Reflections

Mastbrook Foundation

What is to be the Mastbrook Foundation?  What are we to stand on?  What will it’s foundation be?  David Mastbrook was a faithful student of the Word, and to honor my dear husband, he would say the Mastbrook Foundation needs to be founded on the Word of God.   I am therefore praying that the Mastbrook Foundation will be founded on and anchored in Holy Scriptures!!  David firmly believed that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.  He was a faithful Bible teacher at church and at our home groups.  He wrote many of what he called “Manna in the Mornings” of his own commentary on various Bible passages.  The authority and reliability of the Scriptures must be the central part of faith of this foundation.    This must be the solid rock upon which this vision and foundation is built.

Why is this foundation to be grounded on the Word of God?  We know from Eph 6:17 that the sword of the spirit, is defined as the word of God and is the offensive weapon of armor of a Chrisian soldier.  The Word of God is of course:

  1. The Written Word is the Bible; 2 Tim 3:16 16 All Scripture is inspired i.e. God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
  2. The Spoken word. Genesis: 1 God spoke and the universe was created. God created mankind in His image, so therefore we too can speak Hebrews 1:  1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
  3. The Word made Flesh is Jesus Christ; John 1:1-3In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Phil 2: 6-9 Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
    8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!     Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God.  God with us; God becomes flesh like us.  So, He could “walk in our shoes” feeling our weaknesses and temptations.
  4. The Living Word; Hebrews 4:12 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Isaiah 55: 8-11 My word that goes out from my mouth:It will not return to me empty,
    but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  11 so also is my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to and prosper everywhere I send it.
  5. The Word is Eternal. Psalm 119: 89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
        it stands firm in the heavens.  160: All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.  Isaiah 40: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”  Only God’s word, His will, and His work are permanent.  What God says, He will do.  He is a covenant keeping God.  His word is eternal, it never changes  –the same, yesterday in history, today, in the moment; in the future and forever. 
  6. The Eternal Word gives Life: Matt 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. ’John 17 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.  1 John 5  11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.   1 John 1  We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.[b]  

   In my last talk about “Creationism” I hope you will remember the tools I discussed for being able to look for answers at the Answers In Genesis website (answersingenesis.org) and in the Institute for Creation Research (ICR.org) websites.   We need to equip our children and grandchildren to have a Biblical Worldview vs a man’s worldview.   These two web sites will give you answers to questions about our creation; questions about the age of the earth, about dinosaurs, and answers to questions about the global flood of Noah’s time.

A Christian’s belief in millions of years totally contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture.

The belief in millions of years does not come from Scripture, but from the fallible methods that secularists use to date the universe.

To attempt to “fit” millions of years into the Bible, you have to invent a gap of time that the text does not allow—at least from a hermeneutical perspective. Or you have to reinterpret the “days” of creation as long periods of time (even though they are obviously ordinary days in the context of Genesis 1). In other words, you have to add a concept (millions of years) from outside Scripture, into God’s Word. This approach puts man’s fallible ideas in authority over God’s Word.

As I mentioned earlier, as young people get confused when taught about man’s view of earth history, they begin to doubt the Scriptures about how God created the world, and then they begin to doubt Scripture in other areas. We lose the youth by not standing on the inspired, inerrant word of God. It’s the same ploy of Satan that he used in the garden…”Did God say?” 

As soon as you doubt the Bible’s authority in one area, you “unlock a door” to do the same thing in other areas. Once the door of compromise is open, even if ajar just a little, subsequent generations push the door open wider. Ultimately, this compromise has been a major contributing factor in the loss of biblical authority in our Western world.

Rooted in Genesis

All biblical doctrines, including the gospel itself, are ultimately rooted in the first 11 chapters of Genesis.  Genesis is literal history, not just a mythical story of how we got here.

  • God spoke and created everything in heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1). 
  • God spoke into existence a fully mature and functional ecology in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 1: 3-24
  • God uniquely created man and woman in His image. We are created in His image from the moment of conception.   God created only two genders from the beginning.  Animals have two genders; even the plants have only 2 genders. (Genesis 1:26–27).
  • God gave Adam the mandate to increase in numbers and subdue the earth.  Genesis 1: 28
  • God gave Adam meaningful work to do.  To cultivate the garden and name the animals. Genesis 2:15 & 19  When you name a child, you have the responsibility to raise and care for that individual. 
  • God created the world in 6 days, and it was VERY Good. Excellent in every way. There was no death in any sphere, no death of animals or people.
  • God rested on the seventh day, and this pattern of creativity and rest gives us our work week of 7 days.  Genesis 2:2
  • God provided all plants, trees and their fruits for food.  Even the animals were all vegetarians!! Genesis 1:29
  • God created man with mind, will and emotion and the ability to choose. Genesis 2:16
  • Marriage consists of one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:24).
  • The first man and woman brought sin and death into the world (Genesis 3:1–24).
  • From the beginning, God promised a Messiah to save us (Genesis 3:15).
  • Death and suffering arose because of original sin (Genesis 3:16–19).
  • God instituted a blood sacrifice to cover sin.  Genesis 3:21
  • Only people wear clothes.  Genesis 3:10
  • God sets society’s standards of right and wrong (Genesis 6:5–6 9:5-6
  • The ultimate purpose of life is to walk with God (Genesis 6:9–10).
  • God’s righteous judgement resulted in the massive global during Noah’s time.  Genesis 6-8 This global flood resulted in the great fossil graveyard of strata all over the earth.
  • God confounded the languages of people.  Genesis 11:5
  • All people belong to one race—the human race (Genesis 11:1–9).

I pray that the Mastbrook Foundation will stand on these principles listed in Genesis 1-11 and the entirety of Scriptures.   As teachers and mentors of our youth, we have a serious responsivity to lead them into the truth of the Word of God.

Importance and seriousness of being a Bible Teacher:  James 3: 1  Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

What you believe, will be what you teach. Luke 6:39-40  39 Jesus also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.  Teachers need to sit at the feet of Jesus and become like Him, having a servant mentality and walk of service.

 1 Cor. 14:8   Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you.  The message of the inspiration, infallible, inerrant word of God needs to be clear and distinct. 

 Eph 6:12  For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.  2 Cor 10:5  3 It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. 4 I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. 5 These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ.

We are at war against thoughts, thoughts raised up against the knowledge of God.  These thoughts are aimed at the minds of our children.  Satan is after the minds and hearts of our children.  How often have you heard, that the church is only one generation away from extinction?  The world wants to be free from the truth of what the Bible says.  “What is truth?” is still the question.  And as teachers, we must direct them to what the Scriptures say….thy word is truth.  John 17  Jesus is praying for us:  14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth.   Set them apart to live according to the truth  ..your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

For fellow teachers, I share:  Make the Scriptures your firm foundation.  Matt 7: 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Thank you for the opportunity today of sharing the vision of the foundation of the Mastbrook Foundation and what it should be.  I hope I have come full circle in what the Sword of the Spirit is…because the Word contains all 6 attributes.  He is the powerful spoken word in the beginning of this universe.  He is the written Word, the Bible.  The Word is Jesus Christ….the word made flesh.  And He is the eternal living word. 

Please make the Word, the foundation of this new organization.   Thank you!