Where Are You Rooted?

You will absorb what you are rooted in, and what you absorb will change you.

 

The Most Rejected Man in History

Our society is plagued with rejection. We have a Heavenly Father who can identify with us.

Looking Back

You will never move forward, so long as you keep looking back.

 

Somehow, Press On! (Philippians 3:10-14)

“That Just Happened!”

There are times shortly after God does something amazing in our lives that something else happens that discourages us. During these moments, we should reflect on all that God has done and remind ourselves, “That Just Happened!”

Insiders and Outsiders

““Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  -Matthew 7:13-14

“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” -John 10:16

Have you been to a mall recently? They’re practically empty these days. Except for that time when Build a Bear offered a “pay your age” sale... My wife and I went to a mall awhile back just before most of the department stores open. We went into Belks to browse around. I noticed that all of the entrances were closed off by gates except for the one we entered through. I remember passing by these gated entrances and seeing people on the other side awkwardly staring at me from behind the gate wanting to get in.

Almost as though they couldn’t figure out how we got in. To the customers on the outside looking in, it appeared as though Belks was closed. Closed to everyone that is, except us and the few customers that came in through the one gate that was opened. I am ashamed to admit, instead of informing these puzzled seekers where the open entrance was, I just kept walking around minding my own business.

We Christians do the same thing when it comes to the eternal life we have through Jesus Christ. We are free. We are “in” with God. People on the outside are staring at us, wondering how we got in, and we avoid them when we know how to get in. If we are honest with ourselves, sometimes we treat Heaven as though it is closed off to people except for those who belong to the “in crowd”. That is unacceptable for a people who have been commanded by Christ to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Revelation chapter seven reveals that one day Heaven will be populated by multitudes of the redeemed from “every nation, tribe, people, and language”. That means the exclusion of any group of people from hearing the Gospel violates Christ’s command.

There are two sides to this story however. What is not mentioned in my story is, Belks was actually open for business. Those on the outside looking in just didn’t want to go in through the right door. Heaven isn’t closed off. The curtain has been torn, the door has been opened. We just have to enter through the right door; Jesus Christ. Our society wants Heaven to be like Burger King; “Have it Your Way.” Eternal Life isn’t have it your way, it’s “Have thine own way.”

There are not many diverse roads to salvation each catered to the individual “seeker”. There is one road, one gate, one way to Eternal Life. His name is Jesus Christ. He is not an alternative, He is the answer. All the blessings of the Kingdom of God are ours to enjoy, but we must enter through the one door that has been opened to us. That door was opened by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

When it comes to Eternal Life, both those on the outside and on the inside are wrong. Those on the outside should realize that the gates to salvation and eternal life are indeed open, but they must enter through the right door; Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Those on the “inside” should realize that we should engage those on the outside and show them the way “in”.

Making Sin Peronal

I would not have known what sin was, had it not been for the law. –Romans 7:7

            Many people have driven back and forth through this area on Hwy 64 speeding under the assumption that there is little risk of them getting caught, only to find themselves staring at blue lights flashing in their rear view mirror. Whether we admit it or not, each and every one of us have been guilty of assuming that our speed is no big deal, especially on a four lane highway.

            We mistakenly assume that since everyone else around us is driving fifteen mph over the speed limit, our transgression of the law is no big deal. That is of course, until we see blue lights flashing in our rear view mirror. All of a sudden we really could care less if everyone else is speeding too. We have become frightfully aware that we are guilty not anyone else. Our transgression of the law is no longer what everyone else is doing, it has become personal.

            It is the same when we apply God’s Law (The Ten Commandments) to our lives. At first we think, who hasn’t told a fib here and there, looked at someone lustfully, had sticky fingers, taken the Lord’s name in vain on occasion in a weak moment? Everybody does it, and so long as we aren’t hurting anybody, what’s the big deal? Then God’s Law enters the rear view mirror of our conscience. That “little fib” becomes a lie or false witness. Our sticky fingers make us a thief. Our lust becomes adultery. Taking God’s name in vain becomes blasphemy.

            All of a sudden we realize the truth that we have become guilty of transgressing God’s Holy Law by which He will hold us accountable to on Judgment Day. We tremble as we remember how God in His righteous justice is so holy that He sees lust as adultery and hatred as murder in our hearts. He has promised to not only bring justice to the murderers, rapists, and terrorists, but also to thieves, blasphemers, and even liars and hypocrites. Our behavior is no longer “what everyone else is doing”, it has become personal sin against a holy God. It seems like every time we turn around, we lose someone tragically to death. What if you’re next? Are you ready?

            Don’t assume that your sin is innocent, of no harm, and no different than anyone else’s. When death finally rips your soul from your body and you stand before God with all your actions, words, and even thoughts exposed, there will be nowhere to run and no one to blame. When the light of God’s Law reveals and casts into the open even the things you thought you did in secret, you will have to answer for your personal transgressions of God’s Law, not anyone else’s. You personally are guilty.

            When that officer of that law hands you that ticket with that hefty fine, there is a moment of finality as you sit on the side of the road. Can you imagine your reaction if before the officer drove away, a stranger pulled beside the both of you and paid your fine for you? Now you’re free to go! You would be overjoyed and grateful. That is exactly what Jesus Christ did for you when He died on the cross nearly 2,000 years ago.

            He took the punishment for your transgressions, the penalty for your crimes, He paid your fine. Now, if you repent (turn from) of your sins and put your faith in Jesus as your Savior, God will forgive your sins, commute your sentence, and dismiss your case. You will be pardoned and granted Eternal Life. You will not face judgment when you die, but an eternity in Heaven. Your sin is your own, it’s personal. Repent and trust the Savior today while your heart still beats.

Love No Dad Can Resist

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! –Matthew 7:11

          I have to be completely honest, as much as I LOVE my two sons, sometimes I just can’t wait to rush them off to bed. The other night, I was tucking my oldest son who’s six, into bed. I remember I was tired, stressed, and just wanted to go back into the living room to relax. So I hurried him into the bed, rushed him through his prayers, and even began walking toward his bedroom door by the time he started saying, “Amen.”

          As I began walking out his door, I heard his sweet voice call out to me and say, “Dad…” I turned to him to see his arms stretched out to me. At that moment, his face lit up and he said, “Hug!” At that moment, any desire to just get out of there and chill faded as my heart melted and not only did I go give him the biggest hug ever, I jumped on top his bed to squeeze the life out of him!

          There is just something about a child with their arms stretched out that is irresistible to a parent. Even when a child who is not our own reaches out for love we can’t resist them! Jesus says something amazing in Matthew 7:11. He says that even though we are evil by nature, we still have enough godly love in us that makes it impossible to resist our children when they need us. If that is true, how much more will God reach out to us when we need Him?

            Just as no loving dad can resist his child reaching out to him, God your Heavenly Father cannot resist you reaching out to Him. If you, with all your flaws, imperfections, and your own selfish ways, cannot find it within yourself to resist the outstretched arms of a little child, what do you think the God who is love wants to do when He sees your arms stretched out to Him? If you even with your own tendency to love people conditionally, can’t resist a child who wants you to pick her up and hold her, how do you think the God who loves you UNconditionally feels when you reach out to Him?

          There are so many in our society that needs that “Daddy Love.” There are people burdened by guilt that need just one Daddy embrace to wash away the stain. Some people battle depression. One hug from the Father will fill them with joy unspeakable. Some go through life full of fear and worry. Once Daddy picks them up, they will know that everything is going to be alright. Some people beat themselves up because they “broke it”. Daddy is here to fix it when we bring our brokenness to Him. Others, live with uncertainty about the future. When Daddy speaks, it will fill them with confidence! Daddy God has what you need, just reach out to Him! When you do, He can’t resist the urge to run to you and embrace you.

Faith That Works the Impossible

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” –Matthew 17:2-21

            This powerful statement made by Jesus follows a very dramatic event. After coming down the mountain, Jesus casts the “deaf and dumb spirit” out of a child. It is interesting that the reason Jesus gives the disciples for their inability to cast this demon out is “because you have so little faith”. Earlier in Matthew 10, the Bible records that Jesus gave His disciples power and authority to cast out demons which they did in the various towns and villages in the region.

            The disciples had seen Jesus cast out many demons and had no doubt cast out several themselves. So why were they lacking in faith to cast out this demon? Perhaps it was because this particular case caused them to ask many questions. This was a child after all. Did they question whether or not it was possible for a child to be demon possessed? Did they have difficulty discerning whether or not this was a spiritual or neurological problem? Was the kid just suicidal?

            Asking questions is good and important. Sometimes however, questions can so seeds of doubt effectively killing our faith. Sometimes, we have to simply trust the Lord with child like faith. That is why Jesus said unless we become like children we would never enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 18:3).

            Jesus goes on to say that if we had enough faith, “Nothing would be impossible.” Now that is interesting. In Luke 1:37 when the angel Gabriel is talking with Mary he says that “nothing is impossible with God”. Yet here in Matthew, Jesus says nothing will be impossible for us, if we have faith just as small as a mustard seed!

            The God of the impossible lives inside every born again believer. His power is released and worked by faith. Jesus says that the impossible is achievable if you will only activate the faith necessary to use it. How do we activate that faith? Jesus gives the answer when He says, “if you have faith… you can say ….” To activate this faith that works the impossible, you have to declare it. Declare what? Declare God’s Word over your circumstance.

            For sickness, declare God’s promises about healing. For financial trouble, declare God’s promises about provision. For times of uncertainty, declare God’s promises about His sovereignty and plans for your life. Here’s how God’s Word stirs up that faith.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

 –Romans 10:17

            God’s promises concerning your circumstance will activate the faith you need to work the impossible. So for whatever “impossible mountain” stands in your way today, go see what God’s Word has to say about it. Then let that Word stir up your faith, so that you can work the impossible by declaring God’s promises.

A New Thing

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland”. –Isaiah 43:19

Words have power. The Bible even says that words have the power of life and death. For this reason, we should be careful about what we say about our lives. Not just our lives, but our community as well. In my brief time in Tyrrell County, I have heard the phrase, “This is a dying community” too many times.

It is not uncommon for people to say that “there is nothing here”. Now, part of the problem is, who are we listening to? But that’s another article for another day. The point is, people to say things like this, and those words do have power. If words have power, I chose to put my faith in the words of the Living God.

A few months ago, God gave me Isaiah 43:19 as a promise for our community. God says that He is doing a new thing! This new thing consists of two parts. One, He promises that in our community, He is making “a way in the wilderness.” Granted, I have heard what the community has, and what cannot be done in the community but I also have heard the voices of HOPE.

I have also listened to the dreamers. I have heard the passion in the ideas of the visionaries. I have been taken back by people in our community who have the audacity to use the words, “What if?” To each dream, to every idea, there are those who say it can’t be done, not here, not in Tyrrell County, no way.

God says the He is making a way in the wilderness. Some may perceive this as a wilderness where nothing happens, no one goes to, and no one leaves. God is going to make a way, a road. A place where people will want to go to, and where people will want to stay and help make it the amazing place God is making it into.

The second thing God says that He is going to do is make “streams in the wasteland.” Imagine that, in a place that others have called a wasteland, there will be “streams”. People have called this community impoverished, with little or no resources. I disagree. Our resources are plentiful if we would just tap into them. God sees this and sometime soon, streams will gush in this place that some have called a “wasteland.”

Before God tells us about this new thing He is getting ready to do, He says this to us.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” –Isaiah 43:18

If we are going to partner with God as He does this new thing, we have to let go of the ways of the past. “The way we’ve always done it” was great, for then. But that was then, this is now. And what got us there won’t get us to where we’re going. Words have power. God is doing a “new thing” in our community. Join me in joining Him by declaring this promise over our community, starting with your own life. Does God need to do a “New Thing” in you?

The "Doctrine of Balaam"

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus instructs John to write letters to seven different churches. These letters speak prophetically to the Church today. To the church at Pergamum, Jesus says this,

“Nevertheless I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.” –Revelation 2:14

So who was Balaam, and what did he do? We read about Balaam in Numbers 22. He was a prophet who used his gift for personal gain. King Balak tried to pay Balaam to corrupt God’s people by cursing them. God wouldn’t allow that. So Balaam came up with a crafty plan. 

He sent Moabite women to infiltrate God’s people, marry with the men, and led the Israelites astray through the men. It worked. The men followed their wives to worshipping other gods and God’s people became corrupted.

So what is Jesus warning us about today? Who are those on the outside who have tried to get the Church to abandon Christ’s teachings but have failed and are now trying to infiltrate the Church? I believe one of these “Doctrines of Balaam” is evolution. For years the world has tried to get the Church to abandon theGenesis account of creation and embrace a more naturalistic evolutionary view of the origins of the universe.

That hasn’t worked out so well. So now what has happened is the world has convinced a few Christian leaders to embrace atheistic evolution and they are now infiltrating the Church leading God’s people astray that way… Just like Balaam did. 

But what’s the big deal? Why is it important that Christians hold fast to what is written in Genesis 1 and 2? I mean, would it really be a big deal if in fact, the Genesis account of creation is not true and human beings truly are just animals that have evolved from primates? Consider these observations.

If the Genesis account of creation is not true then our entire faith begins to become unraveled. If the creation story is just a parable, then that means death and suffering happened before The Fall in the Garden of Eden. The Bible tells us that before Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, there was no suffering, disease, or death. 

In fact, Genesis tells us that The Fall is the cause of suffering, disease, and death in the world. If the earth has existed for billions of years and life forms have been evolving for billions of years, then obviously there has been disease, suffering, and death long before any man or woman came on the scene or any “forbidden fruit”. If that is true, then everything we believe about sin is false, and so is your salvation.

That would also mean that Adam could not have been a historical person, and his subsequent fall could not have been a historical event. That means that many crucial passages in the New Testament must be false and the Word of God is a lie. For example,

“Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was the pattern of the one to come.  –Romans 5:14

“So it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life giving spirit.” -1stCorinthians 15:45

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” -1st Timothy 2:13

Adam being a historical person and The Fall in the Garden of Eden being a historical event are crucial foundations in the doctrine of sin, Jesus, and the resurrection. If the Genesis account of creation is not true, then that means Jesus was a liar. A naturalistic evolutionary view of creation says that the universe has existed for billions of years as has the earth, and that mankind came billions of years after the beginning of creation. Jesus says something different.

“But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female.” –Mark 10:6

Jesus didn’t say that mankind; male and female were made billions of years after the beginning of creation. Jesus said that the human race was made AT THE BEGINNING of creation, not billions of years after the fact. Not only that, but Jesus also says in Matthew 23:35 that murder began with a literal person; the murder of Abel.

Now, if Jesus considered Abel to be a historical person, then Abel’s father must have been a historical person too. Abel’s father of course was, Adam. In fact, if we say that the first six chapters of the Bible are myth, story, hyperbole, allegory, etc, then that means thatmuch of the genealogy of Jesus listed in Matthew and Luke are myths too. That would make everything our Lord and Savior claimed He was a myth. Jesus was and is a real person, and He is not the descendant of myths.

That would also mean a lot of people in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 are myths too. You see, you just can’t explain the first six chapters of Genesis as stories. They are crucial and they are the foundation for our entire faith. If we change or erode the foundation, the rest of the house is sure to collapse.

That is what the teachers of this “Doctrine of Balaam” want however. They want to lead the Church astray.They couldn’t do it from the outside, so they have sent people to infiltrate the Church to lead us astray from the inside. Leave these churches that deny Genesis and teach evolution behind. They are false churches led by false teachers. Return to God’s true Church.

From Bulls to Baals

Something is happening to Christianity that is unsettling. Churches and even entire denominations are watering down the Gospel, compromising the Word, approving of immorality, and incorporating other religions into our faith. The Presbyterian Church recently opened up their annual meeting with a prayer to “Allah” and even invoked the name of the false prophet Muhammad. 

The United Methodist Church voted to begin discussing the possibility of approving homosexuality and allowing openly gay ministers to serve in their churches. Even though that process is not yet complete that didn’t stop them from nominating three openly gay ministers to high positions of office in the UMC.

The Southern Baptist Convention recently supported the construction of a Mosque. The Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, Disciples of Christ/Christian Church, and many others now accept gays and lesbians into membership and welcome openly gay ministers.

The Churches of Christ even teach the demonic doctrine that you have to be baptized to be saved.There is a movement going around called “Chrislam” which seeks to unite Christianity and Islam into one religion.

Why is this happening? Why are entire denominations and churches watering down the Gospel, compromising the Word, blessing perversion, and including other gods and religions into our faith?Allow me to turn your attention to 1st Kings 12:28, 31-32.

“After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people… ‘Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.’

Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eight month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar.”

Notice that King Jeroboam of Israel did not create a new religion or make a new god. He said to the people, “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt.” King Jeroboam in his mind, didn’t create a new religion, he simply made a false counterfeit version of the one that was handed down by the Lord to Moses. 

King Jeroboam even instituted a counterfeit priesthood and a counterfeit version of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles to imitate the faith of the Israelites (1stKings 12”31-32). The New Testament says as we approach the conclusion of the Last Days, the same thing will happen to Christianity.

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”  -1st Timothy 4:1

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”  -2nd Timothy 4:3

That is exactly what we see happening when we see these “Christian” denominations watering down the word, coming out in approval of gay marriage, and incorporating Islam into their worship services. This “apostasy” will continue until eventually what we will see is a false counterfeit version of Christianity. 

These denominations and “churches” that I have mentioned are not seeking to create a new god or institute a new religion. They are just creating a counterfeit version of Christianity. The Bible tells us this will continue to happen. During the End Times the Bible tells us that a false ecumenical church will arise and dominate religion and global politics. 

This “church” will be a sugar coated, watered down, distorted version of Christianity that approves of eviland includes aspects of other religions in order to appease the culture. King Jeroboam did the same thing.It didn’t stop there. In 1st Kings 16, King Ahab led the Israelites from following a counterfeit watered down version of Judaism to following the Baal religion and worshipping the Baal statues.

Revelations chapter 13 tells us that the same thing will happen to this apostate ecumenical church. During the Tribulation, the Antichrist will abolish this “church” and create a religion centered around himself and will even have a statue of the Antichrist that people will be forced to worship.

“He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” -2nd Thessalonians 2:4

“He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast…” –Revelation 13:14

Saints, this is why we must stay in the Word. These denominations will continue to distort and water down Christianity. They will continue this until the dominant form of Christianity in our nation will be counterfeit version of our faith that we won’t even recognize. Then after God’s TRUE Church has been raptured, they will follow the Antichrist to worshipping him and his image.

If your church or denomination has “departed from the truth”, I encourage you to heed the words of God found in Revelation 18 when he spoke of this end time counterfeit church,

“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins have piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.” -Revelation 18:4-5