Last week I enjoyed writing about the importance of knowing what we believe.  In my opinion we can’t have faith (or trust, or belief) in something unless we have experienced the truth (or reality) of our faith being manifested in our lives.  In other words, suppose you feel the need to install a burglar alarm in your house.  You take time to research it; you read all the reviews and buy what you conclude is the very best burglar alarm on the market; you install it, and immediately you feel safer.  The only question that still remains is…does it really work? But once the alarm goes off and a police arrive and arrest a would-be intruder before he can enter your house, now you know. Now you’re a believer!  In fact, you’re so thrilled you’re telling all your family and friends why they should buy the very same alarm system. 

The definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen.”  This week I want to extend last week’s topic by asking a new question: can you stand firm in your faith?  And I believe the only way that can happen is to have absolute confidence in your object of faith.  And since our faith is in Jesus Christ, we know he is “the visible image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15); he is the Word (truth) incarnate (John 1:14); he is our source of peace and serenity (Matthew 11:28); he is the source of our strength (John 15:5) and he is with us always…even until the end of the Age.” 

Since we are living in such a crazy world that seems to be spinning out of control at an alarming rate, I believe that in the days ahead our faith will be the only thing we can count on to sustain us.  But the good news for all Christ-followers is this: regardless of what happens up ahead, in the end we will all be victorious because we have already been promised eternal life in Paradise with God, Jesus Christ and all other Christ-followers.

Jesus never diluted the truth about what it would take to be his follower.  He was very clear in John 15:21 when he stated: “the people of the world will hate you because you belong to me.”  Paul later reinforced that statement in 2 Corinthians 12:10 when he told us that “we would have to contend with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities” should we choose to follow Jesus Christ.  But the good news for us is found in Matthew 24:13, “But those who endure to the end will be saved”. But we must never forget the flip-side of that same coin as presented in 2 Timothy 2:12: “if we deny him, He will deny us.”

This is why our faith in Jesus Christ has to be rock-solid. It is entirely possible that in our lifetime we may have to profess our faith in Jesus Christ while at the same time declining to accept the “mark of the beast” as described in Revelation 13. The beast is the devil’s emissary(ies) on earth.  We are told in verse 2,6-8 “…the dragon (satan) gave the beast his own power, throne and great authority.  He spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and all who live in heaven, who are his temple. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people…and was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worship the beast.  They are the ones whose names are not written in the Book of Life.”

I mention this because as I look at the world around me, especially in the Middle East, I see a concerted attempt to persecute Christians in a most horrific manner…and seemingly with impunity.  It is a political/religious movement, which I will call evil personified, that is growing in number and in strength day by day. And the sad reality is…the enemy is becoming more emboldened without the leadership of the United States to lead the resistance against such a formidable foe. That statement is a particularly sad commentary on this great country, because we were once the hope of the oppressed and light to the world as we stood against tyranny more than once that threatened to engulf the earth.

So when we look at the chaos that exists in the world today,  and then  if we take time to examine the contributors to the fall of great civilizations, we will find that the effort to expunge God from the culture and the moral decay that inevitably results is always one of the major  contributors.    Then when we compare that to what is happening in our culture today, coupled with the quickening of both man-made and natural disasters that are occurring throughout the world, it does give reason for some people to speculate that perhaps we are in the “end times.”  Therefore, since the Bible is a treasure trove of future predictions with incredible accuracy, let us look to see what it says about the “end times”, meaning the second coming of Christ.  Therefore it seems fitting to begin with the ascension of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:10-11.

Jesus said: “Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  As the disciples were straining their eyes to see Him in the clouds, “two white-robed men suddenly stood among them and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky?  Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven.  And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!”  Jesus is with us now and will be until the end of this age as the indwelling Holy Spirit. But this age will end with the triumphant second coming of the Son of Man “arriving on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he will send forth his angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.” (Matthew 24: 30-31)  No one knows the exact day or hour of this event – not the angels in heaven, nor even the Son. But he will come “as unexpectedly as a thief in the night”. (2 Peter 3:10) So His charge to us as Christ-followers is to be ready.

The first coming of Jesus Christ was to take away the sins of the world.  His second coming “is not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:10) Apostle Paul tells us in 1Thessalonians 4: 15-18: “I can tell you this directly from the Lord…first, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.  Then together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  So comfort and encourage each other with these words.”  And again in 1 Corinthians15; 51-53 Paul tells us: “…we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…for our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die.” This confirms the truth of verse 55, “Oh death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?  No more arthritis, paralysis, cancer; no more pain and suffering.  Shut down the hospitals and close up the funeral homes.  Christ has come!

The same promise Jesus made to his Disciples in John 14:1-3 is our promise today: “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me.  There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you.  When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am.”  Jesus made it very clear that he would come for us and take us to our eternal home.

The resurrection of the righteous marks the beginning of the thousand year reign of Jesus.  This is when the saints engage in the work of judgement with Jesus Christ, judging “evil angels and the wicked.” (1 Corinthians 6:2-3) At the end of the millennium is the resurrection for the ungodly, the total defeat of satan and sin, and the establishment of the New Jerusalem.

So regardless of how crazy our world gets or how frightening our future looks, as Christ-followers we get our strength from who we are in Jesus Christ.  We know we have nothing to fear.  Even though it appears that our faith is being assaulted on many fronts; and even though there are false prophets right now who are suggesting that God’s Word should be modified to be embrace other faiths, or restated to be more “culturally relevant”, our confidence is firmly rooted in Matthew 24:35:  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will last forever.”  Instead of bowing down to the beast, we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to help us rise above this fallen world to become the “masterpiece” referenced in Ephesians 2:10: “We have become God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

So my question to you today is, “Can you absolutely stand firm in your faith?”

May God Bless Ya…and please feel free to respond to this post, and please share this with your social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan) H

 

 

 

 

 

I would like to share an experience that happened about a year ago – one that left quite an impression on me.  I have a friend who teaches Old Testament and Apologetics at a Lutheran High School in St. Peters, MO. Last year, he invited me to accompany his senior class on a field trip that took them to a mosque, a temple and a synagogue in St. Louis County. Our first stop was at the mosque. Once we were in the prayer room our guide pointed out a group of about a dozen students huddled around a teacher in the corner of the room. “Do you know what they are doing”? she asked.  After a moment of silence, she told us, “They’re memorizing the Koran.”

Wow!  That statement left quite an impression that has caused me to revisit the memory on numerous occasions. And when I do begin thinking about its meaning, the same uneasy thought crosses my mind. While we, as followers of Jesus Christ, do not agree with the teaching of Islam, to the students memorizing the Koran, that teaching provides the foundation for their faith. And because they grow up in a Theocracy where those teachings are reinforced throughout their daily life, their belief continues to grow. The end result- whether we like it or agree with it or not – is that THEY KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE. And that always brings to my mind a more menacing question: “What do WE believe?”

I’ve had numerous opportunities to ask that question – and many times to people who profess to be Christians. But more often than not, I’ve found that question to be a conversation stopper rather than a conversation starter. I usually get the proverbial “deer in the headlights look” followed by something inane, such as, “Well, it’s hard to describe…”, or “I’m not really quite sure…”, or even worse, “I’ve never really thought about it!” It’s only on rare occasions that I hear anything like, “Because God is a loving God who wants more than anything else to have a personal relationship with me. I know he willingly sacrificed his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for my sin so I can spend eternity with him, Jesus and all other Christ-followers!”  When anyone can give a succinct testimony such as that, they know what they believe and are willing to stand on their faith.

