Everyday only the Bible. If you accept this challenge, I'd like you to come back after September 5th and report how much you've learned, changed and grown. I'll do the same. See you then and look forward to hearing from you! God bless!
Showing posts with label The Narrow Way. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Narrow Way. Show all posts
This Month's Devotion Challenge
Everyday only the Bible. If you accept this challenge, I'd like you to come back after September 5th and report how much you've learned, changed and grown. I'll do the same. See you then and look forward to hearing from you! God bless!
Love Them Or Damn Them
Human love is filtered, twisted, distorted and maligned by our own sin nature and sinful worldly philosophy under the discretion and jurisdiction of Satan. The carnal mind we are all born with is completely hostile to a Holy God (Romans 8:7).
Agape love in Scripture is rarely even taught in Western Christianity. We like to use the word Agape and name places of business after it, but would it be so readily used if the meaning Scripture applies to it was taught?
Instead, we're taught pagan worldly love that is Eros. Pagan love that winks at sin and the world, is accepting of sin, loves sin, clings to it, compromises and is fearful. In the name of Eros, that we wrongly apply to God's love, we find it more important to co-exist with sin for the sake of a utopia promoted by Satan himself to further malign Christ, His purpose and finished work.
We throw around phrases that aren't even in Scripture, such as "Love the sinner, hate the sin." That quote came from Ghandi, not Scripture.
Agape love is strong and bold. It screams to sinners, warning them to repent, flee from their sin and believe, thus fleeing the wrath of God. Agape love points to Christ, His love and His sacrifice that saves from God's wrath. Eros is self serving and delights in wickedness. Agape and Eros cannot co-exist. They are on different ends of the spectrum, different playing fields and mean two very different things.
Truth and Agape love cannot be separated. We cannot come to know or understand God's Love until we ourselves have been exposed to Truth, have fled from sin and the wrath of God into Christ, our city of refuge. When we mistake worldly Eros love for Agape love, we're not showing Christ to the world. We're damning sinners to hell for the sake of sinful, compromising, worldly love so as not to offend or rock the boat. Agape love is obedient to Christ and warns the sinner. Eros damns them to hell.
Are You Known?
In modern Christianity, we put so much emphasis on whether or not we know Christ. You may have been asked on several occasions, "Do you know Jesus?" When you pass that question then you may hear, "But do you know Him as your Savior."
While it's important that we come to know Christ in a saving relationship, the aspect that matters most is not whether we know Christ, but does Christ know us? It's very easy to fall into easy believe-ism and decisionism. It's very easy to fall into a watered down Gospel. It's preached and advocated everywhere. But whether or not we know Christ is not where the Bible puts the emphasis. When Christ proclaims "I never knew you", He's speaking to those who were convinced they knew Christ through all sorts of means and methods, but they will suddenly hear "I never knew you". Can you imagine how horrific that will be for those who hear this?
As sinful creatures, depraved and hostile toward God from birth, we are accustomed and prone to making idols out of anything...including God. Yes, even God by bringing Him down to our level and turning Him into something that suits our own ideas and lifestyles rather than the real God of the Bible.
God already knows us and He gives us the means and opportunity to come to know Him through His Word, who is Christ (John 1:14), therefore through His Son. In our fallen state and in these prisons of dust, we will never be able to come to a full knowledge of Christ until we reach Heaven. Even then we will spend an eternity getting to know Him even more. But God being infinite doesn't give us an excuse to not put everything we have into this relationship He chose and called us into by neglecting the only means we have of knowing Him.
"I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15
This is an amazing statement from Christ. First He says He knows us which is completely awesome, then He states we know Him. How do His sheep know Him?
"To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." John 10:3
They hear His voice. They know when He is speaking. They can differentiate between Christ and an imposter. They know the Shepherd well enough to know when He's speaking or when it's an enemy. Not through some mystical experience, some inner stirring or the planets seemed to have aligned and all things point to one thing or another; they know His voice. Scripture is paramount in knowing Christ. It is our food.
"So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.'" John 6:53
He gives us His Spirit to further aid, teach and keep us in Christ while we are sojourners on this earth. But the Holy Spirit cannot and will not be separated from Christ. If He can't be and Christ is Scripture in the flesh, then the Holy Spirit will never separate Himself or His help in our lives from Scripture. In fact, He doesn't even speak on His own or for His own purpose. He simply repeats what He hears and relays it to us....
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." John 16:13
Since we know this to be true and find ourselves not interested in Scripture or prayer, but rather being tossed about by every new wind of doctrine and teacher that comes along, we can claim we know Christ all we want. Does evidence show that He knows us? We can tell everyone that will listen how much we love Jesus, but is there evidence in our lives that Christ knows us? We can assure ourselves and everyone we know that we know Christ and believe in Him...
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
It's not enough to simply say that we believe in Him..."Even the demons believe that--and shudder." James 2:19
I know where Eminem lives. I've seen him in public out and about with his kids and alone. I can read about him, watch all of his videos, know every one of his songs, know every detail of his life that I learn from others and what I watch and see, but if I were to walk up to him and strike up a conversation, he'd be absolutely clueless as to who I was. But if I spent time with him personally, talk to him regularly, hung out with him, knew the inner workings and details of him and his life direct from the source, then I can truly say, and Eminem would agree, that he knows me. Not based on what I hear from "reliable" sources or what I easily have access to through a third party, but because we're in a mutual relationship.
The difference between us believing we know Christ and Christ actually knowing us are two very different things. In the end, we can stand before Him and claim we know Him and try to jog His memory and retell every event in our lives we believed Him to be there to prove we know Him. If He doesn't know us, however, if He hasn't chosen us, if He hasn't sealed us with His Spirit, led us into truth, taught us, loved us, brought fruit forth from us, that's all that's going to matter.
"I never knew you."
"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?" 2 Corinthians 13:5
All Wrapped Up In Few Words
There's absolutely nothing that can be added or expounded upon with that quote. If we profess Christ while living and acting like devils, it's time to examine ourselves to see whether we are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5)
Mental Disorder Or Sin?
Rather than taking our problems to God as the Bible instructs and dying to "self", we become self-focused, take our problems to a psychiatrist or psychologist and down pills to feel better. Rather than being transformed by Scripture and God in renewing our minds (Romans 12:2), the very seat of most of these problems, we conform to the patterns of the world and run after a quick fix. What does the Bible have to say about our emotional and mental well being? Here's a great article on where much of our issues stem from and God's diagnosis and prescription...
Borderline Personality Disorder According To The Bible
Afshin Javid - Former Hezbollah Soldier A Fraud?
Afshin Javid Sexualizing
Document links sent to me outlining the deception and lascivious allegations with apologies to the Church, the world and to Afshin himself from the co-founder of Afshin's ministry via Bene Diction Blogs
Apology To The Church
Apology To Those Who Don't Know Christ
Apology To Afshin Javid
Afshin Javid has become famous for being a former Hezbollah member who converted to Christianity from Islam while in prison. If you're not familiar with his testimony you can watch it HERE.
I was contacted several months ago concerning Afshin about serious problems and allegations being leveled at him from co-founders of his Ministry I Am Thirsty, the ghost writer of his debut book "As Easy As Drinking Water", ministers and church leaders In Canada.
I, too, was enthralled with his testimony as millions have been. When we don't "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1) and just believe everything someone says, we can find ourselves in serious trouble, being stumbling blocks to others and leading many more into the mire as well.
Afshin has been accused of sexual and financial misconduct, severely twisting Scripture and lying about his testimony. He has yet to even respond to any of them. This is dangerous ground for Mr. Javid. If these accusations by Christians are not true, then it's paramount he come forward with proof and a defense. As of now, he's done neither.
As someone being in a sensitive position of reaching millions of Muslims for Christ; as someone whose testimony has gone around the world and is looked to as a leader, ignoring accusations like these will not do him any good, those he teaches any good and brings the way of Christ into disrepute, maligning His name .If he means to lead then he must either come out against these accusations or start repenting and come clean.
Do I want to believe these allegations? No. If they're true there will be chaos, devastation all around the world and implications concerning Islam and Christianity. The truth needs to be told, however for it's only in truth are we made free. If Afshin is a false teacher and prophet then he must be exposed to prevent further damage that could cost millions eternity. When we refuse to protect the flock, we're not only in deep sin, but accomplices to evil.
Recommended Reading: The Truth About Afshin Javid
Mary According To Scripture
From Lighthouse Trails Research
Not My Will, But Your Will
Many Christians are familiar with this teaching on prayer Jesus gave. Many read these verses and assume it means no matter what we ask for, what we want, whatever our desire is, if we just ask, seek and knock, God will give it to us. Seriously, does that look like your prayer life? Cause it doesn't look like mine!
I have prayed for things that make me cringe now that I look back at them. David sometimes prayed that his enemies would be slaughtered. That's equivalent to me having a fight with someone and asking that God put them miraculously into freeway traffic so they get mowed down. When we read prayers prayed by famous men and women of the Bible, we're not to always use those prayers as examples. Just because David did it doesn't mean it was right. The point of seeing these men and women in all their warts as well as glory was to show us, though their prayers may have been outlandish and even shocking at times, they were pouring their hearts out to God.
"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" Psalm 62:8
The good, the bad and the ugly often came out in their prayers as it does with ours as well. God already knows what we're feeling and thinking so when we pour our hearts out to Him we're not shocking Him. It's getting everything in the open so everything can be dealt with in trust, mercy, grace and with wisdom.
When these verses in Luke are taken in to context, the point Jesus is making is actually even better than what we've assumed. It's even more startling than pinning a worldly wants and needs chart onto it. Read those verses one more time. I'll wait....
Do you see it?
"how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus' statement is absolutely astounding. He asks what earthly father would give a scorpion if his child asks for a fish? What earthly father would give a stone if his child asks for an egg? If we, as depraved, sinful creatures, wouldn't do that, how much more will God? The point is, He's going to give us what we ask for or better. He'll never give us worse then our requests such as a scorpion for a fish.
As any father, God knows what is best for us and will do what's in our best interest. He has all the authority and power to turn down our requests or fulfill them. He's turned me down on many occasions. As frustrating as it may have been at the time, now when I look back, I'm so grateful He didn't give me what I asked for. I really had no idea what I was asking for. Though He has said "No" at times, He never once exchanged it for something worse. The end result has always turned out far better. In fact, my silly request would have been far worse than I could have imagined.
Since our entire purpose is to give God glory; since our entire purpose in life, once we're saved, is to be made into the image of Christ, God will answer with what glorifies Him. He will answer with what makes Him conspicuous not just to us, but beyond. God loves to make Himself conspicuous. He loves it when we and others can be in the most horrendous situation and be able to see or look back and see Him at work in it.
When Jesus pointed out "how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He was telling us: "If you ask for comfort God wants to give you the Comforter. When you ask for provisions, He wants to give you the Provider. When you ask for healing, He wants to give you the Healer. When we need salvation He wants to give us the Savior. He wants to give us Himself. What on earth or in heaven could be better than that?
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26-26
When God gives us food for our bodies do we get hungry again? When he provides any material need does that mean we will never want again? When He heals us does that mean we will never die or get sick again? Lazarus was raised from the dead, but a few years later he died and didn't come back that time. What we must be seeking, asking and knocking for is God. He is the only thing that is eternal. When we line up our prayers putting God at the center of them, asking for Him and to glorify Him, amazing things will begin to happen. When we begin telling Him in our prayers "not my will, but Your will be done." (Luke 22:42) Or "this is what I desire God, but if that doesn't glorify You then I don't want it," God will show up bigger and better than we could have dreamed.
You may be in the worst time of your life right now. You may be begging God day and night to deliver you or your loved one from a terrible situation. You may be losing hope and fearful God won't answer. Understand this, God will never respond to your requests with something worse. God wants what's going to glorify Himself so it will reverberate and have maximum impact on us and beyond. If curing your illness or a loved one's illness will have the impact that glorifies Him, makes Him conspicuous and brings others to Christ then He'll heal. If allowing the illness and even eventual death will glorify Him, then He won't heal.
Sometimes it takes great suffering to wake people up. Sometimes, it takes great suffering to bring us to Christ or bring us closer to Christ. This little vapor of a life we live is not about our temporal and immediate comfort. Our rest will finally come in eternity. It's about building Christ's Kingdom and glorifying God. Not praying is absolutely insane because He wants to give us Himself. There is nothing on earth, in heaven or the entire universe that is greater and more priceless than that. Only God will last forever. He is the greatest treasure.
"Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."- Matthew 6:10
Not ours...
The Cheapskate Wife
High 5!
Man...did I gloat after all of Sharb's whining and insisting he'd gladly spend hundreds on a rug just so his pregnant wife would get up and stop looking like she was wrestling a crocodile. Not only did I gloat over my find, but unearthing that treasure inspired others to dig through that mountain. Hey it pays to take your time and look.
The Proverbs 31 wife helped her husband by caring for their home and those dependent on her in responsible, smart, frugal ways. I always use her as a spiritual example in the home. Well that also includes materially so I'm on a mission.
I haven't resorted to separating two-ply toilet paper to make two rolls yet or started dumpster diving for dinner, but being cheap has immediate and long term advantages. When one considers living in terms of eternity, the less and less worldly one becomes. In these hard economic times, saving money and living within one's means is not only paramount, but it shouldn't have taken a monetary meltdown for us to realize this.
Being a cheapskate is also less wasteful. No, I'm not one of those "Go green" fanatics, but taking advantage of everything God's provided for us to live is honoring to Him. For example...
12 Ways To Use Eggshells
Recyclable Crafts
Easy Compost Pile At Home
There are tons of ways to save money and also be healthy. In our society everything is about speed and convenience and we're paying the ultimate price for it economically, physically, mentally and worst of all spiritually.
Foraging is becoming increasingly popular not only because food is so expensive, but for the tremendous health benefits as well. Did you know eating a cup of dandelion greens has far more vitamins and minerals than anything we can buy in a store? We see them as bothersome weeds, but they're known as a miracle food in most other countries.
Foraging Weeds For Healthy Eating
Edible Wild Plants With Pictures
Just by canning food we not only save a lot of money, but it's far better and healthier than buying in grocery stores. Convenience is extremely expensive and detrimental to our health. Fruit orchards in your area often times will throw perfectly good fruit away simply because an apple has fallen on the ground and can't be sold to the public under our strict food laws. Visiting these places, you may find you can get these things for free or dirt cheap. Use what you want then can the rest. Did you know most honey sold in the stores has been processed to death and has almost none of the pollen and good bacteria that has all of the medicinal value? Many processed foods have very little health value and suck up your grocery money.
As Christians we're called to live simply with our focus on spreading the Gospel, running the race and eternity to come, not what we can grab in the world before we're dead. We can take nothing with us anyway. For further reading to start your own "cheapskate" journey, check out these links for ideas...
Fifty Tips For Frugal Living
Christian Simple Living
The Dollar Stretcher
He's At the Door
Prior to making this statement, Jesus spoke vividly about the coming end times and all the signs leading up to it. He spoke about the destruction of Herod's temple, wars and Christian persecutions, the destruction of Jerusalem and the signs we'd see right before His return. He followed it with a warning in the verses above.
The word "dissipation" in the Greek is κραιπάλη, ης, ἡ. It's a noun and it means to over indulge whether in food, drink and any other excess or self indulgence. Drunkeness is self explanatory, but then He states, "the worries of life".
Being on guard has the idea of high alert and vigilance. Every sound, every movement is met with readiness. Think of a soldier in a war zone. He's not drinking from his canister, crying to his mom over the phone, playing video games or flipping through a catalog picking all the material things he's going to buy when he gets home while faced with the enemy. He has his weapon in hand, he's aware of the slightest sounds and movement and every muscle in his body is tense and ready to spring into action any second.
The warning for us in these verses that followed the signs of the end and the lesson of the fig tree, is to look around us. We are surrounded by the enemy in enemy territory who will throw every tactic under the sun at us. We see the signs. We know His return is close, even at the door. He's saying "Watch yourselves! Don't become distracted and weighed down by worldly pleasures, self indulgence, partying, drinking, drugs (whether illegal or to help us cope) or let worries and stresses, struggles, heartaches or troubles take your attention away from what's coming."
In our society and culture the days are becoming increasingly darker and we're surrounded by the blackness of evil. We tend to use forms of escapism to distract ourselves from the stress of it all. The very foundations of our the world are being shaken. Economies are collapsing. Entire societies are imploding. We're worried about our own jobs and financial security. We're worried about the future of our own nation. We're worried about terrorism. The culture has shifted dramatically. Going through a economic collapse would be catastrophic because people are more wicked and iniquity abounds.
We use the internet, TV, movies, music, partying, drinking, drugs, etc., to distract ourselves and get our minds off of what's happening around us. We accept the notion we deserve to indulge ourselves with the world and all it offers because we've worked hard, had a tough week, went through a serious financial, mental, emotional or physical upheaval. The world advocates and presses the idea of over indulgence, treating yourself to all it offers because you deserve it.
It's all a smoke screen. It's a tactic of the enemy who knows our own sinful, selfish nature better than we do. It's a dangling of the carrot. It's an attempt to start a fire in another corner to get your attention off the elephant in the room and Satan is well aware of what the elephant in the room is. Jesus warns us not to fall for it. He's telling us to keep our eyes on Him and not what's around us because He's at the door. What's coming through the door is far greater and more devastating than anything happening around us.
By all worldly accounts we should be worried. We should be entering panic mode with the state of our society, world and mankind in general. The sin nature's course of alleviating that panic is self indulgence and escapism through several means. Yet, Jesus warns us not to do it. Because of the increase of wickedness and the deep furrows we all bear from it, we tend to sink into ourselves by throwing elaborate pity parties and keeping our focus on us and/or the wrongs against us. Yet, Jesus warns us not to fall for it.
We must be vigilant and on high alert. Nothing is out of God's control and every frightening sight or news we hear about has already been known and being brought about according to God's plan and purposes.
"Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the LORD." Zephaniah: 2:3
This is what should be weighing on our hearts and we should be concerned with. We should be in prayer, study and preparing for His arrival. If you've found yourself focused on the fire in the corner while ignoring the elephant in the room or following the carrot then first, praise God for the warning He gives to all of us. Second, be thankful He's pointed it out to you. Next, act on it lest that day close on you like a trap.
The Master of the house is at the door.
He Will Finish It
This is probably one of the most powerful Scriptures I've read. In it do we come to understand that our confidence is never in us or should be in us, but in God alone. As imperfect, fallen creatures we are more prone to fall then to rise. There's nothing in us deserving of confidence. Our confidence is in Christ alone. Not only did He seek us out and save us, but He won't give up and will complete the work He began.
If you are a believer then God began a work in you and no matter what, He will finish it. It's all His work and not ours. We did nothing to provoke it and can do nothing to finish it. We were dead in our sins therefore incapable of doing anything. He has done it apart from us for us. His church, His body, all of us, have been built on rock, a solid, sure foundation that cannot be shaken or destroyed. We stand and live on that rock in spite of ourselves because He keeps us standing on that solid foundation.
But He has promised to not forsake us, to not give up and everything He plans He carries through. There is our confidence. Though we fail, though we sin and fall flat on our faces, though we can't lift a finger anymore to help ourselves, He will continue on the good work He began and will not only finish it, but crown it in perfection. He will finish it even if He has to beat the daylights out of us to do so. He has promised a spotless bride and He will deliver.
Are things just spiraling out of control and you feel like a failure? Do you wonder how you will ever get out of the mess you've found yourself in? Are you depressed? Do you wonder how you will ever see another good day? Are you afraid you've crossed the line with God? Do you feel as though you are one sin away from God throwing up His hands and saying "That's it! I can't take you and your failure anymore"?
He will finish it.
Again, He began the good work in all of us while we were still His enemies, depraved and hostile toward Him. We did nothing for Him to begin such a work and we can do nothing for Him to finish it. Thank God for His unconditional love. Thank God His good work is not dependent on us or anything we can or can't do. We may be failures, but He's not. We may not finish things, but He always does. That work He began in you, He will finish it.
Man's Free Will and God's Sovereignity
Video teachings on the "Chosen By God" Series by R.C. Sproul on what having free will actually means.
Lecture 1: Everyone Believes This Doctrine
Lecture 2: God's Sovereignity
Lecture 3: What Is free Will?
Lecture 4: Man's Radicall Fallenness
Lecture 5: Does God Create Unbelief?
Lecture 6: The Divine Initiative
The Influence of Unbelievers
Recently I ran into a woman from my former church. She's a pleasant lady and I was glad to see her. My husband and I left that church before we were even married. The wolves and goats had taken over and the Leadership was afraid to exercise church discipline as it could bring about law suits thus began a mass exodus. The shepherds responsible for the flock sacrificed the flock out of fear. That's sin and that Leadership will have to answer for that. God noticed hence the mass exodus of genuine Believers.
So I asked her about the church and she suddenly looked sad and said " you know...it's the same." My next question of course was, "why haven't you left?" Her reason for sticking it out was she and her husband had been members for years and, by remaining, she hoped God would use them and the other few Believers to shine light in that darkness and bring about change. That seems pretty noble and I don't doubt she loves the church, but is this the right thing to do?
Maybe you have found yourself in a similar situation and are hoping God will somehow use you as an instrument. Maybe you hang around unbelievers in places you shouldn't be, but rationalize that you can be a witness to them. My husband and I know a guy who frequents casinos and bars to "witness" to all of his worldly friends for hours on end. Maybe your church's doctrine/teaching has changed and they've gone the way of the world to build up their congregation and given up sound teaching which offends the ungodly.
Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9). He chooses to allow us participation in His work. He doesn't need us. He's been working just fine without us for eternity. We always make more of a mess than help anyway. It's a privilege from God and not a necessity. We can't save anyone, only God can. We can plant a seed and water it, but only God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6). Even the seed we plant or water doesn't come from us, it's the Holy Spirit. Whether there is not a single Believer around for thousands of miles means absolutely nothing. God can and does save without us. He's been doing it since creation.
"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" 1 Corinthians 10:12
"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position." 2 Peter 3:17
We have to constantly be on guard against our own flesh and fight that war from sun up to sun down. We are prone to sin. We still possess the sin nature. We will continue to be locked in hard battle with it until the day we take our last breaths. We will not influence the group, they will influence us. We will give in to sin before they give in to godliness. The odds are stacked against us in those environments and situations and not the other way around. We will fall before they rise. We're not here to change the world or build empires. The world will be destroyed. We're here to glorify God. To purposely put ourselves in extremely precarious and compromising situations or environments is not only unwise, but downright dangerous to us...not them.
"Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch nothing unclean; Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, You who carry the vessels of the LORD." Isaiah 52:11
"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." 2 Corinthians 6:17
We shouldn't be running toward the world, but continuously running from its influence and beating it off with big sticks while grabbing as many as God wants along the way. Right now we can't escape the world. We're here for as long as God sees fit. Like Lot (2 Peter 2:8), we should be looking around us grieving and tormented in our spirits by the unrighteousness that constantly offends God, surrounds and influences us. We see this scenerio played out several times in Scripture with many great kings. God warned the Jews several times to not mix with the people around them lest they fall.We are warned to keep ourselves separate from the world and all that's in it.
When the goats have taken over churches then we must separate ourselves. Church is the one place we, as Believers, are to come together, edify each other, pray for one another, feed and meet each other needs. We can't do that when the sheep have been run out and all that's left are goats. All we're doing is coddling the goats and hoping that by us being sheep and if we squeeze them hard enough, they will somehow turn into sheep. The church is not made up of unbelievers. It's made up of Believers. Christ is the Head and Husband of a regenerated Bride not a Bride that has some regenerated and a lot of those who could be one day if we're holy and righteous enough around them. Church is for believers not unbelievers. The church is to reach out to unbelievers and do all they can to win them, but without lowering Biblical standards, teachings or accepting and enabling worldliness in its midst to attract the world. God makes Himself attractive.
I know, I know, most churches spend countless amounts of money, resources and time to attract the world, but they're wrong. To read more about it from Spurgeon check out Feeding Sheep Or Amusing Goats?
If we continue in these types of situations, we're having the exact opposite affect. Instead of standing for righteousness, we're enabling. Taking a stand and separating ourselves is like a blaring train horn. When the saints see and understand the assault on God's holiness and character, the insult against His crown, but do nothing, they're accomplices. The greatest harm to the ungodly by Christians is when we talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. When we call ourselves godly, but tolerate and flirt with the world in an attempt to "win" them.
"We live in a day where we think that in order to be relevant to our culture we must be like our culture....in order for the Gospel to be relevant we must somehow adapt it to our culture. And nothing on the face of the earth or in bowels of hell could be further from the truth. The worst thing that could ever happen to a preacher, the worst thing that could ever happen to a church is to become civilized and respectable." - Paul Washer
All churches have a certain amount of unbelievers and no church is perfect, but if your church is made up of mostly the world, governed and taken down worldly paths to please worldly church members, if those unbelievers are perfectly comfortable there, something is very wrong.
I'm not saying we have no influence at all. That's not true either, but we don't have what we like to think we have. We are in enemy territory of which we ourselves were made from and saved from. Throwing a few sheep into a goat pen is not going to make the goats act like sheep. The sheep will eventually mimic the goats. We will eventually participate in their sins and go back to old man habits (Revelation 18:4). This is why we are to be separate. This is why we are to flee and come out from among them.
"As a private member of a church, I have no right to be a member of a church whose doctrines I do not accept; indeed, I ought not to regard it as a possibility that I could remain to profess what I do not agree with. I am responsible, as a member of a church, for all that is taught and all that is done by that church in its church capacity; and if I am protesting in my heart, and yet in my proper person continue part and parcel of that church, I am not acting truthfully to God." -Charles Spurgeon
Discerning The Voice Of God
Have you ever heard someone say "God told me..."? It's used in many revelatory ways such as dreams and visions, promptings, voices, visitations, etc. They often have an entire mystical experience to go with it. Most popular teachers use this method to gather for themselves flocks of followers. They portray themselves as being so spiritual, so special, so mighty for God and so learned that God speaks directly to them. And you must listen because if He's not speaking to you in the same way then you're weak, wandering aimlessly and need that teacher's guidance to get on the path they're on. First you must buy their material and send them love gifts. Hey! The path isn't free you know!
There are examples in Scripture where God did speak directly to his people to give His will in a matter or offer divine guidance. Before we can point at those and say "See, He does speak!" We also have to consider the context in which He chose to speak. God parted the Red Sea and made a donkey speak as well. Does that mean He'll part the Detroit River for me to get to Canada? Does that mean He may speak to me through my cat? One of the main factors in the methods God used in special circumstances was the cannon of Scripture hadn't been completed yet. It was still in the process of being completed and those experiences were added in Scripture for us to learn from. God speaking audibly to Elijah is not what God wants us to focus on, but rather what He was teaching Elijah and the circumstances surrounding it.
"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4
Today we have the complete Word of God. There are a myriad of reasons Christians don't study Scripture. They'd rather rely on a "moving" from God or a direct "word" or "revelation". There's several problems with this....
1. As fallen creatures we're incapable of discerning God's pure and lofty thoughts.
2. As fallen creatures our experiences aren't reliable as they are tainted by the sin nature and subjective.
3. Scripture warns against adding to the revelations in the Bible (Revelation 22:18)
4. It's putting an awful lot of trust and confidence in our flesh when Scripture distinctly warns that the heart of man is deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and anyone who trusts in his own heart is a fool (Proverbs 28:26). Trusting in a feeling or voice is absolutely foolish and just asking for disaster.
5. There's absolutely no way to test what we've heard. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
6. Christ is the Word of God made flesh. (John 1:1) Want to know Christ, God's will and direction? Study the Word. It's from this feeding on Scripture does the Holy Spirit lead us, teach us and make Scripture applicable to our lives (John 14:26)
7. More often than not we have no idea what God's doing in our lives or around us until after He's already done it. Even then we don't grasp the magnitude in which He's worked or moved in our behalf.
8. To hear voices and assume it's God is dangerous especially when we have a powerful enemy who is just looking for a foothold to attack and devour. (1 Peter 5:8) How can we know we're hearing the voice of God and not a demon or Satan himself? I heard a girl say she knew God was speaking to her because He used Scripture. Yet, what she claimed God was telling her ran completely contrary to Scripture. Satan distorted and twisted Scripture to the Word of God Himself (Matthew 4:6). How are we safe from him? if we don't know Scripture how can we know Satan's not doing the same to us?
There is nothing...no feeling, no mystical experience, no voice, no revelation, dream or vision that can hold more weight than Scripture itself. It is the divine authority and complete revelation from God. All other promptings or voices is like equating a Ferrari to a huffy...straw to grain...
"'Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has My Word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?' declares the LORD. 'Is not My word like fire,' declares the LORD, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'"
God speaks loud and clear through 66 books. If that's not enough for us then we have far bigger and perilous problems than trying to figure out if God is speaking to or prompting us. He's already said everything He's needed to say. We just need to listen by knowing the method He chose to speak to man...the Bible. We don't get to choose how we have a relationship with God or how we communicate with Him. He chose and we must follow. It's on His terms not ours.
"And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19
Peter heard God's voice several times and witnessed countless miracles, some even he performed, walked with Christ Himself, was on the mount of transfiguration and saw God move powerfully, but even he knew and understood Scripture trumped all these experiences.
Scripture is sufficient. Scripture is the revelation of Christ to mankind. Christ is Scripture. If Scripture is not sufficient for us or we're looking to add to our walk by other methods and means then we're setting ourselves us for disaster and we've rejected truth, Christ and the only means we have to divine truth...the Bible.
Prayer Is The Beginning
"America will come to the place where we will either learn to concentrate in prayer or we'll pray in concentration camps " Leonard Ravenhill
Before John Knox began his Preaching ministry, he was arrested in 1547 and spent 19 months as a slave in a French gallery ship. They would chain slaves in the lowest bowels of the ship to row. He was eventually released and taken to London in 1549 where he became a Chaplain. Because of the harsh circumstances that Knox lived for 19 months, he learned about prayer. As a slave in the lower parts of that ship where he was forgotten and chained, Knox was torn down and rebuilt by God as a man of prayer.
Knox lived and breathed prayer. He constantly had an attitude of prayer. He learned well in that ship what prayer does and can do. Mary the Queen of Scots is recorded as saying "I fear more the prayers of John Knox than all the assembled armies of Europe."
All men, like Bruce, had was God. They didn't own expensive cars and several homes or take expensive vacations. They didn't plead for money from their hearers or preach about prosperity and loving yourself. They didn't offer DVDs and self help material. They preached the Gospel only and would do it after hours of prayer. They were only concerned about the work God called them to do and nothing else. Because they gave themselves over to prayer they preached with power.
Imagine where we'd be as a people if we spent as much time in prayer and in studying scripture that we give to TV, movies, computer and chasing after worldly things. In such evil times, in times when everything around you is falling apart and discourages you, it's prayer and spending time with God that makes you bold, full of faith and gives much needed strength. It comes no other way. You would have no fear when trials come, but would rest in God. Instead of worrying about trials and tribulations and desperately looking for ways out of them, you would be steadfast in your faith, in His sovereignty and ability. There wouldn't be room for fear and shrinking away.
Robert Bruce often had to hide and run from persecution. On those occasions he saw them as opportunities of more prayer. He didn't look for support groups or circle time with groups of other men. He got alone with God and was on his knees. The key to his life was prayer. The first time Bruce was thrown into prison for preaching he didn't pray, "Why are you doing this to me God! Where are You?! What did I do? Why do I have to suffer! God please get me out of this!" Bruce prayed this...
"God, if it be Your good pleasure to exercise me with a new trial and pull both the ministry and people from me, if it would please Thee, instead of the king's favor and the priests favor being toward me, please triple Thy Spirit upon me and let me see in my heart Thy face brighter and brighter."
They did so much with so little and we do so little with so much. If we are use to being in the presence of a great God then we won't be afraid to be in the presence of little men and anything they can throw at us. The dependence on the Holy Spirit through prayer was the nucleus in the lives of these men just as it was for Christ, the Apostles and Prophets. Everything God did through ordinary men, He began it in the prayer closet.
When we look at some of the giants in the Bible, no ministry, no power came to anyone without a deep prayer life. Being a good speaker or some gift we think we've identified in ourselves is not a prerequisite for any type of ministry. The prerequisite is prayer. John the Baptist spent his entire life in the desert to preach for six months. Jesus spent thirty years in preparation to preach for three years. All of it began in prayer, continued in prayer and ended in prayer.
God made many promises in the Bible to His people that He would put His words in their mouths and would teach them what to say in the moment they needed it. What all these men had in common was a habitual prayer life. This isn't something only they had access too. We are all commanded to be a people of prayer. God doesn't expect to hear our feet running to His throne, He expects them to be rooted before His throne.
Christians look at Muslims and are amazed that they pray five times a day. Five times a day they stop whatever they're doing and where ever they are for prayer and I did this too. This baffles Christians. Why? Have they never read 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "pray continually"?
God doesn't want to see us and hear our prayers five times a day. He demands Christians pray constantly. That we live and move and breathe in a state of constant prayer, in total dependence on Him. He expects us to be looking to Him for every moment, every need and every situation. He commands we live every moment of our lives in continuous communion with Him.
We wonder why we feel so stagnant. We wonder why nothing ever seems to work out. We wonder why God seems to constantly be blocking us and frustrating our efforts. We wonder why we are continuously facing the same battles with sin in our lives without any victory. We wonder why our lives are the way they are. We're constantly looking for some easy fix and looking to others who claim to have secrets to fix our circumstances, but nothing ever works because what we're missing is one crucial component....prayer. We don't pray. We don't wrestle.
"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;" Isaiah 51:1
Recommended Reading 50,000 Prayers Answered
The Retirement Crown
There's nothing wrong with retirement from a long time job and collecting a pension...in the world. Most people save most of their lives for the moment they retire and think they're really going to enjoy the few years they have left. Maybe get a dog, go fishing, wander around the house, plant some flowers, take trips. That's the world. What blows my mind is to read about so many ministers doing this. They even pump their congregations in their remaining years to add to their retirement.
I know of a man who ministered in his church for 50 years and he refused to retire because he wasn't dead therefore was still charged with administering the Gospel. He was eventually forced out of his own church and into retirement. Despite his years of service, despite teaching the unadulterated Word of God for 50 years, most of his congregation believed he was too old, too tired and should retire to enjoy what few years remained for him.
I have yet to find anywhere in Scripture anything concerning God's servants retiring from His work while they still have breath left in their bodies. God's retirement plan doesn't kick in until we're dead. Our pension and other retirement funds is the crown of righteousness. Our rest won't come until we stand before God Himself.
The church so emulates the world in almost every aspect that it's hard to tell them apart anymore. When Believers are given the administering of the Gospel as Pastors there is no cut off date until death. God doesn't call anyone in for a retirement meeting and hand out RVs and golf clubs. The Prophets and Apostles never looked forward too a pension, social security and retirement to wander around the country side sight seeing and playing shuffle board. They looked forward to standing before Christ unashamed as loyal, faithful servants.
There are ministers today so worried over health insurance that they're forming a sort of union to pool funds in case someone gets sick. They scoffed at one minister who said quite frankly "If I get sick I'll put my faith in God. I'm not going to worry about it."
When we have leaders that do as the world does how can we not expect the flock to follow? When a lone leader steps out and says "Wait. This isn't how those who came before us lived", they're scoffed at. I'm not against relaxation or enjoyment, but leaders and sheep have made it the focal point of our lives and we plan heavily and live for it.
I had a minister on my facebook who knew my parents before he was a minister so we became friends. He leads a large congregation. All he talked about is retiring and all his happy plans, his Beatles memorabilia collection and things he did as a kid. Most of his congregation is on his facebook page and they think he's the coolest Pastor ever. The frivolity infects the people and they follow. I've never learned so much about a band in my entire life. I never put that much effort into my favorite bands when I was an unbeliever.
This is how he leads his congregation and he's not anomaly. This is what his flock learns from him. A short sermon on Sundays that he brags about writing several times during the week and a whole lot about the Beatles, his plans for retirement and what he was like as a kid. This world is going down like the Hindenburg right before our eyes, millions are dangling over hell and already have the stench of smoke on them and we're looking forward to retirement, a pension and all our happy relaxing plans.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
and who seek the LORD:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
and to the quarry from which you were hewn;" Isaiah 51:1
We have to return to the foundation. We have to go back to the quarry which is the Bible and live by our faith, serving God continuously as He demands and expects until we have no more breath. Leaders need to take their flocks back to the quarries. If you've found yourself surrounded by this worldly mentality in your church and in your leaders then for you as the individual I give you this...
"This is what the LORD says:
'Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16
"The West is crumbling before us and we still choose to be trite, frivolous and happy. The fact of the matter is man is twisted and broken and dead. The fact of the matter is judgment is coming. The fact of the matter is all that we can see will be melted as with fire." - Paul Washer from The Reality of Judgment
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