The Weblog of Timothy B. Gowens

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Points to consider:

• Welcoming Jesus into a live does not mean that change is necessarily going to occur – without our effort. 
• Accusatory – Controlling people always tell God what to do –  and how and when to do it – and they get frustrated when He (the god of their own creation) doesn’t respond the way they think he should. Result – anger – self pity – stop serving – stop loving – self centered attitude – all of which leads to more sin. 
• Worried people (which is based on fear that God is not faithful in his promises to provide – and points a finger that somewhere within the character of God, a flaw) always seem to live miserable, and troubled lives.
• But – ONE thing is needed – To listen to God! And to follow after Him and His ways. BUT we have to choose this. God is not going to make you –  stop – listen, and apply resulting in a changed life. 
• The results will not be taken away. This builds a solid foundation – which is more important than anything.

 Application

• It is only transformed lives – by listening to the voice of God- that will make an impact on the lives of others around you. Otherwise and apart from listening to God’s word,  most will be like Martha – Jesus is welcomed – but there is no listening to His voice –  and you will be worried and troubled most of your life. 
• A worried – fearful –  and troubled person will not make an impact on anyone. What are you? Are you listening to God’s voice (Bible)

So often I have felt afraid of the future. Circumstances can’t make us feel anything but my thoughts about them –  certainly do.

As I have been mentored over the years, many great and wonderful Pastors and theologians of the past have been used by my mentor to teach me about what they knew to be true about God.

Most important to mention before we begin. – If you are insecure with your relationship with Christ – then how can you feel secure about anything else. Get this right 1st.

John  Flavel (1630 through 1691) wrote a book called “Keeping the heart” and it is really great once you can slow down enough to read the old English speech that it was written it. So Paraphrased – here are 12 steps to consider when you are feeling afraid.

1. Consider all the people who are in the hands of God… Not one exist outside of this truth. Ez. 18 clearly teaches that all men are in His hands even it they don’t acknowledge Him. If they are in His hands then He is the one who manages them in all their motions (it is unescapable)Limiting – restraining and determining them all at HIS pleasure. Man may have a measure of freedom – but it is NEVER above the sovereign will of Jehovah God!
2. Remember that God loves His children far more than you or I realize. His tender mercies are far better that anything you could dream up by yourself.
3. To fear and not trust in God who has all things in His control – creates a prohibition in the heart of Christ (It is offensive to Him if we remain fearfully not trusting him) Let that violation be something that you reflect upon rather than the circumstance you may find yourself in.
4. Remember the result of the needless vain fears of the past. Most fears don’t come true anyway. We spend so much of our time fearing the “What if’s” that our joy is darkened. Have these worries and fear accomplished anything good in the past? If not, then cast them aside and trust in your Heavenly Father and watch how wonderfully He provides and protects His children
5. Consider for a moment that fearing itself is more evil and grievous to the heart of God – than the actual fear that has come true! God is Holy – and if we understood more of what that means, then we would not fear anything in the light of this truth.
6. Have. you spent time in the Word of God – or the counselors office? Which is more powerful? Far too many seek that counsel of man rather than the counsel of God? God is the source of truth through the power of the Holy Spirit within us… and power over all things – and yet we neglect  – in our fear – to seek Him out and find the relief that His truth brings.
7. Quiet your trembling hearts by recalling and consulting with your past experiences of care and faithfulness of God in former distresses.
8. If you are following the will of God for your life, and there is no apparent sinful circumstance due to your sinful choices, then rest assured that the path that you are on is the will of God. This should provide you holy courage in times of danger. Ps. 32:8 says that God will guide you with His eyes upon you… and He will do so all the days of your life. Nothing is excluded – Pain – suffering – pleasure – Profit or loss – all in included.
9. Guilt and fear go hand in hand. Have you made a sinful choice and you are now afraid of the outcome? This is a healthy and natural fear – but accepting the blood of Christ over your sin, realiving yourself from guilt will have powerful affect over fear. You will notice that the power of fear will diminish as you accept the work of Christ on the cross in depths of your soul.
10. Exercise Holy Trust in times of great distress. Eph. 1:11
11. Slavish sinful creature fears are crushed under a Biblical reverential fear of God.
12. In times of danger and distress-  Prayer and the pouring out of these fears,  caused by the devil and your sinful heart – will pour into you the purposes of God found only in His word through the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

In times of providence where God blast away our comforts, we need to remember the following:

Psalm 119:75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, And that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous one, and Lord Jehovah delivers him from all of them.

Hebrews 12:10-11 our fathers – For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

From John Flavel’s book Keeping the Heart (1630-1691)

There are 9 things that he taught that I want to remind myself of! ( I have paraphrased what I believe he is saying)

1. Through the providence of His will over my life (Eph.1:11) God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love over my soul. He is ordering all of this (the circumstnace) in order to sanctify me and make me ready for eternity with Him on high.

2. Even though God has reserved the right to Himself the liberty of afflicting me, He has tied His own hands –  to a certain extent- because He has promised that He will never leave me or forsake me in my afflictions. It is a season of time meant to bring about His loving purpose unto me. (1 Peter 1:6)

3. I need to recall to mind  – often –  that God has control over the affliction – not Satan – and not the circumstance itself – It is God who is in control. Eph.1:11

4. God does not respect me more when I am doing well – nor does He destain me when I am low, therefore it should not trouble me that He has brought me down.

5. If God has brought me down in order to ruin the power of temptation over my life, then why allow such sad thought to be about the blasting of my outward comforts? Stop thinking so highly of myself that God would bring me here but rather rejoice that He loves me enough to make me more like Christ.

6. God may be doing exactly what you have been long praying for and have been waiting for. His ways are certainly NOT our ways.

7. Be reminded that if you could see the design of the outcome, that you heart would rejoice.

8. By fretting and being discontented, you do yourself more injury than all the afflictions you are currently lying under. My torment of the soul by my fretting and worry is far worse than the external circumstances that God is ordering.  I am to bring every thought and worry captive to will of God. 2 Cor. 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

9. It is sometimes good to compare yourself to others’ circumstances that are far worse that what you are dealing with – but deserve.

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (not from the circumstance but the way you think about it) John 8:32

Let me first say that there is a HUGH difference between the prosperity from the Lord verses the Prosperity Gospel. The prosperity gospel is a total appeal to fleshly desires. It is defined as  – If you plant the seed (meaning that you give the false teacher your money) that GOD is obligated to bless you. This of course is a false gospel based on feelings – healing – and Cash flow – rather than loving Christ and making wise decisions with your money.

I was recently reading Proverbs. 8:21 where it says,

“That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth that I may fill their treasuries”

I had read this in a list of scriptures that were under “Loving God.”

Upon just reading the Scripture – It kinda would lead you to conclude that if I just Love God better that He would cause me to become wealthy. I mean – It says it right there in the verse. BUT- the primary context is loving wisdom – which is what the 8th chapter of Proverbs is about.

Then – as I was praying this morning – the Lord lead me to spend time considering what riches (Prosperity) can actually do. I got the following list from a book Called “Keeping the Heart” by John Flavel 1630- 1691

His list says these things:

In a time a prosperity, when providence smiles upon us and dangles us upon it knee…

1. Consider the dangerous –  ensnaring temptation –  attending a pleasant and prosperous conditions.  Few of those who live in the pleasure land of prosperity of this world escape everlasting perdition.
2. It may keep us yet more humble and watchful in prosperity if we consider that, amount Christians, many have been much the worse for it.
3. Keep down your vain heart by the consideration that God values no man a jot the more for these things. (These things meaning riches)
4. Consider how bitterly many persons have bewailed there folly, when they came to die, that ever they set their hearts upon these things, and heartily wised that they had never know them.
5. Consider of what a blogging nature earthly things are to a should heartily engaged in the way to heaven.

As I consider these things that have been written, these are my thoughts.

Regarding:

1. I have noticed that when I am on vacation – that my priority of spending time with the Lord – sometimes is forgotten – due to the pleasant tasks that are in front of me that day. Do I get up early and pray – and study – and beseech the Lords mercy on me and my family – or do I just float down stream enjoying the day? I believe that it is our human nature to float  – when we can  –  and we always float into complacency. What does Jesus think about Lukewarmness? Read Revelation 3 for that answer.
2. When we are wealthy – many are after you because of your wealth. They are with you and pursuing you BECAUSE of the POTENTIAL that you have to BENEFIT them. We are all selfish by nature and we tend to pursue those who would provide us our path to comfort and security.
3. Does God think more highly of me because I am rich? No He doesn’t – because it all belongs to Him anyway. My possessions mean nothing before God in terms of my value to Him.
4. To pursue – apart from the wisdom from the Lord – Riches – is folly indeed. Proverbs 14:24 says  “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is their foolishness, Wealth is the crown of the wise, but the effort of fools only yields more foolishness.” Even if wealth is gained from a fool, they will wonder from the wisdom that they may have applied temporaily and pierced themselves with pain.  1 Tim. 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” If the pleasure that is derived from riches is the aim, then that person is doomed for disappointment. Ec. 5:10 “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
5. Clogging nature – What is Clogged? Pursing the heart of God is what is clogged! God does not want you to become complacent due to the byproduct of wealth. Deut. 6:10-15 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, ¹¹ and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, ¹² then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ¹³ You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. ¹⁴ You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, ¹⁵ for the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the Lord your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.” WOW – God is serious about this. He does not want us to become complacent about HIM and the blessing of HIS hands. 

What is the real issue? The real issue is that God wants us to remember Him and the wisdom that He gives. Wisdom that provides true wealth is from Him. But that wealth is not to replace the real treasure – which is CHRIST! 

1 Peter 4:19 says

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing Good, as to a faithful Creator

Yesterday – I had the same old issue that seems to plague me like a some old wound, crop its head up yesterday. And in the past, I would do the following:

• Get Angry that my desires are not being met
• Sulk – and go off by myself and not speak to anyone
• Justify my thinking in my sulking
• Turn to something that will satisfy my flesh – (something that does not please God)
• Feel guilty that I turn away to the dirty waters of my own doing
• Cry out to God – again – Why do you have me in this situation that does not change
• blah blah blah….. you get the pathway right?

So instead of following this well worn pathway of thinking, I decided to do the following”

• Turn away in my thinking away from the old patterns
• Pray
• Read Scripture
• Cast my care on Him in obedience (in not doing what I have always done)
• Go about my day

Then -I read these verses.

Psalm 37:23-24: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that he is good Jehovah; blessed is the man who trusts in him.”

What a difference Scripture can make when I choose to turn away from my sinful path and trust God with the details of my life. I need to delight in Him – and not the things this world has to offer. I need to remember that God is good – all the time – even in suffering. Because when I am in my old flame – it is there that God is refining me. SO – I need to thank the Lord for my issues and know that God is allowing it according to HIs will for my life.

There is an old wall clock in my office that is constantly ticking away. I had the thought today that each tick of that old clock represents time – and how it is fleeting away to eternity and so am I! I will one day pass away into dust.

With that in mind, I want to list out those who are so dear to me – and afterwards – I want to say something to all of you that represents my heart to you.

Family

Valerie – Abigail – Brock – Miriam( mom) -Carroll – Amanda – Beth – Jeremy – Tabatha and their children

Kelly Fitzsimmon – Jason and Avril  – Joey Brock and their children

Dan and Marianne – Jeff and Susan – Whitney and William and their Spouses and children

Friends

David Dowling – Allan Mills – Scott and Karon Truran – Matt and Stacey – Tony and Michelle – Bruce and Becky – and their kids and grandkids – Anthony Higdon – Kenny Bentley – Stan Coates – and so many others…

Some of you are ready for eternity. Some of you are not! The question then is “What makes us ready to meet the one who formed us?” There is only ONE answer. His name is Jesus Christ.

Those who knew me best realized how much I actually hated religion – because man made approaches to God blind the eyes of the simplicity of Jesus. Religions of this world says that you must DO this or DO that or GIVE this or that. Jesus says that all we must do is to realize our need (and without this we cannot come to Him) put out our hand in humility admitting what we are – SINFUL – and receive the gift that He gave us on the cross and his resurrection from the dead – The payment for my sins. This and only this make me acceptable to God – and this and only this – makes a person ready to see the Lord. Apart from this, there is only judgement and that judgement is eternal hell.

Now – this did not originate from me! None of what I have said came from me whatsoever. It is strickly a summation of what the Bible teaches. It is simply and to the point and for some that point – is painful.

When I came to understand this, it began to grow in me in such a big way that my life changed. I stopped pursuing the ridiculous things of this world for fulfillment and found that the words of Christ are true “I have come to give you life and life more abundantly.” Abundantly – is what I would say that He has been in my life. He has Abundantly blessed me with a wonderful wife and children – and I have had the chance to see them grow into what they are today. Apart from Christ and all that He means to me – They represent my greatest blessing in this world. I thank the Lord often for them and pray that they will surpass my relationship with Christ and become a light in such a dark world.

To those who do not have this love relationship with Christ – I hope these words will cause you to stop and consider what I have said in this letter. I hope you will receive the Grace of God in Christ – and let go of everything else that you have been looking to for fulfillment and joy. They DON’T COMPARE! To have the God who created you live in you and  guide you – is life more abundantly –  but it starts with admitting your need as a sinner and believing that God has the power to superintend His truth (the Bible) and protect it so that it is trustworthy. Without this belief in the power of God to protect the truth (the Bible only and ALL that it teaches) you cannot be saved. How can a person believe only portions of the truth and be fully saved? It is truth – and it transforms you. Test me and see if it doesn’t transform you! But you must come with a beggars heart or as a child who accepts openly- in humility – to see its power.

Well… that is my heart and I hope you know that I will always love you.

Tim Gowens

1 Peter 1:1-2

To the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in Sanctification of the Spirit, for Obedience and the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Question – Have you ever been in a situation where your hope is let down or perhaps you are persecuted for your faith in Christ. This recently happened to me. I have a long time friend that has turned his back on his supposed relationship with Christ and has been living in sin with a women for over 16 years now. He has completely turned his back on the Christ as revealed in scripture and is now worshiping a god of his own creation – a creation that is born out of humanism and reason – but NOT the Jesus as revealed in Scripture.

He and I got together to finally “have the talk” after 16 years of being apart – but it only erupted into me being told that I was in bondage to the Bible and that I am not worshiping the correct god! Kinda sound familiar to what I have read that satan would say to someone who is submitted the Jesus as Lord.

According to 1 Peter 1:1-2 I was elected by God to be more and more obedient to the Bible and the truth that is revealed there – and to learn more and more about submission to Jesus – which results in Sanctification and more “Christ likeness.”

But Sadly – like my friend – people put their hopes in relationships – jobs – money – pleasures – material things – only to find that they are on trembling ground.

(Barclay) “The citizens of ancient city of Philadelphia lived an unsettled and tremulous life. Whenever the earthquake tremors came, and they came often, the people of Philadelphia fled from the city out into the open country, to escape the falling masonry and the flying stones which accompanied a severe earthquake shock. Then, when the earth was quiet again, they returned. In their fear, the people of Philadelphia were always going out and coming in; they were always fleeing from the city and then returning to it.” 

Satan loves to keep you coming back again and again to your “City” and sometime even performs miracles to keep you there. My friend – told me that he speaks into reality his life and it comes true. He told me that he needed 7 loads of dirt for a land scaping project – and it shows up due to some folks needing to offload some dirt from a construction site nearby.

Well… either the god he is worshipping is the true god – the god of humanism – or there is a power at work to keep my friend a slave to his City! Eph. 2:2 says ” who were once dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this work according to the prince of the power of the air; the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience… This person is in a 16 + years of an adulterous relationship. Could it be that my friend in influenced by a demon who keeps him submitted to the error of his ways? This demon is able to communicate to other demons –  who then move to accomplish things to keep those who are caught in their sin – to remain deceived.

Satan is always wanting to impersonate God’s miracle of providence towards His children with miracles that are meant to keep the sinful – in their sin. I think of Moses and the miracle of turning the rod into a snake – and the magicians did the same.

Question – Does your “City” have earthquakes sometimes – and do we not flee from it only to return to it again in hopes that we can find that peace and rest? 

My hope is that you and I will – for the rest of our days – only look to Jesus as my refuge and not something or someone else.

Let them be blotted out of the book: “But to blot names therefrom is not only to kill, but to exclude from the national community, and so from all the privileges of the people of God.” Maclaren

I have often wondered about what this word “Blotted” meant. If I read it as a westerner having grown up in the USA… I would assume that something was written down and erased out or blotted out – from its original place. This is not what Scripture means.

Does this mean that someone can lose their salvation? That someone is saved one day – their name is in the Book of Life – and another day, they have fallen away and their name has been blotted out from the Book of Life? We need to first see the context here in Revelation 3:5. The focus is assurance, so we should not think that names are being constantly erased and then rewritten. The focus here is not the idea that Jesus sits in heaven with a busy eraser. At the same time, we should carefully consider what the Word has to say about the Book of Life. (The enduring commentary)

In ancient times a person who had died was blotted out from the society of which he resided. He no longer had privileges of living within that society because he is dead. The same is true here –

Those who walk away in their sin and remain – loving their unrighteousness more that the presence of their Savior –  are no longer provided the opportunity to come to salvation through Jesus Christ! Their opportunity to become Righteous and be among the righteous is blotted out… not allowed… removed….

Only the Righteous (the righteousness of Christ – not my self righteousness) are written and their names will NEVER be blotted out because real salvation always includes a righteousness that is growing and fruitful. (Gal. 5)

Which are you?

I learned a new word today – “pantocrater” which literally means “the one who has his hand on everything.” It is so comforting that every soul belongs to him. Ez. 18:4 and there is not a soul that breathes air – or ever has breathe air – that JESUS did not control and determine according to the counsel of His perfect will. (Eph. 1:11 – In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will)

So what is that to me? Well it is a tremendous source of comfort because I know that Jesus is Good and Perfect in all that He does. I know that He is working ALL thing out to for His glory and my good. Rom. 8:28 clearly states this! BUT there is a condition on it working out for my good. I must LOVE Him. This is shown by what I do.

Thank you Lord that you are my Pantocrater!

Eph. 1: 5

According to the Good Pleasure of His will…

I just love this part of the verse. He chose me and you (if you have repented of your sins – and Believe on the Name of Jesus Christ- and you show evidence of His presence in you life) as His children before we were ever created – to one day – become the heirs of Salvation – the reflection of His Glory – as His children – for all of Eternity.

How can a person really think on this – and not shout out praise to our Heavenly Father? I know if makes me want to jump up and shout!

Also – why me? I could have been left behind having NOT been chosen. I could have been left in my sin – to fully experience it – and then DIE and go to hell. BUT- He CHOSE me! I am His and He is mine and I will forever be His.

All – because of the Good pleasure of His will…

WOW – what a great way to start any day.