Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 17, 2015

I Wish One of our Guardian Angels Would Carry a Diaper Bag! A Big Step of Faith

Bible Study at Berachah

“12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“Open the Word of God to ………”

When Bob Thieme got up to teach he opened every Bible study with the verse above and would then add “open the Word of God to whichever book and verse would start the study on that occasion.

We were never to forget that Bible study was the way God spoke to us and was the tool God used to shape our lives for His service. At that time Berachah had a practice of giving a small hardback copy of the King James Version of the Bible with the Scofield Study Notes to each family that joined the church.

One of my memories of Bible study at Berachah was the rustling sound of many hundreds of pages being turned all over the church as Bob would read from the Bible, we all had the same version of the Bible; I’ve never heard that sound again since those days, it was a precious sound.

A Bit More History

While I was working as a paid soloist at St. Paul’s Methodist Church my wife was attending Berachah Church and getting some intense Bible teachings. On Sundays, after church, my wife would tell me about all of the great teaching she was getting at Berachah and I longed to share in that experience with her.

Fortunately, Bob Thieme was absolutely devoted to teaching the Bible and taught every night of the week except for Saturday and Sunday nights. As I recall, he taught at Rice University on Monday night, the University of Houston on Tuesday night and the remaining nights of the work week he taught at Berachah.

R. B. Thieme Jr.R. B. Thieme Jr. (Bob)

The challenge for the congregation was Bob’s practice of teaching a different book of the Bible each of those nights at Berachah. If you regularly missed one of those nights you were missing an entire book of the Bible and that was an intolerable thought.

Bob was a tireless workhorse of a teacher and inspired us to try and attend every Bible class he taught. By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit had filled us with a deep desire to learn the word so we were both willing to pay the price required.

The Big Step of Faith

Remember, at this time I was still a full time student at the University of Houston and working almost full time to support my family. Now in addition we had chosen to immerse ourselves in the study of the Bible and had little time for anything else.

As with most students our finances were always in a precarious balance but the Lord had blessed us and by His grace we were making ends meet. The money I earned as a paid soloist was an important part of our family’s income although only a part as my major job was as an audio high fidelity salesman at Audio Center on Westheimer in Houston.

Going to Berachah was a thrill as we were learning so much about what the Bible had to offer. Before Berachah neither of us had a clue about the riches to be found in the pages of the Bible; going to Berachah and listening to Bob open the word of God was like going from darkness to light, what an amazing and life changing experience that truly changed us forever.

Our desire to study together on Sundays was getting greater and greater the more we learned; it finally reached a point where we felt we had to step out in faith. I was to quit my job at St. Paul’s and we would go together to Berachah on Sunday mornings and it would free up my Wednesday nights as well for Bible class.

The money from my soloist job appeared to be vital to keeping our budget intact but we grew to believe the word of God was more important than our budget so I resigned as soloist at St. Paul’s.

I still don’t know how God worked out the details but our budget did not fall apart and we didn’t have to declare bankruptcy. Finally we were both able to attend Berachah together on Sunday mornings as well as most weeknights.

What followed was an amazing time of growth in the Lord, our experience at Berachah shaped the balance of our lives.

Which Brings us to the Title Plea for Angelic Assistance

Being as enthusiastic as we were about Bible study we always sat on the second or third row right in front of Bob; we didn’t want to miss a thing!

At this particular service Bob was teaching on the doctrine of the guardian angel and by this time our second son, Keith had been born and we were on occasion carrying two boys along with their associated diaper bags, two Bibles and two notebooks, and my wife had her purse as usual.

Now remember, we were on the second or third row right in front of Bob when my wife leaned over to me and said, “I wish one of our guardian angels would carry a diaper bag.” Maybe it was the general state of our exhaustion but for some reason her comment caused us both to laugh, fortunately we were able to muffle our laughter but our bodies were shaking as we struggled to retain some semblance of composure.

While Bob was used to seeing us in that general location he did glance down as he noticed our struggles. After the class we apologized to Bob and tried to explain what had happened but if he saw the humor in the situation he didn’t let on. Needless to say neither of us has forgotten that episode and it is a rather pleasant reminder of a wonderful time in our lives.

Having been so greatly blessed by that journey of Biblical discovery I still long to share that wonder with others and hope others may discover the joys of Bible study.

Bob was a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and inspired me to attend; unfortunately financial reverses stopped my early efforts to attend but by God’s grace I was able to go back after I retired from the home building business and finally graduated in 2009.

God’s way is a wonderful adventure and I invite all to share in it. For more on Bible study I encourage you to visit https://rdavidbower.com/2013/09/27/gods-second-greatest-gift-by-david-bower/

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 14, 2015

A Special Occasion!

This is My 200th Blog

It is so typically human to give special recognition to what seem to be special events so I’m falling into the pattern by observing the 200th edition of my blog as a special event. I would like to thank my readers who have joined me in this journey and hope they have found the experience of some benefit. My plan is to publish part 2 of “I Wish One of our Guardian Angels Would Carry a Diaper Bag! A Big Step of Faith” next week.

How Did This Happen?

In June of 2011 I was reflecting on a fact that caused me feelings of sadness; I knew almost nothing about what either of my grandfathers or even my father thought about any of the deeper matters of life.

We had never had a talk about their Biblical beliefs or what they thought about life and living; I had no idea what they thought. Now it was far too late as they had been dead for many years; I thought that was sad.

I decided that would not happen to my children and my grandchildren; although there hardly ever seemed to be a good time to discuss such things with either my children or my grandchildren I determined to find a way to leave them a record of what I thought about life and Christianity.

At some point in their lives they too might begin to wonder what I had thought and I wanted to leave them a way to find out should they ever want to know. I could at least do my part to fill the void I felt when I thought of my father and grandfathers.

A Written Record

 I had discussed my concerns with my wife on more than one occasion and she had started suggesting I write them down in a blog. Initially I rejected that idea as I never thought of myself as a writer but as time passed and no other alternative seemed feasible I decided to give it a try, I would write a blog.

I picked out Word Press, followed their instructions for creating a blog and now have published number 200. It turns out I enjoy writing the blog, if I err it’s on the side of being long-winded; my wife is always telling me to shorten my blogs and I keep trying but with limited success.

An Unexpected Development

As often happens with writers the question of topic can come up as the writer searches for something on which to write. I had subtitled my blog, “Life from a Christian Perspective” so I knew I generally wanted to limit my blog to the Christian lifestyle.

While I started writing my blog in 2011, I discovered and joined Global Media Outreach as an online missionary in 2012. This work included receiving and responding to letters from Christians and seekers all over the world and I began to notice a pattern in the letters I was getting from them.

Regardless of where they lived the challenges to the Christian life they were facing were all very similar; the same temptations faced by Eve were being repeated again and again, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life continues to plague humanity all over the world.

I would then become motivated to write on a particular problem area and would set my thoughts down in a new blog. Then there was a development that I hadn’t really expected; as additional letters would come in I would answer by adapting the blog I had written on the subject of concern to each inquirers particular situation.

This seems to be working well and fills my days with a lot of productive activity which I find rewarding. I had wondered what I would do with myself after I retired, now I know.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 11, 2015

In Memory of Kevan

The loss of a beloved family member changes one forever.

Adele Bower's avatarLetters From Adele

Kevan memorial blog 8-11-15

August 11, 1985 was a long time ago….I realize that…..in fact, a few friends have reminded me of that fact.

But the lives of our entire family changed that day….and forever.

Our handsome, wonderful, Christian son, Kevan, went home to the Lord in heaven on that day.

David and I want to recognize such a day with this tribute to Kevan.

“There’s a land that is fairer than day,

And by faith we can see it afar;

For the Father waits over the way

To prepare us a dwelling place there.

