Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | October 4, 2013

Testing Christian Authenticity, by David Bower

The Acid Test and Authentication

As a young boy I was fascinated by chemistry; I had been given a chemistry set and carefully followed the simple experiments in the instructions that came with the set. I earned money from a paper route and would look forward to going to a chemical supply house in town to buy various flasks and assorted equipment to add to my set.

At some point, during my chemistry years, I read or heard about “the acid test;” which was synonymous with the concept of testing for purity or determining the authenticity of some substance. I later learned the expression came from a test using nitric acid to determine the purity of gold. A dictionary definition would be something like, “A test that is conclusive of the value or success of something, derived from the original use of nitric acid as a test for gold.” I suspect many of you have used the expression in the context of a quality assessment of something or other; as the phrase has passed into common usage it might be thought of in this light, “a rigorous and conclusive test to establish worth or value such as the new car passed the driver’s acid test during the test drive.”

Acid Testing the Authenticity of Christianity

There are an increasing number of articles about the Muslim persecution of Christians in various areas around the world. The recent mall attack in Nairobi, Kenya made headlines all over the world. Several articles pointed out the Muslim attackers would distinguish between Muslims and Christians by asking the name of Mohammad’s mother; if the individual knew the name (Amina bint Wahb) they were permitted to live but if they did not they were killed. This became an acid test involving life or death to determine the authenticity of those seeking to avoid death by claiming to be Muslims.

The persecution of Christians is by no means limited to Muslims and can be found in other groups as well. We see discrimination against Christians increasing in the United States and all over Europe. The government of the United States is taking seriously discriminatory steps against Christians in virtually every area of life including the armed forces thereby subjecting the Christian community to an acid test to determine its authenticity.

The Bible’s Predictions

The Bible warned this time would come but most of us didn’t expect it to happen to us, perhaps some future generation but not to us, not to our generation. In Matthew 24:9-12 Jesus warned “9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold” Although these verses are a specific reference to times in the Tribulation, we are seeing around us the beginning of those sorrows which will beset the Christian community during that terrible time of God’s judgment.

Authenticating Your Christianity

There are stories in the media of individuals who are given the choice of denying Christ or accepting the consequences. In an earlier blog I mentioned the example of Stephen, an early Christian martyr who died for his faith, and his amazing exhibition of faith as he faced death. Each of us wonders if we, under similar circumstances, could exhibit that kind of bravery if our lives were at risk or we were being threatened with serious loss.

I think it likely that none of us would seek out a personal authentication test similar to Stephen’s experience; such a thought is frightening and very unpleasant. It is, however, apparent that the world situation is deteriorating for Christians just as the Bible predicted it would.

Our Secret Weapon

My conclusion in that blog was we, just as Stephen, would be able to stand up to testing if we were utilizing the same divine resources Stephen did, God, the Holy Spirit. It is interesting to note how Stephen is so often identified in the New Testament, “Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5) and again in Act 7:55, “55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit” The Bible makes no secret of Stephen’s not so secret weapon, the indwelling Spirit of God! When was the last time someone described you that way?

God’s Plan for Your Life

Only God knows the specific future He has planned for each of our lives and whether or not any authentication tests may be involved; we discover those plans one day at a time, moment by moment. What God has revealed is the manner in which we are to discover His plan for our lives; we are to simply trust Him and rejoice in Him at all times as our future plays itself out. We are not to fear because He is with us; we are not to be dismayed because He is our God; we are to live our lives with the confident knowledge that God will strengthen us and uphold us with His own righteous right hand.

Should we ever be called upon to face authentication we can know beyond any doubt that God has made available to us the same powerful resources He made available to Stephen. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | September 27, 2013

God’s Second Greatest Gift, by David Bower

First of All, God’s Greatest Gift!

In the minds of any Christian there can be no doubt about the identity of God’s greatest gift; the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity to die on the cross for the sins of the world is, without any doubt, God’s greatest gift to mankind! The wonder of this gift defies explanation or analysis; it is grace, mercy and love embodied in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Try as we might we can only touch on the fringes of this unimaginably vast and wonderful gift; perhaps in eternity we will be able to more fully grasp the enormity of what was done in order to save those who would believe.

It might be advisable to consider, at least in part, the true nature of this amazing gift from our Creator; what is included in this gift of salvation that is available to those who receive Christ as Savior? I would suggest to you that it is vastly more complex than is generally thought and includes a variety of blessings for both time and eternity.

The Blessings of Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ

Needless to say, in the brief space available for this article, it would be impossible to even mention the many, many blessings that are included in the wonderful gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord. What I shall do here is to itemize some of the gifts that first come to my mind as I think on them; should you want me to elaborate on any of them just comment and let me know.

A Royal Family 

The very first gift that comes to my mind is becoming a child of God forever and ever; we are made a part of God’s family and secured in His family by the holy righteousness of God, Himself. There is absolutely nothing that can ever separate us from God’s love; He is ours and we are His for all time and eternity.

I am fascinated by the thought of my many brothers and sisters in the family of God and marvel at the wonder of this arrangement. I did not have anything to do with their selection and they had nothing to do with mine. We are all in the family together because it pleased God that we should be; so regardless of race or nationality we are one in the family of God forever.

A Temple of God

The second gift that comes to mind is the indwelling of God, the Holy Spirit; at the point we receive Christ as Savior the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, never to leave us again. We are filled with the Spirit of God as we become a temple of the living God. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and our guide as we live on this earth and make the decisions that will shape our lives.

It is only by the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit that divine truth can become real to us and successfully applied to our lives each day. As we live our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit the fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-25 can characterize our lives in this world.

A Royal Priest

Another gift that comes to mind is we become members of God’s royal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek; the Lord Jesus Christ is both our High Priest and our King and we are priests and members of the royal family. It is important to remember that we did not take this honor on ourselves but each of us were chosen by God to receive this honor at the point of salvation.

An Ambassador for Christ

Although there are many others, the last gift I will specifically mention is the gift of ambassadorship. We are ambassadors for Christ in a land that is not our home. When we were born again we were born into a royal family whose home is in heaven and not on this earth. We have been left here to serve as ambassadors for the kingdom of God and serve as His representatives on this earth.

Sadly there is a war in progress between our kingdom and the ruling powers of this earth on which we presently live. At a time known only to God the war is going to dramatically increase in its intensity and times will become difficult beyond belief. Before that happens, we, as God’s ambassadors, will be called home at a world wide event known as the Rapture of the Church. I think it entirely possible that event will occur during my lifetime and I’m 80 years old.

Now to God’s Second Greatest Gift

Are you wondering by now what I am considering as God’s second greatest gift? I hope you are because it has a dramatic impact on the quality of your life on earth as a child of God, a royal priest, and an ambassador for Christ.

In Matthew 8:31-32 our Lord tells us, “31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” This applies fully to Christians as well and most specifically applies to you and me!

The world has cherry picked this verse and extracted only the part they want to hear and casually inserted whatever they prefer at the moment as “THE TRUTH!” Sadly, for the world, this knowledge is part of a package deal; it’s all or nothing. The truth that will set you free is the truth of the teachings of Jesus and absolutely nothing else!

The Greek word μείνητε which is translated hold also has the meaning to abide or continue in Jesus teaching. As Christians, if we are to be free, we must continue in the word of God and make its daily reading and study a basic part of our lives. To fail to do this will result in our sharing in all of the ills facing society today, a loss of the divine freedom promised here.

God’s Second Greatest Gift

God’s second greatest gift is a hungering and thirsting after the word of God, the Bible’s message to a world malnourished and starving for the teachings of Jesus. If you do not feel this hunger and thirsting then pray to God that He will give it to you!

There is a banquet table loaded with spiritual food that is available for the taking to those who will study the word in the power of the Holy Spirit and apply the teachings of Jesus to their lives every moment of every day.  God wants to bless you and the way to blessing is the path of knowledge of the teachings of Jesus. Don’t miss out on this banquet of blessings!

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

This is the Truth that will Set You Free!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | September 20, 2013

The Triumphant Joy of God’s Love

God’s Love for Saul of Tarsus

When reading the description of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9:1-2 it is almost impossible to imagine this person as the author of the New Testament’s chapter on love. “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

In the following verses, however, we read of a miracle, a miracle of God’s love reaching down and loving the unlovely. In verses 3-6 we read, “3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

From that point on, Paul was a changed man, something had happened to him that defies any natural explanation; from a persecutor of Christians Paul became a devoted Christian evangelist and apologist in a turn-around so dramatic the early church had difficulty even believing such a profound change was even possible.

We can all be truly thankful to God that with God all things are possible. Paul had been deeply and completely changed and was now prepared to devote his life to the spread of the good news about Jesus Christ; instead of breathing out murderous threats he was breathing out the good news of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

God’s Love for You

One of the things I have observed about getting older is the sad fact my collection of memories about personal sin is also growing. I can remember what seems to be an almost endless list of failures on my part for which I have been forgiven by God’s unmerited and undeserved grace. I rejoice in the promise of confession and forgiveness we have been given in 1 John 1:8-10, “8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

There are times when I feel particularly unlovely and unworthy of God’s love; how can God love such a wretched man as me? This, of course, is my sin nature talking and is itself sin which needs to be confessed. The Bible is clear that our basis for operation is faith, not feelings; feelings are treacherous and not to be trusted, we must operate on the basis of what we are told in the Bible, what we know to be God’s truth for His children as revealed in His word.

God is completely aware of all of your sins, even those of which you may not be aware, yet He loves you perfectly and completely and always will. Verses 38 and 39 in Romans 8 are sources of never ending joy for me; they tell us, “38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What beautiful, wonderful words of assurance, Praise God!

The Greatest of These is Love

In 1 Corinthians 13 the one who was Saul of Tarsus and became the Apostle Paul tells us of the beauties and wonders of love. He concludes the chapter with these words, “13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

In verses 8-10 Paul wrote, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.”

Why then, of those three, is love the greatest? The Bible explains that in several places; first with regard to faith we are told in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” When we are home with our Lord we will see what we have hoped for all of our lives; faith and hope will have been replaced by sight. We will see and be in the presence of the one we worship as Savior and God. The overwhelming reality will be love, our love for the one who made it all possible, the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore the greatest and most enduring of these is love.

God’s Blessings to His Children

God knows full well the impact of the spiritual war on His children; He knows all too well the impact of Satanic attack on the lives of His children. In His grace and mercy, God has provided the helper needed to make it possible to rejoice in Him always and the way to let the helper provide the needed help at all times. The helper is the Holy Spirit of God who was given to us when we received Christ as Savior and will never ever leave us. The way we call on the Holy Spirit for help is the confession of sin so the fruit of the Holy Spirit can characterize our lives. In Galatians 5:22-25 it is written, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Notice the first quality mentioned is love; when our lives are controlled by the Spirit of God we can manifest Godly love to all. Earlier in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Paul had described this kind of love when he wrote, “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Please notice that everything listed in those verses is related to doing, not feeling. I believe the revered King James Version of the Bible used a word that conveys the thought more accurately, charity, we are told to maintain a charitable attitude toward others. While it is not feasible to try to achieve a warm personal feeling toward everyone it is possible to have a charitable attitude toward everyone; to exhibit those qualities described in verses 4-7.

A Final Thought

One of the joys of loving people and all of God’s creation is a better understanding of how God can love us. If each of us, with all of the flaws we know we possess, can love each other and God’s creation, it becomes much easier to believe a Holy God who is free of all of these flaws can really love us as much as He says He does.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | September 6, 2013

Christian Children at War, by David Bower

Which War, What are you Talking About?

I can immediately see questions in the minds of many who read the title of this article; what is David talking about, we’re not at war with anyone right now are we, you may ask? The answer to that question must be yes, we are at war and in fact we were born into a war that has been going on for thousands of years.

When you received Christ as your Savior you chose sides in that war, you joined the armies of the Living God and declared yourself an enemy of Satan. As a Christian you are a fully fledged soldier of the cross whether you realize it or not, whether you like it or not. There are no conscientious objectors, fence straddler’s or draft dodgers in this war; you are either on one side or the other.

In my last blog I spoke of this war and the preparations that should be made for combat readiness; you of course realize that the combat is raging all around you, don’t you? Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real.

The Historic Spiritual War

In Ephesians 6:10-17 we are cautioned to prepare ourselves for combat, “10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Does the Bible really mean all that talk about a spiritual war, what do you think? I think the Bible is deadly serious about the spiritual war and is urging Christians to prepare themselves for the battle which is already in progress all around them. We ignore the Bible’s advice at our own peril and may well wind up flat on our spiritual backs rather than standing our ground.

Preparing for Spiritual Warfare

I find it easy to believe the Bible and I suspect you do too; so accepting the reality of the spiritual war let’s consider what we, as the church, are doing to prepare ourselves for this war. When was the last time you heard anything about the spiritual war in church? If you asked a typical Christian young person about the spiritual war what kind of answer would you expect? I would guess you can’t even remember the last time you heard a reference to the spiritual war from the pulpit and I suspect a young Christian might respond, “what’s a spiritual war?”

The Casualties of War

It may be good to consider the nature of the spiritual war and the types of casualties such a war would produce. In verse 12 above we are told, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” These spiritual forces of evil do have human representation on earth; all those who have rejected Christ as Savior have identified themselves with Satan and effectually declared the Living God to be their enemy.

The culminating expression of this conflict will take place at the Battle of Armageddon where the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth at His Second Advent. In the meantime we must serve as soldiers of the cross, the army of the Living God and we have a responsibility to faithfully serve as we are called to serve in this spiritual war.

A Traitor in the Camp

Our personal situation as soldiers of the cross is compromised by the presence of a traitor in the camp. Whereas our old sin nature was crucified with Christ and we are no longer obligated to serve it, unconfessed sin can put it back in control of our lives and seriously compromise our effectiveness as a soldier in God’s army. God has provided an immediate solution to that problem which is explained in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

What then will the casualties of war look like? They will look like sin; they will look like everything that is not of faith. They are summarized in Galatians 5:19-21a, “19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” Do you know anyone who has been injured in the spiritual war, or should I say do you know anyone who has not suffered an injury?

Where do the Children Fit in to All This?

As I mentioned above we are born into this spiritual war which has been in progress since before the creation of the earth. At salvation we identify ourselves as a soldier in God’s army and declare Satan to be our enemy. This means that Christian children become soldiers in God’s army and are exposed to the dangers implicit in this spiritual battle.

What is our responsibility to alert them to the dangers of this conflict and help them learn to put on the full armor of God appropriate to their age? My concern is that we, both individually and collectively as the church, are not preparing them for what they must face; we are sending them forth uninformed and unprepared for the spiritual battle they will be required to wage as soldiers of the cross. They are being assaulted by attacks from the enemy and falling by the side of the road, flat on their backs.

The symptoms of injury in this spiritual battle can include turning their backs on the church when they get to college, displaying the symptoms described above in Galatians 5:19-21a or a general “backsliding” as it is sometimes called. I’m sure we all know of instances where our young people have suffered these injuries but fortunately many of them recover with treatment.

Our Responsibility as Christian Adults

The Christian community has a responsibility to its young people to make sure they are adequately protected by the full armor of God. It is apparent to me that the intensity of this spiritual battle is increasing and will continue to increase as we approach the final conflict between good and evil.

It must no longer be business as usual, the time has come for a change; it is imperative that we all prepare for the increasing intensity of the spiritual warfare that is raging around us so that having done all we may stand our ground!

The Battle of Armageddon

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Rest Assured this Time is Coming and You Will be There to Witness it!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | August 2, 2013

Preparation for Dangerous Times, by David Bower

A Time for Preparation

(Only the Lord knows about the timing of events and He has them planned to the very second. The preparations discussed below can serve you well even if the potential Biblical dangers of the end times do not emerge in our lifetimes. These preparations can dramatically influence the entire direction and quality of your life on earth and are an accurate reflection of what God wants for you as His child.)

When world shaking events seem to be lurking in the not too distant future, hopes for making meaningful preparations almost seem like an exercise in futility; if the scope of a disaster is so great then most efforts to prepare for it can seem woefully inadequate.

There are, however, a number of vitally important steps that we can take as Christian men and women. Since we are involved in a spiritual conflict we should be mindful of what we are told in Ephesians 6:12 “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We would be very foolish indeed were we not to heed these warnings and avail ourselves of the resources God has provided for His children.

In Ephesians 6:13-17 we read, “13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit

In my last blog I mentioned Stephen; although he is only mentioned in a few verses of the Bible he has gone down in history as a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. In this brief account of Stephen the Holy Spirit is prominently mentioned; it was in the power of the Holy Spirit that Stephen was able to do what he did.

I then wrote, “I’m convinced that this remarkable grace extended to Stephen is also available to all of us who walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.” The secret here is walking by the Spirit and not by the flesh. The one thing that can hamper our efforts to walk by the Spirit is personal sin. Personal sin quenches the power of the Holy Spirit, compromises our walk of faith and leaves us trying to operate out of our own strength and that simply will not work successfully.

Just How Big a Problem is Personal Sin?

It may be advisable to define what is meant by personal sin and fortunately the Bible answers that question in no uncertain terms. In Romans 14:23b it is written, “and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Let’s think about that for a minute; does that really mean everything? Does that mean our feelings of fear, doubt, anger, impatience and uncertainty are sin; should we add to that simply seeing and evaluating life from a mortal, human perspective is that also sin?

Should all those normal human reactions be considered part of everything that is not of faith and therefore sin? I believe the answer to that question is yes, those things are sin; if they do not originate in faith they are sin. That tells us then the personal sin problem is really, really big and the Bible confirms that as well.

In 1 John1:8-10 it is written, “8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

Dealing with the Problem of Personal Sin

While verses 8 and 10 define the scope of the problem, verse 9 provides God’s solution to man’s problem with personal sin and that is confession of sin. In verse 9 we are told if we confess our sins; the Greek word for confess used here is homologeōmen and can be understood as to acknowledge or list one’s sins in agreement with the divine view point of the action or thought. We join with God in seeing the thought or action as sin and God will not only forgive us the acknowledged sin but also forgive or purify us from all unrighteousness as well.

There is no thought here of doing some sort of penance, there’s no crawling on your knee’s down to the end of the block and back or doing something else to earn forgiveness. Your forgiveness from personal sins is a free gift based on your acknowledgement of the sins. How many times a day should you confess your sins you may ask, as many times as needed to restore and maintain fellowship with God and a Spirit led life.

A Godly, Spirit Led Life

Is anything hanging in the balance, waiting for your confession of personal sin? Yes, but not your salvation which is secured by the power and holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is hanging in the balance is the ministry of God, the Holy Spirit in your life individually and the promise of the fruit of the Spirit as a characteristic of your life.

Unconfessed sin quenches the power of the Holy Spirit in your life while confession of sin restores the power of the Holy Spirit in your life; it’s as simple as that! Do you want the quality of life described in Galatians 5:22-25? “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

We keep in step with the Holy Spirit by confession of our sins which permits the Spirit to operate freely in our lives. May it be said of each of us that we are men and women of faith and filled with the Holy Spirit.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 27, 2013

Dangerous Times, Christianity, and the Bible, by David Bower

The Winds of Change are Blowing

Like it or not there is change in the wind; signs all around would indicate that things are not going to be the way they’ve been in the past. There are almost no areas of life where these winds of change are not blowing and increasing in strength. Both domestically and internationally one can see developments in every area which point to a new direction for our lives individually and collectively; what is un-nerving about these changes is they do not appear to be for the better but for the worse.

I mentioned in my last article how the Bible predicted the world situation would worsen as the return of the Lord drew near. While the Bible does not tell us when this will happen it does tell us what the world will be like at that time and a large number of Christian observers will agree that more and more similarities to the Biblical end times are falling into place around the world.

The Christian Perspective on Life in a Changing World

There is an uncomfortable quality to change, especially change for the worse; most of us would prefer the status quo and resist anything that would threaten it. Sometimes change is so gradual as to not cause immediate alarm; everyone has heard the story of the frog in the pot; our situation today may have overtones of this process of change, slow and steady and a little difficult to quantify.

The Bible also warns us that Christianity itself will become an increasingly popular target in the end times. In Matthew 24:9 it is written, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” Although this verse describes conditions in the Tribulation we are already seeing the beginning of this persecution of Christians all around the world. It is becoming ever more politically incorrect to suggest that salvation is in Jesus Christ alone.

I’m receiving an increasingly large number of emails addressing the problems existing around the world today and noting the anxious comments from Christian friends which accompany them. Most of us look forward to the return of the Lord and may wonder how bad things will actually get before we are called home. The Bible does not tell us that but it does tell us something important, and that is God’s grace will always be abundantly sufficient for all circumstances if we are living a life of faith, led by the Holy Spirit.

Who’s Life are we Living?

I have selected as my life verse Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” To me, this verse has enormous significance; it tells me that David Bower died a long time ago and the life he now lives is the life of Christ. If we believe and apply that concept every day then our entire perception of life and reality is totally changed.

The redeemed soul and spirit of David Bower still occupying his mortal body is nothing more than a passenger watching as the Lord directs His life in this body we share; it is His body, His life, purchased by the shedding of His blood on the cross at Calvary. I have no right, no business questioning the Lord on His usage of this body; this body is His to do with as He pleases.

