StJohnsAshfield StainedGlass JohnTheBaptist Paul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To cook with onions or not to cook with onions… that is the question. Ask my wife and you’ll receive a resilient ‘yes!’ Ask me… and not so much. I hate onions and she loves them with a passion. Why on earth would two people with this great a difference between them ever agree to spend their days on this earth together? Is it possibly because we love one another? We’re willing to live with the differences in our taste for onions, even making exceptions so the other’s desires are fulfilled.

As those who profess to believe in Jesus Christ, how do we determine what will divide and separate, and what will cause no division? While it may not be a comfortable conversation, it is one that is addressed by the writers of the New Testament.

For example, in the fourteenth chapter of his letter to the Romans, Paul says there is a time to say, “It doesn’t matter.” There’s also a time, as he told the believers in Corinth to say, “Brother (or Sister), you’re wrong.” We also see (to the Galatians) a time when Paul would conclude, “You can’t be a Christian and adopt that doctrine!”

Is there a checklist available to us to determine when we decide these things? Possibly, but the problem with checklists is our tendency to be persuaded by societal and traditional influences. Think about it. What may be considered very important to a believer in America may be meaningless to a believer in Africa. We also must take into account that times change! What was it that was causing such uproar in Galatia? They were convinced that circumcision was necessary to be a good Christian. Anyone told you lately that you are required to be circumcised to partake of Christ’s riches? You probably have not been told this… unless maybe you have become a believer out of a Jewish heritage.

There is a passage in Scripture, however, that probably sums up everything that should keep us united, and eliminates everything that can cause unwarranted division. Paul, once again writing to the Corinthians, said these words…

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Everything essential to the new birth experience is catalogued in these two verses. Paul has defined the gospel of Jesus Christ in its purest form. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day just as the Word of God proclaimed.

So what happens when two believers meet with differing concepts of teachings from the Bible? The list could include the method of baptism, or the gift of tongues, or even end times beliefs. These believers could disagree on whether a glass of wine is acceptable, unprofitable, or should be abstained from totally.

How about those times when one believer is caught up in what the Bible determines is definitely sin? How does another believer respond?

Last, what about those disagreements where the gospel, as described by Paul, is injured and left altered or damaged?

The scenarios are much more complex than can be resolved with a few words posted on a website, but with all the division of the church we see today, isn’t the question worth asking?

Will there be walls of petitions in Heaven to hold all of those who were immersed in one area and those who were sprinkled in another? Or… are we so vain as to think that only those blessed with the gift of tongues are truly saved? Or maybe equally as vain to declare that because gifts such as this one has ceased, that those who practice such things can’t be saved? When our brother sins, are we willing to go to them in love and say, “You’re wrong, but I love you. I’m willing to work through this and do whatever is required to restore our fellowship!” To those whose gospel is no gospel, are we willing to stand firm on the truth, yet never cease placing the grace of the cross before them?

A famous quote, whose authorship is questioned states, “in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.”

If you still insist on a checklist, here’s Paul’s…

1) Let love be genuine. 2) Abhor what is evil; 3) hold fast to what is good.  4) Love one another with brotherly affection. 5) Outdo one another in showing honor.  6) Do not be slothful in zeal, 7) be fervent in spirit, 8)serve the Lord.  9) Rejoice in hope, 10) be patient in tribulation, 11) be constant in prayer.  12) Contribute to the needs of the saints and 13) seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:9-13

“Lord, give us the strength to love one another. Let us be a body in unity… not without disagreements, but in spite of them.”

Related articles

• Faith Child – The Gospel of Peace (ptl2010.com)
• Reflecting God’s Grace (ptl2010.com)
• Let us unite under the name of Christ and find fresh unity among all believers (bummyla.wordpress.com)
• The Gospel Part One! (randyhenri.wordpress.com)

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8

Yesterday we examined God’s attributes and were reminded that our all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present God is just the one we need throughout our day to fight off our enemy the devil who seeks to ensnare us with his wily schemes. We must consider the present time–each 24-hour period–for the days are evil and each day has enough trouble of its own. Including God in your daily routine will prepare you when something unexpected happens, when you must face difficult decisions, and when temptation to fall into sin is at hand. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion throughout the earth seeking whom he may devour. Don’t let the devil make you his next victim! Remember God during each portion of the day. Today will will take a closer look at how to include God in our waking hours.

