Persecution

I am saddened by the amount of persecution against Christians we see around the world. We just watched the Summer Olympics from China where Christians are severely persecuted day by day. I recently read of a Christian woman in China who was beaten so badly she hemorrhaged and had to have a hysterectomy, simply because she hosted a Bible study.

Persecution is all around us, even in America. I want to speak of another kind of persecution. A kind of persecution we don’t think much about. I kind of persecution I was too naive to realize even existed. It’s persecution within the church.

John chapter 16 says, “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.”

We live in a time of postmodern thought. This postmodern thought has tricked into the church. Today, that trickle is turning into a flood. In a nutshell, postmodern thought rejects the idea of absolute truth. Postmodern “Christians” are really interested in conforming to the world (culture). I have heard it described as “Cafeteria Christianity”. They pick and choose what parts of the Bible they accept and throw out much as “out of touch” with the culture, therefore no longer useful.

I ran into this at a church I attended for 15 years. A fairly recent change in leadership brought a change in core beliefs. There was a shift from biblical Christianity to cultural Christianity. The most disturbing part of it was, when approached, leadership never wanted to discuss scripture; they always pulled our conversations back to culture. When the attributes of a pastor (1 Timothy 3) was mentioned, they would shy away insinuating those standards were unrealistic today. When the topic came up, should woman serve under the title Pastor/Elder, they didn’t want to discuss scripture, they pointed to Hillary Clinton’s run for President as the example for the church to follow.

Just as the verse above say’s, “They will put you out of the synagogue…”. Today, they will throw you under the bus if you hold to an absolute truth, all obedient view of the bible. Pastor Mark Driscoll has a wonderful quote on this, “When God speaks we are not to converse, we are to obey”. When God say’s this is what I expect my pastors to look like, we need to look like that, period. When God says only men should hold the title pastor/elder, we are to obey.

I stood for truth and was thrown under the bus. My hope is that everyone will understand this persecution within the church is real and I believe it is going to get worse as the years go by. Please join me in praying for all church leaders who are allowing this to go on in their congregations. We must return to biblical Christianity. We must understand that the Word of God is reliable and the final authority on everything.

It is my prayer that you would double your efforts by increasing the amount of time you spend in God’s Word. Protect yourself against false doctrine by abiding in God’s Word.

Nehemiah Chapter 1

These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 1:1-2 NLT)

These are the "memoirs"of Nehemiah. As I stated in the last blog, the book of Nehemiah is really his diary, or as the New Living Translation puts it, his memoirs. He is literally recording the step by step process he took (or God took) in restoring Jerusalem. Nehemiah was serving the Persian King Artaxerxes and living as an exile in the Persian capital of Susa. After getting a visit from his brother, Nehemiah inquired about his homeland, Jerusalem.

They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:3-4 NLT)

The walls represented the strength and peace of Jerusalem. They were broken down and the gates were burned. Nehemiah was deeply troubled by this news. The Word tells us he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed for Jerusalem. I find it interesting that he didn't do what most of us would have done and go into fits of rage and lash out. He didn't "shoot the messenger" so to speak. He went to the Father with his grief.

Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’ “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer. (Nehemiah 1:5-11 NLT)

Within his prayer, Nehemiah first praised God. Next, he confessed sin that he and his family committed (better known as repentance). He removed any possible barrier between him and God. When we choose not to repent of sin, that will act as a barrier to our prayers reaching the Father. Last, Nehemiah made a specific request to God, "use me" (my paraphrase). Nehemiah was the King's cup-bearer. Therefore, he had a unique relationship with the King.

We can learn a lot from the prayer of Nehemiah. He poured himself out to God. Is there something in your life you need to cry out to God for? Nehemiah gives us a model, praise, repent, and make a request. It is great to know we have a loving Father who will embrace us in our time of need.

The Book of Nehemiah

The book of Nehemiah contains many incredible lessons. Two such lessons that really impacted me, leadership and prayer.

Nehemiah is an incredible example of true Christian leadership. What is great to me is the fact that the lessons learned from Nehemiah can be used in any setting. I believe every Pastor should study this book to prepare for their ministry. We can all learn a lot from Nehemiah. Nehemiah wrote this book, as his diary so to speak, in approximately 445-432 B.C., and it is just as relevant today. One could literally take this book and apply it to their leadership position and be as successful as Nehemiah was in restoring Jerusalem.

Another lesson we learn is how important prayer was to Nehemiah. He was not led by his own human desires. He was truly in tune with God and led a life of prayer. This is what I like to call being Spirit-led. Before he acted on anything, Nehemiah went to God in prayer. Because of that obedience, God blessed Nehemiah.

I see such determination and persistence in Nehemiah. God used Nehemiah to accomplish what many saw as an impossible task, restoring Jerusalem.

