Do You See What I See?

  " God is watching us from a distance" claims a recent pop song, as if He were disinterested and uninvolved. Yet Christ's  Messages to the Seven Churches reveals a God Who sees to the very core of our beings, and is deeply concerned with what He finds there. A recurrent theme in the messages (Revelation 2-3) is the difference in how we see ourselves and how God sees us.
   For example, the church of Laodicea thought they were all that, but Jesus informs them they were really "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked"! He's not pulling any punches! To Sardis, which had a name or reputation they were alive and thriving, Jesus says simply, "You are dead". While Smyrna, a church stricken with poverty, is praised and encouraged by Jesus, "You are rich"!
   Remember when Samuel was reviewing Jesse's sons, and assumed he knew which God had chosen to be king? The Holy Spirit told him, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:6-7)  In Isaiah 55:9, God reminds us all, "...My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  And to the self-righteous wicked, God says, "...thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." (Psalm 50:21) How presumptuous we are, to suppose the Most High God has the same ethical standards we do!
   This problem affects not only individuals, but cities, nations, --and churches. Why? What I call Isaiah's curse, this phenomenon that we see without really seeing, and hear without understanding (Isaiah 6:9-10, Matthew 13:14-15, Mark 4:11-12, Luke 8:16, John 12:39-40, and Acts 28:25-27) The authors of the epistle to the Hebrews lament they cannot teach us all they'd like to "seeing ye are dull of hearing" (He 5:11) And Paul grieves over the veil untaken away from peoples' hearts when they read or hear the Scriptures (2 Cor 3:14-15).
   The Pharisees asked Jesus, "Are we blind also?" (John 9:39-40) And Jesus counsels the Laodiceans to "anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." (Rev 3:18) This is something we need to keep in mind, lest we make the same mistake of thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to, both as individuals, and as churches. No matter how good we may look on the outside, Jesus searches the hearts and reins: our innermost, true selves.
   I'd hate to go around thinking I'm God's gift to the world when really Jesus says I suck. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord! May we see You as You truly are, and ouselves as You see us!

Next: Good Church, Bad Choice

Peace!

The D-Files

   "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy."  Revelation 3:4

   What jumps out at you in this verse? As we go through our informal study of Jesus' Messages to the Seven Churches, it's important to really pay attention (though we've read the passage numerous times) to what the Spirit of God is saying. Don't fall asleep, folks! The part of this promise of the Lord that slaps me & shakes me up, is that in this whole church there were only A FEW who had not defiled themselves. 

   Let that sink in! Sardis was not some little store-front church with the Pastor, his family, a couple friends, and dissatisfied believers who left other churches. We didn't have 40 denominations back then: when He says "the church at Sardis", He means THE church--every believer in the city!  And just a few of them were clean!

   So what was up with the rest of them? Do you suppose they realized how filthy they were? Or did they think they were cleaner than everyone else? What about you? What about me? Am I the guy who checks himself out on the mirror, then goes & forgets what a mess he is?

   When was the last time you heard a sermon about defiling yourself? Never mind what's on the Starbucks red cup, what's on you? What's that on me?

   James tells us, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27) Are we doing this, or are we bringing the world right into our homes, our hearts, and even the Sanctuary of God? But what defiles?

   In the thirteenth chapter of Hebrews, we are told,  "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."  The Sexual Revolution hasn't reached Heaven, folks! Back in Hebrews 12:15-16, we are admonished to be "looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright..." 

   Remember the matter of Baal-Peor, when 23,000 fornicators died in one day? I'm not saying He's gonna, but what if, what if Jesus walked through His church decimating all the fornicators? Imagine!  What are you selling your birthright for?

   Besides fornication & bitterness, what else defiles us? It ain't our diet, Jesus taught, but, "those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man..."

   The profanity coming out of my mouth, Jesus? My evil thoughts that no one knows about but You? When Abraham pled with God for Sodom, the Lord told him, "If I find ten righteous there, I will not do it." How many did He find? 3 1/2???? We in America today, are we too lenient, too easy on ourselves? Do we turn the grace of God into lasciviousness? As the world lowers her standards of profanity & vulgarity, do we lower ours?

   Jesus is looking for a church not having spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, but that it be holy and without blemish! (Ephesians 5: 27) In Sardis there were only a few like that. If you ain't nervous yet, ain't worried yet, I don't know what else to say to ya! 

   I wanna walk with Jesus in white! I don't wanna miss out on that! Let's work out our salvation with fear & trembling,  'cuz many are called, but few are chosen. We need to get outta Sardis like Lot & the girls got outta Sodom! No turnin' back, no turnin' back!

Next: Do You  See What I See?

Peace, & God bless!

The Messenger of the Covenant

   "And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people...." Ezra 3:11-13

   Me, I guess I'm Old School (or should I say, Old Temple). For the Church has changed, and not all for the better. And not all the changes were approved by the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ the Righteous. We are looking at the messages to the Seven Churches in Asia, but before we take a look at what's in the messages, I'd like to take a minute to behold the Messenger. 

   Hear John's descrption from Revelation 1:12-17....

