Making Right Decisions

Making Right Decisions
Ephesians 4:22-24

Fill Your Mind with the Right Stuff…There are three specific areas to succeed:

• Fill Your Mind with Truth
This shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. I have equated truth with the person of Jesus, because Jesus is truth.

Paul tells us how to put on truth in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV) That means we are focusing on something bigger than us.

• Focus on The Eternal
Paul Told the Corinthians, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

If I want my mind to be made new, I have to focus my thoughts on those things that are eternal. That’s how Paul could face all the problems and persecution he was facing. He understood that there is more to life than just this little bit of time we spend on earth.

Paul then says:
• Set Your Mind on Things Above
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

John expresses this same principle from the negative perspective:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – come not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:15, 16 If you are having a problem…

Then Allow God to do the Work of Renewal
When Paul writes “be made new in the attitude of your minds”, he is using a passive verb that makes it clear that I am not the one doing the renewing. Someone else is doing that work in me. For example Romans 12:2 gives us the same verb,

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Paul uses the same passive verb to indicate that the one doing the work of renewal is God. But even though only God can do the work of renewal, I can either facilitate that process or hinder it. God will not force His way into my life for the purpose of renewing my mind. I have to allow Him to have access to my mind so that He can do the renewing. As we’ve seen, one way we do that is to make sure that we put the right stuff in our minds to start with.

I think the other major way we allow God to work is to spend time with him in prayer.
But it has to be the right kind of prayer – not the kind that views God as some genie in the sky who we go to in order to ask for a bunch of stuff – but rather the kind of prayer where we get away from all the distractions of the world and allow God to speak to us Spirit to spirit. Frankly, the purpose of prayer, as we see it modeled in the Bible, especially by Jesus, is to allow God to enable us to see things from His perspective. And when we approach prayer with that attitude, God is able to renew our minds as we walk with Him!

So Stick with it!
The key to success in your faith is making the right decisions...you are loved. 

Making Right Decisions

Making Right Decisions
Ephesians 4:22-24

The biggest decision Moses made was he decided to be obedient.

“By faith he kept the Passover.” (v. 28) 

What if he would have hesitated? What if he questioned God instead of immediately being obedient? The firstborn of his people would have died right along with the Egyptians.

Faithfulness and obedience are two of the key principles of being a successful believer.  We are faithful even when we don’t see immediate results. We do the right thing by faith, often without sight. We show consistent integrity in our well-thought-out decisions. We are obedient to the principles that we agreed to when we accepted the revelation of truth in God’s word. We are not fickle in making choices, but are known for our sense of responsibility and reliability.

I have a Pastor friend who has a guy in his church who has over 4,000 employees in his company.  My friend asked him, “What is the number one quality that you want in your employees?” He said, “I want them to be responsible and do what they said they would do when I hired them.”

I think this is a truth that all of us need to understand – obedience, faithfulness, and being responsible are all qualities of faithful people who have said God’s way is better than this worlds.

The reward for obedience—is obedience itself.

If you want to be obedient, then listen to those who have walked before you.

Moses listened to the right people.

Moses listened to God, his father-in law, Jethro (and others). 

As a believer, you are going to make a lot of choices that involve people, opinions, pressures, and challenges. Will you listen like Moses? Tomorrow I'm going to give you some principles that will help you in “being made new in the attitude of your minds.” You are loved!

Making the Right Decisions

Ephesians 4:22-24

Difficult choices are part of being a part of following Christ in this world we live. The pressure of the crowd, peers, friends, etc. can often persuade us to make the easy (but not the best) choice. I’ve looked on Facebook to see pictures  and status's of those who call themselves Christ followers doing incredibly sinful things; and that’s just Facebook. Making decisions that make a difference for Christ actually empower us to do the right things that not only impact us, but others as well. Take Moses as an example; Moses deliberately chose what appeared to be “a step down” because it was the right thing to do. 

“By faith, Moses . . . refused to be known . . . chose to be mistreated”

“He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

Hebrews 11: 26

We pay a price when we’re maintaining a daily discipline . . . being consistent . . . keeping our eye on the target. The sense of responsibility we feel to make the right decision is the obedience factor. We love God so much we choose to live a life worthy of our calling in the kingdom. We trust and rely upon the Holy Spirit to help us make choices that are correct, even when they are difficult.

David Livingstone said,

“I determined never to stop until I had come to the end

and achieved my purpose.” 

Hebrews 12:2 says,

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

Many times, I step back and tell myself to keep the main thing the main thing. We must understand the goal, keep our focus, and know that one day we will be rewarded.

Learning to do the right thing – is not necessarily the easy thing.

Either you’re in on this Christianity thing or you’re not. We can’t be fence sitters, or lukewarm. Jesus was clear on this in the book of revelations when he said I wish you would just pick one. That's why Paul encourages us to be sold out,

“be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”  

Moses saw something that most people don’t see:

“ he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:27 

Most Christian’s have a deep sense of purpose, responsibility, and calling. Many of us begin this journey of faith by deciding not to do something else – often by not doing the thing(s) others expected us to do. We make a conscious decision that we are going to follow our unique sense of calling that we looked at in Ephesians 2:10. Often, our perseverance comes because we see something that others don’t see.

“We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

The biggest decision Moses made was he decided to be obedient. it's the biggest decision you can make as well...more tomorrow. You are loved!

Making the Right Decisions

Making the Right Decisions Ephesians 4:22-24

You’ve likely discovered that making the right decision can sometimes be difficult.  In this next portion of scripture Paul is challenging his readers to make a tough decision. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) Making the decision to live a holy life is the biggest one you will ever make. People might disagree with you, begin to dislike you, and even try to divide and cause others to take their side because living a holy life divides people. I’ve had people come to me and say I can’t attend here because all you do is talk about God. I’m sold out, so everything I preach is going to be how to be your best in this journey of faith.  Making the right decision is to please God rather than people, is never wrong. It took Moses 40 years before he realized what was the most important thing in his life. Hebrews 11:24-25 says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Hebrews 11: 24-25   At some point, we all realize that we need to make a difficult decision because it’s the right thing to do. Be holy or follow after earthly desires. Moses needed to learn this lesson on the backside of a desert. He lived in times of loneliness, seclusion, and meaningless repetition. Sometimes the only way to learn the disciplines of listening and refocusing our priorities is to stop and refocus. During his 40 years of “desert experience,” I believe Moses came to some conclusions about God’s call on his life and how he must live his life. What can we learn from Moses? Moses understood that the best decision is often the hardest decision – Choose the long-term value . . . not the short-term gain.  More tomorrow...You are loved!

Making a Difference! (3)

Ephesians 4:20-21

Only the Person of Truth can Transform Lives

In the verses immediately preceding our passage in Ephesians 4, Paul had just described the futility of the life of unbelievers who were spiritually ignorant and who had calloused hearts.

Many of those people sense the futility of that life and want to make some changes. So they try all kinds of different approaches, based on what they consider to be the truth:

o Some people try religion. But religion can’t change lives. I think that is one of the reasons that Jesus was so hard on the religious leaders of his day. The kind of religion they were dishing out – one based on rules and regulations that were intended to insure their power and influence – actually put people in bondage, rather than set them free. But the truth leads to freedom, not bondage. If you have the premise that Christ is truth you can see why Jesus's words in John 8:32 are so important...

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)

If you know Jesus who is the truth, you don't have to live in bondage, we all get freedom.

o Some people try programs. There are certainly many of them out there. You can find them in the self-help section of any bookstore. There are all kinds of seminars out there that promise to help you change your life. And then, of course there is the internet. This week, I found a site called “My Self-Help.com”. The site promises to help you with problems like depression, guilt, eating disorders, and even compulsive shopping – for a fee of just $20/month, of course. That probably won’t help you with your debt problems.

o Some people try will power. They figure that they can change their lives on their own if they just believe in themselves and have enough discipline.

