Spiritual Food for Women

The Untamable Tongue- Part 2

James 3:2-12

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. 

The words above come from James 3:11-12. These verses are the conclusion of James’ powerful words about the tongue. In part 1, I focused on James 3:1 which relates to how teachers should use the tongue to teach the whole truth. The pure truth of God’s Word is compared to “fresh water”. That “fresh water” becomes “bitter” when humans add to or take away from God’s Word. As teachers, we also have to live what we teach. If I am teaching others how to become a Christian, and live a Christian life, then I must practice what I preach. Just like a fig tree can’t bear olives, and a grapevine can’t bear figs, I can’t act like the world, and then turn around and try to tell others how to follow Christ. This also pertains to the “spring” that gives “both salt water and fresh”. It can’t happen. This behavior would make me a hypocrite, and I would never bear any fruit for God. In fact, I would harm God’s kingdom instead of help it grow. I would be useless to Him…..a dead branch to be tossed into the brush fire. (John 15:5-6) I could teach everything from God’s Word perfectly, but if I don’t live as an example of what I am teaching, then why would anyone listen to me? 

In James 3:2, it reads, “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” This verse refers back to verse one in that if we want to teach others or have any kind of good influence on others for the gospel, then we have to work on controlling our tongue. The verse also connects to the rest of the verses on taming the tongue. The meaning behind this verse is fairly clear. We all “stumble” or sin. We all make mistakes daily. (Romans 3:23)  If we say or even think in our minds that we don’t sin, then we are making God out to be a liar. (1 John 1:10) God cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18) The verse goes on to say that if a person does not “stumble” or sin with her words, then she is a “perfect” or completely mature Christian, and is able “to bridle the whole body”. In other words, if you can control every word that comes out of your mouth, then you can control the actions of your whole body. Wow! That is a lot of power in one tiny member! I know some ladies who are “perfect” in my mind with their words. They are wonderful examples of mature Christians. These are ladies whom I try to emulate, because I am certainly not included in the “perfect” group! However, none of these ladies of whom I am referring would ever claim to be “perfect” in their words. I don’t know that anyone would ever claim to never “stumble” in their words. If someone did claim this, would that not be considered as being arrogant? Proverbs 26:12 says this, “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Isaiah 5:21 reads, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” We know that God frowns upon arrogance. We should never think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. (Romans 12:3) James is trying to get this point across to his Christian brothers and sisters. In a round-about way, he is asking them, “are you perfect? Do you think you can do better? Are you sure you want to have this responsibility of being a teacher?” I often wonder why he brought this subject of teachers up in verse one. Were some of the members complaining about the teacher? Was someone thinking they could do a better job than the one teaching? Did the teacher make a mistake in something he taught? Quote a wrong verse? Misunderstand a passage? We will never truly know the complete context, but we know human nature. We know how some people can be unfairly critical of others’ efforts by thinking that they can do so much better. And maybe they can do better. But sincerely wanting to share the gospel in order to help grow God’s kingdom, and wanting to make oneself look better than others are two different motives on opposite ends of the spectrum. Which person would God prefer to have teaching others? Obviously, it is not wrong to volunteer to help with teaching. It is a wonderful thing….with the right motive and attitude behind it. Motives are everything my friend. I believe James could have been dealing with some of these attitudes of arrogance when he wrote this letter. 

James 3:3-4 reads, “Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.”

In these verses, James builds on the statement about the tongue controlling the whole body by comparing it to horses’ bits and ships’ rudders. The rider controls the horse’s entire body with a small bit in the horse’s mouth. The comparison of the ship’s rudder is even more elaborate. No matter how big the ship, and even with fierce winds, it is turned this way and that way by a very small part called a rudder. These comparisons are amazing! If the small bit can control the entire horse’s body, then the horse can go in the direction that the rider wants it to go. If the ship’s rudder can control the entire ship, then the captain of the ship can control which way the ship goes, and the ship will be where it should be in a timely manner. What about our tongues? Who is our “captain”? Who controls the way that we should go? We only have two choices as to who is in control of our lives, Jesus or Satan. If our tongue controls our entire body, then we will allow our “captain”…..whoever it may be, to control our entire life. We need to make Jesus the captain of our tongues. If Jesus is the captain of our tongues, then He will captain our lives as well. Our tongue is our “rudder”……our “bit”…..and we need our captain, Jesus, to guide us through the storms of life, and eventually to a home in heaven with Him. The next comparison is truly eye-opening! How serious is James about the tongue? Read James 3:6 and you will see just how serious of a problem the tongue can be! Just listen.

In James 3:5-6, it reads, “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”

Sometimes we are big talkers, aren’t we? Our tongues can get us in trouble if we don’t control it, right? We have insecurities that come out through the tongue. We have weaknesses that come out through the tongue. Our coping mechanisms can come out when we speak. We try to cover up our true feelings instead of being truthful when we need to be, or we show too much of our true feelings…..and say things that are better left unsaid. In comparison with the tongue boasting great things, it is compared to how a forest fire starts. Suppose someone hears a rumor about someone, and then proceeds to tell someone else the rumor. A rumor is something that may or may not be true. It is unverified. Maybe it is only told to one person in the beginning, but before long ten people hear the rumor, then twenty, then fifty, then one hundred…..and it just keeps spreading…..like what? Like a fire! A tiny spark can grow into a raging fire, and destroy acres and acres of forest habitat. In much the same way, a tiny rumor can grow, and ruin someone’s reputation, destroy their marriage, harm their children, and ultimately have devastating effects that can spill over into every aspect of life…..including the Lord’s church if the person is a Christian. Even if a rumor turns out to be true, should we automatically tell others about it? Absolutely not! We certainly should never be excited to talk about the downfall of another human being, whether the person is a Christian or not. Our main goal should be helping the person to get right with God. If the person is a Christian, then steps should be made to approach her, and help her to see that she needs to make things right with God. And if the person is not a member of the church…..will spreading rumors about the person……even if they are true……help win the person to Christ? Maybe we have verified proof that something we heard about a fellow Christian is the truth. As Christian sisters, our mission and motive should be to help our sister get back on track in her walk with God. Nothing else. For a non-Christian, the situation might be a chance to help the person turn to Jesus and His church for help. God works in all kinds of ways to win souls to Him. Let’s never forget Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:33-37, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” That last part is what scares me! I will give an account of what I say on the day of judgment. I will be justified or condemned by my words! It is a very serious thing as James is trying to get across in His letter. My tongue can set my life on fire, but not just my life….it can set on fire the lives of those around me…..my family, loved ones, friends, and the Lord’s church! There is no limit to the damage that can come from the tongue that is not bridled. It can even change the course of nature! One careless comment can set forth a chain reaction that can cause a domino effect in someone’s life that can have consequences that can never be repaired. And ultimately, our tongue can cause us to be lost eternally. On the flip side, our tongues can have the opposite effect. We can change the course of someone’s life in a positive way. We can share the gospel. We can build others up. We can show kindness and compassion to others. We can speak positive words that come from positive thinking. I am truly trying to work on this in my life. I know that I need to have a more positive outlook, and a more positive influence with my words on the people around me. The world has a tendency to put negativity in our heads, and then it comes out of our mouths. But we can control it…..with Jesus at the helm of our ships! 

