tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29231133465331575052024-02-20T10:45:57.684-08:00Pastor Robert's BlogDr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-77005281247896406192013-12-17T13:42:00.001-08:002013-12-17T15:58:07.678-08:00Christian Haters, What's Up With That?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> I was reading a
blog today by a gentleman named Michael Weinstein, a lawyer, author, civil
rights activist, and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Mr. Weinstein is militantly opposed to
Christianity, particularly the exercise and or spread of Christianity in our
nation’s armed forces. In the subject
blog, posted April 16 of this year, Mr. Weinstein addressed fundamental
Christians as “monsters who terrorize their fellow Americans by forcing their
weaponized and twisted version of Christianity upon their helpless subordinates
in our nation’s armed forces.” The tone
of this blog, in conjunction with its vitriolic nature, clearly reveals Mr.
Weinstein’s lack of civility in the matter and furthermore his complete lack of
understanding or perception as to what it means to be a follower of Jesus
Christ. I would, therefore, like to
address a few of what appear to be the underlying presumptions of Mr.
Weinstein’s position concerning Christians and what we believe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> First, Mr.
Weinstein seemed particularly bothered by the Christian position against
homosexuality. At one point he accused
Christians of being part of “homophobic” organizations. He went on to say Christians are guilty of
“rejecting gay rights.” Perhaps we could
clarify exactly where Christianity does stand concerning homosexuality. God does not hate homosexuals. He proved His love for all mankind by sending
His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay for the sin of the whole
world. Therefore, Christians as a whole
do not hate anyone, including those who practice homosexuality. Even though God loves all mankind, He is holy
and sin offends Him. God has clearly
identified homosexuality as a sin, a practice He never intended for us to be
engaged in. As Christians we have an
obligation to simply say what God has said.
Christians are not being judgmental, God has already done that. Concerning the legality or “right” of
homosexuality, the law of the land says its legal. Since homosexuality is not against the law of
the land in which we live, I say to those who choose to sin in that fashion,
have at it. However, Christians have a
constitutional right, under the law of the land, to speak out and say it is
wrong. Not only do we have a right by
the law of the land, we have a conviction from the God who created us and saved
us from our sin to warn others of the danger and harm of sin. If there is an unfairness transpiring in this
nation concerning the matter of homosexuality, it is the agenda of the
homosexuals to silence conservative Christianity. The homosexual movement does not like what Christians
have to say so they are trying to villainize Christianity and keep Christians
from saying anything. Before throwing
accusations around, perhaps Mr. Weinstein should take a look at his own body of
written work.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> A second
underlying current in Mr. Weinstein’s rant seems to be a lopsided idea of
tolerance. Most dictionaries define
tolerance as putting up with something you don’t particularly like. We often endure the middle seat on a crowded
airplane, even when we don’t like it. We
tolerate the middle seat because we want to get to our destination. It is common for words or terms to take on
new meanings as they are used in society.
Toleration is used more and more today to mean accepting all beliefs,
actions, and lifestyles as being equally true or correct. There is a basic philosophical flaw in such a
view or definition. One of the basic
laws of philosophy is called the law of non-contradiction. That means two opposing views concerning the same
issue cannot both be right at the same time.
For example, God says homosexuality is wrong and secular society today
says it is right or at least okay. One
of those views concerning homosexuality is wrong and here is a hint as to which
one; God is never wrong. The same is
true concerning religious philosophies and doctrines. There are not multiple ways to be forgiven of
sin or to go to heaven. Every religion
in the world cannot be correct or right at the same time. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the
life, no man comes to the Father but by Him (John 14.6). That’s a pretty definitive statement. The law of non-contradiction is even true when
it comes to atheism. There is either a
God, a first cause of all things, or there is not, the two positions cannot both
be true at the same time. By the way, the
evidence is overwhelming that there is a God.
The point here is this, we can
indeed tolerate one another under the laws of our land, but it does not mean we
must accept as true and or correct every deviant practice or idea sinful man
can come up with. Christianity has a
right to speak the truth just as the lost man has a right to speak and promote
his sinful lifestyle or philosophy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Finally,
concerning Christianity in the military, I am a retired Naval Officer with over
20 years of service to this nation I love.
I served in combat zones and sacrificed large portions of my life to
defend the freedom of this nation, including the freedom of every person who
lives here to think and live as their conviction directs. The men and women who served under my command
came from every section of society. Their
religious beliefs or lack thereof were an important part of who they were as
individual sailors and Marines. Those
who serve in the military cannot divorce themselves from their spiritual lives
just because they are on active duty. If
a group of Muslims want to huddle together and pray, there is no reason why
they cannot. If a group of Christians
want to have a Bible study, it is fully voluntary and in no way diminishes the
readiness of the command. In fact, happy
fulfilled sailors and Marines serve and perform better. Furthermore, if the command makes available
the opportunity for voluntary participation in religious functions, there is no
constitutional infringement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Some closing
thoughts concerning leadership and the military. The Transformational Leadership Theory
includes the elements of individualized consideration, intellectual
stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence. Without getting into all the details of this
leadership theory, individualized consideration includes fulfilling an
individual’s self-worth and helping meet the needs of their personal lives,
perceived and real. The fact is, faith
is a key element in the lives of most people and cannot be simply turned on and
off just because they are in the military.
The military was never designed to be, nor has it ever been sterile of
religious beliefs. Christians are not
monsters in the military. Christians
bring many helpful and constructive moral, ethical, and relational
contributions to any organization, including the military. The men and women who served under my
leadership never suffered because of my devout faith in Christ. Not only did they not suffer, they benefited
from the fact that I genuinely cared for each and every one of them and did all
I could to help them be successful in their military careers. Mr. Weinstein, Christians are not a danger or
threat to the military. Perhaps your
articulate energies could be better applied to some worthy endeavor that would
grow young men and women of our military services into the dynamic leaders we
need in the defense of our nation. Jesus
Christ is not your enemy and neither are those of us who love Him and follow
Him.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-19358643668432419392013-12-05T14:09:00.000-08:002013-12-05T14:09:35.312-08:00Jonah and Harrison Okene<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Jonah of the Bible has nothing on a man named Harrison Okene. On May 26, 2013 three Nigerian tug boats were
towing a tanker at sea. Without warning,
the tug boat Harrison Okene was on rolled over and sank in 100 feet of water in
the Atlantic Ocean. The tug boat came to
rest on the bottom of the ocean, upside down.
It was presumed by all concerned that the 12 man crew of Okene’s tug
boat perished. What they did not know
was Okene had found a compartment with an air pocket and he was alive in the
upside down tug boat on the bottom of the ocean, 100 feet down. A diving salvage team was about 75 miles away
and they were called in to recover the bodies of the crew. Imagine the surprise of the diver who swam
into the compartment where Okene was and found him alive. Okene had survived some 3 days, 36 plus hours
in the dark on the bottom of the ocean.
Okene was rescued and according to many news outlets, gives God all the
glory for hearing his prayers and delivering him from death. What an amazing story. </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Okene’s rescue
was recorded by a camera and lights on the helmet of the rescue diver. The image shows the light from the diver’s
helmet illuminating the room and the overwhelmed look on Okene’s face at seeing
another human being. Okene’s face
portrayed fear, shock, relief, and exhilaration all at the same time. He was and is truly thankful to have returned
to his family and friends alive after such an experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> This story has
some pretty powerful spiritual application, if we but give it some
thought. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of
the birth and ministry of Jesus, said, “The people that walked in darkness have
seen a great light: They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon
them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9.2).
Those who are lost in their sin are like Okene, trapped in a life of
darkness with no hope of delivering themselves.
We cannot atone for our sin before God nor make restitution to Him for
the offense of our sin. The lost man is in
essence trapped in a life that, from a human perspective, is hopeless. But wait, suddenly there is a light in our
darkness. Suddenly there is one who
appears in the darkness, the one who is the true light of life. Jesus stood in the temple one day and said, “I
am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life” (John 8.12).
Like the light of that diver who
illuminated Okene’s dark world, so Jesus illuminates our hearts and minds with
the truth of the Gospel. Jesus came here
in human form to die on the cross and pay the debt of our sin. By faith we can confess our sin, repent of
our sin, and believe on Jesus by faith unto salvation and eternal life. Jesus is the light of truth that can deliver
us from the darkness of our sin. All we
have to do is by faith believe on Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> No doubt Jonah
has a pretty good story to tell when we get to heaven. However, I don’t think he is going to have
anything on Harrison Okene who survived in an air pocket on the bottom of the
ocean. How wonderful to serve a God who
loves us and can hear our prayers from inside a big fish or even the bottom of the
ocean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-35402383926585810022013-11-26T10:47:00.002-08:002013-11-26T10:50:58.188-08:00Thanksgiving 2013: Are You Thankful?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Thanksgiving is only a few days away. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to
the relaxation and fellowship with family and friends around the Thanksgiving
meal. Then there is the grandest of
American traditions, laying on the couch while watching parades and football,
all the while drifting in and out of a nap.
Yep, Thanksgiving Day is a great day of the year. Of course, this line of thinking set me to
wondering how many people are truly thankful, especially given that we have
this national holiday set aside for that very purpose? Here are a few thoughts we might consider
together when it comes to being thankful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Merriam-Webster’s
Collegiate Dictionary (11<sup>th</sup> ed.) said thankful means to be,
“conscious of benefit received.” The
same source went on to say that thanksgiving is a, “public acknowledgement or
celebration of divine goodness.” If I
could summarize the idea here, we might say that thanksgiving is a time when we
pause to both recognize the benefits we receive from God while at the same time
expressing to God our gratitude for His goodness to us. Here is a short list of some of the things we
should be thankful for;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">1. Our freedom and security.
There are places in the world where it is dangerous to live. God has blessed us with a nation where we
might live, raise our families, and enjoy productive lives with relative
immunity from fear and danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Abundance of material things. We are blessed to live in the land of
plenty. God has blessed this nation with
multiplied abundance in everything needed of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">3. God’s mercy, grace, and longsuffering. Psalm 7.11b says, “God is angry with the
wicked every day.” Our individual and
national sin offends God because He is holy.
We deserve God’s judgment and yet He is patient with us, working through
His Word to draw lost men and women to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter said, “The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance” (2 Peter 3.9). God is not
slack in that his promised judgment for sin will come in the appointed
time. However, God’s desire is for all
men to be saved. Let us be thankful that
God has made provision in His Son, Jesus Christ, for lost people to be
saved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">4. For being saved.
The most thankful people on the face of the planet should be Christians,
those who are born again spiritually by faith in Jesus Christ. The Psalmist said, “I love the LORD, because He
hath heard my voice and my supplications” (Psalm 116.1). The Psalmist continued later by saying, “I
will offer thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of
the LORD” (Psalm 116.17). Every saved
man and women should offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving for all He has
done for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> It is my
prayer that you and your family will enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving Day. If you have never considered your need of a
Savior, perhaps you will pause and be conscious of the goodness God has
extended toward you. May God be honored
as we thank Him for all His mercy and grace. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-3983925355176577102013-11-16T18:49:00.000-08:002013-11-16T18:49:25.676-08:00Atheism, What Is It?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Not long ago I was talking with a man who said very candidly
that he did not believe in God. He
seemed almost proud to proclaim he was an atheist. In fact, he proclaimed his atheistic position
as if it were some indication that he was somehow enlightened to ultimate
reality. The sad truth is, this
particular gentleman labeled himself an atheist and there was not the slightest bit of evidence
that he really understood what atheism is all about. The following are some basic concepts and
thoughts concerning atheism and how the position is completely untenable when
examined in light of absolute truth.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Fahlbusch
and Bromiley (1999-2003) in <i>The
Encyclopedia of Christianity</i> provide a very helpful overview of
atheism. The Greek word, from which we
get our English word, is <i>atheos</i> which
simply means to question the dominate religion of the day and the god it
represents. In keeping with this line of
thought, we find there are various forms of atheism. First there is theoretical atheism where
someone theorizes there is no God. This
is usually the position of intellectuals who see the world as purely materialistic
or scientific. Secondly there is practical
atheism where one lives as if there is no God.
Practical atheism does not necessarily take the position that there is
literally no God, practical atheism simply lives and acts as if He is not
there. Thirdly there is programmatic
atheism which is militant against religion of all kinds. Programmatic atheism sees religion as bad for
humanity. Most people today who claim to
be atheists are either intellectuals who think they are too smart to believe in
God or they are practical atheists who don’t want to deal with the truth of God
because it would hinder or interfere with their sinful and otherwise rebellious
lifestyles. There are militant atheists
who abhor all forms of religion, however, that group is not as pervasive as the
first two. Does the Bible speak to
atheism? It sure does, let’s consider
some of what God has to say on the matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> A denial of
God, either by intellectualism or by way of practice, is a choice of the human
will. By choice I mean there is evidence
which points to the reality of God and those who deny Him by intellect or
practice do so on purpose. The first and
most intuitive proof of God’s existence is creation and life itself. The apostle Paul said, “Because that which
may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed <i>it</i> unto them. For the invisible things
of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, <i>even</i> his
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans
1.19-20). The intellectuals of academia
choose to deny God and therefore are forced to find some other explanation for
life (for example, evolution). To study
life and gain knowledge points a man toward God, not away from God. Both the intricacy and vastness of the
universe screams there is a God, just as the apostle Paul pointed out in the
passage above. To say there is no God is
a choice to rebel against overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Those who deny God because of a lifestyle
choice are guilty of the same rebellion, just from a different selfish motive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> The reason
atheist become so entrenched in their rejection of God is a direct result of
their refusal to embrace the level of truth given by God. In other words, there is a biblical principle
of light refused resulting in light lost.
Here is how the apostle Paul expressed it, “Because that, when they knew
God, they glorified <i>him</i> not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. <u>Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools</u>” (Romans 1.21-22, emphasis mine). Those who reject the level of revelation God
has given, i.e. creation, forfeit any further revelation or understanding of God. They actually become darkened in their thinking
and perception of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> The truth
is, there is a God and every human being who has ever lived and who will ever
live on His planet is accountable to Him.
To deny God is like denying the law of gravity and jumping off a
building. Gravity cares not if we agree
that it exists, it will still take over and drag the jumper to the ground with a
thud. Likewise, a person who denies the
existence of God does not change the fact that God exists. Nor does a denial of God change the fact that
there is a judgment day coming when every lost man must stand before God and
give an account of his sin, even the atheist.
If you have made it your position in life to deny God, perhaps you might
reconsider your position. I assure you
there is a God and you will meet Him one day, ready or not!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-25857858665588765352013-09-26T14:38:00.002-07:002013-09-27T03:40:09.074-07:00Church Growth 101<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When we talk about church growth in
the 21<sup>st</sup> century we are almost exclusively speaking of how many
people attend the local church gathering on a weekly basis, predominately
Sunday morning. Mega churches seem to be
the pinnacle of achievement in the ministry with the idea that larger is better
and larger is the margin by which we measure success. I think we would agree, there is nothing
inherently wrong with a numerically large church. A lot of ministry can be accomplished in the
name of Jesus when a large number of believer’s pool God’s resources and spiritual
gifts. However, is numerical achievement
really the biblical measure of success?
Is a church with 600 attendees on Sunday morning more successful than
the church with 300, or 200, or 100? Is
the mega church paradigm what every pastor and church staff should be reaching
for? Let’s think about it.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There are three ways a church today
grows numerically. The first way is when
born again believers from one church move to another church. If a local church becomes the most attractive
to believers in the community, there is a strong likelihood that Christians
will move from surrounding congregations and the church will experience
numerical growth. There are local
churches that take this approach, they desire to be the most dynamic church
around, the happening place. I actually
heard of a Christian who chose the church he and his family would attend based
on the fact the church seemed to be “happening” (whatever that means). This type of growth is not really growth at
all, it is just moving sheep from one pasture to another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The second way a church grows
numerically is to be as attractive to as many people as possible, saved and
lost. This is the seeker sensitive model
of ministry. The idea is, let’s get as
many lost people as possible to attend the Sunday morning service with the hope
they will get saved. The inherent
problem with this model of church growth is twofold; (1) We have to use methods
that appeal to the sinful flesh of lost people if we are going to get them to
like church, i.e., we have to entertain and wow them, and (2) The biblical
model of church (the ecclesia) is a gathering of saints, the redeemed of Christ,
for fellowship, worship, and instruction in God’s Word. Lost people cannot worship God because they
are lost, they don’t care about Bible study, and fellowship will be superficial
and fleshly. The lost are not going to
like church unless they get saved and if they like church without being saved
there is a problem with what’s going on at the gathering of the saints, the ecclesia. Before someone takes issue with this
statement, it has nothing to do with being kind, welcoming, or showing the lost
the love of Christ. It has to do with the
fact that truth is always confrontational, particularly when we speak truth
into the life of one who is lost. I
pastor a church and it has been my experience that when a lost person is
presented with a clear explanation of their sin and the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
they are immediately put on the horns of a dilemma. Believing on Jesus by faith unto salvation or
rejecting Him is a definitive decision.
Most lost people don’t enjoy being confronted with that decision every
week. The most likely reason a lost person
would enjoy attending a particular church is they are never confronted with the
seriousness of sin and their desperate need to be saved. If a lost person continues to attend a church
because they are hearing the truth, that means God is working in their heart
and sooner or later they will most likely come to Christ and be saved.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The third way a church grows is by
sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing lost men and women, young people,
boys and girls come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. This is the biblical pattern of church growth. We find the model in Acts 2. Pentecost marked the birth of the
church. The Holy Spirit came and filled
the believers as they met together. Some Jews who saw the effect of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of the believers accused the believers of being drunk on
wine. Peter took the opportunity to
preach the Gospel to the naysayers, giving a dynamic exposition of the life,
death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When Peter finished his sermon, the people
were convicted and “pricked in their heart” (Acts 2.37). They asked Peter what they should do? Peter told them to repent of their sins,
believe on Jesus by faith unto salvation, and be baptized as an outward
testimony to their salvation by faith. That
day some 3,000 souls were saved and added to the kingdom (Acts 2.41). That is church growth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">To summarize, healthy church
growth, biblical church growth, must be centered on the Word of God. If a Christian moves from one church to
another, the clear teaching of God’s Word at the new church should be a major
consideration. Evangelism, actively
sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, should be a cornerstone of any local church
ministry. The church will grow if lost
people are coming to know Jesus. We are
infatuated today with numbers. The goal seems
to be, how many people can we pursued to attend the church service on Sunday
morning. Perhaps we might focus on the
Word of God, sharing the Gospel, and being the church Jesus created us to
be. Church growth is really not about
the numbers, the numbers are secondary and will be what God wants them to be in
the church where we each serve. Jesus is
still the Lord of His Church and He is still in charge of its growth, not us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-33543375874529475372013-08-28T06:41:00.001-07:002013-08-28T06:41:03.325-07:00Miley Cyrus, Bashar Assad, and Natural Law<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Sometimes I read things in the news that are almost unbelievable
in either their ridiculousness or their heinousness. On the ridiculous side we have a 20 year old
Miley Cyrus performing (?) or dancing like she has lost her mind. Her father has
to be real proud of the way she has been acting lately. Then on the heinous side we have a Syrian regime
under Bashar Assad who is using chemical weapons to kill their own people. How sad to live in a country where the
government will use weapons of mass destruction on its own people. I could sit here all day listing news events
that make us shake our heads in utter disbelief that someone would dare think
these actions are acceptable choices to make.
Do these people know better? Yes,
they know better and yet choose to do what they know is wrong. Let’s think about how they know better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> Someone
will inevitably ask the question, what makes these things wrong? Why is it wrong for Miley Cyrus to dance
around almost nude and then make vulgar gestures on a public forum viewed by
millions of people? Why is it wrong for
a government to kill innocent men, women, and children who are not military
combatants? One of the reasons we know
these things are wrong is called natural law.
Natural law is the recognition that some things are inherently
wrong. For example, we inherently know
that child molestation is wrong. We
don’t need a written law to inform us that child molestation is wrong, we know
intuitively that harming a helpless child or person is wrong. We inherently know that stealing someone
else’s property is wrong. We inherently
know that murder, genocide, and or ethnic cleansing is wrong. Natural law is written in the heart of man.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> We might
then ask, where did this natural law come from and is it a credible standard to
live by? Natural law is one of the
evidences that we are created in the image of God, also known as <i>Imago Dei</i>. The natural law in man is an emulation of God’s
moral character and attributes. The
apostle Paul said the law of God is written in the hearts of man and it bears witness
to us through our conscience (Romans 2.15).
Theologians from the middle ages declared natural law to be an extension
of the eternal law of God. The reality
is, we all have a conscience over the things we choose to do which is more than
enough evidence to prove natural law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Two thoughts
of application; First, the fact that there is a moral law leads to the doctrine
and principle of accountability. Since there
is overwhelming evidence that there is a God, it is then reasonable to
understand we are accountable to Him as the creator and originator of all moral
law. We have a conscience about right
and wrong by way of natural law. The knowledge
that we have broken God’s law leads to the feeling of guilt and the certain
expectation of having to pay the penalty for our wrong choices and
actions. If this principle seems too
grand, simply consider that it is the principle of law we live under every
day. If you speed and get caught, you
get a ticket, you have to pay for breaking the law. The difference with God is He sees and knows
all things so to break His law is to always be caught.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Secondly, there
is coming a day when all the sin of the world will be dealt with by God. There is no free pass when it comes to
sin. Miley will have to answer to God
for her indiscretions just as Bashar Assad and his regime will have to answer
for murdering so many innocent people. The
only answer to our sin is Jesus. Jesus Christ
died on the cross to pay for our sin so we might be forgiven. There is a day of judgment on the horizon of
human history. Those who reject Jesus and
continue in their sin will one day face a God who is even now angry over
sin. God loves us, but He will not
overlook our sin. The only path to
forgiveness is by faith in Jesus. What
does your conscience tell you? The
natural law in your own heart, what does it tell you about the way you
live? Jesus is the answer, come to Him and
be saved while there is opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-23697431328161657352012-10-25T18:55:00.000-07:002012-10-25T18:55:17.659-07:00Are You A Good Example?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As Christians we spend a lot of time talking about being a
witness to the lost world, and rightfully so.
One of the last things Jesus said before He ascended back to heaven was
for His followers, His church, to make disciples throughout the whole world
(Matthew 28.19-20). However, I was
thinking today about how we are witnesses to one another in the body of
Christ. The truth is, our witness in the
body of Christ is just as important as our witness outside the body of
Christ. As a maturing and growing child
of God you have the potential to be a tremendous example to other Christians of
what it looks like to walk with Jesus in this life. The apostle Paul said to the church at
Corinth, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians
11.1). What an amazing idea. The church meeting together for worship, believers
interacting with one another throughout the week, all the while sharpening one
another with the example of their walk and obedience to Jesus. Could it be that this is one of the reasons
the writer to the Hebrews commanded us not to forsake the assembling of
ourselves together (Hebrews 10.25)? Beloved
child of God, what kind of example are you setting for others in the
church? Is your life a light that others
might follow as they too learn to follow Jesus?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-66460832692814496852012-05-24T07:46:00.003-07:002012-05-24T07:46:45.046-07:00Moving Away From God<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In the 8<sup>th</sup>
century B.C. God sent a prophet to preach in Israel. That prophet’s name was Isaiah. God’s charge against Israel was that they had
forsaken Him, they had turned to evil and broken his holy laws. We can almost hear Isaiah as he described the
ugliness of their sin, “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, A seed
of evildoers, children that are corrupters: They have forsaken the Lord, They
have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, They are gone away backward. <sup>5</sup> Why
should ye be stricken anymore? Ye will revolt more and more: The whole head is
sick, and the whole heart faint. <sup>6</sup> From the sole of the foot
even unto the head <i>there is</i> no
soundness in it; <i>But</i> wounds, and bruises,
and putrifying sores: They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither
mollified with ointment” (Isaiah 1.4-6).
Isaiah’s description of the ugliness of sin is spot on. The nation of Israel was full of wickedness,
murders, bribery, injustice, immorality of every kind, and worst of all they
had turned to idol worship, idolatry.
Because of the nation’s sin God was going to send judgment upon
them. Isaiah was there to warn the
people and give them a way of deliverance.
This was God’s offer, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1.18). If they would have repented of their sin,
asked God for forgiveness, and turned to live for Him, God would have forgiven their
sin and preserved their land. Alas, the
biblical and historical record tells us of Israel’s continued pursuit of sin
and the devastating judgment of God upon their land and nation. There is a frightening parallel to this story
taking place in our own day, in our own land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The United States
of America has been and is now doing exactly what Israel did some 2,700 years
ago. This nation was founded on the
truth that there is but one true and living God, Jehovah God. This nation’s laws and moral conscience were
founded on biblical truths. We have come
to a point today in our move away from God where we have a sitting president
who has publicly announced his support for same sex marriage. We now have ruling government bodies
considering legislation and laws which would make it a hate crime to speak
against the sin of same sex marriage. As
a nation we kill hundreds of thousands of unborn children every year through abortion
on demand. Pornography runs rampant on
the internet and is polluting the minds of children who are barely old enough
to sit at a computer. We are a nation
consumed with materialism and pleasures of the flesh. Fornication and adultery are no longer looked
down upon, but rather are accepted as a normal way of life. The same charge God laid against Israel in
the 8<sup>th</sup> century B.C. could be laid against the United States
today. We are a wicked people and getting
more wicked every day. There is but one
future for a nation that continues down the path we are on and that future is
judgment. God is holy to a degree we
cannot fully appreciate as human beings.
God’s very nature demands that He judge all wickedness. God has already pronounced judgment upon evil
and one day He will execute that judgment.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Some would ask the question,
what is God waiting for? The answer to
that question is found in the Bible.
Peter said, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3.9). God’s desire is that we repent of our sin and
turn to Him. God’s desire is to forgive
our sin and save our souls. God sent His
Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross of Calvary as payment for the sin of
the whole world. God offers forgiveness
to all who will call on Him by faith and ask Him to save them. However, we have to be willing to turn from
our sin and wickedness to Him. We have
to be willing to give up our sin and ask Him to deliver us from our own evil
ways. God’s patience and delay in judgment
is actually grace. God’s delay in
judgment is an opportunity to repent and be saved. I pray that our nation will see revival and
turn back to God before it is too late.
I pray that if you have never personally trusted Jesus as your Lord and
Savior, that you would repent of your sin and ask Him by faith to save your
soul right now. Judgment day is coming and
that is a fact. Are you ready?</span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-17950636709065089972012-04-28T08:07:00.001-07:002012-04-28T08:07:28.857-07:00Dan Savage And His Double Standard<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> A prominent news
agency recently reported an incident involving Dan Savage and his speech at a National
High School Journalism Conference called Journalism On The Edge. This conference was held in Seattle and was
attended by high school students and others interested in journalism. Because Mr. Savage is a syndicated writer, he
was invited to the conference as the key speaker. For those who don’t know who Mr. Savage is,
he is a militant homosexual and a self-proclaimed expert in sexuality. I use the term “self-proclaimed expert”
because he has a B.A. in theater, no formal training or education in the area
of sexuality as far as I can tell. Mr.
Savage has a history of bashing Christians and anyone else who holds a
conservative social view. He is no
stranger to attacking the Bible and belittling anyone who believes in God. Though there is a lot I could say concerning
Mr. Savage’s views, my focus in this writing has to do with the clear double
standard at work in his agenda. Here are
a few thoughts concerning his conduct at this event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Among the many
things wrong with what Mr. Savage did, it is unprofessional and outright
deceptive to be invited to speak on a publicized topic and then turn the
opportunity into a personal rampage. No
doubt Mr. Savage knows a thing or two about journalism and could have given
some helpful and informative instruction in that area. He chose, however, to use the public forum to
vent his vitriolic personal views of the Bible, Christians, and anyone else who
holds different views and convictions from his own. Shame on him for such unprofessional conduct.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Mr. Savage is also guilty
of taking advantage of the captive audience in this situation. The students who attended this event were
doing so as part of their high school learning experience. Teachers and guest speakers who address high
school students are not allowed by law to bash or otherwise demean specific
groups of people. Teachers in public
schools can lose their jobs for such behavior. Yet Mr. Savage purposely ignored the forum which
was largely made up of high school students and proceeded to use vulgarity as
well as personally attack those who openly disagreed with his views. Again, shame on Mr. Savage for such childish and
immature behavior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The worst part about
what Mr. Savage did has to do with his own hypocrisy. The topic of his discussion was supposed to
be about bullying. Mr. Savage leads an
organization that speaks out against the bullying of homosexuals and others who
have differing views from the mainstream of society. If there is a common ground where Mr. Savage
and I might agree, it would be on this issue of bullying. I’m sure my definition of bullying differs
from his, however, there is no place in society for one person to take
advantage of or hurt another. There are
ways to express differences of opinion and or espouse truth without attacking
someone on a personal level. Mr. Savage
became a bully in his speech, the very thing he was there to speak
against. The sad part is his hatred for
God, the Bible, and all who follow God is so intense that he cannot see his own
failure. Shame on you Mr. Savage for
doing exactly what you preach against with such enthusiasm. You are no better than the people you condemn
on a daily basis. You really do owe an apology
to all those involved with your conduct at that conference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Mr. Savage does not
realize it, but God loves him. Let there
be no doubt, homosexuality is a sin just like any other form of rebellion
against God. However, Jesus Christ died
on the cross of Calvary to pay for our sin, all our sin. There is no sin God will not forgive if we
are willing to confess sin, repent of sin, and believe on Jesus by faith to
forgive us and save us. Every human
being will have to stand before God one day.
