I. Revival: But Do you Want Him?

Greetings in the Name of Jesus,

Yet again it is my honor and privilege to write a post on this blog. I will be writing on behalf of both the “Church of Arlington” and “YMBBA Ministries.” It has been quite a long time since our last post and for that we do apologize. In the following post I am desirous to accomplish a number of things: I want to update you on the current estate of this ministry and church, to share with you a number of things that have and are currently taking place in the lives of Jake, Sean and I, and most importantly, I want to preach-type to you throughout the update and in the foremost section just below.

In the forty-fifth psalm it is written, “My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” (Ps.45:1) The psalmist was inditing, that is: composing, pondering or bubbling over with deep meditations of a good matter. Also, the psalmist says his tongue or “means of communication” was the “pen of a ready writer.” Today, as the psalmist was inditing a good matter in his heart, even so am I, namely: the matter of revival. Also, as the psalmist’s tongue was for him the “pen of a ready writer,” even so may my tongue be the “laptop of a ready writer.”

*Note (This is a long post, so if you are pressed for time, please skip section I, which is basically a sermon on revival, and start with section II unto section III: for a brief update on the “Church of Arlington” and/or an update on Jake, Sean and I)

“Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Ps. 80:19)

a. Context

Recently, as I read the eightieth psalm one thing stood out above all else, which I will share below. But first, the context of this psalm is clearly taking place in a time of great distress and affliction for the people of God. The psalmist uses such language as “How long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.” (Ps.80:4-6) The context of suffering in great measure, which is clearly laid down in this psalm, is not at all different from the situation in Israel just before the great “Exodus”. Israel during this time was in dire straits. They were being forced to serve the “Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, with rigour.” (Ex.1) At this time, almost simultaneously: the newborn male children were all systematically sentenced to death, the people were treated as less than dogs, and, even after the LORD had begun to move, the people were forced to make brick without straw! Truly, the great “Exodus” was also an instance of suffering in great measure for the people of God.

Is this Context Abnormal for the People of God?

Nay… the context of travail and affliction for the people of God is absolutely essential and irreplaceable whenever the LORD intends to visit his people; that is, to bring revival or the gospel of the kingdom of God in power (personally or widespread). As a matter of fact, the context of sorrow and affliction (even affliction in great measure) for the people of God is a quintessential part of revival and always has been. There will be no good news, no revival, no visit from Him who is the gospel in a person, from Him that is revival Himself, except there come bitterness of soul and fiery affliction first: sent by the loving hands of a God, who both (personally or corporately) “killeth and maketh alive,” and who both “bringeth down to the grave and raiseth up.” (1 Sam.2:6) Verily, if you study your bible, you will be unable to miss God’s people being driven to their knees yet again and again in utter turmoil and desperation of soul just as is expressed in this eightieth psalm: until they are forced to cry out in earnest, “I need thee every hour, Most Holy One, O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son!” (I Need The Every Hour).

Note to the Reader

Reader: Is this your cry? Has this been your plea? You say you are saved; you say you are a Christian: a follower of the lamb. Maybe you even dare state yourself to be a vital part of the body of Christ joined in vital union to the most Holy One, Jesus Christ, and a trophy of his invaluable mercy. But have you ever been afflicted, as is expressed in this psalm? Better yet, you who say “I believe in the cross of Christ,” has His cross ever become your cross, your death, your baptism, and your burial? Has His cross ever become the doom of your world, dreams, carnal ways, and fleshly inclinations? Has the cross of Christ, by faith, ever become your end to all that you ever were, will be, or have become: until you can say with the Apostle Paul, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal.2:20) Until you can say, “Behold, he hath made all things new in my life!” (Rev.21:7) Until you can say, “But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ” (Phil.3:7) Until you can say, “Forbid it Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.” (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)

Or… professing Christian friend, are you playing church, playing discipleship, yea, playing with the fire of God’s wrath? Don’t you know the bible says “thou shalt not tempt the LORD” (Mtt.4:7), and “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal.6:7-8)?

Moreover, Paul says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Rom.6:6-7) But…O Reader, honestly, do you know this? Do you know that your old man is crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth you should not serve sin? Do you know this fact from experience and in the heart, or just mentally and in your mind? Do you know this fact even unto the “mortifying of the deeds of your body, that ye might live?” (Rom.8:13) Have you, O Reader, come to your bitter-end, that the Lord Jesus Christ may come in?

Biblical Examples of Distress for the People of God

God’s people were driven to a great measure of distress in the time of Adam, as God put a great curse on the earth and all its elements. They were driven to despair in the time of Noah, as the LORD determined to send a worldwide flood upon the earth; and Noah “moved with fear, built the ark to the saving of his house,” (Heb.11:7) even while he preached righteousness to a world of violent, God-hating men. They were driven to despair in the time of Jacob and his sons as they were forced to send to Egypt for meat in time of a great famine sent by God. They were driven to despair, in many instances, during the times of the judges: such as, the time of Barak and Deborah, who were raised up to fight against Sisera, the general of the Canaanite King, Jabin. This is the same Sisera, who “mightily oppressed” the children of Israel unto tremendous affliction and sorrow with his famed “900 chariots of iron.” They were driven to despair yet again in the time of Gideon as God had sold his “evil doing” people into the hand of Midian, who “encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth…and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass and entering into the land do destroy with an army of grasshoppers for number.” (Ju.6:5-6) They were driven to despair during the time of Samuel as the Philistines sacked the Israelites, killed God’s priests (Hophni and Phinehas) and took the Ark of the Covenant in one day! Further, Israel was pressed to great distress in the times of King Hezekiah by the seemingly unbeatable and merciless invading Assyrian army. They were yet again straitened to great affliction in the times of Jehoshaphat by the rapidly approaching great army of various nations combined, as also in the times of King Asa by the million-plus Ethiopian gargantuan-hoard of mighty men! Moreover, Israel was in distress during the great famine and systematic annihilation of God’s prophets by the hand of the Jezebel-manipulated King Ahab during the prophet Elijah’s day. Israel was also in a great state of gloominess through the times of the prophet Elisha, in which Samaria was famished to the point of cannibalism (as Israel was on numerous other occasions). All this happened in the providence, perfect wisdom, and sovereignty of God! The same God, who in the time of Isaiah said, “Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.” (Is.28:22) The God, who in the time of Noah unhesitatingly said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Gen.6:7) -Not the type of God you want to mess with. Further, Israel was under tremendous turmoil in both the major and minor prophets through such God-appointed “wicked men, which are his sword,” (Ps.17:13) such as: King Nebuchadnezzar, Kings of Egypt, the Assyrian King Sennacherib and other great instruments of affliction. Moreover, the people of God were urged to despair even in the New Testament when the eleven faithful disciples were driven to flight. Peter, having denied his Lord thrice, wept bitterly, and their King and Messiah was left to be slain by the hands of wicked sinners on a cursed tree!

The Only Question

Note: But alas, hurray, hallelujah, what a Saviour! He arose from the dead; he lives. He hath ascended on high as he soared through the sky! The only question is, “Do you know him?” As the late Rolfe Barnard said, “There’s no life in the death of Christ, but there’s life in the Christ who died.” Do you know the risen Lord himself, the King of glory? Yea, is he “with you now,” or do you merely know about him? “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (Jn.17:3)

Let me shock you for a moment before we move on:

Have you ever been in this kind of travail of soul I’m describing: travail that is expressed in this eightieth psalm? Even travail to the point of hating your life? Have you ever personally, by faith, groaned in great agony along with Christ on that cursed tree, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mtt.27:46) Have you ever “cursed the day of your birth” like the godly Job? (Job3:1) Have you ever become hopeless “for righteousness sake” (Mtt.5:10) as David, the man after God’s own heart, when fleeing from Saul: “And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.” (1 Sam. 27:1) What about the groan of the weeping prophet, Jeremiah? Has it any relevance to you? “Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!” (Jer. 15:10) Have you ever asked God to kill you even as Moses, whom God says “verily was faithful in all his house” (Heb.3:5): “And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.” (Nu.11:15)? What about the abandoned cry of the prophet Jonah: “Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” (Jon. 4:3) -Did you get that? They desired to die. Have you? Did you say, “No, I have never hated my life; I have never desired to die?” If so, do you think you will make it to the same heaven as these righteous men who professed to be strangers and pilgrims in this world: men, who (though as godly as they come) were “scarcely saved” (1Pet. 4:17) through many sorrows for the sake of uncompromising righteousness? Do you really think you are on the same “narrow way which leadeth unto life, that few find” (Mtt.7:13-14) as these suffering forerunners of the one true faith?

What about the auto-biography of the life of God’s prince, Jacob [whom God renamed Israel, declaring “as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Gen32:28)] in his own words: “Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” (Gen.47:9)

How would you summarize your life?

Have you any resemblance to God’s true people? Do you think they alone were called to hate their lives in this cursed world that they might keep it in the next? Do you think Jesus was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Is.53:3) so that you and I could take it easy in this cursed earth of death that hated Jesus, killed Him, and would do it again if possible? To be at ease in this cursed earth that still wars against Him, “tooth and nail” to this day? Whose side are you on anyway? Friends, remember that the “scripture cannot be broken,” (Jn.10:31) God “cannot lie,” (Titus1:2) and the Bible says, “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” (Jn. 12:25)

Is that too hard to bear? Would the reader rather “not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts… heap to themselves teachers…and turn away their ears from the truth, and…be turned unto fables.” (2Tim.4:3) Would the reader rather skip the cross, and deny Jesus Christ of whom it is said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head?” (Mtt.8:20) “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”(Gal.1:16) Reader, please do tell me, were Peter and the disciples the only ones who were led to exclaim in utter terror of soul, “Lord, who then can be saved?” (Mk. 10:26) or “Lord, whither shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life?” (Jn.6:68) Was Paul (our “pattern” saint according to 1Tim.1:16) and his companions the only ones that were meant to be “pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life?” (2 Cor.1:8) Was Job the only man that was intended to “abhor himself, and repent in dust and ashes?” (Job 42:6) Is the affliction Isaiah speaks of, ” Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” intended only for the saints of his time? “Has the narrow way of the cross, the narrow way of truth changed over the last two thousand years? Or has the “strong delusion” (2Th.2) of this antichrist-flooded “generation of vipers”, in which we live, changed the truth as it is in Jesus? I don’t think so!

Nay… My friends, to live is still Christ and to die is still gain (Phil.1:21) and we need still “be confident rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8) Nay… My friends, as exhorted the Apostle Paul, so exhort I you; “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” (Acts14:22) Further, let us not forget that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” (2 Tim.3:12)… even today. And finally, in the words of the psalmist, let us keep in mind the fact that still remains for the people of God in this “whole world that lieth in wickedness:” (1Jn.5:19) “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” (Ps.34:19)

So truly, beloved readers, let us pick up our cross, follow Jesus, and let us get serious lest we wake up gnashing our teeth and burning with the devil and his angels in hell. Time would prevent me from mentioning all the other corporate and personal instances in which the LORD, in love to his people and hatred for their sin, was moved with envy to sell them into great measures of distress as has occurred in the context of this eightieth psalm.

b. Fruit

So, what was the fruit of this “distress in great measure” and tribulation caused by a sovereign and merciful God’s hatred for sin, and love for the souls of his people? The fruit, which is the one thing that stood out above all else to me in this psalm, was desire. This is the need of the hour. This is the reason I am concerned for the church in America, yea worldwide. Where is the desire? Where is the need for God, the need for revival, the need for help, the need for a Saviour, the thirst for water, the hunger for righteousness, the plea for judgment? Most of the church is seemingly asleep and (as Ian Paisley said) is saying, “Please don’t wake me up I want to sleep on!” But, in the context of this psalm, the fruit of God-sent distress has clearly awakened the people of God from this state of being “at ease in Zion”(Amos 6:1), being rich and in need of nothing, yea, this lukewarm-complacent attitude of death to the soul and life to “fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” (Rev.3,Gal.5:18,1Pet.2:11)

Yea, the fruit of distress described in this eightieth psalm has spurred the people of God to an aggressive and urgent desire for Him! They, like King David, seem to say, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” (Ps.27:8) This psalm is thoroughly saturated with earnest pleading for God to work, for God to move, for God to “shine forth.” Three times the psalmist prays, “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” The psalmist even asks the LORD to “stir up thy strength, and come and save us,” and to “Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine.” (Ps.80:14) Even the concluding passage of this psalm is soaked with a desire for help: “Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Ps. 80:17-19)

It is written, “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.” (Pro.18:1) Reader: Where is your desire? Where is mine? Do you think God will save you if you don’t want to be saved? Do you think he will find us if we don’t want to be found? Do you think he will revive us if we don’t see a desperate need for revival? I doubt it! Like in this psalm, if the LORD is going to work, he will bring us to our knees in desperation! Until we desire, until we thirst, until we hunger, until we solemnly cry, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (Ps.73:25) Until we, like Isaiah the prophet, ardently protest before the throne of God, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?” (Is.51:9), until we are forced to be like the godly King Jehoshophat: surrounded by thirty and two captains that had rule over the king of Syria’s chariots and were commanded to “Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel” (whom they mistook Jehoshaphat to be), to cry out for help as if we were hanging by a snapping string over the gulf of eternal perdition! -“and Jehoshaphat cried out:” (1 Ki. 22:31-32), until we groan like David in the thirty-eighth psalm saying, “Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.” (Ps. 38:10), then, and only then, will the LORD “rend the heavens… that the mountains might flow down at his presence.” (Is.64:1) Only then will God step-down in revival! As God said, “then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jer.29:12-13) Then, in the very day we pray like Jesus, “who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” (Heb.5:7) will God send revival. At that moment when we, like Esther, exclaim before the throne of God “If I perish, I perish” (Est.4:6) and proceed to “call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall we be saved from our enemies” (Ps. 18:3). In the time when we “call upon the Lord in truth” (Ps.145:18) and early “cry unto God, then shall our enemies turn back: this we know; for God is for us.”(Ps. 56:9)

Lastly, I give you an excerpt from the prayer of King Solomon in reference to Israel, if ever they were to backslide. This passage was given at the “Dedication of the Temple,” which Solomon constructed. I give it to the intent that this might be our prayer, that this might be our plea, and that we might receive this much needed advice:

“If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; “Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee. For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.” (1Ki.8:46-53)

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, (as the title of this message states) I ask the reader, I ask the Church of Jesus Christ, and I ask myself: “Revival: Do you desire Him?”

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Is. 55:1)

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mtt.11:28-30)

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev.22:17)

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mtt.7:7-11)

Spurgeon’s Prayer for Revival

“O God, send us the Holy Ghost! Give us both the breath of spiritual life and the fire of unconquerable zeal! O Thou who art our God, answer us both by wind and fire, and then we shall see Thee to be God indeed. The kingdom comes not, and the work is flagging. Oh, that Thou wouldst send the wind and the fire! Thou wilt do this when we are all of one accord, all believing, all expecting, all prepared by prayer. Lord, bring us to this waiting state! God, send us a season of glorious disorder. Oh, for a sweep of the wind that will set the seas in motion, and make our ironclad brethren, now lying so quietly at anchor, to roll from stem to stem. Oh, for the fire to fall again-fire which shall affect the most stolid! Oh, that such fire might first sit upon the disciples and then fall all around! O God, Thou art ready to work with us today even as Thou didst then. Stay not, we beseech Thee, but work at once. Break down every barrier that hinders the incoming of Thy might! Give us both hearts of flame and tongues of fire to preach Thy reconciling Word, for Jesus’ sake! Amen!” (Spurgeon and Revival p. 26 by Robert H. Lescelius)

II. The Current Estate of “YMBBA Ministries” and the “Church of Arlington”

On the Move:

Over the past two or three months the “Church of Arlington,” (or a real and tangible part of the Kingdom of heaven on earth and in this area of the world) has been on the move. The number of this God-founded, God-protected, and God-guided sheepfold (as evidenced by the biblical fruit it produces) is currently composed of fourteen called-out and Holy Ghost led, fruit-bearing saints of zeal (by God’s grace alone) . Each of whom we believe to be soundly and biblically saved men and women of God, and the LORD seems to be nigh unto increasing our numbers!

Important Digression Note: How to Test a Church

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1Jn.4:1)

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1Thes.5:21)

How do you know if a “so called” church, or even an individual, is of God and not a cult? (A cult is commonly known as, in layman’s terms: a religious society, whether through creed, teachings or a living guru, that follows a man, or men, and not God) So, what’s the biblical test on whether a church is really, and not just seemingly, following God?

In Acts chapter five as the Apostle Peter stood condemned as a rebel before the religiously esteemed leaders of his day, he said, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” (Acts5:32) Therein lies the only legitimate test of biblical authority and merit to call yourself a true church, prophet, apostle, movement, revival, or denomination having come from God.

“God hath given the Holy Ghost to them that obey him!”

Not to them that pretend to obey God and are really mere “hypocrites…like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Mtt.23:27) Not to them “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2Tim.3:5) Not to them that “justify themselves before men but God knoweth their hearts” (Lk.16:15) [by for instance: good Calvinistic doctrine, an orthodox theory on the atonement, a big and conservative church building, a conservative “so called” evangelical church membership, a nice smile and demeanor, a leadership position in a bible study with poor inner-city kids, a modest style of dress, a good marriage and an orderly family with daily devotions, a seminary degree, a church winning average of tithes given, or even a lifelong mission commitment to a cannibalistic island off the coast of Australia!] Neither to them that “thank God that they are not as other men.” (Lk.18:11) [when in reality they are as other men, but deceived by their Satanically inspired self-righteous flesh, while they unknowingly call God a liar in the process (1Jn1:8,10).] Nay, O my dearest reader of this post…Not to any such men hath God given the Holy Ghost, but unto such as really obey him, “though they be as reprobates.” (2Cor.13:7)

Let Us Remember

O that men would remember the proverb, “He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.” (Pro.11:12) And that men would remember what Jesus said, “Judge not after appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (Jn.7:24) Why should you do that? Why should you remember these things?

Because I’m convinced many sincere people in biblical and extra-biblical history have perished in hell using carnal judgment, reason, and logic for their means of discernment as opposed to biblical reason and logic (which is not logical from a human standpoint!). Perhaps, they were guilty of thinking such a thought as, “Do not Peter and Paul frequent prisons? Are they not cast out of the synagogues? Are they not physically and spiritually younger than we ourselves? Are they not, along with the other “so called” disciples of this “way,” reproached by all classes of society, and apparently ignorant and unlearned men? Oh, and do not our leaders, pious fundamentalists, and rabbis who agree on practically nothing, unitedly agree with themselves on this one conviction: that these men are rebels and deserve to be crucified? Therefore, we reasonably and rationally conclude these men must be heretics and cult leaders!”

Because I’m convinced this “seemingly righteous” line of reasoning would be biblically deemed “judging after appearance” or “answering a matter before you hear it, which is a folly and a shame.” (Pro.18:13) Yea, I’m convinced that this carnal line of reasoning caused Samuel to deem the wicked older brother of David (who was named Eliab) God’s anointed King! Fortunately God reproved Samuel saying,“Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Sam.16:7) Question: If the godly Samuel could be deceived, whom God puts before Jeremiah in his two person “power-team praying hall of fame” [i.e. “Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.” (Jer.15:1)] along side Moses alone, even excluding Elijah, WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT ABOUT ME? Be careful professing Christian friend, this line of reasoning is even what got Israel into the mess they are in today and the mess they found themselves in around 70 AD, when the historian Josephus says the Roman army crucified so many Jews that they had no room nor wood left to crucify with, and when there was said to be so much blood running in the city that many things that were burning were extinguished by it! Further, Josephus says over 1.1 million Jews (because the siege began during the time of Jewish passover feast) were killed in the siege of Jerusalem alone, along with well nigh 250 thousand Jews killed in adjacent villages. Lastly, in reference to that destruction, I quote Josephus in Albert Barnes’ commentary with reference to the dreadfulness of this destruction brought upon the Jews because they “judged Jesus after appearance” and not “righteous judgment”: “Josephus, in describing it, uses almost the very words of our Saviour. “All the calamities, says he, which had befallen any nation from the beginning of the world” were but small in comparison with those of the Jews.” ( Jewish Wars, b. i. preface, section 4.)

So, let the reader understand that though the wheat and the tares (true and falsely religious Christians) look similar on the outside, yet God, who alone knows the heart consequentially gives the Holy Ghost as the only trustworthy evidence that “God hath received them.” (Rom.14:13) Therefore the only question is: “ Who has the Holy Ghost, do you, does your church?”

Don’t Forget

Also, in matters of discerning the true from the false, don’t forget, “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.” (prov.28:5) Therefore, make sure you “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto your own understanding,” (Prov.3:5) nor on the world’s, which is so easy to do that almost everyone does it! Yea, rather, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov.3:6) Yea, rather, “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  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.” (Rom.12:1-2) And finally, beloved friends, “Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the LORD and depart from evil,” or as Jesus said to the Pharisees, so say I unto you, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Mtt.23:33) “Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not!” (Jn. 8:45) “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mtt.11:15)

Again I ask the reader, I ask the elders of every church in this nation, I ask myself, in light of all this, do you have the Holy Ghost of God dwelling in you richly by faith? If not, friend, I’m telling you, you’re “none of his!” (Rom.8:9) Without hesitation you desperately need to seek Jesus Christ for salvation through the merit of his blood and the quickening life of his Spirit: Lest Almighty God say unto you, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:,” (Mtt.25:41) while he casts you into eternal hellfire.

God’s Not Wasteful

Moreover, let us be mindful that the Lord will not “cast his pearls before swine nor give that which is holy to the dogs,” (Mtt.7:6) nor will he “let a double-minded man receive anything from the Lord.” (Ja.1:7-8) Thus, if a man has received the Holy Ghost, you better believe he is a righteous man in the realest sense of the term, and he is accepted and received of God through Jesus Christ. I warn you to be careful how you treat him, who is evidently the apple of your Creator’s eye. Remember the advice from the author of Hebrews, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Heb.13:2) And do not forget the frightfully simple warning of our Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Mtt.25:40)

-Sermon below by Rolfe Barnard on the topic of a sovereign God choosing to use sinful men (human means) for his purposes:

‘If you reject God’s messenger, you reject God’ -Rolfe Barnard in the sermon below.

-God Uses Earthen Vessels

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Cor. 4:7)

“He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.“ (Lk. 10:16)

One more thing: Which Spirit Did you Get?