And then when I look at our culture today, I find the question to be even more menacing. I’ve seen various talk show hosts pick up a microphone and walk down “main street U.S.A.” and ask current event questions to our “average citizens”.  Unfortunately, too many of them are not familiar with such complicated questions as “Who is Vice President?”; “What do you call the two houses that make up Congress?”; “What foreign leader just addressed our Congress and was just recently re-elected President of his country?”; or “What is your political party and why?”  However, I must give credit where credit is due. The same people did better when the questions were, “Do you think the minimum wage should be raised?”; “Tell me about your favorite cable TV show?”; or “What sport is being highlighted on the road to the Final Four?”

When I look at what is going on in the world around us, I see the increase of political chaos, uncertainty and the hatred that exists among people and people groups. That lays heavy on my heart. I am terribly concerned for our culture. Therefore, my fellow Christ-followers, I believe we have both an obligation and an opportunity now to carry a message of hope to a culture that is becoming more spiritually bankrupt day-by-day in a world that is becoming more volatile day-by-day. It reminds me of the state of the world right before the flood. Even though there were warnings of an impending disaster, the people seemed oblivious to what was going on around them. Luke 17:27 tells us: “They ate, they drank, they married right up to the time Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Luke 28:29 continues with a similar scenario concerning Sodom: “Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot. They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.”

Our culture didn’t sink into this spiritual abyss overnight. I believe it has been a gradual process, as well as an intentional process, beginning with “political correctness” throughout the past few generations. When our culture started turning away from the principles upon which this nation was founded, we began expunging God by removing the ten commandments; prohibiting prayer at public gatherings; calling into question our traditional family values; and creating as much “gray area” as possible around His law (the Ten Commandments), we were well on our way to moral decay. Since I believe we find ourselves in this precarious position now, I also believe the answer is way beyond a political solution. I believe we need a solution that can touch the very heart and soul of an entire nation. And I believe that answer is a spiritual awakening.

Jonathan Cahn, author of “The Harbinger”, writes: “America was founded on prayer.  Therefore the removal of prayer from its public life was a central part of its fall from God.  A nation that turns away from prayer will ultimately fine itself in desperate need of it.”  And he went on to say, “As God was expunged from American life, idols came in to fill the void; idols of sensuality, idols of greed, of money, of success, comfort, materialism, pleasure, sexual immorality, self-worship, and self-obsession.  The sacred increasingly disappeared and the profane took its place.” To my way of thinking, he is accurately describing the “here and now” of our great country.

The spiritual awakening referenced two paragraphs above is inextricably tied to the abundance of our heart, therefore we know “what we believe.” Galatians 5:19-21 tells us that when we follow the teachings of the world or the desires of your sinful nature,“…your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sexual sin…”  In other words, if we are devoid of the teachings of Jesus, this is what we can expect to see. Do you think this describes our culture today?

As followers of Jesus Christ, we follow the path illuminated by the Holy Spirit that enables us to mature through Jesus’ teachings, and to become more Christ-like ourselves. And what did Jesus teach? To love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; to love our neighbor as our self; forgiveness, mercy, grace and service to others.  Galatians 5: 17-18, 22 exemplifies the difference: “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to your sin nature. But when the Holy Spirit directs our lives, he will produce in us: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” 

Unfortunately, most people I talk with admittedly have never read the Bible. There can be many reasons for that, including: “my church never stressed reading the Bible”; “I can’t understand the Bible”; or “I have relied on people telling me what’s in the Bible.”  That’s particularly sad because there are many excellent translations of the Bible available today, especially the NIV or the NLT. Both are clearly stated and highly touted by religious scholars.

But entering into a relationship with God is just like entering into a relationship with anyone else. We first have to get to know Him, what He says, what He says about us, what His standards are, what His promises are, and how we can achieve those promises. God has chosen to reveal himself to us through his Word, The Holy Bible.  2 Peter 1:20 clarifies this matter: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy.  It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.” 

As stated above, we can’t really enter into that desired relationship with God unless we come to know Him, and that can only happen by spending time in the Word and through prayer. These two verses substantiate that statement; James 4:8:“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” And Matthew 7:8: “Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” The more we experience the truth contained in these scriptures, the more we begin to grow in our relationship with Him. And as our relationship grows, our faith also grows because we are experiencing the truth of His Word coming alive in us. So now we can tell someone “what we believe.” And I am convinced that in the days ahead, it will not only be necessary to know “what you believe”, but even more important will be how to stand firm in that belief in the face of adversity. I would like to talk about that question next week.

So my question to you right now is, Do you know what you believe?  And can you tell someone clearly and concisely?

Please feel free to respond to this blog, and please like it and share it with other friends on social media.

May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Have you ever looked at the world around you and asked yourself, “What happened?  How did the world get so out of whack?”  Are you shocked that what was once revered and considered sacred is now being mocked, ridiculed and vilified; or what once was considered tasteless, shameful, or even down-right disgusting is now center stage and basking in the spotlight?”  If all of this is a surprise to you, you may be even more surprised to learn that everything stated above has been proclaimed by prophets throughout history.

The demise of such cultures as the Jewish Nation, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, and even the modern-day Japanese Nation or the Third Reich all experienced these same tell-tale signs: there was a spiritual and moral decay of their culture, and there was a leadership that displayed a disdain for God and wanted to expand its power by domination and subjugation.  That’s why the proclamation from David, Jeremiah, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Jesus…and even Billy Graham have always been the same: “Turn from your sin and turn to God!” (Psalm 34:14, Isaiah 44:22, Acts 3:19)

I would like to dwell for a few minutes on Psalm 2, because David word-painted the above scenario and then carried it through to completion. It is not only an accurate display of the state of our culture, but it is also what I believe to be the prevalent world-view.  But there is good news for all believers at the conclusion of this Psalm, and who isn’t looking for good news today?

Psalm 2:  Why do the nations rage?  Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. (Jesus Christ) “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from this slavery.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.  The Lord scoffs at them.” Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king (Jesus Christ) on the throne in Jerusalem, my holy city.”

The king (Jesus Christ) proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son.  Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’ ”

Now then, you kings, act wisely!  Be warned, you rulers of the earth!  Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal Son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits – for his anger can flare up in an instant.

But what joy for all who find protection in him!  (That is us in Christ!  More good news!)

It is easy to see our culture portrayed in the first stanza above.  It would be hard for anyone to make a case that there is not a secular attempt to replace the Judeo-Christian values on which this country was founded when we see the removal of the Ten Commandments from public buildings; the prohibition of prayer in public gatherings; or the “hint” of censorship as to what subjects are permissible even in church setting today.  But when you add to that the chipping away of traditional family values, such as the “new” definition of marriage, or the “new” sexual morality – both which flaunt themselves by saying, “I demand the right to be free. I don’t need any old chains holding me back from my passion, and I expect you to accept this as the ‘new’ norm”.

And I certainly don’t want to ignore the “hint” that children might not be the rightful property of parents, but rather the property of the “state”.  So if I stop right here, and you step back and look at just these few examples, how can anyone not see the chasm that exists between today’s values and the “musty, old, outdated God values” as outlined in the Beatitudes.  Whew!!  Talk about upside down.  How could there be greater disparity???

But then when we look at the world stage, it’s not pretty there either.  We see new alliances being formed with our former enemies, and former alliances being trashed, even in the midst of threats from our new alliances to wipe our former ally off the face of the earth.  And then when we witness the undeniable persecution of Christians world-wide, and unfortunately…seeming without impunity, the clear secular message is…“We don’t need you God.  We are quite capable of being our own god(s), thank you!” Uh oh…that is never a good message to deliver to God.  History certainly supports that, and so do the next two stanzas.

Apostle Paul addresses the prevalent attitude found in the second stanza, when in 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 we are told: “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction.  But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God.  As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.’   So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense.”  

God put the exclamation point in the third stanza above when in Psalm 110:1 he tells us:  “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”  And Philippians 2: 10-11 tells us how the final battle between good and evil will  play out: “so at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  That is indeed good news for believers.

