Roses and Finials

I’m done! I have finished the class’s finial. Roughly 12 or so pages long and weeks of thought, in fact I’m still thinking about it. In fact I will be thinking about Evangelism and Discipleship for years to come. So in order for me to purposely break away from one thought and go into something totally different I bring you the subject of roses…

Yes the flower, I have roses planted all around the house, I added eight new plants this year. So far I have gotten three roses and very soon there will be literally an explosion of flowers in the next week or so. My wife, the lovely Mrs. Sharon thinks I am very ‘sappy’ when it comes to flowers and the yard. I walk around proudly showing her all the different flowers we have growing and she quietly nods her head and smiles. I feel like one of the kids…I almost expect the standard, “that’s nice dear”.

I love the colors, it amazes me all the different varieties, like the little ‘bush’ I move to the front of the house and it bloomed with all these little orange flowers…I think it is very happy in it new spot…Isn’t great when you finish something hard. Isn’t great when you pour yourself into something and see it bloom right before your eyes. But, there wouldn’t be any of this, if there wasn’t the work involved beforehand. It takes work and dedication to something to see it blossom. I think about reading the Bible…or prayer.

Many times we think it’s not making a difference…it’s easier to just go along and not read it. It’s easier not to pray…sometimes we may not see any rewards for our efforts…at least that is what we think. Give it time and the people around you will see you in a whole new light. You will blossom for the whole world to see! You will become the person God designed you to be.

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Good Morning…

Here I am sitting here looking out my front window @ 7:16 in the morning. I’m sitting here feeling very good this morning…and I haven’t had coffee, yet. I look out and I see clouds and wind…though it is spring…winter hand is near by. I like weather. I like when there is moment in the air…when rain is near. Living in California for me, just make me like the rain all the more…because it only rains certain times of the year.

I also like the stillness of the morning before the boys get up and turn on the T.V. or start fighting. I sit in the stillness and all I hear is Bo’s sighs right behind me…he is desperately wanting to go for a walk. He is funny, when I am home he fallows me everywhere…I am never, never out of his sight. I think he heard me typing about him…he comes over and rest his head on my knee and looks up at me…His eyebrows shift up and down as Bo stares at me and wags his entire backside…

I look forward to church this morning…I like seeing the people. We have a very friendly church, who welcomes everyone. Since coming to First Baptist of Rocklin last July, I have always felt and enjoyed the warm spirit. For me there is nothing like the fellowship you experience at church…So I want to encourage you this morning to go and bask in the light of the Son. Go and let the worries of life go…for a period and just listen and participate in a church…with others in fellowship.

God so longs to have a relationship with you…to speak and help you grow into the person He designed you to be. I am so in awe of God…and how he comes along side and goes with us through life. We are not alone, we are not just a number…we matter; we are made in His image.
So go to church and just let God speak to you and reveal himself to you through music, through prayer, through Scripture, through fellowship…God bless and have a great DAY!

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We have as of today...posted 100 post on 'Dethroned by Grace'

Be Strong and Courageous…

Reading in the book of Joshua is both exciting and at times disturbing. Here the people of Israel have been marching around the desert for over 40 years and now their big moment has arrived. The Israelites enter the promise land and starts to destroy the cities in the land of milk and honey. Being Joshua I can only image the fear he must have felt taking over for Moses. How could he ever measure up to a legend!

But we keep seeing the same words echoed throughout the book…’Be strong and courageous for the Lord is with you’. Joshua not only had God himself say this to him, but his own people also. Everywhere Joshua turned there was someone saying ‘do not fear’, ‘be strong’. I think about how this is still true for us today. God is on our side!

How many times do we try and face difficult circumstances on our own power and when it fails we blame God. Or here is one of my personal traits, I say I trust God, but in my hip pocket is a backup plan incase God doesn’t come through. See we need to trust in God completely…with our whole heart!

Joshua didn’t need to fear because he did exactly what God told him to do. If God said all things that breath air in the next cites are to be put to the sword…Joshua did just that. He didn’t let anything live, just as God commanded. We can look at some of these situations and find them disturbing…but God knew if Joshua didn’t kill everything…it would come back to haunt the people of Israel.

God at times has told you and me to get rid of a sin in our lives…He says to our heart, leave nothing to spare…kill it all, it cannot be allowed to live. What do we do? Well we go after it…but because some small bit of compassion or we just liked it…ever so slightly…we allow a part to live. Only down the road when it returns, bigger and stronger than ever…do we fully understand why God wanted it ‘all killed’.

When facing your Jericho, we need to be obedient and take courage in the ‘fact’ God goes before us and puts terror in the hearts of our enemy. We have to let God fight the big battle and be obedient in the ‘removing’ the sin from our lives…all of it.

Great lessons in the Book of Joshua…Keep reading!

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A Conversation with Anne

Today I have the distinct pleasure of sharing a conversation I had with a classmate at William Jessup University, Anne through email. So you have to excuse the grammar. Anne it is great to have you here as a guest on Dethroned By Grace…

Anne: Steve, in class you were telling us about the Sunday school worker who did things mostly because he had done them for so long, he didn't see a reason to stop. And as I'm going through this whole learning process at school AND at work, when you shared this story, my mind went to an experience that we had at work.

So here are my thoughts: What is the "goal" of the Christian church? Isn't it--or shouldn't it be--to reach the lost? If that is so, then maybe it would be worth listing the "activities" or "things" that we are doing in our churches as part of our daily routine. Those activities that will help us to achieve our goal - of reaching the lost - well, we should keep those activities in place. But those activities that do NOTHING for reaching the lost, well, then maybe we should leave them behind. (For example, placing the names of long time members on a bulletin board?)

Anyway - those are my thoughts around that and I just thought I'd take a moment to share them with you - for whatever it's worth.

Steve: I think you have to look at church through several verses...

Luk 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Mat 22:37-39 Jesus said to him, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Mat 28:18-20 Then Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Eph 4:11-14 It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ's full stature. So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes. But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

If you look at these verses as the core thought, there emerges the idea of the 'whole person' in Christ. We want people to be 'Christ Centered'....'To know Christ and to make Christ know'...If I teach you how to draw nearer to Christ through worship, through discipleship, and service...from a transformed heart, one transformed by the love of Christ in your life...you will want to tell others. You will be like the all the others in the Bible who where told 'don't tell' and told everyone. You will not be able to help yourself.

The problem is I think we have to balance out the development of the person--scripture, prayer, fellowship first...before someone can effectively witness. Also I think there has to be a place for service, somewhere--to do something for someone else without payment...just to give of yourself.

I have the vision, just not the plan yet to implement. If I was to start a church I would go along these line, but I have to work within the frame work of an existing church. Which it will work, just has to be done very slowly and patiently, relying on God's timing.

So to answer your question you cannot just concentrate on just reaching people for Christ solely...you have to bring people into the maturity of Christ also, for unity. This is a life long
process. So you would want to get rid of the things that are just 'window dressing' and keep the things that lead people to a Christ Centered life.

There you go Anne...thanks for helping me work on my outline for the final.

Let me know what you think...

Anne: Steve - very true - you make very good points. Absolutely - we need to think 'holistically'(?). It's getting the people to leave those window dressings behind that will be the challenging part. Indeed - it looks as though you've got a great outline for your paper!! Lucky you! :)

Anne: and another thing - I don't see why we need to have a philosophy of ministry that says, "I will reach the....youth/old/poor/rich...." At least, that's what I think Mike is sort of looking for, no? When we look at Jesus' ministry, He did, just as you show below - He focused on 'all who are lost'. So I think I'm going to be challenged to say, "My philosophy of ministry is...the poor/kids/etc." I think that I'd like my philosophy to match that of Christ.

What are your thoughts on that?

Steve: Don't you think Christ came for all people...rich/poor/young/old...Jesus talked to the rich young ruler...the rich choose to reject Jesus.

Joh 1:29 On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Joh 3:16 For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Gal 6:14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

1Ti 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the truth.

The whole counsel of God says we are to try and reach everyone...

Anne: YES!! That's EXACTLY my point!!! So when we talk about, "What's your philosophy of ministry?", how can we say ANYTHING BUT, "my philosophy will be that which Jesus did!"

I guess my question is - I really need clarification for the final - is Mike (our professor) expecting us to say something more like, "My philosophy will be to reach the rich people or Rocklin/Roseville, and here's how I'm going to do it....."???

Thanks for all of the Bible verses by the way - saves me a whole lot of look up!

