The old ways have or are fast disappearing. I remember going to my grandmother’s house as a young child and watching the way that she and my grandfather lived. They lived simply, and though they had running water in the house, they still had a well that they could draw water from. I remember looking down into the well and thinking of how deep it looked.
She had four buildings out behind her house. One kept all of the canning she had done over the years, pears, green beans, peas, other things. The middle building was the smoke house, and though I never saw that in action, I would go inside and imagine the stove inside going and smoke seeping out from around the eaves. She also had a wash house, where the bath tub and her ring style washer were. There was not hot water to bathe in, and she had to heat every drop of hot water on a pot bellied stove inside the wash house. The final house was the smallest of these small out buildings, and it sat out behind the others. She called it her prayer house, and that’s what she did.
I promise you this. . . . I have watched my own mom can some tomatoes, can some green beans, and I have even smoked a little meat, but I am sure that I could not do any of it to preserve beyond a day or two. The Foxfire books are full of mountain knowledge, and they taught us how to make lye soap.
We laughed at the books. . . titles I had never heard of, teaching things that I had only read vaguely about, yet it would be in those pages that so many years of self reliance and wisdom rested. Not only did those pages contain the way to survive, but if you would listen to what they were saying, you could do more than that. . .you could thrive in a hostile environment.
She had four buildings out behind her house. One kept all of the canning she had done over the years, pears, green beans, peas, other things. The middle building was the smoke house, and though I never saw that in action, I would go inside and imagine the stove inside going and smoke seeping out from around the eaves. She also had a wash house, where the bath tub and her ring style washer were. There was not hot water to bathe in, and she had to heat every drop of hot water on a pot bellied stove inside the wash house. The final house was the smallest of these small out buildings, and it sat out behind the others. She called it her prayer house, and that’s what she did.
I promise you this. . . . I have watched my own mom can some tomatoes, can some green beans, and I have even smoked a little meat, but I am sure that I could not do any of it to preserve beyond a day or two. The Foxfire books are full of mountain knowledge, and they taught us how to make lye soap.
We laughed at the books. . . titles I had never heard of, teaching things that I had only read vaguely about, yet it would be in those pages that so many years of self reliance and wisdom rested. Not only did those pages contain the way to survive, but if you would listen to what they were saying, you could do more than that. . .you could thrive in a hostile environment.
There inside those pages, described in such vivid, homespun wisdom, was the way to make soap, to dig a well, to build a house, to plant a crop. . . ultimately to live a life in struggle, but not just struggle, but also to love life to its best. We live in a hostile world. There are constant battles in our lives. Paul was living in a jail, probably on the brink of death some of the time, and there he wanted, not food, not a palace, not a soft bed, but he wanted a cloke. . . some books and his parchments.
The Value of a Book
Paul had left some things behind on his journey. Perhaps it was by mistake, or more probably, had left things behind as a safeguard against theft. While he sat in the prison waiting on what was coming his way, he became acutely aware of his need for some of the things he had left behind. It was the common practice of the day to take whatever the prisoner had in his possession away from him.
So if the reason for leaving them was fear of theft, or simply for ease of quick travel, he knew that there were some things he had left behind that he needed now.
I’m not sure if Paul understood that his writings were going to be included into the volume of scripture, but he was adamant about them coming to him. There is something about the power of the written word. I realize every day that there are false hoods that are printed, yet it seems as if it is printed, it carries greater weight. But I stand here with a book in my hand tonight that is not
· a fable devised by some old men to justify an existence
· a wildly written lie, sprinkled liberally with the quotes of a few madmen
· a periodical that simply reports in passing the acts of another day.
· an email from those who call themselves authorities
· a historical novel written over time
· bestseller that can be read and thrown away
· a classic that can’t be repeated
· a book that can be critiqued
Ladies and gentle men, I stand before you with
· the Truth
· The Living Word
· The Sword
· a book that has withstood the onslaught of evil rulers trying to stamp it out
· the book that scientist have tried to disprove, yet in all of there disproving have in fact reasserted the truth of Scripture
· It is the great Moral work of all time
· It is the greatest book of both literature in the world
· It is the guide of history
· It is the only book that can claim to be alive
· While there are those who will oppose it, none can stand against it
· It is the book that God himself has exalted above His own name.
· It holds the distinction of being a classic and still is current.
· It all hinges on the first words printed in the first division of its pages. . . In the Beginning GOD
· and it will end exactly as it does in the final page, Surely I come quickly.
Paul had left some books that he wanted, needed now. The Bible is the book that should be the most central book in our lives. Out of it flow the words of life. It is a book that directs us to glory.
It’s story is really his story. . .the story of love so great that He laid down his life for us.
