The Man I Want To Become 11-12-11

I want to become a good father

I want to become a good husband

I want to become a good teacher

I want to become a good man

I want to become a good worker

I want to become a good Christian

I want to become a good son

I want to become a good friend

I want to become a good “big brother”

I want to become a good student

I want to become a good citizen

I want to become a good soldier

I want to become a good brother

I want to become a good mentor

I want to become a good slave

I want to become a good encourager

I want to become an example

I want to become a light

I want to become a warrior for God

I want to be holy

I want to be become perfect

I don’t want the angels to look at me with shame

I don’t want to live a life were I go before God I am
ashamed

I want to become a good steward

I want to make my father God proud

I want to serve the King forever

I want to be with him in the new earth

I want to be on the Lord’s team

I want to watch Satan and his minion’s destruction

I want to live for my faith

I want to die for my faith

I want to be able to trust God in the mist of adversity

I want to be able to trust in God through tragedy

I want to sacrifice for the Lord

I want to trust the Lord in my “family planning”

I want to trust the Lord despite of my situation

I want to give God my tithe

I want to give God my self

I want to be a living sacrifice

I want to encourage my wife to serve the Lord

I want to encourage my father to serve the Lord

I want to encourage my mother to serve the Lord

I want to encourage everyone to serve the Lord

I want my life to bring glory to God

I want to be meek in spirit

I want to be poor in spirit

I want to be full of love

I want to be full of compassion

I want to live my faith

I want to be on fire for the Lord

I want to do the Lord’s will

I want to die to self

Take this wretched man, Lord, and nail him to the cross,
Lord. Kill this wretched man–me.

Why are Muslims more God Fearing than Christians II

I would like to clarify that the title of this should truly be why do Muslims have more reverence and fear for their idol than the Christian culture has for the one and only True God. The sad reality is because Christianity today has become so widespread that most people who claim the cross refuse to hang themselves on it – they are not truly saved and they will not find themselves in Revelation 21 in the new earth and new heaven but in Matthew 7 when the Lord says depart from me you workers of iniquity for I have never known you. Paul prophesied for wolves coming in the sheep clothing destroying the church from the inside. I do not blame the wolves for the destruction of main stream Christianity, but the shepherds, for the shepherds did not strict these imposters and allowed them to remain and kill the flock.

Shame and Dishonor be on the heads of these limp noodle shepherds who have allowed this apostasy to grow and remain in the church, but thus is the condition of the church. We are true believers of God should, therefore, be as the bereans were and read the word of God for ourselves and accept what the Lord has to say about fearing him. We should then apply this to our lives and the words of our mouths. Shepherds should feed their flock with the milk of this truth, and we should prepare our selves for Satan to attack us from both inside of the church by sending wolves and outside of the church by using the apostasy church to condemn us.

What the muslims do to worship their idol is what the muslims do, but what we Christians do is of utmost concern. For we claim to know and serve the true almighty God. He demands/desires for us to serve him in spirit and in truth. We need to fear God. This is fundamental part of our relationship with God. We need to reverence God. We should loath ourselves in comparison to the love we have for Christ. It is absolutely sickening that those who worship in idol, that is nothing, can show more respect and fear than we Christians who serve the true and almighty God.

Wake up church and arise from your slumber. Fear the Lord, who is a great an awesome God full of wrath to his enemies and loving kindness to his slave.

Abide in God’s love but continually fearing the Lord.

Judgement

Why does the concept of judgement have such a bad connotation? I understand not “enjoying” God’s judgement on us; it isn’t a day that many will pass. I hear some even say things like, “God in the old testament was ‘do or die.’” Well, yes, He was “do or die” because we didn’t ‘do’ after being told to 1000×10 times. God doesn’t change. We cannot avoid the facts: God judges and we as Christians are supposed to judge, too.

But what about: “Judge not, that you be not judged,” (Matthew 7:1 NKJV). No one wants to be that judgmental, pious Christian. So, we avoid judgement altogether. We allow some disturbing things go on in our churches, all because we don’t want to be judgmental.

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-5 NKJV)

Ouch… Is Paul talking to Corinth or to us? Can we judge without being judgmental? A few chapters back, it seems Paul says something different…

“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God,” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5 NKJV).

James MacDonald cleared this up for me one day… Of course, he was merely saying this in passing, “We aren’t judging your motives; we’re judging your actions.” One form of judgement belongs to the Lord only and that is the judgement of the heart. We need to judge our actions as well as the actions of others. How else could we ever discern right from wrong? We must keep away from judging the heart of others (and as Paul said, even our own hearts) because there is only One who knows the depths of the heart.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart; I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9, 10 NKJV)

Why are Muslims More God Fearing than Christians?!

I was reading an article about Islamic theology and was disappointed to find myself almost (I say almost with the utmost emphasis) wishing that we (Christians) saw God in the same way. They say that God (in their case: Allah) cannot be known; we are slaves and can only ever be slaves to him and it is blasphemy to call ourselves anything higher. Now, of course this understanding of their god is expounded upon in the sense that Allah does not reveal himself, but only reveals his will.

*Side note: I say this in ignorance of the Islam religion: but this is an apparent contradiction. God revealing His will to us is a good chunk of the pie (the pie being His revelation of Himself to us). God cannot reveal His will without revealing bits (or chunks) of Himself. You can find out a lot about a person just by knowing their dreams, likes, dislikes…. actually, that is a great portion of what there is to know about another person: their will. That is just my philosophical counter to the Muslim doctrine that God cannot be known… Of course for the Biblical standpoint you can just check out Romans 1:20.

To continue on… The reason I almost wish Christians believed this is not necessarily because God should be mysterious to us, but rather that we elevate Him and humble ourselves. Why is the fear of God not discussed more? I WANT TO KNOW HOW TO FEAR GOD CORRECTLY! Why isn’t my role as His slave a popular sermon subject? How else am I going to properly humble myself and carry out the will of God? More importantly, how is the church going to properly carry out the will of God? Why do I hear that I am God’s friend when He has not called me friend? Why is it that when I sin, I no longer hurt God? I guess the plain and simple answer is that we are in denial, and let’s face it: we are hypersensitive to slavery. The lowest we go is servant because at least a servant is paid for his work. That’s just selfish.

Why is it that I always hear, “God desires your acceptance; He yearns for you.” While this may be true, I won’t deny it… But shouldn’t we be focusing a little less on how irresistible we are to God and a little (I use the word little meaning a LOT) more on how our love for God is lacking? Can we at least find a nice fulcrum? How could we ever please God if we aren’t loving him through and through to the absolute best of our ability with the guidance of His Holy Spirit? “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength,” (Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV). Correct me if I am wrong, but this isn’t the ‘emotion-love’ but the action. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends,” (John 15:13 NKJV). That’s definitely an action.

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love,” (1 John 4:8 NKJV).

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”(Galatians 5:19-25 NKJV)

The Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to love God. “We love Him because He first loved us,” (1 John 4:19 NKJV). Put away fleshly desires and follow spiritual convictions…

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30 NKJV)

And again….

“But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.” (Isaiah 63:10 NKJV)

Aaand again….

“Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 NKJV)

If that isn’t your problem, then it may be….

“These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” (Jude 1:19 NKJV)

If I don’t get a hold of myself, I’ll have copied and pasted a Psalm’s worth of verses. My rant is done. As the Roman Catholics say: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen.

What’s More Important: Doctrine or Practicality?

I recently talked to a man of God who said, “I have never cared to look into the doctrine of soul sleep. Sometimes we can get so theological (in other words so caught up in doctrine) that we lose sight of what’s important: a relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Is this a fair or accurate statement? Is looking into the doctrine of soul sleep distinguishable from your relationship with God? I think not. I and probably most people would not care to study what the Bible has to say about the after life (soul sleep) without Christ.

This statement also fails to recognize that God has specifically enabled certain believers with a hunger for the truth of the Word and then to use this truth to teach others. If God were not to give certain believers this hunger for the truth of the Word, how could we ever fulfill 2 Timothy 4:1-3:

“¹ I[Paul] charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus…²preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound^[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.”

Do you see what Paul is charging us with? He is charging us with God as his witness to be ready at all times (in and out of season) with true teaching. In the future, people will not endure sound teaching. Does God care about sound teaching? Does God care if we know the truth? Or is this underneath His desire to have a relationship with His children? Certainly not! God doesn’t want your relationship with Him to be based off falsity, but truth.
John 4:23:
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

What is the Lord seeking? Is he seeking people to just worship him? Or to worship him in spirit and in truth? How do we discover such truths? Doctrine! Doctrine is not outside of our relationship with the Father and Son; it is an absolute necessity.

So how does this relate to an issue such as soul sleep? Jesus constantly talks about the hope to come. All of Christianity is based on the concept of the resurrection, i.e salvation. Is salvation in this life or the next? Therefore, understanding fully the hope to come is important. Lastly, if you want to declare for or against soul sleep you should be sure that your doctrine is correct, for James 3:1 declares:
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

God gives a greater strictness for those who teach the Word of God, because he is concerned with doctrine. He doesn’t want teachers misleading believers into worshiping God in falsity. See again that Paul prays for the Colossians in verses 1:9-10:

…[I] pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

He asked the Lord to fill his Colossian saints with knowledge of his will in all spiritual understanding (doctrine). Why? To fill us up with knowledge and not work? To become walking libraries? Absolutely not! The Word of the Lord says this knowledge or doctrine results in, or is supposed to result in, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him. Notice that knowledge not only equips the believer to bear fruit in every good work, but it also is an end-state in and of itself “increasing in the knowledge of God.”

God wants his saints to learn about him; to care about him; to love him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength,” — Matthew 22:37/ Mark 12:30/Luke 10:27

Doctrine is not about you. It is about the Lord almighty. The problem with so many Christians today is they are so wrapped up with themselves. They will not subconsciously confuse this. It is a practical reality for them– that they themselves are the center of gravity and God revolves around them. This could not be more wrong. God is the world and we are nothing more than a detail held within. The sun is a typology of God; the dust particle revolving around the sun is a typology of us humans.

This is God’s world and we are simply here to give God glory. Being filled with a mind full of knowledge of Him, and hands full of work for Him should be the goal we all strive for. Doctrine doesn’t take us away from the Lord, it only brings us closer.

Repentance: Change of the Mind or Change of Action?

The word of God states in Ezekiel 18:30:
Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.
In Matthew 4:17 Jesus says “ … Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” These are just a few of the many verses God speaks directly about repentance. God is very concerned about His people repenting of their evil actions, thoughts, and ways. This is a truth that, I believe, has fallen by the wayside in today’s Christian culture. I seldom hear Christians speak about repentance. I only hear, “believe and that’s all you need.” Is this a true statement? I would say yes and no.

I agree with Martin Luther and the reformers that your are saved by grace alone, through faith alone. Amen, hallelujah! However, we must remember the caveat that they place on this statement that is so often excluded: “I believe in faith alone, but not a faith that is alone,” – Martin Luther.

What did he mean by a faith that is not alone? At first glance, it appears that Martin Luther is merely contradicting himself. However, after careful examination, one sees that Martin Luther was speaking about a great paradox in the bible.

James says that faith without works is dead. Faith needs works to be alive or existent. You, however, don’t need faith plus works. They are invariably interwoven. If you have faith without works, then the reality is that you don’t have faith at all. See James illustrates this in 3:15-17:
¹⁵ If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good^[b] is that? ¹⁷So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Take note to what James is saying: that faith without works is like a man saying go in peace and be warmed and filled without actually doing anything for him. This is ridiculous. This is not true concern or charity. This “concern” or “charity” lacks consistency. There is no substance found within.

This is how faith without works is. It lacks validity. How can you say Jesus is Lord, and not do his will (works). How can you say Lord not my will but your will be done (works) and do only your own? You my friend have a dead faith, which will produce nothing.

Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 7:21:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven

What is Jesus saying here? He clearly states that not everyone who professes faith (Lord, Lord) is truly saved. It’s not the one who professes to have faith and has no works, but the one who does the Father’s will.

Can you do the Father’s will and not believe in him? Of course not. As Martin Luther said, “Faith alone, but not a faith that is alone.” How much works do you have to have? There is no such requirement given in scripture. If you truly have faith in Jesus Christ, you will be born again, and your new redeemed person will have works.