Please notice Peter said, “the Holy Ghost”… not the worldly ghost, or the spirit of profanity, or the spirit of lightness, sensuality, and intemperance; nor the spirit of rebellion and uncontrollable laughter, but “the Holy Ghost!” Reader, please make sure you have the right Spirit, the HOLY SPIRIT! The Spirit which is evidenced (not by charismatic tongues) by fruits of righteousness entailing such things as love for truth and the word of God, hatred for sin even if it costs you your head, meekness, self-control, faith, “peace that passeth understanding” even in the face of death, “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” a burden for souls, fear of God, gifts of preaching, virtue proceeding from ones life, willingness to suffer wrong, “swearing to one’s own hurt and changing not,” willingly ministering to others, mercy, praying in the Spirit, understanding the word of God, wisdom, knowledge, faith, miracles, overall freedom from envy and pride, ultra lowliness of mind consisting of truly thinking others better than oneself, overwhelming selflessness in every righteous way, and even culturally-shattering generosity in giving both financially and in regards to ones own necessities along with many more! I say this for your good, and because I fear many have been partakers of a “so called” baptism of Holy Spirit (second blessing experience) that is not the Holy Spirit and cannot save. Yea, I fear that many “zealous, but not according to knowlege” (Rom.10:1-4) professing Christians have received the wrong spirit unawares. (1Cor.13:6, Eph.5:9, Ps.97:10, Mtt.5:1-13, Gal. 5:22-23, Jer.32:40, Acts 19:6, Ps.15, 1 Cor.12, and more)

On the Move Continued:

“But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.” (1Sam.18:16)

“I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.” (1Sam.25:28)

We have been, in the “Church of Arlington,” like I said before, “on the move.” Just as it is said of David “that he went out and came in before them,” (Israel: God’s Kingdom) even so have many of the brethren in our church been coming in and going out to battle before our humble “geographical sheepfold” or “spiritual Israel” (otherwise known as the “local church” in Arlington, TX). This “local church” (which we are convinced God has established and not men*) meets at various locations where we, the “body of Christ,” worship the Lord, preach the word, pray, rendezvous from going in and out to battle for the Lord, partake of communion, sharpen each other, and seek the Lord!

*If God didn’t establish our church, truly, we want nothing to do with it! How about your church, did God bring it about? Would the reader rather be at a man-made church with the comforts of “worldy wisdom,” or at a God-established church of lowly saints, glorying in the Spirit alone, yea, glorying in the cross?

Brother Chris Open Air Preaching

Brother Chris and Brother Sean

Lufkin, Texas is one of many places various members of this church have traveled to. It is the hometown of our dear brother Chris Faulkner. He and brother Sean went there somewhat recently, and Chris was graciously given an open-door to preach in a church (which he did effectually, and I believe with some tears). However, there is no doubt that he has been greatly persecuted by many in his hometown, which is to be expected for a biblical Christian. Also, if any of those who have persecuted Chris are reading this blog, please talk to brother Chris, and don’t listen to slander! -which God hates and will judge! “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” (Pr.10:18) I assure you before God that he is, by the grace of God, perfectly sober-minded, full of integrity, and easy to be entreated. He is instantly desirous to witness to any and everyone about what great things his newly found and beloved risen Lord Jesus Christ hath done for him, and even the biblical incentives for certain decisions which he has made in his life (which I am convinced is being founded upon the solid rock of the word of God).

Reader: Where is your foundation? Are you built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and his word, or on the shifting sand of presumption? Don’t die in presumption. You will, I guarantee, regret the day you were born. It is not a presumptuous and hasty faith that saves, but a real, vital, life-changing, and undeniable one! “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand; All other ground is sinking sand.” (The Solid Rock)

More About Brother Chris

Brother Chris has been saved since early March, having previously been falsely converted to the utmost! Chris was even leading worship, discipling others, leading bible studies, traveling overseas for mission work, desirous to give out tracts, and had been a part of the church as he would say “from the womb.” However, in all this he was deceived…having not the Spirit of God until his recent and fearful conversion, which, “many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:3)

Let us never forget the promise of God, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matt. 5:10-11) And further, let us not forget God’s warning to the popular of this world, ARE YOU? “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Lk.6:26)

Brother Kevin and Brother Masao

Next on the travel list is our beloved brother Kevin (whose testimony will be posted in video form below) and brother Masao: two young “sons of thunder!” Seriously! These two fellows are extremely meek and quiet when at home and in fellowship with the brethren (to the point that sometimes you could forget they were there). However, when they get on the streets to preach and fight the Lord’s battles they are evidently overcome by the Spirit of the Lord, and transformed into “mighty men of valor,” lions, warriors, animals (in the sense of ferocious, fearless, and strong spiritually), or you might say “spiritual soldiers.” Truly, in time past brother Sean was surnamed by Jake and I “the trumpet” for the overwhelming power of his voice. Recently, however, he told me that as these men preached on Halloween, back-to-back with Sean, he didn’t know if he had anything on these dear “trumpet-sounding sons of thunder.”

Kevin Fessler’s Testimony:

Further, Masao, (who is from California and has left everything for the Lord, taking only a suit case from California) is known to have a God-given stamina to preach for great lengths of time without losing his voice. In fact, when everyone else (as far as I knew) had a scratchy voice last week following their expedition to preach in Austin, TX on Halloween, Masao seemed to be sounding just fine! However, as I asked him about this keen ability to preach outdoors for long periods without fail he relayed a wonderful story to me. This summer, when Masao was somewhat confident that he had “got it down,” that is: learned how to open-air preach using the diaphragm and not lose his voice; he was suddenly humbled when, the next day, God took his voice so badly that he couldn’t even effectively share one-on-one with people!

Anyway, these brothers were in California for quite some time in the recent past. They preached at a college, in a home, in other diverse places, saw some people touched by the word, saw some persecution, warned many sinners within and without the professing church, and finally made it back home safely around a week ago to the great benefit of our small congregation. Further, these brothers were unrighteously escorted out of a church, I believe, for the sake of the gospel. I also understand that brother Masao was at one point physically knocked off his preaching stand into some water, and being flooded with compassion he chased down the culprit only to be persecuted more!

Brother William and I

Brother Masao and Brother William

Well, time would fail me to tell all the details that took place on the mission trip that our “brother of zeal” William Pearce and I took, but I will say a couple things. First, as we traveled up to William’s homeland in Wisconsin, we preached effectually with some. We even saw multiple people in tears through the preaching of word of God at our dear brother, Brad Grant’s house. Also, we warned false professors from William’s old church, and consequentially young William received some heavy persecution from those he loves. Yet, even as he was afflicted for the sake of the gospel, I can clearly recall brother William being filled with the grace and love of God for the truth and for his persecutors! [Persecutors: If you are reading, contact William, be reasonable, I know that William is truly humble to the word of God from several personal experiences. Talk to him as you would like someone to treat you. But, remember, if you refuse to hear reproof or be reasonable according to the word of God, you are sealing your own death warrant! “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.” (Pro.15:10)]

Consolation Proportionate to Tribulation

Truly, we must learn the scriptural principle that “as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” (2Cor.1:5) The spiritual reality that “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” (1Pet.1:14) This truth was no more evident than when the early disciples were said to have “departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” (Acts 5:41) Have you learned this principle, reader?

“I have found that hope so bright and clear,
Living in the realm of grace;
Oh, the Savior’s presence is so near,
I can see His smiling face.

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory,
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.” (Joy Unspeakable)

Brother William and I Cont’d

Further, brother William warned some of his unsaved family (who honestly treated him horribly). It was a grief to behold, but by the grace of God and to the praise of Jesus Christ I have no doubt that William loved them, nevertheless. He was even crying out to God for them! “For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.” (Ps.109:4) This instance of brotherly cruelty reminded me of the way Joseph must have felt as his brothers, “moved with envy,” (Acts 7:9) sold him into slavery! Note: Did not we, “moved with envy” against God, sell Jesus Christ our Saviour and the only one who truly loved us, into slavery? Yea, and even put him on the cross! Jesus Christ, who was “delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification.” (Rom.4:25) What then ought we to do but repent, seek his face, and give God the glory:  God who, “commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” (Rom.5:8)

“To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.” (To God be the Glory)

Finally, William and I went to his grandfather’s funeral, in which William, (I believe with fear and trembling) shared some timely and dreadful scriptures in the face of even more persecution. Afterward we headed south to prepare for our dear brother Jake’s wedding.

Jake, Sean, and I

Brother Jake, Sean, and I are also, as in the days of old, on the move. We unitedly left our respective places of resort on multiple occasions that we might do battle for the King. Brother Jake, who was at the time engaged, took primary refuge at the godly home of his wife’s family in Missouri. Brother Sean and I were primarily stationed at our miraculously received home in the Dallas area (the Lord faithfully provided us with a wonderful home for most of the men in the church). However, on separate instances all three of us packed up, traveled, and prepared for war. We were enabled of the Lord to preach in both Pennsylvania and Canada. The first trip, to Pennsylvania, was spent at a youth retreat for mostly youth from Mennonite and Charity Churches. This event was called “Kingdom Fellowship Weekend,” wherein brother Jake and Sean each preached once alongside a number of other godly men. We left this event, having been mutually edified with many godly people, and I was enabled to preach at another church up in Northern Pennsylvania with much help from the Lord.

Further, we were also permitted to preach up in a little village called Tobermory, Canada, for a week of meetings. These meetings were mightily owned of the Lord, and we saw time and again the fearful presence of God fall! These were the meetings in which brother Jake preached the sermon, “Seeking God Aright,” (posted below) which was truly blessed of God. Nevertheless, we had much opposition from one man who was preaching the law for justification, instead as an instrument for condemnation. He was preaching the law for  righteousness instead of the law to expose our wretchedness. As it is written, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom.3:19-20) It is written again, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal.3:24)

Truly, this man preached that a man was saved initially by faith, only to turn around and carnally keep the law unto “perfection:” (Or to be made like Jesus, which is perfection and the heart of the gospel: please download the Rolfe Barnard sermon just below to clearly understand salvation) such as keeping the carnal ordinances of the Jewish feast days, dietary laws, sabbath days, etc. But Paul warned the Galatians, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? O, there is so much to say on this subject of “walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh,” (Gal.5:17) but where do I begin?

Rolfe Barnard sermon clearly explaining what salvation is, and God’s purpose in it:

-Do You Want to be Like Christ?

This false prophet was likened unto the deceivers of Paul’s time of whom it is said, “Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm,” as he no doubt “zealously affected the people, but not well.” His carnal message of legalism was  zealously affecting the people toward carnal ordinances, and not toward obeying God in Jesus Christ! (And it was noticeably grieving the Holy Spirit at every meeting he preached.)

How do you know if a “so called” gospel message is from God?

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Mtt.7:20)

Answer: What is the fruit? Does the message tend toward holiness, righteousness, conviction of sin, “setting your affections on things above?” (Col.3:2) – It must be the gospel. Or, does it cause one to be lukewarm, rebellious to Jesus Christ, hardhearted, and “carnally minded, which is death:” (Rom.8:6) even with a false assurance of salvation? -That is not the gospel. What was the fruit of the “gospel” in Acts 2? The fruit was fear of God,  joy, men having all things in common, miracles, power, and souls being saved! (Acts 2) - That is the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is “not in word, but in power!” (1Cor.4:20) Again, does the “so called” gospel message teach rebellion against God, and justify unrepentant sinners in their sin ? Or does it drive men to fear God, repentant perpetually (without justifying themselves) and hope in God’s mercy (which is a person, Jesus Christ)? As it is written, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;” (Ps.33:18) That is what the true gospel accomplishes: it breaks men of all hope in themselves, and  brings them to trust in the power, merit, salvation, and life of  another, namely, Jesus Christ the Lord.

“Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.” (Jer.28:15-17)

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude1:3-4)

Back to Jake, Sean, and I: One last story:

When in Canada, one night brother Jake preached a well prepared and intense message on evangelism: and it was in the power of God. Truly, conviction fell upon the room and some were touched; but also, certain people were offended. To make a long story short, because of this offense brother Jake was roughly struck that night by unrighteous and anti-biblical persecution. It was extremely grievous to see, but my dear brother didn’t try to defend himself: he was rather (by God’s grace alone) a ” partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” (2 Tim.1:8). The result of this affliction I will never forget. That night, Jake, though cast-down, and I sang to the Lord a new song with all our heart, and the Lord was there! Can you sing it?

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross; high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory His army shall He lead, Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey; Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day. Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes; Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.” (Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus)

The Heartbeat of the Church

Well, I am straitened to consolidate this update. It is truly becoming longer than I expected. So, how is the life of the church and what have we been doing? The “Church of Arlington,” which is a great aspect of the labor of the brethren of “YMBBA ministries” has truly been, like I said, on the move. I mentioned some geographical movements above, but we have also been on the move in other ways: especially, spiritually.

Many of the brethren in the “Church of Arlington” alongside Carmen and Bianca from Germany.

Digression Note: An Apology for the Self-Commendation of the “Church of Arlington”

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Pet.2:9)

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Tit. 1:14)

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” (Mtt.10:32)

Before I share more details about “the heartbeat of our church,” I must make an apology to avoid unnecessary offense, and to relieve myself of a burden. Firstly, I want the reader to know that I am aware of the scriptures in which Jesus warns the legalistic, carnally minded Pharisees not to pray, fast, or to do religious alms (deeds) “for to be seen of men.” (Mtt.6) I also (by his grace) understand the fact that “he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Rom.2:28-29) And finally, I assuredly know, and heartily agree that “not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (2 Cor.10:18)

“Well then, why are you commending your church, one might ask?”

I will tell you why. I will tell you the reason I am straitened to give such details of the spiritual successes in our young and small (often misunderstood) church: such as the length of prayer meetings, methods of prayer, evangelism, church gifts, miracles, unity, salvation testimonies, brotherly love, burden for souls, burden for holiness, charity, etc.

I Want People to Know (That)

The reason I write these things is: I want the world to know that God is still alive and not dead today: as we have seen in our church! [Dead, as he would seem to be if one judged from the "twice dead" fruit of many complacent and silent professing churches in this decaying nation, where the salt seems to have "all but lost" its savour! (Mtt.5:13)] Yea, I want people to know that the New Testament standard of a church is still the measure for a true church today; and perfectly reasonable for God to require of us! (Not the ecclesiology of the Puritans, nor the shifting customs of the Charismatics, nor the historical convictions of the Anabaptists, nor the theology of John Calvin, nor the church doctrine of Charles Spurgeon, nor the doctrinal creeds of time past, or the dispensational teachings of J.N. Darby, nor any such extra-biblical sources!) Nay, my dearest reader, but the Standard New Testament church as it is revealed in the Bible alone! That is the only standard; that is the only test!

Surely, I am sharing details about what God hath wrought in our midst to show you that God’s grace still works, and is available today! Grace to be a New Testament Church, grace to be a praying people, grace to be unified through and through, grace to preach the gospel unashamedly to the easy-going sinners of this world (in the face of apparent death), grace to hate and shun: worldliness, lukewarmness, compromise, pride, rebellion, envy, sin, and even false churches for the sake of Jesus Christ’s holy name, even unto being crucified! Grace to do all this and more with “the joy of the Lord, which is our strength.” (Neh. 8:10) I write to show the reader that New Testament Christianity is achievable, even in a world of abounding iniquity all around us! Verily, Verily, God is still on the throne, “Behold, the nations are (still) as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he (still) taketh up the isles as a very little thing.” (Is.40:15) The fact still remains that, “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb.11:6) Furthermore, we have found that even today, the “eyes of the LORD (still) run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him!” (2 Chron.16:9)

How about you, reader? Have you found the Lord faithful? Have you found his promises true? Please answer God, is your heart perfect toward him? Or… are you tempting God with excuses for unrepentant sin, worldliness, and compromise? How about the heart of your church, is it pure? Or are you playing church, playing Christianity? Reader, are you playing the fool with an HOLY God, and thinking you will get away with it? Let not the world forget that, “Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour,” (Pro. 14:9) and to them that will not turn to God with their whole heart, “behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out!” (Num. 32:23)

Friends, I am testifying of what God hath done, even as Joshua and Caleb testified to Israel of the promised land. (Num. 13-14) -That men might know there is a God in heaven, and that he is still HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! I am writing with the desire of the psalmist burning in my bosom, namely, that God might, “Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” (Ps.9:10) I am writing because I don’t want the reader to die like Herod! “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.” (Acts 12:23)

Further, I want the the world to understand that “Jesus Christ (is)the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb. 13:8) Therefore, the heart of God in the days of Jeremiah still cries out, “Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.” (Jer. 9:2) I’m telling you, the Lord Jesus Christ is looking for a church that will, by his grace, confess him aright! He is looking for a church to keep such a passover as Israel in the times of King Josiah! King Josiah’s revival, (on the cusp of Judah’s approaching decimation 34 or so years later) of which it is said, “And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (2 Chr.35:18) -and I’m certain the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, will settle for nothing less, even if he must go “without the camp” of the institutionalized church to find it ! The Lord will have the world (without and within the church) to know that his blessed bride is, by his grace, still a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1Pet.2:9) I’m speaking the truth when I say that as the prophet Ezekiel was called, so is the church of Jesus Christ today. That is, to confess Jesus before this apostate world of rebellion “whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet (Church) among them!” (Ez. 2:5) Just as the LORD did through Noah who, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (Heb.11:7) - And I pray God, that he will do it one more time before his unstoppable wrath burns up this world with fire!

