The Reluctant Prophet Part I

 Jonah is called the reluctant prophet because he fled from the presence of the Lord after he was given his great commission.  He was called by God to preach against Nineveh, the great city and the enemy of Israel at that time, the Northern Kingdom, it was like asking a Jew to go preach against Hitler in Berlin during World War 2.  This was indeed a tall order!  Was he up to it?  He had a right to self-preservation and survival instinct (he must have considered this a suicide mission) and that's what he did he fled and went the opposite way toward Tarshish. But he found out he cannot flee the presence of the Lord for he had thought that God was the only of Israel was the only God of Israel and not the God of all Gods everywhere (henotheism)  He thought that if you went to another country God would not be God there, in other words. He was great and mistaken the God of Israel is God everywhere and a God even of the Gentiles he was asked to preach against in Nineveh.  

Some people say he prophesied against Nineveh because he said that in forty days it would be overthrown Good.  Now this prophecy never did come true and was eventually overthrown 200 years later (see the book of Nuhum) but Nineveh's prediction did not come true thus making him in a sense a false prophet. No, he was not really a prophet in this true sense of the word because He gave no prophecy. On the other hand, he was the most successful prophet of all time because his prophecy actually had an effect and worked repentance upon the people he was a success unlike other prophets and he didn't get stoned, unlike other prophets. Prophets do not necessarily tell predictive prophecies but speak forth the Word of God.  They comfort the affected and afflict the comforted. 

No, in this book we see that everyone seems to be on board with God except Jonah like when he was on the ship all the people repented and feared God but Jonah refused and when the people repented in Nineveh he was upset with God he actually probably want the people to be you know and be destroyed and would pity a plant more than on the people of Nineveh. 

We see in this book from the get-go that God had heard about the great evil of Nineveh and it reached Heaven by reputation then we had a great reputation to be the evilest people on the face of the earth there they were so heinous and egregious they would kill babies by striking them against the wall they did some repugnant, ignominious and offensive things, the most brutal person would do like the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached up to God and God decided to judge but this time God decided that a prophet to tell him to repent rather than strictly judge them without warning. 

It says that Jonah preached against and they heard him and understood because he actually preach God's word but he didn't want them to repent and give them a chance told them to wait to avoid judgment but he never thought they would or pent now why would God tell Jonah this message if God knew they would repent? Because God has provisional plans and God works in time like we do and this is a reality that if they did not repent they would have been overthrown Jonah was not deceiving them he was just delivering his God-given message is a great commission.

This book teaches us that we ought to go when God tells us to go until obey God because God will get his way with us he will find a way to make us do his will. And if God wants us to repent we will repent and God is also the God of the Israelites and the Gentiles just as much there is one God for the whole world he is not a local Deity or God or a tribal God. Jonah was very mistaken thinking he could escape the so-called presence of the Lord by fleeing for God is everywhere.  Now everyone has heard of Jonah he's the most famous prophet of all he's the one people usually use a skeptic to say do you believe there a man could be sold by a whale? So he has become the object of ridicule for skeptics and cynics and atheists and this is more than a kid story or a fable Jesus quoted that Jesus believed in it so it must be true it is a fact of history

The Book of Jonah is written as a narrative, not in a didactic form like Paul's epistles just teaching propositional truth or lessons or doctrine we are to glean lessons from the reading of the historical narrative this actually happened it is true history even Jesus believed in it. Stories become a matter of cliche and odd end ridicule by some who claim that a whale could not swallow a man but there's been proof that wheels quit swallowing men a blue whale has been discovered to find a man inside.  We do not know whether this was a whale or great fish according to some scholars because Jonah probably didn't know the difference. The story has been told and told and oversold and some get tired of hearing it but there are many deep lessons and many doctrinal lessons especially to be learned from it that apply to us even if we don't think they apply to us.

We must realize this book is about God's compassion, about his attributes.  We can know the God that we don't know. We should teach others and lead them to know the beauty of this book is that God is the protagonist and he appears front and center as the main character and the story involves him as if our lives revolve around God.  We are not the center of our life. Still, God writes out the destiny of our lives. It is no use fighting God! We can get his attention! 

Now Jonah disobeyed God's direct command of God to go to any disobeyed and went the opposite way out of fear survival instinct etcetera he had self-preservation and knew how dangerous these people were he had heard of them, Nineveh had a bad reputation. This was also during good times and he was very reluctant to leave the peace and safety of his role and go to a faraway land. Jonah probably knew that God cared about the Gentiles he thought maybe God only cared more about the Jews or the Israelites as they were called His people, at that time some in the Northern Kingdom did not think that Gentiles were worthy of the gospel even though God had called the Jews to be a light to the world but they failed in this commission.  

And the plot thickens as he doesn't arise and go as commanded to go immediately but goes in the opposite direction to see if he can get as far away from God as possible because maybe he thought that God would not be there as I said he fled from the presence of the Lord he felt he could actually get away from God which is impossible. In summation of this, Jonah did not want you to save them, he wanted punishment and he heard of their great wickedness it was common knowledge Jonah was an un-prophet or anti-prophet and he would didn't prophecy anything really in this book or any in the old in the Bible that we know of except unless you want to take his sermon about saying that Nineveh would fall in forty days.  

