Who you around?

Who you around?

1 Corinthians 15:33(niv)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

 

Whether we admit it or not or realize it or not, the people we choose to spend time with and hang around do have an influence on us. It could be a boyfriend or girlfriend, a group of friends at school or work, a spouse, a sibling, a parent, or someone else.  Influence works both ways, we can influence others and they can influence us.  It also works both ways in the sense that it can be positive or negative, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. 

 

It is important that we surround ourselves with people who love us and care about us and our best interest. It's also important that we are the same to others.  We need people in our lives who are going to make us better, be positive, be truthful, be honest with us, and keep us accountable.  On the same token, we also need to not allow someone to bring us down, influence us with negative behaviors, or who sucks the joy  from our lives.

 

While I know we can't always pick our parents, our children, or family members, we certainly have a choice in who we pick as friends and who we decide to date and marry.  So in places where we have choices, we need to choose wisely.  I know every situation and circumstance is different and I can't place a blanket statement across this, but I think we should seek God's counsel and pray for God to help us choose whom we have in our lives and whom we don't. 

 

I can certainly look back on my life and say if I didn't hang out with that person or group of friends or if I didn't date that person I could have avoided a lot of regret, heartache, or bad decisions.  But, hopefully we can let the past serve as a teacher to us, so we don't keep making the same poor choices when it comes to who we surround ourselves with.

 

How many people especially young people dress a certain way, wear their hair a certain way, listen to a certain type of music, or watch certain tv shows and movies, all based on the circle of influence they have in their friends at school?  We are allowing others to influence us who do not have our best interest in mind and who may not be making the best choices themselves and hanging out with them could be effecting your grades, morals, values, and decisions.  

 

You should never have to change who you are or what you believe in order to be friends with someone or date/marry someone.  We also should never abuse or use our relationship with someone whether spouse, parent, child, relative, or whatever to negatively influence someone else for our own selfish reasons.

 

My challenge today is simply that each of us strive to be the best person you can be today for yourself and others.  That me and you make wise choices in who we let in our lives and who we choose to hang out with and spend time with.  That we care what God thinks more than we care what others thinks about us.   God is eternal and what He thinks matters, what your friend at school or at work thinks doesn't and they are very temporary.

 

The key for us is to find our self worth and value in God and not the opinions or influences of others and that we are strong enough and wise enough to choose wisely who we spend time with and surround ourselves with and we are able to discern good and bad and positive and negative people.

 

May we all first and foremost surround ourselves with God and Godly people who love God and love us unconditionally.  Secondly, may we be a good and positive influence to others, and thirdly, may we always be wise in our choices and influences in this world.

Relationship

Relationship

John 1:18niv

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

 

When God created the world in the beginning, he created everything, including mankind.  We were created for relationship with God and with each other. We were not meant to be alone. Though some of us are introverts and some of us are extroverts or some of us are people persons and some of us are not, I think we all were created to not be alone and/or lonely.

 

Now you can be in a room full of people and be lonely and you can be by yourself and not be lonely, I think it all depends on your attitude.  But, my point being is we were created for relationship.  First, God created us to have a relationship with Him.  Even if you don't claim a relationship with God or never have had a relationship with God, that doesn't dismiss the fact that God created you for relationship with Him. 

 

 I believe all created beings have a God shaped void in their hearts that can only be filled with God. Now many folks spend their whole lives trying to fill that missing void in their lives with all sorts of things like alcohol, drugs, earthly pleasures, popularity, material things, titles, sex, earthly relationships, careers, and you name it, people have tried filling that missing part of their lives with all kind of things and truth is nothing works and nothing will fill it, only the creator. God. God is what's missing, because we were created by a creator who desires a relationship with His creation. 

 

Secondly, we were created for relationship with one another.  Now, don't misunderstand this, people can't replace God.  God is the first and most important relationship we can and should ever have, but God also put us on this earth with other people for us to also have a secondary relationship with others.  Now, people screw this up a lot, they try to replace God with earthly relationships, or the mistake sex as love, or they seek the wrong kinds of attention from others, but God's desire is for us to have healthy relationships with others.

 

Our relationship with God should be our model for all relationships and God wants us to have healthy relationships with others. Of course there are different types of relationships, parents, siblings, children, relatives, friendships, marriages, etc...but the point is that these relationships be healthy.  Now not everyone born is born with a good mom or a good dad, and we can't pick what families we are born into, but even if you didn't grow up with a good mom or dad or good grandparents, or whatever, there are still people out there who will love you and accept you and whom you can do and be the same things for.

 

The key to having healthy good relationships is having a good model.  God is our model in order to know that model we have to know God.  Which means, we have to read his Word(the Bible) and get in touch with his Holy Spirit (be baptized) and become a part of His body (the church) and through these things we'll learn from unconditional, healthy love is.  We then can learn to model that love in our relationships with others.  Too many people who no idea what loving relationships are or what love looks like because they don't know God. 

 

I want to encourage you to know God.  Know His love.  Experience His love.  Have a loving relationship with Him.  Love God.  Love others. Love others the way God loves you. 

Mediocrity

Mediocrity

Revelation 3:16(NIV)
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

These were God's Words to the Church in Laodicea because they were lukewarm, meaning they weren't hot for God or cold for God, but just kind of average and going through the motions and God said in the verse before(15) I wish you were one or the other, but your neither. 

I believe God is an all or nothing God, He says in other scripture "you're either for me or against me", which means pick a team, choose a side, and either live for me or don't, serve me or don't, worship me or don't, but I can tell you mediocre, average, riding the fence, isn't going to cut in in my kingdom.

There's an old saying "You aim for nothing and you'll hit it every time", and I think that is true, so many folks want the benefits of salvation and not "going to hell", but yet they want to coast by on this world, only wanting God or the Church when the need something and making little or no effort or commitment to grow spiritually.  That was the problem with the church God mentioned in Revelation, they were just "lukewarm" neither hot or cold when it came to their faith and that my friends doesn't honor God.

We have too many church bodies where a few body parts are doing all the work in the body, a few of the body parts are doing all the worship, serving, and giving while the majority just sits by on cruise control being spiritually lazy and settling for mediocre religion instead of thriving relationship faith with Jesus Christ.  God deserves better.  Jesus didn't die on the cross for our sins and to give us hope of eternal life in Heaven for us to just be mediocre followers. 

Mediocrity gives less than they can, mediocrity does less than they should,  mediocrity is inconsistent in their worship and participation in the Church,  mediocrity makes excuses and blame shifts, mediocrity is lazy, mediocrity is the devil's playground, and mediocrity is lukewarm.

