First of all, what is a witness? Well, if there is an automobile accident, the police will want to talk to any witnesses. Why? Because the witnesses actually saw what happened. They know the details because they were there. In the same way, what does it mean to be a Christian witness? Does it mean that you invite someone to church? Does it mean that you give someone a Bible? Maybe it means something more.
The definitions of a witness are (1) : attestation of a fact or event : testimony; (2) : one that gives evidence; specifically : one who testifies in a cause or before a judicial tribunal; (3) : one asked to be present at a transaction so as to be able to testify to its having taken place; (4) : one who has personal knowledge of something; (5)a : something serving as evidence or proof : sign b : public affirmation by word or example of usually religious faith or conviction (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witness).
If a witness is someone who has seen something and then gives testimony, what does it mean to be a witness of Jesus Christ? I would say that it means that we have evidence that we have personal knowledge of Jesus Christ and that we are giving public affirmation to this fact by sharing that fact by witnessing to others. While inviting someone to church is fine, it is not witnessing. We witness to non-believers so that they too might believe. We witness to fellow believers to build them up in their faith and to encourage them. Witnessing is bold and passionate because we KNOW something that is true. How can we NOT be passionate about knowing the Lord Jesus Christ unless we don't know Him at all (2 Corinthians 13:5)?
Have you ever noticed that when someone just hears something but never saw that same something, they can't seem to keep it to themselves (this is called gossip)? Well, if we SEE something and EXPERIENCE something, why then, do we say NOTHING? The fact is, we cannot speak of what we have not witnessed. If you have never shared your faith, does it really exist? If you have never been a witness of Jesus Christ, have you really seen Him?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
How far have we fallen?
What is the primary goal of the Christian church? Is it going forth and making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) as Jesus commanded or is it increasing our church membership? What do you think?
If you visit a lot of churches, you may start to notice a pattern. What I have observed is that the smaller churches are more interested in preaching the gospel from the Bible (God's Holy Word) than growing their attendance (of course they do want to grow, but it is not the emphasis) while the larger churches (most of them, not all) are more interested in entertaining and growing their membership while preaching sermon series after sermon series concentrating on life enhancement and "feel good" messages that will offend no one that are not necessarily their own material ("borrowing / downloading" other pastors sermons or preaching from another pastor's book). What should be the pattern for pastor's to follow? Preach God's Word from His revealed and inspired Word OR preach on topics (sermon series') that help people feel better concerning day-to-day issues while using Bible verses (not necessarily in context) to back up their points?
I'm not asking you which you prefer, but which is biblical? Let's go to our the ultimate example...how did Jesus preach? Jesus presented the gospel and invited those that believed His message to follow Him. He never pleaded or begged anyone to follow Him. Is this the way that pastors do it today? Hardly. They seem to beg and plead with people to answer an altar call. They have music and special lighting to enhance the mood. Did Jesus need these type of theatrics? No. He spoke the truth and left it up to you whether or not you believed His message. If you did, you followed Him. If you didn't, He never begged or pleaded with anyone to follow Him. Why do pastor's today NOT follow Jesus' example? Because they have fallen into sin and are trying to do it in their own power. They do not believe in the power of God to move and convict sinners via the Holy Spirit. They believe that it is up to them to convince sinners that they need Jesus without ever relying on the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of their sin first.
When pastor's and churches stop trying to DO "God's work" for Him and allow Him through obedience to work through them, then we will have sinners coming to Christ and churches growing in membership. We can't do anything for God. We must instead abide in Christ (Ephisians 3:1-4) and bow to the Lordship of Jesus and confess Him as our Savior.
If you visit a lot of churches, you may start to notice a pattern. What I have observed is that the smaller churches are more interested in preaching the gospel from the Bible (God's Holy Word) than growing their attendance (of course they do want to grow, but it is not the emphasis) while the larger churches (most of them, not all) are more interested in entertaining and growing their membership while preaching sermon series after sermon series concentrating on life enhancement and "feel good" messages that will offend no one that are not necessarily their own material ("borrowing / downloading" other pastors sermons or preaching from another pastor's book). What should be the pattern for pastor's to follow? Preach God's Word from His revealed and inspired Word OR preach on topics (sermon series') that help people feel better concerning day-to-day issues while using Bible verses (not necessarily in context) to back up their points?
I'm not asking you which you prefer, but which is biblical? Let's go to our the ultimate example...how did Jesus preach? Jesus presented the gospel and invited those that believed His message to follow Him. He never pleaded or begged anyone to follow Him. Is this the way that pastors do it today? Hardly. They seem to beg and plead with people to answer an altar call. They have music and special lighting to enhance the mood. Did Jesus need these type of theatrics? No. He spoke the truth and left it up to you whether or not you believed His message. If you did, you followed Him. If you didn't, He never begged or pleaded with anyone to follow Him. Why do pastor's today NOT follow Jesus' example? Because they have fallen into sin and are trying to do it in their own power. They do not believe in the power of God to move and convict sinners via the Holy Spirit. They believe that it is up to them to convince sinners that they need Jesus without ever relying on the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of their sin first.
When pastor's and churches stop trying to DO "God's work" for Him and allow Him through obedience to work through them, then we will have sinners coming to Christ and churches growing in membership. We can't do anything for God. We must instead abide in Christ (Ephisians 3:1-4) and bow to the Lordship of Jesus and confess Him as our Savior.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Are preachers supposed to write their own sermons?
Have you ever wondered how many preachers actually write their own sermons? How would you even know if they didn't? Well, I've found out in my many experiences that preachers sometimes take credit for sermons that they didn't write. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with quoting someone or even using someone else's sermon as long as they give the proper credit and don't make a habit of doing it all of the time. If the preacher gives credit to whomever DID write the sermon, then at least they're not trying to deceive anyone. However, if they don't, isn't it plagiarism? I know that when I was in college that if I quoted someone or used someone else's material that I had to give credit to them or else I would be accused of plagiarism.
The reason that this bothers me is because God warns us about prophets going to the people and claiming to be giving them the Word of God, when in fact, God didn't send them or give them His Word (Jeremiah 23). In fact, the opening words in Jeremiah 23 are aimed at "the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of (God's) pasture." This sounds an awful lot like preachers who are not speaking the Word of God.
When considering if this is really important or not, ask yourself one question..."should preachers be studying the Word of God themselves to receive the Word that God wants their congregation to hear or should they take it easy and just download someone else's sermon because it's easier to do so?" Do you care? You should. I do. What does God say about it?
Jeremiah 23:20-22
20"The anger of the LORD will not turn back
Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21"I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied.
22"But if they had stood in My council,
Then they would have announced My words to My people,
And would have turned them back from their evil way
And from the evil of their deeds.
So, what in the world is going on in churches these days? Are preachers trying to announce God's Word to His people or are they just plagiarizing other preachers instead of spending time with God and getting His Word directly from the source? Why does it matter? If the Word comes from another man and not God, then is it still God's Word? My point is that the Word that the preacher gets should be directly from God. If it's from a man, then it has the chance of having someone else's point-of-views and someone else's theological beliefs. Sermons should come after studying God's Word and meditating on it as well as praying about it. Why are we replacing it with the sermons of Pastor Mega Church? It's just so much easier to download and regurgitate someone else's work isn't it? This reminds me of President Obama and his great teleprompter debacles. He does the same thing that the downloading preacher does...he gets someone else to write his speeches and he simply reads it off of his teleprompter. But the funny thing is that when the teleprompter goes out, he doesn't have a clue as to what he's supposed to say...BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HIS OWN WORDS! The same thing is true of the preacher who doesn't get his sermons from God and write them himself as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Consider the Words of God concerning His Word:
Jeremiah 23:20-22
29"Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
The reason that this bothers me is because God warns us about prophets going to the people and claiming to be giving them the Word of God, when in fact, God didn't send them or give them His Word (Jeremiah 23). In fact, the opening words in Jeremiah 23 are aimed at "the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of (God's) pasture." This sounds an awful lot like preachers who are not speaking the Word of God.
When considering if this is really important or not, ask yourself one question..."should preachers be studying the Word of God themselves to receive the Word that God wants their congregation to hear or should they take it easy and just download someone else's sermon because it's easier to do so?" Do you care? You should. I do. What does God say about it?
Jeremiah 23:20-22
20"The anger of the LORD will not turn back
Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21"I did not send these prophets,
But they ran.
I did not speak to them,
But they prophesied.
22"But if they had stood in My council,
Then they would have announced My words to My people,
And would have turned them back from their evil way
And from the evil of their deeds.
So, what in the world is going on in churches these days? Are preachers trying to announce God's Word to His people or are they just plagiarizing other preachers instead of spending time with God and getting His Word directly from the source? Why does it matter? If the Word comes from another man and not God, then is it still God's Word? My point is that the Word that the preacher gets should be directly from God. If it's from a man, then it has the chance of having someone else's point-of-views and someone else's theological beliefs. Sermons should come after studying God's Word and meditating on it as well as praying about it. Why are we replacing it with the sermons of Pastor Mega Church? It's just so much easier to download and regurgitate someone else's work isn't it? This reminds me of President Obama and his great teleprompter debacles. He does the same thing that the downloading preacher does...he gets someone else to write his speeches and he simply reads it off of his teleprompter. But the funny thing is that when the teleprompter goes out, he doesn't have a clue as to what he's supposed to say...BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT HIS OWN WORDS! The same thing is true of the preacher who doesn't get his sermons from God and write them himself as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Consider the Words of God concerning His Word:
Jeremiah 23:20-22
29"Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
30"Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal My words from each other.
31"Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares.'
32"Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the LORD, "and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit," declares the LORD.
So, in conclusion, the preachers who don't get their sermons from time spent with God are leading the congregations astray and are not benefiting anyone. God condemns this growing practice and if you are attending a church where the preacher is downloading all of their sermons, I suggest that you find another church to attend. It's a good bet that if the preacher actually uses their Bible (i.e., holds it in their hands and reads out if it), then you are probably at the right place!Thursday, May 28, 2009
Are we supposed to be "HAPPY"?
I wonder if we are supposed to be happy. Perhaps someone out there can help me with this. As I observe the world around me, I have noticed that so many people are unhappy and dissatisfied with their lives. Why is this? Are we entitled to "happiness" and are we supposed to stay in a marriage ONLY until we are no longer happy with our spouse?
I believe that the problem is that we as a nation and culture have bought into the lie that we "must" be happy at any cost! We want instant gratification and feel that we must always feel like we are "in love" with our spouse. The minute that we no longer feel these feelings of "love" and things get tough, we want to find someone new that will be all about us. While it is nice to experience the newness of new found love, it is inevitable that we will also lose the initial excitement and feelings of love that we had at the beginning of any relationship.
In short, every relationship will experience hard times and feelings of distance between spouses. It is inevitable that we will have arguments and, if left unresolved, we will allow our relationships to grow cold where we will then give up on the relationship and will be open to or will start seeking a new relationship, whether we realize it or not. Why do you suppose that the divorce rate is so high in this country? The divorce rate for 1st marriages is 50%; for 2nd marriages, it's 67%; for 3rd marriages, it's 74%. Notice that the rate increases in every subsequent marriage. Why? Once you take the easy path out of a relationship that God desired to be permanent, it gets easier and easier to take the easy road out of every subsequent relationship.
"It's too hard to stay together," "I'm in love with someone else," and "I don't love them anymore" are common excuses for ending a marriage. What it comes down to is "I care more about myself than I do about the person that I pledged to put above myself." Don't you remember the vows that you took when you got married? You promised to take care of the other person, to love them unconditionally forever, to stay with them even if times got tough. Does your commitment mean anything to you? Does your word carry any weight at all? No matter how hard a relationship has become, you have, in some way, contributed to it, good or bad. All relationships are circles; What goes around, comes around. Your attitude contributes to your relationships. Your words have the power to build up or to tear down and you can choose which way you use those words. No matter what your spouse says to you, you have the power to choose to be loving and encouraging to them. You can change their attitude towards you by loving them unconditionally, but it takes courage, patience and time. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a good relationship. Relationships are only as good as the time, love and effort that you put into them. If I have a garden and don't tend to it, it would be full of weeds within weeks. Relationships are like gardens in the same way...if you don't continually spend time caring for your relationship, it will be full of weeds as well and will fall into decay and ruin.
So far, I've left the Bible out of this conversation. But what does God's Word say about divorce?
According to the Bible, God meant for marriage to last for life. Divorce only makes things harder, especially if children are involved. God tells us to remain married, even in crisis. Why would God tell us this? Aren't we supposed to be "happy?" Is "happiness" supposed to be our goal? Not according to God. If it were not in our best interest to remain married, don't you think that God would allow us to divorce without consequences? We must remember that what God has spoken in His Word is the Truth. If we value Truth, then we should follow God's instructions as it is in our best interest to do so. If we cannot handle the "troubles" that we will face in marriage, then we are told to remain unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:28).
Also remember that God says that "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22) Why does God says this and also say that married people will face many troubles in this life? Perhaps it's because anything worth having that is considered to be "good" will not be easy to maintain. Since we are a fallen race, then things are going to be hard. Life is hard as it is, so why would a relationship be easy?
In closing, I want to share something with you...I have discovered the secret of life. Read the scripture below and pay particular attention to the bold words which I have made bold for emphasis:
Philippians 4:1o-13
10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Contentment is the secret of life. If you can learn contentment regardless of the situation or circumstances, then you, too, can avoid the "happiness" search. Of course, the biggest Truth that is revealed in the above verses is that the strength needed to be content in every circumstance comes from Jesus Christ. He is the One that gives grace and strength to those who belong to Him. Do you belong to Him? I pray that you do. How do you get to know who He is? Read His Word, repent of your sins, obey what you read and pray for His strength. Abide in Him every day, meditate in His Word and show His love and remember that it's not about you. It's about Him.
I believe that the problem is that we as a nation and culture have bought into the lie that we "must" be happy at any cost! We want instant gratification and feel that we must always feel like we are "in love" with our spouse. The minute that we no longer feel these feelings of "love" and things get tough, we want to find someone new that will be all about us. While it is nice to experience the newness of new found love, it is inevitable that we will also lose the initial excitement and feelings of love that we had at the beginning of any relationship.
In short, every relationship will experience hard times and feelings of distance between spouses. It is inevitable that we will have arguments and, if left unresolved, we will allow our relationships to grow cold where we will then give up on the relationship and will be open to or will start seeking a new relationship, whether we realize it or not. Why do you suppose that the divorce rate is so high in this country? The divorce rate for 1st marriages is 50%; for 2nd marriages, it's 67%; for 3rd marriages, it's 74%. Notice that the rate increases in every subsequent marriage. Why? Once you take the easy path out of a relationship that God desired to be permanent, it gets easier and easier to take the easy road out of every subsequent relationship.
"It's too hard to stay together," "I'm in love with someone else," and "I don't love them anymore" are common excuses for ending a marriage. What it comes down to is "I care more about myself than I do about the person that I pledged to put above myself." Don't you remember the vows that you took when you got married? You promised to take care of the other person, to love them unconditionally forever, to stay with them even if times got tough. Does your commitment mean anything to you? Does your word carry any weight at all? No matter how hard a relationship has become, you have, in some way, contributed to it, good or bad. All relationships are circles; What goes around, comes around. Your attitude contributes to your relationships. Your words have the power to build up or to tear down and you can choose which way you use those words. No matter what your spouse says to you, you have the power to choose to be loving and encouraging to them. You can change their attitude towards you by loving them unconditionally, but it takes courage, patience and time. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a good relationship. Relationships are only as good as the time, love and effort that you put into them. If I have a garden and don't tend to it, it would be full of weeds within weeks. Relationships are like gardens in the same way...if you don't continually spend time caring for your relationship, it will be full of weeds as well and will fall into decay and ruin.
So far, I've left the Bible out of this conversation. But what does God's Word say about divorce?
Malachi 2:15-16
15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.
Matthew 5:32-33
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
Mark 10:10-12
10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.
11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
1 Corinthians 7:10-14
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
1 Corinthians 7:26-28
26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
27Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.
28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
15 Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
16 "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.
Matthew 5:32-33
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
Mark 10:10-12
10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.
11He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."
1 Corinthians 7:10-14
10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.
14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
1 Corinthians 7:26-28
26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
27Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.
28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
According to the Bible, God meant for marriage to last for life. Divorce only makes things harder, especially if children are involved. God tells us to remain married, even in crisis. Why would God tell us this? Aren't we supposed to be "happy?" Is "happiness" supposed to be our goal? Not according to God. If it were not in our best interest to remain married, don't you think that God would allow us to divorce without consequences? We must remember that what God has spoken in His Word is the Truth. If we value Truth, then we should follow God's instructions as it is in our best interest to do so. If we cannot handle the "troubles" that we will face in marriage, then we are told to remain unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:28).
Also remember that God says that "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22) Why does God says this and also say that married people will face many troubles in this life? Perhaps it's because anything worth having that is considered to be "good" will not be easy to maintain. Since we are a fallen race, then things are going to be hard. Life is hard as it is, so why would a relationship be easy?
In closing, I want to share something with you...I have discovered the secret of life. Read the scripture below and pay particular attention to the bold words which I have made bold for emphasis:
Philippians 4:1o-13
10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Contentment is the secret of life. If you can learn contentment regardless of the situation or circumstances, then you, too, can avoid the "happiness" search. Of course, the biggest Truth that is revealed in the above verses is that the strength needed to be content in every circumstance comes from Jesus Christ. He is the One that gives grace and strength to those who belong to Him. Do you belong to Him? I pray that you do. How do you get to know who He is? Read His Word, repent of your sins, obey what you read and pray for His strength. Abide in Him every day, meditate in His Word and show His love and remember that it's not about you. It's about Him.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Are today's "Christians" any different from the world?
In my observations, I have noticed that many so-called "Christians" do not appear to be any different than non-Christians. Why is that? Should Christians really separate themselves from "the world" and be different or should Christians try to "fit in" with non-Christians and "enjoy" all that the world has to offer?
If your answer to my question of how Christians should act is contrary to the Bible, then you should seriously exam yourself to see if you are truly in "the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5). By this I mean that true Christians are commanded to "set themselves apart" from the world and its influences (2 Corinthians6:17 ).
If you truly desire the world and everything that it has to offer, then you most likely do not love the Lord Jesus Christ. You certainly don't love Him more than anything if your desire is to "fit in" and be accepted by your friends. Christians are supposed to be different and out of love for Jesus, they are also supposed to be His ambassadors to shine His light on the world and be "salty" as in presenting something of value (the gospel message) to "the world" around them (Matthew 5:13-15). As Jesus is the Light, we are to reflect His light to the world (John8:12 ). How can we do this is we look and act no different than "the world?" What testimony do we have if Jesus has never touched our heart and given us a testimony? After all, we must be drawn to Him if we are truly His (John 6:44 ).
I say all of this because I am grieved to see church leaders, Sunday school teachers and their children all appearing to be of the world, in love with the things of the world and trying their best to fit in with the world. What does this do to the church? Is the church influencing the world or is the world influencing the church? By all indications, the church is becoming worldlier every day. I even see billboards trying to persuade people to attend churches by way of the latest, greatest "sermon series."
By everything that I have observed, the church has become a marketing machine, no longer interested in fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20) by going out and making disciples, but instead are attempting to lure people into the church by getting their attention and entertaining them. And what of these slick marketing ploys? Are they "inoffensive" and "watered-down" gospel presentations that are followed by high pressure altar calls trying to get people to "make decisions" for Christ based on an emotional sermon that they may or may not have written themselves? Is the goal of the church merely to multiply its membership and to make money? If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then what we are seeing is the church rapidly falling into disobedience to Christ by following unbiblical "formulas" and schemes and are only gaining church members instead of genuine believers who are then discipled to follow the commands of Jesus Christ. As I read the Gospels, I see that Jesus was more interested in the quality of His disciples and followers over their quantity. Is this how the church operates today?
