Worship

An act of surrender. Sacrificing what you have to present as an offering to the one true God. A sacrifice that has to cost you more than what you can bear to give.

If it doesn’t cost you anything, then what is it worth? Doesn’t the Creator of the universe deserve something that has meant something to you? Does it not portray an act of love by sacrificing something? Did he not sacrifice his son for you as an act of love, so that you may enjoy his presence and being able to join him in heaven?

2 Samuel 24:18-25 ESV

And God came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David went up at Gad’s word, as the LORD commanded. And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the LORD, that the plague may be averted from the people.” Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.” But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.

Josiah Fuller

Men’s Life Group

Beginning on Feb 15th at 7:00 pm, the Men’s Life Group will be starting a new curriculum.  “What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women” by Dr. James Dobson.  This will be a 2 week study, and we hope that you will join us for it.

Women, don’t be afraid to guilt your husbands into coming to this class.  And if you don’t, you can’t ever complain that he doesn’t understand you.

If you need details on where we meet or anything else, please e-mail me at briankcaruthers@yahoo.com

3 Questions

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!  But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!  Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth?  I tell you, not at all, but rather division.” the words of Jesus-Luke 12:49-51 NKJV

“We have the means of evangelizing our country, but they are slumbering in the pews of our churches.”-John Stott

I love the Word of God.  In Hebrews it describes the Word of God as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (4:12-13).

The other night I was reading through chapter 3 of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, and the beginning of the chapter, the church in Sardis was named the dead church.  Jesus said, “you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how you have received and heard: hold fast and repent.”  As I reflected on these verses, the Lord spoke very clearly to me with three questions.  Questions that we all should know the answers to immediately.  But as I thought of my answers, He deepened the questions in my heart, deeper and deeper, searching for the sin.  It’s in there, oh, it’s scary the stuff that we find in our hearts sometimes.

“The First Commandment, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me’; if men were true to this commandment, obedience to the remaining nine would follow naturally.  It is because they are unsound in this that they break the others.”-D.L. Moody

I was in a conversation with a friend, we were talking about judging others.  We have to make some sort of distinction between good and bad, we do it every day.  Jesus was pretty clear on this, we should always judge ourselves first.  He also said we would know them by their fruits (Matthew Ch. 7).  Matthew 12:33-37 says that our heart reveals our conversations.  That by our words we will be justified or condemned.  Our heart reveals where our love is at, what our intentions are, who we serve.  The old Christian saying is that Jesus is the only one who knows your heart, I hear it all the time.  Fact is, He does, and that should scare us to repentance.  But I am willing to say that we can truly see who is a true believer by our actions, our words, our lifestyle, what we worship, how we worship, who we worship.  Am I saying this in an arrogant, pride-full way?  Am I trying to be condemning or judge everyone as a non-believer?  Am I trying to be divisive against believers?  Am I trying to be boastful?  Not at all; not in any way, shape, or form.  If you take it that way, please read on: “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 1:22-23).

Adulters and adulteresses!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.-James 4:4

Now by this we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.  By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.-1 John 2:3-6.

Grab your Bible and check out Ezekiel 18:21-24 also.

We have the Ten Commandments.  We have the greatest commandment to love others before we love ourselves.  We also have the commandment to go into all the world and preach the gospel.  Not sit back, not say anything or do anything about telling others.  We can’t just sit back and coast, believing that all who say they are Christians are Christians, letting our unsaved friends and family slip away into eternity.  Many of them who choose the bar or the church are completely unaware or think that they are fine and going to Heaven. Jacob Bock, missionary in Spain, said, “There are millions who live there life believing they are going to Heaven when they die, who will never make it.”

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchmans hand.  Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.-Ezekiel 33:6, 9

Philippians 2:12 says we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  We are not doing a very good job are we?  That is what Satan wants us to do; keep quiet and not say anything, we might embarrass them.  Just because they go to church does not mean they are Christians.  Just because they are sweet and nice does not mean they are Christians. We have to ask questions.  We need to preach the word, in season and out of season. Jesus went after the religious and the lost, Luke 19:10, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  This was His mission statement and purpose for coming to earth!  Jesus was and still is the master, and we are to listen and learn from Him. He didn’t build a synagogue, offer communion to everyone, sing worship songs and hope they became Christians, He came to go after them and save them.  We cannot save them spiritually, but we can go after them and lead them to the cross!  We have to put that effort forth, we have to make that distinction between right or wrong.  In essence, we have to make a judgement of right or wrong ourselves that we will answer for, whether or not to seek out those on the edge of the fire.

“The longest time man has to live, has no more proportion to eternity than a drop of dew has to the ocean.”-D. L. Moody

You see, as I sat in the prayer room the other night, as I was praying, God just so moved me to tears and a heart-wrenching grief that I cannot explain.  Billions and Billions of lost souls are out there and the majority of us are doing absolutely nothing about it.  We are lazy, and Jesus will not be happy with us on the day of Judgement.  He showed me the very depths of hell that I was destined for and at the same instance, showed Himself to me grabbing me from the flames licking at my heals.  Saving me from the depths of the pit where many good people, where many “Christians” will go, where many people that “kind of believe in Jesus, kind of live their life for Him” go.  People who take Him and all He is, for granted.  He didn’t just save me, He rescued me!  He is my heart and soul, my longing and desire!  But it is for all those who reach out and lift their hearts and their lives to Him alone!

Jesus used words like repent, diligent, zeal, disciple, abide; look them up, the definitions are powerful.  He said things like “He who finds his life will lost it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”  One of the most paralyzing and sobering statements He made is in Matthew 12:30.  He said,”He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”  This doesn’t mean you go to church, it means you live your life for Him.  You have to make a choice.  Not making a choice for Jesus is making a choice for Satan.  There is no fence to ride, no gray area.  It is black or white.  Jesus actually rejects us and our half hearted efforts.  When we go to church, just to go to church.  When we take communion, just to take communion.  When we go through the motions of religion and routine, we read our prayers from a book, we half hearted pray on our knees, we don’t give Him our all.  It is all for nothing then.  Do you know that you can’t get to Heaven by being baptized, or taking communion, or saying a prayer for someone, or saying a prayer once, or just having faith or just believing?

Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said,”Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  And again, the Lord will judge His people.”It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.-Hebrews 10:29-31

The demons believe in Jesus and they shriek when they hear His name.  Satan was the most beautiful of all the angels, he is the angel of light, he believes in God and Jesus.  My point is we are saved by the Grace of God, alone.  That is it.  We are saved by the One,Jesus Christ.  “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).  One way, and it is narrow.

If our lives are true to Him, we will demonstrate that by our actions, our words, our lifestyle.  We will live radical, sold out lives for Jesus Christ, not the everyday Christian normalcy of procrastination and selfishness.  Jesus said Himself that the path to life is a narrow road.  If you read the Bible, it is rocky, full of hills and valleys and mountains.  I heard someone describe it once as a cliff you must tip-toe on, not daring to walk puffed up or you will fall.  We go to churches that accept homosexuality and immorality in their leaders, that do not teach from the Bible, place emphasis on other books along with the Bible or instead of it.  We attend parties that serve alcohol and do things we shouldn’t be around, we watch TV and movies that are full of sex, violence, magic, drugs, drinking, and swearing as well as taking the Lord’s name in vain.  We walk by people, full of our pride,
refusing to talk to them about the One we claim to love or at the very least hand them a gospel tract.  The Lord turns away from the proud, and turns toward the humble (James 4:6).  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons (1 Corinthians 10:21).  When we have sin in our lives, willing sin, the Lord counts our works as filthy rags and our prayers fall on His deaf ears.  He doesn’t hear our prayers when we aren’t listening to Him and living for ourselves. “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear”-Isaiah 59:2.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.-1 John 1:6

Romans 1:18-32 is very descriptive of God’s wrath on unrighteousness.  In that also it says that those who know these things are wrong, and participate in them, are just as guilty as those it describes.  Watching, saying, joking, thinking.  Unrighteousness keeps us from Heaven.  “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:15-16).  Unholiness keeps us from Heaven.  They keep us separated from God, in this life and unless we change with the help of Jesus, for all of eternity.

