Why We Grow the Church

Good Morning,

Why do we want the church to grow?   Why do we want people to come to our church?

Down in the heart of men, there is an awareness that we need God. There is something inside us that says we are inadequate, incomplete, and incapable of facing eternal things without some divine help, therefore we do want something sort of like a god.  

Our flesh hates the idea of God because if we need God, then God will start telling us what to do because that’s what a God does. Mankind seeks to fill those inadequacies with things on earth that will not tell us what to do.

Humanity would like the help of God, without the authority of God

Humanity would like the wisdom of God without the Lordship that accompanies that wisdom.

Humanity does not mind people having a deity – a god that is added to life like salt to a steak – but humanity does mind when we talk about Jesus, the One Who lived a perfect life and died for their sins because all of mankind was helplessly bound for hell. They do not want us to talk about a Saviour and the Bible, both of which “meddle” in our lives and “tell us what to do” (of all the nerve).

Let us refer back to the opening questions:

“Why do we want the church to grow?"   

“Why do we want people to come to our church?”

In the vernacular of the business world or the military, maybe we should ask, “What is our mission statement?” or “What is our objective?”

The answers to these questions could fill a book, but allow me to attempt to summarize the question in a few simple statements:

1. Man was created to glorify God, so the object of the church is to help mankind understand from the Scriptures what it is that will glorify God in their lives.

The church does not have as its main objective to make people happy but rather to make God happy.

2. We want as many people as possible to be in church because without the Gospel, every human being will spend eternity in hell – that is a tragic end for humanity, and certainly does not glorify God, which is our primary goal.

These two simple statements, which seem to be extremely simple among the complexities of theology, will cause us to do some things a certain way, and not to do other things. 

Therefore…

1. We do not want to make the church like the world, for the Lord called us out of the world.

2. We do not want to make the opinions of men more important than the Word of God. We cannot put the glory of God first if we allow the opinions of men to trump what God has said. 

3. We do not want to make mankind more comfortable in church; we want to make mankind conformable to the will of God.

This subject has much more to it, but this is why we want people to go to church, and why we want our church to grow – FOR THE GLORY OF GOD! 

Pastor

Thieves

Good Morning, 

Matthew 23:14 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”

Jesus says, people who take from others and act religious about it, or act as if they are doing a noble deed in the process, will face greater damnation.  

When one takes from someone else, no matter what he does with the stolen goods, he is still a thief. A thief may give money to the poor, or support special after-school programs, or support fallen soldiers – but he is still a thief. 

When one takes what is not his, he is a thief – no matter what he does with the stolen goods.  No matter how much he might pray over the decision, he is still in big trouble with God.  

When a person gets money from an insurance company, he causes rates to rise, and he takes from the other people who are insured. When one steals from a business, he is actually stealing from the customer who now pays the price rise on merchandise.   

To take social security money or unemployment money for anything that you do not have permission to take makes you a thief. To fraudulently gain income for any reason is theft. 

The same is true of government. Taxes rob widows and the elderly.  California gas taxes rob everyone who drives, but especially the poor. I do not care if the state buys gifts for folks in rest homes, California leaders stole that money, and they are thieves. Whom do you think is paying for the groceries or “free” phone the government program gave you – folks who are simply trying to be honest and pay their bills and their taxes!  Their taxes are higher because the recipient is taking what he did not work to earn!   

Auto insurance suits do not only take insurance company money, they take money from the poor folks trying to keep insurance. The beneficiary of that suit stole that money from their neighbor! 

One who steals from a store and says that the store has insurance is a thief and a robber to the mother or widow who shops there hoping to make it to her next check. The thief can take his ill-gotten gain and buy clothing for the naked people in the jungle – but he is still a thief. 

If you give someone money for roads, and the money is spent on political campaigns – that makes him a thief. 

Let us focus theology.  We took what Jesus gave us: salvation, eternal life, forgiveness, a home in heaven, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, and God asks us to use those gifts for His glory. 

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” 

Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” 

These verses explain that God saved us so we would work for Him.  If we do not, we are thieves!  Be careful about where you get your money; in the eyes of God, you may be in big trouble!  

As Christians, we need to be sure that we are using that which God gave us for the reason we received those wonderful eternal gifts. 

Pastor 

Crowds

Good Morning,

Mark 7:37 "And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well…”

In His three-year ministry, every message was perfect, Spirit-filled, and exactly what God wanted said.  Every step was taken in an honorable way; never was there a look or feeling that was inappropriate for the given moment.

Every touch of his hand was anointed by God. Every time eye contact was made, it expressed perfection and holiness, and it communicated the heart of God.

Jesus walked for three years while living a perfect life, sinless, self-sacrificing, and surrendered to the will of His father. The political effect on his country was almost nonexistent. His impact on the religion of His nation seemed, for the moment at least, insignificant. His perfect life, associated with a perfect ministry, was anointed more than any preacher could ever be anointed, yet resulted in a fairly small crowd of believers who followed him. From a distance, there were some who admired and even listened, but they were not willing to be close. Some believers walked closely, but when the risk became too high, they fled – remember, this was God in the flesh!  

If our church had a perfect pastor, and the auditorium was filled with perfect church members, the outward results might be less than we would think. The product of our ministry, if completely run by perfect people, would certainly be more limited than we in our flesh can visualize.

If the effect the Saviour had on the people of His community was so limited, what can we expect? There are simply not many people who care. Few people are willing to say, “No” to the world, the flesh, and the devil, and say, “Yes” to Christ. The masses of humanity are, at best, godless, and, tragically, have no desire for anything more.

Look at the ministry of Elijah. There were hundreds of prophets of Baal, but one Elijah. There  were hundreds of others who would not bow the knee to Baal, but Elijah did not know about them.   For the most part, Elijah stood alone.

None of this is to state that we cannot make an impact; these words are not written to discourage those seeking to do something great. These biblical truths are simply written to remind us that we are but dust, flesh and blood, and prone to wander. Anything good that happens is because of God’s mercy and grace working through us. Every soul saved is a miracle. Every new family growing in grace and serving in the church is a work of God!  Missionaries have served the Lord in Africa for over 200 years, and the entire continent seems as godless as it could be; but remember, we preachers are but flesh, and most people are simply not interested in a crucified life or in surrendering their will to Jesus Christ.

John 8:29 “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

vs. 30 “As he spake these words, many believed on him.”

What a statement, “I do always those things that please him.”  Something none of us can say, yet our Saviour only reached a few in His generation numerically. The effect of Jesus and His ministry has reached believers for over two thousand years after his time on earth. 

What a statement: “I do always those things that please him.”  This is a statement that none of us can honestly state. Even our Saviour only reached a few people in His generation numerically, but the eternal effect of Jesus and His ministry has reached believers for over two thousand years.  We do not know, nor can we see what is truly being accomplished by the Word of God.  We must leave that to Him.

Pastor

The Value of A Soul

Good Morning,

The true value of something is not determined by what some fool will pay for the item, but what an intelligent and well-informed purchaser might pay. I could be fooled, perhaps, and spend a great deal of money on an antique that a wise antique dealer would say is worthless.  

With that in mind, how can we explain the worth of a soul? It is impossible to explain or even understand the value of soul.  What is so valuable that it is worth the life of the Son of God? What is so valuable that it would move the Creator of the universe to give up His relationship with His own Son as Christ became sin on the cross?

The only way we can begin to understand the worth of a soul is to become more aware of the price that was paid. Consider the apostle Paul and the other apostles who gave up their lives for the name of Jesus. These men had careers and certainly needed no new cause to follow. Yet, they chose to forsake everything for that Name which is above every name, and they did it for the souls of men. That helps us understand a little bit about the value of a soul.

From the time of the apostles to the 1600s there were as many as fifty million Christians who gave their lives as martyrs: men, women, and children who devoted their lives to the truth of the Gospel and the salvation purchased by the Son of God. This illustration helps us a little more in seeing the value of a soul.

Today, as throughout history, young couples toss their dreams to the wind as they choose to live their lives in foreign lands for the name of Jesus and for the souls of men. Grandparents miss holidays and birthdays with their grandchildren. Medical needs are cared for in much more primitive circumstances than if they would have stayed in America. Often refined lives are shortened because of the unusual climates, disease, or parasites, yet more young couples go. Again, we see a little picture of the value of a soul. 

Souls of a man are worth the price of death. The souls of men are worth facing the price of suffering. The value of a soul can be learned when we see a Sunday school bus driving through the community with a handful of dedicated workers visiting children on Saturday and picking them up on Sunday. They do not have to give their entire weekend, but they do it because of the value of a child’s soul.

Drive by the beautiful homes and consider the souls on their way to hell, thinking they have no need for God. Pause as you pass the many apartments being built, and remind yourself that every soul in every apartment will die and go to Heaven or hell.  Look at the folks in your carpool, or in the office or shop where you work five days a week, and ask yourself is there any value to their soul?

Do you want to know how important a soul is? I could never properly explain it, but the Son of God left Heaven and spent thirty-three years on a sin-filled earth, just to redeem a soul. Jesus lived thirty-three years with corrupt humanity, without a home of His own, and without His earthly needs being met, but He also loved people and gave Himself tirelessly to the needs of those around Him. Jesus deserves all the glory and accolades of Heaven, it was He Who came to earth to be laughed at, mocked, considered a lunatic, stripped naked, and beaten beyond recognition as people watched. Consider Him Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself.

What is the value of a soul? A soul is worth dying for; a soul is worth living for; a soul is worth every Gospel track we distribute; a soul is worth every youth activity, camp, and conference.

What is the worth of a soul? A soul is greater in value than anything on the planet, but how much greater, it is impossible to know.

A soul is worth our giving up our young people to go “wherever” and face endless “who knows what?”  This helps us see a little more about the value of a soul.  

Consider what you would do for your own child, if a building was burning and your child was in it – then you would understand a little more of the value of a soul.

Pastor

You Cannot Win Them All

Good Morning,

Inside most of us is the desire to fit in, to be accepted, and to be liked.  Yet, truth will draw lines that not only threaten our “favorability rating,” but also can cause serious division. 

Notice a few lessons from John 7:

1. Some wanted Him dead.

vs. 1 “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.”

2. Our Lord had family members that did not believe His teaching.  

vs. 5 “For neither did his brethren believe in him.”

3. The perfect Son of God brought division among people; some thought He was a deceiver.  

vs. 12 “And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.” 

Any Bible reader can come up with more passages like these.  Jesus was not well received by all: some loved Him; many hated Him, and others were doubtful of Him.

Allow me to offer a few quick thoughts as we consider the perfect Son of God and His teaching.  

1. Do not expect everyone to like you.

2. Do not expect everyone to like your beliefs, personally or in the pulpit.

3. Do not think that a proper attitude and presentation of truth will always be received.

4. Do not change your belief in hopes of getting people to like you.

Here are a few mistakes some people make:

1. It is a mistake to try to mold your belief so people will like you.

2. It is a mistake to change what you preach so that more people will attend your church.

3. It is a mistake to think that when people accuse or slander you, that you did something wrong.

Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and sell it not…”

We are to BUY the truth.  That means it will cost us something.  That means those who do not buy it, do not have the truth.  We have the colloquialism here in our country, when someone does not agree with what they are hearing, they might say, “I don’t buy that.”

If being popular or accepted, or finding no friction with church members is your motivating factor, you will have to constantly change your belief.  It is easier to just figure out what you believe and stay there, in fellowship with the Saviour who was also disliked.

Pastor

Leaders Do Not Have to Lead Us

Good Morning,

2 Chronicles 31:21 “And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” 

The king labored to clean up the nation, to bring spiritual revival, and to seek out the blessing of God. Certainly, he had enemies and battles. In spite of those who sought his demise, God guided and prospered him.

2 Chronicles 32:22 “Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.”

vs. 23 "And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth."

The people were blessed, prosperous, and protected by God, and if you read the story, you will see that the people across the land prospered, from the ordinary farmer to the religious leader. Then, as happens to all flesh, Hezekiah died.  His son, Manasseh, took the throne and proceeded to ruin everything his father had done.

2 Chronicles 33:1 “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:”

vs. 2 “But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.”

This sad situation occurred several times in the Old Testament. A simple truth is brought out by this corrupt man – Manasseh. When the next generation throws out the successful, blessed philosophies of the prior generation, matters can only go downhill.  2 Kings 21 gives more details of the story, but one fact is clear - Manasseh was an evil man, and his son, Amon, carried on in his father's evil ways.  

Neither logic nor careful, studious planning leads a useful generation to throw out the ideals of the prior generation. There is no “common sense” that would direct someone to throw out successful practices – only evil can lead to this kind of decision. Certainly, we are witnessing this in America today.

The good news is that Josiah, though his father and grandfather were corrupt and godless, brought revival to the kingdom.

Despite the evil in the prior two generations, Josiah stood for right, truth, and a love for the Word of God.  I am glad that we are not destined to follow in the footsteps of our leaders. Sadly, those who follow great leaders can become corrupt, but the good news is that those who follow corrupt leaders can choose to do right.

May we seek out those who hungered for righteousness and who labored for God and good, and mimic their habits and philosophies. When a generation of corrupt people trash the godly heritage that went before them, let us rise as Josiah and turn to the good and godly values of those in our history.  The leaders in our nation, many of our pulpiteers, and the business leaders of our nation who have abandoned our great heritage, do not have to control our destiny.  We do not need to follow the path of evil, no matter how desperate circumstances may appear. May we stand for truth.

Pastor

What Do We Say Of Our Enemies

Good Morning, 

We can learn a great deal about people by watching how they behave, whether it be toward the law, their parents, or a friend.

When someone like Justice Thomas or Justice Kavanaugh are slandered and attacked while people searched through decades of personal history in hopes of finding a weakness, it does not reveal a problem in the person being investigated, but rather a problem in the one seeking the dirt. 

Anyone who pays attention (even slightly) to politics, knows that some people can be corrupt beyond words, and no one will say anything about it; but others, who live exemplary lives, can be under the constant attack of their political adversaries.

The same scenario relates to church work as well. It would be very rare for anyone on social media or YouTube to talk about the hundreds of buses that were driven into Chicago by the ministry of First Baptist Church and Dr. Jack Hyles. For someone to talk about the poor who are loved, or the school that was provided exclusively for the bus riders, or the endless supply of food and provision given to the poor of Chicago is just not done.

In the case of Dr. Hyles, I remember one day, when he brought out the people who used to ride buses from the poor areas of Chicago, who were now on his payroll at the church or one of the three schools – there were dozens of employees, not just one or two. No one talks about that; no one brings up the rescue mission where the down-and-out could not only find a meal and a bed, but also a permanent place to live – and then they went to work shoveling snow for widows or senior citizens. Those kind of stories ought to be remembered – but evil men cannot focus on good, only on evil.

In 2 Samuel, we find the story of the days following the death of king Saul. King Saul was a great enemy of David. Twice, David was nearly killed at the dinner table by a javelin that king Saul threw. David was chased from his home, forced to put his parents in a foreign kings’s care, and lived in caves, wilderness, and alien cities just to stay alive. David refused to fight the Lord’s anointed king. He committed Saul to God. Twice, he had the opportunity to kill Saul without any effort whatsoever, but David would not do it, nor did he allow his soldiers to do it.

In 2 Samuel chapter 1, we see a man who had stumbled across king Saul nearly dead, and Saul had asked the man to finish him off so that the enemy would not be able to abuse him. Having done so, he took the crown from Saul’s head and a bracelet from his arm and brought them to David.  The man probably thought he would be rewarded for the deed, so he rushed right into David’s presence. David and his men spent hours weeping and fasting. Then he ordered the man to be killed.

Notice the way David spoke about Saul in the following verses: 

2 Samuel 1:19 “The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!” 

vs. 23 “Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives…”

Beauty, mighty, lovely, and pleasant are the words David used to describe the guy who threw a javelin at him twice.  Greatness is often revealed in the way someone speaks about their enemies (as well as the dead).

We heard much of the negative about George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, yet the critics and scorners chose to pick out areas of weakness rather than all of the great things that could be said about these two great men. Who could not find weakness in any person with just a little investigation?

Pay attention when people are speaking; you will learn much about the intents of their heart. When we considered those whom our children date and marry or those whom we choose to hire, notice how they speak about others and especially how they respect the dead.  Their words certainly reveal much of what they are inside.

Pastor

Confusion

Good Morning,

Psalm 11:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” 

In every area of life, we learn the value of stability and a firm foundation.  Buildings have deep foundations, and many support systems are built into the structure to protect from earthquakes.

The home has been under attack via divorce, single parents, rotating parents, and foster care, resulting in insecurity in the hearts of men.   Politically, we have seen instability, insecurity, and questions and conflicts that have established confusion in the hearts of citizens.  

The attack on gender is absurd; how much more solid and stable can we get than “male and female?”  Yet this godless culture has fought against the most basic stable pillar of society. 

Laws were one of the stabilizing factors in our nation. As we have continued to stray from the stability of the Bible and to cling to the whims and feelings of man, laws are being maneuvered by who you know and how much money you have. 

In every situation, stability and security are under attack. 

For nearly three hundred years, the King James Bible was the (only) Bible. Then in the late 1800s, version after version was introduced; today, no clear “Thus saith the Lord” instruction is discernible, causing even more confusion.

We know God is not the author of confusion, but Satan certainly is.  The confusion in our world is not just opinions and differences in lifestyle, the confusion lies in spiritual darkness with an eternal purpose. 

For generations, music had order and structure, but then in the 50s, rock and roll entered the music world, and was followed by endless versions of chaos and unstable sounds with no order or structure. So-called “modern art” has followed the same path. Pictures of confusion and questions of “What’s that?” are commonly exclaimed.   

Churches have followed the popular path in our country and tossed aside clear beliefs to adopt whatever trend might be popular at that moment. 

Few church goers have any idea which Bible doctrines they believe, and even fewer still read the Bible.  Even the names of the churches prove instability.  Once we had Nazarenes, Pentecostals, Methodists, and Baptists – and their names each meant something.  You knew what a church believed by the name.  Today there is a branch, a twig, a fellowship, and a shepherd of the valley – church names have no meaning, for the most part.  The church has joined the world of instability, change, insecurity, and no direction. 

Our body temperature should be very close to 98.6.  Our heart rate and blood pressure have very close limits to provide good health.  How much more complex is the soul of mankind and the basis of society.  Primitive lifestyles and uncivilized behavior is only a short step away when we forsake stability and truth.

The one source of truth, stability, and security is the Word of God; may we cling to it, for if we do not, everything will be out of order. 

Psalm 82:5 “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.” 

Pastor

Kinds of Givers (conclusion)

Good Morning,

Here are the last of the sixteen kinds of givers.  These ought to teach us, not only, about giving, but also about self-examination.  It is sometimes wise to ask ourselves, “Why do we do what we do?”   

14. The Committed Giver

Philippians 4:15 “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.”

vs. 16  “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”

There are some people in the church who are set just on their giving. They determine what God wants them to give, and they give it. It may be that times will be lean and difficult or it may be times will be prosperous, but they are committed. They commit to missions, tithe, and helping some ministry of the church; whether it be at the Christian school, the youth department, or the building projects. Bus ministries are so vital to winning churches and it is the committed giver who will determine they are going to support the buses, no matter what difficulties or blessings might follow.

Committed givers know that the great work of missionaries around the world is near to the heart of God. As stated in the passage above, they will give to the necessities of those who travel across the world bearing the name of Christ.

15. Covenant Givers  (Not CONVENIENT- that is point 11)

How merciful is our Lord to all of us, but especially in the story of Jacob and his departure from home.

Jacob lies to his father and, with the help of his mother, orchestrates a great deception, having to leave home for fear of his brother killing him, then Jacob finds himself alone. In the desert, Jacob makes a “deal” with God.

Genesis 28:20   “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,”

vs. 21  “So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:”

Jacob told God that he would tithe, follow God, and live the life God asked of him but, he had one condition – that God would take care of him and bring him back home.  A covenant is like a deal, a business arrangement. God heard Jacob offer a proposition: You take care of me, and I will faithfully serve you.

There may be some who may make deals with God such as: “If you help my child get better, I will love you,”or “If you help me get this new job, I will start tithing.”  God does so much for us that we do not deserve, and this is one of those many situations. It is far better to be faithful to do what we are supposed to do than to put conditions on the Creator of the universe. In His endless mercy, God will often bless us, and hold up His side of a bargain, despite man's unfaithfulness.

16. Christlike Givers

Giving is best understood from the manger to the cross. We give because it is right to give. We give because someone needs us to give. We give because if we do not, no one else can do what we are uniquely equipped to do.

We give for the glory of God not for our own good. We give because real love will give selflessly. 

Pastor 

Reasons For Ruin

Good Morning,

Isaiah 24 tells of the troubles that are headed toward Israel.  Consider the various lines of impending doom:

“The land shall be utterly emptied…”

“The earth mourneth and fadeth away…” 

“The earth also is defiled…” 

“…the curse devoured the earth…”

Those are serious observations of things that are happening and of events yet to come.

Isaiah 24:3 “The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.”

vs. 4 “The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.”

vs. 5 “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.”

vs. 6 “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.”

In verse five, three reasons are given for the tragic world in which they found themselves:

vs. 5 “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.”

Notice the three things: 

1. They have transgressed the laws. 

2. They have changed the ordinance.

3. They have broken the everlasting covenant.

Transgressed the law – this is the simple violation of the commands of God.  There were ten at Mount Sinai.  These laws were compounded with many others, but also abbreviated into two by the Saviour – love God and love your neighbor. 

The obvious things a society might ignore are: do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not covet, and more. A long list of wrongs is being taught as acceptable, yet God established laws against them. One reason the nations are suffering is because mankind breaks the laws of God.

The second reason for ruin is because they changed the ordinance – the orderly manner in which something is done.  The people did not follow God’s preferred ordinance.  An ordinance is not a command as, “Do not covet,” but rather a matter of an orderly society’s principles such as, “ If a man does not work, neither should he eat.”  These guidelines have to do with good order.  America has obviously “changed” the order of mandating work.  

An ordinance or something that is orderly could relate to the church. The pastor being “the husband of one wife” means the pastor should be a man; that is the proper “order.”  When we change the orderly way in which God says life should run, it hurts people and the earth itself.  

The last reason for ruin has to do with the everlasting covenant. The key covenant God made is with the nation of Israel; He said the land of Israel, and the land around it would belong to Israel! That was an everlasting covenant or promise! God gave them the Mosaic Law to know how to operate in that land. The land is not up for grabs; God did not give that decision to the U.N. or whoever the body of politicians was after World War II – they had no business dividing the area around Israel and giving portions to different countries. They broke the everlasting covenant. When a president or national leader turns away from supporting Israel, they are giving God reason to bring judgment on the nation. Elections do matter.

On the positive side, if we want our nation blessed, we will seek to obey the laws of God. We will not change the order that God suggests for life, and we will support Israel; seeking blessing is not difficult.

Pastor

Do Not Bolt

Good Morning,

A horse that gets startled by a noise or snake and runs suddenly is said to "bolt."  Riders who use their horses for work cannot afford to work with a horse at risk of bolting.  

Many people will tie a horse near a traffic area so that the animal will grow accustomed to horns and auto noise. People who hunt with a horse, slowly allow a horse to be near gunfire enough to keep it from running when a shot is fired at game. 

As children of God, do not bolt! God needs you in the fight - He does not need you to cower or run away. You may experience shock or sudden fear, but hold stead and trust the One Who holds the reins – do not bolt!  

The Apostle Paul had some difficult warnings tossed his way, but he did not BOLT. 

Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

Many a believer will look back in life and regret certain actions. Especially, those who BOLTED simply for self-preservation. 

Most of us understand that sudden reactions are more often unwise than not.  To BOLT when threatened is selfish, yet natural - understandable but not admirable. To BOLT when a marriage trial comes our way is tempting, but not godly. 

The sudden change of lanes causes us to run into a car we did not see. The sudden turn while walking brings about a sprained ankle. A hurried slam of the door to race away results in a broken door: these types of reactions cause us to say and do many things we will regret.

The same principle applies to spiritual actions. Satan will throw multiple fiery darts at us. As Paul said, the key is not to be moved.

In battle, it is often said that the first one to move dies.  

I have seen a wife panic at her husband's wrong and BOLT from the marriage. I have also seen that many times the wife and children suffer, and on top of that, the wife will do more wrong in BOLTING than the husband did when he made his wife angry. 

Some people BOLT from a great church when they are offended or do not agree with a decision. The same people end up in a church doing nothing for the cause of Christ. Staying close and working through things is far better. A  child who runs away from home, or a spouse who walks out on a marriage usually  has no idea where they will go – they simply BOLTED – and most of the time, whatever they end up doing is a mess. 

DO NOT BOLT – Carefully and thoughtfully plan your actions.

Pastor 

Relax & Love Each Other

Good Morning,

I know a Christian couple, who lives in another state, and a comment was accidentally made.  It was the husband who said, “I love to watch your services on YouTube, when my wife is not around.”  

The wife may not know about this, but if she did, how embarrassed she would be as a decent lady!  Should her husband fear comments or ugly treatment because he watches a church service online?  A home ought to be a place of liberty, love, and acceptance.  We can differ.  My wife may tease about my liking ketchup on my sandwiches, but I am not embarrassed; it is my sandwich, not hers.  I never expect her to eat the same way I do.  Why should she harass me about my taste?  (She would not.)  This man is a good godly man, but was fearful of what his wife might say if she knew he was watching our church services; that concept is difficult to grasp.  

No adult should be fearful of the treatment of their spouse for something like eating habits, what they watch, or how they behave (as long as it is lawful). Obviously, I am not talking about perversion or criminal activity.  I am bothered that any adult would be secretive about their actions for fear of the response of their spouse. Especially, when it has to do with their church or in this case, their former church.

Each spouse is a married adult.  I would not sit with my wife and watch some of the more feminine shows she might watch, but it is none of my business what she might watch.  I watched some shows with my son, when he was young, that my wife did not enjoy and did not sit with us. She is an adult like me, and we do not order each others actions.  

If I were not a pastor, I would pick the church I would attend.  My wife could do as she pleased, but if children were at home, they would attend with me, for I believe I will stand accountable before God for the activities in which my children are involved.  It is not my place to order my wife to do anything.  I think a spiritual wife would trust the spiritual choice of her husband and follow him, but that would be her decision, not his; nor should a man or woman be castigated for choosing differently than their spouse.  

Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” 

That verse, or a very close version of it, is in the Bible seven times.  A married couple is one flesh. They are to love, share, and care about each other, and they should not be ashamed of things the other person likes or dislikes.  

Many years ago, one of our men spent a lot of money buying things for his bus route. One day, he called me over to his car, opened the trunk, and showed me all the things he had purchased for his bus. He said, “When I get a paycheck, I go get things for the bus before my wife sees how much money I made; that way the bus gets what they need, and she doesn’t know about it.”

Perhaps this is common, I am not sure; but if it is right, we should not be embarrassed. If it is wrong, we should not do it. In order to have a biblical marriage, there needs to be a unity – “one flesh.“

Love your spouse; create an environment in which they know they have the liberty to do what they would like to do without being judged and criticized by their spouse.

Romans 14:4 “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

Pastor

Leave It To Him

Good Morning,

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”

Psalm 7:10 “My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.”

vs. 11 “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”

God will always look after His own, but as we saw in Deuteronomy 32:27, God dwells in the eternal and the everlasting. For a situation to appear that the wicked has triumphed is not unusual; you can be sure the wicked will not triumph - for God is a righteous judge.

For this reason, we are urged not to seek to avenge ourselves.

Romans 12:19 “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” 

Nahum 1:2 “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.”

If we have spent any time reading our Bibles, we are aware of God’s special concern for the poor. Likewise, God keeps the widow in His eyes, and to take advantage of the possessions of a widow, or the financial stability of those who are nearly helpless, God will seek “revenge.” 

In our current political state, we need to remember God’s special attention on Israel. He may punish Israel as a father punishes his child, and God may use evil nations to do that punishing, but you can be sure those who take advantage of Israel will suffer the great wrath of God.

Hebrews 10:30 “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”

vs. 31  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

If you feel forgotten by God, you can be sure He has not forgotten you. Circumstances may appear as if God is unaware of your grief and burden, but I can assure you that He does know, and He does care. We have a loving father and He will take care of His own. In most cases, He will take care of us on earth, but in some cases, that care will be given in the eternal kingdom where faithfulness will be greatly rewarded. I know we live on earth and in time (not eternity), but we can be sure that when we see Him, the eternal rewards will be infinitely more precious than anything we could have on earth today.

May we concern ourselves with personal righteousness and proper treatment of others. May we leave the evil to the laws of the land or to God, Who is always righteous. We can trust Him!

Pastor

Kinds of Givers (part 3)

Good Morning,

If you have not caught the first few points, these words are the outline I got from my friend Pastor Jose Ruiz.  He has built a large church in Negros, Philippines. They are located at the end of a dirt road, nowhere near any businesses, and within sight of only a few of homes. I did not want to mess up the outline Pastor Ruiz created, “Considering Sixteen Types of Givers,” but as you can see, the following outline was a lot of work to find all of these “C” words. I would have enjoyed hearing his messages on the subject, for he makes the listener smile.  

8. Conceited Givers

Some people who attend church think that the church cannot succeed without them. God provides for the church. He may choose to use a rich or a poor man; but make no mistake, God takes care of His church not people.

Between people leaving the state of California and the events around the time of the COVID craziness, most churches in California lost many members. We lost many people, but, interestingly, our missions giving never wavered, and our bills were always paid. We were constantly reminded that it is God Who takes care of His church. He uses people, but people are just the tool in the hand of God.

John 15:1-8 tells the story of Christ being the Vine, and the believers being the branches. The branch may bear fruit, but if you take it away from the vine it will die and become worthless. This is how we are in our relationship with Christ and the work of God. As long as we stay near Him, we can be fruitful Christians. We need to be reminded that it is not people who provide the resources – everything comes from Jesus.

John 15:5 “…for without me ye can do nothing” 

9. Conditional Givers

There are people in each church who give if they agree with the project, or if people are nice to them. These people give on the condition of everything making them happy. If one of their children has a problem in the Christian school, their giving will change.

Observe their giving when someone is not chosen for an available position, and then see if they’re giving stops or continues. These situations reveal the conditional giver. If the preacher preaches on something that steps on their toes, they will withdraw from their faithfulness to church, as well as their faithfulness to giving.

10. Corrupt Givers

The corrupt giver takes and rarely gives. The corrupt giver finds a way for their children to go to camps and special programs without carrying the load of financing the camp. The corrupt giver will not support the conferences, adult Sunday school classes, or other programs around church. The corrupt giver will wonder why the books and church materials are not free - they are takers not givers.  

11. Convenient Givers

Many people simply do not like any pressure. They want to give when they feel like giving. They want to give when there is extra at hand.

Forgetting that Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” these kinds of people treasure ease and convenience over faithfulness.

12. Curious Givers

Some will give, and then wait to see if it pays to give. They will give a little and watch to see if there is a return on their gift. They give as someone who invests in the stock market. Curious givers are very guarded with how much they give because they are waiting to see if there is a return on their investment. They forget that the souls of men and churches being started around the world is the greatest investment anyone could imagine. Curious givers are thoroughly concerned with only what they can receive not with the glory God will receive.

13. Confident Givers

Luke 6:38 “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom…"

The confident giver knows that God is faithful. He may not see the result of his giving, but he knows the One to Whom he gives. The confident giver invests in God’s house, God’s Book, and God’s people, knowing that this pleases the Heavenly Father. He is confident that in God’s own time, He will take the investment and use it for His glory. Confident givers know that their eternal reward is sure.

Pastor 

Kinds of Givers (part 2)

Good Morning,

In the prior lesson, I mentioned three types of givers: the cheater, the controlled, and the carnal giver. Today, I will add a few more of the types of givers in the church. 

4. The Consistent Giver 

2 Corinthians 8 tells of the character traits of consistent givers. 

2 Corinthians 8:2  “How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”

vs. 3  “For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;”

These people gave through their poverty and affliction.  They gave beyond their ability.  Someone might ask how one could give beyond his ability, but that is simply a matter of faith and God moving in the life of the one seeking His blessing.  Many are believers who have found themselves doing impossible things. There is a God in Heaven, and He will often work in impossible situations.  

The consistent givers make the church their priority, and the work of God their purpose.  All else is done so that they might more fully serve their King. 

5. The Cheerful Giver

The following chapter speaks about the cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.“

These givers enjoy the Lord’s work.  They look forward to church, anticipate opportunities to serve in the ministry, and involve themselves in the great work of the Gospel. When it comes to giving, they are cheerful to take what God has given them and offer it back to their God.  

6. The Careless Giver

Malachi 3 tells of the trouble Israel was having. The root problem was that they had forgotten to place the things of God as their priority.  

Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”

vs. 9  “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”

These kinds of givers may give if there is extra money that week, or if they happen to have a few dollars extra in their pocket.  Some of these careless givers will give when some project at church touches their heart and they feel moved to give. 

Consistently making a budget or planning their giving (like they do their mortgage or car payment) is not going to happen.  

In secular work, the boss needs to plan expenses, income, and unusual situations to keep the business afloat.  To carelessly operate his business will surely end in a failed financial world; the employees and customers will suffer.  So it is with the church. The careful giving of God's people is what keeps a church budget in order.  

7. The Critical Giver

3 John 9 "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not."

vs. 10  “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

Diotrephes did not want the Apostle John around, and he definitely did not want the church's money used to help these missionaries and traveling church planters.  This critical spirit is unhappy with the preaching, complains about the church budget, gripes when there are extra offerings, and brings a selfish and critical spirit into the church.  

I will address a few more kinds of people in the church in the next lesson.

Pastor

Kinds of Givers (part 1)

Kinds of Givers (1)

Good Morning, 

Our dear friend Pastor Ruiz has been such a blessing to us over the years as we visited the Philippines.  On our last visit, he mentioned an outline of giving he used during his church anniversary and I asked for it.  The following are a few of the things he mentioned interlaced with my thoughts.

Types of Givers

Jose Ruiz

Open Door Bible Baptist Church 

Sixteen Kinds of Givers in the Church: 

1.  The Cheater

A cheater violates rules; he is a swindler or a liar.  Such were Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.   They sold land; and as others were bringing their goods to benefit the ministry, they wanted to appear generous.  Only, they just gave a part of their profit. It was not wrong to only give part, but it was wrong that they wanted to appear to be something they were not. At the end of the story, God killed them.  

• They thought no one would know about it.

• They were not aware of the consequences. 

• Their concern was for themselves not for the lost souls or the ministry of Christ’s Gospel. 

2. The Controlled Giver

He restrained and regulates giving as he can see and plan, but misses many biblical principles in his philosophy. 

1 Corinthians 16:2 “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.”

• He lacks faith.

• He lacks faithfulness.

• He lacks focus on eternal things.

When someone gives a little (compared to their abundance), he is offering God a little token, not a gift that expresses his love and gratitude to God. Is God not big enough to help you do something significant or something special for the eternal work of Christ? When we consider our love for God, could any gift be too big?  

3. The Carnal Giver

Notice the difference between the one who lives by sight and one who gives freely meeting the Saviour.   The disciples could not see any way of providing for the need to feed the five thousand.  Without prayer or care, they suggested Christ send the people away on their own, hungry.  Jesus saw the need and could not allow the crowd to go without Divine help. 

One focused on the need; the other focused on the supply.  One focused on that which they could see; the other focused on the God they could not see. 

• The Disciples 

Mark 6:36 “Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.”

• The Saviour 

Mark 8:3  “And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.”

We cannot focus our attention on only what we can see (or our budget). We need to go to God on behalf of needy people and ask the Lord to help us meet that need. I have often driven and prayed with tear-filled eyes from Murrieta to Sun City and through the endless neighborhoods and homes of Menifee. I saw that there was not a Baptist church, soul winners, or someone caring for those who are spiritually faint.  While I see no way I can fix the need, there is a God and a longing in my heart. Perhaps, in mercy on these lost souls, God will do a miracle. 

In John’s account of the story, it says, “There is a lad here.”  All it takes is for us to offer what we have- the boy offered his small lunch. Carnal vision keeps our eyes on what we see and on only what is possible;  spiritual eyes gaze heavenward looking for a miracle.  

