It has been a while since I last wrote anything. I would have to say that I have walked at least close to, the valley of the shadow of death, at least emotionally. But I must say, that I have had good times worshipping the Lord, during this time. I have found, that even though as a pastor, I taught about how God needs to be priority, and how the Word of God needs to be primary in our lives, even through difficulty and hardship. But it is one thing to teach it. It is an entirely different thing to live it. And to the people I taught, I apologize. But the Lord has allowed me this valley for a reason. I don't yet know what it is, but one day I know that I will look back, and see the hand of my Savior as He led me the entire journey.
Many people have criticized me, saying that there must be this great sin in my life, for me to be going through this. Those people have sat in judgment against me, and will have to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:4-13 says this:
"Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live tot he Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way."
The emphasis on that is mine, of course. I have been the subject of gossip and slander, and have been judged, by people I thought were my friends. That is not the point. The point is, is that we will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account. We seem to minimize that somehow, as Christians. Beloved, this life is precious, and I am finding out more and more, that people are in such need of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And people are very open to talking about it. I got a tattoo tonight, and talked to the tattoo artist for a couple hours about spiritual things, on his part, and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit on my part. We talked about how God speaks to our hearts, and speaks into our lives. I have begun a relationship with him now, and will continue to stop in there and just say hello and minister to him when I can.
I started this writing to talk about worship, but I guess the Lord had other plans. Beloved, get close to God. I don't mean religion. There are rules, and rituals, and the swishing of robes, and candles, and lists of do's and don'ts. Get close to God. Get close to Jesus Christ, Emmanuel. God with Us. If you don't know Him, and you are reading this, confess your sins to Him, tell Him that you want to repent of your sins, ask Him to forgive you - and He will, and then ask Him to teach you to love Him - and He will. It is that simple. Ask Him to be the Lord and Savior of your life, and to make you into the person He wants you to be. Ask and receive. That is all there is to it. Believe that He is who He says He is (and He is), and believe that He will do all that He says He will do (and He does). Let me know if you have accepted Him as your personal Lord and Savior of your life, by commenting on this blog. May the God of heaven and earth bless you with all blessings, through the power and might of the Holy Spirit of God. Shalom.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Learning To Feed
A lot of times when people leave the church, they tell me, "Well, I'm just not being fed. I feel like God is leading me to another place to worship." It usually goes something like that. I have in the distant past, used those words myself. But what I have found from personal experience over the years, is that there wasn't something wrong with the pastor, there was something wrong with me, and my own relationship with the Lord. The reason I wasn't being fed is because my life was filled with pride, or rebellion, or something that was keeping me from being close in relationship with the Lord. So, consequently, I wasn't being fed. And it wasn't my fault. Furthermore, to state that the Lord was telling me to move on, that couldn't be, because I wasn't hearing from Him in the first place. So I must have been listening to someone else's voice.
As the North American Church, we have had a lot spoon-fed to us, to the point, that we have forgotten how to feed ourselves. Sunday morning is not for our "feeding" but for our encouragement. Our feeding is to take place Monday through Saturday. That is why the Church in America is anemic. We have gotten away from studying our Bible through the week, and we leave it up to the pastor to "feed" us for the week. Then we come up feeling empty and weak, we then have a target for that.
Beloved, we are at a time in history, where Bible reading and studying needs to be even more prevalent in our lives, because we are living in the last days of the Last Days. We need to know that we know what we know. Many deceivers and false teachers have come and are still to come, so we need to be able to discern what the truth of God's Word says. So, get into the Word, and let the Word get into you.
Are you being fed? Are you feeding yourself? Examine the real reasons you go to the church that you do. Is it close to home, so that it is convenient? Do they have a great children's program even though the doctrine is a little "off"? Are you willing to sacrifice correct doctrine so that your children can have a good time in children's ministry? Do you like or not like the building in which they reside? Is going to church about the building or it's location? These are questions that need to be answered honestly and open before the Lord.
Also, learn to feed yourself. Learn to do Bible study on your own. Take time to spend with God. Don't allow the enemy of our souls to steal away the time we have to commune with our Lord and Savior. And drink lots of liquids. Shalom.
As the North American Church, we have had a lot spoon-fed to us, to the point, that we have forgotten how to feed ourselves. Sunday morning is not for our "feeding" but for our encouragement. Our feeding is to take place Monday through Saturday. That is why the Church in America is anemic. We have gotten away from studying our Bible through the week, and we leave it up to the pastor to "feed" us for the week. Then we come up feeling empty and weak, we then have a target for that.
Beloved, we are at a time in history, where Bible reading and studying needs to be even more prevalent in our lives, because we are living in the last days of the Last Days. We need to know that we know what we know. Many deceivers and false teachers have come and are still to come, so we need to be able to discern what the truth of God's Word says. So, get into the Word, and let the Word get into you.
Are you being fed? Are you feeding yourself? Examine the real reasons you go to the church that you do. Is it close to home, so that it is convenient? Do they have a great children's program even though the doctrine is a little "off"? Are you willing to sacrifice correct doctrine so that your children can have a good time in children's ministry? Do you like or not like the building in which they reside? Is going to church about the building or it's location? These are questions that need to be answered honestly and open before the Lord.
Also, learn to feed yourself. Learn to do Bible study on your own. Take time to spend with God. Don't allow the enemy of our souls to steal away the time we have to commune with our Lord and Savior. And drink lots of liquids. Shalom.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Days Of Mice And Men
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16
There have been a lot of happenings in our world as of late, which fit into the grand scheme of things which are outlined in the Bible. China is calling for a one-world currency. Russia has a treaty with Iran and Libya. This would not be pertinent information if one did not ever read the Bible. If you read Ezekiel 38-39, you might find this more interesting. You can open your Bible and your morning paper side-by-side, and see the events of prophecy unfold day after day. The world is in danger of being duped by the evil one, the enemy of our souls, the dragon himself, Satan.
I believe that we as believers have come to the time, that we walk not as the three blind mice, to be led around "blindly" by those in leadership over us. It is time for us to walk circumspectly, and to take our eyes off of the kingdoms of man and focus on the kingdom of heaven. Now, I don't mean revolt against the government, nor take up arms in a new revolution. I believe we need to be educated and informed in the ways of the evil one, even as we walk through this world and are reaching out to evangelize in the name of Jesus. The Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents and as innocents as doves (Matthew 10:16). In our verse for today, Paul tells the Ephesians (and us), to walk not as fools but as wise. As we walk through this world, this life, as we are reaching out in Jesus' name, we need to be aware of the world around us, so that we can communicate the truth of the gospel to the dying world around us. Be a Bible Thumper? Not necessarily. Don't look for the antichrist, look for Jesus Christ. But be aware that we are being led by men. Yes, God has allowed them to be in leadership over us, but we are also not to follow blindly as to violate the Word of God. Beloved, let us walk with information and knowledge, applying the Word of God to our lives. It is relevant for today; this day in which we live. Be ready and prepared, and keep your eyes on the eastern sky. Shalom.
There have been a lot of happenings in our world as of late, which fit into the grand scheme of things which are outlined in the Bible. China is calling for a one-world currency. Russia has a treaty with Iran and Libya. This would not be pertinent information if one did not ever read the Bible. If you read Ezekiel 38-39, you might find this more interesting. You can open your Bible and your morning paper side-by-side, and see the events of prophecy unfold day after day. The world is in danger of being duped by the evil one, the enemy of our souls, the dragon himself, Satan.
I believe that we as believers have come to the time, that we walk not as the three blind mice, to be led around "blindly" by those in leadership over us. It is time for us to walk circumspectly, and to take our eyes off of the kingdoms of man and focus on the kingdom of heaven. Now, I don't mean revolt against the government, nor take up arms in a new revolution. I believe we need to be educated and informed in the ways of the evil one, even as we walk through this world and are reaching out to evangelize in the name of Jesus. The Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents and as innocents as doves (Matthew 10:16). In our verse for today, Paul tells the Ephesians (and us), to walk not as fools but as wise. As we walk through this world, this life, as we are reaching out in Jesus' name, we need to be aware of the world around us, so that we can communicate the truth of the gospel to the dying world around us. Be a Bible Thumper? Not necessarily. Don't look for the antichrist, look for Jesus Christ. But be aware that we are being led by men. Yes, God has allowed them to be in leadership over us, but we are also not to follow blindly as to violate the Word of God. Beloved, let us walk with information and knowledge, applying the Word of God to our lives. It is relevant for today; this day in which we live. Be ready and prepared, and keep your eyes on the eastern sky. Shalom.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
In My Opinion...
It has been a favored pattern of mine to list a verse here, and then comment on it. Today, I want to offer something a bit different for me, and even for you readers out there.
