New Site - WWW.FBJASPER.WORDPRESS.COM

I will be moving to a new site. One that is more suitable for what I want to do in the future. This site will remain available to see, so that old posts are still available. I appreciate the support I have received. I hope for the opportunity to grow with the new site. The posts have been sparse lately, because I have been having some problems with this site. Hope to see you at the new site.

www.fbjasper.wordpress.com

Voice of Truth - Political Issues

I am just going to make a small observation on something today. I usually don't dive into politics on this blog, but one comment a heard disturbed me. The comment happened during the forum at Saddleback Church. Many of you have probably seen or heard this by now. The question pertained to when a baby begins to have rights. The answer that startled me was that it was above the candidates pay grade to answer that. Whoever is president for the next four years will have to make decisions that involve that question. If a person can't answer that question, they should not be president. The striking thing for me is that both candidates knew that question was going to come up. To have that as your answer is unthinkable. The same candidate then when on to say that the subject is a moral issue. He talked only about the moral issue for the mother, never once mentioning anything regarding the child. That seems to be the stance taken by many on the abortion rights side. They say they are not against the baby, but for the mother. Why can't we be for both?

We need to focus on more than one issue, but we need to start thinking through what the candidates are saying. Many will vote on emotion and personal issues that have absolutely nothing to do with being president. Decide who you will vote for based on the issues. A great speaker does not necessarily make a great president. A person with great experience also does not necessarily make for a great president. Christian's need to be involved in this process.

Voice of Truth - Apathetic Christians

Why have Christians become so apathetic? It seems most Christians have no desire to stand up for what is right or to even share their faith. Yet, will complain about the condition of the world today. We are to be salt and light.



Matthew 5:13-16, 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.



This applies to individual and churches. Salt was used to preserve and to add to the flavor. Salt was highly valued in biblical times. It is our responsibility to preserve the Christian values our country was founded on. It is also our responsibility to preserve the Word of God in it's original meaning. We have states and churches affirming the homo-sexual lifestyle. We have people walking our streets and coming to our doors who preach a false gospel. While Christians sit by and do nothing. We must use our voice in the culture, while we still have one. We have an opportunity to add to our culture. But it must be done before we lose our taste. If Christians don't stand up soon, we will be useless and will be thrown out. There are hundred of issues we have willingly taken a backseat on. Our perspective needs to be voiced in the discussion.



We are also called to be light. When was the last time you shared your faith with an unbeliever? Our churches are not being cities on a hill. And as individual we are keeping our lights under a basket. It is time to get out of the church building and do good works before men. We can't glorify God, if we are not reaching out to those He calls us to reach. One person can make a difference. Andrew is not one of the most prominent disciples, but it was he who brought Peter to Jesus ( John 1;40-42 ). The next person you witness to could be the next missionary who sees 3000 come to Christ. The power is not in us to do miraculous things. But God will use the weak and foolish. And He can work great things through us.



Take the box off of your light, and don't wait until you have lost your taste. Let's strive to make a difference.

Voice of Truth - Hell

In our sermon yesterday at First Baptist, we heard that hell is separation from God. What exactly does that mean? I have struggled with this question for awhile. Is hell a place where God puts people and He never goes there. I don't think Scripture teaches that. God is omnipresent. Let's look at some verses.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

This verse obviously teaches that those in hell will be away from the presence of God. I think this is referring to a spiritual separation. Separated from the blessings, grace and mercy of God. Even unbelievers today experience the grace and mercy of God. But in hell they will be separated from the Light and thrown into outer darkness.

Here are some more verses to look at.

Revelation 14:9-10, 9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Psalm 139:7-8, 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

I think God will have a presence in hell. He will be pouring out his anger and wrath.

A breath of relief is usually heard when someone declares, “Hell is a symbol for separation from God.” To be separated from God for eternity is no great threat to the impenitent person. The ungodly want nothing more than to be separated from God. Their problem in hell will not be separation from God, it will be the presence of God that will torment them. In hell, God will be present in the fullness of His divine wrath. He will be there to exercise His just punishment of the damned. They will know Him as an all-consuming fire.- R.C. Sproul

These are just some things to think about. I have basically just given you information that I have found during my study on the subject. One of my major concerns is that I have never heard a sermon completely about hell. This is one of those topics the church seems to avoid today. Old time preachers always preached on this topic. Let's be willing to take a look at tough topics. If it is in the Bible we need to talk about it.

Voice of Truth - Thanks

It has been a couple of rough weeks, with the illness and passing of my great-grandmother. I want to thank everyone who called, visited, e-mailed, sent cards and posted on my facebook page. I am excited about the opportunity to start writing again. Be prepared, I have had 2 weeks to reflect on things around me. I hope to write about death, assurance, Christian friends, liberal churches, apathetic Christians and much more in the days and weeks to come. My view and concern is that our conservative churches are willingly taking a back seat in our culture. My hope is to spark action, and if not action at least to provoke thought on the issues. We need to influence the culture and the opposite is happening.

Thanks again for the prayers and gestures of concern, Jason

Voice of Truth - United Church of Christ Blog

I was not planning on writing this week, but a recent blog caught my attention. In case you missed it a man gunned down some people at a liberal church. An event that is extremely sad and just plain evil. Well as I was listening to the Albert Mohler radio show, it was mentioned that some pastor blamed Dr. Mohler for the shootings. I couldn't hardly believe it, so I had to check it out. I found the blog by Rev. Chuck Currie, a United Church of Christ reverend. It was quite disturbing to read. He definitely is writing from a very liberal, unbiblical perspective. The United Church of Christ is a big supporter of gay rights and apparently so is Mr. Currie. He has done some excellent work with the homeless, but I believe his view of the Bible is way off base. His blogs are said to be widely read and were endorsed by the Los Angeles Times ( a liberal newspaper ). That being said the article got under my skin. From my previous blogs, you probably know that false teachers really bother me. So, I felt the need to defend the faith. I decided to respond to his blog. The responses I have got have not been of the positive nature. Being that I posted on his site, I probably will not have any supporters there. He flat out told me homosexuality was not a sin, but discrimination was. All I can think of is the verse - Lord, Lord I have done great things in Your Name. And depart from Me, I know you not. When someone knows not sin, knowing and appreciating the Lord becomes much more difficult. I was also told by another person, that teaching hate breeds hate. If you would like to see this interesting debate, visit his blog at http://unitedchurchofchrist.blogspot.com/

This guy is making national news with his liberal views. Hopefully anyone checking out his website will see the Voice of Truth. We must defend the faith, even in the face of criticism. If not, some day it may be illegal (hate speech) to write what I write.

Voice of Truth - Absence

Sorry for the absence. My great grandmother is in the hospital and not doing well. Pray for the family. Hope to resume writing soon. It is an honor to serve in this way. Thank you to all who have already been praying for this situation. God is good and will work all things, even death, for His glory. I have seen more strength in this 90 year old woman, than I see in people half her age. When I have felt like complaining about something, this experience has helped me remember what is really important. Love God and love your family. Never get so wrapped up in work or service that you forget to love. I sometimes fall into that trap. I sometimes get so involved in serving others, that I neglect my family. If God called you to have a spouse, He expects you to honor the commitment to that person. No Scripture study today, just some words from the heart. Thanks for the love and support. To God be the glory.

Voice of Truth - Youth

Now that I have begun to work with the youth group, I have looked at some youth related statistics. The first thing I looked at was the fact that 70% will leave the church between 18 and 22. How do we reverse that trend?

2 Timothy 2:22 - Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

We need to be teaching the truth of this verse. The church reaches out to them in worldly terms to make a connection. But too many times we fail to turn that connection into an opportunity to teach the pursuit of righteousness, faith, love and peace. Many youth just can't see how the Bible is applicable to them. They must be taught how to apply the Scriptures to their lives. Discipleship needs to happen before they leave home. When they leave home they need to know how to find answers in the Bible and to be able to defend their faith. Most college campuses are not Christian friendly. If not equipped with the proper tools to defend their faith, they will quickly abandon it. Unfortunately many adults can't defend what they believe in. How many churches actually provide teaching on how to defend the faith? Not many that I am aware of. This is crucial with the number of false teachers prowling around today. The second part of the verse says with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. The key here is the with those part. Young adults are not making connections with other Christians when they leave home. As parents and leaders, we must make sure that connection is being made. No Christian can survive long without the fellowship of other believers.

As I looked at some survey statistics by Lifeway Research, I found some encouraging news. 39% of them will return if gently nudged by their parents or other family members. Another 21% will do so at the gracious urging of friends or acquaintances. If you have a child in that 70%, find encouragement in these numbers. Be patient and faithful in calling them back to the faith. Don't give up God is faithful in all things. Pray that glory be to God in their return.

Voice of Truth - Ephesians

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

I came across these verses while reading Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. These verses are filled with commands for the body of Christ. If you are in a leadership position in your church, are you following verse 12? Are you equipping the saints and building up the body of Christ? As a Sunday school teacher, it has caused me to look at how I approach class. Am I merely going through a book or am I finding ways to equip the class for service? We must find ways to show that Scripture is applicable today and not just in biblical times. God's commands are the same today, yesterday and tomorrow.

Verse 14 calls us to no longer be children. Today too many people are tossed around by the latest hip doctrine and newest trickery of man. We must be teaching immature believers this. So many people in our churches today are caught up in the the teachings of Joel Osteen, T D Jakes, Joyce Meyer and all the other feel good prosperity teachers. If you are in a leadership position, it is your responsibility to turn people away from false doctrine and teachers. But as verse 15 says, we need to speak the truth in love. All correction and discipleship needs to be done with the correct attitude. Not with a I can't believe you listen to that person attitude. Our duty is to build the church up, not tear it down. Verse 15 goes on to say we need to grow up in all aspects. Notice the word all here. Some people can quote bible verses with no end, but have never grown in their relationships. There are leaders who don't know how to be servants. There are servants who never want to step into a leadership position. We need to grow up in all aspects. We should be striving to be like Christ in all areas of our life. Yes, that includes our lives outside of church.

Verse 16 shows that every part of the body is important. The proper working of each individual leads to the growth and building up of the body. We all have a part to do. If you are not doing your part, you are stunting the growth and building up of the body. God has given you gifts that your church needs you to be using. Never undervalue any role in the church. Everyone from the pastor, to the person who cleans the bathroom is important in the life of a church. When you are faithful in the small things, God will give you bigger tasks in the future. I never imagined myself writing a blog that has had close to 100 visitors now. But when I started being faithful in the small things, God started using me in ways I could never imagine. I have to admit I have been fearful at times, but He has always given me everything I have needed to do His will. If you are looking to do big things for God, remember we do nothing for God. He works through those who are faithful first in the small things. Start today, doing what God is calling you to do. Your church needs you to do so.

Voice of Truth - Todd Bentley

Why are so many fooled be false teachers? I have recently come across a man named Todd Bentley. He is part of several ministries, Fresh Fire Ministries and Ignited Church being the main ones. This a man drawing 10,000 people a day in Lakeland Florida. When you read the belief statement on his websites, his statements are perfectly within orthodoxy. When you get into his claims and testimonies things go out of control. He claims his conversion was similar to Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus. He claims to be a modern day prophet, much like Elisha. And he claims to have healing power and to have raised people from the dead. I find him to be more of a Benny Hinn of this generation. He does the typical slaying of the spirit thing, where he lays hands on a person and they suddenly fall down and flop around. He actually ran across the stage and kneed a man in the stomach who had colon cancer, because God told him to. I must have missed that kind of healing in the Bible.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 - 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

I think the time has come where we are seeing this on a regular basis. He claims to be doing what the apostles did in the New Testament. The purpose of healing and miracles by the apostles was evangelistic in nature. It was always done in the name of Jesus and for the advancement of His kingdom. Mr. Bentley will go through several healings and rarely even mention the name of Jesus. You will hear plenty about demons, vampires and white lights. His classic line after someone falls down is, "you don't even know why you fell, do you?". One lady gets up and says into the mic, "because you pushed me down". I write this now because he will be in Louisville tomorrow, not far from home. We need to pray the people who attend this event will have discernment as to what is false and what is true. He claims to have visions of Heaven and of Jesus in his room talking to him. If he is truly having visions, my guess is they are demonic in nature. This is a very dangerous man and a very dangerous situation. We need to be sure we are judging all thinks according to Scripture.

Voice of Truth - The Shack

Is it alright to portray God against His nature in works of fiction? I ask this question because I have been deciding whether to write about a book called The Shack. I have been hesitant to criticize a book by a christian author. This book is on top of the christian book charts, and has been endorsed by the likes of Michael W. Smith. After wrestling with this for a couple of months, I heard an interview with the author last week. The author, William P. Young was very disturbing to listen to. Let me start by saying I have not read the entire book only portions posted online. But I have been greatly disturbed by what I have read, and his replies to questions on the book.

To start there are good parts to this book. The book does represent the Trinity fairly well, as well as the need for forgiveness and a personal relationship with God. But now let's look how he describes the characters in the book. God the Father is an African American woman named Papa. Jesus is a Middle Easterner dressed with tool belt. And the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman named Sarayu. First problem is the fact that God the Father cannot be seen. 1 Timothy 6:16 - who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. Next problem I have is that God is not a woman. God is always referred to in the bible as the Father. When questioned on this in the interview, Mr. Young quickly took the egalitarian position that there is no male or female. He uses the often misused verse Galatians 3:28 - "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus,". This is the same verse used by churches promoting female pastors. This verse is simply saying that there is no favoritism when it comes to salvation. Salvation is for every kind of person and we are all one in Christ. He uses this verse to say God can be either male or female.

He goes on in the book to say that God submits Himself to humans. To defend this position in the interview he used Luke 1:38 - And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. He says that this is Mary giving God permission to go ahead with his plan. And this is an example of God submitting to Mary's will. This is the same faulty doctrine that has led to Mary worship in the Catholic church. There is only one instance in the bible I know of, where any member of the Trinity submits to any human. Galatians 4:4 - But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,. Jesus was born under the Law and would have had to obeyed His parents as a child according to the Law.

Lastly, I want to look at the books Universalist leanings. He starts by saying the all sins of all people are forgiven, even those who chose not to have a relationship with Jesus. He refused to answer when questioned on this in the interview. If you have not come to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are still dead in your sins. Here is a excerpt from the book; Jesus said, "Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptist or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many who don't vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions. I have followers who were murderers and many who were self-righteous. Some are bankers and bookies, Americans and Iraqis, Jews and Palestinians. I have no desire to make them Christian, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my beloved.". He says that Jesus has no desire to make them Christian, He just wants to join their transformation into children of God. This seems to be a reoccuring theme, but no man comes to the Father, except through the Son. Jesus is the only way. Not everyone will go to Heaven.

We need to speak of God with reverence and awe. This is another book that portrays God as our buddy. A dumbed down and weaker version of the real thing. How have we gone from early Jews being scared to say His name, to the total lack of respect we show today? When we speak of God it should be with respect to His holiness, even in fiction. This book shows total lack of respect for who God really is.

Voice of Truth - Strength For The Weary

Well our VBS ended last night with a great turnout. It was a long, but rewarding week. I must admit this past week pushed me to the limit on several occasions. One thing never ceased to amaze me though. Every time I felt exhausted and didn't feel like going on, I always seemed to get a second wind. As I sit back and think about it, it brings a verse to mind.

Isaiah 40:29 - He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Every time I was beginning to get weary, I was renewed with strength. Doing the will of God is not always easy. But when we are following in His will, He will give us strength to go on. It is amazing to look back and realize there is no way you should have been able to do what you did. God helps us along the way and restores us when we are weak.

Galatians 6:9-10 - 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

This verse applies to everyone, but today especially to the VBS workers. Although there may be times when it seems you work is not being fruitful, persevere. If we persevere to the end, in due time we will reap a harvest. There are many people at church working really hard at this time. And sometimes we can grow frustrated by lack of results. I want to encourage you all today. Keep working hard and doing good to all people. In due time a harvest is coming our way. Thank you for all the hard work everyone put in this week.

Voice of Truth - Reason For Church

Why do you go to church on Sunday? Your answer to that question will determine if you are content at your church. I have heard people say that they come to church on Sunday to get refilled. Church is not a once a week filling station. We should be getting filled on a daily basis, by a personal relationship with God. We should not be coming to church to be entertained. The big trend today is turn the Lord's day into a concert. If you attend church just because of the praise band, you are there for the wrong reason. The pastor is also not the reason you should be attending a particular church. If you go to a church just because of it's size, you are wrong again. Some people choose to go to a big church, because they think that means they must be doing something right. Well the biggest church in the U. S. is pastored by Joel Osteen. That should be enough said.

We should first and foremost be coming to church to worship Christ. He should be the first thing in our lives. Colossians 1:18 - He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

We are commanded to not forsake assembling together. Hebrews 10:25 - not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

The main point I want to make is that we should never be going to church for what we can get out of it. If we are going to church for the correct reasons, (worshiping God, serving others and sharing our lives with others) we will reap unseen benefits. We must keep the focus of church where it belongs, Christ. If you leave church on Sunday saying I didn't get anything out of that. You have completely missed the point of church. Take the focus off yourself and put it on Jesus. When you leave church this week, ask yourself - Did I give God all the praise that is due Him this week?

Many new believers fall into this trap. The warm fuzzies of salvation wear off, and they think something must be wrong with the church. When the real problem is they were coming to church for the wrong reason in the first place. Church is a fellowship of believers called to be unified in an effort to do the will of Christ. For a church to be unified in this effort, we must all be focused on Jesus. Because of His blood we can now enter the holy place with confidence.

Hebrews 10:19-23 - 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Voice of Truth - Men's Fraternity

Men, the time has come to begin preparing for Men's Fraternity again. We will be doing year 1 again. We ask those who did it last year to repeat it again and bring others along this year. Many churches lack in the area of male leadership. We are called to be leaders in our homes and in our churches. This class will help you to become both. Men start preparing your hearts for this now. Ladies if you would like for your husbands to be a better leader, convince them to join us.

Genesis 3:8-9 - 8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

9 Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

Men notice who God called after the sin in the garden, MAN. We are responsible for the spiritual health of our families and our church. Let's start being leaders and if you aren't sure how, find out. VBS is also this week, so I will probably be short and sweet this week. Men start thinking about what biblical manhood really is.

Voice of Truth - Tradition

There is a trend going in some church circles today, particularly among seeker friendly and emergent churches. That trend says that anything dealing with church tradition needs to be done away with or at least re-evaluated. Conservatives they say hold too close to tradition and should toss it aside to draw people in. As a self proclaimed conservative, I would say that statement is both true and false. Conservatives do sometimes hold so tight to tradition that they refuse to be open to new ways to reach the lost. On the other hand tradition has it's place in the church. We just must be sure that we don't turn tradition into meaningless ritual. We must be sure we are teaching why are traditions are meaningful. I believe the bible upholds the role of tradition.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

These verses I believe show the importance of honoring some of the traditions passed on through early church history. There are certain traditional ways we need to guard closely. Take a look at how marriage, baptism and the Lord's Supper have been changed by those who detest tradition. Same sex marriage is now acceptable in their churches because they believe that traditional marriage is outdated. It is a tradition we hold because it was instituted by God in the beginning.

Take some time to reflect on the traditions your church adheres to. If you don't know why your church follows a certain tradition, find out. If it is not a biblical reason, make sure it is not a stumbling block preventing you from reaching the lost. If the reason for the tradition is biblical, stand firm in the fact you are walking in the ways passed on to us from Jesus and the early church. As the verse says above, discipline a brother who is being unruly and not acting according to proper tradition.

Today, I am going to share part of an article from HeartCry Magazine. The organization that produces the magazine is HeartCry Missionary Society, which is under the authority of First Baptist Church of Muscle Shoals Alabama. This is an organization I support and encourage you to check out. Here is part of an article on the Lozi people of Zambia by Sean Reece.

The Laborers are Few
The Bible teaches us that the Lozi people are
in need of the Gospel. In Romans 1:16-17 and
10:11-17, the apostle Paul communicates with
crystal clarity that God calls sinners to salvation
through the preaching of the Gospel. It is
not through acts of community service or the
showing of films, as good and helpful as those
may be, but it is through the ‘foolishness of
preaching’ that God reveals sin, wrath, and His
provision of grace in the Cross of Jesus Christ
(I Corinthians 1:17-24).
Though there are a tiny handful of missionaries
trying to reach the Lozi, there is no Gospel
preacher in the vast, remote area where we
have been working. Worse yet, the villages
have already been flooded with false gospels
of “Christ plus...” The Catholics tell the Lozi
that they are saved through faith in Christ plus
religious ritual. The Seventh Day Adventists
tell them that they are saved through faith in
Christ plus keeping Old Testament laws. The
New Apostle cult tells them that they are saved
through faith in Christ plus following the authority
of the cult leaders.
Many of you who are reading this article are
familiar with the indigenous HeartCry missionaries
in Zambia who are working with
Pastor Conrad Mbewe and Kabwata Baptist
Church. All these missionaries are in the larger
cities of the northern and eastern regions of
the country. In the areas we will be working,
there is not one single church preaching a true
Gospel of salvation by grace alone, through
faith alone, and in Christ alone. In addition,
there are no indigenous church planters to
support. We have found a few believers, but
they are years from meeting the qualifications
for biblical church leadership. If the Lozi, scattered
throughout the vast regions of southwest
Zambia, are to be saved, they not only need a
preacher of the Gospel, but someone to train
other indigenous preachers. Therefore, in this
unique situation, HeartCry is preparing to send
cross-cultural church planters to the Lozi. Yet,
even in this, indigenous missions remains the
goal of the effort.
Final Word
One thing has sustained us through the selling
of our home and possessions, and walking
away from my pastoral ministry and my wife’s
teaching career. One thing has sustained us
through long months of agonizing uncertainty.
We want to know Christ. Christ has called us
to Zambia to know Him better, and that is our
primary motivation for going. Love for the
Lozi, a desire to plant churches, and all other
motives are secondary. We hope to follow in
the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, whose passion
to know Christ overflowed in the planting
of many churches for the glory of God. As
Paul wrote in Romans 11:36: “For from Him,
through Him, and to Him are all things. To
Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
I will conclude with an urgent request for
prayer. We are attempting a huge endeavor
that is destined to fail unless we have God’s
help in everything. If He does not speak and
guide, provide and preserve, this task will be
futile. In faith, we cast ourselves upon Him as
our only hope. Please pray for the leadership
of HeartCry, for the Lozi team, and that the
Name of Jesus might be exalted among the
Lozi and throughout the world.

I ask that you pray for the Lozi as well as the Reece families. Brothers Sean and Shannon Reece will be taking their families to Zambia in an effort to reach the Lozi. It amazes me the efforts Satan will go through to thwart the Gospel. False gospels are being taught even to people in western Zambia. We must pray for and support those preaching the real thing. In case you have not noticed yet, most of my blogs will pertain to missions, evangelism, or apologetics. The lack of these three things in churches results in decline or stagnation.

Voice of Truth - Mockers

“A person who believes that Elvis is still alive is very unlikely to get promoted to a position of great power and responsibility in our society. Neither will a person who believes that the holocaust was a hoax. But people who believe equally irrational things about God and the bible are now running our country. This is genuinely terrifying.” Sam Harris

This is a quote from one of the top atheists in the world. He is a part of a group of 4 atheists known as the Four Horsemen. These four gentlemen are flooding the book market with anti-christian books.

2 Peter 3:3-9, 3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,

4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,

6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

There are going to be scoffers and mockers among us. In the days ahead, I believe you will begin to see much more of this. It is a time when we need to place special emphasis on the values we are teaching our children. Our colleges and universities are full of men and women who share the opinions of Mr. Harris. They believe that there is no place for religious discussion in intellectual institutes. Students who stand up for their religious beliefs are being harassed by their professors. We must press on. Judgment of these belongs to God. He is reserving a day of judgment and destruction for all ungodly men. And as hard is it must seem, we must pray for those who mock our Lord and our beliefs. Because God would wish that even they come to repentance. Let's also pray for the Christians who are willing to stand and refute ungodly men in the public square. And the question I have for you is this. Are we as a church ready to stand firm against ungodly men and ungodly practices? If we are, I can bring forth areas where we can be active as a church. The time is at hand for our churches to take a stand.

Voice of Truth - Fellowship

Acts 2:41-47

41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

44And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;

45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

47praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Unity of the body is one of the greatest forms of evangelism. Look at verses 46 & 47. They were continuing with one mind and fellowshipping together. The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Unbelievers quickly pick up on whether the members of a church are unified or not.

Much of what I write about comes from personal experience. Today I want to share a little on fellowship. A few months ago a few families decided to start a weekly Sunday fellowship after church. I enjoyed the idea from the beginning. Although, I did not realize the effects this Sunday fellowship would have. For me the rewards have been tremendous. This form of fellowship has allowed me to make bonds that would never have developed just from seeing someone at church. Fellowshipping at church is good, but does not compare to the fellowship you get in a home setting. I have come to know people on a much deeper level. I have been able to share in others joys and sorrows. I have made friends that I can ask for help and who will also hold me accountable. An amazing thing has happened. Others have seen the love we have for one another and want to be a part of it. Some weeks we have trouble fitting everyone in the host house. My challenge to you is this, if you are not part of a regular fellowship, start now. The blessings you will receive are more than you can imagine. Start a group or ask if you can join a group.

Thank you to all in my weekly fellowship who will be reading this. It has been through your support and encouragement that I undertook this blogging adventure. Thanks for the joy and laughter you have brought to my life. Yes, Christians are allowed to have fun.

Voice of Truth - Pew Research Survey

Check this out. 57% of Evangelical Protestants believe there is more than one way to eternal life according to this survey by Pew Research Center.

Why is this the case? I believe there are many reasons. Too many churches aren't teaching the whole bible. There is a lot of feel good Gospel being preached. Churches are so sensitive to numbers building, they are preaching what draws people in. They can't preach on sin, it might scare somebody off. Jesus is no longer God, but an accessory to their lives. If they just add Jesus they can have their best life now. Unfortunately, their best life probably will be now. When they die it is going to get drastically worse, because they don't know the real Jesus.

I also think numbers in surveys such as this are misleading. Many people categorize themselves Christian, who are truly not. To believe there is more than one way, one must have serious flaws in their understanding of Jesus. Jesus clearly states that He is the way. He did not say that He was one of many ways.

The American church in general has become too influenced by our culture. Most Protestant churches are becoming more liberal by the day. Same sex marriage, female pastors and abortion are now acceptable because we don't want to offend anyone. Once they deny the bible in these areas, it becomes easier to deny it in other areas. The deity of Christ is usually the next thing questioned. Or they come up with these groups like the Jesus Seminar. The Jesus Seminar is a group of so-called biblical scholars, who go through the New Testament and vote if Jesus really said what the bible says. It is time the American church stops being influenced by our culture and starts influencing our culture. We are called to be salt and light. We have allowed our culture to put a basket over our lamp. It is time for us to remove the basket.

Lastly, I think churches have strayed from biblical discipleship and church discipline. We are not properly teaching believers biblical doctrine. We constantly keep them on milk and never move them towards meat. They are very comfortable with the milk. God may be pushing them towards meatier subjects, but the church is not stepping up to teach it. We also have church members openly living in sin and many churches no longer discipline them. I got married oddly enough as a result of church discipline. My wife and I as new unmarried believers were living together. Lovingly we were told if we were going to live together we needed to be married. We set a date and got married. We need to return to biblical church discipline. If it requires removing someone who is divisive and unrepentant we need to do so.

Titus 3:10-11 - Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 - I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.

Church let's stop doing what is politically correct and start doing what is biblically correct. The church is not a social club. The church's main priority is to bring glory to God. Too many churches are bringing shame to His name. It is time to proclaim the truth, Jesus is the only way.

Voice of Truth - Repentance

Today I want to share what God has been placing on my heart this week. There are 3 groups at our church doing the Downpour study by James MacDonald. This weeks lesson is on repentance. Repentance is described in the study as recognition of sin for what it is, followed by heartfelt sorrow culminating in a change of behavior. God has placed many things on my heart as I have gone through this study. First, is my own need to repent of my sins and turn to God. Second, is to use this blog today to make a call to repentance. I was not sure exactly how to accomplish this. Yesterday, while doing the daily study, I felt led to call for a time of repentance on Sunday. I know there are people from several different churches who read this blog. I am asking for anyone who has a time of invitation, to come to the altar at that time to repent. I believe if we come to truly repent on Sunday, God is going to move in the hearts and minds of His people. It would be great to see the altar full of people repenting. Let me also add, there are many one another commands in the bible ( love one another, pray for one another, encourage one another...). You can't do any of these commands on your own. It requires at least one other person. If one of the sins you are repenting of was against another brother or sister, correct it on Sunday. Find that person and bring them to the altar with you. Share this with your Downpour classes, your Sunday school classes and anyone else you can think of. If we come in true repentance, maybe we will see a true downpour. I will give some verses on repentance because I like to always include scripture in these blogs.

Matthew 4:17, - 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Acts 17:30, - 30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,

Acts 3:19, - 19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Pray for God to reveal any area in which you need to repent before Sunday. I will be at the altar. Hope to see you there.

Voice of Truth - Garden of Gethsemane

Hopefully today's blog will get some people thinking a little bit. The sermon at First Baptist Sunday touched a little bit on the Garden of Gethsemane. That is where I would like to go today. As I have studied these passages, my views have changed from what I have heard preached and have been taught. Let's look at the verses as they appear in Luke.

Luke 22:39-46, "39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,46 and said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation."

In verse 42 Jesus prays "remove this cup from Me.". The question is, what is this cup? Most of the sermons I have heard in my life say that Jesus was referring to his upcoming torture and crucifixion. Was Jesus so worried about those things that He sweat blood? I think probably not. Throughout history, cases are recorded of Christian martyrs singing hymns and praising God while being martyred. Some of these were burned while tied up. Are they greater than our Lord Jesus? Definitely not. If these brave Christians endured with a smile on their faces, how could Jesus be so distressed that He sweat blood? Well I think the cup is of God's wrath. Let me explain what I mean. Jesus had spent every second, at that point, in complete union with God the Father. But the time was coming when He was to bear our sins. Jesus knew what was going to happen on the cross. As the weight of our sin was placed on Him, the Father could no longer look upon Him because of our sin.

Matthew 27:46, "46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

This is why Jesus was so distressed. The Father could no longer look at the Son, and He was to receive the wrath of God. This is gut wrenching for me to think about. The perfect communion between the Father and Son was severed, for just this brief moment in time, for my sins and yours. Jesus was so distressed that He asked the Father if there was anyway to remove this cup. But there was no other way. It took Jesus, fully man and fully God, to bear the wrath of the Father. He was the only spotless sacrifice. And here is the last thing that brought him distress.

Isaiah 53:10, "10 But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand."

Think about the first part of this verse. It pleased God to crush Him. Oh how much more this all means than physical beating and crucifixion. The father crushed His only begotten Son. The spiritual separation was unbearable for our Savior. All I can say is thank you Jesus. After what He did for us, how can we refuse to follow His lead in our lives? This is why every time I hear a preacher say Jesus was upset about the physical pain to come, I just sit back and think no my Savior is greater than that. The physical pain was great, but nothing compared to the wrath of the Father.

Voice of Truth - Marriage

I am going to be a little selfish today. I am actually writing this a day before you read it. Today, June 19th is my 4 year wedding anniversary. I want to use that to tie into what was preached at First Baptist on Sunday. He preached on divorce and how it is no worse a sin than any other. And not to let that sin keep someone from being remarried. This is my second marriage and I have been truly blessed this time around. I may not be saved at this point, if not for me finding my wife. If you are divorced and reading this, don't give up on marriage. God can use any situation for His glory. Even our sinful pasts, He can turn into something wonderful.

Ephesians 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,"

This verse is used all the time, but we don't really think about it. I have not done a good job loving my wife, as Christ has loved the church. We need to show sacrificial love everyday, not just when we feel like it. Do we really sacrifice to show love to our wives? Sacrifice is not only the giving of our lives. Sacrifice is in every area of our lives. Christ did more for the church than I can ever do for my wife. But just like every other aspect of our lives, we must strive to become more like Him daily. Thanks for sharing a little into my life. And as I look back at the last 4 years, I know I can and need to do better. May Christ be an example for all of us.

Voice of Truth - Seeker Friendly

I want to look at a term that has been used a lot lately. Seeker friendly church is a term used to describe a church that includes many different things to draw people in. Some things include: bookstores, food courts, bowling alleys, Starbucks and the list goes on and on. The idea is to get people to church and then maybe they will hear the gospel and turn to God. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church was one of leaders who started this movement. He now admits this approach is not working as well as he thought. It has worked great at drawing huge numbers to church. But they are not reaching the lost. What does the Bible say about this?

Romans 3:10-11, "10as it is written,
THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;"

Most of us are familiar with verse 10. Verse 11 says there is none who seeks for God. These churches are bringing people in, but the problem is God is not drawing them. As a result, they don't understand the gospel even if they hear it. If no one seeks for God, how does anyone come to know Christ?

John 6:44, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day."

The Father draws us to Him. This is not a popular position and many will probably disagree with it. That is okay. Many take credit for their choice to follow God. In my opinion that lessens the grace of God. It becomes something you did, and not something that God has done in you. If not for the work God did in me, I would have never realized my sins. I would still be lost in my sins. It truly makes me more thankful to God to know He drew me. It also makes me want to serve Him more.

What does this mean for our churches? We need to worry less about programs and amenities. We need to focus more on reaching those God is drawing. We need to find where God is working and join Him there. The best place to reach those people is not in our church building, but out in the world where they live. Let's be churches who are known for our love of Christ, not by the programs we offer.

Voice of Truth - California

Romans 1:24-27, "24Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
25For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
27and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error."

Well these verses are ringing true in California. On Monday, same sex marriage became legal in California. There still is the possibility that this can be changed. Voters in California will have a chance to vote on the issue. Let's start praying now that the voters will change this ruling made by the courts. It may not seem important in our area, because it is so far away. However, the California ruling is different than the Massachusetts ruling. In Massachusetts you must be a resident of that state in order to get married there. In California they are letting anyone from any state get married there. So now, a same sex couple from Indiana can get married in California. They then can come back home and sue the State of Indiana to have there marriage recognized here. If this ruling holds up, we will begin to see lawsuits all over the country. Christians have jumped into this battle a little late. We must address this issue. And we must do it with love.

Voice of Truth - Leaving A Church

I was reading an article yesterday by Gail B. Houston in Focus On The Family magazine. The article is about switching churches. I thought it was an interesting article. Today it seems like Christians are changing churches at an unprecedented rate. And current polling shows that is the case. Here is 4 poor reasons she gave that people use for leaving a church;

Things in the church are changing, and I don’t like it. Your pastors recognize that the world and the church globally are changing, and they want to stay relevant. As your church adapts, it is critical to realize what is biblical and what is cultural. Your pastors feel they can give on some cultural issues, but they also believe in holding the line on fundamentals.

I don’t like the music anymore. Drums and electric guitars moved into spaces where pianos and organs traditionally ruled. A good way to look at this issue is to realize that, in a church of 400 people, if you have the music the way you want it on one Sunday every 7.7 years, then you have had your turn. Let others enjoy their turn as well. Music style should never be more important than relationships.

An unresolved difference of opinion or hurt feelings. The church is a living parable on forgiveness, mercy and grace for a watching world. How we treat one another speaks loudly. The Bible is clear on dealing with problems: Go first to the person with whom you have the problem and try to resolve it for your own good, his good and the good of the church.

Another church has more to offer me and my family. If your church is lacking in an area, pray to be able to fill the space or for God to send someone who is able. Make the shift from consumer to producer.

To me it looks like all 4 reasons come back to self-centeredness. It seems that the me, me, me attitude of our culture has crept into the church. I will leave you with these verses from Colossians to think about. I think these verses should speak for themselves.

Colossians 3:12-14 - " 12 Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must [forgive]. 14 Above all, [put on] love—the perfect bond of unity."

Voice of Truth - Propitiation

Propitiation, what is it? First, here are some verses.

Romans 3:25
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Hebrews 2:17
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

1 John 2:2
and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:10
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Propitiation involves appeasing the wrath of God on an offending person and being reconciled to God. Some translations have replaced this word with other easier to read words. I don't think any other words can take the place of propitiation. Propitiation always refers to the work of God, not human made sacrifices. Romans 3:25 is the meat of the Gospel. Paul had previously told us we are all under the condemnation of God. And that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Then he tells us God has provided a propitiation, the blood of His Son on a cross. What a wonderful picture that is. He provided what human works and animal sacrifices never could. It is against God's nature to justify the wicked. We are all wicked, so God could not justify us. We all deserve hell. He sent a propitiation to save us. Jesus was the only way. This is the power of the Gospel, if we truly understand propitiation. And oh how much more we should worship and praise our Lord and Savior.

Voice of Truth - Johnny Hunt

Yesterday, Johnny Hunt was elected new Southern Baptist Convention President. Here is a recap of his first press conference as posted on Baptist Press.

Incoming SBC President Johnny Hunt concluded his first press conference during the dinner break. Following is a sample of what he said:

"We believe that there's a need for a radical change and radical leadership to turn the tide in our denomination. ... We've been declining as a denomination. You can't turn something around until you stop the tide in the direction it's going.

Hunt said one of his goals is "being able to inspire the younger generation that's coming behind me to buy in and then step up to the plate and support" the SBC.

"... I've had the opportunity to lead every church I've been in through transition to become a growing church. It would be my heart through the times that I can address our denomination ... to lead them and encourage them to ... embrace God's heart for the nations."

"... Instead of just constantly saying, 'Give to the Cooperative Program' or 'Tithe to the Cooperative Program,' I think what we need to do is show -- especially the generation behind us -- all that the Cooperative Program is doing, and spend more time showing what's happening overseas, showing who's being helped, showing who's being cared for. (People then will say), 'I want to give more to that source.'"

I am glad to hear many of his comments. The number of church members between 20 and 39 is very low. With men in that age range being even worse. This is true of most conservative, bible believing churches. Conservative Christianity is boring to most young men. I will admit I could not get excited about Christianity for at least a year after I was saved. Guys do not want to come to church and sing about love all the time. Unfortunately, the churches drawing young men today have strayed from the bible to do so. How do we reach young men? Not through marketing like many churches, some in our town, are doing. Two things I see and experienced that work; missions and evangelism. It wasn't until I went on a disaster relief mission trip, that I became fully engaged with being Christian. Men need action and a sense of accomplishment. What a feeling it was when I realized I could help clean up flooded homes and witness at the same time. We need to get men involved in these activities. What an opportunity we are missing right now, with so many flooded out in our state. God gave us a mission field in our back yards, but we are unprepared to harvest the field. Johnny Hunt has been strong in these areas. Let's pray for his leadership and for us to be willing to follow his lead.

Voice of Truth - Prayer

It has been a busy time for me lately. I have noticed when I am busy, I come up with a bunch of people and things to pray for. I have noticed my prayers becoming God I need this and God help out in this area. We are supposed to bring our prayers before God. Although, God is not our personal prayer ATM. "If I put in a few good works or acts of service, God should answer my prayers as I see fit". This is not how it works. Going through the Downpour study has made me look at God's holiness in a new way. This has made me think about my prayers in a new way. When was the last time you came to God in prayer and asked for nothing? When was the last time you came to God only proclaiming His holiness? It has been a long time for me.

Isaiah 6:3 - "And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.""

Psalm 29:2 - "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in holy array."

Psalm 96:9 - "Worship the LORD in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth."

Revelation 15:4 - "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."

This is just a tiny number of verses describing God's holiness. Take the time to look some of them up. I am going to set some time aside today just to honor God in prayer. I will not use any of this time to ask for anything. Will you make the same commitment?

Voice of Truth - Fruit of the Spirit

I was thinking yesterday about what my life should exemplify. I began reading in Galatians and I discovered some things.

Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."

I began to try to determine if I was walking by the Spirit. I knew the Holy Spirit was in me and guiding me. But was I truly following that guidance? What should my life look like if I was truly walking by the Spirit?

Galatians 5:19-21, "19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

After first reading this, I was somewhat confused. Was it saying that someone who commits these sins is lost? I knew that could not be right, because those born again still have sin in their lives. So I did some studying of the Greek, and found out the tense of the verb indicates a continual action. So this is referring to habitual sin in these areas. Those who still have habitual sins in these areas, plus many other areas, don't have the Spirit in them.

Galatians 5:22-26, "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires .25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."

This is where it hits hard for me. Notice that fruit is used in the singular. This means we are to have all of these attributes, not just a few of them. Unlike the spiritual gifts we receive, where people are gifted in different areas. Every Christian should exemplify all attributes of the fruit of the Spirit. This was the ouch moment for me. This is where I realized I have some work to do. Do I show love to the person who does me wrong? Do I show joy at work, when I don't want to be there? Do I have patience with my kids in public? Do the lost see these things in me on a daily basis? These are just some of the things I asked myself. Now I ask you. Are you exemplifying the fruit of the Spirit?

Voice of Truth - Oprah

I was asked last week by e-mail to share my thoughts on Oprah. First let's look at few comments from one of her shows. During the show Oprah related, "I was raised a Baptist and we were too hung up on traditional ways. I was sitting in church and heard that God is a jealous God. I asked 'Why?' Come on-let's get over it!". With that being said take a look at Deuteronomy 4:23-24, "23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you, and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of anything He has forbidden you. 24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.". Oprah asked 'Why?', well because the Bible says so Oprah. Once you believe the Bible is something to get over, truth becomes subjective to your opinions.

She goes on to say, "One of the most important books I've read is Eric Buttterworth's Discover the Power Within You. In it he said "Jesus did not come to teach us how divine He was but to teach that divinity was within us." Later she said that "It (claiming exclusive Divinity) would make Jesus the biggest egotist that ever lived.". I don't even know where to begin with those statements. Most importantly I would say, if Jesus is not divine we are all going to hell. If He was not divine, then His dying on the cross was not enough to atone for our sins. Let's look at why He really came in John 6:38, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.". What was the will of Him who sent Jesus? Look at 1 John 4:14, "We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.".

She also cut off a female audience member who said Jesus is the only way. Oprah responded, "Jesus can't possibly be the only way.". I think John 14:6 speaks for itself, "Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.".

It is sad how far she has fallen. As a child she was nicknamed "the preacher", because of the great number of bible verses she could recite. That goes to show it takes more than memorizing verses. We must also learn the truth of those verses. Oprah has teamed up with Eckhart Tolle, author of the book A New Earth. This book is on all the best seller lists. It is now become it's own religion. Oprah and Eckhart have online courses that people are flocking to. What they do is read into scripture what is not there. They turn Jesus into a new age guru. They are definitely leading people to the broad gate. What they are teaching is leading people to hell. Our country has become a country that worships at the alter of celebrity. We need to pray for these people.

Lord, I pray that you would turn Oprah from her false teachings. She has great influence that could be used for Your glory. Lord I pray that you remove the blindfold from the eyes of those following her. That they would move from the darkness to the Light. And if anyone who reads this that has been deceived by her teachings, you would convict their hearts. Lord I also ask that you give us discernment to recognize false teachings when we hear them. In Jesus name, Who is the only way, I pray. Amen

Voice of Truth - Comfortable Christians

Have we become comfortable Christians? We live in a country blessed with prosperity. Let's look at some facts. 19,000 people die every day of hunger, while we feed our animals better meals than most of these people eat. 1 million people die from malaria each year, when all it would take is a mosquito net to save many of them. Over 55,000 Christians are martyred each year for professing Jesus, while we make excuses as to why we can't even make church on Sunday. People are dying around us daily who are lost for eternity, while we have the Word of eternal life and do nothing with it. The family and marriage is being attacked, while Christians stand quietly and say nothing. What should we do?

Hebrews 13:11-13, "11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy of holies by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might sanctify the people by His own blood. 13 Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace."

It is time to go outside our church walls. It is time to go where the need is. It is time for us to meet Jesus outside of our church walls. Jesus is with the drunks, the addicts and the criminals. Jesus is where things are dirty and ugly. We need to meet Him there. Most people are not going to come to a church looking for Jesus. We have to go to the people and introduce them to Him. Are you ready to get your hands dirty? Are you ready to risk everything for Jesus? Or are you happy being comfortable?

Voice of Truth - Christian Basics

Today, let's take a short look at the basics of a Christian life.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
16Rejoice always;
17pray without ceasing;
18in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
19Do not quench the Spirit;
20do not despise prophetic utterances.
21But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
22abstain from every form of evil.

Here we are given a brief summary of priorities for successful Christian living. Rejoice always even in the hard times, because God is in control. Pray regularly and God will speak to you. Give thanks for everything because it all belongs to God. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Notice these are all God's will for you. Don't quench the Spirit. Don't let sin quench the Spirit, because we are to be controlled by the Spirit. Don't despise the proclaiming of God's Word from the pulpit. Don't despise the reading of God's Word. But make sure we are testing all these things against God's Word. Uphold that which is found to be good, rejecting what is found to be unbiblical. If we are not living up to this list, the time to start is now. Have a great weekend and Rejoice, it is the will of God.

Voice of Truth - McLaren

2 Peter 2:1 - But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves.

From time to time I will try to point out false teachers and false teachings. We are to be on the lookout for false teachers, who look to lead us astray. Today I would like to look at a person who was featured in the religion section of the newspaper, Brian McLaren. McLaren is a leader in what is known as the Emerging Church. The Emerging Church is a loose connection of churches who are seeker friendly. They seek many to ways, sometimes radical, to reach people. Some are good teachers, McLaren is not. Here is what McLaren teaches about Jesus, "Jesus comes then not to condemn (to bring the consequences we deserve) but to save by shining the light on our evil, by naming our evil as evil so we can repent and escape a chain of bad actions and bad consequences to forgiveness, and so we can learn from Jesus the master teacher to live more wisely in the future." McLaren, Brian, A Generous Orthodoxy, Page 96.

Wow, no sign of the cross or sin mentioned anywhere. Let's look at 1 Peter 2:24, and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. Jesus did not come to save by shining light on our evil. He came to bear our sins and die on a cross for those sins. To deny the purpose of the cross, is to deny the atoning work of Christ on the cross.

He apparently also has a problem with what the bible says too, "For too many people the name Jesus has become a symbol of exclusion, as if Jesus' statement 'I am the way, and of the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me' actually means, 'I am in the way of people seeking truth and life. I won't let anyone get to God unless he comes through me.'" Brian McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy, Page 70.

Yet another person teaching Jesus is not the only way. I prefer to rely on the word of Jesus, not the word of Brian McLaren. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what McLaren teaches.

My goal in this is to point out false teaching. If you agree or disagree go online on post your thoughts. Apologetics is something I enjoy greatly, so this will probably be a semi-regular post. I feel it is important to discern false teachers in our midst, so that none will be led astray. I was listening to and reading several false teachers after I was saved. It took a long time for someone to point it out to me. Hopefully this will help someone who is being misled by a false teacher.

Voice of Truth - Memorial Day

Now that it has past, let's think about Memorial Day. Here is a list of the numbers who have died for our freedom.

American Revolution - 4435
War of 1812 - 2260
Indian Wars - 1000
Mexican War - 1733
Civil War - 214938
Spanish-American War - 385
World War I - 53402
World War II - 291557
Korean War - 33741
Vietnam War - 47424
Gulf War - 147
Iraq & Afghanistan - 4083

Saviors on a cross - 1
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

So let us remember those who have given all for our freedom, including the One who died for our eternal lives. Let us also remember those who have been wounded in the battle, including the One who by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 - But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Let us pray for the families who have sent away a loved one who did not return alive. As we do remember the One who was sent away to die. But death could not defeat Him and He returned home to the Father. JESUS.
Romans 8:34 - Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.

Never forget the brave men and women who died for our freedom. But more importantly don't forget Jesus, the epitome of sacrifice. Jesus who saved us when no one else could. Give thanks to our Heavenly Father who sent Jesus, in whom He is well pleased.

Voice of Truth - doers of the word

I appreciate the comments and e-mails I received yesterday. Today's post is a response to some of the comments I received. James 1:22 says, "But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.". Are we being doers of the word? We are commanded to obedient to God. Back when pastor John was doing this e-mail, God began to work on my heart. I was strongly being led to do this. I did not understand why at the time, because we had someone doing it already. All along the way I kept praying about it and talking about it. I approached Andy about doing this a couple of weeks ago, with the idea of someone adding a blog. I had no idea the person adding a blog would be me. One day while studying online, God led me to a site that said "how to start a Christian web blog". Once again I realized God was telling me I needed to do something. Is God telling you that you need to do something? If He is, don't wait for someone else to do what He has placed on your heart. I hope this ministry blesses you from time to time. But I am sure that there are many ministries yet to be started. Do you have a ministry God has placed on your heart? Have you let a ministry opportunity die in your heart? Now is the time to step out and be a doer. We need faithful men and women to minister to a continually deteriorating world. If you feel you can't do it on your own, share what is on your heart with someone. Maybe, God wants that someone to be in ministry with you. Share it on the online blog. God may be placing the same vision on more than one heart. What has God placed on your heart?

Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter killed in accident

Below is the AP article. Let's be prayerful for the family and thankful for our children.


Daughter of Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman hit, killed by car
Associated Press - 5/22/2008 5:00:00 AM
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NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The 5-year-old daughter of contemporary Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria, was hit in a driveway on the family residence Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

McPherson said no charges are expected. "It looks like a tragic accident," she said.

She said several members of the Chapman family witnessed the accident, which happened in Williamson County just south of Nashville.

The brother apparently did not see the little girl, McPherson said. She did not have the name or exact age of the brother, only that he is an older teenager.

The girl died later at Vanderbilt Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.

Chapman, originally from Paducah, Ky., and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria.

Chapman has won five Grammy awards and 51 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association.

The singer's Web site said that Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, were persuaded by their oldest daughter to adopt a girl from China. The experience led the family to adopt two more children and create Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist thousands of couples in adoption.

The Chapmans did missionary work at Chinese orphanages in 2006 and 2007, according to the Web site.

"After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing — our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman says on the Web site. "We've really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don't think so. I believe God is saying, 'I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world."'

Chapman also has released a book about being a father entitled "Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess."

Voice of Truth - thought of day

As you can see, the "Thought of the day" has returned. This is Jason Taber and I will be writing this on behalf of the men's ministry. I will make an effort to get this out Monday through Friday mornings. I will be renaming this Voice of Truth to correspond with a new idea I have. I have started a web blog named Voice of Truth, where this email will be posted. Anyone can go to the website and respond or comment on the post. Many things will be on there besides the thought of the day. Please pass the website along to anyone who may be interested. I want to see people interact on the blog. Also, if anyone has a wife who would like to write a column for women, let me know.

Here is the website: www.fbjasper.blogspot.com - please check it out.

For today I will leave you with this 1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.". This is a challenge I give for men not to be passive. We need to fight the good fight. It is time for the men to step up and be leaders. Men have forced the women into the lead, by our lack of fighting the fight.We need to reject passivity, lead courageously, accept responsibility and expect God's reward.

Downpour - Salvation

What is salvation? I cringe when I think what it has become in our churches today. No one is saved by simply repeating a prayer. Salvation is a heart and life change. It is not solely a head knowledge. We must repent and give our lives to Christ. Asking Jesus to come into your heart is not a way to salvation. Romans 10:9 reads, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;". It saddens me to hear a preacher say it is easy, all you have to do is walk down the aisle and say the sinner's prayer. That is not salvation, that is heresy. That is not The Gospel, it is a gospel which is false. Preachers need to stop tickling ears, and start preaching truth. There is no salvation in baptism, good works, or experiencing God. I hear people say they know they are saved because they have experienced God, but their lives are no different than they were before. If you truly experience God as a believer, your life will never be the same. It is not a warm fuzzy feeling you get inside. It is a change of heart. It is God working in you and replacing your heart of stone. Let's make sure we are following Romans 10:9, and not some human made formula for salvation.