The Way I See It - Pastor Bob Engelhardt

Take a Worship Break!

2011-11-04T15:31:00.000-04:00

Latest Video from PB Productions!

2011-10-24T19:50:00.001-04:00

CMCC Oct 2011 from Robert Engelhardt on Vimeo.

Providing Help to Our Flood-Devastated Community

2011-09-12T19:27:00.003-04:00

We are continuing to power ahead, full force, to care for the needs of our broken community after Hurricane Irene ripped through on August 28, 2011. Catskill Mountain Christian Center leapt into action with incredible speed and efficiency, immediately tearing out 7200 square feet of our own contaminated flooring first and then using our facility (including two rented tents on our lawn) as base of operations for a multi-faceted and broad-based response to the disaster. Some of the ongoing work CMCC has accomplished in the past two weeks includes:

Over 59 homes and businesses have been made habitable by mucking basements, removing appliances, tearing out carpets and whatever else was needed to restore living conditions to our neighbors;
Coordination of over 200 volunteers from out of town who came from far and wide to lend a hand.
Liaising with at least 8 community, regional and national agencies including regional churches, village, town, state and federal agencies, Red Cross, National Guard and others.
2,500 hot, fresh meals have been prepared and served to victims, senior citizens and volunteers in our dining areas;
Our own team of church leaders and members have worked over 3,400 hours, volunteering to serve their neighbors;
The Family Table food assistance arm of our ministry has given away over $75,000 in groceries and household supplies to over 500 affected families.
CMCC will continue offering help, Jesus’ love and hope while Margaretville and our surrounding community rebuilds. Our motto of ‘Serving our neighbors with our hands, Proclaiming God’s kingdom with our voices’ has never been more fitting.

I would like to humbly ask if you would consider coming alongside us with prayer and financial help to empower this ongoing relief work. We are in this for the long haul and our regular budget and the financial help we've received from caring friends is being quickly drained to keep our efforts going. This has been a shining moment for the work we started here twenty years ago and we are confident that Jesus will be exalted as we move forward.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2010-12-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas. It is my great privilege to be spending my twentieth Christmas as pastor of Catskill Mountain Christian Center this year. I am so grateful to God for the faithful souls of the many people I have come to know and love in this region over the years. The past two decades have flown by quickly as together we’ve built a dynamic church and ministry center serving thousands of people each year, socially, physically and especially spiritually.

Maybe the most amazing aspect of the Christmas story to me is the decision by God Almighty to have Jesus born in a manger, outside the comfort of a hospital or even a cozy home. It seems funny in a modern world fixated with safety that the Creator of the Universe would entrust His only begotten Son to a peasant couple without enough influence or money to manage a safe human dwelling for childbirth. Cold, dark, anonymous and lonely, what could God be saying through this mystery? Three thoughts:

God is showing what He thinks of our value system. In a world obsessed with financial success, God entrusted His own Son to common folks rather than rich folks. I guess He wants us to know that there is more to life than money.
God is not impressed with a special location or building. Church buildings are nice as gathering places but Jesus does not need a temple or fancy location to dwell within. He’s most comfortable among His sheep.
When God is doing something really great, popular culture won’t budge for Him or even notice. A small handful of select people were the only ones highly favored by God to be in on the divine caper: Joseph, Mary, shepherds and wise men.

That we would be vigilant to consider God’s values and stand watch for Jesus being born in the hearts of humble folks in our generation.

Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt

White Like Snow: A Book Review

2010-12-17T14:25:00.000-05:00

Book Review by Paul Moore II, CitiHope International

White Like Snow by Robert Engelhardt is one of the most encouraging and insightful books I have enjoyed in decades. Accessible as a daily devotional, a seasonal study, or as a cover-to-cover read through; each chapter shared biblical wisdom and practical reflection on how to passionately pursue God in the ever changing landscape of my life’s journey. Pastor Engelhardt astutely infuses pillars of the Christian tradition, such as the 10 Commandments and the 23rd Psalm, with life and relevance as I have not tasted in them for years. It is disarming and refreshing to be reminded of the profound simplicity in the plain truth these often underappreciated cornerstones of faith have for us today.

The greatest quality of the work is the prolific use of scripture in the context of every observation Pastor Engelhardt makes. One feels the comforting hand of Biblical text with each turn of the page and they serve as guiderails for each season he walks with us through. A humble confidence is imparted as key scriptures are sited and even reiterated, chapter by chapter. More than that, the reflections made were often so enlightening, I found myself going back to the original text to read more of the context in the Bible myself.

Few modern Christian works can boast so wonderful a legacy as one which compels us to discover truth not just by reading the author’s perspective, but by reading it in scripture for ourselves. To me, reading White Like Snow often feels more like a loving conversation with a strong, learned father who is passing on truth, filled with compassion but without compromise. It is filled with encouragement and conviction both. It is an apologetic for core beliefs but is also an invitation to consider uncommon revelations. I give this book my strongest recommendation and believe it will be a tremendous blessing to all who enjoy it as I did.

White Like Snow - Book Available Now!

2010-10-30T19:17:00.001-04:00

You Anoint My Head With Oil, My Cup Runs Over.

2010-01-10T21:15:00.003-05:00

You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over. Psalms 23:5

Prior to November 1982 I was trying to make my way in a world that was simply too big for me. Having been raised in an ancient denomination, I still held to the Christian version of truth but was really just a lonely, ill-equipped and thoroughly lost lamb desperately trying to be a lion. Fortunately, through my wife’s relentless witnessing and prayer I finally sought God one night, all alone, kneeling on a wooden pallet in the basement of an upstate New York print shop. I was a twenty six year old working man; a husband, father, and had been raised as one of seven siblings with loving parents—in other words I was always surrounded by lots of people. But I was completely alone inside myself, trapped with my own distorted version of self and reality.

My prayer that night was simple—it was something like this: “God… Jesus… will you please baptize me in the Holy Spirit and give me the gift of tongues?” I prayed this way because as a sideline spectator of the charismatic movement for several years prior, I had heard my wife and others pray in tongues and felt it was a sign of God’s acceptance. What happened in that next instant is the single most defining event in my life. Well, that is not exactly true. The first time, as soon as the words of my simple prayer were out of my mouth I began to feel a tingling sensation on top of my head. Instinctively, out of fear I jumped up in knee-jerk reaction and bolted to the other side of the room. Nothing had ever happened before when I prayed!

Within a minute or two I went back to try it again, this time determined to see it through. Same pallet, same position, same prayer and right away—BOOM—a warm, wonderful, tingling presence like invisible liquid ecstasy, poured over my head and swept down my body animating every cell and filling my heart with God’s acceptance, belonging and love. ‘You anoint my head with oil.’ At the same time from down in my diaphragm I began to feel a physical sensation pushing up and I knew it must be the spiritual tongues. I just spontaneously yielded myself as this building energy erupted out of my mouth and I began to pray in a language I did not know. I jumped around in childlike joy as wave after wave of sheer ecstasy swept over me and the new God-language gushed uncontrollably like a Bronx fire hydrant on a summer’s day. ‘My cup runs over.’

Like Saul on the road to Damascus or like the disciples gathered in the upper room in Acts 2, the event I just described radically changed the trajectory of my life forever. ‘You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.’ The Good Shepherd anoints the head of each beloved sheep with the oil of the Holy Spirit, causing our hearts to overflow and transcend the limitations of physical expression with trans-dimensional gifts. This anointing also permanently marks and separates His beloved personal sheep like a rancher brands cattle, only this ‘branding’ marks our souls.

The ongoing opportunity for His anointed sheep is to continue to let our cups overflow with spiritual prayer that others may drink of this new wine also. Consider the following verses:

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays… 1 Corinthians 14:14

I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all… 1 Corinthians 14:18

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:15

…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… Ephesians 6:18

In my humble estimation, now twenty seven years since first being anointed by the Good Shepherd, the single most important discipline for a Spirit-filled Christian to cultivate is praying in the Spirit for at least one hour each day. It will revolutionize your life. It will deepen you, charge your spiritual battery, impart spiritual gifts, and open your soul for prophetic vision downloading blueprints directly from God. It will increase creativity, separate light from darkness and give love to the soul. It is grace in motion! Praying in the Spirit is a vital practice for the Good Shepherd’s sheep.

Merry Christmas, 2009

2009-12-23T12:58:00.008-05:00

Hi Church Family,

Merry Christmas. I am truly the most blessed man alive, spending my nineteenth Christmas among God's wonderful people at Catskill Mountain Christian Center. The miracle of Bethlehem is burning as brightly in my heart this year as ever before--especially when I think about how we are so much like the people who witnessed that great event on the first Christmas. I recognize all the biblical characters in our CMCC community today:

I recognize Mary in every dear woman in our church, obedient in hardship and full of innocent devotion to Him. I see Joseph in every strong man holding onto his faith and going along with the plan even though not fully comfortable with everything happening. I see a busy, listless community around us as dull of hearing as Bethlehem's Innkeepers. I can recognize the Wise Men in the eyes of those in CMCC who are looking upward for wisdom, always trying to learn and experience more of God. I see King Herod in the hostile attitudes of our modern age. I see the Shepherds in all of the hard working men and women of CMCC, always busy with jobs, businesses, homes and families but quick to jump to serve God when called upon. I recognize the Baby Jesus in the eyes of every child--each one an up-and-coming Billy Graham, Martin Luther, William Wilberforce or Mother Theresa. I feel the presence of Angels every time we gather to worship Jesus.

So to all of you who have witnessed Jesus Christ born in your own heart, I wish you the most wonderful Christmas ever. Jesus Christ: born of a virgin, lived without sin, worked miracles, loved the down trodden, taught truth, offered hope, crucified for our transgressions and raised from the dead... reigns in Glory forever more... will be back to get us soon.

Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt
http://www.cmcconline.org/

Beyond Sowing & Reaping

2009-11-07T11:09:00.005-05:00

Sowing and reaping is a popular subject of modern Bible teachers. We hear a lot about the importance of sowing the right seed and believing for the harvest and these teachings are altogether appropriate because the principle illuminates a great promise clearly seen in God’s Word. But this article looks at another principle we’ll call ‘beyond sowing and reaping.’ Again, this does not, in any way, diminish insight on sowing and reaping. But, careful examination of God’s Word reveals certain instances when people experience blessing of unmerited and unearned favor; a place beyond sowing and reaping.

Perfect Sowing & Reaping: Not so Good

If we lived in a perfect sowing and reaping world, most of us would not fare so well in the long run because it would be a world of perfect justice. If we only reap good fruit from the good we sow and then reap bad fruit for the bad we sow—that’s not so good. There are honestly some seeds that I’ve planted that I don’t want to harvest. And there are some other places where I haven’t sown as diligently as I ought to, but I’d still love to get some kind of good outcome. I really do not want to live in a perfect sowing and reaping world.

Again it is important to respect the Word and emphasize an important spiritual law: Galatians Chapter six from verse six says, “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Sowing to the Spirit through Prayer

When a veritable tornado picked me up and thrust me into the Kingdom of God 27 years ago I’m fortunate that I didn’t instantly end up in a church where people attempted to temper my enthusiasm. I’ve discovered over the years that often among long-time Christians there is a cynical sense of apathy toward new on-fire believers—almost a union mentality. This voice says, “Take it easy and pace yourself; don’t work so hard.” I’m glad I didn’t come into the Kingdom with people like that around me.

Upon my initial entrance into God’s Kingdom the only guidance I had was from Sunday TV preachers saying that if I didn’t give absolutely everything I had to God I probably wasn’t even really saved. In particular, Kenneth Copeland was on TV teaching at the time that all committed Spirit-filled Christians should spend at least an hour every day praying in the Holy Spirit. I just believed him and obeyed. I honestly didn’t know any better so I assumed that everyone who was baptized in the Holy Spirit prayed in the Spirit for an hour every single day. I took off like a rocket, feverishly sowing to the Spirit because I knew I had a lot of catching up to do.

Within a few months after my entrance into the Kingdom we moved to a new town and had access to the TBN television network—more preachers saying the same thing. Kenneth Hagin quickly became one of my favorite Bible teachers on TBN and he taught that praying in the Spirit an hour a day is really good… if you want average. Hagin claimed sometimes he prayed in the Spirit two or three hours a day. Meanwhile I was, during this time, voraciously devouring my Bible and learned that on occasion Jesus prayed all night. Wow, I thought, I want to do that!

These teachings on the heels of a profound salvation/baptism-in-the-Spirit experience thrust me into a very consistent and devoted life of prayer: sowing to the Spirit. It is important to note that none of this was dry lifeless prayer. True interaction with a living God engages the mind as sure as a good book or intimate conversation with a friend or lover. There is a sense of His presence that permeates your mind the longer you spend time in the Spirit speaking in His language.

Beyond Sowing and Reaping: My Story of God’s Glory

In the late autumn of 1982 when I was twenty six years old, my wife Nancy and her parents went out one night to a Christian meeting and they came back with an incredible story. At this time in my life, I had no living relationship with God and was not into all of this charismatic jazz. The story they told that night, however, really caught my interest. A women at the meeting said that Jesus Christ recently came into her bedroom one night, sat on the edge of her bed and spoke to her for a couple hours while her husband slept through the whole thing.

Having been raised in a church I knew about Jesus and believed in him like one knows about and believes in George Washington. He’s a guy from a history book that I knew ‘about.’ But there was something in the way they told this story—especially coming from my father-in-law, a man I respected—that deeply affected me. They actually believed this lady was credible; they weren’t calling her a raving nut. I thought to myself, “Can Jesus Christ do that? Can He actually visit a person?” It completely blew out my theological circuits!

Just considering this premise made me feel instantly very spiritually hungry; a sensation I’d never known before. Apparently, this short-circuit of my established materialistic God-logic completely fried my fuses of resistance. So, with freshly fried logic, I quickly devised an experiment to test this new spiritual possibility and because I was a prideful son-of-a-gun I did not tell anyone what I was planning to do. I decided to go to a secret place and pray to see if Jesus would come to me if I asked Him. I figured if Jesus came to that lady he might come to me.

At ten o’clock PM two days later I left my house and went to the empty print shop where I worked as manager by day. I placed a wooden pallet on the floor as a kneeler, knelt down and said, “God… Jesus… Will you fill me with the Holy Spirit and give me your gifts?” It was the most informal, unreligious sort of prayer you can imagine and… POW! God hit me with a million Holy-Spirit-volts of His love and changed the trajectory of my life forever. I was, most importantly, electrified with a love for Him and undeniably sensed His love for me. I, who had always been the consummate average Joe, suddenly felt special, important and favored by the God of the whole universe.

Events like this highlight the realization that when engaging God we are encountering a person, not an impersonal force or a cold solution to some spiritual equation. I did not sow even one small seed into that magnificent event—I was simply an object of God’s unmerited love and I reaped a harvest for which I had done nothing.

One Who Reaps Where He has not Sown

This brings us to the parable of the unprofitable servant in Matthew 25:14-30. In the story, the master returns from his long journey and calls the first servant who says (my paraphrase), “You gave me five million bucks to invest and I made you five million more bucks.” And, the next servant says, “You gave me two million bucks to invest and I made you two million more bucks.” And, the third servant says, “You gave me a million bucks and here’s your million bucks back. I was afraid of losing it so I safely hid it because I know about you, “You are a hard man, you’ve reaped where you haven’t sown and you’ve gathered where you haven’t scattered seed.”

And the lord says back to him, “You know, you’re right—I do reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.” Obviously the point of the parable is to reveal the lazy and wicked servant’s excuse as pale and illegitimate but it also reveals, almost accidentally, an important characteristic about God: He is able to do anything, including reaping where He hasn’t sown and gathering where He has not scattered seed.

Favor: The Promised Land

God can harvest where he hasn’t scattered seed and so in Him is an ability beyond sowing and reaping—the place of favor. Favor is the place where God will overlook my weaknesses, give me multiple chances to succeed, love me under every circumstance, give me special gifts, riches and glory, just because he loves and favors me. Favor is the root of the word favorite! Imagine being a heavenly ‘teacher’s pet’ or God’s favorite child.

Joseph the Favorite Child

For a pure biblical prototype of favor-in-action, the life of Joseph from Genesis is unmatched. Joseph is extraordinary for many reasons but it seems like he had an unfair advantage right from the beginning. “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors” Genesis 37:3. It was his dad’s arbitrary will to love him more than any of his other children. Joseph had unmerited and unearned favor from his father. He did not do anything extraordinary or plant any seeds to invoke the principle of sowing and reaping to receive this favor; it was only because his father happened to be old when he was born.

In many ways Joseph is a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus because like Joseph, Jesus was His Father’s favored child. But for our purposes, let us consider Joseph’s coat as a prophecy of Jesus. Our beautiful coat of covering is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Joseph’s father loved him more than all his children and made a gorgeous colorful coat for him to wear just like Jesus is a beautiful coat for us to wear. The Scripture says, “…as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27), and, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 13:14).

The Colorful Coat is Jesus

The Father made a coat for you to wear because He loves you and, like Joseph was to his father, you are the child of God’s old age. (God must be pretty old seeing as He is called the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7). Your faith-courage grows by seeing Jesus as a colorful custom-made coat on your shoulders, made especially for you by God Almighty. Now when the Father sees you He sees Jesus covering you. Jesus Christ—His own master creation who He loves with all His heart is your identity and covering.

If you can believe it, God can never be mad at you as long as you are hidden in Christ, wearing the coat He made for you. Your inner voice may condemn you saying, you are really not good enough to merit being God’s favorite child. Exactly! That’s why you have a coat; so when God looks at you, He sees Jesus first. Your sin is covered by the coat. When Joseph’s father looked at him, he first saw the beautiful coat he made with his own hands.

Joseph didn’t win his father’s love. He received His father’s love. It was his father’s personal arbitrary decision to give his love and make a handmade coat. That coat was a public statement saying, “This boy is my favorite son and all of my glory rests on him.” All Joseph had to decide was whether or not to wear the coat.

The Colorful Coat Draws Attention

The Father God likewise loves to see His children proudly covered by Jesus Christ, however, like dressing in a peculiar brilliant colored garment, some believers feel embarrassed to go out in public with their faith. In fact, many Christians put the funny-looking, bright, ostentatious coat of their Christian identity in the closet whenever they go out. I’ll bet Joseph felt real funny at first wearing that blazing colorful coat on the farm with all his brothers and the servants staring at him saying, “Who does that clown think he is? He’s no better than us!”

The coat Joseph wore was a public statement and a peculiar, loud and meaningful garment that marked him as a person with a special position and destiny in his life. Normal life was forever over for Joseph once he got that coat. Likewise, Jesus instructs His people to, “Let your light so shine before men…” (Matthew 5:16) and, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33). Joseph lived among a large family of livestock herdsmen with this odd colorful coat just like we are supposed to wear Jesus on our lips openly among our family and friends.

The Price of Favor: Persecution

The price we pay for enjoying God’s favor is frequently the anger and resentment of many close friends and family members. Jesus was clear about this when He warned that the enemies of His followers would be of their own household (Matthew 10:34-39). Joseph had this same kind of trouble with his family members. Genesis 37 mentions several times about how his brothers’ hatred continued to grow and grow toward Joseph until they finally conspired to kill him. Even his own father was taken aback at his big dream. All of this grief was because he was full of confidence rooted in the unashamed favor of his dad and dreams from God.

Where do we get this Christianity measured by our popularity? The truth is that we’re supposed to wear the favor of God on our lips openly and unashamedly. We’re supposed to walk around singing, “My Father loves me, so you can’t hurt me. I am His favorite child. I have a wonderful future and dream.” But instead many whine as if we can all relate to the famous old spiritual, “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.”

The Keys of Repentance

This is not to diminish the mistakes and trials that do certainly impact our lives but the Bible gives the antidote for sin and grief. In fact, it says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). So, the key to favor is to forgive others because we ourselves need to be forgiven, stay freshly repentant for our own sins and to wear our Jesus coat. “My Father loves me, so you can’t hurt me.” Remember, the Father harvests where he hasn’t planted any seeds. This is favor beyond reaping and sowing!

If you can believe it, you can walk through life with the attitude of a favorite child of God Almighty. You have the right to be convinced that He is always looking at you affectionately and admiringly. Do you understand how amazing this is? Do you understand what God has given us? Many people walk around covered with a coat of average with their wildest dream to win some stupid lottery. Christians sometimes live with coats of anger, criticism, backbiting, judging, and sarcasm, saying, “Gosh aren’t we Americans cool.” We would rather wear our cool coat, pretending to do great in life and covering-up our fear of failure, than wear our Jesus coat of God’s favor.

Does Coolness Cancel Out Favor?

People today seem to care more about being cool than being righteous. Even among hip young church leaders it is prevailing wisdom to have the appropriate cool tattoo, wear the right clothes, cool shoes, right haircut, say the right cool catch-phrase, and know all the words to the right songs—because looking and sounding like everyone else is an important gauge of coolness. But Joseph had this very uncool coat made for him by his dad and it is clearly implied that he wore it continuously. It helped separate him and make him an outcast in his own family.

We can easily imagine a young person today saying, “Mom, do I have to wear the coat Dad made for me in public? I can’t let my friends see me in this.” His mother would retort, “Your father made it for you so be quiet and wear the coat.” And so Joseph cannot help but feel awkward: both out of place with his brothers and specially loved by his father. When he tries to befriend his brothers all they can think is how they don’t have a special coat from their father. They all work just as hard for their dad and they don’t get an awesome coat like Joseph’s.

Joseph finally starts getting used to being different so he eventually sort of struts around with his colorful coat and feels like a superhero. And the brothers are mad at him. “Oh I hate that guy,” they’re saying, “Who does he think he is?” In the same way, if you have a dream and a vision from God on your lips, just get ready for it, the backlash is coming. Unfortunately, many Christians do not wear their coat boldly but keep it in the closet when unsaved family and friends are around to ‘keep the peace.’ This is like pretending you do not know how to read to keep illiterate people from feeling bad.

Moreover, when you leave your Jesus coat in the closet it will hinder your ability to receive a dream from God. When you are more self-conscious and concerned about being rejected by family and friends than walking in your Father’s blessing, you will not have the free flowing relationship needed to receive a genuine God-dream.

Is God With You in a Pit?

So, Joseph’s big dream gets him thrown into a pit and sold into slavery. Is God still with Joseph in the pit? You’re darn right He is. Is he with him while working as a slave for a heathen named Potiphar? Absolutely, yes. How about when he’s thrown in jail? Is God with him then? Yes.

Joseph’s confidence in God’s favor was completely immovable and he produced a profit in every situation he found himself in. Christians who are not secure in their favor with God do not have confidence when things in life turn bad. Many quickly revert to their old sinful ways assuming that God is too hard to understand or He must have turned against them.

So, every time you get thrown in a pit, and you think, “Oh God! Where’s my coat of your favor?” just know that God didn’t walk out on you. There is no sin that coat won’t cover. There is nothing that you’ve done that can separate you from the love of God. Nothing! There’s no pit that you’ve found yourself in that can separate you. It’s God’s good pleasure to give you His love. And, it’s all received and activated by faith.

God’s favor has nothing to do with your personality type. The Bible does not say anything about Joseph’s personality. It doesn’t say anything about his IQ, wisdom, looks, virtue, love, strength or honesty. It just says that his father loved him for his own reasons—Joseph was born later in his life and Israel just favored him. Maybe by this time his father said I’m just going to love this kid. “Yeah, Joe, want the keys to the car? Yeah go, go ahead… but wear that nice coat I made for you.” What does seem apparent however is the favor had the effect of drawing greatness and virtue out of Joseph. God’s favor should affect us the same way.

If you can receive it, God’s favor is on you. There’s no price you can pay to get it. It’s free. You just have to receive it by faith. Does your heart resonate with this message? Can it connect? Do you believe there is logic in the message of God’s love through Jesus Christ that can compete with the logic of the world that speaks against this message? That’s really the question. At the end of the day what we are faced with is an issue of logic. The logical equation of the Gospel is this: humans are fallen in sin and need a savior and God loved us and sent us His Son to die for us – that’s the logic of the gospel.

The logic of the world says that we’re accidentally evolving into something, we don’t know where we came from, and we don’t know where we’re going. Pick your logic. I’ll take the one which promises me eternal life and God’s unmerited favor any day of the week. I’ll take the logic of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

God: Venture Capitalist

2009-10-16T17:19:00.008-04:00

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 "Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 "And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' 21 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 22 "He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 24 "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' 26 "But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 'So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus: The Nice-Machine?

I have never been able to understand the preachers who paint Jesus as a one dimensional ‘nice-machine.’ In fact, there is not even a hint of warmth or forgiveness offered to the unprofitable servant in this parable. This guy is not going to be depicted by an artist as a lamb nestled in Jesus’ arms by the cool water anytime soon. Some might even accuse Jesus of coming across as harsh here.

God: The Original Venture Capitalist

I think the contemporary job title best describing God’s role as the lord in this parable is venture capitalist, or ‘one who invests funds for start-up firms with exceptional growth potential.’ God is the original venture capitalist and He invests in His servants as part of a business plan designed to grow His Son’s company, the Church. Jesus Christ set up a proven model to recruit and compensate workers for the purpose of the profitable expansion of His trans-dimensional company. His eventual goal is global market domination, and he makes no bones about it. The Father has invested 6,000 years, the blood of His Son, innumerable angels, the lives of the martyrs, the written Word and the Holy Spirit—and now He expects full participation and profit from every servant.

In the parable, the unprofitable servant tries to be so smooth when he patronizes his lord with empty words and false respect. In modern Christian vernacular, the words might sound more like this: “Gee whiz, Lord, I know how scary and awesome you are but every group had a different teaching about what I was supposed to do for you… How could I really know? In fact, some say I do not have to work at all, just believe… and besides, I’m not smart enough to understand what you really want from me… Everyone has their own interpretation… I’m afraid I might do something wrong… I could never do anything good enough for you… who can really understand the mind of God, anyway? You harvest where you want even where you haven’t scattered seed so I know you don’t need me… That is why I hid salvation in my heart so I wouldn’t lose it… besides; faith is such a personal thing.”

On top of that, I’m sure the unprofitable servant had many other wicked and lazy people agreeing with him so he planned on hiding in the crowd and maybe the lord would forget to call on him. This guy loved democracy… the power of the people to decide for themselves. “Look lord, I didn’t lose my salvation…. I have believed in you for years and they said all you have to do is have faith and, see, Jesus is in my heart. I have my ticket to Heaven. I just kept it safe to myself!”

But the lord is onto him. He says, “Wrong—you are lying. That is not why you didn’t make a profit for me. You did not make a profit for me because you are both wicked and lazy and refused to act on my behalf. You loved the world but you didn’t love Me and you don’t love your neighbors” People commonly cite all kinds of rhetorical excuses to use God in order to secure their own salvation and spend their lives making a profit for themselves but never do make a profit for the Lord. Many believers just do not really care that much about Him.

College Degree and Ordination Ceremonies are Not Necessary

When I washed up on God’s shores at 26 years old in 1982, on one hand, I was walking pretty ugly because I was saved from a very bad place. On the other hand however, I was like an on-fire missile for God, and just crazy enough to start working the crowd for Jesus without a formal education or some impressive pedigree. I obtained some basic coaching from TV preachers, prayed hours each day and began telling family, friends and co-workers what I knew of the Gospel from the day I was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. I did not wait for someone to ordain me to begin ministering. I became a minister the moment I got saved.

Education and ordination are not necessary to make a profit for God. Both of those things can be helpful but lack of them should never be offered as an excuse for lack of personal investment in God’s business. Nobody should stall in a fantasy, waiting for a ceremony with apostles and prophets to start working for God. A ceremony may or may not ever happen but I guarantee if a person is not producing for the Kingdom before ordination, they will not after. Don’t forget our parable—God is a venture capitalist coming back soon and expecting a profit from every servant.

Simply Holding Your Own is Not Enough

God didn’t give the life of his Son because any of us are that much of a prize on our own. I’m sorry, is that harsh? I’m probably not talking about you; I’m talking to the other people reading this. I know you’re probably truly a prize. Kidding aside, the truth is, He does want you… and more.

Let me illustrate: Bill Brown is a venture capitalist and Mary Smith comes to him with an idea for a web design business needing $100,000 to get started. Bill agrees to back her after looking at her education, experience, credit-history, business plan and then negotiating terms of interest and repayment. He then transfers $100,000 of his personal money to Mary. There is only one reason Bill is investing this money—profit. He is not going to be happy if she only gives him his investment money back.

Imagine five years later, Mary thanking Bill as she gives him $100,000 payment in full saying, “Boy, wasn’t that a great investment. See, you got all you money back, I didn’t lose a dime!” I’m sure Bill’s response would be similar to the lord of the unprofitable servant. He would be outraged lamenting, “I could have made more profit if my money was in the bank.” So, the Father says to His Church—I’ve given you the life of my Son and I’ve invested in you and I’ve given you everything you need; every spiritual blessing in heavenly places has been given into your hands. Now go make me a profit. Just giving God back the salvation He gave you is not profit!

We Have All the Investment Capital We Need

Jesus Himself promised adequate available investment capital to pray mountains into the sea and He set up an account of power and grace with a potentially unlimited balance; with more becoming available as needed to the faithful servant. That’s how much spiritual capital God has put up for this venture. But make no mistake: God wants a profit. God is looking for a profit.

The Unprofitable Servant’s Dilemma

So often Christians mope around like, “Oh well, nobody is giving me a ministry so I guess I’ll just wait here and try my best to resist sin until Jesus comes back.” Resisting sin out of will power alone is like a little boy trying to see if he can stay awake all night. Sooner or later, no matter how hard he tries, sleep takes over and he succumbs to the inevitable. There is no stopping nature for long.
Sin is the same. If a believer is not busy actively handling grace, then sooner or later he is going to get into trouble because only contact with fresh grace relieves the sin urge. Without fresh grace the growing impulse becomes too great and the sin virus inside will battle with the mind until the sin manifests. Human willpower is no long-term match for sin and Adam’s children always get themselves into trouble apart from fresh blood-bought grace. Profitable servants are actively investing so when they do sin they are quick to repent. The unprofitable servant keeps his faith mainly inside his heart so when he sins he does not repent and, like mushrooms, sin is free to grow in the darkness. God is looking for a profit.

Kingdom Profit

Under the direction of Apostle John Kelly, in 1991 my wife Nancy and I took a church plant here in rural Margaretville. The area had been, since frontier days, famous for being godless. In fact, a popular slogan from the old days still remembered by locals is: “There is no law west of Woodstock and no God west of Shandaken” (Margaretville is the town to the west of Woodstock and Shandaken). Suffice it to say, there was no Spirit-filled church in the tiny town.

We arrived fully secure in the Kingdom business plan and went to work with hearts full of faith. I had long understood that God provides adequate resources, both seen and unseen, and expects profit. Over the years our startup investment package consisting of our faith, 15 people and an abandoned gas station refitted as a church, has produced a profit for the Lord in the form of Catskill Mountain Christian Center.

Eighteen years later CMCC has become a veritable power plant of life and Kingdom productivity, providing hundreds of people the opportunity to invest their own talents for the benefit of the Master. Thousands of lives have been positively affected and Jesus Christ has become a living member of hundreds of homes through the influence of CMCC. Every life that has been affected, every good work rendered, every radio show broadcast, every soul converted, every cup of water given in His name; Every Bible study, Sunday service, marriage saved, child protected, book sold, conference held, missions dollar spent, minister supported, and church encouraged represent profit to the Kingdom through CMCC.

Profit Defined

In Luke chapter four, Jesus reads the scroll in the temple: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor and he sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovery of sight to the blind and to set in liberty those who are oppressed.” So, ostensibly, this is where Christians come from. We are adopted by God through coming to terms with our malfunction and weakness, admittedly extracted from the poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed.

Now contrast this with 1 Peter 2:9 where Peter writes by the Holy Spirit: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, called forth that you may proclaim the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light….”
The question is which group do we belong to now? Which one are you? Are you the poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind and oppressed or are you chosen, royal, holy and special? Which one? Are you sometimes both or maybe just confused?

Should I Stay or Should I Go

Some believers seem to want to stay poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind and oppressed. They learn to be comfortable in that identity. “I’m so poor, brokenhearted, oppressed, and blind,” they say, and ten years later they are still in the same church and they are still poor, brokenhearted, captive and blind. “I need mercy, God, I need your mercy,” and yet there is no growth and no profit. These people have gained no profit.

If you are a believer and God has said His people are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people called forth to proclaim His praises, that is who you are now. You’ve received your adoption papers. You are a new thing even though you sometimes feel like the old thing. That is the way of it. You still contain a lot of the old but you are supposed to be becoming new. You were the poor, the brokenhearted the captive, the blind and the oppressed and you are actually becoming chosen, royal, holy and special. This positive movement is profit on its own and increases the servant’s ability to gain more profit.

Profit begets profit; so as you become chosen, royal, holy and special you are becoming like Jesus because he is the perfect model of these qualities. You see, you have to believe you are chosen, royal, holy and special, and become used to living in that mindset; convinced that God has made you to be His favored child and nothing can take that away from you. Why… because He said so and He is God, and He expects profit from you.

The Other You – The Unprofitable Voice

Right about now, you’re unprofitable, deceitful and self-righteous voice is going to say, “But I don’t feel chosen, royal, holy or special and I do not want to be a hypocrite.” And on a deeper and even more devious level, the inner voice whispers, “If you blab all over the place about being God’s favored child, you know deep down inside that you are going to have to act like a full blown holy Christian all the time.” This is significant because like the wicked, lazy servant, we all know that there are some benefits in being less committed, especially if you do not want to get stuck with too much work or have to keep company with ‘uncomfortable’ people. There are advantages to having people keep their distance, such as lower expectations and fewer demands to perform. It takes a lot of faith-effort to produce a profit for the Kingdom.

But if you are sure about being chosen, royal, holy and special and you position yourself as God’s favored child there is a lot expected of you. So sometimes we’re a little unsure of exactly what we want. We like to sing songs in the sold-out camp but when the expectations of overcoming, victory, sacrifice and profit come on us, we’re like “whoa, slow down, I’m just a leper—a sinner saved by grace.”

The Joseph Connection – Profit Personified

The story of Joseph starting in Genesis 37 is a great example of someone who had a chosen, royal, holy and special mindset and created profit for each of his masters. He was raised as a favored child of his father, Jacob, and is considered, in many ways, a prophetic foreshadowing of Jesus. Joseph, therefore, makes a perfect case study of a person who possessed the mindset of a profitable servant.

When someone is raised by parents who focus love, admiration, time and attention on him/her it creates a good self image. You feel valuable because you are valued by your parents. You know you can do things because you have been treated as a valuable treasure. When, like Joseph, you are raised by parents who love and train you in a biblical way, and your parents carry the blessing of God, you end up being an optimistic, well balanced person—a candidate for a dream and one who has a sense of destiny. Profitable people are creative people.

“Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors." (Gen 37:1-3)

Two things to note in this passage. Number one: Righteous Joseph was a snitch—an unpardonable sin in many respectable human institutions like prison and the mafia. He ran straight to his father when his brothers did wrong. A profitable servant is loyal to his leader even above his own brothers. Lazy and wicked servants always travel in packs and use group influence to corrupt others and restrain excellence. In order to bring profit to the Master, we must have His good in mind above all things.

Number two: Joseph’s daddy made him a special coat—he just loved that boy and it is very safe to say that Joseph grew confident underneath that love. In the same way, a recently adopted child of God transitions from a person who was in captivity and is now expected to wear a new cover identifying him/her as favored child of God. A child of God’s coat separates him/her from the pack. Jesus Christ is the beautiful coat of the Christian.

This new coat feels strange at first but soon becomes comfortable giving a sense of confidence, and the child of God grows more and more secure as the love and admiration shines from the Father. Your Father loves seeing the new coat He made for you on your shoulders. The coat declares, “I am chosen, royal, holy and special. My coat was made by my Father’s own hand… I believe it because He said it.” I become very confident in my self-image to the degree that I believe it true. I become comfortable in this new coat because my Father made it for me.

One Thousand Years of God’s Love Today

When I think about how great the Father’s love is toward me, I’m reminded of the Scripture, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Because God is not constrained by time and space He has one thousand years (or more) of His God-time to invest in my day today. One thousand years of His love, one thousand years of His concentration and one thousand years of His concern for me all concentrated in each single day I live. He really loves me… He has every hair numbered… He knows every detail.

Like Jacob loved Joseph, my Father loves me and dotes on me watching my every move with admiration as I grow up in his love. When he looks at me he sees two things that make Him smile: 1. He sees the coat which He, himself made for me. 2. He sees me joyfully and publicly wearing my new coat and He sees the great desire I have to please Him.

“Now Joseph had a dream…” Genesis 37:5

When I openly wear Jesus, I feel very special and important, growing confident under the adoring eye of my Father. Soon, this faith and love creates the perfect spiritual environment for receiving a dream from God. When a person is secure in the knowledge that God absolutely adores them, they are given the gift of a dream.

Today many Christians are doing circles. These are people without God-dreams because they are not sure if they are poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind and oppressed or chosen, royal, holy and special. As long as there is ambivalence in terms of identity, people will be devoid of God-inspired vision. Many confuse God-dreams with natural goals and end up with a product of their self-life. But when someone is content in the Father’s love, like Joseph, they’ll get a dream from God—a dream connected with destiny. The accomplishment of this dream is purest Kingdom profit!

So, first, one must believe in the Father’s love above all things. Jesus said this in Mark 16, “in that day you will ask my name and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you for the Father himself loves you.” This is truth we can embrace with complete confidence because the Word of God says it—feelings aside—if the Word of God says it, you have to believe it. God has the power to make a person into what He says… but believing in His love and present day power is mandatory—that’s faith.

God Creates Profit through Faith Words

Genesis chapter one, the beginning, sets forth some of the most important precedents in the Bible. In this chapter of Scripture the words ‘God said’ occurs ten times and everything He says happens within the respective day. The heavens and earth are created by God speaking things into existence in time and space. When God’s Word says something it indicates His will to do it. He now partners with faith-filled human servants to vocalize His words in time and space, thus releasing His power on earth to create and arrange Kingdom profit.

Visible and Invisible Profit

The Father himself loves you. Relax; you are a child of God. Remember the paralyzed man in Luke 5 who was lowered down before Jesus? His friends carry him to the house where Jesus is healing people and it is too crowded to get in the door. They finally hoist him up onto the roof of the house, remove the tiles and lower him down into the room where Jesus looks up and says to him, “Man, you’re sins are forgiven.”

This begs the question, why would Jesus accuse a poor paralyzed man of being a sinner without even meeting the guy? What has he done wrong? His friends did not bring him to Jesus for absolution of sins but healing. Why would Jesus hurt his feelings by calling him a sinner? Didn’t He have compassion on the poor guy?

“Your sins are forgiven,” – one, two, three… I think Jesus was counting in His head as the Pharisees were starting to fume in anger… “How dare he say your sins are forgiven.” Jesus finally confronts their dilemma with a question, “Which is easier to do, say your sins are forgiven or to say rise up and walk?” This is the question for all of us. Which is easier to do, say your sins are forgiven or rise up and walk? They are both equally impossible. Natural men cannot do either one of them, however, Jesus says, “Just so you know that I have power to forgive sins, rise up and walk.” Jesus performed visible miracles to validate His power to forgive man’s invisible sin debt to God.

No Profit in Pirates

If you have received your Jesus coat, your sins are forgiven. Many Christians walk around with a negative self image, feeling like a stowaway pirate hiding out in a church; always grappling with a haunting feeling of being an outsider. Some dear folks actually think they are the only real Christians and everyone else is a pirate so they begin to secretly organize a mutiny. A child of God is not a rebel pirate. The old pirate nature has been amputated in Christ and all that remains are phantom pains.

God’s Investment – Your Security

A child of God is a child of God: chosen, royal, holy and special. Faith in that premise must be the first and foremost building block of the new life. Even in your paralysis “Your sins are forgiven.” But, your inner voice argues, “I have not done anything good to earn God’s love and favor.” BINGO. He did it all for you and you get it like the gift of a new coat from a loving father. This coat of God’s favor is His investment in you, akin to the talents left with the three servants in our original Scripture.

Likewise the Bible does not indicate that Joseph did anything to earn the favor of his father or merit Jacob’s special love. He was chosen, royal, holy and special… just like the Word of God says you are. In fact, you today have more love being lavished on you right at this very moment from God than Joseph ever had in his life from Jacob. Joseph would go on in his life to be reduced to nothing, several times, but his dream and the favor of God kept him earning profit for every master he served.

The Price of Profit: Rejection

But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37:4

When you’re confident in the love of God that you are chosen, royal, holy and special, some people will hate you for it. The people closest to you are often first to resent God’s favor on you and be offended by your confidence. They will try to pull you back down into the small and competitive place where people are measured by their physical characteristics and accomplishments. The day you decide you’re going to believe God with all your heart, as in Joseph’s story, some people are going to react badly.

Not infrequently the most troublesome are the closest. Parents, siblings, spouse, children, long time friends, church members and co-workers… certain people will hate you when you hide your old self underneath the coat your Father made for you and start boldly wearing Jesus Christ.

Very often the closest have their feathers ruffled most because your holiness and commitment reveals the spirit of compromise in them. They do not want to go where you are going. Remember Job’s wife couldn’t stand his righteous commitment when things got hard. She said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" Job 2:9

There is a quality about someone who is holy that makes someone who isn’t holy really upset. Sometimes it is people in your church or family members. Honestly, Joseph’s father wasn’t too crazy about his son’s big dreams of family domination. Sometimes maybe even your pastor or home group leader will not think much of your dream; but it’s not for them to think much of—it’s for you to believe your dream.

Human Nature at its Worst

Next, the brothers are out in the field and Joseph comes looking for them with his beautiful new coat on his shoulders. By this time, these guys are just ripping mad: Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming!” Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!" (Genesis 37:19-20)

When you walk with God’s favor covering you and start boldly talking about your big dream, a desire to strike you down rises up in people. This is a strange and mixed-up fallen world that we live in where someone else’s dream threatens us. How dare you have a dream? How dare you become more successful than me? How dare you elevate yourself above our collective wisdom?
When you are walking in your God-dream, certain people around you will purposely try to block your way in order to break your spirit. They want to snuff it out because your success makes them feel bad. Like the unprofitable servant, your profit coming from God reveals their laziness and wickedness. They want there to be no higher level of righteousness than what they are living. They want to believe that goodness and holiness do not matter in the real world.

This phenomenon happens very commonly in Christian circles. Somebody will turn over a new leaf and say, “today is the day that I’m going to renew my spiritual disciplines.” And, the people around them literally work against them. A husband wants to reclaim his prayer life and his wife works against him or vice versa. Be prepared for resistance in implementing your God-dream.

The hard heart in some people demands that others only achieve success within approved and accepted humanly controlled systems. If you work, fight, save, study, or invest your way to success the world will love you because the world loves its own. If you are chosen by God for his own reasons however, and He dotes on you and gives you a dream and coat, people hate you for it because you have special advantage they are not willing to pursue. It is why Cain killed Abel. People hate you when you have been accepted by God and are not a puppet of the prevailing political sway, leaving their corruption with no influence over you.

Joseph the Profiteer

In every situation where Joseph found himself, he brought a profit to his master. You see, no employer wants to pay you $10 an hour and get $10 revenue in return. If I pay you $10 an hour and don’t get $20 an hour return, I’m not a very good businessman. That’s the point of doing business—making a profit. Every time Joseph worked for someone, he took his little measure of influence and he made a veritable garden out of a desert. Joseph profited his father by bringing him happiness. He profited his father’s business by sharing a bad report about his brothers’ care of the flocks. He was completely rejected, thrown into a pit by his brothers and sold into slavery, bringing financial profit to his brothers… even when he was being rejected he was bringing a profit! Joseph was profit waiting to happen.

In today’s modern church world a person who is that badly rejected by his own brothers in his youth would many times end up in counseling and deliverance sessions for forty years and still feel powerless. But not Joseph; every circumstance he found himself in resulted in profit for each respective human leader and finally for God. Potiphar bought Joseph as a slave and over time, gave his whole household into Joseph’s hands and Joseph served him and God blessed his household for Joseph’s sake (see Genesis 39 1-6). Joseph brought profit to his master.

As a leader, it’s one thing when you see someone really working hard under you and is committed to doing his job with excellence, but it is another thing when you see ambition in his heart because he’s just waiting for you to stumble so he can jump you and take your position. Why is it that every time Joseph had any position the people who were over him loved him and trusted him? Universally, his superiors, both human and God, wanted to give him more authority and power, because he was bringing a profit in every place he served. He was making a profit; a garden in the desert.

What kind of self-image does one possess to get falsely accused, thrown in jail and over time become the number one inmate, responsible for the whole prison? (Genesis 39; 20-23) Joseph had a dream from God… he was chosen, royal, holy and special… he made a profit everywhere he served. He was never a rebel. He served every master profitably, fulfilled his destiny, saved his family and found a home for God’s people for the next four hundred years.
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold for a profit. He served and made a profit for Potiphar and was betrayed by Potiphar’s wife. He was thrown in prison and served and profited the jailer. He used his spiritual gifts to profit some inmates and was forgotten by them. He was discovered by Pharaoh and served and profited him and all of Egypt. Finally, he served God and fulfilled his original God-dream by rescuing and delivering his father and brothers and finding a home for God’s people.

God the Venture Capitalist Seeks Profitable Servants

The same destiny is offered to the child of God today. The one with the spirit of Joseph says, “I’m going through some hard times, but I’ve got a dream. “I am determined to turn this desert into a garden—give me any desert and I’m going to make a garden.” At which point most people come back to the leader (after whining and complaining behind his back) and say, “well, you didn’t give me any seeds… how can I be expected to make a garden?” Remember, even the wicked and lazy servant knew his lord is the one who, “reaps where you have not sown.”

The great sign of a child of God walking in faith is his ability to create profit: more results than natural resources invested. We serve the God who reaps where He has not sown; who feeds the multitudes with five loaves and two fish. “For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her wasted places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.” (Isaiah 51:3)

We’re not talking about a dollar invested and a dollar returned. We’re talking about working for God. We’re talking about coming to a community of 600 people and having an expansive ministry far beyond anyone’s expectations (except mine). It is about having a dream of becoming something that’s righteous, holy and pure and raising up people to be world changers and conquerors representing Jesus in this generation.

It is about taking a desert and making a garden by the power of God. Listen, child of God – every boss, every employer – ought to love you. Everywhere you go you should bring a Joseph spirit with you, into every area of your life. Don’t tell me you work for a heathen so you can’t be profitable. All Joseph ever worked for were heathens – except for his dad – and he made every heathen he ever worked for wealthier, more effective and more successful.

Children of God ought to be in government. We ought to be in business. We ought to be in every place bringing excellence – a Joseph spirit to everything. Why? Because God is looking for a profit. And here’s the whammy… Joseph starts out as just one of the brothers but by the time he’s transformed by all of the trials, work and ever increasing success they don’t even recognize him anymore! Like Jesus, Joseph was thrown into a pit and was transformed. The pathway to fulfilling your God-dream will have the same effect.

Back Up to Full Speed!

2009-09-29T10:56:00.006-04:00

Here we are at the end of September with leaves changing, school in motion, cooler days, mums in bloom, apple picking time, baseball season's waning as football season's gaining and everything here at CMCC back up to full speed after a long lazy, hazy, crazy summer. I'm lovin' it!

This is a great time of year to get involved in a home group if you are not already in one. Through home group participation we meet new friends, pray for one another and learn rich insight from God's Word. Have you attended Wednesday evening service lately? If not, come out and get a mid-week shot-in-the-arm with worship and Bible teaching by Nancy Engelhardt... very enjoyable.

We also have volunteer opportunities at CMCC to serve the poor in our Family Table store and to serve our neighbors through nursing home ministry or weekly senior fellowship dinner. Contact the church office for info on any of these. Through participation in church activities we serve and are served causing us to grow and flourish as children of God's household.

The story of the woman washing, anointing and kissing Jesus feet in Luke 7:36-50 reminds us that the right reaction to God's forgiveness of our sins is a self-emptying expression of love.

That's why CMCC is long regarded as a church that cares for our neighbors and our God. And thus our motto: With our hands we serve our neighbors, with our mouths we speak of God's Kingdom. I encourage you to look for ways to pour out love on God and on others.

See you Sunday,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt
http://www.cmcconline.org/

A Letter to CMCC from Dr. Larry & Judi Keefauver

2009-09-28T11:12:00.002-04:00

Dear Saints at CMCC,

Judi and I are so thankful to the Lord for you. For over a decade we have witnessed your faithfulness to the gospel and experienced your love toward us. Pastor Bob and Nancy Engelhardt have encouraged and edified us in so many ways as we have partnered together in ministry and friendship. Relationships and friendships have grown as we have been serving Christ together in ministry, missions, equipping the saints and outreach.

In the beginning, we connected via phone interviews with Pastor Engelhardt on some of our books and then we moved into sharing together in conferences, retreats, seminars and worship services. We have worked together on marriage, parenting, men's and women's ministry, equipping leaders and seeking a deeper walk in the Lord through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. And now... God has spoken to us to move to the Catskills to work apostolically with the Engelhardts and CMCC to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to pastor pastors, to network together and resource churches and ministries throughout the region. We have come home to CMCC as our church--a family of co-laborers with Christ. Wow, what a gift from God!

God has shown us a vision of this region ablaze with fires of the Holy Spirit in towns, villages and hamlets. A bonfire in Margaretville at CMCC spreading throughout the region to ignite the hearts of the saints to share the gospel and see people saved, healed, delivered and discipled throughout the Catskills and beyond. John the Baptist announced that Jesus would, "...baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). Upon declaring His ministry to the lost, Jesus said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt. 4:17).

Fire follows repentance. As saints repent of sins that hinder their daily walk with Christ and witness to others, they become salt and light in the world reaching the lost. As the lost are saved and discipled, they join God's army to possess the land. CMCC is part of the Joshua generation in advancing the Kingdom of God is this region and beyond. We must focus on the Great Commission given to us by Christ. We must repent of the sin that so easily besets us and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We must fight through any attacks of the enemy or the flesh recognizing that no matter how long or tough the battle, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

Together, we must finish the work and assignments Jesus gives us so that every victory becomes the foundation for the next advancement of His Kingdom in families, business, media, the arts and entertainment, government, education and religion. We are called to convert the lost, renew and equip the saints, support the leaders of Christ's church, and transform every aspect of culture so that every knee bows to Jesus Christ as Lord.

One motto of a popular home improvement store is, "You can do it; we can help." Judi and I say that to you. We want to thank you for helping us move into our home, the wonderful flowers, food and gifts to help us get settled and even more, the gracious spirit from the Lord that has welcomed us here. We have come to serve, equip, edify, support and help. We want to be like Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18-23) who were with Paul, even as we are with you and the Engelhardts, for the purpose of "strengthening all the disciples." To us you are a dear family. How we rejoice in this new season of being with you and praise God for you.

Jesus, ignite every believer here at CMCC and throughout this region so that the Holy Spirit and Fire will burn away every hindrance and wash away every sin so that we may win the lost to Jesus, equip the saints, strengthen families, heal the sick, mend broken hearts, set free the captives and transform culture. Empower us as a mighty army to possess this land in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dr. Larry & Judi Keefauver

CMCA Celebrates 15 Years

2009-08-30T20:02:00.003-04:00

CMCA Visits the MET in NYC. Photo by Bob Engelhardt

This Wednesday Catskill Mountain Christian Academy (CMCA) will begin its 15th year of academically excellent, intellectually stimulating and spiritually uplifting Christian education. Once again this year, a select group of parents will choose a more difficult road, sacrificing time and money, and acting contrary to their own personal comfort and the prevailing public opinion for the sake of their children. I honor all of those involved in CMCA, for their exceptional courage and commitment.

CMCA was formed to serve the purpose of helping parents to preserve their children's identities as Christians. It is our strategy to keep our children in a faith-filled environment while instituting a spirit of excellence in academic achievement. We at CMCA do not believe it is healthy for our children to be taught two versions of truth: one sacred and one secular. We believe that God should be completely integrated into the fabric of every area of our children's lives. Therefore CMCA is committed to educating children with a holistic view of all of life and truth being understood through the lens of Christian faith.

We do not deny other people the right to train their own children according to their values, but we feel it is a vital importance to give our children every chance to succeed in God's truth. Students of CMCA receive an unapologetic intermingling of biblical worldview with academics, something that understandably public schools cannot do. Separation of church and state is for the state to dispute, but it does not affect God's Word which instructs parents to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

In short, public schools, in order to respect diverse beliefs, diminish the relevance of spiritual truth in the minds of students. CMCA unapologetically teaches that God joyfully expresses His will to the human race through the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Holy Bible. This is the highest form of truth and should be celebrated in human life every second of every day. And that is why we happily open our doors next week to honor God by educating our CMCA children academically and 'in the Light'.

BTW: Our students continue to score above the national average on standardized testing including the all-important SATs.

Ministry Week in Walla Walla

2009-08-25T17:10:00.010-04:00

I had a great time of ministry last week with the Christian Life Center of Walla Walla, Washington. Led by Senior Pastor Bob Grimm and assisted by Pastor Lon Stokes and, my son, Pastor David Engelhardt, this growing church of 400 is a glowing example of a contemporary church committed to New Testament order, sound doctrine and the presence of the Holy Spirit. I was very impressed with the sense of expectation of growth and intelligent wisdom of their leadership team and the openness of the people (I was also impressed with the massive elk head mounted on the wall of Pastor Grimm's office).
Flying out from Albany early Tuesday, August 12th, I changed planes in Chicago and Denver before arriving in Pasco, Washington; and then after another hour on the road arrived at CLC in time to make their Tuesday night 'The Rising' youth service. CLC's expansive youth ministry, led by my son David, includes an 'off-the-hook' worship band and the hundred-or-so kids are as fired-up and expressive in worship as any I have seen. I shared the about the Tenth Leper (Luke 17) and the importance of lavishly expressing gratitude to God. Great time! Wednesday, David and I drove about three and a half hours out to Dworkshak State Park in Idaho to get settled in for CLC's annual Men's Camp. The scenic drive took us past the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, through many small and a few mid-sized towns in addition to some spectacular countryside of rolling hills covered with wheat fields. Notable were numerous historical landmarks of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition including the town of Lewiston, Idaho. At camp, I was provided with a nice camper-trailer that I affectionately dubbed the 'executive suite' while most of the other men stayed in cabins which were also pretty nice.

Thursday through Saturday was the Men's Camp. Several women of the church volunteer each year to come along and cook for this event, providing food that is just far too good to be called camp food. During the day the guys enjoyed recreation including swimming, boating and fishing on the forty-five mile-long Dworkshak Reservoir. Other activities included four-wheeling, archery, hiking and indoor ping pong, pool table and board games. Each evening after dinner was incredible worship led by David and his team and then I gave the teaching followed by prayer ministry. The younger late-night crew stayed up until the wee-hours playing cards and such.

On Thursday I had my first experience riding a four wheel ATV and quickly learned how this sport could easily become addictive. Literally riding over-the-river-and-through-the-woods, the feeling is sort of like a cross between a dirt bike and a snowmobile and is extremely fun. For awhile I felt like a kid again. I was also reminded what happens to men on motorized vehicles with no speed limit in place and no innocent bystander's safety to be concerned with-a race. No fighting it-it's just nature. As the newcomer to the sport (on Pastor Bob Grimm's personal machine), I really didn't stand a chance to win but I gave it a good go and enjoyed myself completely!

For my teaching series I started by sharing the theme Scripture for the week from 1 Peter 2: 9-10: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. From this scriptural base I shared through the three days:

1. My personal story of faith.
2. The significance of the anointing.
3. Blind Bartimaeus and the unseen realm.
4. The crisis of unemployed manliness.
5. Genesis chapter one and the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
6. Cutting free from sin traps.

The men were challenged and encouraged and CLC provided a competent and anointed payer team to pray for the men who desired it after the sessions. This resulted in numerous very encouraging reports telling of breakthroughs for several of the nearly 70 guys in attendance. A man named Tom shared at Sunday morning service how he received prayer to be filled with the Holy Spirit and felt like there was an empty hole filled inside of him enabling him to understand the Scripture that says, "...out of your belly will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38)."

I rode back to Walla Walla after camp ended on Saturday afternoon with CLC associate Pastor Lon Stokes. Pastor Stokes is a seasoned man of God with over thirty years in various ministry assignments from leading a foster-care ranch to functioning as a senior pastor for over twenty years. He is a very good and godly man, and is also an avid outdoorsman and conservationist.

On Sunday morning I preached at both of CLC's main services, telling of the good things God has done here at CMCC, and encouraging the church to continue fighting the good fight of faith. Finally I presented a teaching on the principles of authority specifically for the CLC leadership team on Sunday evening and off to the airport and home on Monday... whew.It was a joy to see what God is doing in another church clear across the country and it is a pleasure to come home to the Catskills and participate in what God is doing here. I am unbelievably privileged to serve the Lord Jesus Christ-I daily walk in the knowledge of being chosen, royal, holy and special along with all those who trust in the name of Jesus. Jesus rescued my soul from despair absorbed my poisonous past and called me His friend. In my darkest night I found the brightest light.
See you Sunday,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt
www.cmcconline.org

Holy, Chosen, Royal, Special

2009-08-08T13:22:00.005-04:00

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10

I love this description proclaiming God's children: chosen, royal, holy and special. This is not simply feel-good apostolic lip service; it is a creative proclamation of the Word of God. It is the same technique God used creating the heavens and earth in Genesis; as if God is saying, "...let them be chosen, royal, holy and special." It is God speaking, "who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did." (Romans 4:17) In order to grow into God's purpose, all Christians should have this proclamation often on our lips and permanently tattooed on our minds: we are chosen, royal, holy, and special.

The Mystery of the Seed

In gardening, a seed packet may bear a photo of lovely red tomatoes but inside are crusty little pieces of grain that do not look anything like a tomato. Through faith we plant the odd looking particle in the ground and in time and under proper conditions, the seed will produce an amazing tomato factory. No one is surprised by this miracle, although to some alien not informed of the process it would have to seem absurd. How can such a thing be? An entire system for a reproductive tomato kingdom self contained in a tiny seed.

Faith as a Mustard Seed

That is how God's Word works. His words are spiritual seeds having the power to produce fruit in the lives of His people. The picture on the outside of God's seed packet is Jesus Christ, the perfect juicy red tomato we are to become like: chosen, holy, royal, special. His example and testimony serves as a vision and prophecy for our continuing growth and development.

Seeds and Sons

This scriptural proclamation correlates with John's Gospel where it says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God..." (John 1:12) The children of God take on the identity of our adopted Father. We, who were not a people but are now the people of God, have been pronounced chosen, royal, holy and special and now we are actually becoming chosen, royal, holy and special. It is not by our will power or positive mental attitude; it is a transformation through faith in the Word of God.

This Scripture also serves as a warning sign. If we see that our lives are, instead of tomatoes, producing spiritual fruit more like lemons, poison ivy, thorns, weeds, cacti or briars, we have a problem. Instead of chosen, holy, royal, and special we feel ignored, low class, dirty and common, we are missing the point of becoming children of God. Honestly, growing up in Jesus' tomato patch is not always easy but it always has the same objective... to grow into the master's image. "Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?9 "It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches." (Luke 13:18-19)

The Ten Lepers

2009-07-20T23:47:00.005-04:00

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 "Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" 19 And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." Luke 17:11-19 (NKJV)

As with all of the recorded testimony of Jesus’ life and ministry there is much insight on many levels that can be found in the story of the ten lepers. In this short reflection, however, let us focus on one particular aspect. That is, not what was special about the one (which we will briefly refer to at the end), but what was the problem with the nine. Looking backwards it seems that they really missed the point. In fact, Jesus was absolutely incredulous over their ungratefulness.

Now, because Scripture doesn’t specifically identify the issues of each of the hearts of the nine ungrateful lepers, we are left to speculate and consider the possibilities. Jesus makes it clear that the appropriate response by all of the ten should have been to do as the one righteous foreigner, but nine out of ten didn’t. That is a daunting indictment of our human condition. Only one in ten reacted to Jesus goodness in a way that pleased Him.

Let us now offer nine commonly observed human responses that might help us understand why each of the others missed the mark. Maybe if we can see some of these tendencies in our own lives it may help us to respond to Jesus’ goodness in a way that pleases Him better. No child of God wants to end up being perceived by Jesus as an ingrate.

1. Perhaps the first leper was struggling with unbelief. He walked away from Jesus not sure if he was really being permanently healed or if it was just his own excitement making him feel better. This is the guy who, after receiving evidence of a healing or deliverance, waits for the leprosy to come back rather than giving thanks to Jesus. He was not enjoying the moment but anticipating failure. His heart did not naturally respond with faith and thanksgiving but with suspicion, doubt and unbelief.

We are each called to fight the fight of faith! Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24.

When I was a twenty six year old spiritual leper, Jesus Christ blessed me with the cleansing power of His Holy Spirit. Even though it was a powerful, life altering baptism in God’s love and power, I recognized my responsibility to continue to believe His eternal work was done in me day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. There was a constant knowledge that without intentional faith and expressed gratitude I could become distracted enough to lose the wonderful blessing.

Jesus says in Mark chapter eleven that when we pray, if we believe we received it, we will have it. The way Jesus expected to be treated by all ten lepers for this miracle was through passionate thanksgiving. A sure way to express unbelief is to withhold thanksgiving waiting to see if the blessing sticks like leper number one.

2. Maybe the second leper felt somewhat grateful but was too embarrassed to approach Jesus and His entourage. This is a second-class, timid spirit that says things like, “He’s too busy for me… I’m too embarrassed to ask to see him… What am I going to say? I’m afraid... I’m just a little person… I’m not important enough to interrupt His meeting… I don’t like speaking in front of crowds… I don’t want to be rude.”

Although this common ‘aw-shucks-it’s-only-me’ talk has an outward appearance of niceness and self-deprecation it is really false humility rooted in fear and pride. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) the servant who, out of fear, buries the money his master entrusts to him instead of investing it invokes a similar strong reaction from his master (You wicked and lazy servant…) as our nine ungrateful lepers invoke from Jesus. There is no acceptable reason not to openly and publicly lavish gratitude on Jesus when God visits with His blessing.

When God makes an investment in a person, bringing healing, salvation, freedom, prosperity, inner wholeness or any other good thing, He expects an immediate, lavish, public display of gratitude… it is simply the right thing to do. Thank you, Jesus. Everyone get out of my way while I interrupt your ‘religion’ with my gratitude!

3. I think that at least one of the nine lepers was so excited that he went to tell his family and friends the good news and forgot all about Jesus. I’ve seen this happen many times when, after praying for someone in a difficult or desperate situation, God amazingly answers the prayer and the person runs to tell their family and forgets to give Jesus credit other than sometimes a little half-hearted nod.

In the book of Micah, the Lord’s heart is grieving because of this kind of attitude among people: Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. Micah 7:1 The Lord is longing; His soul desires in this scripture to harvest the ‘first-ripe fruit,’ which is that immediate burst of joy and thanksgiving that comes off the human heart when something good happens. He is so fulfilled by our genuine gratitude that the Bible says He is “enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalms 22:3). That means that the more we rightfully praise Him, the more He takes control as sovereign King of our lives. But like our leper friend, many of us run to tell our wife, children, friends, co-workers and neighbor the good news and neglect for days or weeks giving thanks to the only one who actually deserves it. What a shame.

Truth be known, many people will not really enter into your joy anyway… friends often react with insensitive remarks of unbelief, jealousy or bitterness at a miracle or even find a way to turn the conversation to themselves. Many people are not deep enough to grasp the gravity of a genuine blessing from God and refuse to correlate and credit the situation to Jesus. The ‘first-ripe fruit’ of your joy and thanksgiving ends up wasted on people without ears to hear rather than filling the heart of the One who planted and tends the vineyard.

4. Perhaps the problem with another one of our nine unappreciative lepers could be that he attributed the healing to the priest rather than Jesus. Because Jesus sent him to show himself to the priest, he easily could have misinterpreted the source of healing power as being the old religious system rather than the new move of the Spirit. He probably considered Jesus a spiritual guy but couldn’t break from his prejudiced idea of his parent’s structured religious system being the only source of God’s true power. To personally honor Jesus, in his mind, was to disrespect his inherited religion.

Many thousands of people today are trapped in old religious systems of worship that literally separate them from God and prevent them from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A dear friend of mine was a member of a large denomination and even though she was blessed, more than once, by the Holy Spirit’s tangible presence outside her church, she always recoiled back into the limitations of her denomination. Like our theoretical leper number four, she cried out to Jesus from afar off and when God answered her prayer, her religious pride and fear of the unknown rose up and she regressed even deeper into a church that offered no real life; only convoluted theology, dry sermonizing and no real power.

In fact, many times, inherited religious systems can be a decoy, offering beautiful human stage props to cover the fact that God has left them long ago. In the Scripture, Moses placed a veil over his face to hide the glory that was departing (2 Corinthians 3:13). Likewise, expensive buildings, medieval robes, academic elitism, awe inspiring music, impressive programs, glorious stained glass and thousands in attendance can put on a convincing imitation of God’s presence. Church can become like the Wizard of Oz; a man behind a curtain controlling a false manufactured memory of God with no real presence or power.

Jesus said: "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:7-8). There is a time where God expects every Christian to respond based on inner conviction and not like a spiritual Serengeti wildebeest during the annual migration. This fourth leper should have returned to Jesus and shown the same gratitude as the foreigner.

5. Maybe leper number five did not connect Jesus with the miracle. This guy just took the blessing and ran, considering it his good fortune, luck, natural healing, yin and yang, or coincidence. Many people are stingy in their willingness to acknowledge gratitude or express appreciation and would rather attribute a freely received gift to luck or fortune rather than expressing heartfelt appreciation to any man and/or admitting their poverty apart from an undeserved act of God’s mercy.

Jesus’ perturbed response to the absence of the nine ungrateful lepers reveals that they all missed something that should have been obvious: the principle of ‘a debt of gratitude.’ That is, when good is received, the right response is expressed thankfulness toward the giver of the good thing. In fact, in our day of fear of litigation, social hostility, situational morality and the nanny state, the godly concept of thankfulness has been lost as a widely celebrated virtue. Too many people stubbornly expect to be cared for and are not thankful when they do receive something good.

Leper number five did not acknowledge that his healing cost somebody something. Although he cried out with the others, “son of David, have mercy on us,” when Jesus did have mercy, the leper rejoiced in his own good luck. How many people cry out to God in a moment of despair and then reward only themselves when something good happens.

6. Theoretical leper number six considered it ridiculous for God to expect an emotional show of gratefulness. This attitude is the idea that being expected to openly express gratitude, praise and worship to God is undignified and makes God look selfish and egocentric. This leper is thinking, “Why would God want me to praise Him, anyway… what is He some kind of narcissist?” This leper thinks he is equally grateful just quietly feeling thankful in his heart, after all, “You can’t judge me, God knows my heart.”

Only a humble, unselfish person can truly lavish thanksgiving on God and others. False lavish thanksgiving usually comes off either shallow or ostentatious. Genuine thanksgiving is humble, lovely, pure, holy and powerful. It draws the grace and power of God.Leper number six, in his assessment that God couldn’t possibly care how people praise Him, has mistakenly anthropomorphized God, wrongly attributing to God the selfish, sinful nature of man. God is not a man, which is why He sent His Son as a man, on assignment to build a bridge and restore the broken relationship between us. Jesus came to clearly teach God’s created beings how we should respond to our creator when our hearts are right. He was reinforcing what was already clearly taught in the Psalms about expressing praise and thanksgiving openly and passionately.

In an automobile manual, the manufacturer authoritatively describes how their product should function when properly cared for. Jesus was authoritatively identifying malfunctioned human beings in this event. He clearly showed that when nine lepers did not respond with immediate, open gratitude, they were flat wrong and he was completely unsympathetic in His harsh assessment of their behavior as unacceptable. Their ‘idiot lights’ were shining brightly.

7. Leper number seven noticed that only the foreigner returned to thank Jesus but none of the other Jewish lepers so he wasn’t going to risk looking like a fool. He examples the person who says, “Our church doesn’t do it that way,” or “I’m not going to look like a fool and praise expressively because everybody will look at me.” This leper fears what people think of him more than caring about what God thinks of him. Even though he was a known leper, after being cleansed of a hideous disease he was too prideful to humble himself before Jesus. This is a follower-leper, a spiritual lemming who will never do anything dubbed uncool by the in-crowd.

The inner condition of this leper is not the same as number four, who did not return to Jesus because of his loyalty to his parents’ church. This leper was just concerned with peer pressure. He thought that people would laugh at him and call him a fool for being a Jesus freak. In the modern Christianity, this is the kind of believer that cares more about what public opinion polls say about the church than what Jesus says about the church.

When our church moved from a quiet country road in a remote area into the heart of the Village of Margaretville there were a number of uncomfortable church members. Although all of our members love our church and modern worship style, the thought of being publicly seen with these ‘Charismatics’ was painful for some. How many believers care more about looking cool than truly thanking Jesus?

Jesus said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?”

8. Leper number eight thought he wanted to be healed until it happened. He was crying out with the rest of the ten but never really expected to be cleansed because his life was built around his handicap, and therefore he perceived his healing as a burden rather than a blessing. He was content being unclean. He liked that people pitied him and did not expect him to grow, change, achieve or perform well. He was making a living and had social acceptance as part of a community of handicapped individuals. He was content at living in a sub-culture of lepers and the thought of being made whole was terrifying.

In John chapter five Jesus asks the infirmed man at the Pool of Bethesda if he wants to be made well. The question sounds odd until you realize that the man, lying on his bed, had been staying in his infirmed condition (at the healing pool) among a variety of other handicapped people for thirty eight years. How painfully revealing to think of how comfortable we can become with our own infirmities when we are accepted just the way we are.

Interestingly, the man does not quickly answer yes to Jesus’ question but explains that he’s waiting for an angel to stir the waters (a revival?) and there has been no one to help him in (an indictment against his local church?). Likewise, how many in the church claim to be waiting for a healing in their body, soul or circumstances but never hear the Holy Spirit through Jesus’ words to, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk” (John 5:8).

After joining Facebook I was disappointed at how many supposed Christians openly share off-color, unkind and inappropriate things. Unfortunately, like leper number eight, many do not really want to be cleansed. They do not fall at Jesus’ feet with thanksgiving because they do not really want to be that close to Him or adopt the purity, holiness and separation unto God’s purposes required. They think a dirty halo is kind of cool.

Leper number eight knew how to make a living as an unclean outsider but now had the new problem of learning how to function as a whole person. He defined his whole life based on his outer disease but it really masked his inner uncleanness, lack of motivation and laziness. After Jesus cleansed him, he no longer had this crutch or excuse for not accomplishing anything in life. “Oh great, now what am I supposed to do, go get a job?”

9. The ninth leper considered it against his personal code of conduct to bow before any man. This was the anti-organized church leper. He would give lip service to God as long as God stayed invisible but there was no way he was going to bow down before any human being. He would sound very pious and sanctimonious instructing people that it is wrong to give any man credit because, “After all, Jesus was just saying what God wanted Him to. As for me, I only worship God.” Whereas leper number five did not express gratitude to Jesus because he simply didn’t get the connection between the miracle and Jesus, this leper saw the connection but his personal theology (or bias) was against giving credit to man.

It is interesting that the righteous leper both glorified God and had no problem falling down at Jesus feet, giving Him thanks. Don’t forget, as the ‘Son of Man,’ Jesus was just as human as any member of our race. The good leper thanked the human whose voice spoke the power of God and Jesus affirmed his actions as right.

Prideful make-believers claim to love God but disrespect the Body of Christ, the Church. These modern lepers will not express thanks to Jesus by gratefully joining and submitting to His designated leadership team and the fountain head of His blessing. Jesus said to the human leaders that He had personally raised-up to establish His organized Church: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:23) Jesus gave the power of cleansing spiritual lepers to the Church. Withholding gratitude from those through whom God’s blessing flows is as wrong today as when Jesus walked.

10. We finally come to leper number ten, the righteous leper. He, “when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.”

When he saw... The good leper responded immediately. He did not wait for validation, confirmation or invitation. He was confident in his own personal assessment of the situation. He did not wait until tomorrow or until he had enough money to buy a gift or until he wrote a perfect speech. He instantly perceived, believed and embraced the miracle.
…that he was healed... His faith, powered by his anticipation after hearing of Jesus healing others, caused him to be absolutely certain he was healed. He was sure that God healed, completely and permanently.
…returned… He seemingly did not even make it to the priest to have the healing officially certified. He was inwardly compelled to return to Jesus and that was a higher, more urgent priority.
… and with a loud voice… No waiting to see how the Jewish lepers responded. No timidity, silent prayer, solemn worship, or embarrassment. No holding back or fear of looking uncool. On America’s Funniest Home Videos, among their collection of home movies there is a scenario where people give someone a fake winning lottery ticket as a gag. Almost universally the gagged person whoops and shouts when they think they’ve won a lot of money. Why is responding to God’s grace any different? Jesus indicated that all ten lepers should have known to respond boisterously and openly to this great blessing. That we would learn this lesson.
…glorified God… The healthy human heart accurately identifies God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). The pure hearted person can see God in the blessings and circumstances of life. The good leper recognized Jesus as an agent of God’s love and power. He glorified God and in doing so, testified of His life, goodness and power.
…and fell down on his face at His feet… The prostrate position is the position of utter humility, honor and submission. It is an expression of my leader’s superiority to me in every way and my utter loyalty to him and his kingdom. I am offering myself to you as a servant. I have nothing to bring but myself. The leper started out from afar but now boisterously barges into Jesus’ up-close presence, coming as near to the master as possible but humble enough to fall on his face at His feet. To stand while addressing Jesus would be to place himself on Jesus’ level, therefore he fell down before the Master in submission and bursting with gratitude.
…giving Him thanks… Thanking Jesus Christ is the self-evident, central, and natural activity of redeemed humanity. It is what all Christians who have been cleansed of spiritual leprosy should do all the time. It is the elders surrounding the throne in Revelation, falling down to worship over and over and over again. It is the only right thing to do given the gift we have received and the price that Jesus paid for it.
…and he was a Samaritan.” Everyone who cries out to Jesus is eligible for this blessing. Everyone, no matter how ‘far off’ they have been can be healed. Like our Samaritan leper, cry out to Jesus today.

CMCC's First YouTube Video!

2009-07-20T23:41:00.002-04:00

I video recorded my wife Nancy at our mid-week service a few weeks ago and I thought this sound bite was really awesome. It is strong stuff but really a true indictment of the modern church culture. I hope it speaks to you as it did to me. Don't forget to post your comments!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mIp4ddw5oY

Happy Birthday America!

2009-07-03T13:47:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday America! Let us never take our freedom for granted and let us always fight the fight of faith to keep America's Christian heritage burning brightly for all the world to see. I know that the founders of this great nation would be proud to be asssociated with godly men and women of character and conviction who refuse to roll over to any authority that calls evil good and good evil. They bled and died for an ideal that we must now contend for all over again. This fourth of July we must wake up as the church of Jesus Christ and begin to reassert the force of righteousness and call upon God almighty to deliver us from darkness. Let freedom ring!

Live Joyfully

2009-07-01T09:52:00.003-04:00

Terrible news last week as three American celebrities died; Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Not that these three lives were any more valuable than the rest of us, however, when someone dies who was rewarded by our culture with fame and fortune for their talents and charisma it captures our attention. We like our celebrities... we like their music, their acting, their beauty, their sense of humor, their style and pizazz. Many times, we'd like to meet them or we wish we could know them. Sometimes we feel bad that we are not one of them.

But the death of a celebrity also teaches us a very poignant lesson. No matter how popular, powerful, rich, attractive or talented a person is in life; in death all are equal. All opportunities to do good are over. All opportunities to make provision for the afterlife are over. Everyone's case file is sealed. Conviction, conscience or cause will never again move that one to action.

Only while living do we have an opportunity to store treasure in Heaven. Only while living do we have opportunity to mend a broken relationship. Only while alive can we right injustice, cry out for the poor or tell others of God's grace through Jesus Christ. Consider the words of King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes:
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, their hatred,
and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share
In anything done under the sun.
Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:3-10

I especially like the line, "for a living dog is better than a dead lion." Many of us waste our lives away wishing we were something that we are not. Ed, Farah and Michael are now dead lions and those of us who would have desired to be like them are now glad we're not. Living dogs truly are better than dead lions. There is much to be said for living in an attitude of gratitude for the blessings God has given in our today.

The New Testament says it like this: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

With that in mind, it is important to remember during this season of economic and cultural stress to be content and grateful with what we have. Let's all enjoy God's gift to the living of summertime in the Catskill's. See you Sunday.

The Satan Temptation - Rebellion Against Authority

2009-04-22T14:37:00.004-04:00

How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:
'I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.'
Isaiah 14:12-14

The Satan Temptation identified:
The Satan Temptation is named for Lucifer’s rebellion against God which resulted in his ejection from heaven and can be similarly applied to any rebellion against rightful authority motivated by pride. In everyday life, it typically begins with a personality conflict, offense or disagreement with a leader. Over time and fed with more perceived offences, it grows into a temperament of resentment and resistance. Eventually the subordinate begins to seek opportunities to undermine and inwardly wishes to see the leader removed or struck down.

Although it is almost always disguised as a justified issue with a particular leader, any rebellion against rightful authority is really just a repackaged version of the oldest attempted governmental overthrow in the universe.

The Satan Temptation originates with feelings of impatience, frustration or dissatisfaction against someone in charge. As they germinate, these feelings create an open wound and manifest by either knowingly or subconsciously resisting the leader rather than submitting from the heart and trusting God. If allowed to grow unhindered, these wounded emotions will develop into resistance, betrayal, stalling, subverting, sabotaging, contending against, second guessing, usurping and/or, inwardly or outwardly, mocking a leader’s decisions, policies, personality or direction.

Who is susceptible?
The Satan Temptation can poison any angry, weak or willing person who is required to yield to somebody else’s will. It can destroy harmony in any organization: family, government, school, business, church, civic organizations, sporting teams, military, or any other entity requiring leadership. It is biting the bait of inner discord felt when under authority.

Correlated with Isaiah 14:12-14
The Satan Temptation consists of a private individual resolution (For you have said in your heart, I will…) to tear down a rightfully seated leader of any organization with the ultimate goal to ascend to that position. It is a desire to be out from under authority (to be exalted above the stars of God). It ultimately longs to be the person in charge of the organization (sit on the mount of the congregation). It is the rebellious spirit of Satan, ‘the god of this age’ (2 Corinthians 4:4) reaching through his human puppets, in his attempt to: be like the Most High.

The Satan Temptation: A Contagious Disease
Satan Temptation rebels tend to attract others, gathering supporters either openly or unwittingly. This is part of Satan’s original pattern as evidenced by Revelation 12:4 referring to one third of the angels having followed the devil in his rebellion and being cast to earth becoming his demon hoard. It also explains why unity is such an important issue with God (Psalms 133, John 17), obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22), and God hates someone who sows dissension among brethren (Proverbs 6:19).

Common victims of the Satan Temptation:

If churches are fragmented today—ineffective in changing lives and introducing God’s Kingdom into society—it is largely because of our culture’s rejection of rightful authority and acceptance of the Satan Temptation. When church leaders realize that many so-called Christians will only obey Jesus within their own comfort zones and local church politics allow carnal people to gain influence through undermining spiritual leadership, the church cannot accomplish her mission. Therefore it is written, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
If homes are contentious war zones instead of nurturing discipleship centers it is because of our culture’s love for the Satan Temptation. It is relevant to note here the seemingly forgotten fact that God addressed one of the Ten Commandments specifically to children. Number six, Honor thy father and thy mother (Exodus 20:12), clearly institutionalizes the importance of not only obeying but esteeming from the heart, parental leadership. This shows that learning to grow and prosper under (imperfect but legitimate) human leadership should begin at the earliest ages and become a life principle translating to success in every organized endeavor thereafter.

In our modern society which nurtures resentment and rebellion towards traditional parental authority, many parents fear their children’s rejection and refuse to dive into their God-given roles as righteous authority figures. This is mainly because parents have been brain-washed by the culture to have resentment and unforgiveness towards their own parents and do not appreciate the value of righteous authority and discipline. It is a small wonder, therefore, that so many Christian children are lost to the world.
The Satan Temptation can affect marriage. In fact, in marriage, husbands and wives each have certain established authorities over the other. For example: The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does (1 Corinthians 7:4). This shows why married couples, unwilling to yield to one another in kindness and tenderness, fall prey to hardened hearts towards each other.

The Satan Temptation always reveals a lack of love and/or a hard heart toward someone in authority. Jesus said, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8).
If companies lack productivity, sporting teams lack unity, armies are without morale, local, state or federal governments are corrupt and ineffective, it is many times, at least in part, because of the Satan Temptation.

A businessman recently shared about one of his employees who is a friend of mine: “Yes, Joe is the nicest guy in the world,” he said, “as long as he doesn’t work for you. He is a terrible employee because he is always bucking against my decisions as boss. Everyone seems to love the guy but he is my worst nightmare.” Rebellion against authority is the mark of the Satan Temptation.

In closing this section, it is a reliable general statement that any so-called Christian, not able to successfully follow a human leader is fooling himself if he thinks he can ever follow God. Truth is: God is much harder. That is why many Christians today prefer house churches, Christian TV, and informal fellowship where no one is in charge as opposed to true New Testament Church leadership. The Satan Temptation mindset ultimately desires freedom from any and all accountable authority.

Guidelines and balances for understanding authority:

Only God has Absolute Authority
Only God has absolute authority and therefore any leader who tries to force a subordinate to sin is directly opposing the only true authority in the universe. This leader is off target and God expects His people to ‘obey God rather than men’ (Acts 5:29). The book of Daniel gives wonderful insight into the way righteous people resist the unrighteous commands of a legitimate governmental leader.

Any leader who expects someone under his charge to lie, cheat, steal, mislead, participate in inappropriate conversation, look at inappropriate media, engage in illicit relations, or to break any clear principle of God’s Word, is set against God’s revealed authority.

Resentment of Authority is Nothing New
Many are suspicious and resentful of all authority. This is the devil’s character being projected through people and represents nothing new at all. In fact, essential disdain for God’s authority is the only plausible explanation of why one third of the angels apparently followed Lucifer in his original rebellion. Therefore our ability to honor and obey any human authority must first be rooted in our Holy Spirit-born commitment to trust God. Trusting God includes believing that He has the power to deliver His own from the abuse of harsh or unrighteous authority.

We are surrounded by reports and experiences of people who misuse their authority. That is why legitimate human authority exercised with good sense is a precious gift of God and followers must do everything in their power to support it. A righteous leader attempting to lead rebellious followers is a waste of a good leader but a perverse leader over righteous followers will be dealt with by God (see Pharaoh and Saul).

All Authority Besides God’s Authority is Limited.

Marital authority is limited. Acts 5:1-10 tells of Ananias and Sapphira, the husband and wife team who colluded to lie to God about an offering. Both the husband and wife were given separate opportunities to come clean but each of them was harshly judged based on his/her own lie. This is an important example because it is common for married people to feel that they must disobey God in order to keep peace in their home. God’s Word is the highest authority in life and sinning to keep peace with husband, wife, child, parent, boss, friend, teacher, professor, pastor, brother, sister or anyone else is unacceptable to God.
Parental authority is limited. An interesting New Testament verse says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). The qualification, ‘in the Lord’ is an important one, the inference being that parental authority, when exercised in opposition to God’s Word is contradicting God. Therefore, children should obey parents only so far as parents’ instructions are, ‘in the Lord.’ Again, all authority is limited to God’s revealed Word and any human authority, including parents, contradicting this constitutes a rogue use of legitimate authority and is rooted in the Satan Temptation.

If a parent enforces right authority over his young child, this is good and right. However, if the same parent is still trying to control the decisions of their grown offspring, this is inappropriate and illegitimate. Parental authority is limited to an appropriate age and maturity level of the child.

Actually, as the child begins to mature, his/her judgment needs to be trained, tested and tried time and time again and there is a long period when neither child nor parents have full authority. During this stage there should be an incremental movement towards the complete transition of authority to the young adult. The youth, during this phase, should be learning to look more closely to God as the main authority figure.

This is illustrated in Luke chapter two when twelve year old Jesus stays behind in Jerusalem at the temple for three days while his parents have headed home. Mary finally finds him: “So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." 49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (Luke 2:48-49).

Remember, parental authority is only a limited and temporary slice of God’s absolute authority. Jesus was already, at twelve years old, tending to God the Father’s business over Mary and Joseph’s authority. But He was still not done being obedient to His earthly mother and step-father. Immediately after this the Scripture says, “Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:50-52).

He returned home with them and was subject (obedient) to them. Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, was obedient to two common, flawed, imperfect and limited human authority figures and, as a result of his obedient spirit, increased in wisdom and stature and favor with both God and with other people. His time under Mary and Joseph’s parental authority must have served some benefit and His obedience to the Father God was intimately connected to his obedience to His parents—they were not exclusive of each other.

Jesus’ being subject to Mary and Joseph was a legitimate but limited portion of God the Father’s authority, and part of His plan of preparation for the Son. As the Son was finally sent into His public ministry, the Father, said from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)

Also, Jesus even though submissive to His earthly parents and His heavenly Father clearly did not consider himself a doormat or puppet of some identity-stealing oppressive authority or over-parenting. He said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him" (John 8:28-29).

“I always do those things that please Him.” Children of God should thrive under both human and divine authority: It is our proving ground.
An employer’s authority is limited, sometimes a little more or less, depending on the level and contractual agreement of the position. It may be that an employer requires a dress code or particular protocol in phone etiquette when on the job. But when the employee is off the clock the employer does not have authority over what you wear or how you answer your phone. The authority is limited.
Church authority is limited. The Church leadership is limited to her scriptural definitions which include organizational oversight and administration, five-fold ministry activity and development, leadership training and Christian discipleship; plus providing Bible education, worship services, producing the vision of the church and confronting sin issues in her member’s lives. The authority is limited.

It is simply amazing how frequently people misunderstand church leadership. If I apply for work at McDonalds, they make it clear that I will be expected to wear certain clothes, say certain things to the customers, make the food in a very specific way, show up at a certain time and promise to pay me a certain wage. If a church, on the other hand, requires biblical criteria and ongoing accountability for membership, leadership involvement, ministry opportunities or ordination as deacon or elder, the church is frequently criticized as overly controlling.

Not infrequently, new believers will come into a church and be offended at the leadership in place. A good number, in fact, seem to become genuinely stunned and disillusioned when they find that churches actually have human leaders and that the leaders are in charge. Remember, Lucifer wanted to ‘sit on the mount of the congregation’ or in modern terms, speak from the pulpit, and therefore, he is always trying to replace God’s man with his own. Church is the prize of the great cosmic war for the soul of the universe.

A rule of thumb seems to be that a newly born again, formerly unchurched person who comes from a traditional loving healthy family will typically have no trouble acclimating to church life and understanding church authority. On the other hand, a formerly unchurched person or someone who has recently quit a church or who has had serious issues with his/her parents is far more likely to misunderstand, resent and rebel against church leadership.

Some people are famous for reminding church leaders that they are not infallible… a reference to the Catholic doctrine of papal infallibility. However, legitimate leaders are leaders. Joseph and Mary were not infallible but it didn’t stop Jesus from being subject to them. John the Baptist was not infallible but Jesus submitted to his baptism. In fact when Pontius Pilate told Jesus he had the power to crucify Him or release Him, Jesus said "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11) Legitimate human authority is brought to you by God Almighty!
Governmental, political, cultural, military, police, tribal, family, school and higher educational authorities are limited.

Obedience or Sacrifice?

Any author has legal ownership over his literary work, including the setting and characters he creates. God authored the universe and everything in it with His words (Genesis 1), Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and He also clearly proclaimed that all authority has been given to Him both in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

Therefore, God alone possesses all authority and no other. He has willed to release limited measures of legitimate authority to nations, families, churches, schools, armies, businesses and other human organizations in order to fulfill His will in time and space. Satan, the enemy of God, will always attempt to undermine, twist and destroy this.

God also loves obedience much more than sacrifice. The reason for this is that choosing sacrifice over simple obedience is filled with selfishness. It says, “I have made a decision when, where and how much I want to give. Nobody is going to tell me what to do. I feel good about myself because these people who run the organization do not know what they are doing. I want something with my own name on it. I am not going to obey anyone. I will be like the Most High”

Obedience, on the other hand, is the denial of self and the humble acknowledgment of a position as servant.

The Roman Centurion

In Matthew 8 the Roman Centurion impresses Jesus deeply with his faith, based not on a deep knowledge of spiritual doctrine, but on his understanding of the universality of authority. He said, “…only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Matthew 8:8-10)

Five thoughts on the Centurion’s faith:

The Centurion understood that Jesus was not a rebel but was covered under God’s authority carrying out orders. For I also am a man under authority…
The Centurion readily acknowledged that he was not himself the big boss but was under someone else’s authority making him a servant to his own leader. For I also am a man under authority…
The Centurion recognized that the way to properly exercise authority is to just speak a word to subordinates and a true leader should expect to see results. “…only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."
The Centurion understood that the essence of authority is directing subordinates to obey your will. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
The Centurion had no problem referring to subordinates as being under him. "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

Legitimate authority is a universal force derived from God and flowing through Jesus Christ the King. It is used to build, establish, protect, produce great works, do awesome things and generally accomplish God’s will in heaven and on earth.

In closing: The Satan Temptation has weakened nations (Isaiah 14:12), destroyed families, torn churches to pieces and ruined companies, communities and armies. It originates from the hateful spirit of the original rebel and ignites selfish ambition, accuses the innocent, wins at all costs, hates authority, devises wickedness, trips up leaders, grumbles, complains, keeps accounts of wrongs and plants discord among brethren.

The Satan Temptation must be exposed and defeated because without right authority the Church will never have the unity necessary to please God. As long as the devil keeps marriage a sour institution, parents and children at odds, the Church afraid of her own people, schools teaching rebellion rather than humble obedience and communities divided, there cannot be the agreement needed to truly work together and usher in the Kingdom of God.

The unity necessary for the Scripture to be fulfilled requires not only obedience to God but the humble submission to legitimate human authority.

Psalms 23 - Part VII

2009-03-23T11:58:00.002-04:00

Psalms 23 verse 5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

One of the most distressing truths for many modern Christians to come to terms with is the idea that God has enemies. But as we reflect on Psalms 23 verse five as a prophecy of Jesus’ life, one event clearly jumps out: The Last Supper; a table prepared by the Father for the Son; a table eaten in the presence of His enemy: Judas, the son of perdition. (John 17:12)

Judas: The Enemy of God

Judas was one of the twelve Apostles. He was chosen by Jesus and served side by side with Peter, James, John and the others. He saw Jesus walk on water, heal the sick and raise the dead. But for all of that he either never really got it—or didn’t really want to get it. Apparently nobody, beside Jesus himself, ever caught on that Judas was of a different spirit than the rest.

Did Judas know he was Judas?

Did Judas know who he was? Did he imagine himself as the most infamous traitor in human history and the betrayer of God’s only begotten Son? What was going on inside of his head? Did he secretly think that Jesus was just another phony holy man, putting on a dog-and-pony show, or did he just not get the gravity of who Jesus really was? It certainly seems that Jesus was very clear in explaining Himself. So the question remains: Did Judas know that he was Judas?

I do not think he did. As a matter of fact, because of his remorse and resulting suicide, I am positive that Judas never had a clue how serious his betrayal was until after Jesus was crucified. I think he reacted to the events around him based on faulty values and carnal hidden ambitions, like many Christians do today.

How do I know if I am a Judas?

Therefore, if Judas did not know he was Judas, if he believed himself to be a ‘normal’ guy—perhaps a guy who was not really into all the hocus pocus or someone just holding back a little—the question every Christian deserves to ask ourselves is: How do I know I’m not a Judas?

Are there enemies at our table?

If the Lord prepares a table before His sheep in the very presence of their enemies; if Judas walked with comfort and ease beside Jesus and the disciples undetected by all but Jesus Himself; if the sacrament of Communion is the Lord’s Table for the Body of Christ today; is it possible, or probable, or even a promise of God, that God’s enemies are at the table (in the church) undetected today? If so, how can I tell who Judas is? And most importantly, how would I know if I were a Judas?

In looking up the Scriptures relating to Judas, a number of traits become apparent. Although there may not be an absolute litmus test, the best way to do an examination and take the edge off a bit for detecting the Judas bug is using a tool borrowed from comedian, Jeff Foxworthy.

You Might be a Judas, If…

Foxworthy is famous for his line of jokes, “You might be a redneck if...” For our purposes, let us slightly alter the wording and offer insights that believers can use to detect Judas-like tendencies in our own lives. Therefore, citing the Scripture references, consider the following series of observations indicating that, ‘You might be a Judas, if…’

Be forewarned – seeing Judas in one’s own life can be disconcerting, but knowing the truth will make us free. As long as we have the humility to repent, there is every reason to hope.

You might be a Judas if you really love money.

There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. (John 12:2-6)

Now jumping over to Matthew’s telling of this same story, it records the disciples accusing the woman of wasting money, and Jesus defending the woman’s act of extravagant kindness. As John’s Gospel just showed, it was Judas in particular who voiced his displeasure. Next, Matthew says, Judas immediately seeks out the chief priests: Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. (Matthew 26:14-16)

You might be a Judas if you really love money.

This incident exposes the love of money in Judas. He ‘kept the money box’, meaning he was clearly the ministry treasurer. He was a thief, taking money all along. He was so upset about this much money, in his mind, being wasted on the preacher’s personal use, that he became infuriated and literally betrayed Jesus for money.

Righteous outrage is not always what it seems.

Judas’ money-hungry heart was furious because he craved getting his hands on the funds from the sale of this perfume and saw it slip through his hands, so he put up a smoke-screen of phony sanctimonious outrage, pretending to care for the poor. Secretly, he was only mad because of the lost money for himself. Judas was not that deep in his evil; just shallow and greedy.

When selfish sinful flesh is offended it squeals and screams for retribution, craving an excuse to lash out. And if it discovers an unrelated moral point to protest, it will boldly rise up and demand satisfaction like Johnny Cochran defending a million dollar client. This is a decoy tactic used to divert attention from the true sinful issue of the heart and retaliate against the one who denied the lustful desire.

In the mind of the offended sinner, they can even go so far as to eventually deceive themselves, swearing on all that is holy that this objection is based on only the most pure of motives.

In today’s church, this Judas spirit might sound like this:

“We should keep the pastor poor so he doesn’t get a big head. If he’s too successful, we should knock him down. We’ll be doing God a favor by keeping him humble”

“Why did they buy the pastor a new motorcycle for his fifteenth anniversary at the Church? That money should have gone for the needy! I mean, I go to that church but I can’t really blame my family members who don’t. Sometimes I think that all they care about is money.”

“How much did that new church building cost? Shouldn’t we just meet from house to house like the early church and use all that money for the poor? What do we need pastors for anyway? Nobody is closer to God than anyone else. We’re all kings and priests.”
You might be a Judas if you are a spiritual chameleon.

“While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” Matthew 26:47

When you can change loyalty due to the crowd that you’re with you might be a Judas. When you’re with your church friends, you have a presence of mind of being one of God’s people but when you’re at home, work or away from Christians you blend in and mix easily with those who despise and criticize God’s family, you might be a Judas.

Judas’ courage to betray Jesus was reinforced by the numbers, weapons and violent attitude of the crowd. Besides, how could he possibly turn back now with all these people watching? People who are chameleons seek strength in numbers.

This is the coward’s way of overriding righteous authority through the power of the mob—it is very common human fare. It is humans voting Jesus out of power. It is democratically led morality using brutal human intimidation. It is sheep teaching the shepherd a lesson. It is the essence of most church splits. It is Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16).

This is the devil’s favorite disguise—a weak angry human, a chameleon—one who can look like a Christian among Christians but reveals his true nature at the perfect time to do the most destruction.
You might be a Judas even though you are one of the main disciples and a member of Jesus’ ministry team.

“Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” Mark 3:14-19

Being in ministry doesn’t guarantee anyone an exemption from being Judas. If any person is not personally committed to Jesus the head and the visible Body of Christ—the Church, though you be an inner circle disciple does not guarantee you that you’re not a Judas. Character weaknesses and sin issues not dealt with are sure warning signs.
You might be a Judas if you succumb to an evil presence of mind.

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude. Luke 22:1-6 (NKJV)

Judas was a thief, stealing money all along (John 12). The sin ‘nest’ inside him gave Satan permission to enter and mastermind the betrayal of Jesus. This shows if anyone continues in sin, even though a church member, he is inviting the devil to come in. Eventually, Satan will exploit that sin weakness to enter and strike. When Satan does enter him through the open door of the sin practice, the host human’s mind is darkened and reasoning becomes clouded resulting in an evil presence of mind.

Satan is a spirit and when he enters, he brings an irresistible resolve to lash out in a vengeful or spiteful way. The sinful person now becomes single minded in his determination to fulfill his evil intention. Any inner voice of conscience is, at least temporarily, completely silenced because of the overwhelming evil presence of mind. The catalyst for Satan entering is usually through a perceived offence like the spikenard incident.

The Bible says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17). That is the presence of mind when one is filled with the Holy Spirit. That’s where the Holy Spirit dwells. On the other hand, when your mind is outside of holy counsel, if you succumb and give yourself over to an evil presence of mind, Satan enters in and results in a Judas mindset. I’m not saying that you are a Judas, but you might be.
You might be a Judas if you love Jesus on the outside, when your heart is turned to darkness on the inside.

And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Luke 22:47-48

If you continue to serve Jesus on the outside, when your heart is turned to darkness on the inside, you might be a Judas. If you go to church but inwardly resent the pastor, his wife, the church people, the preaching, the music, the church in general, you might be a Judas.

If you kiss Jesus publicly but hate His church privately, you might be a Judas.

I’ve heard people say things like, “I love Jesus but hate the church.” That is what Judas did. In his mind I’m sure he believed that he loved God in heaven but was offended at Christ’s wasteful use of money. If you love Jesus on the outside and your heart is dark on the inside, you might be a Judas.
If you think that being chosen by Jesus guarantees that you are saved, you might be a Judas.

Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. John 6:70-71

If you think an experience in the past means you are righteous today, you might be a Judas. Salvation is a marathon race and just because Jesus chose you and you answered a call once doesn’t mean that you’re living in the light today.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1
You might be a Judas if you rob God.

Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:4-6

Judas robbed God by taking the money from the box. The main way many Christians rob God today is by withholding tithes and offerings:

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings." Malachi 3:8

People rob God by belonging to the church and refusing to pay their way. When someone has this knowledge but their heart continues to resist over time, they are no different than Judas. They are God robbers. People who begrudge God His portion and think they are equal with the other disciples are self-deceived.
Salvation is a free gift but when someone answers Jesus’ call, they are, like Judas, given the job holding the money box. The modern money box is the tenth part of our income that belongs to God. It is Jesus’ ministry fund and we do not have a right to take it for our own use. It is given to the local church—the storehouse.

It is uncanny that the people who complain the most about how church money is spent are overwhelmingly non-tithers. Judas was robbing God and his thievery poisoned his heart, causing him to protest the apparent wasteful use of the expensive ointment. Unless one tithes to his local church, like Judas, he cannot fully understand Jesus words.

Therefore, if you get upset frequently, thinking that more of the church money ought to be given to the poor, you might be a Judas. If you angrily rationalize in your mind that the church is wasting expensive ointment and you are just a poor person so how can they expect you to tithe… you might be a Judas. If you think you make too much money for your church to handle, you might be a Judas.
You might be a Judas if you are waiting and biding your time to get somebody back.

And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him. John 13:2

If you’ve already made a decision in your heart to put someone down or if you are holding an offence and simply looking for an opportunity to pay someone back for what they did to you, you might be a Judas.

If you keep an account of wrongs and have the capacity to plan to hurt someone or to settle a score, you might be a Judas.
If you rationalize ungodly decisions with “God told me to,” you might be a Judas.

Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." John 13:27

Jesus said to Judas, “What you do, do quickly.” Does that mean that Jesus occasionally tells His disciples to do evil? Absolutely not! However, when someone mulls over evil in their heart long enough, Jesus will eventually release them to their evil heart. He will release them and sometimes even seem to provide a Scripture to confirm.

Does that mean it was right for him to betray Jesus? No. In ministry, it is common to hear someone say “God told me” to do this or that, but many times it is how people justify decisions they have made on their own and do not want anyone’s interference. At times the Holy Spirit will try to resist through conscience but will eventually release a person to their plans.

This, ‘God told me’ device can be really dangerous when these plans are originally born, like with Judas, through a sin door in the person. This gives way for the devil himself to enter and mastermind the idea. These are events when people who think they are Christians become pawns of the devil and ultimately bring about God’s plan but by playing for the bad guys. Ouch! Sometimes Jesus will simply say, “Well, go ahead and do what you’ve got to do.”
You might be a Judas if you shut off your conscience and stick your fingers in your ears and do wrong.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. Mark 14:10-11
You might be a Judas if you want to be near the money.

“For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him...” (John 13:29).
You might be a Judas if you look for a group to agree with your rebellious attitude against legitimate authority.

Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. (John 18:3)
You might be a Judas if you give phony Christian hugs and affection.

But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:48)
You might be a Judas if you stir up trouble in the Church.

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" John 12:3-5

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? 9 "For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor." Matthew 26:6-9

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." Mark 14:3-5

John records that it was specifically Judas, the son of perdition, who vocalized opposition to the anointing oil being used for Jesus personal use. But because the other accounts mention that a number of disciples disagreed, it is a fair conclusion that Judas stirred up the problem. The Bible has much to say about the danger of poisoning someone else’s heart. As a matter of fact, Proverbs 16:19 says that God hates one who sows discord among brethren.
You might be a Judas if you come to the point where you give up on the hope and love of Jesus—the hope of His forgiveness.

Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

The Word of God is clear when it says: And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.' Acts 2:21

I am always convinced that Jesus is willing to forgive. Jesus’ forgiveness is eternal. His Word is truth. No matter how far we stray; how evil we act; how vicious we can be to one another; He is able to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we will repent and confess our sins.

Conclusion

The comparison of Judas to Peter in the few days after the last supper is remarkable. Judas led an angry mob and identified Jesus with a kiss and Peter in the midst of a mob denied Jesus with cursing (Matt. 26:74). Judas’ spirit was never right from the beginning so the devil swallowed him up with despair. Peter’s spirit was resilient and his heart was pure so when he heard of the empty tomb he sprinted toward Jesus.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The sure way to know that we are not Judas is to confront and confess our own sin and mortify the deeds of the flesh by the Holy Spirit—it is to be transformed by the renewing of our mind by the Word of God and to desperately depend on His grace.

Psalms 23 - Part VI

2009-03-09T11:39:00.004-04:00

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

The rod and staff are extensions of the shepherd. They are symbols of his position and tools of his trade. As a sheep passing through the valley of the shadow of death, I am not afraid because my shepherd is with me. I have seen him use his rod and staff, time and time again, to handle danger, correct me and the other sheep, keeping us all safe and together.

I am not an undisciplined sheep. I recognize the shepherd’s authority and I take comfort in knowing that when I begin to stray, my shepherd loves me enough to chastise me. I know the power of that rod and staff because I’ve seen him handle wolves with it. I also know that all I have to do is follow that staff and I will always be cared for, well fed, watered and protected from harm. His strength and authority comfort me.

My Dad was a Shepherd… sort of

As a child, my Dad loved his children enough to discipline us. I remember a time when I was a first grader my two older brothers and I got into trouble on the school bus. The driver, Mrs. Conrad, was so upset by our poor behavior that she made the three of us sit in the front seat as punishment and called my parents to report. We dreaded what would happen when Dad got home from work later that evening. But the shepherd is wiser than his sheep!

As we sat together that day, quarantined on the death row cell-block of that front seat, the bus crested the hill at Hotaling’s farm and began the final half mile down the country road to our house. As we got closer, I realized that something was out of place. There was something, no, someone, standing where our bus stopped. Slowly, like a magic-eye picture coming into focus, it became terrifyingly clear—it’s Dad… and he’s holding a strap in his hand. You see, Dad was never home from work this early… never!

The entire bus filled with local kids of all ages became eerily silent as the wheels screeched to a halt and we ‘sheepishly’ exited. The wise shepherd, rod in hand, marched us into the house and we lined up to take our ‘lickins.’ Chuck, the oldest, went first and took his medicine like a real trooper. Donald next—he was a great crier, beggar and screamer… no holding back for him.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this mayhem I had a brilliant desperate idea—my daily chore (which I usually fought) was walking three doors down to the Post Office to retrieve the mail.

“Mom,” I said already moving for the door, “I’ve got to go and get the mail.”

Miracle of miracles, it worked! I was out the door as I heard Mom say, “You’ll get your medicine when you get back.”

But the moment was over and I dodged the bullet. Now just lay low for a few days and avoid Dad and its clear sailing.

Truth be told, as the youngest of the three sheep, I was spared this time, although Chuck and Don—not so lucky—sorry guys.

But oddly enough that event had a profound effect on my soul. Here’s how:

I never got into trouble on the bus again. I didn’t get the strap that time but my earthly shepherd effectively communicated to me that he would go to any ends to ensure my conformity to the standards of the fold. Having the name Engelhardt demanded that we conduct our lives above public disgrace. Likewise, to God’s sheep it is written, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9
The fact that I had a real father, who took his role in my life very seriously, was scary but at the same time made me feel very secure as a kid. The boundaries he set were enforced.
In the same way, the rod and the staff of the Good Shepherd comfort me today. The Word of God says, “For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12
As a kid, when my buddies got stupid attacks and wanted to do something really bad, I could always use the excuse, “I can’t do that, my father will kill me,” and the guys believed me. They had seen for themselves the commitment my shepherd had to his sheep.
Today, when people want to do ungodly things, most times they do not even let me know about it. They know that the Lord is my shepherd and that I follow the family standard. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Romans 11:22
Another advantage I received as a kid was that my friends were at times jealous because we had an old-school disciplinarian father. And believe it or not many of them looked at us in awe after that infamous day. It gave us a bit of a swagger simply because we had a higher standard than they.
As a child of God under the Good Shepherd, I am proud to be associated with the highest, toughest, strongest, coolest and wisest Father in the universe. He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. Proverbs 13:24

The Cross

Another way to think of the rod and staff of the Good Shepherd is as the Cross—the wooden tool of the Good Shepherd’s trade used to defeat the enemy and save His sheep from death. The rod and/or staff are what the shepherd lifts up and the sheep follow. No matter where you are, eating your grass or frolicking around—whatever sheep do—out of the corner of their eye, you can always see that staff. You just know you are safe and secure. Such is the cross of Jesus Christ.

I was in Kenya, Africa many years ago, out in the bush, walking along with Bishop Julius Wafula, and we happened upon a shepherd out in the middle of nowhere. He was sitting on a rock, and he had his sheep around him. Those sheep were just as content as could be and this man had his staff in his hand and his full time job was the care of those couple dozen sheep.

The single most important element in all of our lives is the Cross of the Good Shepherd. If you don’t have your heart set on the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ as your salvation, if you don’t know for sure that He died for your sins, that everything’s going to be okay... If you don’t know positively that that Cross is the place where you transition into eternity, you will absolutely get lost.

Correction not Rejection

As we’ve seen, the shepherd sometimes uses his rod for correction. Modern people, however, frequently confuse correction with rejection and resent the prodding of the Good Shepherd. I have learned over many years to praise God that we have a shepherd who will correct us when we do wrong. For example, if I were a serious athlete, I would not want a coach who only told me how perfectly I played my sport, especially if I keep losing games. Elite coaches make huge salaries just to show people what they are doing wrong!

In the same way, I do not want a shepherd to tell me how good I am when my heart can hold so much darkness. If we are honest we know that what is inside of us is not always good. You see, there is only one thing in life that truly terrifies me. Losing Jesus.

Fearing God is the Beginning of Wisdom

Imagine waking up one day and feeling mixed up, disoriented and separated from the Good Shepherd. You look inside but cannot find Him anymore. Lee Strobel, in his book, The Case for Faith, tells of an old man who was a preacher in his youth and became disillusioned and left God. He eventually became an atheist and even wrote books against God.

And then, as a dying man with a terminal disease and with Alzheimer’s setting in, Strobel interviewed him and asked him what he thought about Jesus now that he had spent many decades away from God. The man began to cry, he said, “Oh, I miss Him terribly.”

You see, if you don’t know why we celebrate Christmas, if you don’t know why we celebrate Easter, if you don’t have a love affair with Jesus Christ, Himself, you don’t know the Good Shepherd.

My prayer: Please, Jesus, never let me stray from You, so that I don’t know where You are anymore. Please, let me keep that Cross in focus, where you paid for my sins. Please, Jesus, keep me close to You always!

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. The wonderful Cross of Jesus Christ is a comfort to me. I am a sinner. I need a savior. There is an ‘X’ on the timeline of history where my savior, the Good Shepherd, conquered death, hell and the grave and now He lives for evermore and waits for me beyond death’s door. I will fear no evil!

Psalms 23 - Part V

2009-02-27T20:00:00.006-05:00

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Psalms 23:1-6 (NKJV)

THIS WEEK:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;

The Valley of the Shadow of Death Redux

One of the funniest, most intense, amazing and revealing stories in the Gospels is when the Good Shepherd leads His sheep through the valley of the shadow of death—not literally, but certainly in principle.

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Matthew 8:23-27

The Boat is Like the Church

Jesus’ sheep found out that they were safe in the care of their shepherd even in the valley of the shadow of death. They had followed Him into the boat that night and suddenly a storm hit. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I have heard many people say things like, “My life used to be easy, but when I decided to follow Jesus, all hell broke loose.” Just like that night long ago, His present day sheep follow Jesus into the boat of the Church, (the vehicle designed by God to take us to the proverbial other side) and everyone outside seems to be safely on shore while we go through many fierce storms.

Waking the Shepherd

In the midst of a horrifying storm that night, on the brink of disaster, as the shadow of death had been cast over them, His sheep became gripped with fear and finally woke the shepherd. I’ll bet if they had a cell phone they would have called the Coast Guard first. It is a sad testimony how bad life has to get before many sheep wake the Good Shepherd. People are quick to blame God for their misfortune, shrugging their shoulders and glibly asserting that He works in mysterious ways, but never spend much energy crying out for Him to save them.

The importance of the raw energy of desperation aimed at waking Jesus like the disciples did that evening has much biblical precedence. Remember the following stories that show our need to appeal to the Good Shepherd in a gutsy, robust and consistent way:

Blind Bartimaeus. (Mark 10:46-52)
The parable of the woman with the unjust judge. (Luke 18: 1-8)
The woman with the issue of blood. (Matthew 9: 19-22)
The Syro-Phoenician woman. (Mark 7: 26-30)

Sheep Are Not Very Smart

Next, Jesus wakes up and banishes the storm like a shepherd chasing off a predator. Imagine the disciples as sheep, not understanding the intelligence, power, authority or the strength of a competent human shepherd. Jesus is as high above His disciples as Heaven is above earth, drawing his power from a source that these men cannot even grasp. They are bleating like confused and terrified lambs facing a lion and Jesus uses the power of his heavenly influence to silence the storm—it is a power his sheep do not yet comprehend.

Eternal truth: No sheep of the Good Shepherd ever needs to fear evil.

But here’s the rub… Jesus criticizes their fear. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. He doesn’t comfort and coddle their fears; He confronts their fear and identifies their pitiful lack of faith as an unacceptable but correctable flaw. He is introducing them to a new reality that goes beyond human power to the realm of Divine authority. This is the invasion of the kingdoms of this world by the Kingdom of our God. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" Revelation 11:15

For You Are With Me

The aspect of Jesus being present but asleep is what adds almost a comedic aspect to this story and gives the sense of a Divine set-up. First of all, why go to a sleeping preacher for help with a boating problem in the first place? At least a few of the disciples were fishermen by trade and Jesus as a rabbi/carpenter would really add nothing to their technical ability to navigate the storm. But still they cried out, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” When all else fails, pray.

I have been amazed in my ministry as a pastor how some people cling to self-sufficiency and resist asking for help even though they are not in the least bit equipped to handle the storms of life. In some cases a person may be entrusted with a brand new ministry assignment and then resent accountability and input as if it is interference by the covering leadership. Only this desperate life-threatening storm, suddenly and violently blowing up and catching the disciples off guard penetrated their pride and terrified them enough to wake Jesus. But God was proving that nobody in Jesus boat ever needs to be afraid.

And, even as Jesus was asleep in the boat, now we must accept His silent presence by faith and trust His ability to save us from life's storms. Consider the following Scriptures showing Jesus present power and presence:

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- John 14:16
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18

Psalms 23 - Part IV

2009-02-23T11:34:00.002-05:00

Next verse says, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalms 23:2b

The various paths of life have been contemplated by philosophers, theologians and poets throughout history and our universal desire to feel like we are traveling on a road that makes sense and has purpose is an important element to living with satisfaction. On the other hand, feeling lost, stuck or dissatisfied in life brings heartsickness and regret—these are the bitter pills swallowed when we realize how much time has been wasted walking down a wrong road.

In Dante Alighieri’s famous 14th century epic poem, The Divine Comedy, the opening tells of a Christian man who, in the middle of his life, realizes that he has strayed from the good path:
Midway upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.

Dante sounds like a sheep that has lost his shepherd.

He goes on to vividly describe the awful feelings of both terror and bitterness at the memory of finding himself in this place, and admits that he does not remember how he got there because he was slumbering when he abandoned the true way. He says that being lost in that place was as bitter as death.

This is an excellent description of the feeling of disorientation and almost dizzying groping for direction when life turns out badly. The flow of modern culture, peer pressure, personal preference, bad decisions, familial expectations and the path of least resistance can combine to create a tyranny of gravity that brings us downstream in life and dumps many of us into Dante’s forest. That’s why no decision is always a bad decision and courage is mandatory for a child of God.

“He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

If you feel lost and alone today, cry out to the Good Shepherd. He will wash your wounds, quiet your confusion, give you fresh hope and set your feet on a beautiful, sunlit path:

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD. Psalms 40:1-3

The Shepherd leads His sheep in paths of righteousness ‘for His name’s sake.’ The great purpose of God is bigger than any one of us. It is ‘for His name’s sake’ that He actively watches over His Word to perform it. It is in God’s personal interest to safely lead His sheep because He has invested His Son’s life in ensuring the success of His plan. When you adopt God’s purpose you inherit the full resources of Heaven and all of the promises of God become your arsenal for success.

He is literally more committed to your success than you are because His name, His reputation and His success is the top priority, the most valuable substance and the highest authority in the universe. It is Almighty God’s central purpose to make a name on earth for His Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).

There is no greater purpose, no greater cause and no greater reward promised to the children of men than to those who follow the Good Shepherd. When we follow the Good Shepherd, we look beyond the confines of this life into eternity itself and we join God the Father’s sworn purpose.

Further down, in the opening lines of the Inferno, while still in the forest Dante follows a dark valley to a mountain foot and then looks up and can see the sun shining far away up on the mountaintop. Just the sight of the sunlight begins to immediately quiet his fears.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." John 8:12

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, will lead you in the paths of righteousness if you put your life in His hands. But remember, it is not primarily for the personal fame or aggrandizement of any sheep that Jesus promises paths of righteousness; it is for His name’s sake.

God bless you, I wish you the best. I want only good things for God’s entire household; however God did not’t send Jesus primarily for our personal gain. He came for His own name’s sake. And, the sooner a child of God can come to terms and their ego can live with that, it is a wonderful liberating place to dwell.

Also important to our perspective is the fact that a shepherd is not of the same mind as his sheep. The shepherd, in fact, is a different species and has his own higher agenda than his sheep. The main responsibility of sheep is to learn to trust the shepherd whether they understand his agenda or not.

The Good Shepherd’s agenda, by the way, is destroying His enemies and so exalting His name. When we accept this, it is infinitely liberating because we realize that life is not all about self. Life lived for self is slavery in the despotic kingdom of Me. It’s all about my self esteem: the greatness I can attain, the fame I can gain, the wealth I can amass, the power I can garner, the comfort I can pad myself with—it is the kingdom of Me.

The pressure is great in the kingdom of Me because each person only has several decades at the most to reach the top of the mountain and after that, it is all down hill. In the kingdom of Me I have to measure myself by everyone around me to know if I am doing well or not. When I am following the Good Shepherd, He leads me in paths of righteousness that He has chosen for me and He rewards me for my simple obedience even more than my self-glorifying sacrifice or my relative success in comparison to others.

When it is about Jesus, I live as His servant—I love Him, follow Him, I get to work for His good and for the good of His kingdom all the days of my life. And it doesn’t matter where He asks me to serve. I’ll serve with all vigilance, and I’ll serve with a heart of gusto, praise and joy.

Why? Because it’s for His name’s sake and I am but His humble servant. This is a purpose bigger than me! Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). As I follow the Good Shepherd, I become part of the inner circle of eternity—and there is no higher thing to desire in all the universe.

Psalms 23 - Part III

2009-02-13T14:21:00.003-05:00

The first part of Psalms 23, verse three says, “He restores my soul”

Compare with Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

In Psalms 23:3 the word restores, in the original language, means “movement back to the point of departure.”[1] The Good Shepherd restores your soul back to a place of rest in the confidence of being loved, protected, forgiven and eternally secure. He cleanses your conscience, quiets your fears, accepts you, blesses you, encourages you and gives you His righteousness as a free gift. He lifts off your heavy burdens and gives you rest from the pressure of self sufficiency. He brings your soul back into peaceful fellowship with God.

There are a lot of people who need rest for their souls. Someone might be in the midstream of life; problems seem insurmountable, relationships unfulfilling, hope is dim, life is either hard or just not fun, your friends are boring, the economy is scary or you’re stuck in some no-win job. This soul-stress can happen to you if you’re a student, young adult, grown-up or ancient of days... it doesn’t matter. Many in our world today labor and are exceedingly burdened with their own problems, the problems of their children, the problems of the world.

Even keeping track of our political landscape and reading the newspapers can be gut-wrenching. For example, we’re recently told that if we do not pass a trillion dollar Federal spending plan (of money we don’t have) we are facing a national catastrophe. The stock market melts down, jobless rates soar, the new president blames every problem on his predecessor and the opposition party screams bloody murder.

And so we march on and continue to labor and bear the heavy burden of our own lives and feel the pressure of the world around us. So many people walk around with a great heaviness upon them, and yet the promise offered is that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, will restore your soul. You will find rest for your soul.

Jesus can do this because He rules eternity (Matthew 28:18) which gives Him the power to protect His own (Luke 10:19). He is able to supernaturally provide peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), to quiet your storm (Matthew 8:23-27), to heal, bless, cleanse and purify your heart. He can break the chains that bind you and break you out of jail (Acts 16: 25-26). He is the Good Shepherd. “The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

Therefore, no matter what happens on planet earth—with your children, your job, your career, your marriage or with the world around you—the Good Shepherd is able to restore your soul. If you are tired of the pain and burden of life: come to Jesus today.

There is a famous evangelist and TV preacher named James Robison who, in his book entitled Thank God, I’m Free, tells a story about a time in his life that, even while he preached the gospel, there was evil and lust in his heart. He describes a feeling of having a claw in his brain and a deep unhappiness in his soul. Through a trusted friend he finally submitted himself, reluctantly, to a man who prayed and rebuked the devil. Robison said he felt no immediate change so he politely thanked the man and showed him the door. Three days later, however, he woke up in the morning with his soul completely restored and the glory of God filling his heart. He restores my soul.

One quick sidebar: The way that many Christians veer off course and end up with battered souls in the first place is from neglecting the commandment to love. Some people start out strong in the faith and receive the free gift of God’s love but never purposely invest love back into others. Because of this, their love-tank is not refilled and they end up empty of love. Failure to consistently put any heartfelt effort into loving God, their spouse, parents, children, neighbors, or the poor and needy, results in an unhappy existence, devoid of the true riches of Christianity. This is a great paradox: Christians who do not sow love into others but expect to reap love from life. These are people who do not feed the hungry, help the poor, comfort the fatherless or even put effort into prayer and worship. They are loveless. And, loveless people will eventually seek cheap substitute pleasures from the flesh unless they come to their senses and yield to the Good Shepherd.

How to have your soul restored:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

The instruction is to Come, Take, and Learn:

Come – Bring all of your cares and burdens to Jesus with the confident expectation that He has the power to give you rest. Jesus represents absolute security and has absolute power. He is: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Nothing can penetrate the safety of His resting place—this is a promise of God’s Word and therefore, absolute truth.

Psalms 91 speaks of abiding in the secret place of the Most High and says: “though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked” (Psalms 91:7-8). Come to Jesus and He will give you rest.

Take – Taking Jesus’ yoke is allowing His burden to be your burden. It is to love what He loves and hate what He hates. It is to involve yourself in His business and to leave the worry of your business to His care. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”1 John 2:15-17

Learn – I’ve heard preachers say that one way to look at this passage is through the idea of a two-yoke team of oxen pulling together, the younger learning from the elder. Jesus, the elder, offers to personally yoke Himself together with His student. Be forewarned, however, that this is humble work. “I am gentle and lowly in heart” In other words, the one you are yoked with is not by nature a party animal or a trouble maker. You cannot race ahead of Him or follow some other path of your own choosing. He values peace over contention, humility over prowess. He is extremely strong, very consistent, loving and protective. If you take His yoke and learn from Him, He will restore your soul. His yoke is easy and His burden is light because He does all the hard work and it is His good pleasure to share the victory with you. Learn from Jesus—adopt His values, care about what He cares about and love what He loves and you will find rest for your soul.

If your soul is restored you can dream, think clearly, love, keep promises, plan, hope and see God in the fabric of life. Your heart is not eaten up with anger, fear, anxiety, lust or inappropriate ambitions. If your soul is restored you can believe, and "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23

Psalms 23 - Part II

2009-02-06T22:18:00.002-05:00

Psalms 23 - Part I

2009-01-30T13:50:00.003-05:00

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names’ sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalms 23 is one of the most famous passages in the Bible. It is commonly read at funerals and frequently depended on whenever someone needs comfort from God. The references to green pastures, still waters, comfort for the soul and having no fear in the valley of the shadow of death have strengthened the hearts of many over the centuries.

But is there more to this famous piece of literature than meets the eye? Certainly Jesus referring to Himself as the Good Shepherd immediately hearkens our mind back Psalms 23. However, comparing the individual verses to specific events recorded in the Gospels holds amazing discoveries. We find, embedded in this most famous Psalm, incredible insight into our Christian lives.

The first and most obvious truth to embrace from the start is that Jesus would love to personally be your shepherd. We are each called to be sheep in His pasture and because of that, every once in awhile we must take perspective and ask ourselves, “Am I presently being led, protected and comforted by the Good Shepherd?”

Truthfully, we can be committed Christians and easily fall into false religion or pseudo-faith instead of maintaining relationship based faith. In fact, religion has got an insidious ability to cause us to think we’re doing righteousness, but in reality we’ve actually walked away from the true path and are missing the mark. We typically will be attracted to some facet or portion of work or some cause that will consume our attention and keep us from focusing on the Good Shepherd.

Therefore, the essential relationship that we need to look to continue to cultivate and refocus on in our lives is our relationship with Jesus. Who is Jesus to you? Who is Jesus to you, personally? I’m not referring to what part of Christianity you like or what it is about Jesus that you relate to. What about you and Jesus?

In fact, there are hundreds of different agendas in our hearts and we are all just trying to gain ground, obtain satisfaction, achieve upward movement, and feel acceptance or some sense of true north. Many times this can lead to some pretty incredible double mindedness and confusion.

You’ll never be confused, however, if Jesus is your Shepherd. If you’ll spend a life eating His flesh and drinking His blood (John 6), looking to Him, focusing on Him and bringing your spirit back into orientation with the teachings and the person of the Good Shepherd, you’ll never be confused, distracted, led away or deceived. Your life must focus on the Good Shepherd.

Psalm 23, the first half of verse number two says, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”

Consider Jesus’ earthly ministry in direct correlation with this verse:

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. Matthew 14:19

Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. Mark 6:39

Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. John 6:10

Three Gospel accounts specifically note that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, made His sheep to lie down in a grassy place. The original Greek meaning of the words used in the Gospels to describe this grassy place is “the place where the grass grows and animals graze,” in other words, a pasture.

“He makes us to lie down in green pastures.” When He was ready to feed the multitudes who had come to Him, Jesus asked them to lie down in green pastures. That should hit something in our prophetic mind. A flag should go up alerting us that this is a prophetic correlation that hooks Jesus directly to Psalms 23.

To the Christian, this teaches the responsibility of gathering in a calm place in a group to be fed by the Shepherd. Sounds like church! Our lives sometimes get filled with so much busyness and so much turmoil and so much confusion that we wouldn’t ever think about going and sitting down in a grassy place to be fed by the Shepherd.

Imagine, just sitting in a meadow somewhere quietly and allowing Jesus to feed your soul. Many consider themselves far too busy to gather together for a Sunday Church or a special meeting just to have their souls nourished from Jesus’ word. It is also interesting that Jesus fed the multitudes through the hands of His disciples indicating the correlation to the church as His means of legitimate ministry.

Remember the sisters Mary and Martha? They had a problem. Jesus was visiting their house and Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him speak. At the same time, Martha was acting responsibly. She was concerned about so many things; serving the guests and tidying up; she was doing the things that had to be done. After all, doesn’t God help those who help themselves?

But good-old ‘too-spiritual-to-be-earthly-good’ Mary over there, all she wanted to do was get out of the work. She wouldn’t move from Jesus feet. But when Martha finally complains about her sister, Jesus judges that it was Mary who chose the better part. Mary chose to be fed by the Good Shepherd.

You see, if Jesus is going to restore your soul, you have to sit at His feet. You have to sit down with the sheep. You have to see yourself as a sheep. Unfortunately, we tend to see ourselves, as John Kelly used to say, as ‘Lambo:’ the sole warrior sheep for God. We are part lamb and part Rambo; the lonely wounded warrior; never truly part of the flock.

Actually, we Americans don’t like to be a part of the flock at all. We think that people who follow a leader are mindless, weak and gullible. The Good Shepherd says goodbye Lambo and welcome to ‘sheepdom.’

The multitudes that Jesus fed in that pasture were following Him, one Gospel says, for three days. They were tired. They were worn. They had been following after Jesus, and Jesus, in effect said, “I want to refresh you now.” Some people do not feel refreshed in church because they are not following Jesus in between Sundays. I don’t refuel my car if I haven’t run the engine since last week. In the same way, I am not hungry for the Word of God if my faith motor is not running, motivating me each day to follow Jesus.

Psalm 23 prophesies of Jesus, the Good Shepherd saying, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Do you think God wants to send a message today? There is a time set aside each week for you to stop striving, sit down in the green pastures of the Church and be fed by His disciples so that the Good Shepherd can restore your soul. That is why it is important to be in a church where there is green, fresh grass growing.

You do not want lite-grass, diet-grass, or user friendly grass. You want fresh green grass and you want to eat it in church among the other sheep.

Gratitude for Your Support in 2008

2009-01-22T08:26:00.003-05:00

Please accept my sincere thanks for your generous giving to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ in 2008. In May of 1987 a small group of feisty Holy Spirit-filled Christians meeting in each other’s homes, borrowed churches and community halls, chartered their growing Bible study, naming it Christ Community Church of the Catskills. Twenty two years and a name change later, Catskill Mountain Christian Center stands in our region as a magnificent, living and vibrant beacon of God’s love and evidence of the power and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. CMCC is arguably the most active church in Delaware County, touching literally thousands of lives each year both spiritually and through works of service.

The book of James says, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:14-18

Through your giving, 2008 was a year of unprecedented productivity for CMCC on every level. Most notably, our average Sunday attendance was significantly higher and our Family Table food program distributed a record amount of food valued at $450,000 to over one thousand local low income families.

Further evidence of the great faith of CMCC members is as follows: services every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, nursery care, Sunday school, Power Kids, home groups, nursing home ministry, senior citizen’s dinner fellowship, regular women’s meetings, men’s meetings, leadership training, pastoral counseling, Bible studies, True Beauties, CMCC Rangers, youth group, CMCC School of Ministry, music ministry, prayer ministry, usher team, financial counseling, personal discipleship, building maintenance and cleaning, snow removal/lawns and grounds, altar/prayer ministry team, after church coffee hour, hospitality, missions support, administration, financial team, web site administration and crisis counseling.

A major program of CMCC is Catskill Mountain Christian Academy, a full pre-k through twelfth grade school in its fourteenth year of providing an excellent education for children whose parents value the integration of Christian faith with academics. Led by my wife Nancy with an incredible staff of holy and dedicated professionals, in 2008 CMCA graduated four college-ready seniors. The school is a tremendous responsibility and a true labor of love.

Our website: www.cmcconline.org has become a powerful communication tool, enabling CMCC to touch thousands of people. 2008 saw over 9,000 total page visits and almost 5,000 different computer addresses logging in; 2,000 of them were first time visitors. 14 different states from the U.S. and 10 countries from five different continents visited our website in 2008.

In 2008 we worked towards two separate potential new church plants, six of our youth went off to study for a year at Elim Bible Institute, two groups took trips to the Lakeland, Florida revival, and 10 CMCC members took a two week mission trip to a remote village in Mexico. Besides what I just mentioned, here’s a rundown of special events in 2008 from my calendar:

Evangelist and strongman Steve Carrier with 100 decisions for Christ
CMCA spelling bee
Family game nights
Coffee house
Men’s breakfast meetings
30 attended Battlecry, a major youth event in New Jersey
Andes Hotel Valentine’s dinner
Evangelist Randy Goodeau
Caryl Mallory from Wycliff Bible Translators
Pastor Mark and Mary Meyers ministry weekend
Good Friday Passion of the Christ movie
Easter sunrise service
Rev. Paul Moore from CitiHope International
24 hour prayer vigil
Former NFL star Paul Costa ministry weekend
60th Anniversary of Israel celebration at United Nations in New York City
Joint motorcycle ride with a New Jersey Christian motorcycle club
Alight Care Center of Troy, New York annual support banquet
Pastor Bob and Cara Grimm ministry weekend
Lakeland Outpouring trip
Susan Brown, Arising to Excellence Ministries, women’s meeting
Pastor Alan Babcock, CMCA commencement speaker
Four seniors graduate Catskill Mountain Christian Academy
Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial dedication
Dr. Larry Keefauver ministry weekend
Mexico mission trip for 10 members
After Edmund concert
CMCA youth conference
Ron Depriest ministry weekend including men’s breakfast with Christian Motorcycle Association
Bishop Julius Wafula Macheusi from Kenya arrives for eight weeks
Winner’s Circle Business Institute
Pastor David Engelhardt Ministry weekend
Harvest party
Naomi Dowdy ministry week
CMCC women’s conference in Kingston with Apostle Naomi Dowdy
Margaretville community Christmas celebration, parade float, live Nativity
Family Table children’s Christmas party
Various church Christmas parties
Christmas Eve candlelight service
New Years Eve fellowship and prayer.

And on top of all of the above our pastoral staff visits the sick, prays for the discouraged, responds to emergencies. We hold weddings, funerals, baptisms, baby dedications and conduct marriage and family ministry. My second nationally published book came out in 2008 (The Sovereignty of God revision) and I am on the ecclesiastical council of the International Christian Wealth Builders Foundation and CitiHope International. I also represented CMCC at various regional and national ministry related conferences and Pastor Kevin Beutel represents CMCC at the local Greater Margaretville Area Interfaith Council. Pastor Randall Johnson serves on the board of the Ulster County Pregnancy Distress Centers and Pastor Renard Barto and his wife, Gina are active as foster parents and involved in the foster care community.

CMCC is affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals, the International Coalition of Apostles, Open Bible Faith Fellowship of Canada, Your Ministry Consultation Services, the International Christian Wealth Builders Foundation, LEAD – Leadership Education for Apostolic Development, CitiHope International, Eagles Wings Ministries, Bethesda Missionary Fellowship of Kenya, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Central Catskill’s Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Margaretville Area Interfaith Council.

In closing, I am very grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for His faithfulness and to you for your generosity to His Kingdom. I look forward to what the future holds as we continue to serve Him together in 2009 and beyond.
Blessings,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt

Fresh Offerings

2009-01-14T16:14:00.006-05:00

When sharing your faith, it is sometimes humbling to honestly tell others how much God has done for you. When you are transparent, however, your personal witness is a powerful tool to open people's hearts. Consider the power of the personal testimonies at this link: http://www.rhchurch.org/pages/cardboard-testimonies/

We really have a lot of good things going on this January to keep your heart warm and your mind active. I believe that the winter is the very best time to focus on your faith and make important adjustments in habits and attitudes, moving forward in the most important things in life. "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:8-9

In addition to all of our regular activities, here a few fresh offerings:
1. CALLING ALL MEN: Driven by Eternity
Saturday mornings at 9:00 am with Pastor Renard Barto.

Driven by Eternity offers a compelling look at what it means to truly live a life that counts. Many people today are building their lives on cultural thinking, emotional feelings, tradition and assumptions of who God is rather than basing their beliefs on the permanent truth of God’s Word. In this video series, John Bevere argues that these people have been deceived and will one day face God for His laws that they have overlooked, ignored or chosen to disobey. Driven by Eternity tackles the notion that it really doesn’t matter how you live or what you do once you’ve become a Christian. Bevere reminds readers that once you make a decision to follow Jesus, everything matters - even more.

2. Fire in the Winter
LEARN TO BURN at this mid-week service series with Pastor Bob Engelhardt. Wednesdays at 7:00 pm.

Fire warms the cold heart! Fire burns away the impurities! Fire lights the way! Fire bakes the fresh bread! Fire ignites the soul with passion! "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11

3. CMCC School of Ministry
Achieving Transformation through Education
Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm with instructors Dean Malaxos and Ross Gill providing two classes of college level learning: God’s Design for the New Testament Church and The Making of a Godly Leader.

4. A.L.I.V.E. - Abundant Life Intersects Vital Empowerment
Saturday mornings, 9:00-10:30am. A fun Bible study series & breakfast club led by Sharon Engelhardt for girls ages 11—16. Define yourself—find your voice—fulfill God’s purposes for you!

5. Special Guest Ministry
Pastor Jim Jorgensen. One of our favorites! January 25, Sunday Service, 10:00 am

6. W.O.W. - 2009 is Mine!

Women of the Word - 2009 Kickoff Meeting Sunday evening, January 25, 6:00 pm, The Chapel - Ladies, this is YOUR year, for victory, strength, peace, purpose, Holy Spirit power. Come, be encouraged, be refreshed by the presence of God.

I hope everyone can make a number of these happenings. As you can see, at CMCC we work double-overtime to ensure a full plate of regular and special activities to keep the Christian heart well cared for. It is our honor to serve you, the King's children.
See you Sunday!
Pastor Bob Engelhardt
http://www.cmcconline.org/

The Harvest

2009-01-09T11:28:00.007-05:00

Have you shared your faith with anyone lately? 2009 is the year of harvest and harvesting requires God's entire family working in the fields and bringing in the proverbial sheaves. Your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members are waiting for you to share Jesus' love with them, and winter is the perfect time to do it. Here are a few ideas:

-Invite someone to church.
-Invite someone to your home to share a meal.
-Write a letter to a loved one.
-Bake some cookies and surprise your neighbor, including a note that says, 'Jesus loves you.'
-Send personal notes to friends via email.
-Invite someone to church.
-Buy someone a book (like 'The Case for Christ' by Lee Strobel).
-Bring a friend to home group.
-Begin praying for everyone in your neighborhood and look for opportunities to serve them.
-Buy a friend a large print, easy-reading version of the Bible.
-Volunteer at CMCC's Family Table as a prayer minister.
-Serve at the Wednesday evening Senior Citizen’s Dinner.
-Invite someone to come to church with you. Meet them outside, stay with them through the service and then take them to lunch afterwards.

The nice thing about sharing your faith is that you can be fun and creative doing it. If you look around your world and pray about it, God will show you all kinds of opportunities. Here are two ideas of what other people are doing:

I was very inspired last night to see the winning quarterback of the college football championship game, Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators, with John 3:16 written so the cameras couldn't miss it. You gotta love this:

And then I came to work this morning and watched the linked clip below, sent to me by Jim Kiley of Word of Jesus in Holbrook, NY. I really hope you take a couple of minutes to watch because it will definitely elevate your day and inspire you to use whatever God has given you to share His love:

http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=723

"God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NLT)

See You Sunday,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt
http://www.cmcconline.org/

Matthew Jacob Beutel

2009-01-02T14:31:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry to have to report that Matthew Beutel, 10 year old son of our own Pastor Kevin and Michelle Beutel, has passed away from complications related to his severe cerebral palsy. Matty's short life was a glorious gift to everyone in CMCC. Please hold the Beutel family up in prayer including Matthew's brothers, Noah and Cameron. I will notify you of arrangements.

The Power of Christmas Traditions

2008-12-17T10:41:00.004-05:00

The power of tradition is to memorialize something considered exceptionally important or sacred to a culture and to function as a vehicle to pass down important values from ancestors to their descendants. For example, old European and early American culture gave us many of our most wonderful Christmas traditions, mixing the biblical accounts of the Nativity with other beloved practices. These are the familiar images of baby Jesus in a manger, the wise men, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, angels, Christmas trees, church services, seasonal songs, traditional carols, giving gifts, spreading good will, sharing fictional stories like A Christmas Carol and even old St. Nick. These are all traditions our Christian ancestors initiated and handed down so that future generations might know how much they loved their most valuable treasure; God's original Christmas present: Jesus Christ.

Although our mixed-up world has largely moved away from the true heart and soul of the holiday, Christmas traditions were intentionally designed to stir feelings of goodwill and love among people because the one celebrated is an expression of good will and love from God. What a great idea; to rejoice at God’s gift to the world by transforming an entire home, village, town or city with colorful lights, garland, the sounds of heartwarming songs and celebrating by giving gifts to one another in a common expression of Christmas joy. I believe that we must never forget the main message communicated through our beloved holiday traditions, contending vigorously and reminding the world boldly of their original meaning.

We surely know that God is never far away regardless of how far many have drifted and the great hope for our generation is, as always, in the tireless, timeless work of bringing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ back into the center of human life. Our ancestors knew this and memorialized it in our Christmas traditions. Therefore this year as we turn our hearts towards Christmas once again, I encourage everyone to keep Christmas as Christmas; a day when we memorialize and celebrate God’s gift of His own Son, Jesus Christ, to the world.

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:8-14

And echoing the words of the immortal Linus, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

It's A Wonderful Life

2008-12-12T14:08:00.001-05:00

Apostle John Kelly - A Testimonial

2008-12-10T11:18:00.005-05:00

It has been a great privilege to be associated with Apostle John Kelly for the past twenty plus years. His personality and ministry style set him apart as a man uniquely equipped to impart vision and direction to a generation of Christian leaders hungry to influence the world for the cause of Christ.

My first exposure to Apostle Kelly's ministry was at Ravena Bible Training Center in upstate New York circa 1987. As an up-and-coming on-fire Christian with a faith-message background, I was excited (though somewhat skeptical) when told that an 'apostle' was coming to speak at a Saturday morning men's breakfast. I figured that in order to prove he was a true apostle he would probably tell awesome stories about the miracles he performed or somehow flex his apostolic muscular prowess through prophecy or healing.

What I got that morning however was much more... he was surely anointed with the Holy Spirit, but John Kelly was logical, earthy and confident with an east-coast style manliness that flowed naturally and was closer to my Bronx-born, WWII veteran father’s personality than any Spirit-filled minister I had ever been exposed to. Prior to Kelly every preacher I considered really anointed had a southern accent. This new perspective blew my mind.

In addition, I found Apostle Kelly to be amazingly perceptive and there was nowhere to hide from his dead-on insights. I still remember feeling sick to my stomach listening, for the first time, to his now often-quoted lines like (speaking on authority), "If you cannot make your own children obey you, how do you expect a demon to?" Ouch! Through the years, I have come to believe that many of John Kelly's one-liners are among the most profound sayings anywhere, having the power to shine a light on critical inconsistencies. I personally quote John Kelly in my ministry far more than any other contemporary source.

The overall feeling I was left with that morning reminds me of an old song by Roberta Flack called "Killing Me Softly with His Song." The song tells of a woman listening, for the first time, to a particular singer performing and how his song cuts into her soul. Well, the song I could have written about that men’s breakfast might have been named, "Bludgeoning Me Mortally with His Message." And although it was a painful experience, it was the most liberating teaching I have ever heard and left me with two life-changing impressions to this day: 1. Jesus loves the east coast too! 2. Apostle John Kelly represented a vision of unapologetic, strong-side manliness in ministry that, to this day, has never been matched. For that, I am ever grateful.

I tell people that John Kelly is more prophetic by accident than most prophets are on purpose. He has a great gift of being able to tie heaven and earth together and see opportunities and project trends in the church and in the culture before the wave breaks on the horizon. My wife, Nancy, and I are very fortunate to have benefited immeasurably from Apostle Kelly’s wisdom throughout our ministry as we have endeavored to build based on the principles he has forwarded in his teachings and from his personal instruction to us.

In 1990, John and Helena invited me to a local diner one fateful evening and offered me an assignment to pastor a small church plant in the rural Catskill Mountains of New York State. I accepted, of course, and soon found this tiny village, Margaretville, population 600, is so remote that I felt, at first, like Kevin Costner’s character in the beginning of Dances with Wolves. Over the next eighteen years, however, (as I am writing now) that church has grown-up to become a major beacon to the region and a multifaceted apostolic life generator affecting thousands of lives and moving millions of dollars over the years for the cause of Christ. This is John Kelly’s legacy in one small spot in the world.

During the 22 years I have been associated with Apostle John Kelly; he has won many great victories and faced much painful hardship and adversity including physical limitations and the betrayal of friends. Through all this he has shown himself to be a gracious and consummate leader and an innovator. His ability to forgive is astounding. His sense of humor is refreshing. His intelligence is reassuring. His humility is disarming. His insight is profound. His love and compassion are surprisingly delicate but vitally important balance weights to his otherwise warrior attitude. His courage is not rhetoric but real. Apostle John Kelly is the only minister that I have ever really tried to emulate and Catskill Mountain Christian Center is, in no small part, a testimony to his influence.

The Purpose of Christmas - A Recommendation

2008-12-04T17:53:00.003-05:00

I’m writing today to recommend a book. The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren. I believe that it will be a blessing to you personally and make a great Christmas gift for friends and relatives. I LOVE THIS BOOK.

I must confess that I do not care for many of the typical light-reading illustrated Christmas gift books being published today, but this is unlike any I have read before. It is a small book and easy reading but it definitely connects the dots in clearly explaining why Jesus’ birth is an event truly worth celebrating. It will reignite your pure faith and has the potential to lead many to salvation. I recommend this book for our home groups (as a December study guide), for family devotions, for unsaved friends & relatives and for your entire gift list. The message is very positive so everyone will enjoy it.

In the book, Warren approaches the purpose of Christmas by describing it as a time for Celebration, a time for Salvation and a time for Reconciliation. In each of these sections he offers relevant illustrations, answers from a mall survey on prevailing attitudes towards Christmas, and outstanding explanations of vital biblical concepts. The book definitely ministers to the heart and illuminates the head.

The following is a reader review from Amazon.com: “Like most people, I've "done" Christmas every year since I was a baby, but honestly, I had never really thought about it much personally. Of course I knew it was the birth of Jesus, but didn't figure that had any relevance to me. It was just an historical event. Then, a week ago, a good friend of mine gave me a copy of this book. It was short, so I thought I'd read it. WOW.... I mean seriously... I had no idea! How did I miss this all these years? Warren explains why Christmas is such a "big deal" around the world, but more important is how he clearly lays out the implications and benefits to your personal life. I did what he said and I will never be the same person anymore. I'm free! I still don't know enough to explain it so I just ordered 9 copies to give to my friends. This will be the best Christmas because now I get it. JONATHAN FARADAY”

I bought my copy for the $17.99 cover price at Barnes & Nobles last week but saw it last night at Wal-Mart for $12.00. Also, at the Amazon link below, you can buy it for $12.23 plus shipping and at the same web page there is also a 2 minute video presentation of Rick Warren talking about the book (It is worth looking at the video).

http://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Christmas-Rick-Warren/dp/1416559000/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_i

Again, I encourage every CMCC family to buy a copy for your own and another for everyone on your list.

See You Sunday,

Pastor Bob Engelhardt

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-12-02T11:15:00.004-05:00

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines Thanksgiving as: A public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, especially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties.

As Christians, being thankful is at the very heart of our faith because we are formerly spiritual orphans who have been adopted by God. We have taken advantage of His offer to be joined with His Son, Jesus Christ, and in doing so, become sons and daughters in His family. Another benefit of our adoption for which we are thankful is freedom from sin. Sin is like a universal birth defect in the human species—a spiritual malignant tumor in our hearts that poisons us with cravings for a variety of ungodly pleasures and keeps our moral compass perpetually off course. Now that we are His children, we are free from sin. The scalpel has been laid to the roots! The tumor has been removed and for that we are very thankful.

Unfortunately, due to memories and phantom pains, even though we don’t want to be, we are still sometimes tempted by impulses to return to our fatherless sin-sick behaviors. We are thankful and confident, however, in our Father’s plan because He is the Great Physician. The surgery of His Word, the radiation therapy of His love and the chemotherapy of His Holy Spirit are zapping sin cells and renewing our minds to live with Him in sin/cancer-free bliss. And not only is sin eradicated, but we are also thankful because beyond the limitations of this life, awaits fullness of our adopted status as permanent residents of His eternal city. We are very thankful people!

The Scripture has quite a bit to say about Thanksgiving. Here are five examples:

As believers, it is not only when things are good that we give thanks, but also when the chips are down. The most powerful thanksgiving can come when things are really bad. For example, Jonah gave thanks from the belly of a fish after intentionally running from obeying God: “But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving” (Jonah 2:9) Sometimes, when it really hurts, in the darkest night, in the deepest trouble, with literally no options, when destruction is seemingly certain… that is the time to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving!

We should be living fire hydrants, gushing continually with thanksgiving especially when we see the grace of God increasingly affecting, not only our lives, but our family, community, country and the world. “For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:15)

Thanksgiving is to prayer what peanut butter is to jelly. Here is the promised peace you’ve been looking for! “...be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Robust, hearty, overcoming Christian faith is full of thanksgiving. “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

Christians must continue in watchful, attentive prayer, always remembering to keep an attitude of thanksgiving. “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2)

I am very thankful this year for all of you who call CMCC your church home. Nancy and I are in our eighteenth year of serving you—thank you for making our work a delight. We are grateful to you and to Jesus for making CMCC a productive and prosperous vehicle for His Kingdom. In a region where there was not a potent expression of God’s glory, there is now a living, vibrant church, blazing with the glory of God. Jesus Christ is being lifted up in this region! The church is growing, poor folks are being fed, children are learning and the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Happy Thanksgiving 2008
Pastor Bob Engelhardt

I Really Love Christmas!

2008-11-18T09:12:00.004-05:00

I know that many people think the Christmas season starts too early and is too commercialized but I love it all. Every time I see a commercial selling Christmas gifts, I think of the perfect gift that God gave the world—His son, Jesus. I think of the gift of the little baby Jesus in the manger. I think about the gift of salvation. I think about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I think about the gifts of the Wise Men. I think about the gift of God’s love. I really love Christmas!

When I think of the cost of buying presents for everyone on my list—how expensive they are—I think about the cost that Jesus paid on the cross. I think of the cost God the Father paid giving the life of His precious Son as a ransom for mankind, fallen in our sinfulness. I think of the incredible price paid for my salvation. I really love Christmas!

Whenever I see a Christmas tree, the evergreen reminds me of God’s eternal love. The ornaments remind me of the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The lights remind me that Jesus is the light of the world. Christmas snow reminds me ‘though my sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow.’ Christmas snow also reminds me of purity, new beginnings and second chances.

When I think of children waiting for Christmas to come, I think of how God’s children are waiting for Jesus to return. When I see the happiness on the faces of little children wild with anticipation and hope of the wonderful treasures that Christmas might bring, I remember that “the joy of the Lord is my strength” and how I so desperately anticipate one day seeing my Savior. I really love Christmas!

When I am tempted to lose heart at a world that has traded in Jesus for Santa Claus, I am reminded that even that whimsical childhood fantasy reminds me of Jesus—a tale of a magical event where all good children are given gifts. It reminds me of the Holy Spirit, everywhere in the world at the same time, giving gifts, blessings, comfort and joy to anyone in the world who dares to believe. Even Christmas cards remind me of God’s greeting card to me… His Word, the Bible. I really love Christmas!

At Christmas:
I remember to have faith like a little child.
I remember it is better to give that receive.
I remember that God has given me so many wonderful things to be thankful for.
I remember that the greatest is love.
I remember to care for my neighbor.
I remember to forgive those who have hurt me.
I remember to appreciate my family.
I remember just how much I love Jesus Christ.
I remember how much I love the Church.
And I remember just how much I love all of you.

So, although it is still pretty early, let me be the first this year, to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas season.

I pray we all really shine this year!

Election Reflections

2008-11-07T14:08:00.009-05:00

Here are five points of reflection on this week's elections:

1. CONGRATULATIONS
Since the first 20 African slaves were brought to Jamestown Colony in 1619, nearly 400 years have passed. From that time forward people of African ancestry in our country have struggled and faced injustice and unwarranted hatred on their painful road to the place we are today. That one of Africa’s progeny now holds the highest office in our nation marks a great day of victory for all Americans. I encourage everyone to consider the true-life message of freedom embodied in this moment and join me in congratulating all of our African-American fellow-citizens.

America is truly the greatest country in the world and on some level I feel we are suddenly a lot closer to the dream famously articulated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963. Following is an excerpt from that awesome speech:

“…And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

Again, I whole-heartedly celebrate the accomplishment of those who have suffered to make this day possible and I offer my genuine heartfelt praise to God and good wishes to all who have longed for this moment in time. It is a wonderful statement of validation for our neighbors of color—you absolutely deserve this blessing.

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Acts 10:34-35

2. PRAY
We are instructed to pray for our governmental leaders. This is the sacred duty of Christians. The Church was born under Roman rule and Rome was neither sympathetic nor partial to Christianity. Under this hostile environment the following words were written by the Holy Spirit through Paul to Timothy: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4

As children of God we pray with the faith that ultimately God is in control. “that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.' Daniel 4:17

3. OBEY
We are to obey the law of the land. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:1-7

4. HONOR
Again, remember that Roman rule was not sympathetic toward Christianity and yet the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter wrote: “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men-- 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

5. DEFEND
In the Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln identified our country as having a government, ‘of the people, by the people and for the people.’ This reveals that in America, we have the unique governmental form that is designed to be guided by the vigorous involvement of her citizens. As Americans, therefore, it is both our privilege and our duty to passionately engage government to influence policy with righteous values and ideals, especially when we perceive error. And, regarding the prevailing political views reflected in our recent presidential elections, we have much work ahead.

It is, therefore the American responsibility to stay active, as guided by conscience; influencing, informing, complaining, peacefully protesting and broadcasting the views and values which will hold our nation accountable to God’s morality. In addition, for people of faith, it is our biblical mandate to vigorously oppose unrighteousness and defend the innocent in every arena of life. The Bible teaches the following:

“Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:17

“Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalms 82:3-4.

There are many issues sure to be forwarded by our new government that will require our spirited dissent. Whereas the former administration had sensitivity towards issues important to conservative Christians, the new administration has a troubling track record. This, in combination with a liberal congress creates a potential perfect-storm of anti traditional-Christian sentiment in coming years.

Furthermore, our responsibility as Christians is to monitor the government to make sure our liberty to worship freely and evangelize the lost is never taken away or even reduced. We have to remain ever vigilant and vocal in order to support and defend the freedoms necessary to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ both at home and abroad. Jesus said to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)

A few other issues are on the radar that will require our voices are: the expansion of abortion and infanticide rights and practices, the traditional definition of marriage, proper use of military, our support of Israel, bioethics, overbearing taxation and maintaining our freedom of religious expression in the broadcast community. These are all important items to us as Americans and Christians.

In closing, most important will be our hearts when engaging these issues. It is necessary to learn to disagree passionately with an unrighteous position, practice, policy or law and not hate the persons who advance it.
Blessings,
Pastor Bob Engelhardt

I Couldn’t Help My Son—A Small Thing to Others, A Big Thing to Me

2008-10-09T15:53:00.001-04:00

I've served our region for over seventeen years as pastor of Catskill Mountain Christian Center (www.cmcconline.org), a local church and ministry organization in Margaretville, NY. Between our church, school, radio, food program and many other activities, we've touched literally thousands of area families over the years and have been glad to do it. I love serving God and helping our neighbors.

Besides my love for God, my family and faith in Jesus Christ, I am also very proud to be an American. I believe this country, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the premise that all men are created equal, is a bright and shining star in human history. I believe that America is worth fighting for, and if need be, dying for. To date, two of my five children have proudly served in the U.S. military--one marine and one soldier. The soldier, Paul, is the reason for this writing.

Paul was honorably discharged from the Army at the end of last January shortly following his 15 month tour as a cavalry scout stationed in Baghdad. He came straight home from the military to Margaretville with a chest full of medals and documentation of exemplary service on over 200 combat missions including having his Humvee blown up twice by IED explosions and personally apprehending the number four high value target on the brigade's list. Needless to say, at 24 years old, after the sustained pressure of 15 straight months at war, like warriors before him, he was in the mood to celebrate when he arrived safely home.

Within 30 days of his return, he went out one evening with his girlfriend and met up with a couple of his buddies in the town of Oneonta, about an hour from Margaretville. He had a few beers after dinner and was stopped by the police while driving home. Paul was cooperative with the process and has a clean driving record. However, even though he only registered a .08 blood alcohol content the officer gave him a full DWI anyway. His appeal to the policeman that he had recently gotten home from fighting in the Iraq War made no difference.

As a minister and responsible citizen, I do not condone drinking and driving. However, as an American, a father and one who knows right from wrong, I am convinced that the ones who voluntarily fight our country's battles and come home with medals of courage and valor on the battlefield do deserve some measure of special treatment and understanding. There must be adequate allowance for decompression for a combat vet and consideration by authorities, especially on a relatively low test result less than 30 days home. As it turns out, the officer, DA and judge do not share my feeling.

Paul went to court and had his ticket reduced from a 'Driving While Intoxicated' to a 'Driving While Ability Impaired' which is, "exactly the same deal anyone else would be offered in this situation," said the assistant DA. Paul has had his license marked and driving privilege restricted for three months. He also has to pay lawyer fees, court fees and State mandated fines in addition to submitting to the full range of classes as that of a problem drinker. I believe that the DA and judge should be ashamed.

A valiant young man, a hometown boy, a real-life hero just off the battlefield is treated ‘exactly the same as anyone else.’ This is not justice. It is simply easier than doing the right thing. Drinking and driving is understandably a serious issue but when a brave American soldier fresh home from war gets no consideration from his community... no gratitude, no understanding, no thanks, no empathy or thought that it might be a somewhat understandable lapse in judgment after 15 months at war. Just treat him ‘exactly the same as anyone else.’ This is America at her worst. It is politically motivated, cookie-cutter justice by authorities at peace with quietly convicting a young hero rather than forgiving his perfectly understandable mistake because it might stir up a public relations mess.

Paul was not looking for special treatment but I expected it on his behalf. Retaining legal counsel and believing in the system, we found there is even a provision in the law for this kind of circumstance called a motion for the ‘Furtherance of Justice’ which when presented, the judge simply refused to consider. It seems that a soldier in this particular courtroom is not given any special treatment. He has earned no deference for his service. He is treated the same as everyone else. There was no official willing to stick his neck out for a kid who stuck his neck out for us. Unbelievable. And we in soft, no-fault, politically correct America can pretend that everyone is treated fair. Actually, true fairness is when both sides of an issue are fully measured and weighed. Unfortunately, it seems that modern justice is so blind that she cannot discern the balance of weights on her scales.

I am mostly disappointed that I could not help my son. I believe that he is a hero and I wanted to be a hero for him, but words fell on deaf ears as I respectfully argued on his behalf. I feel terrible about it. The ADA privately told me he was concerned with the public outcry (code for special interest groups) if he gave Paul any special treatment and the judge admitted that when he was a police officer he wouldn't have given Paul the ticket in the first place. A young man, at the request of his country, drinks the bitter cup of war and our local community offers him zero consideration in the wake of his sacrifice—none dare risk their precious political career for the sake of a lone American soldier.

Oh America, how far you have fallen from the nation who once honored her courageous heroes with parades and gratitude. I am so deeply concerned for your future.

-I'm sorry Paul. Daddy knows you are a true hero and not only do you not deserve this outcome but should have been lovingly protected by the authorities and sternly warned against this behavior ever happening again. Unfortunately, it takes courage to do the right thing. I am proud of you, son.

Cremation Vs. Burial

2008-10-06T11:29:00.006-04:00

Dear Pastor Bob,
I recently had a conversation with a respected friend about the Christian view of cremation vs. burial. They believe cremation shouldn’t be practiced by Christians because it is scripturally wrong. Is this true?

Answer: Dear Reader,
This is an interesting subject especially since the historical position of both Christianity throughout her two thousand years and classical Judaism has been unambiguously committed to earth burial and against cremation. Only in recent times has there been a breakdown in this biblically based tradition. Here are a few commonly sited reasons for burial:

The body is constructed by God to: a) hold human life, b) to function as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and c) to be resurrected unto eternal life. Therefore, intentionally destroying human remains by fire is disrespectful to God because bodies are containers of the very special life specifically created in God’s image (Genesis chapters one and two).
God’s people in the Bible were always buried. Abraham, Sarah, Rachel, Isaac, Rebecca, Leah, Jacob, Miriam, Aaron, Moses, Joshua, Joseph, Saul, Jonathon, David, Solomon and many others are sited as being buried. It is important to note that fire was certainly available to the ancients if they had decided to burn their remains but they universally site burial as the way they cared for their dead loved ones. There is no instance in the Bible of a righteous person having their body intentionally burned after death... always buried. The only righteous people burned are burned as martyrs. Only pagan religions burn their dead as a funeral practice.
The most important reason for burial is that Jesus was buried and He is our example in life and death. We believe that as Jesus was buried and raised from the dead, we are buried and wait to be raised in the resurrection. This is what baptism represents; burial and being raised from the dead. Burial and resurrection is a central theme of our faith. Earth burial is a way that we express our faith in the Savior.

The scripture says "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). It is ancient Jewish tradition and 2,000 years of Christian tradition that we are following when we are buried. It is a prophecy of our hope in Christ. It is only during the last century that liberal, pagan and atheist practices began eroding this traditional Christian thinking.

Blessings,
Pastor Bob

Church Family Update

2008-09-30T16:30:00.001-04:00

Hi Church Family,
Happening this week at CMCC:

***Winner’s Circle Business Institute classes are starting up this Thursday, October 2 at 7:00 pm in the CMCC chapel. It is not too late to sign up. This is for anyone who is in business or desires to start a business in the future. "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

***Thanks to everyone who donated money for the purpose of bringing Bishop Julius Wafula Macheusi and Christine Macheusi over from Kenya.. Bishop has arrived and Christine will follow in a couple weeks. Please keep them in your prayers that the Lord would open many doors so they might find new long term ministry partners here in the US. The Macheusi’s oversee a network of over one hundred churches, a large central church, a vocational school educating 80-120 college age students, a water project, serving thousands potable water and many other facets of ministry. They periodically come to the US and stay here at CMCC while connecting with other churches and ministries to raise funds for their work. http://www.bethesdaministriesafrica.org/

***Pray October! Each Monday through Friday in October the church will be open for prayer at 6:00 a.m. for one hour and at 9:00 p.m. for one hour. For the past month and a half Paul Engelhardt has been meeting for daily prayer with a few people including Jay Coffin and Jeff Surgent and they have built a great momentum. Come and add your heart to this emerging tsunami! Join the family to get your tank filled with the Holy Spirit and with power. “…for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Galatians 6:7

***This coming weekend, Pastor David Engelhardt from the State of Washington will be our guest at CMCC. David is an associate pastor at Christian Life Center in the city of Walla Walla where he oversees generational ministries. http://www.christianlifeonline.net/CLC/Home.html

***Saturday evening at 6:00 pm is a special fundraiser Italian dinner prepared by world famous Chef Ron Scungilli (aka Odato). Contact the church office for details. 586-4848

*** Saturday at 9:00 pm youth event with Pastor David Engelhardt.

See you Sunday!

Church Family Update

2008-09-12T08:43:00.002-04:00

Hi Church Family,

***Well, sorry to say, summer is just about over and all that we love about this time of year is beginning to turn toward autumn. The good news is that we have re-ignited our CMCC life-giving machine to full power.

Our academy is back in session and mid-week service, Beacon University classes, Senior Citizen’s fellowship dinners, True Beauties and Royal Rangers have all started up again. In addition, we have a full plate of guest ministers, conferences and fresh activities coming up during this next season.

Looking backward just one more time, let’s praise God for the summer of 2008 by remembering some of the life we enjoyed at CMCC:

During June we hosted a ministry weekend with Pastor Bob and Cara Grimm from Washington State which concluded with some CMCC members taking a quick sight-seeing trip to New York City. We also hosted Susan Brown of Arising to Excellence Ministries in Texas for a series of women’s meetings and we participated in the unveiling ceremony of the Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial at the Middletown Town Hall.

In June, CMCA graduated four seniors from high school: Deanna Barto, Sarah Keator, Morgan Spaulding and Lani Odato. Pastor Alan Babcock from Greenville , NY gave the commencement address at the graduation ceremony. Our academy also hosted a year-end picnic at Little Pond State Park. In early June, I began a summer Sunday evening weekly discussion meeting with our CMCC college-age kids.

In July, famous Christian author, psychologist and apostolic leader, Dr. Larry Keefauver, spent a weekend training our leaders, meeting with our college group and ministering Sunday morning. Also in July, over forty youth and parents from CMCC attended the 3 day ‘Generation Youth’ conference in Utica featuring national speakers and top music performers. In addition, our youth group conducted several fund raising activities including a car wash, two bake sales and a Sunday church barbeque to raise money for their own conference, entitled 'Sanctified'.

In July, high adventure was enjoyed by ten CMCC members under the leadership of Pastor Renard Barto as they traveled to a remote mountain village in Mexico to bring the love of Jesus. This ten day trip was conducted in partnership with Victorious Life Christian Church in Troy, NY.

In August we packed our chapel out with young people for a concert by Christian rock band, ‘After Edmund.’ We also hosted our ‘Sanctified’ youth conference featuring Pastor Mark and Mary Meyers from Florida. Pastor Mark also led a ‘praise & worship’ night and preached on Sunday morning. We received the following letter from Mark and Mary Meyers shortly after their five day visit:
Dear Catskill Mountain Christian Center Family,

What can we say to show our love and appreciation to all of you!! You guys are one incredible group of people and we have been bragging about all of you since we have returned home to Orlando!!!

You generosity, you kindness and love towards us, and your love and service to the Lord is just an incredible testimony of how the Body of Christ should function. It was such an honor and privilege for both of us to be with you, and you made us feel right at home!! What a blessing to have the opportunity to minister to the incredible young people and then to experience His presence in an awesome way with your church family on Saturday evening. And then to top it off by having the honor to minister and hang-out with all of you on Sunday!!

Our lives were truly blessed and changed! You are so blessed to have such awesome pastors and leaders in Pastor Bob and Nancy, and then they are blessed to have all of you in their lives and working along side of them to tell people about Jesus and to further His Kingdom.

As good as it has been so far, we are convinced that the Lord has great plans for all of you and your best days and CMCC's greatest days are still ahead of you. Keep dreaming and keep chasing after God because He loves you so much! We consider you family and please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and we look forward to seeing you in the future!! We love you!! Mark & Mary

Also in August we had a Royal Rangers camping trip and we hosted a summer movie night with a viewing of the movie, ‘Bella.’

Finally, in August we said goodbye to six of our young people who are headed off for a year of study at Elim Bible Institute. Lauren and Lani Odato and Sheila, Ryder, Jared and Morgan Spaulding are all taking a year off of their academic careers to become strengthened in their walk with God. Marie Spaulding, the mother of four of the students wrote the following narrative about how the Lord provided financially for her children to attend:
Our children, Sheila, Ryder, Jared, and Morgan, were accepted to Elim Bible Institute earlier this year. We began to pray and thank the Lord for all He was doing in our lives. We visited the Elim campus and felt the presence of God all over—we loved it.

Next, we started the financial planning step and unfortunately, although we tried every option, we could not get the financing. We eventually concluded that God must have a ‘plan B’ for our children. Although initially somewhat disappointed, we accepted it by faith and our children prepared to go back to SUNY Delhi. All was well.

On Sat. August 23, I sent a short e-mail to Elim stating our children would like to attend next September instead of this year. The following Monday we received a phone call telling us that my e-mail had been forwarded to the president of the college and he wanted to see what was needed to get my kids there. I was so filled with a sense of God’s presence that I could hardly breathe. I gave them our information and waited.

On Tuesday August 26th, at 3:30pm the call came in. It had been arranged for our children to have work study jobs, partial scholarships, and with their saved money and our monthly payments – All four children are in! Our God can move mountains. We are thankful for our Father’s love and provision. -Marie Spaulding.

***One of CMCC’s effective ministries is our web site: www.cmcconline.org Jessica Moore does a wonderful job keeping our site updated with fresh and relevant material. The web site includes streaming sermons from various guest ministers, many of Nancy's messages and my Sunday messages. It also includes our monthly calendar, upcoming events and my blog, ‘The Way I See It,’ with posts on a variety of subjects. Following is the web site report for this past summer:
www.cmcconline.org Summary
During June through August 2008, the www.cmcconline.org web site had 1,450 unique visitors of which, 647 were first-time visitors. Total page loads were 3069. Nationwide visitors came from 18 US states: NY, OH, VA, AL, MA, CA, OR, LA, NJ, PA, WA, TX, NE, TN, DC, IN, CO and ME. Internationally, our visitors came from Kenya , India , South Africa , Germany , and Canada .
‘The Way I See It’ Blog Report
During June through August 2008, ‘The Way I See It’ had 370 unique readers. Of this amount, 292 were first-time visitors. Total page loads were 487. Nationwide, our blog visitors came from everywhere! Readers hailed from 25 of the 50 states: NY, FL, GA, LA, WA, MN, NJ, OH, IA, CA, MS, MI, TX, KY, CO, AL, MD, NV, AZ, IN, PA, OK, VA, MA, TN. Internationally, blog readers came from Australia, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Egypt, Canada, Puerto Rico, Latvia, Germany, France, Finland and South Africa.

***We sometimes get letters or e mails from people who have visited one of our services or attended one of our activities. The following was received recently:
Good afternoon Neighbor, Today I attended your Sunday service. Until now I did not fully understand what the Lord Jesus was saying to us when he said Love thy Neighbor, I do now. I am your neighbor, a brother in Christ, a devout Christian and a new friend. I know that when I seek the Lord, all I have to do is look and I will find Him. I have read your literature and was pleased to see your statement, "We believe in the Bible, trinity, born of a virgin, raised from the dead and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” I will see you again next Sunday.

LOOKING AHEAD…

*** Winner's Circle Business Institute - Orientation, this Friday, September 12 at 7:00 pm. This is the beginning of a new arm of ministry at CMCC. It is our commitment to help God’s people to be successful in business so each one “may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2). This training will integrate video lessons, live instruction, guest presenters and lab work. Anyone interested should attend this meeting.

***Ministry Weekend with Ron DePriest, September 20-21. Ron is author of two books. The first is his testimony book of his early life entitled, Loco, which tells of his background as an abused child, abusive man, life as an outlaw biker, inmate in San Quentin prison and ultimate surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. His story of redemption from a life of unbelievable violence is riveting. His second book is entitled, The Spiritual Mentor—Unlocking the Treasures of Coming Generations.

Today, Ron DePriest functions as founder of World Impact Network. He has a master’s degree in psychology and a PhD in Theology. He has been in ministry for over 30 years, during which he has appeared on many Christian TV and radio programs including PTL and the 700 Club with Pat Robertson.

All men are encouraged to come and bring a friend to hear Ron DePriest share at a men’s breakfast on Saturday, September 20 at 9:00 am. Ron will also be our guest minister at Sunday service on September 21. http://www.rondepriest.com/

***On October 3-5 Pastor David Engelhardt from Christian Life Center in Walla Walla , Washington will be our guest. David will minister to the academy, youth group and on Sunday morning, October 5th. www.christianlifeonline.net

***October 18-19, Ed Turose from Pittsburgh. Ed is an ordained minister who is also a motivational speaker and sales professional for Coca-Cola. He has a vision for releasing and encouraging marketplace ministries. www.edturose.com/

***October 30th – November 2nd Women’s conference and Sunday guest Naomi Dowdy. Naomi Dowdy is a true apostle and general in God’s modern army. She planted and raised-up a 5,000 member church in Singapore and now travels globally strengthening churches and functioning as a mouthpiece for the modern apostolic movement. It is a wonderful stroke of God’s grace that we have been so honored to get Naomi for our conference. www.naomidowdy.com

***November 13-15 CMCC annual men’s conference entitled Freedom Forum, at Frost Valley YMCA camp. This year’s keynote speaker is Pastor Tom Carey from Holbrook Long Island. Pastor Tom Carey, ably assisted by Denise, his wife of 27 years, and a strong leadership team, shepherds the flock at Word of Jesus Worship Center in Holbrook, L.I., just 50 miles east of New York City.

Swept into the kingdom during the revival of the 1970s, Pastor Tom has served in leadership in several churches since the mid 1980’s and as senior pastor since June ’95. Although he has ministered in Haiti, Puerto Rico, England, Ireland and Wales, Pastor Tom knows his calling is to the nearly three million souls on Long Island, New York.

Motivated by a heart for unity, he has helped organize several pastoral fellowships, serves as an elected trustee of the Suffolk County Evangelical Ministers Fellowship, and is the host church for the Long Island Regional Coalition, a semi-monthly gathering of Fivefold Ministers.

Pastor Tom’s humorous and practical approach to biblical truths will leave you not only informed, but challenged to allow God to work in you both to WILL and to DO His good pleasure according to Philippians 2:13.

***Spanish classes! For a long time, it has been our desire to reach out with the love of Jesus to the Spanish language members of our community. In fact, the vision is to hold a regular weekly, Saturday evening, Spanish language or bi-lingual service. To prepare, we are planning to form a weekly home group dedicated to studying the Spanish language. Rodrigo Villaseca has volunteered to tutor the group so we are looking for serious Christians with the commitment to be equipped for this important work. Membership will be limited. Call Katie at the church office to sign-up. 845-586-4848

***Every four years in the US we have the opportunity to choose a new president. Because this is a very powerful job and so much rides on this office it is vital for us all to pray fervently for God’s wisdom on the American people when choosing our new president. Our democratic form of government was designed to work best when people of good will are informed, active and passionate about righteousness.

How can we ever hope for God’s blessing to continue on our country when we have voted for representatives who protect the process that has killed 40 million innocent Americans in the past few decades? How can we expect God’s blessing on a country whose people vote for leaders committed to protecting smut on TV, the internet, in movies and spend public money on blasphemous arts & entertainment? How can we remotely hope for God’s blessing on a nation that ravages and bludgeons the institution of marriage and the concept of family by empowering a veritable Disneyland of deviant social and sexual mores? How can we expect God’s blessing on a country that prefers immorality to righteousness?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

See you Sunday!

Question and Answer: Tithing

2008-08-22T09:28:00.006-04:00

Dear Pastor Bob,
I was questioned the other day about where it is in the Bible regarding tithing 1/10th of your income. I found it in Numbers 18, but was wondering if it was in the New Testament as well. And if it says 1/10th of “your income", specifically.

I would appreciate your insight into this, so I can "argue" back accurately. Thanks.

Answer: Dear Reader,

1. The word 'tithe' literally translates, 'a tenth part.' It is a self-defining word. The following notes accompany the word 'tithe' in Strong's Dictionary:
TITHE:
1) tithe, tenth part
1a) tenth part
1b) tithe, payment of a tenth part
-Strong's Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

2. The concept of tithing is established in the Old Testament way before the law was given: Abraham tithed to Melchizedek in Genesis chapter 14. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is revealed as a priest according to the priesthood of Melchizedek. (See Hebrews 5:10) Therefore, as children of Abraham by faith (Galatians 3:7) we tithe to Jesus through His church.

Many issues of faith are established in the Old Testament and carried into the New Testament. Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone" (Matt 23:23) And in Luke: "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Luke 11:42

Notice in both cases the Scripture quotes Jesus as saying, "These you ought to have done." Jesus validates the tithe as the appropriate measure of giving. As a matter of fact, the tithe (10th part) is the universal measuring stick of biblical giving.

3. Actually, the New Testament standard of giving goes way beyond the tithe. If we were going to use the New Testament to determine the appropriate amount to give we should consider Acts 4:32-36: "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common...Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need."

How's that for a measuring stick... Giving everything!

4. Tithing is only a dilemma for people who give less than 10%. I have never met a person who gives more than 10% of their income to the church complain about the teaching on tithing. Only people who begrudge God His portion are offended and become legalistic. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches us: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Luke 6:38 (NKJV)

Because the Old Testament clearly establishes ten percent as an acceptable measure of giving to God, the Church has recognized this amount as a bare minimum measure for a grateful child of God under the New Covenant. This is a wonderful and right use of Scripture.

5. Leviticus reveals the tithe as the Lord's property: 'And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's. It is holy to the LORD. Leviticus 27:30 Because we monetize wealth today and measure it in dollars rather than land and goods, the principle carries over to the money system.

6. In the New Testament, Judas, the betrayer, robbed from Jesus (John 12:6) by stealing money from the box. Church members today rob from Jesus treasury by refusing to tithe:

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts; "And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:8-12 (NKJV)

Tithing is how the church is funded. It is God's plan to finance the organized establishment of the New Testament Church. People who consider themselves committed Christians and belong to churches but do not tithe are robbing God. It is no different than sneaking into a movie theater without paying admission or sneaking into a college class without paying tuition.

7. Why don't more people, if they are truly Christians, ask the opposite question... "Why does the Church only ask for a measly ten percent? Doesn't the pastor want us to be really blessed?" Consider the following:

"And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35

“In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 2 Corinthians 9:6

The very reasonable amount of ten percent is used in the New Testament because it was established in the Old Testament and not specifically abolished by Jesus. The principle of 'an eye for an eye' was established in the Old Testament but abolished by Jesus and replaced with 'turn the other cheek,' which is much harder. If Jesus were to abolish any Old Testament principle, He would replace it with something harder, not easier!

8. Tithing is not 'works righteousness' but the biblically established expectation of minimum giving. It is the 'outworking' of our faith. "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:17-20

I hope this helps. This is just a brief synopsis of a very important subject.
Blessings, Pastor Bob

Church Family Update

2008-08-21T22:02:00.004-04:00

Hi Church Family,

Crazy Hats this Saturday, August 23 at the annual Margaretville Street Fair. Come try your hand as a high-fashion hat designer as we dazzle the crowd with our handmade newspaper creations. See Stephanie for details. 586-3150

Street closing. Starting Monday, August 25, Main Street, Margaretville will be closed in front of the Ming Moon restaurant for a week or more. Plan on some inconvenience in coming to CMCC during that time as only the west approach will be open and our parking lot might have some extra cars.

A new floor for our CAP food program. The following was written by Family Table CAP staff member, Stephanie Seminara, commenting on the work done, mainly during August, when some regular activities here at CMCC were on hiatus:

Resurfacing the floors in our warehouse and store in recent weeks was no small task. In the warehouse, 24-plus pallets of food and other materials had to be moved from section to section in the room and the surface stripped and prepped to allow the special epoxy-based product to be applied.

When the warehouse floor was complete, the entranceway, hallway and store floors had to be addressed. It was decided that Saturday night was the best time to break down the store because Sunday would provide the best drying time before reopening as soon as the new surface was cured. At precisely 3pm, as promised, a swarm of our teens led by Paul Engelhardt descended on our store and in short order had the place stripped bare. All shelving was broken down and removed and all food was boxed up and taken away. As the shelves and brackets flew out the door and were turned into a neat pile, it reminded me of a kid's erector set.

Exactly 4 days later, with the floors looking new, the store was reassembled and we were back in business. Because much of the work was done at night, I do not know everyone who participated, but thanks to Paul Engelhardt and Bob Lanzilotta who led the project and all others who worked behind the scenes.

Sign-up your children for Royal Rangers or True Beauties. Our Royal Rangers group is for boys ages 8-17 and True Beauties is for girls ages 10-14. Both groups meet at CMCC Mondays from 6:45 - 8:45. Starting back up September 8th. Call Katie at the church office for more info: 586-4848

Attention Catskill Mountain Christian Academy parents. Any outstanding school fees must be paid in order for your children to start school this September. Also, this year’s curriculum, which is due to be purchased now, will not be ordered for students until outstanding and currently owed fees are received.

Last weekend CMCC teens and young adults gathered for their long anticipated SANCTIFIED Conference. And it was no disappointment! Leading off with over 200 attending was a rock concert by breakout band ‘After Edmund’ on Thursday night. From that point forward, the entire weekend built a sense of holy energy. The band, hailing from Georgia, performed music from their debut CD, ‘Hello.’ http://www.afteredmund.com/

During intermission, our youth performed a powerful dramatic presentation depicting the struggle of a young woman and the victory, peace and protection of Jesus. There were very few dry eyes in the house at the end of the skit.

On Friday, over 60 attended a day-long event with well-known youth and worship leaders Rev. Mark and Mary Meyers from Lake Mary, Florida. The Meyers have spent the past twenty years leading youth and worship in mega-church settings and now travel and impart their passion to youth nationwide. Our young people were encouraged in who they are in Jesus, and asked to think about the question “If I were to die today, what would people say about me?”

The evening ended around the fire pit at Pastor Engelhardt’s home and the kids made smores, took turns talking about what the day had meant to them, and discussing the question, “What do I want people to say about me?” The common message that ran throughout the weekend was an encouragement for kids to ‘be real’ with themselves, and with God, and to protect their relationship with Jesus at all costs.

Last Saturday evening Mark Meyers led a group of CMCC singers and musicians in a special praise and worship evening. The love of God flooded everyone’s heart in attendance as Pastor Meyers drew on a broad variety of both new and old music and shared his powerful gift as a singer and musician. Mark has the rare ability to reach into people’s hearts and unlock their inner love for God and also to reach into God’s heart and bring forth His inner love for His people.

10 of CMCC’s finest returned from a 10 day mission to a remote village in southern Mexico on August 4th. Led by Pastor Renard Barto, the CMCC contingent included Alicia and Deanna Barto, Bob Roe, Dave Stewart, Jim and Jake Johnson, Chris and Greg DiBennedetto, and Sharon Rose Engelhardt. I asked the members for feedback and received the following:

CHRIS DIBENNEDETTO: It was quite an experience. Not only the travel adventures but just about any interaction we had with the people there. It was great being part of a team to help fill various needs as they arose. From the medical clinic to the hair cutting area to praying for the people, I honestly feel I was ministered to as much as they were.

Although the language barrier was challenging at times, I remember thinking, at my host families' house, as they would pray before meals when the father would end with "in el nombre de Jesus"(in the name of Jesus), could there really be any more important common bond than that? At our last meal there, I shared that thought with the family and the mother just cried. What a deep love of Jesus they have. I am very thankful for the opportunity to have gone. And it's good and humbling to find out we are not as indispensable as we thought we were!

ALICIA BARTO: It was AMAZING!!!!! Definitely another life changing mission trip. Despite all of the obstacles we encountered, we still brought the Word of God to this very secluded little town in the middle of nowhere. We did hair cutting, medicine, house to house evangelizing, and had a service every night. And in everything we did from the hair cutting to the medicine, we were sharing the love of Jesus with the people of the town.

Probably what touched me the most was going house to house. Just the fact the these people basically have nothing, yet they opened up their homes and offered us everything. The people of this town were really open to receiving the Word of God. That was also something that I wasn't prepared for. I was not expecting these people to be so soft hearted and ready, but they were, and we did everything we could to let them know how much Jesus loves them and what He can do for them.

Another thing that touched me, was that on Sundays at church, for the offerings, if people didn't have money to give, they gave whatever they could. Whether it be food or money, people always offered all they could. I met some great people down in Mexico that became good friends. Everything was so amazing. Overall it was an awesome experience that I will most likely never forget!

JIM JOHNSON: I had wondered for awhile before the trip, why me? I really couldn’t fathom what I could do that would be valuable there: I had never evangelized before and I don’t know how to speak Spanish. I wasn’t sure what I could do. Needless to say, I had many experiences to change my narrow thinking but the most memorable or heart touching was the last night in San Sebastian.

At the end of the service that night the Pastor asked that anyone who wanted to receive Jesus or had healing issues to come forward. I was walking around the outskirts of the tent praying and looking at the crowd. There were many people I was drawn to go and stand near and pray for. For example there were the 3 old men that had been in attendance every night and I had prayed for them before. There was the little girl that must have been 13-15 and had huge longing eyes filling with tears as she watched the Pastor. There was the older teenage boy that we had reached 2 days before while evangelizing, but you could tell that he still wasn’t sure.

But the person I was drawn to most strongly was a young man of approximately 19-23 years old. He was standing alone with his head bowed down, hands held together in front of him and shoulders drooped down. He looked a cross between sad and just overwhelmed. I stood behind him and prayed laying my hand on his shoulder. I prayed for peace and prosperity. I prayed that he would be healed of any ailments. I prayed for his family. I prayed anything I could think of since I couldn’t speak with him. I truly think its the longest I have ever prayed for someone up close like that.

As I was standing there, now with my hand on his head, a translator came and talked to him. When she was finished speaking with him she turned to me with teary eyes. She told me that he wanted to thank me for praying for him and that he appreciated it very much. However, what he wanted most was to be hugged because he had never been hugged in his life. This was the final breaking of the soul for me. I stood there with tears rolling down my cheeks hugging this young man and him hugging me back very hard. I had finally realized that I didn’t need to speak Spanish, I didn’t have to be an experienced evangelist, it didn’t matter what talents I did have. In a simple hug I was able to show the true love of God. The love He gave to all of us through his Son to share with all the world.

Jessie Moore reports that she knows a family who recently visited CMCC for the first time on a Sunday. In her e-mail, the visitor mentioned, “…what a great church you have! We are planning to come next Sunday with hopefully some others…” Praise God that CMCC is obtaining a good report among those who visit. This is testimony to the friendly spirit that the CMCC family walks in. Pastor Randy Johnson calls us, “The Church That Love is Building.”

Thanks to Pastor Kevin Beutel, Julie Odato and all who worked to serve Jack Rosa’s family after the death of Jack’s father, Orville Rosa. Orville was formerly the mayor of Margaretville for 18 years so there was a large turnout at the funeral and a meal was prepared in our fellowship hall after. The family wrote the following: Thank you all for your kindness to us all at the time of our father's passing. We appreciate so much the use of your church, your many prayers for our family, your beautiful music, and your generous assistance in preparing lunch for our loved ones. May God bless you always. The Rosa Family.

See you Sunday!

Church Family Update

2008-07-15T20:58:00.002-04:00

Hi Church Family,

***Roll out those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer… I hope you are enjoying this spectacular time of year—I sure am. In fact, I actually thought we were going to have a slower paced summer here at CMCC this year but it seems the opposite has been happening... and it’s been great fun! Maybe August will slow down, but then again, maybe not. Here’s what’s happening.

***Last week a group from CMCC traveled to Florida to enjoy two nights at the now famous Lakeland Revival. Ron, Julie, Lauren and Lani Odato, Dee Iommi, Paul Engelhardt and I took the trip and completely enjoyed the experience. It was my second time to Lakeland and, as before, the worship alone was worth the effort. It is disarming and deeply moving to be in the midst of over five thousand people who are pouring out their hearts to Jesus for several hours on end. Seven days a week for over 100 days in a row, people from all over the world (30 nations were represented while we attended) are congregating to enjoy this holy phenomenon.

Apparently there is a lot of controversy surrounding this outpouring especially since the leader, Todd Bentley, is so non-traditional, sporting tattoos and various piercings and is sometimes a little ‘out there’ with some of his rhetoric and healing claims. Oh well. The proof of the value of the event, for me, is the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit in worship and the hunger for God from so many people. To the person who is in a receiving state of mind and becomes like a little child in faith, there is a softening of the heart that is simply supernatural. Todd Bentley did not speak at either of the services we attended this time and it was announced that he would be taking some time off.

***I was honored to give the invocation and benediction at the unveiling of the Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial at the Town of Middletown office building on Sunday afternoon, June 29. Trooper Brinkerhoff is the selfless hero who lost his life in a fire-fight while protecting our community from a desperate criminal last year. Others offering comments at the ceremony were Assemblyman Cliff Crouch, New York State Police Superintendent Harry Corbitt, Middletown Supervisor Len Utter, and memorial organizer Heather Gockel.

A hundred or so police officers, community leaders and residents also attended the event and lent a show of support to Trooper Brinkerhoff’s family who unveiled the black granite monument. As a part of the ceremony I was presented a beautiful plaque by NYS Police, Troop Commander Kevin Molinari as thanks for CMCC’s support and fundraising efforts on behalf of the Brinkerhoff family. CMCC hosted a Trooper Brinkerhoff walk-a-thon and memorial service last year and gathered over $10,000 for the fallen hero’s family. Stop by my office some time to see the plaque.

***43+ CMCC youth and adults are off this week to the 3-day-long, Generation Youth conference in Utica, New York. http://www.generationconference.com/ This promises to be an awesome time for our young people as several thousand teens gather and receive top notch ministry, music and encouragement from some of the best youth ministers in the nation. Thanks go out to our leaders, chaperones and coordinator, Brad Keator.

***Pastor Renard Barto is leading a group of 10 CMCC members on a mission to Mexico on July 25. The eleven day trip will include ministry to remote Indian villages located outside of Mexico City. We are teaming up with our sister church, Victorious Life Christian Church in Troy, NY for this holy adventure and are looking forward to the great reports.

***This past Sunday we enjoyed the ministry of Dr. Larry Keefauver, long time friend and apostolic associate of CMCC. Dr. Larry led a large church for over 20 years and is the author of over fifty books with 2.5 million in total print. His message on Sunday morning on ‘confidence’ got rave reviews from everyone in attendance and is available for listening on our website under Streaming Sermons: www.cmcconline.org Later in the day on Sunday Dr. Keefauver also met with our leadership team and then the Sunday evening college-age group.

***Each Sunday this summer we have been giving out ‘CMCC Hero of the Faith Awards.’ Like CMCC’s version of the Oscars, these certificates acknowledge the finest qualities of God’s children—those members whose joyful and faithful service over a long period of time demonstrates their love for Jesus in an outstanding and visible way. So far, Marie Spaulding, Michelle Beutel, Mike and Chris Tuch, Brad and Lynn Keator, Bob and Irena Lanzilotta and Dean and Jeanne Malaxos have received this award—a framed certificate along with a gift bag. Each one of these heroes has served the Lord for years on end in various capacities, joyfully working in service to the King. Congratulations!!!

***This past Saturday evening, 20 some-odd CMCC members motored over to Maryland, NY to help celebrate the Word of Faith Church’s 25th Anniversary. Founded by Pastor Frank and Peggy MacCracken 25 years ago, the church has been a close friend to CMCC over the years.

***Healing Reports:
1) If you were at church this past Sunday, you heard the wonderful report from Diane Villaseca. She told how after praying for healing the day before for her painful hand (a condition that had affected her for some time) the pain instantly and completely disappeared. This happened on Saturday morning and when she testified at Sunday service, she was still pain free. Praise Jesus!

2) This is an e-mail from Ross Gill:
Pastor Bob: As I mentioned on the phone earlier, God has definitely and completely healed me just a few weeks ago. For 5-6 years, I've had acute and chronic pain in my hip muscles. Whenever I experienced a muscle spasm the pain was so intense that I would fall to the floor. Over time this situation became worse despite doctors, chiropractors and a physical therapist. I asked for prayer at church. One of these times, Brad Keator prayed and correctly stated that I would be afflicted 3 more times then after God would completely heal me. A few weeks ago, Pastor Renard Barto prayed for me. That day the Lord completely healed me and I am back to full health and exercising daily, as I was years ago. God is incredible. -Ross

***Summer Church Picnic!!! This Sunday, July 20, join the CMCC family for a BBQ immediately after service. Held right in CMCC’s back yard, the $5.00 per person donation will support our upcoming youth conference. Menu to include: Dogs and burgers, mac and potato salad, baked beans, chips, drinks and dessert. Come out and have some fun with the nicest people around.

***We have a number of plans currently in various stages of development and want to keep these items as a priority on everyone’s prayer list. As Pastor Alan Babcock used to teach, “Never initiate more than you can saturate in prayer.”

Second story for our main building which will be able to expand our services to the community and the Kingdom of God even more. This has become an obvious need over the past year as we have come to the place where we are utilizing every foot of our present facility. Our present space is full with activity.
Business school and entrepreneurial empowerment program. This September we will launch the Catskill Mountain Business Institute, a program for anyone presently operating a business, desiring to start a business or interested in getting increased wealth to fulfill God’s desire to establish His Kingdom.
Young adult’s residency program. We are considering a number of options to be able to empower and affect young people.
New flooring for CAP. We are tearing up the old carpet in the food warehouse and store to replace it with an impervious epoxy-like painted surface.
Two grants are currently under review by the USAID for foreign-aid projects. If approved, one will fund a program in Kenya, the other in the Dominican Republic. Each of these grants represents 4 million servings of nutritious food to be shipped and distributed by our ministry. Thanks to CitiHope for their guidance in these new waters.
Senior citizen’s housing project. On a recent trip to Texas, I learned of a company that partners with churches to build housing projects for low income people or senior citizens with government help. It is an interesting proposal that we are doing our due-diligence on to determine whether it is viable for us.
Reprisal of our radio ministry. We have been off the air for a full year and a half after thirteen straight years of broadcasting. We must fulfill Jesus’ command to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Our voice of common sense Christianity fueled by radical faith, hope and love is desperately needed in a world increasingly disoriented and cynical.
Women’s care center. Part of our second story project will be dedicated to a women’s care center where we will meet women in crisis and help to bring them to wholeness, life, and personal empowerment. Pregnancy concerns, domestic issues, anger management, parenting, nutrition, housing assistance and plenty of encouragement will offer hope to women in stressful situations. In doing this we are drawing on Nancy Engelhardt’s years of experience as a co-founder and the original executive director of Abow Pregnancy Distress Center near Albany, a highly successful ministry to women.
Church planting. We have one potential church plant being sown into the soil right now and our vision is to raise-up a network of New Testament churches as the Lord directs.
Growth and expansion of our school of ministry. We will grow into an entity that offers teaching and awards diplomas and certificates on a variety of subjects for a variety of reasons.
Development of Bethesda Ministers Association. We will start an apostolic network for the purpose of empowering and covering a full range of ministry activities.

***Following is a great letter and a prayer request… Congratulations Melissa!!!! Send her your congratulations at "Melissa S. Wyckoff" <m_s_wyckoff@yahoo.com>

Dear Pastor: Your daughter has graduated law school and is the proud recipient of her Juris Doctorate. Graduating law school isn’t the end of the journey, for my next hurdle will be to pass the bar exam. I am writing to ask you to keep me in prayer. More than ever I need my church family to be by my side fighting for me. Already, I can feel a lack of focus and my endurance isn’t as strong as it should be to study. Distractions are numerous and mental fatigue is abundant. I cling to Jeremiah 29:11- God does have a hope and a future for me and it is already starting to play out. It is easier to say everything is in God’s hands and it is easier to say that I trust God, but the longest journey is from the head to the heart. Every day I struggle to trust Him and to give Him full control. Please continue to lift me up in prayer. My bar exam is July 30th and 31st. Love in Christ, Melissa Wyckoff

*** But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. Psalms 59:16

See you Sunday!

Church Family Update

2008-06-26T17:11:00.003-04:00

Hi Church Family,

The book of James says: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:17-18

As we close in on the end of June I was looking over our calendar from the first six months of 2008 and thought to share a synopsis with you. Sometimes we can forget what a powerhouse of life and activity we have here at CMCC. Here goes:

So far this year, we’ve had the following special ministry events: Strongman Steve Carrier and Team Mega-Force (over 100 people made decisions for Christ in these meetings); Evangelist Randy Goudeau, the young Louisiana-born church planter currently working in New York City; Caryl Mallory from Wycliff Bible Translators; Youth and music ministers Mark & Mary Meyers from Orlando; Paul Moore, Sr. from CitiHope International in Andes; Former NFL star, Paul Costa; Rev. Bob & Cara Grimm from Walla Walla, Washington and Sue Brown from Arising to Excellence Ministries in Dallas. Also, many of us took an overnight trip as a group, attending the two day Battle-Cry youth event at the Meadowlands in New Jersey where thousands of youth gathered as T.D. Jakes and other notable speakers and music groups ministered.

Additionally we’ve had monthly women’s meetings with special guests including Mrs. Kris Mirocco and regular men’s meetings including an eight week Saturday morning video series teaching on the subject of ‘honor’ with John Bevere. So far this year, we’ve also had a CMCA school spelling bee, family game night, coffee house, Valentine’s dinner, 24 hour prayer vigil, CMCA awards ceremony, Good Friday Passion film presentation, Easter sunrise service, Easter breakfast and Little Pond school picnic.

Our regularly scheduled activities included 26 weeks of Sunday morning services with record high attendances, Wednesday mid-week services (with separate worship team), weekly home groups, weekly prayer meetings, and twice weekly music practices. We also conducted weekly Power Kids, adult and children’s Sunday school, True Beauties, Royal Rangers and Youth Group. Our Beacon University/Christian Life School of Theology program continues to feed the minds and satisfy the souls of some of our most intelligent members through weekly college level studies. We are always providing pastoral counseling, marriage and pre-marriage counseling, funerals and bereavement counseling, hospital visitation, and prayer ministry in addition to leadership development and personal discipleship to our expansive leadership team.

Catskill Mountain Christian Academy, finishing its thirteenth year, continues to educate students with excellence in a full academic program, caring for the minds and spirits of 50 children from pre-k through senior high. Seven hours a day, five days a week for forty weeks a year our facility is home to a world-class school program. CMCA students continue to score well above average in standardized tests, including the SATs, and a large majority of our graduates continue to move immediately into higher education. This week, four academically prepared and spiritually mature young scholars will graduate from CMCA and move forward in their lives. We pray for God’s protection and good success for Deanna Barto, Sarah Keator, Lani Odato and Morgan Spaulding.

Our senior citizen weekly dinner/fellowship, in its eight year, continues to serve a free hot meal to 30-50 local seniors each Wednesday evening and our Nursing home ministry rolls on, as it has for over fifteen years, presenting a song service each month to the residents of Mountainside Nursing Home. Home group leaders meet regularly for training and problem solving, our prayer team is coordinated and active and our usher team is well equipped to protect and serve at every service.

The power-house CAP program/Family Table, our rural food initiative, is caring for the needy in our region, having provided over two hundred thousand dollars in food-aid so far this year alone. Another major portion of our Main Street, Margaretville facility is occupied by this life giving grocery store/warehouse. The Family Table store buzzes with activity during store hours six days each week as the blessing of food is available to income-eligible families. The Family Table also holds monthly evening work parties including dinner and fellowship for the CAP membership. Since starting four years ago we have distributed over 1.2 million dollars worth of groceries to local families below the poverty line, serving thousands of our neighbors in need.

To put the icing on the cake is the unseen work of maintaining the CMCC facility and grounds and running the business/administrative office. Each week cleaners are cleaning, fixers are fixing, books and finances are being kept in order, bills are being paid, trucks are being fixed, broken furnaces repaired, insurances are being negotiated, snow is being plowed, grass is being cut, our web site maintained, meetings organized, sermons prepared, classes taught, and the list goes on and on. Literally thousands and thousands of man-hours of work are being conducted under the covering of CMCC, all for the glory of the King! To Him alone: To Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, be all praise for ever and ever! This is our purpose. This is our cause.

On a more personal note, but still part of the productivity of CMCC so far this year:

Nancy and I conducted ministry weekends at both the City of Refuge Church in San Antonio, Texas and at the Word of Jesus Church on Long Island.
I was a conference speaker at the Eagles Wings Ministries annual national minister’s conference in Pennsylvania.
Nancy and I had the privilege of representing CMCC last month at the United Nations in New York City at the 60th Birthday Party for Israel along with many notable dignitaries.
I spoke in April to a group of mainly police officers at the 1st anniversary memorial event of Trooper David Brinkerhoff’s tragic death here in our town.
Nancy served on the board of directors of the Pregnancy Distress Centers of Ulster County.
Both Nancy and I have preached at various regional churches including Greenville and Athens.
My latest book revision, The Sovereignty of God, originally written in 1901 by A.W. Pink and revised, edited and updated by me came out within the past two months. Published by Bridge-Logos Publishers this book is the second Pure Gold Classic I’ve revised—the first being four years ago, entitled Power, Passion and Prayer by nineteenth century revivalist Charles Grandison Finney. I spent nearly every spare moment for over seven months in 2007 on the Pink manuscript and it is a good feeling to finally see it in print. My first sole authorship book, Family Church, is now being edited by the publisher and will be out sometime next year. The Sovereignty of God is available for purchase from the church office.

A couple closing thoughts. I have had the necessity to travel a little more this year and participate in several organizations that will ultimately benefit the work of CMCC. As a member of the International Coalition of Apostles, the ecclesiastical advisory board of the International Christian Wealth Builders Foundation, the board of directors of CitiHope International, a member of Your Ministry Consultation Services, Eagles’ Wings Ministries and several other organizations that we are closely affiliated with, my active participation by attending various meetings and conferences enables CMCC to be connected with the greater Body of Christ and draw resources from some of the most cutting edge, godly and prophetic ministry partners available.

Nancy and I along with the other elders/trustees of CMCC are constantly prayerfully considering new opportunities and trying to make our church run in a way that pleases Jesus. We are highly fortunate to have had seventeen years of growth and life and never take one moment for granted. We are deeply grateful to the Lord for the good He has given and our deepest most heartfelt prayer of all is that we can continue into the future with unity, hope and love. Our hearts desire is to make a place for people to be able to serve the Lord and grow in His grace as we work together to represent God’s interests in this generation and prepare the way for generations still to come.

Some things out there in the future that are in various stages of development are:

Second story for our main building which will be able to expand our services to the community and the Kingdom of God even more.
Business school and entrepreneurial empowerment program.
Young adult’s residency discipleship program.
New flooring for CAP.
Two grants are currently under review by the USAID for foreign-aid projects. If approved, one will fund a program in Kenya, the other in the Dominican Republic.
Senior citizen’s housing project.
Reprisal of our radio ministry.
Women’s care center.
Church planting.
Growth and expansion of our school of ministry.
Development of Bethesda Ministers Association.

Finally: I hope that you are as excited about the future of Catskill Mountain Christian Center as I am. To everyone who has worked with love on behalf of our Lord and Savior... thank you. "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10
See you Sunday!

Signposts: The Happening

2008-06-16T12:08:00.003-04:00

The new M. Night Shyamalan horror movie, The Happening, is indoctrination into a suicide ethic. It imagines that plant life on earth, in a sudden evolutionary advance, intentionally releases a toxin that takes away the human survival instinct resulting in mass suicide. Most disturbing to me was the unspoken but apparently self-evident truth that suicide is the single universal action humans will take when their survival instinct is removed. Of course the human-species-hating, politically correct, green movie-line reveals that this 'happening' is ultimately evolution righteously acting and protecting earth from the overpopulated human locust hoard.

In one sense 'The Happening' is a classic 'The Birds'-like scary movie, where a force of nature becomes our worst nightmare. On the other hand, it imparts a desensitizing and dispassionate visual imagination of suicide by thousands of people with no sense of conscience or transcendence. To enhance the cringe factor, the movie depicts scores of innovative variations of self-murder with an Alfred Hitchcock kind of indirect morbidity.

The Happening is actually kind of silly and would bother me a lot less if it didn't play so conveniently into the pro-suicide agenda being promoted to our society as a rational solution to environmental concerns and government budgeting woes. For example, consider the real life story below.

--"Oregon says cheaper to die than treat” by Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 6/13/2008 8:30:00 AM
Thus far Oregon is the only state to legalize physician-assisted suicide, which is loosely regulated. But respect for life may be facing another threat there.

Oregonian Barbara Wagner is dying of lung Cancer.

Oregon's Health Services Commission has said it will not pay for more treatment, but will provide $50 in lethal drugs so she can kill herself.

Dr. David Stevens heads the Christian Medical Association. "I think this is a terrible situation for patients in Oregon, and something that's going to happen in other states as physician-assisted suicide is legalized," he laments. "Oregon is rationing health care and is also sending a message to dying patients that physician-assisted suicide is the cheap option and they would encourage people to take it."

Stevens believes that is a conflict of interest for the state because it controls the medical funds.

"End-of-life chemotherapy can cost thousands of dollars a month, and bureaucrats -- in an attempt to save money -- are telling patients [they] can't provide money for ... chemotherapy, but here take these pills and they will comfort you [and] end your stress."

The situation goes against the grain of medical ethics, says Stevens. "Palliative care means helping take care of symptoms when you can't eliminate the cause of the patient's illness," he explains. "They're stating [that] the way to comfort someone is to get rid of the patient. That's a terrible message to send to seriously ill patients."

As it would be, he says, to send the same message to people with chronic diseases or physical handicaps, or to the comatose who cannot make the decision themselves, that they are doing the state a favor in dying.

A pharmaceutical company is now providing Wagner with cancer drugs for which the state will not pay."--

Why shouldn't people consider suicide as a natural solution? Here are seven quick reasons:
1. It is against God's law. Remember, 'Thou shalt not kill?' Back when we started killing innocent babies through abortion, Christian ethicists prophesied that soon we would come to other convenience killing like euthanasia, physician assisted suicide and infanticide. Welcome to the future.

2. You cannot repent of a sin until you have committed it; therefore you go into eternity with the sin of murder on your soul. You will stand before God as an unrepentant sinner, not in Christ. How badly we need good strong 'Hell' teaching!

3. No righteous person in the Scripture ever took his/her own life to escape personal pain.

4. Human bodies are technically God's property. A person does not own his/her body, God does. People have the responsibility to nurture and use their bodies for God's designed purposes but not the right to kill them. "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalms 24:1

5. Humans are made in the image of God and killing a person is killing God's image. This is the devil's greatest objective--killing stealing and destroying everything in God's image. We believe that human life is sacred and precious because people are made in God's image, not because we are comfortable or happy.

In addition, Human bodies are designed to contain the Holy Spirit. "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19

6. What goes around comes around. Welcome to Hitler's world. It's all fun and games until you get old or sick and still want to live but the government decides otherwise. When the government and Hollywood agree as to an appropriate social remedy that opposes the Word of God, watch out.

7. The one escaping into death leaves a legacy as a coward for the living.

Frequent Churchgoing Protects Against Adultery

2008-06-08T09:20:00.002-04:00

Story by AFA Journal Staff. Sources cited for News of Interest indicate source of basic information only.
June 2008

A study published in the June 2008 Journal of Marriage and Family showed that strong faith in God by itself does not protect against marital infidelity.

However, according to the study by Fuller Theological Seminary researchers David C. Atkins and Deborah E. Kessel, regular attendance at church did make a difference. People who rarely attended services were four times more likely to have an affair than those who went to church often.

Atkins and Kessel proposed that frequent churchgoers hear about the moral aspect of marital infidelity in their services and therefore are likely to practice what is preached.

At the same time, other religious activities such as prayer did not make a statistical difference as to whether couples cheated.
http://www.foxnews.com/, 4/15/08

Lakeland Revival and Ministry Weekend

2008-06-05T19:48:00.003-04:00

My wife Nancy, daughter Sharon Rose and I have been at the Lakeland, Florida Revival for the past two days. This two-month-old outpouring of God’s grace is led by Canadian evangelist Todd Bentley and is noteworthy for several reasons, including many notable physical healings reported and over 20 (apparently substantiated) reports of people raised from the dead. This is the first major revival being covered in over 200 countries on live TV (God TV) and world-wide on the internet (freshfire.ca) with many of the reported miracles coming from people watching at home.

As with other contemporary outpouring-type revivals like Toronto and Brownsville, thousands of people (4,000 each on the two nights we attended) are coming from all over the world every single night of the week. There were people from at least 30 different countries in attendance in the meetings we attended.

The powerful, loud, rock-style worship music was led (for the two nights we attended) by the Heather Clark Band and is strong, anointed and altogether wonderful. The people crowd the platform like a rock concert to worship for a good part of the five straight hours each night. The bass guitar sets the aggressive attitude of the music and perfectly matches Todd Bentley who is covered with tattoos, wears a number of earrings and piercings, bald head, beard and a Harley-Davidson shirt. As a matter of fact, the entire revival has almost a biker feel to it; very blue collar; lots of Harley shirts, biker vests and in-your-face Christian tee shirts.

We arrived both nights well before 5:00 pm to get good seats for the official 7:00 pm start of the service and each night we stayed until after midnight when the service ended. Todd Bentley is a passionate exhorter with a gift of faith for healing and miracles. There was no official preached message in the meetings we attended but after the first two hours of worship, Bentley essentially moved back and forth from prophecy to exhortation to healing to testimonies. Many people with serious health conditions came forward and testified of healing (sort of Benny Hinn style) and Bentley prays with evidence of power as most people fall over, some dramatically. It is heartbreaking to see the sick people who are so desperate for a healing touch from God and it is wonderful to see people healed. An example was an elderly woman who came with a walker and was running back and forth across the platform. The dear woman was just overjoyed to be able to move freely after years of disability.

For me, the best part was the palpable presence of God in the worship. To be with 4,000 people from all over the world who are hungry for a touch from God and to feel the living presence of God is such a wonderful thing. My daughter, Sharon, had the sensation of heat on her hands for over an hour and both Nancy and I felt God’s love filling our bodies and refreshing our souls. Outstanding! If anyone is interested, I will be organizing a church trip to the revival in Lakeland, Florida within the next month or so. Keep watching for details.

We have a great weekend of ministry coming up. Pastor Bob and Cara Grimm from Walla Walla, Washington will be our guests. They oversee Christian Life Center in Walla Walla which is where my son, David, is pastor of Generation Ministries. The Grimms lead a very fast growing church with a strong youth orientation. Come and be blessed by their passion and fire for God! Check our web site for details on this weekend’s activities: www.cmcconline.org

See You Sunday!

What A Week!

2008-05-17T22:21:00.000-04:00

***The ministry of Dr. Paul Costa last weekend at CMCC was truly special. It started on Saturday evening, May 10th when some of our men met at the Engelhardt’s home for an impromptu meeting with Dr. Costa who shared insight on economic development for Christians. According to Costa, this is a time in the history of the church where God is giving creative ideas for making money for the sake of supporting the work of God’s Kingdom. He told of a start-up business that he is personally involved with that proposes to grow and harvest algae as a fuel source (like ethanol) and he went on to encourage the guys to dream, think, create and work strategically to invest their time, faith and money in creative endeavors.

On Sunday morning May 11th at our main service, Dr.Costa encouraged us to open our eyes of faith and believe God for the promised miraculous power to heal the sick and expect signs and wonders. The Notre Dame educated former NFL star has a unique ministry style that is non-emotional and intelligent, and his faith is so matter-of-fact that he is the veritable anti-type of the stereotypical healing evangelist. During his ministry Sunday morning several notable reports of people feeling a healing touch from God were reported including relief from pain in problem knees, back pain gone, and arthritis pain subsided. In particular was the testimony of one of our members who is battling serious lung disease and on his way out of church remarked that he had not breathed so freely in months! Thank you Lord Jesus!

On Sunday evening Dr. Costa met with our college-age group and taught the kids how to pray for one another for blessings and healing. Of special note was the way Dr. Costa did not actually pray for the people himself but taught our members how to pray for others and be open for the genuine power of God to be displayed.Great fun!

***Last Monday a group of CMCC members traveled to Latham for the annual Alight Care Center banquet. Alight is a help & health center for women-in-need run by our friends at Victorious Life Christian Church in Troy. The center offers pregnancy counseling, parenting classes, anger management classes, clothing and referral support. Alight saw over 3,000 clients in the past year. Attending from CMCC were Pastor Bob and Nancy Engelhardt, Pastor Renard and Gina Barto, Lynn Keator, Marie Spaulding, Stephanie Seminara and Toby Roe.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Bob Paeglow, a physician from downtown Albany who has sacrificed big-money medicine to serve, mostly for free, the poorest of the poor in inner city Albany. His office, ‘Compassion in Action/Koinonia Primary Care’ is part of a larger ministry called the Capital District Prayer and Healing Center where their mission is caring for people spiritually and physically. Dr. Paeglow has been widely recognized for his good work and received many honors including winning the Albany Medical College Humanism in Medicine Award and being named a2006 People Magazine Hometown Hero. There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. (Proverbs 13:7)

***This past Wednesday evening’s mid-week service was a very special time of impartation from Nancy Engelhardt when she taught a message entitled, ‘So Close and Yet So Far.’ Using the story of the healing of Naaman the Leper by the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5), Nancy focused on Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, who secretly took the payment offered by Naaman despite Elisha’s orders not to take it.

Gehazi was the closest servant of the greatest living prophet of the time and yet his love of money twisted his heart and in the end, he ended up with the very leprosy that was cleansed from Naaman. In our materialist society it is vital that we remember the commandment, ‘Thou shalt not covet’ (See my blog entry for April 28th). The truth is that we can be very involved in church and good work and never catch God’s heart. What a shame to think that all of the effort and sacrifice that goes into our faith could be for nothing if we don’t obey when it counts. So close and yet so far! Come out this Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm for a great mid-week boost.

***On Thursday evening, May 15, Pastor Bob and Nancy Engelhardt along with CMCC members Ron and Julie Odato attended a 60th Birthday Party/Banquet for Israel at the United Nations in New York City. The event was supported by a diverse group of religious, government and business leaders from both the Christian and Jewish communities and was lead by Rev. Robert Stearns of Eagles’ Wings Ministries. Because of CMCC’s support over the years for Eagles’ Wings mission in building bridges with Israel, our group was given VIP status, enjoying a special pre-banquet reception. This sunset reception was held outdoors on a magnificent terrace several stories up in the UN complex overlooking the East River.

The banquet was attended by Pat & Shirley Boone, Paula White, Michael Little (President of CBN), Rev. John Hagee (the keynote speaker) and many other national leaders from the Christian community. In addition, the Jewish community was very well represented includingspeakers: Asaf Sharif, the Counsel General of Israel in New York; and Rabbi Dr. Schlomo Riskin, an internationally renowned educator, speaker and author. Other distinguished members of the Jewish Community were businessmen/philanthropists Ziel Feldmen, Harvey Krueger, Irwin Hochberg, Robert Rothenberg, and Israel Borovich (Chairman, El Al Israel Airlines).

An especially touching moment was a presentation by German pastor, Rev. Daniel Mueller, leader of one of Europe’s largest evangelical churches. His church has supported Israel since 1982 through social work, community improvement projects and establishing 38 schools in Jerusalem. He is a pioneer in establishing Jewish-Christian relationships and his humble presence at the 60th birthday of modern Israel, given the still-vivid memory of the Holocaust was truly powerful.

***From 2002-2004 CMCC had a billboard on Route 28 near Pine Hill, visible to westbound traffic. Over the years many have shared how they miss seeing our words, ‘Welcome to God’s Country’ and how it used to warm their heart. Well, we are back in business! Within the next four weeks the same spot will be used to post our new and improved ad and greeting to those coming into our region. It will still say “Welcome to God’s Country,” but this time we are adding a full-color photo of our campus and our most recent slogan:Catskill Mountain Christian Center, A World-Class Church with a Hometown Heart. I think you’re going to love it! Thanks to Jessie Moore for the design work.

***Please keep Sherry Bush in your prayers for healing as well as Matty Beutel, Irena Lanzilotta and Lee Jenkins. As always, please also remember our brave American heroes protecting us from harm in the military, law enforcement and fire service.

***Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Question and Answer: Gifts of the Spirit

2008-05-14T08:50:00.005-04:00

Hi Pastor Bob, I have some questions.

I’m taking a theology course, and the author of the textbook talks about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He says "the first generation of Christians experienced spectacular signs and wonders which the second generation apparently did not. Citing 1 Corinthians 13:8, the author says that the gift of tongues evidently died as did the gift of prophecy because the gifts were only for the founding period of the church and then withdrawn.

What does this scripture say/mean? Can you tell me from what perspective/ doctrine the author is coming from? Thank you.

Answer: Dear Reader,

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

The interpretation you cited is a common anti-charismatic position on the gifts of the Spirit. It is called Cessation Theology, meaning the gifts ceased after the entire body of Scripture was compiled. It is wrong doctrine for multiple reasons:

1. There have been documented miracles throughout the church age.

2. It causes us to be guilty of the indictment against false Christians... "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" 2 Timothy 3:5

3. This Scripture clearly interprets itself further down as to when the gifts will pass away along with knowledge... For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 1 Corinthians 13:9-10

The gifts will pass away, ‘When that which is perfect has come.’ So then, when will ‘the perfect’ come? ‘The perfect’ will come when Jesus returns. He is the ‘Perfect’ one. Anti-charismatic teaching claims that ‘the perfect’ refers to the complete collection of the Scriptures but this is theology based on their desire to reconcile their pre-conceived position. It is clear that, although the complete Scripture has been around for 2000 years, our understanding and power is still pretty imperfect.

Paul is saying that when Jesus returns and His Kingdom comes in its fullness we will not need the gifts and knowledge because, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12. The gifts will pass away when, "I SHALL KNOW JUST AS I AM KNOWN." It is easy to agree that we do not see the Kingdom this clearly yet. Paul says that we will have a complete, open, pure and reciprocal knowledge of God and His plans and purposes. Honey, we ain't there! The gifts are still vital for seeing God's Kingdom still coming.

4. The gifts are given as garden tools, to weed out the works of the flesh and produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5).

5. Even if tongues were not practiced for a long time it only proves what Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24). Although Jesus is directly referring here to His death and resurrection, it reveals a universal spiritual law. The gifts were largely lost to the church for a long time but the seed of God's Word has sprung up again at the beginning of the 20th century and produced incredible life again for the past one hundred plus years.

These are just a few thoughts off of the top of my head so let me know if they help at all. I love this subject!

Question and Answer: The Nature of Faith

2008-05-08T11:41:00.006-04:00

A recent insightful question was posed to me and I thought the conversation was worth posting.

Q: Hi Pastor Bob, I was reading Hebrews 11 and was wondering what it means when it says "Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing." Hebrews 11:13 and it says it again in 11:39 "Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised." He gave the examples of Abraham and Sarah, but they were promised a child and they had Isaac. Is he just referring to Heaven and being there? What does this mean? Thanks! Have a great day!

Answer:
Hi, great question! This really speaks to the true nature of faith. Faith is being so convinced of the truth of the Gospel that even death cannot separate you from that truth. Once you get hold of any promise of God, that truth becomes more certain than the laws of nature.

Jesus spent His entire earthly ministry trying to convince His disciples to increase their faith regarding, not just the promise of eternal life, but the reality of the unseen Kingdom of God invading the time-space dimension. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"(Hebrews 11:1).

Therefore, your question accurately identifies the real point of contention between many evangelicals and Spirit-filled Christians. Evangelicals tend to only believe that faith is for our eternal salvation and not for issues of the present age. Many feel that fighting the fight of faith is standing for Jesus in the face of persecution. They do not typically believe actively for the promises of God to be manifested in the here and now.

Spirit-filled believers agree with all of the above and also include the segments of the Bible where we are instructed to have faith for God's manifested glory in our present lives. We believe in the importance of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) as well as the gifts of the Spirit (1Corinthians 12-14).

We believe that the fight of faith includes finding all of the promises of God revealed in His Word and exercising our faith to reveal the full range of God's power. We believe that God is pleased with this more aggressive fight of faith. Mark 11: 23-24... Jesus commanded His disciples to "Have faith in God. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)

I hope this sheds a little perspective on this. When you fight the fight of faith for salvation or any other promise, you believe until...
Blessings, Pastor Bob