Unusual Persecution

UNUSUAL PERSECUTION

During this past week I had the pleasure and privilege of ministering the Word of God to a little company of saints who gather to the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, forming an Assembly in Somerset U.K.

At the close of the meeting, and before we enjoyed a little more fellowship, including refreshments, a sister approached me wearing a perplexed look upon her face. She has been convicted over a period concerning believers' baptism. She was in earnest to obey the Spirits' clear exercise within her soul. But she was experiencing persecution from her husband. He makes a profession of faith in Christ, but whether it is genuine or not I have no knowledge at all. He is adamant that infant baptism suffices as he and his wife have both undergone this erroneous "rite." He also harbours some Judaistic teaching, including circumcision, I believe!

Our dear sister, "A" (I refer to her in this simple way so as to protect her, I am sure you will understand,) feels afraid to ask her local Assembly to arrange a baptismal service, fearful her husband will discover her plans, and thwart her. She knows she has to obey him, but realises "we ought to [literally, "must"] obey God rather than men," even her husband. Acts 5:29.

I would covet your prayers for her as she seeks to make arrangements elsewhere so as to avoid confrontation. Her approach to me encouraged me in the things of the Lord, and my heart goes out to her in her difficult dilemma.  

Apart from the Scripture I quoted earlier, the fact that her exercise is "directly" from the Spirit of God, confirms me in my appeal to you for your prayers on her behalf.



The Skin of the Burnt Offering

The Skin of the Burnt Offering
Leviticus 7:8.

Last Lords' Day at the close of the "feast of love divine," having gathered to His Name and remembered Him in the Breaking of bread, I had opportunity to speak with a "visiting" brother. He was to be responsible for the Gospel preaching a little later that morning. During our precious time in worship of the Lord Jesus, announcing His death, our beloved brother "gave a sweet word" on the skin of the burnt offering.

For some time I had linked the "skin" with the "covering of skins" with which Jehovah "clothed" the fallen man, Adam and his wife, Eve. I believed that the skins (notice it is PLRAL, a sacrifice for each of them,) were from a sacrifice of burnt offering, as no "other offering" is recorded until the Law was given. Ever reticent to express this thought "openly," I took courage to ask my brother whether he would be happy to support this little thought, as I have never read or heard it expressed before. He was very gracious and assured me that it was in keeping with the truth, and even thanked me for drawing his attention to it.
Of equal instructio0n I feel is the fact that judgment was pronounced upon them while still in their nakedness, and the "offerings" followed their exercises of faith.

I have "posted" it with not a little "fear and trembling," anxious not to lead astray. Please deliberate upon it in the light of the Divine record.

I leave this with you hoping it may prove of blessing to your souls.

Prayer and Praise Addressed to the Son

Prayer and Praise Addressed to the Son.

Is it unscriptural to address the Lord Jesus in prayer and praise? Many of my beloved "brethren" believe that to be the truth as presented in the N.T. Scriptures.





For a half century or so, I have always addressed the Father in prayer and praise, both privately and in public. I need to qualify that statement a little, because I have sung a myriad praises addressed to the Son! I expect that is true of a considerable number of those who hold this "view."

For some years I have been much exercised as to this question. Although I had not been "fully persuaded" in my own mind, I found myself severed from a dear servant of God over this perplexing dilemma. For quite a few years we had engaged in open-air preaching and distributing tracts very Lords' Day throughout those years. We felt exercised as to commencing an Assembly testimony in our district, where there was no "gathering to His Name alone," and incidentally none still to this day. We "fell out" over the choice of hymnbook to be used; there was no animosity, only heart-break as we could find no "middle ground." To many this may appear to be trivial, but take a moment to reflect upon the amount of time saints spend in "singing." Furthermore I would have had to surrender hymns that had so helped me to give expression to my hearts' worship over so many years.

I have read the different arguments put forward regarding this somewhat perplexing question, and have formulated my own "view", forgive this term please, you understand what I am saying, my own thought based upon the Word of God and concluded that the Son MUST be afforded EQUAL honour with the Father.

Now I address both my God and Father and His lovely Son and my Saviour in prayer privately as well as in praise publicly. Just to clarify that statement; I still am not able to address the Son in the meetings, no doubt fear of man, and the "unspoken law" among many "brethren," for decades: "Prayer and praise is to be addressed to the Father only, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit." The different prepositions "through" an d "by" may well be transposed or even replaced with others, but that is the general "idea" of the "unspoken law."

As ever it is NOT my intention to give offence, far be the thought; just an "airing" of my experience regarding this matter that has weighed upon my heart for so long. Finally I must say what a joy it has been to speak directly to my Saviour, it has thrilled my soul!