The Man With No Arms And No Legs

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      Sooner or later, we all learn that life can be difficult. We might have financial problems, health problems, marriage problems, family problems, or some other problems. The mistake we sometimes make at these times is that we focus on what is wrong, and we forget what is good in life. When we do this, it has a negative affect on us, and also on those within our sphere of influence.

     This mistake is especially common among elderly persons, because the elderly often struggle with more health problems than do young persons. For many of them, their sight, hearing, and mind deteriorate. They can't walk as well as they once did. They have heart problems. And if they aren't struggling with their own health problems, they often are having to deal with sickly spouses. And these health problems can lead to financial problems. So, the elderly can become cranky about life in general.

     But the same thing can happen to those who are not elderly. The difficulties they face can result in their having a negative outlook on life.

     Whether we are young or old, or somewhere between those two points, we need to remind ourselves that, in spite of our problems, there are good things in our lives, too, and we must focus on them. We find what we look for.

      Nick Vujicic is an example of learning to not dwell on one's problems. This 30 year old man was born with no arms and no legs. Talk about being dependent on others! Think of it: No arms. No legs. In his youth, to him it meant no future. At the age of 10 he thought about killing himself. He struggled with depression when young, and did so even in adulthood. With his problems,who wouldn't get depressed?

     But Nick chose to make the best of his circumstances. This requires not dwelling on the fact that he has no arms and no  legs, and is, therefore, very dependent on others. He has become an inspirational speaker who travels around the world to encourage those who have physical disabilities. He challenges them to make the best of their circumstances. As to be expected, people listen when Nick speaks!

     In spite of his severe disabilities, Nick is a college graduate. He surfs. He rides a skateboard. He plays soccer. He skydives. He got married, and his first child might have been born by time you read this posting. He refuses to let his circumstances keep him down. Here is a link to his website: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/ Although I might not agree with all his opinions, there is much that can be learned from this man who knows what it is like to struggle each day of his life. 

     In comparison to Nick's problems, mine are very minor. Maybe yours are, too. But whether they are minor or major, we can choose to dwell on them, or we can choose to dwell on what is good in our lives. After listing some of his struggles, the apostle Paul said he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him. (Philippians 4:12 and 13.) With Christ's help, we can choose to dwell on our blessings and make the best of our circumstances. As Psalm 103 says, "Bless the LORD, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits." As an old Gospel song says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

"Dear Abby" Versus Biblical Morality

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Two very popular advice columns in newspapers are "Dear Abby," and "Ann Landers." I have read them with interest for years. Sometimes the advice is very good and practical, sometimes it is strongly objectionable. One reason I enjoy reading these columns is that they help me know what issues people struggle with in daily life, and for which they seek help.

     The "Dear Abby" column for Thursday, January 24, 2013, was especially interesting and significant. It is titled, "Unmarried Couple Doesn't See Eye To Eye On Living Together." The gist of it is that a woman in her 20's has a boyfriend who wants them to live together before marriage. But she does not agree. She wrote, "I feel strongly that we should not live together before we are married." Later in her letter, this woman wrote, "What can I say to Paul and friends who disagree with me to defend my 'old-fashined' logic?" Here is part of  Abby's reply to this woman: "You are not the only person who feels this way. Many people with strong religious convictions feel the way you do about it. In my opinion, this is something that couples should work out between themselves."

     It is clear from Abby's reply that she does not believe there is an absolute moral standard to guide us on this matter. Many persons share her opinion, for we live in a culture that accepts moral relativism concerning some subjects. I say "some subjects," because many moral relativists do believe that some things, such as theft and murder, are wrong.

     But let's look at this from the perspective of historic Christianity. Historic Christianity believes the Bible to be what it, in fact, is: the infallible Word of God. We who hold this opinion believe that, because the Bible is the Word of God, what it says on moral issues is the final word on those issues. In other words, we believe that the Bible's moral pronouncements are moral absolutes that apply to all persons, in all places, at all times. We are not guided by moral relativism, such as that given by Abby to the young woman quoted above. Rather, when we come to a moral issue, we ask if the Bible says anything definite about the subject. If it does, we apply it to daily life.

    Now, let's apply this to the subject in the "Dear Abby" column referred to above, and let's use a syllogism to do so. A syllogism has three parts: a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion. Here's my syllogism for this subject:

• Major premise: Whatever the Bible says is wrong, is wrong.
• Minor premise: The Bible says premarital, extramarital, and homosexual sex are wrong.
• Conclusion: Unmarried persons who are involved in sexual relationships are wrong.

    Those of us who know that the Bible is God's infallible Word find that it simplifies life by giving us straight-forward information on many moral issues. But moral relativism leaves one somewhat like being in a sailboat on a windy lake with no one's hand at the rudder. You are at the mercy of the prevailing winds of opinion. Who should you believe: Dear Abby? Ann Landers? Dad? Mom? Uncle Joe? Aunt Mary? The Pope? Pastor So-and-So? Yourself? Someone else?

    To learn what the Bible says on sexual matters, start by reading the fifteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, the fifth and sixth chapters of his first letter to the Corinthians, the fifth chapter of his letter to the Galatians, and the fifth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians. In each one of these chapters, we read that God condemns sexual sins, including premarital sex, which is fornication. Knowing that God prohibits premarital, extramarital, and homosexual sex, we don't have to wonder if it is right or not for unmarried couples to live as though they are married. It isn't right. It is wrong.

    Let me address one point related to this matter: is it okay for unmarried couples to live together for companionship, and to help one another with expenses, so long as they are not sexually involved with one another? 

    We must admit that this arrangement does not make one sexually immoral. But it does leave one's morality open to question. Therefore, why set oneself up for misunderstanding? Why look like you live by the same relative morality as non-Christians? Christians should be very careful to not risk ruining their testimony for Christ. Also, why put oneself in a situation where it would be easy to give in to sexual temptation?
    Furthermore, when  unmarried Christian couples live together only for  companionship, and to share expenses, they can easily bring the credibility of their churches into question by making it look as though their churches allow their members to be involved in premarital sex.  Conscientious Christians  should not do this to their churches. Why make it so one's church must explain to new attendees that it is not what it looks like? Why be in a living arrangement that requires you to explain to others it is not what it looks like?

The Value Of Verse-By-Verse Bible Preaching/Teaching

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com



     How does preaching differ from teaching? Preaching is different from teaching in at least one way: usually preaching is in a lecture format. The preacher speaks while others listen. Teaching, on the other hand, more easily lends itself to interaction with the students. But we must not make too big a distinction between the methods because one can be a lecturer who, though there is little or no interaction with the listeners, teaches them a considerable amount of information. The famous preacher, G. Campbell Morgan, was often a preacher-lecturer, but he was known as a gifted Bible teacher. Why? Because one could learn a lot from his lectures. 

     How does the preacher or teacher benefit from doing verse-by-verse preaching and teaching?  Whatever method one uses, verse-by-verse Bible teaching is valuable for some practical reasons.

• First, it forces the preacher or teacher to do his or her homework. He or she must look up the meaning of words in the verses being studied. He or she must taken into consideration what a statement means based on the culture of the time in which something was written. For example, why did the Lord tell his disciples to not greet anyone by the way? (Luke 10:4)   Why did the Lord tell them to not go from house to house? (Luke 10:7)
• Second, he or she is forced to take the immediate context into consideration. Listeners will readily notice it when an interpretation is read into the context, instead of derived from it. 
• Third, the preacher or teacher is forced to take into consideration a broader context of the chapter in which the verses are found. It is not always or only just a few verses before and after the ones being studied that count. It might be the whole chapter. We sometimes must interpret Biblical statements by taking into consideration an even broader context. This can be the whole Biblical book or Biblical letter (epistle) in which the verses are found. And it sometimes requires that we interpret specific verses in light of an even larger portion of the Bible, and maybe even light of the whole Bible. We  must remember that the Bible means what its writers meant, not we what we want it to mean. So, we must determine what they had in mind with a given statement.
• Fourth, verse-by-verse teaching causes the preacher or teacher to evaluate how the verses apply to his or her own life. We can be changed by the verses we are studying in order to teach them to others. 
• Fifth, the preacher or teacher is forced to see how the verses under consideration apply to the daily lives of those to whom we plan to speak. They need more than informed minds. They need transformed lives.
• Sixth, verse-by-verse teaching forces the teacher or preacher to wrestle with the theology of the Bible. It is a very theological book, a profoundly theological book. And it deserves all the mental sweat required to understand it. If we removed from the Bible all its profound theology, we would regret it. Truthfully, if we did so there would not be much left of the Bible but a skeleton.

     How does the listener benefit from verse-by-verse Bible teaching or preaching? My answer to this one is simple: it does for the listener what it does for the preacher or teacher. That is, the student will learn the meaning of Bible words, Biblical culture, the importance of context, how verses apply to daily life, and the Bible's theology. Those are good reasons for preachers and teachers to provide these things for those who listen to our sermons or attend our classes.

     All that said, let me say that topical preaching and teaching is important and valuable. Let us not use one method to the exclusion of the other. It would be a great mistake to do so.

A Heart-warming, Pro-life Story And Pictures

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com   



    To read a heart-warming, pro-life, anti-abortion story about a young girl named "Haley," and to see the pictures of her, click on the following link: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39570.
    Too often, we think about pro-life, anti-abortion issues in abstract terms. But this story puts it into perspective in a positive way.

Biblical Preachers Talk About Hell

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      Most of us preachers like to talk about inspiring and encouraging subjects. These include God's love, grace, and mercy, that God answers prayer, forgives our sins, comforts the sorrowing, and gives wisdom for decisions we must make.

      But sometimes we must talk about less popular subjects, too. Judgment and hell are two of the subjects we would rather not talk about. But talk about them, we must. God's Word, the Bible, gives us at least three reasons why preachers need to talk about these subjects:

• Preachers need to talk about these subjects because non-Christians need to be warned about the horrible and eternal consequence of going into eternity as non-Christians. The consequence is judgment and hell. Here is what John 3:36 says is the consequence for refusing to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
• Preachers need to talk about these subjects because they are part of the message they have been given to preach. In Acts 10:42, the apostle Peter told his listeners what Jesus Christ had told him and his companions to preach. Here is what Peter said: "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead."
• Preachers need to talk about these subjects because they should follow the example of preachers in the Bible who talked about them. Consider some examples. John the Baptist did so. Here is what he said in Matthew 3:7 to some listeners: "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? " The Lord Jesus Christ did so. In Matthew 25:41 he said that he will one day say this to those who refused to accept him as Lord and Savior: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." The apostle Peter did so. Here is what he wrote in his second letter, chapter 3, verse 7: "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word (of God), are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." The apostle Paul did so.  Here is what Acts 17:30 and 31 says he told his listeners: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,  because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

      More examples could be given, but these make it clear that preachers in the Bible talked about the sobering subjects of judgment and hell. They talked about these subjects to awaken people to their need for God's grace, mercy, and salvation. God does not delight in or desire the judgment of anyone. Therefore, he lovingly delays judgment to give us abundant opportunity to admit our need for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God's patience is taken by some to indicate that he will not judge at all. That is why the apostle Peter wrote these words in 2 Peter 3:9:  ^"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Repentance includes an honest acknowledgment of our sinfulness and our need for salvation. And salvation is given to those who do what the Bible says must be done to be saved. It says in Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved."

     When should we talk about these subjects? Honestly, I see no need to frequently preach full sermons about judgment and hell. It might be best to bring them up at the end of a sermon, when we make an appeal to any non-Christians who might be present in the church service. It is my habit to at that time say to the congregation that if they die without having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, at death their soul will be permanently sent to hell. I tell them there is no alternative, no second chance after death. I tell them they might die today, unexpectedly, by one means or another. Then, I give them opportunity to believe on Jesus Christ to be saved. Of course, it is appropriate to talk about these subjects with individuals or small groups of individuals, too.

     How should we talk about these subjects? We should do so lovingly, carefully, and with evident concern for the persons to whom we are speaking. An evangelist from the 1800's, maybe D. L. Moody, was said to preach about hell with tears in his voice. His listeners knew he loved them, and this moved their hearts to consider what he had to say. We might not get emotional, but our listeners must sense our concern for their eternal welfare.

     This posting has been directed at preachers. But it applies to all Christians, for all of them should seek to lead others to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved." It was taken from this website: www.biblegateway.com.

The True History Of The Origin Of The Heavens And The Earth, And Of The Human Race

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

         We live in a world of competing and conflicting opinions on many subjects. Some subjects, such as who will win the next Super Bowl or World Series are ultimately of little importance. But some are of major importance. One subject of major importance is the origin of the heavens and the earth.

         Many scientists spend their lifetimes trying to determine how the heavens and the earth, and the human race, came to be. Evolutionary theories are thought by many persons to be reasonable explanations of the question of origins. For some persons, such as atheists, evolutionary theories are the only reasonable explanations. And even many persons who are not atheists believe in evolution.

         But for those of us who believe the Bible to be what it is: the infallible Word of God, there is a much more reasonable explanation of the origin of the heavens and the earth, and the human race. That is, we believe God brought these things into existence. And we believe that the Bible gives the true history of how it all happened. This subject is a common one in the Bible. It is found in the Bible's first two chapters, and comes up many more times throughout the Bible.

         What follows is a link to the first chapter of the Bible's first book, which is called "Genesis." Once you have read this chapter, you next can read chapter two of Genesis, which deals with the same subject in a different way. Here's the link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NKJV

         It is very significant that the founder of the Christian faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, affirmed the truthfulness of these two chapters of Genesis. You can read what he said about them in the 19th Matthew's Gospel. Here is a link to that chapter: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+19&version=NKJV.
        If you want to further pursue this subject from a Bible-believing point of view, click on the following link to The Institute For Creation Research: http://www.icr.org/

Are Dead Birds More Important Than Dead Babies?

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

     Are dead birds more important than dead babies? This question came to mind because of the news reports about  four bald eagles that recently were found dead here in the state of Washington. I have seen pictures of these dead birds on the TV, in the newspaper, and on the internet. They seem to have been killed for the fun of it. Their deaths were illegal.

     But the amazing thing is that here in the USA it is ILLEGAL to kill bald eagles, but it is LEGAL to abort/kill unborn children. When did you last see, hear, or read that a major news source reported the grim statisitics about this subject? Something is seriously wrong when we get more worked up over dead birds than we do over dead babies.

     Here is a link to an interesting article on the subject from a Southern Baptist writer: http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=39555

The Perspicuity Of The Scriptures

The following article is taken from volume two of "The Works Of James Arminius," and is taken from the section called "The Private Disputations Of James Arminius....." I have read a lot of volume 2 of this 3-volume set by Arminius, and have profited greatly from doing so.  The quote is taken from this website: www.godrules.net. On it, you will find many old books on theology.  Arminius died in 1609. I also highly recommend this book: "Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities." It is by Roger E. Olson. It is so interesting, informative, and helpful that I have read it twice.

DISPUTATION VIII

ON THE PERSPICUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES

By James Arminius

I. The perspicuity of the Scriptures is a quality agreeing with them as with a sign, according. to which quality they are adapted clearly to reveal the conceptions, whose signs are the words comprised in the Scriptures, to those persons to whom the Scriptures are administered according to the benevolent providence of God.

II. That perspicuity is a quality which agrees with the Scriptures, is proved from its cause and its end.

     (1.) In cause, we consider the wisdom and goodness of the author, who, according to his wisdom knew, and according to his goodness willed, clearly and well to enunciate or declare the meanings of his own mind.

     (2.) In the end is the duty of those to whom the Scriptures are directed, and who, through the decree of God, cannot attain to salvation without this knowledge.

III. This perspicuity comes distinctly to be considered both with regard to its object and its subject. For all things [in the Scriptures] are not equally perspicuous, nor is every thing alike perspicuous to all persons; but in the epistle of St. Paul, some things occur which "are hard to be understood;" and "the gospel is hid, or concealed, to them who are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not"

IV. But those senses or meanings, the knowledge and belief of which are simply necessary to salvation, are revealed in the Scriptures with such plainness, that they can be perceived even by the most simple of mankind, provided they be able duly to exercise their reason.

V. But they are perspicuous to those alone who, being illuminated by the light of the Holy Spirit, have eyes to see, and a mind to understand and discern. For any colour whatever, though sufficiently illuminated by the light, is not seen except by the eye which is endued with the power of seeing, as with an inward light.

VI. But even in those things which are necessary to be known and believed in order to salvation, the law must be distinguished from the gospel, especially in that part which relates to Jesus Christ crucified and raised up again. For even the gentiles, who are aliens from Christ, have "the work of the law written in their hearts," though this is not saving, except by the addition of the internal illumination and inspiration of God; but "the doctrine of the cross, which is foolishness and a stumbling block to the natural man," is not perceived without the revelation of the Spirit.

VII. In the Scriptures, some things may be found so difficult to be understood, that men of the quickest and most perspicacious genius may, in attaining to an understanding of those things, have a subject on which to bestow their labours during the whole course of their lives. But God has so finely attempered the Scripture, that they can neither be read without profit, nor, after having been perused and reperused innumerable times, can they be put aside through aversion or disgust.

The Perfection Of The Scriptures

The following article is taken from volume two of "The Works Of James Arminius," and is taken from the section called "The Private Disputations Of James Arminius....." I have read a lot of volume 2 of this 3-volume set by Arminius, and have profited greatly from doing so.  The quote is taken from this website: www.godrules.net. On it, you will find many old books on theology.  Arminius died in 1609. I also highly recommend this book: "Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities." It is by Roger E. Olson. It is so interesting, informative, and helpful that I have read it twice.

DISPUTATION VII

ON THE PERFECTION OF THE SCRIPTURES

By James Arminius

I. We denominate that which comprehends all things necessary for the church to know, to believe, to do and to hope, in order to salvation, "THE PERFECTION OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES."

II. As we are about to engage in the defense of this perfection, against inspirations, visions, dreams and other novel enthusiastic things, we assert, that, since the time when Christ and his apostles sojourned on earth, no inspiration of any thing necessary for the salvation of any individual man, or of the church, has been given to any single person or to any congregation of men whatsoever, which thing is not in a full and most perfect manner comprised in the sacred Scriptures.

III. We likewise affirm, that in the latter ages no doctrine necessary to salvation has been deduced from these Scriptures which was not explicitly known and believed from the very commencement of the Christian church. For, from the time of Christ's ascent into heaven, the church of God was in an adult state, being capable indeed of increasing in the knowledge and belief of things necessary to salvation, but not capable of receiving accessions of new articles; that is, she was capable of increase in that faith by which the articles of religion are believed, but not in that faith which is the subject of belief.

IV. Whatever additions have since been made, they obtain only the rank of interpretations and proofs, which ought themselves not to be at variance with the Scriptures, but to be deduced from them; otherwise, no authority is due to them, but they should rather be considered as allied to error; for the perfection, not only of the propositions, but likewise of the explanations and proofs which are comprised in the Scriptures, is very great.

V. But the most compendious way of forming a judgment about any enunciation or proposition, is, to discern whether its subject and predicate be either expressly or with equal force contained in them, that proposition may be rejected at least as not necessary to salvation, without any detriment to one's salvation. But the predicate may be of such a kind, that, when ascribed to this subject, it cannot be received without detriment to the salvation. For instance, "The Roman pontiff is the head of the church."The virgin Mary is the mediatrix of grace."

The Meanings And Interpretation Of The Holy Scriptures

The following article is taken from volume two of "The Works Of James Arminius," and is taken from the section called "The Private Disputations Of James Arminius....." I have read a lot of volume 2 of this 3-volume set by Arminius, and have profited greatly from doing so.  The quote is taken from this website: www.godrules.net. On it, you will find many old books on theology.  Arminius died in 1609. I also highly recommend this book: "Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities." It is by Roger E. Olson. It is so interesting, informative, and helpful that I have read it twice.

DISPUTATION IX

ON THE MEANINGS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

By James Arminius 

I. The legitimate and genuine sense of the holy Scriptures is, that which the Holy Ghost, the author of them, intended, and which is collected from the words themselves, whether they be received in their proper or in their figurative signification; that is, it is the grammatical sense, as it is called.

II. From this sense, alone, efficacious arguments may be sought for the proof of doctrines.

III. But, on account of the analogical similitude of corporeal, carnal, natural, and earthly things, and those belonging to the present life, to things spiritual, heavenly, future and eternal, it happens that a double meaning, each of them certain and intended by the author, lies under the very same words in the Scriptures, of which the one is called "the typical," the other "the meaning prefigured in the type" or "the allegorical." To this allegorical meaning, we also refer the analogical, as opposed in a similar manner to that which is typical.

IV. From these meanings, that which is called "the ethiological" and "the tropological" do not differ, since the former of them renders the cause of the grammatical sense, and the latter contains an accommodation of it to the circumstances of persons, place, time, &c.

V. The interpretation of Scripture has respect both to its words and to its sense or meaning.

VI. The interpretation of its words is either that of single words, or of many words combined; and both of these methods constitute either a translation of the words into another language, or an explanation [or paraphrase] through other words of the same language.

VII. Let translation be so restricted, that, if the original word has any ambiguity, the word into which it is translated may retain it: or, if that cannot be done, let it have something equivalent by being noted in the margin.

VIII. In the explanation [or paraphrase] which shall be made by other words, endeavours must be used that explanatory words be sought from the Scriptures themselves. For this purpose, attention to the synonymy and phraseology will be exceedingly useful.

IX. In the interpretation of the meanings of the words, it must be sedulously attempted both to make the sense agree with the rule or "form of sound words," and to accommodate it to the scope or intention of the author in that passage. To this end, in addition to a clear conception of the words, a comparison of other passages of Scripture, whether they be similar, is conducive, as is likewise a diligent search or institution into its context. In this labour, the occasion [of the words] and their end, the connection of those things which precede and which follow, and the circumstances, also, of persons, times and places, will be principally observed.

X. As "the Scriptures are not of private or peculiar explanation," an interpreter of them will strive to "have his senses exercised" in them; that the interpretation of the Scriptures, which, in those sacred writings, comes under the denomination of "prophecy," may proceed from the same Spirit as that which primarily inspired the prophecy of the Scriptures.

XI. But the authority of no one is so great, whether it be that of an individual or of a church, as to be able to obtrude his own interpretation on the people as the authentic one. From this affirmation however, by way of eminence, we except the prophets and the apostles. For such interpretation is always subjected to the judgment of him to whom it is proposed, to this extent -- that he is bound to receive it, only so far as it is confirmed by strength of arguments.

XII. For this reason, neither the agreement of the fathers, which can, with difficulty, be demonstrated, nor the authority of the Roman pontiff, ought to be received as the rule of interpretation.

XIII. We do not wish to introduce unbounded license, by which it may be allowable to any person, whether a public interpreter of Scripture or a private individual, to reject, without cause, any interpretations whatsoever, whether made by one prophet, or by more; but we desire the liberty of prophesying [or public expounding] to be preserved entire and unimpaired in the church. This liberty, itself, however, we subject to the judgment of God, as possessing the power of life and death, and to that of the church, or of her prelates who are endowed with the power of binding and loosing.

The Efficacy Of The Scriptures

The following article is taken from volume two of "The Works Of James Arminius," and is taken from the section called "The Private Disputations Of James Arminius....." I have read a lot of volume 2 of this 3-volume set by Arminius, and have profited greatly from doing so.  The quote is taken from this website: www.godrules.net. On it, you will find many old books on theology.  Arminius died in 1609. I also highly recommend this book: "Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities." It is by Roger E. Olson. It is so interesting, informative, and helpful that I have read it twice.

DISPUTATION X

ON THE EFFICACY OF THE SCRIPTURES

By James Arminius 

I. When we treat on the force and efficacy of the word of God, whether spoken or written, we always append to it the principal and concurrent efficacy of the Holy Spirit.

II. The object of this efficacy is man, but he must be considered either as the subject in whom the efficacy operates, or as the object about whom this efficacy exercises itself.

III. The subject of this efficacy in whom it operates, is man according to his understanding and his passions, and as being endowed with a capacity, either active or passive.

     (1.) According to his understanding, by which he is able to understand the meanings of the word, and to apprehend them as true and good for himself:

     (2.) According to his passions, by which he is capable of being carried by his appetites to something true and good which is pointed out, to embrace it, and to repose in it.

IV. This efficacy is not only preparatory, by which the understanding and the passions are prepared to apprehend something else that is yet more true and good, and that is not comprised in the external word; but it is likewise perfective, by which the human understanding and affections are so perfected, that man cannot attain to an ulterior perfection in the present life. Therefore, we reject [the doctrine of] those who affirm that the Scriptures are a dead letter, and serve only to prepare a man, and to render him capable of receiving another inward word.

V. This efficacy is beautifully circumscribed in the Scriptures by three acts, each of which is two-fold.

     (1.) That of teaching what is true, and of confuting what is false.

     (2.) That of exhorting to what is good, dissuading from what is evil, and of reproving if any thing has been done beyond or contrary to one's duty.

     (3.) That of administering consolation to a contrite spirit, and of denouncing threats against a lofty spirit.

VI. The object of this efficacy, about which it exercises itself, is the same man, placed before the tribunal of divine justice, that, according to this word, he [reporter] may bear away from it a sentence either of justification or of condemnation.

The Authority And Certainty Of The Holy Scriptures

The following article is taken from volume two of "The Works Of James Arminius," and is taken from the section called "The Private Disputations Of James Arminius....." I have read a lot of volume 2 of this 3-volume set by Arminius, and have profited greatly from doing so.  The quote is taken from this website: www.godrules.net. On it, you will find many old books on theology.  Arminius died in 1609. I also highly recommend this book: "Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities." It is by Roger E. Olson. It is so interesting, informative, and helpful that I have read it twice.

