The Sword of the LORD

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore." (Psalm 133). As we read in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, we find that an important feature of the early church was their love and unity.  The Greek word “homothumadon,” which occurs 10 of its 12 times in Acts and is translated “accord,” means “of one mind, or, of one passion,” and is used to describe the bond that existed between the believers.   This unity in the Spirit that the early church enjoyed was like the blend of instruments in a great orchestra: each sounding their various parts, but all blending harmoniously into a mighty symphony, each note complementing every other....

There was a blind man who sat by the roadside begging for handouts to help survive.  He had evidently heard about Jesus and the miracles that He had performed for others, and this blind beggar’s heart began to believe that anything was possible.  Then, one day, hearing a commotion, he asked what it meant, and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  He raised his voice above the crowd saying, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”  The folks that were close to him tried to quiet him down, but he cried all the louder until Jesus heard him and had this beggar brought before Him.  Jesus’ question to the blind man was simple, but very powerful.  He said, “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?”  The blind man knew exactly what it was that he wanted of the Lord: his sight, and that’s just what he asked for.  Jesus said, “Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee .” (Luke 18:35-42). Faith is the thing that sets us apart. ...

In my last message I used a waffle iron to briefly illustrate the principle of abiding in Christ, the True Vine.  God often uses the simplest of everyday things to speak His truth to us so that we can easily understand His ways.  The more that I have thought about this particular illustration, the more I have seen the powerful lessons and applications that it holds for simple-minded believers like me.  To God be the glory! The first U.S. patent for a waffle iron was issued on August 24, 1869 by Cornelius Swarthout.  Waffles had been around since the 14th century, but were just two plates of metal hinged together and mounted on long poles so that they could be held over a fire.  It was Mr. Swarthout, though, who invented an improved design that could be used on a wood or gas stovetop.  In 1911, General Electric introduced the first electric waffle iron. Every inventor/designer has a very specific purp...