Secret things!

Ephesians 5: 11 - 12

¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Are every day church people, exempt from deeds of darkness?

Some of what people speak in secret, indicates their true heart.

Is it possible for people who have secret meetings and speak harsh words, are they shameful in the eyes of God?

One would have to be curious about a person’s salvation, because of the things done in secret.

Again, I think we should pose the question… “Are all church people really saved”?

I think it’s at least worth the discussion.

The evil acts of men, only confirm what we find in the Bible.

The Bible says that the heart of man is deceitfully wicked, so anything’s possible…right?

I used to tell some of the men of accountability I used to meet with, that I was capable of any heinous crime, and yet they would scoff.

I think sometimes we forget, that Adolph Hitler was self proclaiming confessed Christian.

What sets a person apart as a follower of Jesus? In Jesus, there is no darkness at all.

Is there an area of darkness in your life, that needs to be confessed today?

Then work that out with God, and move toward repentance, if in fact, that’s what’s necessary… 

What Manner?

Romans 1: 29

²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness…

Nothing hurts a church more than someone spreading false rumors.

If we’re all honest though, we’ve all had a hand in spreading some sort of rumor over time.

The latest one that has affected me, is the one that someone is currently going around with.

It’s suggested that someone we asked to come in and minister to our church, is being paid regularly out of the church benevolence fund.

Where they got their information, is anyone’s guess, and it just isn’t true!

Sometimes the spin is actually trying to create permanent damage, on purpose.

Rumors are sinful, make no mistake about it.

Starting them or adding fuel to them, God still hates.

Paul said these sorts of people were filled with unrighteousness.

There is no room in the church for a misrepresentation of the truth.

If we hear rumors floating around, the best thing we can do is to stomp them out.

I don’t think we have to do some exhaustive Bible study, to know that starting or fostering rumors is wrong.

Maybe if we focused more on the truth, the truth would actually set us free…

Inner Beauty!

1 Samuel 16: 7   NKJV

“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.

For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

We all know the old sayings… “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, or “Beauty is only skin deep”.

We know this much, a person’s appearance is not the real indicator of what’s in the heart.

Jesus even stated that even if the outside of the cup appears clean, the inside might reveal a completely different story.

In an egocentric society, what’s on the inside, might be a lot different than what’s on the outside.

God makes it clear what really matters to Him.

Inner beauty is what counts to Him.

So when someone see’s you coming to church on Sunday morning, is what they see, what they get?

We can hide what’s on the inside, from those on the outside, but God knows the truth.

Sometimes it’s important to know the real heart of a person, before we ever assess their character.

I wonder how many people I’ve judged personally, without ever getting to know them on the inside?

Have you ever done that?

But then it goes both ways, doesn’t it?

Some people I’ve met actually looked like they’ve had it all together, spiritually, that is until you they showed you their true, inward colors…  

Endure!

Matthew 24: 12 - 13

¹² And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

On August 11^th, 1927…Pastor Smith Wigglesworth preached a sermon on the second coming of Jesus.

He told his congregation that day, to watch out for these signs…

·         There must be special preparation for the return of Christ and at least half of all believers will be totally unprepared.

·         There will be many Christians who believe that they can do whatever they want and God will look the other way.

·         It will be common for preachers to deny the existence of hell.

·         It will be offensive to talk about the blood of Christ.

·         The pulpit will not be a place where you’ll hear about sin, repentance or confession.

·         The world will look to worship a man and will overlook his faults to get him into power.

·         People will believe that certain preachers are powerful symbols of God, simply because of their crowds and their buildings.

·         As churches turn away from the Holy Spirit many believers will seek after false teachers.

·         The last days are a time for the truest people of God, to engage in extravagant asking.

I wonder how many people then, thought old Pastor Wigglesworth had lost his mind?

It seems like the old codger knew what he was talking about after all.

So in considering what this preacher of the past had to say, will you be one of the few, who will endure to the end?

Maybe it’s time for the church, to engage in extravagant asking…

Who's Benefit?

1 Corinthians 1: 30   NLT

³⁰ God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

If we’re ever going to be truly like Jesus, then everything we do, has to be for someone else’s benefit.

I sat in on a Bible study yesterday, and I was reminded of some crucial information that followers of Jesus, totally miss.

We all relate to the death of Jesus, because we celebrate that on Good Friday, or when we take communion.

We all relate to the Resurrection of Jesus, because that’s why we go to such great lengths to celebrate Easter Sunday.

But when’s the last time you celebrated the burial of Jesus though?

The burial of Jesus is mostly an afterthought in the church.

Most of the decisions we make in the church, are for our benefit, are they not?

Who do you know who buries their plans or agendas or feelings, for the sake of the Body of Christ these days?

Most people leave churches for their benefit, and most people stay in churches for their benefit.

When’s the last time you went to Jesus, and had a burial of sorts? Maybe we need to stop looking out for number one, and look out for everyone else.

Jesus did everything for our benefit, and nothing for His benefit.

Every time we step out in faith for Christ, me must not only die, but we had better pick out a place to be buried too.

Maybe that’s the problem with the church today.

It could be that when we say we… “die” to things, we might not be so quick to bury them. Maybe the church is only teaching a small portion of the Gospel… 

Don't Stop!

Matthew 23: 37

³⁷ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!

How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Jesus had been rejected by those whom he loved.

I can assume that Jesus felt anger, and pain, and grief and sadness.

Have you ever loved anyone, that in the end, rejected you?

If you haven’t taken a chance on loving someone, then you can’t begin to feel the pain of Jesus.

Jesus wanted nothing more, than to turn a wayward city away from destruction.

We can feel the same way, when the Gospel account is rejected by those whom we shared it with, and care about.

Jesus had the power to gather His people, and He made every effort to reach them.

Those whom Jesus tried to reach, had a certain animosity toward the message and the prophets of God.

No matter how hard your efforts are for those you love, some even whom you love the most, will sometimes negate your best laid intentions.

But that doesn’t mean we stop trying…

Assignment!

Philippians 2: 5 - 7

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant…

Did you know that being a true servant, starts in the mind?

Paul even starts verse 5 with… “Have this mind among yourselves…”

Are you into establishing a personal reputation, or are you on the other hand, a servant?

God is always more interested in who you are, than what you are.

Servants have an attitude to serve.

People who are not servants, are mostly interested in serving themselves.

Who are you serving these days?

True servants focus on others.

My youngest brother works for a company, who purposes themselves to serve the needs of people in need.

They have raised literally thousands of dollars, on their own time, blessing people who need to be served.

This is a secular Green Bay company, who could put most churches to shame, and the reason that is, is they’ve figured out how to serve.

Humility is not thinking less about yourself, but thinking of yourself, less.

True servants focus on their God given assignment.

So what’s your God given assignment today? You do have one, don’t you?