Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my readers. I hope and pray that the Lord will bless your Family during this season.I look forward to bringing you more posts next year. I know that this year was a little slim with all that went on in my life. I thank you all for your comments and support.

See you all in 2010

Have we lost our voice...?

We as Christians are losing our voice. Why is that? It’s because we are not using it. 76% of Americans claim to be Christian and this nation was founded on Christian beliefs. But we are not standing up and taking charge of our country.

Now I’m not wanting a church government but I’m wanting what every American wants. The freedom to worship as I please. I think we are still guaranteed that right.. But when judges are removed from the bench and marriage counselors are sued simply because they refuse to condone same sex couples, we are losing our voice.

When the Ten Commandments are removed from a courthouse in Alabama even over the protest of many to satisfy the few, we are losing our voice.
When our schools refuse to teach anything about God or Jesus but will gladly teach same sex unions, Muslim beliefs , abortion, and evolution, we are losing our voice.

When we allow the government to spend tax dollars on abortion, supply money to groups and projects that directly undermine Christian values, we have lost our voice. In fact our current President, voted in by a majority I might add, did not want to display the nativity scene in the white house as it has been for decades. His reason, he didn’t want to offend anyone, Oh ,say maybe, Muslims ? And this man leads our Country, leading to what is my concern.

When we don’t remove ungodly politicians from office we are losing our voice. I have heard Christians tell me that they do not vote. I cover that in detail in my posting Should Christians Vote. When we do not stand up for God and godly values then we have lost our voice.

The Bible tells us that if we deny him among men, he will deny us..

Ever heard the term, the squeaky wheel gets the oil , well every minority group in America is squeaking louder than us.

I’m not preaching a Christian radical message, I’m simply pointing out that our country which was founded on sound doctrine has lost its voice. If Christians would once again stand up for Biblical principals this Country would be far better off than it is now.

No Christian is a perfect being, and God gave each of us free will to live as we choose. But when that right interferes with any group, other than Christians, there is trouble. But let a Christian be removed from office, fired, sued or humiliated, There’s joy in the streets..

My summary is this. Stand up for God and Christian beliefs. Don’t set out to harm anyone. Love everyone and show Godly love in all situation. But do not compromise Christian values to please the wheel.

Are you Ready ?

Part Two: Chruch Attendance

In part two of my series, Self Made Spirituality, I’m going to explore the sometimes controversial topic of regular church attendance. Believe me, I’ve heard all the reasons why a Christian doesn’t need to attend church regularly, I’ve even used many of these same reasons in the past. We are going look at some of these excuses and see what the Bible has to say about the topic.

I place this as part of the, Self Made Spirituality series because it is another example of how people today are making up the rules as they go along, where Christian values and Biblical principles are concerned. The Bible has strong things to say about church and church attendance. We can either choose to ignore what it says, or be obedient to it. If we make up reasons that justify our actions, thus seeming to bring us out of conviction, then we are guilty of self made spirituality.

The best place to start any discussion like this one is to see what God has said about it, through Biblical principles and examples. God has always provided a place to meet with him. The Old Testament gave us the Tabernacle in the wilderness, then the Temple and today the New Testament Church.

Hebrew 10:24-26 tells us not to forsake the coming together as believers to exhort one another.

The church and regular church attendance is important in a Christian’s life. First and foremost it is an expression of our Love for God. It amazes me how a person can say they Love God and have a relationship with Him and yet don’t attend church regularly where they can have corporate worship and strengthening. This is simply an act of obedience to God..

Second, church builds our spiritual strength. Hearing regular preaching and teaching from a Bible teaching church builds our faith and our walk with Christ. Every Christian knows what it’s like to face spiritual conflicts in their faith, this is why it is so important to be fed spiritually on a regularly basis.

Church attendance provides fellowship with other Christians. This is important because you cannot love God if you do not love fellow Christians. Plus, God gives us a promise that where two or three gather in His name there He will be also. This invites the Holy Spirit into our worship and provides for things to take place in believer’s hearts that may not have been afforded otherwise.

Don’t be fooled by the thoughts, ideas, and suggestions that Satan puts into your mind. You cannot have a good relationship with Christ if you refuse to learn, worship, and gather with other Christians. Being out of church opens your mind to Satan’s wiggling in.

Now, for those people that cannot attend church regularly due to health or logistical reasons, God knows your heart. But for those who chose not to attend church regularly so as to attend self gratifying activities, God knows your heart too, you’re putting things and activities ( the Bible calls these gods and idles) before God.

God does not say that you must be in church every time the doors are unlocked, or out of an obligation to family or the Pastor. He does however, required faithful and regular church attendance from an obedient heart.

The absence of an obedient heart is a failure in your Christian walk. I know, I’ve lived that life. Yes you can love God, yes you can have a prayer life, yes you can believe, and not attend church regularly. However, the question is, can you for very long? And at what cost to your faith and Christian walk? A good example I heard one time said this, Church attendance with other Christians is like a pile of red hot coals, remove one and set it to the side and it’s still red hot. However, after a while it starts to cool and then goes cold. But place it back into the pile and its red hot again in no time..

If you’re not attending Church regularly, take inventory of your life. Line your life up with Christian beliefs and values. You might be surprised at what other areas are not in line with the Bible. Luke warm is a bad place to be when standing before God and someday we will all stand before God…

My prayer is that God will strengthen each of us so that we will have a better understanding of His love and desire for our lives while here on earth….

Self Made Spirituality

In part one of my series; I would like to touch on self made spirituality. What do I mean by this ? It is difficult in a blog to go very far in depth on any topic, but I will try and hit the high points of what I mean ..

America was founded on the belief that Christian values and God should be on the fore front of all polices and lifestyles. Now I know that many early American churches did things in the name of God that were extreme. I’m not excusing that. However, we have gone so far the other direction in America that we have lost focus of God and what this Country was founded on. Even though the early Americans dealt with spiritual and Biblical disobedience harshly, it dealt with it, rather than excepting it or embracing it, and those violations were the rarity not the norm like it is in many cases today.

So what do I mean by this “self made spirituality”. Well it’s the idea that God and Biblical authority can be softened, altered, changed, or ignored. The New Age Movement or New Age Spirituality is a good example of what I’m talking about..

Wikipedia

New Age Movement is a movement that seeks universal truth and the attainment of the highest individual human potential. It combines aspects of cosmology, astrology, esotericism, complementary and alternative medicine, various religious practices, collectivism, nature, and environmentalism. New Age spirituality is characterized by an individual approach to spirituality, while rejecting religious doctrine and dogma.

Beyond that definition, New Age is hard to define. You won’t find any New Age churches on your local street corner. But mostly the movement in its basic form puts man as the central figure. He is viewed as divine and progressing toward godhood or “Christ Consciousness”. It believes that God is in everything and everything together makes up God, therefore as part of nature, man is a part of God.

This kind of thinking, whether as strong as the New Age Movement or just slight variations of their ideas is moving away from God.

Self made spirituality, as I noted earlier is the softening and altering of Biblical truths. The gay movement in America is a prime example. Let me sit this straight right off, I am not a gay hater. I am simply pointing out that the Bible is very clear on how God feels about homosexuality and sexual immorality. However, the Gay movement either softens or ignores what the Bible says. The idea that you were born Gay and that was the way God made you and God would not hold that against you, is self made spirituality. That line of thinking would be like saying that child sexual serial killers were just born that way so we should not judge them. Homosexuality, adultery, child molestation, alcoholism, drug addiction, and murder are all choices that a person makes for themselves.

The idea that we can live life on our terms, in any situation that violates Biblical principles, is self made spirituality. The idea that you and God have your own thing going and the “old rules of religion” don’t apply to you, is self made spirituality. The idea that God would not let “good” people go to Hell, is self made spirituality. The idea that decisions are never wrong, provided they are not wrong in that person’s own mind, is self made spirituality.

Self made spirituality is any idea or actions that moves you away from God and Biblical principles, while at the same time convinces you that it’s all right and you are still walking in a Christian walk, and along the narrow road as the Bible warns about. The biggest draw to this type of thinking is the release from personal accountability and Holy Ghost conviction.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 Warns that; For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, Do what it says.

Jesus warns in Matthew 12:33-35 that the heart is untrustworthy. Proverbs 12:20, states that there is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace. Jeremiah 17:25 tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.

My prayer is to not be led by your heart, be led by the Holy Spirit. Be led by Biblical principles and truth. Seek God and His authority in all situations. Put God first in all things and search the scriptures for understanding to spiritual questions.

Above all, if you are not currently attending a Bible believing church, find one in your area and learn what God says about righteous living, and living a life of spiritual maturity…….

Living a Life of Self Made Spirituality. Series Intro.

Many Christians are living a life of self made spirituality. Everything’s okay “if it feels right and it doesn’t hurt anybody else” . That is a very dangerous attitude to have. Many believe that they don’t have to read their Bible every day, if ever, and church attendance is “overrated” and not that important.

I have heard the excuse that going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going into a garage makes you a car. That’s true, but we don’t go to church to be a Christian, we go to church because we are a Christian. If you have a true relationship with Christ and are walking a true Christian walk, then you will want to go to church regularly.

The Bible tells us in Hebrew 10:25 not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The first church met often to teach and encourage. Christ always honored the Sabbath. If we are Christians, and thus are “Christ Like”, then we should follow the example of Christ.

Christians should put God first in all things. So many times God and church is 3rd or 4th on the list of importance. When that occurs church attendance and the things of God are such a distant priority that it gets forgotten about. For instance how many people make plans like birthday parties, family visits, etc on Sundays. Oh well, nothing else important is going on…

Why don’t Christians submit themselves totally to God. Well, I found three reasons:

1. Because they want to do their own things without conviction
2. They don’t really want to have a relationship with God
3. They really don’t have a relationship with God like they think they do

That’s called Luke Warm, and you will be rejected by God…

Why do we ask and ask God for everything and yet do not want to have a relationship with him? Why should we expect anything from him ?

And Tithes. I’m not your Pastor so I can talk about tithes. I have been on both sides of the tithing fence, and let me tell you that the tithing side is so much better. It baffles me how we expect so much from God and want so much blessing and yet we will not give to God and to further his Kingdom and support our local church that is in place to help save souls and meet the basic needs of the community.

You want to complain about the church and the pastor. You didn’t like his sermon or what he said. Well, if your not helping to pay his salary or the bills of the church then you have no voice…!

I am going to be starting a series on each of the topics that I discussed here and will go more in depth. I have a burden for the “Christians” that are just not getting it. I’m afraid that they are going to be like the man that, “ went to Hell with Heaven on his mind” .

This series is not meant to be critical. It will be from my heart and as a true burden for what God is showing me in my life and the life of those around me. I hope it touches you.

Please share my blog with others and I welcome all of your comments. I would Love to hear from some of my readers…….

A Thought

God gives us different passions so that everything he wants done in the world will get done. You should not expect everyone else to be passionate about your passion. Instead, we must listen to, and value each other's life message because nobody can say it all. Never belittle someone else's Godly passion. the Bible says, " It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good"

(Galatians 4:18 NIV)

Living Your Legacy

Have you ever stopped to consider that you are living your legacy every day. What you do today will impact your life as well as others around you for an unknown time to come. Have you ever stopped to consider what people will say about you when you’re dead? Will you be remembered as a loving father, a hard worker, a lazy dead beat, a bum, a good Christian, or a pagan? What will people say about you ?

If you don’t like what your life has become you can change it now to have a better future. God’s word tells us that we are a blessed and favored people and those blessing are available to us just for the asking.

As 2009 begins search your heart and ask yourself if you are living a good legacy. A poem written by Linda Ellis, describes my thoughts more appropriately.

How Do You Live Your Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone from beginning…to the end

He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth…
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we won, the cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think long and hard..are there things you’d like to change
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives like we’ve never done before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash might only last a while

So, when your eulogy’s being read with your life’s action to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they said about how you spent your dash.

By: Linda Ellis


From a personal testimony, I feel that I wasted a lot of my life running from God and not being the Father that I wish I had been for my boys. They are all grown up now and I can’t redo the time lost. But I am going to do everything that I can to be a better Father for the future and to rewrite my legacy. I was so devoted to my job and activities that my boys took second or third chair many times. Oh how I regret that now.

I have finally stopped running from God and he has accepted me back and has blessed me in so many ways. I am just beginning my ministry, but am looking so forward to seeing how God will use me to help rewrite my legacy as well as helping others rewrite theirs.

How do you feel about your legacy. I challenged you earlier to search your heart and ask yourself if you are living a legacy desirable to God. My wife has a saying that she signs to all her emails,

Dance like nobody’s watching , love like you’ve never been hurt , sing like nobody’s listening , live like its Heaven on earth. Mark Twain

That saying sums up my wife. She lives life to the fullest and is such a joy to be around. She is truly living out a remarkable legacy.

Like the poem refers to; when you take your last breath it won’t have mattered how much you made, the cars you drove, the house you lived in, or the title you had behind your name. All that will matter is how you lived your life where it touched others.

As 2009 gets underway please think about what you’ve just read and apply it to your life. Life is just a very small beep on eternity and how we spend that time will be judged by God.