Recently a member of the church I serve took their own life. Since this is a time of great saddness, I decided to deliver a message of encouragement and hope to the family and the church at large. Rather than include the entire manuscript as a post, I put it as a page on the right side-bar.
If you would like to read the message, you can do so by clicking here.
I’m going to take a break from blogging for a week. A time to refresh, read, and think… along with having some fun along the way. So here are a few reflections for consideration.
Thanksgiving may be my FAVORITE HOLIDAY!
Christmas isn’t far off, this is to get you in the mood. This is good!
Next is a link to a message title, “Christianity’s Future In America.” I plan to deliver after Thanksgiving. CLICK HERE to read the manuscript of the message.
Hope you have as great and fun a week!
A Christmas classic is “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” It was written and composed by Frank Loesser. He wrote the duet in 1944 and premiered the song with his wife at their Navarro Hotel housewarming party. The best known rendition is with Doris Day and Dean Martin. Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey did a more recent version of this classic (Both renditions are at the end of this post).
Have you ever listened to the words? They are a perfect picture of how subtle and persuasive the Adversary is in tempting people to sin. Now don’t go all crazy thinking I’m looking for a demon behind every bush… I love the song. It just struck me that Satan’s schemes were exposed by such a well known and innocent song.
We say no… he asks why not? We say why… he gives an alternative. We object… he suggests an option. We resist… he calmly plays on our emtion. We begin to rationalize… he slightly increases his temptation. We begin to justify… he flatters and begins pulling us in. We give in… and he wins. Conversely, in Scripture were told to “flee temptation.” In other words… RUN FROM IT! The longer we linger the more likely we are to fall!
After the lyrics, I have the YouTube videos so you can listen to either Doris Day (The picture of innocence) and Dean Martin (Mr. Suave himself) OR Nick and Jessica sing the song while reading the words. Start whichever video you want… then scroll back up to read the lyrics.
I really can’t stay – But baby it’s cold outside
I’ve got to go away – But baby it’s cold outside
This evening has been – Been hoping that you’d drop in
So very nice – I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice
My mother will start to worry – Beautiful, what’s your hurry
And father will be pacing the floor – Listen to the fireplace roar
So really I’d better scurry – Beautiful, please don’t hurry
Well Maybe just half a drink more – Put some records on while I pour
The neighbors might think – Baby, it’s bad out there
Say, what’s in this drink – No cabs to be had out there
I wish I knew how – Your eyes are like starlight now
To break this spell – I’ll take your hat, your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir – Mind if I move in closer
At least I’m gonna say that I tried – What’s the sense in hurting my pride
I really can’t stay – Baby don’t hold out
Ahh but it’s cold outside (Together)
I simply must go – But baby, it’s cold outside
The answer is no – But baby, it’s cold outside
This welcome has been – How lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm – Look out the window at that storm
My sister will be suspicious – Gosh, your lips look delicious
My brother will be there at the door – Waves upon a tropical shore
My maiden aunt’s mind is vicious – Oooo your lips are delicious
Well maybe just a cigarette more – Never such a blizzard before
I’ve got to get home – Oh, baby, you’ll freeze out there
Say, lend me a coat – It’s up to your knees out there
You’ve really been grand – I thrill when you touch my hand
But don’t you see – How can you do this thing to me
There’s bound to be talk tomorrow – Think my lifelong sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied – If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can’t stay – Get over that old out…
Baby it’s cold outside (Together)
This YouTube has a static picture of Dean Martin and about half way through a person I don’t recognize… but the song is the reason for puting here.
WARNING! This post will offend you… particularly if you are an evangelical Christian church member.
Christians had better look at themselves first before they say anything to people outside the church. Christians need to learn and practice repentance and confession before they call for others to repent and confess sin. Otherwise their message is not credible… it is not believable… people will not listen. The problem is inside the church of today, not outside!
Consider that the following sins are equal in God’s sight: Gossip, Adultery, Greed, Drunkenness, Gluttony, Fornication, Racism, Divorce, Jealousy, Theft, Bitterness, Homosexuality, Murder, Lying, Covetousness, Unforgiveness, Apostasy, Laziness, etc… etc… etc.
Sin is sin in God’s eyes, one is not worse than another. Every and all sin can be forgiven by God… except one… the sin of rejecting Jesus so as to be saved (Also known as The Unpardonable Sin).
