“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.  (1 Corinthians 12:12)

 

In the title of this article we state, what would seem to be a contradiction. It is not a contradiction nor is it a paradox. A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict, but when explained it makes perfect sense. There are no contradictions in Scripture but there are paradoxical statements. “When I am weak, then am I strong,” is a parodox. Paul is saying that when he is weak in the flesh or in himself, God will show Himself strong on Paul’s behalf. Another paradox is, “A man is strongest when he is on his knees.” Another? A man of great poverty may say, ” i am the richest man on earth.” if he is speaking in terms of faith, family, and friends.

When we write, “The church is not the Christ,” we are simply saying that one can serve Christ outside of the church’s (4) four walls. We are stating also that we must serve Christ outside the church walls. If we are not serving Christ outside the church’s wall; we are not serving Christ at all. If we serve not Christ outside the church; our service inside the church is a show. God forbid this be true of you. There are many, so many ways to serve our Master outside the church building.

If you are at home on a very cold day, you could or rather should give the postal worker a bottle of hot chocalate and in the Summer a bottle of water. Do these things in Christ’s Name. Telling an older person that they look nice will make their day. Telling someone you have prayed for them may cause them to pray for someone else or to thank God for your prayer. When you are in a convenience store or a fastfood restaurant, pay for the person behind you and tell them it is from the Lord. Sometimes a smile and a wave are not just a smile and a wave. Telling your family members that you love them is a Christ-like act. Wishing a store clerk, a waiter-ess, or anyone “Godspeed” is not only kind; it is a witness.

I have known men and women that,for whatever reason, have departed the church, yet they still love God. I know …I know…if one does not love the brethren how can they love God? They do love the brethren, but they have some kind of hang up with the church. I do not justify their church-less-ness nor do I condemn it, for to [their] own Master will they stand or fall.  If I had my way, they would be in church or they would be fellowshipping with a group of believers in a home.

These Christ-ians study the Scriptures, maybe more than many church-goers. They are generous in their offerings to various ministries, they love to talk about God with others, and in some cases are holier that many. These believers remind me of the prophets of old.  The Jews would offer their sacrifices at the temple, but the prophets like Elijah would do so privately or that is my understanding. The prophet Jeremiah was called out of the priesthood by God to be a prophet. He was pulled from the “church,” if you will. These Christ-ians watch Christ-ian television and listen to Christ-ian radio, they follow Christ-ian websites and subscribe to Christ-ian podcasts. Truth be told, they bathe themselves in Christ-ianity and all things Christ, while some church-goers are Sunday only professing Christ-ians.

The Church is Christ. If you would, re-read the quoted text above. Do you notice anything? If not that’s okay because it is not something that is heard very often if ever. The church, is called Christ this verse. Wow!!! The Church is called Christ by the Holy Spirit and Paul. Some may say, “Well, ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed’ and therefore, the church is anointed like Christ.” This is not the Spirit’s meaning. The reason the church is called Christ is because the church is Christ’s Body on planet earth. The Church is God’s Presence on earth; the Pope is not.

Christ-ian doctors and Christ-ian nurses continue the healing ministry of Christ. A large part of our Lord’s ministry, as well as the manifestation of His sovereignty was in healing. He healed the deaf, the dumb, the blind, the lame, the issue of blood, lepors, the palsied, and He raised the dead. He showed compassion when there was no compassion to be found. Today, in the hospitals, there is compassion and there is help and there is healing.

Our Lord, when on earth, cared for the poor. Today there are many, so many Christian Charities that care for the poor and for the forgotten and for the forsaken. These charities provide food, drink, clothing, places to sleep, places that are safe, places where the Word of God is taught and ministered. These Christ-ian charities change lives and in these places many are called to Christ and called to the ministry.

The body of Christ, the church, continue to do as Christ did when He was on this earth. The body of Christ continues to proclaim the Gospel and teach the whole counsel of God. The body of Christ continues to praise God and to Worship God and the body continues to pray. The body of Christ ceases not to perform the Works of Christ and to walk in the Ways of Christ, as well as, speak the Words of God.

Statistics tell us that of all the faiths that are represented in wartimes (80%) eighty percent is Baptist…The body of Christ has not ceased to fight evil and to fight for those that cannot fight for themselves. The body of Christ still walks in the direction of possible, probable, and certain death. The body of Christ still lays down it’s life for the sake of others.

The body of Christ is still a blessing to others and He leaves persons, people, peoples, and places better than when He first found them.

 

 

“Have thy faith and have it to thyself.”

 

We are not necessarily speaking of the gray areas of the Christ-ian life though there be many.  In Romans (14) fourteen, Paul speaks about the freedom of the believer in making choices for themselves.  He makes the argument that one man may look upon each day as the same and another man may view somedays as being special.  Paul says neither are right and neither are wrong.  He also says that some may look upon certain meats as sinful while another person may judge them all the say. Again, neither are right and neither are wrong.   If we bring these “gray areas” into contemporary times we would view movie, music, sports, and attire in the same light.  But again, we are not writing on the “gray areas.”

We are writing (DV) on differing points of view, not necessarily in the Christ-ian realm. I enjoy scary movies. My wife does not. She is very likely to have nightmares. She is one who enjoys romantic movies and movie where some one dies at the end. This I cannot understand just as she cannot understand scary movies. My Mom, on the other hand, does not like movies or television, with the exception of SVU and the Chicago crime shows.

I enjoy Batman and there are others that like Superman. These are both acceptable. I am a life long observer of Pro-Wrestle but my good fiend, Pastor Ron Ruben can’t stand to watch it at all. You see  He and I have many of the same likes in life. We both love the Lord Jesus, we both love the Church, we both love the Scriptures, but we do not agree on the Sport of Kings and that is okay.

Sometimes one’s view on things may change. For years I was a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I would watch this sport with an eye to the scientific aspect. I would try to learn more of the art by watching.  Now a days I keep an eye of the referees as I may (DV) seek to become a referee (DV). I would consider refereeing due to my health constraints. Humanly speaking, to partake would not be viable some say. However, there have been many men that have been told not to take part but God has said otherwise. God will have the last Word. But for the time being my focus is in the process of changing.

There is another reason that a person’s view points will change. When a person becomes a Christ-ian their views will most certainly change.  We have been witness to this many times and we never grow tired of it. Prior to becoming a Christ-ian many hold the following views…evolution, pro-choice, liberal in their politics, anti-Christ-ianity, Anti Christ, pro-anti Christ-ian music, pro-swearing. After a person comes to know Christ all of these views change…Praise the Lord.

Another reason or cause for a person to change their p.o.v. is the focus of their p.o.v. changes. During an election cycle a person’s p.o.v. may change numerous times because the focus of their p.o.v. may change numerous times. To demonstrate this we will use (2) two products already discussed above. Typically a wrestler is known to be a good guy or a bad guy. When this character changes from one to the other his/her fan base may change their opinions.  When a television character changes so does their fan base.

One thing is for certain, our Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God changes not for He is immutable, He is without shadow of turning and He is without variableness.  Those that truly love Him will never cease to love Him. Our Lord will never change. He will always love His elect, He will always incline His prayer hearing ears to us, He will ever hear and answer our prayers, He will forever be our very Present Help in our time(s) of trouble. Our God will ever be Righteous, Holy, Sovereign, Merciful, Kind, Longsuffering, Tender-hearted, Forebearing, Good, Loving, Patient, Ready to Incline Himself unto us, Prepared to Chasen Those He Loves, Immutable, and Powerful. The list of God’s attributes is not exhaustive. Maybe in the future we can exposit the Attributes of God. If you would like to study them on your own both A.W. Pink and A.W. Tozer both do a fine job on the subject.

Even though our Lord shall never change, you would think our opinion and our view of God should never change. This is not true, for the more we come to know this unchanging God the more we shall love Him. The more we realize the benefits in knowing God the more we will seek to know Him. This is not always true of humans. The more one gets to know another person, the less they may like them. But God is different from sinful humans.

Let us praise and thank God for His Immutability. Let us love Him more and more for that immutability.

 

“…[F]or the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”  (John 4:9.b)

“Then the King Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the Queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so [kill the Jews]? And Esther said, the adversary and enemy is this WICKED HAMAN….So they hanged HAMAN on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai [the Jew], then was the King’s wrath pacified.                                                                                                                                             (Esther 5-6; &10)

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarians, Scythians, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”  (Colossians 3:11)

 

Why do persons blog? Why do persons write?  Thinks me, there are many reasons for a person to write. One might write to educate, to encourage, to argue against something, to have fun in contentment, or 2 VENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have been watching a documentary on “Southern  Rites.”  This documentary focus’ on a High School Prom. The wicked thing is; there are (2) two proms. (1) one prom is for whites  & the next night there will (DV)  be a prom for the Blacks. Yes, even in 2017, there are still stupid, wicked & evil persons that pre-judge a person based on the color of their skin.

As My God is so big and so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing He cannot do. These people, who stand so tall in their ignorant, wicked, stupid, little and puny minds are the opposite of our great God. These pre-judgers are so weak minded and puny minded, there is nothing they can do about their own evil, wicked, stupid, and ignorant views.

Racism is the puny minded thinking of little, evil, wicked, ignorant  and stupid persons.

These people use the excuse of tradition and the ways of their grand-parents. They believe their grand-parents ways are good. These wicked and tiny minded people should use the out-house for the vacating of their bowels, as their racist G-parents did. These people say they are not racist, they are only traditisional-ists. WRONG! WRONG ! WRONG! They are not tradiisional-ists, They are the wicked, evil, small and puny minded people that cannot grow intellectually and see that color matters not.

To be fair, I can almost…….almost….. understand the anger and irritation that these wicked people feel when a black person calls themselves, African-American. The same holds true with Native-Americans, and Asian Americans. We are all American, their should be no division over ancestrial cultures. Certainly, all persons should look back at their beginnings and be proud of their desendency. But it must not overwhelm or over shadow this, their American culture.

There should not be a month to celebrate any race’s history, for that divides and separates. We need no more obstacles to overcome divisions. Especially in the Christ- centered Churches; there must never ever be any kind of prejudice based on skin color.

We have preached in all white churches and we have preached in all black churches. There is no difference when we all are in Christ. I’ve preached in churches that are over-whelmongly multi cultural. There is no problems, there is no prejudice, there is no segregational minded persons.  We, as Christ-ians, are all one in Christ. Color matters not and race matters not. We should not look upon ourselves as any thing, other than….. Christ-ians (Spiritually speaking)….God’s elect people….(1) one body, (1) one mindset that is intent on loving God and loving each other and Glorifying OUR…OUR great God.

Good Grief, People….Stop talking about it!

Godspeed.

 

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own [M](m)aster he standeth or falleth…” (Romans 14:4)

“One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth everyday alike. Let every man be persuaded in his own mind.”  (Romans 14:5)

“Wherfore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments of men?” (Colossians 2:20-22)

 

 

We will preface this article by saying, “Be ye holy for [your/our/my] God is Holy.” God has set the standard and that Standard….O that, O so Glorious Standard is our Lord Jesus Christ. We are to strive violently (with all our heart, mind, soul, spirit and body) to become Christ-like. He has, He does and He is providing us all with the graces to reach that goal of Christ-likeness, in fact, we have been predestined to that blessed likeness…[Side note how are you doing in that area?] God has made you and i, partakers of the [His] divine nature (2 Peter 1) and He has already blest us with all Spiritual Blessings (Ephesians 1) in the (3rd) Third Person of the Divine Godhead, The Holy Spirit of God, which was in Christ. We have been infused with Holiness, and all the graces that are of God. We must…we must…. for God’s sake…for Christ’s sake …for our sake, we must appropriate these graces by the irrepressable faith that God has given us!!!

We are not and will not (DV) ever speak against God’s Standard of Righteousness and Holiness. We will, however, speak against the power and control some “ministers” have manifested under the guise of standards. And we will have a good time doing it!

When the people of God see ministries erring in the the Name of Christ, they must, they must point it out. They must…we must point out all fatted and golden calves that have and are taking God’s Holy Name in Vain!  Example: A group of God’s remnant standing outside Joel Osteen’s church each week decrying, as Jeremiah did, the false prophet. Also the evil and hate-filled “(b)aptist church of vileness that manifests their repugnant presence by spewing evil at the funerals of military families, their mouths must be muted…not by violence of any kind, but by the Good Words of the Gospel. While it is true that God does hate, we are called to speak upon His love. It is His love that draws out the persons and people that will repent, believe, love and obey.

The people of God must not bow down to the standards or doctrines of man or men. NO!, these types replace God’s Standard(s) with their opinions, which grow into man made standards, which, in turn, grow into Biblical Doctrine and God’s will. It all started in the garden. (s)atan asked Eve, ” Hast God said?” Eve replied, with something like, I’m not to eat of the fruit or even touch it. NO! God did not say anything about touching it. To be fair, it is wisdom that tells us not to touch as it is making a provision for the flesh, but even with that standing. the “Touch not” was the beginning of legalism…legalism, I state it twice like the announcers of a big fight main event name the opponents names twice because the Christ-ian and legalism is a big fight for many.

What are some of these standards that are really power and control in disguise? Here is a list, it’s not exhaustive, but it will do: No pants on women, no short hair on women, no outside work for women, no long hair on boys or men, Man is the dictator of the home and the wife is the submissive servant, No movies, No dancing, no cards, no music, except the right kind…which is the legalistic power and control hungry shepherd’s kind. No reading of certain books, for they use a different Bible for reference, No leather, no fancy cars, no exspensive clothing, no free expression of the individual spirit, which God has wired, no going to other churches, no missing a single service, and above all… NO….. IN…DE…PEN’ DENT THINK…ING ON ANY MATTERS!

Here is an example of the problem with man’s standards, I heard this from another preacher, The standard for modesty: Is a past the knee lengthed dress or skirt with pretty flowers and gold or silver buttons on it modest? What if she were to where a nice pendant on her nice dress, would that be modest?  Most would say, “Why! yes, of course, that is a modestly dressed Christ-ian lady.”……BUT…. if you asked an Amish woman her opinion on the same dress, she would say, “She looks like a whore on a Saturday night!” SOOOO? Who’s standard should one follow?

To whom should you give this power and control over you to? Who should decide for you what movie to see? what hair style or length you should have? Who should decide if it is appropriate to have a motor cycle or many Swords hanging in your office? Who is to decide what you taste or drink? Who should tell you, “That’s far to expensive…if you have that kind of money, you should give it to the church instead.”  As the owls of Narnia would say, ” WHO…WHO…WHO…Who?

The answer is given in Scripture. Paul said, “Have thy faith to thyself.” He means, do as you please, within God’s boundaries. Paul also charged us to stand in the liberty, wherewith Christ has made us FREE.” Paul also said, “God has given us richly, all things to enjoy.” Paul calls the Christ-ian, “God’s freeman.” John said, (paraphrase) If your conscience is clean, go on.  Augustine said, “Love God and do as you please.” But, Paul…Paul also said “all things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient unto me, and I will not be brought under the power of any thing.” Peter tells us not to use our liberty as a cloak of licentiousness or in other words, use not or think of your salvation as a license to sin. NO! NO! NO!….With our liberty and freedom we are to do right and to live holy lives unto God. “Then,” you may ask, “What about all the stuff you wrote above?”  I would reply with a question. Do you view those things as unholy by God’s standards or are they unholy by the power and control hungry ministers of legalsim? Do those things bother your conscience? Is your conscience subject to God or the control hungy minister?

