Wade's Weekly Word

Salvation is not a “hope so” salvation, but a “know so” salvation! It also does not depend upon our feelings, but upon His promises.

The Protestant Reformation stands as the most far-reaching, world-changing display of God’s grace since the birth and early expansion of the church. It was not a single act, nor was it led by one man. This history-altering movement played out on different stages over many decades. Its cumulative impact, however, was enormous.

Because God really does know it all, He never has to change His mind. He does, however, respond to some things conditionally based upon our asking, obedience and seeking or not.

This command by Jesus not to judge others could be the most widely quoted of His sayings, even though it is almost invariably quoted in complete disregard of its context. Many people use this verse in an attempt to silence their critics, interpreting Jesus’ meaning as “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” A lot of people assume that they can maintain some sort of neutrality towards sin in the life of another person so as to never make any kind of examination, discrimination, discernment, or judgment. The Greek words translated "judgment" mean to judge, to examine, to critique, to discern).

In this age that insists on diversity, tolerance, pluralism, inclusivism, and universalism, we must announce unapologetically the singularity of the Christian gospel. This means that any intrusion that mixes or alters the uniqueness of the gospel renders it null and void.

When we begin to share Paul’s perspective, we will then begin to pray his type of prayers and be moved to also share his praise. For doctrine should lead to doxology as well as to duty. When we start praying “God Big Prayers” like these that Paul prayed in his prison epistles, life will become worship, and we will bless God constantly for having blessed us so richly in Christ, and pray fervently for God to bring in “the fullness of the times” so that “He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him.”

The resurrection of Christ is not only an historical event, celebrated once every year, it is an experiential life and power that all believers are meant to live and operate in everyday!

History backs up the claim that George Washington was the first President of the United States. In like manner, history backs up the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. Now the question is this: what will you do with such information? Some will try to ignore the event. Some will try to dismiss it. Others will acknowledge the factual nature of the event and bow their knees in surrender to the only Savior of sinners and worship Him as their risen Lord. It is my prayer that you will do the latter.

In the 1870’s DeWitt Talmadge preached a sermon titled, “The Ballot Box”. His eschatological view of the future was not one of optimism or pessimism, but one filled with “gospel hope”. As he continued in his ballot box sermon, he shouted, “We cannot live under any other form of government than that under which we are living. The stars of our flag are not the stars of thickening night, the stars sparkling amid the red bars of mourning cloud. Let the despotisms of Asia keep their feet off the Pacific Coast! But the tyrannies of Europe keep their feet off the Atlantic Coast! We shall have in this country only one government, and on this continent only one government. At the south, Mexico will follow Texas into the Union, and Christianity and civilization will stand in the halls of the Montezumas, and if not in our day, then in the day of our children, Yucatan and Central America will wheel into line of dominion. On the north, Canada will be ours, not by conquest, for English and American swords may never clash blades, but we will simply woo the fair neighbor of the north, and she will be ours, and England will say to Canada, “You are old enough now for the marriage day. Giant of the West, go take your bride.” Then from Baffin’s Bay to the Caribbean there shall be one republic, under one banner and with one destiny - a free, undisputed, Christianized American continent. God grant it. Amen!

On the History Channel Show, Forged by Fire, a pattern is presented by which the person must forge a weapon or sword in a short period of time. I thought about what happens next. Starting with raw material, the steel is beaten thoroughly, put in the fire, stretched, shaped, molded, conformed, and then tempered to harden and strengthen it. Then I realized that this is how believers are built up in the most holy faith!