Our Glorious Ministry of Reconciliation

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.”

2 Corinthians 4:1 NKJV

What is the “ministry” this verse speaks of? Is it the particular denomination or group we belong to or fellowship with on a regular basis? Is it one of the multitude of “ministries” named after a high profile preacher, evangelist or musician? Perhaps it is the function of visiting the sick or elderly. Or is it the act of setting up tea and cookies for the Wednesday evening prayer meeting. These are certainly all various usages of the word “ministry”, but I don’t think any of them pertain to this verse in 2 Corinthians.

The ministry we have received, just as we received God’s mercy, is described for us in 2 Corinthians 5:18 where it states plainly:

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”

That which defines our ministry is RECONCILIATION. Everything that God did in Christ was with a view to the restoration of the relationship of peace which had been disturbed in Adam. Verse and 19 shows us the simplicity and beauty of this ministry:

“That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Herein is one of the greatest truths in God’s Word: Almighty God has committed to US the WORD of reconciliation! This statement is so profound that upon first reading it, the significance of it is missed entirely. But, if one is willing to stop and meditate upon what exactly this verse is saying, there is the potential for brain matter to end up on the ceiling (blown mind).

Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate. This means He is the Word (logos) of God in the flesh. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Now, God has committed to us THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION. What do you think this Word of Reconciliation is? The answer is not WHAT but rather WHO. Jesus Christ is, was and always will be the Word of Reconciliation.

The written Word of God describes, defines and details everything needed for the complete and absolute reconciliation of man to God. Since God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself; logic dictates that the subject of the written Word of God from Genesis 3:15 through the Book of Revelation is Jesus Christ and the reconciliation found in Him.

Reconciliation can best be defined as the restoration of the relationship of peace disturbed by Adam’s transgression. Reconciliation means the end of a conflict and the bringing together of opposing parties. Sin is what drove the wedge of separation between God and man and that sin had to be eternally paid for and absolved in order for reconciliation to take place. Jesus Christ paid the price for sin and through Him we have been reconciled to God. The reality of this is beautifully laid out in Romans 5:1:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Our sins have been absolved and we have been acquitted of all charges against us. Through the redemption in Christ Jesus, we have peace with God. Jesus Christ is our reconciliation and all He did and all He accomplished is the Word of reconciliation. God has given to us the ministry of helping others to be reconciled to God and God has committed to us the Word which allows others to be reconciled.

Oh glory, how could God possibly express His outstanding love and faith in us more than by giving us the opportunity to help others be reconciled to Him through the word of reconciliation—Jesus Christ. God could have chosen the rocks and trees to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, but He didn’t. God chose US to represent Him and His Son. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says:

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

An ambassador is a representative of someone else. We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We have been sent by Him to represent Him here on earth. We have the awesome privilege of speaking on His behalf, pleading with people to be reconciled to God through Christ. God has entrusted us with the ministry and the Word of reconciliation and then made us ambassadors for Christ. What an incredible privilege and honor we have received.

In all we do and all we say we should strive to be the very best reflection of our Lord who believed enough in us to give us the ministry of reconciling others to Him. As we live and breathe and have our being in this world, we should walk with great humility knowing that God has committed to our trust the Word of reconciliation. No matter where we go or who we see and talk to, we should hold our heads high and walk with the dignity associated with one who is an ambassador for Jesus Christ.

We have been given the ministry of sharing the Gospel of reconciliation with a dying world who is at war with God. We have been given everything we need to proclaim, warn and plead with any and all we meet the need to be reconciled to God. There is only way to restore the relationship of peace with God and that is through accepting the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ by confessing Him as Lord and believing God raised Him from the dead. Once this is done in the heart, then spiritual reconciliation is complete and an eternal relationship of peace and life is accomplished.

I pray we never lose heart as we carry out the ministry God has given us. I pray we never get so caught up in ourselves that we forget who we really are—AMBASSADORS FOR JESUS CHRIST. I pray that in these troubled times, we can hold our heads high and with all the love and compassion in our hearts reach out to help those around us be reconciled to God. What an incredible honor God has bestowed upon us.

