Remember the Reason for the Season

With all the fanfare and craziness of the season, with all the self imposed stress created by the materialism that comes to the fore at this time of the year we must remember and focus on this; Jesus is the reason for the season.

First off, for those who like to show everybody just how intellectual they are, I am well aware of how the Christmas celebration came to be, it was derived from the pagan year end rituals, one being Saturnalia. To harp on this point is a major error for as Romans 8:28 reminds us :
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” NIV

The early church took this Roman Festival and turned into the celebration of the birth of Christ. Satan intends to mislead. God can take Satan’s intentions and turn them around 180 degrees.

If we focus on Jesus Christ, as we should, it shouldn’t matter how the Christmas celebration came about. Jesus came to redeem us from our sins, to make us righteous in God’ eyes. Good people don’t get into heaven, forgiven people do, those who repent and receive Christ as savior. Isn’t that the ultimate gift?
Think and meditate on that.

This will be my last post this year, so until next year, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name, AMEN!

The Tithe is Not for Today – Part II

Happy Thanksgiving!
One of the arguments I get supporting the Tithe is this: The tithe existed before the law and they give Abram (Abraham) giving 10% to Melchizedek in Genesis 14. The problem here is that Abram gave Melchizedek 10% and the other 90% to the King of Sodom.
Gen 14 : 22-23 “22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, 'I have made Abram rich.' NIV
It was also the spoils of war that this addresses. So the next time I capture war booty I’ll be sure to give 10% to the church and 90% to Uncle Sam. 

The other example they give is Cain and Abel. The problem here is that no amount or percentage is mentioned. The only thing I draw from this account is that Abel’s offering was given in such a manner as to be acceptable to God as he gave the best of the firstborn of his flocks, while Cain’s was given grudgingly. Sounds like a good place to reference
2 Corinthians 9: 6-8
. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV
Cain gave what he decided in his heart to give and did so cheerfully. Cain gave grudgingly.
The tithe was part of the law, a set of laws with multiple tithes amounting to somewhere around 30%. The purpose was to run the government(sound familiar?) and support the temple. Exodus 25 : 1-2 further supports the concept of 2 Corinthians 9: 7. In some Bibles this comes under the heading of the Tabernacle Offering.
Exodus 25: 1-2
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelite's to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. NIV
For those who argue about consistency of biblical concepts, I think this one is as clear as can be. Give what you have decided in your heart to give and give cheerfully. If you decide to tithe, go for it. If not, and you give cheerfully, it’s all good, you are not robbing God.
I reiterate my point form last week, Malachi was written to the Israelites and they were still under the law, we are under grace. Malachi 3 : 8-12, which is used like a sledge hammer by some, erroneously in my humble opinion, does not apply to us today. The law was fulfilled when Christ died on the cross.
Praise be to God for his mercy.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Tithing Is Not for Today

This one will rankle some feathers but I feel compelled to write this just the same.
I could write a book on this subject but that has been done by many on both sides of this argument. Instead I'll use just one example.

Here is an often used scripture many in the church use to justify tithing.
Malachi 3:8-12
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty. NIV

Malachi was written to whom? Israel.
Malachi 1:1 An oracle: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi. NIV

So, who was robbing God of Tithes and offerings? Israel! More specifically tithes to the storehouse of the Levites for the Temple, neither of which exist today.
While we can extract lessons from the Old Testment, none of the laws God gave to Israel apply to us today for we have a New Covenant, (New Testament) through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ fulfilled the requirements of the law, because NO ONE is capable of keeping the law.
The tithe(s) were part of the law, but we are no longer under the law but under grace. If you select bits and pieces of the law to follow you deny grace you are in a world of hurt.
Also,in this case many churches focus on one tithe, the Temple tithe, so the selectivity is even more egregious. Some argue that the principle still applies but I disagree with this assertion.

James 2:8-11
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. NIV

You cannot choose to follow one part of the law, for if you do you are subject to the all of the law. If you break one one aspect of the law, you are guilty of all of it.

While true believers will not suffer loss of their salvation over this secondary issue, they have, in my humble opinion, none the less been led astray.

I implore everybody to stay alert, read your Bible, and test everything you hear against the scriptures.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Back to Basics: What Do You Believe?

What do you believe? Here are the basics that I believe and for you to consider:

Do you believe the Bible is the inerrant word of GOD? I understand that there are issues with translations, which is why you should own more than one, but do you believe the original documents are without error or contradiction?
Do you believe in the Virgin birth?
Do you believe the child in the manger was GOD in the flesh?
Do you believe that God is one God who manifests himself as Father, Son, and Spirit?
Do you believe Jesus was crucified, died for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day?
Do you believe in addition to all the above that by putting your faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross you will be saved?
Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. NIV

C.H. Spurgeon was once asked to sum up the gospel in a few words. He answer was four words, “Christ died for me”. This spoke to me personally and here is one of those scriptures that kicked me in the head that buttresses this point:
Romans 5: 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. NIV

Theological arguments about things like the gifts of the spirit, predestination, Baptism by immersion vs infant baptism,even tithing, are all secondary issues full of people stuff and the “ologies” and “isms” of men. There are Phd's, Doctors of Theology, Doctors of Divinity, on both sides of all these secondary issues.

With all due respect, I don't care how many letters somebody may have after their name, I say let’s get back to the basics of the Gospel and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Back to Basics: Putting God First

The church that I presently attend was designed to reach out to those who have had negative experiences in their walk, as well as for people who are curious about God, and for those who just like to go to church on Sundays and not be subjected to overbearing self-righteousness. The messages almost always have a theme of putting God first and the ministry is built on loving your neighbor as you do yourself. Does this sound familiar?
It should.

Matthew 22: 35-38
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
NIV

If you read the Ten Commandments closely you realize that the first three commandments are about loving God and the other seven are about loving your neighbor.
It is greatly apparent to me that when you put God first and love your neighbor as yourself that all else naturally falls right into place. It is very New Testament and very basic. It is also very Old Testament as well.
When Christ died for our sins he fulfilled the letter of the law. When he answered the question about which is the greatest commandment he went to the root of it all and made it very simple. Too many churches today major in the minors, create "ologies" and "isms", doctrines of men, and religious ritual, not unlike the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. It is refreshing to get back to basics and to the roots of faith: Putting GOD first, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus said it, I believe it.

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Back to Basics: My Dilemma with the Modern Church

I have attended various churches of different denominations, as well as non-denominational churches, all with various “ologies” and “isms”. At the heart of this experience I had come to the conclusion they are all parts of one body, the body of Christ.
My dilemma is that there has been a trend over the past decade or so for churches once stout in preaching the Gospel, to soften the message to become more relevant, more inclusive, and in so doing have become less effective. Messages abound about prosperity, self confidence, personal growth, etc., but there are fewer and fewer messages about sin and Gods salvation plan through his son Jesus Christ being preached. I rarely hear messages about evil anymore, or the existence of Satan as the adversary and how we should, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, put on the full armor of God on a daily basis. (Eph 6)

Let’s get back to basics. What could be more important than having a personal relationship with the God of the universe? I’m not talking about religion or any “ology” or “ism”. I’m talking about the provision God made for all of us to enjoy by simply putting our faith in the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sin and by doing so walking in the newness of life.
So now I need to ask, what possibly could be more uplifting than knowing and believing the following:
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. "
Romans 6: 4
"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." NIV
Romans 8:1
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", NIV
Eph 1:7
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace"

Walking in the will of God begins with believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and what he did for us. True prosperity, i.e. spiritual prosperity, begins when we are in the will of God. The truth will set you free and true freedom comes when we receive Christ as savior.

Let’s get back to basics.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Meekness vs Weakness

I think I may have covered the concept of biblical meekness before but I came upon a daily devotional from Pastor Greg Laurie that explains this better than I can.
I hope he doesn't mind my using it here.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
— Matthew 5:5


"Meekness is not weakness. Sometimes we confuse the two. But the difference between a meek person and weak person is this: a weak person can't do anything. A meek person, on the other hand, can do something but chooses not to.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). The word "meek" from the original language was used to describe reining in a stallion. It is the idea of a horse being controlled by a bit and bridle. The horse is choosing to submit to authority. That is meekness. It is power under constraint.

Although Jesus said, "Blessed [happy] are the meek," we don't celebrate meekness in our culture. Instead, we celebrate assertiveness. We celebrate getting things from other people, sometimes even taking advantage of other people. When is the last time you saw a movie that celebrated the virtue of meekness? When is the last time the big buildup for the movie was the moment when the good guy meekly restrains himself, even though he was wronged? We don't want to go to a movie like that. We want to see a payback movie in which the first half consists of bad things happening to the hero, and the last half consists of bad things that come to the people who did those things to the hero. That is what entertains us. That is what our culture celebrates.

How different this is from what the Bible teaches. The Bible celebrates meekness. The biblical worldview says last is first. Giving is receiving. Dying is living. Losing is finding. The least is the greatest. Meekness is strength. The idea is that we are living by God's truth—not by what our culture says should make us happy."


Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

“Be Content With What You Have”

To follow up on last weeks discussion on folks that are in the "Jesus Business" I want to discuss the concept of being content with what we have, something I have rarely heard from people who teach this peculiar “ology”.
Here are several verses that address contentment.

Phil 4: 10-12
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. NIV

Paul through the tough times was content with his circumstances because his focus was on Christ and spreading the gospel. He always managed to do just that regardless of his circumstance because he learned to be content with what he had. Why? How?
Phil 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." NIV

This concept is buttressed by this verse from Hebrews:
Heb 13:5
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you." NIV

There is a great admonition in the Old Testament. I thought I would go there since so many in the "Jesus Business" live in the Old Testament.

Ecc 5:10
10 "Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless." NIV

Lack of contentment leads to unhappy lives and in the long run it all means nothing since we came into the world naked, and will leave it the same way.
1Tim 6: 7,8 NIV
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.NIV
WOW! There is that word again!

Think about these points, pray about them and when you do ask yourself what the accumulation of material wealth has to do with spreading the gospel if that wealth is not used to spread the gospel.


Until next time may the LORD bless us and keep us. In Jesus name I pray.

The Business of Jesus vs The Jesus Business

There are many radio and TV teachers and preachers that are not so much going about doing the business of Jesus as he commanded, but are rather in the Jesus business, using the word for their own financial gain.

1Tim: 6: 3-5
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our LORD Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. NIV

2 Peter 2:3
3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way. NLT

As believers we need to be able to discern incorrect teaching when we hear it. Sometimes we are given a gift of discernment when we are saved. I think though, in most cases, discernment is usually developed over time.

So, how do we develop our discernment?
By reading and studying the word daily. The more we become familiar with the word the less likely we are to be led astray by strange doctrine.
Please be alert, be aware, and test all teaching you hear against scripture so you won’t be trapped by false doctrine. You need to dust off the Bible and read it daily. It is your greatest asset, your best defense, and the best way to develop discernment. Read what GOD says in his word.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Satan's Biggest Lie

The biggest lie that Christians are faced with is the lie that there are many paths to GOD.

Jesus said “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”. John 14:6 NIV

With the faith being watered down to be more “seeker sensitive”, to be all inclusive, the core of our belief is under attack. Keep in mind that Christianity IS already as inclusive as it gets. No, you say? You don’t believe me? Check this out.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” NIV
“God so loved the world”, that means everybody. “Whoever believes in him”, means everybody.
Romans 10:13 and Acts 2:21 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” NIV
Everyone means just that, everybody. What then is the name of the Lord to be called on so that anybody and everybody can be saved? His name is Jesus.
Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." NIV

Salvation is available to everybody who puts their faith in Jesus. The choice is yours! There is nothing more fair, more democratic, more all inclusive than this.

Until the next time may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

“I Stand at the Door and Knock”

Rev 3: 20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” NIV

This scripture is often used when witnessing, usually as one of the final texts before asking somebody to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Today I want to take this a step further.
I ask that you meditate on this scripture and ask yourself where you are in your relationship with Christ. Do you just hear him knocking and have your ear pressed up against the door listening, wondering if you should open it? Are you afraid to open it because you fear you are not ready or aren’t good enough to face your savior? Have you at one time opened the door gladly and embraced him on the threshold but yet are afraid to let him all the way into your house?
If you are a believer and have been for sometime, maybe, just maybe, you have only embraced HIM, or, just let him within the threshold but you are still holding back from letting him all the way in. Be rest assured he knows everything about you and saved you anyway so why are you holding back?
Meditate on these things and pray that the Holy Spirit gives you clarity. Be still, listen and grow.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Diversity and Disagreement Without Disunity

In the past I have written about problems I have with various “ologies” and “isms” that some thought came off as heavy handed criticism. That was not my intent. At this point in time I feel led to point out that we can have diversity in the body of Christ without disunity and that we can disagree on secondary issues yet still be united as one in the body of Christ.
Here is the bottom line for me: If you believe the BIBLE is the inerrant word of GOD, believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, believe Jesus is the virgin born son of GOD, that he died for our sins, rose on the third day, and that by putting your faith and trust in him and all of these things, you are saved and are my brother or sister. Anything added to this is “people stuff”.
I could probably write a book on this subject but keeping things simple sometimes is best.

