Author Archives: shepherdbryan

Unknown's avatar

About shepherdbryan

My passion is to disciple and see men discipled in every area of their life to see the multiplication principle actually work in a 100 year generational blessing. As go men in the church, so goes the church. As go men in the nation, so goes the nation. Fortunately, because men have often not taken their spiritual role to the limit, God has raised up many godly women to carry the torch where men have laid it aside. May God rapidly raise up men for the next generation of leaders to the Fourth Generation of spiritual leaders! As men lead in a godly way, women will follow in a godly way and that people will be blessed of the Lord.

Question: What does it take to restore fellowship with God after sin?

Posted on by
Reply

What does it take to restore fellowship with God after sin?

            Every person sins in life.  It is a reality of life that unbelievers live in sin.  Paul writes regarding the condition of the unbeliever,

·         And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
·         2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
·         3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Eph. 2:1-3)

Paul describes the unbeliever, who walks “according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.”  In other words, the unbeliever does nothing but sin, because he is independent from God and does not trust God for anything.

A believer also sins, because he still has a sin nature. Every believer inherits a sin nature at birth passed down from his father (Rom. 5:12). The believer, like Paul, wants to do the right thing, but doesn’t, and the things he doesn’t want to do, he does anyway (Rom. 7:15).  Even after salvation, the sin nature within still seeks to control the believer.  He will have that sin nature until he dies. Therefore, he will continue to sin in time.  When he does, what does he do? Let us be specific in the mechanics of restoring fellowship.

            First, awareness of sin will come from the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). The whole world has guilt because of sin.1  Paul writes, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Rom. 3:19) The world may not respond to its guilt, but it is guilty.  The world suppresses the truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18). The world of unbelievers rejects the truth and becomes callused before the Holy Spirit’s convicting ministry because their foolish hearts were darkened (Rom. 1:21-22).God is holy and sin makes us guilty before holy God regardless of how we feel.

The same is true for the believer.The Holy Spirit convicts the believer of sin.  That conviction produces guilt in the heart of the believer. For example, Paul writes, “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Cor. 11:27)  The “whoever” includes any believer who approaches the communion table with sin in his life and he does not deal with it in a godly way. That person is guilty.  In fact, James records for us the standard of life and the horrendous predicament of what sin does to his relationship with the Lord. James writes, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.” (Jam. 2:10)  James is writing to believers who did not take sin seriously.  He clearly states that even if a believer keeps all of God’s Word and he sins in one way, it is as if he is guilty of the whole thing.  He still has eternal life (John 17:3).  He is still God’s child (John 1:12), but he has objective guilt and fellowship with God is broken.

Secondly, the believer will turn to God in repentance from His sin (cf. 1 Thes. 1:9).  That turning is called repentance. Paul writes,

  • 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
  • 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
  • 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2 Cor. 7:9-11)

The godly sorrow is from the objective guilt.  It is God’s real reason He designed feelings in humanity.  God designed the feelings to draw us closer to Himself.  Feelings are like the red lights on the car dashboard.  The light tells you something is urgently wrong and you need to act quickly before more trouble develops.  Those feelings cause godly sorrow, which God designed to produce repentance.

            Repentance comes from a word (metanoia) meaning “change of thinking.”  Repentance means you change your thinking about God and begin to pursue Him, instead of the independence of sin.  Note the clear actions in 2 Corinthians 7:11 (above) that result from true repentance in life.2

            Thirdly, restoration of fellowship requires confession. John tells the believer to confess his sins to the Father.  John writes, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn. 1:9) We would not know our sin, unless the Holy Spirit convicted us. We would not confess if we did not change our thinking through repentance. God wants us to confess the sin.  The word for confess (homologeo) means “say the same thing.”  God wants us to say the same thing He says about sin.  He wants us to agree with Him that we did not live by faith, that we did not depend on Him and that we did not humbly submit to His will. We do that by acknowledging that what we did (like get angry or cheat on a test) is sin against God.

When we confess (acknowledge that we sinned), then He promises to forgive us from the sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  The “all unrighteousness” is the reality that we are not even aware of all of our sin, but God, in His mercy, does not overload us with guilt.  He merely makes us aware of sin that we have learned about at our point of spiritual growth in life.  When we confess, He forgives and cleanses.

Fourthly, depend on His control of your life.  Paul writes, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”  (Eph. 5:18)  Although, the believer is always indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9), the only way a believer is filled with the Spirit is when he has confessed his sins and he is humbly choosing to be dependent on the Holy Spirit’s control of his life and he does what is pleasing to the Father.  Jesus said, “”For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38)  Paul writes, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. (2 Cor. 5:9)

Fifthly, press on in His power. God wants every believer to live in the same resurrection power that Jesus lives in now.  That can only be done in a pure and holy life dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit under the rulership of Jesus Christ.  Paul states it well,

  • 18 the eyes of your understanding  being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
  • 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
  • 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (Eph. 1:18-20)
This may seem complicated, but it all can happen simultaneously through confession of sin.  I have broken it down, just like teaching a person how to get behind the steering wheel of a car and the steps of learning how to drive.  In the beginning, it seems like a lot of steps, but eventually, it becomes natural. Sometimes everything is complicated to children and children only want things simple. 

Growing believers want to learn the spiritual life and will think through Scripture until they can clearly understand.  They will wrestle with the text, but not wrangle with believers.  They will humbly learn, rather than get huffy that someone had a different view from them.  May you be blessed as you grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!
 

1There is a difference between objective and subjective guilt.  Objective guilt is that awareness of doing wrong before God. It is true guilt.  It comes from the conviction of the Holy Spirit of sin against holy God.  Subjective guilt is the feelings that something is wrong, but there is not awareness of what it is.  It may be feeling bad because of being caught doing wrong (caught with the hand in the cookie jar).  This is the subjective guilt that Judas felt after betraying the Lord Jesus.  He “felt” guilty (which included the fact of objective guilt), and his feelings overcame him and he took his life rather than repent before the Lord (Matt. 27:3-5). There is also the assembly of feelings, because of lost opportunity. This is what Esau felt when he realized his lost opportunity for the blessing that would have been his (Heb. 12:16-17).  Objective guilt is dealt with through repentance, confession and dependency on the Lord.

2There will be an article on the “Results of Repentance” in a few short days on this blog.

