Pushing Ahead

If the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another.

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

Romans 14:2-4 (HCSB)

One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And stand he will! For the Lord is able to make him stand.

Much of what Paul is saying here is directed to Christians. He knew how human nature works, and he knew how a spirit of competition could cause friction in the Church. When we engage in competition it is natural for us to size up our opponent. What Paul is saying here is that your brothers and sisters in Christ are not your opponents, they are your compliments.

Paul is telling us that we are to compliment, or to build up each other before our God, and that God is able to make each one of us stand. In competition it is our wish that we succeed and someone else fails. But in God’s Kingdom competition we are racing along pushing our brothers and sisters in Christ in front of us to win, not to lose.

In fact God will make that one stand that you are pushing down and they will win in spite of you. Have you ever experienced that spiritual truth in your life? God does not allow that kind of spirit to win in the race that we are engaged in on this earth. In fact it is the exercise of considering others better than ourselves, and loving our brother as our self, it’s a different kind of race…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Measuring Up

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I may not forget you.

William Arthur

Romans 14:2-4 (HCSB)

One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And stand he will! For the Lord is able to make him stand.

Once again forgive me if I continue on this subject, but there is an important word in this matter that we must not ignore. God has accepted “him.” Doesn’t this increase for us the danger of rejecting what God has accepted, indeed have we become their judge instead of their friend?

James 4:12 tells us this, “There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? Now I can’t speak for you, but I can myself and this convicts me. I say this because we really are looking at those around us most of the time with a measuring eye.

Who has God accepted, or who has He rejected? We are really in a better position before God when we leave the measuring to Him. God will handle that business without prejudice and we can avoid the presence of a criticizing spirit within us. It begs us to ask ourselves the question, “who are we,” and the answer is we are servants of the Living God, not judges. We must measure self first, amen? God’s Blessings…
Pastor William

Being A Friend

If you are looking for a friend, you will find that they are few. But if you will be a friend to many , many will be a friend to you.
Pastor William

Romans 14: 1-3
Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.

Forgive me if I banter on about this subject, but I think it is one that needs a further diving into the finer points of its presence in our lives. Paul extends his thoughts on the matter in Colossians 3:11 “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and un-circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.”

Now that’s cutting down into the heart of the matter isn’t it. What Paul is telling us is that our “Grading” is unholy and un-Christlike, for Christ is “All.” This tells me that it is Christ who defines our friends, not our lifestyle or social standing. It means that that I am letting Christ and His purposes in this world define who my friends are.

We should be allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us to those in need of Christ, it is not a choice it is an obligation that we have to Christ. Paul speaks of the importance of this again in Romans 1:14-15 “I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. So I am eager to preach the good news.” It is the Good news that should lead us in the choosing of our friends, and those befriended by Christ…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Accepting One Another

It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.

Brian Tracy (1944-

Romans 14: 1-3

Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.

Acceptance is important. We ourselves want it, but it is amazing how much after we have received it, we begin to grade the levels of those around us. Some are even proud to only have a certain kind of friends and would not be caught running around with those beneath their level. It is prideful, and it is hurtful to many that desire simple acceptance.

When we run into others in the faith it is important to remember the importance of humility. Christ taught us that it was the most important trait we needed as Christians, it is a daily “heart check” to rein in our flesh. Our point of view here is not so important, but it is the view point of where we are all going that should drive our faith.

God thinks very highly of each of us, but when we begin to grade, to put each other on different levels, socially, or in any other way, we become distasteful to Him. It’s something to think about in our daily lives isn’t it, how we choose our friends? Let’s all become people that find points on which to agree and strive together for the lost in our world, not a social standing. We shouldn’t be “high maintenance,” but servants of one another…God’s Blessings.

Pastor William

We Must Agree

A man lives by believing something; not by debating and arguing about many things.

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

Romans 14: 1-3

Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.

Some people love to debate things. Usually they are trying to prove to someone else their point of view is better. There are so many churches today. Independent, American, Southern, Northern, you get the idea, and they differ sometimes on the smallest things. The pity is that we allow these things to prevent us from working towards the same goal.

The main goal of the Church today is to lead people to faith and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, we find so many ways to keep us from working together to accomplish this goal in these “last days.” I believe that if we were to examine these things we would find many of them small or silly. Just tools of Satan to stop the work of salvation.

I believe when we get to heaven we will all find something that we were doing wrong, or backwards. But, I think that I can safely say that there is one commandment that’s hard to mess up if we would just practice it faithfully, and that is to love one another. Drop the differences focus on Christ, and you’ll find it’s hard to get that wrong…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Spiritual Plans

There are in every man, always, two simultaneous allegiances, one to God, the other to Satan. Invocation of God, or Spirituality, is a desire to climb higher; that of Satan, or animality, is delight in descent.

Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867, French poet)

Romans 13:13-14
Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. (HCSB)

Desire is a ruthless leader of men. James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in James 4:1-2a, “What is the source of the wars and the fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.

As Christians we are to be led and controlled not by our desires, but by the Holy Spirit of God. It is a discipline that is present in the mature Christian, but lacking in the one who is pulled and pushed around by the changing and demanding power of earthly desires. The mature Christian has learned that the road of desire is endless, and fruitless.

Once the mature Christian has tasted the peace that comes from “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ,” his desire is to remain in Him. Interests and goals change, we become others oriented and not trapped in “self.” So to walk in decency is not to walk in the blind world of self, fulfilling our plans for us, but putting on Christ, loving others and leaving our future to Him…He has wonderful plans for us…God’s Blessings
Pastor William

Spiritual Fashion

Here lies an Atheist: All Dressed Up and No Place to Go.

Epitaph

Romans 13:13-14
Let us •walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. (HCSB)

We desire to be fashionable. We want our appearance to be up to date with the world around us; we even want to be looked at as someone that fits in. It takes me some time to adjust to the latest styles, but eventually I give in as long as they are not risqué. It took me awhile to adjust to the long shorts, until I watched an old basketball game from years ago, those shorts looked silly.

So now what is the latest style and fashion in heaven? Well there is only one place to go to be fashionable in heaven and that is to put on Jesus Christ while you are here. You will be checked at the door. Somewhat like the restaurant that says “no shoes, no shirt, no service,” at heaven’s door you will have to be dressed in Jesus to get in.

Sequins will not get you in, and gold, well that’s just heavens asphalt. Diamonds, well that’s the doors and walls of Glory, there is no way to dress to impress unless, you put on Jesus. Now that will get you some attention. All of creation will watch you, every eye will be on you, as you walk down the streets of heaven to meet your Savior…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William

Prepared For War

My life is a battle.

Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire (1694-1778, French historian, writer)

Romans 13:12-13
The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us •walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. (HCSB)

Genesis 1:4 says that “God saw that the light was good, and separated the light from the darkness.” The words of our Lord indicate to us the workings of the “Armor of Light. The Armor will separate us from evil, and lead us to good. In Psalm 43:3, the psalmist asks the Lord to “Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to Your dwelling place.”

You see, in our own strength we cannot follow the command to walk in decency, without quarreling and jealousy. All of these things are natural desires of the flesh, which we will follow, if, we are not dressed in the light. To walk in the deeds of the flesh, is to walk in darkness, no matter how good those things may appear to us.

In Psalm 119:105, the psalmist declares, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” So plainly speaking The Word of God is the Armor we must be dressed in when we go forth to battle each day in this world. It’s a common mistake made by many Christians that fall in this battle, they forget there is a war going on in this world, and they walk on to the battlefield undressed and empty handed…God’s Blessings.
Pastor William