The Mirror of Conviction

This past Sunday as I approached the pulpit and unfolded my sermon notes, I no more than spoke the title of the message God had laid on my heart when the Spirit prodded me to go down an unexpected trail. It wasn't written in my notes nor had it even been planned. However it was a word the church needed to receive. I won't go into what was said because it was an intimate word for those who were present but I do want to share something interesting about how folks choose to handle truth.

God's word speaks of itself as a mirror. I believe, when we take the time to gaze into the scripture, that it has the power to make us see us as we really are. It has the power to convict us and help us recognize where we are lacking in our own spiritual lives. Sadly enough, most of the body never takes the time to pick up a Bible much less read and study it and therefore God uses the spoken word to hurl those arrows of reproof.

Now that I've set it up... here's what I'm wanting to say. When we hear a word that causes conviction we can choose to handle it in one of two ways; we'll either admit that we've been pegged and take our medicine or we'll get mad at the one who spoke the truth. When I went down, what some would call, a rabbit trail on Sunday morning there was no particular person in mind... honestly. God laid it on my heart and I laid it on the table. When I write a blog and speak truth from which I feel the body could benefit if it were received... I'm not writing about any one individual. Are there church people in my life who willingly make themselves the poster children for how not to live the Christian life? Absolutely, but I'm not so ignorant as to think they are the only ones who behave in such a way.

To conclude let me say... in the event that you read or hear words that dot you between the eyes and make you mad but cannot Biblically refute them... don't get upset at anybody except the one you're looking at in the mirror. If you feel it's been said or written with only you in mind you are obviously guilty. You know the old saying... If you throw a rock into a pack of dogs, the only one who yelps is the dog who got hit!

This is Not a Rant

NO... this is not me just spewing in order to get some bad taste out of my mouth. The following in not a rant but is instead the truth.

Why is the church as a whole not marching forward in a steadier, unified and fortified effort? Because most march to the beat of their own drummer! Too many church folks tend to form their own opinion as to how the church ought to operate and mistake it for the gospel. Just in case anyone is wondering the gospel can be found between the table of contents and the maps; it has been summed up in the 66 books that were breathed into the heart of man by the Holy Spirit of God. In the event that you would wonder if your outlook on truth is valid, I would invite you to peruse the scriptures!

As a pastor I have come to notice that no other institution in the world even compares in regards to revolving doors! I see people come and then I watch them leave. The reasons are more numerous than you can imagine; everything from you didn't put my sister on the prayer list to I don't like the kind of toilet paper they use! Every now and then you'll get the spiritual answer... "God is leading us somewhere else". Now let's be honest... is He? It's a funny thing how God always starts leading folks away after something has happened to upset their apple cart. Hey, and if that offends you... take a step back and take a long look at you.

Pastors have had demands placed upon them that no human should have to bear. Here is precisely what I mean in regards to opinion verses truth. In the book of Acts 6:1-4, it is made clear that the man of God is mandated to do one thing... 4. but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Why did they have to arrive at that conclusion? Because there were a bunch of church folks griping about one group getting more attention than another group! Here was their direct reply... "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. SO... the Deacons were put in place! When was the last time somebody left the church because the Deacon didn't come running when they had a stumped toe? I had one gentleman tell me that a pastor should be on call 24/7 and that the pastor should even be willing to come to his house and have personal Bible study with his family! Hey... and for just $2.00 more I'll tuck you all in and sing you to sleep while my family does without a husband and a father!

In Jesus name it's about time the body of Christ gets a clue about the way things are supposed to be and step out of their Disney World mentality in regards to church! I know it's not good grammar but... this ain't no Country Club! This is not even a place that was designed to serve the believer. The church was established to win the lost and disciple those into mature Christians that in turn would serve the Church.

So Christian... if you are at odds with the Church, your pastor or any other part of the body because you haven't had your way... keep in mind that Jesus didn't die and therefore establish the Church to serve as your pacifier, in fact you need to count yourself blessed, humbled and privileged to even be considered a part of it!

Christ out of Xmas?

In recent years there has been a war between the church and the world regarding the sacred day that represents the birth of our Lord.  When you see the word Xmas in place of the word Christmas, does it upset you?  Do you see it as the world's attempt to subtract Christ from Christmas?  If so, take a deep breath.  Indeed the world is seeking to make little of our Messiah but we ought not give them credit where it isn't due.

The letter X is a Greek abreviation for the name of Christ.  This form of abreviation has been used for the past 1,000 years in the English language.  The Oxford English Dictionary cites the words Xtian and Xtianity from 1845 to 1966.

This is one thing less to be concerned over this XMAS!  By the way... even though the world may try with all it's might, it will never remove Christ from Christmas.  He is it's very definition!

What Does Thanksgiving Mean to You?

So... it's Thanksgiving morning and the daylight peers through the shade. What do you do? Turn over and thank God that it wasn't an alarm clock that woke you up; catch another hour's worth of zzzzzz's; jump up quickly and turn on the parades; make a b-line to the kitchen to start the feast; go look for a neighborhood game of two hand tag? The possibilities are endless!

All of those things sound like viable options but let me encourage you to do one thing before you actually make your choice... praise the Lord for the chance you've been given to make the choice.

If you turn over to sleep a bit more it's because we live in a country that is free and there are those who are fighting today to make you feel safe. If you spring out of bed for anything it's because God has given you health. If your destination is the kitchen it's because there is food in the cupboards to prepare (Many will go hungry over Thanksgiving). Whatever you are able to do today, tomorrow and every other day... make sure you never take for granted how blessed you are to have the opportunity to do it.

Take the time and leave your comments about Thanksgiving! Let the world know what you're thankful for.

Our Source of Joy

Be honest... what do you tend to depend on for your happiness? Take a snapshot of the last few years of your life. When you were at your highest high, what was the cause? When you were at your lowest low, what caused the decline? Sadly, the church's telemetry screen looks much like the world's. Those things that make the sinner's heart beat faster with excitement causes ours to thump the same way! Those circumstances that make the sinner's heart murmur in defeat have the same affect on the blood bought child of God.

Where am I going? Really simple... a raise at work makes anybody and everybody smile; the purchase of a new shiny car makes the sun shine brighter; when a dream home is completed, the owner swells with pride. All of these things are well and good but they have one thing in common... they are passing away. You can take it to the bank; if you depend on these types of things for your joy, that joy will be just as passing. The church sports a defeated persona because, for the most part, we haven't recognized that along with our conversion came a new set of standards; a new book of rules. If we desire for our mood to be consistent, the object of our joy has to be something that never changes and that object is the risen Son of God! We have to find ourselves steeped in His word and loyal to His commands. If we abide in His word we'll continue in His love and the Bible says that we will experience His joy in it's fullness.

You want real joy? Stop investing in those things of earth that let you down and are passing away. Lay your treasures up on the other side... for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also!

Do Wounding Friends Wind You Up?

Are you the type whose skin crawls when someone points out those things about you that could stand attention? For instance, if a friend of yours came to you and told you that you tend to talk more than you listen... how would you take it? What if you were questioned by a fellow Christian about your lack of ministry participation? Listen to what the wisest man who ever lived said...

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, BUT the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

I'll be the first to admit it... when somebody tells me something about me that needs to be changed I tend to get defensive at first but usually, as I think about it and the truth of it sets in, I see that the change would benefit me and those around me as well. Those words that shock us and even cause wounds are indeed faithful. The ones you need to watch out for are those who want to remain in denial about the need for change in life. One who only tells you how great you are all of the time surely seems like a good friend but in reality their kisses can prove deceitful.

Real friends blow kisses of encouragement but along with the kisses they shoot arrows of reproof.

What kind of friend are you? What kind of friends do you have? Are you helping them be what they need to be? Are they encouraging you in the right ways? Who knows... it may be time for a change.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Investment Tip!

Yes indeed!!! I have a tip for each of you that is 100% reliable and the return on investment is literally out of this world!!! Let's face it... what does any of us have to lose?

Now here are some things you need to have in place before you can take advantage of this financial opportunity. First of all you need to believe that Jesus is who He says He is. Jesus is either one of two things. He's either the only begotten, virgin born Son of God who came to redeem the world from sin or He's the biggest liar who ever walked. There is no in between. To not believe His claim of deity yet revere Him as a good teacher is absolute foolishness. There are no gray areas with Christ! If you believe Him to be the second person of the Trinity the next thing you need to have is faith to step out on His direction.... and last of all you'll need to take action on that faith.

Now, just to set this up... it is made extremely clear that everything that we aquire on earth shall indeed pass away. If you profit $100,000,000.00 in earthly investments over your lifetime every last dollar will be burned up along with the rest of this world. So, why spend a multitude of effort trying to build a kingdom here that will result in rubbish? Christ spoke of a better way to invest and here's where we're tested on our faith. Hear the words of the Lord...

Luke 12:33 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.

You read it right... forget making a ton of money here, send it ahead where you'll be able to enjoy it for eternity. We all have such an earthbound mentality because this is where all our stuff is! Jesus goes on in the next verse to say... "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". It's no wonder we give no more thought to the things of God than we do, most of us have yet to begin a Heavenly savings account! If you invest in GM, every time the news mentions their name you turn up the TV. If you give a great amount of money to bless AIDS children in Africa, every time you hear a report on AIDS research you perk up.

So, how much time do you have left down here... 35... 40 years? Does that even compare to the neverending span of time Heaven offers us all? With that considered... what's the smart investment; a possible return in a blue chip stock that yields you treasure for a few more years (or not) or a sure thing that yields an infinity of return for an infinity of time? Don't take it from me, take it from Jesus! Lay your treasure on the other side... you'll be glad you did.