Already tired of Christmas Decorations?

Ran across this a couple of years ago.  Real meaning of Christmas is shown very clearly.  Everything else that the world holds on to as Christmas is false.  Celebrate the Savior and not the commercialism that sucks us in.  Praise God !!

Stop Judging Me!!

"You're just judging me and the Bible says that you are not supposed to judge anyone."  How many times do we hear this.  Everyone likes to pull verses out of their context and usually it is because they are trying to justify their behavior which, most likely, is at odds with what the Bible teaches. We try to be judgettes (new word?) too often and it is usually regarding a sin that we have had victory over and the one we are judging is still involved in the sinful behavior.  A better way to approach our judgette activities would be to align ourselves with scripture and move from the role of judgettes and become fruit inspectors.

Both the Old and New Testaments have a lot to say about fruit and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ certainly pulled no punches when discussing fruit.  Here are a few examples:

Matt 3:8-10 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  This was spoken by John the Baptist and repeated later by Christ.


Matt 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.   This was spoken by our Savior.


John 15:1-6  "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Scripture can't get any plainer than this.  Followers of Christ will produce good fruit and it is not optional.  In my two previous posts on 1 Cor 6:9-10 and Gal 5:19-21, I hope it has become apparent that continual practicing of sin in an unrepentant manner is not an acceptable performance of those who will be inheriting the kingdom of God.  What kind of fruit are you producing and does it really matter?  What should this fruit look like?  Let me describe it as other-worldly if you will.  It is not anything like what is happening in most of the lives of Americans today, even professing Christians. We have bought in to the world system when the Bible reminds us that we are just passing through and if we love the world, God is not Lord and Savior.  Spend a little time with me as I comment and define what the "fruit" of the Holy Spirit should look like in the believers' lives.  I hope you realize that these comments are directed at me as well as you.  I struggle daily with the flesh and indulge in my favorite sins way too much! Here we go.


Gal 5:22-25  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.   If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

• Love - this is agape love as described in John 15:13.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.  More than likely this type of sacrifice will not be required of us but this shows the limits of our love - unlimited, if you will.  John MacArthur states in his commentary "A person who thinks his love is great enough to sacrifice his love for fellow believers but who fails to help them when they have less extreme needs is simply fooling himself.   ....having a habitually unloving spirit toward fellow Christians is reason for a person to question his salvation".  The thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians has a lot to say about this subject.  We should all think about what this chapter says moment by moment.  Remember that love is not an option, but a command.  It is an action, not simply an emotion.  I fear that in todays' society, we too often confuse love with lust.
• Joy - this word is used over 70 times in the New Testament.  Again, sometimes we confuse joy and happiness when joy goes much deeper than being happy.  Again, MacArthur describes it well.  "Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord".  In James, we read: James 1:2-3   Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  It doesn't say that we will necessarily be happy when going through various trials, but our joy will see us through if we are genuinely walking with God.
• Peace - Again, this fruit of the Spirit has very little, if any, relationship to circumstances. Paul speaks to this in Phil 4:4-7  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  We are not talking about peace as the absence of war but as the super presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Our world may be crumbling but our Savior still provides peace and this must be exhibited to others.  They should be astonished by our peacefulness in the midst of our agony, thereby, knowing that something supernatural is going on.  This is God's peace given to his elect.
• Patience - would like to skip this one due to the high level of conviction that covers me whenever I think of how short of the goal I fall and how much rotten fruit I produce in this area.  Our patience must be shown as we endure injuries inflicted by others.  This patience must be shown with tolerance and long-suffering amidst a calm willingness and acceptance of the circumstances.  As mentioned, this fruit is lacking in me and, perhaps, many others.  Ever heard of "Road Rage"?  Only one small example that easily comes to mind when I think of patience.  Patience ties directly to our salvation as Paul writes in Rom 2:6-8  He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
• Kindness - is a tender concern for others and may include giving up our rights.  This is not politically correct and as Americans, it has been drilled into us for decades by the ACLU and others that "we have our rights".  Kindness was best exhibited by our Savior and given to us by the Holy Spirit.  Here are a couple of examples from the Old Testament.  Zech 7:8-9  And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,  Prov 21:21  Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. 
• Goodness - is to be desired and manifested to those with whom we come in contact.  It has to do with moral and spiritual excellence that is know by its sweetness and active kindness. Again the Bible explains itself better than any words of mine.  Ps 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Ps 27:13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!  Rom 15:14   I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.  Like all of the other fruit, our goodness must be applied on a daily basis.
• Faithfulness - always reminds me of the song "Great is thy Faithfulness".  God is faithful even when we aren't.   Rom 3:3-4 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.  This part of the fruit of the Spirit pertains to loyalty and trustworthiness.  God in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ, has shown us what faithfulness should look like and we are to emulate our Savior.  Rev 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True,  Rev 2:10 Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• Gentleness - might be better translated as meekness.  In fact, other translations use "meekness", "humility", "gentle behavior".  In the volume "Synonyms of the New Testament" by R. C. Trench,  when speaking about the Greek word prautes, he writes: "Gentleness does not consist in a person's outward behavior only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men; as little in his mere natural disposition.  Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God.  It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting.  MacArthur states "In the New Testament prautes is used to describe three attitudes: submissiveness to the will of God, teachableness, and consideration of others".  This characteristic as well as the following one is not used to describe God in the Old Testament as the other seven are.  Col 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, James 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.  Eph 4:2  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
• Self-control - finally, got to one that I've conquered! NOT!  This refers to constraining passions and appetites (not just food which is my great struggle).  1 Cor 9:25-27  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.   Paul is not just talking about athletes so us couch-potatoes don't get off the hook.  We all need more self-control.  Don't you love the way Peter seems to say AMEN to what Paul has just written.  It is amazing how the Holy Spirit inspired both of these writers to say almost the same thing.          2  Peter 1:5-11 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Contrast this to the passages in 1 Cor 6:9-10 and Gal 5:19-21 which identified the behavior that would prevent persons from entering the kingdom of God.  In this last passage, provision has been made for entrance into the eternal kingdom for those who practice these qualities that lead to godliness.