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Pet. 3:10)

Conclusion to “Apology for the Self-Commendation of the “Church of Arlington’”

So, as said the Apostle Paul, who was forced to commend, yea, even to glory in his achievements to the Corinthians (due to the “false prophets” galore in Corinth), even so say I unto you (due to the false churches galore in America), “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

“I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.” (2 Cor. 2:11)

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1Cor.15:10)

Prayer

We pray officially and corporately Tuesday nights and Saturday Mornings, for an average of two or three hours (but often feel that we could, by God’s grace,  pray all night!). We have occasional prayer meetings on Thursday nights. We also pray in the “solemn assembly” on Sunday. We normally begin the prayer meetings by sharing burdens, and often have exhortations as the Spirit leads. We often sing Spirit led hymns (See Welsh Revival Heart-Singing Quote below to better understand “singing as the Spirit leads”) or use our new hymn books which we cherish, called “Living Hymns.” And, finally, we prepare our hearts to pray.

There are many burdens (primarily for eternity-bound souls running headlong into hell, even as an ox to the slaughter: and not so much for carnal things like, for instance, Aunt Wilma’s aching hip) all around the church, and by the grace of God there have been many tears in these meetings, along with a wonderful and powerful sense of the presence of God much of the time! We even have a fearful solemnity and silence often settle on our meetings, which we cherish as a precious seal of God’s approval. For instance, I can remember last Lord’s day meeting: as we were praying, I was truly fearful to pray unless I felt the Lord’s leading, because there was such a sense of the presence of God in the room. -Note: The true presence of God, who  is a sovereign Spirit that will visit whom and when he will; Not some emotionally-manipulated, warm feeling “figment of our imaginations,” caused by a bass-pumping, God abhorring, worldly pleasing contemporary Christian music. As God said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (Jn. 14:21) Truly the Lord is with us in this infant, yet pure, state of our church. (Please read the quotes below from Spurgeon and a reporter from the Welsh revival, as they describe the same atmosphere historically as we see often in our church)

Glimpse into New Testament Assemblies

“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (1Cor.14:26)

Blessed Quietness in the House of God

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” (Ecc.5:1-2)

“Blessèd quietness, holy quietness, What assurance in my soul! On the stormy sea, He speaks peace to me, How the billows cease to roll! What a wonderful salvation, Where we always see His face! What a perfect habitation, What a quiet resting place!” (Blessed Quietness)

Spirit Led or Heart-Singing in Welsh Revival

“Sometimes singing and prayer would go on together, but there was no real confusion-the praying was not to man, and the singing was not to man. But such singing is rarely to be heard. It was perfect time and perfect harmony; often the same hymn (never given out, but started spontaneously), sung in English and in Welsh at the same time, and sung over and over, until penetrated. There was no organ, nor need for one; when men-for the women were too few to make much impression-sing to the Lord in this was, an organ is out of place. It was hear-singing, “singing with melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:18) (The Great Revival in Wales by S.B. Shaw p. 26)

Spurgeon on the Spirit of God Falling in Assemblies:

“When I came to New Park Street Chapel it was but a mere handful of people to whom I first preached, yet I could never forget how earnestly they prayed. Sometimes they seemed to plead as though they could really see the Angel of the Covenant present with them, and as if they must have a blessing from Him. More than once we were all so awe-struck with the solemnity of the meeting that we sat silent for some moments while the Lord’s power appeared to overshadow us; and all I could do on such occasions was to pronounce the benediction, and say, “Dear friends, we have had the Spirit of God here very manifestly tonight let us go home and take care not to lose His gracious influence.” Then down came the blessing; the house was filled with hearers, and many souls were saved.” (Spurgeon and Revival by Robert H. Lescelius p. 23-24)

Spirit of God Moves in the Welsh Revival: First Hand Report

“This mighty movement must be seen to be understood. A sense of awe came over me again and again as in a large chapel, on a weekday afternoon; I saw a large, deep gallery surrounding the chapel literally packed with men. They were manly, intensely earnest faces, not looking around or talking one to the other, but with one consent utterly taken up with God. The body of the chapel was also crowded with men and women of all classes, with but one purpose- TO MEET GOD.” (The Great Revival in Wales by S.B.Shaw p. 25)

How do we pray?

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” (1Tim.2:1-3).

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Eph.6:18)

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (Ja.5:16)

We try to pray following the above advice from God’s word. Thus, we pray often: for the lost, for the church, for the “lost-sheep of the house of Israel,” for unity, for power, for guidance, for our leaders, for our neighbors, bosses, for each other, and we try to pray fervently with all our heart! We pray corporately, individually, and encourage the brethren to be instant in group prayer daily, knowing that “God’s house shall be called a house of prayer.” (Matt.21:13) Honestly reader, how else do you expect the church to fight the Lord’s battles? With a big building, spending budget, or church roll? With a seminary-educated Pastor, a high quality all-around sound system in the church building, or an A-team choir? How about with  a daycare, or a church food bank? I think not! Remember, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Cor.10:4-5)

Preaching

A good view of the crowd of listeners on A&M Campus.

The “church of Arlington” has been on the move in preaching. Even now, some of the brothers are preaching at “Texas A&M” for a number of days. They have seen crowds upwards of hundreds of people. At one point, the Lord drew these crowds using atheists arguing with Sean! They have also been invited to a bible study in which the power of God fell, and there are a couple of people we know of at “Texas A&M” seeking God in truth even now, Hallelujah!

Zoomed out version of the same crowd, take note brethren, the harvest is plentiful! Pray for these souls!

Many brothers were also preaching through the night on 6th street in Austin, TX during  Halloween, alongside our dear brother Cory James (from Houston). The girls also went soul winning on this trip, and were a great encouragement to the brethren by prayer and handing out tracts. On Halloween sister Ashley (Whose testimony, which was shared effectually at Family camp 2010 in Missouri, will be posted on video form below) and sister Stephanie joined the brothers. Also, Stephanie, Ashley, sister Carmen, and Bianca from Germany, (who is seeking the Lord for salvation) have all joined the brothers some at “Texas A&M!”

Lastly, we have been reaching various local venues for Christ with differing results. The fellows have preached outside Texas Ranger Stadium during the World Series (I believe that is partly why the Rangers made it into the World Series: so we could preach to the crowds). We have also preached at high-schools, a Mormon Temple, a Roman Catholic church, in bible studies, to neighbors, at IHOP, Panera Bread (one of which we’ve been asked to stop), at various jobs of church members, in Evangelistic meetings, at clubs and many more places. Did not the Lord’s last commission to the church state, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature?” (Mk.16:15) And did not the Lord by the hand of Paul command us to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine?” (2Tim.4:2).

Valiant for the Truth Video:

More Church Insight

Further, we have a “solemn assembly” every Sunday morning at around 11 o’clock (generally), where we plan to take communion every week in the future. Sean, Jake, myself, and occasionally William, preach the word for now. This will continue until the other brethren that are called to preach are older, and approved by God. We preach for sometimes hours, pray, sing, and rejoice with the saints. But, truly, we are convinced that the saints are the only persons biblically permitted in “official church meetings.” Verily, the world is not for the church and the church is not for the world. (Brother Sean has written a document on that very subject to be presented at another time). We are also convinced that church services (the assembling of God-saved, not self-saved Christians* to worship God) is not an end to Christianity, but a means to an end: being the church for the rest of the week!

Salvation is of the Lord

*God-saved, not self-saved Christians- Many people are quick to say, “I have received Jesus Christ as my Lord and only Savior,” but the question really is, “Has Jesus Christ received you?” Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44) It is also written, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” (Jn. 1:12-13) and, “it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. “(Jn. 9:16) And finally it is written, “He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.” (Ps.68:20) Brethren, Salvation is of the LORD! Have you tasted it?

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (Ps.34:8)

“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1Pet.2:1-3)

-A sermon explaining this very concept, namely, that “salvation if of the Lord:”

- Sovereign Mercy – A Rolfe Barnard Classic

We also make phone calls to different people we are burdened for around the country, such as Christians in need of exhortation. We are especially certain to call a number of “awakened sinners” that know they need to be saved, whom we also (by the grace of God) weep for in the prayer meetings. O, and praise the Lord, we have even seen a number of people (we believe) saved over the last couple of months through the Lord, in his sovereignty, using many of the members of this church to water and to plant; yet, the Lord surely gave the increase.

Sister Carmen and Bianca

Carmen

Further, we recently had a newly saved and dear sister from Germany named Carmen staying and rejoicing with us! This lady is a true blessing, whom we baptized with great gladness in the Spirit! Carmen was, like the rest of us, a falsely-professing and deceived Christian. God, in his mercy, opened her eyes to her lost estate, to the end that she is now really saved and would gladly tell anyone of “what great things God hath done for her!” Praise the Lord! Rolfe Barnard says, “if God can get you lost, he can surely get you saved.” But reader, have you been lost, or do you think you were “born saved out of the womb,” honestly? Why would Jesus die on the cross, suffering the wrath of Almighty God for someone that was never a hell-deserving sinner? Like Jesus said to the religious of his day, “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mtt.9:12-13)

Back to Carmen:

Though she is mightily saved, I must give some insight on her testimony. Before the Lord saved her, he took her through three months of sleepless nights, of terrors within and without, of feeling overwhelmingly crushed by the tremendous “burden of sin” on her back, and of persecution even before being saved. Yea, and truly even more! So, by the time she was really saved, she appreciated it to say the least. If you want to be saved my friend, I’d expect a cost too. Alongside Carmen, in the picture above, is Bianca. Bianca is a dear friend of Carmen and the “Church of Arlington.” She traveled here with Carmen, has recently been confronted with an awareness of her lost, unregenerate condition before God (which is the first and a necessary step to being saved), and is desperately (we believe) seeking God to be saved. O please pray for her!

- Below is a sermon about this principle that a man must be lost, before he can be saved.

-How God Gets Men Lost – A Rolfe Barnard Classic

Strive to Enter

Remember what Jesus said to the man that asked him, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” He replied, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Lk.13:25) So, simply put, if you haven’t done that, you couldn’t possibly be saved (according to this verse)! *So…repent and “strive to enter in at the strait gate” before it’s too late. Come to the light that your deeds may be reproved, and do it gladly. Quit covering your sins, but rather confess and forsake them. Rather, make yourself naked and vulnerable before the throne of an Holy God. Yea, throw down your filthy spotted garments of sin saying, unwaveringly, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me whole,” ( Mtt.8:2) if thou wilt, thou canst cover me in the perfect righteousness and blood of Jesus Christ! Saying to God, “I will rather go to hell crying for mercy, than to heaven justifying my own self with the fig-leaves of self righteousness!” Saying… “O God, If I perish, I perish, but here I come, send me, I will follow, I will fight, I will go!”

*Reader, I will tell you what I have learned when dealing the the Lord. I have learned that if you will get serious with God, he will get serious with you; In other words, I have learned if you are real with the Lord, he will be real with you. Whether in matters of salvation, post-salvation sanctification, or in other areas of need.

“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (Jn.3:20-21)

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Prov.28:13)

“And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.” (2Sam.15:21)

Tribute to the Sisters

“And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.” (Lk.8:1-2)

Before I leave this section about the “Church of Arlington,” I must give credit where due. We are so privileged to have a number of Jesus Christ loving, God-fearing, and sin-hating ladies in this assembly. These young women have, much like the women of the early church given themselves to “minister unto the church of their substance.” These God-fearing women, though young and very much persecuted, are still tending to do manifold irreplaceable things for the church, including: cooking, cleaning, praying with tears and melted hearts of godly sorrow, exercising mercy, modesty, encouragement toward the brethren, sharing the gospel online, on the streets, on the phone, they grocery shop for the men and each other, run errands, burn CDs, and they sing with beauty and gladness of heart. Some of them work professional jobs on top of these things, and they intercede! Honestly, what would we do without these beloved intercessors? Without these female soldiers of the cross? Further, they spread truth, they love the word of God, they stand up for Jesus, they are truly wonderful and we praise God for them, each one!

“Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses’ sister aided him; Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin? Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found; Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.” (Brethren, We Have Met to Worship)

Sister Ashley Williams, a new creature in Christ, tells of her recent reception of the gospel:

-If all this demonic activity spoken about in this testimony seems strange or unbiblical, please listen to this sermon for biblical reference of such things. The sermon is by Keith Daniel, it is hosted by sermonaudio.com, and it is titled:

-Our Adversary the Devil and His Angels! The Scriptures!

Tribute to the “Professionals”

Percentage-wise, this congregation has no shortage of evangelists and preachers, to say the least. In fact, we have at least five full-time preachers out of seven men, and out of fourteen persons overall! O truly, what a blessing for the preachers that “do the work of an evangelist” (2Tim.4:5) and minister in spiritual things! – especially in a world that is so terribly famished for the word of God: in its purity. But, we must not forget the “professionals” or those that “hold down the fort” financially for this church and “the Church of Jesus Christ everywhere”: to the end that the other brethren are able to pay the bills, and meet other monetary necessities, while preaching the gospel full-time. We have a number of people in this church that have “professional” jobs, and have truly “bent their backs” to feed, house, and cloth this church with its material needs (e.g. a teacher, a scientist, a barista, a cashier) These selfless brethren provide heavy financial support without, I might add, saying a word of complaint (that I have ever heard)! I praise the Lord for such men and women, and solemnly declare unto all them that support this church and “God’s people” in any way financially, “verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” (Mtt.10:42)

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Gal.6:9-10)

“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Heb.6:10)

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” (Mk. 12:41-44)

III. Sean, Jake and I: How are we Doing

An update regarding the three of us:

We were called on stage during a sermon preached by Keith Daniel, and he told us to preach for a very short while. Dear brother Keith has been used of God in measures which we cannot even understand, by God’s grace we are thankful to know him. The message can be downloaded by clicking the sermon title below:

-The Call of God to Preach and It’s Consequences – by Keith Daniel

Sean

How is our dear brother Sean Morris? Well, to say the least, brother Sean is (as usual) an extremely burdened man. If you met him on an average day you would find that he is hard at work on something. He is either hard at work on open-air preaching with the younger brothers in the church, hard at work on preparing a sermon or exhortation for a church meeting, or even preaching “out of season” (2 Tim.4:2) to the younger brothers in the church. He and the brothers have been making a number of open air preaching missions, and God is giving the increase!

Jake

Next, how is our dear brother Jake Gardner doing? I will go ahead and take liberty in answering that question, brother Jake is “truly doing great.” It is written in the prophesy of Isaiah, “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” (Is.51:2) Brother Jake was called by God, alone and single, “seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” (Matt.6:33) Yet, in the providence of the God whom Jake serves, his marital status has suddenly taken a change for the better! Brother Jake started out alone, and as the Lord blessed Abraham with the godly Sarah, so has the Lord blessed his servant Jake with a bride, the godly sister Hannah Gardner. I deem sister Hannah to be very much a spiritual daughter of Sarah! Brother Jake was married to his beloved Hannah Gardner on October 23, 2010 at a wedding that was “mightily owned of God.” I was Jake’s best man, and I tell you the truth, I was unable to keep dry eyes through some of the service as the power of God fell! I even heard that brother Sean was absolutely bawling and brother Jake’s mom was utterly broken before the beauty of this union owned of God. Yea as we discoursed she said something like, ‘It’s right, it’s right,’ and I assuredly agree with that assessment. Perhaps the most powerfully owned instances of the wedding were during both the vows (Which will be available for viewing below), the prayers of both their wonderful fathers, and the preaching before the service. It was truly a privilege to be a part of this wedding and I doubt not, that all the people there, who witnessed this godly marriage, went home edified, fed, and/or possibly convicted. Also, brother Sean preached a powerful “gospel message” at Jake’s wedding which was sealed by the Spirit of God. (This message should also be available below).

Jake and Hannah after their wedding ceremony with the “Wedding Party.”

Please watch the vows which are an accurate representation of the biblical mandate for marriage, something our world desperately needs to obey, thirdly, a brilliant image depicting Christ and the Church:

These two “soldiers of the cross” have since had a honeymoon and have been heading West toward Idaho with brother Shawn Holes and company in their respective motor-homes. They are probably somewhere around Arizona today. I asked Jake how he was doing around the time of his honeymoon and he told me in all seriousness, in the last three days I believe I have been filled with more joy than anyone in the world!…and I didn’t doubt it, praise the Lord! Truly, brother Jake is in a good place, but there is still a war going on and he is a marked man. Please pray for him and brother Shawn Holes as they are preaching around this perishing nation to countless perishing people. Are you perishing, have you been washed in the blood of the lamb, have you repented of “doing what’s right in your own eyes” and given it all up to the Lord Jesus Christ? Please answer God, and don’t leave this blog in your sins!

“Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” (Are you Washed in the Blood?)

-Recent sermons from brother Jake, Sean, and I can be downloaded from the links below:

1 A Bride Adorned For Her Husband Sean Morris | Jake & Hannah Gardner WeddingYMBBA Ministries Play! | SAT 10/23/2010 Wedding | 38 min 2 Seeking God Aright Jake Gardner YMBBA Ministries Play! | SUN 09/26/2010 Special Meeting | 64 min 3 The Way to Heaven: Are You On It? Ryan Ringnald | Why should you hear the gospelMatthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24 Play! | SUN 09/05/2010 Special Meeting | 74 min

Ryan

How am I doing? Verily, verily I can say unto the reader that my life, just as in the life of our dear brother Jake, has taken a drastic change for the better! I am currently one of, if not the most blessed men in the world! If you met me a year ago you would not have needed much time to figure out that I was dead set to be a eunuch for the Kingdom of God. I believed that I had (by the grace of God) “received the gift” to stay single (Mtt.19:12). However, since that time the Lord has shown me otherwise, and according to the will of him “who bought me with the price of his precious blood,” my course has taken a dramatic change for good! It is written, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” (Pro.16:9) This Scripture has been no more real to me than in regards to my relationship status: which I thought was sealed against marriage. Nevertheless, as of June this year the Lord, after having done a mighty work in me, brought my relationship status to the altar of his feet. He brought me to the place in which I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was to be married, yea, I was even desirous thereto. At this place I proceeded to cry out in desperation for an helpmeet, yea, for some assistance in serving in the “garden of God.” I knew I was supposed to be married after many undeniable proofs. Almost at the moment of my most fervent plea for help, I was given great consolation, and (around that time) I distinctly heard the Lord telling me, “and I have made for thee an helpmeet.”

Joy and Ryan in their four and a half week courtship.

The Voice of God

One might ask, “How did God speak?” I didn’t hear an audible voice, if you were wondering, but I sure did hear the voice of my God. Do you hear the voice of God leading, chastening, comforting, and impressing things upon your heart that are harmonious with the will of God? Is his word “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword” (Heb.4:12) in your life? Have “thine ears heard a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left?” (Is.30:21). Reader, have you never read the words of Jesus,“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28) Have you never sung the hymn, “He leadeth me, O blessèd thought! O words with heav’nly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be, Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me (He Leadeth Me). What about the proverb, “When thou goest, it (the word of God) shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.” (Pro.6:22) And finally, how about the blessed promise, and fierce warning of our mighty Redeemer, “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” (Pro.8:34-36)

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Ps.23:1-4)

Back to “Ryan”

Once the Lord revealed that he had made for me an helpmeet and brought me to a state of submission, I now needed to find out who this helpmeet was. I began to “seek the Lord with all my heart” and to “acknowledge him in all my ways that he might direct my steps.” (Prov.3:6) It didn’t take long until I knew of a surety who this “favour of the Lord” (Pr.18:22) was to be! It was the girl, whom I had been working hand-in-hand with for the last year in regards to the ministry! I had pointed seeking souls in her direction, constantly updated her on how to pray for me and the brethren, and even told people all over the country that she was arguably the godliest girl I knew! It was none other than the beautiful and godly Joy Courville!

“House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.” (Pro. 19:14)

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” (Pro. 18:22)

Knowing this to be the will of God, even before I had any feelings for Joy in a companionship type way or she to me, I submitted to “God as unto a faithful Creator!” (1Pet.4:19) I must not go into too much detail about all the barrage of confirmation the Lord then began to pour into my soul, and the souls of many saints, yea, the complete establishment that he gave on every side (ask me if you want to know). Nevertheless, I will tell you the summary. The Lord never spoke more clearly to me about anything in my life than that I was to marry “the lovely Joy Courville!”

It was not long after knowing this, that the Lord sent Joy down to Texas. Within a short time, just being around her, my heart was utterly melted in love (In a righteous way of course)! God says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” (Prov.21:1) Most assuredly the Lord did just that, and I have been overcome with a love for this godly girl ever since. I learned, and so must we all to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you,” (Mtt.6:33) even in regards to marriage! We need only to seek his will, submit to his way, and get out of the way: He will do the rest.

That was months ago, and the wonder of the story is that the Lord was giving sister Joy almost proportionate confirmation about me, even asking her “if Ryan asks you to marry him, will you surrender to say yes?” O, how I praise the Lord for his faithfulness and supervision in the lives of his saints! From that point on I prayed that the Lord would send his angel before me and prosper me in his way. Truly, the Lord can do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” (Eph.3:20) if we will wait on him.

“And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house.” (Gen. 24:40)

Just over eight weeks ago I went and talked to Joy’s father, and got the seal of approval for us to begin courting. I praise the Lord, not only had the Lord prepared my heart to marry this most wonderful of women, but he had prepared her heart as well, completely separate from and unknown to me (other then certain hints from other people). Well, we began courting and I continued waiting on the Lord about the engagement until the day of Jake’s wedding. Then, when feeling led of the Lord, and having received permission from her parents to ask Joy’s hand in marriage, I dropped on my knee and asked her to marry me! She said, “yes”! (ask me if you want to know more) and “the wonderful Joy Courville” and I are now intending (A short engagement*) to marry on December 5, 2010. Please pray for us! After that we intend to move down to Texas and continue serving the Lord in the context of the “Church of Arlington” and wherever else the Lord leads. Again, please pray for us!

*“And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.” (Gen. 24:55-58)

Sincerely and for the glory of Jesus Christ,

Ryan Ringnald (And my wonderful editors)