Friday, August 26, 2016

My Visit To The Doctor 8-25-2016

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe
 
I went to an orthopedist today, because I have "trigger thumb" on my left hand. I had surgery on my right thumb several years ago.
When the doctor came in, he talked about what trigger thumb is. He squeezed my thumb really hard (and it hurt really bad) and told me how the trigger thumb worked (as if I didn't know). He pressed the top of my thumb and explained all the parts of the thumb. I thought I might be in an anatomy class.
He said he thought I should not have surgery right now but should first have a shot of a steroid first. He just happened to have brought a needle with him.
He asked me to place my left hand face up on the stretcher (bed), which I did. Then he said, "I will explain each thing that I will do before I do it," and he did.
He said, "I am now going to wash your thumb with some antibiotic stuff to make it clean, which he did. Then he told me to relax my hand so he could give me the shot. I was all ready for the shot when he said, "Now, this is the smallest needle in the world so that it will not hurt so much." I didn't believe him.He said he would stick the needle in my thumb and that I would feel a little stick. Why didn't he just do it? He said, "The pain will be short, but the pressure will go up into the upper part of your thumb and hurt pretty bad, but it won't hurt but just about three seconds.
Before I could process all that information, he surprised me by sticking the needle in my thumb and shooting the medicine in the thumb. I groaned really loud, and he said, "I knew you would do that." Then he said, "It's all over." Well, it was not over. My thumb really hurt until the Novocain took effect.
That was the longest 10 minutes I ever spent in a doctor's office. When I got to my car, I reached for the keys and almost dropped them, because now my thumb is numb, and I cannot feel anything with my thumb.
He encouraged me by saying that I must wait four weeks; and, if the thumb is not better, we can do it all again (maybe three times total).
I am home now surviving, my thumb feels better, but it still clicks every time I bend it. I am not sure that four weeks will do the job, but at least the doctor is not here to describe those four weeks to me.
 
 

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Misty Night Sunset

By Ronnie Wolfe -- 8/11/2016


I settled in for the misty night
And watched the sun go down.
My peaceful heart, exhausted self
Gave in to the silent sound.

My heart slowed down its altered beat
And soon the dreams would come.
But soon awakened I will be
With the dawn of morning sun.

More brilliant than the day before,
Each day brings godly peace,
Since God is in each sunset, 
And His wonders never cease.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Hot Milk Before Bed

By Pastor Ronnie Wolfe --August 8, 2016 
 
I don't know if you have ever heard anyone speak of drinking hot milk, or warm milk, before going to bed; but I have heard about it nearly all of my life.

Once, when we in the quartet were visiting a home on one of our trips (I cannot remember whose house it was), Bro. Bob Jones was in one of his kidding moods. He, as usual, began to harass me. He said "Well, you know that Ronnie needs to have his warm milk before he goes to bed." It was a nice "putdown," and we all laughed a little.

When the time came for us to start thinking about going to bed, the woman of the house wandered into the kitchen without my noticing. Shortly, she came out with a small glass of milk. She brought it over to me and handed it to me. I said, "What is that for?" She said, "Don't you want your warm milk before you go to bed?" I said, "Well, I'll drink it, but Bob was just harassing me."

Then we all had a good laugh, although I was a little fearful of drinking warm milk before bed, because I had been told that it causes constipation. After I worried for a couple of minutes, I went on to bed, and all is well.

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Jumping From The Hay Loft

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

When I was a youngster (probably around early teens), I remember how that the boys would climb up in our barn and jump from a rafter down on loose hay below.

Well, it would not do for me NOT to do the same thing, although many things they did I could not do; so I climbed with my arms only up into the barn on the same height from which the others jumped. I took off my leg braces, leaving only my shoes on, and jumped (or fell) down from the top of the barn into the loose hay.

While I am falling, let me tell you one little thing, which I had forgotten in all the business of getting ready to jump down into the hay. I had forgotten (or at least did not think about) the little metal fittings on each side of my shoes where the braces fit back into my shoe.

Then I hit the hay, the soft hay; but the fall was not so soft. You see, I sat down directly on top of one of those little metal fittings on my shoes, and it hurt so bad that I could have cursed. However, we did not curse, so I did not curse; but I sure did feel that hurt.

I suppose you can guess the rest of this story. The end of the story is:  I have never and I will never jump out of the top of a barn onto loose hay again. It takes only one lesson of that kind to make a believer out of me. Happy jumping!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Sorry, I Never Knew You

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

In the early years of the traveling and singing of The Bluegrass Boys, we made a few music albums. In Lexington there was a recording studio called Jimmy Price Music Studio with a label called Sun-Ray Records.  Our singing group recorded there a few times.

