Category Archives: Morning Thoughts

Morning Thoughts (Amos 4:11)

Morning Thoughts,

Amos 4:11, "I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD."

This morning, professing Christians ignore two important Scriptural tenets: salvation by grace alone and the importance of organized, public, and truth-centered worship. Of course, without being grounded in the first, we cannot hope to worship God in a truth-centered way, thereby failing the second. However, before attempting to look at both of these concepts from our study verse above, consider another often over-looked or ignored principle from Scripture: a man is known by the company he keeps. (I Corinthians 5:11) Too many times, people today are blinded by the prideful mindset, "It doesn't matter who I hang around. I'll be a good influence on them, not vice versa." Like the old analogy of a rotten apple spoiling the barrel, so our associations and close fellowships can ruin us if we associate with "rotten apples." Therefore, let us examine the concepts of salvation by grace and truth-centered worship from the viewpoint of our company and fellowship.

The book of Amos is quite a sorrowful book, as the Lord takes a simple herdsman – Amos – to prophecy Israel's impending captivity. Some of the prophecies are quite severe, such as a famine of God's word without the interaction of fellowship with Him. (Amos 8:11-14) However, even in books that freely speak of God's judgment against His people (such as Amos or Jeremiah), we still see – as light peeking through the dark canvas – thoughts that show God's overarching love for His people regardless of their circumstance. (Jeremiah 31:3) In our verse, Amos employs a term "firebrand plucked out of the burning" to describe God's mercy for His people even in the midst of previous chastisements. (Verses 7-10)

This term "firebrand plucked out of the burning" could be adequately stated "poker pulled from the embers and coals." God describes Israel's deplorable condition as a poker engulfed in flame with no hope of being rescued from the fire, save by the arm of God to pull them from that state. What is the condition of an object engulfed in flame? The heat, temperature, and other immediate circumstances are the same for the object as everything else in the flame. In other words, the brand in the fire shares the same identical circumstances as all other things in the fire. We, by nature, share the same identical condition and circumstance as a child of wrath. (Ephesians 2:3) Thankfully, we, like the analogy of Israel of old, were plucked from that state by God. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Notice that the condition of the brand in the fire fits the analogy of a man being known by his company. By nature, we shared the company of all wretched, dire sinners, for we share that company and relation in Adam with everyone else. By simply being the offspring of Adam, we are known by that company and relationship to be sinners – both by inherent nature and eventually by observed practice. However, what happens when a firebrand is plucked out of the burning? It no longer shares the same heat, temperature, and other circumstances as the rest of the fire. Parts of the brand that were red-hot moments before begin to cool and take on the immediate properties of its new surroundings. So, when God plucked us out of the burning, we ceased to have the condition and circumstance of damnable depravity, but rather, we took on the properties of the new surroundings of God's rich grace. By taking away the burning of death and depravity, God wrote upon our hearts the burning of His laws and precepts. (Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 8)

Notice from our last sentence that we employed the word "burning" to show our new state by God's grace. Scripturally, I believe it fitting to employ the thought that what God has done for us by His grace equates to a state known by circumstances though vastly different circumstances than our previous state. Paul employed the terms "captivity" and "captive" when describing God rescuing us. (Ephesians 4:8) We were once held in the captivity and burning of sin. God led us from that captivity, and holds us captive in the burning of His love. Whereas captive, overwhelmed, and engulfed, the fire of sin and death, now we are captive, overwhelmed, and engulfed in the fire of God's love. How long will something in the fire keep the heat of the fire? The amount of time that the heat and other fire-driven properties remains on the object is dependent on the amount of time it remains in the fire.

By nature, we should have remained in the fire of sin forever, thereby experiencing its properties and consequences for as long as that fire burned. By grace, we do experience the fire of God's love forever, thereby eventually rejoicing in its fulness world without end. One might now inquire, "So what does any of this have to do with organized, public worship of God in spirit and in truth?" The last phrase of the study verse shows, by the mouth of Amos, that despite God's marvelous mercy to pull them from the fire, they had not shown or returned the same "in kind." While their lack of respect for God did not change their position that He had placed them in, their condition was eventually going to greatly suffer (captivity) for not returning unto God. Notice that Amos says "returned" showing that even though God has plucked us by His grace we have labour to put forth serving Him.

By putting forth the labour, we have the rich treasure here in this life to enjoy the "grace fire" with temporal blessings and enjoyments with other "firebrands" that have been plucked from the fire of depravity. Going back to Ephesians 4:8, God did not just lead us captive by His love and grace away from the fire of sin and hell. Rather, He also laid rich gifts and treasures in men to expound upon this grace as a comfort to the church here in this life. God gave these gifts specifically to build up and edify the church while we sojourn and traverse through this world. In this sense, we enjoy the "earnest of our inheritance" (Ephesians 1:13-14), thereby experiencing some of the enjoyment of overwhelming and engulfing fire from the power of God.

Again, being known by the company that we keep, we might associate with the firebrands of sin in this world, thereby experiencing the evils of the fire of sin. No, we will not throw ourselves back into the eternal misery that we have been plucked from, but we might experience quite a lot of heartache, death, and pain from that multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20) Or we might be known from the company of other firebrands that attempt to enter into the embers of "grace fire" as it descends from heaven during meeting times within the pavilions of God's church. By worshipping Him according to His precepts and dictates (John 4:24), we experience that fire of assurance and peace that we are His and someday will see Him face to face.

As with the previous analogies, the effects and properties of the fire will only last dependent on the time in the fire. Our first state in the fire of sin in Adam would have been forever for us, but not for the grace of God. Our current state in the fire of grace is forever by the eternal work of God of salvation to us. However, the properties of life's daily "sin fires" and "grace fires" are dependent on the time we spend in them. While removing ourselves from the "sin fires" of daily life will begin the process of cooling from them, we may experience a period of heat from our time in that lifestyle and company. So, likewise, we may enjoy and remember some of the heat from God's spiritual service in His church after we have ceased attending, but that will eventually cool without some re-entering the blaze with the other firebrands.

How much stock do we put in ourselves to "influence others?" No matter how cool the firebrand is before going into the fire, it will heat up. Knowing that we are influenced by others (probably more than we would like to admit), may our walk seek to enter the fires of spirit and truth with those that seek the Lord in that manner. May our steps flee from those fires of idolatry, adultery, heresy, envying, strife, and all other works of the flesh. Certainly, God has plucked us from our captivity of sin and death to rest in the captivity of His love. Still, like Israel of old, we can fail to return to Him, thereby experiencing the captivities of Assyria or Babylon. May we return to Him and continually enjoy the blessed warmth of the fires of Canaan's Land that are lit from the eternal fire of grace from heaven's pure world.

In Hope,

Bro Philip

Morning Thoughts (Daniel 2:30)

Morning Thoughts,

Daniel 2:30, "But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart."

This morning, what drives most of the modern world and popular culture? Whether someone is involved in economics, politics, or even public religion, many today do things with the express purpose of being known for their feats and having renown for years to come. No matter the venue of effort, self-interest should never be at the heart of what we do. While the modern thought is, "Me, me, me," our thoughts should think of "me" last. A famous NFL running back – Gale Sayers – once wrote a book about his life titled "I Am Third." The purpose of the title was to show that God was first, family second, and himself third (or perhaps last). Such a mindset as that is certainly more becoming of professing Christians than the popular culture of today. In a certain sense, ministers of the gospel most of all should think of themselves last, and it is in this vein of thought that we would like to concentrate our thoughts this morning.

In our study verse above, Daniel stands before the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to both remind him of his forgotten dream as well as provide the correct interpretation of it. What Daniel is about to do defies natural logic. In the preceding verses, Nebuchadnezzar's astrologers, soothsayers, magicians, etc. declared that the king made an impossible task that was "a rare thing" with "not a man upon that earth that can shew the king's matter." (Verses 10-11) Nebuchadnezzar demanded of his wise men that they interpret his dream, but on top of that, he had forgotten the content of it and demanded that they remind him of it as well. Consider any modern day charlatan. With the human imagination, man is able to spin yarns out of given information that "seem plausible" to natural conception and tickle the natural fancy. Just peruse any religious section of writings on the book of Revelation on the racks, and the postulations and speculations with wild, far-out thought are endless.

However, what charlatan could possibly relate the true contents of a dream so that Nebuchadnezzar could say, "Ah yes! That is what I dreamed!" A faker must have some information to spin, but being demanded of the king to provide the information again and then the correct interpretation "weeds out" anyone that does not truly have blessed and gifted insight into the matter. So Daniel, relying upon His God, eventually presents both the content and the interpretation of this king's dream. Before he does, he diligently reminds the king of some absolute facts in matters such as this. Our verse relates some of those points that Daniel conveys to the king. Daniel's choice to verbally relay these matters shows that Daniel acknowledges where his strength and wisdom stem from.

Lest anyone think that Daniel had "superman" abilities in these areas, Daniel plainly says that the revelation given to him was not due to heightened natural intelligence. Daniel's IQ was not high enough to merit this above someone else, nor did Daniel's natural learning in worldly matters account for this gift of wisdom and insight. Rather, Daniel accounts that the revelation given to him was simply to help others. Daniel does not even claim encouragement for himself in this matter (though certainly he was encouraged). Rather, the primary purpose of God revealing this to him was to benefit them for "their sakes" as well as the king to "know the thoughts of thy heart." This two-fold benefit correlates to the purpose of the gospel ministry today.

Looking at the power that comes from preaching, Scripture plainly declares that such power is not intrinsically built into the man, but rather, his preaching power comes from attendance from on high each and every time that it happens. (I Thessalonians 1:5) Past efforts and powerful impact do not "carry over" much as Daniel's ability to reveal and expound upon mysteries required fresh supplication to the Lord (as the succeeding chapters show). So, whether the ability to convey the secrets and mysteries of dreams in Daniel's day or the ability to expound upon the unsearchable riches of Christ as stewards of the mysteries of God (I Corinthians 4:1) in today's time, the effort requires fresh, renewed Spirit accompaniment.

Just as Daniel did not attribute his ability in this matter to his natural intelligence, so today can no minister claim his abilities of preaching exposition to natural skills of deduction and reasoning. Surely, the preacher must reason and try to logically study, but the rich nuggets of heaven's gold that supply such rich food for hungry sheep does not get delivered by natural power. Rather, ministers many times have to "remove self" and "get out of the way" to see God riches rather than their own ability. Just as Daniel did not claim natural skills to do this (though doubtless the first chapter shows he had much natural skill of learning), so also can the minister today never claim natural skill and ability to preach as he does when done in a powerful way (though he also may have some natural skills of learning).

Daniel also plainly declares that this circumstance of powerful revelation was not for his sake. Rather, he uses the term "their sakes." When a minister attempts to study, meditate, pray fervently to God that thoughts of expounding would go forth to search out the deeper things of God, he does so for "their sakes" and not his own. Any minister that attempts to preach for his own sake and for his own benefit is neither preaching nor conducting himself as a minister should. Undoubtedly, the Lord in His mercy does sometimes feed the preacher with his own preaching, and no doubt Daniel was comforted and encouraged at times with what the Lord blessed him to see, but the primary focus is on others not self. What if the minister does not feed himself with his preaching but the sheep are bountifully fed from the blessing of God's revelation through the mouth of His minister? The minister should be content with that and not dispirited about it.

Daniel also says that not just for "their sakes" but also this is given so that the king might know the thoughts of his heart. Has the preaching ever touched you in a way that you thought, "He spoke words right to my heart today?" Have you ever heard preaching that made you think, "Is he in my head right now?" While I have had thoughts and cogitations like that while in the pew, I can assure you that the man in the pulpit does not know many times if ever exactly what the sheep need at that particular hour. Maybe there are thoughts on their heart that they pant after and fervently yearn for. Nebuchadnezzar desperately wanted to remember what he had dreamed and what it meant. Sheep today desperately desire comfort and peace in their heart and soul. Whether a Daniel then or a preacher today, God knows what the heart desires and needs, and He can and does bless His servants to deliver it.

When preaching reaches down and touches the heart, answers our burning questions, and seems to "read our mind," praise the Lord for His blessings. Nebuchadnezzar responded poorly to Daniel's successful revelation, even though Daniel had specifically placed the glory where it needed to be. Rather than glorify God as God and He alone, Nebuchadnezzar reverences Daniel by bowing down to him and claiming that Daniel's God was true along with the other deities that he believed in. (Daniel 2:46-47) Today, our response to heart-felt preaching should not follow Nebuchadnezzar's pattern. Do not bow before the preacher or put God's blessings on the shelf with the rest of our idols. Rather, let us do what the ministers of the gospel so often implore, "Thank God for any benefit" and cast down our every idol and wicked imagination in life.

In Hope,

Bro Philip