I believe we are living in the very last days before the Rapture of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. Several things point to this, in my opinion. First of all, look at what is happening in our country, in regards to Israel. Our leaders (and media) are putting more and more pressure upon Israel to just give it all up, and take whatever Hezbollah and Hamas dishes out to them, like good little boys and girls. It seems if the current administration, and of course the mainstream secular media, had their way, Israel should be content to be on the receiving end of violence, destruction, and all around nastiness. Not to mention the 4.000 rockets launched into Israel from the Gaza strip, or the suicide bombs, or other various forms of destruction that has been wreaked upon them. But even that aside, Israel just elected Benjamin Netanyahuh, a strong leader who is not afraid to lead Israel against Iran or any other enemy, without the United States of America as an ally. Russia is in the process of sending an air defense weapons system to Iran, that is capable of shooting down Israeli planes and drones. But it will take a few months for that to be up and operational, leaving a few months window for Israel to take action against Iran, a country that has vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Israel will go alone against Iran in the upcoming months, during this window, in my opinion.
Look at what else is happening in the world. If you know your Bible, you cannot read the headlines and realize that prophecy is coming true right before our eyes. Magog (Russia) has made treaties with Libya and Persia (Iran). Togarmah (Turkey), another Muslim nation, has already been involved in military maneuvers in the Mediterranean. If Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facilities, Iran has vowed to shut down the Straight of Hormuz, through which a lot of oil is shipped. I have read that it would stop up to 20% of the United States' daily consumption, which would lead to gasoline going up to around $20 dollars a barrel. In my opinion, this would give nations of the world an excuse to be upset with Israel, in a military way. This could set the world stage for many things, not excluding the coming Antichrist, and the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation.
Meanwhile, back here at home, I heard on the news last week, that Citicorp, the banking giant, just made a deal with the government. The government now owns a large portion of Citibank. And this past weekend, it was reported that AIG was in need of more bailout, so they too made a deal with the government, for the government to purchase $30 billion in stocks. A government owned banking system? There seems to be a pattern here. Interesting, in my opinion.
Things are happening very fast in our world. We are living in the last days, and Jesus Christ is coming soon! Very soon!!! (In my opinion)....
I believe we are living in the very last days before the Rapture of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. Several things point to this, in my opinion. First of all, look at what is happening in our country, in regards to Israel. Our leaders (and media) are putting more and more pressure upon Israel to just give it all up, and take whatever Hezbollah and Hamas dishes out to them, like good little boys and girls. It seems if the current administration, and of course the mainstream secular media, had their way, Israel should be content to be on the receiving end of violence, destruction, and all around nastiness. Not to mention the 4.000 rockets launched into Israel from the Gaza strip, or the suicide bombs, or other various forms of destruction that has been wreaked upon them. But even that aside, Israel just elected Benjamin Netanyahuh, a strong leader who is not afraid to lead Israel against Iran or any other enemy, without the United States of America as an ally. Russia is in the process of sending an air defense weapons system to Iran, that is capable of shooting down Israeli planes and drones. But it will take a few months for that to be up and operational, leaving a few months window for Israel to take action against Iran, a country that has vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the map. Israel will go alone against Iran in the upcoming months, during this window, in my opinion.
Look at what else is happening in the world. If you know your Bible, you cannot read the headlines and realize that prophecy is coming true right before our eyes. Magog (Russia) has made treaties with Libya and Persia (Iran). Togarmah (Turkey), another Muslim nation, has already been involved in military maneuvers in the Mediterranean. If Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facilities, Iran has vowed to shut down the Straight of Hormuz, through which a lot of oil is shipped. I have read that it would stop up to 20% of the United States' daily consumption, which would lead to gasoline going up to around $20 dollars a barrel. In my opinion, this would give nations of the world an excuse to be upset with Israel, in a military way. This could set the world stage for many things, not excluding the coming Antichrist, and the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation.
Meanwhile, back here at home, I heard on the news last week, that Citicorp, the banking giant, just made a deal with the government. The government now owns a large portion of Citibank. And this past weekend, it was reported that AIG was in need of more bailout, so they too made a deal with the government, for the government to purchase $30 billion in stocks. A government owned banking system? There seems to be a pattern here. Interesting, in my opinion.
Things are happening very fast in our world. We are living in the last days, and Jesus Christ is coming soon! Very soon!!! (In my opinion)....
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Does It Really Matter?
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
I have been wondering all day, does it really matter, that we as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ really preach the word? I have been teaching the Bible for ten years now (not long in my book), and have seen a lot of people come and go, and sometimes I wonder, does it really matter? I see people on so-called Christian television barking like dogs and roaring like lions, and I don't see that anywhere in the Bible. I see men and women alike, in the name of Christ, begging for your money, and I think, "If God gave you that ministry in the first place, why do you have to beg?" I don't see that in the Bible either. I do see a lot of people teaching from the Bible, but not many teaching the Bible. And that has led us to the place where the Church is today, anemic and powerless, not making a difference in the world. Does it make a difference? Of course it makes a difference! The reason that Christian people vote for candidates who stand for everything that is in opposition to Christian beliefs, is because we don't know the Bible. We don't read the Bible, other than Sunday, and maybe Wednesday, and we are not teaching the Bible, or being taught the Bible. If we don't begin to study the Bible, and know what it says, we will soon be led, and are being led, down a path where the wolves are waiting to devour us.
What do you look for when looking for a church? The answer to that question alone will determine the depth of your walk. The first answer that should pop into your head is, do they teach the Bible. Do they teach the Word. Not from the Word. Not two verses from the Word and then tell feel-good stories, and give you self-help formulas that kind of relate to the verses. But do they teach the word. Do they read a verse or a passage and explain what it says and how it applies to our lives today?
Paul is admonishing Timothy in the passage above, to preach the word. Why? So he can be better, or think he is better than the group meeting down the street? No, of course not. Paul gives the answer. Because if we don't, we will invent various reasons for why we choose the church we do, and all of them are self-serving and prideful. If we are not grounded in the Word of God, then we will gather teachers that will tell us what we want to hear, and not what we need to hear. If you teach the Word, then you have to talk about sin, and sinners, and frankly, sin is not a popular topic to talk about, because it makes people uncomfortable. I'm surprised Paul didn't know that. Paul should know that if you don't have a happening youth ministry, or a dynamic children's ministry, then, well, you just are not going to pull the crowds. Or if you don't talk about such things as "How to feel good in such depressing times," or, "Living Positive In a Negative World," well Paul, your fellowship will be small. And we all know that small is not success.
Don't buy into such hogwash. Paul had had enough beatings with lashes and rods to know that talking about sin wasn't popular. But he never deterred from his message: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Jesus never came to set up His kingdom here on earth. He came to die. And then He told us to do the same. For us to be saved, somebody had to die. Jesus did. And now, for us to live, we have to die as well. It is that living sacrifice thing that Paul talks about in Romans 12:1. As Alistair Begg says, "Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus does all the dying?" We have to die, to our self. But I have to tell you, it isn't easy, nor is it popular. Not in this feel-good society in which we live. We somehow have gotten the idea that the church exists to make us feel good about ourselves. We have forgotten, that as believers, we are the church.
If we don't get grounded in the word, then we allow the world to infiltrate the church. The Emerging or Emergent Church movement is lethal to the Church at large. It is a combination of Eastern mysticism and Roman Catholic iconism, couple with New Age, and we have allowed it to begin to creep into the church. If we as believers do not know the Bible, then all these "Christian mystics" seem like a good thing, and we fail to examine them more closely than we do and just accept them at face value, and then it is too late. Remember, a little leaven will leaven the whole loaf. And leaven is a type in the Bible for sin. You know, if you bake some brownies, and they are 98% pure, it will always be that 2% of arsenic in them that kills you. I think you get my point.
So, does it really matter if a church teaches the Word, or just teaches from the Word? Yes it does. It mattered so much to Paul that he wrote his son in the faith, Timothy, to make sure he did not fail in that area. If you attend a church that does not teach the Word of God, I am not telling you to leave, but you really ought to examine their statement of faith closely to see if it lines up with the Bible. If you can't tell, then find someone who can, and let them help you decipher it. It shouldn't matter primarily about children's ministry or youth ministry, although those are good things. It should be about the Word. Because teaching the Word is sound doctrine. Does it really matter? Of course it does. Shalom.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
I have been wondering all day, does it really matter, that we as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ really preach the word? I have been teaching the Bible for ten years now (not long in my book), and have seen a lot of people come and go, and sometimes I wonder, does it really matter? I see people on so-called Christian television barking like dogs and roaring like lions, and I don't see that anywhere in the Bible. I see men and women alike, in the name of Christ, begging for your money, and I think, "If God gave you that ministry in the first place, why do you have to beg?" I don't see that in the Bible either. I do see a lot of people teaching from the Bible, but not many teaching the Bible. And that has led us to the place where the Church is today, anemic and powerless, not making a difference in the world. Does it make a difference? Of course it makes a difference! The reason that Christian people vote for candidates who stand for everything that is in opposition to Christian beliefs, is because we don't know the Bible. We don't read the Bible, other than Sunday, and maybe Wednesday, and we are not teaching the Bible, or being taught the Bible. If we don't begin to study the Bible, and know what it says, we will soon be led, and are being led, down a path where the wolves are waiting to devour us.
What do you look for when looking for a church? The answer to that question alone will determine the depth of your walk. The first answer that should pop into your head is, do they teach the Bible. Do they teach the Word. Not from the Word. Not two verses from the Word and then tell feel-good stories, and give you self-help formulas that kind of relate to the verses. But do they teach the word. Do they read a verse or a passage and explain what it says and how it applies to our lives today?
Paul is admonishing Timothy in the passage above, to preach the word. Why? So he can be better, or think he is better than the group meeting down the street? No, of course not. Paul gives the answer. Because if we don't, we will invent various reasons for why we choose the church we do, and all of them are self-serving and prideful. If we are not grounded in the Word of God, then we will gather teachers that will tell us what we want to hear, and not what we need to hear. If you teach the Word, then you have to talk about sin, and sinners, and frankly, sin is not a popular topic to talk about, because it makes people uncomfortable. I'm surprised Paul didn't know that. Paul should know that if you don't have a happening youth ministry, or a dynamic children's ministry, then, well, you just are not going to pull the crowds. Or if you don't talk about such things as "How to feel good in such depressing times," or, "Living Positive In a Negative World," well Paul, your fellowship will be small. And we all know that small is not success.
Don't buy into such hogwash. Paul had had enough beatings with lashes and rods to know that talking about sin wasn't popular. But he never deterred from his message: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Jesus never came to set up His kingdom here on earth. He came to die. And then He told us to do the same. For us to be saved, somebody had to die. Jesus did. And now, for us to live, we have to die as well. It is that living sacrifice thing that Paul talks about in Romans 12:1. As Alistair Begg says, "Where did we get a Christianity where Jesus does all the dying?" We have to die, to our self. But I have to tell you, it isn't easy, nor is it popular. Not in this feel-good society in which we live. We somehow have gotten the idea that the church exists to make us feel good about ourselves. We have forgotten, that as believers, we are the church.
If we don't get grounded in the word, then we allow the world to infiltrate the church. The Emerging or Emergent Church movement is lethal to the Church at large. It is a combination of Eastern mysticism and Roman Catholic iconism, couple with New Age, and we have allowed it to begin to creep into the church. If we as believers do not know the Bible, then all these "Christian mystics" seem like a good thing, and we fail to examine them more closely than we do and just accept them at face value, and then it is too late. Remember, a little leaven will leaven the whole loaf. And leaven is a type in the Bible for sin. You know, if you bake some brownies, and they are 98% pure, it will always be that 2% of arsenic in them that kills you. I think you get my point.
So, does it really matter if a church teaches the Word, or just teaches from the Word? Yes it does. It mattered so much to Paul that he wrote his son in the faith, Timothy, to make sure he did not fail in that area. If you attend a church that does not teach the Word of God, I am not telling you to leave, but you really ought to examine their statement of faith closely to see if it lines up with the Bible. If you can't tell, then find someone who can, and let them help you decipher it. It shouldn't matter primarily about children's ministry or youth ministry, although those are good things. It should be about the Word. Because teaching the Word is sound doctrine. Does it really matter? Of course it does. Shalom.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Who Are We?
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
I heard a snippet of a teaching on the radio the other day, and the Bible teacher was teaching on the tongue, and he made this statement that has stuck with me for a couple days: We have forgotten who we are. Now, as many people who know me understand, my short-term memory has some serious problems. For someone my age, I think that it is terrible. So I have to write everything down, or, you guessed it, I forget. But as I pondered the statement of "we have forgotten who we are," I think as believers in Jesus Christ, perhaps we too, have forgotten some things.
1. We have forgotten who is in control. In our verse today, the "He" in the phrase "For He" is none other than God Almighty. Big G. Creator of the Universe. Father in Heaven. I AM that I AM. It is "He" that set the whole thing in motion. He always was. He always is. And He always will be. He is eternal. Sometimes, we start looking at our surroundings and our circumstances, and all we see if the physical realities of the situations we are in, and we say, to ourselves, or even out loud, "Where are You, God?!" Fear not, oh Christian, God is in control. And even though it may not seem like it, He is working behind the scenes to bring about His will in our lives, whether we like it or not. When Jonah was in the belly of the great fish, which we often refer to as the whale, all that time that Jonah was there, the fish was moving toward the place that God intended. God was working, even though Jonah could not see. God is in control. He was then, and He is now.
