What Do You Mean…Discipline and SUBMISSION?!?! (Part 5)

The Gospel…Does it really work?

What is the gospel all about?  Why would we want to share the gospel with others if it is meaningless in our lives?  How can we be sure that our lives are even changing?  So many people have no idea what the gospel is really about.  There are so many different things that people say you need to do to have the gospel in your life.  What exactly is the gospel? a lot of people wonder but never get an answer.  The gospel means “good news” but the good news of the Bible is what?  If you had to write it down, what would you say it is?  A lot of people would say it’s being able to live with the Lord forever, it’s having a better life, it’s being able to have your dreams fulfilled, it’s getting saved, etc.   Is this really the good news of the Bible?

The actual good news of the Bible is the death, the burial and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  If it was not for HIS substitutionery death on the cross for the sins of the elect then there would be NO good news.  It is important to realize that we are “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13).  Nothing we can do will bring us to God.  We have no divine spark within us that would actually allow us to bridge the gap to God.  Before the foundations of the world, it was foreordained by the Father that Jesus, the Son, would be born in a manger as a man.  He would be 100% God and 100% man.  Around the age of 30 He would begin His ministry.  During this ministry, He would eventually be rejected by all to spend 3 days and 3 nights upon a cross.  At the end, the wrath of God the Father was poured out upon Him so that He could show forth His grace to the elect!  What wonderfully good news this is to all of us!  The sad thing is that because we are dead in our trespasses and sins…we hate God and do NOT want to be reconciled to Him!  So just because we know about the good news does not mean that we will accept it, in fact we cannot accept it because it is not in us to accept it.  Having said that, there is more good news!  Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to draw the “whosoever wills” to Himself so that they would be saved!  This also is wonderfully good news but what separates the “whosoever wills” from those who don’t want to hear or the “whosoever won’ts”?  The Bible tells us that we will know those people who don’t want to hear the Word of God because they won’t change and they will LOVE the world.  Let us look at all these things and see how it fits together.  Let us take a look at two types of  “Christians”.

A.   The false “Christian” — thinks she has it all together and is doing God a favour!

1. “Christianity” is just one part of their busy lives.  They have their secular work, their social life, their family life–oh, and their ’spiritual life’ that is good for Sunday only, of course!
2. These people just have their “Christian life” as an experience to look back on.  It’s just “the day I said ‘THE’ prayer” or “walked the aisle” or “joined the church.”  These people also do not allow anything to affect their daily living.
3. These people only look for a “ticket to heaven.”  They want the assurance that they will go to heaven but are not serious enough to want it to be life changing.
4. These people only want a nice Sunday package for their family.  They want a wholesome atmosphere, good moral teaching, occasional meal times together as a church, and possibly a Ladies’ meeting every now and then IF they’re not to busy, thank you very much!  All these things are not wrong or bad in and of themselves but if there is no change within their lives and they are depending on these things to get them to heaven then they are dependent on the wrong things.  These things will NOT get anyone to heaven!

