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The Temptation To Lower Yourself

Posted on December 13, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Lord, give me a wise and understanding mind, 1 Kings 3:9 that wisdom which in all cases helps one to succeed; Ecclesiastes 10:10 that wisdom of the prudent which is to discern his way. Proverbs 14:8 This I pray, that my love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that I may discern things that differ and may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Have you ever been attacked? I don’t mean “mugged”, because I’ve never been “mugged” by a thief, but attacked physically and or emotionally. If you’re human you have been attacked. And sadly, if you’re a Christian you’ve probably been attacked by:

a. The Unbelievers around you.

b. Wolves in sheep clothing.

c. Other Christians.

d. Your own mind.

Frankly, I doubt very seriously that the devil, that old Satan, ever attacks the average Christian. He is not, after all, all powerful nor is he like God everywhere. Satan is a created being – a being of light – an Angel that stood up against God and in pride tried to be God. Though he said:

Isaiah 14:13-15 …. I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

You cannot rebel against God and win. Satan tried. He convinced a third of the angels of Heaven (Revelation 12:4,9) to follow him, but did not prevail. But he and his followers came to this earth and, once on the earth, began to teach others to do as he did.

To rebel against God.

To be evil and hateful.

To gossip, tear down, attack others.

To bring pain and suffering to the children of God and the Church of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus told those of us who follow Him …

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The Unbeliever will always attack the Christian. God calls the Christian away from the abnormal, selfish lifestyle that so many unbelievers naturally adopt. No longer are we to walk in the “works of the flesh”

Galatians 5:19-21 …. sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance — as I told you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

but we are to allow the Spirit of God to produce in us “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control” (Galatians 5:22-23). This “Fruit of the Spirit” is the Light that Christ has given us, a “Light to Lighten the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32). As many lights cling to the Christmas Tree, adding beauty and visibility to it, every Christian in this world – while on this world – is to be that kind of Light. God shines through us, through our varied characters, to be like Jesus. To be light.

This is why we are attacked.

The Unbeliever and the “Wolf in sheep clothing”, the pretender to the Christian faith, do not like the light. They will not come to Christ because, as the Scripture says,

John 3:19-20 … men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The Unbeliever and the pretend Christian do not like the light – they like sin. So they stay in sin, and justify sin, and attack while trying to draw others into sin. Like Eve, they tempt to evil but do not understand that their way is not the Way of Christ. Unlike Adam we must not lower ourselves to defy God, to enter the darkness, to strike back when the Unbeliever and the Hypocrite strike. If we are indeed Christians we have no place in the darkness, no home in the mud. The pretend Christian is clearly seen when – gossiping and backbiting – they violate the standard of love. They who do not repent of the darkness and seek the Fruit of the Spirit are pretenders, perhaps Churchmen, perhaps even teachers and preachers, well awarded for their service in the Church by unwitting followers. But if “the dog is turned to his own vomit AGAIN, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22), then that person was never born of the Spirit, saved by Grace in the first place. The Children of God act like the Father Who made them. They love. They love.

When Christians attack Christians – if they are indeed Christians – it is not long until the Father corrects the problem. If one professes Christ but produces none of the Fruit of the Spirit, their profession has no more substance than the department store Santa’s promises to the children on his lap. The genuine Christian does not long stay in darkness. God rules in their hearts, and they love. He who will not love is NOT of God. Is this not what James wrote?

1 John 4:19-21 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

We have all been tempted to lower ourselves to where the attacker is. Do not do so! I have been attacked by pastors, preachers, teachers, deacons, and prominent family members of Churches. It is a strong temptation to attack back, and sometimes I have succumbed to that temptation. Never has attacking back been a good idea. Anytime I have done so, lowering myself into the mud slingers domain, I have muddied myself. A untempered remark – a few seconds said – lingers and darkens for months and even years. Better to do as the Apostle Paul did when attacked by the hypocrite. Let God have Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:14) and Hymenaeus (1 Timothy 1:20). God can take care of the Unbeliever. God can take care of the Hypocrite. God can take care of the wayward Christian. God can take care of me! That’s what we all need to do when attacked. Don’t – like Eve – take Satan’s bait. Reject the evil. Do not wallow in the mud. You are not a pig – you are a Prince of God, a child of the King. You are not a dog, but Dominated by Love. Be the Light!

