Thursday, October 30, 2014
Luther Heggs: Faith Based on God's Power
This is what I mentioned during the introduction in last Sunday's message, "Does Your Faith Rest on the Power of God?" The idea is that our faith cannot be based on some vicarious external sources that we are offered regularly in Christendom (translation=Madison Avenue & Hollywood for Christians). Our faith must rest on God's power alone, because God will not give His Glory to another. Paul was careful to tell those in Corinth that he was no super-apostle or professional orator attempting to win a competition. He was indeed a triumphed-over servant of the true and living God, and was speaking the truth. Are you careful about your faith? Is it genuine enough to carry you through great difficulties and persecutions? Or is your faith based on your favorite music, your favorite TV preacher, your favorite missions work, or your most cherished theological assumptions? Faith must rest on the power of God who gives it.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Must Read: The Government wants to Control What We Preach
Here we go folks, you can see what's coming! This is no joke, even if it doesn't last in this case. Never say, "This won't happen here."
Houston Seeks Review of Pastors’ Sermons After Lawsuit Filed Over ‘Bathroom Bill’ Initiative
And another from Chronicle: http://m.chron.com/news/politics/houston/article/City-subpoenas-pastors-sermons-in-equal-rights-5822403.php
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Peace or Payback?
If you take some time to sort through 1 Peter 3, you'll see that believers are to be a source of blessing. Exactly what blessing means includes truth, btw.
Blessing is here contrasted with common behavior: retribution. This is the big word for "payback" (yes, we all know "payback is H#77", so don't even think about saying that out loud). Blessing is clearly contrasted, and is in fact opposed by or even defeated by payback.
If Christians simply give insult for insult, evil for evil, we are defeating the purpose for which we are called by God. We are going to inherit blessings of the heavenly kind, the unimaginable kind, and so we are to be the source from which others are blessed. Verse 13 reminds us that we have no need to fear harm if we are staying in the right.
This is just not our regular instinct. I want to be the sheriff, the judge, jury and, well...you know. But this ain't my calling, is it? Jesus didn't save us so we could get even.
SO- you gotta love the application of Psalm 34:11ff in verses 10-12. Who thinks of "people who want to live, love, and be happy" as a Biblical idea? The behavior will follow the calling of God to salvation. Any retribution belongs to the One who calls.
What is for us is to be harmonious, which I hope means cooperative, sympathetic, which helps us pray like crazy, brotherly, including acceptance in the big family of God, kindhearted, including to cruel people we find unattractive, and humble in spirit, that is, satisfied with God and His work in us.
The next time someone steps on your cornflakes, will you choose peace or payback? If you were ever attacked for being a Christian, would you be able to explain why you're giving a blessing?
"Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it."
Blessing is here contrasted with common behavior: retribution. This is the big word for "payback" (yes, we all know "payback is H#77", so don't even think about saying that out loud). Blessing is clearly contrasted, and is in fact opposed by or even defeated by payback.
If Christians simply give insult for insult, evil for evil, we are defeating the purpose for which we are called by God. We are going to inherit blessings of the heavenly kind, the unimaginable kind, and so we are to be the source from which others are blessed. Verse 13 reminds us that we have no need to fear harm if we are staying in the right.
This is just not our regular instinct. I want to be the sheriff, the judge, jury and, well...you know. But this ain't my calling, is it? Jesus didn't save us so we could get even.
SO- you gotta love the application of Psalm 34:11ff in verses 10-12. Who thinks of "people who want to live, love, and be happy" as a Biblical idea? The behavior will follow the calling of God to salvation. Any retribution belongs to the One who calls.
What is for us is to be harmonious, which I hope means cooperative, sympathetic, which helps us pray like crazy, brotherly, including acceptance in the big family of God, kindhearted, including to cruel people we find unattractive, and humble in spirit, that is, satisfied with God and His work in us.
The next time someone steps on your cornflakes, will you choose peace or payback? If you were ever attacked for being a Christian, would you be able to explain why you're giving a blessing?
"Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it."
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