“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
“For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman” (I Cor. 7:22).
“The terms freedom and liberty are often used interchangeably. Freedom is usually obtained “for” or “from” something and indicates an absence of external restraint. Liberty has a strong individual flavor and is a condition of the mind rather than the body. Thus Lord Byron could properly speak of the prisoner Chillon as having liberty while chained in a dungeon. It has been said that liberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint. This element of self-control has spiritual and ethical overtones and is found in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II Cor. 3:17). Thus, liberty might be said to be something more elevated than the condition of mundane freedom.”
(James DeForest Murch – Adapted.)
When Jesus commenced His preaching ministry He said that He came, under the anointing of the Spirit of the Lord, “to preach deliverance to the captives… to set at liberty those who are oppressed!” (Luke 4:18). He came to proclaim freedom to all men!
What a blessing the freedom and the liberty we have in Christ! The dimensions of this liberty are threefold:
(1.) Material or earthly. Everywhere the Gospel has been received personal liberties have followed! Nations have turned from dictatorships to democracy, society has given up slavery, abusive judicial systems have been reformed, living standards have risen!
(2.) Spiritual. Every believer becomes a free man in Christ regardless of external circumstances! In heart, mind, and soul we dwell with the Lord in Heavenly regions even if we are locked into an oppressive and negative social environment, or are literally chained in a dungeon, or are confined by disease, disorder, or accident to a sick bed or hospital or nursing home!
(3.) Eternal. Paul says that while we are presently in “the bondage of corruption” and decay, i.e., in this body of flesh destined to die, soon we shall be released from it “into the glorious liberty of the children of God!” (Romans 8:18-23). We who are in Christ eagerly anticipate “the adoption, the redemption of our body”, wherein we shall experience eternal life and glory!
The truth of Christ makes us free! May we ever cherish this freedom! There is nothing finer!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
"An Ancient Foe in A Modern World!"
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” (I Timothy 4:1).
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).
“Now, I do not want to be radical, and I do not want to go to any extreme in the interpretation of the Word of God, but personally I am becoming more and more convinced that many of the awful and blasphemous teachings that are now found in the literature of our day, indeed, in some of the most widely-circulated and highly- praised books of our generation, have been prompted, though their authors do not know it, and would scoffingly deny it, by evil spirits.”
(Prof. Wilbur M. Smith)
I agree with Prof. Smith’s conviction. While he is speaking primarily of theological and academic literature, I would expand the thought to popular literature, stage, screen, and all forms of media. The lies, blasphemy, immorality, and every form of licentious communication, which so proliferates in our civilization and society, is beyond mere human initiative, genius, and power. Satan, “the god of this world”, “the prince of this age” is behind it. Evil spirits, fallen angels, the demons are his spiritual agents. They are out to frustrate the Gospel of God’s love, usurp Christ’s place in this world, and deprive the saints of our inheritance. They abound in unbelievable numbers, assuming every guise, exert persistent pressures, are sleepless in their efforts, wholly malignant in their intent. They have been loosed from the black abyss, they aid in gathering the human enemies of Jesus from the four corners of the earth to wage final war against the City of God, for they know their time is short, and soon the triumphant Lord Jesus Christ returns!
Till He comes the reign of evil persists. These demonic forces can be fought in no ordinary fashion. The saints must fight with sacred weapons and all the defenses of righteousness—faith, grace, prayer, love, holiness, zeal, scripture, Holy Spirit, Christian service, good works!
In the final analysis, however, there is no need for any child of God to fear these forces of evil. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” (I John 4:4).
Larry Atkin, Preacher
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).
“Now, I do not want to be radical, and I do not want to go to any extreme in the interpretation of the Word of God, but personally I am becoming more and more convinced that many of the awful and blasphemous teachings that are now found in the literature of our day, indeed, in some of the most widely-circulated and highly- praised books of our generation, have been prompted, though their authors do not know it, and would scoffingly deny it, by evil spirits.”
(Prof. Wilbur M. Smith)
I agree with Prof. Smith’s conviction. While he is speaking primarily of theological and academic literature, I would expand the thought to popular literature, stage, screen, and all forms of media. The lies, blasphemy, immorality, and every form of licentious communication, which so proliferates in our civilization and society, is beyond mere human initiative, genius, and power. Satan, “the god of this world”, “the prince of this age” is behind it. Evil spirits, fallen angels, the demons are his spiritual agents. They are out to frustrate the Gospel of God’s love, usurp Christ’s place in this world, and deprive the saints of our inheritance. They abound in unbelievable numbers, assuming every guise, exert persistent pressures, are sleepless in their efforts, wholly malignant in their intent. They have been loosed from the black abyss, they aid in gathering the human enemies of Jesus from the four corners of the earth to wage final war against the City of God, for they know their time is short, and soon the triumphant Lord Jesus Christ returns!
Till He comes the reign of evil persists. These demonic forces can be fought in no ordinary fashion. The saints must fight with sacred weapons and all the defenses of righteousness—faith, grace, prayer, love, holiness, zeal, scripture, Holy Spirit, Christian service, good works!
In the final analysis, however, there is no need for any child of God to fear these forces of evil. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” (I John 4:4).
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Monday, May 11, 2009
"Worshiping God!"
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
“If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (I John 4:20).
“Do you ever go to church and feel that what is going on is not really the worship of God, but rather the worship of worship itself? There is a variety of ways in which we all worship the Lord. But sometimes I think that our worship gets misdirected and we wind up worshiping our style of worship rather than the subject of our worship – Almighty God! What I am concerned about is how we have fallen into the habit of worshiping our style of worship. I am referring to the way we worship in praise or song. In some congregations the attitude is projected that “our way of worship is the only way to worship.” We may sing, “It’s all about you, Lord” while we are so fixated on our way of worship that we might as well be honest and sing, “It’s all about us, Lord, it’s all about us!”
(Victor Knowles – Adapted).
Worshiping a particular worship style can be sinful in that it focuses the spotlight upon what we do instead of who we praise. Likewise it can engender pride, focusing upon the performers rather than the Holy God, whether they are the clergy, the choir, the praise band, the worship team, or the people themselves. Then, too, worship styles can be quite divisive, as those who are convinced their styles are exclusively the God-approved ones and those persons who won’t conform to them are not brothers in Christ. Hence, those who worship by simultaneous prayer, shouting, dancing, and speaking in tongues shut out others. Those who refuse to use musical instruments reject those who do. Those who insist upon the use of but a single communion cup refuse fellowship with multiple-cuppers. Those who use only choruses, praise bands, exceedingly loud amplifiers, and dress casually denigrate those would choose other things. (“This is not your grandmother’s church! We are the church of the now generation! If you don’t like how we do church, please, just quietly go away!”) Those who prefer priestly ritual and liturgy, read prayers, candles, and darkened sanctuaries tend to segregate themselves, or exalt themselves, from others.
Worship should center upon God! Worship should never divide! Worship should never promote hate!
Whoever has ears to hear, let us hear!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
“If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (I John 4:20).
“Do you ever go to church and feel that what is going on is not really the worship of God, but rather the worship of worship itself? There is a variety of ways in which we all worship the Lord. But sometimes I think that our worship gets misdirected and we wind up worshiping our style of worship rather than the subject of our worship – Almighty God! What I am concerned about is how we have fallen into the habit of worshiping our style of worship. I am referring to the way we worship in praise or song. In some congregations the attitude is projected that “our way of worship is the only way to worship.” We may sing, “It’s all about you, Lord” while we are so fixated on our way of worship that we might as well be honest and sing, “It’s all about us, Lord, it’s all about us!”
(Victor Knowles – Adapted).
Worshiping a particular worship style can be sinful in that it focuses the spotlight upon what we do instead of who we praise. Likewise it can engender pride, focusing upon the performers rather than the Holy God, whether they are the clergy, the choir, the praise band, the worship team, or the people themselves. Then, too, worship styles can be quite divisive, as those who are convinced their styles are exclusively the God-approved ones and those persons who won’t conform to them are not brothers in Christ. Hence, those who worship by simultaneous prayer, shouting, dancing, and speaking in tongues shut out others. Those who refuse to use musical instruments reject those who do. Those who insist upon the use of but a single communion cup refuse fellowship with multiple-cuppers. Those who use only choruses, praise bands, exceedingly loud amplifiers, and dress casually denigrate those would choose other things. (“This is not your grandmother’s church! We are the church of the now generation! If you don’t like how we do church, please, just quietly go away!”) Those who prefer priestly ritual and liturgy, read prayers, candles, and darkened sanctuaries tend to segregate themselves, or exalt themselves, from others.
Worship should center upon God! Worship should never divide! Worship should never promote hate!
Whoever has ears to hear, let us hear!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
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