I know that there are still some churches that do not bow a knee to Baal (Romans 11:3-5), but for the most part, I observe that so many churches are more interested in themselves (self-centeredness) instead of the Lord Jesus. They present "sermon series" that are more "self-help" than gospel presentation. The church seems to exist to make everyone feel better about themselves instead of bringing sinners to genuine repentance. It is complete blasphemy that it has come to this, but we must not despair. It is recorded in Revelation that the church would become lukewarm to the extreme that Jesus is on the outside of the church knocking on the door to be let in (Revelation 3:20). I say that we are already there. So take heart, unless you are part of the problem. If your life does not reflect the Lord Jesus Christ, then you need to repent and bow to His Lordship. Examine your life and line it up with what Jesus said concerning the cost of discipleship (Luke14:25 -35). If your life does not line up with the requirements of Jesus, then repent and forsake the world and remember that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). If He has overcome the world and if you remain / abide in Him (John 15:3-13), then you have overcome the world too. Also remember that if you follow Jesus, the world will not love you because you are not of the world (John 15:18 -23), but remember that Jesus will love you and that is a greater gift than anything the world can offer you.
If your answer to my question of how Christians should act is contrary to the Bible, then you should seriously exam yourself to see if you are truly in "the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5). By this I mean that true Christians are commanded to "set themselves apart" from the world and its influences (2 Corinthians
If you truly desire the world and everything that it has to offer, then you most likely do not love the Lord Jesus Christ. You certainly don't love Him more than anything if your desire is to "fit in" and be accepted by your friends. Christians are supposed to be different and out of love for Jesus, they are also supposed to be His ambassadors to shine His light on the world and be "salty" as in presenting something of value (the gospel message) to "the world" around them (Matthew 5:13-15). As Jesus is the Light, we are to reflect His light to the world (John
I say all of this because I am grieved to see church leaders, Sunday school teachers and their children all appearing to be of the world, in love with the things of the world and trying their best to fit in with the world. What does this do to the church? Is the church influencing the world or is the world influencing the church? By all indications, the church is becoming worldlier every day. I even see billboards trying to persuade people to attend churches by way of the latest, greatest "sermon series."
By everything that I have observed, the church has become a marketing machine, no longer interested in fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20) by going out and making disciples, but instead are attempting to lure people into the church by getting their attention and entertaining them. And what of these slick marketing ploys? Are they "inoffensive" and "watered-down" gospel presentations that are followed by high pressure altar calls trying to get people to "make decisions" for Christ based on an emotional sermon that they may or may not have written themselves? Is the goal of the church merely to multiply its membership and to make money? If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then what we are seeing is the church rapidly falling into disobedience to Christ by following unbiblical "formulas" and schemes and are only gaining church members instead of genuine believers who are then discipled to follow the commands of Jesus Christ. As I read the Gospels, I see that Jesus was more interested in the quality of His disciples and followers over their quantity. Is this how the church operates today?
I know that there are still some churches that do not bow a knee to Baal (Romans 11:3-5), but for the most part, I observe that so many churches are more interested in themselves (self-centeredness) instead of the Lord Jesus. They present "sermon series" that are more "self-help" than gospel presentation. The church seems to exist to make everyone feel better about themselves instead of bringing sinners to genuine repentance. It is complete blasphemy that it has come to this, but we must not despair. It is recorded in Revelation that the church would become lukewarm to the extreme that Jesus is on the outside of the church knocking on the door to be let in (Revelation 3:20). I say that we are already there. So take heart, unless you are part of the problem. If your life does not reflect the Lord Jesus Christ, then you need to repent and bow to His Lordship. Examine your life and line it up with what Jesus said concerning the cost of discipleship (Luke
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Gossip: The Friendship Killer
Gossip is when one speaks about others and reveals secrets or intimacies; a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people or a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others. Gossip can also be the breaking of trust of confidential information between two or more people where one or more people reveal something that is private or personal and then the hearer of the information goes out and tells one or more other people. It can also be spreading information about someone that is not based on firsthand information, so it might not be true or is distorted information.
