Grace Missionary Baptist Church

11/10/2022

Prayer sometimes consists of groaning. We run out of ways to express what is on our minds and in our hearts. I came across this today.

In my student days, I attended in London a prayer meeting at which two or three thousand people were present. A little old gentleman in the body of the hall rose to lead us to the Throne of Grace. His voice was clear as a bell; his diction was reverent and beautiful; he prayed like a man inspired. But all at once, his accents became tremulous with emotion and his utterance became confused. After struggling with himself, for a second or two, he shook his head sorrowfully. "Take the meaning, Lord," he faltered, "take the meaning!" and sat down. I have forgotten all the other prayers: I shall never forget his.... God takes the meaning.
-F W Boreham, 'Earth's Longest Day,' Dreams at Sunset.
-Photo via Google Images.

09/07/2022

Is it not the common experience of the believer who has walked with Christ for sufficient time and knows Him because of that walk that they realize they have just begun to know Him and cannot ignore a desire within to know Him more?

Is it not a sign of spiritual poverty for a believer to think they need know no more of Him? To understand no more of what He has done for them, or who He is?

Paul is a witness to the former. Moses attests to the former.

[Deu 3:24 KJV] 24 O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God [is there] in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?

It is no indication of spiritual stagnation or regression to admit the sense of lack here. Rather, it seems to me, it is just the opposite.

09/01/2022

Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to open up to us his own inner struggle. It is significant that he was chosen to write of it. It is something of God’s way in matters so starkly jarring to us that He uses a pronounced case to make His case for the truth we need to know.

He used Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews with much to commend him to men as being a righteous man to teach the necessity of the New Birth (John 3).

He providentially has Nero, a wicked tyrant whose lack of respect for individual rights is legendary, sitting in the seat of power when He informs Christians they are to obey rulers (Romans 13).

So in Romans 7 He uses Paul to inform all of us what goes in the inner workings of the believer. If Paul knew after 25 years in the ministry and walking ever so close to His Lord the internal struggle between the flesh and the spirit, it surely would occur with all Christians.

Romans 7 proves that the flesh can never be anything other than what it is and that we will contend with it until deliverance comes by death or translation when He comes again.

07/28/2022

“As an old writer has well said, contrasting the dispensations, God in the Types of the last dispensation was teaching His children their letters. In this dispensation He is teaching them to put these letters together, and they find that the letters, arrange them as we will, spell Christ, and nothing but Christ.”

— The Law of the Offerings by Andrew Jukes

03/03/2022

"It is as clear as clear can be that the hunger of our hearts for the hills is merely a part of the instinct of our hearts for the infinite. The instinct of the far horizon is woven into our very nature."
- F W Boreham, Hobart Mercury.
- Photo by Claudio Testa on Unsplash.

02/13/2022

“When we begin to live for God we find ourselves in the Kingdom and are ravished with the beauty of the dawn; but after years have been spent in doing His will, and walking in fellowship, there is a new depth of loveliness and significance in its infinite and Divine contents. “ FB Meyer

01/13/2022

THE HOLY SPIRIT RIDES IN THE CHARIOT OF SCRIPTURE, AND NOT IN THE WAGON OF MODERN THOUGHT. – CH SPURGEON

12/07/2021

"A blind person can always tell when there is a poor congregation. In such a case the minister invariably quotes a certain text: 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.' But the text is as much out of place as missing worshippers. We have no right to drag it in drearily, dolefully, dismally, whenever the empty pews are particularly conspicuous. It is not an apology for human absence. It is a triumphant proclamation of the divine presence."
-F W Boreham, The Luggage of Life.
-Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash.

12/02/2021

From Justice Sotomayor on December 1, 2021 in hearing oral arguments concerning a case that has implications for Roe v Wade:

“Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts? I don’t see how it is possible," she said, while questioning Mississippi Solicitor General Scott Stewart.

I do not expect her in her position to consider this, but we should. Isn't the much larger and more meaningful question this:

"Will this country or any country survive the stench the continued murder of innocents creates in the nostrils of a righteous and Holy God whose position as Lawgiver and Judge of all men is never abrogated? I don't see how it is possible," I thought, while pondering the sadness of such a question from such a brilliant mind on our Supreme Court.

11/11/2021

On this day we in the United States honor our veterans, I want to take the time to cite another veteran. He was engaged for many years in constant battles for a great cause. He knew that once his life was over that he would be acknowledged approvingly for his service.

By the grace of God, I like him am engaged in the same battle. Many are. Those who are long to know that their efforts will be rewarded at the appropriate time. The man who penned these words says it will be so.

[2Ti 4:6-8 KJV] 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

11/10/2021

From Fox News on November 10, 2021

The American Medical Association recently released a guide on "Advancing Health Equity" that promotes how to fight for critical race theory, includes a list of words not to say and their "equity-focused alternatives," and criticizes concepts like "meritocracy," "individualism" and the "'free' market."

The guide says doctors should not say "Low-income people have the highest level of coronary artery disease in the United States."
Instead, it says, doctors should phrase the same idea like this: "People underpaid and forced into poverty as a result of banking policies, real estate developers gentrifying neighborhoods, and corporations weakening the power of labor movements, among others, have the highest level of coronary artery disease."

From me on November 10, 2021

If we are going to change language, I challenge every pastor in the world to no longer say “People with low self esteem have the highest incidence of depression and suicidal behavior”.

Instead, they should say, “People who have sinned against their Maker by elevating their own desires and interests above those of what the God of Heaven demands of them as revealed in His Holy Word have the highest incidence of depression and suicidal behavior”.

In other words, if we are going to state the root cause of symptoms, let’s do it from the pulpit with the Bible as our guide.

And while we are at it, put before these same people the sure remedy, the words of the Lord Jesus Christ:

[Jhn 10:10 KJV] 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.

09/06/2021

In reading the recent book by Erwin Lutzer "We Will Not Be Silenced" to remind us that at times Christians are called upon to tell the truth regardless of consequences, Lutzer quoted the words of Hugh Latimer preached before Henry VIII. Such courage we may need today and in days to come. God help us!

"Latimer, Latimer, thou art going to speak before the high and mighty King, Henry VIII, who is able, if he think fit, to take thy life away. Be careful what thou sayest. But Latimer, Latimer, remember thou art also about to speak before the King of kings and Lord of lords. Take heed thou dost not displease Him"