The Eternal Psalm

Psalm 23 – The Eternal Psalm

The 23rd Psalm, a Psalm of David, is perhaps the most beloved of all the Psalms.  The beauty that is contained within its lines testifies to its canonization among the greatest works of poetic literature.  Simply from an academic and secular perspective, this Psalm merits the highest accolades.  When we consider the great spiritual truths that it contains, we cannot but be affected by its words of guidance and wisdom.

psalm

Psalm 23… The Lord is my Shepherd…

Many have turned to this psalm for comfort in time of bereavement and rightly so.  This psalm has provided guidance to the poorest serf and to the highest noble.  It transcends all societal boundaries in its scope and application because it speaks to the core of the human condition.  We humans are folks who need both comfort and guidance because we toil in ignorance and suffer from our mortality.

This condition compels us to seek a higher, better, and greater explanation; such we find in God.  Paradoxically, then, this Psalm couches God’s reply to our query in human, humble, yet hopeful terms.  This psalm promises that despite our failings, shortcomings, ignorance, worry, anxiety, and fear, that for those who humbly trust in the guiding staff of the saving Shepherd, all will be well both in this life and in the life to come.

Consider Isaiah 57:15 in relationship to this Psalm: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Our attitude of humility before The Great I Am engenders a favorable response.  Yet God’s response comes in an equally humble way.

Being a shepherd in the ancient world wasn’t all that dignified an occupation.  Both David’s father and his brothers were content to permit him, the youngest, to tend the sheep.  It was lowly work.  How fitting, then, that God, the infinitely humble One, be described as being involved in such work.  How God stoops low to serve His people!  The metaphor typifies God’s patience, longsuffering, providence, love, mercy, grace, and comfort in relationship to His creation.  Oh that the world could know these great attributes of God!

The metaphor rightly forecasts the eventual role of the God-Man, Jesus.  His humility and hardship reflect the Shepherd’s work – toiling, suffering, and dying for the sake of the flock.  He is the Shepherd who seeks the sheep who have gone astray (Luke 15:4).  He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).  He is the great Shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20).  He is the chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).

Properly appointed pastors would do well to know this Psalm and to imitate the characteristics of God in their shepherding of the local flocks.  Grief counselors would do well to have this psalm framed and appropriately displayed so as to bring to their mind the human condition it conveys.  Husbands and wives would do well to consider this psalm as a model portrait of a loving and tender relationship that fosters and encourages personal support and development.  Parents would do well to apply this psalm as they seek to lead and guide their children in the home.  Preachers and teachers of God’s word would do well to both know and regularly teach this psalm to their hearers.

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Rearing Children with Religion

Why I Am Rearing My Children with Religion

Several months ago, I read an article entitled, “Why I’m Raising My Kids without Religion,”1 and my problem with the article began right with its title. First, parents may raise corn, raise the roof or even “raise Cain,” but we are to “rear” children, not raise them. Second, we do not raise “kids,” unless we are talking about baby goats—we rear “children.” I hope I have not lost you already with my “Grammar Nazi” pet peeves.

Religion

Do You Rear Your Child With Religion?

Seriously, the author of the article in the “Shine” section of Yahoo News began the article with the question, “Does God really exist?” and then proceeded to explain why he chose not to believe in God any longer and would not include religion in his parenting. The entire article dripped with subjective morality and pointless postulations about ethics and religion. Yes, the article both angered me and saddened me.

Therefore, I want to express why I am rearing my children with religion, but not just any religion—a godly, true religion based upon the principles guided by the Creator of the heavens and earth. I want to discuss why I will not avoid discussing these issues while they are young and then allow them to search and decide for themselves, and why this is an absolutely crazy and unloving gesture on the part of parents.

First, I am rearing my children with religion because society throughout ages has shown the deplorable conditions of homes without religion. Crumbling home foundations without a godly religion continue to exist all around us. We have noted the rapid deterioration of families without a godly religion for centuries, yea, even millennium. Homes without religion often contain mounting materialism, licentious living and sinful sensuousness. Thus, many of these problems can be traced to the fact that far too many homes exist without a godly structure of morality and a firm foundation of righteousness in which families may stabilize and grow. Case in point, far too many children are subject to watching their parents go through the painful process of divorce right before their eyes, because their parents are not maintaining the type of marriage that a godly religion demands (Eph. 5:22-33). Among a nation of families, we are quickly becoming a nation of broken (and immoral) homes, and it is not due to the influence of a godly religion, but just the opposite! In order for America to save our homes, it will take the influence of a godly religion: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).

Second, I am rearing my children with religion because homes with Jesus Christ in them are far better! Just as Jesus blessed the homes of Simon Peter and Andrew (Mark 1:29-31), Jairus (Mark 5:22-41), Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), He can infinitely bless my home! He is not a shunned stranger, but a welcome guest! He blesses my home when His presence and influence is felt through the lives of those inside. It is because of a Christ-like atmosphere from a religion that serves Him that words of encouragement and kindness are spoken to each other (cf. Prov. 25:11; Eph. 4:29-32). I am rearing my children with Christ as the center of my home because Jesus leaves homes with His godly presence therein much more blessed than otherwise!

Third, I am rearing my children with religion because only religion teaches me how the family best functions. The morals of society and culture change and blow like the coming winds, but only godly religion teaches me who made the first home (Genesis 2) and how our Creator intends for homes to function. Only godly religion instructs husbands how to best love their wives (Eph. 5:25-33), and only godly religion instructs wives how to respect their husbands as the heads of their households (Eph. 5:22-24; Titus 2:3-5)—I certainly will not learn these otherwise! Only godly religion instructs children to honor and obey their parents (Eph. 6:1-3). Only godly religion instructs parents to teach, discipline and nurture their children (Eph. 6:4; cf. Deut. 6:6-10). Homes in which families function accordingly are the happiest; homes in which these do not happen struggle.

Fourth, I am rearing my children with religion because I am interested in the salvation of my family, and only a godly religion can offer that. The writer of the article clearly mentioned that he only lived in the present (the here-and-now), and refused to believe in an afterlife. How sad will he conclude when he meets his Lord and Judge? How successful of parents are they ultimately who fail to prepare their children for the impending judgment and resurrection? In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about those who failed to prepare for the coming Bridegroom, and parents who rear their children without religion are doing their children a disservice by not preparing them for eternity! Every accountable husband, wife, father, mother and child needs God! Every accountable husband, wife, father, mother and child needs Jesus Christ as their Savior! Every accountable husband, wife, father, mother and child needs Christianity! All of this is true because every accountable husband, wife, father, mother and child needs salvation from their sins (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). It is the duty of parents to live godly lives and to teach their children the need to believe (John 8:24), repent (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 17:30), confess their faith in Jesus (Matt. 10:32) and to be baptized for the remission of their sins (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Therefore, every home needs to hear these words: “This day is salvation come to this house…” (Luke 19:9). Only parents who choose to rear their children with religion will have the chance of this happening! As godly parents, let us rise above the militant atheism and outrageous secularism of our day and loudly proclaim, “I am rearing my children with religion, because I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!” (cf. Rom. 1:16).

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1http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/why-8217-m-raising-kids-without-religion-212000345.htm

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An Evil Spirit and Saul

Did God Send an Evil Spirit upon Saul?

The nature of God is such that He never would do anything that is out of harmony with His divine essence. Being infinite in all of His attributes (including goodness and compassion), He never would mistreat anyone, manifest partiality or injustice, or do something that may be legitimately indicted as wrong (Genesis 18:25). “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). That being the case, how does one explain the following: “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him” (1 Samuel 16:14); “And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul” (1 Samuel 18:10; cf. 19:9; Judges 9:23)? Did God supernaturally afflict Saul with a demonic spirit that, in turn, overruled Saul’s ability to be responsible for his own actions?

