by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of The Apostles-Called to Reach a Higher Standard

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of The Apostles Chapter 30.

This chapter is based on the First Epistle to the Corinthians.

 

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14.

In the hope of impressing vividly upon the minds of the Corinthian believers the importance of firm self-control, strict temperance, and unflagging zeal in the service of Christ, Paul in his letter to them made a striking comparison between the Christian warfare and the celebrated foot races held at stated intervals near Corinth. Of all the games instituted among the Greeks and the Romans, the foot races were the most ancient and the most highly esteemed. They were witnessed by kings, nobles, and statesmen. Young men of rank and wealth took part in them and shrank from no effort or discipline necessary to obtain the prize.  {AA 309.1} 

     The contests were governed by strict regulations, from which there was no appeal. Those who desired their names entered as competitors for the prize had first to undergo a severe preparatory training. Harmful indulgence of appetite, or any other gratification that would lower mental or physical vigor, was strictly forbidden. For one to have any hope of success in these trials of strength and speed, the muscles must be strong and supple, and the nerves well under control. Every movement must be certain, every step swift and unswerving; the physical powers must reach the highest mark.  {AA 309.2} 

     As the contestants in the race made their appearance before the waiting multitude, their names were heralded, and the rules of the race were distinctly stated. Then they all started together, the fixed attention of the spectators inspiring them with a determination to win. The judges were seated near the goal, that they might watch the race from its beginning to its close and give the prize to the true victor. If a man reached the goal first by taking an unlawful advantage, he was not awarded the prize.  {AA 310.1} 

     In these contests great risks were run. Some never recovered from the terrible physical strain. It was not unusual for men to fall on the course, bleeding at the mouth and nose, and sometimes a contestant would drop dead when about to seize the prize. But the possibility of lifelong injury or of death was not looked upon as too great a risk to run for the sake of the honor awarded the successful contestant.  {AA 310.2} 

     As the winner reached the goal, the applause of the vast multitude of onlookers rent the air and awoke the echoes of the surrounding hills and mountains. In full view of the spectators, the judge presented him with the emblems of victory–a laurel crown and a palm branch to carry in his right hand. His praise was sung throughout the land; his parents received their share of honor; and even the city in which he lived was held in high esteem for having produced so great an athlete.  {AA 310.3} 

     In referring to these races as a figure of the Christian warfare, Paul emphasized the preparation necessary to the success of the contestants in the race–the preliminary discipline, the abstemious diet, the necessity for temperance. “Every man that striveth for the mastery,” he declared, “is temperate in all things.” The runners put aside every indulgence that would tend to weaken the physical powers, and by severe and continuous discipline trained their muscles to strength and endurance, that when the day of the contest should arrive, they might put the heaviest tax upon their powers. How much more important that the Christian, whose eternal interests are at stake, bring appetite and passion under subjection to reason and the will of God! Never must he allow his attention to be diverted by amusements, luxuries, or ease. All his habits and passions must be brought under the strictest discipline. Reason, enlightened by the teachings of God’s word and guided by His Spirit, must hold the reins of control.  {AA 311.1} 

     And after this has been done, the Christian must put forth the utmost exertion in order to gain the victory. In the Corinthian games the last few strides of the contestants in the race were made with agonizing effort to keep up undiminished speed. So the Christian, as he nears the goal, will press onward with even more zeal and determination than at the first of his course.  {AA 311.2} 

     Paul presents the contrast between the chaplet of fading laurel received by the victor in the foot races, and the crown of immortal glory that will be given to him who runs with triumph the Christian race. “They do it,” he declares, “to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” To win a perishable prize, the Grecian runners spared themselves no toil or discipline. We are striving for a prize infinitely more valuable, even the crown of everlasting life. How much more careful should be our striving, how much more willing our sacrifice and self-denial!  {AA 311.3} 

 

When I finish my race the cheering of the crowd means nothing. All I want to hear is my Father say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”  Matthew 25:21.

by In Light Of The Cross

The Fruit of The Spirit, Lesson 11

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

The key text for this week’s SS lesson is Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled’.”

 

Why is it a blessing to be hungry? Millions of people have starved to death, not because they lived in a third world country and are poor, but because they have a disease which takes away their appetite and they simply can’t eat. Famous millionaires have become anorexic and died of starvation not because they had no food, but rather because they had no appetite.

It is the same reason Jesus tells the church of Laodicea, “I wish you were hot or cold”. You see when we are lukewarm not only are we riding the fence but we do not sense our need of Jesus and His righteousness. I remember years ago going to a camp meeting in Wewoka Oklahoma. I was not planning on spending the night in a tent until late that evening when it was too late for me to drive home after the evening meeting. My friends in the next tent offered my blankets but I did not think I needed any blankets sleeping in a tent in an Oklahoma July. Well let me tell you something. Even in Oklahoma, come 3am in July it still gets cold! I was freezing. I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to make a change to get warm. This is why Jesus would rather his church be cold than lukewarm. He wants us to sense our need to change and accept His righteousness.

In order for us to experience Christ’s righteousness, self must be put of the way. Malachi 4:2 refers to the Sun of righteousness. So righteousness is the same as hot. Matthew 6:23 equates evil with darkness as does John 3:19. It was in the darkness that I got so cold. You know why Laodicea got so lukewarm? They were doing good works which Jesus recognized which were hot. But Jesus also recognized they were doing the good works for selfish reasons, which was cold. The end result was they just came out lukewarm. Paul has the solution for being lukewarm in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” With self interest out of the way Christ can perform His perfect will in us.

While millions starve physically with food nearby, millions more starve spiritually with churches on every corner and Bibles in every home. Why? Because they are not spiritually hungry. Let’s ask Jesus for the blessing of hunger and thirst so that we can be filled with His righteousness which will warm our hearts and cure our cold and lukewarm natures.

by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of The Apostles-Apollos at Corinth

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of the Apostles Chapter 26.

This chapter is based on Acts 18:18-28.

The refining influence of the grace of God changes the natural disposition of man. Heaven would not be desirable to the carnal-minded; their natural, unsanctified hearts would feel no attraction toward that pure and holy place, and if it were possible for them to enter, they would find there nothing congenial. The propensities that control the natural heart must be subdued by the grace of Christ before fallen man is fitted to enter heaven and enjoy the society of the pure, holy angels. When man dies to sin and is quickened to new life in Christ, divine love fills his heart; his understanding is sanctified; he drinks from an inexhaustible fountain of joy and knowledge, and the light of an eternal day shines upon his path, for with him continually is the Light of life.  {AA 273.2} 

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:36

The sinner could not be happy in God’s presence; he would shrink from the companionship of holy beings. Could he be permitted to enter heaven, it would have no joy for him. The spirit of unselfish love that reigns there –every heart responding to the heart of Infinite Love –would touch no answering chord in his soul. His thoughts, his interests, his motives, would be alien to those that actuate the sinless dwellers there. He would be a discordant note in the melody of heaven. Heaven would be to him a place of torture; he would long to be hidden from Him who is its light, and the center of its joy. It is no arbitrary decree on the part of God that excludes the wicked from heaven; they are shut out by their own unfitness for its companionship. The glory of God would be to them a consuming fire. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them.  {SC 17.2} 

You may find more studies and devotionals at In Light of The Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

The Fruit of The Spirit, Lesson 10

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

This week’s SS lesson on self-control reminds me of a very humbling lesson I learned on the golf course last December. A lesson I should have already learned. I have preached several times on how we are own worse enemy. For example you have David, who the giant Goliath couldn’t hurt. King Saul with all of his power and men could not harm David. Even when the enemy was in his own home, Absalom could not hurt David. If you look at the life of David the only person who really hurt David was David. His lack of self control when he saw a woman bathing is the only thing that hurt him. If David could have conquered and controlled self he would have had a flawless administration.

Last December my friend Ron treated me to a game of golf. Amazingly I got my best score ever-an 86! This was playing from the middle tees with one mulligan per nine holes. I was so proud of myself. I thought I had arrived.

A couple weeks later my friend Wes, from New Port Richey treated me to a game out near where he lived. We were part of a foursome. I could not wait to show them how well I could play now. On the first hole I drove the ball down the middle of the fairway. I was sure I was on my way to another great game. In the middle of the fairway I grabbed my fairway wood and was ready to knock it up on the green on my second shot. I swung and got nothing but dirt! I swung again and nothing but dirt! Come on William! It’s not a 90 mph fastball. It’s just sitting there for crying out loud! My three partners who had heard me bragging about my 86 the week before were patiently waiting. I swung again and topped the ball and it skipped about five yards. I was beyond frustrated and embarrassed! Now I have read in golf instruction articles to never get frustrated. Too late! I have also read not to worry about your score. The only thing you need to think about is your next shot. Well I was already thinking about the fact that on the first fairway my game was already ruined! In order to match my score the week before every shot was critical and I had already ruined my chances. I swung again. I topped it again and it went about two feet! That does it! Right there in front of three gentlemen I threw my golf club in the air in frustration! Problem was it did not stay in the air. It came down and hit a tree and shattered!

Now I was not only a lousy golfer I was a lousy Christian! I was a lousy everything! Now I was more embarrassed about my behavior than my golf game! I have gone golfing with a lot of men who played worse than I did but were much better sports about it. I was appalled at myself.

Now I had to finish the other 17 holes without a fairway wood since mine was now shattered. Served me right. My score by the end of the day was a couple strokes over 100! Here is the thing though. At the end of the day I finished in second place behind the leader by only one stroke! I could have won! Why did I lose? Because I lost my self control which caused me to lose a very important golf club. No one beat me. I beat myself by losing my self-control.

The three gentlemen (of which I was not) shook my hand and congratulated me on my game. I did not deserve any congratulations. I was not in their league, not because of my score but because they were gentlemen and I was an idiot! I was dejected that day not because of my score but because of my attitude. I resolved that day to never lose my self-control like that again. I have resolved that by the end of the game if I have won nothing else, that I have won the victory over self. I will be a gentleman and a sportsman by the end of the day if nothing else. The men I play with may forget my score but they will always remember my attitude.

My friend Ron, has been my golf mentor. He has taught me how not only to play, but how to play like a gentleman. He has also taught me more than that. He has taught me how to be gentleman off the golf course as well as on the course. At the end of the day I know I have spent the day with a good man no matter how his golf game was that day. My goal in golf is to by the grace of God, play with skill, passion but most of all sportsmanship. The only thing I fear on the golf course is not losing the game but losing my self-control. Fact is, after we shake hands and walk off the 18th hole no one will remember my score, but they will remember my attitude. I can’t always control my golf score, but I can control my attitude.

You may find more studies and devotionals at In Light Of The Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of The Apostles-In the Regions Beyond

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of The Apostles Chapter 21.

This chapter is based on Acts 16:7-40.

But while men were cruel and vindictive, or criminally negligent of the solemn responsibilities devolving upon them, God had not forgotten to be gracious to His servants. All heaven was interested in the men who were suffering for Christ’s sake, and angels were sent to visit the prison. At their tread the earth trembled. The heavily bolted prison doors were thrown open; the chains and fetters fell from the hands and feet of the prisoners; and a bright light flooded the prison.  {AA 215.1} 

This reminds me of a very simple lesson. In Ephesians 3:1 Paul writes; "I, Paul, 
the prisoner of Christ
Jesus.." and in Ephesians 4:1 Paul Writes; "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord.."
 Thus Paul did not 
recognize himself as a prisoner of the Romans or any man. Even though he was
 in prison he continued to serve the Lord, and understood that even in his 
chains he could do "all things
through Christ." So today, I often visit with those who are in less than 
ideal family or career situations or actually in prison, and I remind
them of what Paul wrote about being a prisoner of Christ and not of man. 
Just like Paul, regardless of whatever situation we are in, we can serve
Christ and do all things through Him. If we have truly given our lives to 
Jesus, we will not see ourselves as "prisoners" of any man, but rather as
prisoners of Jesus Christ. Like Paul, our lives are not in the hands of men,
 but in the hands that were nailed to the cross for our good.
 You may find for studies and devotionals at In Light of The Cross.
by In Light Of The Cross

The Acts of The Apostles-Exalting The Cross

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area, where the Yankees will soon be playing their Spring training games.

Acts of The Apostles Chapter 20.

This chapter is based on Acts 15:36-41; 16:1-6.

  If those who today are teaching the word of God, would uplift the cross of Christ higher and still higher, their ministry would be far more successful. If sinners can be led to give one earnest look at the cross, if they can obtain a full view of the crucified Saviour, they will realize the depth of God’s compassion and the sinfulness of sin.  {AA 209.2} 
     Christ’s death proves God’s great love for man. It is our pledge of salvation. To remove the cross from the Christian would be like blotting the sun from the sky. The cross brings us near to God, reconciling us to Him. With the relenting compassion of a father’s love, Jehovah looks upon the suffering that His Son endured in order to save the race from eternal death, and accepts us in the Beloved.  {AA 209.3} 
     Without the cross, man could have no union with the Father. On it depends our every hope. From it shines the light of the Saviour’s love, and when at the foot of the cross the sinner looks up to the One who died to save him, he   may rejoice with fullness of joy, for his sins are pardoned. Kneeling in faith at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain.  {AA 209.4} 
     Through the cross we learn that the heavenly Father loves us with a love that is infinite. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”? Galatians 6:14. It is our privilege also to glory in the cross, our privilege to give ourselves wholly to Him who gave Himself for us. Then, with the light that streams from Calvary shining in our faces, we may go forth to reveal this light to those in darkness.  {AA 210.1} 

The sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin is the great truth around which all other truths cluster. In order to be rightly understood and appreciated, every truth in the Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, must be studied in the light that streams from the cross of Calvary. I present before you the great, grand monument of mercy and regeneration, salvation and redemption–the Son of God uplifted on the cross. This is to be the foundation of every discourse given by our ministers.–Gospel Workers, p. 315. (1915)  {Ev 190.1} 

Search Church doctrines in the light of the cross here.

Video of a sermon presentation I did on the cross called “The God-forsaken God.”

Find more sermons on the cross here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of the Apostles-The Gospel Message in Antioch

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16.

This chapter is based on Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3.

  It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. The name was given them because Christ was the main theme of their preaching, their teaching, and their conversation. Continually they were recounting the incidents that had occurred during the days of His earthly ministry, when His disciples were blessed with His personal presence. Untiringly they dwelt upon His teachings and His miracles of healing. With quivering lips and tearful eyes they spoke of His agony in the garden, His betrayal, trial, and execution, the forbearance and humility with which He had endured the contumely and torture imposed upon Him by His enemies, and the Godlike pity with which He had prayed for those who persecuted Him. His resurrection and ascension, and His work in heaven as the Mediator for fallen man, were topics on which they rejoiced to dwell. Well might the heathen call them Christians, since they preached Christ and addressed their prayers to God through Him.  {AA 157.1} 

To me, the boldest claim anyone can make is that they are a Christian. When you call yourself an elder you are just saying that you are older. When you call yourself a preacher you are just saying that you speak in public. A theologian just claims to study the Bible, but a Christian claims to be like Christ! Wow! Christ wants to give us His name, but He does not want us to take His name in vain. In sign language the word “Christian” is made up of two signs. The “Christ” sign and the “person” sign. When you sign to a deaf person that you are a Christian what they literally see is that you are claiming to be a “Christ person” or a person like Christ. There is no higher title, label or honor that the Church can bestow than the name that Christ gave you when He calls you a Christian.

you may find more studies and devotionals at In Light of the Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of the Apostles-Days of Preperation

 I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13

This chapter is based on Acts 9:19-30.

What kind of an education did Paul have to prepare him for the ministry?

When the mind of man is brought into communion with the mind of God, the finite with the Infinite, the effect on body and mind and soul is beyond estimate. In such communion is found the highest education. It is God’s own method of development. “Acquaint now thyself with Him” (Job 22:21), is His message to mankind.  {AA 126.1} 

   As he pondered these things in his heart, Paul understood more and more clearly the meaning of his call “to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:1. His call had come, “not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father.” Galatians 1:1. The greatness of the work before him led him to give much study to the Holy Scriptures, in order that he might preach the gospel “not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect,” “but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” that the faith of all who heard “should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:4, 5.  {AA 127.1}
     As Paul searched the Scriptures, he learned that throughout the ages “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. And so, viewing the wisdom of the world in the light of the cross, Paul “determined not to know anything, . . . save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.  {AA 127.2} 

You may find more studies and devotionals at In Light Of The Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

Acts of The Apostles-Before The Sanhedrin

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8

This chapter was based on Acts 5:12-42.

The priests and rulers saw that Christ was extolled above them. As the Sadducees, who did not believe in a resurrection, heard the apostles declaring that Christ had risen from the dead, they were enraged, realizing that if the apostles were allowed to preach a risen Saviour, and to work miracles in His name, the doctrine that there would be no resurrection would be rejected by all, and the sect of the Sadducees would soon become extinct. The Pharisees were angry as they perceived that the tendency of the disciples’ teaching was to undermine the Jewish ceremonies, and make the sacrificial offerings of no effect.  {AA 78.1} 

Looks to me like the religous leader’s may have been victims of something I learned about in a college communications class, called “Group Think.” They were more interested in preserving their group than they were in preserving or finding truth. Self preservation was more important than doing the right thing or preaching the right thing. Here is what I learned in my class almost ten years ago now.

The greatest want of the world is the want of men– men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.  {Ed 57.3}

                                      Group Think

Group Think: 

Where being a part of the group is actually more important then the mission or beliefs and values of the group itself.

 When you do not want to disagree with the group for fear of being separated from the group.

Symptoms of group Think:

Group overestimates its power and authority. 

Group becomes closed minded.

Group members experience pressure to conform.

Membership in group becomes more important than solving problems.

Examples of Group Think:

 

Joab complies with King David and puts Uriah on the front line of battle even though he knew it was murder.

Jews all agree to crucify Jesus and release Barabbas because that’s what the leaders wanted. 

In Watergate all the President’s men agree to bug the democratic headquarters. Later many confessed they knew it was wrong but they complied for fear of no longer being able to work next to the President. 

In 1986 NASA sends up the Space Challenger even though they knew it was too cold. They did not want to delay it any longer as they wanted it to go up before the President’s State of the Union Address. Seven people were killed.

Cure for Group Think: 

Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.   Acts 5:29

  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.   Ezekiel 3:18

 The greatest want of the world is the want of men– men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.  {Ed 57.3}

by In Light Of The Cross

The Fruit of the Spirit, Lesson 8

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

This week’s SS lesson is about the fruit of the Spirit and faith. When Jesus came down from the mount of transfiguration, he was met by a man who begged Jesus to heal his son. He told Jesus his disciples could not do it. Later Jesus told them they could not do it because of their lack of faith. Lack of faith is seldom a lack of faith in God’s power. It is a lack of faith in God’s love. This is how sin started. The serpent did not make Eve doubt God’s power. He told her God did not want her to enjoy a higher existence and life and thus made Eve doubt God’s love. The disciples that were not invited to the top of the mountain with Jesus felt left out and doubted God’s love. That is why they could not heal the boy.

Faith is contagious and so is doubt. The disciples lack of faith then caused the father to doubt God too. He asked Jesus, “if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.” (See Mark 9) The father added a big “if” to his request. Since the disciples, who were to be like Jesus could not do it, how could he know if Jesus could do it? The father asked for help with his unbelief and Jesus healed his son. Did you catch that? Jesus even helped him to believe. With faith all things are possible but Jesus is the One who gives us the ability to have faith and believe. Surely we can do nothing without Him.

The disciples were to represent Christ to this father and they failed because of their lack of faith. Instead of feeling left out of getting to go to the mountain top, they should have been preparing for the task that was presented to them. If only they had not doubted Christ’s love they would have had a very exciting story to share with Jesus, James, John, and Peter when they returned!

Like the father, Let’s ask Jesus to help us with out unbelief. He will help us to believe and our faith will ignite faith in others. When we doubt we cause others to doubt too just like the disciples zapped the faith out of that father. (See Chapter 47 of The Desire of Ages)

By the way, God is not the only person we are to believe in. “Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20. The same logic and arguments that people use to dismiss Ellen White as a prophet are the same logic and arguments others use to dismiss the Bible altogether. We are to believe in the Lord and His prophets. Let’s not lead others to doubt God’s love or the writing of His prophets. If you lead a friend to not believe in the Spirit of Prophecy don’t be surprised when they stop believing in the Bible and God too. That is where that logic leads to. Those writings are there to help us to overcome unbelief and have faith in God and His love.

You may find more studies and devotionals at In Light of The Cross.