In the fourth stanza, David portrays God’s loving kindness, as he once again refers to the His timeless proclamation: “Turn from your sin and turn to God.”  Here God shows his patience with us, but he also makes it abundantly clear that if we continue other pursuits, we will be destroyed in their midst.

The final sentence is the victory celebration for all believers.  We have experienced his protection through tumultuous times, but we can look forward to spending eternity with God, Jesus and all other believers.

God has always wanted to communicate with his people, and he has used chosen prophets to get our attention.  The messages they spoke were always timeless messages, for instance Psalm 2 was written around 2500 years ago, but when we read that message today and study history, we can see how applicable it is for our culture.  Ephesians 1:3 tells us that, “long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave him great pleasure.”

God’s plan has always been to redeem us from our own sinful nature, and he gave us from Creation to the coming of Christ to show us without a shadow of a doubt that man could NOT meet God’s standard through his own effort.  Romans 5:6 tells us that, “while we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”  That was always God’s plan.  But Roman’s 1:28 also tells us that “when we refuse to acknowledge God, he will abandon us to our evil ways.”  Do you see the relevance of this statement to our own culture?

There are many who believe that we are in the final days for the second coming of Christ.  That is indeed great news for believers, but for the non-believer, they either think we’re nuts or they don’t care. Either way, it’s bad news for them. But there are historical facts, cultural facts and current events that certainly give credence to those predictions.  But one thing for sure…the more the world view continues to marginalize the truth of God’s word and stands in opposition to His Appointed One, the faster the appointed time will come.

No one knows the exact timing of these events, but the time is right for believers to share the Truth of God’s Gift of Grace with non-believers…and a time to make sure we are ready too.  Romans 13:11-12 reminds us that, “time is running out.  Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.  So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.  Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.  Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

So my question to you is… “What do you think of today’s culture?”  Can you see any truth of Psalm 2 in today’s world?

May God Bless Ya…and please feel free to share this message with social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever looked at the world around you and asked yourself, “What happened?  How did the world get so out of whack?”  Are you shocked that what was once revered and considered sacred is now being mocked, ridiculed and vilified; or what once was considered tasteless, shameful, or even down-right disgusting is now center stage and basking in the spotlight?”  If all of this is a surprise to you, you may be even more surprised to learn that everything stated above has been proclaimed by prophets throughout history.

The demise of such cultures as the Jewish Nation, the Babylonian Empire, the Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, the Roman Empire, and even the modern-day Japanese Nation or the Third Reich all experienced these same tell-tale signs: there was a spiritual and moral decay of their culture, and there was a leadership that displayed  disdain for God and wanted to expand its power by domination and subjugation.  That’s why the proclamation from David, Jeremiah, Zechariah, John the Baptist, Jesus…and even Billy Graham have always been the same: “Turn from your sin and turn to God!” (Psalm 34:14, Isaiah 44:22, Acts 3:19)

I would like to dwell for a few minutes on Psalm 2, because David word-painted the above scenario and then carried it through to completion. It is not only an accurate display of the state of our culture, but it is also what I believe to be the prevalent world-view.  But there is good news for all believers at the conclusion of this Psalm, and who isn’t looking for good news today?

Psalm 2:  Why do the nations rage?  Why do the people waste their time with futile plans?

The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. (Jesus Christ)

“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from this slavery.”

 

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.  The Lord scoffs at them.”

Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury.

For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king (Jesus Christ) on the throne in Jerusalem, my holy city.” 

 

The king (Jesus Christ) proclaims the Lord’s decree: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son.  Today I have become your Father. Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots.’ ” 

 

Now then, you kings, act wisely!  Be warned, you rulers of the earth!  Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God’s royal Son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of your pursuits – for his anger can flare up in an instant. 

 

But what joy for all who find protection in him!  (That is us believers!  More good news!)

It is easy to see our culture portrayed in the first stanza above.  It would be hard for anyone to make a case that there is not a secular attempt to replace the Judeo-Christian values on which this country was founded when we see the removal of the Ten Commandments from public buildings; the prohibition of prayer in public gatherings; or the “hint” of censorship as to what subjects are permissible even in church setting today.  But when you add to that the chipping away of traditional family values, such as the “new” definition of marriage, or the “new” sexual morality – both which flaunts itself by saying, “I demand the right to be free. I don’t need any old chains holding me back from my passion, and I expect you to accept this as the ‘new’ norm”

And I certainly don’t want to ignore the “hint” that children might not be the rightful property of parents, but rather the property of the “state”.  So if I stop right here, and you step back and look at just these few examples, how can anyone not  see the chasm that exists between today’s values and the “musty, old, out-dated God values” as outlined  in the Beatitudes.  Whew!!  Talk about upside down.  How could there be greater disparity???

And then when we look at the world stage, it’s not pretty there either.  We see new alliances being formed with our former enemies, and former alliances being trashed, even in the midst of threats from our new alliances to wipe our former ally off the face of the earth.  And then when we witness the undeniable persecution of Christians world-wide, and  seeming without impunity, the clear secular message is…“We don’t need you God.  We are quite capable of being our own god(s), thank you!”   Uh oh…that is never a good message to deliver to God.  History certainly supports that, and so does the next two stanzas.

Apostle Paul addresses the prevalent attitude found in the second stanza, when in 1Corinthians 1:18-21 we are told: “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction.  But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God.  As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.’   So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense.” 

Then God put the exclamation point in the third stanza above when in Psalm 110:1 he tells us:  “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”  And Philippeans 2: 10-11 tells us how the final battle between good and evil will  play out: “so at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  That is indeed good news for believers.  

In the fourth stanza, David portrays God’s loving kindness as he once again refers to the His timeless proclamation: “Turn from your sin and turn to God.”  Here God shows his patience with us, but he also makes it abundantly clear that if we continue other pursuits, we will be destroyed in their midst.

The final sentence is the victory celebration for all believers.  We have experienced his protection through tumultuous times, but we can look forward to spending eternity with God, Jesus and all other believers.

God has always wanted to communicate with his people, and he has used chosen prophets to get our attention.  The messages they proclaimed were always timeless messages, for instance Psalm 2 was written around 2500 years ago, but when we read that message today and study history, I believe we can see how applicable it is for our culture.  Ephesians 1:3 tells us that, “long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave him great pleasure.”  God’s plan has always been to redeem us from our own sinful nature, and he gave us from Creation to the coming of Christ to show us without a shadow of a doubt that man could NOT meet God’s standard through his own effort.  Romans 5:6 tells us that, “while we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.”  That was always God’s plan.  But Roman’s 1:28 also tells us that “when we refuse to acknowledge God, he will abandon us to our evil ways.”  Do you see the relevance of this statement to our own culture? 

There are many who believe that we are in the final days for the second coming of Christ.  That is indeed great news for believers, but for the non-believer, they either think we’re nuts or they don’t care. Either way, it’s bad news for them. But there are historical facts, cultural facts and current events that certainly give credence to those predictions.  But one thing for sure…the more the world view continues to marginalize the truth of God’s word and stands in opposition to His anointed  One, the faster the appointed time will come.

No one knows the exact timing of these events, but the time is right for believers to share the Truth of God’s Gift of Grace with non-believers…and a time to make sure we are ready for His second coming.  Romans 13:11-12 reminds us that, “time is running out.  Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.  The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.  So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.  Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see.  Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

So my question to you is… “what do you think of today’s culture?”  Can you see any truth of Psalm 2 in the today’s world?

May God Bless Ya…and please feel free to share this message with social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning, meetpastordan readers.  I have been sitting here for about forty five minutes trying to get clarity regarding today’s message. To be perfectly honest, I feel like the tank is totally empty right now.  Over the weekend I pondered a few ideas, but none of them really took root.  So as I have stated many times before, I opened my eyes this morning hoping for the Spirit’s inspiration to fill my mental and emotional void. 

