Leaving Laodicea

In the 1930s, if you were a Jew in Germany, you would be faced with unforeseen challenges, that would only get worse. And if you were a Christian during the same period, you would have to make the same choices many of those brave men made, to follow Christ or the Reich. This choice is now thrust upon each of us who are called by the name of Christ. Will we follow His commands or cower to the oppressive power of the State? And just like Bonhoeffer and the members of the Confessing Church, we must stand or fall together. So yes, we are living in Bonhoeffer’s Germany.

Recently, the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 decision, denied an appeal for a Nevada church to allow additional worshipers to join in-person services based on building capacity during the virus. Nevada has placed a 50-person cap on all places of worship, no matter the capacity of the building. But that cap doesn’t apply to casinos, movie theaters, and restaurants. Does something seem amiss?

And in California, churches must meet outdoors and limit the number of participants. Plus, there are no potlucks or fellowship dinners allowed. No singing, even in small, home groups. And all of this is happening while riots and demonstrations are permitted and encouraged by the same government officials, yet ordinary citizens must comply with Covid19 restrictions. Why? Because our governmental officials state the demonstrations are “too important” to regulate. So how are we to respond to this hypocrisy?

Our response is simply saying, “Enough!” This is exactly what some churches, including Grace Community Church in California and their pastor John MacArthur, have done. They have publically said, “Enough!”  But they have said it with grace and respect. And they have not said it quietly or behind closed doors. Boldness seems to be the great need for the church today.

Remember the poem found in the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem that speaks of the times in which we live. It is titled “First They Came.”

First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Grace Community Church published a position paper on why they will not adhere to the Governor of California’s decrees to limit worship and curtail freedom of religion. It is a paper that communicates the rationale behind civil disobedience from a Scriptural perspective. We, at the Church Without Walls, have modified and adopted this statement as our official position. In this message, we will talk about the ramifications of standing for Him alone, even if you have to do it alone.

Join us as we stand in faith together.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

To download the Statement on Government Restrictions on His Church, click – HERE

466: How to Seek God’s Face and Not Just His Hand

465: The Important, Yet Forgotten Discipline of Fasting

464: Who Were the Disciples of Jesus and John

463: Learning From the Prayer Life of Jesus

462: Learning How to Truly Humble Yourself

One of the four requirements found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a cryptic command to “seek” God’s face. Note, not His hand, nor His blessings or grace, but simply to seek God’s face. What does that mean? And how is that done?

Think, how do we begin the process of seeking God’s face? What does the Scripture say about that? Is it something I should be doing? Are there any requirements or things we first must do to be ushered into the presence of God? What is it like to “behold the face of God”? Is that even possible?  If I do seek God’s face, won’t I die? And if I actually do experience the presence of God, how will that experience change my life?

It’s maybe not as simple as we were led to believe.

In Psalm 24, we find the requirements God demands to have unhindered intimacy with Him, or to seek His face. These are not suggestions, but are aspects of our sanctification that allow us to “be holy, for I am Holy” by experience (1 Peter 1:16), and not just theologically or positionally in Christ.

Note the question and answer in Psalm 24:3-4:

Question:  Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?

Answer:  He who has clean hands (outward holiness) and a pure heart (inward holiness), who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.

Also, note the distinction between outward and inward holiness. It’s the same distinction we find in the Sermon on the Mount. For example, let’s look at Matthew 5:21-22:

Outward: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'”

Inward:  “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”

And there is so much more we can learn about God’s requirements or standards that must be met to have the kind of intimacy with Him described as “seeking His face” and finding it. So join with us today as we strive to do just that, to “seek His face” together.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

465: The Important, Yet Forgotten Discipline of Fasting

464: Who Were the Disciples of Jesus and John

463: Learning From the Prayer Life of Jesus

462: Learning How to Truly Humble Yourself

461: Praying For Our Last Great Awakening

Often the church chooses to let go and forget the disciplines that served her so well in the past. We feel they have served their purpose and then callously throw them aside for something more trendy, modern, and popular. And this is especially true of the forgotten discipline of fasting.

I mean, who really wants to fast? And isn’t fasting some Medieval Christian ritual that we stopped doing centuries ago? Plus, if I fast, won’t it mark me as some sort of fanatic or Christian extremist? If I fast, won’t I really be just starving myself? That can’t be healthy. And I’m not sure there are any real-time benefits for fasting (other than losing weight). Why? Because I don’t know anyone who fasts. In fact, I don’t know anyone who knows anyone who fasts.

So what’s the big deal?

Jesus expected His disciples to pray. He said, in the Sermon on the Mount, “when” you pray, and not “if”.

Matthew 6:5 – “And when (not, if) you pray…”

Matthew 6:6 – “But you, when (not, if) you pray…”

Matthew 6:7 – “And when (not, if) you pray…”

But look at what the Lord says about fasting. He assumes it is something His disciples would do, like praying, and not something that was optional.

Matthew 6:16 – Moreover, when (not, if) you fast…”

Matthew 6:17 – “But you, when (not, if) you fast…”

And, like with His teaching on prayer, Jesus speaks about the motives behind fasting and not if His disciples should practice it. That was a given. It was assumed.

There is much to learn about this all-important forgotten Christian discipline called fasting. Join us today as we dig deeper into the amazing world of fasting.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

464: Who Were the Disciples of Jesus and John

463: Learning From the Prayer Life of Jesus

462: Learning How to Truly Humble Yourself

461: Praying For Our Last Great Awakening

460: What Does it Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

As we look deeper into the relationship between the disciples of Jesus and John the Baptist, a few questions come to the surface. Why did John still have disciples after he proclaimed Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:34)? And why is there a perceived tension between the disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John? In fact, you can almost feel the tension when John’s disciples confront Jesus and chastise Him for not doing what they, and the Pharisees, were doing regarding fasting.

Matthew 9:14 – Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

Or, to put it another way, “Why are we doing things right, and You are not teaching Your disciples to follow us?”

But there is more here than meets the eye. When John proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God, only two of John’s disciples followed Jesus. The rest, it appears, remained loyal to John and continued with him in the ministry of baptism. How is that even possible?

John 1:35-37 – Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

We will also see the blessings that come from following Jesus into the great faith adventure, like these two did, rather than remaining in our comfort zone with John. There is much to learn about the difference between the good, and the best, for each of us.

So join us today as we seek to follow Jesus more by learning about the tension between the disciples of Jesus and John the Baptist.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

463: Learning From the Prayer Life of Jesus

462: Learning How to Truly Humble Yourself

461: Praying For Our Last Great Awakening

460: What Does it Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

459: Jesus Said, “Abide in Me, and I in You”

We have been looking at the four conditions/requirements found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 to have God forgive our national sin and heal our land. The first of these conditions is for God’s people to humble themselves. And the second, just as difficult as the first, is to pray. But what kind of prayer satisfies the condition? And what is the content of that prayer? Can it be a quick prayer, or does it have to be long and intense? Can we pray with our eyes open, sitting down, all alone? Or do we have to agonize in prayer, on our knees, among a great throng of people? There are so many questions the text doesn’t answer. So, to find what we are looking for, we will look at the prayer life of Jesus and see what we can learn from Him.

I can’t think of a better teacher, can you?

There is much we can learn about Jesus’ commitment to prayer. Much we can incorporate in our own lives. For example:

•  Jesus got up early to pray, way before dawn (Mark 1:35).

•  He separated Himself from distractions and went away from everyone to a secluded place to pray (Mark 1:35).

•  Jesus often prayed to be able to know His Father’s will. Just like us (Mark 14:36).

•  Often, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12).

•  The focus of Jesus’ prayers, on many occasions, was the welfare of those He loved (John 7:15).

•  Jesus agonized in prayer (Luke 22:44).

•  And Jesus often prayed alone (Matthew 14:23).

•  And finally, Jesus offered to His disciples then, and to us today, a lesson on how to pray. We find this in Matthew 6:9-15. We know it as the Lord’s Prayer, but it is much more than that. Infinitely more.

Remember again the passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 with both the conditions and promises:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

So join with us as we learn about the prayer life of Jesus.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

462: Learning How to Truly Humble Yourself

461: Praying For Our Last Great Awakening

460: What Does it Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

459: Jesus Said, “Abide in Me, and I in You”

458: “I Am the True Vine”… But What Does That Mean?

We have before us, in 2 Chronicles 7:14, an incredible if/then promise from God’s Word. If we meet the requirements, the if’s, then God will respond in ways that only He can, the then’s. And the promise of God is that He will forgive our national sin and heal our broken and troubled land. There are four requirements and three promises in this passage. The first requirement is for God’s people, you and I, to humble ourselves before the Lord. Or, to make it more personal, God is telling His people to humble yourselves before He will move.

But what does that mean? How is that done? Are there some steps we can use to learn how to humble ourselves? And, if so, what are they?

In this message, we will discover ten practical steps to learn how to humble ourselves before the Lord and others. These steps are Biblical and simple, but incredibly hard, especially for those in our culture that have learned that humility and meekness somehow equate with wimpiness. But nothing could be further from the truth.

As an example, we will look at a Greek word study showing the Biblical definition and history of the word, meek. Unlike how we understand the word and the concept behind it today, both Moses and Jesus were described as meek. So it has to mean something more than a man without leadership qualities who is incapable of making a decision. It has to mean something else. And when you understand the true meaning of meekness and humility, as used in Biblical times, I think it will help you understand how important and Christ-like it is to humble yourself before God and others.

Remember the passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 with both the conditions and promises:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Join us as we learn how to have the type of humility that leads to fulfilling the conditions found in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

461: Praying For Our Last Great Awakening

460: What Does it Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

459: Jesus Said, “Abide in Me, and I in You”

458: “I Am the True Vine”… But What Does That Mean?

457: The Prophetic Implications of COVID-19

There is no need to spend any time talking about the lukewarm condition of the church in the West. We all know. In fact, we are all part of the problem. And since we know and are part of the problem, we tend to just assume this is the way things are, and it’s best to just sit back, relax, and live with it. But that’s a recipe for even more failure. The spiritual event that will shock the church out of apathy and lukewarmness is what we call an “awakening.” What we need is another Great Awakening, like we experienced as a church and a nation in the past. And maybe this will be the last Great Awakening before the Lord comes.

But what is a Great Awakening and how does it happen?

A “spiritual awakening” can be defined as: “a socially transforming spiritual movement.” We can see “socially transforming spiritual movements” all across our land, but not for the better. The spirit behind the rioting, hatred, anger, and destruction is demonic, and not of God. It appears the dark side has beaten us to the punch when it comes to transforming our society. But, according to God’s Word, that can always change.

A “revival”, on the other hand, is an individual or personal “spiritual rebirth which transforms a person, church, or community into the likeness of New Testament Christianity.” But note, a personal revival must come before a national awakening. The smaller gives way to the larger, the personal to the corporate, but only after some time. It usually starts small before igniting.

As believers, our hope is for the Lord to bring a great time of revival and personal spiritual awakening to His church. Then, when the fires of church revival are burning, we hope for a national great awakening.

But how are we to prepare ourselves for this great event? What can we do to help bring this all about? Are there certain requirements the church has to meet in order for God to heal a broken, sinful nation? And, if so, what are these all-important requirements?

We find them in a familiar passage often taken out of context to mean something it doesn’t really say.  And that passage is 2 Chronicles 7:14. In this passage, God is speaking to Solomon about His people and His land:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

But notice, this verse is the second half of one long sentence. In order to understand 2 Chronicle 7:14, we must first read 2 Chronicles 7:13. And when we do, we see God bringing judgment and calamity to His people and the land in which they live. It is sobering. Revealing.

“When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people.” And then the rest of the sentence which is a remedy for God’s judgment, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

There is so much here that we need to know as we see the American experiment possibly come to a close. If you want to pray and prepare for our last great national awakening, then keep listening.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

460: What Does it Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

459: Jesus Said, “Abide in Me, and I in You”

458: “I Am the True Vine”… But What Does That Mean?

457: The Prophetic Implications of COVID-19

456: Fully Embracing the Kingdom of God

In John 15, we have the Lord’s blueprint for the “abundant life” (John 10:10) He promised each of us. And no, that life doesn’t involve expensive cars or vacation homes or buckets of cash or having Your Best Life Now! The abundant life in Him is defined by being able to bear His fruit and bearing it in ever-increasing quantities. Or, like Jesus said, “more” fruit, then “much” fruit, and finally “fruit that will remain.” Consider the following:

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:8)

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)

Unless the church fully understands the importance of bearing the fruit of Christ, the Vine, this incredible teaching of Jesus will have little meaning or lasting effect on our lives. Or on the lives of those we try to influence with the Word, our spouse, our friends, our parents, children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. We must come to a clear understanding that the only purpose for the branch, the only reason you and I were created and chosen in Him (Eph. 1:4), is to bear the fruit of the vine. And the only one who benefits from the fruit we bear, is the Vinedresser, the Father. The one key to hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23), is our commitment to being nothing but branches, committed totally to bearing His fruit.

As we said last week, there is no other way.

The key to bearing His fruit is tied up in the single word, abide. Last week we defined the word abide (ménō) as to “remain, dwell, live”, but always, in John’s writings, with the idea of a relationship in view. However, in John 15, the definition of abide (ménō) expands to mean “to be and remain united with Jesus, one with Him in heart, mind, and will, and to remain steadfast, unwavering in that relationship.” That understanding of abide (ménō) puts this entire passage under a new, incredible light.

So how do we bear His fruit? Or what part do we play in this divine equation? Simple, abide. It’s hard to do in real life, but it’s simple, nonetheless.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10)

Remember, this is only the beginning. If you can capture the joy of abiding in Him as a dependent branch, a life of abundant joy (John 10:10) is right around the corner. So buckle up!

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

459: Jesus Said, “Abide in Me, and I in You”

458: “I Am the True Vine”… But What Does That Mean?

457: The Prophetic Implications of COVID-19

456: Fully Embracing the Kingdom of God

455: Exactly What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

Once we move past identifying the characters in this teaching (Jesus is the vine, God the Father is the vinedresser, and we are the branches), we can clearly see the focus is on bearing fruit (more fruit, much fruit, and fruit that remains). But the key to having a relationship with the Lord that allows us to bear the fruit that brings glory to the Father (John 15:8), is being able to “abide” in Him, in the vine. In fact, we find that phrase repeated repeatedly in this amazing discourse. Consider the following:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15:4)

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:6)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:10)

So the concept of abiding is not something to be taken lightly. Obviously, it is a description of the relationship Jesus has with the Father, and the relationship all Three share in the Godhead. And the amazing thing is that He commands us, no, He invites us to abide in Him the way He also abides in His Father. What a wonderful privilege He offers each of us.

But let’s address the elephant in the room, the $64,000,000 question. What does “abide” in this passage really mean?

On a simple level, the word abide (ménō) means to “remain, dwell, live.” In John 15:11, the word is translated “remain” when it says “that My joy may remain (ménō) in you.” But the word has a much deeper meaning than that. In John’s writings, it conveys more with the mechanics of the relationship between one thing or person and another. Thus the context of (ménō) could be “remain in or with someone.”  We see this in 1 John 2:19 where (ménō) is translated “continued with us.”

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us (ménō); but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1 John 2:19)

In John 15 (ménō) means “to be and remain united with Jesus, one with Him in heart, mind, and will, and to remain steadfast, unwavering in that relationship.” Now, that changes everything.

“Abide (remain united with Him in heart, mind, and will, to remain steadfast and unwavering in that relationship) in Me, and I (abide) in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides (remain united with Him in heart, mind, and will, to remain steadfast and unwavering in that relationship) in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide (remain united with Him in heart, mind, and will, to remain steadfast and unwavering in that relationship) in Me.” (John 15:4)

But it gets better. Next, He tells us how to bear fruit to bring the Father glory and to prove we are His disciples (John 15:8).

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who (what) abides (remain united with Him in heart, mind, and will, to remain steadfast and unwavering in that relationship) in Me, and I (abide) in him, (what) bears much fruit; (how) for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

As I shared in my last post, this is only the beginning. Join with us as we endeavor to grow closer to the Lord by becoming a fruitful branch of His vine, for the glory of the Vinedresser. Because at this time in our history, nothing else really matters.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

458: “I Am the True Vine”… But What Does That Mean?

457: The Prophetic Implications of COVID-19

456: Fully Embracing the Kingdom of God

455: Exactly What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

454: How Does God Respond to Repentance?

For the past two months, our nation has been held in the grips of, as President Trump said, an “invisible enemy.”  But this “invisible enemy” is not Covid-19. Nor is it the loss of jobs and the bankruptcy of thousands of small businesses and the inevitable collateral effect that will have on our economy for years, maybe even decades, to come. No, the “invisible enemy” we face is fear. And fear results from a lack of faith, and a lack of faith renders even the strongest believer useless as His light-bearer (Matt. 5:14-16).

But we know that. Yet, for some strange reason, it doesn’t seem to have any effect on us. Why?

Because many of us as believers in the West have surrendered our rights and privileges as children of God (Romans 8:16-17), in order to live comfortable lives in this fallen world. We have made ourselves, as James tells us, “an enemy of God” because of our “friendship with the world” (James 4:4). Just spend a few minutes on Facebook and you can see the narcissistic cancer that runs unchecked in our culture today… even in the church.

These are truly desperate times.

But what are we to do? How can we prepare ourselves for what the Lord is allowing to happen? And what lesson is there to be learned from watching Him bring our evil and proud society to its knees by events beyond anyone’s control? What do we need to do?

Simply this: We need to grow in our faith and our relationship with our Lord like never before. Like there is no tomorrow. Because there might not be.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow (James 4:13-16). No one is.

Now is the time for serious soul-searching. Now is the time to put Him first in all things and to lay up for ourselves “treasures in heaven” and not spend our lives collecting trinkets and toys on earth (Matt. 6:19-20). And the best way to do this is to understand what our life is all about and why God created each of us.

Welcome to John 15.

For the next few weeks, we will take a detailed look at John 15 and our Lord’s teaching about His relationship with His Father and our relationship with Him. We will see the example of a vine, a vinedresser, and branches. And we will grow to understand the importance of fruit. More fruit (John 15:2). Much fruit (John 15:5). And fruit that will last and remain when all else fails (John 15:16).

Jesus began this incredible teaching by saying He is the true Vine, and His Father is the Vinedresser (John 15:1). Have you ever thought about the nature of a vine, its branches, and the vinedresser? After all, this is the example Jesus taught us about this relationship.

•  The vine is planted by the vinedresser wherever the vinedresser desires. The vine has no say in where it is planted.

•  The vine is cared for by the vinedresser.

•  The vine is dependent totally on the vinedresser.

•  The vine’s only function is to produce fruit.

•  But the fruit is for the benefit of the vinedresser.

•  The glory of the vinedresser is his vine, but only if it produces fruit.

•  And the glory of the vine is its fruit.

•  The only function of the branch is to bear the fruit produced by the vine and for the glory of the vinedresser. It is good for nothing else.

And this is only the beginning. Join with us as we endeavor to grow closer to the Lord by becoming a fruitful branch of His vine, for the glory of the Vinedresser. Because at this time in our history, nothing else really matters.

To download the slides to this message, click – HERE

457: The Prophetic Implications of COVID-19

456: Fully Embracing the Kingdom of God

455: Exactly What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

454: How Does God Respond to Repentance?

453: How Can We Increase our Faith?