As the Casting Crowns song says "We were made to thrive" and we need to thrive and be above average, red hot, and healthy for the Lord.  God can't use us if we aren't available, God can work through us if were not willing, and God can't teach us if we never come to church, or bible study, or open our bibles, pray, or listen for His voice or Holy Spirit guidance in our lives. 

It's time to stop making excuses and stop settling for a mediocre faith.  The truth is mediocre faith is no faith at all, you're only lying to yourself and fooling yourself or satan has blinded you to the truth that you are not growing, you are not giving, serving, worshipping, or being used for the kingdom of God.  It's time to thrive!  It's time to step up!  It's time to get involved! It's time to take some ownership of your salvation. It's time to be above average and get on fire for the Lord.  Don't settle for mediocrity or the same old same old.  Thrive. Excel. Grow.

It's Just a Game

It's Just a Game

Really, it is!  For a sports fan whether you like college or pro sports, or whether you like baseball, football, basketball, hockey, or soccer, or whether you play, officiate, or coach little league, jv, or varsity athletics there's a tendency to go overboard in our love of sports and sports teams.

I understand when you play in a competitive game, the goal is to win, and you certainly want to play your best, practice, know fundamentals, and play to help you team succeed.   I'm for competition and wanting to win. I also understand that we all have our favorite teams that we root for, buy their merchandise, have loyal devotion to, and like to trash talk with our friends, family, and co-workers over rivalry games, but my question is when do we cross the line or when do we take sports so serious that it's unhealthy?

I think there are those who get angry, depressed, argue, fight, and some even get into physical altercations all over a game, that was meant to be fun for those playing it and entertainment for those who are fans.  I think there is something wrong when sports or rooting for our favorite team becomes a priority in our lives or causes us to have negative behavior or character.

You don't have to troll social media very long when there are games on to see all the passion for sports. But, not all that passion is healthy, appropriate, or good for you when you lose touch with reality or it changes you in negative ways.  It's great to cheer for your team and it's ok to be bummed out when they don't win, but when we get so angry, we cuss, argue, fight, and lose self-control it has become more than just a game.

There have been coaches, players, fans and game officials who have been hit, attacked, and in extreme cases people hospitalized or even died over a game.  That is beyond sad and pathetic to me.  I have seen personally people harassed, threatened, and cussed out at games just because they were wearing the other teams colors or cheering for the opposing team.  We all have seen on the news or ESPN fans getting injured or killed because they were from the "other team".   Even years ago when I officiated basketball I was threatened at both a biddy league basketball game and at a JV game because "their team" didn't win.   We've all seen stories of parents or coaches or players getting into altercations over games.

How many friendships have been ruined, how many parents/children have bad relationships, how many people have you unfriended or un-followed on social media because of differences in sports?  I think many people take sports  way to serious and to the extreme and to the point where they lose touch with the bigger picture and that is no matter how you twist it, in the end "IT'S JUST A GAME!"

It might be business and big money in professional sports, but it's still just a game. It may be state pride or bragging rights or even money for colleges, but it's still just a game.  You may love your local high school or middle school teams or local little league teams and like to play or want your kids to play, but it's still just a game. Never forget that.

I'll admit I am a big sports fan, my closet and drawers are full of my favorite teams t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and my walls have sports teams stuff hanging on them, and my cupboard has coffee cups, mugs, and cups with my favorite sports teams.  I love my teams, spend a lot of time watching their games and supporting them, but I've always tried to keep it in perspective, it's for fun, it's for entertainment, I enjoy them, but at the end of the day, it's a sport, and it's just a game.

Out of all the priorities in my life, sports aren't even in the top 10.  My faith, my wife, my daughter, my family, my church, my ministry, my friends, etc...take a front seat to sports.  I don't need to turn to a pill or alcohol if my team loses, my self-worth and value is not wrapped up in my favorite teams.

I also think I need to point out that as Christians, there are way too many folks who put sports in front of God and His Church.  They teach their children that team and sports are more important than faith, they may say they don't, but the proof is in the pudding, we skip church services or things for ball games and practices, yet say God is first?  We spend countless hours and money on sports and hardly nothing on serving or giving in the church?  Or better yet, what do we teach our children when God and church becomes 3rd or 5th down the priority list above our beloved sports? Or we consistently miss church services or serving for ballgames.  I know on rare occasions it may happen, but  I've heard all the excuses, but truth is people are in denial, they love their sports and./or their kids sports a lot more than they do God and His church and you have to answer to God not me.  

Also, as Christians I think we forget our character matters no matter where we are? I've seen "Christians" yelling and acting a fool in the stands over a "call" or something, where is their Christian example? Is it on hold while the game is on? I don't think so.  We represent God wherever we are, at the stadium, at the field, and in front of the TV. Also, as Christian athletes and coaches we should se the example that sports are just a game and we play with class, dignity, integrity, sportsmanship, and respect.

The bottom line is no matter how you spin it, sports are just a game and they shouldn't be your life or diminish your character and take over your life to the point where you lose touch with the things that are really important.  Remember no matter how big the game, it's just a game. It's not life. It's a game. It's certainly not more important than God. It's just a game.

1 Corinthians 9:25(NIV)

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Matthew 6:33(NIV)
³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Being Called

Being Called

If I was being honest and I will be, it wasn't my idea to go into ministry.  As a matter of fact, I've tried to run away from ministry and this "call" on my life.  When I first felt called into ministry I never imagined it would be into "full-time" or "located" ministry.  I was a teenager at church camp feeling God telling me this is what He wanted me to do, but at the time I just thought it was to preach or work in youth ministry as a volunteer or part-time, but later on I felt He was saying this was what he wanted me to do with my life as a living.

I transferred to Bible college after one year at a state university, and started classes and was doing ministry when I had opportunity, but I still was resisting the call, to the point where I eventually dropped out of Bible College and tried to run form God.  I even joined the US Navy, I guess in same way Jonah boarded a boat to run away from God, I was doing the same thing, but luckily, I wasn't thrown over board and swallowed by a large fish.  But, eventually through my time in the military God molded and shaped me and got me back His track and after getting out of the military I went into full-time ministry. 

I would like to say this was the end of the story, but it wasn't a happily ever after. After a successful 5 year youth ministry, I tried to walk or run away from my calling again, whether it was burnout, satan, or whatever, I was close to not even being a Christian let alone in ministry.  But, by God's grace He didn't give up on me and though I tried to run away from God again and His calling on my life, I could not escape it.  I am thankful that God gives us second and third and sometimes more chances to get ourselves together.

God had a call on my life that I didn't ask for or really want, and even though I tried to run away and hide or walk away and rebel, God was patient with me, because He had and has plans to use me for His will.  I guess like Moses in the old testament I wanted to make excuses or like Jonah I wanted to run away, but when God "calls" you to do something for Him there is no excuse that is going suffice and no place to hide from God. 

Even today there are times where I don't want to be in ministry and I have taken a couple breaks from ministry since all these past times 15 and 20 some years ago, but this time whether I have matured or God has made me wiser, I realize that it's not about me and what I want, it's all about God and what He wants.  My life is not my own.  God paid a heavy price for me and my sin, like He did all mankind.  He also puts "callings" on all our lives so that He can use us for His will, His kingdom, His church, His ministry, and His glory.  Some of us are called into church leadership roles as Elders or Deacons, some of us are called into children, youth, worship, missions, or preaching ministries, and many are called as missionaries out into the world working regular jobs because He needs Christians doctors, teachers, bus drivers, coal miners, railroad workers, bankers, and whatever skills God has gifted you.

God also "calls" us to serve in the local church as Sunday school teachers, nursery workers, sound technicians, greeters, with the teens, or lots of other ministries that go on in the local church.  It is no accident or mistake that we are all gifted with different gifts and talents and that God wants us to use them for Him and not just ourselves or the world.  Do you every pray for God to use you? Or do you make excuses?  Do you ever ask God to show you want He wants you to do or do you run and hide? 

There are days where I just want to be a normal Christian and go to church and sit on a pew and do nothing but complain about the preacher and all the church is doing wrong that I don't like, haha only kidding, but I do at times want to just be a regular Christian serving in a local church and not being the Preacher or Pastor, but that is not what God called me to do or be.  He called me to preach and minister.  It's always for Him and about Him. Never about me or you.  It's about the one who does the calling, not the called. Our role is to listen, be available, be faithful, remain faithful, and be obedient to whatever God calls us to do.  Whether that is full-time, part-time, or volunteer ministry.  Whether that is doing ministry for a living or whether it's just being a faithful part of the local church body and serving God in our careers or lives.

May you listen to the voice of God and follow your calling.  I want to be and remain faithful to God and His calling til the finish.

2 Peter 1:3(niv)

[ Confirming One’s Calling and Election ] His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Burger King Religion

Burger King Religion

In the 1970's the fast food restaurant chain Burger King had a successful slogan campaign many of us may remember "HAVE IT YOUR WAY",  many fast food places tried to be fast and efficient so they made burgers/sandwiches with pre-made toppings,  BK wanted to promote you could have your burger/sandwich however you wanted it or whatever toppings you wanted on it.  This was real popular for them for many years and even most restaurants followed suit.

It's not secret that humans by nature are selfish and self-centered and always want things they way they want them, and even in churches and in the Christian faith many have this same attitude and like
BK's slogan "they want it their way"!  They want to church to be the way they want, the preacher to preach what they want to hear, want to the church to sing and worship with the music style and songs they want, want the churches programming and events to be the ones and the way they and, and you name it they want it to be all to their liking and their wants.  This is in many churches with many Christian circles and individual Christians.  They have totally missed the point of the Church and Christianity all together.

I got a different slogan for you:  "This isn't Burger King, you can't have it your way!" or better yet a popular one: "It's not about you!"  The Church is the Body of Christ and His church, not yours.  The churches worship is about worshipping God, not singing your favorite style or type of songs.  People can worship God with all sorts of styles, genres, and types of music, yet we try to limit God with our selfishness as if the worship songs/music was for and about us and it's not, it's us giving worship to and for God.  The churches decorations, programming, order of service, events, activities should be geared for what best suites the majority or best works to be efficient, productive, and positive so the church can better serve God and fulfill His mission of reaching the lost and making disciples, not pleasing your wants.

The point is, so many people have "Burger King Religion" where they want to mold and shape God and His church in their image in a variety of ways and they fail to realize that all of us are supposed to mold and shape our lives around God.  If more people were totally surrendering to God and allowing Him to transform their lives, we wouldn't have so many church splits, factions, and problem.  Even Preachers and church leaders(elders & deacons) can be selfish and "me" focused and hurt the church or hold her back. 

God doesn't approve or desire our fast food mentality to our faith.  Our goal should be to be the body of Christ (a healthy part of His church) our goal should be to worship God in spirit and truth regardless if the songs chosen don't meet our preferences, the church has to change and adapt with the times in order to continue to reach the lost and disciple people so that means that programs, events, and activities should change from time to time, meaning we stop doing things when they no longer work and we do new things that help our church be healthy and grow and most of all honors God. 

Some of the most selfish people I have met in this world have been "proclaimed Christians", yet I don't know how you can have the Holy Spirit, read and study God's Word, and be a part of His church and yet be so self-absorbed, self-centered, or self-unaware to realize it's never about you and always about God. Most of the things we argue, fight, grumble, and complain about in churches are not important, essential, or even matter.  People dying and going to hell and not knowing Jesus as their Lord, that's A LOT more important than whether we do the same dinner we've always done, or whether we get pews or pew chairs, or have VBS or the same revivals, or sing new or different songs, or something of that nature. 

In my years of ministry I might not have seen or heard it all, but I have certainly seen people who gripe, complain, control, stir up dissension, be power hungry, or selfish all to get their way, have control, and make sure things are the way they want. Some may even do it in the name of Jesus, but saying it's for Him doesn't make it for Him.  Satan will use Christians to destroy the momentum, work, and health of a church body.  We all must guard our hearts, egos, and agendas, so that we are not hurting the church or holding it back.     We must constantly guard our hearts and attitudes to realize it's not about us and always about Jesus and we all at times won't have everything our way or the way we like it or want it and guess what? That's ok! Because we should want it God's way and not our way because it's His Church, His worship, His money, His property, His service, His program, and always should be for Him and about Him

Let's all do a very objective self-awareness and make sure we're not being selfish or self-centered and trying to make our local church about us or for us.  While we need to take ownership in our churches it should always be with selfless motives and keeping the focus on God and not ourselves.

Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6b(NIV)

What If

What If

I've said  before the "we've always done it that way" are 6 words that really hurt the church, but 2 more words that are harmful are the words "what if".  "What if..." are two words that we say out of fear, anxiety, or worry that cripple us and cripple our faith and cripple the power and influence of our churches.

"what if...no one shows up?"  "what if someone gets mad?", "what if we make changes and someone gets upset?", "what if we do things different and lose a family", "what if we cancel and someone didn't know?" "What if we step out on faith and fail?" "What if it doesn't work?  "What if we can't afford it?" "What if so and so stops giving?"  "What if so and so gets mad and leaves?" What if...what if....what if...what if...

Do you see how a case of the "what if's" can keep you from helping grow the church?  Keep your church living in the past?  Keep leaders from leading? Keep decisions from being made out of fear or worry?  Maybe I'm a glass half full kind of person, but I look at the other end of the "what if? What if we don't do what we need to do then the church could die, dwindle, close it doors, not reach new people for Christ, not make a difference, and not ever change or grow!

They say only 2 things in life are certain, death and taxes, but the truth is life is uncertain and we can't live our lives guided and led by fear, worry, anxiety, or doubt and we certainly can't lead, serve, or worship in churches that are guided by the same feelings and emotions.  Jesus Christ is the head of the Church and we have His power to guide us, we have nothing to fear.  If someone gets mad, let them.  If someone leaves, let them.  If something doesn't work, try another way.  If something fails, then try it a different way. If something is broke, fix it.  If something is ineffective, then change it. 

I believe in the "no risk, no reward" philosophy.  I've often found it  ridiculous that our entire Christian faith is based on just that "faith", and yet we as churches, church leaders, and Christians alike seem to practice little or no faith. They want to do things they way they've always done them and not step out in faith, they want to stay in the comfort zones of tradition and not have faith in new methods, or not do anything unless they know they can do it or pay for it themselves without God.    They don't want to "rock the boat", well I got news for you, boats are made and designed to rock and we can't let the "what if's" destroy the work of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, our faith in Christ, or the power of the Church!

So, if you're a Christian, a minister, an elder, deacon, or church member not only get rid of the "we've always done it that way mentality", you also need to remove "what if" from your attitude and vocabulary and don't let satan destroy the great things God wants to do in our churches be leading, serving, or worshipping in fear or doubt. 

God can do anything He wants to do, but God also can't use us, bless us, or change u sif we're not willing to have the faith to trust in Him and risk great things in His name!  Let's stop limiting ourselves and the church by our "what if's"!

James 1:5-7(NIV)
⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Get a Handle

Get a Handle

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)
¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Apostle Paul the lead preacher and missionary to Gentiles(non-Jewish folks) mentored a young preacher named Timothy.  He wrote Timothy 2 letters that are in our New Testament part of the Bible. In His second letter to Timothy he encouraged him to present himself to God as someone who is approved by God and not ashamed of the gospel(message of Jesus Christ) and to handle correctly this message with truth, because some were not handling the truth very well and causing dissension in the church and teaching things falsely about Jesus and not truthfully(read entire chapter to get story in context).

I am a Christian and proud of it, I also happen to be a Minister/Preacher and proud of that, I have been to Bible college and proud of that, however, I in no way claim to be a scholarly person, a theologian, or expert, and sadly I should have and even now should study God's Word more.  Saying that, I also am not  totally illiterate or ignorant when it comes to the Bible, but the Bible is a book that must be read, studied, researched, read in context, and also understanding the background of each book(the who, what, when, where, and why).

I see way too many people who do not know the Bible or study the Bible, both those who claim to be Christians and those who don't that mishandle, misinterpret, and miscommunicate the Bible because of their lack of study, knowledge, or understanding.  To put it simply the have preconceived beliefs, agendas, or arguments that they support or are passionate about or believe in, or they want to live a certain way and they want God to approve of it or the Bible to back it up.    This is not the right way to use, read, or study the Bible.  

The Bible is not a pick and choose book.  It's also not a book where you believe what you want to believe and twist God's Word to suit you or back up your stance or support your sin or whatever it is.  That is not the intent of God giving us the Bible.  God's Word is the exact opposite of that.  God's Word is meant to give us our stance, show us what is sin and how to avoid sin and anything that separates us from God. His Word is there to transform us to be like Him, not trying to make God like us.

The Word of God is truth.  The Bible is our guide, our map, our text book, our manual. It is there to teach, educate, learn from, guide, convict, challenge, enlighten, encourage, equip, train, and correct us.   It was not given to us to misuse or manipulate for our social causes, politics, personal agendas, or selfish ways.   God's Word is there to inspire us, to learn from history, others examples, to motivate us to learn about God, His plan of Salvation, and to be more like Him.  How can we do that if we are not handling the Word of God correctly?

This is nothing new, if you actually read the Bible you will see since sin entered the world and man fell from grace that mankind has tried to mold and shape God in their image and tried to get God to be like them instead of the other way around.  We are created in God's image, not God in man's.  God's desire for His creation is for us to have a relationship with Him, worship Him, be obedient and faithful to Him, not out of obligation, but out of freewill and most of all out of love.  Not mishandle His Word so we can justify or excuse our sin or the world's.

When I see Christians using the Bible to bash other Christians or church groups or I see non-Christians and Christians alike taking God's word out of context or totally twisting His Words for their own beliefs it really makes me sad and I know it has to break the heart of God.   People we can't pick and choose what we want from the Bible.  We can't use the Old Testament  and not even know the truth or the law or the context or we can't use the New Testament and not know the culture and the context and truth.

It's easy to pick and choose random bible verses out and make them fit our scenarios, back our stances, and support our  agendas, but it's wrong, it's false, and it's sin.   Read the Bible, study the Bible, talk to someone you respect who knows the Bible, join a Bible study, small group, or Sunday School class, get a Study Bible, or look for online resources to help you learn and study the Bible for honest, sincere, no agenda, objective learning.   It could change your life. 

We are all held accountable and responsible by God for correctly handling His Word and His Truth. You can't know God or His Word if you don't study it or if you aren't open to the truth or His leading.   Don't let the world, culture, society, what's popular, what feels good, or what's temporary dictate your misuse of God's Word.  Let's all do a better job of correctly handling the word of truth. 

Change

Change

Hebrews 13:8(niv)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Jesus is the same and never changes, but that doesn't mean He expects the world, culture, or people to never change.  If we never changed, we'd still be sitting in caves rubbing sticks together to make fire and we'd never have anything different, no telephones, no automobiles, no tv, no computers, no electricity, no plumbing, etc... you get the picture, but the fact is as the world has changed these things and many others have been developed and changed and improved.

While I agree not all change is good, change is necessary both for the Christian life and the Christian Church.  If people don't change then how can we go from lost to found? Sinner to saved? New creation to mature Christian? We can't, it takes change.  Also, how can churches continue to grow spiritually, reach the lost and make disciples if they refuse to change and fight any sort of growth in their body?

One of the worst phrases in the world and one that makes me cringe is the phrase uttered way too many times in churches "that's the way we've always done it." and those 7 words are killing the church, the spread of the gospel, the making of disciples, the reaching of the lost, the raising up of new church leaders, and many of a church and a Christian has died spiritually because they refuse to change.

People we have to realize that though Jesus Christ never changes and the Word of God never changes, that doesn't mean that the church shouldn't change their methods. It has to change, if the church isn't willing to change then it's going to die and not a good death.  This is a great statement "The message must never change, but methods must constantly change". What does that mean? It means that the gospel message of Christ is the same and will always be the same, but the way we deliver, present, or share that message in our churches HAS to CHANGE as culture changes.

People are not driving Model-T's and watching Black & White TV's anymore, or calling the operator to make a call on their party line phones and we are naïve and selfish and dumb to think people are going to continue to come to Jesus and fill our churches when our methods, programs and traditions we have are from 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or longer years ago.  Why do we embrace  change in culture and fight it in our churches? Why do we love the changing of the seasons yet we fight the changing of the seasons of the life of the church in our culture?  Though we are not to be of the world, we are still in the world, and if we are going to be relevant, realistic, and make a difference we can't continue to reach a world in 2015 and beyond with our 1980's, 1960's, or 1940's methods, styles, worship, programs, etc..

The truth is some of those methods were great  at the time, but sometimes things end, change, or lose their momentum such as revivals, Sunday school programs, VBS programs, and many of the different programs and events our churches put on, we've stopped reaching people and being effective in our communities and we've just continued to entertain or satisfy the "faithful few" or the "Holy huddles" our churches make up. So we have to change those things and do them differently or new altogether.

I am talking to every church, every church leader, every Christian who reads this blog to stop trying to hold the church back, stop living in the past, and stop being selfish with your church and hurting it by refusing to change, by refusing to accept new ideas and concepts, and please get the statement and words "we've always done it that way" out of your vocabulary, mindset, and thoughts.  As long as we cling to the way we've always done it, you are going to slowly kill your church til everyone dies off or church members (mostly younger ones and families) leave your church and go elsewhere because they are starving to death spiritually and not being fed because your church is still acting and living like it's 1950.

We act like we are changing the gospel because we develop new programs, we act like we are taking Jesus off the cross if we sing new songs or create new ideas, and the truth and reality is, we are like the old religious leaders and Jews of Jesus' day who wanted to continue to embrace the old law, it's rituals, and traditions and Jesus shared this illustration with them

Mark 2:21-22 (NIV)
²¹ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. ²² And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

They were "griping" and "complaining" because Jesus' disciples weren't honoring their "fasting" rules like the Pharisees of John the Baptists disciples(pupils).  Jesus explains to them the different between the "old" way and the "new way" that is coming.

We too must, stop holding on to the past, and realize Jesus is still Jesus and the Bible is still the Bible even if we do things different and make changes.  We can change lots of things we do in church from the order of service, to bulletins, to service times, to our annual events, our programming, our music, our styles, our preferences, and anything else. As long as we aren't changing the gospel message or the plan of salvation or the Word of God, then we have "freedom" to change and adapt as the world around us dictates and we live in a world now that is changing faster than ever and we must keep up or we are going to continue to lose people to the world and sin.

The church is bigger than you or me and the church is God's church not ours to "control" or "keep in the past" with our "we've always done it that way" mentality and our fear or change.   We must all participate and embrace change so that today's generation and future generations will come to know, love, accept, and worship Jesus Christ.  WE are already saved, and whatever changes your church needs to make in order to be healthy, grow, or be productive for the kingdom is more important and vital than our preferences, our holy habits, or fear of change.

Let's change the world for Jesus Christ, but changing our churches and adapting, and by changing ourselves with a better attitude and mentality.

Your Words

Your Words

Proverbs 8:8 NIV

8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.

 

Can this be said of your words?  We may teach our kids "sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt me" and the truth is we are wrong, words do hurt, they sting, and sometimes what we don't say also hurts, how we say something can hurt as well. I am guilty more than anything of saying things in the wrong tone or way and hurting or making people upset. We all can be guilty of using our words to hurt others whether it's intentional or not, doesn't change the end results.

 

The photo image I am using today I've not been able to shake from my head, I used it recently in a sermon with one of my sermon points in my PowerPoint slides and it gives a powerful visual of what our words can do to someone, maybe it's more alarming because the words are hurting a child, but it paints a picture for me of how our words can truly hurt others.

 

Sometimes we say things in anger, sometimes it's sarcasm, crass, crude, rude, disrespectful, disloyal, judgmental, harsh, critical, mean, ugly, resentful, vindictive, selfish, or some other adjective you can think of, but whether our words are based on what's on the inside, our emotions, or feelings, or some other reason, those of us who are Christians must learn to control our tongues better, practice self-control, and learn to think before we speak and choose our words more carefully and wisely.

 

You can still voice your opinion without coming across negative, you can still have your say without being disrespectful, you can still express your feelings without being mean or ugly, you can defend the truth and still speak in love, you can share your frustration without being argumentative.  The key to all of it is learning to control your emotions and responding instead of reacting, and taking time to choose your words more carefully.

 

Have I offended people? Hurt peoples feelings? Pushed someone away? Gave someone a bad opinion of me?  I'm sure I have and maybe you have to all with the power of our words.  Words can build someone up or tear them down. Words can encourage or discourage someone.  Words can build self-esteem and self-worth or destroy it. Words can help resolve or help hinder things. Words are the key and the words come from our heart.  If our heart is angry, hurt, ugly, selfish, resentful, etc...then we are probably going to spew out words that match.

Jesus in Matthew 12 tells us that a good tree will bear good fruit and a bad tree will bear bad fruit and a tree will be recognized by it's fruit, He directed this at the religious hypocrites of His day(Pharisees) and called them vipers  and said this  in vs 34 For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks  (read Matthew 12:22-37 for entire text).  Wow! What truth Jesus tells them and it should speak to us today too, if we want our lives to bear good fruit then we have to have our heart in the right place and if our heart is in the right place the overflow from our heart will speak words of encouragement, truth in love, peace, and positivity.  

 

While there are times we must be direct, blunt, honest, and deal with ugly people or bad situations, problems or issues, we still can guard our hearts and words so that we do not make a bad situation worse or create more problems by our negative or bad attitude.  Choose your words more carefully or better yet get your heart in the right condition.

