Revelation 2:1 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;”

What a precious verse!

The Lord holds the seven stars in His right hand. According to Rev 1:20 “…the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:” We know that the angel is a messenger. The messengers of God were kept in His own right hand. And then He even walks in the midst of the churches (the seven golden candlesticks). How precious to know that the Lord is with us, the Church, and as the messengers of His truth, He keeps us in His right hand.

Wow! Did you know that afflictions can keep us from going astray and helps us to keep God's Word?
"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." Psalm 119:67
Here's how I understand it: During afflictions, we have such a hard time just concentrating on God's Word, that it keeps us from being idle and then going astray. So afflctions are the best time to turn to God's Word too. So next time you have afflictions, remember to turn to His Word and be THANKFUL that it can keep you from going astray.

For what sins did God destroy Sodom?
            What does the Bible say?
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
            And the result?
"And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." (Ezekiel 16:49,50)
Woe unto us when we are proud; full of all our basic needs, idle, and don't help the poor and needy. Then we are no bet ... Read More »

I preached the old favourite - What is Your Life? When we arrived this morning there were a lot of taxi drivers standing around in the spot where I normally stand and preach. As I was setting up they said that they were waiting for me to come. We gave them some tracts which some of them read. As the message progressed they began to move off and eventually only those that were really interested remained. A crowd gathered on the other side of the street and listened. By this time the traffic had subsided and my voice carried to the other side of the taxi rank. I began to notice people all over the place looking in my direction. The last part of the message went well and I was able to project my voice more to reach the people on the other end of the rank. As we left Amanda was able to hand out about 50 tracts to people sitting around the parking area.

In view of what Paul has been saying about God’s rejection of Israel, the question is asked, Hath God cast away his people? “Is there nothing more in store for the nation of Israel? God forbid. If it were so, God’s gifts and calling would be subject to repentance and He would not be a faithful, covenant-keeping God. He foreknew Israel and that foreknowledge included all their sad history of failure and apostasy. The apostle Paul speaks of himself as an Israelite of the seed of Abraham. He demonstrates in his own experience the fact that God hath not cast away His people. Hating Christ, having zeal for God without knowledge, a persecutor of the church, he had obtained mercy that in him Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him (1 Timothy 1:16)” (Dr. J. Moorman) Paul’s unique conversion is an example of the conversion of Israel when the Lord returns in glory and great power. (Zechariah 12:10)

Even though the gospel is for all, and God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, yet they have not all obeyed the gospel. Some had refused to believe it, some had refused to receive it.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. This is the conclusion of the matter. Paul here speaks of the ordinary means by which faith becomes operational. Of course, the Holy Spirit can save by any means He chooses, but normally He chooses to save someone by using the word of truth to convict and convince the sinner.

But I say, Have they not heard? Somebody might object and say that there are some who have not heard, surely then they should be excused? Paul answers this objection by saying that the gospel was preached to the whole world and to support his statement he quotes Psalm 19:4 (Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to t ... Read More »

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. How blessedly simple it is. Agree with God concerning what He says about your sins, believe that Christ died in your place and then tell someone else what the Lord has done for you. For the scripture saith, (in Psalm 25:3) Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Why is there no difference between the Jew and the Greek? For the same Lord over all Jesus Christ is the Head of the universal church in every nation, He is Lord of all. He is rich unto all that call upon him. He is bountiful unto all that call upon Him and He has an inexhaustible store of mercy and grace. The Jews did not need to worry that they would receive less because the Gentiles were now also included.

For whosoever (put your name there) shall call upon the name ... Read More »

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, shows the love that he has for his beloved people, Israel. He has left believing Gentiles a great example, for we owe a great debt to the Jews. Do you, as a Gentile Christian, spend time in prayer for the salvation of the Jews? Paul knew, for in his unconverted days he had been the same, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. They were ignorant of God’s righteousness and tried to establish their own righteousness: in doing this they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. They kept the law, outwardly. They were very religious. They were sincere but they did not submit themselves unto Christ who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. The same is true to-day for the vast majority of Jews and Gentiles.

As he saith also in Osee (The Greek form of Hosea) (Hosea 2:23 says ...I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people: and they shall say, Thou art my God.) Paul uses the Old Testament Scriptures to show that the prophets foretold that Israel as a nation would reject their Messiah and that mercy would be shown to the Gentiles. Also Hosea 1:10 says ...and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. It is almost as if Paul is telling them that the calling out and conversion of the Gentiles is nothing else but what the prophet Hosea foretold them hundreds of years before.

Not only Hosea, but Esaias (the Greek spelling for Isaiah) also crieth concerning Israel (Isaiah 10:22 For though thy peo ... Read More »

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Some might say, God is not fair to chose some and not others. God forbid. Or God forgive such a heinous thought. God is not unjust in electing some, neither is He unjust in rejecting others. It is not His will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, but in His omniscience He knows those who will believe His word and those who wont.

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Election is an act of mercy on God’s part and is no violation of justice. If we all received what we deserved, we should all be in Hell. What gracious condescension on God’s part to save any of us. It is not because of man’s good inclinations or actions, or man’s good desires or deeds, but it is solely God’s mercy and good pleasure.

“Pharaoh illustrates God’s sovereignty in judgment. Pharaoh was ... Read More »