In the sweet by and by,

We shall meet on that beautiful shore;

In the sweet by and by,

We shall meet on that beautiful shore.”

(Written by Sanford F. Bennett)

‘Til He Shouts!

1 Thessalonians 4:16

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 6, 2015

I Wish One of our Guardian Angels Would Carry a Diaper Bag!

Events Leading up to this Plea for Angelic Assistance

During my last year of active service in the United States Navy I was transferred to what was called, “floating land duty.” This simply meant that although I was assigned to a ship we came back to port every day and on most evenings I could leave the ship if I wanted to except when I had duty and had to remain on the ship.

This kind of duty meant my beloved wife could join me so we rented a very small apartment, which had once been part of a front porch, and we set up housekeeping there in Norfolk, Virginia on Sturgis Street just off of E. Ocean View Avenue on the coast of Chesapeake Bay.

Adele on Porch on SturgisOur apartment is the enclosed area on the corner.

The owners of the house and front porch, which included our tiny apartment, were named Paul and Eunice Blanchard, a precious couple who attended Bayview Baptist Church.

For a short time after my wife joined me in Norfolk we did not have a car so the Blanchard’s agreed to take us to church in their car provided we attended Bayview Baptist Church. Considering the circumstances that was an easy decision.

The Short Timer

In the Navy, a sailor who is reaching the end of his enlistment is referred to as a short timer, meaning he has only a short time left to serve. As a short timer my wife and I were already thinking about going home to Texas.

It did not take long for us to develop a sincere appreciation for the ministry at Bayview Baptist Church, the pastor, Brother Burkes, was a powerful preacher and taught the Bible with clarity and conviction.

While there we met a young man who asked us, when he learned we were from  Houston, if we knew of Berachah Church and we answered in the negative. He told us when we got back to Houston we should be sure to visit there as it was a remarkable church.

Before too long we had purchased our first car, a 1954 Volkswagen which cost us $1,800.00 and change. This was a new car and was beginning to develop a good reputation as reliable transportation.

Texas License Plates Rev.Texas License Plates at Last!

GTT (Gone to Texas)

Since I had been a student at Texas Christian University before entering Naval service; we returned to Fort Worth and lived there a little over a year before deciding to return to Houston. While in Fort Worth our first son was born.

On our return I entered the University of Houston to finish up my college and worked part time to help pay the bills. One of my jobs was bass soloist with a paid quartet at St. Paul’s Methodist Church on South Main.

From a musical perspective the job was a lot of fun; we would rehearse with the choir on Wednesday nights and serve as section leaders for our respective sections of the choir. The choir would sing at the second service and the quartet would sing at the first service; the challenge came in because the quartet would not even see the music they were to sing until the Sunday morning it was to be performed; we would go over the music once for interpretation and then perform it in the service. That required a pretty good sight reading ability which was an entertaining challenge at the time.

Berachah Enters the Scene

We had never forgotten the subject of Berachah church which had come up in Norfolk so when I started my job as soloist at St. Paul’s my wife started attending Berachah Church.

Since I had to be at St. Paul’s very early on Sunday mornings and we only had one car, I would drop my wife off at a drugstore about a block away from Berachah. At that time Berachah was meeting in a large WW II Quonset hut in downtown Houston.

I would leave her there with our older son, Kevan so she would have Kevan, his diaper bag, her Bible and her notebook plus her purse to carry while she waited for Berachah to unlock the doors to the church.

It so happened the pastor of Berachah, Colonel Bob Thieme, popularly known as Bob, also visited that same drugstore for coffee on Sunday mornings; when he would leave for the church, my wife would follow.

After the Sunday services were over I would come back by Berachah and pick up my family and listen to the glowing reports of the teaching at Berachah all the way home. It sounded wonderful and exciting to me as the Lord had given us both a hunger for His Word.

Next time, “A Big Step of Faith.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 28, 2015

An Ounce and a Pound

Fire Fighting Advice with a Broad Application!

