"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

Continual Worship

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15 NASB)

What do you think of when you hear the word “worship”?  Typically we think of music, or a church service.  Most people think of “worship” as something you do at church.  Yet the Bible teaches that worship, for a true believer, should be a constant state of action.  The writer of the book of Hebrews says to “continually” offer up a sacrifice of praise.  This doesn’t mean that you are continually at church.  Nor that you are continually singing.  But it does mean that all throughout your day, you are aware of how God is blessing, protecting, and providing for you and you praise Him for it. 

    You should worship God for granting you a cool breeze on a hot day.  You should worship God for providing you a satisfying dinner when you’re hungry.  And you should worship God for giving you a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in.  All of these types of things, which most people take for granted, should spark heartfelt gratitude and worship in the believer’s life. 

    In all honesty, God owes these things to no one.  Many in this world are hungry and homeless.  Yet God has graciously poured out provisions upon you.  Praise Him for it!  Worship Him for who He is and what He has done.  Most of all, praise Him for the gospel of Christ.

    This is the greatest thing God has done for us.  He sent His son to live a perfect life on behalf of sinners, then to die a sacrificial death in their place.  By turning from our sin in repentance and committing our life to Christ as Lord we can be forgiven and be granted eternal life.  Has God saved you?  If so, then praise Him for it!  Continually praise Him for it.  He didn’t have to do it, but He chose to out of grace.

    God doesn’t need our worship.  He is completely self-sufficient and “needs” nothing.  But He allows us to worship Him and know Him.  Worship Him today because He is worthy of all praise.  Indeed, worship Him today, tomorrow, and forever.  Obey the writer of Hebrews and “continually” offer up a sacrifice of praise to the God who doesn’t need you, yet chose to embrace you.  He is worthy of our worship.

SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY: The GOD of The BIG & The small

Believing in a Sovereign God can be a dangerous thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think you should believe in God, as He is…..and He is sovereign. But when you let your mind and heart bow before a God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY … it will change the way you live…the way you think…the way you act…the way you pray…and the way you worship.

This past weekend (actually it was Sunday night-Tuesday morning which is as close as a Pastor ever gets to a ‘weekend’), I took the family camping. Of course, you have to understand that camping (at least with me) is always a bit of an adventure. First of all, my truck doesn’t have air conditioning…so we piled the family into the truck, hooked on to the trailer, opened the windows and headed to the great outdoors. As we pulled out of town it was hot and sunny, within 10 minutes it was cloudy and cool. It even looked like it might rain…but it never did. SOMEONE chose to knock the temperature down 15 degrees and send a cool breeze as we spent an hour driving in the UN-air conditioned truck.

The next day, the kids were begging to go swimming but I knew that might be painful. The cloudy and cool temperatures didn’t do much to entice most people to the swimming beach, but my kids were not deterred. Finally, at about 11 o’clock I announced, “After lunch, go put your swimsuits on…We’re GOING TO TRY and go to the swimming beach.” We got to the beach, the kids walked towards the water…AND THE SUN broke through the clouds just as the kids reached the shore. SOMEONE chose to let the sun shine, while my kids swam. (In fact it shinned so well that Andrew had a touch of sunburn.)

As soon as we were done swimming, the clouds rolled back in. In fact that evening the clouds REALLY rolled in and began to look rather ominous. The camp host told Erin that storms were expected after midnight, and if it got bad enough we would need to go to the bathhouse for safety. That evening, we had one of those moments that only come when camping. All 5 of us huddled into the camper listening to KKOW radio out of Pittsburg. I serenaded the family by singing along with George Strait, then we would all quiet down to listen to weather reports. Once darkness came, Savannah slept (in spite of my crooning). Then Karissa fell asleep. Andrew stayed awake and tried to act like he wasn’t scared of the approaching storms…though he was. The DJ came on the radio and said that a big storm was moving into Bourbon County and Northern Crawford County, and that in 10 minutes we would be having a downpour. I waited…and waited…but it never came. I went outside and watched the lightening and listened to the thunder….but it was just North of us. SOMEONE chose to make the storm pass us by, while my kids slept. NOW, I ask, who might that SOMEONE be?

The next evening I walked over by the lake and beheld nature’s glory. The sky was lit up with pink, which reflected off of the calm lake surface. Birds glided effortlessly right above the water. Crickets chirped. Fish jumped. It was beautiful. As I sat there taking it in, I prayed. And I wondered what an atheist does in a moment like that. The Psalmist writes, “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, the sky shows His handiwork.”(Psalm 19:1) Does an atheist look at such a scene and say “WOW!!! I love evolution!” or does he say, “The Heavens declare the Glory of the BIG BANG theory!” or does he say, “How glorious that all of this came from primordial ooze over billions of years of natural selection!”…..OR does he simply ignore it? Does he cynically scoff at the God who created him and the beauty that he placed him in? The Psalmist was right…“the Heavens DECLARE the glory of God” (emphasis on DECLARE). God screams His presence through the world…some accept it, some ignore it. But all will one day know the truth. It'll be too late for them to follow Him as Lord, but they’ll know they wasted their life in pursuit of passing things. Indeed, they'll know all too clearly...that there IS a GOD!

So, WHO was it that controlled the weather on our camping trip? It was God. In fact it was the same God who allowed the air conditioning to go out at the church that Sunday morning. And the same God that allowed all 3 of our kids to cough the entire first night of camping so that NO ONE slept. The first night was one of those nights, when I was hoping someone would break into the camper and say to me “your money or your life.” I would have responded, “you can have all my money…but PLEASE, PLEASE go ahead and shoot me anyway!” OK, it wasn’t quite that bad, but it was a tough night on everyone…and God allowed it. Then God allowed a raccoon to get into our ice chest and eat all of our butter and cheese…the only thing he left was the hamburgers I cooked the night before, which to be honest, kind of offended me. ( Later I found the wrapper to the burgers, so he actually ate those too…thank goodness.) God allowed us to get several mosquito bites, and a couple of tick bites, and some mild sunburn. This morning, God allowed the battery on my car to be dead. I promptly jump started it with Erin’s van, drove the van back to the garage, walked back around to my car, only to find it was dead again. At that point, I decided God had allowed me a nice walk to the church. And as I walked I thought, and I prayed. The God I was worshipping, allowed a train to roar through town and lay on it’s whistle for 45 SECONDS, almost causing me to curse the train, as I praised the Lord.

Do you believe in the God of Sovereignty? Do you believe in the God of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY? Here’s the point. If you believe in a God who blesses you with little and BIG things…then you must also believe in a God that allows you to face trials in little and BIG things. Some want to have their cake and eat it too. They want God’s blessings with no trials. Or they praise God for good things…and simply curse Satan for bad things. Make no mistake, Satan is evil and vicious…but GOD’S Sovereignty TRUMPS Satan’s power EVERTYTIME. We must bow to the Sovereign ONE when things are good…and when things are bad. THIS is the very essence of worship. Anyone will brag on a God who blesses them. But mature, cross-bearing disciples will praise their King, even when He chooses to send pestilence and misery into their life.

God’s blessings always pose a veiled challenge…..Will we worship the GIVER? Or do we simply worship HIS GIFTS? The first option is Christianity. The second option is Idolatry. God is either Sovereign over all things….or He is sovereign over NOTHING. Anything less is a god of human design….and unworthy of worship. SO, praise Him in the sun…and praise Him in the storms. Praise Him in the air conditioning…and Praise Him in the sweltering heat. Praise! The GOD of SUPREME SOVEREIGNTY! For He Alone is Worthy….

… … …

"The Heavens Declare the Glory of God, The sky shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)

Spiritual Criminals….Paroled By Christ

You’re guilty of a crime….and so am I. Every one of us have broken the law and must be punished. If I told you that you had committed a crime against a person and you must go to prison, you would no doubt be devastated. The thought of incarceration and the loss of freedom terrifies us. Even worse, what if you were sentenced to be executed for your crime. Imagine the process: you eat your “last meal”; you say good-bye to your family; you’re strapped to a table; a minister prays with you; then an IV is placed in your arm as the lethal drug is injected……moments later you’re dead. But, you WERE guilty….and thus received the just punishment for you’re crime. What if I told you that you REALLY WERE guilty of a crime and deserved this punishment. No doubt you would scoff and argue that you were innocent. How dare someone accuse a good person like you of such a crime! Well, here’s the reality. You ARE guilty of a crime. Maybe not a crime against man…..but a crime against God. YOU (and I) HAVE BROKEN GOD’S LAW!

AHHHHH, THAT’S what he’s talking about. You breathe a sigh of relief to know that you don’t really have to go to prison or be executed. You haven’t really broke Man’s Law….only God’s…..and after all God is gracious, so I don’t need to fear punishment, right? WRONG. Oh, to be sure, God isn’t going to imprison you in Leavenworth, nor give you the electric chair…..In fact it’s worse….MUCH WORSE…..your crime against God will lead to eternal prison and torment in Hell.

Isn’t it amazing how people shudder at the thought of breaking Man’s Law, yet disregard so lightly the breaking of God’s Law? The fact is God’s Law is MUCH easier to break…..and the consequences are infinitely worse than those for breaking Man’s Law. The Bible says: “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” (1 John 3:4 NASB) How easily we forget that sinning means you’re breaking God’s law. Which sins? Murder? Adultery? Idolatry? Yes…..and add to that gossiping, lying, gluttony, laziness, disobeying parents, using God’s name in vain, etc. etc. etc.

We have a tendency to disregard our sins as being “little.” While it’s true, the TEMPORAL consequences may differ in their severity, it’s the ETERNAL consequences that are so devastating. For example, if I eat too much dinner and make myself sick, I commit gluttony. If I have an affair, I commit adultery. My wife will show much more tolerance for a glutton than she will an adulterer. The TEMPORAL consequences are much worse for adultery than for gluttony. But in God’s eyes….the ETERNAL consequences for breaking even the smallest of His Laws….are eternal damnation.

If we approach God in this way….knowing how horrible our sin is and knowing the punishment it deserves….then our praise and worship of Him is SO MUCH DEEPER….when we ponder what Christ has done for us.

When we think of God’s perfect standard, we sometimes view Him as harsh. But when we realize that HE HIMSELF took that infinite punishment for us, we will view Him as GRACIOUS….beyond comprehension.

Tomorrow’s sermon will be from 1 John 3:4-6. We will examine the fact that we are Spiritual Criminals deserving punishment…..yet Jesus bore the wrath of God, in our place. We ARE guilty…..yet exonerated. Not because God ignored our sin….but because HE paid for it and punished it on Calvary’s cross.

So think about that as you worship in God’s House tomorrow. You shouldn’t even be allowed to show your face in God’s House….neither should I. We’re guilty sinners, and spiritual lawbreakers……But because of that “Amazing Grace” we NOT ONLY can show our face in God’s House, we’re encouraged (even commanded) to. We can boldly approach His Awesome Throne, as forgiven sinners. His allowing us to show our face….should cause us to fall on our face…..in genuine, deep, heart-felt worship for the God who could have punished you forever…..yet chose to save instead. Celebrate God in worship, as if you were a guilty criminal, paroled by Christ…..because in all reality…..that’s what ALL CHRISTIANS really are. “To God be the glory, great things He hath done…”

Christmas Candle (By John Piper)

At the Christmas Eve service, I read an excerpt from a poem by John Piper entitled "Christmas Candle."  Below is the entire poem for those who may be interested...

.......

CHRISTMAS CANDLE ---By John Piper

The sun had just begun to set
And Joseph's face, filled with regret
Appeared again. "We'll find a place,"
Said Mary, full of hope and grace.
"I know we will," she touched his chin
And bravely smiled, "Who needs an inn?
The sky is clear, the blankets thick
And warm; there's still good light to pick
A place among the rocks we passed.
God's first and best is often last."
More times than he preferred to think
Poor Joseph's faith would start to sink
And darkness gather like a foe
'Til Mary's hopeful heart would glow.
It wasn't that he feared the night,
Nor prowling beasts nor thieves to fight.
In fact, it wasn't fear at all
That made the tears begin to fall.
"It's all right, Joseph, I don't mind.
I'm sure it won't be hard to find."
"My God, you're pregnant, woman, look!
What kind of husband ever took
His wife to sleep among the rocks?
I'm not a shepherd with some flocks;
I am a man and you're my wife
With child." She hugged him to the Life
Within her womb and said no more.
Wise woman, she had learned before:
Sometimes you leave a man alone
To bear his load of love, and groan.

