We Live in a Divided World

     It doesn't take long, if you are keeping up with any sort of news coverage, to see that we are living in a very divided world.  We have reached a point where people are no longer interested in having a discussion.  We are merely holding to our polarized ideas and not conceding one inch to an opposing viewpoint.  We will not even try to see the opposite side of an argument because we are too busy demonizing those who disagree.  I have to ask the question; Why?

     I find a portion of the answer in the Gospel of John. Jesus says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)  Satan, the thief, likes to destroy.  When people are listening to his ungodly influence they will only consider themselves.  Emotions, which come from the "flesh", drive our actions to the point where we become unreasonable and closed off to each other.  Satan, the destroyer, likes to keep humanity bickering so we fail to see our real need: Jesus Christ!

     Another portion of the answer is found in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus again speaking says, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." (Matthew 5:13)  In this verse Jesus compares His people to salt.  Salt gives flavor and it is a natural preservative.  God's people can have this kind of influence in the world.  However, notice the warning that Jesus gives.  If the salt loses its savor, it is good for nothing.  What does it mean to lose savor?  It means to become tasteless and no longer has the preservative ability.  When God's people stop effecting the world and start acting like it (in action and deed) we become good for nothing.  Today, I see people claiming to be "Christian" acting like the world.  We shout at the top of our lungs to drown out opposition.  We begin to name call when we can't "win" an argument. We are putting our trust into man's ideas rather than God's!  We are losing our savor and the world is paying the price for it.

     I come from a different school of thought.  I believe in God, and I trust that Jesus Christ is the only Savior!  The Bible clearly tells us that all who reject Jesus and His payment for sin (the shedding of His blood at Calvary) will end up in Hell and eventually the Lake of Fire.  It comes from God's Word and I believe it.  HOWEVER, you don't have to.  God created us as beings with a free-will and you can choose to reject the message of the Bible.  That doesn't make you any less human than me.  If someone disagrees with my beliefs it doesn't make me love them any less, in fact, my concern for their eternal soul makes me that much more concerned.  What we have to understand is that everybody, no matter what their beliefs and practices are, is HUMAN.  I believe we are made in the image of God, and that makes each one of us important.

     To close (because this blog is getting long) it is my hope that people will desire to have clear, rational, and concise discussions about issues, not shouting matches.  Nobody hears when everybody is shouting.  You don't have to agree with me, but if you listen, you just might find out where I'm coming from.  I'd love to share with anybody and everybody why I believe what I believe.  And you can tell me why you believe what you believe.  Then we will live with the choices we make. (And the consequences too)

People: Listen to each other!
God's People:  Be Salt!  - The World needs us to be!

God should not be a last resort!

     As a pastor I have seen a lot of people treat God like He's some kind of fire extinguisher.  They want Him around for the emergencies, but other than that, He "gets in their way".  They come to God when there is a problem, but when the problem seems to get all cleared up, God is placed back on the shelf and told to stay out of our life until the next time we need Him to swoop in and pick up the pieces.  If it weren't such a sad commentary on the depth of our relationships with God, it would almost be comical.
     Hopefully, this little blog post will challenge someone, somewhere, to re-evaluate their relationship with the Almighty Creator.  Do we realize who the Being is that we are ignoring?  Folks, don't treat God like a fire extinguisher.  Hold Him dear!  Don't just cry out because you've gotten yourself into a pickle again.  Praise His Name daily!  If you are a child of God, you have your Eternal Life to be thankful for!  If you are not a child of God, He longs to have a relationship with you through the Blood of Jesus Christ!  He is God all the time!  Let's try to remember, and give Him the respect due unto His name.

"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." Psalm 29:2

And as the quaint saying goes, "God wants full custody, not just weekend visitation."

How are YOU treating God today?

Christians can Drink Alcohol?

This topic has come up quite frequently as of late.  There is a wide variety of opinion on the subject. It seems like Christians are not all on the same page either.  (Imagine that right! - sarcasm)  It seems as well that the younger generations are more likely to approve of the consumption of alcohol with the rallying cry, "It is ok, as long as you don't get drunk!"  Even the "older" generations don't seem to be as harsh on the subject as they used to be.  The idea there seems to be, if we are too harsh, we will be seen as legalistic.  To be sure, our actions should be based on our convictions, and our convictions need to be based in Scriptures.  With that being said, let me share my convictions.

1.) How many lives have been destroyed by the consumption and abuse of alcohol?  That simple question ought to at least raise a red flag for us when we are considering whether or not to partake.  Add to this thought Proverbs 20:1  "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."  How many of those afore mentioned lives started down the road of ruin by the self deception of "Hey, I can handle it"?  Why can't we save ourselves future heartache by not even dabbling with dangerous stuff?

2.) Let's look at Proverbs 31:4-6.  "(4) It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:  (5)  Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.  (6)  Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts."   From these verses we can ascertain that reasoning is impaired through the consumption of strong drink.  The king who was in a position of influence and authority was to avoid "strong drink" because it could lead to bad decision making.
      Note also that alcohol has a dulling effect. One of the admonition in verse 6 is to give strong drink to the dying.  This would be to dull their sensation of pain.  Dull senses lengthen reaction time and can lead to other problems. (Such is the case of drunk driving.)  A person who wants to maintain control of their faculties needs to avoid the impairment of "strong drink."

3.) In the New Testament we are admonished to "... be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" (Ephesians 5:18) This verse really begs the question, What is influencing you?  Alcohol can reduce the inhibitions of someone to the point they will do anything. (Just ask people if they have regrets about things they did after consuming a few drinks.)  Someone claiming to be a child of God should be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit at all times.  If alcohol will hinder me from hearing the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit and doing things that will grieve Him, don't you think abstaining might be a good option?

4.) We have all probably heard the argument on this topic concerning 1 Corinthians 8:9  "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak."  We need to remember we are not the only child God has.  Anyone who has put their faith and trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is also a child of God.  Many are struggling with different temptations.  Do we want to put our Brother or Sister in a position where they might be tempted to return to a former lifestyle?  Do we want to be the cause of hindering their walk with God.  Let us balance and look at the whole picture.

In conclusion:  I have a print out (which I will make available to anyone who wants one) entitled 70 Biblical references against alcohol.  None of the references paint a pretty picture as to what can happen under the influence of "strong drink."  I know there are many who will use the arguments mentioned in the introduction to try to validate their own position (and many others, I've heard them all.)  But let me close by asking one last question; How many lives, families, and relationships have been hurt, ruined, or destroyed by abstaining from alcohol?  Which option will be safer for humanity?
Act on your own convictions, but make sure your convictions are based on the Bible, not personal preference.  :-)