PROPER PERSPECTIVE

PROPER PERSPECTIVE
We see an "improper" perspective of a church when we read about the church in Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22). When Jesus told John what to write in his letter to them, He said to tell them in verse 17, "Because you say 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked". Talk about a wrong perspective, right? Because of this faulty understanding of what they were really like, Jesus said they were like "lukewarm" water and "I will vomit you out of My mouth"! I expect this would probably be His opinion of many whole denominations of churches in our 21st century culture! We have been so affected by the spread of the so-called "Prosperity Gospel", that some people are not aware of how much like the church in Laodicea we really are.

The common understanding of riches and wealth seems to be that the more "things" you can acquire in a lifetime, the more successful you are in the eyes of the world. And the happier and contented you should be living this sort of self centered life, but according to the testimonies of many people who reach this place of wealth and fame, they are most miserable! Why is this the case? I believe a careful look at the above mentioned scripture will supply the answer. This attitude that being rich and in need of nothing should be our goal, is certainly not the opinion of Jesus for His followers! True wealth is not measured by what you have, but by who you are in Christ! In a recent devotional thought from ODB, I read a little poem that said this very well. "In Christ we're rich beyond belief, with wealth the world cannot see; we have new strength and character, new righteousness and purity". The article that was written by Joe Stowell finished with the following one liner "The poorest person is he whose only wealth is money"! In (1 Peter 1:4) we read "And we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay". (NLT). It would seem to me that this "priceless inheritance" that Peter refers to here has to be our place in the Eternal Kingdom of God. We are "adopted" into God's family as a result of our "new birth", but we are "transferred" into the Kingdom, (Col 1:13). And according to (1 Cor 6:9-11) our behavior as a believer can prevent us from receiving this inheritance! Salvation is a gift, but not our place in the Kingdom of God, that depends on our obedience to His commandments!!
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer

SPIRITUAL FOOD

SPIRITUAL FOOD

Just as our physical bodies need good nourishing food to sustain a healthy condition, so we also need a nourishing source of food for our spiritual lives. Our creator of course knew this, and had the written Word made available to us. We know it as the Bible, and it is now available in various languages, and many different versions, so most of us have many choices, and no excuse for not reading a version of our choice! One portion that comes to mind is (Psalm 19:1-14), which has many verses that speak about food. It "makes wise the simple" (Verse 7), and is "more desirable than gold" and "Sweeter than honey" (verse 10). This covers both our spiritual condition as well as our physical, and God provides ample food for both. The story of Elijah in (1 Kings 19:1-10) is a good example of an exhausted man who was physically and spiritually spent after his encounter with the wicked queen Jezebel. In this case God used one of His angel messengers to provide for His servant Elijah, in our case it will probably be a fellow follower of Jesus that we are in fellowship with!

A question that might naturally come to our minds is; why are so many people we meet in much the same condition as Elijah was in? Of course we are all living in a wicked world, which is under the control of Satan, "the prince of the power of the air". (Eph 2:1-3). But when we read verses 4-10 of this passage we find the answer to our dilemma! It is clearly, accepting the truth about the provision our Father God has made for us. That is receiving the salvation by faith plus nothing, that Jesus has provided for us by His "finished work" on the cross of Calvary, where He gave His life freely to redeem us. And of course this salvation is a free gift of God's grace, and can't be obtained by any amount of religious activity!

These facts from God's Word are for everyone, but sad to say many people are ignorant of this vital information simply because they do not read the Bible. Others read it from a background of certain religious traditions, which give their own interpretation to key scriptures like the one mentioned above from (Eph 2:1-10), and somehow miss the fact that salvation is a "gift", and must be received by "faith alone" and not by religious works! Those of us who are followers of Jesus must be diligent to share these truths from God's Word to all of our friends who might be caught in some "religious trap!
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer

A COMMUNITY CHURCH

A COMMUNITY CHURCH

Most local churches are named after some saint, or have their denomination as part of their name. Why not just their community name such as Loch Lomand Community Church (LLCC) for example. Why do we think that we have to let people know what denomination we are part of?

I have never been much for denominations anyway, although I have always been part of one. I started out in a Baptist Church, then an independent Pentecostal Church, then a Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, and now a PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies Of Canada) Church. But I don't feel really attached to any denomination, although I have been part of them all when I attended services there. I just consider myself a follower of Jesus, and perhaps "Trans Denominational" might fit, if indeed there ever was one by that name.

But I like the idea of just naming the building we meet in a community place where we gather. I dislike calling it a "church", because we who meet in the building are the "Church", and not the building. But since church is the normal name for our gathering place, I can't think of another to replace it. I'm not really a rebel at heart, although I have been considered that by some, because I have always questioned certain traditions that are part of our normal services and doctrines. Since I started to search the truth through the scriptures more diligently, after my first stroke, I realized for the first time how much of what I had been taught, believed, and in turn taught to others, was not really based on scripture. This caused me to question many more of our traditions that make up the way we "do church".

That's when I found out that many others had been questioning some of these same things, and were actually declaring that God was doing things "outside the box" of the typical church structure. It would seem that God is using a different paradigm for His Church to follow, rather than the old one we have followed for the past century.

These are just some random thought to consider, and discuss.
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer