I am a Friend of God

I was riding in the car the other day when the song, "I am a friend of God" by Israel Houghton came on the radio. I with critical attitude I thought to myself, "Wow, this song sure is repetitive." Now I would say in retrospect that-that is the whole point!

How many seconds out of the day do I forget that I am a friend of God?

Truth is learned primarily though hearing it over and over again in compact ways. This song is very simple, and yes, very repetitive, but it is a truth that Christians should never forget: That we are friends of God through Christ Jesus who shed his blood to redeem us back into that standing.

He Must Increase, But I Must Decrese

Jesus is everything, without him we are hopeless and in a prison of ourselves. Jesus is the most important person in ever. Mere human beings forget that they are just fragile clay pots that can break at any moment never to be put together again, soul escaping in the process. Our only hope is Jesus. Our next breath depends on his word.

With that said: John the Baptist was the first one to get this idea, that Jesus should be the one growing in popularity while he decreased. Ole Johnny boy would probably be considered a person with a growing "church" by today's standards. He would be the first minister that would admit that Jesus should get more glory than himself. John was not even offended at the fact that some of his very own disciples jumped the "baptist" ship to the Jesus ship (not a shot at Baptists, I love em). It is time to decrease our names as ministers, and increase the name of the one who has called us; JESUS the CHRIST.

Make a Habit of Having No Habits

Love means that there is no habit visible, you have come to the place where the habit is lost, and by practice you do the thing unconsciously.

-Oswald Chambers

This statement from Mr. Chambers is preceded by a statement saying that Christians can have "Christian Habits" that is we do things out of routine that we should be doing out of love. Bible study for example could become something that is done because we have to or we have always done it that way. Prayer is another example, do you check off a list as you pray(which is not bad sometimes)or do you really seek to spend time with God as with a friend? Just like in a relationship with a significant other, there should be spontaneity in your relationship with God. If you took your significant other to the same restaurant every week for dinner it would get old quick.

Bottom line: God wants us to seek him in different ways out of love, not obligation or habit.

Those that Walk Away

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
-John 6:66

I was recently in a church service, during the middle of the service a group of people stood up and walked out. I am not sure why, but I believe it was because they did not like the style of worship that was being offered. I then began to think about the above scripture. The people that turned away from Jesus was not because a dislike of a worship style, rather because Jesus said that they must "eat his flesh" and "drink his blood." This statement would be tougher to grasp than just listening to some worship and seeking God for an hour.

Christianity is not about "worship preference" it is about becoming uniquely connected to the risen Christ. Those that walk away miss out on the journey of a lifetime. Those that walk away miss the grace that has been given. Those that walk away from a worship service in any of there forms never walk toward worship on their own time. Those that walk away from the church, walk away from Christ. Those that walk away from Christ walk on a broad path which leads to destruction.

Spoiler Alert

For many Christians, walking in the light means walking according to our standard for another person.
-Oswald Chambers

Have you ever looked down on a person for something that "you don't do" and then you did it yourself a couple of days later? It could have been something like saying a curse word (or the equivalent), being angry, or even judging someone for being judgmental. Christians put standards on people so whoever doesn't fit that standard will not get into "the club." It is probably not just some Christians, but human nature itself.

Spoiler Alert! I am not here to live up to your man made standards. Religion will not box me in, and I would strongly recommend the reader to seek to start a journey to escape the religion that you are steeped in, and turn to or back to a relationship with Jesus.

Stop trying to conform to standards, rules and codes. This is not the life of freedom that the Lord is offering.

Jesus the Lion

March 15, 2010

At the beginning we were sure we knew all about Jesus Christ, it was a delight to sell all and fling ourselves out in a hardihood of love; but now we are not quite so sure. Jesus is out in front and he looks so strange: "Jesus went before them and they were amazed."

-Oswald Chambers on Mark 10:32

There is a wide range of views that people have about Jesus the Christ. Southpark teaches us that Jesus still walks the earth, and that his crucifixion is something to laugh about. Family guy says that Jesus works at a video store and is still trying to "find himself" God hits on woman and gets drunk. Some people see Jesus as a peace-loving hippie promoting advocating that we all, "Make love not war." Still others see Jesus as a fictional character in a story, a myth that people made up.

Would the real Jesus Christ please stand up?

Ok, so there is truth that Jesus was peace-loving, he is the Prince of Peace. However Jesus could put it down when he had to. He called people snakes, dogs, hypocrites, synagogues of Satan, and Satan. This is very cute and fuzzy eh?

The truth is, Jesus was a lamb in a sense that he laid down his life for the sins of humanity, but that lamb has now become a lion ready to pronounce the end of all things from the sword which proceeds from his mouth.

The church has forgotten the image of the glorified resurected Christ who will judge the living and the dead as descibed in Revelation 1:13-18, "And among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I (John the apostle)fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Jesus not on the Cross anymore, is is not a pansy throwing up a peace sign, he is not what T.V. says about him, and is probably not what you have made him up to be in your own mind. He is much more.

Vision

March 11, 2010

I wear glasses, without them I can't see King Kong on a Billboard swatting at the Goodyear blimp. Vision from God is like our "spiritual glasses." Without his direction for our lives we walk into "spiritual ditches," and even off of "spiritual cliffs" to our demise. The closer we are to God the clearer our vision for our lives will be, with a vision we will not perish, as individuals, families, churches, and nations.

March 10, 2010

Pentecost did not teach the disciples anything; it made them the incarnation of what they preached.

-Oswald Chambers

The topic of Spirit baptism seems to have become taboo in the modern church world. If any Christian is to be a witness for Jesus Christ they need all the "power from on high" that can be allotted. I will not discuss in this blog the various theologies on how to obtain the baptism in the order of salvation.

The reason some do not talk about it is because they are afraid that there is something more in Christianity than just getting through church services from week to week. Others because they feel like they will be labeled weird or a "holy roller." The truth is, without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Christianity ceases to be a movement and starts being a religious system.

Divine Dependence

Live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ

-Oswald Chambers

I took a spiritual formation class last year. One of the primary lessons that I learned in this class is that I am still in desperate need of God, and I have to be dependent on him in each waking hour.

In human relationships they say that it is a bad thing to be "needy," it is not a bad thing to be this way with God. It is when we rely on our own strength, the power of our own self will when we begin to forget that it was never about our power or strength, but we are to be dependent on God's strength. His power is made perfect in our weakness not our strength.

Identity

March 8, 2010

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

When I see myself for who I am there is no question that I am, at my very core, rotten, evil, bad, a sinner, full of hatred, pride, lust, greed. No person is intrinsically good (e.g. you don't have to teach a child to misbehave, lie, be selfish etc). Jesus died on the cross not to make people "good" he died on the cross so that spiritually dead people could live. How does he do this? He comes and lives in the place of your sin, your heart. Have you ever heard a preacher say, accept Jesus into your heart? Jesus literally comes into the place where he said flows murder and sexual immorality and makes his dwelling there.

We are crucified with him in this sense, that he had the most vile person in mind when he made the ultimate sacrifice for humanity. When we accept Jesus into our heart, we die, and Jesus lives. However, most Christians are zombies, the living dead. They are dualistic, not giving it all to him and surrendering their identity to his will.

All the doubts that we have about the Christianity should be overridden by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us.

Unleash 2010

I went to a church conference today at NewSpring Community Church in Anderson, SC. It is a fast growing 1500+ member church. The Pastor, Perry Noble, spoke in the first session about how the church grew so fast. His formula was not capsuled in 7 easy steps, nor three points. It was shocking when he said that he simply, "Didn't know how it happened." Wow! Sell that idea to the publishing company!

He said it happened because he and his staff listened to God and did what he said. Nothing more and nothing less. Rarely, if ever, does God do something in the same way twice. When Joshua and the Israelites were going to take the city of Jericho God gave specific instructions to march around the city so many times and the walls would fall down. Never again in history has this been the way that a city has been taken. God has a plan for each man or woman of God, and for the city that you live in but it is unique to that person and city. Pastor's need to understand that just because it worked for Ron Carpenter in Greenville, SC, doesn't mean that it will work in there town of a few thousand. Pastor's need to realize that there is no "formula" on how to start and sustain a move of God, but there is one thing that we can do, listen to God, and do what he says.

*Blog Based on Notes Taken from Perry Noble

Fat Men and Homosexuals

A friend had a facebook status that said, "If a fat man can lead a church, serve on a church staff, and not be held responsible for his lack of self discipline when it comes to gluttony, then why can’t a gay man lead a church, serve on a church staff and not be held responsible for his lack of self discipline when it comes to homosexuality?

To this I replied, "I am saying that gluttony and homosexuality are two different struggles with different consequences. If a "Christian homosexual" is a homosexual that doesn't act out his or her desires, then is a fat man on a diet the same?

The question that we really seem to be asking here is "Are all sins the same?" Or "Should all sin be dealt with in the same manner?" My answer to this question is, no. A child molester to me is worse than someone who cusses, and a homosexual to me is a worse sin to me than gluttony. Maybe this logic is flawed, but it would seem from a biblical point of view it is a right logic as well. There are different laws in the OT some with minor consequences, and some with major, hence; not all sins are the same. Also, in the NT Paul lists sins that will "not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal 5:19) sexual sin makes this list while gluttony does not. Granted again, sexual sin includes just as much, premarital sex, pornography, than homosexuality. Rev 21:8 is another example of the type of sins that will be punished severely.

Now I said that to say this as much as I don't like to admit it, leadership in the Christian world or not should all be held to a higher standard. James 3:1 "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." If you are leading people astray theologically, "Trading truth of God for a lie." (like being an openly practicing homosexual is okay) Then this is a double no no. ...

Can a person who struggles with homosexually be forgiven of Christ and brought into relationship with him OF COURSE! Jesus loves the homosexual enough to die for him/her. Can a person that has struggled with homosexuality be a minister, yes. I WAS an alcoholic and a druggie, and I am now a minister. But if a person is openly gay, and proud of it then they are disqualified to be a minister until they reconcile themselves to God. Ted Haggard is a great case study on this topic. He was found to be in a homosexual affair and soon after sought reconciliation with his wife and the body of Christ. He is again in ministry.

The bottom line, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1:8-10

Ministry is a Calling Not a Profession

March 2, 2010

If Jesus has not called you like Andrew, Peter, James, John, etc, then why are you in ministry. I still believe that Jesus is hand picking the people that he will use to change the world. Many people go into ministry because that is what there father did or because they like the glitter and glamor or just the prestige of the job title. They go in for selfish reasons, with nothing but themselves in mind.

Ministry is a calling not a profession. There is not enough money in the world to compensate the "hours" that have to be put into the Christian life because it is a 24/7 responsibility. Being a minister of the gospel is not a hat to put on at church and then take off when out of the doors or a time card to clock in and out, it is all day every day. When we compartmentalize Christ, we belittle our calling. It should be the goal of every minister to constantly be aware what Jesus is doing for us and that he wants to do the same for every person that we come in contact with.

Love Jesus? Feed His Sheep.

March 1, 2010

I remember hearing it said before that the love of Christ is unconditional. I know, and hope this to be true but with the dialogue between Peter and Jesus in John 21:17 we see that the our love of Christ IS conditional. His love toward us is not, but our love towards him is.

Jesus forgives Peter for denying his existence, but as he forgives, Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me?" Peter replies, "Yes." Jesus then says, "Feed my sheep."

If we really love Jesus we are not just giving him lip service, but actually doing things for him, such as, feeding his sheep. Now a preacher would tell you that feeding sheep is giving his congregation a great "word" from week to week, but this is not what Jesus was talking about at all because of two reasons,

1. Jesus did not give the same group of people a "word" from week to week, rather, he was out healing people, casting out demonic spirits, and declaring the kingdom of God.

2. His sheep are everyone in the world, not just a congregation of 50+ people.

When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. John 9:36

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I (Jesus) must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:16

Notice that Jesus main ministry was to his sheep of Israel(this sheep pin), but his goal was to include the gentiles (non-Jews; not of this pen) as well. So, his ministry was to ALL PEOPLE!

So, if we really love Christ we will feed his sheep. Our congregations as well as the people "not of our sheep pen." The feeding should be not just a spiritual word, but a non spiritual biscuit.