February 28, 2025

I need to say this with some starkness, before us lies the heart of darkness. -Czeslaw Milosz-

As I live my life in Dallas, Texas I am not in danger of physical harm for my faith as a Christian. I might get a few crossways looks for my views on ethical issues based on biblical truth, but I am in no real danger for my faith. How different it is for my Christian brothers and sisters in the Congo where 70 of them last week were beheaded by Islamic fanatics and their bodies left dumped as trash in their church because of their faith. After the evil and treacherous actions of Hamas in the rape, beheading, and torturing of Israeli men, women, and children in an unprovoked attack on innocent civilians, I guess any kind of barbarism and brutality is to be expected from people who have, as William Conrad described, “A heart of darkness.”  It is interesting that this week, a group of Imams and followers of Islam are attempting to create a planned Muslim community, EPIC City, just outside of Dallas in Josephine, Texas, guided and governed by Islamic law. Perhaps this is to be a mini-caliphate. Time will tell. We live very far from New Testament times and the hatred of Christians and our faith. But it may be moving closer than we think. As Shakespeare reminds us, and was true for Christ and all His followers, "uneasy lies the head that wears the crown."                                 Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

February 21, 2025

Freezing but Focused

As I write this, it is 14 degrees in Dallas. That might seem cold to most of us. However, I am flying to Wisconsin this week to speak at a leadership conference and then preach at a church on Sunday and the weather there is a balmy 10 degrees below zero! As they say, all cold is not the same kind of cold. This type of cold can rip your face off if you are not careful. I have made plans in my packing to bring many of the clothes that I never wear in Dallas. I will do what I can to stay warm in a hostile environment. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are to make plans to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). He also exhorts us to walk in/by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 ) It is easy to forget that we live in a hostile world in which: Our external foe is the world Our internal foe is the flesh Our infernal foe is the devil As C.S. Lewis said; Every square inch of the universe is claimed by God and counter-claimed by Satan. "How shall we then live?" asked Francis Schaeffer. By consciously and consistently putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and making no provision for the flesh. We do this as we choose to walk by the Holy Spirit. This mentality is exemplified in Psalm 119:9-11.  How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee. To answer Schaeffer's question with a question... “What would Jesus do?”                                                                     Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

February 14, 2025

Some people who do not have genius are able to stimulate it in others.  -Sherlock Holmes-

As you get to the end of your days, you want to believe that your days counted. As Chekhov said; “One would need to be a god to know if you were successful.”  However, I believe we can know if we have led a successful life because God has revealed to us how to know it. It is all about investment. I have had the privilege over the past 50 years to invest my life in the lives of others, specifically, young men and a few women as they are being trained to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. The training takes many forms but always includes issues of theology and skills for ministry, consistently centered around biblical truth. Jesus gave us the big picture in the great commission. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 Notice there is one verb, make disciples. The three participles tell us how we make disciples. The apostle Paul added to this process as he reminds Timothy. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 This has been my life. Sherlock Holmes was right. I do not have genius in myself, but I have been blessed by helping to stimulate it in others.  As the old Greek proverb reminds us. I am planting seeds whose shade I will not sit under. And so, I continue to count the days, and make the days count. How are you counting your days?                                                                     Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

2-14-2025   About Grace Line Bookstore Expository Teaching  Friday with Fred Archive Podcasts and More Visit our Website Support Grace Line

February 7, 2025

Life is often filled with unseen challenges and unforeseeable blessings.

We are living in a time today that we might not understand if only in retrospect. But we do not have the luxury to wait for the present to become the past. Life must be lived in the present with wisdom. We must live today by faith. The writer of Hebrews made it clear:  And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6  Faith is like a toothbrush. Everyone should have one. You should use it often. But you must never use anyone else’s. If you are a Christian, it is because you received the gift of eternal life by faith. It is also true that as a Christian we are to live out each day by faith in what God has revealed to us in His word. Believing the invisible has always been difficult for me. But many of the truths in the Bible are not empirically testable or discernable. They are not visible to the eye and often do not make sense to the mind. But that is where faith begins and often ends. We are reminded concerning the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. You see, not seeing, they believed. Let me encourage you to spend some time reading and reflecting on Hebrews Chapter 11 this weekend. It will do your soul some good. I think you will learn that faith is not being sure that everything will work out okay. Faith is being okay, no matter how things work out! If you live long enough, you begin to understand that we live life looking forward, but we understand life looking backward. As Philip Yancy says: “Faith means believing in advance that which only makes sense in reverse.”  Always remember the insightful and theological truth of the words of Joseph to his brothers after their treachery. “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 50:20                                                                       Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred