Psalm 116:15
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints".
Monday, March 14, 2016
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Questions for Idolatry
If we are truly honest with ourselves, even as lovers of Jesus, we still struggle with idols of the heart and find ourselves many times worshiping something or someone other than Jesus. Every single sin we commit, is a simple act of unbelief in God. Which means that every time we sin, we sin becasue of an idol that has replaced Jesus in our heart. So we need all the help we can get to identify the idols in our hearts. Here is a list of questions I try to ask myself daily, so that I can identify idols that I am currently wrestling with and need to surrender to God.
1. What am I preoccupied with?
2. What is the first thing on my mind in the morning or the last thing in my mind at night?
3. How would I answer this question, "if only _____, then I would be happy, fulfilled, and secure"?
4. What do I want to preserve at all cost?
5. What do I want to avoid at all cost?
6. Where do I put my trust?
7. What do I fear?
8. When a certain desire is not met, do I feel frustration, anxiety resentment, bitterness, anger, or depression?
9. Is there something I desire so much that I am willing to disappoint or hurt others in order to have it?
Walking these questions through your mind daily will help in identifying the idols of the heart. So what idols do you worship beside God?
Monday, March 7, 2016
Am I really pro-life?
Most evangelical Christians consider themselves pro-life. We cry out that abortion is sinful, against the Word of God, and destroying humanity. We preach pro-life, stand at rallies, and tell our friends that abortion is wrong. We consider this to be one of the just causes God wants us, as His people, to champion for. We even say, "to be Christian is to be pro-life".
So here is the question though, are we really pro-life? To be pro-life is to be for human life, period. This means we stand for all of human life and the dignity of humanity. So to be truly pro-life means; -we stand for the unborn,
-we stand for the disabled,
-we stand for the elderly,
-we stand against human trafficking,
-we separate sin from sinner (i.e- homosexuals we see as sinners just like we are, not as dirt)
-we stand against discrimination,
-we stand against prostitution,
-we treat ever single human being with dignity and respect, and
-we stand against physical abuse of any kind.
Now that is a big list, but every single thing in that list deals with human life and God's cherishing of all human life. So to be pro-life is to be for all and every single human life. That means to really call ourselves pro-life means we had better stand for everything in that list, period. So are we still pro-life?
So here is the question though, are we really pro-life? To be pro-life is to be for human life, period. This means we stand for all of human life and the dignity of humanity. So to be truly pro-life means; -we stand for the unborn,
-we stand for the disabled,
-we stand for the elderly,
-we stand against human trafficking,
-we separate sin from sinner (i.e- homosexuals we see as sinners just like we are, not as dirt)
-we stand against discrimination,
-we stand against prostitution,
-we treat ever single human being with dignity and respect, and
-we stand against physical abuse of any kind.
Now that is a big list, but every single thing in that list deals with human life and God's cherishing of all human life. So to be pro-life is to be for all and every single human life. That means to really call ourselves pro-life means we had better stand for everything in that list, period. So are we still pro-life?
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Riches and Righteousness
So for the month of March I am reading 30 passages on the topic of money from the Bible. As I read through them I will probably write some on this blog about what the Bible teaches about money and what God's real desire is for His people when it comes to the truths about money. Many Christians have serious misunderstanding when it comes to money so, Lord willing, I want to write some as I work through the Bible to clear up some of these misunderstandings. But I wanted to begin today thinking about the connection of a person's riches and their righteousness.
There are some false doctrines out there that teach, that to be rich is to be sinful and to be poor is to be righteousness. The idea of the poverty gospel, which says that Christians can't have wealth and riches, is a false doctrine. But the prosperity gospel, which is also a false doctrine, teaches that once you become a child of God, He will bless you to the point that you will be wealthy. This false doctrine teaches then that if a Christian is poor, they must be sinful or not blessed by God. This false doctrine teaches that riches is a priority for a Christian and that to be righteous is to be rich. Both the prosperity and poverty gospels are wrong. If we would just read through the Bible we would see that our righteousness before God and His blessing has no real connection to our riches at the core.
Think for a second about all the rich men in the Bible who also loved God and He blessed them in their riches; Abraham, Jacob, Job, and Solomon. Then think about all the rich men in the Bible who were not righteousness before God and yet He still gave them wealth; Lot, Solomon, the rich young ruler. Then think about all the poor people in the Bible who were still righteousness before God and He still blessed them, just not with riches; Elijah, Jeremiah, Lazarus (from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus), and Jesus himself. Then think through all the poor people in the Bible who were not righteousness before God and their status as poor was a result of brokenness; Cain, "sluggards" from Proverbs, and the "busybodies" in 2 Thessalonians.
So the Bible gives 4 camps of riches and righteousness. This means that we, as God's children, must not say that riches is either good or bad. We must not draw a line and say that having wealth or being poor makes and shows a person to be righteousness. Our understanding of money must be much more complex and Biblical than just labeling a rich person bad and a poor person good or vice a versa. God has more to teach His children about money that a simple, and even stupid, statement about money and riches in the life of a believer. God has much more to teach his children about good debt and sinful debt. He has much to teach in the Bible about true generosity and sinful giving. And He has a lot to teach His children in how to use their financial state for His glory.
There are some false doctrines out there that teach, that to be rich is to be sinful and to be poor is to be righteousness. The idea of the poverty gospel, which says that Christians can't have wealth and riches, is a false doctrine. But the prosperity gospel, which is also a false doctrine, teaches that once you become a child of God, He will bless you to the point that you will be wealthy. This false doctrine teaches then that if a Christian is poor, they must be sinful or not blessed by God. This false doctrine teaches that riches is a priority for a Christian and that to be righteous is to be rich. Both the prosperity and poverty gospels are wrong. If we would just read through the Bible we would see that our righteousness before God and His blessing has no real connection to our riches at the core.
Think for a second about all the rich men in the Bible who also loved God and He blessed them in their riches; Abraham, Jacob, Job, and Solomon. Then think about all the rich men in the Bible who were not righteousness before God and yet He still gave them wealth; Lot, Solomon, the rich young ruler. Then think about all the poor people in the Bible who were still righteousness before God and He still blessed them, just not with riches; Elijah, Jeremiah, Lazarus (from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus), and Jesus himself. Then think through all the poor people in the Bible who were not righteousness before God and their status as poor was a result of brokenness; Cain, "sluggards" from Proverbs, and the "busybodies" in 2 Thessalonians.
So the Bible gives 4 camps of riches and righteousness. This means that we, as God's children, must not say that riches is either good or bad. We must not draw a line and say that having wealth or being poor makes and shows a person to be righteousness. Our understanding of money must be much more complex and Biblical than just labeling a rich person bad and a poor person good or vice a versa. God has more to teach His children about money that a simple, and even stupid, statement about money and riches in the life of a believer. God has much more to teach his children about good debt and sinful debt. He has much to teach in the Bible about true generosity and sinful giving. And He has a lot to teach His children in how to use their financial state for His glory.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Conversion sightings
Yesterday I wrote some on conversion and tried to define it from my simple mind. I discussed a little about the truth of a false conversion. As I was thinking and praying about this more after I wrote the blog, I began to realize there is definite ways that we can not only see in ourselves but also in others, when a conversion is true from God or false from a person. Yes, a conversion is a change in the person's entire being, but there is also some tangible, real, hard evidence, that we can see from a person who has experienced change from God or has tried, in their own pride, to duplicate this change in their own life. So here are some aspects of a person, that we can see and know for sure they have been converted by God.
#1-A person who has been converted will have, as Jonathan Edwards calls it, a gracious gratitude. The truly converted person understands grace and the grace they have been given from God. So the converted and changed person will not only rejoice in the grace of God in their life in gratitude, but they will also show this gratitude to God for His grace, by extending grace to others.
#2-The converted person delights in God's holiness. This means the person has been changed in their own attitude toward sin and becasue they now love God, they realize God is holy and in the power of the Holy Spirit, kill sin in their lives. The person understands God is sinless, and in their life, worship God for this truth and live a life in the power of the Spirit, striving for holiness themselves. This does not mean though that the converted person every stops sinning, becasue we are still sinners in need of a Savior daily. It just means the person desires to get rid of sin and strive for holiness.
#3-Humility comes from the life of a convert. A true converted person that has experienced and been changed by God, understands God's place and their place in life. The greatest command to love God and love others, flows from this person in the form of true humility. The person is very confident in who God has saved them to be. But this confidence comes through as humility and grace shown to others.
#4-The person who has been converted by God, will obey God at all cost. Radical obedience in the life of a convert is a great sign of true conversion. They now love God, so they will do whatever it takes in order to obey what God commands from His Word. The true convert puts obedience to Jesus at the top of the list and will sacrifice all, including their own desires and wants, in order to obey and do the will of the God they now love.
These are 4 tell tale signs that a person has truly been converted by God or is just faking a false conversion for their own pride or self-comfort.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Worship #4
This is my fourth post on worship. I could have 400 more post on worship becasue the topic and doctrine of right worship is that huge. Reading through the Old Testament alone I have found that worship is not only a right heart bent towards God but worship is also a lifestyle and culture that must come from the true worshiper. I was reading through some of Isaiah earlier in the week and came to understand false worship. False worship is worship that is either done towards one's self but claimed to be worship of God. And false worship is also worship done with an idolatrous and self-centered heart. The Israelite's in Isaiah's day were worshiping God but also had false idols and were self-centered people. God rejected this worship of Him becasue it was not genuine and true. It was a false or fake worship. Reading through God's rejection of this false worship made me question my worship in 3 key areas.
1) Why do I want to worship God?
As a child of the King this should be a simple answer. I want to worship God becasue He is the Savior and Creator of my soul. Yet many times I find myself wanting to praise God or be grateful because life is easy or something hard and painful is over. As a true worshiper of God and having right worship, I must praise God in the pain and be grateful to God when life is totally against me. Remembering David praised God in the middle of the pit and Saul trying to kill him is key. David praise God for who He was alone, not for the circumstances in his life. I must worship God for who God is period!
2)When should I worship God
Again this should be an easy answer as a child of the King. I must worship God 24/7. And yet there are times when I am far from worshiping God. Whether I am in the middle of a sin or wallowing in the broken circumstances, I at times never desire to worship God. True worship that God will never reject does not have an off switch. I can't go from worshiping an idol and then show up at church and want to worship God. This is the same thing that Israel did and God rejected their worship. I must worship perpetually and not turn off the switch. Repentance is one of the most important acts of worship also.
3)How do I worship God?
This question of worship to God goes right along with the last question. If I do not want to have a false worship that God rejects, I must have true worship of the heart. And if worship is 24/7, then it must not just be words or songs that flow out of my mouth. I need to worship God in many different ways and in many different forms, that all stem from the genuine heart of worship. Here is a small list that makes up a portion of a greater list of worship activities. Worship is; singing songs to God, surrendering my material/money back to God, learning from the Bible, repenting when I have sinned, making a disciple or planting a seed of the Gospel, loving my wife/husband, teaching my children about Jesus, fellowship with my faith family, and the list can go on. How I worship God can look so many different ways that the list is limitless, as long as the worship is about and for who God is alone.
1) Why do I want to worship God?
As a child of the King this should be a simple answer. I want to worship God becasue He is the Savior and Creator of my soul. Yet many times I find myself wanting to praise God or be grateful because life is easy or something hard and painful is over. As a true worshiper of God and having right worship, I must praise God in the pain and be grateful to God when life is totally against me. Remembering David praised God in the middle of the pit and Saul trying to kill him is key. David praise God for who He was alone, not for the circumstances in his life. I must worship God for who God is period!
2)When should I worship God
Again this should be an easy answer as a child of the King. I must worship God 24/7. And yet there are times when I am far from worshiping God. Whether I am in the middle of a sin or wallowing in the broken circumstances, I at times never desire to worship God. True worship that God will never reject does not have an off switch. I can't go from worshiping an idol and then show up at church and want to worship God. This is the same thing that Israel did and God rejected their worship. I must worship perpetually and not turn off the switch. Repentance is one of the most important acts of worship also.
3)How do I worship God?
This question of worship to God goes right along with the last question. If I do not want to have a false worship that God rejects, I must have true worship of the heart. And if worship is 24/7, then it must not just be words or songs that flow out of my mouth. I need to worship God in many different ways and in many different forms, that all stem from the genuine heart of worship. Here is a small list that makes up a portion of a greater list of worship activities. Worship is; singing songs to God, surrendering my material/money back to God, learning from the Bible, repenting when I have sinned, making a disciple or planting a seed of the Gospel, loving my wife/husband, teaching my children about Jesus, fellowship with my faith family, and the list can go on. How I worship God can look so many different ways that the list is limitless, as long as the worship is about and for who God is alone.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Worship #2
This month so far I have been reading in the Bible on the topic of worship. A few days ago in a previous post I talked what I was learning about worship reading through Deuteronomy. Since then I have been read passages about worship from places like 2 Chronicles, Job, and Psalms. Through these passages I have learned more about worship in that it is not an action we do, but it is a lifestyle we live. Worship is who we are. Worship is not a light switch we can turn on and off. Worship, yes is an action we can do in church or our home, but in a much deeper sense worship is an attitude and culture that we must build in ourselves to the glory of God.
First, I saw in 2 Chronicles that worship comes from the upright and glad heart. This tells us that worship is motivated by our hearts and minds. Worship comes from the dispositions of gladness and joy in us. Remember that joy and gladness is not something that is effected by our circumstances, but is an attitude that effects how we see our circumstances.
And this leads to the truth about worship found in Job. Job even worshiped God after he lost everything. Right after Job was informed about the loss of all his cattle, possessions, and family, Job gets down and worships God for who He is. Job and his worship is not effected by what happens in his life. But Job's life leads him to worship God right away. Seeing the character of Job in the rest of the book, we can imagine that Job is thanking God, is grateful for all that God is, and realizes that God is who he needs more than ever. Job is such a man of worship and his heart is bent towards the glory of God so much, that even broken circumstances in life lead him to worship God all the more.
Finally reading through some of the Psalms, specifically 15, I came to realize that God cares so much about the heart rather than the actions, becasue the heart affects the actions. This means to truly have an action of worship, like singing a hymn, one must have a heart of worship first. The heart of worship is an attitude, lifestyle, or culture that is cultivated in a person who truly desires God alone. This brought me full circle into the truth that if I want to be a true worshiper of God by giving back, praying, singing, or making disciples, then I must first have a heart and attitude of continual worship. Yes, there are times in life when I will not feel like worshiping but that is a sin on my part and something that I must repent of. If I truly love Jesus and call the Creator God, my Lord, then I must have worship perpetually flow from my attitude, heart, and lifestyle of worship. I am asking and praying now the question of, do I need an attitude and heart adjustment of worship?
First, I saw in 2 Chronicles that worship comes from the upright and glad heart. This tells us that worship is motivated by our hearts and minds. Worship comes from the dispositions of gladness and joy in us. Remember that joy and gladness is not something that is effected by our circumstances, but is an attitude that effects how we see our circumstances.
And this leads to the truth about worship found in Job. Job even worshiped God after he lost everything. Right after Job was informed about the loss of all his cattle, possessions, and family, Job gets down and worships God for who He is. Job and his worship is not effected by what happens in his life. But Job's life leads him to worship God right away. Seeing the character of Job in the rest of the book, we can imagine that Job is thanking God, is grateful for all that God is, and realizes that God is who he needs more than ever. Job is such a man of worship and his heart is bent towards the glory of God so much, that even broken circumstances in life lead him to worship God all the more.
Finally reading through some of the Psalms, specifically 15, I came to realize that God cares so much about the heart rather than the actions, becasue the heart affects the actions. This means to truly have an action of worship, like singing a hymn, one must have a heart of worship first. The heart of worship is an attitude, lifestyle, or culture that is cultivated in a person who truly desires God alone. This brought me full circle into the truth that if I want to be a true worshiper of God by giving back, praying, singing, or making disciples, then I must first have a heart and attitude of continual worship. Yes, there are times in life when I will not feel like worshiping but that is a sin on my part and something that I must repent of. If I truly love Jesus and call the Creator God, my Lord, then I must have worship perpetually flow from my attitude, heart, and lifestyle of worship. I am asking and praying now the question of, do I need an attitude and heart adjustment of worship?
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