Ask Pastor John

“The Man in the Middle”

2011-04-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

Luke 23:39-43

A man knocked on my door last week and introduced himself as a member of a local church called the Jehovah Witnesses. He invited me to his church for their Easter Service this weekend. He told me that some people think that they don’t believe in Jesus Christ, but he assured me that they do believe in Him. The service would be a memorial to His life and ministry on the occasion of His death.

I told him that I wouldn’t be able to attend, as I would be attending another Easter Service for which I was already obligated. We wouldn’t be holding a memorial service for Jesus but a celebration of His resurrection from the grave and in our hearts. That’s why here this morning. How about you?

All over the world people are gathering for memorials and celebrations. Some are doing both and between these different expressions of faith is a world of confusion about exactly who Jesus Christ really was.

When Easter comes I like to remember and read in the Bible once again the events of what we call Holy week or the Passion of Christ. I have watched films and attended large passion plays in out door theaters to remember all the details of that event. The meaning flows from the story and can be very hard to miss. Yet many will miss the meaning again this Easter and I don’t want us to be among them.

Sometimes on Easter morning I address the believers as I look at the disciples as they follow Christ to the Cross and beyond. Sometimes I consider the crowd that shout His praise and then demand his death just a short time later. We can be an angry mob and deny Christ and the foot of the cross.

Today I want us to consider the three crosses and the men that hung upon them, especially the man in the middle. He hangs between two men who don’t understand who He really is and in a crisis they all share. These are three desperate men, criminals but the man in the middle is about to change history.

39. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
Luke 23:39-43

This man was a criminal who wanted to survive the sentence of death. He was a desperate man and who can blame him? Who here would not fight for your life when it is threaten? We all want to live and die. Whether we are guilty of our crimes or not, no one in their right mind wants to die. I really believe all three men on the crosses that day were desperate to live.

Some people won’t even talk to God until they are in the desperate place where it is a life and death situation. Most people will start talking to God before they are at death’s door but almost all of us won’t come until we are desperate. What will it take to get you to talk to God? How bad do things have to get before you will start a conversation with Him and cry out to Him?

I so identify with this criminal. I don’t know what his crime was but it was bad enough that he was sentenced to death on the cross. When he shouts at Christ he doesn’t deny the charges and claim to be innocent. He just wants to live.

We are all criminal in God’s eyes when we first come to Him. We have stolen from Father God what is most precious to Him. We have murdered His only Son. We have broken all His laws and defied His good and perfect will in our lives despite many warnings. If God were to judge us guilty today He would be well within the right and the verdict is death, first spiritual, then physical and finally eternal.

The first criminal is like you and me when we shout at God and blame Him for all the evil in this world and for all the harm that comes our way. We don’t hurl insults when things are good but only when things turn bad for us in particular because that is the way criminals think. They are only interested in the law when it affects them in a negative way then they become bias experts.

A desperate criminal will confess to anything and do anything to avoid the punishment of death. They will want to make deals, but if they find nothing is working they will work the angles to find what will motivate those who stand in judgment over them. In the Easter story we have a criminal appealing to fellow criminal and not to the judge. He hurled insults trying to motivate Him to save Himself and make a break from the judgment of death. He may have heard that the man in the middle was innocent but then don’t all criminals claim to be innocent? They only think he was interested was whether Jesus had the power for a jail break or not. He wanted Christ to answer the scoffing of those who dared Jesus to come off the cross. The sign above the head of Jesus said, ‘King of the Jews’, and the soldiers yelled at the man with the crown of thorns, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” (Luke 23:37).

Jesus did not answer the soldiers or the first criminal. The criminal was desperate and willing to do anything to save Himself, but Christ would not respond to his desperate plea for salivation any more than He would acknowledge the mocks of the Roman Guards.

All were under the sentence of death that day but these who called on Christ to save Himself were in the greatest danger. Have you ever appealed to God believing that you could find leverage with the God of the Universe by making a bargain? I find it the height of foolishness to think that we would have any bargaining position with the creator of the Universe. The Lord God saw us getting ourselves into a desperate situation long before we became aware of what we were doing. He even tries to stop us but we ignored our conscience and went right into law breaking until the law caught up to us.

Should we be surprised if Christ is not interested in the desperate calls of guilty people who are only interested in avoiding punishment and in making prison deals? I am afraid that there are many desperate people in the world today who are like this criminal and they pleas, bargains, and threats are a waste of time. No deal will be made for them.

There was another criminal who was very different than the first one. He hung on the cross on the other side of Christ.

40. But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Luke 23:39-43

This second criminal is desperate as well, but his desperation is different than the first criminal. He knows that there is no way out of the sentence or off the cross. His thoughts turn towards what will happen he dies and the second court case he must face and the second verdict upon his life. If men can judge him and get it right what hope does he stand before the Holy God of the Universe to be judged. He is going to the court of Heaven with a criminal record and plenty of evidence of his guilt. His desperation is born from the fear of standing before a just God and be found guilty of all his sins against God.

In his fear of God He has even given up rationalization, saying ‘that his crimes aren’t so bad because everyone breaks the law at some point in their lives.’ Dealing honestly with his condition he knows when someone is lying and when someone is telling the truth. He knows just by looking at Christ that Jesus was not a career criminal. He was not guilty like them. If there could be still one good man who was innocent then he could not longer appeal to being no worse than anyone else. The final excuse he had before God was removed by the innocent man in the middle.

So many people who I talk to are desperate like the first criminal and I can’t really help them, nor can God. If we allowed them to escape or gave them one more chance they would just do more harm to other and continue to break the Law of God. There is no heart change, only the cries of a desperate person trying to avoid the consequences of their own lives.

Few people are like the second criminal who fears the judgment of God more than any court or prison here on earth. He feels the weight and conviction of his conscience upon his soul and no longer rationalizes or justifies his actions. Scoffing and mocking have been dropped for the desperate reality of confession. So far under conviction he knows God would be right in sending him to an eternity in hell. He knows that to let loose criminals in heaven would only ruin the place with sin and rebellion of the lawless.

This desperate man is a person who I can relate to and I hope you can as well. If you can’t I pray that someday you will relate to this criminal and know the desperate place that the conviction of a guilty conscience can bring you if you will face the truth.

As this second criminal faced the truth the most he could ask for and the best he could hope for was to be remembered. He wanted to matter to someone after he had died. All three men on the crosses that day were facing the same death and all were desperate. One was desperate to escape, one desperate to be remembered and the third desperate from something very different.

The second criminal was asking for a memorial service in heaven but the man in the middle had something very different in mind.

43. Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43

Jesus was a desperate man but not to escape what was coming and not to be remembered at a memorial service. He was desperate to do the will of His Heavenly Father. In the ultimate act of faith he would face not only death for the first time but taste the bitterness of sin as He took the sins of the world upon himself. Physical death was not as bitter as those sins. I know this because some of those sins were mine. They were so vile as to cut Jesus Christ off from Father God for the first and only time in infinity. That’s when Jesus cried out from the cross “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” Then he followed this was a statement: “It is done!” Christ had accomplished what Father God had requested and bore the guilt of my sin upon that cross. Your sins was on Him that day.

What we are desperate for is revealed in where we look. Have you ever heard that old country song “Looking for Love in all the wrong places?” We look for what we desperately want. The first criminal was desperately looking for an escape. The second criminal looked to be remembered after he had died. What was the man in the middle desperate for? We can tell by where he looked.

Jesus final words were to Father God, “Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit.” With those words He died.

With those words he lived. Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, looked to the Father and for a resurrection by the Father’s hand on the other side of the grave. When He looked to Father God, he placed his whole life into His hands and trusted Him to take Him through to the other side…to paradise.

Paradise is not an island, or a golf course. It is not the happy hunting grounds or some version of Los-Vegas. Paradise that Christ looked to was to be by the Father’s side. He was leaving this world having accomplished on the cross what the Father requested because Jesus was desperate to do Father God’s will. When he got ready to leave he offered to take the second criminal with Him, to give Him more than a memorial service. He would reward the second desperate criminal with an introduction to the creator of the universe, His Father God.

In three days, on a Sunday God raised Him from the dead and know He lives in Heaven and in the hearts of those who are desperate for Him in their lives.

We are all facing death each and every day of our lives. Someday we will be told this is our last day. For others it will come sudden and without warning. Some of us will look for cures, for a way out…a way to cheat death like the first criminal. He wasn’t ready to die and face the judgment that is to come and he knew it in his heart.

Some of us will accept death when it comes and hope that we are remembered by those who loved us and that we made a difference in this world. We are looking for a nice memorial service and loving words on our tombstones. We are like the second criminal hoping the few acts of kindness and faith at the end of our lives is enough to wipe out the harm we have done.

How many of us will be like the man in the middle? How many of us will look to Father God and say, “I trust you even in death.” How many will believe like Christ did that we will be raised and that even the grave can not hold us down when God calls our name. Our way of escape is through the grave. We don’t need to be remembered when Christ Himself will embrace us in His arms.

The second criminal stumbled into those arms and found paradise in the presence of Father God. He asked to be remembered but did all that was necessary to be forgiven and redeemed. He had Godly sorrow for his sin and confessed his guilt to Jesus Christ and the world. He believed that Jesus was the Son of God and lived on this earth without any sin in His life. He asked Jesus to remember Him well in heaven despite his crimes. The only way Jesus could do that was to forgive those sins and that is exactly what Jesus did and without asking for paradise He stumbled into the arms of Christ.

Today you could stumble into the arms of Christ. Today you could do the same. Stop looking for an escape, there is none. Stop trying wipe out the memory of your sins by a few good works. Look to the man in the middle, to Jesus Christ. Confess, repent and be born again. Be desperate for God’s will in your life. No grave will hold you down.

A Biblical Faith: “The Heart of Jesus”

2011-04-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff
Hebrews 10:18-25

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day!

Seventy five percent of chocolate purchases are made by women all year long, BUT the week before Valentine’s Day, that statistic is reversed with 75% of chocolate purchases made by men. Over $1 billion Dollars worth of chocolate will be purchased for Valentine’s Day this year alone.

If the chocolates don’t work then maybe you should try flowers, my favorite way of saying ‘I love you.’ By tomorrow about $1.5 billion Dollars were spent saying ‘I love you.’

But it you really want to express your love to your valentine, nothing says it like jewelry at a tune of $1.4 billion dollars in 2011.

Wow, can you feel the love? Here are some suggestions on how to say “I love you” so that your love for one another goes on forever.

• Make sure you say "I Love You" at least once each day to your spouse.
• Write unexpected love notes.
• Give your mate an unexpected hug.
• Be spontaneous and surprising.
• Share memories and talk about memories you share together.
• Schedule a day to just rest together.
• Listen.
• Share why you love your spouse.
• Give the gift of your time.
• Smile.
• Say I love you in a different language.

Tomorrow is the day that people will want to express to another what is in their heart with hopes that there love will be returned. In many cases this will be an effort to preserve and cultivate the love they already share.

Despite all the advice and efforts we make it really does seem like the words “I Love You” is a desperate offer in a bargain for mutual benefits. How do you say “I love you…” without sounding desperate? There is a love that says, “I love what you can do for me.” There is a love that says, “I love qualities about you that I think are important.”

So, in the end, when we reveal what is in our hearts for another…it comes down to “I love you because I think you are worthy.”

What is in the heart of Jesus? If He were to tell us what is in His heart how would He express His love for us? Would he love us for how we make Him feel, or endearing qualities we display, or for what we can do for Him? Is His love a desperate bargain of mutual benefit?

We know what is in the heart of Jesus and like most things He ever did or said, His expression of love to us is unlike any human love. His love is greater and more amazing than all the valentines rolled together.

You see what is in the heart of Jesus is a desire to cure what is in your heart. He doesn’t want to give you a paper, chocolate, or gold heart this valentine. He wants to change the heart you have. He wants to transform your in most being with His very blood.

A Biblical faith is based on the belief that Jesus’ shed blood is the only remission for sins.

18. And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
19. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20. by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21. and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
Hebrews 10:18-25

Remission is a word that theologians used all the time but most of us know the term not in relationship to Valentines Day but in connection to the terrible plaque of our day: Cancer. If you have ever walked with a person through the terrible threat of cancer you know that the word you want to hear from a doctor more than any other is: Remission.

When a doctor tells you that your cancer is in remission that does not mean that a cancer is cured. Complete remission refers to the situation where the disease disappears completely with the treatment. Partial remission refers to the situation where the disease shrinks but does not disappear completely with the treatment.

So when the doctor tells us that our cancer is in remission that means we are getting better and winning the battle with hopes of beating the disease. When the cancer is in complete remission we have won by beating the cancer back to the point we can’t detect it any more.

The reason the doctor uses the word “remission” is because they know that cancer is never really gone. Doctors now believe we all carry cancer in our bodies but healthy people don’t experience any outbreaks while those who get sick are taken over by the disease. In other words, cancer is in remission in us this morning if we are healthy and no signs of cancer can be found by the doctor.

I can’t think of a better illustration of how Christ says He loves us. He came to tell us that with treatment of His blood our cancerous sin can also be in remission. We have been doing so many things as humans to fight the terrible affects of sin in our lives. We have tried following rules, diets, and self discipline only to find sin flaring up like a tumor or lesion on our vital organs. We have under gone deadly attempts to kill sin and cut it out of our lives and even making tremendous sacrifices to find freedom from sin. Yet for most of us who can never seem to beat it back, denial and acceptance seem to be the only way we have learned to live with the spreading cancerous sin in our lives.

With Christ’s blood, no more treatments or sacrifice are necessary. All we need is an injection of His blood into our veins. It will change our heart and our minds. It will send cancerous sin into remission.

Cure from cancer means complete freedom from the cancer. To render someone cured of cancer, one has to wait and see if the cancer will ever come back. So, time is the crucial factor. If a patient remains in remission for a few years, the cancer might be cured. Certain cancers can reoccur after many years of remission.

The same is true for sin in our lives. The cure of sin, even though it may be dormant in our lives is to be free from sin. With a regular treatment of the blood of Christ we watch to seen if it will come back. Time and treatments are the crucial factors. If we sin continues to be in remission for a few years, the sin may be cured although it can reoccur. That is why we never stop in the treatment because sin lingers waiting to find a moment of weakness to make its come back.

The status of remission is determined by a series of tests and examinations to determine whether a cancer has responded to treatment or not. When we go through hard times and temptations these are tests to see if the cancer of sin is really in full remission.

The Bible tells us that when we begin treatment with the blood of Christ, we too can be confident to come to Christ on a regular basis, to have a change of heart, a new life and a new body. We present ourselves to Him for examination on a regular basis.

Did you know that the priest at the temple was responsible for controlling communicable diseases in the time of Christ? When Jesus cured the ten lepers of their disease he sent them to a priest to be inspected. He knew that they would not be accepted back into the community until the priest declared them cured, that their disease was in full remission. Can you imagine what it is like to be tested and waiting for the verdict before you find out if your disease is in remission, or complete remission?

The word of God says you can come with complete confidence to Jesus Christ knowing that His blood treatment in your veins can put sin in full remission in your life, but only as we continue to have His blood flowing through our veins, pumped by a changed heart.

So how do you begin the treatment and keep it going in your life so you can know not just a partial remission of sin, but the full remission?

22. let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:18-25

There are many ways that the Bible tells us what is in the Heart of Jesus and how it flows to us with healing power. Blood flows through our hearts and the Bible tells us about the blood of Christ and its power. This same healing power that causes sin to go into partial and full remission is also described as water in this passage and in other places as wind.

From Genesis to Revelation these symbols of blood, water, and wind tell us the same truth about what is in the heart of Christ. Love for Father God and the Love of Father God lives in the heart of Christ and it is this Love that makes the one. Yet that Love is not like any human love. It is not a feeling or a romantic interest.

The Bible tells us very clearly that God is Spirit and that God is Love. We are also told that Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God feels, desires, and acts on our behalf. It flows like wind, water, and blood through Father God, Jesus Christ and to any who will open their heart to Jesus Christ through the repentance of sin.

(John 4:24-“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 1 John 4:16-“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. John 3:8-“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”)

20. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21. that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23. I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:20-23

Angels marvel this can happen.

10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11. trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
1 Peter 1:10-12

And they rejoice when the Holy Spirit enters a new believer at salvation. (Luke 15-“10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” )

If this is amazing and marvelous for angels to understand we as limited human being can’t understand this with our minds or emotions. Although we can’t understand it, we can experience this amazing event in our own lives. We can have flow into our hearts what is in the Heart of Christ. We can receive the very Love of God, His Holy Presence, through the Holy Spirit into our hearts this very day.

This gift of the Holy Spirit symbolized by blood, water and wind…can change our hearts for the remission of sin. The bent and temptation to sin will always be in us while we are on this earth but regular dozes of the Holy Spirit will force that sin nature into remission. Often it happens partially and when enough exposure to the Holy Spirit we can experience a complete remission of sin.

24. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25. not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:18-25

The secret to the remission of sin, partial or complete is to have the Holy Spirit pumping through your heart on a regular basis. When the Holy Spirit flows through us it changes our hearts and that flow is dependant on our hearts beating for Christ.

What gets your heart racing? Winning a big game or jumping out of an airplane? Does the love of a person you thought you could never have send your heart bounding to the point of making you dizzy? Some of us are just dizzy because are hearts have grown weak from lack of use.

You can have the best blood in the world but if your heart is not beating, it isn’t going to do you any good. You can have a deep love for a girl or guy but if you can’t get their heart to beat for you then your love will not be realized. We need a changed heart, and a beating heart to experience God’s love, but we also need keep each other passionate for the Love of God so it does not grow cold in our hearts.

The key is to keep the Holy Spirit pumping and flowing through you. What is in the Heart of Jesus flows to you as soon as you believe and receive salvation through repentance? When that happens the flow is great because we were empty, but soon we are filled and take the fullness of God for granted. If we remain full and stagnate that Spirit can not transform us, or cause sin to go into remission. The Spirit of God, The Love of God is to great for you to contain the fullness. For us to know more of God’s love we must let it flow into us and out again to others. The love of God is meant to be moving and flowing through our lives into the lives of other people. This flow through our beating hearts is the secret behind the complete remission of sin.

How does the heart of the believer pump the Holy Spirit through their lives? We follow the advice in this passage.
-spur one another on toward love and good deeds
-not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
-encouraging one another
-remember the Day of Christ’s return is approaching.

The cancer of sin comes from self preoccupation. It is a deadly disease that infected a third of the angels of heaven and all of humanity. It lingers in our very nature but it can be placed into a partial and then a full remission when we get our hearts pumping for God and His Love for other people. Sin is defeated every time and this is how Christ being Human kept himself from sin. His heart beat only for the Love of God.

Take the words advice and discover by experience what beats in the Heart of Christ. Repent and be saved. Let it beat in your heart as well. If you have a clog in your veins, repent of that sin and get the Holy Spirit flowing again. Let the Spirit flowing through your lives beat sin into remission. Give your changed heart to God.

Valentine is tomorrow and some hearts will beat fast when one young person purposes marriage to another. Tomorrow could be the day we stand before God. Will we know Him now in our hearts and enter before His presence with full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”? Now is the time to have your heart changed with a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised it to you and it is yours to have if you will come and repent of your sins. Don’t let anything get in your way.

Category 2011 (millions) 2010 (millions) YoY % Chg
Dining Out $ 8,831.20 $ 8,508.30 3.8%
Candy $ 2,593.20 $ 2,466.80 5.1%
Romantic Getaway $ 2,164.30 $ 2,047.00 5.7%
Flowers $ 1,582.50 $ 1,355.20 16.8%
Jewelry $ 1,456.30 $ 1,308.70 11.3%
Clothing & Lingerie $ 1,165.30 $ 1,126.30 3.4%
Greeting Cards $ 822.80 $ 784.30 4.9%
Total $ 18,615.60 $ 17,597.10 5.8%
source: IBISWorld 2011 Valentine’s Day spending forecast

26. For this is my blood of the new covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:28

77. and to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
Luke 1:77

5. Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this 6. so that the kindness he had given us in his dear Son would be praised and given glory. 7. Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness.
Ephesians 1:5-7

22. In fact, under the law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:22

A Biblical Faith: “Jesus Provides the only Way to be Saved”

2011-04-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff
John 6:35-51

People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.
John 6:44

No one else can save us. Indeed, we can be saved only by the power of the one named Jesus and not by any other person."
Act 4:12

Options, I love them. I want to have many choices and styles to choose from. If I have many choices then I will be able to make the best choice that fits who I am. Since we are all so different, no one choice can fit everyone. Right?

We in America really believe that diversity and freedom to choose from the many based on personal preference of the individual is a universal truth and even a divine right.

We could say choice is our “cup of tea.” There are more teas in this world than just Lipton. In fact many Americans are discovering how diverse and wonderful the choices the world offers us in exotic teas. Not only that, we are slowly realizing what ancient people knew for millennium, that they are actually healthy for us as well as tasty.

I have brought several teas this morning and I have several different teas for us to choose from. Which is your cup of tea? Some are dark black breakfast teas, while others are light herbal, and one a very exotic ancient tea with healing powers. If I were to ask you which is your cup of tea, which would you choose. You would most likely want to smell the leaves and maybe have a taste test, while comparing which appeals to your senses the most.

The choice we make and how we make it is very much the way we approach the various claims of religions. Some religions talk about following rules, and others your bliss, while yet others say the whole thing is an illusion. The world provides us with many ways it claims that we can find our way to heaven. Many even tell us we can determine for ourselves what “heaven” will mean if we just choose their ‘cup of tea.’

In our series on a Biblical Faith we have to face a very difficult fact. The Bible tells us in all the different cups that are being offered, there is only one that will allows us to enter into the only Heaven there is, and all the other cups are poisoned. That might not be the news you want to hear, but if the Bible is right, it could be the most important hint you will receive in your life. If you knew that of all these teas I brought today were actually poisonous and one could cure all your health problems, which one would be your “cup of tea?”

The mood in America that like choices is offended by the idea that I would suggest that not only is their one way to a real Heaven, but that all other paths are poison and lead to death. One commentator on American Culture said…

"These are the days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed except his own."
- ILN 8-11-28 (G. K. Chesterton)

What he means is that I should stand before you and tell you that every tea here is just as good as the next, even though I know they will all get you killed except one. This isn’t about taste or preference. This is about life and death.

Despite the choices that are before us this morning and everything we have been told over the years we still are confused about the decision we need to make today. Barna Research shows us in their research.

More than four out of five Americans claim to be Christian and half as many can be classified as born again Christians. Nine out of ten adults own a Bible. Most adults read the Bible during the year and a huge majority claims they know all of the basic teachings of the Bible. How, then, can most people say Satan does not exist, that the Holy Spirit is merely a symbol, that eternal peace with God can be earned through good works, and that truth can only be understood through the lens of reason and experience? How can a plurality of our citizens contend that Jesus committed sins and that the Bible, Koran and Book of Mormon all teach the same truths?
Barna Identifies Seven Paradoxes
Regarding America’s Faith
December 17, 2002

What this means is that despite what the Bible tells us, we choose to believe that any choice we make is good one, because we just want it that way. This belief that we can decide whatever we want despite what the Bible says has persisted in what American’s believe for decades now. There is a very good chance that someone reading this message or listening to me right now, are among those who believe one cup of tea is as good as another.

Recently a woman expressed what most Americans experience. She grew up church hoping and although her parents thought religion was important she didn’t really understand why they felt that way. Now that she is an mother herself she has come to this conclusion…

No matter what Church I went too the message was still the same. To live life loving yourself, loving and caring for the people around you and to make choices in life that would make Christ proud. We can’t be perfect. No one is, but the secret is to do your best. Failure only exists in the ones who choose to give up. The ones who try never fail. No matter what the outcome.
In my opinion, all roads lead to one God. There isn't any wrong or right religion. If it works for you and it gives you the strength, wisdom and serenity to live in happiness and the will to do good then so be it. 1.
Stacey Chillemi
Published Author
(See foot note…)

Somehow this dear lady grew up in church, attends church now with her children, and still thinks that the Bible says, “Chose any cup of tea you want as long as it helps you find happiness and peace.”

Yet the Bible that most of us owns warns us that not just any cup will save. All will kill and only one has life. Which cup is it?

35. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

The Bible tells us that Jesus has come to the end of His three year ministry and all that is left to do is to die for the sins of the world upon the cross. Jesus has the same problem I have today and every other pastor who holds out the true and trusted words of God. The problem is that people do not believe the Word of God when it declares that there is only one cup the gives life, and all the others kill.

Jesus came so we would choose the right cup, and live. God is not cruel because He does not give us enough choices. God is good because He is doing everything He can right now to get you to make the right choice and live. God is not narrowed minded, but desperate that we live. He is not pushy but urgent that we understand the danger we are in at this very moment if we choose wrong.

The choice we are given today is Christ or nothing. We must believe that God provides in Jesus the only way to be saved from our just judgment in hell or loose out forever. The only way we are going to see a resurrection is if we make the right choice.

A better analogy is to go back to our teas. What if I told you that you are dying from a fatal disease? Then what if I told you that only one of these teas could save you and all the rest wouldn’t hurt you, but they couldn’t save you from what’s wrong in your body? The Bible tells me that I have fatal disease and it is sin. I want to ignore God and go against my conscience. That nature, that sinful bent is what makes us terminal. Yet on the table is a cure, but only if you chose to believe what the Word says and drink from the right cup.

If you ask a doctor: "Have you ever had to tell someone that they were going to die soon?" He would most likely tell you that it was the hardest thing he did as a physician. But in most cases, he would detect a problem and give them a course of action that, if followed, would save their life.

That doctor isn’t being cruel or harsh. He is being deadly honest and giving hope. Yet even this clear choice is not enough to believe.

41. At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42. They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43. “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48. I am the bread of life. 49. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
John 6:35-51

The trouble with making a good choice today about what cup we will drink is that we consider how we are doing right now and see no need to change. We getting along and life is not perfect, but good enough. Unless we are desperate why would we give up our options and commit to only one path? Why get married when you can still have fun with several partners? Why get tied down with kids when you can travel and enjoy life? Why buy a home and be stuck with a job and a mortgage when you can travel the world? In other words, why give up freedom of choice for the commitment of a demanding relationship?

When this part of Christ’s short life on earth takes place time is running short. If Christ wore a watch, He would be looking at it and tapping it with His finger. Soon He would be arrested, stand trial, and be crucified on the cross. Time was running out and those who liked Him but were not committed needed to make a choice. They would not make it through the test that was coming if they did not decide to give up their choices and commit to Him as their only hope.

For our choices to narrow and believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved from an eternity in hell and enter heaven, we need a divine intervention from God. The Bible calls this a conviction. This is an inner sensation of God in our hearts telling us that we need to make this choice or miss our chance to be saved from this world and it’s many choices. This conviction is a deep sense of knowing, a conviction that the Bible is right and all other voices are wrong. We know in our conscience this is the only real choice we have if we are going to live. God narrows the choice for us by this spirit of conviction and without it no one will commit to Christ alone as their only hope of salvation.

Has God placed that conviction in you? Have you made the choice? If you think you still have options, as most American’s do, then you have not experienced the benefits of believing the convicting Spirit of God. When we really believe God’s word, there are no other choices left. Our entire hope is on the Lord Jesus Christ, His death and His resurrection.

53. Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
66. From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:53;66;67-69

If you lack that God given conviction, all you have to do is ask for it. Just say a prayer to God and ask Him to give you the gift of a convicted spirit. King David in the Old Testament did this when he prayed,

23. Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24. See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24

If you ask Father God, He will send the Holy Spirit and convict you what you must chose and narrow your focus to Jesus Christ. He may have already accomplished this in your life because someone else asked Him to bring conviction into your life. But that gift is wasted if we don’t commit to Christ as our only hope.

Jesus made His disciples choose. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Today I am asking you to make the choice. Now is the time to commit. To accept Jesus and declare Him as your only hope of salvation is the decision we must make today. There are only two possible answers today and that is ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ We must choose.

On the communion table this morning we have a cup for you to drink. This cup represents Christ Himself. His blood is represented by the grape juice and His body by the bread. The only way drinking this juice and eating this bread will make any difference in eternity is if you commit to Christ and reject all other options of salvation. He must be Lord of all in your life, or Lord of nothing. This is no time to hold back because we are going to need this single minded focus in the days, months and maybe years ahead. Just like the disciples before Easter we must be all in and trust on Christ for everything. No other religion or philosophy will save you. They can not cure what is wrong with your heart. They can not remove the cancerous sin from our lives. Only this one cup, the cup of Christ can save us now.

Will you say yes be coming and receiving the Cup of Christ or will you say no and keep your options open? Decide now. Heed the conviction you asked for earlier and make your choice. Now is the day of salvation.

1. Stacey Chillemi is the managing editor for the magazine UZURI. She is the author of Epilepsy You're Not Alone; Live, Learn, and Be Happy with Epilepsy; Epilepsy and Pregnancy: What Every Women Should Know; the children’s book My Mommy Has Epilepsy and My Daddy Has Epilepsy ; and two collections of poetry, Keep the Faith and Eternal Love. She has recently been featured in Woman’s World Magazine and the New Jersey Star Ledger.

A Biblical Faith: “Jesus’ Finished Work”

2011-04-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff
Hebrews 7:23-28

It is finished!

That is what I long to say one day about the book I am writing. I will call up all my friends and share the news and tell everyone I am looking forward to their comments. The only trouble is that I know what they will say. My good friends will tell me the truth and say, you’re not sending it off to a publisher like that are you? I’ll say, “Whatever do you mean?” In some nice and gentle way they will point our spelling and grammar error’s along with some missing pieces of the plot.

Embarrassed I will go back to work make the fixes and then announce: It is finished! This time I won’t let my friends have another look at it but post it right away to several publishing houses waiting for wonderful comments and a big fat signing bonus.

The trouble is I know that the publishers will write back and some might say they enjoyed the book and see some possibilities, but with more changes and extensive editing. Embarrassed I will take those suggestions to heart in the hopes of gaining their approval. After passing through several committees, editors, and re-writes I will announced to the world that “It is finished!”

That’s when the literary critics will review the book and offer their suggestions how it could have been so much better. Taking into consideration their comments I may make changes hoping for a second print where they could be inserted. Then the public will start commenting and contradict everything that the critics. Not sure on whom to please I will just give up changing the book and go on to another project.

Isn’t that the way it is with everything in our lives. What we do is never really done but always the “work in progress.” Homes are never really finished or raising children. We never really finish a job we just go home. For us humans “finishing” is when we give up and call it good enough. We run out of time, money, patience, and passion long before any work we are doing is really finished.

I want us to remember how we call something ‘finished’ because we can’t really understand what Christ has done for us and is doing for us if we confuse our way of thinking with His. The finished work of Christ is remarkably different than any work any human being has every attempted.

When it comes to our relationships the last words we want to hear is “I’m finished with you.” We never want people to be finished with us, but not to over stress by our neediness either. I have met many people, even after they become Christians who are anxious about whether Christ is finished with them yet and what that might mean.

You see Jesus did finish a work that He took on for us but He is not finished with any of us yet. It was on the cross where He died that he announced that the work he took on for us was finished.

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30

I would love to say with absolute conviction “It is finished…” but when Christ said it, he meant that He had paid for my and your sins and there was no price left to be paid. He paid it all and no one can say that anything was left owing.

Sometimes when we pay the price of a wrong done to us, in other words, forgive something with out expecting compensation; we are also finished with the person we forgive. Many people forgive to be done with someone, to get free of them so they never have to see them again. Forgiveness for us is often the last act of a dead relationship. Our forgiveness usually sounds like this: “I forgive you and I never want to see you again.”

People who have a problem with God often say He is cruel and unjust, but our actions are often far more harsh in standing and if we had the power that God has, it would indeed be very terrible.

Consider how incredibly different Jesus Christ is when He pays the price for our forgiveness.

23. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24. but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Hebrews 7:23-28

Jesus does not walk away when He pays the price for the wrongs we have done against the Father. Instead He places Himself in a position where He can serve us and God to make sure the peace he bought is kept.

The trouble with the work that Jesus does is not that it is imperfect, but that we are always getting into trouble. Christ can perfectly save me, forgive me, and intercede on my behalf before God, but after having come to Him I will mess up again and need more help in the future.

Jesus shows us what real love and forgiveness is in that His finished work is not just complete but permanent. He maintains my position of forgiveness before God no matter how many times I might mess up.

That is hard for us to understand someone who can be that consistent in their love and forgiveness towards a person who seems like a perpetual looser. Yet that is just how different the finished and permanent work of Christ is in the courts of heaven. He will never give up on us if we will never give up on Him.

Jesus has the ability to intercede because of His death on the cross and resurrection that placed Him at the right hand of Father God. But it is His unfailing love that helps us when we fail. Paul said it this way…

That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
Hebrews 7:25

If you wonder how this works, you are not alone. Ever since Jesus took up this finished and permanent work believers and seekers have wondered what they have to do to be right with Christ. You begin by repenting of your sins and asking Jesus to forgive you and to come into your life to make a heart change.

To begin is the first step but the second step is to persist. When we begin we share in the cross of Christ, when we persist we enter into the courts of heaven where His everlasting love is revealed.

Now, since the dawn of the Christian faith, believers have wondered can I do whatever I want and Christ will keep interceding for me before Father God?

20. …But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21. so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means!
Romans 5:21, 22; 6:1

We can be sure that Christ will persist in His office of intersession if we honor so great a love of Father God. On the other hand we should be careful not to go on sinning thinking we have a free pass to do what we want now because our Lord will pay the bill. Such an attitude would dishonor the grace and love of Father God. John warns us that anyone who treats such a grace cheaply is in danger…

6. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
1 John 3:6

Make no mistake that our salvation in Jesus Christ depends on our relationship with Him. This is not governed by a law but there are some basics about relationships we must understand if we are going to confident in Christ rather than legalities. Some have tried to turn Grace into a legal relationship with God that is binding on Him. The truth is that our salvation is dependent on the attitude that Christ, the great and permanent intercessor before God has towards us.

If He were to deny us we would be in trouble. If He acknowledges us and welcomes us into the Kingdom then Father God will follow His lead. Unlike us His attitude towards those He cares about is not affected by the imperfections of our character, or even the pain we cause Him from time to time. But there is one thing that can’t change His attitude towards us even if we had at one time entered into a relationship with Him. Jesus stated this very clearly in Matthew:

32. “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33

Peter, the Apostle of Jesus Christ was such a man. He was the first to acknowledge before others that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, the promised Messiah. He did this by the power of the Holy Spirit. He believed with His heart and was committed to Christ.

Peter was also the first to deny Christ after acknowledging Christ. In fact he did it three times at the trial of Jesus Christ, before the crucifixion. Not only that, but Jesus predicted that he would do it despite the objections made by Peter. Now this is how amazing the Love of Christ is towards us. He promises Peter that he will restore him once he falls.

31. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

33. But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34. Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Luke 22:31-34

The faith of Peter did fail just as Christ predicted. Christ warned Peter if he denied Him before other men, then Christ would deny Peter before the father. The denial of Peter was the words “I don’t know Him.” The denial of most modern believers is often, “I just don’t know.” In the story of Peter and in our own denials the following affect is shame. If we are ashamed of Christ He will be ashamed of us. If we boast of Christ with joy and pride then Christ will boast about us with joy and pride.

You see, this is how relationships work. They are not contracts that are binding upon both parties, but a living dynamic that requires us to believe and confess Christ before others if we want Christ to believe in us and acknowledge us before Father God.

We are a small church here in Medford and I have noticed that some have been ashamed to be apart of this congregation. We are not as big, fancy or offering as many programs as other congregations. It would be terrible if we think that is how relationships work in the courts of heaven where Christ is accomplishing His permanent office before Father God. I don’t believe that Christ is ashamed of the First Church of God, as long we keep acknowledging the amazing love of God in Jesus Christ before the world. In fact, I know that this congregation has been the subject of praise and thanksgiving before the throne of God.

Where are you this morning? Is your faith marked by shame or by faith? Do you acknowledge that amazing love of Christ before others or are the words, “…I don’t know” often on your lips?

Do you want to know? Do you want to believe? Then we can be restored even as Peter was after denying Christ three times. Christ just asks us a simple question: “Do you love me?” Is there anyone here who is not ashamed of Christ who would like to stand and declare before us today that they love Jesus Christ for His perfect and finished work? If you would do that today Christ will do the same before Father God. Will you do that right now? Jesus is watching and waiting upon what you do in the next few minutes.

10. With one sacrifice he accomplished the work of setting them apart for God forever.
Hebrew 10:14

20. Through him he also reconciled all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, thus making peace through the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:20

A Biblical Faith: “Jesus Pays the Price For Our Sin”

2011-03-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff
First Church of God,
Medford, Oregon
www.fcog.us
1 John 4:7-12

Do you have any bills hanging over your head? Do you know the shock of getting a large unexpected bill? Debt can carry such strain and anxiety that many find it difficult to sleep at night.

Then there are those nasty business people who want their money. They call and call making veiled, and then not so veiled threats until they are paid. Sometimes it is nasty letters that come in the mail or even creditors knocking on our doors.

All this is very upsetting for us when we owe the debt. Money and how we will live has become the number one issue in people lives as they face uncertain futures. The issue with money and debt is that we don’t really understand how it works. That is why some less the credible people take advantage of us in what has been called “predatory lending.”
The government is even talking about getting tougher on such loans while they are abusive in their own policies.

Today we are going to try to understand some of the basics about debt and what it really means in terms of our relationships, self esteem and freedom. We must be more savvy about debt if we are going to understand our relationship with God and what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

Then maybe our attitude about debt, money and loaners will change as well. When we understand what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, then we will understand what He can do in the rest our life, including our finances.

First we must understand that we are in debt. There is bad debt and good debt and when it comes to God we are in bad debt. We owe Him what we have no means to repay. Worst yet we are bad debtors, for many do not consider the debt we owe to be of any concern.

We had a great friend in a man called John the Baptist. He came just before Jesus Christ to remind us of our debt and to warn us that there was one and only one chance to get free of this obligation and to be saved from ruin, poverty and death.

He called out to those who would listen and to us today to “repent” of our sins. He warned people that they were so far in debt that the religious acts they were doing would not be enough to catch up on the dept. Our debt began with breaking a command of God not to eat of a tree. Since then God has warned us to not do a lot of things and do other good things. But we have kept on sinning believing that we could always do something later to make things right with God. John told them they were wrong and so are we if we think that way. We all need to admit that we are so far in debt to God, so far down the road of rebellion to Him that there is no way we can repay Him for what we have done.

If we are going to stop going into more debt we must recognize it us who are creating the debt. More cash will not save us from more debt. We can’t just keep printing more money and think we will get by. We can’t just pray a prayer, give some money, or attend a church service and think we have caught up enough. We are so far down in a hole of rebellion we don’t really want to go back to God, live in His house, by His rules.

Yet, if we can stop, just stop and admit we are going down a road that is leading to ruin, then maybe we can be ready to hear what God has to offer. God has away to not only pay our full debt but to bring our rebellious hearts home to where we belong.

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

The offer God makes to us is to pay of our debts, if we are willing to stop a debt creating life. If we will reform, turn around, and start making deposits in our relationship with Him, then God will EXPIATE our debt of sin. That is a fancy word theologians use to say that through His Son Jesus he will end the dept of our sin.

For so God so loves you that He gave His only Son to die upon a cross to pay the full debt or your sin. But what good is it if we just start running up more debt? If we will repent, turn, and admit we have been living a wild prodigal life then the Father will take us back to live in His home and by His rules. This is how we know what love really is.

7. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
1 John 4:7-12

Here is the thing we don’t understand. We can’t know what love is until we know what it means to forgive a great debt. You see we think that when we run up a debt that we are hurting no one but ourselves. “What does it matter to anyone else what I do with my life. If I am hurting my self then what business is it of anyone else?” That’s the problem with debt, because it is borrowing something from other people we have no intention to repay, respect, or return. People who create bad debt just take what they can and consider anyone foolish enough to lend them foolish enough to rob.

Our debts hurt people who trust us with what is there’s. When we fail to give back what we owe we hurt other people. When we fail give back dignity, respect and especially love to those who have lent us there’s, then we hurt them by a theft of the soul.

God can love us but if we take that love for granted and don’t repay it, then we don’t really know the value of His love. If we borrow money and don’t repay it with interest, we don’t really know the value of money or of the trust given to us by another. That is why God’s word tells us “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Love is not a free pass to do what you want.

Love is not getting what you want or need without obligation.

Love is not seeking your own good and happiness.

Some have called this love, but it is not love. That is a mirrored image of love which reflects back the reverse of what love really is by making us look into ourselves and to our own interest.

What love really is, what God shows us about love, is more like a open window from which we can see a bigger world, and something more important than our own interest. Love is a call to be free of our own interest and invest heavily in a cause much greater.

When we spend our time, our energy and resources on ourselves we are going into debt because there will be no return on what we spend. If we spend our time, our energy and our resources on God through Jesus Christ His son, then we will have invested because a great return will be given on what we give into the Kingdom.

Self love is a debtor’s obsession. The Love of God is an investors dream.

1. “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4. so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:1-4

So what does it mean to Love like God?

10. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:7-12

Have you ever gone to buy something and someone told you that your money is no good and they wouldn’t accept it, or maybe your credit card? Have your checks ever been turned down? That can be an embarrassing moment, right?

There are many people who are going to heaven with bad currency thinking they have what they need to get into heaven. We know we have a debt with God and when we get there we hope to pay it off with the currency of affection, good works and sincerity. But when we arrive at those gates we will find that our currency is no good, and we will be turned down while our debt will be called in and collected. In the process many will experience a spiritual death and an eternity in hell. (Matthew 25:31-46)

Our definition of love is worthless in heaven. What we think is good enough for acceptance into heaven is no where near the standard of heaven itself. If we had our way heaven will be filled with adulterers, liars, murders, gossips, slanders, and many others that will ruin the place in no time at all. What we can do, save, and scrape together on our own will never be enough to pay the dept we owe God.

What we need, and we need it today, is not more of our so called ‘love’ but the pure and precious gold of God’s Love in our hearts. Now here is the amazing thing. He is willing to deposit that into your heart today. He is willing to pay off all that we owe Him because of what His son did for us on the cross. He paid our debt with blood that was priceless.

That is what atoning means. That is what it costs God when we create a debt through sin. We hurting not only ourselves, but we have do great harm to the God who loves us and chooses to be hurt rather than protect Himself from out rebellion.

Now here is the amazing truth. If we will accept his gift of forgiveness, after we have recognized the terrible nature of our rebellion and accumulated debt, then He will place a Love in us unknown by natural means. We will receive heaven in our hearts. If it is really the Love of God, it will overflow in Love for others, even the worst among us.

Paul knew what it meant to be one of the worst and yet be loved in this amazing way. He wrote:

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another…”
Romans 13:8

Now do you understand what a debt is and just how far in the hole we have all fallen. No amount of good works or religious actions will pay down the debt. We can’t go on sinning and paying down as we go justifying our actions on balanced ledger.

We are so indebted to God that there is only one who has the means to pay that debt off and that is Jesus Christ. He is willing, but if we take Him up on His offer we no longer belong to ourselves. We have become His possession.

19. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20. you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

When Christ comes and set us free from debt and the debtor’s obsession, He then claims our lives, our bodies, and our future. We receive the wealth of God’s Love which better than gold in heaven. Our balanced ledgers of good works versus sins are burned and only the ledgers of heaven will show that Christ has paid it all and we are his possessions.

11. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev. 20:11-15

My friends are you ready to face the balance sheets of heaven? Our record keeping does not show our real debt. We have been ‘cooking the books’ in our favor. We are in a desperate place and not far from when we will stand before the great white throne of God before the courts of heaven. When they open the books, will the find a note by your debt saying: “See Jesus Christ for collection.”

If you not sure let me show you how to be ready. Come, now is the time. If we fail to come now we are saying no to God’s gracious gift. We must choose and what we do know will affect us for eternity. To respond to God’s gracious offer in Jesus Christ is to say yes. To postpone, to think about it more, to wait for a better time is a rejection of God’s love. If we neglect so great a Love of God, what hope can we have on the great Day of Judgment?
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31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “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. 35 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, 36 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.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “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.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-46

A Biblical Faith: “Jesus our Advocate and Only Mediator”

2011-03-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

1 Timothy 2:1-7

I’ve shaken my fist in anger and cursed furniture, cars and even some people. If I’m not mad enough there is always someone on the radio of TV eager to make me mad again. I’ve been mad at just about anything you can imagine.

Except unicorns. I’ve never been angry at unicorns.

It’s unlikely you’ve ever been angry at unicorns either. We can become incensed by objects and creatures both animate and inanimate. We can even, in a limited sense, be bothered by the fanciful characters in books and dreams. But creatures like unicorns that don’t exist—that we truly believe not to exist—tend not to raise our ire. We certainly don’t blame the one-horned creatures for our problems.
When Atheists Are Angry at God
Jan 12, 2011
Joe Carter

A new set of studies (in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) finds that atheists and agnostics report anger toward God either in the past or anger focused on a hypothetical image of what they imagine God must be like. Those who reported no belief in God reported more grudges toward him than believers.

A survey in America revealed that 62 percent of people were sometimes angry at God, but that figure is most likely higher today.
Angry feelings tended to match up with a patient's general level of mental distress. More distress was linked to more anger at God, Exline found. It isn't clear whether the anger caused the distress, the distress caused the anger, or some other factor caused both. What does seem clear is that a passing anger at God is nothing to be alarmed about, regardless of how theologically troubling some people find such emotions.
"We get mad at people every day," Exline said. "Usually it passes, and then it's probably not going to affect your mood or your mental health all that much. But when it turns into a grudge ... that's where anger tends to become more of a problem for people. It's the same sort of thing with anger toward God."
‎ At God We Rage: Anger at the Almighty Found to Be Common
By Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
posted: 04 January 2011 12:18 pm ET

It seems if we are angry enough at God to develop a grudge with Him, then that anger can push us to a disbelief in God. I suspect that a great deal of atheism and agnostics are simply angry with God and use reason to defend their position.

If that is the case, then often a disbelief or lack of faith in God is more of a snub or giving the divine the silent treatment out of a emotional dilemma. Something terrible may have happened to you in the past that makes you angry at God for being so unfair and cruel. Or you may conclude as some do that God is angry with you and fear Him wondering what to do.

As is common amongst people today we think we are unique in the world, but anger towards God and what we perceive as anger from God is an ancient as humanity. The question is what can we do when there is anger between us and heaven?

The Bible has a great many things to say about this, but here a few key points to lowering the distress that such anger brings into our lives.

Go to Jesus when you are angry with God:

"God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could put one hand on God's shoulder and the other on mine. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment."
Job 9:32-34

In the above lament, Job asks for a Son of Man who is also equal with God. He wants someone like God but someone also like himself. He wants that one person that can stand between two angry people and love them both. Placing a hand on each shoulder he keeps them for attacking and from leaving. He keeps the connected, talking and understanding what has passed between them.

Jesus Christ is the one Job wanted so He could be reconciled to the God because his relationship was one of anger on both sides. At least that is what he thought. Have you ever been so angry at someone you can’t even talk to them? Have you so rehearsed what they will say in your own mind that you have already shot down every possible reply without ever uttering an actual word?

There are many who have that kind of relationship with God. Job was not an atheist or an agnostic. He knew that there was a God and that He could be good and harsh. Although he was angry with God he didn’t hide from God but demanded an answer for his misfortune and distress.

Consider how Jesus Christ is the only one who can put a hand on your shoulder and one on God.
1. Jesus did not come into this world to condemn you but to save you. (John 3:17)
2. Jesus loves us despite our sin and paid the price of sin upon the cross.
3. Jesus is loved by the Father and is pleased with Him.
4. Jesus only wants what the Father wants.
5. Jesus wants us to find life abundantly, to conquer sin and be free.

In the entire world there is only one who can stand between us and God keeping us together but not attacking and that is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

He is truly a friend to all atheists, agnostics and believers who are under the distress of anger with God. Go to Jesus when you angry with God.

Go to Jesus when you want to reconcile with God:

1. I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2. for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4. who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6. who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
1 Timothy 2:1-7

The trouble with trouble is that it spreads. The anger we hold in our hearts was meant to be perishable, like cheese or milk. Anger moves us to act, engage and demand something better when it is fresh. But if we keep it longer than a day it will spoil into remorse, bitterness and a foul grudge. Anger if allowed to spoil will move from a demand for justice to something beyond all reason.

We may be able to tolerate such a foul smell in our lives for a time but a grudge spreads into all relationships until we find that we are not fit for any relationship for the unreasonable demands we make on God we will make on everyone else. When we suspect God the author of all things good, we will suspect all others. We can not live at peace others; cease our shouting and cruel words; and do good for others when we let our grudge with God spoil all things.

Along with the growing grudge our distress grows. We blame the distress of an unfair life for our anger, but it is our spoiled anger towards God that gives us the greatest distress. I know what most of the grudge bearing people of the world would rarely admit. I know they want to be relieved of this burden but believe reconciliation to God is a bitter pill to swallow.

Yet the Bible tells us that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (v.4). You see the only real way to reconcile with God is to come to know the truth about our grudge. Jesus Christ must hold us by the shoulder and God so that we can hear what we have failed to acknowledge.

When we hold a grudge we rehearse in our minds our grievance. The words are unspoken but often rehearsed in our minds. We can even imagine the reply of the one we are angry with and then develop rebuttals we think that will demolish their objections. Almost every true atheist or agnostic I have met have this kind of understanding about how flawed God is and so elevate themselves above the divine declaring it a myth.

This is not a knowledge of truth, but a rehearsed deception. We must come to know the truth about our anger. When we go to Jesus we will discover it was angry and grudged filled people like us that nailed Him to the cross where he bore the full force of our accusations. They yelled crucify Him because He is no Son of God. In the same way when we are angry with God we say to ourselves that God is a myth and His justice a joke. We don’t try to kill him, but we act as if He does not exist.

Here is the truth that our anger drives us to stop talking to God, and to stop listening to God. What declare that God is dead to us and we will not bother with Him hoping He will be hurt by our actions and not bother with us. Yet the Bible tells us that is not an agreement that God can make or one that Jesus Christ will honor.

The great truth that those who are angry with God find hard to believe is this: God stills wants you to be saved from the fowl grudge that has gripped your heart and to be reconciled through the knowledge of truth and the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. He bore the full brunt of anger and asked for forgiveness. He holds our shoulders still while He holds Gods. All He asks is that we throw out our spoiled anger and accept the truth about our corrupted life.

Those who have accepted this offer have seen their lives change, cleaned, and transformed with a fresh flow of God’s peace, love and acceptance.

