vassal of the King

"A pilot without his chart, a scholar without his book, and a soldier without his sword, are alike ridiculous. But, above all these, it is absurd for one to think of being a Christian, without knowledge of the word of God and some skill to use this weapon." - William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour

MARRIAGE & HEAVEN. Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church “This mystery is great but I am speaking with reference to Christ & the Church.” —Ephesians 5.32 The greatest earthly and visible picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial and loving death for His Church is in fact the covenant-bond of marriage. Properly lived out, the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman gloriously makes the gospel visible as a husband loves and leads and sacrifices for his Bride and as the wife submits to, honors, and respects her husband. 1. the church is BETROTHED to Christ. Right now, every true believer is betrothed to Christ and has the Spirit of God as a pledge, the down-payment. The Spirit guarantees the believer’s future inheritance. Christians have not enjoyed the fullness of the marriage supper yet. No Christian on earth has experienced the home of Christ yet. Every saint travels now and journeys now to the eternal home to be with Christ. The Churc

A Primer on Corporate Worship — Its Purposes and Blessings Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church God has designed corporate worship should be the high point of the Christian’s life. To gather with other blood-bought sinners and to pray, sing, read, fellowship & sit under the Word together, as the family of Christ, should permeate the believer’s heart throughout the week. With that in mind, corporate worship should bless God and it should encourage the believer. It should strengthen the flock and it should remind each individual of his need for Christ, his Head, & for the Body of Christ, his family members. In a day where everything from football games on TV, to grocery shopping on ‘the day off’, to the kids’ basketball practices often seems to keep people from one of God’s greatest blessings — and gifts! — to His church, this little essay is sorely needed. 1. A blessing. God has designed corporate worship to be a blessing to the people of God

When the Sermon Preparation Is Finished, One Essential Still Remains Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church There comes a point in the sermon preparation when the exegesis and crafting of the sermon has been completed. After a week of study, the outline is done, the sermon is full of flesh, muscles and bones, and the content is well structured and well argued. The gospel is clear and application runs throughout. But there comes that point when the message is done and the preacher must quiet himself before the Lord and beg for God’s help, God’s strength, God’s enabling, God’s empowering, and God’s unction. 1. ILLUMINATION. Pray for the illumination of the hearers as the Word of God is preached on Sunday from the pulpit. Pray for the Spirit of God to shed light upon His truth as the believers hear it heralded. Pray for the unfolding of God’s Word to give light to His people. Beg that the Spirit of God would do what only He can do — give much light to the pure Word as it g

A HUSBAND'S LOVE FOR HIS WIFE. Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her. — Ephesians 5:25 What was Christ's love like? 1. Initiating Love The love that came to us was initiated by God Himself. There is nothing inherently appealing or attractive in a sinful human that prompted God to love him. The love of Christ came solely from His sovereign initiative and from His free choice. God did not wait for humans to become lovely and respond to His love, but Christ Himself proved that His was a supreme, initiating love. 2. Sacrificial Love Jesus Christ came into the world to give His life a ransom for many. He came to die. His was a life of obedience so that He might die a death of obedience to the Father and as a substitute for men. The love of Christ showed itself in that He gave Himself for others. He sacrificed Himself. He did not wait for convenience, and even when it was totall

EQUIPPING THE MEN TO BE SHEPHERDS AT HOME Taking the Friday morning study & turning it into a marital discipleship-relationship. Christ Fellowship Bible Church How can we encourage, equip & exhort the CFBC men to shepherd, nurture, instruct & pastor their wives at home? How can we as men follow the command of our Savior and give ourselves up for our wives and sanctify them by washing them in the Word? After all, this is what Jesus our Savior does for us? So how can we emulate our Savior and practically implement this in our own marriages? Here are some super practical suggestions. 1. PAY ATTENTION CAREFULLY. ( LISTEN !) You cannot give to your wife what you don’t possess. You cannot impart knowledge to her that you do not have. So, men, as you come on Friday mornings, pay attention, focus, fight distractions and listen carefully so as to understand the teaching and meaning of God’s Word. Let it sink into your mind, heart, affections, and indeed, your whole being. 2. TAKE

From Richard Steele (17th c.) who alludes to the teachings of John Chrysostom (AD347-407): "Let them [husband & wife] both go to church and then discuss the sermon together. If both are Christians already, then they should do what they can to help each other to become thorough saints. Speak often of God and spiritual things. Be fellow pilgrims to the Celestial City!"  

From Charles Spurgeon : "What is the way to become an efficient preacher? "Young man," says one, "go to college." "Young man," says Christ, "follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men." How is a person to be useful? "Attend a training-class," says one. Quite right; but there is a surer answer than that—Follow Jesus, and he will make you fishers of men."

Spurgeon talks of the perseverence of one open air preacher, John Furz, who encountered a bit of opposition when he preached. “Once recommenced, the fruitful agency of field-preaching was not allowed to cease… The preachers needed to have faces set like flints, and so indeed they had. John Furz says: ‘As soon as I began to preach, a man came straight forward, and presented a gun at my face; swearing that he would blow my brains out, if I spake another word.   However, I continued speaking, and he continued swearing, sometimes putting the muzzle of the gun to my mouth, sometimes against my ear. While we were singing the last hymn, he got behind me, fired the gun, and burned off part of my hair.’ “After this, my brethren, we ought never to speak of petty interruptions or annoyances.”   —From Charles Spurgeon’s sermon: Open-Air Preaching—A Sketch of its History and Remarks Hereon

A Godly Man. Geoffrey R. Kirkland Christ Fellowship Bible Church 1. Know the Word As an explorer journeys through the vast forests and the uninhabited territories with expectation and delight, so the man of God endeavors to journey through the Word of God so as to know the Truth. A man of God not just wants to know the truths of the Word of God but he wants to commune with the God of the Word. Every man of God longs for more of God and He is found in the Word. To commune with God, one reads the Word. Every godly man must pursue the diligent and daily priority of being in the Word of God. 2. Meditate on the Word As a child gathers all of his toys at the early part of the day so he can have plenty of items to play with throughout the day, so the man of God wants to be in the Word and impress the Word upon his heart and mind so that it will stick with him and affect his heart throughout the entirety of the day. As an animal chews the cud, so the man of God chews on the Word. As someone

From George Whitefield's Journals: "I give to Him my soul and body to be disposed and worn out in His labours as He shall think meet. I do hence resolve, by His assistance…to lead a stricter life than ever, to give my self to prayer and the study of the Scriptures…. God give me my health, if it be His blessed will…. I give myself wholly to Him." I give to Him my soul and body to be disposed and worn out in His labours as He shall think meet. I do hence resolve, by His assistance…to lead a stricter life than ever, to give my self to prayer and the study of the Scriptures…. God give me my health, if it be His blessed will…. I give myself wholly to Him. 2 - See more at: http://deliveredbygrace.com/lessons-from-whitefield-for-2015/#sthash.33zXqgu1.Xrqn5v2W.dpuf I give to Him my soul and body to be disposed and worn out in His labours as He shall think meet. I do hence resolve, by His assistance…to lead a stricter life than ever, to give my self to prayer and