FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
April 3, 2003

THE NATURE OF GOSSIP!

The words a person speaks reveals what has been going into his mind, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Pro 23:7). We think and talk about things which have gone into our minds. Our speech can even reveal whether we are saved or not, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matt 12:37).

Speech is a blessing given to us by God to talk to our heavenly father, sing, praise, express our love, encourage, and comfort others. If we allow the wrong things to go into our minds, James 3 tells us the result, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. ... But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:5-10).

Gossip is a deceiving and destructive sin. It is the opposite of Psalm 19:14 which says, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Every thing we think about and say should be analyzed to determine if it would be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. Our thoughts, words, and our deeds are all linked together.

Gossip is idle talk and even thought it may not be designed to injure others, it usually does. Gossip usually begins by statements like, “Have you heard,” “I probably shouldn’t say this but,” “There is something I think you ought to know,” or “Let me tell you what I have heard.”

Gossip is in a list of sins which God condemns people for in Romans 1:28-31. There it is called, “maliciousness, full of envy...deceit, malice, whisperers, backbiters, ...proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, ...without understanding.” Gossips are malicious because their words cause harm. They do invent evil things because of the lack of understanding of what they talk about. They are proud which is the sin the produces all other sins. They are backbiters which is another word for slanderers.

Christians are to encourage one another, build up one another, comfort one another, love one another, and to provoke one another to good works. Gossip is the opposite of all of these. It is idle talk about others that often end up hurting others and is a gross sin in the eyes of our Lord.

Exodus 20:16, one of the ten commandments says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Gossip always has an element of false information. The gossip is not careful to make sure of all the details before he speaks. Remember, those who gossip about others will also gossip about you. As they tell you gossip, they record what you say so that they can tell others your response to their gossip. A listener of gossip becomes the ones gossiped about.
Proverbs 6:17-19 gives seven things God hates, “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Six of these seven things relate to gossip.

John 13:35 tells us how others will know that we are people of God, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Gossip is not loving. Others will not think a person is a child of God when they are gossiping about someone else. For a child of God, gossiping is like poison and sweet water coming from the same source. This does not happen in the physical world and should not happen in the life of a believer.

Gossip is used as a means of expressing anger, bitterness or hostility toward someone else without confronting them face to face. This proves that gossip is a cowardly act. Gossip is used to pull others down to the level the gossiper is living on. If you live in the garbage dump, you will want others there with you. Many people develop a critical spirit which will project anger toward others by their gossip. A gossip has a difficult time speaking positively about others. They derive satisfaction from trying to pull others down to their level.

Sometimes gossip is caused by jealousy toward others who have something the gossip does not have. They secretly covet things others have. Regardless of the reason, gossip is a vile, wicked sin that is an abomination to God and has no part in the life of a believer. Gossip can become a life dominating characteristic. You may know people who when their name is spoken, the character of “gossip” comes into your mind. The gossip wants you to feel the same way they do about the one being talked about.

A tree is known by the fruit it bears (Matt: 12:33). When a person is a gossip, it reveals a wicked heart. Verse 34 says, “...how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Gossip indicates evil in the heart. If God says he hates gossip, but you or I practice it, it reveals a heart filled with pride, which is also an abomination to God.
Since our thoughts and our words are to be acceptable in God’s sight, we are not only not to gossip with our mouths, but we are not to allow gossip to go into our minds by listening to it. The godly person is to shun the gossip.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Gossip is a sin that prevents the blessings of God. If confessed and forsaken, the chastening of God can be prevented!

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor: Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
April 10, 2003

A SURE WAY TO PROSPERITY!

Everyone would like to be successful and prosperous in life. There are many books which claim to hold these secrets. This article will give you what God says is His way to prosperity. If we obey five things in Psalm 1, God promises us in verse 3, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” It does not say he may prosper, but that he SHALL prosper.

The first three of these five steps to prosperity given in Psalm 1:1 are things we must NOT do, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” The first one is that we must not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We are not to seek advice nor counsel from those who do not know God. We are not to get yoked up with them. We are not to spend a lot of time in their company listening to their philosophy or seeking their opinions in spiritual things. When we need advice, we must seek it from the godly.

The second step we are not to take is to stand in the way of sinners. When we walk with someone for a while, we end up standing and talking with them. This shows a more intimate relationship. The third step we are not to take is “nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” If you sit with people, you tend to become as they are. If they are scornful, you will become a scornful person.