On one such occasion (I think it was about 1966), we were in the studio recording, and we gave the next song title to the engineer each time before we recorded a song. On one of the tracts we had forgotten to tell them the title of the next song, and we were in a separate booth inside the studio when we sang. As we went through the door to this little room, Demas Brubacher remembered that we had not given the name of the next song to the engineer; so he opened the door again and simply said, "Sorry, I Never Knew You." The engineer looked at him like he was crazy. He thought that Demas had said that he was sorry that he ever knew the engineer, but it was just the name of the next song. After a few minutes, it became funny; but it was not so at first.

If you want to see something interesting, search Sun-Ray Records on the internet and see what you find.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

I Almost Flew The Coop

Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe

At one time in my young life we had a chicken house. Along the side of it we had coops. They were attached to the chicken house, and there were (I can't remember) about 10-12 coops alongside the chicken house.

One day I decided that it might be a good idea to climb to the top of the coops. I began climbing, which was customary to a young "monkey" as I was. When I arrived at the top of them, I found it entertaining that I could see down on so many things from a different view from what I had ever seen before.

Then I became afraid. I was afraid that I might fall if I tried to get down. I called as loud as I could to my mother, who was in the house. She came outside, and I said, "How do I get down from here?" Now, my mother was always wise "to the hilt," and I thought she could give me an easy answer to my dilemma; but she said, "Get down the same way you got up, only backward." Then she went back into the house. To this day, I don't remember climbing down, but I tried to do what she said, and I am alive today.

Many times in life we get ourselves into messes that we feel that are impossible to escape, but there is always a way to escape, especially with our faith in God and in Christ.

Many people get out of church and find it difficult to get back in. Many get into bad habits and do not know how to get out of them. Take my mother's advice. Go out the same way you came in, only backward. This is very good advice, even though it may seem to be simplistic and vague.

Sometimes we must go back to our younger years, back to our old selves, back to our old values, back to our simple thinking, back to where we met Jesus and trusted him with our whole hearts. It may be a little scary at first, but there is a way back.

For those who have never known Jesus Christ in pardon of sins and through a new birth, you must look forward to trusting Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection to bring new life. Then you can begin to live anew and have assurance as you have never had it before.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


Monday, July 18, 2016

My Lost Doll

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

My mother-in-law, when she was living, collected dolls. Some of her daughters would buy dolls for her on every one of her birthdays and at Christmas time. She had a whole room full of dolls. Dolls were on the bed, covering it up, on the floor, and on every piece of furniture in the bedroom.

Once, when I was visiting her with her daughter, my wife, I took the time to go back into the bedroom and look at all the dolls.  Now, I am not a doll lover. I would never collect dolls, though my wife did to a small degree.  As I looked through the dolls, I noticed this little boy doll dressed in green. I think he must have been a little Irish boy from what I can remember. I don't know why, but I fell in love with that doll.

When I went back into the living room, and told my mother-in-law that I wanted her to be sure that I got that doll when she died. She said she would. I never really thought about it after that.

My wife passed away in 2003, and her mother came to the visitation and funeral. At the visitation, my mother-in-law came to me and handed me that little doll and said, "I want you to have this before I die just in case someone forgets to give it to you after I am gone." I was speechless.

I took the doll and placed it in a ante-room in the church so that I could take it home afterward. In all the business of the funeral, I forgot to take it home. About two weeks later, I remembered the doll. The next Sunday morning I went to church, and I immediately went to the room to get the doll to take it home. When I got into the room, I could not find the doll anywhere. Evidently someone had seen it and had taken it. I was extremely sad for several reasons--first, because my mother-in-law had taken the time to give it to me; second, because she had given up one of her dolls for me; and third, because I really wanted that doll for several reasons.

I know that a doll is only a doll and that in this case I was a softly, but I cannot help still missing that little green boy who used to sit on my lap.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Is This The Providence Of God, Or What?

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

It was Sunday last. My grandson and I, after the Sunday morning service, went to our local Skyline Chili restaurant to eat some good chili.

As we were sitting close to the front door eating, several people came by and spoke to me, and I greeted and talked with several of them at length.

A family from our church happened to also be at the restaurant; and, when one of the children saw all the people come to me and greeting me, she said, "Does everyone know Bro. Wolfe?" Well, it certainly does seems to be the case sometimes.

One man who greeted me and talked with me a little took it upon himself to pay for our meal, for which I am very grateful. May God bless him for that. That happens occasionally, and I know that was God's providence.

But after my grandson and I ate our chili, I asked the waitress to bring each one of us a cup of chocolate ice cream. In a couple of moments, she returned with the ice cream. I asked her to also bring the bill, but she said, "Someone already paid for your food, so you don't owe anything." I reached for my cup of ice cream and said, "You mean, even these?" She looked at me hurriedly and said, "Oh, don't worry about that."

So the man paid for our meal, and the waitress gave us the chocolate ice cream for free. I hope she did not get fired (I am sure she did not). Now, isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful? That is God's Providence working among us.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Who Is My Father?

Ronnie Wolfe
 
After I had left Falmouth, Kentucky, and moved to Lexington, Kentucky, to go to school, I lived in a house where some other men lived. We all had our rooms, and the landlady lived in one section which had a kitchen and a separate bathroom. All of the men had to use the same bathroom, and most of the time there were either three or four men besides myself. I had the whole upstairs to myself, though it was divided into two rooms, and another man could have lived in one room and I in the other. This did not happen the whole year and more that I lived there.

While there, one late evening, while I was sitting on my bed upstairs and probably doing homework, one of the men downstairs came up the steps and spoke to me. Then he sat on the bed beside me. It was only a couple of minutes until he said, "Ronnie, I have some news for you, and I know you will be surprised." I wondered what kind of news he could possibly have for me, so I asked, "What news?"

He looked at me a little strange and said, "Ronnie, I am your real father. You see, when you were young, my wife and I were separated, and you were given for adoption to another couple. I had not seen you since until today. After I learned who you were, I did some research and found that you are my son."

I did not know quite what to say. You might say that I was speechless. He began to go on and on about some of the details of why he was my father, details which now have passed from my memory. It may be so that I did not even listen to his detailed musings, because I was shocked at his sudden revelation.

This would not have been so bad except for the fact that it was true that, when I was growing up at home, we had taken in my first cousin to raise. My mother took him when he was nine months old. I did not find out that he was a cousin until he was about 13 years old. Now I am faced with a possibility that I may also have been "taken in" and that I may be another cousin rather than a brother to those raised around me.

As he talked, I began to contemplate all kinds of things, because I really did not want this man to be my father. Eventually, I looked down at my hands. When I saw my hands, I realized that my hands were almost exactly like my father's hands. I was more like my father than I was like this man who was claiming to be my father--we had nothing in common.

We are children of God, because we have become somewhat like him; and one day we will be like our Lord, Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. There will be no doubting then that we belong to Him. But the question is, "How do we look right now?" Are we like him in our daily living and in our worship? Do we love him as we love our human parents, even more? Are we talking with Him and admiring Him as our Lord and Savior?

I loved my father with a deep love, and I tried to obey him and my mother. I learned a lot from them and wanted to grow up like them.  We should also desire to be like our Father in Heaven even to the point that we may, if not look like him now, at least act as he would act on the earth.

The next morning, as I went to leave for breakfast through the center hall which led to the front door, I noticed the front door open and some men standing around in the hall. I paused to see what was going on, and at that time, two men were walking out with this man who claimed to be my father. They were taking him to a mental hospital. I was saddened, yet relieved, that I still had my same father. I can never lose my real father except in death, and I did in 1970; but I can never, ever lose my Heavenly Father, because he has sealed me with His Holy Spirit.


Thursday, July 7, 2016

My Broken Nose

By Ronnie Wolfe

My father worked in the city (Covington, Kentucky) and stayed there all through the work week. He came home on Friday evening. One Friday evening he came home, but he went immediately to the barn to do some work before he came to the house.

I was anxious to see him, so I decided to go to the barn. In my excitement, as fast as I could, I started toward the barn. I went out of the house and across our front porch. When I got to the edge of the porch, I was stepping off the porch and lost my balance.

As I stepped off the porch, I saw immediately a rough rock making its way up from the ground right into my face. Actually, I was falling toward the big, rough rock, and that rock slapped me right in the face as I fell to the ground directly on my nose.

When I began to cry very loudly, my father ran as fast as he could to me, picked me up, checked my nose and said, "I think he broke his nose." Then he carried me into the house.

My nose really hurt, but I was at least in my father's arms preferred and protected. That was all I wanted.

Monday, June 20, 2016

Two Unforgettable Events

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

Living at the Earl Wallace place was an unforgettable experience for me. Here I will mention quickly two small events that have stuck in my mind since the time they happened.

Dog In The Ice Box
Some of you have already read this story. Today will be a shorter writing of it. For some reason, one day I decided to put our little Beagle puppy in the bottom right-hand cabinet of our ice box. There was no ice in the top ice compartment, so it was not cold; but I put him in there and closed and latched the door. Then I went off and forgot that I had done it. Later that day, we all heard the puppy crying, but no one could find the puppy. Even I looked for the puppy, because I had forgotten what I had done. Eventually, it flashed into my mind what I had done, and, feeling badly about it, I went to the ice box and let out the puppy. I must have got into much trouble over that, but I forgot about that, too.

Half Dollar Under The Floor
While we lived at the Earl Wallace place, somehow I got my hands on a half dollar. I suppose someone gave it to me for a gift. As I was sitting in the front doorway, I was playing around with that half dollar coin. I noticed a small knothole in the floor and began to play around, pushing the coin harder and harder into that hole, thinking the hole was too small for the coin to go through; but suddenly the coin dropped through the hole and under the floor. As far as I know, that coin is still under the house near the front door. When they tear it down, someone needs to find that coin and send it to me.


Monday, June 13, 2016

Hear Me When I Call

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe -- Psalm 4:1

When doing my daily reading this morning, I was starting my reading in the book of Psalms; and, when I came upon this verse, it struck me hard. Thoughts of wonder went through my mind.

I thought, "Why should God hear me when I call?" My heart sank low as I thought about my own sinfulness despite the fact that I put forth my best endeavor to be right with God in both my thoughts and my doings.

Why would God answer the call of a man who has sinned so against him? How can a man bring himself to call upon such a holy God? We have no power to comprehend the transcendence of God much less his immanence, his Providence among his creatures. How can I rise above my daily earthly shortcomings in order to make even the least request to such a glorious and perfect God?

The answer is in his love and grace toward his people. He has loved his people with an everlasting love, and he has given commandment for us to call out to him. He is always ready to answer those who come to him without regarding sin in the heart and who truly desire to repent of their daily sins and to grow in grace and knowledge.

It is because of God's great mercy that we are able to bow our heads in strong humility, submitting to his righteousness and his will. We can by no means approach God on legal grounds except for the fact that Jesus is both the Sacrifice for our sins and also our Advocate (lawyer) in heaven where he perpetually intercedes for believers to his Father and our Father.

The verse goes on to say "thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress." Oh, the distress that comes when I feel the weight of sin upon my back, hesitating to pray to God because of those dirty, filthy thoughts that course through my mind at times, those horrible thoughts of doubt, superstition, and even hatred and jealousy! How can I approach him? What will he say. I feel as Job did when he approached God. How can I give answer to God.

Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.  THAT IS THE REASON!

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Shadows

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

The word shadow is found 71 times in the Bible, but it is used in different ways. We all know what a shadow is, although it may be hard to give a proper definition to it.

I.  SHADOW OF DEATH

This is a familiar phrase read in the Bible, and it is found 19 times in the Bible. Notice Matthew 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Great light came to those who were in the shadow of death, reading to die and be cast into Hell's hot wrath; but great light came to them, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and lit their way to a heavenly peace with God through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

See also Job 3:5; Luke 1:79; Psalm 23:4

II.  SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME

Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Romans 7:12 says, Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good, but it cannot save a soul. The law is simply a shadow of the good things to come in Christ as He fulfilled the shadow of the law in his death, burial, and resurrection and made a way of reconciliation for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ.

These things to come are "good things to come," which include the time when Jesus came to earth to live a perfect life for us and then to die the death of the cross to pay for our sins.

These good things to come also include the coming of Jesus Christ again from Heaven to deliver us into his eternal kingdom.

See also Hebrews 8:5; 10:1

III.  NO SHADOW OF TURNING

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Not only does God NOT turn from his essence and, his attributes, and his decrees, but there is not even a shadow of turning with Him. He is always faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

The dark shadow of human effort, which is so weak, and Satan's dark shadow of heresy and hatred for God cannot bring even a light shadow, or temptation, for God to turn from His faithfulness. He is faithful!

IV.  SHADOW OF THY WINGS

Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

As the sings of the Cheribum in the tabernacle cast a shadow over the mercy seat, thus metaphorically the wings of God overshadow us as a protective cover to keep us in his arms, abiding our every step and leading us into righteousness.

See also Psalm 36:7; 57:1

V.  SHADOW THAT PASSES AWAY

Psalms 144:4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away.

Our days on earth are as a shadow, passing away day by day, leading us toward the inevitable shadow of death, which we all shall meet.

Our lives pass away in a short time, and we who believe will be with God and Christ for eternity.

But those who do not believe, also meeting that weary shadow of death in a few days, will not be with God and Christ but will be doomed to eternal torment. It is important, then, that everyone flee from the wrath to come by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Surprised By Joy

By Dr. Ronnie Wolfe – March 27, 2016
Luke 24:13-32


    After experiencing events both saddening and wonderful, two disciples of Jesus walked along on a road from Jerusalem that led to a northern town named Emmaus. One disciple was named Cleopas (18), and the other one’s name is withheld. Some believe it was Peter; others believe it was another certain disciple, but the truth is that we actually do not know who it was.
    As they walked, they talked between themselves of the events that had happened in Jerusalem the past few days. These events were profound and historical. They would not long hence be written down in four Gospels for us to read and be blessed by the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
    Also, as they walked, Jesus came near to them, but Jesus hid their understanding of Him. He was a stranger to them. He began asking about the subject matter of their conversation and why they were so sad concerning these things.
    They asked Jesus if He were a stranger and perhaps had missed out on the message of what had recently happened in Jerusalem. They said, “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” Luke 24:18.  Then Jesus asked, “What things?” This is a great question, because it is a question that we should all ask, a question that, if answered, will give answer to the many problems that face the world and its confusions. They said it was Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: (19).
    Certainly we should all ask, What things?, as we consider the history of this great man, Jesus. We need to know, not only who He is, but also what he did. Someone recently preached a series of sermons, not on WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?, but on WHAT DID JESUS DO? It is, then, more important to know what Jesus DID than to know what he WOULD  DO. What did Jesus do?
    We find the answer to that in the further discussion of these two men as they describe “these things” to Jesus. In verse 20 we read the beginning of what happened. Jesus was delivered to be condemned to death. Acts 2:23 says, Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, . . . .  God delivered Jesus through the hands of chief priests and rulers to be crucified by his determinate counsel and foreknowledge, his own divine counsel, his divine wisdom that Jesus would be condemned, crucified, and slain.
    At this point in time, Jesus has been condemned to death, crucified, and slain. This was a sad day in Jerusalem. At this time most did not know that Jesus had resurrected from the dead; they knew only that He had died and was gone from their presence. These two disciples, then, were saddened; because they had not seen Jesus after His resurrection. They had known only of His death. He was gone, and no one knew where he was. That is why they were sad. They thought that Jesus would be the one who should have redeemed Israel, (21).
    They thought that Jesus, as Messiah, would overcome the government of Rome and set up His kingdom here on earth, a kingdom that would last forever; but this did not happen, and now Jesus is dead.
    If Jesus is dead, then, all hope is gone: all hope for Israel, all hope for the Gentiles, all hope for the world, all hope for creation, all hope for all of us here today. A dead Messiah is no Messiah at all, for Messiah must be a Prophet, a Priest, and a King. A dead man can be none of these.
    They continue to say in verse 21, and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. They evidently were convinced that, after three days in the tomb, Jesus would still be in the tomb. Men do not come out of a tomb. A tomb signifies death; and, even though Jesus had raised others from the dead, no one ever thought that He could raise himself from the dead or that there was any other way He could come back from the dead. The hope of the Kingdom of God was very bleak at this time. Therefore, these men were very sad.
    Now, these men had heard that the women went to the tomb early on that same day and that they did not find the body of Jesus there. They had not, however, actually seen the Lord, so they were perhaps persuaded that the false rumor may be true that someone came and stole the body and took it away somewhere. All they knew for sure was that Jesus had died, was placed in a tomb, and now His body is not there.
    Now they knew of the death of the Lord and the burial of the Lord, but they were not convinced of the resurrection of the Lord. They, no doubt, thought they must be satisfied with the answer that Jesus was nowhere to be found and that there was no reason at all for them to try to find Him.
    But Jesus answered in verse 25:  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: They had no doubt  read in Psalms 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption, but they did not understand it, because their hearts were slow to understand.  They no doubt read in Psalms 24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in, but their hearts were slow to understand.  They no doubt had read in Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this, but their hearts were slow to understand.
    So many hearts were slow to understand what the prophets had spoken (25). Many of us even today are slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken. Many deceivers have gone out into the world to deceive even the very elect if possible concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
    The resurrection of Jesus Christ is of such great importance that without it there is no salvation. Acts 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. This is the message that was needed for these two disciples whose eyes were kept from seeing the very Messiah who was walking with them to Emmaus.
    In order to see Jesus, our eyes must be opened. Otherwise, we cannot see Him, even though he is not far from any of us.  Acts 17:27 says, That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
    So, the women of Jerusalem made them astonished by saying that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Remember Matthew 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  There was a story told, said these two disciples, that the women went to the tomb where Jesus lay, and Jesus was not there. No only so, but the women said that an angel came and told them that he was alive; but they admitted that the women went to the tomb and saw where He lay, but He was not there, and they did not see Him.
    Jesus begins, then, to answer them concerning these things, but He first calls them fools (25), because they were slow to believe what the prophets have spoken. They could see the prophecies of Messiah’s coming. They could see the prophecy that One would come like unto Moses. They understood that the Messiah would come as a root and offspring of David. They understood that this Messiah would set up a kingdom and be a redeemer to Israel. But they could not understand, as even the apostles could not understand, that He must first die and then rise from the dead.
    Remember that the apostles did not understand that, even though Jesus told them time and time again that He was to die and resurrect after three days. Their eyes were blinded. Their minds were dull to hearing, and in addition Jesus had not opened their hearts to this great truth. You see, truth comes from God; so we cannot know the truth by way of our own knowledge and reasoning. God must open our understanding.
    Jesus answered them by saying in verse 26:   Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  Jesus said in His prayer to His father:  John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:    –    John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.     –    Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images
    Now it is time for Jesus to have a Bible lesson on the Old Testament. Notice Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.  Just as Philip took the Old Testament and testified of Jesus from the prophets, so Jesus Himself here takes the Old Testament and preaches Himself to these two men, who had missed the whole point of the Old Testament prophecies, because their minds were dull to the real meaning.
    When the Bible lesson was done, they came near to Emmaus, and Jesus was walking as to be going another way; but the men constrained Him, or convinced Him, to stay with them for a while, which He did. While they were eating, Jesus broke bread and gave it to them, and He opened their eyes to understand that He was Jesus, the Messiah, whom they had been talking about on the way home. As soon as Jesus had revealed Himself to them, the Bible says that He vanished out of their sight.
    Then they admitted to each other that their hearts did burn as Jesus opened the Scriptures to them and helped them to understand the teaching of Old Testament passages the truth about His own death, his burial, and his resurrection. Now they get it!  They were surprised by joy! Now they understand! Now they have a working understanding of the Scriptures, so they are now equipped to do the work of preaching the Gospel everywhere they go. Their hearts burned to know the truth, as ours should burn for the same reason. Remember John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
    Does your heart burn when you read God’s word? Does it burn to know the truth? Does your heart thrill to the truth of God’s word? Do you get excited to know what God says in His word? Are you thrilled at what you read? Are you anxious to talk to others about God’s word? If not, then learn from these men of Emmaus to get excited about God’s word, love it, and share it with others.
    Now these two men, after seeing and knowing Jesus, arose and went back to Jerusalem and met with the disciples, along with the apostles, as they gathered together. They told the disciples that Jesus has risen and has appeared to Simon Peter. None of the other Gospel writers speak of this appearance to Peter except Luke here and Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: Not only was Peter the oldest apostle, but he was also the man who denied the Lord three times. Peter was, however, trusted by the other disciples and would believe what he would tell them concerning having seen the Lord. This appearance of the Lord to Peter (Cephas) shows his great grace on the greatest of sinners and His love to his disciples.
    Now let us notice 1 Cor. 15:12-18  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  13  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  15  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  16  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:  17  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
    Now that Christ is resurrected from the dead, so shall we be resurrected from the dead.  1 Cor. 15:51-57  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
    Philippians 3:10-11  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Low in the grave He lay
Jesus my Savior
Waiting the coming day
Jesus my Lord

Up from the grave He arose
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign

He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!



Saturday, March 12, 2016

Throwing Out The Garbage


Thoughts From Pastor Ronnie Wolfe
Philippians 3:4-8 
  • Confidence in the flesh:  Throw it out
  • Circumcised 8th day: Throw it out
  • Stock of Israel: Throw it out
  • Tribe of Benjamin: Throw it out
  • Hebrew of Hebrews: Throw it out
  • A Pharisee: Throw it out
  • Zeal of law: Throw it out
  • Persecuting the church: Throw it out
  • Righteousness of law: Throw it out
  • These are all nothing but DUNG
These were all GAIN to Paul, but he counted them all but loss for Christ. He counted "all things" in himself, things he had gained in his life by his own preparation and work, LOSS.  
 
Paul threw out his own gathered garbage when he met Christ Jesus, for he knew that he could not satisfy God's justice and judgment without the work of Christ, the complete, holy work of Christ as He died, was buried, and resurrected the third day according to the Scriptures.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified


Tuesday, March 8, 2016

A Description Of The Truth

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

I.  The Truth Is Divine
 
    A. Psalms 119:89  For ever, O LORD, thy
          word is settled in heaven.

II.  The Truth Is Delivering  
    A.  Psalms 119:154 Plead my cause, and deliver me:
         quicken me according to thy word.
    B.  2 Corinthians 1:10 Who delivered us from so great
         a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he
         will yet deliver us;
    C.  John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the
          truth shall make you free.

 III.  The Truth Is  Directive    
    A.  Isaiah 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate
         robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their
         work in truth, and I will make an everlasting
         covenant with them.

IV.  The Truth Is  Divisive
    A.  Matthew 10:34-37  Think not that I am come to
         send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
         but a sword.  35  For I am come to set a man at
         variance against his father, and the daughter
         against her mother, and the daughter in law
         against her mother in law.  36  And a man's foes
         shall be they of his own household.  37  He that
         loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
         of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more
         than me is not worthy of me.
    B.  Divided Judas from Jesus
    C.  Divided Peter from Jesus
          1.  Acts 10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I
               have never eaten any thing that is common or
               unclean.
          2.  Mtthew 26:31-34  Then saith Jesus unto them,
               All ye shall be offended because of me this
               night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd,
               and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered
               abroad.  32  But after I am risen again, I will go
               before you into Galilee.  33  Peter answered
               and said unto him, Though all men shall be
               offended because of thee, yet will I never be
               offended.  34  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say
               unto thee, That this night, before the cock
               crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

V.  The Truth Is Destructive
    A.  John was sent to witness of the truth:  John 5:33
         Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the
          truth.
    B.  John told the truth:  Matthew 7-11 But when he
          saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come
          to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of
          vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
          wrath to come?  8  Bring forth therefore fruits
          meet for repentance:  9  And think not to say
          within     yourselves, We have Abraham to our
          father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these
          stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  10 
          And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the
          trees:  herefore every tree which bringeth not forth
          good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  11
          I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:
          but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,
          whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall
          baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Saturday, February 20, 2016

John 4:45-54 - Received & Repaired

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

The Savior Received, 4:45

When Jesus departed Samaria, he went into Galilee, for, he said, ". . . a prophet hath no honour in his own country." 44

When he came to Galilee, the people received him, mainly because he had done so many miracles in and around Jerusalem. Many today, also, believe Jesus because of miracles, signs and wonders that they, many times, conjure in their minds.

A Son Repaired, 4:46-57

Now coming to Cana in Galilee, Jesus met a noble man who had a son who was sick. The man was from Capernaum. The man, hearing that Jesus was in Galilee, went to Jesus to ask him to heal his son, who was sick unto death, 47-49.

When the noble man asked Jesus to heal his moribund son, Jesus said, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." When the man went home, he found that his son had been healed at the same time that Jesus made this statement.

This is the second miracle that Jesus did, which is an important one to us, knowing that Jesus is sovereign over all the affairs of life and death. Let us know and appreciate Jesus' sovereignty. Study it, know it, and worship Jesus for it.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

John 4:35-38 - "The Harvest"

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

How many times have we read this portion of Scripture? Each time we do, it convicts our hearts of our hesitation to reap a harvest of souls that are ripe for the word of God.

The Harvest Is READY, 35
It is now time for all of us to be busy about our Father's business of preaching the Gospel to every creature. Just as harvesting is not easy, so witnessing is not easy; but the harvest must be gathered in to the glory of God. It is better that we who love the Lord and love truth harvest these who are ready to believe rather than some who may lead them into error.

The Harvest is REWARDED, 36
Yes, the work that we as evangelists and soul-winners do will be rewarded, first with the fruit of eternal life in those who believe and also in our reward received at the hand of our God in judgment, since He promised it to us, bringing his reward with Him.

The Harvest is RECEIVED, 37-38
Where the Old Testament prophets sowed the prophetic word of God, so the apostles and New Testament believers reaped from that prophetic prose in giving the true message of Jesus' coming as the Messiah to seek and to save that which was lost.

Also, we today harvest the sowing of the apostles as they ministered and wrote down the divine, inspired word of God for our easy use today. They have sown; we are reaping the fruit of their labors with a simple but powerful message of the Gospel of grace to those who are so much in need of it.

Also, we are reaping where God sows the word of God into the hearts of those to whom we are witnessing. Without His work, there would be no harvest, for He is the originator and the provider of a good harvest.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Forsaking The Law Of The Lord

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

2 Chron. 12:1
And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

Solomon had received wisdom from God and had done great things for Israel. Although he did great public works and established many luxurious and beautiful things in Israel, he also served the Lord and was obedient to God.

However, Solomon's son, Rehoboam, although taught in the ways of the Lord, turned his attention to political and public affairs rather than to the Lord and obedience to God's law.

From the beginning of his reign, he listened, as you remember, to the youth rather than to the older leaders for advice and would not take good and sound advice but turned to the advice of public opinion. This was devastating to his reign as king over all Israel.

As a result, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Israel and took the cities surrounding Jerusalem. Then Shemaiah, the prohet, gave Rehoboam a message from God. That message was that, because Rehoboam has forsaken the Lord, God has left Israel in the hands of the king of Egypt.

Now Rehoboam humbled himself along with the princes of Israel (verse 6), and God determined, then, not to destroy Jerusalem; but he caused Israel to be the servants of the king of Egypt. Notice this:  2 Chron. 12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. So Rehoboam and Israel became servants to Egypt, the very place that God had delivered them from many years earlier.

When we rebel against the Lord, we turn back to the beggarly elements of the world (Gal. 4:9), and we become servants (slaves) of the world again.

Notice one more point in 2 Chron. 12:14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.  This is the same reason that believers today become entangled in the world: they do not prepare their hearts to serve the LORD in their lives. Grace prepared us for God's salvation and protection, but only our complete surrender to God can prepare our hearts to serve him and live abundantly for him.

Let us today prepare our hearts for service and expect persecution from those who do not love the LORD. We need not be slaves to the world's addictions and lusts, for the Lord has saved us and separated us from the world (John 15:19).


Tuesday, January 19, 2016

John 4:32-34

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

"I have meat to eat that ye know not of."

Jesus expressed that he has meat to eat that the disciples do not about. What is that meat that he can eat that they do not know about? How can he have meat that they do not know about? Where is this meat? Who brought this meat to Jesus? So many questions entered into the minds of Jesus' disciples as they contemplated this mysterious statement. Even after Jesus expressed that his meat was to do the will of his Father, they still did not understand. Oh, we of little faith and understanding! It takes the Spirit of God to bring us to the truth and its understanding.

The will of God for Jesus, of course, is for him to be a witness of the Father, because he was sent to earth to manifest the Father to human being.

The will of God for Jesus is also for him to suffer and die on the cross for our sins, lie in the tomb for three days and nights, and resurrect on the third day, go to Heaven, make intercession for all believers, and return the second time. Hallelujah!

John 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.  . . . 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. See also 1 Cor. 11:24.

So, our meat is to eat the flesh of the Son of man symbolized in The Lord's Supper's bread and to drink the blood of the Son of man in drinking the drink in this same Supper. We do this in a symbolic way to show forth his death until he come, 1 Cor. 11:26.

We, then, have bread to eat that the world does not know and drink to drink that the world knows not. Let us often partake of the Lord's Supper in our own local church in order to be reminded of the Lord's death "till he come." 


Friday, January 15, 2016

John 4:27-31

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

"Why talkest thou with her?" (verse 27)

When the disciples came to the Lord, they were amazed that he was talking with this Samaritan woman, since they were not to have any dealings with them. This question "Why talkest thou with her?" is not answered at this time, but we are told that the woman went her way and told the men of the city about this man, who could be the Christ.  This is the very reason he spoke to her: he knew that she would go and tell everyone of himself.

She went and told the men about Jesus, and they, doubtful, came to see Jesus  for themselves. The supreme object of Jesus' work here was to bring men to himself through faith. Jesus was reaching into the arena of Gentile in order that the Jews might be a light unto the Gentiles, that it might be brought about that was later said, " . . . how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles (Acts 14:27).


Friday, January 8, 2016

John 4:26

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

"Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."

Matt. 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

What a pronouncement this was to the Samaritan woman! She knew about the coming of the Messiah, but she did not know that Jesus was that Messiah. Neither did those who were in the synagogue who heard Jesus say in  Luke 4:21, . . . This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

We must remember that Jesus must reveal God the Father to us. It is not too much to ask for this kind of grace from God, for it is by His grace that we are saved through faith, and without this grace no one would be saved, neither know the Father. Everyone must come to the Father by Jesus (John 14:6).

This woman knew nothing of Jesus, but she needed Jesus, and Jesus revealed Himself to her and saved her; then later a church was begun in Samaria which gave witness to this same Jesus for many years to come.




Monday, January 4, 2016

John 4:25

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

The woman at the well was not ignorant of the coming of a Messiah. She understood, having some Jewish training, no doubt, through her family, that a True Messiah was to come. So, she said, "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ."

Certainly Messiah does come, and He is here at this time in this verse. Jesus Himself stood in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth and read from the scriptures the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah and said in "Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.  The ears of the hearers there were not only shocked, but they were angry that Jesus expressed that He was that Messiah.  -- And all they in the synagogue, . . . when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong (Luke 4:28-29).

No less was this woman surprised to learn that Jesus was that Messiah and expressed that when he is come, he will tell us all things (25); and certainly He did tell her all things that ever I did (4:29).

Yes, Jesus is the Messiah, and He has come. He has come to die for sinners, to set the captives free, to call His sheep, save His sheep, secure His sheep, and has resurrected to make intercession for His sheep.

One day we, his sheep, will be with him where He is. That will be a glorious day, will it not?

Friday, January 1, 2016

John 4:23-24

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

The time has come when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. That indicates that Jesus has finally come to earth to redeem his people from their sins; therefore, every believer should bow down to Jesus and honor him as the Son of God, the Messiah. We are to do that in spirit, which means that the religious part of us needs to be in tune with God the Father and learn more and more about Jesus. As we read in Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  It is our spirit that adores him, exalts him in our minds, and surrenders to his will as we live on this earth.

Our text goes on to say that the Father "seeketh such to worship him." As the Father looks at every aspect of our lives, what does he find in us? Does he find a sincere heart full of love for him and dedicated to serving him? We are all human and make human mistakes, but I pray that God will lead us into the whole truth of Scripture so that we can worship him in spirit and truth. "God is a Spirit," and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth (24).

The truth is the Bible. No other book has even come close to shining godly truth into the hearts of believers. All writings should be measured against the perfection of the word of God -- James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Happy New Year

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

Great joy is in the hearts of most citizens of the United States today, because this is a new day and a new year. Psychologically people desire to have a new beginning, a time when everything can be started anew. Even though a change of year is not a divine dispensation under the order and command of the Lord, yet in the mind of most people a new era begins in their lives.

Let us use this opportunity to add to our faith, grow in grace, and humble ourselves under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, giving appropriate time over to Bible reading and study and meditating on the word of God so that sin may not get a hold on our lives to bring us down to the realm of the carnal mind.

God bless everyone through this new year. May God give his churches the wisdom to make good decisions, and may our preachers continue to preach the word of God alone without any addition of tradition or fables.