Changing churches - why would we?

I've often wondered the reasons for why someone should change churches. It feels like people choose churches the way they select which movies to watch or where to live or where to send their kids to school. It feels like it's so focused on personal style and personal wants and desires. But, what does the scripture say about why we should leave a church.

I was reading Tabletalk for today "The Shepherd Gathers the Flock" and as is my custom, I read the entire scripture it references. Today was on Jeremiah 23:1-8, but these first four verses of Jeremiah 23 really caught my eye.

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:1-4, ESV)

This text speaks of a responsibility the shepherd has over their flock. Granted, Jeremiah was speaking more to the Kings over Judah (calling them the shepherds), but I think we can apply this as well to Pastors or those over our churches since the King of the day was the leader for the people and the pastor often is our leader.

Those leaders are to:

1. Not destroy them or not lose them
2. Not scatter the sheep; not produce divisions in the Body
3. Care for God's people
4. Attend to them so they don't get scattered or driven away

There is great responsibility for the leaders. Many people leave the church altogether and never return again, because of the leader of the flock. The shepherd has responsibility for this.

But, ultimately, what is clear from these verses is God is in control. He will gather the flock and then he will bring them back to their fold. He's watching. God is there. He's aware and if necessary, he will move his flock to a different shepherd who will care for them so the flock will no longer (1) fear, (2) be dismayed, or (3) feel lost.

The church has responsibility over the masses, but they also have responsibility over the individual. We need to make sure we don't neglect the individual.

People don't change churches. God moves people though, sometimes, to a church that better cares for them as individuals. 

The Good News of God's Reign - Tabletalk for April 18

This is too good not to post.

We have often commented on how hard it must have been for the Jews in exile to believe that God would and could save them. (When chosen ones get removed from their land and surroundings, hard to believe restoration will occur.) If the Lord had let them go into the exile in the first place, how could they be sure that God would rescue them? Though we might sympathize with them to a point, we must not forget that this doubt was birthed in sin--the same sin of not believing God's warning that there would be dreadful consequences for idolatry, which prompted the exile in the first place.

2 Chronicles 36:15-21

The Lord sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

That salvation was long in coming for the exiles was not the Lord's fault but theirs. God had no need to believe His own words promising restoration for it to finally come, but the exiles did (need to believe God's words). Their lack of trust in His Word got them into their mess, so the only way they could get out was to believe the Lord. (Note how this historical reality pictures what it takes for us to be reconciled to our Creator. Our failure to believe God's Word in Adam got us into sin. Believing His Word for our justification is what gets us out (of sin))

Romans 5:12-21

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Consequently, Isaiah calls the exiles to faith in today's passage. His declaration that the people need to wake up and loosen their bonds is a metaphor for developing a strong belief in the Lord and His willingness to save

Isaiah 52:1-2

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

After all, it took a particularly strong faith to persevere in believing that God could take that which was downtrodden and powerless--the exiles themselves--and effect restoration.

The persistent doubts of the exiles meant that the Lord would have to intervene despite their failures if they were ever to be rescued from exile. He would have to provide an atonement for their sin of unbelief so that His elect could be released from its bondage and be awakened to faith. He would have to establish His reign for all to see, His blessed presence among His people. The good news for the Jewish exiles and, indeed, for the whole world is that our Creator was willing to do this. Despite the unbelief of the people, Isaiah heard a voice crying, "God reigns" (v.7). The establishment of God's blessed kingdom was sure because it was grounded in the Lord's intent and actions, not the will of men. Faith gets a person into this kingdom, and even this faith is God's gift (Ephesians 2:8-10), but faith does not establish the kingdom. God establishes the kingdom, and in the results of this work He enables His elect to become kingdom citizens by faith alone.

All flesh is grass

In reading my morning devotional today, I stumbled upon the phrase "All flesh is grass." I did a quick search on Google and discovered that this is an often used phrase in the Bible that speaks of human life being transitory or not permanent.

The reading today was on Isaiah 40:1-5 and the essence of the reading was God is still there for his people. He hasn't left them even though it appears that way at times, as people go into exile. The Lord will make provision for their forgiveness and life in the restoration.

God meets us in the lowest point of life and rescues us.

And then verse 6 - 8 reminds us that the Word of the Lord stands forever. "All flesh is grass." Man is not permanent, but God's word is permanent. Grass withers, flower fades, but God's word, it never changes.

So, never forget the Lord's promises. They don't change from generation to generation. God's promises to the Judahites can still be promises to us today. We will be rescued. "The Lord Returns to His People."

