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Jul 20 2018
3

Are You Pentecostal?

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“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1).

 

This is out of my character to ask the question, “Are you Pentecostal?” The reason it is not normally a question I ask is because I don’t like to use labels to describe factions of Christianity. Whenever a label is used to describe a particular brand of Christianity, it leaves with it the impression that there are other options to pick from. This, of course, causes great division in the body of Christ.

The early church had no options to pick from. The early church was Pentecostal. What do I mean by Pentecostal? Well, it doesn’t mean what many have made it out to be in this present day, by participating in many crazy antics that you don’t find in the Bible. There are false doctrines that have been connected with the term Pentecostal. It has even taken on a denominational identity. Real Pentecostal is a term used to describe those Christians who believe that the experience the early church had on the day of Pentecost, when she was filled with the Spirit and went out to change a world, is still available to the church today. They more than believe it, they have experienced it. They believe this is exactly what the Lord expects from His church. This is what I believe because I don’t have any other choice but to believe what the Bible clearly teaches about the true church. To be truly Pentecostal means to continue on in the same manner, same unity and the same power that those upper room saints had. It means to be a living demonstration today of what the early church was then. It means to duplicate, or in our case, reproduce in our day, what the early church was. Most of all, it means we too have to be filled with the Spirit.

There was no such thing back in the early church to not be in the Pentecostal church. I am sure they never used the term “Pentecostal” to describe themselves, because they did not need to make a distinction. It is just what the church was. If you weren’t in the Pentecostal church, then you weren’t in the church. Today, there are too many options. Even if there were only two options, it would be one too many. No one, no matter how many degrees they have, no matter how high on the church leadership ladder they are, has the authority to say that the church no longer has to exemplify the early church. No one has the right to say that the church does not have to fit the mold of the early church. The church in the Book of Acts is our pattern. How is it, that Christians don’t see that? They shouldn’t be so quick to spout off that if anyone takes away words from the Bible that they will be cut off. Don’t they see, they are doing that when they deny that power for this day? Don’t they see, especially when they are trusted teachers of the word of God, that they are giving believers permission to not believe some of the Bible? Sure they may believe it happened, but they don’t believe it for our day.

The Apostles were commissioned by Jesus to take the gospel to the whole world. However, they were by the same Jesus, forbidden to go until they received the promise of the Father. “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). Jesus wasn’t wishy-washy, telling the disciples to go into all the world and then another time telling them to wait. The call of God for the disciples to make disciples out of all nations was still on them, but they just needed one more thing before they were fully authorized to go. They had the best training any Christian could ever want. They walked with Jesus daily for about three and a half years. They heard many things that He taught. They had seen many great things that He did. They had the privilege to ask Him, right to His face, many questions. There is no Bible College that could offer you such training. But this training was not sufficient. A head full of knowledge is not enough. They needed one more thing. They needed to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. They needed the baptism of fire. This is the mark of true Pentecost.

There is one main reason the term Pentecostal has been used as a name to be given to a certain sect of Christians. It is because the day of Pentecost was the day that one of the greatest events in all the history of the world took place. It was the day when God poured out His Spirit on the church in that upper room. It was the day that many teachers say was the day the church was birthed. I won’t argue with that teaching even though I believe it was birthed when Jesus breathed on the apostles on the day He rose from the dead and said, “Receive the Spirit.” I believe the day of Pentecost marked the day the church was completed by giving her the power to take the gospel to the world. The day of Pentecost was the day that the baptism or the filling of the Spirit was made available to all born again believers. After all, it fell on ALL of them who were in the upper room.

This outpouring of the Spirit, happening on the day of Pentecost, had a greater significance than some may realize. The day of Pentecost was a feast day that took place fifty days after the Passover. It was a festival where the first fruits from the first harvest were offered up to God. So God, who does everything for a reason, chose this specific day of harvest to be a symbol to the church that there is another harvest to gather. It is as if God was saying to them, “Today starts the day of a different harvest, from now on it will be a harvest of souls.” Then He poured out the Spirit on His church, and before the day was over they gathered a harvest of three thousand souls. Hallelujah! This harvest of souls on Pentecost has become a much more powerful festival, so much so that, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Because of Pentecost, heaven erupted with rejoicing.

Can you be saved and not be Pentecostal? Absolutely. We are saved by faith, not Pentecost. However, if we as a church want to continue with the Great Commission in our day, then we have no choice but to go forward in the power that was given on the day of Pentecost. To be in a church that rejects this power from on high is to be disobedient to the demands of God. This is why the church is in the mess she is in today. She has decided that her own wisdom, knowledge, ability and techniques are sufficient to impact this world. If they were, Jesus would have never said, “Wait for the promise of God.” Saints, don’t reject the promise of God. Don’t reject the Pentecostal power God has provided for you. The world needs more Pentecostals.

Jun 28 2018
1

The Deeper Experience

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“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (I Corinthians 2:9-10).

 

“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him” (Daniel 2:20-22).

 

If you want the deep and secret things of God, you can get them no other way than to go to God. God and man have this in common that they like to tell secrets. Men often tell secrets that destroy the character of people and bring destruction to their lives. God tells secrets about Himself to those who want to hear them. Oh, how He is looking for those He can tell His secrets too.

 

A favorite hymn we sing at our church is called, Higher Ground. Here are the words to the chorus of the song:

 

“Lord lift me up, and let me stand, by faith on heavens table land.

A higher plane than I have found; Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

 

If anyone would care to ask me what I think seems to be one of the things most lacking in the church in America, I would say it is the lack of desire amongst Christians to walk on higher ground with God. There is a lack of desire for the deeper experience with God. Before my youngest son, Aaron, experienced a powerful revival in his life, we would have little discussions about the current methods that were being used to attract people to church. I told him that I thought many of the common strategies the church used to attract people were worldly. No doubt some, if not many churches, have pure motives in using worldly attractions to try to draw people into the church. They do it with hope that those who were drawn to the church would get saved thru the preaching of the gospel. I hope those churches do preach the true gospel.

There are churches who have lost sight of their reason to exist and think their main objective is to fill all the pews, whether it is with Christians or not. It has always been hard for me to understand how using the world to attract the world will somehow result in people becoming spiritual and heavenly. It still is true, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Galatians 6:8). Any real work of God has to be of and by the Spirit of God. Anyway, one day while Aaron and I were again having a talk about churches using worldly attractions to draw people, he asked me, “But Dad, isn’t it all about souls?” I said back to him, “No Aaron, church is for Christians to be challenged to go deep in Christ.” I still see it that way today. Let me clarify that I do believe we are to preach to the lost and see souls saved. This is the work and mission the church is called to do. Imagine how effective the church would be in her mission if her members had deep experiences with God.

Where are those who have a deep love for God and want to have their feet planted on higher ground with Him? Where are those believers who will lay down everything for the high call of pursuing Christ? Why is it that a believer will sacrifice much to gain many material things, but will sacrifice very little to gain more of God? Why is it that believers will pursue the many opportunities this world offers them, but have very little interest in pursuing a deeper experience with God? Paul wrote his epistle to the Philippians in the later years of his life. He wrote it sometime around the early sixties AD. This great man of God, who we all know had great revelations from God, wrote in that epistle, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). The word “press” means to pursue. So here is a man who knew God like few ever have, and yet he is saying I am still in pursuit of my God. Paul definitely was a man who desired a deeper experience with God.

Today you find those who pursue salvation and receive it, but then they quickly put that salvation off to the side because of the inconvenience it is. Instead they settle for fulfilling a little, but not too much, religious obligation. Of course, they still want salvation at the end. You will even find those who pursue the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but when they receive the infilling and speak in tongues once, they just go back to customary religious duties at church. Those who desire the deeper experience with God never quit their pursuit of God. Though they may be filled with the Spirit, they are daily asking for a fresh filling. They don’t view salvation so much as a way to get into heaven, but as the right and privilege to draw close to the Father.

The person who finds himself content to live at a low level mediocre Christianity will never find himself content with his God nor anything else in life. The believer who is in constant pursuit of God, though it may seem that they are not content because they always want more of Him, will find themselves the most content. Not just with God, but with everything in life.

I am sure that some of you readers may have had the thought, just as I have, that those who seek to achieve a deeper experience with God are opening themselves up to pride. Isn’t that what brought Lucifer down to his dark kingdom? We learn from Paul, who had such a high experience with God that a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him. “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (II Corinthians 12:7). Be confident that God has ways to keep us humble. Seek God with all your heart and then trust God to keep you humble. At times you may not like the way He keeps you humble, but you must be willing.

It is in that higher place in God that you will grow more familiar to the voice of God. It is in that higher plane with God that you will learn the perfect will of God. It is in that deeper walk with God that you will have no problem letting go of everything that hinders your relationship with God. If your mind is made up to just live a low level, just get through another day Christianity, your life will be something less than exhilarating. Will you sing with me?

 

“Lord lift me up, and let me stand, by faith on Heavens table land.

A higher plane than I have found; Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

May 18 2018
0

The Famine is Here

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“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

 

I’m sure most of you have seen commercials or have seen pictures of young children in different nations of this world, who were living in starvation. They had skinny limbs with bloated stomachs because their nation was suffering from famine. It sure can cause compassion to rise in your heart for these poor helpless children. Thank the Lord for those who go help these people in the time of their great need.  There is another famine that I want to talk about, a famine that I believe is even worse than a famine of food. I don’t know about other nations, but this famine is very prevalent in America. It is a famine of the word of God.

The thing that is the most absurd about this spiritual famine of the word of God is that there is not a shortage of Bibles in our nation. I have had pleas from other nations to send them money so they can purchase Bibles for their people. Here in America, even the poorest of Americans can obtain a Bible. At our church we have given away many Bibles. How many Bibles do you have? How many different versions do you have? It would sound ridiculous for someone to complain that they are starving to death because they haven’t eaten a thing for a month and yet food is all around them. You would immediately question them to why they are not eating the food that is there before them. Well, that is how ridiculous the famine of the word of God is in our nation. We don’t have a shortage of the word of God in paper and ink or electronic devise, but we do have a shortage of men who will preach and teach the word of God. We have a shortage of people who really believe the word of God. We have a shortage of people, and even Christians, who will open their ears to hear the word of God.

Years ago it used to be a very negative thing to be called a church hopper. A typical church hopper was a so-called Christian, who was always disgruntled with whatever church they were in. This isn’t right, that isn’t right. They complain about the music. It’s too loud or too contemporary. The pastor’s suit is too expensive or he doesn’t dress well enough. The people in the church don’t love me. There are too many hypocrites in the church. I’m sure most of you know people like this. However, today I am seeing church hoppers of a different sort. In fact, I don’t want to use the negative connotation of “church hopper,” instead, I see these people as genuine saints of God who are searching for a church that still preaches and teaches the word of God in Spirit and in truth. I have heard of people wanting to move to other states, just so they could go to a church they believed still preached the truth. I have heard from a few saints who told me they went to every Christian church in their city and could not find one that still preached the word in Spirit and in truth. By the way, I do understand that there are those who say they are looking for a church that preaches the word, but they are just looking for a church that has the same old look of the churches they grew up in.

