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The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 12:11-20 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. The wicked man desires the booty of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will escape from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man’s hands will return to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor. He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men”. Heading out the door for your 9-5? Do your work heartily. Changing a dirty diaper? Work heartily. Preparing a meal plan for your family? Work heartily. Playing with your children? Work heartily. God has planted each of us in a place to work: our homes, at our place of business, in public and private. God has blessed each one of us with gifts, talents, skills, and wisdom to use in the work to which we were called, and we are called to work mightily. If a man is not willing to work, he will not eat (2 Thess 3:10). Jesus was always about His Father’s business, reminding His disciples as He worked and they sought for food, that He had food which they did not know about (John 4:32). Work and sustenance are intrinsically linked to one another, as our Proverb today points out: “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense”. Worthless things. Work which leads to sustenance is juxtaposed with the pursuit of worthless things. What could the text mean by worthless things? Worthless as used here is an adjective used to describe a pursuit which is vain, or futile. A vain or futile pursuit would be one that is pointless, has no purpose, is fruitless and barren. Pursuing a worthless endeavor could be said to be operating outside the will of God, doing work which will not supply sustenance for your journey. Isaiah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, asks this question: “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not?” Could these “worthless things” be subjective, differing from one person to another? Could something that is a worthless pursuit for you or I, be a worthwhile pursuit for another? Sure. If the gifts and talents given me by God are such that a certain course in life would clearly be the path I ought to be on, yet pride or a lack of contentment has led me down another course, another path for which I am not gifted, am not skilled, am not called, I may quickly find myself outside the will of God for my life and engaged in the pursuit of worthless endeavors. Perhaps you are gifted in an area, but are in a season of life which will not permit tilling, sowing seeds, and toiling in this calling, and God seems to have you busy in another direction. Work mightily unto the Lord brothers and sisters, as a husband, father, manager, employee, son, or daughter. Our Father loves us and gives us only that which is meant for our good. “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” The scripture tells us that those who pursue these worthless endeavors lack sense. Lacking sense in this regard is more than simply not having common sense, or not having the foresight to recognize their error, but is describing one who void of the counsel of God, being led by their heart and will, rather than the Holy Spirit. They are a person not trusting in the Lord their God with all their heart, but are instead being led along by their passions and appetites. The one void of sense is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (James 1:6). Laboring for that which satisfieth not, the one void of sense has their mind set on worldly pursuits. In our striving and toiling, if our sight is set upon the perishable things of this world, our deaths will bring about the realization that it was all for naught, as all our vain toiling and the fruit of it, dies with us. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, and that includes worthless pursuits. If however, our minds have been set upon the things above, laboring for that which is imperishable, storing up our treasures where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal, we will be satisfied. Brothers and sisters, where are you toiling? Are you doing the Lord’s work in your life, satisfied by the things that come to you in this life from the hand of your Father? Are you content, at peace, saying with a clear conscience “Thy will be done”? Or are you toiling in vain, essentially not doing the work God has given you, and find yourselves in a dry, weary, land, famished and being led along by every appetite of your stomach? God speaks to us this day, saying “Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live” (Isaiah 55: 2,3). Brothers and sisters, in the Words of Christ, “Repent lest you likewise perish”. Let us kneel together at this time, and lift up our hearts to the Lord in prayer, going boldly to the throne of grace. O MY LORD, Forgive me for serving thee in sinful ways -- by glorying in my own strength, by forcing myself to minister through necessity, by accepting the applause of others, by trusting in assumed grace and spiritual affection, by a faith that rests upon my hold on Christ, not on him alone, by having another foundation to stand upon beside thee; for thus I make flesh my arm. Help me to see that it is faith stirred by grace that does the deed, that faith brings a man nearer to thee, raising him above mere man, that thou dost act upon the soul when thus elevated and lifted out of itself, that faith centres in thee as God all-sufficient, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, as God efficient, mediately, as in thy commands and promises, immediately, in all the hidden power that faith sees and knows to be in thee, abundantly, with omnipotent effect, in the revelation of thy will. If I have not such faith I am nothing. It is my duty to set thee above all others in mind and eye; But it is my sin that I place myself above thee. Lord, it is the special evil of sin that every breach of thy law arises from contempt of thy Person, from despising thee and thy glory, from preferring things before thee. Help me to abhor myself in comparison of thee, And keep me in a faith that works by love, and serves by grace. Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: 1 John 1 :5-9 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/19/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)
