WHERE IS JESUS?

September 25, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

I just happened to be reading an article this morning that was dated exactly two years ago today. I believe it is worth some thought. Here’s what the article said:

According to the public record, a 61-year-old man living in the Houston suburbs is Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda; but according to him, and his followers, he’s “Jesus Christ, man, the second manifestation, the Second Coming of Christ.” He brashly proclaims: “To some I came as a thief in the night. To others I came as who I am, the Man Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is here for the second time!” He also claims to be the Antichrist, and some of his followers have imitated their leader by getting 666 tattoos. According to one follower, “I just want to make sure it’s visible, that everyone knows my life belongs to the man.” Some estimate that Miranda has about a million followers, spread out across more than 30 countries.

This serves to remind us of what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:23 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.” The man mentioned above wasn’t the first, nor will he be the last person to claim that he is Christ. The amazing thing is that some people believe them! It’s like I’ve always said, “You can stand on any street corner in the world and preach anything, and if you yell loud enough, long enough you can gather a following.” We see it all the time. People are so blind they will believe almost anything, vote almost anyway, and follow almost anyone. History proves that is the truth.

I don’t have any idea where Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is, but I know where he and his followers will be if they don’t repent. They will all be in hell. Now, most of us would be deeply troubled if someone we love was a follower of this man, and we should be, but the truth is some are in just a bad condition. You don’t have to be a follower of a false Christ to go to hell. Every religion on earth, including many denominations that call themselves “Christian” is just as bad as the others when they teach a false gospel. Those who trust in their baptism, church membership, or good works are just as bad off as the followers of Mr. Miranda. We need to be concerned, deeply concerned for our loved ones who are guilty of this. Some people would get very vocal and do everything in their power to warn their friends and family not to follow a known false Christ. Shouldn’t we do the same when it is a “church” that doesn’t preach the truth about salvation? Think about it!

WE HAVE IT ALL

July 26, 2014 By Pastor David Stone

How much time have you spent in your Christian life meditating on the plain instruction from our Savior?-“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The God who has revealed Himself to needy men and women wants us to know that when we have Him, we have everything – we have all the rest! Any of us who have experienced a life and ministry of faith can tell how the Lord has met our need even for food and the essentials of life. Brethren, we ought to learn, and learn it soon, that it is much better to have God first and have God Himself, even if we have only a thin dime, than to have all the riches and all the influence in this world and not have God with it! Let us go on to know Him and to love Him more dearly; not for His gifts and benefits but for the pure joy of His presence. Thus we will fulfill the purpose for which He created us and redeemed us!–A. W. Tozer

SO—WHAT’S FAIR & WHAT’S NOT?

September 24, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

I suppose the most often asked question is, “Why?”. I would also guess that the most common complaint is, “It isn’t fair!” We go through life confused and complaining about things being unfair. We apply that to just about everything, from the ref’s call in a ballgame to death and a lot of things in between. Right now you could make a long list of things you consider to be unfair.

Just about everyone wants to be treated fairly and we are very resentful of those who do otherwise. Some folks even get angry with God, because He seems to be unfair toward them. They live everyday with bitterness in their heart and they are miserable. This isn’t a new problem.

In Matthew chapter 20 we read a story, told by Jesus, about the owner of a vineyard who had hired workers to labor in his vineyard. Some were hired early in the morning, others at 9am, noon, 3pm, and 5pm. All were promised a fair wage. Then at sundown the wages were handed out, beginning with those who were hired last. That’s when the trouble began! When those who were hired first saw that those who were hired last received the same pay “they murmured against the goodman of the house”(Matt. 20:11). Although they had agreed to the wage they received it seemed unfair to them that others, who had worked less, received the same. The owner’s response was,”Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?”. Of course we all know that the answer is “yes”, but we conveniently forget that when it involves us. We feel God has short-changed us, and we don’t like it, and we feel justified in complaining about it.

The men in that parable had no right to complain. They were treated fairly. They only complained because they were coveteous. That’s what got them into trouble and it’s the same with us. The problem is that we don’t understand that everything we have is a result of grace, not merit.

We get all bent out of shape when things don’t go our way, because we think we deserve more, bigger, and better. We suppose that we are earning our way with God and we think we know what the reward should be. We complain because God doesn’t live-up to our expectations.

The cure for our complaint about life being “unfair” is to realize that we don’t deserve anything. I know–that’s a blow to our pride, but it is the truth, and that’s the only thing that will set us free. Pride causes us to be self-righteous, just like those Jesus was dealing with in this parable. That always gets us into trouble.

If we could see ourselves as we really are, sinful and vile, we would see no reason to complain. If we got what we deserved we would all be in hell–that would be fair! It is only because Christ suffered, bled, and died to pay our sin debt that we can be delivered from getting what we deserve. No, God isn’t “fair”–He is gracious and that’s a lot better!

Regardless of all the bad and painful things that could happen to us, we all have it better than we deserve. Although, at times I do complain, and I am ashamed of it, I have no right to do so. I’m just a sinner saved by grace, supplied by grace, and sustained by grace. I am undeserving of every good thing I have and I deserve worse than the worst thing that could happen to be. I have no reason to complain about anything. I’ll tell you what isn’t fair—it is unfair to accuse God of being unfair! Jeremiah helps us put it all the proper perspective. He said,”It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed—.”–Lamentations 3:22. THINK ABOUT IT!

PERFECTING LOVE

July 25, 2014 By Pastor David Stone

Effort is great and necessary for a lot of things, but attempting isn’t always to be applauded. “E” for effort doesn’t mean that it is enough. Somethings can only come from abiding in Christ. A good example of this is love. It takes more than human effort to love others as we are commanded to do. John H. Jowett wrote:

Love is not a manufacture; it is a fruit. It is not born of certain works; it springs out of certain relations. It does not come from doing something; it comes from living with Somebody. “Abide in Me.” That is how love is born, for “love is of God, and God is love.”

How many people are striving who are not abiding. They live in a manufactory, they do not live in a home. They are trying to make something instead of to know Somebody. “This is life, to know Thee.” When I am related to the Lord Jesus, when I dwell with Him, love is as surely born as beauty and fragrance are born when my garden and the spring-time dwell together. If we would only wisely cultivate the fellowship of Jesus, everything else would follow in its train—all that gracious succession of beautiful things which are called “the fruits of the Spirit.”

And “herein is our love made perfect.” It is always growing richer, because it is always drawing riches from the inexhaustible love of God. How could it be otherwise? Endless resource must mean endless growth. “Our life is hid with Christ in God,” and hence our love will “grow in all wisdom and discernment.”

EXTREME EXCUSES

September 20, 2010 By Pastor David Stone

And they all with one consent began to make excuse—Luke 14:18

Did you ever hear the humerous song that says,”Excuses, excuses, you hear them everyday” ? It’s really true! It is amazing what people will do in an effort to justify their bad attitude and actions.

I had a dear preacher friend who used to jokingly say–“I’m an atheist in the morning until I’ve had my first cup of coffee”. But that’s nothing compared to what I read a few minutes ago. Listen to this—-

A man in Newport, Ky. (where we used to live) is accused of strangling his wife to death and his defense is “caffeine intoxication”. Really! I’m not making this up. The man’s defense attoreny filed notice that he plans to argue that his client “ingested so much caffeine in the days leading up to the killing that it rendered him temporarily insane”. Isn’t that amazing? I’m sure there will be a lot of jokes made about this, but it isn’t funny. A woman lost her life. A man committed murder, and now he is trying to blame it on too much coffee. Ridiculous!

But, although we don’t go to the same extreme, most of us are sometimes guilty of making up lame excuses. People will go to almost length to shift the blame, trying to excuse their bad behavior. It started with Adam and it has never ended.

As a pastor more than 40 years, I’ve heard just about every excuse imaginable. In many instances the excuse is so far fetched that it is amazing that they think anyone would believe it, but that doesn’t stop them. Now they have a new excuse in their arsenal. Next thing you know our courtrooms will be filled with people saying, “caffeine made me do it!”.

Do you remember the phrase that was so popular with teens several years ago –“Get real”? Well, that’s exactly what we need to do. We need to stop making excuses and accept responsibility for our actions. When Flip Wilson said,”The devil made me do it”, he was a lot closer to the truth than most excuses that we hear. Listen–if God holds us accountable for our bad attitude and sinful actions, and He does, we don’t have anyone to blame but ourself. Let’s “Get real” and admit our sins. God doesn’t accept excuses! Think about it!

WHERE IS JESUS?

WE HAVE IT ALL

SO—WHAT’S FAIR & WHAT’S NOT?

PERFECTING LOVE

EXTREME EXCUSES

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