Ephesians 5:11, 13-14--And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."
Exposing darkness is never easy, but always necessary. Like a doctor telling a patient that they are struck with cancer, bound for death if changes are not made immediately, so is the minister that sheds light in an area that is filled with sin. I find no joy in correcting those that are in error, but I find extreme joy in knowing that God's "children walk in truth." III John 4 May this article, and others that follow, spur you to search out the Scriptures, testing yourself, seeing if what you believe is based on your opinion, or God's Word.
In last weeks paper a memorial was given for the passing of an individual. In the closing remarks, this was said, "(he) never talked about his religion, and Sundays were often just another day to him. But I truly believe that Heaven has a place for him." Is this true? Is it possible? Is it based on Scripture? I use this example not to point out an individual, but a teaching and mindset that has found its way into the church. Such teaching has occurred in many churches and funeral homes over the years. It is one that promises others that heaven is a place for anyone, no matter the life they lived. It upsets and frustrates me to see those that are to be grounded in God's Word lead so many down the path of destruction. Many that could be truly lead towards heaven instead leave the funeral service with an unfounded hope that they are o.k. It is blasphemy and those that teach it will be held accountable. Ministers attempt to appease and comfort man at the expense of discrediting and distorting God's Word. Galatians 1:10 says,"..do I seek to please man? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." The duty of a minister is to preach the Truth, no matter who likes it, because he realizes that his goal is to please the Father and not fickle man. When the gospel of Christ is elevated unashamedly, those that desire new life will come(though few in number--Matt. 7:14) and those that get offended will turn away. So, what is the truth about who goes to heaven?
You must repent. John the Baptist said it(Matt. 3:2), Jesus preached it(Matt. 4:17), Peter proclaimed it(Acts 2:38) and Paul pronounced it(Acts 17:30) as essential for anyone desiring to come to Christ. As John MacArthur points out, this is not a "mere academic change of mind, nor simply regret or remorse." This is a radical change in one's desire. And it is not a change that will be, nor can be hidden from others. It is an over joyous experience that one's heart has been changed from desiring to please oneself, to desiring to please God.
Let me express two things about repentance that every individual should know. #1 Repentance is not a one time occurrence, it is ongoing. A true believers sin will be exposed regularly through his reading of God's Word and fellowship with other believers, causing him to continually cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy.
#2 When one truly repents, righteousness will follow. John the Baptist, when speaking to the multitudes that came to be baptized, commanded them to bear fruits worthy of repentance. (Luke 3:7-8) A similar statement is made by Paul in Acts 26:20. As John MacArthur points out, "genuine repentance is inseparably linked to a changed lifestyle." We have been made to believe that one can be saved and continue living the lifestyle they did before salvation. It is not true!!! Let God be true and every man a liar. (Romans 3:4) By teaching such a doctrine we have totally disregarded Scripture. II Corinthians 5:17 tells us that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation, old things have passed away. Matthew 7:20 tells us that you will be able to distinguish true believers from the fake by looking at their fruit. If you are saved, your life will be a continual process of laying off your old self, and putting on the new.
Let me close by saying this, my desire is that you know the truth, because God's Word says, "you shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free."(John 8:32) I desire for you to be free from the deception that is promoted and truly repent and wholeheartedly seek to follow in His steps. By doing so, you will guarantee yourself a home in heaven(otherwise your home will be hell).
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Lord will fight for you
Check out the new message and learn how the Lord desires to fight your battles for you. Listen here.
Friday, February 17, 2012
New weekly study
Check out our new weekly Bible study over the 3 things you should flee from(they will send you to hell).
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Power in the home
As we have tackled the different roles God has placed within the families over the last few weeks, I would like to close by giving 2 tips dealing with power that will greatly aid every Christ-centered home.
Number one...don't desire power that is not yours. As we see in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were not content with the role that God had given them and desired to elevate themselves to "be like God"(vs.5). This same desire was displayed in Acts 8. Simon had just gotten "saved" and noticed the power that the apostles possessed(vs. 7-8), one that he did not, and he desired it so greatly that he was willing to pay for it. Satan is very good at encouraging us to lack contentment, especially when it comes to the roles within our family. Whether it be the child who wants to act like the parent, or the parent who wants to act like the child; the wife that wants to be in charge or the lazy husband that derelicts his duties, God has given us a circle of responsibility, but Satan longs for us to step beyond our boundaries, taking on a role not assigned to us. Doing so may not cause immediate trouble, but in the long run, havoc will prevail. May I strongly encouarage you to understand your role, practice it and be content.
