12/31/23 PUT THE HAPPY IN NEW YEAR

12/31/23 PUT THE HAPPY IN NEW YEAR

I see so many friends who approach special days, Christmas, anniversaries, holidays and New Years, with broken hearts because of broken relationships, which will never be healed or restored in this world, and some which will never be restored.

I wonder how anyone can cut ties with loved one, especially those who have loved them the most and were available in the worst of times. Then I remember the first family. Selfishness and stubbornness took possession of Adam and Eve and then Cain.

God creates people for better than that. God offers them redemption and restoration, but they turn Him down. Sin separates from God, therefore sin also separates those who love the Lord from those who love themselves, love the world, love pleasure, love the praise of men, love material treasures MORE than they love God.

Many will enter the New Year, choosing the wallow of this world rather than the wonder and glory of salvation, choosing self above all else.

I hope that those who have taken a different path than the way of holiness, will turn their eyes upon Jesus.

12/31/23 CHOOSE WISELY

12/31/23 CHOOSE WISELY

This is the last, first day of the week, for the present year. We are about to say, "goodbye" to 2023 and hopefully, "hello" to 2024. Better choose your course wisely.

I hope you are part of a Biblical congregation. Being a Biblical church does not mean being perfect in every area, or even being admirable in every area. Being Biblical means teaching and preaching what the Bible says and living life in line with Biblical revelation and becoming the person God intends you to be, and being a loving, serving part of that body of believers.

Sin separates from God. Either you allow your sin to separate you from God or you will trust in Christ to separate you from your sin.

Being part of the right local church is imperative. It is not easy to find Biblical churches today. It is going to be harder to find strong Biblical churches in the days ahead, and it will become much more difficult to follow Jesus than it has been.

God tells us to, Seek the Lord..., Call upon Him..., Forsake wicked way and unrighteous thoughts, Return to the Lord...

Isaiah 55:6-9
6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

What you do now effects your, "later."
What you do today effects your tomorrow.

The good news is, if a person realizes their need, it is not too late to turn to Christ. But remember, rejection of Christ has gotten you to where you are. Now is the time to turn, while God is speaking to you. When God stops calling you, you will not have a change to get right with God... ever.

12/31/23 OVERSEEING IS SERVICE

12/31/23 OVERSEEING IS SERVICE

People who deny, resist, scoff Biblical, pastoral and church counsel and oversight (Christian discipleship) do not even have common sense, much less spiritual wisdom or discernment.

Every area of life recognizes, requires and respects mature, qualified and authoritative oversight (mentoring).

Good management gives constant, continuous and consistent oversight and leadership.

Seeking and submitting to oversight and leadership leads to success.
The more important the task, then the more precise the oversight, the counsel, the mentoring, the leadership. It requires monthly, weekly, daily, hourly oversight, and sometimes moment by moment oversight.

This includes every discipline of life, from education to athletics, to performing arts, to writing, to business to medical care, to research and development, to cooking, to parenting, to social interaction.... you name it.

Those who are qualified and caring and appointed to disciple, to lead, to guide are helping people grow and be productive, they are serving others.

Overseeing is service to the organization or institution or movement or The Church, and it is service to those who are being trained, and it is service to those who will be reached by those who are being trained.

12/30/23 IT IS ALMOST HERE

12/30/23 IT IS ALMOST HERE

You do realize it will not take much to get our society to totally abandon and betray the very little bit of good that it claims to believe today?

Nothing will be held sacred and no commitment will be binding to a Noahic inclined world. Honor will be gone and life will be cheap, even within family units. Violence and perversion will be the new normal.

Consider the major changes in legal, economic, academic and family standards that have taken place in the last few years, and the current decay and dismantling of moral values, personal responsibilities, interpersonal loyalties, attacks on faith and basic ethics, along with the specific warnings of Srcipture concerning society's told moral collapse.

Once folks lose their Anchor, they are at the mercy of a merciless sea.
We're headed for bad times.

12/30/23 TURN NOW

12/30/23 TURN NOW

The darker the heart, the greater the crime (the sin).

The more blatant and more often the sin, the more urgent God's call.

As the heart hardens, the call of God fades.

There comes a time when the Spirit of God will not strive with man (corporately or personally).

Then the sinner shall be destroyed, and that without remedy.

12/29/23 BEWARE THE SMOKESCREEN

12/29/23 BEWARE THE SMOKESCREEN

Whether you are a Nikki Haley supporter or not, the fact is she answered the question about the War Between the States correctly. It was about the place of Government in society. (yes, it did involve slavery, duh, but it was about the power of Government; it was also about finances and taxes. It was not because all Southerners were racist and all Northerners were champions of freedom and justice).

Saying that Haley and Southerners and Conservatives and Christians are racist for not using the words, "slavery" or "race" in her answer does not promote slavery (only a fool would think such a thing), and it does not permit slavery. This is part of the Left's attack on an entire part of American society, history, heritage, politics, religion, and such an attack actually promotes racism, national upheaval, oppression and discrimination against all races. The facts are so abundant that I won't take time to address them here. After all, the present day attacks on the South, Political Conservatism, white people and Christianity is couched in ignorance concerning history (USA and CSA) and American regional economics, and actual, legalized slavery in the US. This is evident by Lincoln's view of racism and slavery and his actual motivation to save the Union, along with the fact that slavery was legally and politically protected in States that were not part of the South.

The people who attack Southerners, Conservatives, white people who actually know the facts concerning slavery and racism, are people who don't know basic history. For instance, most people who still like to laud it over poor, ignorant, uneducated Southerners, think that the Emancipation Proclamation was Lincoln's act of setting the slaves free. Revising history, demonizing groups, bringing civil upheaval and distrust are the steps taken by Communists and Socialists, and they are the steps being taken in America.

When people discard or destroy the truth about basic historical facts, we should not listen to their explanation of the Constitution, National Economics, Racial Justice or Religious Beliefs or Cultural Fundamentals. It is a ploy to destroy.

This post is not about excusing racism or slavery. It is about honest and just dealings with human problems.

And just in case someone did not get it the first hundreds of times I have said it or did not hear it over the past 160 years, or they have only read revisionist history, WE DON'T WANT SLAVERY OR BIGOTRY.

Regionalism, European and Christian and White Culture, Christian Religion and American values can now be attacked, as long as people use the Race Card or the Religion Card. Our whole country is being attacked under the guise of Social Justice, and the elitists start and carry forward the attack by supposedly being champions of justice, tilting their lances at despised windmills.

The enemy thinks that if he can discredit the righteous, he can defeat the masses. He may be right about that.

12/29/23 GRACE IS AN ESCAPE, NOT AN EXCUSE

12/29/23 GRACE IS AN ESCAPE, NOT AN EXCUSE 

I just titled one of my articles, "GRACE IS AN ESCAPE, NOT AN EXCUSE."
(this might be a good Bible Study and Discussion Session for you individually, for family or for friends)
Only the devil would come up with redefining saving grace as an excuse for sin.

The fact that grace is an escape from sin, rather than an excuse to sin was introduced by Paul, in the book of Roman, when God said,
Romans 6:1
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
and again...
Romans 6:15
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?...

God directed Paul to answer with a resounding NO!
(I have added Romans 6 at the end of this post)

Of course, God, through His Holy Spirit, had clearly said the same thing for thousands of years through His prophets, then through His Son, then through His Apostles.

Yet today, people who call themselves teachers of truth, teachers of grace, teachers of salvation, change the glorious salvation of God's grace into an excuse for sin and sinning.

Don't fall into the trap.

Consider this...
10/19/23 GRACE IS AN ESCAPE, NOT AN EXCUSE
God's grace is not given to us so that we might continue in sin, but rather that we might be saved from our sins and cleansed from all unrighteousness.

God's grace is extended to us, to open our eyes, to turn us so that we might be delivered from the power of Satan unto God, that we might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith, transformed into a new creation, to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh, created unto good works, filled with His Holy Spirit, filled with the knowledge of His will, walking worthy of the Lord and pleasing Him, to keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight, being fruitful in every good work, strengthened with all might according to His power, conformed to the image of His Son. 

Acts 26:18
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

2 Corinthians 5:15-17
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Ephesians 5:17-19
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Romans 8:29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Colossians 1:9-11
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 

1 John 3:22-24
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

ROMANS CHAPTER SIX
Romans 6:1-23
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12/28/23 STEPS TO LEADERSHIP

12/28/23 STEPS TO LEADERSHIP

I have often thought about what God used to influence my model for leadership (not that I am a great example).

My dad came from a very disciplined, orderly, responsible upbringing and he passed that on to me. I got saved at a very young age, and except for my cycling through rebellion and repentance during my teen years, I did enjoy a warm and growing relationship with Christ as a child. Therefore I was prone to obey my parents and learn from the training they gave me.

Still, there is the question of the leadership model I wanted to follow. Daddy had been in the Navy during WW2 and he was a squared away guy. That certainly made an impression on me, but daddy was not militaristic, therefore it was low key.

As a child and young person I went to the movies a lot. My imagination took me into the swashbuckling of Prince Valiant, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, Captain Horatio Hornblower, and I was impressed with the strong, but wise leadership of the silver screen, such as Captains aboard U.S. Naval Destroyers, Minesweepers, Submarines. I liked the fatherly concern and ability to teach their men to make decisions and take responsibility.

In my actual experience as a pastor, I have found myself following that model of leadership. It wasn't intentional, but it seemed to come naturally. As a child, I thought it normal to obey parents without having to be forced, threatened or cajoled. Being part of a family of hard working fishermen I knew that instant respect and obedience was essential to success and safety, and that I needed to pay attention to detail. Failure to perform brought disapproval and possibly would jeopardize the well being of co-workers.

As a young man, working my way through college I studied management and leadership principles, and used those principles in my workaday world.

Of course, God's gifts are fundamental in the performance of my ministry. I am a teacher, I am a shepherd, I am an example of Christ I am an encourager. All of my roles demand that I develop certain technical and personality skills.

I expect people to do their job and to do it responsibly and eagerly and cooperatively. Whenever I have had people who were eager to submit to leadership and training I have experienced success. Good leadership skills are important in every endeavor of life including music, athletics, business, military, family leadership.

Another key ingredient of good leadership is that the leader needs to actually lead, not simply give orders. Leaders may become good leaders if they have been good followers. Leaders need to be compassionate as well as authoritative.

These are some of the traits I have tried to manifest as a leader, whether as a husband, a father, a coach or a pastor.

God gives us instruction in His word, through principles and examples, then He enables us through His Spirit.

12/28/23 ONE LEADS TO THE OTHER

12/28/23 ONE LEADS TO THE OTHER

A closeness to God genders a sense of awe for God's greatness, and a sense of unworthiness for our own sin, and a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Another way to say it is...
A closeness to God genders an awareness and desire for holiness, and hatred and shame for sin, and a realization that God calls us to holiness of heart and life, and He delivers us from all sin through His Atoning Blood, His Holy Spirit and His word.

As His word says, He gives us everything necessary for life and godliness. If we have not it is because we do not ask or we ask without faith or we ask for self centered reasons. It is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, and the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

12/28/23 WHOLE MAN SALVATION

12/28/23 WHOLE MAN SALVATION

If your Bible study time does not result in a closer, more vibrant personal relationship with God, and if it does not produce godly living, then you are not opening your inner man to God.

You are attaining to a head knowledge, but not a heart knowledge; you are developing a form of godliness, but denying the power of God to transform your life and conform you to the image of His Son.

The nature of God, both the non-comunicable and the communicable attributes, should become more awe inspiring and precious to you as you focus on Him and His word. Drawing closer to God will stir a hunger for righteousness (which He will satisfy) and will cause us to grow in grace and knowledge. Without spiritual life and growth and change, a person is a spiritual Frankenstein, rather than a new creation in Christ.

12/27/23 DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL

12/27/23 DOCTRINAL AND PRACTICAL

My teaching, preaching, counseling, doctrine is concerned with both precept and practice.

God's truth is both revelational (something that originates and exists outside of ourselves) and experiential (that which we can experience).

12/27/23 WARRIORS OF THE FLESH

12/27/23 WARRIORS OF THE FLESH

Not only did His servants not fight physically, with carnal weapons, against other humans when Jesus was betrayed, tried, crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended to heaven; His servants, His followers, His disciples, His learners, His people have not taken up the sword of steel against anyone, ever, in the history of the Church. Whenever the supposed Church, whenever supposed Christians have taken up the sword for national, personal, religious warfare, it was not the Church, it was not Christians, it was worldly religion stealing the dignity, the name, the honor, the valor, the identity of God and His people. Men of God can no more take up arms against our enemies than men of God can murder the unborn. Just because it has been "sanitized" by warped "Christianity" does not mean that we should fall into its devious trap.

Worldly religions (Roman religion, Islamic religion, Reformed religion) will wage war, carnal war, "holy war," but followers of Christ live by His revelation in the New Testament.

Choose your spiritual model carefully. Don't settle for a counterfeit. Don't swallow the lies of false teachers and false Christs. The way of the cross is blood stained, but it is not stained with the blood of violence, shed by followers of Christ. It is stained with His blood and for all of His people who walk in His steps of sacrifice and obedience.

This is a strange message in today's world, but it is the same message of God, since the New Testament. Because a "woke" generation is reinterpreting and repackaging the teachings of Christ, there are many today, and many more tomorrow, who will believe a lie, thinking that they are believing Biblical truth. This is what has happened concerning supposed, "Christian violence." It may be the norm for today, but it is still the same old lie.

12/27/23 A DOUBLE EDGED TRUTH

12/27/23 A DOUBLE EDGED TRUTH

He is coming back. As the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, He provided and offered salvation, but folks are refusing, rebuffing and ridiculing it.
He is coming back as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He came as the Suffering Servant, but He is returning as the Conquering King.
He is coming back, and believers are coming back with Him, to rule and reign.
He came as a Sacrifice for sin, but He is coming back as King of Kings.

New Testament Christianity is the presence of God offering mercy, love, redemption to a lost and dying world. Christians are His ambassadors, His messengers of peace and reconciliation. Christians present and promote the Prince of Peace, Who provides the Gospel of Peace. But there is coming a time when He will return and His detractors will cry out for the mountains to fall on them and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb.
We bear the Sword of the Spirit, but we will reign with Him Who will rule with a rod of iron.

Today is the day of mercy, but the day of wrath, judgment, righteousness, accountability is coming. Now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation.

We plead with you, in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.

12/27/23 GAS LIGHTING

12/27/23 GAS LIGHTING

Whenever you hear or read someone who denies the efficacy and necessity of faith in salvation, you are being gas lighted by someone who has no idea about the meaning of Biblical faith in Jesus. That person only has a head knowledge (limited) of something that is of a spiritual nature.

12/27/23 ROBBERS AT CHRISTMAS

12/27/23 ROBBERS AT CHRISTMAS

Robbers at Christmas... Pretty low.
While finishing their Christmas shopping about fifty years ago, someone stole all of the gifts from the car of my sister-in-law and brother-in-law.

Almost forty years ago, when we lived in River Heights, someone broke into a neighbors home and stole all of their Christmas gifts from under their tree.
It is always sad to hear about someone being robbed, especially during a time of celebration.
But some robberies are much more disturbing and devastating than these two examples.

There are people who have lost loved ones to a tragic accident at Christmas time, and more tragic because it was caused by a drunk driver.

Some folks have bid a final farewell from the side of a hospital bed, to a dear relative, because of a physical malady. Certainly they will relive that moment every Christmas after that loss.

Children have had a parent suddenly walk away from them, their home, their family, their lives, while Christmas songs were being played on the radio.

Parents have received the unexpected bad news that their child had just died in a military action, and realized they would never welcome them home for another Christmas.

The devil is a murderer and thief. But sometimes the robbery does not look as tragic. It comes when broken relationships separate families, marriages, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren. The tragedy is compounded when it takes place because of selfishness, because of toxic attitudes, because of pride, because someone will not listen to reason.

Their is no death notice, no final goodbye's, no lines of communication left open. The loss comes suddenly and irrevocably, leaving a missing part and emptiness that will not be filled.

As the years have passed, I have seen many a home robbed of love, joy, peace, unity. I have seen people who have given their best to their loved ones, but in the end they are abandoned, without any remorse.
The only thing that can be done is move on. If it isn't your fault, you can't fix it.