He hasn’t hid from us the things that we should do. . . it’s a test that we have the complete answer key to. Integrating the Word into our daily lives is essential to our spiritual health. Just a few verses earlier, Paul commanded Timothy this
II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I want to be approved by God. That’s one of the reasons we gather here on Wednesday nights, to get understanding. When we begin to understand the power and promise of His word in our lives, something almost electric happens in our spirits. . . the quickening of His Spirit in our lives.
David had understanding when He said
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
There is saving power in the word. It will keep you from sinning. There is great strength in the word. There is even a promise just by reading the book of Revelation, you will receive a blessing.
This is the greatest book ever written. There will never be another book that even comes close to the words that are contained in the pages of his word.
Ultimately, and sadly, most who own them will not read them. It mildly steams me that those same people will assert their superiority over it, and yet somehow, excuse themselves from the portions of it that they find hard.
When What Is Written Is Written By Me
We live in a time where the Bible is lessening in the impact it has in the lives of the world. That is the most obvious, the most oversimplified thing that I have or will say tonight. It is read less and less, and its directions and principles are applied with less frequency than in any other time in this world.
It would be the words of Paul that illustrate for us well:
II Timothy 3:2‑4 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
There’s something about reading the word of God that will cause change to come into your life. There is a powerful spirit of conviction that reaches out to those areas of your life that do not measure up. You simply cannot read it and not be touched by it. In the last days there are going to be those that are going to obey there own lust.
Since God knew that there was coming a day when the Bible would not be read as it should, he put in place a way for those who refuse to read it to be faced with it every day.
· There is a reason that you may be singled out among the crowd. . .
· There is a reason why they come to you in the midst of struggles of life
· there is a reason they rely on you for spiritual advice, even if they don’t take it
· there is a reason that they want your approval on things that they know that they shouldn’t do.
· There is a reason that you will occasionally feel the backlash of public opinion
God placed in us the Word. He has written His book into our lives. That’s why we feel the power of His word in our lives. That’s why we have the privileges of living this life. Paul put it this was in II Corinthians.
II Corinthians 3:2‑3 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
You have the word written in your life. That’s where we can find warmth in the midst of the cold nights of our lives. The storm may be brewing, the blizzard may be bearing down. But there is a fire that burns in our souls. We must rediscover the power of His Words.
There’s something that will stir up a cold bed of coals when you read those passages of scripture. But we must be diligent about scripture. Only twice did God actually write down with his own hand any words. Both times they were either destroyed or the winds of time blew them away. The only thing that he wrote and is eternal, is what He has written on the inside.
One of the most incredible things about God is this: He left His Word in the hands of the people, and left no other option besides you to present Himself to the World. . . there is not a back up plan. You are His Church.
One of the most incredible things about God is this: He left His Word in the hands of the people, and left no other option besides you to present Himself to the World. . . there is not a back up plan. You are His Church.
What I am saying is this. . . the only Word that most people will ever read is you. You are the only chance that some will have to see and read the Gospel. They will see your life and know that there is something more than just a label of Christianity.
Let the word live in you. . . it’ll bring warmth to a winter.
Especially the Parchments. . . . There’s Fire in Some Things
Paul oddly enough made a distinction in the way the He referred to the things he was asking for. It was the cloke I left at Troas, and “the books.” But when He referred to the parchments, He didn’t just call them the parchments, He said especially the parchments. . . . . if you can’t bring the other stuff I asked for make sure that you bring the parchments. The books, i may not have written, but these parchments are the things have written are personal. They are the crux of what I really want.
Of all the things that Paul wanted those parchments. . . there must have been things that Paul had decided to write down for future reference. . . He was needing those things to help him keep warm in the winter.
I wonder if it was those passages like
· I Timothy 1:15‑16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, . . .
· II Timothy 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
· II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
· II Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Those parchments held some warmth for Paul on a cold winter’s day in prison. The warmth of knowing God had came to the world to save sinners from their sins is beyond measuring. The mercy is there. But not just sinners, but this sinner. This gospel wasn’t made to simply exist in a vacuum, that it only applies in the vague sense of theory. What this book does is personal.
When you stood that day at an altar that is truly your own, and God poured out his spirit on you. It means that if I am in need, He is an ever present help in time of trouble. There was warmth in the old pages of the parchments. In this day and age of email and voice messages, there is something about receiving a hand written letter that brings with it a warmth that a cold screen never will.
There is something that we need to discover about the word of God. The epistles were simply that, hand written letters that would certainly have brought a warmth along with them. God has placed in your life those letters so that you become epistles known and read of all men. . . . you provide warmth to a cold and dying world.
That’s why you find yourself so attached to special passages in the Bible. . . .those scriptures have become your parchments so to speak. . . . so when winter comes you’ll tell others bring my parchments.
While others may run for horses and kings, we cling to the fire that was started so many years ago. The book of Acts doesn’t end with a word of ending. . . It is open ended. When the parchments of your life are opened you find yourself reading again of the magnificent things that God has done for you.
