January 8, 2021

JANUARY 8 , 2021
Editor | Dr . Shelton Smith Vol . LXXXVII , No . 1
An Expose of

The Liberal Mind

6

Seven Essentials to Revival

11

The King Is Coming

16

You ’ ll Do Well If You Do As the Lord Says Do

Failure Is Not Final DR . LEE ROBERSON

EVANGELIST RICHARD HARPER Evangelist , King , North Carolina
The Lord told Moses to send a leader from each tribe to search out the land of Canaan — not that He wanted them to conquer it , take it and overcome it . They were to “ search the land of Canaan , which I give unto the children of Israel ” ( Num . 13:2 ).
God wanted those men to go search the land and come back and say , “ Those beautiful mountains there belong to the tribe of Naphtali . The beautiful grazing land belongs to the tribe of Reuben . There is a great land where crops will grow because it irrigates so well and it belongs to the tribe of Gad .”
Moses wanted those men to go and see what God was going to give them ! But he also wanted to know what they were up against . He gave them instructions to “ see the land , what it is , and the people that dwelleth therein ” ( vs . 18 ).
Had God mentioned evaluating the people ? Did He say , “ Moses , I need a scouting report to see whether or not I am strong enough to take the land of Canaan ”?
Did God say , “ Moses , I want to see how big they are and how strong they are and how mighty they are so I can decide whether or not to send you to the land that I have already promised to Abra - ham ”?
Did He say , “ Moses , I need your help to show Me whether or not I am strong enough to take the land of Canaan ”?
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“ And Peter remembered the word of Jesus , which said unto him , Before the cock crow , thou shalt deny me thrice . And he went out , and wept bitterly .”— Matt . 26:75 .
We have all experienced failure at some time !
My first sermon was a total failure . I was called to preach at eighteen years of age . I made this known to my home church . I wanted to preach . I was sure I could do it .
A friend at Jeffersontown , Ken - tucky arranged for me to preach at a little mission church a few miles from Louisville . I told no

Taking Up the Mantle

MATT MORRISON
Co-Pastor , Gospel Light Baptist Church , Walkertown , North Carolina ; Preached at 2020 National Sword of the Lord Conference one about this matter . I arranged to go to the mission to preach to eight or ten people .
It was Sunday afternoon . I arrived at the little frame building . Cars were all around the building ! The word got out and many people came to hear my first sermon .
The little building was packed and it was hot weather . The windows were wide open . I was introduced by someone . I stood to preach . Scared and timid , I stood there . I looked at the smiling faces of my friends . I took my notes from my Bible and placed them
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Court Victory for More Churches

After the recent ruling from the U . S . Supreme Court granting an emergency petition for an injunction pending appeal on behalf of New York City synagogues and Roman Catholic churches … in Colorado , New Jersey and California [ they ] have now received favorable court decisions regarding unconstitutional worship bans .
… Liberty Counsel filed a renewed application to the Justices on behalf of the churches asking for an injunction .…
In California , a Superior Court blocked Governor Gavin Newsom from enforcing his unconstitutional discriminatory COVID-19 orders … Judge Gregory Pulskamp … ruled that the state had failed to establish that health risks associated with church were greater than those for “ essential businesses ” such as “ big-box retail stores , grocery stores , home-improvement stores , airports , train stations , bus stations , movie production houses , warehouses , factories , schools and a lengthy list of additional businesses .”
The court cited Liberty Counsel ’ s case , Harvest Rock Church v . Newsom and the Roman Catholic Diocese decision .
“ The free exercise of religion clause in the California Constitution
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Several issues ago Dr . Smith had a front-page editorial in the Sword of the Lord . He told what the Sword of the Lord Conferences mean to him . He gave his testimony on how he had not come from a solid , fundamental area ; but he came toward it as God drew him .
My testimony is the same as Dr . Smith ’ s . I did not start out in a fundamental group ; but if you hunger for the truth , God is going to guide you to it . As the Shepherd He guided me along the way .
When I was a young boy , my daddy received Sword of the Lord newspapers in our mailbox . I would look through them ; and as I got older , I saw something that began resonating in my heart . It was not only the truth ; it was the Spirit of God . Not long afterward I became an independent , funda - mental Baptist by conviction .
You may not have a mentor , a pastor or a Bible college professor in your life ; but if you have the Sword of the Lord newspaper , your life will have all of them in it . It
contains sermons from preachers of yesteryear who stuck by the stuff and from preachers of today who are still sticking by the stuff .
As long as you have them , the Sword newspaper and a good King James Bible , you will be okay ; and you will make it .
Once Brother Bobby Roberson was riding somewhere with Dr . Bob Jones , Sr . Dr . Jones asked Brother Bobby where he had gone to school .
He said , “ Sorry , but I ’ ve never had any formal education .”
Dr . Jones said , “ That ’ s all right . You just keep reading the Sword of the Lord and your Bible and you will be all right .”
Brother Bobby turned out just fine . Amen !
Please turn in your Bible to the Book of II Kings , chapter 2 .
“ He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him , and went back .”— Vs . 13 .
This verse is special to me be - cause for the last two and one-half years there has been a transition in my life . With great reverence and respect , I am addressing older preachers ; but I am also addressing the younger preachers .
Many times it seems as if there is a gap between a generation that is going off the scene and the generation coming onto the scene . Unfortunately , the younger ones want to reinvent the wheel . They feel as if they can do things better and then somehow achieve things that the older generation did not achieve .
I am not “ knocking ” the younger generation , but I do want to preach
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