Benjamin Franklin was a remarkable man in many respects; and although well known as a founding father of the United States of America, he also excelled in a variety of enterprises.

In 1736 Franklin, who at that time was the publisher of the colonies most popular newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, organized Philadelphia’s first fire brigade and during this early effort created the slogan for fire fighters, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” As with many of Franklin’s slogans this one has developed a life of its own.

While this is excellent advice it is all too easily ignored and far too often we find ourselves looking for the pound of cure. The problem we find though is the pound of cure can sometimes multiply into huge weights that defy a simple solution.

As an online missionary for Global Media Outreach I get letters from all over the world where Christians have gotten themselves into serious problems because they decided to live life their way and not God’s way.

The Bible, God’s Ounce of Prevention

I believe all of us, as Christians, will acknowledge that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and loves His children with an unconditional love. When one who knows everything, past, present, and future advises us on how best to live our lives common sense dictates we carefully heed that advice. This is what God does for us in the Bible but we do not pay it the respect it deserves.

I rarely get letters asking what is the Biblical advice on a key life decision yet to be made but I get an uncounted number asking for help in resolving problems created by bad, unbiblical life decisions.

I must admit reading those letters does make me feel sad; how is it that we seem to always look for the world’s answers to our problems before we seek God’s answer. I can’t begin to imagine how God must feel; watching generation after generation of His children deliberately ignoring the perfect advice He offers to them in His word, the Bible.

Experience is the Best Teacher

Over the 82 years I have lived I too have made my share of mistakes and with the 20/20 vision of hindsight have discovered that truly God’s way is the best way. The mistakes I made were generally deliberate decisions to do things my way and not God’s way; I cannot claim ignorance of what God had advised in those situations, I knew but decided to live life my way.

These mistakes were sin on my part because they were decisions based on sight and not on faith. I’m always mindful of the definition of sin given in Romans 14:23b where it is written: “everything that is not of faith is sin.”

The Experience of Others is Generally Ignored

One of the sad facts of the human experience is the almost universal tendency to not learn from the experience of others. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was speaking of this when he penned the lines:

“What experience and history teach is this–that people and governments never have learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.”

Which has been paraphrased to read:

“The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.”

This has certainly been the case in the area of Christian life and morality! In spite of the fact we have the written word from the creator of the universe we still think we know better; what incredible arrogance!

The Grace Factor

The many letters of concerns about failure and bad choices I get very often specify concerns over God’s forgiveness of those transgressions.  Fortunately I have good news in that department which is all focused on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. I often point out the reassurances forcefully presented in Romans 8:1-4 where it is written:

“8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

The promise to believers contained in those verses along with the promise contained in 1 John 1:9 provide the spiritual redemption which only God can provide. Unfortunately that may not provide closure as there may be earthly ramifications with which one must deal.

The Pound of Cure

It is possible that our mistakes may set in motion a series of reactions that can involve both society and government. Although we may be forgiven by God, there may yet be a price to pay to society or government which may require one or more pounds to resolve, if resolution is even possible.

This is why God cautions us against certain behavior; it can cause problems which may impact the balance of our lives on earth. God truly loves His children and wants the best for them; as a parent I can definitely relate to that. I too want my children and my grandchildren to make decisions that are good for them.

The Bible was not given to hamper our lives or impede our progress toward the fulfillment of our dreams but to enable us to realize the maximum of which we are capable! God’s way is truly the best way!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 15, 2015

A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

A New Collection of Poems by Hanna Awwad

Book by Hanna Awwad

Hanna had told me the book was being written and published and has graciously sent me a copy. This is a book of poems from the heart of the action today; a collection of 50 poems about the people and events in the Middle East focused on Jerusalem.

Following is the Forward to the book.

