Sovereign Grace

“Salvation and sanctification are the work of God’s sovereign grace, and our work as His disciples is to disciple others’ lives until they are totally yielded to God. One life totally devoted to God is of more value to Him than one hundred lives which have been simply awakened by His Spirit.”

(Oswald Chambers)

Oswald Chambers brings to light many powerful topics

1. Salvation and sanctification are the works of God. No one has saved anyone. No one has control over who gets saved. Who does or does not get saved (and when) is completely in the hands of God.

2. “…our work as His disciples is to disciple others’ lives…”

What is a disciple? It is more than being a follower of Christ. It is more than adhering to the principles and precepts that Jesus taught, which a disciple does. A disciple lives what he teaches. In a literal sense he practices what he preaches. Part of discipleship is outreach, teaching, and mentoring to others. We as a Christian are to be Christ like and a disciple exemplifies that idea.

A Disciple Spreads the Word

Jesus after being resurrected gave us all a commandment. Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)

A Disciple Practices what He Preaches

D.L. Moody said, “Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible, the other 99 will read the Christian.”

James said, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” (James 2:14).

With God, there is no difference between words and actions. What is said is done. The disciples words and actions must be consistent with that of Jesus Christ.

A disciple follows, adheres, teaches, and acts. Most importantly, a disciple acts from the heart. Rooted in love, these things flow from the spirit according to his own free will.

Devoted To God

Oswald Chambers makes a clear distinction between a “life totally devoted to God” and those “simply awakened by His Spirit”. This is important to understand and yet often very difficult to delineate between the two, because both can appear the same.

God quickens or awakens our spirit.

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11)

Before the quickening by God we suffer from what’s known as the noetic effects of sin. This is a state of being when we are adversely affected by sin but aren’t really aware of it. We know of sin but not to its full extent. We are blind to our own sinful condition and don’t really realize that all sin is a personal affront to God, that all sin is against God.

Once our spirit has been quickened and the noetic effects of sin are at realized is when we are able to transition from an academic, head knowledge of God to more of a heartfelt, spirit filled knowledge of God.

Now comes the most critical point in everyone’s life. Once our spirit has been awakened, we must make a choice. Are we going to choose God, righteousness, and salvation? Or are we going to choose this world and all that’s in it. In making our choice, we determine heaven or hell. A no decision is a decision in of itself. It seals our destiny in Hell. You can’t carry on business as usual without the eventual consequence of damnation.

Once we choose God, we choose life and become devoted to God. But the quickened spirit that doesn’t choose God will live in torment. They have seen the light, comprehended the light, but have chosen darkness.

Not all experience the quickening. Not all will be saved because not all have been chosen.

Bill Hitchcock

Kate Smith Is Our Latest Racist

She was dubbed the “First Lady of Radio” and best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", Kathryn Elizabeth Smith, or Kate Smith, has become America’s newest racist. Although she’s been dead for 33 years, the charge of racist is focused on two songs she sang dating back to the 1930’s.

The two songs at the center of the controversy are the 1931 song, “That’s Why Darkies Were Born,” and “Pickaninny Heaven”, which was featured in the 1933 film, “Hello, Everybody!”

The New York Yankees baseball team and the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team both played Kate Smith’s God Bless America before each of their games. Both organizations recently stopped doing so since these accusations of Smith being a racist became known. The Flyers have also removed a statue of Kate Smith that had been in front of their complex for 32 years.

Here are the lyrics to “That’s Why Darkies Were Born”. Pay close attention to the latter part of the song where Blacks are praised as God’s Christian soldiers fighting the fight that White’s either won’t or can’t fight. You’ll discover that except for the terms “darkie” and “colored”, that this song is not disparaging of Blacks at all, but is actually quite the opposite. This song, is an ode to the superior strength and faith Blacks have over Whites, placing the responsibility of salvation with them.

That’s Why Darkies Were Born

Lyrics to “That’s Why Darkies Were Born”. You can listen to the song on YouTube below.

“Brothers, sisters, when this world began. There was more to be done, and it seems that someone, Left it to the colored man.

Brothers, sisters, what must be, must be. Though the balance is wrong, still your faith must be strong, accept your destiny.

Brother listen to me. Someone had to pick the cotton, Someone had to plant the corn, Someone had to slave and be able to sing,

That's why darkies were born; Someone had to laugh at trouble, Though he was tired and worn, Had to be contented with any old thing, That's why darkies were born;

Sing, sing, sing when you're weary and Sing when you're blue,

Sing, sing, that's what you taught, All the white folks to do.

Someone had to fight the Devil, Shout about Gabriel's Horn,

Someone had to stoke the train, That would bring God's children to green pastures,

That's why darkies were born.”

-END-

This ode is in reality very high praise for Blacks when you listen to the actual message. What flagged it as racist were the terms, “colored” and “darkies”. But these are generationally specific words and have blinded the politically correct to what is really being said. Smith sings about Blacks teaching Whites. It was Blacks, not Whites who fought the devil. It was Black’s, not Whites that spread the word of God and the impending Day of Judgment. Smith sings that someone had to keep the coals burning in the train that was taking everyone to heaven, and it’s is the Black race, not the White race that is going to do it.

That sounds like very high praise to the Black race to me.

Pickaninny’s Heaven

The second song that is said to be racist is “Pickaninny’s Heaven” from the 1933 movie, “Hello, Everybody!” The plot focuses on a power company wanting to flood a valley where folks live to build a dam to generate power. Kate Smith sings to raise money to stop the power plant. 

“Pickaninny’s Heaven” is a song Smith dedicates to “all the little colored children” in orphanages across New York City.

In the song Kate Smith sings about the Suwannee River made of real lemonade. Big kids and little kids living all together in a gingerbread house, of every kind of pet from a big teddy bear to a little Mickey Mouse.

A pickaninny was a term used for a small, young black child.  It is considered to be a derogatory term today. The word pickaninny is believed to be derived from the Portuguese pequenino meaning small or diminutive.

The lyrics of concern are, “Great big watermelons roll around and get in your way, in the Pickaninny’s Heaven. Luscious pork chop bushes blooming right outside your doorway in the Pickaninny’s Heaven”.

Watermelons and pork chops are considered derogatory and racially motivated.  

NOTE: During the process of writing this Blog, You Tube took down the video from “Hello, Everybody” where Kate Smith sings, “Pickaninny’s Heaven”.

We have had the luxury and the pain of almost 90 years of growth and understanding about racism and race relations that Kate Smith didn’t have when she recorded those songs. It is not fair to her to go back almost 90 years in history and apply today’s standards. It was a different time, a different era back then. Words and the intent of those words were different in the 1930’s compared to now. If you had told Kate Smith back in 1931 that the word darkie was wrong or bad, she probably would have been very surprised.

Stop and think about it. Both songs are positive. One song has Blacks superior to whites. Both offer comfort and hope.

We can’t let a few words blind us to the message of either songs. They are positive, not disparaging.

Unfortunately, Kate Smith has fallen victim to today’s political correctness. There is a concerted effort in the world today by the left to be offended. Once offended anyone and anything is fair game. Historical figures such as Kate Smith, as well as statues and monuments are favorite targets for the offended left for several reasons. First, they can’t fight back because they are dead. Secondly, because we are dealing with people in history, the politically correct and offended can interpret what was said to fit their narrative. They can change context and meaning to suit their cause. The politically correct left can get by with this because today’s generation is ignorant. They are not knowledgeable of history, nor do they care or see any significance to it.

What this generation is most concerned with is themselves. We live in a hyper-self-absorbed world where self and selfies rule and the universe rotates around “I”.

The politically correct and offended have created their own version of the Salem witch trials appointing themselves as the judge, jury and executioner.

Unfortunately, the Left is so powerful that all they have to do is breathe the word “racists” towards someone and that’s it. Party over. That person is instantaneously tarred and feathered with that epithet and must be punished.

It is one of the most powerful and duplicitous tactics of the politically correct leftist racist accuser when they change the meaning and context of what was said and done in the past by the accused. The power to alter evidence and history is in the hands of the accuser. They redefine the intent of the accused.

The Left ultimately controls the outcome. Not only through false accusation, but with threat of violence. Massive protests and riots can and will break out with millions of dollars of property damage. Presented as organic, these protests and riots are all part of the concerted and well-orchestrated effort of the politically correct leftist sect.

It is an especially egregious offence to present their biased findings to the general public with the sole purpose to excite, enrage, and garner support.

The end result produced by the actions of the left is not only to paint someone (or something) as racist, but to eliminate that person from the pages of history. The left is whitewashing the past all in an effort to rewrite the future.

I have an idea. Let’s apply the same standard and criteria of investigation and accusation to the accuser that is applied to the accused.  Why must we accept these accusations? Why must justice be defined by the wants of the accuser? Why do we permit illegal activities? Why do we allow the Left to interpret and redefine the past?

It’s time that we start investigating the accusers and apply the same standards of judgment to them as they do to their victims.

Kate Smith is just one in a long line of victims the left has unfairly convicted of racism. The momentum of the left is increasing, not decreasing. It’s past time that we put a stop to it.

Bill Hitchcock

If Thou Wilt Be Perfect

We don’t act so that we can be saved. Our actions are the effect of our salvation, not the cause of it. What we do and who we are is the result of the change generated by God’s saving grace.

The saint and the sinner can do the same act, but only one will be holy in the eyes of our Lord. Until you understand that the devil himself can tithe, recite Bible verses, do good deeds, even miraculous things, until you understand that the devil can do what a saint can do, then you’ll never understand it is not the effect, but always the cause that matters. In short, what's in the heart?

This was the point Jesus made to the young wealthy man when he asked, “what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

Jesus, in essence, recited the decalogue to him and the young man said that he did all of those things.

Then Jesus tells him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” (Matthew 19:21)

The young man was wealthy and couldn’t do as Jesus asked.

Jesus knew the man’s heart. He saw that he was obeying the Ten Commandments, but none of it came from a holy heart. A good heart yes, but not one turned, repented and made new again in Christ heart. The man still had a worldly heart with worldly priorities. He was a wealthy man which opened up all the doors of the world to him. But he wanted the doors of heaven to open up to him too, while keeping one foot grounded in the world.. It doesn’t work that way. Jesus Christ and heaven are an all or nothing proposition.

When Jesus said, “If thou wilt be perfect…” Jesus was telling the young man that if he wanted to be complete and whole and go to heaven then to do as he told him. To be complete and whole each of us must give up all of the things of this world and dedicate our heart, mind, body, spirit and soul to Jesus Christ. To be perfect we must shed ourselves of this world. 

“But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:5-6).

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Saturday

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” (Isaiah 53:5-8)

The above description of the lamb brought to the slaughter, of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross was written some 750-800 years before they happened. “With his stripes we are healed” is one of the most well-known phrases used in describing the price Jesus paid for us at the cross.

Jesus said, “It is finished!” He then bowed His head and gave up the ghost. There was nothing left to pay. Our sins had been atoned for.

We are celebrating this Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday by describing each day of that week as it is depicting in the Bible. Today is Holy Saturday, the seventh day of Holy Week. This is the day after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and before His resurrection when Jesus was placed in the sepulchre. Many refer to today as the day Jesus “rested”.

Keep in mind, that we can’t be too dogmatic about actual days of specific events in the Bible. The Jews and Romans had different standards for time/date keeping and the Bible isn’t always in exact chronological order.

The Sepulchre

“And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:50-56. Also see: Matthew 27:59-60, Mark 15:46, and John 19:39-42)

Security

There were great concerns by the Jewish leaders that His disciples would steal the body and say Jesus had risen. So, Pilate put security measures in place.

“The chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” (Matthew 27:63-66)

Two Types Of Sepulchres

There are two different Greek words that are transliterated as “Sepulchre”. One is “taphos” which means a tomb. The other is “mnēmeion” which means a memorial.

For example, when it is said, “So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” (Matthew 27:66). Here, the Bible is referring to a tomb.

When the Bible says, “And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.” (Matthew 28:8). This is a reference to a memorial.

Tomorrow we finish with the resurrection of Christ. Keep in mind the significance it has on us all. Jesus, “was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Romans 4:24b-25)

“For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” (1 Corinthians 15:16-18)

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10).

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Friday - Good Friday

Why is today called Good Friday? Did you know that Jesus’s crucifixion was described with precision accuracy in several places of the Old Testament with? Did you know that the worst physical experience for Jesus happened before the crucifixion?

We are celebrating this Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday by describing each day of that week as it is depicted in the Bible. Today is Holy Friday or Good Friday. This is the day that we recognize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Keep in mind, that we can’t be too dogmatic about actual days of specific events in the Bible. The Jews and Romans had different standards for time/date keeping and the Bible isn’t always in exact chronological order.

Why Is It Called Good Friday?

Jesus was stripped, scourged, a crown of thorns forced unto His head, mocked, spat upon, flogged, forced to carry His own cross, and then crucified on this day. So why is it called Good Friday? Actually, because of the series of events, some call today Black Friday.

It should be noted just how much of a horrible experience being scourged was. This experience usually ended in death. The following is a description of scourging and is what Jesus went through before He was crucified.

“Under the Roman method of "scourging," the person was stripped and tied in a bending posture to a pillar, or stretched on a frame. The "scourge" was made of leather thongs, weighted with sharp pieces of bone or lead, which tore the flesh of both the back and the breast.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).

It’s called Good Friday because of the result of Jesus’s scourging and crucifixion, not because of it. The result was that Jesus paid the price for our sins. It’s called Good Friday due to our salvation, not because of the horrid experience Jesus had to go through to achieve it.

It is believed that Good Friday is a corruption of the term God Friday. Corruptions such as this is not uncommon. For example, “Goodbye” is a corruption of “God Be With Ye”.

The BBC reports, “The earliest known use of "guode friday" (Good Friday) is found in The South English Legendary, a text from around 1290”.

What Good Friday Achieved

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:6-9).

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (1 Peter 3:18-22)

To read the telling of the events go to Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19

Prophecy

Not only was Jesus’s crucifixion foretold in the Bible, it was also described centuries in advance.

Psalm 22

Psalm 22 was described by the 19^th century theologian and Pastor Charles Spurgeon; “This is beyond all others THE PSALM OF THE CROSS. It may have been actually repeated word by word by our Lord when hanging on the tree; it would be too bold to say that it was so, but even a casual reader may see that it might have been.”

Psalm 22 begins with the bone chilling words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”. Hundreds of years later Jesus Christ, while on the cross, would say those exact same words.

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Psalm 22 accurately describes events of the actual crucifixion as if it were taking place at that very moment. The detail of the Psalm can be quite astounding. For example:

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint” (Psalm 22:14)

“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psalm 22:18).

Isaiah 52 and 53.

In Isaiah 52 we get a detailed description of how Jesus looked.

“As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14)

Isaiah 53 details the point and purpose of Christ’s crucifixion. Go to Matthew 27 to see these things as they would play out.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:5-11)

It has been noted that a reference to Jesus is made over 300 times in the Old Testament. It’s fascinating to think about considering the Bible is a composition of 66 books, 35 authors all written over a 1,500-1,600 year time period.

