Cultural Christians

Where I live there is large percentage of people who claim to be Christian. Most of them don't bother to go to church. They lie, cuss, cheat, and steal. They believe that God will let them into heaven because they are basically good people. Every time that a car with a "Jesus" sticker or a fish magnet speeds pass them on the road they think, well there goes another religeous hypocrit. Well, they are right about the person driving the car with the fish magnet, but to believe that you are going to heaven because you're basically good is just as hypocritical. God says, if your going to get to heaven by your own goodness, then you have to be perfect!

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
(James 2:10)

Some Cultural Christians go to church, religeously. They often sing loudest, and answer every altar call. They may have even said the prayer along with the preacher at the end of the service, several times. But you have to mean it in your heart! Give your life to Christ Jesus because He gave His life for you! If you live one way on Sunday and another way the rest of the week, then be very concerned about your salvation.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
(James 2:14-17)

From faith flows works, and it is all from God; His gift of grace to us.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)

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Follow the True Teacher

I got fooled into listen to a Hindu presentation today. The guy gives dijorido(sp? a hollowed out log used as a musical instrument by the aboriginies of Australia) demonstrations and lessons, with a key on using the thing to help your meditation. Basically he teaches a "gospel" of hard work, made slightly easier by his instruments which you can purchase for $xxx... 5 minutes a day is guaranteed to change your life. (It reminded me a lot of those "Bowflex" TV commercials... just a 20 minute workout 3 times a week is guaranteed to change your life.) Anyway, he believes that if you work hard enough that you can change yourself to be the person you always wanted to be. He bases his belief in his teacher, a man that can do some difficult meditative tricks. In his presentation he mentions that Jesus Christ was the ideal god-man. That this Jesus was able to preform the recorded miracles because he worked really hard at becoming "self-actualized".

The hindu teacher had poured nearly super-human effort into his "self-actualization" and can only do a few meditation tricks, yet the dijorido guy trusts him over Jesus Christ, even though Jesus' miracles just totally blew away anything the Hindu guy had ever done. It's just amazing to me. The Hindu teacher says, pour super-human effort into learning to meditate and you will be able to change yourself for the better by working even harder. Jesus says, (in Matthew 11:28-30) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

You choose.

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Don't Settle for Less(er Things)

When I'm not on the road, I work in a metal building with no air conditioning. Everyday, this last week, the temperature has been in the upper 90's, with the heat index in the 100's. (Talk about motivation to get back on the road!) Anyway, when I come home, my boon companion, my dear friend, my loving dog wants nothing more than to roll around on my sweaty, stinky tee-shirt. I have much better things for him, but he likes stinky shirts (and socks and shoes).

I believe we're kind of like that with God. He want's to bless us with so much, but all we want is money (or some other common earthly thing). But money, and the other things, does'nt fix our problems, though we were sure it would. If God grants us our wish for more money or things, we find that it comes with more trouble, more problems; then we get all miserable and bitter. We ask for more, and might even get more, and more problems to go with it, until we are broken. The true blessing that God wants to give us is a relationship with Him. Money and things cannot fix our problems, we cannot fix ourselves; but God, He is able.

You want the secret to being rich? Stop chasing after money. Chase after God and the things of His Kingdom.

¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

²¹So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

²²And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. ²³The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

²⁴Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

²⁵And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? ²⁶If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

²⁷Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

²⁹And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. ³⁰For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. ³¹But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

³²Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(Luke 12:15-34)

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The Prayer of Jabez

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV)

This is a real treasure, a gem tucked away in the more difficult genealogies listed in the first 9 chapters of Chronicles. The man named Jabez, not wanting to live up to the meaning of his name, prayed to God. It's a good prayer, an example certainly, but not a magical formula as perhaps is being taught.

God is not a genie who will grant our deepest wishes, the fantasies of our evil little hearts (Praise God!). Instead of the selfish, materialistic things we rebels often wish for, God has a better plan. Five times on three different occasions (John 14:13-14, 15:16, and 16:23-24) Jesus told his disciples to "ask anything in my name" and He will do it. Based on these passages there are false teachers who claim that tacking "in the name of Jesus" on the end of your prayer guarantees that God must do exactly as you ask. When actually, "praying in the name of Jesus" means so much more! God has a much better blessing in store for you than you can imagine. Praying in the name of Jesus means to pray after the nature of Jesus; that is, with the heart of Jesus.

In Luke 12, after he shares the parable of the rich man, Jesus tells us not to consider the things of this world, but instead seek the riches of heaven. Sell your things and give the money to the poor. This is the true key to the prosperity of God! Be rich towards God, and He'll pour blessings back in faster than you can pour out. You cannot out give God. (See Malachi 3:10)

So, the prayer of Jabez might be better understood as “bless me and enlarge my territory by your power, so I might not sin and cause pain to others”. This is my prayer from Jabez’s example. "Bless me by enlarging the borders of my new heart of flesh by your sovereign power Father, and protect me from the evil desires of my old heart of stone, so I may not hurt others."

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:26-27)

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Doxology

A doxology is a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian liturgies, often added to the end of canticles, psalms, and hymns. The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue. (from Wikipedia.com)

In most protestant churches this the last four lines of an older hymn are used (and called "The Doxology").

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

When I was growing up, the church I attended occasionally used the Gloria Patri (in english).

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen

Unfortunately, this last is badly corrupted. This is also known as the Trinitarian Doxology and was introduced to fight a heresy that denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ. The more correct translation, below, makes that more understandable. (The Catholic Encyclopedia artical on doxology.)

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As He was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be,
forever and ever. Amen

So, why was this "As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world with out end." bit even kept? In english it appears that this is saying that the world is as it was in the beginning, and it will continue that way forever. This is very un-Scriptural! The fall of man altered things from the beginning (Genesis 3:17-19), and we read that this world will end in fire, come the Judgement Day (2 Peter 12:7-13).

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"Traditional" vs. "Contemporary"

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
(John 4:23-24)

"Traditional" worship services run the risk of becoming too comfortable, stale, and even boring; where the mind wanders and the true focus on Christ is lost. "Contemporary" services run the risk of becoming chaotic, noisy, and confused; where the true focus leaves Christ for some emotional experience.

True worship is "in spirit and in truth". All spirit and no truth is apostasy; all truth and no spirit is dead religion. If a church is faithful to teach the Bible and spiritual fruit comes from that church, then it is worshiping "in spirit and in truth" whether it calls its service "traditional" or "contemporary". If a church teaches the latest "best-selling" Christian book (though no book has ever out-sold the Bible), or the pastor teaches without constantly referring to the Bible, or the church discourages the congregation from bringing/reading their own Bibles, then that church is not worshipping in truth. It is almost certainly in apostasy, or quickly headed that way. If a church does not bear fruit (for instance: have a youth ministry where children are brought to a saving faith in Christ, or have an effective evangelism effort in its community, or baptizes new believers monthly, or sends off missionaries or families to establish new churches, ... ) then it is practicing dead religion, it has no spirit.

If either, or both of the above descriptions fit the church you are currently attending, then prayerfully consider what you might do to change the situation. Boldly speak the truth.

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.
(Revelation 3:20)

This was written, not to “sinners” but to a church! There are, unfortunately, many churches in America today, where the Lord Jesus Christ stands outside the door, desiring to be invited in. I believe it is the job of true Christians to open these doors.

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; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
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: 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, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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.
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.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 3:14-22)

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