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16
Feb
2012

A Story of God’s Faithfulness

“Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psa 37:3-5 NASB)

 

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Journal,

I tell these stories largely as a testimony for my children, for my grand children, and for all who have been affected by my ministry through the years.

I tell these stories by way of encouraging others to follow hard after Jesus Christ. But most of all I want others to realize that God is faithful in all His ways. The apostle said that even when we are unfaithful, the Lord is always faithful.

What David said about his walk with the Lord through the years is also my testimony, and most surely the testimony of every child of God who has served Him through the many years.

“I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” (Psa 37:25)

 

A Love For Jesus

To begin with, I have deeply loved the Lord for the greater part of my life. In fact I answered my call to the ministry at age 24. This August I will turn 72. But to say that I have loved Him all these years is not to say that my life has been without failures. Yes indeed, I have stumbled many times. Yet in all this the Lord has remained faithful in His love to me. 

But it didn’t begin at age 24. I’m very certain that my mother dedicated me to the Lord from birth. And ever since my mother taught me the children’s prayer of, ‘Now I lay be down to sleep’, I have carried a pulling on my heart that I belonged to the Lord.  

This pulling on my heart carried throughout my childhood. Even in my early teens I remember making a vow to the Lord that I would preach the gospel if He would take care of a situation that I had gotten myself in to. (Don’t remember the situation but it was troublesome. I do remember that the Lord took care of it.) 

The pull of the Lord could not be ignored. Can you believe that I would actually corner some of my cousins in an out house while I blocked the door, and did my preaching. Boy, were they were ever so happy when I let them out. (For you who don’t know what an outhouse is, an outhouse was the answer for nature’s call before indoor plumbing.)

Then at age 18, I joined the Navy. For the next four years the call of God pretty much drifted into the background. And of course I did all those things that are not worthy to be mentioned. Yet the Lord never forgets. He would not let my heart stray too far. It was all a matter of His time.

It is like the sage said — 

“He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” (Ecc 3:11)

Then at age 24, I found myself responding to God’s call of service in His kingdom. For the next eleven years I would serve the Lord in various roles of ministry beginning in the local church under a pastor, and afterwards on to becoming a pastor and then as an evangelist.

Yet there was something amiss. Even though I loved Jesus fervently from my heart, I didn’t always understand that much about God’s character. Most of the preaching I had heard was filled with passion but short on teaching on the ways of the Lord, or on discovering the very heart of God.

My ministry was molded around what I had been taught and had observed. There was a lot of emotional pushes but not much by way of true Biblical substance.

 

A Need for Understanding

In 1971, I left the full-time ministry. The drain was just too much. So, for the next three years I devoted myself to serious spiritual adjustments. Sure, I preached out and continued my ministry of winning souls to the kingdom, but I also went into business. In my mind being in full-time ministry was a thing of the past.

Those three years became a mile stone in my walk with the Lord. It was during that time that I began to experience the Lord on a level that I never knew existed. What had been a mixed struggle and a strain in my walk of faith, was now becoming a joyful walk filled with stability and grace. The Lord was teaching me His heart. A whole new world was opening up.

God's ways are not our ways.

And through the years I’ve come to realize that a believer’s walk with the Lord is an ever ascending walk. We are always discovering wonderful things about the Lord Jesus Christ. 

But let me draw attention to an incident that became one of the many ascending points in my walk with the Lord.

It had to do with what I will call…

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Conducting Business With the Throne

Psalm 37 is a ‘a fullness Psalm.’ It has to do with God’s wisdom for life. Psalm 37 is designed to help shape our faith walk, to teach us how to think and what to believe. The essence of this Psalm is that we need to learn to trust the Lord in every circumstance of life. I point to Psalm 37 because it had a major place in reshaping my faith walk some thirty-eight years ago.

And now for the story — 

With my first cup of coffee in place I’m into my morning devotion. That morning my devotion brought me to Psalm 37. When I came to verse 4, I read, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

I had to pause. It was one of those divine moments in life. As I sat there looking at that verse, I said a prayer in my heart, “Lord, did you mean that?” That was when I heard in my heart, “Try Me and see.” 

It was like God had given me an invitation to ask of Him anything that I wanted.

Now, I have always loved my sons, but I really wanted a daughter. I quietly responded in my heart, “Lord, I would like to have a daughter.”

Almost in the twinkling of an eye, I heard once again in my heart, “She’s yours.”

That was it. Business had been conducted with the throne of God.

At the time Betty was expecting our fourth child. We had no idea what our next child was to be. The Lord had already blessed us with three sons.

I shared with Betty what the Lord said. Then when I shared this with some of the church members, they gave me this kindly smile, sort of like, ‘Yeah. We’ll see.’ Someone even challenged me on what I shared, that the Lord does not tell us things like that.

It made no difference. I had heard from the Lord.

The nurse walked down the corridor towards the window where I was standing behind the glass pane. She mouthed to me, “It’s a girl.” The tears of happiness rolled down my face. My heart overflowed with joy. Once again the Lord had shown Himself faithful.

But my happiness was not limited to the fact that we now had a daughter. My happiness wrapped itself around a promise that the Lord had given me. The Lord had given me His Word.

 

The Anchor of God

For some reason this learning experience was different. The Lord had often shown me things. I’ve had dreams and visions. I’ve had the Lord put in my heart things that were going to happen. And they did. So what made this event so different?

This time there was a direct connection with a promise written in God’s sacred Word. The Lord said that if I would delight in Him, that He would give me the desires of my heart.

What was the great lesson I was learning? I was learning that you cannot separate God from His Word, and that a life of faith must have an anchor. The anchor for our faith journey is to be based entirely upon the promises of God.

I was learning that everything I would ever need in life, that is, to live by and to carry out God’s work had already been provided. God even put His provision in written form, the Bible. My entire faith journey was to be an out working of God’s promises. The Bible is a book of living words.

Jesus said,

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

Did the Lord stop dealing with me by dreams and visions and other directives in my heart? Not at all. What I had now was a deeper appreciation for God’s holy book. I found that the Bible is given to us as a guidebook that God uses to instill His promises into the deep of our heart. God’s words are spirit and life words. 

 

Hearing the Words of a Book

Oh yes, the Bible is much more than a book of facts where we can collect information and argue doctrine. When the Holy Spirit moves on God’s Word and begins ministering to our heart, it then becomes a living book.

