Let me answer this question for you...YES, we all suffer from heart trouble! I'm not talking about the muscle that pumps blood throughout your body. I'm talking about the real heart, soul, mind & spirit that makes up who you really are. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things & is depesperately wicked...the Lord searches the heart & gives every man according to his ways & according to the fruit of his doings".
Some of you reading this have an enlarged heart. From a spiritual perspective, someone with a big heart is a giver, not a taker (the first to volunteer and the last to leave). God loves people with a big heart. But then there are others reading this who are more like the Grinch who stole Christmas...your heart is so small that you have no room inside of it to love anyone (you're self-centered, taking all you can get, yet giving nothing in return).
In life, many couples experience heart trouble because once the inital excitement of being in a relationship subsides, they often discover that their heart really isn't in it! A man marries a lady who is beautiful in his sight but then one morning he wakes up & can't stand the sight of her! Then there's the young lady who is swept off her feet by her "Knight in Shining Armor" because she senses fire & passion in his heart. But one morning she wakes up to realize that he's no knight...but he does stay out all night; his armor is rusted & that fire and passion she sensed was nothing more than the burnt oil on his car motor. Thus, in just a few short years a transformation takes place and if the couple's hearts aren't woven together in true love, then the eyes/mind/body will start to wander!
Still, in church there are plenty of diabetics (those who have too much or too little sugar in the blood) who have heart trouble! In the spiritual realm we can develop diabetes also. It's caused by Pastors not feeding you a balanced diet of the Truth of God's Word but choosing to preach to "itching ears" who only want to hear good things (too much sugar in the sermons!). God knows we all need to hear the meat/vegetables of the Word, even though sometimes hearing it is like swallowing bitter herbs. As a Pastor, let me remind you that everything that's good for you in the Bible doesn't always go down easily! And sometimes, in order for you to swallow/digest these things, you need the water of the Holy Spirit to help it go down so the Word can help you!
Bottom line is that everyone born into this world has heart trouble and we all need a spiritual rebirth to obtain the new heart that God promised to give us. Along with our new heart, God gives us the Holy Spirit who teaches us His ways, reminds us just how good He is, what Jesus has done for us, and most of all convicts us every time we fail to keep God's Word... all of which is necessary to strengthen our hearts.
So, let's get rid of our heart trouble (as the cheerleaders say, "Pump, pump, pump it up, let God's Spirit pump it up!") for HE WILL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART!!!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
What's your view on Grace?
Having been brought up in the church and now enjoying the priviledge of pastoring a church for the past five years, I've observed and listened to people's views on what GRACE is and its relevance to their lives. Thus, I've categorized church folk into four types:
1) GRACELESS - The goal of people in this category is to fulfill all desires; their motto is "It's all about me". Whether or not they can afford things, they buy them simply because they feel they deserve it. These people live it up, thinking "if it feels good, do it!" If you are that type of person, please read Romans 1:18-32. In these verses you're warned that there is no excuse for the things you do. It also says that if you don't bother to acknowledge God, He'll let you do what you want but eventually all hell will break loose in your life. 2) GRACE-ROBBERS - The goal of people in this category is to be better than others are not afraid to let them know it! They're always comparing their lives to others (I'm prettier, more handsome, bigger, or smarter than you!). They are quick to point out another's short-comings. You might even say that these people are "stuck up!". And even if they admit their faults, they will justify it by saying that they're not as bad as others. And I can't leave out that they like to make others feel guilty. Now if you fall into this category, please read Romans 2:1-11 and my question to you is, "Who gave you authority to judge your brother?". As you read these verses you can clearly see the warning that when you point fingers at others, criticizing them, you condemn yourself!
3) GUILTY-GRACE - The goal of people in this category is to convince God that they're good, thus they deserve to go to heaven. Theses people stress themselves out thinking they never do enough good or have enough time to do good things. And if they find something they like to do, they immediately stop because they feel it's sinful because they're full of guilt and fear. For those of you in this category, please read Romans 2:17-3:20. The summation of these verses is that you can't earn your way into heaven. If you have faith/trust God and are obedient to His Word, this is credited to you as righteousness...and that's God's gift to you. Heaven will be your reward!
4) GRACEFUL - People in this category live by the strategy, "In Christ alone I place my trust and I want to know Him better"! These people love the Lord with their whole heart, mind, and soul. They are often described as follows: calm & peaceful, not perfect just forgiven, were lost but now found, and are saved by grace! That's the kind of person I'm striving to be...full of grace and trying to live according to God's Word. Others of you who fit into this category already know the summation of Romans 1:16-17, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes and the righteous man will live by faith".
All of the above types of people are found in every church...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
1) GRACELESS - The goal of people in this category is to fulfill all desires; their motto is "It's all about me". Whether or not they can afford things, they buy them simply because they feel they deserve it. These people live it up, thinking "if it feels good, do it!" If you are that type of person, please read Romans 1:18-32. In these verses you're warned that there is no excuse for the things you do. It also says that if you don't bother to acknowledge God, He'll let you do what you want but eventually all hell will break loose in your life. 2) GRACE-ROBBERS - The goal of people in this category is to be better than others are not afraid to let them know it! They're always comparing their lives to others (I'm prettier, more handsome, bigger, or smarter than you!). They are quick to point out another's short-comings. You might even say that these people are "stuck up!". And even if they admit their faults, they will justify it by saying that they're not as bad as others. And I can't leave out that they like to make others feel guilty. Now if you fall into this category, please read Romans 2:1-11 and my question to you is, "Who gave you authority to judge your brother?". As you read these verses you can clearly see the warning that when you point fingers at others, criticizing them, you condemn yourself!
3) GUILTY-GRACE - The goal of people in this category is to convince God that they're good, thus they deserve to go to heaven. Theses people stress themselves out thinking they never do enough good or have enough time to do good things. And if they find something they like to do, they immediately stop because they feel it's sinful because they're full of guilt and fear. For those of you in this category, please read Romans 2:17-3:20. The summation of these verses is that you can't earn your way into heaven. If you have faith/trust God and are obedient to His Word, this is credited to you as righteousness...and that's God's gift to you. Heaven will be your reward!
4) GRACEFUL - People in this category live by the strategy, "In Christ alone I place my trust and I want to know Him better"! These people love the Lord with their whole heart, mind, and soul. They are often described as follows: calm & peaceful, not perfect just forgiven, were lost but now found, and are saved by grace! That's the kind of person I'm striving to be...full of grace and trying to live according to God's Word. Others of you who fit into this category already know the summation of Romans 1:16-17, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes and the righteous man will live by faith".
All of the above types of people are found in every church...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
"It's hard to stay clean when you live in a Pigpen"
As I get older, I find myself reflecting on things involving my children at a young age. I remember my wife & I always got frustrated when we got them dressed to go to church & by the time we finished getting dressed, they were "tore up from the floor up!". As adults living in this sin-sick world, we often pick up some its dirt because it's hard talking, acting, & living like a child of God under these difficult conditions. The majority of the people we encounter on a daily basis don't view this world as we Christians do. Let's face it, for us, the world has become a spiritual pigpen & it's hard to stay clean when you live in a pigpen!
Yet, Christians have experienced this problem from the beginning; that's why we have to read our instructional manual on living...the Bible. The Word tells us not to become unequally yoked w/unbelievers. Certain things are just fundamentally incompatible (oil/water don't mix). This principle applies to Christians/non-Christians. That's why Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come". God knows that association brings on assimilation which is why He has called us out to be set apart from the world. This means that we are to separate ourselves from the evil desires, motives & behaviors of the past so that we can spend time with Him, serve Him & do His will.
Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth & as ambassadors for Christ we've been given the job of influencing the world for Him. Herein lies our dilemma; in our mission to lead others to Christ, we run the risk of being so close to the world that we become just like it! But we can't have a positive impact on non-believers if we adapt their habits, language & appearance. The old adage says, if you hang around sick people long enough, you'll catch what they've got! In other words, we can't walk with God & run with the devil at the same time! Because if we play w/fire long enough, we will get burned! So we must continually do the things which lead to a life of holiness, i.e., repent of our sins, reverence God & spend more time with our Bros/Sis in Christ.
Finally, since we are commanded to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must learn to master the art of making contact with the world without being contaminated by it. Just as when you work with hazardous waste materials you must wear protective clothing, Christians must wear protective clothing too (the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation & the sword of the spirit). Although we've been given a tough job, we can do it and stay clean in the process. All we need to do is read & listen to God's instructions; this can be accomplished by being consistent in our attendance at church, Sunday School & Bible Study, so that our swords will stay sharpened. And by helping one another,
God will help us to stay clean!
Yet, Christians have experienced this problem from the beginning; that's why we have to read our instructional manual on living...the Bible. The Word tells us not to become unequally yoked w/unbelievers. Certain things are just fundamentally incompatible (oil/water don't mix). This principle applies to Christians/non-Christians. That's why Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come". God knows that association brings on assimilation which is why He has called us out to be set apart from the world. This means that we are to separate ourselves from the evil desires, motives & behaviors of the past so that we can spend time with Him, serve Him & do His will.
Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth & as ambassadors for Christ we've been given the job of influencing the world for Him. Herein lies our dilemma; in our mission to lead others to Christ, we run the risk of being so close to the world that we become just like it! But we can't have a positive impact on non-believers if we adapt their habits, language & appearance. The old adage says, if you hang around sick people long enough, you'll catch what they've got! In other words, we can't walk with God & run with the devil at the same time! Because if we play w/fire long enough, we will get burned! So we must continually do the things which lead to a life of holiness, i.e., repent of our sins, reverence God & spend more time with our Bros/Sis in Christ.
Finally, since we are commanded to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must learn to master the art of making contact with the world without being contaminated by it. Just as when you work with hazardous waste materials you must wear protective clothing, Christians must wear protective clothing too (the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation & the sword of the spirit). Although we've been given a tough job, we can do it and stay clean in the process. All we need to do is read & listen to God's instructions; this can be accomplished by being consistent in our attendance at church, Sunday School & Bible Study, so that our swords will stay sharpened. And by helping one another,
God will help us to stay clean!
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