The blog page of this website discusses a lot of different issues. False doctrine, the deceit of cultural Christianity, the examination of the fruit in one’s life, Church structure and all sorts of other stuff. I think these things are necessary to discuss, for the health of our own faith and that of the Church. But please do not let the constant barrage of articles from this website or any other cause your eyes to come off of Christ our Lord. Think of your focus as you might think of driving a car down the road. It is important to look in the mirror (examine your fruit) and it is good to discuss maps and driving techniques (theology) with others in your vehicle. It is OK to look out the side window at other drivers some going the same direction, and at others heading down roads that lead to drop-offs and certain death. It is noble to yell out your window to try to warn them. But, as when driving a real car, your focus must primarily be out the front window. You must keep your eyes on the road, in this case Jesus Christ our Lord as revealed through prayer and Scripture. Please do not ever let the electronic “noise” or the religious concerns in your life keep you from focusing on our Savior. Please do not substitute the study of His Word with a study of Emergent Theology so as to better combat it. Do not let anything infringe upon your time spent with our Lord. It is so easy to become distracted and end up in a ditch. It is the perfection of Christ, and His sacrifice that saved you and I, so do not feel as though concentrating on your holiness, obedience or grasp of theology will somehow save you more. Apologetics is not as valuable as the Living God nor are the Doctrines of Grace as important as the Lord of grace. All these things are important, and diligent study should be made, but not at the expense of time spent with the one who values you so much.
Archive for the ‘Encouragement’ Category
Eyes on the road, please.
February 28, 2010is HE just the Friend of a Friend?
February 13, 2010
Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”
Exodus 20:18-19 (ESV)
Is this what we do with our computers and web surfing? Is this what I do with my book reading and you do in listening to online sermons? Do we have the very Word of God next to us, the Spirit of Christ inside of us, and the confidence to approach boldly before the Throne, and yet listen more to the teachings of others? Are we saying, “You draw close to the God that is a consuming fire, and then tell us what you see” rather than drawing close to Him ourselves? Do we do this because we want some wiggle room? Knowing that if we hear the very words of God, we must choose to rebel or obey, and we will have to acknowledge that the choice is of great consequence. Whereas hearing His words second-hand, we can debate and converse about the finer points, arguing their accuracy and relevance. Or maybe we want others to draw close to Him for us because we feel as though we are not educated or sharp enough to grasp His teachings on our own. Did not the same God that made the seminary professor make you and I? Is He not capable of opening your mind and spirit in the same manner as He does for others? Maybe the avoidance of direct contact is due to a sense of unworthiness. But Jesus Christ has atoned for our sins on the same Cross as those of committed by the great heroes of the faith, and it was the Cross that made them worthy, not their actions. Learning from sound teachers is a good thing, and should be done as a regular part of your spiritual diet. However, it should never outweigh the time spent in prayer and study of the Word. The internet, books and sermons should never take time away from your participation in the Body of Christ, the Church. So, now that you came to this website and read this little article, please turn off the computer, get on your knees, and seek His face or open His Word. Go spend time directly with the God that shakes mountains, created the universe, and yet died for you.
Why did you OBEY today?
February 4, 2010Throughout your day, why do you obey God? Are obeying Him because that is what He expects out of you, and you know you had better keep it straight if you are going to avoid His wrath when it is all over? If this is the case, you are in trouble! That means you are still trying to earn salvation and you are rejecting the work Jesus did on the Cross in redeeming you. If you are obeying God out of love for Him, so you don’t disappoint the one you love, great! It means you understand grace and the Father’s love. Sometimes a Christian will suddenly realize that it is difficult to explain the motivation behind obedience, they just know they don’t like to disobey Him. That’s ok, too. When we are made new creatures our desires are slowly changed by the one who is purifying us (see Philippians 2:13). The more our Lord changes our desires, the more obedience feels “natural”. It can be difficult to pin down your motivations, and often there are multiple and mixed motivations, but may I submit to you that it would be a wise thing to examine them. An honest evaluation of the motivations behind obedience can tells us a LOT about where we stand with our King.
Great Video on the Love of Christ
January 28, 2010
Incredibly Encouraging Video
January 8, 2010This is a Must See video, Don’t pass it by!
The Christian Jellyfish floating in Church Waters
January 7, 2010It seems as though a strange disease is creeping over the some of the Christian populace. I have seen Godly men, men with a sound understanding of salvation, men who have submitted their lives to Christ, and follow hard after Him with passion, sitting silent when they should be standing. Let me explain the situation. More and more Churches in the Bible Belt are drifting into false doctrine. These Churches are preaching and teaching anything and everything except the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some embrace Purpose Driven non-Biblical goals, others begin redefining the Bible through Emergent Doctrine or Nooma videos, and still others focus on topics deemed relevant to the congregation rather than the Word of our Creator. And these Godly men who are left, the remnant of true believers that haven’t fled from the encroaching heresies… do nothing. They sit quietly as their Lord is portrayed as one who winks at sin. They do not raise their voice as the same Christ who suffered for them is described to others as being no more than a wealthy Grandpa in the sky. These men who have sacrificed much in their own life stay quiet, afraid to show any passion or a godly jealousy for the one who loves them. If someone came to these same men using, not vulgar language, but well spoken eloquent terms delivered with a smile to describe the Godly man’s wife as a whore, these men would be outraged. “Just because you use eloquence and a smile,” they would yell, “do not think I will sit idly by as you spread these horrible lies!” And yet, while Pastors and small group leaders use eloquence and a smile to slander Jesus Christ (the only one that should be loved more than a wife) they do nothing. They treat the slander of Christ as nothing more than a religious discussion. “Well, they are from a liberal viewpoint” or “I am hoping they come around” they will offer as a defense. Let us call this what it is. It is fear. It is fear of men over a fear of God. It is the fear as being ostracized as a fanatic, a fear of confrontation. It is cowardice. Spineless Christian jellyfish. Revelation 21:8 states this : “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” It is bad company that the coward is listed as being among. I am not stating that cowardice will cost the salvation of a man truly redeemed, but I am stating two things. 1) Cowardice is far more serious than you think, and you will answer to a Holy God for a lack of spine. 2) A fear to stand boldly for the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a strong sign that you do not fully understand what was done for you, and you do not love Him as you should. So what to do? Repent! Seek God for the strength to stand boldly for His name. He knows you are but a child, and He will lend His Spirit and His strength to those who seek Him.
YES, He meant YOU!!!
January 3, 2010“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel…” It is not just the duty, but an incredible honor that we are to take part in the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! That our sinful selves, now redeemed, could be used to spread the “power of God unto salvation” and bring glory to His name is absolutely incredible. We encourage you to start today (not tomorrow) to use the law and then the grace found in God’s Word to share the incredibly good news that we don’t have to suffer eternally. If you are not sharing the news that could deliver those you care about on judgment day, you either don’t believe the good news of the Gospel, or you don’t truly care about them. There is no other option. Think about it.
One way to spread the Gospel in areas that are saturated with Cultural Christianity (such as the U.S. Bible Belt) is with tracts specifically written to challenge those claiming the name “Christian” to compare their lives and beliefs with what is written in God’s Word. We here at ChurchSalt have one tract completed and ready to go with this very purpose in mind, with another one on the way. They are extremely inexpensive, and all proceeds from tract purchases go toward spreading God’s word. Take a look at our first tract, the “Sam Houston Million” HERE to see what it is all about. If you are interested, please contact our friend Marv at marv@onemilliontracts.com. Thanks!
