Leaving Laodicea

What happens when a clear doctrine in Scripture assaults and comes into direct conflict with our personal conviction of right and wrong, or what is fair and just or what is unfair and needs to be correctedWhat happens?Do we simply accept the clear teaching of Scripture as truth? Or do we somehow try to place the blame for this moral inconsistency on the head of God Himself?  Unfortunately, my experience says the latter.  Especially when dealing with issues like election, free-will and personal accountability.Want to know more?  Keep listening.The following is a study on Romans 8:29-30.

Romans 8:28 is either one of the greatest statements of divine encouragement found in the New Testament or it is, hands down, the greatest excuse for our "stay at arms length, don't get too close" lack of ministry to others who are hurting.  It has become for many a Biblical placebo freely prescribed by uninformed, apathetic Christians to those who are in deep distress spiritually, physically, or emotionally.It's as if by saying the words or quoting the verse we have somehow uttered the magic incantation that will set everything right and soothe away all the pain and hurt.  "There's no place like home.  There's no place like home."It has become the church's default ministry position when we simply don't know what to say or don't want to get too involved or we are just too busy to hear about their problems or bear their burdens.Is that all this verse mean?But for those who how understand and live in the realm of the sovereignty of God, it is something more.  Much more.  After all, according to Psalm 115:3, "Our God is in His heavens and does what He pleases."So, which is it?  Encouragement or placebo?  Listen and find out more.The following is a study on Romans 8:28.

Question:  What does worship really mean?Answer (and more questions):  Is worship simply a style or type or genre of Christian  music?   Or, is worship just the singing part of our Sunday morning church routine? Does worship always have to be connected with music or can worship intersect other parts of our lives?  And, if so, what other parts?  And how?  In what way?  What does true worship look like?  How does it feel?  What does it accomplish?  What does it do for God (as strange as that sounds) and what does it do for me?  What is the purpose of worship?  Need more?  Then keep listening.. The following is a study on true Worship.

When we tire of the constant struggle between the inner man and our flesh sometime we can begin to believe that maybe we aren't really saved, that maybe we're not one of the chosen ones... maybe we've just been fooling ourselves or maybe we just flat missed the boat. During those dark times it is helpful and encouraging to see the three confirmations of our sonship in Christ that are found in Romans 8. We can relish in the fact that being (1) led by the Spirit proves our (2) adoption, and if we are adopted then we are (3) sons of God and joint-heirs with Christ. And it doesn't get much better than that.The following is a study on Romans 8:14-16.

One of the dangers of living in the lukewarm, Laodicean church culture of today is that we tend to adopt the mantra of the world regarding sin and repeat it over and over again, as truth, within our church circles. For example, "Don't ask, don't tell."  Or, in other words, if you won't ask me about my sin and lack of Christian virtue and holiness, then I promise I won't ask you about yours.  Then we can both live under the deception that we are saved, living the "abundant life in Christ," and that the Lord is "mighty pleased with us." Really?  But the Scriptures may say something quite different. The following is a study on Romans 8:3-5.

"In Christ."  Martin Luther puts it this way:"Everything which Christ has becomes the property of the believing soul; everything which the soul has, becomes the property of Christ. Christ possesses all blessings and eternal life: they are thenceforward the property of the soul. The soul has all its iniquities and sins: they become thenceforward the property of Christ. It is then that a blessed exchange commences."But there is much more.  Being "in Christ" is... well, such a profound truth that it boggles the mind to even think about it. Keen listening.The following is a study on Romans 8:1.

The Christian life is full of some strange, yet Biblical paradoxes.  Consider the following:Salvation is both free and costly.To find your life you must lose it.Those who are last will be first.The least among men is the greatest.Those who give will receive.Those who are humble will be exalted.God is Three yet One.And the granddaddy of them all...True freedom comes only through slavery.  Really?  Oh, yes.  It is the most marvelous paradox of all.  Listen and find out why.The following is a study on being a Slave.

Sometimes when we view God we have a selfish, sinful, Laodicean tendency to think that He is just like us.  After all, we bend over backwards to cut our kids slack because we want them to like us and... uh, I guess that's how God deals with us.  Wrong. Then we continually make excuses for sinful behavior and just chuck it all up to the mantra of, "you know how kids are these days" or "boys will be boys" or "that's just the way I am"... and we think and pray that God views our sin the same way.  Again, wrong. God is not created in our image.And it's high time to man-up.The following is a study on the Holiness of God.

Some people feel that the Scriptures no longer speak to us today.  That the answers it offers are to questions we no longer ask. Really?  Try this one on for size. Question from Romans 6:  If it is true that the Law convicts and condemns, and if I am now free from the Law and under grace... then it would stand to reason that I am free from any moral restraint in my behavior. In other words, if the law no longer needs to be obeyed, and if God's grace covers all my sins, then I (and all Believers) are perfectly free to do as we please and sin to our heart's content.The following is a study on Romans 6:15-23.

Doulos.  It means "slave, or one who is held in servitude as chattel (or property) of another."  But there is much more. Doulos deals with a permanent relationship of servitude to another.  It is one whose very existence is characterized by obedience, one whose own personal will is surrendered to the will of another.  It depicts one who is completely devoted to and dependent on another. It is the exact opposite of what we honor and esteem in our culture today. And, most important, it is the type of "slave / master" relationship that we are to have with Jesus. Confused?  Then keep listening.The following is a study on being a Servant or a Slave.