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The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 12:1-10 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. A good man will obtain favor from the Lord, But He will condemn a man who devises evil. A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. A man will be praised according to his insight, But one of perverse mind will be despised. Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant Than he who honors himself and lacks bread. A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. If you have visited my home, you have surely had the pleasure of meeting the family dog, Piper. Piper is a beagle. As such, she is a slave to her instincts. Squirrels, food, and lap-nap, in that order. Her nature is to have her appetite satisfied immediately, and to resist any attempts at being corrected. Attempting to withhold any of these things from her results first in the staredown. After that comes violent tail wagging. Next, whimpering. Fourth in line is a combination of whelping, barking, and what my family calls the “slinky dog”. “Slinky dog” is when Piper strangely folds her body in half, tail tucked, head down, combined with the whimpering and whelping previously mentioned. If Piper is not humored at this point, what follows has become affectionately known as the “zoomies”, a frantic, maniacal running, jumping, and scampering around, with Piper frequently left lying in the middle of the floor, panting, totally spent. She doesn’t like to wait, be told no, have what she wants withheld, or receive something that is contrary to her will at the moment. Why? Because she is an animal, and as such, is stupid. The appetites of her stomach, and her desire to pounce on squirrells overrides any sense of what may be safe, prudent, or in her best interests. To catch the squirrel, Piper would dash into oncoming traffic and NEVER take heed of my command to stop. To fill her belly, she would gladly lick up the antifreeze leaking under my van, not caring in that moment that the food I provide to her in her dish is good for her, and all other such delicacies found outside the food dish could kill her. She does not willingly accept reproof, because it is completely contrary to her nature as a beagle. Men, women, boys, and girls who have not been born again, are no different than Piper the beagle. They are what the scripture here today calls brutes in the KJV. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Stupid, or brute as used here, is meant to convey the idea of someone which consumes by fire or by eating up. It relates to the idea that a person is a Natural Man, who does not understand the things of God, and when the truth of God is spoke in a fashion meant to correct, a consuming fire of mocking and scoffing ensues. Atheists Richard Dawkins and Stephen Hawking come to mind. Brilliant men in their respective fields of study. Very, very intelligent men capable of communicating complex ideas. Yet, they were essentially highly educated brutes who professed to be wise yet were fools. Brute, it’s the essence of man. For the brute, a word of correction from THE Word is answered with scoffing and mocking. An attempt to reprove a stupid person will lead to hatred, dishonor, and insults (Proverbs 9:7, 8). Matthew Henry says this of those who hate reproof: “ He that hates reproof is not only foolish, but brutish, like the horse and the mule who have no understanding, or the ox that kicks against the goad. Those that desire to live in loose families and societies, where they may be under no check, that stifle the convictions of their own consciences, and count those their enemies that tell them the truth, are the brutish here meant.” So the question is for you, young man: Do you despise the discipline of your father? When you are being disciplined through chores and a strict homeschool regimine, do you recognize that this is for your good, or long for the endless days of cartoons, video games, and entertainment of your peers? Men, when you are reminded to love your wife and remember that she is the weaker vessel, that you are to honor her as a co-heir of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7), does this lead you to kick against the goads? Does a constant reminder that you are to lay down your life for her, the crown of your head, turn you into a brute? Young ladies as your Pastor, father, and mother encourage you over and over to look to God’s word for a picture of godly adornment, is your instinct to run instead to the world and the examples you may find there? Are you seeking God’s will for your life in regards to your sexuality, marriage, career, and future, or, are you longingly observing your less than godly friends, waiting for that day you may show yourself to hate reproof? Older young ladies, does God’s command for you to be subject to your husband cause you to cringe and blush? Do you find yourself lovingly accepting the leadership of your husband as head, or, do you read all the chatter on social media about how deprived you are, oppressed you are, and enslaved you are, and start to believe it rather than the eternal word of God? Do we hate reproof, or love it? Let us kneel together at this time and ask God to forgive us where we have despised correction in our lives. O THOU THAT HEAREST PRAYER, Teach me to pray. I confess that in religious exercises the language of my lips and the feelings of my heart have not always agreed, that I have frequently taken carelessly upon my tongue a name never pronounced above without reverence and humility, that I have often desired things which would have injured me, that I have depreciated some of my chief mercies, that I have erred both on the side of my hopes and also of my fears, that I am unfit to choose for myself, for it is not in me to direct my steps. Let thy Spirit help my infirmities, for I know not what to pray for as I ought. Let him produce in me wise desires by which I may ask right things, then I shall know thou hearest me. May I never be importunate for temporal blessings, but always refer them to thy fatherly goodness, for thou knowest what I need before I ask; May I never think I prosper unless my soul prospers, or that I am rich unless rich toward thee, or that I am wise unless wise unto salvation. May I seek first thy kingdom and its righteousness. May I value things in relation to eternity. May my spiritual welfare be my chief solicitude. May I be poor, afflicted, despised and have thy blessing, rather than be successful in enterprise, or have more than my heart can wish, or be admired by my fellow-men, if thereby these things make me forget thee. May I regard the world as dreams, lies, vanities, vexation of spirit, and desire to depart from it. And may I seek my happiness in thy favour, image, presence, service. Amen Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/12/20 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 11:23-31 The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But he who seeks evil, evil will come to him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wise hearted. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls. If the righteous will be rewarded in the earth, How much more the wicked and the sinner! As Sovereign King Church moves further into 2020, one thing you will notice is that we have a pretty busy calendar. The men of the Church, led by Pastor Joseph and our provisional Elder Stephen Baker, have laid out a bold course for Sovereign King Church, from fellowship opportunities, to evangelism, routine duties, and even issues as seemingly insignificant as selecting carpet meant to help beautify the area around the pulpit. The men of SK have stepped up to lead, and all who are members will be asked to serve where their time, talents, resources, and desires may permit it. In all of the planning, coordination, and vision casting, it was our desire to lay plans which glorified God. There are many moving parts to what we are seeking to do this year. Looking back over my notes from the retreat it became clear to me that one of the biggest changes from last year to this, comes in the way we have handled the division of labor in the Church. Many more people will have opportunities to serve, lead a ministry, coordinate an event, and use their gifts to serve the body. Along with this, will come more opportunities for conflict: “So and so forgot to send out the email” “I don’t like the backdrop, wrong design and terrible color” “Why didn’t the Pastor pick me for the task? Doesn’t he know how gifted I am?” “Why do I have to do everything?” “So and so doesn’t contribute anything around here” “It always has to be his way” If we are going to start off 2020 by casting vision, let us not kid ourselves by thinking that sin is not lurking around the corner waiting for an opportunity to pounce upon us and bring division into our little Church. Anyone who has been a Christian for any length of time knows that fights over the color of the carpet are not fantasy. They happen. Petty squabbles can divide and destroy churches, and our schedule this year will provide many opportunities for conflict among us. As we begin to work the plan in 2020, let us consider a verse from our passage today: “The desire of the righteous is only good”. Matthew Henry says this regarding verse 23: “The righteous would have good, only good; all they desire is that it may go well with all about them; they wish no hurt to any, but happiness to all; as to themselves, their desire is not to gratify any evil lust, but to obtain the favour of a good God and to preserve the peace of a good conscience; and good they shall have, that good which they desire” In 2020, as we serve alongside one another to the glory of our Great God, let us think good of one another. Let us see the good in others. Let us not be bent towards nit picking, psychoanalyzing, and tearing apart someone’s motivations for doing this, or approach to doing that, but let us rather believe that we all truly are brothers and sisters with the same loving Heavenly Father, and we are all working together for the good of the body. Let us bless, rather than curse. Let us help build rather than tear one another down. Let us desire only good for others, think good of others, and love one another as Christ loved us, giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins. You know the temptation for strife and conflict is there, let us entrust our souls to our faithful Creator. Please kneel as we confess our sins to Almighty God, Who remembers our frames, that we are but dust. Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us that man makes plans, and You direct our steps. We have made many plans Father, and we pray that You would bless them. We pray that in all our doing, you would grant us grace, that we may see the good in others. We ask for Your grace so that in all we say, do, and think, our hearts are bent toward doing good. Father, please help us to seek only what is good for others, and to think charitably of other people’s intentions. Father, for us to ignore the threat of division caused by sin would be foolish. Please help us to maintain the bond of peace within Sovereign King, and to live peaceably with all men so much as it depends upon us. Please forgive us for not wanting what is good for others, and not seeing the good in others. Please forgive us for any selfish desires, or wicked ambitions which would seek to elevate our desires above your will and the good of others. Father, please help us to love one another as your Son loves us. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. Please stand, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3 To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 1/51/2020 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 11:12-22 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter. Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure. A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches. The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm. The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death. The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, But the blameless in their walk are His delight. Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. If you follow the narrative promoted by the major news outlets, listen to the drone of subjectivism from your increasingly androgynous co-workers, or get ambushed by the intersectionality mafia on social media, you may be tempted to walk away believing that the wicked are winning. Abortion mills continue hacking away at the fabric of civilization. People who speak for the unborn are demonized as bullies and terrorists, while the real terrorists, people like Tanya Franklin and Jeffery Glazer, are considered upstanding citizens, pillars of the community who are providing a valuable service to women in need. The rule of Law has completely derailed in America, with folks who burn LGBT flags being sentenced to15 years in prison, for “hate crimes” (see footnote for background), while the LGBT community, despite all the evidence to the contrary, is heralded as a safe, legitimate lifestyle choice while leaving a mountain of destroyed bodies and souls in its wake. George Orwell could not write a better script than the one which happens to be reality as 2019 comes to a close. Sometimes I feel like Charleton Heston in Planet of the Apes, who declared “It’s a madhouse!”, while being hosed down by an ape wearing men’s clothing. Do you ever feel this way? As your day comes to a close, and it’s just you and the Almighty, are you sometimes tempted to believe this nutty narrative? As you are increasingly bombarded by a never ending string of gender pronouns, subjective truths, and calls to self loathing because of your whiteness, is it tempting for you to question your eschatology? Is your post-millenialism, or optimistic amillenialism taking a hit, leading you to long for that helicopter ride out of here at the rapture? Do the worries of this world seem to choke out the fruitfulness in your walk with Christ? Sure they do. Thankfully there is good news for us, and it’s twofold: “Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.” Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a Man of War, with eyes like a flame of fire, and He must reign until ALL His enemies are made a footstool. Brothers and sisters, the world and its lusts are passing away. The reprobate is being given over to their degrading passions and depraved minds. They are condemned already, without help in the world because of their unbelief. Jesus encouraged us to remember that we are to fear not the one who can destroy the body, but to fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. Abraham faced a precarious future: old, with an old barren wife. Time, that ever present enemy. Barrenness and age were no match for God, because nothing is impossible for Him, and all the nations on earth have been blessed. Saul and his armies trembled before Goliath in the face of what they believed was certain defeat. David shows up and slays Goliath like a dog and goes on to have his ten thousands, and the promise of One who would sit on His throne and reign forever. The Centurion, a man of authority, was not deterred by the severity of his servants illness, nor Jesus’ distance from him, imploring Christ to “Just give the word”. Jesus gave it and the servant was healed that very hour. The common thread among all these stories, was faith. It is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. We have the promise of Christ to never leave us nor forsake us. To defeat our enemies. That nothing can separate us from His love. We hope for these things, yet frequently what we see in real time looks like the opposite. We see death. We see suffering. We experience heartache and setbacks. We are abandoned by friends and family. Our own bodies fail us. We do not FEEL victorious. And everybody knows that our feelings