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Noah: A Preacher of Righteousness

5/12/2021

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God doesn’t raise up denominations, He raises up men. Throughout Scripture, and throughout history, the call of God has gone out to people. And throughout history men have answered that call. Isaiah said, “Here am I, send me;” Peter, James, John, and Andrew immediately dropped their nets and followed Jesus; Paul counted all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, while reckoning that temporal sufferings were nothing compared to the glory of eternity; others like Tyndale, Bonhoeffer, and Jim Elliot went as far as to die for our Lord. Each of these aforementioned men counted the cost and determined that Jesus Christ was worth it; they were reconciled to fight a good fight, to finish their course, and to keep the faith. Today, the Lord is still looking for men to answer His call, to embrace His will entirely, and to lay down their lives for something (someone) that is greater than anything that this temporary world can fathom. God is looking for preachers of righteousness, men of the cross, and for strangers and pilgrims who are desiring a better country, a country whose builder and maker is God. 

The Situation We’re Living In: As in the Days of Noah
It would be an understatement to say that there are problems all around us. Iniquity is increasing, and although the humanist would try to convince us otherwise, people are not getting any better; they are getting worse. It seems that everywhere “the love of many has grown cold.” Perilous times are upon us, and men are lovers of self; lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. And as far as the religious community is concerned, there is an abounding form of godliness that denies the power thereof. Baby murder is rampant; hatred and partiality rule the political and social realm; sodomy is widely accepted as natural, and its victims are celebrated as heroes; sexual immorality is ravaging the nation; drug addiction is at an all time high; covetousness and consumerism are hidden behind the facade of the “American Dream;” and in the middle of it all there are people who call themselves people of God who stand idly without any sense of urgency. Paul wrote in Romans 13:11 that (in his day, mind you) it is “high time to awake out of sleep.” It’s later now than it’s ever been before. The late Leonard Ravenhill said, “the world isn’t in need of a new definition of Christianity, it’s in need of a new demonstration of Christianity.” It’s high time for the people of God to wake up, for prophets of God to rise up, and for the Church of Jesus Christ to push back at the gates of hell. 

Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 24:37-39 (NASB), “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. I suppose that Noah was dealing with a similar moral and spiritual climate that we are dealing with today. Mankind had become increasingly wicked, and every intent of the thoughts of their heart was only evil continually. They were consumed with their own lives and livelihood; eating, and drinking, marrying, and being given in marriage. People were living with no regard for God, and with no regard for eternity, with no urgency, and with no concern for the impending judgement of God. I don’t think that it’s a stretch to say that in Noah’s day the people were calling good evil, and they were calling evil good. It was a backwards society that emphasized pleasure over righteousness. And in the middle of it all there was one righteous man who walked with God. In fact, Peter writes in 2 Peter 2:5 that Noah was a “preacher of righteousness.” He was a preacher that spoke on behalf of the living God, and declared the justice and judgement of God. The whole story of Noah and the ark speaks to God’s holiness, His hatred for sin, His desire to vindicate the righteous, and the greatness of His wonderful mercy. 


What We’re in Need Of: Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness
Noah was a preacher of righteousness in that He faithfully kept to the work that God called him to do in spite of the opposition of the culture that surrounded him. It may be that Noah stood on a pile of lumber and declared God’s truth, but it was Noah’s relentless, and radical obedience toward God in building the ark that ultimately served as the testimony that condemned the world, thus making him heir to the righteousness which is by faith (Heb. 11:7). Noah was a man that feared God; he had utmost and respect for his Maker, and he uncompromisingly followed every minute command that God gave Him. Why? Because Noah knew God; he walked with God; he lived ever before his God, and he was surrendered to God’s divine will. What the world needs today are preachers of righteousness who walk with God. The world needs men and women who know God, and who fear God, and who hold the words of God in higher esteem than they do the thoughts, philosophies, worldviews, and demands of a godless culture. Try to imagine the perseverance of Noah. For seventy five to one hundred years he likely had to endure mockery, and snide comments from scoffing men who made it a point to ridicule and object to Noah’s building of the ark. Wherever the word of the Lord is being proclaimed there will be opposition; maybe there were other voices that countered Noah, claiming that a loving God would never destroy His own creation with a flood. However, in spite of it all, Noah remained faithful to the word that God had given Him; and he was faithful to keep the word of God because he knew the God of the word.

Noah was faithful to God, and he demonstrated that faithfulness by embracing every word of God. Genesis 6:13 says, “And God said unto Noah,” followed by God’s command for Noah to build an ark. Plainly, the will of God is discovered through the word of God, it always has been, and it always will be. Noah trusted God, and He took every word of God seriously, even to the point that it made him look like a fool and a fanatic. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NASB) reads, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Quite frankly there’s a whole generation of so called preachers who are oblivious to what the will of the Lord is because they have refused to embrace God’s word(s) as being infallible, inerrant, inspired, and entirely authoritative, and all of that for fear of being called a fundamentalist, a legalist, or a radical. Noah, once he received God’s divine directive, did not falter from striving to accomplish every command of God, and because he obeyed the Lord so radically, he and his family were delivered from the awful judgement of God. The stakes are high if you’re going to be a preacher of righteousness. You’re going to be unpopular, you’re going to make goats mad, and you’re certainly going to have to fend off the fiery darts of the wicked, but don’t lose heart: Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. 


