Back to the Basic

Back to the Basic

The social cultural in our nation toward Christianity appears to be turning sour. Basic value issues like marriage and the value of life that most Christians considers paramount are viewed by many as being intolerant, outdated, and hateful.  This seems to be especially true in metropolis areas of our nation. The question that begs an answer is how did we get here?

Often the evangelical church goer will recite the usual Christian platitudes, “it’s a sign of the end times” and “the Bible says the love of many will wax cold.” Do we know it’s the end times since the Bible tells us that no one on earth knows? Is it possible that we have dropped the ball and instead of examining our ministry; we are making another excuse? Isn't that waxing cold?

A great amount of emphasis is put on the necessity of evangelism and discipleship by church leadership as a cure for the decline in our nation’s moral convictions. Without question these are needed areas within today's ministry that need improvement.

However, there may be two elements that lay at the base of the decline of Christian effectiveness to influence our culture.  These elements have been forgotten or are being ignored. Take for example the two verses found in Hebrews:

 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

While verse twenty-five has been used by pastors over the ages to beat the membership into attending every service, verse twenty-four goes virtually ignored. The concept that the meeting of the body should be to encourage believers to love and good works. A concept that is unknown to many believers.

We, the believers in Christ, must earn the right to be heard. It is not a given! We must love and not just one another!  We must love those unsaved souls that differ with us. We must love even when our views are opposed; and our values are spurred. We must love when it is inconvenient. It must be sincere love with holy motivations; and it must be a consistent love. Only when they see that kind of love will today’s culture listen.

Accompanying love must be action. The army of believers in this nation must “stir up one another to love and good works.”  Unfortunately, many in our nation see the local church as a taker and not as a giver.  Why? Many local church ministries are in a maintenance mode. Everything they do is internal. They fix the roof, expand the playground, hold their banquets and keep the membership content and happy. They are seen doing very little for the community. There is a real void in good works.

Perhaps we need to return to these basic elements. We need to love like Jesus did; and to acknowledge that we were saved for good works beyond the church doors.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” 1 Peter 2:15-16 ESV

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Help Wanted! More Jeremiah People

Help Wanted! More Jeremiah People
Must be able to take rejection and work for peanuts. 

When Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the Lord their God, with which the Lord their God had sent him to them, Azariah the son of Hoshaiah and Johanan the son of Kareah and all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie.” (Jeremiah 43:1-2 ESV)

“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you.” (Jeremiah 44:16 ESV)

Jeremiah had a tough gig. Although he knew he was young and in his eyes unqualified for the task of a prophet, He was nevertheless chosen by God for the job. Not only was he to address the sins of the day but he was also to proclaim and live through the judgment of God on his wayward nation.  

Known as Mr. Doom-and-Gloom, the prophecies of Jeremiah were not welcomed, which brings me to my central theme: Speaking the truth does not mean that people will perceive and receive your words as the truth.

While this simple truth is played out in the lives of several prophets of God, it still comes as a shock to many working in the church today. Somehow, many of those working within the church are bewitched with a false perception that since they hold the truth people will automatically endorse it with open arms. 

The biblical values that are taught in scripture and embraced by Christians maybe the truth and right. Nevertheless, these values are not perceived nor receive by today’s culture as the truth.  This fact should not frighten us nor discourage us. It should awaken us the work we have before us.

Jeremiah’s task was to change a wayward culture that had abandoned their heritage and their faith and embrace false gods and false beliefs. It was a hard, unrewarding, and disappointing ministry that set him at odds with people he loved. His work took more than a few weeks and more than a few months. It took years. It took unwavering dedication. It took self-giving love. It took emboldened faith. It took servants willing to stand against the flow.

The task before the church today will take no less.

Join with others in Reading Through the Bible. This site makes it easy.

On Sale! 

For His Glory: A Kaleidoscope of Wisdom. 

SAVE 30% During Nov. 2012
Using Discount Code: 498ES3PT and this LINK.
If you wish to purchase 10 or more books for a Bible class etc, please contact me directly!

Beware of the "More Deception"

We are a ministry of Net 153

Beware of the deception that more is better. Today’s Madison Avenue culture of more-and-more has crept into almost every area of our life. If the waiter brings a large helping of food, then it must be good food.  The bigger the house must mean better the home. The bigger the price tag the better the product. Of course all sensible people realize that this is not necessarily true. The big plate brought by the waiter can be bad food; and a bigger house does not make it a better home. Nevertheless, there remains this entrenched falsehood in our thought process and it has creep into the body of believers.

In the mist of the church failing to produce disciples and fewer people engaging in reproducing their faith, church leaders are looking to the “more” -- more services, longer worship, stronger preaching, more prayer, more super conferences, and more worship-entertainment centers for answers.

More services or more programs may not be the answer but better services and improved programs may be the answer. A twenty minute sermon that is packed full of useful material and delivered in the power of the spirit is better than any sixty minute lecture. Remember Peter preached for ten minutes and saw three thousand saved. Possibly what we need to seek is not more but better.

Perhaps our passion to “turn things around” needs to begin with an awaking to be better at the ministries we have. This can start with one simple principle found in Ephesians 5:1: “…be imitators of God, as beloved children.” The Apostle Paul made a great impact in a short period with little external help. Why? Because people saw Jesus in him! His life imitated his Lord’s life. It wasn’t more of Paul, or preaching, or programs.  It was Paul being like Jesus. The fire that needs to be kindled is “better” imitators of our Lord.  If we become better imitators of Christ, we might find that we have “more” imitators of Christ.

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