DISPUTATION VI

ON THE AUTHORITY AND CERTAINTY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES  By James Arminius

I. The authority of the word of God, which is comprised in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, lies both in the veracity of the whole narration, and of all the declarations, whether they be those about things past, about things present, or about those which are to come, and in the power of the commands and prohibitions, which are contained in the divine word. II. Both of these kinds of authority can depend on no other than on God, who is the principal author of this word, both because he is truth without suspicion of falsehood, and because he is of power invincible. III. On this account, the knowledge alone that this word is divine, is obligatory on our belief and obedience; and so strongly is it binding, that this obligation can be augmented by no external authority. IV. In what manner or respect soever the church may be contemplated, she can do nothing to confirm this authority; for she, also, is indebted to this word for all her own authority; and she is not a church unless she have previously exercised faith in this word as being divine, and have engaged to obey it. Wherefore, in any way to suspend the authority of the Scriptures on the church, is to deny that God is of sufficient veracity and supreme power, and that the church herself is a church. V. But it is proved by various methods, that this word has a divine origin, either by signs employed for the enunciation or declaration of the word, such as miracles, predictions and divine appearances -- by arguments engrafted on the word itself, such as the matters which it contains, the style and character of the discourse, the agreements between all the parts and each of them, and the efficacy of the word itself; and by the inward testification or witness of God himself by his Holy Spirit. To all these, we add a secondary proof -- the testimony of those persons who have received this word as divine. VI. The force and efficacy of this last testimony is entirely human, and is of importance equal to the quantum of wisdom, probity and constancy possessed by the witnesses. And on this account the authority of the church can make no other kind of faith than that which is human, but which may be preparatory to the production of faith divine. The testimony of the church, therefore, is not the only thing by which the certainty of the Scriptures is confirmed to us; indeed it is not the principle thing; nay, it is the weakest of all those which are adduced in confirmation. VII. No arguments can be invented for establishing the divinity of any word, which do not belong by most equitable reason to this word; and, on the other hand, it is impossible any arguments can be devised which may conduce even by a probable reason to destroy the divinity of this word. VIII. Though it be not absolutely necessary to salvation to believe that this or that book is the work of the author whose title it bears; yet this fact may be established by surer arguments than are those which claim the authorship of any other work for the writer. IX. The Scriptures are canonical in the same way as they are divine; because they contain the rule of faith, charity, hope, and of all our inward and outward actions. They do not, therefore, require human authority in order to their being received into the canon, or considered as canonical. Nay, the relation between God and his creatures, requires that his word should be the rule of life to his creatures. X. We assert that, for the establishment of the divinity of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, this disjunctive proposition is of irrefutable validity: Either the Scriptures are divine, or (far be blasphemy from the expression!) they are the most foolish of all writings, whether they be said to have proceeded from man, or from the evil spirit. COROLLARIES I. To affirm "that the authority of the Scriptures depends upon the church, because the church is more ancient than the Scriptures," is a falsehood, a foolish speech, an implication of manifold contradictions and blasphemy. II. The authority of the Roman pontiff to bear witness to the divinity of the Scriptures, is less than that of any bishop who is wiser and better than he, and possessed of greater constancy.

The Preacher's Ministry Of Warning

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      This post is about the fact that one of the responsibilities of Christian  preachers is to warn their Christian listeners and readers about specific dangers in the Christian life. These dangers include, but are not limited to, sin, temptation, and false doctrine. Another common danger is neglect of those things which promote our daily walk with Jesus Christ, such as Bible reading, prayer, confessing and forsaking sin, church attendance, and fellowship with Christians.

      The preacher must also warn non-Christians about the fact that, unless they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior before death, they will go to a horrible place called "hell," which is a place of conscious punishment of both body and soul, and from which there is no escape.

      Warning is not always a pleasant and positive activity, but it is a vital part of being in the ministry. Preachers cannot neglect it, and be faithful to their calling. While we should seek to be uplifting and encouraging to Christians in the struggles we all face, we must warn of the spiritual dangers along life's pathway. What the apostle Peter told Christians 2,000 years ago is applicable to us. He wrote these important words in 1 Peter 5:8 and 9: "⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." And the apostle Paul wrote the following to the Colossian Christians. He said this in Colossians 1:28 about Jesus Christ: " Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." So, this was part of the preaching ministry back then. It should be now, too.

      We should not be always warning about dangers. But we will often do so as we carry out the ministry to which we have been called. One of the great values of preaching and teaching through books of the Bible is that it will keep us balanced. For example, if we preach or teach through Paul's letter to the Philippians, known as "the letter of Christian joy," we will deal with both positive and negative subjects. We will both encourage and warn others, because that is what this letter does. We Christians understandably love to read the book of Psalms, for it has great ability to encourage us. But the book of Psalms is balanced, sometimes encouraging us, sometimes warning us. Psalm one as an example of this fact. In it, we read about the blessed man (or woman). It tells us what he doesn't do, and what he does do. It tells us the different results that come into the lives of those who follow the Lord, and those who do not do so.

       Let us now consider some examples from the Bible of men who, though they did not only warn as they preached, had it as an important aspect of their ministries.

• Noah
• Moses
• Elijah
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Daniel
• John the Baptist
• Jesus Christ
• John
• Paul
• Peter
• Jude

      Warning is important. But how should we warn others in our preaching? Let me suggest two ways, based on Biblical examples. 1.) Sometimes warning should speak directly about specific dangers, but without giving any names of those who promote the dangers. 2.) And sometimes we need to identify who it is that we need to be aware of.

     We find it done both ways by the apostle John in his last two letters, which are given below with the verses in red. In his second letter, he warned about persons who were deceiving others with their false doctrines about Jesus Christ. But he did not name them. In his third letter, he gave a specific warning about a man named "Diotrephes" who was a one-man church discipline committee who opposed the apostle John and anyone who supported John. It seems circumstances determine if and when we identify who, specifically, is a danger we need to beware of.

   It is very helpful when Christians are well-taught in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. This enables us to know a false doctrine when we hear it without having first been told that so-and-so is a false teacher. We preachers should seek to ground our listeners in these core doctrines for that reason.

