Ephesians 4:14

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14)

There are many winds of doctrine blowing in the religious atmosphere today, and most of these are ill winds, indeed. The number of strange philosophies and occult movements seems almost endless, not only in this country but perhaps even more in others. Sad to say, new Christians seem particularly vulnerable: These involve more than just differences of interpretation as between Baptists and Methodists, or even as between Catholics and Protestants.

The word "sleight" is from the Greek kubeia, from which we derive the English word "cube," and actually refers to cubical dice or other devices for gambling. It is used only once in the New Testament, warning against taking spiritual chances on novel philosophies and practices. These originate with men who are deceivers, having been deceived themselves by Satan or his demonic agents.

Numbers 11:11

"And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp." (Numbers 11:1)

 

The Lord is not pleased when we complain about our circumstances, no matter how grievous they may seem to us. Our example is Christ, always. "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." The children of Israel complained once too much. Forgetting all of God's blessings in miraculously freeing them from slavery and providing all their needs, they repeatedly complained about their lot, one thing after another. "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer"

Come out of your sin closet oh Men of God!!!!! (Part 3)

What is done in darkness is always brought to the light. 


You do not  have to believe me, look at 2nd Samuel Chapter 11& 12.  Our Heavenly Father called David a man after His own heart and yet David once tried to keep a sin hidden. In the days when a king was to lead his army into battle, David decided to stay home. As he was resting on the balcony of his palace, he noticed a woman bathing. Instead of looking away, he let his eyes rest on her and he became enticed by her beauty. He decided he must have her. After inquiring about her he found out that she was Bathsheba the wife of Uriah one of his commanders who was away at war. Even so he sent for her and she soon became pregnant by him. David hoped to hide his sin bringing back Uriah from the war and telling him to go and stay with his wife. Uriah refused and said that as long as there was a war he would not sleep in his home. David then decided that the only other way was to cover up was to let Uriah die in battle. So he commanded that he be put on the front lines. When the news came that he had been killed David took Bathsheba in to his house as his wife. David thought it was over and that his sin would never be found out. One day the prophet Nathan came to David and to him the story of a poor man who owned a lamb. That little lamb meant everything to that man. It was like a member of his family. But there was a rich man who owned many sheep. The rich man one day entertained a traveler and instead of serving him one of his own sheep, he slaughtered the poor mans lamb. David was angry at this tale and wanted to punish the rich man for what he had done. At this, Nathan told David that David was the guilty one and what he thought he had hidden God saw. David repented but his child that was born by Bathsheba died as a consequence of his sin.  Do you have a sin which you keep secret?  Yes I know many of you might think wow Dr. H, what a silly question to ask, but sometimes it us who is silly to think that we can hide anything from our Heavenly Father our sins. We hope no one will ever find out about? In America one of the big problems is hidden sexual sin. Adultery, pre-marital sex, incest, pornography. All of these are rampant. Perhaps you have problems with alcohol, drugs or gambling? Maybe even what you don’t think is such a big sin as lying or theft? The only one who knows is you and your Heavenly Father. And it is because the Father knows that unless you do something to deal with that sin, He will be forced to deal with it in His way. The way He will deal with it is never pleasant. He usually exposes it to our embarrassment. A few well known tela- evangelists (Bishop Long, Swaggart etc..)  have had their sins exposed to the entire world. 


"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light."  (Luke 8:17)


Why would the Lord expose our sin? Because He loves us. Sin brings death and enslavement. When someone is suffering from cancer a surgeon must cut it out before it spreads. Surgery is never pleasant. But is necessary in order to save a life. So yes having our sin exposed hurts, but having it exposed and revealed can save our lives.  It's time we come to that place of repentance, for tomorrow is promise to no man. Our Heavenly Father is faithful and He will forgive us. We have pastors and elders and brothers and sisters in Christ  who are willing to help us get through it.  But key is to be able to come  to the Father and confess our sins for He is faithful and quick to forgive us.  So what are we waiting for?  I have reiterated to my children many times that if they have made a mistake or have an issue to come to me and let us together reason through it. I have learned the technic from my Heavenly Father who also invites each of us to come to him in the same manner. He stand there with His arms stretched out waiting.

Come out of your sin closet of Men oh God!!!!! (Part 2)

Sin committed in privacy, really do you actually think that our Heavenly Father does not see all that you do?  David said if I made my bed in hell also would you be, there is no where we can go or do that our Father is not able to see us. The only person you deceive is yourself when you think that your hidden in your sin closet.  Your wife may not know about you surfing those porn sites, the deacons might know about it, but the Father does, it is not His will that you or I should crawl around in the mud and filth of the pig pen.  Stand up on man of God, stand up!  You might have actually drunken the Kool Aide the enemy is tell you to drink, but remember this that If Christ can call the dead out of the grave. He is also  to set  men free of sexual sin, or anger, pride or even jealousy. For the Lord God sets free is free at last and is for eternity.

 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.  (Luke 8:17)

For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.  (Luke 12:2:3)

 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:9-11)

Come out of your sin closet oh Men of God!!!!!

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," (Matthew 6:6).
 I have sinned as great a sin as has any person that has lived. I understand the mind of a loss man. I know the anguish of coming face to face with my own sinful nature. It is a difficult, humbling thing to do. The hurt that accompanies the acknowledgement of personal weaknesses can be overwhelming. Many times it seems easier to just live with it. But that only hides the pain for a little while. Rather than showing you how to take your sin into the open, true love cares enough to point the way into the closet of prayer. Oh men of God its time we destroy that closet of sin and build up a prayer closet. Not a closet of shame, but the closet where there is rest, peace and mercy for all that will enter into it.  There was a time when I too created my own laws, a time when I ignored the authority of both man and God. In the course of the passing, right became wrong and wrong became right such that I stepped beyond even my wildest imaginations of where I might go if left to my own devices. Sin, in all of its ugly false promises, nearly destroyed my home, my family, and my life. But then Jesus came into my heart, and that which Satan sought to devour has been returned in a multiple beyond my understanding. The sin that once owned me without my knowledge is now an open enemy to be battle with all my might through a power that exceeds my personal weaknesses. It is God who now indwells this earthly vessel, and is His strength that overcomes my shames, my failures, and my pride at victories.

Even as a Christian there are times when the man in me would cast away scriptures that do not fit my fleshly desires. It is a day-by-day battle, this mortifying of the flesh. Sometimes I desire to lay down the oars that perhaps the war would end. Jesus said that the laborer should come to him, that the burdened should also come. End your self efforts is His meaning. Lay down your shame is His gift.

We are soldiers in  God's army, which though the battle is already won. There is a peace in the mist of the war that no Christian can explain to the lost. It is a peace that can never be gained through "Hiding out in your sin closet" while retaining the sin. It is a peace that surpasses all that this world can ever offer such that when full of all earthly needs I have within me the presences of Christ, and when lacking of all but the essentials of earthly survival I still have within me the presences of Christ.

Who is a true brother or sister in Christ???

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.  (Galatians 6:2)
 Tell me what hour is to late?  which day is a bad day for you? I ask this question because a brother shared with me today that he had received a call from a brother from his church but felt he wanted to watch TV and rest since he had a long day at work and his wife was complaining about something.  The next day he checked the message and brother had asked for him to please call him back that he really need to talk to someone.  Sadly my brother did not know that this brother suffered from major depression. Do you see where this about to go? The brother took his life because depression is a dark place the enemy wants to put people and make them feel like life is not worthy living. Sadly that brother bought the lie and is no more.


I'm far from a saint but I tell my brothers to call me day or night if they need me, but sadly I would not call those same brothers if I were hurting simply because I feel they have enough to deal with.  Or maybe its late or night. Or maybe it would upset their wives.  If you were on Facebook  and you saw I was hurting would you call me?  If I didn't come to church on Sunday would come check on me?  If you saw me walking the street late at night would you stop?  If you saw me coming out of a bar late at night drunk would  inquire about why I was there?


Now when Job’s three friends heard of all the evil which had come upon him, they came, each from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuite and Sophar the Naamathite. They agreed to come together, visit him and console him. When they saw him from afar, they did not recognize him and raising their voices; they wept and they rent their robes and sprinkled dust upon their heads heavenward.  And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him for they saw that his suffering was very great. (Job 2: 11-13)

 


Lord God help me to love on my brothers, help me to stand with my brothers through their storms, and most of grant me the strength to hold my brother up when he is not able to stand on his own.  Lord grant each of us as men the wisdom to ask for help, grant us the ear to hear those men that have been crying out in silence.  Let treat our brothers as we would treat Christ.

I beseech you

"I beseech you therefore . . . by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
For those who would know God's will for their lives, these verses provide the definitive answer. The key is sacrifice, not conformity. It is paradoxical, but wonderfully true, that real living is dying--dying to the world and living unto Christ! This great theme is emphasized repeatedly throughout the New Testament

"And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:20)

 

A favorite old song of many senior citizens (of this writer, at least) is the sentimental "I'll be loving you--always" ballad written long ago by Irving Berlin. The sincerity of some who sing it may be questioned, but the many "always" promises of the Bible really mean it. Consider a few of these precious promises, for example.

 

The apostle Paul urges believers to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord"). And to the same Corinthian church he later wrote: "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ".

 

Then there is that other tremendous promise in the same epistle: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work".

 

The greatest such promise is that in our text, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself promised that "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." To me that is words of encouragement, to know that no matter what I might face in this life time, my Savior is right there with me. Like the David the Psalmist said whether I make my bed in hell or in heaven also shall my Father be, bottom line nothing can separate us from the Love of the Father,  Thank you so much, for loving us even when we were yet your enemies, thank you so much for doing for us that which we could not do ourselves.

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)

 Christ, referring to the promise of Psalm 37:11: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The word of God tells us in Zephaniah  to Seek ye the LORD all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.   Meekness is not weakness is made clear from the first use of the word in the Bible. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth"  Moses was strong and courageous, but also deeply humble and self-sacrificing; a man of prayer and trust in the Word of God, willing to defend it at all costs. The Lord  defined meekness in terms of His own human character: "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" A meek spirit enables a Christian to maintain composure in the face of opposition, to accept adversity without complaint; promotion without arrogance; demotion without resentment. It produces a peace which no trouble can disturb and which no prosperity can puff up.

Which Jesus do you serve

Yes your right this one is a repeat and it I will continue to repeat this till i know that each of us has answered that question.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

 The call to imitate God is a call to separate ourselves from the world though we may be in but not of it  (Ephesians 4:17-19) and how we have been made new (Ephesians 4:20-24) and then gave us specific ways to do that (Ephesians4:25-32).

Our call is to live with the same love that Christ has demonstrated.  Jesus laying down his life for us, was first of all an expression of his love for his Father. Jesus did it, not only because of his love for us, but because first of all he loved the Father and this was  the Father’s will. This ‘life of love’ is not to be something we do to make ourselves feel good or appear good, it is to come out of and be an expression of our love for God Himself.  When John says, “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). The first thing we need to do in the Christian life is become utterly convinced of God’s love.

On Sunday they raise their hands to heaven and declare that it is Jesus that they serve.

Then why do we look so much like the world?

Did you know that the wheat and the tare, the world can't tell which is which and quite frankly neither can I. So I pose the question again, which Jesus do you serve?

My Savior bleed and suffered and died and rose again for a sinner like me. My Savior, was a friend to friendless, He remembers the forgotten ones among us, Which Jesus do you follow?

 Which Jesus do you serve?

Is it this picture of the American dream that you chase after? Is the prince of this world who you serve or did you miss that part when you decided you want fortune and power?

If Jesus was here would you walk right by him or cross over to the other side of the street? 

Would you even recognize him or have time to speak to him?

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a white complexion Michael Angelo version of Jesus ,is that the Jesus you serve? My Savior was battered and bruised for my sins, did you miss that part? Sometimes I ponder do we really understand what the price he paid for us?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they understand and they know My Savior. So which Jesus do we serve. is it the one whom we pray to bless us with great wealth? Or the Jesus who said

blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness?

 So who do you serve? The one whose promises are like shifting sand?

Marine says it God , then country and the marine Corp, what comes first for you?

My Jesus would he be accepted in your churches today? All bloody and bruised with no shoes on his feet, would we want him sitting next to us?  He was not rich he didn't have a pillow to lay his head upon. Today my Jesus would look like a homeless man or perhaps we would see him as mentally insane.

He spent His time with criminals and those that are considered the least among us. Did you know he had a heart for the poor, so which place would  He come to eat Sabbath meal at your house or among those that were forgotten by society?

Its time we decide which Jesus do we serve but I'm not sure we understand what that means to be like Christ,

Jesus said to live like HIM, love like HIM but then does that mean we must be willing to die for HIM as he died for you and I???

Can we be Imitators of Christ? Can we live like our Savior?  Which one do you want to be ? I turned on the TV set today and heard a man preaching Jesus wants to make you rich and that he never intended for us to be poor.  Is that the Jesus your seeking??? Heard a pastor say that his Jesus says that we should never be sad. Yet my Jesus wept when heard his good friend was dead. So which Jesus do you serve?  I know that I want to be more like my Savior and less like me.  I want to be an imitator of my Savior what about you????