Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Speaking the Truth in Love (Part 3)

GodThoughtsWired!               Wednesday April 28, 2010
An Inspiration for Today...A Resource for a Lifetime!
Speaking the Truth in Love


PART 3

Does belief in ultimate truth, imply “intolerance?” I would suggest no. For example, it has been scientifically demonstrated that human beings cannot live without breathing in oxygen. Frankly, I believe it. Does that make me intolerant? Is it rational to deem people intolerant because they affirm certain truths? Of course not! Human beings need oxygen to live. It is a fact, an absolute truth. Accepting such a reality doesn’t make one tolerant or intolerant. It simple makes them…CORRECT!
An objective look at “relativism” (the belief that there is no absolute truth) reveals, “The relativist stands on the pinnacle of an absolute truth and wants to relativize everything else.”
Indeed, an unbiased glance shows the world to be absolutely full of absolute truths. However, for relativism to be true, it would require a world full of contradictions. I say, “That’s a candy bar.” You say, “No, that’s a goat.” If we’re both right, then the candy bar is the goat at the same time, but, of course, that’s impossible (yet, today’s tolerance suggests, “That’s ok, as long as it’s true for you”). So, for truth to be relative ,the impossible…must not be.
Again, the Christian says, “There is a God,” and the atheist proclaims, “There is no God.” Relativism and today’s “tolerance” suggests that both are true. Indeed, it is as Geisler suggests,
If truth is relative, then no one is ever wrong –
even when they are.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Speaking the Truth in Love (Part 1)

GodThoughtsWired!                    Monday, April 26, 2010
An Inspiration for Today...A Resource for a Lifetime!
Speaking the truth in love

PART 1

"Speaking the truth in love,
we are to grow up
in all aspects into Him
whO is the head, even Christ."

Ephesians 4:15
Truth without love can be legalism, "the letter kills" (see 2 Corinthians 3:6), but love without truth is impotent. The Bible tells us that others will know that we are Christians by our love (see John 13:35), but then goes on to explain that the "love" God is referring to translates into action. "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" (John 14:15, see also 14:21; 2 John 6).
Awhile back I wrote about "The Age of Tolerance,"  and it hit a nerve with an "anonymous subscriber." He wrote,
"Never in my life did I ever think that a Christian would be speaking out against tolerance...Last time I checked, Jesus ate with prostitutes and tax collectors, and he showed them tolerance when no one else would..."
Well, he's certainly right about a couple of things, Jesus IS our model and He certainly ate with prostitutes and tax collectors. This subscriber goes on to say,
I've also recently heard are, "You Christians are so narrow-minded!" "You think that your way is the ONLY way!" You're right and everyone lese is wrong!" How 'intolerant' can you be?" "Why can't you just live and let live?"
Have you ever heard some of these comments, or others like them? I bet you have. Aren't Christians supposed to love all people unconditionally? Doesn't the Bible warn us not to judge? What Does the Bible Say About "Tolerance?"*
Stay tuned.
*To receive your free copy of The Bible Says Brochure on "Tolerance," simply send me an e-mail, include your snail-mail address, write TOLERANCE in the subject box, and send.

Friday, April 23, 2010

An Eternal Tragedy 2

GodThoughtsWired!            Friday April 23, 2010
Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion
AN ETERNAL TRAGEDY

PART 2

"Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,'
did we not prophesy in Your name,
and in Your name cast out demons,
and in Your name perform many miracles?
And then I will declare to them,
'I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness."

Matthew 7:21-23 (BOLD MINE)

Have you ever really studied this passage of scripture?  Do you understand its implications?  This isn't a warning to the world...it is a rebuke to the church!

-Where do you find people who have no problem calling Jesus "Lord"?  That's right, in the church!

-And where do you find people involved in prophecy, deliverance, and miracles?  That's right, in the church!

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus is talking to the "many" people in the church who think they are saved...but are not!

And HOW IN THE WORLD IS THIS POSSIBLE?  How could this happen?  How could such sincere individuals be so deceived?

"For false Christs and false prophets will arise
and will show great signs and wonders,
so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."
Matthew 24:24

Do you know what "false Christs" and "false prophets" produce?

False gospels (see 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  By the way, "many" of today's most popular preachers are classic examples!

And do you know what "false gospels" produce?

That's right, people in the church who think they are saved...but are not.

It's An Eternal Tragedy.

*Remember to check out pastor Brad on YouTube.com.  Simply go to www.youtube.com and type in "GodThoughtslive!" in the search box.  We'd love to hear your feedback.


Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Vocation of Every True Christian

GodThoughtsWired!                  Thursday, April 15, 2010
An Inspiration for Today...A Resource for a Lifetime!
the vocation of
every true christian
Doulos: "Bond-servant, slave."
 "Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life
as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:45
It is the calling of every sincere follower of Christ. John learned it, "He sent and communicated it (the book of Revelation) by His angel to His bond-servant (doulos) John" (Revelation 1:1). Paul knew it, "Paul, a bond-servant (doulos) of Christ Jesus" (Romans 1:1; see also, Titus 1:1). James was clearly aware of it, "James, a bond-servant (doulos) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1). And even Peter finally got it, "Simon Peter, a bond-servant (doulos) and apostle of Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1).
Yes, the followers of Jesus had learned their lessons well. No matter what the occupation, the vocation of every believer, first and foremost, is to be a "doulos" for the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, to serve Christ...is to be like Christ (see Mark 10:35-45).
WARNING: Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters...You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24). Why would Jesus say such a thing? Perhaps He knew that "many" would try. Perhaps these are a part of the "many" that Jesus said would think are going to heaven...but aren't (see Matthew 7:21-23).
REMEMBER: Many will try and serve God AND money...but Jesus said it can't be done.

Friday, April 2, 2010

The Making of Fools

GodThoughtsWired!             Friday, April 2, 2010
Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion
the making of fools
STUDIES FROM ROMANS 1
"Therefore God gave them over...
For this reason God gave them over...
And just as they did not see fit
to acknowledge God any longer,
God gave them over..."

Romans 1:24,26,28
Perhaps the greatest danger is not getting what we deserve ("mercy" has been defined as "God not giving us what we deserve") but rather, getting what we want. Hell* is the "permanezation" (I think I just decided to make up a new word meaning "to make permanent") of the rebellious heart:
 "The place where personal sovereignty is normal is called Hell. It is a place of eternal conflict. Billions of willful, stubborn, prideful, selfish humans and fallen angels will compete for control...If Heaven is the kingdom of God where one Will reigns supreme resulting in peace and harmony, then hell is the logical opposite, resulting in pain and conflict."
-Jan David Hettinga, Follow Me, p.88.
Hell is that place where "willful blindness" becomes "penal blindness" for eternity. The deliberate rejection of God becomes judicial punishment...FOREVER.
In Romans 1 we see:
1. "God gave them over in the lusts of their heart to impurity" (see verse 24). Why? Because THEY CHOSE to "exchange the truth of God for a lie" (verse 25). They did the opposite of Moses:
 "But Moses, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God
than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin."

-Hebrews 11:25
Every time we CHOOSE the "passing pleasures of sin" we take one step closer to being "given over" to them.
2. "God gave them over to degrading passions" (see verse 26). Why? Because THEY CHOSE the "passing pleasures of sin" (verse 25). One of life's great revelations come when we realize that among the "wages of sin" is death to understanding. Sin takes away our understanding, which left unrepented, ultimately leads to ruin (see Hosea 4:11,14; Romans 1:31).
 "One of the penalties of sin is our acceptance of it.
It is not only God who punishes for sin, but sin establishes itself in the sinner and takes its toll. 
No struggling or praying will enable you to
stop doing certain things, and the penalty of sin
is that you gradually get used to it, until you
finally come to the place where you
no longer even realize that it is sin."
-Oswald Chambers,
My Utmost for His Highest,
"The Master Will Judge"
3. "God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper" (verse 28). Why? Because consistent commitment to sin erodes reason.
 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
who substitue darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitue bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight."

Isaiah 5:20-21
It is so very important to "understand" that the human conscience is something completely different from the "conviction of the Holy Spirit" (see John 16:8-11). The "conviction of the Holy Spirit" comes from an "unchanging God" (see Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) grounded in and affirmed by His "unchanging word" (see Psalm 19:7; Proverbs 30:5-6). The human conscience however, is culturally defined and as such, is as changeable as the ocean shores (see Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 28:26).
"Professing to be wise, they became fools"
-Romans 1:22