2 Thessalonians 1 [p3] - 2006.12.30

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth…" — II Thess. 1:3-4

We read in I Corinthians 13:13, "And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is love." This verse will, I trust, justify our taking another look at this remarkable virtue called love, so signally emphasized in the New Testament.

The original language of the New Testament employs three distinct words that are translated by the less precise English term, "love." The word "eros "denotes sexual love and is never used in the New Testament. "Phileo" refers to a fraternal love sometimes defined as "brotherly love;" it is legitimately exercised between two men, two women, or between a man and a woman without any sexual connotation. It is the love of genuine friendship, stimulated by a responsive cordiality in its object.

The third term is "agape." This is a love which stems solely from the character of the lover, and the term used consistently in the New Testament for the love of God. God loves us ("the world") not for the gratification He derives from it, nor for any reciprocity on our part, but out of His own nature and initiative. Whoever you are, whatever you are, it can be affirmed that God loves you, because it is His nature to love. "God is love [I John 3:8,16]."

Having recognized that, it is important to note that this love of God does not override His holiness, nor undermine His justice. While God loves the sinner, He hates the sin, and the very nature that finds it possible to love sinners makes it necessary to punish sin. "For the wages of sin is death [Rom. 3:23]." It is the tension between love and holiness that gave rise to the incarnation: the birth of Christ and His subsequent crucifixion. His love for sinners prompted God to pay the sinner's debt through the death of
"His only begotten Son," so that He could forgive our sins and restore us to himself without compromising the demands of His justice. The penitent sinner who trusts the Savior is fully and freely pardoned and restored to fellowship with God, but the debt accrued by his sin is not "whitewashed;" it was "paid in full" by God, in the person of His Son "made sin for us" on the cross. "Jesus paid it all… "

Where this becomes relevant to our study is that it is this kind of love that is urged upon us to be exercised toward "one another," and is commended here as evident in the Thessalonian believers. It is love that arises as a result of faith, not feeling. It is an altogether unselfish love, willing to endure negative responses if necessary. It is not "natural," but supernatural, resulting from the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us [Rom. 5:5b]."

This is the love that was "abounding" in the Christians in Thessalonica, and should abound in every congregation. Where it prevails, it will survive affronts, abuse, personal injustices, etc., just as does God's love for sinners in this sinful world. It will not ignore those faults, and will make every effort to confront and correct them, but it will be sustained through it all.

The supreme example of this love in action is, of course, in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. "… Having loved His own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end [John 13:1]." Judas, who would presently sell the Savior for thirty pieces of silver, was included! Judas eventually moved out from Christ, but the Lord never moved away from him.

As we have noted before, it is this love that is the distinguishing mark of Christian discipleship. "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another [John 13:35]." "Discipleship training" may include many things, but this is the zenith. And this kind of love is not learned in the classroom, but only at the feet of the Lord Jesus. It is love that never fails, and is greater than faith! How is your love life?

For the glory of His Name,

"Pastor" Frasier

2 Thessalonians 1 [p2] - 2006.12.23

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;" — 2 Thess. 1:3-4

The first virtue here commended by the Spirit of God through the inspired apostle is that of a flourishing faith. We have observed that faith is initiated and nourished up by the Word of God. We might add that it requires a proper response to the Word in order for faith to grow, even as James remarks, "… Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone [Jas. 2:17]." Faith and love are correlatives, and that faith is spurious which does not generate love, for love is the first work of faith, "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love [Gal. 5:6]."

A proper faith not only initiates conversion, but in that very process it introduces the Holy Spirit into the life of the believer. It is His presence that constitutes the life of God within us, and that is eternal life; and it is His presence that stimulates love in our hearts: "… The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us [Rom. 5:5]."

Now, "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us [Rom. 5:8]." It is that love through which believers are to love the lost, unlovely world. And that is the fountain from which our love should flow toward one another. It was evident in the Thessalonian fellowship, and drew the attention of the apostle: "The charity [love] of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth."

It ought to be the case that such a commendation could be bestowed on every believer, and in every church. One cannot wisely assume that every member of the congregation at Thessalonica was lovable. In every congregation that are those who, in the flesh, are hard to love, and in every one of us there are qualities that make us something less than lovable. If we are going to have an abounding love for each other, that love must come from a Higher source than ourselves, and be capable of rising above and surviving the challenge of a variety of human qualities and characteristics that are not altogether attractive. It is God's kind of love in this kind of world. It comes from Him through us as we walk in the Spirit.

No subject gives more fragrance to the pages of scripture than the emphasis on the love of God; and none reveals more fully the beauty of the church than that kind of love manifested between members of the whole congregation of the redeemed. If our love toward one another is to abound, it will be by focusing on Him and relying on His grace, not by focusing on others and their inevitable faults.

As we remember at this Christmas season, in a special way, that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," it might be well to ask the question, "Could it be affirmed of my church, 'The love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth?'" And if not, can this self-initiating, unconditional love be found in me?

The Savior said, "For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them… But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil [Luke 6:32, 35]." If that is how the Eternal God would have us relate to our enemies, what must He desire for our relationship with fellow believers?

The world is in desperate need of seeing the love of God made visible and convincing. Where it is wanting, faith is suspect!

With HIS glory in view,

"Pastor" Frasier

Meditation / "annual report"

Dear Friends and loved ones:

Greetings in the Savior's name! In the interest of efficiency and economy we are sending this "annual report" via e-mail, and with apologies to those of youi for whom it may not be particularly relevant.

We have received many Christmas cards, notes and newsletters, and what a joy it is to hear from some who were under our pastoral care decades ago and know that they still walk with the King and praise His name. We can understand a little of what John meant when he said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth [III John 4]." We look forward to the reunion we shall have in glory!

December 12 was the first anniversary of our beloved daughter Becky's "graduation to glory." The Lord has comforted us in our "loss," but we still miss her deeply. How wonderful to know that she will be part of that coming reunion! Her husband, Ange, has joined us for Christmas, arriving December 14 for a two week visit. The Lord has given him grace also, but his sense of loss is even more profound than ours.

Miriam's health continues a slow, but steady decline. She suffers from chronic pain that sometimes elicits the comment, "I hurt all over," but with the assistance of walker and wheelchair she can still get around, and out occasionally. Someone asked recently about our "social life." Well, it chiefly consists of church, when she is able to make it, and doctor's appointments! But, that is not a complaint. We have exceeded by ten years the biblical "threescore years and ten," and are mindful of scripture's note that "if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away [Psalm 90:10]." We are grateful to God for each new day—together!

As for the rest of the family, all is much the same as a year ago. David continues in his administrative position with the University of Buffalo, and travels fairly often. He will oversee a group of graduate students on a ten day trip to China—an annual event—leaving Dec. 31. Linda is still teaching high school French. Sue carries on her nursing career in Boston, and Doug his computer program engineering, which finds him traveling a good bit, as well. We thank the Lord for them all, and are enriched by the presence of all of them with us for Christmas.

We are mindful that some of you have suffered hardship and/or losses this year, and pray God's comfort and grace may be your sufficiency. And may He give each and all a joy-filled Christ-mas and a spiritually rewarding new year.

Sincerely in Christ,

Wayne (Frasier) for both of us

2 Thessalonians 1 [p1] - 2006.12.16

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth…" — II Thess. 1:3-4

Our text assigns to the saints at Thessalonica two virtues which gave rise to thanksgiving to God on the part of the apostle Paul, and which ought to characterize every born again believer. They are what one has called an 'exuberant faith' and, an abounding love.

First to be considered is the direction of the apostle's thanksgiving: 'We thank God for you… ' Every commendable quality in the Christian life is a gift from God and should generate praise to Him as the Fountainhead of "every good and perfect gift." The true believer is not a self-made man or woman, but the consequence of God's grace in a yielded life. There is, therefore, no justification for pride or self-congratulation on the part of the individual believer in whom these virtues are manifested, nor is there any reason for the pastor/teacher to take personal credit should they become characteristic of the congregation as a whole. The proper perspective, when the "garden of God" becomes a thing of spiritual beauty is, "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."

Confining our thoughts today to the first of these qualities, it is appropriate to ask, 'how does faith grow?' Faith, of course, is foundational in Christian experience. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him [Heb. 11:6]." It is faith that generates eternal life: "The just shall live by faith [Rom. 1:17]." It is faith that lifts reason to the level where it can know God and relate to Him; faith is not irrational, but supra rational. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear [Heb. 11:1,3]." Careful reflection on these passages will reveal what a tremendous quality faith can be in the human soul. Yet it is not a virtue to our credit, but to God's. Scripture makes it clear that faith is not a self-generated virtue. "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast [Eph. 2:8-9]." And in another place we are exhorted to "run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith [Heb. 12:1b, 2]." Clearly faith is His work in us, and this should stimulate, in the heart where proper faith resides, the cry, "to God be the glory, great things He hath done!."

This does not, however, address the question, 'How does faith grow?' The answer is not hard to find, nor unfamiliar to the discerning believer: "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Rom. 10:17]." It is the written word that reveals the Living Word, who is "the author and finisher of our faith [Heb. 12:2a]." Apart from the Word faith will either not flourish, or it will be deformed into superstition and fantasy.

The wise preacher will learn from this the importance of being a man of the Book, the Bible. Paul admonished Timothy, "preach the word… [II Tim. 4:2]." And the wise Christian will avail himself of opportunities to sit under the word, but more than that, he will become himself a student of the word. I am often impressed by the fact that we have a tremendous advantage over the first century Christians; they had no ready access to the scriptures, but were largely dependent upon the preaching and teaching of their spiritual overseers. We, in contrast, have the entire divine revelation available in a format that can be carried in a shirt pocket or a purse. The Savior said, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required [Luke 12:28]." If our faith is not growing, we are going to be held accountable before God.

God has given us the resources, and He will stimulate our growth if we as "newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that [we] may grow thereby [I Pet. 2:1-2]." Paul wrote to this same congregation in his first epistle, "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye received of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe [I Thess. 2:13]." May the same be said of us!
For HIS praise,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 5 [thanks] - 2006.12.09

"In everything give thanks." — I Thess. 5:18a

Here is the third injunction in the challenging trilogy currently under consideration. What is most challenging about it, like that of "Rejoice evermore," is its all-inclusiveness — "everything." There is so much in life as we experience and interpret it that hardly seems thank worthy. How can we "give thanks" in the face of crushing natural disasters with their devastating effects? In financial reverses or poverty? Illness? Bereavement? Wayward children, cheating spouses, broken families, to name some?

The answer is, of course, by faith; faith that construes everything as under the control of God and suited to the outworking of His sovereign will. If we are to give thanks in everything, we must have confidence in God's power, wisdom, providence, righteousness, justice, His goodness—and His preeminence.

And, despite the difficulty, this is not an isolated emphasis. In the classic passage, Philippians 4:6, we are exhorted, "… in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God (italics mine)." And, "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto His name [Heb. 13:15]." And in close parallel to our text, "[Give] thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ [Eph. 5:20]."

We are assured in scripture that God works "all things after the counsel of His own will [Eph. 1:11]," and that all things are working together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28.) We are instructed that wind and waves are under His control, "For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof [Ps. 107:25]." We are assured that "As for God, His way is perfect [Psalm 18:30]," and He makes even the wrath of men to praise Him (cf. Ps. 76:10.) What matters most is the outworking of His will and plan, not my 'life's little day.' Our individual history is woven into the larger plan as individual threads are woven into a great tapestry. By itself no single thread has meaning, but worked into the whole, each contributes to the end result, the dark ones as well as the bright ones. It is from that perspective that we are called to perennial thanksgiving— "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal [II Cor. 4:18]."

Think of an environment in which this principle was assiduously applied. There would be no complaining about anything; only praise and worship in the assurance that God is in control and knows what He is doing. In fact, that is the atmosphere He is seeking to create in the church, making it a stunning contrast to the sinful society around us. But, how miserably we fail!

Rejoice - in everything. Pray - about everything. Give thanks -for everything. "For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." "Impossible," you say. But "with God nothing shall be impossible [Luke 1:37]," as we are reminded when at this season of the year we reflect on the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the Savior Himself said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God [Luke 18:27]."

A number of years ago a friend sent us a little motto which now graces our refrigerator. It says simply, "I can't, but GOD can." If we look at these commands in light of our human resources, we will not even make progress in the right direction. If we look at them from the perspective of His resources, He is able to cultivate them in us.

God is able "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us… [Eph. 3:20]." Will you ask Him? Will you let Him?

For our good and His glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 5 [pray] - 2006.12.02

"Pray without ceasing" — I Thess. 5:17

Prayer, as it is ordinarily thought of and practiced, is much like "church" for , many Christians: a short season of exposure to God from which we walk away when the session is over. It is perceived as an exercise engaged in from time to time or at stated intervals in which we address God in a more or less formal way; something included in our "quiet time," or before meals and occasionally more aggressively undertaken in "Prayer Meeting."

The challenge of our text for today, as I see it, is to make prayer as significant in our spiritual life as breathing is to our physical life: essential, continuous, autonomic. It is God's desire to bring us into a relationship with Himself in which communion is constant and uninterrupted. Prayer is the special vehicle for that kind of relationship.

This is not an isolated text. Jesus taught, as we noted recently, "that men ought always to pray, and not to faint [Luke 18:1]." To the Romans Paul exhorted, "[continue] instant in prayer [Rom. 12:12];" the meaning is 'be constantly diligent.' The Ephesians are urged to be "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance… {Eh. 5:18]." Note, incidentally, the immediate connection with the Word of God in v.17. To the Philippians the instruction is, "Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus [Phil 4:6-7]." And to the Colossians he writes, "Continue in prayer… [Col. 4:2]," as in Romans 12:12.

Taken together these verses indicate that this kind of prayer is a deterrent to fainting under life's load (Lk. 18:1) and an antidote for anxiety in the face of life's fears (Phil. 4:6.) It is worthy of note, too, that living in an atmosphere of prayer, which cultivates a continual consciousness of the presence of the Lord, is our best deterrent for sin. If we learn to pray without ceasing, and to pray about everything, how different our spiritual life will be. Every trial will be examined in fellowship with God. Every test will be entered into in the consciousness of His presence. Every triumph will be discussed in communion with Him, restraining pride. And, most importantly, every temptation will be confronted with Him consciously present.

There are trials that overwhelm us, tests we fail, victories that tempt us to vanity and pride and sins we indulge in because for the moment (or longer!) God is thrust into the background of our lives. Praying without ceasing will correct that, keeping Him in the foreground, in conscious fellowship, where He belongs. There are sins of attitude and action that we would not commit if Christ was in the same room with us. Prayer, as a constant, creates and maintains that sense of His presence.

Someone has been quoted as saying, "I could overcome every obstacle if I could hear Christ in the next room praying for me. But what matter it; He is praying for me." That is true, and a fine concept, but Christ is not in the next room; He is in this room. And if I learn to 'pray without ceasing,' we will be facing every challenge together!

For victory, real and enduring,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 5 [rejoice] - 2006.11.25

"Rejoice evermore." — I Thess. 5:16

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The prevailing approach to "Nuggets" has been to develop thoughts from a verse or short passage from successive chapters in a given book of the Bible week by week. From time to time, however, we have felt led to break the routine, and this is one of those occasions. The passage we addressed in overview last week (I Thess. 5:16-18) is so challenging (to me personally, at least) that I am inclined to meditate a bit further on each of the short, but striking, verses.

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The implication of the charge, "Rejoice evermore," seems to me to be that the believer, ideally, should be perennially joyful, whatever his or her circumstances in life. That is the spiritual posture few of us successfully maintain, and many would deem a practical impossibility. Nevertheless, when God delivers an order for us, He ordinarily furnishes examples and/or instructions for its execution.

Scripture defines two conflicting and competing realms in which life is experienced. The terms are familiar to every believer, but the ramifications are too often overlooked. The first order (from our perspective) is called "the flesh." The second is referred to as "the spirit." The first is essentially self-centered and "worldly." The latter is essentially God-centered and focused on "the world to come."

The true believer, when coming to faith in Christ is, in principle, translated from "this present evil world" to "the kingdom of [God's] dear Son." By God's grace we are "made… meet (fit) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light… [and have been] delivered… from the power of darkness, and… translated into the kingdom of His dear Son: in Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins (See Col. 1:12-14)." It is the divine intention that this result in shifting our whole emphasis to a new center; from earth to glory, from "flesh" to "Spirit."

Writing to the Philippians, Paul put it this way: "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh [Phil. 3:3, italics mine)." This is the ideal; the whole person enjoying an entirely new center of reference, which is the person of our gracious, omniscient, incredible God.

Here is the fountainhead of perennial joy: faith in Christ Jesus and the hope of eternal life. "The flesh profiteth nothing [John 6:63];" its successes are of no enduring worth, its troubles, trials and failures, of whatever sort, are of relatively short duration and should not distract us from "rejoicing in Christ Jesus." If we will "rejoice evermore," it is imperative that we adopt this perspective and hold it firm, not just as a theological tenet, but as a fundamental fact of life. The Psalmist said, long before the gospel was fleshed out in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, "… my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation [Psalm 39:5]." It is here that the heart must be centered if joy is to continue uninterrupted in the changing circumstances of life in this present world.

Many years ago, when the phrase "keep looking up" was popular in evangelical circles, a good preacher friend surprised our congregation by exhorting, "keep looking down." His reasoning was, in fact, based upon Ephesians 2:4-6, where we are taught that God has made us alive (spiritually) together with Christ, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." The passage is further reinforced by the exhortation, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory [Col. 3:1-4]. "

Our verse for today has a parallel in Phil. 4:4— "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." Clearly this is God's intention for the believer. To realize it, we must shift our emphasis from earth to glory, from flesh to spirit, from here to eternity. Then we may be able to say, in the face of life's most trying circumstances, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us," and rejoice— in the Lord!.
For HIS praise,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 5 - 2006.11.18

"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." — I Thess. 5:16-18

"What is God's will for my life?" is a question most serious Christians ask at one time or another, and sometimes often. Most of us, when asking that question, are not looking for the answer here, but here it is, in first order magnitude. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks." It is one of the most demanding passages in scripture, and its demand is impossible for the natural man to fulfill. Yet it is set before us as "the will of God" for every believer!

For a moment, reflect upon it this way:
Rejoice — always (never be dismayed)
Pray — always (never be unfocused)
Give thanks — always (never complain)

Now consider that the passage reads the same in a hospital room as it does in a chapel. It lays the same challenge at the feet of the destitute as it does the prosperous. It conveys the same message to the oppressed as to the free. Wherever there Christians, whatever their circumstances, the injunction is the same and expresses "the will of God" for you.

If we are to rejoice always, we must rejoice in times of sorrow as well as in life's sunshine. We must rejoice in times of pain as well as in pleasure. We must rejoice in when in poverty as well as in plenty; in the darkness as in the light. Failure will require the same response as fulfillment, and rejection as well as recognition. Those who attain the will of God in this sense will be characterized by indefatigable, indestructible, inscrutable joy! And no one will understand them!!

Then there is the commandment, "In everything give thanks." It is a demand from which there is no relief, for which there are no exceptions. After all, this is the infallible, unchanging word of God, and "this is the will of God… for you." The scope is the same as for rejoicing. If applied, it would make every day Thanksgiving Day, with or without turkey and the trimmings! Were it realized in my life, no one would ever hear me complain—about anything.

Between these two is the directive, "Pray without ceasing." That is the hinge, if you will, upon which this whole thing pivots. It is a call to an all-comprehensive, consistent and unbroken communion with God. Nothing is left outside the scope of prayer, nothing is overlooked, nothing is deemed irrelevant to it. Since it is evident that one cannot be continually on his knees, this is obviously a different concept of prayer than we usually entertain. What is envisioned here is prayer as the atmosphere of life. It aims at that kind of unbroken communion that makes God our constant, conscious Companion. Every circumstance of life is shared with Him; every temptation is referred to Him, and His power relied upon to address and resist it; every trial is confronted in a continuum of communion and with a conscious cry, "Not my will, but Thine be done." Not just occasionally, but constantly. Prayer will be as regular as breathing.

Confronted with this definition of the will of God, we are driven to one of two conclusions. Either God is playing games with us, imposing impossible demands; or, He is prepared to enable us if we are truly willing to obey. If the former, God is capricious and unfair. If the latter, God has an order of life for us that could utterly transform us, and that few of us have yet experienced.

If we would begin this radical journey there are a few keys to be noted. The first is evident in the phrase, "in Christ Jesus." One must be "born from above" before such a life is ever possible. A paper faith, mere "Christian religion" will not do. Second, we must develop an entirely new and radically different view of life in which not "here and now," but hereafter is the essence of reality. Third, we must operate under the unwavering conviction that God is in control, knows exactly what He is doing all the time, and that what He does is right. "This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
For HIS glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 4 - 2006.11.11

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." — I Thess. 4:13-14

Just eleven months ago we "lost" our youngest child, a beloved daughter, who lost her battle with cancer. The wound has healed a little, but the heartache lingers still. In the interim some of you have suffered similar losses, and some are facing the prospect. We witness the veracity of the word of God, "It is appointed unto man once to die… " There is nothing in life more certain than that we will die, and few prospects in life more unwelcome.

To wrestle with the problem of death, whether one's own, or that of a loved one, is nothing new. It was obviously a concern for believers in the church at Thessalonica. And there, as in so many places there were varied opinions. The issue was sufficient to solicit the attention of the apostle Paul and the ministry of the Holy Spirit through him, not only for the benefit of the Christians there and then, but those who would follow after, to this present day.

Death for many brings perplexity and despair. For the Christian it may bring sorrow, but it need not plunge us into depression or unmitigated grief. Sorrow is understandable, permissible and where love prevails, inevitable. But the sorrow of the Christian is to be radically different from the sorrow of the unregenerate. We may, indeed, "sorrow," but not "as [those] who have no hope."

To afford comfort and assurance the word of God lays down a simple, but significant condition: "If we believe… " The theological/scriptural term that applies here is Faith. It is faith that can put solid ground beneath our feet when the earthquakes of life occur. The biblical definition of faith Is found in Heb. 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I like to paraphrase it, 'Faith is that which gives substance to things hoped for, and provides evidence for things not seen.' This, however, is not to be construed as blind faith without a foundation or evidence. That is the kind of "faith" exercised by those who live all their lives without a relationship to God, but who in time of grief cling to a groundless hope that there is more beyond, and their loved one has "gone to a better place." The Christian's faith, in contrast, is founded upon the testimony of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: "If we believe that Jesus died and rose again…" The distinction is made by the scriptures in I Corinthians 15:14, "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is vain also." And again, "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins [I Cor 15:17]." This is the hub around which all our hope revolves. It confirms the validity of the scriptures themselves. It provides illustrative proof of the resurrection of the dead. And it addresses the issue of death itself; why the problem and whence the solution. Here is the great central fact in scripture: Jesus died and rose again.

For the believer, this provides bedrock beneath his feet, and brings with it confidence in two great truths: First, Jesus is coming again; second, so are the "dead in Christ." As certainly as the Savior predicted His own resurrection from the dead, so did He affirm His eventual return to earth. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we cannot doubt that one day, in God's own time, He will return, "even as He said." And, with equal assurance we can expect that those who "sleep in Jesus" will accompany Him when He returns.

Finally to be noticed is the qualification: "them also which sleep in Jesus." This is not a blanket promise with respect to all the dead. It is limited to those who have trusted Christ as Savior. His death was designed to make eternal life a positive experience for all who would trust Him. It addressed the problem of sin, which brought the unwelcome specter of death into human experience. His resurrection was proof that His word was true. To appropriate its benefits we must receive Him by faith. And so must those we desire to join us in "the day of His appearing." That should make believers out of us for our own sake. And evangelists for theirs!

For the hope of eternal salvation,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 3 - 2006.11.04

"And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." — I Thess. 3:12-13

It is really quite astonishing to notice the emphasis on love in the New Testament, and the character of love mandated. Here is one such reference, and it confronts us, in capsule form, with two great dimensions of love. There is first the command to love one another, that is, within the family of God; what may be called "intramural love." The second is an even larger and more challenging command to love "all men."

The New Testament order to love is rooted in the gospels and brought to full flower in the epistles. The ultimate demonstration of love is, as every believer must know, in the incarnation, and encapsulated in that most familiar, under-appreciated verse, John 3:16. There "unconditional love" is revealed from the heights of heaven, from the cradle to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Along with this supernal illustration is the instruction of the Savior Himself, in the course of His earthly ministry. At least three times in the gospels we are counseled to love our neighbor and taught that the neighbor we are to love is not someone who has treated us well, but anyone we come across who needs our care (Cf. Mt. 6:19; 22:35-40; Mk. 12:31). These references identify love as the essence of fulfillment of the second table of the law of Moses (the ten commandments) and linked to assurance of a place in the kingdom of God (cf. Mk. 12:28-34).

The Savior's instruction regarding love, however, goes further. In Mt. 5:44 and Luke 6:27, 35 we are commanded to love our enemies, and this is linked to eternal reward and relationship to God. Clearly love is NOT optional.

These exhortations were part of Jesus' general teaching, and directed toward all men. Subsequently He turned to the subject with specific reference to His disciples. The centerpiece of this doctrine is John 13:34-35; "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." It is that intramural love spoken of earlier; love of believer for believers in the church, which Jesus cites as the ultimate evidence of discipleship. He sharpened it further when He declared, "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you [Jn. 15:12]," and made obedience to His command the key to friendship with Himself [ v.14]. This love of believer for believers (without qualification) is not offered as a suggestion or a recommendation, but as an order. Love within the body of Christ is NOT an option, but a command!

In our text for today the love of believers one for another is linked to holiness, a connection not many of us would make if it were not thus set before us, but here it is! To be sure, not many professing believers of today are passionate about holiness, but for those who are, this is sobering truth. I have not attained (nor approximated) holiness if I have not learned to love not only my friends, but the saints at large and the rest of the community of mankind, including my enemies.

It is this characteristic, after all, which supremely sets New Testament Christianity apart from all other faiths. It is the hallmark of true conversion, and were it more generally in evidence, the church would be strikingly different from the fraternities of this present evil world. Sadly, this kind of love is overshadowed by the grim results of pride, sectarian strife and self centeredness which characterize nominal Christianity today. Someone has wryly suggested that we are not likely to love our enemies, for we have not yet learned to love our friends!

The last word in our text for today is this: Jesus is coming again. Then will come our "final exam" with respect to love. How will your love life fare?
With HIS glory in mind,,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 2 - 2006.10.28

"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. — I Thess. 2:13

In the first chapter of this epistle the apostle Paul expresses his enthusiasm for the fellowship of believers at Thessalonica as "remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in the sight God and the Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God [ v.3-4]." In our verse for today that joy is defined in terms of unceasing thanksgiving to God for these believers. What accounted for this exciting church? Two things in particular. First, the rendering of the word of God on the part of those who delivered it. Second, the reception of the word of God on the part of those who now constituted the local church there.

Scripture says "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," following the question, "… how shall they hear without a preacher[Rom. 10:17, 14]?" Clearly the subject matter of effective preaching is the word of God presented as the word of God. In this instance the preacher was the apostle Paul and the communication was the word of God. There was nothing wrong with the rendering of the message, either in the instrument or in the content. Yet how many times have Spirit-filled men spoken the truths of the word without the joy of harvest, whether to a congregation, or one on one; whether the word of salvation to a lost soul, or the word of sanctification to a professed believer? Before there can be an appropriate result, the word must be "received."

A few evenings ago we had a newscast on while eating supper. At one point my wife asked, "What did he say about the weather?" to which my response was, "I don't know. I heard it, but I wasn't listening." Thus it is so often when the word of God is adequately presented. Some go away empty because they hear, but do not listen. A contemporary writer, referring specifically to the scribes and Pharisees, said, they "knew the words of scripture well, but heard the voice of God not at all. They had an extensive and meticulous knowledge of scripture. They revered it. They memorized it. [But] the words were studied and not heard."

So today the word of God is still available through the voices of faithful men of God. The potential for life changing encounter with the Living Word is there, but it amounts to nothing because men hear, but do not listen. The sounds suited to salvation or sanctification are there, falling upon the marvelous mechanism God has given us so He can communicate with us, but nothing happens. It is not that they cannot hear, but that they do not hear. "Having ears to hear, they hear not."

There is more to communication than utterance. The word must be properly received. The Thessalonians qualified. First, they paused to listen: "ye received it." They did not receive it passively, but perceptively: "Ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God." For them what was uttered was not a matter of opinion, but a revelation from high. God was speaking, and they were listening, not just hearing. It was good seed upon good soil.

The result was dynamic: "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance… and ye became followers of us, and of the Lord… [1:5]." "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus [2:14a]." And they became followers who stood their ground when the going got tough. "Ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost [1:6]," and "… ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as [the churches in Judea] have of the Jews [2:14]."

It is not great preachers who make great churches. It is ordinary men who preach the word of God as the word of God, reaching ordinary people who receive the message as the word of God, and respond appropriately. "Take heed therefore, how ye hear [Luke 8:18a]." Are you listening?


For HIS praise,

"Pastor" Frasier

1 Thessalonians 1 - 2006.10.21

"And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia." — I Thess. 1:7-8

In several places, including this one, the New Testament gives emphasis to the power and importance of example. In I Peter 5:3 the Spirit of God, through the apostle Paul, admonishes pastors not to lord it over their churches, but to be examples to the flock. Writing to the Philippians he is not ashamed to call attention to the example set by himself and his associates in ministry, when he says, "walk so as ye have us for an example (cf. Phil. 3:17)." Again, he writes of "… making ourselves an example unto you to follow us (cf. II Thess. 3:9)."

To his young protégé Timothy Paul counseled, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity [I Tim. 4:12]." And in Titus 2:7 he exhorts that young minister, "In all things [show] thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you," where the word "pattern" in the Greek text is identical with the word "example" in the preceding references.

In I Timothy 1:15,16 the apostle Paul says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."Here the word "pattern" is a derivative of the word for "example." Paul is identifying himself as a pattern or example for others to follow. That is consistent with his exhortation to the Corinthians, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ [I Cor 11:1]." (See also I Cor 4:16; Phil. 3:17; I Thess. 1:6; Heb. 6:12)

The supreme "example" for us to follow is, of course, Christ. The apostle Peter noted, "… Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps… Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth…" [I Pet. 2:21-22]." In I John 2:6 we are counseled, "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk , even as He walked." It was Paul's aim to do just that; so to order his life, that those who followed his example would be perfectly aligned with Christ. It should be yours and mine as well! It is, to say the least, a lofty goal, and one that cannot be fulfilled in the energy of the flesh, but only through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflection upon these passages, and this study on the importance of example, confronts us with a self-test: If others follow my example (and someone will!) will they be following Christ? Many years ago a gospel tract circulated entitled, "Your Children will be like you." It is a sobering thing to consider, whether one thinks of his literal offspring or his spiritual "children." Again, there was a gospel song which carried the line, "What you are speaks so loud men can't hear what you say!" Even if we tell the truth, others are not likely to "hear" it unless they see it exemplified in our lives.

May it be our unwavering aspiration so to live that our spiritual overseers may be able to say of us what Paul said of the Thessalonian believers: "Ye were examples to all that believe… " A Christian can be paid no higher compliment.

For HIS glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Columbus Day "Blizzard of Buffalo"

Due to the Columbus Day "Blizzard of Buffalo," which destroyed power and telephone lines, leaving us without electricity and heat, etc., we had to leave home for a season. As a result, the VOW did not go out, and will probably be omitted until next week, "same time, same station." We are home, as of late this afternoon, and all is well, praise the Lord. But, things are in something of disarray. Thanks for your patience and prayers.

"Pastor" Frasier
Isaiah 55:8,9

Colossians 4 - 2006.10.07

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." — Colossians 4:2

No spiritual exercise is potentially more significant, nor practically more difficult than prayer. My own prayer life is such that it is almost embarrassing to write on the subject, but the word of God, not one's own personal experience, is the ground for discourse.

Prayer, more than any other engagement, links us with God. We can feed upon His word, and that is vital, but if we truly pray, we fellowship with Him. If there were no God in heaven, prayer would be the silliest thing a man could do; he ends up talking to himself. But since there is a God in heaven, prayer is the noblest activity in which the believer can engage, and the highest privilege he enjoys. When I pray— when I really pray— the God of the universe pauses to listen and deigns to respond. "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not [Jer. 33:3]." How incredible! "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry [Ps. 34:15]." How wonderful! "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles [Ps. 34:17]." How encouraging!

The Savior said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint [Cf. luke 18:1-8]." The implication is that consistency in prayer will protect from "fainting," i.e., spiritual weakness. The counterpoint is that negligence in prayer will result in feebleness of spirit.

Based upon the fact that we have in heaven a "great high priest," the writer to the Hebrews exhorts, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need [cf He. 4:14-16]." This, too, is linked to spiritual stability: "Let us hold fast our profession. ( v.14)." The prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.

When the believer prays, he is afforded the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit (himself) maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God [Rom. 8:26-27]." Imagine engaging in prayer with the Spirit of the living God. Or, the Spirit of God condescending to pray with us. Yet this is what transpires when we really pray!

Important to "continuing" prayer, of course, is intelligent content in prayer. Consider some of the subject of prayer revealed in the New Testament scriptures. First is the recognition of God Himself: "Our Father, which art in heaven." It is my judgment that our prayer life should first and foremost cultivate our consciousness of God and His glory. Think God when you pray, "Hallowed be Thy Name." Homage to the King ought always to precede petitioning the King. Of further note, if we follow the Savior's pattern prayer, is the priority given to prayer for His concerns before we address ours: "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." When the apostle enjoins prayer, it is along these lines that he expresses his primary concern. "Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak [Col. 4:3-4]." He does not request prayer for release from prison, but that where God has placed him he may be advancing the kingdom. This same spirit prevails in Ephesians 6:18-19, where he exhorts, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel… that I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." He does not ask prayer for better circumstances, but for the grace to take full advantage of the circumstances in which God has placed him.

This does not, of course, preclude the privilege of, or need for prayer for ourselves. "Give us this day our daily bread"; "forgive us our debts… "; "lead us not into temptation"; "deliver us from evil." It is interesting though, if one pauses to reflect upon it, how little instruction scripture gives us in prayer for physical "health and welfare," and how much is focused on the spiritual state of the individual believer and the church. Evangelicals generally discredit the so-called "health and welfare gospel," but our prayer life often reflects it!

"Continue in prayer," indeed. But let us seek to do it with discernment, drawn from the word, of what concerns the heart of God.
*********
[For further study of the content of prayer in N.T. scripture see Rom. 15:30-33; II Cor. 13:7; Eph. 6:18-20; Phil. 1:9-11 & 4:6; Col. 1:9-13; I Thess. 5:17; II Thess. 3:1-2; I Tim. 2:1-3; Heb. 13:18-21; Jas. 5:13-18; I John 5:14-17.]

For HIS glory and our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Colossians 3 - 2006.09.30

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory." ― Colossians 3:4

"Christ… is our life." The biblical definition of Christian experience is, indeed, remarkable. At the point of our exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the scriptures, one order of existence ended and another began.

To be a Christian, according to the Bible, is not simply to be transplanted, as when an entity is removed from one location and rooted in another, but the entity itself is changed; it takes on a new order entirely. In the biblical perspective of conversion, not only is the believer found in a new environment, ("hid with Christ in God," v.3) but he is himself a 'new creation.' "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new [II Cor. 5:17, italics mine.]."

It is not merely a career that is ended, it is a whole order of being. Both the center and the circumference of this new order is Christ. "Christ is our life." And that is the perspective we are here enjoined to adopt.

The story is told of one of the early Christians of note, that one day he was confronted by one of his former consorts who solicited his attention, calling him by name and crying, "It is I!" As he fled from her presence and would be advances, he responded, "I know, but I am no longer I." Would that every believer would perceive and embrace that perspective; anything and everything that is apart from and contrary to Christ is part of the old order and the old nature, and has no longer any claim or validity for us.

For now, of course, this which is essentially true is an eternal fact, but a temporal process. We are still "in the world." We must adopt by faith the position that we are not "of it." A significant element in cultivating the proper perspective is focusing on the prospect the new order sets before us: Jesus is coming again. "… Christ, who is our life, shall appear… " If we will live properly in this transition state, we must live expectantly. Early Christians, it would seem, lived in much keener awareness of Christ's return than we do today. For us the "second coming" is a distinct part of our theology, but has little bearing on our conduct or values. We hold the doctrine as a promise of eventual relief from life's hardships; they held it as the key to the manifestation of the new order and motivation for new values in the interim.

The apostle John wrote, for example, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, (a new order of being) and it doth not yet appear what we shall be (transition state): but we know that when He shall appear (the imminent prospect), we shall be like Him (the final transformation), for we shall see Him as He is." (Cf. I John 3:2) On the strength of that prospect the apostle urged, "And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure [ v.3]." The prospect of Christ's return was not abstract, but dynamic. So should it be for us.

"Then shall ye appear with Him in glory." That is the promise, looking forward to the moment when we will "catch up with our (new) selves," so to speak. What is even now spiritually true will become visibly evident in that great day. What is here held out to us is not the realization of our new state, but the revelation of what is already an established fact in the mind and heart of God.

The whole thrust of New Testament ethics is that the believer should no longer live as he was, but as he is "in Christ Jesus," Who "is" his life. As this perspective, prospect and promise penetrates our consciousness, it will stimulate a passion to break with the old nature and embrace the new. "Things above" will have our hearts (Col. 3:2) and be our dominant quest ( v.1), and heaven will be the environment of the soul. To the watching world we may look the same, but we will not be the same. The difference will be in demonstration of Christ, Who is our life, in the "today" of our experience!

For HIS praise,

"Pastor" Frasier

Colossians 2 - 2006.09.23

"For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily" Colossians 2:9

Our text last week affirmed the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ from the standpoint of His performance as Creator; this week's terse declaration affirms it with direct reference to His person. It is either the most audacious claim ever made, or one of the most awesome truths ever disclosed. It is an unabashed, unequivocal declaration that Jesus Christ is God.

Some years ago I had a controversy of sorts with a church member who objected to my affirmation that Jesus is God. The idea however, was not mine; that is what the scriptures teach, so stated here and reinforced in many other passages. It is the claim of the Bible that in the person of the virgin born Jesus, the God of creation was made tangible and visible to man, in a form quite like our own.

Before the Child was born, Joseph, her husband-to-be, having discovered that Mary was already pregnant and "minded to put her away privately," was afforded a dream to clarify the situation. At the conclusion of that dream he was reminded of the prophesy of the Isaiah, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us [Mt. 1:18-23]." Mary, he was informed, was the vehicle through which that prophecy was about to be fulfilled. Subsequently, in a clear reference to Jesus Christ, the scriptures declare that it is "God [Who] was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory [I Tim. 3:16]."

In the course of His ministry Philip said to Jesus on one occasion, "Lord, show us the Father… " Jesus replied, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works [John 14:9-10]." From this at lest two significant things follow: Jesus, as the Son of God, is distinct from the Father; but, He is also the full and perfect expression, or manifestation, of the Father. This, of course, agrees with the notice in Hebrews 1:3 that the Son is "the brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of His person." Jesus is not the Father, but He and the Father alike are God.

This doctrine of the deity of Christ is reinforced in another significant way. When Jesus flatly declared "I and My Father are one," then "the Jews took up stones… to stone Him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God [John 10:30-33]." Here it is not Himself, nor His supporters, but His enemies who recognize and affirm that He is laying claim to equality with God.

From all of this, many significant things follow. Let me cite a few. First, we will never know God better, nor understand Him more fully than we come to know and understand Jesus Christ. There is nothing for us to learn about God that cannot be discovered in Him and that, for now, through His word.

Second, when we deal with Christ, we are dealing with God. Those who reject or disregard the Lord Jesus Christ are rejecting God; those who receive and obey Him are responding directly to God. "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also [I John 2:23]." You cannot have one without the other; you cannot honor the one without honoring the other.

In a correlative statement with reference to Christ, we read "In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [Col. 2:3]." Knowledge is information; wisdom is the right understanding, correlation and use of knowledge. Jesus Christ, in Whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, is the divine treasury of both. One may know and understand many things, but he is not wise, and understands nothing as he should until he knows Jesus Christ. And only a fool would reject Him! (Cf Ps. 14:1, 53:1)

For HIS glory and our good,

"Pastor" Frasier

Colossians 1 - 2006.09.16

"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence." — Colossians 1:16-18

A brief glance at the context of this passage will show that the subject is the Lord Jesus Christ. What is affirmed of Him here is a major contribution to the doctrine of His deity; that Jesus Christ is God.

The first affirmation is that He is "before all things," and the creator of "all things," declared twice in this short passage. This is but one of several passages affirming the same colossal truth. The apostle John declares, "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made [Jn. 1:3]." To the Corinthians the apostle Paul wrote, "to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him [I Cor. 8:6]." In Ephesians he refers to "… God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ [Eph. 3:9]." The writer to the Hebrews declared, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds [Heb. 1:1,2]."

We are by these passages moved into the realm of pre-creation, before anything was "made"— to find Christ already there, in eternity past. He is the "first cause" of all that is defined as created or made. Ultimately, He is that "Word of God" by which "the worlds were framed." (cf Heb. 11:3)

The second declaration is that Christ is the sustaining cause of all creation: "by Him all things consist." It is He who made them, and He who makes them to stand, or to endure. In the epistle to the Hebrews it is put this way; He "made the worlds," and is "upholding all things by the word of His power." (cf Heb. 1:2,3) If one may say it reverently, He is the "glue" that holds creation together. Remove Christ from the equation, and the whole creation will fall into disarray.

There is a remarkable parallel passage in the Psalms, with reference to creation, which reads, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast [Ps. 33:6-9]." This Old Testament passage anticipates the New Testament truth that the Lord (Jesus) is the source and sustainer of the whole creation. And in another passage in the Psalms we are reminded that the same voice that created all has the power to terminate it: "The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted [Ps. 46:6]."

The third significant observation in our text is that all things were made "for Him." The creation is not ours, it is His, and its destiny is in His hands. He not only owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He owns the hills as well. And this agrees with the declaration in Heb. 1:2 that the Father has "appointed [Him] heir of all things." In a day when man intensifies his challenge to the authority of Christ, it is well to remember that there is a day coming "… when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet [I Cor. 15:24b-25]."

With the same power and authority He exercised "in the beginning," Christ will one day restore His own order in His now fallen creation. "For the [creation] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the [creation] itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God [Rom. 8:20-21]."

"Even so come, Lord Jesus!"

For HIS praise,

"Pastor" Frasier

Philippians 4 - 2006.09.09

"Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, rejoice." —Phil. 4:4

The call to perennial joy in a world where sin abounds may seem like plea for the impossible. Yet, God never commands what cannot be accomplished by His grace. "Rejoice!" That is what we are commanded to do, and not just in one isolated instance. Perhaps one reason we have difficulty with this order is that we tend to equate joy with happiness. It is my judgment that happiness, though in the English dictionary equated with joy, is in scripture distinct from it. Happiness is a feeling of elation or well being based on circumstances. It is a property of the soul, experience centered, transitory and superficial. Joy, on the other hand, is deep, enduring and essentially a spiritual quality. "The fruit of the Spirit is…joy [Gal. 5:22]." Those whose Christian experience knows little of the Holy Spirit will have difficulty maintaining joy.

If the circumstances of our life are favorable, we may be happy; if they are not, we may be sad and/or depressed. Joy has nothing to do with circumstances. It has to do with God, and rises above the circumstances of this life. When the Lord Jesus was facing crucifixion, the scripture says that "for the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God [Heb. 12:2]." And the apostle Paul wrote this epistle of joy from the dubious luxury of his Roman imprisonment. He had earlier remarked on those who opposed him and who preached Christ from an ulterior motive, "Some preach Christ even of envy and strife… supposing to add afflictions to my bonds [Phil 1:15-16]," yet added, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth,Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea and will rejoice [v.18]." Adverse circumstances did not diminish joy.

The apostle James adds to this doctrine, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trial of your faith worketh patience (endurance) [James 1:2-3]." So, even in adversity we are called upon to rejoice. Joy rises not from the process, but from the prospect set before us, for which the process is the necessary preparation.

Happiness is related to the emotions and rises and falls with external circumstances. Joy is related to the will and by faith rises above the circumstances. The prophet Habakkuk, in a favorite passage of mine, put it this way: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet , and he will make me to walk upon mine high places [Hab. 3:17-19]."

A major aspect of the difference between happiness and joy is focus. We are not here instructed to rejoice in every circumstance, but rather, to "rejoice in the Lord." Thus when our joy is diminished, it is a clear indication that our focus has shifted from heaven to earth, from Christ to the crises of this life. That is perfectly natural, and proof that joy is a supernatural quality. The Savior said to His disciples, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full [John 15:11]," while alerting them that they would face persecution for their faith. They were to focus on His word to sustain them in the trials that would soon come.

The greatest challenge in this text is the word, "alway." Few of us reach that level of spiritual consistency, yet that is God's will for us. In I Thessalonians 5:16 the Spirit of God exhorts "Rejoice evermore;" literally, always, the same emphasis as in our text. If God is not able to impart that quality to us, the command is presumptuous. If the command is valid, then the resources are available to the believer, and our failure lies either in our understanding or in our faith (or both.) Note, however, that in I Thessalonians the command to rejoice evermore is followed by two others of equal force: "Pray without ceasing," and "in everything give thanks." Prayer and praise are correlatives of sustained joy, and without them our joy will f alter.

"Rejoice;" that is our calling. "Alway;" that is to be our constancy. "In the Lord;" that is our concentration, that is the key.
Yours for HIS joy,

"Pastor" Frasier

Philippians 3 - 2006.09.02

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." Philippians 3:20-21

Every truly born again believer, who has engaged the inevitable struggles and conflicts of the new nature vs the old, entertains a great longing for the ultimate victory of the Spirit over the flesh. The heart longs, yea, yearns for the day when "faith shall be sight," and the last vestiges of "the old man" will finally disappear. In a word, we long for the day when the war will be over, and we can retire in the glory of His presence, freed at last from the residue of sin in our mortal bodies.

In the meantime, we have the word of God to sustain our hope, even when we have lost a skirmish with the adversary here and there. Passages like the one before us today are immense comfort and encouragement in the rough and tumble of this present evil world, in our "vile bodies."

One if the great encouragements the scripture affords the us is the divine perspective that regards the believer as having already ended his earthly career at the cross through union with Christ. Here, for example, we are taught that we have an altogether new political orientation; "our citizenship is in heaven." (That is a better rendering for today's reader, certainly, than "conversation.") In the mind of God we have moved out from under the vagaries of human government and become citizens of the kingdom of heaven, under the benevolent government of the "King of kings and Lord of lords." (With that in mind, incidentally, it ill behooves the Bible Christian to be incited to enthusiastic support of his earthly commonwealth. Wherever Christians are found, they are ambassadors of Christ, and their first loyalty is to Him. They should respect and obey the government under which God has placed them as His representatives, but must be ever subject to a higher loyalty, and the fact that all human government will ultimately fail.) In addition to a heavenly citizenship, note that God regards the believer as having already died (Col. 3:3) and as already "seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6)."

Citizens of heaven, "hid with Christ in God," and already seated with Christ in the heavens; that is our spiritual situation, and it should define the believers' perspective. As we reflect upon it and affirm it, it will radically change our attitude toward life in the present world.

For now, of course, our bodily presence is in this world, waiting to catch up with our "real life," and so eagerly expecting the return of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are "at home in the body, [and] absent from the Lord," and, if we have entered into the reality of our situation in Christ, we will be "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify [us] unto Himself [as] a peculiar people, zealous of good works [Titus 2:13-14]." That is the Christian's expectation, and there is no greater stimulus to hope or holiness than the sustained assurance that Jesus is coming again—and it may be today!

That expectation will eventuate in the full and final transformation every sincere believer longs for—the transformation of our bodies into likeness to the sinless body of our risen Lord. The apostle John sums it up, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is [I John 3:2]." Note that he identifies our divine sonship, like our heavenly citizenship, our true eternal life and our position as seated with Christ in the heavenlies, as a present possession, awaiting only the appearing of Christ for its full manifestation.

Our position, then, is in heaven; our passion is for the return of our victorious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and our prospect is that of being changed into His likeness, fully and finally! May God give us the desire and the dynamic to live up to this glorious heritage in "the today of our experience," knowing, however, that it is in His perfection that our hope lies, not in ours!

Yours for an enduring hope,

"Pastor" Frasier

Philippians 2 - 2006.08.26

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world… " Philippians 2:14-15

Evangelical Christians are great champions of the inspiration and authority of scripture. Is it not a strange thing, then, that we so often disregard it when it comes to particular texts or truths?

Here is a simple, unequivocal directive that seems too often to be ignored in our churches, to our shame. "Do all things without murmurings and disputings." How different the atmosphere would be in many a church if this single text were taken as a directive from God Himself, and assiduously applied by every believer in the congregation!

In fact, this is a word from God. And there is a counterpoint in I Cor. 10:31, where, in a somewhat different context, we are instructed "… whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." If we are indifferent to it, we are guilty of rebellion, and God is not glorified. In fact, not only is God not glorified, but we are susceptible to Paul's charge to the disobedient Jews, "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles [i.e., unbelievers] through you… [Rom. 2:24]."

Believers are here identified as "sons of God," which means that His reputation is linked to ours in the eyes of the world. It is the divine intention that there should be a radical contrast between the believer and the world. Believers are to be "blameless and harmless," in contrast to the world of the unsaved which is described as "crooked and perverse;" a condition that does not prevail if there is strife and contention among us.

The question has been often asked, "Why does God not take us to heaven as soon as we are converted?" While there are many aspects to the answer, here is one of them. We are left here to "shine as lights" in this sin benighted world. Along the Maine coast, where we used to live, there are a number of lighthouses. They are there to warn mariners of dangers to navigation along the coastline and to assist their journey to a safe harbor. Should the light fail, the traveler's danger in an already hazardous environment is greatly enhanced.

We are here to give warning to the world of the hazards of sin and the dangers of careless living. We are here to mark the way to safe haven for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. To that end, our lives both individually and collectively are to be lived in a contrast to the world as radical as that of light to darkness. When we fail to implement the principles of the inspired Word of God, we obscure the Light and increase the peril of the ungodly. Then the need for change is self evident.

There is an additional inference here. When the Spirit of God says, "that ye may be the sons of God without rebuke," there is the suggestion that if we fail to respond to the word, because we are "sons of God," we may expect His rebuke. It may come in different ways, but it will come. He may lay His hand heavy upon us (cf. Heb. 12:5-7), or He may withdraw His hand from us and let us "learn the hard way" the folly of disobedience (cf. Ps. 51:11-12). It is an option wisdom would avoid!

To paraphrase the words of another, "Churches don't change. Only individuals do." If you are in an assembly where "murmurings and disputings" prevail, you may not be able to change the church, but YOU can change. That will make a difference, and by the grace of God, it may be contagious.

Yours for HIS glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Philippians 1 - 2006.08.19

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." — Philippians 1:9-11

The Lord Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint [Luke 8:1]." But what should we include in our praying? In His pattern prayer, popularly called "The Lord's prayer," (Mt. 6:9-13) the Savior indicated some of the content to be incorporated in prayer: worship of God (v.9-10); petition for our material necessities (v.11); forgiveness for our transgressions (v.12); moral reinforcement (v.13a); affirmation of God's sovereignty (v.13b). A careful study of other prayers, in both testaments, will increase our knowledge with respect to intelligent praying. Our text for today is one such example of Spirit directed prayer, as Paul discloses his concern for the saints at Philippi.

First is a request for the enlargement of their love. His petition suggests his appreciation for the love they have already exhibited, but he is never satisfied with status quo; always in the face of a commendable quality, the apostle longs to see increase "more and more." Whether in ourselves or in our fellow believers, we also should pray for continued growth. This side of heaven we are never finished.

With respect to his prayer for the enlargement of their love, however, it is noteworthy that he is not praying for mere sentimentalism. It is not the feeling love of human affection for which request is made, but what might be called the rational or intelligent love that is characteristic of God. The specific request is for love that increases in "knowledge and in all judgment." That is, for an informed love that finds its parameters in the word of God.

In Heb. 12:6 we are instructed, "for whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." And again, in Rev. 3:19, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten… "This is a mature love that can forgive sin, but cannot ignore it. So in the church we need to pray for the manifestation of a love that is not without compassion, but that does not compromise divine principles, nor contradict holiness.

The second aspect of Paul's prayer is that they "may approve things that are excellent." Here the quest is for the development of their discernment to the point where they may recognize, endorse and follow, among the inevitable options in life, the best, as opposed to that which is merely good or acceptable. He seeks the cultivation in them of skill in evaluating spiritual options and endorsing only the noblest. Many professing Christians are willing to settle for "entry level" spirituality. The aim of the apostle's prayer is to see them pursue higher goals. We need that emphasis in the prayer life of the church today.

The third emphasis in this prayer is that they may be "sincere and without offence;" that is, that their love and spiritual discernment may be free from hypocrisy and vanity. There is the potential in all of us for putting on an outward appearance of love and piety that masks a divided heart. While we may fool others (and sometimes even ourselves,) we do not fool God, Who "looks on the heart." This is a petition, not for "sinless perfection,"but for genuineness and integrity.

As important as temporal security and good health may be, these items are not prominent in the prayers recorded in the word of God. Far more important in the life of the believer are these spiritual qualities, both for ourselves and for one another "until the day of Jesus Christ." It is in the cultivation of these, "the fruits of righteousness," wrought in us "by Jesus Christ," that Christ becomes evident in our lives and God is glorified. They should be predominant in our "prayer list" if we are concerned with the things that concern the heart of God. Insofar as such prayers are uttered and by the grace and power of God answered, the church will have a greater impact on the "watching world."

Yours for HIS glory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Ephesians 6 - 2006.08.12

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:10 -11

Though little recognized by the majority of professing Christians, the Christian life is a battle against impossible odds. In v. 12 of this chapter the Holy Spirit informs us that "we wrestle… against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

The forces arrayed against the believer, aiming to destroy him, or at least to neutralize his testimony, are supernatural and cannot be contained, let alone overcome, by anything less than supernatural power. To that end we are admonished to avail ourselves of divine resources, "the whole armor of God," so that we can stand firm in our testimony for the Lord. It is this "armor" that we want to consider today.

The first item is labeled "truth" Truth, taken to its zenith, is Christ Himself. He said, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life…" Thus Truth is personified in Christ.

The second element in our armor is "the breastplate of righteousness." The scripture declares that it is Christ Himself who is "made unto us righteousness… [I Cor 1:30]," and that God "hath made Him to be sin for us… that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him [II Cor. 5:21]." Righteousness is personified in Christ.

Again, we are advised to have our "feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." In Ephesians 2:14 we read explicitly, with reference to Christ, that "He is our peace… " Peace, here, is personified in Christ.

The next charge is that we carry "the shield of faith." The faith we need to withstand the foe is surely not ours, but His Who died for us and rose again. When the apostle stated in another place his identification with Christ he declared, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me [Gal. 2;20, my italics]." The implication here is reinforced in Ephesians 2:8, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God… " The faith by which we are saved, and by which we may be defended against supernatural foes, is "the faith of the Son of God." It is faith personified.

Then the believer/warrior is counseled to have on "the helmet of salvation." This, too, is found in Christ. The Psalmist declared by divine inspiration, long before, "The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation [Ps. 118:14]." The prophet Isaiah said, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation [Isa. 12:2]." And the apostle Paul defined "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus [II Tim. 2:10]." Christ does not dispense salvation as a commodity; He is our salvation!

Finally, we are to take "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." The book is invaluable, but the dynamic is in the Living Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God [John 1:1-2]." The word is personified and lifted to its zenith in the person of the Son of God.

Now our point is this: if we are to be equipped for the battle, we do not need to look for pieces of armor here and there. We need rather to heed the apostle's admonition, "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ [cf Rom. 13:14]." The "whole armor of God" is not a shopping list of items to be solicited from God and exported by Him. Rather, it is Christ Himself. Seen from this perspective, and we say it reverently, "the whole armor of God" is a one piece suit!

Christ is our strong defense. It is He, and He alone who can overcome the foe we face in our spiritual warfare. In Him we are furnished with protection for head and heart, hands (our work), feet (our walk) and more. Apart from Him, in any area of our lives, at any time and in any place, we are utterly defenseless and bound for defeat.

Yours for victory,

"Pastor" Frasier

Ephesians 5 [p2] - 2006.08.05

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17

Whenever, these days, reference is made to keeping commandments, someone will immediately conclude that we are suggesting that we must keep the commandments in order to be saved. That is not the case. We are saved by God's grace alone, and that has nothing to do with our works or our walk. Our walk does not determine our destiny, but our salvation should define our walk, as is very clear from the New Testament. Many years ago one of my parishioners said, in essence, "We have been concerned that you may be preaching salvation by works." My response was, "I am not preaching salvation by works, but salvation that works." I will stand by that position today.

Disobedience to the revealed will of God got us into this mess. A salvation that gets us out of it should put us back on track and initiate a purpose of heart to learn "what the will of the Lord is," and by the power of His grace, to do it.

We observed last week that Enoch's walk distinguished him from all of his contemporaries and radically altered his destiny. In Christ we have obtained by faith a radically altered destiny, and should be found walking in contrast to this present evil world. In the chapter at hand we are instructed, as believers, to "walk in love." Other passages will indicate that love is the atmosphere of faith; love for God and Christ, love for our fellow believers, love for the lost of this world and even love for our enemies.

Our text for last week exhorted us to "walk as children of light," and I John 1:7 implies that we are to walk in the light, which is essential to our fellowship with Christ. We have observed that the "light" is especially associated with and derived from the Word of God. The prophet Isaiah declared, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them [Isa. 8:20, my italics]." If love is the Christian's atmosphere, light is his environment.

Today's text exhorts us to "walk circumspectly." I once heard that defined as 'the way a cat walks on a wall covered with broken glass.' It is to walk with the intellect, emotions and will all engaged and aligned with the will of God as revealed in His Word. It involves discernment and discipline. We will never walk consistently "as children of light" if we do not apply ourselves to the challenge of making Biblically informed choices, refusing the evil and choosing the good.

Knowing the right is one thing, and a necessary prerequisite; but, doing right is another. Adam knew the will of God, but chose to ignore it. It was not for lack of knowledge that he failed, but for the lack of the will to do it. Since that time the will of man has been in bondage to sin. The scripture says, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: And these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would [Gal. 5:17]." Among other things, it was to liberate us from that bondage that Christ died for us.

Redemption—true redemption—includes the renovation of our intellect: "We have the mind of Christ [I Cor. 2:16];" our affection: "set your affection on things above… [Col. 3:2];" and our will: The believer is so equipped "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God [I Pet. 4:2]." All of this is wrought in those who walk by faith in Jesus Christ; "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made [us] free from the law of sin and death [Rom. 8:3]." Hence we are exhorted "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh [Gal. 5:16]," and assured, "There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit [Rom. 8:1],"

Those who walk accordingly— circumspectly— walk as wise. Those who walk contrary walk as fools. That is not my judgment, but the judgment of the scriptures. Which are you?

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Yours for our good,
"Pastor" Frasier

Ephesians 5 [p1] - 2006.07.29

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." Ephesians 5:8

Word studies in scripture can be extremely profitable. Not the least of the words which will yield a treasure trove of instruction for the believer is the word "walk" in its various forms. One of the earliest occurrences, enormously instructive, is found in Genesis 5:24; "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not, for God took him." Not only is the text significant in itself, but its impact is heightened when it is meditated upon in the light of it context. In a long list of names (obituaries, really) this terse verse stands in stunning contrast. All the others, before and after, end with, "and he died," a grim fact stunningly omitted in the case of Enoch. Generations later the Holy Spirit added this remarkable commentary: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God [Heb. 11:5]."

In a world of moral darkness, Enoch walked in light. In a world so dark that when God sent the great flood, He could find only one man's family qualified for deliverance, Enoch proved that it was possible for a man who walked by faith to walk in the light as a man apart, pleasing God and experiencing a unique relationship with God and a unique deliverance from the tragic lot of the common man.

It is to this that we are being called when the Spirit of God exhorts, "walk as children of light." How we are to do that may be discovered in considerable detail by a careful study of the principle throughout scripture. Here, let me offer just a few highlights.

First, and most obvious, if we are to walk as children of light we will need the light of the Word of God. David put it this way: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path [Ps. 119:105]." And again, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee [Ps. 119:11]." Earlier he had noted, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways [Ps. 119:1-3]." Observe the emphasis on "walk."

Never in modern times has the light of God's word been more important that it is today. We live in an era when men are calling light darkness and darkness light. We are bombarded daily with the powerful influences of modern communication, and are being conditioned to regard as acceptable behavior, conduct which is condemned in scripture and abhorred by the God of the Bible. It is only as the mind and heart are saturated with the word of God that we will be able to distinguish truth from error, and purpose to walk in light.

If we are to walk as children of light, it will be a walk that conforms to the word of God and is in contrast to the world. The Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, earlier wrote, "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ… [Eph 4:17-20]." We are then instructed to "put off… the old man (4:22)," and to "put on the new man (4:24)."

The "new man" is Christ. "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," the apostle exhorts in Romans 13:14. Walking as children of light means walking in conformity to the character of Christ. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself so to walk, even as He walked [I John 2:6]." And what does that mean? We are again sent to the scriptures for enlightenment. The immediate context declares, "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him [I John 2:4]." To be sure, we are not saved by commandment keeping. But, being saved, we are called to obedience to His commandments, which will make our character a reflection of His.

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Yours for HIS glory,

"Pastor" Frasier