Love and Believe

Feb 032012
 

“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; …” John 14:21a NASB

One of the proofs that a person is a Christian is that a true Christian is obedient to Christ. A true Christian is saved by grace alone, by faith alone, by Christ alone and because of this, a true Christian is obedient to Christ.

So what is the motive for Christians to be obedient to the Lord Jesus? What does Christ say here in John 14? He who loves Him. The motive for Christians to be obedient to Christ is that they love Christ. Love is the great motivation for those who have been purchased with the blood of Christ…because He first loved us.

The other motive for a Christian to be obedient to Christ is that the true Christian truly believes Christ…believes God. The Christian is obedient because he/she believes that what God commands is what is best and believes that God is faithful. Christians who obey or strive to obey out of fear or because it is the “Christian” thing to do have fallen of into a deep ditch called legalism. Anytime we try to earn favor with God, we are committing a hideous sin because ultimately we are not believing the Gospel.

Pastor Jeff Parks

 February 3, 2012  Christian Living, Stirring Up One Another No Responses »

Been There, Done That……Really?

Dec 192011
 

I like to post videos of Paul Washer. It is because he so confidently stands for the Gospel as proclaimed in the Bible. There is no ambiguity. Every time he speaks you must deal with the truth of God’s Word and how it applies to you. Here is another dose of truth.

Below is the testimony of Paul Washer’s wife who once thought she was saved then realized she wasn’t. We can easily deceive ourselves.

 December 19, 2011  Evangelism, Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel No Responses »

It’s Not About You

Jun 232011
 

Pastor Jeff Parks writes today about lust; not directed at our personal struggle with temptation but our role in tempting others. When reading Scripture we quickly learn the commands to love God first and others second. So taking a responsible look at how we might cause others to sin is a proper loving approach to our Christian walk.

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Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire. – Matthew 18:7-9

Are you an accessory to adultery? Do you play a role in men or women committing adultery with the clothing you wear? The 7th Commandment is – Thou shall not commit adultery. Jesus says that if look at a person with lustful intent he or she has already committed adultery in his/her heart (Matthew 5:27).

So does any of your clothing promote lust in others? Does any of your clothing suggest lustful intent? Do you look more like a godly man or woman or do you look like the sensual world? Stand in the mirror and honestly evaluate what you are wearing. Ask yourself, “Why am I wearing what I have on and could this, within reason, tempt anyone to have lustful thoughts?” Remember what Christ said, “Woe to the world for temptations to sin….” And what does He command in response to any sin…even the sin of being an accessory to adultery…bringing forth temptations? If your hand, your foot, your eyes cause you to sin, destroy them.

There MUST be a great element of humility in this ever growing problem in our society concerning dress. How tragic it is to hear Christians say, “If my clothing causes Jim Bob to lust, that is HIS problem.” While it is true that it is a problem for Jim Bob, do you not see the pride and self-centeredness of the one who says such unloving things? Know this, godly men and women hate sin and strive to put such sin to death (Romans 8:13 & 1 Peter 2:11). Godly men and women put others ahead of themselves…they desire that others rejoice in Christ because of them (Philippians 1:26)

So please, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, dress modestly out of love for others, out of love for one another, and most importantly out of love for Christ. And please, avoid the sin of SELF-justification.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31 

Jeff Parks
 June 23, 2011  Christian Living, For God's Glory, Stirring Up One Another Comments Off

When There Is No Peace

Aug 262010
 

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading. – Lamentations 2:14

Because of Israel’s egregious, in your face, sins; sins that are portrayed in Jeremiah as Israel playing the part of whore, God raised up Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire to punish them. If you read the book of Jeremiah, you will get a better understanding of what God’s wrath was like upon the children of Israel. But how did Israel’s sins become so great? Jeremiah, the author of Lamentations, tells us. He explains that Israel’s prophets had been false prophets and that they had not been pointing out the iniquities of the people…HOW TRAGIC.

So what can we learn from this passage of Scripture? One thing for sure is that a mark of a false prophet, false teacher, a false pastor is that he doesn’t expose the sins of the people. What I mean is that his preaching and teaching rarely or never mentions sin, specific sins. His messages never convict. His messages for the most part make most everyone feel good and happy. But how does Scripture address such an issue?

Scripture is very clear – And when He, the Holy Spirit, comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: – John 16:8. The Holy Spirit has been sent here by Christ to convict sinners of sin and lead them to faith and repentance. If the people of your local church, if you, are not being convicted regularly as your pastor proclaims God’s Word then chances are very good that your pastor is not God’s called man to shepherd His flock. Not only that, he very well could be a false prophet/teacher.

As the USA continues to spiral down into the cesspool of immorality, it must be noted that much of the blame is to be laid at the feet of sleepy, comfortable, complacent Christians…even more so to the pastors of the church for not exposing the iniquities of the land.

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD.  – Jeremiah 8:11-12

Jeff Parks

 August 26, 2010  Discernment, Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel Comments Off

True Living

May 072010
 

In my Inbox today:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  – Romans 8:5-6

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, set your mind on the things of the Spirit. What does that mean? By FAITH strive for holiness. You have been set apart for God and His Kingdom. Be about advancing His Kingdom. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness – BE CHRISTLIKE! Out of love be obedient to your Father in heaven. It means that whether you eat or drink, or WHATEVER you do, do all to the glory of God.

Remember that the world has nothing to offer. All the Christian needs is taken care for us by our Father. Our greatest pursuits in life should be to love the LORD our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength,  love others, strive to be pleasing to Him, and pursue with all my might in His strength to be more and more like Jesus. THAT IS TRUE LIVING!

“Be filled with the Spirit. Seek to be more and more under His blessed influence. Strive to have every thought, word, action, and habit brought under the obedience to the leading of the Holy Ghost. Grieve Him not by inconsistencies and conformity to the world. Quench Him not by trifling with little infirmities and small besetting sins. Seek rather to have Him ruling and reigning more completely over you every week that you live.” J.C. Ryle

 May 7, 2010  Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel Comments Off

Hometown Mission Field

Feb 092010
 

From my inbox today…


Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NASB-

Brothers and Sisters, you have been given a ministry of reconciliation…that is you are to be an ambassador for Christ imploring the lost souls Christ has sovereignly put in your life to be reconciled to God. You and I are to be proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and urging…pleading lost sinners to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to encourage you, in the strength of Christ by faith, to tell people about Jesus. Pray for God to open doors for you to share the Gospel. Do it out of love for Christ. Do it out of love for lost souls.

A minister once announced to his congregation
one Sunday morning, “I am going on a mission
to the heathen.”

Now he had not told his deacons about it, and
they looked puzzled at one another. Some of
the good people in the congregation began
to take out their pocket handkerchiefs, as they
thought their minister was going to leave them–
he was so useful and necessary to them that they
felt sad at the bare idea of loosing him.

“But” he added, “I shall not be out of town.”

So may you also go on a mission to the heathen
without going out of this huge town of yours!
You might almost preach to every sort of heathen
within the bounds of your town. If you want to
reach the heathen who have gone farthest into
sin, you need not certainly leave your town for
that. You shall find men and women rotten with
sin, and reeking in the nostrils of God with their
abominations. You may go about on a mission
to the heathen, and your railway ticket need
not cost you one penny!

- Charles Spurgeon,

 February 9, 2010  Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel Comments Off

The Greatest Christmas Tree

Dec 042009
 

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. – 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

We got our Christmas tree up last weekend. Though it seems, to me, more and more of a struggle to get it up each and every year, I still enjoy having it in my home. As you enjoy your Christmas tree this 2009 Christmas season, I hope you take time to reflect on the most perfect “Christmas tree”…the tree that Christ Jesus our Lord hung upon at Calvary.

Our Christmas trees have lights and ornaments hanging from them. This tree had hung upon it the very body of the Son of God. Christ the Lord hung on that tree drinking down the wrath of His Father. His blood flowing for the forgiveness of your sins. Jesus hung on that tree bearing the penalty for YOUR SINS AND MY SINS!. Jesus hung on that tree so that as He took upon all of our sins…took upon Himself the full just and righteous wrath of God, we would be accredited with His righteousness. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!

I hope you enjoy your Christmas tree this Christmas season, but please do not forget to thank God for the Greatest Christmas Tree Ever!

by Jeff Parks

 December 4, 2009  For God's Glory, Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel, The Word of God Comments Off

While We Were Still Sinners

Nov 292009
 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. - Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV

How sinfully corrupt is mankind?

Was it humanity at its worst that crucified the Son of God? No, it was humanity at its best. Christ Jesus’ Passion…His death on the cross was the result of the deliberate plans conceived by the highly respected religious leaders of the day who justified their actions by the highest of standards; God’s Word and morality. It was man in his righteousness that put to death the Son of God.

How great is Christ’s love for His people?

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. – Romans 5:7-11 ESV

As the Christmas season begins, let us remember the true meaning of Christmas: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – 1 Timothy 1:15

By Jeff Parks

 November 29, 2009  Salvation, Stirring Up One Another, The Gospel Comments Off

Be Pleasing To God

Nov 192009
 

My Goal for Everyday of My Life – TO BE PLEASING TO GOD

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ Mark 12:29-30

* How are Christians to be pleasing to God? BY FAITH…by being obedient to His commands; obedient because you believe Him.
* You believe that what God commands is what is best for you…believing that what God commands is out of an incomparable love for His children.
* You believe that His ways are far greater than your own.
* You believe because He is faithful. You are obedient to His commands by faith and because you love Him.
* You love Him because He first loved you. Christ Jesus went to the cross save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
* Man’s greatest sin is not loving and not believing God…so Christ did indeed go to the cross so that we could love Him. AMAZING!

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, make it your goal to be pleasing to God every day of your life.

by Jeff Parks

 November 19, 2009  Stirring Up One Another Comments Off