01/12/24 USING OUR TOOLS

01/12/24 USING OUR TOOLS

A great tool for reaching people with the gospel and teaching people Biblical truths is through computing and internet and social media. Some folks have employed it for good and many more have employed it for evil purposes.

There are great numbers of Christians who have ignored the opportunity. Most have not ignored it because they were involved and committed to other ministry endeavors, but because it would take time, energy, commitment, which they would rather waste.

Look at this passage.
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

"Go ye," obviously includes personal participation, which often means physical interaction with other people. But it also includes communications through writing (letters, tracts, books, articles, magazines), performing arts (singing, dramatics), fine arts (drawing, painting, sculpting), electronics (radio, cinema, television, internet, social media, recording audio or video). There is also the support ministries that make these ministries possible.

With all of the opportunities available and with the great need throughout the world and with the rising attacks on Christians and Christian ministry, there is no excuse for anyone who enjoys a modicum of health and strength to be unemployed in reaching and teaching the world, either as the primary communicator or in a support ministry.

"Christians" are saying, "be ye warmed and fed," but are doing their own thing or doing nothing (both of which is doing the wrong thing). People waste their time by doing nothing or doing the wrong thing or doing the right thing in the wrong way.

This passage is God's sending order, the New Testament is God's instruction manual for accomplishing His work and the local church is His body at work.

01/11/24 AVOID CHAOS

01/11/24 AVOID CHAOS

Your Thoughts, Words, Actions,
must pull together or they will pull you apart.

Being and Doing are partners.

01/08/24 DON'T PLAY WITH GOD

01/08/24 DON'T PLAY WITH GOD

I posted yesterday that Martha and I had been watching a Christian movie, but paused it in order to watch it later because we saw it was headed in a dark direction. Not dark in terms of morality, but dark in the sense that a tragedy was about to happen. (I know, it was just a movie). And sure enough, the worst happened. We figured that the main character, who was running from God was about to lose a loved one, and he did. Then it went downhill.

So why would a theatrical presentation bother me? BECAUSE it was a reflection of what really happens in life. Some folks will call this next scenario a contradiction to the loving nature of God. Actually, it is a confirmation of God's love and grace for us. If He gave His Son to save us, He will take other extreme steps to save the lost.

God wants to draw us to Himself through His kindness, blessings but if we resist and refuse and reject His mercy, God will use suffering to drive us to repentance.

Sometimes a cure for a malady in this life requires pain and suffering. The same is true in the spiritual and eternal realm. You do remember that God gave His only begotten Son to save us?

In real life God uses suffering to reach the rebellious. God also chastens and scourges His children when they are beginning to drift away.

While in Bible college I worked at a Sears loading dock in G'boro. I witnessed to everyone that I could. I had been talking to my boss about his relationship with Jesus. He was a nice guy, a family man, apparently a moral man, with a Christian background from a Bible believing church. I told him on one occasion that I was praying for him. He became irate and plainly told me not to pray for him. He knew that if God intervened in his life it could me personal loss for himself and family. He knew that you cannot hold out on God without hurting yourself. He knew that God might use his children to reach him and he did not want that to happen.

Of course I told him I was going to pray. Some weeks later I was visiting a church, which I was not accustomed to visiting. I saw my boss sitting in the congregation, with his family. When the altar call was given I prayed for him specifically. He eventually surrendered and went to the altar and got saved.

I have seen God take extreme steps to reach some people. I have seen people finally turn to God. I have also seen people suffer great losses, yet continue in their rebellion. When I see obstinate people I cringe, because their rebellion not only jeopardizes themselves, it puts their family in a situation that can be very costly. God is wise and just. God only does that which is right. However, His dealing with folks may be a very hard and heavy reality.

So this is what goes through my mind when I see people playing games with their souls. Sometimes it is the actual sins of a parent that strikes down a child, such as drunkenness or drugs. But sometimes it is God, breaking through the layers of resistance. In either case, parental stubbornness can lead to unspeakable losses.

01/08/24 A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS

01/08/24 A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS

COMMOTION, EMOTION, DEVOTION
Commotion (chaos, religious activity in the flesh)... not good.
Emotion (love, excitement, peace, joy, compassion)... very good, when under God's control.
Devotion (commitment to God's word)... essential, when it changes our lives.
Emotion (Feelings) and Devotion (commitment to Facts) must be connected to life changing faith.

THE PATH OF VICTORY
True study, and devotion to the word of God can bring about Justification.
Justification will lead to Entire Sanctification.
Entire Sanctification leads to Glorification.
Failure to follow the path of light, truth salvation will lead to Stagnation.
Stagnation leads to Damnation.

01/08/24 UNTOLD NUMBERS

01/08/24 UNTOLD NUMBERS

Martha and I were watching a Christian movie recently. We turned it off, planning to finish it later. The story-line was going well, but it was time for a tragedy to take place. We understand that is part of the theatrical formula, but still, we just didn't feel like dealing with it at the moment. We knew it would eventually end on a positive note, but we both hate to see people suffer personal and family loss. It is too much like real life.

Sometimes the tragedy comes because the victims bring it on themselves and sometimes it is the only way God can get there attention.

The problem in real life is that the hardness and stubbornness of self oriented people usually resists the call of God, resulting in a cascading of losses and disasters. Our hearts are already too broken in real life.

We will probably watch the end of the movie tonight. And we will continue to pray for real life disasters and brokenness.

If it was up to God there would be no rebellion and brokenness, but God allows us to determine our own destinies. It is just so hard to watch loved ones steer their lives into certain tragedy, ignoring and resenting the overtures of love and cries of warning.

01/08/24 NON-CHRISTIAN RESTORATION

01/08/24 NON-CHRISTIAN RESTORATION

Non-Christian restoration.
Some folks want to be excused rather than be forgiven. Being excused does not require contrition, confession or converting. 

Some people want to be accepted, without becoming acceptable. The offender places the responsibility for reconciliation on the offended party.

01/08/24 SAD CONTRADICTION

01/08/24 SAD CONTRADICTION

Think about it.

Psalms 133:1
1 ...Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

I have seen unsaved siblings dwell together in more unity than many brothers and sisters in "Christian" families. It is one thing when Jesus is the One Who comes between family members, it is another when the division is created by carnal, selfish reasons.

For some it is too late to dwell together in unity. If you have breath, you have the opportunity to find reconciliation with the people who actually love you.