Rom 3:19 ESV Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

Spheres of Government, Home, Church, State: He owns it all!

• Psa 24:1 ESV A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
• Psa 89:11 ESV The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
• Col 1:16-18 ESV For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. (17) And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

Life: He’s “Pro”

• Jer 1:5 ESV "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
• Isa 49:1 ESV Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
• Lev 18:21 ESV You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
• Psa 106:37-39 ESV They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; (38) they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. (39) Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

Marriage: One Man, One Woman

• Gen 2:24 ESV Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
• Gen 1:27 ESV So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
• Mat 19:4-5 ESV He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, (5) and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
• Lev 18:22 ESV You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
   

Economics: Equal rates/no favoritism or regarding anyone higher or lower; family inheritance, free exchange of goods, work

• Exo 30:15 ESV The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives.
• Num 18:21 ESV "To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting,
• Exo 20:15 ESV "You shall not steal.
• Lev 19:35-36 ESV "You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. (36) You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
• Pro 13:22 ESV A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
• Deu 2:6 ESV You shall purchase food from them for money, that you may eat, and you shall also buy water of them for money, that you may drink.
• 2Th 3:10-12 ESV For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (11) For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. (12) Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
   

Government Scope: Defense, Justice

• Rom 13:3-4 ESV For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, (4) for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
• 1Pe 2:13-14 ESV Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, (14) or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
• Luk 12:58 ESV As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.

Care of the Poor: Family & Church, and all voluntary

• 1Ti 5:8 ESV But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
• 1Ti 5:3-4 ESV Honor widows who are truly widows. (4) But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
• 1Ti 5:9-12 ESV Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, (10) and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. (11) But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry (12) and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.
• 1Ti 6:18 ESV They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
• Lev 19:9-10 ESV "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. (10) And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.
• Act 6:1-3 ESV Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. (2) And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. (3) Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.
• Act 4:34-35 ESV There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold (35) and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
• 2Co 9:7 ESV Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Education

• Deu 6:6-7 ESV And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. (7) You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
• Col 2:8 ESV See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
• Pro 1:7 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• 1Jn 4:3 ESV and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

I just really, really do!  What a holy, chaste, faithful, beautiful, hard-working, lovely, modest, meek, careful, joyful, tender, consistent, friend, wife, and mother!

Almost 21 years, and I'm still totally smitten!   I tell my son..."Boy if you are blessed, you'll marry half the woman I did!"  

The Program Problem

Ok….major opportunity for misunderstanding here! Warning! LOL

We have too many programs.  Seriously.  Toooooooo many.  In fact, if a church is not laden with programs…many think that church needs to get with the program!

A program for youth.  A program for adults.  Twenty-somethings.  Singles with kids.  Singles without kids.  People who like cars.  People who like boats.  Zumba for Jesus!  Woodworking for Jesus!  Painting 101 for Jesus!  Toy-train sets for Jesus!!!!!  LOLOL

I’m kidding around.  Really.  But underneath the joking around there may be an issue: we can’t seem to solve life’s problems with just prayer, fellowship, the power of the Holy Spirit, the preached Word, and our bibles anymore. Simple faith and perseverance aren’t enough.  We need experts to coach us.  Every day.  All day.  Until the end of time.

In reality we are just copying culture and what we see in government: nothing can really be solved without a program.  It makes one wonder how the people of God survived until the 20th century!  Other than food distributions…there were no programs…or very few…in the majority history of the church.  There was prayer, family worship, personal bible study, personal evangelism, and the gathering of the saints on the Lord ’s Day for the Lord’s Word and the Lord’s Supper.  People had to actually talk to each other (face-to-face!) and walk with each other.  Christians who had been through a hard time had to read bible verses, trust them, pray, and keep living, discipling, and worshipping with the knowledge that their “on earth” healing wasn’t the issue: eternity was the issue!

And that mindset in and of itself helped reduce the self-focus.  With the rise of psychology in the 20th century, all that changed.  I’ve said this before: in many ways, our focus on self-help is counter-productive.  It keeps one SO focused on his or her problems that that itself becomes the problem.  Nobody is ever really healed because we keep them in programs focused on their healing!   The transforming power of the Holy Spirit that breaks yokes, renews, rebuilds hearts, imparts faith, explodes the power of the enemy, conforms our thoughts, enables forgiveness and gives us "move on" power from problems, and also assures us of our eternal sealing and healing?  Nah…we need a class!  Give us classes! (Again, a light-hearted joke...)

It really comes down to this: what God established for the growth of His people isn’t really sufficient for most of us: rigorous prayer and personal study, the preached Word and the counsel of elders, faith and perseverance, pouring your life out personally discipling and serving others, the blessing of Holy Communion, walking closely with family and Christian friends, and one of the most powerful mindsets of all...looking forward to being with Christ...an eternal perspective!  I suppose I could be wrong.... 

