Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Tackling Controversial Questions



Living in today’s generation, well really living in any generation, means you are going to have to tackle controversial topics.  My friend Jeff Jones shared some principles he learned from John Stott’s book, Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today, that really helped me as a preacher, and I think they could help all of us as believers.  Particularly in this day of social media interactions, here are three approaches we can have on controversial questions.

1. AVOID THEM ALTOGETHER

Now at first glance there are some great pros and cons to this approach.  Sometimes it is best to “let the sleeping dog lie”.  I don’t think we have to weigh in on every issue that comes our way.  Every issue does not need your opinion and it is best to not engage in every issue because that would lessen your voice on the more substantial issues.  However, there are some things that we as Christians in good conscious cannot avoid. The question we must ask ourselves is this,  “Is what I am about to say worth what this will cost?”  Choose your battles wisely.  Dr. Curtis Hutson used to say, “There things worth fussing, fighting, or dying over, the secret is make sure you know which one is which.”

2. WE CAN ADOPT A PARTISAN POSTIITON

The dog pile, everybody jump on top! What everyone else is saying is what I am saying.  We retweet or re-quote without really knowing the issues well. If you say your are for or against something can you give a clear and convincing reason for your position? So many times we jump on an issue without really thinking through it. If you cannot defend it you should not engage in it,  even if every other person on your friend list has commented and posted on it.  Be careful that we do not add our voice to something we have not thoroughly investigated. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said, “You can’t believe everything you read on the internet!” Sometimes we can have an uninformed opinion that will hurt us when something that really matters comes up!

3. HUMBLY, BRAVELY, AND BIBLICALLY SAY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

This is by far the best position.  Our thoughts and feelings on things do not really matter.  What matters is what God’s Word says.  There is not an issue we will face that the Bible does not give us a precept or principle to stand on.  There are three steps to finding the Bible answer to a problem.  The first is to INVESTIGATE it thoroughly.  Find out what the Bible says about the topic from every possible text of Scripture.  The second step is to INTERPRET it correctly.  Sadly, many will take a verse out of context as a proof text that is incorrectly interpreted.  Do not make the Bible say what you want it to say, let the Bible speak for itself and say only what the Bible clearly says.  The third step is to  APPLY IT PRACTICALLY.  Too many times we know what the Bible says but we do not apply it in a way that helps people.  This is where humility is so important.  We are not to use the Bible as a club to beat people into submission but to show them the truth of Scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work.  


Again, these are principles from Bro. Stott’s book as shared with me by Pastor Jeff Jones.  These simple truths struck me very personally yesterday as I was sharing them with some young preachers.  The Lord convicted me that it is not what I think or say that matters but how I present what God says that is important! I hope this a help to you as you tackle controversial questions in the days ahead! - Pastor Stancil

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Why Single Vision Is A Great Week


Homecoming, family reunion, spiritual refreshment, new friends, life change, fun, serious, vision, counsel, USA v Europe Futbol, preaching, Kurt Skelly, David Gibbs III, Johnny Pope (PRAYER), Cary Schmit, Kerry Nance, Marc Rhodes, Greg Rife, Richard Wallace Jr (HELLOMYNAMEISPRODIGAL), Vicki Thompson, music, helpful, sessions, Bible, accountability, fellowship, necessary, encouraging, important generation, life change, affordable, epic, radical, consumed, rooted, imagine, not i life, revolution, mingle vision, memories, real, raw, relevant, responsibility, ownership, missions, local church, ministry, marriage, service, game plan for life, target, Chipotle, Busch Gardens, Chick fil a, connections, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Starbucks, like mindedness, hashtags, sessions, counseling, one on one, bowling, beach, cook out, sunburns, Salaam (SIR), Jonny, Stephen (LUCKYCHARMS), Julia, Josh, Valerie, John, Sara, Mindy(INSPIRING), Jason, Jacob, Jonathan, Bethanne, Paul, Tylor, Julie, Alan, Nicole, Caleb, Joshua, Hayden, Maria, Amanda, Jonah, Mindy, Sarah, Bekah, Ryan, Ethan, Jessica (GOALIE), Michael, Andrew, Amber, Kelsey, Mike, Elizabeth(SMARTCAR), Airic, Nicole, Kate, Kortney, Brandon, Jennifer, Jenna, Liz (GOD HELP US ALL), Bryce, Angelica, Rich, Sunny (HAITI), Cody, Emma, Eric, Briana, Melissa, Philip (Brazil), Hannah (QUIET), Julie, Joshua, Sara, Zac, Jessica, Makenzie, Pamela, Brandon (TEXAS) Danielle (GIBBLET), Jessica, Rob, Bryce, Justin, Trent, Jett, Charlie, Irsairis, Isaac, Margret, Martin, Merideth, Ashley, Jon Allen, Stephanie, Alena, David, Zach, Bethany, Laura, Alyssa, Tammy, Chris(ROCKET SCIENTIST), Paul, Aaron, Antononella, Stephen, Robert, Gina (AWESOME), Jonathan, Charlotte, Brandi (WHAT A GOOD WIFE YOU WOULD BE), Nelson, John, Adriana, Samantha, Sharon (USAF), Rodney, Alina, Austin, Kelly (GOBLUE), Ashley (MATH GEEK), Mike, Laura (YEAH) Julianna (ARTIST), Rebecca (LOUD), Tayler (WINNER), Chrissy, Micah Jacob, (SMARTCARLOVE), Quinn (QUINNIETHE POOH), Breighauna, Malachi, Steven, Michael, Kyle, Jeramey, Lacey, Tina, Lydia, Samantha, Angela, Davy, Janie, and so many more................

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

46 Years Of Thanks!



This week we see a lot of people’s lists about things they are thankful for so since I am 46 years old, I thought I would share 46 things that I am thankful for. No order just as they come to mind:


  1. Forrest Hills in the 70s- Perfect childhood!
  2. Tennessee Temple in the late 80s and Early 90s- where I had a blast, Martin Dorm, coached girls basketball with Jeff and Melitta Rector, Thunder Ducks, the Choo Choo, the lake, 99 cent movies, and I met my wife, Valerie!
  3. My Wife Valerie- by far the best decision of my life.
  4. My sons and daughter- they have taught me so much, I hope they never find out I don’t have a clue what I am doing.
  5. Forrest Hills, Franklin Road, Lighthouse, & Mt. Vernon- all of the friends they represent. 
  6. Community- I get to be the Pastor, what a great life.
  7. My Sisters DeAnna and Nikki- compared to them I am very normal.
  8. My Dad and Mom- if I had a napkin I would draw it out for you and if I had pen and paper I would write it for you!
  9. My Sister In Law Julie- someone has to keep me focused!
  10. My Step Mom- a helpful voice in a very hard time.
  11. Tony Hutson- for being Tony Hutson when I needed a Tony Hutson.
  12. Tia- everyone remembers their first dog, she was my best friend for 15 years.
  13. Glenn Ford- couldn’t have had a better friend, ALABAMA!
  14. The Glennmobile- best friends had to have wheels! Unte Gleeben Gloten Globen
  15. Allen Reynolds- everybody needs a childhood friend who stays in your life, he's been mine 46 years.
  16. Camp Maranatha- whether camper or counsellor a magical place! I'll push you lead this round!
  17. Preacher and Grandma Brock- The Gray Fox knew when you were up to no good.
  18. Kay Kay, April, Jonathan- The gangs all here, let’s play!
  19. Andy Griffith- Everything is always OK in Mayberry.
  20. Ford Escort- first car that was a piece of junk, my sisters first car was a Trans Am, but at least I had a car.
  21. United States Air Force- proud to have served.
  22. Old Country- what can I say I am a southern boy and I like a good story.
  23. Lake Lanier- mama and papaw’s pontoon boat, Uncle JL’s ski boat and the dock!
  24. Monteagle- half way going and coming!
  25. Buses- Diesel never gets out of your blood.
  26. Books- Uncle Donald and Mama I still love to read.
  27. Uncle Sam and Aunt Ginger- everybody needs a second mom and dad, their mine.
  28. Belinda- everyone needs that cousin, she’s mine.
  29. Matt, Mark, and the wood pile- can’t be a Stancil and not work summers in the woods pile.
  30. Uncle Robert- don’t let the little things shake you! Pull up your pants.
  31. Aunt Teresa- Scrabble time!
  32. Granny Stancil- never knew anyone like her! Let me show you what I have frozen and canned! 
  33. Mamaw Davis- Peach snuff, Randy Travis, and Fruit Face Freaks!
  34. Papaw Davis- Lost In Space, fishing poles, and Pintos!
  35. Freed Ware- son if God’s called you to preach you won't be happy in anything else.
  36. Betty Ware-so glad to be her favorite. Can we have fried chicken for dinner?
  37. Beth and Jessica Ware- no we don’t speak Spanish or Creole.
  38. Family Holidays- hectic, crazy, exasperating but would not miss them for the world.
  39. Murfreesboro- great place to grow up!
  40. Georgia- always on my mind!
  41. Hawaii- literally feel the stress leave your body.
  42. Curtis Hutson, Bob Kelley, Tony Hutson, Tom Malone- my pastors.
  43. Robert Vincent, David and Debbie Propes, Connie Pearson, Harry Carr and all the teachers they represent- thank you.
  44. All my coaches- locker rooms, bus rides, game day, can't explain it if you didn't play! 
  45. Ron King, Roger Henson, Sam Roark, Devin Key, Shane Newsome, Tommy Cochran, Frankie Shupe, Mandy Jones, Laurie Duffy, Denise Bowman, Kerri Davis, Kim May and MVCS 86- great year!
  46. 46 years to enjoy a great life.



Without question Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the greatest of all things because of this I have hope.  Having hope in the next life allows me to fully enjoy all the things in this life.  

Have a great Thanksgiving!



-Brent

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Christian Civics- What the Bible Says About Our Role In Government

A lot of people wonder if the Bible has the answers to their specific questions. No matter what your question might be, the Bible has an answer for it. The problem is that many people have been taught bad theology. They may have picked up bits and pieces from a church or religious school they attended in childhood, but now they think the Bible is not relevant for what they are going through today.
In fact, there is not a subject in your life today that the Bible does not address, and that includes politics. Did you know that the Bible talks about what kind of role government should play in our lives? Not only that, it also states very clearly what the citizen’s responsibility should be in response to government.
In I Peter 2 we see some insight into how we as believers should interact with the world around us and live so that others will see the Lord Jesus Christ in us. Look at verses 9-12. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Now we come to our topic for this discussion, in verses 13-20. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
The first word of verse 13 is one that we don’t really like to hear. Much is made of submission with regard to a wife and her husband, but in reality there are more Bible verses that address a man’s submission to God than any other relationship. Now we see that thought transferred to reflect man’s relationship with earthly authority as well.
Before you get upset about the idea of submitting to a bad government, remember that the Bible was written for all men, not just those who live in a free society. As bad as things are going in the United States of America in 2014, our democratic republic is still the best structure of government you are going to find anywhere on this planet. We could be living under tyranny right now if not for the grace of God. However, this passage is also intended for those who do not have the privilege of living as we do.
All authority is given by God, and everyone who rules over us does so because He ordained it. The Lord has given a great responsibility to every ruler, as outlined in Rom. 13:1-7.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”
God has given our rulers certain rules to follow, but it is important to understand that we are to be submissive to their authority regardless of whether they obey their rules. This does not mean that we don’t have the right to speak out in America against bad policies or bad principles. In fact, we have a duty to stand up for that which is right and say, “Wait a minute. That’s not what the Bible says.”
One day after visitation we stopped at the home of a member of our church who was having a yard sale. While we looked around, a big man (at least six-feet-three) approached me and said, “So you’re a pastor.”
“Yes, sir. I am.”
“Let me ask you a question. Do you preach the Bible at your church?”
I told him, “Sir, we have no other message but the Bible. We cannot preach anything else.”
He was skeptical, saying that no one preaches like they should anymore. I assured him that we preach line-by-line, precept upon precept.
“Let me ask you another question,” he said. “Do you preach against sin?”
“Sir, if it is in the scriptures, we preach against sin. We love sinners, but we don’t shy away from sin.”
I had a feeling this line of questioning was leading somewhere, and my suspicions were confirmed by his next      question: “How do you feel about same-sex marriage?”
As politely as I could (remember, he was much bigger than me), I told him, “Sir, it doesn’t matter how I feel about it. If God in His Word has stated whether something is acceptable or unacceptable, I am required to stand up and preach the Word.”
He seemed surprised. “You mean you actually say that from the pulpit?”
“If it’s in the Bible, we say it from the pulpit.”
We have a responsibility and a duty to declare what is right. There are important moral issues of our time that we simply cannot get away from. We have to take a stand – but we can disagree without becoming disagreeable people. We still must be in submission to those in authority over us.
The powers that be are ordained of God. This is God’s plan. Human government is one of the three institutions that God ordained; the others are the home (the family) and the local church. Any other institution, however good it might be, is one that God did not specifically ordain.
When we are in obedience to human government, we are in obedience to God. When we are against human government, we are against the very authority that God ordained.
Ordinances are to be followed. The Bible says in Rom. 13:3, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.” Who is the evil? It is those who break the law. The role of government is to establish laws. As Americans we believe that those laws should not infringe upon our rights as provided by the Constitution, but someone has to decide what is acceptable and what is not.
I believe that driving 70 miles per hour on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is perfectly acceptable, but the presence of law enforcement vehicles on that bridge serves as a constant reminder that such driving is not acceptable in the eyes of the law. Apparently the powers that be consider 40 miles per hour a much better speed, and on a few recent trips across the bridge I feared I would end up with a personal illustration of my submission to authority in the form of a ticket. Therefore, I applied the brake in hopes of not having to meet a St. Petersburg law enforcement officer at that time.
If every driver did what was right in his or her own eyes, we would have absolute chaos on the roads – running red lights and stop signs, speeding and crashing into each other. God ordained government to establish laws so we would have a level playing field.
Obedience to authority is required. Rom. 13:5-6 says, “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.” Many people do right simply because they don’t want to get caught doing wrong. I should desire to do right because I don’t want to displease God. Obedience should not be out of fear of punishment, but because it is simply the right thing to do.
What would you do if you knew you could get away with it? That is something all of us should think carefully about. Instead of considering what we can do without getting caught, we should consider what is the right thing to do.
We are instructed in verse 7, “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” We are not only to meet the law, but to exceed it and obey with respect.
Do you respect those in authority? My kids know that certain words uttered in our house will lead to a serious, um, discussion. For instance, I do not tolerate derogatory terms used to identify police officers. They have changed over the years but they are no less disrespectful than they ever were.
I am against just about every policy I have seen from the current presidential administration, but I have an obligation to respect the office. If you start disrespecting that office, no matter who is in it, then your children will see a double standard if you protest when someone disrespects a future president you happen to admire. You can vehemently disagree with a man or woman in authority on the issues, but you still must the office that has been ordained by God.
The principle is the same in many other areas. If the wife disrespects the husband, do not be surprised when the children disrespect the parents. If the parents do not respect the pastor, do not be surprised when the children have a problem with the authority of the Word of God.
We can speak the truth with kindness and stand up for what is right, but no one needs to be a jerk about it. If I tear down someone in authority, I am really hurting my own position. You should be a truth-teller but never a mudslinger. Stick to the facts when discussing any issue.
Recently I read an article that pointed out the retirement of a high-ranking official in Planned Parenthood who had become disenchanted with what that organization does and stands for. I have never met her, but I can promise you she was not won over to the pro-life way of thinking by people berating her and calling her names. It was the people who prayed for her and showed her the love of Christ.
You do not win someone by tearing him down. You can poke holes in a person’s argument without doing personal harm. I can show you from the Bible why abortion is murder, but every abortionist is a soul that needs salvation. I can tell a homosexual that his lifestyle is wrong but do it with the proper disposition so that he respects me as I try to win him to Christ. When you tear someone down to win an argument, you ultimately lose the argument along with any chance of ever influencing that person for God.
The first role of government is simple: to punish evildoers.
Look at Rom. 13:4. “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
Consider I Pet. 2:13-14. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”
Many people today think that government exists to support them or educate their children, but God’s purpose for government is to set things in order. God has shown us what is right and what is wrong, and His representatives – human government – are to deal with those of us who do wrong.
Several years ago I made a statement from the pulpit, and I was later rebuked by a man in my church. He did this with kindness and the proper spirit, but his words have remained with me to this day. I had made an offhand comment about a child molester, saying that we should “string him up” if we had the opportunity.
“Pastor, stringing up child molesters is not the responsibility of the local church,” the man told me. “It is the government’s job to punish wrongdoing. The role of the church is to win child molesters to Jesus Christ.”
Imagine if someone were sitting in the congregation while struggling with those evil, hurtful tendencies. If he heard a statement like the one I made, we could not share Christ with him because he would fear for his life around us. Of course, I would not literally kill someone like that, but as my friend pointed out, what I said would not come across that way to a lost person.
“We should say that, if we come across a child molester, we will report him immediately to the local authorities for prosecution,” he told me.
Go back to Rom. 13:3. “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.” That verse, along with I Pet. 2:14, shows us that government exists to promote good.
If you read the documents written by the Founding Fathers, you know that happiness was never guaranteed by government. We are promised “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Government is supposed to provide a level playing field. In the early years of this nation, it was all about having the chance to go out and make something for yourself. Now it is more about what someone else can do for you, and that is not what the government’s role is supposed to be. Sadly, we are usually surprised when we hear a political candidate today talk about personal responsibility. It shouldn’t be that way.
If you have a problem, it is not the fault of the Democrats or the Republicans. Likewise, neither of those groups has the answer that will fix all of your problems. Any government strong enough to give you everything you want is also strong enough to take everything you have. Government should be less, not more.
The Founding Fathers had this as their general idea: “You know how to manage your life better than anyone else, so we are going to protect you from evil and promote you to do good.”
We are representatives of God no matter where we are. Remember, the Bible is not written just for Americans who live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is written for Christians in socialist countries and dictatorships as well.
Doing good is God’s will for us. Read I Pet. 2:15. “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” God wants us to do right and to represent Him in an ungodly world.
Foolish men say ignorant things. According to Ps. 14:1 and Ps. 53:1, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” When you start from a foundation of a world without God, and you live your life as if He does not exist, you will say and do some very foolish things along the way. But as I Pet. 2:15 shows us, your good works will silence such people.
I have freedom in Christ. The best way to answer a foolish person is not, “I told you so.” It is better to prove by consistency and longevity that the Bible is the Word of God. Do right, and keep doing it for a considerable amount of time. When an atheist claims that “religion” just doesn’t work, your life can be proof that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the best possible way to live. It has worked for me nearly four decades. God has given me the kind of stability in life that other people are searching so desperately for.
The world is looking for reality, which is why whenever someone who is real steps up, people take notice. A group of candidates who all look and sound the same will not impress anyone, but when a person stands up and speaks the truth it makes them say, “Wow.” But the state of society today is such that many people scoff at common-sense ideas like not spending more than we make or not killing our babies. By the way, the Muslims do not kill their babies; it is no wonder they are the fastest-growing religion in the world. They eventually will take over Europe without firing a shot. Their sheer numbers will win the battle.
When someone takes a stand for right and speaks the truth, others see it and it makes sense to them. Liberals and the heathen will try to destroy that, but people will rally around it because they realize that if we don’t return to common sense on some things, we are all doomed.
These passages show us that in our relationships with authority as well as our relationships with each other, it all comes down to having respect for all people. One of the problems in society today is that we just don’t treat people well anymore. We read in I Pet. 2:17-18, “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” Those verses are talking about respect, pure and simple. Sadly, we have become such a disrespectful society.
A perfect example of this is in customer service, which has mostly disappeared. One day my wife came home, seven or eight months pregnant, [was she working at an airline here?] and said a lady has just cussed her out. I said, “Honey, I would have sent her to Chicago and her bags to Tijuana for doing that.” People are so rude and hateful today, and God is pointing out here that we do not have the impact we should have in this world because we fail to treat people right.
We must show respect in our relationship toward other cultures. Verse 17 does not say we should honor men of a certain race or culture. It says, “Honour all men.” Black, white, yellow, brown – it is nothing but pigment. Every person has a soul.
When I first came to be the pastor of Community Bible Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., I was excited about the opportunity to reach more people in a dense urban area, and the Lord has allowed us to do that. The variety of cultures in our area is just amazing. I like that, because there is no white-only section or black-only section in Heaven; it is just everyone surrounding the throne of God. For this reason, we must strive to reach every person on the planet with the Gospel. Our church does not cater to any particular demographic.
A family recently visited the service and one of them remarked that she wasn’t sure they would be welcome because they are a poor family.
“No, ma’am,” I said. “We want you to come. We will help you get here.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ll pick us up?” she said.
“Absolutely. We’ll send a bus by to get you. We’d love for you to come.”
She went on to say that her family had nothing to offer, and their situation was pretty messy. But I told her I didn’t care; they would be welcome in our church.
 We don’t check your tax return or your background when you come visit us. We just say, “Come on in.” I long for the day when our choir is a hodgepodge of races and cultures. I love to hear a friend of mine from another church say something like, “We had 17 nations represented Sunday morning.” What a thrilling thing to be able to say.
Our relationships toward the church and our fellow believers are also vital. We have to get along if we are going to do anything for God. How can we say that we love God and love sinners when we don’t even like each other? If you don’t care about your fellow church members, you won’t care about lost people. If you tear down your pastor, you will certainly tear down your friends. If you are unkind to people you will spend eternity with, I’d hate to see how you would treat someone who is on his way to Hell.
Of course, we cannot underestimate our relationship toward our Creator. Verse 17 commands us to fear God. Prov. 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Your attitude toward God is the most important attitude of all. If you do not have a reverence toward Him, you have nothing upon which to build the rest of your life.
When these relationships are addressed properly, we can have a right relationship as citizens and toward those in authority.
I can disagree with various elected people in government without disrespecting any of their offices. Likewise, I can speak out about a candidate’s positions and still respect the candidate.
In the fall of 2011 a pastor in Texas, during a conversation about Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, said that Romney’s religion of Mormonism was “a cult.” That pastor was immediately by people who said, “You can’t say that!”
My response is: Yes, I can! Any religion that says Jesus Christ is a created god is a false religion. Any religion that says Christ was once a man but later became a god is a false religion. I can consider Romney a good and moral man and I can agree with some of his policies, but Mormonism is cultic and apostate, and as such it is to be what I Cor. 16:22 calls “Anathema Maranatha” – to be accursed until Jesus comes. I do not hate Romney as he is probably a better candidate than some of the others out there, but I cannot accept a spiritual philosophy that rejects Jesus Christ.
If a candidate’s position goes against the Bible, I will not hate the candidate, but I will certainly oppose that position. I can respect someone and still disagree. The reason many people have a problem with this is that they cannot take criticism, but they view every disagreement as a personal attack. As a pastor I am frequently called upon to point out something that is wrong in the lives of my congregation, but I still love my congregation as much as I ever did. The world cannot comprehend this, so they accuse us of hating homosexuals and abortionists. In fact, we love them and want to see them come to Christ; we simply do not tolerate or condone their behavior.
Everyone cannot be right. If something is right, then something else has to be wrong. Thus, you must ask yourself if you are basing what is right in your life upon anything other than the Word of God.
Our relationship toward our coworkers is addressed in I Pet. 2:17-18 using the terms “servants” and “masters.” It is inevitable that situations will arise to test your attitudes toward your bosses as well as those who work under your authority. You may say, “I’m going to be nice to those who are nice to me.” The Bible instructs you to also be nice to those who do you wrong, because you are a representative of God.
If you are only kind to people who are kind to you, then you are not much of a Christian. Lost people can do that. When you respond well to those who would mistreat you, it sets the bar higher and is a far better testimony.
Look at I Pet. 2:19-20. “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
Some people consider it a badge of honor to withstand a rebuke. Well, if you deserved the rebuke, you only did what was expected. The hard thing is to be rebuked when you did nothing wrong, and your flesh tells you to tear the other person apart. You reaction to that will show what kind of Christian you are.
It is easy for all of us to agree that our country is in a mess and blame all of the politicians for it. But God says in His Word that judgment should begin in His house. The problem is not with the people who were voted in, but rather the people who did the voting. We have a representative form of government, so these politicians are the ones chosen to represent us. That would place the responsibility squarely on the backs of God’s people, who have not yet reached those other voters with the truth of the Gospel. Some of us have trouble doing that because our lives are not what they should be and we do not have the respect of our coworkers and others in our community.

America’s leadership is simply a reflection of America. Before we can fix America, we have to fix ourselves and our churches. If we do that, we can influence our nation for the cause of Christ.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Luke 4:4 "but by every Word of God."

New International Version
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone.'"
New Living Translation
But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
English Standard Version
And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
New American Standard Bible 
And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'"
King James Bible
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Jesus answered him, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone." 
International Standard Version
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One must not live on bread alone, but on every word of God.'" 
NET Bible
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone.'" 
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua answered and said to him, “It is written: a man does not live by bread alone, but by every utterance of God.”
GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus answered him, "Scripture says, 'A person cannot live on bread alone.' " 
Jubilee Bible 2000
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
King James 2000 Bible
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
American King James Version
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
American Standard Version
And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus answered him: It is written, that Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word of God. 
Darby Bible Translation
And Jesus answered unto him saying, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
English Revised Version
And Jesus answered unto him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Weymouth New Testament
"It is written," replied Jesus, "'It is not on bread alone that a man shall live.'"
World English Bible
Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"
Young's Literal Translation
And Jesus answered him, saying, 'It hath been written, that, not on bread only shall man live, but on every saying of God.'

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Fundamental Grace Part 7- Fools, Faith, and the Flesh

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?(Gal. 3:1-3)

It is imperative that we know what we believe. One of the saddest commentaries on today’s society is that so many Scientology groups, Mormon churches, Jehovah’s Witness halls and segment of dozens of other cults are filled with former Bible-believing Baptists. Many former Catholics have left the Baptist church and returned to Catholicism. That may be difficult for you to fathom, but it happens because too many of them did not know what they professed to believe.
I would never do anything publicly to embarrass my church, but sometimes I feel it would be good to give the congregation a quiz on some basic Bible facts and issues that all of us should have known for quite some time. I love teaching a class of new converts and showing them basic truths from the Word of God, because you can see so plainly when the light bulb comes on and they get it. It is so cool to teach something from the Bible and hear a person say, “I never knew that. I never saw that before.”
The other great thing about teaching that class is that I am constantly reminded and reaffirmed concerning the doctrines of the faith. They are simple and straightforward; there is nothing magical or mystical about them. If you follow God’s Word, you will have success, but if you reject it, you will find yourself in a world of hurt. There is an old song entitled, “Trust and Obey.” That sums it up. Do what the Bible says and trust the Lord, and you will be in good shape.
While I enjoy begin constantly reminded of these great truths, I am also reminded of how many people do not know what they believe. We must be able to defend truth.
With this in mind, consider the STINGING INDICTMENT from Paul in verse 1. Some people say, “I wish our pastor preached like the Apostle Paul.” Be careful what you wish for. Paul was brutal. He didn’t cut his audience any slack.
He starts the third chapter by calling the Galatians foolish. No one in his right mind would want to receive a letter like that. If you break that word down in this context, it refers to someone who is mentally lazy and careless in study. He was telling the church at Galatia, “You were unwilling to study and solidify what you believe.”
I hope everyone reading these words is faithful to church for every regular service and anything else that is going on, but if you are learning your doctrine only in the four or five hours you are at church each week, you will be weak. You must take time to do this, and it is hard work. People who say, “I just don’t have the time,” are the main reason our generation cannot defend what it believes.
Theologically, Baptists as a group are lazy. Just as we are commanded to worship or to witness, we are commanded to “study to shew thyself approved unto God,” according to II Tim. 2:15.
Also in verse 1, Paul referred to how the people were charmed and led astray by false teaching. They were flattered with false promises, perhaps by using the occult, to emphasize feeling over fact and emotion over truth.
So many churches and religious movements today are advising people not to let doctrine “divide” them. If you put doctrine in its proper place, you can’t help but divide people because not everyone believes the same thing. That is just common sense.
During my first two years as a pastor in Texas in the late 1990s I was invited to be part of a citywide rally with patriotic and political overtones. At first I went because I wanted to see what it was like, and I sat on the platform with men from other denominations in the area, but eventually I decided I was just not comfortable there. Not everyone on that platform believed the same things I did. My decision was solidified some time later when I attended a funeral at a church with which I agreed on almost nothing, and I was asked to give a eulogy because the deceased woman’s daughter was a member of my church. After I spoke, the man who followed me spent his entire sermon talking about tongues and gifts of the Spirit because he knew the room was filled with Baptists. He never talked about the deceased during his sermon.
As we left the service, the husband of my church member (who is lost to this day as far as I know) told his wife, “There was more Bible in what your preacher said in five minutes than what the other guy said in an hour.” That confirmed in my heart that I could not be part of a program with someone who would waste an opportunity to present Christ and choose to try to convince a crowd of people about something else.
One of the saddest things a church member can say to me is, “My children are going to Such-and-Such Church. I don’t agree with everything they believe, but at least they are going to church.” I would submit that it is better to stay out of church than to go to a wrong church, because they will not be taught a lie. There is probably a better chance for the Lord to get hold of their hearts out on the street in their daily lives than if they are soothed by false teaching and wrong doctrine every Sunday.
The situation with the Galatians was a failure of faith. The people were leaving the faith of Christ and moving into a fleshly realm. Anyone who has been around Christianity for very long knows that more Christians walk by flesh than by faith, and that is a dangerous thing. If you fool around too long without properly educating yourself from the Word of God, you eventually come up with your own flesh-centered doctrine. At that point, as we see so often in today’s society, truth becomes irrelevant.
The final phrase of verse 1 suggests that Christ was openly and publicly preaching when these people were alive, and they had received His death burial and resurrection for their salvation before turning away. No works were taught or preached during Christ’s ministry, so these changes had come later.
Notice in verse 2 the SPIRITUAL INVESTMENT made by Paul in the lives of the Galatians. In saying, “This only would I learn of you,” he is expressing his desire that someday they could teach him, instead of him always having to teach them. He was saying in essence, “I wish that you could get this so I wouldn’t have to keep showing it to you.”
In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul mentioned that he wanted to give the people meat but had to give them milk instead because that was all they could handle. I have often wondered what he was referred to in that passage. Here is a deep theological truth that many Christians need to get hold of today: Grow up! At some point you need to start digging out the truth on your and making it personal. Stop living off the labor and teaching of others. Your pastor is there to get you started; you need to crank it up and get going on your own.
Since the Galatians weren’t getting it, Paul had to establish the doctrine once again. In asking the basic question at the end of verse 2, he pointed out that they were trying to finish in the flesh what they had started in faith. Living in the flesh for God is not too far from living in the flesh for Satan. When you stop living by faith, you are in trouble. Faith is what makes you grow and move forward for God. Faith, grace and mercy are not just salvation terms; they are also sanctification terms. Having a church full of people who were saved by faith but are living in the flesh is what produces a lot of castaways and wrecked lives.
Look at Rom. 1:17. “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” When you were saved you did not eliminate the flesh factor, but you gained the faith factor. To have victory, you need to live by faith just like you were saved by faith.
The Bible says in Rom. 10:16-17, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” You may have thought those verses referred to salvation, but they are actually about Christian living. The problem that I see in our families is that we are not living by faith. You must have faith to continue in the Christian life.
Why is so little done spiritually in the home? Why do you depend upon Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night to feed your family? If you want your children to grow, they have to be fed a steady diet of faith. It has to be modeled and demonstrated for them on a regular basis. If you are going to live by faith, you need to invest in that. A good movie lasts two hours, and a good ball game is longer than that. It doesn’t take many such events to eat up a lot of time. We frequently feed other things more than we feed our faith. Our lives are so chaotic that you have to work to fit spiritual things into your schedule.
Your giving is a way to model your faith. Going above your tithe with special offerings and giving to missions will stretch you and your family. Perhaps you would like to take your family on a mission trip, and you know you must trust God to provide the resources for that. What a great way to model your faith in front of your children.
Read Eph. 1:13-14. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” The Holy Spirit is in you, but you still have your flesh. You must make a conscious choice to both fortify and feed that part of you by continually submitting yourself to Him, or you will fortify and feed the flesh. A lot of folks are starving the Spirit of God while fattening the flesh. Paul teaches over and over throughout the New Testament that there must be a crucifying of the flesh so the Spirit of God can have liberty in our lives, to do for us and through us what He wishes to do. We need to take a good look at what we are feeding and fortifying.
The SANCTIFICATION of our flesh is addressed in verse 3. Sanctification is the process by which we become spiritually mature. Paul uses the word “perfect” in this case. “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Salvation is instantaneous. Once it is done, it is done. You do not lose your salvation. In the Bible, the words “all” and “eternal” mean exactly what we have always known them to mean every single time. Once you trust Christ, you are saved all the time and forever.
On the other hand, sanctification is not instantaneous. It is the process or perfection or maturation. If you had a child, you would be sad if he or she were still in an infant stage by the fifth or sixth birthday. You want your children to mature in every way – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
You may have been saved 50 years, but if you have not progressed spiritually you are still an infant. As a pastor I have changed a lot of 60-year-old diapers in my lifetime. It is amusing to me to see a senior citizen throw a spiritual fit like a middle-school student, and I have seen plenty of them.
Salvation takes an instant, but sanctification takes the rest of your life until you meet the Lord. I know a 92-year-old man in my church who is a wonderful Christian, and he would tell you, “I haven’t arrived, but I am making progress.” He has a fantastic walk with God, but he is still working on it.
You don’t arrive in a weekend. It’s a long journey and you are going to mess up along the way, but God knows that and has already placed those missteps under the blood. He wants you to keep moving forward, not backward, in His grace and with His help. How does He do this?
* By paying our sin debt. According to II Cor. 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” We have the ability to mature as Christians because we are already saved. God gave Christ the authorization to take our place, and as we accept His death, burial and resurrection as payment for our sin, we take on His righteousness as He takes our sin. The eternal security of our salvation is a solid foundation upon which we can build a victorious life, and any theology that causes you to constantly question your salvation is a wicked tool to keep you in spiritual infancy.
* By providing grace to live victoriously, as we see in Rom. 6:14. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Living the Christian life is physically impossible in the flesh. You cannot possibly be a good enough Christian on your own.
* By giving us the Person of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:13 says, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” When you are saved, you get the Holy Spirit sealing you and indwelling you. You do not have to give in to sin anymore because He is working in you and through you. When you lead control of your fleshly desires to Him, He will lead you into righteousness.
* By removing the penalty of sin. Rom. 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” This is a doctrine that must be taught clearly. We are not under the guilt of sin anymore. “I have to tell God about this awful thing I did.” He knew about it when He died on the cross, as He bore all of our sins for us. It is already paid in full.
* By removing the power of sin. Look at Rom. 8:9. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The power of sin is no longer controlling you when you move toward the Spirit and away from the flesh. Sometimes people doubt their salvation because they are seeing sin in a different light, and that is because the Holy Spirit is working.
* By removing the presence of sin. One day, the words of I Cor. 15:50-53 will come alive for us: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” One day the Lord will take us all home to be with Him, and sin will never be a problem again.
Faith saves you, but it also grows you and matures you. If you thought you were saved by works, you could keep working from now on and never be saved. When there is an emptiness of self and a trust in Him alone, and you recognize the utter hopelessness of a life without Him, you have no choice but to trust by faith. The same faith that saved you is what will keep you growing in Christ.
We all should work for God as a way of demonstrating our faith, but our works do not impress God. To be honest, just doing what you should be doing as a Christian should not impress any of us. We should expect each other to be in church, to tithe, and to tell others about Jesus. God expects that from us as well.
There should be some things about our lives that set us apart from the world, but if live your entire life to please others or ultimately please God by your works, it will lead to a life of frustration because you are never going to do enough. It will always be a case of, “What have you done for me lately?” Churches built on performance-based faith eventually fall apart because no one can maintain that level of pressure.
We all need to get back to the attitude of living our lives for God because we love Him and want to give Him our best, not to impress Him.