05/09/23 LINE UP WITH TRUTH
Christians do no need to make the Bible line up with "science," (so-called), but we must line up with God and His word.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
05/07/23 FIRST THINGS FIRST
05/07/23 FIRST THINGS FIRST
The birth of Christ is essential.
Knowing the date is incidental.
The death, and resurrection of Christ after three days are essential.
Knowing how many hours in those three days is incidental.
The return of Christ is essential.
Knowing the day and hour is not even possible.
There are other things that I don't know but I don't base my relationship with others on those kinds of things.
I have my view of those unclear areas, and I hold my views because I believe I have Biblical foundation. I also see advantages in my position and I see how my views can be helpful to believers in understanding God's word and living the lives they ought to live. But I do not insist that others adopt my views on incidentals. In fact, I don't insist they adopt my views on the essentials, but I do tell them God requires their acceptance of those essentials.
Even in some essentials, professing Christians disagree with me.
The Bible teaches that God saves His people from sin's penalty, power and pollution and from sinning. Some folks deny this, but I still love them, even though they are wrong.
Men are God's appointed heads of the family. Some folks deny this, but I still love them, even though they are wrong.
The New Testament makes it crystal clear that Christians are not violent and we do not kill others, for any reason. Some folks deny this, but I still love them, even though they are wrong.
If non-essentials cause you to be distanced from a loving, Biblical pastor, then you are having more of a problem than some minor disagreement over incidentals.
Years ago I was learning how to live faithfully as we were moving from Philadelphia to Laodicea, and I took some radical steps as a believer in an environment that was hostile to Christ and His people. Some of my people did not take some of the same steps that I took. I had no problem with that. Each one must walk in his or her own light. We got along fine. I trusted their faithfulness to God and they trusted my preaching and teaching and gave respectful submission to my leadership. Obviously I would not stand for anyone bringing discord and division, but that was not the case.
There are some things that I know that I don't know.
There are some things, in which I may be in error.
But there are some things I know, and I know that I know.
It is a mistake to focus on the incidentals and allow disagreements to hinder your relationship with your pastor or your church.
If it is important, then it is worthy of meaningful discussions and it is worthy of displaying Christian grace.
It is possible that a well learned, faithful pastor has discovered some truths you have not yet learned.
It is possible that you might need to change your mind about some things, (which probably has happened often in your pastor's own walk with God).
Jesus reproved followers who focused on the less important parts of the faith life, while they were being blind to the weightier matters.
Never forget: Christ is the Head of His Church. He sets the rules, the standards, the protocols. We are called to practice the presence of God, and to honor and protect the integrity of His word and His work.
Ephesians 4:1-6 NKJV
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
05/07/23 A KEY TO SUCCESS
05/07/23 A KEY TO SUCCESS
If you can't be reproved,
and you won't be moved,
you won't be improved.
05/06/23 THAT SETTLES IT
05/06/23 THAT SETTLES IT
The lyrics of a song,
"God said it,
I believe it,
And that settles it for me."
Someone pointed out that the truth is,
God said it, and that settles it.
Both statements are true. If God said it, that settles it. But on a personal level an individual must accept the authority of God in order for the Bible to be the final authority to them personally.
Sometimes we may have questions about what a passage means, but when the Bible states a subject clearly and redundantly, we don't have to figure it out. We better be sure of the Biblical essentials and we better not allow the non-essential issues to divert our attention from the essentials.
The things we believe concerning God and His word need to draw us closer to Him and His people; they need to fill us with the fruit of the Spirit; they need to conform us to His image; they need to perfect us in the faith; they need to make us of one mind with God and one another; and they need to cleanse us from all sin.
05/06/23 IT'S A HEART THING, NOT HEAD THING
05/06/23 IT'S A HEART THING, NOT HEAD THING
I get information from the internet. I "Google" for information. HOWEVER, not all information on the internet, Google or other search engines is accurate or even true. In fact, many times the most popular answers and the bulk of answers to many questions are errant.
Christians must not use internet search engines to answer their Biblical questions or give them spiritual guidance. Most of the time, when I read articles by "Christian experts, "popular teachers," "learned apologists," "leading theologians," I find them to be mistaken, to be un-Biblical.
I often watch debates or discussions online, about Biblical truths, doctrines, passages and I am amazed at the blatant resistance and rejection of clear Biblical revelation by the supposed "teachers of truth."
People are more impressed with the wisdom of man than the simple truths of God. They are more convinced by high sounding, renowned authorities than clear and redundant Biblical revelation.
There is a plan behind this confusion and division. Satan wants people to follow the blind and deceived "intellectual" types rather than believe godly, Spirit filled, Bible believing pastors.
