Uncategorized

Sep

2012

Money, Greed, and Power – Beware of Strange Fire

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2Co 11:3-4 nasb)

Journal,

I hope that I don’t disturb you with this journal entry. But I find it quite necessary.

There are movements today that claim to speak for God, when in reality are operating under the sway of strange spirits. Many of these movements can be described as, ‘Money, Greed, and Power’ movements. Others come under the category of, ‘Strange fire.’

But this isn’t something new. Strange movements have been the scourge of the Christian faith since the beginning.

We have a Biblical example of occultism that moved into an early Church group. Paul describes what was happening among the Corinthians –

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” (2Co 11:3-4)

In the following two videos you will see examples of not only occultism in a church, but also an expose on the ‘Greed‘ movement. You decide for yourself if these things can possibly be of God. Both videos will be difficult to watch, but they can be very educational.

First the false fire movement – (This movement had a close relationship to the laughing movement.)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b8mls0q-4U&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

This next video will be more disturbing for some of my readers. While it makes mockery of certain TV evangelists and others, yet if the truth be known, much of what is shared in this video should be taken seriously.

Keep in mind that the video is Christian satire. Joe Bob Briggs is a fictional Redneck (satirist) character. His real name is John Irving Bloom. Bloom was president of Trinity Foundation of Dallas, Texas. This is a religious watchdog group that investigates religious groups and ministers that are known to have questionable workings.

It isn’t necessary to agree with all the depictions he makes, but it is important to see the undercurrent that is obvious in the, ‘Money, Greed, and Power’ campaigns.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wejGcyI5TgE&feature=related[/youtube]

A Word to the Wise

Have you ever felt you had been misled in some religious setting? It can be very unsettling. But just because you were misled in the past does not mean you are destined to be misled again. The Lord will see you through to the end.

There are things that can help. Consider the following —

1. Trusting in the Lord requires that we humble our own hearts and recognize our special need for spiritual guidance. Jesus told the apostles, “Without Me, you can do nothing.”

Listen to what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

“Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD.

“‘But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’“ (Isa 66:1-2 NASB)

2. Learn to pray as a child. If you wish to know how to pray a prayer that deals with this aspect of walking with the Lord, pray what David prayed:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23,23 – It would do you well to meditate on the whole of Psalm 139.

3. Seek the Lord for your instructions. This is where the Bible itself plays an important role in our learning to walk in the Spirit. Read it for the pure joy of discovering the things of the Lord. Read it for the joy of hearing from God.

David gave some insight into this when he said,

“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.” (Psa 119:18 NASB)

4. Learn the heart of the new covenant. The prophet Jeremiah had this to say about God’s new covenant in Christ:

“‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days,’ says, the Lord; ‘I will put My laws [instructions] upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them.’ He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’” (Heb 10:16-17 NASB)

Just some things to think about.

Here is a wonderful song for your encouragement. ‘Master of the Wind’ by Julie Lendon Stone.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soLRttJzDF8&feature=related[/youtube]

Your friend in Christ always,

Buddy

Aug

2012

Go Ahead, Make My Day – Clint Eastwood

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Pro 17:22)

Journal,

Who among us does not love a bit of humor under the right circumstances. Anyone who knows Buddy Martin, can well attest to how much I love to see people laugh. Actually, according to the Scriptures, laughter is often the best medicine for the struggling soul.

Listen to what the Bible has to say about a joyful heart –

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Pro 17:22)

Last evening as I watched the Republican National Convention, I saw the funniest adaption of a conversation between Clint Eastwood and President Obama. It was so funny. Let’s see if you have a joyful heart or a dried up spirit.

Regardless of your party persuasion, and if you missed it, I believe it will make your day.

Take time for the funniest scene ever –

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DGl-4gByV4[/youtube]

By the way, I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I’m registered as an independent. However, my core values are strictly conservative. I always vote for the man and not for the party.

But there is one thing I know – I know funny when I see it. Its going to be very interesting to see how the Democratic National Convention follows the Clint Eastwood scene up. Believe me, if the DNC offers anything that carries proper humor, I’ll share it also.

OK, you knew I was going to do this — Let me talk to you just a bit about laughter.

The Children of Laughter

God’s work of redemption is the underlying theme of the entire Bible. This is why you will find myriads of revelation scenes about God’s Son anywhere you wish to read. All you need is for God to open your eyes.

This is why David said —

“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.*“ (Psa 119:18)

— *While the term Torah refers to God’s written Word, it is not a term for the word Law in the sense that we know it. When God writes His laws in our heart, it literally speaks of God writing His instructions for our life in our inward man. —

The wonderful things that David was asking for, had to do with the very heart of God and His coming Messiah, that is, the man called ‘Wonderful.’

Listen to Isaiah –

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6)

What does this have to do with the children of laughter? Much indeed.

One of God’s revelation scenes concerning His Son of wonder is found in the story of Isaac.

The name Isaac (yits-khawk’ ) actually means ‘Laughter.’ Isaac would be the son that brings laughter to Abraham and Sarah. But more than that, Isaac carried in himself a reflection of God’s Son of promise.

Isaac is the only person in the New Testament, aside from Jesus Christ, who is given the term, ‘only begotten son.’ This is because in Isaac we have a picture of the cross.