Beating the Discouraging Thoughts

I got this new book, "Thanks a Million!" and started reading it. Like I need to be reading (or starting) another book. I continue to start books and not finish them. So, in essence I'm a quitter. (Interesting, isn't this the same concern I have with my oldest son, Tyson, that he may be a quitter?).

Yesterday, I started reading the first chapter called "The DT's". DT stands for Discouraging Thoughts and the chapter (though I haven't finished it yet) is a chapter on encouraging us to go beyond our fears or questions and just start talking to people.

The line that hit me was this:

The "Fear" that comes to your mind is that if you bring up the things of God, the stranger you have approached will think that you are a religious weirdo. 

Wow, isn't that the truth. Here I am teaching a class on sharing my faith and this fear continues to rear it's ugly head. Though I go to a fishing hole weekly (the mall) and strike up conversations with strangers and though I get online and talk to people all over the world (GMO), the reality is that I'm still fearful of bringing up faith with my co-workers, neighbors, or people outside my building. I keep getting obsessed with what they will think. I keep thinking that I will see these people again and future appearances will be awkward. I'm wanting to keep peace. I'm a peace-keeper and I want there to be peace.

But you know that if he dies in his sins, he will go to Hell forever.

Do I really believe that? I do. Then why doesn't that belief override my fear? Yes I'm secure in my faith, but am I really submitting. I think of the "I am Second" bracelet and me not wearing it. I think of the fear of handing out a gospel tract. I have a wife that loves me. I have friends that value me. But, more importantly I have a God that loves me, knows me, and wants me. I have no reason to NOT be real with others.

Concern for his eternal salvation will help you ignore the DTs. Simply think of this reality--his worst case scenario is the Lake of Fire; yours is that a stranger will think that you are weird.

I just need to do it. Today is the day of salvation.

Why don't I remember?

I feel like my memory is not what it used to be, especially in regards to learning new things.

As I read the Bible and study it or read books (non-fiction), it seems like so little of it is retained for future recollection. I keep thinking it is just a sign of age. My memory has never what I would call, "great."

Lord, help me to remember. As I am out, in the world, being your witness, speaking to people, help me to remember things that I've studied or read in the past, examples, truths, scripture, current events. Help me to remember these things so that I can communicate your Gospel, your Truth in a way that makes sense to people. You are the author of salvation and the active agent in drawing humanity to Yourself. I pray that I can be the best ambassador that I can be, for your name. Thank you for giving me past opportunities to see You work in waking people up and giving them an understanding of You. Increase my memory. Help me to remember things from my youth and when the kids were younger.

Hebrews 3:1-6 (verse 2 - Jesus is Faithful)

    Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.
   
(Hebrews 3:1-6 ESV)

[verse 2] - (Jesus) who was faithful to him (God) who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house.
He performed all his functions with faithfulness.
Jesus was faithful. He performed with faithfulness, with a degree of exactness, all the functions entrusted to him.

He is our example of faithful behavior.
And Jesus is faithful to God. Those that hear this need to stand firm in the faith and not fall way. Despite trials and temptations, we are to stand firm (Ephesians 4:1 - "stand firm thus in the Lord."). And also, His faithfulness reminds and teaches us the importance of fidelity in all of our roles in life.  Moses was an example of faithfulness, but Jesus is the ultimate example of faithfulness. This great example is to have a great impact on my life.

• A husband should maintain inviolate (free from violation) fidelity towards his wife, and a wife towards her husband
• A child should be faithful to a parent
• A clerk and apprentice to his employer
• A lawyer to his client
• A physician to his patient
• An ambassador to the government that commissions him

The temptations don't matter and don't sway us away from this faithfulness. 

His faithfulness acts as a guard from apostasy
God entrusted Jesus with a responsibility to live a perfect life. As a man, he had temptations, but he never wavered from the commission God had given Him. This is what I am to look at in my moments of weakness.

Moses was faithful in the family which he presided over, namely, the Jewish people. Numbers 12:7, "Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house."

Daily Devotional

Ever since I returned from the time with Bruce at the cabin, my desire for Jesus Calling hasn't been as strong. He had mentioned that Challies had written that he had some concerns about it. I haven't read that review, but just that idea has me withdrawing. But, instead of replacing it with something, so far I'm doing nothing. Also, my prayer time in the morning has digressed and my studying of the word in 3 chapters of day has vanished. I'm not getting up early. I'm thinking about prayer and have had prayer moments, but mostly in the car as I drive in or on a Friday morning after Band of Brothers time.

Snow is on the ground this morning, but not on the streets. It is cold, but should be warming up this week. Snow is on the car. Got to get it off, scrap the windows and get inside a cold car. Not looking forward to that.