“This collection of poems, “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness”, addresses the current wave of hatred in the light of the Bible and sheds light on terror incidents and victims.
Moreover, it is a journey to the Holy Land where you have a foretaste of its nature, environment, landscape and location being in the midst of nations, as in Ezekiel 5:5, which explains why Jesus centered His ministry in this country.
However, my assurance that my word will not be in vain is based on: Isaiah 55: 10-12, “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and make it bud and flourish, so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I am sent.”
When John the Baptist was asked, who he was (John 1), he answered by saying: “I am the Voice Crying in the Wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord”. John came to prepare the way for Jesus. He is not the light, but he came to witness for the light.
In this time marked with fear, wars, divisions, turmoil, fall of values, instability and radicalism highlighted in the barbaric crimes that are committed by ISIS, BOKO Haram and other terrorist organizations against innocents, and in particular against the Christians and Yazidis of Iraq. In a time as such, the grace of God poured in us through the power of the Holy Spirit inspires us to continue what John the Baptist had started by preparing the hearts of people to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and also to witness for Jesus and the Gospel, for it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Roman 1:16).”

I asked Hanna if I could include one of the poems and he told me I could include the following poem from the book.

A MESSAGE SIGNED WITH BLOOD

In front of what happened on that bay,
what can I say?
no word can describe that horrible scene
of brutal slay,
no poem can express my passion
on that awful day,
no tear wipes my grief on seeing
a cut head on a tray.
In time of sword, no word uproots
this global decay,
that plays with lives of innocents,
as a doll made of clay.
It is the weevil of the world rotting
its bones from within.
It is a dagger in the side of humanity
sharper than a pin.
0, fellow Christian, when you were led
to death on shore,
in flesh you were sad, but in soul
you were joyful as before,
for you were on date with Jesus
who knocked on your door,
calling you to enter into His glory
to enjoy His odor-adore.
When you were given the option
either to convert or die,
you refused to convert when you said:
“on faith we will die”.
Your crimson blood, on the surface
of the sea, does cry,
calling us to lift up the name of Jesus
high in the sky.
A legend of martyrdom, a symbol
of sacrificial love,
a tune of faith, a song of peace
on the lips of a dove,
an icon of heroism, a great message
signed with blood:
‘for me to live is Christ
and to die is gain”, as Paul said.
Therefore, I decided to quit writing,
for it helps no more,
in front of what is happening
in this Third World War.

Hanna Awwad PhotoHanna Awwad

Published by
Taybeh Mission Church 2014 All rights reserved to the Author

Contacts
P.O Box 51340, Jerusalem 91513, Israel Phone: 02-289 9305
Cell: 0544 452 824, Jawwal: 0598 874 889 Email: abumahfuz2013@yahoo.com Website: http://www.hannaawwad.webs.com

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Emerezian Est. Tel. 02 2343420
Email: print@emerezian.com

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 8, 2015

Are We Living on Borrowed Time?

239 Years and Counting!

US Flag 2

This past Saturday, July 4, 2015, we celebrated the 239th anniversary of the founding of our nation. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress declared the 13 American colonies to be independent and no longer a part of the British Empire. History records the British Empire did not graciously accede to this declaration.

The following appears on the website, “http://actionamerica.org/fun/tytler.shtml” and is one of many articles addressing the frailties of a democracy.

An Observation on Democracy
Incorrectly attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler

The most interesting observation is how closely the US has followed this scenario.

“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the Public Treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the Public Treasury with a result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy always followed by dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence:

  • From Bondage to Spiritual Faith
  • From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage
  • From Courage to Liberty
  • From Liberty to Abundance
  • From Abundance to Selfishness
  • From Selfishness to Complacency
  • From Complacency to Apathy
  • From Apathy to Dependency
  • From Dependency back into Bondage

— most commonly attributed to
“The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic”
by Alexander Fraser Tytler Lord Woodhouselee (1748-1813)
(Scottish judge and historian at Edinburgh University)

However, this has also been attributed to Benjamin Disraeli, Alexis de Tocqueville, R. G. LeTourneau and others. It is likely that it is actually two quotes, put together. Parts of it show up in printed record as far back as 1950, when the “Fatal Sequence” portion was cited in a speach by Eugene E. Wilson at a special United Nations Convocation at Hillyer College in Hartford, Connecticut. But regardless of the quote’s origin, it is interesting to note how accurate it details the past and how much further we have progressed along that predicted line, since it first appeared in modern recorded history, in 1950.

We urge you not to be concerned with the authorship of this quote, but to focus upon the truth that is in the words. I believe that we can stop this “Fatal Sequence”, but not the way we are going.” (End of article)

How Should a Christian View This?

In earlier articles I have mentioned my mixed emotions as I watch what is happening in the United States today. I feel saddened as I see the United States of my memories disappearing in a sea of red ink and moral degeneracy. If there is any truth to the conclusions being circulated on the web, then we are 39 years over the statistical average for a democracy and that is exclusively by God’s grace!

While it is true this nation was established as a republic, the checks and balances built into the original system have been eroded to the point where our nation is no longer functioning as a republic and has fallen into the mire of democratic politics; it appears the vision for both parties does not include the preservation of this nation as a federal republic.

As Christians we are told of a heavenly home, a New Jerusalem that is our eternal home; we are also told we are ambassadors for Christ. Another reality of our existence is the ongoing spiritual warfare and in this we function as soldiers of God.

As the winds of change blow with increasing strength it is important that we faithfully regard the admonition in 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT)  “7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.”

Divine Intervention

There has been a movement for many years promoting the idea of a one-world government. Adherents of this philosophy believe many of the world’s problems arise from the conflict between national interests and the best way to remove those problems is to eliminate national interests by eliminating nations. Progress has been made with the organization of the European Union and further progress is desired with the concept of a North American Union.

There have been problems with the North American Union one of which is the strength and independence of the United States. Proponents of the North American Union have recognized the United States must first be reduced to a point where this union appears to work to its advantage; only then will the North American Union have any hope of success.

Those familiar with Bible prophecy will recognize the pattern for the end times that begins to emerge in this scenario; in the Book of Revelation a world dictator is revealed who will seek to control all things worldwide. The Bible refers to this dictator as the antichrist; a man who will first appear as a benefactor and is later revealed as a brutal dictator.

I find it fascinating to watch how human efforts begin to merge with divine plan; although the objectives are different the results conform perfectly to God’s plan for the end times. It is beautiful to see how God is working all things together after the counsel of His own will.

I’m reminded of Psalm 2:1-6 where it is written,

Psalm 2

1 Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.
6 For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
    in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”

While there are some difficult times ahead the Bible assures us of the final outcome. In Revelation 21:1-4 it is written:

The New Jerusalem

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 2, 2015

The Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage

I have the privilege of being a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and share the doctrinal views held by the Seminary. The following appeared today in my mail box and I felt it expressed the Christian perspective shared by many of us on the recent decision by the Supreme Court.

A Response from Dallas Theological Seminary to Today’s Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage
by Mark L. Bailey on June 26, 2015 in News

With the verdict of the Supreme Court today that legalizes same-sex marriage in the United States, we at Dallas Theological Seminary are grieved by this decision that seeks to legally yet wrongfully expand what God established from the beginning to be the divinely designed institution of marriage. We continue to support and adhere to a biblical view of marriage and sexuality because we believe such an approach to life and marriage honors God and makes for fulfillment in life the way God designed it.

In answering the questions of His disciples related to divorce, Jesus went back to creation to argue the original intent for marriage. Marriage was intended from the very beginning of creation to be the covenant union of a man and a woman in a permanent and exclusive relationship (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19: 4-9; Mark 10: 5-9). God’s design for this relationship was for the purposes of procreation, personal pleasure, and the fulfillment of the purposes of reflecting the image of the Creator and His desired relationship with His people (Genesis 1:27–28; 2:18–24; Ephesians 5:31–33). That image involves both male and female with marriage depicting their mutual cooperation in a designed diversity to steward God’s creation.

