How is Your Fruit Today?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' - Matthew 7:21-23

The above passage in Matthew holds by far the scariest words in all of the Scriptures. The implication in the text is people will think that they have had a relationship with Christ and that they were saved, when in fact, they didn't and they weren't.

In a recent sermon by a guest speaker at Compass Bible Church I heard the illustration of the "Virtual Christian" i.e., some one who thinks that they are in the faith but aren't. The speaker suggested that he believes one of the reasons that God allows trials in our lives is in order for us to see if we are truly in the faith - we do that by honestly assessing our response to those trials (James 1:2-4). Jesus says the following about false prophets:

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit" - Matthew 7:15-17

If we can tell false prophets by their fruits, we should be able to tell real Christians by theirs too according to the text. So the question is this: How do we inspect our own fruit to see if it's good or bad? There is only one way: we have to allow the Scriptures speak to which is which.

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
- Galatians 5:19-23

Now, for the record (because I know some will question me) I do not believe that the Christian will bear good fruit all the time. But I will say that as we all progress and mature in our faith, we should be producing more and more good fruit and less of the stench of filthy byproducts of the sinful nature.

We all need to be in the practice of checking our sanctification progress. This is what the apostle Paul has to say about it, and I think I will let the Scripture have the last word tonight:

"For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test" - 2 Corinthians 13:4-6

Dave Ramsey: The Total Money Makeover...Does it Make Good Sense?

Statistically, most people who read this blog live in Southern California. Because of that fact it is safe for me to assume that many of you have not heard of Dave Ramsey. So let me give you some background; Ramsey is a nationwide (at least everywhere but Southern California) talk show host whose sole purpose is to convince his listeners to get out of debt and become good stewards with the money they have. He has also written several books, one of which has been on the New York Time's Best Seller's List, "The Total Money Makeover".
I use this book in my counseling ministry.
Ramsey is a professing believer/follower of Christ and he boldly proclaims Christ as Lord and even reads from the Scriptures (although at times he does so out of context) to a mostly secular audience. He is no theologian, however he fully understands the financial principles found within the Scriptures and he is not afraid to let his audience hear the Truth. Ramsey is heard on over 300 radio stations and also can be heard on XM Radio. The amazing thing about Ramsey is that he has a huge secular audience.

While I am not going to write an exhaustive review of his book, I am going to recommend to you that you purchase a copy of it and read it. Actually, I am going to challenge you to get this book quickly and read it.

Ramsey's take on finances is pretty simple:

• The borrower is "always" the slave to the lender
• You should always spend less than you make.
  
• If you can't pay cash for something, you shouldn't get that something.
  
• Finally, if you are not servicing debt, you can become a bigger saver and giver.

While his book is incredibly simple in theory, it is at the same time extremely challenging because it forces the reader to consider how they are handling their own income. As I have discussed this book with those who have read it, one theme has been constant: This guy Ramsey makes a lot sense. That is why I say it makes sense for you to read it!

For more information on Dave Ramsey you can click on the following link:

www.daveramsey.com

The Gospel Isn't Difficult to Share

People love to talk.

People are good at talking.

We love to talk so much that we will talk about the weather with a complete stranger on a bus bench. We will talk about movies, sports and the news of the day. We talk about our lives, hardships and blessings. We freely talk about ... well almost anything. Except, the gospel.

It's not that sharing the gospel has really ever been a problem. If you have a mouth and you know the truth, you can easily share with anyone the Truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, just as easily as you discuss yesterday's football game. For the believer, sharing the gospel is actually pretty easy. However, truth be told, the hard part for us is the response we get from others.
Personally, after sharing the gospel with others I have received all of the following responses (this list is mostly compiled from responses of just my family members):

• Looks of disgust
• Smirks
• Polite smiles
• Friendly nods
• Angry verbal barrages
• Silence
• Mocking laughter
• Attempts to change the subject
• Intellectual debate
• Submission to the Truth of the gospel (yes, from time-to-time God actually uses a broken vessel like me to deliver His truth in order that He might give them life)
  

The Simple Truth

If you are a believer, I would like to challenge you with the following assignment. I want you to consider the circumstances of your salvation. Start at the cross and the life and work of Jesus Christ. Then please consider the ministry of the Disciples. Then I would like you to consider the centuries and centuries of persecution and fine-tuning of Biblical doctrine that our church forefathers endured. Then I would like you to think about the person that God used in your life (perhaps there are multiple people) to share the Truth with you. Here is the final part of the assignment - please mentally picture a steel link chain (I have included a picture of one to help you).
All of the people that I asked you to consider and contemplate represent the links in the chain. If you are a believer, you represent a link as well.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

God in His wisdom has decided to use people to share the Truth of the gospel. He decided to use people like you, people like me. Fallen people. People who fear, people who doubt. People who fail. Yet, with the authority given to Him, Jesus Christ has commanded all believers to GO and MAKE disciples, BAPTIZING them and TEACHING them to OBEY His commands.

