Thursday, March 11, 2010
A title will take you places that your character will not
I’ve noticed that some people make themselves to be untouchable. They don’t mean to necessarily. Once you reach a certain level of education, wealth, and social standing in general, you sort of become untouchable. Business owners, Managers, Pastors, etc. can fall into this category. You become somewhat advanced in your field and you isolate yourself from the wisdom of the “little man”. You become uncorrectable. Now, you’ll listen to those whom are at a higher level in your field or interest or whatever… but too proud to hear the people who are the heartbeat of your organization. Pride comes before the fall. You rule, you reign. You get by with murder, so to speak, because of your social status. A title will take you places that your character will not (unk author). However, that only lasts for a moment. One day we will all answer for what we’ve done. We’re going to have to explain for a lot… a lot of things that we thought got covered up or went unnoticed or flew under the radar. You know… I think most people think that judgement will be held in a small private room with God… personally, I think that we’re going to be in front of every person that we ever encountered. Our families, our co-workers, our employees, our church members, the telemarketer, etc…. they will all be present. That should change the way that we do things during our time here… but will it change anything? It’s worth pondering.
Monday, February 22, 2010
So have I strived...
"Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand." Rom 15:20-21
Oh that we would see the harvest! Has THE GREAT COMMISSION has become the "Great Omission" to most Christians? Yes. We've missed it. We've stayed at home. The reason? Because we don't know the Word. Because we haven't spent any significant time in prayer. We will, in fact, be held responsible for what we do as well and maybe more importantly what we don't get done.
However, there is a remnant within a remnant - so to speak... an ever increasing number of believers that are catching the vision... call it Spirit vision if you will... to go into all the world... and declare the wonderful works of the Lord! Call it religion... call us radicals... whatever... we'll be on the front line of what the Spirit is doing in these last days... it is not His will that any should perish... oh that we would pray and our understandings be enlightened... oh that we would awake unto righteousness... awake out of our slumber... and walk in the spirit... that we would live and move in Him... living in the reality of His lordship... to do His will... to know Him and make Him known. It is our calling, the purpose of our presence on the earth... to declare as a body... "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord"
Oh that we would see the harvest! Has THE GREAT COMMISSION has become the "Great Omission" to most Christians? Yes. We've missed it. We've stayed at home. The reason? Because we don't know the Word. Because we haven't spent any significant time in prayer. We will, in fact, be held responsible for what we do as well and maybe more importantly what we don't get done.
However, there is a remnant within a remnant - so to speak... an ever increasing number of believers that are catching the vision... call it Spirit vision if you will... to go into all the world... and declare the wonderful works of the Lord! Call it religion... call us radicals... whatever... we'll be on the front line of what the Spirit is doing in these last days... it is not His will that any should perish... oh that we would pray and our understandings be enlightened... oh that we would awake unto righteousness... awake out of our slumber... and walk in the spirit... that we would live and move in Him... living in the reality of His lordship... to do His will... to know Him and make Him known. It is our calling, the purpose of our presence on the earth... to declare as a body... "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord"
My new, old blog.
Welcome to my new - old - blog. It has been about three years since I've posted anything - I'm guessing that Facebook kinda took the place of my blog. So, here's my first installment if you are interested.
"But ye shall receive power"
For you bible readers... that quote is taken from Acts 1:8. One of the most omitted and glossed over, skimmed past, and taken with a grain of salt statements in history. The result is, obvious... powerless, superficial, very ordinary Christians... and very ordinary, weak, powerless churches.
Notice that I didn't say, "Unsuccessful" churches or Christians. Many churches have huge sanctuaries, with hundreds and thousands of members whom all love God - and most of whom will spend eternity in heaven. Lots of Christians that live a wonderful life, raise Godly children, serve God, win people to the Kingdom, etc... We must redefine what we refer to as success. Now, it doesn't matter how big the church is... but I will say that 30,000 people can be wrong... or 30 people... it doesn't matter.
Oh, believe me - I'm not saying that I have this thing all figured out or that my church does - don't take me for a fool. But we must all realize that even though we have had some success - that too many people in America have turned from the faith... Not to mention the gazillion others that HAVE NEVER HEARD the GOSPEL and never had the chance to reject it.
Power is the problem... we've trusted in our own wit... catchy sermons, secular music translated in to something kinda Jesus-ee, programs, events, cool stuff to lure in people. Truthfully, most church growth is cross-growth. That means people just change churches. It's consumer driven. When are we going to realize how shallow that is? There is a white elephant in the room - the world sees it - but us Christians have been blind to it. If you're thinking "The ends justifies the means" then you are wrong just as I used to be wrong. It does matter how we reach the world - because the only way the fruit will remain is if we do it God's way.
1 Cor 13:2-10 THE MESSAGE
If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
"But ye shall receive power"
For you bible readers... that quote is taken from Acts 1:8. One of the most omitted and glossed over, skimmed past, and taken with a grain of salt statements in history. The result is, obvious... powerless, superficial, very ordinary Christians... and very ordinary, weak, powerless churches.
Notice that I didn't say, "Unsuccessful" churches or Christians. Many churches have huge sanctuaries, with hundreds and thousands of members whom all love God - and most of whom will spend eternity in heaven. Lots of Christians that live a wonderful life, raise Godly children, serve God, win people to the Kingdom, etc... We must redefine what we refer to as success. Now, it doesn't matter how big the church is... but I will say that 30,000 people can be wrong... or 30 people... it doesn't matter.
Oh, believe me - I'm not saying that I have this thing all figured out or that my church does - don't take me for a fool. But we must all realize that even though we have had some success - that too many people in America have turned from the faith... Not to mention the gazillion others that HAVE NEVER HEARD the GOSPEL and never had the chance to reject it.
Power is the problem... we've trusted in our own wit... catchy sermons, secular music translated in to something kinda Jesus-ee, programs, events, cool stuff to lure in people. Truthfully, most church growth is cross-growth. That means people just change churches. It's consumer driven. When are we going to realize how shallow that is? There is a white elephant in the room - the world sees it - but us Christians have been blind to it. If you're thinking "The ends justifies the means" then you are wrong just as I used to be wrong. It does matter how we reach the world - because the only way the fruit will remain is if we do it God's way.
1 Cor 13:2-10 THE MESSAGE
If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
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