Book Review: The Real Crash by Peter Schiff

Posted on by
Reply
The Real Crash by Peter Schiff should be read by every American.  It certainly should be read by every pastor so that he can inform his congregation concerning the “frog in the kettle” way that the foolishness of men has overtaken our government and way of life.  Continue reading →

Words: Can you hear it (Wisdom calling out)?

Posted on by
Reply

Can you hear it?
I have read the passage hundreds of time.  It is time I comment on it.  Proverbs 8:1-2 says, “Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill. Beside the way, where the paths meet.” How many of us think about this?
How can you hear wisdom?  The passage says that wisdom cries out, yet you can’t audibly hear anything?  The question should really be, “Are people listening for wisdom?”  How can people listen for wisdom, when they may no longer carry the “boom boxes” from the eighties, but ARE wired into the ear sets of iPods, iPads, iPhones and all sorts of MP3 players?   The style choices for music, talk shows and news are seemingly endless. The preferences people plug into stimulate their brains, bodies and souls, which can fill every waking moment, so that no one could ever become “bored.”  How can people listen for wisdom if they are always listening to something on the television, radio or techno gadget?
How many people have the television on in the background, even though they are not really listening to it?  There is something that our flesh likes about having music, or talking, in the background.  When I visited my cousins on the farm, my uncle always played music on the radio at milking time, because it calmed the cows and they produced more milk. Do we like something in the background to keep us calm and we really do not like silence? 
All the noise can easily become “white noise.”  What happens then? What might be very important is not heard, like wisdom calling in “the way, where the paths meet…by the gates, at the entry of the city.”
In fact, wisdom is spiritual wisdom, just like God is Spirit.  You cannot feel, taste, touch, see, smell, or hear God.  You cannot use the senses during this Age to connect with God.  God has provided everything you need to understand and know Him through His Word.  The Christian way of life is based on faith, not sight.  Paul makes this point clear when he said, “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col. 2:6)  How did you receive Jesus as your Savior?  You received Him by faith.  It was not by works, feelings, sight, hearing or any other physical sense.  You received Him by faith and you are also to live by faith, not by your senses or personal efforts.  You are to live by trusting in Him to do His work through you by means of His Spirit. 
Consequently, wisdom is given by God’s Spirit as you hide God’s Word in your heart.  God’s Spirit guides you into the Word (John 16:13) and enlightens you as a partaker of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 6:4).  When a person is filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), he will be enlightened and the Word will not be a dry desert, but a loud message awakening him from his slumberous walk in life.
Proverbs eight continues to use the hearing sense personified, just as wisdom is personified as a lady to be courted by a pursuing believer,
·         32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
·         33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.
·         34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
·         35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD. (Pro. 8:32-35)
Wait in silence before God and wisdom will call to your soul and lead you in God’s presence of blessing and life.
            Silence is a Spiritual Discipline1 that must be cultivated.  How will that happen in a world full of white noise? Schedule times of silence in the day, so that as you meditate on God’s Word, or at least have God’s Word in the back of your mind, wisdom will speak to you and you will understand the will of the Lord.  Unless you schedule silence into your life, you will miss wisdom crying out to you.
1Look back at the following link on Spiritual Disciplines for a short description on the Spiritual Discipline of Silence: http://renewingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/03/words-spiritual-disciplines-part-3.html

 

Question: Can a Christian not sin?

Posted on by
Reply

Can a Christian not sin?

 

Jesus did not sin. John writes, “ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” (1 Jn. 3:5)  Peter is more specific,

  • 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
  • 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; (1 Pet 2:21-22)

The Lord Jesus Christ did not sin in His humanity, or any other time, but what about you and me? Can a Christian not sin?

An interesting passage is the second account of sin.  Abel and Cain made offerings to God and God accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s.  The purpose of this article is not to analyze why God did not accept Cain’s offering, but to note that He did not accept it and to look at the Lord’s counsel to Cain.

  • 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
  • 7 “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Gen. 4:6-7)

Notice that God does not rebuke Cain on the specifics of the offering, but challenges him to reflect on what he should now do. 

Cain had not repented or realized he was thinking independently from God. So God asks Cain the questions, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?” not because God does not know the answers, but to help Cain consider his actions.  God did not accept his offering, but Cain also did not approach God and ask God why he did not accept the offering.  Cain was acting independently from God and God’s questions were designed to reveal to Cain his failure to humble himself and submit to the Lord.

Then God changes the course of the questions.  God asks, “If you do well…” That is the key in life – to do well.  To do well is to please God.  It doesn’t matter what we do or not in our own eyes, but doing well in God’s eyes does matter.  Then God explains what must happen for Cain to do well – to be accepted by God. In order to do well, you must recognize there is an enemy.  God says, “Sin lies at the door.”  The door is Cain’s heart.  Sin is personified as having a desire to control Cain.  That is always the desire of sin.  It wants to control and not just a little or in just a few areas, but all the time and in every area. 

Sin has one focus – it wants to control you.  It will look for your weaknesses and start out small.  It will often gain a foothold in your life in small things, for example in doubt or worry, or about whether you will be accepted or rejected.  It may start in small secret areas of life like pornography or material lusts in desiring more clothes or maybe in seeking the status of having a boyfriend.  It starts small and then seeks to gain ground.  Sin is like a fire, it is never satisfied, until it controls every area.  Sin is like a grave that is always looking for its next victim.  Sin is like a parched desert that never gets enough water. It’s stated best in Proverbs,

  • 15 The leech has two daughters– Give and Give! There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”:
  • 16 The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water– And the fire never says, “Enough!” (Pro. 30:15-16)

Sin desires to control, so God clarifies to Cain, “…but you must rule over it.”  With that admonishment and challenge, Cain leaves the presence of the Lord.  The question is, “Will he rule over his sin, so that sin does not control him?”  What does the next verse say? “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” (Gen. 4:8)  Can you believe it? In the very next verse, God shows that Cain does not control sin. In the very next verse, Cain is not just tempted, but he falls headlong into sin and murders his brother.  Maybe Cain thinks he needs to remove the competition, so that God would “have” to accept what Cain did.  

Cain cannot control sin, because he was not completely dependent on the Lord.  Cain does not control sin, because God never intended that we could control sin apart from His presence in our lives.  Cain does not control sin, because only God’s work in our lives through His power, the Holy Spirit, can a believer successfully rule over sin.

