Fake News

 

Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him.  And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.  And they stoned Stephen as he was calling in God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 

Acts 7: 57 - 59 NKJV 

The people of Israel had had enough of the apostle Stephen so it seemed.  After listening to him throw down some pretty heavy charges against them, they rose up and rejected him and began to stone the apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Perhaps these Israelites didn't appreciate being called "stiff necked" and murderers.  Of course, all which Stephen had accused them of was true.  The people of Israel had rejected the prophets as well as the prophesy of coming Messiah.  Not only that, they crucified the one sent by God to save them from themselves.  Honestly, I have sat through many a bad sermon and have never once had the reaction these Israelites did.  But the message from Stephen to Israel that day was not so much a sermon as a warning.  Stephen laid it upon the hearts of Israel that they had done wrong in the Lords eyes.  The closest I have ever come to this was the few times a Christian brother would approach me to tell me that he had noticed something different about my attitude or behavior, something I needed to change.  I'm sure that many believers have seen this situation at one time or another.  We approach a fellow believer in confidence, with the intent of leading them back to the flock.  I believe that this was part of Stephens plan that day.  Through showing the Israelites the wrongs they had done, I believe that he hoped that they would repent from what they had done.  No such luck.  For the Israelites didn't appreciate the words of Stephen, and they let him know their displeasure.  We can assume that the message which the Israelites were not rejecting was the one which was counter to that which Stephen and the apostles were teaching.  That Jesus is indeed the risen Christ and Son of God.  This doesn't surprise me.  To this day there are sects of Judaism who believe that the Messiah is yet to come.  

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4 NKJV 

The term fake news has become more and more common over the past few years.  Former President Donald Trump used it a lot when describing the mainstream media who were constantly against him.  The truth is, since Trump left office we have seen that he was right all along about the biased media.  We see the tanking ratings of CNN and MSNBC and know that their message is being rejected by many.  However, there are those hardcore liberals who continue to hang onto every last word of these media outlets as if their word was gospel.  I can see the similarity here in the loyal viewers of mainstream news and those Israelites who stoned the apostle Stephen.  Each were presented with the truth yet each rejected it as well.  How would the mainstream media have described the apostle Stephen?  Agitator?  Domestic terrorist?  I'm thinking that todays news media would have gone out of their way to disparage all which Stephen and the apostles were teaching.  Does this make the message Stephen spoke any less important?  Not in my opinion.  Christ Jesus is still the Son of the living God.  Not only that, it is definitely true that the Israelites mistreated the prophets sent by the Lord to tell of the arrival of Jesus.  The Israelites, for all intents and purposes, were buying into the fake news of the day.  This is evident today as different churches speak different messages.  Some of these messages are, at times, not too scriptural.  So how do we as believers decipher that which is the gospel and that which is just fake news?  When I speak to what I believe in my heart, that Christ Jesus indeed lives in me, I base this on the words of the apostle Paul {Galatians 2:20}.  The scripture tells me that Jesus lives in me.  Jesus isn't just a dead guy which we use as a backdrop for our religion.  You might hear that in church some Sunday, but it's fake news.  

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirts, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. 

1 John 4: 1 - 2 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Life Lessons

 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is to this day, to save many people alive. 

Genesis 50: 20 NKJV 

I have a dear friend who enjoys when I write about my own life experiences to get my point across.  There are many who feel that same way.  We tend to give a bit more acceptance to someone who has been there already as compared to someone who is simply throwing out words and phrases.  I recently had a friend who lost her husband to covid.  Knowing her grief, it seemed a bit conceited of me to quote to her a few words from scripture as to how we should approach the grieving widow.  That didn't seem appropriately sincere to me in the moment.  So, I drew on the experiences I had when my mother passed away.  I remember how lost and lonely I felt.  I also remember how upset I was with more than a few church friends of mine who took it upon themselves to try and make everything better with a few words from scripture.  I don't blame them, because at the time it was probably all they knew of how to comfort someone who had experienced loss.  However, I also had a few friends who had been there before, who themselves had experienced the loss which I had.  I remember their words being a comfort to me more than the scripture quotes of others.  The words of my friends who themselves had experienced loss were a blessing to me as I struggled to deal with my mothers passing.  When my friend lost her husband, I knew I couldn't just quote scripture to her.  The other day I got a call from her telling me how much she appreciated my words and that through all of the turmoil they gave her some comfort.  I was glad that through my own sorrow that I was able to comfort another.  It's no secret that we pay a bit more attention to that part of the pastors sermon where he tells of his recent experiences.  I would say that a good pastor is able to knit his own life experience into his sermons on a regular basis.  He's been there, and now he desires to let others know just what he learned from his experience.  I never thought of writing of my own experiences as a way of helping others come to know Jesus as I do, but if it works out that way then so much the better.  

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 

Revelation 21: 4 NKJV 

Have you ever been so angry with God that you never wanted to hear His name again?  I have.  To most Christians, being that angry with God is paramount to the unpardonable sin.  In that moment, I could have cared less.  God could do with me what He wanted.  If He saw that I committed a unforgivable sin, then so be it.  I didn't care.  I had prayed and prayed that God would heal my mother from her pain.  I had asked others so many times to pray over her.  I had reminded her many times in the midst of her sickness that God indeed loved her.  But there I was in the days following her death and facing the fact that God had allowed my mother to pass into His hands.  Of course, my immediate thought was not that my mother had entered the Lords presence, but why He had not answered my prayers.  Did God have something against me?  Was I too great of a sinner for Him to listen to me?  One Christian brother, whom I have seldom spoken to since then, went to far as to tell me that God was punishing me for all which I had done up until that point.  Really bro?  So, that dying on the cross to forgive our sins gig was all a joke?  I realize now that all of my anger with the Lord was just a small part of my grieving process.  I was coming to grips with somewhere I had never been before.  God was still there.  God still loved me.  In the gentleness of how He works, He was opening a new door for me.  It was in these days that a good friend of mine began to introduce me to the truth of Christ Jesus in me.  That knowing of Jesus in us which the apostle Paul referred to as the "mystery among the Gentiles" {Colossians 1:27}.  Indeed, God had not left me to face my grief alone.  For it was through Him that healing would come.  I would come to realize that despite my hurt, that God had answered my prayer.  My mother was no longer in pain.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2: 20 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Born Again

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

2 Corinthians 5: 17 NKJV 

Back in the day, my friends and I would take every chance we could get to challenge one another to one video game or another.  It was the dawning of the electronic age, and we were taking full advantage of it.  While we had fun, there were times when one of us would be losing so badly that he would quickly hit the reset button to start the game once again.  As I passed yet another birthday this week, I got to thinking about that reset button.  How many Christians out there long to reset the lives they have lived?  How many of us yearn to begin once again from the beginning?  To start from a place where our sins do not exist and our bad decisions and choices are a thing of the past.  I know I've often longed to begin again.  The apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth, reminded the believers there that they had the opportunity to begin life all over again.  To come to a place where all things are once again new.  This is the reconciliation which we find in Christ Jesus.  Paul proclaims that through Christ Jesus we are new creations {2 Corinthians 5:17}.  Is this indeed what Christians refer to as being "born again?"  Jesus tells us that we must be born of the water and the Spirit {John 3:5}.  Was He referring to the practice of baptism?  I disagree with this thinking, as baptism is a practice meant as a public testimony of ones acceptance of Christ.  Of course, folks who have read of the works of John the Baptist in scripture may disagree with me.  I'm not dismissing the importance of baptism, I just don't think that this is what Jesus was referring to in His water and Spirit verse.  Then again, I've been wrong before.  One thing is certain, Jesus absolutely claims that one cannot be born again without the Spirit.  For if we do not have the Spirit of Christ in us, how can we be born again?  Spirit of Christ in us?  Absolutely.  Paul teaches us that it is Jesus Himself who now resides in him {Galatians 2:20}.  Who can argue that Paul was born again?  Therefore, the Spirit of the Lord is essential to our rebirth.  

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit."

John 3: 1 - 6 NKJV 

The Pharisee Nicodemus was on a secret mission.  Coming to visit Jesus in the middle of the night, he obviously did not want to be seen by any of his comrades of the Pharisee order.  We know that Nicodemus knows that Jesus is of God, as this is he opens his conversation.  What is interesting is that Nicodemus uses the word "We" as he speaks to Jesus.  Obviously, the Jewish Pharisees knew that there was something special about Jesus as well.  Yet Nicodemus soon gets confused by the ages old born again discussion.  He asks Jesus how a man can be born again from his mothers womb {John 3:4}.  Nicodemus is thinking physically here.  His understanding is centered around the physical experience of birth.  Jesus explains to him that being born again is much more than that.  As Jesus proclaims, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" {John 3:6}.  I don't discount Christians for the continuing debate on the meaning of being born again.  However, one thing that is without question, without Christ Jesus there can be no rebirth.  Without Jesus there can not be a new creation.  

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" 

John 6: 63 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

The God I Trust

 

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 

1 John 4: 16 NKJV 

There are many stories on faith which we can take from the scriptures.  You might know of a few yourself.  Yet one of my personal favorite stories on trust came from a airline passenger who had just debarked a plane which had flown too close to a storm, an offshoot of hurricane Ida.  It seems that as this flight was approaching its South Florida destination that it suddenly ran into some rough turbulence.  Immediately the pilot got on the intercom to assure the passengers and crew that there was nothing to worry about and that they would be landing shortly.  Well, the minutes dragged into over an hour as South Florida air traffic control kept the plane in a flight pattern as they jockeyed planes around.  Eventually the flight was given permission to land and the crew brought the flight to a relaxing end.  As an afterthought, the pilot commented to the passengers as they got off the plane, "Ladies and gentleman, I hope that you enjoyed our circular tour of the Miami area this evening."  Now, I absolutely HATE to fly.  Yet if I happened to be on a flight with the pilot of that storm bound plane I would feel somewhat at ease.  Why, because of the quiet confidence in which he went about his job.  He simply made people trust in his abilities.  A friend of mine was discussing current events with me this past week when he suddenly asked me, "what makes you trust in God?"  Good question.  In a world full of strife and daily turmoil, what is it that makes us trust in the Lord?  Is it the slew of scripture verses on trusting in God?  Is it the reassurance of the pastor that we can trust in Him?  I would say that it is a little bit of both.  In my opinion, we need to KNOW that God exists before we can even begin to trust in Him.  For how do you trust in someone or something which you have never known?  Now, I didn't say someone or something which you have never seen, that's a different apple all together.  If you had never known God, would you trust Him?  Knowing God means knowing in our hearts that He is who He says He is and that He will do all He tells us He will.  Sounds simple enough right? 

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 

1 John 4: 20 NKJV 

I remember watching a funny you tube video of some self proclaimed redneck who claimed he could shoot a bullet into space.  Well, he proceeded to fire off two rounds from his .45 straight up into the air.  As he watched and waited to see what would happen, his counterpart was suddenly and rudely introduced to the effects of gravity.  Somehow this astronaut didn't understand where he went wrong.  Anyone who has been standing under a tree when a apple falls can understand the concept of gravity.  We TRUST that the apple will fall to the ground.  We have never seen gravity, yet we know and understand it.  As a good friend of mine once mentioned, we see a bench in the park and we TRUST that it will support us.  What makes us trust in the Lord?  We know who He is.  We know that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him {Hebrews 11:6}.  Think of those in your own life whom you have trusted.  Parents, friends and co workers.  What made you choose to trust them?  Sometimes people simply prove to us that they can be trusted.  Of course, I've known those who go through life trusting nobody.  Is trusting in God all that difficult?  No.  Once I got over the concept of never once seeing God, I came to know His Son in me.  This was a game changer.  I might not be able to see God, but I know that He lives in me {Galatians 2:20}.  I know that Paul claims it was Christ who lives in him, but we also trust that when we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father as well John 14:9}.  We trust in Him because we have known Him.  

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."  Jesus said to Him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?  He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'show us the Father'?

John 14: 8 - 9 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Preaching To The Choir

 

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4 NKJV 

Listening to a radio sermon this week I overheard the pulpit pounder proclaim that modern day pastors may need to ditch their traditional scripture sermons for some that might be more interesting to those who might be sleeping in the pews.  I almost spit out my coffee.  Here was a popular and well known pastor openly advocating sermons specifically designed to be trendy and popular.  Obviously, the goal would be to put people in the seats on Sunday and not to speak to the gospel of Jesus.  Does anyone else see a issue with this?  If  not I indeed wonder just how many Christians with itching ears we have out there.  Now, I've sat through many a boring sermon, but that doesn't mean that they were not worthwhile.  I would never discount a boring sermon that stayed true to the gospel.  Yet these days, with more and more people leaving our churches, it seems that the order of the day is not to speak the word but the most dynamic and interesting sermon possible.  I have seen this take hold in the church of pastor Rick Warren.  There, popular sermon topics and best seller books seem to be the goal of the ministry.  Don't get me wrong, if a book will lead one to Christ then I'm all for it.  Yet the one and only book in my experience which eventually leads people to Christ is the bible.  Is there something to be said for a ministry based upon popular topics of the day?  Perhaps, if we do not lose sight of Christ in the process.  Speaking the truth of Christ Jesus doesn't need to be tedious or boring, but hopeful.  I hope for the revelation of Jesus to the entire world.  I hope for the day when He will present Himself to all of Gods creation.  The apostle Paul referred to the reality of Christ Jesus in us as our "Hope of glory" {Colossians 1:27}.  Yet, ask most Christians their idea of Jesus and very few will tell you of the truth of Christ in you.  This is what preaching to the choir does to a believer.

And He said: "Take heed that you are not deceived.  For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near,'  Therefore do not go after them."

Luke 21: 8 - 9 NKJV 

I can speak honestly that I never heard a sermon on the indwelling Christ in all of my years in the pews.  This is why when this idea of Jesus was spoken to me by a good friend that it was indeed as the Paul referred to it...the mystery among the Gentiles {Colossians 1:27}.  Why would the church not embrace the truth of Christ in us?  Simply put, the church must feel that speaking this form of the gospel will not fill the pews on Sundays.  After all, that is the goal of the modern church, attendance, full pews and more tithes.  Is it any wonder, then, that churches around the country are bleeding members daily?  Preaching to the choir does not produce vibrant churches.  What it does produce is popular sermons loved by itching ears followed by trendy praise and worship rock bands.  Yet how many people sitting through these popular dog and pony shows each Sunday sit in their pew and wonder to themselves, "Where are you, Jesus?"  I don't blame Christians for thinking this way, because they're certainly not being shown the truth of Jesus in church.  Jesus isn't popular.  Jesus isn't trendy.  What Jesus is...is you.  It is Jesus who lives in you {Galatians 2:20}.  Look into the mirror and you will see Jesus.  Does that seem popular or trendy to you?  Maybe not, but what it means to me is the assurance of who it is I really am.  All the feel good books written by Rick Warren cannot give me the assurance which I have found in Jesus.  To me, there's nothing more popular than that.  

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. 

Acts 2: 44 - 47 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

The Dark Side

 

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1: 2 - 4 NKJV 

Most of us know the story of one Anakin Skywalker...aka Darth Vader.  A young man who showed such promise for good that he was thought of as the "chosen one" who would bring peace to the galaxy.  Then, along came a frail old man who introduced Anakin to a new way of thinking and suddenly Anakin was introduced to the dark side.  Even now, mention the words dark side and most people think you're referring to menace and evil.  But is that what darkness really is?  Is darkness really the hiding place of evil, or is what we know as darkness simply a lack of light to shine upon it?  Up until recently, I was of the opinion that darkness was indeed where wickedness dwelled.  Darkness is unknown and unsure.  Darkness is in need of the light.  We're told that God brought light upon the darkness of the earth in the beginning.  Up until that point the earth had been a dark void.  Did that mean that the earth was evil and wicked?  Not at all.  The earth was simply a place where light had never been introduced.  We're told that once light was introduced and shown upon the earth that God was pleased.  Obviously, the Lord was aware of the difference between light and darkness.  What I would say is that our own ideas about darkness have been shaped by the stories we read and the movies we watch.  Darkness often brings uncertainty and the unknown.  The old saying goes that it is always darkest before the dawn.  What does the dawn bring each morning?  Light.  Former Navy Seal Dick Marcinko once said that he and his former team mates were trained to embrace the darkness as this is where they would spend most of their careers.  So, I would say that if your intent is to not be seen, then stay in the darkness.  However, beware of those carrying flashlights.  

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 8: 12 NKJV 

Christ Jesus has told us that He is the light of the world.  That we who follow Him shall have the light of life {John 8:12}.  This got me to thinking, is the world such a dark and dismal place that we need the light of the Lord?  Or, is Jesus simply the Light for others to follow?  Jesus does say that those who follow Him shall not walk in darkness.  As Christians, we have been led to believe that we indeed live in a fallen world.  So, God's creation is a fallen world?  I believe that this line of thinking refers to the fall in the garden of Eden where Adam and Eve gave in to the lie of the deceiver.  I get it.  But living in a fallen world?  I find it hard to wrap my understanding onto that line of thinking.  First, there is no scriptural reference to this.  Now, there are plenty of scriptures that speak to the fact that we will face adversity and hard times in our lives in this world.  In fact, Jesus even warned us that this would be the case {John 16:33}.  Yet not only is Jesus the light of the world, but He has overcome the troubles and cares of the world we know as well.  So it is that our guiding light in this world is that of Christ Jesus.  We're told that Jesus has been here from the beginning {John 1:2}.  Yet not only is Christ our guiding light, but our life as well.  The apostle Paul introduced Christ Jesus in him, and us, in Galatians {Galatians 2:20}.  I think of poor Anakin.  Had he known the truth of who he truly was, his decent into the dark side may have been averted by the light of Jesus.  

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1: 5 - 7 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Years Ago Before I Knew Everything

 

Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. 

Proverbs 20: 11 NKJV 

I came across some commentary this week of how one of the most dangerous creations on this planet is that of a 11 - 15 year old teenage boy.  Indeed, my memories of these years often provide me with plenty of reminders of the bad decisions and behaviors I engaged in.  I look back upon those days now and wonder how it is that I made it out alive.  To say the least, I was a terror not to be taken lightly back then.  I now know why parents seem to get gray hair at a early age.  During my time in the church I spent some time as a Sunday school class leader with fourth grade kids.  I went into this endeavor thinking that because I was younger than the other teachers that these kids would respect me and behave.  I was wrong.  Typical for children their age, this bunch gave me a run for my money.  In the end, I enjoyed my time spent there.  So, what is it that makes these teenagers act out for the rest of the world?  I believe that it is youth itself.  For when I was young, the whole world was in front of me.  Each day was another opportunity to discover something else.  What about those crazy stunts we used to do?  Well, that was just something cool to show everyone else.  I don't believe that things have changed much since my younger years, but you might not get that impression by watching tv.  Turn on the tv lately and you see countless shows of people doing reckless stunts for recognition and money.  The bad behavior inspired show Jackass seemed to inspire a new generation of misbehavior among our youth.  Perhaps they're simply carrying on the proud traditions of generations of kids before them.  

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

1 Corinthians 13: 11 NKJV 

Another hit MTV series which far too many people have never heard of is Mike Judge's Beavis and Butthead.  I rate this program as one of the best animated series of all time.  And for good reason, it features two teenage kids as the main characters behaving badly.  Beavis and Butthead have done everything from gorging on nachos and soda to stuffing a bowling ball with fireworks and dropping it off of a roof (To which poor Beavis took some shrapnel to his privates}.  As a survivor of  my own teenage hell raiser years, it's no wonder that I would marvel at the antics of Beavis and Butthead.  Back then I was a child, and I spoke, understood and behaved as a child.  Has anyone ever wondered just what the early formative years in the life of Jesus were like?  One of the closest looks we get into those early Messiah years is in the film Young Messiah.  Yet even this film falls far short in my opinion of showing Jesus' early years.  As I've mentioned, teenage kids have been misbehaving for generations, so I'm sure the kids in Jesus' day were prone to act out as well.  One of the biggest complaints that I have of our bible translations is that we're given far too little information of the formative years in the life of young Jesus.  Was He teased by the other kids?  Was He prone to pranks on His parents and others?  Was He disobedient?  All we're told in scripture is that Jesus increased in wisdom, stature and favor {Luke 2:52}.  Can we assume that Jesus also engaged in some of the reckless behavior as the other Jewish kids He certainly hung around with?  That's a pretty high assumption, but lacking any scriptural help on the early life of Jesus I believe that we can assume that His life mirrored that of the other children of His time.  We know that Jesus the child became Jesus the man on His life journey.  We can also trust that when He became a man, that His childhood ways became a thing of the past.  I guess there is hope for Beavis and Butthead after all. 

~Scott~ 

Something In The Water

 Now a certain man was there who had a infirmity thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there, and He knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" 

John 5: 5 - 6 NKJV 

I recently watched a snippet of the series the chosen which very well illustrated the power which religion has over people.  Now, many people out there can speak to the truth of this line of thinking as a lot of things have been done in the name of religion.  Wars have been started.  Atrocities have been committed.  Lives have been ruined.  All in the name of one religion or another.  Who hasn't woken up on a Sunday morning relishing the idea of a relaxing day off only to feel that tug at their conscience that they "need" to be in church?  It's what we've been taught time and again, Sunday is for church.  We've even gone so far as to bastardize the scriptures in support of our narrative.  Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake our gathering together.  This verse is often used to bully others into church.  Yet this was not the original intent of the passage.  The author of Hebrews was speaking to the fear of the people of the time to gather due to the persecution the believers in Jesus were experiencing.  Therefore, many followers of Jesus were reluctant to gather in groups for fear of being persecuted further.  Hebrews 10:25 is in no way related to our own gathering or lack thereof in church.  Now, I will say that gathering with those in the faith is a good thing.  I usually get together with a few friends each week myself.  Yet, I have not stepped inside a church in over ten years.  For me, following religion was not as important as following Jesus.  The pomp and circumstance of the regular Sunday morning dog and pony show got old after awhile.  Think of the things which religion has tried to tell us over the years.  We are sinners.  God hates sinners.  We can never be close to God.  Many was the time I would walk into church on a Sunday morning in a good mood yet by the time church was over that good mood had vanished into one of condemnation and guilt.  No matter what the circumstance in my life, if something bad was happening, God was angry with me.  

"You do not need this pool, you only need Me"

~The Chosen, Episode 4~ 

Think of the frail man by that healing pool.  For years he has been lying there waiting for a chance to be healed.  It was told that angels would stir the water in the pool and that whoever stepped into the water first would be healed of whatever infirmity they had.  But, this man had nobody to help him into the water when it moved.  He had seen many others step over him to be healed by the waters of the pool.  Yet he remained where he was.  Because he had been told that the waters offered healing.  How many of us have remained in churches for years in the hope that something would change?  I know I have.  We feel in our hearts that the pastors teaching is not Christ centered, but each Sunday we still come because we're told that is what we're supposed to do.  We follow the lead of a man in the pulpit instead of Christ who is in us {Galatians 2:20}.  It is no surprise that Jesus was no fan of religion either.  His woes to the Pharisees testify to His dislike of these religious leaders.  It is Jesus who referred to the religious leaders of His day as "whitewashed tombs."  Beautiful and welcoming on the outside but filled with uncleanliness within {Matthew 25: 27}.  One of the reasons why I stopped going to church was because I did not agree with the showmanship of most church services.  I stayed away from church because the truth of Jesus is seldom spoken to within the walls of our houses of worship.  The truth of Christ in us.  The man waiting by the pool certainly knew about religion.  One thing he had never experienced was the healing touch of Jesus.  

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanliness." 

Matthew 25: 27 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Life Assurance

 

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17: 3 NKJV 

I received a call this week from a salesman hoping that I would fall for his speech about buying life insurance.  As I talked with him I thought to myself that if he only knew me he would know that I could never possibly collect.  That is, I will never die.  This is a foundational Christian belief taught down through the years, that if we have been redeemed by Christ Jesus, that we have eternal life.  Indeed, even our scriptures ensure us of this.  This has been a hot topic of discussion amongst us the past few weeks as a few have taken to taking words apart in order to decipher their true meaning.  This isn't new, and believers have been cherry picking and deciphering the scriptures for years.  But what did I learn about myself from a life insurance salesman?  Well, I learned not about life insurance...but life assurance.  That is, the assurance that I am not bound by the years I pass on this earth.  The assurance that long after my fleshly vessel has passed, my spirit will remain with Christ Jesus.  I don't need some wanna be evangelist to reassure me of this.  The Lord has already laid it upon my heart.  So why do we waste our time debating the meaning of words instead of assuring others of the truth that we should already know?  Perhaps we want to impress others with our word skills?  But I have a better idea.  Did you ever notice that one of the most important companion pieces to any bible is a concordance?  Better yet, if you were smart you got yourself a Greek or Hebrew dictionary to decipher the ancient words of the scriptures.  After all, we all want to know what those words in the bible are referring to right?  Let me lay a few words on you...forever and eternal.  What is it that you think of when you hear these words?  I'm not a Pharisee school graduate, but when I hear the word forever I think of time without meaning.  What good is it to count the minutes that pass when they no longer have any meaning?  Time is of no consequence.  

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise."

Luke 23: 39 - 43 NKJV 

I always found it ridiculous when a court found a mans crime so obscene that a judge would sentence him to consecutive life sentences.  Needless to say, what meaning does time have for such a man?  He is assured that his life is, for all intents and purposes, over.  What of the criminal on that cross next to Jesus?  You know, the one condemned to death as Christ was?  Seeing his opportunity for a reprieve, did he suddenly seek out Jesus that his own life might be spared?  Or, as I believe happened, suddenly decided to place his trust in the One he knew to be innocent.  Whatever the case, his trust was rewarded by Jesus.  Notice the response of Jesus to this man, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise."  Life assured.  I believe that we can all take a lesson from this man who gave himself to Christ Jesus while on his own cross.  Perhaps the first death bed conversion in history.  Do you worry over those words in the bible that proclaim eternal life?  Perhaps after cutting through their meaning like some grad school surgeon you are not convinced they mean what they say?  Consider the words of Jesus..."Assuredly I say to you."  Stop playing word games with the scriptures and rest in the knowing that as believers we now have life assured.

