Heart To Heart With Pastor Ed Bowen – #4

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!

Using The Sword

(Acts 2:37-38) “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  (KJV)

Peter once used the sword in a wrong way because he used the wrong sword. Now, he uses the right one. Peter slashed off the ear of Malchus, the centurion’s servant. Then, he only could reach the outside of the body of a person. Here, he used the Sword of the Spirit and used it rightly to reach within the hearts of the hearers. The Word of God is a sharp two-edged sword used to pierce the heart, not to slash off things on the outside of the body.

(Hebrews 4:12-13) “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”  (KJV)

Preachers may use the Scriptures to slash off things on the outside. Their strokes make big wounds, but bring little results. The aim of the Sword of the Spirit is to reach the inside the heart and the conscience. In doing so, it makes the smallest of wounds, but having eternal and blessed results.

Peter was not qualified to be a swordsman, as we can see by his wielding of the sword. He certainly was not aiming for the ear. Here, though, as he wielded the Sword of the Spirit, he had been qualified by the Lord Himself and directed by the Other Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father had sent. Great victories were won in this spiritual battle and can be won in our own lives as we use the Sword of the Spirit as directed by our Captain. We are “more than conquerors” through Him.

Pastor Ed Bowen

Conclusion

Oh, how we who use the Word of God must be careful to use it in the right way! Speaking the truth in love will go a long ways in reaching people. Thanks Pastor Bowen for this thought!

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Pastor, There Is Power In The Word Of God

A couple of years ago, I heard a preacher friend speak of God’s Word in an unusual way. Don’t get me wrong here. He was not speaking about something I did not know, but rather, it was HOW he said it. This man of God was speaking about his plans for taking the gospel into a gang infested area of his community. This man spoke with a godly authority and great faith. He was not being presumptuous nor proud, just confident in the POWER of GOD’S WORD! WOW!

Due to the current tasks which lay before me, I have been reminded of that afternoon when I heard my preacher friend share his prayer request about going into gang territory with the good news about Jesus Christ. It has encouraged me greatly! All of God’s men need to rely upon the dynamite power of God’s Word!

We Can Be Confident…

Not only have I been stirred by my colleague’s example, but when you read the final portion of the last chapter of Acts, you find these great words… “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” The Apostle Paul was sharing the Word of God with people with CONFIDENCE. This is no different than a medical doctor giving a drug to cure a patient. Paul was sure in the powerful truths of God’s Word.

We Can Be Resolved…

(Isaiah 55:11) “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”  (KJV)

A golf instructor may give advice about how to correct a man’s swing, but he may not be completely resolved that it will, in fact, help the novice. As God’s preachers, we are not like this. We can be resolved that God’s Word will get the job done! As a President may commission an ambassador to accomplish a particular order of business, so the Word of God does on God’s behalf! It will work!

We Can Be Open And Transparent…

(Romans 1:16) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  (KJV)

In some avenues people find themselves holding back because they are not sure if they want EVERYONE to know that they are in agreement with or are a party to some particular thing. Pastors do not have to be this way at all. We can be OPEN about who we are and what we believe because of the power of God’s Word! If God’s Word can transform our lives as believers, then there is no reason to cower away, or be intimidated by the world around us.

Conclusion

May each person who takes time to read this post find a greater measure of faith in God’s infallible truth. There IS power in the Word of God! While proclaimers of God’s Word may have great oratory or have great insight to add color to the message, it is ultimately the Words of God that will get the job DONE! PUT YOUR FAITH IN GOD’S WORD AND KEEP IT THERE!

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