Listen –

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, ‘IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.'” (Heb 11:17-18)

Back to the children of laughter. The ‘in Isaac’ your descendants shall be called is metaphoric language. It doesn’t mean that our name will be Isaac. It means that the new covenant children of God will also be ‘children of laughter’.

Paul explains this –

“And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.” (Gal 4:28)

All truly born-from-heaven people are born as children of laughter. We are winners from the get-go.

Don’t you just love this picture of Jesus laughing!

There is so much more I could add to this, but for now I’ll let things stand as they are.

Think about it – Do you carry a sense of joy in your heart?

Always in Christ,

Buddy

Aug

2012

The Battle Continues – Are Believers Eternally Secure

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” (Joh 6:39)

Journal,

The debate often centers on one question, “Can anyone who has truly been born again actually lose their salvation?”

The answer is simple, ‘No one who has a true heavenly birth can ever be lost.’

This is really a sad issue for anyone who lives with an uncertainty about their salvation in Christ. The problem isn’t simply with the believer. It is also an issue of the pulpit. Many believers live in fear of losing their salvation because of how salvation is presented in the pulpit.

Does this shock you? Let’s talk about it.

Breaking the Chains of Fear

The bottom line is that God doesn’t want his children to live in fear of losing their salvation. When a person is saved, they are eternally saved. Salvation is not our work. The work of salvation is God’s work from alpha to omega.

No one is accidentally born into the kingdom of God. Every birth is planned.

Jesus said,

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (Joh 6:37)

Do you see any uncertainties in what Jesus said? Look at it closely. Pay close attention to the, ‘will come’, and, ‘will not’.

One day Jesus will say this to all creation –

“Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.” (Heb 2:13)

Jesus came into our world with a stewardship from the heavenly Father. Listen carefully to what His stewardship was about –

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. “ (Joh 6:38-39)

What did Jesus say the will of the Father was? Read it closely. Did you pick up on the statement, ‘That I lose nothing.’

For Jesus to lose one person who truly believed in Him, could only mean that He broke the Father’s will for Him. And if He broke the Father’s will about our salvation, then none of us could be saved. Lose one. Lose all. Save one. Save all.

That is the equation.

When Jesus lifted His eyes to the heavenly Father in what we often call the prayer of our Great High Priest, this is what He said:

“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.

“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.'” (Joh 17:1-5)

Is there a key to all this? Indeed there is.

The Work of Salvation is Not Our Work

The apostle Paul was well convinced the work of salvation in any believer’s life would be perfected by God Himself. This is because the work of salvation is God’s work. He never left it in the hands of men.

Here is where it began to be real for me —

A Story to be Told – When God Speaks

Here is a brief testimony to help put a face on my first step in realizing what the security of the believer means. It was 1974.

I had just resigned from my former church affiliation. The following morning at my office it was like a dark cloud had settled over me. I felt an aloneness that I was not accustomed to. What will I do? Where do I go?

Falling to my knees, I instinctively reached for my Bible. The pages fell open to Philippians 1:6, where I read,

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

The ‘Sun of righteousness’ had risen over me. The cloud vanished. No more fear. No more uncertainty. I knew in my heart everything was alright. The Spirit of the Lord came to my aid. My future was well cared for.

And that was only the beginning. Where I once served in an organization that preached no security for the believer, my whole soteriological (doctrine of salvation) thinking changed.

The more I studied the Scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit, the more I began to realize that the security of a believer is well founded in the Scriptures.

Salvation is all about God Himself.

Salvation is an, ‘I will see you through’, Promise

Jesus has come to my aid untold myriads of times on my pilgrim journey. But He does the same for all who belong to Him. Did He not say, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” That, dear friend, is an unconditional promise.

This is where we need to understand Biblical promises.

Conditional promises are based upon some action on our part. Unconditional promises are based upon something God has promised with no aid from us. These are the, “I will” promises of God.

An example of a conditional promise is found in Luke 6:38 –

“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” (Luk 6:38)

A conditional promise is God’s way of teaching us how to walk with Him. Not so with unconditional promises.

Unconditional Promises are Different

Unconditional promises are generally summed up as redemption promises. These kinds of promises are ‘from God, through God, and to God’ promises. They cannot be broken by believers simply because we have no role to play in them. They are based entirely on the sovereignty of God.

These ‘never-ever’ promises serve as the bedrock of our walk with the Lord. One of the very last things Jesus said to the disciples was, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt28:20)

An example of an unconditional promise is John 10:27,28 –

“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.” (Joh 10:27-28)

Read that statement carefully. Don’t try to add anything to it or take anything away from it. Jesus meant exactly what He said.

Of course you will always hear the thwarted say, “But you can walk out of His hand.”

How idiotic is this. Listen to the language. Jesus said that no one could snatch His sheep out of His hand. Is anyone bigger than God?

It’s Not Your Grip

Many Christians see the strength of their walk in how strong their grip is on God. This is not what Jesus is saying. The safety for a child of God does not depend on his or her grip. It rests entirely in the hands of the Lord. Jesus said, “No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Here are a few more of these ‘never-ever’ unconditional promises:

“…whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

“…everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)

“[God’s] Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.” (1Co13:8)

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)

Each of the afore promises has its own teaching platform. But the issue never changes. Our salvation in Christ is eternal. Our salvation is based entirely on the will of God.

