Don't Forget!

It has been a full week since Pentecost 2010 and I am still thinking about
Stephen and the inspired answer to his accusers found in Acts 7. True to
the words of the Prophet Isaiah, Stephen responded by first "looking unto
Abraham" (Isaiah 51:2), next weaving through the history of his people to
close with the following verse:

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist
the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye. (Acts 7:51)

I take that verse personally. So much so that in my last message from Day
49 of the Feast of Weeks I asked the following:

Am I, Stephen, resisting The Holy Spirit?

Yes.

How became very clear from Matt Steel's split-sermon today.

How, for me, is found (in part) thanks to Peter:

In his 2nd Epistle Peter states the following:

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (2nd Peter
1:10)

Notice he says "these things". What "things"? I'll let you read them in
verses 5 through 9.

What really hit me today is found in verse 9:

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

I know I am lacking and will continue to lack until the days of the
earthen vessel are over and I have breathed out my last borrowed breath…
but as I survey my life, my responses, my actions, my words, and my deeds,
I have to be honest and confess that I have spent too much time, effort,
and energy responding to life as though I have forgotten!

Too often I resurrect the old man of sin, that old wretchedness destroyed
in Christ Jesus and turn over my reactions and responses exactly like one
who has forgotten… forgotten that I have been purged from my old sins. I
want to thank Peter (and Matt) for putting me in remembrance! (2nd Peter
1:13)

Thanks brothers for putting me in remembrance that we are truly
transformed and our minds have been renewed! Even though the Days of
Unleavened Bread are well behind us there is still daily "purging" – that
operation of Grace offered by the indwelling presence of our Maker! To be
renewed, to be transformed, and to be filled with what Curt Whiteley
recently preached on: "The Joy of the Lord's Salvation!"

I encourage you to listen to these 2 messages:

Matt Steel – "Running for Office"
http://www.tulsachurchofgod.net/messages/2010/10-05-29-MS.wma

Curt Whiteley – "The Joy of the Lord's Salvation"
http://www.tulsachurchofgod.net/messages/2010/10-05-15-CW.wma

The 3-Fold Cord Method

Concerning the depth and richness of The Scriptures one thing that
continues to inspire and amaze me about our Bible is that it actually
tells us how to study it! Sure, we read through our daily devotions and
make our way cover-to-cover in our One-Year Bibles, but when "studying to
show ourselves approved unto God" (2 Timothy 2:16) how we approach this is
concisely presented through the inspired words of the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 28:9 questions:

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?

answering:

…[them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.

Now, notice verse 10, the "Scriptural Method" for studying The Scriptures:

For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line,
line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:

Three directives:
1. Precept upon precept.
2. Line upon line.
3. Here a little, there a little.

Brilliant. Not only does this exclude any "private interpretation" (2
Peter 1:20) but more importantly we find this in the gracious words of The
Master, The Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ. For He affirms:

… that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. (Matthew 18:16)

Now let's ask ourselves a question. In studying to show ourselves
approved unto God, that we may be taught and understand doctrine… what
better "witnesses" are there than The Scriptures?

If, as Jesus declares to us, we are to live by every word that proceeds
out of the mouth of God, there are none.

Three directives, three witnesses, and according to Solomon:

… a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Applying Isaiah, applying The Savior, and applying Solomon let's use The
Scriptures as our witnesses AND our cords to make a "3-Fold Cord" with The
Sabbath:

Cord 1:

Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Cord 2:

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own
works, as God [did] from his. (Hebrews 4:10)

Cord 3:

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he
had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:3)

This is just one of numerous Scriptural "cords" that our Bibles have
waiting for each of us to search out and was addressed in a recent split
sermon entitled "The Threefold Cord" click the link below if you care to
listen.
http://www.tulsachurchofgod.net/messages/2009/09-11-28-RW.wma