The next two verses are where I got the title for this series. James says that the tongue is untamable! Listen to these words from James 3:7-8, “For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Humankind has been able to tame so many different types of wild animals. I think of the lion tamer at the circus who has control over the king of the jungle. As humans, we have been able to do so many wonderful things down through the ages, because God has allowed us to have so many awesome talents and abilities. Look at all the inventions that humans have come up with…..all the technology. Look at all the medical advances that humankind has come up with over the years. But I hope we all realize that every great thing that humans have ever done is only because God has allowed it. It was in the mind of God before it was in the mind of humans. However……even with all this advanced technology, the tongue still cannot be tamed by humans alone. James even says that the tongue is unruly and full of poison. It makes me think of a poisonous snake that is ready to strike some unsuspecting person who is just walking by innocently. We can be living our lives, minding our own business, and then suddenly……..someone can take our legs right out from under us in a second with their words. Do we have a choice if the Bible says the tongue cannot be tamed? Is it an impossible and hopeless task to tame our tongues? I have two words for you……but Jesus. Here is a scenario for you. “Someone made me very angry today, and I wanted to lash out. I felt like talking behind that person’s back. I felt like throwing them under the bus! Then I think to myself, but Jesus……” Jesus is the only one who can cause us to get control of this small member that can wreak so much havoc in our lives if left unchecked. How does Jesus do it? That part is up to us. We have to let Jesus have control of our lives. He has to be our captain. How do we do that? We have to first become a Christian if we are not. The way to become a Christian is at the bottom of the post. After that, we have to grow in our faith. We have to get in God’s Word, and allow His Word to change our hearts. His Word has to be ingrained in our very being. Will we be perfect at that point? No, we won’t. That is not possible. However, we will be actively trying to reach that perfection, and we will recognize when we need to renew our minds with God’s Word. (Romans 12:2)  It is football season, so here is a football analogy…..we will know when we need “to back up and punt”, and start again. We can always start again with God when we mess up. That is the beauty of having Jesus at the helm of our lives. And now…..we are coming full circle and back to how we began our post. 

James 3:9-10 leads us directly into our feature text. It reads, “With it (our tongue) we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” 

Our tongue can be erratic…..meaning, we can change what comes out of our mouths in a split second. One second we might be speaking beautiful words about our Father in heaven, and how much we love Him. But…..in the same breath, we can tear down another human being…..possibly even a fellow Christian. Human beings are made in the image of God. James is implying that if we speak unkindly about other people who are made in the image of God, we might as well be speaking unkindly about God Himself. Wow! I’ll be honest…..I have never really read these verses in this way before. This entire study has been super eye-opening for me! So…..maybe I do get upset with another person for something that they have done, but…..I need to remember that the person that I am aggravated with is made in the image of God, just as I am. And…..am I perfect? Also, I need to ask myself, is talking about the person going to help the situation? No. It won’t. It could make it much worse! So…..what do I do when I am struggling with my feelings about another person? I go to God in prayer, and ask Him to guide me as I deal with my feelings and emotions. I turn to His Word for help. I can also talk with my spouse or a trusted Christian friend if needed, not to tear the person down, but to gain some clarity and discernment in how to handle the situation. I cannot control the choices that other people make. I can only control how I react. I don’t know why others make the choices that they make. And…..I have to keep in mind that I don’t make all the right choices either. Jesus said in Matthew 7:2, that we would be judged by the same measure by which we judge others. Do I want God to judge me in the same way that I judge others? How do I want others to react to my mistakes and slips of the tongue? (Matthew 7:12) This is all directly related to our tongues. We should have patience with our fellow Christians of whom we are joint-heirs with Jesus. We should also have patience with non-Christians who don’t know the truth yet, because we were once where they are right now…..in a lost condition. Remember…..they don’t know what you know! James makes it very plain when he says that “these things ought not to be so”. I love how James uses the word “we” in these verses. He is including himself in this reprimand. 

Sisters and friends, I’m going to leave you with some verses that go right along with this subject. 

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19)

Let’s listen more, and speak less. And let’s get a handle on our temper. Pray about it.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

Let’s build others up, and encourage others. We never know the effect our words can have on another person….in a good way or a bad way. What will we choose?

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Our eternity can depend on our tongue. Let’s speak the words of life with it. 

In closing, I leave you with the verses that I started this post with…..

“Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:11-12) 

We cannot be double-tongued. I have always heard the saying, “don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth”. I am a phony Christian…..a hypocrite…..if I do this. Let’s remember that in James 1:8, it says, “….he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” This is referring back to the verses before it that portray a person who does not have the proper faith in God, but expects God to bless her life anyway. She actually doubts God, and is pulled by the world this way and that way. She may expect to go to heaven anyway, even though she has not truly trusted God, been faithful to God, or allowed God to be at the helm of her life. How does this relate to the tongue? Well….here goes! If we are double-minded, then we will certainly be double-tongued. It all starts in the mind, my friends. Let’s keep James 3:1-12 in our hearts as we go about each day. I need to read it everyday as a reminder of just how serious God takes this tiny member that can set my life and my eternity on fire. If God takes it seriously, then I should too. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day! Love you all!

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

Written With Love

Like this forest path, it can look beautiful….and it can seem right……can it not? But….in the end…..where does it lead?

Hello sisters and friends! Today I’ll begin with this verse……

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) 

 Here is a question to ponder. How many sincere-hearted people out there in the world feel like they are doing the “right things” when it comes to salvation, worship, and life in general, but in reality they are heading towards spiritual death? This question is why I titled this article, “Written With Love”. This is a haunting question to me, because I hate the thought of anyone being lost. But…..it is a reality…..that is…..it is a reality if you believe that God’s Word is absolute truth…..which I do with all my heart. And when I say, the “right things”…..this consists of a plethora of every kind of belief system you can imagine! Some don’t believe in God at all. They believe that this world is all there is, and when we die, it is over. Some believe in a “higher power”, but won’t call it God. Some believe in false gods/idols. Some believe in God, but don’t believe in being associated with a religious body. Some believe in God, but don’t believe the Bible is the infallible truth. Some believe in God, but don’t believe Christ is deity. Some believe that every type of “church” is the body of Christ, no matter who established it, when it was established, and no matter how they choose to worship Him, or what their views on salvation are…..they are all just fine. One church is just as good as another as long as Christ is in the picture. Some believe that everyone is saved automatically no matter how they live their lives. Wow….it is mindblowing and overwhelming to think about all the religious confusion in the world. There is a great amount of deception in the world regarding religion. Who is behind this deception of humankind? Well…..who was the first deceiver? Satan himself was the first deceiver in the Garden of Eden when he deceived Eve into disobeying God. He has continued to be the deceiver of humankind up until this very moment in time. Every deception that has ever been known to man has come from one entity…..Satan. He can make anything seem right. He gets in our heads and causes us to justify things that we know are wrong. Even as faithful Christians, if we don’t keep our guard up at all times, he can find a way in. He will use our weaknesses to get us to compromise just a little. His desire is to deceive us into compromising just one thing in God’s Word. And once we compromise that one seemingly small thing…..he’s got us. One compromise leads to another…..and then another……until we don’t even recognize ourselves anymore. This can happen to individuals, and it can happen to the church as a whole. This is why we have so much confusion in the religious world today. And isn’t confusion exactly what Satan wants? I’m afraid that all of these different churches worshiping all of these different ways is exactly what Satan wants. Why? The answer is simple. Satan wants “finding the truth” to be like “finding a needle in a haystack”. He wants to make it as hard as he possibly can for us to find the one true church of the Bible. And…make no mistake friends. There is only one church that is talked about in the New Testament….one original church that was established in Acts 2 on the day of pentecost. Every other church or denomination was started by someone who wanted to change the original. And why? Was the original not good enough? The original New Testament church is still here today. It is alive and well. (Romans 16:16) 

So…..according to Proverbs 14:12, something can seem right, but that does not mean that it is pleasing to God. Satan has been compared to both a “roaring lion”, and an “angel of light”. (1 Peter 5:8, 2 Corinthians 11:14) These comparisons move from one end of the spectrum to the other. Sometimes Satan shows who he truly is. It is obvious…..and we can see him as plain as day in certain situations, just like we can see that roaring lion’s sharp teeth coming at us. But sometimes….he is  disguised and can seem like an angel. He will hide behind a so-called kind of love that is simply false. Satan is behind the phrase “love is love” that the world uses so frequently, especially in the month of June. He will hide behind false teachers who only tell people what they want to hear, but don’t speak the whole truth. Satan is behind the phrase, “join the church of your choice”. Satan is behind the phrase, “just pray and ask Jesus into your heart”. These phrases are not in God’s Word, and neither is the “sinner’s prayer”. But….don’t they “seem right”? Let’s go back to Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man…”. First of all, humans have no authority to decide what “seems right”. God is the ultimate discerner of what is right. There is no “seems right” with God. If there is any gray area at all in a given situation, then that situation will have to be left for God to sort out. I cannot do what “seems right” to me. I have to find out what truly is right, and then do that. The world is full of so many religious bodies that are doing what “seems right” without actually looking into God’s Word to see what actually is right. God has given us everything we need in His Word. We have no reason to try and make it what we want it to be. 

I would like to pause right here for a moment to explain a thing or two. This post is not to pass judgment on anyone or on any other type of church. This is simply a post to explain the “why” behind the church of Christ. Everything that I say in this article, and every question that I ask is only to help the reader understand where we are coming from. It is not to downgrade anyone, call anyone out, or condemn anyone. It is only to get you to really think. The church of Christ has always been questioned about why we do what we do or not do. Why do you guys not use musical instruments? Why have you not become more modern in your worship? Why don’t you have choirs, praise teams, bands and people singing solos? Why don’t you put on plays around Christmas and Easter? Why don’t you have children’s church? Why do you take the Lord’s Supper every week? Why do you believe that you are only saved after baptism? How is it that you believe that we can fall from grace after we are saved? And I get it, friends. We are different. But…..aren’t we supposed to be different? We as a body (church) are not the popular choice. But….Jesus wasn’t popular either. Jesus said not to be surprised if the world hates us, because it hated Him first. (John 15:18) I have heard of many other churches who have spoken unkindly about the church of Christ as a whole because of who we are, what we believe, and what we practice. And I am sure that the church of Christ may have done the same thing at times, and I don’t agree with that either. There is no need for unkindness in pulpits anywhere, but there is a need for the simple truth of the gospel. If the simple truth of God’s Word, all on its own, points out the error in another church (which it will), then that is not unkindness. It is simply the truth revealed with love. Sometimes hearing the truth can hurt, and we might not want to face it. I have been there myself. But…..we have to have absolute truth from our Creator, even if it stings. And where else is absolute truth found other than in God’s Word? The Word of God is the two-edged sword that is the discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) It speaks for itself …without any unkind words about any religion offered up by a man. God’s Word will reveal if a church is teaching the truth or not. If everything a church is doing is backed up with scripture, then that is what is important, and that is what will reveal error when needed. You see…..this is how we, the members of the church (body) of Christ, believe….and we won’t compromise God’s Word for any reason. I just ask you….is this way of thinking wrong? Personally, I want others to question me about the church of Christ, because I want the opportunity to help others understand. I pray for open doors to share the gospel. Friends, the bottom line in answering all the questions that others have about the church of Christ is found in the above verse that we are studying in this article…..Proverbs 14:12. The Lord’s church does not do what “seems right” to a man. Everything that we do in regards to worship, salvation, and living the Christian life has to be backed up with God’s inspired Word or we will not do it. The way that I see it…..we can’t go wrong if we follow the Bible as closely as possible…..in love of course. Everything that we do is to be done out of love…..love for God, His Son, His Word, His church, and love for all humankind…..yes, ALL humankind. That “in love” part is crucial. We must present who we are in love, explain what we believe in love,  and show who we are “in love”. The “in love” part means everything to God. Without the “in love” part, our worship and everything we do is worthless. 1 Corinthians 16:14 plainly states, “Let all that you do be done with love.” Another important aspect of the church of Christ is that we do not “add to” or “take away from” the scriptures as it states in Revelation 22:18-20. We want to keep the New Testament church intact. We follow the pattern found in the New Testament either by command or by example. In other words….we hold our worship to God up against the worship that we read about in the New Testament, and we see if it matches. We are the New Testament church. The rest of the religious world does not understand us at all, and they get the wrong idea about us. We are seen as closed-minded. And they are right to a certain extent. We are closed-minded to anything that is not scriptural, and not authorized by God. However…..you could see us as open-minded! We are open-minded to all things scripture-based. We are open-minded to all things that are authorized by God. It is all in how you look at us. This next paragraph is an example of how we think about instrumental music in worship. Again, not to condemn, but to inform and explain our way of thinking. 

For example, instrumental music in the worship service….who decided that it “seemed right” to bring that into the worship service? Is it something that people wanted or that God wanted? I’m only asking you to think about the “why” behind it. The church of Christ sees it like this….God did not say that He wanted instruments used in the worship service anywhere in the New Testament, but….He did tell us what to do…..He said for us to sing. Please go look the following verses up to clarify. (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19, 1 Corinthians 14:15) There is no example of anything other than singing. There is no mention of instruments of music being used in the worship in the New Testament church. Let’s think about this question….why is singing not enough? If God wants us to sing, then why not just sing? Why do something that “seems right”, but that might not be pleasing to God at all? Some might be thinking, “wouldn’t God like hearing the music being played”? I can’t say whether He would or not. Personally, it is not worth it to me to take that chance. God has never changed, and He has always wanted His children to be obedient to Him first and foremost. He cares more about us being obedient to Him than anything else. God wants worship to be about Him, and not about what we are entertained by. The New Testament church was established around 33 AD. A man decided to bring an instrument into a church about 630 years later around 670 AD. The Pope at that time brought an organ into the catholic church. He did this without God’s authority. This action was met with much criticism at the time. Why follow in the footsteps of a man? Check out the references below.

“Pope Vitalian is related to have first introduced organs into some churches of western Europe, about 670;”  (The American Cyclopedia, Vol. 12)

“The organ is said to have been first employed in the church during the time of Pope Vitalian I.” [c. 666 a.d.] [New International Encyclopedia, Vol. 13, p. 446].

Can you think of a Bible character who tended to want to do what seemed right in the moment? He was impulsive and impatient. Jesus reprimanded him for this behavior more than once, but He certainly loved him. And……this man went on to preach the first gospel sermon on the day of pentecost. It is none-other-than the apostle Peter. 

Let’s begin with Matthew 16:21-23. It reads ….“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 

I truly believe that Peter meant well! Don’t you? But what did Jesus call him? He called him Satan! Wow! Peter was trying to hinder Jesus from His purpose. He was getting in Jesus’ way. But, Peter wanted to be in control of the situation. In a sense, he wanted to control Jesus at that moment. Peter was always wanting to lead, and be in control. It was his nature. And that turned out to be a good thing in the future when the church was established. Didn’t it seem right for Peter to protect Jesus? Yes, it did. But was it actually the right thing for Peter to do? Nope. Next we have the transfiguration in Matthew 17. We see Peter trying to impulsively take control of things again. 

In Matthew 17:1-5, it reads, “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 

Do you think Peter meant well? Absolutely! Did it seem right to Peter to build tabernacles to Moses, Elijah, and Jesus? Yes, the leader inside of Peter felt that he had to step up, and suggest something big! But….did God want the tabernacles? No! And I find it funny that God intervened before Peter even stopped speaking! God wanted Peter to stop, and listen to Jesus instead of coming up with his own big ideas. And one more reference to Peter doing what seemed right in his impulsivity was when Jesus was arrested in the garden. 

In John 18:10-11, it reads, “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

It seemed right for Peter to defend Jesus at that moment, but was that what Jesus wanted? Peter was an awesome servant of Jesus, but he sometimes wanted to take control, and do things without God’s authority. He was always reprimanded for that. It was his personality to lead and take control. This quality was a blessing later on when it was channeled in the right direction. We definitely need people like Peter in the Lord’s church today…..leaders and take-control types of people.  Nothing would get done without them. Peter went on to preach the first gospel sermon, help establish the church, and become an elder in the Lord’s church. He went on to write two wonderful letters for us to study and learn from today. He was eventually martyred for the cause of Christ. 

So….what is my purpose for writing this post or any of my posts for that matter? Well, friends, I know that a post like this is probably not popular among those that are not members of the church of Christ. But, out of love for souls, I have to write what is on my heart. I believe that God wants me to speak with honesty and love about spiritual things of this nature. I wasn’t always honest with myself or others in the past. I didn’t want to upset anyone or rock the boat. I would nod or agree with others even when I knew in my heart that I didn’t believe what they were saying was true…..and even though I could prove it. I am sorry for all the times that I responded in the wrong way, all the times that I didn’t speak up, and all the times that I let Jesus down. And, believe me, I don’t want to upset anyone now. That is not my intent. I just want to spur someone….. anyone…..to think outside of what they have always done. I want to encourage someone, even if it is just one person, to search for the truth. Don’t think about what your family has always done. Don’t think about what you personally enjoy. Just go to God’s Word, and let Him speak to you. If you need help in sorting it out, I can help you or find someone to help you. As always, this is written out of love for everyone who reads it. I have no other reason or motive other than love. Just remember Proverbs 14:12, my friends, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Please….I’m begging you….don’t just do what “seems right” when it comes to spiritual things. Please…..make sure that it is right, and is in line with God’s Word.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for humankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. This plan is straight from the Bible. Nothing about this plan is what “seems right”. It is straight from God’s Word.

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

The Humility of Jesus

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11

Can you imagine the humility it took for Jesus to allow Himself to come to earth in human form, and have all the physical frailties that we have? Think about it. Jesus was there when God said “Let there be light”. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one, and were all there when it all began. In Genesis 1:2, we first see the Holy Spirit make an appearance as “the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters”. In John 1:1-3 and 14 the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him (Jesus) nothing was made that was made….. 14) And the Word (Jesus) became 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.”

So….Jesus was with God from the very beginning of creation. I find it interesting that in the creation account in Genesis 1, God did not mention a plurality of beings until Genesis 1:26 where He said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”  Up until that verse, it was “God made” or “God created” or “God set”. I find it so cool that when God decided to make man, He had Jesus right there with Him. God already knew what Jesus was going to look like in His physical form, and man was patterned after that image. Of course, we know that being made in the image of God/Jesus is much more than the physical image. It is much deeper than that. It is our soul that is made in the image of God. But since God included Jesus when He said, “let us make man in our image”, it only stands to reason that God had a physical picture of Jesus in the flesh at that moment. 

And now….we turn back to the humility of Jesus. It is absolutely mind-blowing that Jesus was willing to allow Himself to become a helpless newborn baby for us. He had to go through His childhood years, His pre-teen and teen years, and His young adulthood. He grew up in much the same way that we all have. He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) If you have ever wondered if Jesus understands your struggles, your pain, your frustrations, your anger, your temptations, your emotions, your feelings….everything that we feel as human beings….just know that He does understand. He’s been there and done that my friend! He came to earth for that very purpose! He wanted us to know that we have someone who understands what we go through and can “sympathize with our weaknesses”. (Hebrews 4:15) He left the glory of heaven’s throne room for little ole me. He came for one purpose….to save me….and all of you. 

Here is some food for thought. I often wonder…..at what age did Jesus know His purpose. Did He realize His purpose when He was twelve years old when His parents found Him in the temple talking to the teachers and asking them questions? (Luke 2:46) Is that why He went to the temple? To find out more about His purpose? And after He went to the temple, the Bible says He went home, and was under subjection to His parents. (Luke 2:51) Is that when He found out that He was going to die for the sins of all humankind? I know there is no way to know for sure, but I feel like it is. Listen to what 12 year old Jesus says to His parents in Luke 2:49, after they found Him in the temple, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Wow. Yes I believe He knew at that point. We know from His question that He knew that God was His Father. The use of the phrase, “My Father’s business”,  implies that He knew He had a higher purpose. He knew exactly what God wanted Him to know at that time as a twelve year old. To what extent did He know His “father’s business”? Did He know everything at that point? I think it is a good possibility that He did. Do you ever wonder how He felt at that moment? 

Imagine yourself at twelve years old…..and you find out that you are the Savior of the world. Everyone’s salvation is on your shoulders. You find out that you were born to be a sacrifice for people who were going to kill you. When I was a kid, and I thought about this account of Jesus as a twelve-year-old, I imagined myself saying something like that to my parents in that type of situation. I imagined myself saying, “Why were you looking for me? Don’t you know where I am?” As a kid, reading this story, I sort of thought that young Jesus was being a little condescending to His parents. I remember thinking, “doesn’t He care that He worried His mother so much?”. I thought this way because as a kid I never wanted to worry my parents. I didn’t want my parents upset with me. But, now that I am older, I realize that I wasn’t thinking about how Jesus might have felt at that moment. I wasn’t thinking that this could have been the moment that He found out everything about Himself….who He was and what He would have to endure. Of course, we don’t know the rest of the conversation between Jesus and His parents. I’m sure that more was said between them. And….we know that Jesus was in submission to His parents from then on. Jesus….the Savior of the world….humbled Himself to the will of His earthly parents, even though He knew so much more about His future than they did. 

So…..because Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross”, God “highly exalted” Him, and gave “Him the name which is above every name”. (Philippians 2:8-9) To this day….no matter what happens in this world…..no matter how long this world remains….no matter who stands with Jesus……no matter who doesn’t give Him a second thought…..no matter who denies Him…..no matter who blasphemes Him…..Jesus is still exalted and He is the reason that it is the year 2024 right now…..2024 A.D…..Anno Domini…..which is Latin for “in the year of our Lord”. Every January 1st, the year changes. Why? Because our Savior was here….in the flesh all those years ago. Everything in regards to our concept of time revolves around the fact that He was here. He was born, lived on earth for around 33 years, was crucified for our sins as a sinless man, rose from the dead, ascended back into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of His Father at this very moment. He is alive! God rewarded Jesus with “a name which is above every name”, because of what He accomplished when He was on this earth. His accomplishment was conquering death for all of us…..for me personally…..and for every one of you. No one’s name in the history of the world, or the present day, or in the future, can ever come close to His name. Why? Because God wanted it this way. I know that sounds simple, but it really is that simple. And guess who else could be lifted up and exalted someday?

James 4:10 tells us in very plain language what we need to do, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” This verse tells us that we can also be rewarded someday if we wear the name Christian, and humble ourselves in God’s sight. This is a promise from God, my sisters and friends. If we humble ourselves and strive to be as much like Jesus as we can in this life, then He will exalt us in much the same way that He exalted Jesus. Remember we will be “joint heirs” with Jesus someday if we belong to Him. Listen to Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Do we truly fathom the inheritance that we will have as joint heirs with our brother, Jesus? But….we have to be willing to bend our will to God’s will to be truly humble. Jesus had to bend His will to His Father’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus didn’t want to go through the pain and agony. I picture Him possibly saying, “Father….is there any other way??” But there wasn’t. I feel like Jesus knew there wasn’t, but He needed to vent His feelings. “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) Can you imagine being in so much agony and distress that sweat is pouring out of you in the same way that blood pours out of a wound? Pouring….like you’ve had a bucket of water dumped on your head. And, it is not because you are exerting yourself physically. But….because you are praying that hard about something that you are dreading. Jesus dreaded the cross. Who wouldn’t? But He bent His will to His Father’s will for us! That is the definition of humility. Here is the question for us. Are we willing to bend our will to God’s will? Are we willing to humble ourselves in that way?

So…..because God has exalted Jesus’ name above all names, what should happen here on earth? Notice the language in these verses, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)  What “should” happen is what this says “should” happen! Every person should bow to Jesus and confess that He is Lord. This is what God wants to happen right now at this moment, but He also knows that this is not going to happen right now. But someday….it will happen! When Jesus returns the second time…..it will happen! On that day every knee will bow….and every tongue will confess…..both those who have passed before he comes again, and those who are alive and present at the time of Jesus’ second coming. Every knee will certainly bow….but sadly….for many…..it will be too late. Those who spent their lives denying Him will suddenly realize that they were wrong. Those who took their faith lightly will wish they had taken it more seriously and been faithful. Those who listened to false teachers will wish that they had studied for themselves to make their “calling and election sure”. (2 Peter 1:10) And then there will be the false teachers themselves……I can’t even imagine the agony that they will be in as they see all the people that they have led astray as they beg for their salvation. And finally, there will be those who were once faithful Christians who have left the faith. How sad. How heartbreaking! 2 Peter 2:21 says that “it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.” This is a terrifying thought to me, because it could have been me. I was found within some of the categories above in the past. If I had not changed, I could have led my husband and children down the wrong path. That terrifies me. It might even be that someone who I was a bad influence on in the past is in one of the categories above. Regret is a consequence of sin. Boy, could I go down a rabbit hole with this. But I won’t….I shouldn’t. This is one of my things that I struggle with….not forgiving myself….dredging up the past. I CAN NOT CHANGE IT. I can’t go back, I can only go forward, and do my best from here on out. I know that I am not even close to perfect, and never will be…..but I am striving. I certainly don’t want to be one who has to beg for my salvation on that day, because I didn’t humble myself to God while I had the chance. If that is the case, then all the begging in the world will not matter. It will be too late. So what do we do? 

All I can say for myself is that I need to work on my humility every single day. Here are some questions that I need to ask myself daily in order to work on being humble like Jesus. Maybe you need to ask yourself these questions as well. Can I be willing to humbly put God and His church first in my life? And humbly put others ahead myself? Am I willing to show others grace, because of the grace that God has shown to me? And treat others with compassion, kindness, and gentleness even when they don’t treat me that way? Am I willing to “be good to all” people, even the people who laugh in my face for following Jesus? (Galatians 6:10) Isn’t all this exactly what my Savior did for me? He humbly bent His will to His Father’s will. He put His Father’s will first. He put all of us ahead of Himself. He showed grace to the people who scourged Him, mocked Him, denied Him, and crucified him….ultimately killing Him. Jesus even asked His Father to forgive the people who hurt Him so badly on that day so many years ago. Could I do that if someone hurt me? I can’t say whether I could or not. Humility is hard. It is easier said than done. Why is it so hard? I believe humility is hard because we aren’t built for it. We are built to take care of self first….to put our will first. So….what does Jesus say?

Jesus calls us to deny self. He calls us to deny our natural instinct of putting ourselves first. It takes humility to do this. Listen to Jesus’ words in Luke 9:23-24, ““If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” This is what the world will never understand. The world will never understand why we deny ourselves to follow Christ. This month is set aside as PRIDE month in our country. It makes me sad that our country glorifies what God has plainly called sin. It makes me sad every June to see all of the businesses, groups, and individuals who are involved in this and support it. It goes against everything Jesus is saying in Luke 9:23-24 about denying self. The Bible is clear on its definition of sinful behavior. We can’t pick and choose which behaviors we want to acknowledge as sin. Every single one of us is tempted in some way, shape, form or fashion. Whatever it is, that is our “thing” that tempts us…..that is our cross to bear. And Jesus is asking us to symbolically carry that cross in the same way that He carried His own cross the day He was crucified for OUR sins. He then asks us to die to that sin, humble ourselves, and follow Him. We can’t follow Him while still willfully living in sin. We have to deny ourselves, and die to it. It is all or nothing, friends. But I just want to add this statement….just because I don’t support PRIDE and those lifestyles that go along with it, does not mean that I have any hatred at all in my heart for anyone. I am called a “hater”, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is only out of love for souls that I stand where I stand…..with Jesus. And I’ll take the persecution that I receive for standing with Jesus. But that persecution won’t change my love for God, His Son, His Word, His church, and ALL souls.