Even if you could win every argument, you could still be wrong about Biblical truth. In fact, sometimes people discount the essential, spiritual, deep teaching of a godly pastor because they disagree with him on a small, insignificant, unessential. inconsequential concept. This causes the person to miss the great truths of God taught by preacher because of something that the pastor may believe to be true, though he does not make that incidental point into a litmus test of salvation.
Heady people are often led astray because they think that truth is the rightful property of other heady people. The problem is that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. God has not revealed His deeper truths exclusively or primarily to the exceptional minds, the academic elites of this world.
1 Corinthians 1:20-31
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
05/04/23 GOD'S EVALUATION
05/04/23 GOD'S EVALUATION
Not skill, talent, ability, gifts, personality, but life in Christ, death to self, obedience to truth, qualifies for ministry.
Not skill, talent, ability, gifts, personality, but life in Christ, death to self, obedience to truth, qualifies for ministry.
05/04/23 WORTH AND UNWORTHINESS
05/04/23 WORTH AND UNWORTHINESS
What would it take to replace you and what you do in your local church?
Sometimes we judge ourselves to harshly and sometimes people don't take time to judge (evaluate) themselves or their service to God and their local church, enough. Some folks are like leeches, sucking the life out of others and giving nothing to God and His ministry.
Realizing our failure is a first step in changing our direction.
Even the most conscientious believer realizes that he is an unprofitable servant. We must not only give ourselves totally to Him, we must make sure that we stay totally committed to Him as our circumstances and situation changes.
05/04/23 FIRST AND FOREMOST
05/04/23 FIRST AND FOREMOST
Folks say, "he's an athlete and he's a Christian," or "she's a singer, and she's a Christian."
Be a Christian First and Foremost.
05/03/23 DESPERATE TIMES...
05/03/23 DESPERATE TIMES...
This is an old thought, but more current than tomorrows breaking news.
It has always been a good idea for people to find a Bible believing church.
It has always been a good idea to become part of that local church.
It has always been a good idea to build your life around such a church.
Sometimes it is not feasible to move a long distance in order to be part of such a church, but more often than not, it is the wisest thing a person can do.
I have already lost some folks, but I have something to add to my comment.
There are very good reasons for a person to find and then become part of a strong Bible church.
If a person knows of a really good, Bible believing church, and the person realizes that they have abilities, skills, gifts that will help that church do an even better job of proclaiming the truth, rescuing the lost and building the faith in others, then that is a very good reason to become part of that ministry.
The other reason is not so much what you might be able to do for that churches ministry, but what that church will do for you, your faith, your walk with God and the your family.
My first thoughts about someone coming to my church (whether they live around the block or across the country), is not what they can do for me and my ministry. Don't misunderstand me. We have great needs in our ministry and I highly respect each person's place in the body. However, I am more interested in what I can do to help a believer. Of course, it will be reciprocal. We will both benefit.
Now, I mentioned that it has always been a good idea. But now it is even more essential.
We need Bible truth and Bible living and we need Bible fellowship in the days ahead, more than we have ever needed it.
Hebrews 10:22-25
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
05/03/23 DON'T FLIRT WITH THE WORLD
05/03/23 DON'T FLIRT WITH THE WORLD
Here is God's view of adopting popular, current, socially approved views of God.
Especially notice *vs14
Exodus 34:12-16 (NKJV)
12 Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.
13 But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images
*14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice,
16 and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods.
Jealousy is not the same as envy.
Jealousy is fierce protective claim over what belongs to you.
Envy is desire for what belongs to another.
To replace or mix our love, adoration, loyalty for God with anything or anyone else is spiritual adultery.
James 4:4 (NKJV)
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
05/02/23 MEN'S MINISTRY STUDY
05/02/23 MEN'S MINISTRY STUDY
STUDY OPPORTUNITY FOR MEN BEGINS THIS WEEK
(THURSDAY @ 7:00 PM In-Person and Online)
A reminder for men who may be interested. This includes young men (teen age and older) if they are eagerly and seriously interested in learning God's word.
STUDY OPPORTUNITY FOR MEN BEGINS NEXT WEEK
MEN, do not forget, we start our Bible Theology In Genesis Study (in-person and online) 7:00 pm Thursday, May 4. I encourage Carteret County TNH men to meet in-person at The Net House whenever it is possible. If you would like to invite other men to join us either in-person or online, let me know ahead of time. I believe we may have some churchmen from South Carolina meet with us online. I would figure on sessions lasting 90 minutes. There will be opportunity for Questions and Answers, but I am teaching the class. This is not a time for arguing or debate. I will need to know if any men outside of The Net House wants to be part of this study.
05/02/23 BELIEVE THE PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE
05/02/23 BELIEVE THE PREPONDERANCE OF EVIDENCE
I know that the "sovereignty" of sinning religion (supposed Christianity, which denies that God saves believers from the power and pollution of sin in this world), is not the sovereignty of the Bible or the sovereignty of the God of the Bible because the true God of sovereignty is righteous, just, loving, patient, kind, forbearing, long-suffering (slow to anger), full of mercy (delaying judgment and eager to forgive) and Christ provides salvation and cleansing from ALL SIN to WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM.
The God of the Bible is different from the god's of this world because He is both JUST and THE JUSTIFIER of those who believe (as an act of the free will, not the imposed act of God, irrespective of God given, free human choice).
The sovereignty of a false god is eager to execute judgment, mete out wrath, take pleasure in the death of those who die eternally, denies the wicked opportunity to turn from their evil ways, and he intentionally created people for the express purpose to sin and be punished, by which he claims to get pleasure and glory.
Though the true God is righteous and just and He does exercise wrath, this does not preclude the redemptive nature and work of God. He not only exercises love, HE IS love. He reveals Himself as merciful (delaying judgment and eager to forgive), loving, kind, forbearing, patient, longsuffering (slow to anger).
God reveals Himself as both redemptive and punitive, but He is only punitive when His free gift of love and redemption has been resisted and rejected. God is eager to provide, enable and reward righteousness, but He will also reveal and judge unrighteousness in those who turn from Him. God is not driven by anger, wrath, vengeance, merciless sovereignty. He is driven by His Love, His redemptive nature, His eagerness to reconcile the lost and restore the fallen. Otherwise He would not have made the Sacrifice for us on Calvary.
As the heat from the sun hardens clay and softens wax, so the sovereignty of God redeems the repentant and condemns the rebellious. God enables people to repent, God calls people to repentance; God blesses people (in order to draw them to Himself), and God afflicts people (in order to drive them to Himself), then God judges people according to their response, whether clay or wax.
God is not eager to show His wrath. God is eager to show His love, mercy, redemption, reconciliation. God has taken steps to deliver sinners, all of us, from His justified wrath.
God did not pour out His wrath on the cross, God lovingly sacrificed His Son on the cross to deliver us from His wrath; He satisfied the demand for wrath against our sins, for those who believe that Jesus takes away our sins .
The cross is a demonstration of God's love for us, not an act of wrath against His Son.
Jesus suffered for us, as a Sacrifice, to save us from the wrath of God. Jesus died for us, that is, He died as a Sacrifice, not as a sinner. He paid the price of death as a sacrifice, not as a victim or perpetrator.
He was our substitute as a sacrifice, not as an actual malefactor (criminal, evil doer, one who harms another), though men saw Him as being stricken, smitten of God, afflicted and though He was numbered with the transgressors, He was sacrificed for our sins, an offering for our transgressions. He took upon Himself our sins, as a scapegoat, on which the priests symbolically placed the sins of Israel to be carried away. Jesus is the Lamb of God that died for the sins of the world and He is the scapegoat Who takes away our sin. When the Bible says that He, Who knew no sin, became sin, it should be understood that He became our SIN SACRIFICE (as the term and phrase is actually used in the Old Testament). He did not become adultery, deception, murder, perversion. He became the sacrifice, the atonement, the propitiation, the satisfaction for our sins. This is what is meant by Jesus bearing our sins and taking them away.
God's justice (which is certain) is satisfied through God's mercy (which delays and even removes judgment for sin). If we do not accept God's merciful sacrifice by faith, we will be required to face God's vengeance and justice and punishment for our own sins.
Romans 1:1-11
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds":
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
05/01/23WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF...
05/01/23WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF...
What kind of church,
Would my church be,
If all of the members,
Were just like me?
What would happen if you had a car, with all the right parts, but the parts were not installed, or the parts were not in working condition, or there was no fuel to run the car, even if all of the parts were present, installed and in working condition?
What would happen if you had a computer with all the right parts, but the parts were not installed, or the parts were not in working condition, or there was no power to run the computer, even if all of the parts were present, installed and in working condition?
What would happen if your body had all of its parts, but your brain was unable to communicate with some parts, or some of the parts were crippled or diseased, or there was no life in your body, even if it had all the parts, and even if the brain and nervous system was still physically connected to the organs and systems and even if the organs and systems were in perfect physical condition?
Pretty much, the answer to all three questions is the same, NOTHING.
This is true for local churches, though there are rare exceptions. Very seldom does a local church have all of its parts present and active and proficient. They may have a few folks who are giving themselves to the mission of their church. At best, very little is happening in that situation, and more often, NOTHING is really happening to fulfill the Great Commission or to become the local body that God wants it to be.
Stop. Look. Listen.
Find out what God wants you to do and to be, then follow Him in obedience and see what God can do with you.
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