                                        

Psalm 19:14(niv)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Represent

Represent

It has been said that "reputation" is what others think of you, but "character" is who you really are, but I also think our reputation is important, because sometimes our reputation we have with others is spot on and we are the last to know.

We all have been in a church or a group somewhere and there are certain people in that group that have certain reputations.  That person is a gossip, that person is a prude, that person is nasty acting, that person is a people pleaser, that person has no tact and blurts our whatever they want,  etc...and sadly when it comes to churches some of those reputations are what is keeping or driving people away.

During my years of working in churches, I have seen more than my share of people with bad reputations in the church and been told that they were the reason some people no longer attended our church, or they were the reason no one wants to come to ladies group, or they are the reason no one comes to that sunday school class, or they are the reason no one wants to serve on the board.  Those are not good qualities or reputations to have in the Lord's Church, His body.

Sadly, most churches and people continue to allow these negative, harmful people to infect the body of Christ and continue to run people off or away or ruin what otherwise could be a great ministry in the church. The saddest part is the people we are talking about are either not aware of their behavior or attitudes because they've been acting that way for so long and no one confronts them or stands up to them or lovingly corrects them or they simply don't care.

We are too easy in our society to dismiss and enable others negative behaviors because we want to keep the peace or not make them mad, but in reality what is doing more damage to the church you ignoring their behavior so they continue to run people off or away and hurt the church or the churches ministries they are a part of or you worrying about them getting mad?

First of all, if you're the person with a bad reputation I'm talking about,  I want to challenge you be self aware of our actions and attitudes and make an honest effort to change, mature, and grow.  Don't make excuses for yourself.  If you're rude, be respectful!  If your a loud mouth, be quiet!  If your gruff, be nicer! If you tend to gossip, stop it! If you're a people pleaser, get tough!  If you're a negative nelly, be positive!  Stop saying your too old, or been that way too long, or whatever excuses you make and straighten up.  It's bigger than just you, you represent God and His Church and He needs folks who are loving, caring, and have good reputations, Godly reputations to be attracting people to His church and to the ministries your church may offer not running people off or away.  Do you ever stop to think that you might be running people off with your personality or demeanor?  It's not too late to change

Secondly, if you have people like this in your church or ministries, as uncomfortable as it may be at the thought of confronting them, you also may need to look at the larger picture and realize if you or others don't stand up to them, confront them, or correct them they might unintentional or not, be destroying the work of God in your church or particular ministry because of their sour, negative, or hateful attitude.  It is something to think about.  I think we have an obligation in scripture to confront people in love and if that doesn't work take it to your church leadership, but do not ignore people like that or they are like a cancer that will affect your group, class, or ministry and really bring down the atmosphere, attendance, and morale of your group.

The truth is whatever we do as a church is supposed to be for God, His Worship, His Glory, and His Honor. It's not about us, and as Christians we want to represent God and His church well both in church circles and out in the world.  Do you personally want to be the reason someone doesn't come to church or go to church anymore because you were rude or obnoxious? Do you want to be the reason no one comes to Sunday School because you dominate the class? Do you want to be the reason no one comes to ladies circle, men's meeting, or youth group because your like fingernails on a chalkboard?

We truly need to think about our reputation and our character and how others see us and more importantly how God sees us? Are we representing Him well? Are we helping or hurting His church? Sadly, there are way too many of us who say we know a person or persons at our church that are like this and even sadder is some people reading this might be that person and not even know they have that bad of a reputation.   The key for us all is to strive to be like Christ and be the best representative of Him we can be everywhere we go and at all times.  To be self-aware of how people see us and our reputation and also encourage and correct in love others if we feel they are hurting or hindering God's work in our church or church groups.

Proverbs 15:31NIV
Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise.

John 13:15NIV
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a Legacy

I know some people try to leave their children something when they die, maybe some insurance money, or property, or personal belongings.  I hope many parents try to leave their children with discipline, learning, and life experience, but do we ever think about the legacy we are leaving in our Christian lives and in our churches?

It is sad, but true, in many cases our churches and Christians are not leaving the next generation much to brag about.  It a lot of cases I've seen churches are getting older and members are dwindling and dying off and they are not winning the lost or making disciples or passing down much to whatever members are left except a dead church and an old outdated church building.  We also have leaders who refuse to step aside even  though mentally or physical they are unable to still do the work/role of the minister, elder, deacon, or whatever role they may be in.

The result is we are not leaving a legacy for the next generation to follow.  We all grow older and we all will eventually die and/or Jesus will return, but in the mean time, what are we doing to make sure the next generation knows and loves Jesus and is committed to Him and His Church?  What are we doing to make sure the church is in good hands and left in good shape?  I think many churches have failed and are failing in this area. 

I have always had a rule when I go anywhere to use, borrow, or rent something to leave it better than I found it.  I think as Christians and as Church members we need to leave the world better than we found it and we need to leave the church better than we found it.  I think that means we need to take the "Great commission" seriously!  We need to seek and save the Lost as Jesus set the example for us and we need to make disciples.  I think we need to get out of our comfort zones (our religious comfort zones), we need to stop following our traditions, and being set in our ways, and we need to start welcoming, ushering in, and mentoring the next generation of believers so they are ready and prepared to continue to lead the church, be the church, and continue to fulfill the great commission.

We may not realize this, but people who are holding the churches hostage with their money, or leaders who are dictators and controlling, or stubborn and hard headed members who have stopped and fought any progress and positive change in the church for the sake of their own selfish agenda will stand before the Lord some day and be held accountable.   I believe that with all my heart.  We have to get back to the basic and realize the church is the body of Christ and not our body.  That the churches job is to love God and love others and reach the lost and make disciples.  That means we have to adjust and change our styles, methods, and ways we do things from time to time as times, cultures, and traditions change.  You are not changing the truth just because you present the truth in a different method, you are not changing worship because you may change the style of worship, and you are not going to destroy the church is you step aside and allow someone else to lead or serve.

The truth is people treat church a lot like they do their careers or hobbies, sometimes they have a hard time letting go and want to live in the past or they find their identity in their church or position instead of having their identity in Christ.   I think we need to realize when we were younger we didn't want to do things the way our parents or grandparents did it and guess what, our children and grandchildren are the same way, so we have to learn to let go of the past, live in the present, and leave a legacy for the future.

That means we need to allow others to serve and lead.  We need to embrace change because it's not about us and our present comfort, but the continued work of the church to continue to reach the lost and make disciples and be healthy and grow.  We can to self-evaluate and see if we are the one who might be holding the church back with our set in our ways and living in the past mentality.  Maybe we need to start mentoring and training others to lead so that we can step aside when the time has come, instead of leading past our time and tarnishing our legacy with poor leadership and cooperation.  There is nothing sadder to me than a person who has led for years and had many great successes, but they end poorly, but Paul reminds us we must finish well and sometimes finishing well means when we are no longer able to do the job, we step aside and let others do it, but we also we have left the church in great shape and we past the baton to the next generation and they get a healthy and vibrant growing church to lead, as opposed to a dying, dwindling, crumbling church building and church body.

I want to leave a legacy for my family of loving and serving God. As a Minister I want to leave a legacy to all those I serve and lead and when my time comes to retire or step out of the pulpit I hope I will recognize it. I think many times we try to hold on too long and we let our ego or pride get in the way and again we are making the church about us, and it's not.  It's about God, always has been and always will be.  When you see a church that has dwindled down to nothing and lost all its members it's because the church has/had poor leadership, no vision, and church became out the members and not about God. 

I pray we all leave a better legacy in our churches and in our Christian faith.  Know when to lead and when to step aside.  Know when to set an example, teach, mentor, train, and serve and when to allow the next generation to do it.  Don't hinder or hold back the church of the work of God, but leave the church better than you found her and let God continue to use your church and your example for years to come.  Leave a Legacy.

Hebrews 12:1-3(niv)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Quiet please

Quiet Please

Romans 14:22(NIV)
²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

In the letter to the Roman Christians, Apostle Paul addresses this attitude Christians had then and many have today about thinking they are "more Christian" than others or they have authority from God to condemn and look down on others who might have different convictions/beliefs about their faith than they have.  In the case of the Romans is was about certain foods being allowed to be eaten or certain days being more special than others  In our case it may be some other issue.

The problem was those who ate certain meats or didn't eat certain meats or those who thought one day was more special than the other judged, looked down upon, and criticized the other and Paul told them they both were wrong.  He told them to accept one another who's faith may be weaker, but also to stop passing judgment on disputable matters. 

He also cleared the air that weather you ate or didn't eat the meat or you thought one day was more special than the other it really didn't matter, because it wasn't wrong to eat me or abstain from it and one day wasn't more special than the other, but the problem was the individuals attitudes.  He warned them that the key was to not do anything to cause their brothers and sisters to stumble or not to be an obstacle to them.    All of this is great advice for us to practice our individual freedoms in Christ, but I like what he closed out the chapter with and that is the scripture at the beginning of this blog. 

"Whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God."  What is Paul telling the Roman Christians?  Be quiet!  There are disputable matters out there that you may have faith in your heart they are ok, while others may have faith in their heart they are wrong and both of you are right, it's your faith convictions that decides whether we approve or disapprove of something, but we cannot always bind or force our convictions on other people, yet so many times that is the problem with today's Christians and in many churches today. That is why Paul tells us we must be quiet in order not to pass judgment, but also not to condemn others or even ourselves.

I would encourage you to go read the entire chapter of Romans 14 to get a better picture, but what I really want us to understand today is there are times we must be silent and keep our opinions or convictions to ourselves because we do not have the place or authority to force them or push them on other people.  Our issues today may not be over certain types of meat or meat that was used in idol worship, but we certainly have convictions over things like tobacco use, alcohol consumption, playing lottery, etc...we also have certain convictions and issues in our churches like whether to use or not use instruments, what version of the bible to use, orderly worship, end of times, and other topics and issues and whether we like to admit it or want to admit it or not, some of these issues are not commands, or in black and white, but fall under the category of "disputable matters" and therefore we must keep them to ourselves, so we don't cause dissension, or act judgmental, or speak where God hasn't spoken.

Sometimes our Christian faith ends up being a bunch or do's and don'ts. If you do this your saved and if you don't do this your a sinner, etc...and we are acting like we are God and have the authority to say who is "better Christian" or what is "right church" or who is going to Heaven and who is going to Hell and only God has that authority to save/condemn, not us.  While I do believe there is a lot of black and white in the bible and commands for us to follow and sins that are mentioned we must avoid or not be tempted with, there are also things in the God's word that are personal and is for the individual to decide whether it causes them to sin or not in their heart.

I would encourage you if you have certain convictions in your faith to look at God's Word and seek His Holy Spirit to decide whether this is a command in God's Word for all the church and Christians or whether this is just an personal conviction for you and then if it is to practice keeping it to yourself and not cause others to stumble or be an obstacle to others.  Imagine all the people who have been run off or judged harshly or condemned by legalistic and fundamental Christians because they didn't agree with them.  It breaks my heart and I am sure it breaks the heart of the Father too.

Let's all do our best to grow in our faith, to grow in spirit and truth and seek wisdom and discernment from God so that we know when to be quiet about disputable matters or our personal convictions and when to speak out for God's truth and commands.

I.D.

I.D.

Many times in our lives we are asked for our I.D. (our identification) whether it's when writing a check or using your credit card, maybe getting pulled over by a cop, or buying certain products.  What people want to know is, if you are who you say you are, if your face matches the photo on your I.D.

Well unless we are underage and have a fake I.D, or we are in the witness protection program, hopefully we are the real person on our I.D.  This identification shows we are who we say we are.  Well my question for all of us who are saved and confess to be Christians is, can that be said of us and our faith? Does our life and lifestyle identify with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  When we compare our lives and the life Christ wants us to live are they identical?

Too many folks out there want to claim Christianity, yet there is little or no noticeable change in their attitude, behaviors, habits, lifestyle, or character.  While being a Christian is more than just keep moral character traits our character should reflect our desire to not only be like Christ, but want to honor Him with our lives.

We have tons of churches, it would be hard in most towns or counties not to find dozens and some even across the street from each other and churches come in all shapes and sizes, and all those churches big and small probably have those who attend there, that only attend.  They do not really worship, serve, or give they just simply attend out of obligation, habit, or guilt.  That is not the desire or mentality that God wants of His "Church".  He wants us to desire to be there, desire to worship, serve, give, and yes, grow!   God wants us to do more than just show up at a building, He wants us to identify with Him!

On the same token,  God also expect us to identify with Him personally and not just our local church or our church group. I think some people care more about being a member of their particular church or being a part of their particular church heritage (southern Baptist, church of Christ, Catholic, Pentecostal, etc...) than they do being a part of "The Church".   Our identify should not be found in where we attend church locally or in our  denomination/church group, but be found in Christ and Christ alone.  He is the only way to God and only through Him are we saved.

Too many Christians, treat Christianity like a hobby or a side job, and they find their identity in their careers or job titles, or in their hobbies(I'm an athlete, I'm an outdoorsman, I'm a golfer, I'm a fitness instructor, etc...) , or even their earthly relationships (I'm a mother, sister, daddy, wife, grandma, etc...) and not in Christ.  If we don't have an identify in Christ, how can Christ recognize us? How can others see Jesus in us?  How can we expect to grow in our faith and be used by God in His church if our identify is found elsewhere?

I want to challenge all those who claim to be Christian to really focus on putting your identity in your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Strive to put Him first and center your lives around Him.  If you have your identity in Christ, you're not going to fall apart when you lose that job, or get a divorce, or lose a loved one to death, or things don't go your way, or you can no longer do your hobbies, or whatever life throws at you. When your identity is in Christ your life will make sense, have purpose, and you'll never stop growing in your faith and learning.   Spend time in God's Word, spend time in prayer, and spend time serving and giving to God through His church, and when someone asks you for your I.D. you can show them a picture of Jesus. Let your life produce fruit that people recognize as Jesus.

Matthew 12:33(niv)

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

Intent

Intent

Intent is our aim or purpose or intentions in something.  Sometimes we have good intent and sometimes we have bad intent. But, our intentions should always strive to be good and healthy and as Christians, Godly.

We have too many churches and too many Christians who are supposed to wear the name Christian and be the church, yet their intentions are not pure and holy and of God, they are of their own agenda and purposes. That is sin and we need to repent when we have other intentions besides worshipping, honoring, and glorifying God.

Too many times Christians even out in the work place, or our schools, or world do things will ill intent and that does not represent Christ or His church well.  We have a responsibility if we are going to be a Christ-follower and claim His name and if we're going to be a body member(part) of His Church Body we must represent Him and His church body well.

None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes, but the difference between mistake and calculated is intent, the difference between accident and on purpose is intent.  When people go to trials for murders, drugs, and different things the key to the case is whether they can prove the person's intent or not.   Though, we are not on trial, we are under the watchful eye and authority of our God and His desire is for all of us to live with Godly intentions.

This can take on many forms in many situations, but when we serve in any capacity our intent should be use our talents for God, build up His church, and give Him glory not our own personal or egotistical intentions.   When we give whether of our time, our talents, or treasures(financially) to God's church our intent should always be to do it and give it to God, not for our own insincere or selfish motives.  Also, our intentions should always be to help others and serve others and not be looking for attention, glory, or things for ourselves.

Intent does make the difference. We have to ask ourselves: Am I doing this for me or for God?  Am I letting God get the glory or am I seeking my own glory?  Am I looking to honor God with my actions or attitude or am I trying to get back at someone, or stroke my own ego, or seeking revenge? We need to check our intentions in all we do to make sure all we do is for God, about God, and honors God. When we don't care who gets the credit, we're doing it for God. When we don't expect things in return we're doing it for God.

Growing as a Christian and becoming mature in our faith takes time and is a process, however we can go a long way to help ourselves by always having intentions be for God and our spiritual growth and not for ourselves or our personal agendas.    God deserves our best and we all have a part in His body to do our part for the right reasons. It's not enough to do the right thing, many may do the right thing with the wrong intentions or motives, we must not only do the right things, but we must do them with the right intent.

James 1:25(niv)

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Freeloader

Freeloader

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

 

You know who I'm talking about? Those people who expect form others and yet do nothing for themselves.  They think everyone owes them, yet they take no initiative or responsibility for themselves.  They try and take advantage of family, friends, organizations, and yes, even churches.

If I had something about being a Pastor I dislike it's probably having to deal with people wanting a hand-out from the church.  These folks call with their rehearsed story and then act like I am obligated to help them. I am all for helping the poor and needy and the church helping those in need and glad to do it when the need is real,  but the problem is our definition of poor and needy. Some folks are poor because of their own choices, selfishness, or unwillingness to work.  They want to live off of the government or others hard work.  Some folks are needy and others  are just "wanty", meaning they just want to call around and go around and get hand-outs from churches or other places to pay their rent, utilities, buy gas for their car, give them food, and other items and they take away from those who are actually in need.

Sometimes we as Christians and churches create this type of mooching and freeloading because we think it's our job to help others and have pity and though I agree God wants us to help others, He also expect us all to help ourselves, to work, to plan, to provide, and not just look for handouts or ways to get out of work or get something for free.  God  also wants the church to help those who help themselves and those who are in need like widows or orphans or in distress,  not those who are chronically looking for a hand-out or those who can work or provide for themselves, but don't because their job is going around getting hand-outs.  We have to be careful we  as Christians/churches that we are not enabling or being a willing partner to those who want to take advantage of others or want free handouts and freeload and mooch off of the kindness and generosity of others. 

I think as Christians we have to use discernment and Godly wisdom to determine who to help and who not to help. Now, ultimately God will deal with those who purposely take advantage of others and freeload and mooch off of Him and His church or children, but we still must make an effort to help those who truly need it and not just be a willing party to someone's con to get out of work or get something for free. We are a church, we are not a grocery store, a department store, an ATM, gas station, landlord, or utility company.  We are the body of Christ and we must use God's resources wisely.  We help those with legitimate needs and those who are sincere, honest, and also not expecting it.

People are also this way with God.  Churches are full of people who come in and sit on pews in churches and give nothing to God, do not serve or volunteer in anyway, and then they expect God and the church to do everything for them, give them everything, and be at their beckon call, and this is what I call a spiritual mooch.  They give God nothing and expect everything from Him. 

Have you ever looked at it that way? Ever had a friend or relative come and stay with you and they stayed longer than they were supposed to and then they weren't appreciative or didn't offer to help or do anything? Ate all your food and didn't clean up after themselves or anything?  That is how we can be with God? We want him to take care of us without us having to lift a finger and then we can't even appreciate what He does for us. We must be careful that we don't mooch off of God, but we all do our part in the body of Christ, we serve and give, and we help ourselves.

I think this attitude in America we have of not wanting to work for what we have and expect others to take care of us is a big problem and it's not  what God wants.  I think Paul describes it best in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 when we warns that church about being idle/lazy. He gave an example when they came to visit they to pay for your own way if you can, to not be lazy and work and not be a burden to others and reminds us if you don't work, you don't eat.  Let us follow this example by not being a burden to God or the church and not allow others to be a burden.  We honor Christ by helping ourselves and helping others who truly have need and not just helping those who want to freeload or mooch off of others.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
⁶ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching^[a] you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”