Saturday, February 25, 2012

Death Is Appointed!

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Oh! the wonderful power of our God, how is it possible to forget His wonderful grace. This same God who created Adam from the dust of the ground; who created Eve from a rib from Adam; that created the earth out of nothing; that created the heavens also from nothing; has also appointed you and me a time to die, and after that death our judgment. We are so soon to forget that God is in control of all things and has by His infinite knowledge predetermined our death. We live everyday by the grace of God and we will also die by the grace of God. Our text says “And as it is appointed unto men once to die…” the word “appointed means - to be reserved – just as it was with Jesus Christ it also is with all mankind. God said in Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 2a "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (2.) A time to be born..." The Hebrew word for “season” means - an appointed time” so to EVERYTHING God has appointed a time for it to die not just mankind but to everything that exist. If God has the ability to not only number the trillions upon trillions of stars but also to name each and every one of them then He certainly has the ability to ordain the death of each one of us. We sometime think of death as an accident or as a mistake but each and everyone are appointed by God. We think of aborted babies as a tragedy and they are but God has ordained the death of every one of them. We also think of the death of a young person as a tragedy but they to are ordained of God. We like sometimes not think that God controls death and the time of death but the real fact is, He does. "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth..." Job 7:1 and then answered the question in Job 14:5 "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;" if our days are numbered than can anyone live beyond the time limit set before us by God; No we can not. Death does not surprise God because He orders each and everyone. We do not live by luck nor do we extend our lives because we cannot override Gods ordained will. Sometimes people just simply do not want to think that God orders our death as His ordained will because it is so painful when one looses a child so young, or looses one to war, but beloved if it were not for God we would not have life period. Life is a gift from God and He controls our life as He controls the rest of His creation. Some want to believe that we control our own lives but that could not be more wrong. God said “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." Psalms 37:23 The word “good” was added by the translators and is not in the original text therefore the proper reading should be “The steps of man are ordered by the LORD…” and the word “ordered” means appointed, no matter what we are in life it was ordered by God. Salvation was ordered by God; “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" Ephesians 1:4 and here is the big one of all; God changes our will to believe in Jesus Christ. I know that so many preachers love to say “God cannot change our will” but beloved if God doesn’t change it then is will not be changed. We will never just to decide to follow Jesus Christ and seek God. "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Romans 3:11 Me do not just become righteous it is ordered by God.

So let us all understand that what we do in this life it will not extend our days on the earth. We may live healthier lives and get ran over by a bus or we may die of a heart attack but one thing is most certain we will all die and on Gods time table.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

“For I am in a strait betwixt two…”

Philippians 1:23 “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”

Oh what a horrible feeling it is to be hung between two different fallings. This is exactly where Paul was here, between being with the Lord Jesus and being with the people and profiting them in the preaching of Gods word. Paul knew how important he was to his earthly spiritual duties, but he also knew what his eternal life was going to be like when he was with the Lord. Most Christians and all Pastors and Missionaries can empathize with Paul here; however we may not even realize it. I hear Christians say all the time as I have also repeated many times, “I’m ready to go home” but with the same thought we also enjoy life here, making ourselves hung between two ways of thinking. Pastors and Missionaries also get to this point when it comes to retirement, we hate to stop the work we have loved and done so many years. There comes a time when we reach the age that it becomes more harmful to remain than to retire. We feel as though the church or work can not survive without us, although we may never admit it. Please allow me to testify to everyone if a church or a work cannot survive without the man filling the pulpit presently then it not going to survive. Jesus Christ never builds a work around a man, but rather around Himself. Paul knew how important he was to the work he was doing just as a Pastor or a Missionary knows how important we are to the church or mission work; however, we are only a server of a section of time and time will move-on without us just as it has with us. God is in charge of the work and the works will be just fine without us. I personally pray that when my time comes I can gracefully step aside and allow the next step in time to begin. I have known several Pastors and Missionaries that have gracefully stepped aside an allowed the work to continue without them and it has done fine. There will be bumps and potholes along the way but there were when we all started also. I have also known those who have overstayed their time and harmed the work and it was not fine when they had left but rather folded and died. It is a hard thing to do and I know my time is coming. I will reach the point where I will have to decide to retire unless I die or Jesus returns first. However I am sure that when that time comes I will be hung between the two of staying or going. Luke 2:29 - 30 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: (30.) For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,"

Paul was a man; I know sometimes we might think he may have been a little better than a man but he was simply a man. Therefore he had fleshly thought that God actually allowed to be part of the scriptures. Paul knew he had no choice in this matter, he knew he would die when God had appointed him to and he also knew he would retire from the ministry when God had chosen it for him. So he knew this was not a choice for him but rather just some fleshly feelings. He had these same fleshly feeling about his beloved Israelites. Romans 9:3 - 4 "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: (4.) Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;” Paul knew he could never have given up his own salvation for that of his fellow Israelites but he had those feelings. And besides knowing the pain a torment of eternal damnation none of us would give up our salvation for another even “if” it were possible. Beloved let us all when we are hung between two things look to God in prayer. We all (as Christians) are hung between being with Jesus and doing the work here on this earth, but as long as we are here and doing the work let us think of ourselves as the only one that can do the work because as long as God has chosen us for that task then it is our Job. However, when the time has come to step aside let us gracefully step aside and allow the work to move on without us. It will survive if it is Gods work and Gods will.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Being A Good Example.

Titus 2:7 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,”

The very first thing every new born Christian should desire and seek to do is to follow the teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Every new born Christian should naturally desire to put away earthly things and to become spiritual because of their new nature. It is over time that some if not most newborn Christians loose their desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Lords churches. We began to see ways around following the scriptures and soon find ourselves following the secular world instead of God. This proves the Christian to be weak and unusable to God for His service. Now please let me add here that if God desires to use a person He can certainly cause them to repent. However; as Christians we owe it to God; the wonderful God of grace to keep ourselves available to God at all times. God tells us here “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works…” The word – pattern – here means – a die or a stamp – therefore the word “pattern” means our works are to be embedded into our life as a stamp is hammered into a piece of steel and cannot be easily taken put. The problem so many “Christians” have and especially today is that they are weak and have no roots. They are like a tumble week that blows in every direction with every direction of wind. Beloved as Christians we are to be strong in doctrine, strong in faith, and strong in church love. When a Christian is strong they will have strong works and therefore being a good example for the younger and weaker Christians. The question is “are you a strong Christian”? If the answer is “I don’t know” or “no I don’t think so” then it is time to fix that and become a strong Christian so that others can look at your life and use it as an example for their life. God tells us in Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works..." That we are the workmanship of God (that is our salvation) created in Christ Jesus for a purpose in this life. Now we may all not understand why God saved us and what His purpose is for us, but one thing we all can and must understand is that God saved us all to walk in Christ and his word. Some people are saved just to be good bible believing Christians and others are saved for a multitude of reasons but we are all saved to be good examples for others to see and to follow. If we are not good examples then we have failed God in our Christian purpose.

“… in doctrine…” this is a fact one cannot be a good Christian nor a good example if they are not following and believing absolute truth. Truth is one of the two absolutes to worshipping God John 10:24 “…they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Nothing less will work. One cannot mishandle Gods word and be a good example. "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." 2 Corinthians 4:2 One of the things that make the Christian a good example is them searching Gods word for truth. It is our job to make this a point of life. A good Christian accepts the word of God for what it says and is not ashamed of it. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. “

Beloved are you a good example for the younger and weaker Christians or are you one of the weak ones? Today could be the day for you to step forward and make your life an example for other.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Beware of False Teachers.

Matthew 7:15 - 16 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (16.) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"

A false teacher would be anyone who teaches contrary to Gods doctrine. A Christian must beware of preachers who want to change the scriptures into a lie and force them to say opposite to what they really mean to say. The devil is a liar and not just a liar but the father of lies. God says these men are liars like their father the devil; John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” These men are like their father they come as an angel of light, they will look and sound like they are believers, they will teach from the bible, they will have their scriptures, and they will be very likeable and even seem to be very lovable, but beware because beneath their outward beauty they are raven wolves who will steal your mind and heart. 2 Corinthians 11:14 - 15 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.(15.) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." They will go to the ends of this earth to convince you that they are Gods men and bring Gods doctrine when all they truly bring is destruction your way. They will teach about a universal invisible church which cannot fit to the church in the scriptures, they will teach about a salvation outside of Jesus Christ (works, baptism, church membership, and etc.), they will teach about a god that cannot do anything with your soul without your consent. These men are dangerous and will still you away from serving our Sovereign God. They will lead you down a path of separation rather than a path of righteousness. They will have plenty of help thru much support, they will be supported with money (big buildings, gyms, programs, and etc.), they will afford the big nice web sites, and they will also be supported by others who agree with them like conventions, associations, and maybe even nations. They will be on television, radio, and even in print. They will come as what you are i.e a church for bikers, a church for cowboys, a church for gays, or etc. They will come as very loving and caring open door and freewill will be their theme; “come as you are and it is fine with us but just come” will be what they preach. They will mock the Baptist and will make fun of what they believe and teach, they will tell you that the Baptist are hate mongers, that they make salvation to easy, and that their unloving and uncaring. Folks, behind the mask, behind the lies, and behind the good looking things are nothing but evil and destruction. They will take your children and turn their minds into mush; they will cause you to believe lies instead of truth and will cause you to falsely worship a false God. This (while they mean well or not) is the plan of Satan and they are executing it step by step. God says to beware of them because they are on every street corner. The Lord promised that they would “…come to you in sheep's clothing…” looking like men of God “…but inwardly they are ravening wolves…” just simply remove the mask and you will see an ugly devil. God promised that “Ye shall know them by their fruits…” because they are not true Christians however they have deceived enough Christians into following them it is hard some times to tell who is whom, but if you look to the leader, the teacher, you will see the true devil behind it all and His or her true identity will be revealed. Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Please be warned.