GOD IS GOOD; BUT SOMETIMES I WONDER

by

GOD IS GOOD; BUT SOMETIMES I WONDER
By Ken Blue
(Read Psa. 73)

“God is good to all who walk upright”, but this truth was not confirmed in my sight.
The wicked prosper; their strength is firm; while the righteous suffer lives infirmed.

They have no fear of the judgment time; pride adorns them, while mocking the Divine.
“There is no knowledge in the most High”, boast the rich, ill prepared to die.

“Is God really good?” a voice asks of me; have I cleansed my hands in vanity?
I’m plagued every day, morning till night; still they prosper, while not doing right.

I turned to God and the Bible in prayer; He opened my eyes, the truth was there.
Judgment awaits their wicked schemes; and earthly pursuits are only a dream.

He was always with me, holding my hand; guiding by grace, wherein I now stand.
None in heaven or earth I desire; await Your call to come up higher.

God is good! There’s no mystery now, my affections were misplaced, and here is how.
I envied the rich and their ease of life; and brooded through my days of strife.

God is indeed good! Let us draw nigh; reading His Word and His name glorify.
God is good to the just and unjust; walking by faith, His wisdom I’ll trust.

The first shall be last in earthly quest; all will vanish in their moment of death.
God is good, there’s no wondering now; He works His plan, His Word explains how.

WHO CAN UNDERSTAND THE UNKNOWN TONGUE

by

GOD WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND

understandBy Ken Blue

“If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?” 1 Corinthians 14:23.

The Sunday morning sermon, in some churches, is like a doctrinal dissertation in a Bible college or Seminary classroom. It is so deep; not even the preacher understands what he is talking about. Paul called this ministry “madness.”

The goal is not to display our Bible knowledge, but to communicate God’s Word so others will understand and obey it. This can only be accomplished when we understand the people to whom we minister and they understand us. Paul said, “…except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?” 1 Corinthians 14:9.

We would do well to ask, “Is my message prepared for a few ‘deeper life’ Christians, or will the least skilled in the Word of God understand what is said?” Remember, the burden is not on the listener; it is on you. People who can’t understand you will say that you are insane.

AMORAL: MUSIC OR INSTRUMENTS

by

USE OF MUSIC OR INSTRUMENTS IN THE CHURCH

musicBy Ken Blue

The “switch and bate” by some of the brethren is to associate musical instruments with certain groups or individuals, and then make you think the instrument itself is carnal and evil. Music and musical instruments are not the same. Music instruments are amoral, regardless of your dislike for certain ones, and all the ranting and raving in the world will not change that fact.

Most fundamentalist believe you have “stepped over the line” if you have guitars, bases guitars, electric pianos, or drums in your church. They cannot help it; that was the way they were trained and conditioned to respond. If they go to the Old Testament for their examples of worship, they should also go there for their choice of instruments.

If we were true to old paths and followed our forefathers, there would be no instruments in any of our services. The use of instruments in church came some four hundred years after the founding of the Christian church. Prior to this, instruments were associated with the devil, dancing and the Catholic Church. The only instrument permitted for centuries was the organ. Later the piano was introduced, but was not allowed to be played during the “worship” service. It was a bar room instrument. Evangelist, John R. Rice said the reasons churches do not win souls is because of the use of the organ. (See his book; Why Our Churches Do Not Win Souls).

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Music and instruments are completely different issues.[/perfectpullquote]

Only until recent times have churches allowed what we call “Specials”. Choirs and congregational singing was all that was allowed. It was deemed worldly and sinful for one person to sing a solo.

grenadeMusic can be wicked, worldly, blasphemous, and vile, but musical instruments are amoral. They are like a hand grenade; they can be used to commit suicide or to defeat an enemy.
Their use is determined by the person holding them. So, don’t let some slick preachers and evangelist “switch and bate” you, by pretending the two are the same. Music and instruments are completely different issues.

Yes, we too can draw a line, and we will draw it for ourselves. Why allow some other church or pastor to draw it for your church? He doesn’t know where the biblical line is. He simply draws it where he thinks it should be, and then wants you to believe you dishonor God if you don’t stop at his line. I assure you, there is music that I dislike, but that is a different matter.

If you can’t find anything to criticize a church about; criticize its music. It matters not that they believe the fundamentals of the faith, have souls saved each week, send out pastors and missionaries and believe the King James Bible. You see, music is that gray battlefield where you can fight until you are blue in the face, but you can’t defend your position from Scripture. All you can do is discredit those who don’t follow your lead.

ARE MEGA CHURCHES A MENACE

by

What makes a Mega Church?

mega churchBy Ken Blue

“Etymology: Greek, from megas large —1 a : great b : greatly surpassing others of its kind.” Merriam Webster’s Dictionary-

The word, “Mega” has fallen into ill repute with the brethren. It’s the same old line, just give any word a negative connotation, and others will be horrified when they hear it.

Is a mega church evil or worldly because it is larger than others in your “fellowship?” What if God really blessed your church with the salvation of sinners and a growing membership, and you surpassed all other churches of like faith? Should we classify you as “mega” and evil?

At what point does a church become a “mega church”? Most churches in America average 87 people in the morning service. If another church has 25 people on Sunday and your church has 250, are you a “mega church” in the eyes of the other, and should you be suspected of wickedness because your church is growing? What if my church averages 500 each Sunday and yours has 2000, have you departed from the faith to reach that number? In other words, have we become so pathetic, that we now must attack churches that outgrow our own?

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The real issue is ecclesiastical jealousy.[/pullquote]

The real issue here is not the size of the church; it is nothing more than ecclesiastical jealousy. “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.” Acts 13:45. Dr. B. R. Lakin said, “If you want to be hated, know more, do more and have more than the other fellow.” Could this be the real problem the brethren are struggling with?

PREACHERS WHO CAN’T LEARN

by

PREACHERS WHO CAN’T LEARN
By Ken Blue

“And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” Numbers 22:12 “And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.” Numbers 22:25.

They say a wasp it largest right after it has hatched, and you will discover that some pastors are most knowledgeable in the first years of their ministry. Regardless of the advice offered, they have already thought of it and cut you off in mid-sentence. Rather than listening, they are thinking of an answer that will upstage you. The reason is pride and a subconscious agenda.

Balaam was just such a preacher. His ambition was for money and fame; and the possible reward outweighed the direct command of God. In spite of the roadblocks God put before him, he was determined to do it his way. You might say of Balaam, that he went through the school of hard knocks. Those who attend this school, walk into life backward, always bumping their head. They refuse to see what you try to show them. God used a dumb ass to crush Balaam’s foot and then to speak to him, but nothing could stop him. He could not learn.

Alexander Pope is credited as saying, “For fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. He also said, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” The book of Proverbs admonished the young man to listen and learn, to observe and learn, to keep silent, and learn, to be still and learn, and to obey God and learn. The question is, are you teachable, or will you continue to walk into the future backward because of pride?

As a man’s wisdom increases, he becomes honestly aware of just how little he knows. If you can learn, the first thing you discover is how much you need the help and wisdom of others, regardless of how long or how little you have been at your profession.