Posted in Church Unity, Eternity, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Praise

Why would you want to hang out with dead people?

I was shocked when he said it. I cannot point you to the YouTube video, I kind of watched it in disbelieve and then moved on. But the thought kept being triggered in my mind. I’m not even sure what else he was reporting on, but he very nonchalantly said something about being apart of the dead Episcopalian church. Why would you want to hang out with dead people?

I have little tolerance over dead churches. It’s not that I don’t love the people. But the Lord deserves so much more! What kind of glory does it bring to the Lord when lifeless people, for whom God jerked from the bowels of Hell when they were saved, sit there like knots on a log?

Should We Finish Them Off?

That was his Disciples approach when, on his way to Jerusalem He stopped by a village of Samaritans. But they didn’t receive him.

Luke 9:51-58 KJVS
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, [52] And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. [53] And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. [54] And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? [55] But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. [56] For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. [57] And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. [58] And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

The disciples were going to wipe them off the face of the earth like Sodom and Gomorrah! I don’t know that I’ve ever been that frustrated with the dead church, but I may have been close a time or two. But these people were not the dead church, they were completely dead. Unsaved. My grandson Logan when he was a toddler would shoot you with his imaginary gun and if you attempted to come back to life he would say “You’re dead dead.” That’s what the unsaved are, they’re going to die twice. Dead dead. (Revelation 21:7-8)

Jesus rebuked them. He didn’t come to destroy, he came to save. Is that not our focus? It should be. Our first and foremost concern should be the salvation of souls. Pulling others out of Hell. If it’s not then we’re off kilter as a church. No matter how much knowledge you have or how holy you are, if your focus is not on the souls of men, you don’t understand why God sent you.

Should We Have their Funeral?

Luke 9:59-62 KJVS
[59] And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. [60] Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. [61]

Jesus wasn’t heartless. But He was telling this individual, taking care of the dead, is not your concern. We came to care for the living! I must say, there have been some funerals that I have thoroughly enjoyed. The person was saved, the family (tho sad) rejoiced in their home going. They understood that the person in the casket had graduated to a higher place of pure joy! But we were not meant to hang out with the dead, we should be concerned with seeing the living saved before they too lie in that casket.

I got somewhat of a second wind this week when I went for the results of my stress test and my doctor was as shocked as I was that the results were good! He knew and I knew that I had been treating my body like Romper Room and snack time, not the Temple of God. It reminded me that God will not always have mercy on my stupidity. Nor will He always allow me another opportunity to share the gospel. He’ll not always give dead churches an opportunity to live. Sometimes He’ll just let them die till the pews sit empty and their purpose is gone. Like Tucker Carson’s church.

Should We Tell Them Goodbye?

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. [62] And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

When I left the first dead church, I didn’t know I was leaving. I went to visit a church and never left. At first it was the message of conviction that I was missing the purpose of my life. That God had created me to be His child and His servant and I had missed out on decades of joy by not knowing the truth of Salvation. The church I left didn’t understand why I left. There was a woman from the church showed up months later at my home with a gift because she had been my secret sister. She was weeping because I was no longer in the church. As a young naive new convert I thought, “I didn’t know you cared?” I didn’t know anyone in that church cared because they were dead! Well… all but a few. I didn’t tell them goodbye because I really, truly, without a doubt thought they didn’t know I existed. If you feel that in your church, don’t just walk out… run!

Can they be Resuscitated?

I guess that depends on if they’re dead, dead? Having a heart attack? Or playing dead?

The church I left was dead, dead. They were so dead they didn’t even know they were dead.

What about one in the process of having their heart attacked? They’re convinced they’re doing right. But Satan has blinded them to the fact that they are one step out of the grave and unless someone steps up and breathes new life into them, they’re gone. That is so very many churches. They’re going through the motions, but they’re not seeing any new lives in the church and there is for certain no joy.

Who wants to play dead? Your part of the game is over. You are no longer being used for the Kingdom of God but you’re just a pew sitter that will slowly but surely fade off into Heaven. I want to be the person alive and well, playing the game and bringing as many people into the church of God as I possibly can. The more the merrier! If you’re satisfied with your four and no more you have no clue how to play the game of life.

Can they be resuscitated? I hope so. But it will likely take a few cracked ribs and somebody else breathing life into them.

Not a very cheery message, but I pray it shocked someone into rhythm! Glory to God sing and shout His praises if He saved your soul!!

Posted in Life Inspiration

Things that Ruffle my Feathers

Are you like me, in that I heap condemnation upon myself, until I am buried under the weight of it all and unable to walk in the newness of Christ because I’m carrying the old crap around? Perhaps it’s just me. Throughout my 60 years of life on earth I have allowed others in my life to make me feel like a dirt dog. I don’t know that it was ever their intention, but they did it through a comment, an attitude of righteousness, a haughtiness, anything that made me feel less, or under their scrutiny. It still happens today, especially with people who yield their righteousness like a caped crusader for Jesus.

Romans 8:1-2 KJVS
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Who’s Condemning Me?

Christ? No, it says that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. So what exactly is condemnation. In the 1828 Webster’s dictionary it says that being condemned is to pronounce that one is utterly wrong, to blame, or to even go so far as to include the idea of utter rejection. Hello? Welcome to Shari 101. That’s how I feel so very often when I am in the presence of people of stature, position or worldly intelligence. I say worldly because people of Spiritual intelligence, generally speaking have spiritual wisdom, but not always. They too can run the risk of allowing their wisdom of the word to lack spiritual discernment in others.

When God began revealing His word to me, nobody was more shocked than myself. Who am I that God would speak such deep truths to my soul? And when I say deep, it’s not the depth of a person of great conviction to the study of God’s word. It’s just that God speaks deep truth’s to even silly people sometimes. Because He will use the foolish to confound the wise. It’s bible. Look it up!

So back to that feeling of condemnation. Where does it come from? It comes from the flesh. Both the flesh of others and the flesh of me. The flesh of others when they get on a high horse, and the flesh of me when I allow them to convince me I am less. I know this because the scripture said it, there is “no condemnation” in Jesus. So it comes from man.

Who’s Calling me Out?

Christ for certain will call me out when I sin. But my sins are generally not so bold and brazen to be committed in the eyes of others, so I don’t really have anyone calling me out for sins. What I have is people who call me out for having an opinion. I know this will come as a complete shock to people, but I am highly opinionated. I have a tendency to share what’s on my heart, and in so doing, it often ruffles the feathers of the people I give my opinion to. And the one thing I am highly opinionated on above all else is the Spirit of God and His work in my life. It’s never gotten old. It’s never NOT been exciting. But for some people, it’s just not that way. And for the love of all things Holy, I can’t understand it, but I don’t judge their lack of spirituality. I just assume they’ve missed the freedom part. But when people judge me for my Spirit, for me it’s as if they’re judging God. And I struggle. I struggle to the point of despair. Which is where I’ve been. It takes every fiber in my being to keep going some days, and that’s not me.

Who Want’s to be Dead?

Evidently some people do. I don’t know if it’s piousness or pride that causes a person to look down on another who “feels” deeper than they do. And I’m not above being in error about the whole thing. I just don’t understand it. Walter Truss, a preacher and friend who has gone onto glory spoke often about the “Church of the Frigid-Air.” I’ve been in many. My friend Tracy Miller always told me to just sing my heart out and find the one person that “get’s it.” They’re usually nodding to the beat, with a big ol’ grin on the their face and they’re happy to be there!

Not everybody gets it. Not everybody get’s me. And that’s okay. But I know for certain, I don’t want to die until I’m dead; and then, I’ll get it first hand how God wants me to act in service. I’ll bet it ain’t quiet.

Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration

No more Pew Puke… a Monday Message from the Amen

bible in the pew

Revelation 3

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

These things saith the Amen…

The Amen being the steady and unchangeable Lord Jesus Christ, the faithful and true witness who from the beginning of time has watched over His creation. I have to wonder what yesterday was like for Him, or any other recent Sunday. How excited were His people to come into His house?

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The unchangeable, still excited to love on you Lord Jesus Christ knows that the most of His church sat in their pews without so much as an amen or glory hallelujah, they were a pew full of spue. He seen the few that were willing to raise their hand and amen the message… I was one of those, but I could have done better too. I awoke this morning with a determination in my heart to light a fire under my own feet like the one that John saw on the isle of Patmos when he looked at the Lord Jesus. We’re getting a new roof on our church this week, I want to blow the roof off in praise. I want the kids in my youth group to say “that crazy woman is our leader… and she loves us.” I have from now until Wednesday night to stir my heart so that I can stir my Wednesday night class and encourage a few adults in the other classes and churches to jump on board with me.

Enough of being pew puke.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, th at thou mayest see.

Sunday morning our church was blessed to give the Pastor a go ahead and have the roof replaced on Victory Baptist Church. No debate, no argument over color, just get it done Pastor… we are blessed. We have need of nothing… the Lord has provided for us! Hallelujah!!! But Christ goes on to say you need to buy of me gold tried in the fire. We need an eye opener, some godly wisdom and it starts with a reality check. Yes I love you, but you need a trip to the wood shed.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Be Zealous! Get excited for crying out loud. Stop sitting in your pew with your Bible in your lap making notes for another day… today’s the day. Christ has just knocked on your door and mine.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This verse is so often to referred to as the verse that calls sinners to come. He’s speaking to the church, not to the lost. It’s we who have locked Christ out of the dining hall to where He has to knock to come back in. How ridiculous is that… He has the food!

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

That’s all of us… red, yellow, black and white, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., etc. you are precious in His sight. He said He loved us…

We can do better this week. Open the doors wide to what Christ wants to do with you this week. I’m ready! Who’s with me?