Teach Your Children at Home!

“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:13    Let me exhort you, as much as lies in you, to give your children sound instruction in the great doctrines of the gospel of Christ. I believe that what Irving once said is a great truth. He said, “In these modern times you boast and glory, and you think yourselves to be in a high and noble condition, because you have your Sabbath-schools and British-schools, and all kinds of schools for teaching youth. I tell you,” he said, “that philanthropic and great as these are, they are the ensigns of your disgrace; they show that your land is not a land where parents teach children at home. They show you there is a want of parental instruction; and though they be blessed things, these Sabbath-schools, they are indications of something wrong, for if we all taught our children there would be no need of strangers to say to our children ‘Know the Lord.’” I trust you will never give up that excellent puritanical habit of catechising your children at home. Any father or mother who entirely gives up a child to the teaching of another has made a mistake. There is no teacher who wishes to absolve a parent from what he ought to do himself. He is an assistant, but he was never intended to be a substitute. Teach your children; bring out your old catechisms again, for they are, after all, blessed means of instruction, and the next generation shall outstrip those that have gone before it; for the reason why many of you are weak in the faith is this, you did not receive instruction in your youth in the great things of the gospel of Christ. If you had, you would have been so grounded, and settled, and firm in the faith, that nothing could by any means have moved you. Suggested Further Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-7, 20-25 For meditation: Faithful teaching from his mother and grandmother had prepared Timothy for his further education from the apostle Paul (Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:5, 3:14-15). Sermon no. 79,  11 May (1856) by C.H. Spurgeon

"The Story of Grace!"

    A Fathers Son was brutally murdered by one of the must vicious and sadistic persons in the world. (Here are 5 endings to the story, you pick)!

1) The Father goes and gets a gun and shots the murderer dead in the streets. (This is Revenge)

2) The Father helps the authorities track down, convict and sentence the murderer to death by electrocution. (This is Justice) 

3) The Father helps the authorities track down and convict but before the judge passes down the verdict, the Father asks the judge to lighten the sentence to life in prison, with no parole, so he does. (This is Mercy)

4)The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, and drop ALL charges on the murderer and let him walk free. The judge allows the murderer to walk free!   (This is Forgiveness)

5) The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, drop ALL charges on the murderer, adopt the murderer into His family, take care of the murderer and live in His custody the rest of the murders life.  The judge agrees!  (This is Grace)

Which would you do if you were in the Fathers shoes?

 If you are saved and reading this you were NO different from the vicious and sadistic murderer before God provided you with His grace through His Son Christ Jesus! 

"Nobody is born into this world a child of the family of God. We are born as children of wrath. The only way we enter into the family of God is by adoption, and that adoption occurs when we are united to God’s only begotten Son by faith. When by faith we are united with Christ, we are then adopted into that family of whom Christ is the firstborn."~R.C. Sproul

Dad Passed this story on to me, Now I am to you!

The story of Grace!

David A. Baker Sr.

  A Fathers Son was brutally murdered by one of the must vicious and sadistic persons in the world. 

(Here are 5 endings to the story you pick)!

1) The Father goes and gets a gun and shots the murderer dead in the streets. (That's Revenge) 

2) The Father helps the authorities track down, convict and sentence the murderer to death by electrocution. (That's Justice)

3) The Father helps the authorities track down and convict but before the judge passes down the verdict, the Father asks the judge to lighten the sentence to life in prison, with no parole, so he does. (That's Mercy)

 4)The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, and drop ALL charges on the murderer and let him walk free. The judge allows the murderer to walk free!   (That's Forgiveness)

5) The Father helps the authorities track down the murderer but before the trial the Father asks to talk with the judge privately. The Father tells the judge he wants to forgive the murderer, drop ALL charges on the murderer, have the murderer move into His house, take care of the murderer and live in His custody the rest of the murders life.  The judge agrees!  (That's Grace)

 

  Which would you do if you were in the Fathers shoes?

   If you are saved and reading this, you were NO different from the vicious and sadistic murderer before

God provided you with His grace through His Son Christ Jesus!

   This Story my dad passed alone to me and know I am going to pass it on to you. Continue to pass if you wish!

Happy Father's Day!

Treat It like your Cell Phone?

   Just some food for thought.The more you read the Bible; and the more you meditate on it, the more you will be astonished with it. 

   I found this the other day and thought it was so true to today's Christian. Think of all the things we would solve if we did this?

 "If you find a professing Christian indifferent to his Bible, you may be sure that the very dust upon its cover will rise up in judgment against him. I venture to say that the bulk of Christians spend more time in reading the newspaper than they do reading the Word of God." ~ C.H. Spurgeon

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We must give Him 100% credit!

Jesus putting His righteousness on us!

   Who does the Justifying and the redeeming? And why does it matter? As we will see with God's Word, it is so important that we have these two questions answered correctly. Being redeemed or Justified means, who paid our debt of sin fully, who made our unrighteousness, righteous in the site of a holly God? Lets see what scripture says.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all  who believe. For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

Romans 4:6 says "God imputes His Righteousness". His Word Promise's.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

1) So who does the justifying or the redeeming?   God does it all, He justified us by His grace through Jesus Christ. It is a gift from God, not a wage that we should have to work for. He is The "Forgiving Father".

2) Why did God do it?   To demonstrate His righteousness to people that aren't worthy of Him, To prove that He is the Justifier, To demonstrate His righteousness, and to show He did this all beforehand!

3) Why is it important to know?  Because we must give ALL the glory to the right person! "For we are His workmanship" and therefore we MUST give Him all the glory so that we "CAN"T and WON'T" boast in ourselves and take His credit". 

  It is human nature to want to think we did it all and have to do more to keep it all but that's not what God wants. He wants us to put our full trust, hope and faith in Him and in order for us to do that we MUST give God 100% of the credit for receiving and keeping of our salvation!
  Do we have a part, Yes, we do have to receive God's precious gift but how do we get to that point? Scripture says that God draws us there through the power of the Holy Spirit. It all boils down to something not taught on much anymore. God's Sovereignty!

More Subject Reading From "The Redeemed Gardener":
"Justification is by grace alone (not mixed with our merit)"

"Pruning off the Bad Stuff"

 "Can We Do Enough"

"What is a Christian"

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Change Ahead!

   In our garden or in our walk with Jesus, the growth in both always changes. Things get planted and sprout, they grow in an ever changing way. Things start to bloom and sometimes we have to prune the dead or bad stuff off. Eventually from those blooms fruit or veggies start to produce. Hopefully with both those that which is produced are very good to those who we share them with (our personal fruit and the veggies from our garden) and then they die. But from time to time we have to change both our garden and ourselves to better them. Either it's because of something we have learned about our garden (though research) or about ourselves through (God's Word), we are always in a state of change to make each perfect. But neither will ever be here in this life because of the outside nastiness that each face daily. We just have to trust God at His word that He will keep His many promises for both. I can grantee one thing, change will come, but it's what we keep focused on the  helps us make the right changing decisions in either place. I think you know what I mean?
  This was just a thought that I had to share as I introduces my new blog face lift. I hope your fruit is very good to those you share it with!

"Courage is the strength or choice to begin a change.  Determination is the persistence to continue that change."

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"TGP" for Small Groups, Home Schoolers, Families and More!

Me Gardening!

  As you know, one of the most important SEEDS I like to plant is that of the Gospel. I look at the body as one of the most important gardens that we can tend as we live on the earth. And our children need to be cultivated in the right direction, so as to be ready for what this old nasty world has to offer!
  Well my wife had been looking for a Bible study to do with my daughter for quit some time. She finally came across one called, "The Gospel Projected", she told me about it and we decided to buy it. I thought it was just towards teenagers and Kids but I  was wrong. As we sat and went over the first lesson, I started learning a lot! Its not just for kids! It's for everybody, Adults, Students and Kids.
 From what I have read and through our own use, there are many other application that it can be used for. Home Schools could use it as a 3 year elective, Small Bible home groups could use it, Use it like we are, for a family study or as it is attended, for your church to have an in-depth study of the Bible! Pastors do your church a favor!

From the site:

  "The Gospel Project is a Bible study resource that invites Adults, Students, and Kids of all ages to dive deeply into God’s story of redemption through Jesus Christ. In every lesson, participants are immersed in the gospel and learn how when the gospel works on them, they become a part of the story, too, the very hands and feet in God’s gospel project.
   Led by General Editor Ed Stetzer and Managing Editor Trevin Wax, The Gospel Project is designed to unify an entire church under a single Christ-centered curriculum. Separate study plans for adults, students, and kids ensure the proper focus and depth for each age group."

  I am not gonna try to sell you on it, I am just so impressed that I wanted to share it with you so that maybe you can share it with your Pastor or other Christian friends. I truly believe that you will have a wonderful time learning Gods Word.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as we are going to!

Preview 1 Month Free! And how to buy

 

 

 

 

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Making the Nation Right, But NOT on Election Day?

