The Way We Worship - Ecclesiastes 5:1

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. - Ecclesiastes 5:1

    I recently saw a couple (husband and wife, I presume) wearing red tee-shirts on the backs of which was boldly printed - “The church for people who don’t like to go to church.” I can’t begin to tell you the shudder that ran through me when I read those words.
    The “seeker friendly movement” has gone beyond viral and, sadly to say, is now alive and well in nearly every city and town across this country. “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” - Exodus 3:5.
    There are three things that every professing Christian MUST acknowledge or their faith is merely lip service (1) God is the holy of holies; (2) Men, by our very nature, are debased sinners; and (3) because we are sinners, we must approach God with reverent, contrite, and humble spirits. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:23-24.  With this in mind, we can see that it is not enough that we worship God - the way we worship Him must meet the standards that God Himself has set forth for us - “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” - Psalm 29:2.
    Dr. John MacArthur once wrote, “The worst extremes usually start with a slight deviation.” Why not bring in a little extra musical flavor? Maybe a clavinet, a Moog synthesizer,  or a drum machine. A little hooting and hollering couldn’t hurt; after all, we’re doing it for Jesus!
    The reason for such irreverent additions to modern evangelical services has but one source: the desire by these charlatans claiming to be preachers to add numbers ($$$) to their congregations. Remember, they are out to recruit people who don’t like to go to church. Make the service entertaining enough and the problem is solved.
    What these “pastors” have either forgotten or never knew is that a church is the house of God! What goes on there is a reflection of our response to His holiness - “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!’” - Genesis 28:16-17. Fear and awe describe Jacob’s realization. Once he realized that the Lord is in this place and this place is God’s house he was filled with the proper reverence, respect, and humility!
    Where is the humility that demands of us - “Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” - Psalm 95:6. Have we forgotten the admonition of Paul so soon?  Have we abandoned that which God seeks? “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” - Romans 12:2.
    Reverent worship isn’t something begun by John Calvin despite his warning that “God disapproves all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His word.” But how do we know that God prefers one form of worship over another? Genesis 4:4-5 explicitly defines God’s preference as does His holy word - “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.” - Leviticus 19:30.
    Are we going to church to be entertained or are we attending services with humble repentance in our hearts to worship the holy God of our faith? “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” - Hebrews 12:28-29.
    If finding a church that uses contemporary “new and improved” praise music is at the top of our list for choosing a place of worship, finding a church isn’t our biggest problem. Proper worship of God is a doctrine that cannot be ignored or placed on a back-burner. If our doctrine of worship is wrong, where else have we missed the mark? God has made it clear - “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:23-24. True reverent worship cannot, must not, be replaced by clanging cymbals and scorching guitar riffs. We must be mindful of God’s profound and holy desires and His sovereign commands - “Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.” - Amos 5:23
    May the way we worship our heavenly Father always reflect the spirit and truth with humility and reverence for His holy house.
                                               

Over The Edge - Leviticus 25:35

If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. - Leviticus 25:35.
                                           