In closing, Paul reminds us that no one would make laws against these character traits and stresses that if we live by the Spirit, we must walk by the Spirit.  What kind of fruit are you producing or are you producing any fruit at all?  Contact me if you have comments or need help.  I try to be a good listener but you have to talk louder as I get older.................  Sorry for the length but scripture is to be shared and never returns without accomplishing God's purpose.

Enough Already, Paul!

For those of you who read my September 15 post (both of you), this may sound familiar.  However, we as fallen men need reminding over and over again and Paul quite often repeats the same teaching in different places to drive home a very important point that usually has eternal significance. Consider the passage that I focused on in my September 15 post, I Cor 6:9-11. 

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 

 In the post I attempted to drive home the point that those who practiced the offenses listed as an on-going lifestyle were just kidding themselves when they claimed to be followers of Christ.  I'm not sure that those who read it picked up on the main points but Paul uses similar text in the book of Galatians although the list of sins is different.  The gist of the passage is just the same:  If you remain in these sins for extended periods of time and are identified by others as practicing these offenses, you might be deceiving yourself when you say that you are a Christian.  Consider the passage,       Gal 5:16-24

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

In my September post, I defined the terms using the Greek word for each transgression.  I will try to use English words this time to keep things simple, so simple, that maybe even I can understand. Some of the evil practices are the same as in the I Cor passage but most are different.  They are all called deeds of the flesh as opposed to spiritual or spirit-led deeds.  Neither of the lists are exhaustive as indicated by the use of "things like these" and "such things."  As we go down the list, examine yourself as I will.  Do I continually practice these things?  The Holy Spirit (if you are a believer in Christ) will convict and convince and spur you to repentance and a turning away from these things.

• Immorality or sexual immorality - this includes any type of sexual activity outside of marriage including adultery, homosexuality, fornication, bestiality, prostitution, etc.
• Impurity - usually referred to ceremonial uncleanness, in other words, anything in your life that would separate you from approaching God.
• Sensuality - this is a word that describes American society today - blatant sexuality and uninhibited sexual indulgence.  Sex is used in most advertising because "sex sells".  Look at the most popular celebrities - Miley Cyrus is the perfect example, no shame or concern as to what others think of you.
• Idolatry - would be the act of worshiping anything more than you worship God.  It usually involves man-made images but could be other individuals, life-styles or activities, and the list could go on and on.  What is more important to you as you live day-to-day than your God?
• Sorcery - could be the use of mind-altering drugs.  Aristotle and other ancient Greeks used the word as a synonym for witchcraft and black magic.
• Enmities and strife - hateful attitudes and bitter conflicts among individuals would be included here. Strife usually brings about wrong actions.  It seems that too often this strife is self-contained within the family unit which damages all who are around it.
• Jealousy - is a form of anger and hateful resentment caused by coveting for oneself what belongs to someone else.
• Fits of anger - sudden unrestrained expressions of hostility toward others with little or no provocation or justification would describe this phrase.
• Rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and envy represent animosities between individuals and groups that sometimes continue to fester and grow long after the original cause of conflict has passed.  Are you holding grudges?  They can become very destructive when established as a way of life.
• Drunkenness - excess use of alcoholic beverages which usually leads to rowdy, boisterous, and crude behavior.
• Carousing or orgies - related to pagan worship ceremonies which often included the temple prostitutes. Does not really require definition in our society, it has almost become a way of life, especially during spring breaks.

"Do such things" in verse 21 is translated as "practice" in the NASB and clarifies the meaning.  This is not a one time occurrence of these transgressions, but an everyday, on-going practice that has become your lifestyle.

If you profess the name of Jesus Christ, you must not be practicing these things.  You are dragging the name of Christ through the proverbial mud by your lifestyle.  You should be very afraid if you fall into this category and the following scripture may apply to you in the eternal future when you stand before our omnipotent, omniscient God to give an accounting of all that you have done.   

Matt 7:21-23

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  22  On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'  23  And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessnes

Next post will include 5:22 and the fruit of the spirit as evidenced in the lives of those who are walking by the spirit and not the flesh.

 

It's Over!

A multitude of memories covering most of my 72 (73 tomorrow) years were touched by grief today and a pall has covered Yankee fans of my generation.  Yogi Berra died today.  Most recognize some of his favorite malapropisms: 90% of baseball is half mental.  It ain't over til it's over.  If you come to a fork in the road, take it. and deja vu all over again.  However, those of my generation who mostly still hate the Dodgers, remember his skill as a baseball player in spite of his size.  One memory that stands out for me is his tomahawk swing for a home run in a televised (black and white) Yankees' game in the early 1950's.

The above picture shows (l. to r.) Joe Dimaggio, Yogi, and Mickey Mantle.  Mickey was my #1 favorite, Phil Rizutto was #2, and Yogi was #3.  The only disagreement my dad and I had (we didn't communicate much) was over baseball.  He hated the Yankees and I loved them.  He always rooted for the other team, no matter who the opponent was.  Some of the greatest joy of my childhood was the Yankee World Series victories in five straight years, 1949-53.  1954 was Cleveland Indians and New York Giants and included Willie Mays' amazing over-the-shoulder catch off the bat of Vic Wertz to turn a double play.  The Giants swept the Indians but I didn't care.  If the Yankees weren't in the World Series, I usually didn't even watch it.  In 1955, horror of horrors, the Dodgers finally beat the Yankees in the World Series for the first time.  We got even in 1956 and even included Don Larsen's perfect game, the only one in World Series history.  Most baseball fans have seen the film of Yogi jumping on Don Larsen after the final pitch.

The Yankees have won 27 World Series and lost 13.  No other team in the history of baseball even comes close. Yogi played in ten World Series.  In the 1950's, Sport magazine contained full page photographs of athletes and I had pictures of the most famous Yankees tacked to the wall in my bedroom.  They included Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizutto, Yogi Berra, Allie Reynolds, Whitey Ford, Billy Martin, and others.  I used to get the Yankee yearbook back then.  Sure wish I had kept them.

Don't follow baseball much any more but I do check the scores and standings for the Yankees.  Guess I always will.  Yogi, a member of my favorite baseball era, is the last great Yankee in my opinion.  I drove around the new Yankee stadium in the summer of 2014 probably just to stir up memories of the glory days of the the Yankees of the 1950's and 1960's.  Baseball is the great American past-time, you know.  But sadly, for Yogi, it's over!  Gone, but not forgotten.  You were one of a kind.  RIP Yogi....

Heaven Bound? - Don't Be Too Sure!

I ran across these verses a few days ago in my daily Bible reading.  They can be the most frightening and the most comforting verses in all of Paul’s writings.  The context is a letter written to a church that had serious sin problems which Paul has been addressing.  The severest appears to be a case of incest which is mentioned in chapter 5.  Paul admonishes the Corinthian believers to remove this person from the assembly and to not associate with him (! Cor 5:13)  He then discusses conflicts among the church members that were leading to lawsuits.  Again, for the sake of unity, he chastises them and states that they are guilty of the same acts as those who are the objects of the lawsuits.  He states that believers should be able to settle things without bringing in unbelievers to be their arbitrators and judges.

He then pens the following verses which should sum up the Christian life although certainly every sin is not contained in the verses.  He does, however, seem to focus on the sins that are so closely identified with an immoral society.  Sort of like the United States today, you think?  Slowly read these verses, taking in each and every word and let the Holy Spirit stir you to self-examination as he has stirred me upon reading these verses again and again.

1 Cor 6:9-11  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither  fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

What does he mean by the unrighteous in verse 9?  (94) Greek word is’ adikos’ which implies one who violates or has violated justice; unjust; sinful; one who deals fraudulently with others; or a deceiver.  Other verses include Matt 5:45, Luke 18:11, 1 Peter 3: 18, and 2 Peter 2:9.

⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed^[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered^[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

⁹ then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,^[a] and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

However you wish to define unrighteous, it means those who have not been savingly joined to Jesus Christ.  They are lost, condemned, and under the wrath of God and if they remain in that condition, they will never enter the gates of heaven.  Therefore, there is reserved for them eternal punishment in hell forever.  I pray that you belong to the first group and not the last.  The good news is that you can change that by repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.  Would you do that today?   There is still time.

Paul then issues an imperative; ‘Do not be deceived’.  Simply put, do not stray from the truth.  This is the greek work planao which means deceive, err, go astray, seduce, wander, or be out of the way.  This is used 39 times in the New Testament.  Here are some examples from which you can see that we can be self-deceived, deceived by someone else, or deceived by Satan.

Matt 22:29  But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

1 John 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 3:7  Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is 

righteous.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world— he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

From the above, we can deduce that both believers and unbelievers can be deceived.  Satan has been described as the great liar or great deceiver, but we must be aware of our own weak thinking as well as the influence of those around us.  Next, Paul points out to the Corinthians (and to us), the multitude of sins that focuses on immorality and how the continual practice of these sins is usually equated to unsaved persons.  Believers may fall into these sins on occasion but they must not be their on-going lifestyle.  We will now examine each of these.

Ø  Fornicators – is the Greek word ‘pornos’ from which we get pornography.  It is defined as immoral, sexual immorality in general and unmarried people in particular.  Today, in our country, it hardly causes a ripple and appears to be the normal instead of the exception.  ABC recently received the second ‘Excellent’ rating ever issued by GLAAD (Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).  This was because 55% of their 103 prime-time hours clearly reflected the quality and relative quantity of LGBT representations in their  original programming. The following is from John MacArthur’s commentary.  “But fornication in any form is an abomination to God and should be an abomination to his people.  Those who habitually practice and defend it cannot possibly belong to God.”  Wow !

Ø  .Idolators – is the Greek word ‘eidololatres’ which means an image worshipper and refers to those who worship any false gods and false religious systems, not simply to those who bow down to images.  In today’s world, there are numerous idols that we have worshipped and it is only getting worse.  A few examples would be:  a political party or ideology, money, fame, a family member with high intelligence or athletic prowess, our jobs, sports or entertainment personalities, our accomplishments, and I could go on and on.  The believers’ worship is to be reserved for God.

Ø  Adulterers –is the Greek word ‘moichao’ and describes those who have unlawful intercourse with another man’s wife.  In the Old Testament, it was punishable by death so God must not look favorably on it.  It corrupts the participants and their families and defiles the God-established relationship between husband and wife.

Ø  Homosexuals and Sodomites – various translations show different wording.  Some use the word effeminate, some use abusers of self, male prostitutes. The first Greek word used is ‘malakoi’ which often referred to a catamite which was a young male companion of an older male.  They were usually the passive partner in sexual relations.  The other Greek word is ‘arsenokoites’ which refers to one who lies with a male as with a female, sodomite, homosexual.  Everyone is familiar with Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament and many references in the New Testament.  God destroyed these two cities because their sin was exceedingly grave (Gen 18:20)  The latest Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage is simply an indication that the majority of mankind has no fear of God and Romans 1 has come true.  Whoever heard of the term gender neutral until recently.  The Word of God is very clear and condemns homosexuality throughout.  Those who would have believers to be silent on this issue do not realize the dangerous ground that they are standing on;  God will not be mocked and you reap what you sow.

Ø  Thieves – the Greek word is ‘kleptes’ from which we get the term kleptomaniac.  No hidden meaning is to be found here.  Stealing stems from the sin of greed.  We want more than we have and will do almost anything to get it.  The news today is replete with thieves in action, from cigarettes and beer to millions and even billions of dollars.  We are living in an entitlement society and if you or the government won’t give me what I ‘deserve’, then I will take it.  Don’t I have my rights!

Ø  Covetous – the Greek word is ‘pleonektes’ and describes one who is eager to have more, especially what belongs to others.  This is very close to thievery but perhaps the coveter doesn’t have the courage to actually steal, they simply want and this often becomes an obsession that does eventually stir them to action which then becomes thievery.

Ø  Drunkards – the Greek word is ‘methusos’.  Again, this is very straight-forward.  It describes one who is intoxicated and not in control of their actions.  We are commanded in Eph 5:18 to not be drunk.  The horror stories from past and present alcoholics confirm how damaging this type of behavior is.  Much mental and physical damage has been inflicted by those under the influence and many deaths are attributed to ‘demon alchohol’.

Ø  Revilers – the Greek word is ‘loidoros’ and is used to describe those who destroy with their tongues.  Sort of like a 24-hour a day political smear campaign.  The book of James describes the awfulness of reviling and we know that scripture teaches that our tongues only reveal what is in our hearts.  Damage done by the tongue can last a life-time.

Ø  Extortioners – the Greek word is ‘harpax’ and some translations use the term ‘swindlers’ which is probably more common today.  Scam artists, blackmailers, false advertisers, and embezzlers are just a few of the types that would fit this category.  They usually steal indirectly so that their conscience can be seared over and they can convince themselves that their behavior is just a ‘little’ bit shady.

Quite a list wouldn’t you say?  I’m sure that most of us know people who would fit into each category.  However, our greatest concern should be that we do not fit into any of them.  By deceiving ourselves, we may be participating and acting as one of these while condemning others in a different category.  We highly condemn drunkards yet we cheat on our income tax.  We see red when homosexuals flaunt their behavior but we think our fornication, ‘shacking up’, or living together is perfectly acceptable.  We tongue-lash other drivers nearly to the point of road-rage (reviling), yet we neglect our family because of our self-made idols such as gambling, fishing, hunting, golf, or fill in the blank (idolatry)  I’ll let you come up with some other examples.  Just don’t look too closely at my behavior.

The only hope for unbelievers caught up in any of these is a changed life brought about by responding to the call of God who is wooing you to repent and be saved.  For believers, a new life is not needed, but repentance is.   Some verses on repentance are: 

Rom 2:4-5 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. 

2 Cor 7:10  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 

Repentance simply means a change of mind and direction.  We must turn from our sinful behavior and turn to our Savior.

The good news and encouragement is found in verse 11 which needs very little explanation.  ‘And such were some of you.  But you were washed……….’  Here, Paul is speaking to the believers and I am sure that he knew many of them when they were walking down the sinful paths either as unbelievers or believers who had stumbled.  In any event, he is now focusing on their current condition which is one of sanctification and justification.  Their sins have been forgiven and they are marching down the path to Christ-likeness.  This path is different for each of us.  Some seem to run a four-minute mile when it comes to spiritual maturity while the rest of us seem to be crawling like infants.  Regardless, each of us will make the run successful.  Jesus Christ will lose none that the Father has given him.  No one can pluck us out of the Father’s hand or the Son’s hand. (See John 10:28-29).

To wrap this up, I would like to quote again from John MacArthur’s commentary.  He can say things so much better than I.  “The Corinthian believers had experienced transformation in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.  God’s name represents His will, His power, and His work.  Because of Jesus’ willing submission to the Father’s will, His death on the cross in our behalf, and His resurrection from the dead, He has provided our washing, our sanctification, and our justification.  A transformed life should produce transformed living.  Paul is saying very strongly that it was unacceptable that some believers were behaving like those outside the kingdom.  They were acting like their former selves.  They were not saved for that, but from that.”

In Memoriam: Edward L Walker May 13, 1925 - March 19, 1945

Ever stopped to think about who you will most look forward to seeing when you get to heaven?  I imagine most Christians dwell on this more as they get older.  Do you then try to make a priority list of who, when, and for how long?  Will there be time in heaven?  Someone recently used the verses in Revelation 6 when the martyrs underneath the altar cry out "How long, O Lord" and they are told to rest for a little while longer to argue that there will be time in heaven.  Personally, I think time will be measured differently and I don't think we will need watches or alarm clocks but that is a discussion for another time.

Obviously, we will first want to see our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Will we have to wait in line?  How long will the line be? Yeah, I was in the army and spent way too much time waiting in line!  Anyway, after 10,000 years or so with Jesus getting some of our questions answered (will it really matter then?), it will be time to move on and greet the other grace recipients with whom we will spend eternity.  I tend to group these believers into three categories:  family, biblical, and other.  This is personal preference and if there really is no time, will the order really matter?  Under family, it would include all nuclear family members who bowed the knee to Christ and were alive at the same time that I was on the earth.  Some I knew better and longer than others but it would surely include parents, siblings, and offspring.