2. We have forgotten the sacrifice made for us. It is hard for me, and I believe most of us, to comprehend being totally without sin. I don't just mean for a few seconds, or a few minutes, or even hours. I am talking about for our entire lives. Perfect. Jesus Christ lived on this earth just as we are living on this earth, and He knew no sin. But then again, He is God, right? Well, He did leave the perfect presence of the Most High, to take on flesh to do this deed. He is God. And He is 100% man. That is what blows our minds...well, some of your minds...the fact that Jesus was a man and didn't sin. But, as we all know, Jesus didn't drive. I think if He drove around on the streets and roads of this city, He would at least be tempted. But I digress. You get the point. Jesus was a man and He did not sin. He gave up the splendor of heaven and the perfect, awesome, glorious presence of God the Father, to become a man. On our own, in our flesh, it is easy to slip back into that old way of just "doing what comes natural," or as I put it, "flesh out." It is our default. We were born with it. But Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords left heaven to give us an example. No, we won't be perfect this side of heaven, but just knowing that He was gives me aspiration to hang on until He comes for me.
3. We have forgotten the price that was paid. Many Christian people, I believe, have forgotten that we are bought with a price. That there was actual blood shed, and someone had to die for us. We have forgotten that Jesus Christ paid with His life. "Oh yes, but He was God," some people might say. Yes that is true. But we have also forgotten that He was a man. Many times He referred to Himself as the Son of Man. That was to fulfill prophecy (see Daniel 7:13), but also, I believe, to remind us that we don't get to "cop out" by saying, "Yes but He was God," because He was also a man. He was tempted in all things, and yet did not sin. If He were not in the form of a man, He would not be tempted by fleshly things. Fleshly temptations have a hold on the flesh. That is why you can feel the pull of the flesh when you are tempted by this world, and the things of this world. Follow? We have forgotten that this Man died for us. To follow Christ, and the fellowship of His suffering, someone has to die. He did it for us, on the cross. Let us not forget that. He took upon Himself, our sin, so that we would not have to. He became sin for us. Why? So that we might become the righteousness of God, in Him. You and I, the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, are now the righteousness of Christ, because He took our sin upon Himself, so that we would be declared righteous before God, because we are found in Him. We are blood bought, paid for with a price, the only begotten Son of God. This is not "easy-believe-ism" here. Jesus Christ died for us. Now, to follow Him, we too, must die, to our self, and follow Him. We become a living sacrifice, as we place our lives on the altar every day, dying to self, and following Him. Jesus gave His body, and He gave His blood, literally, on the cross that day, so that you and I would not have to die twice, once physically and once spiritually. When He said, "It is finished," it truly is. There is not one more thing that needs to be done. Salvation, provided to us through the sacrifice He made for us, is a gift from God. We cannot do anything to earn it. We can never be "good enough" to earn it. We can only accept it and be thankful.
4. We have forgotten why we gather. We, as believers, have forgotten why we come together on Sunday mornings as part of a local body. Some think that it is because, well, we are just supposed to, that's all. But there is more to it than that. As a pastor, I have heard many excuses as reasons why people have left our fellowship. Some leave without saying a word, because they are mad at me or someone else in the fellowship. But some actually call me up and tell me that the reason they are leaving the church is because they are looking for a dynamic children's ministry. I think to myself, "Why not stay and help our children's ministry become dynamic?" Some tell me, "There is nothing there for the women to get plugged into," which is totally untrue (see previous excuse). Some tell me that there is not this, or there is not that, and all the time I am thinking, "What is the real reason why you are leaving?" Some tell me that it is too far to drive, or not far enough to drive (no, not really), or this reason or that reason. Some people tell me all kinds of things, but one thing they never tell me, is that we never teach the Word of God here. So I am amazed to find out some of the places that people "land" after they have left. Some land at churches where you don't even have to bring your Bible to church, let alone actually open it and study it. Some land at churches where there is an emphasis on positive confession and "name it/claim it" theology. My problem with all this is not that they go some place else. My problem is I wonder if it is really the Holy Spirit leading them to that church or this church, or is it an emphasis on the wrong thing. We, the Church, have gotten so consumer oriented, that we go to church not to encourage one another, not to come alongside another brother or sister; not to collectively lift up our hands and voices to corporately praise the Lord; not to study the Word, or to pray. We go to church for what it can do for us, what it can do for me. We go for the children's ministry, or the music, or the fish aquarium in the lobby, or it has all the bells and whistles like the church we used to know back home, instead of coming together, first of all, because the Word tells us to do so, but also to realize, that we, true believers in Jesus Christ, WE are the church, not some building, nor some ministry of the church. If a church isn't dynamic enough, a lot of times it isn't because of the pastor, but because the rest of the body is content to let the poor soul do all the work himself.
Please take this in the spirit in which it is written. I am not complaining about one single thing. I love my calling, I love the church, and I love the people whom God has brought to sit under my teaching of the Word. I just get baffled by the excuses. I find that because pastors in the Church have gotten away from the Word of God, we have created "hybrids" if you will. A friend of mine, another pastor, and I were talking about this subject. He used the word "freaks." People going to church for the wrong reasons, or not even knowing why they go to "church" on Sunday mornings. It should always be about Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says that he determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Jesus said that if He were lifted up, He would draw all people unto Himself. Let us then, lift up Jesus Christ. As a pastor, I don't teach anything that will drive you away, and I don't teach anything that will keep you in our fellowship. I just teach the Word of God. A church building can't save you. A body of believers can't save you. Only Jesus Christ can save your soul. So, beloved, let us be about lifting Him up, and let the other "stuff" fall away.
So, who are we? We are the Body of Christ. We are the Bride of Christ. We are blood bought. We are bought with a price. We are the righteousness of Christ. We are the hands and feet of our Lord, doing the kingdom's business until He comes. We are the local church, the representatives of Christ on this earth. We are His ambassadors. We are witnesses. We are salt. We are light. We are the Church (the building is not the church). Let us not forget who we are. Shalom.
I heard a snippet of a teaching on the radio the other day, and the Bible teacher was teaching on the tongue, and he made this statement that has stuck with me for a couple days: We have forgotten who we are. Now, as many people who know me understand, my short-term memory has some serious problems. For someone my age, I think that it is terrible. So I have to write everything down, or, you guessed it, I forget. But as I pondered the statement of "we have forgotten who we are," I think as believers in Jesus Christ, perhaps we too, have forgotten some things.
1. We have forgotten who is in control. In our verse today, the "He" in the phrase "For He" is none other than God Almighty. Big G. Creator of the Universe. Father in Heaven. I AM that I AM. It is "He" that set the whole thing in motion. He always was. He always is. And He always will be. He is eternal. Sometimes, we start looking at our surroundings and our circumstances, and all we see if the physical realities of the situations we are in, and we say, to ourselves, or even out loud, "Where are You, God?!" Fear not, oh Christian, God is in control. And even though it may not seem like it, He is working behind the scenes to bring about His will in our lives, whether we like it or not. When Jonah was in the belly of the great fish, which we often refer to as the whale, all that time that Jonah was there, the fish was moving toward the place that God intended. God was working, even though Jonah could not see. God is in control. He was then, and He is now.
2. We have forgotten the sacrifice made for us. It is hard for me, and I believe most of us, to comprehend being totally without sin. I don't just mean for a few seconds, or a few minutes, or even hours. I am talking about for our entire lives. Perfect. Jesus Christ lived on this earth just as we are living on this earth, and He knew no sin. But then again, He is God, right? Well, He did leave the perfect presence of the Most High, to take on flesh to do this deed. He is God. And He is 100% man. That is what blows our minds...well, some of your minds...the fact that Jesus was a man and didn't sin. But, as we all know, Jesus didn't drive. I think if He drove around on the streets and roads of this city, He would at least be tempted. But I digress. You get the point. Jesus was a man and He did not sin. He gave up the splendor of heaven and the perfect, awesome, glorious presence of God the Father, to become a man. On our own, in our flesh, it is easy to slip back into that old way of just "doing what comes natural," or as I put it, "flesh out." It is our default. We were born with it. But Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords left heaven to give us an example. No, we won't be perfect this side of heaven, but just knowing that He was gives me aspiration to hang on until He comes for me.
3. We have forgotten the price that was paid. Many Christian people, I believe, have forgotten that we are bought with a price. That there was actual blood shed, and someone had to die for us. We have forgotten that Jesus Christ paid with His life. "Oh yes, but He was God," some people might say. Yes that is true. But we have also forgotten that He was a man. Many times He referred to Himself as the Son of Man. That was to fulfill prophecy (see Daniel 7:13), but also, I believe, to remind us that we don't get to "cop out" by saying, "Yes but He was God," because He was also a man. He was tempted in all things, and yet did not sin. If He were not in the form of a man, He would not be tempted by fleshly things. Fleshly temptations have a hold on the flesh. That is why you can feel the pull of the flesh when you are tempted by this world, and the things of this world. Follow? We have forgotten that this Man died for us. To follow Christ, and the fellowship of His suffering, someone has to die. He did it for us, on the cross. Let us not forget that. He took upon Himself, our sin, so that we would not have to. He became sin for us. Why? So that we might become the righteousness of God, in Him. You and I, the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, are now the righteousness of Christ, because He took our sin upon Himself, so that we would be declared righteous before God, because we are found in Him. We are blood bought, paid for with a price, the only begotten Son of God. This is not "easy-believe-ism" here. Jesus Christ died for us. Now, to follow Him, we too, must die, to our self, and follow Him. We become a living sacrifice, as we place our lives on the altar every day, dying to self, and following Him. Jesus gave His body, and He gave His blood, literally, on the cross that day, so that you and I would not have to die twice, once physically and once spiritually. When He said, "It is finished," it truly is. There is not one more thing that needs to be done. Salvation, provided to us through the sacrifice He made for us, is a gift from God. We cannot do anything to earn it. We can never be "good enough" to earn it. We can only accept it and be thankful.
4. We have forgotten why we gather. We, as believers, have forgotten why we come together on Sunday mornings as part of a local body. Some think that it is because, well, we are just supposed to, that's all. But there is more to it than that. As a pastor, I have heard many excuses as reasons why people have left our fellowship. Some leave without saying a word, because they are mad at me or someone else in the fellowship. But some actually call me up and tell me that the reason they are leaving the church is because they are looking for a dynamic children's ministry. I think to myself, "Why not stay and help our children's ministry become dynamic?" Some tell me, "There is nothing there for the women to get plugged into," which is totally untrue (see previous excuse). Some tell me that there is not this, or there is not that, and all the time I am thinking, "What is the real reason why you are leaving?" Some tell me that it is too far to drive, or not far enough to drive (no, not really), or this reason or that reason. Some people tell me all kinds of things, but one thing they never tell me, is that we never teach the Word of God here. So I am amazed to find out some of the places that people "land" after they have left. Some land at churches where you don't even have to bring your Bible to church, let alone actually open it and study it. Some land at churches where there is an emphasis on positive confession and "name it/claim it" theology. My problem with all this is not that they go some place else. My problem is I wonder if it is really the Holy Spirit leading them to that church or this church, or is it an emphasis on the wrong thing. We, the Church, have gotten so consumer oriented, that we go to church not to encourage one another, not to come alongside another brother or sister; not to collectively lift up our hands and voices to corporately praise the Lord; not to study the Word, or to pray. We go to church for what it can do for us, what it can do for me. We go for the children's ministry, or the music, or the fish aquarium in the lobby, or it has all the bells and whistles like the church we used to know back home, instead of coming together, first of all, because the Word tells us to do so, but also to realize, that we, true believers in Jesus Christ, WE are the church, not some building, nor some ministry of the church. If a church isn't dynamic enough, a lot of times it isn't because of the pastor, but because the rest of the body is content to let the poor soul do all the work himself.
Please take this in the spirit in which it is written. I am not complaining about one single thing. I love my calling, I love the church, and I love the people whom God has brought to sit under my teaching of the Word. I just get baffled by the excuses. I find that because pastors in the Church have gotten away from the Word of God, we have created "hybrids" if you will. A friend of mine, another pastor, and I were talking about this subject. He used the word "freaks." People going to church for the wrong reasons, or not even knowing why they go to "church" on Sunday mornings. It should always be about Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul says that he determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Jesus said that if He were lifted up, He would draw all people unto Himself. Let us then, lift up Jesus Christ. As a pastor, I don't teach anything that will drive you away, and I don't teach anything that will keep you in our fellowship. I just teach the Word of God. A church building can't save you. A body of believers can't save you. Only Jesus Christ can save your soul. So, beloved, let us be about lifting Him up, and let the other "stuff" fall away.
So, who are we? We are the Body of Christ. We are the Bride of Christ. We are blood bought. We are bought with a price. We are the righteousness of Christ. We are the hands and feet of our Lord, doing the kingdom's business until He comes. We are the local church, the representatives of Christ on this earth. We are His ambassadors. We are witnesses. We are salt. We are light. We are the Church (the building is not the church). Let us not forget who we are. Shalom.
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