Are You A Closet Jerk?

We all know the phrase "Coming out of the closet..."  The implication is that you are hiding something, in your life, that you do not want others to know about.  Because if they knew about it, you would suffer great shame.

© Carl Durocher | Dreamstime.com

Everyone has stuff hidden in the closet of their life.  We've all done things we don't want anyone to know about.  Sometimes, we don't want to let even our closest friends have a peek.   If we revealed what is in our closet, what would people think?  How would they respond?  After all, if we come out of the closet with all of our dirty laundry in hand, we reveal all of the evil shameful, and wicked things we've ever done!

I want to draw your attention to one garment of dirty laundry that most people would never consider to be "wicked" that actually is: Being a closet jerk.

A closet jerk is someone who is really nice to your face and then talks about you behind your back.  You know the kind of person you might share something with that gets thrown into the "River of Gossip"—Many people have drowned in this river.

If I'm not being clear, I'll let God's Word make it clear for us:

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked—with those who do evil—those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts.

Many of us have spoken friendly things to people we really don't like and then turned around and said terrible things about them when they aren't there.  That is wicked (Wicked meaning evil, not hip and cool).  That is being a closet jerk.

Jesus said to love your neighbor and your enemies.  And, He didn't just say love them, He said pray for them.  It is no problem praying for people you like, but praying for someone you don't like...SERIOUSLY?

Yes.

Jesus told us if we really loved Him, we'll do what He says.  So if we love Him, then we must not allow ourselves to hide our two-faced laundry in our closet.  After all, Jesus gave His life for all of us and all the "stuff" hidden in our closets.   He deals with all of our stuff in the light so we can clearly see what must be dealt with and thrown out.

If you have issues with someone, go to that person and work it out.  Don't be nice for the sake of being nice and then dump all over them when they aren't there.  That is wicked.

In other words, don't be a closet jerk. 

Party Hard!

But not with your friends...

Courtesy © Ingrid Perlstrom | Dreamstime.com

It sounds absurd, but the truth of God's kingdom lies within.  Here is what Jesus said:

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.




Luke 14:12-14 ESV 

Party hard, but do it not for your friends, relatives, and co-workers, do it for those who need God's love and can't repay you for sharing it with them.

The point is this: Jesus said he came not for the healthy but for the sick. (Matt 9:12)  A true test of whether or not God has complete control of us, is how we serve those who can't repay us.  The sinful, human nature tells us to serve only those who will serve us back.  To serve those who have the means to repay us and sometimes a means to repay us with great gain!

Jesus said whatever we have done for the least of these, we have done for Him. (Matt 25:40)  There is no higher service than service to the King of Kings.  The least of these are those who can't repay us for serving them:  The poor, crippled, lame, and blind. 


Jesus told us to store up our treasure in heaven where moth and rust can't destroy and thieves can't break in and steal. (Matt 6:20)  Yet, so many of us store up for ourselves only treasure here on earth.  We store up treasure that gains us now but will ultimately be destroyed.

Look, Jesus came for the least of these.  He came for us!  To God who is perfect, holy, awesome in power, the King over all creation, owns cattle on a thousand hills (endless resources of every kind), mighty savior, we are nothing but dust.  Yet God loved us and saved us! (John 3:16)  He came because we were helpless. We need Him.  Only He can save!

If, then, God is living through us, we should do the same for those who are the least to us.  Those who will never repay us.  Our payment is treasure stored up in Heaven.

Let's go to them and serve them, just as Jesus came to us and served us. We show them, through our very actions, why we do it—Because God first loved us! (1 John 4:19)

Party hard, but don't invite your friends...


...and don't get drunk or do drugs.

Do You Want To Be Famous?

Personally, I don't care if I ever become famous, but I do care about making the name of Jesus famous. Seth Godin gives us some really good insight into how to draw people and attach them to an "idea." God isn't an idea, He is the creator of ideas and he want us to use ideas to draw people to Himself. Check out the video below!

DEAR CHRISTIAN: STOP, REPENT, AND GROW UP!

Often times, individual Christians make this statement:  "I am a good person."

The implication is that Christians magically become good people after we accept Jesus.  Don't get me wrong, when we accept Jesus we are given his perfect life which replaces our imperfect life.  But it doesn't stop there.

We still have a lot of growing up to do in Christ!  In fact, we may help the little old lady cross the street, serve in a food kitchen on the weekend, and even attend church regularly!  After a while, we seem to get this idealistic view of ourselves.

We're good people, that is, at least better than "those" people...

Ever caught yourself in the previous statement?

I have.

Human nature causes us to compare ourselves to others.  The truth is, we're not better people.  In fact, comparing is a sin—thus the not better part.  Comparing ourselves causes us to have pride.  God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Somtimes we even compare our circumstances to others circumstances.  We think, "Wow!  If they are going through that, they must have done something really wrong!"

That is a slap in the face to God.

Why?  Because you just broke the second part of the greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.  The breaking of the commandment is sin and sin is a slap in the face to God.

