Spiritual Boot Camp (Part 13): Commit to the Fight

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 2:1-3

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.³ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

(ESV)

In his writings, the Apostle Paul often referred to the ministry as a spiritual battle.  For example, we have his references to the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20.  Paul also makes reference to our walk with the Lord being a race (1 Corinthians 9:24, Hebrews 12:1).  The bottom line is that our walk with the Lord involves committing to a spiritual battle against a formidable enemy whose tactics are to attack us, taking us off or our game, robing us of a close fellowship with God our Father (1 John 1:5-7). 

2 Timothy 2:4 cautions Timothy not to become entangled in civilian pursuits.   This blog is a political blog, engaging in a discussion of political affairs affecting our lives.  However, I begin each posting with a biblical reference in an effort to view the political discourse from a scriptural perspective.  Paul is not teaching us that we as Christians are to totally ignore civilian pursuits but instead not to become entangled in them and instead examine them from a loftier biblical perspective. 

2 Timothy 2:5 goes on to caution Timothy, and us, to follow the rules just as an athlete competes by following the rules.  While we as Christians are to disobey any rule forbidding us from sharing and practicing our faith (Acts 4:18-20) we must never resort to violence or civil disobedience against flesh and blood but instead let our fight be against spiritual forces of evil residing in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).  It is this focus on a spiritual and not flesh and blood battle that distinguishes Christianity from many religions that we see resorting to violence in the name of their God today. 

A good soldier for Christ is to,

1)      Focus on Jesus the risen Messiah (2 Timothy 2:8) – Jesus, the Messiah is not dead but he is risen.  This fact is something we may unfortunately take for granted in our walk for Christ but it should be the main focus of our faith.  Other religions follow someone who is buried in a tomb somewhere. However, Christianity has an empty tomb to point to.  This empty tomb is evidence that Jesus Christ conquered death, the ultimate enemy.  Let us not become distracted by what we see going on in our world today and instead maintain our focus on the one who conquered death by taking time daily to worship, pray, and study the Bible. 

2)      Be willing to suffer physically for the Gospel as the Apostle Paul did (2 Timothy 2:9-13) – Paul is writing this letter to young Timothy while bound in chains for his faith.  This incarceration will eventually result in his being martyred for his faith.  However, instead of wallowing in his misery, he declares his willingness to endure everything so that others may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:10).  Instead of wallowing in misery, Paul declares “If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful.” (2 Timothy2:11b-13).  My prayer is that as we witness the secular world turning more violent against Christianity, the church will share in the commitment Paul demonstrated and not deny Christ or become faithless.

3)      Not become distracted by false teaching (2 Timothy2:14-19) – One of the blessings of living in the information age is the easy access to information.  However, this ease of access also carries with it the ease with which false information can be spread.  We must therefore exercise diligence and discern information we see online with the truth of the Bible, the Word of God. 

4)      Not become distracted by gossip (2 Timothy2:20-26) – The church is full of people at many levels in spiritual growth.  When we are saved, we still carry with us the baggage of sin in our lives.  This is symbolized by Paul as the wood and clay vessels.  We are therefore to strive to have this wood and clay cleansed through the fire of cleansing, leaving the valuable gold and silver put into our lives when we received Christ as our savior (1 Corinthians3:10-15).  Our flesh has a tendency to gossip and with the technology of social media, this gossip can become a conflagration of destruction and distraction that hinders the spread of the Gospel.  Instead, we must allow the conflagration of the fire of the Spirit of God to engulf us and help us maintain our focus on Jesus Christ and His Word.

We are involved in a spiritual battle.  This battle is unlike any battle in history for it is not a visible battle, but an invisible spiritual battle for the eternal souls of people lost in sin that either do not know about, or have not experienced the saving grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.  We must be good soldiers of Christ by maintaining our focus on our risen Messiah.  We must be soldiers dedicated to serving our commander in chief, Jesus Christ, even if it means enduring ridicule or suffering.  We must also guard ourselves against the distractions of false teaching and gossip and press on focused on Jesus Christ and God’s Word.

Next Wednesday we will look at the spiritual battlefield we are in.

Milwaukee: An example of a M.E.S.S. Fueled by Moral and Cultural Decay.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 14:34

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

(ESV)

The Book of Proverbs in the Bible is God’s book of wisdom.  It is also God’s book of commonsense which if followed leads to blessing in our lives (Proverbs 3:13-35).  However, it is also a two-edged sword that if not followed leads to reproof from the Lord out of His love for us (Proverbs 3:12). 

As we read the founding documents of the United States, we see that the authors of these documents heeded the wise words of Proverbs 14:34 and wanted to establish a nation founded in righteousness.  However, through the years the United States has abandoned this righteous founding and in the interest of political correctness, systematically removing God from the national discourse.  This systematic dismantling began in 1962 with the removal of prayer from schools.  (1)  Soon after this, secularism spread into the media with the abandonment of the morality code for films, (2) replacing it with a ratings system.  The reason for this change was a Supreme Court ruling citing that expression in movies was constitutionally protected speech coupled with a belief that the production code was a form of censorship.  The tentacles of secularism have since spread to government buildings with the banning of the 10 commandments and nativity scenes citing a mythical separation of church in state in the constitution (3) and even into free commerce with Christian business owners facing penalties for refusing service to customers asking them to violate their deeply held religious values.  (4)

This slide from righteousness has created a mess that was triggered by the moral decline that began with the removal of prayer from schools in 1962.  The recent riots in Milwaukee provide a snapshot of the mess created by this slide, something courageously expressed by Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke. 

Sheriff Clarke, an African American, could have played the race card like other civic leaders where similar riots have occurred but instead took the opportunity to cite the stirring up of racial violence by liberal Democrats.  Sheriff Clarke went on to state that it was freedom and earned success that allowed him to rise to sheriff and not some liberal Democrat government program.  (5) However, instead of citing the value of hard work leading to success, race baiters tell those living in the ghetto that it takes some magical government program to raise them out of poverty.  In Sheriff Clarke’s words these failed programs have led to “failing K-12 public schools, dysfunctional lifestyle choices like father absent homes, gang involvement, drug/alcohol abuse and massive unemployment.”  (5) 

In other words, the moral decline of, predominately African American individuals living in the Ghetto has led to economic depravity, lack of security with riots springing up any time there is an officer involved shooting, and calls on government to confiscate the wealth of others, especially those of other races, in the form of reparations.  In other words, we have a M.E.S.S.

To clean up this mess we need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with these individuals and point them to the only one that can clean up the mess in their lives.  This will result in a reversal of the downward moral spiral in these communities and replace it with the love of God and the light of the Gospel.  I want to urge those living in these communities who know Jesus as their savior to let the light of the Gospel contained in them shine light on the dark racial divide in their communities (Matthew 5:16). 

I also urge those that have successfully risen from the poverty of the ghetto to begin following Sheriff Clarke’s lead and begin encouraging those living in these communities to begin working hard to rise from their poverty through hard work.  I also urge those living in these communities to seek security in a relationship with Jesus Christ instead of through some government program destined to fail.  Finding a relationship with Jesus Christ is simple for all one needs to do is pray asking Jesus to forgive their sins and make Him Lord of their lives.  Please pray with me now and enter into this life changing relationship,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Finally, stop seeking reparations from people alive now that had nothing to do with slavery other than being born with the same color of skin as those that owned slaves.  People like myself have achieved success in the same manner as Sheriff Clarke, hard work, and not the color of our skin.  Instead of seeking reparations from the government and thus creating greater deficits and debt, follow our example and begin working hard to achieve your dreams.

We are in a mess but Jesus, and not government, is the mess cleaner. 

1. Brooks, Carol. Prayer in Schools. www.inplainsite.org. [Online] In Plain Site. [Cited: August 20, 2016.] 2016. http://www.inplainsite.org/what_happened_when_the_praying.html.

2. artsreformation.com. The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code). artsreformation.com. [Online] [Cited: August 20, 2016.] http://www.artsreformation.com/a001/hays-code.html.

3. Barton, David. The Separation of Church and State . www.wallbuilders.com. [Online] Wall Builders, January 2001. [Cited: August 20, 2016.] http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=123.

4. Cheney, Kyle. Jindal: Biggest discrimination is against Christians. www.politico.com. [Online] Politico, September 16, 2015. [Cited: August 20, 2016.] http://www.politico.com/blogs/debate/2015/09/bobby-jindal-christian-business-owners-republican-debate-2015-213725.

5. Clarke, Sheriff David. Sheriff David Clarke: Liberal politics and media fueled Milwaukee riots. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, August 15, 2016. [Cited: August 20, 2016.] http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/crime/291435-sheriff-david-clarke-liberal-politics-and-media-fueled-milwaukee.

Spiritual Boot Camp (Part 12): Fanning the Inner Flame

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 1:8

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

(ESV)

There seems to be an increased interest in our society for the paranormal.  I say this because there are numerous programs dominating media dealing with the subject.  In many of these programs they speak of someone going to the light after their death, which is theologically incorrect according to scripture which tells us that when we die, we immediately meet the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). 

For those of us that have decided to make Jesus Lord of our lives by accepting His free gift of salvation, this meeting is something we look forward to.  However, for those that are still separated from God by their sins, the prospect of meeting the Lord is not something to look forward to.  I therefore urge anyone not looking forward to meeting the Lord, to take a moment now and accept Jesus as your savior by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

If you just prayed with me, you no longer need to fear meeting God and instead of having to go to the light upon your death, you have the light of the world, Jesus Christ living in you (John 8:12).  I want to encourage you not to hide the light now living within you by being silent about your decision to accept Jesus as your savior but to instead heed the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16 and let that light shine so others will see the change in your life and want to accept Jesus as their savior too.  As a way of assisting you in this, you can take people to the link for needanswers.com where they can find out how to make Jesus their Lord. 

For those of you reading this who have been followers of Jesus for many years, I urge you to fan the flame of the gift of God that was given to you when we accepted Jesus as your savior (2 Timothy 1:6).  Granted the context of 2 Timothy 1:6 is for Timothy urging him to fan the Flame of the gift of ministry imparted to him by the laying on of hands but I believe it also applies to all believers who received the light of the world into their lives when they made Jesus their savior. 

One of the negatives of living in the information age where we have information at our fingertips is that we cannot hide from the darkness in our world.  While it is beneficial to have easy access to breaking news, the constant barrage of news alerts, twitter alerts, and Facebook alerts can place a cover over the light of Jesus Christ that shines from all who have accepted Jesus as their savior.  This is why it is imperative for us to spend time each day in prayer and the Bible, and turn off the barrage of alerts on our phones, so the light in us is allowed to shine brightly. 

Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:3-18 are a reminder to Timothy to,

1)      Remember the heritage of faith he has (2 Timothy1:3-7) – For Timothy, this heritage was passed down to him through his grandmother and mother.  Having been someone raised in a Christian home, I must admit that it is often easy to take my godly heritage for granted.  If you too were raised in a godly home, I urge you to thank God for that godly heritage and pledge to continue that heritage by passing it down to your children and also sharing your faith with others living without hope in this dark world.  However, if you were not raised in a godly home there is no need to feel left out for as Hebrews 12:1 reminds us, we are all part of generations of great men and women of God (Hebrews 11) who have made it possible for us to have Jesus as our savior and the Word of God. 

2)      Do not be ashamed of the Lord (2 Timothy 1:8-14) – Paul is writing his letter to Timothy while in prison for his testimony.  Not only is Paul in prison, but he is about to be martyred for his faith.  To escape this death sentence, all Paul would have had to do is renounce his faith and go back to making tents.  However, Paul was not ashamed of the Lord and even when facing death, urged his student Timothy to share in his commitment to serving the Lord.  It is easy for us to hold back in declaring our faith in our dark world in order to preserve friendships or even save our lives as occurs in many parts of the world today.  However, we must remember that Jesus died publicly on a cross for our sins so why would I be ashamed to share the gift of salvation freely given to me through Jesus’ public death.

3)      Not fall away from our faith out of fear (2 Timothy 1:15-18) – When we accepted Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit took up residence in our hearts. This Spirt is not a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).  However, fear is a powerful emotion that still resides in our fleshly bodies and can take over causing us to hold back or even turn away from our faith.  This is what occurred when Phygelus and Hermogenes turned away from Paul because of his imprisonment, perhaps out of fear of facing death for their faith.  Instead let us be like Onesiphorus who ministered to Paul in spite of his chains and pending death for his faith. 

We have all received a great gift from God when we accepted Jesus as our savior.  Whether we received this gift due to a familial godly heritage or received it through someone sharing the Gospel with us that was passed down through centuries of godly men, we have received the greatest gift any person can receive.  Let us therefore not hold back in allowing the light of the Gospel to shine forth from our lives in the way we live and speak for a dark and dying world needs to see that light in their lives so they will want to have that light live within them as well.

Next Wednesday, becoming a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

What a M.E.S.S.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Romans 5:8

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(ESV)

Let’s face it, we are all a mess.  Fortunately, God does not throw away messes, He cleans them up.  This is the hope we all have and why no matter how messy the world we live in becomes, we can have confidence and courage in knowing the blood of Jesus Christ has cleaned up the mess of our own lives and that he is returning again to clean up the mess the world is now in. 

Once again this presidential election, voters in the United States are left with a choice of a ballot full of imperfect messy candidates.  While we would like to believe there is a perfect candidate out there, the truth is anyone running for office is imperfect.  Many voters abhor having to choose between the lesser of two evils.  However, the truth is that every election, past, present, and future will always come down to this choice because Jesus Christ, the only perfect person to walk the face of the earth, is not on the ballot.  

We therefore must vote for the candidate whose policies will make it possible for the nation to clean up its M.E.S.S. consisting of,

1)      Moral decline – During a monologue on his August 9 program, radio commentator Rush Limbaugh brought attention to an article appearing in the Root, a publication of Skip Gates, a Harvard Professor.  The article is entitled “How to Survive, be safe, and Thrive, at a Predominately White Institution.”  (1)  While an article promoting further division in the country is alarming enough, the fact that the article was brought to Mr. Limbaugh’s attention by the President of the United States further demonstrates the decline the United States, and other nations of the world, are in.  (2)  In addition, the nation is in a moral death spiral demonstrated by its cheapening of the value of the life of the unborn to facilitate free sex with whomever one chooses with an abortion as an option if contraceptives fail.  The United States has even declined morally on this issue to where every taxpayer in the United States is forced to fund organizations promoting abortion like planned parenthood.  (3)  In addition, not only is taxpayer money funding abortion, Planned Parenthood sells body parts of aborted babies in the interest of “medical research” something CEO Cecile Richards is proud of.  (4)  Not since the horrors of the Holocaust in Germany has the world witnessed such barbarianism, sadly involuntarily funded by taxpayers, many of which find these practices sickening. 

2)      Economic decline – Once upon a time in the United States, being ambitious and striving to prosper economically was considered virtuous.  Unfortunately, those days seem to be way in the past and have been replaced with a view that anyone prospering economically, did so by stealing from the poor.  We have our liberal dominated media and education system to thank for the spreading of this philosophy and sadly many leading the nation today are products of this philosophy as evidenced by how they govern.  The domination of this philosophy economically has contributed to a low labor participation rate (5) and high unemployment among youth in our nation which according to an article in the economist is blighting a whole generation of youngsters.  (6)  If we do not stop this economic decline, we face an entire generation of individuals paying little or no taxes who will be dependent upon government subsistence.  Of course the ones left paying taxes will see a majority of their wealth confiscated to fund the many who have no economic opportunity. 

3)      Security fears – Secretary of State, John Kerry insists that ISIS is on the run in spite of recent terrorist attacks.  (7)  Many relying on the words of their Secretary of State may find comfort in these words but the evidence supported by 1457 attacks killing 12969 and injuring 15726 in 50 countries in 2016 alone indicate that radical Islam is hardly a religion of peace that is on the retreat.  (8)  An insecure nation is a nation on the decline because its people are afraid to do anything.  Left unresolved, these security fears will have a devastating effect economically and morally on the nation.  Economically as people are afraid to move about going shopping, to sporting events, and concerts.  Morally due to people losing hope and living lives of debauchery because they have no hope. 

4)      Spending beyond our means – In our instant gratification world of easy and cheap credit, it has never been easier for someone to spend beyond their income.  The economic collapse of 2008 was actually a day of reckoning for those who experienced the instant gratification of buying a home they could not afford because the government required mortgage companies to make loans to them or suffer serious consequences.  (9)  However, liberals and progressives not desiring to see the blame for the crisis placed on them continue to cite Wall Street greed as the cause of the crisis.  (10)  The government however, is no better with its debt increasing from $10.6 trillion when Obama took office in January 2009 to an estimated $20 Trillion when he leaves in January 2017.  A day of reckoning, like what occurred in 2008, is coming to the United States and if the nation does not start living within its means by balancing its budget, the nation will suffer an even worse economic collapse and worse yet, may not have the resources to keep the nation secure. 

The United States, and the world are a mess.  While electing leadership committed to allowing the economy to prosper, keeping the nation secure, and practicing fiscal responsibility will clean up part of the mess, it is only as individuals allow the Savior, Jesus Christ, to clean up the personal mess of their lives that we can begin to see an end to the moral decline of the nation.  This is where we who have invited Jesus into our lives come in for Jesus told us in Mark 16:15 to take the gospel to all the world.  It is only the message of the Gospel that can clean up the messy hearts of individuals and thus reverse the moral decline. 

I therefore invite each of you who are believers in Jesus as your savior to begin sharing your faith with others.  As a way to help with this I invite you to take them to needanswers.com where they can pray to accept Christ as their savior. 

Cleaning up the mess in our world is not something any one person can accomplish but is a combination of electing responsible leadership and faith in Jesus Christ.  The good news is, Jesus is returning to clean up the mess.  However, in the meantime we must live by faith knowing Jesus is with us always (Hebrews 13:5). 

1. Ware, Lawrence. How to Survive, Be Safe and Thrive at a Predominantly White Institution. www.theroot.com. [Online] The Root, August 8, 2016. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/08/how-to-survive-be-safe-and-thrive-at-a-predominantly-white-institution/.

2. Limbaugh, Rush. Our Country Is in Serious Decline. www.rushlimbaugh.com. [Online] EIB Network, August 9, 2016. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2016/08/09/our_country_is_in_serious_decline.

3. Severino, Jamie Bryan Hall and Roger. Disentangling the Data on Planned Parenthood Affiliates’ Abortion Services and Receipt of Taxpayer Funding. www.heritage.org. [Online] The Heritage Foundation, September 30, 2015. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2015/09/disentangling-the-data-on-planned-parenthood-affiliates-abortion-services-and-receipt-of-taxpayer-funding.

4. Ertelt, Steven. Planned Parenthood CEO Confirms It Will Not Stop Selling Body Parts From Aborted Babies. www.lifenews.com. [Online] lifenews.com, September 30, 2015. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/30/planned-parenthood-ceo-confirms-it-will-not-stop-selling-body-parts-from-aborted-babies/.

5. ycharts.com. US Labor Force Participation Rate: 62.80% for Jul 2016. https://ycharts.com. [Online] Ycharts, July 2016. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] https://ycharts.com/indicators/labor_force_participation_rate.

6. J.F. Why is youth unemployment so high? www.economist.com. [Online] The Economist, May 8, 2013. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2013/05/economist-explains-why-youth-unemployment-so-high.

7. Bradner, Eric. Kerry: ISIS 'is on the run' despite recent terror attacks. www.cnn.com. [Online] CNN, July 17, 2016. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/17/politics/john-kerry-interview-turkey-nice/.

8. The Religion of Peace. List of Islamic Terror: . www.thereligionofpeace.com. [Online] Therelitionofpeace. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/attacks/attacks.aspx?Yr=2016.

9. Randazzo, Anthony. ‘The Financial Crisis Was the Result of Government Housing Policy’. reason.com. [Online] Reason.com, June 2012. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://reason.com/archives/2012/05/17/the-financial-crisis-was-the-result-of-g.

10. Salsman, Richard M. The Financial Crisis Was A Failure Of Government, Not Free Markets. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, September 19, 2013. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardsalsman/2013/09/19/the-financial-crisis-was-a-failure-of-government-not-free-markets/#321854df449e.

Spiritual Boot Camp (Part 11): Staying Focused

By: Dale Weckbacher

1 Timothy 6:11b-12

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

(ESV)

Young Timothy is about to embark on the most rewarding, and most dangerous thing any person can do, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This profession is rewarding in that it provides an opportunity for someone to effect someone’s life for eternity.  However, this profession is dangerous for in many parts of the world, especially in many Muslim countries today, preaching the Gospel is illegal and carries with it the penalty of death. 

Dangerous oppression of Christians is even spreading into countries where it is protected.  In German migrant lodgings, Christians are forced to hide their Bibles amid Muslim death threats.  (1)  Christians living in the United States where they have been blessed with the freedom to openly share the Gospel without any threat of imprisonment or death, must ask themselves if they are prepared to remain focused on their calling to share the Gospel if they too face the threat of imprisonment or even death for sharing the Gospel.  I say this because as the main stream media, professors, teachers, schools, and even political leaders continue to vilify Christians, the possibility of such dangerous oppression occurring is starting to look possible and we must now begin preparing ourselves for its possibility. 

To prepare for this possibility we must,

1)      Joyfully serve those in authority over us (1 Timothy 6:1-2) – While each of us has an inner yearning to be free, we also must honor those with authority over us.  However, if those in authority over us ask us to do anything illegal, immoral, or in violation of the Word of God we can disobey in good conscience.  However, when we as believers are disobedient on the grounds that we are “children of God” and thus do not need to demean ourselves by submitting to someone that is not a believer, we bring dishonor to God and His Word.  As Christians at work we are to,

a.       Work diligently and not be lazy (Proverbs6:6-11, Romans 12:11) – Make it difficult for your employer to get rid of you solely based upon your beliefs because they will be getting rid of one of their hardest workers.

b.       Work as if we are working for the Lord (1 Peter3:15, 2 Timothy 4:2) – Earthly bosses, especially those that are not believers, can be difficult at times.  However, when we remain diligent hard workers during these difficult times because we focus on working for the Lord when serving our boss, we are providing a good witness of the strength of our faith. 

c.       View your job as an opportunity to serve (1Timothy 3:5) – Most of us do not work for the church or in ministry but our jobs are the way God provides for our personal financial needs and also how God provides money we give to the Church.  (2)

2)      Having the proper motive for serving the Lord (1 Timothy 6:3-10) – One of the downfalls of living in a country like the United States where we have the freedom to worship as we desire is we have massive mega churches.  While these mega churches serve a purpose, those ministering in these churches are often paid well for what they do.  While the Bible does teach that a workman is worthy of compensation (1 Timothy 5:18), 1 Timothy 6:10 cautions us not to fall in love with money.  In the event preaching the Gospel becomes illegal or if increased persecution causes some to fall from the faith, churches may no longer be able to pay these high salaries.  My question to any pastor of a mega church reading this who draws a lucrative salary is would you continue to serve God as a pastor if that salary was cut or even disappeared.  Sadly, I fear many good Bible teachers may too fall from the faith if this occurs.

3)      Continue to oppose false teaching (1 Timothy 6:2-5) – As being a believer in Jesus Christ becomes increasingly unpopular in the last days, we will most likely witness the emergence of false teaching designed to transform Christianity into something more palatable to the secular world.  1 Timothy 6:4 teaches us that those spreading these false teachings are puffed up with conceit.  Perhaps what this passage is implying is that some pastors fearing loss of their position and salary due to declining membership due to members falling from the faith may resort to watering down the truth of scripture in order to lure them, and their donations, back.  Even though it may cost us members if we are a pastor, or friends if we are not, we have a responsibility to stand for truth. 

In these last days prior to the glorious return of our Lord, Satan will resort to many things designed to take us off the focus of spreading the Gospel.  He may make things difficult at work by using a non-believing, or even a believing boss.  He may allow us to become comfortable in our religious freedom and then pull the rug out from under us, causing us to fall from the faith if we are not firmly grounded in the Word of God.  He may also deceive us with false teaching designed to take us away from the truth in God’s word that saves us. 

Instead let us fight the good fight of faith by heeding the words of 1 Timothy 6:14 which reminds us to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This fight will be difficult and seemingly impossible at times but we have the weapons necessary to fight this fight at our disposal (Ephesians 6:10-20).  The question we must each ask ourselves is will we be willing to courageously take up these weapons and fight in the face of serious oppression or lay them down out of fear and fall from the faith.  As for me, I join with Joshua in vowing that me and my household will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). 

1. Hale, Virginia. Christians Forced to Hide Bibles Amid Migrant Muslim Death Threats. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, August 11, 2016. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/08/11/germany-christians-hide-bibles-muslim-violence/.

2. www.biblebc.com. The Christian at Work. www.biblebc.com. [Online] Biblebc. [Cited: August 13, 2016.] http://www.biblebc.com/Studies/Discipleship/HTMLLessons/christian_at_work.htm.

Cleaning Up the Mess

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 16:33

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

(ESV)

If there were one word to describe the condition of our world today it would be a mess.  Almost on a daily or weekly basis we receive news alerts on our smart phones and tablets about another police shooting, terrorist attack, or killing of a police officer.  Instead of offering compassion to the victims of these violent attacks, political leaders attack the guns used and try to convince citizens fearing they will be the next victim that gun control or the complete elimination of guns will somehow prevent these acts of violence.  The fact that some of these acts of violence are now being perpetrated using knives, axes, and even semi-trucks tells us that these violent people will use any means at their disposal to murder anyone they feel gets in the way of their agenda. 

Then we have the mess of the confusion over gender.  In Matthew 19:4 Jesus taught that God created people as males and females.  In Matthew19:5 Jesus goes on to teach that because of this differentiation between genders, a man shall leave his father and mother and join to his wife.  In Jesus time, a wife was someone female in gender so there is no confusion on Jesus part that marriage was to be between a male and female.  It is therefore a deception and perversion of the truth of God’s Word to believe otherwise.

Some have even carried this gender confusion to an extreme allowing people to medically change their genders while still having the genitals of their birth, and seek legal permission to use public restrooms of people having the opposite physical gender.  This extreme gender confusion has the potential of creating a dangerous mess where people will be subjected to sexual assault by people posing as someone of the same gender mentally and emotionally as a means of access to people of the opposite gender they can sexually assault. 

The secular world that does not depend on faith in God has no recourse but to solicit help from government and the law in cleaning up these messes.  This is why many have heated passions this electoral cycle as they seek some magical leader with the ability to clean up this mess.  The bad news is, however, this magical leader does not exist and no matter who wins the election in the United States this November, the mess will still be there and may even get worse. 

This mess, however, is no surprise to God since he knows all events past present and future and is why he promised us that in this world there would be trouble but also reminds us that he overcame the world (John16:33).  I interpret this to mean that no matter what occurs in our world, no matter who is in power, Jesus is King and sits on the throne.  Jesus can clean up the messes in our personal lives by us allowing him to forgive us of our sins and follow the teachings contained in the Bible.  If you have not done so, please take a moment to allow Jesus to clean up your messy life by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

We all have messes in our lives and you have now joined many others in allowing Jesus, the only one qualified to clean up messy lives, access to clean up your life.  However, as for the messes in the world, we have to trust God to get us through them until Jesus returns to establish His kingdom here on earth, thus cleaning up the worlds mess.  Mark 13 foretells of a time of great global tribulation that will be cut short by the return of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ. 

While many through the ages have claimed to receive some special revelation of when the return of Jesus would occur, scripture warns us that no man, not even Jesus Himself, knows the day of His return (Mark 13:32).  Instead, God’s people who have experienced the cleaning up or their personal lives through Jesus death on the cross are to be on guard and keep awake knowing that at any time Jesus may return.  Jesus final words to his followers before His ascension also instructed them to share the Gospel which cleans up the messes in people’s personal lives for God does not want anyone to perish but for all to experience the cleansing from sin by the blood of Christ and live for eternity with God (Mark 16:15, 2 Peter 3:9). 

We can therefore survive the mess of this world by allowing Jesus to clean up the mess of sin in our personal lives and rest assured that even though Jesus return is seemingly delayed, his promise of returning to clean up the mess of this world is true.  Let us therefore not be discouraged by what we see occurring in this world but be busy with the work of spreading the Gospel until the Lord returns to clean up our worlds mess.     

Spiritual Boot Camp (Part 10): Elders Held to a High Standard

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Timothy 5:17

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

(ESV)

When one has the calling to be a leader in the church, they have a high calling and as such are held to a higher standard.  Young Timothy has this calling upon his life and is why Paul includes the instructions contained in 1 Timothy 5:17-25 as a reminder to Timothy of the rewards of his position as well as the high standard of living it requires.  While many reading this may not have the high calling of elder, or preacher on their lives, when we dedicate ourselves to sharing the Gospel with others, those we share with will be watching us.  Therefore, it is wise to dedicate ourselves to living up to this high standard, bearing in mind we are still flawed people who will slip up from time to time. 

As lay people dedicated to sharing the gospel with the lost we should

1)      Not dish out accusations against others without ample evidence (1 Timothy 5:19) – Substantiation of a charge against an elder requires two or three witnesses.  This requirement is in place to prevent someone from just hurling an accusation at a church leader because they do not like them or agree with them.  However, in our world dominated by social media, unsubstantiated accusations abound.  These false accusations are easy to deliver from the autonomy of a keyboard but the hurt they cause the recipient are still just as harmful.  In addition, others following us on social media see the accusations we may deliver causing them to see no difference between Christians and non-Christians.  Therefore, we should be wise in our use of social media and only make accusations that can be backed up by reliable evidence.

2)      Public rebuke of those who persist in sin (1Timothy 5:20) – A leader who has been accused of sin based on the evidence of two or three witnesses presenting reputable evidence who ignores the evidence and continues in sin is to be publicly rebuked.  This, however, is not to be the norm but an extreme measure carried out against someone who has been accused based upon ample evidence who continues to ignore this evidence.  This is done to make an example of such a flagrant sinner so as to discourage others from ignoring the evidence when their sin is brought to light and instead repent and seek forgiveness.  The lesson for all of us here is that if some sin in our lives comes to light, repent and seek forgiveness instead of covering it up and just going on sinning.  Paul said it well in Romans 6:1-4 when he urged us not to abuse the grace of God by continuing to sin but to instead to learn from our mistakes so that we grow closer in our fellowship with God. 

3)      Hasty in the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 5:22) – It is common when one is ordained as a minister for the leadership of the church to lay hands upon them.  This instruction is a caution for church leadership to not hastily lay hands of ordination on someone until it is determined this individual has the calling of God upon their lives to be a church leader.  Church leadership also has to be cautious not to ordain someone who continues to sin for it could bring embarrassment to the church when that sin is publicly exposed.  Since those we share the Gospel with will be watching to see if we slip up, it is wise to deal with any unrepentant sin in our own lives to avoid the embarrassment when that sin is exposed for our sins will be revealed.  (Luke 12:2)

Sharing the Gospel with someone and seeing their life changed is the most rewarding thing any person can do for another.  However, when we share the Gospel we are engaging in spiritual warfare with Satan for that individual’s soul.  One of the greatest weapons of the enemy is for him to reveal some sin in our lives.  We therefore must be on guard against such sin in our lives and quickly repent and seek forgiveness when such sin is revealed.   When we follow this principle, we can rely on the fact that Jesus Blood has forgiven us of that sin and move on.  

Let the Political Battle of 2016 Begin

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

NKJV

The conventions are behind us and now the real battle to determine who will be the next President of the United States begins.  Elections are battles which cause divisiveness within the nation.  Even though elections are contentious, fortunately, as has been the case throughout the history of the United States, they are a peaceful means of transferring power.  Let us pray that this election as well will provide a peaceful transfer of power as the current President is term limited out of office. 

This election has been contentious mostly due to the instantaneous availability of information through the Internet, social media, and 24-hour cable news.  However, as we look at the increased instances of terrorism both around the world and within our own country coupled with attacks on police officers who maintain peace in our society, the threat of this becoming a violent election cycle is very real.  Let us therefore take steps this election to maintain the peaceful transference of power that has been the tradition of our nation by,

1)      Inviting the Prince of Peace into your life – Jesus Christ is referred to in scripture as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah9:6).  In fact, Jesus Himself said that the peacemakers would be called the sons of God in Matthew 5:9.   However, to become a true peacemaker in these turbulent times requires the peace that only comes from the prince of peace.  Romans 8:14 teaches that those led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  Therefore, not only must one be a peacemaker to be a son of God but one must be led by the Spirit of God.  Unfortunately, sin in each of our lives has separated us from God and does not allow us to be led by the Spirit of God unless we are reconciled.  The good news however is the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ came and through his death on the cross, we can have complete reconciliation with God and be led by the Spirit of God.  However, we must accept this gift of reconciliation with God by accepting the sacrifice of the Prince of Peace for our sins.  If you have not already done this, I invite you to do so by praying with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

2)      Trusting in God and not political leaders – Jesus taught His followers to seek the Kingdom of God first and that when we do all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33).  The things Jesus is referring to are the basic needs in life such as food, drink, and clothing.  Unfortunately, those in the world lacking the peace from the Prince of Peace in their lives depend solely upon their own abilities or some government program for provision of these needs.  When these fail to meet these needs, people dependent upon them can become angry and express that anger during election cycles.  Many have referred to the current electoral process in the United States as the year of the insurgent. (1)  In fact, one of these insurgents, Donald Trump has now earned the nomination of one of the nation’s major political parties.  The reason in my opinion however for the insurgency is less to do with the charisma of Donald Trump and more to do with the frustration due to many years of weak, and often scandalous leadership in the White House.   In fact, Donald Trump made reference to these years of weak leadership in 2011 and has continued to do so during his campaign, which is why many believe he surged to the top and earned the GOP nomination.  (2)  However, as strong a leader as Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton may be, they are still flawed individuals and when we place our complete trust in them, they will fail us and bring frustration.  To remain peaceful during this tumultuous campaign, I recommend placing your trust in The Prince of Peace.

3)      Know that everything is occurring according to God’s plan – Romans 8:28 reminds us that all things work together for good for those that are called according to God’s purpose.  This is not a blanket promise for all humanity but only those that have heeded the call of the Prince of Peace and accepted his sacrificial gift of reconciliation with God.  Therefore, if you have accepted Jesus as your savior, it does not matter who occupies the White House or any other position of leadership, it will all work out good for us, however not without many bumps in the road.  I personally find this liberating in my life.  However, this does not mean Christians should not vote for we are also called to spread the Gospel.  In the United States we enjoy freedom of religion which is protected by the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  We therefore as Christians have a responsibility to vote for leaders that will fulfill the oath of office they take to uphold the constitution including the first amendment.  We also have a responsibility to speak out with our votes against ungodly issues such as homosexuality and abortion.   However, we can find peace knowing that we are led by God and not any flawed human leader occupying office.

I believe that adherence to these principles will help insure the electoral process in the United States remains a peaceful transference of power and does not devolve into violence as it does in many other parts of the world.  The electoral battle is on but let us insure it remains a peaceful debate and does not turn ugly. 

1. Nicholas, Patric O'Connor and Peter. Election 2016 Pits Insurgents vs. the Establishment. www.wsj.com. [Online] The Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2016. [Cited: August 1, 2016.] http://www.wsj.com/articles/election-2016-pits-insurgents-vs-the-establishment-1453824535.

2. Goldberg, Delen. Donald Trump: U.S. leadership ‘weak, pathetic and incompetent’. lasvegassun.com. [Online] Las Vegas Sun, April 28, 2011. [Cited: August 1, 2016.] http://lasvegassun.com/news/2011/apr/28/trump-us-leadership/.

Spiritual Boot Camp (Part 9): Active Wise Compassion

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Timothy 5:1-2

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

NKJV

Jesus taught that the world would know us by our love for each other (John 13:35).  1 Timothy 5 provides details of how we as believers are to treat those in our congregations and since the purpose of this study in 1 Timothy is to equip us for spiritual battle, we must take care of how we treat each other in order to be an example of the love of Christ in our dark world. 

As believers we are to,

1)      Treat older men as fathers and younger men as brothers (1 Timothy 5:1) – The secular world we live in often regards older men as beyond their prime and not as useful as they used to be.  Younger men, like Timothy, are often regarded as inexperienced.  However, within the church, everyone whether old or young as a purpose in God’s plan.  Granted that purpose can change over time but we are not to regard a person’s age as a guide to determine their usefulness.  For older men who have experience, younger men should regard them as fathers with much to teach.  Younger men should be regarded as brothers in need of our support and not condemned for their age.

2)      Likewise, older women are to be treated as mothers (1 Timothy 5:2) – Just as with men, the secular world often regards older women as beyond their prime.  Unfortunately, this robs younger women of what they could derive from the wisdom and experience of older women.  Younger women are also to be regarded as sisters and thus supported by their fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Once again just as we saw with men. It is someone’s devotion to the teachings of the Word of God and their devotion to God’s will in their lives, and not their age that determines their usefulness. 

3)      Honor widows who are truly widows (1 Timothy5:3) – In biblical times women did not work outside of the home.  As such, if they became widowed, they had no source of income.  Therefore, the treatment of widows was extremely important and the compassionate thing to do.  This provides an example of active compassion towards those in the greatest need among us.  I believe it is this active compassion Jesus was referring to when he taught that the world would be drawn to Christ when they saw how the church treated those in need within the congregation. 

However, 1 Timothy 5:3 also refers to those who are truly widows so we must ask what constitutes a true widow.  Fortunately for us 1 Timothy5:4-16 defines it for us.  This passage tells us that,

1)      A true widow is one who is left all alone with no relatives to care for them (1Timothy 5:4-8) – Familial ties were strong in Israel during biblical times and remain strong to this day.  These strong ties teach that children and grandchildren have an obligation to care for their widowed mothers and grandmothers.  1 Timothy 5:4 teaches that this showing of compassion is Godly and fulfills the commandment to honor our fathers and mothers.  In addition, this commandment carries with it the promise of longevity of life and therefore is a demonstration of wise compassion (Exodus 20:12). 

2)      A true widow is to set her hope on God and not live a life of self-indulgence (1Timothy 5:5-6) – A widow who places her entire hope in God is demonstrating faith, trust and total surrender of her life to God.  As such, she would have no desire to live a life of self-indulgence.  It would therefore be unwise for the church to blindly fund a self-indulgent widow’s self-indulgencies for this represents a waste of resources that could be used to help a true widow in genuine need. 

3)      A true widow demonstrates maturity bearing Godly fruit in her life (1 Timothy5:9-16) – Verse 9 speaks of enrolling widows.  This enrollment would be similar to someone today enrolling in a government welfare program or receiving regular support from some charity or church program.  Once again it would be unwise for a government or charity to just blindly distribute resources without having some guidelines for determining someone’s genuine need for support.  In the church during the time of Paul’s writing, the guideline was that a widow be sixty or over, the wife of one husband with a reputation for good works like bringing up children, showing hospitality, and even washing the feed of saints which was important for people walking on dirt roads in biblical times.  These good works demonstrate she is not self-indulgent and will not be wasteful with the resources given her.  Younger widows however were not enrolled in the regular program of support for it was believed they, being young, could remarry and most likely had family members who should care for her. 

The showing of compassion is a way for us to actively demonstrate the love of God which dwells within each of us.  When we actively demonstrate this compassion to those within the church, we create a desire for those outside to church to become part of the body of Christ.  However, we are also called by God to be good stewards of what God has given us and therefore must be wise in how we utilize the resources God has blessed us with.  Let us therefore as soldiers of God desiring to spread the Gospel be both active, and wise in how we show compassion.

Next Wednesday we will look at additional instructions for elders.