The Gospel: Resurrection Reflection

The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection

15 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast [a]the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you [b]as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to [c]James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as [d]to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, [e]and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.                                                                                                                                       1 Cor.15:1-9 NASB

Times have been changing.  We are experiencing change in the way we worship and the way regulations have impacted churches today. I have been reading a few books, listening to ministers, and talking to several people about these changes.  It has made me ponder the question, What will the church look like in the near future in the USA? 

Understand that the American church doesn’t depict what church should or should not look like. The church is not an American product. I have heard pastors and members say that they believe that at some point the church will have to go underground or meet in homes.

I tend to agree, but at what point in the church's future will this happen? I do not know, but in the society we are living in, in order to speak the truth it can and will get costly.

I have listened to pastors say they cannot outright say some things because of fear of losing members, money, and creating a firestorm of controversy.

I have listened to frustrated members say that too many of the “professional clergy” are afraid to speak the truth for fear of the same. They fear losing their livelihood, money, members, and the extreme controversy that follows.

What I do know is the Jesus Christ is still building His church.

Matt 16:18 18 I also say to you that you are [a]Peter, and upon this [b]rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. NASB

And brave men who have stood up and spoke the truth in the face of severe persecution and oftentimes death. Have furthered the continuation of the church of Jesus Christ.

Which leads to a statement I read. Who’s responsible to keep the church going?

If Jesus is building the church then isn’t it His responsibility to keep the church built and going? Yes, it is and He will continue to build and keep the church going. 

But don’t we have a part too play in this? Remember the book of Revelation. Rev 2: 1-7 2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks [a]among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and [b]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have [c]perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the [d]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

It seems the continuance of the church here was based on their repentance and obedience to the message. The church is Jesus Christ’s to build and save, but it seems that we as people have a part to play in the continuation of the church in our area. 

Will the church in the future look like the NT church found in Acts? Will we see more house churches starting up in the future?  Will regulations continue to be imposed to worship together in-person?

Time will tell, but we do know that Jesus Christ is building His church.

Direct My Steps

Proverbs 3:5-6…Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall ^[b]direct your paths.

Psalms 37:23…The steps of a good man are ^[d]ordered by the Lord,And He delights in his way.

I love these verses and I have read them and quoted them numerous times, but at times I really feel challenged. Do I really believe them? Do I believe and trust God to direct my path?

Recently I have applied for two different jobs. I have been unhappy at my current position and really needed a change. I made it to the interview list for both jobs, but during the interview process, it became obvious that I was not the preferred candidate. I was told I had interviewed well. So this was disheartening to me after putting in many hours of work to prepare for the interviews.  It really tests your faith to trust the Lord to direct your path.

The result of being constantly rejected while trusting that the Lord is directing your steps takes time to process. You have so many emotions and you feel like giving up pursuit of anything else. Each person deals with this differently. You come to the place where you realize that you must keep going forward and trusting the Lord. The Word tells us that we should trust the Lord. He really does know what He is doing and He really is directing your steps. So, in my pursuit, I will keep trusting that God will open a door for me.  A door that He is directing my steps through.

Godly Guidance For Our Nation

Jeremiah 2:13 (NIV)

13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
    the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

In these verses, we hear the prophet Jeremiah telling Israel that they have forsaken the Lord and have tried doing things on their own.

This reminds me, as Christians, that we have to rely and trust in the Lord. He doesn't forsake us and we cannot forsake him and try to do life on our own.  

As we face an election year with all the turmoil and attacks, both in the media and by terrorists, I have to wonder, as we view America and its leaders, have we forsaken God? Are we trying to establish laws and policies on our own, without any input from God? Is this the reason why we, as a nation, are divided or in fragments? What do we, as a nation, look forward to?  Could it be found in Jeremiah 2:19 (NIV)?  Are we going to reap what we have sowed as a nation?  

I am not a doomsday person, but as I read the scriptures, I am reminded of the trouble our nation is in and the trouble that could be avoided.  We, as Christians, need to have an attitude of repentance and pray for God's mercy on our country and pray for Godly guidance for our leaders.  

Jeremiah 2:19 (NIV)

19 Your wickedness will punish you;
    your backsliding will rebuke you.
Consider then and realize
    how evil and bitter it is for you
when you forsake the Lord your God
    and have no awe of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

Common Sense; the Reprobate Mind

I have heard comments like this far too many times:

• "How could they think like that?"
• "That is not even common sense."

Maybe you have said something like that, or heard something close to it. Possibly when a politician or ruling authority makes a decision or ruling. IAnd even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;". In the margin of my bible it has a definition for "reprobate".  It says, "a mind void of judgment".  Or, we might say, common sense. 

n my bible reading the other day,  I was reminded of a verse.  Romans 1:28 KJV, "

In the first chapter of Romans we see how Paul writes that the people did not like to retain God in their knowledge and God gave them over to a reprobate mind.  Could that be the reason why we see such crazy decisions (or judgments) that lack common sense from leaders?  We have become a nation that does not honor God, or have just given lip service, certainly not worship to.  And now we have leaders and generations that have not honored God, but rather turned their back on Him.  And we have reaped a culture that is described in Romans 1:29-32. 

Romans 1:29-32    King James Version (KJV)

²⁹ Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰ Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

³¹ Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

³² Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 

 

This is not a doomsday message.  I still believe in the grace of God.  Judgment will begin at the house of God, but it will also visit our nation as well. 

 

1 Peter 4:17   King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?