     

2 John 1

New King James Version (NKJV)

Greeting the Elect Lady

¹ The Elder,

To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, ² because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

³ Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Walk in Christ’s Commandments

⁴ I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. ⁵ And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. ⁶ This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

Beware of Antichrist Deceivers

⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. ⁸ Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

⁹ Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; ¹¹ for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

John’s Farewell Greeting

¹² Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

¹³ The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

3 John 1

New King James Version (NKJV)

Greeting to Gaius

¹ The Elder,

To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

² Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. ³ For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Gaius Commended for Generosity

⁵ Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, ⁶ who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, ⁷ because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

⁹ I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. ¹⁰ Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

¹² Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

Farewell Greeting

¹³ I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; ¹⁴ but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.

Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved." It was taken from this website: www.biblegateway.com.

A Challenge To Gun Control Advocates

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

    This is a challenge to gun control advocates. But let me first say that I can understand why a lot of individuals are advocating stricter gun control laws. After all, the senseless and horrible murders of so many persons in the United States has shocked us all. This is especially the case when the victims are children.

    It is my opinion that only persons in the military need military assault weapons. But we who believe in gun ownership rights are concerned about too much government control of the right to own guns. Our question is, where will it stop? Our fear is, it might not stop until no one but a privileged few can own guns. All admit that if guns are outlawed, outlaws will still get guns.

    Now it is time for my challenge to gun control advocates. We know that your motive is to protect the innocent, especially children. So, why don't you become abortion control advocates? Thousands, yes, thousands, of innocent children lose their lives at the hands of abortionists each year in the USA. Why don't you vote against abortion? Why don't you use legal and harmless means to make it illegal? You don't really think women should have a right to have their unborn children killed, do you?

     We who believe the Bible to be what it is: the Word of God, can turn to many passages in it that support the concept of the intrinsic value of human life. And Psalm 139 is a key passage. It is given at the end of this posting. I hope you will read it carefully. Look for the statements that apply to the subject under consideration. This Psalm has the potential to turn pro-choice persons into those who are pro-life and, therefore, anti-abortion.

     Here is a link to an article on this subject: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=39524.

Psalm 139

New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
² You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
³ You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
⁵ You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
¹² Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
¹⁸ If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

¹⁹ Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
²⁰ For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
²¹ Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
²² I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

This quote of Psalm 139 was taken from this website: www.biblegateway.com.

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Spiritual Growth In The Christian Life

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

      We have three children, and several grandchildren. One family lives in Montana, one in Colorado, and one in California.  Our oldest grandchild is 12 years old.  We live in the state of Washington, so we don't frequently see our children and their families. We love them all, and wish we could see them more.  Because our grandchildren are quite young, they grow quite a bit in a year. Growth at their ages is expected.

       When it comes to the Christian life, spiritual growth is to be expected, too. The New Testament makes several points about spiritual growth. Some points are negative, some are positive. Some points are commands, some are warnings. All deserve our attention, if we are Christians.

        The primary concern of this posting is to give some guidance about what will help us grow as Christians. There are two primary areas in which we should grow: Christlike behavior, and understanding the Bible. It would be helpful to look in a Bible concordance for the words "grow," and "growth." And then look at what the verses say about the subject.

•  Reading and meditating on the Bible will help Christians grow. This is because the Bible is food for the soul, for the heart, and for the mind. Bible reading informs us what kind of behavior God expects from us, and challenges us to live up to those expectations. Bible reading also establishes us in sound doctrine or teaching. We are told to not be carried about by every wind of doctrine, and learning the Bible's contents by reading it will help preserve us from being swept away by false teachings. Bible reading will also help keep our walk with Christ from becoming cold, formal, lifeless. See Psalm one.
• Church attendance will help Christians grow. This is true, if we attend a church where the Bible is believed to be what it is: the Word of God. This is true, if we attend a church where the teachers teach the Bible to their students. This is true, if we attend a church where the preachers preach the Bible during the services. See Hebrews 10:25 and Acts 2:41 - 47.
• Prayer will help Christians grow. We can pray about many things, for ourselves and for others. It might be health problems, money problems, marriage and family problems, and numerous other things. And we certainly can pray for spiritual growth, whether it be our own or someone else's. See John 17, and the references to prayer in the letter by James
• Confessing and forsaking sin will help Christians grow. Even Christians sin in thought, word, and deed. Although God knows what our sins are, we need to confess them to him. Furthermore, we need to forsake them. This does not mean we will never commit them again. But it means we resolve to not commit them again. See Psalm 32, Psalm 51, Proverbs 28:13, and 1 John 1:9.
• Christian friendships will help Christians grow. This is true, if our Christian friends are serious about living for the Lord. If they are living for the Lord, they will encourage us in our trials, they will challenge us to avoid and resist temptation, they will remind us to read the Bible, to go to church, pray, and to confess and forsake our sins. Such friends set a good example for us to follow. See Acts 2:41 - 47.

John Calvin's View Of Predestination And Of God's Character

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen

Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

John Calvin's View Of Predestination And Of God's Character

    I have several books by the Protestant Reformer,  John Calvin. Some are commentaries, some are sermons, and two are books on theology. 

    It might surprise some readers to know his view of predestination, which he expounds on in depth in his famous books on theology. His view of predestination reveals his twisted view of the character of God.

    What follows (in red) is a quote from volume two of his two-volume theology set called "Institutes Of The Christian Religion." It is from the chapter on "Eternal election." Here is some of what Calvin wrote on this subject: "We call predestination God's eternal decree, by which he compacted with himself what he willed to become of each man. For all are not created in equal condition; rather, eternal life is foreordained for some, eternal damnation for others. Therefore, as any man has been created to one or the other of these ends, we speak of him as predestined to life or to death."

     Do you really grasp his point that he believed God has created some to eternal life, and some to eternal damnation? This means he believed God determined who will and who won't become saved by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ! Individuals, then, become mere puppets doing what God makes them do.
     Perhaps some readers might think I have have  misunderstood Calvin's point. The following quotes from the same chapter by Calvin show he has not been misunderstood: "The fact that the reprobate do not obey God's Word when it is made known to them will be justly charged against the malice and depravity of their hearts, provided it be added at the same time that they have been given over to this depravity because they have been raised up by the just but inscrutable judgment of God to show forth his glory in their condemnation." And yet later in the same chapter Calvin made this statement: "God is said to have ordained from eternity those whom he wills to embrace in love, and those upon whom he wills to vent his wrath. Yet he announces salvation to all men indiscriminately. I maintain that these statements agree perfectly with each other. For by so promising he merely means that his mercy is extended to all, provided that they seek after it and implore it. But only those whom he has illumined do this. And he illumines those whom he has predestined to salvation."

     But this is a great misrepresntation of the character of God, for God wants all persons to be saved, but leaves the choice in their hands. An open-minded reading of the New Testament leads one to reject John Calvin's view of God's character.

Calvin's view of God's character led James Arminius to dogmatically oppose it.

     In volume 2 of "The Works Of James Arminius" we read his essay called "On Predestination To Salvation, And on Damnation, Considered In The Highest Degree." Here (in red) is some of what he wrote on the subject: "8. It is a horrible affirmation, that 'God has predestined whatsoever men He pleased not only to damnation, but likewise to the causes of damnation.' ---(Beza, vol. 1, fol. 417.)  9. It is a horrible affirmation that 'men are predestined to eternal death by the naked will or choice of God, without any demerit [proprium] on their part.' (Calvin's Inst. l. 1, c. 2, 3.) 10. This also is a horrible affirmation, 'Some among men have been created unto life eternal, and others unto death eternal.' "

Something related to this subject is Calvinism's subjectivism.

     Five-point Calvinists say Jesus Christ died to save only certain persons. But they have no objective basis by which to put themselves among the group whom they claim Christ died to save.Their claim to be among this group is merely subjective, for no Biblical statement says he died to save them, specifically. Where, for example, does the Bible say that Jesus Christ died to save John Calvin? 

     Calvinistic claims to be among those whom God has elected to save, in exclusion of others, is also subjective, for no Biblical statement says who are the elect. Where, for example, does the Bible say John Calvin is one of the elect?

     Calvinists will claim, however, that the proof of their election to be saved is their Christian behavior and beliefs. But what if they do not persevere in the faith? What if they backslide? What if they come to have doubts about some Biblical teachings? How can they, at those times, know they are among the elect? 

    Subjective claims are not a good nail on which to hang one's faith. What we need is the nail of objective, Biblical truth on which to hang our faith. And that, praise the Lord, is exactly what we find in the Bible.

7 Ways To Stop Gossip

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen and Pastor Ron Edmondson

My email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

   As we know, gossip is a big problem in everyday life, and Christians are not exempt from it. Pastor Ron Edmondson wrote a short but good article on the subject, part of which is given below. To read the whole thing, click on this link: www.ronedmondson.com/2012/12/stopping-gossip-in-7-ways-repost.html. ) I first read part of his article on Ed Stetzer's blog spot.) Here (in red) is some of what Edmondson wrote:

Here are 7 ways to stop gossip:

• Don’t repeat something you don’t know is true firsthand…secondhand knowledge is not enough to justify repeating. You will get something wrong and it will hurt others.
• Don’t repeat unless its helpful to do so and you have a vested interest in the situation, the people involved, and permission to share…doing so in the name of a prayer request is not a good excuse…
• Don’t “confess” other people’s sins. Even if the wrong included you and you feel the need to confess, share your story, but not someone else’s.
• If you must tell, and have passed the test on the first three suggestions, tell only what happened and not your commentary or “I think this is probably what happened” or why you think it happened…
• Choose to pray for others every time you are tempted to tell their story…instead of telling their story…
• When someone tells you something you don’t need to know, don’t allow curiosity to be your guide…follow your heart. Stop the person and tell them you don’t want to know! Remember, if they will spread gossip about others they will spread it about you!
• Keep the circle of confession limited to the people involved or to no more than needed for accountability purposes. The wider the circle and the more the story is repeated the more likely things will turn into gossip.

If my tone seems intent it’s because I am. I have little patience for gossips. My desire is to see people who live in holy and healthy community together. Gossip is a betrayer of this becoming reality.

The Lord Will Be Near In The New Year

By Pastor Bruce Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

The Lord will be near in the new year.
This is his promise, so be of good cheer!
Face it with faith, not with fear,
for every day he will be near.

Near, to comfort and console.
Near, to soothe a hurting soul.
Near, to lead us to our heavenly goal.
Near, when trials have taken their toll.

Near, to give us what is best.
Near, to assure us we are blest.
Near, to bring our weary hearts rest.
Near, to strengthen us for every test.

Near, to restore us when we stray.
Near, to forgive us when we pray.
Near, to help us start a new day.
Near, near, come what may.