Posted in General | Tagged attacks, Christ, evil, love | Leave a comment

Unto Us A Child Is Born

Posted on December 9, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah 9:6 ^(KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Pastor Greg Laurie gave the following illustration. He said: I heard the story of a mother who was out Christmas shopping, frantically trying to get everything done. She had her small child with her, but for a moment, she lost sight of him. In sheer panic, she started retracing her steps and found him with his nose pressed against the glass of a store display, looking at a manger scene. The boy said, “Mommy, Mommy! Look! It is Jesus in the hay!” Grabbing his hand she pulled on him to lead him away. “Let’s go, we don’t have time for that.”

In the hustle and bustle of the “holiday” season we forget that the word “holiday” originally comes from the words “holy day”.

We get in such a hurry to do the secondary things – buying gifts, getting the house ready for the family to come – that we speed up the words. We blend “holy day” together into one word, “holiday”, and lose the original intention. This season may be focused on the gifts – the retailers want you to focus on the gifts – but God doesn’t want you to forget that this season commemorates a great thing. This season is all about:

Unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given.

We All Desperately Need The Lord Jesus! Every Christmas Hollywood rolls out a few movies to try and entertain as well as influence America. During the Christmas season of 2005 Hollywood rolled out Brokeback Mountain, a cowboy movie with a twist. The movie was advertised as “The story of a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys and their lives over the years”. I find it interesting that John Wayne, probably one of the greatest actors to ever portray cowboys, never won a single Oscar …. but Brokeback Mountain won three Oscars portraying a sexually sinful lifestyle. What is Hollywood releasing this year? A movie called Delivery Man. This movie is being advertised with “What would you do if you suddenly found out you were the father of 533 children?” The lead character is a man who made hundreds of “donations” to a fertility clinic to make some money. The clinic makes an error, and now there are 533 children running around because of his “donation”. The movie is supposed to be a comedy though, frankly, I don’t see anything funny about it. The Bible considers adultery to be a sin …. and to father 533 children even through so called “medical donations” does not minimize the impact of that sin. Without Christ America is going to hell in a handbasket!

We Are All That US That The Child Was Born For. We Are All That US The Son Was Given To. Each and every one of us desperately need what God is offering us. We desperately need that Child Who is born. We desperately need that Son Who is given. The Bible says:

Romans 3:23 ^(KJV)For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God …

Unto us the Child was born. Christ came to save us from our sins. The SON was not born – the CHILD was born. The SON is eternal, everlasting, without beginning or end. The SON is the SON OF GOD. The Angel said to Mary:

Luke 1:35^(KJV) ….. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Jesus Christ was, is, and will always be the Son of God. He is the Eternal and Great I AM. The Bible says of Jesus that:

Hebrews 2:14-17 ^(KJV) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

The Son was GIVEN, not BORN. The Child was BORN, not Given.

God the Father sent His Son to this earth to take on Himself the seed of Abraham. He was made like unto us.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Unto us. God didn’t leave anyone out. We are all sinners. We are all the US that Christ came for! He didn’t give just a few of us this Child.

Man’s love is limiting and limited, but God’s love is limitless! We are all flawed, all sinners, creatures who will die and who do deserve it. Yet God shouted “NO”! His shout cried out through Isaiah, and echoes throughout human history as only the Voice of God can do. Unto US a Child is born.

Galatians 1:4 WHO GAVE HIMSELF for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Jesus Christ did not come to this earth to save the world. He came to deliver us, deliver a people from this present evil world. The devil wants you to miss this point, to think that you are all right. But God’s love reaches out through space and time to tell us that ….

2 Corinthians 5:14 ^(KJV) …. the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if ONE DIED FOR ALL, then were all dead:

All are dead. All are sinners. Christ died for all.

There Is No Other Savior And Lord But Jesus Christ!This is not a popular message in this day of overwhelming tolerance, but it is what the Bible teaches. Look at our focal text once more:

A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas, and she was showing it off to all her friends. His friend whispered to him, “I thought your wife wanted one of those four wheel drive vehicles”. He whispered back, “She did. But where in the world can you find a fake Jeep?”

There are a lot of fake things out there that you can give as presents. There’s fake perfumes, fake jewelry, fake designer purses and shoes, fake things of all type. There’s a lot of fake Messiah’s out there, a lot of fake Christs. Jesus warned …

Matthew 24:24 ^(KJV) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

The Bible tells us that there is but ONE Christ, ONE Messiah.

As I remarked before, God did not leave out the article “a”. Unto US A Child is born. A Son is given. God has only done this great thing once and for all, and that was when He gave us Jesus.

The early Church understood this, for Peter boldly preached:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

But before Christ ever died on that Cross, before He was born of the virgin called Mary, the Angel told Joseph, Mary’s intended husband:

Matthew 1:20-21 … Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth A SON, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

It may surprise you to know that Mary brought forth several sons after Christ was born, sons that were Joseph’s children. If you don’t believe me look up Matthew 12:46-47; Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:2-3; John 2:12; Acts 1:14; and 1 Corinthians 9:4-5. Mary was a virgin only when Christ was born, but went on to bear children normally through her husband Joseph. Mary had several sons, and one of these sons James wrote the Book of James in our Bible.

Of all the sons Mary bore, only the Son Jesus is the Messiah. Only Jesus shall save His people – HIS people – the people who believe in Him – from their sins.

Unto us A Child is born. This Child that was conceived in Mary is of God the Holy Ghost. This Son Who is given shall save HIS people from their sins.

We All Desperately Need The Lord Jesus To Govern Our Lives! Once more we read …

Every government that recognizes Christ as Lord stands the test of time, but every government that rejects Christ in time collapses under its own poor decisions.

The Child was born to make payment for our sins.

The Son was given to rule over our hearts.

Where Christ Has Singular Rule, His People Are Blessed. We read again:

Let’s close by focusing on the phrase “His Name”. When we speak of a person’s “Name” we’re taking about what their parents named them. That’s not what this text is speaking to. When people lived under Kings they were governed “in the name of the King”. If you did something wrong a law enforcement official would say “Stop in the Name of the King”. The NAME refers to being under the authority of someone who rightly rules.

Christ rules His people in four ways.

Under Christ’s Rule We Have A Wonderful Counselor. Where the text says “Wonderful, Counselor”, the King James incorrectly adds a comma. Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. He gives us correct advice and perfect guidance. He comforts us when we are tried by His precious Word.

Sometimes bad things happen in our lives, but Christ tells us that God is still in control. Phillis Wheatley was the first black American and first Slave to publish a book of poems in the United States. Being forcibly taken from your homeland would be seen as a terrible thing. Yet Phillis wrote:

‘Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand,

That there’s a God, that there’s a Savior too:

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

“Their color is a diabolic die.”

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.”

Christ is the Wonderful Counselor, leading His people from all lands to join the Family of God. Too many people today listen to the bad counsel of the world, and die in their sins. I will always get wonderful counsel from Christ my Lord! He never gives bad advice. His Word is always just the right word. He is the Living Word pointing us to His Written Word … the Word of Life.

Under Christ’s Rule I Have Access To All The Resources Of The Mighty God. He doesn’t just listen to our needs, but He is able to respond and meet our every need. The Bible says …

Psalms 40:4 …. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust

A young boy was traveling with his father on a train. The child asked his father “If there is a mighty and loving God Who cares for us all, why is there so much evil in the world?” The train came to a station and stopped. The father reached into the overhead compartment and pulled down a heavy suitcase. He handed it to the child, saying “Will you carry this off the train for me?” The child tried to pick it up, but just couldn’t, and neither could he drag it. Finally in desperation and nearly crying the child said, “It’s too heavy. Please, father, won’t you carry it?” The father said, “Yes, son, I’ll be glad to carry that burden. I’d be a poor father if I made you carry such a load. In the same way, our God does not expect us to carry loads too heavy for us. He is God. He gave us His Son, and to us His Child was born. We need to trust in Him, letting Him be God … and us His children!”

