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Fat Pastors

I read a pretty good blog last week about fat pastors.  The author felt that a pastor's appearance undermined the gospel.  It shows a lack of self control for a pastor to look like the stay puff marshmallow man.  Being, somewhat skinny this could be something I could really jump on, but I'm not going to.  People like to point to the fact that our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit. If we're going to use this verse to combat smoking, chewing and drinking we better use it to combat McChickens as well.(I just use that because a pair of McChickens assaulted my intestines today.)  I agree with this logic, but like anything we can take it to far.  If it's a matter of self control then we can't use weight as an objective means of measurement.  I know skinny people that can out eat a small army.  The real danger is the fact that I know a lot of skinny people that are vain.  I also sense in my own life the very real possibility of exercise becoming an idol.  The abstaining of food can be a source of self-righteousness, or we can become our own idols. 

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.  Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.   I Timothy 4:7-8

I think taking care of your body is important, but not as important as training for Godliness.  In this image obsessed society, we should work on developing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

It's been a week since I last blogged.  Mainly, because I tend to get fed up with a lot of talk.  God desires our obedience.  Some spend way too much time reading, blogging, and listening to sermons.  More should just get out and obey.  I'm not the only one that feels this way.  You hear this sentiment all of the time.  Stop going to church and start being the church.  Let's take the church outside.  The last thing we need is another sermon or bible study.  While, I certainly understand these sentiments they can be incorrect. 

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. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The word is the very thing that prepares us for good works.  It puts us in the right frame of mind where our good works will be done for God's glory.  We forget sometimes that the word being preached and sung on Sundays is of supreme importance because it exalts Christ, better than we can.  Our creativity, ingenuity, and imagination in praising God doesn't compare to what His word already says about Him.  So get off your butts, but keep the word central.  I get tired of hear people whine, "Why doesn't God speak to me."  Open the bible you sorry sack, HE already did and HE still is.  I don't intend to undermine service and ministering to your community, but I do want the word to come back to the front.

What is the worst sin out there?  If you believe a lot of popular pastors it's homosexuality, abortion or maybe pornography.  While there is no denying the destruction these things bring, they're not the worst.  Is it pride?  Is it greed?  No, but getting closer even our churches tend to struggle with being materialistic and greedy.  Before, I give my answer I want to make one thing clear.  The penalty of sin is the same regardless of the sin.  Our God is a holy God and our sin(big or small) separates us from God.  Our sin is our rebellion against a Holy God.  Christians have been given a covering for their sin.  They exchanged their crappy life for God's perfect life and He got the death we all deserved.  With that being said, I believe the the worst sin we have is the sin that we don't repent of.  Luther said the Christian life is a life of repenting.  How dare we know to do good and don't do it.  How can we see something is clearly wrong in scripture and continue in it?  I wish I hated sin as much as God does.  Someone once said we only believe the parts of the bible we actually follow. 

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:  "The Lord knows those who are his,"  and ,  "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."  2 Timothy 2:19

On Sunday I preached about taking risks.  Today, I ate a chimichanga from a trailer next to a storage place.  Guess who's not a hypocrite now.  Me.  I forget who it was, Schaeffer or Tozer or somebody else, but they said if you took every reference to the Holy Spirit out of the new testament would our churches look any different.  Sometimes I wonder the same about faith after saving faith of course.    In the book of James we realize that people can't see our faith, but they can see our works.  Our works confirm that we have a real faith.  How does your faith express itself?  How does your faith make your life look different?  I just want to encourage everyone who reads this.  Jesus has come that you may have life and have it abundantly.  I'm not talking about some dude in a cheap suit claiming cadillacs in Jesus' name.  I'm not talking about health, wealth, and prosperity.  It's much more than that.  It's an opportunity to know, serve, and fellowship with the one who spoke the world into existence.  Jesus loves you.

Run Together

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.  2 Timothy 2:2

You know something I had pointed out to me about this verse.  Notice the word along.  As Christians we are to fight sin and pursue righteousness.  The thing is we aren't to do it alone.  So often I read the bible like it's God's message to me.  The truth is though, it's God's message to us.  How are you helping your brothers and sisters fight sin?  Do you have someone to help you?  I've found that people are so darn insecure about themselves and that makes pursuing intimate friendships really hard.  It's like we're in junior high again wondering if so and so likes me as much as I like them.  It'd be easier if we could write notes and our friends circled yes or no on whether or not they liked us.  Faith requires risk.  That includes in relationships.  We need friends that have our backs.  I"m so thankful for the friends God has given me, but I have so much to learn about loving them right. 

How to Provoke Your Children

How to Provoke Your Children

One thing that scares me the most about parenting is correcting them to the point where they give up. So badly, I want my children to be good people. I thought this was a good article. I see some parents that are inconsistent in their discipline, but I think I'm way too consistent. We shouldn't nitpick our children to death. As adults we just become better at hiding our character flaws.

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  Romans 2:4

I love to preach certain angles from the bible.  Such as, if you call yourself a Christian then act like it.  Stop sinning morons.  Usually, a little more gentle than that.  The more and more I read the bible it becomes apparent to me that Christians are going to obey.  I heard a pastor once say that if you're unwilling to repent then he's unwilling to call you a Christian.  Martin Luther said the whole Christian life is a life of repentance.  I love that stuff and often try to beat my church over the head with that.  Yesterday, I decided to give them a positive, upbeat message.  Psalms 32.  I talked about what wonderful freedom, forgiveness, protection, and direction there is in God.  In Jesus, there is no condemnation.  I told them to rejoice and shout about how much they've been forgiven.  Funny thing, there were people that were really touched by it.  Of course, God has spoke through a donkey before, so he can use me.  What was strange is that I heard people confessing their sins.  People that were broken about sins.  I  was surprised, but then I realized that God's blessings are supposed to lead us to repentance.  How much we're loved is supposed to humble us.  How amazingly kind God is, draws us to worship and repentance.  We tend to wait for consequences or discipline to turn our lives around.  Instead of that, why not just ponder how much you're loved.  Repent because God is patient, kind and loving. 

I've been following this story about the Georgia pastor being accused of having sexual relations with four men from his church since it first broke.  I've debated over whether or not I would weigh in on it.  First of all, people are considered innocent until proven guilty and I don't want to join a witch hunt.  Also, it wouldn't be unheard of for a man of God to be falsely accused.(eg Joseph and Potiphar's wife)  I'm not sure of his guilt or his innocence, although I do have an opinion.  What alarms me is some of the things I hear his church members saying.  They seem to be prepared to follow him blindly. 1 Timothy 5:19 warns us that we're not to hear a charge against a preacher unless confirmed by two or three witnesses.  From what I understand three of these young men were members of the church.  I love the idea of a church standing by their pastor, but sin can never be condoned.  All but one of the qualifications of a pastor in the bible are about character.  Showing who the man is, is more important than what he does.  The other one is that he should be able to teach.  Good preaching is not an excuse for bad character and neither is being a good shepherd.  Maybe, he's been there for a lot of his members and  cried with them.  Still, sin must be dealt with.  Sin of this nature is embarrassing to the man, the church, and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that he's innocent, but if he's not I pray his church desires to be obedient to God. 

Father, thank you for putting me into the ministry.  May my mouth never run too far ahead of my life.  I'm a sinner, but I pray that by your grace I'm always repenting.  I pray this church and pastor goes to you and your word for guidance.  Thank you that Jesus was innocent and was the perfect sacrifice for me. 

Here's an article about the situation.
Check out this article about pastors hiding from God