As I have sat here in my office praying for wisdom and guidance, the Spirit did hear my plea. But what I have found to be typical in an instance such as this is…many times His prompting takes a different direction than I might have expected.  At first I struggled with His idea, and asked if He had a plan B that may be more to my liking right now…kinda like Moses’ lack-luster response to God’s plan for him to ask Pharaoh to “let my people go”.  But after what seemed like an eternity in this morning’s wasteland, I finally acquiesced and yielded to His will.  So here goes… I’m putting my fingers on the keyboard now and will continue asking for guidance.

A rather common statement among pastors is, “this would be a great job if it weren’t for the people I have to deal with.”  Now I really don’t think pastors have any exclusivity with this statement because I’m sure, regardless of the profession, you could – or maybe have – made that same statement.  But as I’m sure you already know, that statement really has nothing to do with a profession, but has everything to do with relationships.  And another truth I’m sure you have experienced more than once is this: relationships do present a formidable challenge because each is unique and has to be nurtured in its own unique way.

I have learned a lot about relationships over the years, so at this point I will use my own bad self as an example of how not to foster good relationships. When I look back on the beginning of my career, I was young, enthusiastic, and DRIVEN!  I was going to make my mark in the music world regardless of what that required. Since I was in a leadership position, I looked at the people with whom I worked as pawns to be used on MY road to success.  If you played for me, it was my way or the highway. And I could be, and was on numerous occasions, ruthless in my methodology.  But I felt justified in my approach because…after all, “I” was on the move; I couldn’t tolerate anyone holding ME back!!  So needless to say, my identity was totally tied up with “My” product; and “MY” product was my criteria of success.

With the attitude I just described, it demanded that I keep pushing ahead, always looking for the next conquest.  Unfortunately that wasn’t just the way I handled my career…it was also the way I handled personal relationships at that time in my life.  It was of utmost importance to me that you understood how “I” felt.  And it was equally important that I always had the last word in a conversation…however long that took!  So as you can see, when one is on such a self-centered trajectory, a future calamity is inevitable.  And true to that last statement, my calamity came on April 21, 2000 and it took me to AA for help.

The next morning when I walked into my first recovery room, I was ready to admit I had a problem and my life “seemed a bit” unmanageable.  But truth be told, I thought I would learn “the art” of drinking more responsibly and shorty would be back in business with a bit more self-control.  But what I learned instead, through the wisdom shared in that room, was that my problem was not just with alcohol; my problem was ME and MY stinkin’ thinkin’!  Wow!  Was that an epiphany!  But with that revelation came the beginning of a life-changing transformation.

Today I look at life differently.   Today I can say that I believe the most important investment we can make is an investment in other people.  That statement is so simple, yet it is totally wrapped in truth.  We are told in Luke 6:31: “Do for others as you would like them to do for you”. This is also known as the Golden Rule.   Proverbs 16: 22  tells us: “A cheerful heart is good medicine.  But a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”   Another cultural statement that that is built on that same truth says:  “You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.”

One of the pillars of the 12 Step Recovery Program is the serenity prayer.  Oh what life changing wisdom is contained therein.   “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”  As these words take root and come alive in our heats, we quickly learn that the only thing we can change is our self.  As followers of Jesus Christ we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us to empower us to undertake this process, and it is only through the Holy Spirit that we can continue to become God’s “masterpiece”.  (Ephesians 2:10)  As we become the person God created us to be, only then will we be able to bring our very best to a relationship.  When both people are at their best, the relationship can be at its best.

I have the privilege of being part of a BBT group (Biblical Business Training), and one of our recent topics was examining the qualities of an effective leader.   No doubt we talked about preparation, execution, communication skills, integrity, time management etc.  But the question that garnered the most conversation was, “what quality do we admire most in a leader.”  The unanimous answer revolved around the leader’s ability to inspire us to give our best, and those traits included a positive, yet constructive attitude; passion and personal commitment to the task at hand; and exhortation.  1 Thessalonians 5: 11 tells us, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”   And Ephesians 4:29 states; “Don’t use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you do and say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” 

The book of James tells us in 3:2, 5-8:” We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way.  The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do.  A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.  And the tongue is a flame of fire.  It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life.  It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.  People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue.  It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison.”

Whether you are dealing with a one to one relationship or if you are a leader dealing with your team, God’s Word is resplendent with appropriate scripture.  Love and forgiveness are the common themes of the Bible.  I would like to close with a familiar passage from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8.  It talks about agape love, which is  self-sacrificial love.  This is the kind of love Jesus demonstrated when he was here on earth. This is also God’s definition of “Love.”

“Love is patient, love is kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  Love does not demand its own way.  Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.  Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith. Love is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.  Love will last forever…” 

So my question to you is…what do you admire most in your leaders?  Feel free to respond to this post and please share it with social media friends.

May God Bless ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Seven years ago I found myself hoping and praying for a spiritual mentor.  I had recently been ordained as a pastor and was hungry to keep learning and growing, but I was also looking for someone to whom I could be answerable; someone who would be a straight-shooter; and someone who would have the right words for me when I was at a proverbial crossroads.  The good news is…God heard and answered my prayers. But as is so often the case with God, many times His answer is not wrapped and delivered in the manner expected. Such was the case with Miss Mary!

When I first met Miss Mary, she was in her mid – 70’s and by most standards would be considered a bit eccentric.  Her hallmark was an array of hats that were adorned with a rhinestone pin proclaiming “Jesus Loves You.” She was knee-deep in the 12 Step recovery process and was a sponsor, as well as a surrogate mother, for many ladies struggling with addiction issues as well as “lack of God” issues.  Because of my background in the recovery process, that at first became our common bond. But the more I was exposed to her perspective and wisdom, the more I realized she could also fill the bill as the spiritual mentor I was seeking. So throughout the next seven years, whether I was seeking advice or asking for prayer, Miss Mary has always spoken the truth in love, and has added direction and stability to my life. Consequently I have smiled and thanked God many times for putting this awesome woman in my life, because she has been a great example of living “in the Spirit.”

Today Miss Mary lives in Oklahoma.  But who knows where she’ll be next month, because she is an “Angel on wheels” and goes, according to her, “wherever God needs me next.”  But she called me yesterday bubbling over with excitement.  Her first words were, “Danny, what is the first word in the Bible?”  Before I could open my mouth, she pointed out the word in question is “In”, and that opened up a lengthy conversation about how indispensable the meaning of that word is in both the recovery process and in a relationship with God.  As we wound up our conversation, her charge to me was, “Think about this. It’s a little word but it packs a wallop! Just think about it…then share it!”  So as you might expect, that is exactly what I plan to do now.

Think about how many times we use the word “in”.  We can be “in love”,” in debt”, “in need”, “in training”, “in recovery”, or “in Christ”.  But the meaning of that little word “in” is vitally important, because it shows that “I” am in relationship with the word that follows.  The following word describes my state of being, for instance at that moment I am “love”, “debt”, “need”, “training” etc.

When we look at the use of the word “In” at the beginning of the Bible, “In the beginning God created…” (Genesis 1:1), one might ask the question, “how am I part of that?”  Didn’t God do the creating?  The obvious answer is “yes”, however we are told in Ephesians 1:4 that “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”  So even before creation, God had a divine plan that included us.

We are told in Genesis 1:27 that “God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.”  Even though God knew at the outset we would sin and fall away from him, it was always his plan to provide salvation for his proudest creation.  And His plan, even before the world was created, was to send a Savior, a Redeemer, in the form of Jesus Christ to do for us what we would prove without a shadow of a doubt we were incapable of doing for ourselves.  Romans 5:6,9 tells us, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment.”  So my point is…even here, “In the beginning…” we were the “center piece” of God’s divine plan.

To reference Ephesians 1:4 again, we are told that “God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”  In this case, in Christ describes our relationship with Christ.  It sets us apart as having chosen to accept God’s Gift of Grace.  We have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Now we are “heir to all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm” (Ephesians 1:3) as well as all the promises in the Bible. And we have a new identity.

Because we are in Christ, we are unconditionally loved; forgiven of all sins – past, present and future; accepted into God’s family as his Child; worthy to come before Him without fear of condemnation; and we are the righteousness of Christ, not because of anything we did, but because of what Christ did for us on the cross!  In other words, “we are a new creation; the old is gone the new has come.” (2Corinthians 5:17)  Now we are covered with the blood of Jesus!  So when God looks at us, he no longer sees a sinner, but a Saint “without fault in his eyes”!  This, my Friends, is our identity in Christ.

But there is more!  Not only are we in Christ, but Christ is in us.  In Colossians 1:9-12, Apostle Paul states, “…We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.  Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others.  All the while, you will learn to know God better and better.  We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need.  May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light.”  Being in Christ gives us peace and assurance about our eternal life.  Having Christ in us is our key to living the life we are called to live right here and now in this fallen world.

Colossians 1:27 tells us, “For it has pleased God to tell his people (those in Christ) that the riches and glory of Christ are for you too…Christ lives in you and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory.” (honor, splendor or magnificence, a distinguishing quality).  Let me relate a statement from Jesus to his disciples that I believe will clarify the meaning of “Christ lives in you” and “his glorious power” from the paragraph above.

Jesus was telling his disciples at the Last Supper that he would be leaving them soon, but he also told them, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.  The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him.  By you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  No, I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.” (as the Holy Spirit)

Jesus knew that he had to count on these men in front of him to carry his message of truth into the world.  But he also knew they were collectively a rather weak bunch, and whatever bursts of wisdom and strength they did display was drawn from him.  Therefore the purpose of the Holy Spirit was to empower them (and us) to be able to rise above the worldly circumstances around us to fulfill the purpose of God’s calling. (Remember Colossians 1:10 two paragraphs above: “Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others.”) 

God’s salvation plan for his people is perfect.  Not only do we inherit forgiveness of sin and eternal life, but we have Christ in us in the form of the Holy Spirit to empower us to fulfill God’s calling and further his Kingdom here on this earth.  All of this is a manifestation of God’s unfathomable love for us, because he desires a relationship with us – an eternal relationship, and because he delights in everything we do right here, right now.  We are his proudest possession because we are in Christ.  Therefore we will share in His glory because we have Christ in us so we can fulfill the purpose of Ephesians 1: 8,10: “God saved you by his special favor when you believed.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Well, it’s easy to see why Miss Mary was filled with excitement yesterday, and she certainly was empowered with the truth.  Indeed “in” is a small but powerful word, and it certainly does pack quite a wallop, especially when it defines our relationship with Christ.  Being in Christ and having Christ in us is the only way to fulfill God’s calling in our lives. So the more we call on the Holy Spirit to direct our path and give us wisdom, insight, strength, patience, endurance, whatever it is we need to be the person God created us to be…the more we will grow to become God’s masterpiece.  Through this process we will also experience the joy and exhilaration that comes from being a Christ-follower.

Thank you Miss Mary.  Your message is always thought provoking and wrapped in the truth!  May God Bless Ya…

Feel free to respond to this posting, and please feel free to share it with other social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

Good Morning, meetpastordan.com readers.  By Sunday night I usually think I have settled in on the topic for the upcoming blog.  But as I have said before, it often changes before I make the first keystroke.  Last night was no exception.  As I turned the lights out and prepared for a “few hours” sleep, my last thought was, “God, give me clarity on the message you want me to write about tomorrow.”  When I opened my eyes this morning, I had an entirely new topic ready to go.  Its presence was so strong; I could barely remember my original thoughts.  The good news is…under these circumstances the writing usually flows much easier, so when I’m done, I just smile and say, “Thank you, God.” 

Throughout the Bible there has been a consistent Proclamation spoken by the Prophets.  It is simple yet profound; but it is the pathway to freedom, peace, serenity, hope and joy.  Solomon spoke of this in 2Chronicles; Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, David, John the Baptist…even Jesus proclaimed this same message.   “Repent!  Turn from your sin and turn to God.” 

Let’s scrutinize this Proclamation carefully.  “Repent” is often mistakenly interpreted as “I’m sorry”, but it is much more profound than an apology.  “Repent” actually means “to change one’s mind”; to make a “conscious decision to follow a different path”; it also indicates a “change of heart”; to make “a moral U-turn”.  We also are called to make a decision to deny our sin nature, which is the root of our despair, and to turn to God for our source of strength to accomplish that purpose.   This simple, yet profound, message IS the truth.  It IS the answer to life.  But it is also the most challenging endeavor we will ever undertake.  Steps 1,2 and 3 of the 12-step recovery program are analogous to the Proclamation itself, so let me share that process here with the hope that the process itself might be helpful.

Step 1 is analogous to “repent”.  In other words “we admit we are powerless over _____ and our lives have become unmanageable.”  I left a blank so you can insert whatever word is appropriate: ie: drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, pornography, anger, lust etc.  If you are truly “powerless” over this issue, you no longer have an “addiction”, but the “addiction” has you.  Now YOU are a slave to that addiction (or sin nature, as stated in the Proclamation) and the consequences of that reality can certainly make life unmanageable.

If at this point there is any allusion in your mind that you are anything other than powerless over your addiction (or your sin nature) and you can do this by any other means than complete surrender, you are already setting yourself up for failure.  Both the Proclamation and the 12-step program require total commitment to change.  Half-measures will avail nothing.

But steps 2 and 3 are the solution to this dilemma.  Step 2 tells us “we came to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity.”  In other words we come face to face with our own insufficiency.  We know we have tried over and over to break free from the bondage of our addiction (or sin nature), but here-to-fore have been unsuccessful.  Our hope now is in a higher power, which we will call God, and we believe  he is our source of strength.

Step 3 is about “making a decision to turn our will and our life over to the CARE of God, as we understand him.  For a Christian, our God is the God Jehovah of the Holy Bible.  No doubt there are plenty of gods to be found, and it is up to every individual to find and to come to know his own god; what he says; what he represents.  But if you cannot talk about your god – why you chose him and why you can stake your life on him, you should keep looking.   For Christians, our God is love, forgiveness, mercy and grace; a God who sacrificed his Son, Jesus, so we can have a relationship with him – an eternal relationship; a God who wants to care for us and bless us;  a God who empowers us rise above the world around us to become the “masterpiece” he created us to be.  (Ephesians 2:10) 

Ever since the fall of mankind at creation, sin has been the issue that has separated man from God.  Sin in this case is a noun because it refers to a way of life. We were created with a spiritual connection to God.  When Adam and Even were in the Garden, God was their caregiver; they wanted for nothing.  But when sin entered the world, that spiritual connection was severed and man’s focus shifted from God to himself.  (ref.Genesis 3:6-13)  Living with the focus on self rather than on God is the definition of “sin nature”.  And as long as man is stained with sin, he cannot come into the presence of God.  Leviticus 20:26 tells us, “You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy. And why is that, you ask?  Because sin spreads, contaminates kills and destroys.  If you doubt that, just look at the world we live in today.  The prevalence of lying, cheating, stealing, corruption, anger, hatred, sickness, disease, suffering, poverty, war, and death are all a result of sin entering the world.

So now let’s look at the effect of man’s sin nature on our culture today.  But first we must have a brief history lesson.  “Other than ancient Israel, no other nation has received God’s blessings more than America.  And why was that?  Because our country was founded on prayer and built on Judeo-Christian principles.  Therefore America would rise to heights no other nation had ever known.  Not that it was ever without fault or sin, mind you, but America did aspire to fulfill its calling to be a vessel of redemption, and instrument of God’s purpose, and a “light” to the world.  It would give refuge to the world’s poor and needy and hope to its oppressed.  It would stand against tyranny.  It would fight, more than once, against the dark movements of the modern world that threatened to engulf the earth. No other nation in the modern world has been blessed like America has been blessed.  But to whom much is given, much is required.”  (The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn)

As God’s chosen nation, he put a hedge of protection around us and was with us in times of conflict. (just like he did with ancient Israel)  But what if a nation so blessed turns away from God?  Jeremiah 18:9-10 is quite clear on this matter: “But if I announce that I will build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom, making it strong and great, but then the nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless that nation as I had said I would.”  But here is the good news.  “… if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2Chronicles 7:14)

When the voices of sin-natured individuals becomes louder than the voices of Godly people, it definitely affects our culture.  I doubt that anyone reading this would argue with the statement, “our culture is spiraling downward into moral bankruptcy at an alarming rate.”  And those in the driver’s seat of this calamity are definitely committed to an agenda that is contrary to the Judeo Christian principles of our Founding Fathers and the moral and ethical standards of Christ-followers.  When we couple this with a government agenda that appears to be supportive of this “new morality”; “new interpretation of founding documents”; new allegiances throughout the world” and “questionable ethics regarding truth; freedom, and the value of life”, we – as a culture – are definitely in need of a spiritual awakening.

Has America turned away from God?  I believe so.  In fact, the same way ancient Israel turned away from God. “It started with a spiritual complacency, then spiritual confusion, then the merging of God with idols and then, ultimately, the rejection of his ways.  America began ruling God out of its life, turning step by step against His ways, at first subtly and then more and more brazenly.  As God was expunged from American life, idols came in to fill the void; idols of sensuality, idols of greed, of money, of success, comfort, materialism, pleasure, sexual immorality, self-worship, and self-obsession.  The sacred increasingly disappeared and the profane took its place.”  (The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn)

So as we can see on various levels, the Proclamation is still the same.  God yearns for a relationship with us as individuals. He yearns for a culture to be his light to the world.  And He yearns for a Government to protect his people from danger, to ensure the blessings of liberty, and protect our inalienable rights.

As Christ-followers we must have the courage to stand on the truth of God’s Word.  We have a message to carry that will bring hope to anyone; a message that has the power to set people free.  While I believe there is a concerted effort on the part of our culture to force a secular agenda down our throats, I believe many people are looking for something greater than that.  They feel a yearning in their heart that tells them there has to be more than  this!  We had a guest speaker at our church yesterday that said, “As Christians, we need hearts of compassion and spines of steel.”  Remember, our news is Good News.  As Apostle Paul states is Romans 3:22, “We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  And we all can be saved in the same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.”  What incredible hope to the lost!

I would like to close with this last quote from The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. “America was founded on prayer.  Therefore, the removal of prayer from its public life was a central part of its fall from God.  A nation that turns away from prayer will ultimately find itself in desperate need of it.”   Let’s respond to that last statement by individually praying for God to illuminate the most effective way for us to be an instrument for change.  Let’s pray for revelation and a spiritual awakening in the hearts and minds of our culture and in our leadership.

May God bless your endeavor.  Please feel free to respond to this posting, and please share this message with your friends in social media

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning my Friends!  What a week-end, and I am still sky-high!  Saturday the Saint Louis Wind Symphony (STLWS) hosted our second conducting workshop in conjunction with University of Missouri-St. Louis, and it was a rousing success.  There were ten music educators who participated in this clinic with Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel, Commander/Conductor of the U.S. Air Force Band in Washington D.C. (Ret.) as the clinician, and the STLWS as the performing ensemble. Then yesterday Colonel Gabriel was guest conductor for our subscription concert that featured Dale Underwood, saxophone virtuoso and former Principal Saxophonist with the U.S. Navy Band in Washington D.C. as guest soloist.  What an event!!  When there are two musical legends such as Gabriel and Underwood sharing our stage, it brings out the very best in everybody.  And the STLWS, in their true fashion, played magnificently!  I could not be more proud of that organization.

So you may be asking, “what does the above scenario have to do with today’s blog?”  Well…as you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts to coordinate in an event like this.  And in the midst of all of yesterday’s set-up and brief sound check, there came to the fore one particularly “needy” personality who has the capacity to bring out the worst in anybody…including me!  As I observed her asking for extraordinary “special care” from one of our concert hosts, I saw the look of exasperation on the victim’s face.  Later when I was apologizing to her for the encounter I observed, she began regaling me with her previous experiences with our “needy” personality.  Immediately I joined the gossip-fest, and we were off and running!

So you may be saying to yourself, “What’s the big deal?  We’ve all had experiences like that.”  And I would say, “Yes, we all have…especially when we give in to our flesh, which is our human instinct.  But the point I want to make is this:  we are called to rise above the “human instinct” and let Jesus light shine through us. (Matthew 5:16)  And this is certainly a challenge for all Christ-followers because our actions are always on display.  Believe me when I say… a world of non-believers is very observant of what “we” (as Belivers) do and what “we” say.  And as I have pointed out on many occasions, people would much rather see a sermon than hear a one. In other words our actions, as well as our words, reflect the state of our hearts.

As Christ-followers we are well aware of the “big sins”, but it would appear that sometimes we tend to “overlook” the list of sins enumerated by Apostle Paul in Romans 1: 28-32 or in Galatians 5:19-21.  While it is easy to feel self-righteous about not lying, stealing, murdering, taking the Lord’s name in vain or participating in adultery or homosexuality, we forget that that list also includes such “venial sins” as gossip and covetousness.  And the great equalizer is Apostle Paul’s statement at the end of Galatians 5:21, “…Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.”  In other words a sin is a sin.

Romans 3:23 points out that “all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  The good news for Christ-followers is the sin issue is a non-issue now because of Christ’s finished work on the Cross.  The penalty was paid for the sins of all mankind, past, present and future, so because we are in Christ, our sins “ARE FORGIVEN AND WILL BE REMEMBERED NO MORE!”  (Hebrews 8:12)  That’s good news alright; in fact that’s GREAT news!   But do we still continue to fall short of God’s glorious standard?  Absolutely!

So with the sin issue behind us, the challenge for Christ-followers now is how to live the life we are called to live in a way that brings honor and glory to God and furthers his Kingdom here on earth.  The difference now is our motivation for changing our lives.  We are no longer trying to earn God’s approval because of our works.  We don’t need to do that because when God looks at us now, he sees us covered with the blood of Jesus. In His eyes we are Saints, meaning set apart.  (The New Testament uses the term “Saint” 67 times and in every instance it refers to Believers…those who are in Christ!) 

There is a weighty church term that reveals the process of growing and maturing as a Christ-follower.  That term is Sanctification, and I promise you it will be a conversation-stopper if you try to insert it in every-day conversation.  There are numerous references to the term: 1Thessalonians 5:23; Colossians 1:5,27; Colossians 3:4; and 1John 3:2.  These are all “wordy” passages, so I will hopefully simplify the content.  Sanctification means a practical progressive holiness we develop in our life as we wait for the return of Jesus Christ.  In other words, we are called to mold our life in a way that reflects the life modeled by Christ when he was here on earth.  And what did Jesus teach and model?  Love, mercy, compassion, grace, forgiveness, service to our fellow man, and standing on the Truth of God’s Word.

Living the life of a Christ-follower is a process, and it begins at the very conscious level of the mind. Galations 5-17-18, 22-23, 25 describes the process. “The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.  But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to your sin nature.  When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

God’s salvation plan is not only about forgiveness of sin and eternal life, but it also equips us for living the life we are called to live right here and now in this fallen world.  The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to accomplish tasks and grow in ways that are greater than what we could have produced of our own volition.  In fact, that is how we fulfill the truth of the phrase I hear frequently:  “Let go; let God”; or “I’m just going to turn it over to God.”  To be perfectly candid, I have often wondered what people are thinking when they use those phrases. Do they expect God to solve the dilemma they are experiencing? Then when it is fixed, expecting he will let them know in some tangible way to “get back in the game?”  The truth is, the Holy Spirit doesn’t fix anything for us; He empowers us to do the fixing.   It is in that process that our growth and maturity develops.

When we are facing a dilemma, we call on the Holy Spirit to empower us by giving us wisdom, insight, patience, courage, strength, perseverance, whatever it is we need to solve our problem in a way that brings honor and glory to God.  This IS the Sanctification process. We are consciously trying to become the person God created us to be, and we are using Jesus as our role model.  Will we fall short of God’s glorious standard?  Sometimes.  But the only error we can make is to not get up and keep moving toward our goal.  This is the process that prepares us to share in Christ’s glory, because “when he returns, we will be like him.” (IJohn 3:2)

So the whole purpose of mentioning the incident of engaging in gossip yesterday is this:  I was immediately corrected by the Holy Spirit.  As soon as I walked away I thought, “Danny…that was not very honoring to God.  That wasn’t the person he wants me to be.”  But did I beat myself up about it?  Did I think, “What a wretched man I am?  I just can’t measure up!  I know God is really ticked off at me again!!  No. None of that, because I know who I am in Christ. I’m unconditionally loved; I’m forgiven” I worthy and acceptable in God’s eyes; I am the righteousness of Christ; I am his Child; and I’m a Saint…a Saint who sometimes falls short, but a saint none-the-less.

And none of this is because of anything I did to earn it, but because of what Christ did for me on the cross.  All I had to do was accept God’s Gift of Grace and then it becomes a matter of me saying, “Holy Spirit, that is not the person I want to be, and I know it is not the person God wants me to be.  Please give me your wisdom and strength not to fall into the same trap the next time because I want to bring honor and glory to God in all that I do.”  Then I pick myself up and continue trudging down the road of Sanctification.  It’s all part of His plan for us to begin experiencing his Kingdom on Earth right here and now.

If you’re not with me, jump on board, because there is no plan like God’s plan.

Feel free to respond to this posting, and please share it with your social media friends.

May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning, My Friends.  It is 0-dark-30! I have my coffee in hand and Cliff and Glenn beside me, so I am ready to get started.  As I have told you before in previous postings, I often think I am going to write about one subject, but when I get to my office and have some quiet time with God, I am often led in another direction.  Such was the case again today.  So I will use what I am saying now as an example of what I am going to write about.  I always begin with quiet time with God and ask him to illuminate the subject he wants me to write about.  I have experienced his prompting numerous times and when I follow His path, the writing just flows.  In other words, I trust (or have faith) in the guidance of the Holy Spirit because he doesn’t fail me.  So I am willing to step-out in faith. 

Yesterday I was reading in Gospel of Mark the story of Jairus asking Jesus to heal his daughter.  He said, “She is about to die.  Please come and place your hands on her; heal her so she can live.” (5:23) Notice that Jairus came to Jesus because he already believed (had faith) that Jesus could heal her.  But on the way to Jairus’ house, messengers arrived with this news: “Your daughter is dead.  There’s no use troubling the Teacher now. But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid.  Just trust me.” (5:35-36) They continued on to the house and Jesus did raise Jairus’ daughter to life.  Jesus’ statement to Jairus is our message for life! “Don’t be afraid.  Just trust me.”

On that journey to Jairus’ house, a crowd thronged behind to follow Jesus.  This is when the incident of the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years pushed her way to the front of the crowd to touch the fringe of Jesus’ robe because she believed she would be healed. And what did Jesus say to the woman?  “Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace.  You have been healed.” 

Needless to say, this message today is about four incredible words that can be expressed in a simple formula: Truth = faith, belief and trust.  In actuality, faith, belief and trust have the same meaning. And when we use those terms, it means we rely on a certain principle because it has been proven to be immersed in truth.  But how do we get “it”?  And how do we develop “it” to a point where we can actually stake our lives on that foundation?  After a life-long search for “the truth”, I found in only one source what I believe I can stake my life on. The Word of God!

In this crazy culture in which we live today, few people are familiar with the Word of God.  Oh yes, they’ve heard of the Bible; they have opinions about its contents; but few have actually read it.  That’s why so many have become cynical about the whole concept of “truth”.  And that statement should certainly not come as a surprise if you look at pillar institutions or leadership positions that have become engrossed in scandals wrapped in lies and deception. The unfortunate result of that scenario is a culture that is becoming numbed by such behavior and accepts it as “just the way it is today.”  How pathetic is that!

But we are living in a society that attempts to marginalize the Word of God at every turn.  Sometimes it takes the form of mockery, as shamefully displayed by our President last week at the National Prayer breakfast. Or it can take the form of attempts to convolute the truth of God’s Word to make it more user-friendly and up-to-date with the latest social mores.  Consequently this trend has led to a culture that is on the fast track to spiritually bankruptcy, but yet tries to find the source of happiness, value and purpose in all the wrong places.  How do I know this?  Because I was one of those people.

The Bible, because of what it claims to be  The Word of God, has been the subject of scrutiny and contempt from its inception.  Throughout the ages it has been challenged by the most brilliant minds in history: philosophers, scientists, academics, atheists, agnostics, world religions, yet to my knowledge no one has disproven the content of the Bible.  And if they had, I believe everyone would certainly know about it.  Think of what would happen today if someone could disprove any part of the Bible.  Every news outlet would gladly interrupt the current program with the latest earth-shaking message; every magazine or newspaper would proclaim “THE BIBLE IS A FRAUD!”  There might even be a ticker-tape parade on both coasts celebrating the welcomed news.  But I haven’t seen it yet.

When one uses the term, The Word of God, the term “Word” comes from the Greek word “logos” meaning the divine reason implicit in the cosmos, ordering it and giving it form and meaning; rational thinking, logic and truth.  In other words The Word of God is God’s thinking; God’s truth.  But the only problem with the truth is…many people don’t want to hear it because it is inconvenient to the way they have chosen to live. So they turn away from this His truth and search for something more to their liking.

I have stated this many times, and firmly believe, there are two fundamental principles from which everything else in the Bible springs up: 1.God is love and 2. God wants a relationship with each of us – an eternal relationship. Because he is a Spirit and we are flesh and blood, God chose to reveal himself to us through the Bible so we could come to know him; who He is; what he says; what he says about us; what his standards are; what his promises are and how we can attain those promises. And we are told in 2Peter 1:20-21 that “no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves or because they wanted to prophesy.  It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.”  And again in 2Timothy 16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.  It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.”

We have to know all of this so we can enter into a relationship Him.  And as that relationship develops through knowledge of His Word and revelation of the truths contained therein, we become keenly aware that God’s will for us is to accept his Gift of Grace.  This is the ransom He paid with the blood of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He did this so we can enter into that eternal relationship with Him, Jesus and all Christ-followers.  But we must be in Christ in order to inherit all of the promises in the Bible and “all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm.” (Ephesians 1:3)

But we are still living in this fallen world with all of its temptations and strife, and yet we are called to rise above this world and live in a way that brings honor and glory to God.  This is the challenge of all Christ-followers.  But God’s salvation plan is perfect.  He has taken this into account and we now have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to empower us to grow in the truth of God’s Word.  Our role is to “abide (stay) in him so his Word will abide in us.”  (John 15:7) This is how our faith develops.

Now we can begin stepping out in faith because we absolutely believe we have seen the truth of His Word coming alive in us.  For instance, John 15:5,7-8 tells us, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me, you can do nothing. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted.  My true disciples produce much fruit.  This brings great glory to my Father.”   These verses from the Gospel of John stop being “just” scriptures, but become the “living word” when they start directing how we live. And with this comes a confidence and a peace and serenity never before known.  As Christ-followers, “He must become greater and I must become less.” (John 3:30)

Jesus is the Truth; He is the Word Incarnate.  He wants us to build our life on him.  When speaking to a crowd at his first ministry, Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock.”  (Matthew 7:24-25)  When we build our life on the rock that is Jesus and his teachings, we too will remain standing through adversity and challenges.

The Scriptural truths found in this message today are only a fraction of life-changing truths contained in the Bible.  That book is literally God’s handbook for life.  Everything we need to know about living the abundant life Jesus promised can be found in those pages.  Therefore I would like to close with a very simple message with life-changing power. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”  (Romans 12:2)

On a scale of 1-10, where are you in developing your faith?

May God Bless Ya, and please feel free respond to this posting, and please do share this with social media friends.

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)

I just returned from four days at the Missouri Music Educator’s Conference held at Tan-Tar-A, Lake of the Ozarks. That experience is always a treat. Tom, the Associate Conductor, and I go as representatives of the Saint Louis Wind Symphony.  It’s a great opportunity to hear good music and to visit the exhibits to find out “the latest goings on” in the music world, but it’s also a great opportunity to visit with friends from around the state. 

In my case, I have known many of these people for 20, 30, or even 40 years, so most of them have witnessed first-hand the antics of my former life (before Christ). But today they see a different Dan Presgrave, and for many that difference has been of interest, and also the topic for many inquisitive conversations.  In fact, those conversations are as much a part of my trip to the conference as my professional conversations, and I love every minute of it. There have been a lot of “how did you?”; “why did you?” questions (and an occasional reference to the idiocy of my former days??), but my last conversation this trip left an impression that has become the subject of today’s message.

A gentleman I have known for probably thirty years came up to me and asked if we could talk for a few minutes.  He shared with me that he and his wife are followers of Jesus Christ, and that he is feeling a call to evangelize to non-believers.  He also shared his feelings of fear, and perhaps a bit of inadequacy, in carrying out that purpose, so he wanted to ask for my thoughts on his intended endeavor.  Because I have found this trepidation to be common for so many “believers”, I would like to share the nature of our conversation.

No doubt Jesus directive was quite clear in Matthew 18-20: “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  It is clear that we have been given our marching orders, but “how” we go about it makes all the difference in the world.  The right approach can set people free; the wrong approach can certainly drive them away.

In my earlier days I attracted a plethora of what were commonly called “Jesus Freaks”, “Bible Thumpers”, or “Religious Zealots” (or Whackos)!  When someone swoops down in front of a “target in need” (and no doubt I filled that bill) and begins shaking their finger in front of the victim’s nose proclaiming “You’re a sinner!  You’re going to burn in hell”, and then goes on to profess THEY have the answer…the stage is set for immediate failure…perhaps even physical confrontation!  I always told the “know-it-all” in very colorful terms what I thought of them and their solution, and walked away even more convinced that I DID NOT want any of the “cool aid” they’d been drinking!

I carried around this jaded view of evangelism for many years until Grace Church-St. Louis chose to do a church wide study on a marvelous book by Bill Hybel entitled, “Just Walk Across the Room”.  The truth is…once I found out in advance the nature of the subject matter, I almost skipped the book study.  Wow!  That certainly would have been my loss. The message was very clear and very simple:  just make a friend.  Show an interest in them and let Jesus’ light shine through you.  Anyone – even I – can do this!

Here are three truths about evangelizing or carrying the message.

1. It’s never about you being right and someone else being wrong.  Avoid this confrontation at all cost.  Let someone talk about what they believe, and you listen. Show an interest, then ask how they came to believe what they believe.
2. After they tell you, respond with, “Have you even considered….” then state your view.  At this point be prepared to tell them why you believe what you believe…and don’t just quote scripture. Make it a personal testimony, but one substantiated with scriptural truths.
3. The more you grow in knowledge and wisdom, the easier this endeavor.  But the key is “to abide in Him so his words abide in you.”  (John 15:7) 

Being a Christ-follower is more than a label, it’s a way of life, and truth be told, people would much rather see a sermon than hear one.  The book of 1John is all about loving one another, and we are called to do more than just profess our love; we are called to show it through our actions.  That principle is the very essence of being a Christ-follower.

I have learned over the years that the most comfortable way for me to share the Good News is to direct a conversation toward an opportunity to open “that door.”  Perhaps it is just listening to what the other person is saying and when an opportunity presents itself, express empathy. It’s easy to say something like: “Yes, I have experienced that (situation or feeling) myself.  But my solution came when I realized my own insufficiency and cried out “God help me”.  My life has never been the same since I made that decision.”

Or perhaps in a joyous moment it is easy to say something like: “There was a time when I was not able to experience the confidence (joy, peace, serenity…you’re choice) I have today.  But previously I had been looking in all the wrong places.  I discovered that drugs, alcohol, women, cars, money, power, prestige, etc. could be a short term fix, but it was when I decided to turn my life around and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior that I finally found what I had always been searching for.”

One of the most common errors in our attempt to “witness” is a misunderstanding of what it means to “carry the message”, and it means just that…to share the Good News.  It is not about over-powering the other person with my right answer!  No! It is about sharing the truth and what the truth has done for me, AND realizing it may not be a “done deal” the first time.  The important thing is…don’t ruin the opportunity for a second chance by being a “jerk” if it doesn’t stick the first time.

Apostle Paul discusses his and Apollos’ work in 1Corinthians 3: 5-7: “…Why, we’re only servants.  Through us God has caused you to believe.  Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.  My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow.”  Too many times we want to say “mission accomplished” in one setting, but it doesn’t always work that way.  So I will reiterate…don’t ruin the opportunity for further conversation.

I always think of Jesus and the rich man when I discuss this subject.  When the rich man came to Jesus and asked “what good things must I do to have eternal life”, take note of what Jesus said and his methodology. (1Corinthians 19: 16,17,21)  Jesus said, “ keep my commandments, and if you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  But the young man was not willing to make that sacrifice, so he turned and walked away.  Notice that Jesus didn’t chase him down and say, “Listen Dude…don’t you realize who I am?  I’m your answer!  What’s wrong with you…I’m giving you the chance for eternal life!”  NO.  He didn’t do that, and that is where so many of us error when carrying the message.  The message was never intended to be a hammer!

But our charge with the Great Commission is to carry the message of truth to everyone. This IS God’s truth; it is the key to eternal life for anyone who will hear and respond to his Gift of Grace.  But we must never forget…God gave us free will, so it is ultimately up to every individual to either accept that truth or not accept it. We are not called to wrestle with people until they submit.

That last statement DOES NOT mean, however, that we soft-pedal the truth or make compromises in the truth.  No!  This is the truth Jesus talked about in John 8:32 that “set’s us free”; free from the bondage of the law (the Old Covenant).  That’s why Jesus came! When we are in Christ, we will finally experience this freedom, which translates into what everyone is, or has been, searching for: confidence,  joy, peace and serenity!  It is no longer about our work, but about Christ’s finished work on the cross!  It is that revelation in our heart that sets us free.

So to summarize, let me restate that equally important as what we say to someone is what the other person sees in us.  Let me remind you that our role is to “let Jesus’ light shine brightly through us”.  (Matthew 5: 16)  Remember, we are to carry the “Gospel of Grace” in love.  And as I said earlier, people would much rather see a sermon than listen to one, so don’t lose sight of the fact that we are message-carriers every day by the way we go about the process called “life”. And make no mistake about it…people are watching! Actions always speak louder than words.  Let me repeat that…ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!

So my question to you today is…what message do people see in you??  Do you live an intentional Christ-centered life?

Feel free to respond to this post, and please share it with other friends in social media.

May God Bless Ya…

Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)