Recently I was reading through the book of Deuteronomy and came to a passage that stopped me, it was Deuteronomy 31:10-13. Moses told the people once they crossed over the Jordan river and possessed the land of Israel, they were to gather together every seven years at the feast of the tabernacles, everyone; the men, women, children, everyone and they were to read aloud the Law. But what really struck me of great significance is the reason Moses gives for doing this, “that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess” (Deuteronomy 31:12-13). The reason for reading the Law aloud was so that they would learn to fear God. To fear is to have a reverential awe of, a feeling of profound respect. The Law of God is something rarely talked about in Gentile (non-Jewish) churches and I find that sad. The reason I find that sad is the Law is the revelation to man of the character of God. God is Holy! I’m not talking about legalism, man trying to earn his way to heaven; I’m talking about the true Law of the Lord written by God Himself. God Spoke His Holy Law, His precepts, His moral Law to the people of Israel, then wrote them on tablets of stone and gave them to Moses. When you read or especially hear the Law of the Lord I mean really hear you can’t help but fear God. The Law was never given so that by following it you could somehow earn your way to righteousness, but so that you would fear God. When you read the Law you know that you are sinful and He is Holy. No one has kept the Law of God! “There is none righteous, no not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10-12). All have sinned, “for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). What is sin? “Sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). Sin is lawlessness, it is breaking God’s Law and every single man or women that has ever lived has broken God’s Law, it is our very nature passed down from the first man Adam.
There is but One who did not sin, He did not come from the first man Adam, He was born of a woman but conceived of by the Holy Spirit, the Son of God Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of man” (John 1:1-4). God Himself came in the form of a Man and did what no man could do, live a sinless life, do God’s will. What does the Law of the Lord do? It turns your eyes off of yourself and turns them to the Lamb of God Jesus Christ, the One who is the total embodiment of God’s Holy Law. The writers of the New Testament speak often of God’s Law, Paul held the Law of the Lord in high regard. Paul said this of the Law: “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The law shows us our sin, it shows us that He is Holy and we are not, it shows us our need for a Savior.
Salvation always has been and is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Moses saved by faith in the promise, Abraham saved by faith in the promise, the prophets saved by faith in the promise, all men of old where saved by faith in the promise that God would send a Savior to redeem them. All of time focuses on one instance in time, Jesus Christ redeeming mankind on the cross. All men of old, before Christ, where saved by faith looking forward to the promised redemption that would come by the grace of God in the Savior, and all men are saved by faith looking back to the redemption that comes by the grace of God in the sacrifice of the Savior Jesus Christ. “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Why do I love the Law of the Lord? Because it is the Law of the Lord that led me to Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Jesus said: “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). The time truly is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God truly is at hand, salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Thank you Lord!
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
I Am Angry
Each week I ask my Lord to give me scripture to memorize and meditate on all week, normally it will come from the book in the Bible that I am reading from during my daily morning reading but this week was different, so I thought. God put it on my heart this week to read the book of Deuteronomy but the verses He had me memorize and meditate on came from the book of Galatians. “But even if we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). At the time I didn’t understand why He put this verse on my heart when I was studying Deuteronomy. That is until the week played itself out.
This past weekend we were driving through Dallas, TX and I kept seeing these bill boards that said Judgment day May 21, 2011, it caught my eye but I did not know what it was, I thought maybe it was advertising a conference. I rarely watch the news or read a paper, so unless my family, friends or coworkers are talking about something in the news I don’t hear about it. So it wasn't until later in the week that I heard about Harold Camping and his false prophecy of May 21, 2011 being judgment day. It was after hearing this that the Lord putting Galatians 1:8-9 on my heart made since, then when I got to chapter 13 of Deuteronomy that it made even more since. The 13th chapter of Deuteronomy talks about false prophets and what was to be done with them, they were to be killed. I thought I would be writing today about anger. “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20), I wanted to talk about the wrath of man and the wrath of God and how they are vastly different. I guess I am in a way because I am angry. I am angry about this false prophet Harold Camping, his followers and the blasphemy of my Lord Jesus Christ. It angers me! I am not angered with an unrighteous anger but a righteous anger. The wrath of man is always selfish/self-centered. Men become angry because of what someone says or does to them, because they are inconvenienced, because they might not obtain what they want, or any number of things but is always self-centered. The wrath of God is righteous and is not based on self but is outside of self. Jesus became angry in the Temple; overturned the money changers tables and drove out the animals being sold because they had turned the Holy Temple of God into a place to steal from the people, hurting the people and blaspheming God. Harold Camping and his followers do the same, they blaspheme the Lord and they hurt people.
Recently I wrote a brief note called: “I don't rejoice in the death of Osama Bin Laden” and caught a lot of anger from some people over that who don’t understand the purpose of that writing or the ways of our Lord. Osama or Usama Bin Laden however you prefer is a murder and will receive righteous judgment from God, Harold Camping is far worse, he sends people to Hell. He makes a mockery of the name of Jesus and causes hearts to be hardened to the name of Jesus by his false prophecies, and he also calls my Lord a liar. The bible from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21 are the words of God. The bible is the infallible, inerrant; Holy Spirit inspired written word of God from beginning to end, it is literally God breathed. Truth; God is truth, God cannot lie. But I will tell you who can and who Christ said is the father of lies, Satan. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). Harold Camping I have something to say to you and your followers. Jesus said that no one but the Father in heaven knows the day or hour of His return and if you say that you do know you are calling the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ a liar. I am angry, I am angry because you blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and harden hearts sending people to Hell. I am convinced that Satan does not spend his time in Bars and Strip Clubs, the desires of the flesh take care of that, but does his real work in the Church, pretending to be of God but really are of the Devil.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (1 Corinthians 11:13-15). Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him are not deceived but that was never the intent, the intent was to make a mockery of our Lord and to harden hearts to the gospel that saves; that there is salvation from your sins in Jesus Christ. I am angry!
Trust in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
This past weekend we were driving through Dallas, TX and I kept seeing these bill boards that said Judgment day May 21, 2011, it caught my eye but I did not know what it was, I thought maybe it was advertising a conference. I rarely watch the news or read a paper, so unless my family, friends or coworkers are talking about something in the news I don’t hear about it. So it wasn't until later in the week that I heard about Harold Camping and his false prophecy of May 21, 2011 being judgment day. It was after hearing this that the Lord putting Galatians 1:8-9 on my heart made since, then when I got to chapter 13 of Deuteronomy that it made even more since. The 13th chapter of Deuteronomy talks about false prophets and what was to be done with them, they were to be killed. I thought I would be writing today about anger. “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20), I wanted to talk about the wrath of man and the wrath of God and how they are vastly different. I guess I am in a way because I am angry. I am angry about this false prophet Harold Camping, his followers and the blasphemy of my Lord Jesus Christ. It angers me! I am not angered with an unrighteous anger but a righteous anger. The wrath of man is always selfish/self-centered. Men become angry because of what someone says or does to them, because they are inconvenienced, because they might not obtain what they want, or any number of things but is always self-centered. The wrath of God is righteous and is not based on self but is outside of self. Jesus became angry in the Temple; overturned the money changers tables and drove out the animals being sold because they had turned the Holy Temple of God into a place to steal from the people, hurting the people and blaspheming God. Harold Camping and his followers do the same, they blaspheme the Lord and they hurt people.
Recently I wrote a brief note called: “I don't rejoice in the death of Osama Bin Laden” and caught a lot of anger from some people over that who don’t understand the purpose of that writing or the ways of our Lord. Osama or Usama Bin Laden however you prefer is a murder and will receive righteous judgment from God, Harold Camping is far worse, he sends people to Hell. He makes a mockery of the name of Jesus and causes hearts to be hardened to the name of Jesus by his false prophecies, and he also calls my Lord a liar. The bible from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21 are the words of God. The bible is the infallible, inerrant; Holy Spirit inspired written word of God from beginning to end, it is literally God breathed. Truth; God is truth, God cannot lie. But I will tell you who can and who Christ said is the father of lies, Satan. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). Harold Camping I have something to say to you and your followers. Jesus said that no one but the Father in heaven knows the day or hour of His return and if you say that you do know you are calling the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ a liar. I am angry, I am angry because you blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ my Lord and harden hearts sending people to Hell. I am convinced that Satan does not spend his time in Bars and Strip Clubs, the desires of the flesh take care of that, but does his real work in the Church, pretending to be of God but really are of the Devil.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (1 Corinthians 11:13-15). Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him are not deceived but that was never the intent, the intent was to make a mockery of our Lord and to harden hearts to the gospel that saves; that there is salvation from your sins in Jesus Christ. I am angry!
