I used to wonder what a Quarterback would need those great big shoulders for; but I don’t anymore.  Those shoulders no doubt have come in handy in carrying the weight of the world of criticism that he has endured over the last two plus years.  From those who cannot stand his doctrine, to those who pick apart his mechanics, I cannot think of another person in any other industry who has been the subject of such microscopic scrutiny.  Except for maybe George Bush, who was blamed for everything from freezing ice caps, to springs rains, and summer heat.  Tim has become the subject of social conversation, far beyond the football world.

I cannot say exactly why, but there are some things that I don’t think can be ignored.  In all actuality that have more to do with society than they do with Tim Tebow.

Off the field. – Tim Tebow is the kind of guy that people are supposed to be. Genuine, humble, selfless, morally pure and spiritually grounded.  He is not perfect, he is not sinless, but he is genuine, and he seeks to bring glory to Jesus Christ.  He is not the first athlete, nor is he the only person in life that are the kind of guys that people are supposed to be.  Taking nothing away from Tim Tebow, I am blessed to know lots of people who live the way that Tim lives.  I know young men who have unashamedly saved themselves for marriage, are proudly pro-life, evangelistic in their character, and fully trust the Bible as the Word of God.  The difference is that the world does not have their lives under the microscope.    May I say this and like minded Christians understand it;  off the field, what the world sees in Tim, they would see in hundreds of thousands of people just like him.  He is unique as an athlete, but not as a Christian.  Tim has carried our lives onto the public stage and the media has blown a gasket.  What he says, and stands for as a Christian is not abnormal at all for those who are Christians!  It is a sad state of affairs if there are any professing Christians surprised that someone is actually living like it.   Simply put, though not sinless, for many in this world, Tim Tebow is a visible source of moral and spiritual conviction.  Whatever vitriol that is poured out on Tim due to his faith and lifestyle, is primarily aimed at all of us who hold to the fact that “No one comes to the Father but by” Jesus.  He carries the bulls eye for all of those with a passionate rejection of all things Biblical; thank the Lord for this big broad shoulders. There is simply no denying that much of the off-the-field angst towards Tim, is a wholesale reaction to all of Biblical Christianity, and not only Tim Tebow.

At the risk of turning this into a “sports debate”, I will just say this about Tim on-the-field.  I do not believe his on-the-field criticism has as much to do with his faith as it does to publicly prove that the experts really aren’t experts.  No man likes to be told he is wrong and nothing is more frustrating to the human ego than to watch someone do what you have said can’t be done.  Make no mistake about it, Tim is not making friends with people who say he can’t play quarterback and they’ve got the football minds to prove it.  I doubt very seriously that Ryan Stewart, Merrill Hoge, or Mel Kiper will be “more-credible” at the end of Tim’s career than they are now.  I am still amazed that the NFL would not rather have a league full of “Tebows” than of “T.O.’s”

In short, publicly speaking, Tim Tebow is on and off the field what many in society says isn’t credible or can’t be successful, and the truth before their eyes is unwelcomed.

My family and I pray every day for Tim Tebow.  Not for wins.  For strength.  (I’m a KC fan)  I pray that the Lord will shield him from the temptations and traps of the world the flesh and the devil.  I pray that the Lord will strengthen his spiritual shoulders.  I pray for his family; I cannot imagine the pain his father and mother endure listening to the ruthless ridicule of their son.

The Apostle Peter wrote in 1st Peter 4:16 – “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:14  Then in verse 16 he said, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”  I can think of no other encouragement to give to Tim Tebow than to say keep on keeping on and let the Lord be glorified.  Any kind of change now, would not be worth making.

 After listening to a few lectures and reading a few articles written by Dr. David Allen, I have become more and more convinced that the beloved Physician, Dr. Luke is a strong candidate for the authorship of the book of Hebrews.  However more than that, without question one of the most effective and blessed additions to my understanding is the realization that the book of Hebrews is more likely a sermon to be preached rather than only a book to be read. 

I have no problem imagining an ancient sage meandering to a pulpit, unrolling his scroll, clearing his throat, gathering his audiences attention, and then launching into his lecture, .  .  . “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son . . .”  (Of course my imagination is in old English, only because I can’t imagine very well in Greek.)  I may be slow to the table, but learning to read the book of Hebrews like a “lecture” rather than a “letter” has helped to open my interest in a book that I used to avoid like broccoli.

In doing so, the preacher/writer/speaker of the book of Hebrews opens our eyes to a fuller understanding that the ocean of salvation theology, and kingdom authority is much deeper and wider than this puny mind of mine can dream of navigating.

Opening the gate of chapter 2 verses 5 onward, the preacher/speaker/writer unlocks and unpacks Psalm 8:5-8 in such a way that we cannot help but be drawn in.

In Hebrews 2:5 the author declares to us that the “unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come.”  In other words, in the New creation, and the new order, the angels will not have positions of authority.  The world to come will not be under the rule of angelic beings.  That’s wonderful to know. 

But the reality is that the world to go was not put in subjection to the angels.  The world to go was not made to be ruled by them.  The world to go was put under the subjection of man.  Hebrews 2:7b and 8 – speaking of man, “Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet, for in that he put all in subjection, he left nothing that is not put under him.”  When God made creation, he put man on top and gave him authority over it.

Now someone might say, “wait a minute, you left out part of the verse.”  Verse 7 begins, “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels.”  Yes it does.  But that verse has nothing to do with rank of authority, but everything to do with strength and ability.  I am not a scholar, as one man said, “I study the scholars”.  However the simplest understanding of a verse is not always the fullest understanding of the verse.  When we pull back the King’s English on the phrase “little lower” we unpack the richness of this verse.  The word, “little” doesn’t necessarily describe “lower”.  It is a word in the Greek language that has a timing designation to it.  In other words rather than just meaning “little” it means “a little while”.  Further more the word for “Lower” in it’s plainest meaning purely means “diminished”.  Without belaboring the point, the phrase can be read, “That madest him for a little while diminished from the angels.” 

Diminished in what way?  In the way of “ability” not in the way of “authority.”  When God made man and angels he made them different.  Angels cannot die.  (Luke 20:36)  Man can.  Angels have supernatural abilities that man does not.  Angels were intended to be “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be the heirs of salvation.”  What God gave to angels He did not give to man, and what God gave to man He did not give to angels.  Without intending to over simplify, where God gave angels “ability” He gave man “authority.”

In short, Angels had greater ability, but man had greater authority; authority over all of creation.  That being the case, Isaiah 14:12-14 begins to take greater shape.  Lucifer was not content having “ability” without “authority”.  He would find out whether or not Adam could be content having “authority” without “ability” and we all know how that one turned out. Once Adam was willing to give up the authority God gave him, for the ability that the devil offered him, (being as gods), this world became enslaved to the “prince of the power of the air” and the “god of this world.” 

Since then, all of creation has been a cosmos in chaos struggling for order, and clarity.  The prince of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not.  It has become the proverbial blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat at midnight trying to govern and control itself.  

The battle for authority can be seen in every hostile home, work place, church, organization, and social structure imaginable.  When man lost his crown he lost his kingdom, and when he lost his kingdom, he lost is authority to rightly control creation.

But praise be to God.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”  God gave Adam authority over the works of His hands, but not the fullness of His realm.  The word that Matthew used for power has the fullest of meanings combining both “ability” and “authority.”  When God gave Adam authority over the work of His Hands, He gave Jesus authority over the fullness of His realm.   The power that Jesus had not only had ability, but also authority over both heaven and earth. 

To sum this up, God gave Angels abilities, and man authorities, and they both sinned giving up their first estates.  But what God divided between men and angels He united in the man Christ Jesus, giving Him both ability and authority over all of heaven and over all of earth.  That’s why in Christ Jesus, “he hath . . .  put in subjection the world to come.”  That’s why the last part of verse 8 in chapter 2 states, “But now we see not yet all things put under him.  But we see Jesus who was for a little while diminished from the angels for the suffering of death . . .”  I praise God that He chose to take on the Seed of Abraham instead of the nature of Angels.  I praise God that He reclaimed the realm given to the man made in the image of his Creator.

Man is either living in a doomed domain, or conquering kingdom.  The kingdom of God is found in every heart that lives under the rule of their Redeemer.  (Luke 17:21)  The real issue in life rests in question of the authority that a man is under.  Christ is over all, but not all are under Christ.  Only once a man’s heart has been reigned in by the rule of the Lord Jesus can he ever really experience the change worth making.  Once Christ rules the heart, rebellion begins to subside and other issues of authority will ultimately begin to take care of themselves.

I recently read an article by Bart Barber, that I believe is very timely in this age of big I, independence.   The article has to do with church membership, and can be read in it’s fullest, here http://praisegodbarebones.blogspot.com/2011/11/gift-of-church-membership.html.  It reminded me of a message that I heard preached several years ago, by Dr. Thomas White at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, on the subject of the local church.  That sermon may be listened to here, http://www.swbts.edu/dashboard.cfm?audioToPlay=conferences/UponThisRock/BAP_DIS_092608_8_White_fd1.mp3&fdi=_fd1  (I did find it ironic, that in that same conference, Bart Barber also preached on being denominational Baptists; of which I have not heard that message.)

While I am clearly not as astute an intellectual as Dr. Barber, and do not have the brain power as Dr. White, I can and do appreciate their stands on the Biblical essentials of a New Testament Christian being a member of a local church. 

This age of big I independence has blinded the minds, and hardened the hearts of many who claim the name Christian, but with either hostility or apathy reject what Christ died for.  The Bible tells us in dark black ink on bright white paper, “Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.”  When any man hates what Jesus loves, he knows nothing of the Jesus of the Bible.

Now that being said, there are some bold statements that can be made.  They will not be popular at all, but I am convinced that they will withstand the microscope of Biblical scrutiny.  In Dr. White’s message a few years ago, he made the statement, and accurately so, that “the New Testament knows nothing of a churchless Christian.”   In Dr. Barber’s article, there is a similar conclusion about looking for that “roaming” believer in the New Testament, that you will not find. Church membership has nothing to do with being saved, but  it is necessary to rise to the level of a New Testament Christian.

(You would do well to learn the difference between the concepts of being saved, and what it means to be a Christian – they are not synonymous.)

Truth be told, that while church membership has nothing to do with salvation, it has much to do with following Christ!  Looking at the first happenings of the church after it was empowered by the Spirit, we see that Christ leads new believers right through the waters of Baptism, and into a covenant relationship with a local assembly.   Acts 2:41 and 42 gives us essentially God’s plan for every man. 

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:41-42

Without intending to oversimplify things, the example given to us is an easy one to follow.  They were saved, (gladly received His word); were baptized (self explanatory), and then “added” to the original number of 120.   This picture is not a picture of some “universal, invisible,” body, this is a picture of the men and women, coming to Christ, going through the waters of Baptism, and entering into a “one accord” relationship with the original ecclesia.  It is that “one accord” relationship that in our day constitutes “joining.” 

When a believer “joins” a church, what they are doing is professing themselves to be saved, having identified with Christ through Baptism, and then “enter the covenant” of this assembly of believers.  It is that covenant relationship that separates believers on the “outside” from believers on the “inside.”   Now that being said, it is Christ’s expressed example and New Testament pattern for all of His people to enter into “the covenants” of one of His churches. 

Why?

One reason is the very reason that many people are rejecting it; because of the issue of authority. The local assembly is heaven’s earthly authority.  Not the local pastor, but the local assembly.  It is the Lord’s will for every believer priest  to be under the authority of other believer priests, for accountability in belief and in behavior. 

There are liberal messengers today that detest any mention of authority over believers.  They have twisted Christ’s message of freedom from the law, to mean freedom from the scriptures, and have believed the lie of Lucifer to fall up into the spiritual stratosphere, and not be subject to anyone.

The reality is that being in submission to Christ means being in submission to the New Testament, and all that the New Testament teaches.  One cannot surrender to Christ’s Will and ignore God’s Words at the very same time.  Those actions are mutually exclusive.  I am very saddened by those who reject what the New Testament teaches about the church.  At the same time, my heart is gladdened by the fact that it will never change, and it will never go out of existence.  The Bible says, “unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.”  Every believer, believing that will be a welcomed change worth making.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.    Matt 7:15

There is little doubt about where wolves in sheep’s clothing come from.  Jesus told us in plain language that life would be full of them.  Without a great dissertation, we can chalk their existence up to sin, to Satan, and to selfishness prowling through this wicked and curse weakened world.  They are prowlers, devourers, and destroyers, who have appetites to satisfy and imaginations to gratify.  They are people who are presented to be right and holy on the outside, but are really rotten and hellish on the inside.  They speak with golden tongues, and eat with bloody lips.  Generally speaking, they can exist in any context.  They may exist heroically in the eye of the public as a teacher, a doctor, a police officer, as we have seen lately a football and basketball coach, or any public figure that is socially viewed as a wholesome role model.  Spiritually speaking, and textually speaking, they also exist as preachers of the gospel, teachers of the Bible, and leaders of the Lord’s churches. 

Across the board of public vision exists the permanent plague of wolves wearing the wool of wholesomeness prowling about seeking whom they may devour.  Rarely do a months worth of news reports go by without hearing of some teacher student immorality, or some coach student abuse.  While the Penn State scandal and the Syracuse Basketball scandal have caused the country to “feign” shock and awe that such abuse could dare go on; the reality is that these kinds of crimes, and wickedness have been happening for centuries.  As long as there has been a sin-cursed man, there have been physically and spiritually abused children.  We have put the deadliness of sin so far out of our daily minds that it seems we have forgotten just how horrible sin really is, and the evil sin really does.  It is atrocious. 

But the source and substance of a wolf in sheep’s clothing is not what I want to address.  Rather I want to address their success. 

What I want to deal with here is specifically dealing with wolves in the sanctuary and prowlers in the pulpit.  Whether we are talking about wolves who prowl for flesh, finances, or personal followers, the question here is simple; who keeps letting them in? Who is it that is to guard against wolves living in the flock and leading the flock?

I recently read an article on another blog that seems to take aim at clergy in general, but indirectly makes another point. 

“The church and “Christian” organizations already are safe havens for abusers! It’s the blatant lack of accountability, trust in “men of God” just because they say they’re “called by God” and can quote scripture and toss out spiritual sound bites, and the unwillingness by church leadership to report abuse or suspicion thereof to the authorities and their congregations that have resulted in churches being safe havens for these perverts for years.”

While I will not disagree with some truth (not all) in that statement, there are a couple of things that could be added.

First of all, it is the role of the pastor/undershepherd to guard against wolves living in the flock.  In Paul’s famous address to the Ephesian elders, the Holy Spirit eloquently directed us to, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ” One of the fundamental roles of the pastor/elder is to take responsibility for the safety of flock.  He is to guard against those prowling for prey, and I believe that to be in all senses whether it be spiritual, physcial, or financial.   I grant, and agree that the responsibility for the watch care over the flock rests squarely on the pastor.

Second, and here is what needs to be added.  What if the pastor is the wolf?  Now before we deal with the answer, let’s ask another question.  If the pastor is the wolf, then who let him in?  The congregation.  While the pastor is responsible for keeping wolves from living in the flock, the congregation  has the responsibility to keep wolves from leading the flock.

There is a phrase in the above quote that must be illuminated if the wolves are ever going to stop entering the sanctuary.  Most likely I am taking this out of context, but in and of itself it demonstrates one of the molecular problems in Christianity today; “trust in “men of God” just because they say they’re “called by God” and can quote scripture and toss out spiritual sound bites,”    Trust in men of God just because they say they’re called of God, is ignorant trust! 

Wolves get into the sanctuary because the gatekeepers welcome them in on their word.  If one wants to blame the wolf for being a wolf, then that’s just fine, but at some point there must also be some responsibility on the flock for calling him.

In my observation here has been the result of modern day Christians encountering too many wolves; they won’t trust anyone.  Rather than bad pastors being thrown under the bus, the pastorate has been thrown under the bus.  Rather than exercising discernment, many have amputated obedience by merely ruling out the true God called, and God ordained men, by declaring all of them spoiled.

What should believers do with a man who claims the call of God on his life?  Distrust him?  Or discern him.   The Lord has laid out for every believer the qualities and characteristics of the men that He has called to lead His New Testament churches.  First Timothy three and Titus chapter one, is a faithful filter that every God called man can pass through.  No man is perfect, can be, or will be, in this life.  However, the real men of God will in general have these qualities about his life for men to see and examine. 

Now that being said, I will say yes, pastors have a significant role in stopping wolves from living in the flock.  But congregations also need to stop calling them.  It is not that they don’t need to trust anyone, it is that they need to practice discernment enough to stop trusting the wrong men, and start trusting the right men.  That doesn’t mean the right men won’t  make mistakes, but the right men won’t devour the sheep.  When churches start accepting  their responsibility for discerning the difference between the wrong man, and the right man, then that too will be a welcomed change worth making.

1.) First it “Sets Things in Order”.  Genuine thanks puts you in your place and God in His.  It is a recognition of our helpless condition, and His charitable provision.  God is always over us, but we are not always living under Him; and thanksgiving puts us back where we belong.  There is nothing that adds more frustration to life than having those two things out of place.  When we concede that God is on the throne, and we should be on our knees, then our life between heaven and earth is where it ought to be; and true thanksgiving can give us that adjustment.

2.) Second it “Settles The Debt.”  You have a moral debt to Him for all that He has done in your life.  I am not only speaking of your sin debt that Christ paid, I am speaking of your moral debt to God for providing your necessities and your “niceties”.  How can you repay Him for all He’s done?  Through the exchange of thanks.  Gratitude, Praise,  and Thanksgiving serve as the accepted medium of heaven in appreciation for your blessings. Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  In Psalm 116:12 the psalmist asks the question, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?”  He then begins to list the things that he will do in response to God’s great gifts in life, and he comes to verse 17 and says, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.”  Don’t get the idea that you and I can buy blessings, or purchase heaven’s help; that’s not it at all.  However what thanksgiving does do, is provide the righteous response that is due to our Father.

3.) Third, it Soothes the Soul.  There is something soothing and settling about giving God the glory due to His name.  Psalm 135:3 says, “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”  David wrote in the 63rd psalm verses 3-5, “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as withmarrow and fatness . . .”   David declared that giving thanks brought satisfaction into his soul.

Sometimes, the focus of our eyes gravitates toward everything that is going wrong in life.  When we sit back and evaluate things it often seems that nothing about our plans are working; the things beyond our control are laughing at us, and the storm clouds of stress and pressure are at category eight.  It is during these times that giving proper thanks to God is the most powerful.

When things are “set in order”  life is at it’s strongest.  God is already on the throne, but when you and I are in our place then the arrangement is right.  When we settle the debt of gratitude that we owe to God, there comes a freedom in fellowship with Him that we do not have otherwise.  When we set our sights on all the things that are God given blessings, the troubles of the world, “grow strangely dim” in the light of His glory and grace.   

I hope and pray that your thanks to God is good; when it is good, everything else will be as well. If your thanks is not “good”, then I encourage you to make it so, because it is certainly a change worth making.

“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. “

May all recognize this Thanksgiving Season, that Jesus is the only change worth making.

While I was watching the news report on the Occupy Wall Street movement, a movement I haven’t been able to pay much attention to, I saw several of the signs of the protesters marching in chaos and foaming at the mouth, calling for the death of captitalsim, and the redistribution of wealth.  As an American, such a sight made my blood boil, my stomach churn, and my flesh fill with heated anger at the audacity, insanity, depravity, and sheer stupidity of such a cowardly movement.  

As a Christian, my heart was convicted, and broken because of the sea of lostness, spiritual blindness, and terrifying cluelessness.  While my flesh skyrockets with anger, my heart plummets with pity trying to take it all in and process the problem of the conflict.

As an American, there are certain things that are so dumbfounding I cannot find words to describe how incredible the state of our nation has become.  In the 1950′s, socialism was considered treasonous, in the 1980′s blasphemous, but in the 1990′s it became studious, and now by many it is considered virtuous;  and while I never would have thought it before, but unless something changes, it appears headed to be victorious.  What was once considered criminal treason, is now welcomed as legitimate reason.

Socialists have taken the first amendment and have twisted it into something unacceptable to the intentions of the founders.  While the first amendment guarantees the right to dissent, it doesn’t give a micro sliver of permission, or right to destroy.  Socialism is traitorous to the purpose of our nation  and treason is a criminal act, not free dissent. 

Now that being said, as a Christian, socialism is  as much a sin, as adultery, idolatry, and outright thievery.   It is incompatible with the economy of God; because it is legislative thievery.

The essential issue with socialism is it’s devilish perversion of compassion.  The socialist idea has hijacked the concept of true compassion, ripped it from the pages of divine intention, and repackaged it in a way that bypasses the boundaries of righteous truth, and pulls at the nerves of sympathy.  Socialism reaches for the heart of compassion, at the expense of divine truth.

When we pull back the “economic” curtain of socialism, what we find is outright theft.  As my favorite preacher used to say, “it requires one man to work for something without getting it, so another man can get something without working for it.”  There is a fundamental lie that exists that who knows where it came from;  it is the lie that all men should have all things equal.  That principle is never taught in scripture, never formulated from the foundation of anything holy, and is a fictitious moral that men have made up.  Socialism focuses in on one real kind of problem, and twists it and abuses it into something that is made up in the mind of man.  That problem is what should society do with those who cannot provide for themselves.

That is legitimate question, with a legitimate answer, and socialism is an eternity away from it.

First, there is a difference between those who cannot provide for themselves, and those who will not provide for themselves.  Those who cannot provide for themselves should be cared for by a voluntary society.

Second, socialism punishes success, and offers reward without achievement.   Essentially what the socialist wants is the elimination of the necessity for achievement in life.

Capitalism, and God’s economy requires achievement for reward or wealth. Socialism eliminates achievement and offers wealth anyway.  That being said, the socialist government steals from one man what he has achieved, to give to another man who has not achieved the same.  (Which is ironic. – They tout survival of the fittest in evolution, but hate it in economy.)  Somewhere, someone has conjured up an imaginary moral that says it is wrong for one man be able to sell more widgets than another man.   There are no moral obligations anywhere to ensure comfortable outcomes for everyone.

No government has the right to take the fruit of one man’s labour, and give it to another man, just because life’s not fair.  God’s not fair.  He never said He would be.  For illustration purposes, if the NFL were governed by socialist principles, every time one team scored a touchdown, they would have to give the other team 4 of their points.  Socialism is about guaranteeing “outcomes” rather than “opportunities.” 

Now the next question that someone asks, as did Wolf Blitzer recently, “What should happen to someone who cannot afford life saving surgery, is it not societies responsibility to respond?”  Blitzer asked, “should you let him just die?” Of course some idiot out in the crowd cried yes.    The answer to the problem is in Blitzer’s question; “is it not societies reponsibility to respond?”  I say, and the Bible teaches emphatically, YES!  It is societies responsibility to respond . . . but not the government.

Society and government are not the same.  What socialism does is take the moral responsibilities of citizens, and try to make them legal obligations of the government.  Society should never let one another down; however the government has no right to make a man do legally what he should do voluntarily.  The law is intended to restrain evil, not to enforce good.  For example, there is no law that says you have to like me, so there are laws that say you cannot hurt me.  The socialist wants to skirt his personal responsibility to help his neighbor, by tasking the government to just steal from those who have achievements to he doesn’t have to help his neighbor.  When the socialist sees a need he wants the government to forcibly take from the achiever and meet that need, so that he doesn’t have to spend his own money to meet that need.  Which is anothe irony to me.  Socialists are liberal and want everyone’s needs met; yet they are the stingiest bunch of people when it comes to giving charity.  See any legitimate charitable giving statistics for the last 40 years.  They steal what they do not earn, to meet someone elses need they don’t want to pay for.

Socialism eliminates freedom.  As the slogan goes, “A government big enough to provide all your needs, is big enough to take all you have.” 

Socialism is a sinful approach to a legitimate problem much like other sins in the Bible.  Sometimes a man steals food because he is legitimately hungry.  When a man commits adultery, in some perverted way he is trying to deal with his own problem.

The Bible is very plain.  People who will not work, should not eat.  Men are to help their neighbors in times of need; voluntarily.  The government has no real ability or authority to make sure men can “live well”  without necessary achievement.  It is true that where much is given, much is required.  Required by God, but not enforced by man. It is true that the wealthy should be more sharing with their blessings.  In fact those that know the Lord really are.  Socialism is not the answer for American greed.  Jesus is.  Christians must be more discerning before they start lining up systems of thought that run contrary to the Word of God.  Doing so is a critical change in need of making.

It’s like the Non-Denominational Churches who tout that they do not preach doctrine.  Which is the socially accepted way to say, what we are going to teach you for sure  is absolutely nothing.  Doctrine is by definition a “teaching.”  It may be a false teaching or a true teaching, but nonetheless it is a teaching.  Preaching a sermon without doctrine has all the reality of a four year old fighting naval battles in his bathtub between a purple Barney and a yellow ducky.

It seems that in practically all serious matters of life, the open ended answers, and the tag line of “in my opinion at least” is the highest form of chivalry, and the favored form of response to whoever we are speaking, and to whatever we are speaking of.  The really amazing thing is that at the tail end of all of that people still wonder why Christendom, the Country, and the Culture are in the shape that they are in. 

Certainty is ruled out.

Fundamentals are considered foolish.

Truths are debatable.

Now some are going to say this seems to be the only song I like to sing, after reading through a number of other articles.  The fact is that this one sour note constitutes a primary cause of conflict and confusion and ignoring it will never, ever change it.

First of all, we must take an honest look at “us” on the inside of attempted ministry.  Among many reasons for this attitude, is a facet that Christians cannot ignore, and that is the fact that many professing preachers have behaved like unthinking lunatics.  It is one thing to never compromise fundamental truths that are undebatable, and it is another thing to foam at the mouth, and evacuate the mind about it.   I am reminded of the scripture that ought to serve as an anchor point in every effort to “keep the faith” and to “light the world.”   2 Timothy 2:24-25 “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”  Possession of the truth is not permission to abuse.  I know that God spoke through a donkey once, but that does not mean God’s men should behave like a bona fide, club registered jack ass.  Truth presented on a trash can lid is never received and is unbecoming of it’s holy nature.  The primary problem among many preachers today, is their incessant demand to just “preach it” without any heart for men to receive it.  I have heard the statement of a so-called preacher before boldly declaring, “They’ll take the message however I decide to give it to them, or they won’t take it all.”    . . . and we wonder why people aren’t flocking to Jesus.  That attitude betrays the real issue.  The motives in their heart is not the welfare of the people they preach to, but rather the self-righteous gratification of a flesh thrilled man. 

Brethren, I will not now, nor ever say, that the doctrine that I preach from the sacred pulpit of God is a matter of my own personal interpretation.  We are called to preach the facts as they are, not as we see it, or interpret it to be.  I hope and pray that I am always unbending, but never unbearable.  I am no so foolish as to say that I understand everything there is to understand in the Bible.  What I will say, is that there are far more things that we know to be factual, and actual, than many want to admit.

Second – We have to look and see what such a “jello to the wall” philosophy has fostered in country, culture, and Christendom.  It has aided in the furthering of a scandal filled clergy, secular ideologies, sinful public policies, and unbiblical theologies.  Some are going to say, those problems have always been.  Yes they have, what I am saying is that our rejection of settled certainties have helped fertilize them.

I must ask the question, would there be so many scandals among the so-called clergy, were we as hardline about holiness as the Bible is.  Not that hardline holiness would vette the faithful from the phony, as much as raise the standard of acceptance by which men would become more afraid to let their spiritual guard down, and fall to the devices of the devil.  When holiness is not held high, saved sinners still have a tendency to live low.

There are three types of men involved in clergy scandals.  The first is the outright phony.  He never was what he said he was, he was just good at fooling people, and a charlatan from day one.  The second is the good man with his guard down.  He never believed that he himself would stoop to such sin, so he did not guard against the wiles of the devil or the cravings of the flesh, and acted according to what he was, rather than who he is.  The third is the man who lives in both worlds.  He wants to be a Christian and Cool at the same time.  Too often these guys use the terms like “relevant” and “authentic” as though if it weren’t for them the Bible wouldn’t be.  They play and live close to the fires of the worldliness, and then desire sympathy when they get burned.

All of that being said, we come to the place where I want to point out that the Bible, that is, “What God has said to us” is far more hardline about truth, and certainties, than the world is comfortable with.  The world will never be comfortable with the truth revealed in scripture, and we really have no business trying to make them such.  As Vance Havner once said, “The truth is not to comfort the afflicted, but to afflict the comfortable.”  The primary problem a lot of preachers have is letting the truth do it’s own afflicting without trying “pile on.” The Word of God can do the Work of God, and our place is never to “Compromise it” with an “in our opinion,” to become “relevent”  but neither is it our place to ”Utilize it” for self gratification by making sure the people get the pain of it.  Preachers often forget the Word doesn’t need me, I need the Word.

Here are hardline scriptures that can stand on their own and do the necessary work all by themselves.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Heb 12:14 (KJV)

“they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:8 (KJV)

” . . . Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:9 (KJV)

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 2 Cor 6:14-15 (KJV)

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5 (KJV)

“keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” 1 Tim 6:20 (KJV)

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ” Col 2:8-9 (KJV)

Yes, I know that there are more.  These are merely random samplings.  

All of this being the case, the cause for holilessness is lack of unadulterated fellowship with Jesus Christ.  He alone can settle our souls, and certify the truth we know.  He alone can give us the spirit we need to approach the conflicts we face, and preach the Word we’ve been given.  Without Him, everything else is wrong, with Him everything He does is right.  He is the difference between faithfulness and foolishness.  As always, He is the first and only real change worth making.

Usually about this time of year I start getting ready to make the annual trek that my wife and I have for almost nine years now.  Every January/February since the early 2000′s have made the journey to Jacksonville, Florida for the annual Pastor’s Conference at First Baptist Church.  On the whole we have categorically enjoyed it. 

This will be a different year.  In the late spring of this year, a  wonderful thing happened to me that will hinder me from this annual trek.  A very sweet couple, who I have had the privilege to pastor, came to my office with an immeasurable gift for me, and my wife.  I had the privilege of being with the man when he came to know Jesus as his Savior, just a few months prior.  Without going into the long story of it all, the Lord worked a wonder in the heart of a man, that has now captured the attention and affection of our entire community.

In the late spring of this year, they came to my office, and asked me if I had ever been to Israel.  I shared with them that I had not, but always wanted to; when you are raising four children financial priorities put extended travels on the bottom of the list.  I felt like that was a loaded question when they asked, and it sure was. This kind couple had arranged for me and my wife, (although my wife will not be able to go) to travel to Israel this January.  The trip is a “Timothy Tour” for pastors who have yet to get to go to the Holy Land.  Their kindness was much undeserved.  I have not even gone yet, and the gratitude that I have for their action is without measure. 

That being said, my trek to Jacksonville will be out this year.  I was somewhat disappointed with the new schedule format, but it would not have been a deal breaker for me. I do look forward to reading and hearing about how the conference goes, and pray that it takes a turn back toward the days of old. 

Lord willing, unless I am kicking up gold dust on the streets of glory, this January I will be looking at, and learning from the streets of Jerusalem, and the hills of Israel.  I have always heard that no real pastor is the same again, and so I am looking forward to a change in me worth making.

#1 – Lost people do not vote like Saved people.  We should not expect them to. The reality is that a lost heart has a blind mind, and cannot see things the way that God intended for them to be seen.  The late Adrian Rogers preached a sermon once that identified this as a form of insanity. They simply cannot see life in the light of truth.  They do not value what a saved person values, nor do they function the way that  saved person functions.  I am not talking about the difference between religious people and non-religious people, I am speaking about the distinct and eternal difference between someone who has the Spirit of Christ in them, and those who do not. That’s why it is imperative for Christians to understand that legislation is not the cure for the common culture; evangelization is!

As previously mentioned that does not mean they are not people of faith.  In fact, every person on planet earth is a person of faith.  Every person on planet earth believes something.  They may believe that there is no God, they may believe that there are many gods; they may believe that nothing plus time produces everything; but the fact is that they all believe something, even if they believe in nothing.  The difference is not whether or not someone is a believer; the difference is whether or not they are  believing the truth, or they are believeing a lie?  That’s why it should never suprise us when people who believe in a lie wind up voting for liars.  Faith in that which is false will always take us down roads that are wrong.  We need never be surprised by the fact that sinful people make sinful choices.  Christians living according the flesh, in pragmatic terms, have the same effect on society as lost people living according to the flesh.  It is that fact that ought to catch our attention.

#2 Saved people Should not Vote like Lost people!  - Christians often get frustratd when lost people won’t vote like they’re saved; but the greater mystery, and greater tragedy is when saved people insist on voting like they’re lost.  When a man who has the Spirit of Christ in him, thinks like a man who is filled with the spirit of Wall Street, he loses his opportunity to be salt to society ; light to the world; and be pleasing to God.

The bona fide, card caring, industrial strength, Spirit filled Christian does not consider the same issues, as Main Street Mickey, and Wall Street Wally.  Far too many Christians want to know about the policies of a candidate rather than the power of the candidate.  The primary question that needs to be asked, is who rules this wanna be ruler?  Who leads this possible leader?  Who is the power behind this person.  The answer to that question resides in the object of their true faith.  Is their faith in themselves, are they trusting the polls, or are they relying on depraved common sense.

The first question that needs to be asked of any candidate is this; do they have access to true wisdom?  Not wordly wisdom, not economic wisdom, not international wisdom, but true wisdom.  I’m not speaking of the kind of wisdom that is fleshly, worldly, and “devilish”, as described in the Bible, but the kind of wisdom that comes from God alone! 

Now that being said, you can write it down in big plain letters, that an Athiest doesn’t have it; an Agonistic doesn’t have it, a Mormon doesn’t have it, an unsaved Baptist preacher doesn’t have it.  Any man outside of Jesus Christ, does not have access to true divine wisdom!  As Colossians 3:2 states of Jesus that in “him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” – So the first question that has to be asked is, does this candidate have access to the throne room of God!

The second question is will he use it.  Far too many Christians go to the hallowed halls of this land, and then forget the source of true wisdom that is available to them. It is one thing to find a candidate who knows the Lord, it is another thing to find one who will surrender his leadership to the Lord.  Will that candidate think, vote, and function, Biblically, Spiritually, and to the best of his/her ability seek the Lord’s face in every issue before them. 

The primary lie that most people believe is that there is a difference between the sacred and the secular.  As I have said repeatedly, if it is on the ballot, it is in the Bible!  God’s Word has something to say about everything!  God’s Word speaks to financial issues, domestic issues, and international issues.  Too many Christians have laid the supremacy of Christianity on the altar of pluralism.  They have lowered the view of Christianity to same place as any other common faith.

Of course the rest of the world believes we are one among many.  Real Christians don’t believe that.  We are not one faith among many, we know the truth that is true for every single man.

Some well meaning Christian told me recently that the world doesn’t trust my judgment because of things I say and the way that I think.  Of course they won’t!  The world thinks I’m foolish for trusting Jesus, believing the Bible, and attempt to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Here is the permanent divide that no Christian should ever cross. – The world will never accept our way of thinking, and we cannot compromise it so they will!  We are to never shy away from thinking with the mind of Christ, just because we will look foolish to the world.  Might I remind you, we preach the gospel – it is foolish to the world.  “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”  I would remind every believer in the Lord Jesus.  It is not the world we are trying to please, but it is God! I will not be so foolish as to say the issues of our time are not to be factors in our voting.  However I will be so bold as to say, that those issues are not the first issues to consider.  The Bible says that a “poor man is better than a liar”.  Character and Spiritual conviction trump job experience, and financial successes.  

Much was said four years ago about “Change”.  The reality is that nothing has changed except the fact that the circumstances of our time are more confusing, conflicting, and troubling than they’ve ever been in my lifetime.  I will be so bold as to say this.  Nothing will change this country apart from Jesus.  There is no candidate, there is no Congress, there is no convention that will change this nation.  Change rests in one person, and one person alone, and that’s Jesus.  If anything is going to be different after our next elections, it will reside in whether or not our chosen leaders, will actually, practically, and fundamentally follow the Lord Jesus Christ in every decision that they make.  The world at large does not want that.  The glory of it all is that one day, no one will stop that.  That’s why we call Him King Jesus.  King is a governmental term, and a political office, and one of these days He will take the throne.  When He does, every one will be convinced that He is the change worth making.