John 17: 20-23
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

“Be Still and Know I Am GOD”

It is easy to praise GOD when everything is going well. Many long term believers have an issue praising GOD in tough times, the times when we actually need to draw closer, not pull away. They feel abandoned for some reason so sometimes prayer is not enough. We can talk to GOD, we can read the word and seek what he has to tell us but sometimes we just need to be still in his presence.
.
Psalm 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God; ” NIV

As Christians it is important sometimes for us to just “Be Still”, or as another translation puts it, “Cease striving” and then try to listen to what GOD is trying to tell us.
If we just meditate on his word, his holiness, his provision, his mercy, his salvation plan carried out through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many of our problems will be put in perpective. This is fine but how about after we meditate on these things, can we just be still and listen? Ever try it?
I came to realize that being still also means to surrender ALL of our problems to him. We need to cease striving and lay our troubles at the foot of the cross. GOD is in control of everything. We need to surrender and not just one time but every day, every minute, every second we start to waver. Easier said than done I know. I still struggle with this concept myself. However, whenever I think back and recall all the answered prayer in my life, all of GOD provision during the tough times, all of his comfort he gave me when I needed it most, I am convicted and confess that I am but dust.
We need to practice this more often; Be Still and KNOW he is GOD!

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Lord Teach Me, Help me to “Fear Not”

Have you ever been to a place where things look extremely bleak, you are at the end of your rope, or you think life is about to pass you by or even end? These are the times to pull out the Bible and look for those passages that contain some sort of “Fear Not” exhortation. There are many but let’s take a look at some of the better known scriptures. These verses are commonly used to help people faced with dire circumstances.

Isa 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. NIV

Isa 41:13 “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you”. NIV

There are times though when we need to be reminded to hit our knees and fully surrender our problems to the LORD. It is difficult, easier said then done but this is when we need to pray something like this: “LORD GOD, Heavenly Father, I lay my life and all my problems at your feet, please LORD teach me to fear not, in the name of Jesus I pray”.

Here is one of my favorite verses for troubled times:

Psalm 121: 1,2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”. NIV


Remember, we all need to pray at all times: Good times, Bad Times, in between times, it doesn’t matter.
I hope this has helped somebody today. Until the next time may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Is the Bible Relevant Today? Yet Another Case in point

Isaiah 5:20
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” NIV

This sounds like today doesn’t it? Who said the Bible isn’t relevant? Consider this, all the errors in judgment and morality that Israel and Judah made that led to their downfall, we as a nation are making today. What, you don’t believe it? I challenge you to take the time and read Isaiah and Jeremiah and then come back tell me no.

Take a look around us and see what people are getting away with and then compare these indiscretions with those of ancient Israel and Judah. If you can’t see the correlation, you may indeed be part of the problem.

Infanticide passed off as a woman’s right to choose, homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle, running up debt in order to acquire material objects (Idolatry), government corruption run amok with an approving electorate, etc. How can all of this be anything but the onset of the closing chapters of this once great nation?

There is but one way out, Prayer. There is a movement currently going on where Christians from across the nation, from all denominations have pledged to pray for this country everyday from now until Nov. 2. I pray for this country daily anyway but I believe that a concerted effort across denominational lines is what is required. Go to this website and join this effort.


http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GodSaveAmerica
Keep the faith, there may still be time.

Joel 2:13
“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”

Jeremiah 33:3
“Call on me and I will answer you and show you
great and mighty things which you do not know.”

Psalm 50:15
“ Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will glorify me.”

Psalm 145:18
“The LORD is near to all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

Hypocrisy in the Church? Say It Isn’t So!

I hate to say it but yes, the church abounds with hypocrites and we are all guilty of hypocrisy at some level. It is when we recognize this fact that we can truly address the problem, but, we need to start with ourselves first. Don’t talk about the spec in your brothers or sisters eye but remove the beam from your own eye first. (Matt 7:3)

I can’t tell you how many people use the excuse that “the church is full of hypocrites” to stay away and not attend.(Heb 10:25) I say to those folks, “don’t let that stop you, come and join the party, you are in good company”.

To those who say the hypocrisy is too much for them to take and leave a given congregation I suggest to you that if you do find the perfect church that you not go there and ruin their perfect record. :-)

None of us are perfect, we all sin. (Romans 3:23). Just because we are saved but still struggle with sin means we are still in the flesh to varying degrees, not necessarily hypocrites. Remember, we are nothing but wretches saved by grace. Romans 7: 22-24. Eph 2:8-9.

The thing to look for is our moving forward, progressing further from the flesh day by day, month by month, year by year. Stay in fellowship, stay in prayer, and stay in the word. I would worry less about all of the hypocrites in the church and worry more about all of the erroneous teaching and “ologies” and “isms” that foster the myriad of false gospels that abound today.

Until the next time: May the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Sanctification Walk - Part II

One of the things I like to tell myself and others is that it is impossible to be perfect in our walk. While we should strive for perfection we should be encouraged in the knowledge that if our direction is forward, displaying the fruits of the spirit more and more as time goes by, then we can be assured and take courage that we are on the right path and our salvation is ensured.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

Here is a link to another blog entry that address this very thing. I hope you find it as useful as I have.

http://realchristianity.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/how-do-you-know-that-you-are-saved/

My Sanctification Walk: Sound Familiar?

How has your walk been since you came to faith and received Christ as savior? Let me make an analogy to demonstrate my walk.

Many of us have been to bowling alleys and have seen the bumpers put up for the kids when they are bowling to keep the ball out of the gutter and missing the pins. We have all seen the 3 year old standing at the foul line and dropping the ball on the lane where it will very slowly roll down the lane, bouncing off one bumper, and then the other, and sometimes due to a lack of strength or power the ball may stop or even roll backwards. Suddenly a friendly hand come along and gives the ball a gentle push to allow the ball to continue on it’s path down the lane to the pins.

The ball is me, the lane is the narrow path(Matt 7:14), the bumpers and the friendly hand is the holy spirit guiding me along my walk. When we receive Christ we are placed beyond the foul line and made righteous(2Cor 5:21) the ball bouncing off the bumpers is symbolic of the trials we face and God helping us along the way. When we sin and stop our progress, backslide even, the Holy Spirit is there to convict us, to repent and continue along the path to our destination.

This analogy is not only symbolic of my overall walk over the years but is very much symbolic of my daily walk. I am being completely honest here. If you say you don’t sin daily you are not being honest with yourself. None of us are perfect which is why we need a savior.

Even Paul struggled with sin:

Romans 7:18-25

18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Take heart, you are not alone, you are not a failure, you are just another wretch saved by grace.

Part II next week.

I hope that I have helped somebody today. Until next time, May The LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

What is GOD's Will for My Life?

"What is God's will for my life" is a question I hear all to often. If you are not saved, have not come to the cross, and have not been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, it is God's will for your life that you do so. Never mind all of the “ologies” and “isms”, leave the yokes of legalism behind and put your faith in the fact that Jesus died for ALL of your sins, past, present, and future. Repent of your sins and acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and savior. That is God’s will for your life. He is waiting for you to do so.

2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”.

For those who have received Christ as Savior, it is God’s will for your life that you be conformed to the image of Jesus.

Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

If you are a saved person and are still asking, “What is God’s will for my life?” I suggest that you read your bible, since, if you are asking the question, you obviously aren’t.
Also pray more. Prayer is our talking to God and reading the Bible is God talking to us. It is how we communicate. If we are not in prayer and meditating on his word how can God speak to our spirit? The answer is he can’t and then there is no way to know what God’s will is for your life.

It sounds too simple for most but there is genius in simplicity. God’s genius.

It is my hope that this has helped somebody who is struggling. That is always my goal.

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Does God Discipline Believers

WOW! What a dicey subject to bring up. How can it be that a loving GOD, the same GOD who sent himself as his son, became flesh in order to become the perfect sacrifice to fulfill the law, punish believers?

Is there scriptural support for this? Let look at Hebrews 12:5, 6

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." NIV

Paul is referring to Proverbs 3: 11-12
11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father] the son he delights in. NIV

I think it is clear that GOD will chastise, punish, discipline, (however you want to put it), those believers who are living in continual sin by allowing certain things to happen to them. I think one of the major influences that lead believers to think they are covered for their sins and can continue in their sin,is the over emphasis on grace and the pounding home of Ephesians 2: 8-9

"8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast." NIV

While these verses are important to show that we cannot work our way to Heaven modern teaching has come full circle from the time Paul. Just as in Paul’s day Grace is viewed as a license to sin. All forms of sin are overlooked in many modern churches. Cohabitation, homosexuality, gossiping, greed, slander, etc. are all ignored and instead many church members are not only taught but it is emphasized that Jesus is our friend, our buddy, that he will take care of us and all of our troubles are over simply by believing in him. Grace is over emphasized and mistaught.
If sin is pointed out, if we are warned that we are doomed to spend eternity in hell if we don’t turn from our sin, if the WORD is taught in full context, with it’s original intention, somehow we are deemed to be fanatics and in some cases, guilty of hate speech. If we dare point out that GOD will not be mocked and that a believer is subject to discipline because of his/her behavior, we are ridiculed by fellow believers, and thought of by the world as ignorant, superstitious hate mongers, Neanderthals, or worse.

Don't listen to the world. Don't attend a church that emphasizes one aspect of the Christian walk over another, it leads to all kind of abuse. Grace is important, but it is not a license to sin. It is not the be-all and end-all of the Christian walk.

I hope this has help somebody., until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Husbands, love your wives, .......

With the family and marriage under attack today unlike any time before I am often brought to thinking about the best way to hold a marriage and also a family together.
With all the worldly talk about equality it is often brought up to Christians that the concept of women being submissive to their husbands as stated in Ephesians 5:22:
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” is frowned upon by the world mainly because they have no sense of biblical concepts, and also because of the misuse of these verses by, supposedly, bible believing Christians. This verse has been wildly abused and misunderstood. It has been used as an excuse for men to batter their wives, abuse them mentally, and to otherwise treat their wives like second class citizens. That is not what this verse is supposed to mean. Here is the other part of the passage that is used to support verse 22 and some of the ungodly behavior that results from poor understanding of these verses . 24 “ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything”.

Here is the key to understanding the entire concept that Paul is trying to convey.

Eph 5:25 “ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”

I want to implore every husband and father out there who may read this. If you focus on verse 25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”, and live to bring it to fruition, the rest of it will take care of itself. You would be amazed at the turnaround in your family life that will take place when you take it upon yourself to truly hold your wife in such high esteem. To do so also shows true spiritual leadership which is a husbands primary responsibility to his wife and family.

Here is the clincher:

EPH 5:28-30 "In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body.

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.

Christianity under Attack

With the current fiasco about the National Day of Prayer going on it reminds me that Jesus made a point in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 that we will be hated because we follow him.

Luke 21: 12-18

“…. they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 All men will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By standing firm you will gain life.” NIV

Psalm 14:1 and 53:1 reminds us:

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. NIV

We must keep these verses in mind as the assault on our GOD and his Son and our savoir Jesus Christ escalates. These things must take place before his return. He said it would be so and I believe it. I know it is difficult but please stand firm. Take heart for we know:

Luke 21:28

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." NIV

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.

Is God a God of Prosperity – Part 2

Another verse misused by advocates of the prosperity gospel is Matthew 6:33

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “

Prosperity doctrine advocates conveniently overlook the Lords emphasis in verses 6:19, 24 which are admonitions against seeking material wealth and exhortations to seek Godly things. The Lords intention in verses 19 through 34 of Mathew chapter 6 in it full context is clearly an emphasis on spiritual growth, not material growth. In fact verse 33 is clearly his exhortation to seek the spiritual, not the material, as our other needs will be met when we do so. One of the parallel verses in Luke puts it this ways and solidifies the point:

“13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” NIV

Here is another verse that is widely misused. III John verse 2 and many use the King James version to claim it as a prosperity verse. Lets compare the KJV to the NIV.

