Sunday Reflections

We had a very special day on Sunday. Judd and his team led us through some great hymns. Stephen Humphries, who won the national competition for hammer dulcimer added a great dynamic to the acoustical guitars. Jeremy preached a challenging message on “Obey.”

Let’s be honest… when we read some of the stories of the Old Testament, they can challenge us in our faith and our understanding of God. The passage that Jeremy used in 1 Samuel 15 would cause some to question, “Why is God so cruel in demanding complete annihilation of the Amalekite nation?”

Here are a few observations:

• God does not have to explain Himself. He answers to no one. He does not have an advisory team. He is not part of an accountability team. He is GOD!
• When the Bible does not make sense to us, there is usually more to the story. Jeremy helped us to see the real history of the Amalekites. They were vicious, blood-thirsty and ruthless to their core.
• Maybe God had already sent many prophets to the Amalekites to call them to repentance. We know from Jonah’s story that God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach repentance… and they had a similar reputation of cruelty as the Amalekites.
• In fact, God had actually waited for many centuries for the Amalekites to get the act together. One author states it this way, “God never acted precipitously against them (the Amalekites); his grace and mercy waited to see if they would repent and turn from their headlong plummet into self-destruction.” (See a more complete quote at the bottom of this blog)
• A question I must ask myself, “Does God have the right to do as He pleases; as He sees fit?” Simple answer: Absolutely! God is holy and righteous. God is just.
• The bottom line question that I took away from Jeremy’s message, “Am I obedient to God’s commands no matter what the cost?” God is not asking for my approval or even for my understanding. He is, however, expecting my obedience.

“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NLT)

What has God been asking of you lately? What area are you not obeying?

If you missed Sunday, go to www.gatewaybc.com and listen to Jeremy’s message!


Additional Quote:
Why was God so opposed to the Amalekites? When the Israelites were struggling through the desert toward Canaan, the Amalekites picked off the weak, sick and elderly at the end of the line of marchers and brutally murdered these stragglers. Warned Moses, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God” (Deut 25:17–18).

Some commentators note that the Amalekites were not merely plundering or disputing who owned what territories; they were attacking God’s chosen people to discredit the living God. Some trace the Amalekites’ adamant hostility all through the Old Testament, including the most savage butchery of all in Haman’s proclamation that all Jews throughout the Persian Empire could be massacred on a certain day (Esther 3:8–11). Many make a case that Haman was an Amalekite. His actions then would ultimately reveal this nation’s deep hatred for God, manifested toward the people through whom God had chosen to bless the whole world. (Hard Sayings of the Bible: Kaiser, Davids, Bruce, Brauch, p. 206)

For Men Only - Part Two

I am following up my last blog concerning lust with a copy of a recent writing by James Emery White, the Senior Pastor of Mecklenburg Church in Charlotte, NC. His comments are dead on. If you want to minister to other men, pass this along to every man, young man, teenage guy that you know... they need to read this.

******

Is Porn Really That Big of a Deal?

When it comes to porn, the question facing many men is simple: is it really wrong? Is it really that big of a deal? I mean, it’s just an image on a screen. It’s not someone I know (so it’s not lust, right?), or someone I’m having an actual affair with, so I’m still faithful to my wife. It’s just sexual release, like masturbation, and we all know that masturbation is not condemned in the Bible. It’s not even mentioned. And isn’t sex a good thing, so what’s wrong in watching it happen? I’m just admiring beauty. And besides, I’m single, so what do you expect me to do with all this pent-up sexual energy? It seems like a safe release until I am married.

I’ve heard all of this, and more, from men.

So is it really that big of a deal?

Yes, and here’s why:

It is sexual sin. Jesus made it clear that when we give in to lust, it is akin the act itself. It makes no difference whether you know the person or not; lust is not tied to relationship.

It is addictive. The ubiquitous nature of porn is new to our culture, and to human sexuality, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it is highly addictive in nature. As a result, it can not only begin to dominate a life, but can demand ever-increasing levels of exposure and ever-increasing degrees of experience to continue to stimulate.

It is degrading to women. In pornography, women are treated as objects. They are not fulfilling God’s dream for their life as His precious daughter, nor are they fulfilling His design for sexual expression and fulfillment. You are watching a woman who is being sinned against, treated in a way that is contemptible to her heavenly father (whether she sees it or not – and the fact that many may not only adds to its tragic nature).

It leads to other sins. Studies are beginning to show that the effects of porn on men is more than temporary sexual stimulation: as they see women treated as objects, they begin to treat women that way. They become more sexually aggressive, leading to date rapes and expected “hook-ups.”

It harms your relationship with your current, or future, spouse. It is absolutely bogus to say that watching porn enhances a sexual life. Instead, it cheapens it. Porn quickly becomes a substitute for sexual intimacy with your spouse.

It desensitizes your soul. Sin of any kind desensitizes your spiritual life. Continued exposure to a sin such as pornography is like shooting novocaine into your soul. It deadens you and grieves the Holy Spirit in your life, forcing Him to withdraw His utmost filling in a way that diminishes His power and presence in your life.

It distorts sex. “You can get a large audience together for a strip-tease act,” wrote C.S. Lewis, “that is, to watch a girl undress on the stage. Now suppose you came to a country where you could fill a theatre by simply bringing a covered plate on to the stage and then slowly lifting the cover so as to let every one see, just before the lights went out, that it contained a mutton chop or a bit of bacon, would you not think that in that country something had gone wrong with the appetite for food? And would not anyone who had grown up in a different world think there was some equally queer about the state of the sex instinct among us?”

I’m a pastor. I talk with men who are dealing with the spiritual torment and guilt of engaging in a sin while trying to rationalize it away; I talk with men who are having to fight it as an addiction; I talk with men who are finding it is leading them to a warped view of women; I talk with men who are experiencing it’s direct path to other sins; I talk with men who are seeing its assault on their marriage; I talk with men who are trying to awaken their souls from its deadening grip; I talk with men who have distorted views of what sex is about.

I have a front-row seat to how it’s impacting their lives. I don’t need to wait for a host of studies. I’m in a living laboratory. So don’t tell me it’s no big deal.

I know the men who can prove you wrong.

James Emery White


Sources

For help with pornography, as well as accountability software, visit www.xxxchurch.com.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Sunday Reflections

We had a great day at Gateway yesterday. Jesus Christ was lifted up in multiple ways:

• Baptized nine new believers!!
• Cory and Judd lead us in worshipping the Lord… fantastic in all three services.
• The Choir lifted up the Lord with great music.
• Great attendance in all three services.
• David brought a challenging message in our 3rd message of the Worship Series.
• I look forward to bringing the final message in this series on Sunday. We will close the series with communion.

Our Holiday Hospitality Dinner was amazing:

• Highest attendance ever for our Ladies Night Out! Way to go ladies!!!
• Added 10 extra tables… could not add any more due to space.
• Had 50 ladies on a waiting list.
• Multiple comments that the food was the best ever – BIG thanks to Linda and her team!!
• Anne MacCallum, as usual, was amazing with her music and voice.
• Meredith Brock was incredible with her stirring testimony. (Okay, so I am very partial… but everyone agrees with me on this one.)
• Two ladies prayed to receive Christ – that never gets old.
• Many indicated an interest in learning more about Jesus Christ. (Pray that they will respond to the Gospel when we follow up with them!!!)

It Never, Never, Never Stops!

One of the residual effects of my car accident is tinnitus (ringing in the ears). My physician told me that my concussion may have caused this. It’s been strong, loud, and many times piercing in its high pitch. I sleep only a few hours a night due to the ringing. It easily wakes me up. So this past week, I was sent to a Neurologist. In the ear that has the ringing, the neurologist found some dried blood deep in my ear and a great deal of irritation around the ear drum. He believes the damage was caused by the accident. An MRI is being done to make sure none of my wiring has been crossed. Now we all know that my wires have been crossed for a long time… so nothing new. He also gave me something to help with the sleeping.

He asked me, “How long were you unconscious when the wreck occurred?” I said, “None at all.” Then he asked, “Well, how do you know? You had amnesia.” I thought about his question and then replied, “I guess I really don’t know…” He made me laugh. “You are really messing with my head…” Then again, he is a neurologist.

I am finding that in life God uses almost every situation that happens to me as a teaching moment of a spiritual truth. If you look for it, you can find a God-truth in each of your situations. And when you find the God-truth… well, it will radically change how you view your circumstances.

When God did not heal Paul from his “thorn in the flesh” God taught him great truths by not answering Paul’s continual prayer.

“So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:7b-9 (NLT)

Why would God allow Satan to torment Paul? For a great reason… if Paul became a prideful person, the power of Christ would no longer work through him. God would stop using him. Paul had plenty to brag about. He had great seeds for success that could quickly grow into thorns of pride.

God wants to grow you and me into Christ-likeness. He wants us to learn humility. Was Christ humble?

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8

So yes, Christ was humble. And God wants you and me to be like Him. So what is God teaching me with my “thorn in the ears”? Well, I have learned that when I don’t focus on the ringing; when I ignore it, I don’t hear it. Yes, it’s still there. Yes it is still loud, but I just don’t hear it. But when I think about it (like right now as I write this) the ringing is very loud and piercing. It seems to grow in its loudness. It is annoying and distracting… and can even be depressing.

Temptation is like that. It always there… “crouching like a lion waiting to devour.” Temptation is all around you. The temptation to gossip; lie; cheat; ignore the Holy Spirit’s promptings; fulfill the desires of the flesh, be driven by fear, hatred, selfishness, to mistreat, misuse, judge, to be prideful, arrogant, stubborn… you name it, it is always near by.

So here is one last lesson that I am learning from the tinnitus. When I focus on the temptations that are always around me, they become more intense. My focus on them increases the power of the temptations! I give the temptation a greater opportunity to draw me closer; to defeat me. So I have a choice…do I concentrate on the temptation or do I choose to “focus on the author and finisher of my faith?”

Flee from your temptation… stop thinking about it, focusing on it, empowering it. The spiritual power to resist comes from a posture of humility. Not false humility, but one that understands that if it were not for the grace of God, you and I could and would quickly fall into sin.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:10

Remember, just like the ringing, temptation is always there. You get to decide whether you focus on it or not. Choose to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ.