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and drinketh my blood,
dwelleth in me,
and I in him.

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Hypocritical Oath

Medical doctors take what is called a Hippocratic Oath, so named after Hippocrates who was considered to be the father of Medicine. It means - "A solemn pledge taken by those about to practice medicine, embodying a standard of medical ethics." (Scribner-Bantam English Dictionary)

Now I know that scripture says we should not swear an oath. "...swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath..."  (James 5:12).  But I sincerely believe James was referring to foolish impatient oaths that we could not or would not fulfill. Read chapter five, James is dealing with patience.

To swear is to make a pledge, and an oath is that which we pledge ourselves to. Every one who has every stood before the altar and said "I Do", has sworn a Marital Oath of ethics. Doctors must swear to a code of medical ethics before they can practice medicine, and therefore the Preacher should also swear an oath of Pastorial ethics unto God before he can preach.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul describes just such a standard of Pastorial Ethics.
"If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."  (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

To this, I would add the Preachers Oath,
"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation."   Psalms 40:8-10

Today, the pulpit is filled with hirelings, whose oath is one of hypocracy, they follow neither a pastorial oath or ethics. This is the cry of my heart, "It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law."   Psalms 119:126

And the Lord says,
"Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD."   Jeremiah 23:2-4

Woe unto the Shepherds whose Oath is hypocritical before the Lord. God will not always strive with you, but will raise up Shepherd's whose heart is after the Lord, who He can trust to feed His sheep.

Also by
Thomas Brooks

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Helps Against Temptations
by Thomas Brooks

Satan is a spirit of mighty abilities; and his abilities to lay snares before us are mightily increased by that long experience of his. He has had time enough to study all those ways and methods which tend most to ensnare an undo the souls of men. He has made it his whole study, his only study, his constant study to find out strategems to entangle and over throw the souls of men.

When he was but a young serpent, he did easily deceive and outwit Eve; but now he is grown that "old serpent" as John says in Rev. 12; he is as old as the world and is grown very cunning in experience. If Satan has such a world of devices to ensnare the souls of men, then, instead of wondering that so few are saved, we might well marvel that any escape the snares of this cunning fowler.

I intend to set before you some special helps against all his devices. Now, to prevent objections. I shall first lay down this proposition:

Though Satan has his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the devil, and father upon him what is to be fathered upon our own base hearts. Man has such an evil root within him, that were there no devil to tempt him, no wicked men in the world to entice him, yet that cursed sinful nature that is in him would draw him to sin, though he knows beforehand that the wages of sin is eternal death. The whole frame of man is out of frame: the understanding is dark, the will cross, the memory slippery, the affections crooked, the conscience corrupted, the tongue poisoned, and the heart wholly evil, only evil, and continually evil.

If God should chain up Satan, and give him no liberty to tempt the sons of men to vanity or folly, they would not, they could not but sin against Him by reason of that cursed nature that is in them. Satan has only a persuading sleight, not an enforcing might. He may tempt us, without ourselves he cannot conquer us. In every sin our hearts carry the greatest stroke: the fire is our wood, though it be the devil's flame. Satan can never undo a man without himself; but a man may easily undo himself without Satan. Don't excuse yourself by your accusing him.

Message Continued

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The Nature of Godliness
by Thomas Watson

It will first be enquired, 'What is godliness?' I answer in general, 'Godliness is the sacred impression and workmanship of God in a man, whereby from being carnal he is made spiritual.' When godliness is wrought in a person, he does not receive a new soul, but he has 'another spirit' (Numbers 14:24). The faculties are not new, but the qualities are; the strings are the same, but the tune is corrected. Concerning godliness, I shall lay down these seven maxims or propositions:

1. Godliness is a real thing
It is not a fantasy but a fact. Godliness is not the feverish conceit of a sick brain; a Christian is no enthusiast whose religion is all made up of fancy. Godliness has truth for its foundation; it is called 'the way of truth (Psa. 119:30). Godliness is a ray and beam that shines from God. If God is true, then godliness is true.

2. Godliness is an intrinsic thing
It lies chiefly in the heart: 'circumcision is that of the heart (Rom. 2:29). The dew lies on the leaf, the sap is the root. The moralist's religion is all in the leaf; it consists only in externals, but godliness is a holy sap which is rooted in the soul: 'in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom' (Psa. 51:6). The Chaldean expounds it, 'in the close place of the heart'.

3. Godliness is a supernatural thing
By nature we inherit nothing but evil. 'When we were in the flesh, the motions of sins did work in our members' (Rom. 7:5). We sucked in sin as naturally as our mother's milk, but godliness is the 'wisdom from above' (Jas. 3:17). It is breathed in from heaven. God must light up the lamp of grace in the heart. Weeds grow of themselves; flowers are planted. Godliness is a celestial plant that comes from the New Jerusalem. Therefore it is called a 'fruit of the Spirit' (Gal. 5:22). A man has no more power to change himself than to create himself.

4. Godliness is an extensive thing
It is a sacred leaven that spreads itself into the whole soul: 'the very God of peace sanctify you wholly' (I Thess. 5:23). There is light in the understanding, order in the affections, pliableness in the will, exemplariness in the life. We do not call a black man white because he has white teeth. He who is good only in some part is not godly. Grace is called 'the new man' (Col. 3:10), not a new eye, or tongue, but a new man. He who is godly is good all over; though he is regenerate only in part, yet it is in every part.

5. Godliness is an intense thing
It does not lie in a dead formality and indifference, but is vigorous and flaming: 'fervent in spirit' (Rom. 12:11). We call water hot when it is so in the third or fourth degree. He whose devotion is inflamed is godly and his heart boils over in holy affections.

6. Godliness is a glorious thing
As the jewel to the ring, so is piety to the soul, bespangling it in God's eyes. Reason makes us men; godliness makes us earthly angels; by it we 'partake of the divine nature' (2 Pet. 1:4). Godliness is near akin to glory; 'glory and virtue' (2 Pet. 1:3). Godliness is glory in the seed, and glory is godliness in the flower.

7. Godliness is a permanent thing
Aristotle says, 'Names are given from the habit'. We do not call the one who blushes sanguine, but the one who is of a ruddy complexion (I Sam. 17:42). A blush of godliness is not enough to distinguish a Christian, but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul. Godliness is a fixed thing. There is a great deal of difference between a stake in the hedge and a tree in the garden. A stake rots and moulders, but a tree, having life in it, abides and flourishes. When godliness has taken root in the soul, it abides to eternity: 'his seed remaineth in him' (I John 3:9). Godliness being engraved in the heart by the Holy Ghost, as with the point of a diamond, can never be erased.

Message Continued

Also by
George Mueller

Five Conditions of Prevailing Prayer
by George Mueller

1.) Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ
as the only ground of any claim for blessing.

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14)

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16)

2.) Separation from all known sin

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" (Psalm 66:18)

3.) Faith in God's Word of promise as confirmed by His oath
Not to believe Him is to make Him a liar and a perjurer

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

4.) Asking in accordance with His will
Our motives must be Godly

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3)

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:" (I John 5:14)

5.) Importunity in supplication
There must be waiting on God

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." (James 5:7)

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Also by
T. Austin Sparks

Read the whole Book

The School of Christ     by T. Austin Sparks
The House of God     Chapter 4

The Corporate House of God

Now, what is the House of God in its fullest sense, in its corporate or collective sense? It is, to take up that wonderful phrase with its almost two hundred occurrences in the New Testament, all that is meant by "in Christ". If we are in the House of God, we are only in the House of God because we are in Christ. To be in Christ is to be in the House of God, and not to be in Christ Jesus is to be outside of the House of God. He is the House of God. We are brought into Him.

Fellowship with Him

Charles H. Spurgeon

When we were united by faith to Christ, we were brought into such complete fellowship with Him, that we were made one with Him, and His interests and ours became mutual and identical. We have fellowship with Christ in His love. What He loves we love. He loves the saintsso do we. He loves sinnersso do we. He loves the poor perishing race of man, and pants to see earth's deserts transformed into the garden of the Lordso do we. We have fellowship with Him in His desires. He desires the glory of Godwe also labour for the same. He desires that the saints may be with Him where He iswe desire to be with Him there too. He desires to drive out sinbehold we fight under His banner. He desires that His Father's name may be loved and adored by all His creatureswe pray daily, "Let Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven."

We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings. We are not nailed to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when He is reproached, we are reproached; and a very sweet thing it is to be blamed for His sake, to be despised for following the Master, to have the world against us. The disciple should not be above His Lord. In our measure we commune with Him in His labours, ministering to men by the word of truth and by deeds of love. Our meat and our drink, like His, is to do the will of Him who hath sent us and to finish His work. We have also fellowship with Christ in His joys. We are happy in His happiness, we rejoice in His exaltation. Have you ever tasted that joy, believer? There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side heaven than that of having Christ's joy fulfilled in us, that our joy may be full. His glory awaits us to complete our fellowship, for His Church shall sit with him upon His throne, as His well-beloved bride and queen.

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Season Archives

Knowing God's Guidence
by F. B. Meyer

"Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path..." Psalms 27:11

Many children of God are so deeply exercised on the matter of guidance that it may be helpful to give a few suggestions as to knowing the way which our father would have us walk, and the work He would have us do... So much of our power and peace consists in knowing where God would have us be, and in being just there. If we are precisely where our heavenly Father would have us to be, we are perfectly sure that He will provide food and raiment, and everything beside. When He sends His servants to Cherith, He will make even the ravens to bring them food.

There are certain practical directions to which we must attend in order that we may be led into the mind of the Lord. They are these:

1. Our motives must be pure...We must be very careful in judging our motives, searching them as the detectives at the doors of the House of Commons search each stranger who enters.

2. Our will must be surrendered. It is for the lack of this subordination that we so often miss the guidance we seek. There is a secret controversy between our will and God's; and we shall never be right until we have let Him take, and break, and make...If you cannot give, let Him take. If you are not willing, confess that you are willing to be made willing.

3. We must seek information for our mind. It is of greatest importance then, that we should feed our minds with facts, with reliable information,...and above all, with the Word of God.

4. We must be much in prayer. It is the law of our Father's house that His children ask for what they want.

5. We must wait for the gradual unfolding of God's plan in Providence. God's impressions within and His Word without are always corroborated by His Providence around, and we should quietly wait until these three focus into one point...

6. If you don't know what to do, stand still till you do. Then when the time comes for action, circumstances, like glow-worms, will sparkle along your path, and you will become so sure that you are right (when God's three witnesses concur) that you could not be surer though an angel beckoned you on.

7. Have no other aim except to do His will. Let us look high enough for guidance. Let us encourage our souls to wait only upon God till it is given. Let us cultivate that meekness which He will guide in judgment. (Psalms 25:9)

More Quotes & Stories

Quotes by Great Men of God

"The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came...Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory."   R. A. Torrey

"The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, is the right fruit found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus."   James Hudson Taylor

"The chief danger of the Church today is that it is trying to get on the same side as the world, instead of turning the world upside down. Our Master expects us to accomplish results, even if they bring opposition and conflict. Anything is better than compromise, apathy, and paralysis. God give to us an intense cry for the old-time power of the Gospel and the Holy Ghost!"   A. B. Simpson

"To arouse one man or woman to the tremendous power of prayer for others, is worth more than the combined activity of a score of average Christians."   A. J. Gordon

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth."   John Wesley

"The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church...grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil."   Leonard Ravenhill

"There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools as to refuse good bank notes because there are false ones in circulation; and although we see here and there manifestations of what appears to us to be nothing more than mere earthly fire, we none the less prize and value, and seek for the genuine fire which comes from the altar of the Lord."   William Booth

"Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late, and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience."   A. W. Tozer

"We need a baptism of clear seeing. We desperately need seers who can see through the mist, Christian leaders with prophetic vision. Unless they come soon it will be too late for this generation. And if they do come we will no doubt crucify a few of them in the name of our worldly orthodoxy."   A. W. Tozer

"We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and thereby rob us of our crown."   William Booth

"It is a costly and a suffering thing to come up against the religious system that has 'settled down' here. It is far more costly than coming up against the naked world itself. The religious system can be more ruthless and cruel and bitter; it can be actuated by all those mean things, contemptible things, prejudices and suspicions things that you will not even find in decent people in the world. It is costly to go on to the heavenlies, it is painful; but it is the way of the pioneer, and it has to be settled that that is how it is."   T. Austin Sparks

Scripture Memory

The Word

Psalms 66:10-20   Authorized King James Version

10. "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
13. I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14. Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
17. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19. But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."