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." KJV
"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." NIV

This is a simple greeting, no more, no less, and has nothing at all to do with a believers “entitlement” to prosperity. It’s the same as me saying to somebody I haven’t seen in a while, “Hello, I trust you are doing well”. Several popular prosperity ministers have recanted their belief that this is a prosperity verse, while many others still insist on it.

There are too many other examples of turning the Bible on its head to fit this particular “ology” to mention here. One day I may write a book to cover all of the issues with it but the example stated will suffice for now. The bottom line to me is that none of this has anything to do with getting the Gospel out.

Any “ology” or “ism” that takes focus off CHRIST, any “ology” or “ism” that detracts from the Gospel message is to be avoided, period! Please, find another church or change the station.

Beware of cut and paste theologies that lift verses and sometimes half verses out of context to create a pretext that upon close examination create at best inconsistencies, and at worst contradictions with other parts of the Bible, for where there is inconsistency or contradiction there is error.

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Is God a God of Prosperity? Part 1

As a follow up to the post from a few weeks ago on Christian Television the question has been raised , Is God a God of prosperity? I believe this concept is limiting and is open to attack by the adversary and displays a fleshly desire that has nothing at all to do with the Gospel.

Leave it some misguided Christians in the United States back in the early 1900’s to come up with a prosperity doctrine that puts on display the most base of human desires, the attainment of wealth and makes it an entitlement. If you are a believer and your faith is strong enough you should be materially prosperous. WRONG!!!!!

But Dan, John 10: 10 says “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

The thief here is the devil, the adversary. Abundantly refers to spiritual things that the adversary wants to deprive us of.

I’m sorry if I repeat myself but I feel I must. For those who think that abundantly means having more material wealth, more stuff, more money, I need to point out that this belief flies in the face of the following scriptures:

Matt 6: 19-21, 24

19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (NIV)

1 Tim 6; 3-10

3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (NIV)

Hebrews 13:5 "Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you ". (NLT)

The admonition of 2 Peter 2: 3

"In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed." (NLT)

We all know that the bible does not contradict itself but people can create contradiction via misunderstanding. When used in context with the above scriptures it becomes clear that an abundant life spoken of in John 10: 10 refers to a spiritual life.

God is not only a God of prosperity he is the God of the universe, the creator of all things. Having access to Godly wisdom is wealth and prosperity beyond all comprehension. Living and walking in the will of GOD, within the plan he has for our lives is true prosperity.

Part II next week.

Until next time may the LORD Bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

If You Can Find a Better Deal, Take It!

I heard about an article written by Ann Coulter a few months back where she came to the defense of Fox political analyst Britt Hume who had the audacity to suggest that Tiger woods seek forgiveness from GOD for his indiscretions. Predictably the worldly reporters wrote column after column about decrying Christianity as intolerant, hateful, exclusive, judgmental, etc, all of which pointed to their ignorance of basic Christianity.

Here is an excerpt from the article explaining basic Christianity :

“In the no-frills, economy-class version, you don't need a church, a teacher, candles, incense, special food or clothing; you don't need to pass a test or prove yourself in any way. All you'll need is a Bible (in order to grasp the amazing deal you're getting) and probably a water baptism, though even that's disputed.

You can be washing the dishes or walking your dog or just sitting there minding your business hating Susan Sarandon and accept that God sent his only son to die for your sins and rise from the dead ... and you're in!

"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

If you do that, every rotten, sinful thing you've ever done is gone from you. You're every bit as much a Christian as the pope or Billy Graham.

No fine print, no "your mileage may vary," no blackout dates. God ought to do a TV spot: "I'm God Almighty, and if you can find a better deal than the one I'm offering, take it."

The Gospel makes this point approximately 1,000 times. Here are a few examples at random:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.

In a boiling rage, liberals constantly accuse Christians of being "judgmental." No, we're relieved.

Christianity is also the hardest religion in the world because, if you believe Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead, you have no choice but to give your life entirely over to Him. No more sexual promiscuity, no lying, no cheating, no stealing, no killing inconvenient old people or unborn babies -- no doing what all the other kids do.

And no more caring what the world thinks of you -- because, as Jesus warned in a prophecy constantly fulfilled by liberals: The world will hate you.

With Christianity, your sins are forgiven, the slate is wiped clean and your eternal life is guaranteed through nothing you did yourself, even though you don't deserve it. It's the best deal in the universe.”

Thank You Miss Coulter!

I think she was spot on with this. No “ologies” or “isms” pure basic core Christianity. It is so simple, so beautiful, so perfect, no man could have ever devised such a plan of salvation. Yet it is beyond the grasp of many.

The next time "religion" comes up and somebody starts with the usual mantras decrying Christianity simply say to them, “If you can find a better deal, take it”.

Think about it, pray about it.

Until next time may the LORD Bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Are You Ready?

I'm a day early this week because of Easter and what it really means. It is not about Easter Bunnies, coloring eggs, or egg hunts.
On this Holy Thursday it is a good time to contemplate on the last days of the life of Christ starting with the Last Supper, through his mock trial, death, and glorious resurrection, without which we would all be hopeless. Be mindful; Be alert; Be Ready. Are you ready for his return?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xgFJI7wRKM


Think about this real hard and be honest with yourself.

I hope this had helped somebody today. Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Christian Television?

It seems to me that every time I go over to the Christian television stations too much of what I hear is anything but Christian. Most of what I hear is more about the Jesus business and not much about Jesus or the Gospel. There is too much emphasis on attaining "stuff" and not enough about sin, repentance, and God's plan of salvation through his son Jesus Christ. Please, change the channel.

If you are watching a Christian program and all they talk about is money, run for the hills. If you hear, plant a seed for this, give an offering for that, or if they give incentives like a prayer cloth or some other trinket, turn it off and never watch that garbage again. Use your discernment and don't get caught up in drama or hyper-emotionalism.
There are many scriptures that address this problem but keep the following in mind when watching some of the nonsense that passes itself off as Christianity

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you”

Matt 6: 19-21, 24
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. NIV

1 Tim 6 : 3-11
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. NIV

And here is the kicker:

2 Peter 2:3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. NLT

Please, be alert, be aware, and stay away from strange "ologies" and "isms"

I hope that this has helped somebody today.
Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

When Times Are Hard What do We Do?

With all that is going on in the world and in our country in particular with the down economy, the harsh political climate, and the erosion of the culture, many believers are asking “What is going on”. All I know is this, GOD is in charge, He is allowing things to happen as he sees fit and it is in the long run always for HIS glory, not ours. Whether we see it or not, understand it or not, you can be rest assured that it is for HIS glory, part of his grand design.