The morning is a time of preparation. There is uniqueness and potency in the morning. What you do during this time will help set the tone for the remainder of your day. C.S. Lewis stated in his book Mere Christianity:

“It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.”

It is easy to be distracted in the hustle and bustle of the morning. The above quote leads us to our first point: Our early morning devotion time demonstrates our dependence on God. We need to tell Him before we tell anyone else anything, “God, I depend on you.” Jeremiah 10:21 says, “The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the LORD; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered.” A man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his own steps. The leaders of Israel were not thinking clearly. Some of us are leading and providing for others. We are not designed to carry the full weight of life on our shoulders. It is prideful to launch out on any given day of our lives without first declaring our dependence on God. Sometimes our actions show just how much we think we can handle the day by ourselves. But then there comes that day when we cannot handle what comes our way, and we don’t know what to do. It was never meant for you and I to carry the weight of our lives without consulting God! We don’t even have a guarantee we will be alive tomorrow. Thus we must carpe diem–seize the day! James 4:13-17 says, “ Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.’” God wants to support us, make the path for our feet, and give us the strength we need to make it through each day. We need to seek after the Lord’s will for our lives, not create and pursue our own agendas.

Praying and studying the scriptures in the morning prepares us for the unknown. There is no greater wilderness, no greater thing that is not a sure bet, than the day ahead of us. Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” As we go into each day it can be comforting or terrifying to realize that God is already there and knows what we don’t know. When we make plans, we make assumptions about our lives. God can change our agendas. Many times, when the unexpected occurs, we overreact instead of responding biblically. We run rather than stand, or vice versa, and we default to fear rather than trust. Why would we not want to call on a God of unfailing love, declare our dependence in the waking hours, and admit that only He knows what is coming?

The morning hour is the best time to get dressed. We take a lot of time to get ready in the physical realm. Many of us would never go out the door without looking ready to face the day. There is a cleansing power found in God that can wash us of the grime of the world in the morning. We should also remember to get ready in the spiritual realm. God has designed a custom-made powerful wardrobe just for us! Ephesians 6:10-18 says:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Like any article of clothing, God’s wardrobe won’t look good until you put it on. It does no good just hanging in the closet. Our battle is not against an unfair teacher, a cranky boss, a fussy child or aggressive teenager, an unrealistic parent or spouse, bills to pay, or even the weather; we are fighting against our enemy, the devil. Our enemy is well stocked and resourceful. The enemy has a plan and hates that we love God and He loves us.

The morning hour helps us best serve our loved ones. The Bible says Job was blameless and upright, and he feared God and shunned evil. He had a strong relationship with the Lord and in his day he was considered one of the greatest men among all of the people of the East. Job 1:5 describes one of Job’s regular customs. It says that “early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’” We can stand in the gap for our loved ones and cover them. We don’t know everything our loved ones face when they are out in the world each day, but we can pray for God to protect them and to forgive them for any wrongdoing.

The prayers of the morning hour open our ears to God’s voice. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” There are many voices squawking at us throughout the day. Like C.S. stated, we must listen to the still, small voice of God. In the morning hour before anyone or anything else is vying for your attention, God can bless you. It is wonderful to have an instructed tongue so that we can encourage one another. There is no more joyful thing than to be the recipient of someone else’s encouragement.

Why, when you have an all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God, would you not want Him with you by invitation and spoken request? Why do we think we can go into all of the tough areas of life thinking we can handle them in our own strength? Without this morning time of preparation, we go out unprepared for what is to come with ears that aren’t sensitive to His voice, and launch into the day unclean and undressed. Sadly, we do not cover our loved ones in consistent prayer, and we only react and fall down. Ask yourselves: Is this acceptable?

Try all these aforementioned things starting tomorrow morning. Those of you already doing these things, stay the course! Watch the difference. Watch God be magnified. Watch His enemies be scattered. Watch strength, joy and power flood your hearts! Remember to make morning YOUR personal time of preparation.

“Just Give Me Jesus” sung by Jeremy Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=empiUulYcDs

The Water of Life Discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, by Giacomo Franceschini, 17-18th century (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you sit there

• Blind Bartimeus you will remain blind. 
• Lame man by the pool of Bethsaida you will remain lame.
•  O woman with an issue of blood, you will remain ill
• O woman at the well, you will remain thirsty and in your sins.

They reached out and touched the Lord as He walked by and were healed!

Perhaps like any of the above, you have been waiting for a long time for Jesus to walk past you – He is there right by you if you had not noticed- and if you continue to wait, you will remain where you are

• Sick and impotent
• Bored and letting the devil rule your mind with pornography and lusst
• Hurt, fearful  and feeling like running away
• Tired, disappointed and poor
• Discouraged, depressed and suicidal
• Not living the abundanat life that Jesus promised
• Bound by the weight of unconfessed sins
• You know you are out of God’s will.

Reach out, call unto Him  and  touch the Lord as He walks by
You’ll find He’s not too busy to hear your heart’s cry.

You must reach out and not just sit there listening to the enemy of your soul
for he is a liar and wants the worst for you, yes, your soul’s destruction

Turn to Jesus, He wants the best for you so listen to Him instead

He says  “the Lord  has said, ‘This is rest; give rest to the weary;
and this is repose’; yet they would not hear.” Isaiah 28: 11-12

Are you like the people the Old Testament prophets spoke to? The Lord has spoken and He beckons you to Himself.. are you forfeiting the rest and love He offers by choice and not hearing His call?

Who suffers for your inaction ? You my friend.

Choose to quit from your awful situation and come out of your rut, overwhelming woes and let Holy Spirit  lift you up from the miry clay, and set your feet on the Rock Jesus Christ, to stay on a firm foundation.   He wants to renew and refresh you Faith Child. Let

Him do so my calling on Him as your Saviour , Lord and Healer. He will answer you.

He beckons “Come”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PANiveIKVX0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm30UfBgBIg

Will you come?

Here is the urdu blog translated from a blog in English written by Drusilla Mott entitled “When we pray”

34-When We pray_Ur

The original English blog is found here

http://ptl2010.com/2012/03/06/when-we-pray/

Share this blog with your family and friends and bless them with the blessing of prayer. It is no secret what God can do. What He has done for others He will do for you.

http://strongholdsmashers.com/christian-authors/free-to-battle-the-enemy/

With the Lord on our side how can we possibly fail? We’ve been set free by an act of God’s kindness–free to defeat the enemy. But who is our enemy and why do we feel as if we can still be defeated?

Maybe it’s because we can’t stop battling each other. Maybe it’s because we don’t really trust God. Maybe it’s because we have unconfessed sin in our lives.

If wrong thinking infiltrating our lives is causing divisions among God’s people, we will continue to be in a demonic stronghold. Our enemy is Satan and his demons. Not each other.

We are free from demonic strongholds. We are meant to join forces and with whatever God has shown us, come up against the enemy of righteousness [anti-Christ and all demons].

Each of us see a part of the whole. Just as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each saw a different perspective of Christ‘s life and teachings, we each see Biblical truth from a different perspective with most of the fundamental aspects of God’s word in agreement. Each of us has been given a different measure of faith and different gifts.

It’s time to turn from worldly ways of division and strife. Let’s join forces and move forward in victory in Christ so that God may be all in all.

“The luster of it resembled a rare and most precious jewel, like jasper, shining clear as crystal.”
Revelation 21:10-11

5 Biblical tips to help us in the battle:

1. Be an encourager. Allow God to encourage you. We need to cease being critical of others according to race, nationality, income, age, or sex–we are all one in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Romans 12:4-6 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

2. Remember who our enemy is. Hate the sin and the enemy that caused it, not the one who carries it.

1 Peter 5:8 Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

3. Look to God and His Word for your help/answers in the battle. He is the maker and finisher of your faith. Do not look to the world, nor others outside of grace, particularly if your battle is spiritual.

James 4:2-4 2You want what you don’t have, so you commit murder [hate]. You’re determined to have things, but you can’t get what you want. You quarrel and fight. You don’t have the things you want, because you don’t pray for them. 3When you pray for things, you don’t get them because you want them for the wrong reason—for your own pleasure. 4You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that love for this evil world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

4. Stand your ground no matter how rough the battle. Don’t doubt. Don’t give up.

Ephesians 6:13Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

5. Keep godly friends nearby. Two are better than one and a three fold cord is not easily broken. That’s you, your godly friend(s), and Jesus Christ.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.

In the beginning was the Word… in Him was life… it was the light of men… the Word became flesh… we are born of God. It’s full-on, we feel like our heads are spinning with new concepts… and were only up to verse 14.

The Gospel of John is unlike the other 3 ‘synoptic’ gospels. It’s like Matthew, Mark and Luke were written from ‘time looking toward eternity’, whereas John was written from ‘eternity looking toward time’.The first 3 gospels prepare us by clearly showing us the life, teachings, miracles, death and resurrection of Christ. Then the book of John takes all of that information and presents it afresh from the perspective of the heavenly realm.

Luke says in 1:3, the purpose of his work is “to write an orderly account for you, after careful investigation”. John says in 20:31, the purpose of his work is “these words are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name“.

Of course all the gospels are words of life inspired by the Holy Spirit himself… but I just find myself constantly drawn back to the book of John for it’s insight into the realm of the Spirit. In John we go beyond what Jesus was saying and doing and teaching, to what was the source of life that energized him, what was going on between Him and his Father,  we even get a glimpse of the intimate union that enabled Him to complete His work.

The book of John contains no parables – (which were intended to ‘veil the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God’), instead it is very direct and confronting… Jesus said to Nicodemus ‘I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things?’ There is a challenge in the book of John to move beyond understanding - (based simply on what we can observe with our natural eyes), to beginning to see with the eyes of our heart, to perceive life on earth from the greater reality… the eternal truths of the Spirit.

Ok, I’ve nearly finished this blog without actually discussing any of the content of the book of John – but I want to end with perhaps the most radical concept in the bible, John 14:20 “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you”.

Mind blowing stuff,.. more tomorrow…

Graeme

In spite of the good moral lessons presented in many of these stories, they lack spiritual truth and Godly authorship.   In the Word of God we find a series of lessons presented by Christ in the form of illustrative stories.  These lessons are called “parables”.

What is a parable?  The Greek word for “parable” means “to set alongside for comparison”.  This definition helps us to understand the unique Biblical aspect of the parables of Christ.  A Biblical parable is the comparison of the physical to the spiritual in an effort to reveal the spiritual.   A parable simply uses illustrations from this physical world to help reveal and explain a spiritual truth to whom it was intended.

For today’s blog entry, let’s look at one of the most well-known parables of Christ and the spiritual truth represented in it….

THE SCRIPTURE:

Matt 13:1-9  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.  2) And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  3) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;  4) And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:  5) Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:  6) And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.  7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.  9) Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matt 13:18-23  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.  19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.  20) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;  21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.  22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.  23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

THE STUDY:

In Matthew chapter 13, we find the parable of the Sower.  In verses 1-9 we find Christ’s presentation of the parable, in verses 18-23 we find the explanation of this parable.

The parable:

1)  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2) And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Jesus’ audience for this parable was the multitudes that were following Him.  This multitude were probably following Him for many differing reasons.  Some followed Him trying to personally see the miracles being performed; others hoped to have their physical needs supplied; and some were following out of curiosity.

3) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

In this parable, we are told of a man who was sowing seed meant to produce mature seed bearing plants.

The rest of the parable centers on the four areas where the seed falls.  The Lord goes further and explains the effects each area has on the seed’s production.

4) And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Area #1 – The Way Side.   As the man sows, some of the feed fell “by the wayside” (the path upon which the sower walked).  The result, the seed is eaten by the birds.  There is no fruit produced.

5) Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6) And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Area #2 – The Stony Places.  Some of the sown seed falls in shallow earth.  The result is that the ground allows the seed to sprout but as the sun beats down upon the plant it withers due to lack of moisture due to an insufficient root system.  No fruit was produced.

7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Area #3 – The Thorny Places.  Other seed feel in among the thorns.  As the seeds began to grow, the thorns crowded them out and they died.  Again, no fruit was produced.

8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Area #4 – The Good Ground.  Here, the seed falls on “good ground”.  This allows the seeds to sprout, grow and mature as they were intended.  This is the only case in which fruit was produced from the seed that was sown.\

9) Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Parables were not only meant to reveal truth to those who are blessed of God but also to hide the truth from those who would misuse it.  (Matt 13:10-16, Matt 7:6)  The Lord was inviting those of the multitude who was given understanding by God to learn and apply this parable to their lives.

The explanation:

18) Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

The Lord now beings to explain the spiritual truths contained within the parable.

19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The sower represents a person who is taking God’s Word and proclaiming it to others.

The seed represents the Word of God that gives access to God’s Kingdom (salvation).

The fruit produced through the sowing of the seed is spiritual fruit that is produced by all who trust in Christ.

Area #1 – “The Way Side” – In this portion of the parable.  The wayside is a picture of the heart of a lost individual who does not meditate on but ignore or do not take seriously the message of salvation.  The birds represent Satan who keeps his attention off the message.  Satan placing in his thoughts things “more important” than the Word for the lost person.  Because of this, salvation is not received and the fruits of the spirit are not borne by the lost one.  (Luke 9:57-62)

20) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;  21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Area #2 – The Stony Places.  Here, the word that is received by the lost person is a novelty and for awhile he applies it to his life producing an outward reformation of his actions, not a new life within.  After a while, the novelty wears off and the lost person returns to the same lifestyle that he had departed from.  (2 Pet 2:22)

22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Area #3 – The Thorny Places.  Here we see that when a lost person hears God’s Word, if he allows the desires of his flesh to rule his life, he will nto take heed to the Word but live according to his desires for wealth and the other things this world has to offer.  (Lk 18:18-23)

23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Area #4 – Here we find God’s Word being presented to the heart that has been prepared by God.  The Word is received, understood and acted upon.  This results in spiritual fruits being borne as the Word grows and prospers in the heart.  (John 15:1-8)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

For those who are saved …

We need to thank the Lord for preparing our hearts to receive His Word. And then, out of appreciation for what He has done, we should take His Word to others, through our voice and life of displaying the fruits of the Spirit.

For those who have yet to be saved…

Why do some men hear the gospel message and yet do not trust in Christ as their Savior?

In our study today, we have seen that:

1. For some, the Word of God is ignored and not taken seriously.
2. For others, it is a simply a novelty to be followed for awhile but no real commitment to the message of the Word is ever made.
3. And for yet others, the true value of the Word is not perceived, therefore they choose to live their life in pursuit of worldly things they believe is of greater value.

The only person that benefited from the preaching of the Word was the person whose heart has been prepared by God to receive the Word, understand the Word, and commit to the Word and its author, Christ.  Following this commitment, the newly saved person begins to bear spiritual fruits.

You, too have this decision before you.  The message of God’s Word centers on His son, Jesus Christ, and the salvation we can receive through Him…

John 3:14-21 (KJV)

14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Won’t you take this message seriously, turn from your sin and place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross?

www.settledinheaven.org

This is the first article in a series, rather an on-going topic on finding common ground on things we all struggle with. There is for all of us a gap, a gap between what we profess to believe, and what we actually live out. This new series of posts will be based on Matthew chapter 23.

Matthew  chapter twenty three surrounds Jesus comments about the cup and the dish, what exactly are the Cup and the Dish anyway? To find that answer we need to head over to Matthew 23. The entire chapter should actually be read, but I will only quote a few verses here, which will get the general idea across.

Matthew 23:23-28  23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

How does this relate to us as Jesus followers? When we go to church, or church functions, we are normally on our best behavior. Do you remember being told as a child to watch your attitude, or be on your best behavior? This continues on into adulthood as well, only now we take this responsibility upon ourselves.

The problem here is, do we always act the same way at home, on the job, and other places…as we do when at church? The gap in between is called hypocrisy. We are acting in a manner, or speaking in a manner in which we really are not living. We are only living “it” out when others are watching.

How many times have we heard of Christian leaders getting caught doing things they had no business doing? We as “normal” people are no different. There are if we are honest things that we all struggle with, but are we honest enough to admit those things to ourselves and to the One who really matters…God.

In other words, the inside of the cup, verses the outside. The outside is that vibrant happy “I follow all the rules” and “do the right things” Believer. The inside is sometimes a whole other matter.

When not in church our actions are often different. Every one of us is guilty. Maybe we are less patient, maybe we swear, maybe we drink to excess, and maybe it’s porn or questionable TV programs. Maybe we beat our spouse or kids. Maybe we are lazy and do nothing, or nothing more then we have to. Maybe we post things on Facebook or elsewhere, because it is “only Cyberspace”. Or maybe we are a gossip.

Whatever the case may be, no one is above this. As I write these articles, I hope people find insight into their own lives, and I believe I will find some insight myself, because I’m just as guilty as anyone else.

Let us look into the Cup and Dish together and see how we can improve the view, shall we?

The building was architecturally adventurous, taking the form of a massive glass house, 1851 feet long by 454 feet wide and was constructed from cast iron frame components and glass. From the interior, the building’s large size was emphasized with trees and statues.

The Great Exhibition was organized by Prince Albert, and members of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.  Exhibits, numbering 13,000 in total, came from throughout Britain, and from Australia, India, New Zealand, Denmark, Switzerland, France and USA.

The Crystal Palace was an enormous success, considered an architectural marvel, and an engineering triumph.  The building was later moved and re-erected in South London. It was destroyed by fire 30th November 1936.

The Great Exhibition made a surplus of £186,000 (£16,190,000 value as of 2012) which was used to found the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. The remaining surplus was used to set up an educational trust to provide grants and scholarships for research.  It continues to do so today.

*   THE CRYSTAL PALACE WAS A HUGE SUCCESS   *

Many prizes were awarded. 
One of these was for a steam-driven invention with over 7000 parts.
Thousands stood watching and marvelling
as its pulleys, whistles, bells and gears made a lot of noise,
but the contraption
DIDN’T DO ANYTHING! 

People LOOKED at it and were amazed by its ACTIONS,
but it achieved NOTHING!

How often do we confuse activity with accomplishment?

I know this happens a lot in the secular world,
but what of our Churches,
and more importantly what of our own personal lives as Christians?

Do we bustle about without really achieving anything?

Could we spend our time more effectively
for the furtherance of the Kingdom?

Ephesians 5:15-16
See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time because the days are evil 

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord,
Burn and wear out for Thee.
Don’t let me rust, or my life be a failure,
Dear Lord, to Thee.
Take me and all I have, dear Lord,
And get me so close to Thee
That I feel the throb of the deep heart of God
Until I wear out for Thee.

Only one life: ‘twill soon be passed. Only what’s done for Christ will last!

His last day in Alaska is Wednesday. He will drive for five days in a U-haul from Anchorage to Atlanta, pick up his wife and move to Columbus, Georgia where he will be stationed at Fort Benning. They will finally be together and he can care for her. Please pray for his (Justin) travel mercy and for a miracle of God for his young wife (Alora). Please pray that they will find the joy and peace of God when they live together again.

Thank you and may God richly bless you all (I’m on sabbatical for two months).