She'd kept it to herself all day
And every time they came she'd pray
"Not yet, O God, not on the road;
Your handmaid bears as big a load
As she can take. O Lord, please wait;
Please let the child, your child, come late."
She never burdened Joseph down,
Not even when they got to town,
Not even at the setting sun,
But only when the search was done.
He helped her down among the cocks
And hens. She smiled, "It sure beats rocks,
Especially for a night-time birth."
"I'm in no mood for silly mirth."
"Nor I." "How long have you known this?"
"No anger now, my love, let's kiss
The hour and kiss the ways of God.
Remember that his staff and rod
Are comfort, father David said."
She winced and quickly shaped her bed.
"I helped to make your day's load light;
Please, Joseph, carry me tonight."
"I'll get a midwife from the place..."
"Don't leave me here without your face.
My mother showed me what to do
And what I need right now is you."

Between the pains she tried to lie
In peace and stare into the sky,
And think of how she'd been prepared.
And then she said, "Joseph, I'm scared."
And he with steady eye and calm
Recalled for her the angel's psalm.
"He is the shoot of Jesse's rod;
He shall be called the Son of God;
His Kingdom shall not ever end.
Will not God then his birth attend?"
But Mary's face remained so grim:
"The promises are sure for him.
You know I never doubt God's word,
But, Joseph, I have never heard
A promise for myself but this:
‘Some sword my own soul will not miss.'"
Again his eyes were steady, bright
Reflecting heaven's grace and light.
"Our book is full of promises;
Remember that one where it says,
No good thing does the Lord withhold
From those whose cares on him are rolled.
And: when your worries multiply
God's consolation hovers nigh.
And: steadfast love surrounds the girl
For whom Jehovah is her pearl.
And: God's a stronghold for the weak,
How happy those who his help seek."
Each time the birthing pangs withdrew
He gave her joyful words and true.
He carried Mary with the Word
And she delivered what she heard:
God's Yes to every ancient oath.
And now with lifted hands they both
Were filled with distant prophecy:
"To God alone all praises be,
And let the world a candle light
To celebrate this awesome night."

“Animals” In The Church: Sheep, Goats, Wolves, and Paranoid Pastors

Paranoia goes “hand in hand” with the Pastorate.  It might surprise you to know that every good and faithful Pastor/ Elder is a little paranoid…..AND SCRIPTURE COMMANDS HIM TO BE.  The passage we are studying in our Bible Study tonight is from Acts 20:25-32, where Paul exhorts the Ephesian Elders to:  “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert…” (Acts 20:28-31 NASB)

…

A good Shepherd HAS to “be on guard” for the flock.  In the Old Testament, David was known as a good Shepherd.  He’s also well known for the Psalms he wrote, and for his ability to play the harp.  No doubt he practiced these skills while spending those long days and nights out with his sheep.  But make no mistake….while David was writing poetry and singing songs…he was doing it with an eye fixed on the horizon scanning for possible predators.  His harp wasn’t all he carried……word has it he was pretty handy with a sling shot too (isn’t that right Goliath?).  So what’s the point?….

            Pastors, Elders, and really all Christians must be on guard for the purity and unity of the church.  Now, that’s a notion that flies completely in the face of our modern sensibilities…where no one is allowed to take a stand on anything….and you’re certainly not allowed to make your view the authority.  But what about GOD’S view?  If a church is going to be a church in the Biblical sense, then it must regard God’s Word as true and authoritative….it must seek to be a witness in a lost world…and it must have Shepherds that are “on guard” for potential problems.

            With that said….here are three different kinds of “animals” that exist in the church.  First, there are sheep.  No surprise here….sheep are Christians.  They follow the Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ.  They come to church for worship, fellowship, etc.  They are “born again” and desire to follow Christ.  They can easily stray….they sometimes stink….and they occasionally act like the world, but not for very long because “sheep” have the Holy Spirit living within them to guide, comfort, and convict.  Those are sheep.

            Everyone who’s not a sheep could be considered a goat, but I want to differentiate between two different kinds of “lost people” that I will call “goats” and “wolves.”  Keep in mind…they’re both lost and both heading for Hell, unless they become sheep.  But for church purposes, we need to differentiate.  So here goes….

            Goats pose no real threat to the church, per se.  They could cause problems, but that’s not why they’re really at church.  They’re attitude is generally indifferent.  They’re there on Sunday morning because the wife made them come, or because they think going to church is just the “thing to do” on Sunday morning.  Others are deceived “Christians” (notice the quotation marks) who think they’re saved….or maybe even phony “Christians” who know they’re not saved….but simply don’t care. (For examples of this see 1 John 1, or if you attend my church, think back to the 4 sermons I just finished preaching on 1 John 1).  One more type of goat is what might be called a “seeker.”  (Please be patient while I go on a diatribe.)  When I say “seeker” I’m NOT talking about this mythical creature that wonders the world looking for “meaning” because they have a “God-sized hole in their heart.”  Its true we were created to worship…and its true that we all know deep down that God exists and that He should be worshiped….But the fact is people are born “enemies of God” (see Ephesians 2) and really have no desire to please anyone but themselves.  I’m sorry if that sounds harsh….but it’s Biblical, and if you have small children, you know it’s a reality.  No one has to teach a 2 year old to be selfish, and to cry and throw a fit when they don’t get their way.  They do it naturally.  Why?  Because they have a sinful nature.  Why?  Because they inherited it from Mom and Dad who are no better than the kid….just older and more able to disguise the sin nature.  When I say “seeker” I mean someone who is curious about Christianity….and according to the Bible, the reason they’re “curious” is because the Holy Spirit is drawing them (see John 6:44).  Romans 3:10 says, “No one seeks after God.”  This is why I have such a problem with the “seeker-sensitive” approach to church that has become so popular.  It starts with a false assumption that all people are “seeking” God…then it attempts to package the gospel in a way that “seekers” will respond….INSTEAD OF preaching the truth…the whole truth…and nothing but the truth like Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, John, etc. did.  OK, diatribe is over, now back to the main topic.

            Some “goats” may be “seekers” who are being drawn by the Holy Spirit…we are glad they came to church and we pray for their salvation.  The door is always open to sheep and to goats….but NOT to wolves.

            Wolves are dangerous…and are ignored at the church’s peril.  Wolves are NOT indifferent….they are hostile to the church, to God, to Christians, and to the gospel.  But beware….they are sometimes disguised as sheep.  Paul said not to be surprised at that since even Satan disguises himself as an “angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14)  Wolves must be taken seriously.  Paul reminded the Ephesian elders that he had warned them about things like this constantly for three years “with tears.”  Sheep being destroyed by wolves broke Paul’s heart….and he never allowed it.  The hard part for us is determining whether someone is a “goat” or a “wolf.”  We MUST be watchful and prayerful and ask God to direct.  But Jesus does tell us that wolves will eventually make themselves known: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” (Matt 7:15-20 NASB)

…

So what do you do with wolves?  Paul “handed them over to Satan.” (see 1 Tim. 1:20 and 1 Cor. 5:1-5)  Why?  Because he hoped Satan would torment them so bad that they would repent and be saved.  It IS possible for a wolf to become a sheep…in fact Paul is probably the biggest example….But one thing Paul NEVER did….he didn’t allow wolves to stay in the church and risk harming a sheep’s faith or a goats chances of salvation.  If a wolf is to be saved….it’s going to have to take place outside the fellowship of the church, in most cases.

            So what are you:  sheep, goat, or wolf?  I’m a Pastor….which means I’m a sheep of Christ that also serves as an under-Shepherd of His Church…..and NOW you know why I’m so paranoid.  The Bible commands me to be.  You also know why I’ll never have a sign in front of the church that says, “EVERYONE WELCOME” because everyone is NOT welcome.  Lost people are welcome no matter what sin they may be struggling with.  Druggies, drunks, and fornicators are welcome.  Obviously sheep are welcome……but not wolves.  Anyone who has a desire to destroy the Lord’s church is NOT welcome……but that’s OK…there are plenty of other church’s that don’t mind having wolves around….since many churches in our day……are being pastored by them.  It’s scary.  It’s sad.  But its true…….So, what kind of “animal” are you?

….

P.S.---For my next “paranoid” blog, I may write about my belief that Barrack Obama is the Anti-Christ, Hillary is the False Prophet, and the Great Tribulation will be starting sometime shortly after November of 2008.  If I’m wrong about Obama, then my second guess is Oprah.  Hillary’s too mean to deceive anyone.  But what about Obama?.....Hmmm…very interesting isn’t he?

            

Everybody Will Worship SOMETHING…..So Why Don’t They Worship GOD?

Acts 19 gives an interesting account of the Ephesian people going berserk over their neighborhood idol, Artemis (aka-Diana). An idol-maker named Demetrius stirs up a crowd to oppose Paul and the Christians because they were teaching that idols are all phony and that people need to turn to Christ. Demetrius and many others were motivated by money. They made silver statues of Artemis and made a fortune peddling them. But why would people buy them? Isn’t it obvious that a “god” made by a man’s hands is not a real “God?” God makes men…Men don’t make God. So why worship an idol? Or why worship at all?

I want to try and answer two primary questions: First--why do people worship? Second, why DON’T they worship the REAL God?

People are born with a desire to worship SOMETHING. Even a casual read of the book of Romans bears this out. Paul writes: That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20 NASB, also see Rom. 2:14-15)  In other words, there is enough evidence of God from creation and from an internal stamp of the Creator that ALL people, deep down, know there is a God, that He should be worshipped, and they are accountable to Him. Man was created in the garden of Eden to worship and glorify God…and this desire to worship exists even after the fall of man. But when Adam fell in sin, and the world became “sin cursed,” something else happened too. Man in his sinful depravity KEEPS the desire to worship, but SHUNS the worship of the One, True, GOD. So here’s the short answer to the questions: Why do people worship? Because they were designed to. Why don’t they worship God? Because they’re too sinful to. Now if you want the longer version…keep reading.

Ultimately, the reason people don’t worship God is because of sin. That shouldn’t be a surprise to you. But you may be surprised to know how far reaching the effects of sin are. Sin doesn’t just make you “less than perfect.” Sin SEPARATES you from God in a devastating kind of way. Sinners don’t have a relationship with God, and what’s worse, they (you) don’t DESIRE a relationship with God. So don’t buy into the lie that the world is full of sinners who LONG to be saved and know God, but can’t because God’s too mean to let them. Sinners want nothing to do with the worship of Jesus Christ….unless they are “born again” sinners (see John 3). So what makes a sinner NOT want to become a Christian? Sin…right. But what kind of sin?

For some it may just be laziness. You share the gospel and the demands of Christ to turn from sin, deny yourself and follow Him….and people say NO WAY. Following Christ is hard. Living for my own desires is easy. So people choose self over salvation. But some religions DO call people to self-denial, yet are still false. For example, Islam calls people to fast and deny themselves and to pray in a very disciplined manner. If a person is willing to do all of that “hard stuff” why don’t they just turn to Christ? Again, the short answer is sin. The long answer is that they take that longing to worship SOMETHING and they perceive that true worship must take work….so they buy into a “works salvation” in a false god. Out of all the various “religions” they choose the one that seems right to them. They can remain a hardened sinner and follow Mohammed, or Buddha, or anyone else for that matter. Why? Because their sin doesn’t separate them from Mohammed…in fact it unites them because Mohammed was a sinner too. Their sin separates them from Christ. And they have no desire to turn to Christ because of that sin nature. This leads to another reason people don’t worship the true God----their culture.

Go to a “Muslim country” and most people will be Muslim. The same is true of any other religion. This is because people are not JUST sinners….they are also “cliquish” sinners. They want to be like everyone else….and in some countries they HAVE to be or they’ll be disowned. But let's be sure to stay off our American high horse and not pretend our country isn’t the same. Americans are probably more cliquish than any country. We clique up over everything (religion, politics, sports, etc.). Of course we don’t “clique up” over Jesus, because contrary to 3^rd world opinion, America is NOT a Christian country….and it hasn’t been for a LONG time. But that’s a blog for another day.

One final reason I’ll mention for why people don’t worship the Real God. Some people drop out of religion all together. They are secular and say either: all religious are wrong or all religions are the same, therefore it doesn’t matter what I do. They’re ALMOST right. All religious are wrong (except Christianity) and all religions are the same (except Christianity). They’re all the same in the sense that they’re all wrong about Christ and thus all lead to the same eternal damnation. The last couple of sentences sound extremely arrogant to our 21^st century ears. But, like it or not,…..that is the ESSENCE of the teaching of Jesus Christ. He preached a gospel that is as exclusive as it gets. “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, except by me.” (John 14:6)

When you read Acts 19 and see the riot that occurred over Artemis the false god, it is somewhat fascinating. These lunatics paraded through town and then gathered at a stadium and shouted, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” for 2 hours. That’s what religions do. They are excited about their god. Is it hard for you to imagine someone being excited and shouting for 2 hours? How about 4 hours? In hard stadium seats? Ever seen a Chiefs game? By the way….I’m NOT joking. The Ephesians were fanatics (fans) of Artemis. They yelled for Artemis. They packed a stadium for Artemis. They were willing to fight for Artemis. Does this type of religious zeal exist in America? Yes….its just NOT over religions that are spiritual…its over religions that are “American.” How many people in this country worship athletes, or singers, or movie-stars? The passion for false religion is alive and well in America….its just not always what we think of as “religious idols.” There’s nothing wrong with being a fan…but is your greatest passion the Chiefs, or the Christ?

All people worship something. Some won’t admit it…but their life bears it out. Some worship “false gods” in the form of another religion (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc., etc.) Some worship false “Christs” (Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Liberal Christianity, etc., etc.). Some worship other things (money, self, people, possessions). Few…very few…truly know and worship Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We CAN’T change their sinful hearts…but we can mourn over them. We CAN’T argue them into the kingdom…but we CAN (and are commanded to) tell them how to get there. But realize this…Christianity, the REAL Christianity, not the one of American “ear-ticklers”…REAL Christianity is a HARD message. It won’t “sell.” That’s why GOD gives it as a “free gift.” And ultimately, its only GOD that can change their heart. Everybody’s going to worship something or someone…..WHO will YOU worship?

Are You Worshiping? Or is GOD Just “Background Noise?”

Recently, I heard a Christian song come on the radio while I was driving to Casey’s (for those outside of Kansas---Casey’s is a convenience store). Shout to the Lord, is an “oldie but goody” that I’ve heard a thousand times, so when I heard it come on my response was “lukewarm.” But, I decided I was going to do something unusual. When I got to Casey’s I set in my car---and actually listened to the words of this song I know so well. I had a genuine worship experience as I heard the lyrics about God: “Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your Name.” WOW! Those are powerful words. I remember when I first heard this song years ago-- it gave me chills to think of God’s Majesty and Power. NOW--the song has become old hat. In fact, it almost became “background noise” as I drove to the store. That’s a SCARY thought.

I think I’ve discovered a “down side” to Christian radio. We can hear songs about the greatness of God----and we ignore them. Don’t get me wrong, I like Christian music. If you’re going to have background music I’d rather it be Shout to the Lord than Marilyn Manson---but we need to FIGHT the tendency to let things of God become “background” issues. And rest assured its going to be a FIGHT. In our society we are so BOMBARDED with imagery (both audio and visual) that we are highly trained in ignoring things. This can be a very edifying skill when you're driving by billboards with sinful pictures plastered on them. But this can be a very deadly skill when you use it to ignore God, even if you’re ignoring Him “sub-consciously.” You don’t even realize you’re doing it---and yet we so often do it.

This mindset can easily be transferred to Sunday morning worship. Have you ever mumbled the words of a familiar hymn (or praise song) while you were thinking about last night’s ballgame, or Sunday dinner, or what you’re doing after church? If so, then you have just let WORSHIP become BACKGROUND NOISE in your life. Which means you haven’t really WORSHIPED at all. You’ve sung. And if the song had God’s Name in it (Shout to the LORD), then you’ve blasphemed! Does that sound too harsh? Don’t blame me--Take it up with the God who gave us the 3^rd commandment (Thou shall not use God’s Name in vain.)

I’ve heard it said that the 3^rd commandment is broken more by Christians on Sunday morning than it is by the drunks on Saturday night. I’m sure its true. They use God’s Name as a curse word. We use God’s Name as “background noise.” Both cases are using God’s Name in vain. What’s more----we will give an account to God for this! Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matt. 12:36) It kind of gives a whole new outlook to the “Prayer Hymn” doesn’t it?

I wonder what it was like back in the days before radio and TV? If a Christian wanted to hear a song about God back then they had to sing it themselves (or listen to someone else sing in person). It seems like it would have been harder to use God’s Name in vain through a song under those circumstances. So I guess in a way our numerous electronic blessings, can also be a curse. We can “listen” to Christian music 24/7---and yet NEVER really LISTEN to it. We can hear GLORIOUS descriptions of GOD’S GRANDEUR and not even notice because we’re watching the stoplight. We can “sing along” to a song on the radio and not pay any attention to what we’re singing. If you do that listening to country music, you might sing about cheating on your wife (see blog on Secular Music in my Archives under Living the Faith), if you do that listening to “hip hop” you may sing about beating your wife. If you do that singing “worship songs”---------you may blaspheme the God of the Universe whose son died for your sins…..THAT’S REALLY SCARY! Now may be a good time to stop and read the last few sentences again….AND REALLY THINK ABOUT THEM……Think about this next time you’re listening to the radio in your car. Think about this next time your asked to “join us in singing” in a worship service. Think about it……and start training your mind and heart to “pay attention” when God is the topic. Learn to cultivate a heart of true, genuine worship-----not just singing. And whatever you do----DON’T EVER let GOD become “background noise” in your life……..Just a little something to think about……

Northern, Southern, & Kansan Worship

(How should we worship? I recently wrote the article below for the Linn County News to try and answer the question. I hope you find it helpful.)

.

.

Recently I was at a Pastor’s Conference in which we were to hear a sermon on the Cross.  Before the sermon I noticed to my left a Pastor dressed in a very nice suit.  His name tag told me he was from the North.  He was quiet and didn’t seem to want to visit too much.  The Pastor to my right was a Southerner; he too was dressed nice, though not as formal.  He was very talkative and friendly.  Then there was me, the small town Pastor from America’s Heartland.  As our speaker, moved towards the end of his message about God’s amazing grace displayed at the cross, I noticed that I was being deeply affected by the Holy Spirit.  I bowed my head and began to quietly weep tears of joy as I thought about God’s grace in my life.  At the exact same moment, the Southern preacher to my right clapped his hands and shouted, “Amen!”  The Northerner to my left did nothing.

            Which one of us truly worshipped?  The answer, I believe, is all three of us.  We had different personalities and were from different parts of the country, which led to us displaying our worship in very different ways.  But “while man looks at the outer appearance, God looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

            At the end of the sermon, we all stood to sing a closing song about God’s grace.  As I stood wiping the tears from my eyes, I noticed my Southern brother was also weeping.  I then glanced to my left and noticed the stoic Northern brother with tears streaming down his face as well.  All three of us were brought to a place of true worship through a message of God’s grace.  And after worshipping through the sermon, we worshipped again in song.  A Northern accent, a Southern accent, and a slightly off key Kansas/Oklahoma accent.  It might have sounded painful to man, but it was glorious to God. And His opinion is all that matters.

            Worship wars begin when we try to force others into our view of proper worship.  Clappers get mad because others aren’t clapping.  Head bowers get mad because others aren’t bowing heads.  True worship and true unity in the Spirit takes place when we leave each other alone and focus on God Alone.  If we are to worship God in a Biblical and God-Centered manner, then God and His Word must be the focus, rather than people.

            True worship on Earth is a foretaste of worship in Heaven.  Raised hands, bowed heads, tears of brokenness, tears of joy, shouts of “Amen!”, whispers of “thank you Jesus” all are true worship, if the heart is genuine.  A worship service is coming one day in which there will be people from “every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)  There will be Northerners and Southerners.  Country people and City people.  Africans and Asians.  Blacks and Whites.  Men and Women.  All different and yet the same.  Sinners saved by grace.  All who have turned to Jesus Christ while on Earth will sing of His glories in Heaven.  We will sing in one accord, (yet perhaps with different accents) to our God and we will experience true worship.  My prayer is that we could taste a little of that in this life.  I hope this is your prayer too.