Deuteronomy 11 - HEAVEN ON EARTH?

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

HEAVEN ON EARTH?

“But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” —Deut. 11:11-12

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Here is a remarkable text in a remarkable context (vv. 11-21). It is the divine description of the “promised land.”  Now we have before noted that Canaan is not a type of heaven, but it is a figure of the potential of the grace and goodness of God to provide tranquility and blessing in the midst of a tragic and troubled world. In fact His description and exhortation includes the emphasis, “That your days may be multiplied…as the days of heaven upon earth.”

The thoughtful reader may be taken back to “the beginning,” before the catastrophe and conflict brought in by sin, when “…the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden… [Gen. 2:8-10].” 

So, the prospect set before Israel is settlement in “God’s garden,” furnished by Him, cared for by Him, suited to satisfy every legitimate need of theirs. In a world of conflict, under the hand of the Almighty, they could look forward to true and proper peace and prosperity, once they were settled there.

There was, however, a prerequisite. The affirmation of God’s maintenance of the land is couched between two verses delineating the condition of this settled peace. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (v.13)—and—“Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them” (v.16). It is the same condition iterated positively and negatively.

This is not a promise of salvation. That had already been accomplished in their deliverance from Egypt. It is rather a prescription for enjoying the potential of their deliverance as God intended it. 

There is a lesson here for New Testament believers. We are called out from the world into “the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,” with the Savior’s promise, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid [Jn 14:27].” We are assured, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus [Phil. 4:19].” 

We tend to take these promises of peace and provision for granted, too often missing the fact that while salvation is a free gift depending only upon faith in Christ, the enjoyment of that salvation is conditional. The Savior Himself said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” We are throughout the New Testament urged to abide in Christ, to “walk as He walked,” and, if we love Him to keep His commandments.å

In addition, we are reminded that we enjoy His rest in the midst of an imperfect and uncertain world. ”These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world [John 16:33].” Christ, not Canaan, is to  be our abiding place and His will our first concern. And we must keep ever in mind that we are surrounded by the influences of the adversary that will ever war against the promises of God. 

Too often our quest is to make our nest too comfortable this side of eternity. As believers we have no reason to expect “heaven on earth,” nor to make that our goal. ”For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name [Heb. 13:14-15].” Our goal must be the Lord, not the “land.”

“But first seek his Kingdom and the righteousness that he requires, and then all these things shall be added for you.” 

—Mt. 6:33 (TCNT)

—"Pastor" Frasier

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9/22/12

These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

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Deuteronomy 10 - DIVINE REQUIREMENT

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

DIVINE REQUIREMENT

“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” 

—Deut. 10:12

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If as New Testament believers we were asked to summarize God’s requirement fir His own, I think we would be inclined to answer in one word, “faith.” “For without faith it is impossible to please Him [Heb. 11:6].” Given that response, it is important to inquire what faith is. For many, I fear, faith is regarded as an act; “I put my  faith in Christ,“ e.g. Of course anyone who has gained familiarity with the Bible knows better than that, but we too often know better than we behave.

My suggestion is that our nugget for today is indicative of the components of genuine faith, and we propose to look at it from that perspective.

The first and foremost ingredient of true faith is the fear of the Lord. Rotherham translates the word fear as “revere.” Reverence incorporates awe, wonder, profound respect. Those who “fear” the Lord are overwhelmed by His majesty and His glory. Perhaps the best illustration of it in scripture is found in Isaiah’s reaction when he “saw the Lord,” to which we have called attention on other occasions:

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple…Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts [Isa. 6:1, 5].”

Our faith may not result in the same visual experience, but it should elicit a similar spiritual reaction. In less dramatic terms a poet asked, “How big is God,” and responded, “He’s big enough to build this mighty universe, and small enough to live within my heart.” Faith generates that peculiar sense of His majesty on the one hand and His condescension on the other that which results in awe and a proper humility, “the fear of the Lord.” This is “the beginning of wisdom.” ( Ps. 111:10)

Faith incorporates not only a sense of reverence, but also a disposition to to obey Him—to “walk in all His ways.” Recall those most familiar verses in Ephesians; “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [Eph. 2:8-10].” Faith does not rest upon good works, but it does result in them. We do not respect a God to whom we do not respond in obedience. That was Adam’s problem in the beginning, and it is what Christ came to undo.