Mr. Savage can deny that fact all he wants, but it will not prevent it
from happening. I pray he will come to
know Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior before it is eternally too late. Even if he chooses to reject Jesus to the day
he dies, may he realize he is guilty of doing that thing he says he hates the
most, being a bully.</span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-61065826781591254392012-04-12T12:34:00.000-07:002012-04-12T12:34:33.818-07:00Fasting, What Is It and Should We Do It?<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> From time to time I hear Christians get into discussions concerning fasting. They ask questions like, “What is biblical fasting? Should we fast today? Is there any spiritual benefit to fasting?” The best way to answer all these questions is to look at what the Bible has to say about fasting. Let’s go there now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The definition of biblical fasting is pretty straight forward. According to Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, fasting is to, “Eat sparingly or abstaining from food altogether, either by necessity or desire” (Clarence B. Bass). The purpose for which we abstain from eating is the real focus behind fasting. In the Old Testament the Jews were required to fast one time a year on the annual day of atonement (Leviticus 23.27). The term used in that passage is, “afflicting the soul.” The day of atonement was so important the Jews were to spend the day focusing on God and setting aside all physical appetites, such as food. Therein is our first clue as to the real meaning of fasting. Fasting is the setting aside of food and the routine appetites of the body to focus on God and communion with Him. Fasting in the Old Testament was often connected to contriteness for some sin, pleading for mercy in the face of imminent danger, and seeking God’s leading in an important decision. The effectiveness or worth of fasting was always connected to the attitude and intent of the heart, not the act itself. In Zechariah 7.5 God said, “Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?” The implied answer is that they had fasted twice a year for seventy years and it was not genuinely unto God, they just went through the motions. They fasted physically on the outside, but there was no fasting toward God in their hearts. That kind of hypocritical fasting is not acceptable to God and that is what He was saying to them by way of the prophet Zechariah.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> What about in the New Testament? Are Christians commanded to fast today? Is there some unwritten, unspoken expectation for Christians to fast? The answer is, there is no command in the New Testament for Christians to fast. We do find in the New Testament, however, instances where Christians fasted for various reasons. For example, before the church at Antioch was told by the Holy Spirit to send out Barnabas and Paul as missionaries, they had been serving God and fasting (Acts 13.2). Jesus fasted forty days while He was in the wilderness after His baptism. The most definitive instruction concerning fasting in the New Testament comes from Jesus. In Matthew 6.16-18 Jesus said, “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. <sup>17</sup> But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; <sup>18</sup> That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” There is no command to fast, just directions for doing so properly when we do fast. Fasting is to be between God and the person who is fasting. We are reminded again by what Jesus said that fasting only has value if it is done with a right heart before God. God is not looking at the act of fasting itself, He is looking at the desire of the heart that moves us to fast. A correct motive for fasting starts with a genuine desire to seek the face of God. When we have a burden to be closer to God or we have a burden over a need in our lives or the lives of others, we might be so moved to set aside the appetites of the body so as to concentrate on communion with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> We see then from scripture that fasting is not some special super-spiritual way of getting God’s attention. Neither is fasting a way to make ourselves more spiritual. Fasting is not to be exercised for spiritual show, it is to be a serious matter between the child of God and our heavenly Father. We are not commanded to fast in the New Testament, however, if we choose to fast, let us do it with a right heart and in a way that honors God and draws us closer to Him.</span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-42465631110005166722012-03-09T03:30:00.001-08:002012-03-09T14:57:50.325-08:00What Is A Carnal Christian?<div class="MsoNormal"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> I received an email today from a person who asked a very good question. The question is so pertinent to what we see in Christianity today that I thought it best to answer it via my blog so everyone would have the benefit of reading the answer. The question concerns what it means to be a carnal Christian. What does carnality mean and how might we see or experience it in the Christian life? Let’s go to the Bible for the answers to these questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The apostle Paul referred to all people as being in one of two major groups. The first group contains all those who are lost in their sin, those who have never been born again spiritually by saving faith in Jesus Christ. Paul referred to this group by the term “natural” man. For example, we read in 1 Cor. 2.14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know<i> them</i>, because they are spiritually discerned.” The Greek word for “natural” in this verse is <i>psuchikos</i>. The word means breath as in the life of animals or the physical animation of the body. This term is descriptive of the one who has no spiritual life, meaning they have never been born again by faith in Jesus. A natural man in Paul’s vernacular is a lost man. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The second major group Paul places people in contains those who are saved. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, completely apart from human merit or effort (See Eph. 2.8-9). Those who confess their sin to God and by faith ask Jesus to forgive their sin and be Lord of their lives are spiritually renewed or born again. For example, we read in Eph. 5.18, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” The word “Spirit” in this verse is <i>pneuma</i> which refers to God the Holy Spirit. Paul was urging those of us who are saved to be filled or led by the Holy Spirit. Those Christians who are being led by the Spirit are called <i>pneumatikos</i>. A Christian who is living out the Christian life in victory over sin is a <i>pneumatikos.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> To this point we have seen Paul’s term for lost people and we have seen the term used to describe saved people. We have those who are the natural man, <i>psuchikos,</i> and we have those who are filled with and being led by the Holy Spirit, <i>pneumatikos</i>. There is, however, a third group, a subset of those who are saved, which Paul refers to as carnal Christians. The word carnal comes from the word <i>sarkikos</i> which means of the flesh or fleshly. For example, we read in 1 Cor. 3.1-3, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,<i> even</i> as unto babes in Christ. <sup>2</sup> I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able<i> to bear it</i>, neither yet now are ye able. <sup>3</sup> For ye are yet carnal: for whereas<i> there is</i> among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” Notice Paul said he could not speak to them as “spiritual” <i>pneumatikos</i>, as those being led by the Spirit, but rather he had to speak to them as “carnal” <i>sarkikos</i>, those who were being led by the flesh. He even described some of their carnal behavior in verse 3. We find then that it is possible for a person to be genuinely saved and yet allow the flesh to have dominion in their life. How can this be? Then answer is simply this, even after we are saved we still have a fallen Adamic nature in our flesh. At the moment of saving faith we are given victory over sin and the flesh. That means we no longer have to obey or be under sin, however, the weakness of the flesh is still in us. The truth is, there remains the seed of every sin known to man in our fallen humanity, even after we are saved. The only thing that keeps us from indulging the flesh is a Spirit filled walk with our Lord. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that keeps us from sin, not some religious determination on our part. There is no power to serve or obey God in the flesh. Paul said, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: <sup>4</sup> That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8.3-4). The key to victorious Christian living is in God the Holy Spirit, not the flesh. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The answer to the question of carnality is this, Paul always referred to lost people as the natural man, <i>psuchikos</i>. He always referred to the Christian life, a person walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, as <i>pneumatikos</i>. Paul referred to Christians who were being overcome by the weakness of the flesh as carnal, <i>sarkikos</i>. The natural man, the lost man, cannot understand anything spiritual because sin and Satan has him blinded. The saved man who is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit is the growing Christian who is bringing forth much fruit for Jesus. The carnal Christian who is wallowing around in the weakness of the flesh will never grasp more than the rudimentary truths of the Christian life, i.e., they will be perpetual babes in Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Here is where the difficulty lies from our perspective. We cannot see the heart of man, only God can. A carnal Christian can look so much like a lost man that we cannot tell the difference. I believe the biblical test is this, if a person can continue in sin perpetually, with no conviction, then they are most likely not saved, they were never saved in the first place. I do not believe a true born again child of God can live perpetually in rebellion against God, the sinful lifestyle is far too contrary to our new nature in Christ. A carnal Christian is therefore a saved man who is being overcome by the sin and weakness of his flesh. A carnal Christian is saved, but he is not being led by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was Paul who told us not to grieve the Holy Spirit with our sin for He is the one who has saved and sealed us unto the day of redemption (Eph. 4.30). May we who are saved present our bodies as living sacrifices every day. May we prayerfully walk in the power of the Holy Spirit so we do not sin against our Holy God.</span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-60445529511356776862012-03-01T10:08:00.001-08:002012-03-01T10:09:22.152-08:00Costa Concordia, Compromise & Complacency<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> On January 13, 2012 the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground and sank. As the details of this tragedy continue to emerge, a picture of compromise and complacency has begun to take shape. Recent reports reveal the ship was moving through the water at some eighteen knots and at times not more than a few hundred yards from shallow water, clearly marked on navigation charts. It seems Captain Schettino realized he was too close to shore and made a starboard turn toward deeper water. However, when a large ship, such as the Costa Concordia, is moving eighteen knots, the rear part of the ship will move in the opposite direction. As the bow or front of the ship moved toward deeper water, the rear of the ship moved closer to shore and made contact with submerged rocks. In the same way the Titanic was damaged by an ice berg, the rocks cut into the side of the Costa Concordia, leaving a gash some 160 feet in length. The ship is designed to handle a certain amount of flooding in water tight compartments, however, few ships, if any, can sustain a 160 foot gash below the water line. The ship flooded and sank. The chain of errors and poor judgment will no doubt be the subject of discussion for years to come. However, this story is a real life example of the price of compromise and complacency. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Let’s think about what that means.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> According to Webster’s Dictionary, compromise can be defined as laying open to danger or endangering. Captain Schettino opened his vessel to danger or endangered his vessel by deviating from the safe programed course for his ship. Webster also defines complacency as a smugness or self-satisfaction. Complacency comes when we do something so often that we no longer really pay attention to why or how we are doing it. Such was the case with this accident. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The question for us is, what lesson can we learn from Captain Schettino’s failure? Is there a lesson here at all? I believe there is a powerful biblical lesson for all who would care to consider the comparison. The Bible warns us against both compromise and complacency in our faith. We are to never compromise with sin, thus opening ourselves to the danger sin brings with it. We are to guard against endangering our spiritual lives with the destructive effects of sin. The apostle Paul said, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph 6.11). Furthermore we are warned against becoming complacent in our faith. Paul told the church at Corinth that the inward man is “renewed” day by day (2 Cor 4.16). We should never become so use to being saved that we forget what God did for us and why we are here. Compromise with sin and a stagnant spiritual life is a recipe for disaster. Let’s look at one biblical example.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In 1 Kings 2 Solomon became king of all Israel. Solomon’s faith and walk with God was so dynamic and fresh that God appeared to Solomon twice in visions and dreams. However, we see in the text an open area of compromise in Solomon’s life that would later mean big trouble. 