I am thankful to the Lord to have just received confirmation that the keynote speaker at the October (Oct. 18-20) Pastors’ Conference at Eastside Baptist Church (in Twin Falls) will be Richard Owen Roberts.
I am thankful to the Lord to have just received confirmation that the keynote speaker at the October (Oct. 18-20) Pastors’ Conference at Eastside Baptist Church (in Twin Falls) will be Richard Owen Roberts.
Behold Your God – Sunday night, March 1, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.
Join me and others at Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls (204 Eastland Drive North) for a 12 week study on the God of the Bible. In “Behold Your God” we will learn of historical figures in church history and hear from modern day preachers, evangelist and missionaries as they reveal the God of the bible from Scripture.
Introduction: Welcome to “Behold Your God” from Media Gratiae on Vimeo.
Our God, Our Help In Ages Past by Jon Yerby (Behold Your God Original Soundtrack) from Media Gratiae on Vimeo.
Self-discipline is important. We must watch ourselves. We must ask God to help us to be mindful – thoughtful to others.
A characteristic that is often over looked by Christians many times is the discipline of thoughtfulness. It gives an aroma that is of life. It makes one a blessing to others. It effects all of our conduct. It softens the harshness that naturally comes forth.
Think about it; a thoughtful person does not have to be asked to help other people. He has ordered his day and disciplined his life to be instinctively ready to help, say an encouraging word, show an interest in the life of others, or give appreciation for another’s thoughtfulness toward them.
Thoughtfulness is not something one demands from another (that would not be thoughtful). Thoughtfulness doesn’t lend itself to oversensitivity.
A Thoughtful person…
Few people come by this grace naturally. It is really a disciplined trait that must be learned and practiced.
A thoughtful person must learn to…
Many of us are miserably selfish in our life among others. We all too easily forget that there are other people.
We know all too well in our own experiences in life the value of a sincere and Christ like person who has learned the discipline of thoughtfulness.
We generally don’t like to come in contact with thoughtless people. We know their ways all too well. We replay their words over and over in the voice recorder in our mind.
We must all learn to appreciate words that may wound but are spoken for the value of correcting or sharpening.
We must learn to not be overly sensitive to others who harshly cause pain, hurt, and leave their rude impact in the wake of their passing by.
We must learn the discipline of speaking and behaving thoughtfully as we journey along crossing paths with all people.
Thoughtfulness is a fruit of love. The kind of love we learn of in 1 Corinthians 13. Put on this grace and wear it today.
Renee has one of these freakish cats that have no hair. It’s a long story of how I told her we would never have one of those cats because they cost money and how I told her many times, “I’m not paying money for a cat.” Short back story: She found a loop-hole in what I said. We did not pay for this poor, hairless cat. We did however have to drive over 600 miles and spend money on a motel room. All in all, I paid for a hairless cat.
But that’s not the point here. Hairless or full of hair, cats are known for their curiosity. It’s normal for a cat to explore and even question what something is.
That’s the long way around to this; The world around us becomes familiar and commonplace to us as we age and grow to love our “creature comforts”. But the world is nearly an exhaustless wonder to children whose minds are alert and curious. As a matter of fact, a child that asks no questions, is no normal child. Questions even seem to be signs of mental health and normal activity.
This curiosity is normal and even has a level of normal “innocence”. But don’t be fooled. This curiosity will quickly, if not already, begin to show itself in a small child as a craving to satisfy a sinful flesh.
A duty for a parent is to learn to encourage a curiosity of one kind and expose the curiosity of another kind for what it is.
The duty of a parent is to show a child that they have an inborn propensity for sin.
Encourage questions like;
These and thousands upon thousands of other questions are natural questions for a young person to begin asking as they grow into young adulthood. And, I argue, are questions that should be answered. But more than just being answered, they should be taught how to answer these questions truthfully and biblically. Bad advice and counsel has wrecked many.
Parenting is no easy task. I don’t know of a parent who wishes they had not done some things differently. By the shear grace of God, parents actually do a lot of things right. But, don’t grow arrogant in thinking that there are things you have done as a parent that have not been helpful or will not be helpful if you continue in your own stubborn ways.
As a child grows they need parents who understand that their authority never diminishes, but does transform.
An infant is dependent upon a parent for every decision. But when a math equation is being worked on at age 16, that same child needs more to be taught how to discover the solution than to be told the solution. The authority of a parent remains constant while the duty is to largely teach a child to ask good questions and how to find truthful answers.
Dad and mom, are you as diligently preparing your children to know God as you are in the important matters of reading, math, science, writing?
An important thing I want to remind you of and warn you about is; Don’t forget that your child’s curiosity is not so innocent as they begin to search answers about sexuality and relationships. Be alert. Be on guard.
Be sure you are teaching your sons and daughters where to find truthful answers to their blooming spiritual curiosity. Make sure they understand that their emotional heart can not be trusted.
The best homes on earth are schools of continuing education, with lessons only being partially learned at times. It is important that careful attention is given to all lessons now (both secular and spiritual) because the opportunity to learn them will soon be gone.
It is no small thing that a serious misfortune would come upon your household as the graduates leave without mastering the lessons of most significance. What if they’ve not been trained to know what is sinful? What if they don’t know of the authority of God? What if God and his revelation (the Bible) is treated with such smallness and of no significance to know who God is? Their curiosity to know God will create a god that seems palatable to their undisciplined likes and dislikes.
A great need is needed among our young today. Who is teaching them to be self-disciplined? self-governed? all while submitting to the authority of God? God has established institutions for this; it’s your home and it’s your church.
Dear Eastside Baptist Church,
“Today, your freedom has come!” Alex Veillard
February 17, 2010 – Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Here is a biblical teaching that is nearly non-existent in the modern church. It is the matter of being a self-governing people.
I not talking about congregational rule (polity of how a church is structured). I’m talking about mitigation and mediation among the saints at the local church level. (1 Corinthians 6)
In 1982 US Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger said:
“One reason our courts have become overburdened is that Americans are increasingly turning to the courts for relief from a range of personal distresses and anxieties. Remedies for personal wrongs that once were considered the responsibility of institutions other than the courts are now boldly asserted as legal “entitlements.” The courts have been expected to fill the void created by the decline of church, family and neighborhood unity.” (the Peacemaker, by Ken Sande, page 54)
Is it because churches don’t know about 1 Corinthians 6 or is it that churches know about it and just ignore it? Or worse, is it because there are no wise men among us? Either place, it shows a lack of respect for the word of God.
I know part of the argument is that churches have not done a good job historically of handling judicial matters very fairly because of corruption.
Just because our historic track record is not very good is no reason to not respect the teaching of Scripture.
It seems like a practical and beneficial process for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to adhere to the teaching of Scripture, and in doing so be a blessing to the communities we live in rather than a burden.
What if churches stopped thinking that a block party will make the community like us better and regain her duty of self-governing. I’m not suggesting that a free hot dog day for the neighbors is a bad idea, I’m just saying that the 1 Corinthians 6 issue is a biblical matter.
Justice Scalia made this observation:
“I think this passage [1 Corinthians 6:1-8] has something to say about the proper Christian attitude toward civil litigation. Paul is making two points: first, he says that the mediation of a mutual friend, such as the parish priest, should be sought before parties run off to the law courts… I think we are too ready today to seek vindication or vengeance through adversary proceedings rather than peace through mediation… Good Christians, just as they are slow to anger, should be slow to sue.” (the Peacemaker, by Ken Sande, page 55)
I would like to hear from anyone who knows of a church that has formal steps to help members follow the teachings of self-governing such as 1 Corinthians 6.
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“…with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25-26 NASB)
The church of the LORD Jesus Christ has a mandate upon her to be ambassadors of Christ’s reconciliation, because of this one can be sure that there is an enemy of reconciliation enslaving all he can to conflict, division and bitterness among followers of the LORD.
Peter (in 1 Peter 5:8) likens this enemy to a prowling, roaring lion looking to devour.
This enemy of Christ’s reconciliation is a promoter of conflict, a tempter of greed, a spreader of dishonesty, misleading emotions, hoarder of bitterness, and reminder of all unresolved anger. The professing follower of Christ must not forget that this enemy’s most successful allies may be among well meaning friends, church members and family members to propagate humanistic philosophies that encourage conflict (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Here are a few of those expressions one can expect to hear that will not aid the follower of Christ in reconciliation…
Listen, the enemy of Christ’s reconciliation, the devil, would prefer you not recognize his part in keeping a conflict active and growing. He wants us to see that the other person is the one doing all the wrong and not let your focus relent off of that (false) reality.
Obviously, we can’t blame the devil for our conflicts. We are responsible and held accountable by God for every word and thought we say or think. But we must see Satan’s pleasure in driving conflict to destruction before the reconciling work of the cross can show itself in restoration.
How then should we (ambassador’s or Christ’s reconciliation) defeat this breeding ground of unresolved conflict?
Ephesians 6:12 is a good battle plan.
Unresolved conflict is a great pleasure of the devil. He will find great satisfaction when churches are unwilling to resolve disagreements. There is a great hope that the devil would see that illustration of Christ and the church destroyed when husbands and wives divorce. The devil will do all that he can to keep children in a state of rebellion against their parents.
Saint of the LORD, strap on your gospel shoes and be prepared to stand against the fiery darts and wicked schemes of the enemy. (James 1:19-25; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9)
Otherwise you may be being held captive by him to do his will rather than your LORD’s.
This day in history…