Actions Speak Louder Than Words

It seems that where ever you go there is always a critic. Criticism is something that we must deal with in this life. To daily come in contact with others it is no great surprise that our lives are effected by each other. This is not only true in the world, but in the church as well. As Christians we are commanded to bear one another in love. So criticism, constructive or destructive, must be looked at carefully. One must see if the criticism is true or false. Sometimes people are right in criticizing us, and they are only trying to help us to grow. Other times, I think, people do it just to hear their own voice or to makes themselves appear more godly.

It seems there is always someone saying "We don't do this or we don't do that." Yet they themselves are not willing to step forward and do it. There comes a time when one must stop making excuses and, as the shoe says, "Just do it." If you see a need you should do something about it. We can not wait around for others to take the initiative. Sure it's easier to follow once someone else gets the ball rolling. However if the Lord has opened our eyes to a problem we must take action and do something about it. The church is a body comprised of many parts. It is the duty of all, not just one or a certain few, to be involved in it's ministries. For we all have different gifts and callings in which we can be involved. I have heard people say "reformation starts with oneself." We must rise up, and take action, when called to do so.

Now I'm not saying this will be easy or that it should. For I find myself doing the same thing at times. However we can not use this as an excuse to slack in our given duties. For if we can obtain a small amount of grace to overcome this imagine the work that could be done for the kingdom. We can have this grace and not just in a small way. For we belong to Christ and all has been given to Him to extend His glory. All we have to do is ask sadly we don't.

We have a Father in heaven who calls us to service. Yet He does not leave us to do it on our own. He is ready and willing to help us supplying all of our needs( Matt.7:7-11; Matt.21:22; Lk.11:9-13; Jn.14:13&14; Jn.15:7-9&16-17; Jn16:23-27; Eph.3:20; James 1:5-6). He also gives us the Holy Spirit to work out our sanctification and conform us to the image of Christ. So let us go boldly to the throne of grace and ask God to supply us with the strength to fulfill our calling

The Grace of God

Tonight I watched a movie about the true teachings of the Mormon church. It was a real eye opener as I learned things that I had previously not known. Satan, in his insidious way, has once again set out to snare men in his lies. It all started with Eve in the garden and continues even today. This notion that we can be God. The obvious question becomes "How can this be?". "Well by your works." By living virtuous lives we will please God, This of course makes salvation meritorious. That, however, is not the view of Scripture. Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, least 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. Hebrews 9:8-10:10 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience: Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if by the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience for dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the mediator for the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must be also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore necessary that the pattern of the things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the truth; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins, wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, oh God. Above when He said , Sacrifice and offerings and burnt offerings for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then He said, Lo, I come to do thy will, Oh God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all.
It is way to easy to criticize those who believe the lie. "How can they be so stupid?" "Why do they believe such ridiculous things?" We forget that it God who has revealed Himself to us. That this knowledge is given by the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit. If it were not for His work lighting our darkened minds we would also fall to these lies. As it is the depraved nature of man to strive against God. Only by His grace can on come to Him and embrace the promises that He sets before those who believe. We must strive to remember this so that we would become prideful of that which we did not do. For in taking God's glory for ourselves we fall into Satan's snare of trying to be God. Let us look to Him, that is able, for the strength to fight the good fight. With humility giving Him all the glory.

Bound in Love

Sometimes I think that people in the church over emphasis evangelism and outreach. I'm not against them, and the church should not neglect her duty in them. I just think that people forget their duty to edify and uplift one another. It seems that the modern thought of evangelism and outreach is to get people in the church and then move on to the next. This has been one of the down falls in the church today. Either people are to busy with their own lives or they are to busy trying to bring others in. We need to focus on building up the church from the inside. We must work with one another in this and not have an attitude of "let someone else do it." The duty falls on all of us to encourage one another in love. We are called to be one body, that means we must work together to keep it strong. We are not called to be separate little individuals, coming only for our own growth. Nor are we the just to fill space. The church does not have a space for rent sign on the door. One must work towards a spiritual growth and bonds in unity. If we don't do this we fail each other. Also our efforts in out reach and evangelism are done in vain. For how can we expect people to keep people in the church if we don't show each other the love of Christ that is expressed in the gospel? On the same note, how can we expect people to bring people into an environment that is like that. In order to be effective in outreach and evangelism we must strengthen our bonds in the church. We must be examples of Christ's love to all people everywhere. Let us look to the one who first loved us for guidance and help, that His love would shine through us, in such areas.