A Work in Progress

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

Although the site has been transferred to WordPress.org from WordPress.com, we still have quite a few more adjustments to make before the blog is up to speed. Please be patient with me. Thanks so much.

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My Gratitude

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

I’d like to thank you all for your very heart-felt prayers and heart-warming words of love and encouragement. This week has been a tremendous trial for me physically, vis a vis, extreme and unrelenting muscle fatigue, severe muscle cramps, dexterity loss, coordination loss, and weakness. Thankfully, one of my favorite preachers, David Wilson, will be preaching this morning from Deuteronomy 4:29-31, which will afford me an opportunity to enjoy the grace of God’s Word through the blessed truth of Christ crucified while sitting next to my dear Lisa.

It may still be awhile for a definite diagnosis (but since I’m in my 7th year with these symptoms, a few more weeks or even months won’t be a problem); but if it is PLS, then what some have suggested in the past is true– it is all in my head (forgive the pun). Yes, you heard it right, sports fans; PLS, primary lateral sclerosis, is a scarring of the upper motor neurons only, and not the scarring of both upper and lower as it is of ALS (lower are in the spinal column). This is why there is only the severe amyotrophy (muscle wasting) with the ALS and not with the PLS. It is also why there is no testing or technology available to measure the breakdown in the signals because the EMG, electromyogram, is a test that stabs you with long needles in the muscles and runs electrical current through the needles to measure the response of the muscles and the transmission and travel of neuro-signals (yeah, it’s rated by many as uncomfortable to downright painful; and I’ve had this test three times since 2007). This can not be done on the brain for a few obvious reasons and several more in-depth reasons.

If you haven’t heard from me by way of correspondence, birthday wishes on Facebook, etc., it’s because of those things previously mentioned. The Lord doth know that I must needs slow mineself down anyway, and smell the French Roast– or something.

Again, thank you for your prayers. May the Lord bless you and yours abundantly this day with the fullness of joy in Christ’s presence, and with pleasures forever more at His right hand.

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My Apologies

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

Hello everyone.  As much as I have to do; as much as I’d like to do, especially with articles to write, etc., I realize I have been a bit remiss in responding to comments, etc.— and even showing up with some articles.

The past few weeks I have experienced a huge downturn physically; and it has been incredibly rough the past five days or so, more difficult than I’ve had in a long time (I am actively pursuing some medical attention outside of the VA channels that I typically use).

Meanwhile, I have several things going that are keeping me from fulfilling this little niche; and I pray, by God’s grace and mercy in Christ, that I may be able to return to posting some items of substance by the weekend. Thank you all for your prayers. May the Lord continue to bless and keep you all.

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The Good Fight of Faith

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”
—2 Timothy 4:7

Hear St. Paul’s account of faith: a choice apostle, but no great favourite of the scribes. Human telescopes do not magnify Paul; he is not within the compass of their dark glasses; no moon-light planet, but a star: and take the matter in his own words. ‘Made wise to salvation by faith— become children of God by faith— justified by faith— receive forgiveness of sins by faith— sanctified by faith— receive the Spirit through faith— access to God by faith— Christ dwelling in the heart by faith— work righteousness through faith— obtain promises by faith— walk by faith— stand by faith— saved by grace through faith.’ And St. Peter adds, ‘kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.’

Thus the christian life is a life of faith on the Son of God; and the christian work is to fight this good fight.

—John Berridge (1716-1793)
The Christian World Unmasked [1]

[1] John Berridge, A.M., The Christian World Unmasked: Together with Cheerful Piety; or Religion without Gloom,  Printed by John D. Toy, Baltimore; 1836, p.173

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Favorite Preachers: Granville Gauldin

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

MEET GRANVILLE GAULDIN

One of my very favorite preachers of the Word of God is Granville Gauldin, of Talladega, Alabama. Pick any word from the terms used to describe the Holy Spirit’s fruit in Galatians 5:22-23 and that will describe my dear brother in Christ; nonetheless, if I were to select only one, I’d have to describe him with the word, “goodness.”

My dear friend and brother in Christ just turned 83-years-young this past February, and he is one of those seasoned saints who has received Elisha’s double portion of God’s grace; and he would be the first to confess his unworthiness of such an honor.

Granville serves as a precious model of many an historical similitude found recorded in the annals of Christian faith. He exemplified the lives of martyrs as recorded by John Foxe, having withstood the hostility of those opposing the doctrines of grace for the past fifty years. He was a “tentmaker” like the apostle Paul; and more recently, his life has reflected the trials of Job, having lost two sons to cancer in two consecutive years, and that, after having also lost his dear wife. He has served the Master’s churches in humility, gentleness and sincerity of heart while enduring “hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).

No longer ministering as a pastor to the body of Christ, he doesn’t get as many opportunities to preach as he’d like; and though retired, he teaches the Seniors Bible Study every week at the Talladega Recreation Center (a study that I regularly attend). I love it when he preaches to our congregation, and desire that the Lord provide so that we can have him preach to us much more. God’s Word rolls smoothly off of his tongue, like warm butter on a hot roll. When he preaches God’s Word, it comes forth in a gentle power from one who has walked intimately with the Good Shepherd, the Spirit bearing witness with our spirits that the truth of Christ’s Person and His work is the most important truth in the universe.

On an even more personal note, as my own father had passed away in 1963, I have adopted Granville as my own dad. I sometimes call him “Brother Dad.” And likewise, Granville has adopted me as his own son. Granville’s youngest son would have been about my age (I’ll be 52 in August) had he not died of cancer about a year and a half ago.

I love Granville Gauldin as a minister, as a man of God, as a brother in Christ, as a friend, and as a father; and he reminds me often of his love for me, telling me the same thing he tells his grandchildren: “I love you more than a little.”

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The Prophetic Voice of Psalms 23 – Part Three

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” —Psalms 23:2

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”Not only was the Lord Jesus surrendered to the heavenly Father as He lay down His life in obedient humility, He was also sustained by His heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit. As a shepherd desires for his flock to graze in tender grass, so the heavenly Father also provides His beloved Son sustenance in green pastures. Yet, the illustration does fail somewhat here, because the Holy Spirit, by the Father’s will, did not lead Jesus to a place of food and supply, but instead to the Person of food and supply: the Father Himself.

The heavenly Father was Christ’s source and supply: Christ’s way and His stay; both His comfort in repose and His strength in revitalization. Christ Jesus was nourished by the heavenly Father’s provision; nourished from the heavenly Father’s promises; nourished with the heavenly Father’s pleasure; and nourished in the heavenly Father’s presence. The heavenly Father was Jesus of Nazareth’s green pastures.

By provision. This is connected with the reality of His incarnation unto obedience and humility as a Man with a reasonable soul. The Lord Christ received spiritual nourishment in every situation and circumstance the heavenly Father set before Him. Although this is revealed by the Holy Spirit throughout the Gospels of the Lord Christ’s actions, attitudes and announcements, it is perhaps most clear from His words to Simon Peter during His arrest in Gethsemane, “Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11).

From promises. The powerful Word of God was indeed the Bread of Life to the Son of man, receiving nourishment from the divine declarations of His heavenly Father. When, after His baptism in the River Jordan, He was immediately driven by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, and was there tempted of Satan after fasting for forty days and nights (Matthew 4:1, 2; Mark 1:11-13). Jesus was not tempted because there was some possibility that He could sin; He was tested and tried to prove to us that He was the very Son of God: impeccable in righteousness, spotless in perfection, blameless before men, well pleasing to God: “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). At the point of literal starvation because He began to hunger at the end of forty days, Satan came to Him subtly, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matthew 4:3). What was Christ’s response? “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Quoting God’s Word (Deuteronomy 8:3), the Lord Jesus declared that He received nourishment from God’s Word.

With pleasure. The Lord Jesus Christ received nourishment in the good pleasure of the heavenly Father’s will. When standing at Jacob’s well in Samaria, among a number of the people from the city who had come out to see Jesus because of the testimony from the woman the Lord had spoken with, the Lord’s disciples returned from the city with victuals and begged Him to eat something (John 4:30, 31). What was the Lord’s reply? He said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of…. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:32, 34).

In Presence. We really need look no further than the next verse of this precious psalm to see the nourishment Christ received from the blessed presence of His heavenly Father: “He restoreth my soul.” It is written in Psalms 17:15, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Christ was satisfied, filled full of the heavenly Father’s presence, each time He arose (I awake) from His lying down in green pastures.

Though He must eat and drink to nourish His body, the Lord Jesus was filled and fulfilled by the nourishment that only comes from His heavenly Father by the Holy Spirit. Likewise, therefore, should we not desire, seek, and pursue spiritual nourishment in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit unto the glory of the heavenly Father?

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CONTEMPORARY ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PANICKY PREACHERS! (Letter B!)

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

I find it incredibly providential that prior to receiving an email updating me on Dr. Larry Dixon’s latest blog article, “Contemporary Illustrations for Panicky Preachers! (Letter B),” I had just finished reading 2 lectures from Charles Spurgeon given to his students at The Metropolitan Tabernacle’s Pastor’s College; the lectures being, “Illustrations in Preaching” and “Anecdotes from the Pulpit.” Therefore, I just had to reblog his article.

Some of the illustrations you may have heard before; and there may be some there that might rustle the feathers of a few; and possibly even offend some others. Please take these illustrations in the lighthearted manner that I believe they were initially intended. After all, it could be worse– you could be sitting on a huge cramp, which has been keeping you awake for days because it feels like your gluteus maximus keeps trying to transform into a 16 pound bowling ball… so lighten up, will you [please note attempt at smiley emoticon... :) ]

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The Fatal Flaw of Multi-Site Churches

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

You may recall I reblogged an article from Pastor Tim Phillips about five days ago, as he shared a few insights, while posting some quotes by Ligon Duncan and Carl Trueman, two of the several ministers speaking at the T4tG Conference. If you enjoyed that, you will most certainly want to read this. Thanks, Pastor Tim.

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My Favorite Preachers: an Apology

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe…. That no flesh should glory in his presence.” —1 Corinthians 1:21, 29

Please understand that my use of the word “favorite” with regard to these men whom I have listed as my particular favorites, we should recognize that I use the word as it is broken down, favor-ite, he (or those) to which I favor; to whom God’s grace is extended toward through me— or, as Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines “favorite”—“Regarded with particular kindness, affection, esteem or preference.” In recognizing these preachers as my favorites, I am fulfilling my responsibility as a saved soul and a as brother in the body of Christ, as it is commanded us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Romans 12:10).

Now, keeping also in mind that, preferring one another honorably, we do not hear these men with an undiscerning ear; —the measure of our Christian witness is always determined by faith in the Christ of God revealed in the scriptures. We most certainly check the lives, and most especially the words, of these men by the Christ-illuminated truth of scripture; yet, we also recognize that in listening to ministers with whom we have a relationship, friendship, kinship, and special communion, we are to endeavor to hear Christ crucified in their preaching, rather than hearing with a critical ear and a cold heart toward the Word, and toward the brother expounding it.

As a pastor, I don’t often have the opportunity of hearing men I know; men who pray for me as I do for them; men who, by their devoted interest in Christ, have a dutiful interest to me as one of the many sheep in his charge; men, to whom I can call, “my pastor.” Nevertheless, it is what it is, by God’s grace; and I am ever grateful to the Lord that He has placed such faithful men in my path and in my heart. Although every one of these men would be humbled to the dust in seeing this list, and here I am posting it again, please indulge me in posting it again, in no particular order:

DAVID WILSON of Ohatchee, Alabama.

FRANK ROLLBERG of Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

MILES MCKEE of New Ross, Ireland.

DON CURRIN of Tuscumbia, Alabama

GRANVILLE GAULDIN of Talladega, Alabama.

PAUL WASHER of Radford, Virginia.

WASSILIE MUTE of Koyuk, Alaska.

BOB ST. JOHN of Anniston, Alabama.

I pray that, as I continue to make these little introductions for you to meet some of my favorite preachers, we all might, by God’s grace, grow more appreciative of the pastors, preachers, and teaching elders with whom the Lord has placed in our lives by His providence.

The paper preachers of the past (those influential men who we read but have passed away), and the more public preachers of the present (those men of influence who are more recognizable by and large because of their books, and/or radio, television, Internet ministries, etc.), do not know who you and I are, may never, ever meet us or break bread with us, and except in the most general sense, have not offered up prayers on your behalf or mine (unless you do actually happen to attend one of the churches of the more public preachers of present day— and God bless you, if you do).

Pray for your pastors, who minister to you the Word each week, for you spiritual benefit. If they are Bible-teachers, Gospel-preachers and Christ-exalters, then they take seriously the Lord’s call and command to feed you as Christ’s dear lamb; they take seriously the duty and privilege of intercession before the throne of grace on your behalf; they take seriously the great responsibility given to represent the Triune God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe; they recognize that we are wretched men, and that no mere man can labor in such a work apart from the daily nourishment found in communion with Christ, by God’s Word, and through God’s Spirit.

Again, I reiterate at the risk of sounding foolishly redundant [from the Dept. of Redundancy Department], PRAY for the ministers and leaders of your local congregation.

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The Man Who Prayed in Reverse!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Jon J. Cardwell

THE WEDNESDAY WORD
By Miles McKee
“The Man Who Prayed in Reverse!”

“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me I am a sinful man O Lord” —Luke 5:8

It was only when the big fisherman, Simon Peter, was confronted with the awesome power and majesty of Christ that he began to see the extent of his wretched sinfulness. But look at his strange response to this awful discovery— he asked the Lord to depart. He’s the man who prayed in reverse. He prayed backwards!  

What a strange gospel it would be if our sin caused the Lord to depart. It was our sin which brought Him here in the first place. Do we now think that our sin will drive Him away? Have we gone so far from the gospel that we imagine there is a throne of grace from which we must run and hide? Or do we imagine that we must clean and reform our ways before we are fit to approach the Master? Does our sin, like Peter’s, make us want to avoid the Lord Christ? Unfortunately, this is often the case.  

Instead of praying “Depart from me,” Peter should have prayed, “Lord come to me and let me come to you for I am a sinful man. I need you Lord. I’m a sinner, please forgive me, heal my conscience, remove my guilt and strengthen me.”  

It is by learning to embrace the grace and mercy which is in Christ that the gospel believer becomes a prayer warrior. The gospel believer knows that his sin is so awful and God is so holy that there is nothing but the blood of Christ which can open the way to heaven.  The gospel believer knows something of the power and authority of the blood. He knows that there is nothing but the blood which can bring Him to the throne (Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 10:19). The gospel believer can, therefore, confidently agree that the best place for him is with the Saviour of Sinners and not away from Him!  

But in spite of knowing these wonderful gospel truths, our sin, like that of Adam’s, tends to make us want to hide. Unfortunately, there‘s much truth in Shakespeare’s line, “Conscience does make cowards of us all.” Sometimes we are too afraid to go to the throne of grace. We know we deserve, not favour, but frowns and we wonder how we can, as sinful people, go to God with boldness?  

So how we do it? How do we go there? Here’s the answer.  

As justified believers we walk by faith. Faith sees that we have a great High Priest sitting, not on a throne of wrath and fury, but on a throne of grace. Faith then sees the Saviour of sinners on that very throne welcoming us. Faith sees that in our nature, and as our personal representative, the Royal High Priest lived a holy and sinless life.  Faith sees that He was crucified and killed, yet faith also sees that He rose again, ascended and sat down on His throne in Heaven. Faith holds out its hand and receives welcoming grace, mercy and cleansing. Faith brings us boldly to the throne of grace and not away from it.  

Faith also sees that we are, not only invited to the throne of grace, but are actually commanded to come to it. Faith gives us confidence to go there for faith sees that Christ Himself is our confidence. In Him we find, not man’s mercy, but God’s. 

And that’s the Gospel Truth

Miles McKee
Minister of the Gospel
New Ross, County Wexford,
Ireland

www.milesmckee.com
www.thegracechurch.ie
www.paramountchurch.com

miles@thegracechurch.ie

If the Lord has now laid it on your heart to partner with us, we rejoice. You are very much needed. If you are in America, please send your donations to,

Miles McKee Ministries
PO Box 353
Ponte Vedra Beach
Jacksonville
Florida 32004-0353

Outside of America,
Miles McKee
8 Ard Beg, Newbawn
County Wexford, Ireland

Pay Pal is also an excellent option for making donations. It’s easy. Just follow the donation link for Project Ireland on the bottom left of our home page at www.milesmckee.com or go to Pay Pal and type in Miles McKee Ministries or simply click here

You are encouraged to forward, blog, publish on the web or place the Wednesday Word in your Church bulletin on condition that you do not change the content of the actual message.

We have begun an archive for the Wednesday Word. It is not complete as yet, but there is much material there. Give it a visit and or forward the link to your friends

http://www.milesmckee.com/wednesday_words.html

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