At The Throne of Grace

I have posted the four messages or lessons that I have taught  lasts Sunday September 25, and the Wednesday Night lesson over on  FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST website.

Each video is only part of the lesson.   You would need to go to Vimeo for the rest of the lessons.

 Jimmy Grant and his brother Larry worked on the front of the church building

and really does look so good.

 They also worked on the front of my building, its the Pastor's offices and Study

This view is the buildings of the church,

Prayer is Necessary to Salvation

J..C. Ryle,

I hold salvation by grace as strongly as any one. I would gladly offer a free and full pardon to the greatest sinner that ever lived. I would not hesitate to stand by his dying bed, and say, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ even now, and you shall be saved.” But that a man can have salvation without asking for it, I cannot see in the Bible. That a man will receive pardon of his sins, who will not so much as lift up his heart inwardly, and say, “Lord Jesus, give it to me,” this I cannot find. I can find that nobody will be saved by his prayers, but I cannot find that without prayer anybody will be saved….To be prayerless is to be without God,—without Christ,—without grace,—without hope,—and without heaven. It is to be in the road to hell…..

….I do not deny that a man may pray without heart, and without sincerity. I do not for a moment pretend to say, that the mere fact of a person praying proves everything about his soul. As in every other part of religion, so also in this, there is plenty of deception and hypocrisy.

But this I do say,—that not praying is a clear proof that a man is not yet a true Christian. He cannot really feel his sins. He cannot love God. He cannot feel himself a debtor to Christ. He cannot long after holiness. He cannot desire heaven. He has yet to be born again. He has yet to be made a new creature. He may boast confidently of election, grace, faith, hope, and knowledge, and deceive ignorant people. But you may rest assured it is all vain talk if he does not pray.

And I say furthermore, that of all the evidences of real work of the Spirit, a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named. A man may preach from false motives. A man may write books, and make fine speeches, and seem diligent in good works, and yet be a Judas Iscariot. But a man seldom goes into his closet, and pours out his soul before God in secret, unless he is in earnest. The Lord Himself has set His stamp on prayer as the best proof of a true conversion. When He sent Ananias to Saul in Damascus, He gave him no other evidence of his change of heart than this,— “Behold, he prayeth.” (Acts 9:11).

I know that much may go on in a man’s mind before he is brought to pray. He may have many convictions, desires, wishes, feelings, intentions, resolutions, hopes, and fears. But all these things are very uncertain evidences. They are to be found in ungodly people, and often come to nothing. In many a case they are not more lasting than the morning cloud, and the dew that passes away. A real hearty prayer, flowing from a broken and contrite spirit, is worth all these things put together.

I know that the elect of God are chosen to salvation from all eternity. I know that the Holy Spirit, who calls them in due time, in many instances leads them by very slow degrees to acquaintance with Christ. But the eye of man can only judge by what it sees. I cannot call anyone justified until he believes. I dare not say that any one believes until he prays. I cannot understand a dumb faith. The first act of faith will be to speak to God. Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to life. How a man can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a man can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too.

Reader, never be surprised if you hear ministers of the Gospel dwelling much on the importance of prayer. This is the point we want to bring you to,—we want to know that you pray. Your views of doctrine may be correct. Your love of Protestantism may be warm and unmistakable. But still this may be nothing more than head knowledge and party spirit. We want to know whether you are actually acquainted with the throne of grace, and whether you can speak to God as well as speak about God.

Reader, do you wish to find out whether you are a true Christian? Then rest assured that my question is one of the very first importance,—DO YOU PRAY?
from the J.C. Ryle Tract, Do You Pray? A Question For Everybody. (which can be found at Evangelical Tracts)

Why Does God Save Sinners? Mark Dever

Photos of the Day

Auto-Dreams Chevy Centennial Release 2011

 The Auto Dreams Chevy Centennial Release 2011 are really great set.

THE   Patriotic       Series was great as well

The M2Machines Die Cast Cars are a level or two above the Hot Wheels

And on occasion I will buy one or two

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

 I am a Pastor-Teacher on Sunday.  Its being my life since 1963.  But Sunday is the Lord's Day and so this last Sunday was just as good as it gets.  

 Charity and the girls put up this display board in the foyer at the  church

 I teach the Adult Bible Study Class on Sunday

 I took a photo of my Bible and MSS for Sunday

 Bill and Mary Bower singing

Johnny Edwards getting ready to sing Sunday

When You Say "I Just Don Not Understand The Scripture?"

KEEP ON LISTENING EVEN WHEN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO

·       I do not know what you mean by what you are teaching? Pastor Charles, they will say.  I know when I was in Seminary in Dr. George Norris class, I was listening to the lectures on the subject of Theology, I realized after hearing him speak not only did I feel I knew nothing of what he was speaking, but I felt I would never be able to understand a think we was saying.

·       But I am glad I keep on listening to him for the rest of the year and the next year.·    

I can tell you if you keep on listening, and keep on listening, you will begin to find that more than yo had even realized is sinking and seeping in, and you will wake up one of these day and say,. “I got it, I see what it is about, I am beginning to  understand.” 

 ·       If you are not there yet, KEEP ON LISTENING.

·       Do not impatient with yourself when you are studying a difficult passage in Scripture, keep on, hold on, reading or listening and suddenly you will find yourself not only do you know much more than you thought you knew, but you will be able to follow and to understand.

REMEMBER THIS, DON’T LET THE DEVIL SAY TO YOU, “You are not a theologian.”  Say, “I am in this Christian family, and I intend to listen and to read until I do understand it.  If you do that you will not only defeat th4e enemy, but you will soon find that you have an understand. 

And that is exactly what happen in Theology 101, 201, 301,and 401 and 501. 

Biblical Interpretation and Bibical Propechy

 Prophecy: Biblical Interpretation and Biblical Prophecy

Principles of Biblical Interpretation of Prophecy

 There are many excellent books on the topic of Bible interpretation. In fact, this subject is so broad that it has its own technical name: Hermeneutics.  The word hermeneutics comes from the Greek hermeneo, which means ‘to translate’ or ‘ to interpret.’  For a general purpose book about principles of Bible interpretation we recommend “Living by the Book” by Howard Hendricks.

Interpretation of Bible prophecy takes special care, and there are books written just about prophecy hermeneutics.  But, for the sake of simplicity, we submit this list of rules for your consideration.  Please feel free to comment on these guidelines and suggest additions or modifications.

1 – Understand that all true Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable to every believer.

• Since a large part of the Bible is prophecy, that portion of God’s Word should not be ignored or minimized.  The literal fulfillment of prophecies about the first coming of Jesus Christ are the greatest proof that the Bible is inspired, and sets the standard for a literal interpretation of End Times events.

• No portion of Scripture should be set aside as unimportant or irrelevant.  All Scripture is worthy of sincere study and application.

• ·       2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 – Understand progressive revelation.

• Part of God’s plan for the human race was introduced in Genesis, but later Scripture added additional information and understand culminating with the Gospels, and the rest of the New Testament. Later inspiration often added to previously revealed knowledge, but never negated what was already given.

Though God does guide us as individuals in various ways, any true revelation of that sort will never conflict with or supersede the written and generally accepted canon of the 66 books of the Bible.

·       Hebrews 1:1-2; Ephesians 3:1-11

3 – Understand the language and culture of the time of the writing.

• The original biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) are full of ancient root meanings, idioms, and grammatical nuances that require intense study, and for most of us, dependence on reliable scholarship.

• Cultural factors must be considered in order to grasp the impact and meaning of any portion of Scripture.  In other words, how would the people of that time understand the plain meaning of the event, story, or teaching?

• ·       1 Corinthians 8 – Eating meat offered to idols

4 – Understand the necessity of studying any Bible portion in the context of the passage in which it is found, and by comparing it with other passages of Scripture before trying to determine the truth about the matter.

• Let the Bible interpret itself wherever possible. Otherwise, as has often been said, “The Bible can be used to prove anything.”

• ·       2 Timothy 2:15

5 – Understand that every passage of Scripture has a literal meaning, though it may also use symbolic language and have additional applications.

• The Bible contains much symbolism, including figurative language, similes, metaphors, parables, dreams and visions of beasts and other objects.  But when any symbol is properly interpreted, often by another passage of Scripture, it has one literal meaning. This concept is also called the grammatical-historical method of interpretation.

• ·       Genesis 49·       Revelation 12:3; 13:1 with Revelation 17: 9-14

6 – Understand the value of prayerful study, brotherhood and discussion in applying the Scripture to current times.

• Jesus taught that when the Holy Spirit came He would give enlightenment to the Disciples. Even the best of teachers can be mistaken, but as it says in Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (NKJV)

• ·       Acts 17:11

7 – Understand that it is unwise to be dogmatic about one’s own point of view in regard to future developments.

As seen in the Gospels, some facts about the life and work of Jesus Christ could have been described in advance by knowledge of Old Testament prophecies, but others could only be seen in retrospect.

The Bible requires belief in the eventual return of Christ in power and glory, but the timing of various events (including the Rapture) should not be a test of fellowship among orthodox Christians.

8 – Understand the differences between Israel and the Church.

• The Bible can not be understood if one does not see the many distinctions between Israel and the Church.

9 – Understand the cultural influence of later historical periods in the interpretation of Scripture.

• Commentators differ widely in their interpretation of prophecy, depending, in part, on their place in history. Their views were influenced by world affairs of their time and are often contradictory. They must constantly be held up to the higher standard of the Word of God itself.  Here are some examples of these historical periods.

• The strengths and weaknesses of various periods of Church history are given in short messages to the Seven Churches in Revelation 2 & 3.