· I like reading about the marvelous things that were done by the hand of God in Scripture, but I like it better when it happens here.
· I like it when we hear of healings that we prayed for
· I like it when victory comes here
· I really like it when there are people are filled with the Holy Ghost in this church.
We are headed in the right direction. . . let’s not side track ourselves. Let’s make yet another entry into the parchments. . . the books may have already been written, but I believe that there is a parchment that we are writing here, for warmth in winter.
The Value of a Book
Paul had left some things behind on his journey. Perhaps it was by mistake, or more probably, had left things behind as a safeguard against theft. While he sat in the prison waiting on what was coming his way, he became acutely aware of his need for some of the things he had left behind. It was the common practice of the day to take whatever the prisoner had in his possession away from him.
So if the reason for leaving them was fear of theft, or simply for ease of quick travel, he knew that there were some things he had left behind that he needed now.
I’m not sure if Paul understood that his writings were going to be included into the volume of scripture, but he was adamant about them coming to him. There is something about the power of the written word. I realize every day that there are false hoods that are printed, yet it seems as if it is printed, it carries greater weight. But I stand here with a book in my hand tonight that is not
· a fable devised by some old men to justify an existence
· a wildly written lie, sprinkled liberally with the quotes of a few madmen
· a periodical that simply reports in passing the acts of another day.
· an email from those who call themselves authorities
· a historical novel written over time
· bestseller that can be read and thrown away
· a classic that can’t be repeated
· a book that can be critiqued
Ladies and gentle men, I stand before you with
· the Truth
· The Living Word
· The Sword
· a book that has withstood the onslaught of evil rulers trying to stamp it out
· the book that scientist have tried to disprove, yet in all of there disproving have in fact reasserted the truth of Scripture
· It is the great Moral work of all time
· It is the greatest book of both literature in the world
· It is the guide of history
· It is the only book that can claim to be alive
· While there are those who will oppose it, none can stand against it
· It is the book that God himself has exalted above His own name.
· It holds the distinction of being a classic and still is current.
· It all hinges on the first words printed in the first division of its pages. . . In the Beginning GOD
· and it will end exactly as it does in the final page, Surely I come quickly.
Paul had left some books that he wanted, needed now. The Bible is the book that should be the most central book in our lives. Out of it flow the words of life. It is a book that directs us to glory.
It’s story is really his story. . .the story of love so great that He laid down his life for us.
He hasn’t hid from us the things that we should do. . . it’s a test that we have the complete answer key to. Integrating the Word into our daily lives is essential to our spiritual health. Just a few verses earlier, Paul commanded Timothy this
II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I want to be approved by God. That’s one of the reasons we gather here on Wednesday nights, to get understanding. When we begin to understand the power and promise of His word in our lives, something almost electric happens in our spirits. . . the quickening of His Spirit in our lives.
David had understanding when He said
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
There is saving power in the word. It will keep you from sinning. There is great strength in the word. There is even a promise just by reading the book of Revelation, you will receive a blessing.
This is the greatest book ever written. There will never be another book that even comes close to the words that are contained in the pages of his word.
Ultimately, and sadly, most who own them will not read them. It mildly steams me that those same people will assert their superiority over it, and yet somehow, excuse themselves from the portions of it that they find hard.
When What Is Written Is Written By Me
We live in a time where the Bible is lessening in the impact it has in the lives of the world. That is the most obvious, the most oversimplified thing that I have or will say tonight. It is read less and less, and its directions and principles are applied with less frequency than in any other time in this world.
It would be the words of Paul that illustrate for us well:
II Timothy 3:2‑4 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
There’s something about reading the word of God that will cause change to come into your life. There is a powerful spirit of conviction that reaches out to those areas of your life that do not measure up. You simply cannot read it and not be touched by it. In the last days there are going to be those that are going to obey there own lust.
Since God knew that there was coming a day when the Bible would not be read as it should, he put in place a way for those who refuse to read it to be faced with it every day.
· There is a reason that you may be singled out among the crowd. . .
· There is a reason why they come to you in the midst of struggles of life
· there is a reason they rely on you for spiritual advice, even if they don’t take it
· there is a reason that they want your approval on things that they know that they shouldn’t do.
· There is a reason that you will occasionally feel the backlash of public opinion
God placed in us the Word. He has written His book into our lives. That’s why we feel the power of His word in our lives. That’s why we have the privileges of living this life. Paul put it this was in II Corinthians.
II Corinthians 3:2‑3 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
You have the word written in your life. That’s where we can find warmth in the midst of the cold nights of our lives. The storm may be brewing, the blizzard may be bearing down. But there is a fire that burns in our souls. We must rediscover the power of His Words.
There’s something that will stir up a cold bed of coals when you read those passages of scripture. But we must be diligent about scripture. Only twice did God actually write down with his own hand any words. Both times they were either destroyed or the winds of time blew them away. The only thing that he wrote and is eternal, is what He has written on the inside.
One of the most incredible things about God is this: He left His Word in the hands of the people, and left no other option besides you to present Himself to the World. . . there is not a back up plan. You are His Church.
One of the most incredible things about God is this: He left His Word in the hands of the people, and left no other option besides you to present Himself to the World. . . there is not a back up plan. You are His Church.
What I am saying is this. . . the only Word that most people will ever read is you. You are the only chance that some will have to see and read the Gospel. They will see your life and know that there is something more than just a label of Christianity.
Let the word live in you. . . it’ll bring warmth to a winter.
Especially the Parchments. . . . There’s Fire in Some Things
Paul oddly enough made a distinction in the way the He referred to the things he was asking for. It was the cloke I left at Troas, and “the books.” But when He referred to the parchments, He didn’t just call them the parchments, He said especially the parchments. . . . . if you can’t bring the other stuff I asked for make sure that you bring the parchments. The books, i may not have written, but these parchments are the things have written are personal. They are the crux of what I really want.
Of all the things that Paul wanted those parchments. . . there must have been things that Paul had decided to write down for future reference. . . He was needing those things to help him keep warm in the winter.
I wonder if it was those passages like
· I Timothy 1:15‑16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, . . .
· II Timothy 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
· II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
· II Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
Those parchments held some warmth for Paul on a cold winter’s day in prison. The warmth of knowing God had came to the world to save sinners from their sins is beyond measuring. The mercy is there. But not just sinners, but this sinner. This gospel wasn’t made to simply exist in a vacuum, that it only applies in the vague sense of theory. What this book does is personal.
When you stood that day at an altar that is truly your own, and God poured out his spirit on you. It means that if I am in need, He is an ever present help in time of trouble. There was warmth in the old pages of the parchments. In this day and age of email and voice messages, there is something about receiving a hand written letter that brings with it a warmth that a cold screen never will.
There is something that we need to discover about the word of God. The epistles were simply that, hand written letters that would certainly have brought a warmth along with them. God has placed in your life those letters so that you become epistles known and read of all men. . . . you provide warmth to a cold and dying world.
That’s why you find yourself so attached to special passages in the Bible. . . .those scriptures have become your parchments so to speak. . . . so when winter comes you’ll tell others bring my parchments.
While others may run for horses and kings, we cling to the fire that was started so many years ago. The book of Acts doesn’t end with a word of ending. . . It is open ended. When the parchments of your life are opened you find yourself reading again of the magnificent things that God has done for you.
· I like reading about the marvelous things that were done by the hand of God in Scripture, but I like it better when it happens here.
· I like it when we hear of healings that we prayed for
· I like it when victory comes here
· I really like it when there are people are filled with the Holy Ghost in this church.
We are headed in the right direction. . . let’s not side track ourselves. Let’s make yet another entry into the parchments. . . the books may have already been written, but I believe that there is a parchment that we are writing here, for warmth in winter.
From the perspective of a young man. . . I realize that I haven’t lived nearly as long as some of you, and do not have the wisdom that comes of simply living through things, yet from this perspective I watch and learn. It seems to me that we all, being young or being old, want to leave a mark on the world in which we live.
I happen to believe that our lives, regardless if they are published and read of all men, are constantly being recorded and placed in lives of those around us that we come into contact with. When Paul asks for these books, it is my firm belief that it was not those books that perhaps had been published about him, by him, but those books that had become so ingrained into the character of Paul’s life that he was able to call them his own.
I want to be able to call this BOOK my book, because it’s very character has to become my character. I want to truly call this MY BIBLE, and not just mean the black leather Thompson Chain, but that the words there have been hidden in my heart.
I couldn’t can anything here tonight and have any reasonable expectation that it would last beyond tomorrow. I couldn’t smoke meat and expect it to last beyond the dying embers of the fire that smoked it. It is the final place that my granny would go that I had better never ever forget.
On the inside of the prayer house, that tiny place that you could probably stretch out and touch both side with you hands, my granny would stencil in the dates that were in important . . . .The day that she was filled with the Holy Ghost and baptized in Jesus’ name. The day that my aunts and my uncle and dad received the Holy Ghost and were baptized. Ahh she had scripture there on the walls. . . it seems that my granny had her parchments written on the walls of that little place.
She knew how to gather warmth on a cold winter. Shall we gather around that same fire?
2 comments:
I remember this sermon. I remember sitting and listening to this very sermon. I am thankful for the times I was there to hear you preach. I can still hear your voice in my head as I climb this moutain called life. Thank you!
Thank you for the kindness....but I taught this some time ago, and am wondering who would have remembered it....
Who might you be?
Mark
Post a Comment