No Place Like Home

 It has been good to have pastor Rubi back after a busy conference season this spring. I don't know where all he has been, just that he has been gone a lot. But he has preached the last three sermons in a row at home, all very good. Assistant pastors can help carry the load, but there is no one who connects with the home church like the senior pastor under who's leadership it grew to where it is today.

"For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." 1Cor.4:15

This is why no one will be able to replace pastor Mitchell in my life. But I get enough to meet my need of grace and I find opportunity to serve where I am.

Three Phases Of Life

 There seem to be three phases of life for people and for corporations and even for churches. One author called these the Go Go years, the Slow Go years, and the No Go years.

The Go Go years are the life many are leading right now. It is working, and planning, and following dreams. These are productive years and these are growth years. These are the years when things begin, and take off. For some these Go Go years are exciting years.

The No Go years are at the end of life when you cannot do what you used to do anymore. These are the years where you begin to prepare for the end of life. Maybe you can no longer drive. Maybe you can no longer sleep. Maybe you no longer have a spouse. These are years we all face but do not like to think about.

But the Slow Go years are the transition years that cause us the most problems. We are no longer as fit or strong or capable as we used to be. But we are not decrepit of dead yet either. This Slow Go time is a transition time. You begin to adjust to changing abilities or changing circumstances or a shrinking environment. These Slow Go years can start out being frustrating but if we work with life as it is can end up being satisfying.

It is during the Slow Go years that you begin to distil life down to what is really important and necessary to thrive.

We think that we will live like we are as young people forever. But we won't. It is inevitable that everyone alive today will slow down at some point as we get older. The big question is; will we grow old in grace, or will we become angry and mean and bitter?

Surrounded By Fanatics!

 I seem to know a lot of fanatics. I know people who are exercise fanatics. They spend a lot of time in the gym. I know people who are diet fanatics. They are always trying a new diet plan. I know people who are health fanatics. I know people who are history fanatics. I know people who are football fanatics. And I know people who are witnessing fanatics.

One thing all fanatics have in common is that not only are they really into what they do, they think that everyone should also be a fanatic like they are. And because of this they almost despise anyone who is not as zealous as they are.

Age has given me stability and balance. I do not get over excited about anything. I have tried a lot of things, most of which I can live without.

There is a reason why our Fellowship is youth oriented. Youth still can get fired up and excited. Older folks remember but that is all that they can do.

So if exercise or football or evangelism is the focus of your life, go for it. Just don't expect me to join you.

The Word For Today

 I have two Bible study tools that I use to read every day. Today, both of these tools gave me the same scripture. I took that to mean that God had something to say to me today. The verse came from Psalm 121.

"He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Ps. 121:3

While we sleep at night we can be assured that God is not sleeping too.  In Heaven there is no night and in Heaven there is no need for sleep and rest. So God, who is always active and at work, is always working. Christ is at God's right hand making intercession for us.

"It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." Rom. 8:34b

Because God is at work, we do not need to worry or fret or lose sleep about what is going on in the world and in our personal circumstances.

"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep." Ps. 127:2

Give them all to Jesus.

One Job To Do

 The world seems to know what the church's job is better than the church does. I regularly read how the church is supposed to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked and to house the homeless and to provide schools.  Many churches do food pantries and have meals for anyone in need.  This is not evil. This is just missing the point.

The modern church has only one reason to exist and that is to be salt and light in the earth. Our only excuse for existing is that we are a testimony to the world of Jesus Christ. We do that by preaching the gospel.

"And He said unto them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Mark 16:17-18

No where in this message from the Lord is there any mention of food or clothing or housing.

One more thought. Winning souls is important, but so is healing the sick. Pastor Mitchell was obeying God by conducting salvation/healing crusades.

Out Loud

Here is something that is puzzling to me. How is it that some folks in church are silent. Not as far as witnessing goes, but I am talking about in church. There are times when I walk into the prayer room before a service and I feel like no one is praying out loud. Often they are sitting with heads bowed, but no sound comes from their mouths. There are times when you must pray silently. But in corporate prayer before service it is a time to pray out loud.

Another thing that puzzles me is how some people do not sing or worship in church. They are not mad dogging the song leader or staring at the pastor. They just stand there silent, not singing or lifting their hands to God or speaking in tongues.

As a Pentecostal church, being silent in prayer and in worship is strange to me. Are these people not Spirit filled? Are they more Evangelical than Pentecostal?

On Saturday morning we have prayer. After praying we sing. That small group at Saturday morning prayer meeting makes more noise singing and praying and worshiping than our whole church does on Sunday morning sometimes.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:4

"we hear them speaking..." Acts 2:11

"Others mocking said, they are full of new wine." Acts 2:13

If you cannot speak in tongues or pray out loud or worship freely then maybe you do not have what I have. 

Things That I Was Reminded Of This Morning

 "...so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."1Tim.3:15

Today our pastor reminded us that we become like the God that we worship. Or else we become like the gods that we worship. Your God is the one to whom you dedicate the best of your time, your talent, and your money.

I also was reminded how those people who worship false gods and idols hate God.

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." Exod. 20:4-5

Finally I was reminded of the scripture in Psalm 9: 20 that says "put them in fear, o Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men."

Sometimes I wonder if we ought to pray for the leaders of our Fellowship, that the Lord would remind them that they are but men too.

See, after all these years, I still get something by being in church and hearing sermons.

Self-Evident Truths

 "We hold these truths to be self-evident..." US Declaration of Independence

Here are a few things that I find ought to be self evident in our Fellowship.

1.New converts are the life blood of any church. They add a dimension to our Fellowship that we desperately need. Without a stream of new converts we find ourselves just hanging on.

2. New converts and our youth are the keys to revival. Grandma and grandpa will pray and give and support the vision. But it is young people who see visions, not old people.

3. We always need to be reminded to only run with the runners. There are those on the cutting edge who need a challenge and an example. There are those who stay by the stuff. Remember that 80% of the work is always done by 20% of the people.

4. Everyone is valuable. Some for what they do now. Some for what they used to do back then.

5. Pastors never retire. Unless they are forced out by infirmity. Many ought to retire, but no one will.

Do these thing seem self-evident to you?

What Can You Do With A General

 "Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old, advanced in age." Josh.23:1

By the end of Joshua's life it had been years since the fighting stopped and the land was divided and the people began to occupy their inheritance. Joshua had led the people after the death of Moses. He had followed the Lord faithfully. And by the end of this book Joshua had been long retired. His sermon in these final chapters was the final address Joshua would give publicly.

We think that we will live at our prime years forever. We think that we will never slow down. We think that God will sustain and support us and that we, if we are lucky, will die in the saddle.

"Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." is how Douglas McArthur said it in his final address to Congress in 1951. His war fighting was over long before he faded away.

"What can you do with a general, when he stops being a general" Bing Crosby sang in White Christmas.

Joshua had stopped being a general long before he died. He did nothing noteworthy after he retired. Could this be one of the reasons why pastors never retire, they are afraid of having nothing to do and becoming irrelevant? You can become irrelevant and still be in the pulpit.

Back in olden days men retired and then wrote books about what they learned. Too bad no one reads books anymore.

In Person is Best

 I am grateful to be in good health again. I am still taking several meds to deal with heart failure. But the meds are working. My doctor today told me that if it isn't broken, don't fix it. So I will continue the regimen ordered by my cardiologists and I will continue to take care of myself.

Much of what you read online covers such generalities as to be of little specific use for me. This is why I go for regular visits to my doctor. He knows me and he knows what I need to stay healthy. The pseudo-doctors online do not know me or my particular condition.

What is true of medical treatment is also true of spiritual treatment. There is no substitute for attending church services in person. My pastor knows me and he knows what I need. He has a stake in the outcome of my life, as one who must give an account.

Remember, it's the banana that leave the bunch that gets skinned.

The Bible Is God's Word. Period.

 I want to cast my vote for making the Bible the word of God. Period. Not the writings of any man or the thoughts and revelations of particular individuals. We use book, chapter, and verse to help us locate something in the Bible. But I think that by calling it by the authors name, we cheapen God's word to us.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jn.1:1

Christ is the word of God made flesh. But He did not write his own biography. Yet since He is the Word we can rightly cite his teachings and quote His words as Gospel. Not so with Moses or David or Paul. 

I just think that we need to stop saying that this is what Paul said or this is what Solomon said. Let's let God's word be God's word and let God's word speak for itself. No matter what style of preaching you practice, it revolves around God's word. God anoints His word, not ours.

We are way past the time when the Bible was put together. We are way beyond the time when it first came to our attention who wrote what and why.  Let God be true, and every man a liar.

Just Saying

 One reason why a local church slows down and settles in is the simple fact that we become very conservative as we get older. Not politically, but in real life. We reach a point where we are more concerned with maintaining the status quo and we lose the vision that is needed to go on to the next level. We have more to lose so we become risk adverse. We have had some successes, but the failures make us think twice about trying or venturing. We have so many financial responsibilities that we learn to budget and to count costs. And one day we realize that we are more interested in maintaining what we have than in getting more. They say the the biggest enemy of the great is not evil, but good enough.

Most men do not die in the valley of despair. They leap from the pinnacle of the temple of success. Just saying.

Communion Service Thoughts

 We had a communion service tonight. Yes, we did it on a Sunday night, not on Easter Sunday morning. Why? The short answer is you would have to ask our pastor. I think that pastor thinks it is too religious or too churchy. It's not hard core enough or something. Maybe he is afraid that people will feel too religious and not be on fire for God. It might surprise him to find out that Christianity is a religion and that we are religious people who love the pomp and circumstance of religion.

We also do not have a communion set to serve from. We make it work, but it is really not very impressive. Those sets are not very expensive. And it might make communion be a little more organized and a lot less chaotic. In the church where I grew up they had a travel sized communion set to use when visiting those who could not be there in person. I'm sure we do not have one of those in pastor's office.

At least we finally had communion and we who served managed to serve everyone. They say we take communion seriously, but our actions do not agree with our words.

The Effects Of Sin

I am beginning to think that most of the crazy health and wellness fads we are bombarded with begin in the gay community. These are guys who are so scared to death of AIDS and HIV that they will try anything to beat the rap that their lifestyle exposes them too. Also, when God uses the word confusion with reference to homosexual activity it tells me that leaders who come up with goofy ideas often turn out to be gay men. 

God is not mocked. Sin has consequences. Those effects are not just eternal damnation in Hell. It is affecting the physical and emotional and mental and psychological life now.

What is interesting to me is how crazy business leaders and not liked or supported by the unsaved world either. This is an issue that normal people recognize as a problem that needs to be solved.

There is not a supplement available today that can take away sin. Only repentance and faith in Jesus Christ can do that.

Bribing God

 "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe." Deut. 10:17

Pastor used this verse in his sermon this morning. He used it one way, but it jumped out at me in a different way. Especially the idea that God cannot be bribed.

Have you ever heard a preacher tell you that if you give X dollars in this offering, God will give you 100X dollars in return? They use this as a ploy to raise money and to entice you to give. But it made me wonder if this is just trying to bribe God.

A bribe is money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgement or conduct of a person in a position of trust. This according to the dictionary.

Are we being asked to give money in order to get God to do something for us? Sounds a lot like a bribe to me. A presumptuous one at that.

Our text tells us that God shows no partiality. He is not moved by our status of position. And that God does not take bribes.

Give and trust God with what's left and you will be fine.

Church Picnic

 We were all set to have our spring church picnic. Until the weather forecast changed our plans. There is a good chance of wind and rain tomorrow so they cancelled our picnic. This is disappointing. We put a lot of effort and a lot of money into these picnic. Guys buy hundreds of dollars worth of meat to grill. Desert makers try to come up with award winning deserts. It is a big deal for our church.

This is an example of something that is typical of bigger churches. If we were a small church, under 100 people, we could shift gears and have an indoor picnic at the church building. But big churches cannot shift gears like that. So we will have our Overcomers Prayer tomorrow morning. But no picnic.

Now we have to wait until next fall for our next chance at a church picnic.

One more thought. If it was up to me we would have the picnic rain or shine. Just saying.

An Easy Thought

 An easy idea to discus today. Do angels have wings? Do they fly to get around?

The only angelic beings described as having wings are the Seraphim.

"Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew." Is.6:2

No other description of angels anywhere else in the Bible describes angels as having wings. They do not fly, they just are. Kind of like light itself.

It is only in the minds of some artists and some theologians that angels have wings. Do your own Bible study. Look up every reference on the word angel. They do not have wings.

See, I told you this would be easy.

The Returning Worker

 The return of workers from ministry to once again being a part of their mother church has a unique set of challenges. 

1. Those pulled from their church for moral failure need to get right with God, and learn to submit to their pastor and their brethren. Like any backslider who comes back, they will go through a time when they feel nothing and they question why they should stay at all. They no doubt have marriage issues and family issues to deal with. They definitely have spiritual issues to deal with. They may find themselves in the wilderness wondering what to do now.

2. Those who return because of illness or discouragement have a different set of issues to deal with. Of course the illness issue means getting treated for that illness and getting well. But still, they will struggle over feeling like a failure who could have succeeded if only their body had not betrayed them. Those who were discouraged no doubt feel like a failure. They feel like they might have wasted those years they spent being a disciple. They might feel like why try, or what now. They dream about what they could have done if they had gone to university and started a career. They can blame their pastor and their church for leading them down an emotional path that didn't work.

A returning man who finds his place and who finds ministry opportunity in his mother church is rare indeed. A returning man who isn't bitter is rare indeed. And if he is not too old, a returning man may be given another chance.

That Old Serpent

 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Rev.12:9

"And the Lord God said unto the woman, what is this that you have done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." Gen.3:13

It is interesting that the serpent arrives in the Garden of Eden in the early days of creation and from the moment that we see him he is actively deceiving people to rebel against God. I believe that the serpent in Genesis chapter three and the old serpent in Revelation chapter 12 are the same being. 

How the serpent got into the garden is the wrong question. He traveled a lot and it seems that when he was cast out of heaven he was cast to the earth. Since his dreams of being like god were smashed, he uses that idea to entice humans into an impossible idea. You shall be like God through secret knowledge.

"For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Gen.3:5

I believe that the judgement on the serpent in Genesis chapter 3 of slithering like a snake is actually talking about being earth-bound and having an earthly perspective. That the way to the heights of heaven was cut off for the serpent. It doesn't mean he could never go there. We see him somewhere in the heavenly realm in Job chapter one.

"And there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them." Job 1:6

Note that in this verse Satan is not called Lucifer, and he is given no special treatment or status in this group. He is a spiritual being, but he has lost all of his previous glory. Look at Satan's answer when the Lord asks him where he has been.

"...Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." Job1"7b

While the sons of God traverse the heavenly realms, Satan is earthbound. And he busies himself accusing and deceiving and harassing humans like Job or you and I.

One more thought. Look at the judgement on the serpent in Genesis again.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." Gen.3:15

This first is a prophecy about Christ. The seed of the women, suffered and died, but in so doing destroyed Satan's power and usurped his right to rule. Also note that in life, the heel that is wounded becomes the weapon that will  destroy the one who hurt you.

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19

I do not think that it was a snake talking to Eve. I believe it was Satan, deceiving her even with his appearance.

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 2Cor. 11:14

Sin robbed Lucifer of his God like appearance just like it robbed Adam and Eve of their God like appearance. Sin makes big audacious promises that are like a well designed trap to lure men and women into destruction

Let There Be Light

 "Then God said, let there be light; and there was light." Gen.1:3

The very first act of creation was the creation of light. Light was. It did not come from somewhere. It did not travel at all. It just was. 

Science has put a speed limit on light, as though light travels. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of light by science.

When science seems to contradict the Bible, I choose to believe the Bible.

God made the creation story simple so that we could understand it. If God explained the advanced physics of creation the Bible could not hold it all. God is much bigger than we can understand. God is much wiser than we can understand. God is God and we are not. The big lie of Satan is that you will be god-like. Your eyes will be opened to understand deep mysteries. It was the desire to be like God that ruined Lucifer and turned him into Satan. It was the desire to understand dark mysteries that drove Eve to sin with her husband. 

The Bible is clear enough that we can never say it was too hard to understand. 

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deed were evil." Jn.3:19

"Then Jesus spoke again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jn.8:12

Thoughts on King David

"So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. So David also took  Ahinoam of Jezreel, and so both of them were his wives. But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim." 1Sam. 25:42-44

It was hard being a wife in ancient times. You were treated like property, to be taken or given at the will of your father or your husband.

David had married Michal, the daughter of king Saul. It was evidently a troubled marriage. And once David had left, Saul gave his daughter to someone else.

The wife of Nabal was beautiful. And once Nabal was dead, David wasted no time securing her as his wife. And while he was in the neighborhood, he took another woman to be his wife also. 

God had warned Samuel about the dangers of having a king. He didn't mention having a harem just like the heathen around them. But David sure had one.

People think that their status or position in life exempts them from God's rules and laws. God is not mocked.

David was a man after God's own heart. Until he became wealthy and powerful. Then he was forbidden from building a temple. David was fast becoming just like his heathen neighbors. God had warned them against having a king. He knew what would happen. And it did, sending the whole nation into Babylon.

Disciples Today

The word disciple is a commonly used Bible word. The word discipleship is a word that does not appear in scripture. A disciple is basically a student. A disciple is one who follows both the teaching and the teacher. Disciples are those who try to use thought followed by endeavor.  A disciple is one who on one hand sits and learns from a teacher, and on another hand gets practical experience in putting into practice the things that they have been taught.

A disciple does not have to live with his teacher, nor does he have to spend every waking moment with his teacher. He has to hear what the teacher is saying and he tries to watch how the teacher is living. In a local church a disciple is in every service, paying attention, taking notes, and watching what his pastor is doing.

One thing that works is that by being involved, a disciple can be involved in real ministry that helps real people. People get saved, baptized, filled with the Spirit, and locked into church. Ministry is the method by which this all happens.

A disciple never reaches a point where he graduates from the program. It is a life-long process of learning. The relationship between the teacher and the disciple can grow and it will change over time. But he will always be the teacher and you will always be the disciple.

Discipleship is the process by which all of this happens. It has produced the Fellowship that we are a part of. Winning souls, making disciples, and planting churches is what we do. The key to making pastors is first making disciples and then helping them to learn how to be a pastor.

Names of God

 Many years ago, when I was just a disciple, pastor Mitchell taught a Sunday school series on the redemptive names of God. There are seven of them. It is strange that I still remember things that happened so long ago.

Our pastor here started a new Sunday school series on the names of God. He has taken on a big task. The Bible is a book about God. He is on every page. Trying to distill that down to an adult study series will be a big task.

This is why we pray for our pastors. They need wisdom and inspiration. 

My Thoughts For Today.

The complexity threshold has been on my mind recently. I do not fully understand what this implies. I do know that as civilizations or businesses or even churches grow in complexity, they become so unwieldly that it take more to run them than we get a benefit from their size.  Every civilization from the beginning of recorded history has followed this curve. Sometimes, a collapse, rather than being a negative, is actually a way to shed complexity that we can no longer afford.

Has any church in our Fellowship that has reached a size of stability had a new wave of explosive growth? I hear a lot about latter rain revival, but my poor brain cannot come up with one example of that happening to any of our larger churches. We evangelize and we get people saved and we see them baptized. But we do not grow in attendance. It's like we can make converts, but are we making true disciples?

A disciple is a learner. They hunger and thirst for righteousness. They hunger for solid Bible preaching. They speak in tongues. They give money. They learn how to be a real Christian. They do not just say a sinner's prayer.

Science is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end. It discovers the laws by which the natural world works. This is the complexity threshold. It is not the devil fighting against us. It is not God unwilling to pour out His Spirit upon us again. It is the natural course that every revival has taken throughout history.

The best is yet to come. We may have to wait until we get to Heaven to see that. 

A Sermon

 Here is a nice three point sermon for my brothers who do not seem to know how to put a sermon together.

1. There is an external enemy.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1Pet. 5:8

2. There is an inner enemy.

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man..."1Cor.10:13a

"Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." 1Pet.5:9

3. The God factor.

"but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able , but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1Cor.10:13b

Add some quotes and an illustration or two, and maybe a poem, and this will preach.

Flying Under The Radar

 "From the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him; there! A people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations." Num.23:9

One of the genius things that pastor Mitchell did for our Fellowship is that he deliberately sought to fly under the radar. He never thought it wise to draw attention to himself. He never strove to be on television. Evidently pastor Mitchell had his ego under control.

Our text tells us part of Balaam's prophecy over Israel. He describes them as a people dwelling alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations. They got into trouble by wanting to be like the nations around them. To have a king like they have. To form alliances with neighboring kingdoms. As though being the people of God was not enough. And we read in the Bible a history of how giving in to ego and desiring acceptance from the world plays out over time.

Our calling is to be in the world, but not like the world. To be salt and light in a drab and dark world. Our calling is to be unique and a place where God can dwell. The mega church movement is an attempt to impress the world by imitating the world. Any attempt to be like the world is rooted in pride. Look at us, look at what we've done. 

We used to mock the sweet by and by. But there is safety in waiting until Heaven to be rewarded for what we've done.

I am regularly surprised to find out how smart pastor Mitchell really was.

Thoughts On Headship

"It is like the precious oil upon the head , running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garment." Psalm 133:2

Ever since the dawn of creation God has set in order how things work best in life. Part of this program is the idea of headship. Certain people are placed in status over other people. Pastors are men who run local churches. We get a lot from the flow of ministry that we get from our pastors. Our text tells us how the Holy Spirit flows down from the head to the edges of the garment of the high priest. This is the oil.

This headship is also how marriages and families thrive. Adam was formed first, then Eve. She was to serve him and complete him. She wants to be in charge, but it only works when we do it God's way.

"But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." 1Cor.11:3

We run into big problems when we criticize or challenge or ignore headship. We cut ourselves off from all the God wants to do in and through and for us. 

"Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God." Col. 2:18-19

In fact, God works against those who rebel against His headship.

"...why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow..." Num.12:8b-10a

Miriam rebelled against God and against Moses and she paid the price for her rebellion for 7 days.

It was Eve that the serpent targeted, not Adam. Take heed my sisters. 

Debunking Fake Science

 I read an interesting article today. It's not Biblical or spiritual. But in the world we live in I found it useful anyway.

1. We have more than 5 senses. Christians should know this. We are spiritual beings living in a physical body. But science tells us that we have 20 or more senses that we all use every day.

2. Who says that you cannot go swimming right after a meal? Swimmers often eat right before a meet. Our bodies are balanced so that we can function in life easily. Our bodies work perfectly.

3. Someone told us that we only use 10% of our brains. In fact we use 100% of our brain all the time. Even when we sleep. Our brain is always on and always working.

4. Do camels really store water in their humps. No. They are uniquely suited to living in a harsh environment. Their humps are full of fat that provides them with energy. Not water.

5. In spite of Yogi Bear or Winnie the Pooh, bears do not love honey. They eat the bees or the bee larva for protein. They get honey, but it is not what they are searching for.

6. Bats are not blind. They have good eyesight. They also have built in sonar to hunt at night. God made even bats so that they thrive in their environment.

Old wives fable are not given to us by old women. Often science tells us things that are not true. Even Aristotle got it wrong a lot of the time.

Pastor Greg In Town

 We have pastor Greg for men's discipleship tonight. It will be nice to see him again. It is a blessing that he is able to come here to minister to the guys in this area.

The Great White Throne

 "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them." Rev.20:11

Sometimes, doing a word study opens up new realms of revelation into what is written. In this case it did not. This great white throne is just a huge gleaming white throne. It is a megas leukos thronos in the original language. Scholars try to make significance of it's size or it's color. To me the bigger more important issue is who is sitting on this throne from whose face the natural world flees.

Some scholars think that it is Christ who sits in judgement. The context does not tell us. It just says Him. Christ plays a part in end time judgements for sure. He leads the army of heaven against the beast in chapter 19. Personally I think that the Him who sits on the great white throne is God the Father. Verse 12 says the dead stand before God and are judged.

This is where it gets too hard for us to understand. God the Father and God the Son are equal and one. And yet for arguments sake they are separated in roles as judges in Revelation.

Anyway, the best that we can do is serve the Lord now and let God sort it out in eternity.

The Chosen Series: Not A Fan

We watched a scene from the Chosen series tonight in church. To be honest, I am not a fan of the Chosen series. For me it's like reading an extrabiblical book. Some of it is direct quotes, while most of it is made up. I have never once in all of my years of Bible reading wished that I could flesh out the story. It is good enough for me to understand what the author wrote and to know just enough background to make it all make sense.

So while some people love watching the Chosen series, you can count me out of that group.

A Risen Savior

 Some Christian churches do communion every Sunday. Many churches in our Fellowship do communion on Easter Sunday morning. We don't. We will have a communion service on April 19, a Sunday night,  after Easter.  I heard that it is because we do not want to get too religious. Jesus simply said that as often as you do this do it in remembrance of me. The day is not nearly as important as the remembering.

Because we believe in a risen savior all the time we do not wait until Easter Sunday to celebrate. Every time we assemble we celebrate a risen savior. We believe that He gathers with us every service. That is the difference between a religious person and a born again believer. Religious people rely on external stimulus like days and dates. We worship a risen savior who is alive today and who helps us in our hour of need.

Three Days And Three Nights.

 "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Mat.12:40

If Jesus had said three day it would have made our calendar work. Crucified on Friday, raised on Sunday. Three days. But when he added the three nights into the equation it made the time not work for me. To be crucified on Friday, spend three days and nights, he would have had to be raised on Monday morning. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with Friday night Saturday night and Sunday night. Three plus three.

"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Jon. 1:17

So Jesus quoted Jonah correctly. Why then do we get it so wrong? For me, the fact that Christ rose from the dead is enough. 

So we celebrate Jesus' birth on the wrong day and we get the time in the grave wrong too. Could this be an attempt to discredit the reality of Christ by altering key events?

Transhumanism Beyond Redemption?

 "And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Rev.14:11

I have always thought that the mark of the beast was a future event that happens after the rapture and during the great tribulation. But with the rise of AI and the belief in transhumanism I am not so sure but that people are worshipping the beast and receiving his mark today.

I noticed while reading this that people will receive the mark. It will not be by violence or by force. People will willingly and enthusiastically receive the mark and be proud to receive it.

There is a unique judgement on those who follow the beast. 

"Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb." Rev.14:9-10

Christ became a man to redeem mankind from sin. Christ did not die for animals or for machines. And if by becoming transhuman you are no longer human, then you are outside the scope of redemption. You have become like the Nephilim, who were the reason why the Flood came to destroy the world.

Note that this is a worship issue. Who you worship is your god. God will not share His glory with another. We become like the gods that we worship.

Maranatha! Repent while there is still time.

Understanding Modesty

When I use the word modest or modesty what do you first think of? The way a woman dresses? It might be useful to take a honest look at modesty.

Miriam Webster dictionary tells us that modesty is the quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities. Another source defines it as being unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities. Notice that you have to look way down the list before you find any reference to clothing.

But notice that modesty deals with the root issue which is pride. Pride says look at me, look what I have done or accomplished.

When a woman sets up a camera at the gym to video herself working out, what is she saying? Look at me! Look what I have done, not look what I can do. It is pride that calls attention to yourself or how you look or at how appealing by current standards you are.

When a woman exposes her body by what she wears what is the message? Look at me, look at how pretty or shapely I am. Look at how well proportioned my body is. It is pride.

Men tend to be proud of their accomplishments and abilities. A man showing off his physique is being influenced by the feminist ideal of beauty. Pride in men is usually manifest in over confidence without a track record to back it up.

Pride is the root of all sin. Self interest, self promotion, self exaltation, doing what pleases me.

Show me someone who is modest in appearance and I will show you someone who takes their faith seriously.

"These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him. A proud look..." Prov.6:16-17

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Prov. 31:30

Run With The Runners

"Well, Esau said, let's be going. I will lead the way. But Jacob replied, you can see, my lord, that some of the children are very young, and the flocks and herds have their young too. If they are driven too hard, even for one day, all the animals could die. Please, my lord, go ahead of your servant. We will follow slowly, at a pace that is comfortable for the livestock and the children. I will meet you at Seir." Gen.33:12-14 

Tonight our pastor used these verses in his sermon. The spirit of truth inspired me as he was preaching.

Esau is like the zealous young inexperienced pastor. He is strong. He is ready to act. He is in a hurry to make something happen. He thinks that if I can do it anyone can.

Jacob has grown up and matured in his sojourn with Laban. He has learned a thing or two. He is still strong and able to work. But time and experience have tempered his strength. He wants to arrive at the end of the trail too. But he takes into account the ability and the condition of his livestock and his young children. He has also learned the art of diplomacy.

What's the lesson here? You learn to run with the runners, and you learn to take care of the weak. A wise pastor can keep his spirit under control. 

"The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." 1Cor.14:32

A wise man keeps his strength under control and he does not wear his heart on his sleeve. He does not tell us everything he knows in every sermon. A wise and mature pastor, like Jacob, can take care of the weak and not overdrive them. 

Every sermon is not for every person. A wise pastor knows who he is ministering to and who he expects to respond. A wise pastor does not make disciples of the whole church. He runs with the runners, and he supports the weak.

PS: in our Fellowship, the weak are not the young new converts. They are the elders who have stayed faithful through the years.

Religion or Relationship?

 Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship. What in the world is that supposed to mean? I was married for 40 years. That was a relationship. We share life together. We shared love and trials together. We shared good times and hard times together. We grew closer over the years. I was sad when she died.

We enter the Christian faith with what I call a personal experience. I felt God touch me and He filled me with the Holy Ghost. I have been in the faith for over 50 years now. I do not see this walk of faith as a romantic relationship.

This is what happens when women dictate our doctrine. They come up with crazy ideas. They have romantic fantasies about God and Christ. We sing it in our worship songs. We think that while Christ was on the cross that He was thinking about me personally. He wasn't.

Faith is an action word, not an emotion word. It defines how we live and gives us rules to live by to please God. You cannot have a real relationship with someone who is spirit and not human. Jesus had relationship with the disciples. He spent time with them.

Christ died to satisfy God's demands for redemption. Our job is to believe that is true and to live according to the life of God in us. 

Salvation must be entered individually, but it must be lived out by faith in an unseen God.

Christianity is a religion. It has rules and guidelines. It has standards. We walk by faith, not by sight. Or by feelings.