Christians are to love all people. The person who… gossips, commits adultery, is greedy, is a drunk, is a glutton, fornicates, is a racist, gets a divorce, is jealous of others, steals, is bitter, is a homosexual, commits murder, is a liar, covets, is unwilling to forgive, commits apostasy, is lazy, etc… etc… etc. Why? Because God Does!
According to Scripture, a person’s conduct reveals the condition of their heart. Paul makes it clear who is saved and who is lost based on their conduct… which is an expression of the content of their heart. He also says that those who are saved USED TO be in that category.
Now let me meddle a little bit with those who identify with Jesus, but single out groups, attack them, and carry signs like (And similar to) the ones in the picture above.
Let me focus in on one particular issue. If/when a person does not love others (The people in the list above, AND other Christians.)… then God’s love is NOT in them! In other words, they aren’t saved! This is found in Scripture most often in 1 John…
2:10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light (Is saved)…
3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
4:20-21 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
As I read the Scripture and apply it to the church today (Christians), I come to the conclusion that if believers in Christ are to have a credible witness with those the Scripture describes as lost, then we had better begin by examining ourselves by the standard of love. If we don’t love people, why should they believe the message of love?
When I see people who are supposedly Christians holding signs condemning people groups to hell or that God hates people or yelling and screaming hateful things… I GET ANGRY! My anger is directed toward those holding the signs and yelling condemnation at others. That is not what Jesus would do! It is not Christlike! It is NOT CHRISTIAN! In fact… because of the verses in 1 John above… I doubt those people are saved!
I’m not saying we are to condone what Scripture condemns and accept people who are living lives in open rebellion to God. What I am saying is this… we are to reach out to those who don’t know Christ with mercy, love, compassion, patience, peace, and grace. Consider what Paul wrote in 1 Cor 5:9-11…
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
The problem is that the Church is not what the Church ought to be! The problem is that people say they are Christians and yet they commit adultery and fornication… they steal, lie, and gossip… are greedy, covetous, and full of jealousy. Christians are the ones who need to get their house in order! THEN maybe the lost will at least be willing to listen instead of seeing us as enemies…
If you haven’t scrolled down far enough on this blog, you may not have seen two things that are pretty neat. They are called “widgets.” One shows a map of the world, the other flags of countries. Both track, to a minimal degree, people who visit my blog. Both are found on the right sidebar several “rolls of the mouse wheel” from the latest post. Both are free and can be added to any blog or home page by following the directions on their website.
The first one is called “Cluster Maps” (Above is my cluster map on 11/17/2008). Using dots, it shows the number of “hits” to my blog. The larger the dot, the more people from that area have visited.
The second one is called “Flag Counter.” This one also tracks hits, but does it by date, number of hits, and the flag of the country. You can click on the flag of a country and read a description and see a map of it’s geographic location.
Past all the “coolness” of these widgets, what amazes me is that through the internet people find their way to this blog. I don’t know if they read much or how long they stay. Plus I’m sure that there are repeat visitors that increase the size of the dots and number of hits. But still… it amazes me that somebody, somewhere, a person I’ve never met has at least had the opportunity to read something about Jesus… whether they did or not! Indeed the world is getting “flatter!”
My Point? Use technology to glorify God. Whether it is the internet… a cell phone… a land-line… car… video… or whatever, use it to glorify God. My opinion is that God gave Christians these things to use for His glory… and let’s everyone else have access to them. Narrow minded? Maybe… but Jesus said, “Narrow is the way to heaven…”
Special thanks to Mary Beth Hendrix for sending this to me…
A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: ‘Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 yr. old and I’m pregnant again. I don’t want kids so close together.’
So the doctor said: ‘Ok, and what do you want me to do?’
She said: ‘I want you to end my pregnancy, and I’m counting on your help with this.’
The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: ‘I think I have a better solution for your problem. It’s less dangerous for you too.’
She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request.
Then he continued: ’You see, in order for you not to have to take care of 2 babies at the same time, let’s kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we’re going to kill one of them, it doesn’t matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms.
The lady was horrified and said: ‘No doctor! How terrible! That would be murder!’
‘I agree,’ the doctor replied. ‘But you seemed to be ok with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution.” The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point.
