Today's Prayer - May 16, 2013

May 16, 2013 “LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will listen carefully.” (Psalm 10:17) WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for Capitan Regents (Co-Heads of State) Dennis Amici and Antonella Mularoni of San Marino (southern Europe, an enclave in Central Italy). CONCHUCOS QUECHUA OF PERU (cohn-CHOO-cohs KEH-choo-ah) - Please pray for M, P and MX, three Northern Conchucos Quechua believers in the Andes Mountains of Peru. These men are subsistence farmers who each live in a different community. They desire to follow Jesus, but their new way of thinking is not accepted by their communities. Please pray that they will know how to lead their families in Bible study. Pray that each of their family members will embrace a faith relationship with Jesus. Ask that they will be wise and bold to share Jesus with their neighbors. Lift them up as they write Scripture-based songs in Quechua and in the local musical style. Pray that Christian music will become a source of strength for them as well as a tool for opening hearts in their communities. DAKAR, SENEGAL (dah-KAR) - “M started listening to stories from the Bible in August of last year. A missionary would see him each week and tell him another Bible story. He has accepted everything that the Bible teaches, but has been afraid to follow Christ. In January of this year, M’s wife joined M in listening to the stories. This was a big step, because her father is a religious leader who follows a world religion. When the missionary asked her what she thought about the stories, she simply replied, ‘I am listening.’ Pray with our Dakar Urban Team for M and his wife to accept Jesus and to begin to experience the peace and joy in their home that only He can give.”

Today's Prayer - May 15, 2013

May 15, 2013 “I must proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:43) WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi of Samoa (southwestern Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and New Zealand). PALESTINIAN ARABS OF THE MIDDLE EAST (pal-uh-STIN-ee-uhn) - It is hoped that sports can be used to reach young Palestinians. A sports specialist is planning for team sports in refugee camps to provide better recreation opportunities and to build relationships. Please pray for all the documentation to be approved and for the doors to be opened so the work can begin. Ask the Lord to open the hearts of Palestinians to His love and grace. thepalteam@gmail.com PEOPLE OF FACTORY BELT, CHINA - The Factory Belt area is vast and includes several large cities. The task of reaching the people for Christ is huge, and the laborers for the harvest are few. There are just a few believers in one of the cities to share with several million people, and they know that they must seek the Lord’s help in spreading the Gospel. There is an adjacent city that also has a couple of million people, and there is no known Christian witness there. This summer, the believers will begin making several trips to the neighboring city. Please pray that they will find fertile soil in which to spread the Good News and also see some key people come to believe and help them in sharing. They want to see local people believe and be trained to follow in the Great Commission as well. Pray for the people of that gateway city!

Today's Prayer - May 14, 2013

May 14, 2013 “Sing to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.” (Psalm 9:11) WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (eastern Caribbean Sea). BAMBARA OF MALI (BAHM-bah-rah) - Praise God for the first Christian funeral held recently in one of the villages! A believer suffering with cancer went home to be with the Lord, and because she had asked for a Christian funeral, many heard for the first time about Jesus and His promises as they pertained to eternal life. Pray for the seeds sown in this village. People came from many other places to hear, and the Bambara pastor who shared explained salvation and God’s plan very well. Pray especially for one older man who asked one of the believers for his phone number so that he could learn more. HINDU PEOPLES OF MYANMAR - Tensions against Muslims in this country have been rising. A group of nationalist Buddhists, being called “the 969 movement,” have attacked Muslim communities in various areas, including burning a school in a Muslim area in one town, along with other buildings. Muslim shops, homes and mosques have been destroyed. Muslims in Myanmar are mainly of Indian descent, and their facial features are Indian. Our Indian brothers and sisters physically resemble the Muslims, so it can be hard for the mainstream population to distinguish between them, and there is a legitimate concern for their safety. Please lift up our Indian brothers and sisters along with the Muslim communities, and ask for peace in this country. http://southasianpeoples.imb.org/

An Experiment in the Grace of God

Matthew 5:38-48

Retaliation

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies 

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

__________

Have you ever been wronged?  Has anybody ever taken anything from you or treated you unfairly?  Has somebody that you trusted and somebody that you supported ever disappointed and let you down?

The answer to all of these questions are....yes.  Yes, you have been wronged.  Yes, you have been treated unfairly.  Yes, people have disappointed you.  This has happened to all of us at some time or another and God is certainly no stranger to this grim reality.

I have recently been wronged as well.  It comes in the form of a pair of Oakley sunglasses.  Now, names need not be mentioned and feelings need not be hurt.  However, there is a grand experiment flowing out of this process.  I have searched my car front to back and up and down to find these sunglasses that I so recently bought during the golf season.  They are the best sunglasses I have ever owned (even though that is not saying much concerning I never really wore sunglasses in the first place).  But anyway, they were stolen out of my car.  And yes, I know who took them as well.  It was a pretty obvious conclusion considering the fact that they were there and then they weren't in such a span of time that only one other person had been in my car since then.  So, there is no mystery in the fact that my sunglasses were taken by a certain individual.  However, at the time I keep searching and searching in hopes that I am wrong in my assumption and conclusion.  

Now, here is the issue.  As things began to unravel and truth began to become evident in the situation I was instantly filled with anger.  Why would this person do this to me of all people?  I have supported them and been there for them in every possible way that I could.  If they needed something that could have come to me.  

"I'm going to go to that house and take them back" was my first response.  However, as time began to pass and I began to think about it, why was I really upset to begin with?  Was it the fact that they were my favorite sunglasses?  Was I upset that an object was stolen from me?  I mean, objects come and go.  I don't worship those sunglasses so that can't be the case.  So as that realization began to sink in I began to feel hurt because it was done to me.  Well, am I hurt due to the fact the sunglasses were taken?  Not physically, mentally a little shaken, and emotionally a little hurt, but my faith in God is still good.  So why am I still so upset?

Then it hit me.  I should be more concerned about the person that stole them than the object stolen or even my own well-being.  The person is more important.  So I began to think, how do I show them Jesus?  How do I use this as a teachable moment of grace and mercy when the person is deserving of wrath and justice?  And here is my conclusion. 

Be. Like. Christ.

What does Christ say?  Well, if somebody takes your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  In laymen terms, if somebody wants to take your shirt then give them your jacket also.  If somebody wrongs you or wants to do you harm, give them more.  Somebody wants you to walk one mile, go two.  Why?  Because in so doing you are showing them Christ.  The first step in this experiment of grace is to ask, "What else do you want?"  Sure, you've stolen from me, but what else can I do for you?  You want more?  You want money?  What?

At some point in the near future I will look this person in the eye and ask them if they know why I have decided to respond to this situation the way that I have.  And at some point in that conversation the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be presented and the grace of God will be given to this individual.  And through doing this a life may be changed and a whole family as well.  This is my prayer.  In the meantime, in the midst of all of the denials and hurt feelings, all I can do is pray for the one who persecutes me and thank God to be counted worthy to be persecuted.  I must love the one who has shown no love so that the Father will be given glory.  And I want y'all to be a part of this grand experiment.  Forgiveness is the simple answer.  I will let you know how this works out and how God works through this situation in the coming weeks.  

In the meantime, pray.  Pray that this person's conscious will be struck with conviction by the Spirit of God and that they will repent of their current lifestyle and turn to Jesus.  Also, pray that God will be glorified in the present situation and that His name will be known among all whom are involved.

Thank you and preach Christ crucified,

TRS

Today's Prayer - May 13, 2013

May 13, 2013 “The LORD has heard my plea for help; the LORD accepts my prayer.” (Psalm 6:9) WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for President Stephane Artano of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland). HUNGARIANS OF EASTERN HUNGARY - “Praise the Lord for the opportunities that volunteer teams provide in sharing the Good News around the world!” writes the Eastern Hungary Team. “OnMay 15-30, a group from a Baptist university will be joining us in eastern Hungary to present a Gospel message through music and drama in area schools. The goal is for 800 to 1,000 students to see the presentations. Pray that the seeds that are planted will grow and result in many people coming to Christ.” http://www.hope4ehu.com/  KANO KATSINA FULBE OF NIGERIA (KAH-no kat-SEE-nah FUL-bay) - The leader of the Kano Katsina Fulbe Team writes: “We have had quite a lot of unrest here in Nigeria recently and have had to do two different evacuations, one from our location and another from a different location. This has resulted in the relocation of three missionary units (couples and/or singles) out of Nigeria. This has been emotionally and physically draining on all of us here. Please pray for the following concerning this issue: Intercede for our personnel who are transferring. Pray for peace in their families’ lives due to the stress this has caused, for God’s direction as they seek where He would have them serve in the future, for a good transitioning process, and for God to be glorified through it all. Intercede for our five remaining missionary units, asking that we will have God’s discernment on what He would have us to do in Nigeria with the time we have remaining, because none of us knows how long that will be. Pray that God will burden our Nigerian Baptist believers for the unreached of Nigeria.” jkgombe@aol.com

Today's Prayer - May 10, 2013

May 10, 2013 “Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for--believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24) WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for Prime Minister Kenny Davis Anthony of Saint Lucia (eastern Caribbean Sea). SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES - A seven-hour drive from Chad’s capital city of N’Djamena, followed by a 45-minute drive over extremely rough roads from the closest “modern” village, will bring you to the 56,000 Dangleat people. The road traveled is relatively passable during the dry season, but at the height of the rainy season--July, August and September--the village of Dogom, the center of the Dangleat, is inaccessible. Dogom is a small village in remote Chad and is as isolated from the rest of the world as it can possibly be. In general, the Dangleat are undereducated, and many are non-literate. The majority of the people are Islamic by birth, but much of the pure practices have been lost to African traditional rituals. Although the New Testament is available in their language, there is no evangelical church among the Dangleat; there is no evangelical presence. Pray that God will move a person, church or association to take up the mantle of responsibility of telling the Dangleat about our awesome Jesus Christ. http://www.nikripken.com/  TUNISIAN ARABS OF SOUTHERN TUNISIA (too-NEE-zhan) - The average Tunisian knows traditional Arabic and some French, but in the home, they speak primarily a distinct dialect of Arabic. While the Bible has been translated into traditional Arabic and even recorded in the dialect, progress is now being made on the first printing of the Bible in the local dialect. Tunisians will soon be able to listen and read the Scriptures in their native tongue! Pray for the success of this printing project, and ask that the Bibles will be completed in a timely fashion so that Tunisians can hear and know the Gospel of Jesus! http://www.pray4tunisia.com/

Today's Prayer - May 8, 2013

Hey everyone,

This is an article I get every day or so from the International Mission Board.  I think that all Christians should pray for one another and this is one way to unify our efforts for particular things going on around our world.  Please join me in praying for these world leaders, missionaries, and most of the all that those in darkness will see Jesus.

__________________________

May 8, 2013

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.” (Psalm 5:1-2)

WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Please pray today for Governor Mark Capes of Saint Helena (South Atlantic Ocean, midway between South America and Africa).

BASQUE OF WESTERN EUROPE (bahsk) - “T, an unbeliever, is the husband of J, who’s a believer. A few weeks ago, they both attended one of our new outreach groups, so we decided to invite them over for coffee. We were a little surprised to open the front door and see only J. Apparently T was scared to enter our home and spend time with us, so he decided to go food shopping instead. After a few hours, he sent her a text message, saying that he was outside and ready to go home. J messaged him back, saying she wasn’t ready yet and to please wait. To our amazement, he rang the doorbell and entered our home. As soon as he sat down, we gave him a cup of coffee and I handed him a homemade brownie. I apologized that it was no longer warm since I was timing it for their original arrival. T was thrilled. He had lived in the United States for a few years and had fallen in love with brownies. It seems like that was all he could talk about. I’ve never known anyone else as thrilled as he was about getting to eat a brownie! Please pray that the Lord will use something as simple as a brownie to touch and open the heart of this man. Pray that as his wife remains faithful to the Lord, T’s heart will be forgiven and changed forever. And lastly, pray that he will be protected from the evil one.”

LAST FRONTIER - Lift up workers who are in need of visas to work in a limited-access area that is home to a Last Frontier people group. Applications have been submitted and the personnel are waiting for the response. Pray that the response will be positive, allowing these workers to continue the work they know the Lord has given them.

Nature Reveals God's Glory

This was written over a year ago but still rings true.

It does not come about often when I get blown away by God's grace through experiencing nature. I love to hike, I love to play golf....honestly I just love being outside.  But often when I am outside I do not have the time to just sit back and say "Wow!"  Right now I have the great honor and privilege of doing a friend's wedding in Phoenix.   I have never been to Phoenix. I have been in some beautiful places in my life though...South Africa....the Rocky Mnts in Colorado...among others. But when I arrived in Phoenix the sight was just amazing...particularly the sunset. To see the mountains set the backdrop to this beautiful city was awesome. And so is our God.

Life Lessons - Through Almost a Decade of Ministry

A lot of things have been on my mind lately.  I look back over my life and realize that I have gone down a lot of different paths and have been headed in a lot of different directions, only to be brought back onto the path that God has chosen for me.

When I first started preaching at the age of sixteen, God was definitely not the number one priority on my list.  Football, friends, and having fun definitely came before the things of God.  Don't get me wrong.  I definitely was the "ideal" teen in the youth group.  I would show up to every event every time the door was open, I would preach when asked, I would sing in the choir, etc.  But I was more concerned about playing football and trying to get that scholarship.  Yet, God had other plans and I learned those plans in the form of a hip injury that left me unable to play the game.

Yet, that didn't stop me.

I decided that since I couldn't play football anymore, I'd coach football!  What a great idea!  So I went to Charleston Southern University, not because it was a Christian school, but because I wanted to study History and it was close to an historic city.  I was hoping also that if my hip healed I would be able to play football at CSU considering they were not the best football team in the world (although they did go on to have some stellar seasons).  However, God once again changed that path for me.

It came in the form of a New Testament survey class.  All of the things that I thought I knew about church and the Bible were all of a sudden thrown in a blender and my head was reeling from all of the information that I had never been told.  How could it be that I had never heard all of these wonderful things.  How did I not know that within 15 years or so of Christ's resurrection the first books of the NT were written?  How did I not know that Jesus definitely could not have become a myth in that amount of time?  Why did the church not know these things?  I was thinking that somebody needed to tell the church all of the wonderful facts.  Jesus was real!  Jesus really died, and he really was resurrected from the grave!  Oh, if people had only known all the wonderful facts that I had known they would embrace the Gospel and realize that there is no way a myth can form so soon.  The eyewitnesses were still alive. Over 500 saw Him at one time!  This moment in time God told me to put away my childish ideas of what would make me happy and truly come to realize what His plan was for me.

I was to preach the Gospel...

...not in the way I did when I was in high school, but with a new vigor, a new passion for the Savior that had died for me.

And so it begun.  Ever since I have been able to look back at the many jobs that I've had and realize that none of them were bumps in the road.  All of them were opportunities for God to teach me something new and mold me into the person that He wanted me to become.  And believe me, I've done a lot of different things:  Driving range picker, restaurant cashier (twice), journalist, athletic director, football coach, golf coach, courier, parks coordinator, worship leader, youth pastor, associate youth pastor, college pastor, and senior pastor.  But even now as I work for Interim Healthcare doing in-home caregiving I can feel God doing something awesome in the midst of the hard work and long hours.  He has been showing me what it means to be a servant and how to humble myself despite circumstances.

In the Fall I will begin the next phase of this amazing journey as the Bible Teacher at Coastal Christian Preparatory School.  Not only will I be teaching Bible, but I will also be putting many of these other skills to use as I lead chapel and the worship band, prepare conferences and sessions, plan missions events for the students, restart FCA, act as chaplain for the sports teams, and become the head golf coach.  I never imagined that all of the events in my life were so intricately put together in such a way that where some people would feel overwhelmed, I am in awe of the Creator of the universe.

As I start my new job and then very shortly after get married to the love of my life, I look forward to even more opportunities to do ministry wherever I am for the glory of God and His Son.  I pray that you will do the same and that as we sojourn together as pilgrims in a foreign land, we will pray for one another and keep our eyes on the prize.  Thanks and God bless.

Preaching Christ Crucified,

TRS

What Has The Church Become?

What has the church become?

This has been on my mind now for a while, but as I'm sitting here thinking, it bothers me even more.  What has the church become?

I often wonder what missionaries think when they come back to America from overseas.  They have been reaching out to people that have never heard the name of Jesus before.  They do not even know that there is anything outside of what their culture has always believed and then all of a sudden the seed of the Gospel is planted.  These missionaries go to these people and preach the Gospel even to the point of losing their lives.  Not just their lives back home in America but sometimes even their physical life on this earth.  Why?  Because they believe that Christ is worth it.

I have been overseas doing mission work.  The most basic of places where worship is truly that...worship.  It is not about the music.  It is not about the building.  It is all about God.  I remember when I first went into one of the townships in South Africa and the missionary saying, "Look for the tent."  Why were we looking for a tent?  I thought we were going to a church...

We were...

As we stepped out of the car and into the dirt road where the church was "parked" that week my world in America was confronted with the real world.  These people could meet anywhere.  They could meet outside in the elements, in a tent, or if they were lucky even a small building.  They did not care about the structure, they cared about singing praises to God.  And when they sang...it wasn't about the music, it was about the joy one felt in the salvation that God had given to them.

I know that the established churches throughout the world still live in what is called the Constantinian Era.  We no longer sing Psalters, but now we prefer to have professional musicians sing to us.  Instead of opening the Word and truly seeking to hear from God, we simply rely on a thirty (or if we're lucky a twenty) minute sermon to fill us until the next gathering.  What has the church become?

Recently, I got to listen to a man that was a missionary to China.  We could not learn his real name, but got to hear of the work being done overseas in the name of Jesus.  But, before he even got up to spoke I was ashamed of what I saw.  This man, who had seen people arrested (maybe even his friends) in the name of Jesus was now sitting back in America and what did he get?  A show.  The lights were blazing, the band was rocking, the entertainment had arrived...but was God really there?  I sat in the back ashamed of what I was witnessing.  A man of God who had given his life to share the Gospel of Christ to those who had never heard it and here he was in the middle of our entertainment culture.  Instead of going therefore and making disciples of all nations, we were trying to entertain people into coming back week after week.  Instead of truly making disciples, we were making consumers.  People who wanted to be entertained, who wanted a good show.  Is that the church?  Is that really what the church has become?

At what point will the church become the Church again in America and around the "civilized" world?  When will we realize that worship comes from the heart, not a light-show and band, not even a great preacher, and especially not the videos we play to keep the attention?  When will we realize that people are dying and going to an eternity without Christ while we are comfortably entertained in our shallow Christianity?  What has happened to the church?

Preaching Christ Crucified,

Rev. Timothy R. Stokes


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P.S. I am reposting this from about a month ago.  I was censured last time, but not anymore.  The Truth is the Truth.

Spurgeon on Universal Atonement and Calvinism

I had a conversation with someone the other day that seems to think that Calvinism is on the decline and that I will not make it as a young Calvinist pastor within the Southern Baptist Convention.  They also believe that Spurgeon agrees with them on their views of universal atonement (or in their views that everybody is chosen for salvation; you just need to choose God back), even saying that if Spurgeon was a Calvinist than they must also be considered a Calvinist.  Spurgeon was definitely a 5-point Calvinist in his beliefs.  In this post I simply just want to let Spurgeon speak for himself by quoting what he says in his Defense of Calvinism.  Enjoy.

Spurgeon on universal atonement/redemption:

Some persons love the doctrine of universal atonement because they say, "It is so beautiful.  It is a lovely idea that Christ should have died for all men.  It commends itself,"  they say, "to the instincts of humanity; there is something in it full of joy and beauty."  I admit there is, but beauty may be often associated with falsehood.  There is much that I might admire in the theory of universal redemption, but I will just show what the supposition necessarily involved.  If Christ on His cross intended to save every man, then He intended to save those who were lost before He died.  If the doctrine were true, that He died for all men, then He died for some who were in hell before He came into this world, for doubtless there were even then myriads there who have been cast away because of their sins.  Once again, if it was Christ's intention to save all men, how deplorably has He been disappointed, for we have His own testimony that there is a lake that burns with fire and brimstone, and into that pit of woe have been cast some of the very persons who, according to the theory of universal redemption, were bought with His blood.  That seems to me a conception a thousand times more repulsive than any of those consequences that are said to be associated with the Calvinistic and Christian doctrine of special and particular redemption.  To think that my Savior died for men who were or are in hell seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain.  To imagine for a moment that He was the substitute for all the sons of men, and that God, having first punished the substitute, afterward punished the sinners themselves, seems to conflict with all my ideas of divine justice. That Christ should offer an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that afterward some of those very men should be punished for the sins for which Christ had already atoned, appears to me to be the most monstrous iniquity that could ever have been imputed to Saturn, to Janus, to the goddess of the Thugs, or to the most diabolical heathen dieties.  God forbid that we should ever think thus of Jehovah, the just and wise and good!

Spurgeon on Calvinism:

The late lamented Mr. Denham has put, at the foot of his portrait, a most admirable text, "Salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9).  That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it.  If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, "He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord."  I cannot find in scripture any other doctrine than this.  It is the essence of the Bible.  Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock-truth, "God is my rock and my salvation."  What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ; the bringing in of the works of the flesh to assist in our justification?  And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer?  Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here.  I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism.  It is a nickname to call it Calvinism.  Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.  I do not believe we can preach the gospel if we do not preach justification by faith without works; or unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; or unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah.  Nor do I think we can preach the gospel unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people that Christ wrought out upon the cross.  Nor can I comprehend a gospel that lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus.  Such a gospel I abhor.

Closing Thoughts:

I do not understand how people can simply try to shift the Word of God to fit their own desires.  The Bible is not a cultural book that changes with the times.  It is a revelation of the unchangeable God.  Thank God for his salvation.  Thank God that "Salvation is from the Lord."  Let us not boast in anything else other than the cross of Christ.

Preaching Christ Crucified,

Rev. Timothy R. Stokes

Encouragement in the Face of Death

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18


13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep,  that you may not grieve as others do  who have no hope. 14 For  since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him  those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,  that  we who are alive, who are left until  the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For  the Lord himself will descend  from heaven  with a cry of command, with the voice of  an archangel, and  with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be  caught up together with them  in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so  we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Death...

The word commonly draws fear into the minds of people all around the world.  The Bible tells us that death is an enemy of God.  If this is the case we have ever reason to fear death, right?

Wrong...

The Thessalonian church struggled with the issue of death.  They believed that only those living when Christ returned would be able to take place in the that glorious return.  This belief resulted from their former pagan beliefs that there was no hope for the dead.  Yet, Paul reminds them that they are no longer bound by their pagan religion and fears.  Through Jesus Christ, that great enemy of God was defeated.  "Oh death, where is your sting?"  For followers of King Jesus, death no longer has a hold on us.  Therefore, if death no longer has a hold on us and Christ has won the victory, then we cannot mourn like the pagans do.  We cannot mourn as though this is the end, when in turn we realize that in Christ this is only the beginning.

Paul even says one more thing in response to "those who are asleep:"  They will rise first.  On the most glorious day when Christ shall come "the dead in Christ will rise first" and then "we will meet them in the air."  Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we too have hope in the resurrection of our bodies at the return of the Son.  Praise Jesus!

Last, but not least, we are to encourage one another with this Truth.  Death is ever present.  Death is ever crouching at the door.  Yet, in Christ there is no longer any fear of death because death is not the end, but the beginning.

Thank God for the gift of life through His Son.  It is only by God's providence that you have been adopted as sons to receive the inheritance.  May God's grace be with you as you strive to bring glory to His name.  Amen.

Preaching Christ Crucified,

Rev. Timothy R. Stokes

The Great Commission

"And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

- Matthew 28:18-20

I had the great privilege of hearing from a man I may be studying under at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in the Fall. His name is Dr. Alvin Reid. As I listened to him talk about being relevant to our generation I was amazed at how easily he related stuff and how easy it was to understand. This is one of the stories he told:
"Think about when you go on a mission trip. You pack your bags, you get all of your stuff ready to go and you're excited to share Jesus with people. You realize that you only have about a week or maybe a few weeks at the most to reach as many people as you can for the Gospel before the mission trip is over. Well, as Christians, imagine how great it would be if we could live with that sense of excitement and urgency every day of our lives. That we realize that we should reach out to as many people as we possibly can for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every day is a mission trip."

When he told that story I just sat there in utter amazement as my heart sped up when I was reminded of how excited I was to go overseas to do missions. It is very true that we so often get excited about the week long or even month long trips that we go on to share with people, but that we do not have that same sense of excitement and urgency to reach out to the very people that are only an arms length away.

I have been reading many different stories of early church fathers and missionaries who gave up their very lives for the cause of Christ. One story in particular that I am reminded of involves the missionary literally having his fingernails pulled out in the enemies effort to get him to recant of his faith. But, the missionary never once denied Christ and was ultimately killed because of his faith. How cowardly are we? To live in a nation as free as the United States (although a day is coming when that may not be so) and to not be able to share the Gospel with a single soul. I pray for a huge shift in our hearts towards the evangelism of America and this world. I pray for the persecuted church as well as the church in America because we are all facing our own heartaches and trials. God will bless us if we do the work, even if it ultimately results in death.

Friends, I leave you with this last statement said by the father of the modern missionary movement, William Carey: "Expect great things (from God), attempt great things (for God)."

Let us be ever so diligent in trusting the Father's love and doing the work that He has called us to do, knowing that He always provides.

Preaching Christ Crucified,

Timothy R. Stokes

The Love of God and Regeneration

"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

- Titus 3:5

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless."

- Ephesians 5:26

"Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

- John 3:5

"And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

- 1 Peter 3:21

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

- Romans 12:2


Now, why do I start out a post with verses from the Bible when I want to speak on an issue? Well, it is because any answer that I could ever give would be insufficient otherwise. To truly understand what regeneration means and how to approach any understanding of it starts in the Scriptures - God's Holy Word.

When you look at these passages there are 4 things that you can see regeneration means:
1. You must be baptized in it
2. The Holy Spirit must be involved in it
3. It is an appeal for a good conscience through the resurrection of Christ
4. It is also the renewing of your mind

Understanding what it means to be regenerated or "born again" starts at understanding these 4 things I just mentioned above. You must be baptized in it. What does that mean? Well, you must be washed from all of the filth in your life. When you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and resurrected then you must be washed from all of your former nastiness and iniquities and come to the Father. These verses say that regeneration is not about the washing of the flesh, but it is a washing of the heart.

This washing of the heart, how does this take place? Well, that is through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He must go so that the Comforter/Counselor might come. After Jesus' atoning death on the cross you start to see the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of the believers. That is how that heart change occurs. You are washed in the Spirit. It is not just an outward change (like the hypocrites) but it is an inward change. A change far deeper than an image you could possibly portray without the inward transformation and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Regeneration is also the renewal of your mind. Many people this day and age are talking about not needing to know a whole lot about the Bible. They do not care much about doctrines and theology, but simply just want to know the basics. They do not come to church to be challenged and some do not even go to church at all because of laziness or any other excuse Satan can throw in their heads at that moment. But you see, the Bible says that we must have our minds renewed. We should always learn things for ourselves and not just blindly follow what people tell us about any given subject. But we should take what they say and digest it, think about it, study it, and find out if what they are saying is true. In order to become fully mature in our faith we must renew our minds. What is the most efficient way to do that? By reading the very Word of God. Are other resources helpful, yes, but they will never be able to transform you or inform you the way God's Word can.

Last, but certainly not least in the process of regeneration is appealing for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No matter what we do, we must keep the resurrection in focus. The resurrection of Jesus is the central theme of the Gospel. Without the resurrection there is no Christianity. The apostle Paul says that if Christ did not resurrect from the dead than we should be considered the biggest fools on earth! We appeal to God for a good conscience and trust in Him that He can work regeneration in our lives, because if anybody can, He can. If He can raise Christ from the dead then He will stand beside us and shield us from any dart or arrow the devil will try to hurl our way. No temptation will ever be able to pierce the armor of Christ and Him crucified. Sin has been defeated...death has no more sting...and we are called to eternal life through Jesus Christ. Let this be our confession! Let us hold fast to Christ and learn to truly be regenerated day after day through the washing of the Spirit and the Word.

Preaching Christ Crucified,

Timothy R. Stokes