Can Mercy and Judgment Coexist? 3

GodThoughtsWired!                         New Year's Eve, 2010

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

CAN MERCY AND JUDGMENT COEXIST?

3

"For judgment will be merciless
to one who has shown no mercy;
mercy triumphs over judgment."
James 2:13

Yesterday I said,

May I suggest to you that judgment is an
extension of God's love! (see Hebrews 12:5-11).
And may I also suggest to you that, 
in this illustration (see yesterday's GT),
righteously judging the criminal
would have extended mercy to both
the victims parents...AND the criminal.

And then I asked the question, "How could it be possible that judging the criminal righteously would be "merciful?"
Well, let me give you my answer in the form of a true story from my old "youth pastor days:"

"When our youth ministry grew to several
hundred students, I needed to hire a
security officer to be on campus.  One
night, I caught one of our own students
attempting to sell drugs.  I severely
reprimanded him and then assured him
that if I ever caught him again, I would
call the police, right there on the spot.
Sure enough, a few weeks later I caught
him again!  And can you guess what I did?
That's right!  I did what I told him I would
do...I CALLED THE POLICE!  It was a
terrible scene right there on our church
grounds.  The police arrived and
handcuffed the student and halled
him off to Juvenile Hall."

Initially, the experience was AWEFUL!  I felt TERRIBLE!  Everyone in the church felt bad. The boy's mom approached the Elder Board demanding that I be fired immediately!  As you might expect, the boy, along with his family, never returned to our church.

However, one day, about a year later, I received a phone call from the young man that I had "called the cops on" a year earlier.  He was calling to thank me!  He said, "You were the first person in my life to ever do what you said you were going to do."  He further told me that "That experience changed me.  I was headed down a bad road, and God used you to change my direction."

How could it be possible that judging the criminal righteously would be "merciful?"

I believe I just answered that question.

"For those whom the Lord
loves, He disciplines..."
Hebrews 12:6

Can Mercy and Judgment Coexist? 2

GodThoughtsWired!            Thursday, December 30, 2010

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

CAN MERCY AND JUDGMENT COEXIST?

2

"LIFE IS NOT FAIR,
BUT GOD IS JUST...
AND HE HAS AN ETERNITY TO PROVE IT!"
-Pastor Brad

Illustration:  A child is brutally raped, beaten, tortured and murdered.  The guilty man is caught and brought before a judge with whom the child's grieving mother and father await the verdict.  The judge says, "Because I am a loving and forgiving judge, I am letting the offender go free without any punishment."

Now let's say you are the mother or father in this illustration.  How do you feel about the judge's verdict?  Mercy has been extended but justice has not been served!

May I suggest to you that judgment is an extension of God's love! (see Hebrews 12:5-11).  And may I also suggest to you that, in this illustration, righteously judging the criminal would have extended mercy to both the victims parents...AND the criminal.*

"WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE LOVE
OF GOD UNTIL WE GRASP THE HORROR
OF OUR SIN AND THE SACRIFICIAL
TORMENT THAT JESUS CHOSE TO
PAY ON OUR BEHALF."
-Pastor Brad

In God's kingdom, mercy and justice coexist.

*I'm interested to hear from you - How could it be possible that  judging the criminal righteously would be "merciful?"

Can Mercy and Judgment Coexist? 1

GodThoughtsWired!         Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

CAN MERCY AND JUDGMENT COEXIST?

1

"The Lord loves justice...
It is I (God) who judges with equity...
For the Lord is a God of justice."Psalm 37:28; 75:2; Isaiah 30:18

When I first came into my current pastorate roughly seven years ago, an otherwise kind and loving family left the church because of my unwavering commitment to the Bible as "inspired by God, inerrant and infallible as originally given" (see Psalm 19:7; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). 

They readily accepted the "love and forgiveness" part of God's character, but they did not believe in His "justice."  "Our God is NOT PUNITIVE!," the woman assured me, as she left the church parking lot for the final time.

To the contrary Oswald Chambers declares,

"In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element
of judgment is always brought out -
it is the sign of the loving God.-Oswald Chambers,
My Utmost for His Highest, May 5

So, what do you think?  Can mercy and judgment coexist?

More tomorrow.

But I Was Born This Way!

But I Was Born That Way!

Pastor Brad shares his testimony as a "born gambler." The discussion centers on the reality that the excuse "But I was born that way," is not legitimate. Key statements include, "all behavior is a choice," and "A predisposition is not a predetermination."

But I Was Born This Way!

GodThoughtsWired!                   Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

BUT I WAS BORN THIS WAY!*

So your excuse for sin is, "I was born this way?"  Well, join the club.  Behavior is a choice!  Always has been...always will be.

"For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God."
-Romans 3:23

Regardless of the brand of sin you're predisposed to, please understand one thing:

"Predisposition is not Predetermination."

As a young man I loved to gamble!  From the age of 14 when I won $200.00 rolling the dice on the craps table I knew I had the "gambler's gene!"  If I had taken the advice to "embrace" my passion for gambling...IT WOULD HAVE DESTROYED ME!

Sin should NEVER be embraced.

Even if you're "born that way."

Birds & Fish Mysteriously Dying... Religulous!?

GodThoughtsWired!              Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

Birds & Fish Mysteriously Dying...
Religulous!?

"Listen to the word of the Lord...
For the Lord has a case against
the inhabitants of the land,
because there is no faithfulness or...
knowledge of God in the land."
-Hosea 4:1, bold mine

I'm sure glad that God is talking about the old Israelites and not the people of the United States of America.  And I'm sure glad that none of that "Old Testament Stuff" could possibly apply to us today (or see Romans 15:4 for the truth).

"There is only cursing, lying and murder,
stealing and adultery; they break all bounds,
and bloodshed follows bloodshed.  
Because of this...
the birds of the air and
the fish of the sea are dying."-Hosea 4:2-3, bold mine (NIV)

Wow!  How weird would that be?!  The mysterious deaths of birds and fish because of the bankrupt moral condition of the people that God so dearly loves.  I'm sure glad those Old Testament stories are just "myths and fairy tales"* (or see what Jesus said in Matthew 5:18-19).

"My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge... 
Because you have rejected knowledge...
Since you have forgotten
the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.  
The more they multiplied,
the more they sinned against Me;
I will change their glory into shame."-Hosea 4:6-7, bold mine

Man, that was some wild stuff that God use to speak through those guys (ie Hosea) back in the day.  I'm sure glad that doesn't happen anymore! (or see Malachi 3:6 & Hebrews 13:8).

Aren't you?

*Bill Mahr, Religulous.

Before the Son

GodThoughtsWired!                 Tuesday, March 22, 2011

An Inspiration for Today...A Resource for a Lifetime!

BEFORE THE SON

"In the morning, O Lord,
You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will order
my prayer to You and eagerly watch."
-Psalm 5:3

Typically favorite part of the day happens before the Sun.  Indeed, spending time with the Lord EARLY in the morning is often the best part of life for me.

"The Lord is with you
when you are with Him."-2 Chronicles 15:2

God invited Moses saying,

"So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain."-Exodus 34:2

Many of my most profound experiences with God have been before the arrival of the day's light.  As always,  my model is Jesus,

"In the early morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house,
and went away to a secluded place,
and was praying there."-Mark 1:35

And I can hear someone say, "But I'm not a morning person!"  And my  response? "It's not the time...I'ts the principle."

"So that He Himself will come
to have first place in everything."
-Colossians 1:18

So then, actually, my favorite part of ANY DAY is...

Before the Son.

Are You a Chrisian? WRONG QUESTION!

GodThoughtsWired!                   Friday, July 8, 2011

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?

WRONG QUESTION!

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith;
examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this
about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—
unless indeed you fail the test?"
-2 Corinthians 13:5

I think the biggest problem in the world today is:

PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES
CHRISTIANS BUT DON'T KNOW JESUS.

Jesus Himself said, "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters" (Luke 11:23).  So, are you "with Jesus," or against Him?  How do you know?  How can you tell?

Jesus also said that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12).  So when was the last time you were persecuted because of your relationship with Jesus?

"If you were of the world,
the world would love its own;
but because you are not of the world,
but I chose you out of the world,
because of this the world hates you."
-John 15:19

Can you give, oh, let's say, three quick examples of how the above verse applies in your life?  At one point in Jesus' ministry He asked the question, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' but don't do what I say"(see Luke 6:46).  Would Jesus have reason to ask you the same question?  

Jesus also said that "many" call themselves Chrisians who are not(see Matthew 7:21-27).  What makes you think that you are not among those "many?"

Ultimately, the Bible teaches us that who you think you are isn't nearly as significant as what the "fruit" of your life says about you.

"By this we know that we have
come to know Him,
if we keep His commandments.
The one who says, “I have come to know Him,”
and does not keep His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
-1 John 2:3-4

So, have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

An Open Letter to the 21st Century "Church"

GodThoughtsWired!                Monday, March 21, 2011

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

AN OPEN LETTER TO
THE 21ST CENTURY "CHURCH"

Stop It!

"The trademark of these end times is
widespread religious delusion...in the Church!"
-pastor Brad, quoting Jesus

STOP IT!  Stop professing to know Jesus while your actions DENY HIM!  STOP IT!  Stop calling yourself a Christian while reveling in the ways of the world.

STOP IT!  All of  you "lukewarm," "half-baked" hypocrites who praise His name on Sunday and profane His name on Monday.  

STOP IT!  You are hurting the Savior you claim to serve.  Keep your mouth shut unless you are willing to align your behavior and actions with that of biblical Christianity!  God would rather you keep your mouth shut, than for you to claim you are in the Light, yet you willfully walk in the darkness.

And to the myriads of "church leaders"...

STOP IT!  Your compromise for the sake of wordly gain is the reason the "bride of Christ" has become a whore!  Jesus is not coming back for an unholy harlot.  He will only return when "His bride has made herself ready!"

The New Covenant doesn't change the fact that "friendship with the world is hostility toward God"...THAT IS THE NEW COVENANT!

STOP IT!  You "Christian leaders" who partner with unbelievers under the guise of unity:

"What does Mormonism have in common with biblical Christianity,Joel Osteen?"

NOTHING!

"What does the lust for money have in common with biblical Christianity, Benny Hinn?"

NOTHING!

"What does the Isa of Islam have in common with the Jesus of the Bible, Rick Warren?"

NOTHING!

"What does your gospel have in common with the biblical gospel,Rob Bell?"

NOTHING!

"What does 'your word' have in common with the 'God's Word,'Eugene Peterson?"

NOTHING!

Beware the judgement that awaits all false teachers.

The time has come for the true spokesmen of God to rise up!  The day has come for the real "prophets of God" to CHALLENGE those who "profit from God."

Dear God,

In Jesus name we lay claim to Psalm 75:7.  We ask you Lord, watch over your word to perform it.  Cause the voice of Your authority to be heard.  Angels of God, go to work!  Demons of hell be bound!  Heavenly Father...begin to prepare Your Son's Bride for His return.

In Jesus name,

So be it!

An Eternal Tragedy 2

GodThoughtsWired!            Friday April 23, 2010

Evangelizing the Church in the Age of Delusion

AN ETERNAL TRAGEDY

PART 2

"Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,'
did we not prophesy in Your name,
and in Your name cast out demons,
and in Your name perform many miracles?
And then I will declare to them,
'I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness."
Matthew 7:21-23 (BOLD MINE)

Have you ever really studied this passage of scripture?  Do you understand its implications?  This isn't a warning to the world...it is a rebuke to the church! 

-Where do you find people who have no problem calling Jesus "Lord"?  That's right, in the church!

-And where do you find people involved in prophecy, deliverance, and miracles?  That's right, in the church!

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus is talking to the "many" people in the church who think they are saved...but are not!

And HOW IN THE WORLD IS THIS POSSIBLE?  How could this happen?  How could such sincere individuals be so deceived?

"For false Christs and false prophets will arise
and will show great signs and wonders,
so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect."

Matthew 24:24

Do you know what "false Christs" and "false prophets" produce?

False gospels (see 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  By the way, "many" of today's most popular preachers are classic examples!

And do you know what "false gospels" produce?

That's right, people in the church who think they are saved...but are not.

It's An Eternal Tragedy.

*Remember to check out pastor Brad on YouTube.com.  Simply go to www.youtube.com and type in "GodThoughtslive!" in the search box.  We'd love to hear your feedback.