B.  True Believers — knows herself to be wretched in God’s eyes before she was accepted in God’s sight!

1. She knows she has a lot of baggage or sin in her life that only the Lord can change. Rom. 7:9-25, “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.  Was that then which is good made death unto me?  God forbid.  But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.  Now then it is I no longer that do that, but sin that dwelleth in me.  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.  I find then a law, that , when I would do good, evil is present with me.  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into the captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  O wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (See also Rom. 8:6-7, 13; Gal. 5:17; 6:8)  She realizes that no matter how hard she tries to do what is right, it is only the Lord working through her to do what is right so her dependence must be totally on God and not herself.
2. She seeks to spend time with the Lord. John 15:4-6, 9-10, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.   If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.   If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (See also John 14:15, 21, 23; 1 Jn. 2:5; 5:3; 2 Jn. 1:6.)  She realizes that the more time she spends with the Lord, the more like the Lord Jesus she will become.  She does this because she loves Him not because it is required of her to do so.
3. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit produces a life of fruit in her life that becomes obvious to the world. Gal. 5:22-24, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (See also John 15:2; Rom. 8:4-5; 13:14; Gal. 2:20; 5:16; Eph. 5:9; Col. 3:12; Jms 3:17.)  As she loves the Lord and seeks to follow Him in every area of life, there is an evidence in her life of fruit to the world.  It may not be quite so evident to her as she sees how she fails the Lord continuously.
4. There is a time of pruning within her life. Jn. 15:1-3, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.   Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” The end result of this pruning should produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Heb. 12:5-11, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.   If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
5. She realizes she is not above the Master and there will be times of persecution in her life when she stands for God’s truth! Jn 15:18-25, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.  But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” (See also 1 Pt. 3:13-17.)
6. She realizes the importance of seeking to build a relationship with other believers on the truth of God’s Word in love. Jn. 15:12-17, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.  These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (See also 1 Pt. 3:8-12.)   She realizes how important it is when people, who don’t show forth the fruit of a believer, try to get her to unify with false doctrine.  She takes a stand because she believes it is important to glorify God first and foremost in her life! 1 Cor. 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do; do all to the glory of God.”
   
7. She realizes that every area in her life will begin to change because the gospel changes her very soul. 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Take a moment and think about these things.  Ask yourself these questions.

• Which one of these two types of Christians would you consider yourself?  Why?
• Is there something in your life that would give forth a testimony that you are different from the world?
• Could someone pick you out as a Christian by your “walk”?
• Could you be convicted as a Christian by the way you live your life?
• What could you do differently by the grace and help of God?

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing?

Each day that we find out what exactly a person believes and it is contrary to Scripture is a very sad day indeed.  It becomes even harder when it is someone we have admired and felt stood for the truth.  It becomes even harder when you have researched that person and they never really believed what you thought they believed or stood for!  We see a trend in this past year of many known pastors and publications going downhill and buying into the contemplative mysticism.  This isn’t just minor people, pastors and publications that have bought into this dangerous doctrine but well-known people, pastors, and publications.  Today, we are discussing John Piper!  We have watched him slide slowly but surely into the abyss of being counted as teaching false doctrine.  May the Lord help each one of us to stand firm on the Word of God.  Count the cost because one day…maybe even soon YOU might be the one that has to take a stand.  Will you do it or will you be too afraid?

Piper – The Slope to Heresy?!

November 5, 2009 by The Desert Pastor

Galatians 1:6-9, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

It is a tragedy when those who claim the name of Christ are being duped by the myriads of false teachers who have no desire for truth. An even greater tragedy occurs when false professors and/or their false teachings begin to be endorsed by well-respected ministers of the gospel. However, the greatest tragedy is when well-respected ministers of the gospel not only endorse false teaching and heresy but then allow it to be preached as truth in the midst of those sheep whom they have been supposedly called upon to protect. The man in question is none other than John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnesota.

Finish reading here.

What Do You Mean…Discipline and SUBMISSION?!?! (Part 4)

C. True Discipline within the life – These people are changing in their lives because they love the Lord and want to please HIM!  This is how we should be all the time but aren’t.

Jn. 14:15, 21, 23, “If ye love me, keep my commandments…He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him…Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Jn. 15:9-16, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

These verses show that if we truly love the Lord then we will want to obey Him and keep His commandments.  What are the two commandments that sum up all the law and the prophets?  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, soul and mind is the first one.

The first commandment deals with our relationship to God and our response to Him.  We’ve been going over catechisms with our children and one of the questions goes something like this, “What do the Scriptures principally teach?”

The answer responds in this manner, “The Scriptures principally teach what man is supposed to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.”  We are expected to have a relationship with God if we are true believers and we cannot have one if we are not being renewed in our minds daily.

What is the second commandment?  Love your neighbour as yourself.  If you notice the Bible doesn’t say that you must learn to love yourself before you can love your neighbour.  That is taking Scripture out of context.  All people automatically love themselves and you can tell by how selfish they are.  But, you protest, what about those people who want to commit suicide?  What about those people who never bathe or drug addicts, or…?  You can fill in the blank with any thing else and the same reply will be, “They are being extremely selfish and want only to please themselves!”  Take the person who commits suicide…they are being selfish because they think that they can’t endure life anymore with all it’s problems and so they kill themselves to end their life.  What about their family and friends?  What pain and anguish is left behind when they do this!  As we look at these verses, we realize that we will love others before ourselves and seek to do what Philippians 2:3- 4 tells us, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” So much for the “love yourself” demonic doctrine that’s floating around in the church these days!  This second commandment deals with our relationship with those around us!  How important it is to keep both relationships right for in so doing we will be obedient and in submission to God’s will.

Rom. 6:18-19, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.”

1 Cor. 9:25-27, “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainlly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Eph. 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

2 Tim. 4:8, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Heb. 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

1 Jn. 2:3-6, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

1 Jn. 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

1 Jn. 5:3, “For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

2 Jn. 1:6, “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.  This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”

Let’s take a look at these verses and find out some important elements:

1. How we know if we truly love the Lord – Jn. 14:15, 21, 23; Jn. 15:9-16; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; 1 Jn. 5:3
2. The results in our life if we love the Lord – Rom. 6:18-19; Eph. 5:2; 2 Tim. 4:8; James 1:12; 2 Jn. 1:6
3. What we need to be careful of if we do love the Lord – 1 Cor. 9:25-27
4. Who is watching us and how we will respond if we do love the Lord – Heb. 12:1-2; 1 Jn. 3:16

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself and others around you.  Find a godly lady you can be accountable to and who desires to be accountable to you.  This must be someone you know who will share the good, the bad and the ugly of your life in a loving manner.  They must also be willing to listen and desire to change in their life just as you must be willing to change in your life.

• Do you seek to please the Lord in every area of life or is it too much effort?
• If there is not true discipline within your life, what do you think would be the reason for not loving the Lord and desiring to please Him?
• Which of these reasons for lack of discipline would you say is keeping you from being totally obedient to the Lord?
• Where has the Lord convicted your heart about changing?
• In what way can you work on this area so that you will begin changing to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ?
• Would you be willing to be accountable in this area so that you can grow?

I pray the Lord will use this in your life as you seek to follow Him.

What Do You Mean…Discipline and SUBMISSION?!?! (Part 3)

B. Lack of Discipline – These people refuse to do anything that would take them out of their comfort zone!  This could be both saved and unsaved!  Listen to what the Word of God has to say about this kind of person:

Mt. 10:37-39, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”

Mt. 16:24-26, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  (See also Mk.8:34-37; Lk. 9:23-25; Lk. 14:25-27; Lk. 17:33; Jn. 12:25…These are all similar Scriptures.)

This is the person who refuses to be disciplined no matter what happens.  They know what is right but never want to do it for whatever reason.  Even those of us who are saved can fall into this category from time to time!  Here are some reasons for lack of discipline within our lives.

1. Fear of legalism – When we see what legalism does in a person’s life, it is easy to decide not to do anything because we don’t want to be legalistic.
2. Laziness – Many times we are simply lazy and refuse to do what we know is right.  May the Lord forgive our laziness as we serve Him according to HIS will!
3. Lack of teaching – If we don’t know to do something then we will fall short in areas where we’ve had no training.  This is why it’s so important to study the Bible with a good concordance in hand and continuous prayer that the Holy Spirit would open our eyes and show us wondrous things out of His law!  It is also important that we find someone with whom we can be accountable and who will share areas where we are wrong or in sin so we can grow to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is very important and it doesn’t matter if our feelings are hurt…we should be willing to listen to God’s Word regardless of our feelings.  It is also important that we find a church where the truth of God’s Word is expounded regularly and we know that they will not follow after man but God!  Stagnation leads to going backwards instead of forwards.  May we be willing to grow spiritually no matter what situation the Lord has placed us!
4. Fear of being called legalistic by those who don’t want to serve God – This is very important because this fear can cause us to do absolutely nothing that would rock the boat.  If you know you are doing something because you love the Lord (and you are following what the Bible says to do) then it doesn’t matter that someone tells you, you are being legalistic.  Most times those people are being convicted by the Holy Spirit and don’t want it.  They will do everything in their power to keep you from serving the Lord so they won’t have to or won’t be convicted.  They might not even be saved and don’t want anything to change in their lives.  Whatever the case is, being obedient to the Lord is more important than following the crowd through fear of being called legalistic!
5. Busyness that transcends following what the Lord would have you do – This can happen to all of us if we are not careful.  If we are too busy to be obedient to the Lord than we are too busy!  Sometimes, we can even get busy ‘doing the Lord’s work’ which means we have put the Lord’s work before the Lord.  This is idolatry and NOT to be tolerated in our lives.  Anything that comes before the Lord is idolatry and must be rooted out and replaced with obedience!

In a day and age where we have everything at our fingertips and we dispose most everything if we don’t want it, it becomes vital that we learn how to be a disciple of the Lord!  How hard it is for us to do what is right and desire to change when we have things that take our attention from the Lord.  The world, the flesh, and the devil seek to take our attention away from the One who is truly worthy, the Lord, and it is a continual fight to do what is right.  Are we willing to follow the Lord and seek His face above all else?  May the Lord be glorified in every area of our lives as we seek to be obedient and submissive to HIS will!

What Do You Mean…Discipline and SUBMISSION?!?! (Part 2)

We will be looking at 3 parts that deal with discipline in this lesson and possibly the next.

A.  Legalism — self-centered — these people do something to try and gain merit with God.  Everything they do is based on being able to be on a good standing with God through works.  What exactly is legalism?  Why do so many people talk about others being legalistic and are they REALLY understanding the true meaning of legalism?  Let’s look at these verses and find out what the Bible has to say.

Matt. 9:11-13, “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Matt. 12:2-9, “But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.  But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungered, and they that were with him;  How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?  Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?  But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.  For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.”

Micah 6:6-8, “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Hosea 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

In the Old Testament Law, we find that sacrifices were given to cover the sins but the Jews took the sacrifices meant for this specific purpose and twisted it.  They used it as a way to make them feel as if they were doing God a favour.  In other words, they were trying to gain merit with the sacrifices.

Is. 29:13-15, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?”

How many times have we found someone who hides their work in the dark until it becomes seen of men.  If you have ever read the book called “The Anatomy of Sin” you would see how far sin permeates into our very being.  Jesus was right when He said that the thoughts are the very same thing as doing the actual deed.  Lusting after another person is the same thing as committing the act of adultery, Samuel made it clear to Saul that rebellion is the same thing as witchcraft, the Proverbs talk about the glutton and the drunkard being in a similar situation and coming to poverty (Prov. 23:21).  This is quite similar to the person who is idle and does absolutely nothing.  Just because someone claims to be saved and does a lot of good works that impresses the on-looker does not make them a true believer!  One thing we have always said and I believe it is true is…What is the heart attitude?  Do you see someone doing good works and yet refuses to follow the dictates of Scripture?  Do you see someone doing good works and shows forth a heart attitude of hatred when you try to share with them areas of their life that needs changing?  These are the people to be wary of when they claim to be “Christians”!

Matt. 15:3-9, “But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.  Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophecy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  (See also Mark 7:1-13).

Are traditions more important than God’s Word?  Are emotions (or feelings)  more important than God’s Word?  Are experiences more important than God’s Word?  Isaiah was right when he said, “This people draws near me with their mouth and honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me.  In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men!”  Today’s lot of God worshipers are worshiping God in vain because they are not doing it God’s way.  What does the New Testament say about this lot of people?

Rom. 3:10-18, “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Wow!  Now that says a lot.  All of us were like this at one point but true believers have been given a new nature and should no longer be like this.  If you notice, though, at the end, there is a comment that they have no fear of God before them!  This is the legalistic person!  They think, through their own good works, that God MUST let them into heaven.  Their good deeds will outweigh their bad deeds and this will be enough for heaven.  Beware of thinking that you can do something to gain merit with God!

What Do You Mean…Discipline and SUBMISSION?!?! (Part 1)

Our Behaviour in Godliness

When you hear the word ‘discipline’ what automatically comes to mind?  A spanking being adminitered?  Someone disciplining themselves to be able to achieve a goal…like a runner or a musician?  Do you see in your mind someone being mean and nasty to someone else?   When you hear the word ‘legalism’ what do your thoughts turn to?  Do you think of a particular church or person?  Do you see a difference between the two?  What does godliness have to do with discipline?

These are questions that need to be asked AND answered within our minds.  Many times we don’t know what direction to go because there is so many self-help materials covering these subjects.   I think we need to turn to the very foundation upon which a true believer rests his or her life upon…the Bible.  Here are a few verses that help us to understand the meaning of this word…discipline.  Discipline spans a variety of words (the meaning is the same in all of these words) and it’s important that we take a look at them!

Discipline

Job 36:10, “He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.”

Instruction

Ps. 50:17, “Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.”

Prov. 1:2-3, 7-8, “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”

Prov. 4:1, 13, “Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.  Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

Prov. 5:12, “And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.”

Prov. 6:23, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”

Prov. 8:10, 33, “Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.”

Prov. 10:17, “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.”

Prov. 12:1, “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”

Prov. 13:1, 18, “A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.  Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”

Prov. 15:5, 32-33, “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.  The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

Prov. 16:22, “Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”

Prov. 19:20, 27, “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.  Cease, my son, to hear instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.”

Prov. 23:12, 23, “Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”

Prov. 24:32, “Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction, and understanding.”

Jer. 17:23, “But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.”

Jer. 32:33, “And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.”

Jer. 35:13, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.”

Ez. 5:15, ” So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.”

Zep. 3:7, “I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.”

2 Tim. 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

Bond

Job 12:18, “He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.”

Correction

Prov. 7:22, “He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.”

Prov. 15:10, “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.”

Prov. 22:15, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”

Prov. 23:13, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”

Jer. 2:30, “In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.”

Jer. 5:3, “O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth?  thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.”

Jer. 7:28, “But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.”

Zep. 3:2, “She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God.”

Chastening

Job 5:17, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:  For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.”

Prov. 3:11, “My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

Is. 26:16, “Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.”

Heb. 12:5-11, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Chastisement

Deut. 11:2-3, “And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,  And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;”

Is. 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Jer. 30:14, “All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel on, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.”

These verses deal with the word “discipline” and other words that have the same meaning.  Discipline is very important within our lives.  How can we go through life without it?  The saying, “No pain…no gain,” is very true and apropo to every area of life!  Why is it that people think that discipline only applies to the physical realm and not the spiritual?

If you wanted your child to learn how to play a piano, you wouldn’t tell that child to go to the piano and just look at it for an hour every day and expect them to know how to play it in a year’s time.   Will our children ever become a good musician by sitting there and staring at the piano for an hour every day for a year without some discipline in their lives to learn it?  Of course not!  We would be foolish to even think something like that and yet people want to believe they can call themselves a Christian without following the path that Christ set forth for a Christian.  Jesus told us in the gospels that if we love Him we will keep His commandments.  This includes discipline because we cannot love the Lord with all our heart soul, strength and mind without the Holy Spirit changing our hearts.  As we read each of the verses we begin to see a pattern emerge!  It is important that our lives are disciplined in EVERY area, not just some.  Are you willing to discipline yourself by submitting yourself to the Lord?  As mothers, we have a very important role to play within our children’s lives…we cannot expect our children to change if we are not willing to change.  Let us ask the Lord to give us a heart that is submitted to Him in our very behaviour!

Persecution and Suffering…For What?!? (Part 5)

As we have seen in the previous posts, it is becoming the last days!  We can know this due to what we see from Scripture and what is happening in our world today!  Things are growing worse, people want teachers who will only tell them what they want to hear because they really don’t want to hear the truth.  We have people claiming to be Christians because they said a prayer, they go to church, they think they’ve kept the 10 commandments, they’re good and moral people, they’ve given to charities, they’ve become a social gospel missionary, or they simply think that God has to accept them because they think their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds.  They don’t read the Bible and don’t really know what the Bible says and don’t want to know what the Bible says!

Everyone quotes the worn out mantra of, “Don’t judge lest you be judged,” when you try to tell them what the Bible actually says, little realizing they have just judged and the Bible does give true believers leeway of  “judging righteous judgment,” and, “by their fruit you will know them (speaking of whether or not a person is judged to be a true believer).”

As we continue on, it only gets worse in our country as well as elsewhere.  People don’t want to hear the truth about themselves because they are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God.  They tend to think more highly of themselves then they ought so we will continue to see things grow worse towards true believers.  The Bible even goes on to say in Philippians 1:28-29, “and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.   For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”

As we see the persecution and suffering intensify, the questions need asking:

1. Why am I suffering?
2. How should I respond in times like these?
3. Why is it that those who do what is right are the ones who are treated with the most hatred and anger?
4. What should be my response during a time of persecution and suffering?
5. It’s so easy to become bitter and angry at the Lord while I am going through this time.  How can I keep from doing that?
6. Where does it say in Scripture that there will be persecution and suffering in a true believer’s life?
7. I’ve been told over and over again that God has a wonderful plan for my life if I just accept Him into my heart, how do you justify your beliefs with Scripture?
8. Why is it that Christians tend to persecute other Christians or that’s what it seems like?

If you have other questions about persecution and suffering feel free to ask them or if you have anything you would like to add that follows what Scripture has to say.  In my next posts, I will be addressing these questions and anymore that might be added!

To be continued…

Persecution and Suffering…For What?!? (Part 4)

2 Tim. 3:4-5 continues on with, “traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

In our culture, we see so many people that are traitors both to our country as well as to friends.  It’s so easy to turn on someone who seeks to be a true friend by giving godly counsel.  Headstrong is the next word which gives the idea of rash.  How many people rashly do something and end up in serious trouble?  We see in the news how people, who have never been in trouble with the law, suddenly end up in jail because they have done something without thinking it through.  Impulsive seems to be the in thing now because impulse gives way to thinking things through or seeking godly counsel.  We have a nation of impulsive people that get themselves in trouble due to this.

Haughty is the next word and the meaning is the same thing as proud!  Pride is what caused Satan to fall and what causes us the most problems.  Most sins committed stem from pride.  The Bible is clear that pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall!  Beware pride!

The next on the list is “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”  This is definitely true of our nation.  How many people would rather go running, watch football, watch tv, do whatever on Sunday instead of go to church to worship Christ with other believers?  Church is not just there for our benefit!  Church is there for us to serve other believers, to encourage other believers and for all within the church to enjoy the fellowship of other believers based on the TRUTH of God’s Word!  We not only have a nation full of people that love pleasure on Sundays but even a lot of so-called Christians please themselves throughout the week  then put on a face when they go to church on Sundays as if they were the best Christians ever lived.  How hypocritical and yet that is being a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God!

This progression is going downhill and now we have someone who has a form of godliness but denies it’s power.  How is this possible? you might wonder.   Let’s look at the average church and see what the Lord is doing within the hearts and lives of believers.  Is anyone changing and becoming more like the Lord Jesus Christ?  Unfortunately, we have a nation of so-called Christians who are not changing because they’d rather please themselves.  Let’s look at a couple of  the big name pastors.

What about Rick Warren’s church?  This is the man that prayed at the inauguration of our new president and prayed for God’s blessing on a man who is not saved.  This is also the same man that met up with a homosexual not too long before the inauguration.  He refused to give out the gospel to an unsaved homosexual man!  He used to take a stand against homosexuality and now he condones it because he was given the opportunity to pray at the inauguration!  This is contrary to the Word of God but most churches model their church after Rick Warren.  This is also the same man that is now saying that unbelievers should give Jesus a try for 40 days and if they don’t like it  they will receive a money back guarantee!  This is blasphemous!   Jesus doesn’t have a money-back guarantee!

How about Mark Driscoll at Mars Church?  This is the man that uses sexual inuendoes and swearing in the middle of his preaching!   This has become the norm rather than exception to the rule!  Pastors are stealing from the churches or have become men-pleasers because they are afraid of losing their paycheck!  If the sheep don’t see the pastor living a godly life, then why should they do it?  Not only that, but if people are getting a diet of only a little bit of truth mixed with error then they will begin to believe a lie instead of the truth.  These are the ones that we should be turning away from.

When we were in England, there were many times we had to take a stand for truth and we lost many friends through this.  When a pastor has to take a stand for truth and eventually has to use church discipline because someone within the flock has done something wrong and refuses to make it right, it is our responsibility as the flock to back the pastor!  If church discipline has been enacted then whenever we meet up with that person, we should be willing to share with them that they are in sin and need to repent.  It doesn’t matter whether we want to or not, or hope they will come back to the church.  We are commanded by Scripture to do this, whether we like it or not!!!  A church that is not willing to enact church discipline whether by the pastor or the members will DIE or will become one that has a form of godliness and denies it’s power!  These are the churches, the pastors, the people that we should turn away from just as the Word of God commands.

Let us make sure we continue seeking and striving to serve the Lord in every area of life!  Let us make sure we are becoming more like the Lord Jesus Christ today then we were yesterday!

To be continued….

Persecution and Suffering…For What?!? (Part 3)

2 Timothy 3:3 goes on to say, “unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good.” How many times in our culture and all other cultures have we seen or heard about this. Women kill their own babies, a dad kills the children then kills himself, children kill their parents or their siblings, etc. Their is no natural affection and most families don’t care about each other, they only care about what they can get from the family! There is lack of forgiveness within the cultures of this world. Go to the news and find out how many families seem to hold grudges against each other and how the family closeness is lacking even in Christian families.

People LOVE to slander other people especially if other people are taking a stand for the truth all in the name of love. Doctrine divides and will do so as long as there is sin on this earth.  The unity thing is not based on whether or not we all just ignore sin.  Unity is based on the TRUTH of God’s Word and if someone is not willing to follow the truth of God’s Word then it is important that there is someone in place who will take a stand.  God always brings men to the forefront who will be willing to stand regardless of the cost!   There is so much slandering going on in our country!  Our news media started off as a way to bring the truth to light but our news media has turned it into a biased liberal opinion!  If a person doesn’t agree with them then they accuse that person of being biased.  The reality is that they are so biased for sin that the truth doesn’t matter to them.  They even go so far as to say there is nothing set in stone as far as what is right and wrong so they slander the person who takes a stand for truth.

Not many people in this day and age have or use much self-control.  In fact, if a person has self-discipline or self-control they are normally laughed at, considered the odd one out, or even considered a legalist (if they are in church).

Brutality seems to be encouraged within most cultures.  Look at what is put on television and the regular diet of brutality that most children watch!  There is very little gentleness encouraged within our culture or even the cultures of other countries.

We also see a LOT of people who despise what is good.  This could include and does include even churches within our society.  If you do what is right then you are despised because you don’t have some kind of bad habit.  A few years ago, I watched a movie about a boy that was a robot.  I don’t remember the whole gist of the movie but I do remember how this boy robot was being very good and helping out others and basically being very kind and loving towards others.  Someone took him to the side and told him that he needed to be bad at some point because parents “need their children to be bad!”  What kind of nonsense is this?  We don’t “need“ our children to be bad.  Our children are already bad because they are depraved sinners.  You don’t have to teach your child how to lie or steal as this comes automatically due to their depraved nature!  They need to be taught how to be good and how to love the Lord!

Go talk to someone who is an evolution  fanatic (just about anyone who is not a creationist fanatic) and she will make it very plain where she stands and how creationists are freaks and crazy to boot.  People don’t care about what kind of problem you have but if you start serving the Lord with all your heart, then suddenly they have problems with you because you are “no longer kind and loving.”  Funny, isn’t it?

As we continue on, we will see just how far we have come in our societies but we will also see what the Bible says about persecution and suffering!

God Only Saves BAD People

Are you a good person or a bad person?  Do you feel you can get to heaven on your merits or do you realize that you are a wicked person in the sight of God?  Art Azurdia reminds us that only BAD people get to heaven.  God didn’t come to save good people but He did come to save bad people!

HT: The Desert Pastor on Defending Contending