Can a believer not sin?  NO and YES.  A believer cannot control sin in his own power.  He will succumb to temptation every time and reveal the ineptness of his flesh to function in dependency upon the Lord. He will fail just as Cain failed.  Yet, the believer can control sin, when he is dependent on the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Is that important to understand?  Absolutely, because it reveals that a believer will be fleshly, except when he is dependent on the Lord.

Question: Does a Christian have to persevere in order to be saved?

Posted on by
Reply

Does a Christian have to persevere in order to be saved?

This is a great question from an astute student of God’s Word.  It comes from one who has heard of the acrostic attributed to Calvin called TULIP.  Each of the letters is descriptive of an aspect of what a person believes, who says he is a Calvinist.

The letters describe a person’s theology.  Do not, however, judge a person who says he holds to the TULIP principle until you fully understand what he personally means.  Some believe in the acrostic TULIP, but have different understandings than what Calvin taught or many modern day theologians who hold to Calvinistic theology. 

Allow me to give a brief explanation of each of the letters, without digging below the surface. The “T” stands for Total Depravity.  Man is totally depraved and can do nothing that merits any recognition or reward from God.  The “U” stands for Unconditional Election and defines God’s sovereign choice in electing believers in Jesus Christ.  The “L” stands for Limited Atonement and implies that Jesus’ death was only applicable to those who are elect (An article will appear very soon to explain how this one is clearly not Scriptural).  The “I” stands for the Irresistible Grace of God that a person cannot refuse when it is his time to be saved.  The “P” stands for Perseverance of the Saints and implies that once a believer is saved, he must continue in the faith, or he really was not saved.  I am only addressing the last letter, the “P” of TULIP.

Does a person have to persevere to be saved?  There are certainly different understandings of people who hold to this theology, so I do not want to categorize everyone in a particular way. The gist of the principle is that God elects a person to be saved.  At salvation, God gives eternal life and the person enters into a relationship with God.  Based on Scriptures like John 15, the person who abides in Jesus will bear fruit and if the person is not bearing fruit, then “the person was not really saved,” according to this view.  Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)  In other words, “they” will say, if you are not bearing fruit, you are not abiding in Jesus and you are therefore not a believer.  Consequently, if you are not bearing fruit, you are not persevering and you must not be a believer.  “They” will normally not define what “bearing fruit” is, but they will not allow a person to act carnally and be considered a believer (see the article posted on June 4, 2013). 

Hence, “they” will say a person must persevere in life and not fall into life dominating sin patterns.  For example, a good example of one who was a believer, but chose life dominating sin patterns was King Saul. There are clear indications that King Saul was a believer according to 1 Samuel 10.  Yet how was it that he fell away from the Lord and pursued killing David?  He acted according to his flesh, rather than humbly submitting to the sovereign will of God. 

David himself is a good example of a believer, who fell into life dominating sin patterns. While David is called a man after God’s own heart, he committed adultery and murdered Bathsheba’s husband Uriah the Hittite.  Then he continued for nine months of independence from God until Nathan the prophet came and rebuked him of his sin. David was living in life dominating sin until Nathan rebuked him. David repented, but he bore the consequences of his sin.

Lot is another example of a believer, who lived in life dominating sin patterns.  Lot was the nephew of Abraham and allowed himself to slowly acclimate to the culture and darkness of Sodom and Gomorrah.  While he lost his sons-in-law in the city destruction, his wife who turned into a pillar of salt and he committed incest with his two daughters, God still called him “righteous Lot.”  Peter records,

·       6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
·       7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked
·       8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soulfrom day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)–
·       9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, (2 Pet. 2:6-9)

Lot foolishly stayed in that filthy, degenerate environment and tormented his “righteous soul” in the process.  Yet, in all of Lot’s sins, he was a believer.  Lot was saved, not because he persevered, but because God persevered.  God perseveres in His mercy, so that anyone who trusts in God’s provision of salvation, God will deliver them into eternity as His child.

Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?  If you do, you become a child of God.  John writes, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)  If you not only know that Jesus died for your sins and you agree that Jesus alone is, and could be, your substitute to pay the penalty for sin, then your trusting faith accepts Jesus as the gift of God and you are given the right to become a child of God.  You do nothing but accept the gift.  Once you become a child of God, you can never not be a child of God.  That is not a license to sin, because God will discipline the disobedient child.  That is not freedom to live any way you want, because you will lose out on all the blessings and rewards God intends for you. That is not a reason to choose what you want to do in life apart from God, but an opportunity to pursue the holiness of God and mirror that holiness to the world around you. That is not a reason for you to become indifferent and check out from God, but a reason to respond with grateful, humble obedience to do His will in life.

We all have life dominating sin patterns.  Some get into drunkenness and immorality.  Some are more refined and suffer in life dominating sins of worry and doubt.  Some choose life dominating sins of complacency or indifference to witness their faith to others and disciple them to Jesus Christ. Often, people who argue for perseverance of the saints as the measure of their Christianity have the big sins under control and struggle with more acceptable sins of personal agenda control and hidden anger that no one normally sees.  May God grant us all mercy as we seek His righteousness and His understanding.

Q & A: Malachi: Enough is Enough

Posted on by
Reply

The following are suggested answers for the Message Based Discussion Questions from the message presented on June 2, 2013.

Enough is Enough
Malachi 1:6-14

How should God be worshiped?

1)      Worship God with honor 1:6-8
·         2 Sam. 12:10; Pro. 14:2; 1 Sam. 2:27-31
·         Lev. 22:19-22; Deut. 15:21

2)      Worship God with reverent fear 1:9-10
·         Is. 1:11-15

3)      Worship God with pure offerings 1:11-14 

God deserves 100% of our best preparation
and worship to honor Him.

·         I honor God when I start to prepare for worship on Monday. 
·         Godly preparation focuses my attention on heaven, rather than on problems. 
·         My offerings to God must be pure and holy.   Heb. 10:19-25
 

Message Based Discussion Questions

1)      When and what were you taught about giving to God?

