The Root Cause of Wars and Strife

By:  Dale Weckbacher

James 4:1

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?

(NLT)

If hatred were viewed as a commodity, its dramatic increase in supply in our society since the election of Donald Trump as president would mean its value has diminished.  Unfortunately, the commodity of hatred is unlike commodities in the commodity market, and feeds upon itself until it gets out of control.  Therefore, it is crucial to get control of the anger prevalent in our society before it reaches a point where it is unmanageable. 

In the United States, we are witnessing the bashing of the President, something that occurs with each president, escalate into famous singers threatening to blow up the White House. (1)  Gory videos displaying the severed head of the President are displayed that traumatize the President’s young son.  (2) (3)  While the First Amendment of the United States Constitution extends the right to free speech, that does not include the right to slaughter others and destroy their property.  (4) (5)  This level of hatred must stop but the question we must ask, is how does society stop it? 

These incidents make it appear the fight is against flesh and blood but according to Ephesians 6:12, the source of the battle goes much deeper and is against evil spirits in heavenly places.  James 4:1 also reminds us of the continuing battle every individual has with their flesh.  To solve a problem, we must properly define it.  In this instance, we must determine that the problem is not with the people causing the violence, but with heavenly powers deceiving people, the ones leading them, and the ongoing struggle with the sinful flesh. 

During His temptation, Jesus wrestled not just with the powers of evil spirits but with the Devil himself (Matthew 4:1-11).  Jesus tactic in this spiritual battle is one we all can and should use when we find ourselves in the middle of a spiritual battle, He used the Word of God.  When Jesus overturned the tables in the Temple his disagreement was not personal but against the merchants use of His Father’s house for profit (Matthew 21:12-13).  Jesus knew that it was an evil love for money in the hearts of these people that was behind their actions (1 Timothy6:10). 

In Matthew 16:6 Jesus cautioned his disciples not to eat the yeast of the Pharisees.  Jesus warning was not literal warning them against bread offered by the Pharisees but figurative, a warning against falling for the deceptive teaching of the religious leaders of the time (Matthew 16:7-12).  In Luke 11:37-54, Jesus issued a series of woes against the Pharisees and lawyers regarding their self-righteous arrogant hypocrisy.  While it is easy to sit back and criticize these Pharisees and lawyers for their hypocrisy, in many ways some in the church are equally guilty.  Instead of pointing people to the mercy and grace of God who sent His Only Son to provide eternal life for sinners (John 3:16), something we all are (Romans 3:23), some are quick to point out the speck in the eyes of others while ignoring the plank in their own eye (Matthew 7:1-6).  Instead of preaching at others pointing out their failures, we should let our lives do the talking by showing the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). 

Fortunately, we are not alone or powerless in spiritual battle for God has designed an arsenal of spiritual weapons for us (Ephesians6:13-17).  These weapons are powerful and intended for use against the powers behind the evil in our world.  Each implement of the armor of God battles a weapon of evil,

1)      Belt of Truth – In a world full of deception and lies, truth is needed.  Truth is what sheds light on lies and deception, giving us something firm to hold on to.

2)      Breastplate of Righteousness – Our righteous acts are as filthy rags when compared to the righteousness of God (Isaiah 64:6).  Fortunately, the armor of God supplies us with a breastplate of righteousness from God because of the shed blood of Christ.  This righteousness contradicts the unrighteous evil in our world even though we are all sinners.  It is not our own self-righteousness that makes us right with God but the finished work of Jesus on the cross and the privilege of wearing the breastplate of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

3)      Shoes of the Gospel of Peace – The Gospel is the only thing that can rid people of the evil in their hearts.  Since we have the Gospel with us wherever we go because the Spirit of God dwells in us, we can be a witness in both what we say and how we live wherever we go. 

4)      Shield of faith – Life is full of challenges and problems.  Those without Christ react to these challenges with anger whereas the people of God have the shield of faith allowing them to react in faith and not anger.

5)      Helmet of Salvation – Our salvation is secure due to the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  Unfortunately, the Devil and ourselves have long memories and remember our sinful past.  We also are at war with the flesh within us (James 4:1) and still capable of sin.  The enemy uses these things to beat us over the head causing us to doubt our standing with God.  Thankfully, God provides a helmet to protect us.

6)      Sword of the Spirit – This is the weapon of choice by Jesus during his temptation.  Once God speaks as we speak His Word, the Devil must be quiet.

In a hate dominated world, we must be fruit bearing Christians that lash out against sin with our spiritual arsenal while lovingly inviting sinners to Christ.  I therefore urge everyone reading this to put on the whole armor of God and engage in the spiritual battle against the Devil and the war with the flesh in our lives. 

1. Fox News. Madonna: I've thought a lot about blowing up the White House. video.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, July 21, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://video.foxnews.com/v/5291959751001/?#sp=show-clips.

2. TMZ. Secret Service Investigating Gory Trump Photo. www.tmz.com. [Online] TMZ, May 31, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/31/kathy-griffin-secret-service-investigation-beheading-donald-trump/.

3. Nussbaum, Daniel. Report: Barron Trump 'Panicked' After Seeing Kathy Griffin 'Beheading' Photo. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, May 31, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/05/31/report-barron-trump-panicked-seeing-kathy-griffin-beheading-photo/.

4. Sommer, Taylor Lorenz and Will. Horror and hate in Charlottesville. thehill.com. [Online] The Hill, August 12, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://thehill.com/homenews/news/346359-horror-and-hate-in-charlottesville.

5. Valerie Volcovici, Kenny Bahr. More than 80 arrested as riot police break up St. Louis protest over officer's acquittal. www.reuters.com. [Online] Reuters, September 15, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-crime/more-than-80-arrested-as-riot-police-break-up-st-louis-protest-over-officers-acquittal-idUSKCN1BQ161.

The Fruits of the Spirit: Overview

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Revelation 3:1b-3

“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. ² Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. ³ Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

(NLT)

Unless we grow fruit for a living or have fruit trees in our yards, many of us view fruit is something we purchase at the grocery store or from a fruit stand.  From this perspective, we may view scripture urging us to bear fruit as someone carrying the fruit home.  Once again, we must look at scripture from the perspective of the audience being addressed.  The perspective of those living in biblical times was fruit as something seen growing from a plant, indicating that the plant was healthy and vibrant. 

Matthew 21:18-22 records the account of Jesus cursing the fig tree.  In this account we see Jesus, hungry upon returning from Jerusalem, seeking something to eat from the fig tree only to be disappointed at seeing it had no fruit.  While the disciples are amazed at how the fig tree withered at just the words of Jesus, they totally missed the point of this illustration.

In His final words before leaving to be with His Father, Jesus urged his followers to take the good News, the Gospel to the world (Mark16:15).  Acts 1:8 tells us that the power to do this will come upon us as we receive power from the Holy Spirit.  Evidence of the fruit from this empowerment occurred as Peter delivered the first evangelistic message recorded in scripture (Acts2:14-41). 

The fruits of the Spirit within each believer are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).  While this passage states there is no law against such things, they are unfortunately not prevalent in our world.  Instead we witness a world of violent protests each time a police officer has a confrontation with a minority, ignoring the fact that the police officer may have been acting in self-defense (1) or apprehending someone fleeing after committing a crime.  (2) 

In his statement after acquittal of a first-degree murder charge, officer Stockley stated, “It feels like a burden has been lifted, but the burden of having to kill someone never really lifts.”  (2)  Officer Stockley went on to say, “The taking of someone’s life is the most significant thing one can do, and it’s not done lightly. … My main concern now is for the first responders, the people just trying to go to work and the protesters. I don’t want anyone to be hurt in any way over this.”  (2)  However instead of this incident becoming a teaching moment demonstrating the pressures police officers face when making split second decisions in the line of duty and the consequences of breaking the law, the event is used to stir up hateful rhetoric that resulted in the recent riots in St. Louis.  (3)

We also witness the hatful political rhetoric lashed out at anyone not in agreement with someone’s political agenda, especially hateful rhetoric of President Trump including a vile video by Kathy Griffin depicting his decapitation initiating a Secret Service investigation as the video was viewed as a threat to the President.  (4)  The low viewership at this year’s Emmy Awards where Trump bashing was on display demonstrate that the viewing public may be tiring of this continual spewing of the fruits of political hatred.  (5)  Then we witness the fruits of hatred displayed on a global scale with a maniacal dictator in North Korea in possession of dangerous weapons of mass destruction blatantly demonstrating his willingness and ability to use them against anyone standing against him, including President Trump.  (6) (7)

It is obvious that the fruits of hatred present in our world require the cure of the fruits of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23.  That is why over the next ten Wednesday postings to this blog we will look at each of these fruits presented in scripture.  The purpose of the studies is to spur us as children of God, full of His Spirit, to bare the fruits of the Spirit and counteract the hateful destructive fruits seen in our world. 

I am urging everyone reading this to bookmark this blog on your browser and return to it each Wednesday.  I also encourage everyone to tell their friends so they too can join in.  Most importantly, however, I urge everyone to pray and ask God to make them fruit bearing Christians and not be like the fruitless fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22.

May God bless us all as we endeavor to take the fruits of the Gospel to a world that desperately needs it. 

1. Salter, Jim. Prosecutor: St. Louis cop acted in self-defense in shooting. www.sandiegouniontribune.com. [Online] The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 20, 2016. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-prosecutor-st-louis-cop-acted-in-self-defense-in-2016jun20-story.html.

2. Byers, Christine. Acquitted officer Stockley: 'Everyone wants someone to blame, but I'm just not the guy'. www.stltoday.com. [Online] St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 17, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/acquitted-officer-stockley-everyone-wants-someone-to-blame-but-i/article_1e4b29ee-d558-5aed-8279-4e2ca19133be.html.

3. Valerie Volcovici, Kenny Bahr. More than 80 arrested as riot police break up St. Louis protest over officer's acquittal. www.reuters.com. [Online] Reuters, September 15, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-crime/more-than-80-arrested-as-riot-police-break-up-st-louis-protest-over-officers-acquittal-idUSKCN1BQ161.

4. TMZ. Secret Service Investigating Gory Trump Photo. www.tmz.com. [Online] TMZ, May 31, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/31/kathy-griffin-secret-service-investigation-beheading-donald-trump/.

5. Flood, Bryan. Emmys ratings crater; Trump-bashing to blame? www.foxnews.com. [Online] Fox News, September 18, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/09/18/emmys-ratings-crater-trump-bashing-to-blame.html.

6. Mowat, Laura. North Korea LATEST: Earthquake sparks claims of ANOTHER Kim Jong-un nuclear test. www.express.co.uk. [Online] Express, September 23, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/857784/North-Korea-latest-news-earthquake-missile-tests-Kim-Jong-un-North-Hamgyong.

7. USA Today. North Korea warns of Another nuclear test. www.usatoday.com. [Online] USA Today, September 23, 2017. [Cited: September 23, 2017.] https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2017/09/23/north-korea-warns-another-nuclear-test/105876784/

Warning Against Pride in Leadership: Not allowing Pride to Control Us

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Peter 2:19

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves^[a] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

(ESV)

History is full of examples of prideful narcissistic leadership.  (1)  This prideful fall of leaders is unfortunately not limited to leaders of nations and even occurs in the church.  (2)  Israel also had its history of prideful kings that fell with the nation eventually going into captivity through their idolatry during the reign of these kings.  (3)  History is also full of great nations that have risen and fallen usually under the reign of prideful narcissistic leadership.  (4)  While the quality of narcissism in leadership can be viewed as advantageous by providing us with leaders of great vision and charisma garnering many followers, this narcissism can overcome these leaders making them sensitive to criticism, poor listeners, lacking empathy, and distasting mentoring.  (5)

Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 16:18, reminding us that pride precedes destruction and a fall.  2 Peter 2:19 reminds us that whatever overcomes a person enslaves them.  When Pride overcomes a leader that leader can become enslaved to their own pride and fall.  Meekness, however, is not weakness as some believe but an absence of selfish pride in ones life resulting in inheriting the earth (Matthew 5:5).  Jesus also reminds us not to depend upon our own selfish pride but to instead lean on Him, finding rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).  Jesus goes on to demonstrate this by entering Jerusalem, not as a conquering king but humbly on a donkey (Matthew 21:5) and less than one week later by offering up his life for our sins even though he was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21).

In the 20^th century alone we witnessed the fall of the third Reich, (6) led by Adolf Hitler whose narcissistic pride led him to believe he could create a superior race while slaughtering those he viewed as inferior like the Jews.  (7)  This century has also witnessed the rise and fall of communism led by Joseph Stalin whose narcissistic belief in the superiority of Communism led to the slaughter of anyone daring to disagree with him or get in his way.  (8)

Biblical history also records the fall of narcissistic prideful leaders like the prince of Tyrus who fell because of his pride in believing he was God (Ezekiel 28:1-2).  Even King Nebuchadnezzar fell into this trap of prideful narcissism and was relegated to the humiliation of eating grass like a cow for a period of time.  Fortunately for Nebuchadnezzar, he repented and God restored what he had lost (Daniel 3:28-37) demonstrating that it is never too late for a narcissistic leader to turn from their pride.  Even Jesus’ disciples were tempted to give in to pride and narcissism but were swiftly reprimanded by Jesus (Luke22:24-27). 

As Christians, we are not immune to falling into the trap of pride in our lives and must constantly guard against it.  We must constantly remind ourselves to treasure our relationship with Jesus Christ more than anything else in our lives (Matthew 6:19-21).  We must value serving over being served (Luke 22:24-27).  We must also not seek a position of leadership in the church until God makes us ready (1 Timothy 3:1-7). 

We must constantly guard against allowing pride to lead to the destruction of ourselves or our nation.  In nations like the United States where we elect our leaders, this means electing leaders to federal, state, and local office who have a priority to serve those they govern instead of governing to advance their own political interests.  Individually this mean placing God first in our lives and seeking the direction He wants us to take. 

Perhaps you are reading this and have never entered into a personal relationship with God your creator through the acceptance of Jesus as you savior.  If that is you I invite you to pray 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.

Congratulation, now I urge you to seek out a church where the Bible, the Word of God is taught so you can learn what it means to place God first in your life and grow closer in your relationship with Him.  I also urge you to pray and ask God where He wants you to serve. 

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Josef. 25 of History’s Deadliest Dictators. list 25.com. [Online] List 25, July 18, 2014. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] http://list25.com/25-of-historys-deadliest-dictators/.

2. Blocksom, Brad. Fallen Leaders: What are the Underlying Causes and Who’s to Blame? thinktheology.org. [Online] ThinkTheology.org, April 28, 2015. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] http://thinktheology.org/2015/04/28/fallen-leaders-what-are-the-underlying-causes-and-whos-to-blame/.

3. Batchelor, Pastor Doug. The Kings of Pride. www.amazingfacts.org. [Online] Amazing facts, May 1, 2008. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/inside-report/magazine/id/10688/t/the-kings-of-pride.

4. Ames, Richard F. RISE AND FALL OF NATIONS. www.tomorrowsworld.org. [Online] Tomorrows World, July-August 2002. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2002/july-august/rise-and-fall-of-nations.

5. Maccoby, Michael. Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons. https://hbr.org. [Online] Harvard Business Review, January 2004. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://hbr.org/2004/01/narcissistic-leaders-the-incredible-pros-the-inevitable-cons.

6. Taylor, Alan. World War II: The Fall of Nazi Germany. www.theatlantic.com. [Online] The Atlantic, October 9, 2011. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/10/world-war-ii-the-fall-of-nazi-germany/100166/.

7. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Nazi Racism. www.ushmm.org. [Online] United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007679.

8. Haven, Cynthia. Stalin killed millions. A Stanford historian answers the question, was it genocide? news.stalin.edu. [Online] Stanford News, September 23, 2010. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] http://news.stanford.edu/2010/09/23/naimark-stalin-genocide-092310/.

Idols in our Lives: Financial Success

By:  Dale Weckbacher

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

(NLT)

Money is not evil by itself for if I put a dollar bill on the table in front of me and leave it alone, it does not do anything evil or good for it is an inanimate object and simply sits on the table doing nothing.  The power of money is in what we as people do with it.  Recent events in our world demonstrate both the good and evil uses of money.

The recent hurricanes striking the United States while devastating to those affected, demonstrate the good in people during times of crisis.  In a September 12 article appearing on Forbes.com, five signs of hope are discussed.  Among these signs of hope are number four, how social media stories impacted charitable drive donations of items necessary for those victimized by the hurricanes and five, how the private and non-profit sectors rose to the challenge.  (1)  Conversely, however, we have also witnessed the rise of ISIS in recent years who plunder the cash, crude oil, and contraband of territories they occupy and operate outside of legitimate banking channels to distribute money for their terrorist activities.  This money or wealth was doing nothing evil until the radical terrorists of ISIS confiscated it and then it became evil.  (2)

1 Timothy 6:10 tells us that the Love of money is the source of evil.  The word love in this passage is critical for it reminds us that it is not the money that represents evil but whether the one possessing it loves it more than God in their lives thus making it an idol.  (3)  Those giving money or other donations to assist those victimized by Harvey and Irma are demonstrating their concern for the well-being of others over their possessions and wealth.  Jesus reminds us to lay up treasures not on earth where they will inevitably disappear but to instead lay up our treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21).  Those giving to those in need are laying up treasures in heaven for in helping those in need they are ministering to Christ (Matthew 25:35-40).  Our reward for giving to God is Him meeting our needs (Philippians 4:19, Luke 6:38), but not necessarily our wants for in the Lord’s prayer we are taught to ask for our daily bread or our daily needs (Matthew 6:11).

Falling in love with wealth or money usually leads to one’s demise for as Jesus reminds us on Matthew 6:19, treasures on earth are subject to destruction and theft.  In Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel’s lament over the fall of Tyre, he cites their arrogance and pride based upon the great wealth as a contributing factor to their fall.  Instead of making God the idol or treasure of their nation, they depended upon their wealth which failed them.  Israel too is guilty of believing their prosperity was a sign of their favor with God and continued in their idolatry which led to their destruction (Hosea 4:7). 

Luke 18:18-30 contains the account of Jesus discourse with the rich young ruler.  The discourse begins with the young man asking Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal live.  Jesus answer begins with asking this young man if he knows the commandments and has lived in obedience to them.  After replying that he has, Jesus asks him to part with his great wealth and give it to those in need.  Unfortunately for this young man, he then walks away demonstrating that there is one command he has disobeyed, having no other gods but God for apparently, he loved his wealth over inheriting eternal life.  Let us not make the same mistake of this young man and be generous with what God has given each of us, demonstrating that money is not an idol in our lives. 

While loving money leads to evil (1 Timothy 6:10), giving to the Lord and to those in need when tragedy strikes demonstrates that we view money as a tool for good and not as something we must idolize.  Unfortunately, it seems to take a tragedy like the recent hurricanes or witnessing some radical group like ISIS who use money to fund their reign of terror to focus our attention on how to properly view and use money and wealth.  My prayer is that giving and not hording or idolizing money will become the automatic reflex of the people of God. 

1. Case, Jean. Five Signs For Hope After Harvey And Irma. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, September 12, 2017. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeancase/2017/09/12/five-signs-for-hope-after-harvey-and-irma/2/#17103c8b417a.

2. Janine Di Giovanni, Leah McGrath Goodman, and Damien Sharkov. HOW DOES ISIS FUND ITS REIGN OF TERROR? www.newsweek.com. [Online] Newsweek, November 6, 2014. [Cited: September 17, 2017.] http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-reign-terror-282607.html.

3. Wegman, Hannah. Modern Day Idolatry: Putting Anything Before God. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, May 27, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2017.] http://www.christianpost.com/news/modern-day-idolatry-putting-anything-before-god-139630/.

Identity Crisis in the Church

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Philippians 3:10
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

(ESV)

The recent hack of the database of Equifax once again illustrates the vulnerabilities of many of our cyber systems to attack.  With an estimated 143 million American customers affected meaning their sensitive information (i.e. Social Security numbers and even driver’s license numbers) is potentially made available to identity thieves, further illustrates how a massive number of people can be victimized from the hacking of one system. (1) However, an identity theft occurred several thousand years ago that affected not just 143 million Americans but every man and woman living today, that lived since the theft, or that will live in the future.  You may wonder why you have not heard of this theft?  The answer to that question is simple for the reporting of this story is exclusive to one source, the Bible.  Genesis 3 records the account of this serious identity theft.

Because of Adam’s sin, every human being born since then has a genetic mark of sin on their lives. (2) This genetic defect in our life is unfortunately fatal (Romans 3:23).  However, it is not instantly fatal and there is a cure and time to administer it if you are still alive to read this.  Since this genetic defect is present in us all, we all must take this cure or suffer the death of eternal separation from our creator.  That cure is accepting the substitutionary sacrifice for us of the only man to walk the earth unaffected by this disease.  That man is Jesus Christ and his shed Blood has the miraculous power to alter our genetic identity.  

The cure for this disease is fortunately not some complicated medical procedure but only requires a simple prayer to accept the free gift of salvation being offered by Jesus Christ.  If you have not already done so, please pray with me now and receive this free cure that comes with the benefit of eternal life (John 3:16)

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.

Congratulations, you now have a new identity, not one that comes with the penalty of death but one that comes with the promise of eternal life.  In Jesus discourse with Nicodemus recorded in John 3, Jesus refers to this identity transformation as being “Born Again.”  However, this new birth not only gives us a new identity but also a supreme purpose in our lives. 

God does not create insignificant people but according to Psalm 139:16, even before we were born, God had laid out a divine plan for us all.  Both the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) and Isaiah (Isaiah: 49:1) were told by God of the great purpose he had for them.  While most of you reading this will not have some grand calling like the prophets Jeremiah or Isaiah, we all have a role to play in God’s grand plan because of the born supremacy of our new birth.  While our role may appear small, it is great in the eyes of God and he will bless us as we fulfill it.  Of course, every believer in Jesus Christ has the same born ultimatum, bringing the gospel to a lost and dying world.  The question all of us that have received our new identities must ask is if Jesus Christ is ultimate and supreme in our lives.  (3)

The early church whose history is recorded in the Book of Acts understood this ultimatum and from the very beginning, brought the truth of the Gospel to many, bringing about this miraculous change of identity (Acts 2).  This change of identity was not hidden from view and seen by the rest of the world as earth shaking (Acts 17:6).  The Apostles understood their new identity and it was reflected in the fruits of their ministry.  (4)

Unfortunately, the church in large part today less resembles the earth transforming church of the book of Acts and more resembles the lukewarm church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22).  According to Canon Fodder (5), the problem with a lukewarm or apathetic church is summed up in one word describing the ethos of our culture, “Whatever.”  This lukewarm apathy manifests in church members no longer in tune with their divine born identity, supremacy, and ultimatum (3) who instead view church as that Sunday thing on the to-do list that we can check off so we appear to be good people.  In fact, this apathy or lack of desire to commit to a greater purpose is the religion of our age and totally out of sync with the worthiness of Jesus who told us He was the way (John 14:6). 

It is time for the church to reconnect with its new identity in Christ and with boldness fulfill the ultimatum Jesus gave it in Mark16:15. 

1. Tara Siegel Bernard, Tiffany Hsu, Nicole Perlroth, and Ron Lieber. Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Affected 143 Million in the U.S. www.nytimes.com. [Online] The New York Times, September 7, 2017. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/equifax-cyberattack.html?mcubz=0.

2. Sequeira, E.H. 'Jack'. Chapter 5 – The Two Adams: Romans 5. www.jacksequeira.org. [Online] Beyond Belief. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] http://www.jacksequeira.org/beyond05.htm.

3. Jeremiah, David. Born Identity – Born Supremacy – Born Ultimatum. www.oneplace.com. [Online] Turning Point. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/turning-point/read/articles/born-identity--born-supremacy--born-ultimatum-15253.html.

4. Campbell, Roger D. The Book of Acts – What Does It Teach about Jesus' Apostles? www.valeroadcoc.com. [Online] Vale Road Church of Christ, February 13, 2013. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] http://www.valeroadcoc.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=540:the-book-of-acts-what-does-it-teach-about-jesus-apostles&catid=1:general&Itemid=2.

5. Canon Fodder. Apathetic about Your Apathy? Here is Why a Lukewarm Church is a Bigger Problem Than We Think. www.michaeljkruger.com. [Online] Canon Fodder, March 9, 2016. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] https://www.michaeljkruger.com/apathetic-about-your-apathy-here-is-why-a-lukewarm-church-is-a-bigger-problem-than-we-think/.

Idols in our Lives: Self-Righteousness

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Isaiah 64:6

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

(ESV)

The Pharisees and scribes of the time of Christ had an agenda.  As the religious leaders of their time one would believe this agenda to be the advancement of knowledge of the things of God.  However, their agenda during the time of Jesus was in tripping Him up so those following Him would see him as a fraud.  The three parables in Luke 15 are offered by Jesus in the context of these Pharisees and scribes attempting to demonstrate he was a fraud due to his eating with sinners.  The truth revealed in these parables however demonstrates the worship by the Pharisees and scribes of their own self-righteousness and reveals an idol in their lives.  However, before we lash out at these people, we must conduct a self-examination of our own hearts to insure we as Christians do not also worship this dangerous idol of self-righteousness.  

Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that any self-righteousness that we may have in our lives is like a filthy garment and due to this we are all fated to die in our iniquities.  However, Ephesians 2:8 provides good news in that our salvation no longer depends upon our works of righteousness but on the finished work of righteousness performed by Jesus on the cross.  The parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7) reminds of how diligently our Lord seeks out even one out of a hundred that have strayed or are lost.  Since Jesus, the only one righteous, does not engage in self-righteous behavior, we who claim to follow Him must like Jesus be diligent in bringing the Gospel to the lost.  The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-10) reminds us to cease the pursuit of our own self-righteousness and instead seek the righteousness of Christ. 

The parable of the Prodigal Son is actually a rebuke of the self-righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes who are symbolized by the older brother.  So self-righteous was the older brother that he arrogantly berated his father (Luke 15:29) by declaring his entitlement to a celebration based upon his obedience of duty to his father.  In a similar fashion, these Pharisees and scribes are arrogantly berating the Son of God, in fact God himself (John 1:1) in a similar demonstration of self-righteousness. 

Unfortunately, a form of Pharisaical self-righteousness has infiltrated the church today.  While Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages believers to come together with the purpose of encouraging people to love one another and perform good works.  Instead, however, the spiritual well being of many attending churches today is ignored with more importance payed to what roles one is fulfilling in the church body and by how often they attend church activities.  Those who for possibly some valid reason cannot come every time the church doors are opened are often disdained and looked at as someone not dedicated to God.  (1)  Like the Pharisees, looking down upon a fellow believer because they do not attend all the services we do or play the same role in the church as we do is a form of Pharisaical self-righteousness and places us within the same role as the Pharisees and scribes Jesus was addressing and the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  

Self-righteousness is a very destructive form of hypocrisy and actually turns the lost off when it comes to any desire to come to Christ as their savior.  Brennan Manning is quoted as saying “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle.  That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”  (2)  In a world lacking genuineness and truth, people are seeking people whose actions match their words.

Another rebuke of Pharisaical self-righteousness is found in John 8:1-11, the account of the woman caught in adultery.  Once again, the agenda here was to catch Jesus in disobedience to the law by not participating in the legal stoning of this woman.  Had Jesus participated in stoning this woman, he most likely would have been arrested by the Romans, who did not view adultery as a stoneable offence, and executed for murder.   Of course in the minds of these self-righteous hypocrites, this would have eliminated a threat to their own self-righteous agenda without having the blood of Jesus on their hands. 

However, once again instead of giving in to their nefarious agenda, Jesus turns the table and commands anyone there without sin, which was only Jesus, to cast the first stone.  While speculation as to what Jesus wrote in the sand exists, it is immaterial for the lesson Jesus was attempting to get across was the message of Isaiah 64:6, the need for a savior to save us from our sins.  Perhaps realizing they had been had, everyone leaves and Jesus does the very thing he came to earth to do, offers salvation to the adulterous woman.

Nothing anyone of us can do is sufficient to save us from our sins.  This is precisely why God sent His only Son, Jesus, the only righteous one to earth.  He did not send Him to throw stones at us but to shed his innocent blood so we could be saved.  If you are reading this and have never done so, I invite you to pray with me now and receive full forgiveness and pardon from your sins.

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.

I now encourage you to share what has just happened in your life with someone so they too have an opportunity for full pardon and forgiveness from their sins as well

May God bless you.

1. Dry Dead Fish. Self-Righteousness in the Church. www.drydeadfish.co.uk. [Online] Dry Dead Fish. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] http://www.drydeadfish.co.uk/articles/self_righteousness_in_the_church/.

2. Manning, Brennan. Find Quotes. www.goodreads.com. [Online] Goodreads. [Cited: September 9, 2017.] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=greatest+single&commit=Search.

Rescuing Books from the Tsunami of the Digital Age

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 8:31-32

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

(ESV)

As a Christian seeking a closer relationship with my God, the Word of God, the Bible is something I place a high value upon.  While the Bible can be a liberating force in our lives (John 8:32), it can also be a surgical knife in the hand of God (Hebrews 4:12).  To Christians, the Bible is more than just a book, it is the life changing Word of God.

Libraries are repositories of books which through history have helped facilitate the spread of information.  (1)  Currently living in the information age, we are beginning to become comfortable with easy access to vast amounts of information.  No longer is information limited to the pages of books and now is accessible at the click of a mouse or touch of a finger.  While most view easy access to information as a blessing, there are those, especially tyrannical leaders that see easy access to information as a threat.

From the Nazis of Germany to ISIS, the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have witnessed the insane bonfires of book burning to destroy information threatening tyrants power and control over their people.  However, the history of book burning dates back to antiquity with the Babylonians and their allies burning the library of the scholar King Ashurbanipal in 612 BC.  In 213 BC, Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the burning of all history and philosophy books from states other than Qin.  It is probably safe to surmise these ancient burnings were an effort to destroy threatening information and maintain power.  (2)  However, in the digital age we must wonder if our reading on the fly from our smart phones and computers is making our synthesis of information shallow and exposing us to radical erroneous information.

In the July 2008 issue of the Atlantic, Nicholas Carr postulates the possibility that our constant surfing and searching through massive amounts of information online may actually be changing the wiring of our brains.  (3)  One theory is that our quick surfing the web in search of quick soundbites of information is affecting our ability to pay sustained attention to what we are reading.  In essence, we have been losing our ability to deep read and synthesize information.  (4) 

The danger with this shallow synthesis of information is it makes us susceptible to the rantings of extremist groups using soundbites on social media, done to stir up violent emotions, in order to spread their dangerous extremist rhetoric.  (5)  Instead of having to resort to the burning of books to destroy potentially threatening information, extremist tyrants now can flood the information superhighway with their dangerous rhetoric coupled with a public of short attention spans hungry for information eager to digest it.  What we need is a return to deep reading encouraging deep thought and reflection on issues but what can we do to return to this manner of reading and synthesizing information in the digital age?

Spritz, founded by CEO Frank Waldman is devoted to making reading books easier and faster by focusing on that they call “on-the-go reading.  (6)  Their technology causes words to flash rapidly, helping hold the attention of readers since our eyes are naturally drawn to movement and change.  Also, since the words flash at a rate faster than the rate at which most people read, more reading can be done.  However, while this technology may be attractive to a generation raised in the digital age used to seeing information flash rapidly before their eyes, I am concerned it does nothing to enhance attention spans and may actually further shorten them.  I therefore want to propose another solution.

I have previously written in this blog about not allowing technology to become an idol in our lives.  In my post, I proposed disconnecting from technology to eliminate distractions.  This undistracted time could be constructively used to interact with others face-to-face but it could also be used to deeply read a book.  If you are unsure of a book to begin deeply reading, I would like to suggest the Bible, the Word of God. 

Books contain a wealth of information that men and women have compiled throughout all of human history.  Even the Bible is a compilation of words written by many authors, written under the inspiration of God.  The value of the information contained in books is priceless and explains why it has represented a threat to power hungry tyrants throughout human history and why they burn them.  As we live in the digital age, let us not allow the tsunami of information and heated rhetoric in the digital world drown out the valuable information and history contained in books.  Instead, I want to challenge each of us to disconnect from the digital world regularly on a daily basis and take time for face-to-face social interaction and the deep reading of a book. 

1. University of Wisconsin-Milaukee. Book Burning, 213 BC–2011 AD. uwm.edu. [Online] University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] http://uwm.edu/libraries/exhibits/burnedbooks/.

2. Corn-Revere, Robert. Bonfires of Insanity: A History of Book Burnings From Nazis to ISIS. www.thedailybeast.com. [Online] Daily Beast, February 28, 2015. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] http://www.thedailybeast.com/bonfires-of-insanity-a-history-of-book-burnings-from-nazis-to-isis.

3. Carr, Nicholas. Is Google Making Us Stupid? www.theatlantic.com. [Online] The Atlantic, July/August 2008. [Cited: September 2017, 2017.] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/.

4. Jordinson, Sam. Have you forgotten how to 'deep read'? www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, July 21, 2008. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/jul/21/haveyouforgottenhowtodeep.

5. Luckert, Steven. Extremists Are Thriving On Social Media. How Should We Respond? www.huffingtonpost.com. [Online] Huffpost. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-luckert/extremists-are-thriving-o_b_14390260.html.

6. McFarland, Matt. Books are losing the war for our attention. Here’s how they could fight back. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, March 19, 2014. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2014/03/19/books-are-losing-the-war-for-our-attention-heres-how-they-could-fight-back/?utm_term=.80cbb1ae729a.

Idols in our Lives: Pleasure

By:  Dale Weckbacher

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

(ESV)

Perhaps one of the major obstacles of people becoming a believer and follower of Jesus Christ in their lives is the erroneous perception that becoming a Christian means they will have no fun or pleasure in their lives.  However, many passages of scripture attest to the benefits of joy and pleasure in one’s life (Psalm 16,Proverbs 17:22, Proverbs 15:13).  God also takes pleasure in things (Zephaniah 3:17) and is desirous of us enjoying abundance in our lives, the opposite of what our enemy the Devil desires (John 10:10).  However, we must strive to insure our pursuit of pleasure does not become an idol in our lives, taking the place of God, which should be our greatest pleasure.  (1) (2)

2 Timothy 3:1-5 provides a snapshot of the world’s culture in the last days.  Even a casual look at the news in our society today would indicate that according to this list we are living in the last days but what I find puzzling about this passage is that it tells Timothy to avoid people participating in these things.  The reason I find this puzzling is that as one that believes the purpose of the church, which consists of each one of us that professes faith in Jesus as our savior, is reaching out to the lost in our world, how can we reach out to these people we have no contact with?

Clarification of this dilemma in scripture is found by determining who the ones to avoid are.  This is easy in this instance for in the first part of 2 Timothy 3:5 Paul speaks of them as people having the appearance of godliness but denying its power.  In other words, Paul is not speaking of avoidance of unbelievers from whom such behaviors are expected but people engaged in these behaviors while professing a belief in Jesus as their savoir. 

Unfortunately, however, as we live in the last days and the second coming of Jesus nears, we are witnessing the idol of selfish pleasure-seeking seep into the church.  Instead of churches being change agents in culture leading their congregations into a deeper relationship with God their creator and reaching out to the lost of their communities, we are witnessing churches that are reshaped by the culture around them.  Churches are taking on the characteristics of

1)      Narcissism – Narcissism is defined as excessive self-love.  (3)  Many come to church after a hard week of working in the world seeking spiritual refreshment.  While this is the main reason we gather regularly, our refreshment is often a glitzy program with a feel-good message not unlike self-help seminars we see in the corporate world.  Jesus told the Samaritan Woman at the well that the true worshipers of God worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23).  When we come to church we should find our refreshment in a genuine worship of our Lord in spirit, usually in song, and not some professional performance by professional musicians with the purpose of entertaining us, coupled with a teaching of truth from God’s Word which may not necessarily make us feel good.  When we leave church services we should feel refreshed knowing who God is and not how great we are.

2)      Consumerism – Consumerism is a preoccupation with society of acquiring consumer, or worldly goods. (3) Scripture teaches us that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also (Luke 12:34).  Unfortunately, however, churches and congregations in our time are caught up in a form of Christian consumerism.  Consumers of Christianity flock to churches expecting to receive some nicely packaged program making them feel good about themselves while the leaders of churches, not unlike businesses in the corporate world, seek to package Christianity in a form acceptable to these consumers seeking something to make them feel good. 

3)      Therapeutic – All the narcissism and consumerism in our culture comes with a price, stress.  (3) While stress is a part of ordinary life, excessive stress in our lives can have dangerous health consequences.  (4)  Learning to manage stress, especially excessive stress in our lives, is crucial to maintaining both physical and mental health.  A glitzy musical performance coupled with a feel-good self-help message on Sunday may offer temporary relief but it is more like taking a drug or drinking to overcome stress, once the effect of the pill or alcohol wears off, the root cause of the stress remains.  As Christians, we have a personal relationship with God our creator.  We have His Word, the Bible.  As such, we have the only thing that can get to the root cause of excessive stress in our lives.  Instead of putting a self-help bandage on the stress in people’s lives, we must help people enter into a personal relationship with God their creator through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  We then must encourage them to grow in their relationship through regular study of the Word of God allowing it to both encourage and at times cut to the heart of what is truly causing the stress in their lives (Hebrews 4:12).

Perhaps you are reading this and have never entered into a personal relationship with Jesus as your savior.  Or perhaps you are reading this and once had a strong personal relationship with God but have drifted away.  If that is you I invite you to pray 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.

As Christians, we must not allow worldly pleasure to become an idol in our lives and instead make our relationship with God our greatest pleasure.  As church organizations, we must make our priority helping people enter into a relationship with God through acceptance of Jesus as their savior and then help them grow in that relationship by engaging in true worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23).  This is worship glorifying God and not the performers on the stage and truth from the Word of God.  My prayer is that in the last days the world would see the church engaged in this manner.

1. Gotquestions.org. Is God opposed to pleasure? www.gotquestions.org. [Online] Gotquestions.org. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] https://www.gotquestions.org/God-pleasure.html.

2. Wegman, Hannah. Modern Day Idolatry: Putting Anything Before God. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, May 27, 2015. [Cited: August 26, 2017.] http://www.christianpost.com/news/modern-day-idolatry-putting-anything-before-god-139630/.

3. 5Point7 Community Church. It’s not about us. www.5point7.org. [Online] 5point7 Community Church. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] http://www.5point7.org/its-not-about-us/.

4. Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD. Stress. www.medicinenet.com. [Online] Medicinenet.com. [Cited: September 2, 2017.] http://www.medicinenet.com/stress/article.htm.