None of these things move me...

 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. (Acts 20:22-25)

Paul was a true man of God. He stood in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds on many occasions. He loved God. He loved God's people. 

Any way that he could find that did not break scripture to reach out to people, he was willing to give it a try. 

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9: 18-22)

What an attitude! 

In our opening passage in Acts, if you follow the story over several chapters, Paul had been told by God that he was being sent on a mission to the gentiles to bring them into the fold. As such, the Jews (who were already angry at his conversion) were ready to kill him for trying to convert the Gentiles to worshipping the one true God. This did not sit well with "God's chosen people." 

But Paul had heard from God. In fact, early on, he was told "how great things he must suffer for my names sake." (Acts 9:16).

Paul knew that Jesus had given his all for us. He also knew that, in following Jesus, we must give our all to him. No matter the sacrifice. No matter the cost. If we go broke, that's okay. If we are beaten and imprisoned, that's fine. If we die, thy will be done, Lord. 

Whatever level of our lives we are dealing with, ALL levels must be submitted to God. 

We cannot serve Jesus on Sundays and Wednesdays, but the rest of the time is ours. It doesn't work that way. 

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

We don't get to choose ANYTHING! Our job as Christians is to do 3 things:

1) Listen (Pray and seek his will) 2) Hear (Find his will) 3) Obey (DO what his will is for all situations.) 

We don't belong to ourselves. We are his. 

As Christian leaders, we are to seek out a fresh word for those we minister to. We cannot just regurgitate a sermon from years ago. Those we are helping to feed deserve (and God requires) fresh manna from heaven. 

As husbands and fathers, we are to seek God in all situations and be willing to sacrifice ourselves (lay down our lives) for them in every way. It doesn't matter how hard I have to work to care for my family. It doesn't matter how many hours I have to work, how many jobs I have to do, to care for my family. They are my family and my responsibility. It is all a labor of love. And this doesn't negate my responsibility as spiritual leader of the home. 

God spoke to Paul about much of what he would have to suffer. In fact, on several occasions, he was told by different people that if he went to Jerusalem, he'd wind up in chains. But, Paul was trying to be used of God to win the bride of Jesus. "None of these things move me," he said. 

Jesus paid his all for his bride. Paul was willing to join him on his quest. We should be willing to die in caring for our bride and in trying to win the bride of Christ. 

When Jesus gives us a mission, we will be tested. Many times, things will come up that point out the possible negative effects of staying the course. When we come to those crossroads, we have a choice. 

Do we stay the course and suffer the affliction that may come, knowing that we are in the will of God. Or, do we leave the course and choose "the easy way." The easy way won't take us to heaven, but we can choose it. The easy way means to cater to our flesh and disavow our mission from God. The easy way may make it easier to live here, but it means hell for eternity. 

May we all take Paul's attitude when we are looking at the possible consequences of launching out in faith for Jesus. May we look at them, shrug our shoulders, and say, "None of these things move me." 

None of these things will sway me from the course that Jesus has set for me. 

  

Blessings come in the darkness.

Exodus 20:18-22King James Version (KJV)

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

God's goal has always been to be in close relationship with mankind. When man sinned, it drove a wedge between God and man. Ever since then, man has tried to find ways to placate God, but without making any real change. It's called religion. 

Here in Exodus 20, God lays down the law for Israel. Yet, when the people saw what an awesome God he is, they grew deathly afraid. Rather than responding to the invitation of Moses to enter God's presence and gain that relationship, they decided they'd rather have one man go and speak to God for them (and for God to them.) They chose religion. 

Religion requires an appearance of godliness, but denies (or declines access to) the power thereof- for it is a divine relationship with the almighty that produces true godliness. 

Religion goes to church and returns home unchanged and unaffected. Relationship causes a person to become a part of the church- for a church is not a building or organization. The church is the born again believers of Jesus Christ. 

Religion gives comforting platitudes that make you feel better. Relationship helps you to face your issues and become who God is calling you to be. 

So, the people (having rejected Moses' call to relationship) stood back and watched as Moses walked deep into the darkness. Why did he do that? Could he not hear the thunder and see the lightning? Could he not feel the shaking of the mountain and surrounding areas? Why would this crazy man willingly choose to enter into such a dangerous place and into such obvious danger?

Because he knew that God was there in the midst of all they saw and feared. He longed for and desired a closer relationship- a covenant- with the God of the universe. He understood that he had to willingly choose God over the wants and desires of his flesh. 

God allows us, indeed puts us into, storms. He calls us into storms at times, in order to work out things in us that need to come out. He allows our world to be shaken so that we will learn that our refuge is him. He leads us through darkness so that we will know that he is our only light in a dark world. 

Hard times teach us to rely on him. This, in turn, allows us to help other people who are going through what we have already been through. We, who have been through the storm, can look into the storm and encourage those that are still going through it. 

In other words, it's not about us. It's about God. It's not about us. It's about helping other people to survive what we have already lived through, by pointing them to the only one who can pull them out- Jesus. 

Don't run from the storms and rely on religious platitudes. God is calling you into the high country. Storms are prevalent in those high places. But, God has called us to dwell in heavenly places with him. And the only way to do that, is to take his hand and walk through the storm. 

Making it through the trials: A lesson from Psalms 42- enjoy the roller coaster.

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. 

Let's face it folks. We humans love the easy road. We, especially we in the "western world", love things to go smooth and  

gently. How else can we explain the proliferation of the false "prosperity doctrine" that we see and hear in our society. These "preachers" are not stupid. They line their pockets by telling folks that, if they will just get with "God's"- really their- program, then God will flatten every mountain, dry up every quagmire, heal every disease, as you live your lives "happily ever after" (as long as you send the "preachers" your check. 

Yet, they ignore verses like 1 Peter 4:12, and the like. 

The truth is, it takes intestinal fortitude and a made up mind to make heaven. 

The prosperity preachers scream that Jesus came to give us LIFE, and that more abundantly. Yet, life is a series of good times and hard times. Jesus said we were going to have even more- of both good times and bad times.

With this in mind, I believe there's a pattern that can be gleaned through reading Psalms 42. So, please, pull out your Bible and have a look. Here are some notes to help us understand it a little better. By the way, I only use the KJV. If my wordings don't match what you read there, then you are reading a different version.

Verses 1 and 2 deal with the fact that we must have a hunger and thirst for the Lord. David wasn't called "a man after God's own heart" because he was such a perfect man. He was called that because he spent his life in hot pursuit (ever going AFTER) God's heart. He knew when he messed up, where to go in repentance. We must have the same attitude. Try our best. But, when we fall, we must go to God in full repentance.  

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But, just as a child with a godly father, there comes a point where the fear must turn to love. We stop doing good to avoid hell and start doing good to please the God who loves us. In other words, we must fall in love with him.

In verse 3, we see that in our hot pursuit of God, we run into some hard trials. This is not uncommon in scripture. Twice the disciples were in a boat going where Jesus told them to go (so they were in his perfect will) and they ran into terrible and life threatening storms. The prosperity preachers of our day, and even some hard liners, would say that, if you are having that much trouble in your life, then you are in sin- or at the very least, you have stepped out of God's perfect will. 1 Peter tells us to "think it not strange concerning the fiery trial" which is come to "try you." The word try in the Greek means test. Our trials are tests that we must pass to reach the next level in God. But, during this, our friends and enemies are all saying the same thing to us: "Where is thy God?"

"If you were right with God, you wouldn't be suffering like this, hurting like this, or be so broke, or (you fill in the blank)." Ever been told this by the "well meaning" believers in you life? Their "kindness" usually starts with some form of this phrase: "Brother (or sister), I want to tell you something in love." When someone starts a sentence like that, put on all your armor! You're about to get hit- hard. 

In verse 4 We must remember going to the house of God and pouring out our hearts to God with other worshipers. Check out the Greek meaning for "kept holyday." It's great!  It means, "song of thankfulness!" When we are going through, if we can just remember our God and our song, then we are beginning to see some light at the end of our trial. 

In verse 5, the words "cast down" mean "bow down." We need to shake ourselves. We must chide ourselves for submitting (bowing) to their interpretation of our trials. We must pick ourselves back up and begin to praise God. Notice the faith we must have: "I will YET praise him  for the help....," signifying that we must believe that in the future, this trial will be over (because we believe God is going to help us!) and we will praise him (afterwards) for the help he sends us. 

But, the meaning of "help" is really interesting. It means, in the Hebrew, "something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity." So, our deliverance comes when our faith and God's timing meet. Remember, there's a time for every purpose under heaven. God's purpose is to conform us to the image (representation) of the man Christ Jesus. So, he chisels away at our lives through the trials we go through. 

Our victory comes when our faith in God and his timing meet. Our prosperity comes when our faith and his timing meet. Please note: Prosperity does not necessarily mean wealth. It means the provision of what we need to accomplish his purposes in our lives. 

And why does our help come? Because we responded in faith (finally) and God's favorable countenance is turned on us! 

So, a) we go around in circles for a while in a pity party because we listen to the evil voices that chide us. b) Then, we shake ourselves and remember all God has done for us in the past. c) Then, our faith rises up and we believe this trial will end because God is going to send help. d) Finally, the trial ends and we receive from God salvation, deliverance, aid, victory, and prosperity. 

So, we can enjoy the mountain top- for a while- until the next valley. 

In verses 6-10, we enter another trial. This one is worse than the last one. (verse 10 says it is so severe an attack that we feel it in our bones!) Yet, in all this, our faith doesn't falter. Unlike the first attack and struggle, we don't lose our faith. We press through the attack. We are still holding onto our faith in God's help. 

In the midst of this trial (verse 7) God calls us by name! The word "calleth" here actually means "to call by name" in the Hebrew. Indeed, God uses this trial to change us. The words for "are gone over" mean, "transition, to cross over, cover." So the Lord changes us here (transition) and allows us to cross over into the promises he has given us in the past- and he provides us with a spiritual covering. So, now God has our back. 

But, the trial still goes on.

 The enemies are still yelling, "Where is your God?" We're still being tempted to give up. We almost do. But, in verse 11, we read the almost identical declaration as verse 5. We correct ourselves for doubting- though certainly not as much doubt as the first time. We place his focus squarely on God, pointing perhaps to the first trial(s) we went through to remind ourselves that God will bring us through again. We reach the point, again, where we say (in full faith of future deliverance), "I shall YET praise him..." 

But, this time, the outcome is different. Our HEALTH ("the health of MY countenance") is restored. Mental health? Physical health? Spiritual health? It's all under the broad term HEALTH. Our mental and physical health are made whole AND our relationship with God is made stronger than ever before (it says, "and my God.").

This, I believe is the true progression of a Christian's life. This is the true meaning of Romans 1:16-17:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith."

Did you catch that? From faith TO faith.

The Christian life is a a God ordained progression of trials and triumphs, good times and bad times. Why? Because that progression builds our faith and relationship with him! Because each trial exposes some flaw in us that we can repent if. And each victory places in us godly fruit.   

If we will learn to trudge on through the trials of our life, holding on to faith in God, then a) our individual trials may not last as long, and b) we will grow up in God faster to become what he is intending the trials to make us to be in the first place.

God is the potter and we are the clay. The trials we go through are intended to change us into the vessel he needs us to be.

So, we need to stop complaining about the roller coaster (the ups and downs) and enjoy the ride. The end of the ride will certainly be worth it all.  

Do we have rights?

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in allthe world for a witness unto all nations; and then shallthe end come.

I enjoy politics, I guess. As a political conservative, I focus mainly on what the Constitution does and doesn't say. I love the Constitution, for it is a document that allows freedom and protects our citizens from the evils of big government.

On the other side of the political aisle are the progressives/liberals. These have spent the last 100 plus years chipping away at the Constitution in order to give the federal government more and more control of our individual lives. This is a very bad thing and I will fight it to my dying breath.

However, in the church world, we have the opposite problem. 

We spend a great deal of time "spreading the gospel" and trying to get people "saved." 

That's all well and good, except our focus is wrong. 

We teach lessons, sing songs, write books, etc the goal of which are to show people what God will do for them. I guess the theory is that, in order to reach the "me generation," we have to "get them saved" by explaining the benefits of becoming a Christian. After all, everybody needs Jesus as their savior, right?

That's true.

But, we do them a disservice because we are only showing them half (if that) of the picture.

Jesus didn't come just to seek and save that which was lost. He came to impose his kingdom and displace the devil's kingdom. 

Every step he took towards Calvary and beyond was in direct and open warfare with the devil's kingdom.  

For example, Jesus didn't heal everybody he met that were sick and injured. He could have. Why didn't he? 

Acts 10:38

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

If he didn't heal someone, they were sick of natural, not supernatural, causes. 

Put simply, the kingdom of God had come to war with the kingdom of Satan. And Jesus won! 

But, there are some things that we must understand.

Jesus MUST be savior AND Lord (supreme controller) or he cannot be savior at all.

Human nature is that if we do not have an authority above us that we must follow and obey, we will do whatever we think is right.

The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We must obey that gospel to enter into his kingdom and become a citizen (John 3:1-8, Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 4:27, 2 Thes. 1:8). 

But, when we enter the kingdom, we have been bought with a price and are no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). We can no longer do anything we want. There's a higher authority that we must (and will) answer to.

The kingdom of God has a king. His name is Jesus. As king, he has the right to allow us to do something. He also has the right to tell us no. 

As citizens of his kingdom, we have the right to ask, and we have the responsibility to obey the ruling that the king gives on any given matter.

The reason the church cannot allow a homosexual teacher/preacher/singer in it's walls is not that God (and we) don't love them. It's because the king's decree (the Bible) forbids it.

The reason we must stand against all sin is because our king has decreed that sin will keep men out of his kingdom and condemn them to eternal punishment in hell. 

Politics involves compromise. In the kingdom of God there is no compromise. 

When you become a citizen of the kingdom of God, you willingly submit yourself to his rule over your life- in all areas. 

There is no middle ground. It's the kings way, or the devils way.

Do we have rights? Yes. The right to obey God in all things. Period. 

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Do You need a mentor?

If you follow my blog, you will notice that I haven't posted in about a month. Simple reason: My internet has been down. Sorry for not being there for you. However, I have been writing while I've been absent.

Below, you will find an excerpt from a book for prospective preachers I'm working on. It's titled, "So you think you're called." This section is on the subject of the lost art of mentoring. Is it Biblical? Do we need a mentor? Should we be a mentor?

I pray it's a blessing to you. I would also love to have your feedback on it. Feel free to comment. God bless!

First of all, let's clear something up: EVERYONE needs a mentor. Jesus mentored the disciples (who became the apostles). The Apostles mentored new converts. Paul was mentored by Barnabus. Paul, in turn, mentored many, including Timothy, Titus, Silas, etc.
I realize that our western culture speaks much about being independent. From Sanatra's “I did it my way” to modern songs that say things like, “I'm just doing me,” our culture is obsessed with doing things our own way. However, our culture and God's culture are not the same thing.
Jesus came preaching the “gospel of the kingdom.” A kingdom has a king. Jesus is that king. Our culture says we have a choice as to what laws we pick and choose to follow. In God's kingdom, we don't have that freedom. Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?” Lord, in the Greek, means “supreme controller.” Jesus is supposed to be both our savior AND our Lord. If he is not our Lord, then he cannot be our savior. This means we must follow and obey him in every area of our lives.
This is a huge departure from our western culture's mindset. That's why we are commanded to “make disciples of every man.” ( ) Since we are not raised in a kingdom, we need to be taught how to change our thinking from a democracy to a kingdom. This means, before we can make disciples, we must become a disciple. We must learn how the kingdom of God works. We must learn it's rules and functions. We must change our own culture to match the culture of God's kingdom. Then, we are qualified to make disciples.
The teacher/disciple relationship in the culture of Jesus' day was not the same as a teacher student relationship in today's society. Today's students go to a class and learn strictly information from a teacher. The focus of the class is the subject being taught- not the teachers themselves. Other than the information being shared, there's very little personal teaching going on. Teachers are interchangeable as long as the subject is being taught.
In the ancient Israeli culture, however- indeed, in the ancient world in general- it was not that way at all. The subject was definitely important, but what was more important was the teacher himself. He gained students because of who he was, his standing in the community, his area of expertise, and the knowledge and success he had in that particular life discipline. If he were successful, he didn't have to go looking for students. In fact, they came looking for him. He could only teach so many at a time, so he was very picky about who he taught. They had to be bright, attentive, of a good family, of good reputation, and willing to submit their lives to the “Rabbi” (teacher) for whatever he ordered them to do.
The accepted students were called his “disciples.” Why? It took discipline to follow a teacher. It took a total life commitment to follow a teacher. It wasn't a few hours a day, broken up into small classrooms and given in small doses. It was all day long, many hours a day, on the one subject at hand- six days a week (The Jewish culture took the Sabbath day off). A disciple could spend years learning from their master/teacher. Many times, the disciples were young men (usually unmarried) who were trying to learn a trade to prepare them for their future. Their training was a total and complete lifestyle change for them. They had to be completely dedicated to the task of learning their trade, or they would be thrown out of the training, ostracized, and risk becoming a beggar (or worse).
It was to this time period that the disciples (who were about to become apostles) belonged. It was to this mindset that Jesus spoke when he told them to “make disciples of all men.” Jesus had discipled them for 3 ½ years. He had spent nearly every day and night with them. He had totally changed their mindsets about life and religion. Now, right before they were to receive his spirit to empower them for the work he had been preparing them for, he tells them to go and do the same thing he did: disciple people.
For those people who made it through their training, a strong bond would remain between teacher and student, Rabbi and disciple. A bond that would last for the rest of their lives. It was purposely designed this way because the teacher was older, wiser, and more experienced. When the disciple finally branched out on their own, they carried the same practices of their teacher into their own lives. People familiar with their teacher could see the evidence of his teaching in their work and lives. They also knew that they still could go to their teacher with questions and find answers.
When Jesus told the Apostles to make disciples of men, he was saying, “ I have poured my life and heart into your lives for 3 ½ years. I have been with you in good times and bad. I have taught you day and night and helped you change your whole way of thinking. Now, you go and do the same in the lives of others.”
Jesus preached to and fed multitudes. He taught thousands. Yet, he only discipled twelve. These men (except for the one who betrayed him) would form the basis for his church. Even though they preached to thousands and performed miracles, there is evidence in the scriptures that they only mentored a few- so that they could mentor others.
Wait, brother Winskie. I thought we were talking about teachers and students. Now, you say mentor? That's what a biblical teacher truly is. A mentor. One of the biggest areas of lack in today's Churchianity is the lack of true teacher/mentors. There is no lack of people who like to be heard speaking to show others what they think they know. But, there is a decided lack of men who are willing to get involved in the lives of men (and women for women- see Titus 2), get their proverbial hands dirty, and raise up true disciples who will help mentor the next generation.
If you don't have a mentor, pray and ask God to lead you to one. If you can't find one, God will definitely be your mentor. But, make it up in your mind and heart that you are going to become a mentor for some other men. If you do, this will begin to heal part of the breach in the churches walls.
Become a disciple. Then, become a mentor. Some others out there need the wisdom, knowledge, and experience you will gain in the process.
Anybody can work and draw a paycheck. Anyone can teach a class, if they can learn the subject matter and learn how to speak understandably. But, it's a special man that will pour his life and knowledge into the lives of others. He may not make a lot of money, but the rewards are ever lasting and he will affect generations to come. The man who's in it for the paycheck will be forgotten. The man who truly mentors will be remembered for years to come.
Which one do you want to be?

Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Acts 2:36-39

King James Version (KJV)

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Imagine with me, if you will, that you were there on the very first "Pentecost Sunday." You were a part of the crowds gathered in Jerusalem on the "feast of first fruits." A time set aside to celebrate God's provision for the needs of his people.

You've been raised following the law of Moses. All your life, you've been told that a deliverer, a messiah, was coming to deliver the people of God from their burdens. At some point during the day we call "Pentecost," called that because it was 50 days after the crucifixion of Jesus. (Penta means 50) 

Suddenly, in the midst of the religious celebrations, something had begun to happen. A disturbance. Something very strange is happening. Everyone is talking about it. When you and your friends hear about it, you all decide to rush over and see what is happening.

The first thing you see is a group of people spilling out of a building. At first look, they are staggering around. They seem to be drunk. Someone in the crowd actually accuses them of being just that. 

These strange people are speaking in foreign languages that only some in the crowd understand, but every language present in the crowd is somehow covered. You wonder how these obviously uneducated and low income people ever learned these languages. They certainly couldn't have afforded the schooling. 

Suddenly, one of the "drunks" stands and speaks loudly- almost unearthly. Somehow, it's loud enough for the thousands that are gathered nearby to hear (a feat that is difficult when you consider that they didn't exactly have amplifiers in those days.) He begins to explain that they are definitely not drunk. Rather, he explains, that what you see going on is a fulfillment of what the prophet Joel says: 

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

"Wait," you say, "this was prophesied by Joel all those centuries ago?"

