Pressing On!

We have many things in which to be thankful for.  Just don’t forget who to thank, Our Father which art in Heaven.  Our nations leaders have always shown gratitude for what the Lord has blessed us with, I pray that our leaders today will keep that tradition going. 

     31 and 0.  If a basketball team started off a season 31-0 it would be all over the news.  If a baseball player got 31 hits in a row we would hear about it.  Well something more important than that has happened and we should hear about it.  Recently I received an update from the OneNewsNow group about the latest elections that took place and some of the voting results from that election.  The following is a clip of the article that was submitted by OneNewsNow.  It makes some very good points about what the majority of the people really think concerning gay-marriage.  Here is the article.

PORTLAND, Maine- Voters in Maine have rejected an effort by lawmakers there to impose homosexual “marriage” in that state.

Gay marriage has now lost in every single state – 31 in all – in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine – known for its liberal-minded electorate – and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign. With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, proponents of traditional marriage had 53 percent of the votes.

“The institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine and across the nation,” declared Frank Schubert, chief organizer for the winning side.            
Gay-marriage supporters held out hope that the tide would shift before conceding defeat at 2:40 a.m. in a statement that insisted they weren’t going away. “We’re in this for the long haul. For next week, and next month, and next year – until all Maine families are treated equally. Because in the end, this has always been about love and family and that will always be something worth fighting for,” said Jesse Connolly, manager of the pro-gay marriage campaign.

Five other states have legalized gay marriage – starting with Massachusetts in 2004, and followed by Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Iowa – but all did so through legislation or court rulings, not by popular vote. In contrast, constitutional amendments banning gay marriage have been approved in all 30 states where they have been on the ballot.

Romans chapter 1 is very clear about the Christian view of homosexuality.  In verse 32 it states and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give approval to those who practice them.

     I came across this story again, I remember using its illustration in a sermon of mine several years ago however, it brought to mind an interesting thought once again.  The story tells of a new owner of a Rolls Royce whose car broke down in a remote area of France.  He called the Rolls Royce dealership.  They flew a repairman in to fix his car.  The next day it was running again and he was on his way.  Months later, since he had never received a bill, he wrote to the company thanking them for being so responsive to his problems when his car broke down in France.  Rolls Royce wrote back, “We have no record of any Rolls Royce ever having mechanical problems.”  They had no record of anything ever being wrong with one of their cars.  I love that.  Not just because they have an objective of giving the appearance of perfection or stabiltiy, but because they don’t want for anyone to ever say anything unsavory about their product.   

     When God forgives you, He comes and restores that which is wrong.  His love keeps no record of wrongs.  The blood of Jesus Christ washes ALL sin away.  No record.  The Psalmist said it best, As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us, Psalm 103:12.  God forgives us not because we are perfect, but because He does not want for anyone to ever say anything unsavory about His prize possession (You and Me). 

     Have you ever talked with someone who is or has been mad at God?  It just goes to show you what kind of a people we have become when WE get made at God.  Why would we get mad at God?  When bad things happen we (and when I say we, I include myself) react all wrong.  For example, as a parent have you ever noticed that when the kids do something wrong it is usually the parents that are the ones that get all bent out of shape?  The parents scream, shout and pull their hair out and the kid sits in the corner and doesn’t move an inch.  Who should be upset the parents or the kids?  The kids are the ones that have done the wrong they should be upset and distraught but it usually is the parents that get this way.  We as a people react all wrong to situations that face us. 

     Next time you are wanting to get mad at God stop and think.  Stop and consider whom it is we should really be mad at.  Satan is the one that has brought death to mankind.  Yet we blame God when someone dies or is killed.  Satan is the father of lies and it is no wonder that he wants for us to buy the lie that it is God’s fault.  Satan took life away and gave us death.  Satan took away paradise and gave us a fleeting world.  Satan took away joy and gave us pain.  Satan took away beauty and gave us lust.  Satan took away obedience and gave us deceit.  Satan can take away heaven and give us condemnation.  Why would we blame God, Satan is who we need to be mad at.

     Get mad at Satan, stay away from sin. Love God and keep His commandments. 

     Has anyone ever talked to you about their spiritual gift(s).  I’m sure that you are aware of the gifts talked about in scripture and if not you can find them in the following passages, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, the gifts given by the Holy Spirit, Romans 12:3-8, the gifts given by God, or Ephesians 4:7-16 those gifts that Christ has given.  I have at the bottom of this article a little video that talks about ones “spiritual” gifts.  How spiritual gifts are many times misunderstood for something I like to do.  Just because you like to do something or even do something well does not necessarily mean that it is a spiritual gift.  It may in fact be a gift but that does not mean that it is spiritual for you or anyone else.

     I do want to clear up one thing before I go any farther on this subject.  Spiritual gifts are given by the Lord and cultivated in our lives by how we use them for the Lord and His glory.  Please take note to what was said there.  Given by the Lord and used to His glory.  I believe many have gifts given by the Lord and then the way they use those talents do not give Him the greatest glory possible.  Let me try to give an example. 

     Let’s say that I am blessed with the ability to wash cars.  I can get the dirt off, the bugs, the goo, I think you know what I’m talking about.  I do a good job at it.  I do it for the Lord.  Then I found out that somebody else washes cars too.  This should not upset me and yet it does, a little.  Okay it kind of bothers me a lot.  This is my gift.  I wash cars.  Who do they think they are to have the same gift that I do?  Then I stop and notice that when they wash the cars that they do the same job as I do, you know, off with the bugs, off with the dirt, off with the goo.  Yet I notice or maybe I choose not to notice that on top of all of that they use a special soap and a nice brush to really make the cars shine.  Then when they are finished washing, they dry the car and polish it.  So now as we look at the two cars, the one I washed and the one they washed, let’s notice some things.  First, both cars are clean so I did just a good as them.  Not so fast.  Both cars may be clean but do both cars shine.  Secondly, did I wash just to show them that they are no better than I am.  Or did I wash because I was wanted to get the car cleaned up.  Thirdly, Do I realize that someone else can do this better than I can, and that is not a problem, or is it?  Do I then take the time to realize that they do a greater work in this area than I do?  If that is the case, then great, let them wash the cars and from now on I will work at washing down the sidewalks.  It is a job that needs to be done and you know for now, I do it better than anyone else and most importantly I do it for the Lord. 

     Maybe this illustration has some flaws, maybe it doesn’t.  Either way I hope we all get the point.  It is better to serve the Lord than not and that goes for me and everyone else.  Sometimes we need to realize that someone else is just better than I am at a certain gift.  It is not always easy.  It doesn’t always seem fair.  But stop and think about it, when it comes to the Lord do we want what is fair to us.  Do we want the punishment we deserve?  Do we want the suffering that we should have?  No we certainly do not.  So don’t look at fairness look at faithfulness.  Be faithful to the Lord with all that you can do for Him and then do the best that you can do.  

     As I close, this is not a jab at any one individual or group, it is for everyone to think about.  Just because you have picked out “this” to be your gift doesn’t mean that it is your only gift.  Perhaps you can be of assistance to the Lord in another way, in another avenue.  There are many things that can and need to be done for the Lord.  Find one, do it and do it well.  If someone else can take that to the next level, let them, remember it is for the Lord.  Who knows maybe your gift is the ability to get others to find their gift and then you move on.  Either way to God be the glory.  

      Have you ever heard someone say that they just are not growing spiritually?  That they just feel like they are at a stand still with where they attend now.  I have.  Then I ask myself, “Why would they say that?”  This thought crosses my mind when I talk with or hear about someone that has decided to move on from our congregation.  If moving or changing congregations has really helped you then praise the Lord, so be it.  However, I have found that this is really not the truth and most of the time those involved are not really interested in discussing the truth.  They say it is because they are not being fed here and need to be somewhere that they can be fed (spiritually that is).  So then here’s my line of thinking, is it that they are not being fed or is it that they are choosing not to eat.  Big difference.   To say I am not growing or being fed, at least in their mind indicates that food is not being offered to them.  So I ask myself is this true?  It is always good to question yourself when others are questioning you.  This gives you the opportunity to perhaps fix a situation, if in fact there is a problem.  Also it allows you the chance to evaluate if what they are pointing out is true or not.  Just because someone says that “this” is not working doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work, it just might mean that they need instructed or trained to make it work.

     So I propose this question.  Is there really a spiritual famine going on today?  I have at least two answers to this, “yes” and “no”. 

     To the “yes”.  Yes there is a spiritual famine in the world today.  Amos talks about it in his book in Amos 8:11-13 it says, “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD. “People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it. “In that day the beautiful virgins And the young men will faint from thirst.  I believe we are in a time of famine right now.  The Bible is not being declared as the whole counsel of God.  The scriptures that were once sacred and once memorized are now laid to the side.  I believe that this famine has occurred because the product that God has given to us is not the product that many are distributing.  It is a weak, watered down version of God’s Word and barely even resembles what God actually said.  So yes I believe there is a famine, I believe God says that we will have these famines and I believe that unless this famine ends it will lead to the demise of many. 

     To the “no”.  No there is not a spiritual famine in the world today.  Paul talks about this not being a famine but rather a choice in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  This is not talking about a famine but rather a process of self-starvation from God’s Word (really a spiritual suicide).  Paul is just reminding us here that you can always find what you think you are looking for.  If you say I am not being fed then it takes the blame off of you.  You can move on and say it was their fault.  When in actuality the food was there, they just chose not to eat.  Not to eat on Sunday’s (Sunday school and morning assembly or even evening service), not to eat on Wednesday evenings (prayer meeting and Bible study), not to eat at any of the additional Bible studies with others from the congregation, not to eat at revivals, seminars, rallies, work days, men’s or ladies meetings, picnics or anything of the like, and then say we are not getting fed.  The truth is they have chose not to eat. 