He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child that’s already been born and one that’s still in the womb. The crime is the same.
Of all doctrines, eschatology is the one that lends it’s self LEAST to being dogmatic. Christians who believe many different things about Jesus’ return ALL… A) ARE saved, B) Study the same Bible, C) Pray to Jehovah God, D) Use the same Scripture to support their beliefs, and E) Believe they’re led of the Holy Spirit to their conclusions.
In Scripture, the “Last Days” began with Jesus’ ascension to heaven and will continue until He returns (1 John 2:18b)! Every generation of Christians since Jesus’ ascension believed he would return soon, and rightly so.
There are only four things EVERY believer agrees upon about the Second Coming…
Jesus will return (John 14:3), We don’t know when it will be (Matthew 24:36), We should be ready (Matthew 24:44). There only other thing we know FOR SURE about Jesus’ return… it is closer today than it was yesterday.
We DON’T know who the Antichrist is…
People have suggested: Nero, Napoleon, The Pope (By Martin Luther), Hitler, Stalin, JFK, Henry Kissinger, Tony Blair, Barack Obama, and there will be a host of others to come. Bottom line… we will not know who he is until God reveals him. If serious and faithful Bible scholars have been wrong about who the Antichrist is through the centuries, who are we to think we are right?! Consider these Bible texts: There are many antichrists (1 John 2:18), whoever denies Jesus is antichrist (1 John 2:22), the antichrist’s spirit was already present in the world when the Apostle John wrote his epistle (1 John 4:3)!
There is one requirement before Jesus returns…
The Gospel will be proclaimed to all peoples, THEN Jesus will return. Since Jesus has not returned, this has not yet taken place. One person tried to date Jesus’ return in a book titled, “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return In 1988,” and obviously got it wrong.
For what it’s worth… here is what I seek to understand from Scripture about Jesus’ return…
Timing… World Events… Tribulation… “The Rapture” Click here, and here, and here. (It seems from 2 Thess 2:3-4 that Christ will return after the tribulation.)
Conclusion: Regardless of what view you hold… 1) Serve God, 2) Be ready. Jesus could come back today, or not for 1,000 years and still fit in line with Biblical prophecy.
Stop for a moment and take a “Meercat” look at what’s going on in the world. Look around and be discerning concering world events. {God willing, this is the first of two posts on this topic.} Update: Click here for part 2.
Communist China’s president Hu Jintao is to visit Cuba and the USA soon.
Russia’s president Medvedev is to visit both Cuba and Venezuela in the near future.
Russian Prime Minster Putin rattles his saber most recently toward breakaway Georgia.
Hugo Chavez is a strong arm dictator that hates America and would love to see her downfall.
Iran’s president Ahmadinejad hates America and makes no secret that he wants Israel destroyed.
Iran now has missiles that are capable of hitting Israel and are considered a threat by European nations.
Radical Muslim desire to destroy both Israel and America and use terror attacks to do it.
With the global financial instability is a world wide economic depression possible?
The morality of America is going to hades in a handbag (Abortion… Gay Marriage… etc.).
With these situations who knows what might happen tomorrow? The old Cold War powers are testing each other’s resolve. New powers are looking to move up in the pecking order. Age old hostilities are being rekindled. Financial instability has everyone worried. The outcome is anyone’s guess at this point.
We have to wonder… Does the Bible have anything to say about these things? Click here for another pertinent question. Now consider the following…
Matt 24:9 (Jesus) ”Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
2 Tim 3:1 (Paul) But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. (Does this describe the day we live in?)
Rev 2:10 (Jesus) Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Mark 13:19 (Jesus) For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
Matt 24:37 (Jesus) As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
2 Thess 2:3 (Paul) Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day (Jesus’ return, the 2nd coming of Christ) will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness (Anti-Christ) is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
John 16:33 (Jesus) I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Personally, I voted for George Bush… twice. I believe we will look back and say this about him: He was a compassionate president… He valued human life by opposing abortion… there was not but one terrorist attack on America during his terms in office… and he was prone to gaffs and mistakes when speaking.
Please click here for a good article about him…
I’m sure he is happier today than anyone else that he will be going back to Texas on January 21, 2009. He will be out from under the microscope for a while. At the same time… he has provided memorable moments! Just for the record, anyone who speaks regularly before peole says odd things and gets their tongue tied at times. Below is a short compilation of some of these. Enjoy…
For a few minutes, let’s think about heaven. Think about what it will be like… and what it takes to get there. We like thinking about heaven, but NOT what it takes to get there… dying. But according to Scripture they are tied together for all but just a few believers. Consider what Paul wrote,
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Now meditate on these things (John Piper)…
Does the thought of dying and what we will lose or leave behind (Family… Friends… Possessions… etc) give us more pain than the joy of gaining Christ as a result of dying?
When we realize what wonders… glories… joys… and WHO await us when we die, THEN we will not fear death. THEN death will have lost it’s sting!
When we can say with passion and conviction “To die is gain,” only then it will be true of us that “To live is Christ!”
Consider what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:4-8…
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Here are Paul’s priorities when it came to living and dying (John Piper)…
First Desire: I want to live until Jesus comes back. I want to be alive when my body changes from mortal into immortal. I want nothing more than to have my new body (Vs 4).
Second Desire: If I can’t live until Jesus comes back, I want to die and be with Jesus as soon as possible within His sovereign will (Vs 8 and Phil 1:21 above).
Last Desire: If the first two can’t happen, then I will live as long as God wills with a lifetime of faithful service to him (Vss 6-7).
That’s what I want my perspective to be. Someone asked a question something like this, “Would heaven still be heaven if it had everything you wanted… family, friends, a new body, food, streets of gold, no pain or tears or sorrow… but GOD was not present… would it STILL be heaven for you?”
Until what makes heaven heaven for us is God’s presence, we’re not ready to die. What makes home what it is for me is not the building, yard, or furniture… no… it is WHO is there: Pam, Amy, Trey, and Britton. My family is what makes home home! When I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and body… THEN I will be ready to die. Then death will be gain, because I will be going home… to my eternal home… where my true family abides!
What better way to end this post than with “I Bowed On My Knees And Cried Holy” by Michael English.
What concerns us most, what we worry about, what dominates our prayer life… these things expose what is really important to us. These things reveal to us the condition of our heart. These things show us what controls us. Next time you are tempted to have a pity party, remember… it could be worse!
The husband of a friend of mine is 45 years old. Yesterday (Monday) he had a heart attack. His “widow maker” artery was 100% blocked. He is in intensive care. If he hadn’t be in the doctor’s office when the attack occurred, he would have died.
Another friend of mine had a subdural hematoma Sunday night, he is 46 years old. As I write this he is in Birmingham in surgery. His prognosis is anyone’s guess. I’ve heard they called the family in… but I don’t know why. His wife, 18 year old son and 15 year old daughter are in Birmingham in prayer. Update: He came through surgery and is recovering.
Another friend of mine has four boys… three are in college, one is a Junior in High School. Her husband recently left her and moved hours away. She had to move into another house… has to work three jobs… only gets two days off a month… all their cars are held together with baling wire… bill collectors harass her, and she has inherited a financial mess her husband left her to deal with on her own.
Yet another friend of mine went to see his dad in the hospital Monday. The dad is a severe alcoholic who’s mind is damaged from decades of drinking. The son went to the house and took out several 50 gallon bags of empty beer and alcohol bottles that littered the rooms. His heart is breaking over all he’s having to deal with. And he doesn’t know what to do…
Then there are Christians who right now are in fear of their life for one reason… they are Christians. They are physically attacked… put in prison… lose their jobs… and their family disowns them… because they are Christians.
Remember… for you… it could be worse.
What are Americans worried about?
Who will win the SEC football championship game…
Who got elected as president…
What our 401k retirment plan is worth…
The financial future of our nation…
What other people think about us…
What do most Americans NOT worry about…
The price of gasoline (At least for now)…
Who was elected president (At least for now)…
That people will keep us from worshipping Sunday (At lest for now)…
That millions of babies will be aborted (Murdered) this year…
That tens of thousands of Christians will be martryed this year…
That an untold number of people each day enter eternity without Jesus…
With all this in mind, let’s examine our prayer life. What we pray about is what is important to us. What dominates our mind, thoughts, spending, and energy is our functional god (Little “g.” AKA, Idol). What we think about when we have nothing else to think about is what is really important to us!
