My Final Message for 2019

Another year has almost gone and we are on the brink of another! What kind of a year has 2019 been for you? Where would you place it on a scale of 1 – 10?
Maybe you would give 2019 an 8 or 9 out of 10 – in other words, it was a really good year. It was a good year because you had success in your business, a good year at work or at school, good family relationships, new friendships? 2019 was a year that included a lot of exciting things, new challenges, tasks completed, a great holiday. Or maybe you rate this past year 8 out of ten compared to the previous year which was a horrible year. Or maybe you would give 2019 a 5. It was just another year, pretty much the same as any other year? Nothing very exciting happened, in fact, it was kind of dull and dreary. Just getting up, going to work, coming home, going to bed and then doing the same thing the next day and the next and the next. Maybe 2019 deserves only 2 out of 10. That’s because it was a really dreadful year. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The year included tragedy, sickness, loss of friends, marriage problems, the kids were just impossible, even a death in your family. How would you rate this year?


Think back and check what kind of a person you were during 2019. Are there some regrets? If you were able to have some part of the year over again, how would you have behaved differently? Would you have shown more understanding, cared more, been more patient, less critical, been more supportive and helpful? As I reflect on the year that has past there are certain things that I wish I would have done differently. How about your relationship with God? Did that flourish and grow during 2019 or did it just hover in much the same place as it did the previous year or perhaps even went backward as you prayed less, heard less from God through his Word, worshipped less?? Maybe God didn’t have a big part to play in your life during this past year; somehow He just slipped into the background. You could well ask the question: how much did my life reflect the fact that I am God's child –
Did I speak as a child of God;
Did I act with the love of God in my heart;
Did I interact with others with the same love and forgiveness that Jesus has shown toward me?

As we stand on the threshold of another year, Jesus tells us a parable. It’s brief but the point is clear. "Listen," Jesus says. "A man has a fig tree and plants it in his vineyard. Three years later he’s making his way up and down his vineyard, he is looking forward to the taste of a ripe fig but he sees that the fig tree still doesn’t have any fruit. he calls to his gardener, ‘Hey! Get over here. Why is this tree still here? It’s taking up soil and moisture and space. Cut it down, right now.’ Does that sound unduly cruel to you? Actually, Jesus has a message for us. Why should that tree remain standing? Why should it keep taking up space, using up the goodness of the soil if it’s serving no purpose? What’s the point of having a tree that should bear fruit but does nothing? Maybe you’ve had an actual tree in your backyard garden you can relate to that was a big disappointment and you have laid into it with an ax digging it out roots and all. Jesus’ words, "Cut it down, right now," cuts deeply. The owner has a right to be disappointed and angry at that useless tree. It’s no wonder he wants it destroyed. But as we listen to Jesus' story we know Jesus isn’t just talking about a fig tree. He’s talking about you and me. We are led to ask ourselves, "Am I bearing fruit? I keep sucking up the nutrients of the soil in which I’ve been planted so when am I going to show some kind of fruit to match the years I’ve been standing in God's garden and all the opportunities I’ve been given?" Jesus takes a breath and continues. "Leave it alone for one more year", the gardener pleads, "I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year fine! If not, then cut it down." And with that, Jesus ends his story of the fig tree leaving His listeners to ponder the generosity, the patience, the grace of the gardener. They are struck by the words of the gardener when he says "Leave it alone". The word used by Jesus here also means "forgive". They know now that Jesus wasn’t simply telling a story about a fig tree but he was talking about God and the way He forgives us even though we don’t deserve such generosity and kindness.


You see, God has given us some wonderful soil for growth. In Colossians chapter 2 we are told, "You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following him. Plant your roots in Christ and let Him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful" (verses 6 & 7). As God's people, we build our lives on Jesus. Our very existence, our day-to-day living, our every breathing moment has its source in him. We occupy valuable space in the garden. The soil is rich and our roots are there and the owner of the garden is looking for fruit. God wants to see in us the kind of fruit that he would expect to see from someone who has been made new and holy through the blood of Jesus; from someone who has been given a new life by the living Jesus. As 2019 draws to a close He sees all too well what has happened in the past - how our relationships haven’t always been what they could have been.
He has seen the arguments, the inability to be generous when it comes to forgiveness and reconciliation, the lack of gratitude to your parents, the disrespect for your children, the disconnection between you and the church and what God offers through his church. He’s seen it all as it has unfolded during 2019 much to our embarrassment. And He’s forgiven it all. And we’ve drawn on that forgiveness. We’ve heard His words every Sunday as He says to us, ‘Your sins are forgiven!’
We’ve been assured that each time we’ve come to the Lord’s Supper! We’ve drawn on those riches, and still, there’s someone we haven’t forgiven. Still, there is that relationship that remains fractured. Still, no words are spoken between you and the person with whom you have fallen out. Still, the anger wells up whenever you think of that person or hear his/her name.