     The food is available.  Feast on God’s Word and you will hunger and thirst for righteousness.

     Anytime I hear someone talk about the events that took place on September 11, 2001 this passage comes to mind.  Daniel 9:11 says, Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. 

     As we approach the eighth anniversary of the tragic 9-11 incident, let’s look back and see if we have learned anything as a nation.  We have still spurned the word of God, by doing things contrary to His will.  We as a nation have not gotten any better on moral issues such as homosexuality, the murder of the young or even unborn, the murder of the aged.  Not to mention ideals of theology, we are gods and I have no one to answer to for my actions.  No, I would say that we in America have not changed very much since that day. 

     I can still remember the crying, the weeping and all the chaos from that day and this is coming from someone that lives in a small Midwestern town far from New York City.  Questions being asked what could we do to prevent something like this happening again?  Well, how about taking heed to God’s warnings.  God says that He is patient, but God never says that He is a push over.  If we as a nation do not want to be revisited by the painful events from that tragic day then we have better repent.  2 Chronicles 7:14 And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  Our land needs healed and we know what must happen for it to heal, but I am fearful that we have not learned and will be struck again and again until we do learn, if ever.  Solomon says that Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people, in Proverbs 14:34. 

     So the next time we think about 9-11 and the terribleness  and the tradegy of that day and days to follow perhaps we should look to the Lord and His word and see how we should live before He sends His rod of chastening. 

     Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.  I find myself referring to this passage of scripture more and more as I grow in the Christian graces.  The more we think we are like God and Christ in reality the farther we realize we are away from their character.  I guess what I am saying is that no Christian in their right mind would say that they were matched up exactly with the thoughts or the ways of God.  In ones own study you would come to the conclusion that the more you learn and understand about God the more you come to the understanding that you are failing to achieve the very thing you are striving to attain, a godly life.  However, through the prophet here God says in fact, that NO, our thoughts and our ways are not the same as His.  We may have good thoughts.  We may have good ways.  You see, there is a big difference in being good most of the time and being God all of the time.  We may think we have got this thing called life all figured out and that is about the time it kicks you in the backside.

     God is our god because of the character He has.  What good would it be for us to have a god that thinks like we do, lives like we do, rationalizes like we do?  We would have humanism, that’s what we would have.  It would do us no good whatsoever.  Really that is what we do when we try to fit God into our mold rather than letting Him mold us as He sees fit. 

     We have Christ as our God.  Scripture says in Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  This is just a reminder to us that there is a difference between the way we are and the way our God is.  It is not a slam to us that our ways are not the same as God’s.  It really is a wake-up call to us that without a change, a conversion, a definite turn in our life we cannot be even called children of God.  So when we find passages of scripture that make us feel inadequate or convict us in our life or attitude, don’t get upset, be thankful.  Be thankful that even though we mess up as much as we do He still wants for us to strive, to try, to put forth an effort to be like Him.  Remember while we do this be sure to Praise Him for His patience.  

     Do you remember the lesson about the shepherd with one hundred sheep that Jesus talked about in Luke 15:3-7 So He told them this parable, saying,  ”What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.   ”And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’  ”I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.  I think for the most part I understand what is being taught here, however there are some things about this story that I still do not understand, if in fact what I am looking for answers to is actually in this passage. 

     The understanding I have taken from this passage is this, Christ loves all, those that leave the fold and those that stay.  He wishes for the lost to come back home and even rejoices when they do.  Not down playing at all the faithfulness of the sheep that stayed where they should have been the entire time.  

     I believe that I get it when it comes to the lost one coming home, the faithful remaining faithful, and the faithful not looking down on the returned lost one.  Here is the part I have trouble understanding, what about the sheep that when the shepherd has gone after it does not desire to come back.  Or what about the sheep that knows and understands the difference between being on the inside of the fold and not, and prefers living on the outside. 

     Perhaps I struggle with this because of the position in the Church I am in.  As an evangelist I work together with the elders in our congregation not only to promote the Gospel to the lost, but to perpetuate faithfulness among the body of obedient believers.  This is where I am torn and I have a feeling I always will be.  When a sheep steps away and knows where the fold is and knows what they are leaving and still does what they desire to do, what, if anything does one do to try to get them back?  I realize that all one can do, is all one can do. 

     You see in the parable the shepherd goes out and finds the lost one, picks it up and puts it on his shoulders and brings him back.  What if the sheep does not want to come back?  Then what?  The answer probably lies later on in Luke 15 when the father can only wait for the prodigal son to return home.  Then that brings up this discussion, isn’t there a difference between being the “Father” and a shepherd?  Why didn’t the father go after the son and bring him home?  I know I have heard it said before about Luke 15 that the sheep and the coin did not know they were lost, but the son did.  The shepherd went and gave no choice to the sheep.  The woman gave no choice to the silver.  However, rejoicing still resulted.  The father let the son go (I know the Lord does not wish to force someone to love or obey Him) and waits for his return. 

     So, I guess this is my personal dilemma, do you go after the sheep or do you wait for the son to come home?