The Iron Pen #58
"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job
19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
God & Country
"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from
the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book" - Abraham Lincoln
Three Harbor Lights & The Will of God
A certain harbor in the British Isles is hard to access. It is necessary for the
captain of a vessel, wishing to enter port, to get three of the harbor lights in a line
before him, and with this done he can safely come in. Likewise, when the Bible, our
conscience, and the circumstances in which we are placed are all in accord,
we may be sure that we are in the will of God, and may go forward confidently. - F. B.
Meyer
The Savior’s Work & The Believers’
Witness
The plan of God for a world’s redemption embraces both the work of the atoning
Savior and the witness of the redeemed Church of believers. The travail of the
Redeemer’s soul can never be satisfied until those who have heard and believed go and
proclaim the glad tidings. - A. T. Pierson
The Best Advantages Are Worthless If You
Don’t Have Christ!
David L. Brown Th.M.
The man in focus had all the best advantages in life. He came from the
right family. He was intelligent and had a good education. He was successful and famous,
but he rejected the one thing he needed the most!
His father was a Bible believing preacher, the second President
of Princeton. His grandfather, on his mother’s side, was the famous biblical
theologian and preacher Dr. Jonathan Edwards. Though his parents died when he was young,
his uncle, Reverend Timothy Edwards brought him up in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord.
He entered Princeton when he was thirteen and graduated second in
his class at age sixteen. One historian wrote, He "was thought to be one of the
most brilliant students graduated from Princeton in the eighteenth century."
After graduation he began to study theology in preparation for the ministry but soon
dropped out choosing rather to study law.
He was appointed to the staff of General George Washington. Soon
he was promoted to Major and then to Lieutenant-Colonel. He was widely known and respected
for his valor, sound judgment and devotion to the cause of the Colonies. His notoriety led
him into political office. He served as New York’s Attorney General, then U.S.
Senator. His bid for president in 1800 ended up in a tie with Thomas Jefferson. Both
received 73 electoral votes. The House of Representatives broke the tie, and this man
became Vice-President. But, being second fiddle did not sit well with this man and deep
resentment set in. In 1804 the bitterness and resentment boiled over when he fatally shot
Alexander Hamilton in a duel. As a result, darkness settled on his life. On September 14,
1836 he died as a man without a country, without friends, a moral derelict, floating,
drifting aimlessly.
Who was this man and why did he come to such a tragic end when he
had all the best advantages of life? The answer to these questions is this. While
Aaron
Burr was in college, an extensive revival prevailed among the students. Burr was
one of four who refused to be influenced for Christ. He shook off all religious
impressions at the turning point of his career, choosing the downward path of unbelief,
and infamy.
I must tell you this. In the final analysis it does not matter
what temporal advantages you have in life. If you do not have Christ, you have nothing!
The Bible says, For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26 Yet,
if you do have Christ it does not matter what advantages you are lacking. The Apostle Paul
wrote, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that
I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of
the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God
by faith: Philippians 3:8-9
A Brief Character Sketch of Daniel
Dr. Howard F. Sugden
- Man of Purposes – Chapter 1
- Man of Perception – Chapter 2
- Man of Prayer – Chapter 6
- Man of Perusal – Chapter 9
Point To Ponder
"Let us never forget that what we are is more
important than what we do." - Husdon Taylor
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