The Wrong Model

Romans 10:14-17

Verse 14 is asking three very important questions; “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”  As a pew sitter it is easy to read past such questions, the enemy of your soul will tell you those are questions for preachers or maybe missionaries but not us pew people.  But the Holy Spirit has not stopped asking questions; “And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”  It may be of interest to some that it is written in Isaiah 52:7, and it is making reference to news being carried by a herald, who is announcing the end of hostilities and the fact that God reigns over His people and kings.

But one should not get lost in where it is written, but in the questions above being asked by the Holy Spirit.  As a pew person you and I have heard the voice an it sure sounds like our voice in our ear; saying this is going to cost money, I wonder whom they will get to go?  I’m sure glad it is not me I’m not equipped with the skills, the training, or even the desire to be used in such a way.

I’ve often given thought to what I will refer to as the Baptist model, or the plan to reach the unchurched and it goes something like this; we are going to have camels, sheep and maybe a donkey in our Christmas pageant.  Our job pew person is to ask your neighbors to come see them and we will sing songs and have a short message about Jesus.  And then your job is to talk them to come back the next week to hear more about a person they do not know, told to them by a person they do not know, and sit next to people they do not know; folks the plan is not working.

I’m not sure where that model came from, but it seems to not be working so it could be time to examine this model found in Ephesians 4:11-l2: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.”  Why did God give us pastors and evangelists if not for a much greater model than the “Baptist model” to equip us for the work of service, not at the building we so wrongly call the church, but in our homes, in our schools, in our neighborhoods, and in the market place. 

You are not called to a building, but to the lost world, and many of us have more hours in Bible studies and sitting under great preaching and teaching, but few in sharing what Jesus has done for us.  Many in the pews have never been ask by their pastors or teachers to share what God is doing in their ministry, at home, in the workplace, it seems as if they have no expectations of a pew person having a ministry.  But that does not give the pew sitter an excuse, for it is clearly understood we were called, we were commanded by God the Father to do what 1 Timothy 6:18, has instructed us to do; Command them (that the pew folks, you and me) to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”  Share the love and mercy that is found only in Jesus Christ, share how Jesus has changed your paradigms, your marriage, your job and how you handle the money and stuff He has entrusted to you.  Now it is important to understand the following: you are not going to change the neighbors, your teenager, your wife or husband, or the people you work with, but God, yes God loves them and He has a good plan for them, so do as (2 Chronicles 20:12) Instructs, “O our God . . . we are powerless . . . nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on Thee.”  In keeping your eyes on Jesus, He will do it all for you, using your earthsuit in ways that will amaze you and others, and lives will be changed.

One of my hero’s of the faith is C.T. Studd, and these quotes have been a challenge to this “pew sitter” “True religion is like the smallpox. If you get it, you give it to others and it spreads.”  “Let us not glide through this world and then slip quietly into heaven, without having blown the trumpet loud and long for our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Let us see to it that the devil will hold a thanksgiving service in hell, when he gets the news of our departure from the field of battle.”  And last, but this quote of C.T. Studd’s has often come to mind when I want the comfort of the pews, “Some wish to live within the sound of church and chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell!”  You and I were never designed to be pew people, no we are Ambassadors for Christ, and we are more than conquerors.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Special Day

Romans 10:8-13

It’s the day before a very special Holiday in the United State of America; in fact it is my favorite of all the days on the calendar.  We call it “Thanksgiving” it’s a time of reflecting on the blessings we have received and for my family, it’s the One who has blessed us.  Unlike a birthday, where the one who is experiencing it is the focus, Thanksgiving is not about us, but what our great Lord and Savior has given us.

Now I do understand words mean things so your definition of Thanksgiving may take on a different meaning, shall we look first at the dictionary meaning; (Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day) (in North America) an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal including turkey. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, and is held in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. A similar holiday is held in Canada, usually on the second Monday in October.  It is a time of expression of gratitude, especially to God.

I’m sure Ted Allen’s view of Thanksgiving is shared by many, but it is not on being, but on doing, “The funny thing about Thanksgiving, or any big meal, is that you spend 12 hours shopping for it then go home and cook, chop, braise and blanch. Then it's gone in 20 minutes and everybody lies around sort of in a sugar coma and then it takes 4 hours to clean it up.” 

