Tag: Christian

Our Struggle with Patience

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Faith & Discipleship, Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

As I sit down to write this blog post, I find myself overwhelmingly aware of the reality of this topic. What I mean is that I have spent much time in thought and prayer as to just how to word my thoughts about patience and how it impacts the Christian life. The problem is, the more I think about getting it done, the more impatient I become about getting the words out to finish the blog post! The struggle really is real!

To get on with it. I was having a discussion with some people recently about the fruit of the Spirit as described by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” While making the point in the discussion that we should notice that scripture shows the word ‘fruit’ as a singular and not a plural. Meaning that each of these virtues which make up the fruit of the Spirit are simply a part of the totality of the fruit of the Spirit. Sort of the DNA of the fruit of the Spirit.

While we discussed each virtue, when we looked at the virtue of patience, like always, we all expressed frustration about the fact that we all struggle with patience in our lives. I personally believe that struggling in this area of life is normal and should be expected. However, I do think that many times, people may misunderstand what this part of the fruit is really about.

It is common that our knee jerk reaction when talking or thinking about patience that our thoughts go to all those time in life when we have trouble waiting for someone or something. Or maybe we think about having to put up with a person or people that are difficult to put up with. I would say that both of those thoughts are correct and applicable. However, I would submit that God in His Word intends that we have a deeper understanding of what patience is all about and how it plays part in the totality of the fruit of the Spirit.

Recently while teaching through 1 and 2 Samuel, we studied how David was running for his life while King Saul was in hot pursuit for the purpose of killing him. All the while, David had knowledge of God’s promise and plan for his life that he would eventually become King of Israel. David exercised patience each time he had opportunity to kill King Saul and showed self-restraint. David at that time was a superb example of what it looks like to trust God and His plan.

Oh, how we wish we could be patient like David was. Oh, how we wish we could be as patient as Noah was while he built this gigantic boat in the middle of ridicule and persecution. And it definitely seems impossible to exercise the patience that our Savior displayed when He was arrested, beaten, mocked, spit on, cursed, and eventually crucified! He showed us the ultimate example of waiting on the Father to complete His plan! That is what patience as well as the rest of the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit is all about.

We say Amen! While at the same time, we continue to struggle with patience in our lives. Let us consider that maybe some of that struggle exists because our perspective on the things of life can be out of place. If our perspective is that which is focused on ourselves and how the world affects our own lives according to our plans and desires, then it is possible that we will experience unnecessary struggles in our lives.

If our perspective on the things of life and the events of this world are that of the Christian life, then our faith will have a great affect on our ability to exercise patience in all aspects of our lives. At the same time, it would not mean that we will never struggle with patience, it simply means that our struggles will ultimately build strength in our faith and our walk with Christ.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” – James 5:7-8

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”- James 1:2-3

James explains this struggle that we all have with patience. He tries to help us understand that even this struggle has a purpose in the plan of God for our lives and for the bigger plan for His Kingdom!

Returning to our study in 1 and 2 Samuel, we are reminded throughout the life of David that hardship and struggles will prepare us for whatever God has in the plan for our future. It is most likely true that most if not all of us who are walking with Christ genuinely can testify that God had been preparing us for the things in are life today throughout our younger days. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that many of our worries and anxieties were unwarranted.

As James points out in the previous text, when we experience challenges to our patience, we should notice that our faith is being tested and we are being strengthened for endurance. Therefore, we should expect our struggles with patience to be different the longer we live and walk with Christ!

Finally, I would offer encouragement when we say to ourselves, “that all sounds great but this patience thing is just too hard!” Thank God for His Holy Spirit who lives in all of us who are part of the body of Christ through submitting to the work that Jesus did on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins! Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would be sent to be with us, be our guide, to be our strength. We are not expected to work hard at being good at all these virtues that Paul described as the fruit of the Spirit. What Paul is saying is that if we live surrendered to the presence of the Holy Spirit then this fruit, (singular), will be evident in our lives. Not only one or two at a time but all of them.

Our hard work is simply the work of submitting to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Surrendering to God. 100%. This is when patience will be on display in our lives for the world to see!

To God be the Glory.

God Knows About the Darkness

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

Any of us who have been around the block even only a few times would know that life is not always sunshine and roses. However, often times once we put our faith in Christ for salvation, we soon find out that not even the Christian life is always sunshine and roses. In fact, Jesus taught that there would be trouble. He taught that there would be trouble because people would hate Him. Not to mention that we just cannot get along. That is why we need Jesus.

I remember when my wife and I received salvation. It was urgent in my heart that we both accept the forgiveness that God had offered us through the sacrifice of Jesus. I remember it brought such a peaceful feeling into my life that I had never experienced before. Then it was not long before we both began to get involved with the work of the Church. As we began to grow, we began to realize that life was still hard at times. We quickly realized that accepting Christ did not mean that life would be stress free.

It has been thirty-two years and a few months since my wife, and I got saved. During that journey, many trials and dark times have come and gone. I still remember times when it seemed that all had failed, and I began to question everything about my life and ministry. It was very confusing and very defeating during those times. Loneliness and depression became a very real part of my daily life during those dark times. I remember feeling like I was all alone. Even though I never believed that God had forsaken me, at times I had to continue to tell myself that He was there. Even though I could not see or feel His presence. As I think about these times, I think of them as the dark days of despair.

The dark times I am referring to had nothing to do with any of our efforts to share the gospel or make disciples and evangelize the lost. No, I am referring to the challenges and troubles that came about between the believers. That’s right. I am referring to the trouble that happens within the church. The times I am referring to usually were brought on by extreme situations brought on by only a few.

As I reflect, I think of 1 Samuel as we read about David being on the run from Saul who was desiring to kill him. We read that God had called David to become the king of Israel and Saul had turned from God and began to be threatened by David. We find in 1 Samuel that David at one point was hiding in a cave in the wilderness. While his heart was filled with anxiety and confusion, David expressed his feelings, and they are found in Psalm 142. It is in these verses that I find truth in my dark times.


In the first two verses, David simply cries out to the Lord in the darkness of the cave. He is honest about his feelings and condition before the Lord.

I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
 I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my trouble before Him.

Verse 3 shows that David is dealing with a situation that is bigger than himself all while expressing his trust in God’s knowledge and involvement.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.

It is when I read verse 4 that God reveals to me that I am not the first to feel alone and desperate. I am not the first to be overwhelmed by the troubles of this world brought on by others. David felt hopeless and totally alone.

Look to the right and see;
For there is no one who regards me;
There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.

It was at this point that I would have to force myself to continue to read through verses 5-7 of the Psalm. It is imperative to see how David was able to encourage himself in the Lord and cry out to God for deliverance.

I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
“Give heed to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too strong for me.
 “Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;

The righteous will surround me,
For You will deal bountifully with me.”

You see, David knew that God had picked him to be the next king of Israel. He also knew that God would do things in His own time. So, we can see in this Psalm how David was able to trust God in his darkness by believing God and trusting in His promises. He knew that the only way to find his way through the darkness was to trust and wait on the Lord to deliver him.

Just as David was able to survive his dark days, we too can take note of how he would cry out to the Lord and depend on Him even when he felt all alone and like no one cared about his troubles.

I can testify that God has never failed me. He always delivered me from the darkness and many times sent a brother or two into the darkness to wait with me. Also, I have never seen Him fail anyone else who would cry out to Him while trusting in Him and His timing.

Notice that David’s request to be delivered from his trouble was ultimately so he could praise God and give Him the glory!

I praise God that each and every time I cry out to Him from the darkness, He is faithful in delivering me. It has always been in His time, and I have been learning to wait on Him in the darkness.

I would encourage anyone who is going through some dark times and feeling alone and anxious, read Psalm 142 and begin to cry out to our Lord. Lay your heart out before Him and trust what you know to be true about Him and He will deliver you in His time.

I love you and the Lord loves you,

To God be the Glory.

Do We See What God Sees?

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Faith & DiscipleshipLeave a comment

Often times as I look around at our world, I wonder if we really see what God sees. I mean are we really able to see people the way God see them? I would like the answer to that question to be yes, of course! However, I think it would not take much pondering on the reality of our lives to discover that, maybe not so much.

Jesus answered the question presented to Him by the Pharisees about which was the greatest commandment. His answer being to Love God and Love People. Well, some may think it to be an easy thing to do and others may think it to be rather challenging. Not to mention the variables that exist. Especially the fact that not all of us are that easy to love at times. That’s right, I said it. You know it is true. That is why we need Jesus!

I believe that there are many obstacles in life that prevent we the believers from really being able to love God and love people in the way that Jesus meant when He answered that question. One of the largest obstacles is the fact that the world demands society to look at one another and instantly pass judgement on one another solely based on our own personal opinions about what is right or wrong or what is acceptable or not. This leaves little to no room for being able to see people the way God sees people.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

We see here in John 13 how Jesus explains how to love God and love people. Especially that the Church would love one another. Yes indeed. It is a lot more than just being nice and exercising manners while in public. As Jesus made obvious, this is a command! If we profess to be believers, disciples of Christ, we must understand this as one of those things that is not an option.

I personally do not see this command as having multiple ways of going about doing. Jesus simply said to “love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” This would require us to have a good understanding of just how Jesus loved us. Once we have that understanding, then we can hope to love others and be a proper witness in the world for the Kingdom of God!

Notice that as we pursue this understanding, the result would naturally be that we are moving away from the way of the world which calls us to treat one another based on our own judgements and opinions. The fact is that we cannot love others the way that Jesus loves us while picking sides and viewing those who are standing on other sides as the enemy. It is impossible to see what God sees in people if we are focused on what we believe are their faults or sins. Yes, I know, this is the most challenging to say the least.

God sees what He created in all human beings. After all, He is the creator. He does not make mistakes. Yes, He sees our sin. Yes, He knows our hearts. However, God’s plan has always been to allow Jesus to come into the world for the purpose of dealing with the problem of sin. The problem being that sin separates us from God an His Holiness and demands a payment, death.

This is God’s plan because when He looks at His creation, He see past the sin and sees what He intended for each of us. He sees what He loves. Oh, how powerful our witness could be if we could just see others the way God sees them! If only we could see people the way God sees them, we might consider that God loves each one therefore, how could I do anything other than love?

Oh, how powerful our witness could be if we could just see what God sees in ourselves! Too many of us struggle with loving ourselves because we do not see what God loves. If we would see what He loves, then we would consider that if God loves me then how could I not love me? Then, we would truly have the ability to understand exactly how and why Jesus loves us the way that He did and does!

So, I would encourage each of us to consider seeking the Lord prayerfully that we would continue to grow in our understanding of Just how it was and is that Jesus loves us. I would encourage each one to prayerfully seek the Lord for strength and wisdom as we are in the world as witnesses to the lost. Pray that we would see people the way the God sees people.

To God be the glory.

The Best Way to Pray for Your Community is to Pray for Yourself

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Faith & Discipleship1 Comment

As disciples of Christ, we are to be in the world in such a way that we are exposing our communities to the love of God. It is the “great commission”! Everything we do and everything we are about should indicate that not only does God love us but also that we love God!

We have a powerful resource available to us that provides a pathway to success in this mission. Prayer! It is my belief that praying for someone is the most powerful thing you can do for a person. After all, prayer is entering into the presence of God by way of the blood of Christ who opened the door for it. We are invited into conversation with the Father. It is His will that the believers go into the world and make disciples. So, it would make perfect sense that we would start off by calling on Him for guidance, wisdom, and strength. I mean, otherwise how can we proclaim His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven?

Over the time of my existence in this world, I have heard many who lament over the condition of our world or our nation and sometimes even the condition of our own communities. I submit to you that it is not proper to cry out for God to do something to make the world a better place without realizing our role in how He wants to do that.

Take a moment to think about it. When we cry out to God to bless our community or our nation, even the entire world because we see the condition of society and are concerned. But are we concerned about what God is concerned about? Do we want God to bless our communities for the reason He wants to bless them? If we are about making disciples and exposing the world to the Love of God, then Yes. Yes, we are in line with His plan!

Let us look at Paul’s ministry for a moment. As Paul traveled the world teaching and preaching the gospel message and loving the people, he often told them that he would be praying for them. However, the most powerful thing he ever did for his ministry effort was to pray. I mean that he prayed for himself.

That’s right. He prayed for himself. Yeah, I know. That sounds so selfish. But maybe the selfish prayer is asking God to bless our nation or community because it is not the way we like it. No, we must understand that the life of the disciple of Christ is a life that is about the mission of going into the world and reaching others with the gospel.

We can see in scripture that Paul understood the importance of praying for himself so much that he called on others to pray for him as well.

“and pray on my behalf, that utterance my be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.” – Ephesians 6:19

“praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” – Colossians 4:3-4

“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;” – 2 Thessalonians 3:1

If we really want our world to be better. If we really want people to suffer less and have more joy in life, then we must pray for ourselves! We must pray for ourselves because we, the Church, are the tool with which God is using to answer the prayers that we lift up for our Nation and our communities!

The bottom line is that God sees the condition of the world and the condition of our community! He also wants us to see it! So, when we cry out, please pray for our nation, or please pray for our community, just know that if you are in Christ, you are the answer!

Therefore, if we really want God to bless our community then we must pray for ourselves. In fact, I believe that praying for ourselves in the same way that Paul was asking other believers to pray for him, is the most powerful way to pray for others!

How will the lost ever know truth if we do not boldly live it in front of them?

I will be praying for all of you brothers and sisters and asking you to pray for me. That our witness will be bold and genuine for the sake of the gospel. For the sake of the lost!

To God be the Glory!

Jesus Did Not Say Go Onto Social Media and Make a Post

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Faith & DiscipleshipLeave a comment

Let me just start this blog post by making something very clear. The purpose of this post is not to condemn the use of social media or any type of internet luxuries that we enjoy in today’s society. Although many preachers do in fact consistently speak against the use of social media or internet activities. That is definitely not me. I, like many of you, use the internet as well as social media to communicate with friends and family as well as getting the message out to the masses when possible.

Now, having said all of that. I do believe that any avenue of communication has its place and function in society as well as having its place in the work of the Kingdom of God. I am old enough to vaguely remember some of the old timey preachers who would condemn television as the devil’s work. Each time new technologies would break onto the scene it seemed like the church would preach against it as the devil’s tool. I am one who believes that all things can either be used for God’s work or the devil’s work. Man has been good at inventing great things and then contaminating their uses for sinful purposes.

I have noticed over the years, especially since the dawn of social media, that many of us who would call ourselves believers have made a lot of noise about Jesus on the internet. Now, as I mentioned before, this generally could be viewed as a positive thing. After all, if we are bringing Jesus into the conversation, how could that be a negative thing?

The main point that I want to encourage everyone to consider is this. If the believers, the body of Christ, is as bold as a lion on social media but is hardly noticeable in the flesh, something is wrong. Part of the problem with social media is that often times people seem to be more courageous about what they say online because they have the ability to hide behind the curtain of the internet without consequence.

What I mean can be a double-sided coin. One side applies to all the social media posts that have good intentions and would generally be seen as a comment that would honor God because it is full of truth and love for others. The problem with that kind of post is that it lacks the best part of the statement being said to those who might hear it. There is something powerful about a person who is saved by the blood of Christ who actually looks into the eyes of another person and actually says those words out loud. This way the hearer can feel the love and power of said true statement. Merely reading it on a social media post, although is not wrong, is lacking something personal.

The other side of the coin applies to all the social media posts that are mis-guided or come from a bad or incorrect understanding of the truth of God’s Word. Social media has given everyone and anyone the ability to say anything and everything without too much accountability. There are so many mis-leading posts or memes about God, Jesus, or the gospel it is a wonder that anyone will ever consider any real truth from anyone who dares to share actual truth about Jesus.

Some of the extreme examples would be those posts that encourage us to hit “like” and “share” and God will bless you. NO! That is not how God works. There is nothing in all of Scripture that describes God working that way!

Other not so obvious examples would be those posts that take scripture out of context and try to apply it to certain situations. This happens offline too. Many times, believers have this need to throw out some scripture in an effort to encourage, help, comfort, or sometimes even convict society. Unfortunately, if the text does not apply or is taken out of context, it is not helpful at all. In fact, it actually most likely is doing more harm than good.

The bottom line here for this blog post is this. It has been my observation for a while now that each time there is a significant event that happens in the world or even in a local community of people. Society as a whole takes to social media to share their immediate reactions. The Church, the Christians, are not to be left out of this somewhat new custom in our society. We all get tempted to respond, rant, and especially emote via our favorite social media outlet. After all, people need to know how we feel about everything!

From my personal experience, not many really even stop scrolling long enough to even see that post you just made. That is, if it even shows up in the middle of all the ads that dominate everyone’s feed. Of course, this last statement excludes all those posts that are intended to shock and offend others. Those are the ones that get all the “likes” and “shares”. Isn’t that what it is all about anyway? “Likes” and “Shares”.

I have noticed over the past ten plus years that I have been using social media that I get more attention and response when I post pictures of the food that I eat than when I post any Scripture or sermon video. Yep, it is true. The twelve hundred or so people that I am connected to on social media seem to prefer to hear about my dining habits way more than anything I might have to say about God or Jesus.

Again, I am not saying that we should stop using social media as a way to share truth or be a blessing to others. However, what I mean to say is that if social media is our only avenue in which we are trying to be the witness in the world, then we have missed the assignment. In other words, if we are bolder and more courageous with our online witness than we are in our personal in the flesh witness, then we have missed the assignment.

Yeah, I know. It is much easier to just type up a real quick post about Jesus or send out a meme about some part of scripture. That doesn’t take any real courage. Not compared to sitting down with a neighbor and looking them in the eye and having a real conversation about Jesus. Or sitting down and listening to another real live person who is struggling with some challenging or tragic situation and taking the opportunity to lead that person into the presence of God through prayer at some point in the conversation. It is really hard to emote with other people unless there is a personal interaction.

Jesus gave the command to all who would be His disciples. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 28:19. Notice Jesus did not say go on social media and make a post.

He said go. Yes, it is true that social media and other internet forums give us the ability to go into all the world instantly. However, I will submit that in no way did Jesus teach any of His disciples to fall into the habit of making disciples solely online. In fact, I am sure that He intended for His disciples to be the kind of people to would get their hands dirty loving others. We cannot genuinely love others and love God and be disconnected from society. We must be the Church! We must be the actual hands and feet of Jesus in this lost world!

Although social media can be a great tool for sharing some truth to the masses, it is not and cannot become the replacement for living our lives the way God created us to live them. We are created to interact with one another in a very personal way. We are to look into each other’s eyes, hug those who need to be hugged, laugh with those who have joy, and grieve with those who have lost. After all, that is the way Jesus did it. We can be thankful that Jesus showed up in person, in the flesh, to physically go to the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. There can be nothing more personal than that.

I suggest we all ask God for the courage to back up our social media witness with the boldness and courage to present an in-person witness that brings glory to God every day of our lives. I pray that we all present the reality of God and His Kingdom to our own communities and circle of people. After all, it is what Jesus died for.

To God be the glory.

Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes – Spiritually Speaking?

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

While realizing that not everyone is a country music fan, specifically what is now known as the “oldies” in country music. Nevertheless, there was once a well-known country music singer/songwriter known as George Jones. He sang and wrote many #1 hits on the country music chart in his day. One in particular comes to mind for the topic of this blog post. It is titled, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?”.

This song was actually written by Max Barnes and Troy Seals. Jones and his singing it made it a hit toward the later years of his career. The song was simply about an old country music legend wondering about the future of country music. Reminiscing about those who had come before him and participated in making country music great.

“Who’s gonna fill their shoes? Who’s gonna stand that tall?Who’s gonna play the Opry, and the Wabash Cannonball?Who’s gonna give their heart and soul to get to me and you?”

Those are the words of the chorus in that song. It causes me to ponder about other things in life, as it would with anyone else when reflecting on their own career or profession. Me being a Preacher, it makes sense that I would wonder about the church, “who’s gonna fill their shoes”?

In every church congregation, with the exception maybe of some new church plants, there are always those faithful saints who are “the older members”. These are the ones who have, because of their faithfulness, continued the work of the Kingdom of God over the years. They are the reason that the congregation even still exists! Some were there when the congregation first formed and when they built their first church house. Others came along throughout the years.

As a Preacher, I have heard many stories about the histories of the church congregation. Stories of how the men and women on the rolls throughout the history of each congregation worked hard and stood firm in their faith. Testimonies about how the gospel was preached and people were saved and how everyone loved gathering at the church and meeting together.

This past December, I was presented with a gift by my Father. I suppose it is sort of heirloom. I never had the opportunity to meet my Grandfather, as he passed away before I arrived. However, my Father handed me a bible that he and his brother bought for their Father. This bible was given to me for the purpose of reading and passing along in the future.

This bible also got me pondering about the future of the church. I not only mean the local congregation, but the body of Christ as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, in no way do I believe that the Kingdom of God could ever be defeated, die off, or even fade away. What can happen is that the Kingdom of God, the church, can, will and is changing generation after generation.

I still wonder, who is gonna fill their shoes? Who is going to be faithful in the work of the body of Christ? Who is going to be faithful in the work of the local congregation? Who is gonna stand firm in the doctrines of truth and bend like a pine tree in the wind when it comes to loving people? Are their going to be stories told in the future about the faithful Grandparents, Parents, Aunts and Uncles who walked the Christian walk in front of the children of the family which stood as testimony to the work of God in the local congregation?

 

The Most Important New Year’s Resolution

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

As we all get back to our daily routines after New Year’s day, I would like to take a moment to point out that most of us are simply going to return to business as usual. This I suspect is much of the reason that resolutions ultimately fade away after a few months.

Sure, we all do our best to “try again” when it comes to those things in life that we believe that we are failing at or cannot seem to get any momentum with. I pray that we all can experience success or progress in our lives. However, I know from experience as well as from God’s Word that life is not always pies and ice cream.

The truth is, life happens. And as long as we are given life to live in this world, I would advise that we all commit to making just one resolution this year. I believe it is the most important resolution a person can make each year.

I came across this message, preached by Charles R. Swindoll. I will simply leave the video here for your enjoyment and pray that it will inspire us all to make the commitment!

To Give or Not to Give- That is a Good Question

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Faith & Discipleship, Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:35 (NASB)

Often times in bible studies and just casual conversation, I hear people bring up the topic of discerning when to give to those who ask. Usually this question refers to those who are seen on the street holding the cardboard sign which is intended to explain their situation. Other times, people will call or arrive at the church office wanting some assistance with something.

I personally believe that this “dilemma” is born out of a torn heart. Many Christians genuinely want to help those in need. I mean, if we are genuine Christians, then it would be in our hearts to show love and compassion for the needy. On the other hand, Christians are people and people don’t like to be taken advantage of. When it does happen, and it seems to happen often, it king of leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

Some respond by cutting off all benevolence to anyone, after all that would only be fair and safe, right? Others take the attitude that they will just give what they can always, leaving the receiver in God’s hands. Many leadership meetings at churches have been spent discussing this matter. Ultimately, churches and Christians alike really want to help those in need and minister to them, yet at the same time do not wish to be taken advantage of and allow some to steal from them.

As I address this issue, let me make it clear that I personally to not have a concrete, “this is what to do” answer. What follows is just my two cents. I pray that it is helpful.

First, we see in John 13:35, among many other places in Scripture that the Christian is one who loves others. In fact, that is how we are to be distinguished from the rest of the world. Jesus even taught that we are to love God and love others. I will submit that loving God and loving others is not something that the Christian strives to get better at and achieve, rather it is what is in us. It is who we are.

The Christian is one whom in the Holy Spirit has taken up residence. Even though the trinity cannot be explained completely, we can know that the three are one. Therefore, since God is love,

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.     1 John 4:7-8  (NASB)

and the Spirit of God is God, then we can conclude that love is in the believer. This is why the Christian has this “dilemma” in our hearts when it comes to showing love and compassion to those who present themselves in need. I think that the first point of focus would be with self. We Christians would do good to ask ourselves, who is making the decision as to whether or not a person is genuinely in need or not?

The question that we usually ask ourselves almost immediately is, does this person really need help? Or, is this person being honest, or are they just making up a story to get the help they are asking about? My not so favorite one that some have asked is, how do I know they won’t go buy drugs or alcohol with what I give them?

To 99% of the people in the world, it seems that those questions are legitimate questions. However, for the Christian, we must remember that since the Spirit of God is living in us, our approach may be different. I am not saying that it is wrong to think about those questions, however, I am saying that they should not be out guide to reach the conclusion to the “dilemma”.

Second point. I do not think that the Christian is “obligated” to give to everyone who presents a need. The scripture is clear that we are to help others when we have opportunity and the means. Along with that, I will submit that the Christian has a responsibility to be good stewards of that which God has entrusted in their care.

I do not believe that God desires for the Christian to be taken advantage of. Nor do I believe that God desires the Christian to be taken for a fool. After all, we are ambassadors for the Kingdom of God to this world. We must look at benevolence of any kind as an investment. An investment in the work of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus taught a lesson using a parable about a wealthy man leaving his wealth in the care of three men. Each having the same responsibility. Two were successful, the other failed. The two that succeeded increased the wealth of the Kingdom because they feared their master and thought to do what he would want them to do. The third, on the other hand, was more afraid of failure than the master. He did what he thought was best and did not consider what the master would have him do.

The same is true here for the Christian. The Master, our Lord, has given us His valuables. We have the responsibility to be stewards of that wealth. That wealth, by the way, is His love, the gospel of Christ, Salvation. This should lead us to the question, why does the scripture teach us to give when we can give?

I often try to insert into those conversations about this matter the answer to that question. At least what I believe to be the answer. It is two-fold really. First, but not foremost, the scripture teaches us to give because that is what love is. If love resides in a person, then compassion will rise to the surface. Second, and foremost, the scripture tells us to give because of John 13:35. The world will know the Christian because of the way we love.

As far as knowing when not to give or be taken advantage of. I often think about Acts chapter 3.

“But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”               Acts 3:6 (NASB)

Here Peter and John were presented with a man in need. It so happened that this man had a genuine need. However, they did not give the man what he asked for. Instead, they invested in the Kingdom of God by giving him what was most valuable. The result was that the crippled man encountered God and the world around them was impacted greatly by the witness! If you don’t believe me, go read it for yourself.

The point that I am getting at here is this. There are times to give and there are times not to give, that is when it comes to the things of this world. When it comes to giving the love of God, there is never a time not to give. For the Christian, the key is to seek guidance from the Master. “What would Jesus do?” even though that has become a cliché, it still rings true.

The letter to the Galatians instructs us to keep in step with the Spirit. That means that we are not making the decisions. I know, that is hard to accept, but it is the way the Master set in place. The Holy Spirit will guide us away from poor investments with the Master’s wealth, and make us aware of the good investment opportunities for the Kingdom of God.

I hope I have explained this well enough that you all can see that it is a matter of making disciples in everything we do. We help the needy in hopes that they will encounter God and His Kingdom, whether they are Christians or not. We help the Christians who are in need for the purpose of getting them back in the Kingdom work force, and we help those who are not Christians for the purpose of exposing them to the love of God! So, we must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit when it comes to helping the needy in this world.

Oh, one last thing. God does not expect nor desire anyone to become needy for the sake of helping those in need. Give what you can, when you can. If you have not the means, seek the Lord for other ways to help. Peter and John told the crippled man, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give you.” Acts 3:6. If we genuinely have the Spirit of God living in us, then we always have something to give.

We should offer that whether it is received or not.

 

The Spirit of Christmas- is it really in the air?

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Faith & DiscipleshipLeave a comment

““The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Over the generations that Christmas has been celebrated, many times the “Spirit of Christmas” has been mentioned, talked about, or even taught about. There have been stories and books written, even movies made about the “Spirit of Christmas”.

The question might be, what is the “Spirit of Christmas”? Furthermore, is it the same for everyone or is it something that means something different for every individual? I think you will find that there are many answers offered and opinions given, whether called for or not.

Since I am a Christian, it should be obvious that my answer to the general question would be that the “Spirit of Christmas” has to do with the presence of Jesus. After all, Matthew’s gospel points out that they called Him Immanuel, which means “God with us”. The presence of God is what every Christian should be experiencing even when it is not Christmas. For those who are not Christians, well let me just point out that God’s presence is always there, one only need to surrender to Him.

““Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We can see in the gospel of Luke as the Angels spoke to the Shepherds about the birth of Jesus. Notice that they are promised that on earth there will be peace to those on whom his favor rests. It is kind of an amazing thing to notice. The peace of Christ being given to those who will notice it. Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ and that His death and resurrection were sufficient for the sins of man!

If asked, there are not many people in this world who would say that they do not want peace. Since Christmas is about the birth of Jesus in the flesh, it makes sense that there would be a keen awareness of His peace or His Holy Spirit during the time of celebrating His birth. After all, it marked the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promise in chapter 3 of Genesis.

It seems that during Christmas time, after Black Friday, and the hustle and bustle of what the season has become in our society, on Christmas Day, everything seems to slow down. Most everything is closed up, many people are in their homes with their families and nothing else is happening but Christmas fellowship and eating stuff.

It is no wonder that many people feel an extra strong sense of the “Spirit of Christmas”! That Spirit of Christmas is simply the peace of Christ and the comfort in knowing that indeed there is a Savior provided by God! Only if we all could be so attentive to that Spirit those other 364 days of the year!

Now, I realize that not everyone believes what I believe to be the truth about Jesus and Christmas. I realize that Christmas for those, has some other meaning. I cannot possibly fathom what that could be or that it would have any real meaning for them. However, this is the case for many. I will say, the fact that there are people who do not believe that Jesus is the Christ and do not celebrate Christmas for what it truly is about, does not change the truth about God or Jesus born in the flesh. It certainly does not change the presence of God and His Kingdom in this world.

Maybe, the truth of the matter is that people all over the world are experiencing the presence of God , or the “Spirit of Christmas”, in a powerful way during the Christmas time, some realizing that it is God’s Holy Spirit and others completely oblivious or rejecting the truth. Either way, for the Christian, it is one of the best times to let the light of Christ shine brightly in our lives! After all, what a better time to be the witness than the time when many people are noticing what is referred to as the “Spirit of Christmas”!

Merry Christmas ya’ll!

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:14-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Have an Offended Christmas or a Merry Christmas, Your Choice

On By Archie L. GilmerIn Culture & Conviction, Life & PerseveranceLeave a comment

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”                                                                                                                                                 Luke 1:26-38

Christmas season is upon us and the birth of our Lord Jesus, the Christ, is the reason for the celebration. Every year it seems like time just goes right on by during this time of the year. We all are so busy with work and vacation schedules, planning for guests or traveling, and then there is all the shopping and wrapping to do. Each family do their very best to make memories and have the “best Christmas ever”!

Lately I have heard, as I do every year, others in conversation over singing certain Christmas songs based on whether they are theologically correct or not. What with the whole debate about the reason for Christmas going on throughout society and all the old family traditions which are always necessary, most people do not even think to consider anything like theologically correct Christmas songs or decorations.

When it comes to truly celebrating the birth of Jesus and the events that surround it, there is some importance to making sure that the truth is not watered down by fairy-tales and even family traditions. After all, it is the responsibility of the Christian to be the witness and continue to share the gospel throughout the world to anyone who will hear it. Therefore, it is imperative that the message be accurate.

Having said that, I will also say that legalism only leads to controversy and strife in any part of the Christian life. Obviously there is going to be some debate over just where that line is drawn between being theologically accurate and being free to worship and celebrate as one would desire. But what about that line?

Is there even a line that can be crossed? When it comes to the Christian faith, there is a line. I would suggest that when it comes to Christmas celebrations and family traditions, the line would be found at the point when God no longer is glorified in what is going on. Whether it is song, fellowship, meals, or even dress codes. What I mean is that if anything that is done during the celebration of Christmas actually takes away from what Christmas is about, then maybe it should not be done.

If any part of the Christmas celebration takes the mean of Christmas and makes it anything other than Jesus born in the flesh for the purpose of dying on the cross, well then maybe the Christian should re-think that part of their celebration. Many times the giving of gifts can become more important than what we are really celebrating and the purpose of the celebration is lost.

So as far as people being offended about Christmas songs, or even some Christians criticizing some Christmas songs because they are not theologically correct, I would suggest two solutions. First, to those who are offended by some of the Christmas songs, usually they are not Christian believers, so I would suggest that they learn about Christ and His birth. If those who are offended by Christmas would take the time to open their minds and hearts to what is happening, I believe that things would change for them. If not, well I guess they will just have to have an offended Christmas as opposed to a Merry Christmas.

Second, I would say to the Christians who are overly meticulous about the critique of every detail of the Christmas songs, or the nativity scenes, please continue to be diligent about your understanding of Christ and His birth! However, not everything in the Christian life will be “theologically correct”, there are some great Christmas songs which celebrate the time of year and the atmosphere that is created by the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

I will say however, that when at church in the middle of worship time, we should remember that we are there to worship God and therefore should be mindful about the Christmas songs we use for worship. So, I would say to the Christian song critique, you can have a legalistic Christmas or a Merry Christmas. Your choice.

The fact is that we all have our different ways of celebrating Christmas. As long as we keep Christ as the center of it all, it should be the Merriest of times for all. So, I say this to everyone, Merry Christmas and God bless you all!