Evil Spirit

Did God Inflict Saul with an Evil Spirit?

At least three clarifications are worthy of consideration. First, the Bible frequently refers to acts of deserved punishment that God has inflicted upon people throughout history. For example, He brought a global deluge against the Earth’s population (Genesis 6-9) due to rampant human wickedness and depravity (6:5). God did not act inappropriately in doing so, not only because the people deserved nothing less, but also because He repeatedly warned the people of impending disaster, and was longsuffering in giving them ample opportunity to repent (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:9). The Bible provides instance after instance where evil people received their “just desserts.” God is not to be blamed nor deemed unjust for levying deserved punishment for sin, even as honest, impartial judges in America today are not culpable when they mete out just penalties for criminal behavior. Retribution upon flagrant, ongoing, impenitent lawlessness is not only right and appropriate; it is absolutely indispensable and necessary (see Miller, 2002).

In this case, Saul was afflicted with “ an evil spirit ” as a punishment for his insistent defiance of God’s will. He had committed flagrant violation of God’s commands on two previous occasions (1 Samuel 13:13-14; 15:11,19). His persistence in this lifelong pattern of disobedient behavior certainly deserved direct punitive response from God (e.g., 31:4). As Keil and Delitzsch maintained: “This demon is called ‘an evil spirit (coming) from Jehovah,’ because Jehovah had sent it as a punishment” (1976, 2:170). John W. Haley added: “And he has a punitive purpose in granting this permission. He uses evil to chastise evil” (1977, p. 142). Of course, the reader needs to be aware of the fact that the term for “evil” is a broad term that need not refer to spiritual wickedness. In fact, it often refers to physical harm or painful hardship (e.g., Genesis 19:19; 2 Samuel 17:14).

A second clarification regarding the sending of an evil spirit upon Saul is the question of, in what sense the spirit was “from the Lord.” To be honest and fair, the biblical interpreter must be willing to allow the peculiar linguistic features of ancient languages to be clarified and understood in accordance with the way those languages functioned. Specifically, ancient Hebrew (like most all other languages, then and now) was literally loaded with figurative language—i.e., figures of speech, Semitisms, colloquialisms, and idioms. It frequently was the case that “[a]ctive verbs were used by the Hebrews to express, not the doing of the thing, but the permission of the thing which the agent is said to do” (Bullinger, 1898, p. 823, emp. in orig.; cf. MacKnight, 1954, p. 29). Similarly, the figure of speech known as “metonymy of the subject” occurs “[w]here the action is put for the declaration concerning it: or where what is said to be done is put for what is declared, or permitted, or foretold as to be done: or where an action, said to be done, is put for the giving occasion for such action” (Bullinger, p. 570, italics in orig., emp. added). Hence, when the Bible says that the “distressing spirit” that troubled Saul was “from the Lord,” the writer was using an idiom to indicate that the Lord allowed or permitted the distressing spirit to come upon Saul. George Williams commented: “What God permits He is stated in the Bible to perform” (1960, p. 127).

In this second case, God did not directly send upon Saul an evil spirit; rather He allowed it to happen in view of Saul’s own propensity for stubborn disobedience. Gleason Archer commented on this point: “By these successive acts of rebellion against the will and law of God, King Saul left himself wide open to satanic influence—just as Judas Iscariot did after he had determined to betray the Lord Jesus” (1982, p. 179). One need not necessarily suppose that this demonic influence overwhelmed Saul’s free will. Satan can have power over us only insofar as we encourage or invite him to do so—“for what God fills not, the devil will” (Clarke, n.d., 2:259).

It is particularly interesting to note how the Bible links the frequent attempts at subversion by Satan with the redemptive scheme of God to provide atonement through the Christ. David, an ancestor of Christ, had to face Satan in the form of this “evil spirit” that sought to harm him through Saul, even as Jesus Himself had to face Satan’s attempts to subvert Him (Genesis 3:15; Matthew 4:1-11; cf. Matthew 2:16; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 12:4). Williams went on to observe: “This explains why so many of those who were the ancestors of Christ were the objects of Satan’s peculiar cunning and hatred” (p. 153).

A third consideration regarding the “evil spirit” that came upon Saul is the fact that the term “spirit” (ruach) has a wide range of meanings: air (i.e., breath or wind); the vital principle of life or animating force; the rational mind where thinking and decision-making occurs; the Holy Spirit of God (Gesenius, 1847, pp. 760-761), and even disposition of mind or attitude (Harris, et al., 1980, 2:836). Likewise, the word translated “evil” (KJV), “distressing” (NKJV), or “injurious” (NIV margin) is a word (ra‘a) that can mean “bad,” “unhappy,” or “sad of heart or mind” (Gesenius, p. 772). It can refer to “a variety of negative attitudes common to wicked people, and be extended to include the consequences of that kind of lifestyle” (Harris, et al., 2:856).

In view of these linguistic data, the “evil spirit” that came upon Saul may well have been his own bad attitude—his ugly disposition of mind—that he manifested over and over again. Here is a persistent problem with which so many people grapple—the need to get their attitude straight regarding God’s will for their lives, and the need to have an unselfish approach to life and the people around them. We can be “our own worst enemy.” Such certainly was the case with Saul—and he bore total responsibility for his own actions. He could not blame God or an external “evil spirit.” Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown summarize this point quite adequately: “His own gloomy reflections—the consciousness that he had not acted up to the character of an Israelitish king—the loss of his throne, and the extinction of his royal house, made him jealous, irritable, vindictive, and subject to fits of morbid melancholy” (n.d., p. 185). Indeed, all people ultimately choose to allow Satan to rule them by their capitulation to their own sinful inclinations, desires, and decisions (cf. Genesis 4:7; Luke 22:3; Acts 5:3).

In view of these considerations, God and the Bible are exonerated from wrongdoing in the matter of Saul being the recipient of an evil spirit. When adequate evidence is gathered, the facts may be understood in such a way that God is shown to be righteous and free from unfair treatment of Saul. Like every other accountable human being who has ever lived, Saul made his own decisions, and reaped the consequences accordingly.

Dave Miller – Apologetics Press – http://www.apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=1278

REFERENCES

Archer, Gleason L. (1982), An Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Bullinger, E.W. (1898), Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1968 reprint).

Clarke, Adam (no date), Clarke’s Commentary: Joshua-Esther (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury).

Gesenius, William (1847), Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1979 reprint).

Haley, John W. (1977 reprint), Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Harris, R. Laird, Gleason Archer, Jr. and Bruce Waltke, eds. (1980), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago, IL: Moody).

Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown (no date), A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1976 reprint), Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

MacKnight, James (1954 reprint), Apostolic Epistles (Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate).

Miller, Dave (2002), “Capital Punishment and the Bible,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/1974

Williams, George (1960), The Student’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel), sixth edition.

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Binding and Loosing

Binding and Loosing

The Biblical concept of binding and loosing pertains to the degree to which actions are constrained by law. To illustrate, by way of secular example section 92.06 of the Akron, Ohio, city ordinances states: “No person shall dye or otherwise color any rabbit or baby poultry, including, but not limited to, chicks and ducklings.” This law has been bound and is thereby enforceable in Akron, Ohio. The Akron citizen is constrained from coloring baby ducks. However, since there are no laws in Akron, Ohio about painting your pet elephant, citizens are loosed (not constrained) in doing so. All citizens of Akron, Ohio, are bound or loosed by the laws pertaining to Akron. On the largest of scales, the Bible is the ultimate authority by which all actions are bound or loosed today. How does this book have such authority to bind and loose?

Binding

Binding and Loosing? How is this done?