Pastor

Ill-Gotten Gain

Good Morning,

Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” 

There it is – a statement from God regarding wealth that was gained in a vain manor – it shall be diminished.  The Bible is full of so many simple principles. If we would read our Bible and trust It, we would be a much wiser society. Instead, our generation seeks out wealth – wealth that was not earned, but taken from those who labored for it or perhaps gained by chance. God makes this principle clear: when you gather by labor, you will increase.

It was Judas who repented of the decision he had made for quick easy money, and he brought back his thirty pieces of silver.  Judas knew he betrayed an innocent man, and it broke him to the point of suicide.  Judas will spend eternity regretting many things, but one of those will be the deceitfulness of riches.

Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” 

Judas hated those silver pieces because they revealed the sorry kind of man he was. When a person works, plans, and reaps gain, he can look at his past with pride, knowing that he achieved something through wisdom or simple, hard work. This method of gain brings a pride not a shame.

The poison of ill-gotten gain will ruin marriages, children, and friendships, and leave one person feeling very much isolated and filled with emotions of failure.  Greed will spoil the heart and make it impossible to love and to truly care for others. Paul wrote that we should not steal, but that we should labor in order that we might have prosperity to give. The lesson was not to seek gain, but rather to seek an opportunity to serve another.

Proverbs 23:4 “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.” 

The foolish idea that accumulating great amounts of money will make one happy has been proven endlessly false, yet men still seek wealth, believing it will answer the problems of life. Certainly money is a great friend and a wonderful tool, but when one seeks wealth, it warps the vision, it perverts the morals, and it twists the soul – soon wealth becomes the master!

Pastor

Tormented

Good Morning,

Many people constantly blame others for their internal struggles, their inability to function, and other similar issues.  Having never served in the military or faced the trauma of some, I cannot say what should or should not be going on in my heart. After nearly fifty years of reading my Bible and working with people, I have learned a few clear facts.

Though it is unpopular, here is a fact: Many people are struggling and have no one to blame but themselves.  Before I explain, let us look at the Scripture:

Matthew 18:33  “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?”

vs. 34  “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.”

vs. 35  “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

The king had forgiven a man who was deeply in debt. That forgiven man then failed to forgive a co-worker who had some small debt owed him.  The focal point in this passage is the word tormentors in verse 34.  This man was to go on in life “tormented,” NOT because of something done to him, but because he failed to forgive.  

I know people who illustrate this truth, but I am thinking of one of whom I dearly loved.  We spent much time together, both socially and in ministry.  On many occasions, this man had hurt his wife. She (at least from the outside) was a great lady and did her part in life. When the marriage ended, the man forgave, apologized, and continued with his life.  She carried anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness.  He went on to serve in a church in another city, he remarried, and lives a happy life.  The wife seemed to never get back on track; she is out of church, out of touch, and hurting still.  I believe much was due to her lack of forgiveness.  

Forgiveness is not based on how deeply the wound is felt, it is based on how deeply we have offended a righteous God. We are to forgive as God forgave us.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

There are certainly biblical ways to find victory over a bitter and unforgiving heart. The most basic principle is to understand that however deeply we have been wounded, Jesus was wounded more because of our sin. No matter how much someone offended us, we have offended a holy God infinitely more. If God can forgive me and you, then God expects us to forgive others.

The tormentors are created by ourselves.  God makes it clear that both the offended and offender can find peace and purpose, but God also promises that HE will deliver the unforgiving person to tormentors.

Forgiveness is powerful, vital, a divine mandate, and simply key in taking good care of ourselves.  Somewhere, I read, “To forgive is to set a captive free and find out that the captive was me.”  I know of some people who endured difficulty and found victory, but many years later, someone stirred up their hurt, nurtured their past trial, and helped to create an unforgiving spirit.  The tormentors came, and the future was filled with frustration, anger, and a vindictive life. Life did not have to be that way. They had found years of peace and fulfillment; but somehow, the past, like a little spark of a campfire, was rekindled, stirred up, and began to blaze wrath in their soul.

The mercy of God, like the walls of a fortified city, protects us from far more than we realize. Satan has targeted endless evils toward the child of God. God's mercy, as was said in the book of Job, puts a hedge about us. When we fail to forgive, it is as if God opens the gate of protection to the evil outside, and the tormentors find access to our souls.

This access is not granted through the one who hurts us, it is opened when we hurt ourselves by failing to obey God and forgive. We need not go through life bitter, angry, and tormented. Finding rest will require that we forgive.

Pastor

Baptist Roots

Good Morning,

Many years ago, there were godly, fundamental folks in any number of churches: Baptists, Methodists, and many others.  From early American history, the Protestants were the ones with colleges, money, and church philosophy resembling their formal roots – Catholic and Church of England.  Although many were fundamental and preached the Gospel– they were far from Baptist.  Groups split off, and the Bible church movement began fostering Community Churches, the Bible Institute movement, and other non-denominational groups.

Baptists also had some divisions: the Northern Baptist and Southern Baptist split, then the Northern split into GARB and CBC (General Association of Regular Baptist and Conservative Baptist). The more conservative, relaxed Baptists in the South also had their divisions. In time, the World Baptist Fellowship, the Bible Baptist Fellowship, and other similar groups were also formed.

Each group had its own personality and appearance, as we do in our families.  Our family has a high percentage of Norwegian blood- and it shows.  Most of us have intermingled, but the point I am trying to make is that our roots appear in how we look and even how we act.  

In North Carolina, Shubal Sterns and the crowd of colonial-era Baptists were relaxed and loud. They had a variety of names put on them because of their shouting, audience response, and lively singing.  Far from their Northern counterparts who had more formal services - the Southern Baptists also differed in church planting and soul winning.  It is said that within a hundred years of the founding of Sandy Creek Baptist Church (1755), one thousand other Baptist churches were started.  

The North had more industry and colleges, and thus had a more educated populace – even the Baptists. The Southerners were more of a “live off the land” type of people; schools were rare, and the preaching was loud and exciting.

Among Baptists today, seeing our roots is not difficult, although we are half a century away from our identity’s origin. Northern Baptist offshoots have a more formal church service, a more teaching-style of preaching, and perhaps sing choruses more often than a church whose roots are in the South.  

If I may make some casual observations:

The more educated – the more sedate the service

The more formal the service – the less soul-winning

The more relaxed the service – more vibrant preaching, more common to see the poor among the audience, and more common to see converts baptized.

Some churches with southern roots have sought the more sedate and, perhaps, more educated circles of those in the North.  It makes a difference! 

I am concerned that our Independent Baptist colleges are seeking seminary-style teachers, who love to exhibit their scholarship. Topics are being taught in our Independent Baptist classrooms that never would have been tolerated in the Southern-style Baptist churches in years gone by. Colleges and seminaries have always been the root of compromise and complacency.  I am not against education, but the style of education found in the traditional North is far different from that in the traditional South.

Some of our young people in churches whose roots are in the South refer to the preaching being “mean-spirited.” The strong, forceful, preaching of those whose roots are southern is ridiculed by the more sedate who want an acceptable kind of church service - one that fits in with the social elite. Those with Southern roots will tell you, that the social elites never fit with Southern-style Baptist preaching and church services.

The worship service of today is not new, it has simply been borrowed from those who came from Protestant roots.  The “Pastor/Teacher”  is not new; it is rooted in the Northern style of Baptist Church in history. I happen to be Norwegian, and I look that way, at least a little. My spiritual roots are from those relaxed, loud, exuberant Baptists in the South. I am not embarrassed about who I am. I assume, that when you spend any time at our church, you will notice that we definitely resemble those folks from the past.  

If it matters, those with Protestant roots were the first to stop preaching the Gospel and to embrace theological liberalism. The Northern Baptists were next to fall in the area of soul separation and theologically conservative values. Those with Southern roots are certainly not exempt from compromise; but the southern roots are less formal service, and a smaller emphasis on education has preserved those southern churches a little longer than those in the North.

We may be a little rough in the pulpit - it is our heritage. On occasion, we may stomp our feet, raise our voices, and be a little offensive in our relaxed preaching style - it is who we are. Through the years, God has blessed these roots. It is they who have stayed the straightest when it comes to Bible-believing Christianity. Nice people tend to give, to bend, and to compromise.

One more element shows from our spiritual DNA: we are not very concerned about what people think of us. This new generation of safe space, “me first,” and “be kind” mentality does not impress the solid Bible-believer. The crowd of Southern preachers who hung their gerunds and dangled their participles also preached holiness and got folks saved.  

I am concerned that our Bible colleges are trying to turn our young men into nice, educated, smooth-talking reverends.  The process resembles an effort to turn my children into Italians or Puerto Ricans - that is not what we are!  We are Norwegian. I am concerned that the “be nice” spirit that enables a neighbor to go to hell without one warning is creeping into the minds of our young Baptists.

Our Bible says we are to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” with all long suffering and doctrine.  This exhorting will not always be nice. The relaxed, loud, old-fashioned services with the in-your-face kind of preaching, are often the churches who are seeing people saved, baptized, and serving God in the ministry. The great commission is not to have nice, warm, and fuzzy church services. The great commission is to go, preach, baptize, and teach people to obey God.  I, for one, will cling to my Baptist Heritage - the loose, loud style of casual preaching, singing, and praying in church.

Pastor

Why People Lie

Good Morning,

While I was growing up, lying was about the worst thing we could do (at least among the things we might consider doing).  My parents looked upon a lie in the absolute worst perspective. 

I understand that we all lie in some way and try to appear better than we are (or less than we are). Some young men will strut around other young men trying to be bigger or tougher than they really are.  These deeds are a form of lying. When I see an intentional statement of deceit, that person is immediately marked “off my list.” I will not listen to them or trust anything they say.  When it became apparent that the COVID statistics were clearly twisted, I was done listening to the WHO and US health organizations.  

In recent years, we have heard the most blatant lies told by the “alphabet organizations” across America.  Consequently, I will not trust them in any area.  I will not listen to them, read their material, or give the slightest credibility to their words.

Why is it that people lie?  What is the motive to move people to act in a manner that would cause their very words not to be trusted? 

In the story of the resurrection, we can see a few reasons why people lie.

Matthew 28:15 “So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."

These men had seen the angel; the body was gone, and they KNEW Jesus arose from the dead supernaturally – but they lied about it FOR MONEY.

I believe they also lied for fear of their jobs. Such was the case of the lying prophets in the days of Ahab.  These “rent-a-reverends” were secure in their positions, and would say anything if it allowed them to keep their jobs.  Jeremiah and many others were abused in all manner of ways because they were willing to tell the truth to the king and NOT lie. 

The same is probably true of Ananias and Sapphira. 

Acts 5:3 “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” 

They lied for money!  What a pitiful reason to literally ruin your good name, for a lousy dollar (although it is not uncommon)! 

In the story of Naboth, men lied about Naboth and brought about his death. 

1 Kings 21:9 “And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:”

vs. 10 “And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.”

These men lied out of fear of the authority; their lives and families were at great risk. Peter lied about knowing Jesus, and it was probably for fear of his life.  

For people to lie for money or out of fear is not uncommon. 

Perhaps the worst reason people lie is to hurt others.  Such was the case of Satan in the garden.  He lied to Eve, for no other reason than to hurt Adam, Eve, and God. Most likely, the kind of lying we see in Washington (when people lie to keep someone from office or to influence an election) is satanic. Lying to keep someone off the Supreme Court has been common in recent years; the motive for the lie may be personal gain, but it is still rooted in hurting another.  Most of us have lied out of fear, but it is still not right and it still does harm. To lie with the intent to harm is, without excuse, a satanic evil.

As for me, I can have patience with someone who lies for fear of loss or suffering.  I can be kind and even friendly towards them, but I will be slow in EVER trusting their word again. We are selfish; and many people will lie in order to save lives or jobs.  Lying with the intent to harm, is a kind of satanic behavior that places people in a vastly different category.

The deceit we see in Congress or in various courtrooms is the kind of lying that is intended to harm; I cannot tolerate being in the same room with such people.  They cannot be trusted in anything.  With motives so selfish and guided by satanic evil, they ought to be classed among the lowest forms of humanity. 

God classes a false witness among the top offenses listed in the Ten Commandments: 

Exodus 20:16 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Pastor