Who is God?

The most important question we can ask is "Who is God?".  The answer we have to this question changes everything.  All the rest of life's questions and answers are based on how we answer that one question.  This is true even if we are not aware of it.  Even for those who say there is no God or who choose not to answer the question, by that answer or non-answer they have also set in motion a series of answer that show up in their life.

Many people when they finally face this question, decide to answer it for themselves.  They decide on their own answer and try to make the answer fit their life and choices.  I hope you decide today instead to take the harder road, the road of Truth.  The Bible is full of information about who God is and I hope you will consider it as the primary source of answers to this most important question.  Right from the beginning of Genesis we see God active in creation, He is the Creator.  We see Him talk to Moses in Exodus chapter 3 proclaiming that He is "I AM who I AM" or the self-existent one.  Numbers 23 declares that God is not a man and does not change His mind like people do and instead what He declares He also does.  In Deuteronomy 32 it says that He is a Rock, perfect, God of faithfulness, just and upright in all things.  John 4 says that God is Spirit.  John 1 says that in the beginning was the Word and that the Word is God.  1 John 4 tells us that God is Love.

The Scripture is full of information about who God is, what is above is only a tiny little scratch on the surface.  The great importance of answering this question with the Truth of the Bible is shown in the message of the Gospel.  The Gospel is a message of hope, understanding that God the Father sent God the Son, to become a person who would suffer and die in our place, taking on our sin and shame on the cross.  Jesus (God the Son) then rose from the dead displaying His power, authority and Glory.  If we believe in Him, place our trust in Him and repent of our sins, He will forgive us our sins and give us His righteousness. Through Him we will have a new and reconciled relationship with the Father.  We are not alone in this as His people, His children, we have also received God the Holy Spirit to live in us.  The great miracle of not only our forgiveness that we receive even though we do not deserve it.  After adopting us as His very own even though we were enemies of God, He Himself indwells us and makes His home in us.

If you have not properly answered the questions "Who is God?" then you will not grasp the Gospel fully.  After answering "Who is God?" and looking at the Gospel we then are faced with "Who am I?"  which is a very scary question for us to answer if we have not accepted the Gospel teaching.

So I would challenge you and encourage you to work through this primary question set.  First look at the Bible and read it, discover who God is.  As you answer that question you will be faced with the Gospel and the issue of "Who am I?".  Do not run from it, embrace that fact that on your own you are a sinner and an enemy of God.  Be repentant for your self-centered sinfulness and receive forgiveness through the finished work of Jesus, making Him you Lord.  Then your answer to "Who am I?" will change from "sinner" to "saint", from "lost" to "found", from "dead" to "alive", from "bound" to "free".  Jesus says in John chapter 14 that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and the way to the Father.  In Him you can find the right answers.

Preacherman

Men of Prayer

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 

- 1 Timothy 2:8 (ESV)

Brothers, do you ever read the Bible and just get so convicted about your life?  I do.  I read passages like this one from first Timothy and the Holy Spirit convicts me that I am not the man of prayer that I am supposed to be.  Don't get me wrong, I pray but this verse and the surrounding verses challenge me about who I am.  Lets look at it together ...

The first part of this challenges me because the language used is quite universal.  It is not just directed to a certain Church family or community or place or time, rather it is every where, every place, every day, every situation.  The men should pray.  This hits me hard.  "THE MEN" should pray.  Guys this means that we are supposed to be involved in prayer, not just alone at home, but together as a part of the local Church body.  I would suggest that this could infer that we as men are to be leaders inn prayer as well, not necessarily in an exclusive manner, but in an inclusive manner.  What I mean by that is if the Apostle Paul is directing that "all" men in "every place" should pray then at least "some" of those men should be involved in leading the prayer ministry.

Do you lift your hands?  I do sometimes and I know some people just don't go there. But it seems that Paul wants us to use our physical stance in prayer.  The lifting of hands is a form of displaying humility and surrender to our Lord as we pray. Our body language can be a physical representation of what is going on inside of us.