One of these works that will result from your new redeemed life is repentance. God will give you not only the desire, but also the power to repent of your former ways. Philippians 2:12 :
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

So who then is doing the work? Is it you or is it God? The Word of the Lord says it is God. So whether it is faith (Ephesian 2:8 …it is a gift from God…) or your work (Philippians 2:12 …it is God who works…) it all comes from the Lord. Therefore, if you are in Christ, you will have no problem doing Jesus’ command, “to believe and repent,” for both of these things will be given to you.

This is all, however, God’s perspective. Man’s perspective is that you need to believe and repent — work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Don’t let any tradition of man rob you from the truth. It is not enough to simply believe. You must believe and repent, for this is true faith — the former will only get you to Matthew 7:21 “…Lord, Lord…” The latter will bring you to Revelation 21:1 “…a new earth and the new Heaven… “

Shun Evil

In Job 1:1, the Bible records that Job is “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” The grammar is odd in this verse, which makes it unclear as to whether this is a list of characteristics such as: Job is blameless, upright, one who feared God, and shunned evil.” Or could it be understood as the following: “Job is blameless and upright, because he feared God and shunned evil.” The latter part of this sentence gives the explanation for Job’s righteousness. Either way, we can all come to harmony that Job was blameless, upright, a God fearer, and an evil shunner.

I have read this verse before, but I never zoned in on the fact that Job shunned evil. I was always too perplexed about the fact that Job was blameless and upright. What did this mean? I thought the Bible said that none were righteous, no not one. Did Paul forget about Job? Of course not. But, that is a totally separate subject that I will discuss in a future article.

When I read the holy Word of God this time, I noticed, as if in bold, that Job feared God and shunned evil. He shunned evil. What does that mean? Webster’s dictionary says to shun is to avoid deliberately and especially habitually. In my every day usage of the word shun, I have only ever used and heard shunning to people such as ‘Don’t shun me’ or ‘the Amish church shuns its former members.’ However, the idea of shunning evil itself is a revolutionary idea to me; it is also a concept I see is completely low and void in society and, most sadly, in the Christian community.

I joked with my wife, my more dearest fellow partaker in the work of God, the only thing I have seen is Christians shunning people who shun evil. We call them square, uptight, and self-righteouss; we unfairly accuse them of trying to earn their salvation. Surely no one who wasn’t trying to earn there salvation would work hard at actually doing the will of who we so piously profess is Lord and savior. Works have nothing to do with self-righteousness, if so then all of our church fathers, previous Prophets, and apostles were self-righteouss sinners who should have been more like the rest of us –abandoned, condemn homes.

Jesus Christ called the religious leaders of his day white washed tombs, for they look good on the outside but inside were full of dead man bones. Verily, verily I say onto you that at least they look good on the outside. Today we don’t look like “white washed tombs.” We look like open caskets . We can clearly see that nothing but a dead man lies in front of us.

Oh, dear God how long will you have mercy on men. How long will you restrain you justice and wrath.

My point here is not that we should be like the religious hypocrites of Jesus’s day; we should be better, not worse. We should be new creations in Christ’ old things passed away, all things new.’ Be clean inside and out. Shun evil. Fear God.

Is shunning evil mean that we entertain ourselves with it? That we watch movies, play video games, or bask in it all day ? Are we the local slander or do we buy any product they are selling. Are we walking pornography, or are we viewing it? Stand up men of God and be encouraged. Job was merely a man just like we are. WWJD – what would Job do. Sometimes it is hard to relate to Jesus due to his absolute perfectness and divine nature; it can seem impossible to match up or relate. However, Job was exactly like you. Actually, he is worse off because he didn’t have the benefit of having the full revealed word of God to encourage him. You do! Stand men of God. Fear God. Shun evil. Walk worthy of the Gospel you where called. Before your offended by this last statement read Philippians 1:27 (²⁷Only let your manner of life be worthy^[h] of the gospel of Christ). Follow God’s word not the traditions of man.

Praise the Lord. Let God be right and all men be found a liar.

Pastors Not Teaching the Way They Ought To

I was reading an article from a brother in Christ about how “entertainment, fluff, feelings-oriented[messages] dominated service.” He was frustrated with how pervasive of a problem this is in the Christian church. He asked with frustration if he was the only one who wanted ‘true, solid, expository preaching/teaching’ that is full of God’s word’s and not man’s. He asked if he was alone.

You are not alone, indeed. Neither was Elijah alone. God has reserved his elect for himself.

It’s funny that you say ‘this problem is so pervasive that to merely suggest finding another church is problematic’, because that is exactly what I was going to suggest.

Since this is not a suitable answer, I will suggest an alternative: It just so happens that I was talking to an army chaplain yesterday, and I asked him why he joined the ministry. He answered, “because I was tired of reading and gathering so much knowledge from the Word and not seeing it be taught or applied. So, I decided I was going to get into a position to change this.”

You are unique in the fact that God has revealed these truths to you. Most don’t even see it. Now the question remains: what will you do with this knowledge?

“God is not building libraries,” a Godly man once told me. He is building workmen/ slaves that know His will and do it.

Therefore, I encourage you to do one of three things:
1.) Share with your pastor about your feelings; if he receives it, praise the Lord. If he doesn’t, his guilt is off of your shoulders.
2.) Support a man of God who is teaching in a way that honors God, not men.
3.) Become that man of God and lead His people.

My Lifes Work: Bible Commentary

I wrote an article today about the importance of not living a vain life. That we as Christians,in the end of our lives, should be able to reflect on our lives and be proud of our contributions. Well with this mentality in mind,  I am considering writing a commentary of the bible. Now I would divide this task into smaller chunks such as first just the gospel of Luke. Then possibly all the books of Luke. So forth and so on, until I finished the entire bible. This is a lofty task and will take no shortage of time but  I am considering it.

One of the primary reasons, I feel led to pursue this goals is because today when I wrote 500 words about 7 verse in Luke. It felt so right.  It felt like God has gifted me with the ability to… not quite effortlessly, but efficiently write about his scriptures. Every time  I read the Lord’s word I want to discuss and teach it. I feel that burning in my soul.  After I wrote about Luke 5:2-7 and read the next section, I wanted to write a exegete on the subsequent scripture. I refused the temptation – for I knew if I excepted it, I would have to write another 500 word essay. Laziness got to me. I didn’t want to. Lol.

Well, this might be another one of my many pipe dreams, or this may be the beginnings  of a life’s work I pursue – - only time will tell.

God bless you; abide in his love through obedience and sacrifice.

Lifes Work

Since I was a young boy, I have always been terrified of living a vain life. Vanity of vanity, the words that I have never want to fulfill. I remember when I was only a young pup, maybe ten years old, that I asked my mom what is the purpose of life. She answer, ‘ well, son, that is a question maybe have struggled to answer, and well I don’t know.’ I remember being dissatisfied with that answer. Even as a child, I knew that there had to be a purpose in life. Life couldn’t simply be meaningless. We where put here by God and I knew he couldn’t have put us here arbitrary. While at the time, I may not have been able to conceptualize this, I definitely understood this deep down (internally). Since God is our creator, we can only find are purpose in him. He designed us to fulfill a specific purpose. God did not just create us and leave us in this world to do as we choose. He is involved in every aspect of our life; he is also concerned with every aspect of our lives. The truth is life without God is meaningless; therefore, life with God is full of meaning, meaning only found in him. Now the question then arises, how do we find out God purpose in our lives? God luckily has given us a guide to navigate through this world. It called the scriptures – his inspired word. The Lord’s way is definitely not the easy path. Serving yourself is the natural sinful desire in all of us. Serving God and doing his will is truly counterintuitive. This, however, is the only way we can find our purpose in this world. The army has a sang ‘you serving something higher then yourself.’ How much truer is this when it comes to serving the Lord of Lord, the creator of the universe. Serving God is the only way to avoid vanity of vanity. Unfortunately, the consequences of not serving the Lord are not only vanity of vanity but also the fire and vengeance of God’s wrath – hell. As a Christian you can live partially a vain life. You can waste your time as a Christian filling your life up with wood hay and stubble. This should not be taken to the extreme of not allowing yourself any free time or time for relaxing. This is usually not an issue through. The usual issue is for Christians to over indulge in ourselves and ignore our duty and obligation to the Lord. This too is vanity of vanity.