Yes, there is a famine of the word of God in this nation. A famine of the most devastating kind. In most churches you will hear a reading of scripture, you will hear talk about the scripture, but yet you can leave as hungry or even hungrier than when you entered the church that morning. It seems no different than it was in the days of Samuel.

 

“And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision” (I Samuel 3:1).

 

The word “precious” declares that the word of God, though it had value, was rare. Now it may not have been any less rare than in those days of Joshua and Judges which preceded Samuel, for they had the writings of Moses. What was rare is that there was a shortage of those who believed and lived the word of God. The books of Moses could have very well been like the average Bible in American homes, up on the shelf collecting dust. The Bible is different from any book in the world in that it isn’t a book that is to be read as much as it is a book to be believed upon and lived out. You have to believe to such a point that you are trusting your whole life to what the Bible says. That means that you will believe and live out every principle, precept and commandment in the Bible.

We are quick to want to blame the ministers for our fallen churches. No doubt, the buck stops with them. Read what Hebrews says. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17). So you can see the heavy responsibility there is on those who rule over our churches. For those like me, who are ministers of the gospel, this portion of scripture should have extra weight to it. I don’t ever want to fail in being a faithful minister of the Lord.

It is not just the ministers who are responsible for the famine of the word, it is also any Christian who has minimized the word of God. They don’t want to really hear what the Bible says. They want the preachers to tell it a little different. They want the smooth word, just like in the days of Isaiah.

 

“Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10).

 

These kind of Christians put pressure on the pastors, not to eliminate the word, but to lighten it up, water it down and nullify it with hyper-grace teachings. Unfortunately some, if not many ministers, cave into the pressure. Add to it that many pastors have come to think their ministry is to fill pews instead of minister, with great authority and power, the word of God to the body of Christ. If they are looking to fill pews, they will do what it takes, and the first thing that has to be altered is the preaching of the word of God. So even though you may hear the word of God read and preached in most churches in America, you will find, according to what I hear, a great famine of those who preach the whole counsel of the word of God. You will find a shortage of those who delight in hearing it and obeying it.

Apr 20 2018
0

No Book Like It

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You can take every book that has ever been written, stack them all up and put them against the Bible, and the Bible would be light years away from them all. Books can change the mind of man, for his mind is unstable. Books can move the emotions of man, for he is a sensual being. Books can give correction, direction and instruction for man, for his knowledge and wisdom is limited. While books can give information and change the mind of man, there is one thing they cannot do, GIVE MAN A NEW HEART. Books cannot make a new creature out of a human being. Books can alert, convict and convince man that he is a sinner and a vile creature, but books have no power to deliver man from what he is and the course he is on.

The Bible has that kind of power because the Bible is more than a book, it is the word(s) of God. The absolute, unadulterated and infallible word of God. Yet it is even more than that. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). What powerful scriptures. The power of God is beyond our ability to grasp, but these two verses do show us how God created all there is. He just spoke it all into existence. It is because the word is God. To try to make this as simple to understand as possible, just know that what God says is as much God as His presence is. Take note that when Moses asked God, “Show me Thy glory,” God answered his request. “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:5-7). Did you see that? God was as much talking as he was walking before Moses. With God, we get the full experience. He is a God that talks. Everything He says is absolute truth. People say God can do anything. However, there are some things He cannot do. He cannot speak lies. If He did, it would falsely represent Him and he would cease to be the WORD.

Being more specific yet, we learn that Jesus Christ is the Word. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Before there ever was a Jesus, there was the Word. Jesus became the living expression of the Word. It was the Word that was made flesh and dwelt amongst man. Jesus proved to this world the validity of God’s word. Jesus came to believe it, live it and preach it. He preached what and who He was. He was a living manifestation of the word of God.

Some Christians may think Jesus always was. This is not true. The Son of God always was. There was a day when Jesus, a human being was conceived. There was a day he was born. He had a beginning. That was the beginning of the life of Jesus on earth. Though Jesus had a birth, the Word that He was, always was. Jesus was one hundred percent man and one hundred percent God. The man side of Him was born; the God side of Him always was.

Tell me if you can, what book can claim such credentials as the Bible? Take even spiritual books. Any spiritual book that has ever been written (I wrote a couple myself), may encourage and strengthen Christians. However, they only do so because they are based on the Bible. Without the Bible, they have no authority. We must be careful when we read books by men who claim their book is based on the word of God. Man is not like God. “…Let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Romans 3:4). Even in his best intention, man taints, falsifies, opinionates, exaggerates and diminishes the Word of God. Yet he believes he is right on the mark with what he writes. He believes his version of the truth is the right version. There is the King James Version, the New King James Version and many others. Then there is the “MY version,” or the “YOUR version.” The true version is what the Holy Spirit teaches. He teaches the truth.

One of my favorite all time movies is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I have probably watched it all the way through about ten to fifteen times. I don’t have much interest in it today. I have had my fill of, “Hee Haw, Merry Christmas Bedford Falls, My lip is bleeding” and learning that every time a bell rings another angel gets his wings. The movie doesn’t do much for me anymore because I watched it too many times. It is way different with my Bible. I have read the Bible through over thirty times in my life. I am not exaggerating when I say I still get excited when I get to the part where Samson brings down the temple, and when David runs toward the giant and then topples him with a sling and stone. I know how every Old Testament story ends, but yet, I am still excited to read it. No sixty-five inch TV screen in high definition. No surround sound speakers. Just black letters on a white background. However, the words of the Bible are filled with life. They do something to those who seek for wisdom and understanding. I read over and over that Jesus was born in a manger, but when I read it again it seems Jesus is birthed anew in my heart. I read over and over of the anointing and power that the church had in the Book of Acts. Still, when I read it, it stirs in me a desire to be filled anew with the Spirit and to go forth to demonstrate Christ is alive.

What a book! What a fool any person is who rejects it, forgets it and neglects it. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

If you mess with the word of God, it will mess with you. If you read it, it will read you. If you open your heart to it, it will lay your heart open.

Tell me if you can, what book other than the Bible, has so much power that it can plunge into a person’s heart with the ease of a two-edged sword and cause no bleeding? Tell me if you can, what other book has the ability to separate between your soul and spirit and leave your body feeling more whole? What other book can divide your joints and marrow and leave you even walking better? Tell me if you can, what other book could ever have such authority that it can discern, expose and then correct your heart, and then leave you feeling liberated and close to God. NO OTHER BOOK, BUT THE BIBLE.

Mar 22 2018
0

Bring Back the King

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King David’s third oldest son was named Absalom. For whatever reason, David had a special affection for this son. However, this son of his ended up turning against him. Here is what happened:

“And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel…And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom. And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom” (II Samuel 15:1-6,12-13).

Absalom started a rebellion against his father David. What he did was usurp David’s authority as king. Usurp means to seize and hold (an office, place, or powers) in possession by force or without right. Absalom had no right to be king, but he schmoozed the people into preferring him as king over his father, David. Though Israel may have accepted Absalom as king, God didn’t. Remember how careful David was not to touch the Lord’s anointed? Absalom gave it no thought. This eventually ended up in a battle, Absalom and Israel against David and his warriors, and Absalom was slain.

Absalom was everyone’s favorite son.  The good looking, dashing son of the king. In all Israel there was none to be praised like him. He was the talk of the town. With his beautiful long flowing hair he had the fresh new look. Combine that with smooth talking flattery that he spoke, he stole the hearts of the people. He was telling the people that the king’s ways are no good anymore. He is old and outdated. If only you would let me care for you. The people fell for it. Now the people could boast about their new king as other nations marvel at him. He will impress them all.

After all, they don’t need the old king anymore. All the giants are dead, the battles are won. Now it’s time to enjoy our victory and spread our wings. The king isn’t relevant anymore. Even his music is old. Now it’s time for the world to take notice. We don’t need a warrior king anymore. It is a time for peace and love. In the same manner as Israel loved Absalom, the world will love our new brand of church.

Just as Absalom usurped David as king, so has a good portion of the fivefold ministry usurped King Jesus. You see, Absalom represents the unauthorized, unanointed ministers. What the ministry has done today is replaced King Jesus with another king. King Jesus is no longer the focus, church is now all about the people and what they want. I wonder how many churches here in America have Jesus sitting as king in their church on a Sunday morning.

To be king means to be sovereign. That means that the king has absolute authority over all his subjects. Who wants that? In this day of no restraint, do as you please living, why would anyone want to put themselves under any kind of demands. So if we can just get rid of the king (well, maybe not go that far), and replace him with someone or something more appealing like Absalom, then we will fill the pews. Then we will be loved and accepted by this world. We appreciated all that King Jesus did for us, but now it is time to move on.

Just as most of the Israelites were deceived by Absalom’s flattery, Christians fall for the same things. It doesn’t take much to deceive Christians today. I have heard it said over and over that people don’t like change, and that is true, but for some reason Christians are willing to change kings.

Have you grown tired of the same old Jesus? Have you set your heart on the next new thing coming down the pike? Jesus may be the same yesterday, today and forever, but there is nothing tiring or boring about Him. You may have grown tired, but it is not because Jesus is boring. It’s because you have allowed an Absalom to come into your life. You have allowed your affections to be on things of this earth instead of things above.

If this is the case in your life, you need to do what David said. “And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants. So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan” (II Samuel 19:10-15).

You need to bring back the king. If Absalom is still alive in your heart, he needs to die.

The things of this world will fall apart. Anything that Christ is not in will fail. Ask for King Jesus to come back and take residence on the throne of your heart. He will come and do as you ask because His mercy endures forever.

It is sad that many people won’t come to Jesus until everything has fallen apart in their life, but Hallelujah, God will still take them. He will still be their king.

The church needs to bring the king back. If individuals who make up the church bring their king back, then the king will come back to the church. Let’s share in the plea for the church to invite their King Jesus back to His rightful place.

 

“And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING (sovereign) OF KINGS, AND LORD (supreme) OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).

 

If you want to see that name, written on Jesus’ thigh, then He must be your king now.

 

Feb 22 2018
1

Remnant Rise Up

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“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth” (Isaiah 10:20).

 

Please give me some liberty to restate this Bible verse using Israel as a type of church. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of the church, who have escaped the church system, shall no more be abused by them; but shall be fully committed to the Lord, the Holy One, who is head of the church, in truth.”

So many Christians have been put down and let down; so many are discouraged and disappointed; some have even become skeptical and scornful. Why? No doubt they are responsible for their own spiritual life, but it doesn’t help when the church has failed so many believers in so many ways.

