The songwriter declared, "Like a mighty Army moves the Church of God!" But in too many quarters, the Church today is not mighty, it is not an Army, and we are not moving anywhere but backwards.
It is our conviction that so long so long as we are retreating from our Biblical mandate and pursuing after cultural relevance, rather than Spiritual excellence, we will never be the Church prevailing against the gates of hell. We need a Gideon's band, a select force chosen by God and choosing God, who will take up the Cross and battle for the right.
In our series of messages ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS we are urging God's people to put on the whole armor of God. It was not by accident that the Lord inspired the Apostle to urge God's people to first put on the belt of Truth. Like wars between nations, in the war between Christ and satan, truth is often the first casualty.
We live our lives by "Maxims"--concise statements of what we think are basic truths, or laws of life. Some are true. For example: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," "Deeds speak louder than words," and "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
BUT THE TRAGEDY OF OUR TIMES IS THAT SO MANY ARE FOLLOWING MAXIMS WE SHOULDN'T LIVE BY. Here are 7:
1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
I like the way G. K. Chesterton reacted to this popular maxim. "Thoroughly worldly people never understand even the world; they rely altogether on a few cynical maxims which are not true. Once I remember walking with a prosperous publisher who made a remark which I had often heard before; it is indeed a motto of the modern world. Yet I had heard it once too often, and I saw suddenly that there was nothing in it. The publisher said, “That man will get on (be successful); he believes in himself. …”Shall I tell you where the men are who believe most in themselves? Asylums are filled with men who truly believe in themselves... If you consulted your business experience rather than your ugly individualistic philosophy you would know that believing in yourself is one of the commonest signs of a rotter." ORTHODOXY 1908.
How sad that people are convinced to believe in their frail, carnal, wicked selves, rather than in the One who can justify, sanctify, and empower us to be "more than conquerors!"
2. YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE MORALITY
Oh really? Every law is an expression of moral principal.
God Himself certainly thought that morality could be specifically legislated, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.”
You cannot legislate compliance with the law, but you can legislate morality. History proves that civilizations that align themselves with God's law will prosper. Those who refuse God's Law, are actually refusing God himself.
The reason men hate God's law is that they are carnal. But the blood of Christ is not only sufficient to wash away the guilt of sin, but to "cleanse us from all unrighteousness," and sanctify the rebel out of our hearts.
3. IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT!
We have brought this maxim to bear on everything from how we treat one another, to what we do recreationally, to how we express ourselves sexually.
Underlying this maxim is the assumption that feelings, not facts, are the arbiter of right and wrong.
When feeling is the foundation for moral principle, then the person who says “I feel that it is wrong for a man to marry 7 wives,” is no more wrong than the man who says “I feel like marrying a man.”
4. GOD WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY!
Here is a partial truth that has led many into terrible tragedy. When Jesus taught us how to Be Happy HE gave us the Beattitudes: Mt 5:3-12
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye when (men) shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
You will note that this does say you will be happy by doing your will, having everything your way, or doing what feels right at the moment.
Happiness is inextricable from Holiness!
5. ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN (ALL RELIGIONS ARE THE SAME)
What fallacy. There is a world of difference between religions that urge their followers to board planes, slash the throats of pilots, and slam aircraft into skyscrapers, and the religion of the One who said, "love your enemies." There is a vast difference between a religion that teaches a mother to toss her infant into the Ganges River, and one that is led by Him who said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not."
In our day, sincerity trumps veracity. Sadly many are sincere, but they are sincerely wrong.
Those say that their religious views seem right, would do well to remember the Scripture, "there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
6.BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME -- HE WOULD NEVER SEND ME TO HELL
It is a wonderful truth! "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..."
But the fact of God's unconditional love for us, is not what determines our eternal destiny. If God's love was all that mattered, then all would go to heaven! God loves the world. God is not willing that any should perish. etc.
What determines our destiny is our love for God.
People get all excited talking about God's unconditional love for them. But when we talk about God's requirement that we love Him unconditionally, and they are not so enthusiastic.
Unless we love Him without reservation He cannot welcome us into the Holy City. Everyone in heaven does the will of God, all the time.
7. I'M FREE TO CHOOSE!
Indeed God has made us free moral agents. We can choose whether or not we will serve Him. But we are not free to choose the outcome of our choice.
We are kidding ourselves if we believe that we are free to live our lives as we choose and then free to choose our destiny. The inspired Apostle Paul wrote:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
So DON'T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF... BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
DON'T RUN FROM GOD'S LAW... SEEK TO KNOW AND FOLLOW GOD'S LAW! It's perfect.
DON'T DO WHAT FEELS GOOD... DO WHAT IS GOOD!
DON'T SEEK AFTER HAPPINESS... PURSUE AFTER HOLINESS!
DON'T MISTAKE SINCERITY FOR VERACITY... SEEK TO KNOW HIM WHO IS "THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!"
DON'T REST IN GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR YOU ...GIVE HIM YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!
And DON'T BE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THAT YOU WILL ESCAPE THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING.
Onward Christian Soldiers!
PASTOR RICK JONES
FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH - A CRUSADERS CHURCH OF AMERICA
2969 N. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Ann, MO 63074
Cell Phone (314) 607-1424
Facebook: Pastor Rick Jones (I would love to be your friend!)
