Category: Ministry

You hear people say all the time that it seems like the whole world has just gone crazy. The global political and economical landscape is changing at break-neck speed. The ecclesiastical landscape is also undergoing changes; some say for the good, while others warn of impending doom. We need to know that “In The Midst of The Madness” there is a God who is calling us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

NLI Ministries presents a five part sermon video entitled, “In The Midst of The Madness.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNMC1CnkA6w

It is increasingly obvious that we are in that kairos (see “Preach The Word”)  time when many who name the name of Jesus are rejecting the sound doctrine of the Bible and have made for themselves “another Jesus”. This Jesus is careful not to offend. He is not too concerned if His disciples continue to practice a lifestyle of sin. This “Jesus” is more or less a Gandhi like figure (thanks Mike) whose main concern is social justice and the redistribution of wealth.

I have within me a burden, one that never goes away; always in my heart and on my mind, to preach the truth of God’s word. I have a desire that burns within me to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” So, when I discern these false doctrines that are based on a “self-constructed Jesus” and a mishandling of scripture, I feel compelled to write or preach or respond in someway. But alas, someone has beat me to the punch.

As usual, the Bible has addressed this time we live in (wow, you would almost think God’s word is alive and able to transcend time and culture) with astonishing clarity. Jude says:

¹This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.

² May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

The Danger of False Teachers

³ Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. ⁴I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

⁵ So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. ⁶ And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. ⁷ And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

⁸ In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. ⁹ But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels,did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) ¹⁰ But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. ¹¹ What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

¹² When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.^[e] They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. ¹³ They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

¹⁴ Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

¹⁶ These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

A Call to Remain Faithful

¹⁷ But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said. ¹⁸ They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. ¹⁹These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, ²¹ and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

²² And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. ²³ Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

A Prayer of Praise

²⁴ Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. ²⁵ All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. (Jude NLT)

Wade McHargue , along with his wife Katie, and their children are currently serving the Lord in Guinea-Bissau, Africa. The gospel is being proclaimed, souls are being added to the Kingdom, and the Lord is confirming His word through the miraculous! Please check out Wade’s blog, and keep these dear saints lifted up in prayer.

http://www.gb4jesus.blogspot.com/

” I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (II Timothy 4:1-4)

The Apostle Paul is writing to young Timothy here, and he is prophesying that there will come a “time”, within the church, when people will not not want to hear, put up with, or endure sound doctrine. The reason I put the word time in quotation marks is because that word time is the Greek word kairos. Paul is not speaking of  time (Greek word chronos)  that is measured by seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years ; rather, he is speaking of an appointed time, a time on God’s calendar if you will. Bruce Hurt (preceptaustin) tells us that kairos has a “window of opportunity” aspect to it. In other words, there is going to be a “season” or a foreordained time when many church people will reject sound doctrine, and “pile up” for themselves teachers who will tickle their ears, or, tell them what they want to hear.

Friends, I believe we are living in that time. So many Christians do not want to hear  the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ anymore; but, have opted instead for preachers who will confirm their presuppositions and feed their lusts. It is even common within the church today to hear people reject doctrine all together arguing that Jesus wants us to be free, and that  “doctrines” are divisive, Pharisaical, and Spirit-quenching.

To be sure, much of this “rebellion” is due to the cold, dead traditionalism that marks many of our churches. People are weary of “holding to a form of godliness, but denying it’s power.” The majority 0f Christianity is rejecting the cessationism (a point of view which teaches that the spiritual gifts like prophesy, tongues, healing, etc… are not for today) which has characterized so many  churches in the past. God’s precious Spirit is opening the eyes of His people to the fact that Jesus is more than three hymns and a sermon, that there is to be a living, vital union with and in Christ by which we have real fellowship with the living God. But tragically, this rejection of  tradition has become a breeding ground for many false doctrines.

I John 2:27 tells us that we have received an anointing from God (Holy Spirit) which teaches us the truth, and that it teaches us to abide in Jesus. If you will study your Bibles as to the role of the Holy Spirit, you will find that He always points to Jesus, glorifying Him. Jesus assures us in John 5: 37-39 that if you are truly hearing from God, and truly understanding the scriptures, you will come to Him. True doctrine is life giving and full of the freedom which draws us to Christ. It is always about Jesus! When you hear doctrines and teachings which are self-promoting,  that concentrate on how wonderful, powerful, and anointed we are-beware.

If you are a believer, on a consistent basis, take all you think you know and lay it at the feet of Jesus. Ask Him to rid you of your presuppositions and teach you by His Spirit. Prayerfully study the word of God remembering, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”(II Timothy 3:16,17)

If you don’t know Jesus, will you come to Him today? He is the way, the life, and the TRUTH.

(I had a friend named Norman who would always ask, “What does the Bible say?”  Well, when considering Traditional Theology, Dominion Theology, Kingdom Now, Liberation Theology, Emergent Church, Emerging Church, Apostolic Reformation, Home Church Movement, etc… “What does the Bible say?”)

In the sixth chapter of John we read of the time when Jesus fed the 5,000 with a kid’s “sack lunch.” It was one of those scenarios in which Jesus already knew what he was planning to do, but purposely asked Philip (one of his followers) where they could get enough food to feed so many people.  Andrew (another follower of Jesus) then stepped up and said, “There’s a boy here with five loaves of barley bread and two fish, but what is that for so many people?”

I think we all can relate to Andrew’s question: How can this little bit that I have accomplish anything? We look at our lives, and in our own eyes we don’t see anything that God could use. We may not speak well, we may consider ourselves to be broken and scarred from the trials of life. We see that the need is great, but doubt that we could possibly be of use. “Lord, all I have are these five measly loves of bread and two fish. What can I do with this?” Matthew’s account of this same story gives us the answer.

In the Gospel of Matthew we find that when Jesus was told of the bread and the fish, he said, “Bring them to me.”  This is step one: give all you have to Jesus. We may not believe that what we are capable of accomplishing anything for the Lord, but he says, “Bring what you have to me.” All that follows is what Jesus does with those things which are given to Him. Matthew tells us that He took the loaves and the fish, blessed them,then broke the loaves and proceeded to feed 5,000 people

Jesus will take you, bless you, and yes, break you, then use you to meet the needs of those He brings your way. Be assured that He has equipped you with all you need to minister to those around you,just give it all to Him, and watch Him do the impossible.