But probably the biggest challenge in this passage is to be doing this without anger or quarreling.  Too often I see, I hear, I have been a part of, anger and quarrels in the Church family.  This is not a healthy place to be.  I believe there is room for disagreement and lots for discussion but too often we allow anger and arguments to rule the day.  I believe that the teaching here on prayer for us as men is that if we are these men of prayer then we should not be known for our anger and quarreling, especially among the community of Faith.  

So being men of prayer becomes not just a personal walk in the Faith discussion.  Not only a prayer together and lead prayer in the Body discussion.  But also a leadership issue.  As leaders we are to lead in prayer together, as a larger community in surrender to our Lord, this will help us avoid conflicts.  IF we find the conflicts are still looming with greater force, then we need to gather the brothers to pray more.  We must be willing to call together those we feel hurt by and those we have hurt, to forgive and restore so that we can pray together.  Being men of prayer can bring healing to the Church family.

Men I would encourage you to learn and grow as men of prayer.  If you are not sure how to do that then feel free to contact me.  Also both strategic renewal and the 6:4 fellowship have some great resources.

When we feel conviction by the Holy Spirit about what we read in the Bible, then we must take action in response to that conviction.

Let us walk on together!


Preacherman

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Steadfast

Isn't it interesting how easily we get distracted,  how easily we get discouraged?   I find it way to easy to not bother continuing with something because it got difficult.   Yet so often as the Spirit of God prompts me to keep going,  it is often hard but it helps me grow.   The more I push and am moved by the Spirit and I obey, the easier it is to do the same next time.   And there always is a next time.

As I was reading today in James chapter one, the Lord reminded me that the trials and difficulties I face will produce steadfastness.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4 ESV

I am reminded to have joy in my troubles and to stay the course or be steadfast in the situation and that this is actually key to how we grow as Christian men.

So let us not shy away or run away or stop what we know we are supposed to do but instead hold on to the joy of the Lord and press on in His strength.   If life was meant to be easy and focused on us,  then it would be of no real value or consequence.  Life is about Jesus, we follow Him casting off  sin and pressing on through difficulties.

But brothers you are not called to walk the path alone.   The Spirit is in you,  but also you need to be connected to other brothers to walk along the journey with you.

Let's walk together.

Preacherman 

Being a Christian Man

As I was reading this morning in first corinthians I ended up in chapter 16,partly because that is the last chapter and partly because these verses are a great reminder about being a Christian Man.
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. -1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV

As the apostle  reminds us to be "watchful", this is an instruction to be on our guard,  to be aware of what is going on, around us but also inside of us.   So we are to be watching for the false teacher.  We are to be watching for those who are our brothers and sisters who are wandering away,  so that we can strive to bring them back.   We are to be aware of our own sinful selfish tendencies that would drag us down with sin, so that we can draw close to our God for His strength to overcome.

Then he reminds us to "stand firm".  This is not just about some kind of male stubbornness.   Though that may be something that your wife or your mother have told you is a gift you have,  this is not advocating you being stubborn.   No this is about being well grounded in the Faith.   There are 4 things that help us do this well  in our lives.   The first is Spirit led Christ focused prayer.   Be a man of prayer.   The second is to be a man of the Word.   Get into the Bible it is God's  very Word and is used to build and strengthen you.   The third is fellowship of the community of Faith.   Walking with other brothers who will challenge you and encourage you,  we are always stronger together,  this is one reason why we gather in local communities as the Body of Christ.   The fourth may seem odd to you at first but it is Serve.  Get involved,  use your gifts and abilities,  lead where you are gifted and led to by the Spirit,  humbly care for and serve others,  share your Faith,  your testimony,  the Gospel.  Being active in your Faith will help you to stand firm in it.

As we are reminded to act like men and be strong,  I think this is counter cultural in an extreme way in our current culture.   This means we are not to be those who cannot take the pressure,  we are not to be complainers, we are to be those who show or character and strength in the commitments we make and how we carry them out. This means have the guts to lead in your home and at work and in the community.   Be willing to serve,to lead, to extend care, to protect, to provide comfort.  Be ready to face the things that may scare you,  but don't back down.

Lastly but certainly not least,  we are reminded that all of this is to be done  with a motivation and a display of love.   This love is to be in the same spirit add the love we were shown by Jesus.   This is essential because as men we often will default to function and neglect the feelings or emotion of others.   We are called to love like Jesus,  and He functionally  loved in action and also in words and emotional engagement.   Who you might "naturally" be is someone who leans more to action or more to emotion etc. .. However we are not being told to be who we naturally are,  we are told to become who God had made us to be and to follow the example of our Lord Jesus.  So do not allow yourself to become strong and harsh as this is sinful,  but so is being a pushover who is sensitive to the emotions of others.   Be strong and sensitive to those you interact with.   Love love love ....like Jesus.

OK guys let's move forward following the Lord

Preacherman

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Remember ...

Every year November the eleventh rolls around and we are reminded to "remember".   All too often we are not told enough what we are to be "remembering".  Sure for me I have to remember that day is a wonderful day that God blessed me with an amazing wife (my wedding anniversary).  It is true that if I forget that reason for the day that it may affect world peace.  But for most of you that is not what you think of on "remembrance day".

Remembrance day is when we are to remember the cost of the peace and freedom we enjoy.  As limited as we may feel those things are at times, we must understand that if many people had not sacrificed then things would be much worse.  So remember those who heroically went to battle for you, even before you were ever born, they went to war for you.

But also remember those who sacrifice everyday for your continued safety and freedom.  Remember those who cast aside their own needs, wants, comforts and safety for the sake of those in need or those at risk.  Remember those who take a stand for what is True, for what is right.

Remember that Jesus came and suffered and died for you, enduring shame and torture for you.  Then He rose from the grave and lives for you.  One person can make a difference ... all the difference in the world.

And may WE remember these things and more not just as a memorial but as motivation that we too will be those who make a difference in the lives of others and in this world, for today and for future generations.

Remember the value of your life is shown in how selflessly you live.  Remember that we are called to stand together, walk together, fight together and even if required we will die together all serving our Lord.

Let us remember so that we never forget!

Preacherman
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Whats Next?

I am sure many people who used to read this blog were wondering what happened?  Well there are seasons for everything.  While I may resurrect blogs like this one in the future, for now my time is taken up with preparing to go to Ireland.  We are going with TEAM as evangelism, discipleship, Church planting missionaries.  The link to the right will take you to our "newsletter" style blog for info on this new ministry direction for us.  Please pray for us during this time of transition and feel free to follow us on that blog if you want to know how things are going.

Let us all press on together in this wonderful work of the Gospel, sharing the Hope we found in Jesus and His Kingdom, with the lost world around us.

Cheers!

Preacherman

#Stand yes #Standup Christians

I could write tonight about certain events, about horrific events carried out by terrorists.

#Stand Christians #Standup for the oppressed

 We could focus on the horrific acts but I won't.  Many media sites have that info, you really don't need to look very hard.  Instead I want to talk about what we are going to do about it?

The issue:

People are being mistreated, tortured and killed by those who would see all who refuse to follow their false religion suffer and die.  This is not a small isolated thing in our world today but a rampant problem across many nations and it affects us all.  These violent, evil, murderers, are making the news daily for their disgusting ways.  They often do not care if they live or die as long as they kill others that do not follow their exact way.  The issue is larger than any one person or nation.

What can we do?

We, being Christians, can do something.  We can be those who take a stand.  We can be those who stand up for others who are at risk.  I am not suggesting that we need to "defend" ourselves, though depending on where you live and your situation that may be your right and privilege.  Instead I am suggesting we protect others.  You see, Christians know the Truth and know where they will be after this life.  That should cause two things to happen in us.  The first is a security and boldness that the worst thing they can do to me is take my life and that just places me with the Lord Jesus.  So we should be those who, though we may have human based fears, we stand even in fear because our security in Jesus is far greater than anything that can be done to our bodies. The second is the hard reality that many of those being persecuted are NOT Christians and therefore when they are slaughtered for being the wrong kind of Muslim or being Buddhist or Atheist or whatever they are, they are dying because they do not subscribe to the false religion that the terrorists enforce.  These people are dying and going to Hell, without any hope.  If we want to see people saved, then we need to stand up for them.  