Full implementation of this line of thought is very liberating, it’s His life and He is in control. I simply don’t have to worry about anything but can relax and watch what happens. In my mind I compare it to being a passenger in a car driven by a trusted family member to a destination known only to Him. I may not know if the driver will stop or go, turn left or right, but I know he can be trusted completely to make the right decisions. This is the way we should look at life as a child of God; He has promised us that He loves us and is working all things together for our good. What more can we ask?

Our driver is not only a trusted family member but is also the omnipotent Creator God of the universe. I cannot think of a better person to have in control of my life, can you?

Our Gracious God

God is fully aware that His children are still frail creatures of dust and do not have the resources to accomplish His will without help. He can always be counted upon to provide the resources needed to accomplish the missions on which we may be sent. I’m sure we have all experienced the abundant sufficiency of God’s grace in times of service or testing.

I’m reminded of Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” who was not one of the Apostles and appears for only a brief moment in Scripture. It seems he was a fairly ordinary man who had given himself to our extraordinary God. When the time of testing came, Stephen responded in a manner that pleased the Father and honored the Son, “54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:54-56)

I’m convinced that this remarkable grace extended to Stephen is also available to all of us who walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. If testing or opportunities for service comes our way we can always count on God’s grace to see us through it in a manner that pleases the Father and honors the Son.

In the meantime the Bible is very clear on one thing we should be doing:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 21, 2013

Dangerous Times Ahead? by David Bower

What Can We Expect?

The Bible warns that Christians will face dangerous times as the end of the age draws near. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5 we read:

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

Does any of that sound familiar to you, have you seen or heard of any current events which would demonstrate the dangers Paul mentions? I have occasionally experienced events that would fall into the above categories and I have indeed heard of such things taking place around the world and even here in Houston, Texas.

Many believe that we are living at the beginning of the end times described in the Bible and I can easily see how someone might be drawn to that conclusion. From the condition of our society here in the United States to the conditions found around the world the evidence seems to be falling in line with the world situation as described in the Bible for the last days.

Should that be the case, then it is reasonable to assume that conditions will worsen, not improve. If we think for a moment of the United States alone there seems to be an almost endless number of dangers that are threatening this country. Any list of dangers to this country would probably include attacks by terrorists, or economic collapse near the top of the list. A more recent contender for a top listing might be civil unrest. I have to admit I never imagined a Houston freeway blocked by civil disobedience regardless of what it may be called by the media.

What Should We Do?

There seems to be a growing number of causes trying to enlist the support of Christians today; most of these causes are attempting to address the ills of society by crusading against this or that “ism.” The problem with that approach is these ills are nothing more than symptoms of the basic problem, the fallen nature of man.

I’ve always been impressed by the example set by the Aspostle Paul who lived during a time of many social ills including slavery. In spite of many opportunities to address these ills Paul choose to limit his efforts to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Social ills both then and now are nothing more than symptoms of the sin problem.

The challenge we face today is to keep our focus on Christ. Paul stated his position on the gospel very clearly when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

The message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is just as powerful today as it ever was and is needed every bit as much. We must not lose our focus and allow social issues to take center stage; the only really important issue now and always has been the person and work of Christ as the Savior of the world.

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | July 1, 2013

The Squeeze Play, by David Bower

The Game of Life

Have you ever heard life referred to as a game? I have, I’ve heard of the “game of life” for many years and I’ve always had something of a problem thinking of it in that light. By nature I’m more serious and tend to see things from a serious perspective. While I do have a sense of humor and enjoy a good laugh I find it almost impossible to tell an even really good joke without ruining it completely; as a result I don’t usually even try to be funny, for me, it just doesn’t work out all that well.

I have always been like that; I sometimes wonder if I even had what might be thought of as a “carefree childhood.” Even as a child I saw things in a serious way; life was not so much a joy as a challenge. From the time I was seven until I was 18 and completely on my own I lived in a succession of households where at least one of the adult members of the household couldn’t even stand me and saw me as an intrusive inconvenience.

An adversarial relationship like that does not encourage a relaxed, carefree, attitude on the part of a child so there was nothing in my personality or my environment that would encourage the development of that kind of attitude as I was growing up.

One of Life’s Squeeze Plays

A squeeze play is defined as a “power play: an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power” We have all seen squeeze plays in the sporting world and have been subjected to life’s squeeze plays in one fashion or another; we have all experienced the results when circumstances seem to culminate in an event or a series of events that had a profound effect on our lives.