Those three questions: “Do you go out of your way for Jesus?; Does Jesus say you are a Christian or do you say you are a Christian-where is your heart?; What consumes your time-you or Him?”

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. Romans 2:28-29

I love you all that are reading this.  More than I could ever show you or say.  Some of you are family, friends, pastors, reverends, saved and unsaved, representing many denominations and religions, in many towns, cities, and states.  We are all guilty before
Christ, for there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:11).  We are only saved by His grace, His free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9).  If we work for it, we are bribing God.  That doesn’t count or work, as though some of us are taught.

I love the praise and feedback that you all give me from time to time, it just makes me feel good when I read it.  I love the responses and the challenging questions.  But none of it matters if you are not hearing me.  Some of you get it, some of you don’t.  Maybe I’m making you mad.  Maybe you say I’m a heretic, crazy, I’ve lost my mind or I don’t know what I’m talking about.  This is my favorite, I’m too young in the Lord.  You can call me whatever you would like.  It has taken me some time to finally put it into words.  This wasn’t easy for me to write, but I would rather be obedient than worry if I am going to make
someone mad at me.  If I have made a mistake somewhere, it is not the fault of Jesus, it is my fault because I didn’t fully hear Him, don’t count it against Him.  Where you spend eternity is far more important than your feelings toward me or what I am saying.  Don’t let the enemy steal the seed that has been placed in your heart by reading this.  Don’t let him minimize the Word of God.  Don’t let him minimize the worship of Jesus to nothing but an event on Sundays.  I wish with all my might that we would be hearing this more often, we are missing the point.

There are a lot of false pastors, reverends, preachers in our churches and on TV, preaching things that do not conform to the Bible.  Saying its all about love and forgiveness, just live a good life for Jesus, it will all be alright.  It is nothing more than a feel good message and a lie.  You know what the plan for your life is?  Read the Bible, it is for you to live a sold out, radical life for Jesus Christ evangelizing the world for Him, in spirit and in truth.  We are here to worship Him, tell others about Him, and to make Him look good.  Yes, Jesus is loving and merciful, but He is also Righteous and the Judge of the universe who cannot and will not accept sin of any kind in our lives, or our laziness.  He will take you now, but when you stand before Him, it is too late.  It doesn’t matter if your a pastor or a parishioner, if you have known the Lord 30 seconds or 30 years.  You may not have the chance to get your heart right with Him tomorrow, you must do it today.  You say your good or you will later?  Not everyone who claims to know the Lord goes to Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23, Chapter 13, 25:31-46); Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2); Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).  If you have a Bible, you have no excuse.  If you don’t have a Bible, God has written it on your heart, it’s called your conscience.  Everything you do should be out of honest humility, not systematic routine, in and out.  That is false humility and is pride in the purest form.  Where we go to church does matter.  Where we choose to worship does matter.  Your time represents who you are.  You are making a choice in what you are believing or not believing, and it will all count standing before the Throne of God.

“I would freely give my eyes if you would but see Christ, and I would willingly give my hands if you might but lay hold of Him.” Charles Spurgeon

If this has made you mad, or uncomfortable, I know I stepped on some toes, please decide for Jesus Christ.  I’m not trying to make you mad, I’m trying to wake you up.  That is the Holy Spirit trying to break through in your life (John 15).  Your soul wants to get it out but your flesh wants to keep it in.  Read your Bible, it is all in there, I made none of it up. These are not my words from nothing, they are from NKJV scripture.  The last moment you may have is at the end of this, when your done reading, or it may be 30 years from now. We don’t know for sure.  The only thing we do know for sure is that one day we will meet the One who created us, the Lord Jesus Christ, and I can pretty much guarantee He will ask you: if you went out of your way for Him, or if your heart was all for Him, or if your time was spent for Him.  He is coming back as a thief in the night to gather those who are watching and working for Him.  We don’t know when it will be, but we have the promise that one day, it will be.

Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.  For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.  For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.  For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication!  In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter!-2 Corinthians 7:9-11 NKJV

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”-Luke 14:27 NKJV

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the father in spirit and truth; for the father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”-John 4:23-24 NKJV

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.-Hebrews 6:11-12 NKJV

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.-John12:39-43 NKJV

10 out of 10 people die.  We will all stand before the Great King and Righteous Judge Jesus Christ.  Your destination is your decision.

What will your answers be?

Remember the Cross,
Tom

If the axe is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.-Ecclesiastes 10:10

Please visit my blog at this link for additional topics of discussion: http://jesusismyrefuge.wordpress.com

My First Fishing Trophy

The year was 2005; I was headed up to the U.P. (upper peninsula for those of you who do not have the good fortune of living in Michigan) for my first Men’s Retreat. The destination, a quaint little Christian camp about a 45 minute drive from “the bridge”. The purpose, to get some quiet time alone with God.

The scheduled events for the long weekend were skeet shooting, golf, paint ball, and fishing. The latter is my personal passion. The campground is set on a wide spot on a river, and if you didn’t know it was a river you would think it was a small lake for the heavy population of beavers have dammed up both ends of the faux lake. Crossing the lake was a nice mini version of the Mackinaw Bridge. Hiking trails were in abundance, but the camp personnel warned to go with a buddy or not to go to far for there had been evidence of a bear recently.

Although I should have been hitting the trails to find a nice secluded spot to sit, read my bible and pray, I choose to go fishing. Now the story was that there were walleye in the “lake” and the rules of the fishing contest were: the biggest fish wins, catch and release, and no fishing after dark. I don’t know much about walleye, but they told me that they are nocturnal feeders. I had never been walleye fishing before because I had always preferred the mortal combat of pulling a large mouth bass out of the water, sticking my thumb in it’s mouth to lift it up, and then putting it back in it’s domain so that I can catch it again another day. So, I didn’t have any tackle in which to catch a walleye with in my tackle box. I jumped in my jeep-wannabe and headed for the nearest civilization in search for a tackle shop or a hardware store. After prodding the locals for tips on how to land a walleye and making my purchases I headed back for my spot on the water.

Three days I was on that water. Baking in the sun. Beavers attempting to scare me away from their young by slapping their tails on the water. It sounded like someone dropping a boulder in the water. Three days of sitting in a canoe, bobbing a night crawler up and down. Up and down. Nothing. Not a nibble.

In-between fishing sessions we would have mini church services and meals. They fed us like kings.Up and down. Back breaking from sitting on a hard canoe seat. Skin on fire from the cloudless sun above.

Last day of the retreat. Last day of the contest. Nobody had caught anything. Biggest fish wins right?

Still nothing. Are there any fish in this lake? Somebody had caught a crayfish with a cup, but they hadn’t entered the contest.

30 minutes to go. Got to do something to catch a fish. ANY FISH!

What’s that swimming next to the dock? Minnows. I pulled a black fly from my tackle box and tied it on. Very gently, I bobbed it on the surface of the water. Slam! After three long days of baking in a canoe, this monstrous fish actually brought a smile to my face. I snapped a picture with my service starved cell phone and released my “White Whale” back to the depths which had spawned it.

I rushed up to the main hall where they were about to award the prizes. Whipping out my phone I sported my entry to the ministry leader. While waiting for the award ceremony, I heard that, before I showed my fish, they were going to give the fishing trophy to a 7 year old boy who had come with his dad. I felt about 3 inches tall.

Well, I received my prize and then heard that the boy who would be the recipient of the trophy had already left. That made me feel better about leaving with it. Hey, I paid ten dollars to enter this contest.

So I gained a trophy for my wall, I lost three days of time with the creator of the universe. Next time, I leave the fishing gear at home.

Courage and God Speed!

Consider Yourself Challenged.

This is taken from Jacob and Julie Bock’s Blog, so thank you to them.

The Challenge

You are desperate to live in Personal Revival. You are like the fellow that goes to the attic and stands in the middle of the room, takes out a piece of chalk and draws a circle on the floor. He then steps into the circle and says, “God, send a revival, but start it first right here in this circle.”

So I read this verse today – Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Man! That is good.

This is the CHALLENGE page. It is my challenge for you to set all your excuses aside and put forth the effort. If you do, I can assure you Personal Revival will come to your life.

CHALLENGE 1 Read through the NT in a month

If you have several bibles, take one you don’t use much and mark it up as you read it. Use a highlighter or a pen, write in the margins the revies God gives you. Try not to rush through the 9 chapters “just to get it done.” It will take about an hour, so that means you will have to sacrifice something else in your day to do this. It is so worth it

CHALLENGE 2 Pray in the Spirit (tongues) for an hour a day

If there is one thing that will charge your spirit, ignite your spiritual fire, teach you how to pray and keep you in fellowship with God, it is by praying in the Spirit. Sure we find ourself praying in the Spirit all day long, but this is a time when you get into your closet, or go for a walk and focus solely on the Spirit praying through you. As you pray, many times you will have the urge to pray with the understanding. Do it. You can sing in the Spirit too. I’m telling you, if you join challenge one and two, revival will invade your life within days.

CHALLENGE 3 Go out into your town and evangelize once a week.

One of the greatest things for your spiritual life is to evangelize. If you want to feel the smile of God on your life, evangelize. If you want rid your life of religious boredom, evangelize. Go with someone, buy some tracts, go to the mall, to the park, downtown, to the bus station or where ever people hang out and talk to them about eternity. It tough at first and the flesh belly aches, but pay not attention to that whiner. There are tons of hungry people out there. The harvest is ripe.

CHALLENGE 4 Memorize the Sermon on the Mount

When I was in Bible College, I memorize Matthew 5-7 with a friend.  That is ONLY 111 verses.  The most quoted verses in the Bible.  Live the Sermon and you will be perfect.  If you only had three chapters you could keep from the Bible, these are the three.  Memorize them in your favorite version.

CHALLENGE 5 Go on a date with God

Probably one of the things God likes most.  To spend time with you!  Go on a date with him.  For real.  Take a walk around the lake.  Go out for coffee with your Bible and journal.  Walk through the fields or through a park.  You don’t even have to have an agenda.  Just be with Him.

CHALLENGE 6 Fast

I have practiced fasting all my life.  Short fasts and long fasts.  The body is wimpy and fights against it, but your spirit will benefit.  You probably won’t feel spiritual when you do it, but you are spiritual when you do it.

CHALLENGE 7 Take a spiritual retreat

This will be the highlight of your year.  It can be a day or two weeks.  I have done both.  A retreat with just you and God in some alone place where you can just be together.  Bring your Bible, a good book, a journal, some MP3 sermons or music or whatever you do to feed your spirit.

CHALLENGE 8 Get the worldliness out of your heart

That will leave more room for Jesus.  You don’t need me to tell you what worldliness is.  The Spirit of God is telling you all the time.  But if you eliminate those things from your life, the Spirit of God will be quick to fill the void.

CHALLENGE 9 Take a missions trip

It changed my life.  Two weeks in Spain back in 82′ and the rest is history.  Not only will it open your eyes to something other than your world, but it will give you a heart for the lost.  And when you have a heart for the lost, you are close to God’s heart.

CHALLENGE 10 Worship and Praise

When you do, it just brings the Spirit close.  Put on the headphones and go for it.  Sit at the piano or guitar and sing make a new song unto the Lord.

CHALLENGE 11 Be in community

Go to church.  Go to a small group.  Hang out with those of like mind as you.  Iron sharpens iron.  You need each other to be sharp.  God will use them to form your character.

CHALLENGE 12 Be filled with good works

After all, you were created for them and God set them up for you to do before you were born.  It will make you feel great, pleasing to God.  When you stop living for yourself and live for others, that is when you start to live.

CHALLENGE 13 Consume the Word of God

Life proceeds from God and His Word.  Want to be full of God?  Be full of His Word.  Want to be full of life?  Be full of his Word.

CHALLENGE 14 Live in holiness

The pure in heart see God.  So a holy life, holy thoughts, holy conversation will bring God close.  You will sense His presence, you will feel his smile.

CHALLENGE 15 Walk in the Spirit

This is what the Christian life is.  Walking, living, speaking and being led by the Spirit.

Please visit Jacob and Julie Bock’s Blog at  jacobbock.wordpress.com