Obedience: not a power struggle

If you had the power to change something, would you? I guess that depends on what it is you want to change. I guess it depends on whether or not you have the authority to bring about the desired change. Having the power to do something and having the authority to do something are two entirely different things. Just because I have the power to do something does not mean I am authorized to do it.

An example of Authority and Power can be seen with the chief priests and the elders questioning Jesus about His authority. "Should they be doing that? Are they authorized for this sort of thing?" What’s the motive of these men? There is a huge difference between not knowing and not wanting to lose your power; your control. There is a huge difference between the innocent, "who are you?" and the arrogant, "just who do you think you are?”

What's at stake here is power, status, and control. These men know that Jesus is operating with great divine authority. Nicodemus even confesses this in John 3 when he comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness and says, "We know you are a teacher from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."

What does it mean to acknowledge the authority of Christ? It means that things have to change. These men could not be the self-proclaimed authoritarians anymore. They would be forced to humble themselves under the authority of Jesus Christ. There's a very real possibility that the fear, love, and trust of the people that they so craved would now be redirected off of them and instead directed to God. We wouldn't want that to happen, would we?

Don’t judge these men though; think about your own life before God. Do any of my readers enjoy being knocked down a couple of pegs or put in our place? Every single one of us likes to be in control and calling the shots, especially when it pertains to how we choose to lead our lives. When our control is threatened or questioned, we fight back. After all, we've got a good thing going and we don't need some outsider messing it all up!

This sinful behavior, unfortunately, invades and trespasses into Church all the time. Like the Israelites, we often take it upon ourselves to judge what's right or wrong, just or unjust, regardless of what God has already said on the matter.

This infects us much deeper than just these obvious issues. Try teaching on what God says about premarital sex or living together before marriage nowadays. Try addressing the sins that we commit day in and day out; sins like gossip, greed, holding grudges, or not being forgiving.

You don't make many friends when you address all sins. God is very clear about these things in His Word. It hurts to hear people close to you tell you to keep quiet or rethink your position in light of a "unique situation". If the wrong people are confronted with the authority of God's Word, they'll turn on you. You may hear, "Who do you think you are?" or “You’re not telling me something I don’t already know”, or “I think I would know more about this than you would”.

Who is in charge here? You, me, or God? Do we have the power to hold grudges, gossip, withhold our gifts of time, talents, and treasures because we don't agree with something? Do we have the power to go play somewhere else when we are confronted with something that we don't like or we don't want to hear?

YUP!

Some exercise that power more often than we'd like to admit or confess.

Just because we have the power to do these things, does it also mean that we also possess the authority to behave in such a way towards God or fellow Christians? Do we have the authority to put ourselves in the place of God, judging His Ways?

Nope!

By whose authority are your sins (all sins) forgiven?
John 20:31—"As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you…. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."

Rom. 3:23-24—"All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and my sins. None of us has the authority or the power to even conquer a small pimple. We certainly don't have the authority or power over sin or death.

Jesus said to the Church, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go now and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name—the authority—of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them—by my same authority—to obey all I have commanded you."

Obedience in God…That's pretty clear.

To forgive is to live.

I'm convinced that most of us, at one time or another has had someone that we have fallen out with. There have been times when anger has filled our hearts, we felt that we would never be able to forgive and forget. Maybe it was a brother or sister, a parent, someone at school, a business partner, a neighbor, or simply an acquaintance.

When I was a teenager, I shared a bedroom with my two younger brothers. Being the oldest, of the 2, I didn’t think this was fair. One day, after putting up with their kids’ stuff (I was a man after all), I took a piece of chalk and divided the room with the stern warning that they were not to cross the line or suffer the consequences (saw this done on The Brady Bunch).

This morning, as I write, I think this happens in every area of relationships, marriage, family, jobs, and associations. Something happens in the office, something happens in the neighborhood, something even happens at church, and chalk lines are drawn.

Matthew 18:15 "...if your brother trespasses against you..."

"Trespass" means "to come across." In other words, "You are on my side of the chalk line. You have infringed upon my rights. This is my private territory, and you have come too far."

Jesus says that His followers are supposed to act differently than that. We are supposed to try to get rid of barriers and chalk lines. And if we don't handle bitterness and hostility differently than the way the world handles them, then we have not learned what it means to be a Christian.

Mathew 18: In the Parable of the Unmerciful servant, we see how the master was willing to forgive a servants debt of over 10,000 dollars yet this same servant accused a fellow servant for not paying back a debt to him for a little over 17 dollars. He had the man thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.

When the Master found out, he revoked all he gave him and did the same to him and worse. Then Jesus said, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." Jesus says that God expects us to forgive others even as God has forgiven us.

I don't know how many times I have had to ask for forgiveness, or that I have been forgiven. But there is nothing that will take the load off, nothing that will help you more, than the burden of bitterness being taken off of your heart. As someone has said, "To forgive is to live."

When there is harshness, resentment, a spirit of retaliation or bitterness, this attitude becomes a dam, an obstacle to the grace of God so that it just simply cannot flow through our hearts. God does work through us. We are the body of the Lord. He works through us. But when there is hatred and resentment. . .

Is there anyone reading this who can stand up and say, "I don't have anything hidden in my closet. Everything I've ever said, every thought I've had, has been good and kind. I've nothing to be ashamed about." I doubt seriously that any of us would be ready to say that.

As humans we make some sins more serious than others. The consequences may be bigger, but in the eyes of God I don't believe that to be true, or else we are going to have to call sins "small sins" or "big sins." Sin is sin. Sin is a fracturing of our relationship with God.

These last few months, “who I am” has been greatly challenged. Things have been changing around me and I wondered why I wasn’t being included in these changes. The reason: because I resisted the change. I had the “if it isn’t broke, why fix it” attitude. There’s nothing wrong with this attitude unless it really is broke and you don’t want to admit it.

Sometimes, instead of fixing things, we adapt and get used to the brokenness. We become unforgiving.

Only God can bring about change in our lives. We may try, but we can't do it by our own power. But God can. It may be a tough road for us to follow, but God is willing to follow, but God is willing to lead us every step of the way.

Thank you for your forgiveness!

Falling Down: Attitude

Can you imagine how much better businesses; schools; communities, and Governments would run if we all had a servant’s attitude? If you look real close at corporate America you can find many biblical principals at work. But the one that they have missed is the key to real success.

Mark 10:44-45 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

This goes for Pastors, Elders, Staff, leaders and also includes leaders of Ministries and leaders of Safety, First Impressions and Youth ministries. The church is no different than the world when it comes to real servitude. We love the thought of serving God, because of his great benefits; but some of us look at serving others as a consequence or a misunderstood responsibility and not the privilege that it is.

It’s great that you serve in a ministry that is different or requires a separate set of guidelines. But if you’re service separates you from Jesus and his command to Love God and others, you’re service is to man and not God!

This is the discipline that is found in serving others that you can’t find anywhere else on the earth. It doesn’t take anything special to fit in with the world or even with the average church goers. But if you’re going to go with God you have to be willing to serve the crowd without being influenced by it, and keeping you from the higher calling of God.

You can’t really hear God until you’re ready to go to the mountain. You will never do anything of lasting value hiding in the figs (Like Adam), worshipping false gods while wearing Saul’s armor, and lying to the prophet of the house about your life style, when everyone can see that you’re living in the cave of despair.

The devil wants us to be crazy enough to believe that our flesh and its gratification is the greatest thing that there is to live for. To gratify flesh by eating too much that leads to obesity, or dressing a certain way, or by living in neighborhoods that you can’t afford, driving cars that cost more than your house we are killing ourselves. Then these same people who have all this stuff have the nerve to wonder why you have a house and not a home. I have even seen flesh cause us to hurt people that we love just so it can be satisfied.

When you come to church and work in your flesh attitude, your service is done in the wrong attitude; God says you’re offering up strange fire. You can rise above your flesh. You can come out. Don’t you dare set and listen to what the world is saying to con you out of your inheritance that you have with Christ. The bible says that we are joint heirs with Christ. You can come on out of that gossip, come on out of that lying and backbiting, and put those drugs and the cigarettes down. I know a God that is able to allow you to rest in higher places.

I know we get tired of looking at the sinner and it looks as if he is getting a head in all the mess that he is doing. Don’t worry about what it looks like, God hasn’t forgotten. He sees and he knows. I don’t care who you think in this world is getting ahead or getting over on you! Isaiah said that He wanted to get us to the place, his mountain so that He could entrust us with wings of eagles. What do wings do? Wings take us higher and closer to God.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint…Bringing us closer to God!

It’s easier to start flying from a higher place…like God's mountain.

Honk if you love Jesus!

When geese are flying south in formations we usually hear them coming because they are honking. But they are not honking so we can hear them coming. The Geese in the back honk at the ones in the front to encourage them to keep up their speed.

James 3:13-18 who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Like the geese, I have been doing a lot of honking lately. The geese honk for encouragement yet I wish I could say that’s what I have been honking about. I’ve been honking a lot at the leaders. Yet more encouragement and less discouragement are needed in some churches today.

Your actions and your words of encouragement mean more than you will ever know. Those who are leading will lead better, and be more excited about leading the more you encourage. There are lots of leaders in our church and they all need your encouragement.

Another thing that geese do that Christians can learn from is, if one of the other geese gets sick or wounded, two of the others will drop out of the group to care for it. And they stay with it until it gets well or dies. And the ones that drop out to care for the sick are not the ones who have the responsibility of leading the flock.

We are God’s army, so why is the army that is supposed to be built on the love of God the only one that shoots it’s wounded. If someone does something wrong instead of trying to support them, and help those to get back to where they were, a lot of Christians make them outcasts?

There are people who have quit going to church because they have heard someone in the church talking about them, when they should have been talking to them.

People who are struggling with problems in their life and in their obedience to God need encouragement not discouragement. People who are being hit in the face from everywhere else need love from the people that are supposed to be their family. They need support not disappointment.

We are to encourage those that who are down or who have suffered, even if they brought a lot of it on themselves. (Amen!) If they don’t want to be restored to the church we have no choice but to let them go. But we have a responsibility to reach out and try to heal those of our own that have been hurt or wounded. Even those that have wounded themselves, Jesus gave you a second chance, and He gives you many more chances every day, don’t you think he would want you to give others the same chance.

Another interesting thing about a formation of geese is, if the lead goose is shot down the rest of the flock will follow it to the ground.

If you are a leader you better realize two things:

1. If you fall others will fall with you.

2. You don’t become a leader by receiving a title you become a leader by giving of yourself to others, and being responsible for what you have been put in charge of.

I have to remind myself of that all the time and I don’t always live up to it like I want to, but it is never from lack of trying.

Geese get from Canada to the coast every year for one reason; they work as a unit and not as individuals. What affects one of them affects all of them. They work together, they share the load, they stay in formation, they share the load, they care for the wounded, and they encourage each other.

We need to imitate this behavior or our goose is cooked!

SUPERBOWL: Who's team are you on???

Between now and Super Bowl Sunday, every time you turn on the TV, you’re going to be seeing football and football commercials. They’re going to be talking about which side you support. They’re going to be talking about what it takes to make the team, about how each player has a different job on the team, and about what it takes to be a champion.

I’d like to offer you a challenge: every time you hear someone talking about football in the next 2 weeks, let it remind you of what it is to be a follower of Christ, how you need to support the people who have decided to serve Christ’s mission on earth, how each of those people has a different role to play, and what it takes to be a champion in God’s eyes.

I’m not saying God’s purpose on earth is football; just that football is something we understand. When God’s people come together as his church, it’s like when a football team comes together. A football team has a purpose. There are lots of things that they could probably do well, like crowd control or loading a UPS truck, but they have one purpose – to compete at football and win.

Same with the church! The church might be able to do a great job singing songs or teaching kids. But the Church has one purpose – to serve Christ’s mission on earth, to restore the dead to life.

When a football team takes the field, there are two teams, and every player takes the field already part of one or the other. No player walks onto the field undecided. In the battle for this world, there are two teams, and everyone is part of one or the other. There’s no such thing as being a spiritually undecided spectator.

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life - Deuteronomy 30:19

Everyone wants to be part of a great team. Not just a good team, but a great one. I don’t think there is a better parallel between a football team and the church than when a football team comes together to pray. In the locker room or on the field, they call on God to be with them, to protect them, and to grant them victory.

Have you ever noticed, though, when a player on the other team is injured, all the players on the teams will take a knee? That, I think, is when football is the best picture of the Church Christ wanted us to be. A love for all people, whether they are part of our team or not.

But still…There are two teams. At the head of one is God himself, creator of the universe. The one who shaped you before you were born in a special way so that your lives could make a difference in this world. The one who took your punishment on himself so that you could have the opportunity to choose which team you will serve?

At the head of the other spiritual team is Satan. Satan hates you and would like nothing more than to destroy you.

Peter said that Satan is stalking your footsteps:

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. - 1 Peter 5:8

Now you are in the game, and you have to choose which side you are on. Have you fallen in love with God’s vision for you? Are you passionately pursuing God’s purpose for your life? Or do you believe, like Lucifer, that your future will be better in your own hands? Which team’s jersey are you wearing? There are no sidelines on this field.

Everybody plays.

The greatest battle you’ll ever fight is choosing whose side you want to be on.

You and I have battles we fight every day. Battles against impurity in our live; Battles against compromise; Battles against greed, lust, laziness, and anger. These are not the battles fought with fists or even wits, but instead they are the battles fought in front of the bathroom mirror or in front of our friends. And before each one, God is by your side.

So, who’s side are you on?

Falling Down: Friendship

In my High School Yearbook in the popularity section, I was voted “Most likely to become a Hermit”. I brought this on myself though, I had friends but didn’t run in there groups or clique’s. I walked to and from school by myself. The activities I participated were mainly non-team oriented.

In the Navy it was the same story. My job was a one man position and when I performed it, most others were sleeping or doing something else. Having gotten saved in the 1st year of my military service drew me out of this ‘Lone Wolf Attitude’ when I was ashore and fellowshipping. Once I went out to sea, I withdrew and it started again. I spent 95% of my naval service at sea.

I thought marriage would finally change this about me (actually thought it twice) but I was wrong again. At first, it was great but then I slowly withdrew again. This, as you can probably understand led to divorce.

Even today, I try to be a part of a group but my job dictates a lot of alone time. I work from home which gives me a lot of time to myself. My job has some travel in it, but when work finishes, I eat meals alone and go to my hotel room.

This doesn’t sound very Christian like does it?

"It is not good for the man to be alone…” (Genesis 2)

Most of us know from personal experience that there is no sting like the sting of loneliness. Most of us have been there and done that when it comes to loneliness. Mother Theresa said, “Loneliness is the leprosy of modern society”, no one wants to be a leper.

I think you would all agree that we need friends and even if you don’t - it’s still true... It’s how we are wired up… and it’s crucial for living out God’s purpose for our lives. Most of us had many friends growing up, yet many times as we become adults - we become isolated and find in our lives that the number of ‘surface’ acquaintances increases, while the number of close friends decreases dramatically.

We have those good friends that we can count on, talk to, share with, and cry on the shoulders of (those 3 o’clock in the morning friends who we call) are few and far between. But as a result there are a lot of lone rangers running round today... trying to do life on their own.

Why is it that so many people today are lacking deep intimate/friendships?

1. Our culture and modern life doesn’t promote close friendships - we are a busy people with little time, who constantly allow the urgent – to crowd out the important. We are a surface and small talk society (we can talk; weather, sports, hobbies, politics, movies) but break out in hives if conversations get any deeper.

2. We are a fast food people… We are not used to waiting for anything, we want things fast, and we want them now. Wise people do not try to microwave friendships… you can’t do community in a hurry: You can’t listen in a hurry. You can’t mourn in a hurry with those who mourn, or rejoice in a hurry with those who rejoice.

3. Developing Friendships is risky; to be open and honest; to let someone inside; to allow someone to be close enough to you, that they see the real you and can hurt you (we don’t like to be that vulnerable) I’ve been reading the book, “Hiding from Love” and one of the major points of the book is “We hide because we don’t like who we are, so how can you like me?”

4. Most of us have been burned in the past (and we are gun shy) have you ever been burned/betrayed by someone who you thought was a friend? How did it make you feel? It’s devastating, isn’t it?

In Psalm 55:6-8 & 12-14, this happened to David. Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. How quickly I would escape--far away from this wild storm of hatred… It is not an enemy who taunts me--I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you--my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.

We need friends, we need close friends. The risk is big, the price is high and because of that many people even those in the church decide that despite the need; it is not worth it. It’s not really what they want - it’s just safer. They settle for a life in the lowlands rather than risk the climb up the mountain of intimate friendship.

Satan wants us to not take risks. Satan wants us to be alone; it’s easier on him then. Satan wants you to be, ‘Lone Wolf McQuade’.

There is no spiritual drive-thru window out there someplace where you can just roll up in your car and say, "I’ll take one spiritual friend, super-size them, please." There is no place on the Web labeled spiritual friendship.com with next day delivery.

The best way I know of getting true friendship is become the kind of friend who has all the standard features that a person created in the image of God comes with.

Who wants to fly?

I’ve read that there is in this world over forty species of birds which do not fly. They have feathers. They have wings. They have all the necessary essentials to fly, they just do not fly. Some of the birds live in places where they have no predators, all the food they need and nesting conditions are perfect. They have need of nothing, hence they do not fly.

Many times we emulate these birds. We get so comfortable in our mediocrity. We do not like enemies nor do we like adversity. Have you ever went out and looked up and spotted a large bird way up in the sky just floating along in the current of the air? When those birds get in those wind currents all that they have to do is just hold out those wings. Before any bird can fly it must extend its wings outward and upward!

Some birds do not fly because man has clipped their wings. Domestic bird’s wings are often clipped by the owners to prevent them from flying. Many of us have clipped wings. We have been hurt by other people. We have been knocked down .We have tried to get up only to get knocked down again.

There are people who do not want us to fly! There is a devil who does not want us to fly. One of my favorite stories in the Bible, the story of Joseph, is a great example of this. (Genesis 37) Joseph may have had his wings clipped but they did not stay clipped. He kept looking in the direction of God. Joseph kept those hands of praise extended and he kept on his knees before God.

When Jesus Christ is in our life we may get knocked down but he will raise us back up…and when he does look out! We will rise to new heights exceedingly, abundantly above what we are able to ask or think according to the power that works in us.

What an inspiration Joseph is! Someone is watching our flight! Someone is noticing us!

Baby birds are taught to fly! Part of their teaching is watching the mama bird fly. It is important that we fly! Some species of birds went without flying for so many generations they simply forgot they could fly!

They didn’t lose the ability. They didn’t lose their wings. They lost their knowledge of what was built into them…

WE CAN FLY!

Guilty as Charged!

Have you ever had trouble trying to silence a guilty conscience?

If you’re a human Being then the answer is, “yes”! Many of us have done things that have seriously bothered us for years afterwards. And the guilt is always there in the back of our minds,
and it can drive us nuts. People try all sorts of ways to deal with the terrible feelings of guilt
and the low self-esteem that comes after they’ve messed up.

You know how I know this?
I’m not only a spokesman but I’ve also been using this product for years. You look in the dictionary under low self-esteem and it shows my picture. My middle name used to be guilt.

When I was in the Navy, I had to take a life. Beirut, 1982 was a very difficult time. My boat was tasked to go into Lebanon and extract American Government employees. We had to go through some waterways that were surrounded by mountains.

As we were coming around a bend in the channel, some Guerillas opened fire on our boats. I was on a 50 caliber machine gun at the bow of the boat and was ordered to return fire. 5 minutes later it was over. It was like a nightmare to me, I just fired away not knowing if I hit anyone or not. I saw quite a few people go down.

To this day, I wonder.

I have gone over this in my life a few hundred times. At first I denied I it. I’d say to me, “That didn’t really happen, I must have dreamed it”. Some people deny it by saying, “Well it wasn’t really wrong,
and lots of other people do the same kind of things?” So I’m not really guilty.

Then I ignored it, just enclosed it within my memory.

Then I tried to bury my guilt by drinking, eating drugging away my pain. Or at least I tried.

Then I tried to compensate for it. I tried to right what I thought was wrong through works.

Guilt is a powerful motivator.

This may surprise you but guilt is good!

Why? I’m a diabetic and I have lost the feeling to some of my extremities. In other words, I don’t feel pain in these areas. If I cut myself in these areas and don’t realize it because of the dead nerves, it can get infected and gangrenous. I could lose that limb because of not feeling the pain. We need that warning system to tell us when something is wrong.

Guilt is exactly the same kind of warning system that pain is. Guilt tells us that something is wrong,
not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. Without guilt, you would have no warning sign
that you’re messing up your life and your relationships, and that you’re going the wrong direction.

But just like pain, the idea is not to just ignore it, but to remove what’s causing it, so that the guilt will go away. So the first step is giving it to God and renewing the spirit. That happens through something called repentance. Repentance means a change of heart; a change of mind and a change of direction.

Some of you may feel like, even though you’ve admitted your sin to God and repented, God hasn’t forgiven certain sins – because they’re just too big – and so you still feel guilty. That’s false guilt. That doesn’t come from God. True guilt comes from God, false guilt comes from Satan. There aren’t any sins too big for God to forgive, but Satan may tell you different.
In Psalm 51, David speaks of his repentance. If you remember, David was a murderer and committed adultery to name a few. But David knows the result of repentance; He knows the result of letting God Renew his Spirit. He’s looking forward to the joy.

Psalm 51:7-15
I’m going to have a pure heart,
washed whiter than snow,
I’m going to hear joy and gladness again,
my tongue will sing of Gods righteousness,
my mouth will declare his praise.

David knows it’s going to be great when he repents, and silences the guilt, and the joy of his salvation returns.

I have blown it in the past but I have gotten past the feelings of that guilt.

We must all rejoice in our salvation…TODAY!

Sick of Clique

Take a look at our Church, and even our own friendships, do we not see concentrations of people who share many of the same EARTHLY preferences? I like to hang out with my friends, play and watch sports, talk about the bible, and laugh a lot. What about ETERNAL preferences?

I took a break last year from serving on the Traffic Ministry within my Church. One of the many reasons I did this is because I noticed some un-Godly aspects in my service. Specifically, I was not only part of a clique within the ministry but this clique was filled with gossip, self-centered ideas and belittlement of leadership within the Church.

I was wrong but I’m better now!

I do not think there is anything wrong with having friends that enjoy the same types of things as we do. However, as a Christian we should never unite on the basis of anything above God’s Word and we should not exclude people or isolate ourselves from people who love and cherish Christ. Sometimes, I have to ask myself if the basis for my friendships and relationships are earthly or eternal.

Many of us are extremely biblical and God-centered in our ideals, but regrettably include a self-centered, self-pleasing, earth-clinging practice with our relationships.
Colossians 3 paints the picture that there are no distinctions between, “Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”

Most of these designations are self-explanatory, except for the Scythians…the wild bunch. This clique was bad news. The Scythians were professional killers. They were worse than barbarians. They would make Al Qaeda look like boy scouts! They killed tribes of people, drank their blood and used their sculls for bowls and peeled off skin for napkins.

Yuck!!!

Yet, Paul says, “You are one in Christ. Go ahead and sit next to them. Talk with them. Share a meal with them.”

We have a tendency to like people that look like us, act like us, like what we like, and are similar to us; however, the Christian life is not about like or similarities…it’s about love!

The point of the gospel is not to unite people according to the flesh, but rather to unite people in Jesus Christ. If I am a cliquey person then I am enjoying exclusive relationships with folks while also excluding others whom Christ has brought together.

Being discriminative of persons undermines a major aspect of what Christ has bought and paid for with his life! We have a tendency to promote personal preferences to a position of supremacy and put Christ’s purpose in a position of submission. This should not be.

Paul says in Colossians, “Christ is all, and in all.”

Our motive for relationships with other believers should be Christ and my desire for our time together should be the pleasure in Christ. Replacing Christ and his pleasure for our own puts us in idolatry. Unfortunately, this idolatry is seen clearly in many church cliques but more subtly in our relationships.

We need to be Christ-like and Bible-Boasters in everything with everyone. If you are a ‘cliquey’ person, get over it!

Devote yourself and fall in love with Christ and speak his love to all!

Make it a priority to exalt Christ with what you have ETERNALLY in common with folks. This will no doubt forge greater humility and love in Christ.

Accurate Belief

You may not believe what you are about to read.

These last few days my mind has been on, belief. I know a lot of people who believe in God. I know a lot of people who believe in God, differently. I know a lot of people who believe in God differently and that it doesn’t matter what they believe, as long as they believe.

Does it matter what we believe? Do all roads lead to heaven?

A few centuries ago, Athens, Greece was a very religious city. At one time, there were literally thousands of different Idols within the city. It doesn’t amaze me that these people were confused about which god to worship… and so they worshipped them all. Also, just in case they missed a god – they erected an altar to an “Unknown God.”

Here it is 2012, some “intellectual types” who seem to be unable (or unwilling) to discover the truth about God and so religion gets relegated to a matter of personal taste rather than objective reality. Kind of like our tastes in clothes or the color of our houses.

Saying: It’s just a matter of your personal tastes. If you like Hinduism as opposed to Buddhism it’s no big deal! It’s like preferring Big Macs to Chicken McNuggets. And if there is a God… well He’ll understand. Everybody was just trying to reach Him in different ways. It shouldn’t make any difference – as long you’re sincere.

Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The Apostle Paul told those living in Athens: “Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Aeropaus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” Acts 17:22, 23

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Acts 17:29,30

Do you catch what all this is saying? Jesus, Peter and now Paul are all telling us that God has no intention of being tolerant any more. In the past God overlooked such ignorance – but not anymore. People will not get into heaven by being Hindus. They won’t please God by being Muslims. They won’t get in the gate by flashing their Buddhist statue.

Intellectual types are fond of telling people that no one has the right to tell someone else that what they believe is wrong… it’s just not nice. What Paul is declaring is – it’s not nice NOT to tell people they are wrong. Judgment’s coming.

If people don’t recognize that what they believe is wrong, the consequences can be deadly.

You can’t be open-minded & tolerant when it comes to God. In just about every other serious field of knowledge – broad mindedness is not allowed.

There is no room for broad-mindedness in the mathematics classroom. It isn’t allowed any variation from exact accuracy, even for old time’s sake. The solution of the problem is either right or it is wrong.

There is no room for broad-mindedness in biology. If they are investigating a theory and – if one result out of a thousand is different from the rest – it will invalidate an entire theory.

There is no room for broad-mindedness on the athletic field. The game is to be played according to the rules with no favors shown for "charity’s sake.’

There is no room for broad-mindedness in the garage. The mechanic says the piston rings have to fit the cylinder walls within one thousandth’s of an inch – and that’s the way it has to be.

Those who would challenge our faith are fond of trying to get us to defend side issues:
1. Do you really believe God created the world in 7 days?
2. Do you really believe there was a flood that covered the whole earth?
3. Do you really believe Moses parted the Red Sea?


If the skeptic can get you side tracked into arguing about those things – you’ll have missed the point. The only proof God seems to be concerned with is Jesus. That’s what Paul meant when he wrote: “…I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and he crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

We don’t have to defend the Bible or any doctrine found therein. I mean, it’s important to know the answer to those questions, what we need to do is proclaim Jesus Christ.


For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength." I Corinthians 1:22-25

KNOT!!!

The following is a ‘Background check’ on the 12 Apostles:

All of them have now taken the battery of tests and we have run them through our computers.

It is the opinion of this research facility that:
1. Nominees are lacking in background, educational and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking.
2. They do not have the team concept.
3. Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper.
4. Andrew has no leadership skills at all.
5. James and John (brothers), place personal interest above company loyalty.
6. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.
7. Matthew has been blacklisted by the Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.
8. James the son of Alpheus and Thaddeus has radical thinking and registered high manic-depressive scores.

One of the candidates shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness who meets people well and has a keen business mind. He has contacts in high places and is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible.

We recommend Judas Iscariot as your best pick for an Apostle based on these findings.

For the other, open positions, we would recommend that you continue your search for persons with experience and proven capability.

End Report:

If a rich man entered our church service and a poor man followed, who would you be more excited to see? Now, in your heart, be honest with yourselves. If you saw them drive up to the church in a Jaguar or Mercedes Benz, have on a shiny suit and jewelry, would you think to yourself, "Wouldn’t it be great if he would pick our church to attend?"

Do we befriend the popular people at Church before others; ask for their friendship on Facebook based on their leader standings within the church; go to a specific church because that’s where (insert famous person here) goes to church; or join a small group because it will look good on your Christian resume? There’s more but you get the idea. Sometimes, we look at people by what they have and how they can help us and that is worldly.

James tells us in Chapter 2:1 that we are not to show favoritism. That means that we are not to look at one person over another because of what they have or how they can benefit us. In our society today, we like to think of ourselves as open-minded and fair. We pride ourselves in believing that we look past externals and avoid making personal judgments of others. Unfortunately, this is not usually true, even in the church.

Let me tell you a secret: Paul loves to do Macramé (no, it’s not a dance), its art with rope, twine or cord. Its decorative Knots arranged for functionality. An example of Macramé is a Hammock…made with a series of knots and rope. If one knot within the design of this hammock is wrong, out of place or not tied correctly, the design is imperfect. If you lay on the hammock with the bad knot many things can happen…the hammock could be uncomfortable; hard to lie in or even fail as you lay down in it.

When you play favorites and set other people lower than your friends or even family...

Your “KNOT” is wrong, out of place and KNOT tied correctly!

Read James 2:1-13 – It’s “Knot” a waste of time!

Support Ships

I have good news for you, even though the New Year is already here; God has already seen your trials and troubles for this New Year. The Lord shall go before you. He is out in front of us. He is at the point leading the way. So in this writing I’m here to tell you, God has got your back too!

As you all know, I served in the US Navy. On a ship and ships, there is an order of position when traveling as a fleet force. In other words, no carrier, battleship, cruiser or destroyer goes anywhere without protection. I don’t have the space within this writing to explain each position but let’s focus on the back of the fleet.

In the back of a fleet force and behind the Aircraft carriers are the support ships. We are talking Oilers (refueling ships), tenders (repair ships), supply (weapons and personnel materials ship) and Amphibious (troop and landing ships). Know this, without these ships in the back, the fleet can’t move forward. They have the fleets back!

The concept of a "rear guard" was important to the Israelites too. There were soldiers who went before the people, assuring no enemies were waiting ahead. There were also soldiers who followed them, ensuring no enemy could come up on them in a sneak attack. The need of a "rear guard" is seen in the treachery of the Amalekites, who followed the Israelites in their flight from Egypt.

Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. Deuteronomy 25:17-18

These treacherous and crafty people took advantage of those who did not keep up with the ranks. Some of them were tired and weary, and could not keep up with the army. For this reason, they had fallen prey to the Amalekites.

Jesus is our “Rear Guard” our support ship, the soldier in the rear! He has your back!

Jesus is the "author and finisher" of our faith Hebrews 12:2. He is before us and behind us–leading us and following us. Jesus has our back! He Shields us (shelters) From Hidden Danger, He protects us from attacks in the rear. He is watching our back. He plugs up holes in the line. He sends us reinforcements (support ships) when we need it. Oftentimes someone comes along to encourage us.

Do you know who sent them? It was the REAR GUARD!

The best of us must admit there are times when our pace is too slow, and we have become "tired and weary." How is it that the devil did not overcome you in such times? What enabled you to recover and be strong again?

It was the "REAR GUARD," that kept you safe from the enemy.
He alone turns the battle. We do not fight for the victory but from the victory. It is He that gives a push in the heat of the battle. As Christians we look at the cross and see Jesus Christ. Jesus is our rear guard, our support ship-there are no others!

Guess what? My friends and family have my back too just like I have there back! We strive to be more Christ-like each day; we must look out for each other. Family, friends and other Christians are God’s vessels, or maybe better put, support ships!

Since Jesus has your back …whose back do you have? Who’s your support ship and who are you the Rear Guard for?