Why am I addressing this topic? What does it have to do with being a Christian? I am addressing it because gossip exists everywhere; even within the church. It is also something that Christians should not be involved in. The Bible speaks negatively about gossip and gossiping. I looked up "gossip" in 11 different English translations to see how many times it is mentioned and the average that I came up with was 12.18 instances, (NASB - 7, NIV - 10, The Message - 49, NLT - 14, KJV - 0, ESV - 4, CEV - 22, NKJV - 1, NCV - 14, HCS - 13) so, I used the HCS (Holman Christian Standard) translation of the Bible to present a good representation of how God speaks of gossip or gossiping in His Word:
- Psalm 31:13
I have heard the gossip of many; terror is on every side. When they conspired against me, they plotted to take my life.
- Proverbs 11:13
A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but the trustworthy keeps a confidence.
- Proverbs 16:28
A contrary man spreads conflict, and a gossip separates friends.
- Proverbs 17:9
Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but whoever gossips about it separates friends.
- Proverbs 18:8
A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.
- Proverbs 20:19
The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid someone with a big mouth.
- Proverbs 26:20
Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.
- Proverbs 26:22
A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being.
- Jeremiah 20:10
For I have heard the gossip of the multitudes, "Terror is on every side! Report [him]; let's report him!" Everyone I trusted watches for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived so that we might prevail against him and take our vengeance on him."
- Ezekiel 36:3
therefore, prophesy and say: This is what the Lord GOD says: Because they have made you desolate and have trampled you from every side, so that you became a possession for the rest of the nations and an object of people's gossip and slander,
- Romans 1:29
They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, disputes, deceit, and malice. They are gossips,
- 2 Corinthians 12:20
For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and I may not be found by you to be what you want; there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- 1 Timothy 5:13
At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn't say.
So, the question we should be asking is "if gossiping is spoken of in the Bible as something that is undesirable and something that is negative, why do Christians engage in it?"
James 3:10 - Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not be this way. - HCS
One possible answer is that a large number of Christians have worldly attitudes, worldly values and worldly points of view. I say this because the world doesn't necessarily see gossip as a bad thing. What I mean is that some worldly people see gossip as a "means to an end." They use gossip as a way to attack or destroy an enemy or maybe it is just a "natural" way of an unsaved or worldy person to act:
Luke 6:45 - A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. - HCS.
When something is printed on the front page of a newspaper, one would generally like to believe that it is a true statement of fact. This is not always the case in the world in which we live today. So if gossip exists in the church, does this mean that the world is influencing the church more than the church is influencing the world? Perhaps it only means that their are a plentiful amount of goats among the sheep:
Matthew 25:31-34 - 31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. - HCS
It also means that there are many weeds among the wheat:
Matthew 13:24-30 - 24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " - HCS
In both sets of verses from the gospel of Matthew, the meaning is the same...that there are many false converts within the church. You must be careful that you are not influenced by them! You need to be discerning so that you let your light shine within the darkness of this world:
John 8:12 -12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life." - HCS
1 John 1:5-10 - 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. - HCS
Are you caught up in gossiping constantly about others? If so, then you need to repent and ask God to forgive you and to empower you to stop this destructive behavior. This behavior is an addiction that can cause injury, suffering and death. By death, I speak of the death of friendships, spiritual death, your Christian witness, your reputation or your career just to name a few things that you probably value that you wouldn't want to lose. I have personally observed gossip kill friendships, and start other gossip by dragging people into other people's private affairs that no one should know about and then cause all of the parties involved to suffer needlessly. This all goes back to keeping confidential information confidential, to not breaching the bonds of friendship and to just keeping your mouth shut. Here are a few Proverbs (not all) describing the good and bad things concerning the mouth:
Proverbs 11:9
With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly
Proverbs 15:14
The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
Proverbs 18:7
A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.