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars; and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword; and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead."

   How different from the namby-pamby wimp so popular with the carnal christians of today, who accepts everyone, tolerates everything, judges no one, and makes no call to repentance! The Church has lost her fear of God, and now sees Him as a cuddly Teddy bear or their Best Bud. True, in past generations Christ was seen as a stern and angry Judge; and maybe that view was out of line with Scripture. But now we have gone too far in the other direction and completely emasculated  Him.

   Behold, the Messenger of the Covenant! His feet are like brass. Brass in the Bible symbolizes divine judgement, like the brazen serpent in the wilderness. And His eyes, like fire:  a refiner's fire, melting away all the dross so that only the purest gold may remain (Malachi 3:1-3) Out of His mouth, a sharp, two-edged sword  (Hebrews 4:12). A sword divides (Matthew 10:34-35) And the fact that He holds in His hands the stars (leadership of the churches) means simply, He can do whatever He wants to with them.

   John, "the Apostle whom Jesus loved", who knew Christ personally and spent his life serving Him faithfully, fell at His feet as dead. If anyone had a right to see Jesus as his "best bud" it would have been John. But John responded with fear, and respect, and a sense of his own unworthiness.

   If there was one thing I could change in the Church today, it would be our view of Jesus Christ. He ain't Mr. Rogers, and he ain't Big Bird! He is the Lord of Sabaoth, the Commander of the armies of Heaven. "If then I be a Father, where is Mine honour?  and if I be a Master, where is My fear?" asks God through Malachi.

   You saw that cop grab that impudent little High School girl and flip her desk right over with her in it? You think Jesus won't do the same to His Church????? Do some homework, read Revelation chapters 1-3, and meet me back here next time. We'll get into some specifics...if you dare!

What If Churches Got Report Cards?

   While on the Isle of Patmos, the aged apostle John received a visit from Jesus Himself, Who asked His servant to deliver a series of messages "to the seven churches which are in Asia".  Each message contained a review of the church's strengths and weaknesses, with the promise of rewards for excellent service, and corrective actions for failures. A "report card", if you will, on each of the pastors & congregations of select cities in Asia Minor!
   The first three chapters of Revelation present Jesus's assessment of the overall health, attitude, priorities, faithfulness, and effectiveness of the seven churches. He doesn't pull any punches, and He doesn't sugar-coat any issues! Roughly speaking, the grades Christ gives are:

• A+    Philadelphia (not PA!)
• A-     Ephesus
• A      Smyrna
• B-     Thyatira 
• B-     Pergamos
• D      Laodicea
• F      Sardis

   So how would your church stack up? It's time we dig a little deeper and really try to get a handle on what Jesus loves, what He hates; what He's glad we do, what He wishes we'd do; what He'd like us to stop doing, what He'd like us to continue doing, what He'd like us to resume doing. What's in our churches that Christ wants out? What's out that He wants in?
   Why study the report cards of churches that have long since faded into history? Because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever! The problems He had with them are the same problems He'll have with us when we do what they did, when we allow what they allowed, when we ignore what they ignored.
   And the rewards for obedience and constant faithfulness will be the same for us, if we continue in well-doing. Likewise, the judgements and punishments will be the same for us if we continue on in sin and compromise. Yes, Jesus punishes His church!  Did not our Lord say, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" ?  God is good all the time, but sometimes chastening is the good thing to do!
   So if you have "ears to hear", let's dive into this: it won't always be easy, won't always be fun.....toes will get stepped on, faces will get slapped! But these are the last of the last days, my brethren, and on that day, you wanna hear, "Well done thou good & faithful servant" or "Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity; I never knew you" ?

    * * * * *

   Rend your hearts and not your garments! See ya next time.....Peace!

 

End the Foolishness!

   I never thought I'd have to say this, but, THE EARTH IS ROUND! There are those in the Church who are actually preaching such abject foolishness as a flat earth and a geo-centric universe. I have been a Christian for forty years now, a member of at least four churches, and at no time have I ever believed, taught or been taught the earth was flat, or the center of the solar system.
   There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that conflicts with what we know about our planet's shape and orbit! And anyone saying anything different needs to shut up! I won't even say, "And wise up", because nobody could really be that stupid. Let me make myself perfectly clear where I, and every church I've ever been part of stands: Copernicus was right, and Columbus was right! The earth is a sphere that revolves around the sun. Period!
   Why must I take the time to affirm what everyone knows naturally, rather than preaching the love and power of our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? There are those among us who clearly wish to destroy whatever shred of credibility the Church might have left in this world! I cannot and will not believe that any born-again, Spirit-filled child of God would proclaim such outright folly that neither his fathers, nor his fathers' fathers believed.
   But we are living in the days when false Christians and false ministers have infiltrated the Church, bringing in damnable heresies, compromise, false doctrine, false worship, worldliness, and now downright stupidity to the Body of Christ. "They went out from us, but were not of us" the Apostle John wrote. These are the seed of the Wicked One, come to destroy the Church from within.
   How can we possibly have a discussion with the unbelievers about creation and evolution, the beginning of life, or any other important subject when we're seen as ignorant, narrow-minded buffoons?  To all my non-Christian friends and acquaintances, I want you to know, I do not stand with teachers or churches proclaiming a flat earth! They are imposters whose purpose is to discredit us! (Just like these clowns who predict the end of the world every six months.)
 To all my Christian brothers & sisters: don't tolerate such teaching. End the foolishness!