Digging Deeper:

2)      Read Leviticus 22:17-24. What is God’s standard for an offering (cf. 22:21)? _______________  What were God’s expectations regarding the sacrifices?
3)      What did God expect from Eli and his sons (1 Sam. 2:12-17, 22-35)? ______________  Who did Eli favor according to God? What promise did God make?
4)      Read Psalm 51:16-17. What does God desire? _____________ What does this passage and the previous questions say about God’s desire for our heart related to sacrifices?
5)      Does Hebrews 10:19-27 give room for casual preparation and worship? ___________  How or in what way?

Making application of the message to life:

6)      How well prepared do you need to be for Sunday worship?  What kinds of things should be considered throughout the week?
7)      How would you disciple a brand new Christian on how to prepare for worship?

 

Message Based Discussion Questions 

1)      When and what were you taught about giving to God?

a)      When I was a boy in elementary school, my mother gave me a bank and as I saved, she also told me I needed to give part of it to church, to God.

b)      I remember learning I was told to give 10%, but I don’t think I applied that very well.

c)      I didn’t learn about grace-giving until I was in my early twenties. 

Digging Deeper:

2)      Read Leviticus 22:17-24. What is God’s standard for an offering (cf. 22:21)? __perfect__  What were God’s expectations regarding the sacrifices?

a)      God expected Israel to understand the sacrificial system

b)      God expected Israel to understand why they were to offer a perfect offering

c)      God expected the one who made the offering to do it willingly and not grudgingly.

d)     God expected that any imperfect offering would not be given. He would not accept them.

e)      A handicapped animal could be offered as a free will offering, but not as a vow.

f)       God would not accept an offering of an animal that was damaged in some way.

g)      Offerings were a foreshadow of Christ’s perfection to come.
 

3)      What did God expect from Eli and his sons (1 Sam. 2:12-17, 22-35)? _respect and honor__  Who did Eli favor according to God? What promise did God make?

a)      Eli favored his sons, because while he told them the right things to do, he did not insist or ensure that they did the right things.  Eli was more concerned about his relationship with his sons than he was with his relationship with God.

b)      God said that there would be no old man in Eli’s house, that is, he and his sons would die leaving no heir. 
 

4)      Read Psalm 51:16-17. What does God desire? _a broken heart__ What does this passage and the previous questions say about God’s desire for our heart related to sacrifices?

a)      God desires sacrifices, but not as much as a broken and contrite heart.

b)      God does despise some sacrifices (Is. 1:11-15), but God will not despise a broken heart.
 

5)      Does Hebrews 10:19-27 give room for casual preparation and worship? _no, we are to enter with boldness, but not casual, because it is by the blood of Jesus_  How or in what way?

a)      We are to enter by the blood of Jesus. That is a big deal.  He did what we couldn’t do (Eph. 1:7).

b)      It is a new and living way, what we could not do. Now we can walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4) 

c)      We are to enter by a true heart, by faith.  We are to continue to walk by faith (Col. 2: 6)

d)     We accept that we had an evil conscience, but we have been transformed.  We should walk in a manner that is worthy of what He has done for us (Col. 1:10).

e)      We need to exhort each other to press forward (Phil. 3:13)

f)       If we become complacent, we miss out and become hardened in the downward spiral and enter the sin unto death (Eph. 4:17-19; 1 John 5:16; Jam. 5:19-20) 

Making application of the message to life: 

6)      How well prepared do you need to be for Sunday worship?  What kinds of things should be considered throughout the week?

a)      It is the highlight of the week for believers.  It is an expression of my heart in love for Him.

b)      I need to consider my time in preparation, treasures in giving, use of talents, encouragement of my tongue and rest for my temple (my body).

c)      I should start on Monday to prepare by quiet times and considering God-sightings throughout the week. I should lay out my clothes Saturday night and ensure that no controversial topics are discussed on Sunday morning.  I should consider entering worship with praise and a heart full of anticipation of giving to Him full glory. 

7)      How would you disciple a brand new Christian on how to prepare for worship?

a)      Demonstrate by my life what is important.

b)      Guide into Scripture to understand God’s attributes and why He is worthy of worship.

c)      Give an example of what he would do to prepare for a job interview or meeting someone he thinks is important.  Ask him to multiply that 100 times and apply that to approaching God in worship.

d)     Ask him to consider many areas of life, like time, rest, work, mind, heart, friends, fellowship, spiritual disciplines, clothes, schedule and arrival time.

e)      Ask him to participate in one of the service opportunities before, during or after the service.

 

I. Indifference to God’s love 1

     A. The Lord’s love declared 1:1-5
     B. The Lord’s love despised 1:6-14
II. Indifference to God’s law 2
     A. The priest’s violation of the law 2:1-9
     B. The people’s violation of home laws 2:10-17
III. Indifference to God’s message 3
     A. The coming judgment 3:1-6
     B. The current judgment 3:7-15
     C. The circle of faith 3:16-18
IV. Indifference to the Day of the Lord

Question: Does a Christian have to endure to be saved?

Posted on by
Reply

Does a Christian have to endure to be saved?

This is a basic question that many Christians struggle through in their Christian walk.  It comes from a passage in Matthew which says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) Does this mean that if a Christian does not endure, in some way, he will not make it into heaven? This is an example of Christians who may know considerable Scripture, but do not know how God divided Scripture into dispensations.

What is a dispensation?  A dispensation is a period of time, from God’s perspective, where God shows that man, no matter how much truth or blessing is given from God, will choose to rebel and be separated from God’s presence, unless he humbles himself to God’s will.  There is no way you can rightly divide God’s truth and harmonize it from Genesis to Revelation without an understanding of dispensations.  Most Christians are dispensational, but many do not admit it.

Matthew 24 is called the Olivet Discourse.  Jesus had taken the disciples out of the city of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives and was describing what would happen during a specific period of time.

  • Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
  • 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
  • 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
  • 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. (Matt. 24:1-4)

Note several things about this passage.  First, it is right after Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees (Matt. 23). Secondly, Jesus prophesied that the stones of the city, in fact, the temple, would be thrown down (Matt. 24:2) For this reason some have attempted to define this chapter to the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., but that is a misunderstanding of Scripture. Thirdly, the disciples want to know what will happen at the “end of the age.” (Matt. 24:3) The disciples did not fully understand the ages as they reveal their lack of understanding as recorded in Acts 1:6.  The end of the Age will be the last segment of the Jewish Age in which they were living.  This will be described in a future article related to Daniel 9:24-27 and the seventy weeks that Daniel describes. Fourthly, Jesus tells them to listen and be alert, because there will be many who will try to deceive them.  In fact, the enemy, Satan himself, wants nothing more than to deceive, confuse, divide and destroy those who are pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ.

            Then Jesus begins to describe what the end of the Age will be like. Jesus said,

  • 7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
  • 8 “All these are the beginning of sorrows.
  • 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
  • 10 “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
  • 11 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
  • 12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matt. 24:7-12)

The end of the age will be filled with nations warring against nation, with famines, with earthquakes and tribulation. Notice that Israel, “you,” will be the target of the enemy in the tribulation.  Notice there will be many false prophets, that is, there will be great confusion and deception. And notice that the love of God will grow cold, because people will not remain faithful to God.

            That is a description of the last seven years of Israel’s history.  That period of history is so destructive, because it is the last opportunity for the enemy, Satan, to destroy the Jews.  He wants to destroy the Jews, because if he can destroy the Jews, then God cannot fulfill His covenants He made to Abraham and David.  Those will be fulfilled at the Second Advent when Jesus returns.  If there were no Jews, then the covenants could not be fulfilled.

We are experiencing troubled times today, but it will intensify during that period.  So, in the middle of describing that tribulational time, Jesus made the statement, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) Every word has meaning. 

The basic meaning of the word “saved” is “delivered.”  When a person is saved at salvation, he is delivered from condemnation.  When a person is “saved” in the Tribulation, it means that he is delivered from the coming wrath of the Lord Jesus Christ and subsequent torments when he returns at the Second Advent and delivered into the new age called the Millennium.  Hence, the verse means that the person who endures, that is, he holds onto his faith in life, he will be delivered into the Millennium. 

It is not talking about “saved from eternal condemnation.”  Once a person genuinely trusts in Jesus Christ as his Savior, he has eternal life.  He is eternally secure.  He did nothing for salvation.  He can do nothing to lose his salvation.  His salvation did not depend on him.  His eternal security does not depend on him.  It all depends on the mercy and sovereign will of God.

 

Question: Can a Christian be a carnal Christian?

Posted on by
Reply

Can a Christian be a carnal Christian?

Recently, I had a discussion with a fellow-believer, who said that Christians cannot be carnal Christians. Said in another way, a Christian cannot be considered carnal or act carnal, because he is spiritual.  He said that a carnal person is really just an unbeliever.  A Christian is one who may sin, but would not live in carnality.  Is he right?

Unfortunately, while this believer knows the Scriptures well, he doesn’t interpret them well.  He imposes his theology on the Scripture and interprets it according to his theology rather than according to correct rules of interpretation.  If you approach Scripture with presuppositions (statements that imply a truth taken for granted), you will tend to read meaning into the Scripture.  For example, if I say, “I no longer drive Chevy trucks.” The presupposition is that I used to drive Chevy trucks. That is a true statement.  If I approach Scripture with presuppositions, I will work the Scriptures to mean what I want them to mean.

When someone says that a Christian cannot be carnal, they try to explain away a very easy-to-understand passage of Scripture. The passage is 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 where Paul writes,

·       And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
·       2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
·       3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

Some try to explain this away by taking the culture of the church today and inserting that back into the culture of the church in Corinth. That is called eisegesis, which means to “read the interpretation into Scripture.”  Today, there are unbelievers who attend church.  In Paul’s day, those who were not believers did not identify or attend church. What does Paul say in his letter to Corinth?

·       To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (1 Cor. 1:2)

Paul is writing to the believers in Corinth and they were saints.  The culture in Paul’s day was far different than today.  Churches were house churches, because Christians were not welcomed.  They were hated because they did not give allegiance to Caesar.  They were used by Nero as torches for his garden parties.  They eventually hid and met in catacombs, because they were so despised.  Those who were not believers did not identify or attend church.  Christians didn’t invite friends to church to hear the gospel.  They gave the gospel to their friends and those who believed looked for a church family to identify with for nurture and growth.  Paul’s letter was intended to be delivered to those were “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” and therefore believers.

Then notice in the first passage of 1 Corinthians 3 how Paul describes them.  What does he say?  He calls them “brethren.”  In other words, they were believers.  Now in that context, what follows describes Paul’s audience of believers. 

Paul writes he could not speak to them as spiritual people.  That phrase does not define a Christian, but rather one who is filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit.  Paul uses similar phraseology in Galatians 6:1,

·       Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. (Gal. 6:1)

Paul is writing to those who are “spiritual” that is those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit, not merely Christians.  If you are not controlled by the Holy Spirit, you will create more division in your admonishment and correction, because you will not examine yourself.  In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul describes them as not “spiritual,” but rather “carnal.” Both words, “spiritual” and “carnal” are adjectives. The word for “carnal” means one who is characterized by the flesh.  He is a fleshly-like person.  At that moment, he is living according to the flesh instead of the Spirit.  He is a carnal person.

Paul continues by writing, they are babes in Christ.  This is a common expression for someone who is a new Christian and has not grown up.  A spiritual baby does not know how to fulfill God’s plan and is concerned more for self, than for others.  He is a Christian, but he acts very fleshly or carnal.  He has not learned spiritual disciplines.  He is not very concerned about others.  He is focused on himself. God doesn’t condemn spiritual babes for being fleshly.  They just need to be discipled so they can grow up to be a spiritual child, a spiritual young adult and then a spiritual parent.

Can a Christian be carnal?  Of course, he can act very fleshly.  He can and is carnal, that is, he acts according to the flesh, rather than according to the Spirit.  He is fleshly, because he has a sin nature inside of him, which he acquired at birth from his father (Rom. 5:12).  That sin nature stays with the believer until it is removed at death.  Paul says it best,

·       23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
·       24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom. 7:23-24)

Paul is describing the sin nature that still can control him, if he chooses to let it.  As long as he remains filled, or controlled by the Holy Spirit, He will not be acting according to the sin nature.  The challenge is that in this lifetime, it is impossible apart from humble submission to the sovereign will of God.

Always take the natural interpretation and develop your theology from that, rather than choose a theology and then interpret Scripture.  That can easily result in spiritual pride.

MSG: Malachi: Enough is Enough

Posted on by
Reply

This message was presented on June 2, 2013 as a part of a series on Malachi.

