Category Study

drifting along

The Preacher Leave a comment

Years ago while just a freshman in high school, my friend and I were horsing around on the banks the Chena river in Fairbanks. It was during “break up”, the time when the water is beginning to flow after a long winter.

There were large chunks of ice on the bank of the river, and my friend decided that he should go “Huckleberry Finn” with one of those chunks of ice. As we pushed one of the larger pieces into the river, he jumped atop with a 6 foot piece of wood that he would use to steer.

The trouble is this, among many others, the Chena river is much deeper than six feet and he soon found himself drifting down the river.

This story got me to thinking about drifting in the church…..

DRIFTING REQUIRES NO EFFORT…a boat or a raft, without an oar or sail will just float along without any destination in mind and requires no thought, effort or sweat. <“We must give the more earnest heed…” – He 2:1> Drifting is often unconscious and you never drift UPSTREAM. To avoid drifting, you must be continually adding to your faith <2 Pe 1:5> and you need to grow, <2 Pe 3:18>

If you stop adding and growing, you’re actually going backwards or downwards. Just as rowing will get you closer to your destination, drifting will take you farther and farther away. Farther from the brethren, the Word and ultimately, the Lord.

DRIFTING JEAPARDIZES THE CARGO…A drifting vessel is a danger to other vessels in the water. Think about a drifting life, a drifting parent, a drifting church member. The consequences are terrible, when we lose interest in Bible study, or worship, so often so do those that are close to us. Our drifting begets drifting in others. We begin to be “tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine” <Ep 4:14>

A DRIFTING BOAT HAS NO DESTINATION...and will likely crash among the rocks. A drifting boat is like building on unstable ground, when the rains come, it washes away the house. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” <Mt 7:27>

ARE YOU DRIFTING? If you’ve lost interest in the things of God, you may be adrift.
Have you stopped a regular reading or study of God’s word?
Have you stopped a regular attendance when the saints meet for worship?
Have you stopped a regular coming together with church members in their homes?
Have you stopped praying?
Have the interests of this world supplanted an interest in the things of God? <1Jn 2:15-17>
Have you become a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God? <2Ti 3:4>

START ROWING…You can correct the drifting vessel, you can reset the sails, you can set a destination. Give diligence <2Pe 1:5-10> adding to your faith, making your calling and election sure.

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him…” (He 2:1-3)

Back to my story;

As my friend drifted, the danger ever increasing, there was a moment of hope, escape from the raging waters. Just before the river took him away, the river narrowed where he could grab an overhanging tree. I shouted for him to grab that tree that was firmly anchored on the bank.

He jumped, he got wet, but he was able to firmly grasp that tree. He was saved.

Are you drifting? Grab that anchor of hope we have in Christ Jesus.” Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,” <Heb 6:19>

Let us help you reset the sails of your life. Stop drifting. If you live near Borger Texas, we would love to invite you to one of our assemblies.

8 things that happen when you read the Bible

The Preacher Leave a comment

One of the things we as evangelists work hard to do, is to get our members to READ their Bibles. I’m reminded of the great commandment that our Lord quoted from De 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Mr 12:30) The rest of the passage in Deuteronomy goes on to teach, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” (De 6:6 ) It appears that the continued study of God’s word is connected with the very Love of God.

There is much emphasis in the Bible for all Christians to study it. With that in mind, I would like to share with you

8 things the Bible says will happen to you when you read….

…you will….

1- Gain Understanding – The Apostle Paul wrote that we could understand what he knew by revelation, “when we read”. (Eph 3:4). Luke also wrote so that we, “may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” (Lu 1:1-4) With the instruction you will gain Instruction in Righteousness – By reading the Bible, we will have godly instruction and become “thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Tim 3:16, 17). In Romans, Paul tells us that even the Old Testament was “written for our learning.” (Ro 15:4) When you read, you will read better, be better at business, life and Godliness.

2- Gain Utterance – “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,” (Eph 6:19)
You will become clearer about your faith.

3- Gain confidence / boldness – When the Apostles were preaching the gospel, the prayed for boldness, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,” (Ac 4:29 ). We can have boldness, not only through prayer, but through our continued study. (1Ti 4:13)
You will have more confidence to share your faith.

4- Know the Truth – “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (Joh 17:17) The Lord promised to send a Helper, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:” (Joh 16:12-13) We will also recognize error.
If you know the truth, the error will become evident.

5- Be Ready – Peter tells us to “be ready always to give an answer..” (1Pe 3:15) And Paul writes, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Col 4:6) If we read, we can be prepared to share our faith.

6. Apt to Teach – The writer of Hebrews rebuked the brethren, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,” (Heb 5:12) There are plenty of passages about us becoming teachers, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Mt 5:14) as well as, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,” (Eph 4:11) – Ro 12:7; Eph 4:1Co 12:28;
You will be able to, and perhaps desire to teach.

7. Believe – Our Lord and Savior said that the written word served the purpose of helping folks believe, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…..” (Joh 20:31)
You will become more firm in your faith.

8. Have Salvation – In the same passage He also said, “…and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (Joh 20:31) When questioned whether he would stay or go, Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Joh 6:68) By reading, we keep His word, “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” (Joh 8:51) By reading, we are showing that we are receiving His word, “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him–the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Joh 12:48) By reading the Bible, you will learn what it means to “…obey the Gospel.” (1Pe 4:17)
You can be certain of your salvation.

As I wrote this, I was reminded of the quote from Mark Twain, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” But his words pale in comparison to the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea,

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Ho 4:6)