As I look back I have come to recognize that during my childhood, life was using a squeeze play on me; one of an infinite variety of pressures that life uses to shape us into the image it desires for us. The longer we live the greater the number of squeeze plays we will have endured as administered by a satanic world system with the willing assistance of our “old sin nature.”

I’m sure that each of you can recall times in your lives when you were subjected to “an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power;” this could be by either people or circumstances or a combination of both. I see the death of my son and my grandson as examples of life’s squeeze plays.

A Conflict for the Christian

The Christian is faced with an interesting contradiction; even as the world is trying to squeeze us into its image the Lord is at work in the life of the Christian conforming him to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:28-30 we are told, “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

It is clear the Lord will be the ultimate victor in this conflict. The issue is how will the Christian react when these two opposing forces are at work at the same time in their lives; will the response be one of faith or one of sight? Thinking back to the death of my son our family faced that important question, would we respond to his death by faith or by sight?

On our son’s last day, when it became evident he had died, our family gathered around at the foot of his bed and I led them in prayer. I will not go into the details of the prayer other than to say I asked the Lord to strengthen us that our family might clearly demonstrate that God’s grace was abundantly sufficient at the time of death of a son and brother.

I’m delighted to tell you that God honored that prayer and by His grace we were able to turn our son’s funeral into a celebration of a life that was influential in moving at least one person to receive Christ as Savior. The Lord was honored by our response as we exhibited a joy in the Lord and expressed our gratitude for the life that we had been privileged to share for 28 years.

We had chosen the response of faith; what saddens me is to see those times the response of sight is chosen. How many times have we all heard, and perhaps even voiced complaints about circumstances that were a direct reflection on the nature of God.

Choosing the Path of Faith

The Bible makes it clear in many places that the right way of life for the Christian is the life of faith. As God’s children we are cautioned in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” In Hebrews 11:6 we are told, “6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

This can best be summed up in the first two verses of Romans 12 where we read, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

 May God’s Good, Pleasing, and Perfect Will Be Done in Each of Our lives!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 18, 2013

Waiting on the Lord, by David Bower

Are We Spoiled by Modern Society?

Today the pattern for life seems to be more focused on instant gratification; hardly anyone wants to wait for anything anymore. I recall as a young person the popularity among the working class, of which I was a member, of a device called “layaway.” One could make an initial payment on an item which would then be put into layaway at the store until it was paid off over a period of time then the item could be taken home and enjoyed or prepared as a gift. I suspect the layaway plan is rarely used today as instant credit permits one to acquire the item immediately for use with payments coming later to complete its purchase.

Our entertainment is similar in that a problem of some sort is presented on a TV show and solved within no more than an hour; certainly before it’s time for a snack. We’ve probably all felt an irritation when we discovered the show we were watching had two parts and we would have to wait until the following week to see how it ended.

Real Life is Not So Accommodating

We encounter a problem when real life gets involved; sometimes resolution of a problem can take a long time and never come out the way we had hoped. Trying to find an immediate solution to a long-term problem may only complicate the issue and delay a full resolution of the problem.

Even in the spiritual realm there is a desire for instant gratification. I’m reminded of the Christian’s prayer for patience attributed to Oren Arnold, “Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it RIGHT NOW!” I see too much of this in the prayer requests I get from all over the world; people have an agenda for God and expect Him to move quickly to do whatever it is they’re asking of Him. Some are even angry with God when He doesn’t do what they are asking within an acceptable timeframe.

When reading the Bible, which is a masterpiece of abbreviated understatement, it is easy to overlook the time implications involved for the people whose lives are being narrated in those pages; to forget that 40 years in their lives was still 40 years they had to live one day at a time not knowing what the next day might bring.

Are We Again Living in Biblical Times?

The Biblical age in which we are living is known as the Church Age, the age of grace, and just as it had a beginning it will have an ending. The beginning of the Church Age came on May 25, 33 AD but the ending, which will occur when the church is taken up at the Rapture, is known only to God. The Church Age was a mystery hidden from the Old Testament prophets and only revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ at His First Advent.

