Humility

First Fruits

First Fruits

Every good thing we experience in life comes from a source of unwavering goodness. James 1:18 reminds us of this truth, saying,

“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.”

This verse speaks to the generous nature of God, who desires to bring forth new life within us and bless us with every good and perfect gift.

When James speaks of being “born through the word of truth,” he is highlighting the transformative power of God’s Word in our lives.

It is through the message of truth found in the Scriptures that we encounter the life-giving power of Jesus, leading to a new birth and a transformed existence.

God’s Word has the ability to bring forth spiritual life within us, enabling us to become a reflection of His goodness and a testimony of His grace.

As we reflect on James 1:18, we are reminded of the faithfulness of God to create and sustain us. He is the source of all life, both physical and spiritual, and every good thing we enjoy is a reflection of His loving provision.

We are called to recognize and acknowledge the source of these blessings, offering gratitude and praise to the One who has given us new life and showered us with His abundant grace.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Holiness, Humility
Rejected

Rejected

Have you encountered seasons of pain, sorrow, and rejection?

In Isaiah 53:3, we find a profound description of the suffering servant, who is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. The verse says,

“He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem”

These words remind us of the depth of Jesus’ sacrificial love and His willingness to enter into our human experience, including the most painful aspects of it.

As we contemplate Isaiah 53:3, we are invited to reflect on the significance of Jesus’ suffering and rejection.

In a world that often values success, popularity, and self-preservation, Jesus chose to identify with the brokenness of humanity.

He willingly embraced rejection and endured immense suffering for the sake of our redemption. This reveals the extent of His love for us and His commitment to reconcile us to God.

The suffering and rejection Jesus experienced serve as a reminder that we are not alone in our own struggles. He understands our pain and walks with us through the darkest valleys of life.

His example challenges us to respond to suffering and rejection with grace and compassion.

Just as Jesus extended love and forgiveness to those who rejected Him, we are called to imitate His character by loving others, even when it is difficult.

In moments when you feel despised or rejected, find comfort in knowing that Jesus intimately understands your pain.

He is the compassionate Savior who suffered for your sake and offers healing and restoration. Draw near to Him, seeking solace and strength, and may His example inspire you to love others with the same selflessness and grace that He has shown you.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Forgiveness, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, Trust
This is The Way!

This is The Way!

Today we encounter a beautiful promise from God revealing His desire to guide and lead us in the right path, Isaiah 48:17

“This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

God is the Holy One of Israel, our Creator and Redeemer, and He teaches us what is best for us and leads us in the way we should go.

A reminder that God’s wisdom and guidance are essential in our lives, and we can trust Him to lead us in the right direction.

Imagine you’re hiking through an unfamiliar forest. You come across a fork in the road, and you’re unsure which path to take. Suddenly, a knowledgeable guide appears and offers to lead you.

You gladly accept their help because you know they have a deeper understanding of the terrain and the safest route to your destination. In a similar way, God is your divine guide, who knows the path that leads to blessings and fulfillment.

God’s guidance is not just limited to external circumstances but extends to our hearts and minds as well. He desires to teach us what is best for us, not only in the big decisions of life but also in the daily choices we make.

When we lean on God’s wisdom and seek His guidance through prayer and reading His Word, we position ourselves to receive His direction and follow the path He has prepared for us.

Open your heart to God’s guidance and trust in His leading. Seek His wisdom and submit to His instruction, knowing that He has your best interests at heart.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Trust
A Treasured Possession

A Treasured Possession

God speaks to the Israelites through Moses, telling them that they will be His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests, Exodus 19:5

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine”

This verse reveals an important truth about our relationship with God and the calling He has placed upon us.

God sees each one of us as His treasured possession. He values us deeply and desires a personal relationship with us. We are not just random beings wandering through life, but rather chosen and loved by our Creator.

Additionally, God calls us to be a kingdom of priests. In ancient times, priests served as intermediaries between God and the people, offering sacrifices and representing the people before God.

We are also called to be representatives of God’s love, grace, and truth in the world. We have the privilege and responsibility to reflect His character, share His message, and intercede on behalf of others.

Embrace your identity as God’s treasured possession and an ambassador of His kingdom. Recognize your worth and value in His eyes. Cultivate a deep and intimate relationship with Him through prayer, study of His Word, and fellowship with other believers.

And as you go about your daily life, remember that you are called to be a light, bringing God’s love and truth to those around you. May your life reflect the beauty of being a treasured possession of the King.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Ministries
Blessings or Curses

Blessings or Curses

Life is full of choices, some small and insignificant, and others that have significant and lasting consequences.

In Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses presented the Israelites with a critical choice between life and death, blessings and curses.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live”

Today, we are still faced with similar choices, choices that will determine our direction and destiny. Each day, we must choose between good and evil, between obedience and disobedience, between faith and unbelief.

The consequences of our choices are significant and far-reaching, affecting not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us.

God has given you free will to make choices, but you must remember that you are accountable for those choices. In making decisions, you must seek guidance from God, and when you make mistakes, confess them and seek forgiveness.

Ultimately, you alone must choose to follow God’s ways, which lead to blessings and life, rather than the ways of the world, which lead to destruction and death.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Humility, Trust
Let the Children Come to Me!

Let the Children Come to Me!

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus teaches a profound lesson about the Kingdom of Heaven. He says:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

This verse reminds us of the importance of childlike faith and innocence in our relationship with God.

Jesus invites children to come to Him because they possess qualities that are highly valued in the kingdom of heaven. Children have a natural trust and dependency on their parents, and they approach life with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

Jesus wants us to approach Him with a childlike faith, trusting Him wholeheartedly and relying on His guidance.

This verse challenges us to examine our own hearts and attitudes. Jesus warns against hindering children from coming to Him, emphasizing the importance of creating an environment where they can experience God’s love and grace.

We are called to nurture and encourage the faith of children, supporting them as they grow in their understanding of God and His kingdom.

As you reflect on this verse, embrace the simplicity and innocence of children in your relationship with God. Approach Him with a humble and trusting heart, believing that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who have childlike faith.

Seek to create an environment where children can encounter God’s love and experience His presence; learning from their example and be transformed by the childlike faith that Jesus invites us to embrace.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Trust
Living Bread

Living Bread

In John 6:51, Jesus shares a profound truth that speaks to the heart of our faith. He says:

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”

These words convey a powerful message about the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ death and the life-giving sustenance He offers to all who believe in Him.

Through His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus offers Himself as the source of life and salvation. By partaking in Him, by placing our faith in Him and receiving Him into our lives, we find true and lasting satisfaction.

This verse reminds us of the profound mystery of the Eucharist, where we partake in the symbolic representation of Jesus’ Body and Blood.

It is a tangible reminder of His sacrificial love and the spiritual nourishment He provides. As we commune with Him in this sacrament, we are invited to experience a deep intimacy with our Savior and to remember His ultimate sacrifice that brings us abundant and eternal life.

Approach the table of the Lord with reverence and gratitude, partaking in the living bread that satisfies our deepest hunger and sustains us for eternity.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Holiness, Humility
Deliberate Sin

Deliberate Sin

A serious warning and a call to accountability for believers.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left”

Hebrews 10:26

While this verse may sound stern, it reminds us of the significance of our choices and the need for sincere repentance and obedience in our Christian walk.

The verse emphasizes the importance of our response to the knowledge of the truth. When we receive the gospel, we are entrusted with the knowledge of God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

If we knowingly continue to engage in willful sin without genuine repentance, we undermine the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.

The author’s intention is to steer believers away from complacency or a casual approach to sin and to encourage a wholehearted commitment to holy living.

This verse calls us to examine our hearts and actions. It reminds us that our faith should lead to a transformation of our lives, as we align ourselves with God’s will.

Rather than taking God’s grace for granted, we are called to live in reverence and awe, knowing that our choices have spiritual consequences.

Embrace the responsibility of your faith and walk in obedience, allowing the knowledge of the truth to shape every aspect of your life.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Discipline, Humility, Trust
Now this is Grace!

Now this is Grace!

It’s easy to get caught up in comparisons and self-doubt, but Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 8:9 that our worth and value do not come from what we have or accomplish, but from the grace of God.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Jesus, who had everything, gave it all up to become a human and live a humble life. He didn’t come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

This selfless act of Jesus is a powerful reminder that true greatness is found in humility and service to others.

We don’t have to have it all together or be the best at everything to make a difference in the world.

As you seek to live a life that reflects the love of Christ, focus on serving and giving to others rather than striving for success or recognition.

When you take our eyes off yourself and your own limitations and focus on the needs of others, you are able to make a real impact in the world around you.

Follow the example of Christ and use what you have to serve and bless others, knowing that your worth and value come from Him alone.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Ministries, Trust
Can’t Take it With You!

Can’t Take it With You!

Are you were constantly striving for more? Are you working hard to achieve success, acquire possessions, or gain recognition, but still feel like something is missing.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
(1 Timothy 6:7)

It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of worldly success and forget that ultimately, we can’t take any of it with us. We don’t want to waste our lives striving for things that won’t last or that don’t have eternal value.

Focus on investing in what truly matters: your relationship with Jesus and the people He has placed in your lives.

Seek to live a life of purpose and meaning, remembering that your worth and identity do not come from what you have or achieve, but from your identity as a Child of God.

You don’t have to constantly strive for more, to prove our value or worth; rest in the knowledge that you are loved and accepted by God, and let that fuel your actions and priorities.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Humility, Thankfulness, Trust
God Knows!

God Knows!

Have you ever felt like you were nothing special? Maybe you’ve struggled with feelings of insignificance or low self-worth. It’s easy to compare yourself to others and feel like you don’t measure up.

Hannah prayed as she dedicated her child Samuel to the Lord

“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by Him deeds are weighed.”

(1 Samuel 2:3)

What does it mean to have our deeds weighed by God?

It means that we are not defined by what others think of us or even what we think of ourselves. Rather, our worth comes from our relationship with God and the way we live our lives in response to Him.

God sees our hearts and knows our true motives, and He will judge us based on the deeds we have done in faithfulness to Him.

As you seek to live your life for Christ, remember that He is the one who gives you your value and worth. You don’t have to strive to impress others or earn their approval because you are already accepted and loved by God.

Focus on living a life that honors Him, and trust that He will use you for His purposes in ways that you may not even understand.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Trust
The Vine

The Vine

The words of Jesus in John 15:4 remind us of our need to abide in Him in order to bear fruit. The analogy of the vine and branches is a powerful one, illustrating that our connection to Jesus is vital for our spiritual growth and productivity.

As we remain in Him, we draw life and nourishment from Him, enabling us to bear fruit that glorifies God and blesses others.

Remaining in Jesus means staying close to Him, seeking Him through prayer and studying His Word.

It means depending on Him for strength and guidance, trusting in His love and faithfulness. It also means obeying His commands, living in a way that honors Him and reflects His character.

As we abide in Christ, we experience the joy and peace that comes from a deepening relationship with Him. We are filled with His love and grace, and our lives are transformed by His power.

We become more like Him, and we are able to love others as He loves us.

So let us take to heart the words of Jesus in John 15:4, and make it our aim to remain in Him, trusting in His goodness and seeking to bear fruit for His glory.

We can be confident that He will work in and through us, accomplishing His purposes and bringing forth abundant blessings, not only for ourselves, but for others!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Holiness, Humility, Trust
Patience

Patience

We often find ourselves waiting for something – waiting for a job offer, waiting for healing, waiting for a loved one to come to know Jesus. It’s easy to get discouraged and lose hope when things don’t happen as quickly as we want them to. But the Bible encourages us to be patient and trust in the Lord’s timing.

James 5:7, reminds us of the patience of farmers as they wait for their crops to grow.

Just as the farmer trusts in the process and patiently waits for the rains to come, we too must trust in God’s timing and have patience as we wait for His plans to unfold in our lives.

We may not see the results of our efforts right away, but we can have faith that God is working behind the scenes.

As we wait, it’s important to remember that our faith is not in our own abilities or timelines, but in God’s sovereignty.

He sees the bigger picture and knows what is best for us. So let us trust in Him and be patient, knowing that His timing is always perfect.

Remember, patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). As we seek to cultivate this fruit in our lives, we can draw on the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us persevere through difficult seasons of waiting.

So let’s be patient, knowing that the Lord is with us and that His plans for our lives are good.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Love
The Purpose of the Law

The Purpose of the Law

We often strive to earn God’s favor by doing good works or following a set of rules. However, as we learn from Romans 3:20, this is not the way to be declared righteous in God’s sight. No matter how hard we try, we will never be able to achieve righteousness through our own efforts. Instead, the law shows us our sin and points us to our need for a savior.

The good news is that God has provided a way for us to be declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. When we believe in Jesus and accept the gift of salvation that he offers, we are no longer under the law but under grace. This means that we are no longer judged by our works, but by our faith in Jesus.

This is a humbling truth that should lead us to a place of gratitude and surrender. We can never earn our salvation, but we can receive it as a free gift. As we live our lives in light of this truth, may we be motivated not by a desire to earn God’s favor, but by a desire to love and serve him out of gratitude for what he has done for us.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Holiness, Humility
Foolishness

Foolishness

As we journey through life; with all of it’s distractions and troubles, it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters. We can become so consumed with our own desires and pursuits that we forget to give thanks to the One who created us. Romans 1:21 reminds us of the importance of recognizing and glorifying God. When we neglect to do so, our thoughts become futile and our hearts become darkened.

It is not enough to simply know about God. We must actively seek to honor and give thanks to Him. This requires humility and a willingness to put God’s will above our own. When we do this, our minds become clear and our hearts become filled with light. We are able to see the world in a new and beautiful way, and we are able to experience the fullness of life that God intended for us.

As we reflect on Romans 1:21, let us take a moment to examine our own lives. Are we glorifying God in all that we do? Are we giving thanks to Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon us? Let us strive to keep God at the center of our lives, and may our thoughts and actions be a reflection of His love and grace; in doing so, we might just be the light, some walking in darkness, needs to see!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Humility, Love, Trust
Be Still

Be Still

As we journey through life, we often find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world around us. We are constantly bombarded with noise, distractions, and busyness, and it can be challenging to find a moment of peace. However, the psalmist reminds us to be still and know that God is God. (Psalm 46:10)

In our stillness, we can find a deep sense of peace and connection with our Creator. It is essential to take the time to quiet our minds and hearts and to focus on the presence of God in our lives. When we do this, we open ourselves up to receive the love, guidance, and wisdom that God wants to impart to us.

As we go about our daily lives, we should remember to take moments of stillness to reconnect with God. Whether it is through prayer, meditation, or simply being in nature, we should seek out these opportunities to be still and know that God is God. By doing so, we will find that we are better equipped to face the challenges of life with grace and strength.

Let us take the psalmist’s words to heart and embrace the stillness that allows us to connect with our Creator. As we do so, we can rest in the knowledge that God is, and will be, exalted among the nations and in the earth.

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration, Faith, Humility, Love
New Variant Emerging

New Variant Emerging

Following the recent outbreak of severe thankfulness that swept across the region recently; a new and even more powerful flare-up is emerging; and outpouring of Hopefulness!

Hopefulness finds its mysterious and concerning roots from the core element of “HOPE.”

Hope defined: “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” It is a very elusive quality, that once it takes root in the heart, is nearly impossible to extricate.

Strangely, it causes the infected person to always see the good in others; even those purported to be enemies! It tends to believe that something good, and something greater is just around the bend!

I personally was infected by this new variant; and appear to gaining strength; it is taking root and growing rapidly; and rather than resist; I decided to just let it have me!

Here’s hoping you catch it too!

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Humility, Joy, Love, Thankfulness, Trust
Repentance – A Gift from God

Repentance – A Gift from God

One of the most amazing acts of grace God has given mankind, is the ability to repent. He did not need to; He could have just ended humanity after the fall; but He did not.

God’s greatest expression of love, was dispatching His only begotten Son, to come to earth, engaging a mission to redeem broken humanity; His mission was successfully completed.

Those choosing to accept this gracious gift of salvation, need only to repent, and believe in the Name of Jesus!

Even now, those who have wandered astray; can exercise the gift of repentance, and return to God!

Oh, the matchless grace of God; how deep, and wide it is!

Acts 17:30

Posted by onthesolidrock in Holiness, Humility
Turn

Turn

Nations that turn away from God, inevitably embrace that which is evil; and historically, those nations have ceased to exist. God, in His anger, brings judgement, followed by destruction to that nation and it’s people.

However, God in His mercy and grace, offers a solution to the problem; turn away from that which is evil. This “turning” always begins with the people who are called by His Name; the Christians.

The lost people of this world; which all Christians were once a part of, are prone to do evil; it is the Body of Christ; His Church, that is responsible for the fallen state of a nation.

Will the church (you) turn?

Jeremiah 18:8

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Holiness, Humility, 0 comments
Holiness – Can’t See God Without It! – Part 2

Holiness – Can’t See God Without It! – Part 2

Today is part 2 of our discussion regarding holiness. Let’s have a quick review of what we touched on last week.

 

Hebrews 12:14

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

 

These words from the Book of Hebrews seem to echo an Old Testament passage from Leviticus . . .

 

Leviticus 20:7-8

“‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”

 

Since holiness is pivotal to our faith, it becomes a primary concern for us to understand completely what this means.

 

The definition of holiness is this: to be pure, righteous, consecrated. When we come to faith in Christ, we become holy; purified by His blood, which He shed for us! Remember . . .

 

Holiness is a product of God’s Grace; none of us did anything to become holy. In and of ourselves there is nothing holy about us; but by faith through grace, we came to Christ . . . and He made us holy!

 

 

When we come to Jesus, we were, as the Bible declares . . . rescued!

 

Colossians 1:13

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves . . .

 

We were rescued from a life of darkness and brought into a new place; the Kingdom of the Son. We are a part of a new family and the way this family operates is very different from the way we used to do things. God wants us to get to know Him and to become more like Him, and He is holy.

 

Last week we showed the difference between what we often call legalism vs. holiness.

 

Legalism: Following a set of man-made rules so that one appears to be holy before man; or as I refer to as “legislated righteousness.”

 

Holiness: Obeying God’s commands out of love, thereby bringing glory and honor to Him

 

When a person is truly living holy (used for God’s purposes only) something dramatic begins to take place in the life of that individual. That person begins to emulate the very lifestyle of Jesus!

 

Consider Jesus . . . we know He is holy. Do you recall some of the miracles He did; feeding thousands, healing the sick, the lame walk, the blind see, and so much more!

 

Jesus was, and is, wonderfully amazing! He still heals the sick, feeds the hungry, gives comfort to the suffering, and helps the weak and feeble. He is still in the business of being the Lord and Savior of all!

 

He does not do this alone; He uses those who truly have met Him and have chosen to follow His directives! Jesus was on a mission . . . do you recall what that mission was?

 

Luke 4:14-21

 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

 

Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah chapter 61; this is His mission and He has called us to continue His mission, until He returns! This is why we do what we do!

 

It is why we take missionary offerings; it is why we feed the hungry and give clothes to the needy. It is why we donate thousands of dollars to the poor in our community. How awesome it would be if all of us got involved, if all had the desire to serve Jesus!

 

I am about to say a few things that might feel a little “stingy” and as I have said many times, if I step on your toes, perhaps you shouldn’t have had them out there!

 

A huge problem today: many folks within the church who DO NOT TRULY KNOW JESUS are trying to represent Him to others! Instead of giving testimony to His wonderful works, they give testimony to their religion! Instead of inviting people to Jesus, they invite them to church!

 

Now do not get me wrong; please invite and bring people to church with you; but your responsibility is to lead them to a Savior, not a church. Remember, coming to church does not make you a Christian any more than taking your car to the garage makes you a mechanic.

 

We are called to bring people to Jesus, not a religion! Speaking to the Pharisees who were doing this very thing, Jesus said:

 

Matthew 23:15

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

 

For those of you who have met Jesus; please do not be discouraged, but encouraged, to share your faith. Step up and be the ambassador that Jesus Christ has called you to be!

 

You must realize that your life is an open book; and people ARE watching!

 

2 Corinthians 3:2

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.

 

Remember, you and your life, the way you speak, the places you go, the people you surround yourself with; everything you do; even what you think you do in secret, is on display, and people are watching! Recall what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 . . .

 

Matthew 5:14-16

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

Some of you may remember the stories of King David; the Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. He was a powerful witness to the faithfulness of God, yet when David sinned, he became a reproach. When you have an opportunity, read Psalm 51; it is King David’s confession of that sin and his repentance; Psalm 51 reveals the way out of sin.

 

Make no mistake though; the credibility of your witness for Christ is lost when sin rules in your life!

 

The world today has heard far too many “Christians” giving testimony to a life they are not living! This is the reason that so many view Christianity in such a poor light. People know what God is like and they will examine your life to see if your life reflects His truth, power and holiness; if it does not, then you will be considered a phony.

 

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

 

I encourage you to be a witness for Christ, but to be effective; you MUST live for Christ as well!

 

I have seen so called Christians’ act in ways that betray that designation! Far too many neglect to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and give comfort to the suffering.

 

I have seen Christians fly into fits of rage, go on complaining rants, and don’t even talk about how they handle politics!

 

I have seen Christians complain when the church is in financial need, feeling like all they have is their own and will only give a smidgen, rather than be generous.  I have seen “good Christians” engage in gossip, to the point of obsession!

 

Yet these same “Christians” profess to know Christ, but their deeds deny Him!

 

Titus 1:16

They claim to know God, but by their actions, they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

 

So, how does all this fit, with the topic of holiness? It has everything to do with it! Remember, holiness is being set apart for God and His purpose only. As followers of Jesus, when we forget that, and start living for our own desires, rather than God’s, we become unholy and we sin.

One of the most profound instances of a man coming face to face with holiness is found in the Book of Isaiah, let’s read . . .

 

Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

 

Isaiah saw God! His first response was to declare that he was undone; literally meaning he would melt and dissolve! He confessed that he was a man who had unclean (unholy) lips and he lived among a people who were the same way and now he has seen the King of Kings!

 

Isaiah recognized he is a sinful man; and remember, it is what comes out of your mouth that makes you clean or unclean; that is why the first thing Isaiah knew, was that his lips were unclean; and he confessed that sin right away.

 

How about you . . . do you have unclean lips? What comes out of your mouth?

 

The first step toward holiness; is humility. The Bible declares:

 

Psalm 51:17 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

 

And . . .

 

James 4:6    “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

 

There is something very pleasing to God, when our heart is broken, over our brokenness.

 

When Isaiah saw his heart for what it really was, he melted before God and was quick to declare that he was a sinful man. An old friend once told me; “Come clean with God and you will be Clean with God.”

 

When we come to the place of humility and “get real” before God, when hot tears of repentance flow down our cheeks, an amazing thing takes place!

 

When Isaiah confessed and declared himself to be unholy, God sent the seraphim and they took a hot coal from the altar of God and touched Isaiah’s lips; the part of his body that he saw as unclean!

 

The fire of God purged the sin from Isaiah! The seraphim said that his guilt was taken away and his sin atoned for!

 

Total and complete restoration! AND ISAIAH DID NOTHING BUT CONFESS HIS SIN!!!

 

Suppose you are in Isaiah’s place today, and you see the Lord; high and lifted up, the train of His robe filling the temple and He looks at you . . . what do you say? I am a man or a woman of . . .

 

  • unclean lips              
  • unclean mind            
  • evil hands                 
  • lustful eyes               
  • greed
  • anger                         
  • envy                           
  • bitterness                 
  • hatred                       
  • unforgiveness

 

Are you ready for the fire of God to purge the sin from your heart? He will; if you would only humble yourself, and acknowledge your own sinfulness before Him!

 

When you have this defining moment in your life; when you come face to face with the Living God; everything changes, and your life reflects the One who rescued you!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Family, Holiness, Humility, Thankfulness, Trust, 0 comments
Holiness – Can’t See God Without It – Part 1

Holiness – Can’t See God Without It – Part 1

There may be no other word used in the Bible that congers up more confusion and misunderstanding than the word holiness. Sometimes when we think of holiness, we see visions of a stern and stoic group of people, living under harsh rules and regulations, devoid of laughter and mirth.

 

Many of us grew up with a skewed view of what holiness is, and many think being holy will cause so much discomfort that they choose to avoid getting to close to churches that espouse to be a holiness church.

 

I am hopeful we can shed some light on what exactly it means to be holy and why it will bring joyful exuberance to your life; more than you ever could have imagined!

 

The Bible reveals how very important holiness is; without it, we are in trouble!

 

Hebrews 12:14

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.

 

In light of this, it is important to understand what this means, so much depends on it! The word used for “holiness” is this:

Hagiasmos     hag-ee-as-mos‘   –  purification, a state of purity; to be consecrated, sanctification

 

When the Hebrews established a system of sacrificing to God, they built a large temple in Jerusalem. All of the temple equipment went through a ritual of cleansing and was consecrated to God; that ceremonial cleansing, made those objects, holy unto the Lord. All of that equipment was declared to be “set apart” different from other items, because they were dedicated, and consecrated to God and His use.

 

Remember, God is Holy and CANNOT be in the presence of sin; to be in God’s service, holiness is NOT OPTIONAL! To be Holy unto the Lord, is to be set apart for God and for His purposes ONLY.

 

Holiness is a product of Grace; none of us did anything to become holy. In and of ourselves there is nothing holy about us; but by faith, through grace, we came to Christ . . . and He declared us holy!

 

God’s greatest desire is that we would enjoy close friendship with Him. He wants us to “hang out with Him” and He wants us to share His nature too. When we come to Christ, we were, as the Bible declares . . .

 

Colossians 1:13

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves . . .

 

We were rescued from a life of darkness and brought into a new place; the Kingdom of the Son. We are a part of a new family and the way this family operates is very different from the way we used to do things. God wants us to get to know Him and to become more like Him, and He is holy.

 

There is a great deal of confusion over what true holiness is and we can easily get caught up in what we often refer to as legalism. I define legalism as “legislated righteousness.”

 

When we lay down a bunch of rules and regulations, declaring that holiness is granted, according to our obedience to these rules, insisting they be followed; that is legalism.

 

Jesus alone declares us Holy by virtue of being “washed” in His Blood!

 

The Israelites received the Law of God through Moses; yet following it to the letter never brought salvation. The law was a continual reminder of the sinfulness of the people who were to live by it!

 

Even today, those attempting to live under those laws, certainly feel a sense of condemnation hanging over their head. They cannot keep to the law entirely; try as they might, they just can’t do it; they live with an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame for being unable to.

 

James 2:10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

 

We soon find ourselves in the predicament Paul spoke of in his letter to the church in Rome . . .

 

Romans 7:14-20

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

 

Does this sound familiar; perhaps is may very well describe the way you feel.

 

Too often, folks will want to “try to be a Christian.” It is in the trying that life often becomes so unbearable that they slip away, never feeling as though they will ever measure up to the standards that God has laid down for them to live by. Disillusioned and sad, they go away hurt and confused; some never recover from this!

 

When we try to be a Christian, we fall into a performance-based religion and we quickly realize that something is out of kilter here. While the mind and heart may want to change and fall in line with these new rules and regulations, something deep inside intuitively knows that this is not the “real” you.

 

We tend to base our Christianity on how well we perform it. Instead of “being” a Christian, we try to “do” Christianity; we put on happy Christian faces and say all the right Christian things, trying to assure folks we are certainly a Christian. We tend to wear “two hats” one when we are around church folks and another around worldly folk; the difference is glaring!

 

When it comes to God’s law, we know it is good. The whole purpose of God’s law was to show us what He is like. It is as if God is asking; “Would you like Me to be your God? If you do, then this is what I am like.”

 

The law of God, quickly reveals that we are nowhere near being like Him; those laws reveal just how far away from God we really are! Recognizing this disparity causes us great conviction and we humble ourselves and come to Jesus. The law of God helps us understand our need for salvation; it moves us toward salvation.

 

Jesus declares in John 6:44; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them” Drawn to God, we come to a “flash point” and then in an amazing, God inspired act of grace, we come to faith and believe in Christ, rescued and brought into His kingdom. The law of God accomplished its mission!

 

Now, as we learn to live in this new kingdom, the law no longer has hold over us; or rather, it does not condemn us. Oh, it still stands, and it is still righteous, and it remains a strong reminder of what the character of God is like; but we are now on the other side of that law, and we are now safely in the kingdom.

 

  • Without the gift of Christ, the law stood in judgment of us and we were certainly condemned. The law stood as a reminder of our sinful nature and we lived in fear. Now, as a redeemed child of God, that fear is lifted, and we live in, and under, grace!

 

We can go back to that amazing passage in the Book of Romans we referred to earlier . . . the one where Paul struggled with sin. The following chapter is a celebration of life being lived differently.

 

Romans 8:1-11

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

 

So, we can clearly see that when we come to faith in Christ, we are set free from the law; it has done its work and we are now living by the Spirit . . . this is really good news!

 

Remember, the purpose of holiness, is to allow us to be in right relationship with God Himself; set apart for Him and His purposes ONLY. When we believed in Christ for redemption and we transferred into His kingdom, we became holy; not by anything we did, but by what He did. His sacrifice and His Blood washed away the stains of sin and we were declared holy!

 

Now here is the clincher . . . listen to these three passages . . .

 

Hebrews 12:14

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

 

2 Corinthians 7:1

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

 

1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

 

In all three of these passages, the admonishment to be holy and to keep ourselves separated to God is clear. Unlike the articles used in the temple of God, we make choices and we have free will. Now rescued from the world of darkness, we have an obligation to stay in the Kingdom of His Son.

 

We are part of a family, God’s family, and there ARE rules to follow and new ways to learn.

 

These passages; written to us so that we would be mindful of the awesome responsibility we all have as followers of Jesus and that is to keep ourselves holy.

 

It is here . . . right here, where the issues of legalism and rule-making and breaking come into play. We not only have a responsibility to God, but to one another. In order to keep everyone on the same page . . . so to speak, we often make additional rules and regulations to live by; markers along the way to keep any wayward folks in check.

 

While rules and regulations have great value, they do not save. These man-made rules and regulations may keep you from getting hurt or hurting others, but they, in and of themselves, cannot save you, nor can they keep you saved!

 

Once the law propelled us to Christ and we were born again into the Kingdom of the Son, the work of the law was finished; its mission accomplished!

 

Under the Spirit, when we sin, we are no longer condemned, but convicted and there is a huge difference! Under the Spirit, we don’t want to sin; we are getting to know God more and more; Jesus is the One who extends His hand to us and says; “Come, follow me.” It is in the following, that we grow and find our place in the Kingdom of God. It is in the following that our lives begin to take on the likeness of Jesus.

 

I have often been asked by anxious people; “Pastor; is my lifestyle going to send me to hell?” The real issue is not lifestyle, but life. Anyone one without Christ is lost and according to Jesus, they are condemned already.

 

 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already. . . “               John 3:18

 

The person who is lost will spend eternity without Christ, not because of a lifestyle, but because they have not come to Christ.

 

I say to that questioning soul; they need Jesus, redemption is only in Him. When Jesus reaches out His hand, and you decide to follow Him; your lifestyle will begin to look remarkably like His! Oh, and by the way, His lifestyle is holy!

 

Walking with Jesus is not for the fainthearted. It is not an easy walk and the way can be difficult. He quickly reveals areas of your life that need attention. He will want you to learn to trust Him; with relationships, finances, children, your future, your health and much, much more!

 

Keep in mind that you have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, and it may take a while before you get everything right; just remember, as a child of the King, you are no longer under condemnation, but you have been set free!

 

Let’s keep pursuing the way of holiness together and see where it leads . . . this is going to be good!

 

Next week, Lord willing . . . Part II

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Family, Holiness, Humility, Ministries, Prayer, Thankfulness, Trust, 0 comments
Woke

Woke

Over the last few years I have witnessed a growing trend often referred to as “wokeness;” which actually has become a new word; as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary:
 
 
Wokeness – noun – “a state of being aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality”
 
 
I have noticed that our Americanized culture has become “woke” to a myriad of societal problems that include; sexual abuse and intimidation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or questioning), abortion rights, or lack thereof, racial issues, right to free speech, gun control issues, and on and on it goes!
 
 
I have witnessed the “church” react, often predictably, to each of these injustices in varying degrees of capitulation to the worldly wisdom proffered by the “learned” establishment types purporting to be in the know.
 
 
I have observed denominational leaders, from multiple organizations; touting how very proud they are of their heritage, doctrine, and posture on all of these issues. Sadly, the mention of Jesus` Name in most of these discourses is strikingly absent, a sad commentary of the condition of the heart. One may consider reading what Jesus had to say about the churches described in the first few chapters of Revelation.
 
 
I think Jesus is earnestly praying for the “church” in America to become “WOKE” to His Spirit in these waning days of a great country. I can feel His hot tears running down His cheek; much like He experienced while riding down into Jerusalem many years ago when He said:
 
 
“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”Luke 19:42-44
 
 
It’s NOT about an election, as important as this one is; it’s about a Savior, a Redeemer, a very Holy Spirit, crying softly for a people to return to Him.
 
 
The window is very, very short, and time is slipping away. Listen to His still small voice, DO NOT ignore it:
 
 
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
 
Look full in His wonderful face
 
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
 
In the light of His glory and grace
 
Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, Trust, 0 comments
30 Years Ago

30 Years Ago

30 years ago this week, I had an encounter that irrevocably altered the trajectory of my life.

In an old hot, barn type building, I reluctantly sat listening to a preacher man tell of the need for a Savior.

I wanted so bad to run out of there that night! As the preacher man started his closing comments, I began looking for my escape!

To my left sat my 2 children, David and Shelly; next to them was Rev David Archer, hands folded and praying for me!

As I turned to my right, looking for my wife, Sherri, I noticed she was gone, and was now down at the front of that old building, kneeling in prayer! My little sister Jenniferwas down there too!

I felt like I would explode, anxiety was building and I decided to leave the building . . . I needed air or I thought I would die.

When I reached the aisle, I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder; the next thing I knew, I was on my knees at the front of that old church building.

Some say weak men go to Jesus as an out; I wasn’t weak, I was broken, I did NOT want to be there, yet there I was!

Jesus came looking for me, and He gently cornered me that night, and looked into my heart. When my eyes met His, and with tears flowing, I said to Him: ” I got nothing to give you, nothing”

With compassion and grace He replied: “I’ll take it.”

30 years later I still love Him, the oddest thing . . . He still loves me!

Some of my dearest friends think Jesus is a joke, a fallacy propagated for over 2 millennia.

My earnest prayer today, is that the same Jesus that looked into my heart, would be pleased to look into yours!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Family, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, Thankfulness, Trust, 0 comments
RACE – ism

RACE – ism

I am perplexed by the recent “woke-ness” inside the church; as if all of a sudden the church realizes that racial inequality, unfairness, and privilege, is something new and appalling.

I notice many church leaders jumping wholeheartedly into the narrative being portrayed by an ungodly media (pick your poison, right or left) whose very lifeblood is derived from hate, anger and animosity.

Many folks who have addressed, and consistently address, the ongoing issues of racism, are being made to feel guilt, shame, and embarrassment for not doing enough.

As Christian leaders, we are supposed to believe the Gospel message; and should have been “born again” of the Spirit long ago, and awakened to the injustice of racism early. One of the first issues a Christian leader MUST come to terms with, is the issue of race-ism.

The Bible is very clear:

James 2:8-9

“If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

Leviticus 19:33-34

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”

Colossians 3:9-11

 “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”

The Scriptures mentioned here are only but a few of many that show there is ONE Body in Christ, and there are NO RACIAL distinctions whatsoever.

Please, allow me to share my own journey as I negotiated the issue of racism in a small, white community, in rural America.

I did not encounter any racism being expressed in my home, as a matter of fact, I recall my father telling of a black man he had met while working for a paving company in the area; they were good friends, and he always spoke kindly of him; often highlighting the grief his friend faced at the hands of other men.

It was in school, when the issue of racism began to present its ugly head. Our “white” community had only one black family, and the kids were mercilessly mocked and ridiculed in school.

On more than one occasion I would see a young black child weeping in a corner after being verbally and physically abused by a group of bullies.

I began to understand that racism is taught to children and usually it is taught in the home.

Nearly 20 years after high school, through an amazing set of circumstances, my wife and I came to faith in Christ, and in 1995, I was appointed as pastor, and I would serve two small churches, one in my hometown, and another church in a smaller community 16 miles away.

The little church in my hometown, had a beautiful white piano, with a name inscribed on a brass tag; “In Loving Memory – James Carter” I always wondered who he was.

It was not long after my pastoral ministry began, that I noticed the racial slurs some of the people in my churches were using; I did not like it, and I knew God wanted me to address it; I was at a loss to know how.

One day, the matriarch of the only black family in our town came to church; she was a stunningly beautiful woman, she wore a white dress, her hair meticulously styled, and as she walked in, all eyes were on her.

I knew her name was Lois; I had gone to school with her son; we were in the same class. I introduced myself after church and told her I was so glad she came. As we talked, she told me that she used to attend this church, but had not been there for a few years and wanted to “check it out” as some of her grandchildren attended Sunday school here.

Later on, she would share with me that her husband had tragically died some years ago, and that the white piano in the front of the church, was donated in his name; I was stunned!

I began to spend more and more time getting to know Lois, we would talk on and on after church and at various church functions where she would attend. I began to learn the depths of her pain; having raised her family in a very racist community. I will share the depths of those racist roots in a few moments.

I can remember asking her how she would like to be addressed; as in African American, or a black woman. She responded to me that she was not born in Africa, nor were her parents born there, so she is not African.

She also said that just like there are different colors of white people, there are different colors of black people too. She told me that she just prefers to be called a woman of color.

I felt it was time to address the issue of racism in our church and I asked Lois if she would help me. I told her that it would require a great deal of courage on her part, but I felt God was leading us to do it; so with great trepidation, she said yes.

On the following Sunday morning, as our church gathered, I had taken one of the extra large pulpit chairs and placed it in the front center of the church, right near the altar. After a few songs were sung, I stepped up to the pulpit and began to address the issue of racism.

I shared how prevalent it was in our community; but I was more concerned how widespread it was inside our own church, and that it was time dealt with it. You could feel the tension; it was palpable!

After a few passages of Scripture, like the ones shared earlier in this article, I asked Lois if she would please come and sit in the chair. She took a deep breath and came forward and sat down.

I began to address the congregation of about 60 or so and I asked a few pointed questions:

  • Did you ever listen to, and then laugh at, a racially charged story or joke?

 

  • When you were at the grocery store and needed something in aisle 3, but noticed Lois was there, did you avoid her and go over to aisle 4 instead, so as not to be seen socializing with her in public?

 

These questions, along with a few others, caused great conviction upon the congregation; tears began to fall. I told the folks that they now had an opportunity to make it right, a time to ask forgiveness, a time to heal.

One by one, with tears and sobbing, as our pianist played the piano dedicated to the memory of her husband, people came forward, asking Lois for forgiveness; it was one of the most powerful moments I have ever been involved in.

Later the next year, my mother, passed away. Mom was my confidant, I could go to her with any problem; she never judged me, always hoped for me, and loved me unconditionally! Her passing affected me deeply, and I missed her so much.

I recall about a year after my mom passed away, I was sitting with Lois having early morning coffee with her at her home. She had invited me to come have coffee with her in the mornings, and we would talk and pray together.

As I sat there, I looked over at Lois and began to share with her how much I missed my mom. I told her some of the fond stories I remembered, and how much my mom had impacted my life.

I was overcome with emotion and I looked at Lois and I asked her: “Lois, I need a mom in my life, someone who will listen to me without judging, who loves me without conditions . . . Lois, would you be my mom?”

Big tears began to roll down her beautiful face and she reached across the table and grabbed my hands, and she said; “I would love to be your mom”, and then she said; “but oh I love my children!”

In 2000, our little church bought an old school building and we moved into it. Lois came along too, and so did some of her children and grandchildren. I wanted our church to be a safe place for her and for anyone else who felt disenfranchised by this cruel world.

As we began ministry in the old school; I came across some old newspaper articles and I read the story of the dedication of the old school in 1924.

It seems that the school did not have the money to purchase an American flag and the area Ku Klux Klan stepped in and offered to buy the flag, and the school accepted the offer!

Once again, we took the initiative to renounce that offer and we pushed back the racial hatred foisted on a community nearly 100 years ago!

Several years later, we had a Navajo Evangelist by the name of TH Lee, come to our church for a week of meetings. As I prayed for these meetings I was reminded how in the late 1700’s a party of white men, came to an Indian Village near Sinnemahoning, a town in our county, and there killed a small village of Native American Indians.

As we were getting ready to kick off a week of meetings Sunday morning with our Native American friend; God spoke loudly to me. It was ten minutes before the service began and God said: “Get a shovel and go out to the front yard of the church and bring in a section of sod.”

So, I ran quickly to the tool room, grabbed a shovel, and in my suit I ran out to the front yard and began to dig; I carefully cut out a rectangular piece of sod. Directly across the yard is a large Catholic church with dozens of people looking curiously at me, digging in the front yard in my suit on Sunday morning!

I took the sod inside and placed it on a silver plated platter. As I got ready to introduce the guest Navajo speaker, I shared with the congregation about the way our county got started; by the killing of American Indians!

With tears streaming, I gave the “land” back to our Native American friend, and I asked him to forgive us, and to bless our land! With tears streaming down his face, he forgave us, and blessed our land!

Over the course of ministry in that small, mostly white community, I did not tolerate racism coming from anyone in the church.

If I heard racially charged language I would shut it down, and if it persisted, I would ask the person(s) to leave. Remember, you get what you tolerate, and there are some things worth going to the wall over, and this is one of them!

So when I hear pastors and leaders today, jumping on the band-wagon so to speak; saying all the right things, denouncing racism, as they should, the inequality facing minority people of any color, class or creed, I applaud; but I also say; what took you so long!

You are NEVER going to change the sinful nature of broken humanity, apart from the Power and Presence of God Himself. Oh, it would be wonderful if we could cause sinful man to act godly, if we could jump in with the worldly and turn their hearts, convincing them to be nice and kind to one another.

Your flavor of politics is NOT going to help; throwing your money and voice behind anarchistic ventures won’t help . . . so what will?

You are supposed to be salt and light to a broken dying world.

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Repent, YOU repent!

Please don’t waste your time telling others to do it if you won’t! It will ONLY start if you start! Once you deal with YOU, then you can become part of the solution to the problem; otherwise YOU are the problem.

Matthew 7:3-5

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

I could tell stories of churches where racism is no longer tolerated; where diversity abounds and the differences in race and color are beautiful to behold.

Racism is the topic of the day right now; next month perhaps it will be climate change, or perhaps back to the virus, or the perils of capitalism, or socialism, or whatever “ism” that suits the insatiable desire of sinful humanity to garner support, money, and perhaps a little fame.

As Christians we would be wise to remain steadfast in our convictions, resisting the knee-jerk reaction the world so fervently desires from us. God’s Word remains true; He remains faithful, and we must hold fast to Him.

Your faith in Jesus is about to be tested in ways you never imagined, and the temptation to buy into the worlds wisdom will be very strong; resist it!

Remember this one thing: “Either the church will disciple the world, or the world will disciple the church”

Take a few minutes today and carefully read John 15 again and let Jesus own words strengthen you.

An old familiar hymn comes to mind for times such as these . . .

 

In Times Like These

In times like these you need a Savior,

In times like these you need an anchor;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,

This Rock is Jesus, the only One;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

In times like these you need the Bible,

In times like these, O be not idle;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,

This Rock is Jesus, the only One;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

In times like these I have a Savior,

In times like these I have an anchor;

I’m very sure, I’m very sure

My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He’s the One,

This Rock is Jesus, the only One;

Be very sure, be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, 0 comments
Fire Burning

Fire Burning

I have a fire burning in my soul that gets hotter and hotter the older I get. As we travel around and speak in different churches, my heart aches, for the sleeping, carnal church.

It’s like the devil has sung them a soft lullaby and they have all gone asleep.

Some  say the “church” in America is weak and anemic; however I’ve been telling the churches I am preaching in, that the church belonging to Jesus Christ, is white hot and on fire,  it’s moving, breaking chains, saving souls; the sad truth is; much of what we call the church . . . is not the church!!!

Our pop culture has discipled the church into providing exactly what “itching ears” want to hear. Today, we seem to be reaping the unfortunate benefits of this “pseudo Christianity.”

There is hope though, if you can find yourself a high mountain someplace, and listen intently, you will hear a rising chorus of repentant hearts calling out to God; responding to His glorious invitation:

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   2 Chronicles 7:14

Join with me, and thousands of others, in this repentant chorus, do it now, don’t put it off one more day . . . too much is at stake!

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A Consuming Fire

A Consuming Fire

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”

Hebrews 12:28

The writer of the Book of Hebrews also recalled the words of Moses from Deuteronomy 4:24

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

It is true; God often manifests Himself in fire!

Recall when Moses met with God in the desert . . .

Exodus 13:21-22

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.  Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

Fire describes a characteristic of God, and it continues into the New Testament.

You may recall John the Baptist, who would become one of the greatest prophets of God that ever lived. Here is what he declared to the people who came to see him in the desert. . .

Matthew3:1-12

 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord,  make straight paths for him.’” John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

So there it is; our God is a God of fire . . . a consuming fire, and those who would come to Jesus, WILL BE BAPTIZED BY FIRE!

Biblical fire does three things; it provides light, purifies and consumes.