As our Wonderful Counselor we share our hearts with Him, but as our Mighty God we trust Him to meet our needs, to save us, to be our Hero. Christ is a Hero to His people.

Under Christ’s Rule I Enter The Family Of The Everlasting Father. Philip told Jesus one day

John 14:8-10 ^(KJV) …. Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Under Christ’s Rule I Have The Greatest Of Peace. Jesus Christ is our Prince of Peace. You will never have Peace with God – nor even within yourselves – until you willingly follow the Savior.

Romans 5:1 ^(KJV)Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

He is Lord! We obey Him, follow His Word. He is Lord!

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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Corrupt Communication

Posted on December 3, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

I was visiting with an older couple just last week when the subject of death and Heaven came up. I shared with them that my son Stephen passed away in 1998, but that I believed he was with the Lord because he professed Christ as his Savior two years prior to his death. They asked how my son passed away. I replied that it was a gun accident. Without a pause I was asked:

“Do you really think your son went to Heaven?”

Well yes, I do. An accident with a gun does not void the work of Christ. But even deeper than this is another question that is on my heart. This same couple expressed upset over something that someone else said to them just a few days before. Yet without a thought they felt it was appropriate to imply my son is in hell. This is not the first time I’ve seen this. While pastoring in Lexington Tennessee I had to bury a man who – distraught – committed suicide. While standing at the casket with his dear wife a member of our Church came up and asked “Do you think he’s in Heaven or hell?” What a stupid question to ask at a stupid time! I’m sure there are many who will read this post and say “Well, suicide is self murder. You can’t ask forgiveness for self murder, so of course you go to hell if you do this.” Really? Where do you see this in Scripture. Let’s put this in perspective – are any of us pure and perfect anytime? If you stepped off a curb out into the pathway of a passing bus are you sure that you will meet your Maker perfectly clean? Are you still carrying a grudge against someone for something that happened years ago? If you die tonight doesn’t that count as a sin?

The truth is, none of us are lilly white – that’s why we desperately need Christ. If you reply “No No … I’m pure and perfect all the time” then you are guilty of the greatest of sins, the sin of self righteousness. God said of the self righteous:

Isaiah 65:2-5 (KJV) I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

It was the self righteous Pharisees and Sadducees that turned Jesus over to crucifixion. Listen Beloved – “the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”. Salvation is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) not of works (Titus 3:5) lest anyone think they have any reason to boast. If you think you are going to Heaven when you die because you’re a “good person” you are sadly mistaken. You will go to Heaven – if you go – because you have “believed on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31) and are saved.

Does this mean that Christians shouldn’t worry about morality? No, not at all. God says to the Christian:

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We are to turn away from the idolatrous things of this world. The “unclean thing” in the context of this verse refers to binding to the unbeliever and their ways. We should as Christians shun idols. We should not walk in darkness. But we still are not perfect – none of us are – though Christ is.

Before you were saved you followed the ways of this world. Your tongue was worldly, your hands and feet were worldly. Now that you are saved you are called to sonship. You are not called to share GOSSIP but to share the GOSPEL. GOSSIP is perverted, the GOSPEL is pure. You should not tear down with your lips, but exhort and lift up. You should not revile, but lead others to repentance. I daresay the reason the Church has had little impact on America in recent years because of unclean use of the tongue. Are you saved by faith in Christ? Are you born again by the Spirit of God? Then heed the Apostle, who wrote:

Ephesians 4:25-32 (KJV) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Reread that last line one more time. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you”. Those are great words to live by. Let’s all strive to this standard.

Posted in General | Tagged Christ, Christian, Divisions, Tongue | Leave a comment

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”- RF

Posted on December 3, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Wonderful post … I really enjoyed this.

A thought every now and then

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” I’m a quote guy. You can’t be a quote guy without having one from Robert Frost. This is the ending to Frost’s famous poem, “The Road not Taken.” I have chosen this as the beginning of my blog series which will explore 5 of the most famous quotes from different areas of society. This quote today, I take as being often misrepresented, as if Frost was celebrating an individualistic path he took in life which he cherished in hindsight. I take it that this is a reflection on a mistake he made in choosing a certain path, which has led him to regret. If this is so, then his words mirror those of other artists, actors, singers, etc. who live a life of intriguing notoriety, yet come to a…

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Kids react to abortion

Posted on November 25, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

A Fantastic Blog! I love it when hypocrisy is exposed.

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We Don’t Have to Worry About Money Any More!

Posted on November 21, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Great post! I love it.

Isaiah 43:1

(Originally Published 9/13/13)

My husband is searching for a job. I was praying about this yesterday because I have a mix of emotions on the subject. One sentence that popped into my prayer (more than once, sadly) was, “Lord, I just don’t want to worry about money anymore.” Every time I said it, I cringed at myself and heard God reply, quite clearly, “Then don’t.”

I seem to think the only way I can have peace of mind in this area, is if we are receiving a hefty income. And after all, as Christians we are called to be wise stewards of our money, so finances are a legitimate concern, right? If I were to stop worrying about money, that would be irresponsible, wouldn’t it?

No, because worry is a sin. I am supposed to trust God with everything. I’m supposed to believe that He can handle the responsibility. God…

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The Church Is The Lord’s

Posted on November 14, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

How much better would life be if Christians instead of finding fault found a solution and offered an encouragement? How much better if people stopped crying about “The Church” and instead acted like a part of the Body, lifting up and encouraging the parts that lacked? There are a number of books on the market today, books written by supposed Christians that were supposedly hurt by other supposed Christians. Let’s back up for a minute …. whoever told you the Church was supposed to be perfect? Whoever said that these authors who are making bundles of cash on the sale of their books weren’t part of the problem. Where do authors like Philip Yancey get off writing books like The Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive The Church? Are you kidding me?

I had a man call me today who is ashamed of what he’s done, a sin he committed, and he wants to come to Church. He told me “I don’t know how I can lift my head up and come to Church. I’ll be so embarrassed.” I told him, “Brother, Church is not a place where good people gather so they can work their way to Heaven. Church is a place where sinners who know they are sinners gather to worship the Jesus Who saved them”. Church is where bad people come, admit their badness, and follow Jesus. You are welcome here, Brother, because you are no more a sinner than I am. We’re all hell bound without Jesus.

I’m so tired of having self righteous people like Mahatma Gandhi thrown in my face. Yancey in his book wrote:

Gandhi and Reverend Andrews, a Presbyterian missionary, were walking together in South Africa. “The two suddenly find their way blocked by young thugs. Reverend Andrews takes one look at the menacing gangsters and decides to run for it. Gandhi stops him. ‘Doesn’t the New Testament say if an enemy strikes you on the right cheek you should offer him the left?’ Andrews mumbles that he thought the phrase was used metaphorically. ‘I’m not so sure,’ Gandhi replies. ‘I suspect he meant you must show courage – be willing to take a blow, several blows, to show you will not strike back nor will you be turned aside. And when you do that it calls on something in human nature, something that makes his hatred decrease and his respect increase. I think Christ grasped that and I have seen it work.’”

Gandhi was not a Christian. He is acknowledged as the Father of India, a nation that will kill a Christian as quick as a chicken will hit a kernel of corn. Gandhi was a humanist. He said “You must not lose faith in humanity. If a few drops of the ocean are dirty you do not call the ocean dirty.” God said “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Gandhi believed Jesus Christ was a Great Teacher but nothing more. He rejected Christianity and Christ as the Savior of the world. Gandhi said “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” That’s true. Christians fail, but God never fails. Though Ghandi espoused nonviolence he said “It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.” He stated “I am a Hindu first and nationalist after”. He rejected the statement of Christ in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto God but by Me”. To Gandhi there were many paths to God. He rejected Christ’s words:

John 3:16-18 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The Church is God’s method to reach a lost and dying world. Jesus said that the Church was “My Church, and I am building it” (Matthew 16:18). The Bible says that the Holy Spirit places members in the Church as it pleases God (1 Corinthians 12:11-13). The Church is the Bride of Christ, and the conscience of the nation. Is it flawed? Yes, it is. Is it divided? Yes, it is. Has God lost control of His Church? No, He hasn’t. God is in control (Romans 8:28), and works all things according to the council of His will (Ephesians 1:11). Each local Church – flawed as it is – is placed where it is to reach – not compromise with but REACH – a lost and dying community. God’s method is the local Church.

To the Phillip Yanceys of the world I say “Put on some big boy pants and quit crying about someone who hurt you in Church”. People hurt people. It happens. I learned a long time ago that sheep bite the shepherd and one another. There is no where you can go where you won’t find someone who disagrees with you. Driving down the road someone will cut you off in traffic, blow their horns at you, shout at you. I inadvertently cut someone off in traffic the other day and as they drove by they rolled down their window, flipped me “the bird” and shouted “Thanks a lot, b_____!” That hurt my feelings so much I pulled over to the side of the road and swore I’d never drive again – NOT! I laughed it off and moved on, telling myself to be more careful in the future.

To the Church I say, “Remember Whose you are. Remember what Jesus told you to do.” Jesus commands us:

John 13:34-35 (KJV) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

We who are saved by grace are to be gracious. We are to speak the truth in love, to be constructive, to care for one another, to sacrificially love as Christ loves. As He is so are we to be. If offended, we try not to offend back. We make allowances for the sins of others. We pray for one another then put feet to our prayers, doing good as God has commanded. We speak the truth in love.

To the Mahatma Gandhi crowd I say: “Repent. Turn to Christ and be saved.” Salvation is all of grace, all of Christ. Quit dressing yourselves up in the rags of self righteousness, and call on the Name of Jesus:

Romans 10:9-13 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

You may not like Christians, but if you aren’t one by faith inn Christ you won’t have to spend eternity with them. You will be with the Hindu, the Buddhist, the New Ager, the Religionist, the Hippy with the COEXIST bumper sticker, the rich man, the sexual sinner, the thief, the murder, and all others who rejected the salvation that is offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be sequestered into a place the Bible calls hell, the Lake of Fire, for all eternity for rejecting the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord.

I beg you, don’t do it. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – no man comes to the Father but through Him. Don’t be sold a bill of foolish goods. Call on the Name of Jesus and be saved!

Posted in General | Tagged christianity, Church, Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi | Leave a comment

Come On Baby, Let’s Do The Twist!

Posted on November 7, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah 5:20-23 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

I was reading an article entitled “Baptist Home Considers Hiring Gays“ in the Baptist Press. The President of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s (KBC) children’s services agency (Bill Smithwick, Sunrise Children’s Services) is recommending to the trustees of the agency that they amend its hiring practices in order to allow the hire of practicing homosexuals. The main reason Smithwick gives for removing the hiring ban is because – and I quote – “Sunrise cannot operate without government funds and that it risks losing major secular sponsors if it fires homosexuals”. Say what? Yes, that’s right. An entity of the KBC – part of the Southern Baptist Convention – is taking government funds to continue to function. Since when is a Christian Missionary organization to be funded by the government? Smithwick said “Federal protection for homosexuals in the workplace as a ‘civil right’ just as race, gender, national origin, etc, is certain to become law sooner than later. Sunrise will comply or lose”. Well, yes. If you yoke the ministry of Christ to the government then you will have to change. You’re taking money from the government – you have to let the government lead the dance. Let me ask every Christian in the KBC this question with all the love I can muster ….

Have you lost your minds?

When God said:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

were you asleep? The government is not a Christian organization. When you yoke a believer and an unbeliever together, it’s like putting a mule and an ox together, or sewing and apple an an orange together. It may look OK, but it’s doomed to failure. Many years ago the Roman soldiers tormented prisoners by yoking a live person with a dead body. The dead body eventually infected the living person, and drew him down to death. You cannot yoke light and darkness together, nor good and evil. Life and death are not companions.

The government – God bless every one of its workers – is a neutral entity that is supposed to afford equal protection to every citizen. The government is not guided by Biblical principles as is the Christian, but is guided by popular opinion and politics. The Bible teaches that homosexuality is NOT another race or gender, but a sinful activity that a person moves into following a choice to reject the God Who made them. The Apostle Paul wrote:

Romans 1:21-28 (KJV) 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient …

Twist that any way you want to, but that’s what the Bible says. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (HCSB) Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

I know what you’re going to say. “But Brother David, homosexuality is no worst than other sins that people engage in. God loves the sinner but hates the sin”. God does love the sinner. God loves us all. God “so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). It is true that homosexuality as a sin is no worst than other sins. But it is also NO BETTER than other sins. God specifically stated that sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people and swindlers will NOT inherit God’s Kingdom. God hates the sin and loves the sinner. BUT if you do not repent and come to Christ, if you are not changed and washed by God, THEN you will not enter God’s Heaven. There is no way that you can read the Bible, taking it at face value, and believe that a sinful lifestyle – whether it’s theft, drug abuse, or sexual immorality – will be overlooked by God.

Christians need to stop compromising with the world. We need to stop taking money from the government to pay for mission work that WE ought to be doing. If you take money from the government – or from an unbelieving business or person – you violate common sense and God’s mandate. We who believe should lovingly preach the Gospel to all, trusting that God’s Word can and will change the sinner’s heart. We should not hate the sinner, but should love them enough to tell them about the Lord Jesus. We should not compromise lest we offend, but lovingly repeat what the Word of God says. Word of God speak! Not me, but God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

We are in the last days. It’s time we as Christians stop compromising and start obeying. It’s time we stop justifying and start testifying. It’s time we stop backing up and start looking up. When Jesus comes for me, I don’t want to have to explain why I twisted His Word. I want to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord!”

Posted in General | Tagged Bill Smithwick, KBC, Kentucky Baptist Convention, Southern Baptist Convention, The government | Leave a comment

I Met A Man ….

Posted on November 5, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

I cried because I had no shoes,

Then met a man who had no feet.

Alone, abandoned, on the street,

A veteran of a forgotten war.

I weep and moan, thinking worse,

In darkness my soul feels the curse.

Yet if I pause, and just remember,

How blessed my God has been.

When darkness threatens, and depression,

When joy seems but a memory.

Be still, my soul, for this impression,

He died for us on Calvary.

He rose again, and to set us free.

He has promised now and eternity.

No sin nor death has hold on me,

My Lord, My God, My All!

Posted in General | Tagged blessings, Christ, God, want | Leave a comment

Why I Am A Christ Follower

Posted on November 5, 2013 by bibleteacherorg

Psalms 30:1-3 …. I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

What is the difference between Christ and the other so called “religions”? Why am I a Christ follower? I’m glad you asked.

I was born abandoned to a deep and dark well, frightened and alone. Try as I might I could not get out of that dark, dank place. Darwin came to visit. “Don’t worry about it – you will evolve out of that well. There is no god. Just think of tomorrow.” Muhammad stopped by my pit. “It is Allah’s will that you be in this hole. Praise him, and look up!” Then he wandered away. The Buddha majestically came by, and stopped meditating long enough to tell me “Cease to desire, and you will cease to suffer. Become one with the well and triumph!” Then he drifted away. A Hindu teacher came by and told me “Be faithful. If god wills you will reincarnate a spider or a bug, then in the next life you’ll crawl out and reincarnate to something else. Hang on – life is just a few episodes away!” Confucius came by and told me if I’d not tripped I would not be in the well, then he left. Then many other pretenders stopped by. There was Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Ellen White. Some told me this was my path to god-hood, others that the well was just a figment of my imagination. The Pharisees came and taught a new law to follow while in the well, that if I added ritual or a special day to worship or a certain food to eat that things would all change. Joel the self help Guru tried to teach me how to live my “Best Life Now” while in the pit – but every day was the same.

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Then Jesus came.

He lowered Himself in the well, and pushed me out. He raised me up, suffering in my place. Once we were out of the well He promised to keep walking with me, to keep me, to love me. I am willingly His child, His servant, His saint because He is willingly and forever my Savior. I would not sully His Name by saying “There are many ways to God”. There are not. He is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life. Oh Beloved, quit trying to get out of the well on your own. Oh Precious ones, quit reaching out to the pretenders, hoping they will save you. Come to Christ. Give your life to Him. Only then will you know life. He is life!