Humility…..do I have it? I’m a work in progress, and I have a long way to go! I am striving to be humble like Jesus….and that’s all I can do for the rest of my life…..strive. That is all any of us can do. It is not about being perfect, because we won’t be. It is about first belonging to Christ. Then, after that….it is about putting Him first while striving to be like Him for the rest of our lives.

Are you a Christian? Have you denied self, picked up your cross, died to sin, and began to follow Jesus? 

If so, are you a faithful Christian? Are you striving daily to follow Him and humble yourself the way that Jesus humbled Himself for us? Are you still denying self? 

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for mankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

Source

biblegateway.com

Today is Mothers’ Day 2024…..the day that we honor our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and special friends who have filled our lives with love and joy throughout our lives. So first, I would like to say, HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY to all mothers and mother figures who may be reading this. Many of us may have our mother from birth who then raised us. But some may have other people who serve as a mother for them. Any of the people listed above can serve as mother figures for us. We may have an aunt that we are extra close to, or a big sister who practically raised us, or a grandmother or great-grandmother who raised us when our mother could not. We may have a mother who adopted us, and raised us from birth, and is truly just as much a mother as any blood could ever make her. No matter who you consider your “mother”, let me suggest that you show her honor today, and every day of the year. Whether we still have our mothers with us, or they have passed from this life, the impact that our mothers have on our lives is second to no other human impact.

Since today is the day that is set aside in our country for us to honor all mothers , I would like to focus on what it means to honor our mothers. Well….first and foremost, we should honor our mothers for bringing us into this world. We know that God “formed our inward parts” (Psalm 139:13) in our mothers’ womb, but it is our mothers who went through all the travails of pregnancy, labor, and delivery to bring us into this world. So we should definitely honor them for that. Then, there is the love and care that our mothers have given us since birth. And by mothers, I mean the woman or women who raised us, whether that was your birth mother or not. Proverbs 31 tells a story of a virtuous woman. It tells of how hard this woman works for her family, but not only her family, but for the less fortunate people around her. She is a perfect rendition of what a wife and mother should be. And this chapter is a perfect way to honor this wife and mother. In Proverbs 31:28, Solomon says, “Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:” To me….as a mother and wife myself…..nothing could ever make me feel more honored than for my children and husband to feel this way about me. Of course, if I want them to feel this way about me, then I need to strive to be that woman in Proverbs 31. Fellow moms out there…..will we be perfect? No, we won’t. But we should all strive to be that Proverbs 31:28  mom whose children rise up in respect for her and call her blessed. But…maybe your mom has made some big mistakes that have affected your life in a negative way. Maybe your childhood was dysfunctional because of her mistakes. Can you forgive her? Can you show her grace? Maybe you have already forgiven her. Maybe you just can’t right now. Maybe you have forgiven her in your heart, but a relationship with her is simply not possible at this time. Maybe it won’t ever be possible. But guess what…you can still pray for your mom. You can still thank God for the mom who gave birth to you. But more than that, you can learn from her mistakes, and you can start a new legacy in your family by striving to be that godly mother in Proverbs 31:28 for your children. 

So……how is the best way to honor our mothers? I believe that the best way to honor our mothers is with the lives that we live. From my perspective, my mom raised me to be a Christian. She set forth that example for me every single day. I am so thankful to her for that. I want to honor her with my Christian life. I am so grateful that I still have her, and can treasure her for as long as I have her here with me. And really….all that I want from my children is for them to honor me through the lives that they live. I tried my best to raise my children to be faithful Christians, and I’m so thankful that they both are faithful Christians. Was I a perfect mother? Nope. At times I missed the mark badly. And I am so thankful to my children for showing me grace for the times that I messed up, or wasn’t the best example for them. I’m so thankful for the way each of them love and care for me every day. 

In reality, there is no perfect mother, because we are all imperfect humans. But we should all strive to be the Proverbs 31:28  mother……and to be a mother like Samuel’s mother, Hannah, who was willing to give him up, to even be able to have him at all. We all know what a special person Hannah had to be in order to keep her promise to God, and give her baby boy back to God. But she also knew that God must have had some big plans for Samuel. And boy did He ever! Samuel grew into an amazing servant for God. God knew that Hannah had the heart to do what needed to be done in order for Samuel to become the great prophet and judge that God needed him to be. (1 Samuel 1) She was a woman of integrity who put God first. As moms, isn’t that exactly what God wants us to be……women of integrity who put God first in front of our children. I hope if you are a mother that you are having a blessed day today as well as every day after today. I hope you are getting all the honor that you deserve. If you are someone who might be taking your mom for granted or neglecting her feelings, please STOP and THINK. There will be a time when you won’t have her. Everyone…..please…..honor your mom, not only today, but everyday. She is a big part of the person you are today. Love you all! 

Oh…..P.S…..There is one more way to honor your mom/mom figure! Spend time with her. Make time with her. If you can’t get to her in person, call her…..text her…..do what you can to let her know that you still need her and that you appreciate her. Everyone is busy, but she deserves your time. Remember, you mean everything to her. Oh and there is this really cool thing called facetime!! Facetime your mom!! Again, Happy Mothers’ Day! Love y’all! 

The Excuse for Today- “There are hypocrites in the church.”

Hello sisters in Christ and friends. I am going to dive into a subject that might step on some toes, including my own! Of course, I am always stepping on my own toes in all my posts. What excuses do people make for stopping going to church services/leaving the church? I have been guilty of making excuses for missing services in the past, so I’m not calling anyone out. I never completely stopped going, but there was a time when any ole reason could keep me from attending services. And that behavior is really no different in God’s eyes than not attending at all, because God wants us to be faithful, and I wasn’t. So…..there is no judgment here…..only encouragement and concern for souls. I am simply trying to use the Bible and my own experiences to help others to realize what I have come to realize……that there will be no excuse that we will be able to make when we stand before God on judgment day. 