You see, what it all comes down to is love God, stay within God’s decreed boundaries and do as you please, for it is all by God’s grace and the liberty that our Champion, Lord Jesus has won for each of us.  As to the grace-killing, power and control hungry “ministers”,…well, as Elizebeth Bennett’s mother said, Let [em] hang…figuratively speaking, of course.

A perspective: The lost or unsaved will lie, steal, and kill to keep their idea of freedom; we on the other hand, have been made free (not set free, but made free) by our Lord and Master. One who has been set free can be taken captive again, but… one who has been made free is free in deed, for he is God’s liberated, Free Man…………….Stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.

“Be not afraid little flock”  (Lord Jesus)

 

When Samuel was send by God to inform King Saul of his rejection by God, he said something like, “Ye did well when ye were small in thine own eyes” (Paraphrase). The point Samuel was making was this -When you were small, by your own estimate, God was big; but now that you have grown in your own estimate, God has become small in your eyes. The shrinking of God was evidenced by Saul’s actions in murdering many of God’s priests and offering a sacrifice himself when it was forbidden to do so. He felt he could by pass God’s ways and do as he pleased. He would be accepted, after all, he was King Saul. This was the same sin as Cain in offering the fruits of his own labor. This was the same sin as Nadab and Abihu in offering strange fire before the LORD God. These two were destroyed by fire and Cain was exiled from God’s Presence. So, too, must Saul be rejected. Peter was close to this line when he said he would die before denying Christ just after being told by Christ of his denial. These men all thought they had arrived and could by pass God’s methods as they were above them.

It has been seen repeatedly in Scripture that God would have His called ministers lead a little flock. Christ, Himself had only (12) twelve. He had whittled this (12) from (70) seventy. God caused Gideon to whittle his number of soldiers down to (300) three hundred from a much, much larger number. David was greatly punished when he numbered or counted his soldiers. You see, as the old hymn writer said, “There is nothing small when God is in it.” When Moses sent (12) twelve spies into the promised land they came back and said, “We be not able.” Many years later Joshua sent only (2) spies and they came back and said, “We be able.” Nothing is small when God is in it. It was the (12) twelve that “turned the world upside down” after Christ ascended. Again we refer to Moses, Moses in leading a great multitude chose out (70 seventy) men to help him. When God sent a prophet to give a message, He sent one for one with God is a majority.

I am not saying large ministries are bad. Some of these large ministries are broken up with assistant pastors that under shepherd a smaller number of believers of the the whole body. I suppose this would work as long as the under shepherds are properly vetted and it is apparent that they do have God’s call upon them. That being said, if a man is shepherding a small flock in a home or in a store front or even online, these “smaller” ministries should not be looked upon as nothing more than glorified small groups of the “greater and more blessed” mega church. Perspective…maybe the mega church is an over glorified small group.

In fact, let’s use perspective.  If a large church has say, (1000) one thousand members and only (10%) ten percent ever share the Gospel with any one and the smaller ministry of (25) twenty-five have (100%) one hundred percent of it’s flock sharing the Gospel, which is more effective?  How about this, the same large church has (25 %) twenty-five percent attending it’s Sunday night or Wednesday night services and the small ministry has all (100%) one hundren percent of it’s “little flock” attending which is more effective? I know even with the percentage the larger church still has more but look in terms of devotedness.

I’m not saying the small church is better than the large church and I’m not saying it isn’t, all i’m saying is, “There is nothing small when God is in it.”  We’re saying that a minister of (25) twenty-five is just as valuable and pleasing to God as the larger church. As our Lord said, “Where (2) two or (3) three are present, there am I in the midst.”  If a minster of a larger flock is puffed up by a vast number of members and this causes his to look down upon a small ministry, he has grown to big in his own sight and it is impossible for God not to shrink in that same view point. If a minister of a small flock is sinfully ambitious in his desire to grow, he has lost his way.

I know of a pastor that pastors a church of roughly (70) members and he has been there for just under (2) two decades and this is almost unheard as most pastors, in general, stay at a church for (3.5) three and a half years before departing. This pastoris little compensated, in financial terms, but he is faithful and he loves God and God’s people. I know of another pastor who started a church in a store front and was told by a guest speaker that he was an over-glorified Sunday School teacher because of the size of his ministry. The man who passed this judgment is now in prison. He was no more than an over glorified con man. He had come in as a guest speaker in this man’s over “glorified Sunday school class” and spoke an hour in terms that no one or very few persons could understand…disgusting. This “over glorified Sunday School” has now moved on to become the (70) member church pastored by the loving pastor I previously spoke about above. This (70) seventy member church was approached by a very “big named” preacher and was asked to merge with his larger ministry. They would not merge.

“There is nothing small when God is in it” and there is nothing big about a large church if God is absent from it. There is nothing small about the minister of a small flock if God be with him and there is nothing big about a big name if God is not…well maybe he is a big named con. I can think of other big named ministers as well that were worshipped by their large flock and they too, are in prison for crimes that should not be named, even among the lost.

I know of another “pastor” that is salivating over the idea of groth for growth’s sake. This pastor, after almost (2) two years has not bothered to visit or call a woman who was a member of that church for over (50) fifty years. She has gone through at least (8) eight or more pastors at said church. She drove the church bus for a decade or so, she was the main person to keep that church in ship shape condition for decades and this growth and youth obsessed “minister” has not even made the call to this woman after (2) two major surgeries!!! I remember preaching at said church and it was due to this minister having his arm twisted that I was asked to preach and not many were open to my message, as he made it obvious that he wasn’t happy about my being there. Diotrephes he is. To be fair this is my view of the story and I do love the woman ignored, so he may have another view but I have a hard time conceiving of what it might be.

As God makes each one of us feel like we are His favourite and that we have His undivided attention, so should the pastor of a flock be with those he has been called to under shepherd. I am glad to know that most of the pastors I know take this call seriously and they do love their flock. They are more than honoured to be called pastor or preacher and they love to be called upon by their flock to counsel and to give spiritual and all manner of aid, just as does our Good Shepherd, that gave His life for His Sheep, and has taken it up again to guard, and guide His flock by His well known and most blessed Voice.

Always remember this paradox, God speaks in a still small voice to His little flock that is His little remnant on that narrow pathway and there is nothing small if God is in it and that means you who are indwelt are not small to God.

“Ye have wearied the LORD with your words.”  (Malachi 2:17)

“Speaking to yourselves in [P]salms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”  (Ephesians 5: 19 & 20)

 

 

Have you ever, while singing hymns unto the Lord, thought to thyself ….This isn’t true of me at all? Let us examine ourselves, okay?….Thinks me, this might hurt a little.

“I am Resolved no longer to linger, Charmed by the world’s light” … Is this true of thyself?

“I am Bound for the promised land…” is this true of thyself? Do you even give a moments thought to the Heaven our Lord is preparing? Since He made this world in (6) six days, can you even try to imagine what He’s been doing for you for (2000) Two thousand years?

WOW!!! This next one is, well you’ll see………”I am so happy in service to my King”  Can you actually sing this and be truthful?……Remember Malachi….You are wearing the LORD with your words.

This one may hurt….”I am satisfied with Jesus..”  Are You satisfied?….. ..I’m overwhelmed with the Lord Jesus….

Really?….”I am so happy in Jesus”………………………Are you truly happy, so very happy in Jesus?

“I am Thine O Lord”………………….Are you His? Does He own you…all of you? Do you know that you were purchased (2000) two thousand years ago. We were purchased with the Holy, Sinless Blood of God’s Only Begotten Son; Do you know that ? Do you live as though you were owned by the Master?….If not….that’s rebellion.

“I Serve a Risen Saviour”……………..Do you, now?

“I need Thee every hour”………………..Do you even think about Him in your hours? Does your Saviour Cross + your mind at all in a day?

THIS IS BELOW THE BELT……….I love to tell the story…..Do you? Do you even know the story well enough to tell it to people?………….”I Love to tell the story of Jesus and His Glory”

 

“I surrender all”……………….Have you surrendered all to the Lord Jesus?……All to Him I freely give……..I will ever love and trust Him, In His Presence daily live”…..Is this true or are you lying?

 

“I Stand Amazed”……. Today every one uses the terms “awesome” and “amazing”…………………….Everyone seems to be amazed at everything and everything is Awesome……These are idle words that all shall account for.  God and God Alone is Awesome…..and aweful, as in full of awe… Do you stand amazed and awed at what God is doing in your life?

 

“I am standing on the promises of God”……………..Are you standing on Gods’s Promises? Do you even know what God has promised you and me in His Holy Word?  How can you stand on the promises if you do not even know them, or God forbid, Do you even care about His Promises?

 

WOW!!! This was a rough one!  I am not trying to be mean, I’m looking at all of this as a challenge.  I want to mean every word I sing, for He is Worthy of that and infinitly more. We can never sing to His Worth; but we’ll get a lot closer if we try.

“Stand in awe, and sin not:commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. (Psalm 4:4)

“…[H]oly and [R]everend is [H]is [N]ame.”  (Psalm 111:9)

“And Jesus rebuked him, saying Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil  had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power [H]e commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

“…and [H]is [N]ame shall be called Wonderful…” (Part of Isaiah 9:6)

Some words belong to God and God Alone.  We often hear these God words used to describe a feeling or to give a compliment. Here is an example;  “This is awesome.” and “that is amazing,” “How wonderful,” and “Holy ####”

The Lord Jesus teaches us that we are justified or condemned by our words. He also taught that the mouth speaks that which is in the heart.

 

“For we wrestle…”  (Ephesians 6:12)

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a [M]an with him until the breaking of the day. And when [H]e saw that [H]e prevailed not against him, [H]e touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with [H]im…”                                                                                                                                                 (Genesis 32:24 & 25)

 

In the Genesis text we find the first wrestling main event, if you will. It was Jacob “the Deceiver” Ben Isaac vs. God The Word “Lord Jesus” Theophany. Jacob squared off with (and against) God. This is a contest of Will and of Submission. Jacob wrestled all night. God “realizing” Jacob’s endurance, touched the hollow of his thigh. This mere touch caused Jacob’s thigh to disjoint, yet Jacob persisted for he desired a blessing…he desired the blessing the right way, as he had deceived his father, Isaac, to get his blessing the first time. God asked this persistent fighter, “What is thy name?” and Jacob answered, “Jacob.” [Side note: the meaning of Jacob is deceiver & in answering God, Jacob confessed his sinful nature] God then renamed him, “Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Jacob named that place “Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”  WoW!!!

In the pro- wrestling world there is a vocabulary specific to the business. Heel is a bad guy and face or baby face is the good guy. Work means scripted. Shoot means real. Angle means the story line of the wrestling match. Hooker is the guy that can really hurt you; he is the guy that is called when a champion is not cooperating. The hooker knows the little tricks of the trade that most do not. These tricks or hooks can, will, and do cripple. In the wrestling match between Jacob and God, God proves Himself to know all of the tricks and hooks. However, we will not call God a wrestling Hooker…..we will call Him, Creator God.

There is also the sport of MMA or Mixed Martial Arts, which is what it sounds like. Mixed martial arts or MMA from this point is all martial arts versus all martial arts.  If you are in a karate contest you should expect karate to be used. If you are in a MMA Cage you can expect any and all disciplines to be used. Anything from striking (hitting), kicking, choking, to joint locks, to painful and dehabilitating hooks.

In a peaceful world these arts would be watched for the science and the strategy…like a living chess game.  But…in our present evil world, which lieth in wickedness we see those attending these events as they are hoping for blood and injury. The pro-wrestling company, WWE, keeps things pretty family friendly so one cannot judge society by the bloodlust. However, you can judge society by their reaction to the wrestlers themselves and certain catch phrases. There is the World Champion John Cena , who preaches, “Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect.” He also preaches, “Never Give Up.” These are goals we should all aim for. These are messages we can all get behind, but when Cena’s theme music begins, the crowd chants, Cena S*c!s. There are some that shout, “Let’s go! Cena!” but the former is what is heard loudly and plainly.

What must a child think when s/he hears Dad belitting the man who has a good message? Our options seem to be: Dad is bad or the Wrestler is bad. If the wrestler is bad then everything about him is bad (this is child think) or hopefully the child has a mind of his/her own and can think these things through thoroughly.

Years ago, there was a match between Jake “The Snake” Roberts (one of my all time favourites) and “Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. Austin represented the “down with societal norms” and Roberts had a preacher gimmick (I doubt his sincerity). Anyway, it was a good match between a heel and a babyface. The angle was over (over means big hit with the fans). After the match, Austin was crowned “King of the Ring” and he began to berate the Snake.  Austin said something like, “You can thump your Bible and quote your Psalms, but Austin 3:16 says, I just whipped your ***! The arena went crazy, they loved it!

What did they love? the down with societal norms? the 3:16? or the preacher being berated? Any of the three spell degeneracy. The Austin character and he is playing a character…the real Steve Austin is Steve Williams and he is a decent guy by human standards or is he?….. The character of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin went way OVER. The problem is he was a heel (Bad Guy). I believe the term is anti-hero. This character would week in and week out “flip the bird” to the boss, Vince MacMahon. This character would stand on the turnbuckle (corner of the ring, 4 of them) and chug beer after beer after beer. All in the sight of kids. What did the kids think? If Dad is laughing and liking it, it must be okay. Thankfully the “Era of Stone Cold” is long gone.

The WWE product today is a PG product. There are heels and faces again. but even now many of the faces are booed while the heels are cheered…this speaks to society, does it not?

We were trained in Jiu Jitsu and we fought competively. We would also put on demonstrations of jiu jitsu.  The trainers and my fellow combatants would go to the mall and to the church (my trainers, the Hill brothers, Ron and James are owned by God) and we would put on a demonstration. We would even pretend to be pro wrestlers and carry on a match. The people enjoyed it, the kids loved it. My name was Brian “The Technician” Loder and I was a heel, therefore, I lost. Our team, each of us would beat on each other without mercy, but there were no ill feelings.

This leads me to a question, Who are the real heels?  Is it the guy playing bad guy, or is it the observers who lust for blood and injury?  Who is the real heel? Could it be the persons that belittle a good role model who has a good message?

As Christ-ians we will have to learn to get into the mind of the old creation. We must be many steps ahead of them in this MMA fight we call life. We have an advantage they do not. We can remember what it is to think like a sinner, but they cannot fathom what it is to think like a saint. We are God’s Hybrid, “Simuli Justus et Peccator”*…We are God’s Saints and sinners simultaneously, they are merely sinners.

*Luther

 

 

 

 

“…Peace, Be Still…”  (Mark 4:39)

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”  (2 Peter 1:2)

 

One of the most elusive of the graces is peace. Peace is something that the lost want but can never own. Peace is something the believer wants but finds elusive. The Christian finds it elusive because of the price, if price be it called. Before we go on, let us define peace for there are (2) two types. The first is peace between God and man. This peace will never be realized except the Blood of Christ’s Cross establishes it. Therefore there is peace between the Christ-ian and God through the Blood of Christ. This peace is a state. The (2nd)  type of peace is that which is experienced and felt or for most, not experienced or felt.

As we stated above, the Blood of Christ has established peace as a state of being. This state exists between the Christ-ian and his God and nothing can change this as far as God is concerned. However, peace as a feeling of rest can be known in a limited number of ways. In 2 Peter 1:2, we find one of these ways. Peter writes, that peace can be experienced through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Peter is easily understood, the answer is here. If you, beloved, want to know and feel peace in this life you must gain it through the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (Father and Holy Spirit) AND OF JESUS OUR LORD. It is simple…there is no mystery.  If you want peace…and peace multiplied you must learn of God and of Jesus your Lord.

The Christ-ian must learn and gain knowledge of God and of Christ your Lord. We are not speaking of head knowledge, alone. Head knowledge is essential, but we speak to an intimate knowledge of God…knowing Him as in, “I know Whom I have believed..” This intimate personal knowledge comes through the head knowledge and prayer. But I ask you, beloved, how many of you seek to learn of Him? This question touches our last article, Why say ye love Him and do not seek to know Him better?  This is a fundemental question. How many of you have fallen in love before? What was a fruit of this feeling? You sought to learn of this person. What was their phone number, address, favorite color, favorite movie, song, television program, what political party are they affiliated with, what religion are they, what color are their eyes, etc. These are the basic questions one longs to know. The same must be true of God and Jesus our Lord.

What do yyou think God’s favorite color(s) are? Blue and green would be my guess. What shirt size? Probably small by today’s standards. What color are His eyes? I would think brown. His political party is Monarchy, as He is King. What is His favorite book of the Bible? The Psalms as He quotes from Psalms most often. His favorite follower? Me!!!  We should all think that about ourselves.  Peter also mentions multiplied grace. The means of aquiring this multipled grace is the same. Grace, in this passgae, means imputed power.  So if you, believer, desire to experience multiplied spiritual power/strength and peace learn of God and Jesus (y)our Lord. Hidden in this verse is a forgotten truth. It is a truth we spoke on in our last article. “and Jesus our Lord.”  To know God rightly and truly is to know His Son as, “Lord Jesus.” Lest you know Him and address Him as Lord, you will not know of the grace and peace of God, let alone multiplied.

In Mark 4, We read of Christ and the disciples hazarding a great storm. A storm so great that it caused the experience fishermen to fret their very lives. They had no peace. They woke the Lord Jesus, Who was fast asleep in the hinder part of the ship, with “Master, carest [T]hou not that we perish?” Notice, “Lord” is missing? Since Lord is missing so is the peace.  The Lord Jesus arose, and rebuked them and then He rebukes the great storm with, “Peace, Be still.” Notice, our Lord cares more for His own than He does the circumstances. The circumstances are for the believer’s benefit and not the believer for the cimcumstance’s. Immediatley the storm was calmed.

It is thought by most that “Peace, Be still” is our Lord’s charge to the storm. It may be, however, we would like to look at it from a different angle. We believe we have Scriptural warrant, as well.  Christ said, Peace, Be still.” We believe, “Peace…” was the charge to the storm and “Be still…” was the charge to the disciples. What was the disciples reaction to this show and or manifestation of divine power?  “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey [H]im?  This exercise of divine authority causes the disciples to look upon Him in a very different way. If you would turn to Psalm (46:10) Forty-six and verse ten, you will find the same wording and the same understanding or explanation. “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”  To be sure the disciples would be familiar with this Psalm.  So it is possible, if not probable that this is what they heard in their minds, ” [Storm,...Peace, Be still,  [[M]y] disciples, and know that [I AM] God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

 

Therefore, I will put you to the test.  You will grade yourself, oh, and so will God.  Why do you call Him Lord and you do not obey or seek to obey Him?  Why or how can you claim to love Him and you seek Him not in the Word or prayer?  Are you willing to pay the price, the blessed and loving price…if price it can be called, to enjoy multiplied grace and peace? If so seek to know God more and more and recognize Christ Jesus as your Lord. Seek to learn of the divine Trinity, the Sovereign Godhead. Seek to understand Calvary. Seek to know Christ’s Words, Christ’s ways, and Christ’s works. Seek to know Christ as your “Way,” your “Truth,” and your “Life.” Know Him as your “Way of Life,” and your “Way of discerning the Truth.” Know Him as your “Life to be lived in the Way of Truth.” Seek to look at all things through His Eyes. Think about things as He would think. Speak as He speaks. Do as He does. Walk as He walks.

In our last article we spoke of the preacher’s responsibilities as preaching, teaching, rebuking, correcting, instructing, and reproving The last article was one of rebuke or more of reproving than rebuking. This article is one of preaching and instructing. One could also call it prescriptive as in prescribing spiritual medicine. The Lord has given me peace, peace, much peace. This peace is of God’s grace. The peace came through learning of Him and obeying Him, and both of these were of grace as well. I can not tell you of what great benefit peace is. I can’t tell you of what a gift peace is. I can not tell you what it is to know peace. What I can tell you is what it is like not to know peace. When I knew not peace, I feared and I worried almost all of the time and I do not use hyperbole. I suffered in my mind and in my digestive system. My jiu-jitsu suffered greatly, as I was too focused on the feeling of losing and not the sense of winning. My job suffered; I couldn’t do a good job because I worried too much about not doing a good job.