Listen closely to what God spoke through the prophet Isaiah —

“On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD, and the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Isa 29:18-19)

And this, my friend is a major cause of the new covenant. Listen carefully to how God’s prophet describes the covenant of Christ:

“‘Behold, days are coming’, declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

“… not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the LORD.

“‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will put My law [‘instructions’] within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

“‘They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,” for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the LORD,

“‘…for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.'” (Jer 31:31-34 NASB)

I broke the afore Scriptures into paragraph portions because I wanted you to read each segment on its own. God writes His instructions upon our heart. Don’t just glance over these Scriptures. Meditate on them until your understanding is opened. 

Not long afterwards, the Lord open the gate to miracle land for me and my family.


The Gate of Miracle Land

Do you remember what the Lord said about the gate and the narrow? Listen:

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Mat 7:13-14 NASB)

 

I’m not sure the Lord was simply referring to the salvation alone. Salvation reduces itself down to a matter of conviction, of repentance, of confession, and of calling upon the name of the Lord.

No, it seems to me that the Lord is speaking of how we can learn to live in the life that He has for us.

In my case one more step was needed. At the end of my three years of spiritual adjustment, I made a contract with God. My heart was filled with the things of heaven. But there was something that I needed to do. I realized this sounds strange but the Lord Himself had drawn me to this place.

 

A Contract With Heaven

Yes, I made a contract with God. This was my contract – I told the Lord that I would go anywhere He wanted me to go, and I would do anything He wanted me to do, that my life was no longer mine to direct. But there were two things that I wanted from Him. First of all I ask the Lord to tell me personally what He wanted me to do and not send someone else to tell me. And, secondly, I must have my wife.

The Lord accepted my contract. In such a short time He opened to us the gate to miracle land. Betty and I, along with our sons and our new daughter were back into full-time gospel ministry. That was 1975.

Oh yes, there were many more lessons to learn, but into miracle land we ventured. Now we had the answer to every need, to every trial, to every circumstance that would come our way. We were experiencing God’s character, God’s heart, and God’s faithfulness.

I wish I had time and space to share more on our journey into miracle land. But alas, the story is still being written.

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God’s Great and Mighty Promises

So, what is the real point in all this? Let’s hear it from the apostle Peter — 

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (everything has already been provided for.)

“For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2Pe 1:2-4 NASB)

Did you catch it? Living by faith is nothing less than living on His precious and magnificent promises. The land of faith is also called the land of promise. You don’t earn the promises. You are an heir of the promises.

Listen to how Paul adds to this:

“For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us–by me and Silvanus and Timothy–was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” (2Co 1:19-20 NASB)

The Lord God has laid out before us great and mighty promises. We are the heirs of those promises.

Here’s the problem. How can you live by the promises of God if you don’t know what they are? Living by faith is not living by our feelings, or emotions, or ‘I hope so’, or, some esoteric experience, and so on and so on and so on. Living by faith has to have an anchor. It has to have a divine connection with the Lord Jesus Himself.

The anchor of the faith walk will always center on the Word of God. We are to believe in, and live from the promises of God. We are the very heirs of God and of all the Christ promises.

What more can I say. I shared just a bit of my walk down memory lane. I’ve had so many people ask me to write a book about the things I learned. But how can I do that. The book has already been written.

Have you made your full surrender? Here is a song. Let it speak to your heart.

 

 

Think about it.

Always your servant in Christ,

Buddy


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14
Feb
2012

Walking in the New Covenant of Jesus

 

 

“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'” (Isa 55:7-9)

 

 

Journal,

Ever watch someone trying to put together a project without the aid of the instruction sheet. Of course they didn’t need it – Instruction sheets are for dummies. Well, if they were so smart, why were there parts left over? Those left over parts likely determined how the project was supposed to work.  

I’m convinced that many of our struggles in life can be directly contributed to not learning to live according to the designers manual. We have too many left out pieces.

One problem new covenant believers have is not understanding the new covenant walk of faith. As a result many stumble through life trying to live new covenant Christianity on an old covenant level. Are you one of those people?

Then you have those who seem unable to hear from God for themselves, so they continually run to and fro looking for some prophet to give them a word from the Lord. Are you one of those kinds of believers?

The problem is that you are not learning to live new covenant Christianity according to the Designers manual.

Have you ever stopped to consider why Paul said,

“Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these [new] things are from God…” (2Co5:16-18 nasb)

 

The Last Adam

There is so much I would like to share with you. Before I go any further I want to challenge my readers to take time to read a series of studies that I’ve provided entitled, ‘The New Adam Race.’ These studies will help direct you to a better understanding of our new covenant walk with Jesus Christ.

Here they are in the order you need to read them:

Part #1 – http://www.christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF032-1.html

Part #2 – http://www.christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF032-2.html

Part #3 – http://www.christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF032-3.html

Part #4 – http://www.christianchallenge.org/hebraic-foundations/HF032-4.html

 

The Turning Point of the Cross

When Paul said that ‘old things had passed away,’ he was speaking of the covenant of Moses. It has been replaced by the covenant of the cross. The former covenant was temporary. It was made for the natural man. Jesus likened it to ‘old wine skins.’ You cannot put new wine into old wine skins. The old skins would burst asunder and be of no value to anyone. The new covenant was entirely new. It had to have its own covenant expressions.

It is not that the former covenant was without value. The former covenant continually pointed to the eternal covenant to come. The distinguishing mark of the new covenant, however, hinges on the word ‘spiritual.’ Out of the cross came a new creation of spiritual people. These new people of God must have their own spiritual covenant. They must have a covenant that is suited to a people who carry in themselves the very nature of Christ.

God’s new people are a heavenly people. Our birth is a birth from above. Our names are recorded in God’s heavenly book, the book of the Lamb. We have a new heavenly-spiritual nature instilled in the deep of our inner life.

 

The Letter Kills – The Spirit Gives Life

So as I said before, it is not a matter of the former covenant of Moses having no value for believers today. There are many lessons we can learn from Moses and the prophets. However, the apostle said that when we view the former covenant, we must view it through the lens of our the new covenant in Christ.

The issue stems from the fact that we are an entirely new creation. Before the cross, there had never been anyone on this planet who could share the spiritual completeness that is to be found in a true Biblical Christian. We are a heavenly people walking in earthly bodies.

This is why the apostle Peter said that when the prophets of old spoke of Christ and God’s new people to come, that they were not speaking of anything that they could share at that time. The new heavenly covenant was specifically designed for the people of the cross.

This is also why Paul chided the Corinthians for all their misbehavior. Listen:

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1Co3:1-3)

Did you catch it? New covenant believers are born from above. We are not to live like mere men. We have a covenant that is out of this world. (Not intended as a pun.) The new covenant is entirely a covenant of the Spirit and of grace.

The word spiritual comes from two Greek words that speak of invisibility and power.

The apostle said:

“But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. “ (2Co3:15-18)

And again,

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Co4:16-18)

Well, its time to move on. But how can I leave without leaving you a wonderful song that speaks to the new creation in Christ. Take time for Sarah Sadler singing, “I Am a New Creation.” Here it is:

 

 

Remember – There is much love in Jesus Christ.

Be sure to read the Designer’s manual often.

Buddy

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12
Feb
2012

The Lord of Divine Moments

The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.
(Pro 10:7)

“The way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level. Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.” (Isa 26:7-8)


Journal,

I can certainly attest to the fact that strange things do happen to God’s people. I use the word ‘strange’ in the sense of special God moments that come to us unexpected.

Everyone knows that I love music and that I am sort of a Psalmist with my music. (Every song I’ve written has been birthed from the Scriptures.) Not long back I had a dream in which I was singing one of the old-time gospel hymns. What made it strange is that while I was singing in my dream, it seemed that a renewing and a cleansing grace was taking place in my heart. 

Then when I woke up this morning, I began singing a song that reaches far back in my memories. Some of you old timers may remember it. It was titled ‘A Song in the Night.’ This was a song that two of my cousins and I use to sing at church in 1965. (The year our oldest son Nathan was born.)

Yes, I believe the Lord often visits with us in our dreams.

Would you like to hear it? Perhaps the Lord has a message for your heart. Listen to the lyrics as it is sung by Eva Mae Lefevre …


Does the Lord actually give songs to His children in the night…

Yes, the Lord does give us songs in the night.  David tells us about them.

“You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”(Psa 32:7-8)

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.”
(Psa 28:7)

“The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.” (Psa 42:8)

“I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders.” (Psa 77:6)

 

Samples of songs given in the night (or in the day as you will)…

Perhaps you would like to hear some of the songs that the Lord has given to me through the years. A few of them were recorded on a Jubilee CD in 2001. (Ten+ years ago.) You can listen to them here:

http://www.christianchallenge.org/JubileeCD.html

Here are samples of songs that hopefully you will enjoy.

The first song is entitled ‘the Song of a Disciple.’ (It is on my Jubilee CD.) 

The second song was written by Kathy Guidry. Kathy’s husband, Gary, went to be with the Lord recently. He was one of the early disciples of Christian Challenge. The song comes from her album, ‘Holy Love.’ It is titled, ‘By the Mark.’

The third song is by my first cousin, Alwyn Willis. It is from his album, ‘Turn Around’. It is titled, ‘Beyond the Crystal Sea.’

Enjoy:

 

Another year marks the course

This March, 2012, will be another hallmark in the history of Christian Challenge. We are celebrating our 36th year as a ministry.

What memories. We began laying the foundation for the ministry in 1976. I was 35, Betty, 32, Nathan 9, Andre 6, and Shana 2 years old.

Oh yes, here I go again. I’ve been thinking about all the friendships I’ve made through the years. My mind wants to reach back to my younger days as a minister. How I have loved each of the pastors that I’ve served under, and of the many precious people who have come and gone through my life. I have so much to thank the Lord for.

Actually I began preaching at age 24. I’ll be 72 this August. That makes nearly 47 years of service in God’s kingdom. 

I realize this is redundant for some of you. You’ve walked down memory lane with me probably much more than you’ve desired. But for the sake of those who may not be familiar with the Martin family and with Christian Challenge, here is a clip that tells much of the early story. It is titled ‘Through the Years with Christian Challenge.’

 

Has this stirred your heart…

Yes indeed. Strange and wonderful things do happen to God’s children. I would love to hear about some of your ‘God moments.’ Please take time to share something of your divine moments on my blog.

Remember – There is much love to be found in Jesus.

Blessings,

Buddy

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09
Feb
2012

For the Love of Jesus Christ

“When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

“And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.'”  

(Rev 5:8-9)

 

Journal.

How does a person truly know that they are saved? That really isn’t a difficult question to answer. To know Jesus personally is to love Him personally.

This love for Jesus carries its own witness in the heart of every believer. And it is this love for Jesus that becomes the major guidepost in the life of all who belong to Him.

For all true believers, a love for Jesus and faith in Jesus are inseparable. They are very much the same.

Peter puts a face on how the love of Jesus and faith in Jesus are connected —

“…so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable … though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” 1Pe 1:7,8

 

A Love that is Divine

It is important to understand what distinguishes a believer’s love for Jesus from all other religions in general. Actually it is this love for Jesus that differentiates Biblical Christianity from Orthodox Judaism, from the Isl?mic faith, and from every other religion to be found on planet earth.

A believer’s love for Jesus is the same love that the heavenly Father has for His Son. It is this divine love that encompasses all that salvation in Christ means.

Thus we have the statement, “God is love.” It is this special divine love found only in God, that is poured out into the heart of the true believer. It is this ‘unworldly‘ love that enables the believer to love the way God loves. And so it is this unique love that causes the true Christian to be unlike other people.

In fact the Lord gave one distinguishing sign that would cause people to know that a person belonged to Him. It would be the love sign.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even AS I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Joh 13:34-35)

What many don’t realize is that the love Jesus is speaking of is a love that is only be found in God Himself. The love Jesus is talking about was not a love to be found in the natural human family before He came into our world. This is why it is so important to understand how God’s love fits into His work of redemption.
Notice how the apostle John uses the term ‘love‘ in his writings. Also note how the apostle identifies this love as a love that is to be found only in God. Thus it is this love in the heart of a believer that gives evidence that a person has truly been born of heaven.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1Jn 4:7-11)

The afore Scriptures are self-explaining.

The point being that all true Christians have come to know Jesus Christ personally as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the One who died for our sins, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven; the One of whose eternal blood has been sprinkled on our hearts, and of whom we anxiously await His second coming; the One who is the center of our joy and rejoicing.

It is our love for Jesus and our unique love for one another that sets Christianity apart from all other forms of religion.

This brings me to how Jesus fits into the religions of Islam and of Judaism. I will only address the basic elements of Judaism, as are found in their holy writings, the Talmuds, and the basic elements of Islam, which are found in their holy writings, the Qur’an.

 

Jesus in Islam…

The teachings about Jesus in Islam are far less pervasive that what you find in Judaism. In Islam, Jesus is given special respect as one of the five great messengers (prophets) of God.

Islam regard Adam as the first prophet and Muhammad as the last prophet. Muhammed’s title is called, ‘Seal of the Prophets.’ The five great prophets (messengers of God), are Noah, Abraham, Noses, Jesus, and Muhammed. None of these are divine.

Islam regards Adam as the first prophet and Muhammad as the last prophet. Muhammad’s title is called, ‘Seal of the Prophets.’ The five great prophets (messengers of God), are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. None of these are divine.

In Islam, Jesus is called the son of the Virgin. However, He is not divine, nor is Jesus accounted as the Son of God; He was not crucified, nor does He have anything to do with the salvation of humanity. The strange one is that while Jesus is considered to be the Messiah, He is not Messiah in the sense as is found in the gospels. Jesus comes in second to Muhammad.

Muslims are taught that when Jesus does return, He will convert the world to Islam.

The point at hand is that while Muslims would never slander Jesus, yet their true knowledge of Him is limited. The people have been trapped in religion of darkness, one that uses militancy as its primary weapon, and one that makes Christianity its arch enemies. In some Isl?mic societies it is a death sentence for any Muslim to convert to Christianity.

The good news is that many millions of Muslim are having their eyes opened and are turning to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Their greatest need is to hear the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the Muslims of the world are turning to Jesus because a New Testament has been placed in their hands.

 

Jesus in Judaism is an altogether different story …

Again keep in mind that there are many levels of Judaism, just as there are many levels of Islam, as well as many levels of Christianity. Actually there are true believers in Jesus Christ among the Jewish people. But religiously speaking that would be an abnormality.

But here I will drawn on the Talmudic writings of the ancient Rabbinic Judaism. These writings remain the holiest books of Orthodox Judaism.

Most people are not aware of how Jesus is treated in the Talmud. Here is a sample:

“He [Onqelos] sent and brought up Jesus the Nazarene (Yeshu ha-notzri) out of his grave by necreomancy and asked him: ‘Who is important in that world?’

Jesus answered, ‘Israel.’

Onqelos: ‘What then about joining them?’

Jesus: ‘Seek their welface, seek not their harm. Whoever touches them is as though he touches the apple of God’s eye!’

Onqelos: ‘What is your punishment?’

Jesus: ‘With boiling excrement.’

There is much more to be said, but this gives the idea. Mary is treated as a whore, and Jesus as the son of a Roman soldier. There are a number of code words for Jesus in the Talmudic writings. None of them very pleasant.

What is the plus side in all this? The plus side is similar to what is happening in Islam. Many Jews are discovering Jesus for who He really is. However, there is a last stage to be reached in Judaism. It began in Jerusalem, it has to end in Jerusalem. Jerusalem’s warfare is not ended.

Jesus said:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'” (Mat 23:37-39)

Again from the prophet Zechariah:
“And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” 

 

The great question of all generations remains...

Will the Father say to all people,

What have you done with My Son?

Did you treat Him as holy?

Did you trample Him underfoot as nothing of worth?

These questions are eternal salvation questions.

Think about it as you listen to the words of this song –  ‘Like a Rose Trampled on the Ground’

May the Lord richly bless you in a discovery of all His will for your life.

In Christ,

Buddy

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31
Jan
2012

The Book I Never Wrote

 

“The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” (Ecc 12:10-13)

 

Journal,

Isn’t it amazing how you can carry a memory through life. Some memories from my younger days, even days of my childhood are just as fresh today as ever. Of course I can’t always remember where I placed my glasses.  🙂

Anyway, I was serving as a radioman aboard the USS Calvert in the Pacific Fleet. It was 1962. I’m on duty in the radio shack. Everything is quiet. Nothing to read except a dictionary. Course I’ve always been an avid reader so having a dictionary on hand was fine with me. That was when this strange notion struck me that I ought to write a book.

Write a book? Wow! Write a book? There I was 22 years of age, and thinking of writing a book. And to think how much I hated English in high school. Then to take into account that I had no literary experience or training.

Besides that, who would be interested in reading a book by an unknown author who did not know the difference between an adjective and an adverb, much less a dangling participle.  (Still don’t know that the last thing is.)

But I couldn’t shake it. I even had a name for the book. I would simply call it, ‘Casandra.‘ Where that came from, I really don’t know. The aspiration to write a fictional book about a fictional character without the slightest idea of what the book was to be about, happened some fifty years ago. And like a ship without a sail, it was dead in the water.

Oh well, that memory has long remained in the background of my thought life through all the years. Now, here I am 71 years old and I still haven’t written a book. But why do people keep asking me to write a book? Life can sure be eerie at times.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Or does it? Maybe its time had not come. And maybe my writing was not simply to be fictional.

Better yet, how about this, maybe my life is a book being written every day. And maybe I’m not the writer. Maybe the Holy Spirit is writing a book in my heart.

And maybe every believer’s life is a book being written, that is, in time as we know it, but in God’s time each of our books are finished products. Could it be that the Lord knows the beginning from the end?

Is this what Paul was talking about when he said,

” … being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2Co 3:3)

 

 

Could it be that God plants kingdom seeds in Our Hearts

Could it be that each of our giftings are part of God’s divine plan and that each gift has a unique fitting into the Lord’s working of redemption?

Could it be that nigh fifty years ago the Lord actually planted a seed in my heart that would flourish into writings for His kingdom.

Over the years I’ve written a great many studies on the Bible. In fact I have several hundred studies that can be accessed through the web. I’ve also designed training courses for disciples. Even with my online journal, I’ve written enough to make up several books. Could these writings be considered ‘kingdom seeds’ to be scattered in many hearts and in many places. I surely hope so.

But perhaps there is a greater writing that fits my part of God’s program even more so. As a preacher of the gospel for over forty-five years, the Holy Spirit has used my preaching to write the story of the cross in the hearts of countless people.

My preaching has taken me from traditional churches, to house churches,  to tent revivals, to theater, to radio and television, to brush harbors, to home and foreign mission work, to store front ministries, to nursing homes, to banana plantations, to street preaching, and in many other places. On my book shelves I have volumes of sermons that I’ve preached. Some reach back to 1965.

Please don’t think that I wish to brag on my accomplishments. I have far too many failures for that. Even as founder of Christian Challenge International, my role is merely as a steward. Never to this day have I felt worthy of anything that has related to my calling. If anything at all, I feel very unworthy.

So, it really isn’t simply about writing books that I’m concerned with. I’m thinking about those ‘God seeds’ that rests in the spiritual make up of all God’s children. We all have God seeds in us that will flourish into various ministries over time. But we also have gospel God seed that we are given to scattered. It all takes place in God’s timing and with His help.  

I have come to believe that every child of God has ‘God-seed kingdom investments’ planted in them. Yes, I have even come to believe that some of what we think may be ‘pipe dreams’ are actually things placed in us by the Spirit. And while we may sometimes misunderstand their intent, the Lord will make them to become realities in their time.

My pipe dream was ‘Casandra.’ But it was only a seed planted that would eventually flourish in my sharing the gospel story.

 

The point is that our giftings in life come with our calling in life.

Paul said in Romans 11:29, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” For something to be irrevocable means that it is not subject to recall. It also means that whatever the purpose of the gift and the calling, they will have a fulfillment in the proper season.

Anything planted by the Lord has the nature of the divine will in it. It will produce fruit in its season.  David spoke of this when he said,

“[The righteous person] will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” – Psalm 1:3 nasb

What makes all this even more interesting is that our spiritual genetic code of life was implanted in us before we were born. David also speaks of this:

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” (Psa 139:13-14)

 

So, what about the book that was never written

Sometimes I think it would be good to put some of my writings in book form. At other times I remember what the sage said about the writing of books and how tiring it can be. Solomon wrote:

“The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.” (Ecc 12:10-12)

There is one book that I never tire of reading. It is the only book that has lasted through the ages and remains the most beloved of all books. Of course you know the book I am speaking of. Its God’s holy book, the Bible.

How about you? Have you wondered about your gifting and calling? Don’t lose your dream. Don’t let the bumps in life try to cheat you out of that which the Lord has planted in your garden.

Think about it. Don’t be discouraged. You are uniquely fashioned by the Lord for unique things in His kingdom.

Here is your song for today. Listen carefully. The Lord wants to speak to your heart.

The Imperials – ‘I’ve Got Confidence’ 

 

 

Much love coming your way,

Buddy

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23
Jan
2012

Something About Mormonism

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Gal 1:8)

 

Journal,

The expression, ‘neither fish nor fowl’ can be applied both to Islam as well as to Mormonism. It doesn’t take an in-depth study of the Muslim faith, to realize that Mohammed set about to embrace elements of Rabbinic Judaism with elements of Christianity, and thereby creating another religion that was neither Rabbinic Judaism nor Christianity. He merely borrowed components from both.

A term used for the mixing of religions is the term syncretism. Syncretism is the fusion of different systems of thought or belief with the result of creating something very much unlike the two blended systems of thought or belief. And of course the boast of Mohammed was that his religion was the only true faith.

So you have something similar in Mormonism. While Mormonism wishes to find itself as the only true Christian religion, actually it is far removed from what is commonly recognized as Biblical Christianity. The Latter-day Saint religion followed the same route as Islam. It has produced a hybrid religion.

It is interesting to note that both Islam and Mormonism were brought into place by angel appearances. For Islam it was supposedly the angel Gabriel. Mohammed’s angel encounters left him bewildered and frightened. He thought he was losing his mind or had been demon possessed. Over time he came under the influence is this spirit being and thus produced his new religion called Islam. [Islam means submission. Of course the sword became the means of submission.]

For Mormonism it was the angel Moroni. The story of Moroni has changed in character and name several times in Mormon history. Be that what it may, let’s move on.

Perhaps it is enough to take heed the Biblical warning about angel messengers –

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Gal 1:6-9)

And again,

“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. …

“…For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2Co 11:4-15)

Leaving Islam aside let’s consider the Latter-day Saints. Most people today are little aware of the latent side of Mormonism and why it is often considered a cult religion by many.

It would be well for my readers to do some personal research on Mormonism. Most of this journal entry will simply be quotes from various writers. Here are some books that I recommend.

 

For Personal Study and Research…

 (1) ‘No Man Knows My History – The Life of Joseph Smith’, by Fawn M. Brodie. (Fawn Brodie’s uncle, David O. McKay, was the 9th president of the Church of Latter-day Saints. 1870-1970.)

The title of Brodie’s book comes from a recorded statement Joseph Smith made at a funeral:

“You don’t know me. You never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it; I shall never undertake it I don’t blame anyone for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself.”

(2) ‘In Sacred Loneliness – The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith’, by Todd Compton. (This book has documentation from diaries of Joseph Smith’s several wives.)

Editorial Review: “Compton has compiled a meticulously researched and masterly study of Mormon Joseph Smith’s 33 wives. The women are presented individually, with many of their own documents cited. Compton contends that ‘Mormon polygamy was characterized by a tragic ambiguity’: infinite dominion in the next life vs. a social system that did not work, thus resulting in acute neglect of the wives. These “key women have been comparatively forgotten,” surprisingly so considering the reverence Mormons hold for their founding prophet and how important polygamy was to Smith.”

(3) ‘An Insider’s View of Mormon Origins’, by Grant H. Palmer.

Note: Palmer is a three-time director of LDS Institutes of Religion in California and Utah, a former instructor at the Church College of New Zealand, and a LDS seminary teacher at two Utah locations.

From the Preface: “I, along with colleagues, and drawing from years of research, find the evidence employed to support many traditional [official Mormon] claims about the [Mormon] church to be either nonexistent or problematic.”

(4) ‘Sidney Rigdon – A Portrait of Religious Excess’, by Richard S. Van Wagnoner.

Description: “Disciples of Christ minister Sidney Rigdon was one of the most significant early converts to Mormonism. His education proved indispensible to Joseph Smith, as together they updated the Bible, received revelations, drafted the Lectures on Faith, dedicated the first temple, and formalized LDS theology. But Rigdon’s unstable temperament made him an ultimately unreliable counselor.”

 

Quotes from ‘Sacred Loneliness – The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith’

[From the introduction] “The supernatural–revelations, prophecy fulfilled; miraculous healings and glossolilia; visitations from dead relatives, from angels, from demonic spirits, and from the Three Nephites–comprise a major element of nineteenth-century Mormon writings.”

“This was a time of frequent blessing, tongue-speaking meetings, which were dominated by women. On the first day of 1847 Louisa (very large with child), Eliza, Zina Young, and Patty celebrated with a blessing meeting filled with glossolilia and prophecy.”

From the diaries of Joseph Smith’s wives. (No corrections made on the English.)

Brigham Young had 55 wives

[Patty’s and Eliza’s diaries.] “‘Went to a meeting to Eliza Beamans with many of the sisters.’ … all spoke in tongues on June 2. The next day Louisa, Elisa, Zina, and Emily laid their hands on Patty Sesions’s head and gave her a prophetic blessing. After another blessing meeting during a rainstorm on June 9, Eliza ‘went home with Loisa & Z. in the mud rejoicing.’ The next day Louisa, with others, spoke in tongues…”

[Zina’s diary.] “The gifts of the gospel were manifest the first time I ever sang in tong[ue]s after being baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints – around me was a light as the blaze of a candle – I was surrounded [it was] a heavenly influence and no unpleasant sensation from that day the gift has remained with me.”

Note: Accord to Zina the gift of tongues rested upon her with such “overwhelming force” that she became “alarmed” and “checked its utterance.” As a result the gift left her, and she felt she had offended the Holy Spirit. … The gift returned, and Zina kept her vow; she would take part in glossolalia and interpreting tongue speech throughout the rest of her life. She and Eliza Snow, with Elizabeth Whitney, would be the most enthusiastic tongue-speakers in the early [Mormon] church. Thus women practiced a prophetic mode in early Mormonism …

Emmeline Wells would later write that Zina gave “the interpretation of hymns, psalms and sacred songs in the most musical and happy manner, without thought or hesitation. There is something divinely beautiful in thus rendering, by the gift of inspiration, words uttered in an unknown tongue.”

 

From No Man Knows My History

In this book we read about “nervous spasms and swoonings” that were attributed to the Holy Ghost. Here is a quote:

“There were now about one hundred and fifty converts in Kirkland, more than twice the number that had followed him from New York State. But Joseph was disturbed by the fanaticism that possessed this people. Prayer meetings were punctuated by fits and trances. Converts would roll along the floor to the church door and out upon the frozen ground in a masochistic frenzy. Some would mount stumps to preach to imaginary congregations in unknown tongues…”

Note: Joseph Smith finally forbade the preaching of Mormonism by anyone but an elder who had been ordained by the church.

There is an interesting fact about one of Joseph Smith’s teenage wives. He married Lucy Walker when she was about sixteen years old. This is what Lucy writes:

“[At the next prayer meeting the newly baptized children] “spoke in tong[u]es, others prophesied; again another has the gift of faith, to heal the sick … “

Lucy Walker was the last of Joseph Smith’s proxy wives to die. Lucy passed away on October 1, 1910.

 

An Issue of Concern

How about these esoteric experiences such as the Mormons espouse, or those that Mohammed underwent? Do they confirm that a thing is from God? What many don’t realize is that esoteric experiences, such as those of the Mormons, and the experiences of Mohammed, can never be trusted in themselves as being of God. They can be demonic in origin, but they can also well fit into a psychological framework.

A psychological experience can be induced in certain intense religious environments. It is very real to the person having it. But the question remains, ‘Is it of God?’ 

For example speaking in tongues is a known phenomena in just about every religious grouping of people on planet earth. Consider this quote from the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, page 33:

“Spiritualistic glossolalia and related phenomena among spiritual mediums were among the first studied by psychologists near the beginning of the twentieth century. … Pathological glossolalia is known to medicine and psychiatry, the result of such causes as organic neurological damage, effects of drugs, or psychotic disorders. Schizophrenic disorders have furnished examples of glossolalia. Most relevant to Christian glossolalia are clearly reported cases of pagan glossolalia, both ancient and modern…. [Glossolalia] was used sparingly among American Indians but was widespread in African tribal religions.”

Well, perhaps I’ve said enough for now. So, I will simply leave this with my readers. You can decide for yourself where any of this fits in your own belief system.

Just some things to think about.

[signoff]

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13
Jan
2012

God Chose Jerusalem – Not Rome or Mecca or Jackson County, Missouri

What’s this about Rome, Mecca, and Jackson County, Missouri? 

Let me get this out-of-the-way. And without saying too much, of course Rome is the Center of the Roman Catholic world. And, no, the Roman Catholic Church is not and never can be called the original church. It is far removed from ancient Christianity. I’ll leave little said about that.

As for Mecca, this is the holy city for the Muslims. Mohammed set about to replace the Biblical record of God’s redemption program through Jesus Christ, with a theology that has replaced Jacob/Israel with the Ishmaelites, as God’s favored redemptive people. Mohammed disclaimed Jesus as God’s Son and that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, but that He was a prophet. Not the greatest prophet, mind you. And when Jesus returns He will convert the world to the Muslim faith. (Enough on that.)

And as for Jackson County, Missouri, well, that is where Joseph Smith taught was the site of the original Garden of Eden, and thus prophesied that Jesus Christ would return there to a temple to be built in Independence, Missouri, as the temple of New Jerusalem.  

It’s not that these three religions allow no room for an earthly Jerusalem in their theology. It is all the other things that twist and turn to make their religions the true religion of God. And isn’t it interesting how all three center so very much on spiritualism and esoteric experiences, including angel visitations. 

Oh well, there is a lot more to all these stories, but let’s get past all this and on to the matter of God choosing Jerusalem.

 

God has chosen Jerusalem

“’Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ declares the LORD. ‘Many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.’

“The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.” (Zec 2:10-12)

 

 

Journal,

The Bible speaks of two Jerusalem’s, an earthly Jerusalem, and a heavenly Jerusalem. Of the heavenly city we have this, “But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.” (Gal4:26) Of the earthly city, the prophet of old called her, “the bloody city.” (Cf. Eze22:2; 24:6; 24:9)

Is it not strange why the ‘bloody city’ has always had a central place in God’s plan of redemption? And yet the earthly Jerusalem is also called, “The city of the great King.” (Cf. Psa48:2; Mat5:35)

Ever wonder why is the earthly Jerusalem called, “The city of the great King.”?

Or, why is Jerusalem the most contested city on earth?

Or, why Jesus wept over Jerusalem?

Understand the answers to these questions and you will know much more about the redemption of God. The more we gaze at the Bible, the more we will see Jesus. And the more we gaze at the Bible, the more we see why Jesus wept over Jerusalem.

Let’s begin with …

 

God’s Heavenly City

Yes, there is a heavenly and holy city of God. Abraham had seen in his heart a wonderful city. It says…

“By faith he [Abraham] lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb 11:9-10)

Of the saints of old, we have this:

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. “

“And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13-16)

The Bible begins closure with a description of God’s heavenly city. John wrote:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev 21:1-2. Cf. Isa65:17-19)

This brings us to …

 

The Earthly Jerusalem

Abraham is instructed to offer his son on the mountains of Moriah.

“[God] said, ‘Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.’” (Gen 22:2)

Moriah is where Jerusalem is situated. Isaac was the miracle child of Abraham and Sarah. And it is in this event where the Lord sets forth a prophetic picture of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the cross.

Rather than detail the event, let’s look at what happens when the Lord stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Listen carefully:

“Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.

“Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.’” (Gen 22:13-14)

The mount of Moriah is where each of the successive temples would be built, beginning with Solomon’s and on to the millennium temple.

But another term is also import. ‘The Lord will provide’ can be equally translated, ‘The Lord will be seen.’ The Hebrew word, ra-ah, is a verb meaning, to see, or to appear. It is a word of vision or visitation.

Remember what Jesus said over Jerusalem as He wept? Listen:

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

“’For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, …

“… because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.’” (Luk 19:41-44)

So, yes, God’s redemption will be provided for and seen in Jerusalem. But that is not the end of the story. The day will also come when Jerusalem will indeed recognize her day of visitation. There are Jewish people turning to Jesus at this very time in record-breaking numbers. (Did you know that for the first time in history Israel is allowing American troops in their country. – to my understanding -).

So Jesus added,

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'” (Mat 23:37-39)

Jerusalem is nearing her time of visitation where she will call Jesus the blessed One, the Lord God of Israel.

 

Jerusalem, the City of Redemption

Where is the major hot spot in news today? Why are Muslims so adamant on East Jerusalem as their capital?

They know that Jerusalem is the city of redemption. And Satan well knows that Jerusalem speaks of redemption.

Jews to this day have their bodies sent to the Mount of Olive for burial.

At the Eastern Gate is a Muslim cemetery. The Bible speaks of the glory of God returning to Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate.

Jews, Muslims, and Christians know God’s redemption program begins and ends in Jerusalem.

But something has to happen to bring Jerusalem to her knees?

The Lord spoke through prophet Hosea, saying,

“I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” (Hos 5:15)

This is where we need to see a prophecy that tells the story of Jerusalem –

“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.

“So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.” (Hos 6:1-3)

And so, the gospel story begin with the Jews. Once it has circled the earth, it then ends with the Jews.

 

The Mystery of the Christian and the Jew

The great mystery of the Jew and the Christian is difficult for many to grasp. The new covenant began with the Jews and it fulfills itself with the Jews. What slowed down to a trickle through the years, is now beginning to become a mighty stream.

Jews are looking at Jesus afresh, in a way unknown since destruction of 70 A.D.

What did God tell Moses?

“Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness.

“’They have made Me jealous with what is not God; they have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” (Deu 32:20-21)

Keep ‘not a people’ in view.

Peter quoted from Moses on the day of Pentecost. He also quoted Moses with regard to the Christian people of God.

“But you [Christians] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession…

“…so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; …

“… for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1Pe 2:9-10)

Yes indeed, the Jews and Christians have had a love-hate relationship from the beginning. The hate part will disappear in God’s time.

Hope this short study has stirred your heart.

Please take time for this song. The Lord wants to speak to you.

‘The Holy City’ by John Starnes —

 

 

Your Servant in Christ always,

Buddy


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06
Jan
2012

I Must Be About My Father’s Business

“Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, eat.’

 

“But He said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’

 

“So the disciples were saying to one another, ‘No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?’

 

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.’

 

“’Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.’” (Joh 4:31-35)

 

 

Journal,

As I was meditating on my morning devotion, this thought began stirring in my heart, ‘I must be about my Father’s business.’ My mind was drawn to what Jesus said to His first disciples concerning the harvest field. He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” 

The work that Jesus was to accomplish was the work of the cross. Listen carefully to the prayer of our Great High Priest –

“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.'” (Joh 17:1-4)

The work of the cross would be God’s finished work of salvation in Jesus Christ. From the moment of Christ’s ascension into heaven the eternal gospel was to be sent into all the world. The message could encapsulate in this one statement,

“And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Cf. Acts 2:21; Rom 10:13)

In the meantime we have this instruction from the Lord –

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Luk 10:2)

 

Much Work to Do

In 1976, the Lord gave me a work to accomplish. It began in an old store-front building. On the right side of the entrance a simple sign read, ‘School for Christian Workers.’

This March 9, 2012, will be 36 years since the CCI School for Christian Workers has come into being. Since that time we have trained hundreds of workers for the harvest fields of the Lord.

The motto of  Christian Challenge International is, ‘How Beautiful Upon the Mountians’. The motto for the School for Christian Workers is, ‘Preparing Servants for the Nations.’

Has the work that God gave me to do been accomplished? Not yet. There is much work to be done. And if the Lord tarries, it will continue after my departure. (This applies to the whole body of Christ.)

Where are we now? It is now time for out 48th School for Christian Workers.

Is the Lord stirring your heart for service in His kingdom? Perhaps our 48th School is where you need to be.

The CCI School for Christian Workers is quite unique. Our entire emphasis is on true Biblical discipleship. For your consideration here is our class schedule for the school.

 

Class Schedule for the CCI 48th School for Christian Workers

The School begins January 22nd and 23rd, 2012, and runs 13 weeks. Tuition is $35 per course. Disciples Heart I is $25 for CCI members only.

The Disciple’s Heart Training Program – Sundays  5:00 PM [Required training for anyone serving with CCI] 

The Disciples Heart II Training Program – Sundays 5:00 PM

Shepherd’s Heart Mentoring Program – Every Other Wednesday 6:30 PM

Old Testament Bible Survey – Mondays 6:30 PM

Conversational Spanish – Mondays 6:30 PM

Financial Peace University ($100) – Mondays 7:00 PM

God’s Creation – Mondays 6:30 PM

Registration is required. For additional information call the Christian Challenge office at (318) 640-4300.

For your listening here is the theme song of Christian Challenge – How Beautiful Upon the Mountains.

http://www.christianchallenge.org/audio/music/14_How%20Beautiful%20Upon%20The%20Mountains.mp3

In Christ Always,

Buddy

 

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02
Jan
2012

2011 in Review – When the Temple Shuddered

 

Friends,

Here is an overview of my on-line journal for 2011.

My journal brought in 25,008 visitors along with 71,325 page views. Most of my viewers were from the United States, with the United Kingdom, Canada, Philippines, India, and Australia not far behind.

Here are three of my popular posts (To view each entry, click on the blue web address) –

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

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

 Beware of Spiritual Counterfeits http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/11/beware-of-spiritual-counterfeits/

 

The busiest day of the year was May 18th, with the entry entitled, ‘When the Temple Shuttered.’ For you who have not had the opportunity to view that entry, here it is in its entirety ……..

 

When The Temple Shuddered

“And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’” (Mar 15:37-39)

Journal,

When Jesus breathed His last, the veil of the temple was torn. There was also an earthquake, and according to some sources, the foundation of the temple shifted. In this entry I wish to concentrate primarily on the significance of what happened in the temple during the crucifixion of Jesus.

Before the torn curtain, darkness had filled the land from noon to 3 o’clock. The ninth hour (3 pm) was the time of the incense offering. A priest and his attendants would be in the holy place.

The priest would not have heard the voice of Christ on the cross, nor the mockery of the chief priests and scribes, who were chiding Jesus, in saying,

“He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the king of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.” (Mat27:42)

But this moment was the deepest of sorrows for Jesus. And it is here that we hear the saddest words ever to be recorded by a human pen, when Jesus cries out,

“My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”

At the moment of the cry, what the priest in the temple saw must have left him quaking. Hearing the sound of tearing, and looking up, the priest saw the vast curtain beginning to rend, starting at the very top.

 

Historical background

Let me share some historical background on both the curtain and the happenings in Israel during the time of Christ. This would explain any nervousness that the priest would have had.

First the curtain – The curtain was awesome in itself. It was 80 feet high, and as thick as the width of a man’s hand. (According to Josephus and later rabbinic authorities.)

Another point of interest is that the curtain had changed in appearance from the original pattern given Moses. The tabernacle curtain had cherubim embroidered in it. But the curtain in Herod’s temple had the heavens themselves embroidered on it. It was like looking at the sky. So when it began to tear, the priest would have thought of the rending of the heavens. And this is truly what was happening.

 

Strange things happening

There is more. According to the Talmud and Josephus, strange things had happened during that time period. Josephus said that the eastern gate, which was made of brass, and which took twenty men to close, would open and close on its own accord.

The Talmud speaks of something similar. It says that forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem, the temple doors would open and close on their own, and you could hear voices coming from within. Forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem was when Jesus took up His Messianic anointing. The Master of the Universe walked the land.

Evidently the temple was becoming a scary place. The priest would have reason to go about his duties with some nervousness. But nonetheless, it happened. He looked up and the vast curtain began to tear. The floor began to shift and shake.

It was as if God were saying, “This is it! No more! There will be no more separation! No more blood sacrifices! No more!!!”

It was as if the temple itself was rending her garments. She shuddered.

What is the wonderful secret in all this? It was all about God and man. God has been reconciled to all of humanity. Thus, every person on this planet, saint or sinner, has the right to call on the name of the Lord, and be saved. Sin was dealt with in Christ. Not simply the sins of the saints. All the sins of the world were taken to the cross in Christ.

 

When love walked the earth

Through the fall of Adam, the human race came into league with Satan. But that did not mean that God stopped loving humanity. The Bible is a record of redemption. It is also the story of God’s love for humanity.

When Jesus came into the earth, it meant that He had to leave heaven with all its glory and splendor, and to come into a world that was enshrouded in sin.

Sin was our clothing. Did He come in anger? Did He come with vengeance in His heart? No. He came with a heart full of the Father’s love.
And this is why John 3:16,17 will always be the key message in the Bible. It says,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Jesus had to be born as a human. And so He was. Thus we have the mystery of the incarnation. Jesus was the only human ever to walk this planet in whom Satan had no power or authority over. Satan knew that somehow he must get Jesus to sin. But it never happened. Jesus was perfect in all His ways.

 

The message of the garden

Oh yes, Satan never forgot the message of the garden —

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel.” (Gen3:15)

Jesus could have went back to heaven any time He desired. But He didn’t. He walked in our sinful world. He put his arms around sinful creatures. He rebuked the religious leaders for their hardheartedness, and gave nothing but love and acceptance to the most sinful of us all. It still works that way today.
But all this wasn’t entirely new. God’s plan of redemption had been laid out by His holy servants of old, the prophets. In fact the Bible unfolds around God’s Son and the work of the cross.

Hear what the prophet David had to say…

When mercy and truth met together

Somehow mercy and truth had to meet together. Somehow righteousness and peace had to kiss one another. Somehow heaven and earth had to be reconciled. Somehow there had to be the ‘one’ sacrifice that would take away sin forever.

And the sacrifice had to be so perfect that it would remove all the sins of all of humanity, for all time. And somehow, this sacrifice had to become the way for man to return to God.
The Psalmist also spoke of this. He said,

“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.” (Psa 85:9-13)

Listen to the words —

‘Truth springs from the earth.’ This is Jesus born of a woman.
‘Righteousness looks down from heaven.’ The voice from heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
‘Righteousness … will make His footsteps into a way.‘ The footsteps of Jesus took Him from the cross and to His rightful place in heaven. His footsteps are now our footsteps.

There is so much more to be said.

But then, maybe this song pretty much says it all.

Take time to listen to John Starns, ‘Love Grew Where the Blood Fell.’


In Christ always,
Buddy

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31
Dec
2011

May the Lord be heart and soul in Your Life in 2012

Friends,

I really do wish all my readers a wonderful 2012.

As for 2011, it was terrific year for Betty and me. We celebrated out 48th anniversary. Took our anniversary cruise to the Bahamas with several of our friends.

Perhaps the greatest thrill of our heart has been to watch the ministry that we parented in 1976, Christian Challenge International, continue to grow stronger and stronger under the guidance of our son Nathan.

It has been awesome to see the caliber of people the Lord has gathered to us, and to consider the strong leadership that the Lord has given to Christian Challenge.

Words could never express how so very much we are thankful for. But to give my readers a true feeling for all that we wish for your 2012, please enjoy these marvelous pictures. They can say more than I can as for our wishes for your 2012.

I do hope you have a sense of humor along with a laughing heart.

(Thanks Doug for the pictures.)

Always in Christ,

Buddy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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