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ABSALOM; THE THIEF

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By Ken Blue

“And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” 2 Samuel 15:6

Achan stole forbidden items at Jericho. It was said of Judas; he was a thief and stole money. But, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel in order to take the kingdom from his father. 

In time, every pastor will discover that he has at least one Absalom in his church. Unless the pastor is vigilant, Absalom will work behind the scenes, and he will not be discovered until the kingdom is divided or stolen.

Absalom always has the advantage. He has nothing to do but court the people while the pastor manages the church. Absalom is usually hansom, shrewd and has a winning personality. He has one agenda; get a following. He may station himself where he will be seen by others. He will seek to win them to himself. This may be accomplished by the giving of gifts or dinners at home.

Many times Absalom will start Bible studies or fellowship groups in the home without the knowledge of the Pastor. Trouble will soon follow. These meeting will eventually turn into discussions about the Pastor, his family and how he runs the church.

One of the oldest and most clever methods is the use of questions. This was the Devils first approach. “Hath God said?” He used the same method concerning Job and the Lord Jesus Christ. The question method is safe. You can raise doubt, create suspicion, and make insinuations while appearing innocent.  The naive will never realize that they are being groomed and used for Absaloms devious end.

The best way to deal with Absalom is to preach sermons on his tactic so church members can identify him. Also, make it clear that all Bible studies must be approved by the church and attended to by a staff member. The church should also provide the lessons for these groups. Finally, Absalom must be confronted by the Pastor. If he is uncooperative, he must be sent down the road. “Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.” Proverbs 22:10.

WHO DID WHAT?

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“I laboured… yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

labouredBy Ken Blue

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10.

Balance in any area of life is difficult. It seems that we take credit for everything, or we are hesitant to acknowledge any involvement. Perhaps the problem is we fear others will think we are boasting. Paul had a proper perspective and balance when it came to serving Christ. We should learn from him.

We must acknowledge, without Christ we can do nothing of eternal value. However, in this dispensation, God will do little without your cooperation. Read the above verse again, and you will see that Paul was not ashamed to say, “I laboured more abundantly than they all.”

In II Corinthians 11 he says, “ Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:  And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.” 2 Corinthians 11:22-33.

In the above, Paul uses the word “I” sixteen times! Notice the words “me” and “my”. Paul is not bragging. However, he is demonstrating that he was everything, and more than what some others claimed for themselves. It is said that D. L. Moody heard a preacher say, “The world is yet to see what God can do through a man wholly surrendered to Christ.” It is reported that Moody said, “By the grace of God, I’ll be that man.” God will do no more in the ministry than the pastor and the people are willing to do.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]God will do no more in the ministry than the pastor and the people are willing to do.[/pullquote]

However, we must never forget to maintain the balance. Paul went on to say, “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Anything accomplished for Christ is by His grace. It is by His power, mercy, love, goodness, provision, leading, compassion, and enabling we are able to do His work.

Allow me to speak foolishly for a moment. I prayed hard about what God wanted me to do prior to going to Bible College. I worked a full time job at night, attended classes each weekday for five years, while pastoring a small church in Iowa. I came to the Seattle and founded the Open Door Baptist Church. I laboured, preached, prayed, won souls, trained men for ministry, loved our people; and I wept and rejoiced with them for 39 years. Today, a great soul winning church stands as a testimony to human effort and God’s grace.

But, let me be clear. It was God who called me, provided my every need, enabled me, gave me souls for my labor, and met my every need. It was by His grace that anything was accomplished! “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it…” Psalms 127:1.

Therefore, “I laboured… yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” What I am trying to say is, Pastor, give it your all. Do and be your best. In most cases the smarter you work, the luckier you will get. Just don’t forget, everything you accomplish will be by His enabling grace!

STEPHEN HAWKING SAYS GOD NOT NECESSARY

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By Ken Blue

Stephen Hawking may be the smartest man alive, But, I personally doubt it. He says his IQ may be 160 or more. He also said people who boast about their IQ are losers. Those who claim he is the smartest living man use the same logic when denying the existence of God. To prove that Hawking is smarter than all other men, you would have to test every living man. That is not going to happen.

I can assure you that Mr. Hawking is not the smartest man who ever lived. I personally know two preachers that have at least 150 IQ. So what does that prove? Jesus Christ, Paul and Solomon would have scored off the chart. One professor said of the Apostle Paul that he would have been a genius, had he not been a Christian. (?) There are High School dropouts that could probably score higher on a Bible exam than Mr. Hawking.

I have sympathy for Mr. Hawking and his battle with ALS. I too am losing the battle to ALS. So, I understand something of his affliction. However, Mr. Hawking is like the rest of us. He has taken in the information available to him and then formed his opinion. Opinions are not facts; whether in religion or science.

The article in the Wall Street Journal, “Why God Did Not Create the Universe” left me searching for the reason why. The article did not give a scientific answer to the supposition. In fact, the Bible seems to be more in line with the findings of Mr. Hawking than he might imagine. For instance, Hawking says that which appears comes from nothing! “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. There was a time when these did not exist, and they were created out of nothing.

The oldest book ever written says, “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Job 26:7. Talk about Greek mythology all you like. How did Moses know that the universe came into being from nothing, and how did Job know it was hanging in space, on nothing? How did Job know that there is an empty place in the North?

Finally, critics assume that everyone at one time thought the world was flat until science proved otherwise. Well let’s see what the prophet Isaiah said about this elementary ignorance. “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:” Isaiah 40:22. Job 22:14 also speaks of the “circuit” of the earth.

One’s IQ is irrelevant when it comes to matters of science, theology or any other field. We take the information we have and draw our conclusions. There is a world of difference between science and philosophy. Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are not the same. Mr. Hawking says he has knowledge of how thing are, but he admits he doesn’t know why they are that way. The two things missing from Mr. Hawking are wisdom and understanding. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10. God loves Stephen Hawking and Christians should pray for him.

If anyone can prove from science that God doesn’t existence, we welcome those facts. Until then, we will not cast aside our faith in the God of creation for some primeval soup. Let’s see, the soup also requires faith, doesn’t it?

DOING A WRONG THING RIGHT AND A RIGHT THING WRONG

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Wrong Things

By Ken Blue

The reader will notice that these two events stand out like bookends of all that transpired between I Samuel 6 and II Samuel 6. In first Samuel, the Philistines had defeated Israel and carried away the ark. The consequences of that event are in chapter six. Then, in II Samuel chapter 6, King David attempts to bring the ark to Jerusalem. What I want us to note the similarity of the two events, how each was exercised, and what the results were.

“And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:  And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart… And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.” 1 Samuel 6:10-12.

“And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God… And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart… Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:2-7.

 The Philistines were the enemies of Israel and of God, but because of the wickedness of Israel, He allowed the Philistines to defeat them and carry away the ark. Defeat and servitude were the repeated history of Israel throughout much of the Old Testament.

The Philistines found that the presence of the ark was not a blessing to their land or their bodies; both were plagued. As a result, they acknowledged the greatness of the God and reasoned how they might stay the plague and get the ark back to Israel.

They decided an atonement of golden images should accompany the ark. To verify that the plagues were indeed from God, they would try an unquestionable test. They made a new cart and attached two cows that had baby calves. The calves were secured in stalls and the mother cows were sent down the road with the ark. If the cows left their calves behind and took the ark back, without drivers, then there would be no doubt that all was of the God of Israel.

Now, everything they were doing was wrong, but they were doing right! First of all, the ark was not to be in the possession of the Philistines. No other transportation was allowed other than the priest of Israel. But God, in His grace, not only allows them to return it on a cart, He permitted them to physically handle it when taking it from Israel and when returning it. In addition, the offerings to God were idols of gold! God accepted their efforts and healed them of their plagues.

This teaches us that we cannot pin down or patent how God is going to deal with the lost. In some cases, ignorance may be a blessing. They demonstrated more fear of God than wicked Israel.

On the other end of the story we find King David attempting to bring the ark up to Jerusalem, but his efforts are wrong. Once again we see a new cart made and pulled by two oxen. How the ark was moved to the cart we are not told, but someone had to lift it. Regardless, none of this was done the right way, and David knew it. A right thing, bringing the ark home,  was done the wrong way. To add to the lesson, the oxen shook the cart, and Uzzah put for his hand to steady it. God killed him!

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The Christians responsibility is much greater than those of the world.[/perfectpullquote]

The lesson is this; “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48. Israel had the Law of God and all the instructions concerning the handling and moving of the ark. “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 9:3-5. Therefore, the Philistines received few stripes compared to the judgments on Israel.

Christian, God expects very little from the world. They are ignorant and in darkness. But, you and I are children of Light, and our responsibility is much greater than theirs. The problems with Christianity are not the fault of the world. Most problems are rebellion, unbelief, and presumption of believers. Sometimes wrong things can be done in a right way, while the right things are done in a wrong way. Maybe we should evaluate our ministry and make sure we are doing the right things the right way.  

A BAPTIST BRIDE CHURCH; YOUR KIDDING ME

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By Ken Blue

It is amusing to watch Baptist Briders compass land and sea for any scrap of Baptist history to prove the only real church today is a local Baptist bride church, and that Jesus became a member of the Baptist church; which is His bride. Because of the great ministry of Charles Spurgeon, his name is often used to prop up Baptist bride teaching. However, Spurgeon would reject most of those who use him as their predecessor.

I have read much written by Mr. Spurgeon, and I would recommend his writings to all. We have sold many of his books in our bookstore over the years. I have no argument with Mr. Spurgeon. My complaint is with those who use his name to give authority to a false doctrine, while ignoring, or going completely counter to other things he believed and did.

For example, if you would like to see the wrath of the Brider; remove or leave the name Baptist off your church; Spurgeon did. The church he pastored for 38 years was The Metropolitan Tabernacle! Take the name Baptist off, and witness the sweet, sweet spirit fly out the window.

Also, Spurgeon followed John Calvin’s teaching of the TULIP. Spurgeon was a five point Calvinist. I am not sure most Briders would go so far as to preach that the non-elect were pre-destined to hell.

Baptist Briders pride themselves in their belief that they have maintained a true Baptist heritage since the first Baptist, John the Baptist. Do Baptist Briders have musical instruments in their churches? The early church did not, and all Christians opposed them for centuries.

Note again what Spurgeon said about musical instruments. “What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettinesses of a quartette, the refined niceties of a choir, or the blowing off of wind from inanimate bellows and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it” (Commentary on Psalm 42:4).

On another Psalm, Spurgeon said, “Praise the Lord with harp.’ Men need all the help they can get to stir them up to praise. This is the lesson to be gathered from the use of musical instruments under the old dispensation. Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days, when Jesus gives us spiritual manhood, we can make melody without strings and pipes. We who do not believe these things to be expedient in worship, lest they should mar its simplicity…We do not need them, they would hinder than help our praise… ‘Sing unto him.’ This is the sweetest and best of music. No instrument like the human voice. As a help to singing the instrument is alone to be tolerated, for keys and strings do not praise the Lord” (Commentary on Psalm 33:2).

Another Baptist said, “Staunch old Baptists in former times would as soon tolerated the Pope of Rome in their pulpits as an organ in their galleries, and yet the instrument has gradually found its way among them…How far this modern organ fever will extend among our people, and whether it will on the whole work a RE- formation or DE- formation in their singing service, time will more fully develop.” (Benedict, Baptist historian, Fifty Years Among Baptist, page 204-207)”

The Baptist, Andrew Fuller presented the history of the music of the early church. ““The history of the church during the first three centuries affords many instances of primitive Christians engaging in singing, but no mention, (that I recollect) is made of instruments. (If my memory does not deceive me) it originated in the dark ages of popery, when almost every other superstition was introduced.”

So, which is it? Shall be build our church of the Scriptures, rightly divided, or on the tradition of men? Briders will need to search for someone other than Spurgeon to validate their perpetuity. Remember, history is always tainted by those who write it. The Word of God must be our authority.