You Will Get Use To It

You Will Get Use To It

It once bothered me when Sunday Night Church Services were no longer conducted.

He said you will get use to it.

Now I watch football instead, I guess I got use to it.

It once bothered me when food was brought into the Holy Sanctuary during church service.

He said you will get use to it.

Now I get a latte in the church foyer on my way in, I guess I got use to it.

It once bothered me when no one got “dressed up” for church.

He said you will get use to it.

Now I wear Bermuda shorts and sandals, I guess I got use to it.

It once bothered me when the boy in front of me played with his race car during the sermon.

He said you will get use to it.

Now I get caught up on my emails and friends posts during the sermon, I guess I got use to it.

It once bothered me when I could not take my Bible to school.

He said you will get use to it.

Now I do not even need to bring it to church, I guess I got use to it.

It once bothered me when……..

He said you will get use to it.

I guess He was right…….

It gets easier each time.

! Timothy 4:7-8; 15-16 NIV

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come…………Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

WDK  May 2013

Undermining The Credibility of the Gospel

Undermining The Credibility of the Gospel

I received an email that opened with a statement “…be alert Believers in Christ Jesus…”  This was a fellow believer’s admonishment along with a short and wonderful 3-4 sentence statement saying we are all to share the good news of his saving grace and to be faithful until his return.

This was all wonderful and well intentioned.  However, the area of concern is that these statements from the individual were added to an email that the individual had themselves been “forwarded”.  They were now adding their comments to the email before they also turned around and forwarded it on to others.  Why is that of concern?

The email that was being forwarded made statements about a current legislative act that was before the U.S. Congress at the time.  The email connected that legislative act together with: the U.S. President, events of September 11, events in the Middle East, Economic bail-outs and Federal Stimulus packages!  It also included a link to a website that was supposed to show us the legislative document that tied all this together.

The link was not only invalid but upon researching the legislative act in question, the Act before Congress had nothing to do with any of those other topics.  This brings us to the topic of this message.

There is a war raging between the powers of this world and the God of Heaven.  It will get more intense and more difficult to fight every day.  As “Believers in Christ” we MUST be examples of him.  The current President, the current Congress may be wrong or they may be right.  That has nothing to do with how true “believers” should conduct themselves.

A “believer” MUST be careful of trusting messages received “in the name of Jesus”.

Is there truth to what is being told?
Is there truth in what the “fellow believer” has forwarded?
Or is just a means to promote an individuals “personal agenda” by letting “Believers” forward on the “important message”.

Five easy steps to undermine the Gospel of Christ and the credibility of those that spread it:

1)       Get the believer to believe EVERYTHING that they are told. If it comes from a “fellow believer”, it must be true!

2)       State that “Everyone Needs to Know” or “Please Pass It On”.

3)       Mention “Jesus” or “Bible” as many times as possible.

4)       State at least one truthful fact.  Tie as many unrelated issues or facts together so they appear as one. That makes it appear that ALL the other statements are truthful and relevant to one another.

5)       Quote a website or a recognizable name as the “source” or evidence.

The “original” composer of an email may have good intentions.
How many people continue to “forward” information without verifying its accuracy?

A follower of Christ must have HIGHER Standards than the world.  The closer your walk is with Christ, the more important living up to them will become.

If you have taken the time and RESEARCHED the facts stated to you and the facts are TRUTHFUL

Then in all cases please DO forward the “important information” onward. It is VITAL that true “believers” are kept informed.  But do so by sending the “verified” and “accurate” sources that YOU personally checked. Accurate means the “source of the information” and NOT a link to someone claiming “knowledge” of the facts.

LET SATAN DO HIS OWN DIRTY WORK. He is the master of untruth and rumors. We have no business helping him out.

When you SPEAK (whether by electronic methods or tongue) let it be only that which is of TRUTH.

The world has a difficult time enough believing the WORD of Christ when it is shared……. I wonder why?

Psalms 37:30-32

The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.  The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.  The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death……

Titus 2:7-8

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Proverbs 17:27-28

The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Written 2012

Revised May 2013

WDK

Dear Church, I Came To See You - A Story of God’s Blessing on the Christian or the Non-Christian?

Dear Church, I Came To See You

A Story of God’s Blessing on the Christian or the Non-Christian?

Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

Week to week I come in your doors.  I worship in your majestic buildings to this God you preach.  Looking for God I am often mesmerized by the lights and sounds from your stage. What a show and performance.  What grand pageantry; the instruments, the singers, better then anything seen on Broadway. I am captivated and held spell bound by the great oratory of the one you call Pastor.  I was even convinced once or twice of the many ways I could improve my life.

Then that day came.

I lost the job that I had given decades of service to.  With my spouse only working part-time, how do I provide for my family?

What great relief to be headed to Church today!   Surely, I can find the answers I need today.

“Dear Brother, so sad to learn about your lost job. Hope you know we are praying for you.”

Two months have gone by and still no prospects of a job.  Things get worse when the old kitchen stove breaks down and we cannot afford to buy one.   On Sunday, I share my need with my friend the Deacon. As he prays for God to provide for my family, I hear the prayers from the stage thanking God for meeting the building fund goal of $200,000.

What will we do?

Isaiah 41:17

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Then the blessings start coming in!  From the church congregation?  You would think so, but no.  They come from the “world”.   Co-workers at my spouse’s part-time job start finding “excuses” to “miss work”.   Suddenly my spouse is working 5 days a week to fill in for them.  Bless them Lord!

“Dear Brother, how is the job hunt going?  By the way, we added your need to the Prayer chain”

“Today’s message is called:  ‘God’s Power to Provide’”

What a wonderful promise!  I am glad we had those non-Christians at my spouse’s job, so God could use them to help us and in turn they can be blessed by God.  

Proverbs 22:9  Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

Then one day, my spouse comes home excited. The boss at work wants to give us a stove!  A week later, co-workers handed us a gift totaling $200 in food and services for our children!  Within months, the same company offers my spouse a full time job.

Thank you Lord for your provisions through this employer!  Bless them exceedingly.

Dear church, the Lord will provide for his children whether or not you are too BUSY to hear the simple cries of help from his children.  There was a time in the book of Acts when the Apostles STOPPED their ministry to meet the needs of the Widows and Orphans.  It cost Stephen his life!  The church then was BLESSED because of what they GAVE and not what they were waiting at the altar to RECEIVE.

He wishes to work through his Bride the church but he will use whom he needs to accomplish his work.

Judgment begins at the House of God.

1 John 3:17

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Written 2009

Revised 2013

WDK