Pastor Mike's Weblog

Living 3:16 With Passion for Jesus  Revelation 1:9-13,17-18; 3:14-22

So many today are indifferent when it comes to their faith in Christ. Sometimes I really struggle with discerning whether or not they are really saved. The kind of passion and burden found in One Man’s Journey is rare, indeed. In fact, our church just completed meetings where our stated intention was to seek revival and spiritual renewal. I don’t know if we did or not. I believe a few have. I know I have been challenged and refreshed. But some couldn’t have revival because of the music or the evangelist. If we can’t seek for God when things don’t fit our personal preferences, can we ever have revival? I think not.

Our focal text this week is from the beginning of the Revelation. A great book with an astounding message. The message is not necessarily about perseverance in times of trouble, or even end-time events. It is about Jesus Christ. The challenge of our lesson this week is to be passionate in knowing and following Jesus.

This will probably not be the usual commentary format that I write. I sit here today with several things swirling through my consciousness; revival, church needs, ministry, the future, my future, sickness, stress, dreams, passion, discouragement, etc.

I keep returning to Revelation 3:14-17. The church at Laodicea had a comfortable, elevated view of itself. I would guess that most churches do. “We are a friendly, loving church that wants to see all people saved.” Does that sound familiar? And many church members really do believe that about themselves. But in reality we are only friendly to our own folks. We only love those who are like us. And we want to see all people saved, but blacks need to go to black churches, poor need to go to poor churches or missions, etc. We really only want the kind of people who will fit in; and in most churches that means white middle- or upper-class Anglo Saxon protestants with no major histories or hang-ups.

The Laodiceans probably were just like us. And look what Jesus said about them: “Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17 (HCSB). Here is another penetrating verse that sheds light on their and our condition: “If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (HCSB).

Powerful words from our Master that shred away our veneer of satisfaction and leave us naked, destitute and ashamed. Jesus’ diagnosis is found just before the above verse in Revelation 3:15-16. Here Jesus says we literally make Him sick to His stomach. Our lukewarm, lackadaisical, nonchalant manner of Christianity makes Jesus want to hurl. Neither cold nor hot; neither refreshing or warming. Just sickening.

What can we do? Repent! Turn away from sub-marginal lives that chase after mediocrity, temporal gain, and self-sufficiency. Lay all on the altar of Christ. Rejoice in the blessed truth of salvation. Pursue a relationship with Jesus that is vibrant and alive. Serve Him with limitless abandon. Jesus is today knocking at the door to your life (Rev. 3:20) and asking to be allowed to enter. He wants to fellowship with you, forgive you, change you, and show you what real living is all about.

LET HIM IN!!

I received this e-mail from an acquaintance who ministers to young people. His words are penetrating and may even seem strange to some. I have obtained his permission to post his e-mail here. Read it and be challenged.

Good afternoon. God is so good and I have to share!

It is so difficult to explain all that the Father is doing and welling up in my heart. He continues to make me sensitive to His spirit when it comes to sin, vision, direction for my life, and ways to be a vessel for Him. A very eager and willing vessel.

As I continue to seek for His hearts desire to be my hearts desire, it becomes a pruning process in my life. Allowing Him to take away selfishness, complacency, and negativity becomes a daunting task that brings you to your knees and reveals to you that it is all about Jesus.

Ironically as God has expanded the burden, love, and passion I have for people, I have experienced a difficulty with His people. Christian society has become so complacent in our very comfortable box. When one of those Christians goes outside that box and begins to talk about Christian disciplines that are not of the average Christian norm anymore, then that Christian gets judged, criticized, and labeled as pias. I mean evangelism, fasting, extreme faith and the such.

I cannot allow those people and what they think to hold me back from experiencing the life change God has for me and neither can any believer. You don’t have to answer to anyone except your creator.

I know that God is calling me out to make a difference beyond what I can fathom and it excites me to the point that I cannot and will not hold it in. When that happens, you can’t! This is so different from the times I have been “excited” before. The process that God has been taking me on over the last several weeks has been one of stretching, revealing changes that needed to take place in me, and an absolute freedom.

As this process continues, He is moving me to action. To expand the finite thinking of my mind as well as other believers. To see the greatness that He has in store for all those who will totally surrender and have faith in things that only God can do.

God is sovereign! If He can take somebody like me and change him, he can take anybody and change them as well. I want to communicate that more. I long for the God-ordained opportunities to share my faith with others now. I had gotten so apathetic to the fact that there are people all around me that need a fresh touch from the Father. Philemon verse 6 says, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” It has nothing whatsoever to do with bringing someone to the Lord. It has everything to do with obedience. The sin of silence has affected me too much. I was denying Jesus by not opening my mouth when I had the chance. I was denying Him with my silence.

God continues to make known to me that I am weak. This mere man in the flesh is weak. God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness…makes room for His power.

It is about hunger. I hunger for God to break through in my life, the lives around me, and in the ministry.

This has been an overwhelming experience that I know has only begun. I know I have heard from God. No it hasn’t been some sensational crazy vision. It has been God simply revealing His promises to me through scripture. As I said before, it is God calling me out and tugging me toward an experience of His power. His transforming power. It is a holy excitement.

His for students and families,

Ryan Epps,

Minister of Students

Boone Trail Baptist Church

repps@boonetrailbaptist.org

Galatians 2:20 / Proverbs 29:18

Dr. Albert Mohler asks the question on his blog, "Has the Notion of Sin Disappeared?" His comments are piercing as usual and are directed at thoughts from a USA Today article entitled "Has the Notion of Sin Been Lost?" Both are interesting reads and I invite you to carve out some time and take a slow read of them both. I would also invite your comments.

Has the concept and understanding of sin gone the way of the do-do bird? Extinct? In many circles it would seem so, and none seem more sad than the local church. Many churches still believe in the concept of personal sin, and teach it. But so few professing Christians seem to understand the biblical teaching of sin and its consequences. Both the articles above bring this fact to light, but many have a warped understanding of sin. We seem to categoize it according to societal norms and practices instead of the absolute standard that God set in His Word, the Bible.

Just review some of the research in the articles above. A new survey by Ellison Research in Phoenix finds 87% of U.S. adults believe in the existence of sin, which is defined as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective." Topping the list are adultery (81%) and racism (74%).

But other sins no longer draw majority condemnation. Premarital sex? Only 45% call it sin. Gambling? Just 30% say it's sinful. "A lot of this is relative. We tend to view sin not as God views it, but how we view it," says Ellison president Ron Sellers.

We expect God to make us happy, not holy, and ignore our sin, when, in fact, God never ignores sin. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to deal once and for all with the problem of sin so that we could be freed from its chains. We must see sin as God sees it - black, horrid, miry muck that only brings destruction. It is when we view sin in this way that the deliverance of Jesus reveals its true meaning. With a casual view of sin colored by my own twisted opinions, why do I have need of a Savior?

This past Easter, I wonder how many were brought face to face with the reality of their own personal sin and Christ's offered deliverance? Not enough I am sure. Watch the video below. Would Jesus have gone through this for nothing?

3:16 – Alive With Power    Ephesians 1:18-21; 2:4-9; 3:16-21

Power is a word that conjures up a variety of images. Power lines, power stations, batteries, muscles, lamps, firearms, and politicians are all words or phrases that are related in some way to some form of power. Our lesson for Easter Sunday is entitled “Alive with Power” and deals with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. But what does Jesus’ resurrection mean to me?

Following is a revival challenge I plan to share with our church folks Wednesday night March 19 as we prepare to begin revival services Easter Sunday. Feel free to use as a devotion today and may God bless you.

REVIVAL IS A CHALLENGE - What Challenges You?

• The Work of God Through You

Video Feature - "Braving Bullets"


How is God using you?



How does God desire to use you?

• The Work of God For You

Video Feature - "Amazing Grace" (by Chris Tomlin, with scenes from the movie Amazing Grace)


What has God done for you?



What does God desire to do for you?

• The Work of God In You

2 Chronicles 7:14

Our Part:

1. Be His - "My people....called by My Name"
2. Be Humble - "humble themselves"
3. Be Heard - "pray"
4. Be Hungry - "seek My face"
5. Be Holy - "turn from their wicked ways"

God's Part:

1. Hear - "then will I hear from heaven"
2. Forgive - "will forgive their sin"
3. Heal - "will heal their land"

What does God desire to do in you?

With all the recent talk about environmental concerns and how the SBC should address it, I found this video a prime example of what the SBC should be all about. Especially this Easter season. View the video below and be inspired!

After all the furor, supportive and otherwise, surrounding Johnathan Merritt's unofficial resolution on Evironmentalism, another voice has been heard from a different and yet enlightening perspective. Having already expressed my opinion, I will not re-write it, although this new article gives me pause and causes me to dig deeper into the issue. Read Dr. David Hankins' treatment of the issue in Baptist Press here. Dr. Hankins is the Executive
Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.

Two Jackson-area Baptist leaders have expressed support for the Environmental Action statement submitted recently by SBC seminary student Johnathan Merritt. One of these leaders, Dr. David Dockery, president of Union University in Jackson, is a signatory of the document. Read the Jackson Sun newspaper article here. Read my posts on this issue just below.

Check out this simple, yet profound video. This is what only Jesus can do - and thank Him that He does!!