garymerkel

Jesus is the only way. No one comes to the Father except the Spirit draws him/her. There is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we may be saved. Creation shouts, screams, jumps up and down - GOD IS, GOD IS!!!! Missionaries who have gone into remote locations find people worshipping. When in Russia, I had grandmothers who had not seen a Bible in 70 years, receive a Bible, tears streaming down their faces, "We have believed in God, but we needed someone to tell us about Jesus." God calls us to be watchmen and to warn the wicked of their ways or their blood will be required at our hands. I do not understand all there is at the judgment seat of Christ or how God is going to judge those who have "never heard", but I do know that we have the privilege and mandate to tell others about Jesus. Maybe that's one of the reasons God will "wipe away every tear" - when we see the scores of times we SHOULD HAVE shared the gospel. There is a difference between judgmentalism and having good judgment. We should discern not be judgmental, even as Jesus severely chastized the Pharisees, yet died for them, paying their sin debt, yet they would not acknowledge it. We can stand boldly for the truth and not hedge without be unloving, uncaring, and judgmental about it. Much is attitude and tone of voice is sounding God's warnings. Paul demonstrated this: "I wish myself accursed for my brethern", yet he would speak the truth of God's judgment and wrath - Romans 1.

Substitutionary Atonement: Only Jesus qualified to satisfy the rightful judgment and wrath of God on sin. Instead of us receiving eternal hell for our sin, Jesus took into Himself our eternity of hell judgment so we could have peace with God and be justified (just as if we had never sinned) and sanctified (set apart for God's purposes now and throughout eternity) so we could be glorified (live in heaven forever with God with a body like Jesus' body after His resurrection. FOREVER, FOREVER....What incredible news and reality!!! No matter what happens in this life...as the apostle Paul says..."this light suffering"....cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed. Hallelujah!!!

The bottom line is that a person cannot understand and appreciate the GOOD/GREAT News until he/she understands the BAD/HORRIBLE news. It's much like the guy jumping out of the plane without a parachute...good news - a haystack below...bad news - it had a pitch fork in it...good news - he missed the pitch fork...bad news - he also missed the haystack. I use my personal testimony a lot...at 11 I heard preaching on heaven and hell, God's love and God's judgment - I knew I didn't want to go to hell...so was I scared into heaven? YES, thank God, because I also understood God's great LOVE in NOT wanting me to go to hell. So was the emphasis on love or judgment? Both. As a previous educator teaching English, I told students the good news and the bad news....work hard, study, do your homework, you will make better grades...no work, no study, no homework, you will probably fail and have to repeat the class and next time it will be harder. YOUR CHOICE. I never had a student choose the second process. The new I wanted the best for them, but understood the negative consequences if they chose not to study. We have 2000 years of Christian history and have to talk the WHOLE of Scripture and the WHOLE of what God had Paul write down. Do we have the entire conversations Paul had? NO...but we have what we need. God will make sure we get what we need at the time if our hearts are open to Him. IF...I were to err on one side or the other, I would err on the side of giving the warning of God's judgment, but I've never just given one side...always both.

I believe one reason some believers feel uncomfortable rejoicing when feeling down or when bad things happen is that they feel hypocritical. It is never hypocritical to do the right thing. It is called the SACRIFICE of praise. My wife recently had a heart attack, 100% blockage in the widow maker artery. GOD brought her through. Did I say, "Thank You God for giving my wife a heart attack?" Wrong question. There was total joy and peace in my heart knowing my wife knew Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord. Was I sorrowful over the attack? YES, but rejoiced in God's love and goodness even before her life was spared. He walked with her and us through the valley of the shadow of death and neither of us feared but HE was with us and in us. When you KNOW your name is in God's forever Book of Life...to die is GAIN, even if the moments or longer are painful before we close our eyes in physical death. I always rejoice and I am always thankful because of Who Jesus IS, What He has DONE, and Who He is IN me and who I am IN Him. At the same time I cry out to God as the Psalmist. Following Scripture always brings joy and peace, even through pain and suffering. I have never had to suffer like Paul or the martyrs and could never suffer like Jesus, but the little suffering because of heart attack for my wife, afib for me, - is nothing. So, today, I rejoice and praise my wonderful Lord and Coming King!!

Paul was not violating any biblical principle by circumcising Timothy. When I was doing mission work in western NY, I was sharing Christ with a very sick, bed ridden, elderly. The doctors said she was terminal and that she would never leave the bed and that moving her very much could mean her death. She realized she needed Jesus as her Savior and Lord, His forgiveness and cleansing of her sin and that God could chose to heal her or allow her to die. We talked a long time. She prayed to receive Christ and it appeared she was genuine. On the next visit we talked about baptism. It seemed no way to be able to baptize her by immersion. We talked through the meaning of believer's baptism by immersion and all the ramifications. She wanted to be baptized but moving her was out of the question. SO, we got some water, expressed that this symbolized her being fully immersed and that, should God raise her up to be able to truly be immersed, she would do so. So, as a Baptist pastor, with witnesses and family, we dabbed water on her forehead baptizing her in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A glow came over her face. She expressed she now had total peace in her soul know Jesus lived within. As long as God was going to give her breath, she was going to tell other family, friends, and anyone else about Jesus and His saving grace. God did not heal her physical body and she went home to be with Jesus 2 weeks later, in pain, but with a smile on her face. In 33 years of vocational ministry this is the only time I felt impressed of God to baptize with just a little water. So, was I using a principle from Scripture and Paul? I believe I was. I'll see that sweet saint in glory one day.

God grafted in Gentiles even in the O.T.: Ruth, Rahab, etc. God cut off some of the Israelite branches but grafted in some Gentiles. Paul clearly states that circucision of the flesh avails nothing if there is not circumcision of the heart. We are one IN Christ. HE is the One Who brings us together into one body and we are members of one another. By the work of the Holy Spirit we are regenerated and brought into the family of God regardless of ethnic background or heritage.

Predesitnation deals with the foreknowledge of God, His omniscience. Pre-determinism says God predeterines who goes to heaven and who goes to hell without man's choice. However, God gave man free will to receive Him or reject Him and His offer of salvation. God calls us to warn the wicked. Jesus gives us the Great Commission. If "whosoever will may come" were not true, there would be no reason to evangelize. "No one comes to the Father except the Spirit draws him" is coupled with the preaching and teaching of the gospel. We depend upon the Spirit of God while we witness. God has done everything possible to make salvation clear but does not violate the free will He has given to man. We have the mandate and privilege of bringing the good news of salvation to the world. It is urgent. This also gives us purpose and meaning in life. We have a mission in which to be involved which is worthy of our lives regardless of our vocation. Christians are needed in every vocation to spread the gospel. I admit I don't fully understand, "and if you do not warn the wicked of their way, I will require their blood at your hand". My goal is to share Christ with every person I meet in some way. It might be a 10 seconds or much longer, but any conversation is an opportunity to transition to the to gospel without being rude. This is why our testimonies are so important. I can inject pieces of my testimony at any moment into a conversation. Since I'm 11, receiving Christ, I have also gone door to door placing gospel material into people's hands or leaving it at the door. The burden of so many lost is HUGE, yet, I lay it over on the Lord and I take my privilege as an ambassador of Christ seriously.

If a person could keep all the law, all the commandments perfectly in word, deed, thought, action and always doing what he/she SHOULD/OUGHT to do, that person would be JESUS. Major problem: There is only ONE JESUS and none of us are Jesus. God's grace inspires and motivates. God's grace is the package of Himself, His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, His cleansing of sin, His reconciliation, His restoration of relationship all balled up into one very personal, intimate love relationship with His children. Our good works come out of our relationship with Him and those very works are initiated and enabled by the Holy Spirit so that God receives glory and we and others receive blessing and reward. God's Riches At Christ's Expense = GRACE.

Just as in Paul's day, many feel, with good intentions, that obeying God's laws are included in the new birth, however, Eph. 2:8-9, followed by verse 10 puts things in the right order. For many, a cheap grace has been preached....pray to receive Jesus and obedience is optional. Consequently, many believe that obedience has to be somewhat forced. Legalistic obedience places all the burden of keeping God's commands perfectly on the Christian, a burden no one can stand. Only Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly in His humanity, but He did so in the power of the Holy Spirit. When people realize Who Jesus is, what He has done and why, then a believer will WANT to obey, WANT to worship, WANT to serve from a heart of God's love inside, from the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and from a heart of gratitude and privilege to be a child of God, His servant, and His ambassabor. There is no higher calling in life. I do not worship, serve, pray, etc. from a heart of duty in order to gain God's favor, but rather, I worship, serve, pray, etc. because I HAVE God's love, grace, mercy, and favor. Jesus sets us FREE to worship and serve. What an incredible privilege we have. Then, to top it off, God rewards what HE has done through us. All we have to do is yield to His hand. Yes, it can take us through much hardship, difficulty, and pain, but isn't that the example of Jesus? He submitted to the Father's hand that took Him to and through the cross so that at HIS name every knee would bow and worship. Why should we expect less when it comes to what can happen to us because we live in a sinful, fallen world? We choose to go WITH Jesus or WITHOUT Jesus. It only makes sense to have Jesus go with us because He is IN us. Why face the pains of life alone? And it is all because of God's amazing grace!!!

Scripture is repleat with verses about abiding, obeying, enduring, overcoming, but never to earn or deserve salvation, but as a result OF salvation. "Work out your salvation with trembling and fear". "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who DO His commandments; His praise endures forever." Ps. 111:10. How would it be possible for the HOLY Spirit live within someone and the person live a lifestyle of sin? Darkness has NO fellowship with light. We are not talking "snapshots" when a person sins, but a lifestyle. One of the questions concerns King David: How long did he live in sin (sexual, moral) before Psalm 51 was prayed? How long can someone live in sin without the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Were Ananias and Sapphira Christians? Never should the question be: How far toward the edge can I live, but How close to the mountain can I live? There is a rightful place for a wholesome, awe-filled, reverential fear of God because on the other side of the coin is God's love. Why would I want to violate God's love? What are the advantages of "abiding"? What are the horrible consequences of not "abiding"? If I have any understanding of Jesus and the gospel, I WANT to abide in Christ, in His Word. The end of Judges states a tragic state of Israel when it says, "There was no fear of God before their eyes." NOT abiding sets a person up for failure, discouragement, despair, defeat, and so much regret and shame. Nothing is worth those kind of feelings. It is why Paul said, "For me to live is CHRIST, to die is gain."

For me, one of the first things is to observe your surroundings and listen. Starting with people's interest in a complimentary way, earning the right to speak. God has allowed me to use my testimony in many applications....growing up non-churched, Catholic in name only, moving from MO to S. FL., going through a hurricane, family losing everything...but God using the hurricane disaster to bring our whole family to Christ including my alcoholic dad. Most people in our area have been "innoculated" with the gospel and will tell you they are Christians without any outward evidence. They believe acknowledgement of believing in God is "Christian". That's why a testimony is so important and God has enabled me to use bits and pieces as the situation directed. Part of the testimony is being so very thankful that I know that Jesus is with me and in me to enable me to live for God's glory and the blessing of others, all possible because of God's love. Playing sports all my life has also helped relate to many who "hate" rules but love the games of football, basketball, and baseball. There's always great application. I truly enjoy and I'm inspired by all the thoughtful comments. Thank you all so very much, gary

Scripture is clear that no one comes to the Father, except the Spirit draw him. Miracles are still part of life, possibly more in other countries than America. Just as Jesus said about the sign of Jonah that He would not give another sign, however, rising from the dead is the sign of signs. I know what He meant. I have personally experienced miraculous healing in my body, no other explanation and I have also had surgeries for kidney stones and apendix. I have witnessed God healing a child outright. I have witnessed God healing adults outright and healing others through medicine and/or surgery. I have seen God empowering people to persevere through pain and suffering. The fact that I draw another breath is a miracle of God because I cannot draw another breath without God's power at work. For America today, it appears that fewer "miracles" are experienced due to such rampant disbelief. When people will not believe in God by seeing His creation, His science, His biology, the history of Scripture, Jesus, His Word - then why should God produce miracles when much of mankind refuses to believe regardless of the evidence? However, does God still do miracles to day? Absolutely YES. Are signs and wonders enough? NO...the Holy Spirit convinces and convicts of sin, righteous, and judgment. GOD gives the measure of faith to believe (Rom. 12) I know of signs and wonders through some dear missionaries in Africa and Thailand where witch doctors challenged them, yet they did not die and so a whole tribe came to Christ. Then you have "The End of the Spear" where God used the death of missionaries and the love of their families to lead the murderers of their husbands to Christ. Power encounters every time the Holy Spirit's conviction leads to repentant faith in Christ. I have been part of jail/prison ministry where we have seen mass murderers saved, child abusers saved, drug dealers saved, most with life sentences, yet each one would say, "I know prison is my mission field and I want to be used of God to lead as many to Him as possible." God's power is mystery, miracle, and reality.

Common Ground: It can include what is indeed common, agreed to beliefs, and it can include the common ground of disagreements. Example: Common Ground = belief in the God of creation, belief that God used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. Common Ground of disagreement: "you" believe in the OT law given through Moses. I believe that Christ fulfilled the law given by God through Moses. Can both of us be correct? Why do you think I believe Jesus is the fulfillment of those laws given through Moses? Why do I think you don't believe that Jesus is the fulfillment, and that we are still under Mosaic law? Asking dual questions might open up conversations. OR...Paul, knowing the law and the history of Israel simply speaks the truth about Jesus. It appears he does not linger long with the past agreement, but launches into Who Jesus is. Is it possible when witnessing, that we sometimes spend too much time talking about the past in order to relate to the person and miss, due to time restraint, the sharing of Who Jesus is in us? Sometimes it helps people when we connect the dots to the past but just as Jesus used questions, I believe it is good to use questions in drawing out why someone believes something, then I have earned the right to share why I believe what I believe. At times I wish we had more of the conversation that Paul had with people, but we have enough to know he quickly drew them to Jesus.

In light of the questions and answers so far, let me give my own personal experience: I received Christ into my life at age 11. I started going door to door inviting people to come to church and to come to know Jesus. At 12 I knew God had called me into vocational ministry. I preached my first sermon at age 16. At 18 I started preaching in Stephens County Jail in Toccoa, Ga, while going to Bible College. I married my wife in my senior year and we served at volunteer Youth and Music for 15 years and since 1986 as vocational pastor and wife with 3 of those years as missionaries in Germany. It has always been a holu unction, driving desire that God placed in my heart and in my wife's. There was never a time we did not believe God wanted to use us in that way. It is beyond humbling. It is beyond weighty. We recognize that we are totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit. I cannot imagine saying, "No", when Jesus did so much for me, to me, in me, and through me. There is no human explanation for our lives except GOD has been at work in us and through us. Yes, there have been times we have failed; times we went through hardship and a force out after 8 fruitful years. Regardless, God has always been faithful and supplied every need. He continues to use us as pastor and wife in Alabama and we are privileged to be His children, His servants, and serve His kingdom purposes. No other deserves praise excpect our Coming King, the Lord Jesus!! God's calling to salvation and to vocational ministry has never been in question. It has always been a privilege and honor!

When I read the number of Scriptures that say, "Wait on the Lord", "Be silent", "Seek the Lord" - I realize that KNOWING God is paramount to knowing His will. Why would God reveal more of His incredible will, if I wasn't all that interested in knowing Him? The more I truly KNOW Him, the more I will know His will, want the Holy Spirit to enable me to cooperate in doing God's will, and the more God will do through a willing servant. The early disicples probably understood that much better after pentecost then we do today. "They that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength....mount up with wings like Eagles"... Why eagles? To get a clear view of the big picture. Only God sees the entire picture of history simultaneously. Most of the church in years gone by, my perception, did much more corporate fasting and prayer. I do not hear of many who fast and pray individually today, thus such weakness in the body of believers. Jesus was clear, "WHEN you fast..." Paul knew the OT and there were many calls for Israel to fast and pray. Jesus brought it into the NT, but for some reason, in our "action", "do it now" society, many think programs are the key in reaching people with the gospel. However the old saying is true, "We can do more than pray, but we cannot do more than pray until AFTER we have prayed." In churches I have pastored and pastor today...I first seek the Lord...and He prompts me at times to call for times of fasting and prayer, whether simply to KNOW God more intimately or to seek Him first and then for answers over a situation. God has never failed to grow me/us, has never failed to answer, has never failed to grow His church. Great comments above by the way. We can be solidly biblical, call for times of fasting and prayer, and only then be the kind of churches that multiply according to God's plan. It is a stressless process because we recognize the magnitude of Who God is and we surrender to HIS immeasureable power so He produces His results. It is a glory to see and experience with other believers!!

Many fine comments and insights. Thank you all. We have the advantage of lots of years of biblical history and insights, especially Matthew 18. I surmise it wasn't easy for Paul to confront Peter and it was done with much love in his heart, love for God's kingdom, and not desiring anyone to be confused about what it meant to be ONE body in Christ. I just preached Romans 12: 4-5 this past Sunday. Connect this with verse 1....present your (plural pronoun) bodies (plural noun) a living sacrifice (singular noun) - It there a dual meaning? Individually presenting our body and all of us corporately as ONE in Christ sacrificing so others will see UNITY in love. How else will the world see true Christianity except by seeing Christians united in God's love. Anything that hinders that kind of presentation of the gospel must be confronted...obviously, in the context of God's love, and laying our lives down for one another.

Spiritual Formation: At the new birth, life in Christ, we are called babes in Christ. Some babes develope faster than others in biological life and in spiritual life. Patience is needed. Spiritual formation has a beginning and a continual process and should never be "status quo". Watchman Nee, in his book "The Normal Christian", addresses how easy it is to live "sub-normal" Christian lives, missing the joy and exhiliaration of walking with Christ, the King. If we allow our spiritual lives are not continually growing/maturing, then they begin to stagnate. Staying "fresh" in our walk with Jesus will be challenged by the enemy of our souls and our old nature. There is a balance in being patient with yourself in spiritual growth and challenging yourself in spiritual grow, but we must remember that spiritual growth comes through surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit.

People with any ambition in our society know hard work and working hard at the right things pays off, sometimes sooner than later, depending upon relationships and contacts at the right time, consequently a new Christian can bring that mindset into his or her new life in Christ. The old pattern of thinking must change. Learning to meditate in God's Word rather than a worldly leadership book takes some time. Learning, pondering, and doing all go together but a biblical principle is, "think before you leap". Faith is not blind, faith is biblically informed. Beliefs and actions need to line up. Saul, who became Paul, had lots of belief, but in the wrong direction. His zeal needed to become informed and directed by the Holy Spirit. So going to James we read, "Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, Jas 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Jas 1:4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." So perseverance through trial yields patience as we submit to the Spirit. As God taught Paul, the Spirit teaches us that we must take time to listen to God if we are going present Who He is and what He says to a hurting world. Listening is a basically lost "art" and listening for and to God requires silence on our part with our mind set on Christ and the Word. I think of how patient God is with me and has been patient with me, when I am impatient with others. I thank God for HIS patience.

Trusting Christ: Because of Who Jesus is and because of what Jesus has done, I fix my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith, faith given to me by the Father and my trust is in Him alone for my salvation and for my life so that by the power of the Holy Spirit I live submitted to Christ's Lordship. There are times I fail to submit and I thank Him for His fresh cleansing but trusting Him means I have fallen back into His eternal arms, never having to fear death or hell, but being assured of His presence in me now and forever.

Romans 12:3 says that God gives us a measure of faith. So faith to believe in God is a gift from Him. God is sovereign and He gave Abraham a measure of faith and Abraham believed. God had given Abraham and all CREATION, but since Abraham, we have the prophets, Biblical history, Jesus, the Word, the Holy Spirit, Saints' testimony...we have so much more to believe in the God in Whom Abraham believed. Our belief is not mental ascent, but a surrendered trust in God that grows as we submit all to Him. Abraham submitted all to his Creator and God blessed him with greater faith that would demonstrate itself in obedience, even to the point of sacrificing the son of promise. His faith was simple, uncomplicated, yet profound. The issue is: Can God be trusted or not? I have trusted Him for the last 58 years and He has never failed, NEVER. I have, but He hasn't. Same God as Abraham's, upon Whom my life is built. God imputs His righteousness into me and then He continually works on my life so my words, actions, and attitudes line up with the righteousness I have in Him. It will be finalized when I get to heaven.

"God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." I admit I was VERY blessed after receiving Christ at age 11. I was trained early on about the privilege of being God's child and being His servant and ambassador. John 3:30 and Luke 17:10 have been guiding verses. The only times there have been lapses is when I thought momentarily, "I didn't deserve that" - "why was I treated that way" - "does he realize he is violating Scripture" - but God brings me to HIS reality that grace says I deserve nothing and can earn nothing. Since Jesus was crucified, what should I expect? Less? But indeed I have been blessed with wonderful congregations. Only rarely have things gone sideways that caused major moves in ministry. Yes, we've gone through an ungodly forced resignation and a couple of push outs, but God has always been faithful in providing and leading to a ministry. Sheep are sheep and I'm a sheep. Leading with humility places the responsibility for results on God and over my 47 years in vocational ministry, God has come through in blazing colors!!! Legalism kills the spirit. Release the conviction of sin to Him and you stay out of trouble. Preach the Word boldly with a broken heart.

Our faith and trust in Christ and surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit usually do not happen unless we are tested and challenged in a difficult situation so that the results are attributed to God and not anyone else. This way our faith and trust grow together. Arguing with God is not new. Job did it, but Job is O.T. The disciples AFTER Pentecost didn't seem to argue with the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, in arrogance, we think we know better than God but that is never the case and it wasn't with Ananias. God is the God over our fears, Psa. 23. Regardless of temporal fear, obeying God relieves the fear. God opens opportunities so He ministers through me regularly. It is a way of life, but ALWAYS is dependent upon Him for the results.

Because God love us so much, I believe it grieves Him when He has to discipline us and send us trails, yet, at the same time, He always knows what is best and so, like a doctor, when He has to do surgery on us, it is painful for us, but always beneficial for our healing and growth. When I resist God's surgery, I am also resisting His healing, correction, and the maturity of my faith. I'm the one who makes faith harder when I don't totally surrender. Like Abraham and like Paul, God wants to bring me into conformity to His Son...consequently, the hardships of life, even the persecutions are used for my good because they are under God's control.

For me it has been reinforcement of being intentional as possible without being legalistic about making disciples who focus on God's Great Commission fueled by His Great Commandment. This boils down to being so infused with God's Word that it is the topic of conversation to spur others on to faith and good works in the unity of the Spirit. In our individualized, isolation prone society with cell phones that elicit contact without actually sitting down and talking, I must be increasingly intentional about personal relationships that mirror what Ephesians says about the church and family. Reading the insights has been beneficial. Thanks to all. Pastor "g"

For me as a pastor, it means that as I surrender to Christ, I can lead a church under His Lordship and power so His results bring Him glory. It takes all the "pressure" off of me and is quite liberating. If something in church life cannot have His "stamp" of approval, 1) it will not have His power and 2) it will not produce God honoring results, and 3) why should we give another thought to it...it's not worth pursuing.