Sorry, my Foot's at Home on the Couch

I posted a Twitter micro-blog over the weekend, which generated a question, so I thought I'd address it here. This was my Tweet:

Do you believe the Bible? Then church is where you should be (choose based on Biblical truths being taught, not denom).

Then I added a link that pointed to the following scripture:

Hebrews 10:25 (CEV)
Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.

Someone read the tweet and responded: "Where does Bible say to be in church? I read that God doesn't dwell in Temples made with hands."

First thing's first. The scripture they mention is not a reference to church or to the body of believers. The scripture is from 2 Corinthians 5:1, which does indeed mention "... an house not made with hands". But the scripture refers to the human body (tabernacle), and that if the tabernacle (human body) "were dissolved", the resurrection body "eternal in the heavens" would be our dwelling place. The Contemporary English Version clarifies this very nicely:

2 Corinthians 5:1-2 (CEV) - Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. While we are here on earth, we sigh because we want to live in that heavenly home.

So when I spoke of church in my tweet, I was referring to the body of Christ, the assembly of the saints, those called to "go and tell" the gospel.

Romans 12:4-5 (CEV) - A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That's how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.

Which brings me to the (albeit humorous) blog topic. We are all one body in Christ Jesus, yet if some members of the body forsake (deliberately turn away from) the assembling together as that body in worship, then we are less of a body, and therefore less effective.

Romans 10:13-17 (MSG) - Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help. But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? ... The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to.

And no, the television, gospel radio, and internet streaming sermons are NOT substitutes for assembling. They are ways to OBSERVE, but none of them allows CONTRIBUTION on your part. Basically, you're "all take and no give", if these are your primary means of staying spiritually connected. And when left to his own, man will invariably stray. God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah in describing this sad situation.

Jeremiah 50:6 (KJV) - My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

Lord, help us to remember that we are connected, one to another, within the body of Christ. I need others just as much as they need me, because we are all of one purpose, and together we strengthen each other. Alone, we're just sheep, just prey for the enemy. Keep us together in worship of you and love for one another, Lord. Keep us connected.

Amen

© 2009 Scotty Ward

Wearing the Jersey....

"Wearing the Jersey Doesn't Make You a Member of the Team"
~ Anonymous

I'm a member of our Evangelistic Outreach team, sent by Pastor Hunt into the neighborhoods of Charles County to knock on doors and seek the lost souls. We don't go knocking on doors to find someone to "win over", but instead to offer people a helping hand, if they desire to be saved. In some cases, we pray with them at their door, but more often than not, the people we visit tell us they're not interested.

One Saturday morning, we visited a particular neighborhood, and as a door opened to me, (after introducing myself) I asked our usual question: "Do you believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ?" One woman's response was curious. As we broke the ice with the above question, her only and immediate response was "I'm _______" (Major Christian denomination). If I'm able to guess what she was trying to indicate with her answer, she seemed to be telling us "Yes, of course I believe. I'm a ________, and ________s believe, so I believe".

Well, praise God. I picked up on her cue, that she was at least affiliated with a section of Christianity, I said "Praise God. Where do you attend?" "Oh, I haven't been to church in years."

She didn't seem interested in a message of salvation through anything but HER church's denomination, which is entirely her right, but more curiously, she also didn't seem interested in attending worship services, Bible study, or affiliating in any way with the Body of Christ, even with her own local denomination.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV) - Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

It seemed she felt everything was okay in her life because she was a member of a particular Christian denomination. She didn't speak of a private worship or prayer life, or of her own study of the scriptures. I got the impression she believed that by being a member of this denomination, that fact alone automatically placed her in right standing with God.

Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT) - Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

This scripture tells me that IF I'm operating in God's will, I'm seeking to do His will all the time, and I'm doing it "with deep reverence and fear". Nowhere in the scriptures (with the exception of the Israelites; the Jews) does God indicate that by being a member of this or that particular religious group (i.e. "wearing the jersey") you are nearer to a right relationship with Him.

Bottom line: It's not about my membership. It's about working on my own soul's salvation.

I pray this blog serves as a reminder to all the readers that your (and my) salvation is a personal matter between you/me and God, and you'll find all about it by staying in God's Word daily and by attending worship where Christ is glorified (Scotty's Personal Opinion follows: how can you tell if one or another denomination or service is "good"? First, pray and ask God to show you where to worship. Second, try counting the number of scriptures they use as part of their worship. If you see only a few scriptures mixed in with all the beautiful robes, processions, incense, and high-falutin' language (see Isaiah 1:12-13), you might want to pray about where you're at, and why).

Don't make the fatal mistake of relying on your affiliation with this or that particular DENOMINATION (see Hebrews, above) for your soul's salvation. And by all means don't rely on whether it FEELS right to you (see Proverbs 16:2). Work your own soul's salvation, with the scriptures as your guide. It takes work, but Jesus said he'll never leave us or forsake us. The Comforter (Holy Spirit) is with us to guide us to all truth. Denominations don't make the difference. Jesus does.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend, and perhaps I'll see you at worship!

(Published Previously as "Salvation by Association?")
© 2010 Scotty Ward

What Lord? STOP clapping??

Romans 11:33 (NLT) - "Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!"

A few years ago, when I was seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I was doing all I knew to do for God. I was turning down my plate and fasting, I was tithing (for the first time in my life), and I was attending every service I could at our church. I would drive to Southern Maryland from Alexandria Virginia for each service (not a short drive), and even at that, I often arrived early and stayed late. I had my "mind stayed" on God; sure enough. So it's no surprise that I began to hear (or perhaps to HEED) that still, small voice a little more. And one message I heard caused me to scratch my head in wonder, and ask for a second opinion from our pastor.


You see, I had joined the Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), which is the largest pentecostal denomination in America. Their services are - to say the least - dynamic, musical, and vibrant. I take great pleasure in praising God in this fashion, standing near the front, clapping my hands, and singing along with the praise team or the mass choir.

Then one day, in the midst of all this, I heard a voice say simply "stop clapping." WHAT?? "stop clapping for one week". Nothing else. No explanation, nothing. But clapping is my ..... my "vehicle" for showing God my praise. It was one of the principal "tools" I used, to show God how much I love and appreciate him. How could I praise him WITHOUT clapping?

I was so confused, I spoke to my pastor, and his response was beautiful. "Well, if the Lord told you to stop clapping, then you'd better do what he said."

Now I was REALLY confused. But I decided that I'd do exactly what I had been instructed, no matter how silly it sounded to me.

So I stopped clapping. And the first couple days were positively excruciating. The music would start, the people would stand and begin to clap and sing, and I went right along with them. I'd stand, I'd sing too, but as soon as I put my hands together to clap, the words of instruction came back to remembrance, and I put my hands back at my side. It was tremendously difficult to NOT clap!

But then, after a few days of uncomfortable obedience, a wonderful thing happened! God had stopped me from using my hands to praise him, and I just HAD to show him praise. So if I couldn't use my hands in praise, what else could I use?

Psalm 51:15 (KJV) - "O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise."

Yep. By asking me to withhold the praise I had been giving God through my clapping, God allowed my spirit to discover a new avenue of praise. My MOUTH.

Hebrews 13:15 (KJV) - "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

And after that week, I again began to clap during the services. But this time, my clapping and toetapping and singing was accompanied by the "fruit of my lips".

Psalm 47:1 (KJV) - "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."

Nowadays, I tap my feet. I clap my hands. I dance, I jump, I even run. And now, in addition, because I was obedient to God's loving instruction, I can now praise him as loud as I like, with my voice. I can even shout my praise (and frequently DO).


Thank you, Lord. You taught me a valuable lesson. When you ask me to go somewhere or do something, I don't need to run your instruction through the "does that make sense to Scotty" filter. When you ask, help me to remain constantly obedient.

© 2009 Scotty Ward

Come On Home....

"...your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!"

from Luke 15:32 (NLT)

The parable of the prodigal son tells us just how far God will allow us to roam, but it also gives some wonderful insight on how patient and loving God is when we choose to return.

Psalm 139:16 (NLT) tells us: "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."

So based on the two scriptures above, we can see that:

1. The father KNEW the son would be asking for his inheritance
   
2. The father KNEW the son would waste it all in riotous living
   
3. The father KNEW the son would go hungry as a result of his own selfish actions
   

but best of all...

The father KNEW the son would eventually "come to himself", and return, asking for forgiveness.

Because God is all-knowing, he knows EXACTLY what we've been doing, and yet loves us enough to keep watching the road, awaiting our return. There's only one thing delaying this joyful reunion: Our own pride.

Proverbs 21:4 tells us that a proud heart is sin, and we know that sin separates us from God. Until you lay aside your own prideful thoughts and your own self-seeking paths, God will continue to stand and watch the road for you, expectantly waiting for you to turn from your own foolishness and re-join the family. He knows where you are; you know it too. But you haven't strayed too far; you're not entirely lost. The Bible assures us He's waiting for you to return. No matter how far you've gone, the return path to God is ALWAYS available.

Come on home. Visit God in a Bible-believing Christian church near you. And if you don't seem to be finding God at the church you visit, I invite you to give New Community a try.

He's waiting for you. God Bless.

© 2009 Scotty Ward

"What? No Bagels?"

Matthew 5:14-16 (New Living Translation; emphasis mine)
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

God has given me so much throughout the years. He saved me at the age of 35, blessed me with the baptism in the Holy Ghost at the age of 45, and has given me the best wife in the world along with five children and EIGHT grandchildren! There's more, but suffice it to say, I'M BLESSED FAR BEYOND WHAT I DESERVE.

Which brings me to today's blog. I have, on a few occasions, bought bagels for the office. I've been blessed, so I pass those blessings on. But a few days ago I hadn't brought in bagels for the office, but instead bought one for myself, and was eating it in the breakroom. One of my coworkers entered, and his first statement to me was "So Scotty, no bagels?" I immediately got defensive. I said that I had bought bagels 4-5 times, so it seemed fair that someone else could buy the bagels this time. My snippy response was sensible, logical, well-reasoned, and FAIR.

But the Holy Spirit reminded me that the Lord doesn't play "fair", according to man's standards. He sent His only son to earth to walk among us and teach us about his Dad, and then to suffer the most humiliating of deaths as an absolutely innocent victim, in payment for the sins we brought on ourselves by our sinful nature. Fair? Absolutely not. But Godly? Yes, indeed!

Today's scripture taken from Jesus' "sermon on the mount" reminds me that my actions don't need to be fair, don't need to be balanced, and don't need to be appropriate. The Lord has been unfailingly GENEROUS to us, far beyond what any human could possibly call FAIR. And if I'm to be that "city on a hilltop" Jesus spoke about, shining God's light to the darkness all around me, human fairness shouldn't drive my speech or my actions. People are supposed to see Christians in action, and what these people observe is supposed to be so UNbalanced and so UNfair, that it causes them to spontaneously thank God themselves!

Next time, the bagels are on me. Perhaps I'll bring a bowl of fruit as well. And thanks for the lesson, Lord!

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© 2009 Scotty Ward