A Voice Crying in the Wilderness

In a book I am reading, Christ Centered Preaching, I came across some great quotes.

Sermons that merely instruct - don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t lust, don’t procrastinate - will lead to little spiritual maturity, even if parishioners do all they are told. page 211

Make sure that you motivate believers primarily by grace, not by guilt or greed. If God has freed his people from the guilt and power of sin, then preachers have no right to put believers back under the weight Jesus bore. For many preachers, this is a particularly difficult imperative because in their own experience they have been so motivated by unrelenting guilt or by subtle appeal to greed that they have no real concept of what else could motivate people to serve God. In fact, they fear that without the burden of guilt (”God will get you if you don’t”) or the leverage of greed (”God will give you more if you do”), they will have no means to motivate obedience.

If we serve God primarily because we believe he will love us less if we do not, punish us more if we do less, or withhold blessing until we are sufficiently holy, then we are not obeying God for his glory but are pursuing our own self-interests. In such cases, the chief goal of our obedience is personal promotion or personal protection rather than the glory of God. page 219

Do you preach an attitude of gratitude or one of guilt and greed?

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Recently, I read a quote online that is worth sharing:

Where you are at in your relationship with Christ is where He has brought you.

It is your journey, not a standard for others.

I often see Christians sit in the seat of the scornful when they see someone who they feel doesn’t measure up to their standards. I am not saying all Christians do this, but I do see it often. If the other person is comitting a sin then God requires us to try to restore that person rather than talk about them and look on them with scorn.

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Galatians 6:1

However, if the matter is not a sin but rather just a different standard, then we are not to judge that person.

Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4

Some people think they have higher standards than others and those who don’t have the same standards are lesser Christians. However, standards are not higher or lower - they are just different standards. Read Romans 14. There are things that are perfectly acceptable for one Christian but not for another. It is not our place to force our standards on others or to measure others’ spirituality by our standards.

Let’s remove ourselves from the seat of the scornful and remember that where we are is where God has brought us. God is conforming us all to the image of Christ. Some need more work than others. Some have been on that journey longer than others. Let us not judge God’s servants.

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This is a great video.

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Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? Proverbs 20:6

Where are the faithful? Are you faithful to what God has given you to do? You should be.

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2

Has God given you a ministry? Then be faithful at it. Don’t be faithful most of the time or only when you feel like it. Don’t skip out on ministering so you can go out to eat with the family - or for any other reason. If you are in some type of ministry, then God requires you to be faithful. If for some reason you are unable, then find a substitute to take your place - don’t just leave the others in the ministry with you to pick up your slack. Find someone to fill in. It doesn’t matter how big or how small your part is. If people cannot depend upon you to be faithful in the little things, certainly they will not depend upon you to be faithful in the big things.

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10

Are you faithful? Those to whom you minister will notice if you are not.

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When something bad happens to a Christian, one of the most commonly quoted verses is this:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

That’s a great a verse and it is true. However, most people think the good that God is going to work is health, wealth, and prosperity. That is how most people define “good” in that verse. God’s definition of good is different and we find it in the very next verse:

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

God tells us that he is going to work all things together for good - to conform us to the image of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Good in Romans 8:28 is not material blessings or good health or a good marriage. If it was, then Paul got a raw deal because he suffered the loss of all things.

Good is being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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A must listen clip from Paul Washer:

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Have you ever noticed that when something bad happens to some Christians or to someone they love that they say it is either a trial from God or an attack of the devil, but if that same bad thing happens to someone else they say it is a chastisement from God and they wonder what the other person did to deserve God’s chastisement?

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

The reason both the Lord Jesus Christ and the scriptures are called the Word is because the person and work of Christ is the message of the scriptures.

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:27

The scriptures were written to reveal to us the Christ and his work in the redemption of mankind. We do not need to treat the Bible as a self-help book - a book with tips on how to be a better you or to have a better marriage. Christ is the message of the scriptures.

Stringing together a bunch of Bible verses into a message about how to live without relating those passages to Christ and his redemption of us is not a Christian message. It may be a Biblical message because it uses Bible verses, but without Christ as the center, it is not a Christian message.

Preach the word. 2 Timothy 4:2

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By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:24-27

Moses gave up a lot of worldy treasures and prestige to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. As part of Pharaoh’s family, he would have lacked nothing. He would have been respected, admired, and worshipped by all of Egypt. Considering that he was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he probably was not in line to become Pharaoh and thus when he died would not have been buried in the majestic pyramids, but he certainly would have had a lavish funeral and some way of remembering him. But when he chose Christ over Egypt, he gave up all those riches and honor and he was even buried by God in a lowly, unmarked tomb (Deuteronomy 34:6).

The Lord Jesus Christ left his home in Heaven as the son of the almighty God where he was worshipped by all the angels. He humbled himself, and took upon him the form of a servant. He was mocked and ridiculed. He was beaten and crucified. He took upon himself the sins of child molesters, murderers, rapists, thieves, liars, idolaters and worst of all - my sins. He chose rather to suffer affliction for our sins than to enjoy unbroken, perfect fellowship with the Father. He esteemed the victory won through becoming a reproach for my sins greater than all the riches in Heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave it all up for you and for me.

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And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Genesis 22:9

Isaac is a type of Christ. However, Abraham had to bind Isaac before he laid him on the altar - indicating that Isaac was an unwilling participant. The Lord Jesus Christ willingly laid down his life.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. John 10:17-18

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42

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