So… based on all this… what have you learned about yourself? How might God change you as a result?
Philippians 1:29, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for His sake…”
If you want to see the future of Christianity in America, click below. An elderly lady is verbally assaulted by a group of anti-proposition 8 protestors because the same sex marriage prohibition amendment passed in California. At times it gets a little scary! They knock the cross she was carrying out of her hands then stomp on it (There is a short commercial at the beginning.).
This lady conducted herself admirably! She didn’t retaliate… she smiled. One time she said, “I love you.” She didn’t yell… she didn’t argue… she stayed calm in the midst of extreme anger directed toward her. THIS is what it will take… many times over… to win those who are opposed to Christ.
I’m not being an alarmist when I say that the time may be coming when Christians in America will be physically persecuted. The response? “Forgive them Father, they know not what they do.” One thing we ARE NOT to do is retaliate in kind. Thanks to Mark Fowler for forwarding this to me.
Sarah Palin is right in what she said about anonymous comments… “It’s mean-spirited, it’s immature, it’s unprofessional, and those guys are jerks.” It was while reading Ray Pritchard’s blog about this as related to church that I reflected some…
Since I’m a pastor and think often about church, here are my 2 cents worth. As everyone else who has been in the ministry any length of time can say, I’ve been the object of anonymous gossip… lies… rumors… half truths… and deceit at church.
Let me say quickly… I LOVE THE CHURCH! I love church people! I’ve devoted my life to serving, helping, encouraging, and supporting the Bride of Christ. Nothing I write in this blog has caused me today to be even close to walking away from her or turning my back on my call! Sometimes only those who love us the most know us the best and are able to speak the truth in love about us. That is my point in this post…
The #1 source of problems in church is gossip, and most of it is from anonymous sources. People hear something… twist and turn it to their liking… and then tell others. Then that person tells another… whether or not what they’ve heard is true... and then another… and another… and before long the church is in chaos. Satan has a foothold… and the health of the congregation is in deep trouble… Christians, ministers, and ministries are wounded.
TRUTHS: If you didn’t SEE it yourself, you don’t know! Just because something is true doesn’t mean it should be told. If someone will gossip to you about someone else, they will gossip to someone else about you!
You have no idea how many times church members and deacons say: “I’ve had a number of phone calls…” “I’m hearing rumblings…” “Quite a few people have said…” “There are people who are unhappy…” “I don’t know if this is true, BUT…” ”You need to be praying about…” (Sometimes this is just a form of Christian Gossip!) “From what I hear it doesn’t look good…” “I can’t tell you who told me, but…” {That one is especially evil} All those quotes, and similar ones, are improper… divisive… and used by Satan to sow seeds of discord and disharmony within the church. From my experience and observation some church staff are as guilty as anyone else.
If a person won’t put their name to what they’ve said, then they and their comment should be ignored.
I admire those who are willing to take a black eye in order to protect the reputation of others (Pr 10:12, Pr 11:13, Pr 17:9). I saw people and a committee do that in the church I served in Oxford, AL regarding a staff member I served with. Yet there is a difference between protecting someone’s reputation and passing along gossip. I’ve always told people where I served, if you know something about me, I don’t care who you tell as long as you tell the whole story and what you KNOW to be true.
In other words, rumors and hearsay does not count as something a person KNOWS!
God commands His people to be different from the world. God commands His people to speak the truth in love. God commands that His people are to be reconcilers. God commands that His people are to work things out privately. God commands that His people are to say only what is good for building people up. God commands that His people are to love one another… forgive one another… and be of one mind.
Can that last paragraph be true of an entire church? Yes. Can that last paragraph be true of us… me and you? Yes! What it takes is simply making a conscious choice to honor God and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ… no matter what anyone else does!
Let’s try it… just you and me… and see what God does!
Churches that oppose gay marriage are being targeted by protesters. Click here, here, and here. It could happen at churches across America before long… so be ready.
Note: For the record, I am just as much opposed… and condemn… the practices of pre-marital sex, fornication, and adultery as I do homosexuality. All four acts are equally sinful in the sight of God.
The time will come when homosexuals will first ask… then demand… for pastors to marry them. The time will come when churches that oppose gay marriage will be harassed, attacked, and bullied. So the church had better be getting ready for it because it’s coming.
If you don’t think it can or will happen, I would like to suggest you are already behind the learning curve. It could well be that God’s wrath is being poured out on America even now because we have abandoned God for decades… so He is giving us over to our sin… He is allowing us to have what we want… He is withdrawing His hand of blessing and protection.
One thing churches had better do is place in their governing documents a statement that same sex marriages will not be performed by any minister on staff nor allowed to take place in the church or on church grounds. Don’t think separation of church/state will protect congregations for long, there are too many liberal judges that legislate from the bench. Not only that, president elect Obama favors same sex marriages in opposition to clear Biblical teaching (I don’t buy his dodge, “I’m personally against it BUT…”).
In the face of these things, the church (Christians) must not make enemies of those we’re called to reach with the Gospel. We are not to attack, vilify, malign, or denigrate homosexuals nor those who support their cause. We are called to love them with the love of Christ while opposing the idea they champion. Christians cannot make enemies of those we’re called to reach for Jesus. Only Biblical Love can overcome the militant attitudes and actions of others.
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for two reasons… homosexuality and mistreatment of the poor (Both of which are present in America). The Scripture is clear that homosexuality is an abomination to God. Click the links below to read the Scripture…
Lev 18:22; Lev 20:13; Ro 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:8-11; Jude 7
What is the moral future of America? Not good if what has been promised recently is brought about. However, regardless of the moral climate… the financial climate… or anything that might happen in our future, believers are to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel (Philippians 1:27).
UPDATE 11/11/08: Click here for an important followup.
The best gage of our walk with God is how we handle our money.
Compared to the Great Depression, Christian income has increased 600% (Adjusted to 2006 dollars). At the same time giving has decreased from 3.3% to 2.5%. It is calculated that if every Christian in the United States at least tithed it would result in an infusion of $164,000,000,000.00 for Christian purposes. That could put a huge dent (If not eliminate) world hunger… fund thousands of missionaries… and still have plenty left over for ministry in the state.
Biblically… how much is a Christian supposed to give financially?
The best gage of our walk with God is how we handle our money. With that in mind, consider what is recorded in Scripture about the ways God approves of how to handle money.
In Malachi 3:7-10 it is written that the way to return to God (Revival & Awakening?) is by bringing all the tithe into the storehouse (Into the work of the Lord. For us it is the local church. Money over and above the tithe are gifts that can be designated. When believers give, God opens the windows of heaven and pours out a blessing that overflows!
In Luke 11:42 it is recorded Jesus affirmed the practice of tithing but added to it the call for justice and love for God.
In Luke 18:18-30 it is recorded Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, then follow Him.
In Luke 19:1-10 it is recorded that after Zacchaeus’ conversion he gave half of everything he owned to the poor and paid back four times anything he wrongly took from anyone. Jesus’ assessment was that salvation had come to him.
In Luke 21:1-4 it is recorded a widow gave all she had, two copper coins, while others gave out of their abundance. jesus said that the widow gave more than all of them put together because she gave out of her poverty… the others gave out of what they had left over.
In 2 Cor 8:1-15 Paul wrote that the Macedonian believers gave out of their poverty because of their joy in being saved. They begged to be able to give… and gave more than they could afford!
in 2 Cor 9:6-12, 15 Paul wrote that those who give sparingly will receive sparingly and those who give generously will be blessed generously by God.
From the Scripture, how much is a Christian supposed to financially give? 10%? Sell everything and give it to the poor? Half of everything? Or give everything no matter what the financial condition?
Answer… YES.
The point is not how much we have to give… or can get away with giving, the point is giving out of love for God according to how you are led by Him! To say that all a Christian must do is tithe is to limit the blessings God would pour out in relation to their giving! When a person’s heart is right with God, they naturally give.
Tithing is the place where Christian giving under grace begins. It goes up from there!
Aside. Do not think that if you give $10.00 God will give you $100.00. Do not think that if you give whatever amount that you’ll be blessed with a lot of money, a nicer house, car, clothes, etc. The idea that the blessings of God are material and financial is heresy (This is what the Prosperity Gospel proclaims)! The blessing of God is His presnce in life… His joy… His favor… His Son! Do not (!) equate God’s blessings with anything of this world, but rather in knowing Him better and walking with Christ.
The best gage of our walk with God is how we handle our money.