There are many believers who have been so much a part of a dead powerless church system that they can hardly believe God for anything. So many have been under ministers who calculate and formulate, but don’t demonstrate a Christianity that declares Christ is alive to this generation. Ministers, through their intellect have outlined and commentated on the word of God, but have failed to really believe it as they should. Studying and meditating on the word does no good if one is not going to believe it. No one can say they really believe it until they live it. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

Some ministers have brought forth so many of their own ideas about God that those under their leadership have no idea who God really is. We have those who preach a Jesus who is a big Santa Claus that exists just to give Christians everything they want. We have those who preach a Jesus who is ready to crush you, if you take one step out of line. We have those who preach a Jesus who still just winks at sin. We have those who preach a Jesus who will accept your works as a payment to receive eternal life.

It is one thing to hear someone mention the name of Jesus and talk about Him, it is a whole other thing to preach who the real Jesus is. He is the whole counsel of God. He is the concealed Christ of the Old Testament and the revealed Christ of the New Testament. He is the Son of the Living God. He is the Redeemer of mankind. He is the one who John saw and wrote about saying, “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:14-16). This scene was so powerful on John that he fell at Jesus’ feet as if he was dead. That is sure a far contrast from the Jesus who some depict today as almost having a soft feminine side to Him. They preach a Jesus who you can take or leave. This world needs to see a powerful holy Jesus, who is mighty to save. Yet a Jesus who is willing to save all who call upon the name of the Lord.

Some of the preachers we have today are so dry you could use them for a dehumidifier. Some have exchanged the anointing for education, exchanged the hour of prayer for a committee meeting, and exchanged the study of the word for the study of demographics and community culture.

As long as the wrong Jesus is preached, the church will lie dormant and ineffective. As long as preachers are asleep on their post, the church will be lost in lala land. ALL I CAN SAY IS “THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW FOR THE REMNANT TO RISE UP.”

We need some Davids who have some mighty men at their side. We need some Joshuas who can lead some obedient believers around enemy walls that need to come down. We need some Calebs who are looking for another mountain to climb and conquer. We need some Isaiahs, Jeremiahs and Ezekiels who will speak to our generation, “Thus saith the Lord.” We need some Hebrew boys who know how to walk in the fire with God. We need some Daniels who through interpreting dreams can cause kings to declare, “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:34).

We need some Peters who can escape shackles and walk through open prison doors, while at the same time some Pauls who can get up and shake the dust off after being stoned and left for dead. We need some remnant believers to rise up in this day, will you be one?

Actually, I want to simplify all this. You don’t need to study the lives of all these men and learn just what and how they did things. We just need some remnant to rise up who truly believe. They believe the whole word. They believe the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They believe the church is still here to turn this world upside down. They believe that God still fills saints with His Holy Spirit and fire which endues them with power to win the nations. They believe that they can do anything and everything God has called them to do through the power of the Spirit. We need this remnant to believe that the church is still God’s chosen and anointed vessel to display an all loving and powerful Christ to this world. We need the remnant to believe God and His word, even if many around them don’t. We need the remnant to hate this world, but love the soul of every sinner enough to pray they would be saved from this world.

Are you of the remnant sort? Will you rise up in this generation with a love for God, a hate for sin, a love for truth and a hate for every lie? Will you rise up to be one who worships God in Spirit and in truth? Will you rise up and give your life, to whatever extent God plans on using it, for the sake of the kingdom of God?

If you are one of the remnant, you may ask, “What can I do?” Here is a simple strategy; let’s call it the three P’s. First PRAY. Just like you do daily and sit down to eat breakfast, lunch and supper; pray often for the remnant believers all over Wisconsin. Pray they would be strengthened in the inner man, Pray for revival to come to Wisconsin. Secondly, PREACH. Preaching is the power of God unto salvation and also to those who are saved. Last of all, PARTICIPATE. Participate in searching out other remnant believers. Participate in fellowship with them. Pray with them and encourage each other. Amen!

Jan 26 2018
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Is It True That Christians Shouldn’t Judge

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“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Corinthians 5:11-13).

 

It has been said that the most quoted scripture in the Bible is John 3:16. I dispute that and say there is another scripture that is quoted more often, not just by Christians, but by the world too. To be fair, the scripture that I am referring to is not quoted in entirety and it is paraphrased. Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Here is how it is most often said, “Thou shall not judge,” or “Who are you to judge?” If you would ask most people if it is alright to judge anyone, most would say no. Christians and sinners alike, are growing more resistant to the idea of anyone judging their life. I can understand non-believers hate being judged, but true followers of Christ need to understand that it is biblical to judge the body of Christ.

Many Christians have a hard time with the whole thought of judging others. One of the biggest reasons is they do not judge themselves. If believers never evaluate their walk with the Lord, then they may feel uncomfortable with judging others in the body of Christ, and rightfully so. There is nothing that makes one a hypocrite more than rebuking others for sin, when the one who is rebuking everyone is himself living a sinful life. No doubt we have way too many so called believers who live carnal lives and yet are judging and condemning other believers for their short comings. No one appreciates these kind of people speaking into their life.

Even for Christians who do live godly lives, they still may find it hard to judge the body of Christ. That is the reason for this article. Good righteous judgment is very important for the body of Christ to help keep her healthy. It is meant for the good of the individual believer and the whole of the body of Christ. Any of us can get drawn away into idolatry or some other sinful thing. It is a beautiful thing, though not comfortable at first, when a brother or sister sees a saint who is overtaken by sin and lovingly confronts them with the hope they would repent and get back to right standing with the Lord.

Before any believer should judge another they need to remember this important thing. Judging needs to start with yourself first. This is one time you can put yourself first. You need to examine your own life before you speak up to others about theirs.

 

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (II Corinthians 3:5)?

 

When you do examine yourself, don’t see how you stack up against man, but see how your life lines up with the word of God. Ask God what He thinks of your walk, not man. I am sure many people appreciate the medical experts teaching us different self-examination techniques we can perform on our bodies to detect unwanted growths that could lead to death. How much more, should we as believers, be thankful that we can examine our walk to see if there is something there that could lead to spiritual death. When the Holy Spirit does put His finger on something in our lives we must then confess it and forsake it. He is a loving God that is patient and always willing to forgive us by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

The Christian who has sinned at times and then made it right with God, will understand how a believer can fall into sin, and will be much more patient and loving in their judging a brother or sister. They won’t be doing it with a self-righteous spirit. They will do it in such a way that even the one who is being judged should recognize the love. We already read Matthew 7:1, now let’s look at the next two verses. We will see how this speaks to the thought that we can judge only after we dealt with the things in our life.

 

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye” (Matthew 7:2-3)?

 

Verse two tells us that when we do judge, we are opening ourselves to be judged the same way. So if you don’t want to be judged by self-righteous people, then you better not judge in self-righteousness. If you don’t want people condemning you for your sinful failures, then don’t go condemning anyone else. In verse three we learn that it is alright to judge another believer, after we get the beam out of our own eye. It is then that we can judge righteously. It is then we can judge in love. The true heart behind righteous judgment is always for the sake of the believer and the body of Christ.

There are those saints who are the most eager to judge their fellow brethren. If you are one of them, make sure your life is right, make sure your heart is pure and make sure it is righteous judgment. The heart of judging anyone must always be for restoration and the desire for the one being judged to live a life that brings glory to God. If one who claims to be a Christian and refuses to repent of a sinful life, then for the sake and spiritual health of the body, that one must be removed. This is a right judgment. In fact, God expects us to have such a love for the body that we should not allow any person, no matter how much they may be loved, to be a cancer to the body of Christ. If the Bible says, “…put away from among yourselves that wicked person,” then a judgment has to be made about that person living in sin. We are not even so supposed to eat with a brother or sister who is living a sinful life. This does not mean that we can’t eat with any Christian who sins. If that were the case, you wouldn’t be able to eat with me. I have sinned many times since I have become a believer, but the difference is that I have confessed those sins to the Lord. It is the person who refuses to repent and continues to live in open sin that the body of Christ must put out. This isn’t an easy thing to do. I have done it a few times in my church because I love Christ and His body too much to allow any individuals to spread their sin amongst the church. So to conclude; Yes judging is right, as long as it is done right.

 

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:1-3).

Dec 22 2017
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Who Do They See

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One of the biggest problems we have today, is that when sinners and saints alike, look at the church, they see man more than they see Christ. They see the personality of men; not that men shouldn’t have personalities. They see the agenda of men; not that men can’t have agendas. But it is the Lord’s personality and agenda that must be seen. The problem is, there is not enough of Christ in many of our churches to catch the attention of people. Fleshy, earthy saints sit on the throne.

What people see the most of when they enter a church is that which stands out the most. They hear what is the loudest. The prevailing attitude and the spirit of a people who are gathered together is what will impress those who have come to participate. If there is no Christ, then He is not seen or heard. I am not saying there is not a measure of Christ in many of the churches. If that were the case, they would not be churches at all. In some cases, maybe many, the gathering of so-called believers is nothing more than a formal obligation that is just a part of their weekly routine.

One thing the Lord has made known to me is that His heart burns for His church. How do I know that? I feel it every time I draw close to God in heartfelt prayer. It is there that He exposes me to the burden He has for His people to love Him with all their heart, soul and mind. Some of you saints may not be accustomed to thinking that God can have a burden. We usually attribute that to our lives. We think, “I am the one that has burdens.” However, Jesus did say that we should take His yoke upon us and that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

There is one thing that I think all men experience, who have been given a special burden from the Lord. It is a feeling of frustration, or inadequacy in the seemingly impossibility of ever seeing that burden fulfilled. Questions like, “What can I really do about it” or “How could I possibly make a difference,” can rise up in the mind of those who share in the Lord’s burden.

Well, there is one thing that can be done every time the burden of the Lord is felt and that is to take it to the Lord in prayer. This is exactly what I do when His burden is placed on me. What I am doing when I pray is this: as God puts His burden on me, I put it back on Him. That does not mean that I am refusing to accept the burden, it means that I realize I cannot accomplish one breath of that work without Him doing all that He does. He wills it, He leads it and He anoints it.

I heard stories of men who had such incredible burdens. Of one preacher, it was reported that while he was traveling on his horse to minister from town to town, he would get so burdened that one time he stopped to pray and the snow around him melted. Robert Murray McCheyne, a Scottish preacher, could be heard in the streets weeping for the lost. I have to confess I have never had God’s burden come on me that strong. Does that make me feel bad or even somewhat uncommitted? Yes, but I find peace when I am reminded that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. It also helps tremendously that the spirit helps me to pray. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).

Anyway, getting back to the church and the lack of Christ being seen. Have you ever had to explain to someone that such and such a person, who is connected to you in some way, really does not represent you? Contractors are often criticized for shady deals. Yet, that doesn’t mean every contractor is a cheat. Lawyers are often criticized for being crooked and many jokes made about them, yet there are attorneys who have much integrity. People are quick to make others guilty by association. So too with the church. Many true saints of God are looked upon as hypocrites just by their being associated with the church that has in many ways turned fleshy and carnal. So we must be more mindful of that and pray and work toward seeing our association with the carnal church severed. What you hear from people today is, “All the church wants is my money.” Or, “If that man I work with is a Christian, why would I ever want to go to his church?” Another sad thing that people see is the church fighting amongst themselves. How could they possibly see Christ as the center? I know a man who several decades ago was powerfully delivered from drugs. His brother had already died from an overdose and this man, who has since become a good friend of mine, was headed in the same direction. Well, after he was marvelously saved, you would think the church would be overwhelmed with God’s delivering power. Of course some were, but the church started to reject him just because he parted his hair down the middle.

The devil has been very effective at getting the church to be about other things or people instead of being about the main person who is Jesus Christ. Imagine if you would, when you take all your bad church experiences, how different they would have been if every situation was approached with this thought: THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME, THIS IS ABOUT CHRIST. That would mean that man’s ideas and agendas would be secondary, if there was any room for some of them at all. That would mean that at the expense of your hurt feelings, Christ would be exalted. I am not saying every time your feelings are hurt Christ is exalted, but there are many times He could and would be. If He is exalted when your feelings are hurt, I would hope you would open yourself up to any onslaught of criticism and rejection. After all Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11).

People don’t see the church being about Christ because those in the church don’t make it about Him. The point of this whole article is to challenge us all to be determined to see the church once again reveal Christ to everyone who will enter a fellowship of true believers. Now to see Christ, does not mean that men will not be noticed. One of the most influential men in my life was Brother B. H. Clendennen. When he visited our church, he stayed at my house, I ate with him and I can tell you he was as normal as you or me. When he preached I heard him and I saw him, yet my testimony is that when I heard him preach, I saw Christ. I was given a revelation of Christ that I never had before.

This is what the church needs in this closing hour. She needs to be able to reveal the life-giving, sin-forgiving, Son of God to all who come looking for Him. Don’t let men walk away from your meeting just seeing you and the brethren. You may be real nice people. But people need the power of God. Pray that people will walk away knowing they have been in the presence of Almighty God.

Oct 24 2017
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The Church Has A Hole In It

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“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes” (Haggai 1:6).

 

There are a lot of activities churches are engaged in these days. There are loads of programs inside the church setting and there are evangelistic and social outreaches of various kinds that go on outside the church. I am speaking for the most part about the church in America. There is also the other side where a large part of the church membership is happy to go and fulfill their little Sunday morning commitment and then go on the rest of the week with their worldly business as usual. On one hand, we have a church that is busy with doing a lot of things like the church in Ephesus who lost their first love. “And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:3-4). Then on the other hand, we have a church like the one that is seen in Samaria when the king of Assyria sent men from Babylon and other nations to go and dwell there. “And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof…. . They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence” (II Kings 17:24,33). The last verse of the chapter says, “So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day” (II Kings 17:41). So from generation to generation, we have had a church full of Babylonians who claim they fear the Lord, but they serve their graven images. People may not literally bow down to statues, but when men seek after riches and success, instead of God, then they are serving false idols. Come on saints, you know there are those who say they love God, but yet they still serve their appetites and seek acceptance in this world. They go through the religious rituals on Sunday morning and then live like the world from Sunday afternoon till church starts again next Sunday.

With much of the church in the condition that she is in, she is like a bag with a hole in it. I have lost some change because I put them in my pant pocket that had a hole in it. What if the church were to experience a great successful season of evangelism and lost sinners were coming to Christ. If the church continues to have a hole in it, those new members of the body of Christ will enter the church, but will eventually fall out of the church.

I am convinced that this is the reason the Lord has put such a strong burden on my heart for His church. That is why the focus of ministry today needs to be concerned with the spiritual health of the church first. Ministers, as well as the whole body of Christ need to once again understand the reason the church exists. To make as simple of an analogy as possible, I ask this question. If you were going berry picking, but discovered your container had a hole in it, would you not close up the hole first before you went to pick the berries? Of course you would. In the same way, don’t you think the Lord wants the church to be strong and healthy with no hole in it before He is going to put a fresh picked harvest in it?

I have a thought that I want to share with you. It is certainly not a conventional thought of our day. What if the Lord is postponing the conversion of souls until the church seals up the hole that is in her? What if the Spirit of God is keeping conviction down, in particular lost souls, until He has a church that is ready to receive them? Could it be that the Spirit is withholding His power to save souls until the timing is right? Just as you would not be so foolish as to collect berries in a container with a hole, God as well would not be so foolish as to save people only to put them in a place that they would just fall out and be lost again. Haggai says, you sow much, but bring in little. This could be the very reason much sowing is being done by the church, but little has come in. It could be the very hand of God that keeps the lost reserved for a day when His vessel, His church, is mended and ready to be filled with souls.

I suppose there are some skeptical Christians who would think that the church will never be mended. I am not one of those. I have the highest hope that God will have for Himself, in this generation and this nation, a church that will fully represent Him. A church that represents Christ and has an abundance of His presence amongst them, is a church that has no hole in it. It is a safe place. It is a place where God can send freshly saved souls to grow. A place He knows they will be discipled and perfected into real genuine men and women of God.

I have run into many so-called Christians who don’t believe in church any more. Some of them are just rebels against authority or not even really Christians. But then there are those genuine born-again believers who have been hurt by the church to such a point that they no longer attend. There are those people who were saved, but then brought into a church that has a lot of false doctrine or a lot of bickering and it eventually left them on the outside all confused. I know of a precious elderly sister in Christ who found herself, after many years of faithful church attendance, being rejected by some of the saints in her church. They would force on her some false doctrines that had come in. The church developed a hole and she fell out. She was so frustrated that she said she would never attend church again. Thank the Lord that she was not true to those words and did find a healthy church. Now she flows with such love she has become a patch to close up any hole.

When churches forget that they are called to make disciples, not just converts, then a hole is created. The main reason the church is to gather is, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). When the ministers and elders of any church understand this, then it keeps their churches from having a hole in it. It is then that they can begin to sow much and reap much.

I understand that any believer can fall away from the church, but let it not be because the church has a hole in it.

Oct 03 2017
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Is It True, That Christians Shouldn’t Judge?

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“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Corinthians 5:11-13).

 

It has been said that the most quoted scripture in the Bible is John 3:16. I dispute that and say there is another scripture that is quoted more often, not just by Christians, but by the world too. To be fair, the scripture that I am referring to is not quoted in entirety and it is paraphrased. Matthew 7:1 says, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Here is how it is most often said, “Thou shall not judge,” or “Who are you to judge?” If you would ask most people if it is alright to judge anyone, most would say no. Christians and sinners alike, are growing more resistant to the idea of anyone judging their life. I can understand non-believers hate being judged, but true followers of Christ need to understand that it is biblical to judge the body of Christ.

Many Christians have a hard time with the whole thought of judging others. One of the biggest reasons is they do not judge themselves. If believers never evaluate their walk with the Lord, then they may feel uncomfortable with judging others in the body of Christ, and rightfully so. There is nothing that makes one a hypocrite more than rebuking others for sin, when the one who is rebuking everyone is himself living a sinful life. No doubt we have way too many so called believers who live carnal lives and yet are judging and condemning other believers for their short comings. No one appreciates these kind of people speaking into their life.

Even for Christians who do live godly lives, they still may find it hard to judge the body of Christ. That is the reason for this article. Good righteous judgment is very important for the body of Christ to help keep her healthy. It is meant for the good of the individual believer and the whole of the body of Christ. Any of us can get drawn away into idolatry or some other sinful thing. It is a beautiful thing, though not comfortable at first, when a brother or sister sees a saint who is overtaken by sin and lovingly confronts them with the hope they would repent and get back to right standing with the Lord.

Before any believer should judge another they need to remember this important thing. Judging needs to start with yourself first. This is one time you can put yourself first. You need to examine your own life before you speak up to others about theirs.

 

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates” (II Corinthians 3:5)?

 

When you do examine yourself, don’t see how you stack up against man, but see how your life lines up with the word of God. Ask God what He thinks of your walk, not man. I am sure many people appreciate the medical experts teaching us different self-examination techniques we can perform on our bodies to detect unwanted growths that could lead to death. How much more, should we as believers, be thankful that we can examine our walk to see if there is something there that could lead to spiritual death. When the Holy Spirit does put His finger on something in our lives we must then confess it and forsake it. He is a loving God that is patient and always willing to forgive us by the blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

The Christian who has sinned at times and then made it right with God, will understand how a believer can fall into sin, and will be much more patient and loving in their judging a brother or sister. They won’t be doing it with a self-righteous spirit. They will do it in such a way that even the one who is being judged should recognize the love. We already read Matthew 7:1, now let’s look at the next two verses. We will see how this speaks to the thought that we can judge only after we dealt with the things in our life.

 

“For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye” (Matthew 7:2-3)?

 

Verse two tells us that when we do judge, we are opening ourselves to be judged the same way. So if you don’t want to be judged by self-righteous people, then you better not judge in self-righteousness. If you don’t want people condemning you for your sinful failures, then don’t go condemning anyone else. In verse three we learn that it is alright to judge another believer, after we get the beam out of our own eye. It is then that we can judge righteously. It is then we can judge in love. The true heart behind righteous judgment is always for the sake of the believer and the body of Christ.

There are those saints who are the most eager to judge their fellow brethren. If you are one of them, make sure your life is right, make sure your heart is pure and make sure it is righteous judgment. The heart of judging anyone must always be for restoration and the desire for the one being judged to live a life that brings glory to God. If one who claims to be a Christian and refuses to repent of a sinful life, then for the sake and spiritual health of the body, that one must be removed. This is a right judgment. In fact, God expects us to have such a love for the body that we should not allow any person, no matter how much they may be loved, to be a cancer to the body of Christ. If the Bible says, “…put away from among yourselves that wicked person,” then a judgment has to be made about that person living in sin. We are not even so supposed to eat with a brother or sister who is living a sinful life. This does not mean that we can’t eat with any Christian who sins. If that were the case, you wouldn’t be able to eat with me. I have sinned many times since I have become a believer, but the difference is that I have confessed those sins to the Lord. It is the person who refuses to repent and continues to live in open sin that the body of Christ must put out. This isn’t an easy thing to do. I have done it a few times in my church because I love Christ and His body too much to allow any individuals to spread their sin amongst the church. So to conclude; Yes judging is right, as long as it is done right.

 

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:1-3).