"Flip-Flop" Religion...

I was doing my devotions out of Malachi 1 from "God's Word for Today" and it had a great thought which I want to expand on...

It says in Malachi 1:6-8 - " 'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Thy name?' [7] "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled Thee?' In that you say, 'The table of the Lord is to be despised.' [8] "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the Lord of hosts.

Sadly, what is happening is that God is disturbed at the people who give Him only what they want to...not what they should. Instead of presenting the very best for a sacrifice as was required of them, they would offer a crippled or blind animal to God. Surely they supposed, they were going to die anyhow, and God wouldn't want us to fall short, they must have reasoned. But they all to quickly forgot that God is a jealous God! He is not one to overlook His requests of us just because it might be too hard or trying for us. No! God must come first, and we show Him that He is first by the sacrifices we make for Him on a daily basis.

While I know that I am not sacrificing a lamb to God today, my life is a "living sacrifice." Romans 12:1 - I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Therefore, it is considered "reasonable" for God to require the best for us...not just what we have left over once we have worn ourselves out. That is where the "flip-flop" idea comes in. We intend to give our best, but when the actual moment of requirement comes, we hold out on God and give Him what we can, because our best would hurt too much. Aren't you thankful that God didn't do that to us? Aren't you thankful that Jesus didn't do that to us? I sure am! They gave their best! They gave their all!

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One more thought...

I heard this recently from a missionary, Rev. Denny Seler, missionary to Jamaica. He was speaking to our Church from Mark 12:13-17. In it Jesus is being questioned about paying taxes, and whether they should do it or not. Jesus picks up a coin and asks, "Who's image is on the coin?" The obvious answer is Caesar, to which Jesus replies, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."

The point to be made here is in the answer to this question..."Whose image are you made in?" Come on, you know... Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." You and I are made in HIS image! So then, as LIVING SACRIFICES, what should we give to God? Our best...not just what we can "afford." We were made in His image, for His pleasure.

So, when God requires something of us, should we hold out on Him? Should we commit and then abandone our commitment? No! We must be faithful and stay faithful. DON'T FLIP-FLOP! There is enough of that today in the Church. People saying, I'll be there, and then you never see them. People who make a commitment to serve the Lord and the Body, and then they never come around again. People who make the decision to be committed to God when they are in trouble, but then abandon ship when the going gets good. People who can never get up to go to Church, but will not miss the early morning men's breakfast. People who can't seem to find the time to do service for others, but when there is a concert they want to go to an hour away, they won't miss it. People who...you get the point.

All in all... Christian, give your best, and don't flip-flop on God. He does not simply overlook it as we might think, because there is no immediate consequence. Malachi 1 is an example of how it makes God feel.

BTW - Don't you love the Red Sox too?

Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican V.P. Candidate - an A/G girl!

Hey, I thought this might be of interest, Gov. Sarah Palin at the Wasilla A/G Church in Wasilla Alaska; of which she was and her family were a part of, up until 2002. So, check out this link here http://www.netbroadcasting.tv/sarah_palin.html to learn a little bit more about her and her faith.

BTW - I am not working on the McCain - Palin Campaign. :)

The Doctrine of Balaam - #3

Here is the final installment of my thoughts on Balaam and his long decline into narcissism. Hope you have enjoyed it, and I also hope it has exposed some failing in your heart as you may have sought your will over God's.

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The TEACHING of Balaam.
Revelation 2:14 - But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.

Balaam is given ample opportunity to repent and change…
-On three occasions, Balaam goes to curse Israel, and yet…Israel is blessed by God.
-And each time Balaam returns home, burning with the desire to HAVE THAT MONEY!

So, he devises a plan to get Isreal in trouble, and get his money!
He creates a “teaching” for the King of Moab to share, getting the children of Israel to stumble into sin, and loose God’s blessing…

You can read of it in Numbers 31:16 - "Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord."

-Basically, Balak corrupted Israel by leading them into idolatry and immorality.

Psalm 106:28 confirmed the falling away when it says…”They joined themselves also to Baal-peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead.”

Therefore, this “teaching” caused Israel to violate God’s call for them to SEPARATE from this world…to come out, and “be ye separate!”

-Therefore, judgment came upon them!

So, just what was this “teaching of Balaam?”
It was the misconception that they, being the chosen people of God and blessed by Him because of their covenant with God; could not be cursed again.
-A sort of “once-saved-always-saved” mentality…
-Or a “hyper-grace” teaching…which means that it is a grace that forgives sin without repentance. FALSE!

