What channel are you tuning into?

 

1 Timothy 4:1-5

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

When you see verses like this in the Bible some would say that the writer is making a prediction on things yet to happen, and that is very close to the truth, but these are not a guess, they will happen at a remarkable 100%.  (Note: This writer believes we are experiencing that time.) Paul is telling Timothy and us, that in the future many will be apostates, and just for clarity an apostate is one who has renounced a belief or commitment.  “By devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,” they got conned, and it works, that’s why the devil is referred to by Jesus, as a liar and the father of lies. 

Deception is defined as; “the practice of deliberately making somebody believe things that are not true.”  Have you ever heard someone say if I was the devil, and they go on to make a statement?  There is only one small problem with that thought, the devil is a created being just like you and me, but he has watched mankind for thousands of years, and he has perfected the art of deception.  He is running a scam on you this very moment, and when he speaks to you it does not sound like someone else, it sounds like you. 

So how can we know whom is speaking to us?  Jesus speaks to this in the gospel of John chapter 10:1-18, listen to verse 14, “I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me.”  Bill Gillham called the voice of the Lord  “Channel 2” and it requires a trained ear to hear the Spirit of God and His message.  Bill also talks about “Channel 1” it comes with volume, it is at best tuned into the message of this world’s system, it is controlled by none other than Satan, and its goal is to deceive.  It has a history of success, and it implies that God does not want the very best for us and it asks the same question that the devil ask Eve in the garden, “Did God really say?”  It loves to tell you that you deserve better, much better, or it attacks your personal worth, especially after it has led you into sin.

Let’s tune into channel two and listen to what God has to say about channel one. Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”  Many a Christian no longer goes to church because they put their hearts in the hand of some person, in all probability a pastor or teacher, and not on Christ.  If you are reading this and that is where you are, you got scammed by tuning to channel one and it’s time to return to the fellowship of other believers; you are of great value to the kingdom of our Lord.

If you are a minister of the gospel, be faithful to the teaching of Scripture and do not be a man pleaser, but follow the counsel found in 2 Corinthians 4:2 “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”  As ministers of the gospel to your local church, preach the word, as 2 Timothy 4:2 states, both in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience.  Verses 3&4, “For a time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

What channel are you tuning into?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is godliness really a mystery?

 

1 Timothy 3:14-16

“Great indeed we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (Verse 16)

Is godliness really a mystery?  Jesus the Creator took on flesh, now that can be written, it can be proclaimed to all that have ears to hear, or eyes to read, but it’s not a simple thing to understand, in fact, the older you are and the more education you have can be a real road block to understanding this truth.  We are told in the Scriptures that only a person who has the Spirit of God living in them has a chance of grasping the truths in the Bible.  Now to the person who is well educated, who may have “Doctor” before their name, they see this as a book of stories, and many of them will not bow their knee to God and ask him by faith to open the mystery of godliness.  Paul has this to say about God the Father in 1 Timothy 6:16, “Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.”  The apostle John refers to Jesus as the “Word” and in John 1:14, has this to say; “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  Before Jesus stepped out of heaven and took on flesh, verses 17&18 explain, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”

So the answer is yes, godliness is a mystery to the unbeliever, but to all who receive the grace of God by faith that God has given them the answer to this mystery, and it is Christ in you the hope of glory.  In 1Timothy 3:14&15, “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.”  If only we grasp the truth of Colossians 1:27, Christ in you the hope of glory, not some building, you are His church, and that mystery needs to be seen in our homes, in the market place, in our schools, in our government, and by our neighbors.

In 2011 Texas was dry, we had fires breaking out all over the state, and many lost both homes and businesses and in the eastern part of the nation, many have also lost homes and businesses to flood waters, and many in our nation have been without jobs for months and even years, many are without hope.  It is a Sunday morning and it is time to leave for church, and Pastor Ray Still’s message is titled, “Hope for the Hopeless”.  Three points that were key to the message, “What breath is to the physical body, hope is to the human spirit.”  Ray went on to share what many do not know: “Deep mystery that pervades all human existence, resulting in humility.  In 2 Corinthians 12:9, we are reminded that Jesus spoke these words to us; “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  When the mystery of godliness is evident in a Christian, it is the results of humility, letting go and letting God express love through your earth suit.  That brings me to Pastor Still’s second point, “What we do know: a holy one is the generous one.”

My fellow believer, we must be light in this present darkness.  “But How?”  By letting Christ be sufficient in your life, and remembering this great truth found in John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What does a Deacon and a Pulling Guard have in Common?

 

1 Timothy 3:8-13

“Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.  They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.  Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.  Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.  For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

My high-school friend Jerry was a pulling guard on our State Championship team and pulling guards are somewhat like deacons, they do not get a lot of press.   But the Corpus Christi Caller Times said this about Jerry, “he is an unsung hero” and that he was.  When coach Ragus called for a trap play, it was the pulling guards that had the responsibility to open the lane for the running back.  But it was uncommon, yes it was exceptional for a guard to get his name in the paper, and especially when he is listed in the program as 165 lbs. 

You may be asking how can pulling guards be similar to a deacon and my analogy may have some holes, but let me see how far we can go with this comparison.  The deacon and the pulling guard both must believe in the game plan, if they are going to perform in a manner that is needed to win, they must trust the coach or pastor to call the right play.  The coach or the pastor has confidence that on the field are off, they will stay on message, not telling the coach or pastor one thing and doing something totally different.  And the deacon should earn his spot on the team in much the same way as the pulling guard, he listens, he applies, he obeys, and in the case of the guard who wins the starting position, he out performs all others who are competing for the starting role.

I told you the analogy was weak in a few places, like dignified, and not addicted to much wine, I’m not sure we understood those concepts in high school.  But a deacon must pass the test and be upright in all his business dealings.  A deacon must be able to teach others the mystery of the faith, and be very transparent in those teachings.  Some, who might meet and pass the test of deacon, but have wives that do not meet the test should disqualify themselves, and often, only the man knows this truth.

What a deacon is not: he is not the guy running the church, his role is very important in the church, he is to serve the widows and orphans, and he is to serve the local body.  I grew-up in deacon led churches and they were void of the Spirit and controlled by uninformed men with titles of deacon, who had taken on the role of boss of the local church.  You show me a deacon ran church and I can assure you it is a dying church, it has no authority, it has no power, it’s full of strife, and strife brings with it pride, anger and hatred.

But to those who do it right: For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Overseer

 

1 Timothy 3:1-7

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” (Verse 1)

What are some words that come to your mind when the word “overseer” is used above: Words like supervisor, manager, chief, boss, somebody who supervises workers.   But that would be totally wrong, it is none of the above, the word “overseer” is referring to a pastor, a bishop, or elder in the Church.  What is of interest is that the person seeking the office of overseer, has decided, has set their mind on, has a desire to be an overseer, and if he is your pastor, you should expect those desires to have come from God, and not his mother or because it looks like a good career.  And that brings me back to the understanding in our culture of the word “overseer.”  What happens if your pastor has the attitude of being the boss or as I’ve heard some profess to be the CEO of the local church?

Before answering that, lets look at the manufacturer’s handbook about the job description found in 1 Timothy 3:2-3, “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”  In that I grew-up in small Baptist churches, I often have to get past the folklore and customs of what I was taught, and go to the Bible to check it out.  One thing that was not going to happen in these Baptist churches was a woman preacher, and as I look at 1Timothy, I believe that is in line with God’s word, but it is not in line with today’s culture.  It is clear to this writer that 1Timothy 2:12 states, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.”  Now that’s very clear, but a showstopper is how can a woman be  “the husband of one wife”?  And what about, not a drunkard, and how is that going to happen on grape juice, because my little Baptist church taught that Jesus did not drink wine, it was grape juice, and yet the people drinking it seemed to get drunk, not sure how that happens?  Traditions, enough of that foolishness on the non-biblical customs of my past, and back to what the Bible has to say regarding the overseer. 

Picking up in verse 4-5, “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?  Often, way too often, we see this Scripture ignored, and from the side lines I wonder if the men who are so busy at the job of pastor, and forget to be first pastor to their families with all dignity?  It is always the same message, he is such a good pastor, but his wife or his children are just bad apples, yet I read somewhere that the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Verses 6-7, “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.  Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”

Let me wrap this up with these thoughts; the role of an overseer; Pastor, Bishop, Elder, is not for the guys looking for a 9 to 5, well paying job.  It has got to be one of the worst jobs a person could pick, that is unless he is called of God, and then it is still very hard, and yet very fulfilling, that is if he is called.  No, where in the Bible do we find what that call looks like, but the person who is called has a surety of the call.  The Bible does give examples of men who were called.

As a person who was called to minister in the business world, I’ve only been a part of seven churches, and two of those were the small Baptist churches, and it seemed like we went through pastors quickly, and yet at that time of my life I was not a Christian, just a member.  Since that time, I served under the leadership of seven men, and have gotten to spend time with my last two pastors, they are kingdom minded, not perfect, but they have been a joy to serve with, to learn from, and they have this goal; to be a shepherd and a servant to the community that God has entrusted to them.  Men like this need to be supported in prayer.  As you and I listening to the Holy Spirit so that as fellow workers with them, we can have the kingdom mind-set of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

But now let me get Radical

 

1 Timothy 2:8-15

Radical could be easily defined in our political environment, as anyone on the far left or right, we see them as extremist.  Those actions are far-reaching and in most cases, logic and the ability to reason are not obtainable for these extreme groups of people.  But these groups cannot hold a light to a man, woman, boy or girl, who is willing to be seen by their world as Radical, when it comes to 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”  I do not believe this needs more clarity, but you may have sat under a false pastor or teacher who implied that the Scriptures had error, listen to what the apostle Peter has to say on that subject, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.  For prophecy never had it’s origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

So what does that have to do with 1 Timothy 2:8-15?  Everything, and I’m not addressing the unbeliever or even the pew sitter on Sunday morning, but the seeker of truth, those who dream of being mighty in the kingdom of God, but when confronted with opposition to the Scriptures would prefer to be seen as moderate, to be liked, or in the case of many who pastor a local church, to keep their jobs or place in the community.   But thank God that we have had men who were willing to be seen as; “The Radical Reformation was a 16th century response to what was believed to be both the corruption in the Roman Catholic Church  and the expanding Magisterial Protestant movement led by Martin Luther and by many others. Beginning in Germany and Switzerland, the Radical Reformation birthed many radical Protestant groups throughout Europe.”  These men like Luther, became Radical when “Truth” came in contact with religion and the culture. 

All of my hero’s are men who are standing on the authority of Scriptures against the forces of darkness, against evil found in the heart of men and women, one such man is Dr. James Dobson.  He is a very Radical man when it comes to what God has spoken in the Bible about marriage and the family.  So that brings me back to 1 Timothy 2:8-15, God has spoken that men should pray and seek unity with others of the faith, but never unity at the cost of truth.  That men should always use truth in love, and the truth is that God desires men who will honor, obey, and teach and preach with authority the truth, that all men at best are liars, but God is true. 

The apostle Paul gives some very clear instruction to the women in the church, on how to dress, and what is proper for women who profess godliness – with good works.  Now let me be quick to say that my observation is that either this has not been taught or it has been totally ignored by a vast number of the ladies in the church.  I could be descriptive of my observations, but it would do little or no good.   In my lifetime, I’ve only heard one pastor address this subject, and he was talking to mothers about their teenage daughters.

But now let me get Radical, I believe that these Scriptures listed above are as true today in our culture as they were in the time of Paul.  Verse 12 is one of those quiet verses in Scripture, and if it is not true, then you must also get rid of all that goes against the grain of our modern culture.  Verse 12, “I do not permit a women to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.”  Now that is Radical, but is it breathed by God?  Be very careful, I was not looking for your opinion, that verse is as breathed by God as John 3:16, and I am willing to stand with a big God, who has at no time or place felt the need to defend His written word.  He says when asked, I Am, who I Am.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

“Do Not,” and “Do’s,”

 

1 Timothy 1:18-19

“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,”

What is happening in your soul as you read this charge from Paul to Timothy?  Could it be that we entered into a relationship with Christ Jesus, and did not understand that Paul’s charge included us?  Could it be that we want all of God, but we do not want to miss out on all that the world has to offer?  If this is true, we have missed totally the charge given to us by God in His inspired Word, the Bible.

If you and I will begin today to listen, to believe, and to apply the charge in 1 Timothy 5:1-6:13, we will become a light shining on a hill that others will run to.  Chapter five has both “Do Not,” and “Do’s,” let us first look at what we are charged with on the “Do Not”: “Do not rebuke an older man, but encourage him as you would a father.  Do not put a younger widow on the roll of the church, if she is under the age of sixty, and if a younger woman who is a believer has a relative that is a widow she should take care of her, so they will not be a burden to the church.  Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.  Paul is very clear on the following: “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, (the setting apart of someone for service, like a preacher, or deacon) nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.”

The “Do’s”: treat older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, in all purity.  Do, “Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”  The following note should be clear to all it does not say let the church or the government, it’s message is very clear; “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”  Do, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” (Note the following excludes Baptists who believe wine was only grape juice)  Only having a little fun with a few people, but Paul was led by the Spirit to put this in the letter, because of Timothy’s on going stomach ailments.  Do, “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.”

Do honor those you work for, especially if they are a believer, in fact they should serve all the better, since those who benefit by their good service are believers.  We are charged to teach these things and urge other believers to do the same.  Paul is clear that much that is taught today is unsound doctrine; an example is; if you are a Christian you will have good health, lots of stuff, and money to keep the Televangelist living in a mansion, with a run way for his private jet.  Do not be part of anyone that teaches a doctrine other than what Christ Jesus taught.   Do teach the following: “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”

In verse 9 we are given this “Do Not.” “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” Paul also added this very important “Do” in 2 Timothy 4:1-5, and in verse two he charges Timothy to; “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.”  What if to- day, you and I began to listen, to believe, and to apply the charge in Paul’s letter to Timothy, what would happen in our lives?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

It is a Choice

 

1 Timothy 1:15-17

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”  (1 Timothy 1:15)

We live in a culture that is so engaged in self, that the norm from the President of the United States, to the guy digging ditches is this theme; we no longer see our actions as sinful!  What happens when that culture invades the church?  What happens when it occupies the homes of America?  What happens when it assaults the business community, the school systems, and the political system? 

If sin is no longer sin, and whatever a person chooses to do is ok, then it makes sense that Christ is of no value to that type of person, and yet we do have a problem, don’t we?  A society must have rules to live by, and from the beginning we have civilization making rules to live by, and those who break the rules are called law-breakers.  To live in community requires order, rules to live by, or we might call them laws.  Also, from the beginning God has set into man’s heart the understanding of right and wrong.  When Adam and Eve chose to be like God, that choice allowed sin to enter into our world, and sin hates all authority, in fact sin’s drive is to run your own life, and do it your way. 

Now our culture has done its very best at trying to say there is no such thing as sin, because if there is no longer sin, there is no need for a Savior, and Christ Jesus died in vain.  It comes down to this, if you are better than most others, and you believe that God will give you a pass, there is only one thing wrong with that, it comes from the father of lies.  Romans 3:23, states this about sin, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and as always, it comes down to whom do you believe? 

Saul, the Jewish name of the apostle Paul, made a choice to turn from a religion to a person, by the name of Jesus Christ, and he confessed that before meeting Christ, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man, but he was shown mercy because his actions were in ignorance and unbelief.  This is Paul’s testimony; “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 1:14)  After Paul tells us that he is the worst of sinners in verse fifteen, He goes on to tell us why he believes God chose him.  “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:16)

If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9-10)  The ball is in your hands and you only have two shots, sinner needing a Savior, or a liar, who is choosing to spend eternity in hell with the devil and his fallen angels?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Two Channels Playing

 

1 Timothy 1:12-14

Everyone of us who entered into Christ by grace through faith, has entered into His service, Romans 12:5-6, states; “So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. .”  We all have a place in the line of service, if you and I do not take the place appointed to us, then we have a gap or hole in the line, no one else can fill our spot without stepping out of theirs. 

When I entered into Christ, I was not informed that I would have two voices or two channels playing into my mind, emotions, and will, and that Channel Two is the voice of the Holy Spirit, and Channel One is the world system, my flesh, and the evil one.  Channel One message is in a nutshell, independence from God, the two favorite lies are, “You deserve better and the other is to attack your worth as a person.”  Channel Two, will never tell you that you deserve better, nor will He ever attack your personal worth, but Channel Two will convict you of sin in your life, it will show you how to put others above yourself.  And Channel One is like anything that is counterfeit, unless you have spent time studying the real thing you will accept the imitation.  Only by renewing your mind in the Scriptures will you know when Channel 1 is playing into your mind.

Listen to Paul’s response to the Lord’s grace; “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.  The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1Timothy 1:12-14)

As I was writing these thoughts came into my mind; If we are not taught about Channel One and Channel Two and if we are not taught that each of us are gifted by God and were called into His body as a member of each other, to serve, then we will have a church full of people listening to Channel One, and Ephesians 4:18, gives this insight; “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” The apostle Paul is saying they are living like Gentiles, or it could be said they are living independent from the control of the Spirit.

This morning I was reading Oz Hillman “Prime Time with God” he made this statement;  “Today we see such mixture in the body of Christ. We promote guaranteed prosperity without the cross. We call adversity a sign of a lack of faith. We promote New Age philosophies mixed with the scriptures and call it a new freedom in Christ. This is only mixture. It is an abomination to the Lord.”  He is talking about Channel 1.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Uncharted Waters

 

1Timothy 1:8-11

We who are called by the name Christian in the United States of America are entering into uncharted waters; we are experiencing what God calls good, being referred to as evil, the prophet Isaiah spoke of this in Isaiah 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness."  Many of us ignore or pay no heed to Isaiah’s warning, and I’m fearful that this message was not passed on to our generation, and since World War II we have seen several trends that have promoted a new idea of generations based on the division of people by age.  If the church, if its pastors, elders, and teachers were silent on calling evil good and good evil, and I believe it has been, then we can expect perilous times!

The apostle Paul, in his second letter to young Timothy gave us this forewarning; “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.  Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)  What happens to a nation and its people when the church and it teachers and preachers become contaminated by this world, what happens when they try to hide these truths, because they have found them in their own homes and in the church?

We no longer need to wonder, we are living in that time, and we have elected people to the Congress, the Senate, and the Presidency that 2 Timothy 3:1-5 portrays.   We are very close to being arrested and imprisoned for proclaiming 1Timothy 1: 8-11.  Many would call that hate speech, so how is it defined: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia we are given the following; Hate speech is, outside the law, any communication that disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or other characteristic.

In law, hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display which is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action against or by a protected individual or group, or because it disparages or intimidates a protected individual or group. The law may identify a protected individual or a protected group by race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristic.

So in the culture of 2012 in the USA, is the apostle Paul who is speaking under the control of the Holy Spirit, in danger of being called evil?  “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murders, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” (1 Timothy 1:8-11)

You can bet the farm that he is hated, and that anyone who proclaims this teaching is also hated.  So let me ask you, those who are more enlightened than I, many of you who go by the name, Christian, some who are teachers and preachers and others who are just pew warmers, do you believe 2 Timothy 3:16?  “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Undercover Christian

 

2 Timothy 1:8-12

Are you an undercover Christian?  It is a Christian who disguises themselves as a member of the group they work with, live in community with, and they disguise their own identity or use an assumed identity for the purpose of fitting into the group.  That was me to some degree, I was fearful of being branded as a not so cool guy, or even worse, a religious nut.  If you have been undercover, one of your biggest fears is being found out, because once your real identity is exposed you are nailed.

As a new convert from being a Baptist to entering into a relationship with Christ, I went undercover with the people I worked with.  First, I had to come up with a reason why I had quit drinking, I knew they would never understand that God had removed any desire for alcohol from me, and I knew that they would never understand that my motivation for drinking after work was to fit into the group, so I came up with a cover story that was very close to the truth, I preferred a Dr. Pepper.  But it was not long before I got busted by my boss Duane Meehan, when I left my Bible on the dash of the car and he ask me if I was going to Sunday School.  It was only months later when some of the big bosses came to town and we were all at a local bar and as I sat drinking my Dr. Pepper, one of the guys I worked with ask me, “Bob, tell us again why you quit drinking.”  A verse 1Peter 3:15 came into my mind at that moment, “but in you hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”  Who would I listen to, which voice, the one that spoke 1 Peter 3:15 or the one that said, “If you tell the truth your finished, your career with 3M is over,” I chose to quit being a hypocrite, and I define that as a person who is giving a false appearance, that night I owned up to whose I was.  With great fear, I shared with those men that when I ask Jesus Christ into my life he removed the desire for alcohol, and that it was something very personal, and might not apply to anyone else.

That was a big step, but I’ve gone undercover many times since that time, and it all comes down to the fear of men over the fear of God.  I had many men share with me that they also have been undercover Christians, and maybe that is why Paul being lead by the Spirit gave this council to young Timothy and to you and me.  “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (I thought I had to do it in my power) who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do.  But not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”  Once we become convinced that he is able to guard until that Day, that is when we expose our identity with no fear of man.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

An assignment that was not to your liking

 

1 Timothy 1:3-7

As a person in business were you ever given an assignment that was not to your liking, one that you personally believed was beyond your abilities and was a waste of your talent and time?  I do recall such a time after spending nine years in industrial sales, I was ask to take a roll as Key-Account salesperson in our Utility business.  It was something I enjoyed and God blessed me and it was a very successful time.  Then came new management, and they wanted me to go back to industrial sales as the Team leader, a job that required me to lead and direct people who did not want to be led or directed, and it was the hardest three years of my career.   If you identified with the statement above, you may want to read 1Timothy from that perspective. 

His father in the faith, his mentor, Paul had protected young Timothy to some degree, but it was time for Timothy to step out and be used by God; Timothy had a calling on his life and the assignment was Ephesus.  Often, in fact almost always a charge or directive is given with a new responsibility, mine was to grow 3M’s electrical business by twenty percent per year in the industrial market.  Young Timothy’s directive or charge is laid out in verses 3-4, “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.”  Timothy is being given the task of standing against “False teachers” and bringing unity to the church at Ephesus, that is his charge, and how is it that young Timothy is ordered to carry out such a task?   By the way, he lived in community and Paul is very clear about this in verses 5-7, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.  Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”    

Timothy’s charge is to be an example of love, integrity, and to confront those who have wandered from the true teaching of Scripture, but not to harm them, but to restore them and to get them back on track because they are teaching out of ignorance of what the Scripture is saying.  Proverbs 19:2 says; “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.”  It seems to this writer that Proverbs 19:2 was taking place in the churches of Ephesus, and also many were just on a flesh trip, wanting to be the teacher, with no understanding of the Scriptures and no leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

I believe Timothy would have preferred to have gone on to Macedonia, it was a gig he enjoyed, Paul was his mentor, his father in the faith, but God wanted Timothy to be His ambassador to this new church; by being an example of God’s love, letting them understand that Christ is life, and that He will give them everything they need to live a victorious life on planet earth, no matter what the assignment, if they are abiding in Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

My First Mentor

 

1 Timothy 1:1-2

We are all someone’s children in the faith, and often there were several who were used of God to introduce us to the knowledge that we were sinners and that God hates sin, but loves sinners so much that he had His Son come to earth in the likeness of man, so that sinners could see light in their darkness.  For me it was Bob Keese, Johnny Anderson, Bobby Smith, Jim Seed, and Clarence Branch.  They introduced me to the Jesus I knew all about, but did not have a personal relationship with.  Johnny was my age, he was also young in the faith, but it was Johnny who became my first mentor, it was he that I listened to and spent time learning about the character of God.

Paul’s greeting in verse two begins a very personal and strong instruction to his child in the faith, Timothy, who was a young pastor in Ephesus, and Paul wanted to guide him past some land mines.  One of those land mines was that in this new thing called the church the Jews that converted were inclined to be exclusive and separate themselves from their Gentile brothers and sisters.  So Paul’s marching orders to young Timothy was unity, that to have a healthy church, it would require braking down the walls of customs and traditions.

As I look back on my first mentor, this thought came to my mind; Johnny is still checking on me, he is still asking God the Father to extend his grace, mercy, and peace into my life.  Do you have a Paul or a Johnny as your spiritual dad?  If so you are of all people blessed, if not, find some young Timothy and pour your life into theirs, it will be your best investment.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Resting in His Divine ability to deliver

 

Jude 24-25

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”   This is referred to as the doxology, it is more than a hymn, or prayer, it is worship and praise to God.  It is also called Jude’s benediction, his prayer asking God’s blessing, on all who read and apply these teachings.

My life is often lived in an “if only” cycle, if only I had believed, if only I had acted on the knowledge, if only my faith had been centered on a big God who loves me; do you identify with the “if only” life?  Jesus was never an “if only” person, because He was God in the flesh, but He was and is a “whatever” yes and that is what Jude is praying for us, that we also would be “whatever people” whatever the Father asks, our answer should be yes.