I'd like to challenge you to read through the book of Nehemiah. Read it, study it, and meditate on it. It is my desire to bring a chapter by chapter blog of this incredible book. I pray that it impacts your life just as much as it did mine. Won't you join me on this life-changing journey through the book of Nehemiah.

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". -Genesis 1:1 (NIV)



Wow. The first verse in the whole Bible. At first glance, it seems like such a simple verse, but there is such a wealth of knowledge hidden within.



We live in a day where science is trying everything to replace the Word of God, especially on the topic of creation. People constantly try to explain away the power of God Almighty. That being siad, I think it is important to know that I take a literal interpretation of God's Word. I believe God's power is limitless as we will see throughout the book of Genesis. The closer I get to God through the study of His Word, the more I realize just how incredible He is. I know we will never understand it all, but what He does show me is mindblowing.



Genesis 1:1 is the "beginning" of it all. "God created...". God is our creator. That is one concept that is established here. Every creation had a creator, that is logical. We can learn a lot about the creator by looking at his creation. Take a painting for example, the more you study it, the more you begin to identify with the artist that created it. It is a glimpse into their mind. It is the same way with God and His creation. Once we understand and accept this verse, we can begin to understand other things through God's Word that may raise doubts. God created it all. Do you believe that?

This verse also gives us some clues about the creator, God himself. We see that He is creative. God is in control. As Genesis unfolds, we will see just how creative and in control God really is. It is really an incredible thing to study. We also see that He is distinct from His creation.

What do you see in this verse? Do you believe this verse with all your heart?

I'm Back...

Just a quick note to say, "I'm back". I will be attempting to post multiple times per week. God had led me on a great journey through His Word and He has taught me so much in the last three months or so.

Keep it up Huckabee!!!

Governor Huckabee took the conservative south on Super Tuesday. Let's keep up the support.

Congratulations Governor Huckabee. Keep it going.

Let's free our Pastors

"In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."

Acts 6:1-7 (NIV)


There are some incredible things we see in these verses. I want to focus on just one. "...[we will] give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word". There is so much power in this verse. This was the Apostles making this statement. The leaders of the early church. In our churches today, the leaders are usually pastors. I think this verse is freeing to pastors. Could you imagine how dynamic our churches would be if pastors really freed themselves from all their busyness and focused solely on prayer and the word of God?

God has set this up in His word. Pastors spend hours trying to figure out what they should be doing as church leaders. They read books by men on church leadership many of which may or may not have been successful themselves. God's word has the answers they are looking for.

If pastors found folks in their churches to handle the busy stuff of church and they focused on prayer and the word, we would have dynamic churches. Churches preaching and teaching the entire word of God. Lives would be changed because pastors would be challenging people into change by the convicting power of the word of God. The Growth Movement would be made of real growth of people from the inside out and not just referring to putting bottoms in the pews. Imaging pastors freed to become prayer warriors. Praying for their congregations, their families, their staffs, and praying for real change to come, a revival.

I get excited when I think of this. I have discussed this with church leaders who agree with me. Now our job is to pitch in and help our pastors get to this point. Let's think of ways to take the load off our pastors so they can focus on "prayer and the ministry of the word".

A truth about Mormonism

Let's let the Mormons answer this question. Do Mormons believe Jesus and Satan are brothers?

Mormon Doctrine page 163 states, "Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both".

Never Forget

Pure Wisdom

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Congrats Huckabee

Congrats to the Huckabee camp. Keep up the great work.

The Christmas Season

Hello, I have been wrapped up in the Christmas season. Sermons From The Pew wishes you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May God be with you in 2008.

"Me Church"

The Life of Johnny Cash

This video was part of a series by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill in Seattle (not in any way associated with Rob Bell). It is an extremely well produced video, and inspirational as well.

Postmodern Christianity?

I am here to tell you that the title of this post is a bone-fide oxymoron. I keep hearing people say they are postmodern Christians, but what does that really mean? Let’s dissect this to see if it really is an oxymoron.

According to allaboutphilosophy.org, “Postmodernism is difficult to define, because to define it would violate the postmodernist's premise that no definite terms, boundaries, or absolute truths exist”. They go on to say, “Postmodernists do not attempt to refine their thoughts about what is right or wrong, true or false, good or evil. They believe that there isn’t such a thing as absolute truth”. And last, “Postmodernism appears to be a personal mindset more than an organized movement. In general, it tends to disconnect from mainstream society and embraces antinationalism, anti-Christianity, and opposition to traditional moral law”.

The foundations of Christianity support absolute truth, right and wrong, true and false, and defiantly good and evil. Therefore, my conclusion is that the term Postmodern Christianity is an oxymoron. So many Christians are led astray into this postmodern mindset. Many younger Christians, who are still trying to find themselves, are sadly taken down a road of continual doubt instead of led to a life of childlike faith.

I pray that Christians would look into these new “ear-tickling” movements before jumping in head first. Remember to always ask this question of anything, “Does it line up with the Word of God?”

Wolves

In chapter 20 of the book of Acts, Paul warns the elders at Ephesus to "be on their toes" in protecting their flock from wolves. He says:

"I know that as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus". (From The Message)

I believe this is not only a message for the church leaders in Ephesus, but for all church leaders of all times. It is amazing to me that these "wolves" pop up when you least expect them. I believe they are used by the evil one, sometimes unaware they are being used.

I think God expects all of his people to stand up for the faith. If and when storms hit your church, stand and fight against these "wolves". Don't allow them a stronghold in your church. Don't run for a more "safe" church.

It is my prayer that we all take Paul's advice here and be on our toes when looking for wolves. Let's not become so comfortable that we miss them when they pop up.

The Truth about The Golden Compass

I just finished reading a great article by Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, about the movie, The Golden Compass.

There are many downplaying this movie as "not a big deal", "Christians shouldn't worry". As a matter of fact, there are also Christians saying similar things. This article will give you, as a parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor or any role you may have, a better understanding of the dangers of this movie and the unashamed agenda the author has toward attacking the Christian faith.

Please enjoy this link below from Crosswalk.com.

http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11561090/

Catfish Counseling

Do you have someone in your life that is always there to bring light to areas of your life where you are struggling? Maybe you are not reading and studying the Word like you know you should and every time you see this person, they ask, “How is your Bible studying going?” They can seem obnoxious, maddening at times. You get to the point of avoiding them. You zig and zag across the church campus when you see them so you don’t get the dreaded “lecture”.

What would you say if I told you those people were actually a blessing to you? I will even go a step further; I believe God puts those people in our lives for a purpose.

I heard a story many years ago that I just love and illustrates this well. In the 19th century, those in the fish industry faced a dilemma when trying to ship cod from the East Coast to California. The only way was to ship it by sea and because the ship had to sail around South America, which took about a month, the fish were not fit for consumption when they arrived. They next tried to ship them in big containers of water, but the cod never moved much during the trip and although fit for consumption, they had no taste. At this point, someone came up with this idea to ship them in these containers but add in a few catfish. Catfish are the natural enemy of cod; therefore, they would chase the cod around the containers during the trip. After all this natural exercise, the cod would arrive almost as if they were taken straight out of their natural environment.

Therefore, I believe God blesses us with these catfish. I have learned to listen up when one of my catfish are speaking. As long as it lines up with the Word of God, allow the counsel of these catfish.

May God continue to bless us by giving us many catfish along our journey.

Are you a Hymnophobic?

I experienced a refreshing service yesterday at my home church. My church is implementing a traditional service in January and yesterday was a “dry-run” of sorts. The most traditional part of this new service is the music used during worship. The music; classic hymns that really have a way of establishing a kind of reverent atmosphere for worshiping the King of Kings, our Lord Jesus.

One of the hot-button issues in the church for many years has been that of music. This is as good a time as any for me to jump right in. My church has really gone “vanilla” over the last two or three years. As of late, it really seems to be nothing but the top ten of Christian music, week after week. The incredibly talented people God has led to my church seem to have closed the valve to their creativity.

Many churches across America have almost gone hymnophobic. They would not dare use a hymn accompanied by just a piano for example. Unless the hymn has been “rocked-up” by someone like Jeremy Camp, many churches won’t touch it. Please don’t get me wrong, I like Jeremy Camp and many of these versions of those classic hymns. I just think a nice mixture of the old and the new is just perfect.

I really thought my church was headed hymnophobic, until yesterday. I applaud the church leadership for establishing a service intended to appeal to those more traditional folks. I know I personally will be able to connect more fully with God in this traditional setting.

Handling Church Division-God's Way

I recently finished studying Acts chapter 15. God's Word is so amazing to me. Churches face division all the time. God outlines how we should deal with such division in Acts 15.

First, we must seek the counsel of godly men. During the dispute in Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas were sent to the "home" church in Jerusalem for counsel. Those they sought were the remaining original apostles, and church elders.

Second, you must never compromise on essentials to restore unity. In Acts 15, the matter on the table was the teaching that all must be circumcised to be saved. The outcome was to build a bridge between Jew and Gentile so they could fellowship together. This idea of circumcision for all was overruled to allow this bridge to be constructed.

Third, you should give in on non-essentials for the sake of unity. Don't stick to your guns on things like, dresses for woman and suits for men in church, or no dancing. You get the idea.

Another thing you will notice is they handled this division in a timely manner. This is a constant theme in the early church. When something needed to be addressed, they did not sit and ponder it, they acted.

If you get a chance, please read Acts 15. I think you will find it helpful and encouraging.