The Why

Many people haven’t been so thrilled with the outcome of November 6th.  Why did their candidate loose?  What does it all mean?  I have my own opinions and thoughts on the matter but that has nothing to really do with the answer.  I am not really going to address the Why so much as the What.  So many “Christian” people seem to put all of their hope in the political/economic systems of this world.  With that point of view comes much worry, stress and anxiety. 

Neither the democrats or republicans can save this country, nor can they send it to hell.  It is the people of this country that are charting the course we are following.  We are following the way of the world which is contrary to the way of God.  It is a heart that seeks to fulfill self gratification and greed.  Hearts seeking their own way not God’s way.  Well I guess I did sort of answer the Why.  But how about the What.

The What is the reason followers of Jesus Christ have been left in this world.  It isn’t about comfort, finances, health, prosperity or self actualization.  The What is the thing God has left you and I here to accomplish – His way.  The church has spent so much time trying to follow and ride on the trends and fashions of the world they have lost their true message.  It is much the same reason there is so little difference between the candidates/parties.  The republicans have been trying so hard to give as much as the democrats, to tax and spend, to pander to special interest they have lost their true message.  You can never out do the other guy at what they excel at doing.  There has to be a stark contrast.  If the republicans want to garner support they have to stand for conservative values and offer a clear choice.  They still may not win elections if the majority of people have shifted to thinking more liberal, but at least they will stand for what they say they believe in.  It is the same for the church – this is the real point I want to get to.

The church has become so much like the world people just don’t see that much difference.  There should be a stark contrast between what the people of church believe and practice and what is seen in the world around us.  We much like the political parties have lost our foundational principles to try and draw in more people.  It is a thing called SALT and LIGHT in scripture.  The gospel has never been popular, rarely has it been without a high cost both to preach and to follow.  Why should we think a different message or approach would work better than the simple pure gospel that God has ordained to reach and save the lost.

The church has become weaker and more ineffective the more it has tried to conform to this world’s trends and ways.  It is time we start living what we say we believe and believing what God has declared.  We may not be popular with people but we will be pleasing to God.  Let the love of God’s mercy and grace in your life over flow and touch the lives of the lost and hurting.  Share the gospel, be a living message of love.

sherman

1 Thessalonians 3:11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God  and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Sprucing Up the TRUTH

The Bible is some 2,000 + years old.  Its truth predates the creation of man and extends into eternity.  After all of these year the WORD remains the same.  The timeless truths of God are not just a history lesson or an attempt to catalog the works of God.  These are the breathed words of God.  They are not bound by historically context and relevance.  They are as fresh today as when they were first penned.  This is what makes the Bible unique.  It is the truth of all we need for life now and eternity.

Sometimes people feel the need to dress it up or embellish it some.  To some how make it more relevant to todays modern, sophisticated man.  Truth does not need to be spruced up to make it more  attractive or relevant.  The TRUTH is that God’s word and His ways have never been popular or attractive.  The WORD made flesh was crucified.  God tell us that the gospel is a stumbling block and foolishness to an unbelieving world.

Jesus taught much through parables.   He taught in parables not to make the truth easier to understand but actual to hide it from the religious people of that day.  It was God’s judgment on a religion that had rejected the righteousness of God for one of their own making (Matthew  13:10-16).  One parable is key to understanding all of the other parables, The Sower and the Seeds ( Mark 4:13 And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?).  The concept that there are some who out right reject God’s word, others who profess salvation but their conversion isn’t real.  When things get tough they fall away.  The ones who get saved – truly saved always produce godly fruit from a radically changed heart.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

The TRUTH stands on its own regardless of places, times, governments or war.  It only a lie that has to be dressed up or embellished.  The church cannot change the message without misrepresenting Christ.

sherman

What Do You Trust In?

Some people trust in themselves, others in government, some in political parties.  There are a variety of things people trust in.  What in life is really trust worthy?  Think about that word.  It simply means what is worth trusting in.  What can you count on?

In this current political environment many people are placing their trust in a political party, philosophy or person.  They are hoping that somehow our way of life and economy will go back to the way it was.  I have a similar desire to see this country turn around, but the government is only part of the equation.  The really problem is a lost and dying society that has traded the God of the bible for the god of this world.  Sinfulness is the same problem man has been dealing with since the beginning of time.  We are the problem.  The only way, the only hope of turning this thing around is by turning the people’s hearts back to God – repentance.

Listen this country may ebb and flow from bad to better but the trend line is heading towards bad.  People, politics are always going to fail you at some point.  I am not saying you shouldn’t vote or be politically active.  No we should do our duty as citizens of this country, a country I dearly love.  All that being said, this country and this old world aren’t going to last.  Just take a look and try and find any reference of the United States in the end-times scriptures.  I can find one reference to an eagle that really doesn’t fit the US in context.  As far as I can tell the US as a power and a country is irrelevant in the end-times.

So what are you going to put your trust in?  What are you going to put your hope in?  May I suggest that you put your hope and trust in the One Who can never fail, in the One Who will never change, the One Who is truly trustworthy.  No matter what happens in this world; war, famine, economic collapse, political tyranny – the followers of Jesus Christ have never been abandon, have never been without hope.

You will find joy, hope and peace that transcends this world in the person of Jesus Christ – held by the power of God – empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Something that is truly worth trusting.

 

Ephesians2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that

 

sherman – make this life count for eternity

Same Old Intentional Sin

In 1 Kings 12:25-33 we read about a house divided.  Solomon’s son seeks to rule the kingdom, yet his own self serving pride divides the country in two.  Jeroboam takes the northern kingdom of Israel for his own.  He becomes concerned that the people of Israel will turn back to God and again join the kingdom of Rehoboam, son of Solomon.  In  response to this fear of losing his power and kingdom Jeroboam builds a place of worship, idol worship.  He has two golden calves made and declares “behold your gods , O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.

Does this sound even slightly familiar, well it should.  Back in Exodus 32:4-8 the people of Israel did exactly the same idol worship.  Jeroboam simply pulled out some familiar sin from their past to again ensnare the people of God.  Yet it didn’t seem to take too much to get them to go along with it.  It is almost as if he was saying – listen so long as you pay homage to a god any god will do.  Mix a little religion into your life and that is all that is required to please God.  Isn’t this the same thing we do today.

We come to church, go to Sunday school, talk about the things of God in a spiritual way, all the while thinking we can live the rest of our lives as we see fit in disregard to God - this is doing our part of what God requires of us.  Is your life different outside of church?  Are you consistent in the way you live your life throughout the week? 

Matthew 15:7 "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

Jeroboam  decided to intentional lead the people into worshiping a god of their own making.  Many of us do the same thing in our lives.  We ignore or don’t even bother to read what God has declared about Himself and what it means to follow Him.  Instead we fashion of god that winks at our sin, really understands that we aren’t that bad and will accept the paltry service we toss his way.  This my friends is idol worship.  We are serving the god of self, not the God of the bible.

An encounter with the living God changes us from the inside out forever, never to be the same again.  It is a living relationship that causes a love for God that supersedes the love for ourselves and this world.  It is a growing relationship not stagnant.   Do you have the intention to sin or unintentional sin?  A character of sin or a character of loving and following God?

Romans 13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and  14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

sherman

A Love for God

The love life of David is a somewhat complicated pathway to follow, but I would like to focus on one particular part.  David’s first wife was by the name of Michal, daughter of King Saul.  She was a prize for him resulting from the killing of Goliath as well as another 200 Philistines.   This daughter of the king love and protected David even from her own father, but lied that David had threatened her if she didn’t help him (this may have played into what happen next).  Saul sought to kill David and so hated and feared him that he gave Michal away as a wife to another man.  It would be many years before they would be united again.

Fast forward several years later, Saul is now dead and David is king.  David has two other wives by this point as well as some children.  He demands Michal back as his wife.  She  finds herself pulled from her second marriage.  We aren’t given much information of this marriage, only that her husbands follows after her mourning until he is ordered home.  We don’t know where Michal’s affections really lie at this point, but she is back in her rightful place as David’s wife.

David from the start is called “a man after God’s own heart”, he is a man who loves God more than anything else.  A man of flesh that still struggles with sin, but a godly man still.  It is now that we pick up the story.  The Ark is being brought into Jerusalem, and David dancing before the Lord – notice not before men and women even though they were present, but before God.  The scripture tells us that Michal despised David when she saw his actions.  That is a very strong hateful word.  This isn’t just ticked off but hateful.  So why this attitude towards David? 

John 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

I believe the answer is found here in this passage from the gospel of John.  Michal has never had the same love of God that David or her brother Jonathan had.  Notice in 2 Samuel 6:16 Michal is referred to as the daughter of Saul not as David’s wife.  Her actions and attitude were reflective of her father Saul not of her husband David.  She seems to have no understanding of the significance of the event at hand, only that David’s actions seemed very un-kingly to her thus embarrassing to her.  She had missed the essential character of David, the very thing that made him a godly man.  It seems she could see beyond position and prestige. 

David rebukes her attack on him.  Even reminding her that it was because of Saul’s own pride and profane attitude toward God that cost him the kingdom and that he was only king by the grace of God.  Michal's superficial attraction to David was not enough for a happy marriage.  She seemed to care only for the external trappings of his office and not the man himself, and because she did not share his love for God. Any marriage based solely on externals will always be disappointed.   In the end her hatred of David was really as reflection of her hatred toward God.  She would be barren – as if cursed and cutoff from any future generations.

How is your love for God?

^{Matthew 10:34} “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

sherman

The Pew and the Pulpit a 2nd Look

You ever wonder what it means to wander?  The church is full of people just wandering around in there spiritual life, or lack of it.  The children of Israel were sentenced to wander for 4o years – this wasn’t just a case of being between where you are and where you need to be.  They refused to believe God’s promise to give them the land of Canaan – they rebelled against God.  God’s judgment upon their unbelief is that they would not enter the promised land but would die in the desert.  They would not be allowed to enter His rest.  This was a severe warning to all of us of the danger of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Its was because of unbelief that God left these rebellious children to wonder and die in the desert.  they would not enter the rest God had for them.  They heard the promised but refused to believe.  Week after week people come into churches across this country.  They may or may not hear the truth of God’s word preached.  Many preachers seek to please the people not God (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  There will be some that preach some truth, yet hold back the hard sayings.  Still others will preach the whole counsel of the word of God (Acts 20:25-27).  Some preachers and teachers will have blood on their hands yet some will have a clear conscience before God.
Bothe the pew and the pulpit have a responsibility in this thing we call belief.  The pulpit must declare the unadulterated truth of God, the pew must receive and act upon the truth with faith that causes action.  There is a rest still left for men.  It is this thing we call Heaven.  The is a judgment for those who exercise unbelief (disobedience) – wandering in this life apart from the favor of God until you die and then judgment.  The bible calls it the second death ( Revelation 21:8 ).  Heaven and Hell are real places that will last for an eternity.  Where are you headed?  What does your life and actions say you believe?  The consequences are great.
Hebrews 4:6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.
sherman

The Pew and the Pulpit

Most of us think of church in this context.  The place were people gather that call themselves Christians for the purpose of singing songs to and about God and listen to a preacher give a sermon.  Its in this context of church that I want to consider a few key elements.

People gather weekly on Sundays around the country in various church buildings, some grand cathedrals, some simple school buildings.  People sitting or standing for the express purpose to practice their religious beliefs.  I say it this way for a reason, not everyone comes to these place for what we know as biblical Christianity.  For some it is a social gathering, for others a social responsibility, others out of curiosity, still for others it is out of some idea that they have of God (possibly a god that looks nothing like what He has declared Himself to be in His Word – but rather a god of their own making).  There are some (very few I suspect) who come for the the express reason to worship the God of the bible, as He has declared Himself, to fellowship with other true believers and to be fed on the Word of God.  It is the other cases that I want to ponder here for a few minutes.

What do they get when they come?  What are there expectations?  Maybe it is for business purposes, to gain more contacts.  It could be to ease their conscience for a little while.  It may be that they were simply raised that it is the right thing to do.  Perhaps they hope to be entertained for a while and receive a practical word of encouragement – minus any conviction.  Really what they receive when they come is more a function of what is presented than what they are willing to accept.  Now what they do with what they receive is a whole other discussion.(Luke 8:4-15).

So what the pew receives is effected by what is presented from the pulpit.  What does the preacher or teacher bring to the meeting?  Why are they preaching or teaching?  Is it a passion and gifting of God?  Is it a respectable and safe way to make a living?  Motivation of the pulpit is everything.  Whether someone has been called by God or have they simply called themselves makes all the difference.  Is there power from the Holy Spirit from a life consumed to glorify God or a natural orator seeking his own way and glory.

In Acts 20:27 Paul declares that he has declared “the whole purpose (counsel) of God”.  He did not shrink back.  he was not afraid or ashamed of the whole gospel of Christ.  He taught salvation that comes from a broken and repentant heart, that results in a changed life that seeks to know and obey God  more and more, no matter the cost, no matter what others do and to be a witness to other of what Jesus has done in their lives – not a walking contradiction , but walking sanctification.  That is the message that God delivered to the church, the message hasn’t changed.  It speaks all through scripture about God, Jesus, the Spirit and what obedience looks like, the purpose and plan of God for all eternity.  So what does the preacher/teacher share?

If the message is preached – what do those in the pew do with what they have heard.  Does it come in one ear and go out the other?  Does it cause conviction over sins hidden and stored away?  Does it comfort one who is obedient?  Does it encourage the faithful to continue on and the unfaithful to be broken and cut to the core?

Or does it simply make you feel good about yourself.  One preacher I know once put it this way.  The modern day church and preacher are like a mall merry-go-round.  For a little bit of money and time you get on the ride.  You feel like you’re going somewhere.  Maybe a little challenged if you dare ride one of the horse that goes up and down.  But after a short time the ride is over and the people get off right where they started unchanged.

In Hebrews 4: 3 it is put this way “but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard”.  The lesson here is simple.  People must first hear the whole counsel of the word of God.  Secondly and most importantly those that hear the message must believe – a Faith that is tied with Action. 

What you truly believe is not a function of what you say, but rather is exposed by what you do.

What does your life reveal about what you believe?

Are you a walking contradiction or a soul of consistent sanctification?

You are responsible for the light of God you have been given.  you will answer to Him one day.

  And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

sherman

Need a Little Rest?

Have you been feeling rundown lately, tired?  What is it that you need rest from?  Is it your work, family, finances – just what is it?  Take a look into your heart – what is your burden – what care are you loaded down with?  Is it something that is self imposed, imposed by religious expectations, others expectations – what is the source of your burdens?

Jesus said these words,”28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11."  Jesus is referring to life, its rules and responsibilities, the cares that fall upon us.  He was speaking of the burdens that come from rules, regulations and expectations that we can’t keep.  Things that result in frustration, quitting and depression.

Acts 15:7-11 speaks of these things, specifically the law of the Jews.  In our lives it might be what society says a good parent/husband/Christian should do for their family, children, work or others.  What do your in-laws think you should be and do?  What about friends and family say success looks like?

Jesus offers rest from all of these different burdens that tug on our life and pull us in different directions to different standards.  Rest from trying to do what you and I are unable to do.  Are you trying to earn God’s favor?  Are you trying to be good enough?  You can quit trying to please men, God and others on terms that are so unrealistic.

Jesus offers salvation in verse 28 and He offers the saved to learn from Him what is really important – what real success looks like.  We need to stop worrying what this world is telling us to do or what they say is important.  Instead learn what Jesus said is important.  To Love God with all that we have and to Love Others the way we have been loved by God and the rest will take care of itself.  He offers us rest from trying earn righteousness and rest from worldly worries.  Not rest from work but rest from futility.

What are you doing because of guilt?  What are you doing because of unrealistic expectations?  what do you need to be trusting God for?

What you need to do is learn who Christ is, what he said was important.  See how he lived for others and died to Himself.  God’s way is living by the power of the Spirit  - in grace – God giving you the desire and power to follow Him!

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

sherman

Exposing Yourself to the Light

I have been looking a 1 John chapter 1 some this past week.  I believe that God has shown something that I have missed in the past that joins this passage to John chapter 3.  In 1st John chapter 1 the apostle is is speaking on what it means to have fellowship with Christ in God and how that is linked to the gospel message.  In a nutshell the Christian life is an intimate relationship between man and God through the work of Christ.  The relationship extends to others that have the same faith in Christ.  It is the common thread that binds God’s people together and is the basis for joy and peace that exists outside worldly circumstances and influences. 

John differentiates between those who  are true believers and those who say that they are Christians but live contrary to the ways of God.  The difference between Light and Dark.  The difference between one who denies their sin and one who is broken over their sin.  There will be those that claim to be in Christ yet deny their own sin, their sin nature, their need for repentance.  They will be a walking contradiction to what the gospel declares.  So what does this mean to you and me.  Looking back at John 3:16-21 the word tell us that those men who are evil run from the Light for fear that there evil will be exposed, while those who practice righteous (the character and intent of your hear – this is not perfection) walk toward and in the Light.  Here’s the essence of what I found in this section of scripture; those who are in Christ desire and strive to walk in His Light.  Willingly exposing their lives to God for Him to expose sin that remains in  our hearts and lives.  This is the difference, those that walk in darkness are characterized by sin and those that walk in light are characterized by godliness.  The followers of Christ are willing to have sin in their lives exposed and are repentant when it is exposed – this is where 1 John 1:8 comes in.  When we have our sin exposed, we willing repent, Christ freely forgives us and restores us to complete fellowship with Him.  So here is the test:  How do you react when your sin is exposed?  Do you run for cover or do you seek forgiveness?  Examine your heart, let God have His way.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

-sherman

Watering it Down

My wife and I were recently speaking about Noah when the question came up: When did he become righteous?  Now most people are familiar enough with him, the ark and the flood.  It’s funny in a way that most people know the story, at least parts of it, and make toy sets and books for the kids as if it is all cute and fun – all without a basic misunderstanding or lack of consideration for this story.  God destroyed all living things because of man’s sin.  This flood was the most severe judgment man had seen upon sin – it wasn’t a game but a matter of life and death.  Odd how we can make play out of something so heavy.

Now back to my wife’s question.  Her question takes on a different slant into the life of Noah - examining the life and heart of this great man.  A quick glance at Genesis 6 might leave one with the impression that Noah was “all good” so to speak, therefore God chose to start over with Noah and his family.  I don’t think that quick glance does justice in answering Laura’s question.  So let’s backup to Genesis 6:8-9 and take a closer look at this passage.

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

Notice the word favor in verse 8,  Noah found favor in the eyes of God.  The word is also translated GRACE elsewhere in scripture.  The fact that Noah found “unmerited favor” in the eyes of the Lord is why Noah was a righteous man.  God intervened in the heart and life of Noah and set him apart for His purpose.  The thing that set Noah apart from the unrighteous mean of his day is the same thing the separates true believers in Christ from the unrighteous men in our day. Even the flow of the section demands that you take note of God’s favor,  Verse nine moves into telling us about this man that had found grace in God’s eyes. So back to the original question, when did he become righteous?

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

The book of Hebrews plainly states that there was an act of faith on the part of Noah.  He believed God.  That is the point at which Noah became righteous.  It is the same in the life of every believer to this day.  God comes to us.  He finds us.  He seeks us out.  He gives us GRACE.  When we receive that grace we act in  faith.  Exercising a faith that believes all that God has said about our in ability to save ourselves, repenting of our sins, trusting in the work of Jesus alone for our righteousness.

So see nothing has really changed since the beginning.  Noah was counted righteous because of a believing faith that resulted in obedience in following God.  He was not a perfect man, just keep reading in Genesis 9, but he was a righteous man because he placed his trust in the GRACE of the Almighty God.  We are saved by faith, faith in God, faith in Christ – none in ourselves.

We find ourselves at the end of the day unable to save ourselves, just as Noah was unable to save himself.   If you find yourself trying to make your own way to salvation my prayer is that you will turn to Christ for eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

sherman