    When we hear colloquial idioms like, “over the edge,” or “over the top,” we are oft inclined to think in terms of the deliberations that put one in such a position. A person will climb to the point where for better or worse he can boast that he has gone over the edge or over the top. One might also find him or herself “pushed” to that position. And therein lies a significant difference: to reach such a position by one’s own volition or to be put in that position by circumstances.
    The deliberate and thoughtful efforts of a man or woman have put many “over the edge.” However, positive ramifications don’t always follow when one does so, especially when they reach such a state by their own volition! “For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” - Ecclesiastes 12:14.
    The Scriptures are replete with references to “the poor.” And this is the subject of my post today: poverty, true poverty, as defined by the Bible. The Bible defines true physical poverty just as validly as it defines spiritual poverty.
    The title verse refers to a brother who “becomes poor, and falls into poverty.” Mind you, the reference is to one who “falls into poverty,” not one who willfully jumps into that deplorable condition with both feet. In my opening paragraph, I referred to one who deliberately goes over the edge, not to someone who has fallen into rough times. The distinction is of the utmost importance when considering our Christian duty to feed the hungry! “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10. “Will not work,” as opposed to “cannot work!”
    Scripture makes it abundantly clear that there is a world of difference between one who through no fault of his own has fallen into poverty and one who has deliberately jumped over the edge into that debased life without hope or promise.
    Those who have been injured, become sick, are too young or old to work for themselves, or those who have been laid-off and gotten behind on their mortgages trying to feed themselves and their families - these are prime examples of those who have fallen into poverty. They didn’t choose to be in those straits. There are others, however, who deliberately refuses to seek gainful employment despite being healthy and capable. Inevitably, they will find themselves in destitution and a burden upon those around them. This latter is an example of one who has chosen the path of poverty for himself. The former cannot help himself while the latter will not help himself. There is a difference!  One is willing and ready for a hand up, while the other wants only a hand-out. “How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep— so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.” - Proverbs 6:9-11.
    But who, honestly, is entitled to our Christian charity? We find constant references in Scripture to our being duty-bound to provide for “widows and orphans.” We must remember that the terms describing those in need are merely representative of the destitute. Historically and culturally, these two classes of individuals represented those who could not fend for themselves. Married women in the Bible were always provided for by their husbands. Should the husband die, the widows were often left destitute. The ancient culture made it extremely difficult for these widows to provide for themselves. Without a family to provide for them, they found themselves on the margins of society.
    Children who became orphans were also left out in the cold unless surviving family members provided for them. In today’s society, parents who are addicted to alcohol or drugs and exist in poverty because of their poor choices essentially place their own children in the position of being modern day “orphans” in the sense that they fail to provide for their children’s earthly needs. Here then we see again the concept that widows and orphans represent those who have fallen into poverty through no fault of their own and our Christian duty to help provide for them. “He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.” - Deuteronomy 10: 18.   
    As difficult as it is to say it: we cannot be blinded by misplaced compassion. Every dime, every expenditure squandered on an undeserving person is a drain on the resources available to those who are truly in need. Let us pray for the knowledge to use our Christian discernment when reaching out with our hearts and hands to the truly poor among us.
   

Confess & Repent - Psalm 38:18

For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin. - Psalm 38:18

    The call of Jesus Christ to men of immoral dispositions has seldom been clearer than in recent times. From high profile movie producers and politicians to celebrity actors, news anchors, and talk show hosts the rush to judgment in the public forum has taken on the personality of a 17th Century witch hunt.
    I neither intend to add another nail in the coffins of these suspected profligate men’s careers or defend their actions. It is merely my desire to share the words of the Apostle, John - “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9.
    Reason demands that among those accusations of philandering, a number of them are true, while some may indeed lack credibility. And quite surely these individuals, both the guilty and those who are not, wish that these allegations would disappear. However, Scripture teaches us that we are all guilty of transgressions against the holiness of God, and without a heartfelt and truthful confession of wrong-doing, none of us, quite literally, have a prayer! “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” - Isaiah 59:2.
    All men and women would do well to follow the confession of David in Psalm 51, when he declares  - “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge.” - Psalm 51:3-4. We have the very promise of God that we will not succeed in covering or hiding our iniquities. But confession will bring us His mercy. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” - Proverbs 28:13.
    God has given us time and room to confess our sins. He wants us all to come to repentance because we are all living in the guilty shadow of sin. “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” - Luke 5:32. We must remember that it is God’s desire that we accept His forgiving call to us to repent and He is giving us all a due time and a season to do so.  “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9.
    The promise of God’s forgiveness is not to be taken lightly. And while there still may be temporal consequences to our sinful actions, God’s promise of mercy and pardon is secure if we but confess and repent. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” - Isaiah 55:7.
    Confession and repentance are the keys to opening the promises of God, “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” - Acts 8:22. May we all pray for God’s forgiveness and infinite mercy, now, before the hour of our deaths.

Truth Is An Old Drum! - Exodus 20:16

   
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” - Exodus 20:16

            I’ve got to tell you, I’m just sick to death over all this “transgender” nonsense! Does anyone understand how ridiculous it is to suggest that a person who was born with male genitalia is in reality . . . a female!?!? Stop right now and think about that! Obviously, the inverse is just as ridiculous. “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:27-28
    If the bodies of ten men claiming to be women are recovered from the smoldering ashes of an inferno, DNA analysis, and a 1st -year med student’s pelvic examination will determine that ten men died in that fire . . . not ten women. They will dig themselves a highway to hell and not find the remains of a single woman unless a woman in all the physicality of a female member of the human species was present during the conflagration. As I have often said, “You can call an alligator a refrigerator all you want to, but I wouldn’t stick my head in there to get left-overs.” Would you insist that a rattlesnake is, in fact, a kitten? Would you allow your child to handle it?
    Here is a simple but undeniable fact: gender identity, while having a mental identification normally associated with the actual sexual identification of the individual is clearly distinguished by the reality of a physical identification! In other words, regardless of what someone says, we cannot deny the reality, the truth. To do so is to countenance a lie, a deliberate lie! But, “No!”, they say. “It’s not a lie.” Well if their deception isn’t a deliberate lie then it can only be madness. Either way, it contradicts the most holy living God and God is neither a liar nor a madman. And since madness is a mental illness that can neither be encouraged or validated then it is as deadly as a lie! Who would willingly drink such poison?
    So what is a lie? According to Dictionary.com, a “lie” is - a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood. The key words here are deliberate and intentional, as in a deliberate and intentional attempt to deceive. As the term “lie” is defined, it falls under the prohibitions laid down by the Ninth Commandment. Among those prohibitions is giving false evidence. “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape.” - Proverbs 19:5. In a related verse, Leviticus 19:11 goes on to say, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.”
    As Christians, we are commanded not to countenance a lie. If we do so, we are as guilty as the liar! We would become those “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”- Romans 1:32. The truth isn’t the truth because I say it is; it’s true because it is the truth - the absolute truth! Lies have their wellspring in but one author - “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” - John 8:44.
    So we are left with the continuing battle between the Spirit of Truth and the world, the flesh, and the devil. And no matter what the world demands, we know what Christ Jesus has declared - “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33.
    And so we continue to fight against the lie of transgenderism and every other sexual sin. Many have said that we are fighting a losing battle, that we are beating an old drum, that the Sexual Revolution has won. Brothers and sisters, the truth is most certainly an old drum but it sounds the battle with clarity and unmistaken conviction! Let us continue to pound upon this old drum until the victory is secured and the ears of both the enemy and the faithful are opened once again and finally to the sounds of the truth!

On This Thanksgiving - Psalm 65:9

You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. - Psalm 65:9

    In this day and age, we find ourselves too often dealing with a “double difficulty.” We find it difficult to be grateful and we find it doubly difficult to refrain from complaining. What we really and fervently need to do is step back and take stock of all we have to be grateful for and all we have to praise God for. “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!” - Psalm 68:19.
    When we realize all we have to be grateful for, it should silence our complaints and dry up our self-indulgent tears. Our hearts should be bursting with a gratitude and thankfulness that shines forth like the morning sun! We should echo the Psalmist when he declares - “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious.” - Psalm 66:1-2.
    And there is very good reason to praise God for all His providence, for without Him we would have nothing! “Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.” - Psalm 67:5-6.
    As the year draws near its end there will be those who cast aspersions upon God’s holy name. They will decry events that have taken place over the past year, pointing their crooked fingers at the glorious One Who grants them their very lives, Who gives and takes away in His time . . . not ours. Yet they forget the common grace and daily providence which we all share.
“You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.” - Psalm 65:11.
    And sadly, in far too many cases there will be people who fail to recognize that even our very breath comes to us from God! If not God then who or what keeps us alive, breathing, and prospering? Chance? Mere chance?!  “ . . . because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”- Romans 1:21.
     Unlike those poor folks, I believe there is a guiding hand that gives me direction as well as my physical and spiritual needs. And that hand belongs to God almighty! My life is not a daily roll of the dice nor is it a lottery ticket. My life, my existence . . . and yours has been ordained by God from before the beginning of time, not by the shifting winds of fortune. It is God who granted me the family I came from, the family I have, the wife I have been blessed with, the children and grandchildren I am exalted enough to call my own, my education, my faith,  my job, my home, and my friends. Everything I have ever had, have now, or ever will have is evidence of the providence of God.
    We need to thank God every day for our education, skill sets, physical endowments and all those attributes we rely on to carry us through our lives. We need to thank Him again when things don’t turn out the way we may have planned for the lessons we can learn from those tribulations!             
      “ . . . in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Let us be thankful as the Psalmist was thankful! “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” - Psalm 104:33.
    Father, do not hold our weaknesses and iniquities against us. Grant us grateful and praise-filled hearts on this Thanksgiving Day, in Christ’s holy name.

Sin? Whose Sin? - Philippians 3:14

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 3:14

    A quick perusal of the cultural media today ensures us that we, as a nation (world?), no longer recognize sin or its deadly wage. Sin has fallen off the grid and into that disputable region of religion and God. So, it naturally follows that many see the concept of sin as an anathema to be censored and avoided, effectively relegating it to mythological status along with evil and the devil.
    Of course, we can and do break mankind’s laws and for such secular transgressions some  are called to account for their actions; some are not. That is a primary difference between mankind’s laws and God’s law. Under man’s laws, status, wealth, lineage, and a host of other factors often forestall charges, convictions, and punishments. Whereas with God’s law, there is no privilege and no escape. “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’”- Jude 14-15.
    The bedrock upon which secular laws rest is neither moral nor Godly. The best that can be said is that it seeks expediency for what is perceived as the “common good.” Is it then any wonder that sins like lying, greed, pride, sexual sins, parental disrespect and a myriad of others go unchallenged, uncharged, untried, and unpunished? You see, if a secular connection cannot be attached to the transgression, no “crime” has been committed, regardless of how heinous the moral depravity of the act is!
    The very term “immoral” burns like acid on the tongues of secularists. There is no such thing as good or evil, morality or God! Mankind continues to express the belief that it and it alone shall determine what is right and what is wrong and God shall have no say in the matter!
“No God - No Master,” the mantra of the 21st Century. “The fool has said in his heart,
‘There is no God.’ they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” - Psalm 14:1.
    So for the Christian, sin is too often determined today by its visible corruption in other’s lives when in reality we need look no further than at our own reflections. The Spirit will convict us of our own transgressions. We can still see visible sin in our own lives. We need not look at our neighbor’s. And because we feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that doesn’t imply that He will produce the same conviction in other’s lives. If I can see my own sin, can my neighbor see his? And here the truth is harder than that: I know the temptation to critique sin in others is often overwhelming. But rather than constantly eyeing our neighbors and their sins with derision, we must focus upon repentance in our own lives and that prize of the upward call of God. Let us remember the words of the Apostle - “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”- Philippians 2:12-15.
    That is not to say that we should overlook, advocate, excuse or otherwise ignore the sins that surround us. Sin is sin no matter who the transgressor is! And the shifting tides of popular culture can never declare righteous what God has declared sinful! Perdition awaits all who ignore the words of Christ Jesus - “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” - Matthew 4:17.

Founded On The Rock - Matthew 7:25

“ . . . and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” - Matthew 7:25

    The great English Reformer, Hugh Latimer, once wrote to King Henry the Eighth, “True preachers should be persecuted and hated.” - (A letter of Master Latimer written to King Henry [VIII] for restoring again the free liberty of reading the holy scriptures.) Latimer’s point is as valid today as it was back in the 16th Century.
    As we will always see: the truth and anyone speaking the truth will always be hated by the world. Anything that refuses to yield to the ebb and flow, shift and turn, slide and slip of the “current dictates” of the world must be met with anger and hatred! For the truth, as they insist, is all relative. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” - Judges 21:25.
    Christ’s parable about building a house upon a rock or upon sand is one of His most direct assessments of the truth. He describes the truth as a rock, then deals a killing blow to the sands of falsehood and relativism - “ . . . and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”  - Matthew 7:27. This is why the world must hate the truth in all its manifestations.
    A week doesn’t go by when we don’t observe or hear of some worldly “philosopher” (I use the term in its loosest sense) purging out some diatribe against Christianity in general and against God in particular. Every time there is a tragedy in the world, these minions of intolerance hoist the flag of relativism and shout out loudly, “Where was your God?” As if every blessing and every curse doesn’t already fall within God’s divine ordinance. “Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed?” - Lamentations 3:37-38. And depending on the severity of the event or circumstances this is what most people simply cannot understand: why does God allow such misery to escape His attention? A simple perusal of Scripture assures us that nothing escapes God’s attention! This alone should give every human pause for thought. Every “happening” falls within His ordinance and because it does unbelievers choose their own narrative rather than God’s. This is the truth, but it makes them more comfortable to build their houses upon sand.
    For the Christian, God’s words are the truth and the rock upon which we will stand against the lies and the opposition of the world. And it is here that we will be hated . . . for Christ’s sake. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:18-19.
    The minions of secular society want nothing to do with “the truth.” They much rather prefer their own convoluted interpretation of reality. Did I say “interpretation?” I meant interpretations, plural because each of them has their own idea of what the truth is. As we’ve seen, for them there is no singular absolute truth. For them, the truth can be molded daily to become what they are most comfortable with at any given time. And so they build their houses on sand, watch as they collapse, then stare with hatred at the house founded on the Rock!