Number two...don't abuse your power. Power can corrupt, there is no doubt about it. Power and pride are a deadly combination, destroying everything in its path. One example of this is found in I Samuel 2:12-36. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests in the Lord's house; a position that carried extreme power. In short, they used their power to gain for themselves. They choose to take advantage of others and use their position to justify it; God was not pleased(He later killed them, indirectly) A second example is found in Leviticus 10. Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron and were recently placed as priests in charge of certain functions within the tabernacle. On their first day in office they decided to offer up profane fire, a power that was not commanded nor directed by God; God was not please(He killed them, directly) In our families, the potential to abuse the power God has given us is real, but we must avoid it. Maybe its a husband that mistakes his role as head of the home as meaning dictator of the commune; or maybe the wife that witholds certain things from her husband in an attempt to coerce his decision-making. (the list could go on, and on and on) When we abuse our power, trust is diminished and unity is devoured.
To close, Christ has done a perfect job at giving us the blueprint for a wonderful home, let's not allow Satan to corrupt that. May we strive to stay within our boundaries and not abuse our power, understanding that in so doing, love, joy and peace will abound. May Christ richly bless your home.
Number one...don't desire power that is not yours. As we see in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were not content with the role that God had given them and desired to elevate themselves to "be like God"(vs.5). This same desire was displayed in Acts 8. Simon had just gotten "saved" and noticed the power that the apostles possessed(vs. 7-8), one that he did not, and he desired it so greatly that he was willing to pay for it. Satan is very good at encouraging us to lack contentment, especially when it comes to the roles within our family. Whether it be the child who wants to act like the parent, or the parent who wants to act like the child; the wife that wants to be in charge or the lazy husband that derelicts his duties, God has given us a circle of responsibility, but Satan longs for us to step beyond our boundaries, taking on a role not assigned to us. Doing so may not cause immediate trouble, but in the long run, havoc will prevail. May I strongly encouarage you to understand your role, practice it and be content.
Number two...don't abuse your power. Power can corrupt, there is no doubt about it. Power and pride are a deadly combination, destroying everything in its path. One example of this is found in I Samuel 2:12-36. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests in the Lord's house; a position that carried extreme power. In short, they used their power to gain for themselves. They choose to take advantage of others and use their position to justify it; God was not pleased(He later killed them, indirectly) A second example is found in Leviticus 10. Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron and were recently placed as priests in charge of certain functions within the tabernacle. On their first day in office they decided to offer up profane fire, a power that was not commanded nor directed by God; God was not please(He killed them, directly) In our families, the potential to abuse the power God has given us is real, but we must avoid it. Maybe its a husband that mistakes his role as head of the home as meaning dictator of the commune; or maybe the wife that witholds certain things from her husband in an attempt to coerce his decision-making. (the list could go on, and on and on) When we abuse our power, trust is diminished and unity is devoured.
To close, Christ has done a perfect job at giving us the blueprint for a wonderful home, let's not allow Satan to corrupt that. May we strive to stay within our boundaries and not abuse our power, understanding that in so doing, love, joy and peace will abound. May Christ richly bless your home.
The wise man built his house upon the rock
Saturday, February 11, 2012
New message
Victory comes through whole-hearted worship of Christ. Check out the new message that addresses this topic. Listen here
Blessing and cursing..is it based on our conduct
Check out the new message based on blessings and cursing and their relation to our conduct. Listen here
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Roles within the Family, Part 3: Husbands/fathers
What power the husband/father possesses. With his words he has the ability to tear down or elevate; he can provoke to anger or prod to perfection. His responsibilities are many and the distractions are limitless. The problem we face today is that many men are unprepared, uneducated, illiterate and ill-equipped to lead their family according to the dictates of God's Word. That being said, many men have chosen to contract the raising of their children out to others; everything from public school to Sunday school. As Godly men, we must understand our important, God-given responsibility and take back the raising of our family. Allow me to illustrate a few basic tips from God's Word that can assist you in being a wonderful, Godly husband/father.