So remember, do not gossip! Be wise and follow God's Word and you will preserve your friendships and other things that are of value to you. As a Christian you need to pull yourself out of gossip situations and let the light of Christ shine from you instead. May God bless and keep you.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
What are you committed to?
What is a commitment? Some of the definitions of "commitment" are "the promise to do something in the future; the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose; the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action." What are you committed to? Is it an addiction, the world, your job, a hobby or maybe the pursuit of money? The reason that I ask is because I have seen and heard many people claim to be "committed" followers of Jesus Christ and yet their actions and words tell a different story.
Let me explain; when I find out that someone is a Christian, I really start to listen to what these people say and how they act. I'm not the only one who does this, so don't think that being a Christian is a free ride without scrutiny. The reason that most people, including myself, pay particular attention to self-proclaimed Christians is because people want to see something in Christians that they lack themselves. It's true that some people only want to see the Christian stumble and fall, but I am not one of them. What I want to see, in myself as well as other Christians, is commitment to Jesus Christ. When I say this, I not only mean in a proclamation of faith, but also in a lifestyle of holiness so that those that are lost can see Christ living in you (Hebrews 12:14).
As Christians, we have to be very careful what we say and how we act. People are watching and listening and trying to see if there is any difference between you and them. If there is not a difference, why then would they ever believe that Christ can make a difference in their lives? We are supposed to constantly examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) to make sure that we are living the way that Jesus told us to live. We are supposed to be the salt of the world (Matthew 5:13). Some food is not as good if it is not salted. In fact, some people will not eat it without a lot of salt. Have you ever tried to eat french fries that were unsalted? If so, how did they taste? If you're like me, you won't eat them. The salt is what makes them taste good. In the same way, Christians are the salt of the earth. If they have acted or spoken badly, how can they be made salty again? They cannot. Jesus tells us that they are no longer good for anything and will be thrown out and trampled. This is because no one will give their "Christian" profession of faith any more thought because it has already lost it's "saltiness."
Now let's examine who we are committed to. Who or what do we talk about and praise? Is it the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we ever share our testimony with others? Do we tell others about Jesus? Why not? I have observed that most people don't know enough about Jesus to talk to anyone about Him. What I normally see are "Christians" who know nothing about Christ. Instead, they talk about their "mighty" pastor or their "wonderful" church. When they talk to someone in a witnessing encounter, all they do is invite that person to come to their church to listen to their pastor. If one reads between the lines, here's how it sounds; "Hey, I am a Christian and I love the Lord Jesus Christ, but I don't know how to tell you about Him, so why don't you come to my church so that my pastor and tell you about Him." How often do you think that you're going to get people to visit your church that are not Christians already? If you don't know how to tell people about Jesus Christ, who He is, what He's done for you, what He's already done for them, why would they care to go to your church?
In further investigation concerning "the church" and "the pastor," I have been disturbed to see that a lot of people tend to go to church to socialize and to hear the pastor preach instead of to worship the Living God of the universe. Again I will ask, who or what are you committed to? How do you know if you are committed to Jesus? Those that are committed to Jesus are known as His disciples. Are you a disciple of Jesus? What is a "disciple"? A short definition of a disciple is "someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another." So then, if you are a disciple of Jesus, you should be a believer in His deity and His teachings and you should also be teaching others about Him by spreading His gospel message or doctrine. Jesus told us the way to know who His disciples are in John 8:31-32 NASB ( 31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."). So, are you a disciple of Jesus or are you a follower of your pastor or your church? Which one is more important to you? Does it make you feel better to be known as a member of your church or that your pastor is really good at preaching or would you simply rather be known as a follower or disciple of Jesus Christ?
Where does your commitment reside? I ask you to examine yourselves so that you will know the truth. If you find that you are not really following Jesus Christ as you should, I implore you to repent, turn from your idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and follow Jesus Christ, read His Word and worship Him only. Do not put your faith into any man because they will fail you. Put all of your faith and devotion in Jesus Christ. He will never fail you and He is the only way! (John 14:6 NASB : 6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.)
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