Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible
Says
Msg#530 For Thursday, Jul 28, 2005
The Bible is very clear about some things that we don't generally
like to hear. Here in the wine belt of New York State we would
ignore Proverb 23:31-32 "Look not thou upon the wine when it is
red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself
aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an
adder." Although many would prefer that it were not in the
Bible, and we all know a preacher or two who justifies his sip with
the brilliant observation that "Jesus changed water into wine."
Just the same the wisdom of Solomon recording the counsel of God
says, Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is
deceived thereby is not wise. (Prov 20:1) So to a Proverb written by
King Lemuel gives 4 important things that his mother taught him and
the second is "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for
kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink,
and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto
those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his
poverty, and remember his misery no more." (Prov 31:4-7) In
all the debate about wine and the justification of our drunkenness we
rarely here it called a mind altering drug, and we never here these
proverbs, which give God's instructions to stay away from it. It's
use is for the "unwise" and for those fit for the
"destruction" that it brings. Would that we could get back
to what the Bible says about our wine.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
301
Words For Thursday, Jul 28, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does the Bible
Say
Msg#531 For Thursday Aug 4, 2005
The Bible is accused of having many interpretations. When one
studies it as a whole the private interpretations that make up a
myriad of beliefs must boil down to only one truth. The truth about
how one gets into the kingdom of God is found by searching the
Scriptures, not the religions. In John 14:6 Jesus answered Thomas'
question about knowing the way in this manner "I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
That's pretty clear. To Nicodemus Jesus spoke plainly of a spiritual
birth that was required. "Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Nicodemus was
confused about natural birth and spiritual birth so Jesus corrects
him "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto
thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:5-7) The discussion
about how to get into the kingdom of God and be saved from the
consequence of our sin and the wrath of God will ultimately lean on
the most famous rendering of John 3:16-18; "For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on
him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. Jesus concludes this dissertation on entering the kingdom of
God and gaining eternal life by saying "He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." The Bible
is clear about entering the kingdom of God and obtaining eternal
life. Would that our religionists would be that clear
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
410 Words For Thursday, August 4, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible
Say
Msg#532 For Thursday Aug 11, 2005
Jesus concludes his dissertation on entering the kingdom of God
and gaining eternal life in John chapter 3 by saying " He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not
the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. The
Bible is clear about entering the kingdom of God and obtaining
eternal life. He said, "Except a man be born again ..." he
cannot enter; "Except ye be converted ..." ye cannot enter;
"Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Many
call it "God's Simple Plan of Salvation." But many more
muck it up with required baptisms, communions, sacraments, mortal
sins, venial sins, intervening priests, offering plates and penance.
In religion, the one who behaves best or sins the less gets 'in'. In
religion being sincere and holding the faith counts for points at the
pearly gates. But the Bible does not teach this. The Bible keeps it
very simple "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath
not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that
ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son
of God. (1John 5:12-13) Are you a member of the kingdom of God?
Jesus said "Except ye be converted ... ye cannot enter the
kingdom of God. ... Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
The Word is purposely clear on this subject. There are only saved
people, and unsaved people. Religions like to bathe in a sea of gray
but the Bible truth here is as plain as black and white. You got
salvation, and you know it, or you don't and you need it. It is
easy to get because 'whosoever will' can get it. "For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Rom
10:13).
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
321
Words Thursday, August 11, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible
Say
Msg#533 For
Thursday Aug 18, 2005
We all love the excitement of
getting school started again. With 12 years of a child's schooling
New York is now sending out their fourth generation of children not
trained in the Proverbs. Proverbs 22:6 that says "Train up a
child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart
from it." is now part of a banned book in our public education.
In 1963 Murray v. Curlett mixed up separation of Church and State
with a foolish notion of separation of Bible and Schooling. The best
literature in the world is found in the 66 books of the Bible, and it
says "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be
in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy
children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when
thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt
write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." (Deut
6:6-9) Despite OHare's wicked & deceitful victory over our
courts, Mr. Oliver opened my every 6th grade class by reading from
Proverbs. In Gang Mills Elementary he read me "1. Whoso loveth
instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
2. A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked
devices will he condemn. 3. A man shall not be established by
wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved. 4. A
virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed
is as rottenness in his bones." from Proverbs 12. Church and
State never came up in his reading. In our misguided social
experiment four generations without training in the Wisdom Literature
has not done us well. Proverbs 12:15 teaches us "The way of a
fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is
wise."
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
350
Words for Thursday Aug 18, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#534 For Thursday Aug 25, 2005
It is
amazing what praising will do. The last seven Psalms I call the
dense pack of praise. "I will bless thee, my God, O king; and I
will bless thy name for ever and ever." They begin their saga
of praise in Psalm 145:1. I found them as a cure to clinical
depression. So did David who wrote "Why art thou cast down, O
my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for
I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my
God." (Psalm 42:11) Keeping our hope, our praise and our
thankfulness center on the Lord God can be "health to thy
navel, and marrow to thy bones." In Romans 1 we find seven
steps in the pathway man took in departing from God. Note the second
step in verse 21. "Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God (downward step 1) neither were they
thankful; (downward step 2)" They were not thankful. A
Christian is commanded, "In every thing give thanks: for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1Th 5:18)
That's a pretty tall order that goes against our nature. That great
saga continues " Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise
thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be
praised; and his greatness is unsearchable." (Psalm 145:2-3) In
the morning stand and read the last seven Psalms aloud. It is a cure
to clinical depression and you will find it is amazing what praising
will do. It says in Prov 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Take it like a
prescription, once every morning. It is not surprising that
David's son, Solomon gives us this wisdom, "My son, attend to
my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart
from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are
life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
(Prov 4:20-22)
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
345
Words for Thursday Aug 25, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#535 For Thursday Sep 1, 2005
The Bible instructs Christians to "Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him." (1John
2:15) "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you," (2Cor 6:17)
Independent Baptists separated from the Southern
Baptist Convention in the 1950's under great fundamentalist leaders
like Dr. John R. Rice, Dr. Lee Roberson and Dr. Jack Hyles. Taking a
stand on the accuracy of the Bible and the separation from the
world's dance, music and ways, they flourished and grew in this
nations Bible belt. Good Samaritan was started in a garage in Dundee
in 1991 by Pastor Rarrick, a graduate of Tennessee Temple Bible
College. The Church bought the Old School House in Dresden in 1992
and has been there preaching the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ and the accuracy of His book to this day. In a day when
modernist clergy are wrestling about what parts of the Bible they
want to believe, and what parts they think are not really meant for
our 'highly evolved society', Independent Baptist broadcast Psalms
12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried
in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." and preach
the whole counsel of God as truth and applicable for all generations,
just as God said it would be. The Indep. Baptist's refuse to use
the modernist's bibles and take an undaunted stand on the accuracy
and completeness of the King James English translation of the Holy
Bible, differing them from the fundamental Regular Baptist firmly
established in our state. Indep. Baptists have been planting
Churches throughout New York State, and currently have over 200
Churches in fellowship here.
If a Church is going to believe
the Bible they should believe the whole thing and not throw out the
parts they don't like.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
373
Words for Thursday Sep 1, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#536 for Thursday Sep 8, 2005
Jesus began the greatest sermon
ever delivered with the line "Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:3) and therein began
the requirements for our entry into the kingdom of heaven. In the
introduction to this recipe for entry he gives 9 'Blessed R's.' Five
deal with our entry attitude, two with what he makes us, and two with
what the rest of the world makes of us when we are members of His
kingdom. "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be
comforted.' Until our spirit is broken and we can mourn for our sin
and our lost condition, we will not find entry into His kingdom.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."
All of his requirements go against our nature because it is our
nature that keeps us out of his kingdom. "Blessed are they which
do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Man, by nature is in pursuit of selfish pleasure not in pursuit of
His righteousness. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall
obtain mercy." In a model prayer in this message Jesus said
"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us." And concluded if we won't forgive, God will not
forgive us. All these 'Blessed R's deal with our attitude before
entry into His kingdom. The 6th is what Christ must do for us before
we get in "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see
God." Jesus said "Except a man be born again he cannot see
the kingdom of God." His requirement is "Except ye be
converted ... ye cannot enter the Kingdom of God." In this
greatest sermon ever delivered he says "That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
(Matt 5:20) There is only one way to gain entry into the kingdom of
heaven. It is His righteousness. Not our baptisms or memberships or
deeds or creeds "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).
Pastor
Ed Rice Good Sam Baptist Church, 424 Words for Thursday Sep 8,
2005
Published in Loving Memory of Dresden's Grandest Bible
Student,
Betty Smalley, gone home Jul 2005
www.gsbaptistchurch.com TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#537 for Thursday Sep 15, 2005
"...Except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and
Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
(Matt 5:20) The scribes and Pharisees had a system of religion all
worked out. It included keeping the law, ceremonial cleansings and
even baptism. Jesus was not pleased with their religion and assured
them that it would not get them into His kingdom. Our religions
won't do it either. Six times Jesus hyper extends the law and the
religious observances of the Pharisees with the phrase "Ye have
heard that it was said by them of old time ..... But I say unto
you..." (Matt 5:21,27,31,33,38,43) He concludes with "Be
ye therefore perfect , even as your father which is in heaven is
perfect." (Matt 5:48) Clearly in this text there is no works, no
law keeping, no cleansings and no water baptisms that can get you
that perfect. The clear teaching from the Bible is that only the
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can wash away our sins. There is no
physical holy water nor wafer that can regenerate and make us
perfect. Only the imputed righteousness of Lord Jesus Christ can
save us from our sin. "For whosoever shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved." (Rom 10:13) In 251 AD Local New
Testament Churches declared non fellowship with the apostate
Churches that practiced baptismal regeneration. The apostate Church
in Rome made a league with the government, recorded the first baptism
of a infant in 370 AD, and then mandated baptism of everyone with the
Roman Law. For 1800 years religion has been trying to baptize
people into the kingdom of God with water. The Bible says you need a
Spiritual New Birth for entry, not a water sprinkling. If you are
trusting water to get you in you are not trusting the Son. There is
no water in "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath
of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). And there is no baptism in
"This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and
this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that
not the Son of God hath not life." (IJohn 5:11-12)
Pastor Ed Rice Good Sam Baptist Church,
442 Words words for Thursday Sep 15, 2005
Published
in Loving Memory of Dresden's Grandest Bible Student, Betty Smalley,
gone home Jul 2005 www.gsbaptistchurch.com TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#538 For Thursday Sep 22, 2005
The Bible says that all men know that there is a God. "1 The
heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his
handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their
voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world." (Psalms 19:1-4) You
have likely met those who say there is no God, or that say death ends
it all. But the Bible still insists that all men know that there is a
Creator. In fact Psalms 14 calls the deniers 'fools.' It says in
Romans that mankind is without excuse when it comes to knowing God.
It says in John that the Light (the Lord Jesus Christ) lighteth
every man that cometh into the world. Those that want to deny the
existence of God want his name and reference blotted out of every
area of the public. Whether it be the 10 commandments in our courts
or the prayer in our schools their efforts are making Christians an
untolerated minority. The godless evolutionary theories that glut
our airwaves and schools scoff and deny the existence of our Creator.
God is not threatened by this growing majority. Jesus said "Enter
ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it." (Matt 7:13-14) The
Bible is pretty clear when it says "There is a way that seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
We know there is a God. We should put in the effort to pursue His
straight gate and narrow way. This is where we find light and life.
Our God reveals himself in His word the Holy Bible.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
350
Words for Thursday Sep 22, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#539 For Thursday Sep 29, 2005
In his sermon on the mount Jesus said "Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt
7:13-14) He made it clear herein that the majority is not
right when it comes to salvation. The theme of this sermon is not
'just try harder' as is taught by the majority who quote the 'golden
rule' found just prior in verse 12. Jesus Christ is the only one
born of woman who could ever fulfill the sermon on the mount. You
would have to be perfect to keep these precepts. The majority of
those who try are not on the 'straight and narrow' and get labeled
'thou hypocrite.' Christ's message here was not 'try harder' but
'Christ IN you, the hope of glory." Without Christ in you, i.e.
born into you as he teaches throughout the New Testament, we will end
in destruction. In closing this sermon on the mount Jesus says "Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt
7:21-23) In the land of majority rule that we are becoming
(the USA was founded as a Republic, not a Democracy!) it is hard for
us to say out loud that the majority are wrong and not 'wise men that
buildeth his house upon a rock' (Matt 7:24-27)
Indeed the majority are on a way that leadeth to destruction. If
Jesus is the WAY and the TRUTH, as he taught he was, one should
invite him into his soul and get on his straight and narrow path.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
412
Words for Thursday Sep 29, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#540 For Thursday Oct 6, 2005
Jesus said to his disciples ".. If I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that
where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3)
The second coming of Christ is called that because on his first
coming he was rejected, scourged and crucified. Crucified between two
thieves on a cross of redemption. 'As many as receive him.
(John 1:12)." he calls saints, and the Bible says he
is coming back FOR his saints. The Bible also says he is coming back
WITH his saints to a battle called Armageddon. Thus the second coming
of Christ is in two phases. Those who believe the Bible literally,
understand that Jesus will first come as a thief in the night to meet
his saints in the air and take them out of here. The Bible states
that "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld,
he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which
also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts
1:9-11) Clearly there is no horses or battle garment in this
coming FOR his saints. Paul clarified this confusion about Christ's
first coming FOR his saints then his coming WITH his saints when he
wrote to the Church at Thessalonica. There he says " For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first: 17 Then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord." (1Thes 4:16-17) Be ready when the
Lord comes FOR his saints, else you will see him come WITH his saints
at Armageddon.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
409
Words for Thursday Oct 6, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What Does The Bible Say
Msg#541 For Thursday Oct 13, 2005
The Bible says the God
who "so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son"
(John 3) will send his son to judge this world.
(Rev 19:11) If the Bible is true the decadent and
deceived kings of the world "will gather to the battle of
that great day of God Almighty" in a "place called
in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Rev16:16)
Herein man is to be judged, not for their decadent immorality, but
for their disposition for iniquity. Man is disposed to evil,
rebellion, and self right. Disposed to 'my rights', 'my way', 'my
life' and not to God's way. Whether it be our decorous morality or
our decadent immorality our disposition of self rule will be judged,
and it will be defeated in that day. Today we debate whether man is
evil because of nurture or nature. In actuality a father's nurturing
was supposed to curb our nature. The Bible says that Adam's fall into
sin gave all of mankind a disposition toward self rule, rebellion and
selfishness. Christians hold these truths to be self evident. God's
judgment is coming to nations and to individuals. The Bible says "And
as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment."
(Heb 9:27) But a Christian is one who is saved
from that judgment, one who has had his disposition changed and
received the disposition of Christ born into him. For a Christian
there is no pending judgment because the Lord Jesus Christ took our
penalty. A Christian is 'born of God' (1John 3:9)
and is saved from the penalty of sin, saved from the power of sin's
disposition, and after Armageddon we will be saved from the very
presence of sin. Are you a Christian? Are you saved? Are you
born-again? These are good Bible questions because if it's real God
will save you till your know it and change you till you show it.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
350
Words for Thursday Oct 13, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#542 For Thursday Oct 20, 2005
A history lesson on Alexander the Great and a reading of
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar will do more for your understanding of
the Bible book of Daniel than all of the modernist Bible translations
combined. The dreams and visions of beasts that this book contain are
not to be visualized but to be systematically interpreted into the
fulfilled prophecy of the Greek then Roman world empires and the two
remaining and upcoming world empires. These last two kingdoms are to
belong to the Antichrist and then to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to
return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19) and soundly defeat
this pseudo Christ's world control with only his trumpetic voice.
For 1463 years (AD 313
Constantine's union of Church and State, to 1776 America's separation
of Church and State) the Roman Empire's Church maligned this
prophetic declaration of Scripture and taught instead that they would
usher in the kingdom age of their Christ without a battle called
Armageddon. But the Lord Jesus Christ insisted that "Till heaven
and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled." (Matt 5:18) For a Christian today
there is intrigue and great comfort in the study of Biblical
prophecy. The prophecy of Daniel fits into the Revelation of Jesus
Christ like a glove. Together they reveal the promised future wherein
Christ removes his true saints from this world, allows an
Antichrist's empire to rise and rot, then returns with his saints,
crushes his enemies and reigns supreme for 1000 years, before
bringing in a new heaven and new earth. What an awesome drama. For a
Bible believing Christian an awesome future.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
348
Words for Thursday Oct 20, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#543
For Thursday Oct 27, 2005
Bible Prophecy describes
three more world wars that will be accomplished to bring peace to the
middle east. Ezekiel 38, Daniel 11, and Revelation 6 all describe
WWIII. The false Christ that rides his white horse into world control
in Revelation 6:2 looses the peace in the middle east to the red
horse rider with a great sword in verse 4. WWIV would then be called
the Battle of Armageddon wherein all the nations of the earth are
gathered behind the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet of Rev
16:13-16. They march on Jerusalem to destroy Israel who gave this
world the word of God and the Messiah of God. (Rev 12:17) The Lord
Jesus Christ then rides in with his saints and makes the armies of
this world 'lick the dust.' (Psalm 2, 7:9, Rev 19) WWV is very short,
is described in Rev 20:7-9 and brings in the permanent peace in the
middle east and in all eternity. <>Christians can believe
Psalm 2 and know that there is coming a lasting peace to the middle
east. It's coming only when the land owner, Jehovah God, steps in and
with a strong arm settles the life long struggle between Arab and
Jew, between Muslim and Christian, between this rebellious world and
its Creator.
<> The ACLU is striving to kick God and His Word out of every
visage of our society, but Christians have two solid promises from
God; "I will never leave thee" and "I will come
again." With perpetual wars in the middle east, active hatred
for God's chosen people, Israel; with America's public rejection of
God and the expulsion of His Commandments from school and courtroom,
people still ask why there are so many calamities happening today. If
the Bible is true, as Christians believe it is, then this earth is
not evolving, it is devolving; Not improving but waxing worse and
worse. One should better ask why God withholds and protects us from
the so many calamities that are overdue our decaying morality and
planet. Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
350 Words for Thursday Oct 27, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#544 For Thursday Nov 3, 2005
Jesus
said that he was come to fulfill the law and prophecy. (Matt 5:17) He
declared the verbal accuracy of each by stating "For verily I
say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matt
5:18) Jots and tittles can be found in a good English Bible by
looking at Psalms 119. For every letter of the Hebrew alphabet this
Psalm has eight verses about the precious Word of God. Verses 73
through 80 all start with the 10th Hebrew letter 'YOD' and that
smallest of all Hebrew letters is shown above verse 73. The single
mark used to make this little letter is called a jot. The tittle is
the tiny overhanging mark that distinguishes the 7th letter, 'ZAIN',
above verse 49 from the 6th letter 'VAU' above verse 41. Jesus used a
very precise illustration for the accuracy of His Bible. When reading
about the accuracy and exactness of the Scriptures in Psalm 119,
watch for the acrostic of Hebrew letters and watch how all 176 verses
somehow reference the Words of our God.
After
giving this lesson on the verbal accuracy of Scriptures Jesus assures
us that at his second coming 'the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by Daniel the prophet' would one day 'stand in the holy place' in
the city of Jerusalem. (Matt 24:15) At his second coming the world
would be as it was when the world flood came for wickedness (Matt
24:38-39) and as it was when Sodom was destroyed for sodomy. (Luke
18:28-30)
God
has given us a way of escape from this upcoming evil. Jesus also said
he that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37) Anyone
can come to him today. The Bible says "He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36)
It also warns us "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him;" (Heb 2:3) There is
salvation available to all who would believe his word. Jesus said
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away." (Mark 13:31)
Pastor Ed
Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
451 Words for
Thursday Nov 3, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#545 For Thursday Nov 10, 2005
John
3:16 is a nutshell verse that captures and contains the love of
Jehovah God. This one verse engulfs the four major atonement
analogies found throughout the Bible. Every cherished word rings
with importance. Consider "For God so loved the world..."
Herein is found the 'moral love' analogy of a required atonement.
Despite the God rejecting tone and rhetoric of our current society,
mankind is the precious creation of Jehovah God, and He loves his
creation, despite the iniquity that mankind has turned to. No people
illustrate the genuineness of this love more than the nation of
Israel. Perhaps no book more aptly manifests God's moral love for
his chosen people than the little book of Hosea. The first of the
minor prophets in the Bible's Old Testament, Hosea demonstrates
God's unmerited, absolute, complete and perfect 'tough love.' Hosea,
it seems, had fallen in love with Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim but
also the daughter of whoredom. God grants that Hosea should marry
Gomer and "take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of
whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from
Jehovah." (Hosea 1:2) Writing the "Word of the LORD",
the prophet goes on for 12 chapters to describe in vivid detail the
lewdness and adultery of the 12 tribes of Israel that rejected
Jehovah God and turned to other gods. God prophecies and describes
the chastisement that they must undergo until they reach a place
where they say "Come, and let us return unto the LORD (Jehovah):
for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will
bind us up." (Hosea 6:1) The 39 books of the Old Testament
portray a world that has fallen into iniquity and an assurance that
Jehovah God their creator that loves them, will always restore them.
"Come now and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
"For God so loved the world..."; that he will save you from
your sins if you will come to him; that he will heal our sin torn
land, if we would come to Him; that he restored his chosen nation
Israel, to their land of promise, despite their iniquity, and that
he will wholly restore them again someday. Jesus said "Him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Come today, "For
God so loved ..."
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden
NY
450 Words for Thursday Nov 10, 2005
TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#546 For Thursday Nov 17, 2005
What
should make our marriages a taste of heaven here on this earth is
portrayed extensively in the Bible. Believing what is portrayed can
be pretty challenging in this day when our society and our churches
are in blatant rebellion against the rules of the Bible. The apostle
Paul is rejected by the modernists and post modernists because he is
very blatant when it comes to spelling out the doctrines of God. He
wrote 14 of the 27 books of the Bible's New Testament. In a letter
to Corinth on this subject of husband and wife he writes "For
the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was
the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." (I
Cor. 11) Herein he quotes the creation account of man and woman
even as the Lord Jesus Christ did. We have been cultured to rebel
against this clear Bible truth that women are different than men,
created different, created with a different purpose, created as a
different emotional, physical and spiritual package. We rebel the
more when the Bible calls the woman the weaker vessel, but it is bold
on the subject just the same. A fine china glass is weaker than a
coffee mug, but that don't upset the modernists as much as our
subject. The church "rulers take counsel together, against the
Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their bands
asunder, and cast away their cords from us." (Psalm 2) Until
we recognize the truths of God's counsel about the role of the
husband and the role of the wife our marriages will not be a taste of
heaven hear on this earth. The modernists churches waffling on the
Scriptures, the doctrines of the faith and God's account of the
creation have thrown our whole society into such instability that
the dysfunctional home is the norm. Now they are even beginning to
think that sodomy is a suitable foundation for marriage. Christians
believing the Bible know the clear doctrine on the home is that the
man is to be the head of the home and the wife subject to her own
husband. As our society and our churches march away from the
teachings of the Holy Bible, Jesus still says he can fix your home
and make it functional. Even make it the taste of paradise he
intended it to be. "Blessed are all they put their trust in
him." (Psalm 2) He said "Come unto me all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11) Rest
in our homes would be blessed.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
455
Words for Thursday Nov 17, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#547 For Thursday Nov 24, 2005
The
Bible's first mention of thanksgiving is found in Leviticus 7:11
"And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which
he shall offer unto the LORD. 12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving,
then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened
cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and
cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried." I always like to
look at the Bibles first mention of a word as it is usually very
insightful. There are 5 types of offerings presented in the Old
Testament Scriptures and they are described in Lev. chapter 1 thru 5
as the burnt, meal, peace, sin and trespass offerings. Of the five
the unobligated peace offering issues out of a heart filled with
thanksgiving. In the New Testament the Lord Jesus Christ
fulfilled all 5 of these offerings for us. A Christian need not go
to the temple to offer up this thanksgiving offering. Paul wrote
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's." (1Cor 6:19-20) In Christ
we are "Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness,
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. (2 Cor 9:11) Christ
will cause your thanksgiving!
After describing the "ever
watchful providence of Almighty God" Abraham Lincoln ascribed
that "No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand
worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the
Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath
nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper
that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged
as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do
therefore invite my fellow citizens ... to set apart and observe the
last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise
to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." I agree
with them both. If your His temple, let's make our thanksgiving
known to God.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
407
Words for Thursday Nov 24, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#548 For Thursday Dec 1, 2005
Black
Friday sounds sinister. Rather than connoting the ink color in a
retailers account, it makes me think of what the Bible says about
coveteousness. “Let them be taken in the devices that they
have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire, and
blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhoreth.” (Psalm 10:2-3)
If you watch a child you can see our natural nature for coveting.
Our son could be playing contentedly with 3 toys but will get up,
drop his toys, cross the room and take away the truck his little
brother just picked up. We never taught him how to do that. Our
nature is to want it all for ourselves. Our holidays say thanks
giving and the birth of the world’s Messiah but our nature says
gimme and selfish greed. Successful parenting squelches a lot of
this selfishness. But successful parents are kind of rare these
days. Praise the Lord when one becomes a born again Christian, a
new nature is born into us, a nature of Christ’s selflessness.
If your a Christian going through these holidays provides the
excellent opportunity to show forth the love of Christ that is born
into your life. Remember that they were first called ‘Christians’
in Antioch, because of their actions, not because of a membership in
something. (Acts 11:26) While our society is going crazy over
materialism and the newest greatest toys that they can’t really
afford, be sure you, as a Christian, keep your head on straight, your
selfish nature dead (Romans 6:6,12-13) and be selfless through this
whole holiday season even as Christ was selfless. Things will never
slow down unless you slow them down. Stop and look at your
priorities this year. Don’t be something that “the LORD
abhoreth” in our materialistic society. If you have never
called upon Christ to save you and make you a “new creature”
(II Cor 5:17) make that your priority as his birth is celebrated this
year. If you are a born again Christian, make it a priority to tell
someone else how they can have a new life in Christ. Untold millions
are still untold, untold millions are outside the fold. Christmas is
a lonely time for many, and an empty and hollow time for the selfish.
As a Christian you can make a difference if you would be the
selfless witness that Christ commanded you to be in Acts 1:8
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
455
Words for Thursday Dec 1, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#549 for Thursday Dec 8th 2005
“Now the birth of Jesus
Christ was on this wise:” is the New Testament's introduction
to the account of the virgin birth of the Christ. Jesus being born
of virgin Mary is incontestable for one who “calls on the name
of the Lord” as required in Romans 10, or one who ”believes
on the only begotten son” of John 3. You cannot call him Lord
and liar. You cannot believe in him, and not believe him. The
virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is a fundamental of the
Christian faith. Genesis begins the saga of a Messiah born of the
'seed of woman.' (Gen 3:15) Romans corroborates the necessity as it
delineates the mechanics of salvation saying “Wherefore as by
one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ...Therefore as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life.” (Rom 5:12,18) Thus the virgin birth
of the Christ is boldly declared in the Book. An American Baptist
once told me it was only taught in 50% of the gospels and thus only
50% necessary for faith. I suggested to him that he drop the latter
half of his designation, because Baptists are a people who
historically have as their only creed the inspired words of God, and
we believe every one of them. Believing in the virgin birth of
the Messiah is an essential of the faith for one who would believe in
him. The Apostle John wrote “But these are written, that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing ye might have life through his name.” If you believe
in him (John 3), and if you call on him to save you (Rom 10), it is
a small thing to believe the Gospel of Matthew's account that says he
was born of a virgin, or the Gospel of Luke's account that dictates
just how this came to be. This Christmas, as Christians celebrate
the virgin birth of their Messiah, you might ask yourself “What
do I believe about the Christ child born in Bethlehem?” If you
come to him, believing, you get eternal life. Reject him as liar you
get eternal death. “He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see
life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) This
Christmas, you could come to Jesus, believing, and become a 'born
again' Christian.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
442
Words for Thursday Dec 8, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#550 For Thursday Dec 15, 2005
Noel
means day of birth or birthday, but because of it's application to
the Christ's birth the word has taken on a holy meaning. The old
English carol “The First Noel” describes that event with
repeated choral emphasis “Born is the King of Israel.” It
describes the angels public announcement of the Messiah's noel to the
lowly shepherds as documented in Luke 2:8-20. It describes the wise
men following a star from the east as documented in Matthew 2:1-18
and the holy gifts they brought in worship of this newborn king.
But the 6th and last verse of this carol captures the
grandest miracle of what's come to be called Christmas. It describes
how today one and all, with one accord can sing praise to our
heavenly Lord. It acknowledges what is documented in the 1st
chapter of the Gospel of John, that Jesus was God and created heaven
and earth from nothing. Then it boldly proclaims “And with His
blood mankind hath bought.” This last verse is left out of
most renditions because it shows Jesus to be God and because of this
brazen description of the purpose of Christ's sacrificial blood. But
it is very accurate according to the Bible which states “And
almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission.”(Heb 9:22) This Jesus who
was born in Bethlehem was born as the Prophet of all prophets (Deut
18:15); as the Priest of all priests (Heb 10:11-12); as the King of
all kings (I Tim 6:15); as the Lord of all lords (Rev 17:14, 19:16);
as our Jehovah God, (i.e. the mighty God and the everlasting Father)
in the flesh (Isa 9:6, John 1:1,14,18,14:7-11) but also and
certainly as the Sacrificial Lamb of God (Isa 53:6-11, John1:29).
God the Son was born in Bethlehem to shed his blood and die for the
sins of mankind. Christians worship the Christ child as their
Prophet, Priest, King, Lord, “The mighty God”, “The
everlasting Father”, and Sacrificial Saviour of their soul. To
do less is un-Christian. If you are a Christian you can sing the 6th
verse of “The First Noel” with a new reverence and
boldness. If not, Jesus implores us to “Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which
testify of me.” (Joh 5:39) This Christmas make Jesus of the
first noel your God, your Lord and your Saviour. Be a Christian.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
433
Words for Thursday Dec 15, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#551 For Thursday Dec 22, 2005
The
Bible says that “there came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we
have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
The timing of their arrival was doubtless prompted by the appearance
of the star, but their quest for the Messiah of Israel was prompted
by their studies of Scripture. In their home in the east, left over
from the Babylonian captivity of Israel, they could read the
Scriptures that told of the timing of the arrival of the Messiah in
Daniel 9:25. The wise men thus came to worship the God who would be
born to the Jews. They came knowing the Scripture “For unto
us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall
be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace.” (Isa 9:6) And they
came worshiping with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gold
is significant for the purity, perfection and royalty of the only
begotten Son of God. In the Old Testament temple the entire
holy-of-holies was plated in pure gold. The pure frankincense was a
very costly ingredient of the confection of perfume they used in
worship wherein God said “beat some of it very small,
and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the
congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most
holy.” (Exod 30:36)
Frankincense was burned with the sweet savor offering of Lev 2, and
put onto the 12 cakes of showbread displayed on the pure gold table
in the temple. Christ taught that he was our sacrifice and is the
bread of life. The sweet smelling myrrh was used in the holy
anointing oil wherein God said “And thou shalt anoint
the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the
testimony, ... and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt
offering with all his vessels, ... And thou shalt sanctify them,
that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.”
The gifts and worship of the wise men are picturesque of
Christian's worship of Christ as their God and Saviour. When one
accepts Him as Lord, God “shalt sanctify them, that
they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.”
This Christmas, lets be
Christian; let's be holy.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
455
Words for Thursday Dec 22, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#552 For Thursday Dec 29, 2005
Today
there is not much meaning in a name, it being chosen largely because
of sound and only slightly because of definition. In Hebrew a name
was assigned by definition first and foremost, and for God names are
a crucial communication device. Thou shalt call his name JESUS; for
he shall save his people from their sins.(Matt 1:21) What a
marvelous name. What a marvelous meaning. The fore runner of Jesus
was John, later called John the Baptist. John means 'Jehovah has
graced.' Yes he has. John the Baptist did his task of announcing
that Jehovah has graced us with Immanuel which being interpreted is
'God with us' (Matt 1:23). It was told to Mary “And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called
the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the
throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
(Luke 1:31-33) And 740 years before the birth of the Christ it was
told to Isaiah the Prophet “Therefore the Lord himself shall
give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel.”
(Isa 7:14) The very Hebrew name 'Messiah', rendered in Greek
'Christos,' means the anointed one. In the 39 books of the Old
Testament there are anointed prophets, anointed priests and anointed
kings, but in the 39 usages of the Hebrew name Messiah there is only
one that is to be Prophet, Priest, and King. In this latter day
there are many who would set themselves up as prophet but Christians
have one Prophet, he is the Lord; there are many who would set
themselves up as priests but Christians have but one Priest, he is
JESUS; there are many who would set themselves up as king of your
life, but Christians have but one King, he is the Christ. “His
name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The
everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
(Isa 9:6) There is much in a name. If we are using the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ as in 'CHRISTian' we should not use it in vain. We
should understand every implication of the name we bear, and so
should others.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
409
Words for Thursday Dec 29, 2005 TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#5X2 The Feminization of America's Christianity
The
Bible is very clear when it says “But I suffer not a woman
to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”
(I Tim 2:12) The leadership positions in the Biblical Church are to
be occupied by the males of our species. Paul goes on in this
insistence with his reasoning. “For Adam, was first formed,
then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived
was in the transgression.” (I Tim 2:13-14) The importance
of the order in creation, and the importance of who was deceived, and
who sinned on purpose is sited to defend Paul's insistence that women
“learn in silence with all subjection.” (vr. 11)
The male being the leader and the female being in subjection indeed
found it's beginning in the Genesis account of creation. Adam was
made in charge of taking dominion of the earth, Eve was made as the
appropriate helper (help meet) for Adam. And so it continues to this
present hour. “For the man is not of the woman; but the
woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the
woman for the man.” (I Cor 11:8-9) The woman is
inequitably made different, made with a different purpose and role
and made the weaker vessel. “Likewise, ye husbands,
dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife,
as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace
of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” ( 1Pe 3:7)
China is weaker than my coffee mug, and made for a different
function. The women is an emotional package that is different than
man and made for a different function. The function of submission
and helper, not of leader and responsibility taker. Not to 'usurp
authority over a man' is inequitably what the Bible establishes for
the woman's role in life. So much more in the Bible believing
Church. To 'usurp' is to seize another's place or authority
wrongfully. And that is indeed directly from our fallen nature, and
in a woman's fallen nature. The nature we are to slay daily would
rather seize than submit. It is just a matter of which nature we are
going to allow rule in our Churches. The womans nature that says
“Any thing you can do I can do better.” or God's nature
that says “let the woman learn in silence with all
subjection” and to “not suffer a woman to teach,
nor usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” (I
Tim 2)
Man is not without dishonor in the feminization of
America's Christianity. For God clearly establishes his
responsibility to provide the leadership in the home and in the
Church. His failure to do so in no way justifies the women's
response which is to jump into the pant's and the pulpits. He will
be accountable for allowing them to commit this sin. If it is your
wife wearing the pants or jumping into the pulpits shame on you for
not providing the leadership that God requires of you. If it is
happening in your Church leadership, shame on the men who allow such
an un-Biblical concession.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
543
Words for a Friend but unpublished TOC
Good
Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Msg#5X1 For Thursday but unpublished
The
Authority of a Baptist is the WORD. “In the
beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and the WORD was
God.” (John 1)
“The WORDS of the Lord are pure WORDS;” (Psalm
12:6) The Authority of the Roman Catholic is a pope in Rome, he
dictates the priests and the penance. The authority of an
Episcopalian is an archbishop in Canterbury, he dictates their
sacraments and their sprinklings. The authority of a Lutheran is the
doctrines of Martin Luther, he dictates their principles and
procedures. The authority of a Presbyterian is the doctrines of John
Calvin he dictates their predestination and TULIPs. The authority of
a Methodist is the Wesley brothers, they determine their methods and
measures. The authority of the Congregationalists is their
congregations and they follow their wants and wishes. The authority
of the Mennonite is Menno Simmns born in 1496 and they follow his
dictates to separate from magistrate and Roman state and follow the
scriptures baptizing no infant. The authority of the Quakers is the
inner light expounded by George Fox born 1624 and the inner voice
dictates what all must do. The authority of the Pentecostals,
Assemblies and Nazarenes springing from the 1900s is their
experience of Pentecost and those experiential dictates of holiness,
tongues and charisma must lead them by their feelings.
As the Christian
denominations have their authorities so to do the Christian Cults.
The authority of the JW's is Charles Taze Russell and 'Judge'
Rutherford's corporation, they dictated the abandoning of the
Christian Church with it's doctrine of the trinity and Jehovah's
return to North Carolina in 1914, then 1921! The authority of the
Mormon is a teenage 'prophet' from Palmyra NY, who dictates that God
is flesh and blood and tangible like us, that we could be gods too,
if we marry enough women, and that in these latter 200 years alone
God is sending his apostles, prophets, visions and tongues to reveal
new truths. The authority of the Seven Day Adventists is their
prophetes Ellen G. White. She dictates that God enacted a phase
change in 1844, eliminates worship of Jesus Christ on his
resurrection day, the first day of the week, and does away with Jesus
sitting on the throne of David at his advent The authority of the
Unitarian is Theophilus Lindley of London in 1774 he dictated no
trinity, no preexistent God the Son, and the return of the Christ to
reward the worthy with immortality. Non Christians also have their
authority. Notably the authority of the Muslim Islamic is their
prophet Muhammad born in 570 AD and unifying Arabic peoples to
worship Allah the moon god and authorizing them to kill the infidel
Jews, their Abrahamic brothers. The authority of a Buddhist is the
Tibetan priest who thinks he was once a cow and may soon be again.
The predominate ingredient to
all the non Biblical authorities is that they are 'johnny come
lately', and that they morph, they change, they modernize, they are
on sifting sand. You will always find some modernist prophet, sage
or pundit who qualifies “we don't believe that any more, today
we believe that ...”
Staged and written 6000 years
ago the Genesis account of mans creation and purpose, fall and
redemption, beginning and ending is confederated into 65 other books
written over 4000 years of time by over 40 authors, with over a
thousand acknowledgments of “Thus saith the LORD.” It
never contradicts nor modifies its theme or direction. The Holy
Bible and it alone is unchanging and covers Where did I come from?
Why am I here? and Where am I going? Jesus authenticated it,
corroborate it, fulfilled it and completed it via his 12 apostles.
That makes it a superior and end-all authority for the Christian. So
what is your authority? Is it sifting sand? A Baptist has always
had the Bible alone as his sole authority for all faith and practice.
If I were not a Baptist, I would be A-Shamed. If your a Christian
and your church is engulfing anything modernist, including a
modernist Bible, women Pastors, or homosexuality as a non-sin, you
should carefully re-examine your authority, check and see if you are
on bedrock or sifting sand. Christian's can stand on bedrock and be
unmovable, indeed we are charged by our Lord Jesus Christ to be so.
Jesus said that the Scriptures
are to be our sole authority. A modernist says they were written for
a different time and a different people, ... that we have evolved so
much farther since Paul wrote about 'the husband of one wife', 'women
not usurping authority', and 'effeminate men being an abomination to
God.' Barbra Walters suggests that we should believe what a
conglomeration of all belief systems hang out before us, choosing and
picking the ideas that make us feel warm and fuzzy down inside. But
the Bible says that we have our authority settled forever when we
hide it's words in our heart. 'Christian' and 'Bible Believer'
should still be synonyms despite what Barbra says, despite what Rome
did and despite what modernists assuage. Baptists need to hold
tenaciously to being 'people of the book;' holding it, and it alone
as their only authority for faith and practice. The Bible says that
such will always be the minority remnant, but you will have a strong
foundation whose cornerstone is the Lord Jesus Christ. Be a
Christian, read your Bible. Be a Baptist, believe it.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
911
Words for reproof yet unpublished TOC
Good Sam's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice
What The Bible Says
Penny Pulpit 5x3 for Christmas Dec 25, 2005
At
fifteen I came across a zealot's tract (not gospel) that said I was a
heathen idolater for celebrating Christmas and having a Christmas
tree. I looked up the referenced Scriptures in Jeremiah with
diligence and found that the zealot had taken them all out of context
and given them his own twist to call my celebration of my Lord's
birth pagan. Since that time I have heard from lot's of zealots, but
have discovered that lava lamps are not demonic, vulture's
reproduction rates vary independent of Armageddon, Proctor and Gamble
is not a demon owned company, and Amazing Grace is not a song with a
wicked rock beat, no matter what the 'tract' says.
The
Christmas one remains distinctive. In Baptist Churches I have
witnessed families stand in stark rebellious silence during the
singing of 'Silent Night' and 'Joy to the World' as they harkend to
what the herald zealot sang. They cursed my families Christmas tree,
shunned us for idolatry, and denied what was happening all around
them and called giving gifts a pagan practice. As the whole world
celebrated the birth of Jesus whom they called Lord and Christ, they
carried on a campaign against it and called it pagan. How might they
have better used it to tell someone of the virgin birth, the
shepherds, the wise men, and the manger? Instead they told my boys
that they were pagan idolaters and their kids, so much more spiritual
than mine, where not allowed to play with mine around Christmas time.
When
a culture is invaded with the truth of God's word and people get
saved and Churches planted, every practice and celebration of that
culture must be examined to determine if it violates Scripture. The
practices which do must be abandoned, the ones that don't will be
modified to insure the Lord gets praise from the practice. Thus the
naked are covered and the polygamists are corrected, but the pagan
practice not un-Biblical are not abandoned. Christmas is not
un-Biblical no matter how pagan you think it may be. Celebrate the
birth of Christ, discover why Luther cut down a Christmas tree.
Explore the possibility that Christ may have been born on the longest
night of the year, and make a big ado over what your neighbors are
doing as they ignorantly celebrate YOUR Saviour's birth. Go
Christmas caroling with someone who is attempting to reach his lost,
Christmas celebrating, virgin birth ignorant relatives to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Don't just call him a heathen idolater. His loved
ones are celebrating his Saviour's birth. Don't tell him to set in
the dark with no more Christmas tree and say humbug. Shame on
Baptist who would listen to zealots and miss such opportunity to talk
of Christ.
Pastor
Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY
460
Words for reproof on Christmas TOC