So, because of this false teaching that Balaam spread among them, they were cursed, in spite of their believing otherwise…
And people were STUMBLING in their faith because of it!

All in all, it was COMPROMISE! And, compromise will never pay, will it Church? In fact, as we know, it is dangerous to compromise with the world!

There is an old Russian parable that goes like this: A hunter went into the woods to shoot a bear for a fur coat. When he found a bear and was about to shoot the bear startled him by speaking in a gentle soft voice, “Isn't it better to sit down and talk this through, maybe we can come to some agreement or compromise.” They sat down, the bear asked, “What do you want from me?” The hunter replied, “A fur coat.” The hunter then asked, “What do you want?” The bear replied, “A full stomach.” The bear then said, “Good, I think we can help us both.” Soon the negotiations were over...and out from the woods came the bear...ALONE! The bear had a full stomach and the hunter had a fur coat!!!
-Compromise rarely satisfies both equally!

Listen friends…Paul warns us all to take heed…1 Corinthians 10:11-12 - "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. [12] Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

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BEWARE of Balaam's doctrine in our world today...rest assured, it is out there!

Save our Economy - Vote for John McCain!

I was sent this clever little piece of information and I thought I would share it here...quite funny actually, and very practical. With its advice, we can "kill two birds with one stone" so to speak.

How To Save the Government (and us) $5 Million.

A president's pension currently is $191,300 per year, until he is 80Years old. Assuming the next president lives to age 80. Sen. McCain would receive ZERO pension as he would reach 80 at the end of two terms as President. Sen. Obama would be retired for 26 years after two terms and would receive $4,973,800 in pension. Therefore, it would certainly make economic sense to elect McCain in November. How's that for non partisan thinking???

The Doctrine of Balaam - #2

Here is the next installment on this thought of Balaam and his wanderings... Hope it helps you.

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2. The ERROR of Balaam.
Jude 1:11 - Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Woah! This is quite the motley crew, and people you do not want to be associated with…
-And in the middle of them is our old pal, Balaam…

Now, the original word used for “error” here is the Greek word for “delusion, deception fraudulence, or to wander.”

Therefore, Balaam’s error was in his persisting in search of that “reward” from the King…
-Because he wanted to get his hands on that loot, he opened himself up to trouble and error.
-Why?
-Because he would have done anything to get it…

And, that is just how sin works in us too…especially if it is something that we really want…
-We will find a way to get it…we will also then, justify it!
-Even if it means that we have to follow a false line of reasoning…thinking that it really won’t bother God all that much.

Oh, we couldn’t be more wrong if we get into this position…and you probably won’t hear much from God either, because you won’t want to hear it! (Balaam’s donkey came into play because of it.)

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This short lesson ought to help us to see just how delusional we get when we are going in out own direction, against the Lord. Pray that God would send you a "donkey" to help you when you get this stubborn. :)

The Doctrine of Balaam - #1

I have been wanting to place these thoughts about Balaam's downward spiral on this blog for quite some time now, and I am finally just going to make the time to do it...

I have found this stuff to be facinating as I have come across it while studying for a message from a series I did on the Seven Churches in Revelation, chapters 2 & 3. When I came to the 3rd Church, Pergamos, I found it...the Doctrine of Balaam. We remember him from the Old Testament and his talking donkey; but there is so much more that we rarely catch. Hopefully these next few blogs will catch some of us up on his ways and teachings that seem to still be creeping their way into the Church at large in 2008...

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1. The WAY of Balaam
2 Peter 2:15 - …forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…

You see, Balaam typifies all of us who try to pressure and persuade God into our plans…
-So that we can do what we want to do? Have you been there?
-And while we rationalize what we are wanting to do…we are giving in to compromise…and ultimately, the devil!

Church, the “way of Balaam” refers to those who nag God into letting them do what they want to do…even in direct opposition to His will and purpose.

It means that you are going YOUR WAY instead of GOD’S WAY!
And, God will permit it, only because you have “free will.”

But, listen to the truth in this one passage… Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

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I know this is a very short synopsis of it, but more is to come. However, in your spare time read up on the history of Balaam, and see just how he handles his temptation. Check it out in Numbers 22.

I leave you with one thought in Balaam's story that can be applied to us all...

“Any praying about the known will of God is rebellion against God!”

An atheist walking in the woods...

An atheist was walking through the woods. 'What majestic trees!' 'What powerful rivers!' 'What beautiful animals!' He said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charging towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the Atheist cried out, 'Oh my God!' Time Stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. 'You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?' The atheist looked directly into the light and said, 'It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?' 'Very Well,' said the voice. The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke: 'Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.