One of the most difficult scriptures to understand is Isaiah 45: 7

I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
I, the LORD, am the one who does these things. (NLT)

So, how do we as believers cope with all that is going on around us knowing that God is allowing these things to happen?

1) We submit to his will and place our burdens and lack of understanding at his feet. Psalm 46:10 says “cease striving and know that I am GOD “ (NASB) some translations have it as “Be still” but the message is the same.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told us in Matthew 11: 28 – 30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

Paul wrote in 1 Th 5: 16 -17 to “Be Joyful always, Pray continually” (NIV) .

Surrender is not a one time thing. It must take place daily, moment by moment, situation by situation.

2) We must remember that we are his children:
1 John 3:1

1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (NIV)

Roman 8: 15-16 says

“15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (NIV)

3) We need to develop an eternal perspective. We are only here a short time. All of the turmoil we face on a day to day basis pales in comparison to what awaits.

Romans: 8:18 is applicable here : “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (NASB)

Go read last weeks post again and remember, "Victory is ours"

I hope this has helped somebody. Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Victory is Ours!

I could probably spend the rest of my life studying, learning, and then sharing what I have learned from the Book of Romans. This was inspired by a daily devotional I receive via email. I’m taking a slightly different direction then the devotional because I felt led to do so. I hope this speaks to you as it spoke to me.

We all have good days and bad days. We also have days that are just so so, one second we are up, the next we are down. One day we are flying high, the next day we are crushed. As believers we need to keep in mind that throughout the roller coaster of life we are still victorious regardless of our circumstances.

Romans 8:35 -37 reminds us this very fact:

"35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” NLT

I really like the NLT rendering of this:”overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loves us.” WOW! Does it get any better than this?
As we continue to grow in faith we can fully expect to be buffeted by all kinds of trials. James reminds of the attitude we should take when this happens:
James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”. NIV
Psalm 118: 6 reminds us: "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" NIV

Keep all this in mind when you hear and read about the earthquakes around the world, the bad economy and how it impacts each of us personally, and when politicians knowingly lie to us on a daily basis in the mad quest for power claiming they are doing things for our good. These are all temporary problems and issues and have no impact or effect on our victory which is eternal.

I hope that this has helped somebody to day. Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Gods Will and Our Faith

In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 8 we see two examples of healing that touch on two very important aspects of supernatural healing, God’s will and our faith and in full context we see an example of each.

Matt: 8:2-3
2 A man with leprosycame and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy NIV

Here we see an example of God’s will in healing. Why does God heal some and not others? Why does he heal some instantaneously and others more slowly over time using doctors, people, or circumstances as conduits of his healing power? One thing is for sure, if it isn’t for HIS glory and the forwarding of his kingdom it won’t happen.

Matthew 8: 5-13
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." 7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." 8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. NIV

Here is an example of Jesus healing somebody because of their understanding of his power and their trust and faith in that power. Does this mean that if our level of Faith is high enough God will do as we ask? Only if it is his will and part of his plan for our lives.

Don’t let anybody tell you that you haven’t been healed because your faith isn’t strong enough or point an accusatory finger at you saying you have some un-confessed sin or that you may not even be saved and that is the reason why you haven’t been healed. There are many misused scriptures concerning healing, too many to enumerate here.
Know this; God does heal today just as he always did. Who he chooses to heal, when and how he chooses to heal is HIS will, and is not a reflection of the level of our faith or salvation. ( I John 5:14, Romans 9:14, Ex 33:19)

I hope this has helped somebody today.
Until the next time, may the Lord bless us and keep us, In Jesus name I pray.

Context, Context, Context - Part 4

Predestination continued.

This point of view is one that I have come to after many years of study, prayer, and meditation on the relevant scriptures, taking all of them together in context, using the whole council of God. I see no inconsistency in my conclusion. Feel free to disagree and discuss any part of what I have written.

1 Peter 3:9
“To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” NIV

Here is where the term elect comes from. All the scriptures that I used last week also apply here. The big difference is the term foreknowledge as opposed to predestined. What this does is give further insight into unraveling this issue.
Here is how.
God is eternal and so he has to be, according to our temporal standard, the same past, present, and future. (Heb 13:8) God is not on a timeline, he sees everything simultaneously.
Given this eternal perspective he knew right from the outset, from the beginning of creation, who would choose to be saved and who would reject his salvation plan. The choice is ours, of our own free will. Does he draw us in? Yes. Everybody will be presented with the choice, whether or not it is accepted or received is an individual decision we make.
Here is the kicker: 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

God does not want anybody to perish so he has his salvation plan in place and EVERYBODY will have an opportunity to accept the plan or reject it. Being eternal he already knows who received his plan and trusted in Christ as savior.

This conclusion is what makes the most sense to me. I used the Bible in full context to arrive at this conclusion. This topic and the difficulty of it is one of the reasons I fell away for a while. I could not make sense of it where I was attending church and from what I was being taught. As always though, the spirit drew me back in. I dropped the “ology” and “ism” I was being taught, which freed my mind, and I have found a place where I can be comfortable and assured with the concept and conclusion I have arrived at.

Gods way are not our ways. God trying to teach us anything is tantamount to us trying to teach quantum physics to an amoeba, and this analogy still isn’t strong enough to describe the difference in intellect and nature of his being compared to ours.
We only have his book, the Bible, to go by. A small part of his knowledge is contained in this book and we are only capable of fully understanding a very small part of it. It contains an eternity of knowledge and we have but a lifetime to get to know what we can.

I pray that this has helped somebody today and until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Context, Context, Context - Part 3

The Doctrine of Predestination – Another Point of Contention

This doctrine is an important aspect of an “olgy” and “ism” that I have major issues with. Those who believe differently from me I still call my brothers and sisters but unfortunately many on the other side of this issue fall into the “Believe as I do or you are a heretic” category. These are many of the same folk who accuse others of turning the Word on its head to fit their doctrine when they are guilty of the same thing when it come to predestination. This is indeed unfortunate.

Here is the scripture in dispute:

Ephesians 1:11 “ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,”
NIV
Here are some scriptures related to this discussion to read and study:

Christianity 101 – John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Joel 2: 32, Acts 2-21, Romans 10:13 – “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 8:32a “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all”

One thing that stands out in these verses is that Christ died for us all. It doesn’t say he died for the chosen ones, or the predestined ones, he died for us all, loved us all, while we were all still sinners. John 3:16 clearly states "whoever believes in him" it does not say the predestined or elect that believe in him will be saved.
Who specifically is Paul talking about? He is talking about all those who have received Christ as savior. When we received Christ, of our own free will, we became part of the elect, the chosen, the predestined.
If we believe that God chose us individually, before the beginning of time to be saved, and others for damnation then we have a massive contradiction with the scriptures quoted above. Since the Bible cannot and does not contradict itself, this view is erroneous.
There is another view of this subject that adds clarity, at least for me. Again using the principle of using the bible to clarify itself lets look at Eph 1:11-12 in context:

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”

Paul was calling the very first believers the predestined ones. This view, is also acceptable and causes no contradiction with the rest of scripture.

But Dan, what about 1 Peter? I'll tackle that aspect next week.

This is a very difficult subject and I tried to simplify it. Keep in mind the most important thing to remember is that your salvation does not hang on believing one way or the other, it hangs on faith and trust and receiving Christ as savior.

I pray that this has helped somebody today and until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Contex, Contex, Context - Part 2

Matthew 18:19 A Point of Contention Within the Body


"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” NIV

As stated last week the most important thing to look for when studying the Bible is context of a given scripture. We gave an example of cultural context last week. This week I want to touch on scriptural context. I don’t like to be repetitious but I need to emphasize this point. For the sake of simplicity there is context within a passage, passage within a chapter, chapter in the book being studied, and the Book within the rest of the Bible. In other words we need to use the Bible to clarify itself. Given proper context there should never be a contradiction in the Bible. If there is contradiction, there is error.

There are many very popular preachers that use Matthew 18:19 out of its context. They use it to treat Jesus like a genie. They say if your faith is strong enough and several agree with you in prayer you WILL receive what you ask for. That is not what Matthew 18: 19 is about. There is also much spiritual abuse that can come out of this interpretation as well. If you don’t get what you ask for they will tell you your faith is not strong enough, or worse yet, that you may not even be saved. I even heard one very popular “teacher” say “Don’t give me that will of God stuff”. Can you imagine a man of God heaping this kind of condemnation on somebody? I am here to tell you that kind teaching is from the pit. How do I know this for certain?
1 John 1:9 says: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” NIV

So then it is the will of God is what determines how our prayers are answered. So what about Matthew 18:19? If you start at Matthew 18:15 and read the whole passage in context you will see that the correct interpretation (exegesis for you bible scholars out there) concerns disputes and overt sin among believers.

15"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'[b] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[c]bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." NIV

Given this clarification there is no longer a conflict with 1 John 5:14. Again I want to emphasize that it is important to use scripture to clarify itself. By simply going back several verses we can clearly see the intended meaning of Matthew 18:19.
The Christian walk is difficult enough without incorrect teaching getting in the way. Always take the time to study on your own and don’t take anybody’s teaching as fact. If something doesn’t hit you right and triggers your discernment look it up, study, and please pray about it.

I hope this has helped somebody today.

Until next time may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Context, Context, Context – Part 1

Like so many others I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of conflict in the church is caused by poor application of scripture due to the inability to read scripture in it’s proper context causing poor theology to reign supreme.
There are several types of context, one of them is cultural. There are many examples of cultural context I can cite but I really want to keep this as simple as possible.
I once heard a very popular preacher declare that Jesus and the Apostles had to be rich since some of them owned boats, one was a Taxman and another was an accountant. Why would they need a taxman and an accountant if they weren’t rich. The poor man has no concept of cultural context. Matthew was a tax collector. They didn’t have an IRS code back in the first century nor did they have accountants as we know them today. Fishermen built their own boats and maintained them in order to eek out a living. They were anything but luxury items and the profession was looked down upon by the masses. It was a difficult way to make a meager living.
The man is guilty of using anachronisms to prove his point and by doing so turning scripture on it’s head. After making this absurd statement he also had the audacity to say, “It’s amazing what you can find in the bible if you know what to look for “. This was one of the most egregiously erroneous sermons I have ever heard.

Never read anything into scripture that isn’t there. One should also be mindful to use the Bible to clarify itself. If a statement by a teacher doesn’t sound correct, double check it for yourself. Remember when studying a verse determine its meaning by looking at it’s usage within the paragraph or passage, then within the chapter, then within the book and finally within the entire Bible. You must use the whole council of GOD. If you have a conflict anywhere, you have an error since the Bible never contradicts itself.

Next week I will cover some other things to look and listen for when studying the Word or listening to sermons.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep, in Jesus name I pray.

Proverbs 19:3 - Food for Thought

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness
and then are angry at the LORD. NLT

I like the NLT translation of this Proverb because of the clear, readily understandable message.

How many times have we seen people live reckless, irresponsible, foolish lives that resulted in devastating illness, or have their lives fall apart around them because of their behavior and then turn around and blame God saying “How could God allow this to happen”, or, “How can a loving God do this to me”? .
I have personally witnessed many examples of this reaction. Consider the person who smoked for 30 + years then develops lung cancer, the compulsive gambler looking for the one big win but instead bankrupts the family, the alcoholic who develops liver problems, the drug addict with hepatitis C, the sex addict with an STD and a broken family. All have lived lives that put their health and well being at risk. How about those folks that max out their charge cards, take out second mortgages to buy a luxury car or to pursue other big ticket material items to the extreme then stress out and get sick over how they will pay their bills and are a layoff away from financial disaster? How many times have you heard these folks blame God for their problems? The end result is they have all sowed the wind and reaped a whirlwind of their personal idiolatry and sin and don’t even know it.
Some blame their plight on dysfunctional families, harsh living environments, or societal failures. Want to read about dysfunctional families, harsh living conditions, societal breakdowns and failures? Read the Old Testament.
The bad news was that after centuries of being obstinate in their own idolatry and sin the Jews were finally allowed to be defeated and were sent into exile. Many blamed God for abandoning them but the fault was their own.
After their return they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple but once again lapsed into sin and developed a religious system that was foreign to the word of God.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ, the son of GOD, the word made flesh came to us so that whoever puts their faith and trust in him, regardless of their sin, will find forgiveness and eternal life. They can then rebuild their lives on a solid foundation. The bottom line here is that we are responsible for our own actions, not GOD. So please, turn to him and surrender your burdens and put your full trust and faith in him today. Please think about it.

Until next time, may the Lord Bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Be Faithful in the Little Things Part III

Give Consistently

In this the final part of this series I want to discuss another way we can be faithful in a little thing, in our giving. I have had several Pastors of different stripe put it in these terms, look at giving as an extension of or even a form of worship. It is a very simple way to look at it.

1 Cor 16:2 “On the first day of the week each of you is to set aside something and save it to the extent that he prospers so that no collection need be made when I come.” NIV

2 Cor 9: 6-7 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” NIV

I would suggest that whatever you decide in your heart to give, do it consistently. If you believe in Tithing, stick to it and be consistent. If you don’t believe tithing is for today and are of the opinion that Christ died to all the law, fulfilled all covenants, not just some of it, and are strictly “New Testament”, then I suggest you pray to God and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance on what to give and stick to it. I’m not going to argue and play scriptural ping-pong with anybody on this point. That isn’t the thrust of this message. There are Phd's and Doctors of Divinity on both side of this and I'll leave it to them to battle it out.
Listen, I know, the church has historically torn itself apart over doctrinal matters, and this is one of them, BUT, it is secondary doctrine, not essential for salvation. I have seen and heard it all concerning giving. In a future blog I will share some of my experiences. To conclude on this point, when you give, follow 2 Cor 9:7 and do so happily. I know it's tough at first but as time passes you will find yourself happy to give back part of what the LORD has given to you.

Please also remember this passage from Luke:
Luke 21:1-4
"As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.[a] "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." NIV


To review, the three “little things” I suggest are
1) Read the Word Daily
2) Set aside quiet time with the Lord; Pray daily
3) Give Consistently

As I stated in Part I, I am sure some folks can come up with other little things to do but I am sharing what works for me. It has given me a solid foundation from which to improve my walk daily. I want to walk the walk, not just talk the talk and it is my desire to help you do the same. I am confident that if you start with these ‘little things’ the Lord will move in our lives and strengthen us. He will endow us with blessings beyond our comprehension both here and in Heaven. Does this imply smooth sailing, that our lives will be trouble free? Absolutely not! If all is sunshine then we live in a desert and we learn nothing and can't possibly grow in our walk. Always keep in mind that there are many true believers around the globe who are undergoing horrendous persecution and dying for Christ. Be aware of this at all times and you won’t fall into an entitlement trap. (Another subject for another day). The only thing we know for sure is that we have a savior and as believers we have a place reserved for us in Heaven.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us. In Jesus name I pray.

Be Faithful in the Little Things - Part II of III

Pray daily/ Quiet Time

Last week we encouraged you to read the word daily. Today we talk about prayer and quiet time. There are plenty of books written and scriptures we could use for examples of a full prayer life but that is not the intended scope of this article. The purpose of this article is to encourage young and or struggling believers to start to set aside time for prayers and quiet time. This should be our initial goal.

Prayer is another way for us to communicate with the LORD. It is the second phase of communication. He talks to us through the Word, we talk to him through prayer. How many times in the Gospels is there a reference to Jesus going off alone somewhere to pray. If GOD in the flesh spent time in prayer and if we are to follow his example, then we should do the same. Matt 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. NIV
I have found that after reading the word is the best time for prayer and quiet time. One of my favorite scripture verses is from Psalm 46 verse 10, “Be still and know I am God”. (Some translations have it as “Cease Striving, and know I am God.”) Mediating on what you just read, being still and praying for greater understanding at this time reaps great benefits.

Here are some suggestions on what to pray for. Pray daily for the needs of your family as well as the church family. Pray for the nation and it’s leaders, (man is that hard!), pray for the gospel to be preached worldwide. Pray for whatever the spirit prompts you to pray for. EPH 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saintsNIV

As we grow and we mature in our walk we will find ourselves praying more often.
This is a good thing and as Pauls exhortation of 1 Thess 5: 17-18 says:
“Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. “ NLT

Starting off by creating a habit of daily prayer leads to greater maturity and a stronger walk. Remember our ultimate goal is to one day hear this; 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:21 &23 NIV

Next week we we will discuss Giving consistently.
Until then may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

Be Faithful in the Little Things - Part I of III

I realize that many believers, new and old, struggle with finding their place in the body of Christ. Many struggle with what to do, when to do it, and how to know they are doing what the Lord wants them to do. If we are faithful in the little things these questions usually are answered. Jesus said in Luke 16:10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. “ Later, when asked what the greatest commandment was he replied:
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind . 38This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’ Matt 22:37-40. NIV

To make this as simple and as concise as possible, what better way to show our love for God and your neighbor than to be faithful in the little things? I am sure others can come up with other ways but here are three little things that I do to become more faithful and secure in my walk. Being faithful in these little things helps me see where I need to be.

1) Read the Word Daily
2) Set aside quiet time with the Lord; Pray daily
3) Give Consistently

Making these three things habitual has the additional benefit of keeping our focus on the LORD where it needs to be. It is when we lose focus that we encounter problems.

I will cover each of these points in the coming weeks. This week we cover:

Read the Word Daily

Those of us who are married realize that the best way to ensure a loving relationship is by communicating. One way for us to communicate and develop an intimate relationship with God is by reading the Word daily.

There are so many online resources and many modern English translations available to us that this should be an easy thing to do. If we can only read 15 minutes day, and be faithful in this “little thing”, many benefits start to accrue to us individually. The main benefit is that God talks to us through his word. It is a guaranteed way of hearing him and the benefits are many. Romans 10:17 states: “So Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ”. NIV and 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 says: ‘All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.’ NLT

As our faith grows so does our understanding, as our understanding grows so does our knowledge, as our knowledge grows so does our discernment. We can then have a solid foundation from which to impart our knowledge to others. One thing we can be sure of, part of God’s plan for each of us is to have his salvation plan made known to the world and reading the word daily equips us for that task. What better way to show love for God than by following his plan? What better way to show love for our neighbor than sharing his word? This is a place where every believer should strive to be.

Where to start?

Let me make a suggestion. You can start with “The One Year Bible” which is now available online. www.oneyearbible.com . It is a structured reading program that will take you through the entire bible in one year. You can start any day, it really does not matter. If you miss any days don’t worry about it, start over with that day.

When you have questions ask them, that is what your bible teachers and pastoral staff are there for. Discussing and asking questions about what you have read leads to greater understanding.

I hope and pray that this has helped somebody today.

Next week we cover Quiet Time and Prayer in part II of our series.
Until then may the Lord bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.