The person who has a God given prosperity is not a critical or complaining person. The critical and complaining person reveals his selfishness. He shows he does not have humility which is the number one ingredient of a God blessed life. Critical, complaining, or those easily angered, reveal that they are manipulative. They want others to bow down to what they think is the way things ought to be.

A truly prosperous person will not be one who is easily offended. Psalm 119:165 tells us, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” When people gripe, complain, get angry, and criticize, it reveals that they do not love the law of God. It does reveal that they have violated one or more of these three things that God has said not to do.

The first step down the wrong road to disaster begins by listening to ungodly counsel which leads to standing with them. This will lead to sitting in the seat of the scornful. We become like those we run around with. When we are sitting with someone, it reveals a close friendship. If those we sit with are scorners, we to will become scorners.

Many people had a good start in life until they started listening to the wrong people which led them to spend a lot of time with them which led to them being like them. There are many people who use to reverence holy things, but became scorners because of the influence of the ungodly. If we walk in the counsel of the ungodly, we will end up standing with them which will lead us to sit with them which will cause us to be like them.

Everyone needs counsel. When you seek it, make sure you find someone who knows God and His word before you listen to what they have to say. If we are to be prosperous, we must be careful about where we walk, stand and sit. If we walk in the counsel of the ungodly, we will end up standing in the way of sinners and ultimately sitting in the seat of the scornful. This will prevent God from giving us a blessed, holy, happy contented, and prosperous life.

The third and fourth steps to prosperity, given in verse 2, are positive, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” It is not enough to believe the Bible. The truly prosperous person must delight in it. He must rejoice in it and love it. Every believer should strive to have the same feeling about the Word of God as Jeremiah did who said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jer 15:16).

All of us should develop the same attitude David had when he said, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). The fourth step to prosperity is to delight in the law of the Lord. The Bible is the precious word of God preserved for us to know God and His will for our lives. The smartest thing we could ever do to the Word of God is to delight in it.

This would lead to the fifth step which would secure a prosperous life for us, “and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” We are not simply to read scripture, but we are to meditate in it, think about it, and memorize it. When we lay down at night, there should be some scripture we are thinking about.

Just as our government rules by law, so does our God rule by law. His word is the revealing of His heart, mind, and will for us. For a person to be in a right relationship with his creator, he must be in a right relationship to His law.

God makes us a promise that if we will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful, but we do delight in His law and meditate in it day and night, we will be prosperous in whatever it is that we do.

Verse 3 says, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Prosperity is a process. It is doing what God says to do and not doing what He says not to do. This is a promise from God who cannot lie. Notice there is nothing said about talent, ability, position in life, or personality. This is the promise of a God given prosperity for any person who will be obedient to these five simple steps!

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
April 17, 2003

EASTER

Easter will be celebrated this week, but few people know why Jesus had to be raised from the dead. We do know that the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord is the gospel which must be believed in order to be saved, but what is the real meaning of the resurrection and Easter?

To understand Easter, let us go back to when Israel was in captivity in Egypt. Pharaoh would not let them go even after nine plagues was unleashed on the land of Egypt. The tenth plague was to be the death of the oldest child in each family who did not obey God’s only means of protection.

The only way the eldest child could be protected from certain death was to take an unblemished lamb on the tenth day of the first month, keep it until the fourteenth day, then kill it, catch its blood, and apply the blood with a hyssop plant to the door post and lintel of their house. When the death angel saw the blood, he would pass over that home. The next day, every home not protected by the blood would have their first born child killed.

What would have happened if they had observed every detail of God’s instruction except putting the blood on the door post and lintel? They would not have been protected! It was not the shed blood of the lamb, but the shed blood that was applied to the door post and lintel that saved the eldest from death.

When Israel entered the promised land, God gave them several things to do in order to learn spiritual truths. The sacrificial system was one of them. When a person sinned, his communion with God was interrupted. When a blood sacrifice was offered, the sin was covered and communion was restored. God was teaching them by illustration that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission or forgiveness of sin.

Since God is holy and man is sinful, man cannot commune with God without a priest or a mediator who is a “go between” for man and God. The priest were chosen by God for this job. Every time a person sinned, he had to take an animal to his priest to be offered on his behalf. On the day of Atonement, which occurred once each year, the High Priest would make an offering for the people for the sins committed during the year and they were atoned for. This protected the nation for another year.

