Tag Archives: pastor

Christianity, Current events, doctrine, faith, Theology, Uncategorized

I Went Back to the Well

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love”.

We have all seen followers of Christ that have veered off course, started to follow the money and fame, or even left the faith. Something can happen to cause doubt and wandering in a Christian. Whether its the cares of this world, the money that can be had by fame, or simple a wrong turn. The losing of the first love, the fire and zeal one has for the study and preaching/teaching of Jesus and the only means of salvation, the Cross.

That was where I found myself for about the last year. I didn’t walk away or follow some money scheme.I just lost the fire and zeal of the love of Jesus the Christ. A couple years, I left the Catholic church and set out on what turned out to be a journey. I went from the Catholic church back to my Protestant roots.

I went from Roman Catholic to a local Pentecostal church, the Healing Ministries Church of God of Mountain Assembly. I had been there a few times, saw my oldest son saved and baptized there. But felt it wasn’t for me.

And I ended up being a partial Calvinist. I say partial because I could get behind all of the points of TULIP (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Preserving Grace). The petal of this flower I had issue with was the Calvinist view of election. I could merge this with the concept of freewill and the words “Whosoever” from verses like John 3:16 and Acts 10:43. So I knew I could no longer be a Calvinist.

Now I was at at point that I tried the Healing Ministries church again. This time it was an older pastor who had been pastor at the church before. He is an old-timey preacher. Everything in his messages leads one back to the cross. I knew people that went there and figured I need a church, so why not. Pastor Wright became a mentor to me. I suppose you could say more of a grandfather to me, although we are only 30 years apart.

But even that, after awhile, I felt like I needed to be there. So I left the board and church and found myself back in the Roman Catholic Church. I think it was more because I knew the mechanics of the faith. By mechanics, I mean the set prayers (Rosary, Magnificat), the procedure of the service (the ups, downs, kneels, etc), and the celebrations (required Holy days, the Eucharist). But after a time, I found myself being pulled to the Eastern Churches (Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox). Having already determined that the Pope is the Bishop of Rome and not the prime ruler over Christendom, I became an Orthodox Catechumen in the Antiochian Church.

It still had the mechanics (although a slightly different style) and the belief were almost the same as the Roman Church. So I traded the Rosary for the Jesus Prayer, which I still recommend people to pray from time to time because it is the prayer that gives all 4 main points of a prayer and is scriptural. “Lord Jesus Christ (name and position on the faith), Son of God (who He is), Have mercy on me (what we seek), A sinner (what we are)”. But in time, I found myself praying for something more than mechanics.

I found myself prayer for the zeal and the fire I had when I gave myself to Jesus in 1996. During my prayer regime (the Orthodox call it a prayer rule), the point of prayers when the Jesus prayer is said, it is 10 prayers followed by a personal prayer. This is done 5 times for a total of 50 Jesus prayers and 5 personal prayers said in a prostate position. For those who don’t know, the prostate position is face to the ground, forehead touching the floor. A position of submission to God’s sovereignty. During the personal prayers I cried out to God to fix in me what was broken so I could have that fire for Christ and the Cross that I had decades before. It consumed me, this longing for the walk I once had. And while there were times over the decades that it would flicker, it never became full flame again.

This last week, before Sunday last, I was told that Pastor Wright was having health issues, so I decided to o to Healing Ministries so that I could check on him after service. Something in me started to make itself known, so to speak, during the sermon. Not much because of the message, although Pastor Wright always had a way preaching that makes one think the message is for them (that’s the prodding of the Holy Spirit).

Those under the umbrella of Pentecostal faith believe in healing. I also do because I have seen it in my own family. At the end of the service I walked down to see how Pastor Wright was doing. I didn’t even get to ask. I got to the point where I said how great the message was and how I felt like I belonged there (at least for that day) and that’s when things took a different turn. The floodgates opened and I found myself unable to talk.

Pastor Wright laid his hand on my shoulder and started praying. I felt a heat inside that I hadn’t felt in almost three decades. By the time he was done, a small group (including a dear friend) were at my side praying jointly with Pastor Wright. I went to check on his health and the Holy Spirit used him to heal my struggling soul.

The stories of well’s in scripture are a metaphor and symbol of the life giving water that is Jesus. “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)   Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:6-14).

I found on that Sunday that sometimes, the best place for a Christian to go is back to the well. For us country folk, going back to the well means going back to the beginning. For me, this meant going back to my Protestant roots to a place and person that are so dear to me. While the fire is still starting to reignite, its no longer smoldering in ash. I had forgotten the Cross and replaced it with church mechanics. I had to be shown the thing that matters in this life. The Cross of Christ, the cleansing blood, and the empty tomb. The Cross and the cleansing blood washes away the sin and the empty tomb is the sign of hope of redemption in Christ. Something I needed reminded of.

People today expect concert style entertainment and a soft message in church. And God may use those (He is Sovereign and does as He wills). But never putdown a grandfatherly Cross/Sin/Hellfire/Need of redemption preacher in a backwoods little throwback church. Because I found that the well in those old country walls has the most refreshing Living Water of Christ one can ever drink.

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Christianity, Current events, faith

Walang Babae sa Pulpit

Babae sa Modern Church
Sa mga simbahan at denominasyon ngayon, ang mga kababaihan ay may iba’t ibang tungkulin. Nagtuturo sila, escort, naglilingkod. Ngunit may hawak din silang mga posisyon na HINDI kabilang sa kanila. Alam namin sa pamamagitan ng Tanach ( Lumang Tipan ) na ang mga kababaihan ay hindi pari o nagtrabaho sa loob ng templo. At ang mga simbahan ngayon na nagtataguyod ng posisyon na iyon ay tinatawag na legalista at sexist. Gayunpaman, ang posisyon na iyon ay ang posisyon din ng mga Apostol. Nabanggit ito sa iba’t ibang mga epistles. Kaya ang artikulong ito ay ilalagay sa unahan, lugar ng isang babae sa loob ng ministeryo at mga lugar na hindi nila inorden na mapasok.
Ang mga taong tulad ni Paula White, Gloria Copeland, at iba pa, habang ipinapahayag na tinawag silang mangaral, ipinakita nila na tunay na nilalabanan ang mga turo ng pinakaunang Kristiyanong simbahan na pinamumunuan ng mga Apostol.
Mga Banal na Kasulatan sa Papel ng Babae sa Simbahan
Sa Mga Gawa 2:17, ang manunulat ay nagsasalita ng parehong mga salita tulad ni Propeta Joel. “ Sa mga huling araw, sabi ng Diyos, ibubuhos ko ang aking Espiritu sa lahat ng tao. Ang iyong mga anak na lalaki at babae ay manghuhula … ” Kaya ang mga propeta ay maaaring maging kalalakihan o kababaihan. Ang mga propeta ay ang nagsasalita ng mga utos ng Diyos, karaniwang sa isang tiyak na sitwasyon.
Mayroong maraming mga banal na kasulatan na nagsasabing maaari silang magturo, kapwa lalaki at babae. Tulad ng Colosas 3:16, Lucas 24:44, Colosas 1:28, at Ephisians 5: 18-20. Kaya mayroon silang iba’t ibang mga tungkulin sa loob ng simbahan at tahanan ( 1 Timoteo 5:10, Tito 2: 3-5 ) Ngunit, tulad ng makikita natin, ang pulpito ay hindi isa sa kanila.
Banal na Kasulatan sa Babae sa Pulpit
Ang mga talatang ito ay nakalagay sa Banal na Kasulatan at dapat gawin bilang inspiradong Salita ng Diyos ( 2 Timoteo 3: 16-17 ), tulad ng mga Kristiyano na tanggapin ang lahat mula sa takip hanggang sa takip.
Sinasabi sa amin ni Pablo sa kanyang unang liham sa mga taga-Corinto kabanata 14 na talata 33 hanggang 35, “ sapagkat ang Diyos ay hindi isang Diyos ng pagkalito ngunit ng kapayapaan, tulad ng sa lahat ng mga simbahan ng mga banal. 34 Tumahimik ang mga kababaihan sa mga simbahan; sapagka’t hindi sila pinahihintulutang magsalita, ngunit hayaan silang magpasakop sa kanilang sarili, tulad ng sinasabi din ng Kautusan. 35 At kung nais nilang matuto ng anupaman, hilingin nila ang kanilang sariling asawa sa bahay; sapagkat hindi wasto para sa isang babae na magsalita sa simbahan. ”
Ika-1 Timoteo 2: 11-15, “ Ang isang babae ay dapat na tahimik na makatanggap ng pagtuturo nang buong pagpapasakop. Ngunit hindi ko pinapayagan ang isang babae na magturo o mag-ehersisyo ng awtoridad sa isang lalaki, ngunit upang manatiling tahimik. Sapagkat ito ay si Adan na unang nilikha, at pagkatapos ay si Eva. At hindi si Adan ang nalinlang, ngunit ang babaeng nalinlang, ay nahulog sa paglabag. Ngunit ang mga kababaihan ay mapangalagaan sa pamamagitan ng pagdala ng mga bata kung magpapatuloy sila sa pananampalataya at pag-ibig at kabanalan na may pagpipigil sa sarili. ”
Kaya, habang ang artikulong ito ay maikli, diretso ito sa punto sa loob ng Banal na Kasulatan. Ang mga kababaihan ay hindi dapat nasa likod ng pulpito o sa pinuno ng isang simbahan / kongregasyon. Mayroon silang mga tungkulin sa loob ng simbahan: hula, pagtuturo, gabay, pinuno ng kanta, atbp. Ngunit ang isang kababaihan ay hindi maaaring maorden ng isang denominasyon dahil hindi siya inorden ng Diyos para sa posisyon na iyon.
Sinasabi sa atin ng Banal na Kasulatan sa Hebreo 13: 8 na si Jesucristo ay pareho kahapon, ngayon, at bukas. Dahil dito, ang mga patakaran na itinakda sa Lumang Tipan tungkol sa mga kababaihan sa mga posisyon sa pamumuno sa simbahan ( kasama na ang pastor ) ay hindi nagbabago. Nagpapatuloy ang mga Hebreo sa 13: 9 “ Huwag magdala ng iba’t ibang at kakaibang doktrina. ”

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Christianity, Current events, faith

No Women in the Pulpit

Women in the Modern Church

In today’s churches and denominations, women hold a variety of roles. They teach, escort, serve. But they also hold positions that DO NOT belong to them. We know through the Tanach (Old Testament) that women were not priests nor worked within the temple. And churches today that uphold that position are called legalistic and sexist. However, that position is the position of the Apostles as well. It is mentioned in various epistles. So this article is to put in the forefront, a woman’s place within ministry and the areas they are not ordained to be in.

People like Paula White, Gloria Copeland, and others, while proclaiming they are called to preach, show they truly defy the teachings of the earliest Christian church led by the Apostles.

Scriptures on a Woman’s Role in the Church

In Acts 2:17, the writer speaks the same words as the Prophet Joel. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy…” So prophets can be men or women. Prophets are those that speak the edicts of God, usually in a specific situation.

There are multiple scriptures that say they can teach, both men and women. Such as Colossians 3:16, Luke 24:44, Colossians 1:28, and Ephisians 5:18-20. So they do have various roles within the church and home (1 Timothy 5:10, Titus 2:3-5) But, as we will see, the pulpit is not one of them.

Scripture on Women in the Pulpit

These verses are set in Scripture and must be taken as the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), just as Christians are to accept everything from cover to cover.

Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians chapter 14 verses 33 through 35, “ for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 34 Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.”

1st Timothy 2:11-15, “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.”

So, while this article is short, it is straight to the point within Scripture. Women are not to be behind the pulpit or at the head of a church/congregation. They do have duties within the church: prophecy, teaching, guidance, song leader, etc. But a women cannot be ordained by a denomination because she is not ordained by God for that position.

Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. That being the case, the rules set in the Old Testament about women in leadership positions in the church (including the pastorate) don’t change. Hebrews goes on to say in 13:9 “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.”

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Christianity, Current events, faith, Human Right

Pakistani Christians

Pakistan started as part of India until the split in 1947. I won’t go into detail of U.S. policies concerning Pakistan because this is not information on Pakistan in that manner. But here is a brief reason we, as Americans, know about Pakistan. We know that they have ‘known terrorists’ as per the press releases over the years, brought to us by our ‘unbiased’ American news agencies. I won’t dispute this fact. We also know of Pakistan because of their fight with Indiana over the region of Kashmir. No need to go into that here.

What most do not know, is that despite being predominately Muslim, there are a multitude of Christians throughout the country. While the official Pakistani government policy is one of religious tolerance, looking at the situation without a biased lens, one can see thing differently.

A former co-worker who had been in the US Navy, had ported there a few times. He stated, that during his visits to the port city of Karachi, he noticed the squalor and lack of wealth by the majority of the population he encountered. He recalled one instance where he met a woman begging for food for a child she was carrying. But then noticed, that the child was deceased. Out of all the ports of Liberty, this was the one encounter he remembered. Although not part of the Christian tale of this article, it does relay some of the conditions of the populace.

Over the last year or so, I have gotten to meet, through online means, two Christian pastors in different regions of the country. Both had different educational pursuits. But the common denominator between them, is their desire to share the Love of Christ to a people not only with a desire for a better life, but a hunger for a hope that only Christ can bring.

Here is a little background on the Pakistani legal view of religious tolerance in the Muslim dominate nation. The Pakistani Constitution states: ‘Subject to law, public order, and morality, every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice, and propagate his religion’. They also have the right to freedom of speech, but is ‘reasonably’ restricted in accordance to the glory of Islam. Essentially, it is believe what you want but follow Islamic law and do not speak against Allah (which is a term used for God in the Middle East no matter the God spoke of) and do not desecrate the name of their beloved, yet false prophet, Muhammad.

Because of the way the law is written, those of non-Islamic faiths are basically second class citizens.  The way Pakistani Muslims deal with Christians is by forced conversion, forced marriages, assaults, menial jobs (including abhorrent child labor), and conviction of blasphemy laws that result in prison time or death.

But two men, among others, risk martyrdom by gladly and boldly proclaiming Christ and teaching of His love for everyone.

Pastor Shakeel Samuel heads a Christian organization named United’s Christian Welfare’s Society for Children (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063562256551). Pastor Samuel is from Malaysia and now lives in Lahor, Pakistan. His coverage area for the ministry is in Gulistan, Punjab, Pakistan. Pastor Samuel studied at Forman Christian College in lahore.

As you can tell by the name of the organization, pastor Samuel takes to heart the words of Christ. ‘Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. (Matthew 19:14)

His mission is not only to feed and cloth them physically, but feed them with the Living Bread and the Water that will never allow thirst.

If you would like to help Pastor Samuel his contact information is: 

+923054332249 shakeelbhattibhatti8@gmail.com.

The second pastor I have a pleasure to know is PS Ravi Daniel Daniel. His location is undisclosed at this time. He studied at Christian Brothers University in Memphis Tennessee. He also has an affinity for bring children to Christ. If you view many of his congregation photos, you will find adults and children in attendance. His church was recently damaged from a nearby explosion, but that has not deterred him from his mission. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. (Matthew 28:19,20).

If you would like to aid Pastor Ravi, you can contact him at his Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/psravidaniel.daniel)

Besides the normal hardships they face from a lacking economy and dangers of martyrdom for being Christian, Pakistan was recently hit with the worst flooding years.

You can also donate to relief efforts at (https://www.gofundme.com/f/njgt3-flood-relief-for-pakistan?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cf share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR0AMLGFfsLR4ktjoe9nNH2O92Z0A3GEDnusGS5PwrmAKp_SiLV-M2Mh9uM).

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

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Christianity, faith

Why the World Mocks God

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:7-10

When one looks around today, we see every evil deed spoke about in the Holy Scriptures. Both old and new testaments show what constitutes evil in God’s eyes, the only definition allowable. And until our society (globally) became woke in to many areas, these positions and thoughts of evil were preached against by the pulpits of our nations.

What comes next in the article will make people mad and bring with it vehement attitudes. Most will be from the non-Christian society in our nation. But what will be worse is that it will also come from those that say they follow Jesus Christ. The mindset of the American Christian Church has become one of including the allowance of sin, even within the confines of the church. This is not to say that certain people or groups are not allowed to come to God. Nor do they have to be perfect. But what does need to occur is this. They have to be told the truth of God. Does God love everyone and want them to turn to him. Of course. Did Jesus deny a person’s coming to Him because of their sin. No. That’s the reason He came, died, and rose from the grave, so that we would have a means by which to make sure our souls are saved from sin.

Never once in Scripture did Jesus say, be saved and continue in your sin. He said Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14). She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8:11).So by allowing sin to reign, these ‘Christians’ defy and deny the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. For a person who claims salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ but continue to sin, there is no more hope.For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins (Hebrews 10:26). This doesn’t mean that if a truly repentant sinner does fall that there is no hope. Mankind isn’t perfect so we do make mistakes. But it is expected to ask for forgiveness and strength. What the verse means is that you sin by choice after being saved, the sacrifice is not enough to cover it.

A gay preacher is loved by God. However, God does not approve of the sin. And since the preacher has claimed to be saved through the blood, he/she must seek forgiveness not continue in the sin. And yes, being any part of the LGTBQ+ community, engaging in the acts, and either not seeking forgiveness or continuing in the sin by choice is a sin. I know lovely people that are within this community, and I love the people, but have no option but to call the sinful act what it is…A SIN. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 9-10). Also included are cross-dressers The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God (Deuteronomy 22:5). 

The reason God gave us a moral code in the 10 Commandments was to help us understand that God loves us. The punishment that comes from sin without repentance is seen in how we raise our own children and deal with the criminal element. Why? Because like a parent, God chastises those who choose not to follow moral codes, laws, rules, whatever name you chose to give them. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth (Hebrews 12:6).

  It needs repented for and turned from. I will not turn my back on those that sin, but I will tell them it needs fixed. And for those in the LGTBQ+ community, God doesn’t make mistakes. He made you genetically what you are, male or female. The rest of the gender discussion is one of a sin sickness not a mental health issue or crossed wires in the brain. To say it is either of those things is strictly the devil playing games and stealing souls.

We are to pull ourselves out of the ways of the world. 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 12:2).So when preachers are seen and heard saying things like, God looks on the heart, that statement is only right up to a point of understanding and redemption. The only time that the sin is not looked at is when a person is saved through grace and turns from the sinful nature of the world. A person who does not understand because he/she has not been taught will be looked at with that in mind at judgment. But for those that know and still refuse to turn from their sin will be judged according to that choice.

Romans chapters 2-4 tell us we are not to judge whether a person is good or bad. We are to show them the path to Christ and the need for redemption. No man has the ability of say this one will go to heaven or that one will go to judgment of the damned. We are to preach Christ crucified and risen. We are to lead the non-believer (and in today’s society the believer as well) to understand that God has said in the Scriptures what actions will not make it to judgment of the saved. A person can only no what sin is by biblical description. The knowing of the sin brings with it the understanding for the need of Christ’s redemptive power.

How will those that do not believe learn form those that teach error and blasphemy? Those that preach the Gospel message are warned against teaching false doctrines. I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive (Romans 16:17-18). Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them (Ephesians 5:11).I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:6-9).

In this woke wilderness, we are searching for ways to make things better. Here’s the best way to do so. Read the bible, repent from sin, and follow Christ. We are told how to make things the way we should, without sending our nation into a tailspin of no return. We are told how to conduct business. We are told how to treat people. We are told how to raise our families. And we are told what it takes to make that trip into a heavenly home at His coming.

If you haven’t made that choice to follow Christ as a believer and follower, OR you have but still live with sin you refuse to give up and turn from, NOW IS THE TIME. Jesus Christ is coming back in all His glory. And it will be soon. When that time comes, it will be too late. Please consider your eternal future. It only takes a moment to make that choice to be covered by the soul cleansing blood of Jesus.

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Christianity, faith

But For Grace, There Go I

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited (Romans 12:16).

Today, the pastor did a switch of sermon. I don’t know if he was led by the Holy Spirit to do so or if he had seen something from one congregants that caused it. But it was a message that was needed. Not just today, not just our church. But by the body of Christ globally.

You see churches like Westboro Baptist, evangelical churches, and others today forgetting that they were sinners at one point. They seem to have forgotten that they had a calling to kneel at the altar rail and ask for forgiveness. That they are still not worthy of grace but are given that grace because of the love of God through the death and resurrection of Christ.

Somewhere along the line, they forgot about hating the sin and loving the sinner. Members of the church as a whole have gotten to a point where they condemn a person instead of simply explaining sin and redemption through the shed blood of Christ. Or like my grandmother would have said in her sweet southern/midwestern mixed Ozarks voice, you catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.

The passage for his message was Matthew 20: 1-16. “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing.About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’“‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius.So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

He reminded us that, like the ones who had worked all day, those that have been in the faith for a long time, tend to forget that the redemption of Christ’s blood covers everybody who asks. He reminded us that it has the same exact value for those that came to that altar 50 years ago as well as those that hit the altar yesterday or have yet to hit it. He could have just as easily used the verse of the Pharisee and the sinner. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).

Having spoke with him after service, I told him that switching a message to one that calls the faithful to account is very seldom welcomed. The Pharisees had grown so pompous, that they ran their Messiah ragged and eventually to the Cross because of their inflated self-worth. Many Christians today have that same self inflation. But this pastor had an inspiration to remind them that their time in God’s service doesn’t equate for more love than new Christians or even those who yet have the calling to come to the Savior.

After his message, he did something I have never seen a pastor do in the 51 years I have been alive and the 40 plus years I have been going to services. He went and knelt at the altar while the final hymn was sung. I found it amazing that even a pastor realized he still isn’t perfect. Many congregants in all denominations need to see his example and remember the old adage, ‘but for the grace of God, there go I’.

I understand that this may not seem like much to most. But seeing how the pulpits have become compromised and even desecrated by soft wording and no fire by the pastors, a person doesn’t need to look hard to see why our neighborhoods, towns, nations, and world are in the position that they are in.

This pastor doesn’t preach with the flair or flame of men like Billy Sunday or Billy Graham. But he speaks with the humility and humbleness of a saint. He allows the words to be like arrows of the Holy Spirit. May this man’s ministry be blessed and a blessing, calling even the saved to repentance. Because no matter how long ago you knelt at that altar, tears of regret flowing down your cheeks, and asked for Christ to be the master of your life, we all still need repentance and the renewing of Christ’s saving grace.

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