We are inundated with hate language all day long from rebellious pagans, and many of us are also treated to the snark, anger, or hateful speech of people claiming to be fellow Christians, too (surely blotting their witness.) I don’t want to fall into the same trap. The Bible says “Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Colossians 4:6).
How do I do that? How do I develop the habit of speaking of the glories of Jesus and have edifying conversations?
The Bible says “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2).
Only the pure word of God transforms the mind. Strive to keep your doctrine as pure as possible. If you are of the ‘eat the meat and spit out the bones’ type, please know that for every ‘bone’ you ingest you make your forward walk move backward. Bones are not pure. They do not help your mind transform. They pollute your soul.
We talk all day long. We speak of husbands, plans for the weekend, our physical state, our kids. But do we talk of Jesus? If we do, do we speak of Him often enough?
I am online a lot. I also spend time at work during lunch with colleagues, who are also Christians. I have opportunity to speak of Jesus all day long. But do I? And if I do, is it often enough?
EPrata photo
But of what exactly do I speak? I may ask. How do I bring up the topic? I wondered. So I had gone searching for tips on how to better have a Christian conversation. Lo and behold, Charles Haddon Spurgeon had preached on this very topic in 1858. I read the sermon and it simply brought tears to my eyes. They were both tears of conviction for my poor conversation, and tears of joy reading of His excellencies.
Kay Cude poetry. Used with permission. Artist’s statement below.
Kay Cude:
I was captured immediately by Samuel Palmer’s etching “The Lonely Tower.” I haven’t researched the reason behind this particular work of his; but that light shining from the tower became one of the particulars for developing my text. (“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105). The “lone traveler” with the ox-cart became the “example” of a true shepherd of Christ and the shepherds “at watch” a reminder of “inattentive” shepherds. The “traveler shepherd” had Christ’s name inscribed upon his forehead; the “sheep’s shepherds” were brought to the piteous reality they had been asleep with the sheep while on watch!
I begin my explanation with several absolutes: the Lord Christ Jesus is our “Light” shining; He is our strong tower; in Him we live and move and exist. No matter how dark the surroundings of this present world or our circumstances, He remains our beacon of God’s truth; our refuge, strength and confidence; our life’s purpose, reason and eternity! Finally, He has not left us without help, but has appointed shepherds to equip, protect and oversee us as we “journey” on this earth. We are His lambs, His flock.
Notice that the attention of the reclining shepherds is focused on the tower and the traveler. Although it appears the sheep are resting (or sleeping) securely, the shepherds’ attentiveness is no longer centered on their flock. Attention has shifted onto a nominal curiosity. In context for these “latter days,” how many of the redeemed are “resting” or “asleep,” assuming they are secure under the watchfulness of their shepherd? Do they understand that “watchfulness” includes their pastor’s ensuring that the following Christian disciplines are provided under his leadership: instruction in discernment–how to recognize true doctrine from false; discipleship training–the process by which we grow in Christ and are equipped by the Holy Spirit; understanding–true salvation versus false conversion; understanding–baptism of the Holy Spirit versus being filled with the Holy Spirit; knowledge–about the three distinct persons of the Trinity? And so much more!
It is through Scriptural TRUTH and the attentive exhortation of sound doctrine that our shepherds become the vigilant and effective leaders/teachers they are called to be. They must always be attentive to Christ’s flock, ready in season and out to rightly handle and administer God’s revealed Word; for these are the latter days, more perilous than ever before in the history of mankind.
If our shepherds preach Christ as revealed through the Canon of Scripture, we the flock are cared-for, protected and equipped to serve Christ. When shepherds are at constant guard, they will not allow inattentiveness to keep the door to the sheepgate ajar. (“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28).
I got to thinking, are times terrible? They are dark, and certainly getting darker by the day, that much is a definite fact. However, before I allow myself to sink into a funk, I think of two things. First, Jesus. And second, what my forebears went through. It is because of the work of Jesus we can be saved. It is because of the work of my forbears in the faith that the faith was handed down to me. I thank each and ever predecessor.
In this case today, I was thinking of Noah. Jesus said that at the time of the flood, Noah was the only righteous man left. Genesis 6:8 says that Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Noah was blameless in his ways, and righteous. He walked with the LORD. (Genesis 6:9).
This is in contrast to the description of everyone and everything else. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5). “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11). “And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.”
That’s twice in a row, God saw the earth and when God saw it, it was filled with violence and corruption. God was so grieved at this, He was sorry He made man! (Genesis 6:6).
The only righteous person was Noah. Of his sons, the Bible doesn’t say they were righteous or unrighteous. Just that Noah had three sons (Genesis 6:10) and that they and their wives came into the ark with Noah. (Genesis 7:7). We do not know if the sons walked with God. We do not know if the sons were blameless in God’s eyes or if they were allowed into the ark because Noah’s righteousness covered them. I mean, Job used to continually sacrifice on behalf of his children’s sins to cover them. (Job 1:5). Perhaps Noah did also.
In any case, either it was a small band of humans who were righteous and did right in God’s eyes, or it was one person. Either way, that is a lonely, lonely life. Imagine how grieved Noah must have been with all that darkness around him!
When I think of how grieved I am today, the sins of the world piling up … the trials friends are going through … the awful knowledge of what is coming for the lost…sickness over my own sins… I think of Noah. For many years, 120 certainly, Noah preached God’s righteousness and built the world’s biggest boat (the world’s only boat?) and asked people to join him. He had not one taker. They mocked and they laughed and Noah saw his neighbors and friends go further away from the LORD into their one evilness. How sorrowful he must have been?
I was thinking this morning, just how evil do the days have to get to be actually like they were during Noah’s time?
We Christians have a lot on our minds. But no matter how heavy our hearts are in their burdens for other people, we need not fear.
Here are some essays encouraging us as to the reality of our position. The darkness is around us, but not in us.
I end with reminding us to keep our noses to the grindstone and our heads focused on working for Him who is Light. No matter how dark things got for Noah, he nailed his nails and bent his planks one by plodding one. He never stopped working until the LORD said ‘get in the boat and I shall shut the door’. (Genesis 7:13, 16). We should never stop working until either we pass through death into heaven’s gates or the Lord calls us with the trumpet of God and the voice of the archangel and a shout, “Come up here!” Yes it is getting dark. But soon the Light cometh! Noah persevered, let us take comfort in his righteous act as our example. Noah is an heir of righteousness (Hebrews 11:7).
Here is Encouragement for Christian Laborers — J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), “Expository Thoughts on Matthew”
“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” – Matthew 11:11
“Do we know what it is to work for Christ? Have we ever felt cast down and dispirited, as if we were doing no good, and no one cared for us? Are we ever tempted to feel, when laid aside by sickness, or withdrawn by providence, ‘I have labored in vain, and spent my strength for nought?’ Let us meet such thoughts by the recollection of this passage. Let us remember, there is One who daily records all we do for Him, and sees more beauty in His servants’ work than His servants do themselves. The same tongue which bore testimony to John in prison, will bear testimony to all his people at the last day. He will say, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ And then shall His faithful witnesses discover, to their wonder and surprise, that there never was a word spoken on their Master’s behalf, which does not receive a reward.”
Those in Christ will dine with the eternal Savior at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! Your reward who is Jesus Christ will come for His bride, and darkness for us will be no more.
For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. (Matthew 24:37).
“Jesus’ emphasis here is not so much on the extreme wickedness of Noah’s day (Genesis 6:5), but on the people’s preoccupation with mundane matters of everyday life (“eating and drinking…marrying and giving in marriage – v. 38,) when judgment fell suddenly.” ~John MacArthur
“They had received warnings in the form of Noah’s preaching (2 Peter 2:5), and the ark itself which was a testimony to the judgment that was to come. But they were unconcerned about such matters and therefore were swept away unexpectedly in the midst of their daily activities.” ~John MacArthur
Whenever I had read those passages either in Genesis 6 or Matthew 24, I did always focus on the extreme wickedness. I liked the nudge from my study Bible to look at the mundanity of the people instead. I can relate to that. It is so easy to go along every day, day by day, and be involved in the details of living. Gradually our heads lower and view becomes myopic- preparing that next meal, getting ready for tomorrow’s work, fixing the car…we get so wrapped up with today’s tasks sometimes we forget the eternal tasks.
