Brothers and Sisters,
It is my goal to continously keep the work of the enemy in front of us so we may know it when we hear it, or see it. I was listening to sermon by Vodie Bauchum on SermonAudio.com, and he was talking about the Wide Gate and Narrow Gate. I was so convicted by the message that I am compelled here to address the topic as it relates to a function of modern culture to condemn Christians for being "narrow" minded.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Clearly, Jesus intends to explain to the Christian that the way to life is narrow. Remember, the word life, is how Jesus descrisbed himself. The way to Him is narrow, and one must enter it intentionally. When we enter through the narrow gate, we must allow our worldly attachments and lusts to be stripped away. The strait gate is lonely, because there are few that find it, and less that enter it. But Heaven is on the other side. On the other hand, the wide gate is crowded. I imagine it is lit up with neon signs, music playing, people dancing and having a great time. Most people will take that gate and that road. That road leads to hell.
The enemy has made it offensive, and insulting to be a narrow minded thinker. However, we know that to do something intentionally (like enter into the narrow gate) we must first concieve it in our mind. We must think it. Therefore, bretheren, I say to you that every true Christian must be narrow minded. We must adhere to the word of God and live our lives within the culture, but not be influenced by the culture.
As we can see from the text, being narrow minded is a wonderful thing. It means we have a purpose and have intentionally entered into a straigt gate that lead to heaven, our true home. My brothers and sisters, don't let the enemy convince you to broaden your mind! The culture tells us we need to be broad thinkers and experience all that life has to offer. I write to you today to warn you to beware of anyone that tries to sell you that. Broad and wide are synonyms. We don't want to be broad thinkers as Christians, we want to be deep thinkers, with a narrow focus, Jesus. Broad thinkers are on their way to hell.
One last thing. To complete the analogy, I think it is appropriate to say here that the people on the narrow road and the people on the wide road can see one another as they are travelling. And, as the people on the narrow road, it is imperative that we carry ourselves quite differently from the people on the wide road. They should look at us and see that although our road is much harder, we are determined to stay on it because we know paradise is on the other side. They should look at us and want to take the road less travelled.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Going Home
I was recently blessed enough to attend a funeral service for a beloved family member. She was older, and her health had declined greatly, so her transition was not altogether unexpected. In my role, I was not certain if it was appropriate or not to get up and say what I was really itching to say. So, I must settle for writing it hear for no one to read.
First, I would like to say a few things about her. She was the kind of person who never met a stranger. In an entire family of people, I felt closer to her than anyone. She was full of life and laughter. Even in my foulest of moods (cursed be my flesh) I was always happy to see her.
I met this lady before I got right with God. I was in the church, but I was playing church. Even then I was drawn to her. I loved being around her and I felt relieved when she showed up at any family function. It was not until much later, when I truly received the Holy Spirit and began walking with the lord that I realized several things about this remarkable woman.
I recognized that she was always joyous. Even in her pain and illness, she had an incredible amount of joy. I get a headache and I'm mad at the world. She had far worse and she was still able to smile, and make other people smile. What I know now is that her joy is a reflection of the life of Christ in her. It is not humanly possible to obtain that level of joy without Christ. And when I was in sin, I was still drawn to her. I realize now that when the word says be 'salt and light' in the world; that her example is what that should look like. It draws people in; the same way Jesus did. She was a light that was always on, even in her own dark places.
When I was in the world there was a saying that I used. It was this: game recognizes game. What that means is that we recognize ourselves and our habits in others. For example, an addict recognizes another addict immediately. They know, because when we view other people we see little flickers of ourselves. The holy spirit is the same way. Only those who have been given the spirit can recognize that spirit for what it is in others. Those who are not in the faith may be drawn to it, but they may think it is personality, or what people call charisma. But I am here to tell you, when I received the Holy Spirit, I could recognize the spirit in her always.
The service was full of rejoicing and happiness. The saints in the building knew that one of their own had made it home, our true home. It was beautiful. But it was also a wake up call! If you are outside the faith, or halfway in and halfway out, please make up your mind to get all the way in. Time is short on this earth and you have a choice to make. Are you going to have a funeral, or are you going to have a Homecoming?
First, I would like to say a few things about her. She was the kind of person who never met a stranger. In an entire family of people, I felt closer to her than anyone. She was full of life and laughter. Even in my foulest of moods (cursed be my flesh) I was always happy to see her.
I met this lady before I got right with God. I was in the church, but I was playing church. Even then I was drawn to her. I loved being around her and I felt relieved when she showed up at any family function. It was not until much later, when I truly received the Holy Spirit and began walking with the lord that I realized several things about this remarkable woman.