Some of those things may seem to work for a while, but none of them can ever permanently break the cycle of the life of futility Paul described in verses 17-19. Only the person of truth, Jesus, can do that.

We get a very clear picture of the kind of transformation that Jesus brings:

o Futility to fullness
o Ignorance to knowledge
o Deceit to truth
o Separation to intimacy
o Falling apart to building up
o Immaturity to maturity
o Instability to steadfastness
o Sensuality to sensitivity
o Greed to contentment

No one or nothing else can ever bring that kind of transformation in our lives, only the truth, Jesus, can do that. So how do I allow the truth to transform my life? I think Paul gives us a couple of ideas about how to do that in this passage. More tomorrow...you are loved!

Making a Difference! (2)

Ephesians 4:20-21

Truth is a Person
When Jesus stood before Pilate, John records that Pilate asked Jesus this question: “What is truth?” (John 18:38). If I were to go out on the street and ask that same question today, I would get all kinds of answers:

o I learned this week that philosophers have come up with five different theories to explain truth. But even with those theories many philosophers would still declare that there is no such thing as objective truth.

o L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, wrote this about truth: Truth, as a manifestation of human conduct, would be the holding or voicing of facts as one knows them and refusal to utter or hold statements contrary to what one knows.
In other words, truth according to Hubbard is limited to what one knows. That kind of reminds me of a conversation Abraham Lincoln once had with one of his detractors:

Lincoln said, "Well, let’s see how many legs has a cow?"
"Four, of course," came the reply disgustedly.
"That’s right," agreed Lincoln. "Now suppose you call the cow’s tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?"
"Why, five, of course," was the confident reply.
"Now, that’s where you’re wrong," said Lincoln. "Calling a cow’s tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg."

o If you’re really bored sometime, just go to Google and type in “definition of truth” and you’ll get over 4 million hits. So there seem to be about as many different definitions of truth as there are people.

But by using the name Jesus, without referring to Him by his titles of Lord or Christ, Paul is referring to the historical Jesus as God in the flesh. So when Paul refers to the “truth that is in Jesus”, he is proclaiming that the sinless, spotless life that Jesus lived while He was here on earth is the demonstration of the truth that resided in Him.

We tend to think of truth as a concept or a principle, but the Bible is clear that truth is a person – Jesus. The apostle John testified to that truth at the very beginning of his gospel:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth...For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:14, 17 (NIV) But even more persuasive is the testimony of Jesus Himself in this very familiar verse:

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (NIV)

So I think that we would agree intellectually that according to the Bible, truth is a person, Jesus. But why is that significant? What difference does that make? More tomorrow...you are loved!

Making A Difference!

Ephesians 4:20-21

How will you make a difference this week for Christ?

Last Sunday after I asked that same question to you, we went to Walmart and God afforded the opportunity with our cashier. I smiled big at her and asked if she was having a good day. She looked up at me and said I can’t afford not to. Then began to share a small portion of her life; how she spent 15 years in prison at Walla Walla. I didn’t get a chance to go any further because someone was behind us. But my prayer is that I’ll get speak to her again next time I’m at Walmart. People want hope. I simply said as we walked away that there is always hope. Don’t give up have faith.

The problem in our culture today is the word faith doesn’t carry the same meaning as it used to. The Barna Group asked a question of 100 people, the question was “do you adhere to a faith.” The majority answered: “I believe in everything – a little."

The Barna Group then did another survey that asked people about absolute truth, only 22% of the participants agreed that “there are moral truths that are absolute, meaning that those moral truths or principles do not change according to the circumstances".

But if you think about it, those who claim that there is no such thing as absolute truth make scores of decisions every day on the basis that they believe some things are true and some are false. We all do. I will not turn on a light without believing in the reality of electricity, or drive a car without believing in the effectiveness of the combustion engine. No one flying in a cloud through mountainous terrain would want to be directed by a navigator who did not believe in the truth of his instruments. No one undergoing brain surgery would want to be operated on by a surgeon who did not believe that some things about the brain were true and some not true.