Sooooo……”I’m not going back to church because there are hypocrites in it.” First of all, what is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right, but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs. (Britannica Dictionary) Another definition is someone who puts on a false virtue or religion. (Merriam-Webster) Maybe someone in the church personally hurt you in some way, such as gossipped about you to others. Maybe some people made you feel excluded. Cliques in the Lord’s church are detrimental to the church’s growth. They have no place in the church. I absolutely agree that these things are hypocritical, because the Bible says not to gossip, not to show partiality, and to do good to everyone. Or ….maybe you have simply witnessed people in the church being fake in their words or actions. Maybe you’ve heard them use inappropriate language out somewhere, or know of them out drinking in a restaurant or bar. Hypocritical behavior? Absolutely. But ask yourself, who are you going to answer for on judgment day? Who am I going to answer for? Am I going to answer for the one gossiping? Or the one being cliquish and snobby? Or the one using bad language? Or the one drinking in the restaurant or bar? The answer is….I am only answering for me!  I will answer for myself, and myself only on that day. Pauls tells us in Romans 14:10, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” When we judge others so harshly that we refuse to go to church services because of them, are we not being hypocrites ourselves? None of us are perfect, and leaving the church certainly doesn’t help us in that area. I submit to you that we have all been hypocrites at some point in our lives. How do I know? Because Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Can any of us say that everything we do or say is done or said in the name of the Lord? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think that any of us can say that. We can only strive for that. Romans 3:23 says that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves. Are we helping our relationship with God by not attending services? Do we think God is pleased with our excuse? Will God accept any of our excuses? Do we think we are better or holier than the hypocrites, because we are not attending church services? Is it God’s place to sort out the hypocrites or is it ours? Is the church full of perfect people trying to get to heaven or imperfect people trying to get to heaven? An honest heart will give honest answers to these questions. The first four books of the New Testament are about Christ’s life, death and resurrection from different perspectives. The book of Acts is about the establishment of the church of Christ, which is not a name by the way, it is a description. It is the church that belongs to Christ, per the word “of”. (Romans 16:16) The entire rest of the New Testament through Jude is written to either established churches of Christ or individual Christians. Christ died for His church. If we deny the church, then we deny Christ. If we were baptized into Christ, then our sins were washed away, and God added us to His church. (Acts 2:47) But….do we really think it is ok to just leave….and still have favor with God? Would we do that in any other setting, whether it be a job, a team, or a club. Would we just leave with no notice? No….because we made a commitment. I’m certain that it would take a lot for us to break that kind of earthly commitment. What if we asked the employer of a job that we just left without notice for a good referral to another place of business? Would he do that for us? Of course not! However, this is not a job or a club folks. This is our eternal soul. We made a commitment to God that we cannot go back on, friends. And being a faithful member of His church is that commitment. And remember, I’m speaking to myself here just as much as I’m speaking to anyone else. My toes are always hurting. And let’s not forget….we have obligations within that commitment. We have an obligation to build others up and help others get to heaven. (Hebrews 10:24-25)  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Can we fulfill these obligations if we stop attending services and leave the church? Can Jesus, as our mediator, give us a good referral to God on judgment day if we left His church? (Hebrews 9:15, 1 Timothy 2:5) Will Jesus stand between us and advocate for us with God in that moment? Again, an honest heart will give an honest answer. So…in closing, the church is a perfect institution made up of imperfect human beings. So…..maybe someone treats us badly, or looks down on us, or doesn’t speak to us, but……do you know what? What they think or say about us DOES NOT MATTER!! They answer for THEM! I answer for ME! You answer for YOU! And can I just say that most of the time those people who are trying to make us feel “less than”, probably feel “less than” themselves for some reason. It doesn’t make it okay for them to treat us this way. That is not what I’m saying at all. Just know that they are insecure about something or they wouldn’t be focused on others’ shortcomings so much, and they wouldn’t be making light of others’ imperfections. And it makes us angry and it hurts….doesn’t it? I know it does, because I’ve been hurt by someone else’s words before, but here is one thing that I will not do….. I will not let anyone else’s words and actions affect my salvation. Think about Jesus for a moment. He was hurt by people’s words and actions, but He didn’t let it stop Him from fulfilling the will of His Father to save us…. His people….His church. So please don’t punish your Creator by leaving His church. If you have already left…..please come back. For every one person who is looking down on you, there are probably twenty who love you, and will embrace you with open arms. The best thing you can do for yourself, and those people who hurt you is to come back to God, be restored back into His church, and rededicate your life to Him. Then smile at those people who may have hurt you, pray for them, and then let it go. We can’t control other people. We can only control our actions and reactions. Please don’t let “hypocrites” cause you to lose your soul, and keep you from your reward in heaven….I’m begging you. I’m rooting for you. 

Maybe you haven’t started your Christian walk yet. If you need help understanding how to become a Christian and be saved, please reach out. I can help you or put you in contact with someone who can help you.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for mankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

Source

biblegateway.com

Psalm 1- A Blessed Life- Part 5

Am I the tree or the chaff?

God, through the writer of this Psalm, makes an absolutely beautiful analogy of what a blessed woman’s life will be like as she follows Jesus. On the flip side, the writer also describes the life of a woman who is ungodly and does not follow Jesus. The top picture attached to this article represents the peace and tranquility of living a blessed life in Jesus. In contrast, take note of the bottom picture which represents the person who is either outside of Christ or is a Christian, but is not living faithful to Him……Need I say more? Look at the difference. 

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1:3-6)

Today, as I write, I feel like writing in the first person to make it personal for me. If you read it in this way, you can make it personal for you as well. So here goes. The Psalmist says that if I am delighting in and meditating on God’s Word (Psalm 1:2), then I am like “a tree planted by the rivers of water”. (Psalm 1:3) If I am that tree that is planted beside or close to a river, then I am going to have an unending supply of water to nourish my roots for as long as that river flows. My strong roots will grow, causing my trunk and branches to grow and become sturdy and immovable even in the worst of storms. I will be able to withstand the heat of the sun, because of the waters of the river that continuously flow into the soil around my roots keeping me hydrated. When I became a Christian, I was planted with Christ in baptism. When I came up out of the waters of baptism, I was a new person in Christ. At that point, I was a babe in Christ. In the analogy of the tree, I was a seedling at that point. As a seedling, I need the water from the river to flow into my roots so that I can grow. I also need just the right amount of sunlight. That water allows me to get the right amount of sunshine without too much heat from the sun to damage me and stunt my growth. As a Christian, God’s Word is the flowing water of the river that will nourish my roots in Christ. Like Jesus told the woman at the well, he said that he could give her “living water”. Just as a young tree cannot survive without water, a babe in Christ cannot survive without the living water that is God’s Word flowing into her heart and mind. What happens as I grow as a Christian?

What happens to the “tree that is planted by the rivers of water”? The Psalmist says that it “brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3) Eventually, because I am getting the continual water from the river, I begin to grow stronger and bear the fruit that is synonymous with the type of tree that I am. If I am an apple tree, I will produce apples. The process is the same for the new Christian. If I continue allowing God’s Word to root and ground me, I will never wither, or become barren, and I will continually bear fruit for God. The verse says that whatever I do as a Christian will prosper. Is this talking about material or worldly prosperity? No, it is talking about spiritual blessings. It is talking about God’s kingdom, the church, prospering with new growth. A Christian prospers by bearing fruit for God, and in turn, the church also prospers. So…..I will prosper as a fruit-bearer for God. As a Christian, spiritual prosperity should be more important to me than earthly prosperity. If I am a Christian, I should be involved in producing other Christians through the spreading of the gospel. Like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” Paul is saying that He was the first to introduce the gospel to Corinth by planting the seed, then Apollos came and taught them in a more in-depth way by “watering” what Paul had already planted. But they both had a hand in helping the Corinthians learn the gospel. But…..Sisters, let’s never forget who gets the increase! Who gets all the credit when we help someone learn the gospel? God does! Why? Because it is God’s message. We are only His vessels. The greatest so-called preacher in the world is nothing if he isn’t preaching the whole truth. As a Christian, if I am truly listening to God through His Word….His Living Water, then I should want to share it with others. I should want my family and friends to know about Jesus. We tend to talk about what we love most, right? Our families? Our children? Our vacation? Our favorite sports teams? Our hobbies? Where does Jesus fall into our everyday conversations? Do we love Him enough to talk about Him? Do we love others enough to talk about Him to them? 

