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On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 6:46 PM, mike mcinnis<ratmotor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XIX Issue 34
Published occasionally for mourners in Zion
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make
straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the
way; but let it rather be healed.
Hebrews
12::12-13
THE FRIENDS OF GOD
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous
man,
and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
Luke 7:34
Several years ago I had paused in front of a TV shop in the mall (you can
tell how long ago that was) while waiting on my wife to finish her shopping.
One of the TV’s was playing the broadcast of a famous “preacher” (of Glass
Cathedral fame). I was curious enough to spend a few minutes listening to his
pep talk and carnival show, when I noticed an older gentleman standing just to
my side and behind me, also watching. After a few minutes he expressed his
disgust (which was the same as mine) by saying “this is Mr. Rogers for adults.”
While his statement was quite humorous, it was also quite accurate. “Mr.
Rogers’ Neighborhood” was a children’s TV program for several years. He always
began his program with a little song asking the children to be his neighbor and
his friend.
I thought the old gentleman’s comments were quite apropos and an accurate
portrayal of what many people accept quite happily as modern Christianity.
Many churches go to great lengths to advertise their “friendly atmosphere” and
“welcoming demeanor”. Some of them even trying to one up the other churches
around them by using all sorts of gimmicks to get folks attention and get their
families “involved” in their various religious activities, worldly
entertainments and sports teams, not to mention their gargantuan building
schemes and projects.
I am quite content to let the dead bury their dead and have no axe to grind
against these religious games that men gladly play. But I am quite concerned
when they use these “Cathedrals of Tomorrow” to purport that their view of GOD
and the gospel, is that which is taught in the scriptures. They go about to
distort the TRUTH of GOD and in the process often wound some of those who are
of a weak understanding and trusting disposition. This is exactly that which
the LORD said to the Pharisees; “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go
in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a
pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to
make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of
hell than yourselves.” (Mat 23:13-15)
Recently I have read several articles whose main thrust was to tell men how
friendly GOD is and how much HE wants to be friends with them. According to
them HE is just waiting patiently for them to let HIM be their friend. Their
thought process is that if they just let men know what a great guy he is that
many will be persuaded to give him a chance to be their friend. The main
problem is that they do not understand the natural rebellion, which is in the
heart of man by nature, which causes him to despise the way of GOD. “As it is
written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that
understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good,
no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have
used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of
cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and
misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no
fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:10-18)
The other problem is that they have a fundamental lack of understanding of
who the GOD of Heaven and Earth is. GOD has no needs. HE has no lack.
Nothing can be added to HIM nor can anything be diminished. HE does not need
friends. HE dwells in the LIGHT unto which no man can approach. HE is
IMMORTAL and INVISIBLE. Until a man has something of an understanding of the
basic character of HIM who rules in the army of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the Earth, it is impossible that he can grasp the great gulf
that exists between mortals and HE who inhabits eternity, stretching out the
heavens like a curtain and covering HIMSELF with LIGHT like a garment. (see
Ps.104:2)
It would behoove a man to become “friends” with HIM, but such is an
impossible task and one which is quite outside the realm of his natural desire
or of his ability to gain entrance into HIS presence by his own effort and
will. While we encourage sinners to seek HIM, we understand that the only time
they will is when HE is pleased to give them grace to do so. This is exactly
what HE told Nicodemus who came unto HIM by night. “Jesus answered and said
unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) “Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is
every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:7-8)
We do read in the scriptures that some men have been called the “friend of
GOD.” “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and
it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of
God.” (Jas 2:23) “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh
unto his friend.”(Exo 33:11) Neither Abraham nor Moses sought the LORD to
become HIS friend. Rather HE called Abraham out of heathen darkness and made
of HIM a great nation according to HIS purpose. Moses was delivered from
death (as a baby) at the hands of Pharaoh’s henchmen and ultimately raised up
to a place of prominence in Pharaoh’s house, all the while in heathen darkness.
Yet in HIS own time HE called Moses while tending his sheep and equipped him
to lead Israel out of bondage.
In all of HIS dealings with Abraham and Moses, the LORD was always the ONE
who determined the course that they would take and it was they who benefitted
from HIS kindness in using them to fulfill HIS purpose and magnify HIS NAME in
the Earth. HE befriended them quite apart from any overtures on their part.
HE did not go looking for someone who would listen to HIM and fulfill HIS
desires. They were made willing in the day that HE reconciled them unto
HIMSELF.
Normally, those men who become friends share common interests and enjoy one
another’s company. They mutually agree to befriend one another. Men do not
seek friends from among those who despise them and who oppose their actions.
Yet we find that the ONE who has need of no one has shown HIMSELF to be the
“friend” of those who have the least claim of ever gaining HIS affection by
their actions and are actually opposed to HIM.
The Pharisees were quite moral and upright men (as men judge) who went about
with great religious fervor, much “praying”, and giving “honor” to the
Scriptures by carrying them with them wherever they went. Yet the LORD did
not identify HIMSELF as their friend. Though they could not recognize HIM as
the KING, yet they did correctly identify those among whom he companied and
befriended. What they despised: “HE is a friend of publicans and sinners”, the
LORD delighted in as HE came to seek and to save that which was lost.
HE is the “FRIEND” of sinners: Those who have no religious fervor, those
who recognize their spiritual poverty, those who have great need of faith but
find none in themselves. Those who confess that HIS law is just and good, but
find in themselves no ability to walk according to its precepts. Those who cry
out for mercy but know that they deserve none. These are those among whom HE
will be found. “What comfort can a Saviour bring, to those who never felt
their woe? A sinner is a sacred thing; The Holy Ghost has made him so. New life
from him we must receive, Before for sin we rightly grieve. This faithful
saying let us own, Well worthy ’tis to be believed, That Christ into the world
came down, That sinners might by him be saved. Sinners are high in his esteem,
And sinners highly value him.” (Joseph Hart, # 89 Gadsby’s Hymns) Are you a
sinner, in need of a SAVIOR? CHRIST is mighty to save those who are HIS
friends. mam
