Year: 2016

Unity isn’t the same as Conformity

Deuteronomy 33 lays out how the Lord will bless the different tribes of Israel. For one tribe, they are given strength to battle (Judah),  while another is held close and safe from battle (Benjamin). One tribe is called to great sacrifice, self denial and service (Levi), while another is freely blessed with the best gifts of the earth (Joseph).

Just like then,  the Lord has different callings and purposes for His children now. When we see someone fulfilling their ministry in a different way than we are called and led, our natural reaction is to be confused or uncomfortable if we expect “conformity” instead of seeking “unity”.

Unity is “the state of being united or joined a a whole”. Unity is a body of individual and unique pieces working together because they have been joined. Conformity is an attempt for one unique thing to imitate or copy a different unique thing in order to “fit in”.

Christianity calls for unity between men (love, mercy, forgiveness, service),  while religion calls for conformity of men to one another (law, authority, power, judgement). Christianity calls for all its participants to be unified as a body fitly working together – not being conformed to the ways of this world but renewed and reconciled to Christ.

How easy is it for us to conform to the traditions of man made doctrines and traditions, measuring each other with our religious tape measures, dividing each other into sorted categories and denominations where we are satisfied being a round peg laying still and quiet in a pile of other round pegs – instead of working together with those other pays to accomplish God’s work.

You who are warriors like Judah need a Benjamin to bring you back to peace before you strike down your stumbling brother or sister with your strict discernment and hatred for sin, forgetting that the enemy is not flesh and blood.

You who are coddled like Benjamin and are afraid to leave the house or step out in faith need a Judah to warn you of the dangers of becoming lukewarm, complacent, and fruitless – so that you do not find out that your faith without works is dead.

You see, the message that we like to hear least is mammy times the message that we need to hear most – because it isn’t about what you like. It is about what will glorify and bring honor to the Lord. That’s why it is dangerous to seek out teachers who only share what you want to hear. If there is no conviction, if there is no sharpening, if the Word of God does not cut something out of your flesh nature to make room for healing and restoration with the Holy Spirit nature of Christ who lives in us – then is there any growth,  any change, any life?

The people most comfortable hearing and talking about grace are many times the ones who need to be convicted by a message of repentance, discipleship,  and holiness.

The people most comfortable hearing about repentance, discipleship, and holiness ate many times the ones who need to be reminded of the free gift of grace and their own unworthiness, there need to be broken and not haughty.

Don’t remain satisfied ignoring the parts of the message that make you uncomfortable and force you to dig deep into the heart. A life still in slavery to sin is not free and neither is a religious person going to build a tower to heaven out of their own works. Seek that narrow path where Christ is your only hope for grace and He is Lord of your life because of your grattitude over this undeserved, free gift of grace.

That person whose message gets under your skin, or steps on your toes, or bothers your way of thinking might be exactly the message your heart needs to hear.

Do you belong to Jesus?

You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don’t turn this freedom into an excuse for your corrupt nature to express itself. Rather, serve each other through love. All of Moses’ Teachings are summarized in a single statement, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” But if you criticize and attack each other, be careful that you don’t destroy each other. Let me explain further. Live your life as your spiritual nature directs you. Then you will never follow through on what your corrupt nature wants. What your corrupt nature wants is contrary to what your spiritual nature wants, and what your spiritual nature wants is contrary to what your corrupt nature wants. They are opposed to each other. As a result, you don’t always do what you intend to do. If your spiritual nature is your guide, you are not subject to Moses’ laws. Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires. If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature. We can’t allow ourselves to act arrogantly and to provoke or envy each other.
Galatians 5:13‭-‬26 GW

Do you belong to Jesus Christ?

Or is your life your own?

Does it offend you that Christ would ask you to subdue that carnal, worldly, sinful, rebellious nature for the sale of living and serving others?

Or are you grateful for what He has done on the cross to save you, poor, wretched sinner – and in turn you are yielding to His Holy Spirit to be your trusted guide?

Does your life, your whole life, belong to Jesus?

Don’t just settle for a religious life where you tithe part of your life, time, money, and gifts to Him and keep the rest for yourself. Don’t hold back, let Him into every area of your life. Run to Him with reckless abandon. Use your whole life in ways that will bring glory and honor to Him, and you will not be disappointed with the abundant life that He has in store for you.

The Basics

Then they took him to the high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)

So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Acts of the Apostles 17:19‭-‬34 NLT

The basics.

The Gospel.

Yes, telling people that God is much, telling them that they are little, telling them about their ignorance and about their need to repent and turn to God because judgement is coming – it is a divisive message. It was then. It is now. It is divisive because it cuts to the truth of the heart – What is more important? Self, ego, and my way (which is sin and death) – or the Truth and Life of His Way?

We aren’t called to convince people that God is nice enough to fit into their own box of what God should look like and act.

We aren’t called to change the Truth of what God has laid before us as His Way in order to make it more palatable to those who aren’t even seeking Him.

There was a time before we and the world knew about Jesus that God was, to us, “seeker friendly” because of our ignorance, friends. But can you claim ignorance today that you have not heard of Jesus Christ?

Can you claim that you have not heard of His sacrifice on the cross as a testament that He alone is worthy of judging between those that are His and those who are dead in their sin?

Can you claim that you do not know that we must repent and turn to God?

Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.  They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.  They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
John 15:20‭-‬22 NLT

Then Jesus told him,  “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
John 9:39‭-‬41 NLT

The church of Satan wants you to believe that saying a sinner’s prayer or acting religious allows you to avoid the consequences of your remaining in your sinful and worldly ways – but the gospel,  this Good News, is a different message. It is a message of God’s extended mercy and grace and of our need for repentance – not just “once upon a time” but as an attitude, perspective and direction in our lives.

Yes, many will mock this message and turn away. Paul let them leave, He didn’t change the message. Making it softer to try to “win them to God” doesn’t get them any closer to the narrow gate and path that few will find – it just satisfies the ego of those who foolishly think that God “needs their valuable ego” in order to fulfill His Kingdom work. God does not “need you” – you have the opportunity to be used for His glory and honor. We don’t use Him as a way to establish ourselves over others in a seat of our own glory and honor over the pigs at our feet.

No, the ones who hear this Truth and recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, the call on their lives, the drawing and quickening that the Word of God has on them – they have hearts that are prepared to receive, their eyes are open to the light, their ears are open to receive truth.

“If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
John 14:15‭-‬17 NLT

If you are softening the Word of God in order to feel like you are winning religious converts to Christianity – in order to “put up big numbers for God” – you are more interested in the approval of people than you are the approval of God. Worry less about your own plans for being great in the Kingdom of God, and stay true to the course of the gospel,  the Good News.

If you are ashamed to share this divisive Good News of the gospel with the world along with the testimony of what He is doing in your life, don’t fool yourself by saying “I’m not equipped”. You are either a born again,  Holy Spirit filled Child of God with a living testimony of your faith – or you are deceiving yourself with religion. You do not need theology lessons,  because we aren’t sharing and teaching theology and religion – we are sharing the truth about the personal touch of God upon our lives. So I ask,  “Is He touching your life in a personal, real, alive way today?” If not, repent and turn to the Lord. He is faithful and true and ready to come live with you, if you truly want Him in your life. He will forgive you. He loves you. Just come back home into His arms and know His loving touch.

So, you have either stopped reading at this point – or we are in agreement that it is Good News, it is the only Good News. There is no other way to God, and it is revealed to you. You are no longer in darkness, you are free from your sin if you choose to love and serve the Lord as first and only in your life.  If you don’t like the message, you can reject it, or you can decide that you want to believe and learn more. He has an amazing purpose and direction for you, Child of God. I look forward to seeing you on that day where we will forever worship Him and give Him honor and glory Forever and ever. Amen.

House Church & Missional Communities

We are not meant to just be “consumers” of a regularly scheduled religious church service, but “participants” in the movement of God’s will being done on earth, His Kingdom come in the lives of the true church played out daily – a body of active, born again believers and disciples of Christ.

“No one can say: ‘Since I’m not called to be a missionary, I do not have to evangelize my friends and neighbors.’ There is no difference, in spiritual terms, between a missionary witnessing in his home town and a missionary witnessing in Katmandu, Nepal. We are all called to go—even if it is only to the next room, or the next block.” – Thomas Hale

“Ministry is not a thing we do, but a lifestyle we live. Missional living flows from a life that is surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and led by the Spirit of God. The Christian life is not defined by ritual or church services. The Christian life is only the Christian life if it is a life that is rooted in the transforming regeneration of the New Birth – from surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, to the in-filling of the Holy Spirit and to obedience to the Word of God, the Bible.

A Christian community is a fellowship where believers have surrendered to Jesus in such a way that, together, they seek to find ways to obey and please the Lord. There is a shared mission, sacrificial lifestyle, and a deep love for one another. This community together seeks to live out a Christ-centered life before a watching world. Together we communicate the Gospel, disciple believers, teach the Scriptures, worship together, serve the poor, and participate in world missions.

Together we are on mission. We desire to reach the lost with the Gospel and bring transformation where ever we are.” – Neo House Church Movement

“A Missional community is a group of people, about the size of an extended family, who are united through Christian community around a common service and witness to a particular neighborhood or network of relationships. The Missional Community doesn’t exist for anything less than making disciples of Jesus among these networks or neighborhoods. The participants of missional communities find their primary identity of “church” within the missional community, rather than a larger worship service or small group. In essence, this group of people becomes a close-knit spiritual family on mission together.” – Wikipedia

“During a struggling economy, churches can face formidable financial challenges forcing them to make cuts in funding to missions and benevolence programs. A traditional church that is required to support the typical church infrastructure including a building or campus can face financial pressures if it faces a significant drop in membership. Limited financial resources can encourage church leaders to rethink the pattern of ministry and look for ways to forward the outreach of the church with unpaid members. House churches are already in a more favorable financial position due to the limited expenditures required to facilitate the functionality of the church.

House churches require less money to start up and operate which frees up funds for other ministries. There are no sanctuaries to buy and maintain, and frequently there are no pastoral salaries to sustain. “The constant pressure to fill the pews and provide the money to keep the building and programs going is draining to the traditional church. To some of us, churches have become like big monsters that eat up everything we can give them and then constantly ask for more and more.” – Wikipedia

There are times that every Christian, as a good steward of his or her time and resources, should examine the effectiveness and responsible use of the buildings,  resources, and finances by their religious leaders for accountability, transparency, and adherence to the biblical principals and responsibilities of “feeding the flock” not “feeding off of the flock”.

Politics, secrecy, and isolation between “staff” and “membership” can be a red flag. I see Christ calling His followers to be servants of their brethren, while the religious Pharisees seek to rule as kings over a kingdom. We are told that we can recognize them by their fruit – that where there treasure is, that is where their heart is. If they talk more about tithes and “planting seeds of money” than repentance, love and service, they might be a hireling most interested in growing their money tree. If they are comfortable making merchandise of the people and making the gospel a measured career choice and business decision,  they may be interested in filling the pews just to fill their bellies and their pockets.

Also, if you know in your heart that you are being called out into a house church or missional community – it may have nothing to do with any problems in your existing place of worship,  but the Lord may be planting a new body of believers for a special purpose. Sometimes He calls teams of people into particular areas of focus and service. It doesn’t always have to be that there way is wrong and your way is right – there are lots of unique and varied parts of the body of Christ.

NOTE: Sometimes a muscle on one side of a joint exists solely to counter balance the muscle on the other side to keep the joint from over extending. The two are not working in opposition, but in unity – even though from there own unique persisting they might not understand why the other muscle always seems to be “pulling against/contrary to them”. Not everyone with a different perspective is your enemy – seek wisdom and understanding.

Christians who meet together in homes have often done so because of a desire to return to early Church style meetings as found in the New Testament. The New Testament shows that the early Christian church exhibited a richness of fellowship and interactive practice that is typically not the case in conventional denominations. They believe that Christians walked closely with each other and shared their lives in Christ together. Others believe that the early church met in houses due to persecution, and home meetings were the most viable option to the early adopters of Christianity.

Several passages in the Bible specifically mention churches meeting in houses. “The churches of Asia greet you, especially Aquila and Priscilla greet you much in the Lord, along with the church that is in their house.” I Cor 16:19. The church meeting in the house of Priscilla and Aquila is again mentioned in Romans 16:3, 5. The church that meets in the house of Nymphas is also cited in the Bible: “Greet the brethren in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in her house.” Col 4:15.

For the first 300 years of early Christianity, people met in homes until Constantine legalized Christianity, and the assembly moved out of houses into larger buildings creating the current style church seen today.

United? Or Divided?

There is a shift that has to happen,  a change,  or we will all continue destroying and hurting each other. It is a shift to being willing to sacrifice, to give up our own selfish, prideful, and sinful lives to know and demonstrate love. It is a shift to be willing to put the needs of others ahead of our own wants – a shift to be willing to help others even if there is nothing in it for ourselves. This is the picture of a community. This is a picture of unity. This is a picture of love.

Remember, O Lord , in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured, 
how he swore to the Lord
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 
“I will not enter my house
or get into my bed, 
I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids, 
until I find a place for the Lord ,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place: 
“This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 
I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread. 
Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
Psalms 132:1‭-‬5‭, ‬13‭-‬16 ESV

It is said that “David was a man after God’s own heart”, and what does this mean but that David wanted to be a blessing to the Lord. David wanted to build a place for the Lord to dwell,  but David was thinking that He would build it with the hands of men, when the truth is that the Lord builds it in our hearts.

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Jeremiah 17:10 ESV

What greater blessing could there be than for the Lord to come and live in our lives, to abide with us, to teach us and to guide us, to test us and mold us to be more like himself?

But many are not interested in giving up their lives, they are only interested in what they can taste,touch, see, and pleasure themselves with today and now. They have little interest in loving the Lord or living others, because their first love is themselves and their bellies.  And if they don’t let go of the worthlessness of this world, their hands will never be open to receive His blessings.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where  moth and rust  destroy and where thieves  break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19‭-‬21 ESV

Do you want you life to be the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of the Lord? Do you want to be delivered from your life of sin and bowing to the demands of your flesh? Do you want to give up your life and serve the Lord, sharing in the trials and tribulations and sufferings and persecution that are part of following Him in reckless abandon?

Or would you rather live your life your own way?

Or would you rather find a “church” with a “hireling” that doesn’t ask very much of its “supporters”?

Would you be most satisfied with a “religion” that keeps God at a comfortable distance from really having any impact on “your way of life”?

Yes, many have chosen religion over the gospel – ritual and tradition over relationship – the practiced sacrifice of religion over the living sacrifice of love.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Romans 12:1‭-‬2‭, ‬9‭-‬16 ESV

These things in Romans 12 reflect the blessings that the Lord says He will pour out on His chosen vessels in Psalm 132 above. He blessed us so that we can be a blessing to others, so that His name can receive the glory and honor and praise.

Do you want to surrender your life to the Lord so that you can deny yourself and suffer so that others might know His love?

Ate you ready to put the needs of others ahead of your wants?

Do you desire to love and serve the Lord today?

Trust in His Victory

I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”
1 Samuel 17:35‭-‬37 NLT

[Trust in the Lord, testify with your life, step out in faith and let His power be demonstrated. ]

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin ? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 10:28‭-‬31 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.10.28-31.NLT

[You are unique and precious to the Kingdom of God, believer. You are beloved by God so much that He came in the flesh as Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you. You have a particular purpose and mission in your life to demonstrate His love, His nature,  His spiritual fruit, to a world in need of spiritual nourishment and healing. YOU have an opportunity today to serve Him,  not out of religious obligation, but out of personal grattitude because of grace.  ]

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
2 Timothy 1:6‭-‬11 NLT

[Yes, if we are going to boast in anything, it should be in the gift of grace that we have received, the Holy Spirit that strengthens us and guides us and inductees us and empowers us to see sin and death conquered under the foot of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. ]

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. ” Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.”  He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
John 6:66‭-‬71 NLT

[We choose. Do we stay with Him, or turn away. Do we follow in His footsteps, or do we serve another master? Are we interested in the prizes that have no lasting value, or are we satisfied with Christ as our portion and prize? Will we trade in our inheritance for some silver coins or a bowl of soup? ]