What is the Gospel to You

Romans 1:16-For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

A wise preacher once told me that life was given to us to be lived and and enjoyed along the way. He told me that the two greatest days a man will ever experience are the day when he is born, and the second one is when God tells him why.

Yes I know that it is a twist on a rather famous Mark Twain quote. Yet we need to get back to the simplicity of the country preacher, and yes even good ol Samuel Clemons Longhorn. Simplicity not only in life, but in thought and in theology.

So with that in mind, I want you to consider the question at hand. What is the gospel to you?

My plan is to give you 8 simple reasons why you should evaluate exactly where you stand according to Gods grace and His miracle working power within the gospel.

# 1 Our opinion of the gospel doesn’t matter.

If we are to come to God, we must come to Him on His own terms. Acts 4:10-12- Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this stand before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

If Peter could stand before those who have accused him of blasphemy and heresy for simply being the channel of Gods healing power through the glorious work of the Holy Spirit, then we need to stop and consider our thoughts and actions.

Peter was in jail facing at the least a beating with a cat of nine tails if convicted, but quite possibly martyrdom as well. Yet we see the simplicity of the gospel message being preached. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the gospel in its’ most simplest form.

#2 Our opinion of the Gospel doesn’t matter, but our response does.

The Bible makes it plain that we are all sinners, condemned before a thrice holy-God. Roman 3:23 For all have sinned and come short the glory of God. Yet it doesn’t have to remain that way for an eternity, and yes even while we are here on Earth. John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Concerning the gospel, our response is built upon our belief. Yet upon belief, we must remember that even Satan and the his demons believe in God. yet they, like many of us lack the humility to bow before the King of Kings. Phillipians 2:9-11Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Concerning our response to the gospel, we ought to just bow now and enter into eternity saved by the grace through faith, or enter into eternity condemned due to our refusal to bow.

#3 Salvation is not religion.

Now I know that a lot of old timers used to say that so and so got religion, or we need religion to straighten us out. Personally I hate most of what we find in religion, but I do love Christ. And I know that the closer I draw to Christ because of my salvation, the greater my religion will look to the outside world. In Matthew 15:9 Jesus warned us about saying we are one thing without actually being it. No matter how religious we may seem, or others may look on the outside, if they never accepted Christ as their savior, then my friend they are just as Christ says they are, hypocrites and blasphemers.

#4 Our false sense of worship is often based on whatever we deem essential for life and happiness.

There is a right way and a wrong way of worshipping God. We often mistake that we can come to God on our own terms. Yet we fail in realizing that authentic and true worship is for God and His majesty…not our glory and our personal Kingdom.

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this is found in the Book of Malachi. They were guilty of robbing God in thithes and offerings, offering up sick or maimed animals, giving greater allegiance to the statesman of their day than the work of the Lord and they claimed oh what a weariness it is.

Beloved may I be frank with you and tell you that the wrong church, and wrong version of worship is worse than no church and no worship. Remember pastors…what we win them with is what we will keep them with.

#5 What God truly desires is a heart that desires Him.

David said in Psalm 27:4- One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and inquire in his temple.

After spending the last 10 years in the ministry in one form or another, I can tell you with 100% surety that the #1 cause of divorce among both the lost and believers alike all starts with a lack of communication.

The same can be said for the child of God and his relationship with the Father.

Communication is a two way street and if we aren’t desiring to be in Gods’ house and within His presence on a daily basis, then we are to blame for a lack of His power in our lives. The gospel message suffers when the believer chooses to love the things of the world and desires the worlds’ methods of entertainment outside of what God desires for them.

#6 The gospel tells us not to change to earn Gods approval, but salvation earns the approval of God.

Yes I believe that repentance is the first word of the Gospel message so to speak. If a man isn’t willing to repent and get right with and before God almighty, then has that man truly been born again by the Spirit? Simply reading Romans 3:19-26 will prove to you that we are justified by our faith.

Yes a Christian ought to have good works. But it’s not the good works that saves him/her or gives them an extra amount of good standing before God concerning salvation. In fact there is an often over looked verse found in Romans 1:17- For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

We also see the same concept in Galatians 3:11-But no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:for,The just shall live by fait.h

And concerning salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.

The Christian life is a life of faith. We seek Gods will, Gods desires, and Gods direction for our lives, and it all starts with salvation.

#7 The gospel reveals Gods beauty in a way that causes us to desire more of Him.

One of the greatest joys I’ve ever had concerning the ministry is conducting the fiftieth wedding anniversary of church members of mine. It was amazing to see how not only did their bodys obviously change over time, but their love for one another. What started out as a blossoming high-school romance, turned into a Christ honoring and Bible saturated marriage.

However it wasn't always that way. The husband was a womanizer early on their marriage and a drunkard as well. Yet his wife got saved and began attending a small country church. Over the next few years the man began to see that no matter what he did to drive his wife away, she still prayed for him and wanted to be there in the home for him. After 5 years of neglect as a husband, the husband fell under conviction and was gloriously saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The same goes for us as well. No matter what I do concerning my salvation, God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. We also find that Christ himself stated in John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Knowing that God loves me unconditionally draws me to a closer relationship with him.

#8 The gospel reveals Gods grace and mercy. We reveal it by it’s transforming power in our lives.

There is no greater testimony than a changed life and changed perspective on life. The believer who has done a complete 180 degree change and now has a Biblical world view is the greatest testimony that the world needs to see. We are the only Bible some folks are ever going to read.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Gospel centered change is not about giving us a list of things we need to change to earn Gods approval, or do to earn His unmerited favor. However the gospel message should cause us to stand in awe of what He has done for us. That awe produces within us a desire to serve Him.

#9 Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.

As an evangelist I’ve come to notice that dead Christians and dead churches make decisions based on their current situations. However successful Christians and successful churches base their decisions on where they want to be. And that place always starts with the propagation of the gospel message.

I leave you today with this very simple and concise question. Where do you want to be concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ and it’s power unto salvation.

---

For more information of to schedule call us at 812-844-5802.

Becoming a man after Gods own heart part 2

A man much wiser than me gave me a list of four things that God wont turn away from. A broken heart, a bended knee, a wet eye, and a bowed head. As we continue looking into Psalm 51, I believe we will find all of these were all evidences in Davids "getting right" with God.

Lets first take notice of Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Hyssop is a medicinal plant found throughout regions of the middle east. One of it's main uses is as an expectorant, it helps you to cough up mucus and anything that may be hindering you from breathing properly. In essence, David is pleading with God to eliminate all that is within His body that is hindering his walk with God.

Davids desire to be purged and washed, shows us his confidence in what Christ alone can do. Our heart is in fact a vile thing. Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceiptful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Just as Solomon said in Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Of course we cant forget what Christ said in Matthew 15:17-20 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth of come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

The cleansing and purging that all of us need happens in an instant, but it's our decision to either get cleansed or not.

vs 8-10 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hid thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart o God and renew a right Spirit within me.

Believe me when I say that yes, even a Christian can have a bad spirit about them, even after a so called cleansing. I say so called because the proof of a cleansing is that we are refreshed and recharged spiritually. Sometimes the cleansing process can become a bit painful, and in the process we can become bitter about the length of the restoration process.

A right spirit is evident when you have a proper, biblical outlook on sin, self, and service. One of the main evidences is that you' be willing to win other to Christ, and actually do so.

If you are a believer, the Holy Spirit will convict you when your spirit is lining up with The how you ought to behave or believe as a child of God. Ephesians 4:30-32 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God hath for Christs sake hath forgiven you.

And we see a similar pattern of thought in Hebrews 12:14-15 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many may be defiled.

Our spiritual actions, or lack thereof do cause harm to those around us.

vs 11 Cast me not away from thine presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. David wasn't speaking here of losing his salvation. He was however pleading with God not remove the anointing that God had placed upon his life. We as men should pray and plead the very same thing. That we would not lose the anointing we so desperately need for our service to God, family and country.

One of the secrets to living the spirt filled life, is that we begin to fear the silence of God, more than we fear the roar of the enemy. Can you honestly answer boldly and bravely enough about the last time you heard God speak?

vs 12 Restore unto me the joy of my salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Real, lasting, life altering joy only comes after salvation. Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say rejoice. A life centered around the Christ brings real lasting joy. How? Because when we are sealed with the Holy- Spirit of promise until the day of redemption, He brings into remembrance those things that God not only saved us from, but saved us to as well.

Paul the apostle wrote a few short verses later in Philippians 4:8- Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. The surest and easiest way for any believer to live in a constant state of victory, is to consistently be striving to conform to the spiritual, physical, and mental image that God desires for us.

If we look back over vs 8-12 , they show us that the restoration process, though it benefits and enables men, is of God and takes time. Salvation is Gods alone to give, and the restoration process belongs to Him as well. However, whereas salvation is instantaneous and never ours to earn, the restoration process takes time and commitment.

vs 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners will be converted unto thee. God wasn't through with david yet in his life as a soldier, king, husband and father. This thought is refreshing to us because it reminds the fallen Christian that if though the restoration process is painful at times, God isn't though with us either. However, we must remember that God will only use a vessel of cleanliness that brings honor to Him.

vs 14-15 Deliever me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O lord open tou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

Revival in our lives and churches will never come until we as the children of God learn to put praise in it's proper place. Seldom do we open discussion on who praise is really for. The praising of God is firstly for His benefit.. If it isn't magnifying His greatness and holiness, then it isn't really praise.

Secondly, we need to remember that others are watching us, both saved and unsaved...churched and un-churched. They want to see an authentic version of worship from God's people. One of the major factors that I consider and pray heavily about when preaching revivals throughout this nation is this...do the people in the pew sing in a way that is convincing enough to an outsider that they truly do love the God they are singing about.

Think about that.

---

For more information about our ministry or to schedule a revival/meeting contact us at: 812-844-5802

Becoming a Man after Gods own Heart. Part 1

There is little doubt that our enemy, the adversary is waging a full scale attack against believers today. One of the most overlooked portions of the Bible is found in Revelation 12:9-10 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan which decieveth the whole world : he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Yes Satan is the father of all lies and a murderer, but as these two verses of scripture teach us, he is a deceiver and an accuser as well.

Now, the Bible makes it plain that he is the deceiver of the world. The unsaved who are following the worlds philosophy and headed towards a co-existing one world religion are in fact being deceived. The true believers, the universal church made up of individual believers are not deceived, yet rather they suffer persecution and a constant barrage of accusations from our enemy.

Now concerning this deception, perhaps within the last 25 years there seems to be a greater attack upon masculinity than in any other time in history, church history included. Slowly through the media, music, movies and television programming men have become im masculated.

Now it would be easy to point out skinny jeans, died hair and a penchant for smart phones, but I digress. I honestly believe the biggest downfall every man faces is the ownership of their life and the problems that do suffice when we choose not to live for the Father and live for ourselves.

When we consider David, we see a giant slayer who many times couldn't even slay the giants in his own personal life. Perhaps no other time was David living under the defeat of the enemy than during the adulterous and murderous affair with Bathsheba. 2nd Samuel chapters 11-12.

However the deception of the enemy ceased when David was confronted by Uriah the prophet and the absolute wickedness of his sinfulness. David made no excuse for his actions after being singled out by Uriah. He repented of his sin and owned up to accepted the consequences of his actions.

Whether we are in the full time ministry, or serving on staff at a church, nothing will lead us to becoming a man "or woman" after Gods own heart like ownership of the life God has entrusted you to live. Nobody can live the Christian life for you. It is yours to either let waste away or make the most out of.

Now with that brief overview in mind, lets spend the next two blog posts together discovering how we csan become a man after Gods own heart.

We find in Psalm 51 what is known as the penitents psalm. It is the one that best describes Davids' heart cry and pleading with God after his sinful ways with Bathsheba and Uriah his wife. It is showing us the open and extreme vulnerability that only comes when we have a heart that cries out for God

As we search scripture and experience the human condition, there are four things that we find God doesn't simply turn away from.

A broken heart,

A bended knee,

A wet eye,

A bowed head.

We see all of these actions taking place with Psalm 51. We also see as I mentioned earlier, the ownership of His own life through personal repentance and the realization that God can and will use a broken man.

Psalm 51:1-3 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my sin is ever before me.

What we see in these three verses of scripture is David's heart cry of conviction. David reminds us that he was was guilty, like as we all are before an almighty, thrice holy God. Romans 3:23-For all have sinned and come short the glory of God.

The psalmist acts God for mercy based upon Gods own merciful character, and His love for us as His children. Yes children do foolish things, make mistakes, and will break their parents hearts. It's all part of the growing process. And just like children, those who have been redeemed must come home to the Father, and seek after His mercy.

Our transgressions can have a lasting impact upon our relationship with God, if they go unconfessed. 1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now in verse #3 David makes a profund statement. God has blessed us with the ability to remember all the things we endure. Trials and testings are good for us. And our Father in Heaven has given us the Holy Spirit, and a conciense as well to help us remember what it is we've done and what has influenced us in the past to draw away from Him in fellowship.

If we as believers can learn to recognize in our walk with God, how we fail, fall and falter, then we have half of the spiritual battle already won.James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither he tempteth any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

We may not all be tempted by the same things, but we are all tempted the same way. The enemy isn't going to entice you with the situations to fall which your not going to respond to.

Psalm 51:4-6 Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightiest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

True confession of sin always involves repentance, which is not only a change of mind and heart, but the first word of the gospel message. Even after covering his sins and thinking he could get away with it, God sent Nathan to confront him. And as we see not only in the chapters describing his wicked fall into sin, we see that Davids confession wasn't some cheap prayer made with the lips.

I find it ironic how Davids son with Bathsheba penned those words in Proverbs 15:3-The eyes of the Lord are every place beholding the evil and the good. It's no doubt a personal issue with Solomon who ended up having "women issues" as well as he got older and more secure in his wealth and Power. On a side note, lets never forget that when Moses was giving the Ten Commandments, He gave us the following words as well straight from the very lips of God almighty.

Exodus 20:5b-for I the Lord am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love, and keep my commandments.

A true confession of sin always causes the confessor to ultimately compare their sinfulness and the complete perfection, holiness and righteousness of an almighty God.

In Verse #6 We see a very simple explanation of how the believer can be in a right fellowship with God. God desires the truth because He alone is the center of all truth and authore of it. Truth by it's very nature is exclusive in all of it's aspects.

David was willing to recognize his sinful nature as the root of all of His wickedness. as Paul the Apostle would write in Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short the glory of God. If we were sinless we wouldn't be in need of confession and in need of a savior.

One of the great realties of the Christian life is that the person who once walked with God and was lead by Gods mighty hand and has since turned away and is trying to find their way back to God, is the most miserable person in the world. Nothing will destroy a believers life more than the stronghold of a guilty conscience.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God already knows what it is that is separating you from a complete and surrendered walk of faith with Him. Confession of sin is for your benefit and for the restoring of fellowship with the Father.

---

For more information about our ministry or to schedule a revival or conference please contact us at 812-844-5802