Religion

Might does not always make right.

David with the Head of Goliath

David with the Head of Goliath (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The recently concluded Presidential election campaign reminds me of the story of the duel between David and Goliath. (Romney was Goliath and Obama was David). Goliath on one hand, was tall and brawny, one of the most feared in the mighty Philistine army. He had a reputation of tearing his victims apart. (Romney blew away his opponents in the primary). David, however, was just a boy in a frail body with a sling and a stone and an extremely weak Israeli army to back him up. At least, that was what Goliath and his army thought. (Romney underestimated the Obama campaign). Here, is what Goliath said when David approached him:

“Am I a dog that thou comes to me with staves?” The Bible says the Philistine curse David by his gods. He then entreats David: “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:44). Then David said to the Philistine, “Thou comes to me with a sword and a spear and a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45)

David had a secret weapon–his faith in God. He knew that the battle was not his. It was the Lord’s. Therefore, if he allowed God to fight the battle for him, he would be victorious.

Similarly, Mr. Romney is perceives as the stronger of the two candidates. He had the power of his millionaire donors behind him. Like Goliath, he was confident that he would rip his opponent apart. However, as we have learned in the David and Goliath story. Might does not always make right. Mr. Obama had the small donors–the people on his side. He knew that the greatest asset in any election was the people. Money is crucial, but money do not vote. People do.

In the end, David overcame the mighty Goliath and his Philistine army and did what he promised. He cut off Goliath’s head and gave it to the fowls. Likewise, Mr. Obama prevails over Mr. Romney. As I have said before, “Might does not always make right”.

What did you have to give up to follow Jesus?

English: Jesus appears to the disciples (water...

English: Jesus appears to the disciples (watercolour) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Every person who desires to follow Jesus must give up something. It is the basic requirement one has to meet before embarking on the Christian journey. It is the initiation period and a test of commitment. The twelve disciples did. Even though, they were mostly fishermen of extremely modest means, they gave up all they had–family and livelihood to follow Jesus. Nevertheless, following Jesus takes more than just giving up something which we hold near and dear to our hearts.. It takes great sacrifice and unshakable commitment and steadfastness.

 

 

Not everybody who wish to follow Jesus has it in him, or her (at least in the initial stages)to accept the challenge Jesus issues in Luke 9:23: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me”. The disciples no doubt had it in them, but I am sure it was just as difficult for them as it is for modern days people who are striving to follow Jesus. Regardless, they were not the only ones. There are countless others, including, perhaps you, and Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul after his conversion. Paul was not a disciple. Still, he did not hesitate to give up his job as a tax collector, as well as his position as a member of the ruling council to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

In the world, and in the society in which we live, there are many people who identify themselves as followers of Jesus, yet when asked to identify that which they have given up to follow Jesus, they cannot give a coherent answer. Young Moriah Peters who has had to make life changing decisions twice in her short life. In high School, she found herself at a crossroad where she needed to choose Jesus and stay pure or choose the crowd and be cool. She did the right thing and choose Jesus. Peters would soon find herself at another crossroad. This time she needed to decide whether to go to college to fulfill her dreams to become a lawyer or to pursue a music career, singing for Jesus. She chose the latter.

 

Should We Make The Gospel Easier To accept?

English: Illustration of the Parable of the Un...

English: Illustration of the Parable of the Unjust Judge from the New Testament Gospel of Luke (Luke 18:1-9) by John Everett Millais for The Parables of Our Lord (1863) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Certainly.

A majority of today’s preachers and teachers of the gospel is stuck in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and even earlier. Their style and presentation are bland, unattractive and out dated. Many of them consistently use terms and jargon most people do not understand. Some of them even fail to recognize that sinners do not need courses in theology and Christology. Sinners need alternatives; solid concrete reasons why they should turn from their way of living and stand up for Jesus. Let’s face it, the gospel is adaptable. Whether we use music, art or any other method; the gospel should be easy to accept. Jesus used parables to get His audience’s attention.

A parable is a short story that illustrates a universal truth, one of the simplest of narratives. It sketches a setting, describes an action, and shows the results. It often involves a character facing a moral dilemma, or making a questionable decision and then suffering the consequences.

Parables appear in both the Old and New Testaments but are more easily recognizable in the ministry of Jesus. After many reject him as Messiah, Jesus turned to parables. When His disciples asked, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowds?”

Jesus replied, “Because they haven’t received the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but you have. For those who have will receive more and they will have more than enough. But as for those who don’t have, even the little they have will be taken away from them. This is why I speak to the crowds in parables: although they see, they don’t actually see; and although they hear, they don’t actually hear or understand. What Isaiah prophesied has become true for them:.

You will hear, but never understand; and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing. And they’ve become hard of hearing.

And they’ve shut their eyes so that, they won’t see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their minds, and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them. “Happy are your eyes because they see. Happy are your ears because they hear. I assure you that many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn’t.

Five essential characteristics of an Authentic Christian?

Apparently many of us who call ourselves Christians are not authentic at all. Jesus implies this crucial point in Matthew 7:21-23 when He tells His disciples the following: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we, not prophesy in your name? Did we not cast out demons in your name, and did many powerful deeds in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’”.

According to Greg Laurie of Jesus.org, there are five essential characteristics which a person must display before he or she can call them self an authentic Christian.

Firstly, an authentic Christian confesses Jesus Christ as Lord (1 John 4:15). Christianity must begin with a verbal acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life. The Bible says that even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). True Christians should be able to say that Jesus Christ is their Lord.

Secondly, if a person is a true Christian, one will be unhappy or miserable when one is sinning (1 John 3:9). This does not means Christians are immune to sin. (1 John 1:8). A true child of God will have a sense of discomfort when he or she sin; because you know in your heart of hearts that what you are doing is wrong.

Thirdly, an authentic Christian enjoys fellowship with other believers. (1 John 5:1). A true Christian will want to be around other Christians. Those who isolate themselves from other believers do so at their own peril, because the Bible tells us that it is important to get together, encourage one another, and correct one another (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Fourthly, an authentic Christian obeys the commands of Jesus Christ. If you are a true believer, then you will obey the commands of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:3). The person who blatantly and continually breaks the commandments of God simply does not know Him.

Finally, an authentic Christian loves and obeys the Word of God (1 John 2:5). You cannot effectively live the Christian life without a love for, and obedience to, God’s Word. All true disciples of Jesus Christ will be students of Scripture and will walk according to its teaching. This is vital to authentic Christian living, because the Bible is indeed the very textbook of life (2 Timothy 3:16).

Should the Church shut out sinners?

Church of the Holy Spirit in Dúbravka

Church of the Holy Spirit in Dúbravka (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“The church has to shut out sin, even if it meant shutting out sinners.” Those are the words of the Revernd Woodrow kroll of Back to the Bible. Mr. Kroll who is a Biblical scholar and arthor, is doing a radio series, titled “Journey through Revelation”.

In his latest episode he talked about the toleration of the post modern Church. He compares such toleration to that of the Church in Thyatira, one of the seven Churches in Asia John writes about in the book of Revelation. Mr. Kroll referred to the Church in Thyatira as the “Universal Church of toleration”. (Revelation 2:18-29). “Here is what I (Jesus) command you (John) to write to the church in Thyatira.

Here are the words of the Son of God. He is the One whose eyes are like blazing fire. His feet are like polished bronze. He says, I know what you are doing. I know your love and your faith. I know how well you have served. I know you don’t give up easily. In fact, you are doing more now than you did at first.

But here is what I have against you. You put up with that woman Jezebel. She calls herself a prophet. With her teaching, she has led my servants into sexual sin. She has tricked them into eating food offered to statues of gods.

I’ve given her time to turn away from her sinful ways. But she doesn’t want to. She sinned on a bed. So I will make her suffer on a bed. And those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly. Their only way out is to turn away from what she taught them to do. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the One who searches hearts and minds. I will pay each of you back for what you have done.

I won’t bother the rest of you in Thyatira. You don’t follow the teaching of Jezebel. You haven’t learned what some people call Satan’s deep secrets. Just hold on to what you have until I come.

I’ll give authority over the nations to all who overcome and who carry out my plans to the end. It is written,

He will rule them with an iron rod.
He will break them to pieces like clay pots.”(Psalm 2:9)

I have received this authority from my Father. I will also give the morning star to all who overcome.

Those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.

Mr. Kroll said, “If we (the Church) tolerate what goes on in the world around us, rather than point it out in love as sin, we only aid the enemy”. When asked, “What is it going to take to get us get over feeling uncomfortable to stop looking the other way and just take some action? He replied, “Backbone”. “It is going to take the Church having a lot more backbone than it shown in the last quarter of a century”.

You may listen to the episode here: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/back-to-the-bible/listen/thyatira-the-universal-church-of-toleration-299721.html