But seriously though, since I missed the first night of class, can you tell me what Mike's expecting for that particular paper?

Steve: No you need to root it in scripture...how can we have a Christian ministry and not have it come from the Bible...Your philosophy should be based in Scripture and what is our current culture...how would you address the felt needs of those around you...

Anne: I had planned on writing my paper based on what the scripture says that ministry should look like.

Are you saying then that "philosophy of ministry" is "method" NOT "message"?

I guess my confusion comes from a class discussion that we had around Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen. What I heard Mike say was, "Joyce talks about wealth -that's HER P.O.M. Joel DOESN'T talk about sin - that's HIS P.O.M." So what I took away from that class discussion is that "P.O.M" is "who" you reach.

But what I hear YOU saying is "how" you reach - would that be correct?

Thanks for helping me clarify this - really - I'm not as dense as I sound right now.

Steve: You're good...it is method not message....we have to be based in scripture or it will not work for the kingdom. It might tickle ears...but will the message change lives, transform hearts. I'm preaching...I should blog this conversation...it's good stuff...

Do I have your permission?

Anne: Do you really need to ask? Please! Go ahead! But tell me again where I go to read your blog?

So would you agree or disagree then, that:

If we are all ministers of the Gospel, then we should ALL have a philosophy of ministry. I would suggest that there doesn't always need to be one "method". I minister to the people inside my home. I go through Starbucks drive through and tell the girl at the window that Jesus loves her. She looks at me funny, but I don't care! I serve in my church in the neighborhood outreach and tell them too that Jesus loves them.

Would then "Philosophy of Ministry" really mean being Kingdom minded? It's asking ourselves, 'how will my words & actions today effect the Kingdom'. As Toby Mac says, "May your Kingdom be what wakes us up and what lays us down."

Your thoughts?

Steve: Love it...I think your on message! Your moving me Anne...your right, your philosophy of ministry would be used by you to reach the people around you. You said it much better than me...and you quoted Toby Mac...right on...

Pastorsteven.blogspot.com

Anne: SWEET!! We've got some good content for our papers then, right?! Yeah!
Thanks for helping me work through this!

Steve: Thank you for helping me...

It's a little long...but some very interesting thoughts here...I would be interested what you think...

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Discipleship??

I just finished a class on discipleship and evangelism, the final is due next Tuesday. So my thoughts are on this subject as I get ready to write my views. In the Bible the thought of 'go' make disciples is something in the local church we have trouble with. I'm convinced that discipleship can’t and shouldn't be a fill in the blanks Bible Study…or a topical Bible study on Sunday morning geared towards mature Christians. What does it mean? What would it look like in Jesus time? Go back and every Jewish boy by the age of thirteen had studied and memorized much of the Pentateuch (first five book of the Bible) and the prophets. The best and the brightest students would have the opportunity to continue their education and maybe…get accepted into a rabbinical school. It would be in this place the young inspiring student would come under the teaching of his teacher. If he wasn’t the best and the brightest it was off to another vocation, maybe a shepherd, fisherman, carpenter, or farmer.

While the bright student was at the rabbinical schools, there were five characteristics he would follow.

1. The disciple chose to submit to his teacher.
2. The disciple would memorize his teacher’s words.
3. The disciples would learn his teacher’s way of ministry.
4. The disciple would imitate his teacher’s life.
5. The disciple would be expected to find his own disciples.

I found this very interesting…let’s put this into a perceptive we can understand in today’s Christian life.

1. We must submit to Christ.
2. We must memorize his words, know the Word.
3. Learn the way Jesus did ministry.
4. Be like Jesus.
5. Tell other about Jesus.

All of this must be done in fellowship with other believers. All of this needs to be done through prayer. We need to know the Scripture, we need to be in prayer, in fellowship with Christ and each other. We need to be a witness for Christ, sharing our faith with others. Lastly we need to serve, serving in ministry, somewhere and somehow.

I think if we are serious about reaching our children and if we are serious about being a Christian. We need to be very serious about discipleship. I think we have missed the boat for to many years in America. We have sacrificed true discipleship for surface studies of the Bible that make us feel good. We need to get deep into the word and let it change us. If we are not willing to do the work and if we are going to sacrifice our limited time for the simple pursuit of possessions and happiness…we will miss our opportunity to change the people around us. We miss the opportunity to change the world for Christ. Christ has to be the center of our lives…He is Life. We need to be more and more Christ like and less and less ‘ME’ like.

Read you Bible, pray…pray…pray, fellowship with Christ and other Christians…from that share your faith with others. Serve, serve your church, serve your neighbor…your family…your wife…your husband…give away of yourself…and gain the joy of Christ

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Big 41

Today I turned 41; yes it’s over no more birthdays, right! I got up this morning and did my Bible reading and prayer time. Got the boys up, feed and out the door and then I went fishing. I haven’t been fishing in years. It is one of those things I put on hold while I was on active duty with the Air Force. So I went to Camp Far West, a reservoir near by and fished off the dam. I caught two Black Stripped Bass…one little guy and one bigger guy. I let both go and just was thankful I caught something. I fished for about five hours, just one more cast…I know something will hit…I got home ate something and took a nap.

So there was my day…

This morning I came across a verse in Deuteronomy 32:47…It’s Moses last words to Joshua and the people of Israel for the most part. He has recited the song God gave to Moses and he repeats for all to hear. Then he says…”They are not just idle words for you—they are your life”.

Think about what he is saying the words of the Law are not just words but “their life”. So how does this apply to you and me….

The Bible is God’s word to us…they are not just idle words—they are our life! God’s word is life, our life. This really hit me today…God’s word is life. I think about how the Bible impacts the way I live my life everyday. God through the Holy Spirit comes along side me and illuminates the passages and teaches me. In light of this passage, think about these verses…

Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

1Pe 2:8 and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

1Jn 2:5 But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

Rev 19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God

Joh 1:2 The Word was with God in the beginning.

Joh 1:14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory — the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Jesus is the Word=Jesus is our Life…

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Gardening…

Since buying a home I have taken up gardening. I have never in my life owned my yard. So now I feel like the yard reflects me in some way…strange. Growing up I hated having to weed or water…now I enjoy it. I’m away from everything and I just work…no phone, email. It’s just me the dirt, plants and God.

So today, I planted shrubs, flowers and strawberries. After getting everything into the ground I started to do the weeding. Now I hate weeds…I hate where they grow. They like to get in places where you can't reach. You fight and get where you can reach them and you get your grip…pull and all the leaves comes off, leaving the root. So you can’t leave the root…because it will grow back right. So you have to dig the dirt around the root and pull it out. But in the end there a deep satisfaction knowing you got that weed, roots and all.

But this satisfaction is only temporary, because the weeds will be back, like the Terminator. It’s a guarantee…so how does this all fit into my life. Sin, sin is always lurking at our door. It is always at work in our lives and we need to address it, roots and all. You cannot let sin have any space, because like the weed it will grow where you least expect it. It will establish deep roots that tap into your soul. We can attempt to remove it, but most of our efforts will result in us pulling off the leaves…leaving the root. Before you know it the sin has come back bigger and stronger.

It is when we trust in Jesus the ‘Great Gardener’ to remove the sin once and for all…He is the ultimate ‘Round Up’. He is the only one who can remove the sin. It is our job to keep the sin from getting roots. It means when the sin lands our mind or heart, we need to remove it. We cannot allow it to grow and establish roots.

James 1:13-15 “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted By God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin
is full grown, it gives birth to death.

Well that is all I can muster for today…I’m beat! Gardening is hard work and you have to keep at it. You can never quit…because the weeds will always be there fighting for a place in your yard. Just like sin…

Do Not Forget…

Reading in Deuteronomy all the various laws, marriage violations, uncleanness in camp, miscellaneous laws…one thing you keep seeing is a reminder. God reminds the Israelites not to forget where they came from.

Deuteronomy 24:17 “Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there.”

The memory of their own poverty and oppression in Egypt was to prompt them to leave generous gleanings (grapes and grain not harvested) for the poor sojourner, the widow, and the fatherless.

So how does this verse affect you and me? How should I view this verse in the light of my own life?

First we are to remember we were bought with a price. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” This should bring us to our knees, knowing Christ paid the price for our sin. We cannot ever forget we were once lost and now we are saved…amazing grace…in fact…When John Newton the writer of Amazing Grace became a Christian, he printed verse 22 in large letters and hung it over his mantelpiece, where he would be constantly reminded of it.

Secondly we cannot forsake our civic duty to care for those who are less fortunate. We must take care of the widow and the fatherless. We must take care of the alien…the alien? What about the illegal alien? Do we have an obligation to care for them as well…According to the Bible we have an obligation to care for them as well. It doesn’t matter what side of the political fence you sit on, the fact is God wants us to care for them. In caring for them we are showing Christ loves them…and we are remembering our own redemption.

So there you have it…do not forget where you came from and let the love of Christ shine in you for others to see. It is easy to do, forgetting, it is easy to become complacent and comfortable. But in our comfort let always be mindful of the ones who everyday struggle for a bowl of rice, a dry place to sleep…or security to just sleep. Let us never forget we too are aliens…that this is not our home. One day we will have to go home and give an account of our visit…

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Purpose…

We are all looking for and wanting to know our purpose. If you don’t believe me look how Rick Warren book “Purpose Driven Life” touched millions of people. We all want to know what our purpose is. We all want to know why I am here?

2 Corinthians 5:15 says…

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

First we see Christ died for all…he didn’t die for some, but all. This is important to remember…Christ died for all. In the same chapter we see how God was “reconciling the world to himself in Christ, v.19.” God want to save the world, through His Son. This is clearly taught throughout Scripture…all have the opportunity to accept or deny the message of Christ.

Second, we no longer live for ourselves, but we are to live for Christ…We no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ!

Galatians 2:20 Says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me…

The purpose of life is found in the person of Christ. It is only when we no longer live for ourselves, will we find and understand our purpose. The first chapter of Rick Warren’s book simply says, “It’s not about you.” It’s not about us…it is about Christ…we find our purpose in Him and Him alone.

Purpose is important for all of us. It drives us and keeps us moving when life gets us down. I think of all the times I have fallen in life and felt like giving up, purpose has helped me back to my feet. I preach and I have to admit I struggle to be in front of people. It is something for me that is not natural. I can talk one on one, or to a small group in a teaching environment. But preaching is another story. I preached my first sermon, I stood at parade rest. Arms locked behind my back, scared to death. The two years I preached at Northside Baptist, I bet you can still find my finger prints on the pulpit from gripping it so hard. I get nervous and I beat myself up if I think I failed. The point is I could have pursued a different career path, an easier path. But I can’t…I have a purpose; I have been called to preach. My purpose is in Christ, it isn’t about me. I get up there and try my best…because of Christ.

All of us have a purpose in Christ…we are to find our worth in Him. No matter where I work or live, I live and work for Christ. Christ is everything!

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There is No Other God…

Deuteronomy is an awesome book…it is one of my favorites. It’s like listening to a pep talk…Moses is reminding the people of Israel all they have learned. You’re going to go solo, please remember...

In Deuteronomy 4:32-39 Moses reminds the people about God. He reminds with verses like this…

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. 33 Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? 34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

He is reminding them that nothing like this has ever happened…God has never done this before. No other god has done this, because they don’t exist. God, the one true God, does exist and look what He has done!

35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.

God wanted them to know Him…to know there is no other God. You see many time we are told, Christians are too “dogmatic”. Christians claim there is no other way to heaven. How can we have such arrogance? God said there is no other besides him. When we see Jesus in the gospel of John saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is plainly saying there is no one else. No one else is looking out for you...no one cares...becuase there is nobody else.

The world will tell there are many gods, or many paths. But in the Bible says, “There is no other besides Him…and Jesus says there is no other way to Him but through Jesus. Listen to these other two verse out of Deuteronomy…

35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him.

39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other

John 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Throughout history God has clearly displayed Himself. He has revealed Himself in history…then He revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. He intervened into human history and walked among us. He lived and died for us! When I think about all of this I am overwhelmed! The Lord is amazing…to further think He actively intervenes into our own lives. I can barely take it in…The Lord is great.

So take time and just worship the one true God…go and worship Christ the Lord…

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Keep reading your Bibles....the link is on the side menu.

What’s Your Name…

Here I am shaking the hand of Dr. Frank Page the President of the Southern Baptist Convention; I introduced myself and didn’t say my name. He is looking me in the eyes and asks, “What is your name”. My first thought was I told you my name…then it hit me and all I could say was uhh…Steve. So there you have it, in all my years I don’t recall ever forgetting to say my name.

I enjoyed getting to sit and listen to the “big picture” of our SBC. I got to listen to Dr. Page’s twice and I was greatly impressed. He is a gifted speaker, without a doubt. But what I admired the most was his desire to reach people for Christ. He was also greatly concerned but hopeful about the future of the SBC. I still don’t understand all the inner workings of the SBC, because most of this is very new to me. But I do understand politics and I do understand what it means to be a team player. I believe Frank Page is a team player, someone who genuinely cares about people. In caring he is honest in his opinions about the future direction. He understands the dire need for changes in the way SBC churches do business, because there is so much at stake. What is at stake, an entire generation of 18-29 year olds who are writing us off…we are on the brink of losing an entire generation for Christ.

I am encouraged by what I have heard and what I have seen over the last few days. I know over the next few years the SBC is going to face some very serious challenges. I think many in my generation have a great desire to return to the Bible more than the traditions of our past. We have a desire to be moved by the spirit in our generation. To follow where God is leading us now…in this time and in this place. I believe it will look different than the past…but it has too. My prayer is we will not push to brink of breaking the frame work that so many before us have worked to build. It is a house where we can pull together to reach a greater world at large, all for the name of Christ.

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Sinners Prayer...

Being of the Baptist tradition I have always been taught accepting Christ is as easy as A-B-C...

Admit your a sinner and need forgiveness...

Believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Died for your sins...

Commit your life to Christ...

But isn't there a lot more? David Gushee ask the same question in his article Jesus and the Sinners Prayer...its a good read. I would be interested in what you think so leave a comment.

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Does Character Count?

How would you define character?

According the dictionary character is defined as such:

the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody’s qualities of mind and feeling…

Now does God care about character? Of course He does…

Let’s take a look at prayer and character and how they interact…

Colossians 3:1-17 reads…

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Paul echoes this same type language throughout the New Testament. So the thought becomes...how does prayer play into these verses...

Prayer governs character, and character makes conduct…

Conduct is what we do; character is what we are. Conduct is the outward life. Character is the life unseen, hidden within, yet evidenced by what is seen…Character is the state of the heart, conduct its outward expression…

In Christ teaching we see Christ more concern with the inward character, than with outward conduct…

Paul’s Epistles…He is insistent on the holiness of the heart…the righteousness of life…we read one of many tonight…it is the condition of the heart…

The Christian faith is in the business of taking people devoid of spiritual character, an unholy life…and changes them…changes their hearts and their life. It is through prayer this is done…

The office of prayer is to change the character and conduct of men…it has to work from the inside out…

We struggle in life with conduct…many times we treat the symptoms by not the disease…see the disease is a sick heart…ravaged by sin…

Prayer produces cleanliness of heart and purity of life…Unrighteous conduct is born out of praylessness; the two go hand and hand. Prayer and sinning cannot keep company with each other.

If you want to understand how to live the life God has called us to…it starts and ends with prayer…prayer reflects our conduct thus reflects our character…bad living means bad praying and in the end no praying at all.

Here it is plainly stated, unholy conduct is a bar to successful praying, in order to have full access to God in prayer, there must be total abandonment of conscious and premeditated sin.

We are enjoined to pray, “lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting…we have a privilege of calling upon God…our conduct has to reflect this privilege…we cannot divorce praying from conduct.

How are we going to have full access to God if we are living in sin…this is why it’s so important to be in prayer…it is vital to our lives as Christians…

Why is character so important…The most effective preaching, is not that which is heard from the pulpit, but that which is proclaimed quietly, humbly, and consistently; which exhibits its excellence in the home, and in the community.

Don’t get me wrong we are going to sin and fall short…and God loves the repent heart…but repentance means turning away from our sin…old things must pass away, all things must become new…

While life condition by prayer, prayer is also condition of righteous living…Prayer is what sets us on the path of living fruitful lives, prayer set our minds and hearts on things above, it puts to death the old nature…it is the new self, the heart is renewed. From this position we can live as God’s chosen people holy, clothed with compassion, gentle and patient, forgiving…loving

We can have peace of Christ; live in unity….and always…

17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

So again does character count….yes! Godly character starts and ends with prayer!

-ps

*Taken from E.M. Bounds "The Necessity of Prayer"

Good Tired…

Ever had a “good tired?” Well today was a good day. I had regular church service this morning. Afterwards I did a drive by delivery of my family and raced to Loma Rica Baptist church to be part of an ordination of Pastor Dave. First of all, Pastor Dave has a link on this blog called “Pastor Dave Lets His Hair Down”. He is not known for being your dye in the wool Southern Baptist preacher…don’t get me wrong, theologically he is as sound as one can be. But he is not known for his suits and ties…if he is wearing a tie; it has a joke on it. So today I didn’t ware a tie and coat for that reason. Well Dave walks out of his church today wearing a suit and tie! He looked great!,

Today was a celebration and it was good to see his church family extend their love towards him. He is a man whose heart is set on God and it is a privilege to call him brother. Brother Bob (“empty hands” blog…) sang like no one can. He is my vote for American Idol, hands down.

Afterwards I ran back to Rocklin to preach tonight. So I made it home and it was a great day and I’m really tired…it’s a good tired though. I promise to post something deeper tomorrow.

-ps

What Matters…

I have been reading for days on the Baptist blogs and I know some of you come here for the message I share from everyday life and the Bible. I have to confess I’m not a theologian. I love to read and studying the lofty ideas presented by our rich faith. I’m amazed by how deep you can explore the riches of scriptures. But I often wonder if we haven’t lost the main point…what matters. In Acts 4 Peter and John are brought before the elders and the teachers of the law. The high priest was there along with all the “big” guns, the who’s who…they asked Peter and John “By what power or what name did you do this?” (They had been used to heal a lame beggar at the temple)

Peter filled with the Holy Spirit…”it is by the of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is

The stone you builders rejected,
Which has become the cornerstone.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved…

When the they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:10-13 (TNIV)

Did you catch the last line…these men had been with Jesus. There was something about Peter and John, they had the look of the master. They had walked close with Jesus everyday…filled with the Holy Spirit they we starting to act and sound like Jesus. The religious leaders were astonished, not by their theological expertise or of their Biblical exegesis of passages supporting the healing of a lame beggar. They were astonished by the courage…the courage of knowing and proclaiming the risen Jesus.

We can have the same courage about Jesus…in fact I bet if you were to think about all the times you knew God intervened in your life…you would start to realize how He has been walking with you for a long time. In fact He had you in mind when He created the entire universe. I know “such thoughts are too lofty for me to understand” lamented the Psalmist. Paul prayed for the Ephesians church this way…

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 4:16-19

Peter and John were rooted and established in Christ…it gave them boldness and confidence—knowing the love that surpasses knowledge, allowed them to boldly proclaim Jesus Christ. We need to do the same…because it is what matters, because:

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved…


-ps

Are you reading your Bibles?

Quiet Time...

I came across this "Advice for Quiet Time" on joethorn.net, great advice. Tell me what you think. I like the easy prayer outline "ACTS"...

-ps

Socks and Life…

You know life can be a great teacher. My middle son Jake is a great kid. He comes home from school and takes off his shoes and everyone knows he’s home. It’s not by the visual site of him, or even the rapid deployment and raid of the cabinets and refrigerator. It is the whiff of an odor, several days ago Jakes shoes got wet and he has been wearing them this way. Well as you can now visualize and smell. The stench is amazing. My wife locked onto the smell like a prize hound and promptly tracked Jake down. She instantly demanded Jake to remove his socks and wash his feet. To which Jake gave one of the most profound statements I have ever heard. After his statement (which I holding back for dramatic effect) caused me to momentarily consider the current condition of our nations educational system. His statement to my wife was, “well you only wash the outside of my socks, that is why they smell”. He said this with a straight face, it left us speechless…It took a minute or so for him to realize he had said something profoundly stupid, fodder for the rest of his life.

How many times have we said something to regret for the rest of our lives. Once it is released it cannot be erased, there isn't a rewind button, we are in constant “live” mode. Apply this to our Christian walk. Many times Christians can say things that have an impact on people lives that last “forever”. Jake only has to live with his comments as long as I’m alive. But what we say to others while representing Christ echo into eternity. I hope this scares you, because it terrifies me. The old Sunday school saying holds true…you are the closest thing to a Bible some will ever see. As Christians we need to be mindful of what we say and were we say it. People are always listening and watching how you live your life. Live your life as such, right thinking matched with right living. People will see what we say long before they hear what we say.

-ps