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Christmas – a tale of bread from heav’n

Jacob’s fam’ly lived along

The outer fringe of town among

The peasants, widows, tradesmen, and

The shepherds who traversed the land

Outside the city gates with rams,

And billy goats, and little lambs.

Their house was simple, sturdy, small –

With sand-hued stucco on the wall

That faced the west and bore the wind.

Each winter Jake and dad would mend

The cracks and patch the crumbles tight

To keep out all the draft that might

Keep Jake and sisters from their sleep.


Sometimes by night he’d watch the sheep

For neighbors closer into town.

He’d lead them through the gate and down

The stony path out to the field

And bring back home his tiny yield:

Two copper coins for mother’s tin.

He’d dash inside, and drop them in,

And know he’d helped his fam’ly gain

A little extra weekly grain.


Their clothes were old, their pantry sparse.

And nothing hurt his father worse

Than knowing that his son was gaunt

And how the biting wind would taunt

The hovel, far too small and cramped –

And smelly when the chickens camped

Inside at night.


Young Jake could sense

His father’s grief and watch him wince

On colder nights when each of four

Familial quilts went on the floor

To cover wife and girls and son;

And how he’d wait ‘til they were done

With supper before standing up

And spooning some into his cup.


But Jacob’s father lived in trust

That God had promised and He must

Make all to work out for the good –

Even his fam’ly’s lack of food.

Some nights as he scooped out a few

Of mother’s lentils which she grew

In their side yard, he’d pause and say:

“I’m looking forward to the day

When God will open up the skies

And rain down bread before our eyes.

We may not sup on cakes or rolls …

But manna’s coming for our souls.”


“For our souls?” Jake’s heart would say inside.

“Food for our souls?” It sounded cheap.

And so when Jake would take the sheep

Out through the gate, he’d stop and read.

The words carved there would make him bleed

Inside. ‘Beth-lehem: House of Bread’.

“That may be what the ancients said”

Jake thought, “when David walked this town

And spread his blessings all around.

But things these days are pretty sparse.

That moniker seems like a farce.

‘Beth-lehem: House of Bread’ she was.

But now we say that just because;

Or with a vague religious twist –

‘True food will fall down like the mist’

Dad says. ‘Bread for the hungry soul –

Just like the prophets have foretold.’”


“I do not know” Jake thought. “Perhaps

Dad’s right.” But then his mind would lapse

Into a twelve year old’s day dreams –

With eyes glazed over and moonbeams

Across his face.


He’d almost dozed

When all the sheep around him rose.

The neighb’ring shepherds stood upright …

And in the sky a distant light

Grew brighter … and more glorious still

Until, hov’ring above the hill

Where shepherds watched their flocks by night –

And robed in splendid, glorious white –

An angel spoke and Jacob fell,

Sure that the news he’d come to tell

Was justice, wrath, and death assured

For doubting all his father’s word

About the bread, about our souls,

And how life’s more than cups and bowls

And yeast and grain and stomachs full.


But then he felt a kind word pull

Him off his face and to his feet:

“My news for you is true and sweet,

Like wafers spread with honey wild –

In Bethlehem’s been born a child!

A king – like manna for your souls!

You’ll find him near the donkey foals

Inside a manger filled with hay.

For unto you is born this day

A Savior who is Christ the Lord,

The Son of God, the Living Word!”


As Jacob rushed back down the trail,

He tripped over a water pail

And tumbled down upon his back.

As he looked up into the black

Of night … his eyes fixed on that gate.

And now its slogan filled with weight.

Once more: “Beth-lehem: House of Bread”.

It was just as his father said!


So learn the truth of Bethl’em’s gate.

It’s not the food that’s on your plate;

Nor if your body’s strong and whole.

The bread of God is for your soul!

Christmas – a tale of bread from heav’n

Which to our race is freely giv’n.

-Kurt Strasser

Posted in Others.

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By admin – December 26, 2009

Report from Zambia on the Work in Ethiopia

The First Zambian Reformed Baptist Mission to Ethiopia

(By Victor Kanyense and Grave Singogo)

Ethiopia, or as it is popularly known Ityop’iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia), is situated in the ‘Horn of Africa’, in the northeast corner of the African continent. The capital city of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa (which means “new flower”), a city of an estimated 8 million people. Ethiopia is a landlocked country, bordered on the west by the Sudan, the northeast by Eritrea, the east by Djibouti and Somalia, and the south by Kenya. With an exception of Kenya, the rest of the countries bordering Ethiopia are Islamic countries.

Background Information and Short History

Ethiopia is unique among African countries. The history of Ethiopia is said to span 3,000 years, a land of plenty with a long and noble history giving rise to ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. It is the only country that has never been under colonial rule, with an exception of a short-lived Italian Fascist occupation from 1936-41. It has more than 80 uniquely rich ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups. Hamitic peoples migrated to Ethiopia from Asia Minor in prehistoric times. Semitic traders from Arabia penetrated the region in the 7th century B.C. Its Red Sea ports were important to the Roman and Byzantine Empires. Ancient Ethiopia reached its peak in the 5th century, then was isolated by the rise of Islam and weakened by feudal wars. Coptic Christianity was brought to the region in A.D. 341, and a variant of it became Ethiopia’s state religion.

Ethiopia is renowned for its distinctive Christian tradition and association with the Ark of the Covenant of ancient Israel. It was to this land, that that Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, to whom Philip preached Christ, was coming to. Ethiopia also has the sixth largest number of people (approximately 1 million) living with HIV and AIDS of any country in the world. There are 575,000 children orphaned due to AIDS-related deaths of parents. As a result, more children need to stay home to take care of their fragmented families. Only 26 percent of Ethiopia’s children attend secondary school.

The population of Ethiopia is officially estimated to be around 85.8 million people.  Amharic, a Semitic language, is the official language. It is written with a version of the Ge’ez script known as Fidel. There is also, Tigrigna, Orominga, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, and English, and over 70 others. There are various ethnic/race groups in Ethiopia: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%. On the religious scene, Ethiopia is made up of Islam (est. 45%–50%), Ethiopian Orthodox (est. 35%–40%), animist (12%), and others (3%–8%).

The Macedonian Call

“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’  After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:9-10).

Last year on January 20th, 2009, Pastor Conrad Mbewe and Mr Wilson Kamanga travelled to Addis Ababa. Their visit was a fact-finding mission in response to a “Macedonian call” from that land. That Macedonian call came from Anthony Mathenia. Anthony needed help with the growing work in Ethiopia and was pointed to the Reformed Baptists in Zambia for that help.

They went to see how we, Reformed Baptists in Zambia, could help with the Addis Kidan (which means “New Testament”) Baptist family of churches. Presently has about 65 churches, mostly situated in the southwest of Addis Ababa. These churches have about sixty men undergoing modular-type training in Addis Ababa with a view that they should go into church planting across the country, depending of course on the final recommendation from the trainers.

Two of our Reformed Baptist pastors undertook the first Zambian Reformed Baptist mission to the land of the Ethiopian Eunuch: Dr Grave Singogo (Evangel Baptist Church, Lusaka) and Victor Kanyense (Mt. Makulu Baptist Church, Chilanga). They travelled to Ethiopia for a Church Leader Training programme organised by Anthony Mathenia. Let them tell the story.

We arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the evening of November 4th, to a warm and hearty Christian welcome from Anthony in the company of Yoseph, a wonderful Ethiopian Christian brother. Yoseph drove us all the time we were in Ethiopia. On Thursday morning at about 07:00 hours, Anthony and Yoseph came to pick us from the Addis Kidan Baptist guesthouse for our mission-trip to Jimma in the southwest of the country. As we finally left Addis Ababa for Jimma, we were now a team of six: Anthony, Yoseph, Grave and Victor, and joined by Alem, a fulltime worker with the Addis Kidan Baptist Association and Bisrat, both serving us as able translators during the training programme.

Jimma (also Jima) is the largest city in southwest Ethiopia. It is located in the Jimma Zone of the Oromia Region. It was the capital of Kaffa Province until the province was dissolved. Herbert S Lewis states that in the early 1960s Jimma was “the greatest market in all of south-western Ethiopia. On a good day in the dry season it attracts up to thirty thousand people.”

Driving to Jimma makes the trip worthwhile in itself. The scenery is great from the outskirts of Addis Ababa, with the beautiful Menagesha forest appearing on your right to lead the onslaught of scenery. The scenery continues with the Omo Valley, justifiably marked as one of the country’s scenic drives on the tourism map. Winding down and up the valley is a highlight of the trip. After about 400 km, we arrived at the city of Jimma. The Western Oromos of the area are overwhelmingly Muslim, and it is this Islamic culture that gives Jimma its atmosphere.

After we had checked into a local hotel and had had our late lunch, we headed for the Addis Kidan Baptist Church in Jimma who were the gracious hosts of the training programme. A sizeable group of Church leaders and members of the local church with their pastor, Pastor Getinet, were gathered to welcome us. Unlike us, Ethiopians came across to us as rather shy people, however very warm, friendly and welcoming.

Grave and Victor gave introductory expositions to the Bible themes they were to speak on for the next two days: Grave spoke on Christology focusing on the Person and work of our great God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He sketched the biblical doctrine of Christ showing that our Saviour is both God and man. He reaffirmed the fact that the work of Christ is not simply confined to His work on the cross, but spans all the way from eternity to His Second coming. In other words, though the most central and important aspect of the work of Christ on earth was His death on the cross, it is not limited to it. Indeed the work of Christ on earth is inclusive of His birth, His death, His burial and resurrection, His ascension and exaltation, His intercession, His Second coming and His final judgement. Grave then explained each of these aspects of the work of Christ in detail during the course of the training programme.

Victor spoke on soteriology, expounding some of the major Bible texts. He set the context for the studies by beginning with laying a firm foundation of what necessitated the sovereign work of God in salvation, by expounding Genesis 3 showing the nature and consequences of the fall of humanity in sin. Having laid that awful dark backdrop, the following day, Victor took up the Genesis 3:15, expounding the protevangelium, showing the announcement of a prolonged struggle, perpetual antagonism, wounds on both sides, and eventual victory for the Seed of woman. He illustrated this in his exposition of Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 55 in the two sessions on Friday, showing the sufferings of Christ and triumph of the cross for the salvation of the elect of God. On Saturday, Victor took up two passages in Ephesians. He dealt with the theme of God’s work of salvation for us in Ephesians 1, showing how the Triune God planned our great salvation: God the Father electing a people for Himself; God the Son, Jesus Christ, redeeming the elect and God the Holy Spirit sealing God’s people for eternity. In Ephesians 2, he dealt with the theme of God’s work of salvation in us, showing the absolute sovereignty of God in the work of salvation.

The response to the preached Word during the sessions was simply overwhelming and encouraging. The attentiveness of the brothers and sisters, their discipline to be seated and instructed from God’s Word was unprecedented. They sat listening to God’s Word, taking copious notes of what was been preached in all the sessions. On occasion, the response was so spontaneous to the exposition of God’s Word as the brothers and sisters broke out in singing, prayer, and praise to the Lord. There were brief tea breaks between the sessions that were mingled with beautiful Ethiopian voices singing and enthusiastic prayers and praise to the Lord.

On the Lord’s Day, Victor preached to an overflowing and enthusiastic congregation. He expounded on David strengthening himself in the LORD his God at Ziklag in 1 Samuel 30:1-6, encouraging the people of God to always trust in the providence of God. Yes, as the hymn writers wonderfully captures this in their hymn:

I know Who holds the future,

And He’ll guide me with His hand,

With God things don’t just happen,

Everything by Him is planned;

So as I face tomorrow

With its problem large and small,

Give to Him my all.

We headed back for Addis Ababa after the morning worship on the Lord’s Day. We got back early Sunday evening to a well-deserved rest.

Reflections on the Mission to Ethiopia

The following day, Monday, we spent mid-morning to late afternoon prayerfully reflecting back on the training programme and thinking together about the way forward for the work of Reformation in Ethiopia. This we did around delicious cups of Ethiopian coffee. It is very clear from talking to Anthony that he carries a heavy and deep burden for a true work of Reformation to planted, established and nurtured on the Ethiopian ecclesiastical scene. His passion and vision is very infectious and we ‘fear’ we have caught it, and heartily so. It is our earnests pray that all Reformed Baptists in Zambia may also catch this vision for a true work of Reformation far beyond our borders, in the land of Ethiopia and that the Lord may graciously grant to us this unprecedented opportunity to reach out to Ethiopia and respond to the “Macedonian call” coming from that land. Towards the end of our report, we would like to share some few reflections, thoughts, and areas needing earnest pray and possible engagement in Ethiopia.

On Monday evening, we were privileged to have dinner with some board members of the Addis Kidan Baptist Churches Association. Ray and Lauralee Lindholm, American Baptist missionaries to Ethiopia, arranged this dinner/meeting with the board members. Ray and Lauralee wanted us to share with the Association Board members our mission and ministry in Jimma. We met the board Chairman Abera, the General Secretary Kifle, and another board member. We shared briefly with them our ministry in Jimma and our sincere desire to partner with them in any future endeavour in the cause of our great God and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the land of Ethiopia.

As may be noted above, Ethiopia is surrounded by Islamic countries, with the exception of Kenya to the south. Ethiopia stands more or less at the threshold of the 10/40 Window providing us with an unprecedented opportunity to reach the Islamic world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.


It is important to point out here that much of Ethiopian Evangelicalism is defined by the tenets that characterise the contemporary Charismatic movement and it’s semi-Pelagian doctrinal outlook and man-centred worship. We were reliably informed that much of the so-called Christian literature so prevalent on the Ethiopian Christian scene, especially in the Amharic language, is that being produced from the “prosperity and prefect health” teaching. Sad and grievous as this may be, there is little of the solid and sound theologically Reformed works that we in the English-speaking world enjoy and take for granted. However, it was delightful to learn, as we were making our way to the airport, that a missionary organisation, Serving In Missions (SIM) is busy translating some good Reformed works. On the list of good books translated into Amharic is Richard Baxter’s magisterial work of shepherding God’s flock, the Reformed Pastor.

Allow us to share some areas that were impressed on our hearts while ministering in Ethiopia and as we prayerfully reflected together on what the Lord is doing in that land. Here are some areas calling for prayer:

*Let us pray for the Lord to open a door for us to minister in Ethiopia through the Addis Kidan Baptist Churches Association. Pray that the Lord would unite our hearts with the brethren of Ethiopia that the fruit of this fellowship will enrich our lives both for our Ethiopian brethren and for us in Zambia.

*Let us pray for the various church leaders who have been attending these special Church Leaders Training seminars that Anthony Mathenia has been conducting for sometime now. As Conrad as rightly observed in his blog, “…those who learn the truths of Scripture with respect to biblical ecclesiology will be given wisdom and courage to apply the truths in developing truly biblical churches for the good of the people of Ethiopia and for the glory of God.”

*Let us pray for the evangelisation of the various ethnic groups across length and breadth of Ethiopia. Much of the work of the Addis Kidan Baptist churches is in the southwest of Ethiopia. Let us pray for the planting and establishment of biblical churches across Ethiopia: north, west, east and south. This opportunity brings to our doorsteps an estimated 80 million people to be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

*Let us pray for this unprecedented opportunity to enter the 10/40 Window with the gospel of Jesus Christ and establish a biblical witness in those countries. This opportunity is unprecedented, as we may note for the map, Ethiopia is right at the threshold to the 10/40 Window.

*Let us pray for the Lord to either provide resources or move His church in the West to take up the challenge for the translation of solid and sound Reformed literature and theological works into the Amharic language. Overwhelmingly, most of the so-called Christian literature readily available in Amharic is the erroneous teachings of charismatic movement on material prosperity and prefect health. These writings do not address the essential need for the salvation of humanity.

*Let us pray for Addis Kidan Baptist churches across Ethiopia to embrace a true Reformation in doctrine and worship and life. We have noted from our own experience in Zambia that without a true Reformation many churches become susceptible to the poison of the contemporary charismatic movement.

*Let us also pray that the Lord may send a missionary (or missionaries) from among us in Zambia to Ethiopia to labour among His people there for a true work of Reformation.


Oh, may the Lord our Saviour be pleased to enlarge our hearts for missions to Ethiopia: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2 NIV). Amen!

Posted in Ethiopia, PTT.

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By admin – December 16, 2009

How and Why PTI is now PTT

What PTI was-

Because of a strong conviction that the church is the primary way that God displays His glory and His grace to the nations, I have prayed with expectation that churches would be established and/or reformed in order to accurately reflect the character of God. The primary purpose of ministry among the Ethiopian churches has been to cultivate and encourage them in these crucial (yet not exhaustive) areas:


1. God- The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
2. The Gospel
3. Salvation
4. Preaching
5. Prayer
6. Evangelism
7. Church Issues (membership, government, discipline)
8. Discipleship

I have given myself to the facilitating of preaching, teaching, and training within the local churches.  For more than two and a half years a modular style bible training conference was held quarterly covering systematic and biblical theology along with relevant cultural issues and practical instruction.  Sixty-five ministers, sent from their local churches throughout Ethiopia, were taught and trained via PTI.

What PTI has become-

The process of morphing the Institute is well underway as a result of the recent work in Ethiopia.  I met two pastors from Zambia in Addis Ababa, and from there we made our way to a city called Jimma in southwestern Ethiopia, five hours away.  Dr. Grave Singogo and Victor Kanyense have been used by God in their homeland of Zambia to proclaim the truths of Christ for more than three decades combined.  I could not have been more delighted to meet them and hear them teach, preach, and exhort the Ethiopian at the church in Jimma.  These two God-fearing pastors are extremely qualified in their roles and their love for Christ and His honor oozes out of them both.

The teaching from this point forward will be regionally-based, and all of the nearby pastors, ministers, evangelists, missionaries, church planters, and church members will be welcomed.  Basically, the ministry is transitioning from training only men who want to start new churches to training all ministers and members within the Addis Kidan Baptist denomination.  Our hope is to keep the training quarterly at least, if not more often when possible.  We will continue teaching the major doctrines of Christianity in an immensely practical and clearly biblical way.  As a result of this transition, I have changed the name of the ministry from PTI to PTT.  Pastor’s Training Institute is now Psalm Two Twelve.

“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,

For His wrath may soon be kindled

How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:12


Posted in Ethiopia, PTT, Theology.

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By admin – December 13, 2009

Begone Unbelief, My Savior is Near

Begone unbelief, my Savior is near,
And for my relief will surely appear:
By prayer let me wrestle, and He wilt perform,
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.

Though dark be my way, since He is my Guide,
’Tis mine to obey, ’tis His to provide;
Though cisterns be broken, and creatures all fail,
The Word He has spoken shall surely prevail.

His love in time past forbids me to think
He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink;
Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review,
Confirms His good pleasure to help me quite through.

Determined to save, He watched o’er my path,
When Satan’s blind slave, I sported with death;
And can He have taught me to trust in His Name,
And thus far have brought me, to put me to shame?

Why should I complain of want or distress,
Temptation or pain? He told me no less:
The heirs of salvation, I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation must follow their Lord.

How bitter that cup, no heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up, that sinners might live!
His way was much rougher, and darker than mine;
Did Jesus thus suffer, and shall I repine?

Since all that I meet shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet, the medicine is food;
Though painful at present, wilt cease before long,
And then, O! how pleasant, the conqueror’s song!

John Newton (1725-1807)

Posted in Hymns.

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By admin – October 28, 2009

Remember Lot’s Wife

Jesus, the King of the universe, says “Remember Lot’s wife”. He never suggest commemorating any other figure in history. Only this nameless sinner from a half forgotten age. He skips over Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He fails to mention David, Isaiah, or Daniel. He doesn’t even point out His own disciples. Yet, this obscure, seemingly unimportant woman gets singular prominence, when Jesus commands us to remember her.

What should we remember about her? She has no name. We know nothing of her birth. Her lineage is not listed. There are no extraordinary achievements recorded for us to grant commemoration to her as a result. She is referred to as ‘wife’ three times in a few verses and outside of that the only time she is mentioned is when Jesus Himself commands us to remember her.  What should we remember about her?

Her history consists of these events: Genesis 19:15ff

When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.” But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

She appears in history just long enough to disappear again.  A remarkably brief history, yet Jesus says “remember Lot’s wife”.

The first thing that we ought to remember about Lot’s wife is that she was ‘almost’ saved:

She experienced extraordinary deliverance. She had undergone an unexpected escape. She was in certain safety. In expectation and probability, she was in fact saved already. In actual experience she was even almost saved. The burning city was behind. She had been led out by angelic hands. Her husband and children were at her side. The assigned refuge was in clear sight ahead of her. Consider what she had in her favor: her family one side and the Savior on the other…Sodom behind, and Zoar ahead…who would not consider her “saved”? She could have been left in Sodom a suicidal victim of her own unbelief, but the Lord was merciful to her and was slow about his anger with her. Think of the mercy extended to her: the cry of the angel in one ear, the crackling of the flames in the other…both impelling her onward, to that refuge in the mountains. Lot’s wife had all these incentives and still she was only almost saved.

The second thing that we ought to remember is that she ultimately perished:

The fact that Lot’s wife perished is certain, but the major issue for us to take note of is where she perished. If we could ask her she might say that she perished from absolute safety. She had indeed escaped the obvious danger, right? Yet, in the very moment of deliverance, she perishes and is no more!
Remember Lot’s wife.
Remember that she was ‘almost’ saved.
Remember that she perished.

Why remember this no-named sinner from several thousand years ago?

Because we, like Lot’s wife may also only be almost “saved”.  Sure, you may have fled the outright Atheism of our day. You may not dwell in the land of the Sodomites. It may even appear that you are hand in hand with your family and friends escaping the “apparent” destruction to come.  Do you feel safe from the heathens and soundly secure from the pagans among you? If this completes your spiritual resume then you are indeed lingering in the valley just like Lot’s wife, and it is not safe. God said to Lot and his family, “do not stay anywhere in the valley”.  He says to you as well, “you must not stay anywhere in the valley”.  It does not matter one bit how safe you feel. You must not hesitate in this journey through the valley. Yes, you do have to enter the valley called life, but it is safe for traveling only, not for lingering. You must press on through the valley, press in to the mountains of refuge that we have in Jesus.

“Run in such a way as to obtain the prize”
Lot’s wife was almost saved, but perished ultimately in the end. She was following safe guides. She was headed in the correct direction. But she hesitated, and looked back, and she was no more!  It will be the same for you if you attempt to set up a comfortable camp here in this valley. If you stop, yield, or linger, you too will perish. No matter your motive in looking back, you will perish.

“Do not look behind you” and “Do not stay anywhere in the valley”
Both of these commands are required.  Not one or the other and not one to a greater degree.  Both are required.

You may be tempted to say:
“I am convinced of the danger that hangs over me.”  Lot’s wife was convinced, and it was not enough.
“I am escaping the danger, I am fleeing the wrath to come.”  Lot’s wife was escaping too, she was fleeing, yet it was not enough.
“I am near the place of refuge. I can see it in the near distance.”  Lot’s wife was quite near to Zoar and could see the mountains. It was not enough.

You must not be content with mental knowledge of the danger, with some past experience of escape (like the sinner’s prayer or baptism), or even with the sight of hope in the foreground.  You must not stop.  Do not halt.  Do not even slow in your pace.  Definitely do not rest now, and please do not consider ever looking back.

Surely you are not willing to live and die as living proof that sinners may be almost saved, yet not really saved at all.
Surely you are not willing to starve to death at the threshold of the feast that has been offered to us in Jesus Christ.
Surely you are not willing to die of thirst at the base of the fountain of salvation because you would rather turn away and dig broken cisterns that can hold no water.

This is what letting up will get you!  Not finishing well and pulling up short will earn for you eternal perishing.  Nothing less.
If this is the end you want, the death you long for, then look back to Sodom, and stretch out your hands to the world around you. Turn back now to become a lifeless, white, shiny, column of salt.

But, if this is not the end you desire, then…
Escape for your life!  Do not look back!  Do not stay anywhere in the valley!  Escape to the Mountains, or be consumed!

When the temptations arise and the urge to look back comes…Do not yield to it!  Let memory do the work of sight. Instead of looking back to perish without hope… Remember Lot’s wife.

Posted in Notes.

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By admin – October 27, 2009

Live in Love :: The Love of God

2 Thessalonians 3:5
“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”

There is a vast difference between understanding that God loves sinners, and actually making your home in His love. Most of us believe that God loves us and sent His Son to die for us. But some of us have yet to get up out of our pitiful make-shift shanties and laid down to rest in the immense love of God. We are still trying to prove to ourselves or to others that we are capable of being satisfied on anything but God. We are still spending our inheritance on what doesn’t satisfy. We are still living in miserable conditions disappointed with ourselves because we are uncertain of God’s love.

Today could be a moving day. Today could be the day you fold up the cardboard box and make the journey home. Today could be the day you throw your sins and self-reliance in the dumpster. Today could be the day you leave your unhappiness and uncertainty in the back alleys. Today could be the day you come empty-handed to a Father who loves you and will welcome you home. Today is the day to move in and set up house in the love of God.

Live in Love…Live today and forever in the Love of God.

Posted in Theology.

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By admin – October 27, 2009

If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee

If thou but suffer God to guide thee
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He’ll give thee strength, whate’er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trust in God’s unchanging love
Builds on the rock that naught can move.

What can these anxious cares avail thee
These never ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help if thou bewail thee
O’er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.

Be patient and await His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whatever thy Father’s pleasure
And His discerning love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost want are known
To Him who chose us for His own.

God knows full well when time of gladness
Shall be the needful thing for thee.
When He has tried thy soul with sadness
And from all guile has found thee free,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.

Nor think amid the fiery trial
That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred.
Time passes and much change doth bring
And set a bound to everything.

All are alike before the Highest:
’Tis easy for our God, We know,
To raise thee up, though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low.
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.

Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
Perform thy duties faithfully,
And trust His Word: though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee.
God never yet forsook in need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.

Georg Neumark

Posted in Hymns.

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By admin – October 27, 2009

Love is from God – First John 4:7-19

This text brings us immediately to a personal God, who is or ought to be the object of our love, our worship, and our life.
 To know who and what God is has been a vast mystery that has vexed the minds and souls of the world’s greatest thinkers. So to read of this truth so plainly spelled out for us in the Scriptures is quite astonishing. 
The apostle here begins with the familiar Christian saying, “let us love one another”, but he doesn’t stop there. He continues on, for our benefit, and traces the flood to the fountain by stating, “love is from God”. Therefore, love is divine, and proceeds from the nature of God alone. So wherever divine love prevails in us, it does so because a new nature, from above, has been implanted in us by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Is this not exactly what John says, “everyone who loves is born of God and knows God”, and contrastingly as well, “the one who does not love, does not know God, for God is Love”.

John is not content with generalities here, and thus continues on and refers us to that great, stupendous manifestation of Divine Love in the incarnation; “the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” One result of this sending of His Son was propitiatory. Propitiation proves love, love to sinners especially. (1 Jn. 2:1-2) Propitiatory love is a chief demonstration to us of the supreme splendor of God. The Love of God being poured out within our hearts (Romans 5:5) displays more of God and His love to us than all works or signs.

Throughout these verses there is this thread connecting the love in God’s nature, the love in the atonement, the love in Jesus, and the love in the Church. And the clear explanation is that it is the same love flowing from God to us via His chosen path, which is His triune work of accomplishing our redemption.
 The second place where John explicitly states that ‘God is Love’ gives us magnificent application for life; “if you abide in love, you abide in God and He abides in you”. The One who made you, who has sustained you, and who has redeemed you makes His abode in you. The Love of God ought to be our habitation! We must live there, never going elsewhere.  His love should be our atmosphere, where we live and breathe and love. How is this possible? He has accomplished it all for us.
 Consider the final verse in this passage. “We love, because He first loved us.” And loving us, He conquered all barriers to us living in Him and for Him in all things.

Posted in Theology.

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By admin – October 27, 2009

Hail, sovereign love!

Hail, sovereign love that first began,
The scheme to rescue fallen man;
Hail matchless free eternal grace,
That gave my soul a hiding place.

Against the God who rules the sky,
I fought with hand uplifted high,
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a hiding place.

Enwrapped in thick Egyptian night,
And fond of darkness more than light,
Madly I ran the sinful race,
Secure without a hiding place.

But thus th’ eternal counsel ran,
“Almighty Love, arrest that man!”
I felt the arrows of distress,
And found I had no hiding place.

Indignant justice stood in view,
To Sinai’s fiery mount I flew,
But Justice cried with frowning face,
“This mountain is no hiding place!”

Ere long a heavenly voice I heard,
And Mercy’s angel form appeared.
Who led me on with gentle pace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place.

On Him Almighty vengeance fell,
That must have sunk a world to hell;
He bore it for a chosen race,
And thus became their hiding place.

Should storms of sevenfold vengeance roll,
And shake this earth from pole to pole;
No flaming bolt could daunt my face,
For Jesus is my hiding place.

A few more rolling suns at most,
Shall land me safe on Heaven’s coast.
There I shall sing the song of grace,
To Jesus Christ, my hiding place!

Jehoida Brewer (1752-1817)

Posted in Hymns.

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By admin – October 24, 2009