Some of us may think it’s too late to be reconciled to God.

Go to Jesus when you blow it:

1. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2

Jesus Christ stands between us and God holding our shoulders and asking us to come and reason with Him. If we will repent in the knowledge of the truth then God will forgive and receive us as His child. We can be angry and not sin if we don’t let our distress spoil into a soul rotting grudge.

This has been made possible so that we would persist in our rebellion with God. All rebellion needs an excuse and nothing justifies it more in our hearts than spoiled anger. All sin is rebellion towards God and now the Lord Jesus has made it possible so that we would not continue to sin by restoring our relationship with God.

Although Father God will not leave nor forsake us there are times when we will fall into hold habits or come into an ordeal where we begin to doubt God as we once did. In a situation like this, what do we do?

Jesus is the advocate and mediator that first reconciled us to God and He is the one we go to when we have fallen back into old ways. We may try to turn from Father God’s face but Christ holds us by the shoulder and will not let go. He remains constant turning our face to God and away from sin. As long as you have a sense of guilt, knowing that you are turning away from God, then Christ still has a hand on your shoulder to turn you back to God.

Even now, as you hear this message, He is with us placing a hand on your shoulder and one on God. He is letting you know that now is the time to turn and face Father God and know the truth about ourselves rather than the lies we have believed. We need to know the truth about Father God rather than the whisperings of an angry heart.

This is our chance to be reconciled to God and leave the distressed pain of a angry heart behind.

If the hand of Christ is on your shoulder today, you have a chance now to be reconciled to Father God. Take it. Take it now.

------------------------------------------
When Atheists Are Angry at God
Jan 12, 2011
Joe Carter

A new set of studies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology finds that atheists and agnostics report anger toward God either in the past or anger focused on a hypothetical image of what they imagine God must be like. Julie Exline, a psychologist at Case Western Reserve University and the lead author of this recent study, has examined other data on this subject with identical results. Exline explains that her interest was first piqued when an early study of anger toward God revealed a counterintuitive finding: Those who reported no belief in God reported more grudges toward him than believers.

At first glance, this finding seemed to reflect an error. How could people be angry with God if they did not believe in God? Reanalyses of a second dataset revealed similar patterns: Those who endorsed their religious beliefs as “atheist/agnostic” or “none/unsure” reported more anger toward God than those who reported a religious affiliation.

Exline notes that the findings raised questions of whether anger might actually affect belief in God’s existence, an idea consistent with social science’s previous clinical findings on “emotional atheism.”

Studies in traumatic events suggest a possible link between suffering, anger toward God, and doubts about God’s existence. According to Cook and Wimberly (1983), 33% of parents who suffered the death of a child reported doubts about God in the first year of bereavement. In another study, 90% of mothers who had given birth to a profoundly retarded child voiced doubts about the existence of God (Childs, 1985). Our survey research with undergraduates has focused directly on the association between anger at God and self-reported drops in belief (Exline et al., 2004). In the wake of a negative life event, anger toward God predicted decreased belief in God’s existence.

The most striking finding was that when Exline looked only at subjects who reported a drop in religious belief, their faith was least likely to recover if anger toward God was the cause of their loss of belief. In other words, anger toward God may not only lead people to atheism but give them a reason to cling to their disbelief.

I've argued elsewhere that, according to the Christian tradition, atheism is a form of self-imposed intellectual dysfunction, a lack of epistemic virtue, or—to borrow a term from my Catholic friends—a case of vincible ignorance.

Vincible ignorance is intentional suppression of knowledge that is within an individual’s control and for which he is responsible before God. In Romans, St. Paul is clear that atheism is a case of vincible ignorance: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Acknowledging the existence of God is just the beginning—we must also recognize several of his divine attributes. Atheists who deny this reality are, as St. Paul said, without excuse. They are vincibly ignorant.

Recognizing this fact, however, does not mean that the cause of this self-imposed dysfunction has been understood. While I firmly believe all forms of atheism are instances of both vincible ignorance and an obstinacy of will, I've sometimes mistakenly assumed it to be a purely intellectual failing—a matter of the head, not the heart. Only recently have I begun to appreciate how much the emotional response to pain and suffering can push a person to an atheistic worldview.

Most pastors and priests would find my epiphany to be both obvious and overdue. But I suspect I’m not the only amateur apologist who has been blinded to this truth. As a general rule, those of us engaged in Christian apologists tend to prefer the philosophical to the pastoral, the crisp structure of logical argument to the messiness of human emotion. We often favor the quick-witted response that dismisses the problem of evil rather than patient empathy, which consoles atheists that we too are perplexed by suffering.

Many atheists do, of course, proceed to their denial of God based solely on rational justifications. That is why evidentialist and philosophical approaches to apologetics will always be necessary. But I'm beginning to suspect that emotional atheism is far more common than many realize. We need a new apologetic approach that takes into account that the ordinary pain and sufferings of life leads more people away from God than a library full of anti-theist books. Focusing solely on the irate sputterings of the imperfectly intellectual New Atheists may blind us to the anger and suffering that is adding new nonbelievers to their ranks.

Joe Carter is the web editor of First Things. His previous articles for "On the Square" can be found here.

RESOURCES

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, “Anger at God common, even among atheists
Julie Juola Exline and Alyce Martin, "Anger Toward God: New Frontier in Forgiveness Research
Joe Carter, Do Tummy Aches Disprove God?

A Biblical Faith: “Jesus the Sinless Redeemer”

2011-03-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff

God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God's approval through him.
2Co 5:21

If you search the world for opinions about Jesus being sinless you will quickly discover that most people won’t argue about the high moral standing of Jesus Christ. We may argue over his divinity, his resurrection and even his existence but most leave his purity from sin alone.

That doesn’t tell us what we think about Jesus being without sin, it’s just a topic we avoid and make many assumptions. To talk about whether Jesus sinned begs the question whether sin even exists. If you are inclined to believe that there is a right and wrong set by God you are not likely to accuse His one and only son of breaking those rules.

Yet secretly, in our hearts we find it hard to believe that Jesus Christ could take on the form of a human being, live among sinful men and all this world’s temptations and not sin in some small way. For the incarnate Christ to be sinless would seem unnatural and inhuman.

Would it surprise you to know 42% of adults believe that Jesus committed sins while on earth? Even among people who are identified as being “born again” about a third believed that Christ did sin while on earth, the same percentage as the population as a whole. (“Barna Survey Examines Changes in Worldview Among Christians over the Past 13 Years” March 6, 2009, www.barna.org).

This Biblical teaching that Christ without sin is absolutely critical to the Christian faith. Jesus could not die for our sins if He died as a consequence of His own. If Jesus sinned then we are all lost in our sins and can not escape the judgment of Hell.

If you belong to more liberal congregations you are more likely to believe that Jesus was a sinner, but a nice guy who had some great ideas. Here are a few groups in 2001 and the percentage of members who believed in a sinless Christ:
Presbyterian: 45%
Catholics: 33%
Lutheran: 33%
Methodist: 33%
Episcopal: 28%

When we compare these results with people who don’t attend any church we find a more Biblical response. In 2004, a Barna Research survey of the "unchurched" and found that 49% believe that Jesus was sinless while on earth which is higher than five of the liberal denominations listed above.

This series is our time to check the foundations of our faith to make sure they are solidly on a Biblical understanding. What frightens me as a pastor is that in some congregations you are better off not attending if you want a Biblical faith in Jesus Christ.

So let’s check again with God’s word and make sure we are on solid footing when it comes to Christ’s sinless nature, and His ability to pay for our forgiveness on the cross.

11. But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15. For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 9:11-28

If you scratch your head when reading this section of the Bible, I don’t blame you because Paul is talking about Jewish rituals to Jewish people who understand the customs. Most of us are foreigners to this world and we can easily get lost in all this talk about sacrifice, high priest, and tabernacles.

There are a few key truths that God is revealing to us in this passage about who we are in relationship to the perfect sinless Christ.

You already know that everyone has a sense of right and wrong. We call that our conscience. That’s the inner part of our being that warns us when we are making morally wrong choices and urges us to act when it is the right thing to do. The trouble with our conscience is that we are told from early on in our life not to listen to it, but to set it aside as outdated notions of previous generations.

Yet no matter what we do the conscience remains and convicts us that we are guilty of disobeying God and His will for our lives. A troubling conscience has bothered humanity since Adam and Eve hid the bushes from God and yet God found them anyways and asked what they were feeling so guilty about.

We are still hiding from God. So many people tell me that they want to hear from God and actually make contact but that is really hard to do when we are hiding in the bushed with Adam and Eve. What we hope will happen if God were to show up is that He will say we are very special and everything is going to work out.

The reality is that God has been seeking each one of us and beating the bushes trying to get us to stop hiding from Him. What that means is that there is only one way to make first contact with God and that is by being honest with our conscience. We must face what God is saying to us about and admit that we are guilty of rebelling against Him and His will for our life. Until we are ready to do this we will not really meet God. We will only call out from the bushes and ask if He could come back later when we have a better set of clothes.

The better clothes, for the people prior to Christ were the sacrifice of animals. In other words we looked for “scapegoats” for someone else or something else to take the blame for what we have done.

Since then we have looked for other creative ways to dress up for God and hide our sins from Him. We have tried rationalization, denial and religion of all kinds but no matter what we do we know it won’t work. We may feel alright for awhile but the feeling of guilt always comes back. We can never have a totally clean conscience by trying to ignore it or cover it up.

That is why Christ came to pay the price for our sins. His death does not just cover our sins, but actually cleans our conscience of all guilty when it is applied. Having your conscience washed clean by Christ through the Holy Spirit can not be duplicated or matched by any other guilt hiding method.

It is time for us to come out of the bushes, feel the weight of our sin and let Christ wash away the guilt of our sin. That is how we are going to finally connect with God, the only way.

16. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17. because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18. This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19. When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21. In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:11-28

When God heard the confession of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He knew that anything they made to cover up would not really hide their guilt before Him. He warned them that death was the consequence of their sin and to prevent justice from taking their physical lives that judgment was forced on the scapegoat. He killed an animal and clothed them in the skins of that animal. This was a temporary fix and foreshadowing of what was to come.

You see their sin and our sin meant that God would have to decide between us dying physically and spiritually, or He would somehow have to pay that price for us without giving up His holy nature and justice. To embrace and love us after we sin meant that He would pay a terrible price. The amazing character of God is that He did not hesitate in the Garden of Eden or in the Garden of Gethsemane. He does not hesitate today and is willing to pay the price to restore us back into His arms again.

We have jumped from conscience to the principle of inheritance. Verse 16 tells us that the price Jesus paid on the cross was not just to wash our conscience clean but to make it possible for us to inherit a kingdom that we do not deserve.

The blood of Christ then accomplished to very important acts in our lives, it takes away our guilt and makes us blood brothers of Christ, inheritors of the Kingdom of God as children of God. That is why this verse reminds us that everything in our lives must be under the blood of Christ. He sacrificed everything for us so we could surrender everything to Him. Jesus freely gave up all that was precious to Him so we would freely give up all that is precious to us in exchange for His forgiveness and love.

Now here is the thing. In our day we think of blood as a contamination. If there is a blood spill at a Red Cross clinic it’s a big deal and everything has to be sanitized. If you are a medical person, or emergency response personnel you are taught to protect yourself from being contaminated by the blood of other people.

When people address our sin it is often with gloves and masks to protect themselves from cross contamination. We know that sin can spread and infect us all just like a biological pathogen. So when we hear that God uses the blood of Christ to wash us clean and make us blood brothers with Christ we might be disgusted with that image.

True enough, if the blood of Christ was contaminated. But this is the good news. The blood of Christ is pure and without sin or virus. He does not infect us like everyone else, but washes us clean. His blood in us is like an infusion of anti-bodies and powerful white blood cells that attack and clean us from the inside out. He detoxifies us and every part of our lives when we exposed it to His blood.

Not only is the guilt gone, but the very nature of sin can be scrubbed from our veins but only when we inject the blood of Christ into every part of our lives.

Now understand this, that “blood” is a powerful symbol that represents the life, the soul, and the spirit of a living being. The blood of Jesus Christ is literally the Holy Spirit in our life. This gift of the Holy Spirit is what marks us inheritors of eternal life. Ephesians chapter one tells us that when we hear the gospel and believe upon it that we receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit on that day and hour. The word tells us that this Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our eternal inheritance.

There you have it: blood, spirit and inheritance all tied together as one important event in our lives if we will come out of the bush and confess our sins to God who is calling us.

Now think about this. If Christ had sinned then His blood would have been contaminated like ours. We wouldn’t want to be exposed to it and contract and even deadlier disease from Him. But because the blood or spirit of Christ was without sin we can take it into our own soul and watch it begin to fight back the infection in our own lives.

Only the pure and healthy blood of Christ, the pure and powerful Holy Spirit of Christ could accomplish this in anyone’s life. All other religious figures were flawed and infectious.

23. It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28. so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:11-28

This passage may have you scratching your head again because we have gone from guilty conscience, to inheritance, and now we are talking about heaven and what waits for us there. We‘ve found out that Christ being without sin makes it possible for us to have our conscience washed clean and to be declared a child of God right now.

But this is not the final chapter or the end. Although we are guaranteed to inherit the Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit we are not home yet. Look around you the next time you watch the news and see how things are falling apart. This broken down world is not your inheritance. You are not going to receive a “fixer upper.” When we come out of the bush and come clean with Christ we become fellow heir’s with Him of the Kingdom of God that is yet to come. We don’t get Eden, a garden away from God, we get to move in with God and live there as part of the family of God. We have been living in the bushes of his back yard and He wants to invite us to get cleaned up and move into the Mansion with Him.

This is a very special privilege but not just anyone will be allowed in side the Mansion of God. You can’t just run to heaven at the last moment from the bushes where you are hiding. You must come when He calls you, and He is calling you today.

You see, what you see around you are copies of the real thing. In fact this place, this church or sanctuary is a building that is copy of heaven. This place is just a shadow of what is to come. In heaven there will be a door where those who have been washed clean can come through and enter the Kingdom and those who have not been washed clean will be turned away. We have steel and glass doors, but the Bible tells us that the Door is Christ Himself.

We also have a place to worship God and a raised stage on which we can lift up God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. But in the courts of heaven Father God will be raised up above us all and Jesus Christ His Son will stand on His right hand.

We sing songs and offer our prayers to God here in this place of worship but this is but a shadow to the songs that will be raised in heaven and the shouts of praise to the visible glory of God.

Now hear me on this next point. Even though this is but a copy of heaven and a shadow of things to come there are things we can know, do and experience right now that you will not be able to do in the glory to come. Here is the shadows of glory we have the chance to experience the conviction of sins and the sting of guilt. Here in but a copy of heaven we can repent of our sins and ask Jesus Christ to apply the blood he spilt on the cross to our conscience and every part of our life. In this place, in the midst of a fallen world, we can receive the Holy Spirit and become heirs with Jesus Christ for the Kingdom to come.

We can do none of that in that glory to come; we must do it now or miss the glory to come. We must do this before we die. “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,…” (v.27). Jesus is worthy of being our Redeemer because He is a sinless Redeemer. Let Him be yours today and for eternity or miss out forever. In the shadows of Glory, in this place is your only opportunity.

A Biblical Faith:“Jesus the Savior”

2011-03-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

Pastor John R. Wiuff

Today we are starting a new series on what it means to have a Biblical Faith and to belong to a Biblical Church. Just because you own and maybe read a Bible does not mean you think or believe Biblically. Many new voices are being raised today and the next few years to come that will challenge the millennium old teachings of the Bible. These voices are expressing an intolerance for what the Bible tells us about God and a demand that we contemporaries our faith to something reasonable and logical. The Church and Christians are being evangelized to fit in with the rest of the world and stop believing what makes us unique and others excluded from the Christian faith.

We are going to use the Bible to test the foundations of our faith to make sure they are solid and not rotting out from beneath us. We are also going to quote popular objections in the world so you can hear the challenge that is being made. Through side by side comparison we hope to inspire a confidence and boldness of faith to stand for the ageless message of the gospel of Christ.

The first foundation we need to test is the teaching that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of man kind. This is a fundamental pillar of our faith and if it should fall there is no reason for the existence of a Christian church. Yet if it stands and persuades others, it could yet save millions from an eternity in hell.

You may think it odd that anyone would challenge the notion that Jesus is our one and only Savior. If you do you have probably been raised in the church and only relate to church people. Out side the church a rising objection has been made against this Biblical teaching and amazingly enough there are many leaders within the Church that are now advocating that Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins.

Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Alban's, popularized a sort of blood libel against God as an unintended consequence of a BBC radio talk before Easter of 2007, when he attacked views that made God seem like "a monster". Here is what he said:

"What sort of God was this," he asked, "getting so angry with the world and the people he created and then, to calm himself down, demanding the blood of his own son?
"And anyway, why should God forgive us through punishing someone else? It was worse than illogical, it was insane. It made God sound like a psychopath."
How did the death of Jesus save us?
By Christopher Howse
The Telegraph
14 Apr 2007

The controversy is not new. The Rev Steve Chalke, a well-known Evangelical, wrote in 2003 against the belief that the "God of love suddenly decides to vent his anger and wrath on his own Son" in a piece of "cosmic child abuse".

When the reporter Christopher Howse attempt to offer a Biblical teaching about Jesus as Savior this is one of the reactions he received:

So basically, God couldn't bear to forgive us, but due to the strange nature of God, he realized if he just slaughtered his son, then the blood would alter his own brain chemistry so he COULD forgive us. Jesus paid a blood sacrifice to God, so God would be able to change his mind about barring us from heaven, and then realize he could let us in after all. Please...give your newspaper some credibility - don't pretend religion is news.

Telling people that Jesus saves or to believe that yourself is not enough because the message is not getting through. We need to have a Biblical foundation for our faith in Christ.

Let’s see what the Bible says about Jesus and salvation. Look to Titus chapter two with me.

11. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13. while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 15. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
Titus 2:11-14

Just knowing what the Bible says is not enough for a Biblical faith but we must start with knowing before we can go to understanding and then believing. In verse 11 God tells us that He offers us salvation to everyone and that this is an act of grace on His part. He doesn’t have to do this. With a great deal less effort on His part, He could pass judgment on all of us and end our existence. His Holy nature and justice would seem to demand such action. For God then to offer us salvation is a act of grace requiring a great effort on His part.

The next thing that God reveals is that His “Yes” means that we must adopt a “No” if we are going to accept His offer. A life principle to remember is that for every yes there is a corresponding no. God says “Yes” I will provide away for you to be forgiven, but we need to say “No” to sin to receive that forgiveness.

Now think about this. Does it make sense to say “Yes” I want to be forgiven and then make plans to do more sin that will need more forgiving? That is the logic of an addict. They want money to buy drugs. They will say whatever they need to say to get the money they want to buy the drug they think they need. I know a good mother who has learned to say “NO” to her addicted daughter so she can learn to say “no” to the drug and yes to salvation in Christ.

If we are going to be saved from sin, we are required to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God’s will in our lives.

God goes on to tell us that Jesus Christ is the one who saves us from sin. This is not matter of brain chemistry that Jesus needed to die upon the cross for our salvation or some strange nature of God…although; God’s nature does seem foreign to our fallen nature. You see God, if He is any God worthy of worship or our loyalty, is a Holy God. He is clean, pure and without fault. He always does the right thing for the right reason. He sets the standard for what is right and what is wrong. If he was any less than perfectly good, He would not be worthy of our worship.

So when God forgives he must do something other than hold His nose when He is around us. He must remove sin and the effect of sin from us if He is going to forgive us. He can’t simply over look sin; He must remove it from us.

Christ died to pay the price for our sin which is death. Adam and Even were warned that if they sinned, rebelled against God, they would die. They rebelled and they died even though they were originally intended to live forever. We all know that when people die to day it seems like a wrong has happened. We were not meant to come to an end. This is the affect of sin. That price we are paying had to be paid by another if we are going to live. Jesus Christ willing paid that price for us. He was the only one who could because He had no sin. He did this out of love willingly because God asked Him to. No one made Him do it. He was given all kinds of reasons and ways out of dying for us, but Jesus died for you and me because God asked Him to pay the price so we could be forgiven.

Why would God ask His only Son to go through such a terrible ordeal? Because of a principal of forgiveness we have forgotten. A sin can only be forgiven by the person wronged if that person is willing to pay the price for the wrong done to them. God bore the price of our sin through His son so He could be in a position to forgive. This is the only way His Holiness and justice could be preserved while providing for away of deliverance for us as sinners.
This is what we need to understand if we are going to have a believing faith in Jesus Christ. But there is one major block that will keep us from understanding and believing the clear teachings of the Bible.

We think we aren’t so bad.

3. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5. he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6. whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7. so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
Titus 3:1-8

If there were one problem, one block to our understanding, one objection to the logic of God’s offer of salvation…it would be the belief that we are not really all that bad, deserving death for our sins. We must face this fact that we are rebellious sinners, defiant in the way we live towards God’s holiness. Of all creation we have the strange dilemma of knowing that we are doing the wrong thing while we continue to justify our behavior. We know we should feel something while avoiding any responsibility or guilt for our actions.

When a person had a medical condition in which they can no longer feel pain when they cause harm to their bodies we suspect that they are suffering from a deadly disease called Leprosy. This condition is caused by the organism that is difficult to transmit and has a long time before symptoms appear which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. The disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation.

When we believe that we have no sin, or that we are not has bad as deserving death, we can only do so by ignoring the facts of our lives. We must turn off the sensitive nerves of our soul that painfully warns us when we are going wrong. We kill these moral nerves by saying it’s not that bad; once isn’t going to hurt; or any number of other excuses.

Listen to what God is telling us in this passage. He tells us that we are foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. This has always been true about every person since the fall of Adam of Eve. I am sure that if Cain and Able could text each other they might have avoided the first murder in human kind, but it would have taken the murderous intent from Cain’s heart. We have adopted technologies and philosophies that have sheltered us from the full weight of sins awful affect on our lives but these have been nothing more than taking more drugs to kill the pain that tells us something is terribly wrong.

If we are going to know, understand, and believe God’s word today about Jesus Christ we must say “NO” to the drugs that keep us from feeling the pain of our sin.

We must say “no” to calling sin mistakes or psychological trauma.

We must say “no” to the god of naturalism that claims if it exists it’s good or loose all sense of danger in a dangerous world.

We must say “no” rationalizations and comparisons with other sick and dying people. We must stop assuming that sin is natural and that we have no other choice but to make peace with our sinful souls.

If we can say “no” to these morally numbing drugs then we can say feel the pain of sin in our soul. We can grieve our loss and want something better. One last principle of life comes into sharp focus: You can’t be free of something you don’t hate. We must learn to hate sin and desire righteousness as God defines it in our lives.

This is what God calls coming into our right minds, thinking straight about reality of our moral condition. If you can drop the pretending and face who you really are then God can give you want you really need, salvation from sin in Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t come to save us from poverty, sickness, war, prison or even death. He came to save us from sin that causes all these things in our lives. Each one of these terrible things in our lives and many more are the moral nerve endings of our conscience. They tell us something is horribly wrong in this world and we need to find a lasting solution in Jesus Christ.

If we could allow ourselves to feel the pain of our sin then maybe we could be open to know why we need a Savior in the first place.

We have been quick to blame God for our pain, rather admit it is us who are harming our selves and inflicting pain on our conscience. Can we find the courage to accept responsibility for our own actions rather than blame a God who gave us the gift of a conscience knowing right from wrong?

That is the choice. This is what keeps us from God, from knowing, from understanding and from believing in Jesus Christ as Savior.

68. "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! He has taken care of his people and has set them free. 69. He has raised up a mighty Savior for us from the family of his servant David, 70. just as he promised long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets
Luke 1:68-70

30. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus to life after you hung him on a tree and killed him. 31. God has exalted to his right hand this very man as our Leader and Savior in order to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
Acts 5:30-31

3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4. who wants all people to be saved and to come to a full knowledge of the truth. 5. There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and human beings-a human, Christ Jesus.6. He gave himself as a ransom for all, a fact that was acknowledged at the right time.
1 Timothy 2:3-6

9. He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own works but according to his own purpose and the grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10. Now, however, it has been revealed through the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and through the gospel has brought life and release from death into full view.
2 Timothy 1:9-10

14. We have seen for ourselves and can testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
1 John 4:14

Something came over me...

2010-07-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

He looked me in the eyes and said, "I don't know what happened. It was like something came over me. I was so angry."

As a Pastor I talk with a lot of people about struggles in their lives and they quickly trust me with issues that they would not talk about even with their closets friends. Most of the time people don't want medical, legal, or financial advice even though these are big issues in their lives. I'm no doctor, lawyer, or banker so I couldn't give advice on those issue anyways. What they really want to know is how to deal with debilitating emotions that hold them back and hinder moving forward.

First, a quick observation. It seems to me that emotions choose us. People describe it as 'something' that overcomes them. They may not want to feel a certain way or be prompted by the emotion to do a certain thing, but are often powerless to resist. All they can do is agree with what the emotion is saying, many times without any hesitation although they hate the result.

Anger, fear, depression, grief, and many others are just a few that people share as being in control of their lives. They could face death, cancer, and even loss of the most precious things in their lives if these feelings weren't so powerful.

Second, I noticed that of all these emotions that choose us, there is one response we must choose and does not over come us without invitation. It's not an emotion but it impacts the emotions in powerful and positive ways. When we choose FAITH in God for the issue we face we can keep the other emotions from running away with our lives.

It's not hard to experience a powerful emotion coming over us, especially the welcomed kind. We can fight back by realizing we have a choice and don't have to comply to the emotion choosing us. We can do this by choosing Faith in God, trusting Him to help us overcome and work out the issue we are facing today.

As soon as I say that to a person who is struggling with a powerful emotion I often get a polite chagrin and disbelief. When these powerful forces come over us and beat us up so often, it is hard to believe that anything could make a difference.

But have we considered where these forceful and aggressive emotions get their power. If we were able to break down the process that takes only a few seconds we would begin to understand what is actually happening.

The first step is not emotion but a suggestion. We see what might happen and it is usually very negative. An image, or an idea that suggests that something horrible is about to take place in our life comes as an unwelcome guest in our mind. In that moment we either decide to accept that suggestion or reject it. Most people simply accept the suggestion without question, and think that the idea is their own creation.

In the split second we make that choice we give ourselves over to the conclusion and the emotions of fear, dread, and many others begin to take over our thoughts, and our actions. Often we experience paralysis saying to our friends, "I just don't know what to do, I'm so afraid."

If this is the case then making a different choice, choosing to believe another possibility could deliver us from the powerful forces that take over our lives. Once these emotions have chosen us we feel enslaved to their power and unable to make any other choice or see any other possibilities except what the suggestion first made to our minds.

Although these emotions choose you, you can respond by choosing faith. How you use your will over these forces is by making a choice that makes a difference. The critical tool in this strengthening of our will is our voice. We must speak up verbally and act out our decision physically. If we can claim the promises God has made to us with our voice then our will is strengthened against the suggestions that were made to our mind. In the end you always have a choice to chose what you want to believe. I have found that when we choose to believe the promises of God found in the Bible, we are better able to deal with crisis then if we follow the scary visions in our minds. Such faith brings the gift of mental health, clear vision of the actual situation, and moves us to act with hope and purpose in something greater than ourselves.

When you consider the alternatives: medication, isolation, and depression, then faith sounds like a much better choice giving us more freedom in what seem impossible situations.

So why not open your Bible, and start looking up the promises He has made to you today? Start with John 3 and move to Romans 8. Don't just read, claim them with your mouth, out loud as yours in Christ Jesus.

Let me know what comes over you when you do this!

Are you a Confessional Theologian?

2010-03-29T15:54:00.001-07:00

Wednesday nights is an informal Question and Answer time at the First Church of God, in which I try to tackle some of the tough issues that people want to deal with.

One of my favorite invitations to people who want to talk about the great mysteries about God is to join the “Confessional Theologian” community. I’m a “Confessional Theologian” which means that I confess that I am not God but only a human being trying to understand God. Therefore, anything I am about to say or conclusion I am about to draw will only be a limited understanding of God, and not God Himself.

I wish to invite you to the community of “Confessional Theologians” as well. This humble community of people who don’t think to much about what they think are primarily on a search of a functional truth that enables us to relate to God while not being to arrogant about making God conform to our agendas.

Some would be fearful about such a simple practical approach to our conversations about God, but that does not mean anything goes. A ‘confessional theologian’ is bound by reason, universal truth, and the revelation of God’s word as found in the Holy Bible. We are true to our Lord Jesus Christ and lean heavily upon the Holy Spirit to open our minds to the vastness of God’s glory.

If we are going to take God seriously, we are going to have to take ourselves less seriously. Our attempts to define Him will always fall short of His true self.

Yet I believe, even as humans, we can grasp some of the vastness of God, enough to have a personal relationship with Him.

During the Easter season I marvel that Christ could lay aside his might, power and glory to reduce Him self to a man and walk among us even to death on the cross. He was fully God and fully man. What we saw in Christ was the essence of God’s nature which does not depend on upon ultimate power for His sense of self. Christ could lay all that aside and still be fully God.

I don’t think I will ever understand what all knowing, all powerful, and all present means since I’m rather limited in these areas. But I know better what real love, hope and faith since Jesus came and revealed it in His life and death. That is good confessional theology.

Have a blessed Easter walking humbly before the Lord and led by the Holy Spirit.

Are their prophets today? What about false prophets?

2009-10-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

At a recent session of "Ask Pastor John" the issue of prophets was discussed.

I moved to the Rogue Valley almost fifteen years ago and I have never run into so many people who think they are prophets for God. Many of them are not prophets at all, but just people wanting to be special and to impress others.

In this session I deal with the question covering issues like:
-are their prophets today?
-how can you tell who is real prophet of God?
-what does the Bible call a prophet and what is their job?
-can prophets can their predictions wrong and still be prophets?

I think you will find this one fun to listen too and as always we would love you to post your comments below after listening.

I really do try to keep our discussion to under an hour but have failed miserably as question give birth to more questions. If you listen to the real audio recording you will hear how the group just wants to keep going.

To listen to the latest editon of "Ask Pastor John" follow this link.

Keep seeking, asking and knocking.

Pastor John

Armegdon, End of the World, and Judgement Day

2009-09-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

The History Channel has featured documentaries about the end of the world and various prophesies made by famous 'seers' in history. Such dooms day predictions and preoccupation with the end of the world results in some distorted thinking about what the Bible actually tells us about what is to come.

In our last 'Ask Pastor John' we explored these questions and about the Judgment Day that is about to come. On that last day will God forgive everyone or will there be a sorting of those who are found to be worthy and unworthy of entering into heaven?

Follow this link to hear the Real Audio recording of our question and answer session. The audio has been edited to cut some of the commentary from those participating so the audio isn't too long, not because they weren't good comments.

If you want to be apart of the next session of 'Ask Pastor John' send your questions to pastorjohn@clearwire.net or join us at the First Church of God, Medford, OR at 7 pm this coming Wednesday night. Go to www.fcog.us to find out more.

Why Pain?

2009-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was hit with three questions that are related.

1. Do some people get away with evil on this earth?
2. Why does a loving God allow suffering?
3. Why are some healed and some are not?

Any one of these questions are tough but I took them all on and try to show how they are connected in my response. It was an interesting night and we explored a variety of issues along the way. You can find a Real Audio Streaming recording of this at this link.

As always, I am interested in your comments and questions.

"Ask Pastor John" is on again tonight at 7 pm at the First Church of God in Medford. If you are in town feel free to drop in. If not you can send me an email at pastorjohn@clearwire.net and I will add it to our growing list of questions. You can log on latter and watch for your topic to come up on this blog and an audio recording of that session.

Keep asking questions, seeking the truth, and knocking on heavens gates.

Are we all saved if Christ died for all? THE ANSWER?

2009-09-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Dear John,

Let me take a stab at this and see if I help…

Come let us reason together….

1. There is no Arminian who could call themselves Christian who holds that God saved all people by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross whether they want it or not.
2. There is no Calvinist who could call themselves Christian who holds that people are lost or saved by pre-programming of God whether they want it or not.

These are the two extremes of both arguments and no Christian can go that far and remain Christian. So let us be reasonable. It is possible to be Arminian or Calvinist while not being a Christian.

So I begin with being a Christian. What does the Bible say about being a Christian? Please refer to my pamphlet “The Full Disclosure Gospel.”

Free will necessary for salvation.

8But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Romans 10:8-10 (New International Version)

Our assurance of salvation is the relational presence of the Holy Spirit. Give me that rather than a cold contract any day. It is written on our hearts and sealed.

Romans 4:16
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

2 Corinthians 1:22
set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 5:5
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1:14
who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Finally I can not know if someone else is truly saved, but every person can known for themselves if they are saved or not if I really want to know.

7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.
Acts 15:7-9 (New International Version)

If you would like a more detailed description of what actually happens when we are saved I can tell you about the court case taking place in heaven right now.

For a summary of the two positions see http://www.the-highway.com/compare.html

I really differ with both when it comes to “election” because that is where the train comes off the tracks.

Pastor John

If Jesus died for ALL the sins of mankind, everyone would be saved?

2009-09-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

This week I received a question by email that was very challenging. Here, in his own words are the comments made by John from Wisconsin.
-------------------
Greetings Pastor. As always, you make things easy to understand without the mumbo jumbo.

I would love to visit your church. If I'm ever in the area, I'm stopping by. Having said that, I doubt that will ever happen.

I have a good Christian brother who I've known from high school. He lives in Texas. He was down here over the summer and we got together. He told me he's turned Calvinistic, and takes all the 5 views. We got to talking and he made some good points. Bottom line is we still are good brothers, but disagree. He made the EXACT same quote that Sproul said. He said if Jesus died for ALL the sins of mankind, everyone would be saved. All I said is what I told you regarding that just because Jesus died, man still has to accept or reject what Jesus did. Man has a choice/free will.

Yes, I don't doubt Mr. Sproul is an intelligent man. I also don't doubt his love for Christ or salvation. I wouldn't have a problem getting into a discussion with him. Note I said discussion, not debate or argument. Although as of this moment he could probably talk circles around me. But hey, so what! He's just a human being like you and I. Who cares if he holds a PH.D or masters in whatever. Don't be intimated. It's kind of like David & Goliath you know? God will give us the words, as well as the knowledge to go against anything, if that's what He desires.

What did Jesus mean by seal or bind?

2009-09-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

This question came to our session last Wednesday from someone who had extensive contact with the Mormon church. This expression by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew had been used in several different ways.

As we talked others shared how it has been used in Pentecostal congregations and even in our own church. The Mormon use the word seal, but what they are referring to are these verses:

Matthew 16:19
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 18:18
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

What followed is an interesting discussion about what Christ meant. There was some concern it had to do with our salvation. The evening ended with learning how to pray for someone who has hardened their heart towards the gospel.

Follow this link to listen in our session and leave a comment or send an email with your questions. I would love to hear from you.

Washday

2009-09-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday Is Washday
at First Church of God, Medford, OR

What day is washday at your home?
Whenever it is, it comes after a week or more of piling dirty laundry in a corner someplace until you just can't look and smell presentable in public anymore unless you do some laundry. We would rather be busy than take the time to do the laundry.

That is how we are with our souls. We rush on through life taking hits, developing grudges, and becoming bitter rather than stop and take care of the dirt we are collecting. The result eventually comes that we are just not fit to be in the public anymore. Maybe someone will have the guts to tell us to our face that our attitude stinks or that our behavior has become ugly.

What's the solution? Laundry day. Like or not, it must come or we will be a social outcast. For dirty clothes you go the laundry mat but where do you go for soul that has collected a life time of filth from the sewers of our culture?

On Sunday, come to First Church of God, in Medford, OR and we will help you with your laundry. We will help you experience for the first time the washing away of all your sins, and help you stay clean. If you get dirty again, which is easy for all of us to do, come back and get clean. Why carry the increasing weight of last weeks dirt into next week? Start fresh! Start clean!

Wonder how? It is through the work of the Holy Spirit and not through anything we do. We have have simply rediscovered what millions have known for thousands of years and want you to share the same joy of being free and clear of sin.

It's good to be back after taking two weeks off and I come back with a new focus...washday. See you Sunday.

The next "Ask Pastor John - Live" is this Wednesday. Come by, drop me a note and ask your questions. (Wed. - 7pm - First Church of God.)

Will I recongize people in heaven?

2009-08-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, this last Ask Pastor John session at the church was all about heaven. It began with the question about whether we will recognize each other in heaven, and spilled into other questions like: Will we all be the same age?; Will there be any handicaps?; How can I have joy in heaven if I know family and friends are in hell?; Why doesn't God forgive everyone and let them into heaven?; and Will there be animals in heaven?

I enjoyed this session and the audio recording is almost an hour long on streaming real audio. You are welcome to listen and leave comments here. No doubt our discussion may raise even more questions and we would love to hear those as well.

So, do you really know heaven as well as you think? Follow this link and listen in to our conversation.

Who am I? How do I know?

2009-08-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

The question of who we are is central to our life. It is a question that everyone must face but is especially difficult for the average North American.

During our live session of "Ask Pastor John" we recorded the discussion about this question and came to some interesting conclusions. Check out our discussion and listen to the 'real audio' streaming recording.

You can discover who you are. You can begin to move into your true authentic self when you begin to understand where you came from and where you are going. Once you have this you can begin to live a better life with less frustration and more fulfillment.

Listen to the session and give us your feedback. I love to hear what others have to contribute to the great questions of life.

Pastor John

Ask Pastor John TONIGHT 08 05 09

2009-08-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tonight is another evening with Pastor John and your issues or questions. Since our last evening more people have been asking about where this is and how to get involved. So here is the information you need...

Ask Pastor John
2000 Crater Lake Ave.
Medford, Oregon 97504

7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Good news! The Air Conditioning as been repaired!

If you don't live in the Medford area, or just what your issue, question discussed in this blog, please drop me a note at: pastorjohn@clearwire.net

Keeping Seeking!

"Touch Me Not"

2009-08-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Pastor John,

I am still reading your sermons weekly and look forward to what you have to share. One question keeps coming to me every time I see this verse. Jesus telling Mary "do not touch me for I have not ascended to my Father". I know later he lets Thomas touch his wound to see it is real. But I don't understand why he won't let Mary touch him when she must be so excited to see him. Do you know why that is?

Great question! I have often wondered about that as well.

"Touch Me Not"

Matt 28:9 - And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and HELD HIM by the feet, and worshipped him.

Luke 24:39 - Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: HANDLE ME, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

John 20:17 - Jesus saith unto her, TOUCH ME NOT; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God (all quotes from the KJV).

The Greek used here actually uses the world TOUCH ME NOT in the Present Imperative in a prohibition. The present tense is properly used for expressing continued action. A prohibition in the present imperative demands that action then in progress be stopped.

Now, to apply the above to the beginning of John 20:17. The verse also includes a prohibitive, present imperative: me mou haptou. It would be better rendered as, "Stop touching Me." The point? A prohibition in the present imperative demands that action then in progress be stopped.

So Mary is already touching Jesus. But Jesus is commanding her to stop.

But why? Help in answering this question can be found by looking at the word rendered "touch."

The Greek word rendered "touch" in the KJV is haptou - "touch, take hold of, hold, to hold on to an object - ‘to hold on to, to retain in the hand, to seize, to touch, with the implication of relatively firm contact - ‘to touch.”

In his commentary on the Gospel of John, Merril C. Tenny summarizes the lexical connotations of this verb as: "The verb hapto does not mean to touch with the tip of a finger to test whether an object is real or not but to ‘clutch’ or ‘grip.’"

So Mary was not just touching Jesus, she was holding Him, grasping Him, clinging to Him. Jesus is simply telling her to let go, enough is enough already.

Putting all the above together, if I was translating the first part of this verse, I would probably render it as, "Stop holding Me…" or possibly, "Stop clinging to me…."

So Jesus is being "held" in Matthew; He is being "handled" in Luke; and He is being "held" or "clung to" in John. So there is no contradiction between the Gospels. In fact, the only reason there is even an "apparent contradiction" between these passages is because of the rather poor rendering of the KJV.

Compare, however, the translation of the NKJV, "Do not cling to Me…." Even without using "Stop" this rendering still has the sense that Jesus is commanding that Mary cease what she is already doing. I doubt very much I would say "Do not cling to me" to someone who was not even touching me!

Jesus was OK with being touched to verify that He was real, but his comment that he had not yet ascended meant that a real intimacy with Him could only be achieved after He left and sent the Holy Spirit to live within our spirit. If he remained here in bodily form then the Spirit could not come. When He left in bodily form he then was able to enter into every person who believed on Him and received His forgiveness from sin.

This was always God’s plan because to limit Christ to one body rather than the Holy Spirit empowering and indwelling in Billions would hinder the spread of the Gospel and the salvation of many.

Pastor John

"There are no bad people..."

2009-07-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

"...just good people making bad choices." That was the statement made in a college class this last week and brought to our Wednesday night session.

The statement reflect a post-modern notion of the nature of humanity. It even touches on the issue of whether there is such a thing as good or bad. Ultimately, if this statement is true then the Church I serve and the Gospel I share is useless.

So it would pay for us to take some time and understand the question.

Follow this link for a audio recording of our "Ask Pastor John" conversation:
"There are no bad people, just good people making bad decisions." (07/22/09)

Live Ask Pastor John Tonight

2009-07-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight is the first live session of Ask Pastor John. You can get involved and everyone is welcome to attend. The Question and Answer session will begin at 7pm at the First Church of God, in Medford, Oregon. You can find a map to the church at www.fcog.us

You can also send your questions and issues to me by email. I will cover appropriate questions on Wednesday nights and post them here for others to read.

I hope to have a link to edited audio files of the live sessions on Wednesday night so you can listen in on our lively sessions.

You are not alone. There are many others asking the same questions you are asking and together we can look for the answers.

Christ promised us that if we seek we will find. If we ask, we will receive. If we knock the door will be opened.

This is your invitation to do just that.

New Beginning...

2009-07-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

A new beginning has come to this blog. Starting next week I will be taking questions from people attending a Wednesday night dialogue at the First Church of God, answering them at the event, and posting them here on the web.

Questions and issues that you have can be sent to me at this site or in person, or by email (pastorjohn@clearwire.net). I am going to attempt audio recordings of the Wednesday night sessions, edit them and make them available on this site.

I hope that as we seek answers together to some of the most important questions of life that we will find we are part of a community of truth.

Come to our sessions at the First Church of God, 2000 Crater Lake Ave., Medford, OR and join in the enjoyable interaction. The coffee is on me! We start at 7pm, start hitting the breaks by 8pm and come to a full stop by 8:30pm!

If you want to talk individually I will "linger longer" for you or write me by email. Check out our website for a map at www.fcog.us

Pastor John

Blended Families

2009-03-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last night was a real education for me. In a small group of teenagers we talked about their family life and the homes that raised them. Almost everyone in the room was part of a blended family and struggling with the consequences. When polled the said that 80 to 90 percent of their friends were part of struggling blended families.

My life has not been like their experience. My parents were married all their lives and I have had one marriage and we are still very happy together. The blended family struggle is frankly not my experience, but here are a few things the group of young people taught me last night.

Blended families can cause…

Loss of identity
Loss of belief and increase doubt of everything
Loss of faith
Loss of direction
Loss of trust in other people
Loss of life long relationships
Loss of purpose and direction
Loss of hope

These were sobering realities for just about everyone in the room that night. They were told with personal stories and real pain.

Since I was learning so much I asked the group for some more information. I asked, “What is the real problem with blended families?” We mulled that one around for awhile trying to sort out symptoms from cause. Finally we came down to the conclusion that the real core issue behind all the other symptoms is the breaking of the family covenant.

Behind all the loss is the chaos that covenant breaking brings. If the people who brought you into the world can and will not keep their covenants then the children of that family grow up wondering if there is anything real in this world. Just coming to that realization was a life changing moment.

One young member of our group responded to the feeling of being abandoned in a blended family that he sought God and came to his own conclusion about what was real and not real based on the Bible. He filled the void of the covenant breaking with a covenant he made personally with God.

I asked the group to think of anyone that was a role model to them or bright spot in their lives. Some were alive, some dead, and some were far away, but they all had something in common that meant everything to these young people. Every one of these role models kept their word. They were covenant keepers. I asked them to think of these role models and then I asked them, “Were they Godly people?” Their response was “YES!”

Covenant and contracts is not the same thing. Covenants are a promise made between us and God. That Covenant is without loop holes. When we make a covenant you are expected to keep your end of the promise even if the other person does not keep theirs. A contract, on the other hand, is nonbinding if one person fails to keep up their end of the deal.

The group told me last night that most of their families were contract based relationships and not covenants. There were a few bright spots but not many.

So I shared a few simple truths from the Bible about covenants…

1. Covenants are made with God. He makes them; we discover them and agree to them. We can not draft them.

2. Covenants breakers cause no end of trouble for many people.

3. Covenant keepers bring blessings and help to more people than they will ever know.

4. Covenants are kept because of God, not because of other people. That is why they must be made with God, towards others.

5. It is impossible to keep a Covenant without God’s direct intervention.

6. A contract can never replace a covenant.

7. We can change our world by discovering the covenants that God wants to make us with us and keep them.

8, We will all break our covenants, but God will help us get back on course.

9. Don’t be quick to make a covenant before God to someone else, but first count the cost.

10. Breaking a Covenant will always cost more than keeping a Covenant made before God.

As you can tell we covered a lot of ground last night. Those young teenagers had a great deal of wisdom to share about relationships. In them I saw the seed bed of change for a better American culture as they decided to become Godly covenant keepers.

Want to see economic recovery and cultural reform? Join us and become a Godly covenant keeper.

Full Disclosure Gospel

2009-01-20T23:21:00.000-08:00

Just got home from a great home Bible study and a request was made to post a small flyer I made for our discussion called, "Full Disclosure Gospel."

This project was born out of a discussion that my wife and I have been talking about for some time and how many people we meet are only getting a small part of the gospel truth and missing large portions of the essential truth.

I would encourage you to do what we did tonight. Follow the link to my church website (www.fcog.us) and click the "Full Disclosure Gospel" image. You will get a printable copy of the flier in PDF form (you will need a free copy of Adobe Reader). Read through each point and look up the scriptures. Each time ask yourself if you believe the points and if they are essential for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Of course I am not saying that you can't be saved if you aren't clear on every point, but your confidence in your salvation can be greatly increased by making sure you understand and embrace each essential building block of the gospel.

Forgiveness in Jesus Christ is free, but it's not cheap. I register each day to win a free home from HGTV but if I were to win it would cost me to keep the home. It's free but even a free home comes with a cost to the person who receives the gift. The same is true for the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ.

If you like the flyer and use it, I would love to hear how you used it and what the results were. If you are stuck on any of the ten full disclosure points, drop me a note on my blog and let me know your question.

Reading the small print is important!

Finding Real Change & Freedom

2009-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Over the last twenty years of ministry there are a few tools that really have made a difference in the lives of people struggling with thoughts, habits, and other out of control influences in their lives. "Bondage Breaker" is one of those tools I would not be without.

If you want to know victory in your life and freedom to live out your faith in Christ, then you need to get this book as a basic primer for a new life in Christ.

A word of caution though...this book alone is not enough. Just reading the words and having it sit on your shelf will not bring the amazing power and freedom you can know through faith in Jesus Christ. The real power found in this book is discovered through skilled and experienced coaching.

I have used this tool as a spiritual coach with many struggling people. With the right questions and the careful consideration of our experience in the light of the Word of God, we can find together those life changing moments that will bring really freedom.

Get the book, used or new, and read it for yourself. Then send an email and we will begin your coaching to a new life walking in the power of the Spirit.

I waiting for your emails!

Pastor John

Is it good not to marry?

2008-11-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

Question: In 1 Cor 7:6, does "this" refer to verses 8,9 or to verses 3,4,5? (11/17/08)

Here is the passage that Anonymous is asking about…

1. Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6. I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (New International Version)

Answer: “this” refers to verses 1-9.

Paul was single and did not desire to be married to anyone. His sole focus was the mission of Jesus Christ. I know a few people who have given themselves fully to the mission of Christ that they have given up any thought of having the responsibility of a family. Paul calls this a “gift from God” (v. 7) and is considered one of the many spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.

In verse 7 he actually wishes that everyone had the spiritual gift of being single as he enjoys the experience. Yet he recognizes that many don’t and they should marry, be loyal to one wife, and raise a Christ centered family. His concern is for those who have trouble controlling their sexual drives and making that worse by attempting to be single. Paul is saying “this” referring to the permission to marry rather than remaining single.

In verses 8-9 he is addressing the unmarried and the widows and encourages them remain unmarried unless they have problems with self control, then they should marry…same point but to a different group.

Paul is bias, but then again most scholars agreed that he really didn’t think the Lord was going to be gone so long. He believed that Jesus Christ would show up any day now and there simply was no time for such temporal things like marriage. He didn’t want to waste time on temporary things when the eternal destiny of many was hanging in the balance.

Two thousand years later believers realize how important a Christ centered marriage and family is to the very fabric of our cultures around the world. A Christian faith filled home is the essential building block of every good culture.

As a Pastor I long to see more and more Christ centered homes that are passionate about the purity of the Gospel and of their relationships. I meet people everyday who hunger to be apart of such a home and place.

The truth is that a Christian home and marriage begins in our hearts as individuals. Before you go trying to make a home or a marriage, be sure you are right with Christ first. Focus on your heart before you start pouring your life into another. Make sure you are overflowing with the good things of the Holy Spirit rather than the foul water of past sins.

Faith In Christ?

2008-09-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Ask any Christian in America if they put their faith IN Christ and they will respond “Yes!”

Ask them if they believe that their faith in Christ will save them from their sins and allow them to live in heaven for eternity, and they will say “Yes!”

I know if you had ask me the same question a few years back that is how I would have responded, but I have been shown the importance of one word. It is the difference between ‘in’ and ‘of.’

The Bible is careful in how it describes our journey of faith. There are those who put their faith in God or Jesus, and they are the religious. Then there are those who enter into a completely different level where their faith exceeds that of the religious. Those are the people who have received the gift of faith from Christ.

The difference is to whom the faith belongs. Are we putting our faith in Christ or do we have a faith that belongs to Christ, of Christ, and are we being led by this dynamic faith?

Anything I have made, or any effort I make is always imperfect and will fail at some point. I can create a faith in Christ that I work at with a great deal religious passion. I can stand around all day and say over and over to myself, “I believe, I believe, I believe…” and still be riddled with doubts. The Bible tells me of a man who encountered Christ and said “I believe, help my unbelief.” Man…that is true for me, how about you?

How does Christ help our unbelief? He offers us the gift of faith that comes with His Holy Spirit. He offers to measure it out to us in degrees that we can handle. If we want more all we have to do is be faithful with what we have been given, ask for more and He will give more.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

-Romans 12:3

Clearly faith is a gift of God rather than something we create. In the parable of the talents Jesus shows us that as we use the gift of faith we have been given, we will receive even more according to His purpose, BUT it is Christ who gives faith and in different proportions according to what we can handle and the world needs.

What difference does the articles ‘in’ and ‘of’ make…all the difference in the world! Do we have our own personal faith in Christ, or have we received the faith of Christ in our hearts? How are we relating to this gift and are we using it for the glory of God? The answer may be the difference between more religion and stepping into a whole new world of faith.

If God Disappears…

2008-09-16T13:31:00.001-07:00

“I’ve lost me faith. How can I get it back?”

This is a question that is becoming more and more common in ministry. Because of the confuse regarding what is faith and religion, most of us are having a hard time understanding the question.

David Sanford is going to attempt his answer of the life changing question in a book to be released this fall: “If God Disappears: 9 Faith Wreckers and What to Do About Them” Sanford details nine reasons he uncovered through listening to stories of those who exited the church and abandon faith. Most of the time, Christians leave because of a "wounded" experience. They either deliberately walk away due to questions and doubts that go unanswered or they feel that God has walked away or "disappeared," observed Sanford.

The numbers are astounding. Barna research group confirms that the church is loosing about 1 Million parishioners in America each year. Over the last several years about 31 Million have walked away. To quote Sanford:

"Any business that is losing 31 million customers is going out of business," he told a room of Christian journalists and editors. "[It] is the greatest crisis among Christians today in the U.S., Canada and some parts of Europe…We must break the silence in our publications.”

I know where Sanford is going with this book and understand how he is attempting to build people up and help them rethink their theology of God. Is attempting to answer the age old crisis of why bad things happen to good people, or why a Good God would allow such pain and suffering in this world. This is the same urgent need that has spawned the popularity of the fictional book “The Shack.”

This summer I had two wonderful conversations with a young woman and a young man who shared the very same question with me. They were in crisis and didn’t know what to do. They both had attended church and considered themselves Christians at one time but had walked away from God, one even thought of himself as an agnostic moving toward atheism.

What I discovered just by listening to their stories is that they were not Christians who were born again in the Spirit of Christ by the faith of Christ, but they were people who followed a religious form of Christianity. They did not know the difference between faith and religion. They acted and bargained with God with Christian terms but they relied on a religious understanding. In all fairness they knew no other way. When I asked to explain the difference between faith and religion they were at a loss.

I am glad to report that after one conversation with them they made the choice to move beyond religious Christianity and move into the Faith of Christ. That faith came with power that made a difference in their hearts, attitudes and direction. The conclusion that God has brought me to believe is that most Americans are religious but not really born again Christians. They have not the real faith that can change their world.

As new books come out on how to help the million people who will leave the church this year, I am afraid that they will get only another religious list of things to do without using this moment to leave religious efforts behind for the peace of Christ.

They next blog will deal the difference between a Christian religion (which must fail) and the Christian faith (which cannot fail.)

I’m agnostic…

2008-07-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

An anonymous person made the following comment recently…

The difference between placing your faith in worldly concepts and people is that more often than not there is some kind of observable evidence for that which you place your trust in. …there is currently no verifiable observed evidence that God- especially not your Judeo-Christian God- exists, and moreover that he gives anything approaching a damn about us. People do not have a "need" to believe; they have a need to fill gaps in their life…Which is fine, until they start trying to tell me I should believe as well. I speak this as a former believer. I am currently agnostic.

Many people are functionally agnostic, because they just are not sure and are looking for convincing evidence. Many who call themselves Christians can operate as unsure agnostics as well. So I’m not surprise when people slip back and forth between believing and not believing.

No question was asked but the question lingers in the statements. The author is looking for verifiable observed evidence for the existence of God and that He cares. Since none is found it leaves a question mark in the “God” space.

Faith, belief, and knowing are words that are not well understood. If we are looking for fact to prove God, then I would have to agree with the comments above. Let me take a moment to work through some classic logic that will demonstrate that we can’t compare un-similar items.

Facts (observable and verifiable things) are wonderful when we trying to verify the truth regarding gravity, crimes committed, and the balance of your bank account.

But when we want to know “Truth”, then we need different criteria than facts. Facts are cold hard evidence that can prove something. Yet there are great truth’s that are not proven, but believed. We also call them principles by which we guide our lives and our actions. We simply believe in them or we don’t. They are above facts.

Do we believe in something called “Justice”, or “Peace”? Is “Equality” or the great American ideal “Freedom” a high value in our lives? The declaration of independence begins with the statement; we hold these “truths” to be self evident. They are either believed or they are not believed. There are no facts or evidence for the validity or rightness that can be tested and verified.

If God were a rock we should use facts and observation to determine what is real about Him. But God is not a rock. For God to be observed and tested would mean He would have to be less than what the high principle of “first cause” postulates. There is only one kind of God that is worthy of consideration and that would be the all powerful, all knowing, and all present God which means that our ability to observe, and verify would be inadequate for such a test subject.

Fortunately there is more than one way to know something and someone. We can take some things on faith. This can be a very rational and well thought out faith, but in the end it has to be faith in a high ideal.

The coming of Jesus Christ purposed by the Bible is the attempt of God to reveal His nature, and His desires for us. That Jesus was an actual historical figure is beyond question by any serious historian. Most accept He was a wonderful teacher but some have a hard time accepting that He was the Son of God. The trouble with this position (which C.S. Lewis points out) is that He can’t be both a great teacher and make claims to be the Son of God. He was either God in the flesh, or He was certifiable nuts, which eliminates the great teacher role.

Jesus said of Himself that He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” The amazing claim He was making was that truth is not just a debatable philosophy but a person who has a will, and power of its own. That truth is going to exist whether we believe or don’t believe, but the only way to gain knowledge of that truth is to place our faith in that truth.

This is confusing because there are many Christians who are caught up in religion rather than faith. Religion is an attempt to appease or control God by our actions. Christ came to show us another way. He came to show us that it is only by faith that we can really know Him.

“Gaps” are good description of our lives and we all have them. We are all believers in something. Some believe in facts to lead them to reliable and predictable outcomes, but others doubt that facts can be trusted to that extent (e.g. René Descartes). Perhaps a fresh look at faith as a way of acquiring great “truths” and “principles” that have shaped all the great cultures is worthy of consideration.

What Happened to God? (Part 2)

2008-06-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Kelly,

You asked, “What happened to God?”

I have asked that question, more than once. Where is He? Why does He let the bad stuff happen? Why does He seem so far away?

God is here, with us. I think you know that, but it may seem that He is not with us the way we are told by other people. He is not with us even in the way we want Him to be with us. But He is with us.

That can make us uncomfortable because we are sure how to talk to Him, or even if we ever really knew Him, or He us. You wondered if God even cared even though He knows your name.

What happened is that we get lost. Sometimes it's the fog of self absorption, and addiction. Other times we are lost in depression. Whatever it is, when the thing we are fighting, like alcohol, seems bigger than God, it’s because we are standing so close to it that we can’t see anything else. God is still there and bigger than the demons you fight.

I have no quick answer for you but I do have an answer. It always comes down to your relationship with Christ and learning to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit. I have shown many people how to do this, but there is no religious formula, just an exploration and development of an intimacy with the Lord.

If you have time, I can help you begin the journey back, free from the chains of addiction, and with a new reason to live, now and forever.

The enemy of your soul does not want you to be free so you are going to have to fight back and make the hard choices. He is there. He is ready to help, and is helping you find your way to those who can help you. You are close, so don't quit now.

I have several people in my congregation who can tell you how God set them free from what you know and worst. I would love for you to meet them and hear their stories.

So here’s hoping we will meet…until then my prayers are still with you.

Pastor John

What happened to GOD?

2008-06-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

I recently received this post from "Kelly" (a.k.a) and I was truly touched by his comments. I have tried to reach him direct but was unable to get through. I am posting this hoping he will read my reply. I think you will be touched by his comments as well. So here is Kelly's question. My response will come soon. Please join me in praying for Kelly after you read his post.

Pastor John R.Wiuff

----------------------

Pastor John,

I have no clue how to start this.

I am in jeopardy due to issues in my life and at 63, confusion about my faith is more than I can almost endure. I have tried to come to your church and the other large one on your street but nothing brings me there. I get ready, buy cannot seem to get to either one of these places to worship.

I do not know anymore how to pray, what to think of a higher power I choose to call GOD when so much is happening to me and others. We have no control over what is happening.

What happened to GOD?

There is a country/western song that sings of: GOD is busy. Is HE that busy to remember me by name? Is HE that busy to hear me but not care??

I am an alcoholic since 12 years old. Nothing helps. NO meetings, groups, meds and I am about at wits end.

Tell me how you can help me please. My entire life has been stress and even in that, I work a 40 hour week, I am clean and keep up bills and my home and cat Annie. There is nothing much life can offer me anymore and I am tired of trying to find some solace, or peace.

Just to wait on death is a horrible place to be when others suffer to stay alive. Your bulletin today struck me hard as it is beautiful in green and words matter to me. A friend brought that to me early today, Sunday. Lovely and I will pray as best I can for those offered up in your bulletin.

Thank you Pastor and one day I hope to get to see you. Pray for me please to get the nerve to be in your church some one of these days.

For now let’s just refer to me as Kelly. That is not my name but I am afraid to be honest with anyone anymore.

Good Day to you Pastor John.

Are Baptists Christians?

2008-04-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Q: Are Baptists Christians?

This year I have been building on a single theme for all my sermons. I am looking at the difference between faith and religion. As a result an awakening is happening in our congregation as people are coming to realize the difference between the two.

In a small group I was recently asked this question by a new member: “Are Baptists Christians?” At first I found the question humorous. Represented around the table were people from many different brands of Christian. Historically these groups have been in conflict with each other over religious rather than faith issues. We spend some time talking about the differences between groups and why there are so many denominations.

Yet this is a great question, I want to be able to answer it in this blog.

A: No, being Baptists does not make you a Christian, believing in Jesus Christ by faith makes you a Christian.

Let me be quick to say that I believe most Baptists are Christians and they come from a noble like of Christian history. What I am pointing out here is that just because you belong to a church group, or affiliate yourself with a certain group does not make you a Christian.

A ancient and famous Christian writer once described the Church being two churches. In his book “The City of God” he described the city you see and the city you don’t see. He made the distinction that the city you see with your eyes is not often the real city. It is the inner city, within the walls where people live and work that the real heart of the city can be found.

When we look at the Church from the outside, not everyone we see associated with the church is really saved or Christian no matter how they act, talk or look. Within that church are the true believers.

So a Christian is a person who does not associate themselves first with a denomination (that is the act of a religious person) but one who has faith in Jesus Christ before any church group, or theological variation: One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.

You may be one of those people who are struggling with the issue of faith and religion. You have been around religion your whole life and may not have seen much Christ like faith. I want you to know that is the one thing you are really seeking and to leave the religion behind. Find Christ and you will find others who are also faith filled.

The promise to you from God’s word is that if you will seek, you will find; if you ask, you will receive; and if you will knock, the door will be opened.

Are Spiritual Attacks and Evil Real?

2008-03-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Question: “Are spiritual attacks real, or are they just my imagination?”

A home discipleship group last week raised the issue of spiritual warfare. I asked the group whether the people they knew at work and at school believed in the battle between Good and Evil.

I was please to hear most people they knew believed that evil was real, but had questions about God who seem distant.

For most people that is the great question, despite the small minority of intellectuals who have been trying to convince us for decades that there is no Satan or God. They want us to believe that all our problems can be solved with drugs and therapy.

Answer: “Yes, they are real.”

Every person needs to be aware of the ability of evil to attack us in many ways and then find their defense in Jesus Christ and the power of His spirit.

Excellent authors have helped millions (e.g.: Neil Anderson “Bondage Breaker”). The reality of spiritual attacks eludes some while we blame psychology and biology for most of our problems. One famous author when asked if the issues they were experiencing was either psychological or spiritual. His response was to say: “It’s always both.”

Don’t expect to solve the attacks you experience with “holy water” and crucifix. Hollywood movies have given us sensationalized renditions of spiritual warfare in which the enemy is defeated through some physical showdown. That is rarely the case and does not describe the real nature of the battle we fight.

For now let’s get to the heart of the matter if you want to win. Jesus told us that we “shall know the truth and the truth will set us free.” He also told us that He was “...the way, the truth, and the life.” A living faith in Christ and the truth of His love is the only way to defeat real evil.

For more, check out set free ministries with Neil Anderson or contact me if you have a personal issue.

Pastor John

“Isn’t hope just delusional wishful thinking?”

2007-12-10T12:34:00.000-08:00

Question: “Isn’t hope just delusional wishful thinking?”

Hope is as instinctual as breathing, taking your first step, or watching the weather. So it may come as a surprise that there are some who are loosing hope, and others who have thrown it out with the garbage after ripping it out of their hearts.

A person who has given up on hope said this:

“Hope is a disease, a fairy tale, the futile wish of a child praying ‘Make it not so.’ Hope is a sop. Hope is false promises. Hope is an empty fantasy. Hope is the deceit that allows the evils that exist to flourish. Hope is a mask for the horror that is at the core of all that which is real. Hope is a substitute for real planning, and rational assessment and analysis. Hope is unreason pleasantified. Hope doesn't cure diseases... science and hard work does. Hope doesn't grow food or raise children. Hope is the offering of empty hands. If the human race could only eliminate two concepts from its worldview, the best to be eliminated would be "hope" and "belief". To be precise... I try daily to expunge 'hope' and 'belief' and 'faith' and all those other anti-rational *inhuman* concepts from my existence.”

That may be hard for some to hear because we rely on hope so much – OR -- maybe that is the way you really feel sometimes and don’t have the courage or permission to say so. The challenge that comes from a person who is choosing a Star Trek Vulcan life (or Andromeda, Nietzscheans)

Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.
Friedrich Nietzsche

It was the widow with the dead son that said to the prophet Elisha: “Didn't I tell you, 'Don't raise my hopes'?" (2 Kings 4:27-29).

This is the observation of Solomon when he wrote...

12. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12

To kill hope, is to kill longing. To throw out longing is be rid of joy. The experiences of hope must dare disappointments. The experiences of love must risk hate; faith must risk doubt; and peace anticipates conflict.

Answer: “Is an attribute of God, woven into the fabric of everything He created.”

Sometimes the answer is so obvious, but not always welcome. Hope is not something we create but something that we have from our conception. It is greater and more persistent than we are because God created all things with hope. To say you are without hope is to say you are without God. Since Nietzsche rejected God in his “God is dead” movement, he had to logically reject hope. In this sense the great atheist of recent time is absolutely right. God and hope are intrinsically linked.

I would make the argument that hope, like God, is not a fairy tale wishful thought. He is not like Santa Clause that millions of kids will write to this year and ask for a special Christmas gift. Hope, like God’s nature, is all around us, and gives the light of love to every new born child, searching for eyes that love them back.

We are in a season where hope rises and disappointment threatens. We hope this year our family will get along with each other. We hope we won’t be alone and someone will be our friend. We hope that the coming year will be better than the last. Every year that feeling comes back and sometimes we resent the disappointment it may bring.

But let me ask you, between hope and no hope, which would you rather have? The promise is not that this fallen world will give us hope, but to put our hope in Jesus Christ, who in hope risked His life for you. This is a hope that does not disappoint, that Jesus loves us and will see us through and beyond the nightmares of this world, to the waking reality of His love.

...we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:3b-5

Are we all going to go to heaven? What about hell?

2007-10-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Q: Are we going to heaven?

...and another related question is often asked:

Q: Will we be sent to hell? What will it be like?

Despite all the talk about a secular society, God still plays a big role in the lives of most Americans. We all seem to have a sense that there is an after life, and worry about the consequences of heaven and hell.

The popular notion of these two places is so far removed from the Bible as to be comical. There are great extremes as to what they are like. Some have rationalized the scriptures to the point of saying they don’t exist while others have turned them into a glorified Disney Theme Park.

First, heaven is not the state of living forever. If you are worried that won’t live forever, relax, everyone does. Christians and Jews have believed for thousands of years that all humans are created eternal, which means that we have a beginning and no end. Our bodies may die but our souls live on. Almost all world religions teach this in various forms. Heaven is not simply the state of existing, or you would be there right now.

Second, hell is not primarily a place of punishment and anguish. You have punishment and aguish right now and the Bible describes hell as something very different from this experience. Just as happiness is not heaven but one of the effects of heaven, so suffering is not hell, but one of the results of its experience.

So what is heaven and hell in the scriptures? Heaven is simply that place after life where we can live with God forever. Heaven is all about God and not about us. Conversely hell is primarily described as an eternal separation from God. Hell is all about us and has nothing to do with God.

If we could describe heaven and hell in these terms, where would you feel the most at home? I have heard people sit around describing heaven. They will say things like, “There must be golf in heaven. I love golf so much, I couldn’t imagine there not being a golf course in heaven. It just wouldn’t be heaven to me if I could play golf.” People who think of heaven as being a five star accommodation for their likes and dislikes would not like the real heaven. God is at the center of heaven and everything about it centers of the worship of God.

Answer: Yes we are all going to go to heaven. We all go there to be judged. Those who are known by Jesus Christ as one of His disciples will enter heaven forever and the rest will enter hell.

“What! How judgmental can you get! How can God be a loving God and send anyone to hell for eternity?”

Yes, yes, I know. I have heard it many times before but we completely miss the point. When God created you and me he created us eternal. That means we have a beginning and no end. Now, that is a great gift or a great curse, and the person who decides is you. You can choose to live for God, or you can choose to live for yourself. Which ever choice you make will sort you out in the end. All decisions are made final upon your death, for eternity.

There is no sin so great that can keep you from entering heaven, and no good work so wonderful to keep you from the pits of hell.

Why? Because our future is not determined by how good we are, because we all fail miserably. We enter heaven on the basis of the Grace of Jesus, His forgiveness. We get that by repenting, asking for forgiveness and learning to Love Jesus Christ. He will forgive any sin if we will love Him with our whole heart. There will be many people who had done good things who will be sent to hell because their goodness was all about them and not about a love for God.

Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way. God tells me by this action that what I do on this earth matters for eternity. Every little thing matters and affects my eternal destiny. If there were no consequences to our actions, then what’s the point of this existence? I like this too, because it doesn’t put the emphasis on performance but on the sincere commitment and love of God. I don’t have to be perfect, just devoted while doing my stumbling best.

What do you think? Which eternal place would fit you better? With God getting all the attention, or you?

Why would anyone believe without evidence?

2007-09-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

Question: Why would anyone believe without evidence?

The article by William Lobdell stirred up some discussion on the internet. Here are two related comments...

Comment July 21, 2007 at 3:35 pm
In my experience, most believers are like this. They have a powerful moral sense, a need for answers and no powers of rational analysis at all.
To read this is to feel a strong sense of empathy for a decent human being struggling to reconcile the irreconcilable, yet also to wonder why anyone would ever let their beliefs be determined by such vacuous crap? He drifts into religious belief with no evidence, and drifts out again with no coherence.

Comment July 21, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Is faith a weakness or a mechanism to cope with hardships?
When the emotionally vulnerable endure some genuine personal tragedy then faith becomes a useful 'skill'. I mean, who hasn't ever wished really hard that there is a chance to see loved ones once again?
Of course most of us do sober up after a while and learn to move on.

If you are a believer you may find these comments hard to hear but it is important to listen to what is being said. If you are not a believer you may want someone to seriously answer these objections. Can I ask both of you to listen in for a few minutes.

There are several statements made but the question is still the same. “Why do people believe in God, Christ, the Bible without evidence or a well thought out foundation for their religious convictions?” The assumption behind the words is that we could avoid a crisis in our life if we were just a little more thoughtful and this would be accomplished by not believing or having a solid foundation for our faith.

Answer: We have a need to believe.

The irony of these comments and the question is that I often wonder myself why people don’t take more time to think through the most important question of their life, the existence of God and what that means to me and all of humanity.

I spent most of my life pondering that question and people amaze me with how shallow we approach this foundation of an eternal life with God. Many of us spend more research on football teams, and cars than we do on the question of our mortal souls relating to an immortal God. The comments were insightful, and misinformed.

We believe because we need to believe. Faith is the normal way of living and anyone who is really honest will admit that they use faith all the time. Faith is another word for trust. We place our trust in things, peoples, and systems on a minute by minute basis. In an interconnected world you cannot fail but use faith constantly. Religious faith is placing some of that trust in a god. A Christian faith is placing most of that faith in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Now why would anyone do that? You are going trust someone, why not Him? His track record is better than most and you have put faith in less trustworthy things in the last twenty four hours. Why not believe in Christ since you are going to believe in something and hope for the best anyways.

Faith, in comment two, is called a useful skill to help us cope with life and its unexplained tragedies. That is a big reason why the modern American adopts faith as we do many things. We adopt faith because it works, but we also drop faith when it doesn’t seem to work. In others words we value people, things, and God only when it is working for us. Unfortunately that is not a high quality faith, but a self absorbed life.

The amazing thing about Jesus Christ was that he elevated this conversation to a whole new level and said faith is not just believing, or acting religious. He said that faith should be a day by day relationship with Him. The Christian faith makes no sense at all if it isn’t more than religion and ideas. The coherence of faith is in the relationship. Therefore if we have no relationship, or if it is all about us, then we don’t have a faith that Christ would endorse. That is not what it means to be born again.

Please see the previous posts that discussed this topic.

“Is a baby a sinner?”

2007-09-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

Question: “Is a baby a sinner?”

Here is the question that stumps many Christians. If I say “no” then I have to admit that there are many “good” people in the world (all the babies) and that our problem is a social problem of learned sin. If sin is learned then it can be unlearned through behavioral psychology, social reform, and education.

If I say “Yes, all babies are sinners...” then I will be accused of being insensitive and judgmental. After all, what have babies done that they would be judged a sinner? They haven’t lived long enough to have done anything wrong. At worst I would be seen as a baby hater and a religious nut.

So, let me risk my answer and then beg your patience with my response...

Answer: “All babies are sinful.”

Stick around long enough to find out why I would say such an offensive thing and see if I can manage a little bit of truth that you might consider.

They key in this issue is the definition of the terms “sinful” and “righteous or holy.” Most people who look at a cute baby, like I do at Church every Sunday, say things like, “She’s so cute.” We look at that baby face and we want to pinch it or get the kid to smile. If we manage that, our day is made. I have often been caught on the floor with toddlers in my church, but I still claim they are sinful, just like me.

Most of us think of a sinful person as being a drug addict, a murder, or politician. How can I put a baby in that category? The Bible is clear on what sin is, and simply put, one of the main sins from the dawn of time is being self centered. No matter how cute a baby is, or how sweet they can be at times, they are basically self absorbed little people and will be that way for many years until a loving parent fights the battle in the terrible two’s. That is when they learn they are not the center of the universe.

What is a holy, righteous and innocent person then? The Bible defines this kind of person in the opposite way. They are God centered. They believe and act as if God is at the center of the universe. No baby is able to do this. They have to grow up to even approach this great truth. Most adults are not able to do this, because we must die to our selves and let Christ live in us through His Holy Spirit. As one famous author put it, He must sit on the throne of our heart instead of us.

Question: “Will a baby go to hell if it dies?”

This is the one reason people don’t want to say babies are sinful because then we are accused of saying they will go to hell.

Answer: "No, they won't go to hell because they are not accountable."

The Bible tells us that we are held accountable not for everyone sin we commit or for being sinful. We are only accountable for the sins we KNOWINGLY commit. The Christian church has taught for thousands of years that babies go to heaven and are not judged because they don’t know they should be God centered rather than self centered. They are innocent by ignorance and not be nature. When do they cross the line and knowingly choose sin? I don’t know. The church has called this the age of accountability and for many years thought it occurred around the teenage development. There are many who know think that the ability to know right from wrong comes much sooner because of exposure of media and accelerated society.

What we do know is this, all of us come to a point in our life when we know that we shouldn’t do something, but we do it anyway. That is when God hold’s you accountable and judges you for the sin in your life.

Hey! If you think I’m being tough, remember this. The more you know about God the more accountable you are. I’m a Pastor and the Bible says I have to give an accounting more than most because I suppose to know better than most. What I have just argued goes double for my future date with God.

These two questions were born of out of the last blog and I am sure there are more that will come from this blog. Give me a chance! Thanks for reading all the way through. Now click below and leave your thought. Read the previous blogs!

“Why wouldn’t a good person go to heaven?”

2007-09-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Question: “Why wouldn’t a good person go to heaven?”

“Thank you...” Words I love to hear. They were from a college student who had just survived tremendous pressure to abandon her belief in God. A college professor and class mates pressed her hard to question the reality of Christ but she was able to answer each question and objection thrown at her. Why? She had asked me those same questions years before in High School.

The number one question she asked as a teenager and her college class mates asked was this: “Why wouldn’t a good person go to heaven?”

Although I can answer this question, I have gone deeper into my own understanding of the crisis of faith in America because of what the question reveals about the person asking. Anyone who asks this question is a religious person, but not a born again Christian. Many people who claim to be Christian are asking this question, but if they really understood the truth about Christ, they wouldn’t ask.

Answer: “There are no good people. Only sinners go to hell, and we are all sinners.”

Christianity can not make sense to anyone who believes that good people are rewarded with heaven and bad people with hell. We will look for God to punish the wicked here and reward the good if we believe that is how the justice of God is dispensed.

In my last Blog I shared William Lobdells’ story in the L.A. times and his crisis of faith. The key question he is asking, the turning point of his faith, is this question. This is the crisis of a religious person realizing that it doesn’t work with a Christian God. Here is the quote from his article:

The questions that I thought I had come to peace with started to bubble up again. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God get credit for answered prayers but no blame for unanswered ones? Why do we believe in the miraculous healing power of God when he's never been able to regenerate a limb or heal a severed spinal chord?

In one e-mail, I asked John (a pastor), who had lost a daughter to cancer, why an atheist businessman prospers and the child of devout Christian parents dies. Why would a loving God make this impossible for us to understand?

The answer he got back, the one he heard, was: "My ultimate affirmation is let God be God and acknowledge that He is in charge. He knows what I don't know.” William respects this pastor but says “...but he couldn't reach me.”

This question is ancient. I remember seminary professors telling me it was not answerable. They were wrong. The bible is very clear about this question. Evil, suffering, and death is in this world because of sin, the fall of humanity. In the New Testament we are told...

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—
Romans 5:12

If you can accept this premise, that everyone is guilty of sin, then the answer to the question is that none of us can get into heaven by trying to be good, because we will never be good enough. We are all sinners.

If you can’t accept that we are all sinners, but believe instead that some are good and some bad, then you are a religious person who cannot accept the message of Jesus Christ. The Christian faith does not make sense to a person who demands a sorting out of the good and bad people of this world.

Some of you are scratching your heads wondering if you ever really understood the Christian faith. Good. Let help you. You may have thought that Christ rewards the good and punishes the evil and when life turns out very different a crisis faith results. The truth that Christ came to bring us is this:

We are all sinners and Christ came to pay the cost of our sin. We are saved from the judgment of sin not because we are good but because Jesus (the only good person to walk this earth) paid the price for us.

All religions of the world argue that we must work at being good and earn our way into heaven. People who are not good enough are sent to a judgment and those who did their homework get into heaven. We expect a loving God to treat us that way now while we are on earth. The Christian faith has always taught that it is only by the grace of Christ, not by your good works, that you enter heaven, because no one is good enough.

Conviction of our sinful heart is the starting point of a saving faith. You can’t skip this and think that a life with Christ will work for you, because it won’t. His death on the cross is an answer to the sinfulness of all, but if we are not asking the question, “How can I a sinner be right with God?” this his death is useless and meaningless.

The Bible says that there is no true salvation without a true repentance. Their can be no true repentance with out a God inspired conviction (Psalm 51).

I will stop here and ask you to consider these words. They are not mine. I am only sharing what God has shown us in the Bible. If you want to disagree I am not insulted for I am not defending my opinion. I am only being true to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

So this leads to the important question: Are you Christian or religious?

Question of Faith

2007-09-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

This last week I came across the L.A. Times story by William Lobdell and was moved. I have been a Pastor for over twenty years and his story touched the heart of my mission.

William lobbied his editors for the religion beat because he wanted to show people of faith in a positive light. He did find the affirming stories in Orange County that he knew were out there, but the darker stories soon overwhelmed him, bringing his own faith into question. This story was written in July of this year, but is the story of many millions in the United States. To read the whole story, go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lostfaith21jul21,0,3530015,full.story?coll=la-home-center

In this blog and in the many to come I want to begin to address the questions he and others have raised on this courageous journey testing the reality of God. No faith is worth having if it can’t be tested.

Your comments will be welcomed and I am sending an email to Mr. Lobedell to join in the discussion, but this is much bigger than him for it is the issue that all of us must face if we are going to discover the truth about God and our faith in Him.

So, Mr. Lobedell, I hope you are listening and will write back. I imagine that many people have written offering their thoughts, attempting to rescue your faith, while other applaud your courage. In the end, most of them don't really understand but only project their own convictions upon your actions. Now is the time for dialogue and the ruthless search for truth, no matter where it may take us.

This is the only story worth writing, the only life worth living.

(This post is part of my sermon this week and you can check it out at www.fcog.us, after Sunday. Text will be available on Sunday and audio on Monday.)

God = Love ?

2007-08-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I started a nice argument in our Bible Study and maybe I can get you in on this debate.

We read 1 John 4: 16b – GOD IS LOVE

Here is the passage in context...

13. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

The question I asked, which started the debate is this: “If God is Love, can we then say Love is God?” The arguments on both sides broke out after that. I wrote possible formulas for this and asked which the group liked.

1. God = Love
2. God > Love
3. God < Love

After some discussion I chose no. 2, because even though I believe that God does have (agape) love, He is more than that. He is also righteous, Holy, and the judge of all mankind. If he were no. 1 or no. 3 then certain realities, like hell for example, would not make any sense. I also believe that He is more than a principle (like love), and we are to relate to Him as a person.

What do you think? What side of the argument would take?

Bad Questions?

2007-08-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Are there any bad questions?

No, not if you are willing to be open to the truth.

As a Pastor I love to explore questions with people about the truth especially as it relates to God, faith and the meaning of life.

I want to invite you to ask your questions and send them to me at pastorjohn@clearwire.net . I will post them on this blog and attempt to give the best Biblical, Christ centered response I can give. Others will read our statements and hopefully be part of the conversation.

Why would I do this?

I really believe what Jesus told us, that if we seek we will find, if we ask we will receive, if we knock the door will be opened. Truth is a person, not an idea or an opinion. As we ask the questions that move us towards the truth we will find ourselves moving towards Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with truth himself.

So... ask, and will shall seek and knock together on the gates of heaven.

Pastor John

Celebrating the Small Church Pastor

2007-07-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

For many years I have been a fan of Frank Peretti’s novels and one book in particular really won me over. “The Visitation” was a wonderful revelation of the strength of small church pastors making a tremendous difference the lives on individuals despite the lack of glory and honor. The novel also implied that the larger church can have serious problems that make it less attractive and even dangerous to the life of the believer.

I want to celebrate the dedication and hard work of the unsung hero, the pastor of the small church. They have made a difference in the world far greater than their numbers and will never be recognized or honored for their work. They are available 24hrs. a day and demonstrate a wide set of skills that make them effective in ministry.

As our nation becomes in love with big and bigger the small group ministry, the small cell, or the small home church is still the universal building block of any significant congregations. For years now the experts have been warning that the small group is far more effective than the large group in changing lives and bringing people to salvation in Jesus Christ.

Small does not make everything virtuous any more than big makes everything better. Yet it is in the small group that accountability, and teach-ability becomes effective. The world largest church in Seol Korea is actually a community of small house churches. Small is God’s plan whether we are talking about cell groups or congregations.

The Pastor of a small church, group, or house church is the front line minister who closes to the real work of Christ. Those who move up in administration over Pastors move further away from working with the lost and the recently saved.

So this is to all those individuals out there who lead a bible study group in their home, Pastor a congregation of hundred people, or have a house church meeting in their living room. You are one of the most important workers in the Kingdom of God, and we love you for your service. No fame or rewards are as great as what you do each and every week over the flock you love and nurture. Keep it small and let others learn from your example. Our reward is great in heaven.

Celebrating The Small Church

2007-07-15T07:40:00.000-07:00

I love the small church. She deserves more respect than she is given.

The idea of a large mega-church did not come until recently. Not long ago their was no congregation in America or Canada that could boast the numbers we now see in some worship services. On the other hand we have not seen the decline of the small church like we have today. Most congregations in North America are small churches, and they are in rapid decline.

Big churches are growing and small churches are closing.

So what's the problem?

The problem is that there is a smaller precentage of people attending church in North America than there was before the Mega church. People know less about their faith, read the Bible less, and pray less than ever before. The majority of people who do attend church don't act much different than those who don't believe in God.

Bigger is not always better.

The congregration I have served for the last eleven years is not a big church. In the last 80 years of her life, the First Church of God (Medford, OR) has never been big. This small congregation has seen many generations of believers and many pastors. We who make up the nature of this congregation come and go but the church remains. But we know each others name and we have journeyed through many hardship sharing each others burden. Like most small congreations, were small, tough and loyal.

The trouble is that we are also rejected because of our size. Our size is our strength. The small church is a place where people miss you when you are not there. It is a place where we talk about you when your not around wondering what is going on in your life. We may even feel the permission to meddle in your life because we are concern about what is happening. In other words, we are like family.

In the next series of blogs I want to celebrate the small church, and what she has done around the world over the last 2000 years. She is not obsolete yet and she has a lot to say to a fast paced post-modern world.

What is your take on size? Does it matter?