While it must be recognized that collective worship finds its center in the church, worship is a vital part of the family's social structure as well. Families should pray together, sing together, read God's Word together, and offer thanksgiving together. It is impossible to verbalize all the ways in which healthy family worship time provides security, stability, wisdom, and maturation for family members.
The same forces which rob families of mealtime together rob the same families of worship time together. The hurried life, especially the indulged hurried life, grows impatient with the quietness necessary for reading and prayer. There are far more exciting things to do. The exciting things are seldom the fulfilling things in the long run. The family which is too fragmented for worship together is living by a value system which cannot build strong Christians. Rather, such a value system actually prepares children to yield further to the pressures of sin and worldly society.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Comfortable Pilgrims ?
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;" ~I Peter 2:11
Does the Word of God teach that it's OK for professing Christians to be so comfortable in this world? Of course not! Why then are we seeing so many who call themselves believers entangling themselves with so many of this world's pleasures(Matthew 6:19,20)? They live as though there is no life to prepare for after death and as though there is no battle between "Good and Evil" going on all around them, II Timothy 2:4 tells us... "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
We are to be pilgrims and strangers; this means that though we live in this world, we are to be free from it's appeal and severed from it's wicked fleshly culture. Anyone who has met Christ should be focused on Him and the work that He has for us to do... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." ~Ephesians 2:10
I know that we must reach out to a depraved modernized society, but the Church has no business lowering her standards and becoming more like the world in order to appeal to sinners; for in doing so we cast our pearls before the swine (Matthew 7:6).
It boils down to this; God expects His people to be different than any other group of people on this earth, and not only in conduct and appearance but in our works for Him... "our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." ~Titus 2:13,14
I leave you with this thought... If according to God we are to be pilgrims and strangers in this world; then what right do we have to become comfortable with all that it has to offer?
Does the Word of God teach that it's OK for professing Christians to be so comfortable in this world? Of course not! Why then are we seeing so many who call themselves believers entangling themselves with so many of this world's pleasures(Matthew 6:19,20)? They live as though there is no life to prepare for after death and as though there is no battle between "Good and Evil" going on all around them, II Timothy 2:4 tells us... "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
We are to be pilgrims and strangers; this means that though we live in this world, we are to be free from it's appeal and severed from it's wicked fleshly culture. Anyone who has met Christ should be focused on Him and the work that He has for us to do... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." ~Ephesians 2:10
I know that we must reach out to a depraved modernized society, but the Church has no business lowering her standards and becoming more like the world in order to appeal to sinners; for in doing so we cast our pearls before the swine (Matthew 7:6).
It boils down to this; God expects His people to be different than any other group of people on this earth, and not only in conduct and appearance but in our works for Him... "our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." ~Titus 2:13,14
I leave you with this thought... If according to God we are to be pilgrims and strangers in this world; then what right do we have to become comfortable with all that it has to offer?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The World or Christ?
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." ~I John 2:15
There is a popular opinion among the majority of today's professing Christians that God does not expect His children to live separated from this vile world. So many who call themselves followers of Christ are wrapped up in the wicked pleasures of this world. According to God's holy word his children are to live drastically different than those around them who are lost (I Peter2:11). It has been said that what we lack among today's believers is holiness, but I say a true follower of Christ who knows of His love for them, who has tasted of His joy, who has been forgiven for their sins and their evil heart's vanity will have no problem submitting to and obeying their Saviours desires for their life.
Jesus said in John 14:23 "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." If we are truly in love with Jesus then we will be Kingdom minded and will joyfully stay away from the things of this world that would hinder our walk with Him. people say today that they know and love Christ yet they deny and resist Him through their unholy deeds; the filth that people put before their eyes and pour into their ears will put desires within them that are unholy and damning to their souls, tell me how can someone claim to follow Christ yet they involve themselves with the very things He hates!
Parents allow their children to participate in unholy activities and lifestyles that defile their conscience and greater widens the gap between them and their Creator. Movies, music, clothing, games and much more, things that will teach them to be rebellious toward God's law and covetous for the things of this rotten world! But they say..."I'll just make sure I keep them in church and God and the pastor will teach them what they need to know". God help us when we are more concerned about our children's social standing than we are their hell bound souls. Why do parents allow such disobedience?... because they are as lost and undone and as full of sin as their children! We must teach our children to be separated from this world "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4 You CAN NOT love the world and love God and you CAN NOT hold the things of God in one hand and the things of this world in the other! I don't care what church you belong to or how active you are in your religious deeds, if you are a friend of this world you are not His child!
I recently heard a wise man of God say..."If a man or woman were to put on a clean white garment, they would do everything that they possibly could to stay away from anything that would stain that garment." This is true to a real child of God, Those who have put on Christ have put on a holy garment of purity and will do their very best to stay away from anything that even slightly favors sin. I say again, if we are true disciples of Jesus we will love what He loves and we will hate what He hates!
One thing that has been taught that is complete heresy is the teaching of comfort in this world for a believer, what I mean is... those who think that ever thing in a believer's life is always supposed to be happiness and a positive sin tolerating attitude! This is not how Christ said it would be, in fact, He taught quite the opposite. Take a look at these scriptures... John 15:19 "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." ... John 16:20 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Anyone who sees the condition of this vain world will carry a sorrowful load for all of those who are blind to it's ruin and despair.
Be assured! God's people are full of joy, but that joy does not come from the pleasures and offerings of this wicked world but rather from prayer and communion with our precious Lord! All who are disobedient to the commandments of God's word are in grave danger, look to him and see if you are truly following Him. Time is running out, are you tired of playing games with God? Do you follow Christ or do you follow the world? You can not have both! Remember, if this world hated Christ then what gives us the right as His followers to expect this world to love us?
There is a popular opinion among the majority of today's professing Christians that God does not expect His children to live separated from this vile world. So many who call themselves followers of Christ are wrapped up in the wicked pleasures of this world. According to God's holy word his children are to live drastically different than those around them who are lost (I Peter2:11). It has been said that what we lack among today's believers is holiness, but I say a true follower of Christ who knows of His love for them, who has tasted of His joy, who has been forgiven for their sins and their evil heart's vanity will have no problem submitting to and obeying their Saviours desires for their life.
Jesus said in John 14:23 "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." If we are truly in love with Jesus then we will be Kingdom minded and will joyfully stay away from the things of this world that would hinder our walk with Him. people say today that they know and love Christ yet they deny and resist Him through their unholy deeds; the filth that people put before their eyes and pour into their ears will put desires within them that are unholy and damning to their souls, tell me how can someone claim to follow Christ yet they involve themselves with the very things He hates!
Parents allow their children to participate in unholy activities and lifestyles that defile their conscience and greater widens the gap between them and their Creator. Movies, music, clothing, games and much more, things that will teach them to be rebellious toward God's law and covetous for the things of this rotten world! But they say..."I'll just make sure I keep them in church and God and the pastor will teach them what they need to know". God help us when we are more concerned about our children's social standing than we are their hell bound souls. Why do parents allow such disobedience?... because they are as lost and undone and as full of sin as their children! We must teach our children to be separated from this world "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4 You CAN NOT love the world and love God and you CAN NOT hold the things of God in one hand and the things of this world in the other! I don't care what church you belong to or how active you are in your religious deeds, if you are a friend of this world you are not His child!
I recently heard a wise man of God say..."If a man or woman were to put on a clean white garment, they would do everything that they possibly could to stay away from anything that would stain that garment." This is true to a real child of God, Those who have put on Christ have put on a holy garment of purity and will do their very best to stay away from anything that even slightly favors sin. I say again, if we are true disciples of Jesus we will love what He loves and we will hate what He hates!
One thing that has been taught that is complete heresy is the teaching of comfort in this world for a believer, what I mean is... those who think that ever thing in a believer's life is always supposed to be happiness and a positive sin tolerating attitude! This is not how Christ said it would be, in fact, He taught quite the opposite. Take a look at these scriptures... John 15:19 "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." ... John 16:20 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Anyone who sees the condition of this vain world will carry a sorrowful load for all of those who are blind to it's ruin and despair.
Be assured! God's people are full of joy, but that joy does not come from the pleasures and offerings of this wicked world but rather from prayer and communion with our precious Lord! All who are disobedient to the commandments of God's word are in grave danger, look to him and see if you are truly following Him. Time is running out, are you tired of playing games with God? Do you follow Christ or do you follow the world? You can not have both! Remember, if this world hated Christ then what gives us the right as His followers to expect this world to love us?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
God Will Punish Sin
“There is no use to apply a remedy to this generation…the second message of the cross, 'the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s blood.' They don’t think there is any need. This generation needs to hear the first message of that bloody cross, 'GOD WILL PUNISH SIN.' Nobody will ever be interested in whether Christ did anything on the cross that would do me any good or not till you believe that GOD WILL PUNISH SIN.”
- Evangelist Rolfe Barnard
- Evangelist Rolfe Barnard
Why Christ Offends Men
"There are some who stumble at Christ because of his holiness. He is too strict for them; they would like to be Christians, but they cannot renounce their sensual pleasures; they would like to be washed in his blood, but they desire still to roll in the mire of sin.
Willing enough the mass of men would be to receive Christ, if, after receiving him, they might continue in their drunkenness, their wantonness, and self-indulgence. But Christ lays the axe at the root of the tree; he tells them that these things must be given up, for “because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience,” and “without holiness no man can see the Lord.”
Human nature kicks at this. “What! May I not enjoy one darling lust? May I not indulge myself at least now and then in these things? Must I altogether forsake my old habits and my old ways? Must I be made a new creature in Christ Jesus?”
These are terms too hard, conditions too severe, and so the human heart goes back to the flesh pots of Egypt... Christ offends men because HIS GOSPEL IS INTOLERANT OF SIN."
Taken from Spurgeon's message, "Unbelievers Stumbling; Believers Rejoicing" - Metroplitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1864
Willing enough the mass of men would be to receive Christ, if, after receiving him, they might continue in their drunkenness, their wantonness, and self-indulgence. But Christ lays the axe at the root of the tree; he tells them that these things must be given up, for “because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience,” and “without holiness no man can see the Lord.”
Human nature kicks at this. “What! May I not enjoy one darling lust? May I not indulge myself at least now and then in these things? Must I altogether forsake my old habits and my old ways? Must I be made a new creature in Christ Jesus?”
These are terms too hard, conditions too severe, and so the human heart goes back to the flesh pots of Egypt... Christ offends men because HIS GOSPEL IS INTOLERANT OF SIN."
Taken from Spurgeon's message, "Unbelievers Stumbling; Believers Rejoicing" - Metroplitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 1864
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