Blog: www.PastorRickJones.blogspot.com
Web: www.FCCToday.org
Preaching Services: Sundays 11:00 AM & 6:30 PM
It is our conviction that so long so long as we are retreating from our Biblical mandate and pursuing after cultural relevance, rather than Spiritual excellence, we will never be the Church prevailing against the gates of hell. We need a Gideon's band, a select force chosen by God and choosing God, who will take up the Cross and battle for the right.
In our series of messages ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS we are urging God's people to put on the whole armor of God. It was not by accident that the Lord inspired the Apostle to urge God's people to first put on the belt of Truth. Like wars between nations, in the war between Christ and satan, truth is often the first casualty.
We live our lives by "Maxims"--concise statements of what we think are basic truths, or laws of life. Some are true. For example: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," "Deeds speak louder than words," and "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
BUT THE TRAGEDY OF OUR TIMES IS THAT SO MANY ARE FOLLOWING MAXIMS WE SHOULDN'T LIVE BY. Here are 7:
1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
I like the way G. K. Chesterton reacted to this popular maxim. "Thoroughly worldly people never understand even the world; they rely altogether on a few cynical maxims which are not true. Once I remember walking with a prosperous publisher who made a remark which I had often heard before; it is indeed a motto of the modern world. Yet I had heard it once too often, and I saw suddenly that there was nothing in it. The publisher said, “That man will get on (be successful); he believes in himself. …”Shall I tell you where the men are who believe most in themselves? Asylums are filled with men who truly believe in themselves... If you consulted your business experience rather than your ugly individualistic philosophy you would know that believing in yourself is one of the commonest signs of a rotter." ORTHODOXY 1908.
How sad that people are convinced to believe in their frail, carnal, wicked selves, rather than in the One who can justify, sanctify, and empower us to be "more than conquerors!"
2. YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE MORALITY
Oh really? Every law is an expression of moral principal.
God Himself certainly thought that morality could be specifically legislated, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.”
You cannot legislate compliance with the law, but you can legislate morality. History proves that civilizations that align themselves with God's law will prosper. Those who refuse God's Law, are actually refusing God himself.
The reason men hate God's law is that they are carnal. But the blood of Christ is not only sufficient to wash away the guilt of sin, but to "cleanse us from all unrighteousness," and sanctify the rebel out of our hearts.
3. IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT!
We have brought this maxim to bear on everything from how we treat one another, to what we do recreationally, to how we express ourselves sexually.
Underlying this maxim is the assumption that feelings, not facts, are the arbiter of right and wrong.
When feeling is the foundation for moral principle, then the person who says “I feel that it is wrong for a man to marry 7 wives,” is no more wrong than the man who says “I feel like marrying a man.”
4. GOD WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY!
Here is a partial truth that has led many into terrible tragedy. When Jesus taught us how to Be Happy HE gave us the Beattitudes: Mt 5:3-12
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye when (men) shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
You will note that this does say you will be happy by doing your will, having everything your way, or doing what feels right at the moment.
Happiness is inextricable from Holiness!
5. ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN (ALL RELIGIONS ARE THE SAME)
What fallacy. There is a world of difference between religions that urge their followers to board planes, slash the throats of pilots, and slam aircraft into skyscrapers, and the religion of the One who said, "love your enemies." There is a vast difference between a religion that teaches a mother to toss her infant into the Ganges River, and one that is led by Him who said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not."
In our day, sincerity trumps veracity. Sadly many are sincere, but they are sincerely wrong.
Those say that their religious views seem right, would do well to remember the Scripture, "there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
6.BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME -- HE WOULD NEVER SEND ME TO HELL
It is a wonderful truth! "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..."
But the fact of God's unconditional love for us, is not what determines our eternal destiny. If God's love was all that mattered, then all would go to heaven! God loves the world. God is not willing that any should perish. etc.
What determines our destiny is our love for God.
People get all excited talking about God's unconditional love for them. But when we talk about God's requirement that we love Him unconditionally, and they are not so enthusiastic.
Unless we love Him without reservation He cannot welcome us into the Holy City. Everyone in heaven does the will of God, all the time.
7. I'M FREE TO CHOOSE!
Indeed God has made us free moral agents. We can choose whether or not we will serve Him. But we are not free to choose the outcome of our choice.
We are kidding ourselves if we believe that we are free to live our lives as we choose and then free to choose our destiny. The inspired Apostle Paul wrote:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Galatians 6:7-8 KJV
So DON'T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF... BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
DON'T RUN FROM GOD'S LAW... SEEK TO KNOW AND FOLLOW GOD'S LAW! It's perfect.
DON'T DO WHAT FEELS GOOD... DO WHAT IS GOOD!
DON'T SEEK AFTER HAPPINESS... PURSUE AFTER HOLINESS!
DON'T MISTAKE SINCERITY FOR VERACITY... SEEK TO KNOW HIM WHO IS "THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!"
DON'T REST IN GOD'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR YOU ...GIVE HIM YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!
And DON'T BE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THAT YOU WILL ESCAPE THE LAW OF SOWING AND REAPING.
Onward Christian Soldiers!
PASTOR RICK JONES
FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH - A CRUSADERS CHURCH OF AMERICA
2969 N. Lindbergh Blvd, St. Ann, MO 63074
Cell Phone (314) 607-1424
Facebook: Pastor Rick Jones (I would love to be your friend!)
Blog: www.PastorRickJones.blogspot.com
Web: www.FCCToday.org
Preaching Services: Sundays 11:00 AM & 6:30 PM
No comments:
Post a Comment