Recommended Reading from 2014 (Pt. 1)

         Below, I have listed and said a few words about some of the best books I have read over the course of the past year. I hope you will consider reading a few of these and that they will be as enjoyable and helpful to you as they were to me.

         Our churches need revival – not necessarily more revivalmeetings. True revival is unlikely to come about unless we seek God on the matter. Leonard Ravenhill’s book Revival Praying was a quick and enjoyable read, yet highly challenging. If God’s people do not truly seeka spirit of revival then God is unlikely to send true revival and we are merely stuck having annual, semi-annual, and periodic meetings.

         Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard co-authored a book called Killing Jesus: A History which became a bestseller. When I first heard O’Reilly was doing this project, I found it a bit disturbing, quite frankly. I appreciated his insights and frankness when it comes to political matters but felt he was in no position to talk about Jesus with any measure of authority. However, after reading this book I have to say he has used his platform to challenge many to think about the historical Jesus. The book is an external look at the historical Jesus and not meant to be a work of theology. Most Christians will find little in the book they do not already know about backgrounds, but I do believe the book is well-written and has value from a historical and apologetics standpoint.

         Kevin DeYoung is gaining more and more notoriety as an author. He serves as a pastor in Michigan and is well-known as a blogger. He has written a handful of books that are simple enough to understand, yet challenging. This year I read The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by DeYoung. Holiness is not meant to just be a “church” word. It is meant to be a prevailing reality in our lives as Christians. This book is a challenge for believers to see to it that our lifestyles live up to the expectations of our Lord as much as possible.

         We all know the value of Bible study. But, our study can become stale if we do not work at making it fresh. Books such as How to Get the Most from God’s Word: An Everyday Guide to Enrich Your Study of the Bible by John MacArthur gives a lot of helpful insight into how to study God’s Word just a little deeper and gain more from the effort.

        Two great books I have recommended before, I re-read this year and still challenge you to read. The Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney and I Am a Church Member by Thom Rainer are top-notch.

          The Rapture Question Answered Plain & Simple by Robert VanKampen gives a very good presentation of the Pre-Wrath Rapture position. This viewpoint advocates the belief the rapture of the church will occur in Revelation 7 during the interlude described between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals. The carefully researched material is highly similar to a book I read about a dozen years ago calledThe Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal.

         I read a book this year titled Demons, Demons, Demons: A Christian Guide Through the Murky Maze of the Occult by John P. Newport. The book was written in 1972 so the illustrations are largely outdated however the general truth remains that demonic activity is alive and well in our world. The striking thing about reading a book on this subject, written 42 years earlier, is to consider how much more prevalent demonic activity appears to be in our day. So much of what we have become accustomed to, could hardly have been envisioned by Newport just 4 decades ago.

         Conflict is inevitable. No matter who you are, how old you are, where you live, or even where you go to church you will experience the butting of heads and locking of horns. Many people think their church is the only one that experiences turmoil and conflict, but it is more wide-spread than anyone cares to admit. In Conflict: Causes & Cures, Mike Smith gives several case studies of actual conflicts he has mediated over the years. Conflict escalates and progresses if left untreated just like a disease. All believers will benefit from reading this book and coming to a better understanding of the inevitable reality of conflict.

        I enjoyed reading a little book called The Top 40 Traditions of Christmas: The Story Behind the Nativity, Candy Canes, Caroling, and All Things Christmas by David McLaughlan. We actually used this book as a part of our family devotion time during the evenings leading up to Christmas. There are several similar books that offer insights into the background of Christmas traditions, but this is one of the better ones I have read.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Recent weblogs and messages are available at www.fbcrogers.com

Nothing Left to Fear for Believers

         One of the most famous quotes from the twentieth century came from Franklin Roosevelt’s first inaugural address in 1932, when he spoke to a worried and depression-ravished nation, saying “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Fear is very real and often debilitating to a great number of people. However, most of the things people fear never come to pass.

         Fear is a tremendous motivator. People purchase guns because they are fearful. Recently in Ferguson, MO gun sales went up sharply as people anticipated violence when a verdict was to be announced in the Darren Wilson grand jury decision. Indeed violence did ensue.

         Some put alarm systems in their homes and cars out of fear. Fear leads some to carry pepper spray on their key chains. Some fear death and take all sorts of steps in attempting to live just a little bit longer. Advertisers play upon people’s fears in order to sell their products. Quite honestly, fear is big business.

         Fear of being alone has caused many to jump into bad relationships. Roosevelt hit the nail on the head with his statement more than 80 years ago. Indeed it is usually fear itself that is the problem – far more than the object(s) of anyone’s fears.

         In 2013 actress Angelina Jolie underwent a preventative double mastectomy. The reason given was that she feared getting cancer like her mother. Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, lost her battle to ovarian cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. This is a step being taken more and more frequently today by those fearful of an eventual potential negative outcome. I knew a man a few years ago who told me he and his wife followed a diabetic diet very strictly, but neither had diabetes. They feared acquiring the disease as they got older so they reasoned that if they followed a diabetic diet they could avoid ever getting that diagnosis.

         Healthy fear can be a good thing. We should all be a little fearful of driving without a seatbelt, petting stray dogs, and eating wild mushrooms. However when fear becomes overwhelming it is then a problem. God’s Word teaches that believers really have nothing to fear.

         The word “fear” and the concept of fearfulness or being afraid appear many times in Scripture. Interestingly, fear is almost always to be viewed in a negative light, with one important exception. People are called upon to “fear the Lord” and further to be fearful or afraid of failing to do what He says to do. In the first chapter of Deuteronomy, the Israelites were fearful to enter the land that God had set before them. We read “Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.” (Deut. 1:21) If we believe that God is watching out for us, having our best interest, protection, and well-being in mind why do we fear? We look back at God’s preservation and the prosperity He bestowed on His people in the Old Testament and say ‘of course He took care of them.’ But, while the people were in the midst of this pilgrimage they were not very confident. God prepared the way for them, but they still feared. We read the promise “He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8)

         David found reason to fear at times. But the overwhelming pattern of his life was one of great confidence in the Lord. In the 27^th Psalm he wrote “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psal. 27:1)

         In the New Testament Paul wrote to encourage the young pastor Timothy reminding him “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) The spirit to which Paul refers is the Holy Spirit. It is He who gives great gifts including courage that gives us confidence; power that enables us; love that tempers us; and soundness of mind that allows Godly wisdom to prevail in and through us.

         Fear resonates with the worldly-minded person in part because they really do have legitimate reason to be fearful. They really have no hope beyond what they can experience with their senses. They have nothing good beyond right now, and if what they have is taken away, they have nothing. The Christian, on the other hand, need not fear because this life is just a temporary layover as he/she awaits their eternal home and all the glory and splendor that entails.

         The world fears for good reason. If Christians fear, it is for noreason. Temporary doubts cannot become permanent faults. Confidence must replace our fears as we reflect on the undeniable and captivating truths of God’s Word. God loves us. In that love all fear is removed. We read in 1 John 4:17-19 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

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Tricking the Mind Does Not Change Reality

          A few years ago a news report revealed how clothing sizes have slowly evolved.  A women’s size “6,” for instance, was shown to actually be larger than a women’s size 6 from garments made and sized in the past.  This carried through all women’s sizes and even some men’s sizes as well.  Manufacturers readily admitted the “adjustment.” The thinking behind the change is that even if people have gained weight they will feel better about themselves if their clothing size number does not change. Eager clothing manufacturers, seeking to sell more product, have been happy to accommodate.  A happy customer is a repeat customer.  Increasingly, many men’s pants have expandable waists.  A man may, for example, purchase a size 36 pant when he really needs a size 38.  The expandable, elastic waist will accommodate his needs and allow him to breath comfortably.  And best of all, he can still proudly boast he has been wearing size 36 since his college days!

          A few short decades ago, people did not buy things they could not afford.  It was not that they did not have the desire; it was that they simply could not.  They did not have that much cash and banks would not lend money for houses that were beyond people’s means.  The banks had a responsibility to maintain the solvency of their institution and further, it was not responsible for them to prey upon people.  Their integrity, and often the law, would not allow it.  But as predatory lending became more and more prevalent many people bought houses and cars, and other big-ticket items they could not afford.  What actually happened was sellers cleverly tricked people into believing they were purchasing something, when in reality, they were only signing up to make payments.  There is a big difference.  People of medium or lesser incomes were able to obtain things they could have only dreamed of and had previously been available only to the wealthy.  The advent of “the installment plan” did wonders for people’s ability to grasp what they previously could not reach.  When all is said and done the interest paid by some people is utterly staggering.  It is quite remarkable how thoroughly successful retailers have been in tricking people into thinking they can afford the things they cannot. And in the irony of all ironies, they have even tricked them into paying more for the items, by way of the interest!  Credit cards are a chief culprit in the deception.  If a person does not have the money to purchase something today, do they honestly think they will have it by the end of the month?  Of course not.  Credit cards have long been used as a tool to trick people into obtaining things they cannot afford, and the credit card companies are laughing all the way to the bank.  

          After the grand jury investigation in Ferguson, MO it was shown there was no basis to pursue any sort of indictment against the officer and that he acted appropriately under the circumstances.   The autopsy report on Michael Brown, Officer Darren Wilson’s testimony, the testimony of several eye-witnesses, and the physical evidence of bruising etc. on Officer Wilson told the true and honest story of what happened.  But race industry professionals and racial opportunists like Al Sharpton keep shouting a false narrative.  Complicit in this spreading of lies is much of the mainstream media, many elected officials, celebrities, and political commentators.  Even members of the congressional black caucus stood on the floor of congress this week holding up their hands saying “don’t shoot” which is an orchestrated lie.  No evidence ever showed that Michael Brown had his hands up or asked the officer not to shoot.  Instead, the evidence clearly showed that Brown, high on marijuana and having just robbed a convenience store, was charging at the officer with the officer yelling at him to stop.  Even a handful of football players, members of the St. Louis Rams, came out of the tunnel at last Sunday’s game raising their hands in political protest, further fanning the flames of the false narrative and further dividing this country.  Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi zealot during the holocaust famously said “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

          Many struggling with homosexuality have tricked themselves into believing that it is ok, and even that God made them that way.  Further, that marriage should be their right, and that anyone who does not fully embrace and affirm them in what they desire, is a homophobe and a bigot who is way behind the times.  But, what does the Bible say?  What does history say?  What does biology say?  What does psychology say?  These do not support the claims of homosexuals, but the daily pep rallies in their minds and among like-minded individuals keep perpetuating the trickery and deception inside their head.

          We are now in the Christmas season, and once again atheists are actively seeking to put a damper on the holiday.  A recent billboard paid for by a group called “American Atheists” depicts a little girl writing a letter to Santa.  The caption then says “Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is to skip church!  I’m too old for fairy tales.” I wonder who they are trying to convince and why?  Is it not enough to believe something and be comfortable with that belief?  There is an interesting psychological aspect to what they are doing.  I believe atheists feel left out of all the festivities and celebrations.  They would be welcomed in joining in, however they choose not to join in.  And as the old saying goes, “misery loves company.”  The degree to which this is true is evident when a person, an atheists, goes out and spends money to rent a billboard to tell those celebrating Christmas their (Christians) belief is inferior to their (atheists) “non-belief!”  It is absurd!  I do not think Christian groups would waste money renting a billboard to post a message proclaiming their non-belief in ghosts, aliens, or reincarnation.  Why then is it so important for atheists to display their non-belief?  Perhaps it is because privately, they are not so sure of their non-belief.  It seems to me, atheists are playing a lot of mind games with themselves.  Maybe they have been tricking their minds.

          Not long ago I watched a mini-series on The History Channel about the masterful magician Harry Houdini.  His talents were enormous.  He could, through sleight of hand, get people to believe something that was not real.  His presentation was so convincing people were either almost or, in some cases, totally convinced that it was real.  But it was fantasy, trickery, and deception all for the sake of entertainment.  But people today are tricking themselves and they are being deceived by others into believing that lies are truth.  The world’s style of wisdom is foolishness.  It always has been and always will be.  The Apostle Paul wrote a warning to the Corinthians about self-deception.  He said “Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.  For it is written, He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and again, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile.” (1 Cor. 3:18-20)  People who believe lies and have themselves been tricked by lies, are looking for still yet others to trick with lies.  Don’t fall into their trap.

In Christ

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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Ferguson, and Lessons We Can Learn

         It is hard to fully wrap our minds around the menacing violence, destruction, looting, and general chaos being committed by several in wake of the announcement of the grand jury verdict in Ferguson, MO on November 24^th. Officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted in the August shooting death of Michael Brown. The particulars of this case were considered and weighed heavily by the District Attorney and handed over to a Grand Jury for their examination of the facts and sequence of events. At the end of a 3 month investigation their conclusion was not to indict the officer.

         From the beginning of this situation there has been a substantial distorting of facts. Attorneys have certainly done their fair share of distorting, as they often do. The family has looked at this, much like any family would, through the prism of emotion. The one place though we should actually expect to get unbiased information is from the media. But, once again just like in countless other stories, the media has been anything but fair and balanced in its coverage. Over time, the media has traveled a road taking them past fairness, through bias, then through substantial bias, to the point of corruption at least in many outlets. There are still good journalists and there are still good news outlets, but they are scarce. The media culture breeds conformity and for those who do not follow the script, there is a hefty price tag to pay. Early on, the media adopted a narrative that a white police officer had gunned down an unarmed black man; therefore race was a major factor. Early on, some eyewitnesses made claims that quickly were proven false. Once the true sequence of events began to emerge, some in the liberal media had already backed themselves into a corner. When journalists become activists they are no longer true journalists.

         The police in Ferguson made many mistakes in how they handled the Michael Brown crime scene. For instance, they let Brown’s body lie in the street for 4 hours thereby fueling anger from the community. Their attempts at public relations in the days which followed were poor. But, in all fairness, they were not trained in how to deal with something that grew so big so quick and became nationally prominent.

         Politicians made rushes to judgment, notable among them were comments betraying prejudice against Officer Wilson by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. There was certainly bias displayed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Obama administration as a whole. Three representatives were even sent to Michael Brown’s funeral last August. Race hustler, opportunist, and MSNBC host Al Sharpton, was seen at various points throughout the ordeal, including speaking at the Michael Brown funeral. Sharpton’s presence and words clearly jazzed up crowds of people to expect a certain outcome. There were no real calls for fairness, justice, or finding out the truth. Regrettably, he had made up his mind and, in his mind, justice would only be served when the investigation proved him to be right.

         What I am most concerned about in all of this is what is not being said. So often the root causes of problems are ignored and symptoms are treated like they are the problems. Here we have a young man, Michael Brown, seen on camera shoving the owner of a store out of the way when he tries to stop him from stealing from his store. The autopsy confirmed he had marijuana in his system. This was not his first run-in with the law in his 18 years of life. And it all ends one day when he grapples with a police officer trying to do his job and arrest him. Every dad in America should have set down with their teenage sons and had a talk about living right and making wise choices and not wasting your life like Michael Brown. Every parent should be using this to teach their kids not to steal, use drugs, run with the wrong crowd, respect authority, and live as a person of character, lest your life be a total waste and end like Michael Brown’s life ended. He was not a hero, he was thug.

         But instead of hearing the common sense truth, we are hearing charges of racism, some calling the police force out of control, people talking about blacks being disproportionately targets, etc. But very little is said about what started the whole chain of events. Only at the point a scapegoat entered the picture (a white police officer) is there real outrage, and its all directed at him and “the system.” Where is the outrage from the black community about the murder rate in the south side of Chicago made up almost exclusively of black on black violence and it has been unchanged for 50 years! Where is the outrage from the black community when more than 70 percent of black babies are born out of wedlock? There seems to only be outrage when they can find a way to pin blame on others for their own problems. Could their time be better spent addressing the root causes of the problems – absolutely! Could they wise up and see how one particular political party has played them and used them as pawns for decades?

         Very few these days have a wholesale commitment to the truth. Everyone, it seems, has their own version of truth. Sadly, most of the truth claims which are made are not true at all. God’s Word is the only reliable standard for truth and we are only truthful when our beliefs, conduct, speech, etc. are consistent with and in agreement with God’s Word. Within sinful man, wickedness and lies of every sort abound.

         The Michael Brown shooting is, most certainly, a tragedy. It is tragic because a young life with so much potential was totally wasted due to the very bad choices he made, his lack of respect for authority, and disregard for the law.   So many people could potentially learn so much from these events.  But will they learn?

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

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Study to Show Yourself Approved

        When it comes to the prospect of “study” I have observed that there are two things, and most often only two things, that people will study – that which they are required to study and that which they desireto study. People will study for a test in school or a licensing exam or something job-related. People will also study within their areas of interest. I am amazed at how many facts some people know about sports. Those interested in hunting and fishing enthusiastically study to learn more about hunting and fishing. Basically, detailed information related to whatever hobby or interests a person has is worthy to be studied by them. They will spend countless hours in the zone that brings them pleasure and fulfillment. It is far from a burden, but rather their pleasure.

         For many, perhaps most people, Bible study falls into a 3^rdcategory. The category is “things we ought to study.” Many will simply read their Bibles but not study them. They will attend church as long as it is simple enough so as not to challenge them to have to put their thinking caps on. Yet, we are not merely called upon to “read” but to “study” Scripture. In this day and age when the Christian worldview is under such vehement attack, it is essential we be ready to defend our faith, and “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 3:17) is the weapon we use.

         Many believers have children, grandchildren and other loved ones who have adopted secular worldviews of various sorts, and the Christian parents and grandparents have no idea how to defend the Christian worldview and only fall back on ineffective appeals to their loved ones to come to church and/or start reading the Bible. In other words, they cannot engage in meaningful conversations with those who are deceived by another worldview because they themselves only know the very basics of their own Christian faith/worldview. Yet study materials are available, in abundance, to help equip them to beef up their knowledge.

         One of the most widely quoted verses in the New Testament is “Study (be diligent) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15) To be diligent in the manner called for here includes making the most of every opportunity given to increase in the knowledge of the truth. I have been amazed at how many spiritual opportunities I have seen wasted.

         Study to increase in knowledge is profitable. Further, the profit is not merely for the person who gains in knowledge but for the whole body of Christ. Sadly what we often see is the reality stated in Hebrews 5:12-14 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” How many perpetual babes in Christ do we have in our churches? When Peter Pan stayed a boy and refused to grow up, everyone smiled, but I do not think God smiles when His children neglect to take the necessary steps to grow up spiritually! In this passage the writer goes so far as to say that many who would/should be teachers have refused to grow up spiritually and are still struggling with the basics.

         Writing concerning the same theme in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Paul writes “And I brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.” The trend in the modern day church is to dumb down messages and lessons because even those who have been Christians for a number of years are not prone to trying to grasp anything very deep. Church has become much more about “what I get out of it,” than about “what God may have to say to me.” Many of our parents and grandparents went to church 3 times a week singing doctrinally rich hymns and being taught the Word of God verse by verse at each service. Now those things will not draw a crowd and few churches practice them. Those who do, have only a handful of people showing interest.

         Hebrews 5: 12-14 indicates that many within the purview of this epistle should have matured to the point of being teachers by now but have not. What kept them from failing to be teachers? Quite simply, it was the fact they were not desiring “solid food,” but only “milk.” We wonder, at times, why there is always a need for teachers and few, if any, will step forward and show their willingness to teach. But what many fail to realize is that the answer is right here in the pages of Scripture. Too many have desired milk instead of solid food for far too long. Many potential teachers are people who stopped maturing years ago and never developed spiritually as God intended and may not even attend much at all anymore. Sadly, the waste of potential in our churches and in many individual Christian lives is enormous, and no doubt grieves the heart of God. Further, the witness and overall effectiveness of the church is weakened as a result.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

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Ethical Standards and Changing Morality

        What or who determines standards?  In times past in America, the obvious answer was the Bible.  This was true even for individuals, marginal in their Christian commitment.  But no such standard exists anymore – at least not in the minds of a great number of people.  Where there is no standard, confusion will rise to fill the void left in its absence.

          It is near political suicide for a candidate running for office to quote from or refer to the Bible.  The only exceptions might be vague, general reference to a passage that is hardly controversial.  The 1828 edition of Webster’s Dictionary defined a great many terms by appealing to the Bible as the absolute standard.  Our American laws all are rooted deeply in the standards found in the Word of God.  Laws were not simply pulled out of the air.  Their basis was overwhelmingly in Scripture.

          Over time morality and ethics have become largely lumped together and essentially are now viewed as being one and the same.  However, drawing a clear distinction is valuable.  Morality is a measure of what “is” taking place; what people are doing; their attitudes toward certain issues and standards of behavior.  Therefore we can conclude that morality is forever in a state of flux and change.  The phrase “moral standards” is mostly an oxymoron.  A standard is set and unchanging, whereas morality is merely a reflection of what “is” taking place.  There is no guiding principle.  Ethics, on the other hand, speaks to the “ought.”  Ethics are grounded in a true and unchanging standard.  Christians would appeal to biblical ethics, in particular, and see Scripture as the standard of all ethical conduct.  In other words, “ethics” should determine “morality.”  Even if it is not perfectly followed, believers would claim that we “ought” to follow the teachings and standards of the Bible.

          In our present world, no such distinction is made between ethics and morality.  The absolutes of ethical standards have given way to the moral norms of the ever-changing culture.  To say someone is “moral” only means they are consistent with what is generally seen by a society as being moral.  However, to say someone is “ethical,” means they are following standards that may be outside normal behavior and might even be quite counter to the culture.  To say someone is “biblically ethical,” means someone is ordering their life around the teachings of Scripture.

          Many Bible-believing Christians lament that their adult son or daughter is, for example, now living with their boyfriend or girlfriend out of wedlock, or are engaging in other behaviors that are contrary to the standard taught by the parents in the home.  This standard was based in the Bible.  What has happened?  Presumably, the parents taught an “ethical” standard to their child, particularly a “biblical ethical standard.”  However as the child left home, went to college or joined the military, and got out into the world their biblical ethics came into sharp conflict with the morality of the culture.  In the back of his/her mind the biblical ethic remained, but the morality of those around them was such that they were made to feel uncomfortable and felt tremendous pressure to conform.  Typically this does not happen overnight.  It usually takes time.  It is very hard for those with ethical standards to consistently live up to the standards in which they believe when their encouragement for doing so is minimal or non-existent.  And it is further difficult when their encouragement to adopt the moral norms of those around them is strong.  You see this, for example, on a college campus.  What is more common, to see incoming Christian freshman influence the campus with Christian ethics and teachings or to see the moral norms found on campus to influence the incoming Christian freshman? 

          God knew of this dilemma long before human beings ever gave it a thought.  He knew believers needed to encourage one another, because “lone wolf” Christianity was always destined for failure.  “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  (Prov. 27:17)  Church is the institution He gave, not only for that “sharpening” or “encouragement” to take place but also a place for instruction.  Many have sought answers to why there is such a decline in morality today, when compared with previous generations; but the answers are fairly simple.  People attend church far less frequently, and the Bible is read and studied more infrequently than before.  Add to this the fact that culture is imposing itself on all people with far greater intensity.  Christianity is under direct assault, and the price to be paid for living by biblical ethical standards is much greater than it has ever been for men, women, boys and girls.

          There is more to life than living for the moment.  Moments come and moments go.  According to James 4:14 our lives are a “vapor” that appear for just a moment and then are gone.  The “morality” of the moment is here, and then it is gone.  But biblical ethics are standards that come down to us from God and they do not change.  God declared in Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”  As mankind in every generation grapples with trying to determine morality, God’s ethical and absolute standards remain preserved in the Bible.  

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

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The Sway of the Evil One in this World

         Every day, all around us, people are in process of being led astray by false teachers, false teachings, and clinging to false hope.  The New Testament warns in every book of the importance of not allowing oneself to succumb to these prevailing influences.

         There are many dire warnings throughout the New Testament concerning false teachers.  Jude had the aim of writing a letter of encouragement with the tone being positive and the theme being the common salvation believers shared through Christ.  But, he writes instead in vs. 3-4, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.  For certain men have crept in unnoticed, which long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  It is striking how quickly after the inception of Christianity that false teaching and false teachers spread like wildfire.  However, it makes perfect sense when you consider that Satan knew he could be most effective if nipping Christianity in the bud before it really took off.

          In the modern world with radio, television, the internet, books, magazines, email, etc. people are still being led astray by the evil one.  He is influencing this world in wicked ways and leading it down paths previous generations of people could never have fathomed in their wildest dreams.  But the basic truth is still valid that John so appropriately stated in 1 John 5:19 “And the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”  If John wrote those words 2000 years ago, it is no less true today.

          This world is made up of scores of nations, organizations, political parties, factions, institutions, etc.  But, in the most ultimate sense, there are only two realms.  There is the realm of God and the realm of Satan.  Neither the realm of God nor the realm of Satan have changed since the dawn of time, nor will this change until the events prophesied in Revelation come to pass when Satan is cast into the lake of fire.  Satan’s current realm is identified as “this world” in Scripture, and John tells his readers rather bluntly that the whole “world” lies under its sway.  Therefore it is reasonable to expect this worldly manner of thinking and subsequent actions out of those who are a part of that which is Satan’s realm - the territory he “sways.”

          Examples are all around us.  When we see the God-given institution of marriage under attack by those who consider marriage equality to be anything they claim it to be; when we see unborn children killed and discarded like refuse so the “already born” don’t have to be inconvenienced and can go on living “their” lives “their” way and continuing their promiscuous sexual behavior; when the rights of criminals are elevated above those of the victims of their crimes; when mass murder is blamed on the tools used (guns) and not the depraved people pulling the trigger; when the nobility of work is downplayed in favor of cries for entitlement benefits then we know the world is turned upside down.  This may seem new, but it is not.  These are simply some of the latest manifestations of the infallible truth this world lies under the sway of Satan.

          The prophet Isaiah, wrote to the eighth-century B.C. Israelites of God’s coming judgment on their immoral and idolatrous lifestyles.  His words are particularly pointed in 5:20-21 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”  He could have just as easily made a speech on the steps of the U.S. Capitol this afternoon and quoted verbatim what he wrote nearly 2800 years ago and it would have been spot-on accurate!  What about even further back in time?  In the days of Noah, about 2400 B.C. and right before God destroyed the earth with a worldwide flood, God gave the reason for this cataclysm.  In Gen. 6:5 we read “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thought of his heart was only evil continually.”  The problem of evil is literally older than the hills!

          For a person to come to Christ as Savior, it is not as simple as coming to a firm decision as to how you will spend Sunday mornings from this point forward.  It is a matter of which of the two “realms” you will henceforth be a part of.  Will it be the realm of God or the realm of Satan (this world)?  Interestingly enough a person is automatically a part of this world, unless or until, he/she expresses sorrow for their sinfulness and identification with the world and receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  God’s Son, is the only bridge from one realm to the other.  John 14:6 tells us He is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” and that “No one comes to the Father except through Him.”  The good news is that we can come, but the bad news is that the sway of Satan in this world is so strong and he has been so clever in crafting his deceptions that, the vast majority of people, have been fooled by him and will continue being fooled right up until their earthly death.  Romans 1 speaks of how mankind “Became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to become wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.” (Rom. 1:21b-23a)  In the eyes of the world, serving itself is job one!

          John ends the epistle of 1 John with the appeal “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (5:21)  The problem for mankind is that he has made idols out of nearly everything and in his mind has always found a way to justify doing so.  The culture described in Romans 1 is the one which has become submersed in idolatry.  At its core, idolatry is ascribing honor to something God alone deserves.  For instance, in this culture, sex has been made an idol instead of worshiping the God who gave sex, as a gift to mankind.  Money has been made an idol instead of worshiping the God Who gave the gift of money.  Physical beauty is worshiped as an idol instead of worshiping the one who gave the gift of beauty.  Whatever good gifts God has given, mankind has eventually found a way to abuse, distort, and pervert.

          To a world immersed in false hope, idolatry, and rejection of its Creator and firmly in the grasp of the evil one, John writes “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)  During the days of creation, God brought order out of chaos and in this world, through Jesus Christ, He is still forming order out of the chaos!

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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The Lukewarm Church

         The church in modern times has often been described as apathetic. Apathy is defined as “Absence of passion, emotion, or excitement.” We live in a day where the world is largely indifferent/apathetic about the church and the church is largely indifferent/apathetic about itself.

        While Satan and the worldly system he drives works day and night to undermine and silence the church, the church by and large, sets back and does little to demonstrate its concern for itself. In many churches, less than 10 % of the Sunday morning attenders come back on Wednesday evenings for the prayer meeting. All-the-while overall Sunday morning attendance is declining, more and more churches are discontinuing Sunday evening activities and Sunday School all due to lack of attendance and interest. In most congregations, the older generation is dying off faster than younger people are being reached for Christ. Any way you look at it, the church in the late 20^th and early 21^st century is lukewarm for Christ at best. Keep in mind, Satan is filled with zeal and is actively working to harm and destroy the church while the church itself often acts as though it is unaware of his efforts.

        The Lord indicted the New Testament church at Laodicea for being lukewarm. They were in their groove, they felt self-sufficient and Christ was no longer a part of what they were doing. The church was fully operational and incorporated the name of Christ, but the most important reason for their existence had faded out of sight. Paul, writing to Timothy in 2 Tim.3:5 warned of a perilous time where, even believers would “Have a form of godliness but deny its power” and from such people he warned to turn away. Laodicea had a form/appearance of godliness, but there was no power because Jesus Christ was no longer the reason they did the things they were doing.

        The city of Laodicea was wealthy, and like all people have the tendency to do, they felt the security that money often brings and they stopped trusting in, and relying on God. The attitude in the church mirrored the attitude of the city itself. These deeply prideful people felt they did not need any help, advice, or direction. They thought they were ok but Jesus told them they were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17). Their condition reminds one of the children’s story “The Emperor has No Cloths” by Hans Christian Andersen. In the story, two swindlers convince the Emperor they can make a set of cloths that will only be able to be seen by the most worthy of people. They went through the motions of dressing the Emperor in these garments. None of the Emperor’s court dared say a word thinking they were unworthy as the reason they could not see the cloths. The Emperor went out and was paraded among the people with the crowd also seeing his nakedness but no one daring to say anything for fear their unworthiness would also be exposed. Finally a small child unaware of what was going on blurted out “The Emperor has no cloths!” Then many began to laugh. The Emperor finally caught on to what was happening but kept it to himself, continued smiling, and simply kept up the façade. In many ways, this is what was going on in Laodicea and is going on in the church of today. If an outside consultant came in and audited the church spiritually, I wonder what might be found. Is it possible it might be discovered that everyone is just playing along and the church is really “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” just like at Laodicea?

        Christ, in His graciousness, did not destroy the Laodicean church. But instead offers them 3 things. He says He will give them true wealth, like gold that has been refined in the fire (spiritual wealth or true redemption), white garments so as to cloth them with purity and so that their nakedness will not be on display, and to anoint their eyes with eye salve to overcome their spiritual blindness. The full intent of the Lord’s discipline was for their profit. The book of Hebrews speaks of the discipline believers experience at the hand of God. “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers then you are illegitimate and not sons.” (Heb. 12:6-8)

        Jesus says to the Laodicean church in verse 20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” The picture is of Christ standing outside of the gathering of this church knocking and desiring to come in and be a part of the fellowship and, in fact, be the centerpiece of all they were doing. How ironic it is that there could be church without Christ. The definition of “church” is “the body of Christ;” but, as we know all too well, it does happen all the time. Too many churches have “Ichabod” spiritually written over their doors, meaning “The glory has departed.”

        In verse 20, Christ offers to join them in the most intimate of fellowship. In biblical times, eating or dining with someone showed love, concern, and affection. This is why Jesus was often criticized by the religious leaders. He not only associated with sinners, but He went so far as to eat with them and in so doing He caused a scandal.

        For those who will be “overcomers” He promises to grant them to sit down with Him on His throne as He also overcame and sat down with the Father on His throne (vs. 21). The right to sit with Christ on His Heavenly throne is one of many promises to overcomers conveyed in Scripture. Christ is saying, in effect to the church, if you are with Him you will be victorious! He is speaking the same message to the church today!

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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The Faithful Church Christ Desires

         Believers are told many times and in many ways in Scripture of the need to persevere. Perseverance is “Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose or state, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.” (Dictionary.com) Perseverance is the responsibility of both individual Christians and churches.
         We live in a world that will rarely settle for anything less than immediate results and instant gratification. God’s ways may seem slow to many people, but His ways are much more reliable than man’s ways. The Apostle Paul, commending believers to be patient and wait on the Lord, wrote “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, continue steadfastly in prayer.” (Rom. 12:12) Above all else, God is calling his church to be faithful to His Word and the promises therein and persevere no matter what trials/tests/tribulations come its way.
         The New Testament church of Philadelphia, addressed in Revelation 3:7-13, was doing what the Lord expected of the church. They are lifted up as an example of faithfulness. The Lord had nothing negative to say about them, like He did the other 6 churches addressed in Revelation 2 and 3. He commends them for standing strong in the face of difficulties and persecution. This church had little strength, little power, and little influence but Jesus was pleased with them because they had not let the cares of the world and other external pressures affect them in a negative way. They were strong in the Lord.
         It is never easy to stand faithful to God in the face of persecution, but it is always the right thing to do. Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft wrote in his autobiography “Sometimes when you are doing the right thing, you have to stay strong, steely, and silent, even though you are getting beaten up by others for doing what is right. Often it takes a long time for the truth to emerge.”(John Ashcroft; Never Again; 229-30) Perseverance is about being in it for the long haul.
         The believers at Philadelphia had already passed many tests; therefore the Lord is promising to spare them from the ultimate test. The specific promise is to remove them from the period of unparalleled tribulation that was coming upon the world.
         Sadly, faithfulness is hard to find these days. Most churches have inflated membership rolls and many of the names are of people no one seems to be able to identify. Some are trusting in their church membership as their ticket to Heaven, but the Lord is not concerned with whose name is on an old ledger in the church office. He is concerned with who is actively serving Him and standing strong withthe church against the constant attacks of Satan and those working on his behalf. The true church is comprised of those who are actively serving as a part of the living organism identified as the church.
         People trust in many different things, but there is no substitute for the real thing. Just because spiritual placebos satisfy a person’s mind, does not mean they have any actual benefit. An old evangelist said it well “Any religion that does not affect the way you live your life will not save your soul or take you to Heaven when you die.” (Evangelist David Miller). All Christians today need to heed the example of the church at Philadelphia. Further, all claiming to be the followers of Christ also need to examine what is actually involved in being a New Testament Christian.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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A Dead Church: And Sins Leading to Death

         Perhaps, in the entire world, there is no greater tragedy than for a local church to be accurately described as dead. In fact, the very idea seems oxymoronic! It sounds clearly to be a blatant contradiction of terms! The idea that the church, the body of Jesus Christ, would be dead seems wrong and indeed is wrong. Christ is the Son of God and the firstborn from the dead. It is His resurrection that we celebrate at Easter and the reason for the church’s whole existence. Yet, the term “dead church” is being used with more and more frequency these days. However, describing a church in these sorts of terms is not really anything new.
         In Revelation 3:1-6 Jesus’ words of condemnation to the Church at Sardis were that they “appeared” alive but were actually spiritually dead. Many things can give an appearance that does not reflect reality. Space, for instance, is virtually incomprehensible to the human mind. The nearest stars to the earth are trillions of miles away. These vast distances forced astronomers to come up with a new term – “light year.” It is the distance light, which travels at 186,000 miles per second, travels in the span of 1 year. It turns out, 1 light year is 6 trillion miles! If a star, for instance, thirty light years away from the earth exploded and died five years ago, we could not be able to tell by looking at it for another 25 years! Though no longer in existence, the light from that star would go on shining as if nothing had changed. The light at Sardis appeared to be shining, but the church was dead.
         Instead of focusing on and pursuing present faithfulness, many churches look backwards to past glory. I once was called as pastor to a church with a long history. Very shortly afterwards a few of the older members began telling me about how this church had planted several other churches and was therefore, in their estimation, very mission minded. A bit surprised, I inquired further. It was then explained how that in the 1880s, then in the 1890s new churches were planted then again about 3 more during the early part of the 1900s for a total of about 5 or 6 mission churches spawned. The most recent church plant was in the 1920s! Yet, 8 decades later this was still something the church considered an object of pride. The obvious question was, “But what have you done lately?” Many churches look backwards and not forward. The church is called to be largely progressive and somewhat reflective, whereas many churches are instead just the opposite – largely reflective and only slightly progressive. This is a sign they are much more like the church at Sardis than they would ever realize or admit.
         The church at Sardis probably had started out like Ephesus by losing their first love. That likely led them to compromise like Pergamos, then naturally to corruption like at Thyatira, and then ultimately death. James wrote in his epistle of a progression which takes place “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:15). The specific sin(s) may be different in each case but it is “sin” nevertheless. For some churches it is sexual sin that goes unconfessed or perhaps undealt with by the leadership who are aware of the problem but look the other way. In some cases it is one of many various forms of idolatry. Churches have been known to make idols of their bank accounts, their buildings, their property, particular objects within the building, particular rooms within the building, a particular program sponsored by the church, a particular method for doing certain things, etc. Idolatrous type tendencies can show up in a lot of different places. Laziness can also cause some churches to die. Relying on someone else to do what the New Testament tells you (if you are a Christian) to do. Countless people have been blamed by others for not doing the work they themselves were supposed to do. Apathy is also another reason churches die. Often the attitude within the church is much like the attitude within our nation. Someone once stated to his friend ‘“The main problems in our nation today are ignorance and apathy - don’t you agree?’ The friend replied, ‘I don’t know and I don’t care!’” Sadly, I think there is some application when it comes to unhealthy attitudes within the church visible in both words and behavior.
         What is the remedy? Jesus tells the church at Sardis they need to “wake up.” It was not time for indifference. Second, the small remnant needed to “strengthen the things that remain which were about to die.” Third, the faithful remnant needed to “remember what they had received and heard.” In other words, they needed to focus once again on the basics/fundamentals. Fourth, after going back to the truths of Scripture, they needed to “keep” them and not let them slip away again. Fifth, they needed to “repent.” Repentance means swallowing a lot of pride, which most are unwilling to do.
         The Lord promises to the church at Sardis that if they simply do what he asks of them, He will cloth them with white garments symbolizing purity and holiness. He further promises to not blot out their names from the book of life, but instead confess them before His Father. Church history gives us a pretty good indication that there was at least a partial heeding of Jesus’ words to this church. Melito, a prominent man who served as bishop at Sardis several decades after John wrote, indicated that some measure of revival did take place after this letter was received. No church and no individual is too far gone if they will simply repent and turn to God!
 
In Christ,
 
Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor
 
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Corruption: The Inevitable Fruit of Compromise

         Compromise can lead both individuals and churches down the road to corruption more quickly and easily than what we might imagine. Many of the problems we face get kicked down the road like the proverbial can. There seems never to be a good moment to deal with many things so they are put off in favor of a better time. But sadly, that more opportune time rarely, if ever, comes.

         Many things that Americans put off end up costing them more in the long run. If your car is making a funny noise and you simply ignore it and hope that it will go away you will probably end up paying much more later on than you would have, had you had it checked out sooner. You know, on one level, those dizzy spells and headaches you are having are not good and that you need to see your doctor, but if you put it off too long the doctor may say ‘there is nothing I can do.’ When you see a few termites, you may reason it is not a serious problem. After all, what damage can a few termites do? But, for every few you see there are many more doing their destructive work. Think about the national debt in America. Economists predict that by the time Obama leaves office, it will be at 20 trillion dollars! How did it get this big? Quite simply, a little at a time! Politicians knew we should not take on more debt, on one hand, but on the other, it was so tempting to compromise yet once again.

         Many churches have compromised with the world for so long they have been corrupted by the world. Sin is caustic and it eats away at churches like rust on metal. It seems wrong at first, but a little bit is tolerated, then a little more, then still yet more, and ultimately the whole church lives under the weight of ongoing compromise and corruption. This is exactly what was going on in the church at Thyatira, addressed by the Lord in Revelation 2:18-29.

         Despite the compliments given to the church by the Lord, things were far from being well. They were tolerating a false prophetess to teach/lead in their midst. She is called “Jezebel” by the Lord, almost certainly not her real name but a distinction reminiscent of the wicked queen and wife of Ahab from Jewish history. Jezebel was so vile that 1 Kings 16:30-31 tell us that the most wicked thing Ahab ever did (and he did many wicked things) was marry her!

         This false prophetess at Thyatira was leading people to be involved in sexual immorality and in eating meat offered to idols. She was teaching that one could engage in wicked behavior away from church and still be in good standing when the body met for worship; and apparently, nothing was being done to prove anything any different. Verse 23, of chapter 2 mentions her spiritual children, so she was certainly having a profound, and negative, influence on the culture of the church. The Lord had given her opportunity to repent, but she had refused. Her punishment was to be cast onto a “sickbed,” most likely a reference to death and hell – the ultimate resting place for those who refuse to repent.

         God takes sin seriously, even when church members and church leaders do not. In Acts 5 we read of the account of Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit and before the church and they were struck dead. Clearly God desired purity in His church and not His people getting all cozy and comfortable with sin. The church leaders at Thyatira could have done something but they were guilty of appeasement in the situation and that usually leads to far worse problems than there ever really needed to be.

         The church of the 21^st century is certainly a church of compromise, at best, and corrupted at worst. There are things going on in churches that are highly disturbing when measured against God’s Word. Maintaining the purity God desires is not particularly easy, but necessary. The church loses its power when it compromises and when it becomes corrupted all hope is gone unless or until it truly repents and turns the reins of leadership back over to Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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The Principle of the Work Ethic

        Work often does not hold the place in society that it once held. There are those who do take their work seriously, but too many instead look for ways to avoid the various labors of life. The Bible places a high premium on work and performing our various tasks should ultimately be viewed as a type of worship to our Lord who has given us both the work and the ability to do the work. Viewing work from the proper perspective is critical to understanding its place in our lives and in understanding the God who has placed us here to glorify Him through our efforts laboring with our hands.

         Historically, Americans have been hard workers. This country was literally built by the sweat of the brows of many people who had vision and determination to see their dreams become reality. There is an entrepreneurial spirit which has existed, almost from day one, and has driven people to be innovative and strive harder.

        In honor of this Labor Day holiday, I wish to share something I came across recently in my reading. This brief article presents a very interesting picture of work that is both simple, yet profound.

        

         Engrained deep within the American spirit is the Puritan work ethic, which places a high moral value on doing a good job because work has intrinsic value for its own sake. To the Puritan, all of life was to be lived in relation to God, a principle which gave sacred significance to every activity. Work was valued as a vital part of their service and worship to God, and they took the Bible seriously when it said, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17). Just as the Israelites were instructed to work six days and then rest on the seventh (Ex. 20:9-10), the Puritans regarded work and worship as a lifestyle of obedience to Christ.

         God Himself taught us this by example as He created this universe and all that is in it. He could have merely thought creation into being, but He took six days and rested on the seventh. Man was created in God’s image with a purpose, to work by creating a desirable habitat (Gen. 1:28). Man was created to work toward the betterment of both himself and others for six days, and then the Sabbath rest offers opportunities for worship that renew the spirit.

         When God completed His creation, He declared it “very good” – the quality was a reflection of His character. Similarly, the quality of our work reflects our personal character. Whatever our trade or craft, we should do all to the glory of God and in the service of mankind. God is worthy of the best we can offer, for He has endowed us with gifts to be used for the good of all. God has designed our labor to have dignity and consequence.

         This spiritual heritage has led America to be the strongest economic powerhouse in the history of the world. There is no desire in this independent spirit to simply exist on handouts from a government agency or siphon off a living from benevolence or friendships. And it flies in the face of a pleasure-oriented society that exalts leisure above all else. The object of life is not to see how much work can be avoided or how much fun we can have, but to give our very best “with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men. (Eph. 6:7)” (Taken from The Patriot’s Study Bible; an article entitled “The Principle of the Work Ethic;” pg. 1354)

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

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The Church and the Consequences of Compromise

     We live in a day and in a culture where the highest goods are things such as “tolerance,” “peace,” “harmony,” “political correctness,” and certainly “compromise.” There is really no socially acceptable platform given anymore for the church, or individual believers, to stand up and say “Thus Says the Lord.” Indeed this is the culture of compromise. It is a day and time where the absolute truth of God is drowned out and other, louder voices get the attention.

     Compromise has always been a temptation for the church. In Revelation 2:12-17 the Lord addresses the church at Pergamos as they were guilty of making compromises in order to maintain peace and harmony. The influences of worldliness were all around. The city had a magnificent alter to Zeus, was the seat/center of an emperor worship cult, was a place of culture and learning with a massive library second only to the great library of Alexandria, Egypt, and had a shrine to Asclepius who was the god of healing. Striving to live for Jesus Christ in that environment had to be exceedingly difficult, but certainly not impossible.

     The church was tolerating some of its membership holding to what the Lord calls “The Doctrine of Balaam.” Balaam was nothing more than a prophet for hire (Num. 22-25). Fearful of the Israelites because of what they had done to their enemies the Amorites, Balak King of Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel. After trying 3 times unsuccessfully, Balaam came up with a new plan. This new plan was to corrupt the Israelites by teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the men. He would try to get them to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of sexual immorality. He plotted to use Moabite women to lure these men into ungodly behavior. The theory was that this sinful behavior would destroy Israel’s spiritual power. Like the Israelites of long before, the church at Pergamos was also allowing a mixing of sin with the church which was to remain pure. Also, some at Pergamos were following the teachings of the Nicolaitans who also taught that Christians could participate in pagan rituals, particularly sexual ones.  Consequently, their power and strength were greatly diminished. Peter wrote of those who would follow the error of the Balaamites in 2 Pet. 2:15-16 saying “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray; following the way of Balaam the son of Beor; who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.”

