Preach the Word!

"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:2-4 NKJV Something concerns me about a great deal of the preaching I hear nowadays--I fear that in an effort to be more seeker-friendly & have a broader appeal to their communities, many preachers focus on the loving side of GOD's character & downplay or completely ignore that He is also a Righteous Judge. Don't get me wrong--GOD is most assuredly a loving GOD & He wants to prosper us, spiritually moreso than materially. However, we cannot omit the fact that He will judge the just as well as the unjust. Many pastors, both the average & the famous, appear to be more concerned with growing their churches numberwise than in promoting true discipleship. I realize numbers are important. Larger churches have the man/womanpower to support various ministries & outreaches and those are needed. Tithes & offerings are contingent on the number of congregants also & obviously, money is necessary to pay bills & fund the ministries of the church. But, what exactly is the purpose of the church? I tend to think it is more important to preach GOD'S Word in its entirety. Otherwise, the church is nothing more than a Christian country club. The Gospel is "good news" but it also carries the weight of responsibility--the responsibility of living in accordance to GOD's principles and standards. If people don't know/understand them, how can they be expected to live them out? Preachers & teachers should take that responsibility seriously. I believe they will be held accountable at judgment for this very thing. That being said, all aspects of GOD's character need to be explained from the pulpit. Sin needs to be addressed & called "SIN" rather than sugarcoating it in order to make it less offensive. The Gospel is offensive for good reason. People must see sin as sin & realize their need for salvation. Once they are saved, it is the responsibility of the church to disciple them in the Christian life. I'm not sure we are doing justice to the calling GOD has placed on us as ministers of His word. And yes, if we call ourselves a Christian, we are all ministers of the Gospel & expected to share GOD with those within our circle of influence. The big question is, is the church influencing & changing the world or is the world influencing & changing the church? What are your thoughts? Blessings! Tony

How will I be remembered?

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 NKJV As I grow older, I become more & more aware of how brief and how fragile life is. In the grand scheme of things, 60, 80, or even a hundred years on this earth does little to compare to Eternity. I'll soon be 52 and in those years, I've seen many births and deaths and witnessed the events that occur in between. When you see a headstone in the cemetery, it tells you little other than the person's name & the years they were born & died. Yet, those who knew them personally know what their life consisted of, how they lived, what they believed in and what they contributed to the world & those whose lives they touched. I once read a poem entitled "The Dash" that talked of how we should live our lives & it gave me reason to ponder. I wonder how will people remember me when my earthly life is done...? I know there are many I have wronged along the way & I'm aware that my bad choices have influenced & impacted others negatively. I pray they have or will forgive me in time. For a time, I lived a very self-centered life, seeking only to satisfy ungodly desires. I caused pain for many in the years I relied on alcohol as a crutch to help see me through. I was concerned about me, me alone, & gave little (if any) consideration to the effect it had on family & friends. I was determined to live my life by my rules in spite of what I'd been taught. I knew of GOD, but did not know Him on a personal level. I saw the Bible simply as a list of "thou shalt nots" that would sentence me to a dull, boring & funless (not sure that is even a real word but it fits) life. Still, I know many were in prayer for me. GOD answered their prayers. In time, He drew me to Himself. After much running & much fighting, I finally surrendered my life to Him. That was in January of 1992. I was 30 years old & had done much damage in the 15 or so years I had lived contrary to the Will of GOD. Thankfully, GOD desires to forgive us rather than punish us. Once I repented, He willingly forgave me & restored me to a right relationship with Him. Granted, I am far from perfect--thus I still must crucify my flesh (Galatians 5:24)& die daily to self (1 Corinthians 15:31). I find Christianity to be a process & like a plant, I grow a little each day in my walk. Now I find myself looking back at more years than I have yet before me. I wonder... Am I making good use of the dash that is my lifetime? How will people remember me? Does my life reflect my Christian beliefs? Am I having a positive impact on those I come in contact with? What will be the content of my eulogy? Does any of it really matter anyway? I pray that I am letting my light shine & that my influence & actions are positively impacting others. I cannot change the evils of my past life but am thankful I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). I know that once I close my eyes in death, I will open them once again in Heaven and witness the splendor of that Foursquare City built by GOD for His children. The anticipation of the glory that awaits me there brings me joy. I so want my loved ones to share that experience with me in eternal bliss. I pray I am living the remainder of my life in such a way that those left behind after my death will speak kindly of my "dash". That is how I hope to be remembered. How about you? Are you living for the Lord or living for the devil? There is no fence-straddling, we are either with GOD or against Him. Turn to GOD rather than from Him & let your light shine for Him. Blessings! Tony

Be Like a Tree...

"But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good." Psalm 52:8-9 NKJV I've been off work for a few weeks so I have a lot of time to think, to read, to pray. I'm not accustomed to having so much time on my hands but I'm trying to use it as a time to grow closer in my walk with GOD. I live in a highly wooded community & while walking my pup, Sampson, I found myself observing the tress in the neighborhood. It made me think--which can often be a dangerous thing. However, this time I felt it was somewhat of a revelation. Trees are interesting. Each one is unique in its appearance & the way it grows, but one thing they all have in common is they all grow upwards. They reach towards the sky as if raising their branches in praise to their creator. Trees don't compare themselves to one another, they don't desire to have what the other trees have. They simply grow in their own unique & God-given manner. They flourish with what GOD provides for them in the form of nutrients & water. Some have broken branches & scars from enduring terrible storms, yet they still thrive without complaint--ever reaching heavenward. People need to be more like trees. We need to stop focusing on others & look inward, searching for what gifts & talents GOD has bestowed upon us. There is no need to compare ourselves to others, as GOD has created each person for a specific purpose and gifted them accordingly. We need to embrace our uniqueness and thank GOD for His blessings. Yes, we will encounter troubles & trials--but we will heal from the storms of life that come upon us. They may bring pain, but GOD uses those experiences to grow us an draw us ever closer to Him. We need to praise Him in the storm, ever lifting our arms heavenward & giving Him glory. He never promised the Christian life would be easy, just that the eternal heavenly rewards would be worth whatever we are forced to endure in this life. Scars show that we have overcome the pain, that we have healed & often that we are stronger as a result of the season of trial & pain we went through. I know I've been through a lot in my life & that journey is not yet over, so I will likely endure more before I meet my Lord. I want to be the man in Psalm 1:1-3--"Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." I know I have a long way to go to reach that place, but my heart's desire is to give honor & glory to GOD for His blessings in my life. How about you? Blessings! Tony