse to quote verse eighteen of Matthew twenty eight as they drive their poor members to “Go into all the world, and get us some more tithers!” For verse 18 clearly states, from the mouth of the King Himself, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Amazing! They allow Caesar and Alexander a sovereign control, but not the Lord Christ! And they still claim to be “Christ-ians!”
And we clearly read that at the time of his completing the atonement he sat down in the position of honor and rule!  

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

As before stated, they will allow Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus, Alexander, and Caesar to have been world rulers, but not Christ! Settle it! If the Lord Jesus cast out devils by the Holy Spirit, then the kingdom of God was already here at that time!  

Matt. 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

The kingdom of Christ on earth shall END with the gospel having been preached to all the world! But most say it will then only be beginning! What did Christ say?  

Matt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The American church, like the apostate Jews want a fanciful, flashy, political king! But God sent a king who is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. His sword is the spirit of the word of God! (Eph. 6:17). He did not come to make America great! He came to make some Americans holy! But we are a proud, greedy people, who will not bow to admitting that we own a king on a donkey! We want a king on a grand white stallion!

But in verse ten of our above listed text we find that we shall have to resist his rule for us to have such, for since the king sets the personality of the kingdom by his own personality, he will not allow the grand stallions for anyone! He will cut asunder all those on their high horses, acting in the energy of human might! He will destroy humanly contrived chariots and battle bows!

Haggai 2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. 23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Dear ones, trade in your soul damning high horse, and bow to your donkey ride, for the Lord hates a proud look! (Prov. 6:16,17).

Pastor Gene Breed
February 24, 2011

God's work

For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psalm 74:12

What might appear to us as mayhem, confusion and chaos in this world  is all within the scope, purpose and will of Almighty God. He is working salvation out in the middle of this world. He has all the details under control and in the end this will be seen to the praise of the glory of His grace.


So how is God working? Here are a few scriptures from my limited thoughts, perhaps others will come to mind for you.


And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28


Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Phil 2: 12-13


Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.  Col 1:29


Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  Eph 3:20


Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John 6:28-29

Convictions

Be thankful, therefore, for convictions; conversion begins at conviction, though all conviction doth not end in conversion.       -- John Bunyan

A strait gate (Addendum)

An oversight on my part was not to include the whole context of these verses. I originally posted them then removed them thinking it would take away from the point I was making.

Here is the passage all together:

Luke 13:23-30

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:   Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.  And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.  And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.



From the context of this passage it seems that the Lord is specifically speaking to professing believers.

These appear to be people who fully expect to enter into heaven. Observe the responses when the master rises up and shuts the door on them.

First they are obviously stunned, they begin to knock and say "Lord, Lord open unto us". But He responds I don't know you.

Their next response is somewhat remarkable, they actually attempt to make a case with the Lord of Glory!
The sad part is their case is built on sand. It is based on their own righteousness' which is as "filthy rags". They say we ate and drunk in your presence and you taught in our streets. It's like 'we went to church', 'we listened to the preaching', and perhaps, there is even an allusion to partaking of the Lord's Supper or even baptism.

But the Lord responds  "I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

And then stark reality sets in for these souls as the Lord states "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth". Sadly these people are going to see "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."


As a supporting passage, one worth comparing is Rev 21: 9-27.

There are other passages worth noting, but I will stop here for tonight. Very sobering words by our Lord, to say the very least.

A few thoughts on the strait gate

While this note is not copied it was influenced by my recent reading of John Bunyan's work, The Strait Gate.  May the Lord bless this scripture and these thoughts.    cb



Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.   Luke 13:23-24


Think about this strait gate, spoken of by the Lord Jesus.

• It is wide enough to allow the regenerated soul in but narrow enough to keep the unregenerate out.
• It is wide enough to let the justified in but narrow enough to keep the unjustified soul out.
• The sanctified soul may pass through this gate but the unsanctified will be commanded to depart!
• The soul who has a "form of godliness" will be denied but the soul who who is "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" will gladly enter in!
• The soul who has the faith of devils will tremble and be turned away while the soul that received the gift of faith from God will enter in.
• They who through the faith of Christ are found to have "the righteousness of God by faith" will enter in and they who "being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness" will be commanded to depart!
• Those who come seeking to enter this gate by being "justified by the works of the law" shall be turned away but those "who according to His mercy" received "the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" will enter rejoicing! 
• Those in whom the "love of God" has been shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost will be let in the strait gate but those who are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" will be rejected.
• Whoever "will save his life" will lose it at the strait gate but whoever "loses his life" for Christ's sake and the gospel's the same will enter in to the kingdom!
• Those who are washed from their sins by the blood of Jesus will enter into the strait gate but,"there shall in no wise enter into it (gate) any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination or makes a lie!

in Him

Unless we are in Him, our being well taught in the scriptures does not save us. 
                                                                                                               E.W. Johnson

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness.   Psalm 65:11a

In the providence of God I turned to Psalm 65 this morning and quite honestly it is so full of our great God that I believe we could spend all the days of the rest of our lives in it and not mine all of its wealth! Truly HE is worthy of all our praise, honor and love! Blessed be God who chose us (the unworthy ones) and causes us to approach him(the high and holy One) and makes us fit (worthy) to approach him, in order that we may dwell in his courts, that we may be satisfied with him and his goodness! Who is He? He is the God of our salvation; the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea! Blessed be His name!

Before reading the entire psalm please take note of verse 11,  the psalmist writes:

"Thou crownest the year with THY goodness; and thy paths drop fatness". 

Oh how the people of God have much to rejoice in as we close another year in the history of our lives,  always remembering that history is nothing less than 'His story'. He who goodness is, he that is full of goodness from eternity to eternity, he crowns our year with goodness! Oh that we might fellowship with Him, that we might lay our head on his breast and rest and then as we rise to walk in this world may we more fully realize his goodness to us and in us and around us. Because in HIS paths drips the very fat of this goodness. Oh that we might continue in His way! Also as we walk his paths may we call others to come and go with us.


Father, we give you thanks, you who alone are worthy of our thanksgiving and praise. Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into the kingdom of your dear Son. Praise your holy name for washing us in the precious blood of Jesus, thank you for adding His righteousness to our account. Thank you for crowning our year with your goodness. Help us now as we begin a new year, give us grace that we may serve you acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Guide us into your path, the path where the goodness drops fatness, in order that the world may know that you have sent your Son, and that you have loved us just as you have loved your Son!

Psalm 65

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.  O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.  Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:  Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:  Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.  Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.  Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.  They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.  The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

By the grace of God--I am what I am!

By the grace of God--I am what I am!

In his old age, when he could no longer see to read, John Newton heard someone recite this verse, "But by the grace of God I am what I am." 1 Corinthians 15:10. He remained silent a short time, and then said:

I am not what I ought to be. Ah! how imperfect and deficient.

I am not what I might be, considering my privileges and opportunities.

I am not what I wish to be. God, who knows my heart--knows I wish to be like Him.

I am not what I hope to be. Before long, I will drop this clay tabernacle, to be like Him and see Him as He is!

Yet, I am not what I once was--a child of sin, and slave of the devil!

Though not all these--not what I ought to be, not what I might be, not what I wish or hope to be, and not what I once was--I think I can truly say with the apostle, "By the grace of God--I am what I am!"

Luke 6:27-36

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.  Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.