The battle over the Book

The battle over which translation is the Word of God goes on and intensifies. I hesitate to even call the corrupt versions "Bibles". They are the voice of strangers, the voice of the Tempter in the garden. The greatest age of missionary outreach  (the Philidelphian age Rev.3:7-13) is marked by the use of the King James Bible. Then comes the Laodicean period of apostacy and decline. It's interesting that the Philidelphian church is commended for keeping His Word.

 Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Let's keep our sword. Don't trade it in for an ineffective substitute

http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/pages/KJV/400-years-of-the-king-james-bible.htm

Ramp to Temple Mount reopened

Netenyahu and others in the Israeli government have decided to reopen ramp access to the Temple Mount  for Jews and  Christians . Apparently the outcry from the public and pressure from Jordan had some effect. They have positioned a fire emergency vehicle close by in case of any problems with the structure.

Christians and Jews banned from Temple Mount

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=376925

courtesy Flikr by Brian Jeffery Beggerly

The King James Bible

In talking today with our friend and Brother, Wally White, he mentioned how that the antagonism toward the King James Bible is becoming more and more evident, even among other believers.Wally pointed out that the antagonism he was experiencing only served to strengthen his view that the King James Bible is truly God's Word.  I became aware also this week about a prison ministry of a local church that encountered some roadblocks. They were given a list of things they could not preach on and were told that they could not give out King James Bibles in the prison. Any thing that Satan is so adamantly against must be something that is hurting his cause, unlike the NIV which is owned and published by the same publishing house that made the Satanic bible. It can be instructive to be aware of who and what Satan considers his enemies and who or what he considers his friends.

Grace to all

Titus 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

This verse indicates that the Grace needed for salvation is available to everybody, not just to the elect.

Purified Seven Times

Purified Seven Times
a link to an article


Psa. 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psa. 12:7  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

photo courtesy Flikr by Ryk Neethling

How flocks increase

The best way for a shepherd to increase his flock is to keep them healthy and safe from predators. The sheep must only follow their Shepherd to stay within that circle of protection. If they wander out they are not forsaken but searched for and brought home. The sheep will then "naturally" reproduce other sheep. Our Shepherd has given us, His flock, the privilege of being the instruments of the expansion of His flock. We plant the seed of the Word of the Gospel, God brings forth the increase.

Acts 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 
Acts 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. 

2Cor. 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 
2Cor. 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

photo courtesy of Flikr by A. Roger Davies

More thoughts on Church dress code

My brother and I were raised by our Grandmother. She was a faithful Church goer and took us to church regularly. She wore a hat and gloves to Church and she would dress us up in "Church clothes". Men wore suits and ties. It was a tradition to abide by and not many people questioned why. One of the few things I see changing in the contemporary Church that I think is good is the change of the "dress code" to be more casual. As long as the clothing is modest and not so outrageous as to distract from the meeting, I think that would qualify as acceptable dress. I believe that much of the push for uniformity is for control. As in the military there is little tolerance for individual thinking or behavior in order to control the troops so also I believe it has evolved in some denominations. Uniform dress especially among men seems to be symbolic of restricting of thought and behavior. Regimented seating and bulletins of instructions as to when to stand and when and what to sing can be control techniques. There should be a balance of freedom and order in the Church meetings so they do not degenerate into confusion or a free for all. Guided by The Holy Spirit all things should be done decently and in order.  1 Cor. 14:40  There are clear instructions in the New Testament on Church Order.


 Jesus said ... Mark 2:22  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

 In this passage Jesus compares the Law to old bottles that have lost their flexibility and have become rigid. The New Testament is compared to new wine which will have some fermentation and life in it and will expand safely in a new flexible leather bottle. Paul was a tent maker. He probably made tents out of skins of animals sewn together similar to the Native American Indian tepees. As the Apostle to the Gentiles he was the instrument that God used to give the Church much of the New Testament doctrine. Skins are flexible and free form. The individual animals skins each having their own characteristics is what made the tent's finished look. No two of them were alike.

photo courtesy of Flikr by Brian Forbes

Today's mainline institutional Churches in many cases have become rigid and can be very controlling. Rather than freely grazing in green pastures the sheep are lined up in stalls and fed a premixed diet. This stresses the sheep. It has become so that sheep who were raised in a barn or in a stall would not know how to act in a "normal" setting. So today, when believers meet and follow the true New Testament pattern of Church they become considered the "oddballs".
What we must remain inflexible about is the integrity of our Bible (the King James Bible from the received text) and the Person and Work of The Lord Jesus Christ. 



Judges 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 

A Case against exclusive Brethren's teaching of closed communion (repost)

Are you among the many of Jesus' sheep and lambs who have been injured and offended by the practice of exclusion found in some Assemblies?
This seems to echo the efforts of some of the disciples to keep infants, children and offensive people away from Jesus so He would not be "bothered". Frankly it smells strongly like Pharisee-ism to me. If a person proclaims the Name of Jesus and says he has accepted and is trusting in the finished work of Christ then he or she is to be treated as my brother or sister.
 We understand that there are unbelieving impostors as well as true Christians who are out of fellowship with God through unconfessed sin who are intermixed within the meetings. What are we to do? Jesus answered this question in the parable of the wheat and the tares. Matthew 13:15-40 
He said let them grow together until the harvest. Why? Because we can't tell them apart. Tares look just like wheat until they are fully developed. We are likely to rip up true believers while we take it upon ourselves to "purify" the Church.  When Jesus said that one at the table was to betray Him the disciples had no clue who it was. Are we better then they at picking out the rotten apples? I don't think so.
We are instructed to be "forbearing one another in love" Eph.4:2 and to "bear ye one another's burdens" Gal. 6:2,  and "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Rom.15:1. Jesus when He was on earth did not avoid the "bad" people but rather sought them out. He reached out to the lepers, the prostitutes, and even to the legalists. We don't have to protect Him from them. If communion is open to all, then all must examine themselves. Their worthiness is truly only known to God. What better meeting is there for someone to be exposed to the teaching of Christ's atoning work than the communion meeting? Just for someone to hear the different believers testifying to that work in their lives has an influence.
Now as to the need to judge outward sin in the assembly; when there is an evident and proven case of gross immorality or heresy than let that be judged with the express goal of restoring that person to full fellowship while in love considering our own selves. We can not and must not judge motivations or intentions. Only outward sins. I believe there is a loving way to deal with these instances that is not legalistic or hypocritical.  See Matthew 18:15-17
We have to get over being afraid of "sinners". It is to them we are sent. Let's abandon the Country Club idea of assembly and open our hearts and doors to all the wounded sheep and those who are in need.


The following are a few thoughts on this issue from our Brother Wally White;
I truly find it difficult to comprehend how born again Christ loving christians can close the doors to other christians that are truly seeking fellowship ! What would make us believe that we have any exclusive rights to the love of Christ ? The idea I get seems to be a form of legalistic self righteousness . Under the dispensation of law there was a very religeous group called the scribes and pharisees . Jesus spoke with them in Mathew 23. It is obvious that God despises the attitude of self righteousness. He calls them blind guides , fools , hypocrites , vipers , serpents etc . Do you get the idea he was and is not pleased with this type of haughtiness. In Mt 23:12 Jesus said "and whosover shall exalt himself shall be abased;and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." when we exalt ourselves I think of self righteousness. If we had ANY righteousness in our selves , Christ would not have had to die ! The ONLY righteousness a christian has , is the righteousness we receive from our Lord Jesus Christ when we accept him as or Lord and Saviour. So I ask again , How can the love of one christian be considered to be above that of another ? " 1 John 1:7 says But if we walk in the light , as he is in the light , we have fellowship one with the other , and the blood of JESUS Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 

Church Dress Code

I really enjoyed this article and the discussion it generated.   click here for link to the article

photo courtesy of flikr by Linda N.

I agree with the observations of the third comment from the top. What do you think?

Click here for a good article about "cast" sheep. Thanks to Stacy Huerta

A few Words to shepherds and their flocks

Ezekiel 34:1-31  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
  And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
  Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
  And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
  Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
  Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
  And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
  And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
  And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
  And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
  And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
  And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
  And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
  Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.

  And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

Photo courtesy of Flikr by nationalrural

Feed My Sheep

John 21:15-16  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Sheep which have good nutritious pasture do best.
Good shepherds lead their flocks to the best pastures and the cleanest waters. Sheep prefer the courser pasture grass and will not eat many weeds unless nothing else is available. A knowledgeable shepherd knows his sheep and their particular needs and will pick their feeding places accordingly. At times when due to dry weather the pastures are not sufficient, the shepherd will supplement their diet with grain.  Lactating ewes will at times need more nutritious grasses like alfalfa or clover.

During lambing season the flock needs special care as often the nights are cold and the lambs will need careful watching. I find  it interesting and a blessing to consider that the night Jesus was born that the shepherds were in the fields watching the sheep. His birth was announced first to them, the shepherds.

Some comments

Why we use the AV/KJV  A link to the article

A great explanation by Frank Logsdon on "why we use the AV / KJV ". This is the same Frank Logsdon that Jack Chick sent out the " I'm afraid I'm in trouble with God "announcement . He renounced any connection with the NASB .These 5 pages would be good as a quick explanation to the defenders of today's modern English versions ! But I am at times feeling , why go to the trouble ? At times I believe that the effort may be in vain in these laodicean / apostate last days we live in . I am amazed at the antagonism of many Christians , especially from the modern ("biblical scholars" )against defenders of the KJV . The Christians that believe and prefer the AV are now categorized as The KJV ONLY ( KJVO ) and are considered somewhat of a cult . Have you heard of "NIV Only's " or NASB ONLYS" with the same contempt ? However we know God is patient and compassionate and we should have the same mind set as we discuss these issues with others. I praise God that as I investigate deeper the translation controversy I grow stronger and assured that the AV is the perfectly preserved , inerrant Word of God . Without doubt this BIBLE gives more GLORY and Majesty to our LORD JESUS CHRIST than any other bible written !! It has been blessed by God over 400 years. In His Love , Bro Wally White  



John 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

I agree with Wally's comment! 
For all these hundreds of years the familiar voice of our Shepherd has spoken to us from the authorized, received text of the beloved King James Bible. Now in these last days many have been listening to a stranger's voice. We were lovingly warned by God in the last chapter of our Bible to not alter His Word. Rev. 22:18-19

The Lord is my shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd video by the 2009 Charity Youth Bible School choir

Feeding sheep or entertaining goats

A short exhortation from Charles Haddon Spurgeon

photo by Lee Kindness

Understanding sheep behavior

John 10:1-16  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 

 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 

 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 

 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Jesus often compared believers to sheep. We are His sheep and behave in a sheep like manner. I've been reading about sheep from web pages of people who are modern day sheep keepers or "shepherds". It has been very instructive in proving just how appropriate our Lord's comparison is.
Sheep are among the most docile and vulnerable of all animals. They make ideal prey for the many predators lurking about the flock. They do have strong instincts built into them by their creator. The predominate defensive instinct is the flocking instinct. Sheep will huddle together to present a bigger and more unified presence to the predator.
They are also by nature very strong followers. From the very beginning the ewe will urge the lamb to follow her. This instinct is not much diminished as they grow older. They will follow a bolder member of the flock even into very dangerous ground. A relatively recent instance of 400 sheep following a "leader" over a 15 meter cliff illustrates this point well. Sheep have a high tolerance for pain and will remain silent even while being slaughtered. They will not cry out when injured as this will signal a predator of their weakness. When they follow each other in a line along a path, they will create a path that weaves left and right so they can keep the view behind them open. They will not willingly go around a blind right angle turn or over a blind ridge. They are very wary. A sheep who does not keep watchful is the most vulnerable and will most likely not survive in the wild.
Sheep and goats sometimes are mixed together in a flock. Being very different, goats can create problems for the sheep. Goats are much more aggressive and independent than sheep. They will butt and bully and run ahead of the sheep to get to the water first. They will muddy the water before the sheep get there. Goats are not predators to the sheep but are agitators and will harass them. Sheep, when driven by a predator will try to stay together as long as possible but when the pressure exceeds a certain point they will scatter.
All these things make it necessary for the sheep to have a loving, kind shepherd who will gently lead them. See Psa. 23.

                                             

                                                 photo courtesy of flikr by ramonline


Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! - Psalms 133:1 (KJV)