What is the Message of the Preacher of Righteousness?
The message of the preacher of righteousness is always a message that builds up Christ. I can see Noah now, wiping the sweat from his brow as he labored to cut every board, to drive every nail, to situate every part of the enormous structure; he worked tirelessly to build the ark. The ark is considered a type of Christ; Noah was building up the ark, the mechanism by which the world could be saved if they would turn from their wickedness and enter in. Today, the preacher of righteousness is the preacher that builds up Christ. Warn of the impending judgement, talk about eternity, talk about the brevity of life, and the reality of heaven and hell, talk about the end of the world and the lake of fire, but in all of your preaching - preacher of righteousness - don’t neglect to build up Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life; He is the hope of glory; He is the King of kings; He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world; He is the one who holds the keys of hell and of death. Preacher! Point sinful men to Christ. The great hymn writer Charles Wesley once wrote, “My heart is full of Christ, and longs this glorious matter to declare.” Preach full salvation, and don’t be distracted by any man or devil that will try to convince you to preach otherwise. In the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1, speaking of those who preach any other gospel than the true gospel, “Let them be accursed,”

Salvation does not come by any other means than Christ alone. The duty of Noah was to build the ark, to furnish the ark, and to build up the ark that would serve as a testimony to the world that God is holy. The ark that Noah built was reproving in and of itself, in that it held men accountable to the truth - it was a righteous testimony of salvation, but it was equally a testimony of impending judgement. The message of a preacher of righteousness is a message that reveals Christ, and consequently exposes sin. If the preaching of Christ in our churches does not bring people to a place where they are at odds with their sin and their self, then we are probably not preaching Christ. In the same way that the ark was a righteous testimony of salvation, and a testimony of impending judgement, so is Christ: to the one who accepts Christ as Lord, He is their salvation, but to the one who rejects Christ as Lord, He is their judgement. If the message of the Church moves away from the epicenter of Christ, that’s evidence that the church has lost its way. Make every effort to build up Christ; devote your life to the cause of Christ; work tirelessly to magnify Christ and to testify to the world that He is Lord. 


Don’t Neglect the Urgency of the Hour
There was one duty that the Lord reserved for Himself: He was in charge of shutting the door. I have tried many times to envision the scene when the mighty hand of God reached down to shut the door of the ark. The image that comes to my mind is a group of people, maybe emerging from a tree line and running as hard as they can away from the flood of waters, or maybe wading as quickly as they can through the water that’d already accumulated on the ground. Just as they reach the place where the ark sat, they fall to the ground in sorrow and fearful dread, weeping and wailing with their arms in the air as the door of the ark, without the help of any man, shuts. It’s awful to try to imagine. The reality of final judgement is a tough pill to swallow, but that doesn’t make it any less real. A.W. Pink once wrote that “eternal decisions are made in time,” and time is running out. All roads lead to the judgment seat of Christ, and before the judgement seat there will be no U-turns. The urgency of the message of the preacher of righteousness is at an all time high. You may not be the most qualified, or the most dignified, but that’s not what God is looking for. He’s looking for holy men that will walk with Him. He’s looking for people who will proclaim the truth in the face of lies, and shine a light in the deepest dark.

​No doubt there are a lot of educated people in the ministry. However, a lot of times what we call intelligence, God calls pride. Anybody with a degree can stand and say a few things in a pulpit on a stage, but only a preacher of righteousness, ordained by God, with the fiery words of God flowing from his heart can turn the world upside down, educated or not. The world and its church may wish to waste time trying to figure out how they can keep sinning and still go to heaven, or how they can reconcile sodomy and holiness, or how they can fix society through means of social and political action, but the Church of Jesus Christ has a mission far more important than any of that. The world is dying without Jesus, and it’s gonna take more than a stimulus check, a new president, or green energy to save them. The world needs Jesus, and God has ordained the foolishness of preaching to save those that believe. Preacher, reconcile to be a preacher of righteousness, to preach the full counsel of God, to swim upstream while the dead fish float downstream, and to be a man of God, who walks with God, no matter the cost.



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Raising Godly Children

10/29/2019

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Tips for Raising Godly Children


Being a father has changed me. It has changed me for the better, and it has challenged me personally to walk more closely to Jesus. Not only has it been a great privilege, but it has also been one of the greatest joys of my life. And like any Christian parent, I recognize that the greatest thing that I can do - my most important ministry - is raising Godly children. This is especially important to me in light of the morally, spiritually regressing culture that I find living around me. The current culture has moved “beyond” God; Christians find themselves in a post-God society where feeling, mis-lead passion, and the ideologies of the depraved reign supreme among the general public. So, the question becomes, how do I raise Godly children in such a Godless place? First, don’t worry, and don’t stress - “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.” The enemy is still a defeated foe! That being said, there are biblical, practical ways by which Godly parents can raise Godly children. If you’re interested, I have outlined five tips for raising Godly children.


1. Teach them God’s word. 


I’ll add here, teach them God’s word intentionally. In other words, make it a point every day to sit with your family, open the word of God, read it, ask questions, and challenge one another to live out what has been read. This is a biblical practice; Deuteronomy 11:19 reads, “And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.” This passage is saying, teach your children God’s word all of the time. When you wake up, talk about God’s word; when you’re out and about, talk about God’s word; when you’re relaxing in the house (instead of wasting time), talk about God’s word; and, before you lie down to sleep, talk about God’s word. A home that is saturated with God’s word is a home that is pleasing to God, and God will honor those who honor God. 

2. Pray with your family.

This point is not limited to only praying with your children, although we’re talking about raising Godly children. Families should pray with one another, husbands should pray with wives, parents should pray with children, siblings should pray with siblings (you get it). In prayer, we are humbling ourselves, submitting to the Lordship of Christ, assuming a posture of humility, and communing with the living God. When engaged corporately, we are communing with God together. When a family prays together, they are essentially saying to God, “God you are above us, we need you, we worship you, we want to interact with you, and we want to do so as a family.” It is great to talk to God about your family, and it is even greater to talk to God with your family. When we as parents pray with our children, we are teaching them an important lesson about God, and that lesson is simply this - God is interested in communicating with people - a lesson like that will go a long way if it is given the opportunity to take root in the heart of a child. 


3. Keep Godless influences and worldviews out of the home.


I’ll add additionally here, surround your family with Christ-like influences. This can be applied to anything that could potentially influence your children in any way. Keep negative talk out of the home. Keep negative people out of the home - it is amazing how much children will come to look up to their parent’s friends. Keep Godless entertainment out of the home (this cannot be stressed enough). It may sound silly to some people, but my wife and I have stopped watching movies in our home that contain any content that would be offensive to God (who is holy). I cannot do too much to control what my children hear, or what my children see outside of my home; however, I have decided that my children will not learn curse words in my home; they will not be taught that homosexuality is natural by way of a television show that is on in my home; they will not learn how to dress inappropriately in my home; and they will not learn any worldly nuances as a result of living under my roof (which is God’s place in the first place). I also admittedly find it a bit hypocritical to wait for little Johnny to go to bed before I watch the "adult" stuff on television. Children really are like a sponge, and so I warn you parents - if you’re interested in raising Godly children - keep the world and all of its influences and ideologies out of your home by all means necessary, because if you don’t, they will be more susceptible to “absorbing” the wrong things. Put yourself around people that care about your child’s eternity, and in environments that nourish their spiritual well being. 


4. Don’t take “off” time from following Jesus.


This may go hand in had with number one a bit. Children need to see that mommy and daddy follow Jesus all the time - not just on Sunday, Wednesday, and for an hour or two devotional time in the morning. It is the parent’s responsibility to live out their faith all the time. In other words, let following Jesus be what defines your life. Let that be what leads all of your decisions, your actions, and your words. Show your children that Jesus Christ is the rightful king of the center of your universe (and the whole universe for that matter). Teach them to consult the word of God to make decisions, don’t react in “fleshly” ways; but rather, be led by the Spirit of God every part of every day. Show your children that Jesus Christ is worth the cost, and that the cost is your life. Remember, that your life is not your own; that, whoever “finds” his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for Jesus will find it (life). There’s no off time when it comes to  following Jesus - maybe it sounds harsh, but forget about your “me” time; redeem the time, and learn to enjoy serving Jesus.

5. Remember that YOU are most responsible for teaching your children about God.

Don’t be that parent that pawns this responsibility off on other people, or on the nursery worker or Sunday school teacher at the church. You will influence your children more than anyone else. Invest in your children. Invest your time, inconvenience yourself, put sacrificial love on display every chance that you can so that your children will know that you care about them. Don’t treat your children like they’re an inconvenience to your busy life - especially considering that they are a blessing from God, and “Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” Children are the “arrows” in your quiver, they’ll fly as straight as you’ve carved them out. So, be intentional about teaching your children the way of the Lord. Take every opportunity to share Christ with them (even when they’re infants), and never make light of the responsibility that you have to raise Godly children. Teach them that there is nothing more important that following Jesus.

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But When Did He First Love Me?

5/14/2018

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I see the Earth suspended in space,
The Spirit of God moves upon its face.
And then God speaks, "Let there be light,"
His voice divided the darkness of night, 
To reveal the splendor of His countenance bright;
And the glowing magnificence was good in His sight,
But when did He first love me?
The waters above became clouds in the sky;
Waters below became oceans wide.
And the land that was dry was set by the ocean's side,
Creating a tide for the very first time.
The thunderous waves, immeasurable heights,
And peaks of the mountains were good in His eyes,
But when did He first love me?
Out of the ground sprung grass and trees,
Flowers, and fruit bearing seeds.
The sun would rejoice with illuminating heat,
His presence would retreat and the dark sky greet
The moon and the stars, and this would repeat
To make seasons, and days, and years complete.
And God was pleased with all He could see,
But when did He first love me?
The lonely seas were blessed abundantly
With vibrant life to keep them company.
The skies received a beautiful symphony
Of birds harmonizing brilliantly,
And both joined willingly in the ministry
Of praise to the God of infinity 
Who loved them unconditionally, in spite of their futility,
But when did he first love me?
Then on day six He made the mammals,
But they were souless animals;
Valuable, yet relationally incompatible.
And so God decided that He'd make a man, 
It was all according to His ultimate plan,
That was decided before time began,
But when did He first love me?
And now imagine with His almighty hand,
He scoops up the dust from a parcel of land; 
He blows the dust, and then He commands
That the dust take the form of a lifeless man.
As He gazes into the man's deep, empty eyes,
His foreknowledge trasports Him through the portals of time
To the place where this man would disobey 
God's only rule -
Leading to an offspring of fools.
They think they're wise;
Their hearts darkened by vanity and lies,
God's glory they would falsify,
And modify, to justify their sinful lives.
He saw the day that His only son would be crucified,
And then arise to give new life;
And even so, they'd still deny
The God that made them to be the apple of His eye.
And with that knowledge of all time and space,
Face to face with the man that would allow sin to enter into the human race,
God breathed in, His love unfazed,
And breathed the breath of life into the man anyways.
And that's when He first loved me.
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The Eternal What If

11/27/2017

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Every human being's life is filled with moments of tension, they're crossroads of decision where consequences and blessing are weighed in the balance. Everybody goes one way or the other, nobody stands still but for a moment; there are always choices and decisions to be made. And every so often, the man or the woman who is taking the journey will stop for a moment of reflection. In that moment of reflection, questions are asked, past decisions are analyzed, sentiment, nostalgia, and regret are resurrected; however, one question of reflection rises to the top of the melting pot of memories, "what if?" It is the eternally unanswerable question who's answer lies beyond the intellectual capability of the finite human mind, inside the heart of God. It is the question that has haunted the human race since Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree and set the stage for the blank spaces that reside in the depths of human thought and emotion. It is essentially the result of choosing something else rather than God's best. 

Self-
preservation is the motivation behind choosing the "way that seems right to a man." People want to be safe, comfortable, and secure. In the life of the Christian, some sort of provision is always tagged with God's imaginary stamp of approval as a cover up for faithlessness. More times than not, the path of certainty is the path that many a wandering soul has followed because that particular path offered "provision" for the immediate need of the current season. It is likely that this is backward thinking and completely off base as compared to how human beings were created to operate. It is accurate enough to go as far as to say that any decision where provision is expected to precede faith is very likely the wrong decision. Simply put, faith always precedes provision. The path of uncertainty is rarely the path that is followed simply because it appears to offer no tangible solution to the current situation or need; it is a path that appears dim to the natural eye. To the eye of faith, however, it's reward illuminates beyond the horizon of natural eyesight. The eye of faith looks at nothing but God, to a city that has foundations. What if faith isn't safe? 

The real travesty of the whole matter is the fact that many Christians are missing out on the 
immeasurable manifestation of God's goodness in their lives. They're content with the green shrubbery of Sodom and the lavish delicacies of Egypt, but the soul in search of Canaan sojourns as a pilgrim and stranger on the earth. Bank accounts fatten up, houses are purchased, insurance policies are taken out for everything imaginable (because God forbid there is no return on any potential loss), and the cares of this life infect the mind to the point of spiritual blindness to the reality of what faith actually looks like. How does the Christian that is blessed differ from the unbeliever that seems to be equally blessed? The folks of Sodom and Gomorrah were certainly enjoying the same pleasures that Lot and his family were enjoying, but that did not make them people of faith (they were far from it!). The only quality that separates the Christian from the unbeliever in regards to provision is faith; anybody with a bit of common sense and motivation can be successful, but only a Christian can walk by faith and trust God. God help! How often is God's best ignored and replaced with the world's carnal blueprint for success and provision. 

The story of 
Abraham and Lot is actually a good, Biblical reference for the matter at hand. Lot was no different from Abraham in that he also left all that he had to go to a land that God would show Abraham. It is important to remember here the words of our Lord, "many are called but few are chosen," which can be re-stated as, "many go in the way but few go all the way." Lot was blessed with cattle and monetary possessions just like Abraham was. Then, after moving in the right direction for a while, Lot came to a crucial crossroads that went on to shape the rest of his life. When given the opportunity to go to the "right or to the left," Lot chose the way of Sodom rather than the way of Canaan. Lot, who's cattle had multiplied to a comparable size as Abraham's, chose the way of Sodom because it offered the best situation for his current need; it was a place well-watered, like the Garden of the Lord. It is implied here that Sodom may have appeared to be more favorable to the eye than the land of Canaan. As the story goes, Abraham continued to sojourn and Lot turned aside to Sodom. Not long after, Sodom was a heap of ashes and Lot was left without a home. In the process of fleeing the destruction (thanks to Abraham's intercession), Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back. 

What if Lot would have sold his cattle and followed Abraham? What if he would have gone somewhere other than Sodom? Would his wife still be alive? Would his children have devoted their lives to God, following the example of their relative Abraham? This is the eternal what if that can be discussed only through the filter of speculation and theory. Lot was given another chance to choose God's best when he fled Sodom. God said, "flee to the mountains and don't look back." The mountains were dangerous, they were a place of uncertainty and mystery. For that reason, Lot requested that God let him and his two daughters "turn aside" to the land of Zoar, because, "it is very small." In Lot's mind, there was very little to fear in Zoar because it was so small; it was safe. Walking by sight rather than walking by faith will always lead to small places that offer not eternal satisfaction. What is amazing is the fact that Lot was actually communicating with God; this tells that it is possible to communicate with God and still choose the wrong path. Eventually, Lot was afraid to
 remain in little Zoar and left to live in the mountains with his two daughters. The story takes a bizarre turn as Lot, in a drunken state, is manipulated to sleep with each of his two daughters who become impregnated by their father. 