Trust in Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Why Soils and Hearts
Five weeks ago the Lord lead me to write about His parable, “The Parable of the Soils”, this is the sixth and final installment. The first five are:
1. Soils and Hearts – Introduction
2. Can't Hear Won't Hear – the first soil
3. Self-Interest Conversion – the second soil
4. The Double Minded – the third soil
5. Extraordinary or Should I Say Extreme – the fourth soil
“The Parable of the Soils” is found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, I have been writing about the account of Mark 4:1-20. Today I would like to talk about two things, two frustrations and why this parable is the answer.
I write this blog for two reasons; out of obedience to my Lord and out of love for my neighbor. The world as you see it will soon end, I don’t know the time or the date but I do know that time is running out, the world is condemned, it has been marked for a Day of Judgment that is coming and once that Day arrives it will be too late. Even so each person living isn’t even guaranteed their next breathe much less years and once you take your last breath you will face a Holy and Just God in Judgment. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Every single one of us born of the seed of the first man Adam received the sin gene, none of us can say that we are without sin, it is our nature from birth and this world does not help, we are constantly bombarded with temptation daily. “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). God is Holy and hates sin, He can’t look upon sin and will cast out all who break His laws, which leaves us in a bad place because we have all broken His laws, but the good news is while God hates sin He loves us and has provided a way to redeem sinful man. What we deserve for breaking the laws of our creator is death, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death” (Romans 6:21), while what we deserve is death God offers us the free gift eternal life through His son Jesus Christ for all who believe, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Salvation is by the Grace of God alone through Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The people asked Jesus what works should they do and He told them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). That is why I write, I write to warn of the wrath of God to come and to tell people about the salvation that comes through faith in God’s only begotten son Jesus Christ.
Now that brings up my two frustrations and God revealed to me the answer to those frustrations through His “Parable of the Soils”. My first frustration is this; I know that God’s wrath is coming and that there is a Way of escaping His wrath and that Way is Jesus Christ, so I daily tell people about that Way, the only Way. It seems as though no one is listening or at least very few. It’s like standing near a railroad track and you see people milling about on the tracks laughing and playing and I see a train bearing down on them, I plead with them to get off the tracks and they don’t listen, I write them letters and they don’t listen and yet the train and their demise draws closer and closer. They will either yell at you and be angry at you saying you are full of hate or just wave you off as though you said nothing not believing there is a train even coming. Some may listen and head the warning get off the tracks but before you can even give thanks they’re back on the tracks again. Some hear the warning and agree that a train is coming but they enjoy the tracks and therefore refuse to get off. Then there is a small few that head the warning, but it seems so few.
This is what God has shown me through this parable and what I should do. “The Parable of the Soils” was written for believers not unbelievers. The Lord knew His people, those who believe would be His witnesses and He told us this parable so that we would know what to expect. I know I am a sower, “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow” (Mark 4:3), “The sower sows the word” (Mark 4:14). Nothing significant is said about the sower, the sowers one and only job is to spread seed and the seed is the word of God. It is not mine to save, that is God’s, my job is just to spread the word, sow the word. I don’t need to worry about where or who I sow the word in I’m just to do it, broadcast the word wherever and to whom ever I can. I can’t make anyone listen, I can’t make anyone believe that is God’s alone. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). How awesome is it that the God of Creation who could do whatever He wants chooses us, His people to spread His word? I for one count myself as privileged to do so, it is God’s will that I spread His word and it is His word that I will spread until He takes me to His glory in Heaven. Jesus said after His resurrection, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
My second frustration is the church, yes you heard me right the church. It is through this parable that the Lord has brought me to understanding and has relieved me of this frustration. The Bible tells us that, those who are in Jesus Christ are born again, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). That God has given them a new heart and that the old has passed away, they are new creations, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17), and He has given His Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation, “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:22). Now I ask you. If one is born again, is a new creation, and has the Spirit of God in their heart, would you not expect to see a dramatic transformation in their lives? Seriously, we are talking about the Spirit of God? There are so many in the church, involved in pornography, adultery, getting divorces, filled with anger and hatred, filled with selfishness and the wrath of man, never speaking of the Lord outside of the walls of a church. They will come to church services singing praise songs and go out and live as though they are of the world and they are in fact the world. But then there are others who are completely transformed, sinless no, but so much different it is extraordinary. They love their neighbor and love the Lord even more, they love to speak of Him often and do so all the time. How is it that these two can exist together in the church and on the surface look the same but inside are so different. The answer is in “The Parable of the Soils”. Four differing soils or hearts with four differing reactions to the seed of the Word; two are not in the church and two are left in the church together. The first soil never hears, the second soil hears comes into the church for a while but in times of trials departs; but the last two soils remain one hears the gospel and comes into the church but remains caught up in the world, the other hears the gospel and repents (casts the world aside). Jesus said to His disciples in private, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables” (Mark 4:13). This one parable is the key to unlocking the meaning of many of the other parables. At the end of this parable we are left with two in the church; the true convert and the false living side by side. “The parable of the Wheat and Tares” (Matthew 13:24-30) the true and false living side by side until the harvest where the tares are burned and the wheat is gathered into the barn, “The parable of the dragnet” (Matthew 13:47-50) the dragnet is the church caught in the dragnet are the good fish and the bad fish, the good fish are collected into vessels the bad are thrown away, “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins” (Matthew 25:1-13), when the bridegroom came (when Christ returned) the wise went in with Him and the foolish were left outside in darkness, “The Sheep and the Goats” (Matthew 25:32- 46) The Son of Man separated the sheep to an eternal kingdom with Christ and the Goats to an everlasting fire. And there are many more, the point is until Christ returns the church will be filled with both true and false converts living side by side, does this cause problems? Of course it does but it is just the same.
What am I to do about this, what are we to do? Preach the Word of God, as a sower spreads seed we are to spread the Word of God to everyone. Preachers never assume when you preach that you are preaching to the brethren alone in every congregation no matter how large or small, there are both true and false converts, both the saved and condemned living together. So join me brothers and sisters let us be sowers; spreading the Word of God that there is salvation from sin in Jesus Christ for all who “Repent and believe alone in God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ”.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
1. Soils and Hearts – Introduction
2. Can't Hear Won't Hear – the first soil
3. Self-Interest Conversion – the second soil
4. The Double Minded – the third soil
5. Extraordinary or Should I Say Extreme – the fourth soil
“The Parable of the Soils” is found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, I have been writing about the account of Mark 4:1-20. Today I would like to talk about two things, two frustrations and why this parable is the answer.
I write this blog for two reasons; out of obedience to my Lord and out of love for my neighbor. The world as you see it will soon end, I don’t know the time or the date but I do know that time is running out, the world is condemned, it has been marked for a Day of Judgment that is coming and once that Day arrives it will be too late. Even so each person living isn’t even guaranteed their next breathe much less years and once you take your last breath you will face a Holy and Just God in Judgment. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Every single one of us born of the seed of the first man Adam received the sin gene, none of us can say that we are without sin, it is our nature from birth and this world does not help, we are constantly bombarded with temptation daily. “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). God is Holy and hates sin, He can’t look upon sin and will cast out all who break His laws, which leaves us in a bad place because we have all broken His laws, but the good news is while God hates sin He loves us and has provided a way to redeem sinful man. What we deserve for breaking the laws of our creator is death, “What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death” (Romans 6:21), while what we deserve is death God offers us the free gift eternal life through His son Jesus Christ for all who believe, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Salvation is by the Grace of God alone through Faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The people asked Jesus what works should they do and He told them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). That is why I write, I write to warn of the wrath of God to come and to tell people about the salvation that comes through faith in God’s only begotten son Jesus Christ.
Now that brings up my two frustrations and God revealed to me the answer to those frustrations through His “Parable of the Soils”. My first frustration is this; I know that God’s wrath is coming and that there is a Way of escaping His wrath and that Way is Jesus Christ, so I daily tell people about that Way, the only Way. It seems as though no one is listening or at least very few. It’s like standing near a railroad track and you see people milling about on the tracks laughing and playing and I see a train bearing down on them, I plead with them to get off the tracks and they don’t listen, I write them letters and they don’t listen and yet the train and their demise draws closer and closer. They will either yell at you and be angry at you saying you are full of hate or just wave you off as though you said nothing not believing there is a train even coming. Some may listen and head the warning get off the tracks but before you can even give thanks they’re back on the tracks again. Some hear the warning and agree that a train is coming but they enjoy the tracks and therefore refuse to get off. Then there is a small few that head the warning, but it seems so few.
This is what God has shown me through this parable and what I should do. “The Parable of the Soils” was written for believers not unbelievers. The Lord knew His people, those who believe would be His witnesses and He told us this parable so that we would know what to expect. I know I am a sower, “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow” (Mark 4:3), “The sower sows the word” (Mark 4:14). Nothing significant is said about the sower, the sowers one and only job is to spread seed and the seed is the word of God. It is not mine to save, that is God’s, my job is just to spread the word, sow the word. I don’t need to worry about where or who I sow the word in I’m just to do it, broadcast the word wherever and to whom ever I can. I can’t make anyone listen, I can’t make anyone believe that is God’s alone. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). How awesome is it that the God of Creation who could do whatever He wants chooses us, His people to spread His word? I for one count myself as privileged to do so, it is God’s will that I spread His word and it is His word that I will spread until He takes me to His glory in Heaven. Jesus said after His resurrection, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
My second frustration is the church, yes you heard me right the church. It is through this parable that the Lord has brought me to understanding and has relieved me of this frustration. The Bible tells us that, those who are in Jesus Christ are born again, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). That God has given them a new heart and that the old has passed away, they are new creations, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17), and He has given His Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation, “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:22). Now I ask you. If one is born again, is a new creation, and has the Spirit of God in their heart, would you not expect to see a dramatic transformation in their lives? Seriously, we are talking about the Spirit of God? There are so many in the church, involved in pornography, adultery, getting divorces, filled with anger and hatred, filled with selfishness and the wrath of man, never speaking of the Lord outside of the walls of a church. They will come to church services singing praise songs and go out and live as though they are of the world and they are in fact the world. But then there are others who are completely transformed, sinless no, but so much different it is extraordinary. They love their neighbor and love the Lord even more, they love to speak of Him often and do so all the time. How is it that these two can exist together in the church and on the surface look the same but inside are so different. The answer is in “The Parable of the Soils”. Four differing soils or hearts with four differing reactions to the seed of the Word; two are not in the church and two are left in the church together. The first soil never hears, the second soil hears comes into the church for a while but in times of trials departs; but the last two soils remain one hears the gospel and comes into the church but remains caught up in the world, the other hears the gospel and repents (casts the world aside). Jesus said to His disciples in private, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables” (Mark 4:13). This one parable is the key to unlocking the meaning of many of the other parables. At the end of this parable we are left with two in the church; the true convert and the false living side by side. “The parable of the Wheat and Tares” (Matthew 13:24-30) the true and false living side by side until the harvest where the tares are burned and the wheat is gathered into the barn, “The parable of the dragnet” (Matthew 13:47-50) the dragnet is the church caught in the dragnet are the good fish and the bad fish, the good fish are collected into vessels the bad are thrown away, “The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins” (Matthew 25:1-13), when the bridegroom came (when Christ returned) the wise went in with Him and the foolish were left outside in darkness, “The Sheep and the Goats” (Matthew 25:32- 46) The Son of Man separated the sheep to an eternal kingdom with Christ and the Goats to an everlasting fire. And there are many more, the point is until Christ returns the church will be filled with both true and false converts living side by side, does this cause problems? Of course it does but it is just the same.
What am I to do about this, what are we to do? Preach the Word of God, as a sower spreads seed we are to spread the Word of God to everyone. Preachers never assume when you preach that you are preaching to the brethren alone in every congregation no matter how large or small, there are both true and false converts, both the saved and condemned living together. So join me brothers and sisters let us be sowers; spreading the Word of God that there is salvation from sin in Jesus Christ for all who “Repent and believe alone in God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ”.
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Extraordinary or Should I Say Extreme
Four Weeks ago the Lord lead me to write about His “Parable of the Soils” this is the fifth installment on this parable. The first four are:
1. Soils and Hearts – Introduction
2. Can't Hear Won't Hear – the first soil
3. Self-Interest Conversion – the second soil
4. The Double Minded – the third soil
Today’s installment is on the fourth type of Soil. The Parable of the Soils can be found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke for this writing I will mainly be referring to the account of Mark 4: 1-20.
Let’s begin with the words of our Lord. “But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:8). The first thing note worthy about this crop is it is unusual. Anyone broadcasting seed on a field could expect that some seed would fall by the wayside and be eaten by birds, some would fall on rocky ground and spring up quickly then die, some would fall among the weeds and thorns not yielding a crop; these results are expected and very ordinary for seed spread across a field. What is unusual is the fourth type of soil, it is unheard of to spread seed across a field and yield a crop of thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was planted; it is super natural. Jesus said this as a wow factor, no one planting crops would ever expect to yield a crop so large, and in fact a crop seven times what was planted would have been considered extraordinary, such is the way of God.
Our Lord explains this parable to His disciples in private: “But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:20). Those that have good soil, whose hearts are prepared by the Lord to receive His word, respond in a completely unusual way, it is extraordinary or should I say extreme. The first three soils, the first three responses to hearing the gospel are self-centered and self motivated, while the fourth response is selfless outside of self. Jonathon Edwards said in Religious Affections written in 1776: “The chief evidence of conversion is a humble broken hearted love for God”. Not a love for self but a love for God, not a love for God because of what he can give them but an unconditional love for their Lord. They are poorer in spirit, more mournful, meeker. They know that their hearts are deceitfully wicked that they are unclean before their righteous and Holy God. They want heaven yes but more than that they want to be clean. They hate sin and it is an unusual hatred of sin, most people hate sin when it is someone else’s but love their own sin, that is usual or normal; but these people hate their own sin more than anyone else’s, that is unusual and extreme. The Apostle Paul says it beautifully: “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). They live a life marked by repentance, they renounce sin in every form: thought, word, deed and long for and desire to be rid of it regardless of the cost to themselves, they deny themselves take up their cross daily and follow Jesus; even if it may cost them money, their job, their friends, their family, or even their lives. They are heavenly minded, they do not love the world but love the kingdom of God. They love the Word of God, no one has to talk them into reading the Bible, they long to hear His Word and meditate on it day and night. “I will meditate on your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Psalm 119:15-16). Not only do they want to hear from God they talk to God all the time, they have a life marked by prayer, “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). Not only do they love God with everything they have they also love their neighbors, not only their neighbors but their enemies (those who don’t like them), “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). They are concerned for the lost and find some way of being involved with evangelism even if no one else is, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that” (Charles H. Spurgeon)! “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Are these people sinless? No they are not and would be the first to tell you so, but their hearts desire is to be sinless. The world jumps into sin feet first, these people fall into sin against their will and once they realize that they have sinned; they come before their Lord with a contrite and broken spirit, with much anguish and pain confessing their sins.
You may look at this and say, no way, that is unusual and extreme, and you are correct it is and it is a life that has been transformed by the Spirit of God. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). These people have met The Creator God and are forever changed. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21). I ask you this question; do you know that you are a sinner? Have you become aware of your affliction, have you looked into your heart and realized that your heart is deceitfully wicked and you are an unclean thing before God? If you haven’t realized your sinful state before God, then I encourage you to read the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) God’s moral law, while doing so, know that God is Spirit, he is more concerned with your heart more concerned with the sins you think than your physical sin, so when you read the moral law ask yourself. Have I broken these in my heart? Know that God sees anger is murder, and lust as adultery. If after doing so you realize that you are a sinner, do what Peter said to do “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Jesus the Son of God was sacrificed on the cross for your sins and offers you cleansing from your sins, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus was without sin and was sacrificed on the cross for sin. If you will today repent (turn from sin and turn to Jesus in faith) trusting alone in Jesus Christ, all of your sins will be wiped away, he will take your sins upon himself and His goodness will be imputed to you. When God sees you he will no longer see a sinner but will see Jesus Christ.
Next week I will explain why I wrote about "The Parable of the Soils" and tell you what God has revealed to me in this parable.
Repent of your sins and trust alone in Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
1. Soils and Hearts – Introduction
2. Can't Hear Won't Hear – the first soil
3. Self-Interest Conversion – the second soil
4. The Double Minded – the third soil
Today’s installment is on the fourth type of Soil. The Parable of the Soils can be found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke for this writing I will mainly be referring to the account of Mark 4: 1-20.
Let’s begin with the words of our Lord. “But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:8). The first thing note worthy about this crop is it is unusual. Anyone broadcasting seed on a field could expect that some seed would fall by the wayside and be eaten by birds, some would fall on rocky ground and spring up quickly then die, some would fall among the weeds and thorns not yielding a crop; these results are expected and very ordinary for seed spread across a field. What is unusual is the fourth type of soil, it is unheard of to spread seed across a field and yield a crop of thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was planted; it is super natural. Jesus said this as a wow factor, no one planting crops would ever expect to yield a crop so large, and in fact a crop seven times what was planted would have been considered extraordinary, such is the way of God.
Our Lord explains this parable to His disciples in private: “But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:20). Those that have good soil, whose hearts are prepared by the Lord to receive His word, respond in a completely unusual way, it is extraordinary or should I say extreme. The first three soils, the first three responses to hearing the gospel are self-centered and self motivated, while the fourth response is selfless outside of self. Jonathon Edwards said in Religious Affections written in 1776: “The chief evidence of conversion is a humble broken hearted love for God”. Not a love for self but a love for God, not a love for God because of what he can give them but an unconditional love for their Lord. They are poorer in spirit, more mournful, meeker. They know that their hearts are deceitfully wicked that they are unclean before their righteous and Holy God. They want heaven yes but more than that they want to be clean. They hate sin and it is an unusual hatred of sin, most people hate sin when it is someone else’s but love their own sin, that is usual or normal; but these people hate their own sin more than anyone else’s, that is unusual and extreme. The Apostle Paul says it beautifully: “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). They live a life marked by repentance, they renounce sin in every form: thought, word, deed and long for and desire to be rid of it regardless of the cost to themselves, they deny themselves take up their cross daily and follow Jesus; even if it may cost them money, their job, their friends, their family, or even their lives. They are heavenly minded, they do not love the world but love the kingdom of God. They love the Word of God, no one has to talk them into reading the Bible, they long to hear His Word and meditate on it day and night. “I will meditate on your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word” (Psalm 119:15-16). Not only do they want to hear from God they talk to God all the time, they have a life marked by prayer, “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). Not only do they love God with everything they have they also love their neighbors, not only their neighbors but their enemies (those who don’t like them), “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). They are concerned for the lost and find some way of being involved with evangelism even if no one else is, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that” (Charles H. Spurgeon)! “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Are these people sinless? No they are not and would be the first to tell you so, but their hearts desire is to be sinless. The world jumps into sin feet first, these people fall into sin against their will and once they realize that they have sinned; they come before their Lord with a contrite and broken spirit, with much anguish and pain confessing their sins.
You may look at this and say, no way, that is unusual and extreme, and you are correct it is and it is a life that has been transformed by the Spirit of God. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). These people have met The Creator God and are forever changed. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21). I ask you this question; do you know that you are a sinner? Have you become aware of your affliction, have you looked into your heart and realized that your heart is deceitfully wicked and you are an unclean thing before God? If you haven’t realized your sinful state before God, then I encourage you to read the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) God’s moral law, while doing so, know that God is Spirit, he is more concerned with your heart more concerned with the sins you think than your physical sin, so when you read the moral law ask yourself. Have I broken these in my heart? Know that God sees anger is murder, and lust as adultery. If after doing so you realize that you are a sinner, do what Peter said to do “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Jesus the Son of God was sacrificed on the cross for your sins and offers you cleansing from your sins, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus was without sin and was sacrificed on the cross for sin. If you will today repent (turn from sin and turn to Jesus in faith) trusting alone in Jesus Christ, all of your sins will be wiped away, he will take your sins upon himself and His goodness will be imputed to you. When God sees you he will no longer see a sinner but will see Jesus Christ.
Next week I will explain why I wrote about "The Parable of the Soils" and tell you what God has revealed to me in this parable.
Repent of your sins and trust alone in Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Monday, May 2, 2011
I don't rejoice in the death of Osama Bin Laden
I don't rejoice in the death of Osama Bin Laden he is a sinner who didn't trust in Jesus Christ therefore is in Hell, it saddens me. I understand what was done had to be, he was a murder of thousands who had to be brought to justice and those who did are justified in doing so. It saddens me because I deserve the same, the only difference is I have "been saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph 2:8-9), I don't deserve grace anymore than Osama Bin Laden but my Lord loved me and took the punishment I deserve. (James 2:10) says, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all", in other words sin is sin. Osama Bin Laden was a murder, Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (Matt 5:21-22), in God's eyes murder and anger are the same. How many people have you been angry at? (1 John 3:15) says, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him". Have you hated anyone? Unless you repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ your fate is the same!
Repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
Repent and trust alone in Jesus Christ,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
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