It is important to always lift our heads to envision heaven. We look at the glory to come, rest in the hope He gives, see the future, too, not solely the now.
Did you ever hear the phrase, “She’s so heavenly minded she’s no earthly good?” That is wrong. It is false. You can’t be too heavenly minded. Our great God should occupy our thoughts constantly. He should be the motivation for our deeds always. His glory is paramount!
Back in 2014, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports used a machine you had to pass through which could see through your clothing, all the way to the skin. It was called Rapiscan and the x-ray machine was used to detect whether a passenger was smuggling bombing material, weapons, or chemicals for nefarious purposes. Unfortunately, the machine could see the naked body, which made many passengers uncomfortable. In addition, it soon came out that TSA personnel were unprofessionally gawking at good bodies and making fun of bad bodies.
Rapiscan machines were pulled in 2014. What started as maybe a good idea was turned into sin by twisted individuals seeing what they shouldn’t.
Back in 2001-2006, I was an investigative reporter. I uncovered financial malfeasance, voting irregularities, sexual immorality, and general mayhem that government leaders preferred to keep a lid on. Instead, the disinfectant of good journalism opened a can of worms, and it was my job to peek inside. Though the job was necessary and helpful, seeing the sins of others was depressing – because there was so much of it.
Seeing what we shouldn’t see is an unpleasant thing. Sin has come to life is all around us yet most of the time the layman are protected. We can avoid looking at it most of the time (and we are really good at avoiding looking at our own sin!)
But Lawyers, Police, Prison Officers, Parole Officers, Journalists, and others on a daily basis must directly confront the sins of others. It’s awful.
When satan was created, He was the most beautiful angel. Ezekiel 28:12 says
“Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
Inside or out, satan was not only beautiful, but he was the very seal of perfection. But it didn’t last. Though he was created perfect, one day, unrighteousness was found in him.
You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. (Ezekiel 28:15)
Sin is all around us because we live in a fallen world, and every human had a sin nature that makes it impossible for him or ner NOT to sin.
Sin is initially beautiful. It Looks good to us, as the fruit did to Eve. (Genesis 3:6). But the more a person becomes trapped in it, the less beautiful it is and the more they are eternally destroyed. Sin is, in fact, the ugliest item in the universe.
The woman may be beautiful, and the sin so enticing, Proverbs 5:3 says For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil.
But the end of it all is is hell.
in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps head straight for Sheol. (Proverbs 5:4-5)
But sin at first looks great, else no one would engage in it. Remember Superman’s X-Ray vision? Wikipedia defines X-ray vision as
“Although called X-ray vision, this power has little to do with the actual effect of X-rays. Instead, it is usually presented as the ability to selectively see through certain objects as though they are invisible, translucent or not present, in order to see objects or surfaces beyond or deep to the affected object or material.”
THIS is what sin looks like. Here is the Old Man. Once so beautiful and shining, it is a picture of what satan’s soul probably looks like. Eve thought the fruit looked good and a delight to the eyes, (Genesis 3:6) but shortly after tasting it, all it had brought was pain and bondage (Genesis 3:16). If we had X-ray vision and could see beyond the enticing surface, is this what we would see?
“Sin”, collage on handmade paste paper, by EPrata
O, would that sin looked like this to our eyes, then we would not be so attracted to it! And sadly, horrifically, it is what us inside us. This ugliness is what Jesus sees when He looks at a non-believer. We cannot fathom how ugly sin is to Jesus when He looks at those who have not repented! Yet!, He still died for us.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Being that sin is so gross and deadly, it makes the triumph of Jesus all the more glorious. Where satan is all-darkness that fools us into thinking it is light, where our own sin-nature convinces us that we are beautiful, Jesus never had one blot, one lie, one corrupt thought. Not once, not ever. He IS the Light!
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
If we had X-ray vision looking at Jesus, our eyes would see only glory upon glory, shining like the sun. He is a prism of Light, reflecting throughout all the universe and into the eternity we will share with Him! When He looks upon a believer He sees that same righteousness-
For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Don’t be fooled by the initially enticing beauty of sin. It is gross, destructive, horrible. Put on your X-ray vision to see beyond its surface lie. The Bible is that X-ray vision. Use it to hone your worldview. Run from it toward Jesus who set us free from its bondage, and gave us the Spirit’s vision to see through its enticing spoils. Satan’s offerings are nothing. Jesus is our all in all.
In 2019 at the Truth Matters conference, there was a panel Q&A. Moderator Todd Friel of Wretched Radio ended the session with a sort of lightning round, by asking John MacArthur to respond to the some names with one or two words only. Friel said, “Beth Moore” and famously, MacArthur’s reply was “Go home”.
You can see the entire discussion with video host commentary, here. Or without commentary, here.
That was not all he said. He expounded on his thought regarding why he said what he said, why Moore should go home. He used scripture and said there is no place in the Bible that allows a woman to preach. Owen Strachan was asked to reply as well, and Phil Johnson replied too. So the entire conversation was not simply two words, but a scripture-based mini-lesson on the error of a woman preaching.
Moore waited two and a half years, and this week tweeted out a Twitter thread whining about how long she has been waiting to hear an apology from MacArthur who said ‘go home’ and also from the other men who replied.
As a side note, it should be said that this week, the same week she tweeted her plaintive plea for an apology for being told to go home, Moore herself took issue with a man who was noting that Beth’s support of a certain feminist was untoward. Moore’s reply? “Cody, go to your room.” Hypocrisy at its best.
Apparently there was not enough attention at the moment focused on Beth Moore, so she needed to swivel that spotlight back to her. Using the ‘go home’ comment as her basis, it worked.
Her tweet thread caused a firestorm of news and chatter. Of course it did, that is what it was intended to do. Moore claimed that telling her to go home was mocking her, deriding her, and all around ridicule. Her sycophants piled on, supporting Moore in the notion that saying that this preacher-woman, false prophetess to go home was mockery, ridicule and she was due an apology. Those are just some of the words Moore used to describe the instruction to a woman to go home.
Think about this. Why is it ‘mocking‘ a woman to instruct her to go home? Moore has been living a feminist, career-oriented life for 40 years. Her focus has NOT been the home, though of course biblically, it should be. (As stated in this article that their “professionally ambitious” mother was absent often, so the now-adult children admitted they ate a lot of takeout growing up).
Why is it ridicule to tell a woman to go home? Why is it derision to say so? The Bible says, in fact a woman SHOULD be at home. Titus 2:4-5 to be precise:
the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be sensible, pure, workers at home, [underline added]
The Proverbs 31 woman is lauded for working hard- at home. Her entire orientation is supporting the home.
In fact, the Bible says that a woman who does NOT stay at home, tends to wind up going from house to house as idle gossips and busybodies, (1 Timothy 5:13).
An adulteress is described as a woman whose feet do not stay at home (Proverbs 7:11).
The Bible is FOR a woman at home, and against a wandering woman NOT at home.
So what is their problem with “go home’? Why does a two-year-old comment inspire such heat from Moore-supporters? What does it reveal?
They hate home.
Obviously. They are rebel feminists who enjoy the unbiblical example of Beth Moore gallivanting as an itinerant preacher, professionally ambitious and career oriented, to the detriment of the family. A functional feminist doing what she wants, making her own rules, and being completely rebellious against the holy God she claims to know and love. They love it and they love her because they want to do the same. Their concealed feminism rears up to the light of day and the emerge from the woodwork to support their idol.
Romans 1:32 has a word for people like these:
and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
If they loved the Lord rightly, they would applaud ‘go home’. If they understood biblical roles for men and women, they would say Amen and Hallelujah. They would agree that women are to be at home raising children, supporting the husband, doing good and being humble and quiet. These are all things the Bible tells us that women should seek, but these anti-go-homers are rebels. They hate home. They want to usurp and slide into places the Bible says they are not to go. But they go anyway.
