THE WATER MARK

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money

Keeping your money tank full

By Ken Blue

“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” Proverbs 21:20.

“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son…” Proverbs 10:5.

“The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;” Proverbs 30:25.

Pastor Dallas Dobson was a dear friend of mine; he is now with the Lord. Both of us were from Arkansas and had many of the same childhood experiences. I remember a story he told me that is worth repeating. Hopefully, it will help other pastors.

We were discussing church finances, and he asked me if I remembered the water towers use by the old steam engines that came through our town. I assured him I did. He said, “If you remember, there was a gauge on the outside of the tower to indicate how much water was in the tank.” I told him that I remembered clearly the tower and the gauge.

“Well,” he said, “I look at our church finances like one would look at the water tower. I know how much money it takes to operate our church each month. I keep the tower filled with enough money to keep our church running for at least three months; even if we never have another penny come in during that time. That way, if there is a major emergency, we could continue to operate while we waited for rain.”

From that time forward, I determined that we would maintain enough in the tank to keep our church operating for a minimum of three months. I know many churches are struggling and it is very difficult for them to put anything in the water tower. But, I suggest that you start now and put a little in this special fund until you have an adequate reserve on hand.

Some pastors believe they must spend every penny each week. Therefore, when a special need arises, they are unable to do anything about it. If you work a secular job, you should not attempt to purchase property or build buildings. Also, you should not start supporting missions until you are fulltime, and have started this fund. Missions is not the golden calf, nor should you assume that God will increase your income because you increase your expenses. Many of the special meetings may need to cease until this fund in established.

Beware of borrowing money, and be wise as to how you spend or save it. “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7. Put money in the tank and then keep an eye on it. It is not a lack of faith to save; it is Scriptural, and it is a mark of good senses. In fact, it is an act of biblical wisdom!

THE POISON PEN

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THE POWER OF THE PEN

PEN

By Ken Blue
The pen is a powerful tool, and it expresses the thoughts, disposition, attitude, and intent through its point. When the communist conquered China, they placed a printing press in the back of a truck with a sign which read, “With this we conquered.” One cannot underestimate the power of the pen.

This is why young pastors should use discretion when selecting reading materials. Jerry Falwell said, “Every one of us will be the same in five years, as we are today, with the exception of the people we meet, and the books we read.” Now, to show how some of you have been corrupted; you would have said “amen” to that quote had Falwell’s name not been mentioned. Instead, you went into convulsions. That ought to tell you something about yourself.

When we are young, we seldom have convictions of our own. We adopt those of our parents, our pastor, or our religious hero. These convictions may be correct, and if they are, they should become ours. However, in time we should be able to say as the Samaritans did, “…Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” John 4:42. I am confident that many fundamental pastors are on the “pill.” They haven’t given birth to a new idea in years.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]One cannot underestimate the power of the pen.[/perfectpullquote]

It takes about two minutes to discern who a pastor is reading or listening to. He can’t help but pick up the attitude and demeanor of others. You should balance your reading materials. If all you have are books and pamphlets that spew out negative sewage, you are going to take the stench to the pulpit with you. Only those who live in a sewer will feel at home with you.

Preach on hell when the text calls for it. Preach against all forms of immorality when it is in the passage. Preach against gossip and division, when necessary. But, for God’s sake, don’t allow someone’s pen to poison your attitude, disposition, or manners.

Paul never mentioned hell in any of his writings, yet we know he believed it existed. No one questions Dr. Jack Hyles commitment to truth, but listen to what he said, “This will surprise you. I am going to preach on a subject that you have never heard me preach on Sunday morning probably in the almost a quarter of a century that I have been Pastor of this church. … Also, it is a subject about which I do not like to preach!- Sermon ―Why Hell?” It is a sign of insanity to attack men for what you have not heard him say.

Not all poison is sweet; some is bitter. The trouble with many pastors is that they have been taught that anything sweet is poison and anything bitter is good. Both approaches are wrong. Some pastors live on the poison pen. Dear brother, it will be decided at the judgment seat of Christ how pure our motives and works were. You will have enough to answer for. So, avoid the poison pen ministry.

A COMPLETED SALVATION

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By Ken Blue

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predeestinat to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30.

The believer’s salvation is a completed work from beginning to end. In God’s plan, Jesus was crucified before the foundation of the world. However, the crucifixion materialized over 2000 years ago. Likewise, the believer has been to the cross and is now seated in heaven. The realization of that truth will take place when Christ; who is our life shall appear. While we are on earth, we live and walk in the light of that truth by faith. The following poem declares that truth.

Those who would be save, He always foreknew,
Before earth’s creation; crucified for you.
His image is our predestination.
His Word creates that sanctification.

Providential working, reached the called;
Drawn by His Spirit, at His feet they fall.
Declaring us just; wholly justified.
With Him on the cross, we’re identified.

Secured in heaven; fully glorified.
Seated and sealed; we are immortalized.
From foreknowledge to, glorification;
Forever we’re saved from all condemnation!

Foreknown, predestined, and effectually called;
Justifying and glorifying us once and for all!

TOPICS FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T PREACH THE BIBLE

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PREACHING TOPICS THAT DEFY RIGHT DIVISION

By Ken Blue

Many pastors are searching for sermon topics to preach. Since some completely ignore the dispensation they are in, or they are ignorant of it, we will supply a few topics for them. These subjects will not help your people understand right divisions, but they will give them spiritual discernment of other.

  1. Preach against women wearing anything resembling pants. It is easy to make the Bible teach anything you want; so pay no attention to where the text comes from. Just grab some verses and run with them.
  2. Preach against men with long hair. Just don’t let your congregation know that many of the songs they sing, and the writers you quote had long hair. If you don’t know that, it just shows how ignorant you are of the subject and text. If you need PROOF, read the chapter on long hair in my book, Standards and The Standard.
  3. Preach against men wearing tight jeans that expose their privates. That will be novel and win you lots of friends.
  4. Preach against television. You must be up to date on all the Hollywood actors and actresses, and it is your duty to warn your members about what they should not be watching.
  5. Preach against all music except what you like. Everyone will conclude that you know what music God approves.
  6. Preach against Powerpoint and multimedia in church. You don’t want people to think your church is a movie theater.
  7. Preach against eating in church. You don’t want people to think you have turned your church into a restaurant, do you?
  8. Preach against blacks. We all know that Ham was cursed, and we don’t want cursed people, of another race, (Hamites) in our churches.
  9. Preach against background music. God couldn’t be in it. Just don’t forget to sell your sermons and songs on CD after the service. That’s different.
  10. Preach against political leaders, that’s what Paul tells you to do. (Romans 13; I Timothy 2.)
  11. Preach against those not in the Baptist Bride; all others are in harlot churches. Just don’t let your members know they are singing songs written by those in harlot churches, and that most of your books are by non-briders.
  12. Preach that those you don’t agree with are of the devil, are antichrist, immoral, and approve homosexuality. Surely this will turn people against them, and endear your listeners to you.
  13. Preach that those who believe soul winning, discipleship, and service for Christ are shallow and have selfish motives. Pastors should be whipping the same hobbyhorse you are riding.

These ought to be enough to get one started. Once you get the hang of it, the rest will come naturally. If you need additional help on other such subjects, you can always find newsletters and websites to assist you.

JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE LAMB OF GOD

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JOHN’S UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS’ DEATH

By Ken Blue

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1:29.

Recently a dear lady sent an email asking if John the Baptist might have understood that Jesus would die on the cross since he called Him the Lamb of God. It is my firm conviction that neither John nor anyone else believed that Jesus would die. In fact, all four gospels indicate that none of them understood this Old Testament truth.

John was greater than all the prophets, in that he had the distinct responsibility and privilege of preparing a remnant of Jews for the promised King and the kingdom. His message was clear, “Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins; the King is coming and the kingdom is at hand.”

Everything John believed and preached was that Jesus was Israel’s King and that the kingdom would soon follow their repentance and reception of Him. It never occurred to John that Jesus would be rejected by Israel or be crucified. This is why, when he was in prison, he asks “are you the one we should look for or should we look for another?” Nothing was going as John expected.

When he referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God, he was not thinking of His sacrificial death, but rather, of His purity and righteousness to lead Israel to victory against their gentile enemies. This is what all believing Jews understood.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]John probably died a perplexed and confused follower of Jesus Christ.[/perfectpullquote]

Zaharias the prophet proclaimed the expectation of Israel when he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:68-79.

When John spoke of Him “taking away the sin of the world” he was expecting that to happen in his lifetime. He is not speaking of His death on the cross. However, because of Israel’s refusal to repent, that event is reserved until the Second Advent and the end of the Kingdom. It will be during that time, sin will be taken away from the world. Satan, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and all the wicked, will be “taken away” by the wrath of the Lamb of God.

Paul never called Jesus a lamb or the lamb. That distinction is reserved for Israel. We read more in Revelation about the Lamb than anywhere in Scripture. The wicked, who are about to be expelled say, “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:” Revelation 6:16. “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:” Revelation 14:10. This is the context of the comment by John.

It has been made clear to us, and it will be to Israel (Isa. 53) in the future, that the Lamb also had to die. But, that truth was not understood by anyone in John’s day, and most orthodox Jews do not see it today. Note the conversation on the Emmaus Road. “And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:19-27.

These two demonstrate exactly what other believing Jews expected, and how they felt. Note the words “should have redeemed Israel.” The redemption Israel expected did not include a sacrifice, rather it meant the renewing and reclaiming Israel’s kingdom, as spoken by the prophets. The redemption was deliverance from gentile dominion.

This is why John asks the question, in doubt, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Matthew 11:3. Even though Jesus sent abundant evidence in His answer, John probably died a perplexed and confused follower of Jesus Christ.