But note that he is the only prophet who was successful in bringing repentance!  But that turned out to be a false prophecy in that case because it did come true but Nineveh spoke for God this is what a prophet really does he doesn't just foretell but forth-tells, that is, he tells God's words, and explains them to God's people to understand he tells exactly what God tells him to tell he may.   But we noticed that Jonah rationalized.

But we noticed that Jonah rationalized he had many excuses for not going just like Moses had three reasons for not going anywhere who was he, couldn't speak, and people wouldn't listen to him they would believe that kind of thing.  Jonah thought that someone else could do better than him maybe he wasn't good enough that they wouldn't listen to him or that he it was too dangerous why should he risk his life to do that that was he thought probably the people in Judah or Israel needed God more than Nineveh.  This was outside his comfort zone but we should never question God's commands, we should never run from him.

In fact, when we do that we find out that God chases us like a Hond of heaven and we cannot escape the presence of the Lord he finds us we don't find him he finds us and will not let us go so, in essence, we are to a rise and go just like Jonah and follow God's commands.  It's like Paul said I was "not disobedient to the heaven vision." When he became converted and saw the light on the road to Damascus he was immediately blinded but then saw the light and realized it was Jesus Christ that had saved him even though he was reluctant. 

That's why we called Jonah the reluctant prophet, just like God said to Saul: "Why do you kick against the goads?" (meaning fighting God's will) he did not want to do and we are like that ourselves we are reluctant to do a big God's will sometimes in our command is also like the Great Commission given by Jesus to go to all nations making disciples, and so forth.  We don't just pawn this off on the pastor but we have to take our individual gifts and go for it and find our role or niche in doing the work in the church. So in essence, this is not a great suggestion or a great idea but it is a great command it is an imperative mandate we have no choice we are disobedient you cannot say no lord that's a contradiction of terms if you're going to call God Lord, you must obey him you do not argue with God.  

In sum, God will knock us all out of our comfort zone and give us a heavenly vision to fill tall orders and to obey; but we can walk on water and move mountains with mustard-seed faith!  We all are running from God but this is impossible because God pursues us as reluctant prophets in a sense. After all, we fall short and we must trust God's will for our lives and trust in His love that He knows best for us and can plan our lives better than we can.   Soli Deo Gloria!

A Little Tough Talk Is Due

 Jesus didn't always say things easy to accept, his so-called hard sayings were controversial, roughed up some feathers, and caused many disciples to no longer walk with him, he was not a people pleaser neither did he tell the crowds what they wanted to hear or were itching to hear and they were not an easy pill to swallow.  For instance, many want to be the boss or Number One and are control freaks and think great people are only those in power.  They are not to lord it over the flock or throw their weight around indiscriminately.   But Jesus said the greatest is the servant of all!  Quite topsy-turvy to the conventional wisdom of the time.   Jesus came not to be served but to serve and he got down and dirty with mankind, especially in the "order of the towel" when he washed the disciple's feet and his fellow disciples and was not afraid to associate with anyone but meet their needs, especially in doing miracles or healing; it seems he was saying nothing is "beneath us." 

Some people naturally see the needs of other people in situations they just have a natural servant's heart when a need rises they want to do it. Other people are more like leaders, not because they want to lord over others or be the boss, but because they realize that good leadership is essential and lead by example.  They want to show the way and be trailblazers.  I mean to be scripturally versed and savvy and privy to the deep truths of the Word, able to teach what Jesus commanded--all his commands.   Jesus was loving with all in essence wanting us to assume the helm and to be in charge.  

Now there are only two offices to fill in the modern church: elder and deacon; nearly identical resumes are required but different job descriptions.  Deacons are a special breed of people who do not want to bring attention to themselves or are not self-seeking or self-ambitious but really want to help people out with their personal needs and to promote unity in the church in the bond of peace. The church elders or congregants do not look for a mechanic or plumber and appoint him because he could be very useful to those in need!   

They are caretakers and caregivers!  They want to do whatever they're called to do they do not have something that they think is beneath them.  Humility is a virtue necessary because power may go to one's head as well as being in the spotlight or on the church radar for it is widely known that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely; we must not let power, influence, or authority ever reside in one single person. 

Deacons must be tested first before being appointed they must be proved they are faithful and pious or godly and must be blameless--this does not mean they are perfect because perfect people need not apply to the church at all because the church is not a hotel for saints but a hospital for sinners.  Deacons must realize they are not self-appointed but are recognized by the church this is a point when they do what comes naturally to them and find themselves serving the church they will be recognized that they are good candidates.  

They do not go around advertising. campaigning, drawing attention to themselves, promoting themselves, or running for the job like a politician gaining favors or namedropping! All things are to be done with dignity and order.  This is most unbecoming and unwelcome. a dignified believer to be self-promoting. And this is not something you apply for officially; you don't particularly say that you want to be a deacon but you must prove yourself first that's what the testing is all about you must prove your worthiness and your adeptness to the priorities and responsibilities of the office. 

Now,  deacons and elders are not spiritual gifts they are offices in the church and you can be very gifted spiritually, intellectually, and even very talented and not an elder or deacon.  We must also recognize that deacons are not junior elders or elders in training it is not a stepping stone to being an elder this is very important because in some churches they want to test you first.   You don't earn your right to be an elder by being a deacon first. It is not by seniority! 

The church calls them to this office just like they call a pastor to preach to a church, it is a calling, and God's gifts and callings are not repented of--he doesn't regret it.  They must remain true and faithful to their heavenly calling.  God calls and God gives members gifting or spiritual gifts are not something that we are taken away or forfeited but our calling is something that we must be faithful to in the church some priests for instance are pastors have been defrocked due to immoral behavior this does happen some some some people can be excommunicated even if they are in office. 

This has happened because elders have the authority for church discipline, to serve, not govern the body of Christ.  The difference between elders and deacons is that deacons are called to serve, and elders are called to lead.  They are the practical ones in the body, handy people!   Elders are in a position of authority whereas deacons are in the position of servanthood. You must learn to be proactive as a deacon because you must see a need to fulfill it just like an entrepreneur sees a need fulfills it to become successful. Some people are just blind to needs this is basically the way they are they don't see it but deacons are looking always looking for opportunities to serve God. I think it's not just like a handyman or spiritual person that's practically useful, but there's a spiritual gift of helps.   He must be spiritually qualified  (godly, virtuous, and pious, and biblically knowledgeable (not just qualified vocationally. But deacons can  be considered "good to be around," and many have the gift of "helps." 

One thing we must notice between elders and deacons is that sometimes an elder may be called to do the work of a deacon if somebody rides or help them up financially this has been done they always get together and decide to build somebody out of a financial situation or something.   All spiritual gifts are like that even if we have one gift we do not prohibit ourselves or exclude ourselves from other gifts if we are called to do them or see the opportunity to do them. Do what God opens the door for you to do even if you don't think we have that gift. Deacons may be called to the service as a teacher but they do not have the office of teacher or pastor-teacher or officially recognizes teachers like the elders who teach well.  You can say elders make and interpret the rules but the deacons apply and follow them. 

Basically, the most important aspect of a deacon  (a man on a mission) is that he promotes the "unity of the spirit in the bond of peace" he knows the church's mission statement and he sees a vision for the church and he works together with the other body members or congregants toward that goal. I like the concept of the deacons as the face of the church they are the peaceful people who bring people together and are peacemakers that we call when we need help they're the ones that know the issues in the church they are in know lots of things but they cannot possibly meet the needs of all the people by themselves they are part of the solution. 

Deacons are those who serve behind the scenes in a support role has been said wisely have a special function towards all of the members. One thing of deacon may do is if he cannot meet and eat himself he may know someone else who he can recommend people deacons are to bring the body together to concerted effort to help people as a body and to work together as a unity as one body in Christ.  Deacons have a supportive role which means they do whatever they are called to do they are open to suggestions and willing to do whatever the elders or the church members ask them to do willingly.   Soli Deo Gloria! 

No Perfect People Need Apply

It is an honorable and noble thing to desire or aspire to be an elder in a church.  This implies you are a man on a mission, have a high ethic or moral code, and especially know how to keep the main thing the main thing and do not major in minors; i.e., properly focused and trained.    Even though there are several criteria or checkpoints in selecting an elder, no one perfectly fits the bill or matches the resume. We all fall short!  They are more than believers who just look good on paper! 

We all have different strengths and weaknesses, strongpoint or fortes.  Elders are appointed (NOT AN INHERITED POSITION OR BIRTHRIGHT) by other elders just like you need to be a disciple to disciple or mentor someone.  Since elders are in a position of authority and leadership, they must be accountable and know first what it means to be led. Basically, elders are the exemplars or role models of the body.  Nowhere do we see one-man rule or control freaks in the church as acceptable as Paul rebuked Diotrophes for wanting to be Number One always?   

Since they should practice what they preach and preach what they practice without hypocrisy or duplicity, the body will emulate them and see them as authority figures, even father figures; hence called sometimes shepherds or overseers.  Without being authoritarian or throwing their weight around but being able to lift people up and edify them--that's what it means! No one has the right to "lord it over" the flock! 

Sometimes actions speak louder than words and always our lives can be our testimony just as well as what we say.  But this doesn't mean they are alone in charge or should challenge their authority. We don't them to ignore us because our lives speak so loud so as give them a reason:  "YOUR LIFESTYLE SPEAKS SO LOUD I CANNOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAY!"  They realize they have a heavenly calling and mission and not be disobedient to it! They should not neglect their spiritual gifting and be faithful to fulfilling it. 

Character counts!  They must be highly regarded or thought of even by outsiders. Elders are pious and godly in character and have virtuous conduct by their reputation so outsiders will have nothing negative or bad to say and they will not fall into the trap of the devil. One neglected criterion is that they hold the mystery of the Word with a clear conscience and understand doctrine well enough to not just be versed in it but to have a working knowledge of it and be a student of the Bible, the Word, and be able to teach others doctrine just as they were taught and to equip them the body for the work of ministering themselves.  

Elders never stop learning they do not think they have "arrived," even Paul admitted that and realized that the first condition or prerequisite of learning is to admit your ignorance or know that you don't know everything--often the result of learning is more than an awareness of ignorance.  Elders are engaged in OJT or on-the-job training and learn also through the school of hard knocks and experience. However, some are always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth because of disobedience.  There are two kinds of elders, you might say, and looking at this qualification there are those who have been humbled and those that will be humbled.  If you do not want to be humbled or humble you have no business in the ministry or the leadership of the church in that capacity. 

Elders must be servants above all, especially as servants to all, for no one is beneath you as a servant. Be willing to get down and dirty with the flock and get to know them. What are we do to the least of Christ's disciples we've done unto him.   In sum, no church should "go beyond that which is written" and realize no one is perfect.  Soli Deo Gloria! 

The Focus Of Our Life

 

"I  wanted to write to you concerning our common salvation..." Jude 3 

Ask Christians if we should have a Christ-centered theology and church. A church without theology is a dead church and theology. Theology is always relevant and necessary but not sufficient. You could know all the theology in the world and fail in the point of Christian love which is the aim and be worthless.   We all have a theology we must realize that but how good our theology is is the point.

A Christ-centered gospel means that the gospel was about Jesus Christ's good news is about him. He solved the sin question by his death burial and resurrection. He conquered death itself and showed that there is life after death with infallible proofs according to Luke. Our whole lives should be gospel-centered because we are grace-oriented and focused on the gospel as we strive to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucified in our message. That means keeping the main thing the main thing and not majoring on minors but realizing that the Great Commission is our aim and goal as Christians someday it shall be called the great completion and we need a great commitment to it. 

We must realize that our salvation began in eternity past, is realized in time, and will be completed in eternity, and looks forward to heaven. Our Father purposed and authored our salvation, and the Son actually secured, accomplished, and achieved it but the Holy Spirit applies it to our lives.  All three members of the Godhead are necessary!  We must also realize that the whole person gets saved and we get rescued from the dominion of sin and that salvation is more than forgiveness. 

The whole point in justification is that God realized that we are reckoned as saints, not sinners anymore and that reconciliation ensures we are restored to our relationship with God and propitiation or that the actual sacrifice was made in the temple of God on our behalf by the blood of Christ itself. Salvation not only forgives us, but it also delivers us from the power of sin and regenerates us so that our spirit is alive and can know and Love and serve God in a relationship. 

Finally, we must realize that we are saved by grace alone not by any combination of grace and good deeds or good works or pre-salvation attempts to please God. Christ as a sacrifice and crucified saved us from the penalty of sin; his coming saves us from the power of sin and in heaven he saves us from the judgment of sin.

The foundation of all our lives is in Christ the solid Rock, not any one person or church or theology. What matters in faith is the object of the faith, not how strong the faith is.  You can move mountains with mirror mustard-seed faith and we can all walk on water by walking by faith.  You can be fanatical in your faith and have blind faith for no reason or not know why you believe or have a zeal but not according to knowledge but it matters what you believe in God and what kind of a god you believe in how big your God is not how big your faith is.

As Christians walking with the Lord we have the courage to face tomorrow, to live one day at a time, and to realize that we can live everything in the light of eternity and not be discouraged for we know that God is in control of our lives and that he holds our future and our destiny is in his hands. We know that we may have bad times but we must accept them for God gives the good times also and he has a purpose for them we see everything as related to the gospel that God will work everything for our good because of Christ what he has done and proven his love for us by redeeming us from the slave market of sin so we no longer servants of sin but servants of righteousness.

When we are Christ-oriented we have peace with one another ("My peace I leave with you...")  and we bare the image of Christ and have a natural love for one another as Jesus said we shall know we are disciples if we love one another. Christ said that the legacy he leaves is his peace and peace is the hallmark or calling card of the Christian life for there is no peace for the wicked. Jesus said peace to you and only Christianity can offer this. We can have peace with God, peace with our neighbors, and peace in our future. 

We must not doubt the saviorhood of Christ, that was His mission!   For in the Gospel of Christ, our past is forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured. It also means that we have been saved that our sins have been forgiven both past, present, and future and then we are being forgiven and being saved right now continually and ongoing basis as we have victory in power over sin and we shall be saved ultimately from the presence of sin itself in the final judgment and wrath of God.

That's what Christianity is about... salvation!   It is a religion of salvation and the saviourhood of Jesus should not be questioned for there is no name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, he is the only Savior of the world and there is no other one who came to save us for He was surely a man on a mission to seek and to save those who are lost.

We must recognize that the gospel is not new, it was given to Adam and Eve called the Protoevangelium and it was revealed more and more throughout the Old Testament until finally explained in Jesus Christ. We have always been saved by grace through faith in the Lord!  Looking ahead or behind.  Paul elaborated on the gospel message and the book of Romans is the highlight of the Bible's theology you could say that all roads lead to Romans. And Romans has highlighted in Romans chapter 8. This is the quintessence of the gospel.

Therefore, the foundation of our life is in the finished work of Christ it is a done deal we do not need to do this or do that we do not have a to-do list. Christianity is about having what Christ has done for us it is done and done already we just accept that fact. And rest in faith knowing that Christ did the work for us on our behalf and we can do nothing to save ourselves not even any pre-salvation work. Our present Christian life is based on faith as we walk in faith in the Spirit of God by his power we do not have permission to live in the flesh anymore or to sin because we have forgiven but we have the power to live in the Spirit. And our hope is not diminished as we hope for heaven with Christ in which we are like him and reign with him eternally our future is secure knowing that Christ is in us right now he has given us the earnest of our inheritance the Holy Spirit taking up residence with our spirit.

Therefore, we must realize that we are complete in Christ and that Christ fulfills us and gives us meaning and purpose in life as we are called to serve him and glorify him in our lives and to do his will. Without Christ, we are nothing Paul said he counted rubbish at all things he had compared to what he knows in Christ. Our past is not worth holding on to compared to the value of knowing Christ. What eternal life is about, not about improving our lives but having a transformation of our lives and knowing God is real and wants a relationship with us personally because he loves us.

The Great Benediction that closes Second Corinthians mentions Jesus first and specifically the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hours with the love of God in the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit is the triune formula that they all work in harmony and unity with each other for one objective our salvation.  If these three things are what is so unique about the Christian experience when we encounter God in our lives. 

Christianity is grace-oriented and stressed and is salvation by grace, not by work or merit which has no place in our salvation. And we experienced the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit as proof of our salvation since we love because he first loved us and the love of God constrains us as we love another. And the fellowship is unique in the Christian life because we all have fellowship centered in Jesus Christ in the love of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in his name.  Whenever we walk in the Spirit we have fellowship with one another.   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Sin Wants To Destroy You....

 ".. that they should repent, turn to God and do works befitting repentance." (Acts 26:20). 

"Testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21). 

"Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance." (Matt. 3:8). 

"He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." (Prov. 28:13). 

"Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin." (Ezek.18:30). 

God had warned Cain: "Sin wants to destroy you but don't let it!" (Gen. 4:7). God always precedes judgment with a warning.  There might come a time when we seek repentance with tears and it is hard to come by as in the case of Esau. We must heed the warning and take it seriously and know there is a time to repent! Today is the day of salvation!  Also, we can never look upon repentance as a finished work but should as an ongoing, continuing solution.  Just like we "keep" the faith, we "renew" our repentance.  We cannot ever say that we "had" faith if we do not "keep" the faith!  Likewise, we are not just "filled with the Spirit" once but continually!  God gives us a regular time to reflect on our sins when we partake of the Lord's Supper and we should take it seriously and not tolerate our pet sins.  Paul urges us to "examine ourselves" as a form of assurance of our salvation. 

We must realize that sin is spitting in God's face, offending his holiness, insulting his person, rejecting his truth, contradicting his truth, repudiating his justice, resisting his grace, nullifying his grace, contradicting his wisdom, and outright rebellion against His authority.  We need to "listen up" when God speaks to our hearts lest we turn a deaf ear to his voice and become spiritually hard of hearing.  We cannot excuse ourselves or rationalize our sins to justify ourselves.  This is a time as Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." If we do not know ourselves, how can we know God!  Also as the Greeks said, "Know thyself!"  

We cannot alter the truth of God to make ourselves look better or to blame others for our problems or sins.  We are all culpable and accountable to God and shall give an account of ourselves at the Judgment Seat of Christ for how we lived according to the grace given us. We must not water down the gospel message or dumb down it either to exclude the call to repent!  There will come a time when we violate even doing something when we know better and our own conscience judges us.  God is patient with us not willing any should perish and this means our salvation!  If we got what we deserved, we would be in hell! 

Now, Paul had a unique view of weakness: he would boast of his weakness so that the power of Christ would rest on him.  God's power is made perfect through our weakness.  The more we acknowledge our weakness and the more we depend upon the grace of God, the more glory we bring to God. Weakness to God is letting him get things done through us and depending upon him to use us.  Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to him. The problem is that most people will not admit their weaknesses and give a sham they are strong or masquerade as mighty in the faith when it is weak.  We need to be strong in faith not in self-confidence. We don't need self-esteem as much as God-esteem. It is also not how big our faith is, but how big our God is. Obedience must be viewed as the measure of faith: "By faith Abraham obeyed..." 

We need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith as God said, "Look unto Me and be saved...." Our focus is on him when we admit our weakness and need for him but many people are so self-confident and think they are so righteous they see no need for God.  Remember how Peter began to sink in the water when he got his eyes off Jesus? Well, we must focus on our Lord and give him authority over our lives and see things from his perspective. 

Now, I have mentioned but not defined or expounded on repentance itself. First, is it granted by grace when we believe (they go together as in believing repentance and penitent faith) according to Acts 20:21. They are linked just as works of repentance must follow to prove its genuineness. (Acts 26:20).  It is a complete and radical change of mind, will, and emotions toward our sin; not just a change of heart of opinion.  We must renounce our sins and begin a new life with Christ at the helm. We must turn from our sin and towards a walk with God. It is the missing ingredient to our faith because most preachers shy away from preaching on this topic.  It is more than just feeling sorry but actual control and change of direction.

We must become radicalized for God!   We must see the seriousness of our sin: rebellion, independence, faithlessness, lovelessness, and irresponsibility. We do a complete turnaround, about-face, or a 180 and this is more than a New Year's resolution, AA pledge, or turning over a  new leaf!  There can be no genuine repentance without saving faith! They go hand in hand or they do not save!   That is what Judas lacked though he was sorry for what he had done and betrayed innocent blood!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Overcoming The Pitfalls Of Ministry

"I came not to be served but to serve.,.."  Mark 10:45  "Whoever desires to be first, shall be slave of all." Mark 10:44

First, "ministry" doesn't just refer to preaching but to all services rendered by believers who use their spiritual gifts for the growth or edification of the body of Christ. There are downfalls as well as fringe benefits and an upside.  Just like it is more blessed to give than to receive, the person doing the ministry feels the most joy over the one who benefited.  Now, most Christians are in the dark as to their gifting and this is because they have never ministered.  You don't just serve where you want to or think your gift is, but whenever and wherever the opportunity arises to serve and see where God blesses you. God isn't so much looking for ability as for availability.  Showing up is 90 percent of the success!  

We do not need impressive resumes to minister because God opens the door and breaks the sound barrier for to reach others.  Another distinction: ministry is to believers or to the body, and mission is to the lost. And we must always keep the man thing as the main thing and not major in minors with our mission statement. Many ministries seem like thankless jobs or of no consequence or fanfare or glory but to God, they are all vital to the work of the equipping of the saints. The unfortunate thing is when we have good intentions and poor follow-through; that is why we need to be faithful and obedient and leave the success to God. 

We need to focus on what matters! Recognize boundaries in our people skills and even our limits and not overestimate ourselves or even take ourselves too seriously. We have to realize that sometimes we can't win and let Gop provide the growth as we water and plant seeds. Big misunderstandings happen when we have a failure to communicate and people get the wrong impression.  There are two kinds of ministers to mention here at work: those who have been humbled and those who will be! If you think you're already humble, get out of the ministry! 

We are all called by God and are suited to minister in our own way. We must not have excuses when God calls like Moses: Who am I?  I am clumsy with words, they will not believe me! we must trust God with the results and realize we can move mountains and walk on water with mustard-seed faith.  It is not how big our faith is but how big our God is and what the object of our faith is. Remember, God is not looking to success or achievement or accomplishments but to faithfulness and obedience. We should be humbled that God is just using us as servants or vessels of honor. It isn't our resume that suits or qualifies us but the Holy Spirit's residence in our hearts. We don't want results from the energy of the flesh or the ways of the world but the glory to God in the power of the Spirit. As they say, you can accomplish much if you don't care who gets the credit; likewise in ministry: if you give God the glory, He will use and bless you. 

Remember that the mission of the church is to fulfill the Great Commission.  And there is no social gospel but you could say we have a social commitment to the betterment and blessing of our society. We may think we have a thankless job but what matters is the spirit we do it in and our faithfulness. The best we can hope for is that Jesus says: Well done thou good and faithful servant! That is why we look for the open door and earn our right to minister. Our deeds must correlate and match our creeds!  That they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. 

Now, someday this mission will be the Great Completion and in the fullness of time Christ will come to reward us and our work never finishes as we never retire from the Lord's work.  We should all have a Great Commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment!  The best mission statement of a church body I have seen is to be committed to knowing the Lord and making Him known!  Soli Deo Gloria! 

Through Thick And Thin

One Jewish rabbi bemoaned the suffering of mankind because he said that since God is almighty and God is good, why is our suffering. People basically complain about suffering and what happens to them especially. There are many alternative realities to suffering among the various worldviews and religions. Eastern philosophy grasps Karma, which means that there's an ironclad rule that governs good and bad and you get punished for all the bad or rewarded for all the good, they cancel each other out and you cannot escape from Karma. In fact, when they see someone else suffering, they say, "Well, that's his karma!"  And they don't have any mercy to help other people because they don't want to interfere with one's Karma. Another ancient philosophy was that of the Stoics in ancient Greece taught us to grin and bear it,, in that case, we must be glad to just go through suffering because there's no other choice but to be hardened and to grow in character we just must accept it as reality. 

The old Christian rule that gets in the way sometimes is that we reap what we sow and we only get what we deserve and we don't get half the punishments that we deserve, et cetera. Paul suffered more than any other Christian and he said that we should rejoice in our sufferings Rom. 5:3. Job was known for his patience in his suffering and we are to take him as an example. Jesus however suffered more than any other man he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and he went the way of the Via Dolorosa. 

Even among Christians there are various alternate realities that people see in suffering they see it as mere punishment from God or a curse of God or it's all of Satan or the enemy or that's only a test we must pass the test or that is just a thorn the flesh and we need it to keep us humble we all Christmas must realize we all have a cross to bear. There are only two types of Christians. Those who have been humbled and those who will be humbled. 

We must not get a martyr's complex in our suffering, thinking that we are humble or we have suffered more than anybody else or that suffering brings salvation. We must realize it's suffering is for the glory of God and that God means it for good no matter how we see it, he sees the big picture, so we should thank God even in our sufferings not thank for our sufferings we shouldn't we have the right attitude in other words and trust in the province of God as it says in Rom. 8:28 "All things work together for the good of them that Love God and our lows are called according to his purpose."

Only in Christianity, is there true meaning in suffering and I promise of a God who knows us and has suffered more than us and looks upon our suffering with sympathy (he can relate to us!) and we can relate to it that he will help us and comfort us in our suffering as Joseph said you meant that his brothers meant it for evil but God meant it for good.   So this is a Providence of God, a God who guides our lives and we must trust that he knows what's best for us and we will we look back upon the years and see that God indeed was wise and knew what was best for us.   And we will realize finally that God's Grace is sufficient for us and there are others who suffered more than us like they said you complain about not having shoes until you see someone that has no feet.

In the end, we can say that we have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith )(2 Tim 4:7) we have been with God through thick and thin, and come what may we know that God is with us all the way wherever we go. And we will not leave us nor forsake us.  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Servant's Heart

The Apostle Paul was a servant par excellence. He could boast of his sufferings for Christ beyond measure and more than anybody else in the New Testament. Paul also said that he would boast of nothing but what Christ has accomplished through him. (Romans 15:18). You see, the most we could ever hope for no matter how much we suffer and no matter how much we do is that Christ says to us on that day well done thou good and faithful servant. Paul proved this by being down getting down and dirty just like Jesus did when he took up the tall and washed the disciples' feet.   He was not afraid that something was beneath him that is the servant's heart to be servant of all. Paul had no sense of superiority but he defended his right as an apostle appointed by Christ. the idea of a servant is that we have a master and we are obedient.  

When we call Jesus Lord that implies that he is our Master and that we will obey him.   In other words, to say no lord is a contradiction in terms. There could be no salvation apart from obedience. for instance, the Bible says to obey is better than sacrifice And God gives his holy spirit to those who obey him. obedience and faith are linked in scripture many times we adhere to the obedience of the faith.  God has given his Holy Spirit to those who obey him Acts 5:32

The Lord would not ask us about our achievements or accomplishments But he will be interested in what kind of persons we are. That is why Christ condemned those who posted before him on Judgment Day saying, "Lord have we not done this or that?" They were having faith in their works, not in the Lord. We should realize that we are only honored and privileged to serve God. Paul says it has been appointed unto you not only to believe in Christ but to suffer for his sake. (Phil. 1:29).   We also fill up the suffering of Christ. We are called to serve and when we do in Christ's name we should consider it an honor.

Would you worship a God who had no understanding of suffering? But Jesus Christ suffered more than anyone and God allowed his own son to suffer much more will he allow us to suffer for his glory. Then Christianity we find meaning and suffering unlike any other religion But of course, the true answer is not in philosophy but in the person of Jesus Christ. Now we are not to get a martyr's complex and think that the more we suffer the whole year we are or the more worthy we are. The faith doesn't us to become martyrs necessarily but to live for Christ and to present our bodies as living sacrifices. Many people will die for a Christ that they will not live for. Paul said that he would rejoice in his sufferings (Romans 5:3). 

As far as boasting goes, Paul said that he would boast in the Lord but he didn't do it to exalt himself but to put himself in Christ's shoes and think that doing something that Christ expects him to do. When we suffer and when we serve God, we are only doing what is our duty and we are even unworthy of that. Paul said that those who will be exalted must humble themselves.   And we do this by putting Christ first in our lives and making him our number one priority and letting all other things slide. 

One thing Paul did boast of saying that he was better at not just also at doing was that he was a servant of God. Yes, Paul did have a servant's heart, mentality, and mindset.  Paul did his boasting to be a fool for Christ. We all are fools and in a sense, but who's fool are you? Are you willing to be God's full and to do things that require faith not just the world's wisdom? Suffering can thus be a badge of honor but we must not use it to make ourselves better than others or to think of ourselves better than others or to think we are whole there than not type of attitude. All the suffering that we do is for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the Name and we should be considered honored and privileged to be able to do it and that God is just using us for His glory!  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Need For Effective Ministries

 Martin Luther was asked if the Reformation was complete with his corrections and he replied that the  Reformation had only just begun and would never end.  We are always to be an attitude of Reformation. The Latin for that is Semper Reformanda.  We ought never to become complacent in our church and think that we have arrived at the perfect ideal church or at monopolizing the truth or that we are the only ones. We could always learn from each other's churches because no church is THE "reformed"  church. There is a church for everybody in my opinion or what you call niche churches and have a certain demographic or an appeal that they have. We cannot be all things to all people. 

In other words, some churches try to become mega-churches or attract followers by teaching or preaching what the people want to hear especially when it comes to prophecy or prosperity theology.  These preachers are really gifted entrepreneurs and not called by God.  The Bible warns against those who have itching ears and only want to hear what they want to hear and preachers who cater to them.  Even the devil himself disguised himself as an angel of light.  So no wonder his servants do also.

We must admit that our teacher or our pastor will have his weaknesses and issues. But what is the bottom line? What is it that God considers important?  God called Moses and Paul who were not good speakers!  Good that the preacher admits and knows his flaws too.  But that does not mean that he cannot become all things to all people by God's grace as Paul claimed.   And that God cannot use him for what is important to majors are what's important in the minors are not we don't major in the minors in other words.   We don't get distracted by things that are unimportant but remember what is important: KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING!  None of which I put first things first and realize our priorities. Pastors should never be people pleasers then you cannot please God and our praise ought to be from God and not man.

Too many churches preach another Jesus, another gospel, or another spirit than the one that they should have received or did receive. There are too many counterfeit churches out there, and too many counterfeit preachers that were not even called into the ministry.  They have just enough truth to deceive.  They are experts at marketing, even using Madison Avenue techniques.  They may be scammers or even grifters and rob their congregations because they do not gather the funds for God's purposes.

Today, we have too many churches that do not keep their eyes on Jesus and on the truth and have gotten side-tracked.  They have forgotten about the church being the cornerstone of the truth and doctrine matters and truth matters.   It is often looked drowned upon and frowned upon to be into polemics or defend against heresy. We ought to be obedient to the heavenly vision!   

We have a church without doctrine today.   The post-doctrinal era!  What really matters, in the long run, is the truth.   We ought to teach people to be searchers for the truth with an open mind yet a critical mind.   An open mind says they do not think they know all the truth yet and they're willing to learn more but a critical mind in the sense they must test the spirit whether it is of God or not.  Today, we have churches that are even into the New Age doctrine and want to say things like Jesus isn't enough.  We need Jesus plus this Jesus plus that.  We have the "church of what's happening now!'   We need to realize that Jesus is enough and we have Jesus. We have all we need.

Churches cannot be good at everything;  they each have a certain ministry in calling some churches are more evangelical,  some churches are more ministerial, some churches are more mission-oriented, and some churches reach out to the lost more and loft into causes like social causes like the social gospel which is another mistake.   We have a mission and a commission to reach the world through Christ but our commission is to preach the gospel. We have a social mandate yes to be a blessing to the world in the sense of being salt and light but not in the sense that there is a social gospel that all things work out good if we become Christians. The church ought to prepare and fight the actual enemy out there which is Satan and his minions and his servants truth that's why the doctrine is important we have a foundation of doctrine and we can readily discern who these false teachers are because, in the last days, many shall come in Christ's name saying they are Christ even.   

And many false teachers will teach doctrines of demons.  People will no longer endure sound doctrine!  These churches ought to recognize the needs of the church and should really be needy people in the church.  They should minister one to another. And the church also should be aware of strange teachings because many shall come in Christ's name and teach a new doctrine that sounds good to outsiders, especially in churches where they're overly seeker-sensitive rather than God-oriented.  

Yes, there is a true battle in the Lord and the battle is the Lord's.   If we know the truth and are armed with the truth and the word of God which is our only fence weapon we shall win this battle we should realize that we will not be good at everything and find and find what we are good at Christians ought to find their spiritual gift.   In other words, they do that by experimenting or serving God and finding out what God blesses them in.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Remaining Obedient To The Heavenly Vision...

Paul was really despised and disparaged in Corinth and had to defend his ministry and authenticity as an apostle.  He reminded them of the signs of an apostle: signs, miracles, wonders!  He even entreated them to accept his authority, even begging for their ears and was frank even blunt.  But this seemed to fall on deaf ears and they were spiritually hard of hearing!   This was done by literary techniques of restatement and repetition of his points to drive them home and strike a chord to resonate with them on their "home page" and get on the same page finding common ground and commonality, not points of disagreement, especially of opinions. It was obvious to the Corinthians that Paul could be quite articulate and authoritarian in letters but not in person.  This did not qualify him as timid or as a gifted speaker, and this in no way reflected on his knowledge, expertise, or experience, and especially his authority as the appointed apostle of Jesus. 

He used this as an excuse to teach and instruct them and he did not rely on a human playbook or means but used "divine power" to demolish the strongholds of Satan and the world. Not to rely on human authority but depending on the power of the Spirit so that their faith does not rest in the power or authority of men but in God alone! The divine weapon of choice was the Word of God and not opinion, oratory skill, education, or biblical or world savvy. But Paul knew how to get their attention! This is encouraging to us who are unlearned and have handicaps to overcome.  

Paul wasn't one to lord it over them either but shared the ministry of the Spirit that we all take part in the work of God according to the gifts of the same Spirit.  Paul knew that you could not argue someone into the kingdom or win one over by the art of persuasion techniques alone. He didn't try to rationalize nor appeal to logic alone.   Our faith must be in the power of God in the gospel ("for it is the power of God unto salvation..."). Paul believed in living the gospel message out and his life showed more suffering for Christ than anyone who ever lived.  But in all this Paul never had a martyr's complex thinking the more you suffer the better Christian. 

He was humble and thought of himself as the chief of sinners. He said that this is a way of becoming all things to all people and reaching out to the lost and those unreachable by other means such as the church.  This is to say that if we are not hypocrites and practice our faith and prove our faith by good works and fruit, then people will be drawn to Christ  God fills the vacuum in the soul and draws people to Christ.  In sum, to be obedient to the heavenly vision, we must see the light and depend upon God's armor and power of the Spirit not ourselves.  Soli Deo Gloria!