I was not saved by the Lord’s grace until I was about 43 years old. I lived through the virulent second wave of feminism of the 1960s and 1970s. I remember it.
Before salvation, I wanted to be a wife and stay at home. I loved being a teacher, and I thought the profession could be fulfilling while affording me time at home to serve my husband during the many school breaks and in the summer. It just felt right. The feminists I talked to were fine with the teaching part, but whenever I said I wanted to be at home serving my husband, they discounted housewifery as a viable career. Forcefully.
I had thought feminism was about choices and availabilities and opportunities for women. But apparently it was only about making the right choices, certain choices that feminism approved of.
To put an opposite spin on it, as John MacArthur said, there aren’t many female plumbers. The feminists don’t want choices for careers or equal standing in the workplace, they want power. In the secular society they want to be Senators, CEOs, President. Housewifery is definitely not powerful enough for them.
from Twitter
Housewifery is also is also distasteful to the so-called Christians. They want power, too. They want to captivate audiences with their dazzling rhetoric, be applauded on book tours, preach in front of their congregation on Sundays. They want the power, and they applaud those who have it.
Housewives don’t have it.
Housewifery is to be mocked, derided, ridiculed. THAT is why they grow so angry at John MacArthur saying ‘Go Home’. Because it’s biblical, and their rebel hearts won’t submit.
Do you take the Lord’s power and grace for granted? Have you diminished His Holiness in your mind? Many people in this day and age have. How do I know? They think the Lord will somehow relent, and allow everyone into heaven after all. Or that His mercy is so great and so wide that they will be forgiven, even if they do not know Jesus. Jesus will not relent. His decision is final, and His decrees are sure. If you do not know Jesus on the day you die, you will be cast into hell.
I say again, if you do not know Jesus on His day of wrath, if you die you will be cast into hell.
Even saying such a thing in this day and age seems like a revolutionary act. People chide us Christians who flatly declare the truth from the Word, that He will not relent. “Our God is a loving God,” they exclaim. “He would never do that!” Well, remember rebellious Korah who was swallowed by the earth? Remember Uzzah who touched the ark? Remember Ananias and Sapphira, who blasphemed the Spirit by lying to the Apostle? Jesus will not relent, because He is the door.
“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9).
He is the only One who opens the door.
“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8).
He is the One who shuts the door.
“And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. (Genesis 7:16).
When the ark was filled He shut the door and the rest of the world was judged. And so it will be again, for the unaware.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ (Matthew 25:10-12)
He is the King of the Kingdom and it is He who says who enters and who doesn’t. He is the Door.
“and with all the deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11)
Enter now while the door is open. Repent and believe the truth: that Jesus is resurrected Lord and He is the only way to enter the Kingdom. He speaks the truth, and when He says that judgment is coming, believe it. The time will come when the door will be shut.
While the door was open, they did not listen and believe in Noah’s day:
William Bell Scott: The Eve of the Deluge, 1865
After the Flood , Circa 1588 Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem
This is what grace looks like:
Noah’s flood KAULBACH, Wilhelm von (1805-1874)
How so? you ask. How is this grace? The the people are dying! Well, don’t focus on the serpents and the people. It is one way we diminish His holiness and His mercy. Focus on Him and His protected righteous and the fact that His promises of salvation are sure. The angels ministering, the ark itself is grace.
Please answer His call, and repent!
“Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.‘” (Luke 13:25)
For Jesus to ‘know’ you means He has a righteous relationship with you. If you have repented of your sins and fallen on Jesus as Lord and Savior, He will know you.
Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. (John 6:37).
The Door is open to repenting sinners. Won’t you come?
I listened to a Q & A between Phil Johnson and John MacArthur recently. They discussed COVID and the mitigation efforts that were placed on their church, the Legacy Standard Bible, its beginnings and why we need this particular translation, the upcoming John MacArthur Old Testament Study Bible (YAY!), and interestingly, this question:
PHIL asked: “Do you ever think we will get back to normal? Post-Covid?”
the-end-time.org 