1 Kings 3.1 tells us how Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh. The problem is, God had commanded the Israelites to marry only Jewish women who would naturally be of like faith in Jehovah God. The prohibition against marrying strange women was to protect the people from being influenced by pagan religions. Solomon opened the door and sin came flooding in. By the time we get to chapter 11, here is what we find, “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians,<i> and</i> Hittites; Of the nations<i> concerning</i> which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you:<i> for</i> surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love” (1 Kings 11.1-2). Solomon had compromised with sin and it led to his complete failure in the area of marriage and morality. In addition, Solomon’s sin led to the introduction of idolatry into the land of Israel that would eventually bring the chastening hand of God upon the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Compromise with sin and complacency in our walk with the Lord will eventually bring hurt and loss into our lives. The worst part is we will end up losing our testimony for Jesus, just like Solomon. Is there compromise in your life? Are you flirting with sin? Be sure of this one thing, compromise leads to complacency. Compromise and complacency are killers. Let us be quick to repent of our sin and make no compromise with the enemy. </span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-1922572948528551302012-02-11T16:52:00.001-08:002012-02-14T18:54:58.943-08:00Evidence Of Saving Faith<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> There is a certain man I know whom I have had the privilege to speak to concerning faith in Jesus Christ on numerous occasions. Every time our conversation turns to spiritual matters of the heart and soul, this man quickly affirms to me that he is saved. To make sure he and I are on the same page when we speak of being saved, I have been careful to articulate the necessity of confession and repentance of sin as well as faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He assures me he understands and that he is saved. You might be thinking at this point, why do I keep asking him if he is saved? Why do I continue in my effort to clarify for him what it means to be saved? The answer, there is no discernible evidence in his life that he has a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. I see this man’s life and there is no visible evidence of any conviction over sin, holiness, or testimony for the name of Jesus. Let’s take a look at what the Bible has to say about this man and the many like him that profess Jesus, but have no evidence in their lives that they are truly saved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In his letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul spoke of the motive for his ministry. He said, “For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that, if one died for all, then were all dead. And that He died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5.14-15). Let’s think about what Paul said here. The word for “Constraineth” is the Greek word <i>sunecho</i>. This word means to be channeled in a certain direction like a ship passing through a narrow place. The same idea is seen when cattle are herded into a narrow place so they can only go in one direction. The truth Paul declared here is that the love of God pressed him into a specific lifestyle. In Paul’s case it was the ministry of Jesus Christ as an apostle. When Paul believed on Jesus Christ by faith and was saved, the love of God that saved him constrained him to live for Jesus. The natural result of being saved was that Paul no longer lived for himself, but gave his life for the glory of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> What was true for Paul is still true today. A person who has genuinely trusted Jesus by faith to be their Lord and Savior will know the love of God in a personal way. The apostle John said that as a result of knowing the love of God in a personal way, we will love Him back, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4.19). If we genuinely love God because of His great love for us, that love will be manifested in obedience to His will in our lives. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14.15). Here is the point, the man I know who insists that he is saved demonstrates no evidence that he cares anything about God. This particular man attends no corporate worship of any kind. He never speaks of God’s Word, nor do I ever see him read it. In addition, the habits he allows in his life are all self-centered and designed to satisfy the desires of the flesh. There is no evidence that this man is constrained or even influenced by the love of God. Only God knows if this man is save or not, however, there is no outward evidence in his life that he is saved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> There is need for a word of caution when we begin to look at the “fruit” in another person’s life. It is possible for a true born again child of God to allow sin in their lives to a point where they look just like a lost man. We see one such example in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15.11-32). The youngest son who went into a far land and lived a riotous life was still a son to his father while he was out of the father’s will and in sin. His fellowship with the father was broken by his sin and rebellion, but he never ceased to be a son. So it is when a child of God fails in sin. Our fellowship with our heavenly Father can be broken, but never is our relationship with Him in Christ broken. The eventual evidence that the son was a real son was that he came to himself, repented, and went back to the father. Likewise today, a true child of God cannot live in the pig pen of sin perpetually, a true child of God will grow weary of sin at some point because it is contrary to our new nature in Christ. The warning is, we have to be careful and guard against becoming legalistic when we look at the lifestyles of others. It is an expression of love to talk with someone about salvation if we are not sure they are really saved. However, we are not the Holy Spirit in their lives. In the end, only God knows if a person is truly saved or not. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The real value of this discussion is for us to examine our own hearts. The apostle Paul said, “Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13.5a). Are you constrained by the love of God? Is there a conviction in your heart over sin? Is there a God given desire to worship with other believers in Christ? Are you drawn to the Word of God which feeds our very souls? Do you see in your life the loving work of the Holy Spirit as He molds and shapes you for His glory? If there is any doubt in your mind as to your relationship with God, I encourage you to confess your sin, repent of sin, and by faith ask Jesus Christ to save your soul and be the Lord of your life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-86951734136682256582012-01-10T07:50:00.000-08:002012-01-10T07:50:42.453-08:00Church Membership, Is It Important?<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In our day of rampant consumerism, church membership has taken on some erroneous connotations. It seems in many cases people shop for a church much like they would shop for a coat or a new car. The criteria seems to be based on what makes them feel good or on what meets a perceived need in their lives. Neither of those are biblical reasons for church membership. What exactly is church membership all about? Let’s see what the Bible has to say about the subject.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The first and most important aspect of church membership has to do with the churches universal nature in Christ. Jesus established His church at Pentecost, in Jerusalem, after He ascended back to heaven. Acts 2.1-13 describes how the disciples were gathered in one place when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. In that moment, in that place, the dispensation of the church age was begun. From that time to today, any man or women who by faith confesses their sin and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, becomes a part of the universal church, often referred to as the body of Christ. Today Jesus is saving out of the world, out of every tongue and every tribe across the world, a peculiar people unto Himself. All who are saved by faith in Jesus are part of His church. The point here is simply this, all who are truly save by faith in Jesus Christ are a member of His universal church. The apostle Paul said, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12.13). If you are saved, you are part of Jesus’ church by the power of the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> That being true, how does the local church fit into the picture of what the Bible paints for us in Acts 2? The answer, the local church is simply an expression of the whole. It is not possible at this time for the universal church, all the redeemed in Jesus Christ, to congregate together in one place every week for the purpose of worshipping God together. So, we meet with Christians who live near where we live. When we read the New Testament we see the same pattern as groups of Christians met together in their towns and villages as part of a local church body. In every town where the apostle Paul introduced the Gospel, people were saved and a local church body was born. The local church was born out of the natural desire of Christians to congregate together to worship God. It is completely unnatural for a person to profess to be a Christian and not belong to a local body of believers. It is inconsistent with all we see in the New testament for a person to say they are saved and yet not be a member or part of a local body of believers. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> It is here I want to share with you three reasons a true child of God should be an active member of a Bible teaching church. First, Christians need to be under the teaching of a God called teacher/preacher. Paul told the young preacher Timothy, “Preach the Word, be diligent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4.2). It is the clear hearing and understanding of the Word of God that conforms us to the image of Christ in our lives. We as Christians cannot live in accord with God’s Word if we do not know the Word. Paul said to the church at Rome, “And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12.2). The human mind can only be transformed to Godly thinking when it is filled with the Word of God. It is the Word of God that permeates our thoughts which the Holy Spirit will use to produce an active obedience in our lives. There is no conformity to the image of Jesus in our lives if there is no study and knowledge of God’s Word, and that is a fact. A lack of knowledge concerning God’s Word is the exact reason there are so many immature Christians in the world today. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> A second reason a Christian should be an active member of a local church has to do with accountability. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10.25). The truth is, we need one another. We need the fellowship, the encouragement, the mutual accountability to holiness. We need to hold one another accountable before God, to live a life that testifies of Him. There is no such thing as a lone-ranger Christian in the Bible. It was Solomon who said, “As iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27.17).</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Finally, a true child of God should be a member of a local church body because it is in the local church where our spiritual gifts are exercised for the glory of God. Paul said, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit” (1 Corinthians 12.7). Every born again child of God has at least one spiritual gift, received from God at the time of salvation. Spiritual gifts are given to the redeemed to be used to profit all in the body of Christ, the church. Specifically, our spiritual gifts are to be used in the local church for the profit or edification of all. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The inescapable truth is that if you are saved, you should be a member, an active member, of a local church body. If you do not have a local church home, pray and ask God to show you where you should be. A church home is not about entertainment or even the way you feel after you have been there. The real test is, how does a church handle the Word of God? Does The Word of God have the center place in the life of the church? Find out where God wants you to be, join the church, and serve for God’s glory. </span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-52111631115402934002011-12-21T07:32:00.000-08:002011-12-21T07:32:10.225-08:00It's A New Year<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> We find ourselves in this pivotal time of the year when we look back at what we have experienced in 2011 while at the same time our thoughts run toward what will be in 2012. Many will make new year resolutions while some will forgo this annual effort that only seems to last a few weeks anyway. As children of God, how should we approach the new year? What should be our focus as we start 2012? There is a passage in God’s Word I would have us consider that clearly sets before us a principle we should be conscious of every day. </span></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The passage comes from King Solomon and is found in Ecclesiastes 12.13-14. Solomon wrote, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” This passage is the close of a book that focuses on the vanity of living life for the here and now. In other words, Solomon said throughout the Book of Ecclesiastes that he had tried everything life has to offer and found it all empty of true pleasure, peace, contentment, and fulfillment of life. Solomon said there is nothing this life has to offer which can bring everlasting value and contentment to the heart and soul of man. As the richest and wisest man to ever live, Solomon had indeed tasted all life has to offer. Having done so, He concluded two things in this passage.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> First, have a reverential fear of God and obey His commands. The idea here is that if we prayerfully order our lives according to God’s Word, life will take on a whole new meaning. True purpose in life comes from living in the will of God. True contentment in life comes from doing what God has gifted and called us to do. Life will never feel complete as long as we are trying to do our own thing apart from God’s will for us. Life will be unfulfilled if we live in sin and disobedience to God’s holy commands. We must surrender our will to His will. We must love God supremely and order our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to bring honor and glory to Him at all times. To walk with Jesus is the lofty noble life God intends for His redeemed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Secondly, we can be sure there is a day of accountability coming for every man. There is a day of judgment where every thought, every word, every action, every intent of the heart will be brought into account before God. There is no secret area of life hidden from God. God is omniscient, He knows and sees all things. We should live our lives knowing there is one before whom we must stand one day and give account. Good and bad will be set out in the open before God one day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Knowing these things should drive us to our heavenly Father in confession of sin while at the same time imploring Him to lead and guide us in this new year. My prayer is that we individually and collectively as a church body will be found faithful to the cause of Christ. Let us set our sights on 2012 and pray that it will be the greatest year yet for the cause of Christ at OakLeaf Baptist Church. </span></span>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-75564591138115237502011-11-30T07:41:00.000-08:002011-11-30T07:41:32.495-08:00Do Miracles Happen Today?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For a brief discussion on miracles, click video below.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/32879694?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/32879694">Do Miracles Happen Today?</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9456747">Oakleaf Baptist Church</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-47017523574220303142011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:002011-11-16T07:00:29.407-08:00To God Be The Glory <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our church publishes a monthly news letter in which I write an article. Here is a copy of what I wrote this month concerning God's worthiness to receive all praise, honor, and glory in our lives. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> We live in a society overflowing with self exaltation and pride.<span> </span>No matter where we look we see someone boasting of their accomplishments, their skill, their prowess in the world.<span> </span>This attitude of pride is to be expected from a world whose influencer is Satan.<span> </span>The very first sin in all the universe was pride.<span> </span>There came a day when Satan said in his heart that he wanted to be like God, take God’s place, as if that were even possible.<span> </span>One might even make the case that the root of all sin is pride, for sin is, in its most elemental form, a rebellion against the authority of God.<span> </span>When we sin we are saying by our actions that we know more than God and we are in charge of our lives, not Him.<span> </span>The Psalmist, however, gives us a correct view of God and of ourselves.<span> </span>He said, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake” (Psalm 115.1).<span> </span>The Psalmist simply confesses here that all boasting on our part is forever excluded.<span> </span>Everything good in our lives is attributed to God and Him alone.<span> </span>If we have received mercy in this life, it is the mercy of God.<span> </span>If we have enjoyed accomplishments or successes in this life, it is the blessing of God.<span> </span>If we receive notoriety, public accolades, or have been advanced in life above others, all glory, all praise belongs to God.<span> </span>The late Matthew Henry, in his commentary on the whole Bible, said it this way, “We must not imagine that we do anything for God by our own strength, or deserve anything from God by our own righteousness; but all the good we do is done by the power of his grace, and all the good we have is the gift of his mere mercy, and therefore he must have all the praise.”<span> </span>May we as Christians be reminded that our service to God and for God is a privilege.<span> </span>All we have, all we are, all we are able to do in His name is a gift from God over which we are mere stewards in this life.<span> </span>A stewardship, by the way, for which we will be held accountable one day.<span> </span>May we set our eyes on Jesus and serve Him with all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength.<span> </span>Then let us give Him and Him alone praise for whatever is done to His glory.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-2215979430506062432011-11-10T07:47:00.000-08:002011-11-11T08:24:26.267-08:00The 23rd Psalm<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The 23<sup>rd</sup> Psalm may be the most well known passage in all the Bible. It is used at funerals, quoted in times of distress or sorrow, and has even been quoted by military leaders as they led their men into battle. The following is a brief running commentary of what this powerful passage says to our hearts.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This Psalm was written by King David, a shepherd who had practical experience at taking care of his father’s sheep. David understood what it meant to be a shepherd, the responsibility, the care, the tenderness required for the job. Therefore it was a small step for David to use this metaphor as a way to describe his relationship to God. Jesus used the same metaphor in the New Testament when He spoke of our relationship to Him, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow men. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10.27-28). David’s confidence in God as his shepherd is expressed in the assurance that he would want for nothing. The shepherd loves, cares for, and protects his sheep. Thus we who are saved are loved, cared for, and protected by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Green pastures represent a place of plenty, a place of rest. No doubt David had spent many days in his life looking out over the sheep who lay peacefully before him in the pasture, perfectly content as they rested beneath his ever watching care. Green pastures also represent a place of security. David himself bore testimony how he had protected his sheep from a bear and a lion, using his sling to kill both. For those who are saved, our God is a mighty fortress, our shield and our buckler. The redeemed of Christ are forever safe in His care. Still waters is yet another way to describe the tranquility of resting in Him. What a contrast one sees when looking at the lost heart of man today. For the lost man there is no peace, there is no security, there is no tranquility in life. For the lost man there is only a certain fearful expectation of judgment to come. (see Hebrews 10.27).</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The soul of man is marred by sin. God created man to have fellowship with Him. But sin has broken that fellowship and separated us from our creator. David acknowledged here that God is the restorer of the human soul. God is the only one who can remove our sin guilt and restore us to a right spiritual standing and moral relationship with Him. Our sin is forgiven and our souls restored based on the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Jesus died in our place on the cross, was buried, and rose again the third day to make possible the forgiveness of our sin. David was saved the same way we are today, he was saved by faith. All who place their faith in Jesus Chris can and will have their souls restored, just as David declared here. The natural result of having our souls restored is that we are led of God. The shepherd leads His sheep. God leads us in the paths or ways of life that are righteous before Him. As we walk in obedience to His Word, His name is glorified before the world. God is honored and pleased when we obey Him. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and they staff they comfort me.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The message here is that in the darkest possible time of life, our shepherd is still with us. Even when this life is over and we are to pass from this mortal existence, our God is near. The valley may look long, it may seem dark, we don’t seem to be able to make our way, yet our God is near. It is His shepherd’s rod, His shepherd’s staff that will guide, protect, and encourage, even in the day of death. The Bible tells us how the child of God never really dies. When the end of this physical life comes for the child of God, we are but changing locations. The moment this life ends with physical death, we are instantly in the presence of the one who saved us. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5: Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A table of plenty is another expression by David of how God had met and was meeting his every need. Not only did God meet his every need in life, He even did so in the very presence of those who would destroy him. Even when David was hiding in the caves of the wilderness, running from King Saul, David could say God had prepared a table of plenty before him. The circumstances of this life cannot steal from us the joy and overflowing of God’s blessings in our hearts. Even when life seems contrary and difficult, our cup runs over with the love, peace, and joy of Christ. The anointing of the head with oil was always a symbol of gladness. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Are not past and present blessings an assurance of what is to come? As was so aptly penned by a secular song writer, “The future is so bright I have to wear shades.” The blessings of God we enjoy here in this life are only the tip of the iceberg. The apostle Paul said, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (2 Corinthians 2.9). If we can know and experience such peace, joy, and security in Christ in this life, truly what must it be like in heaven? What a testimony David closed with here, “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” To that I can but say, “Amen.” I pray you have a saving relationship with Jesus by faith. I pray this Psalm speaks to the testimony of your heart. </span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-35192693582052973142011-10-25T12:39:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:39:40.866-07:00Stressed Out!<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span> </span>Sometimes the world feels like it presses in on us and we get stressed out.<span> </span>There is the ever present tension of financial obligations, the mortgage or rent must be paid, the light bill, the phone bill, food, clothing, putting gas in the car.<span> </span>Add to that the pressures of a job, children (small or grown), relationships, health needs, and it is easy to see how we might feel overwhelmed.<span> What does the Bible say about our stress, anxiety, and worry?</span></span></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"> The good news is as a child of God the cares of this world need not stress us out.<span> </span>The apostle Paul said, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4.6).<span> </span>“Be careful for nothing” literally means, “In nothing be anxious.”<span> </span>The apostle Paul said we are not to worry or be stressed out over worldly things.<span> </span>He is not saying we are to be careless about matters of life, he is simply saying there is no reason for us to be distracted from serving God and living a life that honors Him.<span> </span>There is no reason for our peace in Christ to be sacrificed simply because life has its challenges.<span> </span>Rather than be stressed out, we are to make it the habit of our lives to pray without ceasing, to speak every care to our heavenly Father as we move throughout the day.<span> </span>In every matter, whether it be an emergency or a normal routine of life, we are to pray to our Father in heaven and ask His blessing in all things.<span> </span>We are to commit our lives into the hands of the one who loves us and has promised to take care of our every need.<span> </span>Notice how all our prayers are to be offered in an attitude of gratitude, we are to pray with a thankful heart.<span> </span>God already knows what we need, however, we are to present it before Him in prayer as an expression of our faith and trust in Him.<span> </span>What is the result of this kind of prayer life?<span> </span>“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4.7).<span> </span>The peace of Jesus sets us free from worry.<span> </span>Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you (1 Peter 5.7). May the peace we have in Jesus set you free today from the stress that so easily besets us all.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-51567481793525302142011-10-08T09:19:00.000-07:002011-10-08T09:19:16.102-07:00Should Christians Drink Alcoholic Beverages?<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The question of alcoholic beverage use among Christians is often an emotional one.<span> </span>There are basically two camps when one considers this issue.<span> </span>There are those who proclaim their liberty in Christ to drink alcoholic beverages so long as they refrain from being drunk.<span> </span>On the other side of the issue are those who claim a person might not even be saved if they have a beer or wine with their dinner.<span> </span>Before I share with you my conviction on the matter and what I preach from the pulpit, let’s consider what the Bible has to say about alcoholic beverages as well as our Christian liberty in Christ.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>When we look at what the Bible has to say about alcoholic beverages we should be immediately impressed with the warnings.<span> </span>Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, said, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20.1).<span> </span>We know from this warning there is the potential for strong drink to make a fool of us and if we go down that path we are not wise.<span> </span>It was also Solomon who said, “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?<span> </span>They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine” (Proverbs 23.29-30).<span> </span>The rest of Proverbs 23 describes the sorrows and hurts associated with wine and strong drink.<span> </span>Hosea the prophet said, “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart” (Hosea 4.11).<span> </span>Hosea said this in the context of Israel’s willful ignorance of God.<span> </span>The wine was part and parcel to their illicit sexual sins and rebellion against God.<span> </span>The same is prophesied against the Gentile nations by the prophet Joel, “And they have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink” (Joel 3.3).<span> </span>Again, strong drink is inseparable from their illicit sexual sins.<span> </span>The prophet Habakkuk recorded a vision of God where God said, “Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home” (Habakkuk 2.5a).<span> </span>Then we see in the New Testament the clear instruction, “And be not drunk with wine” (Ephesians 5.18a).<span> </span>We also see in Paul’s letter to Timothy how part of the qualification for pastors and deacons is that they are, “Not given to wine” (1 Timothy 3.3a).<span> </span>This quick survey simply tells us there is a danger present with alcoholic beverages.<span> </span>Can a person use strong drink and not be drunk or forsake home and God?<span> </span>Yes, there are many who drink alcoholic beverages and never allow it to control their lives, however, the danger is still there.<span> </span>It only takes getting bit by alcoholic beverage one time to ruin life and testimony.<span> </span>Whether you believe your Christian liberty allows you to drink or not, the biblical fact is, it is dangerous.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>The second consideration concerning alcoholic beverage has to do with testimony and the value it brings to our walk with Jesus.<span> </span>The apostle Paul set the standard for us when it comes to areas of Christian liberty and how we are to view them.<span> </span>He said, “Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (1 Corinthians 8.13).<span> </span>The context is set in the eating of meat that had previously been offered to idols.<span> </span>Jews who had been saved by faith in Christ still carried with them a strong conviction concerning the sin of eating meat offered to idols.<span> </span>Under the law it was a sin, however, under grace they now had the liberty to eat the meat if they wanted to.<span> </span>Paul had every right in his liberty in Christ to eat meat, no matter what it had been used for before it was placed in the meat market.<span> </span>However, out of consideration for his brothers and sisters in Christ who might be offended or caused to stumble at his eating meat offered to idols, he said he would give up eating meat altogether to make sure he did not hurt their walk in Christ.<span> </span>Out of love for his brothers and sisters in Christ, Paul surrendered what was in actuality a Christian liberty in his day.<span> </span>Now, let’s apply this same principle to the issue of alcoholic beverages in our day.<span> </span>In my case, as a pastor, there is no way I can allow alcoholic beverages to be a part of my life.<span> </span>My use of alcoholic beverages would cause someone to stumble in their faith, even though I have the Christian liberty to drink a beer or have wine with dinner if I so choose.<span> </span>What if a young man in the youth group is struggling with alcohol or drug abuse and he sees me buying a six pack of beer at the local convenience store?<span> </span>Most assuredly that young man would be damaged in his battle with alcohol and drugs.<span> </span>He might very well be influenced by me to make bad choices in his life.<span> </span>Let’s take the principle outside the issue of alcoholic beverages.<span> </span>There is a restaurant a few miles up the road called “Hooters.”<span> </span>The reason it is so named is seen in the way the waitresses are dressed.<span> </span>I have the liberty in Christ to eat there as often as I like, however, I choose to never eat there.<span> </span>The reason I don’t eat at Hooters is the same reason I abstain from alcoholic beverages, I don’t want to cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>The last thought for today has to do with spiritual benefit.<span> </span>There are things in life that are within my Christian liberty and yet they have no spiritual value in my life or the lives of others.<span> </span>What’s more, some Christian liberties may even have a detrimental spiritual effect on my life.<span> </span>Consider again what Paul had to say, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Corinthians 10.23).<span> </span>The word expedient means to be profitable for me.<span> </span>The idea here is my Christian liberty has in it some things that are not profitable for me or others.<span> </span>Likewise the word “edify” means to build up in the faith.<span> </span>My Christian liberty has in it some things that are legal, but they do not make me stronger in my faith nor do they help others be stronger in their faith.<span> </span>The idea here is this, just because I can apply my liberty in Christ to something I might want to do does not mean it is good for me, good for others, or that it is the right thing for me to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>My conviction, based in part on what we have looked at in these passages, is that it is best for Christians in our day to abstain from alcoholic beverages.<span> </span>Notice I said best because it really is an issue of what is good and what is best.<span> </span>There are certainly some good things a person might say about alcoholic beverages, however, given the stigma in our day it is better and best for Christians to abstain.<span> </span>I do not believe a Christian can have a truly effective witness for Christ and avoid causing someone to stumble if they use alcoholic beverages.<span> </span>In the end you and I have to answer to Christ for ourselves concerning the life and testimony we live.<span> </span>Do we really want to stand before Jesus someday knowing we forced our Christian liberty on some habit or lifestyle that hurt and hindered others?<span> </span>I pray God will give me wisdom to use my Christian liberty in a way to bless others and draw lost men and women to Him.<span> </span>I pray you feel the same way.</span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-88187989812053251402011-09-27T18:56:00.000-07:002011-09-27T18:56:08.905-07:00Satan And Demons<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">There seems to be in our day an increased fascination with Satan and the demons.<span> </span>The subject of many advertised movies seems to be increasingly centered around or focused on some evil or wicked scenario that involves the supernatural effect of Satan or demons.<span> </span>I have also noticed an increased presence of palm readers, open affiliation with the occult, as well as increased public exposure of those who claim to be witches, warlocks, or soothsayers who claim they can predict the future.<span> </span>One has but to look at the recent lineup of primetime evening television shows to see mind readers, those who can converse with the dead, as well as vampires and werewolves.<span> </span>What are Christians to think and make of this fascination with the supernatural or spiritual realm?<span> </span>That is the subject of our thoughts today.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>The first thing we understand from the Bible is that the spiritual world is real.<span> </span>There are angelic beings, good and bad, that are active in the world around us.<span> </span>The apostle Paul said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6.12).<span> </span>The fundamentals of this verse are straight forward.<span> </span>Satan has an army of demons who are aligned against God and all that He is doing in the world.<span> </span>We see here the structure of these demon forces as principalities and powers.<span> </span>This tells us Satan’s demons are structured much as the angels of heaven are structured.<span> </span>There are ranks among the demons as well as among God’s angels.<span> </span>There is a continual battle in the spiritual realm we cannot see.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>We further understand from the Bible that Satan has but one goal, to kill, steal, and destroy all that is good in the lives of men and women.<span> </span>Jesus called Satan a thief and a liar.<span> </span>Jesus said, “The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10.10a).<span> </span>The glamorization of demon activity is dangerous.<span> </span>Satan is a master deceiver and his only aim is to destroy as many lives as possible.<span> </span>He seeks to keep men blinded from the truth of God’s grace and our need of a Savior.<span> </span>The proliferation of movies, books, and so called experts on the spiritual realm serve only to desensitize people to the danger and reality of the death and destruction Satan and his demons seek to bring into the world.<span> </span>It is healthy to have a firm biblical knowledge of the wiles of Satan and his demons, however, it is dangerous to have a familiar attitude concerning these demonic threats.<span> </span>In the little Book of Jude we read, “Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee” (Jude 9).<span> </span>Here we are told how Michael, the archangel, one of the most powerful angels in heaven, would not personally rebuke Satan, but rather committed Satan’s rebuke to the Lord.<span> </span>Consider this, if the archangel Michael would not personally rebuke Satan, but rather turned him over to the Lord, how much more do we mere mortals need to rely on God to preserve and keep us from the power of Satan?<span> </span>How dangerous indeed it is for us to delve into demonic things of which we really have no comprehension?<span> </span>Christians should have nothing to do with witchcraft, fortune telling, future telling, or those who claim they have contact with departed souls.<span> </span>To delve into areas of magic, mysticism, or the occult is to play right into Satan’s hands.<span> </span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>From time to time someone will ask me where Satan and the demons came from?<span> </span>They will ask me why God would allow Satan and his minions to exist in His creation?<span> </span>The answer to the first question is Satan was created by God.<span> </span>Satan is actually a fallen angel.<span> </span>There was a time in eternity past when he served God as one of His chief angels.<span> </span>There came a time when pride welled up in Satan and he desired to be like God.<span> </span>We are told by the prophet Isaiah, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! <span> </span>How art thou cut down to the ground, who didst weaken the nations!<span> </span>For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north” (Isaiah 14.12-13).<span> </span>Satan sinned by wanting to be like God.<span> </span>Satan rebelled against God and a host of the angels chose to rebel with him.<span> </span>The fallen angels are called demons.<span> </span>Satan and the demons are already under the judgment of God and will one day be thrown into the eternal lake of fire.<span> </span>As to the second question, why God allows Satan and his demons to do what they do, we can only say it is all part of God’s sovereign eternal plan.<span> </span>God will ultimately receive honor and glory when His plan and purpose for all things is fulfilled.<span> </span>All sin will receive its just reward, including the sin of Satan and his followers, demonic or human.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>Let us be on guard against the world’s fascination with Satan and his minions.<span> </span>Let us give our attention to following Jesus with all our heart, all our mind, and with all our strength.<span> </span>Satan will do his worst while he has opportunity, but we who are saved by faith in Jesus have the victory.<span> </span>May Jesus come for His bride, the church, even today.</span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-54691957640837468442011-09-12T08:33:00.000-07:002011-09-12T15:00:45.685-07:00Eternal Security Of The True Believer<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> From time to time someone will ask me, “Can a Christian lose their salvation?” What they want to know is if a Christian can sin in some way after they are saved whereby they lose their eternal life in Christ? The answer is no. A person who has been genuinely saved by faith in Jesus Christ cannot lose their salvation. There are many passages in the Bible that deal with a true believer’s eternal security, however, we will limit our thoughts today to a couple that more than seal the deal on the issue.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The first is found in the Gospel of John. In John 10.27-28, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Jesus made this tremendous statement in the context of His discussion with some religious leaders of His day who were not saved. In other words, Jesus was drawing a contrast for them by showing they did not hear His teaching because they were not His sheep. However, all those who are truly saved by faith in Jesus Christ do hear His Words. We who are truly saved are receptive to what He has to say because He is our Lord, our Shepherd. Not only do truly saved people hear His Word, we are responsive to it. We who are truly saved actively follow our Lord, our Shepherd. So, up to this point we see two evidences of true salvation, we hear God’s Word and it has a direct effect on the way we live. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Now, notice what Jesus does for those who are truly saved. First, he gives unto us eternal life. The plain truth of the matter is, it would not be eternal life if it were conditional on our conduct after we are saved. It is true that Christians stray from time to time, but if we are truly sheep in the first place, we will not like it when we are away from fellowship (not relationship) with Jesus. Even when we are out of fellowship with Jesus because of our disobedience, He is still our Shepherd. The pig likes it in the pig pen, however, sheep will not like it in the pig pen for long. The bottom line here is this, eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ is a gift. We could not earn eternal life by good works and we cannot keep or secure our eternal life by our own efforts. Just as Jesus saved us by grace, so He keeps us saved by grace. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> After telling us of His gift of eternal life, Jesus reinforced the security of our eternal life in Him by saying we will never perish. The Greek word for perish is “<i>apollumi</i>” which means to be sentenced to death, to be marked out for destruction, or in this context to be turned over to eternal misery. Jesus said that will never happen to anyone who is truly saved and belongs to Him. This passage alone is enough to convince us that we are eternally saved in Christ. However, let’s consider one more.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In chapter 7 of the Book of Romans, the Apostle Paul lamented the ongoing battle Christians have with their fallen human nature. We have been set free from sin in Jesus Christ, however, the presence of sin in our fallen human nature is still here. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to live in victory over sin in our daily lives. The question would then be, in those times when I sin, when I do not rely on the Holy Spirit for victory, what about my salvation? Am I still saved in those moments when I have a sinful thought? Am I still saved in those moments when I lose my temper or say something inappropriate? The answer is yes, we are still saved, even in the times of our weakness when we give in to the flesh. Look at what the Apostle Paul said, “There is therefore, now, no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8.1). What wonderful news is this! There is no “condemnation” for those who are in Christ Jesus. The word “condemnation” means judgment against, punishment pronounced, or a damnatory sentence. For those who are truly saved by faith in Jesus Christ, there is none of this. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> The only question left to answer is, are you in Jesus Christ by faith? If you are truly saved by faith in Jesus Christ you are in fact eternally secure. Jesus has promised as much and He cannot and will not go back on His Word. Praise God for His wonderful gift of eternal life in His Son Jesus Christ. </span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-28280561098304613402011-08-23T19:05:00.000-07:002011-08-23T19:05:12.844-07:00A Biblical View Of Christian Liberty<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I recently had the wonderful opportunity to take my eighteen year old daughter to lunch, just the two of us.<span> </span>She graduated from high school a few months ago and is starting college next week.<span> </span>Her mother and I have been consciously trying to allow her more latitude in her decision making process.<span> </span>We still give rudder directions from time to time, but we are trying to let her experience what it is like to be an adult and have the responsibility of making good decisions.<span> </span>That is why I was very blessed by our conversation over lunch.<span> </span>As we were eating she began to make some observations concerning the habits of some of her peers who are born again believers in Christ.<span> </span>She began to ask me about Christian liberties in Christ and how we should view certain conduct or indulgences Christians allow in their lives?<span> </span>The blessing for me is that she was thinking about her life in Christ and how her conduct would affect those around her. <span> </span>The question of Christian liberty is so important that I decided to share with you what I shared with her over lunch.</span></div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>Some Christians live by a set of rules concerning their conduct.<span> </span>They have a list of do’s and don’ts and if they keep their list they think and feel they are living a good Christian life.<span> </span>There are several problems with that system of Christian living.<span> </span>First, no two people have the exact same list of what constitutes righteous holy living.<span> </span>For example, one Christian may feel going to the movies is okay and another will feel like it is a sin.<span> </span>The second problem with a legalistic set of rules for Christian living is it results in Christians being judgmental of those who don’t have the same list.<span> </span>In other words, Christians judge one another as living holy or unholy by a list of rules they, for the most part, created.<span> </span>Thirdly, and most importantly, living by a set of rules is not in the New Testament.<span> </span>Rules and legalism by the law are not what Jesus said should motivate us to serve Him.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>The key to Christian living, doing what pleases God in our lives, is love.<span> </span>The key to determining which Christian liberties are right for me or for you is love.<span> </span>We find this truth in the account of Jesus’ interaction with a Jewish scribe in Matthew 22.36-40.<span> </span>In this passage the Jewish scribe asked Jesus which of the laws was the greatest?<span> </span>What Jesus said to him constitutes the basis for all we do as Christians in this life.<span> </span>Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.<span> </span>This is the first and great commandment.<span> </span>And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.<span> </span>On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22.37-40).<span> </span>Let’s think about what Jesus said here.<span> </span>If I obey these two commands I am fulfilling all the law.<span> </span>That’s pretty powerful stuff.<span> </span>Let’s put it to the test and see what we find.<span> </span>If I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, I will not want to do anything that embarrasses or offends Him.<span> </span>If we apply that to the ten commandments, it means I will not allow anything in my life to take priority over Him, I will not take His name in vain, and I will desire to worship and honor Him at all times.<span> </span>We can clearly see that if I love God as I should then I will choose my Christian liberties in light of what glorifies Him.<span> </span>I will want my life to reflect His holiness so that He is honored and glorified in me.<span> </span>I will not want to disobey His commands or offend Him with willful sin because I love Him.<span> </span>The law brought obedience to God via fear.<span> </span>Grace brings obedience to God out of love because He first loved us.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>Now, let’s apply the same truth to loving others. <span> </span>If I love my neighbor as myself, according to the ten commandments, I will not want to murder him, commit adultery with his wife, or take something that belongs to him.<span> </span>If I love my neighbor as myself I will not want to offend him, hurt him, or in any way hinder his coming to Jesus to be saved or his Christian walk after he is saved.<span> </span>This love for my neighbor will motivate me to regulate my Christian liberties for his benefit.<span> </span>For example, I have the liberty in Christ to drink a beer, however, I know it will affect my testimony in a negative way and may even keep someone from coming to church who needs to hear about the love and grace of God.<span> </span>I have the liberty to eat an evening meal in an establishment known for its scantily dressed waitresses, however, I know it will affect my testimony in a negative way.<span> </span>If I refrain from certain conduct, certain liberties that I otherwise have the right to exercise, it is out of love for my God and others, not some list of do’s and don’ts.<span> </span>Love is the key to Christian liberty.<span> </span>Genuine love for God motivates me to obey His Word.<span> </span>Genuine love for my neighbor motivates me to seek his best, even if that means I have to forgo a liberty that is otherwise okay.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span> </span>As a concluding thought, consider the example of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 8.<span> </span>The Jews who had come to Jesus by faith and were saved still struggled with eating meat that had been offered to idols.<span> </span>They were offended at the idea of eating any meat that was part of pagan worship.<span> </span>Paul knew he was no longer under the restrictions of the law.<span> </span>Furthermore, Paul knew he could eat meat no matter what it had been used for before he cooked it.<span> </span>Yet Paul had this to say concerning his Christian liberty when it came to eating meat, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (1 Corinthians 1.13).<span> </span>Out of love for his brethren, Paul willingly forsook a Christian liberty that would have hurt someone else.<span> </span>May our Christian liberty be guided and controlled by our love for God and our love for a lost world that desperately needs Jesus.<span> </span>Let us live so as to bring the highest honor, majesty, and glory to the one who loved us first.</span></div>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-84950165094987834552011-08-09T14:09:00.000-07:002011-08-09T14:09:02.549-07:00Texas Governor Knows What We Need<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Recently Texas Governor Rick Perry called upon Christians to gather and pray for the citizens and leaders of our nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The corporate prayer was to ask God to turn us around as a nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Governor Perry has received much criticism for his public call to meet and pray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is reported that Annie Gaylor of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Freedom From Religion Foundation</i> filed a lawsuit to prevent the Governor from organizing and leading the prayer event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully a federal judge had the good sense to dismiss the case.</span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This situation is a perfect example of why our nation is in such a mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the difficulties we are experiencing today are a direct result of ignoring God and His sacred commands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are raising and have raised a generation who know not God or His Word because we removed prayer and the Bible from our schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have leaders sitting in the highest offices of our land who have a poor understanding of what is right and what is wrong in accord with God’s Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decision making is based on man’s inept wisdom when our leaders should indeed be on their knees asking God for wisdom and direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is deeper than a handful of misguided leaders who don’t even know where to look for the answers to our problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deeper issue is that we as a nation, the people who make up this nation, have turned our backs on God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have perverted God’s laws and ignored His warnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we read the Bible we find a very similar situation in the history of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God had some strong words for His people through the prophet Hosea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because<i> there is</i> no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. <sup>2</sup> By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood” (Hosea 4.1-2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God said He had a “controversy” with Israel because they willfully broke His commands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God named some of their sins, the same sins we are guilty of in our day, cursing one another, lying, killing or murder (abortion is murder), stealing, and adultery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our land is riddled with these sins and there is no repentance or shame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is for certain that God has a controversy with the United States of America today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are guilty of sin before God and He will not let it pass without judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen to what God went on to say to Israel, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4.6).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are suffering today for lack of knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The knowledge and wisdom we need today is found in the Bible, God’s Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we pray for our leaders that they will come under conviction for sin and be led to repentance unto salvation in Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we pray that our nation will become broken hearted over her sin and repent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we pray for God’s mercy and direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Governor Perry is to be commended for he knows exactly what we need, we need to seek the face of God and ask for His help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kudos to him and all who are like minded among the leadership of our nation.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923113346533157505.post-16675887330995033412011-07-26T12:05:00.000-07:002011-07-26T12:05:07.379-07:00Evangelism, Where Do We Start?<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At OakLeaf Baptist we have been in a series on evangelism in our Sunday Morning services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to Matthew 28.19-20, it is every Christian’s responsibility to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are to share the Gospel so that lost men and women might be saved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible tells us that, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10.17).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God the Holy Spirit uses his Word to enlighten the hearts and minds of the lost so they might see and understand their need of salvation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That brings us to the topic of this blog, where do we start when we share the gospel with someone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best answer to that question is to look and see where Jesus began when He interacted with the lost.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> In Matthew 19.16 a young man approached Jesus and asked Him, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we read the story we discover the young man had a good question with a preconceived idea to the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his very question this young man revealed how he thought himself able to earn his way to heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to know what he could do to have eternal life, as if he was good enough or able to be good enough to get into heaven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus confronted this young man’s error by holding up the law to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus told the young man to “keep the commandments.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus was not telling the young man he could be saved by works, Jesus was drawing this young man to an evaluation of his life so that he might see he could not keep all the commandments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The young man should have realized he had not always obeyed all the commandments in word, thought, and deed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore the young man should have been willing to admit there was nothing he could do to earn his salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That conclusion would have opened the door for him to place His faith in Jesus and receive forgiveness by the grace of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lesson for us when it comes to sharing the Gospel is Jesus started with the young man’s need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus wanted the young man to realize he was a sinner and there was not one thing he could do to change that fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we share the Gospel we need to start with that fact that we are all sinners and have a need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the man or woman who realizes their need to be saved by grace that will be drawn by the Holy Spirit to call upon Jesus for salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we read the story of Nicodemus in John 3 and the story of the woman at the well in John 4 we discover Jesus began with their needs and led them to faith in Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us emulate our Lord and share the Gospel with a lost world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us begin where He began, by sharing with people their need to be saved.</span>Dr. Robert Ballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07577072351559513963noreply@blogger.com2