Being Spiritually Fit

As I struggle to try and be in better shape I had this epiphany. You'll notice when we try to get in shape, we watch primarily two different things: What we eat, and what we do.  Diet, and exercise.  The food you consume and the activity you exert work together on what you physically become.  There are some genetic factors we have little say over, but we'll overlook this for now.

Something else I notice is how it's the getting in a routine that is a huge milestone.  When trying to get out of your slump and into a routine, I have found personally that if I cheat on one or the other I will cheat on both.  If I am watching what I eat and trying to be physically active, failing to do one or the other will demotivate me to do the other.    If I exercise it motivates me to eat better so that I will reap a better reward.  If I eat well it motivates me to exercise and reap a better reward.  Likewise, if I break my diet by eating things I should not during the day, I feel it's all a waste and I may as well just sit among the sloths.

What do you need to do so that you will be spiritually fit?  The simple point is this.  Apply these two things the spiritual.  Watch what you consume, and watch what you do.  The degree to which we are willing to eat the right spiritual food (not eat bad food) and actively do the work of God, is the degree to which we will be spiritually fit.  Spiritual food is both the things you do eat, and the things you do.  Spiritual activity is doing the things that His Word tells us we should.  Do one, and you will often be motivated do the other better.  Read His Word, do His Work.  Now that I've convicted myself, I better watch what I eat and do.


1 Timothy 4:8
For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

James 1:22-24
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

Should the Church be relevant?

I’ve been pondering “being relevant” recently.  I hardly believe I am saying this, but… The Church should be relevant!  At least when it comes to evangelism...

How so?  Try not to get ahead of me here, because I am not saying let the world change you and let the world determine who you will be.  I'm certainly not saying change God's Word.  Being relevant is nothing if it isn’t fruitless, apart from living a life worth of the Gospel at all times (Philippians 1:27).  Though I have been skeptical at times of being "relevant”, I think my fears stem from the idea of being a thermometer that adjusts to the temperature in this world instead of a thermostat that sets the temperature.  Thermometer relevance is not the kind of relevance we need, I can assure you.

God through Paul’s letters, seems to be talking about being relevant as a means to deliver the Gospel to all people.  People who are saved, are saved when they hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17-18).  Being relevant is just a means to gain access into the lives of others, so that the Word of God can be delivered.  If we can become "all things" so that we can go into them or bring them to us, then we can present the Word of God and let it do His Work.  Of course, we are not talking about sinning in order to be relevant.  We are talking about doing things that are not sinful, in order to be relevant.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Romans 10:17-18
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”

As is always the case, we need to be mindful there is danger in this spiritual endeavor of being relevant—that we would become distracted—and instead of truly becoming new things for the sake of presenting the Gospel, we simply blend and assimilate into the world as one of them.  For example, some will say, “Great, I can be relevant!  Let’s go drink, party, have fun, try new things and do new things!  Let’s do what the world is doing cause it looks like a lot of fun!”.  If we do this, what really is our motive?  We deceive ourselves if we think we serve God here.

Remember what Paul wrote, "Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.".  Some people use the excuse of being a witness in order to sin, which is really no witness at all.  "I hang out with sinners, just like Jesus did."  This can be used as a cop-out to really undermine the Gospel, and make relationships with people we really shouldn't have--ones where they are leading us away from Christ, rather than us leading them too Christ. This is the kind of relevance we do not need.  Instead of being a thermometer and letting the world set the pace, we need to be a thermostat while becoming all things for the sake of the Gospel.  Why do you choose to experience new things?  Is it for the sake of your flesh, or for the sake of the Gospel?

That being said, it seems we are in fact being told that being relevant in the right way is a good thing.  The right way being, becoming all things for the sake of representing and delivering the Gospel.  If this is you, relevance is in fact a very good thing.  Do you have a heart for the lost?  Be relevant!  Learn new things, do new things, meet new people, go new places and become what you otherwise would not inside of your own comfort zone for the sake of presenting the Gospel to those who are different than you, and without.

It’s okay to be relevant.  For many, the idea that it's okay to be relevant can be quite liberating.  I hope that it's liberating to you, for the right reasons.

Is once a week "church" enough?

I feel like there is a lack of true fellowship missing from much of today's Church.  Not everyone, not everywhere... but with a lot.  Fellowship that I see in the Bible.  It's certainly not the humdrum of "going to church" once or twice a week for a couple 1-3 hours max.  In Acts, specifically, they were constantly meeting house to house. It wasn't a once a week thing, and it wasn't at a centrally located building.  Then again, there were also those who sold their houses entirely (Acts 4:34) for the good of others, to be shared.  Be that as it may, it's clear that they met frequently house to house among people or the church corporately who owned them.

Examples:

Acts 2 -- The Day of Pentecost. They were gathered in a house, as directed by Jesus to wait.

Acts 5:42 -- We are told a number of the apostles visited Jewish Synagogues, as well as house to house to teach about Jesus.

Acts 8 -- Saul gathered up the church, going house to house to get them (he didn't go to a "church", where they could all easily be found as might be done today.  I wonder if there is wisdom in that...).

Now, I'm not suggesting it's a sin to have a central building where we all meet at a set time.  But at the same time, it doesn't seem that we see these early Christians found at one unless they were witnessing/preaching the Gospel to others who normally gathered there.  Fellowship, time and time again, occurred in houses.  I'm merely presenting what I find when I read.

So many of us are busy with our own lives; so I wonder how deeply our fellowship really goes with today's mega-churches, and the like (this begs the question, at what point *really* does one become a mega-church)?  What if gathering at "the church"--as we are the church, in the House of God--was really done with a purpose, other than fellowhship?  Or, at least, it wasn't to primary place where we go to attain that fellowship or spiritual food for the week.  What if the church (that's us) through true fellowship, throughout the week--house to house--was learning and growing all over the city, state, country, and world in this way?

Many people still only meet house to house out of necessity I suppose, in some place of the world... but it is uncommon. Now, if we are going to have a central building (that place w/ the cross and the parking lot), Jesus said that His House should be called a House of Prayer (Matt 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46).  He condemned the selling of merchandise at the tables and obstructed people with merchandise from walking through the temple courts (see Mark's version).

If we are going to have a House of God, then why do we spend so much money on making it comfortable?  Is it there to give us a palatable feel to delight our physical pleasures?  I feel much of it often is.  And, in James 4:3 we're told "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."  Our "churches" are air conditioned, soft seated, well lit, with various amenities to keep us in pleased so that we can easily make it through the 1-1.5 hour "service", once a week.  While I'm not necessarily against these things, I just wonder what if they weren't there?  Would we still gather?

So much time and money is spent on making ourselves comfortable when we come together corporately.  Then again, the same pleasures are found in our own homes.  If the AC wasn't there, along w/ soft seats and nice bathrooms, would our fellowship quickly die out?  Would people stop coming?  I'd be interested to know.  And, if it did die out because these things are gone, was it really fellowship?  Perhaps it would be a good test, and a chance to grow.  What if we shared more of what we had--our lives being totally open to what God would put in and take away, regardless of the comfort it may bring or deny us?  What if what was mine is yours, and yours is mine?  What would that fellowship be like?  Would it be profoundly foolish or wise?

What part of early American ACTS, are those of a Christian heart, and Godly-Biblical foundation?

Was it when they first rebelled from England contrary to Romans 13:1-7?

Perhaps was it when these American participated in the despicable slave trade practices of kidnapping people from native tribes in Africa, forcing those natives to be slaves for no other reason than their own American bellies?  There was the opportunity--which was passed up--to liberate many of these slaves being sold by their own neighboring tribes.

Maybe it is the fact the name of Jesus--which is the Name that separates Christianity from all other beliefs/religions in this world--is found nowhere in any official document establishing this nation's rules/laws on Him?

Of all these things, which do you think most effectively shows that America is founded on the Christian Bible or Godly principal?  Or maybe--just maybe--if you believe that some early people making reference to "God", "All Mighty Creator", and purporting some of God's 10 commandments (when it suited them), makes this country based on Christianity... maybe there has been a misunderstanding?  Just maybe.

The Backslider and the Wicked

There are two kinds of people in this world, and you are one of them.  There are those who backslide away from God, and those who don’t.  Who do you suppose is worse off?  It may surprise you to hear—it's not the backslider.  How so?  Simply put, everyone who knows God is also a backslider.  The one who has never backslid from God is worse off because they’ve never known God.  There is nothing for them to backslide away from.  God calls them wicked.  On the other hand, there is no person on Earth who has known God, who has completely refrained from backsliding at one time.  Just in case you are doubting, I think it should be understood that every single sin is a backslide.  Unless of course, sin is obedience?  I think not.  And, don't we all sin?

I propose that there are two different kinds of people in this world—the at times disobedient backslider, and the always disobedient wicked—which one are you?

Isaiah 57:17-19 (the backslider)
 

¹⁷ For the iniquity of his covetousness
I was angry and struck him;
I hid and was angry,
And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart.
¹⁸ I have seen his ways, and will heal him;
I will also lead him,
And restore comforts to him
And to his mourners.

¹⁹ “I create the fruit of the lips:
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,”
Says the Lord,
“And I will heal him.”

Isaiah 57:20-21 (the wicked)

²⁰ But the wicked are like the troubled sea,
When it cannot rest,
Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

²¹ “There is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked.”

This is not to justify backsliding as anything but sin.  In fact, to sin is to backslide—to backslide is to sin.  However, another irony, I think, is that the backslider is the one humble in heart.  He has backslid, but not forever.  God will restore him.  The backslider *knows* he has sinned; he knows he is a sinner and COMES BACK to God through repentance.

The backslider or the wicked: which one are you?  Nothing I can say will change it, but your actions hereto will reveal it.

Luke 18:10-14

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Revelation 3:19

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14

And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.  And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.

For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

"First" post

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I'm going to try blogging again (sorry in advance--haha). I've had a blog on Xanga.com for a long time, but it's also been a long time since I've really been active in posting anything. Anyways, I really don't have anything new yet... so I'll start with my last post from that other blog at www.xanga.com/daniel_1012, which was over a year ago.  Need to jazz up the layout on this one a bit...
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Democracy. Not all it's cracked up to be.

 

Position of Democracy: Presumes to give "power to the people", by allowing them to vote on issues/those in office. In doing so, you will arrive at the greater good--by the people and for the people--by polling the majority.

Biblical Conflict: God's Word (texturally in the Bible) says people are inherently wrong, and have a sin nature. Apart from Christ, which is the majority, we have no hope of conquering this sin. If left to their own devices, as a majority, people will choose what is evil. (Romans 3:12; Romans 7:18, 25)

Position of Democracy: You have rights. Your rights are an accumulation of voting and legislation by those in office, also appointed by voting.

Biblical Conflict: Contrary to popular belief, God's Word doesn't really give us (the Christian) "rights" persay. What His Word does give us, is commands. He commands us to love Him, and love others (among a number of other specifics). He commands the unbelieving world to be like us by putting their faith in His Son, Jesus. These commands are propetually given a back seat to our rights given in democracy. The only promise you have is that you will be persecuted for being righteous. (Micah 6:8; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 John 3:23).  Something that in democracy (persecution), you have a right to avoid.

Position of Democracy: You vote into office the powers that be, into office.

Biblical Conflict: God sovereignly appoints the powers that be, without your vote. (Romans 13:1)

Position of Democracy: The best way to govern man. It gives the poor the oppertunity to be rich. If you can do this, you will be a great example of rags to riches.

Biblical Conflict: God is the total and only King.  Asking for any other authoritative ruling is ultimately a lack of faith and to reject Him (see 1 Samuel chapter 8).  He gives and takes away at His command (Job 1:21).  Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world (the best Kingdom), and goes by an entirely different set of guidelines for attaining power in the world to come. You can be rich without any money. (John 18:36; Matthew 20:8-16; James 2:5)

Position of Democracy: Physical freedom from/among our peers in society is a blessing.

Biblical Conflict: Physical slavery and oppression from/among our peers in society is a blessing. (Matthew 5:10; 1 Corinthians 7:22; James 1:2)

It is spiritual, true, and eternal freedom (from sin) that is the true blessing. This is found in Christ alone--not democracy.