Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding - Job 28:28.
... because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold - Matthew 24:12.
... Without understanding, ... without natural affection ... : - Romans 1:31 .... Without natural affection, ... despisers of those that are good - 2 Timothy 3:3.
“Wisdom”, the Bible states, “is the principal (chief) thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom and understanding are linked and sometimes used interchangeably in the Bible. Job 28:28, quoted above, tells us what wisdom is, how it is gained, and what, through understanding, it achieves. Likewise the other texts cited, effectively describe the state of mankind without true wisdom, because of the lack of the “fear of the Lord.” It is a state where evil abounds, true love is sparse, understanding and natural affection are lacking, resulting in goodness being despised.
Matthew 24:12 (cf. v.3) and 2 Timothy 3:3 (cf. v.1) are prophecies about the end time and apt descriptions of our time, while Romans 1:31 is part of one of the darkest passages of the Bible. Romans 1:18-32 describes the depravity of man in his state of estrangement from and rebellion against God. It is true of mankind for all time but especially at the end of time.
Into this morass enter the brilliant light of Proverbs 11:30:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise.
I recall that veteran classic Pentecostal, the late John Nelson Parr, long time pastor of the famous Bethshan Tabernaclein Levenshulme, Manchester, UK say that he would hate to be someone who defended true doctrine but never won a soul for Christ. In a sense soul winning defines “wisdom”. Of course nowadays there are people both inside and outside “the church” who need to be won for Christ. “Dear Lord, help us to be winsome that we may ‘win-some’.”
As I contemplated this editorial a myriad thoughts flooded my mind. I started with another heading—On a Personal Note—with the thought of writing something about our family, especially seeing our youngest son, Jonathan was married last December 3, 2011. He and Deb (nee Tan) make a wonderful couple and have some lovely photographs that would interest our many friends worldwide. However the content of CETF # 59 doesn’t allow for that so we’ll find some other way, time and space permitting. 2013 will see the start of the Jubilee of my wife and I working together in ministry. We married in 1966 but started our friendship shortly after I was inducted as pastor in Manchester in February 1963.
Another “line” that occurred to me was the almost overwhelming bombardment of the internet and IT related world of our day. As I start this editorial I have some 4,400 emails in my IN BOX and increasing by the minute. Part of my problem is NOT knowing what to delete and how to file others. Frequently, as emails resurface, I have been glad that I didn’t delete them, but there’s a down side. I must apologise to my many communicants whose emails are buried among the 4,000+. How does a pastor and editor, keep up with everything? The “IT” invasion just can’t continue unabated. I must become ruthless and delete thousands of my emails, so I’ll start now, but first a summary of some topics, extracted from those emails on their way to cyber space with our advice and warnings about the pitfalls that you need to know about.
This is a veritable news media “hotchpotch”. We recommend great diligence and discernment. Some communicants are anti-Semitic; others are Judaistic and still others self-serving, even though their news and information may be reliable. CWM cannot and will not endorse any Jewish or “Messianic” organisation which, in their policy, withholds the Gospel from their contacts. Those who are only committed to bringing Jews back to Israel and are NOT sharing the gospel with them should not be supported. I trust the following short summary may help:
Jerusalem Prayer Team headed by so called “Dr.” Michael Evans, who constantly grandstands and whose bottom line in ALL his personally addressed emails (Dear Philip) is, “Please send me your donation”. He is the man who clowned with Ken Copeland and Rodney Howard Browne in one of the early “Toronto” videos. Anyone associated with Toronto or Pensacola must be suspect. I am told that genuine Christians in New York, where Mike Evans “ministered” more than 25 years ago, considered him a con-man. He appears not to have changed. While his emails may be correct in their news releases, please use discretion and discernment re his speculations and his money appeals, no matter what ploy he adopts. There are a number of sources like this from which I am open to receive communiqués, but I will never send them money. The approach of Michael Evans is typical of the Word of Faith and Faith Prosperity televangelists who are masters at getting your money. Beware and take care.
Two things are noteworthy: Firstly, the internet today is fast becoming more reliable as a source of unbiased “news” than our national and international media outlets, who are so bogged down by “political correctness”. Secondly, news and historic articles always tend to reflect the political and/or religious and/or educational bias of the author (writer). These things must be taken into account in making conclusions no matter where our information comes from. We all tend to gravitate to the things which appeal to us.
It is NOT wise to remain silent about important issues that affect the Christian faith – REMEMBER ... “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise.”
Guess what? Under the above listed headings there were 400+ emails which have now thankfully been filed or have hit the cyber dust. The count now stands at 3,953. So with your prayer and help, by holding off sending more emails unless the matter is important, I’ll get there, God Willing.
Once more I commend to you the following articles and their authors for prayerful interest and support. Please pray for the special CWM meetings, conferences and speakers’ tours. Tom McMahon’s and Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s visits (March 2012) will have come and gone by the time you read this. My own preaching tour of UK is scheduled for May/June 2012 and then the four CWM Conferences in Australia plus possible extra meetings in NZ—September 2012, advertised herein. Last year’s series of CWM Conferences were blessed of the Lord and worth repeating.
God bless you - please help us circulate the message by distributing CETF far and wide. We are grateful to the Lord’s people for their prayerful and practical support that enables CWM to continue publishing and distributing CETF. Thank you in the Name of the Lord. May Jesus Christ be PRAISED
- Philip L. Powell