These unconditional promises relate to God’s redemption plan that was set forth before the beginning of time. To say that God is unjust or unfair is not true in the least. It is merely that we are unable to understand things that are finite. God is perfectly just in all His ways.

It all has to do with …

The Heirs of God

Paul gave some insight into this area, when he said,

“We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to [God’s] purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Eph1:11)

Notice Paul did not say it was our will at work. It is God’s will that is at work. This is why you can be sure that nothing happens in a believer’s life by chance.

The apostle John certainly agrees. He said that our birth from heaven was not a thing of our will. He says,

“[We] were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)

When we were born again, it is because God opened our ears to hear, and placed in our heart to respond. We see this being worked out in a lady named Lydia. It says,

“A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshipper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

The Story of a Man Called Peter

We also see this idea of our salvation being God’s work and not our work in the life of a man called Peter. Peter had denied the Lord three times. Was that the end of the story?

Jesus sought him out, restored him fully, and gave him the privilege of preaching the gospel at the very place where Peter became fearful of his life.

Also keep in mind what the Lord said to the 70 who returned and were rejoicing over all the miracles that took place through the name of Jesus. What was the Lord’s response? He said,

“Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are recorded in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

Their names had already been recorded in heaven.

This holds true for every person who is born of God. Paul wrote:

” just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Eph 1:4)

Have you caught the point in all this?

— Regardless of how well we think we understand the mystery of our salvation, the fact remains that God’s unconditional promises do not rest upon how well we are able to do, or how much we understand.

Unconditional promises are not performance promises. Each of these promises rest upon God Himself. When He says that He will never desert us or forsake us, that promise cannot be broken.

Yes, we all struggle over this. How can God give such promises? After all, I am such a bummer of a person. There is no good in me. So we ask, “Why me, Lord? What have I ever done?”

You did nothing to deserve salvation. About the best any of us can do is write songs about all this.

Here is one of my Gospel Psalmists songs that you may enjoy. It poses the eternal question, ‘What Kind of Man is This?’

[media url=”http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/04_What%20Kind%20of%20Man%20is%20This.mp3″ width=”600″ height=”25″]

And so…

The Message Never Changes

The message from heaven never changes. While we love the Lord with a love that cannot be measured, John wants us to understand something very special when he writes,

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn4:10)

Think about these things. Feel free to make your comments or ask questions.

Always in Christ Jesus,

Buddy

Aug

2012

The Story of Love and the Covenant of Salt

“And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. Then she said, ‘Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’

“But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

“‘Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.'” (Rth 1:14-17)

Journal,

This Sunday was a very unique service at Christian Challenge. We celebrated Nathan’s and Lori’s 25th wedding anniversary. It was my privilege to officiate and to share from the Scriptures God’s story of love. In my sharing I also brought out a mystery that some believers are little acquainted with. It had to do with the covenant of salt.

Let me begin by sharing on …

The Story of Love

Two of the most beautiful stories in the Bible about love is the story of Ruth and the story of Isaac and Rebekah. What makes these stories so marvelous is that woven through each story is the eternal covenant of God’s Son. Both stories reflect on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Isaac and Rebekah story is about the Father finding a wife for His Son. Abraham speaks to God the Father. Isaac speaks to Jesus Christ. Rebekah is the church or the bride of the Son. And the servant of Abraham, speaks to the Holy Spirit.

Then you have the beautiful story of Ruth. The story of Ruth is read in the synagogues each year at the festival of Shavuot. (Pentecost) For the Jewish people, Ruth represents the people of the world coming to be joined to the God of Israel.

But there is much more to the festival of Shavuot. To the Jewish people, Shavuot also represents the giving of the Law of Moses at Mount Sinai. To the Hebrews, the giving of the Law was a marriage contract, where the Lord God married Israel. Thus the Law became their marriage contract.

Actually there is more to this story than meets the eye. On the day of Pentecost, 33 a.d., the Lord Jesus was crowned as King Messiah and the Lord of Glory. On that day the Lord Jesus received His kingdom in the spiritual form that we now know it. The visible form will take place at His second coming.

And so, in 33 a.d., the bride of Christ received her spiritual clothing when the Holy Spirit was poured out in the hearts of God’s new covenant children. Thus we have the ancient marriage covenant fulfilled in Christ Jesus and His new covenant bride.

Here is where some fail to make a connection.

The Woven Story

The Bible opens with the marriage of Adam and Eve. The apostle said that the story of Adam and Eve carries in it the divine mystery of Jesus and His bride.

The motif of a divine marriage becomes an underflow throughout all the Scriptures.

When Jesus was comforting the disciples about His soon departure, He spoke to them in the language of the ancient Hebrew wedding. The ancient wedding had two parts. Kiddushim was the engagement part, where the bridegroom sanctifies the wife to himself.

Then you had nisuin, which spoke of the bridegroom coming to take his bride to his father’s house.

Listen:

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (Joh 14:1-3)

Then we come to the closure of the sacred writings. Once again we hear the marriage motif –

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” (Rev 22:16-17)

This brings us to …

The Love Story of Ruth

Recall how the Bible closes – “I am the root and the descendant of David.”

Jesus was saying that He was not only the promised Son of David, who sits on the throne of David, but He is also David’s Lord.

Where does Ruth fit in the picture? Keep in mind that Ruth was not an Israelite. She was a Gentile from the lineage of Lot. Remember Lot? Lot was the nephew of Abraham.

With this in mind, once again it can be said that Ruth represents God’s love for all the world. But even with that, there is another truth to be realized.

Through Ruth would come God’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Ruth was the great-grandmother of David.

And this brings us to a wonderful Messiah mystery called…

The Covenant of Salt

The covenant of salt is little spoken of in the former testament. What few times it is seen has to do with the sacrifices. But there is one exception. There was only one person spoken of in the Scriptures as partaking of the covenant of salt with the Lord God of Israel.

Listen:

“Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?“ (2Ch 13:5)

What did the covenant of salt signify between the Lord God and David?

First – It signified that David’s life was identified with God’s life. To touch David was to touch God. The Covenant of Salt was a covenant of oneness or sameness.

Secondly – The Covenant of Salt would be fulfilled in the Messiah. It was a Messianic covenant. One of David’s descendants would be the Messiah of Israel. This is why you often hear the people call Jesus, ‘Son of David.’

We hear the fulfilling of this covenant of oneness when a man named Saul began persecuting Christians –

“As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,

“’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.’” (Act 9:3-5)

Do you see the connection? When Saul persecuted believers he was persecuting Jesus. When Saul became the apostle Paul, he wrote about this mystery when he said –

“But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1Co 6:17)

Jesus had also shared with the disciples earlier when He said, “You are the salt of the earth.” (Mt5:13)

The Ancient Marriage Tradition

The covenant of salt was carried over into the ancient Hebrew marriage tradition. Both Jews and Christians have often incorporated the salt covenant into their wedding ceremony.

The salt beccomes symbol of purity and preservation.

Each couple was to pour their vessel of salt into a common vessel. From this it was stated that the only way the marriage could be broken is if each person could remove only his or her granules from the common vessel.

Would you like to see this short study enacted in a marriage ceremony? Take time to view this video of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Nathan and Lori Martin.

Note: You may need pause the video at times to let it catch up with itself.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/47816542[/vimeo]

In Christ always,

Buddy

Aug

2012

What Kind of Man is This – Original Music

“He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’

“Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

“The men were amazed, and said, ‘What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'” (Mat 8:26-27)

Journal,

In 1976, I received a stewardship from the Lord to set up a ministry in Central Louisiana for the purpose of training believers in Biblical discipleship. But there is one thing I always want people to understand.

A stewardship from the Lord is not about how special a person is, nor does it carry any bragging rights. While a stewardship does involve a special sanction from God, yet it includes a responsibility to God, to fulfill the determinations of the stewardship.

I have never felt worthy of anything the Lord has called me to do. All glory belongs to Him.

The apostle Paul actually made clear the purpose of a stewardship from God –

“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

“What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” (1Co 9:16-18)

But there was more to the stewardship that I wanted to share with my readers. Not only did the Lord give me a special anointing (enablement) to fulfill the call to raise up a training ministry, but He also anointed me with a gift for music. The only way I know to explain this is that my calling included that of a Gospel Psalmist. (Whatever that means.)

Over the years the Lord has graced me with songs that carry the very heart of the gospel message. It seems He wanted me to sing that which I was called to preach.

Anyway, I was impressed that the Lord wanted me to share just a few of the songs that have been the most requested through the years.

Please bear in mind that these songs were recorded “in house” and are not “studio quality” – but we hope you enjoy them just the same. They were recorded in 2001.

Here are four of the heavenly songs the Lord has given me to share with His people –

Original Gospel Music by Lawrence (Buddy) Martin

“What Kind of Man is This”
[media url=”http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/04_What%20Kind%20of%20Man%20is%20This.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”50″]
“Like a City”
[media url=”http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/12_Like%20A%20City.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”50″]
“Disciple’s Song”
[media url=”http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/13_Disciples%20Song%20.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”50″]
“At the Crossing of the Jordan”
[media url=”http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/10_At%20The%20Crossing%20of%20The%20Jordan.mp3″ width=”300″ height=”50″]

Our Music Team – 2001

I remain grateful to the team who helped put the music together.

Lead Singer: Buddy Martin

Backup Vocals: Nora Fisher, Jauné Gagnard, and Isaiah Zito

Acoustic Guitar: Buddy Martin

Keyboard: Shana Martin and Nathan Martin

Drums: André Martin

Bass: Isaiah Zito, Nathan Martin, and Shana Martin

Engineer: Jeff Murphy

Feel free to use these songs (without cost) in your ministry for the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.

May the Lord richly bless your walk with Him, and may the glory of Jesus Christ shine all around you.

Your servant in Christ always,

Buddy

Aug

2012

Announcing the 49th School for Christian Workers

“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out WORKERS into His harvest.'” (Mat 9:36-38)

Journal,

Where Jesus told the disciples to beseech the Lord of the harvest to sent out workers into His harvest, the Biblical term for ‘worker’ (ergatés) speaks of a trained laborer. It is also used figuratively for a teacher.

Paul uses this term for the young minister, Timothy –

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman (ergatés) who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2Ti 2:15)

The sole purpose of the CCI School for Christian Workers (ergatés) is to provide an atmosphere of training where believers can learn the walk of a Biblical disciple. Hundreds of believers have been trained under the auspices of the school. A number have entered the ministry as pastors or missionaries, or are involved in other aspects of the gospel ministry.

Here is the class schedule and other information for our next school. Prayerfully consider if this is where the Lord would have you attend. This may be exactly what you are looking for.

49th School for Christian Workers
Classes begin the weekend of September 9, 2012

Enrich your spiritual walk and become a better prepared disciple for the Lord through the 14-week training programs offered by the Christian Challenge International School for Christian Workers. The School is non-denominational and non-sectarian.

Email SCW@ChristianChallenge.Org for more details! Or register online today!

Course Descriptions

The Disciple’s Heart Training Program©

The Disciple’s Heart Training Program is the graduate course of the CCI School for Christian Workers. The purpose of this course is to open up the world of the disciple for believers.

If you wish a study program that is evangelism oriented and deeply spiritual, The Disciple’s Heart Training Program is the class to enroll in. Some students have taken this class several times just for the spiritual benefit. (Required for anyone wishing to serve in a ministry role at Christian Challenge. It has to be taken prior to the Disciple’s Heart II, or, The Shepherd’s Heart.)

Instructor: Lane Fletcher

The Disciple’s Heart II Training Program©

This course takes the believer into the next step of the world of the disciple. The class concentrates on a more personal level of discipleship by taking the believer into the very heart of our walk with the Lord. The student will learn much about himself and his own personal calling in life.

Instructor: Rich Carlisle

The Old Testament Bible Survey

The Old Testament Bible Survey provides the student with a better understanding of the Scriptures by bringing history, places, people, and festivals in the Old Testament together in a way that the students can see God’s plan of redemption working through the ages.

Instructor: Jason McManus

The Shepherd’s Heart Minister’s Training Program©

The emphasis of this training program is upon preaching and teaching, although it will prove beneficial to any believer who desires training in Biblical study skills and in Bible interpretation.

The Shepherd’s Heart covers the gospel ministry from sermon preparation to Bible interpretation. It includes lessons such as Pulpit Wisdom, Lessons in Life and Holiness. The student learns forms of speaking including extemporaneous.

Instructor: Lawrence “Buddy” Martin

Vision For The Nations

Vision for the Nations is an analysis of the World Christian Movement based on the Perspectives study program produced by the US Center for World Missions. The course focus is on Biblical and historical foundations for missions. It deals with cross-cultural considerations in communicating the gospel today.

This course has proven to be an eye-opener to all who have taken it. Training includes video presentations by leading missiologists and missionaries from around the world. Billy Graham said, “There is no volume of which I know that will inform, inspire and motivate Christians for world evangelism like the Perspectives course.”

Instructor: Nathan Martin

Conversational Spanish

The focus of the Conversational Spanish class is to give the student a working knowledge of spoken Spanish. This class is a perfect introduction to the world of Spanish and is great for those planning short-term missions’ trips. Emphasis is placed on phrases dealing with day-to-day issues and building a vocabulary of useable words. Opportunities are also given for the student to have a testimony translated for use on a missions’ trip.

Instructors: Jonathan Martinez, Nathan Martin

Financial Peace University

In 13 action-packed lessons, you’ll learn how to beat debt, build wealth, find bargains, invest for the future, give like never, and much more! This information will change your life.

Instructors: Gary & Nora Fisher

Tuition:

Tuition is $35.00 per course (some courses require additional textbooks, i.e., Spanish and Financial Peace University – Financial Peace University is $100).

The School runs 13 weeks and concludes with a graduation banquet. Each class meets once a week.

It is recommended that students use the New American Standard Bible since most Scripture references are taken from this translation. A completed registration form (with tuition) must be turned in before School begins.

A Note From the Founder

My wife and I founded Christian Challenge in 1976, as a School for Christian Workers. The Lord had placed on our hearts to offer a training program in Central Louisiana, that would function on the basis of the Old Testament School of the Prophets.

The School of the Prophets was actually a mentoring society where the older servants of God could teach the younger servants. This is what our School for Christian Workers is all about. And though classes meet only once each week, the training involved affects the disciple’s every day walk.

You will rarely find training programs of the nature that we offer. Our school is unique. It is nondenominational and nonsectarian. Our sole interest is in opening the world of the Biblical disciple to our students.

We’ve had students come through our Disciple’s Heart Training Program, to tell us that they learned more of a spiritual nature in that one class than they did in Bible college. From the first class you will begin to realize that the world of the disciple is like nothing you’ve been exposed to.

If you would like a bit of extra insight into our School, go to following page. Be sure to click on the video at the bottom of the page. It tells the story of Christian Challenge in part —

http://buddymartin.net/blog/about/

May the Lord richly reward you for you devotion to His kingdom.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Aug

2012

You Have One Life to Live – Live it Well

Journal,

We were so young and here we were with our firstborn son. What a time. Yes, this was our firstborn, but we were trusting that the Lord would bless us with more little ones. It was April, 1965. Nathan was just a few days old.

Something else was happening inside me. Right after I got out of the Navy in 1963, I moved my mom and two sisters from Louisiana to Colorado. Mom and dad were divorcing and mom had a sister in Colorado. The problem was that I had been away from home, for four years in the Navy. A year in California, a year and a half in the Philippine Islands, and a year and a half aboard the USS Calvert.

Homesickness was working me over. I wanted our new son to be raised near my family in Louisiana. But how could I take Betty away from her family? I really loved this girl.

‘Maybe we could move half way between her family in Colorado, and my family in Louisiana. That was about as close to fair as I could imagine.’

As I began sharing my heart with Betty, a remarkable thing happened. Without saying a word, she reached for her Bible, and began reading from the book of Ruth –

“Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” (Rth 1:16-17 kjv)

I sat there stunned for a moment. That was it! Betty gave me her answer.

And it’s been that way ever since. We moved to Louisiana in 1965, and have lived here ever since. As for children, the Lord added three more to the nest. We had David Lynn, who is now with the Lord, then Stephen André, and finally Shana Denise.

Of course with all this came our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

But did it all happen by chance? I don’t think so.

This brings me to something I read just this morning…

“Lust Fades So Plan Marriage Accordingly”

The article, ‘Lust Fades so Plan Marriage Accordingly’, caught my eye. I was reading from a Military news site that I’m subscribed to. Here are some partial quotes from the article:

“They say that marriage has three parts: I don’t know you, but I love you. I know you and I don’t love you. I know you and I love you.”

“’I know you and I don’t love you … That’s the part of marriage no one ever tells you about.”

“ … reaching the spot where you know for sure that you are with someone who can stand you (and even like you) for the rest of your life is the promised land. You just gotta figure out how to get there from here.”

In Military Life, Quotes by Jacey Eckhart

I realize that Jacey was writing from a military wife’s viewpoint. Military life can be very hard on a marriage. But even at our best thinking about marriage and life, we are still left with too many unanswered questions about, ‘how to get there from here’.

For Betty and me, there could not have been two more unlikely people to have a successful marriage. Someone actually made the statement that our marriage would not last six months.

So much for that prophecy. This September, we will have forty-nine years to our credit.

But there is something else that needs to be considered.

I believe that the unseen hand of the Lord is involved in our lives far more than we can even imagine. Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul told us not to judge anything before the time.

Here is where it began for me …

I’m Going to Find Me a Good Woman

For me I can trace it back to 1963. But for God it can be traced back into eternity passed. Yes, I believe God knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. I also believe that God had a plan for both me and Betty that was in accord with eternity. (You can also take this personally for yourself.)

As I was about to muster out of the Navy in 1963, I said to some of my ship mates, “I am tired of this kind of life. I’m going to find me a good woman and settle down.” (Something like that.)

Where did those words come from? Did the Lord place them in my mouth? Perhaps – Who knows. I often like to think that perhaps I prophesied over myself without knowing it.

Sorry, I don’t mean to over-spiritualize this. But I do believe with all my heart that the Lord God is much more involved in our lives, including our future, than most people realize.

Four months later I found myself married to a godly Christian girl. Betty wasn’t just a good woman, she was a godly woman. Betty became God’s instrument in bringing me to the Lord. I was deeply impressed with her Christian bearing.

The short side of things is that I truly came to know the Lord in a personal way. And not so long after that I found myself responding to a call to the gospel ministry.

Here it is, almost 49 years later and what have I learned?

I’ve learned that…

God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways

And here is where I want to do something that I have never done on my blog. The past Sunday I provided an instructional teaching at Christian Challenge, entitled, ‘The Ways of the Lord.’

Rather than spend any more time simply writing about the things that I’ve learned, I decided to offer a video of what I shared with our congregation this past Sunday. The message is titled, ‘The Ways of the Lord’.

You may learn something that you aren’t familiar with. If you want to take the time to listen to this message, I urge you to have your Bible at hand. The Lord will likely show you much more than I can relate in the teaching.

The Ways of the Lord from Christian Challenge on Vimeo.

In Christ always,

Buddy

Aug

2012

Good Day to You, Mr. Smokey

I was a police officer in Moab, Utah, in 1964. The picture is of me and my police dog. Butch was a wonderful companion and well-trained.

“A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.” (Pro 12:10)

Journal,

I have so many wonderful memories of my pets through the years. My particular love has always been for dogs.

With this in mind, I would like to tell you a story about Mr. Smokey.

It happened in the late 60s. I was a preacher in the making, but my fulltime job was as an agent with Prudential Insurance Company.

During my canvassing time, I enjoyed going to a trailer park near the back gate of Fort Polk. I had a number of clients there. Actually I really liked working with GI families. (I had not long been out of the Navy.)

Anyway, when entering the park, the first trailer on the left had a fenced in front yard. Behind the fence was this very large but also quite handsome German Shepherd. It was my habit when passing the yard, to shake the fence and make fun with the dog by barking at him. It was never in a mean way. I was just picking at him. (His name was Smokey.)

This day it was different. After my little disrespectful tiff with Smokey, I walked on down the street. What I did not know was that Smokey had managed to lift the lock on the gate. He runs down the street ever so softly, jumps up on my back, and says ‘wolf’ right in my ear. Smokey drops to his feet and heads back to his yard. (Think I heard doggy laughter. Can’t be sure.)

People sitting on their front porch saw everything and they roared. Had I been a chicken, there would have been an egg in the middle of the street.

Smokey looked a lot like this German Shepherd.

Course that pretty much settled the score with Smokey and me. From that time on when I walked by his yard, I’d say, ‘Good day, Mr. Smokey. How are you today. So good to see you again. Talk with you later, Mr. Smokey.’ (Something like that.)

The truth of the matter is that Smokey always knew I was playing with him. He just figured that it was time for pay back.

Is there a lesson here? Perhaps the lesson has to do with compassion. The Bible does speak of …

The Kindness of the Lord

Some of the greatest teachings of the Lord had to do with kindness and compassion. Perhaps it was because of the rigidness of the religious leaders of that day. He often pointed to their lack of compassion.

Follow Lord’s teachings on what our attitude in life should be —

“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

“If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

“If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

You can tell a lot about a man by how he treats his animals.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luk 6:31-36)

The apostle Paul said that it is the kindness of the Lord that leads men to repentance.

The apostle also instructed the young minister, Timothy, about the use of kindness. Listen –

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Ti 2:24-25)

Gentleness is the Very Nature of Jesus

Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.

David said that it was God’s gentleness that made him great. (Ps18:35)

Teach your children to love animals.

The Bible says that Jesus was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter. (Jer11:19; Isa53:7)

Jesus said that if we would learn to walk with Him, we found find Him gentle and humble. (Matt11:28,29)

Peter said that the our witness to the lost, must always be in gentleness. (1Pe3:15)

Yes, it disturbs me greatly to see any animal mistreated.

Think about it. Would you really like to be like Jesus? Seek to walk in the spirit of gentleness.

How about a kiddie song just for the little ones – Of course you older folk can listen in.

Song – “God Made All the Animals.”

In God’s Grace,

Buddy

Jul

2012

Do You Really Know the Lord

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.” (1Co 2:14-15)

Readers,

The past December (2011) I shared a study entitled, ‘Never Go With Strangers.’ I felt a need to re-emphasize that study again, but with more insights about what knowing the Lord is really all about.

I do this with regard to what the apostle said –

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” (Php 3:1-3)

There is one question that can only be answered on a personal basis. I don’t ask to entertain doubt about someone’s salvation. I ask so that my readers can decide for themselves if their relation to the Lord God is what it really should be.

The question that needs to be answered is simple — Do you really know the Lord?

An Innate Knowing

All true followers of Jesus Christ are given a unique spiritual ability to recognize those things which are of God. This ‘intrinsic’ knowing is functional to our born-from-above spiritual nature. It is a knowing that becomes even more acute as a believer matures in Christ.

The apostle uses the term ‘spiritual’ with regard to our maturing in Christ. Paul said that the mature spiritual believer ‘knows’ and ‘appraises’ all things.

These words are important. The word ‘know’ is ‘eido’ in Greek. It means ‘to turn the eyes, the mind, or the attention to a thing, that is, to be skilled in knowing the spiritual significance of a thing.

Then we have the word ‘appraises’. The Greek term, anakrino, carries a forensic sense which addresses an investigation to decide either the excellence or the defect of a thing.

In another place the apostle says that all things have to be examined – Listen:

“Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (1Th 5:19-22)

The term ‘examine’ belongs to the class of ‘knowing.’ Dokimazo simply means to prove whether a thing is worthy or not. There are many false teachings to be found in the realm of Christendom. It is the believer’s personal responsibility to find out if these teachings are worthy of the gospel.

The Crown of a Believer’s Life

The crown of a believer’s walk rests in this ability to truly know if a thing is of God. It is this knowing that protects the believer from error.

The English language doesn’t always carry the fuller meaning of a Hebrew or Greek term. For this reason it is good to know what certain terms really mean in the original languages of the Bible.

For example, Jesus said,

“I am the good shepherd, and I know (ginosko) my own and my own know (ginosko) Me.” (John 10:14)

Ginosko addresses a personal closeness. Jesus said that He addresses each of His sheep by name. He also stated that His sheep know His voice. It is in this secret of knowing the Shepherd personally that compasses our love and loyalty to Him.

Fleeing From Strangers

Let’s continue with Greek terms. Listen carefully:

“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know (oikeios) his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know (oikeios) the voice of strangers.” (Joh 10:4-5)

Now we find a different word. The Greek for ‘know’ here is the word, ‘oikeios’. Oikeios implies, ‘belonging to a household’. Oikeios is a family word. Jesus said that because of His family relationship to the sheep, they would never confuse who is doing the speaking.

Remember how we teach our children not to go with strangers. That is the idea being projected here. Not only will the sheep not go with a stranger, but they will actually flee from the stranger’s voice and beaconing.

Now notice again how the term ginosko is used:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know (ginosko) 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.” (Joh 10:27-29)

Knowing Jesus Christ is knowing salvation.

It’s All in the Knowing

Did you catch it? Jesus is saying that no one can be saved and not know it. Salvation is a knowing relationship with the Lord.

Listen to how the Lord defines eternal life in His prayer:

“ … and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.’

“’…This is eternal life, that they may know [ginosko] You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.’” (Joh 17:1-3)

There it is. Eternal life is all about knowing the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.

A Deepening Knowing

When Jesus said that His ‘sheep’ know His voice, notice that Jesus did not use the term ‘lamb’. Until the lamb becomes better acquainted with the voice of the Shepherd, the lamb will follow other sheep and especially the mother.

Does that mean the lambs have little protection? Not at all. Consider:

“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” (Isa 40:11)

Now let’s talk about why this issue of ‘knowing’ the Lord is so important.

Deception – The Hallmark of Satan’s Work

The ability to know if a thing is of God is important because the supernatural realm makes up more than the things of God. Satan is a spiritual being. The hallmark of Satan’s work is deception. Paul said,

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this spiritual darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph6:12)

We are especially warned that in the last days there will be a great increase of deception in the earth. The Lord said that this deception would be so acute that even the very elect will have to keep up a special guard.

Consider these cautions:

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.“ (Mat 24:24-25)

“But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2Ti 3:13)

“ … there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

“… in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2Pe 2:1-3)

Appealing to the Flesh

The work of demons is closely linked to the prideful flesh of man. And what the prideful fleshly person attributes to God, are actually ‘soulish’ powers at work.

James gives us the basic description of how the soulish person functions. James 3:13-18)

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic..”

The word for ‘natural’ is the word, ‘psuichikos’. This word speaks to the sensual side of our lower nature. Did you take note of how ‘psuchikos’ relates to, ‘demonic’?

And so where you have bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, earthy, natural issue at work, these characteristics give place for the demonic.

James goes on to describe what is truly of the Lord;

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

When prideful flesh is at work it glories in itself.

Making Careful Examinations

The way Paul taught believers is to check things was by use of the Scriptures. According to ‘what is written’ is always to be the testing ground for teachings, experiences, and prophecies.

Listen to Paul’s instruction on teachers:

“Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

“Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” (1Co 4:5-6)

Again, did you catch it? We are never to exceed, ‘what is written’. If the teaching is truly of the Lord, it will always line up with the Word of God.

We must always check teachings to make certain they are in agreement with the true gospel message. This is where caution is important. It is easy to prove many things in the Scriptures, but are these things in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan does his work through half-truths.

Then we are to look at things that are said to be spiritual operations. Demonic spirits bring a false anointing. These spirits love to prophesy. They love to give information about people. They love to be the center of attention.

Learn Spiritual Balance

The balance comes where God’s people are told to keep a pilgrim attitude about life. We are to hold tightly to Jesus, and loosely to the world. There is a prosperity message making its rounds today that is very much earthly centered. Where is the balance?

Paul said,

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

True Biblical prosperity has a spiritual base. It is an outflow of a proper relationship with the Lord. This proper relationship has a heart attitude in the word ‘humility’. We are to live with humble hearts before the Lord, never striving after things of the world.

The Lord Himself said that if we will seek first God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, then everything else will be provided for us.

What’s the message in all this? It is simple. As a believer you must learn to trust your own spiritual intuition and never ever hearken to the voice of a stranger. The Shepherd is the guardian of your soul. Trust in Jesus with all your heart.

Think about these things.

Here is a song for your meditation … ‘Lead Me to the Cross’

In Christ always,

Buddy

Jul

2012

Update on My Most Popular Articles (Last two months)

“‘It is written, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.”‘” (Mat 4:3-4)

Journal,

While I’ve enjoyed a range of ministry callings in my 45+ years as a minister of the gospel, including that of evangelist and pastor, my primary ministry gift remains in the arena of expounding the sacred Scriptures.

I do thank the Lord for giving me a place for sharing His gospel to the nations. I’ve had over 50,000 visitors on this blog alone.

Of course nothing will ever take the place of studying the Scriptures personally, yet much help can be gained by reading good Bible teachings that are offered by God’s servants.

The apostle Paul even drew attention to this in writing Timothy:

“When you come bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.” (2Ti 4:13)

As for my studies, in addition to various courses that I’ve designed for the CCI School for Christian Workers, I have well over 500 Bible studies that can be accessed on the web, including over 200 articles that I’ve provided in this blog alone. (Pastor Buddy’s Journal.)

To access the 500+ web studies that I offer, go to this page: http://buddymartin.net/blog/500-2/

To view the 200+ articles that I’ve provided on my blog, go here: http://buddymartin.net/blog/archives/

For those who have an interest in which studies have drawn the most readers on my blog, here is a list of the top ten most read articles for the past two months: (Beginning with the most read and down the list.)

Top Ten Articles – Two Months

1. Jesus, the Wonder and Mystery of the Bible: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/11/jesus-the-wonder-and-mystery-of-the-bible/

2. Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/11/mercy-triumphs-over-judgment/

3. Tongues: http://buddymartin.net/blog/speaking-in-other-languages/

4. Passing Through the Valley of Baca: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/01/passing-through-the-valley-of-baca/

5. Salvation: http://buddymartin.net/blog/salvation/

6. God’s Wings and the Blue Thread of Heaven: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/09/gods-wings-and-the-blue-thread-of-heaven/

7. My Story: http://buddymartin.net/blog/testimony/

8. How Secure Are You in Christ: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/03/how-secure-are-you-in-christ/

9. Honoring God With First Fruits: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2009/12/honoring-god-with-first-fruits/

10. What Can Make Me Whole Again – Nothing But the Blood of Jesus: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2010/11/what-can-make-me-whole-again-nothing-but-the-blood-of-jesus/

Hope you enjoy some of these articles –