Ephesians 4:11-12, "It was He(Jesus) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be edified(built up)."
You will notice that their is no biblical office called revivalist. The late Vance Havner coined the term revivalist some years ago. It spoke of a specific ministry to the body of Christ. Today, most itinerant preachers carry the title of evangelist, this however is not an accurate description of the service they provide for the church. An evangelist is someone who preaches the gospel, the good news, to lost people. Their ministry is to the world and they are a gift to the church to win souls. Men like Billy Graham, Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, Mordecai Ham and Charles Finney are noted evangelists. The revivalist however, has a message for the church. Their message and ministry is for saved people; to exhort, encourage, convict and present the whole counsel of God to believers in the effort to edify. I believe that their is a biblical office of revivalist, the bible, however, refers to them as a prophet.
The words prophet and prophecy are greatly misunderstood. Most people when they hear the word prophet have images of someone predicting future events. While this is definitely true, the biblical meaning of the word prophet is someone who declares the word of God, and sometimes in past times this has included declaring future events. In the Old Testament the cry of the prophet was "And the Lord says."
By and large the message of the prophet was for God's people. The prophet Jonah was an exception but as we read the 16 prophetic books in the Old Testament, though sometimes the message included the peoples of the land, the prophets were sent to the children of Israel. In the church we have a clear need for men to cry out the message of the bible, and clearly state what the Lord indeed says. This is a revivalist.
This past week we had one such man, Dr. Tim Fowler, preach revival at Oakland Baptist Church. Brother Tim boldly, unflinchingly and uncompromisingly declared the word of the Lord to us and did indeed edify the body of Christ. No one was saved, but that was not the intent of the services. Tim was brought in to preach to this church, this body, to prayerfully inspire and lead us to greater and more fruitful service for God.
We must understand that true revival is for the church, it is for believers. If God's people are truly revived, then they will go into the world and minister to and win lost people. Sadly far to many churches lack the divine spark from the Holy Spirit to truly be an agent of change through God's power in their communities. Through disobedience and rebellion, pride and comfort, they have become unfruitful, and the world around them is perishing. This is why I feel we have a great need for the message of the prophet, the revivalist, in the church today.
If a pastor has been faithful in declaring the whole counsel of God, the revivalist will simply confirm what they have been preaching. Many times however a different voice proclaiming the message can penetrate hearts in a way a pastor cannot. This is why I am still a firm believer in revival meetings and the message of the revivalist. The church today across our nation is mired in complacency and selfishness. We have become country clubs ministering to our fellow members but doing very little in our communities. Quite frankly, we need a kick in the pants. The prophets of old often times declared a harsh message of judgment and repentance. God sent them to try to awaken His people from their slumber and sin. The revivalist, or prophet, has the same role today. They have a challenging ministry, and most of the time, do not see the fruit of their work as an evangelist does when many are saved. But the office of prophet is every bit as important. If we are to have true revival in our nation, it will begin in our churches. The prophet, the revivalist, is God's tool for helping His church get right with God.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Where is the Revival?
2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
This Sunday at Oakland Baptist Church we begin what is commonly called revival in Southern Baptist circles. We meet Sunday through Wednesday for 5 services in the hope God will move, and true revival will come. Sadly, most of the time, it winds up being a series of meetings that people enjoy, but no true revival comes. Now I do believe such meetings are useful, but in my heart, I long for a true, heaven sent, Holy Spirit ignited revival. I am always hopeful such a thing can occur, but up to this point in my life, I've never seen a true biblical revival.
If we look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, widely regarded as the best description of what is needed for God to send revival, we see conditions that God needs to be met. First and foremost, we must acknowledge, revival is a sovereign act of God. Only He can send it. But in this verse we see the conditions on our part God expects in order to send true revival.
Their are 4 thing God wants from us for Him to send revival. First, humility. He needs for us to humble ourselves. This means that we deny to ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. When I ask myself do I see this attitude in the church today, the answer is sadly no. We seem more and more reliant and trusting in human methods, business models, running the church like a company than truly submitting to God. I do not believe we meet the first condition.
Secondly, God wants us in earnest, fervent prayer. When I examine my own life I know I fall short here. It's not that I don't want to pray, but Satan is very clever in finding ways to distract us. Until I, and the rest of God's children, are firmly and fundamentally committed to crying out to God for revival, we will not have it.
Thirdly, we're to seek God's face, and we see God first and foremost in His word. Since the reformation I do not know if the church as a whole has ever been less grounded in the word. We are willfully ignorant of the bible, not desiring true bible study, teaching or preaching. We live in the age of "itching ears" where far to many desire teachings pleasing to them instead of the clear truth of God's word which convicts and changes lives. Their will never be revival without a fire for God's word.
Lastly, their is repentance. Turning from our wicked ways. We live in a wicked world and the ways of this wicked word have infiltrated or been willfully embraced by the church. God cannot move as long as their is unrepentant sin allowed and condoned in the camp, His church. Repentance is the evidence of a movement of God, yet it is virtually ignored in pulpits all around our land.
You see, these 4 things work together. If we truly humble ourselves, we will fervently pray and study and return to God's word. When we do these things, conviction and repentance will follow. When I ask myself do I see these things in myself, well, sometimes I do. But I also know I fall short. When I ask myself do I see these things at Oakland, well, in some I do, but I know we fall short also. When I ask myself do I see these things in our nation, I must answer a resounding no. In fact, I see us moving away from these things instead of towards them.
So in this atmosphere where we do not seem to meet God's standards of revival, what are our chances of seeing true revival. If I'm honest, I say slim. But I do know we serve a merciful God full of grace. God's grace is us receiving something we do not deserve. Do we deserve revival, honestly, no. But in God's mercy and grace I still believe He can send it, if He so chooses. I pray He does so this week at Oakland.
This Sunday at Oakland Baptist Church we begin what is commonly called revival in Southern Baptist circles. We meet Sunday through Wednesday for 5 services in the hope God will move, and true revival will come. Sadly, most of the time, it winds up being a series of meetings that people enjoy, but no true revival comes. Now I do believe such meetings are useful, but in my heart, I long for a true, heaven sent, Holy Spirit ignited revival. I am always hopeful such a thing can occur, but up to this point in my life, I've never seen a true biblical revival.
If we look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, widely regarded as the best description of what is needed for God to send revival, we see conditions that God needs to be met. First and foremost, we must acknowledge, revival is a sovereign act of God. Only He can send it. But in this verse we see the conditions on our part God expects in order to send true revival.
Their are 4 thing God wants from us for Him to send revival. First, humility. He needs for us to humble ourselves. This means that we deny to ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. When I ask myself do I see this attitude in the church today, the answer is sadly no. We seem more and more reliant and trusting in human methods, business models, running the church like a company than truly submitting to God. I do not believe we meet the first condition.
Secondly, God wants us in earnest, fervent prayer. When I examine my own life I know I fall short here. It's not that I don't want to pray, but Satan is very clever in finding ways to distract us. Until I, and the rest of God's children, are firmly and fundamentally committed to crying out to God for revival, we will not have it.
Thirdly, we're to seek God's face, and we see God first and foremost in His word. Since the reformation I do not know if the church as a whole has ever been less grounded in the word. We are willfully ignorant of the bible, not desiring true bible study, teaching or preaching. We live in the age of "itching ears" where far to many desire teachings pleasing to them instead of the clear truth of God's word which convicts and changes lives. Their will never be revival without a fire for God's word.
Lastly, their is repentance. Turning from our wicked ways. We live in a wicked world and the ways of this wicked word have infiltrated or been willfully embraced by the church. God cannot move as long as their is unrepentant sin allowed and condoned in the camp, His church. Repentance is the evidence of a movement of God, yet it is virtually ignored in pulpits all around our land.
You see, these 4 things work together. If we truly humble ourselves, we will fervently pray and study and return to God's word. When we do these things, conviction and repentance will follow. When I ask myself do I see these things in myself, well, sometimes I do. But I also know I fall short. When I ask myself do I see these things at Oakland, well, in some I do, but I know we fall short also. When I ask myself do I see these things in our nation, I must answer a resounding no. In fact, I see us moving away from these things instead of towards them.
So in this atmosphere where we do not seem to meet God's standards of revival, what are our chances of seeing true revival. If I'm honest, I say slim. But I do know we serve a merciful God full of grace. God's grace is us receiving something we do not deserve. Do we deserve revival, honestly, no. But in God's mercy and grace I still believe He can send it, if He so chooses. I pray He does so this week at Oakland.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thorn in My Back
2 Corinthians 12:7, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure"
Sometimes, when things are going well, we get a friendly reminder in our lives to keep us grounded and to make sure our eyes remain upon the Lord. This reminder may take may forms: Physical or emotional pain; financial struggles; family worries; illness. The ways that God can allow our lives to be affected for His purpose are truly endless. For me these last few weeks, it's been sciatic nerve and back pain. I cannot sit down or get up without excruciating pain, and now even when I lie down. The only way I'm somewhat comfortable is standing up. So, what am I too make of this challenge in my life?
Paul sets the example for us, as so many time he does. What was Paul's thorn in the flesh? No one knows for certain. Some speculate it was chronic eye problems, others the ones who tried to hinder his ministry. All we can do is speculate as Paul does not let us know, and I believe he does this for a reason. Each of us will have different "thorns." So God leaves it a mystery so each of us can learn from whatever challenge we may be experiencing in our lives. No matter the challenge, the remedy is always the same; God's grace.
In 2 Corinthians 12:8 Paul tells us he pleads with God in prayer 3 times for the Lord to remove his thorn. God's answer is some tough love, but it is true love, and it's given in this way to keep us dependent upon Him. in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 it reads, "And He(God) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Now I must admit, I'm struggling with the taking pleasure part right now. But through God's word I do know how I should be viewing this "thorn" in my life. I know that this is to strengthen me in my walk with God, and make me even more dependent upon Him. Quite honestly, I'm not a good patient. My wife just yelled "Amen" from the bedroom. But I do realize how many are in far worse condition than me. I have a doctors appointment next week to hopefully alleviate the condition. But while I am weak at this moment, God is trying to teach me.
I believe with all of my heart that our witness is never stronger than when we are enduring a trial and instead of complaining we can glorify God through it all. This is what Paul did and what God desires from us. It is a test and an opportunity. So as I endure, I am praying I can center my focus upon God as I know this is what He wants. It's a struggle. It's tough getting through the day not sitting down, lol. But, if somehow, God can grow me through this, I'll shout hallelujah! Our walk with Christ will be a challenge in many ways, even painful ones. But all of us have areas need to grow. The things God will use to grow us are limitless, even a pain in the behind. But His grace is sufficient, Amen!
Sometimes, when things are going well, we get a friendly reminder in our lives to keep us grounded and to make sure our eyes remain upon the Lord. This reminder may take may forms: Physical or emotional pain; financial struggles; family worries; illness. The ways that God can allow our lives to be affected for His purpose are truly endless. For me these last few weeks, it's been sciatic nerve and back pain. I cannot sit down or get up without excruciating pain, and now even when I lie down. The only way I'm somewhat comfortable is standing up. So, what am I too make of this challenge in my life?
Paul sets the example for us, as so many time he does. What was Paul's thorn in the flesh? No one knows for certain. Some speculate it was chronic eye problems, others the ones who tried to hinder his ministry. All we can do is speculate as Paul does not let us know, and I believe he does this for a reason. Each of us will have different "thorns." So God leaves it a mystery so each of us can learn from whatever challenge we may be experiencing in our lives. No matter the challenge, the remedy is always the same; God's grace.
In 2 Corinthians 12:8 Paul tells us he pleads with God in prayer 3 times for the Lord to remove his thorn. God's answer is some tough love, but it is true love, and it's given in this way to keep us dependent upon Him. in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 it reads, "And He(God) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Now I must admit, I'm struggling with the taking pleasure part right now. But through God's word I do know how I should be viewing this "thorn" in my life. I know that this is to strengthen me in my walk with God, and make me even more dependent upon Him. Quite honestly, I'm not a good patient. My wife just yelled "Amen" from the bedroom. But I do realize how many are in far worse condition than me. I have a doctors appointment next week to hopefully alleviate the condition. But while I am weak at this moment, God is trying to teach me.
I believe with all of my heart that our witness is never stronger than when we are enduring a trial and instead of complaining we can glorify God through it all. This is what Paul did and what God desires from us. It is a test and an opportunity. So as I endure, I am praying I can center my focus upon God as I know this is what He wants. It's a struggle. It's tough getting through the day not sitting down, lol. But, if somehow, God can grow me through this, I'll shout hallelujah! Our walk with Christ will be a challenge in many ways, even painful ones. But all of us have areas need to grow. The things God will use to grow us are limitless, even a pain in the behind. But His grace is sufficient, Amen!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Crawling Off the Altar
Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
A preacher friend once asked me, "Do you know what the problem with a living sacrifice is? A living sacrifice keeps wanting to crawl off the altar." Dieing to oneself and dieing to Christ are preeminent teachings in the bible. In order to live the type of life God wants us to live, one that brings glory to Him, we must deny ourselves and daily follow Christ. This is easier said than done.
Paul through the Holy Spirit teaches us here that for those in Christ, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely unto the Lord. When we are under God's control, only then can our yet unredeemed body, be yielded to God as an instrument of righteousness. Within ourselves their is no righteousness pleasing to God, as "our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" unto God.
To be a living sacrifice means that we are fully surrendered to the will of God in our life, walking in obedience to Him and the commands that He has given to us. We have effectively sacrificed our life and desires, to be transformed and become Christ like. Paul tells us their is absolutely nothing unreasonable about this expectation of God for us, after all, He sacrificed all He had for us, we should and are capable of doing the same for Him.
If we are to do this, we cannot be conformed to the world. A Christian who speaks, acts, lives, behaves as a worldly lost person has not died to Christ. They have not been transformed. We are transformed when we put on the "mind of Christ," and see things as He does. It is not difficult for us to see things as Christ does, as His word tells us exactly how He views things. What is difficult is to actually live in accordance to His world view as given through the bible. It's is difficult as each of us, along with the Holy Spirit, still has a sin nature inside of us.
Paul Himself faced this battle. In Romans 7:15 Paul laments, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do." As a Christian we have an understanding from God of what is right and what is wrong, yet many times we find ourselves living in a way we know God does not approve. So how should we react? We should renew our minds, bathe ourselves in prayer and in God's word, so that He may speak to us, and convict us so that we can turn from our sin nature to a holy life that represents Him. Their is only one answer to sin in our lives, and that is repentance.
Being a living sacrifice is not easy. It means that we have fully surrendered to God, which also is not easy. But it is not unreasonable. Within each of us God's Holy Spirit is there to convict, to teach, to comfort and to encourage. So today, may I ask, are you firmly on the altar of God offering yourself as a living sacrifice, or have you crawled off?
A preacher friend once asked me, "Do you know what the problem with a living sacrifice is? A living sacrifice keeps wanting to crawl off the altar." Dieing to oneself and dieing to Christ are preeminent teachings in the bible. In order to live the type of life God wants us to live, one that brings glory to Him, we must deny ourselves and daily follow Christ. This is easier said than done.
Paul through the Holy Spirit teaches us here that for those in Christ, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely unto the Lord. When we are under God's control, only then can our yet unredeemed body, be yielded to God as an instrument of righteousness. Within ourselves their is no righteousness pleasing to God, as "our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" unto God.
To be a living sacrifice means that we are fully surrendered to the will of God in our life, walking in obedience to Him and the commands that He has given to us. We have effectively sacrificed our life and desires, to be transformed and become Christ like. Paul tells us their is absolutely nothing unreasonable about this expectation of God for us, after all, He sacrificed all He had for us, we should and are capable of doing the same for Him.
If we are to do this, we cannot be conformed to the world. A Christian who speaks, acts, lives, behaves as a worldly lost person has not died to Christ. They have not been transformed. We are transformed when we put on the "mind of Christ," and see things as He does. It is not difficult for us to see things as Christ does, as His word tells us exactly how He views things. What is difficult is to actually live in accordance to His world view as given through the bible. It's is difficult as each of us, along with the Holy Spirit, still has a sin nature inside of us.
Paul Himself faced this battle. In Romans 7:15 Paul laments, "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice, but what I hate, that I do." As a Christian we have an understanding from God of what is right and what is wrong, yet many times we find ourselves living in a way we know God does not approve. So how should we react? We should renew our minds, bathe ourselves in prayer and in God's word, so that He may speak to us, and convict us so that we can turn from our sin nature to a holy life that represents Him. Their is only one answer to sin in our lives, and that is repentance.
Being a living sacrifice is not easy. It means that we have fully surrendered to God, which also is not easy. But it is not unreasonable. Within each of us God's Holy Spirit is there to convict, to teach, to comfort and to encourage. So today, may I ask, are you firmly on the altar of God offering yourself as a living sacrifice, or have you crawled off?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
US-Israeli Showdown
Lost in the coverage of health care reform, soaring unemployment, job bills and political gamesmanship was a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden last week. During the visit Biden called out Israel for continuing to pursue building projects in Jerusalem. Biden, and later Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's condemnation of these building projects have drawn a line in the sand deeper than at any other time in US-Israeli relations.
Now I want you think of how the United States would react if a foreign power were to object to us building on land that is rightfully ours. Think of how the United States would react if Mexico and Canada were our mortal enemies who have sworn to wipe us off the map. Simple logic tells us we would not react as we are expecting Israel too, yet with Israel, as has been the case throughout history, their is a different standard than for any other nation.
The middle east peace fiasco for nearly 40 years has consisted of this premise: Israel is to make concessions while the Palestinians make demands. It's that simple. Their has never been a sense of fairness regarding the peace process between Israel and her enemies. One side is expected to give, the other to take. Their has never been a guarantee that Israel would remain free from attack, when negotiations reached the closest point of agreement in 2000, Yassir Arafat backed away in spite of deep concessions offered by Israel. Why? Israel's enemies do not want peace. Israel's enemies want Israel to cease to exist.
Since the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 the United States has been Israel's most staunch ally. Sadly, that is no longer the case. The position of the Obama administration is clear, in spite of talk that the US is still standing with Israel. The official position now is, the reason their is no peace is because of Israel.
It's not because Israel is under constant threat of attack. It's not because the Palestinians have never been able to negotiate in good faith. It's not because of the factions that exist with the Palestinian people that prevent agreement on anything. It's Israel's fault. And this showdown this week has made that abundantly clear.
How will Israel react? If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu capitulates to US demands, his government is done. Netanyahu has been here before. He's already lost power once by moving to the center, I cannot see him doing this again. And this means that Israel will stand virtually alone. A showdown is imminent not only with the US but also within the Israeli government, and the results could be truly biblical. Israel has sworn another Holocaust will not occur. A preemptive strike on Iran seems the only hope of stopping Iran from going nuclear, as the United States policy seems only based in words, not action.
The Psalm 83 war seems poised to break out at any time. Iran's march toward nuclear power status sets the stage for Ezekiel 38-39. The chaos that would surely ensue if their is a major middle east conflict would be the perfect staging ground for the emergence of Antichrist. Zechariah 12:2 tells us, "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem." If the US truly backs away from Israel, as seems more possible than ever today, this prophecy will literally be fulfilled. Israel's enemies will see their chance. But God is in control. Israel will stand and survive. They will eventually turn to Messiah, Jesus Christ. They will be restored to a right relationship with God. No matter how the world sees this latest crisis regarding Israel turning out, Gods will, will be done. His will, is for His people, to return to Him.
Now I want you think of how the United States would react if a foreign power were to object to us building on land that is rightfully ours. Think of how the United States would react if Mexico and Canada were our mortal enemies who have sworn to wipe us off the map. Simple logic tells us we would not react as we are expecting Israel too, yet with Israel, as has been the case throughout history, their is a different standard than for any other nation.
The middle east peace fiasco for nearly 40 years has consisted of this premise: Israel is to make concessions while the Palestinians make demands. It's that simple. Their has never been a sense of fairness regarding the peace process between Israel and her enemies. One side is expected to give, the other to take. Their has never been a guarantee that Israel would remain free from attack, when negotiations reached the closest point of agreement in 2000, Yassir Arafat backed away in spite of deep concessions offered by Israel. Why? Israel's enemies do not want peace. Israel's enemies want Israel to cease to exist.
Since the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 the United States has been Israel's most staunch ally. Sadly, that is no longer the case. The position of the Obama administration is clear, in spite of talk that the US is still standing with Israel. The official position now is, the reason their is no peace is because of Israel.
It's not because Israel is under constant threat of attack. It's not because the Palestinians have never been able to negotiate in good faith. It's not because of the factions that exist with the Palestinian people that prevent agreement on anything. It's Israel's fault. And this showdown this week has made that abundantly clear.
How will Israel react? If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu capitulates to US demands, his government is done. Netanyahu has been here before. He's already lost power once by moving to the center, I cannot see him doing this again. And this means that Israel will stand virtually alone. A showdown is imminent not only with the US but also within the Israeli government, and the results could be truly biblical. Israel has sworn another Holocaust will not occur. A preemptive strike on Iran seems the only hope of stopping Iran from going nuclear, as the United States policy seems only based in words, not action.
The Psalm 83 war seems poised to break out at any time. Iran's march toward nuclear power status sets the stage for Ezekiel 38-39. The chaos that would surely ensue if their is a major middle east conflict would be the perfect staging ground for the emergence of Antichrist. Zechariah 12:2 tells us, "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem." If the US truly backs away from Israel, as seems more possible than ever today, this prophecy will literally be fulfilled. Israel's enemies will see their chance. But God is in control. Israel will stand and survive. They will eventually turn to Messiah, Jesus Christ. They will be restored to a right relationship with God. No matter how the world sees this latest crisis regarding Israel turning out, Gods will, will be done. His will, is for His people, to return to Him.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Do You Believe in Miracles?
I'm not talking about what so many perceive as miracles in Christendom from charlatans like Oral Roberts or Benny Hinn. But true miracles granted by our heavenly Father in response to fervent prayer from His saints. Here at Oakland we've seen 2 miracles from God this week.
Homeless Couple Has a Home
A few weeks ago I wrote of a homeless couple we encountered and led to Christ. For the past 2 weeks through the generosity of several sister churches we have managed to provide a hotel room for the couple. Through a Christian auto dealer in Wallace today, also with the help of some sister churches, we purchased a motor home for the couple. They have a place to connect to power and water and for the first time in their lives they have their own home. Two weeks ago this couple was living in their car, and had been for 2 months during this harsh winter. Friends, this is such a testimony to the body of Christ working together to do the will of Christ, and "love each other" as He has loved us.
Our sister churches: in Ruby, Crossroads Baptist and Clanton Plains Baptist; in Cheraw, Freeworship Cheraw and Westside Baptist; and in Chesterfield, Chesterfield Baptist, Hopewell Baptist, Pine Grove Baptist, Pine View Baptist, Westfield Creek Baptist and of course Oakland Baptist yoked together to provide the lodging and ultimately purchase the motor home. Through my brothers and sisters in Christ at each of these houses of God, this couple has been abundantly blessed and shown the love of Christ in a time of great need. This outpouring of love has also opened the door for their walk in faith and discipleship, as we will baptize them Easter Sunday.
And also Affordable Auto Sales in Wallace, who cut their price in half to help this couple put a roof over their heads. These Christian business people practiced their faith and provided a sustainable roof over this couples head. When the body of Christ works together, God can indeed do miracles!
Baby Hannah
In our church we have a beloved couple J.C and Libby Hannah. 5 months ago their son Billy and his wife Sherri had twin baby girls several months premature. One of the babies before birth was determined to have a birth defect where the brain was actually forming outside the skull. Billy and Sherri chose to trust God and have the baby with the birth defect.
Alexandra Grace was not given much of a chance, as doctors warned Billy and Sherri her chances of survival were slim. She was born and the brain area outside of the skull filled with fluid and literally became larger than her head itself. But month after month Alexandra Grace survived.
Doctors determined it was wise to perform surgery to try and address the situation. Once again, Alexandra Grace was given little hope. On Thursday, after 7 hours of surgery, the brain outside of the skull has been fully re-inserted into the skull. The doctors said all of the blood vessels were intact and that the surgery went better than anyone could have expected! Alexandra Grace now has a chance at a normal life!. What a testimony to an all powerful "Great Physician!" And what a testimony to faithful intercessory prayer. The baby is still not out of the woods and the risk for infection is there. She will be in the hospital another 7-10 days but doctors said this morning she would probably be moved from I.C.U. later today.
God may not be parting the Red Sea today, or raining manna from heaven. He may not be feeding thousands upon thousands with 5 loaves and 2 fish. But, if we look around us, we can clearly see the miraculous work of God in healings and provision, and many other things. We serve a loving, merciful, God who wishes to show Himself today. He will show Himself through us when we show His love to each other. And He will show Himself in response to faithful prayer for His will to be done. What a great week serving our Lord, His power and presence were clearly visible to us!
Homeless Couple Has a Home
A few weeks ago I wrote of a homeless couple we encountered and led to Christ. For the past 2 weeks through the generosity of several sister churches we have managed to provide a hotel room for the couple. Through a Christian auto dealer in Wallace today, also with the help of some sister churches, we purchased a motor home for the couple. They have a place to connect to power and water and for the first time in their lives they have their own home. Two weeks ago this couple was living in their car, and had been for 2 months during this harsh winter. Friends, this is such a testimony to the body of Christ working together to do the will of Christ, and "love each other" as He has loved us.
Our sister churches: in Ruby, Crossroads Baptist and Clanton Plains Baptist; in Cheraw, Freeworship Cheraw and Westside Baptist; and in Chesterfield, Chesterfield Baptist, Hopewell Baptist, Pine Grove Baptist, Pine View Baptist, Westfield Creek Baptist and of course Oakland Baptist yoked together to provide the lodging and ultimately purchase the motor home. Through my brothers and sisters in Christ at each of these houses of God, this couple has been abundantly blessed and shown the love of Christ in a time of great need. This outpouring of love has also opened the door for their walk in faith and discipleship, as we will baptize them Easter Sunday.
And also Affordable Auto Sales in Wallace, who cut their price in half to help this couple put a roof over their heads. These Christian business people practiced their faith and provided a sustainable roof over this couples head. When the body of Christ works together, God can indeed do miracles!
Baby Hannah
In our church we have a beloved couple J.C and Libby Hannah. 5 months ago their son Billy and his wife Sherri had twin baby girls several months premature. One of the babies before birth was determined to have a birth defect where the brain was actually forming outside the skull. Billy and Sherri chose to trust God and have the baby with the birth defect.
Alexandra Grace was not given much of a chance, as doctors warned Billy and Sherri her chances of survival were slim. She was born and the brain area outside of the skull filled with fluid and literally became larger than her head itself. But month after month Alexandra Grace survived.
Doctors determined it was wise to perform surgery to try and address the situation. Once again, Alexandra Grace was given little hope. On Thursday, after 7 hours of surgery, the brain outside of the skull has been fully re-inserted into the skull. The doctors said all of the blood vessels were intact and that the surgery went better than anyone could have expected! Alexandra Grace now has a chance at a normal life!. What a testimony to an all powerful "Great Physician!" And what a testimony to faithful intercessory prayer. The baby is still not out of the woods and the risk for infection is there. She will be in the hospital another 7-10 days but doctors said this morning she would probably be moved from I.C.U. later today.
God may not be parting the Red Sea today, or raining manna from heaven. He may not be feeding thousands upon thousands with 5 loaves and 2 fish. But, if we look around us, we can clearly see the miraculous work of God in healings and provision, and many other things. We serve a loving, merciful, God who wishes to show Himself today. He will show Himself through us when we show His love to each other. And He will show Himself in response to faithful prayer for His will to be done. What a great week serving our Lord, His power and presence were clearly visible to us!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
The Christian and Sexual Immorality
1 Corinthians 6:18-20, "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
In our culture today we seem to hold the opinion that in regards to sexual immorality things have never been worse. In my studies for my message on Sunday night from Genesis 38, it is clear that sexual immorality has been a problem for mankind for most of his existence. In Genesis 38 Judah, the son of Jacob, from whose line Jesus Christ will come, has an affair with a Canaanite woman from whom 3 children are born. The bible tells us these children were wicked in the sight of the Lord, and God Himself slays 2 of them. In the end the widow of one of these children deceives Judah by posing as a harlot and has him father the child she did not receive from her husband. It is a twisted tale of lust and selfishness, literally one of the worst chapters in the bible. But it is historical fact so God gives it to us uncensored. What it does illustrate is that sexual immorality has existed for a long time, and that it is never blessed by God.
So what is sexual immorality? According to the bible it is any form of intimate relations outside of the marital bonds of 1 husband and 1 wife. This would include any heterosexual relations outside of marriage and all homosexual relations as it is same sex, called an abomination and unnatural by God. In essence, it is all sin, except within the confines of marriage.
The world and it's views have long opposed the will and word of God. It is far easier to exist in the world without a strict adherence to God's will and word, and this is probably most true in regards to human sexual behavior. The world says it does no harm, as long as it's practiced safely. The world says as long as you love someone it is permissible and good. God says any sexual relations outside of marriage between 1 man and 1 woman is sin. A sin, that if not repented of, has serious consequences.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:1-7 and Revelation 22:15 the bible clearly teaches that anyone who practices(lives in and does not repent of) this sort of lifestyle(among many others) will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's a serious warning, but sadly, one that seems to be ignored today by many, including many who claim the name Christian.
I do not write this to condemn anyone who is currently engaged in a relationship that God Himself calls sin. I write this to encourage you to search your hearts and to seek the will of God in your life. This is a decision I personally had to make. When I was unsaved I engaged in many things that God calls sin, including sexual immorality. But once I claimed Jesus I had to acknowledge what the bible says of such things and repent, turn away from them. I could not be true to the God who saved me and the word He has given me to guide my life, and continue to live in sin, to continue in a sinful lifestyle as defined by God.
This most certainly does not mean that I do not sin, as we all do and will. What it means is that through salvation, the "new birth," and the change that comes when we become a "new creation" in Christ, I had the strength to say no. Paul through the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, that sexual sin is different from all others. All other sins are outside the body, but sexual sin is against our own body, that if we know Jesus, is the temple of the Holy Spirit. His command to us is to flee such behavior.
Their is perhaps no temptation that is before us that is more difficult to resist than that of sexual desire. It is an instinctual and natural part of life, given to us by God Himself. But God intends the very best for us, and according to Him the best relationship we will have is in a committed, God focused, relationship with a soul mate we have chosen to share our life with. The world says that's nonsense, that seeking to gratify ourselves is far easier and more important. God says I want you to be whole, not only in your sexual relationship, but also in your total relationship. This occurs best when 2 people are fully devoted to each other and honor God and His will first.
It's easy for us to reason in our minds that what we are doing is permissible, but we are called to put on the "mind of Christ." It is He who loved us unto death, and it is He who desires the very best for us. When confronted with our sexual sin, or any other sin, we have a choice to make. Will I honor my desires, or God's? God is not interested in our past, but He is most definitely interested in today and our future. His word tells us in 1 John 1:9, "If we are faithful to confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The world, your family, your friends and even yourself may say their is nothing wrong with the way I am living. But I ask you to ask yourself, what does God say?
In our culture today we seem to hold the opinion that in regards to sexual immorality things have never been worse. In my studies for my message on Sunday night from Genesis 38, it is clear that sexual immorality has been a problem for mankind for most of his existence. In Genesis 38 Judah, the son of Jacob, from whose line Jesus Christ will come, has an affair with a Canaanite woman from whom 3 children are born. The bible tells us these children were wicked in the sight of the Lord, and God Himself slays 2 of them. In the end the widow of one of these children deceives Judah by posing as a harlot and has him father the child she did not receive from her husband. It is a twisted tale of lust and selfishness, literally one of the worst chapters in the bible. But it is historical fact so God gives it to us uncensored. What it does illustrate is that sexual immorality has existed for a long time, and that it is never blessed by God.
So what is sexual immorality? According to the bible it is any form of intimate relations outside of the marital bonds of 1 husband and 1 wife. This would include any heterosexual relations outside of marriage and all homosexual relations as it is same sex, called an abomination and unnatural by God. In essence, it is all sin, except within the confines of marriage.
The world and it's views have long opposed the will and word of God. It is far easier to exist in the world without a strict adherence to God's will and word, and this is probably most true in regards to human sexual behavior. The world says it does no harm, as long as it's practiced safely. The world says as long as you love someone it is permissible and good. God says any sexual relations outside of marriage between 1 man and 1 woman is sin. A sin, that if not repented of, has serious consequences.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:1-7 and Revelation 22:15 the bible clearly teaches that anyone who practices(lives in and does not repent of) this sort of lifestyle(among many others) will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's a serious warning, but sadly, one that seems to be ignored today by many, including many who claim the name Christian.
I do not write this to condemn anyone who is currently engaged in a relationship that God Himself calls sin. I write this to encourage you to search your hearts and to seek the will of God in your life. This is a decision I personally had to make. When I was unsaved I engaged in many things that God calls sin, including sexual immorality. But once I claimed Jesus I had to acknowledge what the bible says of such things and repent, turn away from them. I could not be true to the God who saved me and the word He has given me to guide my life, and continue to live in sin, to continue in a sinful lifestyle as defined by God.
This most certainly does not mean that I do not sin, as we all do and will. What it means is that through salvation, the "new birth," and the change that comes when we become a "new creation" in Christ, I had the strength to say no. Paul through the Holy Spirit tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, that sexual sin is different from all others. All other sins are outside the body, but sexual sin is against our own body, that if we know Jesus, is the temple of the Holy Spirit. His command to us is to flee such behavior.
Their is perhaps no temptation that is before us that is more difficult to resist than that of sexual desire. It is an instinctual and natural part of life, given to us by God Himself. But God intends the very best for us, and according to Him the best relationship we will have is in a committed, God focused, relationship with a soul mate we have chosen to share our life with. The world says that's nonsense, that seeking to gratify ourselves is far easier and more important. God says I want you to be whole, not only in your sexual relationship, but also in your total relationship. This occurs best when 2 people are fully devoted to each other and honor God and His will first.
It's easy for us to reason in our minds that what we are doing is permissible, but we are called to put on the "mind of Christ." It is He who loved us unto death, and it is He who desires the very best for us. When confronted with our sexual sin, or any other sin, we have a choice to make. Will I honor my desires, or God's? God is not interested in our past, but He is most definitely interested in today and our future. His word tells us in 1 John 1:9, "If we are faithful to confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The world, your family, your friends and even yourself may say their is nothing wrong with the way I am living. But I ask you to ask yourself, what does God say?
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