God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. That comes over time and time again in the Scriptures.
You will have no test of faith that will not fit you to be a blessing if you are obedient to the Lord. I never had a trial but when I got out of the deep river I found some poor pilgrim on the bank that I was able to help by that very experience. Reading these words were of immense blessing to me as I completed my preparations for three weeks teaching at Pastors and Leaders Seminars in Kenya.
It horribly skews the meaning of the cross when contemporary prophets of self-esteem say that the cross is a witness to my infinite worth. The biblical perspective is that the cross in a witness to the infinite worth of God's glory, and a witness to the immensity of the sin of my pride. Leaders must be faithful in sharing these two truths with their people.
The nature of Christ's salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day evangelist. He announces a Savior from Hell rather than a Savior from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness. That would not be very popular in certain places these days but very necessary everywhere.
Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude-an attitude of dependency - dependency upon God. Leaders - teach your people to pray. Make time to teach your people to pray. Jesus Christ did and He is our pattern and role model for everything - particularly prayer.
Before God furnishes that abundant supply, we must first be made conscious of our emptiness. Before He gives strength, we must feel and sense our weakness. Slow, painfully slow, are we to learn this lesson, and slower still to own our nothingness and take the place of helplessness before the Mighty One.
A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. These words were spoken by C.H. Spurgeon many years ago now and he went on to say - Beware of no man more than of yourself. We carry our worst enemies within us.
"Oh, Brethren, it is sickening work to think of your cushioned seats, your chants, your anthems, your choirs, your organs, your gowns, and your bands, and I know not what besides, all made to be instruments of religious luxury, if not of pious dissipation, while ye need far more to be stirred up and incited to holy ardor for the propagation of the truth as it is in Jesus." How might these challenging words of C.H. Spurgeon be received in many places of worship in today's ecclesiastical climate?
A man says to me, 'Can you explain the seven trumpets of the Revelation?' No, but I can blow one in your ear, and warn you to escape from the wrath to come.
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
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