A third component of genuine faith is love. The Savior’s penetrating question to the broken apostle Peter, after His resurrection was, “do you love me?” and when Peter responded in a tentative way, the Son of God said simply, “feed my sheep.” Obedience and love are ever linked in God’s assessment of our faith. And the apostle Paul integrated faith and love in the believer’s hope when he concluded, “Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love [I Cor. 13:13].” 

Finally God said to Israel, “serve the Lord thy God.” Faith—real faith—eventuates in spiritual fruit.” The Savior said to the faithful, God with Whom our faith is engaged.

The last phrase in our  text is a key to the whole. At first glance it appears to apply to service; I am convinced that it embraces the who verse. “with all thy heart and with with all thy soul.” Genuine faith is not half hearted. It reaches deep into the roots of our being and changes everything. The phrase is echoed by the Lord Jesus Christ when He was asked “Which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind [Matt. 22:36-37].”  

If God is real to us, as faith alone can generate, then we should revere Him, obey Him. love Him and serve Him with “all [our] heart and with all [our] soul.” Anything less undervalues our God and marks the deficiency of the “faith” we profess.

          “Oh to grace, how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be.

          Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.” —Robinson 1758

—"Pastor" Frasier

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9/15/12

These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

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Deuteronomy 9 - THE INTERCESSOR

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

THE INTERCESSOR

Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. —Deut. 9:24

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Few statements in scripture are more telling, or more heartbreaking, than this indictment by Moses of God’s “chosen people.” Sadly, the same charge will apply to much of the professing church. And few statements are more devastating than the commentary,  “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry  [I Sam.15:23].” Connecting these two references to “rebellion” against God, the wonder is that either Israel or the church still exists.

The answer to that dilemma is found in the context that follows, summed up in this case by the declaration of Moses, “The Lord had said He would destroy you [but] I prayed therefore unto the Lord…” (v. 25b, 26a) It is a powerful illustration of the role of the intercessor in the process of redemption. 

Moses’ intercession rested first upon God’s investment in His people: “O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” (v. 26) Divine power had been invested in the deliverance of His people from their bondage in Egypt. Then, he prays on the ground of God’s integrity with respect to His word, His promise; “Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…” (v. 27) To each of these God had given unconditional promises that would, in effect, have been  broken if Israel were “destroyed.” Happily, God cannot deny Himself and a powerful incentive for “grace upon grace” is implemented by this appeal. It is not Israel’s character, but God’s that is “front and center” in this prayer. A third aspect of Moses’ plea rests upon God’s ability: “Look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land…” (v. 27-28)

From a historical perspective the preservation of the nation rests on Moses’ intercession. That is based altogether on the character of God and not at all on the merits of Israel.

Moses is properly regarded as a type of Christ. He himself declared, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken… [Deut. 18:15].” That Prophet is Christ, and as Israel’s survival rested on the intercession of Moses, so ours rests upon the intercession of Christ. “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens… [Heb. 7:25].”

And as with Moses, that intercession rests upon God’s investment in us: He gave His only begotten Son for our deliverance from the bondage of sin; an incalculable price. It embraces God’s faithfulness to His promise: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [Rom. 10:13].” And, it relies upon God’s infinite power and His determination to demonstrate it before the “watching world” for all eternity: He is “able…to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” 

Within the ranks of professing Christendom there are those who believe that salvation is obtained by our “good works,” or “keeping the commandments.” There are others who teach that salvation is obtained by grace, but maintained by good works. This”nugget” is intended to show that redemption from start to finish rests solely upon the redemptive grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. From beginning to end it is “not of works, lest any man should boast.” 

Let us glorify Him and rejoice with the apostle who said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice… in [Him] whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”  (I Pet. 1:3-9)

“My hope is built on nothing less (and nothing else) than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” When (if) we reach the “glory land” the universal cry will be “To God be the glory, great things HE hath done!!”

—"Pastor" Frasier

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9/8/12

These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

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Deuteronomy 8 - THE PERIL OF PROSPERITY

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

THE PERIL OF PROSPERITY

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.  —Deut. 8:18-19

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The Son of God made the explicit statement to His disciples, “without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Subsequently the apostle Paul declared to the pagans in Athens, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things…[Acts 17:24-25].” Life and breath are essential to productivity, and these are given and extended by God Himself. Take God out of the mix, and “nothing” is the result.

Mankind in general is either ignorant of or indifferent to this monumental fact, but for the believer it should not be so. In the context of our nugget for today God describes the riches of the promised land into which Israel was then entering, and the prosperity that would result for His people. In the same breath He issues this warning that His people need to keep ever before them their dependence upon Him for the maintenance of their wellbeing. 

There is a very real danger that believers will assign success and wealth to their own efforts and lose their sense of dependence upon and respect for God. The Savior told the story of “the rich fool” whose “ground…brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God [Luke 12:16-21].”

The rich man in this instance, of course, was not a believer in the true sense of the word, but his attitude has destroyed the spiritual potential of many a “successful” Christian. It is God who gives the “power to get wealth,” and in the life of the prosperous Christian this should generate praise, not pride, and commitment to God, not self indulgence and self glory. God is the first cause in everything, and this we are to recognize and respond to appropriately. Paul asks, “…what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (I Cor. 4:7) Whatever I have as a Christian, be it little or much, it is not “mine,” but His, committed to my trust.

We live in a nation where prosperity has generated a false sense of security and self-sufficiency that is threatening to destroy us. It is vital that believers resist that danger. We cannot change the attitude of the nation, but we must carefully check our own interpretation of wealth, its Source and significance.

With our text and its context as a backdrop, let us hear the words of the Savior to His disciples following the parable of the rich fool: 

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you [Luke 12:22-31].”

If our prosperity tempts us to “forget the Lord our God,” it threatens to induce a poverty of eternal dimensions.

—"Pastor" Frasier

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9/1/12

These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

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Deuteronomy 7 - A CHRISTIAN'S WEDDING

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

A CHRISTIAN’S WEDDING

“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.”                                                   —Deut. 7:3-4

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Truth is uncompromising. When attempts are made to compromise the truth, chaos is the inevitable result. That is the principle underlying the commandment here given to Israel to make no marriages with the heathen in the land God was giving them. 

In the account of the flood that destroyed the world in Noah’s day, it is interesting that this issue is first on God’s list of reasons for His judgment. “The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took wives of all which they chose…There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.,” (Gen. 6:2, 4) In between these two verses is cited God’s determination to destroy the world. 

The appeal for this compromise was the attraction of the flesh (“they were fair” [i.e., attractive, beautiful]). The result of the compromise was impressive (“mighty men…of renown”). But God’s assessment of it was catastrophic. The principle is thus laid down that God brooks no union between the holy and the profane! The significance of this is extensive and staggering, but can only be suggested here. Remember, the Savior said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the days of the coming of the Son of Man be [Mat. 24:37].”

Our approach to this “nugget” today will be rather confined to the specific declaration of the text. Believers are not to marry unbelievers. That is plain, simple and indisputable. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (II Cor.  6:14) Probably no decision a Christian makes, except for the fundamental decision to trust Christ for salvation, is more important than deciding whom to marry. Regardless of other circumstances that may enter our lives, a God blessed marriage is one’s greatest treasure this side of heaven. This implies the importance of committing the matter to the will of God. It will require prayer for the direction of God. It will demand conduct before marriage that keeps one pure for the choice of God. In short, it demands submission to the Lordship of Christ in one’s personal life.

That is the lesson for the believer contemplating marriage. There is another lesson here for Christian parents. If this is the will of God for believers, then our children must be instructed diligently regarding the divine order. This links to our text for last week: “Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house (etc.).” It is the responsibility of believing parents to instruct their children in this vital matter; not just once, but on an ongoing basis. Few issues are more important in shaping the next generation of believers, or insuring the happiness and well being of our offspring, to say nothing of the testimony of Christ. 