After looking at Romans 10:8-13, my mind went to a young man of 27 full of fear and very unhappy with the choices he had made in life.  He was religious to a degree, a Baptist in name and viewed himself as a loser in many aspects of life.  He had not made a sale that day, so he went to the bar hoping it would bring some relief to the emptiness he was feeling and came back to his hotel took a shower and saw the Bible on the desk.  Not looking for anything special, but knowing in his heart he needed help, he opened the Bible to Romans 10, and began to read and as he read Romans 10:9-13, he did something for the first time, he ask God a question, “Will you take a person like me, for I have not one thing you need?”  And by the grace of God and the faith God gave to this young man, he believed that Jesus tells the truth, and he confessed his sin of unbelief, and received the free gift by believing in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that night he was born again, that night he entered into Christ and Christ entered into him.  I am that young man.

So tomorrow I will once more confess how thankful I am that God loves you and me so much that He gave His only Son to pay a price we could never pay, and set us free from the control of sin.  I’ve copied Romans 10:8-13, as a reminder of my greatest blessing, Christ’s Spirit coming to live in my earthsuit.

  

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Christian Life without Understanding

Romans 10:5-13

If the first time you flew in a airplane it was just you and a pilot, and you were trusting your life to his knowledge and experience of flying that plane and the pilot had the big one and left planet earth and it is now you and a dead earthsuit flying at 20,000 feet.  You are very ignorant about planes, but you had put all your trust in a person with the ability to fly and now it is just you, poor ignorant you, your smart, you have a MBA and your degree is from the best University but you are still oblivious to how to fly, much less the controls, switches, and lights on the panels.

That analogy of flying a plane without knowledge and living the Christian life without understanding of the Manufacturers Handbook on living life on planet earth has much similarity.  You had no need for knowledge about flying until the emergency hit; death of the one you trusted to keep you safe.  With the pilot’s death came the reality of misguided trust, your trust was in the life of the pilot, with the abilities of successfully flying the aircraft, and how you are in a crises mode, the one you trusted is not going to be able to deliver.  That holds true for everyone who has misguided trust; so Christians how do we get into these disasters?  A high percent of those who go by the name Christian know only what someone else has told them, a preacher, or teacher, maybe you are one of those and your real faith is in yourself, in your job, 401K, retirement fund, in the church you attend, or maybe your family ties; but not in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Now that sounds mean spirited of me, or anyone to point out that you are ignorant when it comes to walking by faith, listening to the Holy Spirit the One Jesus told us would lead us into all truth, but trust me it is an act of kindness if you grasp your flying through life without a pilot, and Jesus made it very clear in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  Tribulation is part of life, the loss of a child or mate, the loss of income, the backstabbing of a dear friend, or the feeling of loss, yes in the world we will experience evil.

One Thursday morning on my way to meet with Paul and share time in the Word of God, this thought came into my mind; “Bob how can the Helper help you if you have not hidden God’s Word in your heart and mind.  As we look in Romans 10:5-13, you will see that the Law of Moses required 100% participation in obedience.  But the righteousness based on faith says, the following: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  

It was not your abilities or your actions, it is all what Jesus Christ has done, it is finished and He has extended both grace and faith to you, but remember this is not the end but the beginning of life, now and eternal, so begin in the Gospel of John and learn how to trust Jesus for this day with all it’s tribulation and blessing.  Jesus is the pilot you have been searching for He will guide you into all truth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Ignorance and Apathy

Romans 10:1-4

Do you have any pet words that drive others a little crazy, or even make them angry?  In my early days at 3M BPSI selling one of the few products 3M ever made that was not all that good, and that is being kind. I worked with a man named Joe Williams and he had this saying; “ignorance and apathy are two things that are impossible to deal with.”  Apathy is indifference, laziness, emotional emptiness, or a lack of enthusiasm, and both the churched and the unchurched are full of such people.  But ignorance is very different, it is the lack of knowledge, a person who does not have experience in a particular area, or is unfamiliar with a technology, like me when it comes to computers.

I’m oblivious or ignorant of much of the technology of our day, and when I say that someone is ignorant it has not one thing to do with intelligence or I.Q. but an unawareness of the subject matter.  So let’s address these two words and agree that my definition is very close to correct for both of them, and how those two words pertain to the people who go by the title of Christian.  King David, the second king of Judah gave this insight to living victorious in this life in Psalm119: 11, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  We also have this reminder from the apostle Paul who God used to pen much of the New Testament, in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

My wonderful wife of 50 years often states, “Bob, you are your worse enemy, do not blame it on someone else that you worked to hard or to long.”  And she is right, I’m guilty of believing I can still do what I did at a younger age, but I’m also guilty of not being a storehouse of God’s word.  This question often haunts me, why have I not followed the advice of a King David or the apostle Paul to penetrate my heart?  And it is apathy, yes it is and both you and I know it is indifference, laziness, emotional emptiness, or just a lack of enthusiasm for the Word of God.  We are to busy watching “Days of our Life” or in my case football, or NCIS over putting God’s word in our heart so the Holy Spirit can use it to encourage or correct us in our daily activities.  And if you claim to be as I am, a follower of Christ, and are ignorant of the Scriptures, you need to examine yourself, and Romans 10:1-4, is a great place to begin.

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:1-4)

From the Back Porch,

Jesus a stumbling stone!

Romans 9:30-33

Jesus a stumbling stone!  Have you viewed Jesus in that light?  I believe if I asked that question to those who go by the name Christian I would receive a strong no.  In fact, many would wonder if I were anti-Christ, or just ignorant.   But it is not I asking or making the statement, but the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle Paul’s lips.  My prayer is that you ponder and pray over these three verses.

“What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
 and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Could it be that many who go by the name Christian are making the same mistakes that Israel made, trying to attain God’s favor by performance?  One would be wise to pay attention to the following words of a wise person: Religion is about “doing” for God, and Christianity is about “done” for I’m sure you recall Jesus saying on the Cross, it is finished, it is all done, and it is a gift of faith that leads to freedom, and life in the full, now and eternally.

This song rings in my ears, for it tells about what Jesus did for you and me, the only Son of God took on flesh and became like His creation: “He paid a debt He did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay, I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song Amazing Grace Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”

If you have any doubt about who the apostle Paul is talking about you may find the information all through the Bible, but begin in the gospel of John 1 and you will find one of Jesus” many names: the Word, or as witnessed by John the Baptist “the Son of God”, or as the disciple Nathanael stated so correctly, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!”  Or Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews coming to Jesus at night and stating; “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with Him.”  Now Nick was a man like all his Pharisee brothers with this exception, they were not seekers of truth and he was; they were keepers of the customs and only outwardly keepers of the law, to be seen by men. 

Now Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus surprised him and it may come as a shock to you, in that Jesus replied in this manner; “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  We find out later in the Scripture that Nick believed and by faith entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  So church member the question must be asked, have you stumbled over the rock of offense; or have you by faith believed and acted to confess your faith to others you come in contact with?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Is God Fair?

ROMANS 9:14-29

How often have you said, that is not fair, the deck was stacked and the job was already decided before they interviewed anyone?  It is not fair they have more than I do, or they were blessed with both looks and talent and look at me I have so little of both.  In my case it was size, my earthsuit was small, 4’9” and 68 lbs. in the seventh grade, I had a burr haircut with big ears, and Billy Lucas tagged me with the nickname Flaps.  The desire of my heart was to play football, but they told me the rule was you had to weigh 75 lbs. I could not even try out for the team.  It was just not fair, I was little but believed I was very good at football.  I bet at some point you also have said it is not fair, for many reasons, it may be your best friend has a great marriage and yours is not bad, it’s broken.  Maybe you have seen so much evil in the world that you can no longer believe in God’s goodness, you are angry and it is beginning to harm your relationships.

So let’s deal with the root problem, and verse 13 has a great question: “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part?”  It seems some people feel like God does not care in fact I was in an adult Sunday school class where a man had resolved that God did not care about him.  Maybe each of us would do well to read the first part of Psalms 103:2-5, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”

The Holy Spirit is quick to answer the question asked by Paul, listen to verses 15-24, “By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”

I feel very sad for you if you do not understand the above verses, my friend T.W. Hunt taught me the following about God’s character; “To have a healthy, vital, growing relationship with God, we must have a realistic picture of who He is.”  Are you willing to ask the Father for help, if you have been deceived by the enemy of your soul, pray these thoughts in your prayer: I praise You, Lord, for being self-sufficient.  You alone need nothing outside of Yourself.  Father, your sufficiency is a storehouse for all who love You, help me draw upon Your limitless resources.

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

God’s sovereign choice

Romans 9:6-13

Do you have the understanding that when it comes to the Father in heaven, His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts?  Some of us need that reminder.  Before beginning the subject of God’s purpose of election my prayer is, “Dear Helper, I have little understanding of God’s sovereign choice so open my mind to share what one needs to grasp in such deep waters. 

As we begin in verse six, will you pause and ask the Spirit of Truth to guide your mind and heart as we go forward?  “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Many in the Middle East have named their sons Abraham and view Abraham as the father of himself, but it is a basic misunderstanding of Scripture.  For we know that Abraham had children by Hagar and Keturah, but they were not the children of the promise, the children of the promise came from Sarah’s son Isaac.  Ishmael was the physical son of Abraham and so was Isaac with this exception, the promised son was to come through Sarah, and Isaac was the son of the promise. 

Now before the twins were born to Rebekah and Isaac the Lord made it clear to Rebekah that the older would serve the younger.  This is big, real big, for the first son has rights under the Law of Moses the firstborn may be either the firstborn of his father, who is entitled to receive a double portion of his father's inheritance (compared to the other siblings), (Deuteronomy 21:17) or the firstborn of his mother.  So by the Law of Moses the younger should receive less and play second fiddle to the elder son, but God chose one twin over the other for His divine purpose.  It is clear two nations were coming from these twins, and history makes it very clear they both sinned against God, but only one received grace. 

This is how I understand the election of God, in that He is outside of time, not under it’s control, and because He has been to the beginning and the end of time, He has a complete understanding of our choices and in the case of the twins, God knew that Esau placed little value on his birthright, so little that he was willing to sell it to Isaac for a bowl of stew.  And because of this God rejects Edom and choses Israel as the children of promise.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Love took our place

Romans 9:1-5

For God so loved you and me that He gave His only Son, to take our place on the cross, to take His full anger and wrath out on Him who knew no sin, and by being our stand-in Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves, and that is love beyond my understanding!  In John 14:20, Jesus tells you and I the following: “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”  But to whom is He talking, to all who by faith have bowed their knee to Him and confessed sins seeking forgiveness from the Father through the blood that was shed to cover our sin.

So we have the apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans explaining the love God has put into his heart for his brothers, his kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites.  As we read Romans 9:1-5, stop and listen to the love God who lives in Paul is saying to not only those Israelites, but also to you and me.  “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

Paul understood the ramifications of the above statement, he fully grasped that Jesus Christ paid a debit we could not pay, and yet when he saw the rejection of his own people, the chosen people of God, to the Messiah who came to buy them out of sin and death, he was willing if it were possible to take their place.  What is the significance of Paul’s statement?

He was willing to go to a place we refer to as hell, the Greek used the word “Gehenna” the place of punishment and Scripture has many references to it. Shall we look at a few?  In the Revelation 14:9-11, this is what the apostle John heard; “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, 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. "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." 

Words from the apostles concerning the future of those who reject the gift of the Father, let us look at a few; the apostle Paul in Romans 2:8, “but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”  You may be wondering what was Paul willing to do for his people, what was this wrath he was willing to endure?  Look at Revelations 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” 

The Father nor the Son has ask you to take anyone else’s place only to love those who are heading for a place of separation from the love of God, a place of utter darkness where the one will not die but live in torment for eternity.  A quote from C.T. Studd about God’s calling on his life has stayed in my mind:   

“Some wish to live within the sound
Of Church or Chapel Bell.
I want to run a rescue shop
within a yard of Hell.

I can easily see why the folks at home want to eliminate Hell from their theology, preaching and thought. Hell is indeed awful unless it’s preaching is joined to a life laid down by the preacher. How can a man believe in Hell unless he throws away his life to rescue others from its torment? If there is no Hell, the Bible is a lie. If we are willing to go to Hell on earth for others, we cannot preach it.

I am getting desperately afraid of going to heaven for I have had the vision of the shame I shall suffer as I get my first glimpse of the Lord Jesus; His majesty, power and marvelous love for me, who treated Him so meanly and shabbily on earth, and acted as though I did Him a favor in serving Him! No wonder God shall have to wipe away the tears off all faces, for we shall be broken-hearted when we see the depth of His love and the shallowness of ours.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?

Romans 8:35-39

The apostle Paul asked this question, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”  We discussed many times how the thief or devil, the world system and the flesh would try to separate us from the love of Christi.  Paul makes sure that we understand that tribulation, distress, persecution or famine, not even nakedness or danger of death can separate us from God’s love.

And Paul is reminding both those of his day and ours, that many believers are being killed, that the worlds system and the enemies of our Christ see us as sheep to be slaughtered.  Now that is not preached often, and never in the name it and claim it church.

We have Paul speaking as the spokesman of the Holy Spirit, and this is a strong statement about the suffering of the early Church and how perception was in error that in truth we who are in Christ and He in us are more than conquerors through him who loves us.  Many a sermon has been preached on these verses but stop and ponder these words: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What is a conqueror: a person who conquers a place or people, and yet the Spirit of God tells us through the pen of the apostle Paul we are more than that, do you see yourself in that light?  Look and pay attention to this list of victories; neither death nor life can change the love the Father has for you, nor angels nor rulers, not things present nor things to come, we are living not in the current circumstances we who are victorious are looking to Christ our High Priest.  As children of the King of kings and LORD of lords neither things of the present nor things to come have any power over the victories we have in Christ Jesus.  Folks, not height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The world and the old Serpent called the devil have tried and will continue to try to mold you into a sinful life style of life independent from God’s authority, so listen to these thoughts spoken in a letter to the Church of Corinth: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

If you are one of the many who attends or never attends church but you are on the list of those who will not inherit the kingdom of God and you are reading this, you also can be washed and sanctified by putting your trust in the victory Jesus won over sin and death on the cross by the covering of them in victory by His blood shed for you on the cross.  Ask the Father to give you believing faith and receive the grace that the Father has extended to each of us, for all have sinned and fallen short, but God so loved us He sent His Son to pay a price we could not pay. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What a great question to begin our day with

Romans 8:31-39

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

What a great question to begin our day with, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  The answer is easily found in your Bible about who is warring with your spirit, so let us flip some pages, in John 10:10a, we are told by Jesus, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  You will find the thief identified in many places with many aliases, but in Ephesians 6:11 he is exposed, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”  Now the Spirit of God goes on to explain why we must put on the whole armor of God in the verses that follow and also tells us who is under the authority of the devil in verses 12-13, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”  How much effort and funds are being wasted in our battles, Liberal or progressive against Conservative and I must confess I’m a Conservative and like Abraham’s cousin Lot, I’m distressed at the ungodliness that is taking place all around me, but that is not the battle, if we believe what Scripture teaches. The battle is for the hearts and souls of those Jesus came to seek and to save, and remember love conquers all, not distain.

As you keep reading in Ephesians 6:14-20, you will not see suggestions on how to prepare for each day, you will see a battle plan about what to do, and you will be reminded to keep alert.  The apostle Peter gives us these words of encouragement in 1 Peter 5:6-9, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

I’ve heard it preached that the devil is a toothless opponent, but in my life I’ve experienced an evil deceiver who has made many attempts to steal and kill and destroy, me, my family, and my marriage.  He is a long way from being toothless!  He, like you, is a created being, and he has watched us humans for thousands of years, but he does not have the ability to know our thoughts, but does his best to influence them.

Now the great news must be told, and we will write more about it tomorrow, but let me share Romans 8:37-39, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

It has always been your Choice

Romans 8:29-30

Why does being predestined bother so many in the church?  Could it be a false belief that it takes matters out of our hands, and that God has chosen and your will or choice is not in play?  Is there a contrast between John 3:16-18 and Romans 8:28-30?  In John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” 

If I have a correct understanding of John 3:16-18, it seems clear the Father loves you and me so much He sent His Son, His only Son into the world, and Jesus took on flesh, born of the virgin Mary and in Him we have the promise of eternal life with the Father in heaven.  The goal of the Father was not to condemn us by sending His Son but to save or buy us back out of sins grip or control.  So anyone should be able to discern that it is a decision one makes after showing up on planet earth, and that does seem to fit with Romans 8:29-30, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

Before going forward with this foolishness of contrast in Scripture we must examine or discover the benefits of God’s attributes.  We are told that God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient, but one of my teachers helped me with this simple teaching on the benefits of God’s attributes.  The following is from T.W. Hunt who now is in the presence of our Lord and has a much better understanding I’m sure of this teaching.

This is what I learned from T.W.: 1.  Because God is a personal Spirit… I will seek intimate fellowship with Him.  2.  Because God is all-powerful... He can help me with anything.  3.  Because God is ever-present... He is always with me.  4.  Because God knows everything... I will go to Him with all my questions and concerns.  5.  Because God is sovereign... I will joyfully submit to His will.  6.  Because God is holy... I will devote myself to Him in purity, worship and service.  7.  Because God is absolute truth... I will believe what He says and live accordingly.  8.  Because God is righteous... I will live by His standards.  9.  Because God is just... He will always treat me fairly.  10.  Because God is love... He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.  11.  Because God is merciful... He forgives me my sins when I sincerely confess them.  12.  Because God is faithful... I will trust Him to always keep His promises.  13.  Because God never changes... My future is secure and eternal.

I also had Bill Gillham as a teacher and he helped me grasp these truths: 1. God created all things for His purposes – including time.  2. Faith requires the time dimension.  When faith is no longer needed, time will cease to be.  3. God is not controlled by His creation; He is not time – dimensional.  4.You and I are a time – dimensional being so one must ask the following questions: How many of your sins did Christ take to the cross 2,000 years ago and your answer is all of them.

5.The next question: How many of your sins had you committed 2,000 years ago and the answer has to be none of them.  6. In the same way you claim Jesus took your sins to the cross, you claim that He took you to the cross.  The old you (who you were in Adam) died.  Jesus tells us He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, and in that He has been to the front and back of time, both Romans 8:29-30 and John 3:16-18 are in total agreement it has always been your choice.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

God's Economy - Man Economy

Romans 8:26-28

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” 

Weakness: the state or condition of lacking strength, a quality or feature regarded as a disadvantage or fault.  (Taken from the computer dictionary)  Not a popular word in our culture and maybe not one in the time of Paul.  What words come into our mind when we think of weakness, a lack of strength or determination, a person with character flaws, not a person you want in charge, not a leader. 

As one ages, the culture we live in tells us to do whatever it requires to look younger to act younger and to work at staying young. To a large degree Jan and I have bought into that and have made choices that we believe will help; like going to the gym often, eat in a very disciplined manner most of the time, reading books that are of interest, and working with youth in Jan’s case.

With that said have we allowed the world to mold our thinking about weakness?  Do you recall the apostle Paul telling us about this thorn in his flesh?  Many of us have tried to guess what kind of affliction he was given and we need not go there, it was not good, it was a big deal to Paul and three times he ask the Father to remove it.  This is Paul’s report on what Jesus told him, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

So this thought comes into my feeble mind, is this a big problem in our Christian walk, are we not allowing the Spirit to help us in our weakness?  If not, how is it going with you, being a poser, putting on a front of being strong while having no power.  You cannot have it round and square, one is not going to fit into the hole in your life, are you open to the Father’s grace?  If so, Jesus who cannot lie is telling you His grace is sufficient for you, and His power is made perfect in weakness.

Is your business in trouble, is your marriage going down the tubes, are your teenagers rebelling, is your life in a big mess?  Then hit the deck and confess to the Father your independent spirit of trying to be the “lord of the ring” and receive the condition as a gift that has opened your eyes to living independently of the power of Christ who lives in you, and like Paul you will be able to testify; “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice