God Gave Them Up

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1:24-25 (NKJV)

The first commandment "You shall have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3 (NKJV) concerns itself with what a person worships. Worship is the faithful service one gives to what one places above all, and what one places above all is that person's God. The first commandment says what we are to worship, the one true God. Nothing else is to be given that kind of devotion.

As this verse shows, one can give devoted service to created things as well as the Creator. The people Paul is speaking of turned their attention from the Creator and to the created. It is possible to worship the wrong thing. In Colossians 3:5 Paul writes that greediness is idolatry too, clearly meaning that our devotion can be given to things other than the true God.

There is a common argument in the world that "all religions are good or lead to God," that is, none of them teach you bad things. But, as these verses prove, that simply is not true.

Paul argues that God gave these people up—literally, that God abandoned them to uncleanness. Therefore, any religion other than the one true one is a curse! It is a kind of punishment. These people that Paul describes exchanged the truth for the lie. Not to good?

Rest a while

And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 6:31 (ESV)

 

To be able to find rest is not easy. The day spent alone will not enable us to do so; for not only our hands, but also our minds and hearts must be quieted. If we find the right place to rest, we may sometimes do so amid noise and turbulence; or we may pass from a restless occupation to a quieter one that does not keep soul and body in tension. The art of resting is best begun by summing up all the interests of life into a unit. Restless Martha was a dear sister, yet she could not find proper rest; so the Lord instructed her that one thing is needful. Where God has laid his foundation, there the restless heart may grow calm. A multiplicity of things exhausts us; but, if we have no one treasure for the sake of which we can give up all the rest, we shall be able to enter into rest. To others this gate is closed; they say, "when I shall be at leisure"- , but immediately they are again distracted and set a going.

Before the disturbances from without can be settled, those within must be removed. Restlessness during hours of rest may be counted for by the fact that the soul is not yet at peace with God. Sin and unrest go together; but as soon as our sins have been judged and forgiven, we may find rest of body and soul. Then, and not till then, will hours of leisure afford real refreshment, and enable us to collect our scattered thoughts and to regain her wasted energy. The disciples of Jesus were sorely in need of such periods of rest; Jesus himself saw them, spending the silent watches of the night all alone on the mountains or in the desert. Continuous activity soon waxes spiritless and mechanical. The bearings need oil. The strength of soul and body is soon consumed by restless activity, as those that labor Christ's vineyard daily experience. Our spiritual life needs moments of tranquility; otherwise they cannot remain long a demonstration of power. The more conscientious we are regarding our sins, the more able we shall become both to labor diligently for the Master and to rest in Him.

Come on to me when shadows darkly gather,
When the sad heart is weary and distressed,
Seeking for comfort from your heavenly father;
Coming to me, and I will give you rest.

Dust of Death

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. Psalms 22:14-15 (ESV)

 

Among the distresses of the soul there is one that fills us with infinite sorrow; and this is spiritual bareness. Are there not seasons when we, too, are poured out like water; when our spiritual life seems utterly exhausted; when our strength is dried up like a potsherd, and our bones are out of joint, as it were; and when our heart seems to be melted like wax? In such seasons, called on to pray, or to speak of spiritual things, do not our tongues cleave to our jaws, and do we not indeed lie low in the dust of death? Can such barrenness be called life? When every impression of things divine has forsaken us, is not this death? Thus did David fill more then once; and our Savior, too, in the garden of Gethsemane, experienced this unutterable woe.

 

It may be that the spiritual exhaustion does not always originate in some particular sin; in such seasons we are not always conscious of a transgression, by which our anguish might be caused. Usually this state is nothing more or less than a consequence of the fall of man, a newly excited feeling of general sinfulness. It is our separation from God that produces such a horrible void in the soul; and this void there is such fathomless corruption, that this condition alone, without any particular sin superadded, suffices to make us extremely miserable.

 

In such seasons of distressful barrenness, we usually endeavor to call forth life out of ourselves by undertaking some spiritual occupation or other, as if it were possible to do the works of life, before life itself has been recovered. The Scriptures give us better advice; they admonished us, saying, "In returning and rest shall you be saved; and quietness and confidence shall be your strength." However barren we may feel ourselves to be, let us be assured that this state shall not continue. Our lifeless nature is not the source of life; our real life has its fountain in Christ. In him there is no barrenness and no death; for he dies no more. The streams of life that we cannot find in ourselves, and that we are thirsting for, they are promised and secured to us in Christ; and just to excite in us a thirst and longing for this water of life, God brings us into the dust of death.

Leadership Team

Six Questions To Evaluate Your Staff (Leadership Team)

Was chatting with the interns the other day and taking some notes and came up with this blog post on six questions every staff should ask…here goes…

#1 - Do We Have A Culture of Greed or Generosity?

A staff that has a heart for Christ and His church are always looking to what they can give in order to help others (both in time and money) rather than take from them!

#2 - Are We Being Attentive to the Details?

When a staff member begins to say that certain things that were once viewed as important no longer matter–that is usually evidence of laziness and/or apathy!  Details matter!!

#3 - Do We Communicate Well Between Departments?

Healthy communication is a MUST…and each department MUST realize that EVERYONE works for the same team.  When silo's begin to develop and individual teams begin to matter more than the ministry–that is a dangerous problem!  We are called to serve WITH one another!

#4 - Do We Know It All…Or Are We Desperate For God's Direction As To Our Next Step?

All to often we can become so wise with our ideas and concepts that we "plan God right out of what's next!"  If a staff is going to accomplish all God wants them to do…they MUST DREAM BIG and then be willing to follow His leadership to accomplish that dream one step at a time.

#5 - Are We Authentic or Fake?

A staff cannot maximize the potential God has for them if they spend most of their time with one another trying to be someone that they are not!  Authenticity and transparency MUST be two key core values of any team that plans on working together for the long haul.

#6 - Are We Focused On One Vision Or Many Visions (which is DI-VISION!)

You've seen it…a church has a vision statement, the youth ministry has one as well…and the children's ministry…and the…well, you get the picture.

In order to be successful each staff member must see themselves as a part of THE VISION God wants to accomplish through that particular church…instead of formulating their own vision and then attempting to use the church to make it happen!

The staff HASN'T been called to COMPETE with one another…but COMPLETE one another!

This post is brought to you by Perry Noble from: www.perrynoble.com

Thirty Day Challenge

FOR ONE MONTH I WILL: to become DISCIPLINED DISCIPLE

I will meet once a week to pray together

I will give two hours time each week to our church (self-surrender)

I will give God a tenth of earnings during this month (self-sacrifice)

I will spend 5:30-6:00 each morning in prayer and meditation (self-control)

I will tell others of their experience

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14

Helps to Sanctification

1. Abandon yourself to God. (James 4:7)
   
2. Humble yourself before God. (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5-6)
   
3. Find no righteousness within yourself. (Philippians 3:9)
   
4. Deal thoroughly with sin. (2 Corinthians 5:9-11; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:13-16)
   
5. Find all that you need in Christ alone. (Ephesians 1:3)
   
6. Do not resist the chastening of the Lord. (Hebrews 12:5-11)
   
7. Cast all your cares and anxieties upon God. (1 Peter 5:6-7)
   
8. Do not argue with the Word of God. (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8, 55:11; Mark 13:31)
   
9. Do not grow weary on your journey. (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13)
   
10. Never possess anything; that is, get rid of all sense of possession. (Matthew 6:19-21, 1 Timothy 6:6-10)
    
11. Learn to be content in whatever state you're in. (Philippians 4:11-13)
    
12. Never defend yourself. (Matthew 5:43-45, Romans 12:14, 13:17-21)
    
13. Never pass anything on about anyone else that will hurt them. (Matthew 22:39)
    
14. Never grumble or complain about anything. (Numbers 14:27, 1 Corinthians 10:10)
    
15. Never make a decision when you're discouraged or depressed. (Psalm 27:13-14, Isaiah 40:31, Luke 18:1, Romans 12:12)

What They REALLY Mean…

The following post is brought to you by Perry Noble from: www.perrynoble.com Perry is the Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church, located in Anderson, SC.

One of the lessons I've learned while being in the ministry for the past 17 years is sometimes what people say isn't exactly true…things such as…

(WARNING…you will probably only like this post if you are a pastor or a staff member of a church!)

What They Say:  "I'm looking for a church that preaches the Word!"

What They Mean:  "I'm looking for a church that preaches MY view of the Word.  I think the BLANK translation should be used…I think BLANK should be talked about a lot while BLANK should be ignored.  And if you ever stop preaching my view of the Word I will leave and tell others that you don't preach the Word!"

What They Say:  "Lot's of people have been coming to me and saying they don't like is…"

What They Mean:  "I basically only have three friends…and all of them think exactly like me.  The other night we were enjoying a time of self righteousness because, after all, we are right about everything…and were also slandering you (in the form of prayer requests) and thought it would be wise to approach you with our pet peeve.  We've actually talked to no one else about this but said "lots" because we wanted to validate our dysfunction."

What They Say:  "I'm leaving the church."

What They Mean:  "Beg me to stay.  If you will just ask me I will share with you several ways you can compromise God's vision that He's given you, thus becoming nothing more than a people pleasing pastor who is more interested in popularity than obedience.  If you don't bow to my demands I will remind you that I tithe and that the church needs my money, reducing you to a mere preaching whore…one who is paid for a service for the pleasure of another person."

What They Say:  "I want a church that is more focused on discipleship."

What They Mean:  "I want a church where everyone knows me and how important I am!  I don't want to reach people who are different from me, be it economic class or race or even musical preference.  I already know WAY more than I do…but I somehow equate spirituality with knowledge rather than application and I rather enjoy feeling intellectually superior to those who don't know as much as me."

What They Say:  "Don't take this personally…but…"

What They Mean:  "I am about to lower the BOOM on you…but you can't get angry because I told you not to take it personally.  Even though you have dedicated your life to this and pretty much invest every ounce of energy you have to this cause…and I think about it once or twice a week…you need to receive my attacks, even when they are personal…and you cannot retaliate because, remember, it's not personal."

OKAY, that was fun!  I typed it all with a smile.  Trust me…I'm not mad or frustrated with anyone…I just thought a pastor or two MIGHT get a smile out of this.  :-)