Light

God manifested Himself in a pillar of fire, so that the Israelites could see in the darkness. The fire of God, illuminates us, and reveals darkness. Jeremiah 23:29 declares to us . . .

“Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

The fire of God, His Word, searches our heart, revealing darkness and sin; it is His way of showing us where we need cleansing and help.

God does not reveal these things to make your life miserable; He is showing you why your life is miserable already, and He stands ready to apply the remedy!

Purification

Secondly, fire purifies. When bacteria gets into the water, the only sure way to cleanse it, is to bring the water to a boil, killing all the bacteria.

 

God’s word is like fire and when it reveals those dark places in us, it will purify us. Recall the often quoted Scripture in 1 John 1:9; we quote this passage when we recognize sin.

“If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness”

 

John the Baptist was speaking of this baptism of fire. Jesus reveals all of the rubbish in our heart that has been keeping us away, standing at a distance, if you will.

As He reveals this to us, we are now faced with a golden opportunity, one in which we agree with Him that it is truly rubbish, it is sin!

This revelation by Him to us and our agreement with HIM, that sets up this remarkable purification of the heart. The fire of God cleanses us. There is an old hymn I love . . .

 

The Crimson Wave

Oh, now I see the cleansing wave!
The fountain deep and wide;
Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,
Points to His wounded side.

Refrain

The cleansing stream I see! I see!
I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me!
Oh, praise the Lord! It cleanseth me!
It cleanseth me—yes, cleanseth me.

I rise to walk in Heav’n’s own light,
Above the world and sin,
With heart made pure and garments white,
And Christ enthroned within.

Refrain

I see the new creation rise;
I hear the speaking blood.
It speaks! Polluted nature dies!
Sinks ’neath the cleansing flood.

Refrain

Amazing grace! ’tis Heav’n below
To feel the blood applied,
And Jesus, only Jesus know,
My Jesus crucified.

Oh to be purified by the Baptism of Christ through Fire!

 

Judgment

Lastly, fire brings judgment. As John the Baptist declared earlier . . .

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

For those rejecting Christ’s offer of unconditional love, grace and mercy; the fire of God will consume them and they will be utterly lost forever; destined to an eternity of fire; a place prepared for the devil and his angels.

 

Revelation 20:11-15

 

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

So . . .  what will you do?

 

I heard someone once say; “God is a come as you are God, but not a stay as you are God”

 

If the Refiner of your soul is revealing anything that needs to be purified and cleansed, do not hesitate; allow Him the freedom to do the work only He can do!

 

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
The Problem with the Ten Commandments

The Problem with the Ten Commandments

We are living in a day and age where politically correct folks view the 10 Commandments of the Bible as being obsolete. It is very common for those in authority today, to be habitually breaking these commandments, and receiving no punishment whatsoever for their wrongdoings.

 

What is wrong with the 10 Commandments anyway? I mean, most people would rather be, told the truth, than be lied to. Most married couples prefer that their spouse remain faithful them, and when it comes to stealing, the majority of us do not want to be robbed.

 

We prefer that our neighbors tell the truth about us, and not make up false stories about our lives. In addition, what is wrong with honoring your father and mother?

 

We could go on and on through the Commandments, and most would agree that they are beneficial.

 

  • Why the big ruckus over the 10 Commandments?
  • Why take them off the walls of our schools, and government buildings?

 

Many would have you believe it all has to do with the separation of church and state. The real reason our society is trying so hard to rid themselves of the 10 Commandments, hearkens right back to the first and greatest Commandment.

 

When Jesus was asked which Commandment is the greatest, he replied:

 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”

 

The real problem is right here, with the first Commandment. The first Commandment causes us to deal directly with God. Here, right at the beginning, we are, commanded to love God.

 

Many in today’s world simply refuse to believe God exists, therefore, any mention about Him, or His so called commandments, must be disregarded and tossed out.

 

If we are to believe these Commandments to have value, we must believe and practice the first Commandment too, and for an increasing number of Americans, that is going too far!

 

  • What about you?
  • Do you still believe in the 10 Commandments?

 

If you said yes, then how are you doing with the first one!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, 0 comments
The Lamb of God

The Lamb of God

Dear Friends,

I love all of you; this not a cliché, I mean it! If you get into trouble, I would do my best to help you. I would go to great lengths to provide hope and give a hand where I can.

That being said, if I found you in a situation, where the only way to secure your rescue, required my death, I am not sure you would be on the list, there may be a few, very precious few!

If securing your freedom required the death of one of my children, that list goes to zero. I love you, but not that much!

As we come near to this Good Friday, we are, faced with the reality of what God the Father did on your behalf. You are broken, lost, and beyond repair; according to the Bible, you are condemned already!

God the Father dispatched His ONLY begotten Son, to suffer a gruesome death on your behalf, thereby securing your freedom; the cost was high, the suffering real, and the outcome secure.

When you accept the gift He gave, you can be sure the Father is delighted, that this sacrifice was not in vain for you!

When you reject it, you will grieve the loving heart of God, and His wrath remains on you; wrath rightly deserved. Think twice about casually casting the idea of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection as a light thing; it is YOUR ONLY hope!

Take a moment, and consider Jesus, look into what He did, and why . . . then make a decision, but do not make it lightly!

 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”     ~Jesus~

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, Love, Ministries, Trust, 0 comments
The Arrow Rests

The Arrow Rests

I have noticed how crazy-busy most church folks are; always striving, doing, trying, all the while hoping and praying that God blesses what they do. In this frenetic process, people become weary, fatigued and worn, often to the point of despair!

 

I recall Jesus offered a solution to this problem . . .

 

 “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

 

A dear friend, Ivar Overgaard, once shared a message at the Lilburn Alliance Church in Atlanta; I will never forget it! Addressing the continuous motion, much of the church engages in; so much energy expended, producing so little, often resulting in exhaustion, he offered this amazing illustration:

 

“Consider the bow and arrow; the archer reaches for an arrow from his quiver, he knocks the arrow into the string, and pulls the bow, aiming for the target; and the arrow rests. The target acquired in his sights, the archer releases the energy of the bow, the arrow powerfully soaring toward the target . . . BULLSEYE!”

 

“God is the Bow, Jesus is the Archer, and the Holy Spirit delivers the arrow, YOU are the arrow, and the arrow rests!”

 

Be the arrow, and rest!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Do NOT Quench the Holy Spirit

Do NOT Quench the Holy Spirit

One of the things I love to do is preach! It seems to be the one thing that is always on my heart and has been burned into my spirit! I long to see the “church” come alive and experience all it should, and could be! Indeed, anytime people of faith come together to hear the Word of God proclaimed; amazing things can happen.

There is however, an element of great danger, for some who casually saunter into a place where the Word of God is declared . . . so much is at stake!

Every time we come together and share God’s Word; which by the way the Bible says is sharper than ANY two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12) we have choices to make; some of those choices determine the fate of our eternal soul!

I have a background in metal working and there is a process by which you can make iron very hard. First, you need to get the iron extremely hot; and when the conditions are right, you quickly quench the iron bar, either in water or in oil, depending on the hardness desired.

There is a rather short window of time whereby the heated metal is thrust into the cooling medium; once this is done, the metal becomes quite hard.

Similarly, over hardened metal, can be softened again by heating and allowing the metal to cool slowly; this process is called annealing.

Spiritually speaking, the danger lies wherein the power of God, through His Word, is touching your heart. Often the heart is strangely warmed, heated by the Holy Spirit if you will, to the point of becoming altogether new; the composition is about to change.

Too often, it is at this critical point, the flesh rebels and quenches that fire; causing the heart to become excessively hard, and brittle. The Bible warns us about this . . .

1 Thessalonians 5:19-20

Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

We live in a broken world that is dying and swirling in an ever-increasing state of despair. Hopelessness abounds and our own nation is getting angry, frustrated and on the brink of destruction!

People in our country are calling for revolution; should we not cry out to God for a revolution in the Church!

How did the church become so sleepy, so apathetic, so unconcerned about the current state of our world? It seems like we have been asleep at the wheel, only to begin waking up to a terrible mess, wondering how we got here!

It did not happen overnight; but rather by many years of complacency and disregard for the demands of the Gospel. The church once held a position of high esteem; those who joined the ranks of the church were, seen as upright and noble people; and getting your name on the rolls was important.

It is easy to join a church; go down to the river and be, baptized telling everyone you love God and believe in Jesus, take communion when it is, offered. Be sure to give a little bit of your income and smile a lot; imagining that is well with your soul, do this, and in most churches you will be, viewed as a spiritual person.

You now have now successfully acquired a form of godliness; you have respect in the church and with your peers. The growing numbers of people, whom you see, are just like you. A sense of self satisfaction grows, and you truly believe that you are quite safe and secure in Christ . . .

 

But what of the Power of God?

 

Listen to what noted preacher Charles Spurgeon; often referred to as the Prince of Preachers, had to say about this subject in a message preached Sunday morning, June 2nd, 1889:

I do not doubt that a form of godliness has come to many because it brings them ease of conscience and they are able, like the Pharisee, to thank God that they are not as other men are. Have they not been to Church? Have they not paid for their pew? They can now go about their daily business without those stings of conscience which would come of neglecting the requirements of religion.

These people profess to have been converted and they are numbered with Believers. But, alas, they are not of them.  Of all people these are the hardest to reach and the least likely to be saved. They hide behind the earthworks of a nominal religion. They are out of reach of the shot and shell of Gospel rebukes. They fly among the sinners and they have taken up their quarters among the saints. Sad is that man’s plight who wears the name of life but has never been quickened by the Holy Spirit.

 

What then is the power of God which is lacking?

 

True godliness happens on the inside, and works its way to the outside. The true power of God comes when a sinful wicked heart, infected with the curse of Adam, is “re-created” and made new, restored to its intended condition; now that’s the power of God!

 Remember the promises of God to Ezekiel. . .

Ezekiel 11:19  

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

 Ezekiel 36:25-27  

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

At the conclusion of Peter’s message in Acts 2, Peter gives the key to the Spirit-filled life, the way to be baptized in the Holy Spirit; it comes by repentance and baptism, and by baptism I mean being immersed, covered with Jesus.

 

The key is repentance! Without it, there will be NO SALVATION and NO SPIRIT-FILLED life. None!

 

We all want “Godliness with Power” we all want to live victorious Christian lives, but we cannot unless we have repented. What produces repentance?

2 Corinthians 7:10

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

 “Godly sorrow” produces repentance. I have to ask you if you have ever felt godly sorrow. Have you ever felt the need to repent, and then actually do it!

Because if you have not ever repented, you are NOT redeemed, and you are still in your sins, and are as lost as ever; even more lost, because you have deceived yourself into thinking you are redeemed, when in fact you are not.

Jesus said these stunning words . . .

Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

The most revealing and frightening aspect of this passage is that the people were, so convinced that they knew Jesus; when in fact, He did NOT know them!

  • What can be said of you?
  • Are you holding to a form of godliness, are you the real deal?

Deep inside your heart you know the answer.

 

  • Will you resist still?
  • Will you quench the Holy Spirit one more time?

This is your chance; for some . . . this could be your last chance!

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones puts it this way . . .

You do not decide for Christ, the sinner FLIES to Christ in utter helplessness and despair.

 His arms are open wide . . . run to Him!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, 0 comments
So . . . You are Not Being Fed?

So . . . You are Not Being Fed?

Having been in Christian ministry for over 25 years, I have seen and experienced just about everything you can imagine used as an excuse to leave a church.

I have seen the power plays certain folks have used to manipulate and influence the pastor or his leadership board. I have witnessed total fabrications to bring down pastors and leaders; some have worked and some have failed.