Don't be like Adam. In Genesis 2:16-17 Adam is told that he can eat of all trees in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was warned that in the day he did eat of it, he would surely die. As you know, Adam chose not to follow God's instruction and ate of the forbidden fruit. Fast forward to Genesis 3:17. God is about to curse Adam, and we see an interesting line. Why was Adam cursed? Because he heeded the voice of his wife. My intention is not to say that a Godly man never listens to his wife, but rather that a Godly man always listens to his Father. If and when others line up with God's direction, we are free to move. But if ever those paths diverge, we must always follow God's course. As Romans 3:4 states, "Let God be true and every man a liar." A true, Godly man will be centered in God's Word, allowing it to direct his steps. Psalms 119:133 says, "Direct my steps by your Word and let no iniquity have dominion over me."
Do be like Noah(in most ways). In Genesis 6:9 Noah is characterized as being a "just man, perfect in his generations." In verse 10-11 we see that Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth; all of which were being raised in a corrupt, violence filled earth. Noah was able to instruct his boys in such a way, that even when all of creation mocked their father for building a huge ark, they stood with their dad. What a job he must have done. Can you imagine the pressure there must have been from their in-laws to desert their dad and return to reality? Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and if we desire to be Godly fathers, we must ask for such grace to be able to train up our children in the way they should go(even in the midst of a corrupt and violent world), so that they may never depart from His statutes.
Role model. Whether you know it or not, you are constantly role modeling for your family, sometimes good things, and other times, not so good. I Timothy 4:12 tells us that we should be examples in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity. I encourage you to evaluate your life and see how you are doing at role modeling in each of these areas. I would like to expound upon one area that should not go unnoticed...your wife. Be an example to your children in how to love their mother. As Colossians 3:19 tells us, "Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them." When satan comes and attempts to put evil thoughts into your mind about your wife, get rid of them. Honor her with your words, acknowledge her by your actions. Explain to your children how blessed your family is to have such a wonderful woman in the home.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it should serve as a good foundation for any husband/father that desires to have a better, God-centered family. May God bless you as you strive to follow His plan for your role within the family.
Don't be like Adam. In Genesis 2:16-17 Adam is told that he can eat of all trees in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was warned that in the day he did eat of it, he would surely die. As you know, Adam chose not to follow God's instruction and ate of the forbidden fruit. Fast forward to Genesis 3:17. God is about to curse Adam, and we see an interesting line. Why was Adam cursed? Because he heeded the voice of his wife. My intention is not to say that a Godly man never listens to his wife, but rather that a Godly man always listens to his Father. If and when others line up with God's direction, we are free to move. But if ever those paths diverge, we must always follow God's course. As Romans 3:4 states, "Let God be true and every man a liar." A true, Godly man will be centered in God's Word, allowing it to direct his steps. Psalms 119:133 says, "Direct my steps by your Word and let no iniquity have dominion over me."
Do be like Noah(in most ways). In Genesis 6:9 Noah is characterized as being a "just man, perfect in his generations." In verse 10-11 we see that Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth; all of which were being raised in a corrupt, violence filled earth. Noah was able to instruct his boys in such a way, that even when all of creation mocked their father for building a huge ark, they stood with their dad. What a job he must have done. Can you imagine the pressure there must have been from their in-laws to desert their dad and return to reality? Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and if we desire to be Godly fathers, we must ask for such grace to be able to train up our children in the way they should go(even in the midst of a corrupt and violent world), so that they may never depart from His statutes.
Role model. Whether you know it or not, you are constantly role modeling for your family, sometimes good things, and other times, not so good. I Timothy 4:12 tells us that we should be examples in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity. I encourage you to evaluate your life and see how you are doing at role modeling in each of these areas. I would like to expound upon one area that should not go unnoticed...your wife. Be an example to your children in how to love their mother. As Colossians 3:19 tells us, "Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them." When satan comes and attempts to put evil thoughts into your mind about your wife, get rid of them. Honor her with your words, acknowledge her by your actions. Explain to your children how blessed your family is to have such a wonderful woman in the home.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it should serve as a good foundation for any husband/father that desires to have a better, God-centered family. May God bless you as you strive to follow His plan for your role within the family.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Counter Cultural Christian
Check out the new message encouraging us to not be swayed by this evil and adulterous generation. Listen here.
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