Happy Reformation Day!

With a humble and grateful heart, I give thanks to God for the men and women who were tortured, humiliated, and murdered in order to break away from Rome and her ugly abominations in order to reform or restore both God and His Word to undeserving sinners who were and are justified by grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone, by the Scriptures alone, and for the glory of God alone!

The Evil of Antinomianism

Charles Spurgeon on Antinomianism:

From his autobiography, vol. 1, "The Early Years" (Banner of Truth) pgs. 224, 225.

"...From my very soul, I detest everything that in the least savors of the antinomianism which leads people to preach about being secure in Christ while they are living in sin. 

We cannot be saved by or for our good works, neither can we be saved without good works. Christ never will save any of his people in their sins: He save His people from their sins. If a man is not desiring to live a holy life in the sight of God, with the help of the Holy Spirit, he is still 'in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.'"

"... The idea of 'saving faith' apart from good works, is ridiculous. The saved man is not a perfect man, but his heart's desire is to become perfect, he is always panting after perfection, and the day will come when he will be perfected..."

"One of the first evidences that anyone is a child of God is that he hates sin with the perfect hatred, and seeks to live a holy, Christlike life."

Heaven: Our Heart and Our Home (Part 7)

SERMON GMT15-033

SERIES: Topical Messages: Heaven

SETTING: North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE: Sunday AM (October 25, 2015)

SUBTITLE: Heaven: Our Heart &; Our Home

SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures

SUBJECT: perspective for heaven

SUMMARY: Having a proper perspective of heaven governs your daily living

SCHEME: To exhort genuine believers to live in light of their hope of heaven
_____________________________________________________________

Decisions do not Save

Playing Catch Up!

Last week services were cancelled at the last moment at the North Kelso Baptist Church due to that awful flu that is going around. In a small church it is easy to put a good portion if not all of the congregation out of action due to sickness.

The message delivered today will that which was scheduled to be delivered last Sunday. So, if you have not done so already, read the message from last week (Oct 11th) by scrolling down to it.

We are winding down our short series on Heaven as we continue to take a break from our in depth study of Romans. 

Reversal of Decision

Many times in my life I have made a fool of myself and have completely embarrassed myself. And realizing that I am only 60 years old, I will probably once again make a fool of myself and embarrass myself.

Here I go again...

I have decided to reverse my decision about retiring the Gospel-driven Disciples Blog. The feed back was overwhelming. After much thought I can have a greater impact (at least eternally) with this blog and its mission statement than I can have with a blog just "popping off" with my opinion, which has no eternal value or benefit.

So, I have renewed my commitment to this blog and its format. I hope you will continue to follow, read, comment, and pray for this blog. I desire to have an impact on each reader for your good and God's glory.

It may not be everyday but I will continue to attempt to edify, encourage, expose, expand, and to exalt our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your past faithfulness, kindness, and comments. I look forward to serving each and every one of you. May God bless you!

Food for Thought

Good-by Gospel-driven Disciples

It is with much sadness and relief that I announce the closing of The Gospel-driven Disciples. Other duties have taken over the time and energy that I have dedicated to this blog over the last six years.

I have loved this blog and I have loved each one of you. Thank you for following, reading, and commenting on this blog. Your impact in and on my life cannot be measured nor calculated. This has been a great experience for me. From that very first akward post through today I have loved every minute.

I have tried my best to put out a first class product with your good and God's glory as my motivation. I have taken no cheap shots, wrote over 2,000 posts, and worked hard to be both beneficial and vital. I tried my best to fulfill the five (5) purposes for this blog.

I will not rule out the possibility that now and then I might put up a post. After all the blog is retiring not dieing. 

I am going to use the blog "North Kelso Baptist Church Blog "at northkelsobc.blogspot.com" on a regular basis. This blog will take the place of Gospel-driven Disciples. I will post my Sunday Sermons there and will still attempt to be faithful to my five (5) reasons for blogging. So, please put this blog in your blog roll and please follow this blog. Much of the material from the Gospel-driven Disciples and same biblical exposition will now be on the North Kelso Baptist Church Blog.

Now, I want to try my hand at free-lancing. So, I take great pleasure in announcing the birth of a new blog - "Just Sayin'..." Add my new blog to your blog roll and visit my new blog, Please remember to follow and comment often.

Happy Columbus Day!

Happy Columbus Day to All!

Seven things we would not have without Columbus Day:

1.  Columbus Ohio and Columbus Georgia would have no names.

2.  The Cleveland Indians would still be looking for an identity.

3.  The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria song would not have been written.

4.  The Banks and Post Office would be open for business.

5.  Little children wouldn't sing, "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue."

6.  The District of Columbus would not exist. (That would be a good thing)

7.  There would be no celebrations of parades, parties, and good times

Heaven: Our Heart and Our Home (Part 6)

SERMON GMT15-032

SERIES: Topical Messages: Heaven

SETTING: North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE: Sunday AM (October 11, 2015)

SUBTITLE: Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home

SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures

SUBJECT: The program in Heaven

SUMMARY: Believers will be active in heaven

SCHEME: To prove that believers will be actively engaged in activity rather than sitting around on a cloud.
_____________________________________________________________

Stand by for an important announcement

Stand by for an important announcement that will be released in Tuesday's Post! You will not want to miss this very important public service announcement. Set your dial to this blog and tune in this coming Tuesday, October 13th, 2015.

What Should Be Our Utmost Concern?

I read this quote today on FaceBook from a friend of mine:

After reading R.A. Torrey's book on "Personal Work"; I am reminded that the souls of people are what needs to concern us the most. In Proverbs we read: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise." Have a great day in the Lord. Pastor Everett.

You know me, I am going to think through and analyze a quote like this. And I did. Here is what I think:

After reading, Jesus of Nazareth book, the Bible; I am reminded that the glory of God is what needs to concern us the most.

Rev 4:11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Re 5:13 -   And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

I think that all other things will be the automatic by-product of the one who is seeking and working to give God the glory in all things including the souls of people.

Mind you I am not trying to denigrate my friend or his philosophy, I just like to get it straight. God is all about His glory. Everything He does including the redeeming of sinners is for His glory. I think we mis-lead people when we say that anything other than the utmost glory to God is the most important concern for us.

Happy National Poetry Day

Apparently today is National Poetry Day. Don't feel bad, I didn't know either until I read my friends blog. So, in honor of today, here are two or three samples of my poetry. Hope you enjoy! Please leave a comment, would love to hear what you think. Thanks!

Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home (Part 5)

SERMON GMT15-031

SERIES: Topical Messages: Heaven

SETTING: North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE: Sunday AM (October 4, 2015)

SUBTITLE: Heaven: Our Heart & Our Home

SCRIPTURE: Selected Scriptures

SUBJECT: The perfection of Heaven

SUMMARY: Heaven is comprised of absolute perfection

SCHEME: To prove that heaven provides absolute perfection.
_____________________________________________________________

There They Go Again....

Once again I am floored by the lack of confidence and poor attitude that some people have toward the Bible. I just find it so irritating and mind-boggling that a so called believer would even make such a statement. Don't people who consider themselves to be believers actually think before they speak?

I was reading the so called "apology" of Mark Driscoll to charismatic false teachers and also to Joel Osteen. The interviewer, Brian Houston gave Driscoll the opportunity to share his feelings on "name calling" particular people for differing views or practices.

Of course Driscoll uses the video-op for a platform to show he is rehabilitated. He offers statements of his humbling and humility. He speaks of now knowing it was wrong to call out various people. Then he makes the statement that just set me on edge. It is such a celebrated statement that most people never take the time to analyze it and see just how ludicrous it really is.

Driscoll purports that he realizes he no longer has the right to call out people regarding false or incorrect doctrine or practices because, "after all, he doesn't have all of the truth either." Of course I do believe he wants to get across that he doesn't know it all either so what right does he have to condemn or criticize someone else.

You say, what is so wrong with that statement or sentiment? Well, forgoing all of the references, imperatives, warnings, and exhortation to hold to sound doctrine and expose those who hold to false doctrine, it denies the absolute sufficiency of scripture.

Driscoll may believe he does not have all the truth, but I do. I have all the truth that God deemed fit for me to have. Recognizing that only the original manuscripts were inspired and without error, I have all the truth that God deems I need. My problem is that I don't understand all of the truth that I have. I must apply myself diligently to correctly interpret, understand, and apply the truth that God has given us. This I am working on as we speak. But to say we don't have all of the truth, or at least all of the truth that God determined to give us, speaks against the scriptures.

I will grant you the fact that Driscoll probably did not mean to denigrate the scriptures. I would like to think he does think that they are fully adequate, complete, and sufficient. I just wish he would either think about what he says or simply not say anything.

Each Time I Had to Call

Each Time I Had to Call

Gregg Metcalf

A couple of girls came up to me

In the Dollar Store parking lot

I knew what they wanted before

They asked, they wanted a five spot

I told them the truth that out late at night

I didn’t carry a wallet, nor a single dime

I couldn’t help them so they moved along

But that made me think of another time

I remember when times were hard and low

We didn’t have a single dime to our name

No food in the fridge and no gas in the tank

Even thought we might be put out in the rain

I cried to the Lord and asked what was up

Here I am doing what you want I thought

I was scared thinking I’ve made a mistake

Surely it wouldn’t be that God had forgot

With a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes

I fell to my knees and began to make my plea

I reminded the Lord about all of our troubles

I ask him please, Lord could you remember me

How foolish I must have sounded to our Lord

Like some little child who had lost his way

How easy it is to forget just who He really is

It’s too easy to complain than it is to pray

It has been nearly 40 years since I lived those times

I’ve been to a lot of places and done many a thing

I’ve never gone hungry, nor had to live on the street

Never missed what I needed while serving the King

God has been so good I can’t count every blessing

And I can’t describe living this amazing grace

Undeserved, unmerited, never rating these gifts

Behind the dark clouds was always His smiling face

So Lord let me take just a few lines to tell

How much I love you and I’ve appreciated it all

I wouldn’t trade a single trial or one of those days

Thank you for being there each time I had to call