Tag Archives: Church

The Spiderman Sermon!

Spiderman: Brand New Day

1- Movie begins by showing how Spidey is a hero who has been successfully fighting criminals in NY non-stop for several years.

2- His identity as Peter Parker is unknown to everyone, except one new mystery villain.

3- Peter has no friends or family now. His Aunt May was killed, and everyone’s memory of his identity as Spiderman has been erased by Dr. Strange.

4- Spiderman used to have close friends who knew is true identity.

5- He tries to keep up with his former girlfriend MJ and his buddy Ned by following their Insta stories. But Peter is lonely.

6- Spiderman’s body is undergoing changes due to the changes to the spider DNA within him. 

a) This gives him even greater spider powers: heightened senses, greater agility, more powerful web shooting ability.

b) The problem is, he can’t control this. It gives him a tremendous headache. He passes out at times.

c) He discovers that his constant stress in fighting bad guys, coupled with his lack of interpersonal relationships is contributing to the pain and lack of control.

7- Peter finds a way to superficially reconnect with his friends, but they don’t know that they used to be his friends.

Application to you.

1- You are a hero.

a) You work hard.

b) You take care of your family.

c) You try to do good and help people.

2- Perhaps you don’t see yourself as a hero, and sadly others may not recognize this either.

3- Have you lost connection to loved ones?

4- Are you working so long and hard that you have limited quality time with friends and family?

5- Do you feel lonely?

6- Does it seem that you aren’t recognized or rewarded for your efforts?

7- Are you going through changes in your life?

a) Physical and social changes associated with adolescence, adulthood, or middle age.

b) Changes in your health.

c) Changes related to your job.

8- Are you facing difficult challenges in your life?

9- God has supplied the possibility of relationships to carry you through changes, challenges, and difficult times.

You need three types of relationship in your life: 

Family, Friends, Fellowship

Conspicuously absent: Followers & Fans

A) Family. 

  1. More than a group of people co-existing in the same house. 
  2. You need to work on family relationships. 
  3. First, with your spouse, then your kids, and even with your extended family. 
  4. This requires quality time, wherein you pay attention, communicate, and share.
  5. If you are without connection to family; remember, God promises to provide, so seek.
  • “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” (Psalm 68:5–6, NIV84)
  1. When you give your life to Christ, you become part of His family!
  • “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” (John 1:12, NIV84)
  1. Have family members have abandoned you, or you have had to leave them behind because of your Christian faith. You have a new family now!
  • “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matthew 19:29, NIV84)

B) Friendship. 

Not familiar faces, aquantances, or social media friends; not coworkers, classmates, or like minded members of your political tribe, not fickle friends, or an object of your lust. 

You need a few genuine, trustworthy friends: 

Qualities of a Good Friendship: Freedom, Likeness, Respect, Communication, Honesty, Trust, Loyalty

  1. You need to have friends you trust so that you can take off your mask.
  2. You need to spend quality time with close friends regularly. 
  3. You need accountability and support from your trusted friends. 
  4. Jesus is the friend who will always be with you.

“Look, I will be with you always, to the end of the age!” (Matt. 28:20).

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24, NIV84)

  1. The Holy Spirit lives within you when you put faith in Jesus. He is your Counselor, Comforter, Helper and Guide.
  • “How much more will your Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)
  • “the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:17, NIV84)
  1. Jesus didn’t send the disciples out alone; they went out two by two.
  • “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.” (Luke 10:1, NIV84)

C) Fellowship. Jesus established the church to surround you with Christian family and friends.

  • “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV84)

10- To be in fellowship with the Lord is to be in fellowship with other believers.

  • “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7, NIV84)

11- Are you consistently involved in a local Bible believing church?

a) Consistency is key.

b) Involvement is essential— not just attendance. Participate in church!

c) The word translated “fellowship” refers to involvement and sharing with other Christians.

κοινωνία: an association involving close mutual relations and involvement—‘close association, fellowship.

d) We need each other even more when life gets tough.

The Apostles’ Creed Introduction

Apostles’ Creed Teaching Points

1- Pastor D believes the Apostles’ Creed to be the best brief ancient summary of what C.S. Lewis wrote about at length in his book Mere Christianity.

“Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times…. what Baxter calls ‘mere’ Christianity.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

2- Pastor D will venture to make the case that the Apostles’ Creed is a trustworthy summary of what Jude calls “the faith once for all passed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

3- Each point made in the Apostles’ Creed is clearly backed up in the inspired Bible, which is where we must always go to determine the authority, authenticity and value of any statement of faith, even one as universally accepted and ancient as this creed.

4- Pastor D will use the Apostles’ Creed as the basic outline for the teaching series: What We Believe and Why We Believe It.

5- To be sure, there are those who would call themselves “Christian” who may reject various statements in the Apostles’ Creed. 

a) “And this is true even of those articles which have been most assailed in recent times, as the supernatural conception of our Lord (comp. Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35), the descent into Hades (comp. Luke 23:43; Acts 2:31; 1 Pet. 3:19; 4:6), and the resurrection of the body (1 Cor. 15:20 sqq., and other places)….’ (ibid. Schaff)

b) The Apostles’ Creed is so basic, so biblical, and so closely aligned with the teaching of the primitive church that we may reasonably question the authenticity of the faith of those who deny any part of it.

“The rationalistic opposition to the Apostles’ Creed and its use in the churches is therefore an indirect attack upon the New Testament itself.”  (ibid. Schaff)

Apostles’ Creed (updated language)

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hades

The third day he rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead

I believe in the Holy Spirit

I believe a holy universal church; the communion of saints

The forgiveness of sins

The resurrection of the body

And the life eternal. Amen

Church Is/Is Not Essential

Remember the pandemic? Of course you do. Remember when we all were commanded to “shelter inside”? Well, you could go outside if the government determined that what you were going to do what “essential.” Was your job deemed essential? What activities could you participate in during those dark days? Well, you could go to the store to get food; that was considered essential. You couldn’t go to a friend’s house if it meant there would be too many people (usually over 10). You could go to the liquor store; because, you know, alcohol is essential. In places like Colorado I believe the marijuana shops were open. You could go to Walmart, but in at least one state you couldn’t go to the garden section and buy seeds or tools to grow your own food. In fact, in my Walmart experience during the shutdowns, there were quite a few people who were meandering up and down the aisles—at least six feet apart, of course.

In many states churches were not considered essential and you couldn’t worship together. This lasted long after the official shutdowns. Church is just not essential, apparently. Better for us all to worship quietly in the safety of our homes. So, many churches learned to stream. Many people tuned in, kind of. In my observation of the statistics that Youtube provides, the average watch time for a 70 minute worship service was a little over 20 minutes. Yeah, church is really not essential, even to those who would say it is.

Now, we’re a good ways past shutdowns, masks, vaccinations, and church is still not essential to many people, even those who were once faithful participants in their respective local congregations. I’ve seen about one third of my congregation (or more!) who attend quite sporadically, or who have stopped coming altogether. Church is not essential to them.

Jesus thought church was essential, however. He established it. Let’s define church to understand exactly what Jesus intended. The Greek word translated “church” in the New Testament is ekklesia (yes, we get our English word “ecclesiatical” from it). Ekklesia could literally be translated “the called out.” God calls His people out of the world, and He calls them together to worship. Implicit in the idea of church is gathering together regularly. The people of Israel did this in the temple and in their local synagogues. From the beginning Christians gathered in the temple and in homes.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, CSB)
“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts,” (Acts 2:46, CSB)
Yes, they did this more than just once a week. In fact, they gathered daily. Church was essential to them. God blessed these gatherings greatly. People were saved, healed, delivered from evil. They shared their worldly possessions. This essential church didn’t diminish but exploded with new members.
“Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them. Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5:12–16, CSB)
Church is still essential, regardless of what our godless government, and many faithless, consumer oriented Christians say or do. We are warned to continue meeting together, not for the sake of habit, but to worship and serve our Lord, and to encourage one another.
“And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
(Hebrews 10:24–25, CSB)
This is not possible when we are apart. It is not possible if you’re watching on your TV or computer or mobile device. We must gather. We must do this regularly. Church is essential. If you are a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, if Jesus is your Lord, you need to be involved in a local church weekly. Church is essential. If you neglect church, you’re simply living in disobedience to the Lord you claim to follow. Get back this week, participate, volunteer, and be consistent.

What a Waste

“And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away’”
-Jesus (Mark 4:24-25, ESV).

Week after week you have attended church. You recognize that illustration the preacher uses as on you’ve already heard. You’ve listened to the Scripture so many times that you might be able to quote a good bit of it if you tried. If you wanted to… Do you want to grow spiritually? To become more Christ-like? Or are you more concerned with other things? Does your attention perk up when the topic is methods and means of making money, or steps to living your best life now? You’ll go over and above for what you really want, friend? And maybe that’s not Jesus. Perhaps your problem is Christianity is part of your history, your culture. Is it an old habit, just a weak little practice without much practical use?

Have you forgotten what life used to look like when you loved and followed Jesus with your whole heart? Have you lost your first love? Or did you ever love anything or anyone other than yourself?

James says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like” (James 1:22-23). Sorry to be the one to say it, but if you’re like the person James speaks of here, then you’re a loser. You’re is losing your identity in Christ. You’re losing hope in Christ. You’ve lost your faith through natural erosion. Eventually, if not already, you’ll lose the truth you used to believe in.

Jesus said, “Pay attention to what you hear.” You will be blessed in direct correlation with how deeply and how completely you receive the Truth of God’s Word. When you measure out more time and attention to hearing and applying the Word, then God will add blessing to you. The blessing is His presence and more revelation, then all of the other (earthly) things will be added to you as well. “Seek firs the kingdom of God and all of these other things will be added to you as well” -Jesus (Matthew 6:33).

However, if you fail to listen, then even what you’ve previously heard will be taken from you. First, the Truth no longer has the depth of meaning it once did. Then you start doubt it. Then you forget it. Finally, you’ll be just like a lost person without the knowledge of the Truth. In the most extreme, and irreconcilable, case you’ll hear the Word of God and despise it. At that stage you’ll find that you have contempt for church and the Bible, and even Jesus (the Bible’s Jesus, at least, although some folks reinvent Jesus to agree with their views). Continue down this path and you will become incapable of repentance (Hebrews 6:4-8). You will begin to call good evil, bitter sweet, and darkness light. You redefine the concepts of good and right to match your worldly values. If you reach this point of rejected the Bible and the witness of the Holy Spirit, you will be lost forever, and ever.

Is this you? O, woman, o, man, make a change today! Don’t wait for the feeling to return. You’ve numbed and scarred yourself too much for feelings. If you’re reading this and can see yourself slipping, then you’re not beyond hope. If you can change your mind, do it today. Determine to follow the Truth. For if you continue to eschew wise counsel from godly people, if you continue to be unfaithful to Christ and his bride the church, there may well come a time when you no longer have any faith. If you have ears, pay attention. Act now.

“For him who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Questions to Ask Before Following the Leader

Today, there are plenty of self-proclaimed apostles, prophets, bishops, pastors and teachers. Before you listen to or follow someone, pray and ask the following questions.

  1. Is this person connected to the larger community of believers, or are they doing things on their own?
  2. Does their teaching agree with historic Christian doctrine (ie. Nicene faith) or are they teaching novel doctrine and/or innovating theologically?
  3. What is their theology? Do they teach the Bible or their own ideas, tips on various aspects of daily life, psychological insights, politics?
  4. Do they confess that Jesus Christ is who the New Testament clearly teaches he is?
    1. The unique Son of the one and only God (1 Timothy 2:5)
    2. Lord, meaning God, one with the Father (John 8:58, 10:30, Romans 10:13).
    3. God come in the flesh (Hebrews 4:15, 1 John 3:2-3, John 1:14). 
  • “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already” (1 John 3:2-3).
  1. Do they confess Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

5) Jesus is God’s chosen one, the Christ, the Messiah

  • “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).
  1. Do they teach that they represent the “true church” and state or insinuate that other denominations or churches are going to hell?
  2. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they are not of us” (1 John 2:19)
  1. Do they have peers who recognize them as a leader?
  2. Is the title they use appropriate? Did it originate from themselves or was it earned from or applied by a recognized group or entity?
    1. “Bishop” for example is a term traditionally used in denominations with episcopal forms of church government. It refers to one who has authority over other ministers, usually over numerous individual churches.
    2. “Apostle” is not a term that any established denomination has used until recently in some Pentecostal churches.
    3. Those who apply exalted terms to themselves to garner respect should listen to the words of Jesus, “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12, ESV).
  3. Do they cooperate with and/or contribute to other ministries?
  4. Do they seek to steal members from other churches? Do they incite rebellion and division in other churches as a ploy to gain some of their members?
  5. Do they discount and disrespect other ministers? 
  6. Are they accountable to a denomination or a recognized Christian organization beyond themselves and what they have established?
  7. Were they active in a Gospel teaching, Bible believing church prior to stepping out as a leader. If so, did that church recognize their calling?
  8. What is the fruit of their ministry? Do people who listen to them really follow Jesus? 
  9. Is their ministry focused on Jesus Christ? Or do they focus on themselves, or on you the consumer?
  10. What kind of character do you observe in their followers/listeners? Is it Christ-like? 
  11. Do they charge for ministry? Books, CD/DVD, admission to events?
  12. Do they expect or require followers to donate certain amounts or percentages in order to be considered worthy or acceptable?
  13. Are they financially accountable?
  14. Do they have a governing board or are they accountable to a group of people?
  15. Are they moral and honorable? What about their staff?
  16. Are they servants to people or do they treat followers like their servants?
  17. Is their teaching filled with references to themselves?
  18. Do they live a lavish lifestyle, flaunting wealth, rather than exemplifying sacrifice?
  19. Are they personable, friendly and approachable, or distant and superior?
  20. Are they honest and transparent, or unwilling to reveal details of their personal life?
  21. Are they willing to admit to weaknesses?
  22. Do they seem angry?
  23. Are they ambitious and competitive?
  24. Do they boast about themselves and/or their ministry?
  25. Do they exemplify faithfulness and commitment to their church or ministry, or are they often absent due conferences, speaking engagements, vacations, or personal concerns?
  26. Do they give as much or more than they expect others to give (this includes time as well as money)?
  27. Are they above reproach sexually? 
  • Do you hear them speak in a cavalier way about sexual matters? 
  • Do they laugh at sexually explicit humor? 
  • Do they watch movies or TV programs with sexually explicit scenes? 
  • Do they look at pornography, or read pornographic literature?
  • (viii) Do they show affection without giving any hint of sexual desire or impropriety?
  • If they are married, do they appear to be affectionate with their spouse?
  • Do they treat children appropriately?
  • Are they often alone with anyone other than their spouse?
  1. Do they fulfill the Bible’s requirements for the office they hold?
    1. 1 Timothy 3:1-15
    2. Titus 1:5-9
    3. Ephesians 4:12-16

I Am a Single Pastor

I just finished a book by author Preston Sprinkle titled People to Be Loved. The concluding chapter was very affirming to me as a never-married single. There is an often unspoken assumption that if you are single, well, you’re incomplete. In fact, it is an assumption held by many single people themselves. To this Sprinkle replies:

“But if you think marriage is the only way to say yes to life, yes to love, and yes to happiness, then you’ll not only be disappointed if you get married, but you will also forgo the cruciform joy that his possible in your singleness.”

Cruciform joy. Huh? Sprinkle is a Christian pastor and scholar. He is referring to the follower of Jesus identifying with Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. Joy? The joy comes when I endure suffering together with the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit. Sprinkle continues:

“The Gospel never promises happiness to married folk. It does promise joy for those who pick up their crosses and die with Jesus.”

Overwhelming joy follows when I identify with Jesus on the cross and thereby overcome sin and death as I continue to see myself in Christ’s resurrection. “For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). I am enabled to begin to experiencing eternal life (the Kingdom of God) now, even before I pass beyond this vale of tears to live forever with God.

I a single man, which is not uncommon. In fact, there are currently more single men and women in the United States than ever before, Further, the percentage of the population who are unmarried is on the increase. Where I am very different is in my occupation as a single. I am a pastor. I’ve never met another single senior pastor, although I’m sure there are others. I’ve considered that this could be keeping my church from growing numerically. Why, you might ask? Well, the expectation is that the pastor should be a family man. In fact, I wouldn’t be hired by the overwhelming majority of churches with pastoral positions open due to this expectation, and due to a misreading and misunderstanding of the requirements for a pastor listed in 1st Timothy and Titus (I’ll not cover the interpretive issue here).

So, are you asking yourself, “Hmm, what’s wrong with that guy?” Well, that’s how I feel sometimes, even though nobody who attends my church talks or acts like that. I do suspect most people I know would be relieved if I got married. And I suspect my church would grow numerically. Trouble is, I’ve never found anyone with whom I want to spend the rest of my life, and to whom I would surrender and sacrifice. Is that selfish? I won’t deny that I’m selfish. Aren’t you? However, that’s not the issue. I really believe that God has a specific will and purpose for every individual, and every married couple. I’ve believed and taught my entire adult life that if God wants you to be married, then there is an Eve for every Adam: God created the two for each other. I’ve simply never found someone like that, and never felt compelled by God to marry anyone. And I’m not compromising.

So, you may ask, “Well are you looking? Do you date?” I pray and keep my eyes open. I’ve been on a Christian oriented dating site on and off for quite sometime. I’ve been matched with literally thousands of women and met a few of them. No one has been God’s match for me.

Will I remain single the rest of my life? I don’t know, but I’m okay with that if it is God’s will. You see, that’s what I want. That’s what Jesus taught his students to pray for: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” I’d like to have an intimate partner. I’d like to have kids. I think I’d make a great father and husband. However, I want to do whatever my Father in heaven wants, and he hasn’t shown me that is what he wants for my life.

The reason I share this is because I believe many single people feel like they are missing out, or like they are incomplete without a mate. Fellow single person, we are only incomplete if we have no relationship with God. A man or woman is a poor substitute and cannot fill your need for intimacy. It has been said that there is God shaped hole in everyone, which only God can fill.

God has a purpose for each of us. God has a purpose for me as a single pastor. I believe our church is perfect. I don’t mean we are without flaws. I am the chief of sinners (see 1 Timothy 1:15), so that’s not possible. What I mean is our church is perfect for those whom God has called to be part of us. We have an amazing Teaching Pastor, who is married and has four wonderful kids. Our church has families with children and I’m certain they feel comforted and strengthened by his leadership and example. We also have a number of older single adults in our church, and I hope they feel they are not second class members. Perhaps they are comforted and strengthened because their pastor is single too.

You see, a church is a family, or it should be. We are the family of God, brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus warned his followers that they needed to be willing to lose natural friends and family and even their own lives for his sake and that of the Kingdom of God (see Luke 14:26). However, the Lord also promised better and greater relationships will replace that loss.

“’Yes, Jesus replied, ‘and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.’” (Mark 10:29–30, NLT)

I’ve thought our church might grow numerically if I were to get married. However, I believe I am who, and what, and where God has willed me to be, and I seek to become more like his Son. Our church is my family. I’m like a grandpa to all of these wonderful kids. I’m open to meeting someone, but it is unnecessary. That won’t fulfill me, or even give me more happiness, if it is not God’s leading and will.

Fasting for Advent?

We normally think of the holiday season as a time of celebration and feasting. In the history of the Christian church, however, the days leading up to Christmas were spent in contemplation, prayer, repentance and fasting. It is the time of Advent, which refers to the coming of the Lord. Jesus Christ came as a baby in a manger, and that is what Christmas is about. However, the resurrected Christ promised to return in a Second Advent to bring justice to earth. Are we ready?

In light of all the darkness and evil going on in our world today, I believe it is time to return to the age old practice of observing Advent as a time of reflection and repentance, and this may include fasting.

The truth is everyone has thoughts or desires, which, if acted upon, would be destructive to self and others. If we do not learn to say no to these inborn incessant urges when we are young, then we wind up dead, in debt or in prison before too long. We are conditioned to say yes to our whims from the time we are tiny via an array convincing consumer ads. Our economy surges when we splurge and buy what we are persuaded we want. In addition to this, we are taught that virtually nothing we do is really our fault. We are victims of time and chance and genetics, to say nothing of the people who have scarred us emotionally and psychologically. I need to eat comfort food to feel better; I need to buy myself something; I need to escape by playing my video games, trolling the internet for ever more interesting porn, watching countless hours of television or movies. Entitlement is a destructive mental illness because it is the excuse keeping us from saying no to ourselves.

Jesus said that unless we deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow him we cannot be his disciples. Christianity in our time has followed the consumer culture by presenting a Jesus who wants to boost our sagging self-esteem, and enable our sense of entitlement by providing us with anything and everything we ask for in prayer. We are promised that we can receive whatever we ask for, but Jesus said, “if you abide in me and my word abides in you, then ask whatever you will and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). He also instructed his followers to ask in His name, which means asking by proxy for the kinds of things and with the kind of faith Jesus himself would. This is not self-interested asking. The only way to get to the place where we are asking like the Son of God is to become like the Son of God, and the only way to get there is to deny ourselves and be filled with the Spirit of Christ.

This denial of self is a cognitive process that involves seeing ourselves differently. It involves realizing a mysterious metaphysical reality: I have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). This cannot be a theoretical understanding only, or even a remarkable personal revelation into the teaching of Scripture. The Apostle said, “I die daily.” Thus, it is a daily, even moment-by-moment, recognition that the old person of mere flesh and blood is dead. The old me is a false self. I am a new creation in Christ. My life is now hidden with Christ in God. I need to deny the false self and affirm the true new me.

Self-denial requires faith that results in self-discipline. Without faith we likely will fail to continue in the discipline. After all, why should I deny myself what I desire? Moreover, without assistance from outside myself I remain captive to the tyranny of “me,” even while seeking to deny certain desires or perceived needs. Therefore, faith in Christ is essential to self-denial, both as the reason and the power to deny the self. This is much stronger than so called “will-power.”

I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and the Lord has commanded that I deny self. In fact, he stated plainly that I couldn’t follow him until I do this (Mark 10:34, Luke 14:26-27).  To assist me in keeping this command Jesus has died on the cross, risen from the dead and sent His Spirit to live within me. The Holy Spirit connects me to Christ’s death and resurrection. Now the spiritual reality is: I have died; my old life is buried; a new creation has been resurrected. In order to make this truth a reality in my experience I must believe and continually discipline myself to act upon that faith. Certain spiritual disciplines may aid in this practice.

For thousands of years people in many different religious traditions have practiced fasting. Consider the following examples of people who fasted: Confucius, Plato, Aristotle and Hippocrates (father of medicine).  In the Bible we find Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel and Esther fasting in the Old Testament. In the Mosaic Law

Israel is commanded to fast once per year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27). In the New Testament Paul the apostle and Jesus fasted. Such eminent Christian leaders as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards also fasted. Why?

There are many reasons and benefits, but in keeping with the teaching above I have observed the following truth. Fasting teaches me to say, “no” to me. It is denying something that I need, usually food, in order to focus on what I need more: God and his truth. Jesus was tempted by the devil to end his 40 day inaugrual fast miraculously by turning rocks into loaves of bread. The Lord quoted Deuteronomy: “Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4 & Deut. 8:3). There is something, or rather Someone, more important in life than me.

Eating is essential for physical life to continue. Unlike air, or even water, food is something I can limit or go without for an extended period of time without serious health risks. In fact, if done correctly and not recklessly, fasting may actually be healthy for the body. For example, recent studies done with both animals and humans indicate that eating 30% fewer calories results in a longer and healthier life.

Fasting doesn’t have to be limited to food, however. Scripture records this interesting fast of the prophet Daniel during a period of serious prayer and mourning: “I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks” (Daniel 10:3, ESV). So, Daniel kept himself from self indulgence during this time. Later in the passage we see that he had chosen this kind of fast as a way of humbling himself before God to seek understanding into the future plight of his people Israel (ibid. 10:12). The Apostle Paul observed that married couples might abstain from sexual activity in order to focus on prayer. However, he encourages such couples to come back together after a limited time to avoid temptations, which may result from a lack of self-control (see 1 Corinthians 7:5). During the Christian season of Lent some people come up with an activity or indulgence in their lives to give up, which is a kind of fasting.

Here are Five Reasons to Fast.

Fast as an Act of Dedication–  Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted after his baptism and prior to entering into his ministry. Perhaps he did this to gain confirmation and clarity by intensely focusing on God.  By denying the body what it needs most essentially, I am saying that something, in this case Someone, else is more important

Fast as an Exercise of Discipline–  Learn to say no to “me.” All of the temptations were for Jesus to act expediently and egotistically. If Jesus had given in it would not have been an exercise of faith, but, rather, the wildly alternating swings between self-doubt and presumption. My body cries out for food, but I say no. This teaches me to say no in other areas where my flesh cries out. It teaches me to resist temptation.

Fast as an Affirmation of Dependence– Learn to rely on the power of God. Jesus’ first statement in response to Satan’s temptation. “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3 as quoted in Matthew 4:4, also John 4:34). I am dependent upon food for survival. I transfer my fundamental dependence from a substance to the Sustainer of life.

Fast to Establish Determination–  Learn to have a tenacious and unshakeable faith. “This kind can only come out by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29, Matthew 17:21). I fast for a breakthrough, as Daniel did when he needed God to answer his prayer for this people (Daniel 9:3). I fast to prove I am serious, both to myself and to God.

Fast as an Act of Desperation–  Cry out to God in repentance (Joel & Israel, Jonah and Ninevah). A need to hear from God at all costs (Daniel10:2-3 & 21 days of prayer). Repentance may be part of fasting. Joel called a fast for the people when disaster loomed (Joel 2:12, 15). This includes mourning for sin, and prayer for transformation.

Below are some practical guidelines and suggestions for possible fasts.

 

Remember the following principles. 1) If you make a vow, keep it.  2) Choose something that will really require discipline to give up. 3) Giving up what you shouldn’t be doing to begin with is not fasting, it’s obedience.

Consider one several of the following fasts.

  1. Pick a legitimate pleasurable food or activity and deny yourself this.
    1. Why? You are learning to discipline yourself for the sake of Christ.
    2. For example eliminate: candy, soda, dessert, coffee, alcohol, TV, watching or listening to sports, secular music,  talk radio, movies, video games, Facebook, texting.
  2. Fast at least once per week during the day. Eat a light breakfast early and don’t eat lunch. Break the fast after sundown with a sensible supper.
  3. Juice fast for 24 hours. Drink only pure vegetable juice (ie. V8).
  4. Eat no flesh. Abstain from eating meat.

Pray, Then Act

26 people were murdered and others injured yesterday by another mass shooter. This time it was during services at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas when Devin Patrick Kelley stormed in and started killing. I’m a pastor. My Texas church is about the same size, although our community is larger than the tiny town where this occurred.

My first response to ensure the safety of my people. Posting shrill diatribes on social media won’t do that. Prayer will. You may think that is not a very practical solution. If you are an unbeliever, I understand. However, you may have an incomplete or incorrect understanding of prayer.

Prayer must always result in action. We talk to God. He moves, then we move. The Spirit of God gives wisdom to the heart or mind of the person who is engaged in prayer. Prayer is a conversation, not a monologue filled with requests, or complaints. I open my heart and mind to the Lord. I open the Bible. I ask God to speak to me. Then I get up off of my knees and act on what God has revealed.

Prayer is not an effort to get God to do what I want, but the means of discovering and aligning myself with His will. In his model prayer Jesus taught us to say: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” That’s what we pray before we ask, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

How does that apply to a tragedy like this?

Let’s start with preparation. In the same model prayer, Jesus taught believers to say, “Lead us not into temptation (or testing), but deliver us from the Evil One.” We recognize that “the devil prowls around like the roaring lion seeking someone to devour,” and we need protection, and deliverance from his harmful intentions. We put our trust in the Lord, and then we prepare for the onslaught. To put it another way: Trust God and lock your doors. Pray, then get up off of your knees and take preventative action, as the Lord gives you wisdom, knowledge, skill and understanding.

Immediately upon learning of the incident in Sutherland Springs my instinct as a protector of my congregation lead me to take steps to further ensure their safety. We’ve already assigned some men in our church to watch the doors for potentially dangerous individuals. I texted those men and reminded them of our need of their vigilance. I continued to think, and pray, and act. I contacted our Teaching Pastor to update him. We’ve already installed auto-locking deadbolts to our children’s ministry doors. I updated the codes. We will also restrict access to our worship area more than we have previously.

I continued to pray this morning. We will start a men’s ministry and ask our men to be on alert and watch the doors. I have other training that may help us, and I am praying about how and what to do to teach others.

In most instances where a mass shooting takes place, the people are unarmed and no one opposes the shooter(s) at first. We are not told to run from the devil, but to oppose him. “Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee.” When these shooters are opposed with force, they stop shooting. Then they run and often shoot themselves. They rarely stop because someone stays, “Please, please, stop!”

What am I trying to say here? Pray, then act. If you have the ability to fight, then pray and fight. If you are trained and properly licensed, use your gun. Don’t rely on your gun; rely on God. But if you may legally carry a firearm and have trained to use it, then you may be the one God calls upon to stop a terrorist. Pray, then act. If you are not armed, you may at least be able to keep the murderer from killing more people by taking other action, perhaps action in concert with others.

Here are some examples where the outcome could have been as bad or worse than Sutherland Springs, but someone intervened.

In December of 2007 Matthew Murray shot several people at the YWAM missionary center in Colorado, then proceeded to New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Murray entered the church and fired, but he met with resistance, an armed security guard named Jeanne Assam. Assam shot Murray dead before he could carry out the massacre he likely had in mind. Murray had an assault rifle with 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Assam had law enforcement experience.

Two men arrived in my own town of Garland, Texas on May 3, of 2015 with the express purpose of carrying out a mass shooting at the Curtis Culwell Center. They immediately met with resistance from a Garland Police officer who shot both with his service weapon. Both men die, along with their intent to do harm. No one inside the conference center was hurt.

Finally, early reports indicate that Devin Kelley was kept from killing and injuring even more people at the church in Sutherland Springs when an armed citizen confronted him. Kelley fled in his vehicle, then crashed and apparently shot himself.

So, the lesson here? Pray, then act. Prayer is always an effort to gain an understanding of God’s will. Prayer proves that my trust is in God. Then I get up and DO SOMETHING to make a difference. People may ask why God didn’t do anything to stop the Sutherland Springs tragedy, but I see that he did interven. I don’t know why 26 people were killed, don’t know why it happened to the good folks of FBC Sutherland Springs, but I know this. We’ll be ready. We’ll be prayed up. We will act to keep our people safe. So help us, Almighty God.

Are You a Church Burn Out?

Are you bored with church? Do you feel like you’re spiritually dry? Everything seems to be the same; nothing really changes; nothing is moving? Here’s why. You are not moving toward God’s will and purpose for your life. You’re not spiritually healthy, so you’re not growing in your faith. You are not doing anything, or just doing the bare minimum. You’re in spiritual survival mode, instead of thriving and flourishing. You’re living more for the world than for God. Where is your supposed faith? Perhaps you’re doing things for God, serving at church, but you’re doing from your flesh. That means your doing it all by yourself, from your own limited resources, rather than in partnership with God.

The reality is: you have limited time, limited money, and, let’s face it, you may well have less and less interest in church or in pursuing God. Jesus said, “If you aibde in me, and I in you, then you’ll produce much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). That means, even if you’re doing something for God, you’re accomplishing nothing significant because if you’re not doing it from the power of the Holy Spirit’s presence in you. Is the Holy Spirit filling you? I’m not talking theory here, friends. I’m not asking you to go back to some time in your past when you “accepted Christ,” or had an emotional experience with God. I mean, are you filled with the power and presence of God? No? Then why aren’t you asking, even crying out, for that? “How much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13).

The Holy Spirit’s presence is the requirement for fruitful activity in the Lord. That’s the reason you’re burned out, friend. You’re full of your own effort, not the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity who brings us into Christ and Christ into us. This is not something you work out in your head, or convince yourself of. When the Holy Spirit fills you and empowers you for God’s work, it is a real ongoing experience deep within. He perfects, affirms, strengthens and establishes you from the inside out. I’m not trying to get you to do more for God, although some of you need to do just that. I’m seeking to stir up a genuine spiritual interest. I hope you desire to be filled with God Himself.

Jesus had chosen the 12 apostles, and trained them to be his witnesses in the world. One betrayed him, so they were down to 11. Then he told them to “wait in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” The entire Christian mission was on hold, until God poured out the Holy Spirit to empower His people. The apostles were scared, timid and focused on their own little community, until the Day of Pentecost. Suddenly, they were on fire! Now they boldly spread the news about Jesus’ resurrection, and God’s offer of forgiveness for sins and eternal life. The Holy Spirit was availble to everyone who would believe in Jesus. So, why are you still doing this on your own? Why are you satisfied with being bored? Why are you looking at other means of success,  or methods of getting high? If you have really, truly given your life to Jesus Christ, if you still have the least bit of faith, then you’ll never be satisfied until you are filled with the Holy Spirit, and going into all the world to make disciples for Jesus.

“Don’t be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life.”  The Holy Bible: The Contemporary English Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), Ephesians 5:17–18.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Acts 1:8.

 

The Merge

Church splits are common. However, I only know of only one church that reunited after dividing, and I was part of it. “The Merge” of First Baptist Church, The Colony was official 28 years ago today.

In January of 1988 I began the Master of Divinity program at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. I filed my resume’ in the placement office with the hopes of serving in a church during my seminary career. By the end of the semester I received a call from the newly appointed pastor of First Baptist Church, The Colony. Pastor WB had seen my resume’,  and, after an interview, wanted me to be their Youth Minister. He invited me to introduce myself to the congregation during a Sunday morning worship service.

On the drive from Ft. Worth to The Colony that Sunday morning I took a wrong turn and ended up passing by the old Texas Stadium in Irving. First time I’d seen the fabled home of the Dallas Cowboys in person. As I walked up to the church I encountered two middle school boys sitting on the monkey bars in the children’s playground. They would be part of the small youth group I led beginning in the summer. Our first official activity was to attend the Youth Evangelism Conference at Reunion Arena in downtown Dallas.

Every weekend I commuted from Ft. Worth to The Colony and built a Saturday-Sunday youth program. Over the next six months our group doubled in size, from a dozen members to a high attendance of 26. I really enjoyed working with those kids.

At that time The Colony had around 20,000 residents, many of whom were younger families, so you’d probably expect the First Baptist Church to have more teenagers. In fact, you’d anticipate more members. Our auditorium seated 200 and it was never filled on Sunday mornings. You see, something had happened to this church before I arrived.

When Pastor WB first interviewed me he mentioned that the church had exprienced a split. A large group had left First Baptist and formed a new church called Calvary Heights, which met at the local high school. They called the former youth minster of FBC to be their pastor. The old pastor of First Baptist had evidently been the source of the contention that resulted in the split, and had subsequently resigned. First Baptist had called WB to be their pastor only a few months before he brought me in as their new youth minister.

So, the church had split over a disagreement concerning their former pastor. I was leary about this when I interviewed, but once I met the youth it didn’t matter. Several months into my tenure at First Baptist talk of a merger began. Each church appointed three members of a committee, which met for several months to discuss the possibility. By the end of the year, the committee had a recommendation: Merge! Wow, I was amazed at this. However, the pastor that hired me was not so enthusiastic. In fact, WB wholeheartedly opposed the merger.

You see, the committee’s recommendation was for the 27 year old pastor of Calvary Heights to be the senior pastor of a re-formed First Baptist Church, and for 60-something WB to be the associate pastor. I would be the youth minister. I was in favor of the merger. However, I had been hired by, and called by the church to, serve under WB, and he was opposed.  During my brief time in ministry training I’d been taught that staff at a church are called to serve under the pastor. That means submit to his authority. However, I was still a member of the congregation of First Baptist Church, and the church would make the decsion here. What should I do?

I remember the meeting I had with WB to discuss the issue. He was angry with me. He accused me of undermining his authority because of my support for the merger. In fact, at one point he began to yell, then lunged at me over his desk. It was not a very Christlike display of character. However, it helped me decide what I must do.

A business meeting where the congregation would vote on the merger was scheduled for a Sunday night in December. I knew what I must do. At the appropriate time in the meeting, before the merger vote, I stood up and read my letter of resignation. Then I walked out the back door, expecting never to return to First Baptist Church, The Colony. I met with a couple of my students at the McDonald’s across the street to say goodbye. I drove back to Fort Worth that night sad and shaken.

Now, that’s not the end of the story, or I wouldn’t be writing this today. But perhaps I should explain why I resigned rather than remain and vote for the merger. My primary responsibility if I am not the pastor is to serve the church under the pastor’s authority. If I cannot support the pastor, I do not oppose him or try to undermine him, I simply seek another place of service. That’s why I resigned.

On Monday morning I received a call from a congregational leader, perhaps one of the deacons (I don’t recall), informing me that my resignation had not been accepted. Ok, what, how could they refuse my resignation? This leader continued: WB had quit, stormed out the back door (and broke the glass on his way out!), the congregation had voted to merge, call the pastor of Calvary Heights, as pastor and me as youth minister. My objection to supporting the unstable and unChristlike WB was eliminated when he quit. I chose to serve the newly merged congregation under the new pastor, Bill Wilks. I would serve alongside two wonderful men: Morris Seay, education minister, and Ralph Baxter, music minister. It was like being called to a new church, except I got to keep the youth I’d worked with over the previous months.

The first official day of the merger was Monday, January 9, 1989. I remember the date distinctly because it was listed on so many records as the date people had joined the First Baptist Church. I had nine youth in attendance the last Sunday before the merger. On the first Sunday after the church reunited we had 90 youth!

There is so much angry energy expended when we disagree with one another. Divorce, political division, church splits and many other examples abound. It’s like the power of an atomic bomb, the destructive power of which was unleashed by the USA at Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Those bombs worked by splitting atoms. However, there is exponentially more energy released when atoms unite in nuclear fusion. That is, when atoms unite.

When the church unites to do God’s will, His power is released, and people are saved, delivered and healed. Our families, our churches and our nation need to come together in the name of Jesus. I believe that will only happen when we who claim to be Christians actually follow Jesus, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us so that we have “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

“… walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), Ephesians 4:2–6.