I have stood often behind the sacred desk,
Determined to preach and give my best,
Only my best is not good and will not do,
If I hope to paint a clearer picture of You,
My eloquence mars the picture to be seen,
Clouding the glory and majesty my King,
My intellect does not nor can easily impress,
You or the crowds dressed in Sunday best,
What do hearts need in those sacred hours,
Anointed messages preached with power,
Power from You poured out from on high,
Let me preach with power or let me die.
ME 7-4-03
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Fresh Anointing
I have preached my fare share of dead sermons born in the head rather than in the heart. I have to admit there have been times preaching and teaching when I stood behind the pulpit with little expectation for God to move. I have known the vanity of preaching when I did not feel I had God's fresh anointing.
When I use the phrase fresh anointing many may have a different definition but what I mean is that supernatural enabling and empowering that comes from God. As one author put it, this kind of anointing cannot be learned but must be earned in the prayer closet. I am referring to an anointing that comes with fire in the heart and soul.
The late revival preacher and author Leonard Ravenhill once wrote, "We have too many dead preachers preaching too many dead sermons to too many dead people in the pews." Fresh anointing comes from time spent in the presence of God. It comes from prayerfully wrestling with the text and fearlessly standing in the public to proclaim, "Thus says the Lord!"
Paul had fresh anointing to preach. He wrote, My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith may not be based on men's wisdom but on God's power. [I Cor 2:4-5] How many intellectuals stand in the pulpit and proclaim their latest discoveries in the church with beautiful eloquence but no power and no fire. They preach with a cold heart to frozen hearts in the pew. We need preachers with fire. God's fire. We need preachers who preach with a demonstration of power. God's power. Not the power to manipulate people emotionally to get them to walk the aisle and bend the knee. We must have God's power to convict of sin, to regenerate the lost, and to bring people to sorrowful repentance. We need God's power to revive lifeless churches and those barely clinging to life on life support of programs.
I was recently in a meeting when I heard a minister say to the rest of the group that they did not have quiet time with God. This minister confessed to not having personal devotions. My heart sunk. How many in leadership do not spend time in the prayer closet and all their ministry is a sham. How many do ministry without a demonstration of God's power and are content to do so?
O how we need fresh anointing preachers. We need messages born from God to preachers whose hearts are aflame and lips are ready to spew the molten lava of God's word. I read yesterday of a pastor whose sermons were characterized as being like fire and the people who heard him preach were like grass. When this man preached hearts were ignited with fire in the soul. I wish I could say that was true of me. Sadly it is not. I have preached for decades and seen many Sundays of barren altars.
I have preached with all my heart and fallen to my knees at the altar to do business with God personally. Many times when I arose I found no one else had moved one inch from their pew. Preaching with God's fresh anointing means preaching with God's power. Hearts are moved. Souls are saved. The church is revived.
I must become one of these anointed preachers. Brenda often chides me for being so impatient when it does not appear God is working in the hearts of the people. How can I be otherwise. I believe the message of God's word from my head to my feet. She often says that when I am preaching my whole body is in it. How can I ever deliver messages from God and be content when there is no life change, no acceptance of the truth, and souls are not saved and revived. How I can ever be content to preach with anything less in mind than a demonstration of God's power.
I want God's fresh anointing. I want God's power on my preaching. I want to preach like thunder used of God to rattle the souls of a church, community, and nation. This kind of fresh anointing will not be learned or earned in a seminary classroom. It cannot be handed down from reading books. It comes from the presence of God in the prayer closet. To the prayer closet I must devote myself.
O God, we need you. We have tried to preach, program and do church without You. We have used our intellect more than our faith. We have preached the icy messages of eloquence more than the fire breathed messages cloaked in Your power. We have put our confidence in our education and ability putting Your church to sleep in apathy. We have preached to tickle the ears rather than to fearlessly declare the whole counsel of God. I pray You would start in my heart bringing a fresh anointing. I ask You to rekindle the revival fire in my soul. I ask You to deepen my desire for time alone with You! I ask You to open my hears and eyes to hear from You and to see truth. May I like Paul not preach with persuasive words of human wisdom but in a demonstration of Your power. Nothing less will help this sinful sick age. So I ask You for the fire of Your presence to flood every fiber of my soul and every chamber of my heart. May I be shut out from the world that I may ever remain shut up alone with You in life giving prayer. I ask You for fresh anointing not just for this week and for the next message but for every day of my remaining life. Nothing less will do. In Jesus name, amen.
When I use the phrase fresh anointing many may have a different definition but what I mean is that supernatural enabling and empowering that comes from God. As one author put it, this kind of anointing cannot be learned but must be earned in the prayer closet. I am referring to an anointing that comes with fire in the heart and soul.
The late revival preacher and author Leonard Ravenhill once wrote, "We have too many dead preachers preaching too many dead sermons to too many dead people in the pews." Fresh anointing comes from time spent in the presence of God. It comes from prayerfully wrestling with the text and fearlessly standing in the public to proclaim, "Thus says the Lord!"
Paul had fresh anointing to preach. He wrote, My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith may not be based on men's wisdom but on God's power. [I Cor 2:4-5] How many intellectuals stand in the pulpit and proclaim their latest discoveries in the church with beautiful eloquence but no power and no fire. They preach with a cold heart to frozen hearts in the pew. We need preachers with fire. God's fire. We need preachers who preach with a demonstration of power. God's power. Not the power to manipulate people emotionally to get them to walk the aisle and bend the knee. We must have God's power to convict of sin, to regenerate the lost, and to bring people to sorrowful repentance. We need God's power to revive lifeless churches and those barely clinging to life on life support of programs.
I was recently in a meeting when I heard a minister say to the rest of the group that they did not have quiet time with God. This minister confessed to not having personal devotions. My heart sunk. How many in leadership do not spend time in the prayer closet and all their ministry is a sham. How many do ministry without a demonstration of God's power and are content to do so?
O how we need fresh anointing preachers. We need messages born from God to preachers whose hearts are aflame and lips are ready to spew the molten lava of God's word. I read yesterday of a pastor whose sermons were characterized as being like fire and the people who heard him preach were like grass. When this man preached hearts were ignited with fire in the soul. I wish I could say that was true of me. Sadly it is not. I have preached for decades and seen many Sundays of barren altars.
I have preached with all my heart and fallen to my knees at the altar to do business with God personally. Many times when I arose I found no one else had moved one inch from their pew. Preaching with God's fresh anointing means preaching with God's power. Hearts are moved. Souls are saved. The church is revived.
I must become one of these anointed preachers. Brenda often chides me for being so impatient when it does not appear God is working in the hearts of the people. How can I be otherwise. I believe the message of God's word from my head to my feet. She often says that when I am preaching my whole body is in it. How can I ever deliver messages from God and be content when there is no life change, no acceptance of the truth, and souls are not saved and revived. How I can ever be content to preach with anything less in mind than a demonstration of God's power.
I want God's fresh anointing. I want God's power on my preaching. I want to preach like thunder used of God to rattle the souls of a church, community, and nation. This kind of fresh anointing will not be learned or earned in a seminary classroom. It cannot be handed down from reading books. It comes from the presence of God in the prayer closet. To the prayer closet I must devote myself.
O God, we need you. We have tried to preach, program and do church without You. We have used our intellect more than our faith. We have preached the icy messages of eloquence more than the fire breathed messages cloaked in Your power. We have put our confidence in our education and ability putting Your church to sleep in apathy. We have preached to tickle the ears rather than to fearlessly declare the whole counsel of God. I pray You would start in my heart bringing a fresh anointing. I ask You to rekindle the revival fire in my soul. I ask You to deepen my desire for time alone with You! I ask You to open my hears and eyes to hear from You and to see truth. May I like Paul not preach with persuasive words of human wisdom but in a demonstration of Your power. Nothing less will help this sinful sick age. So I ask You for the fire of Your presence to flood every fiber of my soul and every chamber of my heart. May I be shut out from the world that I may ever remain shut up alone with You in life giving prayer. I ask You for fresh anointing not just for this week and for the next message but for every day of my remaining life. Nothing less will do. In Jesus name, amen.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
They Come
Lord, they come from all across the globe,
To grasp Your word to help them grow,
They come from near and from afar,
Asking You to rekindle their heart fire,
I write what you give dispensing truth,
For them to discover like a seeking sleuth,
They come hungry not for me but You,
The words of men never satisfactory do,
They come from all tribes and all nations,
Some lost and some redeemed new creations,
They come those whom I love and have met,
They also come those whom I can't forget,
Others come I've never beheld face to face,
Many I will never meet until time is erased,
They still come to drink and learn of You,
I ask You to work in ways I could never do,
May they keep coming by the multitudes,
Coming closer and getting a more intimate view,
Please keep giving me truth to ponder and write,
I ask you to keep sending them for fuel to fight.
ME 7-02-13
To grasp Your word to help them grow,
They come from near and from afar,
Asking You to rekindle their heart fire,
I write what you give dispensing truth,
For them to discover like a seeking sleuth,
They come hungry not for me but You,
The words of men never satisfactory do,
They come from all tribes and all nations,
Some lost and some redeemed new creations,
They come those whom I love and have met,
They also come those whom I can't forget,
Others come I've never beheld face to face,
Many I will never meet until time is erased,
They still come to drink and learn of You,
I ask You to work in ways I could never do,
May they keep coming by the multitudes,
Coming closer and getting a more intimate view,
Please keep giving me truth to ponder and write,
I ask you to keep sending them for fuel to fight.
ME 7-02-13
Extended Flock
But I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [Col 2:1-3]
Notice the burden Paul had for people, many whom he had never met face to face. He says he had a great struggle over those people. The word "struggle" means a great battle in his soul. He had a burden for the people at Colossae and Thessolonica. He had a shepherd's heart.
I feel that same sense of burden today as I write this. God has entrusted an extended flock to me to challenge, nurture, feed, and comfort through these writings. Many of the people who had read these meditations I have never met face to face. Take for example the fact that I never pastored a church of over 300 people. Yet, 51,000 times people have come to this blog to read for various reasons. Out of those 51,000 hits to this site the vast majority have been from people living in the United States. It doesn't stop there. Just this week alone people from Latvia, Germany, Australia, Philippines, and France have read some of these blogs. Since we began posting these entries several years ago people from South Korea, The United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, and India in addition to these other countries previously mentioned have visited this site numerous times. Most likely I will never meet these people this side of Heaven but my heart has a great struggle for each of you. I want you to know Christ and be encouraged in Him. I want you to know the hidden treasure that is Christ.
I have a great struggle in my heart burning more now than ever to get truth out. Whether that be preaching in person, writing these messages, and hopefully one day soon making messages available on the world wide web as well. I have a desire to see people grow in Christ and to see the church of God revived. That is a burden I struggle with here in Paradise, TX with Faith Community Church as well as the church at large.
You are my extended flock. I may not remain by your bedsides during times of crisis or stand before you week after week teaching truth in person, but through this venue the messages God gives me literally spans the globe. I trust Christ is working in your hearts to have His will and way as you read and reflect.
I write with a struggle today. Wondering how many God will lead to this site. Wondering how many will come to understand the mystery that is Christ. Wondering if these writings ever make a difference. It would be nice to hear from you from time to time for encouragement. I write and send these things into cyberspace never knowing what the end result is.
It does not matter if I am encouraged. My struggle is to write for God and for each of you. Know today you are each in my heart though I do not know who you are. Know that I am praying for each of you and for the expansion of this ministry further than I ever could have imagined.
I may never stand before a flock of several hundred or several thousand. Through this writing ministry I literally have an extended flock of thousands covering dozens of countries around the world. Please know today I love you. Also know I have a great struggle on your behalf and I pray for each of you. May the Lord continue to use and expand this ministry.
Notice the burden Paul had for people, many whom he had never met face to face. He says he had a great struggle over those people. The word "struggle" means a great battle in his soul. He had a burden for the people at Colossae and Thessolonica. He had a shepherd's heart.
I feel that same sense of burden today as I write this. God has entrusted an extended flock to me to challenge, nurture, feed, and comfort through these writings. Many of the people who had read these meditations I have never met face to face. Take for example the fact that I never pastored a church of over 300 people. Yet, 51,000 times people have come to this blog to read for various reasons. Out of those 51,000 hits to this site the vast majority have been from people living in the United States. It doesn't stop there. Just this week alone people from Latvia, Germany, Australia, Philippines, and France have read some of these blogs. Since we began posting these entries several years ago people from South Korea, The United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, and India in addition to these other countries previously mentioned have visited this site numerous times. Most likely I will never meet these people this side of Heaven but my heart has a great struggle for each of you. I want you to know Christ and be encouraged in Him. I want you to know the hidden treasure that is Christ.
I have a great struggle in my heart burning more now than ever to get truth out. Whether that be preaching in person, writing these messages, and hopefully one day soon making messages available on the world wide web as well. I have a desire to see people grow in Christ and to see the church of God revived. That is a burden I struggle with here in Paradise, TX with Faith Community Church as well as the church at large.
You are my extended flock. I may not remain by your bedsides during times of crisis or stand before you week after week teaching truth in person, but through this venue the messages God gives me literally spans the globe. I trust Christ is working in your hearts to have His will and way as you read and reflect.
I write with a struggle today. Wondering how many God will lead to this site. Wondering how many will come to understand the mystery that is Christ. Wondering if these writings ever make a difference. It would be nice to hear from you from time to time for encouragement. I write and send these things into cyberspace never knowing what the end result is.
It does not matter if I am encouraged. My struggle is to write for God and for each of you. Know today you are each in my heart though I do not know who you are. Know that I am praying for each of you and for the expansion of this ministry further than I ever could have imagined.
I may never stand before a flock of several hundred or several thousand. Through this writing ministry I literally have an extended flock of thousands covering dozens of countries around the world. Please know today I love you. Also know I have a great struggle on your behalf and I pray for each of you. May the Lord continue to use and expand this ministry.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Prophet or Profit
I have always been partial to the prophets. By far I would have to say my favorite Bible prophet is Elijah. He had boldness, power through prayer, a strong faith (except for that one weak moment), the ability to hear from God, and a fierce opposition to hypocrisy and those who opposed God. My love for prophets does not stop there. I have a great fondness for more modern prophets like the late A.W. Tozer and Leonard Ravenhill. I am reading a Tozer book now and delight in the hard truth he wrote and preached. Ravenhill preached hard and wrote hard books like America is Too Young to Die, Why Revival Tarries, and Sodom Had No Bible.
Prophets speak for God and do not flinch in calling people to repentance. They are fiery, passionate, and bold. They typically see things as black and white with little grey area. They are often loners who are content to be shut up with God until they have God's message to be proclaimed in the public sector. Prophets do not win awards. They are not invited to luncheons. They do not get promoted or highly recognized very often on this earth. They are misunderstood, shunned, and often rejected by their preaching peers.
True prophets are rarely appreciated in their own lifetimes. It is only after their deaths and history tells their story do people begin to place value on their ministries.
Many preachers are spineless. They preach for profit. To preach as a prophet would mean dwindling crowds, smaller offerings, fewer promotions, and bare bones salaries. In this seeker sensitive age preachers like to preach what plays well with the crowds. Repentance has never played well with the crowds. Preaching holy living is another topic not highly requested or written about. There is not much profit in that kind of preaching or writing.
In a day of mega churches we also live with a famine in the land for hearing the word of God preached with boldness and a demonstration of power by prophets who do not care the least about personal profit. There is a place for teaching and preaching. There is a place for exposition of the scriptures to edify and console. There is also a place for prophets.
What happened to the ministry of the prophet? Where are they today to call us to repentance and to not shy away from preaching the hard messages to a soft church age built on entertainment and felt needs preaching. Is there not a need for the people of God to turn from sin and hypocrisy in genuine repentance and mourning?
Many years ago I preached a message in a new seeker church. They did not really know me and when I cracked open the Bible that Sunday morning to preach from Isaiah 6 on the holiness of God you could almost see them choking. I mean literally choking down their donuts, pastries, and cups of coffee while I preached on the holiness of a God who is not revered or worshipped for who He really is. They had been fed a steady diet of love, grace, and ease in Zion.
Typically afterward few people shook my hand. I was not invited out by anyone for lunch. Nobody stood in line to purchase one of my books.
Many preachers profit from ministry. Prophets seldom do. They are more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing people. Prophets at times do not make good pastors. They preach too hard. They refuse to compromise and just play the church game to get along. Prophets ruffle feathers, they rock the boat, and they shake up the status quo. Many churches have no place behind their pulpits for prophets. They long for the celebrity pastor who can build up the budget, attendance, and prestige of the church not present a spotless bride to the Jesus the Bridegroom.
What does this land need? Do we need more preachers for hire or do we need prophets who have been shut up with God. Preachers when they come out they come out with a true message from God to this sinful age. May God let the prophetic mantle fall on His own once again even if it means little personal profit.
Prophets speak for God and do not flinch in calling people to repentance. They are fiery, passionate, and bold. They typically see things as black and white with little grey area. They are often loners who are content to be shut up with God until they have God's message to be proclaimed in the public sector. Prophets do not win awards. They are not invited to luncheons. They do not get promoted or highly recognized very often on this earth. They are misunderstood, shunned, and often rejected by their preaching peers.
True prophets are rarely appreciated in their own lifetimes. It is only after their deaths and history tells their story do people begin to place value on their ministries.
Many preachers are spineless. They preach for profit. To preach as a prophet would mean dwindling crowds, smaller offerings, fewer promotions, and bare bones salaries. In this seeker sensitive age preachers like to preach what plays well with the crowds. Repentance has never played well with the crowds. Preaching holy living is another topic not highly requested or written about. There is not much profit in that kind of preaching or writing.
In a day of mega churches we also live with a famine in the land for hearing the word of God preached with boldness and a demonstration of power by prophets who do not care the least about personal profit. There is a place for teaching and preaching. There is a place for exposition of the scriptures to edify and console. There is also a place for prophets.
What happened to the ministry of the prophet? Where are they today to call us to repentance and to not shy away from preaching the hard messages to a soft church age built on entertainment and felt needs preaching. Is there not a need for the people of God to turn from sin and hypocrisy in genuine repentance and mourning?
Many years ago I preached a message in a new seeker church. They did not really know me and when I cracked open the Bible that Sunday morning to preach from Isaiah 6 on the holiness of God you could almost see them choking. I mean literally choking down their donuts, pastries, and cups of coffee while I preached on the holiness of a God who is not revered or worshipped for who He really is. They had been fed a steady diet of love, grace, and ease in Zion.
Typically afterward few people shook my hand. I was not invited out by anyone for lunch. Nobody stood in line to purchase one of my books.
Many preachers profit from ministry. Prophets seldom do. They are more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing people. Prophets at times do not make good pastors. They preach too hard. They refuse to compromise and just play the church game to get along. Prophets ruffle feathers, they rock the boat, and they shake up the status quo. Many churches have no place behind their pulpits for prophets. They long for the celebrity pastor who can build up the budget, attendance, and prestige of the church not present a spotless bride to the Jesus the Bridegroom.
What does this land need? Do we need more preachers for hire or do we need prophets who have been shut up with God. Preachers when they come out they come out with a true message from God to this sinful age. May God let the prophetic mantle fall on His own once again even if it means little personal profit.
Friendship with the World
"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." [James 4:4]
God's church is filled with two timing, unfaithful, spiritual adulterating church members. There is no easy way to say this. You can make a list of sins and find church going people engaged in many of those sinful behaviors. There is lying, gossip, back stabbing, adultery, fornication, profane speech, cheating, un-forgiveness, drunkenness, and the list goes on. What is worse is there is not shame or remorse for such behavior by many who sit in the pews on Sunday but live for the Devil the rest of the week.
I am not speaking to the pagans outside in the church engaged in this type of behavior. Neither is James. We are both addressing Christians. Christians who have embraced compromise along the way. It did not seem a big deal at the time. A corner was cut, a forbidden fruit was nibbled, caution was thrown to the wind for a few moments of fun and pleasure. What started out as a little compromise for some has now become unashamed friendship with the world.
Christians drink the world's brew, laugh at their crude jokes, embrace profane language in the form of movie and television entertainment, dress in the world's fashions, wear our hair like the glamorous people of Hollywood, all the while, shunning words like holiness, consecration, and righteousness.
The church is stained. The church has become chummy companions with the world. When is the last time you heard a good biblical message on holy living? That is not a felt need by the world. It is a need just the same for people who have made the world an associate and become friendly with in lifestyles while rejecting, ignoring, and rebelling against God.
Church do you not get this? GOD IS OFFENDED BY SIN! HE HATES SIN! I did not say He hates the sinner. I said He hates sin. When sinful pagan lifestyles are embraced by God's own people we make ourselves odious in His sight. That is what the world "enemy" means in [James 4:4] Go read your old testament and see how God treated His own covenant people when they rejected Him. Read in Acts 5:1-11 how God dealt with the sin of Annanias and Sapphira for the sin of lying. Read what God had to say to many of the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three. REPENT! A message sorely needed in the church today. REPENT does go over well with the television and radio audience. REPENT does not make the top ten best selling book list at the store. REPENT does not draw the crowds on Sunday mornings in fact it often repels the crowds.
How can Christian people sit around in front of the latest sitcoms laughing and embracing things like; Happily Divorced, The Modern Family, Bates Motel, Mad Men, Cougar Town and others. In these shows homosexuality is flaunted, adultery is embraced, sexual promiscuity is showcased as normal, divorced is mocked as a preferred lifestyle, and fathers are often spineless or unfaithful to their spouse and children. All of these things are clearly spoken against in the scriptures. The only way children of God can watch these things is with a closed Bible and a closed heart to the Spirit of God.
Blessed is the pure in heart for they shall see God. [Matt 5:8]
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. [ I Thess 5:21-22]
As obedient children do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior because it is written, 'You shall be holy for I am holy." [I Pet 1:14-16]
Church do you examine the music you listen to carefully? Parents do you even know what is playing behind those headphones constantly plugged to your children's ears? Do you closely examine what you watch in your home or at the movie theater seeking to abstain from every form of evil? Horror movies out. Movies with profanity off limits. Sexually implicit pictures out of bounds. You will find very little entertainment God honoring you can watch.
Because the church has made the world a close companion hearts are hard to the things of God. They have become calloused. God still moves and works as He has always done. People who have become friendly with the world are no longer sensitive to the things of God's Spirit. They are no longer sensitive to the scriptures, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, nor God's chastisement. They prefer a life of rebellion making themselves enemies of God rather than yielding and submitting to Him.
It is time for the people of God to take an honest look at how friendly we have become with the world in our behavior. It is time to open our eyes, our hearts, our Bibles and spirits asking God to search our hearts to see if He finds any wicked way in us. It is time for judgement to begin in the house of God. It is time to make a break from friendship with the world to cultivate communion with Christ. It is time to embrace holiness and shun hypocrisy. What will it be church? Friendship with the world or friendship with God? It is time to decide.
God's church is filled with two timing, unfaithful, spiritual adulterating church members. There is no easy way to say this. You can make a list of sins and find church going people engaged in many of those sinful behaviors. There is lying, gossip, back stabbing, adultery, fornication, profane speech, cheating, un-forgiveness, drunkenness, and the list goes on. What is worse is there is not shame or remorse for such behavior by many who sit in the pews on Sunday but live for the Devil the rest of the week.
I am not speaking to the pagans outside in the church engaged in this type of behavior. Neither is James. We are both addressing Christians. Christians who have embraced compromise along the way. It did not seem a big deal at the time. A corner was cut, a forbidden fruit was nibbled, caution was thrown to the wind for a few moments of fun and pleasure. What started out as a little compromise for some has now become unashamed friendship with the world.
Christians drink the world's brew, laugh at their crude jokes, embrace profane language in the form of movie and television entertainment, dress in the world's fashions, wear our hair like the glamorous people of Hollywood, all the while, shunning words like holiness, consecration, and righteousness.
The church is stained. The church has become chummy companions with the world. When is the last time you heard a good biblical message on holy living? That is not a felt need by the world. It is a need just the same for people who have made the world an associate and become friendly with in lifestyles while rejecting, ignoring, and rebelling against God.
Church do you not get this? GOD IS OFFENDED BY SIN! HE HATES SIN! I did not say He hates the sinner. I said He hates sin. When sinful pagan lifestyles are embraced by God's own people we make ourselves odious in His sight. That is what the world "enemy" means in [James 4:4] Go read your old testament and see how God treated His own covenant people when they rejected Him. Read in Acts 5:1-11 how God dealt with the sin of Annanias and Sapphira for the sin of lying. Read what God had to say to many of the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three. REPENT! A message sorely needed in the church today. REPENT does go over well with the television and radio audience. REPENT does not make the top ten best selling book list at the store. REPENT does not draw the crowds on Sunday mornings in fact it often repels the crowds.
How can Christian people sit around in front of the latest sitcoms laughing and embracing things like; Happily Divorced, The Modern Family, Bates Motel, Mad Men, Cougar Town and others. In these shows homosexuality is flaunted, adultery is embraced, sexual promiscuity is showcased as normal, divorced is mocked as a preferred lifestyle, and fathers are often spineless or unfaithful to their spouse and children. All of these things are clearly spoken against in the scriptures. The only way children of God can watch these things is with a closed Bible and a closed heart to the Spirit of God.
Blessed is the pure in heart for they shall see God. [Matt 5:8]
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. [ I Thess 5:21-22]
As obedient children do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior because it is written, 'You shall be holy for I am holy." [I Pet 1:14-16]
Church do you examine the music you listen to carefully? Parents do you even know what is playing behind those headphones constantly plugged to your children's ears? Do you closely examine what you watch in your home or at the movie theater seeking to abstain from every form of evil? Horror movies out. Movies with profanity off limits. Sexually implicit pictures out of bounds. You will find very little entertainment God honoring you can watch.
Because the church has made the world a close companion hearts are hard to the things of God. They have become calloused. God still moves and works as He has always done. People who have become friendly with the world are no longer sensitive to the things of God's Spirit. They are no longer sensitive to the scriptures, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, nor God's chastisement. They prefer a life of rebellion making themselves enemies of God rather than yielding and submitting to Him.
It is time for the people of God to take an honest look at how friendly we have become with the world in our behavior. It is time to open our eyes, our hearts, our Bibles and spirits asking God to search our hearts to see if He finds any wicked way in us. It is time for judgement to begin in the house of God. It is time to make a break from friendship with the world to cultivate communion with Christ. It is time to embrace holiness and shun hypocrisy. What will it be church? Friendship with the world or friendship with God? It is time to decide.
Back to Work
We are back from vacation. Back to life preaching, writing, and mowing. Back to reality. No more leisure days of tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, jogging, and fishing. Back to work for Brenda, the boys, and me.
Back to work in trying to see this church grow. Back to preparing messages and delivering them. Back to preparing our students for youth camp and a youth revival I will preach here at the end of the summer. Back to work mowing yards. Two of the four days we have been back I have spent on top of the mower. Back to working out. Lifting weights, jogging, and core training. Tonight at 6:00 p.m. a dozen or so junior high and high school guys will meet us at the field house for two hours of hard work in preparation for the upcoming football season I lead with another dad.
I have this week at home. Next week I will be traveling to Canyon Lake, TX where I will preach a youth camp for FBC Seminole. I am taking three of the boys with me. Taylor will be attending a football camp that same week in Denton. We will come home for the weekend and then all head out for our camp the following week. Either at the end of this week or after youth camp we are supposed to move. Packing, lifting, loading, and relocating. Yes, it is back to work on several fronts.
I could use your prayers on several fronts. God is at work and I ask you to pray that God would show me clearly where He is working so I can join Him. I have a couple of books cooking in the back of mind I need prayers to be able to write and complete with God's anointing. I ask for your prayers to be empowered by the Holy Spirit in preaching camp next week (July 8-12), in teaching high school students at our camp (July 15-19) and our youth revival (July 28-31). I also have some other things cooking on the stove I am not at liberty to share at this time. Time management is a great need during the rest of this summer. As always your prayers are needed and appreciated.
Back to work in trying to see this church grow. Back to preparing messages and delivering them. Back to preparing our students for youth camp and a youth revival I will preach here at the end of the summer. Back to work mowing yards. Two of the four days we have been back I have spent on top of the mower. Back to working out. Lifting weights, jogging, and core training. Tonight at 6:00 p.m. a dozen or so junior high and high school guys will meet us at the field house for two hours of hard work in preparation for the upcoming football season I lead with another dad.
I have this week at home. Next week I will be traveling to Canyon Lake, TX where I will preach a youth camp for FBC Seminole. I am taking three of the boys with me. Taylor will be attending a football camp that same week in Denton. We will come home for the weekend and then all head out for our camp the following week. Either at the end of this week or after youth camp we are supposed to move. Packing, lifting, loading, and relocating. Yes, it is back to work on several fronts.
I could use your prayers on several fronts. God is at work and I ask you to pray that God would show me clearly where He is working so I can join Him. I have a couple of books cooking in the back of mind I need prayers to be able to write and complete with God's anointing. I ask for your prayers to be empowered by the Holy Spirit in preaching camp next week (July 8-12), in teaching high school students at our camp (July 15-19) and our youth revival (July 28-31). I also have some other things cooking on the stove I am not at liberty to share at this time. Time management is a great need during the rest of this summer. As always your prayers are needed and appreciated.
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