We believe God has also expressly reserved sexual intimacy and intercourse for heterosexual marriage (Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9). It is God’s expectation that the married live in faithfulness to their spouse and unmarried should live pure and celibate lives, refraining from sexual intimacy (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

The English translation of our historic Seminary motto from 2 Timothy 4:2 is “Preach the Word.” We intend to keep doing that and to equip others to do so as well. Our current slogan is taken from 1 Timothy 1:5 and that is “Teach Truth. Love Well.” As we approach a culture that does not share our biblical values or standards of conduct we still need to model love and pray for those with whom we disagree. This Jesus also taught (Matthew 5:44). As our culture begins to look more and more like that of the New Testament times, we need to remember and take heart that the message and mission of Jesus was birthed and flourished in such times. May God do it again in our lifetime.

Soberly and Prayerfully,

Dr. Mark L. Bailey
President

I will add one other point to the discussion by directing the reader’s attention to the comprehensive nature of Christ’s work on the cross. As written in 1 John 2:1-2:

“2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Personal sin is no longer the barrier between God and man that it was before the cross, Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world. I think the explanation given in John 3:16-18 tells the rest of the story most effectively.

“16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

The Message of the Church is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be Saved

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 24, 2015

The Triumph of Love

The Results of No Condemnation

There is an old hymn named, “Free from the law – oh, happy condition” written by P.P. Bliss; the first verse has the following words:

Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

It didn’t take long for a new set of words to appear which mocked the thought of forgiveness from sin and changed the second line to :

Free from the law – oh, happy condition!
Sin as you will for there is remission.

The singing of the revised words was intended to bring laughter and nods as each of the hearers imagined, perhaps, some of their favorite sins. Such thoughts and reactions indicate a pathetic ignorance of grace and love but in no wise change the absolute certainty of verses like Romans 8:1-4 which tell us triumphantly:

“8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

One who didn’t understand might well ask, “if all sins are forgiven why not go ahead and sin and then just ask forgiveness? Even though the penalty of sin, death, has been paid for by the shed blood of Christ, there are consequences of sin that must be faced at the experiential level.

God’s objective is to protect us from those consequences by warning us away from activities which can cause us harm; it is like a parent telling a child not to play in the street, the parent understands very well the dangers of passing cars and what injury could be caused the child in the event of an accident.

What is most important, however, is the knowledge that we have sinned against God, the one who loved us so much He sent His only begotten Son to die in our place on the cross.

The Triumph of Love

When there is love for another there comes an overwhelming desire to avoid hurting that someone; a desire to protect that someone from harm of any nature. Whether that someone is a person or an animal the desire to protect is deep and profound.

My wife and I have two cats which we both love very much, Tom Boy and Abby who are special members of our family. They have the habit, especially at meal time, to get underfoot and use all of their feline charms to compel us to hurry in the preparation of their next meal. In the process of doing this they will sit at our feet and curl their tails around our feet in such a way the least misstep would cause us to step on their tails causing them a great deal of pain.

At times like that we have learned we must look down and take extraordinary care to step to a spot where there are no tails at risk and sometimes that gets tricky especially as their tails are constantly in motion. The point being our loving concern for their well being demands our careful steps at times like that.

This simple illustration though demonstrates a much more profound truth; our love for the Lord Jesus Christ and our gratitude for the sacrifice he made to provide salvation demands we do our best to avoid doing more of that for which He had to die. Sin, in all its variations, becomes ugly and distasteful and something to be avoided as completely as possible. We try to avoid sinning because it is against our Lord and we love Him too much to want to grieve Him by our sin.

 The Joy of Fellowship with God

The last verse in 1 Corinthians 13 tells us:

“13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.“

There are many reasons love is the greatest but one particular reason is the way it shows us how God loves us. I believe God’s love for His children surpasses our ability to even understand it; all of us may feel, from time to time that it seems almost too much to ask to think that we could be loved by God that much. We know all too well those awful hidden things of which we have been forgiven but which still lurk in our knowledge of the past.

Unbidden memories, unwelcome thoughts can rob us of the joy of our fellowship with God, we feel dirty and unworthy of His love; this is our sin nature trying to compromise us as soldiers in the spiritual warfare and must be resisted with the shield of faith.

There is a precious hymn that describes a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins” I visualize my sin and its memory sinking out of sight into that wondrous fountain. The words of this hymn are so powerful I’ve included them all.

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

William Cowper, 1772

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 17, 2015

“Is it right for you to be angry?”

When God Insists

Bible 006

Jonah had been having a really tough time of it since God had decided to start moving in the lives of the Ninevites. For reasons unknown to Jonah, God had decided to use him as His messenger to that savage people; Jonah didn’t want to have any part of that plan but God insisted so Jonah went to Nineveh and you know the rest of the story.

Jonah was angry at the way things turned out and God posed the question, “Is it right for you to be angry?” I bring up this question now because I have found some anger in myself at the way things are going in the United States. I am angry with the government for getting us into this financial mess we’re in; I’m angry at the moral decline in this nation which seems to permeate it throughout. I’m angry with the way the things of God are being denied and demeaned and the name of Christ being denounced.

From what I read and hear I have a lot of company; there seem to be many who share my feelings of anger. Then the question comes to mind; do I have a right to be angry at these developments? I am devoted to the principle that the Bible is the word of God and can be trusted as a source of spiritual guidance; since that is the case then what does the Bible tell me about my attitude of anger; is it right for me to be angry?

God is in Complete Control of All Things!

I think often of Ephesians 1:11 where it is written, “11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,” The scope of that verse is overpowering if one meditates on it to any extent at all. God is working everything in conformity with the purpose of his own will? Everything doesn’t leave anything out as far as I can understand the meaning of the word.

That verse alone tells me all that is happening today in the United States is in conformity with the will of God. There are other verses which support that thought regarding governments and leaders; in Romans 13:1 it is written:

“13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.“

and then in Daniel 4:17:

“17 “‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’

Those verses tell us the truth, the reality of what is happening today in the world; God is in complete control and is working all things after the counsel of His own will.

None of This is Catching God by Surprise

It is impossible for us to imagine knowing the future as well as we know the past but this is exactly what God knows; He knows the future with infinite perfection and nothing comes as a surprise to Him. Everything that is happening in the world today has been known to God from eternity past and is a perfect reflection of His sovereign will.

Since God is working all things after the counsel of His own will; what right then do we have to be angry with what is happening? The answer to that question is we have no right at all to be angry; God is in control of all of these things and what happens represents what God has decided should happen.

The Bible tells us of two episodes with Nineveh, the first time, when Jonah prophesied, Nineveh repented and was spared; but that repentance didn’t last and about one hundred years later Nineveh was totally destroyed. Today, as I look about our nation, I see no evidence of national repentance; no evidence of a turning from the wickedness that permeates our society.

My anger is a reflection of my concern for the deterioration of the country of my birth; I am saddened and angered by what I see happening to it. If this is God’s will then is not my anger inappropriate and misplaced? Should I not recognize God’s hand of judgment and acknowledge His right to judge a wicked and rebellious people? In Galatians 6:7-8 it is written:

“7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.“

Nationally we are sowing to please our flesh; we can know that destruction will surely follow. As I’ve mentioned before, the United States is conspicuously absent from Bible prophecy of the End Times; I believe we continue to see the reason for that playing out before our eyes.

The Object of Our Attention

The Bible never tells us to rejoice in circumstances but it does tell us to rejoice in the Lord. I love Philippians 4:4-9 where it is written:

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

While that should be our attitude, we also have a message of hope to the world which is summarized in Romans 10:9-10:

“9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

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