LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

OUR GOAL: ALWAYS PROVOCATIVE - ALWAYS BIBLICAL - ALWAYS EDIFYING. If you haven't already, please log on to our Kingdom Gospel Ministries website for a lot of info and THREE new radio programs you can hear online each week - a provocative radiodrama, a message from Current Events, and a verse by verse expository message! All at www.kingdomgospelministries.org

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Location: Horsham, Pennsylvania, United States

A "Tentmaking Evangelist" credentialed as a licensed minister (Anchor Bay Evangelistic Association - non-denominational). Co-Founder of Kingdom Gospel Ministries, Inc., founded 1985, with a mission to reconcile people of different racial, ethnic, educational, and economic situations. Currently produces three weekly radio programs - edgy dramas, Sunday morning verse-by-verse Bible expository preaching, and messages derived from current events. He has archived many radio programs and written articles on the Internet and preached at numerous churches. A PA/NJ Architect with his own practice begun in 1979, working on a wide variety of projects including churches, academies, convenience stores, residences and more. Helped in property acquisitions and worked with real estate investors. Acutely interested in politics since a teenager with many articles published over the years as well as a long-running political blog. Was an invited writer for Community Voices in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Guest on a Talk Radio show discussing race relations and on "It's Your Call", a TV show with Lynn Doyle dealing with the subject of interethnic marriage.

Monday, September 22, 2014

A WASTE?

I was singing "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" to the Lord today. We are talking about the smartest man in history.  The wisest man who ever lived.  The greatest moral teacher bar none.  Not to minimize those, but much more, the eternal everlasting Son of God.   Viciously attacked. Bruised, stuck, abused more than any boxer or any person anywhere.  Killed in agonizing fashion.  And we are told, it PLEASED God.

Today so many ministries concentrate almost exclusively on our well-being. On being healthy, wealthy and full of self-esteeem.  On being approved by the world. On having the bling.   On being all you can be.   STOP!

I taught teens in a Pakistani Church for two years. I was privileged  to know a number of adults from Pakistan.  When a pastor was killed for the sake of Jesus, they celebrated - what an HONOR to be killed for Jesus! What a PRIVILEGE to be in the Book of the Martyrs.   What a contrast1

Most people have rejected and will reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior who suffered, bled, and died for them  - by some counts 95%.  Only God knows the number, but many would consider that the consummate waste.   If the death of YOUR son would save perhaps 5% of the people, would you sacrifice him?   I have two sons - both wonderful young men, but neither is Jesus Christ.  Neither is perfect and neither is the smartest man in history, or the wisest man who ever lived, or the greatest moral teacher.   Neither are your sons.    I don't  know that I could pull an Abraham if God called the Isaac card on me.

Yet God our Father was PLEASED that Jesus should suffer for us.  We need to read and understand church history for the last 2,000 years and appreciate those lesser sacred heads wounded to maintain our spiritual genealogy from Jesus Christ.  We should not mind suffering when we speak out for Jesus.

A Jewish lawyer I know was at the Eagles game yesterday.  Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles was viciously hit from behind after the play was over by Chris Baker.  The man in front of him screamed, " You f-ing N-".  The lawyer had the nerve (and put his well-being on the line) to confront the man and reprove him.  How many of us would do that or even more importantly defend the name of Jesus which is taken in vain more times than we can count?

We need to be more concerned about the Kingdom of God than the kingdom of bling. We must care more about truth than political correctness.  We must reject so-called ministers who cultivate greed and self-centeredness in Christians. and hold fast to the eternal gospel for which we must be willing to suffer and die - even losing our own "sacred head" to the guillotines that ISIS and others would gladly put to use around the clock.

Speak up for righteousness. Oppose evil. Make sure the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and all the martyrs who followed is not in vain in YOUR life.  Be willing to lose your life for Christ's sake so that he can save it!  May God bless you!


Some Scriptures to help you!  
Isaiah 53:10, Acts 5:41, 9:16, Rom. 8:17, 36, 1 Cor. 1:8, 4:10, 2 Cor.  4:5, 11, 11:23. 12:10, Phil. 1:29, 3:10, 2 Tim. 2:12, Heb. 11:25, Jas. 5:10.I Pet. 2:20, 3:14, 4:16, 5:10, Matt. 5:11, 10:22, 39, 19:29.

Friday, September 12, 2014

BEING SORRY IS NOT ENOUGH

Lots of preachers and politicians get caught in moral failings.  After being caught, they say they are sorry and it is expected that their spouse will stand beside them and let the most egregious sins be forgiven.  Forgiveness is in the heart of God, and we are mandated to forgive, but is being sorry enough?

I read in Matthew 27 this morning that Judas Iscariot was sorry he betrayed Jesus.  When he saw Jesus condemned as a result of his treachery, he was FILLED with remorse. Not simply remorse that he was caught, as I believe is the real deal behind the seemingly endless moral failing charades, but remorse because he KNEW he was wrong and regretted it.  Yet, Judas was NOT restored to Christ and committed suicide.

GODLY sorrow leads to repentance.  Part of repentance is also being WILLING to be forgiven, and to ACCEPT the forgiveness of Christ.  Many are sorry, but they still go to hell because even though they are SORRY, they do not follow through with the full restoration that Christ wants to bring to them.  Being sorry is a good start, but it is not enough.

BE READY

I recently studied Jesus' parable of the ten virgins again.  Fascinating stuff.  All of these women were virgins.  All of them had lamps.  All of them had oil in their lamps. All went to meet the bridegroom.
Yet five spent eternity with the bridegroom and five went to hell.  Why the extreme disparity in results?

I believe the issue is that the five foolish virgins did not plan ahead.  They were going by faith.  I met with a minister from India this week.  He was brought up that way. His dad said if they had no money but he had to go somewhere to go stand at the bus stop and wait until God provided the money. People are testing God. They have enough spiritual preparation for a day, but not for the journey.

We sometimes get a filling at church to last a couple days and then have to go back for more.  What happened to Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit being tested and made ready?  Or Paul in the Arabian desert for a long time?  We need to get all of God we can as soon as we can.  We have to stock up on the oil and have some to spare.   We cannot cut things too tight.  We have to take Paul's advice in Ephesians 6 and prepare ourselves so that we WILL stand in the evil day.  If we simply live day by day on a spiritual shoestring, we will not be strong enough when the major test comes.  All for Jesus.  NOW.

Some are disturbed that the five would not share their oil.  Sharing is the new measure of spirituality.
I am not against sharing.  I share. However, if you are prepared in God, do not give up your spiritual supply to the foolish or you may not enough for yourself.  We are to love our neighbor AS ourselves. Not more, not less.  Our spiritual lives must be maintained at all costs.  We must treasure the Holy Spirit within us and know that a continuous filling is required if we are to meet Christ and enjoy him forever.