Being Independent

Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. "

Tomorrow is the 4th of July - Independence Day. It is the anniversary of the day that our wonderful country declared it's independence from the mother country over 200 years ago. Columbus had found this land and many people had come to begin settling into and developing it into a place of habitation. A place where they could enjoy the bounty of the harvest and the beauty of their new surroundings. Then, another King decided that his country should be the one to rule this new land. Many battles ensued as these new settlers fought to gain their freedom. They had chosen to leave this old country because of the religious oppression that they had to suffer and came here so that they could worship God as He led them, not as they were told. The rest is history, as they say, and you and I are blessed to live in this great nation. But, once again, the battle is raging and a former prince is trying to take away our freedoms. That prince is the devil, the prince of the power of the air. (Eph 2:2) He is polluting the Word with the new "interpretations" and "versions". He is diluting the Word with preachers who will not proclaim the unbiased truth that can set men free. Each year, we celebrate our national independence on July 4th. We celebrate, but we do not realize that we are far less free today that we ever have been. Each year, you should celebrate the day that you were saved and freed from the oppression of sin and the devil. Celebrate, but make sure that you are not becoming entangled again in that yoke of bondage to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. If you are not thankful for your freedom today, you will wish you had it tomorrow.

We Are All The Same Just Different

I Sam 16:7b "... for the Lord looketh not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

That kind of sounds like a Yogism, doesn't it. You know, that sage old philosopher Yogi Berra. But, there is so much truth in it. When we look at people, in many cases, you can readily tell their heritage - if they are Asian, Polynesian, African, etc. Even those of the same ethnic background have striking similarities, yet vast differences in culture, language and sometimes even appearance. It has always amazed me that we all have 2 eyes, a nose and 2 ears, but the slight changes in size and location on the face and head alters the look completely. We also have our own ideas, as we look at each other, as to what looks good and what doesn't. Because of these outward differences, we are prone to like some and dislike others based upon what we see on the exterior. We mentioned earlier that there are ethnic differences, but in reality we can all trace our heritage back to Noah, and then from there back to Adam. My point is this. With all of these differences and similarities there are some things that are "exactly" the same regardless of time or race. Each of us was born (created by God) with a body, a soul and a spirit. Each of us was born having inherited a sin nature from Adam and that sin nature has separated us from God. Each of us is completely incapable of reconciling that great gulf of separation on our own. But, God, who looks beyond the exterior to the heart of man and his problem, has provided a means by which "all" can be saved. It is the shed blood of Jesus Christ. For those of us who have been redeemed, it would do us well to also look beyond what we see and through the eyes of faith, just see a lost soul needing to be saved. Yes, we are very different, but also very much the same.

Woe Is Me!

Rom 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."

As a child I remember hearing a little song that described the feelings of self pity and despair. It went something like this "Everybody hates me, nobody loves me. I'm going to eat some worms. Great big fat ones, little bitty skinny ones. Oh, how they wiggle and squirm". Does it seem like sometimes the only party we ever get invited to is our own pity party? And, when we look at our situation, we do so through a very thick magnifying glass. Okay, so what brought all of this on? I am glad you asked. I just got an email some time ago from a fellow Kansas pastor that has been suffering for quite a while with back problems. He just had surgery and while they had him opened up they found a mass growing that they removed. While he was recovering from the surgery he got a call that his daughter, who is away in school, was having another one of her seizures. There is more, but I think you get the point. But, through all of this he continues to praise God for being in control of the situation and knows that the only reason that God would allow this to happen is so that they can Glory and Honor Him in it. I don't know what I would do if I were facing the same situation, but God does. And maybe that is the reason that my problems now don't seem nearly as devastating as they were before. I have no idea what may be "overwhelming" you today, but can you Glory and Honor God through it all? Otherwise, it is simply back to woe is me.

Give Yourself A Chance To Win

I Cor 9:24 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all,but only one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

I am a big sports fan, though maybe not as much now as I used to be. And, being the fan that I am, I, too, am a wonderful Monday morning quarterback. For those who may not know what that is, that is a person who picks apart the coaches decisions on Monday morning without all of the pressure of the game on his shoulders. In football, after a touchdown, you have the option to kick an extra point or go for a 2 point conversion. Sometimes, at the end of a game a coach will have to decide whether he wants to get 1 point and go into overtime to try to win, or if he puts everything on the line and attempts a most difficult 2 point conversion for the win right now. Whether they go for it and make it or play it safe, there are always going to be those who think the other was a much better choice. If the play is unsuccessful and the team loses, then the argument is "give yourself a chance to win" in overtime. As I was thinking about that over the weekend, I thought of how many Christians are faced with difficulties in life, but do not give themselves a chance to win. Rather than turn to God and His Word for advice, they try to rationalize or analyze the situation in their own mind to come up with a solution. Rather than get back into Church, so they have the support of their brothers & sisters in Christ, they allow pride to keep them away. Rather than seek the wisdom of God to make the right decisions they stumble along wondering why things just don't seem to get any better. As I recall, our God has never lost a battle or ever been defeated in any way, and yet we think we can handle the situation better than He can. My point is really very simple. When you find yourself at the end of the game, so to speak, give yourself a chance to win, by seeking the Lord. That is always going to be the best play. You will come out a winner.

But The Weatherman Said...

Matt 16:2-3 "He answered and said unto them, when it is evening ye say that it will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is foul and lowering. O, ye hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times."

How would you like to be a weatherman? I have always thought that being a meteorologist would be rather exciting. Now, I have made a distinction between being a weatherman and a meteorologist. Because the weatherman, who tells people what the weather is going to be, is also the one who gets the blame when it isn't. Let's face it, there is really only one person who knows what it is going to be like tomorrow or the next few days and that is God Himself. For everyone else, it is nothing more than an educated guess. It has amused me, since we have been here in Kansas, how that the different broadcasts can be as much as 10 degrees different in their forecasts. I've been saying that if you don't like the forecast, just change channels until you find one that you do like. Now, before we get too judgemental about these poor guys in a no win situation, let's realize that there are those who also try to predict the coming of the Lord and His soon return to gather His Church at the rapture. And, they are just as much in the dark as the meteorologists are. Jesus told the Pharisees of His day that they could look at the sky and tell what could happen, but they just couldn't tell when. We, too, can look at the evidence around us and know that something is going to have to change very soon. Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be at His return. He described those days of eating and drinking without any cause for concern about the judgement to come. Well, I think those days have arrived. As I look outside to day, the clouds are gray and we have overcast skies - it just might rain. As I look around at the world and see the ungodliness and uncaring - it just might be today. Are you ready if it rains? More importantly, are you ready if He comes again.

We Can Be So Dumb

I Cor 10:1a "Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant..."

The more I learn about this body that God has given to us, the more amazed I am. I am always just in awe of the eyes and how we can see. I just don't understand how that could work. But lately the part of the anatomy that I can't figure out is the brain. I remember a long time ago hearing that the average person only uses 10 % of brain capabilities. My first thought is why? If we can do what we do with that small amount, just think what we could do if we used more. But, I have to admit, I am now beginning to wonder if some people even use that much. As you look around and observe decisions that are being made you just have to step back and say "whoa, where did that come from"? How is it that a person can choose to use drugs or alcohol to the point of passing out, wake up with hangover that feels like a diesel truck is running over their head, and then say they had a great time the night before? Of course, they don't remember it. How can a man throw away years of happiness with the wife of his youth, for a moment of passion? Where is the logic in that. How is it that a person can face the truth that he is doomed for hell, not because of anything that he has done, but simply because he was born in sin and then refuse the only escape available to him through Jesus Christ. It just doesn't make much sense does it? Now, before you begin to say "amen, preacher, you tell them", think about some of the bonehead decisions you have made. Then thank God that He protected you from yourself and remember that we can be so dumb. But, as God's child we can make better choices in life and that is a very good thing.