Go, Stand and Speak the Truth in Love–The Body depends on it

It rips at my gut like a bad case of food poisoning. It makes me feel like I am being smothered by a huge blanket. It blurs my vision and wipes all energy from my body. All I want to do is sit and cry. What on earth am I describing?

No, I am not attempting to describe clinical depression. What I am describing is how I feel when “the Man of Sorrows” manifests Himself through me. Jesus is not all happy and peaceful; not by a long shot. In fact, I am more sensitive to how much He grieves for the state of His Body than I am any other aspect of my Savior.

I honestly feel that when Jesus reflects upon the state of His church, He has no choice but to weep. What was once so glorious has been ripped asunder by doctrines of devils and arrogant frauds only wanting self glory. Any unity of the faith vanished long ago. Bickering has progressed to all out warfare among different factions all claiming to be the one true faith.

What once was a pure faith has been watered down and adulterated to the point it is powerless and counterproductive many times. When the far left fringes of Christianity are compared with the far right, there is no possible way they could both have the same faith. The sad reality is that the Body of Christ is crippled and on life support.

Certain issues have always divided believers into denominational factions. Whether baptism, ordination policies or monetary use; division is more often the result of Christians being together than any form of unity. Every member of the Body seems to have an agenda they are pushing and as a result the body is uncoordinated and so busy fighting itself it cannot get anything done.

In many respects, the Christian faith has become somewhat of a “to each their own” faith. Whether speaking of doctrinal or practical issues, there is little for Christians to agree with each other upon. What one person considers the “pillars of their faith”, another considers meaningless. What one believer deems vitally important to godliness, another doesn’t even recognize.

Social issues have succeeded in ripping the Body of Christ limb by limb into many “bodies”. Those who have decided to use feelings and personal agendas as the basis of their faith have succeeded in turning those who still cling to the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice into Neanderthals. Those who demand freedom of choice in all matters of lifestyle and living have turned Christianity on its head.

Anyone who doesn’t understand just how deep the divide has become among Christianity has not kept up with the news. Whether ordaining gays, promoting gay rights as totally allowable behavior for a Christian or advocating anyone wrestling with “feelings” to come out of closet; the side of the Christian faith which is attempting to make tolerance for homosexuality the center piece of the faith are winning the tide of public opinion.

What has happened in the world has spread like a cancer into the Body of Christ. Like a cancer, it is slowing eating away at the general health of the Body. Once this cancer reaches vital organs, the Body will grow very ill. Once it reaches the heart of the Body of Christ, it is all over.

What those who are promoting this lie fail to understand is that they are in effect saying that Christ was a homosexual. There are countless thousands who believe this lie based on no documentation that Christ ever was with a woman. Crazy assumptions of what Jesus did with his band of men have been circulated among the gay circles for years. Just as different races want to make Jesus their race, gays have attempted to make Jesus gay.

I am sorry, but at this point of this insane discussion there is no more to say. The utter folly in even insinuating that Jesus was homosexual is blasphemy just as the ridiculous accusations that Jesus was married and had children. Anything to tear down the truth and lower the standard to man’s sinful nature. That seems to be the prevailing attitude of the times.

Jesus was not a homosexual neither did He marry, have children and retire to a nice house on Long Island. Jesus was exactly who the Bible says He was; nothing more and nothing less. To read into the Bible things which justify sin and unholy lifestyles is a disgrace and a smack to our Lord’s face.

I have heard preachers say for years that Paul had an entourage of women who traveled with him to meet his sexual needs. Of course these same preachers had the same thing for themselves. I have heard believers claim that Jesus sat around the campfire in the evening smoking some kind of Biblical times weed with His disciples. Of course these same people did the same in their own lives.

