Posted in Christian Service, Evangelism, Grace, Life Inspiration

I’m a Gracist, Not a Racist

The title isn’t a Jesus Chick original thought, it came from the folks of Duck Dynasty who interviewed hamburger man Kenny Moore on their podcast, Unsashamed. Kenny, who owns the Highway 55 Restaurant chain, said at one point in that interview, “I’m a Gracist, not a Racist.” And I thought….. “Oooooo that’s good, I’m so going to adopt that mindset! I am so sick of this racist chatter. If you born white in America you’re automatically labeled a racist. Which is such a racist comment. It’s just one of the many ways our country has gone mad! But Mr. Moore had a wonderful thought for any child of God; if you’re living life the way it should be lived, which is by the example that Jesus lived with and scripture teaches, other than the culture of the country for which people live, color doesn’t enter the conversation.

When I met my friend Juma from Tanzania, his color didn’t surprise me. He’s a black African. It in no way made the conversation awkward. We weren’t talking about color, we were talking about Jesus. The God Who made every color. The idea that anyone would think that one race is above another is ludicrous. God loves all that He creates. Does He have plans for certain races? Oh yes! The Jewish race has been apart of the Master’s plan since the beginning of time.  It doesn’t mean He loves them more, it only means that their plan was the first in place on this earth. And by the way… a part of that plan was that God allowed them to become slaves in the very first book of the Bible when Joseph was sold into slavery to the Egyptians. But the world is not trying to rectify that slavery are they? We’ve not apologized to the nation of Israel. 

Grace is first found in scripture in Genesis 6:8 when it says 

Genesis 6:8 KJVS

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

But what about all the others? The earth was full of people. Of those it says:

Genesis 6:7 KJVS

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

A Dangerous Game

He considered killing them all… but verse 8. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He was the only exception to the rule. God always reserves some, in the worst of times for Himself. There is a remnant according to the election of grace. The elect, those who God chooses. The Creator of all, and the only one who has the right to put anyone above anyone else. Man doesn’t have that power, but they assume it because they want to be God. Anytime we put another person above or below someone else, we’re playing God. And that’s a dangerous game. 

We are of that remnant. Which is why Joe Lancaster preached a sermon 10 or so years ago titled “There’s a few of us left.” There’s a few of us who truly care about the things that God cares about. The rest of the world in Noah’s day had stopped caring about the things of God. But Noah was grateful and acceptable to Him. He pleased Him in his service and sacrifices. He was made fun of by men, but he kept serving God even though he had never seen rain, but God said it was on it’s way, and so Noah for 120 years was faithful and it allowed his family to be saved.  But for those who did not care about the things God cared about, they perished.

That’s what’s going to happen in this world that we’re living in now. We are the Noah of the day. But this time God has allowed anyone to get on the ark who believes in the sacrifice His Son made. One rule. That’s it.  And for those of us who have been saved, thinking about the devastation of the flood and the loss of life should make us extremely grateful for grace, and cause us to be Gracist, even to the racist. 

Playing for Keeps

The second place grace is mentioned in the Bible is in the story of Lot.

Genesis 19:19 KJVS

[19] Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

Lot, his wife and children were allowed to escape because of the grace of God, certainly not because of his righteous behavior. He had moved his family into a city of the vilest behaviors. Pretty much like we’re living in today. Abraham pled their case with the Lord, trying to save the city in Genesis 18 asking, when the Lord said He was going to destroy Sodom and Gommorah,  

Genesis 18:23-24 KJVS

[23] And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24] Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

He made it all the way to requesting mercy if there would be ten righteous found in the city, but not even those few could be found. So the city, save Lot and his family, were destroyed

For me Lot exemplifies the average American. He may not have participated in the sin of the day but he certainly didn’t depart from it or take a stand. And just like He did in the days of Noah, God destroyed who He said He would destroy, because God is playing for keeps. He will defend who He says, and He will destroy who He says, and those of us under grace, should be be shouting it to the roof tops for others to hear.

The third place we find grace mentioned in the scripture is in the story of Jacob and Esau. The twin sons of Isaac, the grandsons of Abraham. 

Winning the Game

 Genesis 32:3-5 KJVS

[3] And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. [4] And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: [5] And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

Jacob needed the grace of Esau because his deceitfulness had ruined their relationship and drove him away from home. But now he wanted to come home and it would require mercy from his brother, mercy he was willing to pay for. The kind of mercy that man expects is not God’s kind of mercy. Jacob figured it would cost him something. And that’s what the world thinks now, that there’s no way something as good as Heaven could be without cost to us. But it is. And in knowing that we should offer it to everyone in our lives. Regardless of their skin color, what family they’re from, what country they’re from or anything else that makes us different. Because in the eyes of God, we are simply, His created. And when we look at the world that’s what we should see, whether or not they are different in color, or belief. We all need Grace. 

Jacob originally thought that he needed to win the coveted birthright, so he convinced a hungry Esau to trade it for a bowl of soup. But what he altered realized was that all that really mattered was whether or not he was in the will of God, and had peace in his home. We’re not going to have peace in this home, but we are headed to one of the sweetest of peace. And while we’re on the journey we need to bring as many people with us as we can. Be a Gracist, not a racist that’s what wins the game. 

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

It’s not about Homosexuality, Really.

Much debate has been made concerning Phil Robertson and his statements regarding the sin of homosexuality. It’s brought up some great conversations, and some that were not so great. It’s given a platform for both sides of the debate, which for the record – God’s not in the debate; His Word is law. So as I continued on in my study of the Book of Jude it was obvious to my heart that God had parked me in this spot for a reason in this season.

A few days ago the Phil Robertson conversation occurred in my presence. And being the “Jesus Chick” there was an expectation by some that I should have all the answers. Well let’s just shoot that theory out of the water right now, I don’t have all the answers… but I know where they are. I cannot stand flat footed and quote you one hundred passages of scripture, but I can read you a scripture and then through the Holy Spirit expound on it what I believe it to mean. That’s a gift afforded to anyone who diligently reads and studies the Bible. God said he would make that available to us in James 1:5 ~ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

And so when asked the question “Does it really say in the Bible homosexuality is wrong?” I could confidently say yes. Now where? Well, a few second word search on my Bible app lead me to the correct passages in Leviticus 18:22 – Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.  And Romans 1:27 – And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Phil Robertson didn’t make it up… it’s in there.

But this blog is not about homosexuality, this blog is about creeps in the church. Who, rather than have you understand the truth of the glorious gospel, that Jesus will save anyone, would rather keep strife and contention stirred up between believers and nonbelievers so that the message of Christ gets lost in the battle.

If God says it’s sin, then it is. That’s not up for debate. But the sin of homosexuality is no greater than the sin of lying, adultery, gossip…..woah baby, now I’m hitting too close the church house. Sin separates us from God. So who can be saved? Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And in so doing they believe the Word of God, which we’re told in 1st John 1:1 ~  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

So, in saying that homosexuality is not wrong, you are saying that the Word lies, which is God. Now the question you must ask yourself is can you believe that God lies and be saved? No. Titus 1:2 clearly says In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Be not deceived, saved people sin; every one of us. That’s not up for debate either. 1st John 1:8 ~ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The difference is in what you believe. I believe that the Holy Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and that everything from cover to cover including punctuation is true and with purpose, I am not saved because I’m perfect, I’m saved because God is perfect and He died so that I could have forgiveness of my sins. To be saved, you must believe that God makes no mistake, and when we sin we must turn away from it, not embrace it.

So back to the creeps in the church. Read Jude verse 4-9 and what you’ll discover is from the beginning of the church there were the great debaters. And one of the very things they were debating was homosexuality. Sodom and Gomorrha. This is not a new battle. But it is one that gets our eyes off Jesus.

Jude 4-9

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Read the Word, Study the Word, Believe the Word. Leave the debating to someone else.

Posted in Christmas, Life Inspiration, salvation

The odds you’ll go to Heaven…

The day after Christmas… people are back to work, kids are sleeping in with the luster of new toys dulling by the minute, diet consideration has begun, Christmas travelers will be heading back home and the New Year approaches at lightning speed. Heavy on my heart this morning, and actually through the Christmas season was the thought “what about the day after Jesus came?”

The saved and unsaved alike have no problem celebrating the birth of Jesus. There are those who complain and gripe that Christians have the audacity to celebrate their own holyday, but I doubt they mind the occasional bargain that comes with the season. But this morning the glitter has now fallen to the floor, the tree is slightly disheveled, mistletoe’s been exchanged for a “good morning dear” and the chatter of Jesus is left to religious fanatics (like me). Life goes back to normal.

Except for those of us who are abnormal.

I can’t get the day after thought off my mind. What if Jesus had returned on Christmas day, and this was the day after. What if while we slept Jesus came back unaware and the unsaved got up this morning to an empty house because they’re spouse and children were called home to be with Jesus. “What an awful thought!” you say? Awful as it is, it is reality. The Phil Robertson naysayers could debate his statements all they wanted with little argument and the Anti-Christ Lawyers Union (the ACLU) could rule the world, since lawyer is an important profession and you can get the best resources for accidents or wrongful death at https://www.georgiainjurylawyer.com/wrongful-death/. Political factions and scientists could and likely will concoct all sorts of reasoning for the disappearance of Christ’s people, and those left behind may believe it, but they’ll find no comfort in their words. But there’s good news!

Jesus hasn’t returned yet!

What’s the odds that He won’t? After all, the Bible says He will.

Let me tell you about the odds of Bible Prophecy not coming true:

Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmont College, Peter Stoner and 600 university students set out to calculate the probability of one man (the Man we know as Jesus) fulfilling the major prophecies concerning the Messiah. After narrowing it down to a humanistic viewpoint of only eight of the Bible prophecies concerning the Messiah they determined that the odds Christ would have fulfilled only eight of those prophetic Biblical statements was 10 to the 17th power.  To illustrate how large the number 10^17  is (a figure with 17 zeros), Stoner gave this illustration:

Suppose that we take 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They’ll cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would’ve had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom. (http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/radio034.htm)

So according to this mathematical and scientific equation, if Jesus had returned on Christmas day, what are the odds you’d be with Him and your Christian family members? Only you have that answer. But the truth of the matter is we don’t need a mathematics professor to figure out that you have 0% chance if you have not accepted Christ as your Savior.

The Bible says in 1st Thessalonians 4:15-18 ~For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I love that the scripture says “comfort one another with these words.” There is great comfort, not fear, in knowing the love of Jesus; fear comes when you are without Him. So… the question is do you know Him?

https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/

Posted in Uncategorized

No Turning Back

Quack pack

In my search for hunting apparel  to wear to Church on Sunday (A statement likely only said in a place like West Virginia) I passed by Tractor Supply and headed to Walmart thinking their sporting goods department would assuredly have the pink and brown Real Tree ® shirt I had set my mind on having. In my defense it was “Sportsman Sunday” in honor of Father’s and we were dressing the part, I truly am not that red neck. Anyway… it was a no go. So I got back in my car, drove back to Tractor Supply, certain that they would have a hunter chick covered… epic fail #2.  So I drive back to Walmart and purchased a Duck Dynasty shirt and then headed home feeling my back tracking had finally paid off. I was ready for church!

Back tracking irritates me!

I’m a “multi tasker” in the worst possible ways. I most always have two projects, or unfortunately two train of thoughts in progress. Praise God for voice activated dictation, because prior to that you would not have wanted to meet me on the road (just sayin’). So to have to go back or re-do anything just grates on my nerves. I want to get two things done at once, not redo the same thing twice! I think it’s godly, after all God doesn’t like back tracking either.

Hebrews 10:38 ~ Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

There it is, plain and simple. No back tracking! At least in the spiritual sense of the words. Proverbs 14:14 says “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” Why does anyone want to go back? Such a complete waste of time. It took me a second to get my mind wrapped around Proverbs 14:14 – and then the light went on… ding ding ding!

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways = self-serving life styles and a lack of dedication to the things of the Lord ends in misery. And a good man shall be satisfied from himself = contentment and great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I don’t want to appear self-righteous or holier than thou. After all, I am but one step from back sliding myself – as is any other Christian. It just takes one wrong thought, one bad decision, one selfish desire… basically a discontent, unsatisfied heart to back track. So how does one get there? By focusing on self. That single minded nature which is inherently human causing us to want our own way in our own time and putting the servitude of others, not on the back burner, but still in the pantry on the shelf. In a nutshell – we get our eyes off Jesus. We forgot that day of salvation feeling when all we wanted to do was serve God and His people. We didn’t care if we had a dime in our pocket or title behind our name (other than child of God); we were just happy falling into line and doing the next thing that needed done. Woohoo, I just wrote myself happy again! That’s why Apostle Paul could write such encouraging words from behind the bars of a prison. And not a modern day prison, he did not have 3 square meals, possibly not even one; and he certainly didn’t have a television and video game. I started to say no one was offering him a book deal, but God did! How funny is that!

This is my fuel for your fire today. Move forward in your life. Stop looking at past failures and or even past successes. You cannot undo a mistake nor can you live in yesterday’s glory. If you’ve messed up, fix it the best you can or be content with where you are, but move on!

I could have gone home and pouted because I had to settle for something other than Real Tree pink camo or I could be content with my Quack Pack purchase. I know… silly right? Well, so are a lot of the reasons we fail to move forward in our life.

PICTURES FROM SPORTSMAN DAY 2013 AT MY VERY OWN

VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH