‘The time has come’, the walrus said, ‘To talk of many things: of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.’
—Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass
In preparing for revival at South Haven Church of the Nazarene next month, I was reading John Wesley's sermon, "The Most Important Question."
Wesley speaks of the philosophy that if a person of low station, a commoner, poor, uneducated, would try to talk about kings and kingdoms and things far above him, he would struggle to find the words because they would be unfamiliar to him.
He wouldn't know the language to use to describe what he experienced in association with the higher station of life, nor would he have the understanding of the things he might see or experience in relation to them to talk easily of them. Anything he might say, he would struggle to find the words to describe.
If the king, himself, or a prince, however, were to talk about such things, he would be able to speak freely about them because of his familiarity with those same topics and associations.
So it is with us who are so far below the Kingdom of God. We're unable to express ourselves well because what we see, and learn, and taste and experience is so far above us we don't even know the words to use to describe it.
Yet, Jesus, who is of that Heavenly Kingdom, can speak freely and clearly about such things. It's home to Him. He speaks of what He knows.
Doesn't it make sense then, that when an "expert" on the subject, someone who has been a part of that Heavenly Kingdom all His life (forever!), tells us what that Kingdom is like and how we can be a part of it, that we listen to Him?
And doesn't it make sense that we should also believe Him because He knows what He's talking about? He has been there. It's familiar to Him. It's His hometown.
I pray the Lord will help us to realize that He speaks the truth because He is the Truth. He knows what the truth about Heaven is because it's His home. Let's do our best to listen.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
This Will We Do
Scripture: Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit.
Text: Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
How far have we come in our exploration of the experience of Holiness?
What has God shown us in the Scripture about the place that Holy living has in His grand design for our lives?
We see,
(1) That holy character was God’s purpose in creating us;
(2) That man lost something essential in the Fall and is now born with a spirit of antagonism to God;
(3) But, God has provided a way for man to be freed from such indwelling SIN;
(4) That the method is through a second, instantaneous work of grace;
(5) And, that this work of grace is God’s will for all who are His redeemed children.
We come now to ask the question, How shall we enter in?
As the Holy Spirit leads us into the experience, what steps must we take and by what signs shall we know that we are making progress toward our goal of HEART HOLINESS?
This is the real purpose of all our preceding Bible study of the truth.
Our better understanding of divine things is not an end in itself.
We study in order to show our selves approved unto God.
The words themselves are only road signs in the highway of eternal life.
We seek to understand the truth of Holiness more clearly in order that we may enter in more quickly, or that we may aid others to do so.
How can we be SANCTIFIED WHOLLY?
How can we guide our Christian friends to this high experience?
We start by wanting it.
We are already moving in the right direction when we sincerely pray:
Purify our faith like gold;
All the dross of sin remove;
Melt our spirits down, and mould
Into thy perfect love.
—Wesley’s Hymns
He lives in my heart today.
Pastor Neal Stover
South Haven Church of the Nazarene
Text: Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
How far have we come in our exploration of the experience of Holiness?
What has God shown us in the Scripture about the place that Holy living has in His grand design for our lives?
We see,
(1) That holy character was God’s purpose in creating us;
(2) That man lost something essential in the Fall and is now born with a spirit of antagonism to God;
(3) But, God has provided a way for man to be freed from such indwelling SIN;
(4) That the method is through a second, instantaneous work of grace;
(5) And, that this work of grace is God’s will for all who are His redeemed children.
We come now to ask the question, How shall we enter in?
As the Holy Spirit leads us into the experience, what steps must we take and by what signs shall we know that we are making progress toward our goal of HEART HOLINESS?
This is the real purpose of all our preceding Bible study of the truth.
Our better understanding of divine things is not an end in itself.
We study in order to show our selves approved unto God.
The words themselves are only road signs in the highway of eternal life.
We seek to understand the truth of Holiness more clearly in order that we may enter in more quickly, or that we may aid others to do so.
How can we be SANCTIFIED WHOLLY?
How can we guide our Christian friends to this high experience?
We start by wanting it.
We are already moving in the right direction when we sincerely pray:
Purify our faith like gold;
All the dross of sin remove;
Melt our spirits down, and mould
Into thy perfect love.
—Wesley’s Hymns
He lives in my heart today.
Pastor Neal Stover
South Haven Church of the Nazarene
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