I'll Be Honest

Paul speaks about not being anxious but instead having God's peace guard your heart and mind. Do you bring your cares and concerns to Christ and not pick them up again and worry about them, but leave them to the Lord Jesus?

Finding it impossible, on account of the number, to have much conversation with each individual at the inquiry meeting, I at one time abandoned the practice of conversation for a few weeks, and addressed them all together. I found this was unacceptable, and concluded, therefore, to return to the former custom.

It was on one of those evenings, when about seventy persons were present, and I was passing rapidly from one to another, that I came to an individual who had never been there before. Said I: “What is the state of your feelings on the subject of your salvation?”

“I feel,” said he, “that I have a very wicked heart.”

“It is a great deal more wicked than you think it,” said I; and immediately left him, and addressed myself to the next person.

I thought no more of it till a few days afterwards, when he came to me with a new song in his mouth. He had found peace with God, as he thought, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Said he: “I want to tell you how much good you did me. When I told you that I had a very wicked heart, and you answered that it was a great deal more wicked than I thought, and then said nothing more to me, I thought it a most cruel thing. I expected something different. I thought you would say more, and my soul was wonderfully cast down.

I did not believe you. I was angry at your treatment. I thought you did not care whether I was ever saved or not; and I did not believe you knew anything about my feelings. But the words rung in my ears, `A great deal more wicked than you think.` I could not get rid of them. They were in my mind the last thing when I went to sleep, and the first when I woke. And then I would be vexed at you for not saying something else. But that was the thing which drove me to Christ. I now know it was just what I needed. I thought, when I went to that meeting, my convictions were very deep. But I have found out they were very slight. You hit my case exactly. If you had talked to me, my burden would have been diminished. But you fastened one idea on my mind. You drove the arrow deeper, when I expected you to do just the contrary; and I could find no relief till I gave up all into the hands of Christ. I know you read my heart exactly.”

After some few minutes conversation with him, he said to me, “I want to ask you a question. I have been thinking of it a great deal, and I cannot conceive how you know what to say to each one, where there are so many. We have been talking about it some of us, and we cannot understand how it is that you can know our thoughts and feelings when nobody has told you. How can you know what to say to one after another, when there are so many, and some of them you have never seen before, and they say so little to you?”

“I have only one rule on that subject,” said I. “I aim to conspire with the Holy Spirit. If I perceive any one truth has impressed the mind, I aim to make its impression deeper; because the Holy Spirit has already made that impression, and I would not diminish it by leading the mind off to something else. If I perceive any error in the individual`s mind, I aim to remove it; for I know that the error is of sin, and not of the Holy Spirit.”

“But,” said he, “our impressions are so different.”

“No matter. They are of the Holy Spirit if truth has made them; and he can choose the kind of truth which is appropriate to any sinner, better than I can. I just aim to conspire with the Holy Spirit.”

Said he, “I am confident if you had said much to me, or anything, to turn my mind away from that one thing, it would have done me hurt. You have no idea how much you increased my trouble that night. I somehow wanted you to lighten my burden – you made it heavier. Then I was soon led to see that none but God could help me. I had partly begun to think my heart was improving. I found out the contrary and turned to God in despair. He gave me peace, through Jesus Christ.”

There are only two religions in this world, only two, a religion of bondage and a religion of freedom, true freedom, absolute freedom. You have either the way of Cain, a way built upon self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and self-accomplishment. And then there's Sarah, the way of Abel. It's a way of faith, a way of complete abandonment, of self, and complete reliance upon the God who made me and his provision for my soul, Christ. - Craig Mussulman

In chapter 9 Amos' prophesies shift from speaking of judgment to speaking about a movement of God and about ruins being rebuilt. What is he speaking about and who does this apply to? Is Amos speaking of an abundant ingathering of souls? And if so, when is that harvest and revival?

0:00 - Do the prophets focus too much on judgment?
4:00 - Amos 9.11, we have a shift from judgment.
13:02 - Is this message consistent with the New Testament?
14:54 - "In that day"? When is this?
19:55 - Does the New Testament quote this? Acts 15.
27:02 - James is saying that what they were seeing was what Amos prophesied would happen.
34:20 - Amos is making a promise that there is a connection between the House of David and us Gentiles (non-Jews).
45:40 - If this belongs to us, then where is the harvest?
50:52 - A flow of God-given blessing? Is this "grape" country?
1:02:10 - What does he mean that ruins will be rebuilt?
1:05:06 - Do you think this is really saying that God will plant the Jews in Palestine forever?
1:08:07 - There is a harvest coming.
1:16:05 - Closing prayer.

0:00 - Meet the prophet, Amos.
4:40 - Amos gives us nine chapters which the majority of is judgment.
10:45 - Do you recognize the holiness of God and the awfulness of our sin?
12:13 - What is the "day of the Lord"?
19:16 - Did the judgment come upon Israel's enemies or upon them?
24:36 - What characterized Israel? Are you religious?
31:00 - What does the Lord keep denoucning and calling out in regards to Israel? They show no mercy.
33:55 - Israel wanted the day of the Lord to come, thinking God would wipe out the pagan nations, but rather the Lord's issue was with them and their lack of showing mercy. There is no true seeking after God that is not at the same time seeking to shower mercy.
42:58 - When asked if you are a true believer, do you ever ask: Do I show mercy? Do I love people?
47:00 - If you say you love God and hate your brother then you are a liar.
53:49 - James Boice quote on procrastination.
55:23 - The last chapter of Amos shifts its focus.
1:01:00 - Closing prayer.

The total teaching and practice asserted by the movement is restricted to that particular sphere to which it addresses itself. For that reason, such movements can be a mixed blessing. They can be a great help to us if we will give heed to the truth to which it draws our attention, repent of our error and add its light and life to that which we are already walking in. But if we drop everything we already have, discard out of our treasure all things old, and grab only what is new, we will be greatly the loser. Consequently, movements always have great casualties along with great blessings. - Conrad Murrell, 1981

If your life is in heaven with Christ but your mind is here on earth, it should be no surprise if your spiritual life begins to wither and decay. If you're becoming entangled by the things on earth, one look at the glory of Christ can set you free.

The excerpt is taken from the full sermon, "The Delusion of Do Not Religion".

This study is a follow-up to, "What Do I Need To Do To Be Saved? (Part 1)" where Tim continues to examine different ways people get confused when confronted with the question of how to be saved. There are many subtle ways by which a person can turn salvation into a work or qualification that they must complete in order for the Lord to save them. Tim goes through the Scriptures, specifically John's Gospel, to examine how the Bible itself specifically words things.

0:00 Logo intros.
0:12 - Recap from the previous study.
4:02 - Are you trying to believe that which an unbeliever has no right to believe? There is a difference between believing you are forgiven before you are actually forgiven.
8:26 - How can I place my faith in Christ?
15:15 - The Bible does not tell you to believe that you are saved but to believe that Christ will save you.
20:13 - Start of a survey of John's Gospel and the passages that speak on how to be saved.
28:50 - Christ takes away sin, so he can take away your sin.
39:11 - Rest in what Christ has done and that you know is true.
51:00 - John 3:14 - bit by the serpent? Believer, you are healed when you are not? Or look and live?
58:49 - Receive Jesus' testimony.
1:12:45 - John 5:24 shows us we must believe what the Father has said.
1:20:24 - How can I place my faith in Christ? Well, why do you place your faith in anything?
1:28:00 - John 6.
1:39:44 - What do I need to know about myself?
1:46:29 - In closing...
1:53:59 - Someone ask a question and Tim answers by overflowing with glorious thoughts about Christ.

What is the difference between being discerning compared to hyper-critical when hearing a sermon? Am I listening with hears tuned in to find fault rather than hears to be fed and hear the truth? In this study, Tim Conway considers how we can approach this in a Biblical and balanced way.

00:00 - Logo intros.
00:14 - Question - Being Berean or hyper-critical?
02:46 - The study of how we hear sermons?
04:09 - Is the fault with the preacher or the listener?
15:30 - Speakers have to earn the hearer's trust.
23:49 - Luke 8
28:02 - It is about understanding what you are hearing.
42:00 - How are you processing the Word you hear?
44:01 - Are you a lazy and sloppy hearer?
46:39 - The overly critical person does not benefit from the good that was said.
51:45 - Do not miss the next truth that the preacher says is very good.
53:14 - Discontent or not appreciating your own pastors due to the famous internet preacher?
54:02 - James 3.1 - few teachers
1:07:41 - Are you listening with pride and arrogance?
1:10:49 - What were the Bereans seeking out in Acts 17?
1:12:14 - Approach preaching with a spirit of humility.
1:13:21 - Do you come into the service with a chip on your shoulder?
1:16:11 - The Devil is in the business of snatching up the Word.
1:20:00 - Satan wants you to be ineffective.
1:25:19 - Judgmental people are proud people.
1:27:10 - So how should I listen?
1:29:46 - GFM previously had the opposite issue - listening to errors and not being critical enough.
1:32:02 - Let love cover?
1:33:31 - Charles Spurgeon on knowing your Bible well.

This question is an emotional one as we live here in 2022. It will be interesting to see how this issue plays out over time as the Lord tarries in His return. The question? “Is lying to get a COVID passport sin?” Is lying to get a COVID passport sin? Six months ago, we published a video with our stand on the COVID vaccine, and I still stand by what I said in that video. We are now two years into the whole reality of COVID, and our question today is addressing a real issue Christians have to deal with.