In the 17th chapter of the gospel of John we have the High Priestly prayer, it is Jesus talking to His Father about us, and the us refers to all who are in Christ, it does not refer to being a moral person, or having your name on some church roll, or even feeding the poor and taking care of widows and orphans, the us is a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father.  Listen, pay close attention to what our Lord is asking of His Father in these verses; “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.  Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:10-11)  We are all made by God, but verse 9, is clear that all are not children of God the Father.

Once we come under the “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”  We can rest in His Divine ability to deliver, Daniel 3:17, to raise up a stone and make it into a child of His, Luke 3:8, to fulfill all His promises; Romans 4:21, to make His grace abound, 2 Corinthians 9:8, to do more than we ask of Him, Ephesians 3:20, to subdue all things to His will, Philippians 3:21, to guard your soul, 2 Timothy 1:12, to save completely, Hebrews 7:25, and to keep us from falling, Jude 24-25, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The hate that comes from the Media

 

Jude 17-23

Have you ever wondered why?  I wonder why often, and one of the whys’ is the hate that seems to come from the media about Christians.  A Christian is not taught by the Scriptures to hate his enemies, but to love and be good to them.  Jesus taught us that when asked or ordered to carry someone’s load one mile we were to go the second mile.  Jesus told us not to steal, or covet, to lend our money without interest, to respect authority, to honor our father and mother, to help the widows and orphans, to love our wives, and for the wives to honor their husbands, to give to the poor, to love our neighbors as our self, and to honor and to obey the commands of God.  I can hear you saying Marcel, can you believe he did not put down this ______, but the list was not to be inclusive, just some that I struggle with.

So I ask, why would anyone have distain for a person or group of people who have this as their charge?  I believe part of the answer can be found in Jude 17-23, “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What did they foretell; verse 18 gives some insight: “They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”  It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.”  We have the same message from the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:2-4, so what is a scoffer?  A scoffer; speaks to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way.  If you read, listen, or watch the national media, Bill Maher is a great example, and if you watch movies, Christians are often made little of, and it is rare that anything good is said about the church or the followers of Christ, why is that?

Jude refers to ungodly passions; do we understand what that is?  The apostle Paul gives the short list in Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Who was this letter going to?  It was being written to the churches of Galatia, to followers of Jesus Christ?  All of these passions were evil, they are what the Bible calls flesh, and flesh that is not under authority is independent of God.

Jesus told us the following, if they hate Me, they will also hate you, but if Christians applied these words of Jude found in verses 20-23, we would be a light shining on a hill.  “But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.  And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”   C.T. Studd had this to say about his calling; “Some wish to live within the sound
Of Church or Chapel Bell.  I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Blaspheme all that they do not understand

 

Jude 5-16

What is left for a people who received the grace of God and all the benefits of grace, and then rely on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones?  Jude gives a profile of such a person or people; they are like unreasoning animals, and they blaspheme all that they do not understand, they are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

Jude shares three examples with us, one example is God’s chosen people, the next is angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, and the last is a pagan nation Sodom and Gomorrah.  Once a preacher titled his sermon, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God” and it is.  Grace made light of will always turn into judgment!  Beginning in verse five, “Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.”  The prophet Jeremiah gives us insight into their actions: “Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.  Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered! – only to go on doing all these abominations?”  (Jeremiah 7: 8-10) It sounds like God is speaking to many who attend Sunday services.  If this speaks to you, please pay attention to what else God has to say on this subject; “And I will cast you out of my sight, as I cast out your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim.”  (V. 15) And listen to God’s command to Jeremiah in verse 16, “As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you.” Grace made light of will always turn into judgment! Those angels, who did not stay within their own position of authority, have been kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.  And you are fully aware of God’s judgment on that nation of sodomites.  I understand you may prefer “homosexuals or Gay, but the judgment was still the same.  It’s sad that the church has tried to spin God’s words, but darkness is still darkness and light is still light, a lie is still a lie, murder is still murder, an anything God calls something, is what it is.  God is addressed in the example in Jude 5, His people, not the pagan world, and all who make little of God’s grace, by unbelief, will experience on that Day, the judgment.  God refers often to eternal hell, a place not designed for man, but for the devil and his angels.  Hell is a place of eternal fire and punishment, a place where people choose to go because they made little of God’s grace.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Light always expels darkness!

 

Jude 3-4

“Beloved, although I was eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.”

How could this happen, is it happening today and who is being referred to as “certain people”?  It seems clear that Jude is not referring to Joe the plumber that is unless Joe is a false teacher in the local church.  In these two verses is a warning to the church against immoral teachers and heretical teachers.  These teachers were not just unorthodox they were attacking the grace of God, they were adding philosophy of the world system, they were trying to put doubts about the authority of Jesus Christ, and they were attacking His deity.

Doctor Luke, under the control of the Holy Spirit wrote these words to the church and it is an account of Paul speaking to the Ephesians’ Elders, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20: 28-30)  This is a similar message to that of Jude?  And it is the same message that is found in 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 introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who brought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”  And we might also look at the words of the apostle John in 1 John 2:22, “Who is the liar?  It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.”

How could this happen?  The answer is simple, anyone who hears the word but does not apply the teaching to their life, or anyone who does not study to know the ways and will of God.  Is it happening today, the answer is yes, many deceivers live, and teach in our local churches, but this is our charter; “Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.”  (Ephesians 5: 8b-10)  Light always expels darkness!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Jude, a Servant

 

Jude 1-2

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother to James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”

Jude’s letter is short, the greeting that we often read past looking for the meat has a strong message to us who go by the name of Christian, if we slow-down and do a little research into who Bible historians believe Jude to be.  On page 1550 of the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible reference 4287: “Author. Probably Jude, the brother of James, and if this is true, he may have been a brother of our Lord; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19.  The Lord’s brothers did not believe in him at first, John 7:5, but after the Resurrection they became his followers, Acts 1:14.  It is possible that Jude, because of his early unbelief, felt that he was not worthy to sign himself as brother of Jesus.  So in writing the letter he called himself simply a servant.”

Simply a servant, what an honor to serve the God of Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be Jesus’ step brother, to have the same mother and yet because of unbelief to humble yourself, to make no such claims, and to take on the attitude of a servant, does that sound like anyone you read about in the Scriptures?  The apostle Paul addresses this in a letter to the Philippi church in chapter 2:5-11. “ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

It should be clear that what we see in this greeting from Jude is the life of Jesus Christ being given freedom to live out His life in all authority through Jude’s earth-suit.  Do you identify with Jude, in the area of unbelief?  I do and if you also do, will you stop trying to be a good Christian, and do as Jude did, humble yourself and ask Jesus to live His life through you.  When this happens you will not have to tell anyone you are a servant of Jesus Christ, they will see Christ in you.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The spirit of Diotrephes is still with us

 

3 John 9-12

“I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”

Growing up in what is called at this time (under-resourced) and attending small Baptist churches, often we found a Diotrephes in those churches.  Often, they were a couple that was in a social class, and it had nothing to do with “class” it had to do with money.  Also most of the men were deacons and most of them had attained the office of chairman of the deacon body.  They were the authority and the poor pastor who was called to lead the local church was wise to seek their permission on almost anything or his time was short lived at that church. 

This is what John the elder had to say about Diotrephes, he was a lover of self, and was not willing to submit to authority, in fact, John said that he is talking wicked nonsense against the apostle’s authority.  He also would not welcome the visiting brothers, and anyone who tried to do so, but Diotrephes was put out of the local church.  It must have been a small Baptist church, only kidding, but this I know a Diotrephes by any name is an enemy of God.  In 3 John 11, this is stated; “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good.  Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”

Jan and I are blessed to be part of a kingdom minded church that happens to have Baptist in its name, but the message that comes to us from Ray Still, and each member of the staff is that we are a body of believers called to assemble for study, worship, and fellowship so that we can go out into our community and let Jesus Christ’s love be seen by our actions.  That is not the mindset of a person with the spirit of Diotrephes.  If you will stop and be still, and ask these questions: Do I enjoy finding the parking place that gets me in front of the store I’m shopping at; Do I like waiting in line any where, even at the church parking lot; do I enjoy voicing my opinion, and not taking time to make sure I’ve heard the view of the other person?  Remember it’s personal honesty you are looking for, and it is clear to me that from a youth, I’ve wanted to be first, and it requires me to agree with Jesus; “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”  (Matthew 19:30)   Do not trust your flesh, it is at war with the Spirit!  Anyone of us can move from a kingdom mindset to a Diotrephes, it will happen when you let self on the throne of your life and not Jesus Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice