Can You Spell Laodicean

Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over the soul.

Michel Eyquem De Montaigne (1533-1592, French philosopher, essayist)

Romans 12: 2
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

This morning’s news has a wonderful picture of a young girl who won the National spelling Bee contest. She became known for her big smile after spelling each word. What word did she spell to win? Laodicean, which many say is the age that we are living in, the age of the Church of Laodicea, which is the church of the end times.

Peter says in 1 Peter 4:7 “Now the end of all things is near; therefore, be clear-headed and disciplined for prayer.” Now that is the clue for us as Christians to go about in an attitude of end time thinking, we are to remember we are living in the last days. We have been since the resurrection, and we are to live expecting Christ’s return at any given minute. We must not let conformity to this world dull our spiritual senses.

Voltaire, the French historian put it this way, “Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.” Christ gave us a new road, but there is a world which calls us to the ditch of conformity each day of our lives. Peter tells us the way to stay on track, it happens with a clear mind that calls us to prayer. The Holy Spirit will keep us on this “New Road” that leads to a time with no end…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Let Him Be Lord

There's only one effectively redemptive sacrifice, the sacrifice of self-will to make room for the knowledge of God.

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963, British author)

Romans 12: 1-2
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Two things are tied together in this scripture that we should take notice of. Paul first asks us to present our bodies as a “Living Sacrifice.” He then tacks on this interesting statement, “This is your “spiritual worship.” What Paul has done is tie our physical bodies to our spiritual state before God.

You see, who we are, is what we do, and not what we say. The problem with the church today is this very separation. Many want to separate their relationship with God from what they do daily. It allows them to include sin, and exclude holiness, which Paul tells us is necessary in Heb12:14 “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without it no one will see the Lord.”

So our whole life is what is accepted by God as spiritual worship. It’s not a couple hours spent in Church on Sunday, or Wednesday. It’s every day and every hour, and every moment of our lives that is to count for our Lord. You see if He is your Lord, then you are his slave, and every moment of your life, belongs to Him anyway…God’s Blessings.

Pastor William

It's Not Yours Anyway

I have never seen a person sacrifice to make a contribution. People contribute only that portion of their income which will not in any way infringe upon their standard of living.

James W. Frick

Romans 12: 1-2
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

What is Paul asking us as Christians when he asks us to present ourselves? Webster gives us this definition; “To bring or introduce into the presence of someone especially of superior rank or status” Notice in this scenario that we are the ones that are doing the approaching, God is not demanding our presence, He is giving us opportunity to come before Him.

I think that we take these opportunities for granted, for it is the calling of the Holy Spirit that bids us to come into the Holy Presence of God. God will not come and hunt us down and I’m afraid that is what many people want Him to do. It doesn’t happen that way. What happens is that we gradually lose His presence in our lives and we stumble into hurt, or trouble which causes us to look around and see we are alone.

What happens is many end up as dead, rather than living sacrifices. God asks us to come before Him and to present our life for His cleansing and direction. 1 Cor 6:19-20 tells us this; “Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” Any questions?...God’s Blessings
Pastor William

Authority is of God

Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870-1924, Russian revolutionary leader)

Romans 13:1-2) A Christian’s Duties to the State
Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. (HCSB

This one statement should encourage Christians to be more involved in politics, for God backs government, and God rewards those that follow “the rules.” I think we all learn at some time in our lives the power of authority. It may be something as small as a speeding ticket, (which isn’t too small these days,) but we find out that life has some guidelines that we must follow.

God puts authorities in place so that we will keep our place. Many of the laws that we have today are founded upon laws found in God’s Word, and as this world changes that foundation, they will find trouble to go along with it. Now the thing that we must do is take the principles of Christian character and bring things back in line. It does no good for us to buck authority, for remember, it is instituted by God.

So then, we are now faced with a dilemma. We might not like it, but we must not show rebellion, but take the principles of love and a sound Godly mind and character, and work within government to make it again what God wants it to be. That means Christians should be involved. Involved in voting, and involved in life, and displaying to the world our respect for God laws, and for each other…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Conquered Thinking

If conquerors be regarded as the engine-drivers of History, then the conquerors of thought are perhaps the pointsmen who, less conspicuous to the traveler's eye, determine the direction of the journey.

Arthur Koestler (1905-1983, Hungarian born British writer)

Romans 12: 21
Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. (HCSB)

To conquer is to control. To be conquered is to come under the control of something, and God is trying to teach us to maintain secure, spiritual walls around our lives to prevent the entrance of the enemy. Satan will use many disguises to get gain entrance into our lives and destroy our peace. He is not a funny looking guy with horns and a long sharp tail.

Our Father knows well the tools of the evil one and he doesn’t want us to touch them, for he knows how easily we pick up bad habits. God always guides us away from our flesh, “For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way, since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. (2 Cor 10:3-4.)

By following God’s Word we will remain securely in His Hands. Satan lures out of peace by getting us to use the weapons of his warfare and if we use them, we will come under his control. God asks us to take every thought captive, or to use another term, we are to conquer our thoughts so as to control our actions. We must be guided by The Holy Spirit who lives within us, and not let satan intrude on the work God is doing within us…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Letting Go

Nothing is more costly, nothing is more sterile, than vengeance.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965, British statesman, Prime Minister)

Romans 12:18-21
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. But, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. (HCSB)

“Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, or the Lord will see, be displeased, and turn His wrath away from him.” We find this instruction in Proverbs 24:17. If that is not enough we can go on to Proverbs 25:21 and find again the words Paul gave us in vs 20 above.

We can go to the New Testament and find in the stoning of Steven the words he spoke before he fell asleep, “Lord, hold not this sin against them.” The most famous of all quotes also rings in our ears, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” So, why is it that God insists that we take no part in vengeance and hatred? It’s because He knows of its affect on the human heart.

Heaping fiery coals may have originated from the Egyptian practice of carrying fiery coals on the head for atonement of sin. So, what upsets the balance more than unexpected forgiveness when you are wronged? It overloads the senses, for it is not the worlds way. God knows that if getting even is in our heart that hate is in there too, and He will not act on our behalf, unless forgiveness takes place first…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Giving Room

With compassion, we see benevolently our own human condition and the condition of our fellow beings. We drop prejudice. We withhold judgment.

Christina Baldwin

Romans 12:18-21
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But, If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. (HCSB)

Vengeance must be a real problem for the Roman Christians, for Paul once again repeats his warning on the dangers of vengeance, and goes another step to explain the dangers of playing in this game. We discussed earlier the plain, undeniable command from God that we are to stay on the sideline when the game of vengeance is played, and cheer God on, and trust Him with the results.

When you and I leave the business of vengeance to God, He is able to do so much more, for His plan leaves room for repentance and healing in the lives of others. God has great patience, and we really appreciate that in His dealings with us, but when it comes to our patience with others, we come up short. It also keeps our hearts pure and on track, God does not want our hearts filled with hate, for He lives “IN” us.

We must leave room for God to work in “all” of our relationships. One of the signs of Christian maturity is when all the mirrors within us turn to windows. Through the windows we can see others, and not ourselves, and our lives begin to take on new meaning and purpose. We not only learn to give others grace, but we also learn to give ourselves some room as well…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Cultivating Peace

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.

Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981, American peace activist)

Romans 12:18-21
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But, If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good. (HCSB)

Is your life open to possibilities? Some live in such a way as to not have those doors available to others, instead they seem to feed on differences, and highlight those differences and use them to put up walls around themselves. If we all took personal responsibility for peace, the church, and the world, would be a better place.

You cannot control the actions and feelings of others, but if you will control your actions and feelings, you will be surprised at the effect it can have on those around you daily. In Hebrews 12:15, Paul gives us this instruction; “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.

The problem with anger is that it spreads quickly, and if when offended we offend, things will quickly get out of control. Peace is clean and pure, and peaceable, but when it is defiled, it is replaced with a bitterness that removes all future peace. Peace is placed squarely on the shoulders of us all, and we must all take personal, the task of peace in our lives, and in the lives of others…God’s Blessing’s.
Pastor William

Living in Honor

I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.

Leo C. Rosten (1908-1997, Polish-born American political scientist)

Romans 12: 17, 18
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.

What is Paul saying when he asks us to “do what is honorable in the eyes of others?” Let’s look in Phil 4:8-9 “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise, dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

So Paul is not saying that we are to please men, or do things that make others happy, but that we are to please God and show His Character in the way that we live daily. We are to seek moral excellence and purity in our lives, and Paul says that the way that we achieve that is to picture it, or to place it at the forefront of our lives and to dwell on God’s goals for our lives.

To dwell is to live there, to set up residence and put down roots in purity. We are not to do what others expect us to do in certain circumstances, but what God expects us to do in our everyday life decisions. Will you please everyone? No, and God is not asking us to do so. He wants us to live so that we can say to this lost world, just like Paul did, do what you have seen and heard in me, and God’s peace will be with you…God’s Blessing’s.
Pastor William

Hands off Hate

Revenge is always the weak pleasure of a little and narrow mind.

(Decimus Junius Juvenalis) Juvenal (c.55-c.130, Roman satirical poet)

Romans 12:16-17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. (HCSB)

It has been said by many with the experience that comes from embarking on journeys of revenge that when you leave on such a journey, dig two graves, one of them being for yourself. To repay evil for evil just seems too simple a resolution to relational problems doesn’t it? Revenge is not always the best answer, and it is not to be confused with justice.

Revenge leads to a barren place, empty of blessing and its food is anger. The end of it is murder, and it leaves one in great despair, for justice is never sure in a mind twisted by hate. Vengeance can no more satisfy our heart than salt water can quench our thirst, it is the entrance to an endless path of misery. God directs us in Leviticus 19:18 “Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

God gives us clear instructions in this area, He tells us to keep our hands away from this sin. The words are plain; “vengeance is mine I (God) will repay.” His other instruction to us is this, “I say love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” Clearly God has instructed us to stay away from this dangerous predator whose desire is to steal our peace…God’s Blessing’s.
Pastor William

Good Advice

Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present.

Author Unknown

Romans 12:16-17
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

In Jeremiah 7:23-24, God is reviewing with Jeremiah His instruction to his people, and he tells him this; “However, I did give them this command: Obey Me, and then I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in every way I command you so that it may go well with you.” Yet they didn’t listen or pay attention but walked according to their own advice and according to their own stubborn, evil heart. They went backward and not forward.” They ignored God’s advice, is that unusual?

I think that we miss so many good things of God because we are not listening. We do not call it arrogance, we call it confidence, but this is our mistake, we are taking confidence in ourselves and not in our God. We may feel confident in a situation that we have faced before to say that we know what to do in a situation, but what if God has a different plan? Do we pause to ask Him?

Proverbs 13:10 tells us this; “Arrogance leads to nothing but strife, but wisdom is gained by those who take advice.” God’s point to us today is this, “are you asking for my advice, or going on your experience? God’s wisdom and experience is so much greater than ours, greater than the common place, more that what we are expecting, and if we will pause to ask His advice, we will see greater things…God’s Blessing’s.
Pastor William

Pride By Association

Show me the person you honor, for I know better by that the kind of person you are. For you show me what your idea of humanity is.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881, Scottish philosopher, author)

Romans 12:16-17
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

Paul had a remedy for pride. The prescription is written after he inserts the adverb “instead.” Instead meaning the medicine that will serve as an alternative, or as a substitute for pride, which is to “associate” with the humble. I guess what Paul is speaking of here is that old proverb, “guilt by association.” A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass, will always sway it from the truth.

Humility is something that we all could stand a dose of, it’s like the Castor oil that was usually given for a spring cleaning to many a suffering child. It is something that we must force ourselves to do, for pride seeks to steer us away from that which would steal away its poisonous control.

Jesus told us that the humble man would be exalted, and Satan’s desire is not to lift up, but to tear down. After all, wasn’t it pride that got him in the fix he is in now? The funny thing is that in his attempt to exalt himself he fell, and here is Jesus telling you and I, I will make you One with Me, I will share all of my inheritance with you…but you will reach it through humility, don’t let Him down…God’s Blessing’s.
Pastor William

Being Honest with Ourselves

Man, proud man, dressed in a little brief authority, most ignorant of what he's most assured, glassy essence, like an angry ape, plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven, as make the angels weep.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616, British poet, playwright, actor)

Romans 12:16-17
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

Paul, in Galatians 6:3, gives us a great insight into pride. “For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself.” Now that kind of puts things into perspective doesn’t it? Pride is self deceiving. That one statement in itself should tell us of the dangers of a disease knit into the fabric of every man on this earth, and would cause us to want to be inoculated against its infections.

Louis XIV, King of France from 1643-1715, uttered these still infamous words “Has God forgotten all I have done for Him?” We laugh, but we can all get into this place. If we follow His commandments and receive the blessings that come from that, in some confused state, we begin to think we did that for God. Did we? No, we did that for own well being and blessing, and safety.

Jesus warned us in Matt 23:12 that those who exalted themselves would be humbled, and those who humbled themselves would be exalted. Really if we would pause and listen, The Holy Spirit would give us a clue, for when pride exists there is this nagging within us that says something isn’t quite right. We have no real secure peace with pride, but in humility, a secure promise from our Savior…God’s Blessing’s.

Pastor William

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

There are three ways of dealing with difference: domination, compromise, and integration. By domination only one side gets what it wants; by compromise neither side gets what it wants; by integration we find a way by which both sides may get what they wish.

Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933, American author)

Romans 12:16-17
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

Paul in his letter to Laodicea, speaks of his desire for their growth, he wants them to be able to grasp the mystery, but his prayer is for them to seek this together. In Col 2:2-3 Paul says, “I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding, and have the knowledge of God’s mystery Christ. In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.”

So it seems to me that God did not really want any of us to become individual spiritual gurus that sit on a hill alone. He has arranged it so that the best things we can receive, we must seek and achieve together. It’s amazing to me the petty things that we let enter relationships within the church. We think them small and inconsequential, when it fact they are the wedges being driven between us and the “mystery” of Christ.

We really like to have everything our way. We have become locked up in our comfortable castles, happy and alone with all the things we like. Relationships require something though, and they are necessary in order for us to achieve for Christ His goals in this world. We can only do it together. If Christians can’t cooperate, then who can? Pleasure usually takes the form of me and now, but real joy is us and always…God Bless.
Pastor William

Weep Together

Pain hardens, and great pain hardens greatly, whatever the comforters say, and suffering does not ennoble, though it may occasionally lend a certain rigid dignity of manner to the suffering frame.

Antonia S. Byatt (1936-, British writer, critic)

Romans 12:15-17
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

Are we still in Romans 12? Yes, there is so much still remaining to mine from this rich field of God’s Word. So, why is it important to weep with those who weep? I have known of some people that are so saddened and scarred by an event in their life, that they never fully recover from it. Some scarred so badly that they begin to blame God and stay angry at Him for the rest of their lives, which usually results in a short life.

Weeping with others helps to share their pain, and helps guide them through this time in their life when they could lose direction and become embittered and trapped in the darkness of anger. You will not know how they feel, but you can be sympathetic and loving and share in their weeping. It’s really alright to cry, cry with them, don’t demand them to keep a stiff upper lip.

C.S. Lewis said this, “No one told me that Grief, felt so much like fear.” If we will weep with each other through our shadows we will experience together the Joy that comes at daybreak. Psalms 30:5 says “weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.” We are to share life’s experiences with each other, for it staves off the fears of the darkness, as we guide each other back into the light…God’s Blessings.

Pastor William

Are You a Carrier?

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

Oscar Wilde (1856-1900, British author, wit)

Romans 12:15-17
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

What is it about certain people that have a habit of bringing shadows in the midst of sunlight? You may have met some. You may be rejoicing at a wonderful event in your life and someone says, don’t get happy to quick, this may not last. Many are afraid to really rejoice, it may not look “dignified.” Their fear of what tomorrow may bring, prevents “today’s” rejoicing.

Paul tells us this in Philippians 4:4-5 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” There are times in which our Father sends us diamonds to cheer us up. He brings us moments of exquisite joy. It may be in the smile of an infant, looking up at mom and dad, or brief moments when God puts everything right in your life for a few minutes, share it!

We should bring hope wherever we go as Christians, after all we really have the brightest future to look forward too, and the best is yet to come. We should reflect that in our daily walk, and we should encourage one another, as 1 Thess 5: 11 instructs to do, in this way increasing joy and strength in each other. Take every moment captive for Christ, and when He comes to lift your heart, lift others as well…God’s Blessing’s.

Pastor William

What a Privilege

The best manner of avenging ourselves is by not resembling him who has injured us.

Jane Porter (1776-1850, British novelist)

Romans 12:14-17
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

It was said of Eleanor Roosevelt that she got even in a way that was almost cruel. She forgave them. For us to let go of persecution is to let to let go of the devils way of sapping our spiritual strength. We must remember when this cruelty occurs that it is not really directed to us, for we are no real threat to anyone, it is directed towards our Savior, because of the power that rests in His Name.

In Matt 5: 10 Jesus tells us of the privilege of persecution. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” It is not our righteousness that we are being persecuted for; it is for His, for our righteousness is as filthy rags. When we are being persecuted we are sharing in the sufferings of Christ in a personal way. Doesn’t this make it a little easier to bear, and forgive?

Nothing we did or didn’t do really starts it or stops it. It is something that Christ did for us 2000 yrs ago that brings us this blessing. I did say blessing, for it is when we are following His instructions that we gets us this attention, and as long as you are doing what Your Father tells you to do, you’re safe, aren’t you?…God’s Blessing’s.

Pastor William

Friends of Adversity

The friend of my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity.

Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885, American President (18th))

Romans 12:13-17
Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. (HCSB)

Proverbs 18:24 tells us this; “A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.” Really in God’s sight, that friend is your brother, and we need to remember that as we journey through this world, our family is a lot larger than we think. But special friendships are forged in fiery trials.

These special people demonstrated an unusual ability to love and help you in your time of need. These friendships are not easily broken and will last over distances and years. Being hospitable and sharing with others in need is something that God asks us to do in our daily lives. It also creates bonds between believers that will last forever, and these should be especially prevalent among the saints of God.

Friends that leave you in your times of distress are most likely not your friends, and I doubt if they are really saints. Saints will have a heart for the Body of Christ that drives them to be faithful in relationships. Pursing hospitality is seeking out those saints in need, not waiting for them to fall, but preventing their falling…God’s Blessing’s.

Pastor William