Yesterday, Today & Forever

     Yesterday “You shall not go out with haste, … for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12).
 

     Security from Yesterday. “… God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

     Security for Tomorrow. “… the Lord will go before you … .” This is a gracious revelation—that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

     Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste … .” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

     Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.

Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

     From the Book of Matthew 2:2 we read: “Saying where is He who is born King of the Jews?  For we have seen HIS STAR in the East, and are come to Worship Him.”

THE KING OF THE JEWS

     The question, “Saying, where is He who is born King of the Jews?” proclaims the certitude of the knowledge of these “wise men.” In that they did not ask “whether there is?” but “where is?” They showed no sign of doubt.

THE STAR

     The phrase, “For we have seen His Star in the east,” probably would have been better translated, “We, dwelling in the east, saw His Star.” 

     This Passage, with Verses 9 & 10, seems to make it clear that the star did not precede them in their journey to Jerusalem, as is popularly supposed, but upon seeing it in the “east,” they knew it was “His Star.”

     Many questions beg to be asked concerning that statement, of which are few definitive answers:

·       What was the star they saw in the heavens? Astronomy can suggest nothing which satisfies all these conditions, and therefore, the appearance must have been strictly miraculous.

·       About 1,600 years before, Balaam had prophesied, “…there shall come a Star out of Jacob…” a Prophecy with which these wise men may very well have been acquainted (Num. 24:15-19). And yet, this Prophecy alone would have given them precious little information!

·       How did they know it was “His Star”? They were emphatic in their statement to Herod and could have only achieved the knowledge through Revelation from God, which they, no doubt, had received.

No doubt, they had hungrily studied the Prophecies of Daniel and had been convinced of this coming King.

From these brief statements, there is every evidence that they knew Who He was and what He was, at least up to a point!

WORSHIP

     The phrase, “And are come to worship Him,” does not necessarily mean the acceptance of Him as God, but rather as Lord and King.

     However, for these “wise men” to come without delay, especially, a journey of several hundred miles, requiring several weeks, would not have been undertaken without something powerful happening to them far greater than the ordinary.

     Having tabulated Daniel’s Prophecies, and knowing this was the approximate time for the Birth of this King, quite possibly, they had accepted Daniel’s God and had sought Him earnestly pertaining to these all-important events, and consequently, experienced a Revelation from the Lord of some magnitude. Little else could explain their attention, haste, and knowledge.

Hope We Have in Christ

The Meaning of HOPE:

    1.  As is written in God's WORD: Confident CERTAINTY that God will fulfill all He has promised.

    2.  As is used in today's WORLD: A wishful FEELING that wants and expectations might be met.

1 Peter 3:15-16 ¹⁵But Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts (“set apart Christ as Lord in the heart”): and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason of the hope that is in you (every Believer must know the Word of God); with meekness and fear (never from a Holier-than-thou stance): ¹⁶Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation (Godly lifestyle) in Christ. (Irrespective of what people may say, the Righteousness of Christ will ultimately prevail. In other words, those who falsely accuse will ultimately be proven wrong.)

Please understand Biblical HOPE is a gift from God -- given to those who have put their faith in Him and received His Life through His Spirit. Listen in Verse 15 "'To give a reason for the hope that is in you" is not at all the same things as convincing by rational argument why that hope is in us. The work of the Spirit of God in us transcends reason, but never contradicts it. And when a Christian says 'the reason I am so-and-so is because I have received the Holy Spirit,' or 'I have received from God something which has made this possible,' it doesn't contradict reason. It transcends it, and is an answer concerning the hope that is in you. The line we are continually apt to be caught by is that of argumentative reasoning out why we are what we are. We can never do that, but we can always say why the hope is in us.

"Reason is the faculty of mind by which man draws conclusions. Every man is always striving after a true expression of what he is. When a man is born again, his personality become alive to God as the Source of inspiration! Paul's words in Galatians 2:20: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" are the expression of the only worthy rationalism...."

