Living To Die and Dying to Live

I challenge you to find Christians who are looking forward to death. You won’t find many because unfortunately most are concerned with holding on to this life or “living their best life now.” Which begs the question, why do we live? The answer is Christians live for Christ and to be on mission for God. In fact, the only reason God is keeping Christians on this earth is for the purpose of the Great Commission, the commission of making disciples and teaching them to obey everything God has commanded. However, what we see is a very small percentage of believers being on mission for God, but instead living for themselves while pursuing worldly wealth and fame.

When Jesus heard of the death of Lazarus, he said “this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified  through it” (John 11:4). Jesus’ purpose was that through the resuscitation of Lazarus, God would be glorified and many would come to believe that He was the Christ. Upon His arrival He engaged Martha in conversation about who He was and it was here He would once again identify His divine nature as God in the flesh. Jesus told Martha “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die“ (John 11:25, 26). Jesus was making a promise, a promise that those who live for Him and He inside of them, would live forever with Him. Those who grasp this promise are those who truly believe upon Him. Those who grasp this amazing grace are compelled to live differently while on earth. Those who embrace their gift of eternal life seek to accomplish and fulfill the mission of God and bring glory to Christ. Does this describe your life? Have you embraced eternal life in a way that you do not fear losing your earthly life? Truth be told, you can’t live for Christ, until you die to self. To die without living for Him is to suffer eternally apart from Him.

Do not be deceived, a believer’s life belongs to Christ. He has died for it, He has paid for it, He indwells it, He commands it, He has shed blood for it, He has redeemed it, and He has suffered it. So if your life isn’t bringing glory to Christ and you are living “for your best life now,” instead of for His mission now, then changes are in order. In a spiritual sense, you  can’t live until you die and you can’t die to self until His Spirit regenerates your soul.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life and He is the way, the truth and the life. This is the confidence that compels us to greatness on this planet, not channeling our inner self as many religions teach, but genuine belief based upon Christ and His unchanging promises. The promise that when die, not how or why, but when. We will live life the way it was always intended, reigning with Christ forever (2 Timothy 2:12).

Judgement House: First Baptist of Indian Trail

Beginning this Wednesday at 7:00 First Baptist Church of Indian Trail will host the Judgement House. 

This is evangelistic outreach designed to stir the hearts and minds of those without salvation. Please bring every unbeliever who is unsure where they will spend eternity and leave no doubt that God is actively working in the hearts of those He wants to save. 

Decaying Christianity

Jesus referred to His followers as “salt”  (Matthew 5:13) because they would possess the ability to preserver and preserve themselves in a dying and decaying world. While I was growing up in West Virginia we killed and processed our own hogs on numerous occasions and my dad would always cure the hams by rubbing salt on them. He would then place them inside of cloth bags and hang them up until they cured. Ultimately, the salt would work as a preserving agent for the meat. Without salt the meat would have become unsafe to consume or useless. In fact, for centuries meat has been cured to provide food in preparation for famines. So obviously salt plays a vital role this side of heaven.

However Jesus also said “if salt loses its flavor…its good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13). In light of recent court decisions concerning same sex marriage and the celebration of homosexuality, this verse came flooding into my mind. Something that seemed almost unthinkable is now a reality and has regrettably been enabled and supported by numerous Christian denominations. While this has undoubtedly impacted Christianity in America and around the world, it has also provided evidence that many so-called Christians have lost their saltiness while exposing many who are not salt and never have been.

Can salt lose its flavor or saltiness? It actually can’t. This is actually Jesus using irony, because what He means is that it’s impossible for a true disciple to lose their saltiness. Translation, a true disciple cannot lose the Holy Spirit, because He has sealed them from the inside and that can never be taken away. When genuine regeneration occurs by the power of the Holy Spirit, the transformation begins in the heart and consumes the being of a believer.

So why has homosexuality, abortion, and casual sin gained such a stronghold in America and Christian denominations? Because so many false converts have infiltrated the church and falsely posed as Christians. They may appear salty on the outside, by on the inside they are decaying. A decaying mind is depraved and will only darken as it embraces a lifestyle of universalism and relativism. Which is why impostor Christians have supported the legalization of same sex marriage, given financially to Planned Parenthood, and justify sin in other areas of the public square.

Only genuine disciples are “salt” and they can never lose their preserving ability and perhaps the “salt” is fewer than we think. 

Empty Yourself

Jesus is the standard bearer for humility. If you are looking for a picture of humility, then look no further than Jesus. If you are unsure of what a servant’s life looks like, then once again look to Jesus. In this modern church era, the majority, although not all, of mega church pastors parade around like rock stars enjoying the lifestyle of the rich and famous provided by the large monetary offerings brought forth by their swelling congregations. Their expensive homes, tailored suits, luxury cars, and television shows work to expand their fame. Many of these pastors use King Solomon’s riches as justification for their extravagant lifestyles and rock star fame. Many of the younger pastors wear trendy clothes, have stylish haircuts, and do all they can to build their kingdoms in hope of growing their fame and their bank accounts. It’s not uncommon for many of these pastors to draw attention away from their luxurious lifestyles by large give always to local and national charities. Finally, very few offer any transparency inside of their ministries, especially in regards to salaries and perks. I will be honest, it really bothers me. I love Jesus and when churches and pastors deviate from Christ’s example in the name of self-interest, comfort, and popularity, I get angry. As a chaplain I serve countless people who don’t go to church because they have grown tired of the selfish nonsense of power hungry pastors, arrogance from the pulpit, or the lack of servant leadership.

But is this what Jesus modeled? No. In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul spoke of Jesus as humbling Himself as a bondservant, even though He considered Himself equal with God. Particularly, in verses 7-8 Paul wrote that Jesus “…made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant…even to the point of death.” This is an amazing statement and one that we should meditate upon before moving to the next verses. Jesus was both fully divine and fully man, yet He still poured Himself out as an offering and lived a life of humility as a servant. There were few people lower than a bondservant, nevertheless Paul identified Jesus as a slave. Jesus was bound to His Father as a slave is bound to His master, yet Jesus came to serve and humble Himself with whole-hearted devotion as the greatest example of humility the world has ever known.

When a pastor is more concerned about their prominence and notoriety, then the church falls by the wayside. When a pastor is more concerned about entertaining the crowds, the church erodes into a Christian concert. Money and multi-million dollar buildings don’t last and are certainly not eternal. A pastor who models the humility of Christ, builds the church and impacts souls. So if you are deciding where to attend church, look for the pastor who has died to himself, is denying himself, and practices servant leadership.

Empty yourself as Christ did so you can identify a pastor or another believer who has emptied themselves. 

MISSION West Virginia: Going to War, Part 1

I spent this weekend in War, West Virginia meeting with the folks from Calvary Baptist Church and the principal of South Side K-8 School. The weather was great and the mountains were beautiful as usual. Unfortunately, this once prosperous coal mining town has been overcome by drugs, unemployment, poverty, and darkness. To say the town is void of religion would be a mistake, an independent Pentecostal church can be found every 100 feet or so and I would estimate that many only have a congregation of 5 to 10 people. Many of these churches are led by men or women who don't meet the biblical qualifications as a pastor/overseer, but that doesn't stop them from starting a church, where tongues and loosing your salvation are fundamental doctrines. Like the majority of evangelical Christians I am a cessationist, believing that charismatic gifts such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues ended with Jesus and the apostles during the first century. But that's another conversation for another day.

Calvary Baptist Church is the lone remaining Southern Baptist church in McDowell County with an unfortunate aging population and could literally close the doors next month. They are presently led by an interim pastor who seems to be a good fit.  However, one member, Debbie King, fights for her church and her town with a passion unmatched by anyone I met in War.

More to follow...

Gospel Vision, Part 2

The gospel provides the assurance we need to persevere through ever challenge of life. Leave no doubt it is sufficient. The power of the Christian faith is discovered in the gospel which ushered in the Holy Spirit. The solution for every problem found on this planet is found in the gospel. During the days of Paul’s ministry the Thessalonian church was facing persecution, but they were enduring in the faith and Paul was giving thanks to God for their unceasing work and patience of hope in Christ when he wrote “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance…” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Just like those living today, the Thessalonians had not seen the living Word (Jesus Christ), but had only received the word from the mouth of Paul. Paul wrote that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) and that is how all of us have come to know Christ and the power of His gospel.

The reason so many Christians have virtually no spiritual impact, is because they’ve never truly believed in the gospel’s power. The gospel is life changing, empowering, and is the embodiment of love. It’s the love of the gospel that motivates us to deny ourselves and pick up our crosses and follow Christ. The gospel paints a picture for how we are to direct our lives and why we are alive. Vision follows the gospel, it provides clarity in a broken world, it instills passion for glorifying God and serving Christ, it energizes believers to be leaders and follow Christ to the ends of the earth, and finally it should motivate every Christian to give sacrificially of everything they own, to include themselves.  

Embrace a gospel vision for living life and always remember the gospel has come upon you in power to save you, redeem you, empower you, satisfy you, motivate you, love you, and comfort you. Let it be your vision.