Under biblical, it would be hard to prioritize.  Maybe this list could be a start:  Paul, Peter, Adam, Eve, David, Job, Abraham, Moses, Joseph....I could go on but I won't.  Under other would be Charles Haddon Spurgeon, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, Martin Luther, I think you see where I am headed.  And now to the real reason for this post.

March 19 will be the seventieth anniversary of the death of my brother, Edward Lee Walker.  Don't know why but his nickname was Jim.

 These are pictures before he joined the U. S. Army.  He is standing by my father in the middle picture.

He joined the army after high school and after training was sent to Europe.  He was in the infantry and part of the group that crossed into Germany in the area of the Remagen bridge.  He was killed after being struck by shrapnel in the head.  His body was buried in Belgium until after the war and was returned to the states in 1947.  I remember the flag-draped coffin at the First Baptist Church in Seminole, OK but have no actual memories of my brother other than from pictures.  I am the little "soldier" in a couple of the pictures.

Below is a picture of the telegram delivered to my folks followed by a letter that my mother had written to Ed that was returned marked "deceased."  It was postmarked on the day that he was killed.  Next are two letters from the army that are self-explanatory.

Below is Ed's purple heart which is given to those killed or injured while defending their country.  Doesn't seem like much for the life of an 19-yr-old who was killed a couple of months before the war in Europe ended.  My mother told me that Ed was a believer and I have a couple of his old letters sent from Europe and he states in one of them that there is nothing to worry about, that God will take care of him.  I long to sit down with Ed and get to know him.  After all, we are brothers............

New American Religion

My wife does a lot of research on the internet related to doctrinal issues and the validity of those issues as they line up with the teachings of scripture.  She is sort of an amateur apologist, if you will.  I do some of that but not as much and we share the info back and forth.  The latest sharing included an article from "The Christian Post" (www.christianpost.com/news/) and was entitled "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - the New American Religion".  I would like to share the gist of the article because I agree with what the article states.

A group of researchers took a survey looking at the religious beliefs of American teenagers and the results were summarized into five beliefs that the researchers are calling the new American Religion.  They are as follows:

1. A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.

When the researchers tried to dig deeper into the most crucial questions of faith and beliefs, many adolescents responded with a shrug and "whatever."  One conclusion the researchers reached is this. "It is apparent that most religiously affiliated U. S. teens are not particularly interested in espousing and upholding the beliefs of their faith traditions, or that their communities of faith are failing in attempts to educate their youth, or both."   The teenagers knew much more details about the lives of their favorite musicians and television stars than about the lives of Jesus or Moses.

What really bothered me about this article is that I am not sure the researchers would not have gotten the same results if they had surveyed adult church-goers instead of teenagers.  My daily encounters with both friends and relatives, especially on social media, causes me to wonder what so-called Christians really believe as it relates to the five items listed above.  The lame-stream media always talk about so-and-so celebrity being in heaven after they die just because they were famous and well-liked.  There is rarely any mention of God or Jesus.  When there is a passing mention of religion, it is usually based on something that the person did decades ago that makes them eligible for eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven.  You know what I mean:  "I walked an aisle", I signed a card", "I prayed a prayer", "I was baptized", etc.

Only God knows the heart but genuine repentance and regeneration will be followed by a life characterized by good works that reflect a "new creation".  We will not walk perfectly but the sanctification process will be our lifelong experience filled with peaks and valleys as we change our focus from ourselves to God.  People use the term "back-sliding" which I don't find in the Bible.  Perhaps that is an excuse for failing to turn from our sinful patterns.  When does back-sliding become apostasy?  Certainly, we will never stop sinning this side of heaven but we should sin less with each passing moment.

Let me quote the last two paragraphs from the article.  It is rather eye-opening.

"This research project demands the attention of every thinking Christian.  Those who are prone to dismiss sociological analysis as irrelevant will miss the point.  We must now look at the United States of America as missiologists once viewed nations that had never heard the gospel.  Indeed, our missiological challenge may be even greater than the confrontation with paganism, for we face a succession of generations who have transformed Christianity into something that bears no resemblance to the faith revealed in the Bible.  The faith "once delivered to the saints" is no longer even known, not only by American teenagers, but by most of their parents.  Millions of Americans believe they are Christians, simply because they have some historic tie to a Christian denomination or identity".

"We now face the challenge of evangelizing a nation that largely considers itself Christian, overwhelmingly believes in some deity, considers itself fervently religious, but has virtually no connection to historic Christianity.  Christian Smith (survey leader) and his colleagues have performed an enormous service for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ in identifying Moralistic Therapeutic Deism as the dominant religion of this American age.  Our responsibility is to prepare the church to respond to this new religion, understanding that it represents the greatest competitor to biblical Christianity.  More urgently, this study should warn us all that our failure to teach this generation of teenagers the realities and convictions of biblical Christianity will mean that their children will know even less and will be even more readily seduced by this new form of paganism. This study offers irrefutable evidence  of the challenge we now face.  As the motto reminds us, "Knowledge is power.""

What should our response be to this article or should we just ignore those around us and let them go deeper and deeper into this new religion?  Our only source of truth is the Holy Bible, God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, and totally sufficient word.  If you aren't meeting weekly with a group of believers that cherish the truth of God's word, what are you waiting for?  The time is short, the fields are white unto the harvest, and the laborers are few.  (Russ McKnight always followed this with:  "but not too few".  GOD is sovereign and he will supply the grace needed to see us through to the end.  Have a blessed day.   Acts 4:12

Recollections, Revelations, Resolutions

Recollections from 2014

The old folks most recent shot that I could find on my computer

2014 was one of the most eventful years of our over forty-eight years of marital bliss.  One thinks of a roller coaster when trying to summarize the year and remain terse.  January was rather uneventful with normal birthday celebrations for our granddaughter, Kaylee, who turned twelve and Joyce who just turned.  If you want to know how old Joyce is, ask her but she is in the same decade again with me if that gives you any help. In February, I bought a new car.  Well, new might be a stretch since it was ten years old.  I was driving a 2003 Buick Park Avenue with 112,000 miles on it and had been surfing the internet for a year or two watching out for newer Park Avenues with lower mileage.  One Sunday during my surfing, I ran across a 2004 with only 56,000 miles and it was with a local dealer.  Despite the 'slick-in-spots' weather conditions, I was at the private dealership the next day before it was even open.  The dealer found another dealer interested in my car, even with the high mileage, so we made a deal.  What made the deal even better was discovering that the dealer was the husband of my dental hygienist whom I have been seeing for about fifteen years.  I knew that her husband had his own car lot but didn't know any other details.   I had to give up my sunroof, heated seats (only passenger side worked), and a few other luxuries, but I have been completely satisfied.  Buick stopped making the Park Avenue in 2005 so this one needs to outlast me.

Joyce had a septoplasty in late February which appears to have been successful.  I had the same surgery 10-12 years ago but the after-surgery therapy was totally different for her in that the surgeon did not pack her nose which mine had done.  I remember  trying to sleep in the recliner for a couple of nights until I removed the packing.    

I joined the Kickingbird Senior Men's Golf group in March and played most weeks until August.  Roger Pogue joined with me and we played together as a team in the team events.  My scores ranged from 98 to 80 and I had a handicap of 19 when I stopped playing in August to prepare for surgery.  I ended up winning $60 so I at least paid for my entry fee of $45.  This is the third year that I have played in this league.  First year, I did not have a partner; second year I played with Bo Loyd; and with Roger this year.  The league has improved as far as faster play but I still really do not enjoy playing the same course week after week.  I also played probably 3 out of 4 Saturdays when it was warm enough with Daryl Rogers and his group which began with Mark Shannon (Fullerton) 15 or so years ago.

April and early May were uneventful with vacation-planning being the main focus.  Joyce and I left home on May 17 and returned home on May 30.  We drove my 'new' car and averaged over 27 miles per gallon on the trip.  We drove 5,475 miles and covered 17 states, 3 Canadian provinces, as well as Washington, DC. We had always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island since discovering the 'Anne of Green Gables' movies many years ago. Hardly a year goes by that we don't sit down and watch them again.  Highlights on the way to PEI included visits to Niagara Falls, the Baseball Hall of Fame (Joyce waiting outside), crossing into New Brunswick and trying to figure out the cost of gas and the speed limit since they use the metric system, and our arrival at Prince Edward Island on May 22.  We spent three nights in a delightful cabin and even though the weather was unseasonably cold and rainy, we enjoyed the beauty of the island.  We were a little disappointed to find that most of the movie was shot in Ontario but the author of the Anne of Green Gables books was born in PEI and we visited some of the places that she used to live and also a museum of her memorabilia.  The commercialized entertainment locations had only partially opened since we were a little early in the tourist season.  Some highlights included a large quilting store and the Potato museum.  PEI is famous for its potatoes and we brought a bag home - tasted the same to me.

We had prepaid non-refundable tours reserved for Boston and Washington, DC so we left PEI on May 25 heading toward home via the tour cities just mentioned.  Probably the best of the Boston tour was a harbor cruise followed by a tour of 'Old Ironsides'.  Did I mention that Boston has 77 Dunkin' Donut stores and only 59 Starbucks?  The founder of Dunkin is from the Boston area.  We had no real plans for NYC but I have been a Yankee fan since 1951 so we made it to Yankee stadium but did not get out of the car due to time constraints.  How many people get to see Fenway Park in Boston and Yankee stadium in one trip? How many even want to since they are such rivals?  Our night's stay for the 28th was near DC so we kept on motoring.  The motel gave us instructions and directions so the next morning we checked out, drove to a parking garage near the terminus of the Metro, parked, bought tickets and took the Metro to Union Station with only one changing of trains.  We were both in awe at the size of Union Station and it took us over an hour to find out where the tour buses were located and to traverse the many levels of the station.

The weather was nice and the tour was a real event.  It was an off-on tour in which you could get off at any scheduled stop, tour the monument, building, whatever, and then catch the bus again when you had finished touring.  Due to the amount of walking still required after getting off of the bus, Joyce and I only did it twice. Once at the Lincoln Memorial which included the Vietnam and Korea memorials and again at Arlington Cemetery where we took a guided tour on a tram.  Obviously, sights from the bus included the Washington monument, the White House, the Capitol building, Smithsonian, etc but after 7-8 hours of touring we returned to Union Station for a meal followed by $8 ice cream double dips for dessert.  Then, it was back on the Metro to our car and the final leg of our trip which included get home as fast as possible which we did. One day, we drove 893 miles so that the final day would only be 370 miles and we were home by noon on the 30th.   Would we do it again?  Not in the same way.  Too much hurrying and not enough sight-seeing. Probably would be better to take three or four weeks but too much for two weeks.  We both enjoyed the trip and each other (most of the time).  Pictures by request only...............

June and July were fairly normal activity-wise.  Reluctantly scheduled my second knee replacement surgery. All of the walking in Washington, DC convinced me that it was time and the surgery was set for Sept 12.

August 7 was my last golf in the men's league and I would not be playing again until after surgery.

My oldest sister passed away when I was three and she was the mother of three, ages 4, 3, and 1.  I was their uncle yet two of them were older than me.  They were Carolyn, Corky, and Glenda in that order.  We spent a lot of time together while growing up and they were nearly as close to me as siblings.  Corky and Glenda passed away first and Carolyn, being the oldest, was in failing health so her daughter, Valerie, who lives in Edmond brought her to Oklahoma from Borger, TX in February so she could take care of her.  Her health continued to fail and she entered a nursing home, first in Guthrie and then Grace Living Center in Edmond.  In the middle of August she was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and given less than six months to live.

On August 21, the doctor from Tuscany Village where Joyce's mother was staying told us that she was near death and nothing could be done but watch her die.  Being a very determined person all of her life, she lived for six more days, mostly in a comatose condition.  Joyce stayed all night one night and she passed away at 1:20 AM the next night, August 27.  The nursing home called us when death was imminent but she was dead before we got there.  Joyce and I stayed until the medical examiner came for her body.  Joyce had prearranged everything based on what her mother had already pre-planned and her body was cremated awaiting transfer to Denver where her husband's ashes were interred in June, 1992.  He passed away on May 30 of that year. Joyce, Mike, and Sheri transported her mother's ashes to Denver in early November where they met Joyce's brother who lives in California.  Bonnie and Cecil are together again.  Spiritually, they will be in heaven together forever and their ashes are in close proximity awaiting their glorified bodies.

On September 2, I was notified by her son Tony, that Carolyn had passed away about 3:45 PM that day. The funeral was held in Borger, TX on Sept 6.  Joyce, Mike, Sheri, and Mike's daughter Kaylee, and I drove out for the service and returned home the same day.  We stopped to visit with Carolyn's first husband, Don Harris, before the service.  Had an opportunity to take a picture of my two kids and only granddaughter next to Don's house.  Aren't they cute?

Mike, Kaylee, and Sheri

As mentioned in a previous blog, Joyce had some tests run on Sept 9 (basically both upper and lower GI) and everything turned out fine.  McBride had rescheduled my surgery from the 12th to the 11th.  I checked in to Mcbride about 8:00 AM for scheduled surgery at 11:30.  Everything was pretty much on time and I was in my hospital room by 4:00 PM.  Not much different from the first replacement surgery.  Less pain but more stiffness.  Even today, Jan 2, the stiffness seems to have hung around longer than the first time but nothing that I can't live with.  More consistent exercise seems to lessen the stiffness:  Imagine that!  Had nineteen therapy sessions at McBride clinic in Edmond.  Definitely was the least enjoyable part but also the most necessary.  Erin and Tyler were my therapists and were great.  Erin also was my therapist after my first surgery.  She has toughened up a lot.  Last physical therapy session was Oct 29 and it was now up to me to continue rehab on my own.  Last appointment with Dr Yates was Dec 9 and when he said 'no restrictions', I rejoiced.  Went straight from his office to the driving range and played 18 holes on Dec 11.  Can't say the golf was very good but the knees did not hurt.  Haven't played since due to the weather but look forward to playing without fear of knee pain.  Praise God for modern medicine and those who practice it well.

Most memorable event in October was the death of a long-time friend, Bob Willis on the 27th.  Bob was diagnosed with brain cancer in February and fought hard during surgeries, chemo, and radiation.  He was only 53 but left a lasting legacy in the lives of so many people that he mentored at Bridgeway church.  His memorial service was very uplifting and very convicting.  How little I am doing for the Kingdom was made abundantly clear to me by the testimonies given regarding Bob's service to our God, Savior, and soon-returning King, Jesus Christ.

November and December seemed to be the quietest and most normal months of the year.  I have continued therapy at home and at Gold's gym.  In early December, we ordered new computer desks and hutches from Sauder for both Joyce and me.  These come in a flat box and you have to assemble them.  This has not been pain free and even today, the task is only about 95% complete and hopefully the last replacement parts have been shipped from California.  Details are too painful but just shoot me if I ever order anything else that requires this much work.  Our daughter Sheri bought her first house and closed on Dec 23 and is getting settled nicely.  Doesn't she look thrilled after the closing?

I'm sure I have left out some significant events but my memory capacity is dwindling even at this moment.  I'll close the recollections and start with the revelations.  Keep in mind that all believers are a work in progress and God is revealing his perfect will to us as we walk in his ways, study his word, pray, and fellowship with other believers.  I have much to learn and what I will be sharing is not meant to offend.  My spiritual gifts are faith, giving, exhortation, administration, and mercy.  Please keep that in mind if you read further.

Revelations from 2014

Theologian Charles Hodge is quoted thusly:  "The progressive character of divine revelation is recognized in relation to all the great doctrines of the Bible... What at first is only obscurely intimated is gradually unfolded in subsequent parts of the sacred volume, until the truth is revealed in its fulness."  Wikipedia (100% accurate source, right?) says:  Progressive revelation in Christianity is the concept that the sections of the Bible that were written later contain a fuller revelation of God compared to the earlier sections.  The ultimate revelation of God is understood to be found in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Gospels. For example, the New Testament is to be used to better understand and interpret the Old Testament. Likewise, all sections of the Bible are believed accurate in conservative Christian theology.

I really have no opposition to the above.  As we continue to study the Bible, God lets us in on more of his infinite knowledge.  Being finite creatures, we will never know everything but learning about God is much more than going out on a starry night, sitting on a stump, and waiting for God to communicate with you personally and give you information that he gives to no one else.  Testimonies of happenings like this are rife on the internet by personalities such as Beth Moore, Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and Sarah Young.  The continuationists who focus on prophesy would be closely linked to these types since they believe that God gives prophesies to believers on an individual basis.  Some teach that these prophesies may be false but that does not disqualify the person from possessing the gift of prophecy.  Seems that the old testament teaching on the punishment for false prophets would discourage the encouragement of these so-called prophets.  But that is a topic for another day.

Another term might be more proper but as I continue to grow older and continue to study God's word and read books written by those who have studied God's word more than I, I believe that God progressively reveals to me more of his truth as it relates to my individual walk and sanctification.  The heart is deceitful but when we have strong urgings and feelings about issues, events, and people, remaining silent might be sinful. To know to do good (whose definition of good do we use?) and not to do it, is sin according to James 4:17.

Most believers in my circle of friends and acquaintances would definitely agree that the world's (especially the United States) theological views are out of sync with the Bible.  This past year has been a year in which I have encountered many of these views from both close friends and relatives and the general public via the internet or cable news reports.  One that has come up most often is that when someone dies, the following is stated:  'Well, guess God gained another angel."  Where in the world does that thought come from?  No where in the Bible are we taught that when we die, we become angels.  God does not gain or lose anything. He is Sovereign and has all that he needs and will ever need and always has. Angels were created before man and are either God's messengers (the elect angels) or Satan's messengers (the fallen ones). When man dies, his body dies but not his spirit.  The spirit of true believers immediately goes to be with the Lord as stated in these verses:  2 Cor 5:6-8 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord - for we walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.  

Since Paul's early theological teaching came directly from Jesus, it is obvious that the believer who is absent from the body is present with the Lord.  Since we know that the physical body is still visible after death, it must be the spirit that departs to await a later uniting with a NEW glorified physical body that will never die. Conversely, the spirit of the unbeliever must not be present with the Lord.  You can use your own imagination to determine where that spirit ends up.  Again the scripture is clear on the final resting place of unbelievers and it is absent from the presence of the Lord.  For certain none of us become angels after we die and that theology is not found in the Bible.  This brings me to my next point.

Who qualifies for heaven and eternity with our savior, Jesus Christ?  The world seems to be convinced that most everybody from Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Robin Williams, Joan Rivers, etc are already in heaven because they were celebrities and great entertainers.  They were famous so that must qualify them for something and heaven is a lot more desirable than the alternative.  Be assured that the only thing that qualifies anyone for heaven is having placed their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  HE is THE way, THE truth, and THE life as stated in John 14:6.  Another favorite passage is the following.  Eph 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.  From this it is clear that salvation is not the result of good works but good works are the result of salvation.  People should not have to try to figure out whether we are a Christian or not; it should be obvious by the way we live.

I've heard many times during the past year that someone is relying on walking an aisle, praying a prayer, signing a card, joining a church, etc as proof of their salvation.  This event may have occurred 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years ago but their life since that event has produced no good works nor shown any evidence that they are indeed a new creation in Christ Jesus.  There is no comfort in God's word for these people.  The further I go the more I suspect that many are deceived by themselves and the world and believe that they are saved because of something that they have done in the past.  We are saved only by something that God has done.  He gives the gift of faith to those whom he chooses and they are then able to believe and repent and become the children of God.  They will then become new creations and will produce good works as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit of God that now indwells them.  They will not perform perfectly but their lives will reflect a growing-up in Christ which occurs at differently for each believer. The scriptures tell us that we are to be holy as He is holy.  It is not an option, it is a command.  There are many parts to this growing-up or sanctification process.  They include but are not limited to:  Bible reading and study on a regular basis, prayer without ceasing, testifying to others about the Savior, visiting the sick, ministering to the hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, etc., loving our neighbors and enemies, loving God, and lastly, fellowshipping with other believers regularly. This can be wrapped up by setting the following priorities: God, first; others, second; and self, last.

I'm sure you have encountered the following at some point.

I agree in theory that going to church doesn't make you a Christian, but most people simply use this as an excuse not to go to church and to deny the importance of it.  I can't prove this from the Bible, but I do not think that heaven will be heavily populated by people who didn't attend church on a regular basis unless providentially hindered by circumstances.  Hebrews 10:23-25 says:  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.  How much plainer can the scriptures be? You cannot stimulate me to love and good deeds nor encourage me if we aren't spending time together.

One of the best books that I read during 2014 was "Things That Go Bump in the Church" authored jointly by Mike Abendroth, Clint Archer, and Byron Yawn.  Here is an except from chapter 10 by Clint Archer regarding church membership and involvement.  "Okay, so this is serious stuff.  This is why pastor and author Mark Dever, who has taught and written extensively on church membership, often begins his sermon on the topic with these attention-grabbing words: If you are not a member of the church, you may be going to hell. He goes on to explain that in the same way that a desire to be accountable and to be involved in God's family is a sign of grace, the converse is true.  If you don't want accountability or involvement, what does that say about the state of your soul?  Christians are by definition sinners who repent.  If you refuse to repent of your neglected involvement of your church, it may be right to question the assurance of your salvation."

I am aware of several people that would call themselves a Christian yet their church involvement is minimal at best.  The church is often referred to in scripture as the Bride of Christ.  Make sure that you do not miss the wedding reception!

Finally, as George Younce, one of my favorite bass singers, said (rough paraphrase) on a Gaither Homecoming video featuring the Cathedrals (you can find it on youtube if you're interested):  "I've got a lot more days behind me than I do in front of me and I know that but I'm packed and ready to go.  Should he return tonight, I've got my house in order."  There is nothing else to say.  Come, Lord Jesus!

Resolutions for 2015

I quit doing resolutions many years ago.  Got tired of failure and it was always the same song, next verse. Exercise more, eat less.  How boring!  I hope you have a Blessed New Year.