Since the high priest also had sin, he had to purchase a bullock, sacrifice it, and take its blood into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle it on the mercy seat for his own sin. He would hurry out of the Holy of Holies to the court yard where there would be two goats. One goat would be killed and the blood collected. The high priest would take that blood back into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the mercy seat for the sins of the whole nation.

He would return to the second goat and lay his hands on it symbolically transferring the sins of the people to that goat. After a prayer, the goat would be led to the wilderness and released never to enter Israel again. All these things were types and pictures of great spiritual truths. When the truth is learned about what each of these events mean, the meaning of Easter is unveiled.

In order for the eldest son to be protected from death, the blood of the passover lamb had to be shed and applied to the door post. God was teaching a lesson about the work Jesus would do when He came to earth. The Bible says of our Lord, “...For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). That passover lamb was a figure or illustration of Jesus who is God’s passover Lamb. When Jesus came, His blood had to be shed and applied to the true mercy seat before salvation could be provided for us.

The high priest also an illustration of Jesus as the High Priest who would intercede between God and man. The Holy of Holies in the temple was a pattern of the Holy of Holies in heaven.
The two goats represent another facet of our Lord’s work on this earth. One goat had its blood shed to provide for the covering of sin for the whole nation. This is what Jesus did by his death on the cross. Isaiah 53:6 tells us, “The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” He was the perfect sacrifice of God to satisfy God’s justice for all sin committed.

The goat that was led away represented Jesus carrying all our sins away. The high priest who took the shed blood and sprinkled it on the mercy seat was also an illustration of what Jesus who must take the shed blood of the Lamb of God and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat in heaven. How could this be since it was Jesus who had to shed his blood? The only way Jesus could represent both goats and the high priest was to die, shed his blood, then be raised from the grave, and ascent into heaven with His own blood to place on the Holy of Holies in heaven!
Remember, it was not the shed blood that saved. The blood must be applied or it would do no good. Who can go into the Holy of Holies in heaven where God is and sprinkle the mercy seat with precious blood to cleanse us from our sins? The only one who qualifies is the sinless Son of God!

When John saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 2:29). Jesus is that passover Lamb. Jesus is the sacrifice who died to shed his blood for our sins. Jesus is the one who carried all sins away. Jesus is the high priest who takes the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies in heaven to cover the mercy so that God can forgive our sin.

Jesus has done everything it takes to pay for our sins, but the shed blood will do no good unless it is applied to our lives individually. We must not only believe this, but act upon this truth. Romans 10:9 tells us how, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor: Arnold Martin)

April 24, 2003
FROM A PASTOR’S HEART

THE GREATEST NEWS!

The Bible teaches that because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, each person is born with a sin nature. Our nature leads us into sinful choices and sinful practices. Ephesians 2:3 tells us, “Among whom also we all had our conversation (manner of living) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” God has said, “The wages of sin is death.” This death in its ultimate form is, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15). Our sin brings the wrath of God.

Sin is like a virus introduced into the human race when Adam fell. The result of this sin is alienation from God. In our life time, it produces godlessness. In eternity, it will produce eternal torment in hell. The most deadly thing this world has ever known is sin. It brings death to joy, peace, contentment, and usefulness in this life and eternal hell after this life is over.

Sin kills not only in eternity, but it kills spiritually, mentally, physically and socially in time. There is no human cure for sin. It can only be slowed down by the enforcement of laws. There is however a cure for the deadliest things that has ever been in this universe. It is spiritual. It is from God Himself. It is called the Gospel. Scripture calls it “the power of God unto salvation.” The Gospel tells us how a sinful man under the wrath of a holy God can be reconciled to his Creator and then live godly in a sinful world.

It is impossible for sinful man to come up with a plan to be reconciled to our holy God. Man can do nothing for God nor can he offer God anything that will appease his holy wrath against the sin committed against Him. There is only one way sinful man can be made right with God. Our sin must be forgiven! God is so holy that He cannot forgive anyone of their sin until it is paid for. The Bible tells us the “wages of sin is death.” The sin we have committed must be paid for before God could ever have fellowship with us.

The Gospel is the good news that sinful man, under the wrath of a holy God, can be forgiven of all his sin. God Himself devised a plan which makes possible the salvation of sinful man. It is given in Second Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” It was God who designed and executed the plan for salvation. God made Jesus to be sin for us. This does not mean Jesus became a sinner. It is unthinkable that God would make anyone a sinner.

When the lamb was sacrificed on the alter by the priest, was the Lamb guilty of anything? No! When Jesus was hanging on the cross with the sin of the world on Him, was he guilty of anything? No! Isaiah 53:5-6 tells us what happened, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

When Jesus was on the cross, He was still the holy, sinless Son of God. All the sin of the world was placed on Jesus, but it was not His sin. Sin was imputed or charged to Him. When God saw the sin imputed to Jesus, God had to treat Jesus as if He had committed every sin of every person who ever lived. Jesus was personally pure but officially guilty.

In the same way that our sin was imputed or charged to Jesus, the righteousness of Jesus will be charged or imputed to those who believe. Read the verse again, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Jesus was made to be sin. How? By imputation! By God charging our sin to His account. God treated Jesus as if He had committed those sins even though He remained perfectly holy.

God looks at the believing sinner and imputes or charges the righteousness of Jesus Christ to them. The Christian is not sinless, but since the righteousness of Jesus has been imputed or charged to his account, God treats him as if he were as righteous as Jesus in this life. We will not go to heaven because we never sin. We get eternal life because God imputes the righteousness of Jesus to our account when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul said of himself, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Phil 3:9). A Christian desires to live holy and without sin, but he will not live a sinless life. What will happen when a Christian sins? Some say that if he does not repent of that sin before he dies, he will go to hell, but that is not what the Bible says. Roman 4:8 tells us, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

Who is the person God will not charge or impute sin to? It is the one described in John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” When we believe on Jesus, God imputes or charges to our account the righteousness of Jesus. When He does that, He will not impute or charge sin to that account. God will then see us clothed in the righteousness of Jesus.

Will we sin anymore? Yes! Will God charge that sin the believer? No! Can a Christian sin and get by with it? Absolutely not! First of all, a Christian develops a hatred for sin. He does not want to sin. If he does, God has made a way for His children to be cleansed from it according to 1 John 1:9. We are to confess and forsake the sin. If we do not, we will receive the chastening of a loving Father.

Remember, “The wages of sin is death, but gift of God is eternal life.” That gift will do you no good until you ask for it! “For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved!”

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
March 2, 2003

DANGER OF MISPLACED TRUST!

On July 28, 1945, Colonel William Smith and two passengers were making a routine flight to Newark, New Jersey. Routine, that is, until they approached the skies over New York City. As Smith piloted his B-25 toward Manhattan, he picked up a warning from Newark flight control: “Heavy fog and low clouds ahead.” The Newark tower advised Smith to alter his course to New York’s La Guardia Airport.

But Smith, a decorated veteran with two years of combat service, wasn’t concerned, and insisted on flying the few remaining miles over New York City and landing in Newark as planned. The control tower warned him that the top of the Empire State Building may not be visible in the dense fog. Again, Smith thanked the tower but pressed on.

Moments later, the bomber dipped below the clouds, and Smith found himself in the dangerous scenery of Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers. Smith made a desperate attempt to pull the plane up to safety, but was unable to do so. The plane slammed into the 78th and 79th floors of the Empire State Building, exploding, killing himself, his passengers, and 11 people in the building and injuring 25 others.

The outcome would have been different if Smith had obeyed the tower’s warnings to alter his course. The tragedy to life and property would have been avoided. Why did Smith ignore the warnings? It was misplaced trust. He had to make a choice: trust the tower and change course, or trust his instincts and press on. He trusted himself more than the warning system designed to protect him. While the weather played a part in the tragedy, the final, lethal ingredient was Smith’s mistaken belief that he could safely navigate the fog.

Misplaced trust is not uncommon. Most of us put our trust in the wrong thing at least some of the time--in careers, money, education, and abilities. The result of that kind of misplaced trust is heartbreak. Careers change, money runs out, and education doesn’t equip us for every challenge. We face diseases medicine can’t cure, problems technology can’t solve; and people, even loved ones, let us down. Simply put, when we place our trust in the things of this world, we invite disappointment, even disaster.

By far, the most devastating form of misplaced trust concerns how most people approach their eternal condition. Some put their trust in false religion, man-made philosophy, or wishful thinking. Others, believing they’ll have another time to get right with God, avoid the present opportunity to get saved. They forget that God has said, “behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). They trust that they will have another opportunity to get saved.

Some who profess to know Christ trust their souls to something else other than the true Gospel. Some people who may read the Bible, attend church, and even serve in ministry, but ultimately, they put their trust in something other than Christ. They believe they are saved, but their trust is in something less than true genuine saving faith.

For example, some who claim to trust Christ believe their salvation is somehow based on their performance, prayers, church attendance, or the way they give. They put their trust in good works. Others think salvation is simply mentally believing the gospel is true. They understand God’s redemptive plan and accept Scripture’s claims about Christ’s birth, His miracles, and His resurrection. They even believe they need a Savior, but they don’t understand the need to obey Christ as their Lord.

In each case, whether people trust their salvation to works, to intellectual decisions, or to religious affiliations, their confidence is misplaced. They don’t put their trust in the God of the Bible, and the message to which they cling is not the true gospel. They are, in a sense, flying blind, unaware of their doomed course. There are many who know they are not saved and are on their way to an eternal hell. They are in a tragic condition, but at least they realize what their true condition is.

The greatest shock of all time will be the person who believes he is about to enter heaven, but is cast into hell. Many who believe they are going to heaven will be turned away according to Matthew 7:21-23. Only then, when it is too late, will they discover their trust was misplaced. Only then will they realize they didn’t possess genuine, saving faith.

The confusion about whether or not someone has true faith is unnecessary. Saving faith can be identified by knowing what the Scripture says it is. First, there must be the believing of the facts of the gospel which is the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord according to First Corinthians 15. It’s available to everyone, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Salvation is the receiving of Jesus into one’s heart, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

How can we know if the faith we have is true saving faith? James 2:26 tells us, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” The faith that leads to salvation is faith that will produce good works in a person’s life! The faith that does not lead to good works will not lead to heaven!

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
March 6, 2003

OUR GREAT NEED!

One reason the Apostle Paul was a great man was because he was committed to a great cause. Only committed people make a difference with their lives, but the problem is that most are committed to the wrong things. Paul was a committed to the wrong thing before he got saved, but after the Lord saved him, he learned what God wanted him to do and he pursued it with all that was in him. He said, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:12).

Many get saved but never realize the purpose of their salvation. They think they were saved simply to keep them out of hell. If that were the main purpose, the Lord might as well transport us on to heaven, but there is a lot more to salvation than having the penalty of our sin taken care of.

There is a major goal Jesus has for every believer. If you are saved and do not know this, you will feel like you are missing something, or you will feel like there is more to salvation than what you have. This is the reason that many people go into all kinds of weird things. They want something but do not know what it is. Yes, there is more and Paul knew what it was and he tells us. If we can get hold of this truth, our lives will never be the same.

Paul said in verse 13, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Paul knew he had not arrived. He had not reached the goal for which he was saved, even though he had been saved for about 30 years. He was still striving to gain what he had been saved for.

What was Paul striving for? Verse 14 tells us, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." He knew there was a prize to every born again child of God and he was hard on the trail to gain that prize. He gives some good advice in verse 15, "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded." He is telling us, "If you want to be a perfect, mature, and a growing Christian, then you must have the same mind about this that I do. Paul knew what the goal was and he pressed toward that goal with all that was in him.

What is the goal and prize Paul was after? It was so important to Paul that he gave up all the things he used to think was important. Before he met the Lord, he strived for the same things most people think are necessary to have "the good life." He wanted material things, position, rank, and fame, but after he got sight of the goal and prize, he gave them up and counted them as dung or as manure in comparison to the new goal he now had in his life.

When a person gets saved, the lights come on. He can then see that the things he has spent his life trying to gain, achieve, or be is worth nothing. The unsaved are like those who put their money in bags with a hole in it. Once Paul's eyes were open, he began to pursue the thing the Lord saved him for. No person can be happy, contented, fulfilled, or have love, peace, and joy in his life if he is not doing and being what his Creator has designed for him.

Paul said, "This one thing I do." Paul's life was consumed with only one thing after his eyes were opened. He forgot about everything in the past. His past successes or failures were forgotten. Those things were not important to him now. Now Paul was like a blind man given 20/20 vision. He was like a man who was completely healed who was on his death bed. He was committed to the one who opened his eyes and gave him new life.

The reason Paul was saved is the same reason every person is saved. The prize and goal for which Paul dedicated his life is the same prize and goal every child of God is to pursue. Scripture tells us what the prize and goal is, "...I count all things but loss for the excellency of THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil 3:8). To “win” Christ does not mean “to gain salvation”. Paul had been saved a long time. The prize and goal was to be like the Lord Jesus and to know him intimately. Verse 10 says, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."

The goal Paul was pursuing was to know Christ. He knew that the more he knew the Lord, the more he would love him. The more you know, love, and trust a person, the greater ability that person has of influencing your life.

Verse 20 tells us, "For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Paul knew one day he would stand before his Lord and Savior and he would be like Him, but he wanted that now as much as was possible in this life.

This is what our Lord wants from every Christian. He wants our minds to be transformed and renewed to the image of Christ now. This is a major reason for attending a Bible believing and preaching church. As the Word of God goes into our minds, it will shape and mold us into His image. If God does not shape our minds, the things of the world will.

If we allow the things of the world to creep into our lives, they will steal our love and affection for our Lord. This is spiritual adultery. When this happens, we begin to lose our love and affection for Christ. It is then that we can end up like the church at Ephesus which left its first love. It was not that the lost their first love and commitment. They allowed worldly things to come in which stole their affection. Have you left your first love or your commitment? If so, you need revival. Find and attend a good Bible preaching church and be committed to it!

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
March 13, 2003

A GOD BLESSED LIFE!

How can anyone have and promote a God blessed life? The first step is to get saved. What would it matter if you gained the whole world and lost your soul? Receiving Jesus Christ is the first step of a blessed life, but it is the only the first step. There are more steps to be taken. It is sad that many who have their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life live miserably here on earth.

There are some things a believer must know and meditate on to keep him living a God blessed life. We must know and remember who owns us! The Bible says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own" (1Cor 6:19). A Christian is a slave who has been redeemed. He has a new master. He has been bought. He does not own his life; therefore, if he uses his life in a manner that is inconsistent with the way the owner would have it used, he is guilty of misappropriation of his life. Anyone who uses something that does not belong to him without the consent of the owner will get into trouble.

We must know, remember, and meditate on the vow we made to God when we were saved. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." This means that you invited him into your life as your Lord. Since He is Lord, He is to be obeyed!

God promised at salvation to give us a new nature, to deliver us from the penalty of sin which is hell for eternity, to give us a place in His kingdom when we die, and grace to live the Christian life here. Can you remember the promises you made to Jesus at salvation? We promised Him our obedience. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

Since the Lord tells us that He has already planned good works for us to do in this life, we are to be obedient and walk in them. We are to find out what He has said in His word and obey them. No one lives a victorious life who does not remember the vows made at salvation. To make a vow but fail to keep it reveals a lack of integrity.

Another step to a God blessed life is to have the right attitudes. Attitudes determine behavior. Attitudes come from what we think about. Anytime a thought comes into our minds that would cause us to sin, it is a step to a violation of our relationship with God. Sin is not simply violating some creed or code. It is a violation of a love relationship between our heavenly Father and us. When we sin, we take advantage of His love and abuse His mercy and compassion to us.
When David sinned, he cried out in Psalm 51, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." Sin steals our joy, contentment, and usefulness. Sin is a terrible thing in the life of believers. When we are disobedient, we are doing something our owner does not want us to do and violates our relationship with God.

If we are to live a God blessed life, we must learn to control our imaginations. Since sin is the cause of our problems, we must learn to stop it at the first appearance. Whatever goes into the mind will control thoughts and behavior. Before salvation, we allowed the things of this world to enter our minds which shaped and formed our beliefs and produced ungodly behavior. After salvation came, we put the truth of God's word in our minds which will form our new beliefs and produce godly behavior.

Genesis 6:5 gives us a look at what controlled the behavior of people before the flood, "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually ." Since all their thoughts were only on evil, the only behavior they could produce would be evil.

Jeremiah 17:9 describes our nature, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." If we are going to control sin in our lives, we must learn to control the imaginations of our hearts. This is where our thoughts are energized to do either good or evil. When a thought is allowed in the mind, the imagination begins to work on it. This is where every deed is produced. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
When a thought comes in, God's word shines a light on that thought to reveal where it will take us if we meditate on it. If a thought can lead us into some sin, the truth will show us that. "Get rid of that thought." If the truth is not in our minds, there is no protection from the evil thoughts of the world, flesh, or Satan. That thought will be energized by a mind void of truth and it will lead into sin.

The reason we sin is not because of exposure to some evil situation. A bad situation will only bring out or reveal something already in us. James 1:14 says, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." We are drawn into sin, not by some situation, but because of the lust in us. The problem is not our environment or because we were exposed to something or because some one did something to us. The problem is in you and me.

If we have sinful anger in us, and someone provokes us, that sinful anger is revealed. It is not a person or a situation that caused the problem. The problem is in us. If the sinful anger had not been there, it could not be provoked. The reason Jesus did not sin is because there was nothing sinful in Him; therefore, no situation could cause Him to sin. When we sin, we want to blame someone or something, but the problem is within us. James 1:15 reveals the end result of our sin, "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." The end result of a mind not filled with God's truth coupled with obedience will be sin which results in death. The opposite to this kind of life is the God blessed life of learning, believing, and obeying His word.

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH) Pastor: Arnold Martin

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
March 20, 2003

THE PURPOSE OF SORROWS!

Hebrews 12 likens Christianity to an athlete running a race. An athlete has a coach, a certain track he must run on, certain rules he must abide by, and a grandstand of people looking on. It has a starting point, a goal, and a limited amount of time to finish the race. These same things are true in the Christian life.

Verse 1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” At salvation, we were placed by our Lord into this race. We only have a certain amount of time. The rules are marked out in Scripture.

A runner must be physically and mentally fit, so our adversaries will do all they can to get us to put on some “weights.” A few extra pounds will slow a runner, just as “weights” will slow down a Christian. A runner would not wear an over coat or wear combat boots. Neither should the Christian allow things in his life that may not be “sinful” but could be weights to slow him down. Enjoying pleasure and material things are not sinful, but if they take too much time and resources in your life, they will certainly prevent you from running at top speed.

Just as a runner could violate certain rules that would disqualify him from running, so the child of God could be disqualified from running his race by committing certain sins. Pastors have lost their ministries by violating the rules. Weights will slow you down while sins can hinder you to a point that you may be removed from the track.

There is a grandstand where a “cloud of witnesses” look on as we run our race. These are the saints who have finished their race and now look on as we run ours. Some members of this grandstand are listed in chapter 11. Imagine how Noah must feel when he watches Christians who are not willing to stand when popular opinion is against them!

Imagine what Abraham must think when he sees people not willing to sacrifice much for the cause of Christ when he gave up him home, family, country because that is what the Lord asked. Imagine what Moses must think when he sees so little sacrifice when he sacrificed the wealth of Egypt counting the approaches of Christ greater gain. As we consider this “grandstand” we are encouraged to run our race faithfully.

There are times in the race when you feel like giving up. Your hands begin to hang down and your legs can get weak. When this happens, verse 2 tells us “to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Jesus put us in the race. He will see to it that we finish the race. He is our example of how we are to run the race. We have the same resources, the Spirit of God and the Word of God.

Most people do not know that while we run this race, we need something to keep us on the right track and help us to keep our thinking and behavior right. This is the chastening of the Lord talked about in verses 3-15. There are times we err in our thinking or doctrine or get involved in things that do not help us in our race. Other things we can get into will hinder our running. The Lord must do something for us to keep our thinking and behavior right. Chastening does this.

Some people think that trials, heartaches, or sorrows in life are simply calamities with no spiritual meaning, but we must realize that if we fail to deal with the weights and sins in our lives, God will! Even when we sin and ask for forgiveness, God will forgive, but many times there will be consequences to our wrong doing. Psalm 99:8 says, “...thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.” If we as believers are bound to sin, we are bound to face the corrections of our Lord.

According to verse 6, the dealings of God are sometime pretty harsh, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” The chastening may come in the form of disease of body or distress of mind. It may be loss of property, loss of friends, or children who go astray. Sometimes the chastening will draw blood. When a person was “scouraged” during this time, he could even die because of the beating.

Just as a loving parent disciplines his children to prevent them from going down the wrong path, so does God does His children. He will bring chastisement so that we will repent of our faults. Sometimes a life of ease can seduce us into a life of spiritual carelessness or a growth of pride in our lives.

There are many reasons that troubles and sorrows come. Not all are as a result of sin. He will bring things into our lives to form our spiritual character (vs 10). Sorrow accepted as divine chastisement refines and sanctifies the soul. It will draw the heart toward God. Chastening will promote our eternal well being. Verse 9 says it is so that we will become “partakers of God’s holiness.”

Verse 5 says, “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.” We must despise the way God decides to deal with us. We despise it when we think we do not deserve it or if we are upset by it. We despise it when we faint under it and forget that it comes from the hand of a loving God. Verse 9 tells us what we must do when chastening comes, we must be “...in subjection unto the Father of spirits.”

Afflictions are to the believer what exercises are to the athlete. Remember it comes from the Lord, not the enemy! Remember, “Whom He loves, He chastens!” Verse 10 tell us that God chastens us “...for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” Verse 11 tell us that after the chastening is over, it will produce “..the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Accept all the troubles and sorrows of life as being allowed by our loving God who is using these things to mature, correct, and strengthen us.

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)

FROM A PASTOR’S HEART
March 27, 2003

IS GOD FOR WAR?

Our nation is at war! Is it right or wrong? There are many opinions about this, even in the church. It seems everyone has an opinion, but you don’t hear many people saying, “This is what the Bible says!” We know that Satan is a liar and the father of it. If you believe a lie, it will produce wrong thinking and wrong behavior. You don’t need a person’s opinion, you need God’s truth.

Genesis 9:6 tells us, “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” When a person maliciously kills someone else, he has struck at the God who made the man. God says that person is to be executed.

Some will ask, “But what about the sixth commandment which says, Thou shalt not kill?” The answer is simple, the word for kill is murder. There are times we are told it is right to kill, but it is always wrong to murder. If someone breaks in your home at night, and you fatally shoot them, you have protected yourself and your family. You have “killed” but not “murdered” in the legal sense. It is not wrong in the Bible for a person to protect himself or to protect his country.

God’s says of punishment, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccl 8:11). Whether it is a child in a the home, a citizen in a country, or a country in the world, the principle is the same. Law is to enforced. When Hitler was allowed to violate international law and appeasement was practiced instead of enforcement of law, we had a World War. When President Kennedy stood up and told Russia that there would be no missiles in Cuba, many thought our president would lead us to war, but instead, there was peace. Why? When law is enforced, it will bring peace.
God is for war! Revelation 19:11 tells us, “...and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” In Genesis 14, Abraham took 318 trained men and rescued his nephew Lot. It was not by negotiations, but by war that Lot was freed. What did God think of Abraham? He called him “The Friend of God.”

Some will say, “The Bible says we are to be peacemakers.” That is absolutely true, but how do you make peace? When a child is rebellious, the way to make peace is to find out what God says and do it. Proverbs 13:24 says, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Betimes means early. A parent who spanks a child for a “spanking offense” will bring peace to the situation. It drives the rebellion away.

Some parents say, “I love my child too much to spank him.” That is what they say, but God says they hate them. How could this be? It is because God, the Creator, knows more about what a child needs than his physical parent. When God says they need a spanking, but the parent will not obey God, they are saying by their actions that they know more than God does. The reason of course is that it does hurt a parent to spank, but if God says to do it, forget the pain it causes you and do what is best for the child. Failure to obey God is to put your feelings above what God says is best for the child, thereby hating the child.

A child who is given rules to live by and has those rules enforced in his live is a secure child. It is the child who has no rules or enforcement that lives a life of insecurity and rebellion. Punishment for a child is remedial. It is to teach and train them to live in a world with others. Selfishness is a dominant characteristic of a child and it must be brought under control by enforcement of rules.

God is for teaching and training. The Bible is filled with truths and principles to learn in order to live in harmony with ourselves, others, and God. For those who fail to learn and obey, there is chastisement. For those who will not heed the chastening of the Lord, there is severe punishment. The government is given by God to punish evildoers. When the guilty are acquitted, the judge is condemned.

Hell is ultimate punishment for those who continually refuse to obey the Lord. Hell is not remedial. Hell is a permanent punishment for rebels. We have the God given right to protect ourselves from criminals at home or criminals from overseas. On September 11, 2001, our country was attacked. We must protect ourselves, but who and how is this to be done? The Bible is very plain about this in Romans 13:1-6. It says: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.”

God ordained the home, the church, and the government. Each has its responsibilities given by God. First Peter 2:13-14 tells us, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” Evil doers to an individual or to this country must be punished by the government.

The government has the responsibility to provide protection and security for the citizens. Our responsibility is to pray for them and be submitted to them recognizing that the powers that be are ordained by God. Please pray daily for the safety of our troops and wisdom for our leaders!

(IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH: Pastor, Arnold Martin)