We wrote but recently about the Savior’s indictment of divorce, and how this evil has become increasingly prevalent in our churches. It is an indication of how far we have fallen from the revealed will of God. If there were more emphasis in church and home on God’s uncompromising demand for separation between the holy an the profane, there might be less of this insidious evil in contemporary Christian culture. 

We are mindful, of course, that for most of our readers this emphasis comes after the fact. Thankfully, we live on this side of the “law.” There is mercy with the Lord. “IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [I John 1:9].” God is in the business of mending broken things, and as surely as He can inflict chaos when His will is defied, He can bring order out of chaos when we bring our wreckage to Him and ask for mercy. 

“If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? “  —I Cor. 7:12-16

—"Pastor" Frasier

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8/25/12

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Deuteronomy 6 - HEART HEALTH

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

HEART HEALTH

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.   —Deut. 6:5-9

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Redemption is a love affair. It begins with the incomprehensible love of God for man (Jn. 3:16). It progresses through the love of man for God. Our fundamental problem is heart trouble—”The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9) Redemption offers the sinner a spiritual heart transplant. In a remarkable passage which, incidentally, defines repentance, God pleaded with wayward Israel through the prophet Ezekiel,

“Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live [Ezek. 18:30b-32].”

Subsequently He promises the penitent a new heart: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them [Ezek. 36:26].”

This precisely prefigures our redemptive experience in Christ. The repentant sinner is afforded a new birth through which he becomes a new creation, embracing a new heart, all imparted through the operation of the Holy Spirit. This, as New Testament believers, we pretty well understand and “take it by faith.” What we seem not to understand is the importance of maintaining “heart health” for the full implementation of the new life we have in Christ. The key is in one of the most demanding words in scripture; the little three letter word “ALL.”

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God—   with ALL thine heart

                                                       with ALL  thy soul

                                                       with ALL thy might.

The cause of failure in our spiritual life is half-heartedness. Our love is divided between God and self. God’s remedy is to immerse the heart in His word. The link between verse five and verse six is not incidental; it is vital. If we are to love Him with our whole heart, it will involve, and be manifested by obedience to His word. “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” And we cannot keep commandments we do not know. The heart in its devotion and direction must be reinforced from within by the knowledge of and submission to the Word of God. And it is important to remember that the written word is but a portrait of the Living Word. As we become familiar with the written word we become acquainted with Him; and there is no other way.

It is not the mere reading of the word nor memorizing scripture that is in view here, though both are invaluable. It is the heart embrace of its truths, so that its import is evident in all of life. It is to be the textbook out of which we teach our children. It is to be the subject of our conversation, both at home and abroad. It is to be our meditation “evening and morning.” It is to govern the work of our hands, the sight of our eyes and all of our coming and going. The divine intention is that all of the believer’s life should be in every respect the expression of His principles “twenty four seven,” in what we endorse, what we embrace and what we avoid. 

The average “Christian” home, I dare say, and in fact the average Christian church would be utterly transformed if we began to take these two principles seriously and prayerfully pursued them with diligence: whole-hearted love for God and His word.  How is your heart?

What shall I give Thee, Master? Thou hast given all for me! 

Not just a part, or half of my heart, I must give all to Thee! 

—"Pastor" Frasier

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8/18/12

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Deuteronomy 5 - A DIVINE LONGING

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

A DIVINE LONGING

“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”

                                                                                                                         —Deut. 5:29

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It is not often that we hear God sighing, but that is the “tone of voice” of this text. There is an ache in the heart of God that man, in rebellion, has not alleviated through all the ages of time.

There is a tension in the heart of the Eternal that is often overlooked. His holiness demands that he punish sin and indifference toward His Lordship. Yet His is a heart of love that longs to draw the wayward to Himself, enabling Him to show His abounding favor to those who are aligned with Him. Pending that, there is an infinite ache in the heart of the Eternal. That ache is exacerbated when those who become “His own” fail to draw near, to hear and heed His word which is all designed for our good as well as His glory. 

Israel, in a position to hear the word of the Lord first hand, as it were, chose to refer the experience to an intermediary. To Moses they said, 

“Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.” 

(Deut. 5:24-27)

Their irrationality is evident. In v.24 they affirm “we have seen this day that God talk with man, and he liveth.” They followed by exhibiting fear that should they hear the voice of God again, they would die. Employing their “logic” to undermine their experience, they proposed that Moses be their intermediary and stand between them and intimate, personal communion with God. 

It is a picture of much of contemporary Christianity. The majority prefer to let someone else (the “pastor,” e.g.) be their go between and themselves never listen to His voice through personal encounter by the Word, or commune with Him directly in personal prayer. I recall hearing a woman say specifically, when queried about her prayer life, “Oh, we pay our pastor to do that!” No pastor, no priest is, in the redemptive plan, assigned to be our spiritual intermediary. “There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus [I Tim. 2:5].” When we approach God through Christ our connection with God is immediate, because He is God. If we leave it to another, our connection with God is broken, and He is both grieved and angered, as was the case here.

Hear the cry of the heart of God. “Oh there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me.” He seeks not the terror that gripped the hearts of the Israelites, but the “the fear of the Lord” that cultivates reverence and respect  in the hearts of those who delight in His fellowship. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart [Ps. 37:4].”

Then, “Keep all My commandments.” Through an intimate and personal fellowship He anticipates our obedience to the Word He has spoken to us. It is not confined to the Old Testament but to the New as well, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments [John 14:15].” This verse is wonderfully familiar to most evangelical Christians, but it needs to be heard again and again. “Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you [James 4:8].”

Finally, “that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!” This intimate and personal fellowship with God is the real key to fulness of blessing for us and for our children. It is the greatest heritage one can leave to his descendants. Surely our personal fellowship with God does not guarantee the salvation of our children, but it will bring the power of God to bear upon their lives in a way little else can do. 

Trust Him as your Savior. Seek Him as a Friend. Submit to Him as your Sovereign. Enjoy the blessing of His favor—now and forever. He longs for it; do you?

—"Pastor" Frasier

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8/11/12 

These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

 http://wmf14227.blogspot.com/ - or - http://pastorfrasier.blogspot.com/ prior to 4/1/12

Deuteronomy 4 - THE WORD OF GOD

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

THE WORD OF GOD

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” —Deut. 4:2

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There is an interesting parallel to this text on the last page of the Bible:

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”  (Rev. 22:18-19)

While each of these texts applies to the context in which they were written, they reveal a vital principle that surely applies to all scripture. Scripture is unique. in a world of “books” there is one book that stands apart from all others, and that is the scriptures—the Word of God. Though lying on a table with other books, the Bible may look the same, the fact is that it is above and apart from everything else ever written, and is not to be trifled with.

Well known, but well worth reviewing, is that classic text on the divine inspiration, II Tim. 3:16-17. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Bible is consistent in its affirmation that all its content has originated with God. Our text implies it. David, as one of the inspired publishers of the word of God affirmed, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me… [II Sam. 23:2].” The uniform claim implied, if not stated, is, “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it. [Ps. 68:11].” This unique character applies to all the word of God, and it applies only to the word of God. In consequence, we are to handle it with the utmost care, as a sacred trust. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away, is recorded three times in the gospels as uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33).

Scripture is enshrined in the library of heaven, entrusted to the hands of faithful men and designed for two things, supremely/ First, for informing sinners of the need for an the way of salvation. “…the holy scriptures are able to make [one] wise unto salvation [II Tim 3:15].” And secondly, it is given to the end “that the man of God may be perfect, [thoroughly equipped] for all good works.” No other “word” can do that.

There is another characteristic unique to the scriptures and that is their connection with the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The design of the written word is to introduce the Son of God. The Bible gives us a portrait of His character and invites us to identify with His person. If we tamper with its content, we are effacing the revelation of the Savior. If we discount its authority, we are denying His. We have no authority to add or subtract according to our own liking, yet many today have audacity to do so, including some who profess to be shepherds of the Lord’s sheep. It is of paramount importance that we remember that the first question in human history  was, “Yea, hath God said…? And when Eve added to His pronouncement (“neither shall ye touch it”), then minimized its declaration (“lest ye die”) the consequences were devastating, and we bear the burden of it to this day. 

If we would reap the benefit here and hereafter of the blessing of the Lord, it is imperative that we apply this principle in all of life; “Ye shall not add unto the Word…neither shall [we] diminish ought from it.” Simply trust and obey!

“What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: 

thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” 

Deut. 12:32

If God says a thing once, you had better believe it. If He says it twice, you had better never forget it!

—"Pastor" Frasier

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8/4/12

Deuteronomy 3 - ARMED FOR BATTLE

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

ARMED FOR BATTLE

“And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.”

—Deut. 3:18

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Canaan, or “the promised land,” is often confused in type with heaven. That is, of course, a mistake. Canaan was God’s objective for Israel, but it was a territory that had to be taken in battle and held against innumerable adversaries. It was a pleasant and productive place, corresponding to the center of God’s will, but it demanded a conquest to enter it and constant vigilance to hold it. That is not a picture of heaven!

In Biblical “type” Canaan corresponds to the believer’s position as “abiding in Christ,” where we are counseled to take up and maintain residence, once we are saved, but still this side of heaven. (Cf. John 15:1-11 e.g.) It is a place of joy, for it represents the center of Gods will for us in our present state. It is a fruitful land, but always contested by “many adversaries.”

If Satan fails in his objective to keep us from trusting Christ in the first place, his next objective will be to discourage us from taking the position Christ intends for us. Few things help his cause more than those who “profess that they know God, but in works deny Him.” “Unbelieving believers.” When the Israelites saw evidence of the fruit of the land, they were enthused, but when they heard about the “giants,” they were dismayed. The envisioned price was too high. Ah, how many have been their descendants!

At this point in the narrative our text finds a new generation ready at last, after forty years of fruitless wandering in the wilderness, to face the foe and enter the land. The interesting thing is that God reminds them again that there will be battles to be fought for the ground that is to be taken: “Ye shall pass over armed…” The divine plan has not changed. Victory in New Testament terms is always the same. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me [Mt. 16:24].” 

What is interesting in our text, however, is something deduced from the context. The words were uttered by Moses in this instance, in his farewell address to Israel, with specific reference to the Ruebenites and the Gadites, who had already been granted their territory on the east side of the Jordan. However they were not to settle down until the rest of the people had claimed their possessions. In other words, establishing themselves in the will of God was to be a cooperative venture in which the children of God would engage until all enjoyed the blessing. 

One of the key phrases in the New Testament is “one another.” While each of us carries individual responsibilities, Christian experience is not, in God’s intention, a solo venture. The church is described as the body of Christ, in which all the parts constitute the whole, and no individual is sufficient of himself. (See I Cor. 12:12-27) Tragically, that is not the picture of the average “church,” nor of the church as a whole. To say nothing of the church at large, the average congregation (“local church”) is a collection of individuals who have little to do with or for one another with respect to spiritual matters. To be spiritually armed for battle with the Enemy in order to help other believers win God’s high ground is a concept foreign to most professing Christians. How different would the average church be if every member waged war with the adversary until all were established in abiding fellowship with Christ! The apostle Paul exemplified that spirit when he wrote to the Galatians, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you [Gal. 4:19].” 

With these thoughts for starters, we need to note one more thing, suggested in the context. Even under the best of circumstances, the nature of the battle is such that it takes more—much more—than concerted cooperative effort on the part of the whole congregation to successfully take the ground God intends for us. “Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you.” (v.22) As always, “It takes God to be godly.” Whether as individuals or collectively, we cannot take our true position in Christ in our own strength nor by our own resources. Programs, plans, procedures of man’s devising will not suffice. There must be faith in and conscious dependence upon God Himself if we are to win the victory over sin and satan. 

We have His promise that when we “trust and obey” His word, following where He leads, we will come to enjoy the satisfaction, peace and joy that He has promised. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand [Eph. 6:12-13].” Individually and together!

—"Pastor" Frasier

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7/28/12

Deuteronomy 2 - THE GOD WHO IS THERE

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

THE GOD WHO IS THERE

“…the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.”

—Deut. 2:7

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Israel’s unbelief did not cost them their relationship with Jehovah; it caused them to fall short of the objective God had for them and robbed them for forty years of the “rest” He would have had for them in the land of Canaan.

“For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”  (Heb. 3:16-19)

In the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews this bit of history is employed as an instructive lesson on the importance of exercising faith not only to obtain salvation, but to make it practical in everyday life so that the peace and power of salvation becomes the believer’s environment; we are urged to “enter…into His rest.” (Read Heb. 4:1-11) It is sad, but true, that most professing Christians know little of that “rest,” and hence little of the real joy of salvation. They are wandering in a spiritual wilderness, having, perhaps, faith enough to get out of sin’s bondage but not enough to enjoy salvation’s blessings; what used to be called ‘the victorious life in Christ.’

Today, however, our purpose is not to dwell upon that, profitable as it might be, but to note that in spite of that truncated faith and its consequent “daily grind,” God remains faithful. “If we believe not, (as was the case with these Israelites) yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” In other words, God will be true to Himself, even if we refuse to trust Him. Our text and its context illustrates this truth.

Consider first, how the situation illustrates God’s patience. First let it be carefully noted that unbelief angers the Lord and will result in discipline. “… the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and swore, saying, Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I swore to give unto your fathers [Deut. 1:34-35].” In this case that discipline lasted for forty years!

The second evidence of God’s faithfulness, in our text, is His consistent presence with His disappointing people. “He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee.” We are all familiar with the great line in the twenty third psalm, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” We generally apply this passage to end of life experience. In fact, it applies to all of life, for as believers, even under the best of circumstances, our whole journey is through the valley of…death. And, whether our faith flourishes or languishes, we have the promise of the Savior, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” So it was with wayward Israel. God consigned them to the discipline of the wilderness, but He did not abandon them in it. As the poet put it, “He was there all the time.”

And their unbelief notwithstanding, He sustained them and blessed them—whether they recognized and praised Him or not: “Thou hast lacked nothing.” 

“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deut. 8:2-5)

Incorporated in His patience was this remarkable provison. Every fundamental need was supplied, in spite of their unbelief, “food and raiment” God consistently provided. (See I Timothy 6:8!)

For these rebellious Israelites, however little they realized it, understood it or recognized it, God had not abandoned them. The same hand that in faithfulness and love chastened them (see Heb. 12:6) was the Almighty hand that sustained them. Well they might have—indeed, should have cried, “Great is Thy faithfulness; Thy mercies are new every morning!” And so should we!!

—"Pastor" Frasier

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These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

 http://wmf14227.blogspot.com/ - or - http://pastorfrasier.blogspot.com/ prior to 4/1/12

7/21/12

Deuteronomy 1 - FAITH

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

FAITH

“Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.” 

                                                                                                                                  —Deut. 1:32-33

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Faith is foundational to Christian experience. And, it is as critical to saving the life as it is to saving the soul. In other words, faith is fundamental not just to becoming a Christian, but to being one. The Spirit of God exhorts through the apostle Paul, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving [Col. 2:6-7].”

The old testament book of Deuteronomy (“The Second Law”) includes a rehearsal in broad strokes of Israel’s history, under the leadership of Moses, from deliverance from bondage in Egypt to the threshold of the promised land and the transfer of authority from Moses to Joshua. A journey which could have been accomplished in less than two weeks was extended to thirty eight years of “wilderness wandering” because of unbelief. It is a graphic illustration of the cost of defective faith, or “unbelief.”

“Faith” and “belief” are often confused in the minds of many professing Christians, at great cost. Faith includes belief, but belief does not always incorporate faith. To believe in God is one thing; to believe God is another. An able preacher of my acquaintance used to speak of “unbelieving believers;”  those who believed in God, but who did not believe Him in specific areas of life or experience. The most telling example of this is, of course, the case of Adam and Eve. Created by the hand of God and enjoying fellowship with God in the garden of Eden, they  certainly believed in the existence of God. They could not have denied it. But when it came to the issue of the “tree of life,” they simply did not believe the God whom they knew. “In this thing [they] did not believe the Lord [their] God.” The result was catastrophic then, and it still is.

The principle is illustrated again in this history of Israel. There is no doubt the Israelites believed in Jehovah, the “God of the bible.” But when His word directed them to go up and “possess the land” of promise, they did not have a functioning  faith that would prompt obedience to His directive. Many have been their descendants throughout history, including church history. 

When God declares “the just shall live by faith,” He is embracing not just obtaining life, but living it. It is the divine intention that sinners should not merely be justified by faith as an act, but sanctified by faith as an attitude governing all life in terms of His word. This comprehensive nature of faith is indicated in the fundamental statement, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him [Heb. 11:6].” The implication is that faith involves not merely a decision, but devotion, and it is in the latter that many professing Christians come up short. They profess that they “trust Him” for eternal life, but fail to “diligently seek Him” for living that life. In the specifics that follow justification they do not believe the Lord. As a result if, in fact, they are “saved,” they are wandering in a wilderness that yields nothing in their lives like God intended, nor the testimony He desires. They are in a spiritual ‘no man’s land’ somewhere between where they were in sins’ bondage and where they really Abelong now that they have been redeemed.

Many seldom open their bibles and give attention to His purpose to “show…by what way [they] should go.” And if they hear it from the pulpit, or stumble across it by chance, they simply thrust it aside in favor of their own agenda, as did Israel at Horeb. The result is an anemic “church” that has neither peace nor power. “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him.” (Titus 1:16a) 

When on the road to Damascus the apostle Paul was converted through faith in Christ, he “trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do [Acts. 9:6]?” That should be the constant inquiry of every believer, with the intention to “trust and obey.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [Heb. 11:1].” Saving faith not only determines destiny, but it defines deportment. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts [Gal. 5:24].” 

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”     —II Cor. 13:5

—"Pastor" Frasier

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These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at

 http://wmf14227.blogspot.com/ - or - http://pastorfrasier.blogspot.com/ prior to 4/1/12

7/14/12

Mark 16 - ALONE (III)

 NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD

ALONE! (III)

“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” —Mark 16:19

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There is much in this chapter that would lend itself to our purpose and is worthy of our meditation, but there is here one more aspect of the Savior’s “alone-ness” that seems to surpass them all, so we continue with that theme and on this note conclude our quest for “nuggets” in the gospel of Mark. 

As we follow the Son of God through chapters 14 and 15 we are taken to the depths of His solitary journey, one He made “alone” because there were in all creation no others who could make it with Him. No one else was qualified, no one else had anything to contribute to the task He was undertaking. He, alone, endured the cross, “despising the shame” and the desperate solitude it required.

But, the writer of Hebrews concurs with the author of this gospel: Having “[despised] the shame, [He is] set down at the right hand of the throne of God [Heb. 12:2].” In our emphasis in chapters 14 and 15, He is alone in what has all the appearance of tragedy. Emerging from the tomb and whatever transpired in the three days prior, the Son of God experiences a new solitariness; a solitary triumph that has no parallel in earth or heaven. He, alone, sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on high [Heb. 1:3],” occupying as “the last Adam” the highest position in earth or heaven. 

Condescending to become “sin for us” in order to save us from our sins, He is now and forever “exalted” on high, having conquered at an immeasurable price sin and death, and hell and its grand master. Now—

“…we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man [Heb. 2:9].”

ALONE

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage [Heb. 2:14]”

ALONE 

The triumphant consequence is best described by the Spirit inspired apostle: 

“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father [Phil. 2:8-11].”

ALONE!!

We bring nothing but faith to our salvation, and even that is “the gift of God!” (Cf. Eph. 2:8) Our “religion,” our “good works,” contribute not one iota to our salvation. We have nothing to bring to the cross but the ragged ruins of our old sin nature, the refuse inherited from of the first Adam and confirmed by our own sin and rebellion. Eternal life is not earned nor obtained by any merit whatsoever on our part. It flows down from the “river of life” He opened for us when He volunteered for Calvary—alone!

What can you and I return for “so great salvation?” We can trust Him for the redemption He paid so much to provide. And, by the same grace that saves us, we can obey His will, as revealed in His word, to make our lives a thank-offering for the incredible journey He made to set us free. And, like the “four and twenty elders,” let us “fall down before Him that [sits] on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, saying, Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honor and power…” (Rev. 4:10-11)

Lifted up was He to die;

“It is finished!” was His cry;

Now in Heav’n exalted high.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

—Pastor Frasier

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7/7/12