Heart To Heart With Pastor Ed Bowen – #10

Pastor Ed Bowen was saved on March 24, 1957 at a revival meeting at Horse Branch Church in Turbeville, S.C. at the age of 23. Brother Bowen has been married to his wife, Margaret, for over 54 years. After being ordained in 1960, Pastor Bowen went on to preach in various places until he became pastor of Cherryvale Baptist. Having been there for over 43 years, in 2000, he had to slow down a bit due to prostate cancer.

Though unable to do what he used to do, Pastor Ed has just changed venues. For over ten years now, he has been encouraging people via email. He has graciously agreed to be a contributing author to this website. This series of posts entitled, “Heart To Heart” are the fruit of his times with our Lord Jesus! If they mean as much to you as they do me, then EMAIL him and let him know about it!

The Love Of Money

(1 Timothy 6:8-10) “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”  (KJV)

The most common form of the sin of covetousness is the love of money or things. The lusting after more and more material riches. This is described by the Apostle Paul in the Word of God, as those “that would be rich.” So, one does not necessarily have to possess much to be covetous and love money. A person could have a small bank account or no bank account at all, and still love money.

The evidence of this inordinate desire for money is shown by the getting, the keeping and the spending of it. In getting it, one may have such an obsessive desire for attaining wealth that it becomes his dominating passion and greed possesses his heart. There is also a miserly attitude which causes a person to cling to money like a drowning man to a log. He hoards it despite the needs of others and the cause of Christ. Then, there are those who are called spendthrifts. They get money only to spend it on their lustful appetites.

There is a prudence to thrift and a blessing in generosity, if each is directed by the Lord. There is also an honorable dedication to diligence and dutiful labor. The rich fool (Luke 12) was not foolish because he was idle. He was a fool because he was not rich toward God. He did not acknowledge the source of his blessings. Let us never be such a fool!

Ed Bowen

Conclusion

It is so easy to be deceived by money and it’s glitter! Many a devout Christian has been brought under it’s power and ground to powder. May everyone who reads this post be sure to keep their heart right with God and their motives righteous as it pertains to money and materialism!

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By W.E. Vine / Thomas Nelson

This convenient one volume combines Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words and Unger and White’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament. This book allows you to easily access the alphabetized English equivalents of the Greek or Hebrew words from which they are translated. Throughout the text the most significant biblical words are illustrated by Scripture passages, comments, cross-references, ancient and modern meanings, precise etymologies, historical notes, and clearly defined technical information. Each original language is indexed, and the addition of a topical index allows you to access all the dictionary entries pertinent to specific New Testament ideas and teachings.Keyed to Strong’s.

Heart To Heart With Pastor Ed Bowen – #8

Pastor Ed Bowen was saved on March 24, 1957 at a revival meeting at Horse Branch Church in Turbeville, S.C. at the age of 23. Brother Bowen has been married to his wife, Margaret, for over 54 years. After being ordained in 1960, Pastor Bowen went on to preach in various places until he became pastor of Cherryvale Baptist. Having been there for over 43 years, in 2000, he had to slow down a bit due to prostate cancer.

Though unable to do what he used to do, Pastor Ed has just changed venues. For over ten years now, he has been encouraging people via email. He has graciously agreed to be a contributing author to this website. This series of posts entitled, “Heart To Heart” are the fruit of his times with our Lord Jesus! If they mean as much to you as they do me, then EMAIL him and let him know about it!

No Time For Fretting And Envying!

(Psalms 37:1-2) “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”  (KJV)

If the prosperity of the wicked has gotten your attention and overrun your mind with fretting and envying, then take a good lesson from the shortness of man’s life on earth. His prosperity will soon be over because he is standing in a slippery place and will soon slip off into eternity. Another alternative is that you will not be long taking note of it yourself, for man’s days on earth are few compared to eternity. There is really little time to spend on such a useless endeavor.

We are told that “they spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave.” (Job 21:13); and that “they are set in slippery places and are suddenly destroyed.” (Psalm 73:18); and that “they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.” (Psalm 37:2)

What good does their prosperity do them? It does but hasten their ruin, not their reward.

It is a serious error to believe that godliness is material gain. Let us not be deceived by uncertain riches. It is possible to lose our gold, but we can never lose our God! Let us trust Him wholeheartedly. If the Lord blesses us materially, then let us maintain a quiet humility and seek to honor Him whether in poverty or plenty.

Pastor Ed Bowen

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Heart To Heart With Pastor Ed Bowen – #6

Pastor Ed Bowen was saved on March 24, 1957 at a revival meeting at Horse Branch Church in Turbeville, S.C. at the age of 23. Brother Bowen has been married to his wife, Margaret, for over 54 years. After being ordained in 1960, Pastor Bowen went on to preach in various places until he became pastor of Cherryvale Baptist. Having been there for over 43 years, in 2000, he had to slow down a bit due to prostate cancer.

Though unable to do what he used to do, Pastor Ed has just changed venues. For over ten years now, he has been encouraging people via email. He has graciously agreed to be a contributing author to this website. This series of posts entitled, “Heart To Heart” are the fruit of his times with our Lord Jesus! If they mean as much to you as they do me, then EMAIL him and let him know about it!

Good News From A Far Country

(Proverbs 25:25) “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”  (KJV)

Sin has put every person in a far country, far away from God… in a sense. There is good news, however, though there is a distance between the sinner and his Maker. God looks upon the sinner with tender feelings. His heart is filled with mercy and grace and he has made a way for the sinner’s return.

God has sent a message through countless messengers to invite the sinner to come home. He has provided the means for his return. The sinner may return at once, for “all things are now ready.” Some have already returned and are waiting for others to return. This is good news from a far country when it is received. It is like cold water to a thirsty soul.

A wonderful illustration of this truth is given by Christ Himself. In a parable He spoke of the lost son (Luke 15) “And not many days after (the inheritance was divided) the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” This rebellious son recklessly lived in this “far country” and his money was soon spent. A famine followed and he came to poverty… ending in the hog pen. There, he came to himself and began his journey home to his father’s house. A warm welcome and a great celebration followed when he arrived and was greeted by his loving father.

I recall, with gratitude, the early days when this prodigal came home to the Father’s house. I was welcomed with open arms by God’s wonderful people in the church and by my family. As I became more familiar with the Scriptures, I learned that there had been an even greater celebration in Heaven. Since that time, I have heard of the conversion of some of my friends and relatives and my “thirsty soul (thirsting to hear that the good news had reached my loved ones) was quenched of its thirst. It was, indeed, good news from a far country.

I am thinking particularly now of a young friend of mine, at the time of my conversion. He was at a loss as to what happened to so radically change my life. I knew little about the Scriptures at that time, so did not know exactly what to tell him. A pastor gave me some gospel tracts that related exactly how I wanted to say it. I gave the young man one of the tracts and asked him to promise me he would read it carefully. He promised, but, in a short time, he went out of my life. A wonderful thing happened years later when he sent me a message by a mutual acquaintance. He said, “Tell Ed that I did what that tract said.” That good news was “as cold waters to a thirsty soul” from a far country. This young man died a few years ago and if the news I received was accurate, I will see him in Heaven one glorious day.

Conclusion

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is GOOD NEWS FROM A FAR COUNTRY! Are you sharing this great news?

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In The Counselor, Tozer speaks to the current conflict and confusion about the Holy Spirit from a balanced, biblical perspective-not academic, but practical. Tozer promises that the Holy Spirit “is willing-yes, willing-to do for us all that Jesus would do if He were here on earth.” The chapters of this book were originally preached as sermons at Southside Alliance Church in Chicago. Whether spoken or written, Tozer’s words were designed to “promote personal heart religion” among God’s people.

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