Sheep Food

  In military circles, it’s commonly referred to as ‘Boot Camp’, or ‘Basic Training’. When a new recruit joins the military, let me assure you what does NOT happen…on Day 1 of their enlistment. The freshly head-shaven 18 year old is not handed high powered weaponry and tactical gear, and then put out on the front lines to lead a battalion of troops into battle. In what universe would that ever come close to making any sense? Well, on second thought, I’ve seen churches who employ such methods when an ‘influential’ convert joins their church, but we’ll move on from there now. The sole purpose of the rigorous training that new recruits undergo, regardless of which branch of the military they join…is to ‘break them down’ so they can then ‘build them up’ and make them into obedient soldiers in order to carry out the mission of the U. S. Military. I would submit to you that God’s kingdom operates in a similar fashion, when it comes to the ‘process’ in which the Holy Spirit works in ou...

  For many of us who have been on this walk of faith with Jesus for an extended period of time, we can look back and see numerous ‘mile markers’ along the way, as I refer to them as. They are defining moments that altered, or influenced our faith and relationship with Jesus in an assortment of good ways. It’s almost like a place where in the OT, God’s people would stop to ‘build an altar’ or ‘leave a pile of stones’ as a memorial. (Josh. 4:9) One of those defining moments, for me, took place on a plane years ago, as I was traveling alongside a SW pilot who was off duty flying back to his home. He happened to be a Mormon (LDS) and we struck up a rather civil discussion regarding our personal beliefs. As the flight was ending, he turned to me and asked: “So what to you believe a person must do to enter the eternal kingdom?’, as he put it. I looked at him and what came out of my mouth was this: “I believe the only people who are going to heaven are people who love Jesus.” When I say...

  There is a statement I have heard made periodically over the years in various church circles I’ve crossed paths with; perhaps you are familiar with it as well? It sounds basically like this: “We have absolutely nothing…to do with our salvation.” As in: Not. A. Thing. Would you agree, or disagree? I'm not here to argue the point, but I do have questions. Clearly, we humans are incapable of ‘saving’ ourselves, which is the primary reason God sent us a ‘Savior’ in the form of His only begotten Son, Jesus. I should also reiterate that if ‘salvation’ could be ‘earned’ or ‘worked for’ simply by ‘living better lives’, marked by ‘obeying rules and commandments’…then the death of Christ on the cross would have never needed to take place. Probably the most second often quoted verse I hear after John 3:16… might be Ephesians 2:8-9, where Paul writes: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”...

  “…and God will send them a strong and powerful delusion…” Beware…when God gives you what you want…it does not always end well (Ps. 106:15). But do keep in mind that God is unreasonably patient and long-suffering towards us, not wanting any…to perish but for us all to come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9). And yet, there will eventually come a time when this world as we know it will all come crashing down. (10) I don’t know of a more troubling portion of scripture found in the NT…than the one I quoted up front, found in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 2. He begins there speaking of the great apostasy that will unfold prior to ‘our gathering to Him (Jesus)’, admonishing us to ‘be not deceived by any means’ (2-3). He then explains that first …will come the ‘falling away’ and then the ‘man of lawlessness will be revealed’. Depending on what Bible version you read, that term ‘falling away’ might be translated as ‘apostasy’ or the ‘rebellion/revolt’…which summed up, sugg...

  I have reached a season in my life, along with my walk of faith…where I have zero interest in debating or arguing over church doctrines…or taking on the wide variety of beliefs and opinions held by many today who consider themselves to be sincere, believing ‘Christians’. I have nothing to prove to anyone, nor am I seeking a pulpit after stepping down from the one I occupied over 20 years ago. But I will continue to share here with anyone who ‘has ears to hear’… as long as I am compelled by the One who ‘opened my eyes’ and renewed a dead heart that had grown cold and stale…there are plenty of more verses and passages in our Bibles that we would do well to go back and re-examine once again…before it is too late. The ‘sower’, whom Jesus told us about in a parable, did not engage with crowds nor did he try to prove a point to anyone; he simply went out and shared the word of God, and let the seed fall where it may. (Matt. 13:3-9). Jesus later followed up with those closest to Him an...

  ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’…is a well-known phrase you have probably heard before. It is the idea that knowing a person, a place, or a situation, well... can cause you to  lose respect for them/it simply because you get bored or take them for granted. I would probably be more inclined to use a modifier in that statement and say ‘over… familiarity’…and would then include how it can also affect our ‘walk of faith’ …including God’s word. Hear me out on this one, if you would. I don’t believe that a person who has a genuine relationship with Jesus and is truly abiding in Him is in danger of becoming dissatisfied with God, but a person who is ‘walking in a form of godliness’…probably has already (2 Tim. 3:5). Let’s not forget that many who actually grew up around Jesus remained skeptical of Him, especially when Jesus went public with His ministry and they were actually offended by Him (Matt. 13:54-57). Some of his own family accused Him of having ‘lost His mind’ (Mark 3:21). ...

  The parable of the sower, as told by Jesus in 3 of the four gospels is one of His more insightful stories which He expounded upon, to me at least. And Jesus did point out that if we didn’t understand this particular parable…that we’d have a tough time understanding any of the other parables, for that matter. (Mark 4:13) Now it should be noted that unless He ‘reveals’ the meaning behind that simple metaphor …which on the surface sounds like a simple lesson in agriculture, then that is all it will remain to those who hear/read it – a simple story that tells us what happens when a seed of some sort is sown into the ground. But the key element here that can go easily unnoticed is ‘who’…Jesus actually ‘reveals the mysteries of the kingdom’ to. In Matthew’s account (13:1-22), Jesus first tells the parable to the ‘multitude’ who had gathered along the shoreline to listen to Him. It sounds as if it was pretty short sermon, which I’m sure delighted some in the crowd no doubt. There was...