So the concept is like this.  I am ready, I know the Lord Jesus, my sins are forgiven, many others are not in that place and at risk..  If I can keep them from being slaughtered today then they have another day to hear about the Hope and Forgiveness we find in Jesus.  If I die in the process then so be it.  In the end God will deal with these evil people and I hope and pray that the Governments, military and police do as well. 

So I am not putting out a general call to arms, though that may be necessary in some situations, I think we need to start in other ways.  So I will list some below.

1. Pray for the "hot spots" these areas that have so much of this type of violence going on.  Pray for the people there.  As you hear of other attacks, pray for the people in those places.  Remember to pray for those who are left to bury their dead family and friends, if any are left to mourn, then mourn with them.
2. Show your outrage at what is happening, do not take our "rage" on anyone and certainly keep your focus on those who are the real Terrorists.  Make your voice heard, in your community, social media, write your government, etc...
3. Lobby your government to make a law that makes affiliation with a terrorist group a crime in the highest order.  Whether it can be a capital punishment crime or maybe worthy of deporting those convicted or life imprisonment with no chance for parole.  But harsh penalty for being a part of these groups, not just being the actual "trigger man" but any affiliation.
4. If you know someone that is Muslim then make sure they know that you are not angry with all Muslims.  Instead make sure they know that as a part of your Faith, you believe it is important to stand up for the oppressed and against the oppressors, no matter what those at risk believe.  We do not need to agree with one another to show Love.
5. If you happen to be present when a terror attack begins to happen, then stand up and do what you can to stop it, to protect others.  You do not need to be a super hero, you will probably die trying to save others but you may give at least some people the time they need to get away.

Do not stop with this.  Christians need to stand against all forms of injustice.  We need to stand against racism, rape culture, trafficking of people, all forms of abuse & oppression, just to name a few.  Share articles like this one.  Post on Social media and use #Stand and #Standup.  Talk about important issues like these, not just as passing news but discuss ideas on how you might be able to stand together with your family and friends.

If we who know the Truth, the Hope of the Gospel of Jesus, sit back and do nothing then we are guilty as passive accessories to the crime.  This means that if we refuse to act then we are silently approving by our inaction.  I do not believe that Jesus would want us to hide in a corner while such horrors are committed.  

So each of you must decide but I cannot in good conscience do nothing.

Preacherman

  

Reminder for 2015

Men, I wanted to start the year off with what is most important.  

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ESV)

As Paul reminded the Corinthians about the Gospel, so I now want to remind you.  The Gospel message of Jesus, God the Son, fully God yet fully human, lived a sinless life, willingly suffered and died to pay the price for our sinfulness and then He rose from the grave proving His power and authority.  Recognize that you have sinned and that it is sin that kills us and eternally separates us from God the Creator.  Ask God to forgive your sin and receive that forgiveness in the name of Jesus.  Doing so will make you clean and new because not only will you be forgiven but you will also receive the righteousness of Christ.  You will live in relationship with your new Lord, Jesus.  Your life will be centered on Him and His Word (the Bible).  Everything you do, all of who you are should be affected by the Gospel and transformed by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit who resides in you.

Has Jesus shown you love?  Grace?  Forgiveness?  YES!  So remember to show such attributes to others.  This should change how you work, treat your wife, raise your children, interact with your neighbours, lead in your community, worship in Church and everything else about you.

If you want to hear more about the Gospel reminder you can check out the reminder sermon I gave to the brothers and sisters at FFBC in Brandon.  http://youtu.be/flvDApBC1nU

Let's get focused on the Gospel for 2015.

Preacherman