GETTING SMART IN A DUMBING DOWN WORLD

HEBREW HONEYCOMB

William Andrew Dillard
GETTING SMART IN A DUMBING DOWN WORLD

A common castigation of educational processes in public schools is that of “Dumbing down,” the students when the challenges of modern times obviously call for wising up. By some accounts, the castigation appears to be true. One illustration of this is widespread inability to function in a real world. For instance, I am a tall individual who is often asked, “How tall are you?’ My reply is “I am three foot, forty.” Almost all of the time I follow up (of necessity); “I am four-foot twenty-eight.” Still getting a blank look, I offer, “Actually, I am five-foot, sixteen.” Youngsters for the most part simply do not get it, and some business people say, “Please stop it. I cannot do the math.” What???? My family is a family of teachers. At least one of them was forthrightly told by a principal, “You will not teach algorithms in this school. Please stop teaching the times-table.” What???? A youngster’s report of a measurement to me was “23 inches and five marks.” What??? Fractions, their names and meaning are unknown!” What??? On and on it goes, ad nauseam.
Obviously, modern days do not the millennium make, but technology has produced fantastic opportunities for Christian Education and sharing. Study and research has never been easier or more accessible, but the benefit of those things remains a reality only for those who are spiritually prepared to appreciate them and to use them. In recent years, the abundance of materials available retired most of libraries, except for rare and treasured works mostly irreplaceable. At the same time, expanded research capability and accessibility enlarged them many times over online. Accordingly, one would think that all those who take the name of the Lord in any degree of reverence would quickly excel in spiritual knowledge and ability. But such thinking would be wrong. What??? Technology is wonderful, but it is no substitute for a missing personal relationship, and ongoing fellowship, with God.
Most within the umbrella name of Christianity are not wising up. They are dumbing down! What??? Their excitement is in material things that fulfill their social desires, and in the acumen of leaders who frame their homilies psychologically to scratch itching ears. Spiritual blessings are equated to the number of people socially attracted, size of property, and /or financial flow; criteria that would elevate most non-Christian sects to the highest of “spiritual blessings.” “Who caused the walls of Jericho to fall down flat?” asked a Sunday school teacher only to recoil in horror that several in her class disavowed anything to do with it; some offering alibis.
The time remaining until all will meet the Creator; every tongue confessing and every knee bowing is extremely short. 2018 is not a time to dumb down, but a time to wise up! It is not a time for the Bible to be on the shelf, but living in human hearts!

Great Day In The Morning

The Lord has rewarded us with another day of opportunities. I count the day good when I can roll out of bed. I call the day great after I struggle up off the floor after I roll out of bed. What a great day today and so many opportunities the Lord gives us to witness to others about our Savior. We are given great opportunities to tell others of our church and invite them to come worship with us. At the mall or at the store, opportunities abound. At breakfast or at work our influence and the Word can draw others. Let us use this day as an opportunity to witness.

A DAY FOR ACHIEVEMENT

What an absolutely gorgeous day. A cold day to be sure but a day to achieve much. What are we going to achieve today. Whatever is work that we do is achievement. A task, a memory, a joyous occasion, these are attained in the normal course of a day. As the day goes along and complete these small tasks, at the end of the day we have been filled with accomplishment. That leaves a question that needs to be answered, what have we accomplished for the Lord. Has our love been display by completing something for Jesus?

THE DAY AFTER

The day after the celebration of the birth of Jesus. For some, this day is a let down after the flurry of gift giving and family and fun. For me, this is a day of reflection on how a babe in a manager became my substitute. I am reminded of how unworthy I am and how I was so loved that the one to be my substitute, lay so innocently in a manger to grow and take my place on the cross. This a time for me to reflect on the cost or price of my salvation. How humbling to see one that sees my own innermost thoughts still wanted to give me a free gift of eternal life even though He could see my inward filthiness and degradation. It is now time to praise the LORD for His great and enduring love.

Church 2

Jesus has called the first members of His Church. He went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Now you can find that in Matthew 4:23.

Jesus ministry began immediately proving who He was. He had yet much that needed to be done and quickly launched into a teaching ministry for the small band that was following Him. Matthew chapter 5-7 comprises the first lessons that He gave the Church.

His healing proved who He was, not only to the lost , but also to this little church that was following Him. Jesus asked these men: whom say ye that I am. Peter gave the proper recognition to his Savior – “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Then we receive that great and wonderful statement that is mis-understood by many. “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  This was Jesus statement that He, personally would build this Church upon the firm foundation of Himself. This is found in Matthew 16:16-18.

Let us examine the position of Jesus in relation to this Church He has called off the shores of Galilee. He called them out. He taught them. He led them. He sent them. He gave them power to do the work He wanted them to do. He was all things to this small Church gathered around Him.

Everything done was done by the Leader, the head, the power of the LORD. When He sent them two by two with nothing to care for them, in Mark chapter 6, He proved to them He had power and authority to care for His Church. The feeding of the five thousand was not only for the benefit of feeding the five thousand, no, it revealed the provision He would provide to the Church. This was leading to the majestic statement found in Matthew 28:18, “all power is given to me in heaven and in earth.”

The Church now sees the Christ, in His true position as the head of all things and especially to the Church. The Church could do nothing without the Power, the Position, and the Program of Jesus. Therefore the Lord, our Savior, gave that small band, the Church, the reason for them being called out. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: an, lo, Ia am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

More to come.

THE WEIGHT OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

THE WEIGHT OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
William Andrew Dillard
Parson to Person

The human family began in the Garden of Eden. In that pristine environment the federal head of the race had the opportunity to partake of the Tree of Life. He would then be sealed in righteousness, and his offspring would be born in righteousness rather than in sin. But, Adam failed! Consequently, men are born with a sinful nature that forever eliminates any possibility of being in the presence of the Creator in heaven, and all that entails. But, this reality was fixed in the day of his creation: whatever happens to man will be of man’s own doing, and no force will negate his power of choice! But, the result of sin is death, and death has passed upon all men for that all have sinned. Think with me about this awful, locked-in scenario!
To redeem His creation, God in incomprehensible love and grace affixed His own eternal destiny with that of His creation by becoming one of us. Born of a virgin, the Holy Spirit His Father, He did not inherit the sinful nature, but came into the world as a man to succeed where Adam failed. But wait! Death is the result of sin. Jesus is the sinless Son of God. How then could He possibly die, knowing no sin? The answer lies in revisiting the Garden of Gethsemane on the evening of His arrest. Jesus prayed while disciples slept. He sweat as it were great drops of blood in anticipation of the awful shame in the marvelous deed that was His alone to accomplish.
Upon identifying Himself to the soldiers, they all fell involuntarily to the ground. Evil intent had come to the righteous, Creator God of heaven and earth. They could not take Him, they could not harm Him. He was sinless! It was only by the grace of God that they were allowed to arise and proceed with their evil deed. It was then and there that Jesus fulfilled the great initial process of “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” This means that Jesus submitted to the massive load of sin. Sin was not in Him, but sin was upon Him. This is the only possibility of His being beaten and crucified. Think! Here was God in human form doing what no other man on earth could do, defeating sin, and paying the price of every person who through faith would appropriate His sacrifice as their own. Thus does every member of the human race have hope. One of us has overcome sin, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Because He overcame, we may overcome in Him. Now, the door is open to life, to heaven, to inheritance in Him. Men may rejoice in this with all their heart because of His unspeakable GIFT to us all. There can be no higher or more noble meaning to Christmas than this! “. . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa. 9:6

The Church 1

My intent is trace the Lord’s Church from the time of John the Baptist till I get done or get tired or get distracted from this purpose.

John the Baptist came to prepare a people for the Lord Jesus Christ. He won many disciples to Christ and baptized them on the authority he received from heaven. Mark 1:1-4 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sin.

Now we find in Matthew 4:18-22 – And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

I am not going to quibble over the church beginning here or on some Mountain. I am firm that the Church had its beginning before the day of Pentecost. More to come.

THE SAVIOR OF HIS PEOPLE

HEBREW HONEYCOMB

William Andrew Dillard
THE SAVIOR OF HIS PEOPLE

The Holy Spirit used the apostle Paul to say in one place, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11.
It is also most interesting to note that the angel of God delivered the name of Mary’s child to Joseph, saying: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s Just Something About That Name” the songwriter penned. Indeed, there is much, so much about that marvelous name. It is Hebrew in origin. In fact, it is the same as the name “Joshua,” and means “Jehovah is salvation.” The Old Testament Joshua, a type of Jesus (The embodiment of Jehovah) led the covenant people of God into the Promised Land through conquest and rule. Jesus will do the same as He leads His people into the fulfillment of promise of the millennial reign through conquest and rule with a rod of iron.
However, the angel declared the primary reason for the name is that He would save His people from their sins. Far beyond the new birth (saving from Adamic sin) that is universally offered, it is the saving of HIS people from THEIR SINS. John explained that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8. But the wonderful truth is that Jesus is able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Heb. 7:25. Therefore, John went on to say, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. What a Savior! He saves us! He keeps us! He forgives us! He blesses us!“…and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

THE MYSTERY OF DIVINITY

HEBREW HONEYCOMB

William Andrew Dillard
THE MYSTERY OF DIVINITY

In the words of Paul to Timothy: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” I Timothy 3:16. God is presented to us as a trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
Yet, in Christ Jesus, the Son, dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily! Since a Bible mystery is that which is unknown by the uninitiated, but known by the initiated, there are some things about God that are revealed to us. Think with me!
People are generally known as persons. It is normal to think of persons as material beings such as “he had no money on his person.” But the identity of person goes far beyond that thinking.
Consider that man is made in the image of God. If one understands man, he will have a better idea about God, and vice versa. The trinity of man is in the similitude of the Holy Trinity: Father corresponds to intellect; Son corresponds to physical body; Holy Spirit corresponds to the spirit of man. Moreover, these three are one, and yet three persons. It is concluded that the idea of “person” must be expanded upon in general thinking. A quick look at common dictionaries will reveal that “person, personality, and persona” are intricately related. The earthly idea springs from an actor’s mask by which a different persona is portrayed. These terms then are understood to denote the nature, and unique nuance of life force; the unique expression of human life in its total, individual presentation.
While the triune similarities of God and man are common to the race, there are vast and distinct dissimilarities as well. God is not intricately tied to one expression as is man. His thought and ways are higher to those of mankind as the heavens are high above the earth. But the three distinct personalities of God do not live in three distinct bodies. The Holy Trinity references more specifically three Holy Personalities in total unity dwelling in their fullness in Christ Jesus, the bodily form of God. The three may be manifest separately, but simultaneously, as in Jesus’ baptism, yet continuously dwell in the bodily form of the Son! Jesus said, “I and my Father are One!” John 10:30. Again, to Philip He said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” John 14:9. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: God Who at sundry times, and in divers manners hath spoken unto the father by prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. . . who is the expressed (pushed-out) image of His person.” Hebrews 1:1-3. Thus in understanding spiritual things by the indwelling Spirit of God, one may know much about God, and be blessed and comfortable in the knowledge of the mystery of Divinity.

Just a Thought