People have attempted to make the Bible say whatever they want it to say to justify the lusts of their flesh and of their mind. They pull verses out of context and twist around words to make them imply what they need them to say in order to use them to justify their wickedness.

There is no putting back together the Body of Christ. The damage has been done and will not be repaired until that time in the future when the “perfecting of the saints” takes place. Until then, all efforts should be directed at preventing the heresies floating around the Body of Christ like blood clots from lodging in the lungs or heart and disabling the Body totally.

Those who know and love the truth are charged with the responsibility of speaking it. If ever there was a time to that, it is now. Go, stand and speak the truth in love.

A Day to Be Very Aware and Spiritually Alert

This is a day to be “on guard” as the world takes stock of all that has happened since Friday. Not only was there a horrific commuter train crash in southern California and Hurricane Ike; now we have the crashing and burning of two Wall Street giants in one weekend. If what is going on around the world in financial markets is any indication; this day could be one of the worst days ever on Wall Street.

Whenever the world is going through convulsions, the shock waves are bound to reach each of us in one way or another. Whether higher gasoline prices, sudden loss of investment income or dealing with the growing fear among many people that there is something going on that is not being reported; there are numerous ways events taking place in the world manage to influence us.

This would not be a good time to take a mental vacation, let alone a spiritual one. Don’t be surprised if the Lord brings out the “cattle prod” and gives you a good jolt today. There is massive need for prayer today. The situation in southern Texas and Louisiana is 1,000 times worse than is being reported. FEMA and other agencies are hiding the real statistics as to fatalities and damage. Sooner or later the whereabouts of the 140,000 people told to evacuate or face certain death must be accounted for.

Political turmoil is boiling over in Bolivia, Thailand and other remote countries. The military situation in Afghanistan is growing worse by the day. Threats being made by Israel towards Iran indicate an attack is imminent. The problems between the United States and Venezuela and Honduras are reaching the critical point. Nations such as Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas are tattered and lay in ruins due to relentless hurricanes over the past few weeks.

The wise person should take stock of their situation and do whatever is necessary to not be directly impacted by anything going on in the world, especially in the financial markets. The bombshell which was dropped yesterday and that will be manifested later this morning when the markets open is going to adversely affect many people. In the same vein, the possible gasoline shortages due to the hurricane may temporarily drive up the cost of gasoline to record highs even as the price of oil keeps dropping.

Certain items are always in short supply after a major hurricane hits a port city. The laws of supply and demand dictate if an item is in short supply, the price will go up. A prudent person would stock up on any items that are vital to survival and relative comfort. Time does not allow me to share details of the horror stories coming out of Houston from people who failed to prepare for the storm they all knew was coming. There is no excuse for having a generator but never thinking to buy gasoline to run it.

Whether this day turns out to be just another day or ends up being one of those days the world literally shudders, we as believers need to pray for personal protection, guidance and avenues where we can share the love in our hearts with those in need. The only reason to pray for God to take care of us in times of trouble is so that we are able to help others. God knows there are countless people locked in the throes of staggering circumstances literally pulling them apart.

I beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to prayerfully consider all that is going on this day and with great humility ask the Lord what you can do to help Him. After all, the very reason we are alive is to be a blessing to the Lord and His people. We were not given all we have from Him just so we could sit around laughing at the trials and tribulations of those around us. To the contrary, we have been charged to do the work of an evangelist and to comfort, encourage and edify with all the love of Christ in our hearts.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080915100149.qdzqexmo&show_article=1&catnum=0

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14363975.htm

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/14/america/arms.php

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080915/ap_on_re_us/severe_weather

The “Christian Religion” is not the same as “Christianity”

Here is a question to “test” your faith: If a haggard looking soul with sores all over his body and obviously dehydrated and starving to death stumbled up to you; what would you do?

Pull out a Bible and start yelling at him to repent for all the sin in his life which brought upon him all these horrible curses.

Ignore him and let someone else take care of him for you don’t have time to get involved lest you be late to church.

Take him to an Emergency Room to receive evaluation and treatment for medical conditions.

Take him to a shelter for the indigent.

Take him home, feed him, bathe him, share with him the story of Jesus and pray with him.

Why do we make everything so hard? The obvious answer to this question is #5. Yet, obvious or not, the number of Christians who would actually ever do such a thing would maybe be 1 in a thousand. The truth in the matter is that almost every Christian would do exactly what any unbeliever with a little compassion would do, and that is either #3 or #4. Of course a few zealots would do #1, but I don’t want to go on this post lest I never come back.

What do we Christians offer, if we do nothing differently than those in the world for those who are hurting? The typical Christian response to a disaster such as Hurricane Ike is to drop some old clothes off at Goodwill and write a check to the American Red Cross or Salvation Army and move on with life. With conscience appeased and back sufficiently patted for being such a “good person”, the average Christian will go his merry way and never think or pray again about the situation.

Aren’t we supposed to manifest the love and compassion of Christ as Christians? When confronted with need, aren’t we supposed to reach out and help with the love of Christ? Where and how Christianity turned into merely a meeting place for theological discussion is beyond me. Where and how Christianity turned into a building frequented once per week for worship services is beyond me. Where and how Christianity turned into a heartless and dead religion is beyond me.

For the most part, the “Christian Religion” is totally heartless and completely dead. There is basically no life and very little love manifested. There are only motions to be gone through and facades to be put up and hypocritical lies to be told. The “Christian Religion” is merely a convenient front to hide behind, masking the spiritual indifference and dead works of the actor using it to “look good”.

The hearts of many of God’s people have turned cold as ice and hard as rocks. The willingness to give is strictly dependent on how much remains after indulging in everything that appeases the lust of the flesh and of the eyes. Charitable giving is relegated to nothing more than the scraps left over after the feast. Truly the pompous attitude manifested by those who practice the “Christian Religion” is sickening.

Notice all these things I am saying are directed at those who practice the “Christian Religion”. There is little comparison between that which parades around claiming to be Christian and that which is Christianity INDEED. True Christianity loves not in word, but in DEED. True Christianity doesn’t just talk about helping people—it gets out there and does it.

I hate to keep beating a dead fish here, but unless Christians step up and start willingly putting others ahead of themselves all that will be left is Christian religiosity. Anybody can say anything that sounds good and in the process fool many people. But they can never fool themselves and they can never fool God. As Christians, we should willingly and freely give because of the appreciation and love in our hearts for all our Savior did for us.

There is a huge chasm between the branches of Christianity which seek to manifest compassion towards those who are in need and those which seek only to continually bless and take care of themselves. On another site, I was appalled to read someone make the statement that God wants Christians rich so they can impress the unbelievers and win them to Christ.

There are Christians who believe they are on earth to stockpile riches, live in mansions Donald Trump would envy, drive $100,000 cars and spend months each year relaxing on yachts. All the while, they wouldn’t freely give a nickel to anyone unless they got an IRS write off or a building named after them. God may very well bless someone with material wealth, but if it was really God blessing them, He expects the person to SHARE that which He gave with those who need it.

Religion talks about God, Christ and religious things but never lives them or does anything spiritual. Godliness knows God, Christ and spiritual things and lives them. God needs Christians who are Godly not religious. I pray He finds some who are willing to take up His cause and forsaking all, follow Him. There is a world of hurting, angry and confused people out there who, as Steve Green once sang about, “need the Lord”.

Why Can’t We Find the Resources to Really Help Others?

I just want to climb up on the roof and scream with every ounce of my strength. The frustration level has reached a point where I want to pull what remains of my hair out of my scalp. I simply cannot believe the insensitivity, the calloused indifference and flat out apathy which has hijacked much of Christianity and rendered it a useless religion void of compassion and any true expression of love.

Numerous attempts have been made by some of us to alert believers scattered around this nation to the ever increasing suffering being thrust upon our brothers and sisters through economic hard times and natural disasters. Instead of Christians rallying to help each other, there is more and more finger pointing, shifting the responsibility to others and hiding taking place. This attitude must stop or the consequences will be horrible.

Christianity if more than dressing up in nice clothes and sitting in a building singing songs and listening to yet another sermon. This is nothing but religion and flies in the face of what our Lord Jesus Christ taught regarding compassionately reaching out to others. Churches and groups who are only interested in themselves are guilty of selfishness and that self serving attitude will in due time render them a spiritual wasteland.

Wealthy Christians seem to have enough money to buy yet more and more “things”, yet they barely give enough to qualify as charitable giving. These same people will talk about how much they gave to the United Way and other secular charities but never consider giving a penny to a small Christian charities trying to carry out the Lord’s commands.

Christians think nothing of giving hundreds of dollars per week to their church, not having a clue where the money goes, yet will turn the other way when asked to help a grass roots Christian charity honestly helping people. Christians will drop a thousand dollar check in the building fund offering and a one dollar bill in the food drive offering.

Where is the love in all this? It seems to me that Christianity has turned into just another “look at me” religion instead of the “it’s all about you” ministry it is supposed to be. Christians would rather sit around discussing theology than ever get out and lift a finger to help someone in a desperate situation. The attitude of “let someone else do it” has infiltrated and taken hold among Christian groups to the point charitable giving is almost non-existent.

I have heard all the excuses about “being especially good to the household of faith” and how gifts and offerings are to go to pay the salaries of the leaders and the bills of the church etc. What happened to the heart of giving? What happened to the giving of alms? What happened to diverting some of the finances to something outside of the local needs of the church?

“Oh, but we give to worldwide missionary outreach”. Do you have a clue where the money goes? “We give to a consortium of groups”. Do you have a clue where the money goes? “We don’t care where it goes, we are only responsible to give”. Where does that fit with being good stewards and where is that in the Bible?

I think it is high time for Christians to wake up and realize that their personal giving is just that. GIVING, with no strings attached to whoever is doing the Lord’s work and will. Christianity is more than just church services and meetings, and more meetings and everything else that drains the budgets of most groups. Unless Christian groups start giving outside of themselves to others in need, their group will stagnate and fail. The same holds true for individuals; giving is to whoever is doing the Lord’s work, not simply to a church or group.

I cannot believe what I have heard, read and seen the past two weeks as I have attempted to find funds to help groups helping in disaster relief down south. NO ONE has any spare money to give. Every single person has every single penny spoken for already. The honest truth is no one wants to sacrifice one Coke per day or anything else to find the extra few dollars to help someone else. Funny how people always find the money to eat out at expensive restaurants, go to expensive movies or sporting events, buy new plasma televisions, go on vacations and million and one other things which feed the “its all about me” monster; yet cannot find a few dollars to help those helping people devastated by natural storms or personal disasters.

As I said at the beginning, I am ready to explode. I have worked my tail off the past two weeks doing research, communicating with associates and writing blogs all over the internet about the three hurricanes we have seen in September. I have just spent the past three days working with others trying to get the news out that Ike IS the storm of the century and to not underestimate it. We are all very frustrated because people don’t want to hear about anything that isn’t going to “bless them”.

Hey, sometimes there are things that come up in this life that don’t “bless us”. The event we remembered yesterday that took place in 2001 was not a “blessing”. Bad things happen to everyone sooner or later and when they do, everyone needs support and help to make it through. If Christians close up their wallets and shut up their bowels of compassion, then people are going to suffer and end up turning to the government or unbelievers for help. That is not how God wants things to be.

I am fully aware that people like me get under the skin of many Christians with my constant harping on the need to give to those who are suffering. I have been called the “hemorrhoid” on the Body of Christ among other things. I don’t care what people call me, I only want to do whatever I can to reach out and help others in their time of need. That is what true Christianity is supposed to be about. Christianity was never supposed to be a selfish “Me, Me” religion. It is supposed to be all about “what can I do for you?” and “how can I help YOU”.