The point I am trying to make is that you don't have an excuse not to be sharing your faith with others. You simply must share the Truth. God has chosen you to be a link in the chain so that He may use you to continue growing the chain. You see, this is God's chain. You are a link in it and according to the above text, He wants to use you, no wait...He is commanding you to share the Truth so that He can add to the length of the chain.

The final distinction I would like to make is this - If your attitude is "I guess I should share the Truth because I have to" then you are missing the point entirely. The correct attitude should be "How great is our God that He would allow me to share the Truth with others!"

The long and short of it is this - It isn't about you. It isn't about your comfort or protecting your feelings or status with others. This is about Jesus. This is about saving people from an eternity separated from Jesus because of their sin. This is about growing the chain.

Get busy.

Greetings from Maui

Dale and Shawna













Brian and Crystie













Shawna looking like a celebrity













The Two Sisters













Happy to be in Maui (and off the plane!)














Dale not at all happy to be on this plane

To Find Rest You Don't Need a Vacation

The LORD protects the simplehearted;

when I was in great need, he saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.

For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living - Psalm 116:6-10

Mini Blog Thought: The Cost of Following Christ

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.

When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Do You See the Pattern?

Throughout the Scriptures there is a pattern that just cannot be ignored; when God calls you to follow Him - there is a cost. Old Testament patriarchs like Noah, Abraham and Moses knew of the personal cost that was involved in following God. New Testament saints like Paul, Peter and John knew of the costs as well. As Christians, we will pay a price to follow our Lord.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' - Matthew 10:33-36

To hear many teach today, gentle Jesus meek and mild, came to offer us a fulfilling life of materialism, harmony and tolerance for others. But the True Jesus, the one who paid the ultimate cost for our salvation, promises to the believer that if you follow Him, it will come at the expense of some of our relationships. The simple truth is that people will reject you and the message you proclaim.

I believe it is a good practice for all of us to constantly consider the price of following Christ and to test ourselves. We should challenge ourselves to answer the following questions: Are we allowing God to work through us even at the expense of our relationships? Are we resisting the dropping of "our nets" and holding onto the things of this world? These are questions that can be addressed in our lives on a daily basis - I would challenge all of us to seriously and truthfully consider if we are actively following Christ.

Mini Blog Thought: A Better Wedding Day Awaits

On Sunday I had the privilege of officiating an outdoor wedding ceremony at Kindred Community Church in Anaheim Hills. I must admit that the setting was beautiful. It was a warm Southern California day with a slight breeze that kept everyone comfortable, despite the heat of the afternoon.

There was nicely arranged music (my good friend Ty played guitar) big towering oak trees for shade, ivy filled lattice and everyone was dressed appropriately for such and occasion. Yes, there was a sense that something special was happening. It was a great day.

On my drive home, I found myself thinking about another wedding that will be happening in the future:

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." - Revelation 19:6-10

For the believer, the true believer who has made Christ Lord, there is a wedding day that will make all other wedding days seem unimportant. At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the
Bride of Christ (the Church) will be presented to Him and they will be with Him for eternity.

Earthly marriages are a sacred symbol for what is to come - a picture for the time we as believers will spend an eternity with Christ. While earthly weddings and marriages can be great, the one to come is ... well, better.

In God We Trust: Really?

"But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God" - Psalm 31:14

There is no doubt that King David showed tremendous trust in God when his enemies surrounded him. All one has to do is read through the Psalms to see that David depended greatly upon the mercy, love and protection of God as his enemies plotted to kill him. However, as with many of us, it was during the "good" times that David had a hard-time trusting God. It was during the "good" times that King David's eyes and mind turned away from God and onto himself and his own pleasures and desires.

Are you trusting God today for your very breath? Are you totally dependant upon Him for your every basic need? Or, like many of us that have fallen victim to a false sense of independence from time-to-time, are you living your life outside the parameters that God has called you to? A life of obedience. A life devoted to serving Christ.

Take note from the example found in Scripture; anytime you start to live life for your own pleasure or desires and it directly violates what God has called you to do (To Love Him with all your heart, mind and soul - and to love your neighbor as yourself) and you are truly a believer, a Godly correction is on the way. So, if that is you today, repent from your behavior (1 John 1:9) and submit yourself to the authority and call of God.

You will find comfort and peace in the Trustworthy One, even if you are being surrounded by your enemies, just as King David did.