The Holiness of Unity

Ever get worn out with “Christianity?”  I know, that is a really tough question, but think about it for a bit.  There seems to be so much arguing, fighting, debating, segregating and politicking within the family of God. 

Whatever name is decided to be worn outside on the marquee shapes the thinking and attitudes towards doctrine and unity with other believers in Jesus.  The “marquee” name becomes the recognized tribe whenever one is traveling from one town to another as they seek out a church gathering to attend.

Why is it that some have an inner-circle of “accepted” believers within their own tribe that they are unable to see the good in what others are doing in the name of Jesus?  The disciples had the same issue.  They thought their inner-circle was the correct one and thus, they became elitist until Jesus gave them a dose of reality.  Luke 9:46-50 records Jesus’ conversation with his disciples about their elitist attitude and their view of those who were “outsiders.”

“They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, he brought a child to his side. “Whoever accepts this child as if the child were me, accepts me,” he said. “And whoever accepts me, accepts the One who sent me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference.”  John spoke up, “Master, we saw a man using your name to expel demons and we stopped him because he wasn’t of our group.”  Jesus said, “Don’t stop him. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally.” (The Message)

It appears that every side road in America has some kind of “church” that wants to make its mark on the community or even the world.  There are thousands of groups who lay claim to being Jesus’ followers.  Within many of these groups, they have denominated within themselves due to the lack of unity or doctrine. 

If our culture is going to take a turn for the better, then we as believers in Jesus need to see the value in what we have in common, rather than where we disagree.  In most cases, it is more opinionated doctrine than it is doctrine itself. 

If believers in Jesus would live out the Matthew 25 principle, the community culture would change dramatically.   “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

The goal is to be a welcoming spirit to those in need and not get tangled up in religious politics.  When one is hungry, they don’t look on the marquee of a church facility and say, “I can’t eat from this tribe or that tribe; rather, they simply open the door and asked to be fed. 

The desire is to be believers who are bent on being Jesus, not a denomination of elitist who only sees themselves as the only ones worthy to be heaven bound. 

The aim is to be united believers who capture the essence of Jesus’ message in John 17:20-21 when he said, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”  (NIV)

I am grateful that many are seeing the value in uniting as believers for the common good of our communities and nation.   Jesus must be the centerpiece of all that we do, not our personal agendas and marketable churches that want to be popular.  When the Lordship of Jesus is permeated in the hearts of every Jesus believer, unity takes place and the prayer of Jesus becomes a reality in the twenty-first century America. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Smile, It Increase Face Value!

There are many websites and even Facebook that has the title: Smile, It Increases Face Value. There is something to be said about an individual whose lips are pointed in the up position at the ends, rather than in the down position.

A smile conveys a message that things are good. I know, you might be thinking that there are those and even yourself who can put on a fake smile. I've done that myself. Whether the smile is fake or real, it still conveys a positive message to those around us. And, most of the times, a smile changes the atmosphere in the room. The last thing anyone needs in our little community of friends is a sour attitude with a frown on our face that conveys the song sung by Buck Owens and Roy Clark on the T.V. show, Hee-Haw many years ago:

“Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep dark depression,
excessive misery;
If it weren’t for bad luck,

I’d have no luck at all:
Gloom, despair and agony on me.”

Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.” and we find in

Proverbs 17:22 that “a cheerful heart is good medicine.” Our attitudes color our whole personality. We cannot always choose what happens to us, be we can choose our attitude toward each situation. Someone once said, “What we put in our minds determines what comes out in our actions. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”

Cheery-O
If you smile the day will be cheery,
if you smile the day will be bright.
If you think good thoughts you’ll be happy,
and everything will work out just right.
So don’t let a frown turn you sour,
don’t let bad thoughts make you blue.
Just always remember, think positively,
for how you feel is up to you!
Susan L. Wiener

“Most of us miss out on life’s big pleasures. The Pulitzer. The Heisman. Oscars. But we’re all eligible for life’s small pleasures. A pat on the back. A kiss behind the ear. A four-pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset. Enjoy life’s tiny delights. There are plenty for all of us.”

Source unknown

A smile is a wrinkle that shouldn’t be removed!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

The Theory of Giving

A missionary once asked a new convert, “Pablo, if you had a hundred sheep, would you give fifty of them to the Lord’s work?” He answered, “You know I would gladly give them.”

“Pablo, if you had fifty cows, would you give twenty-five to the Lord’s work?” “Yes, you know I would be more than happy to do that.”

Again the missionary asked, “Pablo, if you had two pigs, would you give one of them to the Lord’s work?” “That’s not fair,” Pablo replied. “You know I have two pigs.”

Many people are extremely generous in theory but not in practice. They say, “If I only had a million dollars, I would give half of it away.” This is simply not true. If we aren’t faithfully giving even ten percent of our money right now, we wouldn’t give away half a million dollars if we had it.  (Written by Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 151-152)

The word "give" is used over 1,500 times in the Bible. When we look at what Jesus had to say about giving, we discover that Jesus was much more interested in the motive of the giving, rather than the amount of our giving. 

2^nd Corinthians 8:7 describes the importance of excelling in grace giving.  The Apostle Paul said, "Just as you excel in everything else, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in your love for us, see that you also excel in this grace of giving."  God wants us to grow in giving, as much as you grow in faith, in love, and in knowledge. 

Growing up attending church gatherings every week, I saw the “collection plate” passed out to everyone every time.  Everyone around me put money into the “plate.”  My dad would give all his six kids a quarter so we would have money to put into the “plate” too.  I never quite understood the point of giving until I grew up a bit a saw the value of supporting the local church body.  Over the years, I have discovered a few theories about giving.

Giving shows our appreciation for our blessings – We know that God is the source of all that we have.  He's the source of our life.  He's the source of our abilities.  He's the source of all the natural resources.

Giving shows our commitment to the church – God does not want your money.  He wants YOU! He wants your LIFE.  He wants you to COMMIT yourself to Him.  Remember, our commitment and faith in God will give the resources necessary to grow a great church!  

Giving shows our commitment to the poor – That's why Proverbs 19:17 says, “When you give to the poor it's like lending to the Lord and He repays wonderful interest on your loan.”  (Living Bible)

God is in the business of blessing His children abundantly.  When we give out of our own poverty, God gives out of His own richness.  He gives so much more than we can ever imagine.

Remember, Be God Controlled,

Brian

How to Get What You Need!

Throughout Scripture, God has promised to meet our needs.  Whether the needs are:  Emotional.  Financial.  Physical.  Spiritual.  Relational.  Or, just everyday needs of your life.  In fact, one of the Hebrew names for God is Jehovah Jirah, which means “I am the God who provides for you.”  Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all that you need  from His glorious resources in Christ Jesus.” 

In order to receive, we must trust!  If you are like me, this gets really tough!  I truly believe that the more we trust God, the more our needs our met.  The psalmist said, Psalm 13:5, "But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me."  Also, Psalm 50:15 “I want you to trust Me in your times of trouble so I can rescue you and you can give Me glory.”  God is in the business of giving.  We must be in the business of trusting!

The Bible also talks about the faith factor.  Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith it will be done unto you.”  Faith is tough too!  Especially, when everything around you is burdensome.  There are great promises told in Scripture for anyone who has priority faith.  As a matter of fact, Matthew 6:32-33 from the New Living Translation says, “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the kingdom of God your primary concern.” 

When you need, trust!  Trust in a God who knows you, loves you, and died for you.  When you need, have faith! Have faith in a God who provides for you.  Have faith in a God who promises great riches when you display faith. 

Remember, Be God Controlled,

Brian

Dad...Best Three-Letter Word Ever!

Throughout my short life on earth…48 years to be exact, I have been given a variety of titles:  Coach.  Sergeant.  Preacher.  Husband.  Bus driver.  Uncle.  Son.  Mister.  Soldier.  Veteran.  Brother.  Nephew.  Friend.  Pastor.  Rev.  Teacher.  Dad. 

Ah…Dad!  I love it.  No matter how many times my children have called me dad, never one time have I ever said, “stop calling me, DAD!”  The older that I get and the more independent my children become, I cherish the word even more.  On September 2^nd my son will be moving to Texas to serve as a youth minister and on September 5^th my daughter, who married a Navy Seabee will be moving to California.  All at once, the house will be empty of noise and clutter and left on lights and piles of clothes and the constant calling out of the best three-letter word ever…DAD! 

The first time I heard my son speak, the word came out dada!   It melted my heart and I wanted him to keep saying it over and over again.  When my daughter came along and she starting talking, she called me daddy for the longest time.  Dada, daddy or dad, it doesn’t matter.  I love that title!

One of the most important roles a dad has is to ensure that his children know about a dad who expects our faithfulness to him and who is eternal in love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  Ephesians 6:4 declare to dads everywhere to, “bring [the children] up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” (NLT)  Even Moses instructed the dads to “Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 The Message)

Not only do I want to hear my kids talk to me, but I want them to talk to their heavenly dad, too.  Jeremiah 33:3 says it best, “…Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” (The Message)  God loves it when he hears from his kids.  He loves it when we call him Father.  Dad.  Pappa.  We never wear out our welcome, nor does our heavenly Father ever get bored with any of our conversations we have with him. 

 

Setting on my desk is a plaque my daughter bought me one year that says, “I’m as lucky as can be, for the world’s best daddy belongs to me!”  I see the plaque every day and it reminds me that I must live like the best daddy for my daughter so that she can truly know the best daddy of them all…our heavenly one!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

"In or Out of Context?" Part 1

When one asked God to lead in the process of digging deeper into the Scriptures he will give the digger a deeper insight of his intended will. It is true, however, that there are  “out of context” teachings that lead some down the wrong path. 

2^nd Timothy 2:15 is a riveting passage of Scripture about being a good worker and handling truth correctly.  The Apostle Paul said to Timothy the evangelist, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (NLT)  Correctly teaching truth in “context” is vital for the young believer in the faith and for those who desire “…to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.” Jude 1:3 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christian in Ephesus is extraordinarily powerful even for twenty-first Century believers.  Paul penned powerful words to help the believers know that God chose them, adopted them and redeemed them.  Paul helped them see the value of the life in the light of Jesus by living the Jesus way every day.  He shared the importance of family and how couples should treat each other at home and he gave them resources to combat Satan by wearing the armor of God daily.

What is fascinating about the letter to the Ephesian believers is the way that he weaves together how to live the Jesus life and how to live it effectively.  Over the years, one part of this letter seems to take aim at how one worships God with music.  “In context” Ephesians 5 is about godly living in the community and in the home.  In essence, Spirit-filled believers will live godly lives in such a way that gives credibility to the Christian life.  The section of Scripture that must be kept “in context” that has been taken “out of context” is Ephesians 5:19,  “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” (NLT)  One of the “out of context” teachings has been that Paul is talking about a general church worship setting where we go to a facility and sing to God.  However, “in context” it is one part of the entire section of the letter that teaches us how to live our lives for Jesus on a daily basis. 

“In context”:  Ephesian 5:15-20, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.  Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.  Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs – Ministering truth

Making music to the Lord in your hearts –Inner joy

And give thanks for everything – Being grateful

“Out of context” is a mandate on “how to” sing in a general church gathering.  It would also being interesting to know how many general church gatherings who teach that this is a “how to” sing in church gathering actually “speak to one another in Psalms and hymns and spirituals songs? 

Stay tuned for another, “In or Out of Context!”

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

A Memorable Teacher

Romans 12:7”…if you are a teacher, teach well.”(NLT) The Greek word for “teacher” is: didasko, which means, "to teach one, to impart instruction, to explain or expound on a subject.” (Greek Lexicon)

The gift of teaching is the ability to communicate in a way that the student can understand and make life applications.  The gift of teaching isn’t so much the quality of teaching, but rather, the ability to teach so that the student is able to learn life lessons.  While some possess the spiritual gift of teaching, all of us have a responsibility to teach godly values of right and wrong, morality, ethical standards and honesty.  It does not take the special spirit-gift to teach virtues that will lead a person to godly living. 

Jesus the Teacher

The word “Rabbi” comes from the Hebrew word meaning “great one, my honorable sir.”  In the Greek language, “Rabbi” (Rhabbi) was a title used by the Jews to address their teachers.  Jesus was referred to as a “teacher” at least 45 times (depending on translation) within the gospels. 

Jesus used a variety of teaching methods to get his message across: 

He told stories (Parables) that had spiritual meaning, such as, the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14 or the story about how to invest your money wisely in Matthew 25:14-30. 

Jesus taught through discourse (Sermons) by sitting on a mountainside in Matthew 5,6,&7 and instructing the people about the importance of right living.

Jesus taught through one-on-one discussions.  In Luke 10:25, Jesus and a lawyer are discussing how one obtains eternal life and who is my neighbor.   Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council called Jesus, Rabbi. They both proceeded to have a discussion about being born again in John 3:1-21. 

Jesus taught by example.  Not only did he call his Twelve to go out and preach, He lead by doing it first in Mark 6:7-13

Pastor-Teacher

1 Corinthians 12:28

The gift of teaching is a vitally important part of the spiritual health of the church.  And, the gift of teaching is the third most important work within the life of the church according to Paul.

According to 1 Timothy 3:2, those who hold the leadership of pastor, must have the gift of teaching.  The phrase, “able to teach” is not the physical ability to teach, but rather, the Spirit gift ability to teach.  Also, the pastor must hold firm to what he has been taught so that he can teach others in the truth according to Titus 1:7.

In Ephesians 4:11 the gift of teaching comes with the role of pastor.  Pastor comes from the Latin word for Shepherd.  A Shepherd is one who takes care of the spiritual needs of the church by serving the flock and by being an example of living out the spiritual teachings of Scripture as found in 1 Peter 5:1-4

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian McCutchen