​It is easy to see that the result of Lot's decisions 
was certainly far from God's best; however, God allowed them anyway. The truth is that most people will do what they want to do because that is what they want to do. There is no deep, philosophical explanation that is needed to explain why. Now and then, some unassuming, naïve, wanderer picks up a Bible and reads about men like Moses (who esteemed the reproach of Christ to be of greater value than Egypt's riches), and Daniel (who refused to eat the king's meat), and Paul (who sacrificed a life of stability and worldly success for the sake of the cross) - and then that man goes and lives the way of the brave souls of the centuries past; he goes the way of uncertainty that few will choose to follow. And as that man follows the lonely path, not expecting a soul to join him because he knows the cost of that path, a stranger with eyes of fire and a voice of raging seas meets him along the way. Now imagine that stranger puts his arm around the brave, yet lonely wanderer, he brings his mouth close to the wanderer's ear and whispers in a still, small voice, "I'm with you to the end." Invigorated by the voice that echoes beyond the cosmos to worlds unknown, and into human hearts that are either listening or ignoring, the wanderer sets his eyes on the uncertain horizon and presses on to a place that only God can see. Goodbye what if, and hello eternity. ​
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Who Is This King of Glory?

2/26/2017

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To the vast majority Jesus was simply a carpenter's son- ordinary, good and without influence. When he began his ministry he was recognized as a friend of sinners and an enemy of "so called" saints; he was homeless, ugly, despised and rejected. He was an unsuccessful king and a let down to Israel (at least from a worldly perspective). To Peter he was, "the Christ, the Son of the living God-" yet Peter denied him three times. To Judas Iscariot he was worth following- yet Judas de-valued him to thirty pieces of silver, betraying him to his death. To Thomas he was, "My Lord and my God-" yet Thomas doubted him.

In reality he was Emmanuel, God with us. 'He was he who threw into space racing planets, whiling worlds and luminous suns; he created the world with its beauty of flowers, majesty of rippling rills, glassy seas and lofty mountains; he placed the twinkle in the stars, the sparkle in the planets, and the blaze in the sun; he set the furnace of the sun on fire, called the queen of the night into her orbit, and set the stars dancing in the heavens.' (excerpt from "Behold the Man," Frances Lincecome)

On the night that he died the sky went dark because the Light of the world died and all creation shook because he who stilled stormy seas submitted to death. The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to reveal an empty seat of mercy and the absence of a golden box. Three days later, having led captivity captive, the Light came back, bursting the seals of the tomb to dust. The glory returned, never to die again (Romans 6:9). And yet John 1:10 still remains true today that "He is in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world does not know him."
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Wonder and Waiting

12/17/2016

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The moment of wonder- when earth stood still and heaven became real, for the first time in forever.
And walking with God in the cool of the day was no longer words on a page- it was life.
Deep called to deep and made the ocean look shallow- a puddle of water after the storm.
Time's tables turned backwards and less looked like more.
Death became birth, killing became healing, demolition became building and numbness became feeling.
Weeping turned to laughter, sorrow to dancing- nothing was wrong.
Then with no warning it seemed like he'd left,
My lungs were left void of breath and the moment of wonder turned to obscurity- I must have been unworthy.
So I searched the whole earth to find heaven again,
During my journey I lost heaven within.
I looked at others and saw dead, pale corpses, stagnant and utterly worthless.
Comparison became judgement (that subtle snare of pride).
Rationale was reality, logic replaced love and fatih faded to only a fleeting fantasy- out of reach.
And here you have a hopeless scene.
The moment of wonder will wander away if you choose to wander when you're supposed to wait.
Go back to the place where it seemed like he'd left- and when you get there, rest.
He'll return with great glory, a blessed reunion,
The wonder of heaven restored within Jesus' communion.
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To Whom it May Concern

10/17/2016

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​To Whom it May Concern,

    My name is Jonathon Parrish, I am a full time evangelist in the Church of the Nazarene on the North Carolina District. I am writing to share my heart, and burden with you in an attempt to raise awareness for the desperate need of genuine revival among our congregants and also the evangelism of the lost. I believe that the responsibility falls on all of us but our desire must become our reality by way of deliberate, intentional faith, hunger, and obedience.
    It has become clear to me as a young evangelist that the prevailing thought among many in the holiness movement is that “revival” services are outdated and ineffective. In some cases it is assumed that the money in church budgets could be better spent elsewhere rather than wasting it on revival expenses toward services that most people will not even bother attending. I can't say that I completely disagree with that perception to some degree.
    The role of the evangelist has been minimized over the past several years to preaching legalistic services in the Spring and Fall with the hope that the same stagnant congregants will be “revived” and maybe a few lost souls will wander in and be saved. The enthusiasm usually lasts a week or two before fizzling out and our churches are left at square one with a “desire to have the desire.” Our response to this has unfortunately been to trash the ministry of revivalism, quit calling the evangelist and chalk the shortcomings up to an outdated structure.
    I've discovered through intimate prayer, self examination, and God's word that the problem is not the structure, the problem is our heart. Revival has become a formal staple on the calendar, we call the same people, hear the same messages, and somehow hope for a different outcome. Preparation for revival among the congregants usually includes reading about it in the bulletin and being reminded about it a month prior to it's happening. There's very little spiritual preparation put into action. Private prayer, corporate prayer (the prayer meeting), fasting, intimate worship (opposed to going through the motions) has been neglected for far too long. Our faith has diminished to an abstract principle that we talk so much about but never apply the needed action to make that faith a reality.
    In no way am I condemning anyone, change starts with me. I'm tired of preaching to blank stares and religious people. I'm tired of the same, mundane process without any power and empty praise. It's time for a return to genuine, New Testament Christianity found in the book of Acts. We need more than just an awakening, I know many people who's eyes are open and still refuse to take action. It's time that our faith become deliberate; it's time that we pray like tomorrow isn't coming; it's time that we prepare our hearts like Jesus is coming this very moment. I want the burden that I have for the lost to result in the salvation of souls (2 Peter 3:9). If our fire is contained to the four walls of our sanctuaries then we're no better than a religious fireplace, offering warmth and comfort but lacking the capacity to spread beyond our containment.
    I believe that revivalism is for the church and that evangelism is for the lost. When we neglect one or the other, we miss both. For those of you who've neglected the ministry of revivalism and/or evangelism, I would encourage you to reconsider; for those of you who've gone about revivalism and/or evangelism in a legalistic way, I encourage you to change.
    Lastly, I would like to tell you a story about a man on death row. He'd spent several months rejecting the company of any chaplain or religious figure. After a while, and only to prove a point, he allowed one timid chaplain the opportunity to come to his cell and visit with him. He already knew what the chaplain would say, as he was familiar with the customs and formalities of most supposed Christians. The day came that the chaplain was to visit with the prisoner and their conversation went as follows:
    “It's a pleasure to meet you sir, may I share with you a story?” said the chaplain.
    “Of course you may,” said the prisoner.
    The chaplain went on to tell him the story of Jesus and how our savior was born of a virgin, crucified a convict, and resurrected a king. He told the lonely prisoner of the saving power and love of Christ.
    In response to the beautiful message of salvation the prisoner replied, “That is the most beautiful story that I've ever heard. It's a crying shame that it's not true.”
    Quickly, the chaplain inserted, “Well my friend, I must disagree with you, as I do believe that every part of that story is the truth.”
    The prisoner's piercing gaze thrust it's attention square into the eyes of the timid chaplain, piercing his soul. He said to the chaplain, “Why would I believe that the beautiful story that you just told me is true when you clearly don't believe that it is true yourself?” Before the chaplain could defend himself the prisoner continued, “You've come here to talk to me in an effort to convert me to Christianity and if you were to be successful you would go to your friends and fellow chaplains and gloat of your success; for you were able to accomplish what no other chaplain was able to accomplish in leading this old, bitter, condemned prisoner to Christ. When in fact, if our positions were switched, and if I was the one who held the message of eternal life, Jesus Christ, heaven to gain and hell to lose in the chambers of my heart- I tell you, that I would not rest day or night, I would walk on hands and knees if that's what it took, I would pay any price no matter how severe the consequences to take that message to every living soul throughout the length and breadth of the entire world.”
    We won't have revival again until we realize once again the severity and eternal weight of the message that we claim to hold in our hearts. We are in desperate need of desperate hearts. I love you all and ask you to pray for me as I pray for you.

Jonathon Parrish
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The Convicting Chirps of Birds

5/24/2016

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You know what Luther said the little bird said to him? He sat upon a twig of the tree, and he sang-

Mortal, cease from toil and sorrow; 
God provides for the morrow.

And it chirped and picked up its little grain, and sang again. And yet it had no granary; it did not have a handful of wheat stored up anywhere; but it still kept on with its chirping-

Mortal, cease from toil and sorrow; 
God provides for the morrow.

    While kneeling in front of the couch that's located just under the only window in our <400 square foot apartment the other day, I heard a familiar sound. The sound that I heard was the chirping of birds outside of the window. It's possible that they were picking at the blueberry bushes, or snatching sticks out of the gutters to build a nest, or maybe they were just singing because they realized how blessed they are to be unbound by culture and forms. For a moment I envied the chirping birds.

    I've heard the birds chirp outside of the window many times before- in fact, it's usually the first sound that I notice every morning that I wake up. This time, however, was different than other times. I heard the birds chirping and found myself greatly convicted, and feeling a bit condemned by the reproof of their harmless song. 

    The birds outside of my window did not have a care in the world. They weren't worried about where their next meal would come from, or how they would accomplish the tasks of the day that would be set before them; they weren't complaining (the solemnity and harmony of their voices confirmed that), and they weren't striving for anymore than the purpose for which they were created. They were joining in with the rest of creation, harmonizing with all of nature, declaring the glory of the Lord with unbridled, unquestioned obedience to the Creator of the ends of the earth.

    Sometimes I find myself caring too much about things that aren't worth the time to care about. It behooves me (and would you also) to consider the sparrow, the lilies, and the birds of the air that gather into barns. The birds (along with the rest of creation) do not worry, they simply give thanks and trust God. I'm reminded of the Scripture in Philippians 4:6-7: Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep our hearts, and minds through Christ Jesus. Godliness with contentment is great gain and we're of more value than many sparrows. 

    We have to come to the place that we truly believe that our God is “I AM.” He has “Thrown into space racing planets, whirling worlds and luminous suns; he has created a world with its wonders of animalisms, beauty of flowers, majesty of rippling rills, glassy seas and lofty mountains; he has placed the twinkle in the stars, the sparkle in the planets, and the blaze in the sun. He has stretched out the heavens like a scroll, scooped out the valleys, and piled up the mountains; he's carpeted the earth with verdant green, laced it with running brooks and flowing rivers, he's set the furnace of the sun on fire, called the queen of night into her orbit, and set the stars dancing in the heavens.” (Behold the Man, Francis Lincecome) Our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills!

Psalm 19:1-6 (KJV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

    To make a long story short: trust the Lord, believe that he is, and don't worry about it. Somewhere in his comprehension of eternity your situation is taken care of. Commit your way to him, trust in him, and he will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5). And above all, take a lesson from the birds chirping outside of your window- praise God, give him thanks, acknowledge him above all else in your life- while taking no thought for tomorrow. Our heavenly Father knows what we have need of and the greatest thought on this side of eternity in regards to prayer is not that God answers prayer; but rather, that God is our Father. Within the capsule of time that we live in, we don't have any time to waste worrying about temporal matters- not when eternal decisions are made in time.
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Christian Responsibility in Light of National Immorality

4/29/2016

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​    I don't think that I need to brief anyone that reads this on the recent happenings regarding HB2, celebrity boycotts, and Target's bathroom policy. I've personally taken a step back over the past few weeks for the sake of observation and mature thinking. There are several things that have to be established before I write any further:

*Our enemy is not humanity, our enemy is Satan (and all of his forces). See Ephesians 6:12.
*Because our enemy is spiritual, our primary defense should also be spiritual (prayer). See 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
*A wise man always counts the cost before he goes to war. See Luke 14:31.
*If we're Christ's disciples, we have nothing to lose because we've renounced all that we have; we should have counted the cost when we decided to follow Jesus. See John 15:20.
*Jesus never loses- he's the embodiment of victory.
*There's a time to speak and a time to be silent; a time for peace and a time for war. See Ecclesiastes 3.

    Keeping all of that in mind, I'll cut right to the chase: We're guilty of contemplating a matter under the guise of “wisdom” when we're actually spineless cowards that are unwilling to stand. In the American church we coward underneath the statement “choose your battles wisely” when we're actually just too scared to fight and too worried about our own reputation. It seems to me that those who say things like, “now is not the time or the place,” or, “social media is not the proper platform,” are the same folks that want to have a conversation and then never do anything about it.

    My question is, If now is not the time or the place to stand then when and where is? It's so easy to stand behind a wooden stand, or sit on a wooden stool, addressing the same, dead and dry congregants, raving about the immorality of our country. We tell it like it is as long as the audience is absent of raging liberals that are going to try to bite our heads off and spit on us (I'm guilty too). We have a backbone that holds up against the brethren that are in agreement yet folds when faced with the possibility of persecution. Keeping our mouths shut when we should be shouting from the rooftops is just another form of political correctness with Christianity attached to it. 

    It's funny how we'll come out of the wood works to discuss (publicly) how terribly immoral it is for Tom Brady to deflate footballs and then treat severe attacks against morality and Christianity as non-issues. And then there's the group saying, “I'm pretty sure that God has bigger things to worry about rather than what bathroom people use.” If that pathetically ambiguous attitude is not reflective of lukewarm then I don't know what is. Just stand in the middle and don't make anybody mad- give me a break- that's cowardice, not wisdom. We need to quit being the “rational” guy and become the “radical” guy- it's pathetic nowadays that it's unsafe to assume anything about the professing Christians convictions and morals. 

    Now that all of that's been said, there's one more (most important) issue. In 1 Kings 17 and 18 God commanded the prophet Elijah to do two things in regards to his (God's) message to King Ahab: Go hide yourself, and go show yourself. 

    Part of the problem is that we're showing ourselves (standing) when we should be hiding ourselves (praying/communing with God), or we're hiding ourselves when we should be showing ourselves- there's a place for both. Our power comes from communing with God in private, solitary places- not rallies, petitions, or protests (though those are all good and effective when executed in proper order). What I'm trying to say is that we cannot expect to accomplish anything if we're not praying against the demonic forces that are running rampant in our country right now. We cannot expect to have any power in our witness, or our standing for what is truth, if we've not sought God (faithfully) in the secret place of prayer.

    The core problem is that society has shifted to the place where evil is called good and good is called evil. I would go as far as to say that recent happenings are instruments of God's judgment upon America. God is giving America exactly what America wants: a Godless country (see Romans 1:18-32). 

    The church has grown cold because our motivation for serving is no longer the anguish of our Lord's heart; but rather, the hurt of humanity- that's humanism. Our priority is not Christ, it's people. Our motivation has become broken people rather than a broken savior. There was never room in the world for Christ and there is never room for the world in Christ. 

    Lets show the world a different form of Christianity- one that stands for and ministers the truth in love, refusing to back down, not because of principles, but because of passion; the same passion that led Christ to the cross. The passion that has led many martyrs to their death joyously as they died for a reason worth standing for- Jesus Christ.
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Our Year in Ministry

12/3/2015

 
As we draw close to Christmas time and the end of 2015 I can confidently say that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our first year of full time, traveling evangelism has been one of the toughest, yet fulfilling, seasons of my life (I speak for both Mika and I). I always dreamed that traveling full time would be full of adventure; I wasn’t completely wrong about that.
    
Between the last week of June and the entire month of July, I was (graciously) given the responsibility of preaching over thirty times in a span of forty days. Aside from frequent pulpit supply and a few (four to five service) revivals from January to May, this was my first taste of itinerant evangelism in its exhausting entirety. God was certainly faithful throughout that season and the Spirit was moving tremendously during our meetings and also during times of secret prayer and intercession. However, at the end of July our opportunities in ministry started to taper off. A couple of pulpit supplies were scattered throughout August and September, finances weren’t great, and we were living in my dad’s attic. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t a bit discouraged by my “situation.”
    
So here I am- I've been married for almost four years, I've moved my wife into my dad's house to live in the attic (200 sq. ft.) and I feel like I don't have anywhere to preach. On top of all of that my former employer was lobbying for me to come back to work- this was a tempting offer considering my “situation.” My natural instinct was question what I was doing wrong or if the decisions that Mika and I had made were outside of God's will. I felt like the ultimate loser.
    
My perspective was changed when I realized the severity of a certain prayer that I pray often, “Lord, make me more like you.” I have to become useless before I'll ever be used. Ministry was no longer about being a hero that swoops in to save the day, or recognition, or preaching clever sermons- it was about seeing how much of a nobody I could become for the sake Christ and his Gospel. If the climax of Christ's earthly ministry was a cross, Why should I expect any better? Christ was answering my prayer, “Lord, make me more like you.” I wanted the glory of God without the suffering, the crown without the cross; God quickly changed my perspective.
    
As if living in my dad's attic wasn't bad enough- Mika and I were then faced with one of the hardest ordeals that we've ever had to deal with in our marriage. Mika had a miscarriage. It was like the one glimmer of happiness was extinguished in a matter of ten minutes at a doctors office. We went in for an ultrasound expecting ecstasy and left feeling emptiness. I went to the place that I always go but didn't get the results that I’d always gotten. Talking to God was suddenly harder to do.
    
Every time I prayed I felt like there was nobody on the other end. But God is good, his mercy endures forever and his love is inexhaustible. He knows the way that we take, and when he has tried us we will come forth as gold. We walk by faith and not by sight and that's much easier said than done.
    
It was on the backside of the desert, in the wilderness, keeping my Father’s sheep, in the trivial valleys of desolation and dry bones, in the midst of fire, winds, and earthquakes that I heard the still small voice of God reminding me of one, simple fact; “Jon,” he said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” I realized that Circumstances cannot control me because God Almighty, the creator of the ends of the earth is the author of the entire, eternal story that has been written and determined from the foundations of the earth. I was reminded that God has an expected end for me and my only responsibility is to trust him. 
    
As seeing him who is invisible, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, my eyes were fixed beyond what is temporal and I am now able to see what’s eternal. Christ is my vision, my goal, my life, my hope; it’s no longer a matter of knowing about him, I know him. I can honestly say that Christ is pre-eminent and my desire is that Christ will be all that my eyes are capable of seeing as Mika and I move forward in life and in our ministry. My prayer is that I become invisible that Christ may be more visible in my life than ever before; that I decrease that Christ may increase.
    
His grace truly is sufficient and it will continue to be sufficient in every season (good or bad). Although the first year has been trying, it has also been rewarding. I can only remember five or six Sundays that God did not provide a place for me to share his word with people. He has allowed me to minister in rehab centers, nursing homes, local churches, and even a few new states. Mika and I have met people that we will never forget; people that have left an eternal impression on our lives. God has given us the opportunity to pray with people, see lost souls saved, and saved souls sanctified. 
    
In 2015, the Lord saved my dad, his girlfriend Brittney, my little brother (Josh) and his girlfriend Kristen. I was able to preach a homecoming revival at the church that I grew up at. During that revival my little brother played and sang a song that he wrote; and for the first time in six years (on a Monday night) my entire family was in attendance (Praise the Lord!). At the end of the day I truly believe that I am the most blessed individual on the face of the planet. Christ has saved my entire family, he has given me a wife that kind words cannot adequately describe (an entire book should be dedicated to her), and he lets me preach his word. 
    
The greatest blessing of all is that I wake up every morning and talk face to face with the eternal being that created all that my eyes behold and who is responsible for every good thing in my life. He walks with me, talks with me, and even when it seems like he’s not there I know that he is because that’s what he promised. As long as God gives me breath and being I'll preach his word, love my wife, intercede for souls, and steadfastly strive for Christ.
    
​Moving into 2016, Mika and I covet every prayer that we can get; pray for our marriage, our ministry, for lost souls, for nationwide revival, etc. We sincerely thank every person that has contributed to our ministry in prayer, financially, by way of recommendations, and we thank every pastor and church that has allowed us to share our ministry with yours. One thing is certain in the middle of all uncertainty; Jesus Christ will be the same in 2016 as he was in 2015 and because of that, we have nothing to worry about. We love you all more than you'll ever know. Merry Christmas and God bless.

Jon and Mika Parrish

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