determine truth, right? Wrong. Jesus promised these things, did He not? He said that in this world we will have tribulations but fear not I have overcome the world. Paul told us that it has not only been granted to us that we would believe, but also to suffer for His namesake. These enemies that trouble you, who seem to be gaining victory after victory, leaving you feeling cast down, are working together for your good. They are light, momentary afflictions which God grants you to walk through, having faith in the finished work of Christ, being conformed to His image. Psalm 73:1-28 NASB Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. If you are able, please kneel as we confess to our Heavenly Father how we have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Heavenly Father, We are frequently embroiled in the everyday struggles of life, and in our striving, we take our eyes off Jesus. We focus all our attention on the enemy, while Your Word tells us to look unto Jesus. We wrongfully believe that we can do all things in our own strength, utilizing our own finite wisdom, and in the end will rightfully receive the praise and honor for it, and we forget that it is You Who supplies all our strength, grants us wisdom, and is the only One worthy of praise. Though we know You have saved us, that Your promises of refuge, deliverance, and sustainment are sure and true, we so quickly forget when the day of trial comes. When the cares of this life pile on, we quickly revert back to our default position, which is to hunker down and try to make the best of it. Father, this response is not the abundant life You promised. It is not the victory that Your Son purchased for us on Calvary. It is a defeatist attitude rooted in a lack of faith and unbelief. Father, please forgive us for our sins. Please grant us repentant hearts which will seek Your face in both times of famine and times of plenty. In the Name of Jesus we pray, Amen. Please stand with me, and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
Footnote: A man stole a flag from a "church" and burned it outside of a bar while making threats against the bar. He was a known felon. He deserved to pay restitution for stealing and any punishment for threats. However the majority of his prison sentence was based upon hate crime legislation which is unjust and being used to protect sexual perversions. (From the 12/29/19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 10:22-32 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. What the wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him. The fear of the Lord prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land. The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverted. Unbelievers, those stumbling around blind, having had their foolish hearts darkened, seek their comfort in the fickle whims of their appetites. Whatever the flavor of the day is, this is where they flee for joy, satisfaction, hope, and refuge. Career, hobby, food, sex, wealth, all become a pit of death, ensnaring unbelievers with the promise of hope and fulfillment, promising the world, and delivering only death and heartache, and putting one at war with God. The way in which they walk, in the flesh, is a wide way, with many treading there. This way is enticing, appeals to all their base lusts and passions. “Did God really say?” is the mantra voiced on the broad path to destruction. In this way you will find all manner of evil worthy of death, with its travellers giving hearty approval to those who practice these wicked ways. It is here where hope goes to die, as those walking in this way meet their fate at the end of their lives, and receive their inheritance, their wages for this life of folly: eternal damnation, weeping and gnashing of teeth. The refuge of the unbeliever, idols made with human hands, with eyes that cannot see, ears that cannot hear, mouths that cannot speak, is built upon a foundation of sinking sand, their own folly, and always ends in destruction. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through Him. Jesus is the narrow gate which leads to eternal life. He is the sheep gate, which we as Christians enter through that we may graze in that good pasture, be led by the still waters, and have our soul restored. This way is marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. It is a way where those found upon it seek the good of others, rather than their own. This narrow way, made possible by the blood of the Lamb, is where mankind discovers their true purpose in life: It isn’t to pursue the lusts of your flesh. It isn’t to be mindlessly entertained. Your purpose isn’t to have your best life now. It is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This is what distinguishes the way which leads to death, from that which leads to eternal life. Who gets the glory, God or man? On the broad path, man seeks glory for himself, on the narrow way God is given all the glory, for: “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created.” (Rev 4:11) Proverb 10:29 states: “The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity.” The narrow way through Christ is a refuge for those who believe. Like the ark which served as a vessel which God used to bring Noah and his family through the flood, so Christ, for those who believe, and abide in Him, washes away the crimson stain of sin, makes us whiter than snow, and calls us justified, righteous in the eyes of Almighty God. Christ Jesus is our refuge, our stronghold, our present help in trouble. This narrow way which is life for the believer, carries with it the aroma of death to those who are perishing. The natural man, who cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God, believes the message of the cross to be foolishness. In light of these truths, the path of the righteous which runs through Christ, winds up being a path of destruction for workers of iniquity. Workers of iniquity, to their own destruction, reject this path. Rather than seeing the way of Christ, obedience to His Law, and the discipline of God towards His children, as an eternal good, they despise it as tyrannical, overbearing, and because of their love for sin and the hardness of their hearts, will not come to Christ. This is to their doom. Where are you today my brothers? Which way can you be found treading upon my dear sisters? Little children, where will you be found when your last day arrives? At this time, let us kneel together as we come boldly to the throne of grace in prayer to our Heavenly Father: Valley of Vision “Refuge”, p.132 O LORD, Whose power is infinite and wisdom infallible, Order things that they may neither hinder, nor discourage me, nor prove obstacles to the progress of thy cause; Stand between me and all strife, that no evil befall, no sin corrupt my gifts, zeal, attainments; May I follow duty and not any foolish device of my own; Permit me not to labour at work which thou wilt not bless, that I may serve thee without disgrace or debt; Let me dwell in thy most secret place under thy shadow, where is safe impenetrable protection from the arrow that flieth by day, the pestilence that walketh in darkness, the strife of tongues, the malice of ill-will, the hurt of unkind talk, the snares of company, the perils of youth, the temptations of middle life, the mournings of old age, the fear of death. I am entirely dependent upon thee for support, counsel, consolation. Uphold me by thy free Spirit, and may I not think it enough to be preserved from falling, but may I always go forward, always abounding in the work thou givest me to do. Strengthen me by thy Spirit in my inner self for every purpose of my Christian life. All my jewels I give to the shadow of the safety that is in thee -my name anew in Christ, my body, soul, talents, character, my success, wife, children, friends, work, my present, my future, my end. Take them, they are thine, and I am thine, now and for ever. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen Join with me in standing, and listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: Luke 1:46-55 “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. “And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. “He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.” To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 12/15/19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 10:11-21 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Wise men store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand. The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their poverty. The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment. He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray. He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. The family is the basic building block of empires. No civilization in history has come into being, or lasted very long, without a respect for the institution of marriage between man and woman. This union between man and woman is vital to fulfill God’s commands to mankind: “be fruitful and multiply and take dominion”. It was given to us as the means by which God’s Kingdom would go forth in the world, and serves as a picture of His plan of salvation for us: as Christ loves the church and gave His life for her, husbands ought also love their wives.
Hatred stirs up strife. Hatred for our wives, and they for us, injects discord into the marriage relationship. Rather than bearing with one another's burdens, husbands forget that their wives are the weaker vessel, and wives fail to respect their husbands. Instead of a gentle and quiet spirit adorning the wife, there is contention, which makes for an unbearable home. Likewise the husband, led by feelings and emotions rather than the word of God, behaves like a tyrant, seeking his way, rather than what is best for wife and home. Strife and contention in a home will follow after a husband and wife who have hatred towards one another. But love covers all transgressions. Philippians 2:1-5 “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” Despite what our world is screaming right now, it’s not about you. It is about God’s glory, and He is most glorified is a marriage relationship that displays a clear picture of His Son’s relationship to the Church, His bride. Ladies, this means respecting your husbands and being subject to them, as the church is subject to Christ. Husbands, it means loving your wives as your own body, and treating them as precious, showing her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. Selfishness, conceit, and a “me first” attitude has no place in a marriage. We are called to take up our cross daily, and follow after Him. This means having a face set like flint towards Zion, resolved to say “Not my will be done, but Yours O Lord”. “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 If you are able, let us kneel as we go boldly to the throne of Grace as we confess our sins to a Holy, Just God. Father of mercies and God of all comfort, We come before you this morning totally exposed before Your gaze. Though we seek to hide behind our feigned worship, our works of self righteousness, and our hollow words of praise, We know that our iniquities are ever before You. Father, You love us, and gave Your Son that we might live. Yet far too often this truth falls upon an unfeeling heart. Time and time again You display Your faithfulness towards us. And repeatedly, we turn instead to that which is passing away for comfort, joy, and peace. We say “God is love” and praise You with our mouths, and in the next breath curse our neighbors. Husbands despise the wives of their youth, and wives contend with their husbands, and bring You shame in doing so. Father, we are weak. We believe ourselves able to stand on the day of testing, when trials come our way, circumstances weigh us down, and then we fall. Please be merciful towards us sinners. Please forgive us of our sins which we have sinned against You alone, and restore to us the joy of our salvation. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen. (From the 12/8/19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 9:7-12 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it. I watched a clip from Apologia Church on Friday showing Pastor Durbin having a conversation with a young man in which the Pastor meticulously revealed the absurdity of the young man’s claim to have a moral foundation upon which to stand, apart from God. Though Pastor Jeff was polite all throughout the 20 minute conversation, at the very end the young man proclaimed “hail satan!” as he departed, fully unmasking his true nature: that of a scoffer. A scoffer is someone who jeers or mocks or treats something with contempt or calls out in derision. During the conversation the young man seemed at least willing to listen and engage with what the Pastor was saying, but at the end he made it clear that to go any further with him, would be folly. A couple weeks ago our Pastor used the term tar baby to describe someone who liked to endlessly speculate and hen peck every little rabbit hole and doctrine well past the point of usefulness, and waste your valuable time in the process. Scoffers could definitely be labeled as tar babies. Just yesterday I saw one pop up on my Facebook post about a saved baby at the abortion mill. Calling himself “Von Doom”, an endearing name which should immediately send up a red flag, this scoffer questioned whether there was truly a saved baby or not. Having interacted with him before and knowing exactly what it was he sought to accomplish, I responded to his scoffing. By blocking him. Immediately. What he wanted to do most was argue, entrap, and attempt to catch me slipping, so I didn’t give it to him. The Proverb today warns us of the danger associated with correcting a scoffer: dishonor, insults, and hate. Now, we know that whenever the truth is preached, whether from behind the pulpit, in your home, on the sidewalk, or at work, scoffers are going to scoff, and haters are going to hate. This is because those that walk in darkness hate the light and will not come to the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed (John 3: 20). This proverb is not telling us to avoid the difficult places. It is not telling us to shrink back from confrontation. We are not being instructed to avoid conflict at all cost. We are being reminded that in our walk with Christ, we must use discernment. As Christians, we must know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. Jesus says in Matthew 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” A scoffer is one who comes into a conversation with you having no intention of listening. A scoffer has no desire for the truth, only an insatiable thirst for strife. Scoffers are pot stirrers. They want to hijack a conversation, distort the truth, make you look like a fool, and drag you into the pigpen with them, insulting you all the way down. It is very tempting to want to engage with scoffers. We think “If I can just get them to listen to reason”. That’s a noble desire, except that these scoffers are devoid of the Spirit (Jude 19), they are natural men, who do not accept the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). So, what if you find yourself entangled with a scoffer, how do you create some separation and distance? How might you love your neighbor as yourself in the midst of conflict with a scoffer? Well, first, remember Whom you serve. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart (1 Peter 3:15). Second, be resolved to not move from that foundation which was laid upon which you stand (Eph 2:20). It is the Word of God which is living, active, and sharper than a two-edged sword, not your opinions and human reasoning. Third, remember that we do not wage war against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. This battle is a spiritual battle, so put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). And lastly, remember this other Proverb, which I personally would do well to take heed of: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools sprouts folly.” (Prov 15:1,2) If you are able, please kneel as we call upon the Name of the LORD. Heavenly Father, In our zeal, we oftentimes find ourselves locked in conflict with scoffers and mockers. We are soldiers, yet are called to use wisdom and discernment in our engagements rather than brute force. Far too often we find ourselves wallowing in the pigpen, looking like mockers rather than Christians. Father, help us to remember how our Lord Jesus responded to the mockers and scoffers by crying out to You. Please forgive us for bringing reproach upon Your Name by carelessly engaging with those who hate You. Please grant us wisdom, and train us for war that we might give a Godly answer to the fools who seek to destroy our foundations. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: John 5:25-29 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 11/17/19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 9:1-6 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table; She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the tops of the heights of the city: “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says, “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed. “Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.” The church of Jesus Christ is the house built upon seven pillars, a foundation made up of the apostles teachings, with Jesus Himself as her chief cornerstone. As our Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, with a cup which overflows. The bread and wine which He provides, are His body and blood, given as a sacrifice for the sins of His people. From this Church “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 22:17). This house built upon the seven pillars has been charged by the Lord Jesus Christ to go into all the world, baptising in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, teaching all the He commanded, and has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. The message is a simple message: “Forsake your folly and live.” While the wisdom of God cries out for you to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart”, worldly wisdom rushes to the internet to answer all of life’s difficult problems. In need of some wisdom or insight regarding your life? Join one of the thousands of groups on Facebook devoted specifically to your unique situation, and scroll endlessly through all of the accumulated wisdom that Facebook has so graciously compiled for you. If you own a smartphone, you have in the palm of your hand a device which has more computing power than men and women prior to the 1990’s ever dreamed of. These devices have made those large volumes of Encyclopedia Britannica you may remember from your parents bookshelf, obsolete. “Read the bible?” you say? “Why, I can listen to my favorite podcast ‘Talk’ about the bible. Saves me so much time.” These devices are also making obsolete the necessity for men and women, boys and girls, to think. About anything. We live in an age of information, with modern man “always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 3:7). Wisdom and understanding in 2019 have come to mean whatever the wielder of said wisdom declares it to mean. Natural Law is scoffed at. Special revelation is reduced to mocking. Worldly wisdom is fluid, subjective, and contradictory. For instance: “We have to be tolerant of everyone.” says your employer. You think to yourself “Wow! That sounds like ancient wisdom from a little old wise buddist monk living on a lonely fog covered hill in Tibet. That has to be the most lovely bit of wisdom I have ever heard.” Your employer continues, “So, comrade, what intersectionality categories do you fall into?” “Well, I am a Christian….” “ Intolerant bigot!” “White”.... “oppressor!” “Man”..... “misogynist!” “Heterosexual”... “Homophobe!” “But, I thought we were to be tolerant of everyone?” you cry. “Can’t we reason together?” And that is the crux of worldly wisdom. It cannot be reasoned with, it is by very definition unreasonable, depraved, and debased. Romans 1 tells us that when we exchange the truth of God for a lie, worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator, our hearts are darkened. Professing to be wise, we become fools. God gives us over to debased minds and depraved thinking to do those things which we know ought not be done, things which are worthy of death. The wisdom of the world says “Serve your passions. Live, eat, and drink for tomorrow we die.” Godly wisdom says “Forsake your folly and live.” Worldly wisdom says “Follow your heart”, whereas God’s Word tells us that our hearts are deceitful and wicked above all else. Worldly wisdom tells us that your personal joy and happiness are to be the primary goal of your life, while the wisdom from on high says that God’s glory is your purpose. Time will not permit us to exhaust the infinite number of ways in which worldly wisdom differs from true wisdom, however, the question does remain: From who’s table do you dine? Isaiah 55:1-3 NASB "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost."Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. "Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.” If you are able, let us kneel and pray to our Heavenly Father that He might turn us from the path of folly to dine at His table. Almighty God, Heavenly Father We truly are like sheep, oftentimes dumb, and wayward. Father, our Good Shepherd has prepared a table before us, yet far too often find ourselves dining upon pig slop. As Your children, we know that the path of folly leads to death, yet because of our ungrateful hearts, we are sometimes unsatisfied by what You have provided. Please give us ears to hear, that we might hear wisdom call to us from the heights of the city. Please give us eyes to see, that we might recognize the glorious, wonderful feast You have prepared for us which leads to everlasting life. Please forgive us for our wayward hearts. Please forgive us for doubting your promises to us. Father, help us to be thankful for all You have provided us for abundant life, Your Son Jesus. It’s in His Name we pray, Amen. Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 11/10/10 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.) The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.  Proverbs 8: 12-21 Hidden in Christ Jesus are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and it is only by His grace that we have access to these precious commodities. It is His Grace, which takes a natural man, an enemy of God, incapable of understanding the things of the Spirit of God, and adopts him as a son who learns to hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth. The last couple of weeks we have seen two examples of how pride and perverted speech play out in the life of Christians. On one hand we have Kanye West. For at least a decade, Mr. West had been a peddler of vile, profane, wicked garbage. A rapper who enjoyed pushing the envelope of people's sensibilities and challenging their comfortable existence. He was a textbook case of a rebel at war with God. Then, over the course of the last couple of weeks and months, we find out that Kanye has been born again, that he has given his life to Christ, and though he obviously needs much discipleship, testimony from others around him, and some very early signs of fruit, suggest that his conversion story may be true. Where the pride comes in, is how many in Christendom have clicked away on their keyboards in an endless stream of speculation about whether Kanye is a legit Christian, or a fraud. How much pride does it take for someone who says they have indeed been saved by grace, to then so quickly, demand some type of extra-biblical proof of a man’s conversion? Imagine Philip demanding of the eunuch “I hear your profession, recognize your desire to be baptized, but gosh, you have to pass my litmus test first. Only then can I call you brother.” Now, I’m not suggesting some lackadaisical approach as to what constitutes a genuine conversion, or some “walk an aisle” or “pray a little prayer” type of profession as being all that discerning Pastors and Elders must look for in a person's conversion. What I am saying is that 99.9999% of the people commenting online and in the media about Kanye’s conversion with skepticism, do not know the man. They have not spoken with him, his Pastor, his family, or his friends. They just know that while God’s grace was powerful enough to cover their sins, Kanye West is a bridge too far. It’s prideful, leads to perverted speech, such as gossip, and all of us are capable of it. We see a man claim Christ, and pride leads to potential slander and twisting of the truth, all in a mad rush to be the one who gets to say “Told you so” should Kanye turn out to not be a brother. Let us be charitable, and use discernment, all the while working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, rather than being a bunch of busybody fruit inspectors. Just as you and I must, Kanye must persevere to the end. Other immature, baby Christians you know must persevere to the end. Rather than hurling darts, which is the devils work, why not instead pray. Pray for a heart full of compassion for these men and women. Pray that they will be protected from the schemes of Satan. Secondly, we have Beth Moore. A decades long perverter of God’s Word. She tramples the headship of her husband, ignores God’s Word in regards to male headship, all the while playing the role of Pastor/Preacher and Teacher of men, while denying that she does it. She does this while batting her eyes saying “Well I declare, you men are soooo mean. I feel this is my calling. Jesus talks to me and says ‘You go girl’”. Much of the evangelical world doesn’t even bat an eye, they just go along with the charade. With feminism running rampant in the Church, it’s no surprise. She is idolized by millions of women for her strength, her intellect, and her ability to lead her home. Rather than encouraging Mrs. Moore to go home, submit to her husband, love her children, and teach the younger women, many Christians say “Come on in”. The men who sit under her teaching are just as pathetic, as they are led along like oxen to the slaughter. I mention her, because as Christians, we love to store up our teachers. We like the persons style. We like their voice. We like the bible translation they use. They have the most epic beard and coordinate their flannel just right. We like how they lie to us and flatter us. We find a teacher that tickles our ears just right, and this opens up the door for us to compromise. A little feminism here, a little critical race theory there, and down the rabbit hole we go, content all the way down. Both of these examples exist because Christians have chosen to love the world, which is enmity with God, rather than to hate evil. Christians in their pride have taken to call evil good and good evil. In this nice little cushy world where everyone is scrambling to out love Jesus, we as Christians are called to hate. Hate evil. Hate pride. Hate arrogance. Hate the evil way. Hate perverted mouths. James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says ‘God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble’.” Psalm 97:10 says “Hate evil, you who love the LORD, Who preserves the souls of His Godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked”. Psalm 119:104 “From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way”. Psalm 119:163 “I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Your Law”. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Where has pride led you? Have the smooth words of perverted mouths led you into bondage? Has hardness of heart led you to look skeptically upon immature Christians, rather than praying for and coming alongside them? Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 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. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (James 3:13-17 NASB) If you are able, let us kneel and pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Son, our Redeemer, and for His Spirit, our Helper, for we are weak, frail, and forgetful. We cannot save ourselves, cannot sustain ourselves, and cannot seem to remember that we are all in desperate need of your grace, yet as mere worms, we manage to become prideful. Many of us have been led onto paths of righteousness for Your Namesake, yet because of indwelt sin, still find the evil way to be enchanting at times. Please be merciful towards us sinners. Your Word tells us that the sheep hear the voice of the Shepherd, and know His voice. Because we do not believe that Christ can supply all our needs, we find ourselves with itching ears, longing to be tickled by deceivers, and liking it. Please lead us into all truth Father. Guard our hearts and minds from the schemes of Satan. Father, please show us Grace that we might hate evil, wherever we find it. Whether within our hearts, our homes, or in the world. Please forgive us of our sins against You. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. Listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. - 1 Corinthians 1:30 To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 10-27-19 liturgy of Sovereign King Church. Written by Aaron Sabie.)  (Here at Sovereign King Church we are committed to the unity of the church even while disagreeing on the timing and mode of baptism. This commitment to charity in the midst of disagreement has allowed for sweet fellowship in this church. With this charity still in mind, I wanted to share something from the pen of Cotton Mather. He was a New England Puritan and one of the most prolific American writers. In this excerpt from his work entitled "A Family Well-ordered", Mather speaks to parents of baptized children. He impressed upon them the duty of evangelizing their children, which he calls improving their baptism. His words here are an encouragement to those who have baptized their children and yet should also encourage those who do not hold to infant baptism to be about training their children in the fear of the Lord.)