I recognized that she was always joyous. Even in her pain and illness, she had an incredible amount of joy. I get a headache and I'm mad at the world. She had far worse and she was still able to smile, and make other people smile. What I know now is that her joy is a reflection of the life of Christ in her. It is not humanly possible to obtain that level of joy without Christ. And when I was in sin, I was still drawn to her. I realize now that when the word says be 'salt and light' in the world; that her example is what that should look like. It draws people in; the same way Jesus did. She was a light that was always on, even in her own dark places.
When I was in the world there was a saying that I used. It was this: game recognizes game. What that means is that we recognize ourselves and our habits in others. For example, an addict recognizes another addict immediately. They know, because when we view other people we see little flickers of ourselves. The holy spirit is the same way. Only those who have been given the spirit can recognize that spirit for what it is in others. Those who are not in the faith may be drawn to it, but they may think it is personality, or what people call charisma. But I am here to tell you, when I received the Holy Spirit, I could recognize the spirit in her always.
The service was full of rejoicing and happiness. The saints in the building knew that one of their own had made it home, our true home. It was beautiful. But it was also a wake up call! If you are outside the faith, or halfway in and halfway out, please make up your mind to get all the way in. Time is short on this earth and you have a choice to make. Are you going to have a funeral, or are you going to have a Homecoming?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
More Reality
Before I got right with God, I used a lot of foul language. I was particularly fond of a 4 syllable compound word beginning with the letter 'M.' Every now and again that word comes into my mind, not because I want it to, but because my cursed flesh is a part of me. And when that word comes to my mind now, it is almost always in reference to the enemy, Beelzebub, Satan, the devil himself. And it is a very fitting term for him.
In my last post I posed a question about the evidence of our faith. Where is the evidence of your faith in your life? Since then the devil has been busy trying to drag me off my blessed assurance. But the Word says my Lord is a fortress, and I will run to my fortress in my time of trouble. My question today is, How do you handle hurt? How you handle your pain is a way to gauge how much Christ you actually have. It may be a starting point for dealing with stuff you didn't know needed to be dealt with.
For instance, recently, I made a special trip to a function to see a friend. My friend did everything to avoid me for some reason. My friend would not talk to me, my friend would not look at me. If I walked close to my friend, my friend would walk away from me. And I left the function to do some things, and I went back a few hours later. My friend was still there and I received an even colder treatment the second time. Then, as I was trying to figure out why this was happening again, my friend's phone rings, and my friend begins to laugh out loud , smile, and engage in conversation with the person on the other end. I was greeted warmly by several other people, hugs, smiles, handshakes, etc. But the person I went specifically to see, treated me like a leper. That is painful, when you get rejected by the very person who you came to see. That hurts pretty deep.
I can do many things with my pain. I can tell that person where to go and how to get there. I can use that word I referenced in the beginning of this post. I can internalize it and blow up at this person weeks later. I can allow that thing to be a blow to my self esteem and resent that person. Or, I can pray for that person, and lay my pain down on the cross of Christ.
Because I am a new creature, and old things have passed away, I no longer belong to myself. I have given up my free will in favor of His will. So when I wrote, I can do many things with the pain, that was not altogether true. There is only 1 thing I can do that would not violate my conscience. I must present myself to that person again and allow that person to issue another blow. After that, I must go back and allow that person to kick me. I must do this until the person who is hurting me understands that it does not matter how many times they hurt me. The God who lives in me has enough love to forgive us for every trespass.
People, that is one of the hardest things to do. And we cannot do that. We are too fallen to be able to give that person grace. We must allow God to work in us and do that thing for us. Because left on our own, we would probably use that word I referred to at the beginning of this post. Chrisitans, how we handle situations can be a strong witness for Christ. When was the last you prayed for someone who wounded you?
In my last post I posed a question about the evidence of our faith. Where is the evidence of your faith in your life? Since then the devil has been busy trying to drag me off my blessed assurance. But the Word says my Lord is a fortress, and I will run to my fortress in my time of trouble. My question today is, How do you handle hurt? How you handle your pain is a way to gauge how much Christ you actually have. It may be a starting point for dealing with stuff you didn't know needed to be dealt with.
For instance, recently, I made a special trip to a function to see a friend. My friend did everything to avoid me for some reason. My friend would not talk to me, my friend would not look at me. If I walked close to my friend, my friend would walk away from me. And I left the function to do some things, and I went back a few hours later. My friend was still there and I received an even colder treatment the second time. Then, as I was trying to figure out why this was happening again, my friend's phone rings, and my friend begins to laugh out loud , smile, and engage in conversation with the person on the other end. I was greeted warmly by several other people, hugs, smiles, handshakes, etc. But the person I went specifically to see, treated me like a leper. That is painful, when you get rejected by the very person who you came to see. That hurts pretty deep.
I can do many things with my pain. I can tell that person where to go and how to get there. I can use that word I referenced in the beginning of this post. I can internalize it and blow up at this person weeks later. I can allow that thing to be a blow to my self esteem and resent that person. Or, I can pray for that person, and lay my pain down on the cross of Christ.
Because I am a new creature, and old things have passed away, I no longer belong to myself. I have given up my free will in favor of His will. So when I wrote, I can do many things with the pain, that was not altogether true. There is only 1 thing I can do that would not violate my conscience. I must present myself to that person again and allow that person to issue another blow. After that, I must go back and allow that person to kick me. I must do this until the person who is hurting me understands that it does not matter how many times they hurt me. The God who lives in me has enough love to forgive us for every trespass.
People, that is one of the hardest things to do. And we cannot do that. We are too fallen to be able to give that person grace. We must allow God to work in us and do that thing for us. Because left on our own, we would probably use that word I referred to at the beginning of this post. Chrisitans, how we handle situations can be a strong witness for Christ. When was the last you prayed for someone who wounded you?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Reality Check for Christians
Brothers and sisters, the hour is far too late not to be vigilant. The enemy is walking around seeking those he may devour. And devour he does.
I have asked this question of myself and I do not like the answers. So, as a service, I will pose the question to you friend. If you are a Christian, how have you set yourself apart from the world?
Simple question, right? If we belong to the Father, how are our lives markedly different from those who do not? I'm not talking about attending church, that is the easy part. How do our lives reflect our beliefs? Do we listen to the same music as the nonbeliever? Do we watch the same movies and television programs? Do we use a sick day when we are not sick? What kinds of books or magazines do we read? Are we wagging our tongues about in gossip? Do we dress and behave modestly? Do our checkbooks reflect what we say is in our hearts?
I would submit to you that the majority of church goers are not Christians. They live regular, sinful American lives, and come to the sanctuary on Sunday. It is not enough to live like that beloved. More is required of us.
When you got saved, Christian, your citizenship in this fallen world was nullified. The moment you said you believed on Jesus Christ as the son of God, and believed that his death and resurrection paid the cost for your soul, you became a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven! You became a joint heir with Christ to everything in God's Kingdom! Praise God! This means we are no longer of this world. We are foreign ambassadors, and we should dare not adopt the customs and beliefs of this foreign land. Our task as ambassadors is to change the world, not be changed by the world.
So, if you had trouble, like me, answering the question, it may be time to look at two areas. 1.) What do you do? 2.) What don't you do? The answers to these questions will allow you to look at your life honestly. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal to you the things that need to be added and subtracted from your life so you look, speak, behave, and can be mistaken for nothing other than an ambassador for Christ.
Last question, when Jesus comes back, how will he distinguish us from the rest of the world if we look, sound like, and behave like, the rest of this fallen world? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck......
I have asked this question of myself and I do not like the answers. So, as a service, I will pose the question to you friend. If you are a Christian, how have you set yourself apart from the world?
Simple question, right? If we belong to the Father, how are our lives markedly different from those who do not? I'm not talking about attending church, that is the easy part. How do our lives reflect our beliefs? Do we listen to the same music as the nonbeliever? Do we watch the same movies and television programs? Do we use a sick day when we are not sick? What kinds of books or magazines do we read? Are we wagging our tongues about in gossip? Do we dress and behave modestly? Do our checkbooks reflect what we say is in our hearts?
I would submit to you that the majority of church goers are not Christians. They live regular, sinful American lives, and come to the sanctuary on Sunday. It is not enough to live like that beloved. More is required of us.
When you got saved, Christian, your citizenship in this fallen world was nullified. The moment you said you believed on Jesus Christ as the son of God, and believed that his death and resurrection paid the cost for your soul, you became a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven! You became a joint heir with Christ to everything in God's Kingdom! Praise God! This means we are no longer of this world. We are foreign ambassadors, and we should dare not adopt the customs and beliefs of this foreign land. Our task as ambassadors is to change the world, not be changed by the world.
So, if you had trouble, like me, answering the question, it may be time to look at two areas. 1.) What do you do? 2.) What don't you do? The answers to these questions will allow you to look at your life honestly. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal to you the things that need to be added and subtracted from your life so you look, speak, behave, and can be mistaken for nothing other than an ambassador for Christ.
Last question, when Jesus comes back, how will he distinguish us from the rest of the world if we look, sound like, and behave like, the rest of this fallen world? If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck......
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