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

John 10: 28 NKJV 

~Scott~ 

Knowing Him

 

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.  

Philippians 3: 10 NKJV 

I was struck with a simple thought this week.  A week which carried its own share of tragedy and hardship for me and some I have known for awhile.  A dear friend of mine was down sick for a brief time while another is on the brink of losing her husband to the virus.  My thoughts through all of this were, where is Jesus through all of this?  Well, were I to adhere to the common teachings of the mainstream church, Jesus is sitting in heaven watching over us.  Yeah, that's fine for believers, but where is Jesus for that person who has never known Him?  And how is it that we go about knowing Jesus?  I'll admit that I spent most of my life in the church not knowing who the man Jesus really was.  I knew that he died on the cross for me.  I knew that three days later He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.  That was the basis of my knowing who Jesus was.  But is this who Jesus truly is?  As I write this a good friend of mine has sent me a message concerning my friend about to lose her husband..."May they both recognize Jesus in them."  Folks, THAT is Jesus.  Jesus isn't simply a feel good bible story that we can turn to every time we're feeling bad or in need.  Jesus isn't someone who only cares for us when we need Him.  We don't celebrate a on demand Jesus.  The apostle Paul assures us of this when he writes of the reality of Jesus in Galatians.  It is Paul who speaks to Christ living in us {Galatians 2:20}.  Imagine the joy of someone who realizes that in their desperate time of need that Jesus within them is there to comfort them.  So, back to my original thought this week.  Where is Jesus in the midst of the turmoil I have been experiencing?  He's in the same place He has always been, in me.  Now, whether or not I recognized Christ in me is on me.  Count me among the millions of people worldwide who, for a time, failed to recognize the one true Christ and where He is.  

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3: 7 - 8 NKJV 

I find it interesting how Paul viewed those things which he gained through his life.  Wealth, influence and power as well as knowledge in the faith which he was raised on.  How did Paul view his stature after his trip on that road to Damascus?  He counted all of it as LOSS for the opportunity to know Jesus.  Think about that, all of those things which the man Saul once valued in his life, Paul counted as loss in order that he know Christ.  How many of us have come to that point in our lives where we have lost something we have valued and treasured?  I know I have.  From family members to material possessions, I've felt the sting of loss many times in my life.  Do I regret any of it?  Not when I realize that they were counted as loss that I may know Christ in me.  Did Saul have any idea who Jesus truly was?  I would say no, although he most assuredly had heard of Him.  We do well to realize that the pain of our loss, whatever it may be, can be eased by our realization of knowing Jesus.  It is Jesus who brings comfort in these times.  When our attention is focused on all we find important in our lives, we may fail to see Jesus as He truly is.  May we all recognize Christ Jesus in us.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2: 20 

~Scott~ 

The Vocation Situation

 

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 

1 John 3: 13 NKJV 

It has ben said that people will spend 90,000 hours, or about a third of their entire lives at work.  Is it any wonder, then, that workplace conflicts rank among some of the most stressful situations many of us face?  From power hungry brothers to manipulating coworkers, many of us see enough stress at work to last them a lifetime.  On August 20, 1986, a United States Postal Service employee named Patrick "Crazy Pat" Sherill came to work in Edmond, Oklahoma and shot two of his supervisors.  Before he had finished his rampage, fourteen more people lost their lives.  Soon a new phrase entered our vocabulary.  Sherill had "Gone postal."  I won't lie, I've had more than my share of personal conflicts at work.  In fact, I'm currently battling another work situation which has had me stressed for some time.  What is it that drives people to act out against others?  Well, there are some who are convinced that this is the best way for them to get ahead.  Then, there are those who are just mean people.  Does this mean that they are beyond Gods reach?  Not at all.  However, I believe that it does mean that they simply have no idea who they truly are inside.  Believe me, self identity is a major problem in our places of work.  What am I talking about?  Was Patrick Sherill a killer at heart?  I would say no, yet something drove him that day to "go postal."  How many Christians consider the apostle Paul to be one of the greatest speakers of the ministry of Christ Jesus we have ever known?  You would be correct in saying this.  However, when we consider Paul's life before his conversion we get a different view of the man.  See, the man Saul was hell bent on persecuting the early followers of Christ, even to the point of death.  In fact, as he walked the Damascus road that day, Saul was carrying with him letters from the chief priest that if he found any followers of Jesus that he would bring them bound to Jerusalem {Acts 9:2}.  It was Paul who called himself "chief" of all sinners {1 Timothy 1:15}.  Eventually the man Saul realized his true identity in Jesus.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 2: 20 NKJV 

It is interesting that this chief of sinners has also presented us with the evidence of our true identity in Christ Jesus.  Paul's words in Galatians 2:20 should be a reminder to everyone just who we are in Gods eyes.  God did not look upon Saul and see him as chief of all sinners.  No, He looked upon him and saw him as he truly was, His beloved child.  We cannot stray too far from the truth of our own creation until we come to the truth that it is God who has always been with us.  We are created in the Fathers image {Genesis 1:27}.  It is also God who breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  Why do I mention this?  Because when it comes to workplace conflicts there seems to be a common factor.  That being the false belief in who we are inside.  If we listen to those who would slander us, we're nothing but dumb, slow and stupid.  However, if we trust in the reality of how our heavenly Father sees us, the hurtful words of others will lose their sting.  If we trust in the knowing of who we really are, we will soon realize that we are not that person who spews hurtful words to our brethren.  There is a saying out there somewhere...garbage in, garbage out.  That is, if we believe the hurtful words of others are true, they will soon become part of our mindset.  This only leads to depression.  However, if we know in our hearts that it is Christ Jesus who lives in us, then we will began to see the hurtful words of others for what they are, the lies of the deceiver.  

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.  

Colossians 3: 23 - 24 

~Scott~ 

Relationship And Religion

 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.  Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12 NKJV 

It is common knowledge that one must never argue two topics...religion or politics.  For when we get engaged in such discussions we quickly digress into many a heated argument.  I heard the point raised this week, does God desire religion or relationship?  From my experience, I would say that our heavenly Father desires relationship with His children far above any religion man may come up with.  That is the trouble with religion, it's all man made.  Mans fingerprints are all over many a failed religious system.  Religion tells us that the only way to God is through the laws and commandments set forth by those who profit from the religion.  Relationship with God tells us that we have direct access to the Father whether we have religion or not.  One of the major religious teachers of his day was the man Saul of Tarsus.  Strictly legalistic, Saul believed that the early followers of Christ Jesus needed to be rounded up and scourged for their blasphemous beliefs in a man claiming to be the Son of God.  To Saul, this was a insult to God.  However, something happened on that road to Damascus.  It was here where Saul came face to face with the one he had persecuted for so long.  It was here where religion met with relationship.  When it was over, Saul was blind and on his way to seeing things from a different perspective.  I find it interesting that the very first reaction of the man Saul when confronted by Jesus was, "Who are you, Lord?"  Being a legalistic, religious man, Saul obviously knew that he was dealing with something, or someone not of this world.  The transformation of the man Saul had begun.  God wasn't interested at all in the legalistic religion of the man Saul.  What He was interested in was a relationship with this man who had spent so much time persecuting His church.  

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2: 44 - 47 NKJV 

From my point of view, I cannot see how God would desire a world of legalistic robots blindly following rules and regulations all in the name of getting closer to Him.  Yet, that is what more than a few religions have been teaching for thousands of years.  There are rules to follow if you want to be saved.  There are rules to follow if you want to be married.  There are even rules to follow in regards to the utensils we eat with.  It seems that in a religious system, getting closer to God requires a lot rules and regulations.  This was Saul's life.  That is, up until he met up with the one who only wanted relationship with this man who had persecuted Jesus for so long.  Now, the man Paul would learn what relationship with Christ Jesus really entailed.  He would also learn the price he would pay for that relationship.  In all of my years sitting in the pews of different churches, relationship was never something that was preached.  What was preached was commandments and how God blessed those who followed them.  Yet, run afoul of these requirements and that loving God you sang every Sunday suddenly morphed into a vengeful God.  So, onward the Christian soldiers marched hoping to somehow get closer to God.  Does this sound like something God desires?  For his part, Paul spoke to the relationship he discovered in Christ in Galatians.  It is Paul who introduces us to the ultimate in relationships, that relationship we share with Christ Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  A relationship based not on simply getting closer to God...but on being one with Him through Christ.  

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." 

Galatians 2: 20 NKJV 

~Scott~