Enough is Enough
Malachi 1:6-14 

Malachi was written 2400 years ago, but our passage could easily have been an editorial in the Star today. The passage reminds me of people who are not really aware of what’s going on around them. Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t know what happened at work.  I was laid off.  I did most of what I was told to do.  Sure I was late a few times.  Sure I was sick, but there were things I had to do around the house.  Everyone says they do that.  No I didn’t attend the company functions.  Why should I?  They aren’t any fun.  People get into their own cliques anyway.  I just stayed home.  I just don’t understand why I was laid off.” Israel was not aware of what was going on either.

Israel was about to get their pink slip from God, again.  They did not seek after God with their whole heart.  Their complacency left them indifferent to the holiness of God. They had forgotten the agony of exile, when God said “Enough is enough.” God was about to say, “Enough!” again to Israel. If God can say enough, how should He be approached? How should God be worshiped? 

1)      Worship God with honor 1:6-8

Malachi 1:6-2:9 is a rebuke to the priests.  Their attitude was communicated to the people that any offering was better than none at all. Yet, God gave an entire book, Leviticus, including major portions in Exodus, describing precise procedures and standards for offerings.  Why did He give such preciseness? Was it to make us work? Was it to make us feel bad?  Was it to make us miserable? Those are all the wrong questions.  What is the focus in those questions? The focus is on self. The answers must all relate to the reality that God is holy and righteous. The questions should have been, “Why did God establish precise procedures?” Or, “Why is God so meticulous in the standard for offerings?” Israel’s heart was far from God and they were moving farther away.

God spoke through Malachi in Malachi 1:6,

  • 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say,`In what way have we despised Your name?’
God chooses two words that denote respect in the Jewish mind: father (ab) and master (adonay). The lack of honor and reverence are the seed bed for the Pharisees and Sadducees in the time of Jesus. Like the people in Malachi’s day, they followed the rituals, but they had no relationship with God, nor did they offer sacrifices according to God’s standards. God said, “You despise My name.”  The verb for “despise” means they “keep on despising,” “you keep on giving little worth to something,” or you “undervalue something or someone and implied contempt.

David was a man after God’s own heart, yet God said David despised the Lord.  After David took Bathsheba as his wife, Nathan the prophet went to rebuke David, “Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” (2 Sam. 12:10)

Let me illustrate the concept of despising someone.  Let us say you borrowed a truck.  You really needed to do some hard work and in the process you get the outside and inside of the truck rather dirty with mud.  You also made frequent stops to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Arby’s and you left the wrapping and leftovers on the back floor.  You use up the gas tank, but when you return the key to the owner, you say, “Thanks for letting me use the truck.”  You may have said, “Thanks,” but leaving the truck dirty, trashed out and gas on E is showing big time contempt for the owner.  That is what God says Israel was doing.

Let me illustrate from Proverbs.  Solomon writes, “He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.” (Pro. 14:2)  The one who walks in a godly manner shows his fear and honor of the Lord.  The one who is perverse shows by his actions what he is really saying, that is, “I don’t care what you say or think.”  The actions show spite to the Lord. The actions speak louder than the words.  Let me give one additional example.

Eli was made a priest in Israel during the time of the judges.  He had two sons, Hophni and Phineahas.  Eli told Hophni and Phineas what they were supposed to do and even rebuked them, BUT he did not insist, or train, or discipline them to do the right thing.  Notice what God says,

  • 27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD:`Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?
  • 28 `Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
  • 29 `Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?’
  • 30 “Therefore the LORD God of Israel says:`I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the LORD says:`Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
  • 31 `Behold, the days are coming that I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. (1 Sam. 2:27-31)

God chose Levi to be the priest for Israel and Eli should have felt privileged as a Levite.  With privilege comes responsibility, but Eli did not ensure his sons were discipled to do the right thing.  He warned them, rebuked them, but did not insist that they honor the Lord.  God said that Eli honored his sons more than God.  Eli wouldn’t have seen it that way, but he did accept the Lord’s judgment.

            God said that Eli kicked at the sacrifices by kicking dirt on them and then choosing the best meat from what was offered rather than just taking from the pot.  Hence, God will honor those who honor Him, but make smaller (lightly esteem) those who made light of
Him.  Furthermore, Eli’s arm (his power and sustenance) would be removed (that is neither he nor his sons would be in his house much longer).  In 1 Samuel 4, Eli died when he heard both his sons died.

            In Malachi 1:7, God continues charges against Israel, “You offer defiled food on My altar. But say, `In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying,`The table of the LORD is contemptible.’”  The word for “defiled” means something has happened to the sacrifice so that it is no longer as it once was.  Again, they would not say those words, but they did by their actions.  Verse eight explains what God means.

            In verse eight, God calls their actions evil.  Evil?  Yes, God calls their sacrifices “evil”!  Malachi writes for God, “And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the LORD of hosts.” (Mal. 1:8)  How can an offering Israel offered be “evil”?  God described how He wanted Israel to offer sacrifices in Leviticus.  He writes,

·         19 `you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats.
·         20 `Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf.
·         21 `And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the LORD, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.
·         22 `Those that are blind or broken or maimed, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the LORD. (Lev. 22:19-22)

And Moses wrote in Deuteronomy,

·         21 “But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.” (Deut. 15:21)

When Israel offered a sacrifice that had sores, was blind or was lame, diseased, or torn from the teeth of an animal, God said it was not acceptable.  So God tells Israel to offer it to the governor and asks if they think the governor would accept it.  The implied answer is the governor would not accept it. So should God accept it?  Israel might say, “But is God not a loving God? Does God care that much? He’ll accept it won’t He?” 

2)      Worship God with reverent fear 1:9-10

Even though God rebukes the people for their ungodly attitude and actions, the people ask the priests for God’s favor. They’re expecting He will provide, because they are, after all, God’s people.

·         9 “But now entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?” Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 1:9)

They want the blessings in spite of their unawareness.  In spite of God’s rebukes they still want God’s blessings.  They are more concerned about blessings than presence.  But God rebukes the people in verse ten.

            In verse 10, God says, “Enough is enough!”  Malachi records,  “Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” Says the LORD of hosts, “Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.”  God wants to know if there is anyone who will shut the door of the temple to stop this parade of defilement from entering the holy halls of the temple.  “Someone, shut the door!” The expression “invain,” (chinam) means “uselessly,” “for nothing,” or “for no purpose.”   “Don’t let that in My house!  Would there be someone that says, don’t bring those sacrifices, if they are second hand.”

