An Acceptable Offering

An Acceptable Offering

Hebrews 11:4 (ESV) ⁴  By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

Several years ago I got my wife a new cell phone for Christmas. She didn't especially like it. I thought that it was the best gift I could get her. I know I liked her new cell phone. However, she was unhappy with the gift. 

You might assume that my wife should have accepted the gift because that's just what you do when you get a Christmas present. You might assume that I didn't know any better than to give her a new cell phone. You might assume that she was in the wrong and I was in the right if you had to make a decision based on what you know right now. You would assume wrong.

My wife told me that she wanted a small camera (This was before cell phones took pictures.) for Christmas. She even told me what type of camera she wanted. I thought she needed a new cell phone more than she needed a camera. I had not gotten her what she asked for.

We know that God is just. We know that He indicates clearly what is acceptable. Thus, we know that Abel listened to the Lord as he prepared an offering for God. Maybe Cain thought that he would exceed what God asked for. Maybe he decided to give God something that costs him more than what God asked for. It didn't matter. It wasn't what God asked for.

Like my wife, God refused to regard the gift as acceptable. It wasn't what He asked for. It wasn't a sin offering. It was a fellowship offering. There is no fellowship without removing the barrier of sin. Cain's heart revealed his lack of fellowship with God when he kills his brother. Sin was crouching at Cain's door seeking an opportunity to capture him.

That year, my wife got two Christmas gifts. She got a cell phone that she didn't want and the camera that she did. I had a choice of having fellowship with her or disappointing her. I chose to have fellowship. Cain chose to further disappoint God. He killed his brother and tried to cover it up. That never works with God.

God may be telling you to give Him something that you don't want to give. Maybe you need to swallow your pride a forgive someone. Maybe God is asking for your heart rather than your money. You can reason out why you gave God something other than what He asked for. Cain chose to blame his brother for his own failure. Stubbornness often tries to blame someone else.

The acceptable gift is the one God seeks. The ball is in your court.

If You Really Want to Be His

I used to think that sanctification meant that I was becoming holy for holiness sake. I now know that sanctification means that I am getting closer to my Lord. The closer I get the more I hear from Him. The more I hear, the more I have faith. The more faith, the more life and peace I receive. The more life and peace brings me closer to Him. You get it, don't you?

It's Hard to Tell God "No"

It's Hard to Tell God "No"

Exodus 4:13 (ESV) 13  But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 

When I became a Christian, I told God that I would not become a Baptist. When I became a Baptist, I told God I would not go into the ministry. When I went into the ministry, I told God that I never wanted to preach. When God called me to preach, I told Him anywhere but Houston. The first church where I was senior pastor was in Houston. I have resisted God's calling but I know better than to tell Him "no."

I became a Baptist because Baptists shared the gospel with me. I attended a Baptist church because they preached the gospel and loved the Book. I realized one day that I was a Baptist whether I wanted to be on not. I didn't resist when God told me to make it official. I walked down the aisle during an "invitation" and declared that I knew Jesus but needed believer's baptism.

I was sitting in church minding my own business when God called me into the ministry. Again, I didn't resist, but I wanted to make sure. I didn't immediately walk down the aisle during and invitation. I made an appointment with my pastor. The Holy Spirit called me, but it was his counseling that confirmed my call. I waited until my year of teaching finished and headed to seminary.

The church I was serving as a staff member lost its senior pastor and the rest of the staff was called on to preach. I had the same opportunity as the rest of the staff. I found that God used me in a new way through preaching. That doesn't mean that I was eloquent. It just meant that the Holy Spirit took my words and used them to accomplish His will. I didn't resist. I prayed that God would give me the opportunity to preach as a senior pastor.

A few churches talked to me about becoming their senior pastor. A church in Houston asked me to send a sermon that I preached so they could evaluate my preaching. I sent the last sermon I had preached. During the invitation that followed that sermon several people made spiritual decisions. One of those decisions was a little girl who professed Christ as her savior publicly. She actually attended the church in Houston. She was visiting her grandparents when she "walked the aisle." I didn't know she had any contact with the church in Houston until their search committee told me. Otherwise, I wasn't anything special. God used the decision of that little girl to get my attention and that search committee. I didn't resist. I just went to be their pastor.

What is the alternative? Jonah tried to refuse God. Things didn't work out so well for him. Many people left Jesus when He said some hard words. They no longer had any contact with Him. The result of telling God "no" is worse than being swallowed by a great fish. It means that my relationship with Him will never be what God has desired it to be.

I say "yes" to God because I love Him. I love Him because He loves me. That relationship is worth whatever He calls me to do. I know I could say "no" but it just isn't worth it. 

Some Will Leave Jesus

Some Will Leave Jesus

I just read an article saying that a group of former believers have formed a group. Many of these are former ministers who preached the gospel. They say that they no longer believe and are now atheists. I wondered why this is news. The group boasts a membership of 900. Let's do a little math. If there are around 5.5 million ministers (an unsubstantiated number because no one really knows)  in the world, then 0.016364% of the ministers have become apostates. The number is so small that it supports rather than denies the validity of the gospel. I guess the point was that not everyone stays with their faith.

Naturally, I wonder if all of them had any faith or if they were living off the faith of a relative or just needed something to believe in. For example, I used to be an avid pro football fan. I stopped watching in 1995. I don't know who is in the playoffs anymore. I still like Superbowl parties. I like the food. An argument could be made that I never really believed in pro football. At the time I watched, I would have argued that I did. However, now, I am not so sure. After all, I never really sold my soul to pro football.

What happened? Well, one day I just decided it wasn't worth it. Not one of those players ever even sent me a Christmas card. I followed them, knew their stats and hoped in their success. I missed sleep watching Monday night games into the night and sat through hot and cold conditions at the games when I could attend. I must admit my heart was never really there.

Of course, I know that a believer receives the Holy Spirit when he or she becomes a Christian. That is a whole lot more than being a pro football fan. I also know that God never lets go of those who are His. So, are these new atheists just confused and really His or were they never really believers. Right now I'll be they say that they used to believe but don't anymore. Maybe they were like me and my pro football. I thought I believed in it but now I know better.

Even Jesus had people who no longer believed after He made some hard statements. (John 6:66) The Christian life is full of hard statements. I know there was a time when I tried to get away from it. I just couldn't. I knew the truth. The Holy Spirit kept reminding me.

I can't deny what the new atheists say about their former and present lives. I wasn't there. I know that they must believe that they believed and no longer believe. I know what the Bible says. I know what I have experienced. I know that I can't leave Him.

Some will leave Jesus. I can't. He holds onto those who truly believe.

Ephesians 1:13 (ESV) ¹³  In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Beware of False Teachers

Beware of False Teachers

2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV) 1  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3  And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 

Peter talked of false teachers during his time. I wonder if they were as bad as those today. Our false teachers are fabulously rich, have huge audiences and mix truth with heresy to woo their followers into believing they have the truth. I have watched them (on TV) deny the unique deity of Jesus, promise prosperity to everyone who sends them money and claim that God depends upon our faith to release His miracles.

False prophets deny the deity of Jesus. They will say that He is a son of God rather than the Son of God. They claim that everyone who knows God is God's son. They say that cats produce cats and dogs produce dogs and God produces gods. They bend scripture out of context as proof that they are biblical in this. 

False teachers appeal to the love of the world. They emphasize what can be gained on this earth rather than rewards reserved in heaven. The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life that prove the lack of love for God is their bait. They say that you can have all the pleasures you could ever want here on earth. They promise healing for every disease, money for every desire and power to accomplish whatever their followers want. These are all of this world. (1 John 2:15-16)

False teachers are greedy. They live in enormous houses, drive outrageously expensive vehicles and are treated better than rock stars wherever they go. They ask for money to fund their own lifestyles while claiming it is all for the ministry of the gospel. They use the laws of large numbers knowing that their huge audiences will produce some people who will see prosperity simply because of the odds. They promote these successes as normal and ignore the large majority who never see any prosperity even though they have donated all that they have to these false prophets.

False prophets depend upon what they can get on this earth now because they are doomed when they face judgement day. God is already preparing His judgement for them.

But what does that mean for us? Stay away from these false prophets. Look to see if the person you listen to is being conformed into the image of Christ. Jesus got donation but never worked for money. He never claimed that giving would make a person financially rich. Reaping and sowing was largely about spiritual rather than monetary rewards. Faith depends upon a word from God, not a word from a preacher. Stay away from those who have gotten rich off of God. Look for those who believe our best lives will not be found now.

A mega-church does not guarantee that the preacher is ungodly any more than a small church pastor is godly. Test every word you hear or read against the whole word of God. God has godly preachers. You are either called to be one or  to find one. Be careful because anyone can fall into the false prophet trap.

Is Church Attendance Important?

Is Church Attendance Important?

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) 24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

A few years ago I read a book from an author I admired who said that there were some very spiritual people who decided they didn't need to go to church. The books implied that the problem was with the church and not with the non-attenders. I was disappointed in the author. I asked then what I ask now when someone makes a statement that affects a person's spiritual walk: What does the Bible say about that?

The writer of Hebrews seems to have encountered similar people when he wrote that some were neglecting meeting together. He tells they are needed. Needed for what, you ask.

Church attendance is not all about what the attender needs. It is an opportunity to stir up one another for love and good works. Sometimes you are the one that needs to be stirred and sometimes you need to do the stirring.

Last year our church started something we call "Mega Sunday Fellowship." On the first Sunday of each month we serve a real, sit-down breakfast between our morning worship services. The goal was to make sure that everyone was contacted with an invitation the week before and fellowshipped together. At first, several people went to their Sunday School classes and waited for them to begin because they had already eaten breakfast at home. I chided them after a couple of months of their missing: Everything isn't about you! The breakfast is great but it is not the point. The most important thing done just might be a conversation around a table that stirs someone else to love and good works.

Your church attendance encourages others. "Who does it encourage?" you ask. It encourages your pastor for one. I know that I am amazed at everyone that shows up on Sunday.  Each person who attends is God's blessing to me.

Your attendance encourages others too. It encourages the persons who feels like he has come to the wrong place. An empty room can do that to a visitor. There is something that happens when people worship together that won't happen otherwise. Attendance brings the level of encouragement up a couple of notches.

Today is Wednesday. It is a great day for you to decide that you are going to church Sunday. You are needed there.

Can a Christian Be Successful at Being a Christian?

Can a Christian Be Successful at Being a Christian?

People often tell me how to make the church more successful. They tell me that it should be exciting and give examples of "stunts" they have seen at other churches. One of these suggestions included a church that rented a circus tent for their Easter services. The message was given by a tight rope walker who sat on a chair high above the crowd and gave his Christian testimony. I asked the person who suggested we try something like that about the man's testimony. "Honestly, " he said, "i don't remember the testimony. I was so scared he was going to fall!"

We have to examine what we are called to do to know if we are successful at doing it. Jesus told us to make disciples of Christ. They should know the Lord, be baptized and obey what He told us to do. It involves evangelism, teaching and modeling how a Christian should act. Each disciple is to make disciples.

Too often people think that the Christian life is one helps the church become like the rest of the world. Their vision of the church is to be an entity that attracts the largest crowds without regard to how they get them there. These are the people who want people in church whether or not they are ever changed. The goal is to get them there and nothing else. 

Wouldn't Jesus have worked on larger and larger crowds if that was all He cared about? People today would have Jesus telling His disciples to get a huge crowd together so that He could perform miracles. Jesus could conjure up a storm on the sea, calm the storm with His voice and walk out onto the water  to deliver His message. He might even invite a few of the crowd to take a chance at walking out on the water to Him. Now, wouldn't that have drawn a crowd?

The transforming power of making disciples is simply not spectacular. It can be done successfully by churches of any size. It can be done by believers in large and small settings. A single disciple maker may have only one disciple. A teacher may have a small or large class of disciples. 

I wonder if making disciples is like the parable of the talents. Maybe we are given our task of making disciples according to our abilities. The one who makes more disciples will have more disciples given to him.

The key is not found in the size of the discipleship group but in the obedience of the one making disciples. Obedience rather than worldly pride is the key to success. 

So, will you be making disciples in 2019? What do you think the Lord is telling you?

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) 

18  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”