But for some reason, when it comes to faith, most people don’t receive it as an absolute truth. Steve Turner described in his satirical poem titled “Creed” that sentiment:
We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust.
History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth, excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth.

Now the bible and Paul would have something to say about absolute truth. And, of course, that there is an absolute truth.
As you read through Ephesians 4:11-21, don’t you feel like you’re watching a tennis match? Paul keeps going back and forth as he describes the stark contrast between the life with Jesus Christ and the life without Him:

• Jesus gives gifted people to the church to help them mature and become more like Jesus (vv. 11-13)
• He does this so that His followers won’t be unstable and easily deceived (v. 14)
• We grow up into the head as each part does its work (vv. 15-16)

• You can’t live like the unbelievers because that lifestyle is futile (vv. 17-19)

Now in verses 20 and 21, Paul is going to wrap up this discussion by clearly pointing out to his readers exactly what, or, perhaps more accurately, who, determines which of those two paths that we end up on.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Ephesians 4:20, 21 (NIV)

Let’s begin by focusing for just a moment on that last phrase – “the truth that is in Jesus.” Paul does something very interesting here. This is the only place in his letter where he uses the name “Jesus” without connecting with “Lord” and/or “Christ”. Every other time Paul refers to Jesus, he calls Him “Christ”, “Lord”, or some combination of those titles along with the name “Jesus.” But here, he simply uses the name that God gave his Son at the incarnation. I think that’s very significant. You have to come back tomorrow for more. You are loved!

Are you Ready to Make a Difference! (5)

Ephesians 4:17-19

 

Renew You're Thought Life
This whole process gets started with what we think. That’s why Paul wrote these familiar words.
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2 (NIV) Everything starts with our thoughts. I have to renew my mind daily.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

How do I take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ? As thoughts come into my mind, I have to evaluate those thoughts and determine whether they are in fact consistent with Jesus, the truth, and with His Word. If my thought meets that standard, then I allow that thought to enter into my mind and I allow myself to dwell on it. But if that thought is not consistent with Jesus and His Word, then I need to reject it.

But that’s only the first step. I then have to replace that thought with something that is consistent with the truth.

Let me give you an example. I’ll pick on us men this morning. Let’s say that you’re walking through the mall with your wife and you notice another attractive woman walking by. In Reader’s Digest several years ago this was submitted:

While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was it worth the trouble you’re in?"

There is nothing wrong with noticing an attractive woman. But where we get ourselves in trouble is what happens next. As Martin Luther reportedly commented, “You can’t keep the bird from flying overhead, but you can keep it from nesting in your hair.” Unfortunately, for us as men, the look at an attractive woman often begins a thought process in our mind that is not consistent with the truth of Jesus and his Word.

So my first step is to immediately recognize that my thoughts are not in accordance with God’s truth. But if I stop right there, I’m going to be in trouble, because if all I do is to try to stop thinking of those wrong thoughts, what am I going to do? I’m going to keep thinking about them. I know we’ve all been there.

So the next step is that I focus on the truth, which is that God has given me a wonderful godly wife and it is through her that God is going to satisfy my God-given needs and desires. And when I do that I short circuit the process that might eventually lead me down a road I don’t want to travel.

Resist the Urge to be Self-Centered
I won’t belabor this point since we’ve talked about it quite a bit in our journey through Ephesians. But one of the best indicators that I’m headed down the road to a life of futility is when I begin to focus a lot on myself.

Although our culture urges us to “look out for #1”, Paul has consistently emphasized throughout his letter that the church is a body where every member is a part of that body for the overall good of the body, not just for themselves. Obviously we receive many benefits by being an integral part of that body, but the body does not exist to serve my needs, it exists to serve the purposes of the Head, Jesus Christ.

As we saw just a few moments ago, the last step in the process that lead to a life of futility is that God will give us over to our own, selfish desires. And while that might initially seem like it would be fun, we soon discover the emptiness, vanity, meaninglessness and futility of that kind of life. So when I begin to be overly self-centered, when I begin to look at everything only in terms of what’s in it for me, that ought to be a warning signal to me that I’m on the road to a place where I don’t want to go.

Refuse to Violate You're Conscience
God has given us a conscience to help us understand when we are violating his standards. That’s why when people commit acts that are wrong, they try to do them in a manner that no one else will discover what they are doing. Even unbelievers are usually not so brazen as to commit their sin right out in the open, at least not at first.

But when we consistently violate our conscience, it becomes “seared” so that it will no longer operate properly: “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)

Once that occurs, it leads to the situation Paul describes in verse 19. Although the word “sensuality” refers primarily to sexual sin, it describes any uninhibited indulgence that is committed without shame and without concern for what others think or how they are affected. And as Paul points out, once a person gets to that point they live a lifestyle that is characterized by a continual lust for more.

Just because we are followers of Jesus Christ doesn’t mean that we are immune to going that far. In fact we probably all know fellow believers who allowed their consciences to be seared and eventually ended up at a place where they were so ruled by their sin that they no longer tried to hide it and they needed more of that sin – both in quantity and intensity – in order to satisfy their selfish desires.

I’m sure most of have heard this statement before, but it bears repeating once again: Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay.

So which words of Paul do you want to follow today – the words of Paul McCartney that urge you to get back to where you once belonged or the words of the Apostle Paul that say “Get Back? – Never!” I know which Paul I’m going to choose. You are loved!

Are You Ready to Make A Difference! (4)

Ephesians 4:17-19

Recognize the Process
In this passage; Paul clearly describes a process. Just as our spiritual maturity is a process that doesn’t happen in an instant, going back to where we once were usually doesn’t happen all at once, either.

So I think it’s helpful for us to understand the process that leads away from Christ. Although Paul describes the process very clearly here in Ephesians, he goes into even more detail in one in Romans chapter 1.
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-- who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:18-25

When we look at this passage, along with our passage from Ephesians, we get a pretty good picture of the process that leads to a life of futility.

• Revelation
The process begins when God reveals Himself to us in some way. As Paul points out, that could be through His creation, but the primary means of God’s revelation of Himself is through His Word. And it is that Word that contains truth. Once that truth is revealed, every one of us has to deal with it. And if we don’t accept that truth and adjust our lives to that truth, it leads to the second step in the process.

• Rejection
As Christians, we don’t have a hard time recognizing that unbelievers have rejected the truth of God. But remember that Paul is writing here in Ephesians to Christians and he seems to be warning us against doing the very same thing. Unfortunately, as I’ve shared with you on many occasions, surveys consistently reveal that many of those who claim to be Christians reject some of the basic tenets of the gospel. We live in a culture that provides us with so many choices that we can pick and choose from and that mentality has infiltrated the church. But Christianity is not Baskin-Robbins where I can just choose the one or two flavors I want and reject all the others. We must take in the whole counsel of God’s word.

• Spiritual Ignorance
Rejecting the truth of God leads to spiritual ignorance. And that spiritual ignorance gets reflected in our actions. Sometimes I think that we unwittingly push unbelievers away from our churches because we expect them to speak and act like Christians. But they just aren’t capable of doing that, as Paul makes clear in another of his letters: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

But the same thing can certainly happen to us as followers of Jesus, too. Once we choose to reject the truth of God, we begin to develop spiritual ignorance in our lives as well.

• Hardened Hearts
The word translated “hardening” is a word that means to cover with a callous. Before the days of computers when I had to write a lot, I developed a very thick callous on the inside of my middle finger where the pencil or pen rubbed against it when I wrote. In fact, although it’s not as noticeable today, it’s still there. That’s exactly the picture that Paul is using here. The more that we reject the truth of God and the more that we become spiritually ignorant, the more calloused, or hard, that our hearts get. And the more calloused they get, the harder it is for us to even sense just how far from God we are getting.

• Complete Separation from God
Eventually, the hardening of our hearts leads to a complete separation from God. Again, we can easily see this in unbelievers who want absolutely nothing to do with God. But that same danger also exists for us as followers of Jesus Christ. The more hardened our hearts become, the harder it is for us to even sense the separation that results from us turning away from God.

• Given Over to Their Own Desires
If we don’t break this process somewhere along the way, we will inevitably come to the point where God will just turn us over to our own sinful desires. As Paul writes in Ephesians 4, we come to the point where we have completely lost all sensitivity to the point that we no longer even care if others even see us live that sinful lifestyle.

This is certainly not a pretty picture. But by understanding the process, we can take some concrete steps to short-circuit that process so that we make sure that we don’t get back to where we once belonged. More tomorrow, you are loved!

 

Are You Ready to Make A Difference! (3)

Ephesians 4:17-19

Remember the Futility
Remember how you lived your life before you accepted Christ? I can remember being a young man asking myself if there was ever going to be more than what was happening in my life. I know you can relate. I often think about what might have been if I had followed the path my life was on. For me it was a life of futility; go drink, chase women, go drink some more doing whatever would please me. I thought fun was all about things, and indulging in every kind of impurity. That was my thought pattern. It was all about how I could make myself happy. But living a life with no goal, or purpose, brings us to a place of futility. That’s the place I came too. Accepting Christ has been the #1 thing I’ve done in my life. Is everything I’ve done after that important, yes, but nothing will surpass my salvation and relationship with Christ?

That’s why Paul is reminding the Ephesians In verse 17, about living a life of futility. The word “futility” is the very same word that we find in the Greek version of the Old Testament, particularly in the Book of Ecclesiastes where the writer of that book describes the futility of living a life apart from God. That same word is translated meaningless, vanity or futility, depending on which translation you use. They are words to describe the emptiness of a life apart from God. Solomon says in Ecc. 2:10-11,

Ecc 2:10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil.
Ecc 2:11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Our spiritual memory is a lot like our physical memory – the older we get, the harder it is to remember things. God never wants us to forget what he has done for us. How much he loves us and the reason why he sent His son to save us. For some of us who have been Christians for a long time, we tend to forget just how futile our lives were apart from our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Satan’s biggest attack is to lure us back to our life before Christ. As we will learn later in Ephesians 6 we must wage spiritual warfare to stand against the enemy. More tomorrow...you are loved!

Are You ready to Make a Difference! (2)

Good Morning,

A pastor friend of mine sent me this article and I thought it an interesting enough piece to pass it on to you today. I am not advocating either way on this, just thought it interesting. Many times 20% of the church members do the work of the other 80%. We spent the month of January talking about stewardship and what God expects from his people. I believe if we really want to make a difference for Christ, then all of us must do our part! You are loved...Here's the link to the article http://www.larknews.com/archives/574

 

 

 

WINSTON-SALEM — Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to “participate in the life of the church” — or worship elsewhere.
“They basically called us freeloaders,” says Julie.
“We were freeloaders,” says Bob.
In a trend that may signal rough times for wallflower Christians, bellwether mega-church Faith Community of Winston-Salem has asked “non-participating members” to stop attending.
“No more Mr. Nice Church,” says the executive pastor, newly hired from Cingular Wireless. “Bigger is not always better. Providing free services indefinitely to complacent Christians is not our mission.”
“Freeloading” Christians were straining the church’s nursery and facility resources and harming the church’s ability to reach the lost, says the pastor.
“When your bottom line is saving souls, you get impatient with people who interfere with that goal,” he says.
Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attend church services and “freebie events” but never volunteer, never tithe and do not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the past 3 years, and a third have never given to the church.
“Before now, we made people feel comfortable and welcome, and tried to coax them to give a little something in return,” says a staff member. “That’s changed. We’re done being the community nanny.”
Surprisingly, the move to dis-invite people has drawn positive response from men in the community who like the idea of an in-your-face church.
“I thought, ‘A church that doesn’t allow wussies — that rocks,’” says Bob Clark, who admires the church more since they told him to get lost.
He and Julie are now tithing and volunteering. “We’ve taken our place in church life,” he says. •