Month: May 2024

How to Get Kicked Out of Church!

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Frankly Speaking,

You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. ~ I Corinthians 5:2b NLT

CHURCH DISCIPLINE! ~ What does it take to embarrass you? Some people say that they never get embarrassed or ashamed. I find that hard to believe. Often, Christians are seen as stuffy and narrow-minded because we discipline ourselves to avoid many of the popular cultural tendencies of the day. However, shouldn’t we be conscientious of what we do and say around our children?

There was a time when we treated others with respect, especially women and children. Yes, I am older and maybe a bit wiser too. Some things ought to cause us to blush. If you question that concept, check this out:

Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! ~ Jeremiah 6:15a NLT

Now that we agree blushing can be a good thing, how do we correct someone in the church who seems to have forgotten this truth? How do we approach someone who is living a life of sin while actively leading the church: pastor, minister, board-member, trustee, deacon, teacher, and more? Which sin does the church act upon in the lives of these non-blushers? What are the qualifications to be an admonisher? Finally, how do we work all of this out in our current culture with so many churches re-writing or at least re-interpreting the BIBLE?

This leaves us in a challenging place. Do we do nothing pretending GOD says anything goes? Do we begin with a witch hunt as we have done so many times in the church? Perhaps, it begins with each of us alone with GOD praying and spending time with HIM. Seek HIS wisdom and direction. Barney would say this is how we “Nip it” in each of our lives, first! 😊

LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST,

Pastor Wes

I PETER 3:15

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

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Frankly Speaking,

13 Three things will last forever —faith, hope, and love—

and the greatest of these is love. ~ I Corinthians 13:13

REAL LOVE!  ~ What’s your favorite song about your momma? Better yet, what was your mom’s favorite song? My mom loved a singer whose name was Slim Whitman. Yup! It’s a real name. I honestly thought he sounded like a dog howling late at night, but she loved him.

Isn’t it funny how different we all are. When we were young, the last thing we ever wanted was to be like our momma or our daddy. As life goes by, many of us realize that’s not such a bad thing. My mom wasn’t perfect, and she certainly did not raise a perfect son. Nevertheless, I remember her favorite BIBLE verse. She loved Psalm 37:4.

“Delight yourself also in THE LORD,

And HE shall give you the desires of your heart.”

That is a rich verse full of hope and promise. The BIBLE is full of GOD’S promises to moms and their children. Look at these two mommas in the NEW TESTAMENT who memorialize Mother’s Day. The Apostle Paul spoke very highly of both mommas.  The verse is II Timothy 1:5.

“I remember your genuine faith,

for you share the faith that first filled

your grandmother, Lois and your mother, Eunice.

And I know that same faith continues strong in you.

I love that one is momma and the other is grandma. There are many verses and passages in THE BIBLE which speak to us on Mother’s Day. Are you a momma? Then, make sure your children know which verse is your favorite. Are you thinking about your momma or grandma? Then, reflect on her favorite verse and thank GOD for all the rich memories you have because she loves you unconditionally. Remember, JESUS has a momma whom HE loves deeply. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 😊

LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST,

Pastor Wes

I PETER 3:15

THE GOOD WOUNDS OF A FRIEND

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Frankly Speaking,

14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.                                                               I Corinthians 4:14 NLT

GOOD WOUNDS! ~ How do you handle being corrected by someone who cares? According to Pew Research, 65% of American adults believe that “people are too easily offended.” What if a caring friend exposes sin in your life and calls you out in love? They are right, but it hurts. What would you do?  It seems many just want to go to church to be reminded what good people we are. This is anti-biblical. The Bible confronts every human being declaring each of us as a terrible sinner not fit for heaven. “There is none righteous.” (read Romans 3:1-23)

Some people are ok with a pastor saying, “Well, we’re all just sinners, right?” However, the Bible declares this TRUTH, JESUS’ death is the only way we can be saved from hell. Every person on Earth needs JESUS!  Feathers ruffled yet? More biblical honesty ahead…

Guess what? You are a no good filthy, dirty, lying, cheating, selfish sinner. Yes, I am too! Without that painful truth as our starting point, we cannot understand why we so desperately need JESUS. If we believe the lie that we are pretty good, then we think we almost make it to heaven on our own. We are almost good enough! That is a lie from the pit of hell! The devil wants us to believe that because he does not want us to realize how urgently and desperately, we need THE LORD JESUS to forgive us and cleanse us from all our sin. We need A NEW LIFE!

Yes, we need encouragement sometimes. However, we are in desperate need of correction as well. If all you hear at church is positivity and encouragement… RUN!!! The Bible is a book of rebuke and correction as well as encouragement! We need to hear it when we are wrong. Yes, it hurts, but genuine repentance brings healing! 😊

LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS

Blessings in CHRIST,

Pastor Wes

I PETER 3:15