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday

We are celebrating this Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday by describing each day of that week as it is depicting in the Bible. Today is Holy Thursday, sometimes referred to as “Maundy Thursday”. This is the day is marked by one of the most well-known events of the Bible, the Last Supper. Today is also known as Maunday Thursday, which is when Jesus gave us a new commandment.

Keep in mind, that we can’t be too dogmatic about actual days and events in the Bible. The Jews and Romans had different standards for time/date keeping and the Bible isn’t always in exact chronological order.

What Is Maundy Thursday?

The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum” which means command. It is taken from when Jesus told His disciples that He gives His disciples a new commandment.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

The Last Supper

“And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:14-20)

Jesus Washes The Disciple’s Feet

“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.  If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:3-17)

Bill Hitchcock 

Wisdom of Words - Foolishness of the Cross

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)

Paul was preaching to a Greek philosophically familiar and influenced audience. A person was judged by their oratory and rhetoric skills. Grace, eloquence and dialectical abilities were all things these people were accustomed to and looked for in a speaker. It validated their authority and gave credence to the speaker.

Paul had none of those oratory and rhetoric skills because they simply weren’t needed. It’s gilding the lily. As Paul proclaimed to the Corinthians:

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

Think about it. How can you improve upon the message of the cross? You can’t. The message isn’t messenger dependent. The message of the cross doesn’t need help; it just needs to be told. Don’t forget the excuses Moses gave God when he found out God wanted to use him as His messenger:

“And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)

The word of God is perfect. It will accomplish what it is set out to do. All we must do is spread the word and it will take root and grow where and when God so chooses.

Now as a follow up to that last statement, Paul tells us that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Sometimes we think its in our hands to correct or modify God’s word so as to gain more converts. We forget that the word of God is perfect. We also forget that we can’t save anyone. Only God can. We forget that not everyone will be saved. That’s all part of God’s divine providence, design and will. If we can’t take credit for the convert, then we can’t take the blame for the those who don’t. All we are responsible for is to spread His word.

Can you think of two better messengers of outside of Jesus and David than Moses and Paul? Moses had a speech impediment and Paul considered everything, all of his education, training, lineage, scholastic and religious achievements, he considered all of these things as “dung”. Why? Because Paul knew that all that is ever needed is just the straight forward message of Christ and Him crucified. Anything else is dead weight.

Finally, Paul says, “but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”.

God’s message makes sense to the elect. It is pure folly to everyone else.

Now here is something can be confusing. Paul told the Romans, “Not all that are Israel are of Israel” and “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children”.

Paul says something similar here to the Corinthians. “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

What needs to be understood is that God has His elect, His chosen people. This has been established since the foundation of the world. But His chosen people are not of a specific race, creed, nationality, etc. In the examples above the Jews, Israelite, Greeks, and the seed of Abraham have all been preached to, but none of these groups en masse are God’s chosen, but specific people from each group are.

Paul is driving home the point that when Christ crucified is preached to God’s elect, it is understood that Christ is the power and wisdom of God. But to everyone else, the idea of Christ on the cross is foolishness.

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Wednesday or “Spy” Wednesday

We are celebrating this Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday by describing each day of that week as it is depicting in the Bible. Today is Holy Wednesday, sometimes referred to as “Spy Wednesday” by certain denominations. This is the day of two of the Bibles more well known events supposedly occurred. The first is the woman and the alabaster box of precious ointment and the second is when Judas covenanted with the priests to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Keep in mind, that we can’t be too dogmatic about the actual days that the events in the Bible occurred. The Jews and Romans had different standards for time/date keeping and the Bible isn’t always in exact chronological order.

The Woman With The Alabaster Box

“Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.  When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” (Matthew 26:6-13)

Spy Wednesday

“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.” (Matthew 26:14-16)

Bill Hitchcock

Absence So Intense

The presence of God is felt, so is His absence. No God, does not leave no thing. It leaves more than a void. Think in terms of a black hole. No God is an absence so intense that it pulls from everything present.

The absence of God is not the null set. Without God we’re working in the minus. This minus subtracts from anything positive. It’s like removing air, all living things will die. So yes, when God departs, it is felt. Not only are we without, but our being is diminished, and is in a diminishing state.

God’s essence is our nature. Remove essence and our very nature is adversely affected.

Sin isn’t fully realized or appreciated until God is gone. This leaves us with the pain of sin and the pain and turmoil of being without God. This rude awakening to the harsh realities of sin is too much to bear and enough of a shock to cause the child of God to regret, remorse and repent.

We have a loving God, one that wants all of His children to come back to Him in truth, righteousness and faith. Our remorse and repentance, our acceptation of Christ as our Savior and His grace are sufficient for our redemption and God’s return.

This is why James says we should, “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4).

Through trials are we made aware of our rough edges and of our shortcomings. This awareness is a kind of crossroads, where we must decide who and what to follow.

James goes on to say that if we, “endureth temptation” we will, “receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12)

In both statements by James, patience and endurance are key.

Sin separates us from God, but in so doing it prepares us for God. I know, it sounds kind of strange. The punishment of sin and the isolation from God serve as a wake-up call. This small taste of death is enough to turn around any child of God. Fortunately, we have a gracious God and offers us a way back to Him.

No one wants to go through the pain and isolation of sin. Having the experience of sin and no God will cause us to 1) Not repeat that sin. 2) Be cognoscente of sin. 3) Understand and avoid causes for sin. 4) Prevent sin by staying in the Word of God. 5) Staying committed to worship, prayer and praise.  6) Love God and our neighbor.

Sin is the wall that separates us from God. God is righteous. Righteousness cannot commingle with unrighteousness because it wouldn’t be righteousness anymore if it did. This is why we have a mediator in Jesus Christ. Because of the price He paid, Jesus is now our link, the bridge over the wall of sin, our go between God and us, righteousness and unrighteousness.

Sin separates us from God. That separation is felt and affects us adversely. Jesus is our covering for sin and the only way back to the Father.

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Tuesday

We are following along in the Bible during this Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Today is Tuesday and a lot happened on this day! Below are the events from the Bible attributed to this day. Actual days and times of the Biblical events cannot be certain due to differences in Jewish and Roman date/time keeping and the fact that things were not necessarily recorded chronologically.

1.The chief priests and the elders want to know the origin of Jesus’s authority. Jesus is questioned by Pharisees and Sadducees about the baptism of John, Jesus tells the parable of the householder and the vineyard, marriage in heaven, the source of His authority, the wedding parable and about paying tribute unto Caesar. Jesus also says, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” and explains why.  Go to Matthew 21:23-23:39

2. Jesus observes and teaches about the widow tithing of two mites. Go to Luke 21:1-4.

3. Today would also mark the day when Jesus said, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” Go to John 12:20-36

4. Finally, on this day, Jesus gave His infamous sermon from the mount of Olives which included, “when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars” and “when ye shall see the abomination of desolation”. Go to Mark 13

Bill Hitchcock

Owe No Man Anything But To Love

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

(Romans 13:8)

To love one another? How can you love everyone? How can you love who you don’t know? What if you do know them and don’t even like them?

These are all good questions, but they are asked purely from the human perspective and experience. The love mentioned in the verse above is not a human love, it’s a Godly, Christian love and takes on an entirely different meaning and intent than what man may be accustomed to when it comes to love.

Worldly love is rooted in human emotion. Christian love isn’t a matter of emotion, attraction or like. Godly love is not an impulse driven by feelings or desire and is not dependent upon any urge, need or inclination to satisfy.

Godly, Christian love “seeks the welfare of all, Rom 15:2, and works no ill to any, 13:8-10; love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith,' Gal 6:10.” (Vines Expository Dictionary).

When we look at what love is, it becomes apparent as to how we can love someone without really knowing them or even liking them. The heart that is dedicated to God will always seek for the comfort, security, safety, and protection of his fellow man. It will come as natural as breathing. There doesn’t need to be an emotional connection to the person other than the desire to seek out the welfare and well-being of our fellow man. Blatant displays of Godly love are after a disaster. When neighbor helps neighbor after a hurricane, tornado, or flood. Sometimes it’s in a less grandiose fashion such as helping someone up a flight of stairs, checking up on someone who is sick or injured, or literally just being a good next-door neighbor.

The driving engine for Christian love is God. A Christian will make manifest their love for God through their dealings with other people. Loving people is loving God. People are the object of that love.

When it comes to God and His love think of the cross. The first post of the cross is our relationship with God. That must be firmly secured and seated in love. The second part of the cross is the cross beam. That is our love for other people. The crossbeam must rest surely and securely on the support beam of God or it won’t sustain itself. God, the support beam, must come first before we can love our neighbor, the crossbeam. Otherwise it all comes crashing down.

God is His own essence and being. John said that God is love. This is demonstrably true. God’s love is a display of His Divine will. This being the case, love is a matter of will. Love will always have an object, for we can’t love nothing.

God has an object, it’s His chosen people. That love has been displayed through creation, redemption, regeneration, and salvation of His elect.

Chosen

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

Saved

“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:15-17)

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. Imagine the world this would be if we all loved God and exercised that love through our efforts of welfare and concern for other people. With that in mind, it should be clear now how selfishness and self-centeredness are opposites of love and are the epitome of sin.

Bill Hitchcock

Justifying Sin

The Christian News headline read, “Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg Asserts of His Homosexuality: ‘Your Quarrel Is With My Creator’”

All Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg does is justify giving in to temptation. If you applied the same logic he used for homosexuality to substance abuse, then a heroin or cocaine addict and alcoholic would be justified for using.

Buttigieg has fallen into the common trap of thinking and believing that what comes “naturally”, i.e. feels good, must be right and therefore righteous.

Buttigieg doesn’t seem to realize that the struggle with temptation is a war against the evil one, not with God. Conceding that war gives the victory to Satan, not to our Lord.

Moses chose, “to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26)

This is what Moses understood that Buttigieg doesn’t. Buttigieg’s focus is on the pain of the righteous struggle with temptation and the pleasure of sin in giving into temptation. Righteousness doesn’t always feel good. Sin invariable does. But all of that is for a brief season. Moses chose to “suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”. Buttigieg has chosen the opposite.