What magnificent love God shows us! He really must think we’re something special. What love He has that He takes me and adopts me and calls me his child. That love of God is so precious to us especially when we have cried out in despair and pain and need the reassurance that everything will be all right!
But how many times has someone cried out for some love and we’ve been so busy enjoying that love ourselves that we haven’t heard the cry? It’s true that there have times when we’ve really felt down, really alone, we’ve spent restless nights in our beds and the morning has brought no relief. And someone has helped us! A telephone call, a letter, a word, an arm around our shoulders and we’ve been uplifted! Perhaps a sermon, a devotion, a hymn or song has reassured us and given us hope! But how deaf we’ve been to the loneliness and confusion and despair all around us? "Give the tree one more year", the gardener in the vineyard said. The owner wanted to chop it down but the gardener isn’t going to give up. He’s going to dig around it, turn over the soil, add some fertilizer, show it some more TLC and give it another chance! Isn’t that just typical of the Spirit of God? The soil may be brown and hard-baked, but He’s going to send rain. There’s going to be a change. The gardener is determined and He’s going to see to it! Listen to what Jesus tells us in John chapter 15:5, "Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without Me".


The key is to be connected to Jesus. He is the one who can enable us to be what we ought to be. We need Him to help our branches bear fruit. Without Him, we will rate each year that passes below 5 on the 1 to 10 scale! Every day we are inclined to want to break the relationship that God has with us and to turn our back on the way He wants us to be as his children. We are like the fig tree that fails to produce good fruit. Thank God for the patience and grace of the gardener. Jesus gives Himself for us. He becomes the manure, the fertilizer for us as He is rejected, laughed at, crucified as a criminal. On the cross, nails, thorn-spikes, and spear dig into Him. He waters the ground with His own blood. He does everything. We do nothing. We simply trust in His grace. In Christ, we are made beautiful, fruitful gardens. He digs around so that the love of God pours out of us and begins to work in us and we become lovely people, through Jesus! With His kind of fertilizer we begin to accept others as He was able to accept others … and us. The parable about the fig tree makes it quite clear that we have been unfruitful, unfaithful, yet in spite of our lack of fidelity, God is faithful. Be sure of this: Jesus waits for us, spade in hand, wheelbarrow by his side, ready to bring us into the new decade of 2020. That’s a promise. Armed with that promise, we can step forward into the New Year ready to let Him do the work in us that only He can do. Thank Him for His goodness in giving you, giving us, one more year of grace!

Happy New Year!
-Pat-

Gossip

As one of the 2.45 billion members who use Face book (that's billion with a B), I find no lack of habitual gossip on that social media site. Gossip weaves its way through various comments and posts on a regular basis. Recently I had a physical injury that kept me in bed and off the Internet. With that absence, I did not realize how much gossip plays a role when using that social media site until I signed back on 9 days later! I must have become numb to it or just psychologically decided to ignore it. I think as Christians we should be more aware of what we say and how we listen. Exodus 23:1 says, "Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness." In other words, don't spread lies, and as a hearer, don't be a part of keeping those lies alive (gossiping). Gossip is defined as, casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.


I can remember a time when peachers used to present sermons condemning gossip. We don’t hear too many sermons on gossip these days, but gossip still exists. One reason why people indulge in gossip is that they find a degree of enjoyment in discussing the faults of other people. We all know of someone who eats gossip up. Proverbs 26:22 EVS, "The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they do down into the inner parts of the body." Gossip is more than "talk." What we hear we ingest! What we ingest becomes us. TV newscasters have long known that juicy scandals make good news copy and sell newspapers. Why is the report of scandals pleasurable to them? I suspicion it's because it brings about an unconsciousness of their faults. Tearing down others makes them feel better about themselves. Many of us without psychology degrees understand this principle. Other people love to create a sensation, so they gossip in order to be at the center of attention. Likely there are other psychological mechanisms for gossip, but the basic reason is a lack of love. When we love people, we do not constantly pick out their character flaws.

King Solomon points out that: "Love covers a multitude of sins" (Proverbs 10:12; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Peter 4:8). We don’t advertise the sins of people we love any more than we would advertise our own. If we truly love someone, we are slow to believe any wrong that is revealed about them until we look at the evidence. However, gossiping can be overcome! How? Consider the following example. Proverbs 26:20, "Where there is no wood, the fires go out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases." We can apply that scripture in this way, if an individual ever comes to you bringing words of gossip, simply tell them, “Since this matter is so important to you, let’s go and talk to the person or persons involved.” Nine times out of ten, the gossiper will suddenly vanish! No wood no fire. No talebearer no tale. It only makes sense that if there are no gossipy ears, there will be few gossipy tongues! Proverbs 11:13, " A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret."

So in closing, avoid gossip! Avoid talking or posting information on social networks that would stir arguments and debates. Stay away from such disputes. Remain silent and pray for Christians to stay firm and committed to Jesus in the midst of such a storm. Let your speech be ‘golden!’ Avoid offensive jibe, harsh language, coarse language, deceit, hurtful words, bitter words, boastful words, and cunning words. Let your words be pleasant! “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). It requires an endless supply of energy, a massive amount of patience and iron will control our unbridled tongue in this world.

Until next time,
-Pat-

Judging Appearance- a lesson from my father-in-law

My father-in-law, a very unique man, passed away about seven years ago. He and I would often go fishing on his 14-foot aluminum boat in the cool of the evening as the sun was setting. No one else in the family liked to fish so it was always just him and me. I always looked forward to going because he would share some of the best stories from his life. Most of them made me laugh, some were serious, and others I made mental notes of in case I needed to apply them to my own life. He had a way of presenting his experiences that when he finished, you felt like you had been to church. There was one particular story that flooded my mind a few days ago that I'd like to share.

One Sunday morning, he said, he entered a new church just before services were to begin. Although his clothes had been washed, he wore jeans, a faded corduroy shirt, and his favorite cowboy boots that were very worn and ragged. In his hand, he carried a tattered, worn-out Bible. My father-in-law was one to walk into any church hoping he could share the gospel. The way he described it, the church he entered this time was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church he'd ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed in pricey clothes and accessories. As he took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They openly shunned him and seemed appalled at his appearance and did not attempt to hide it. As he was leaving the church, he said the preacher approached him and asked him to do him a favor. “Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask Him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worship.” My father-in-law assured the preacher that he would.

The next Sunday, as the story goes, he told me he returned for the services. Giggling a bit he admitted his jeans may have been a little more ragged, his change of shirt still faded from mechanics work, he wore the same ole' worn-out boots and held tightly to his leather-bound, tattered bible. Once again, he was completely shunned and ignored by everyone in the building. He wasn't surprised when the preacher approached him again and said, “I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to this church.”
“I did,” replied my father-in-law.
“If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper attire should be for worshipping in here?” asked the preacher. Knowing my father-in-law well, I couldn't wait to hear his response! With a slight hesitation and an ornery smile on his face, he told me he said, “Well, sir, God told me that He didn’t have a clue what I should wear. He said He’d never been in this church.”
We both erupted into a synchronized chorus of laughter as our voices continued resonating across the lake.

What can we learn? As Christians, we should never be guilty of playing favorites or judging people based on appearance. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17; James 2:1-10) Why is it that people feel the need to judge another person? Why do people judge others by what they wear or what they look like? We judge when we assume things as well. Read my blog titled "ASSUMICIDE." We mentally hand out labels, like "bum" or "hobo". Whether we are Christian or not, we have heard the phrase Judge not or you will be judged. That's actually more than a phrase, it's a command in the Bible and it's something for people who are quick to make judgments to remember. When you’re thinking about judging a book by its cover, sometimes, I think most people find, if they open it up, they might like what they find inside despite a non-attractive cover. The same goes for people. Just take a second to take a closer look or hear what they have to say. You might find the man or quiet boy in school is having trouble with his speech, or the man in the raggedy clothes has a Ph.D. In the case of my father-in-law, he ran his own car shop business and had an excellent reputation of being the best automobile mechanic on this side of the Mississippi. I'm sure the folks in that church of such status were mentally judging my father-in-law as a bum just by the way they avoided and ignored him. I’ll tell you, words can hurt a lot more than a bruise - the bruise goes away. The hurt from words is burned into the memory. I was a victim of bullying for years, and trust me, hurtful words cut deeper than physical injury or pain.

We wonder why others are committing crimes. Think about it. Many times people are angry, hurt, and think they can get even with society for throwing them away with disdain. It's true. It's factual. When people judge those who’ve fallen on hard times, it makes it even harder to make a comeback. How would they feel if someone labeled them? Even after I get to know a person, I don’t judge them. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I've been judged falsely. It's not fun! As a quick example, take the time to consider that there might be underlying health issues preventing the person from having a job and that they are not lazy at all. Especially now, during this Christmas season, let love rule in your heart and think twice before labeling someone you believe falls below your standard. Each of us is made in the image of God. Each of us has worth.
I'll leave you with this, 1 John 4:20 "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, how can they love God, whom they have not seen."
Until next time.
-Pat-

Lesson From A Phone Booth

I saw a video on YouTube the other day where an old rotary phone was placed on a table. Two millennial teens were brought into the room and given a challenge. Written on a piece of paper was a phone number. They were told they had 4 minutes to figure out how to dial that number on a contraption they had never seen before. It was hilarious watching them try to figure it out, which they never did! I suppose that "challenge" would be a simple undertaking for those of us raised on rotary dial phones, but for kids brought up to use tablets, I-pads, and I-pods I can understand how it might be an arduous task. So for that, I gave them a break. The same holds true for phone booths. There are some people who have no idea what a phone booth is! According to the FCC, there are about 100,000 of them left in the United States and about 1/5 of them are located in New York. For those of you who have used a phone booth at any time in your life, this blog will be relatable but particularly for the Christian because we can draw a spiritual lesson from a 3x3x7 foot box! (The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/1OADXNGnJok)

Something always seemed to happen once you stepped inside the 2-panel accordion-style door of a phone booth. Whenever you lifted the receiver, inserted your dime, placed the receiver to your ear and connection made, inevitably someone on the other end would say, “I can’t hear you; speak louder.” The sounds and the roar of the traffic in the background would drown out your voice. People would often ask, “Shut the door so I can hear you.” There is a definite spiritual lesson we can learn from a phone booth.
For us to truly “hear” God’s Word, NOT JUST READ IT, and be totally committed to Him, we must “shut the door” to the outside world (1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:2). Worldly interests and enticements can distract us from serving the Lord — so much so, that we may find ourselves forsaking the Lord if we’re not careful (Hebrews 10:21-27; Hebrews 3:6-13; 2 Timothy 4:10). And we must be careful because, though we are spiritually born-again, this "tabernacle" is still flesh. And the flesh wars with the spirit constantly. Galatians 5:17 "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

We MUST set our minds on and “seek first” the things above (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1-2) so that we can serve God with the whole heart (Numbers 14:15-24; Numbers 32:11-12; Deuteronomy 1:35-36) and not in pretense (Psalm 17:1). The things "of the world" are what John tells us it is characterized by three things — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The first two refer to desires for what we don’t have, and the third refers to the pride in what we do have. The world is driven by a passion for pleasure and pride in possessions. We are not to be tied up in them (1 John 2:15-18; Romans 12:2; James 4:4;) because they are like static. Static muddles our mind and thoughts and directs our attention on everything except that which we are supposed to avoid. The enemy uses the static of self-talk, cheap advice, societal pressures, social media, and busyness, which all make us strain to hear Truth. If we are not careful, the static in our hearts and minds will make it difficult to hear God’s voice, especially since He often speaks in tones that are still and small. If we allow the static to persist, we just might give up and tune into another channel.

If you don’t feel much love for God you are either “not born of God,” or your “love has grown cold.” It is possible that you are a “cultural Christian” or a “hereditary Christian,” and have developed patterns of religious talk and behavior because of its social influence upon your life. The other possibility is that you have been “born again” and have tasted what it means to have a heart for God, but now you are a “dimly burning wick” (Isaiah 42:3) in love with the things of this world. The prescription for your ailment is first to SHUT THE DOOR TO THE WORLD because the cure is not much different from the prescription for seeking the new birth in the first place — the same Word that ignites the fire of love in your heart in the first place also rekindles that love... so yield yourself to the Holy Spirit and immerse yourself in the Word of God. Cry out to Christ for a new vision of the glory of His grace. Pursue a new passion for Christ. It's that simple. Shut the door, shut out the world, rekindle your first love.
Until next time,
-Pat-

Because Of Your Hard Heart-- (Romans 2:5)

When a doctor diagnoses a patient with hardening of the arteries, that patient becomes very concerned and seeks further medical attention. However, many have a spiritual infirmity known as a “hardening of the heart” (2 Chronicles 36:14-16; Hebrews 3:12-15). Unfortunately, people are not as concerned with the spiritual “hardening” of their hearts as they are with the physical hardening of their hearts. What I am about to say may shock you - but I believe it with all my heart: The hardest hearts in this world are not among the ungodly but among God's people!

When we think of hardhearted people, most of us think of avid atheists such as Madalyn Murray O'Hair; the woman who was instrumental in removing prayer from public schools. Atheists like O'Hair ridicule the very idea of God. Whenever they refer to Christians, their words are harsh and judgmental. Other atheists flaunt their hatred for God - such as the rock performer Marilyn Manson, who rips up Bibles during his stage shows. Whenever we hear about people such as these, we think, "Those are the most hardhearted people in the world!" We may think of militant gay activists, such as those who marched up Fifth Avenue in New York City. Many of those marching homosexuals mocked Christianity and blasphemed God's name. One man I personally saw on television carried a sign reading, "Jesus Is Gay," and another went as far as dressing like Jesus and openly imitating sexual intercourse with another man as all eyes watched, including little children. Whenever we hear of such people, we think, "Their hearts have become hardened because of sin. They are impossible to reach!" Or, we may think about one of the many communist nations that for decades have persecuted Christians. In Cuba, for instance, in the 1960s just miles off of our Florida coast, Fidel Castro's communist regime closed all churches and began turning cathedrals into training centers for communism. Cuba's leaders boasted, "We have wiped out all religion!" And at the time, many Christians thought, "No one could be more hardhearted than these God-haters!" I could go on and on, describing all kinds of scoffers, mockers, blasphemers, rejecters of Christ. And, indeed, each of these could easily be described as being hardhearted.

It's unfortunate, but if you want to discover the hardest hearts of all - the ones the Lord most despises - you have to look in God's house. The hardest hearts are always found among his people! The tragic truth is that in spite of hearing fiery messages sent from heaven, multitudes of Christians do not practice what they hear. They refuse to allow God entry into certain areas of their lives. And as they continue to hear without heeding, a hardness begins to set in. In the end, they will be cut off without hope of ever being cured! You might be surprised if you read PSALM 95:8-10. Why? It is actually describing the Israelites, God's chosen people not the lost sinner. So many times it is the Christian who loses interest in Christ and their heart slowly but ever more surely turns cold and hardens to anything related to the faith they once professed. As time passes and the mundane matters of life replace their original religious fervor, they grow increasingly unconcerned with the things of God. Christ and his word and his will are simply not important to them yet in their self-deception, they are convinced that they are okay with God and they become Academy Award-winning hypocrites convincing themselves and others that they are the favored children of God, but over the course of their life, something very dangerous is occurring, something that they do not see.

It is because of the damning sin of unbelief, their heart becomes increasingly hardened to the things of God. They can come to a church service and the preaching of the word will have no impact on them. They have no desire to be like Christ, no desire to progress in holiness, no desire to obey what they know is against God's will. They become more and more like the world. And underneath their spiritual veneer, there is a growing contempt for God and for his glory and their hearts are filled with spiritual ignorance, ingratitude, rebellion, and even outright idolatry and the sad thing is none of this alarms them ... a perfect indication of a hardened heart! They don't see it and if you bring it up they are quickly offended. Paul described it this way in Titus 1, beginning in verse 15, "to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." This was the Apostle Paul's great concern for the first century Hebrews, those who had attached themselves to the new Christian church but who were Christians in name only, those who had truly not believed the full Gospel, only parts of it. This is a deadly deception that eventually hardens a person's heart over time. It desensitizes a person to the truth of the word of God and produces in them a growing rebellion towards God and ultimately it provokes the wrath of God.

Sadly, these are the same issues that face every church today. You say you believe in Christ, you say you believe in the Gospel, but down deep you really don't. Oh, you understand intellectually but you're not personally committed to the Lordship of Christ. Your sinful heart has deceived you. Your heart has become hardened to the truth, to the word, to the will of God, but because of the deceitfulness of sin, you cannot see it. That's a great danger. You hear the preaching of the word and yet your life is unchanged. You are convinced you are fine. The person and the work of Christ have no real appeal to you. You simply live for yourself and you believe that God is good with you, that you're good with God, and you simply use God for your own needs. Why? Because your sin nature has deceived you and you can't see it. This is such great danger and I assure you that if that is true in your life, as time goes on you will gradually fall away from the truth because your heart has been trained to ignore it. Then after so long of a time, your conscience gradually becomes seared and insensitive like skin that has been badly burned; like the false teachers that Paul described in 1 Timothy 4:2, those who even believe their own lies that were destroying the lives of others. He said, "by means of the hypocrisy of liars they were seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron." You see, repeated deception will turn your heart into scar tissue and it will be insensitive to the truth. You will be desensitized from it and you will continue to live in rebellion to God when in fact you are quite convinced of the opposite. You have no healthy fear of God's judgment because your heart has become hard. You are insensitive to reality.

This is such a great danger within the church. A hard heart dulls the ability to understand truth. How? A person with a hard heart puts up walls that disable them to receive anything. Not only that, but darkness takes place meaning there is no room for revelation-light to enter in. Luke 8:10 says, "You have been given a teachable heart to perceive the secret, hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom realm. But to those who don’t have a listening heart, my words are merely stories. Even though they have eyes, they are blind to the true meaning of what I say, and even though they listen, they won’t receive full revelation. " Did you get that? My jaw dropped when I read this! Each person was given a teachable heart, but many people have allowed their heart to be hardened which causes scripture to be more like stories. Not only are people with a hard heart not able to listen, but they aren’t able to see either which in turn will disable them from receiving the true revelation from the Word. Luke 11:34 says, “The eyes of your spirit allow revelation-light to enter into your being. When your heart is open the light floods in. When your heart is hard and closed, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place.” WOW!!
Hopefully now that you have reached this point you recognize just how dangerous and unhealthy a hard heart is. It’s time to do something about it! The only thing that is going to bring healing to your heart is the truth! The truth is what will set you free! And I believe once you spend time in the truth then the Bible won’t be merely just stories anymore; it will, in fact, bring revelation light to every core of your being.
Until next time,
-Pat-
** Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Tolerance

I suppose tolerance could be the one virtue that is esteemed above all others. However, "tolerance" isn't always a good thing! Sound contradictory? Let me explain. Traditional virtues such as humility, chastity, and temperance have long fallen out of public favor, and in some circles, are openly ridiculed. Acts once universally labeled “immoral” and “ungodly” are now celebrated under the guise of “tolerance”. Abortion, homosexuality, and pornography are today championed by dozens of liberal advocacy groups and praised by the mainstream media. Marital infidelity and divorce are so common in our present-day society that few families have escaped its bitter consequences. Is this the kind of tolerance Christians are supposed to embrace?

Liberals revere tolerance. They practically worship it. It’s like a religion to them. I believe, in general, that liberals are not actually tolerant. Liberals tolerate only what they want to tolerate. They tolerate things they agree with—which, of course, isn’t tolerance. Tolerance is about accepting the often-difficult differences between you and someone you strongly disagree with and respecting that person’s right to an opposing point of view. Liberals are relentless in denouncing, demonizing, boycotting, attacking, picketing, prosecuting, suing, fining, and even threatening to jail people who disagree with them on same-sex marriage! Tolerance? I read something on the Internet that backs what I'm saying. I need to share it!
If your family owns a barn in New York (or elsewhere) and declines to rent it to a gay couple for a wedding ceremony because such an arrangement violates your religious beliefs and freedom, liberals will fine you $13,000. If you’re Elaine Photography in New Mexico and beg not to photograph a same-sex wedding, liberals will sue you. If you are the Kleins in Oregon and plead not to make a cake for a same-sex ceremony, you will be picketed, hauled before state commissions, and have your livelihood ruined by liberals. If you are Jack Phillips, a baker in Colorado, or a florist in any number of states, who likewise prefers not to service same-sex events, you will be threatened with imprisonment. If you are the owner of Chick-fil-A or other businesses, and you dare admit that you’re against redefining marriage because you believe your God says you can’t, liberals literally will assert at your death that Jesus is going to send you to hell. I could go on and on.

As the socially “enlightened ones” preach to the masses about being tolerant of those “different” than us, they are in fact the most “intolerant” of all people. Think for a minute. These same individuals are intolerant of those who hold to and embrace New Testament Christianity. In their “demands” of tolerance from people, they themselves cannot tolerate anyone who holds to the doctrine of Christ. They refuse to accept those who believe in “one body” and “one spirit”; those who preach “one hope”; those who declare the truth that there is but “One Lord, one faith, one baptism …” (Ephesians 4:4-6). These “tolerant ones” cannot tolerate anyone who dares to believe in the inspired Word of God as the sole source of truth and authority (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). They are “intolerant” of those who live by a morality based upon God’s divine will. These folks believe that being a child of God automatically makes one “intolerant”, dangerous and in need of “sensitivity training” so that we might become as “tolerant” as they.

As a believer, the most disturbing thing is, as the world goes, soon the Church follows. There are many within the Body of Christ (The Church) who have now taken up this twisted banner of “tolerance”, embracing those denominations and accepting their false teachings. They draw in thousands under the heading of diversity, tolerance, and love. It is the absolute teaching of Christ to love the sinner, but not the sin! We cannot condone what Christ condemns. Like those in the post-modern world, these “tolerant ones” who are being exposed within the church are very INTOLERANT toward those who challenge them. Labeling those they judge to be intolerant as “traditional” and “legalistic”, they look upon all who demand book, chapter and verse as “dangerous” to the spirit of the Bible and the cause of Christ. Unfortunately, as predicted by the apostle Paul, there has been a shift, a "falling away" from the principals and doctrine of Christ. Scripture tells us, " But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber." 2 Peter 2:1-3.

I conclude that we must not only reject the “post-modern” value of “tolerance”, we must also reject these “enlightened ones” in the church of our Lord. Instead of succumbing to the temptation of being “tolerant” to those in error, we must hold fast to, “the form of sound words …” (2 Timothy 1:13-14). We have a duty to faithfully guard the treasure of truth entrusted to us (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; Titus 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:4) against all – both outside and inside the church. We must stand strong "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13. Stand your ground, speak up when needed, hold fast to what Jesus taught, so that you as Paul will have the confidence to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." If faithful Christians do not stand their ground– then who will?

Until next time,
-Pat-

Whose Coming To Your Door

I watched a movie almost 30 years ago. I want to share the theme of that movie to make a point I think Christians need to hear. In the movie, there was a small dog that was struck by a car. As it lay by the side of the road, a doctor drove by. He noticed that the dog was still alive, so he stopped his car, picked up the dog, and took him home with him. There he discovered that the dog had suffered a few minor cuts and abrasions, but was otherwise all right. He revived the dog, cleaned his wounds, then picked him up to take him to the garage, where he intended to provide a temporary bed for him.

As he carried the dog from his house to the garage, the dog wiggled free from his arms, jumped to the ground, and scampered off. “What an ungrateful dog!” the doctor exclaimed. He was glad that the little dog had recovered so quickly, but was a little miffed that the dog had shown so little appreciation for his expert and gentle care. The doctor thought no more of the incident until the next evening when he heard a scratching at his front door. When he opened the door there was the little dog he had treated. At its side was another hurt dog!

I believe there is a spiritual lesson in this story that can be applied to both you and me as well! The lesson is, we can be encouraged and know that those who hear the Gospel from us are never the same, even though we may not be the one to “see” the difference it has made in their lives, or the difference they have made in the lives of others! We may never hear a thank you or know if they were helped. I continually have to remind my self when readership is low that I work for God and not the people. He will take the seeds I plant and water as He sees fit. I pray that our spiritual attitude is like that of the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 3:5-9) and continue to teach and preach the Word when and where we are able (Mark 16:15; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:2) without expecting anything in return. I always hope, as with the little dog above, that a reader of these blogs will bring another wounded person to my doorstep!


Until next time,

-Pat-