Listen: As long as we use the image of our own salvation, our experience, the image of our feelings, or answers to prayer, we shall never begin to understand what Paul meant when he said, 'Christ lives in me.' The exercise of man's essential reason is drawing on God as the Source of life.

Those who don't know God can't understand the wonders of the hope that God has put in our hearts. It makes no sense to the secular mind! The world's finite reasoning and "rational" understanding clashes with the reality of God's plan and eternal Kingdom! The key to understanding -- God's Holy Spirit -- is missing!

The only real gift at Christmas is Jesus.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Redemption—Creating the Need it Satisfies

     “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him …” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

     The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe …” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you …” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption—it creates and it satisfies. 

     Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

 

THANKSGIVING MESSAGE 2013

     Thanksgiving is the time to feel gratitude to God for all the good things in life. It is a time to acknowledge the good deeds of fellowmen and be thankful. Thanksgiving thoughts of people give us an insight as to what people feel about it.

• Life can be very trying. When your child is hungry, your body wracked with pain, or you have no idea where you and your family will find a place to sleep, it's hard to find something for which you can be thankful. So, for just a few minutes on Thanksgiving Day, step outside your situation and just "be". Find something, no matter how small, to be thankful for because in giving thanks, you will be lightening your load, even if for only a moment,
• Thanksgiving thoughts are the kind of thoughts that we should have all year long. It is the folks with thankful hearts whose lives are filled with song. We should take time for kindness to those we hold most dear, and just extend a helping hand to others through the year. Let's set aside some quiet time and share it with a friend. For friendships brings a special joy and pleasure without end. So may the blessings of this day that I would ask for you, now fill you with Thanksgiving Peace that lasts the whole year through!

Giving Thanks When You Can’t

     Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good (note – but only if certain conditions are met) to them who love God (note – the first condition), to them who are the called according to His purpose” (note – this means it’s “His Purpose, and not ours,” which is the second condition; otherwise, all things will not work together for our good).

     With the understanding of conditions laid out in the above verse, look at the startling command of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 which bewilders even committed believers at times: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.”

     How do we give thanks in times of catastrophe? For what are we grateful when disaster strikes?

     As foreign as it may seem, we give thanks to God in all things because His sovereign, loving power is able to weave our grief, sorrow, and pain into the fabric of His eternal plan for our lives. God does not cause evil, and neither is He conquered by it. You may ask HOW? Because of what Jesus did on the cross for mankind.

     Listen: God’s purposes for us cannot be thwarted by our problems. For that, we can give thanks in the midst of our adversity. In 2 Cor. 12: 9-10 And He said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for you (speaks of enabling Grace, which is really the Goodness of God carried out by the Holy Spirit): for My Strength is made perfect in weakness. (All Believers are weak, but the Lord tends to make us weaker, with the intention being that we then depend solely upon Him, thereby, obtaining His Strength.) Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities (because of the end result), that the Power of Christ may rest upon me. (If Paul needed so humbling and painful an experience of what the carnal nature is, it is evident that all Christians need it. Whatever weakens, belittles, and humiliates that proud and willful nature should be regarded by the Believer as most worthwhile.) 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (then the strength of Christ can be exhibited through me, but only when I know I am weak).

     Someone once wrote – “The sovereignty of God is the one impregnable rock to which the suffering human heart must cling. The circumstances surrounding our lives are not accident: they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God.”

     All evil is subject to Him, and evil cannot touch His children unless He permits it. God is the Lord of human history and of the personal history of every member of His redeemed family. The question is “Do you know Him’? You can! Take a look at the beginning of our blog for details then pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sins. HE WILL! Amen.

     Some of you may presently be experiencing some difficulties in your life - This devotion is worth a look. With God at the helm you will find The Anchor Holds - Despite the Storm.  Be Blessed!

Sugar Coated Preaching

     The Word has become adulterated with worldly antidotes. You see, I rarely hear a preacher preach on the “blood of Jesus” anymore. Instead, we talk about His love, His grace and His forgiveness. This is all good, but how can we experience His love, grace and forgiveness without first experiencing the “blood” that covers our sin. We’ve cleaned our churches up a little too much – don’t you think!

     The sugar coated gospel is designed to cause the unsuspected believer to become dependent on music, nice short preaching and wonderful philosophy etc., to experience a “quick fix” or good feeling inside. They also become church junkies, thus not knowing how to worship or study the scripture outside of the church.

        Scripture says: 2 Tim. 4:3-4 – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” “And they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

     These are ears always pricking with an uneasy desire for what would gratify the taste of a carnal, self-willed heart. Does this sound like you? Then there is a remedy.

     The question is; Do you Know Jesus as your personal savior? If not don’t wait! “…Behold now is the day of Salvation” 2 Cor. 6:2. Call upon His Name. 

A Bondservant of Jesus

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me …” (Galatians 2:20).

     These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, “… for My sake” (Matthew 5:11). That is what makes a strong saint.

     Has that breaking of my independence come? All the rest is religious fraud. The one point to decide is—will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come? I must be broken from my own understanding of myself. When I reach that point, immediately the reality of the supernatural identification with Jesus Christ takes place. And the witness of the Spirit of God is unmistakable—“I have been crucified with Christ … .”

     The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.

 

Obedience or Independence?

“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

     Our Lord never insists on our obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship; He prefaced it with an “If,” meaning, “You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so.” “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself …” (Luke 9:23). In other words, “To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me.” Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.

     The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.

The Unheeded Secret

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ ” (John 18:36).

     The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation … For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20–21). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life. We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

      It is not the practical activity that is the strength of your daily life—its entire strength lies in the fact that you are to be immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in over activity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.

 

     We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.

You Are Not Your Own

     “Do you not know that … you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.

    

     The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?

The Proper Perspective

     “Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ …” (2 Corinthians 2:14). The proper perspective of a servant of God must not simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest. Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No outside power can touch the proper perspective.

     The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose—to be captives marching in the procession of Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase—we are here to exhibit only one thing—the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive—and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him …” (Romans 8:37).

     “We are to God the fragrance of Christ …” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are wonderful refreshment to God.


  

Building on the Atonement

“… present … your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).

     I cannot save and sanctify myself; I cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done? He has made the perfect atonement for sin. Am I in the habit of constantly realizing it? The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things. The redemption of Christ is not an experience, it is the great act of God which He has performed through Christ, and I have to build my faith on it. If I construct my faith on my own experience, I produce the most unscriptural kind of life—an isolated life, with my eyes focused solely on my own holiness. Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord. It has no value for anything except a life of isolation—it is useless to God and a nuisance to man. Measure every kind of experience you have by our Lord Himself. We cannot do anything pleasing to God unless we deliberately build on the foundation of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.

      The atonement of Jesus must be exhibited in practical, unassuming ways in my life. Every time I obey, the absolute deity of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in perfect agreement. Obedience means that I have completely placed my trust in the atonement, and my obedience is immediately met by the delight of the supernatural grace of God.

     Beware of the human holiness that denies the reality of the natural life—it is a fraud. Continually bring yourself to the trial or test of the atonement and ask, “Where is the discernment of the atonement in this, and in that?”

  

The Forgotten Man

Every man, woman and child in America is enslaved to the national debt. I believe that now, more than ever, each American must make a choice: we (the church of the Living God) must turn back to serving the Lord Jesus Christ that the shackles that enslave us will be unlocked, or we will lose our freedom in this nation.  WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Listen: Because all of the rhetoric being spewed from our nation’s capitol and the so called elite pundit political leaders and media types, especially those far left social liberals, is becoming downright scary. Although I long for the hasting return of the Lord, which I believe to be very soon, I weep for those who do not know Christ as their Personal Savior.

It is time to open our eyes and look around. There is a difference between seeing and understanding. We have denied what is before our very eyes. We are losing our children. No amount of self-denial can powder-over the Truth. Our children no longer share our values.

Helen Keller said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Ref. Proverbs 29:18: …No vision, the people perish...