I recall years ago, going to an event in Chicago; it was a seminar titled; “Turnaround Churches.” It was a seminar designed to help struggling churches move forward after a difficult leadership breakup or church split.

Our church happened to be doing very well at the time I went to the seminar, and I felt somewhat out of place.

We were going around the room hearing horror stories of church splits and dysfunctions from various pastors, who had come from all over the country, to attend this seminar.

I recall sitting next to one pastor from a large Midwest church. I asked him what brought him to the seminar. He told me, that about a month ago, over 100 families walked out of his church! I was stunned; I thought to myself, it must have been a very serious moral failure of some sort.

I asked him what happened; I was not prepared for his answer. He looked at me with frustration and sorrow in his eyes, then said; “The families left because we chose the wrong color of carpet for the sanctuary.” That’s just crazy!

Having spoken to dozens of folks who have left churches for various reasons, one of the more prominent excuses I have heard over the years is this one . . . “I left the church because I was not getting fed by the pastor.”

This excuse places the fault squarely with the pastor and releases the churchgoer from any responsibility. When this excuse is given, it casts doubt on the ability of the pastor to give that person the type of “spiritual food” they want to consume.

It is a clear indication that the person making this accusation, possibly has come to the church as a consumer, not as a true follower of Jesus. It reminds me of this warning given to Timothy from the apostle Paul . . .

2 Timothy 4:3

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires . . . “

After a great deal of consideration, I have concluded that the role of a pastor is not to feed the people, but rather it is to teach them how to cook! Let me explain my thoughts . . .

The pastor spends each week considering what type of dish to serve; sometimes he plans far in advance, making sure that all the ingredients come together in just the right fashion.

He works to prepare a single dish; tasty and full of spiritual nutrients; not loaded down with excessive sweetness; but balanced and appropriate for the day at hand.

Occasionally the dish will be heavy with items not usually served; but necessary. Just like trying to get children to “eat their greens” so a pastor may serve meals that look unsavory at times.

The dish is prepared and served, typically on a Sunday morning. Remember, it is only one dish; not enough for everyone to gorge themselves, but enough for everyone to get a taste; enough to make them hungry for more.

The idea is for the churchgoer to want more; a good pastor will invite them into the kitchen; showing them how to prepare their own meals, so they don’t have to go on a spiritual “fast” all week.

The problem with some folks is that they only get a taste on Sunday, they go away hungry (which is the point of the dish served) unwilling to take off their bib and put on an apron; they complain that the pastor did not feed them enough, when in fact that is really, not his job.

Now to be sure, some pastors cannot cook, and may need to go back to culinary arts school for a season. There are pastors who are serving a dish that is, rancid and inedible; if this is the case, it may be time to find a new restaurant.

Study the ingredients your pastor uses; are they listed in the Cookbook? If they are, then it may be that your palette needs a little cleansing.

Therefore, I encourage you to keep sampling the dish your pastor offers each week. Get involved with a small group and learn how to cook; how to prepare your own tasty dishes and share yours with others.

Come on . . . you can do it!

Besides, you look silly, sitting back there with your arms crossed and bib on!

Open wide . . . num num!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Blessed are the Meek

Blessed are the Meek

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

  Matthew 5:5

We often read right over this familiar passage without fully understanding what this means. The work used for “meek” is:

Praus         prah-ooce’  mild, gentle, humble: – meek.

The best way to understand what this word means is to use an illustration. Many of us love horses. There is something spectacular about a horse. We have all watched the movies of the wild horses, the “Mustangs” running free across the plains.

These incredible horses are powerful, and beautiful. We love to look at them. As beautiful as they are, these horses, in the wild, are quite dangerous, and cannot be tamed or “broken” easily. In their “wild” state, they may be beautiful, and majestic, but they are quite useless until they are broken.

Once these horses are “broken” and learn to submit to their master, only then can all that power and energy be, put to good use. The horse is now under complete control of its master. Does this mean that the horse is weak? Of course not, it means that this powerful, majestic animal is now humbly under control of its master.

This is what Jesus had in mind when He shared this Scripture. Those who will humble themselves and come under the authority and control of God will experience great blessing.

Just like unbridled passion in a wild horse is dangerous, so is unbridled passion in the heart of a Christian dangerous, even more so.

A fire out of control becomes a wildfire, and wildfires are destructive, they burn hot and furious, and then die out quickly. What we need is a slow, steady burn, a fire ignited and fanned into flame under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit of God.

If we look across the contemporary Christian landscape we will see many scorched areas where unbridled passions flamed, hundreds became disillusioned, and have become “burned out.”

We must learn to submit to our master, the sooner the better.

When Jesus spoke these words in Matthew, He no doubt was calling on a Scripture taken from the Old Testament Book of Psalms 37.

Psalm 37:1-11

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.

If we take a closer look at this Psalm, we will see some interesting “control” words floating to the surface.

Trust, Delight, Commit, Be Still, Do not Fret, Refrain, just to name a few. Jesus is emphasizing the importance of trusting in God, and NOT reacting to our human nature, which is to take things into our own hands, being unsatisfied, lacking commitment, always moving and going, fretting and worrying.

The greatest lesson ANY Christian can learn, is humility, and true humility will produce a person who is meek; controlled power.

Jesus said this later on in the Book of Matthew. . .

Matthew 11:28-30     

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I have been reading a little on several techniques used to break a horse. Some of those techniques seem quite unreasonable, and even cruel. However, unless the horse can be broken, it is utterly useless, and still very dangerous to those around it.

One technique is to “hitch” or pair up a wild horse with a tame one. This procedure seems to work on some horses. The idea is that the older, more “meek” horse, will cause the younger, wilder horse, to settle down a little.

I suspect this procedure is at times as frustrating to the older horse as it is for the younger one, but in the end, favorable results often occur.

Perhaps it is wisdom to come along side of an older, more seasoned Christian, and learn humility this way. They have earned their stripes!

I was one of those “bunking broncos” and I wanted to run fast, hard and free! Brimming with fire and passion, I lit many fires in my wake. I could not understand why well-meaning, mature Christians were coming along behind me with a fire truck, putting out my fires! It exasperated me to no end!

I had to learn the lesson of humility, and I am still in class!

Remember, “meekness” is not “weakness” it is controlled strength.

Finally, for those who have given control to the Holy Spirit of God, the truly meek and humble, the Bible says; “They will inherit the earth.”

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

Psalm 2:8

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

The inheritance that Jesus is talking about is not a home on earth, nor is it the mineral rights to planet earth; while we certainly have access to both! What Jesus is talking about are people; the nations! Heaven and earth will pass away but the souls of man are eternal!

Only the truly humble, only the meek will be able to bring others into the kingdom of heaven, not the proud and self-righteous.

The humble man or woman will be gentle, never condescending, they have an acute awareness of their own spiritual poverty, and are patient, and long suffering with those they encounter in this world. They treat them with an uncanny kindness, are gentle and mild in their conversations.

The meek begin taking on a striking resemblance to the Master they serve, trusting, hoping, and always persevering.

Those who are such will inherit the earth, and many will come into the Kingdom of heaven because of them!

Where are you in the process?

Yield to the Master, and simply take His yoke upon you?

Pick it up, and put it on, and partner with Him, saddle up with Christ, and get moving!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Holiness, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Foundations

Foundations

I continue to marvel over the amazing portion of the Bible we often refer to as the “Sermon on the Mount.” We find it in Matthew 5-7 and it contains the “nuts and bolts” of life in Christ. If you have not read this recently, take a few moments to carefully read is again; you will be glad you did!

At the conclusion of this “sermon”, Jesus shares one last illustration to drive home a very important point; let’s listen in . . .

Matthew 7:24-29

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

We vividly recall seeing the devastation left behind after powerful hurricanes reach landfall; the images displayed on our TV  screens reveal the power and ferocity of these storms.

While looking at the devastation, one wonders why there will be dozens of homes swept away, but invariably several withstood the howling storm, and survived. Could it be that those who had taken the time to build a super solid foundation were the ones to remain? I think it had a great deal to do with it!

Jesus is telling His listeners, you and I, that if we hear His words, and put them into practice, then we would be like a wise builder, who set His house on a solid foundation. When the screaming storms of life come, and they will, our house will stand, and not fall.

He then lets us know, that if we hear these words of His, and do nothing with them, then our foundation will be weak and vulnerable, and when storms come, the destruction of our house will be utterly complete!

I can imagine two home-builders on the Gulf of Mexico. One person is spending extra time and money to sink down concrete pylons an extra 6 feet deep; it is costly and time consuming.

Another person, wanting to move in before the summer gets in full swing, decides to cut corners to save time and money; he forgoes the deep foundations suggested, and installs just the bare minimum.

Sure enough, the person building his home scrimping and cutting corners, is sitting on the deck enjoying the warm breezes, sipping iced tea, and getting a good tan, while the other guy is still building. Finally, the builder who took the extra time completes his home, and starts to enjoy what is left of the summer.

The fall hurricane season is coming, and the waters are churning, evacuations are given, and both homeowners have to leave. The storm rages, and finally the floodwaters recede. As the two owners head back to assess the damage, there is only one home remaining; the other is nowhere to be seen. In the end, it was definitely worth the extra time and effort, to build well!

In the passage from Matthew, Jesus was essentially telling us how to build our “spiritual house.” He shows us how to lay a firm foundation; a foundation that will remain when the storms of life beat against it! There will be storms, and some of those storms will be fierce!

When building a spiritual foundation, we need to start somewhere; Jesus started the whole “Sermon on the Mount” with this statement:

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The beginning point in our foundation building process, is to recognize our spiritual need; our own spiritual poverty. Unless we come to terms with this, we will never be able to build any lasting spiritual structure. The acknowledgment of our spiritual need is vital.

The proud-hearted man or woman, who relies on their own intelligence, and abilities, will never have a lasting spiritual foundation. Many individuals see faith in God as a weakness, coming up with all kinds of reasons to avoid God.

The Bible is very clear regarding these kinds of folks:

Romans 1:18-22

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. . .”

At one point in my own life, I was one of those people mentioned in this Scripture. I thought science held the key, that faith in an unseen god was weakness, and people of faith were simply ignorant. I was a subscriber to secular magazines like “Cosmos” and was a firm believer in Carl Sagan’s “billions and billions of years.”

After years of immersion in secular scientific thought, I could not reconcile how the intricacies of space and biology could have “just happened.” It was stunning to think that all of this incredible creation could have just fallen into place by random chance.

I became disillusioned with the scientific community because they seemed like they were grasping at straws. They had no real answers, just theories, and tall tales that were even more incredible to grasp and believe than the story that God put forward in His Word!

Like many others, I needed to come to the end of myself, the end of my intellect, and to the realization that I am at a loss, a big loss, to understand the principles of this incredible world in which I live. There MUST BE A GOD, and I MUST KNOW HIM!

Therefore, the starting point for every spiritual journey is the recognition that you are spiritually poor; and Jesus said, this was a good thing!

The recognition of this spiritual poverty causes you to hit “rock bottom” which is a very good place to begin to build!

How deep is your foundation?

I hear there is a storm brewing; be sure your anchor points are going to hold!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Guilt Free

Guilt Free

There is a HUGE issue today keeping people from having a close relationship with God. This particular problem is often the very reason many folks stay away from churches and from God in particular.

The problem is, “Guilt” and “Condemnation.”

Most of us understand what a “guilt trip” is. Have you ever had a guilt trip laid you? You know; “I do everything thing for you, the least you can do for me is. . .” and you fill in the blank.

Some people are experts at this, and I will say that most of you reading this, may have even tried it a time or two; I know I have!

Guilt is a powerful motivator, albeit a negative one. A trip to the local supermarket and you find “fat free” cookies or cottage cheese; the label says: “Guilt Free.”

Products with the “Guilt Free” label sell like hot cakes, because people hate feelings of guilt, and want to be free from it!

What is guilt anyway?                 

Guilt: guilt is a state in which one experiences conflict at having done something one believes one should not have done (or, conversely, not having done something one believes one should have done). It gives rise to a feeling that does not go away easily, driven by conscience.

Whenever we have done something that is wrong, or if we neglect doing something we know we should do, our conscience feels guilt. It seems to hang in there for days, weeks, and even years, never letting go, always a reminder of something done that was wrong.

For some, this feeling is so ingrained, that it begins to produce behavior problems. For others, the only way to deaden the feelings of guilt is to turn to alcohol, drugs, or other things, finding temporary relief, only to feel even worse, as the affects of those stimulates wear off.

Many times the feelings of guilt are misplaced. A young person who has been verbally, physically, or sexually abused, mistreated by parents, relatives, or others; people who should have been there to protect them.

The young person often feels guilty for the violations committed against them. They feel as though they were the responsible party, and guilt is, heaped on! They go through life feeling as though they are responsible for everything that goes wrong.

My guess is that many of you understand this, all too well.

To experience guilt, real or imagined, is a powerful thing, and often it is a tool used by the devil to keep people away from God.

One of the greatest reasons I stayed away from church, as a young man, was that I had done so much that was wrong, I had committed so many “sins” that the idea of actually coming into a church made me feel afraid.

I was one of those guys who said; “If I walk into church, the walls will fall down.” Have you ever felt like that?

Those feelings of fear and trepidation are not necessarily a bad thing. As we approach the God of the universe, we know He is Holy, Righteous, that He is a God of Wrath and Judgment, no doubt about it!

Speaking of those without Christ Jesus said:

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.

Jesus said, those without Him, without the Son, are guilty! Being guilty also brings another problem that goes right along with feelings of guilt, and those are feelings of condemnation!

Many, struggling with deep feelings of guilt, feel as though they are condemned. A person struggling under a load of guilt feels as though they are serving a life sentence, they feel hopeless, valueless, and feel as though there really is no good reason to live!

Again, people in this guilty, condemned state, often avoid church and God especially. Because God is Holy, Righteous, and would never have anything to do with them.

Those feelings of condemnation, are not entirely misplaced either; Jesus said this:

John 3:16-18

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Yet, in spite of this, we are inexplicably, drawn to Him, because we know that our only hope lies with Him. We begin to approach Him! We make a move toward God, even risking going to the church, and at the first meeting, we realize that the walls did not cave in!

Then, in an instant, you reach out to God, risking everything, and He touches you!

BOOM!

Instead of getting a backhand across your face, you get an embrace, waves of love cascading over your heart. God welcomes you wholeheartedly; like a long lost son or daughter; He gently wipes away your tears, your fears, and you know, you belong to Him!

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Hallelujah!

 You are free! The death sentence lifted!

 You are GUILT FREE!!!

 Somebody please say AMEN!

Now, for some of you that have already met this Jesus, you are reading this today and you find yourself with those same old feelings of guilt and shame.

You have walked with Jesus for a while, and somewhere, somehow, things just do not feel the same. You made a small mistake, then another, and another, and soon you begin to feel worse than ever before.

How can this be?

What is going on here?

How can you be free again?

Psalm 32:1-5

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.   

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD “— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Too many times when we sin as a Christian, we feel so bad about it that we refuse to acknowledge it. The last thing we want to do, is go to God and tell Him what we already know He knows!

Therefore, we avoid it. We put it off, and we begin to feel guilty, and shameful. It piles up, we begin to get sad faces, our bones begin to waste away, and inwardly we groan. We avoid the very One who can help us!

The Bible says to acknowledge our sin, don’t hide it, don’t cover it up, but just tell God what you did, say it out loud to Him, and tell Him you are sorry. He then forgives you! It is that simple!

If you keep it hidden, then guilt does its work of bringing feelings of condemnation, hopelessness sets in, depression follows, and we have a defeated Christian, and the devil rejoices!

You become like a Lion without teeth, powerless prayer, poor Christian witness to the world around you, withdrawn, you stay to yourself.

The devil has you right where he wants you. The devil will continue to, systematically destroy you, until you are, totally crushed!

Do not let him get away with it. Go to God right now and settle it. Tell God, in plain words what you have done. If you cannot remember everything you have done, tell Him so, He knows!

Get your teeth back!

Take back, what the devil tried to steal, and be guilt free again!

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Love, Prayer, Trust, 0 comments
Forgiving From Your Heart

Forgiving From Your Heart

Do you remember the parable of the unmerciful servant? Peter wanted to know how many times he should forgive; the answer may not have been what he expected. Let’s check it out.

Matthew 18:21-25

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

This is a familiar parable, one that you have no doubt read many times. To put this in context, just prior to this parable, Jesus talked about what to do if a brother sins against you, and after hearing this brief teaching on dealing with a brother who sins against you, Peter comes to ask Jesus a rather interesting question.

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

I’m not sure, but I think Peter may have had a rather short fuse, and when it came to forgiving, he probably struggled a bit. When he asked the question, I think Peter was looking for a limit here. You know, “at what point can I refuse to forgive?” Jesus’ answer was not what Peter had expected!

To explain forgiveness to Peter, and to you and me, Jesus told a story. In this story, I think we can find a few truths that may help us, when it comes to forgiving from the heart.

This parable primarily has to do with forgiving a financial debt, but the application of this story applies to many different situations in which someone has trespassed, or sinned against you.

In the parable that Jesus told, the king wanted to settle accounts, and was calling in the debts owed.

When this particular man came before the king, he was unable to pay his debt. The fault was clearly with the man, and not the king. For whatever reason, the man could not clear his debt, and king, was now “stuck” with it.

Now there appears to be two problems:

The first is now the king is upset, and rightfully so. He has a debt that he should not bear. It was not his fault, and he has every right to demand it! He is frustrated, hurt, and betrayed, the trust he had toward his servant is broken.

The second is that the man, who failed in his obligation to the king, is now in danger of being, sold into slavery, even placing his whole family in jeopardy.

As the story goes, the man fell on his knees before the king, begging for patience, promising to pay it all back, just give me more time! The king looking at this display of emotion, felt compassion for the man, and forgave the whole debt! In one fell swoop, the king took care of both problems.

In forgiving the man his debt, the king released himself from the right to demand what was due, absorbing the cost of the debt, and the debtor was free from the need to repay something he was unable to.

We can learn two lessons here, which will help us not only to forgive, but also to be forgiven.

Granting Forgiveness

The first lesson has to do with granting forgiveness. The king saw the despair of the man who owed the debt. He seemed totally unable to repay what was owed.

Jesus said that the king had “compassion” on the man. Unless the king would have experienced compassion, I doubt very much that he would have been able to forgive this man his debt.

As you and I experience debts or, “SINS against us, it is very unlikely that we will ever truly forgive another for those sins, unless we have compassion.  Without compassion for those who have sinned against you, the debt remains.

Sin has affected all of humanity. Not one person is exempt from it! Sin rears its ugly head in many, many forms; lying, stealing, cheating, murder, adultery, greed, lust; the list is long!

If you have lived longer than a day, someone has probably sinned against you, and if you are blessed to live another day, it will likely happen again. We live in a sinful world, and sin happens! When it happens to you, what will you do with it?

Recall the Lord’s Prayer:

Matthew 6:9-14

 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

The greatest temptation that any of us ever will face is the temptation to, not forgive.

We have been forgiven much by the Greatest King that ever lived! Our Great King, saw the terrible plight we were in, and while we were unable to correct the wrong we had done, He forgave us all our sin!

Remember, unlike the parable Jesus used, we were not going to be, sold for the debt we owed, we were going to die for it! The wages of sin is death! God has forgiven us much!

We must forgive those who sin against us, to hold their sin against them, is to negate our own forgiveness!

Receiving Forgiveness

The second part of this lesson has to do with receiving forgiveness. This part of the lesson is tied to the first part.

To receive forgiveness is to be willing to forgive.

The man in this story was no doubt thrilled with the cancelled debt. He was truly distressed before the King, and was on his knees begging for patience and mercy; the King had compassion, and forgave the whole debt! I imagine the man was so grateful!

However, not long afterwards, that man encountered someone who owed him far less than what he had owed the king, and he demanded the whole amount, even having the man arrested and put into prison!

Of course, when the King found out about it, He was furious! The King ordered the man who refused to cancel another debt, thrown in prison.

The problem was that this man did not recognize or remember how much debt the king forgave him. He was forgiven much, much more, than the man who owed him very little.

Any sin inflicted upon you by another, will pale in comparison with the sin you have inflicted against God.

Yet God has forgiven you of all your sins! Why would you hold something against another? Why would you throw away your own good fortune at the expense of another? How foolish!

If this man would have taken the time to remember the depth of his own forgiveness, he would not have demanded the small amount someone owed him, and the outcome of this story would have been quite different.

Have you ever sat down and considered what Jesus has done for you? I mean, have you considered what this Great King has done on your behalf?

How badly do you want God to forgive you of your sins, bad enough for you to forgive others from the heart?

Perhaps you struggle with compassion. Ask God to show you what He thinks of those you cannot forgive; ask Him how much value He places on them. Look at others from His perspective, and you will begin to get a sense of what is at stake.

Remember, if you cannot forgive from your heart, you have not forgiven, and you are still in your sins.

You will know that you have forgiven from the heart when you pray this way:

“Father, I forgive this person for the sin inflicted upon me; and please Lord, I am asking that you forgive them too.”

 

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Love, Prayer, Trust, 0 comments
Come Now, Let Us Reason Together

Come Now, Let Us Reason Together

There seems to be, two different types of people emerging after an encounter with Jesus; one kind recognizes that the journey may get tough, sacrifices will need made, but the joy of following the Savior is greater, the rewards of a life spent following the master are worth any amount of sacrifice!

These folks find joy and peace in the midst of great pain and suffering. They always seem to be moving forward, gaining strength day by day, being built up in God’s holy Word! They begin to produce fruit for their labors, and people around them begin to come into the Kingdom of God too!

For the other group, they exhibit a “dragging” of the feet, so to speak, an unwillingness to obey the clear teachings of God. Jesus begins to take them on a journey, and they quickly realize that the way is steep, and they are carrying too much baggage, and He tells them to drop some of the “things” they carry, but they refuse!

Jesus decides to take a turn, and they realize that the way is unfamiliar, and out of fear, refuse to go!

For this group, service to God becomes a burden, rather than a joy. Obedience to God’s Word becomes frightfully difficult. It becomes a duty, and no longer done from a position of love.

It is unfortunate, but many people fall into the second category. For those who will resist the call of God on their lives, for those who refuse to obey the clear teachings of the Bible, the words from Isaiah seem quite appropriate!

Isaiah 1:5-6  

“Why should you be beaten anymore?  Why do you persist in rebellion?  Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted.  From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness– only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil.”

According to this verse, there are consequences for rebelling against God. You will wear yourself out! Your whole being will suffer!

It is not uncommon for those resisting God, who walk in rebellion to Him, to face increasing depression, fits of rage, anger, and could even become physically ill.

Yet God is patient, He waits for those who are in this “sea of rebellion” to come to their senses. When they do, God gives this incredible offer:

Isaiah 1:18-20

 “Come now, let us reason together,”

       says the LORD.

       “Though your sins are like scarlet,

       they shall be as white as snow;

       though they are red as crimson,

       they shall be like wool.

 If you are willing and obedient,

       you will eat the best from the land;

  but if you resist and rebel,

       you will be devoured by the sword.”

       For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.     

I just love this Scripture; God says; “Come now, let us reason together.” It’s like God has just poured a cup of coffee for you, and invites you to the table, One on one, to see if there can be a solution. God is awesome!

So . . . which type of Christian are you?

Whatever the case may be, a sold faithful walk with Him, or a dragging of the feet; take time today to respond to His words; “Come now, let us reason together.”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Do You Love Me?

Do You Love Me?

Without a doubt, God has shown His love to us repeatedly! We can never wear out the Scripture in John 3:16; “For God so Loved. . .”

And what about these. . .

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Colossians 3:12  

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

1 Thessalonians 1:4     

“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you. . .”

1John 4:10

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Through these Scriptures, and hundreds more like them, it becomes obvious; God loves us! Indeed, the whole of the Bible is a Book of love, an expression of God’s love towards us!

The question is not; “Does God love us,” but rather; “Do we love Him?”

I want to take you on a journey with a man called Peter, along with a couple of other men, James and John, commonly referred to as disciples, or the “inner three.”

These men walked with Jesus; actually walked with Him in the flesh, they shared meals together, and spent dozens of nights around the campfire talking with Jesus. If anyone knew the heart of Jesus, these men did, if anyone could love and obey His teaching, these men would.

The Disciples were very much like us. By that I mean, they were not stunning models of obedience and passion, but were quite human, and showed signs of their ‘humanness” all along the journey.

They were fishermen, physically strong, hard working, simple, yet very determined men. These men responded to the invitation from Jesus; “Follow Me.” It was at that point, that these men had an encounter with Jesus, and made a decision to follow Him; just like you did.

These men had many of the same struggles that you have.

Peter, James and John, were closest to Jesus, these men saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, they were there when Jesus raised dead girl, and they were there when Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane.

If anyone could get their walk right with Jesus, it would be these guys. Yet these men struggled understanding God’s will, and had trouble obeying Jesus, here are a few examples;

James and John wanted to call down lightening to destroy some people who did not welcome Jesus. Luke 9:53-55

“. . . but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them.”

James and John apparently got their mother to ask Jesus if they could sit at either side of Him in heaven . . . rather arrogant don’t you think? Matthew 20:20-22

“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

  “What is it you want?” he asked.

 She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

 “We can,” they answered.”

While standing on the mount of transfiguration, at one of the holiest, and most reverent times in the Bible, as Jesus stands there with Elijah and Moses, Peter blurts out; “It is good that we are here, I will build a shelter for each of you.” What was he thinking!     Matthew 17:1-4

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

At one of the most critical times in Jesus’ life, while He is about to be arrested, Peter pulls out a knife, and slices a man’s ear off! John 18:10

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

 In the Garden of Gethsemane James, John, and Peter fell asleep! Matthew 26:40-42

 “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

 Peter swore that he would die with Christ if need be, but in the end denied knowing Jesus three times! Matthew 26:69-75

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”

 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”

 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

 Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

As we can see by these examples, the disciples were anything, but stellar, and most of us are not either.

An interesting meeting took place after the resurrection of Jesus; found in John 21:1-19

 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

  He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

      “No,” they answered.

  He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[b] When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”

      “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

      Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”

      He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

      Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

      Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

     Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.  I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

In this remarkable story, Jesus reaffirmed His love for Peter by His actions. He could have criticized Peter, ridiculed him, and said; “I told you so!”

Sitting by that fire, Peter experienced what I call blazing, majestic, overwhelming, relentless love, coming from the risen Christ!

The issue that Jesus was trying to bring to Peter’s attention was not that He (Jesus) loved Peter; that was now very evident. The question was; Peter, do you love Me?

Today, Jesus gently lifts your gaze, to meet Him, and asks you; “Do you love Me, more than these.”

What is your response?

Posted by onthesolidrock in Compassion, Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Love, 0 comments
Grace, Mercy and Peace to You

Grace, Mercy and Peace to You

“To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord”.   1 Timothy 1:2

 While reading the letters that the apostle Paul wrote, I noticed that almost every letter he wrote began with those words; “Grace and peace to you from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” In the letters written to Timothy, and to Titus, he includes grace, mercy and peace.

Like many of you, I have read these books written by Paul, dozens of times, and always seemed to overlook the opening greeting, as if it were not that important.

What jumps out at me, is the way Paul says these words. It is bold, and up front, like he was an emissary of God, coming to the people, as if he had just come from God himself. Kind of like an ambassador, proclaiming the heart of the kingdom represented.

I get this picture in my mind of a rider on a horse, riding feverishly through the night, with a message of hope for those in distress; perhaps soldiers, weary from battle, which may need some encouragement.

The rider dismounts, and comes to the people, and the first words out of his mouth are; Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from your King! How very refreshing and encouraging to hear.

Paul gives us that kind of feeling when he begins his letters, regardless of the content of the letter, he set us as ease, with the reassurance that he has just come from God himself, and God has given a message to His people, “Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God our Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul chose these words, because he himself was the recipient of them. Paul was a persecutor of the church. He actually chased down Christians, and standing by as they were put to death.

He was actively destroying the very church that Jesus was trying to build. Paul was on a mission to destroy, what he thought was an abomination to God.

Paul knew that he deserved death for what he had done; no question about it; standing by, as saints like Stephen were being, stoned to death, cheering the crowd.

Paul knew that he was an enemy of God, but now, through God’s grace and mercy, he found peace; joy inexpressible! How could he contain it?

Paul was able to express this in almost every letter he wrote, because it was what he received, and it was so valuable to him. He wanted to express it every time he wrote.

Like Paul, you and I received Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God too, and like Paul, we have the authority to declare it to others as well.

So the next time you enter a room with your brothers and sisters in Christ be bold, and with confidence declare, Grace, Peace and Mercy to you from God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Faith, Holiness, Humility, Thankfulness, Trust, 0 comments
“One Thing You Lack”

“One Thing You Lack”

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.”

 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:17-21

There are several other locations where this encounter is recorded as well. In Matthew 19:20 the man is identified as being young, and Luke 18:18 describes him as being a ruler.

So, from these three passages we can easily deduce that this was a young, wealthy, man of influence, perhaps he was training to become a Pharisee, or was the member of the Roman government; we really don’t know for sure.

Typically when we read this passage of Scripture we talk about money and the power that it can have over individuals; this passage reveals much, much more than we may have anticipated!

This passage reveals to us the characteristics of a person that did not qualify that person to be a Christian.

So let’s look at the characteristics of this young man that were not enough to constitute salvation.

Sincerity

It is easy to see that this man was sincere. Here was a wealthy young man of an elite background, and in full view of everyone, he ran to Jesus and knelt before Him. He did not care if anyone was looking. He must have thought that Jesus Himself held the answer to the question he was seeking.

It is quite possible that this young man believed that Jesus was the Messiah; why else would he risk his reputation by kneeling to Him.

Over the course of ministry I have seen hundreds of people kneel and pray to God for salvation; most are as sincere as this young man. They come risking everything, kneeling and asking God for the way of eternal life; but like this young man, sincerity is not enough; Jesus Himself asked for more!

Righteousness

This young man was a righteous man. Jesus reminded him of the commandments; You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.” yet this young man had kept them all!

He never committed murder by killing anyone; he honored his father and mother; was not a thief, nor did he give false testimony or defraud anyone! He was a young man who kept the commandments of God faithfully; what more could he do?

People today are no different; far too often we think if we just live a good life, then we somehow will gain access to heaven and eternal life; that is simply not true! It was not enough for this young man and it will not be enough for you either!

While living a righteous and good life is to be commended; and doing a lifetime of good works may get you a plaque on a wall; it will by no means cause you to have eternal life.

God’s Love

The Bible declares in this passage that “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” As Jesus was looking over this young man, kneeling in the dirt, hopeful eyes locked with His, He had compassion.

God also has compassion for us too. The Bible declares that God Himself is love; and the most quoted verse in the Bible; John 3:16 says it best:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

However, God’s love for us; His amazing love for us, does not, in and of itself, bring about the salvation of our souls. God looks in love at this young man, and still there is something more required.

So, if being sincere; recognizing Jesus to be the One with the answer; and being a righteous, good and moral person, and sensing God’s own love for me is not enough for salvation to be complete; what am I missing?

Becoming a Christian, as evidenced in this story, is to believe Jesus to be trustworthy enough to surrender control of our life to. Not partial, or selective control, but ALL control.

To put it bluntly, a Christian is a person who believes in Jesus strong enough to follow Him!

This particular young man had considerable wealth, and it turned out to be his “one thing.”

Jesus said to him; One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus knew that in order for this young man to find salvation, he would have to relinquish control of his wealth. Apparently it had quite a grip on his heart; and for this fellow, it was the “one thing” that prevented this young man from eternal life.

The conclusion of this story with the wealthy young ruler ended sadly, as the Bible says:

One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

This story is not really about money, but about that which keeps us from following Jesus.

Jesus could easily say . . .

“How hard it is for the bitter to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the jealous to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the self-reliant to enter the kingdom of God!”

“How hard it is for the unforgiving to enter the kingdom of God!”

What “one thing” stands in the way of your salvation?

Perhaps it is time to get rid of it and start following Jesus!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Holiness, Humility, Trust, 0 comments
Ask, Seek and Knock – Do It!

Ask, Seek and Knock – Do It!

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”  Matthew 7:7-11

This is a very familiar Scripture that many of us have read dozens, if not hundreds of times. We often refer to this Scripture when talking about prayer, as we should!

This section begins with the admonition to ask, seek and knock. As we read this, we get the feeling that these are not simply suggestions; perhaps the words carry just a little more weight than that!

Jesus does not frame these words with any kind of condition associated with the request; He simply says to; ask, seek and knock! Therefore, these three words come with an expectation that you will do it.

Jesus further indicates that those who ask, seek and knock, will receive, find, and gain entrance. Again, there is no hesitation in Jesus very straightforward statement here.

He says that if you ask, you will receive, if you seek, you will find, and if you knock, the door opens for you. I find this to be very exciting indeed!

In the following verses, we get a partial idea of where the answers to the asking, seeking, and knocking are coming from. Jesus begins verse 9 by asking the crowd a rhetorical question:

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

I can see the crowd laughing as he makes this statement; some parents are no doubt planning a practical joke on their kids later in the day!

Jesus then contrasts the crowd; sinful humanity, against a holy and righteous Father; by saying:

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

We see that “good gifts” come from our Father in heaven. James echoes this truth in the Book he wrote:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

So, we see clearly that Jesus is saying if you ask, seek and knock, then God Himself will respond with good gifts.

I have heard it said by well meaning Christians that we need to be careful what we ask God for, we might just get it! I think that is an ugly statement, one in which we think that God our Father, who is incredibly good and holy, who has our best interest at heart, would somehow give us a bad gift!

I think that if I am knocking on a door that is going to lead me astray, God will not open it.

When God opens a door, gives a gift, or reveals Himself to His children, according to Jesus, it is going to be good!

Now to be sure, we can go beyond knocking, and go get a crowbar and force open a door that God is unwilling to open for us.

Remember, He knows what is best, and if the door will not open by knocking on it, it is best to leave it shut.

So go ahead; ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK . . . this is going to be good!

Posted by onthesolidrock in Discipline, Faith, Family, Holiness, Humility, Prayer, Trust, 0 comments