What happens if I am a tree that is not watered properly? What if I become a Christian, but do not water my roots with the word of God? As a tree, without water, I will remain a seedling with shallow roots. Without strong, deep roots, I will be uprooted by a storm, or I will be burned up by the heat from the sun from lack of hydration. It is the same situation in my Christian life. I must have God’s Word which is the water of life. Without it, I will not grow as a Christian, and I won’t be able to withstand the storms of life that Satan throws at me. Without it, I won’t be rooted and grounded in Christ. I will be sort of like the seed that was sown on stony ground that had shallow roots. (Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21) Without God’s Word, I will grow discouraged with life. Every bad thing that happens will get me down, and eventually I’ll just give up. I’ll start to grow bitter about things that I have no control over. That bitterness will destroy me in the same way that the sun’s heat can destroy the young seedling. Without God’s Word, I am more susceptible to temptations, and easily drawn into sin. Just like the seed that is sown on thorny ground is choked out by the thorns and has no room to grow, God’s Word is choked out of my life by sin, and has no room in my heart to grow. (Matthew 13:7, 22) Without God’s Word to ground me, I will not remain in a blessed state for very long, will I? What happens to me when I am not truly grounded in God’s Word?

Then comes the flipside of the blessed person, “The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:4-5) What is chaff? According to bibleref.com, “chaff refers to the husks of grain that are tossed into the wind and blown away in the winnowing process. Just as chaff is worthless, the ungodly lifestyle is worthless in God’s sight.” If I am a woman who does not know Jesus or has fallen away from Jesus, then I am like chaff. If I am not a Christian or if I’m not a faithful Christian, I am like chaff. I am blown from one sin to the next, and one heartache to the next. I am always looking to the world for answers, but sadly, I never find them. I will forever be searching…..never finding the answers I truly need. I have no true joy. I have a void that I may try to fill with material things such as substances (alcohol and drugs), food, entertainment, a job, or man-made religious doctrines. I try to fill the void with my family, but even that doesn’t fill it. I am “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting….” (Ephesians 4:14). In this verse, Paul was warning the Christians at Ephesus, as well as us today, not to be gullible and “tossed” around in this way. This is how my life could become “like the chaff”. If I am still “like the chaff” when I pass from this life, then I won’t be able to “stand in the judgment” . (Psalm 1:4-5)  Jesus will not be able to mediate between myself and God, because I did not follow Him. I will not have a case to plead before God at that moment. There will be no defense on my part. I will be without excuse. I will be alone…without a Savior. I will have no other opportunity to follow Jesus at this point. No second chances. No do-overs. Is this scary to any of us? I have to say that writing this in the first person is super impactful for me. The thought of this actually being one of my loved ones or myself……or anyone for that matter……is terrifying. Sisters and friends, let’s make any changes that we need to make so that we are not “like the chaff”. Let’s “be even more diligent to make our calling and election sure”. (2 Peter 1:10) Whether you need to become a Christian or rededicate your life to Christ, I encourage you to not put it off. And…..let’s not let the world deceive us into thinking that God is going to tolerate willful sin on judgment day. Psalm 1:5 says that “sinners” will not stand “in the congregation of the righteous.” I can’t live a sinful lifestyle or leave sin unchecked and expect Jesus to provide intercession for me with God. I can’t stand with the righteous on judgment day if I am not counted among them. And I can’t ride the coattails of the Lord’s church into heaven by being a member in name only, if I don’t live a faithful life and have His kingdom first in my life. 

So what does all this mean in conclusion? “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1:6)  God knows His people. He knows us if we are trying to live a righteous life. He knows our hearts. He watches over us, and knows what is going on in our lives. He is with us in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrowing, in health and in suffering. We have nothing to fear in this life, because we know where we will be when we leave this life. We will be with our amazing Creator and Father for eternity. Of course, if we follow the path of the ungodly, what will happen? If we follow what men say instead of following God’s Word, what will happen? If we follow what the world thinks is right, what will happen to us? The Bible is clear….we will perish. Ask yourself, “What do I want my life here on earth to be like? Where do I want to be when this life is over?” The answers are most definitely related. We teach our kids that in order for good things to happen, we must make good and wise decisions. Have you made Jesus your choice in this life? Are you walking in His footprints? For myself, in regards to this beautiful chapter, I want to be that tree that is planted by the rivers of water. I want to bring forth fruit for God. I want my roots to run deep in God’s Word. Storms have uprooted me in the past, because of shallow roots. I wasn’t keeping myself hydrated with God’s Word. I wasn’t involved and invested in the Lord’s church the way that I needed to be. But….I changed. It started small. I simply began to open God’s Word more and pray more. Then, I began to study and dig deeper to understand God’s plan for me. I also began to get more involved in the work of the church. Finally, I was compelled to write about God’s Word. And eventually, I was encouraged to put my writing out there for others to read. But…am I finished growing? It all started with the realization that I had to be “all in” for Christ, and then I took that first step towards making that happen. It didn’t happen all at once. It is a process, and it is different for everyone. And I still have a ton of growing left to do. I will never be finished growing. I can’t ever be satisfied, and say that I am doing enough. Nothing will ever be enough. Let’s face it …in the past, I was a Christian….but I was still “like the chaff” for a long time. Why? Because I wasn’t “all in”. Sisters and friends, being a Christian is an “all in” decision. And ladies, believe me….I know that we can’t be perfect. There is no   possible way that we can. If that were possible, then Jesus wouldn’t have had to die for us. I speak for myself in particular, because I know that I make mistakes and sin on a daily basis. We all have different weaknesses….some are harder to deal with than others. However, there are things that I can say with confidence that I can strive for in this life. I can strive to be fully committed to God’s purpose for me. I can strive to be fully committed to following God’s Word without compromise in a world that compromises it continually. I can strive to be fully committed to Christ’s church when there are tens of thousands of different types of churches following different doctrines that are not found in the Bible. All of that is possible, ladies. God never asks us to do something impossible. Our Father in Heaven has never asked us to be perfect. He has only asked us to strive for perfection, and be committed to Him and His purpose for us, which is to save souls. He wants us to love Him, love others, and continually acknowledge His glory and majesty as our Creator and God. Nothing in this life will matter when we see Him face to face, and He says to us, “well done good and faithful servant…..enter into the joy of your Lord”. (Matthew 25:21)  Sisters and friends, let’s not let anything keep us from hearing this someday.  Love you all.

Have you started your “blessed” life in Christ yet? If you need help understanding how to be saved, please reach out. I can help you or put you in contact with someone who can help you.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for mankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

Source

biblegateway.com

bibleref.com