When we sin we say to God: "You are not important to us.  We love ourselves more than You, Jesus." (The same thing Adam and Eve said in the Garden of Eden!)

Comparing is sin.  


Sin slaps God in the face.  


Don't compare.

Jesus said:

And he answered them, Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

You're not the better person.  I'm not the better person.

Only our faith in Jesus makes us right with God.  There are no actions we can take except repentance that makes us right with God.

If we find ourselves comparing, WE MUST STOP, REPENT, AND  GROW UP!

We're not better people.  We deserve the same wrath of God as everyone else.  Only our faith in Jesus saves us from condemnation of sin.

We're not better so  STOP, REPENT, AND  GROW UP!


More on growing up tomorrow.

Don't Get Caught With Your Pants Down...

This past Sunday I preached about being ready for Jesus' return.  The title of the message was "Ready or Not..."  Whether we are ready or not, Jesus is coming back.

On that day, it will be much better for us to be ready than not.

I'll let Jesus explain.

Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.45 But if that servant says to himself, My master is delayed in coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.47 And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Jesus gives four specific examples of people.

1. The person who does what he/she is supposed to be doing—Serving, following, and obeying Jesus with everything inside of them!


2. The person who "assumes" today is not the day Jesus is coming back.  Do you know what "assuming" does?   Just look at the syllable breakdown: "Ass-u-me"!  This person takes advantage of Christian leadership and exploits it for their own purposes.  This person is self-centered and deserves what Jesus' describes.


3. The person who knows about Jesus but doesn't fully obey Him.


4. The person who has never heard about Jesus and acted according to the sinful nature.

Each one of these people gets what they deserve.  However, it is interesting, the person who "knows" Jesus but doesn't do what He commands gets a harsh beating (person number three).  This doesn't mean they don't get into heaven, it means they will suffer great loss.

Here is what the Apostle Paul says about this type of person:

11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire./

Ouch!

I fear the population of Christians in America is best represented in person number three.

You can read God's Word for yourself...

You can see the judgements of God on each profile.

Who are you today?

Be person number one.

It will be much better for us to be ready on the day Jesus returns.  Because ready or not, He's coming back!

Don't get caught with your pants down...

That's Impossible...

No, actually, it's not.

The angel told Mary she was going to have a child while she was a virgin.

The angel told Mary that her relative, Elizabeth, was now pregnant even though she was quite old.

The angel told Mary "Nothing is impossible with God!"

Nothing is impossible with God.  That is something we should all grab a hold of and sink deep into our hearts.  Nothing is impossible:  Losing weight, financial meltdowns, broken homes, NOTHING is impossible for God to turn and use for good and for His glory.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:28

If we trust God with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength then nothing is impossible with Him.  We are the ones who block the "possible" when we try to take control of situations.

So, get out of the way and clear the road for Jesus; because, nothing is impossible with God.

YouVersion Dot Com

YouVersion is probably the best Bible website out there! You can use YouVersion for discussing God's Word, daily Bible reading plans, and much much more. Not to mention they have every version of the Bible, including the Updated NIV 2010!

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ON Christmas Day YouVersion pushed for everyone to read the Bible. YouVersion influences culture in an effective web 2.0 way!

If you have Bible questions, YouVersion is a great resource for finding answers.

Go check it out!

Unstoppable

Thoughts on the Church.

Matthew 16:18 ESV: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Gates are used to protect people and their property.  If we put up a gate around our yards, chances are we're trying to protect our houses, kids, or pets.  Gates bring security.  The same was true in Jesus day.  People built gates around cities to protect them.  Jesus uses this analogy regarding Hell, the dwelling place of evil and its father, Satan.  The gates of Hell are powerful (much like the gates to Mordor in the Lord Of The Rings!).  No man, woman, or child can penetrate the gates of Hell.  Only God can come against Hell victoriously.  The Church was God's plan to demolish Hell.  Established by Jesus and built up through the Holy Spirit, the Church is God's plan to destroy the gates of Hell and save the people inside.

The definition of Hell is eternal separation from God.  A person who does not know Jesus is separated from God and therefore is bound to the world and sin which the gates of Hell hold within. Because of Sin, we can't redeem ourselves, only God can accomplish such a task—and He did through Jesus.  So a person who does not know Jesus is far from God.  But those who believe in Jesus, God calls children, apart of His family.  God calls this the church.  The church reaches out, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and saves people from Hell by preaching the gospel.

The church is unstoppable.

Even the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church.

The church was God's plan, otherwise it would have died out a long time ago.

See what God's Word says:

34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!

-Acts 5:34-39 ESV

The church was God's Plan.  No one can stand against it, not even Satan.  Jesus won the victory on the cross.  He is inviting all of us to escape the gates of Hell and be joined to Him and His Church.  How?  Simply by putting our faith in Him.

Remember, the church is unstoppable.  It WAS God's plan.  No other organization has ever existed as long as the church throughout history.  The organizations of men die out.  The organization of God exists forever.