Cotton Matthers on Improving our children's baptisms: Consider the Condition of your Children; and the Loud Cry of their Condition unto you, to Endeavour their Salvation! Know you not, That your Children have precious and Immortal Souls within them? They are not all Flesh. You that are the Parents of their Flesh, must know, That your Children have Spirits also, whereof you are told, in Heb. 12.9. God is the Father of them; and in Eccles. 12.7. God is the Giver of them. The Souls of your Children, must survive their Bodies, and are transcendentally Better and Higher & Nobler Things than their Bodies. Are you solicitous that their Bodies may be Fed? You should be more solicitous that their Souls may not be Starved, or go without the Bread of Life. Are you solicitous that their Bodies may be Clothed: You should be more solicitous, that their Souls may not be Naked, or go without the Garments of Righteousness. Are you Loathe to have their Bodies Laboring under Infirmities, or Deformities? You should be much more Loathe to have their Souls pining away in their Iniquities. Man, Are thy Children, but the Children of Swine? If thou art Regardless of their Souls, truly thou dost call them so! One of the Ancients, namely Cyprian, hath a pungent comparison for this matter; "Pray, Consider, He that minds his Child's Body more than his Soul, is like one, that if his Child and his Dog were like to be drowned, should be solicitous to save his Dog, but let the Child perish in the water." How deaf art thou, that thou dost not hear a loud cry from the Souls of thy Children in thine Ears, O my Father, my Mother, Look after me! But more than so; Don't you know, That your Children, are the Children of Death, and the Children of Hell, and the Children of Wrath, by Nature: And that from you, this Nature is derived and conveyed unto them! You must know, Parents, that your Children are by your means Born under the dreadful Wrath of God: And if they are not New-Born before they Die, it had been Good for them, that they never had been Born at all. The law of equity was, in Exod. 21.19. If one man wound another, he shall cause him to be thoroughly healed. Your Children are born with deadly wounds of Sin upon their Souls; and they may Thank you for those wounds: Unjust men, will you now do nothing for their Healing? Man, thy Children are dying of an horrid poison, in their Bowels; and it was thou that poisoned 'em. What! wilt thou do nothing for their Succor! Thy Children are thrown into a Devouring Fire; and it is from thee that the Fiery Vengeance of God ha's taken Hold of them. What! wilt thou do nothing to Help them out! There is a Corrupt Nature in thy Children, which is a Fountain of all Wickedness and Confusion. What shall I Say? I may say, The Time would fail me to mention a thousandth part of what might be said. But, in short: Is it not a sad Thing to be The Father of a Fool? Alas, man, till thy Children become Regenerate, Thou art the Father of a Fool; Thy Children are but the Wild Asses Colt! I add; would it not Break thy Heart, if thy Children, were in Slavery to Turks, or Moors, or Indians? Devils are worse than Indians, and Infidels: Till thy Children are brought home to God, they are the slaves of Devils. In a word; Can thy Heart Endure, that thy Children, should be Banished from the Lord Jesus Christ, and Languishing under the Torments of Sin among Devils, in outer Darkness throughout Eternal Ages? Don't call thy self a Parent; Thou art an Ostrich! Improve the Baptism of your Children, as an Obligation, and an Encouragement unto you, Parents, to Endeavour the Salvation of your Baptised Little Ones. Of your Children, you may say, with Jacob, in Gen. 33.5. These are the Children, that God hath graciously given to me. Now, Will not you Heartily give back those Children to God again: Their Baptism is to be the Sign and Seal of your doing so. You generally bring your Infant Children unto the Baptism of the Lord: I suppose, 'tis because you are satisfied, That the Children of Believers were in Covenant with God, in the Days of the Old Testament; and, That the Children of Believers then had a Right unto the Seal of the Covenant; and, That in the days of the New Testament, they have not Lost this privilege. Well, But when you bring your Children to the Sacred Baptism, what is it for? Oh, Let it not be done, as an Empty Formality; as if the Baptism of your Children, were for nothing, but only a Formal and a Pompous putting of a Name upon them. No, but let the serious Language of your Souls, in this Action, be that of Hannah, in 1 Sam 1.28. I have given this Child unto the Lord, as long as he Lives he shall be given unto the Lord. When you have done thus, for your Children, you have a singular Advantage to plead for the Fulfilment of that word upon them, in Isa. 44.3. I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my Blessing upon thy Offspring. You may go before the Lord, and plead, Lord, Was not the Baptismal Water poured by thy Command upon my Children! Oh, Do thou now pour upon them the Heavenly Grace, which that Baptismal Water Signified. And now, no sooner let those Children become able to understand it, than you shall make them understand, what the Design of their Baptism was. Parents, I am to tell you, That if you Let your Children grow up, without ever telling them, That, and, Why, they were Baptized into the Name of the Lord, you are fearfully Guilty of Taking the Name of the Lord in vain. Let them know, That in Baptism, they were Dedicated unto Him. Show them, That when they were Baptized, they were Listed among the Servants and Soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that if they Live in Rebellion against Him, Wo unto them! Show them, from, Mat. 28.19, 20. That since they are Baptized, into the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they must observe all Things, whatsoever the Lord Jesus Christ has Commanded them. Show them, from Rom. 6.4. That since they are Baptized, they are Buried with Christ in Baptism, and must Live no longer in Sin, but be Dead unto all the Vanities of the World. Show them from Gal. 3.27. That since they are Baptized, they have put on Christ, and must follow His Example, and be as He was in the World. Show them from 1 Pet. 3 21. That being Baptized, they must now make the Answer of a Good Conscience, to all the proposals of the New-Covenant: and God propounding to them, Shall my Christ be thine, and wilt thou be His? they must conscientiously answer, Lord, with all my Heart! Put this very solemnly unto your Children; My Child, Shall God the Father, be thy Father? Shall God the Son, be thy Saviour! Shall God the Spirit, be thy Sanctifier; And art thou willing to be the Servant of that one God, who is, Father, Son, and Spirit? Leave them not, until their little Hearts are conquered unto That for which they have been Baptized. It has been the Judgment of some Judicious men; That if Infant Baptism were more Improved, it would be less Disputed. |
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