     In 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 Paul strongly warns the church to not mix and thereby become influenced by the world. He writes “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? ‘For you are the temple of the living God.’ As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’” Sadly, a significant number at the Pergamos church believed a person could attend pagan feasts, engage in debauchery, and sexual immorality and still be a part of Christ’s church! Sin among its membership was taking away the inherent power of the church.

     In our day and age, the church has significantly diminished power. I am convinced this is because of its many compromises with sin. I wonder, on almost any church’s membership rolls, how many persons are living decidedly worldly lives, perhaps even engaging in grievous types of sin. How many drug users, alcoholics, pornography viewers, adulterers and adulteresses, thieves, homosexuals, those living together out of wedlock, etc. might there be? Also, how many speak with curse words, gossip, slander, regularly view filth on television and in movies, and otherwise live for themselves with little or no thought/concern for God or His Word. Yet the church of today, desperate for members, looks the other way. Church discipline is a thing of the past. The church has overwhelmingly lost its moral authority in this world and therefore its power to truly influence. Statistics show the rate of engagement in sinful behavior is no different than that of the world at large. This was the heart of the problem at Pergamos. There were two groups of people 1) Those engaging in grievously sinful behavior and 2) Those, perhaps not engaging in, but ultimatelydoing nothing about those people who were engaging in such behavior.

     Satan loves to fool churches into thinking that tolerating sin is a good thing. If the church were to rise up and take stronger stands against everything from outward, overt acts of sin to slothfulness among its membership, Satan knows it would have a huge impact on the outworking of power seen through the church. Therefore he hopes for the apple cart to not be upset.

     The ultimate answer for the church at Pergamos, as well as the church of the 21^st century is simply “repentance.” When used in Scripture, the word “repent” describes a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. In the modern culture compromise is applauded, but we are told that “the angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner comes to “repentance.”

  

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous Weblogs may be viewed at www.fbcrogers.com

Recent messages may be heard at www.fbcrogers.com

Justice, Racial Tensions, and the Situation in Ferguson, MO

          In recent days we have watched events unfold in Ferguson, MO following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. Circumstances surrounding this shooting are still unfolding and the full truth is not yet known. Americans, and certainly all believers, should reserve final judgment until all the facts are presented. However, this incident along with others in recent memory, expose a glaring problem in our nation.
         No one can argue that there have always been divisions in America going all the way back to its founding. Further, no one can argue there have not been horrible incidents related to racism in the not-too-distant past. Even beyond that, no one can argue that racism has been eradicated nor is there reason to believe it will ever be totally gone from the culture. However, the question becomes – are we as Americans being presented a fair and honest picture of race relations in our country?
          Some of you have read my weblogs since I first began sending them more than 7 years ago and you will recall several times I have addressed and analyzed the media which has become more and more agenda driven over the past few decades. We are long since beyond the point where we can ultimately trust the media to give fair, honest, and unbiased reporting on any issue that has any sort of political implication.
         Another glaring reality is that there are a significant number of persons whose very purpose and livelihood seemingly consists of stoking the fires of racial tensions. The most recognizable names among them are Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. These men have repeatedly exploited situations for their own advantage. They have looked the other way on far more serious matters such as black-on-black violence in Chicago, New York, and other places. Also, they have failed to devote any real efforts to help curb the break-down of the black family unit and the huge problem of out-of-wedlock births within the black community. They have publicly jumped to conclusions and often made passionate speeches and engaged in highly toxic rhetoric before the facts were known in multiple situations. The media has rarely challenged them on their statements, position, or interpretation of the facts at hand. They have, in essence, been afforded a platform by which to advance their cause without proper checks and balances.
         In the case of Ferguson, MO, Al Sharpton, who has his own television show on MSNBC, went to Ferguson and spoke passionately about what he believed to be injustice and in so doing jazzed up the crowd thereby adding danger to police, business owners, and civilians then going back to New York to host his show. Perhaps never before has someone in the role of “reporter” actually been allowed to become a part of the story and then return to reporting on the story!
         Americans elected a black president twice. Many believed in doing so it would largely put to rest racial tensions. But the reality has been that issues related to race have grown. This is not because racism is suddenly worse but because the race hustlers have come out in stronger force and the media, always selective in what stories it actually covers, are more than happy to oblige. Let’s face the truth. Stories related to race garner high ratings and sell papers and certainly can take other stories unfavorable to their worldview off the front page.
        Are true racial tensions growing worse? In light of the events in Ferguson, I have to answer - probably. But I believe it can be unmistakably linked to one thing. That one thing is that good people who were never predisposed to see other races as anything other than simply “Americans” or “God’s children” or “fellow human beings” are seeing some among the black community exploit situations making them into racial issues, carrying signs, marching, destroying property etc. and it cannot help but anger anyone who sees it and then really does begin to divide people on the basis of race. I am deeply concerned that due to the behavior of protestors, the media, and some politicians we are becoming a more polarized nation. And it is all preventable.
          We are an increasingly divided country on political grounds. Sadly, theDemocratic Party has been at the fore-front of attempting to divide Americans on the basis of women against men, black against white, Hispanic against white, homosexuals against straight people, gun owners against those seeking to ban guns, those supporting foreign interventions and those not supporting these interventions, and the list goes on. They have done so primarily for the purpose of gaining political power and winning elections, but the unintended consequences of their actions are having a toxic effect on the culture as a whole.
         When there is no standard for which everyone looks to, chaos will always ensue. The days when Scripture was the standard are gone. We live in the days similar to those in the Book of Judges where “There was no king (standard bearer) in the land and every man did what was right in his own eyes.” We have seen a shift take place inside a few decades that Christian ideals of morality have been set aside in favor of a much more liberal pattern of thought. But even then, there is no standard. Often it is those shouting the loudest that are getting their own way while others with more traditional ideas are labeled as being racists, bigots, homophobic, war mongers, etc.
         The issue in Ferguson is heavily tied to the overall state of America where people are pitted against one another trying to advance their cause and that cause is not really one of a better America and it is certainlynot the advancement of the Gospel which is the only real hope of this nation or any other. The tensions between all mankind are only a symptom of the much bigger problem of mankind’s need for God and to be totally yielded to His Word.
         Only time will tell what really happened in Ferguson, MO and I, along with all other Americans, want to see justice served, but I know that mankind truly being able to achieve justice is a slim proposition. Proverbs 29:26 says “Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the Lord.” We see people striving to use every tool from grand jury’s to the governor’s office, to the U.S. Justice Department, to The White House, to talk shows, etc. to achieve their definition of justice in this case; but Proverbs tells us that justice can only come from the Lord. Any attempt man makes at justice falls short. When we seek true justice from any other source than the Lord we are seeking something that ultimately does not and cannot exist.

In Christ,

Dr. Allen Raynor, Pastor

Previous weblogs may be seen atwww.fbcrogers.com
Recent messages may be heard atwww.fbcrogers.com