THE THIRD DAY OF JANUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. The second year of high school found me enrolled in a vocational class in commercial printing. A loud, smelly machine called a Linotype made a "line o' type" from melted lead. The printing "press" inked the type with hard rubber rollers and "pressed" paper sheets against the type like a giant rubber stamp. My first assignment was to clean the rollers with gasoline and a large cloth. I saw what looked like six or eight large ink rollers, scrubbed them with a vengeance, then asked the boss to check my work. A quick … [Read more...]
Search Results for: knowing so much but so little
Family Notes 06/01/2016
THE SIXTH DAY OF JANUARY IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. Feedback to gracEmail for Sunday, Jan. 3 The most recent previous gracEmail, published on Sunday, January 3, 2016, and titled "Knowing so much but so little," was unusually well-received by many subscribers, who responded in appreciable numbers with feedback intended to encourage, inspire, and inform--and who accomplished with flying colors all they intended to achieve. You touched my heart, and reminded me how incredibly blessed I am to enjoy the constant support of such a band of brothers and sisters as … [Read more...]
A PRINCE OF A FELLOW
THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF MARCH IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. He was 8-10 years older than most graduate students at ACU in 1967, and none of the classes, whether lecture-based or discussion seminars, were really all that large. But the main thing that made Charles Prince both conspicuous and memorable was that when he commented on the professor's remarks as he often did--whether to take issue with them or merely to enlarge on some point--Charles nearly always seemed to know as much about the subject at hand as did any of his teachers, and sometimes considerably … [Read more...]
Chapter 4 And in my Father’s Image
Following is chapter 4 from Edward’s autobiographical book, The Sound of His Voice: Discovering the Secrets of God’s Guidance. In this chapter he remembers his father -- Benjamin ("Bennie") Lee Fudge (1914-1972) -- the unique, colorful publisher, author, preacher and always disciple of Jesus Christ. Copyright 1995 by Edward Fudge. For more information or to order The Sound of His Voice, click here Chapter 4 And in my Father's Image There have been Fudges since at least the 12th or 13th century in England. Although I cannot prove it, I am confident that my ancestor Jacob … [Read more...]
38. TAKING IT SERIOUSLY
A STORY HAS made the rounds of church bulletins of the little boy who accompanied his mother to worship. The sermon was on the death of Christ, and as the preacher described the actual crucifixion the listening tot began to weep. Soon he was sobbing aloud. People sitting next to the mother glanced curiously, then, seeing the situation, gave her a knowing smile. The mother, evidently embarrassed by it all, leaned to her son and whispered, "Don't take it all so seriously!" Perhaps this is the trouble with us now. We are not taking it seriously. Religion is a good thing, kept in its cozy … [Read more...]
19. IT TAKES MORE THAN SALESMANSHIP
AN AD IN a religious periodical caught my eye recently. "How To Win Souls In Only Three Visits," said the headline -- or words to that effect. Why, I bet Ralph Williams can't sell used cars much faster than that! Now don't misunderstand me. I am all for winning souls. And if the charts this particular ad offered would really help me do that at a faster rate I would certainly have no objection. But suppose I had ordered this particular product. And suppose further that I then followed the charts to the letter. Do you imagine there would have been a three-to-one ratio of demonstrations and … [Read more...]
A Journey Toward Jesus: 9th Letter
A Journey Toward Jesus --Ninth Letter January 15, 1974 Dear Bruce, Please pardon the long delay in writing; this is a sort of "begging time" letter as well. The man of faith, which we both want very much to be, always tries to do the Lord's will as best he is able in all things. That includes teaching it as he understands it, to others who will listen, in a proper manner and spirit. It means he does not ever go against his own conscientious scruples or conviction in any matter, even if other brothers want to do things he cannot. And it means that in the end he trusts in the work of … [Read more...]
A Journey Toward Jesus: 7th Letter
A Journey Toward Jesus --Seventh Letter December 10, 1973 Dear Edward, You told me to write "along" and tell you how I'm thinking, so here goes. I've thought a little about the Leviticus 10 and II Chronicles 30 passages and have come up with one impression that I'd like you to comment on. It seems to me that one thing stands out in these examples, that being that the people who disobeyed God and were forgiven or "healed" were people who knew what the Lord's will was in their respective situations. Their sin was not one of "ignorance" as one might say. They "willfully disobeyed," … [Read more...]
Our Man In Heaven: Exposition of the Text – Chapter Eleven
11:1. In this chapter our author will illustrate that faith which saves the soul by pointing to men and women from Jewish history who possessed it. He begins, however, with a statement concerning this saving faith, which some have called its definition. Faith is, on the one hand, the substance or confidence or courageous assurance (see the same word at 3:14) of things hoped for. This term expresses the sense well of the Hebrew word for faith used throughout the Old Testament. It is that confident and assured trust in God which enables one to endure with patience while moving toward the … [Read more...]
Our Man In Heaven: Exposition of the Text – Chapter Ten
10:1. The law, standing here for the entire Old Testament economy, offered only a shadow of the good things which were to come in the Messianic era of fulfillment, an era which, with Christ, has already begun (see note at 9:11). It did not minister the very image of heavenly realities but mere types and shadows. The thought here is the same as at 8:2, 5; 9:1, although the words used are different. Since perfection belongs to the new order and not to the former, it is not surprising that worshippers under the old were not made perfect. That they were not is evident in the offering of the … [Read more...]