He goes on to explain that the Messiah and deliverer that you have pined for and longed for all of your life, is a man named Jesus, from a little town called Nazareth. That this man lived a perfect and blameless life. He performed miracles and spoke the words of God. Then, in the ultimate act of love, he allowed himself to be crucified (at the behest of many in the crowd that day). 

Finally, he points out that Jesus is (by decree of God almighty) "both Lord (supreme controller) and Christ (Messiah/deliverer)."

There is a stunned silence that overtakes the crowd, you can see the look of realization of the faces of the gathered throngs. You can almost see them thinking: "All my life I've longed for my deliverer, and when he comes, I shouted for him to be crucified?"

A look of horror crosses all of their faces. Then, a look of desperation as they thought, "I am guilty of the murder of the Messiah! God will have vengeance on me! How can I ever make this right with God? What can I do?"

Finally, the pressure builds and then one by one, more and more begin to ask the same question out loud. And since these strange people seem to know what's going on, they begin to ask them: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

You yourself start to wonder and ask the same question. You were consenting of the death of Jesus. You even mocked and said, "He saved others, lets see him save himself." Some of your friends said that if he were to come down off the cross, then they would follow him.

Scriptures you haven't considered in relation to the Messiah, but that you've heard from your youth begin to go through your mind: 

Isaiah 53:4-6

King James Version (KJV)

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

"Oh, my Lord," you think in fear. You remember how you felt about him. How you disdained him. How you said God was against him and this Crucifixion was God's just punishment for this false prophet. 

Yet, he was beaten and wounded, just like the prophet said. You saw him beaten with the cat of nine tails- the many stripes he bore. You even saw him lain on a cross and his hands and feet were pierced...

Oh no. Another scripture said: Zechariah 13:6
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

The feeling in the air becomes more oppressive, as if God himself is dealing with you. You think, "Am I guilty of the blood of the Messiah?"

But, he even cried out on the cross, why would the Messiah do that? Then it hits you: Didn't the Psalms use the exact same words that Jesus did? "Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?..."

It hits you then, your Messiah did come. And, just as Isaiah prophesied, you are a sheep gone astray. Suddenly your voice joins the voices of others: "What shall we do," you ask aloud- desperate to have this great sin (Indeed, ALL your sins) somehow washed away.

Then, the man who had been speaking answers you all: 

Acts 2:38-39

King James Version (KJV)

"38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

Finally, a way out! You don't have to carry your sins with you. Your blood guilt can be washed away. You bow your knees and begin to pray in sincere repentance. You then join the multitudes that are being baptized in the very name of the one you had wanted crucified just 50 days ago. When you come up out of those baptismal waters, you find yourself speaking in a language you don't know- just like the crowd you had watched before. Now, however, you're not watching them- you are one of them.

Now, back to our day.

You see, my friend, that the response to the crowds cry on the birthday of the church was simple. When asked how to rid themselves of their sin, they were told- by the Apostles- 3 things: 1) Repent 2) be baptized in Jesus name 3) receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

There was no "repeat the sinners prayer." There was no "just believe." There was no, "shake the preachers hand and join the church." In answer to the dilemma of sin, the Apostles all had the same message: "Repent, be baptized in Jesus name, and be filled with the Holy Ghost."

This same plan of salvation was used in Acts 8, Acts 10, and Acts 19. Jesus himself said we must "repent" (Luke 5:32)and be "born of water AND of the spirit." (John 3:5) John the Baptist taught water and spirit baptism (Matthew 3:11). The Apostles, as we have seen, all taught this same plan of salvation. 

Any "plan of salvation" that says otherwise, is no plan of salvation at all. If a person only repents, but does not do the other 2 steps, they are believers, but NOT born again. 

If a person repents and gets baptized in Jesus name, but fails to allow God to fill them with his spirit? 

Romans 8:9

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

If a person repents and receives the spirit, but doesn't get baptized in Jesus name? 

1 Peter 3:20-22

King James Version (KJV)

"20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"

No, my friend. There is no middle ground. Either a person is born again, or they're not. 

The Apostles were not born again until the day of Pentecost. How do I know? Luke 22:32

"But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

At this point, Peter and the Apostles had all repented and been baptized and were baptizing (John 3:22). Yet, they were not born again. They still were incomplete and needed to be converted. So, why do we think we have a different path than they? 

And for those who say that "we only want to follow what Jesus said (the red letters)." Jesus also said of the Apostles: "

John 17:20

King James Version (KJV)

"20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"

So, in God's eyes, the words of his Apostles are his words. Indeed, we are told, 

2 Timothy 3:15-17

King James Version (KJV)

"15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

So, put yourself back in the shoes of the Jewish person we began this blog with. Like him, we are sinners in need of a savior. Like him, we look for our redeemer. Like him, we have -in times past- scoffed at the ways of God. 

Yet, also like him, we are guilty of the blood of the very savior we seek. He was bruised for OUR iniquities, wounded for OUR transgressions. He took stripes for US. He took the nails in order to redeem us!

We, like the thousands on that first day of Pentecost, should ask the Apostles of our Lord, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 

And, like that first crowd, we need to obey what they said and be born again: 

Acts 2:38

King James Version (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

To and Fro, to and fro, which way will you choose to go?

Galatians 6:7-10

King James Version (KJV)

7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 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.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

2 Chronicles 16:9a

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Job 2:2

And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

James 1:8 

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 4:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Ephesians 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

This thought hit me today, as I was in church and listening to my pastors sermon. Honestly, it came partly from the scripture he read (Galatians 6:8) and partly from my habit of reading around the scripture being quoted. So, I read verses 7-10. 

At that point, these thoughts began to come to me in rapid fire succession. So, we're gonna put the fruit of the spirit on hold for a few days and concentrate on this thought. 

Verses 7 and 8 read: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 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.

There are two distinct choices listed here. 

A) We can sew to our flesh and eventually reap corruption. In order to be a child of God, we must be born again (Acts 2:38). In order to remain a child of God we must crucify our flesh and strive to be like him (with his help, of course). If we allow our flesh to have free reign in our lives, we will once again begin to practice the works of the flesh: 

Galatians 5:19-21

King James Version (KJV)

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

In so doing, we separate ourselves from the spirit of God and we can lose our salvation and wind up in hell. After all, even Paul said: 1 Corinthians 9:27

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

B) Or, we can sew to the spirit. We do this in many ways. Prayer, Bible Study, public worship, hearing the taught and preached word, being careful what we read, watch, and listen to, being careful who we hang out with, etc. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't. 

Becoming a Christian is a lifestyle change. We MUST turn away from the world and our flesh. We MUST seek God first and his righteousness.

I love my wife. As such, I try to discover her likes and dislikes. Why? I want to keep my relationship with her and I want it to become deeper and stronger. Therefore, I try to do more of what she likes and try not to do what she hates. I begin to modify my behavior because I love her. Why should I do any less for my Lord and Savior? 

As part of his bride, my purpose is to learn his likes and dislikes. Therefore, I change my behavior in order to deepen and strengthen my relationship with him. 

The problem is that we, as humans, sometimes are double minded. We want God sometimes, but sometimes we want to feed our flesh. This makes us unstable in all our ways. 

Both God and Satan are going to and fro. Satan does it seeking whom he may devour. If we choose to sin, we step into his trap and are ripe for the eating. God does it (with is eyes- he's everywhere, so he doesn't have to move about to see what we are doing. He's already there) to look and see who is loving and serving him (and who is ready to love and serve him). He also does it to see what the sinners are doing as well- he is the righteous judge, after all.

So, obviously, Both heaven and hell are vying for our attention. Both God and Satan will do everything within their power to help us to choose their sides and to help us to stay there once we get there. So, who decides whether we make heaven or go to hell? 

We do! 

And we daily must decide whether we will follow Jesus, or follow this world. With some of us, Jesus must become really frustrated. Did you ever have a relationship where the one you wanted sent mixed signals to you? One day they wanted you. The next, they wanted someone else. Eventually, you grew tired of it and gave them up- if they didn't stop playing both sides and chose you, right?

Eventually, if we don't make up our minds, God will give us over to a reprobate mind. Why? Because we "received not the love of the truth." We have a choice to make. God will not always strive with us. And he doesn't hold onto the double minded for very long.

We must stop being blown about with every wind of doctrine. We must stand firmly on the word of God and seek him first.

The more we go to and fro, the higher the chance of our being lost. 

So: James 4:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

It is high time for us to stop flirting with both sides. We must choose. I choose Jesus. What about you?