There are no unfulfilled prophecies that must take place before the church can be taken up; it could happen at any second and many of us hope it will be the next one. As some critics will point out those expecting the Rapture any second have been waiting for a long time and nothing has happened yet. I believe, along with many others, that the Rapture of the Church is a membership event, not a specific calendar event. By that I mean that our Lord is waiting for every individual He has foreordained to be a part of the church to become a part of the church before the church age is brought to a close.

2 Peter 3:9

This is what is intended when it is written in 2 Peter 3:9, “9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The Book of 2 Peter is addressed to “To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours.” In other words you is a reference to believers and the anyone and the everyone is a reference to those who will receive the message of salvation and become a part of the church before it is taken home. The Lord knows precisely who will be a part of the church and is holding the rapture back until that last soul is joined into the body of Christ; then the church will be called home to be with the Lord forever.

So, what are we waiting for? We’re waiting for our last brothers and sisters to be added to the body of Christ then we’ll all go home together. As an online missionary for Global Media Outreach I continue to marvel at the number of men and women coming to the Lord in Islamic controlled nations. The Lord is doing an amazing work in areas that are closed to ordinary missionary activity and bringing to Himself many converts from Islam to the true Lord and God, Jesus Christ.

Each day the Lord delays calling the church home provides opportunities for many more to join the body of Christ for all time and eternity. Aren’t each of us thankful that the Lord didn’t call the church home before we had the chance to join it? When the last person the Lord has chosen to be a part of the church receives Christ as Savior then we’ll all go home together; can you even imagine their feelings of gratitude when that last person realizes what happened?

Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

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Posted by: davidbowerkingwood | June 8, 2013

Artist or Illustrator

Am I An Artist or Just an Illustrator?

Guest Writer, Adele Bower

Three drawings 6-8-13

Art by Adele Bower

For several years I worked as a staff artist in a studio that produced advertising art and design and later as a freelance artist in my own studio. During all that time I was referred to as an “artist”.

One day as a freelancer I presented my portfolio to the top man at a prestigious advertising agency in town. I went away excited because of one small thing he said to me: “You are an illustrator.” For the first time in my career I had been called an illustrator. I’m not sure why that made me so happy, but it did. Did it for some reason sound more glamorous, more successful, more active, than “artist”?

Anyone who has been around the art world as an artist, a collector of art, or an art lover, has heard it said about some very famous and successful artists, that “he is just an illustrator.”  I always wondered why the word “just” was in that sentence, as if an illustrator was a lower form of a real artist. I don’t know. Considering some of the truly great art produced by these illustrators I disregarded the criticism.

My old Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (1975) has a few things to say about the word “illustrate”: Verb. To purify, make bright, enlighten, to light up, to make illustrious, to provide with visual features intended to explain or decorate such as a book, to show clearly.

Therefore, an illustrator is a person who produces work that is pure, bright, enlightened with visual features intended to explain or decorate. That sounds good to me. The famous and very talented illustrator, Brad Holland wrote:

“Everybody is an artist these days.

Rock and Roll singers are artists.

So are movie directors, performance artists

make-up artists, tattoo artists,

con artists and rap artists.

Madona is an artist because she explores her own sexuality.

Snoop Doggy Dogg is an artist because he explores other people’s sexuality.

Victims who express their pain are artists.

So are guys in prison who express themselves on shirt cardboard.

Even consumers are artists when they express themselves

in their selection of commodities.

The only people left who seem not to be artists are illustrators.”

What Flowers 

“What Flowers” Acrylic on canvas by Adele Bower

The distinction between art and illustration is not in the medium used because each has the same freedom of selection. Illustrators and artists can select to use any medium: air brush, computer programs, oil or acrylic, watercolor or pen and ink, charcoal or pastels, pencil, and others. I once used a stick from my back yard dipping it in black ink. It gave a nice, loose effect!

Nor can the distinction between art and illustration be found in the style used because each is free to use the style of their selection; sketchy and loose, tight and detailed, impressionistic or cubistic, expressionistic or photo realistic. One cannot honestly say that words incorporated into a painting make it an illustration and not fine art, unless they are ready to call Toulouse Lautrec “just an illustrator.”

Ranch Road Near Bandera Texas

“Ranch Road Near Bandera, Texas” Acrylic on canvas by Adele Bower

Hibiscus Motif

“Hibiscus Motif” Acrylic on canvas by Adele Bower

After all is said and done, it doesn’t really matter what I’m called, but I still like the title of illustrator best…..for some reason.

Adele Bower, www.artbyadelebower.com

-End-

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