  I have been watching and listening how people have been acting and conversing, leading up to the 2012 Presidential Election. It pains me to see how Christians can take up for, acted and talk about their party or candidate but they can't even defend their Savior Jesus Christ or His teachings! I am not gonna go into a rampage about this subject. I just want to post what God's Word says to do about turning a nation like the U.S. around and putting it back on track. This is truly the only way it will happen folks!

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place" 

   We must also pray for our leaders and not destroy them with our mouth! Why? Because God's Word says that "He sets Kings and deposes them (Daniel 2:21)." Because “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes (Daniel 4:17).” So if we humble ourselves and do as Gods Word says. God says HE will heal our nation, not a politician!! Even though evil men abuse their political power, meaning it for evil, God means it for good, working “all things together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 2:28). Here is the promise but we must do our part first!

2 Chronicles 12:6 "So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The Lord is righteous.”⁷ Now when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak" 

Here is a good article on "Got Questions", "How should a Christian view Politics?" 

  So if you are a Christian reading this, please do your part! Humble yourself, Pray, Seek God and turn from your wicked ways. He will hear from you and He will heal your lands!! God Bless each of you!


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"The Journey" by Robert Brunell

  My wife found this story years ago, and before I published it I wanted to explain a couple of things. When I first read the story, it really made me madder than a wet hen. Because I saw a lot of myself, at that, time in this story. I saw a lot of the people that I was around the same way and well I got mad, okay, lol! So I post this with caution in hope that you will read the whole thing and just take it all as a teaching of where we can slip as the body of Christ if we are not cautious and do as God tells us in 1 John 4:1-6 and "test everything". It is a lengthy read and must of you probably wont read it but for you that do, I promise you will be blessed! Or maybe mad like I was but God taught me a lot from this! This isn't an "Escape from our Savior Jesus Christ". God Bless you all!
Numbers 22:24 "Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side."

"Escape from Christendom"

"The Journey"  by Robert Burnell, 1980

In my dream I see the lone figure of a man following a road.

As the sun sets beneath the hills, a city comes into view. Nearing it, the traveler sees what appears to be a large group of churches. Spires and crosses pierce the skyline. His pace quickens. Is this his destination? He passes an imposing structure, a neon sign flashing “Cathedral of the Future.” Farther on a floodlit stadium supports a billboard boasting that fifty thousand people crowd into evangelistic meetings there three nights a week. Beyond this, modest “New Testament” chapels and Hebrew Christian synagogues cluster together on the street front.

“Is this the City of God?” I hear the traveler ask a woman at the information booth in the central square.

“No this is Christian City, “she replies.

“But I thought this road led to the City of God!” He exclaims with great disappointment.

“That’s what we all thought when we arrived,” she answers, her tone sympathetic.

“This road continues up the mountain, doesn’t it?” He asks.

“I wouldn’t know, really,” she answers blankly.

I watched the man turn away from her and trudge on up the mountain in the gathering darkness. Reaching the top, he starts out into the blackness; it looks as though there is nothing, absolutely nothing, beyond. With a shudder he retraces his steps into Christian City an takes a room at a hotel.

Strangely unrefreshed, at dawn he arises and follows the road up the mountain again; in the brightening light of the sun he discovers that what seemed like a void the night before is actually a desert–dry, hot, rolling sand as far as the eye can see. The road narrows to a path which rises over a dune and disappears. “Can this trail lead to the City of God?” He wonders aloud. It appears to be quite deserted and rarely traveled.

Indecision slowing his steps, he again returns to Christian City and has lunch in a Christian restaurant. Over the music of a gospel record, I hear him ask a man at the next table, “That path up the mountain, where the desert begins, does it lead to the City of God?”

“Don’t be a fool!” his neighbor replies quickly. “Everyone who has ever taken that path has been lost… Swallowed up by the desert! If you want God, there are plenty of good churches in this town. You should pick one and settle down.”

How will Jesus come the second time?

   How will Jesus one day return to earth when He comes back to the Mt. of Olives at His second coming? Lets turn to scripture and see. Acts 1: 9-11 answers this for us: "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” It appears that when Jesus returns for His children, He will return on the clouds. This is for those that are saved (in Christ Jesus).
    There is another return of Christ, this time spoken of in Revelation 19:11-14. This time the Heavens will open up and Christ is seen setting on a White horse. This is event is different then the rapture, this time Christ is coming to set up His kingdom, that He has promised. There will be an army following Him made up of His church, OT believers and even angles. On this return Christ is bringing "judgment and war", the Holy wrath of God will be poured out on all of sinful mankind that did not except the salvation He offered through His son Jesus. He will destroy all sin and corruption that is left on the earth, so His perfect and eternal Kingdom can be set up.
     A song that I have listen to and sang in the past keeps coming back to me over the past few months. A song that has lots of truth in it, a "Christian" song. But God's word tells us that a little leave will spoil the whole batch (Gal. 5:9). The song is call "Make way for the King", by Lenny Leblanc, the song towards the end sings like this. "Make Way for the King, Cause He's Comin' on a white horse to carry me home." An example of why we need to do as James said and test everything or like the Bereans in Acts 17:11. Jesus isn't coming on a White Horse for His children, His redeemed. He is coming on a white horse because God patience will be gone with all the rebellious, sinful, corruption that mankind has become! Christ is coming on the white horse of Judgment and His followers will be right behind Him.

"Jesus will come bathed in radiant splendor, enveloped within an atmosphere of indescribable brilliance, surrounded by the ear-piercing praise of angels and saints. Scintillating light shining from His eyes. Irresistible power pouring from His hands. None will deny His beauty or escape its transforming energy." ~ Sam Storms


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"Understanding of God's Divine Providence"

  Understanding of God's Divine Providence helps us understand the teaching of "predestination,  justification, sanctification, glorification, perseverance of the saints, ect.)  In my study of this I found that gotquestions.org had a very good teaching and summary on this subject. So instead of me muttering on, I will use it and give them the credit, lol!

  So what is “divine providence?" Divine providence is the means by and through which God governs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. This includes the universe as a whole (Psalm 103:19), the physical world (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations (Psalm 66:7), human birth and destiny (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people (Psalm 4:8). This doctrine stands in direct opposition to the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.
   The purpose, or goal, of divine providence is to accomplish the will of God. To ensure that His purposes are fulfilled, God governs the affairs of men and works through the natural order of things. The laws of nature are nothing more than a depiction of God at work in the universe. The laws of nature have no inherent power, nor do they work independently. The laws of nature are the rules and principles that God set in place to govern how things work.
   The same goes for human choice. In a very real sense we are not free to choose or act apart from God’s will. Everything we do and everything we choose is in full accordance to God’s will—even our sinful choices (Genesis 50:20). The bottom line is that God controls our choices and actions (Genesis 45:5; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 21:1), yet He does so in such a way that does not violate our responsibility as free moral agents, nor does it negate the reality of our choice.
   The doctrine of divine providence can be succinctly summarized this way: “God in eternity past, in the counsel of His own will, ordained everything that will happen; yet in no sense is God the author of sin; nor is human responsibility removed.” The primary means by which God accomplishes His will is through secondary causes (e.g., laws of nature, human choice). In other words, God works indirectly through these secondary causes to accomplish His will.
  

"The Process of Reconciling"

Biblical conflict control!

by Clint Baker

   Romans 12:18 Says  "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."  God told us right before this not to repay evil for evil. In vrs. 18 He says "if possible",  God wants us to do everything possible to live in peace, he also expects, even though we may not be the one at fault, to go be the one to try to make it right. But it will not always come because it also depends on the others persons attitudes and responses. But we as mature Christians need to be the ones to make the first move, God expects this. The Bible makes it clear that no church is exempt from conflict but this offers opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

   To help us with this, Jesus gave us the example of the work of a peacemaker (Mat.18:15-20, 5:9).  In doing this, Jesus is the ultimate role model (Eph. 2:14-18). All Christians in conflict should use God's pattern for making peace to show unbelievers their shared faith and the love of Christ.  Each party involved, whether directly or indirectly has a role in the process of mending the conflict. Jesus tells us this in Mathew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." Those who study the Bible refer to this as showing "common grace", an small example of the grace that God has given us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus!

   We should also as Christians be the first to try to reconcile a conflict between ourselves and nonbelievers in the same way. If they do not except apology, then we again have done all we can do. The one thing that we can do in both cases though is as God's Word says, Pray and be kind to your enemies, "for it is like pouring hot coals upon their necks." Because at this point it is between them and God, not you and them. (Matt.5:44, Proverbs 25:22)

   I will close by this quote, I believe by Richard Baxter, "Do all you can to be reconciled to others, but remember that you cannot force others to do what is right.  If you have done everything within your power to resolve a conflict, you have fulfilled your responsibility to God and may stop  trying to solve the problem (Rom. 12:18)… It is not necessary or wise to waste time, energy, and resources fretting about someone who stubbornly refuses to be reconciled."

December 2011
Clint Baker