 We can see, but we don’t understand. Let me shout it!! Listen: The answer is not WHO is elected to the White House, Congress or Senate. The answer is the Church of the Living God preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 8:36 – “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul”? (The simple truth equation of profit and loss, which states that one’s soul, is worth more than the whole world.)

Our Lord will not treat lightly our disregard for the well-being of one of His children. He has entrusted them into your care. His warning is chilling: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” -Matt: 18:6

WAKE UP!! WE ARE LOSING OUR CHILDREN!!!

Feed Sheep or Amuse Goats?

Read: Ephesians 4:7-16

An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most shortsighted can hardly fail to notice it during the past few years. It has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil. It has worked like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them.

From speaking out as the Puritans did, the church has gradually toned down her testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses.

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church.  If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it? He didn’t but nevertheless gave us the Great Commission – in Mark 16:15 "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."   That is clear enough.  So it would have been if He had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to him.

Then again, in our focal verses first of all Ephesians 4:11-12 we see: "And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers ... for the work of the ministry”. Where does entertainer come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they refused? The concert has no martyr roll.

Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all his apostles. Don’t you think? What was the attitude of the church to the world? Ye are the salt" (Matt. 5:13), not the sugar candy---something the world will spit out not swallow. He was in awful earnestness. 

Listen: Had Christ introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into his mission, he would have been more popular when they went back, because of the searching nature of His teaching. But I do not hear Him say, "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it. Be quick Peter, we must get the people somehow." Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them.

In vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of this gospel of amusement! Their message is, "Come out, keep out...!" Anything approaching fooling is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon.

After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the church had a prayer meeting but they did not pray, "Lord grant unto thy servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are."

If they ceased not from preaching Christ, they had not time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down Acts 17:6  “And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain Brethren unto the Rulers of the city, crying, These who have turned the world upside down are come hither also”. That is the only difference! Lord, clear the church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to the Word of God.

Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to affect the end desired. It works havoc among young converts. Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God because the church met them halfway, speak and testify. Let the heavy laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment has been God's link in the chain of the conversion, stand up! There are none to answer. The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine (The Gospel), so understood and felt that it sets men on fire.

 

Preaching Repentance

A Message to Preachers for the Need of Preaching Repentance from Sin: 

Why? Because of Many Unfaithful Professing Christians in Our Churches!

Read: Romans 6:1-18

My Authority to make the below assertions in this Commentary – I used to be one years ago.

 

        The title of the message identifies the problem. To some degree in all our churches     
there are a number of people who profess Christ as their Lord and Savior who are clearly
not faithful to Him. Their lives pretty much remain the same after their profession of faith;
with the exception that now they are identified as Christians because they now have their
names on a church roll.

        They are frustrating to the God fearing pastor who loves his flock, and longs with heartfelt love to see those to whom God has entrusted him with, living victorious lives in Christ, being a ready and willing tool of God to bring Glory to our Lord and Savior, and reaping the benefit of the full blessing of God.

         These "Christians" in name only, are frustrating and a source of discouragement to any child of God who longs to see Christ lifted up and magnified and to receive the honor and worship our God and Savior should receive.

        They are frustrating because they are a liability to any local congregation of believers. These folks contribute little if anything unto the local church. Their unfaithfulness is actually a stumbling block to others in the church and the lost the church is trying to reach. They do not present a example of what God desires His children to be. They present a distorted picture of what a Christian is suppose to be.

         We all have heard someone say, "Well if so-in-so is a member of that church I do not want to have anything to do with it." What they are really saying is that if that person is a Christian, a child of God the whole thing is a sham.

         I am not only talking about those who do not come to church or tithe or take a part in the ministry of the church. I am also talking about the outwardly piteous hypocrite, who sits on the front pew and has a part in everything....a negative part!

        I agonize over the matter, trying to come to grips with it, and explain it....so as God's preacher, his pastor, His messenger I can help the poor souls whose lives are marked by being unfaithful to God.

The Divine Commandment of Life

      “… be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48

    
     Our Lord’s exhortation to us in verses 38–48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections—some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection.

     The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “… be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you. And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35).

     The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.