Let the Older Teach the Younger, A Thought on Our Divisions…

I know it’s been awhile since my last post. I was sharing this thought this morning with some friends and brothers in Christ and the Lord has really laid it on my heart so I thought I’d blog it!  So here it goes…

“That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
‭Titus 2:2-8 KJV‬

We’ve reached a time similar to what Isaiah spoke of when he said, “…the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.” Isaiah ‭3:5‬ ‭KJV. I think in some ways our churches have contributed to us/them mentality by separating out our youth, creating a division that can lead to the idea, if we’re not careful, t‬hat they need something more modern and up to date, on their level than the Bible and they need younger folks to teach them. Paul however has a different take.

 

Cleaning Up Our House

It has been awhile since my last post.  It may be a while yet before my next.  I am going through a valley right now and covet the prayers of those who know Christ.  Here is a word that was upon my heart today.  May it be food for thought…

For those of us who still long to see a real movement of God, there is a major problem which exists in many churches and amongst Christians in general that is holding back the healing rain of the Spirit we so desire. Sin in the camp. In our present age, we hear people beat the drum within Christian and secular society saying, “We shouldn’t judge!” The problem is that it is almost always taken out of context and is the very thing that has allowed sin to be in our midst amongst churches. In the Old Testament, we are all familiar with how God brought down the walls of Jericho. And some of us may even remember how a man named Achan hid a wedge of gold and a Babylonianish garment under his tent. No one knew except God and Achan. However, when Israel went to defeat the next town, Ai, they lost and many of their men were killed. Joshua began to pray, wondering why God had not been in their midst fighting their battles. “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.” (Josua 7:10-12) Notice the Lord says “Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”

 

1 Peter – Times of Trouble 1 Peter 1:6-9

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Scripture Text

1 Peter 1:6-9 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Times of Trouble – v.6-9

Peter talks about heaviness, temptations and trials, it’s going to happen. Times of trouble are also part of the Christian life. In this life we decide whom we will serve; will we serve the evil one or will we serve God?  For those who choose God there is a reward waiting, but what about now? Why did God allow…? 

 

“Be Ye Therefore…” – Perfect

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Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Introduction

This is the second in the “Be Ye Therefore…” series.  Christ is speaking here during what is referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. He starts out this part of His sermon with verse 20 of this chapter.  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20) He goes on to describe the kind of righteousness a person must have to enter the Kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is when Christ sets up His everlasting kingdom here on earth and heaven rules here. Anyone who enters will have to be perfect as the Father is perfect. When Christ brings up several points of the law such as adultery, He shows that God’s standard of righteousness is higher than we can attain to. Why, if a man even looks with lust on a woman he has committed adultery. The pharisees had reduced righteousness to just an outward showing of obedience to the law.

 

“…And yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

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Introduction

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so I wanted to share a thought on love and one of the most convicting passages in the Bible.  Later this week I will be starting a short series on the phrase ‘Be Ye Therefore…’ which occurs seven times in the Bible and each time it appears it is used to encourage God’s people to do something that will be for His glory and their good.  But for now, let’s talk about love…

The apostle Paul had just been dealing with spiritual gifts in the twelfth chapter in his first epistle to Corinth and he finishes with the following verse.  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (1Corinthans 12:31)

The Things We Think Are Important

Paul, according to his own testimony in Philippians 3, had at one time considered works and the outward observance of the Law of God to be profitable unto him and the Lord.  According to the standards of the religious elite of his day, Paul was a great man before Christ found him on the road to Damascus.  He said he was, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”  Paul had come to realize that all that he used to think was profitable or gain for him was loss for Christ.  His position among the Pharisees, all the keeping of the law, everything that he had at one time considered precious he now saw as dung.  To lose such things was nothing now to Paul for he had gained the excellency of knowledge of Christ.

Friend, we say we love the Lord.  We say we serve Him.  But do we?  Is our works motivated by our love for Jesus?  Or do we do what we do out of some sense of duty?  Remember I mentioned that this is one of the most convicting passages in the Bible.  Well Galatians 5:22-25 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.   And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.   If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”  So we see that love is the first of the fruit of the Spirit that should be born by you.  Love is not a gift but rather evidence of the Spirit within you.  Paul reminds us In the first three verses of I Corinthians 13 that to truly love Christ is to love Him with all our heart, all our mind, and all our will or soul. 

 

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” – Paul the apostle

A Servant’s Heart

Philippians 2:13-18 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.   Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.   For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

Paul often referred to himself in introduction to a church as doulos theos or doulos Christos which is to say slave or bond-servant of Christ.  Paul had a servant’s heart.  His desire was for the local assembly and the individual in Christ to serve Christ with their whole heart not because of commandment but out of love for the savior.  Paul didn’t mind sacrificing of himself for the cause of Christ, in fact, it brought him great joy to know that his sacrifice of time, effort, and ultimately his own life would increase the faith of others and bring glory to Jesus Christ.  Paul esteemed his brethren in Christ more than himself… “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3

This is the very essence of a servant’s heart.  Christ Himself told His followers that He came not to be ministered unto but to minister.  Here at Servants’ Journal we desire to possess that servant’s heart and to encourage fellow servants in the same.  In keeping with our new theme and focus to possess a servant’s heart, I thought it fitting to post a memorial to some heroes of the faith from the last century whose sacrifice help renew a fire for missions in our country.

 

The Book of James – Trials (James 1:2-4)

Introduction

I mentioned last time that James was a plain spoken man. James is also direct and to the point.  As proof of this he says hello in verse one and by verse two he talks about the trials that come into our life; the times of testing that can leave us spiritually battered and bruised.

Trial vs. Tempted

“How do I know what I’m going through is a trial as opposed to Satan just pounding me over the head?”  When God’s hand is at work the trial is designed to build you up, to strengthen your Christian character.  When Satan is on the scene his only goal is to ruin you and make you fail.  God wants to embrace you and Satan wants to embarrass you.

 

God’s Will Revealed – Acts 13, 16

Introduction

What is God’s will concerning us?  This is a popular subject of discussion and my pastor spoke on this topic recently.  Much of this post will be taken from his sermon so I wanted to acknowledge him before I get started.  It was a tremendous message and the absolute best presentation for understanding God’s will I have ever heard.  As a result I wanted to share it with our readers.  My goal is simple: to understand God’s perfect will for our life.

When we broach the subject of God’s will we tend to limit the audience to young adults; this is a bad assumption. God wants to direct our affairs from the start of our relationship with Him until He calls us home.  As a result my target audience is every person who has surrendered their life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ no matter your age or spiritual maturity.

 

Beyond This Point There Be Dragons – 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Introduction

Our title comes from a very old map of the world I had the chance to see some time ago.  It was from the 1500s when much of the world was still unknown, and, the existence of sea monsters was widely accepted.

In our world today we have satellite imagery covering every inch of the globe but there are still territories where beyond their borders there is great danger.

Recently, where I attend church, we had a guest speaker from Frontline Missions International.  I must say this was the most eye opening and convicting view of global missions I have ever been a part of.  This organization targets those areas deemed “closed” to ministry.

 

Have You Died Yet?

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

The modern social gospel being promoted across the land in many churches today speaks of a religion that has no costs, brings no change, and seems to give all glory to the wrong party… us.  In fact, to hear most Christians discuss styles of worship, contemporary or traditional, you would think that worship itself was for the sole benefit of man.  The humanism that has crept into the contemporary sermons, has led many a lost soul to believe that they need only to believe and they have their ticket punched for glory.  Most then fall well short of what the apostle Paul called the ‘new creature in Christ Jesus’.

Why is this so?  It goes all the way back to the Old Testament.  Many of our gospel songs speak of crossing the Jordan River as though it was the passage from life on earth to life in eternity in heaven.  This is flawed because unlike Canaan, Heaven doesn’t have enemies to be destroyed.  Rather, the crossing of the Jordan River in the book of Joshua more aptly typifies our passage from the death of sin to the newness of life in Christ Jesus.