Look up

Where do you look when things are gloomy and hopeless? More often than not I find myself looking inward, feeling my own pain, commiserating with myself. I look inward because I have looked behind at all the failures, the mistakes, the betrayals. I look inward because I look around and see a world that is falling apart, being led down the rose lined path to perdition. I look ahead and I just can't see anything because I'm not a prophet, but based on what's behind and all around, it can't be good. So I look inward and see how beggarly my spirit is.

Actually all I have to do is look up! Look up because that is where the prize will come from. Look up, because that is where Jesus is. Look up, because when you look up you can't see the world around you. Look up and be lifted from your gloom and despair. Look up because Jesus may come today!

Thankful insignificance.

I know that sounds odd, but thankfully I am relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of the world. I haven't blogged for several days simply because I haven't felt well enough to. And guess what? The world kept right on spinning, the police did not come to my door and no one told me I was fired! I am thankful for my insignificance! I blog here for myself and for my God. If someone else happens to benefit from my paltry musing, I am indeed thankful for that is an added blessing. Thank you for letting me have a few days off! It didn't really matter anyway now did it?

Picking myself up.

Some days I just feel bad. Physically yes, emotionally: moreso. These days are consumed with the almost overwhelming sense that something bad is happening or going to happen. Often they come after a restless night interrupted by nightmares and bad dreams. The feeling of doom hangs heavy and causes nausea and trembling hands along with restlessness and anxiety. In short, it is the flesh momentarily getting the upper hand on my spirit which is dedicated to God and in receipt of His peace. On these days I have to recalibrate my awareness. If you have days like this, let me share a few things that often help me.

1. Prayer. Not just your run of the mill prayer but walking through the house and boldly talking with God out loud and claiming His promise of peace. I talk to Him, plead with Him, thank Him - but above all else just get in touch with Him and really start having a vigorous conversation.
2. Listing. I start listing what I have to be thankful for and what I see around me that should be making me happy. My family, my wife, my precious daughter, my brothers and sisters in the Lord, my work, my mind, my friends, my home. I list mentally all the good things I can think of and I do my best to dwell on them.
3. Insulate. I remove worldly influences that may be getting me down. Several years ago I got into the habit of having the TV in my office running on low volume when I worked, just for background noise. Usually it is a news channel, which as we all know has been mostly bad as of late. I switch it off, put on Gospel music or Christmas music and begin to insulate myself from negative factors in my environment.
4. Go Outside. It is amazing to me how much this helps! I work indoors, but when I am feeling distressed I will get up and go out. The air, the rain, the birds, our cats, our dog, the world around me comes thundering back to reality.
5. Think about Heaven. I love to think about Heaven and how great it will be. I have my own picture of what it will be like and I can retreat into that vision and find peace.

I'm sure there are other techniques that others use that are just as effective. These work for me and if there is anything here that will help you, use it - I don't have this system patented!

Have some ice cream!

Enjoy!

Moving Day

Today is moving day for our QCC family and as such a time for reflection. In the little more than a year that QCC has been meeting as a family we have been witness to blessing after blessing at the generous hand of our Lord. It seems that every time there has been a need, though we knew not how to fill it, He did. Whether it has been money, equipment, houses to meet in, whatever our needs have been the Lord has been by our side. This leads me to conclude that as we take this next step in our journey that we only must rely on the Lord and we will be forever blessed and our needs attended to. We, because of God's unfailing guidance, have continued to grow in Spirit, faith, numerically, financially and above all in the desire to reach the lost in our walk with Jesus. In retrospect, several of the things we have seen happen in our brief ministry have been, there is no other way to put it, miraculous. We give all the Glory to God for the successes we are enjoying.

Tomorrow we turn yet another page in the book of our adventure as we meet for the first time in the sanctuary provided to us by the Lord of the universe. Little more than two months ago we were in fear as to where we would be, knowing that our present accommodation would not suffice for another winter. Yet, there emerged an opportunity for us to move after a sequence of unheard of events transpired in which the hand of God is so clearly evident that it can't be refuted.

While we thank God for the new sanctuary, we will not fail to be thankful for the two places the Lord led us to before this one, each time satisfying an immediate need we faced at that moment. God is faithful to address and satisfy our needs - He has never failed us and we have faith that He never will. And so I close by offering this: Thank you Lord for what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do for us your children. We praise and magnify you and lift you up as the giver of all our good gifts and the source of all our good fortune. Thank You.

Be Thankful

Thanksgiving. Could this be the key to peace? According to Phil. 4:4-6 the Peace of God, which is so profound that it can't be understood, is available through giving thanks. In order to be thankful one must be acutely aware of the present - now. Look around, what do you have to be thankful for? I'm sure you will see plenty, even in these challenging times. Not just today, but every day, be thankful and God will protect you with peace.

What kind of seed are you sowing?

The Bible says that God cannot be fooled, that whatever we sow, we shall reap. Implicit in this is the knowledge that we know what we are sowing. Seed sowing, like any other kind of kingdom work, is done with forethought and planning. Let's face it, when we sow seed we know exactly what we are sowing whether it be good or bad and you can rest assured that is what our harvest will be! But it is that word "whatever" that intrigues me. A farmer does not just sow seed without knowing what it is in hopes that cotton will grow. He knows that "whatever" he sows is what is going to grow. If we sow good seed, kingdom seed, that is what is going to grow. If we sow division and denominational seed that will be our harvest. If we sow seed of apathy . . . right, our reward will be apathy from God.

So I have decided that my seed must be more than just seed, it must be specific. How do I know what to sow? Well, what do you want to harvest? That is the seed you sow. If our harvest is growth and soul winning then that is what we sow by being continually in prayer about that and ever looking for opportunities to teach salvation through the blood of Jesus.

I am going to name my seed. Instead of having Kentucky31, I'm going to be sowing seed of growth. Gonna sow me some growth seed today! Tomorrow I may sow some tithing seed or prosperity seed or love seed! Get my point? Name your seed. If you do not know what you have sown how will you know when the harvest comes in?

Give these thoughts some consideration this week and we'll talk about it within the next couple of weeks.

I know I am saved . . . .

I made that statement one time in public while delivering a message and was chided by an older woman who told me that was an arrogant thing for me to say. I tried to show her in the scriptures in 1 John 5 where John says that we know we have received eternal life if we have the testimony of God in our heart: that in Jesus we have the gift of grace. I reasoned that if we didn't know we were saved, why would we be motivated to tell anyone about the good news of the Gospel?

I was raised on the "hope of salvation" dogma which is designed to keep us in a state of perpetual doubt as to our destiny, which in turn is supposed to motivate us to strive harder for perfection.

Unfortunately, many Christians seem to lack the understanding that doubt is the antithesis of faith. We can no more live in faith and doubt than we can follow Jesus and Satan at the same time. Jesus was clear when He asserted that we cannot serve two masters. One will always be favored above the other and there will be an imbalance in our loyalty.

I believe that the "hope of salvation" dogma also denigrates the power of the blood of Jesus. When one is saved that is to say that one has been delivered or saved from sin. Heaven is the reward for our being saved, not as many believe salvation itself. In Acts 2:47 it is clear there were people who were saved, right then and there. Why? They were freed from the bondage of sin.

When the Bible talks about heaven it is speaking of the reward that awaits the saved. I know that I am saved because I know the blood of Jesus is greater than sin! 1 John 4:4 assures me that the one who lives in me, Jesus, is greater and stronger than the one who rules the world - Satan.

To say that I am saved is to simply state that sin has been eradicated from my life and that I am walking with Jesus. I fully anticipate that heaven will be the reward for my faithful walk with the Lord because the one with whom I walk is greater than the one with whom the unsaved walk.

There is no arrogance in claiming salvation, only faith. I have faith in the promise of heaven as reward, the result of me being saved.

Do not cast doubt upon the power of the blood, rather embrace its saving. Rejoice in your victory over sin and look forward to your reward of heaven!

Can God . . . . ?

That's what I've been thinking about lately . . . a lot. We've been taught that there are no impossibilities with God. At the same time we've also been taught there are a plethora of things that God can't/won't do. I was raised on the doctrine of an incrementally diminution of Holy Spirit power and activity. This entire doctrine is anchored on 1 Cor. chapter 13. In particular the statement made by Paul that "when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away with." In recent years I have come to struggle with this thinking. I believe there are several fatal flaws in this reasoning that are not only dangerous, but are keeping millions of people from perhaps living a fuller, richer life.

I recall being taught there were apostolic dispensations of the Holy Spirit, then a special dispensation for those to whom the Spirit was given by the apostles and then there was nothing! The theory is that the Word then supplanted the Spirit in the lives of believers. The problem with this idea, initially for me, was that there appeared to be absolutely no Biblical backing.

As I began my research, several years ago (and trust me when I tell you I am no expert and do not claim to have all this worked out!), I realized there were several propositions that one had to accept in order for this concept to have any validity. First, one had to accept that the Holy Spirit is an incremental Spirit. In order to do that one must also be willing to accept that God is an incremental God: that God is in fact a respecter of persons despite that fact being denied in the scripture. Secondly, one must accept the proposition that the power is in the Bible and not in the Message of the Cross and the Blood of Jesus as stated in 1 Cor. chapter 1. In fact, in the absence of the Spirit, the sole repository of God's providence was the Bible. That being true, anyone who has a Bible must also have all the promises and blessings that pertain thereto.

I plowed on and discovered even more disturbing facets of this teaching. Among the most problematic is the scripture's assertion that when the perfect has come the imperfect will be disposed of. One would have to admit that the Spirit of God, and therefore God, are imperfect having been replaced by the perfect, in this case the printed Bible. Yet, aside from the obvious fallacy of the assertion that God and His Spirit are imperfect or incomplete, the further claim of the perfection or completeness of the Bible is debunked in the Bible itself by Paul's admonition to share his letter to the Laodocians, which if your Bible is like mine, is not to be found.

One also must admit that if the Holy Spirit has declined as the written word has become more accessible, that the Acts 2:38 proof text must be carefully reevaluated for it is clear that among the reasons for the apostles' teaching baptism was to qualify one to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit. If there is no Holy Spirit, can we teach baptism with the same vigor?

I compared these findings with the numerous times the scripture makes reference to the indwelling Spirit and I must say, the two sides do not match. Can God, or His Spirit, be replaced with something more perfect than He, Himself? If there is a more perfect being, entity or article than God, can it be identified? Can Christianity offer any joy, promise or hope if there is no active participation by God in my life? Troublesome questions.

Much simpler to accept the Word, which is identified in Ephesians chapter 6 as being a tool used by the Spirit (Not the Spirit, but a tool used by the Spirit - I feel it is worth repeating) as being just that, the Word and accept the voice of the Word which repeatedly, emphatically, clearly and unequivocally says the Holy Spirit dwells in me. Can God continue to do all the things He has always done by virtue of the presence of the Holy Spirit among men? Of course He can, if that is His choice and I allow room for Him to work! Can God? Emphatically yes!

Tests of fellowship

I recall, as I have come along in my Christian walk, wondering just how far a church can go before it should no longer be considered in fellowship by the church I am attending. This question apparently is on the minds of lots of folks in religious realms, for every so often our family will receive a letter in the mail explaining to us why such and such church is no longer to be considered "in fellowship." The reasons given range from an "unsound" preacher was invited to come and speak there; they don't agree with what we generally believe on one of any number of topics, but most usually music & marriage, the offending church refuses to withdraw its own fellowship from someone with whom fellowship should be withdrawn and thus is, itself, being withdrawn from. To these brethren who participate in these flights of fancy I offer the gentle admonition: hogwash.

Fellowship, as described in the Bible, is being in fellowship with Jesus. That fellowship, in turn, places me in fellowship with every other person on the planet who is in fellowship with Jesus. It is the old "if a = b and b=c, then a must =c too" rule. Fellowship with one another is the result of being placed in the church by the Lord, not by affiliating myself with a church. Since Jesus placed me in the church, only He has the authority to kick me out. Jesus vowed in John 10 that no man could snatch one of His disciples from God's hand. The entire notion of "withdrawing fellowship" is a practice that indicates a profound misapprehension of the relationship between Jesus, me, and the church and also of my relative importance in the schema of salvation.

There is no doubt that we are allowed, even encouraged, to take a different tack when it comes to our association with a brother who persists in open defiance of God's wishes. We are to lovingly entreat (plead with) him because he is our brother and because that is how we would want to be treated should the shoe be on the other foot. We are to pray that he turns and thus continues his salvation, but nowhere are we granted license to throw him out of the fellowship of the church! We didn't let him in and we can't throw him out.

However, laying aside the discussion of withdrawing itself, I want to focus on the reasons we give as to why it "should" be done, those that I mentioned earlier among them. In reality, there is only one reason I am able to consider myself as out of fellowship with anyone: sin. It is truly that simple. If a person has taken the requisite steps that the Bible clearly defines and has eradicated sin from his life then I am in fellowship with him, whether or not I choose to be, because he and I are both in fellowship with Jesus. If an individual insists on living a life that is foreign to Christianity and unquestionably in pursuit of sin, there is little doubt I am not in his fellowship, but not because I choose it to be that way (for that is my goal: to get into fellowship with him) but that the Lord has yet to place that individual into fellowship with Himself, and thus all who are in His body. Still, I can't judge, for I can't see into the man's heart. Jesus does grant me a tool, though, in the 12th chapter of Matthew when He assures me that a man's actions (fruit) is a good barometer of the state of his heart.

Instead of running around worrying myself sick about this church or that brother and whether or not they see everything the same way I do, I should just relax and bask in the glow of the fellowship granted me by virtue of walking with Jesus. If there is someone not walking with Jesus my goal is to just simply change with whom they are walking and leave the fellow shipping to the decision making apparatus of the God Head rather than the board of Elders or Deacons!

Like a Laser

Knowing by faith that God is providing everything I need incidental to my focus on my mission of reaching the lost frees me to really concentrate my focus on the mission. With a laser-like focus, I will be successful! There are also three things that will help me maintain my focus and it is these three things that I want to share today.

First, we must accept the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to operate to the fullest extent that He will.

Second, we have to know without doubt that we are part of a family, not a social group, but a family upon whom I can rely for whatever I need in following my mission.

Third, We, I and my family, must have a unity of purpose and that purpose is sowing the seed and leaving increase to God. No fracturing of the body can be tolerated by sub groups going in different directions, such as youth, singles, young marrieds, etc. I am not saying there is anything inherently wrong with these ministries so long as they feed into the singular mission of sowing seed and reaching the lost.

Putting these factors in place greatly enhances our effectiveness, glorifies God, and results in lost souls being saved!

Command, Example or Necessary inference

All my life I have been led to believe that the Bible teaches by virtue of three means: command, example and necessary inference. For years I never questioned this "doctrine" of hermeneutic assuming that my Christian antecedents knew more and were far better educated in such matters as was I. However, as I grew older, and perhaps a bit bolder, I started questioning things, first internally and then in discussion with other believers. At no time did I ever receive a palatable answer to my queries, either from myself or others.


The doctrine goes like this: God teaches us what to do first by directly commanding us to do something, short of a command we can look at the examples of how things were done in the Bible and discern the truth and failing that we could read between the lines and deduce what God expected by what was inferred but never stated in the scripture.


Unexpectedly, the more I surveyed this method of interpretation, the more lacking it seemed to be. I have no problem with the command component. When God speaks there is little room for interpretation and thus no question need be resolved. However, the other two aspects of CENI (command, example, necessary inference) left quite a bit to be desired, at least in my mind.


For instance, we have decided that communion on the first day of the week is a doctrinal edict based on the writing of Luke in Acts 20 when he said "the disciples came together on the first day of the week to break bread." Now do not misunderstand me. I have no objection to communion on the first day of the week, but who decided that was the only element in that passage that we should view as a binding example? There were other things going on there too: preaching til midnight, meeting in an upper room, having the windows open, etc. Who decides which components are example and which are not? Another instance we find is in the eleventh chapter of 1 Cor. where the church was coming together to break bread but some were failing to wait on others and thus the communion devolved into a riot of sorts. They were actually getting drunk! Clearly the example calls for fermented wine, yet most churches choose to use other products in the communion. Who decided the inclusion of Welch's rather than wine was okay? Clearly the example specified wine. I have actually had brothers argue with me that the use of wine is forbidden. Why, then do we have an example of it here? Meeting house to house, selling possessions and testimony in worship are other examples that we deem as not binding. It seems that the whole example idea fails simply because of our inconsistent application.


Likewise, one can see the fallacy of necessary inference through careful study. I have been told that the fact of the first churches coming together for assemblies necessarily infers they had a place available to them for that purpose, therefore justifying buying and building sanctuaries. How does the fact that they assembled infer that they owned the meeting place? Or that there were pews, hymnals, song leaders, etc. all things we see no problem with having? I agree there is no problem with having these things but have you noticed that when we plant a new church that very high on the list of things that have to be done is get a building?

We use Eph. 5:19 & Col. 3:16 as necessary inference to teach congregational singing as the only singing acceptable to God, yet in 1 Cor. 14 when the church was assembled it was not mentioned. In fact the only reference to music there was a solo sang by one brother for the edification of the body.

Using necessary inference we can have whatever we want if we are skilled in the misuse of the scripture. Caring for orphans becomes orphans homes, but I know of no church that gives a stipend to widows which is juxtaposed with orphans in the same verse. Who decides which is necessary and which is not?

Again, as I have stated before, Jesus said in John 12:48 that judgment would be meted based on what He had said, not inferred. Also, 2 Peter 1:4 says we have been "given" everything we need to live righteous lives. I suggest we stick with the Word on this. Your and my interpretation of inference will not be the same and examples are sometimes contrary to other teachings (Acts chap 15). Command, what He said, is the only way to interpret what He said!

Quick update on surgery - - no biggie

Finally! The doctor found a fifteen degree bend in my spine which is kinking my spinal cord and pinching my nerves causing my extreme pain. That is good because he found it! Finally after all these years of misery. I say it with my own eyes today how that the space between my spinal cord and my spine is gone causing pinching and pain. Surgery can fix it. The doctor is consulting with two other doctors to try to arrange a three surgeon procedure that will reconstruct the spine in one surgery, otherwise it will take two. Recovery is going to be two to three months during which time I will have another surgery to remove the mass on the base of my spine. My doctor is consulting with the other surgeons tomorrow and hopefully I will know within a week the date of the initial surgery!

Include, exclude or occlude.

I have a choice to make relative to every other human with which I will interact in life and that choice is whether I should include, exclude or occlude them with regard to my ministry about Jesus and His family. The first two I routinely am cognizant of engaging in: inclusion and exclusion. It usually goes something like this: I like that person or they have shown some interest in my testimony so I will include them in my outreach. Similarly, there are others, I am ashamed to admit, that I have decided to exclude from an effort to reach. The excuses are pitiful and readily supplied and eagerly adopted by me: they're too poor, dirty, smelly, crazy, disinterested, worldly, misguided, criminal, famous, rich, ignorant, oriental, Arabic, Hispanic, young, old, etc., for me to reach out to. Even after almost forty years of claiming to live for Jesus, I still have to fight the fight of exclusion every single day! I am grateful that as I have grown older in the Lord and in years that I have been able to greatly disable Satan in the arena of exclusion -- but he continues to renew his efforts every single day and so I continue to fight every single day against being exclusionary. The church is not an exclusive club, as the world defines exclusivity. It is a place where all men are welcome because it is sin, mankind's, least common denominator, that qualifies one for entrance into the club. Exclusive? Hardly.

But it is occlusion that is most problematic. Here is a brief definition:obstruct: block passage through; "obstruct the path"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn. Because we have chosen to extend our authority beyond that of a simple farmhand sowing seed, we feel that it is alright for us to undertake to obstruct the entry into Christ of those we deem lacking or undeserving, those for whom WE see no hope. I recently was approached by a sweet person who was in tears because a relative had expressed to the leaders of a church that he wanted to be saved. He was told that he would have to complete a questionnaire and an interview with the church leaders before he would be "allowed" to have Jesus as his savior. The problem? In this case he had been married, divorced and subsequently had married again.

Now do not misunderstand me. Divorce is bad medicine. God hates it. But is it a sin that has more power than the Blood of Jesus? Does Satan, in this one area, have freedom to lay claim to a greater measure of power than that of the cross? I would think a long time before I would make such a brash statement as that!

Paul observed that the Gospel is impediment enough to the sinner and that we should not add our own list of encumbrances  upon the spiritual backs of those who want to escape the cruel grasp of sin and begin looking toward the prize of Jesus' heavenly call. I personally know ministers who, before immersing an individual, will determine whether or not that person's marital status is in keeping with their interpretation of the scripture. If it isn't they will refuse to perform the act of baptism, very effectively occluding the path to salvation, Jesus.

Is it not enough that a person commit to changing the way they live, think, talk, associate, act . . . all of which the Gospel requires, without me or any other man placing yet another, often insurmountable, hurdle before them? Jesus, though He sought relief, knew what He had to do. He had to go to Calvary. Who am I to pile on additional requirements: I haven't died to save anyone!

Inclusion is the best scenario and must become our nature. Exclusion is our nature, but we can and must overcome it. Occlusion is an insidious device which Satan uses through us to just simply make it too hard for people to get to Jesus. Occlusion releases me from the guilt of the  sin of exclusion. Occlusion makes bigotry appear logical and even, in some instances, righteous. Suffice it to say that anything I am doing of my own will that makes it more difficult for a sinner to become a saint is going to pain me severely in the final analysis and the unwavering light of judgment. Be careful, my friends, be very, very careful.

How do you honor the Lord?

It is ironic that so much of the division that exists among Christians in the world since the time of Christ has been wrought by our inability to agree how what is the best way to honor and worship the Lord. In visiting many different religious orders it has been my observation that there is very little, a minute amount in fact, that most groups disagree on and virtually all the disagreements stem from how we men think God wants us to worship Him. I know that He must be shaking His head with sadness and dismay at this state of affairs among His creation.

Our preoccupation with form rather than function when it comes to worship is appalling. Without question every denomination believes that they alone have the "silver bullet" formula for pleasing God with worship. Yet, searching the scripture, since the days of Moses' law very little has been written the how of worship relative to the why of worship.

It is also amazing that no group has the courage to stand up and proclaim "we have it all figured out." Each group knows they have shortcomings but expect those to be covered by grace, but they just can not bring themselves to admit that grace may also be claimed by any other group.

A certain fellowship with which I am familiar teaches as doctrine that God shows His will through Command, Example and Necessary Inference. Even the simplest business could not function under such an ambiguous and subjective means of arriving at directives. And who decides,, by the way, which examples are to be bound and just what is to be inferred from this style of interpretation? I prefer to rest my faith in Jesus when He said in John 12:48 that he would ascertain my destiny relative to the things He has "said." What kind of God would God be if He judged us based on what He didn't say, but left for us to figure out?

In Col. chapter 3, Paul states that whatever we do we should do in His (the Lord's) name and for His glory. That word "whatever" interests me and I hope it does you too!

There can be dozens of examples of Biblical actions shown that churches just simply do not do. Likewise, practically anything can be inferred if one is creative in their use of the scripture. Best just stick with what Jesus stated and follow the things He told us to do.

I personally am doing my best to worship in a pleasing way and honor Jesus with my life. I encourage you to do the same while following what He said. I refuse to tolerate division in the Body because we can't agree on form any longer. What good is the form if we've lost sight of the function?

humanitarian or corporate: which are you?

Churches come in many forms: big, small, huge, tiny, household, citywide, young, old, rich, poor - and the list goes on ad infinitum. I have observed, however, that churches, and Christians, can all be divided into one of two major groups: humanitarian or corporate. Distressingly, I'm afraid the religious world has been trending toward the corporate side of the spectrum for the past two or three decades. Please let me explain.

The corporate church is the one that is consumed with legalism, worldliness, politics, money, possessions, prestige and power - oh yes, power! I have been associated and affiliated with many corporate churches. These churches and Christians talk about goals in concrete terms like buildings, buses, programs, budgets, parsonages, election of leaders, etc. Worship for the corporate church is the centerpiece of its being. Much of the discussion in corporate churches revolves around things seen like the worship order and the proper way to do certain things within worship. Their preachers and leaders provide a perpetual stream of programs, gimmicks, drives, special assemblies to enhance and expand their assembly. They pour millions of dollars, almost invariably referred to "the Lord's money" into missions, orphans homes, colleges, preachers' schools, hospitals, summer camps, etc. Sometimes we need to be reminded that John said the world and everything in it is going to burn down!

The church that follows the humanitarian model on the other hand sees all these things as incidental to the mission of the real church: saving the lost by giving them the Gospel. They are focused on their fellow humans, saved and unsaved, and how to serve them as Jesus did. Jesus said, in fact, that He came for a single purpose, to "seek and save the lost." That's it. That's all. No more, no less.

I would be foolish to suggest that we should not be good stewards of God's possessions with which He has entrusted us. We should be good stewards of the buildings, buses, etc. that we have at our disposal due to God's blessing. But if our goal is to get those things rather than letting them be given to us incidental to fulfilling the mission of preaching salvation, then we have become a corporate church.

Please understand that I am not denigrating churches that have beautiful sanctuaries, grounds, missions and all the other things. I applaud them if they have these things because God blessed them with their bounty incidental to them being wholly devoted to reaching the mass of lost humanity in the world today.

I fully expect that my church family has, and continues to receive, these things because our only concern is reaching the unsaved around us. The fastest, most accurate way to identify a corporate or humanitarian church or Christian is to watch them and determine if the things they have and do is their goal, or is what they have been given to them by God incidental to them having only the goal of reaching unsaved humanity with the message of Jesus.

I have known many miserable Christians. I have, myself, been one. Why? Because of failures in the material realm of buildings, buses, camps, programs, etc. to bring peace into their heart. God, however, has promised in Phil. 4:6ff that He will give me a peace that is so profound that I can't understand it. Why? Because in verse 4 of that same passage Paul said find my joy in Jesus. That's it. Jesus. The humanitarian church is composed of Christians who have only one thing that brings them happiness: Jesus. Everything else is just incidental.

Yet another trip

Today is the day I get to go to Nashville for the last injection into my spine! I have high hopes and great confidence in my doctor's ability but I have even greater trust in God to resolve this lingering health problem. My prayer is that after today, when I go back for the followup in a week or so that the doctor will tell me we're going to proceed with the next stage in the spinal repair - the surgery to fuse the degenerating parts of the spine into a solid, load bearing unit. I'm looking forward to being able to stand up and sit upright for long periods of time without devolving into masses of pain and retreating into a bottle of medication to remain functional! Yes, I do dread somewhat the trip and the procedure, but I welcome the outcome that beckons with so much promise. If you wouldn't mind - shoot a prayer heavenward for me sometime today. God is waiting to hear from you!

Our prospective meeting place

A new page has turned

Yesterday, Sunday, at worship a dear brother of mine raised his hand and asked to speak. He conveyed a request to the family - he wanted our pastors to lay their hands on him while praying for him to be filled with a fuller measure of the Holy Spirit. Not unusual you might think, after all it was a worship service. Right, not unusual except this brother has been as far removed spiritually from God as one can be and still find their way back. He was away because of the hardness of the hearts of Christians who saw his sins as unforgivable. God doesn't. Nor would it have been an unusual event except that this brother is nearing the end of his journey here. Congestive heart failure compounded by so many health factors I am amazed he is even able to walk, yet here he wanted not prayers for healing but for filling. He loves the Lord and the Lord's people and he wanted us to pray with him that he could come to love it more, do more, be a brighter light and a better temple for the Spirit in the time he has left. Whew! The Spirit moved, people cried, I hit my knees and we started praying. Isn't God grand? A long lost sinner who has been back home for several years now taught us a lesson about the power of the Spirit and the mercy of God - the strength of the blood - that we could not read in any book. I thank God I was there to witness this dear, dear brother once again be a billboard for the power of Jesus!

He does it again!

Amazing how God provides for us, isn't it? For a while I have been praying for the Lord to lead me by the Spirit to answer a pressing and major need our family was facing. This past couple of weeks I have witnessed a series of events occur that I have never seen before and can only be attributed to divine intervention. When the solution presented itself, my first thought was that I should immediately begin praying about making the decision that faced us. Suddenly, the thought popped into my mind in the midst of my prayer "you want me to draw you a picture?" Suddenly, I felt foolish because what i had been praying about and asking for was here, staring me in the face. My prayers were being answered I just wasn't looking in the right place! God surpassed all of my expectations in what I had been praying for - He gave abundantly!

Now, I turn to thanksgiving and asking that I and my church family be lead in utilizing the blessing to His glory!

SLEEPING IN CHURCH?

"Church" in the vernacular of most Christians is someplace you go rather than what they are. I recall in years past many times when I sat on a hard pew (even the padded ones seem hard to me) trying to stay awake while I was chided, derided and generally made to feel like a worthless worm even while I was supposedly celebrating my freedom in Christ. I remember the one time that I actually lost the battle and fell asleep.

The point, at least from my perspective, is that when I finally grew in Christ that worship started to excite me - except for those diatribes delivered against the brethren because of their miserable failures as Christians. Finally I realized this was a well choreographed plan to keep the sheep in line because in the minds of church leaders were it not for these healthy doses of guilt that people would stop assembling, consequently contributions would drop off and the preacher would lose his "Job." I say this from experience because I once stood in those same pulpits and delivered those same red-faced, screaming monologues even while watching members peacefully sleep through my "lesson."

I submit, again from more recent experience, that when we energize the flock with messages of hope, forgiveness, and the providential protection of our heavenly father that members are alert and more attentive. Why? I believe it is because we each have a deep and abiding hunger for deliverance from the miserable state of humanity in which we're all trapped. I decided, several years ago, that I would do all I could to help people leave feeling better than they did when they arrived. That is unlike the feelings I used to have because I almost always left feeling worse than when I got there, having healed from the beating I received at the last session of "going to church."

Strangely, as an edifier and exhorter, I myself always feel better. I have witnessed a group of engaged people being fed. One of my most thrilling moments comes when I see someone in the flock suddenly "get it" and the light comes on. Another one for Jesus!

Oddly, attendance is not a problem. People come to be uplifted, filled with wonder and expectation because of the power of the Word and the moving of the Spirit. They feel good about service rendered because it is voluntary not coerced. Most amazing of all, there are no sounds of discord or undercurrents of unhappiness rippling through the family.

Yes, I probably would still fight to stay awake in "church," but have no problem participating in worship!

Ask-Seek-Knock

Jesus, according to Matthew, said the following: ask - you will receive; seek - you will find; knock - and the door will be opened for you. This passage has intrigued me for years: there are so many lessons and applications contained therein. Let's take a closer look.

This passage deals with three actions initiated by followers and the results of those actions. It also addresses a spectrum of potentialities that believers face in their daily walk. Asking and receiving deals with our needs. I am in need of providential help so I ask and the Lord assures that I will receive. Over and over we're told about supplications that are to be included in our prayers: a request for something we need to have supplied by the Lord.

Seeking addresses the position we often find ourselves in of requiring more knowledge about the Lord's will. Thus, Jesus says look for what you need and it will be shown to you. When Peter writes that we have been given everything that pertains to life and Godliness, I'm persuaded he may have had this promise in mind. It is for this reason that when I find myself questioning some truth or trying to make a Godly decision that my first response is to seek the guidance of the Lord in expanding my knowledge and understanding as I search the scripture.

But it is the final promise in this triad that I find most interesting: knocking and having the door opened. Jesus suggests that after receiving, finding that some action follows: knocking on the door. When the door is knocked upon, it will be opened. What is the natural thing to do? Go through the door! Enter into the place of blessing to which the portal has just swung open. I have observed in my life, which I readily admit has been far from perfect in its execution and understanding, that I often ask, seek but am often reluctant to go through the door and accept the position of being blessed by what is on the other side. Going through that door is an experience that no doubt will bring untold blessings into our life but we have to lose our reticence at going through. Asking is good! Seeking is wonderful, but passing through that door must be an experience of unimaginable faith and reward!

When faced with any of life's enigmatic choices, the Lord has given us the necessary steps to take that enable us to do the right thing: Ask, Seek, Knock and then pass through the door and accept the provision of the Lord. I submit that we can never really know the richness and power in prayer and faith until we determine to pass through the door the Lord has opened for us.

Ask, seek, knock and above all, when the door opens don't just stand and peer inside . . . go through and experience what God can do through your faith!

Wednesdays are always great!

I always look forward to Wednesday. Though our family meets several times through the week, Wednesday is the day the most of us get together. We fellowship, worship, study and edify one another. I often wonder how people can make it through the week without some kind spiritual recharge. Well, today is the day and I get to be with a bunch of my brothers and sisters in the Lord! My hope and prayer for each of you reading this is that you have a similar experience planned for today, or some other day of the week! It sure helps you fight the fight!

Looking for good

Woke up this morning and pretty soon after I awoke I recalled that I needed to look for what God had in store for us to do today that would lessen me and increase Him. I considered this a breakthrough because I usually have to be up a while before these kinds of thoughts start coming to my mind. All I can say is "it is working!" As I ask God to take more and more control in my life I find myself seeing more opportunities. I am finding it easier to smile and speak pleasantly to people I see and to do things without being prompted. I went to see my doctor this morning. I knew he had a birthday coming up and so I fixed him up a gift. I walked in his back door and into his personal office. As soon as I went in I started singing Happy Birthday and gave him the gifts. Wow! That felt good! He was overwhelmed and said that no patient had ever remembered his birthday. He turned around and took two collectible knives from his credenza and ask me how I liked them. Of course I said I did - I could tell he was happy with them. Suddenly, without any preamble he just said "I want you to have them!" I was flabbergasted! I was trying to do something good and already I was being repaid!

I know this was a small thing and I wasn't doing it to get something in return. I was just excited about doing something good for my doctor and here he was doing something for me! Yes, God can outgive me! Thank you Lord!

What can God and I do today?

With faith, by faith, I am convinced something great can and will happen today. It isn't because I am a super Christian, it is because I am trying to look at my surroundings through eyes of faith and not eyes of flesh. My flesh eyes see trouble: the country appears to be on the skids; people are woefully lacking in moral fortitude; children have no respect for their elders, let alone their parents. All these things are poised to bring anxiety and turmoil into my life crowding out room for anything of righteous value.

I decided to try looking at the world around me through faith eyes. Eyes that see wonder in everything. It is not easy because Satan keeps putting things in my path that run me off the rails: but I insist on persisting. I am determined to see good in my daily circumstance. My determination springs from my decision to accept the gift of faith that God has graciously offered me. Now, again, I do not have this perfected - after all I am fighting a pretty formidable opponent, the fleshly me. But Paul promised, at the behest of the Spirit, that if I would come to God in prayer, thankfully, that God would guard my heart with a fortress of peace.

Each day, now, I arise thinking about what I can do that is good that will in turn enhance my faith vision. It matters not to me that people know that I am doing good for this is an exercise in building up my spiritual self and making me more in tune with God and His way of thinking. The result I have noticed in my life is a greater anticipation of doing good and ultimately being in heaven and a decreased reliance upon what passes for happiness among the worldly masses.

Give it a try. Rather than getting up thinking about the bad that the day may hold, start off by thinking about what God and you can do together!

Separation of church & state becoming separation of God & Country

In my life, which spans a little more than one half century, God and Country have always been virtually inseparable. There has also been the ongoing discussion about the separation of church and state which has run a course as passionately divergent as the convergence of God and Country have been promoted. America has always considered itself a Godly nation. We frequently invoke God's name in our national symbolism, our founding documents and as architectural elements in government buildings. Even our money proclaims our national reliance on God.

Of late, however, it seems the separation of church & state (institutions) and God & Country (entities) has been becoming increasingly cumbersome and troublesome. There is no doubt that the founders were men who not only believed in, but relied upon, divine providence in the formation of the United States. Separation was never an issue nor an intention on the part of these pioneering Americans. The institution of churches, regulated by the states was an aberration of their ideas for a new nation. The U.S. was not to be a theocracy nor was it to impinge upon religion. The two were expected to co-exist in harmony.

Somewhere in the last century, though, reliance upon a divine God has fallen from favor - not in theocratic terms, but in social terms. Though we still claim to be a Christian nation, we work feverishly to banish God from anything that is construed as being related to the apparatus of government despite the fact that God's role was viewed as central in the formation of our country. The end result has been that in addition to the division of state and church, we are now witness to a division of God from our country. How long will God favor us while we persist in banning Him from the public, American arena?

I suppose, although it was never envisioned by the founders, that a separation of the institutions of church and government may be beneficial, how can we ever assume that the forced departure of God from our country can be without detrimental consequences?

Alway the last place we look!

I am sure you've noticed that when you are looking for something you find it in the last place you look. Why? Because you feel there is no need to look any further. The same is true when we're seeking spiritual truths. Often, we stop looking when we find something we perceive to be true and we look no farther. The last word we have is what we assume to be the final truth. Kind of dangerous in matters of the spirit, though, because as we mature in the Lord, He continues revealing truths to us - if we're looking. If we stopped looking because someone claimed to have found the definitive truth 100 years ago we run the risk of missing the revelation that comes with maturity. That's why I never stop looking, questioning, probing the "truth" as I know it to make sure it stands up under the scrutiny of age. I encourage you to do the same. Never stop looking, seeking the truth of God's will. You will be surprised at what you will find that has been there all along!

Who says it is settled?

Often we have a bad habit when it comes to deciding what is truth. We take the route of "settled truth" rather than the more reliable route of self directed investigation and affirmation of what is true. Put another way: "that's already been settled by people who are much smarter than me and it has been accepted as truth for generations therefore it must be true." Of such thinking springs the birth of division, doubt and believing a lie, all serious mistakes that ultimately lead us to the inevitable conclusion of apathy towards truth.

Some would suggest that such an assertion on my part is simply a means of taking a swipe at tradition and traditional Christian doctrines. In part, I suppose that is true. I am convinced that following a path or doctrine simply because it is settled truth is inherently dangerous. I am sure that those who lived under the shadows of mounts Vesuvius and St. Helens would agree, if they were able. Because those volcanoes had not erupted in such a long time was not a certain indication they would never erupt again, yet thousands of people lulled themselves into the deadly assumption that they were safe.

I see Christians all around me who are blindly following the same line of thought in spiritual matters. Instead of seeking the truth that is readily available in the holy writ, they assume that the "settled truth" must be right because it is no longer questioned - it has become a tradition, perhaps even a dogma. Do not misapprehend my point here. Being traditional is not to be equated with being wrong. However, tradition without the support of personally discovered and held truth is deadly.

Some suggest, for instance, that for the church to assemble to engage in spiritual activities is not worship unless there are "5 articles of worship" engaged in the execution of the assembly. That is the traditional, settled truth. It has been that way for generations. However, it isn't commanded, implied or even witnessed in the scripture. There is nothing to suggest it is truth yet millions of Christians will fiercely defend the position, even to the point of dividing the Body of Christ. That is wrong.

Thankfully God saw fit to give us guidance that is clear and understandable in the form of the Bible. Virtually anyone with reasonable literacy can read and understand what God expects of us: not only in the worship arena but in all aspects of our lives. In 2 Peter 1, Peter states without equivocation that we have been given everything that pertains not only to life, but Godliness as well. We do not have to guess, surmise or look for obscure inferences to know what God seeks from His people. The opposite is true: it takes diligent, long term misapplication of the scripture to miss what God is saying. It is for this very reason that we're encouraged to take responsibility for the certainty of our own understanding as Phil. 2:12 states.

Again, tradition is not necessarily wrong. Tradition in the absence of scriptural support is not only wrong, but deadly and will suffice to further deaden our conscience so that even when we see the truth we can't recognize it. Own the Word for yourself: your destiny depends upon it.

Living fully

I was reading yesterday on the way to Nashville. I was cruising through John (my wife was cruising through the traffic!) when the phrase jumped out that Jesus made that He came that we could live life fully. Suddenly, for what reason I don't know other than with the Spirit's help, that verse just screamed at me. It could have been that I was on the way to the hospital to have a spinal injection and was miserable and the idea of a full life appealed to me mightily right about then.

No doubt, as Jesus pointed out in the passage, Satan came to steal, kill and destroy - us and our lives but then Jesus came to give it back to me, but not just a tattered, scarred and torn up life but an abundant, full life. How have I been missing out? Could it be that it is because I haven't accepted it? Perhaps I have bought into the devil's ploy of telling me that this is as good as it is going to get. Right there, on the road to Nashville I decided that I was going to start right then reaching for the fuller life that Jesus brought to earth for me! I claim it for me. I invoke the name of Jesus in commanding Satan to let my life alone. I am going with the abundance promised by Jesus!

The Kingdom Church

There are two models that churches follow: the democratic model or the kingdom model. Most churches have, over time, become democratic churches. That is, the power in the church resides in the people. Everyone has a say in what the church does, the direction it takes, who its leaders are, etc. On the surface this seems to be a good model because it appears to be "fair" and equitable. However, as soon as there is a difference of opinion the group or individual who wield the greatest influence invariably get their way, regardless of what is right according to the Bible. In essence, a church following the democratic model devolves into a situation where the people are allowed a vote in the affairs of the church. This is evident in churches that conduct so-called business meetings because they have no or ineffective leaders. Churches following this model always fracture because they have become churches that are filled with members who use their personal influence to effect the direction of the church. These churches have become self centered and ego centric.

The kingdom church, on the other hand, retains power in, and only in the King. In the case of the church that is Jesus. There are no votes in the kingdom church, only the directives of the King. When people begin to formulate their own opinions of what should be going on in the church their opinion is always trumped by the instructions of the King. Kingdom churches always grow because they have a singular purpose, a singular mission which is to conquer more territory for the King. The Kingdom church is an empire whereas the democratic church follows the autonomous, self-governance paradigm.

As we sow the seed of the Kingdom, we must be committed to being a Kingdom church, otherwise we will become fractured like the democratic churches are. The scripture is plain: the King expects His subjects to follow Him and not formulate their own methodologies for operating the church. Those who insist upon being democratic can not be in fellowship with those who follow the Kingdom paradigm: the two are following different leaders. The Kingdom church follows the King, the democratic church is governed by its own desires.

Contentment is the jumping off point for peace!

I have noticed of late that as I become content I often find that feeling followed by peace. I must explore this further! Peace is that sense of all is well and that nothing can wrong. Almost like having a guardian angel! (who would have thought that?)  God is on our side and he is making provisions for us and if we listen to Him and follow His leading we will draw closer and closer to contentment and thus peace . . . a peace that God suggests passes our ability to comprehend! How do we get contentment? By living now! The future brings no contentment, nor does the past. It is only by being in synch with the present that we can find contentment and thus peace. Living now and being happy now, content now, we can have peace. We are happy now by being thankful to God (Phil 4:6-8) for now rather than by being anxious about now.

What will God do today?

I am having to learn a new paradigm of living: What will God do today? I know He is going to do something because He cares about me and provides for me. I am having to learn to search for the things He is doing. This isn't to suggest that some of the things God does are of little enough consequence to be noticeable. It is to suggest that I am working on how I see so that I recognize the things He does. I know they are there all around me if I will just watch for and see them!

It is not always easy being thankful.

There are some folks I know and I envy them because they always seem to be able to see the good in every situation. They are filled with the wonder of it all and are overwhelmed with the glory of life. I, on the other hand, am almost always underwhelmed. Why? Because, and this has been hard for me to face, that is what I choose. I choose to be a victim, a loser, a person with no confidence. I choose it. Now I am choosing to change it!

I am convinced that the Lord wants us to have and to live abundant lives. Satan wants to make life so discouraging that I blame God, or so good that I forget God. The truth, I am finding, is that everything good comes from God (James 1:17) but I often want to take credit for it. I am talented, skillful, intelligent, and the list goes on. All reasons why good comes to me. Well, who gave me all those things? Who set the wheels in motion that ultimately manifest as opportunities? God, of course.

Now instead of coincidence, I see providence. Instead of my wisdom and intelligence I see the leading of the Spirit. Rather than good fortune, I see the blessing of a father who loves me, not in spite of my weakness but because of my weakness. It is therein that His true power and goodness is most readily recognizable as being a gift for which to be wonderfully thankful.

Today has been a good day!

Yes it has! I started out feeling somewhat better than usual and got up excited about going to worship with my QCC family. We sang, prayed and studied together before participating in communion. I had the opportunity to talk about how standing fast requires that we know the truth, otherwise our stand is being taken on the shifting sand of falsehood. I also was blessed to be able to share with my family how that God is a "Yes" God and for those in Christ our answer when we pray is always in the affirmative. I love the confidence from knowing that God hears and answers the things I ask for.

I also, on a personal level, committed myself to being more proactive in practicing forgiveness in my relations with others - whether they ask my forgiveness or not. Why? Because that is how I would like for the Lord to look upon me when I need forgiveness.

I think this is going to be a great week. God is on my side and I am on His - how can that go wrong?