It is a choice between short term sinful pleasure or eternity of righteous joy and bliss. One you can have right now this very minute, the other is delayed gratification. It’s your choice.

Buttigieg said, “My marriage to Chasten (His husband) has made me a better man.”

He also doesn’t realize that sin usually comes with a benefit. It must or otherwise there would be no point to temptation if it was all pain and misery. But any benefit of sin is temporary, temporal and with a price too big for any human to pay.

There is one very accurate and profound statement made by Buttigieg. He said about rejecting homosexual temptations, “puts you at war not only with yourself, but with your Maker.”

Buttigieg is at war with himself and His maker.

When someone consciously turns against the will and wishes of God and makes sin their own, God will give them up, “to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts “ and “unto vile affections” and “even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:2:24, 26, 28)

Buttigieg has been fooled into thinking he is right with his choice. He has experienced no retribution from God, he has plenty of people to justify his actions and to support his decision. But his worldly decision has spiritual consequences. Sometimes that bill isn’t collected until after death, when it is too late.

Read Ezekiel 18. God doesn’t want anyone to die. He always wants us to repent and return back to Him.

“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” (Ezekiel 18:30-31)

Pray for Pete Buttigieg.

Bill Hitchcock

Holy Monday

Today is Holy Monday, the day after Palm Sunday, the day in which Jesus cleansed the Temple

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

(Matthew 21:12-22)

In honor of today (April 14) being Palm Sunday

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

In honor of today (April 14) being Palm Sunday. Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King. The event was first foretold by the Prophet Zechariah:

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zechariah 9:9)

“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”

(Matthew 21:1-11)

Our Heritage

We’ve all seen the Ancestry.com commercials. A woman finds out that a portion of her lineage takes her back to Nigeria, so she suddenly starts dressing like a Nigerian and begins studying Nigerian history. This United States, born and bred woman now calls Nigeria her, “culture”. Or the guy that thought his family was from Germany, so he dressed in lederhosen and danced a German dance. Then he finds out that something like 25% of his DNA showed he was of Scottish descent. So, he trades in his lederhosen and German dancing for a kilt and playing the bagpipe.

People play the part of their beliefs. In each case above the percentage of DNA was a minority portion of their over-all being. The Nigerian and Scottish blood was something like 25%. But folks believed that that was who they were, so they whole heartedly played the part of a Nigerian and Scott. In fact all of the Ancestry.com commercials show someone altering their lives completely when they discovered that a fraction of their DNA composition came from a country other than their native born USA.

Now for the big question. Do you believe you are saved? Do you believe that you are a child of God? Do you believe you are chosen, a Christian?  Do you understand that this is an all or nothing proposition? There is no fractional percentage for being a Christian, it’s either 100% or not at all.

If you do believe you are of the elect, are you acting like it? Are you just as enthused and excited about being a Child of God as the man and woman were about discovering their heritage was of a different country?

This leads us to ask another question. If the power of belief can affect someone so strongly as was demonstrated in the commercials, if we show no signs of being a Christian, are we then, in fact a Christian at all?

The Bible tells us to judge a tree by the fruit it bears (Matthew 7:15-20)  . It’s not what you think, it’s not what you feel or desire. As the saying goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating”. Is the proof of our relationship with Christ in our actions? And if not, are we really a child of God?

Belief isn’t just meditative; it is also manifested. It is not an act or a display. Belief manifested is like breathing. You do as you believe without thinking about it.

So, in examining our actions, do we show signs of being a believer in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior?

Paul told the Philippians, “For our conversation (Citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20)

Peter asked, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (manner and way of life) and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11)

Do you believe that you are a citizen of heaven? Does your life and lifestyle reflect that belief? And if there is no proof of the pudding, are we even a Christian at all?

Bill Hitchcock

A Verse From Romans

I have no idea the inspiration, I just followed it. I saw Romans 3:19 this morning and was so led to do a line by line commentary to the end of the chapter. I hope it benefits someone, that is, by the way, the only reason why I write and publish.

Romans 3

19) Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

This is the purpose of the law, to point out sin. The law applies to whoever breaks it. It is of no effect to the righteous, which is the point. The world and its religions that thought itself righteous and without sin discovered through the law that it was in reality sin soaked. What thought itself glorious and holy, discovered quite the opposite. The world did (and does) have a big problem with facing this reality.

20) Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The law does not justify. Jesus does. The law can do one thing, it points out sin. It cannot offer redemption or resolution for sin, only condemnation.

21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

The righteousness of the law is Jesus Christ.

22) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Faith in Christ is our trust and reliance in Christ. Belief is our knowledge in Christ even when material fact is not currently present.

23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

This is self-explanatory. All have sinned and all do sin. Sin is less an act and more of a condition, a state of being that produces the act. It is cause and effect.

24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Justified freely, there is nothing we can do to cause God to justify. It is by His will and good pleasure that anyone is justified, for no one deserves it or is owed it. God choses His elect to justify.

25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Jesus Christ is our atonement for sin. We must have faith in Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. He (His blood) is our covering which makes us presentable to God. His blood is our righteousness. None of this would be possible if God wasn’t patient and tolerant.

26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

His righteousness, not ours. He is the justifier. Justification is not of our creation or doings. Even our faith and belief are gifts.

27) Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith

Where is boasting? How can we boast when we are nothing more than recipients of God’s gifts? We didn’t “do” anything that earned our justification, redemption or salvation. We didn’t “earn” it. God, on His own accord gave of these things to whomever He chose to give.

28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

The law only condemns, it does not justify or save. It can’t. Justification is of God. We simply must have faith. How do we know we are justified and saved? By the spirit that works inside of you. It moves and motivates to feel, to believe, to desire the presence of God. The Holy Ghost working inside of you motivates you to move forward in faith and belief in God.

Do you have free will? Yes, you do. But until the indwelling of the Holy Ghost you had been blind and deaf due to sin. The Spirit opens your eyes to truth and reality allowing your will to function freely.

29) Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

He is God of the elect, the chosen which is determined by God, not man or by anything of man including man’s religion.

30) Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

This is driving the point home. It is one God that justifies. Nothing else, no one else, no procedure, works, deeds, prayer, your Pastor or priest, the Mother Mary, special dispensation, nothing justifies but God, according to His good pleasure.

31) Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

The law only comes into play when sin is present. If there is no sin, then the law is of no effect. There is no law evoked against righteousness. This takes us back to verse 19. We can’t void what is not in play.
An example of something without law are the fruits of the spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Bill Hitchcock

Let Him Deny Himself

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

There are three parts to Jesus’s statement.

1. Let him deny himself

Deny yourself? Stop and really think on this for a minute. Who can really say they can deny themselves, as in setting aside your own interests and placing the interests of another above your own? Are you willing to put Christ first when that means abolishing your carnal will and wishes?

In some cases, it is easier to lay down your life for someone than it is to lay down your lusts, wants and desires. It's a matter of will. To deny one's self is to go against your own will. That can be a very interesting battle.

Fortunately no one is a complete polar opposite of Jesus. We all have overlapping attributes to one extent or another, so our battle of will, will vary from person to person. But whatever is opposite of Christ has got to go. If it isn’t of Christ then it is of sin.

2.Take up his cross daily

For the most part, this is the easy part and is why so many participate in it. “Take up his cross daily” is the participation and practice of religion. But there is a big difference between the religion of Christ and having a relationship with Christ.

Participation in religion can be a detached, going through the motion’s kind of experience. People perform the perfunctory form and protocol of religion with the idea that in so doing they are paying the price for entry into heaven. Outside of Church, good deeds count the same as churchly duties. Carnal man understands things of the physical and material world. It is his senses that he wants to satisfy, which unfortunately leads him to sin. The act of doing involves most if not all the senses. It gives the carnal man the sense of accomplishment.

3.And follow me

This is where the rubber meets the road. This where doing transitions into being. Jesus gave us a perfect example of, “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” in the parable of the rich man.

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19:16-21)

The rich man was “doing” religion. He followed the Ten Commandments. He loved his neighbor as himself. But when Jesus said, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me”, the rich man then balked. Why?

Jesus said to the rich man “if thou wilt be perfect”. Perfect is a reference to being complete or finished. Jesus was telling the rich man that if he wanted to be a whole Christian, to be Christ like, if he wanted to be complete, then participating in religion was not enough. To be “perfect” the rich man had to give of his heart, soul and spirit. He had to turn everything over to Jesus. But His heart, soul and spirit were not in it. He wanted the benefit of religion, but he didn’t want the commitment to Jesus.

The requirements of religion fell within his comfort zone. It really required nothing that the rich man didn’t already have to give.

Christ requires all, the good and the bad. Jesus requires what isn’t Christ like to be changed or done away with.

The rich man could not deny himself; the burden of the cross was too heavy for him to bear and the way of Jesus was too long to travel. Religion was easy. But when the rich man weighed the cost against the benefit, he chose today’s temporal world over tomorrows eternity in heaven. More than temporary against eternity, and more than the differences between the benefit of this world and heaven, what the rich man was saying no to was righteousness. That burden was just too heavy for him.

We must be righteous and perfect to be presentable to God. The only way to do this is to be Holy Ghost filled and in Christ. Christ is our covering. Refusing Christ is refusing righteousness. Conversely, refusing righteousness is to refuse it all.

Deny yourself. Take up your cross and follow Christ. There is no other way to God, righteousness, and eternal life.

Bill Hitchcock

Meekness

Often people associate meekness with timidity and weakness. No, that’s opposite of the Godly meek. It’s power and ability placed under your control minus ego and pride.

Meekness is all the fruits of the spirit in concert and working under your direction. Meekness is when you blend peace, love, trust, patience, forbearance, gentleness, temperance, and regulate them with strength, righteousness and reasoning.

Humility and self-control are closely related and associated with meekness. Only the humbled heart can be meek. It is to have power and ability but not negatively influenced or swayed by them.

Meekness is like having a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, having the will to use it, knowing exactly when and how to use it and yet not affected, impressed or vaunted by having such lethal power in your possession.

But what really must be understood is the foundation in which meekness is built upon. Godly meekness is founded on, “equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all” (Vines Expository).

The tranquil soul and spirit, that can only come from having Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, is the base in which all powers and abilities rest for the meek. Christ in you manifests the temperance and self-control necessary to be able to responsibly use, or not, any or all of the gifts of the spirit.

Bill Hitchcock

Open Thou My Lips

“O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:15-17)

The inner man, the spirit. Broken and crushed. That’s what this world will do to us when we try to live life in our own way in our own time.

But did you catch what the Psalmist first said in this passage? It is the key to our relationship with God. Notice the Psalmist asks God to open his lips, or better put, to cause him to speak aright. He is asking God to fill Him so he can speak and praise Him.

We, as the Psalmist does here, must turn everything over to God. Not just who we are and what we have done. We must relinquish self to God to the point where God must fill the void left by us.

Folks usually turn to God when they realize that how they’ve been living just hasn’t been working out. When we are at this point, what we are asking God to do is to fix the outcome, the effect. But we have to move past this point and move into asking God to fix the cause, which is us. This is when we should let go and let God. Rid yourself of the old man the old cause and be filled with the new man, the man of God. This is when the effect of our lives will change.

Bill Hitchcock

Pastors and Preachers Are Feeling the Pressure!

Pastors across America are feeling the pressure from their churches to speak out on important issues of the day. But these same Pastors are afraid to do so out of fear the congregation will get offended and leave.

These findings and more come from a recent survey by the Barna Group. Founded in 1984, the Barna Group is a research organization that focuses on the intersection of faith and culture. To obtain their findings, the Barna Group performed an opinion survey involving several thousand Pastors and Preachers across America. Their survey was done between 2014 and 2017.

So here we have the church, hungry for truth and guidance on important topics of the day, but the Pastors are too afraid to preach these topics because they don’t want to offend or anger their congregation.

As John Swigert on the Apollo 13 space mission said, “Houston, we have a problem”.

“Half of Christian pastors says they….feel limited in their ability to speak out on moral and social issues because people will take offense.”  H/T Christianity Today

Conversely, 69% of the Pastors felt pressure from their Church to speak out on these important issues.

“The issues pastors feel most pressured to speak out on are the same ones they feel limited to speak on,” with LGBT issues and same-sex marriage at the top."  H/T Christianity Today

Pastors are getting pulled in one direction to speak on issues all the while being pulled in the opposite direction not to.

Pastors and Preachers, what did Jesus tell you to do?

Jesus said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

Pastors and Preachers, who do you seek to please?

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

Pastors and Preachers, are you ashamed of God’s word or of what you do?

Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16a)

Pastors and Preachers, who do you think it is that wants to limit you? Do you think it’s the children of God? No, it’s the apostate, the rebellious, the liars, those who refuse to hear God’s word. It is the enemy, the spirit of antichrist that is trying to stifle and shut you up.

“That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:9-11)

The Church wants more preaching on issues such as abortion, homosexuality, etc. but gets upset and offended when their Preacher does. So, what’s a Pastor or Preacher to do?

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:2-5)

Pastors and Preachers, the time has already come! People can not and will not endure sound doctrine. They turn away their ears when they hear the pure truth of the word of God.

But Pastors and Preachers! Do…the work…of an evangelist!! Make full proof of thy ministry, fulfill your calling from God with His word. Bring in to full measure God’s word of power. Preach!

One final thought. Where do you think the problem is if you preach God’s word and someone(s) get offended? Is it with the Preacher? No. God’s word? No. Then where does the problem lay? It is the hearer of the word. The very person offended by the word of God is the very person who needs to hear it.

Bill Hitchcock

He That Sanctifieth

“For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrews 2:11).

The words, “sanctifieth” and “sanctified” are derived from the same Greek root word, “hagios”. It means to be separated from sin and consecrated to God. When Jesus sanctifies, He makes an atonement for our sins to God and washes away the guilt we experience from our sins. To sanctify is to be cleansed inside and out from sin and guilt making us holy, righteous and presentable to God.

Sanctification can only be done through and by Jesus Christ as our mediator and Savior.

Sometimes “hagios” is transliterated as “hallowed”.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, “Hallowed” be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)

Sometimes “hagios” is transliterated as “holy”. The following verses from John show God’s election and hagios used to mean holy.

“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word….And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. “Holy” Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” (John 17:6 & 11)

Jesus sanctifies the elect of God. There can be no sanctification without election.

G.B. Stevens writes in the Hastings' Bible Dictionary that hagios, “is characteristically godlikness".

The elect of God have been washed clean of sin. The guilt of sin has been washed away too. But we are still in this world and we are still flesh, so man is still prone to sin. As we venture out in this world, we will “get dirty”. We shall all sin. Not necessarily by intent, but due to the weakness and frailty of the human condition. But Jesus foresaw this and made "a way to escape" (1 Corinthians 10:13b)

“Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (John 13:10)

The sin we collect as we venture this world is metaphorically around our feet. But we as a body and person are still clean inside and out. The sin collected is removed through repentance and prayer. No need to re-baptize or re-commit our lives to Christ, for those things can’t be undone. But as active participants of this life, we must take care to remain, “hagios”.

Bill Hitchcock