Who Did Jesus Call a Hypocrite?

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

In God’s Word this morning I read how and why Jesus called Israel’s governing leaders “hypocrites.” He called them hypocrites for many things they did, but in this case, it was for something that made me think of how our government has l-o-n-g been doing the same thing.

 

The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law (the government of Israel then) taught and instructed the people that to devote their wealth to God (give to them rather) what could be used personally to help support their own mother and father – was, according to Jesus, not honorable at all, not godly, not what God had said, but rather all about their own “human rules and human traditions.” Or, in our time, with our governing leaders: “government rules and traditional politics,” with their outrageous taxation so they can do what they want with OUR hard earned money. Jesus went on to say of these hypocritical governing leaders that:

 

“These people honor Me with the lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Mark 7:6-13

 

I’m sickened by hearing Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer and all the other self-righteous politicians who use God’s Word to support what they’re doing that is so clearly very wrong and immoral, and not at all what God has said ‘in His Word’ that a government should do.

 

God put in office, this last presidential election, a man who feels like WE feel: fed up with a greedy, corrupt, incompetent, self-righteous, mismanaging, self-serving government! Like Jesus said, “Thus you nullify the Word of God by your human tradition that you have handed down. And you do MANY things like that.”  Like Jesus said: “HYPOCRITES!”  Like President Trump says: “Swamp-creatures!”  Trump is no Jesus, but God is using Donald Trump just the same.

 

And what are these “hypocrites” up to, with all they can think about and work on? Vilifying, maligning, slandering to remove him from the presidency; this man that GOD put there to expose them all! So who do you think they are really fighting against? And will they succeed?

 

It’s obvious from reading Scripture that God sent Jesus Christ FIRST to the government leaders of His people Israel to expose their hypocrisy, greed, self-righteousness, corruption and disobedience to God. Jesus Himself said that He was sent to them first, but they rejected Him as ‘sent from God,’ the God whom they supposedly serve. They were offended by Jesus’ confronting their waywardness, instead of being humbly convicted by the Truth and Righteousness sent from God, and turning from their wicked ways.

 

Before Jesus could reach out to the Gentiles and invite them into His Kingdom by faith in Him, Israel’s leadership had to be exposed and condemned, so that all people would see the truth, righteousness and justice of God’s Son and of His Kingdom that is to come in all fullness; that they follow Jesus Christ, Son of God, instead of false leaders in any generation and in any nation.

 

Jesus Christ is the only hope of the nations. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of this world. Worship and obey HIM!

 

 

Terror to Triumph – Part 9

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

“Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

 

It was during this time in the dark ages (400 AD – 800AD) that Islam began and it spread quite rapidly – mainly through the sword. This new religion moved into areas where Christianity had sprouted and soon the church began to disappear. If you were to go to Turkey today you will find the ruins of the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

 

Islam spread throughout the Middle East, came across North Africa and then over to Spain and tried to cross over the Pyrenees Mountains into France and the rest of Europe.  I mentioned Charles “The Hammer” Martel who fought the Muslim invasion and the Islamic thrust into Europe that was checked when a battle was fought near Poitiers and the Emir of Spain was killed. During this time the “Tall Men of the North,” that terrified the southern Europeans with their height, blue eyes, fair coloring, and fierce, warlike ways were also pushing into other parts of Europe.

 

It was during this time that our church fathers had to make a decision. When they sat down and evaluated all that was taking place in the world – especially with the spread of Islam wiping out the church in the Middle East and across North Africa – they had to make a decision. Should they dig in and try to hold on to what they have or should they go out and evangelize the Norsemen/men of the north? They decided that to go out and not dig in. It was a right decision and 300 years later after the fall of Rome Christianity had taken over Europe except perhaps for Norway.

 

Matthew Henry said: “The mighty heroes of the world conquered nations for themselves and made them miserable. The apostles conquered them for Christ and made them happy.” This was true not only of the Apostles, but also those who followed in their footsteps. Part of that army were those who took in the babies that were going to be aborted, fed the poor, and did other acts of mercy. They were seen by the others and this led many to accept Christ. The one thing that you find with this army is their commitment and sacrifice of the Gospel.

 

It was during this time unknown to most that this new army was beginning to change society, culture etc. one person at a time. We can compare these two armies. First, we have the pagan army that for 4000 years had accumulated all the wealth and had ruled with unprecedented power over these years.

 

On the other hand there was a small band of people that had no influence politically speaking and no wealth, but they went out and began to spread the kingdom of God one person at a time until their influence permeated society.

 

Our view of God determines everything. If we have bad theology we will compromise and eventually our liberties will be taken away from us.

 

What can we learn from all of this for our day and age? One lesson that I would like to bring out is that we should never have a “dug in mentality.” After World War II some of our church and missions’ leaders in the early 1950’s sat down to evaluate the world after that tremendous war to see where we stand in regard to missions.

 

Communism took over China and the missionaries had to leave. Nationalism had taken over Indonesia and India (some of our largest mission fields) and missionaries could not come in anymore. Church and mission leaders had to make a decision: Should we hold on to what we have or advance? Sadly, they saw a down trend in missions and made the decision to ‘dig in’ and hold on to what they have.

 

When I was converted and sensed God was calling me to the mission field I took a course in missions. In that course the teacher spent so much time telling me about all the places where I could not go as a missionary which were the places where missionaries were needed.  I was questioning God if He was really calling me to the mission field. The teacher was thinking like those who have a ‘dug in’ mentality.

 

In Acts 2:14 Peter stood up in Jerusalem and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and it began to spread. Through the Apostle Paul it took a westward course. In the last 50 years we have seen some of the greatest advancements of missions in the history of the church.

 

A couple of years ago I was in the Middle East and saw how there was such a movement of the Gospel back to Jerusalem. The thought that came into my mind was: The Gospel of the Kingdom has circumnavigated the world and is now coming back to Jerusalem. Luke said: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
 

 

There’s No Place Like Home

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

Yesterday I saw the movie “Judy” about Judy Garland’s life played by Renee Zellweger. Some of you may not know her except that she was Dorothy in the famous movie: Wizard of Oz. She also was the star in the first version of, “A Star is Born,” which has been remade twice since, the second time with Barbara Streisand and Kris Christopherson, and lately with Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper.

 

Judy was a famous outstanding singer, dancer and actress. But the way she became all that should never be how a girl is treated, used and promoted in Hollywood, but that’s the world for you!

 

Judy’s parents were vaudeville people with their own little theater. Judy began performing in vaudeville as a child (2 ½ years old) with her two elder sisters, and was later signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. Her father was a homosexual as the rumors went. Her mother was the one who pushed them along into motion pictures. Judy struggled in her personal life from an early age. The pressures of early stardom affected her physical and mental health from her teens onward; her self-image was influenced and constantly criticized by film executives who believed that she was physically unattractive. Those same executives manipulated her onscreen physical appearance.

 

In the movie “Judy,” her producer of the movie: Wizard of Oz, had a woman administering pills to young Judy so she could work 16-18 hours a day and eating hardly anything so she would remain thin – looking like a little girl for the part of Dorothy. She was given barbiturates to control her appetite and more at night to get her to sleep. She became an addict as a teen, and then an alcoholic. Judy was looking for true love, even at a young age. The movie doesn’t bring out anything about her parents and upbringing.

 

Judy loved singing, dancing and acting, but it all became what she lived for – ending up an a drug and alcohol addict, married four times, with children she hardly saw.

 

In the end (from the movie) at the age of 47 when she was in London performing live on stage (having been booed out of America for), she humbly singing “Over the Rainbow,” that she couldn’t finish as she sat on the edge of the stage before her waiting audience. (Judy was always up close and personal with her audience.) As she sat there silent in the middle of the song, with her head down trying to hold back the tears of regret over her life, two gay men (fans of hers) that had become her personal friends, stood up to finish the song. Then the whole audience progressively stood up to join them. It was a touching moment for sure.

 

What hit me as so very very sad about Judy, was that she so desperately needed people to love her and remember her. “You won’t forget me – will you?!!!!”  Then at the end of the movie they showed a quote: “The test of the heart isn’t in how much you loved others but in how much you were loved by others.”  Hum.

 

As I thought about that – I tested that statement if it was really true. I guess it depends on who is testing your heart, the people of the world, or God. So I compared that statement to what the Creator, Refiner and Judge of our heart says about “love.”  I believe it’s God who perfectly tests the heart of people, not man. Someone can assume what is in your heart, why you do what you do and all, but man judges by his own heart’s condition. God judges by what’s really in our hearts. God says in His Word that man doesn’t know the depth of his own self-deception and wickedness, so how can he really know his own heart, or anyone else’s?

 

Those two sympathetic gay men, who were Judy’s loyal fans, and then friends at the end of her life, understood her suffering with not being at peace with herself; their emotional sympathy for her was very ‘personal.’ Judy and these two friends of hers didn’t get to know the Savior’s love for them, as far as the movie revealed. For had Judy been able to live in her Savior’s love, she might had said in the end: “There’s no love like the Lord’s love; don’t forget that.”

 

Like Dorothy repeatedly said in the movie Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home,” I hope that Judy Garland had the opportunity before she died to know God’s love for her by faith in Jesus Christ.  For then she might have said on her death-bed, “There’s no place like HOME,” meaning her heavenly Father’s Home to which she was headed.

 

Judy Garland died at 47 years old from drug and alcohol abuse.

Yesterday I saw the movie “Judy” about Judy Garland’s life played by Renee Zellweger. Some of you may not know her except that she was Dorothy in the famous movie: Wizard of Oz. She also was the star in the first version of, “A Star is Born,” which has been remade twice since, the second time with Barbara Streisand and Kris Christopherson, and lately with Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper.

 

Judy was a famous outstanding singer, dancer and actress. But the way she became all that should never be how a girl is treated, used and promoted in Hollywood, but that’s the world for you!

 

Judy’s parents were vaudeville people with their own little theater. Judy began performing in vaudeville as a child (2 ½ years old) with her two elder sisters, and was later signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. Her father was a homosexual as the rumors went. Her mother was the one who pushed them along into motion pictures. Judy struggled in her personal life from an early age. The pressures of early stardom affected her physical and mental health from her teens onward; her self-image was influenced and constantly criticized by film executives who believed that she was physically unattractive. Those same executives manipulated her onscreen physical appearance.

 

In the movie “Judy,” her producer of the movie: Wizard of Oz, had a woman administering pills to young Judy so she could work 16-18 hours a day and eating hardly anything so she would remain thin – looking like a little girl for the part of Dorothy. She was given barbiturates to control her appetite and more at night to get her to sleep. She became an addict as a teen, and then an alcoholic. Judy was looking for true love, even at a young age. The movie doesn’t bring out anything about her parents and upbringing.

 

Judy loved singing, dancing and acting, but it all became what she lived for – ending up an a drug and alcohol addict, married four times, with children she hardly saw.

 

In the end (from the movie) at the age of 47 when she was in London performing live on stage (having been booed out of America for), she humbly singing “Over the Rainbow,” that she couldn’t finish as she sat on the edge of the stage before her waiting audience. (Judy was always up close and personal with her audience.) As she sat there silent in the middle of the song, with her head down trying to hold back the tears of regret over her life, two gay men (fans of hers) that had become her personal friends, stood up to finish the song. Then the whole audience progressively stood up to join them. It was a touching moment for sure.

 

What hit me as so very very sad about Judy, was that she so desperately needed people to love her and remember her. “You won’t forget me – will you?!!!!”  Then at the end of the movie they showed a quote: “The test of the heart isn’t in how much you loved others but in how much you were loved by others.”  Hum.

 

As I thought about that – I tested that statement if it was really true. I guess it depends on who is testing your heart, the people of the world, or God. So I compared that statement to what the Creator, Refiner and Judge of our heart says about “love.”  I believe it’s God who perfectly tests the heart of people, not man. Someone can assume what is in your heart, why you do what you do and all, but man judges by his own heart’s condition. God judges by what’s really in our hearts. God says in His Word that man doesn’t know the depth of his own self-deception and wickedness, so how can he really know his own heart, or anyone else’s?

 

Those two sympathetic gay men, who were Judy’s loyal fans, and then friends at the end of her life, understood her suffering with not being at peace with herself; their emotional sympathy for her was very ‘personal.’ Judy and these two friends of hers didn’t get to know the Savior’s love for them, as far as the movie revealed. For had Judy been able to live in her Savior’s love, she might had said in the end: “There’s no love like the Lord’s love; don’t forget that.”

 

Like Dorothy repeatedly said in the movie Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home,” I hope that Judy Garland had the opportunity before she died to know God’s love for her by faith in Jesus Christ.  For then she might have said on her death-bed, “There’s no place like HOME,” meaning her heavenly Father’s Home to which she was headed.

 

Judy Garland died at 47 years old from drug and alcohol abuse.

Terror to Triumph – Part 8

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

1 Corinthians 4:11-13 “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answered kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.”

 

When we look back at the extension of the kingdom of God starting from that small obscure village in Palestine we realized that in the past 2000 years there have been the ups and downs. However, the scale goes slowly upwards throughout these past 2000 years. In other words, there were times when we saw the church declining in influence as well as outreach, but the general direction has been upwards.

 

The next season of time that we look at is what has been known as the “Dark Ages” from 400 to 800 A.D. Although modern historians have called the next 500 years of European history the dark ages in reality, this era saw truth and light piercing paganism and bringing conversion and cultural liberation to Europe.

 

The barbarians who had learned their lesson of debauchery from their Roman masters had now conquered the empire. This was also a time of great men/women with faith. A new army was being raised up. It was an army that did not conquer by sword and force, but through love. They laid the foundations of Western civilization, not with swords of steel, but with the sword of the Spirit and its truth, which promised to set the captives free.

 

It was during this time unknown to most that this new army was beginning to change society, culture, etc. one person at a time. We can compare these two armies. First, we have the pagan army that for 4000 years had accumulated all the wealth and had ruled with unprecedented power over these years. On the other hand, there is a small band of people who had no power, no wealth, but they went out and began to spread the faith one person at a time until their influence began to permeate society.

 

They were men like Severus who had control over 100 men and had charge to keep order in the Temple of Venus while the people worshiped this idol. Not being able to stand any longer the worship of this false idol he stood in the temple and proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord. This was not a popular thing to do and sure enough it was reported to the people higher up and he was brought before Caesar and while being held by two men they cut off his head.

 

There were others like Theodorus who had angels visit him. It is said that because of his faith he was stretched out on a rack with his bones being pulled out of their sockets. He was asked how he could endure the pain and he said: “For a while I did feel pain, but then a young man stood by and was wiping the sweat off my face and refreshing me with cool water and so delighted me that I regretted being let down from the rack.” His bravery was so great that the authorities let him go and helped him to recuperate from his wounds.

 

Thaddeus was another Christian who was so enraged against the gladiatorial events in the arena, where even Christians would come after church, that he rushed into the midst of the two gladiators who were fighting and shouted: “STOP!” The crowd was so enraged that they shouted, “Down with him!” Sure enough one of the gladiators ran him through with a sword. All of a sudden there was silence. While he laid there in a puddle of blood the people began to leave one by one. That was the beginning of the end of the gladiatorial events. One man made a difference.

 

When I think of the cultural war of the 21st century that we are in – how we need to see men and women like Thaddeus raised up who will stand in the midst of the malaise that we live in and say: “Stop; enough is enough.”

Division in America

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

Division in America

 

What it all boils down to is that America is divided by those who love God and those who say they don’t believe in God. Therefore, two opposing and even hostile – belief systems.  This division of opposing beliefs and values have two very different gods and kingdoms: Satan’s and Jesus Christ’s.

 

Satan’s kingdom of lies and deception – is on the earth ‘temporarily.’ The book of Revelation tells us all that the devil’s kingdom is about, on earth and in the heavenlies, and why and how it will all be destroyed with the “seven bowls of God’s wrath” poured out, and then with the return of Jesus Christ to reign as King on earth with His saints from glory. (Revelation 19 -22) For then, the prayer of Jesus Christ that He taught His first disciples – will be fulfilled: “As it is in heaven – it shall be on the earth.”

 

All things created that God once called good, will be renewed and made ready for eternity to begin.

 

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

 

So, what will happen to the “god of this world” (a.k.a. anti-Christ, ancient liar, serpent, dragon, devil) and to his “beast and false prophet,” who have completely deceived the nations, turning all nations against God’s Israel and against all God’s people of faith in His Son?

 

At the coming of God’s King from heaven to the earth (Christ’s second coming Revelation 19), “the beast was captured, and with it (notice “it”) the false prophet who had performed signs on it’s behalf. With these signs he (the false prophet) had deluded those who had received its image. The two of them (beast and false prophet) were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest (the world’s armies) were killed with the sword coming out of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” (Revelation 19:19-21) This is what happens to the devil’s beast and false prophet.

 

Many believe the “beast,” which is referred to as an “it,” is the internet world-web with its increasing power to ‘speak’ to all people in the world and to influence their thinking and behavior. The “false prophet,” is believed to be the ‘one-world religion’ of the devil personified (last anti-Christ said to take up his reign in Jerusalem’s temple) who falsifies who God is – deceiving the world by convincing the world that he is the Messiah that was to come.  Many believe this current Pope of the world-wide Roman Catholic religion could be Satan’s “false prophet” who prepares the way for the ‘false’ Messiah to be accepted. But there could come another far more deceived by Satan than this current Pope.

 

So, what is Satan’s end? An angel from God’s throne in heaven is given the key to the Abyss and a chain by which to seize the devil (a.k.a. the dragon/ancient serpent) and to bind him in prison for a thousand years (while God’s Son reigns on earth with His glorified saints). The angel with the key and chain “throws Satan into the Abyss, and locks and seals it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time….” (Revelation 20:1-3) “….so he can go about deceiving the nations again, and to gather them for battle against the camp of God’s people, the city He loves (Jerusalem).” But then, “fire came down from heaven and devoured them all. And the devil, who had again deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night for EVER and EVER.” Revelation 20: 7-10

 

Then God’s great white throne judgment begins and “anyone whose name was not found written in the (Lamb’s) book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” (detailed in Revelation 20:11-15) If your name isn’t in the Lamb’s book of Life, sadly you will pay for your own sins and be cast into the lake of fire tormented day and night forever and ever. This is not God’s will for any human being, but that all would come to the truth about His love and His Son’s sacrifice for them.  Now is the day for salvation in Jesus Christ, while there is still time. Its’ your choice.

 

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

 

“There is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

 

“Religion” or “Relationship;” this is really all that divides people, and nations. And, to choose neither a religion nor a relationship with God’s Son – is to choose the lie that you can determine your own destiny and to believe what you want about life after death. Satan is the great deceiver! He’s got you again by you not believing in the truth from your Creator and Savior.

 

Satan is the god of all man-made religions, because Jesus Christ never taught about a “religion” of rules and regulations for worship, but rather He brought the invitation for anyone to have an intimate-love-relationship with Himself by faith in His own bodily sacrifice on the Cross and with His indwelling Spirit and Word.

 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

 

 

 

Terror to Triumph – Part 7

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.”

 

The Dark Ages, or as some historians call the Medieval Ages, was a time of continual fighting between warrior kings of Europe. It was a time of lawlessness, superstition, magic, evil and dragons.

 

To the north, were the Vikings, who were known as the “Tall Men of the North.” They terrified the southern Europeans with their height, blue eyes, fair coloring, and fierce warlike ways. A prayer during that time was: “Lord, save us from the savages of the North.” The Vikings became known as the Norsemen – People from the North.

 

Few people could read or write. Most people lived in mud huts that were surrounded by a wooden stockade. Life was localized and self-sufficient. Scholars of the day found refuge in Arabia. There their records were made and kept safe. Societies and religions began during the Dark Ages. Much fighting took place, but it was also a birthing time.

 

Although there was much violence during this period it was also a glorious period in many ways. Scholars began to pave the way towards creating real scholarship, writing, books, printing, etc. Europe which had been demoralized by Rome’s tyranny of many years also began to break out in its new found freedom.

 

Shortly after his historic sacking of Rome, Alaric the 1st dies of fever in 410. He did not live long to enjoy much of his success, but future generations did. Throughout the fifth century – wave after wave of invading tribes flooded into Rome and fought to stake their claim on the waning Roman Empire.

 

Clovis, King of the Franks (through his wife Clotilda) makes a decision to accept Christianity as his religion and was baptized in 496 at the age of 30. He made Paris his capital and his kingdom was basically what is known as present-day France and southwestern Germany. He formed a crucial alliance with the Roman Catholic Church and brought about a certain stability in the land.

 

Justinian the 1st, also called “the great,” was the Byzantine Emperor (527- 565). He extended Byzantine rule in the West, beautified Constantinople and completed the codification of Roman law.

 

It was during this era of the Medieval Age what is known as the Justinian Code was formalized and became known as the body of civil law which still governs most of Europe today. It was also in this era that Mohammed was born in Mecca. He would often withdraw to a cave where he would meditate and pray. It was during one of these times that supposedly Gabriel the Archangel appeared to him and proclaimed him a prophet.

 

Another prominent man during this era was Charles “The Hammer” Martel (688-741). He was also the grandfather of Charlemagne. Eventually he became a Supreme leader of the Franks. His greatest achievement was his war with the Muslims from Spain who invaded France in 742. In a battle near Poitiers, the emir of Spain was killed and the Islamic thrust into Europe was checked.

 

Also in 742, probably in Aachen, Charlemagne the grandson of Charles Martel was born. Charlemagne led the Frankish armies to victory over numerous other peoples and established his rule in most of western and central Europe. He was probably the best-known and most influential king in Europe in the Middle Ages.

 

It was in this atmosphere of wars, bigotry, superstition, etc. that the kingdom of God was invading. Slowly, but like yeast beginning to work itself throughout the society and culture, the Kingdom of God was advancing.
 

Terror to Triumph – Part 6

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

2 Corinthians 2:11 “….in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

 

Although the truth remains the same, strategy changes according to the times, circumstances and situations that we find ourselves in.

 

This is also true with Satan down through the ages. His methods have been simple, but effective: persecution, death in the arena, and many other atrocities Satan tried in order to stop the advancement of the kingdom of God. However, Satan has found that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

About 300 A.D. we found that Satan’s strategy changes. Constantine supposedly becomes a Christian and Christianity is accepted as the bona fide religion in the Roman world. Now God’s people, instead of being persecuted, find themselves being applauded, accepted and put on a pedestal which is a dangerous place to be.

 

In the immediate years following Christ’s death there was little formal organization of the Christian movement. The early converts thought that the return of Christ was near and they concentrated on their own personal lives of being ready for His coming. But by the second century there was a formal, hierarchical organization within the church.

 

There seems to be a two prong attack against Christianity. One comes from being accepted and no more persecution, and another from within by a false doctrine.

 

The most important development was the rise of the Bishop of Rome to a position of pre-eminence in the hierarchy of the church and with the title of “Pope” or “Father” in Greek. Rome became the center of the Christian faith for it was the largest city in the West, the capital of an empire and had a certain respect that was transferred to the Pope or Bishop of Rome.

 

It was during this time that serious debates raged about the personage of Christ. Arias, a priest in Alexandria believed that Christ was not fully God because he was not of a substance identical with God. Arias did not believe that Jesus was co-eternal with God and the controversy became so serious that Constantine convened a council called the “Nicene Council.” The council branded the idea of Arias as a heresy which was a doctrine contrary to the official teachings of the Church. Christ was declared henceforth to be of the same substance of God.

 

It was during these years of relative peace that the doctrines of the Church were being worked out. However, it is like Jesus said when He gave the parables of the kingdom in Matthew 13 that the wheat and the tares (the real and the false) will grow together until the harvest. This is what we had then and this is what we still have today.

 

Throughout the ages we see three things developing in every congregation and denomination. First, we have the Lord’s commands. This is not debatable; they are simply to be obeyed. Secondly, we have the apostolic teaching. Thirdly, we have what a congregation agrees on doing. There is nothing wrong with this, but what happens is that we begin to substitute point number three with point number one. In other words, what the congregation agrees on doing becomes as authoritative as the Lord’s commands.

 

Like our text reads at the beginning of this chapter, “we should not be ignorant of the devil’s devices or schemes.”
 

 

Terror to Triumph – Part 5

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Revelation 12:11 “They overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

 

The early expansion of the kingdom of God into the Roman world was not without difficulties and obstacles. However, it was done by men with great faith who believed God in what they were doing.

 

Seeing the extension of the kingdom of God comes down to our faith. The world is not going to change until people change. We have to go from the internal to the external. But for many evangelicals today the basic approach is to rescue as many sinners as possible from a dying world and then to simply just hang on until the return of Jesus. But, we are told to “occupy” and not just to survive.

 

When the early disciples started out they started with a protest against the tyranny, slavery, and the injustice that was in the world. Their basic weapon was Truth.  In his book, Shaking the System, Tim Stafford said: “It was truth that launched American anti-slavery. The truth was simple: Slavery is sin. Truth matters. Truth has the power to move people. When truth is recognized, the terms of debate change utterly. We need to be able to articulate the truth powerfully and convincingly.”

 

Jesus said that when we come to know the truth, the truth will set us free. These men/women armed with truth went out into the Roman world and within 70 years planted fellowships with the followers of the Truth.

 

Truth will lead to conflict and conflict will sort out our friends as well as enemies. The truth has enemies, but speaking the truth is crucial. When Paul and the other apostles went out, I am sure that they were faced with many frustrations and being faced with those frustrations they probably also had long discussions about tactics.

 

We see something of this when Paul and his team tried to go to different places in Asia Minor, but the Holy Spirit stopped them. They finally wound up in a place called Troas on the Aegean Sea. After Paul’s dream of the Macedonian Call, Paul and his team debated over tactics as to what they should do. We read that they concluded that they were to go into Europe. Their tactics had changed, but the Truth remained the same.

 

Having the privilege of being able to travel in so many countries of the world I see that each country is unique and every country has the need for different strategies at different times. For example, in Karnataka India where I first worked almost 40 years ago I could not find any village pastors, but there was need to get as much of the Word of God out as possible then. Now, 40 years later the strategy has changed. Instead of being in the villages, preaching in the markets, giving out as much literature as possible, we are now finding that there is need for teaching the thousands of village pastors who have come into existence. The strategy has changed. However, the Truth is still the same. We must never forget or neglect the Truth.

 

I thought it was rather interesting to see the strategy of Paul and what Tim Stafford said in his book, Shaking the System: “We need to have a strategy for presenting truth (Paul did. He went to key cities). First, we need to stick to principle, not sentiment. Second, we need to insist on public debate (Paul stayed several years in Ephesus in a rented hall. He also spent time in the synagogues to reason and persuade). Thirdly, the discussion should be thorough and deep. We need to get away from ‘sound bites.’ Fourthly, we need to emphasize facts. Fifthly, calmly present the truth to ordinary people and not the elites (often Paul was among the masses of ordinary people). Sixthly, we need to press for a decision. Facts must lead to commitment.” We should not only know the truth that undergirds what we are doing, but we should think and plan on how to make it prominent.

 

To me this was the basis of the early disciples’ strategy to see the extension of the kingdom of God.

Stay the Path

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

I just finished reading the book of Nehemiah, and noted all the attacks he faced. Evil always uses the same method of attacking any work of God.

 

1. Scoffing – Nehemiah 2:19
2. Mocking – Nehemiah 4:1
3. Physical harm – Nehemiah 4:7-9 …
4. Slander – Nehemiah 5:6-7
5. Gain access to our leadership – Nehemiah 6:19
6. Infiltrate our places of worship Nehemiah 13:5
7. Destroy our godly families – Nehemiah 13:28

 

2 Corinthians 2:11 “so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.”

 

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

 

Lord, give us Your wisdom to recognize the schemes of the evil one, help us to stand up against evil with Your truth and love. Forgive us for entertaining evil in our own hearts, in our homes and in our places of worship. Thank You that You forgive and restore because of the good future You have for those who love You. Help us to stay on Your path Lord!

The Proverbs 31 Woman – Chapter 43 – His Reflection and Reward

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

The excellent woman strives to reflect the excellence of her Father God. I’m not talking about being perfect in that we never sin or fail, but rather that we strive to have a heart after God’s heart. This is how we reflect Him on the earth. This is why He will reward our faith.

 

“The Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness is with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” Psalms 103:17-18

 

The growing hatred for ‘godliness’ is something we need to ‘faithfully’ ignore and just simply ‘follow through’ living for the Lord boldly, peacefully and joyfully. You don’t need to fear the opinions of the ungodly or to succumb to the threats of the wicked because “greater is HE who is within us than he that is in the world.”

 

God does not reward cowards. He who is seated on the Throne says, “I am making everything new!” “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:5, 7-8

 

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For, ‘in just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.’ ‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.’” Hebrews 10:36-39

 

“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

 

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” 1 John 2:1

 

God will hold you and your family up if you will do your best to obey His instructions and trust in His promises.

 

There’s only one reason why a child grows up to praise and honor his/her mother. It’s the sum of all the many [mostly little] things she eagerly and lovingly did for them, as well as for their father, in making their home the best place on earth they had ever been. Even the friends of her husband and children look forward to being in the home of this woman.

 

Never forget how important your home is, how others see you serve and esteem your husband and children, making all guests feel welcomed and blessed to be in your home and in your presence. The home of the just is a safe place because God is loved and honored there.

 

“A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:30-31