Are You ALL In?

by fgt2u | May 11, 2009 | Articles

By : Doug Kelly

The Bible says that “old men have dreams.”  Well, recently I had a dream that was so vivid that I remembered it when I awoke.  In the dream I was playing poker with several friends.  I was holding my hand close to the chest to make sure that nobody could see my “winning hand.”  In poker, you have several choices to make when it comes your turn to play:
1.    Fold or pass
2.    Hold
3.    Raise the bid
4.    Or go “all in” by pushing all your money or chips to the center of the table.

In the dream, I was convinced that I had the “winning hand.”  I was so convinced that I pushed everything that I had into the center of the table and said, “I’M ALL IN.”  The others at the table looked at me with some surprise and attempted to discern if I was “bluffing.”

Now, I know that many people think of cards as evil as it is gambling and it has the nasty “Queen of Spades.”  However, as a young Catholic boy growing up in rural Montana, I enjoyed playing cards as a family activity with my grandparents, parents and siblings.  Only after I became a Christian did I learn of the “evil Queen of Spades.”

I can not remember the last time that I sat down and played a game of cards even though I had an explicit dream.  I am reminded of Daniel’s words that “interpretations belong to God.”  Let me share you the interpretation of this dream that I believe God gave to me.

In Acts 4:32-35 we have a wonderful, colorful photo of the New Testament Church that Jesus gave His very life for.  It was a church where the people were of “one heart and one soul.”  Nobody lacked anything as everybody had settled the ownership question.  God owned everything (Psalm 24:1).  There was no lack as people sold properties and laid their gifts at the feet of the apostles.  These people were ALL IN.

In Acts 5:1-11 a couple named Ananias and Saphira decided to join the party so they went and sold their property.  Like many Christians their sense of fear outweighed their faith so they decided to hold back part of the sale proceeds.  However, they wanted to look good so they agreed to lie by saying that they sold the property for less than they actually sold it for.  You see, Ananias and Saphira were in but “not all in.”

You lie, you die!!!!!!!!!  This is part of the message of Ananias and Saphira.  God expects us to tell truth.  The apostles told them clearly that the property belonged to them as did the proceeds when they sold it.  The problem was that Ananias and Saphira wanted to pretend to be all in when they were only partially in.

When you found the Lord, you found life, purpose, meaning, truth and everything else.  Mathew 13:44 says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who found a treasure in a field and then went and sold all that he had to buy the field.  In one sense, the church is the field.  We know that Jesus is the head of the church and the church is His body.  The head and the body are inseparable.

While the head is perfect, the body contains the usual rocks and weeds found in the field.  As a pastor, I spend a great deal of my time picking rocks from God’s field.  I also try to limit the weeds though He has said to let the tares and weeds grow side by side.  The field goes through dry times and hard times but it matters not because I AM ALL IN.

Luke 9:57-62 tells the brief story of three men who had an opportunity of a lifetime.  They had the winning hand dealt to them by Jesus when He invited them to come and follow him.  The first disciple was “too soft”.  The second disciple was “too slow”.  And the third disciple was “too busy.”  Each of them were “me first Christians” who deceived themselves into believing they were “all in.”  When the call came they were weighed in the balance and found wanting.  They needed to put their money, their time, their business and their relationships in right priority to the call of God.  Jesus called them to be “all in.”

The card dream represented a prophetic challenge.  God is not content that we “play church” pretending that we are more committed than we really are.  He expects and deserves our time, talent and treasure.  Too many Christians fail to realize that they are holding the winning hand so they hold back from the Lord.  Opportunity is knocking on the door but they are too afraid to open the door because it might cost them something.

The Bible is full of those who are ALL IN.  Abraham left family and friends to respond to the call of God to go to a new land because he was ALL IN.  Noah built a boat and withstood the taunting of his neighbors because he was ALL IN.  Esther risked her life to approach the King because she was ALL IN.  Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego went to the furnace because they were ALL IN.  Daniel also went to the lion’s den because he was ALL IN.  Hebrews 11 is the story of famous and nameless saints who were ALL IN.

The local church is “heaven on earth.”  Jesus told us to pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”  The church is God’s Promised Land.  It is the Land of Milk and Honey.  Everything you have need of is in the church.  God is in the process of building His church which never sleeps.  It is a church that prays, counsels, teaches, gives and loves 24/7.  It does not take days off.  But it needs people who are ALL IN.

During these challenging economic times those who trust in horses and chariots will find that they have nothing but wood, hay and stubble.  God looks on the heart.  He knows if we are pretending.  If He does not have your money, He does not have you.

Will you make that commitment right now to be “ALL IN”?

By Pastor Doug Kelley
ntcfellowship@socal.rr.com

The Christian Perspective On Homosexuality

by fgt2u | Apr 30, 2009 | Articles

Dr. Colin Hurt
HOMOSEXUALITY IS THEOLOGICALLY WRONG

Tony Blair has told the world’s major religions that they have misunderstood their holy books when it comes to the issue of homosexuality. Texts which identify homosexual acts as morally wrong should be seen as ‘metaphorical’ not literal, Britain’s former Prime Minister claims. He also suggests that religions should follow shifts in the culture rather than hold firm to their historic beliefs. In an interview with gay magazine Attitude Mr Blair said: “When people quote the passages in Leviticus condemning homosexuality, I say to them – if you read the whole of the Old Testament and took everything that was there in a literal way, as being what God and religion is about, you’d have some pretty tough policies across the whole of the piece.” (Contained in a report from The Christian Institute Wednesday, 8 April 2009)

Is Mr Blair right? Let’s first of all examine the Old Testament texts to which he makes reference.

“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” (Lev.18:22 NIV)

“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (Lev.20:13 NIV)

The first text (Lev.18:22) comes in a context where many other sexual deviations are forbidden: incest (v.6-18), adultery (v.20), bestiality (v.23). This is true of the second text (Lev.20:13): adultery (v.10), incest (v.11-12), bestiality (v.15-16) are also forbidden. As we can see, the texts in question are not an attack upon homosexuality alone, but on all forms of sexual deviation. In the modern world we have “gay pride” marches, but, so far, I have not heard of “adultery pride” marches, “incest pride” marches or “bestiality pride” marches. What makes homosexuals think they are a special case?

Mr Blair makes no reference to New Testament references to homosexuality, but let us observe what New Testament writers have to say on the issue.

First of all, the apostle Paul declares homosexuality to be unnatural, indecent and perverted.

“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” (Rom 1:26-27 NIV)

Paul tells us quite clearly that these practitioners will not be included in God’s kingdom:

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1Co 6:9-10 NIV)

It is important to note that this does not condemn only homosexuality, but also other forms of sin such as theft, drunkenness and swindling.

There are Christians who insist that homosexuality is not wrong because Jesus made no statement about it. They are wrong. When asked a question about divorce, Jesus defended the Judeo-Christian concept of marriage:

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man (masculine) will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife (feminine), and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Mt 19:4-6 NIV)

The only kind of union recognised by Jesus is that which was originally initiated by God in the act of creation and in the institution of marriage.

HOMOSEXUALITY IS PHYSIOLOGICALLY WRONG

“Common sexual practices among gay men lead to numerous STDs and physical injuries, some of which are virtually unknown in the heterosexual population. Lesbians are also at higher risk for STDs… The only epidemiological study to date on the life span of gay men concluded that gay and bisexual men lose up to 20 years of life expectancy (emphasis added).” (JOHN R. DIGGS, JR., M.D.)

Many homosexuals justify their behaviour by claiming that they have a genetic disposition to be homosexual. There is no evidence that this is true.

“The question of how homosexual orientation originates has been the subject of much press, with the general impression being promoted that homosexuality is largely a matter of genes, rather than environmental factors. However, if one examines the scientific literature, one finds that it’s not quite as clear as the news bytes would suggest. … Attempts to find a “gay gene” have never identified any gene or gene product that is actually associated with homosexual orientation.” (Rich Deem – The Biological Basis for Sexual Orientation)

Even if it could be proved that homosexuality has a genetic origin, other studies have suggested that there is a possibility of alcoholism and paedophilia having genetic sources. Are we to conclude that alcoholics and paedophiles should be abandoned to their lifestyle because they have no choice? Why, then, should we make a special case for homosexuals? The Bible makes it clear that since the fall of Adam, the whole human race has a genetic disposition towards sin. This is to be resisted, not given in to.
HOMOSEXUALITY IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY WRONG

“It is well established that there are high rates of psychiatric illnesses, including depression, drug abuse, and suicide attempts, among gays and lesbians.” (JOHN R. DIGGS, JR., M.D.)

HOMOSEXUALITY IS SOCIOLOGICALLY WRONG

Books such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus endorse the fact that men and women are different psychologically, mentally and emotionally. Heterosexual marriage brings together this diversity in a one-flesh relationship; homosexual partnerships bring together an imbalance of one sex attitudes which is detrimental to human relationships.

Children brought up in a heterosexual marriage achieve more educationally, socially and in their health than those brought up in single parent or homosexual environments.

“The Mothers Union, a passionate believer in marriage, says: “Marriage provides the foundation for a stable family. Children benefit from it emotionally, in their relationships with other people and in their performance at school. Children of married parents are also more likely to have a good relationship with their parents as they grow up, strengthening the whole family unit.” (www.yourchurchwedding.org)

“Society think tank Civitas has much to say on marriage and children. Their research highlights that children are more likely to have a healthy lasting marriage as adults if they grow up within an intact marriage. And, children who live with their own two married parents enjoy better physical health on average than do children in other family forms.” (www.yourchurchwedding.org)

HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT IRREVERSIBLE.

After cataloguing the things which will exclude us from the kingdom, Paul tells the Corinthians: “And that is what some of you were. 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.” (1Cor.6:11 NIV). Christians should not believe that homosexuality is a sin that cannot be forgiven. Homosexuals, as well as adulterers and thieves, can be washed, sanctified and justified. That is the liberating message of the gospel.

8 Things Highly Effective Pastors Should Do In This Economic Crisis

by fgt2u | Apr 10, 2009 | Articles

In the midst of news of the global economic meltdown, I believe there are 8 things pastors should do in a crisis, if we want to be “highly effective” –

1. Deal with Fear
There are two extremes in this economic crisis, those who have unnecessary fear, and those who are in ignorant bliss and therefore, have no fear!

2 Timothy 1:7 declares that God has not given us the spirit of fear but now is a good time to have the fear of God. During this economic crisis, God is bringing judgment, not only on the markets but churches too to deal with anything that is not godly in His house. The Church should remember that God requires holiness and examine her priorities in 2009 so that we can say like Isaiah, “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.”

2. Take Prudent Steps (Provide Economic Leadership)
As church leaders we need to look at annual tithes and offerings, what is in our fixed deposit accounts to see if our churches will be viable in the next 12 months should income decrease say by 30%; take the lead in financial planning and reducing costs for the church and also help church members do the same; read the financial sections of the newspapers and be aware of the Malaysian and global economics.

3. Source out Resources
Because of where we are with God, we can attract the blessings of God where others are not able. Are there God-given resources available, for example, micro-credit agencies, scholarships for children’s education and perhaps even loans from large churches? In Genesis 26 we see that Isaac sowed in a time of famine and reaped a 100-fold in the same year and prospered, continued prospering until he was very prosperous! This is the time to sow, because we could prosper in the time of famine.

4. Build with Cash
Be careful of putting our trust in man and be slow to take up loans. We should instead build with cash because God is looking for people who will trust Him to provide.

5. Keep Moving Forward – Stay focused
In the Star, under the ‘Billings and Advertisement’ section, a writer (with an advertising agency) encouraged businesses to “Keep the Faith”, to keep advertising in the downturn. Surely we need to do likewise. Keep moving forward, studying the Word, preaching the gospel, healing and doing good works. In times like these, you need to “advertise” God more and not lose our focus on eternity.

6. Never a more important time to hear from God
Often, when we pray for an open heaven, we would like God to give us ‘gold’, but in the Transfiguration, when the heavens opened, God said, “This is my Son, hear him!” How we need to hear from God and then pause to hear some more!

7. Time to Nurture a “P & N” Philosophy
Jeremiah 22:15-16 tells us that those who look out for the poor and needy will go well. Ezekiel 16:49 highlights the forgotten sin of Sodom: they were proud, had fullness of food, abundance of idleness and did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy, and this was an abomination to the Lord. How many of the prospering churches are looking out for the poor and needy today?

8. Beware the On-coming Moral Meltdown
The No.1 crisis today is not the financial but the moral crisis. With the coming in of President Obama, the world is ushered into a new era where unprecedented immorality is on the rise, and Malaysia will no doubt not be exempted from this onslaught.

There are 3 needs in the Church’s today:
1. Lack of disciples – even in some pastors’ conferences, it is not uncommon to see less than 50% bringing their Bibles.

2. Lack of Resources – many churches are begging and “hinting” to keep afloat. We need to depend on God, not man!

3. Lack of Conviction – the Church is not known for strong moral standards where many who are in moral failure continue to lead.

I believe it will become clear, 4 types of churches will emerge in this Economic Meltdown, those who will:

1. Barely survive

2. Close down

3. Be Strong Churches

4. Be Churches that will make an impact.

Let us pray for disciples, resources and conviction that we may be strong churches that will make an impact in the nation and the nations beyond, as we do the 8 things above.