However, the one day of the week, wherein I did not fear and worry was Sunday. This is because I was focused on the Godhead. It took a long time for the truth to dawn on me. The truth finally did,…. what if I focused on the Godhead all the time? This is different from “Practicing the Presence of God.” Though I spoke to God without ceasing and thought upon Him without ceasing, I wasn’t listening too much. God forgive me, please. In prayer one must listen twice as much as speaking…..”two ears and one mouth” idea. We should kneel before God or lay prostrate before God and say, “Here am I, Lord.” and wait upon Him. Periodically you may praise Him, petition Him and pray (ask) Him something. The point of this exercise is to “Be still”…so that, you might know God as God. You are making yourself available to you Lord. While we are always available, it is wise to establish a time set apart ..a holy time…to make thyself available. In human terms, it is the difference between your boss asking or telling you to do something and you presenting yourself to the boss, and asking if you could do something for him as you go about your workday.  Do you see the difference?  The same is true of presenting thyself to your Lord.

God speaks to us in His Word, He really, really does. He speaks to our mind/heart/conscience/instinct through prayer for He has access to us all and to all that is us.

Godspeed, God’s people.

“Why call ye [M]e, Lord, Lord and do not the things qhich I say?”  (Luke 6:46)

 

The prophet’s, the preacher’s, the pastor’s jobs are many. My jobs are the same as the Word of God, Itself.  My job is to teach, reprove, correct, and to instruct, encourage, etc. Some jobs are more enjoyable than others. To encourage, to teach and to instruct are more enjoyable than to reprove, and to correct. However, I have been called to do them all. When one studies the life and ministy of Christ and His apostles, as well as the prophets one will fing much reproving and correcting. If one is to shy away from these responsibilities one must shy away from the call, itself.

Some of the dangers of reproving are, angering the reproved, losing some of the flock if not all, as well as being viewed superior to the flock. Again, these dangers must be hazarded.  The Lord Jesus, in our quoted verse above is reproving reather strongly and risking much. However, one can also run off many by simply being true to Scripture. when our lord stated that all must eat His [F]lesh and drink His [b]lood, many…very many left. So many departed that He turned and enquired of His remaining disciples, Will ye depart also?” Therefore a Man of God is always at risk of losing many. The risk is so great that he must not give it concern.

In the text above our Lord asks the question, “Why do ye call [M]e, Lord, Lord and do not the things I ask?”  What a painful question to receive. He is essentially calling for those present and all of us down through the ages, to give an account for your actions as they do not  match up. Dear Reader, Do your actions and word match up? Let me ask you this, do you even call Him Lord or is He simply, Jesus to you?

This is an important question. Do you give Him His title of Lord? Did you give President Obama or do you give President Trump their title?  If you do, it is a sign of resepct and if you do not it is a sign of disrespect.  Do you give Queen Elizebeth her title?  If so it is a sign of respect and if not, it is a sign of disrespect.  How about when you first meet someone do you address them as Mr. or Mrs.? Do you require you children to address them as Mr. or Mrs.? Do they address their teachers with a title? Why, then do you not address the Lord Jesus Christ with His?  It is a sign of respect or disrespect if not. Did you know that it is a gift by the holy Spirit that we are allowed to refer to Christ as Lord Jesus (i Cor. 12:3). Some of my readers may recall me writing on this topic before. Some might even ask themselves, Why does he keep writing on this?  No matter how often I write upon this important subject, I do not ever see it being taken seriously. People keep calling Him, just Jesus. If you study this subject in Scripture, you will find His enemies calling Him, Jesus without His title. You will find His worshippers calling Him, Lord Jesus.

Therefore, the answer to our Lord’s question in Luke 6:46, “Why call ye [M]e, Lord, Lord…?” is this, “Because Thou art my Lord, Lord.”  Christ’s follow up is more difficult to answer, “and do not the things which I say?” The meaning is simple, is it not?  He is asking us all, Why do you not obey Me, when you refer to Me as your Lord?”

I will now ask you a question of rebuke, as well. Why do you claim to love Him with all your mind, heart, and soul yet you do not devote time to study Him and to seek Him in Scripture and diligent prayer? Recently when preaching on this, I asked someone the size of their loved ones shirt. They responded with the accurate size. The point was to demonstrate that we know things about those we love. Peter teaches that husbands should dwell wih their wives according to knowledge. Beloved, we should know things about our Lord and we should dwell with Him according to knowledge.

The (2) two points to our article are these; One should or rather must address Christ as Lord if they are to address Him with respect. The Spirit of God allows us this ability and if we do not refer to Him as Lord, it is because we do not see Him as Lord or the Spirit of God has not given us this ability. Both are to be feared. Our (2nd) second question is this, “How can you claim to love Him and do not diligently seek Him?”