03/28/18 SOME OF THE SCRIPTURE THAT FORMED ME ALONG THE WAY
These passages were not a "one and done and let's move on" encounter. These passages made monumental changes in my life, and they continue to be mainstays in my life and ministry. The were not found and left behind. They are foundational to a life of faithfulness and growth. These verses (for the most part) are arranged according to the order in which they became a major focus in my life. This list covers my Bible college years (1965-1969) and the first several years of my pastoral ministry (1969-1976).
I. HOLINESS of Heart and Life.
I had been saved and called to the ministry since I was three years old, but I had never been in a church that taught purity of heart and the victorious life. After being at Bible college for a few weeks I realized that I did not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I heard and sought this life of clean hands and pure heart. Here are some of the verses that set my course in those days.
Matthew 6:33 (my earliest motto verse).
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 5:6, 8
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Hebrews 12:14 (this same verse would guide me in peace making ministry).
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Ephesians 5:25-27 (this passage also directed my view of marriage and family).
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
1 John 3:2-3 (I began to see that only the pure in heart will go in the rapture).
2 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.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Psalms 24:3-4
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
James 4:7-8 (holiness is essential to a victorious life).
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Romans 12:1-2 (this passage would become a foundational truth in my pastoral ministry)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
II. MINISTRY STUDIES
Early in my studies, God spoke to me very clearly about being grounded in the Bible, and reaching the lost through personal witness and ministry. I began to see and appreciate the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit in the work of ministry.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (commitment to His word is essential)
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (being faithful does not guarantee acceptance).
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Romans 1:14 (as Wesley said, "The world is my parish.")
14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
1 Timothy 4:11-13 (I am sent by God to do God's work in God's way).
11 These things command and teach.
12 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.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
III. PERSECUTION
During my freshman year I started reading books about men and women who had dedicated and given their lives for Christ (past and present, foreign and domestic). I wanted my life to count for Christ, no matter the place or the cost.
Matthew 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
2 Timothy 3:10-13
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived
IV. MINISTRY
Finishing Bible college and beginning pastoral ministry focused my attention on how I needed to edify the believers, evangelize the lost in my community and around the world.
1 Timothy 4:15-16
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Joshua 1:5-9
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
2 Timothy 2:1-4
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Matthew 16:17-19
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
V. PEACE
I had to address the relationship, which exists between a believer and the State. It was a simple civil situation, but it caused me to examine the Biblical view of Christians living under godless rule. I was never taught the Biblical vew of being a peacemaker. Being a peacemaker is not to be confused with pacifism. There is a Biblical directive to the people of God to be peacemakers and a Biblical directive to the State to be the peace keeper. My studies took me to the most basic of Christian truths concerning obedience to the State and obedience to God.
Matthew 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Romans 13:1-7
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
VI. MINISTRY CONFLICTS
As I preached and led people in way of God, I encountered resistance and rejection at every level of church life and it was not just a personality conflict with me. I had encountered confrontations while ministering through my college years, but this was within the local body and it was destructive and vindictive. I needed to find God's directive, concerning how to deal with it. Of course, love and reconciliation was the goal, but sometimes the discipline was very difficult. I learned quickly that God does not play with sin in the church.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
NOTE...
I became very familiar with Biblical church discipline and followed it as faithfully as I understood it. But people generally do not like discipline in life and they hate it in the church.
Sometimes Biblical discipline requires a type of "cutting off." If a person will not repent and reconcile with those they have violated, then that person cannot be part of a local body. This cutting off or shunning is an act of love and mercy, not punishment or vengeance. However, it is easy for Satan to stir up discord, in spite of the facts. Sometimes church discipline results in the offender being "turned over to Satan" so that they will learn not to sin. Sadly, even this does not reach many of those who are in rebellion.
Being faithful to discipline and to love at the same time takes God's leading, enabling, love and courage. I have lost friends and family because I chose to follow the Biblical standards of reconciling discipline.
The following two passages show the kind of division and damage brought about by those who will not accept Biblical discipline and steps of reconciliation. Sadly, when a rebel persists in his rebellion and refuses Biblical correction often cause the same kinds of attacks and losses mentioned in these passages.
2 Timothy 4:14-18
14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17-20
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE PASSAGES AND ISSUES THAT INFLUENCED MY LIFE OF MINISTRY OVER A PERIOD OF 50 YEARS.
The way of God is not always easy, but it is always right. My losses in life, which go along with surrender to God, have been and still are great. The real losses have been friends and family, people I served and still love to this day. My views on many social and Biblical issues have separated me from my friends and neighbors, and even from other believers. But I would not choose a different way, because the way of God is always the right way.
