BEING PART OF THE PLAN

Does God have a plan for accomplishing His work of evangelism or has He left it to chance as to whether the job will get done or not? Everything that we observe of our God would tell us that He does indeed have a plan.

Our God is a God of order and detail. A casual observation of His work in creation verifies that. We marvel at the birth of a new born baby and the amazing intricacy in every detail of the tiny new person. Yet within that wee child is everything needed (other than normal daily nourishment) for it to become a full grown adult person. We look up into the sky on a clear night and marvel at the stars that seem to fill the atmosphere and we are reminded that it was God that spoke it all into existence. Did He have a plan? Scientists tell us that the earth is exactly the right distance from the sun to sustain life. Any closer and we would burn up. Any farther away and we would freeze. Did God just throw it all together and hope for the best? Hardly, He had a plan.

Does God have a plan for accomplishing the evangelization of mankind? If He does; how can we know what that plan is?

Just as we can observe His work in creation and determine He had a plan we can observe the life, ministry and teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and see his plan for how he determined to evangelize the world. To quote Pastor Travis Jones, “His plan to make lost people extinct.”

We learn much about the Lord’s plan for evangelism from examining just three passages of Scripture. In Matthew 28:18-20 we learn about the mission of the Lord’s plan. His mission was to make and train disciples. In Acts 1:8 the Lord Jesus reveals the commission of the plan. The Holy Spirit was given to empower us for the work of evangelism. And in 2 Timothy 2:1-2 we see the necessity of submission to the plan God gave us.

Paul’s ministry would have gone for naught if men like Timothy, Titus, Luke, Epaphroditus and others did not catch his vision. If Paul taught these men and all the others everything that he knew but they did not carry on that mission, Christianity would have ceased to exist in the second century. They submitted to the plan and the world was impacted in a single generation.

What about us? Do we want to be part of the Lord’s plan? Will we join in the Lord’s mission with His commission and serve in submission to the plan? If we believe the Bible is the Word of God and have a true Holy Spirit burden for souls we will. I am confidently convinced if we are part of His plan we will experience His blessing and see precious souls saved.

A HAPPY NATION

King David said in Psalm 33:12, “blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” God’s Word gives us the promise that the Lord will bless the nation that honors and obeys Him. That nation will be a blessed or happy people. The history of the nation of Israel bears out the truth of David s words. When Israel gave proper honor and obedience to their God they were abundantly blessed. But, when Israel turned its back on God they lost His blessing and protection.

David s promise of God s blessing is not addressed to Israel alone, but to any nation or people group that will give the Lord the place that He deserves as God. It is obvious as you study the documents and speeches of America’s founding fathers that they were thoroughly Christian minded and were purposefully building this nation upon a biblical foundation. Not the Koran’s corruption; not Freud’s fraud; not Darwin’s deception, but upon the truth of the Word of God. That is a fact regardless of what those who seek to rewrite history say. Bible believing Christians must not leave go of their nation’s godly heritage.

America has been a great nation. America has been a nation blessed by God. For over 230 years, America has been a symbol for freedom around the world. Those who have sought relief from political, economic, and religious oppression have made their way to the shores of this great nation. America has been a place of hope, a place of new beginnings, a place where men could live their lives under God as their own conscience directed. Why? Because this nation’s God was the Lord.

That was true in 1776 and for many years thereafter, but is that true in 2008? As our nation has pulled away from its Christian moorings we have become more and more a “has been” nation. Especially a “has been” in significance for God.

Please, do not get the wrong idea. Every Sunday morning our church begins our worship service by reciting our pledge to both the Christian flag and the flag of the United States of America and we joyfully sing “God Bless America.” We love our country very much and desire God s blessing upon it, not His damnation. With that said though, it is fair to examine the spiritual condition of our nation and ask ourselves; have we by our national rejection of biblical principles lost God s blessing?

Who are America s gods? Or maybe, a better question would be, what is America’s god? More than anything else it appears that our national god is the “almighty dollar!” 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” For some reason we think this refers to a problem of the rich. I do not think this warning has to do with the size of a person s bank account. Rather, it refers to the size of a person s covetous heart. Men from the beginning of time have neglected even sold their souls to get what they think will make them happy.

Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Love of money will cause a departure from the faith. Does the unbeliever depart from the faith? No, he does not have the faith to depart from. Paul is talking to Christians with these words. That is believers who get caught up in gaining possessions. He is saying that those who focus on acquiring things will find themselves departing from the faith. They drift from the godly priorities God holds dear. They will no longer have the spiritual values that were previously important to them.

The love of money will bring grief; “Pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” What happens while we are making our fortunes? While we are getting the house, the luxuries, the toys to amuse us: getting all the things we think we cannot live without?

Children get raised with no parents. Dad works two or three jobs while rationalizing that he has to provide for his family. Husbands and wives become strangers. And serving God is left for others to do. The sad thing is that not only individual lives and families suffer but even their nation loses God s blessing.

God pours out His blessing because of His gracious love but also in response to His people’s consecrated obedience. The person in right relationship with Jesus Christ enjoys the blessing of God. That person will give God all the glory and God’s blessing is passed on to the society in which he lives.

The lost man and the foolish Christian do not understand this. God blesses them yet they covet and lust for more. A great many professing Christians in America have sold out God for their own desire for material wealth.
God s people need to get honest, and recognize the situation. How does a nation lose God s blessing? They forsake God’s blessing when they cease to hold Him as their God. What is the answer to this epidemic? Get off the throne that belongs to God and worship, serve, and honor God who is Lord. He just may, out of His mercy return His blessing to our nation.

WHAT IS TRUTH?

These are the infamous words of Pilate as he ironically stood in judgement over the Lord Jesus Christ. This earthly governor who was nothing more than a career politician who had little interest in the real truth was an unwitting part of God's eternal plan. The truth for Pilate was that he desired to be rid of this man who stood before him for no more reason than the jealous and envious motives of the hypocritical Jewish religious leadership.

When Pilate asked the Lord Jesus if He was a king, Christ responded with the astounding words: "thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." (John 18:37. Jesus came into this world as a man born in lowly Bethlehem to the end that He might accomplish God's eternal plan of becoming the payment for man's sin. But, expanding on His words He declares, "for this cause came I into the world." These words make it clear that He existed before His conception in the womb of Mary. Indeed He is the eternal Son of God who came for this cause.

The truth is that Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. (John 14:6) Religious leaders still want Him removed. Politicians still do not want to deal with Him in truth. But, the eternal, unchanging truth is, Jesus is the answer to man's greatest need. His need for the forgiveness of His Creator. Jesus died for the sin's of man, will you receive the TRUTH? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

Fires Of Revival

Accepting the risk of sounding like a certain preacher that has gotten a lot of attention lately for his strong condemnation of our nation it is must be stated that the United States is sinking deeper and deeper into spiritual bankruptcy. Where once this great nation was a beacon of biblical light to the world it may now be on the precipice of destruction if God is not pleased to intervene in a very fundamental way in America’s affairs.
Throughout history there have been times that God has given spiritual revival to His people. What do we mean by that word revival? The word itself means to renew or revive to life where evidence of life is absent. For there to be revival there had to at one time been life present that is fading toward death. Biblical revival has to do with the renewing or reviving of a withering relationship of the people of God with their God. Is there a need for a spiritual revival in America? The answer without question is, yes.
The politically correct mindset that has swept our country from coast to coast is systematically working to rid public life, and if they have their way private life, of all influence of biblical Christianity. The prejudice toward Christianity that now exists can be seen in an article I recently read of an incident in an elementary school where Christian children were forbidden to, at their own initiative, pray together on the play ground but that the very same school had provided a special room for Muslim children to make use of for prayer. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Such things are occurring across the country. We are now reaping the consequences of voting into office an administration that has no true respect for God or His word. Out of their ignorance of the Bible, they mock the Bible and those who believe its eternal truths. They ridicule the few precious public voices who do openly avow their biblical faith in God? Those brave people are marginalized as ignorant and out of touch. These political fascists should read the history books that are faithful to our Christian heritage. They would find out that the founders of our nation were very dependent upon the Bible’s wisdom as they formed the government system that has served us so well. Men such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and even Benjamin Franklin had a deep respect for the Word of God and believed its truth should be applied to the affairs of men.
The moral character and decency of our nation are being eaten away. It is nearly impossible to sit down for an evening of television and not be embarrassed and even ashamed of what now fills the airways. Sexual promiscuity is the norm rather than the exception on prime time TV. The presence of the occult is common place. I am not a conspiracy theorist but it is obvious that there is an agenda being promoted from Hollywood. When a Bible believing preacher is depicted on TV, he is usually portrayed as a fanatical kook who is probably a pedophile, a homophobe or worse.
Enough of that, it is depressing to consider the deplorable moral and spiritual condition of America. But, praise the Lord, there is an answer. But, the answer will not be found in Washington, D.C. or in Austin. The answer certainly will not come from Oprah or Dr. Phil. The answer for our nation is a God sent spiritual revival that must begin in the churches of America. David, the sweet psalmist of Israel wrote in Psalm 85:6 “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” David, the king was crying out to God for revival of the nation of Israel. Take note that it is a good thing when a nation’s leaders look to God for help. Israel was the Old Testament people of God. They were to be the light of God and a blessing to the heathen nations that surrounded them. The Lord Jesus Christ in the sermon on the mount called upon His disciples to “let their light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:16). The charge to God’s people has not changed in this age of grace. They are to be His light to the sinful world in which they live.
Bible believing churches must be broken over sin and seek the face of God for His mercy. May Christians cry out to God, “revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2). The God of the universe is a merciful and gracious God and He may once again revive, renew, and restore His people so that His people might be a beautiful and brilliant light to the world. Many say that it is too late for America. That is nonsense; God often determines to do His greatest work at the darkest of times. The reluctant prophet Jonah was sent with a very simple message to the wicked and violent city of Nineveh, “yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” A mere forty days and Nineveh would be destroyed, but the entire city, from the king on down sought God with fasting and prayer in the hope that He might spare them. In response, God gave them revival and a gracious 100 year reprieve to an entire city.
It is the responsibility of God’s people to obediently tell the truth. They must warn that if things do not change in America judgment may well be ahead. Why should it be expected that God will spare judgment here that He has poured out upon other nations that have forgotten Him? It is not a popular ministry to warn and exhort people to turn from sin. People want to hear pleasant messages that make them feel good. But what is more important, to feel good on the way to destruction or to repent, find God’s mercy and experience a powerful reviving of His work? One last thought about what revival does. Revival is not really a matter of taking the spiritual climate to an abnormally high level. Rather, it is God returning the spiritual condition of His people to the normal. Revival is restoring the people of God to what He initially intended them to be. Dear reader, when God’s people are spiritually what they should be, they will be a powerful impact wherever they are found. They will be His salt and light to this perishing world.