Pioneering

Pioneering

The Apostle Paul writing to the saints in Rome joyously claimed his aim was to "announce the glad tidings, not where Christ has been named, that I might not build upon anothers' foundation;" Romans 15:20.

It is difficult for most of the Lords' people to engage in a "pioneering" service for the Lord Jesus, as we remain each in our native countries. only a relatively few venture to lands not their own, but not necessarily "going before to prepare or clear the way," the meaning of "pioneer."

Yesterday I realised that such an exercise is possible in this sin-benighted nation, and no doubt in every nation upon earth; for the gospel message has been "lost" in many, many areas here in the U.K. and I suspect everywhere else.

I was engaged in tract distribution in an area I had never visited before. It is characterised by obvious poverty, not an area where one feels at ease. But it came forcibly upon my heart that these dear people may never have heard the truth of the love of God in sending His only begotten Son as Saviour of the world. This is not intended to be melodramatic, one needs to be there to grasp what I am saying; and perhaps this is "mirrored" in a multitude of places up and down our favoured land.

That these folk may never have ventured into a "place of worship" gripped my soul as I recall my sweet fellowship with like-minded saints regularly, and in danger of taking for granted such privileges as are mine. It felt like a dark place, (I don't mean demonic,) but the absence of any spiritual light. Please pray that the contents of the magazine distributed there may be used of the Holy Spirit to enlightenment and should it please the Lord, salvation blessing to some, or restoration perhaps to some erring saints.

Finally, it was quite startling to walk up a longish pathway to the door of a large and contrasting residence; for screwed to the door was a narrow brass plate, on which were inscribed the "title," name, and academic qualifications of the occupant. He is a Romanist, I hesitate to use the term "catholic" as wrongly secured by them; Furthermore he blasphemously called himself "father," and is a Jesuit to make things even worse! Tragic to find such a deceiver amidst a place where there is so much spiritual and material need. Please pray for that area beloved brethren. 

A Simple Answer to Prayer

A Simple Answer to Prayer

We (believers) are blessed by a God who not only hears, but answers prayer. How infrequently we fail to realise blessings, or appreciating them, fail to give thanks to Him. He is interested in the, dare I say, things perhaps the world sees as "trivial," as well as those things we understand to be infinitely beyond the abilities of men to resolve.

Yesterday my wife and I took our disabled son Adam, and his youngest sister, with another friend to visit a centre for the preservation of birds of prey. It was a beautiful day and a lovely experience. Adam travelled with Esther, his sister, and their friend, in one car, my wife and me in our car. I felt the Lord had heard my supplication to Him for a day of safety and legitimate enjoyment, indeed He had.

But making our way home Bernice and I became increasingly aware that we were fast running out of petrol! There was no Service Station anywhere nearer that we could reach before we arrived home. The gauge dropped ever more quickly, and more than ten miles from the nearest services it read "0!"

Prayer had been made for some time before this eventuality and we "held on" in feeble faith. We travelled for those last ten miles or so with the gauge reading zero! A simple experience in the ways of Gods' faithfulness, perhaps. But significant to us; breaking down on the Motorway is very ill-advised!

"Having cast ALL your care upon Him, for He cares about you!" 1 Peter 5:7; Indeed, nothing is too trivial for Him, and certainly nothing is "too hard (wonderful) for the Lord!" The Law and the Prophets assert this is so, and the New Testament concurs: Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27; Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27.



A Strange Phrase

A Strange Phrase

Last Lords' Day evening I was engaged in conversation with a fellow believer, seeking his help regarding an exercise I had for a needy Assembly. I felt quite early on that I had perhaps made a mistake in approaching him in connection with this delicate matter. He seemed to be "speaking down" to me and was a little forceful as the conversation proceeded. But what I have been unable to dismiss from my mind was his constant use of the phrase "sanctified common sense." I had heard it used before, but not as often is so short a space of time.

Troubled by it I pondered it thoughtfully and I trust prayerfully in regard to it. I have concluded that it is fallacious in the extreme. The "flesh" cannot be sanctified for it means separation to God; separation from evil things and ways, and further truth of this nature. Common sense is the reasoning of men, not faith! Faith infinitely surpasses all the mind of man.

This strange phrase is used in connection for questions arising in the believers pathway for which there is no absolute definitive statement in Scripture. If I may give an example or two: Is it right to use stimulants as alcohol and tobacco? Should we "vote" in political elections? Is it acceptable to play cards, frequent night clubs etc. Are we able to become members of clubs, institutions, organisations? The phrase "sanctified common sense" has been given full rein here by many believers.

What then is the spiritual alternative? Where no absolute definitive word in Scripture exists there ever remains general principles and the clear tenor of the Scriptures. Without replying to the questions I have raised, and no doubt many others too, I state categorically that there is no such thing as "sanctified common sense," and to suggest such is dangerous, allowing a loophole through which to bolster ideas without any support from the Word of God.

If this seems harsh, please believe me I intend no offence to ANY of my beloved brethren and sisters in Christ.  

Love For The Holy Spirit

Love For The Holy Spirit

It is difficult to convey my thoughts regarding the above "title" to this "post." It is not a "typo," it is not supposed to read "of the Holy Spirit." Of late I have come to appreciate more and more the precious ministry of the Holy Spirit afforded to me personally. I am overawed at the subject place He has been willing to take here in this scene, even as did the Son, although in a much more profound way, I mean in incarnation. But the lowly place the Holy Spirit has taken here below is very precious too, for His pre-eminent design is to exalt Christ, to magnify Gods' Son. And so He recedes as it were into the background in beautiful humility so as not to obscure the wondrous person of the Lord Jesus.

                                                               Just as the Lord Jesus never divested Himself of one iota of Godhead character, essence and attributes, neither has the Holy Spirit! His faithfulness to me personally has overwhelmed my heart; taking my stammering, feeble expressions of worship of Gods' Son and making them intelligible, and acceptable to the Father, clothing them in the language of heaven, and the fragrance of Christ Himself.

                               I have constantly known the Spirits' enlightening, enabling and empowering in my simple ministry for the Master. Always cast upon God for help in these weighty responsibilities, the Holy Spirit has never ever filed me. Why it should be so I understand, it is divine love; why to me I cannot understand! 

                                                                                                                     But this experience of the Spirits' help and undertaking has caused me to learn to love Him. A new lesson in my pathway here. We never address Him, nor sing praises to Him, but that does not prevent us from telling the Father of our love for Him; as a Person of the Triune Godhead is He not worthy of our love and our thanksgiving? Is He not our Paraclete, Comforter and Instructor in things eternal?

                                                                                           May the increasing awareness of our debt to Him call forth love and affection for the Holy Spirit of God. All for the glory of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.    

He is Preciousness: A Poem

He is Preciousness: A Poem

Father how precious is Thy Son

To Thee, to us, to all Thine own,

Whether upon the accursed tree,

Or seated on Thy glorious Throne.

Ever He was Thy hearts' delight,

The "altogether lovely" One,

Who trod this scene at Thy behest,

His one desire, "Thy will be done."

He healed the sick and raised the dead,

He stilled the tempests' raging storm.

Met all mans' need in love divine,

The Son of God, in servant form.

He spake as ne'er man spake before,

With voice of calm authority,

He fed the hungry multitudes,

He walked upon the restless sea.

Holy, guileless and undefiled,

The subject, humble, obedient One,

Down here in manhoods' lowly guise,

Very Man, yet Gods' own Son.

Nailed to the cruel, shameful cross,

He hung in deepest agony,

Abandoned by the holy God,

He suffered, bore it all, for me!

Raised from the dead, no more to die,

Atonement wrought, salvation won,

The Father satisfied, appeased,

Must glorify His blessed Son.

Seated upon His Fathers' Throne,

A Man in the glory now is set,

To us He is "the preciousness,"

To Thee, O God, more precious yet.

Whilst searching through my "papers" scattered hither and thither in my study, I came across this poem I had written many years earlier. I doubt that it has any literary value, but it must have had its beginning in my heart at some juncture in my lifes' experience. I publish it simply because I wrote it and feel it does feebly express something of my appreciation of Christ.



International Tract Distribution Day -- Experiences

International Tract Distribution Day-- Experiences.

Today is the designated day for the believers in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to participate with one another throughout the entire world, in distributing the printed word of the Glad Tidings concerning Himself.

                                                                              I planned my route and the amount of magazines I hoped to deliver. I asked the Lord to overrule for me and protect me from both "unreasonably men that have not faith, and from unfriendly dogs!

                                                                                                                         I set out to deliver in an area I had not reached before in all the years I have been engaged in this humble but  precious exercise. Unfortunately I dressed for the weather we have been experiencing here in the U.K. for some considerable time. Wearing a warm waterproof coat over a black long-sleeved shirt. The weather just became nicer and nicer, hotter and hotter! I became dried mouth and terribly thirsty after a while and later ravenously hungry as well! It was an uncomfortable couple of hours, and I felt I was suffering for His Names' sake! How pathetic! It was trifling in comparison with that which multitudes have undergone for Him. I felt quite ashamed.

                                                                                                             One of the roads I found myself in was a "close" or cul-de-sac; quite extensive too. I had a polite refusal which is not unusual; but what really struck me was the vast majority of houses with a large orange sign "No Junk Mail. I am used to seeing this sort of notice but never in that proportion. I am always in a quandary as to what to do, and I am not consistent in my actions in these circumstances. I truly do not know why. I always ponder whether to "post" the magazine anyway or not. Whether leaving the Word of God with them out-weighs giving them offence. I would value any thoughts as to this perplexing question. If there is a notice which reads "No Religious Bodies," a surprisingly oft repeated practice. I do not leave any literature then; as I feel that would be offensive with such a clearly stated request.

                                                                                            I must say I felt a sense of joy and achievement in completing the task; and when considering that perhaps many, many saints contributed to this days' spiritual exercise, that if it please the Lord will have already, and later too, redounded to His glory.

                                                                                        For all who participated or will yet do so today, and for all who prayed on behalf of this venture for the Lord Jesus, may I just say a warm and sincere "thank you." If the Lord will we intend to do the same next year, that would be the third year!

                                                                  In the meanwhile as we await Gods' Son from heaven, among many other exercises we will continue to distribute the living Word of God in printed form whenever He enables. 

International Tract Distribution Day: A Gentle Reminder

INTERNATIONAL TRACT DISTRIBUTION DAY

A Gentle Reminder

Beloved brethren and sisters in Christ, I would just lovingly ask you to consider participating in distributing one, or more, items of Gospel literature on:

Wednesday 18th April 2018

THE INTERNATIONAL TRACT DISTRIBUTION DAY

We commenced this simple exercise for the glory of the Lord Jesus in reaching many, many souls for whom He died, last year on the same date. The response was amazing, even global as intended.

                                                         Please help in this venture for Him if you are able, and please uphold it, and those who participate in it, with much prayer; in particular that souls "having no hope and without God in the world," may be gloriously won for Him!

        With warm affection in Christ, Tom.

TOM WYATT

Gathering only to the Name of the Lord Jesus, with the saints at

Pensford Gospel Hall

Bristol

U.K.