I have offended people, to which I make no apology, because I told people not to give their cast offs to the church. Don’t bring in your old televisions, your old couches, or something else, if you have replaced them with something better at home. Someone might say, “But it’s for the youth and they’ll just tear it up.”  Does God give you leftovers? Don’t bring it to church, unless it is for the Rummage Sale.  God says. “It is useless, I will not accept it.” God would rather someone shut the doors of the temple than let this go on. 

But doesn’t God need my handout? Isaiah makes that very clear for us in Isaiah 1,

·         11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats.
·         12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts?
·         13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies– I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
·         14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
·         15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. (Is. 1:11-15)

God doesn’t need sacrifices, we do. Righteous sacrifices show we understand God is holy. We need to sacrifice regularly, because it reminds us of having a reverent fear of God and teaches our dependence upon Him.  Many offer up what is left over, things already used, the tired, the sick, the poor and they still ask God for more! Let me illustrate.

How long can you fool your boss?  Let’s say you get together with some Christian friends and you are having a great time.  Laughing together, sharing in fellowship and you might even be spiritual by talking about the message.  Those spiritual Euchre cards come out and all of a sudden you realize it is 3 a.m. You go home, get a few hours of sleep, drink some coffee and do the best you can at work.

The next night, you get together again with your friends, because you hadn’t had so much fun in years and things lead to the Euchre cards and again, it’s 3 a.m.  You rush home get a few hours of sleep and drink a lot of coffee.  How will your work be?   There may be simple mistakes, missed meetings and assignments become sloppy. You can fool the boss some of the time, but eventually, what would the boss do? He will give you a pink slip.

The boss wants only the best attitude and actions at work.  Should we give the Lord any less than that when it comes to worship? Only the best should be given to the Lord, not leftovers. 

We get tired on a busy Saturday at the park and stay up late Saturday night. So we are not alert on Sunday, we don’t sing out and we’re not as concerned about other brethren.  That is “blind, lame, sick” worship and effort on our part.  Parents, do you to prepare your children so they are ready to learn and worship God!

Worship God with honor.  Worship God with reverent fear. And when you come, worship God with pure offerings.

3)      Worship God with pure offerings 1:11-14

At some point in the future, there will be pure offerings.

·         11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the LORD of hosts. (Mal. 1:11)

 This verse 11 is a prophecy of the Millennium. There were no pure offerings during Malachi’s time, nor for the next 400 years, nor during the time when Jesus walked on earth, but there will be in the Millennium.  There will be pure offerings in the Millennium, because Jesus ensures purity of sacrifices. Yet verse twelve explains how they were failing in their worship.

In verse twelve, Malachi rebukes their attitude by means of observing their actions.

·         12 “But you profane it, in that you say, `The table of the LORD1 is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’ (Mal. 1:12)

The word for “profane” (chalal) is an intensive use of the verb and means to “make light of” or “not hold the offering with reverence.”  The ATTITUDE is seen in the ACTION. Some give what is left over after monthly bills, etc. Some believe they can spend their income on themselves and have nothing to give to God.  If you spend more on pleasure and entertainment than on the Lord, there is something wrong with your thinking.

The Lord reveals the problem is even worse.

·         13 You also say, `Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” Says the LORD of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” Says the LORD. (Mal. 1:13)

The people are bored with the sacrificial rituals. They consider it a waste.  They were tired of doing the same thing over and over. In fact they sneered at it and the verb means they caused others to sneer at it or treat it with contempt.  In fact, the priests said it was okay to bring in animals that were robbed from the mouth of a lion or wolf.  The word, “stolen” means torn away like a sheep from the teeth of a wolf or lion.

            God is very clear.  Holy sacrifices are to be given, because of Who He is.

·         14 “But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished– For I am a great King,” Says the LORD of hosts, “And My name is to be feared among the nations. (Mal 1:14)

Do not make a vow for a sacrifice and then reconsider and give what is blemished.  God is “a great King.” In fact, He is the Lord of hosts, or Lord of the armies. Israel did not treat God as a great King.  Does America?

Instead of holy worship of the Lord, America is being deceived that Al-qaeda and Islamic Jihadism is not a terrorist threat. And hence, Islam is a viable alternative. Tell that to the victims of the Fort Hood terrorist attack, or the Boston marathon bombing or the Americans killed on Libyan soil. Enough is enough.

Instead of promoting the National Day of Prayer, the nation supports the Islamic prayer schedule. Enough is enough.

Instead of defending Christians and their places of worship, our nation has removed troops from Iraq and Afghanistan so the al-qaeda would have freedom to destroy Christian places of worship. And There was no outrage spoken from our highest office? Enough is enough.

The withdrawal of troops and combat operations with a shift to intelligence gathering and law enforcement is merely smoke and mirrors deception so the enemy can gain power in the Middle East to serve as a launching pad to neutralize Europe and the United States. Enough is enough.

The only reason there have not been more attacks in America is because of the ineptness of the enemy and the remnant of believers who are pursuing the Lord Jesus Christ.  Yet, the enemy will not stop with the World Trade Center destruction until he destroys our economy and reshapes our laws.  Enough is enough.

Instead of responding to warnings about the Tsarnaev brothers, the botched FBI investigation allowed the Boston bomber Muslims to complete their mission.  And the country wants 11 million illegal aliens from whatever foreign countries to continue living in America. But the administration refuses to grant asylum to a Christian family who fled from Germany.  The Administration is seeking to deport them because the Romeikes want to home school their family.  Germany had outlawed homeschooling. The administration argues that their problems are not great enough to grant asylum, but argues to give full citizenship to any Muslims and other illegal aliens. Enough is enough.

But those are only the tangible evidence that America is worshiping something other than the Lord.  We are a country who worships so many things other than the Lord.  We worship sports stars and rock stars. America flocks to theaters to see screen stars and music stars.  America rushes to sacrifice so much to climb the corporate ladder, while their family falls off the wagon.  America buys into the American dreams and forgets about God’s gifts of peace, hope and love. 

How would America respond to accusations that it is turning from God?  America would say, “We’re the greatest country on earth!” “We help so many.” “We’re a good country.”  “We’re not against God.”  “We go to church.” That is when it suits our cause.  

God deserves 100% of our best preparation
and worship to honor Him.

  • I honor God when I start to prepare for worship on Monday.  My quiet time and walk prepare me to approach Him in singing and encouraging and learning. Do I set aside for God the first of my time and income?
  • Godly preparation focuses my attention on heaven, rather than on problems.  I prepare well so my attention can be above, not distracted by below. Do I give God the best of my alertness for church and service?
  • My offerings to God must be pure and holy. Do I honor God by the way I talk, walk, dress, eat, live, sleep, exercise, keep His Word?  Is your daily walk pure and holy?
Let me close with this passage.

  • 19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
  •  20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
  •  21 and having a High Priest over the house of God,
  •  22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
  •  23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
  •  24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
  •  25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
  •  26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
  •  27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. (Heb. 10:19-27)
People often are entranced by what is interesting, new or different.  God is clear about what we should do.

 
Message Based Discussion Questions

1)      When and what were you taught about giving to God?

Digging Deeper:

2)      Read Leviticus 22:17-24. What were God’s expectations regarding the sacrifices?
3)      What did God expect from Eli and his sons (1 Sam. 2:12-17, 22-35)?  Who did Eli favor according to God? What promise did God make?
4)      What does this passage and the previous questions say about God’s desire for our heart (cf. Ps. 51:16-17)?
5)      Does Hebrews 10:19-27 give room for casual preparation and worship?  How or in what way?

Making application of the message to life:

6)      How well prepared do you need to be for Sunday worship?  What kinds of things should be considered throughout the week?
7)      How would you disciple a brand new Christian on how to prepare for and involvement in worship?
 

I. Indifference to God’s love 1
     A. The Lord’s love declared 1:1-5
     B. The Lord’s love despised 1:6-14
II. Indifference to God’s law 2
     A. The priest’s violation of the law 2:1-9
     B. The people’s violation of home laws 2:10-17
III. Indifference to God’s message 3
     A. The coming judgment 3:1-6
     B. The current judgment 3:7-15
     C. The circle of faith 3:16-18
IV. Indifference to the Day of the Lord

 

Life Insights: Stewardship of Stuff

Posted on by
Reply

Life Insights: Stewardship of Stuff
I mentioned recently how our families (we have two families living under the same roof) have moved from a large home to a more modest home.  We went from having two kitchens, separate entrances, living quarters to sharing a normal home with one kitchen, etc.  I’m glad we made the move.
We are still in the process of settling in as we finally put blinds up on the master bathroom window today!  That sheet held up by the masking tape was not what I was used to in our old home.
One of the key things I learned was that I was not as discerning with stewardship as I had thought, or at least I learned a new dimension of stewardship. I had always thought about stewardship as – as long as I do not have to pay a monthly storage cost, I am okay.  Certainly in some situations, outside storage is necessary.  But, from my perspective, the “stuff” that was stored at storage facilities would be getting less valuable with each monthly rental fee expended.
What I did not consider was the time needed to maintain or sustain the stuff.  I must have rationalized that away.  It does not own me, I thought, because I’m not washing and waxing it.  I am not paying a monthly fee to keep it in the attic or on the shelf.  I am not worried about it getting dusty, because it is not valuable anyway and I am not all that concerned about it.  However, those are only some of the ways that stuff can control you more than you control it.
First, you have to provide space to store the stuff.  Maybe you cover your attic floor with the stuff or you build shelves for it, but either way, it takes up space and you PAID for that space.
Secondly, you end up moving it around.  You may rearrange your stuff, because you acquired more stuff either through a good deal, or my favorite – a free deal.  Then you spend the TIME to think through how to organize the stuff, when you could be discipling another soul to the Lord.
Thirdly, you buy bins to organize like articles.  Yes it happens with efficient people that stuff needs to be grouped according to like objects and therefore plastic bins must be purchased and labeled. So now you spend TIME and money, because you PAID for stuff to store your stuff.
Fourthly, you have to remember where you put the stuff.  I despise it when I have to spend 15 minutes looking for my keys, let alone look for something I have stored.  The problem in my old house was that the stuff could be in the garage, the garage attic, in the mechanical room in the basement, in the master closet or the office closet upstairs. Whoa! Timeout! I do not like to waste TIME looking for stuff.  That is a cost I knew each time I incurred, but not as far as the price of the object.
Fifthly, the value of the object is worth about 10% of the cost paid when new.  We have had a few garage sales over the last two years and I learned the value of my stuff – only what someone else is willing to pay – not much!  Some people are not willing to pay a dime for what I paid seven dollars on a trip to Europe! Ha! What is the VALUE in the eye of the beholder?
Sixthly, stuff does not determine my value.  When I realized that the stuff I was storing, because I thought I would need it sometime, was of no value to others, I realized I must be attached to the wrong things or unaware of how much TIME I was using to maintain my stuff.  I realized that my time helping others was worth far more than the time I expended to maintain my stuff.  My value was based on who I am in Christ, not whether I was prepared or not because I had a widget I “might” use at some time in the future.
Seventhly, because you “CAN” store something, does not mean you should.  Just because “out of sight, out of mind” could work, eventually payday (the day you have to deal with the object at moving time or selling time) proves the value of the object – again, not much.  I was not paying a monthly rental fee, but the TIME factor was causing the stuff to become less valuable.  It weighed me down.
Eighthly, when you move, you have to move the stuff.  You have to buy boxes or acquire them somehow and that is a cost of TIME or MONEY to box up the stuff, tape it shut, label it and then figure out a new place to store the stuff.  You need to have gracious friends who are polite enough to not ask, “What’s all this stuff we’re moving???” or you just suffer on your own and move it yourself. 
Ninthly, if you store it, you can’t bless others with it.  How many extra screws do I need to store, just so I “might” have a screw or nut or whatever.  I have rationalized victoriously when I needed a screw or nut and I just happened to have it in the bin of drawers.  It’s just like the golfer who gets one good shot on the 17th hole that makes him think, “I could hit a shot like that again!” and it keeps him going back to the links.  When I have gone out to the garage and found the needed nut, I proclaim, “I have the nut I needed.  Wow, how great I am to have had that stuff!”
Tenthly, the more stuff I have on earth, the less I am likely to think of heaven.  Paul said,

·         20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
·         21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil. 3:20-21)
What do you need where you are in that station of life and how should you bless others with the stuff you don’t need?