Last Lessons #33 – CHURCH

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

Jesus Christ is building his Church and nothing will stop it.  Today we are told that the church is dying – but that is a lie.  Actually, statistics prove that the number of Christians in the world is growing.  It is true that there may be fewer people who go to church in the West but in Africa, South America, and Asia more and more people are becoming Christians and going to church.  The Body of Christ is not dying.  For the Church to die would mean that its Head, Jesus Christ, would die.  He already died for his Church once.  He will not die again.  Christ is building his Church (true believers) and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  So, if Christ is building his church now, how can I be a part of the building process?  Here is what I have learned:

• Go to church.  Personally, I have not attended a church for the past year because I am old and prevented from going because of the coronavirus.  But I have been in church by myself as I have streamed my own church service every Sunday.  By the time this blog is published I will have had my second shot of vaccine and I will be able to go back to church.  How about you?  Christ wants his body to worship him together so please Go to church!

“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”  Ephesians 1:22-23

• Go to the best church you can.  It is important to go to a church where the pastor preaches the Word of God.  I am grateful that God has put me in churches where I hear the Bible faithfully preached.  But there are so many “good” churches where preachers’ sermons are topical instead of expositional.  Please check out your church to see if the preacher is preaching through a book of the Bible. You need to know what the Bible says, not just what the preacher says.  If you need to change churches, do so.  If the Bible is not preached in your church, you will not grow spiritually, and God will not bless that church. 

 

“And he is the head of the body, the church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”  Colossians 1:18

• Pray that churches that do not teach the uncompromised truth of Scripture will close.  False teaching in churches is deadly.  Better no teaching than false teaching.  A church that is wishy-washy should close instead of making its members think that they are fine just because they go to a church and are made to feel good.  Church is not about “feeling good”.  Church is about worshiping God and learning to know him through his Word.  Please pray that churches that do not do those things will close.

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”  Acts 20:28

Do not be discouraged.  Christ is building his Church and you as a Christian can be part of the process by not only going to a good church yourself, but by inviting others to go with you.  Most people begin to go to church because somebody invites them.  You may need to pick them up the first time or make a way for them to get there.  Since I do not drive anymore, I am grateful that I have loved ones who see that I get to church.  Let us do all we can to help build the true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20-21

Last Lessons #32 – POWER

 “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.” Psalm 2:1-4 

I am sure the Lord is laughing today. People, political parties, and nations think they have power. Are they kidding? God has all the power and he uses people, political parties, and nations to accomplish his purpose for history. How he will use these means today and especially in the next four years in accomplishing his ultimate purpose of establishing his kingdom in a new heaven and a new earth where he will dwell with his people forever (Revelation 21), we do not know, but what we do know is that God is in control of his world. His purpose will be accomplished. 

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2 

On the other hand, I am human and it’s easy for me to be discouraged when I see my country being destroyed by ungodly leaders who appear to be in control. Then I remember that God has power to change this country. I can’t change anything. I am just one person with no position or power. No, I have no power in myself, but the Holy Spirit who lives in me has plenty of power. I don’t have to sit idly by and say, “Well, God is in control. There is nothing I can do.” God uses nations, political parties, and people to bring about his purpose for his world. He might even use you or me! 

If God wants to use me, he can empower me to: 

Become informed on the real issues this country faces – not the frivolous ones. 

See the issues I can help with – not just the ones that are fun for me. 

Repent of my sins – not just accuse others of their sins. 

Ask for the filling of his Holy Spirit – not just information. Surrender to his will – not to my own ideas.

Act as he directs – not just wring my hands.

 Remember that the battle is his - not my fight. 

As a child, I learned the old hymn This Is My Father’s World. When I get discouraged, I sing this hymn. Especially the third verse. If you know it, you might want to sing it along with me as you read this blog.

This is my Father’s world, 

O let me ne’er forget 

That though the wrong be oft so strong, 

God is the Ruler yet. 

This is my Father’s world:

The battle is not done; 

Jesus who died shall be satisfied, 

And earth and heav’n be one. 

Didn’t that encourage you?

Last Lessons #31 – GRACE AND RACE

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” Acts 17:26 

By God’s grace, I am not a racist. Let me tell you why. 

In the first place, God in his grace had me born as a white female in the United States of America in 1929. I do not apologize for being white or for being female because to do so would be to tell God that he made a mistake. God doesn’t make mistakes. The Bible tells me that God in his sovereignty made every person and decided when and where they should live. (Acts 17:26) 

Secondly, God in his grace gave me the privilege of living (not just visiting) in different continents. I lived with black Africans in Tanzania for nine years. I lived with brown Asians in Okinawa for two years. And I lived with brown Hispanics in Texas for 30 years. 

Third, God in his grace gave my husband and me some foster children that were not white like me. One of them we found in Okinawa (Asian) and she came to faith in Christ during the years she lived with us. She works for Rafiki now! In Texas we found a beautiful Hispanic teenager who now loves the Lord because God brought her to our home. She is the only one of her family who finished high school. 

I am telling you this because it’s living with people that makes you know them and love them, and it doesn’t matter where they are from or what color they are. If you have never lived outside your bubble and learned to really know people different from you, you might consider:

• Adopting a child of a different color 
• Taking in a foster child
• Helping a refugee family 
• Taking other than your own family to church 
• Or actually going to live with black Africans by becoming a missionary with Rafiki! (call or email Rafikifoundation.org) I can assure you that you will never regret it. And you are not too old unless you are over 80!

I thank God that he decided where those we come to know and love were born and what color they are. I also thank God that in his grace he saved some (including me) from every race to be his and to live with him forever. How wonderful to know that we will all be living together forever. 

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Revelation 7:9-10

Last Lessons #30 – RESOURCES

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.”  Proverbs 2:6-8

Recently a long-time friend and reader of my blogs came to see me. Among other things she was distressed that all drugs, including hard drugs, have now been made legal in her state. There were other things on her mind, and she lamented that she didn’t know who to trust to get the news – the truth, that is. After our conversation I decided to write this blog on RESOURCES that I trust. Obviously, you cannot “trust” me to know all the good resources, but if you are interested, I am sharing a few of those I believe tell me the truth about current events, religion, etc. 

ON YOUR ELECTRONICS 

News 

• The Briefing with Albert Mohler 

• The Morning Brief (Epoch Times) 

• The Daily Signal (Heritage Foundation) 

• Breakpoint (Colson Center) 

• Crosswalk News and Commentary (Christian Headlines) 

Bible 

• Renewing Your Mind – RC Sproul

• White Horse Inn – Michael Horton

• Grace to You – John MacArthur 

READING MATERIAL 

Commentaries 

• Reformed Expository Commentaries - P&R Publishers 

• D. Martin Lloyd-Jones – Banner of Truth Publishers 

• James Montgomery Boice – Baker, Zondervan, IVP Publishers Books 

• Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice – by Scott David Allen 

• The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self; Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution - by Carl R. Trueman 

• United States of Socialism - by Dinesh D’Souza 

Novels 

• Storm Clouds Coming - by Ginny Dye is the first in her historical fiction series called The Bregdan Chronicles. The series gives a balanced narrative of the Civil War and Reconstruction period. I have read the whole series (18 books!) and understand why she is a best-selling author. The stories she tells are not only spellbinding, but I learned so much about slavery, plantation life, medicine, the underground railway, women’s suffrage, and the bravery of those on both sides of the war. These books are historically accurate, clean, and encouraging, for now when racism is such a big issue. 

TV What can I say? 

• FOX News is good most of the time. 

• OAN if you can get it. 

Otherwise, I say TURN OFF THE TV and read some good books!