Oh well, as is obvious…I am rambling.  I guess I’m tired.  Shucks…I have one or two programs myself.  I’m a hypocrite.  Please forgive me!  But somewhere in these incoherent thoughts there might just be a shred of truth….maybe.

(NOTE: For any of you who have been hurt by pastors/churches...please forgive us.  Some of this is surely caused by our failures.  We must do better.  And we will!)
 

...and surely a very fallible one at that.  However....

I've noticed that the more people read the WHOLE Bible systematically (yes the Pentateuch and Prophets too, not just the Psalms), the more they appreciate the gravity of sin and its remedy: grace.

By contrast, I've also noticed that the more one jumps around the Bible looking for "breakthrough narratives," and the more topical one tends to be with the Scriptures in personal devotions, the more one is intolerant of the whole counsel of God. 

Again, this is just my experience; you may not have noticed this at all.  But what I'm saying is that if one doesn't make a practice of reading Isaiah or Ezekiel or Leviticus or 1 John or Revelation or Romans or Psalms or Matthew ALL THE WAY THROUGH and just kinda cherry-picks the popular verses, the less likely one seems to be to tolerate the preaching of the Laws of God, any ethical standards, or any sense of an absolute.  On the contrary, this situation seems to produce a love of "grace" without that grace being suitably and contextually magnified by the reason it came: our inability to keep the Law and our utter sinfulness and wickedness before a Holy God.

As Ray Comfort said, "nothing magnifies Calvary like Sinai."  Because for the most part the Old Testament precepts (not its narratives) are ignored, our understanding of mercy and grace tends to be more circumstantial: jobs, relationships, encouragement during difficult moments, etc.  Sure, there is much grace there (thank you Lord!), but the best grace saves the soul from hell.

It's worth pointing out again that Jesus didn't come to abolish the Law; He came to fulfill it (Matt 5:17).  In fact, He came because the sin that became known because of the Law (Rom 3:20) had us all trapped and bound (Gal 3:22).  It still holds the whole world accountable to the holy standards of God! (Rom 3:19)

Like John the Baptist (one of if not THE greatest of the Old Testament prophets) "prepared the way for the Lord" (Luke 3:4), it is the preaching of God's moral laws that paves the way for a biblical and powerful uplifting and understanding of the grace God demonstrated in Jesus Christ...

Gal 3:19-26 ESV:

Why then the law?  It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. (20) Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.  (21) Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not!  For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.  (22) But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  (23) Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.  (24) So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. (25) But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, (26) for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Let's read all the Bible....not just parts of it...in church and at home.  Let's take our time and read not only John and Romans, but also Jeremiah and Ruth.  Page after page of the Old Testament points to our desperate need for Christ.  Verse after verse demonstrates the holy character of God.  How does one truly understand the love of God in Christ Jesus without understanding his own unworthiness?  How does one truly repent without a thorough explanation of his own lawlessness?  (1 John 3:4)  No, we are not "under the Old Covenant," but it's almost impossible to truly appreciate the New without it.

So please understand we don't preach the Law or quote the Old Testament to cause pain or hurt others' feelings; we do it because it is the best way to point people to their need for a Savior:

1Timothy 1:8-11 ESV - Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (9) understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Amen.

Samethinganosis is a spiritual and mental malady that affects Evangelicals and Pentecostals alike.  It is a dis-ease whereby one can acknowledge the failure of current ministry models, preaching topics, carnal innovations, educational foundations, “relevant” paradigms, etc….and STILL KEEP DOING THE SAME THING!

The Samethinganosis-afflicted individual can in fact, acknowledge the failures.  That’s what makes the dis-ease so debilitating!  They see the statistics, the expanding darkness, the trends, the socialism, the disregard and disrespect for Scripture and the God who wrote them, and the generational losses of youth and children, both spiritual and physical.  Yet the "dis-ease" causes them to look to the world to fix the problems...i.e. doing the same things over and over that everyone else seems to be doing.

Any talk of shifting family and ministry towards a more “biblical” pattern is anathema to the Samethinganosis-diagnosed person.  Such talk is usually met with counter talk questioning what is truly biblical.  “Who knows what 'biblical' really means in our times anyway?” they say.  So the cycle of continuing the “same thing and expecting different results" continues.

Some good news is that Samethinganosis rarely affects the temperament.  These are some of the nicest, sweetest, kindest people around; just wonderful folks!  But sadly, Samethinganosis seems to be contagious, afflicting pastors at the highest rate, who then pass it on to their congregants.

As a recovering Samethinganosis patient myself, I can say that the only cure seems to be a reading and re-reading of Scripture, and a “seeing” of Scripture as sufficient to order every area of life.  So if you have the dis-ease or think you do, take these two Scriptures and call me in the morning:

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (Psa 19:7-11 ESV)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:16-17 ESV)
 

(Post made in jest...kinda.)

Even if you've seen this before, worship Him!  WORSHIP the LAMB!

Revelation 5:6-14 ESV - And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (7) And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. (8) And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (9) And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, (10) and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."

(11) Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, (12) saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (13) And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (14) And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Can you relate?  Oh Lord, what a merciful God you are!  Oh Lord, that we might repent in our homes and churches and return to you!

How can you forgive me when I've often gone astray
How can you think of me when I do things my way
Turning my back from you
The one who loved me first
Seeking my own desires
Renewing worldly thirst

You told me you could keep me, but I've turned it away
I failed you so much now I don't know what to say
Using the same excuse that I am just a man
You tell me you've been there and hold your nail scarred hands so I can see
Now I know I am free

Chorus:
And I am running back to you
I see you're standing there for me
Your arms are opened wide
And I don't have to cry no more
You're standing there for me and I am running back to you,
Why do I go away when I know I am no good when I'm on my own.

You told me you loved me and I should make up my mind
You tell me come back now, but I keep wasting time
Feeling so very weak you say I can be strong
I feel I've gone too far you tell me to come home
You love me still
and I know this is real

Chorus:
And I am running back to you
I see you're standing there for me
Your arms are opened wide
And I don't have to cry no more
You're standing there for me and I am running back to you,
Why do I go away when I know I am no good when I'm on my own.

I have taken advantage of your love and grace
Forgive me Lord and take me home, take me home.
I'm running to you Jesus please take me home,
You see I've been in this wrong way too long and I can't do right anymore.
I'm tired of pain and I don't like fear but Lord I want to be more sincere.
I never should have left your side.
Return me to your guiding light I'm running back to you I see your standing there for me.

Psalms 115:1-18 ESV
 

(1) Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
(2) Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?"
(3) Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
(4) Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
(5) They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
(6) They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.
(7) They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.
(8) Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.
(9) O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
(10) O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
(11) You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
(12) The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;
(13) he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great.
(14) May the LORD give you increase, you and your children!
(15) May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!
(16) The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.
(17) The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.
(18) But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!

Good day!

I continue to be amazed at the "love of love" in the culture and interestingly, within the Christian Church.  The world pushes against the Kingdom of God using the "all we need is love" mantra...loving health care, loving same-sex adults, etc...and we in the church fall right in line.  So many seem to be "in love with love."  But for the Christian, love has teeth.  What I mean is love is tethered to Scripture; it must be lawful.  So let's chew on this:

Does love cover a mulitude of sins?  Yep.  It forgives when wronged, which is what that means.  Is love the highest virtue?  Yes.  But again, what is love?  Is God love?  He sure is...but again, Scripture tells us how God loves, who He loves, and what He hates and despises as well.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 42 states: “What is the essence of the Ten Commandments?” The answer is, “The essence of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and to love everyone else as we love ourselves.”

Bingo!  Love, both towards God and towards others, must be lawful.  If not, it can mean ANYTHING.  Love is more than a smile or a tender voice.  Love is patient and kind, but love also rejoices in truth (1 Cor 13:4-6).  I believe everything Christ did He did out of love for the Father and love for us.  Sometimes that love healed.  Sometimes that love encouraged.  But sometimes that love challenged and rebuked.  It was always however, tethered to the Law of God...the ethical standards of God. 

The Sermon of the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7) is a good example.  In it we find wonderful things like the true definition of blessings and the command to love our enemies, but we also see a magnifying of the Law, taking the standards up a notch (adultery can be done with the eyes, unlawful anger equals murder, and stronger standards on divorce).

Paul said it wonderfully:

Romans 13:8-10 ESV - Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. (9) For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (10) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

To love others as ourselves is to love them according to the Commandments.  This is true, powerful, biblical love my friends...the kind of love that will both encourage AND expose, demonstrate care and promote Spirit-conviction.  When Jesus gave the Commandments to the rich young ruler, and challenged him to the point he walked away, it was because He "loved him." (Mark 10:21)  Amen Lord Jesus. 

• The Greatness of Loving Others Lawfully
• Addressing Love Concerns
• Revelations About Love Part 1

This is a message I preached to the awesome CRCC men's fellowship, known as BROTHERHOOD!!  But it applies to all!  Hope you enjoy!

-----------------------------

John 3:19-21 ESV - And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (20) For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (21) But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

In this text, Jesus rebukes the hard-hearted individuals who are shown the light but hate it; people who are given light but prefer darkness; people who refuse to come to Him because of a love of sin.  Friends, He is addressing “hard-heartedness,” otherwise known as rebellion, being stiff-necked, and stubbornness.  Ezekiel echoed the same concerning Israel:

• “But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.” Eze 3:7 ESV 

Paul preached the same to the church in Rome:

• Rom 2:1-8 ESV Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. (2) We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. (3) Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God? (4) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (5) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. (6) He will render to each one according to his works: (7) to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (8) but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

This theme is SO consistent throughout Scripture it would be hard to list the references! Here is a prophetic example that sums up the mindset…

• Rev 16:8-11 ESV The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. (9) They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. (10) The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish (11) and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

I have a question: is America Gospel-ignorant or Gospel-Hardened? Sure, there are BOTH kinds of people…but I’m talking “predominately.” The answer to this question is critical!

• The biblical prescription for breaking hard, rebellious hearts is a bit different from the prescription that mends the broken heart.
• Jas 4:6 - But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So we see that grace is for the humble, the broken, the repentant.
• Isa 66:2 ESV All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
• But the Law is for the rebellious, the hard-hearted, the stubborn…
• 1Ti 1:8-11 ESV Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, (9) understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, (10) the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, (11) in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
• I believe our Nation’s desensitization to sin is and her rejection of the laws and ethics of God are THE critical issues.

Paul speaks of this to the church in Ephesus:

• Eph 4:17-19 ESV - Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. (18) They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. (19) They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

My personal belief is that we are gospel-hardened now.  Not ignorant.  Our blatant sin and rebellion and MOCKERY of the Word, the Church, and the things of God is a dead giveaway.  In the book The Way of the Master, Ray Comfort quotes Paris Reidhead:

• “If I had my way, I would declare a moratorium on public preaching of “the plan of salvation” in America for one to two years. Then I would call on everyone who has use of the airwaves and the pulpits to preach the holiness of God, the righteousness of God and the Law of God, until sinners would cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ Then I would take them off in a corner and whisper the gospel to them.  Such drastic action is needed because we have gospel-hardened a generation of sinners by telling them how to be saved before they have any understanding of why they need to be saved. Don’t use John 3:16.  Why?  Because you tell a sinner how to be saved before he has realized that he needs to be saved.  What you have done is gospel-hardened him.”

He also quotes DL Moody who said, “It is a great mistake to give a man who has not been convicted of sin certain passages that were never meant for him. The Law is what he needs…Do not offer the consolation of the gospel until he sees and knows he is guilty before God. We must give enough of the Law to take away self-righteousness. I pity the man who preaches only one side of the truth-always the gospel and never the Law.”
 

I believe that we have over-emphasized grace to make it almost meaningless, or to fill it with consumer expectations. The grace we have preached is a sin-affirming grace or a sin-ignoring grace. That isn’t biblical grace…

• Rom 6:1-2 ESV What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (2) By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

What I’m asking the people of this church to do as we start the year is to consider the Law of God in light of His mercy and grace, and help me cultivate both a fear of God and a love of God in our church, our homes, and our evangelism.  My hope is that in doing so, we’ll collectively see that our National problem (and local problem as well) is rebellion, and that true love “keeps the commandments” of Christ. (Jn 14:15)  Never forget that our God is a consuming fire! (Heb 12:29)

• Heb 10:24-31 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, (25) not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (26) For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (28) Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. (29) How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." (31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
• “Nothing reveals Calvary like Sinai. Nothing exalts unconditional mercy like fierce and holy wrath. If the Law didn’t demand death for sin, we wouldn’t need a Savior! The true convert comes to the Savior to satisfy the demands of the Law and flee the wrath to come.” –Ray Comfort
• The Law is the hammer, the schoolmaster, the needle, and the hoe that prepares the heart for grace. “Even a “no-compromise” gospel will not awaken sinners. That’s not its function!” –Ray Comfort
• “The Law is the rod and staff of the shepherd to guide the sheep to himself. It is the net of the fisherman, the plow of the farmer. It is the ten golden trumpets that prepare the way for the King. The Law makes the sinner thirst for righteousness, that he might live. Its holy light reveals the dust of sin on the table of the human heart, so that the gospel in the hand of the Spirit can wipe it perfectly clean.” –Ray Comfort

Finally, look at these sad verses from Zechariah. May God bless America to turn and repent…

Zec 7:8-14 ESV - And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, (9) "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, (10) do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." (11) But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. (12) They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts. (13) "As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear," says the LORD of hosts, (14) "and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and the pleasant land was made desolate."