Thomas Newberry translates 1 Timothy 1:11 in his marginal notes this way “according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God…” The character of the gospel and the character of God cannot be separated. What is true of one is true of the other. It is precisely this theme that David Dunlap takes up with clarity and fullness.
There has been sloppy and dangerous thinking among popular evangelicals when it comes to the truth of the gospel and the character of our God. Relying heavily on some of the thinking of spiritual giants of the past, there has been a failure to compare what they said and what God said. The result has been we have moved to “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6). This “other” gospel has weakened our witness and robbed us of power.
We have lost the vision of the limitless nature of God’s grace and mercy, the boundless character of His love, the wideness of His invitation, His generosity, His unrestrained, even prodigal heart that throws open the doors of heaven to, as the old hymn put it, “that grand word ‘whosoever.’”
Quotations of popular modern day evangelicals together with worthies of the past are faithful. That is they are fair representations of what the author intended to say and no open-minded reader will be able to charge the writer with taking these out of context. David also freely acknowledges that many other things said and written by these well known men are faithful to the Scriptures. It is their errors and its implications he takes issue with.
Everyone interested in communicating the gospel will benefit from reading this book. Each chapter will require thinking. This is not a work for the careless. The abundance of Scripture references enables all of us to be “Bereans” in our reading. The author welcomes that. This will cure us from Limiting Omnipotence.
~ From the Forward by Brian Gunning (Pg. 11-12, Limiting Omnipotence)
“Egypt to Canaan is sub-titled “A Comprehensive Study” of the 40-year journey that took Israel from slavery in Egypt to the land of milk and honey God graciously gave them. The Study is comprehensive in that it deals with the books of Exodus and Numbers and the early chapters of Joshua. The author states clearly in his Preface that his intention is to deal with the journey from Egypt to Canaan “more thoroughly than other books dealing with the same subject” and to avoid “intellectual coldness”. He adds that his approach is “warm, personal and faithful”.
Robert Surgenor’s looks to find applications to the issues of today’s assemblies and the saints who fellowship there, often illustrated by interesting personal experiences. He keeps the Lord Jesus before the reader’s eye, not only as he deals with the Passover or the manna or the red heifer offering, but as he applies the lessons arising from the eventful journey to Canaan.
The author’s approach is further evidenced in how he treats the Tabernacle. He does not deal with the curtains and their dimensions, or the various pieces of furniture, but concentrates on willing hearts, their liberal giving, and the gifted individuals whose labours produced the Sanctuary in which God was pleased to dwell. His particular focus is the role of women in the context of making that Sanctuary (Ex 25.8), whose example leads him to other godly women and their role in their day.
Egypt to Canaan is written in very accessible English. Its sections are relatively brief, enabling even a busy person to read its 754 pages in a relatively short time. Younger readers would find it helpful and the author’s experiences encouraging and challenging. They will not be stumbled by a level of detail provided, although occasionally they may ask for a little more information, for example when Robert Surgenor speaks of Moses’ sister as a fifteen-year-old when “the babe wept” at the edge of the Nile.”
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1
Abram was exhausted after his conflict with five kings. Following that great battle, Melchizedek appeared to him and refreshed him with bread and wine. After these events, the Lord came to Abram and told him not to be afraid for He was his shield and exceeding great reward. In the battles and struggles of life, we have One who is our shield, preserving and protecting us day by day. At the end of life’s journey, He will be our exceeding great reward! What a promise! —Jim Comte
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. —Esther Rusthoi
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice… Leviticus 1:3
The burnt offering was the best sacrifice a worshipper could offer. It was to be a bullock or a lamb without blemish and offered voluntarily. It was the one sacrifice which was wholly consumed of God; no one was to share it. It typified the Lord Jesus, who of His own free will (Heb. 10:7), offered Himself completely. Only God could fully appreciate this offering. With His one offering the Lord Jesus satisfied God and perfected that which was required for our redemption. There is now no need for anything else! Hallelujah! —K. C. Ung
No blood, no altar now, The sacrifice is o’er! No flame, no smoke ascends on high, The lamb is slain no more. —Horatius Bonar
And they shall see his face…Even so, come, Lord Jesus. -Revelation 22:4, 20
The harried, young mother was waiting for her meal at a local restaurant. Her soldier husband had been deployed overseas for months and she didn’t know when he would return. Imagine her shock when her food was delivered not by her waiter, but by her husband! He had arranged the dinner to surprise her! The array of emotions on her face was incredible: amazement, joy, relief, peace. Beloved, what will it be like for us, in the middle of an ordinary day, to come face to face with the Lord Jesus? Maybe today! —Lynn Shatford
Face to face with Christ my Saviour, face to face what will it be, When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me?—C. Breck
…for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood… Revelation 5:9
This is the theme of the new song sung by the redeemed throng in heaven, as they gaze upon the Lamb in the midst of the throne. Yet even in His glory, He is seen to be as “a Lamb as it had been slain” (Rev. 5:6). Throughout eternal ages the Lamb will continue to display to wondering saints, the marks that He received at Calvary. They will remind us of the terrible price He paid to redeem our souls and as ages roll their course, fresh paeans of praise to the Lamb that was slain will fill the vault of heaven. May we join with them in that song of thanksgiving and praise whilst here below. —W. H. Burnett
Power and dominion to Him that shall reign, Glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain. —Flora F. Best
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? Joshua 5:14
Joshua was engaged in both worship and warfare. At the age of 13 a Jewish boy is considered to be of age and to have the privileges and responsibilities of adulthood. To celebrate, the family holds a bar mitzvah. In Israel, there are two popular venues for that celebration. The first, the western wall close to the Temple mount, represents worship. The second, Masada, the final hold out of the Israelites under Roman siege, represents warfare. As men of God do we take our privileges and responsibilities to heart? —Rex Trogdon
Look ye saints! The sight is glorious: see the Man of sorrows now; From the fight returned victorious, ev’ry knee to Him shall bow. —T. Kelly
God is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish. He stands at the heart’s door in sunshine and rain, patiently waiting to gain an entrance. Sometimes His patience extends over many years. Dwight L. Moody illustrated this with an unforgettable example.
One night he had preached on Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” At the close of the meeting, a man came up to him in extreme agitation.
“Mr. Moody,” he said, “when I was leaving home, my mother pled with me to trust Christ but I said, ‘I can’t think of that now. I have to go out and make a living.’ But I promised her that I would go to church every Sunday.
“When I settled in my new accommodations, I found that my mother had put a Bible in my bag with Matthew 6:33 marked, ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’
“On the first Sunday, I went to church. The preacher took as his text Matthew 6:33. I thought it was more than a coincidence. I wanted to trust Christ but I didn’t do it. I slipped out.
“The next Sunday I went to a different church. The text that day was Matthew 6:33. I knew that God was chasing me down. I knew that He was speaking to me. I was greatly stirred. But I said I would come to Christ some other time.
“Some weeks later I was in another town. Would you believe it? — the minister spoke from Matthew 6:33. Some people sitting near me questioned me and found that I wasn’t saved. They urged me to receive the Lord Jesus. But I said, ‘No, if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to do what I want to do.’ And so I went out, rejecting Christ.
“Mr. Moody, I have attended church for forty years. I wanted to keep that promise to my mother. But in all those forty years, I have never heard that text again.
“Then tonight I came into your meeting and you preached on Matthew 6:33, ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’ Mr.
Moody, do you think that God will still forgive me and save me?”
Moody assured him that the door of salvation was still open, and that night the penitent entered in. God’s patience had extended over forty years, and a mother’s prayers had followed for that long, too.
~ From William MacDonald’s The Wonders of God, pg.85
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I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule. – Psalm 32:8-9
Regarding God’s guidance most of us fall into one of two types. There are those who are similar to the mule. Slow and often reluctant to move forward; frequently needing extra prodding. Then there are those who could be described as a horse. Impetuous and impatient, often anxious to get going and frequently moving ahead of the Lord’s will and timing. Whatever type we are, let’s keep our eye on the Master and be ready to stop or go at His command. —Sid Halsband
Gladly I yield obedience now; in all things to Thy will I’d bow; I’ll follow where my Saviour led, and humbly in His footsteps tread. —Author Unknown
With the Summer Olympics now happening in Brazil, many are watching their countries compete for a gold medal. It’s an exciting time for many – but what about spiritual relevance? In My Heart, My Life, My All, William MacDonald writes about the spiritual applications that can be gleaned from the games.
While I was writing the previous chapter, the Summer Olympics were going on in Atlanta. The world was witnessing some superlative examples of commitment from an earthly standpoint.
Every four years athletes from about 197 countries gather for the Summer Games. Mostly young people, they are the best that these countries can send to compete in the various sports. As far as physical prowess and skill are concerned, they are world class. Countries don’t waste their money on second-rate athletes. They want the best.
Preparation
How are these exceptional young people sorted out from the common herd? No doubt, they have natural ability in their sports. Their bodies were created with just the right coordination of mind and muscles. But that is not enough. Before coming to the Games, they have practiced almost interminably. For example, one swimmer is reported to have practiced ten hours a day, six days a week, for seventeen years. The U.S. women’s synchronized swimming team practiced swimming six hours every day and did aerobic exercises every day for a full year. That kind of discipline is typical of the winners. Behind every gold, silver, or bronze medal are years of disciplined practice.
Motivation
These athletes have enormous motivation. They are going for the gold. They are forever looking forward to the time when they will appear before the judges and when the victor’s medal will be draped around their neck. They dream of the fame that could come to them, and of the money they might receive from lucrative endorsement deals. They anticipate the tumultuous cheers of the crowd.
Their minds are focused. They do not waste their time on trivia. If they are gymnasts, they are dedicated to refining their routines. No pain or weariness is allowed to interfere with their goal. Many of the normal relationships of life have to take second place. One thing and only one thing occupies their minds—that gold medal.
They have disciplined their bodies and brought them into subjection. They could have “pigged out” with favorite foods and drinks, but they knew that if they did, they couldn’t win. They realized that they had to be temperate in all things.
Every sport has its own language, and the athletes master that language. They add new words to their vocabulary. They consider it a small price to pay.
Then come the eliminations. One by one the aspirants are dropped until the best person or team has proved itself.
Competition
Finally the Olympic games arrive. This is the moment of a lifetime, the goal toward which the athletes have striven, worked, practiced, dreamed. As they come front and centre, we notice the determined look on their faces. No silly, sickly smiles. They are going to give it all they have.
Every nerve is stretched. Every muscle is tense. They’re off! With all the determination of which they are capable, they give it their best.
Of course, they must observe the rules of the contest. Any deviation will result in a loss of points, and could cost them the prize. They divest themselves of everything unnecessary. This is not the time to wear attention-getting clothing or burden themselves with accessories that would add to their weight load.
Many of the sports require enormous endurance. Those bodies take a terrible pummeling. But there is no holding back. No pain, no gain. No price is too great to pay. Oceans of emotions flow. Often those who fail to win break down in anguished sobbing. It seems that years of preparation have gone down the drain in a moment of time. For some, hopefully, there may be another chance.
One young gymnast performed her final vault in the team competition with a sprained ankle. She did it voluntarily. And it was worth it when she won the gold medal for her team.
The winners experience a moment of exhilaration when they stand as their national anthem is played. They walk away with their medal, the coveted prize.
Christians who watch the games cannot help seeing spiritual applications. The similarities and contrasts are striking.
God is looking for the best contestants. In His case, however, the best are not the ones that the world would choose. They may be the ones whom the world considers foolish, weak, base, despised—the nobodies (1 Cor. 1:27-28). The ones who are the best for God are the ones who give Him their best, who consider Him worthy of all they have and are.
Youth is God’s best time with the soul. It is when the metal is still molten and can still be shaped. It is the time when energy is high and when mental faculties are sharpest.
Christians, too, must practice. God calls us to the practice of holiness. “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy” (Ps. 147:10-11). Our practice is not physical; it is spiritual. For the believer, “…bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). This means shutting ourselves off from the noise pollution of the world to spend time in the Word, in prayer, in meditation, and in study. It means a life of consistent obedience to the Word.
Paul was probably thinking of the original Olympic Games when he wrote: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it…Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:24, 26-27, NKJV).
Read the rest of the story in My Heart, My Life, My All by William MacDonald.