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1). God is creator, we are creation. The man Job realized the state of humans when before God he stated: “Behold I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee” (Job 40: 4). Isaiah 64:8 establishes that God is the potter, man the clay. The creation logically does not have authority over the creator. The Bible given to man is the Word of God. They are the edict of the King. They are uncontestable.

When the man Jesus came to the earth, God made it clear Jesus was His Son and man was to listen to Him (Matthew 17:5). The Jews of that time wondered when Jesus spoke how he could do so with authority (Matthew 21:23). Consider how Jesus received his authority:

John 5:30 – I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 12:49-50 – For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak.

Jesus sought to do the will of his Father. He only stated what the Father would have him say. He did nothing of Himself, only that which the Father had given him authority to do. Consider John 1:1-3 where Jesus, the Word of God (John 14:6, John 17:17) creates all things. God says, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), it was done. Jesus did not simultaneously create a light source. God had not said to do so and Jesus only does what He is told. Jesus does not add to or do less than what He is told by the Father. Thus, through the Father, Christ has always constrained himself. When tempted by Satan in Matthew 4, Jesus followed the same pattern of stating his Father’s will, “it is written”. In the obedience of Christ, the Father than gave Jesus all authority (Matthew 28:18).

The apostles were gathered together by Christ. They were nobodies. However, Christ made them men with authority. How?

John 14:26 – But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

John 16:13 – Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Matthew 28:19-20 – Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

The Holy Spirit comes to these men and by the authority of Christ, given by the Father, shares all truth (the Word of God) with them. They are then told to teach the truth Christ shared by himself and through the Spirit. In doing so, they are doing no less than what Christ himself did. They acted with authority of the Father. They constrained or bound themselves to it. Jesus tells Peter the following in Matthew 16:19:

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loosen earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Of note is the false doctrine some twist from this verse of papal succession. It is believed that starting with Peter a line of succession to bind and loose doctrinal precepts upon mankind was handed down through today by the popes. This is a gross misunderstanding and misapplication of scripture. To begin with, “the keys of the kingdom” is a term referencing the sharing of the Word of God. Peter shared the Word on the day of Pentecost and 3000 souls were added to the kingdom. The doors to the kingdom were opened by the keys of the gospel. Next, the charge to bind and loose was not just given to Peter, but also to the disciples (followers of Christ – Matthew 18:18):

“Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

The binding and loosing is not something that was assigned to an individual or a succession of popes, but to the followers of Christ. Yet, there is an even more important understanding that must be realized. In both Matthew 16 and 18, the ability to bind and loose, the ability to constrain according to authority of Christ given by the Father, is something which is directly tied to that which has already been bound or loosed in heaven. In simplistic terms: Share the word and stick to it. Don’t add to it and don’t take away from it. What is commanded to be followed is that which has been established by God already. There is not authority given to create new law. God’s law is not imperfect needing additions or subtractions to it depending upon the situation.

Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:3 – His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

Jude 1:3 – Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

The verses above all point to the fact that the Word of God has been given in complete to man. There are no further words or clarifications which are needed. There are no new laws to constrain upon mankind. Of importance in answering our question about how the Word of God has authority two more verses must be mentioned. We know that God the Father instructed Jesus and he followed. Jesus instructed the apostles directly and through the Holy Spirit and they followed. This is important in the understanding of the authority of the Bible for no word of scripture has been taught by the opinion of those apostles. It has only been through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through Christ we have received the teachings of Christ.

2 Peter 1:20-21 – knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 1:11-12 – For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

If by Pope, “angel”, vision, emotion, friend, Bishop, or theologian an instruction is given which is not found to be in agreement with the Bible, there is no authority in their words (Galatians 1:6-10). Man cannot be constrained by that which the Words of God as found in scripture do not constrain. Man is free where there is no constraint. Binding and loosing is the responsibility of all who would share the gospel. It is a responsibility they follow with Christ, the Apostles, and past disciples. It is the binding and loosing of that which has been established previously in heaven and nothing more. Accursed are those who do not do so.

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The Reputation of a Congregation

Congregation Reputation

What Do They Say About Us?

When people drive by our church building, what do you think they say? Do they say? Do they say, “Yea, that church is incredible. They are always teaching people the Scriptures and they do such a great job showing others Jesus Christ by what they teach and the way they live?” Well, perhaps people say that and perhaps they do not. But, the sad truth is that very few congregations are talked about this way. Why not? Well, to have people say this about the church means that the Christians who meet at the local congregation must have a commitment to proclaiming the cross of Jesus Christ while also caring about their community enough that they become the solution to the major issues plaguing our communities. They must be a light to the world! And, if we are not like this, then we need to change.

Congregation

What is the Reputation of Your Congregation.

For instance, if we do not think like this then we need to change the way we think. So many Times we believe that the church is the answer or is a huge asset to the community in which we live. So often, we may be called a compassionate church, we may even have a wonderful benevolence ministry with helping others, including a food pantry. We may even help struggling Christians all over the world. But here’s the thing…. while it is a good thing to help others out when they need it, did we extend our hand out to them too? What I mean is, did we embrace them? Did we identify with them and put ourselves in their shoes? You see, compassion is not what we do, compassion is supposed to be who we are because that is who our Master is. And so, we help others not just in momentary ways, but help them to see the Savior by teaching them because if we really care for them, we will care more for their souls.

Second, if we want people to think about us in incredible ways, maybe we need to change the way we pray. What do I mean by this? Most of the Time, prayers need to be based on more than just what our needs are. In the book of Mathew, Jesus teaches us something revolutionary. Jesus wants us to pray that the Father would raise up workers to meet the needs that we see in our communities. He says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matt. 9:38). When was the last Time you prayed the song, “Lead me to some soul today?” Do we not sing this song because we hope that someone else will care for the souls that are around us? Perhaps the preacher or some missionary will reach them. I think the Lord here was referring to His disciples, Christians, who would be those workers in reaching out to the souls that He knows can be saved. So, will you be incredible and reach them or let them be lost?

Third, change the way you keep score. Huh? For years, congregations define success by the strength of the programs and/or the increase in numbers. But, does this really define success? Why do we define success like this…like a business? Should we not be basing our success on meeting the Lord’s will and tending to the crying needs of people around us? I mean, so what if we can feed the hungry, provide shelter, give blood, go to ball games together if we are still unwilling to fulfill God’s calling in Isa. 61 and Luke 4. We ought to be able preach good Tidings to the poor and allow Jesus to heal their broken hearts so that they can be released from the bondage of sin! That’s it! Doing the will of God because we love our Creator and we love our community as much as ourselves! To love them and to serve Jesus, with no strings attached, and allowing God to open their hearts and to give the increase.

Fourth, to be an incredible congregation of the Lord’s body, it involves changing our thinking, praying and score keeping. But, it also means to change the way we do community outreach. Community outreach does not mean “inviting them to our church.” It means, inviting them into our lives! It means, going to them and being involved in their lives and not just insisting that they come and join us. Jesus is the best example of this. So often it was the case the Jesus went to the people. He was involved in their lives. He wanted to know about the people. He wanted to know them and to show them the glory of God and in doing so, many followed and still follow Him. We can do the same thing if we are willing to do His will. You see, that is giving yourself to God. Too often it is the case that we give God the bare minimum and that is not going to cut it.

We have got to be good stewards of what God has given us and what He has given us is ourselves…a born again life! We belong to Him! We must therefore, change our normal giving to Him and start giving ourselves to others because our hearts are gripped with all that God has done for us and that even when we are not in the “mood” to do for God, we “get in the mood” because of how much we love our God in heaven. And, if we do that, when people drive by the church building, they will says, “Yea, that church is incredible. They are always teaching people the Scriptures and they do such a great job showing others Jesus Christ by what they teach and the way they live! They want to be involved in my life and because of that, I want to be involved in the God whom they serve!” Dare to be different than the world, brethren.

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