 

Why Does the World Hate Columbus?

  The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria! When I was a kid, Columbus was a hero, honored with his own day (somehow associated with White Sales). In school we learned of this man who resisted the conventional wisdom of his day and boldly ventured out into the unknown! The great explorer and discoverer acclaimed by both the Italians and the Spanish! A great lighthouse, El Faro al Colon', stands to honor him in Santo Domingo.
   But in these days, he is villified as an intruder who spoiled Paradise, the very symbol of greed and exploitation. Like he came uninvited to the Western Hemisphere and ruined all the beauty, harmony, and innocence of the native cultures.But why hate on Columbus? Why not mention Pizarro, Cortez, De Leon and the others? It's always Columbus they bash & trash.

   Though there is no prophecy specifically about him, Christopher Columbus helped to bring about the fulfillment of two separate prophesies in the Bible. The first is a tiny little prediction tucked away in Genesis as Noah foretells the destinies of his sons' descendants. The second concerns the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the End Times!
   The first prophecy in Genesis 9:27 is only four little words: "God shall enlarge Japheth". After the flood, Japheth's children settled what is now Europe. In Acts 17:26, Paul informs the men of Athens that God "has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation." According to the Amplified Bible, "...having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes)."
   So, God decided long ago who was going to live where and when!  Well, the day came to make good on the promise to enlarge Japheth (beyond Europe), and thanks to Columbus' discovery, the road was cleared for the British, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese to colonize the New World. Now the Devil would be perfectly happy if everyone believed Noah was just a myth, but since Noah's prophecy came true.....!
   Yet there is a far more important prophecy which Columbus' voyage made possible, namely that the Gospel, and the church of Jesus Christ, would reach unto the uttermost parts of the earth, touching every nation, tribe, and tongue. Passages include Psalm 2:8, Matthew 24:14,  Acts 1:8, Romans 9:25-26, and of course, Revelation 5:9. Without Columbus' arrival on the land of the Taino people (present day Haiti/Domincan Republic), millions would have continued in the darkness of life without Christ.
    
   Why does the world hate Columbus?  Because God made him "...a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6)  And the world loves darkness.

What Did Jesus"Say" About Gays?

   The logic being pushed by gay Christians is that, since Jesus didn't openly condemn homosexuality, He must therefore be OK with it. Which is kinda like little Johnny cutting off his sister's ponytail, and justifying himself by stating," Mommy didn't say I couldn't." Now I'm not a big fan of arguing from silence (obviously the Gospel writers didn't record every single word our Lord uttered), but if ya really wanna go there, I'm up for it!
   So let's take a minute to look at what Jesus did say, then we'll go back to what He didn't say.  First, what was His attitude toward the Old Testament? Clearly, Christ regarded the Law and the Prophets as the Word of God. Whenever ethical questions arose, Jesus always referred back to the Scriptues, saying, "What is written in your law? How do you read?" (Luke 10:26) Again, He told the masses, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you, that observe and do...."  (Matthew 23:1-2) Does this sound like He has a problem with the Mosaic Law?
   So just what did Moses say? Leviticus 18:22 reads, Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."  The very next verse forbids bestiality. Pretty clear, black-and-white, no grey area; but in case anyone missed it, Moses reiterates in 20:13, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death, their blood shall be upon them."
   The fact that Jesus said nothing directly about homosexuality doesn't help the gays' case. If you wanna talk about what Jesus didn't say, He didn't say, "well Moses was just an old insecure homophobe anyway, so don't listen to him. God's positiion on homosexuality is evolving." What Christ did say is, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."  Matthew 5:17. Now if Jesus had a problem with the scribes and Pharisees' interpretation or applcation of the Leviticus sexual morality laws, would not He have called them out on this? But He never challenged them on this issue.
   OK, what about the NewTestament? What was Christ's view of the Apostles' writings?  "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgement, than for that city"  Matthew 10:14-15  And in Luke 10:16, "He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despises you despise Me; and he that despises Me despises Him that sent Me"
   So the person who rejects the message of the Apostles rejects Jesus Christ, and the Father as well.
   Well, what did the Apostles say about homosexuality? The Apostles to the Jews didn't need to say anything, as Moses had already given us God's word on the matter. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, taught the church at Corinth, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."  1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
    And what did Jesus Christ have to say about ol' Paul? Only, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace for I am with thee."  Acts 18:9-10. What He didn't say? "My Apostles have issues....don't worry about their homophobic rules." No! He told His Apostles, "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained."  in John 20:23.
   So, you wanna argue from what Jesus didn't say? He didn't say Moses was wrong, and He didn't say Paul was wrong. He stood up for both of these men. And I'm not going to hold my peace either, 'cause I know from experience: if push comes to shove, He'll stand up for me, too.

Amen.