Gifts and Ministries

Gifts and Ministries

by | Aug 16, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Gifts and Ministries

Gifts & Ministries

This blog is part three of a ten-part series on the church.  We are going to take a brief look at the gifts and ministries given to the whole church and all believers, compared to certain roles of leadership that are given to only some, which we will look at in the following videos.

Have you ever asked yourself or even God, what your purpose in this life is and in the church? Or perhaps, what gifts you have been given?

We must understand and distinguish gifts and ministries given to the whole ekklesia, men, and women alike, and roles or “offices” established within local churches.

Gifts & Ministries Benefit the Church

First of all, GIFTS & MINISTRIES are given to the church, to each member of the body (not to a member of an organization).  The Bible tells us that we can and should desire gifts, but ultimately, God or Jesus gives them, we don’t take them or just study to gain a new skill. The purpose of these gifts and ministries is for the benefit of the body, to equip the saints for works of ministry, and to build up the body of Christ. The purpose is to attain unity, knowledge of the son of God, and be a mature believer, that is, to be like Jesus.

There are spiritual gifts and ministries given to individuals in the church. God or Jesus gives them, we don’t decide what gift we will have, unlike how one would decide to be an elder or overseer. These gifts are God’s spirit manifested in all the people, the church, for the benefit of the whole church, all the people.

The Gifts

The GIFTS given are:

  • Message of wisdom
  • Message of knowledge
  • Faith
  • Gifts of healing
  • Performance of miracles
  • Prophecy
  • Discernment of spirits
  • Different kinds of languages
  • Interpretation of languages

The Ministries

Paul tells us that those members many consider less, are to be clothed with greater honor and dignity.  The presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, and that there would be mutual concern for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

The goal is maturity and unity!

The MINISTRIES given are:

  • first apostles
  • second prophets
  • third teachers
  • then miracles
  • gifts of healing, helps
  • gifts of leadership
  • different kinds of tongues

Be Transformed & Serve

Again, we are told to be eager for the greater gifts.  We can yearn for them, but God or Jesus still gives them.

Therefore, I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)

We are called to service and transformation!

Use Your Gifts & Ministries to the Fullest

For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.  For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-8)

We must use each gift we are give to its fullest with all that we have!

Christ’s Gifts

Ephesians 4 talks about gifts given to “men” (Anthropos), that is mankind, meaning to both genders.

444 (anthrōpos) relates to both genders (male and female) as both are created in the image of God – each equally vested with individual personhood and destiny (cf. Gal 3:28). Accordingly, the Bible uses 444 (ánthrōpos) of a specific man, woman, or class (type, group) of people – i.e. mankind in general (inclusive of every man, woman and child; see also 1 Cor 11:7). (435 /anḗr specifically refers to a male and 1135 /gynḗ to a female.)

It is according to Christ’s gift what and how much is given. The gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4 are:

  • Apostles
  • Prophets
  • Evangelists
  • Pastors
  • Teachers

Equip the Saints

The PURPOSE of these five gifts in the church is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature (to help us all become like Christ, living and serving as Christ did!)

As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love. There is an order, as we do our part or use our gift, then the body is built up in love. Love is not just a feeling or an emotion. We must work together for one another and when we do this, the world will see Christ and we will grow up into Christ who is the head of the church (Ephesians 4:12-16).

All are Given Gifts and Ministries

The whole church is involved in this. It is not just for a select few or for those in offices of leadership. In order to have a healthy church, each member must be ministering to others with his or her gifts.

In part four we will take a look at the offices of elders, overseers and deacons.

Headship and Spirit

Headship and Spirit

by | Aug 10, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Headship and Spirit

Headship and God’s Spirit Given to the Church

This blog is part two of a ten-part series on the church.  We are exploring the church, the believers that make up the church, and how the local body should function biblically.

Have you ever wondered if God’s spirit is given to all believers, no matter their gender or position in the church? Or maybe, if we are equal, why did God still institute headship?

The  Need to Understand Headship

As we mentioned in part one, we must understand that every member of the church is equal in worth and salvation. Also, every believer is promised God’s spirit when they obey and are baptized. (Acts 2:38) But even so, God still instituted headship. We see in Scripture that He did this for the care and well-being of His people. It was meant for good, not to be a problem.

Unfortunately, with the fall and continued selfishness and sin, this role is often misunderstood and abused. But that does not mean that headship in the church and home should be thrown out. It just means that Christians should desire to understand it better and practice it as God intended it to be, whether as a parent, husband, or elder.

The Curse

Before we dig in, we must remember the curse given to women in Genesis 3:16. This seems to be the beginning of many of the problems we have today. Not only will she have pain in childbearing, but she will want to control her husband, yet he will dominate her. Dominating any individual is not part of God’s plan, and especially not a part of his plan for marriage.

This verse seems to say that prior to the curse, the woman would not have pain in childbearing and her husband would not dominate or rule over her. Men and women were created to work side by side (which is probably why God took Adam’s rib rather than his heel). Each one should complement the other, even if man was created first and given extra responsibilities. (And by the way, that is really what it is, not less for women, but it is more work and responsibility for men. There is a difference!)

The curse implied that the husband would now abuse his authority and take advantage of his wife, rather than tenderly care for her and serve his family. Unfortunately, we see this in the church as well.

A Call to Christian Men

Christian men, you were created and ordained to love your wives and care for your families, to meet their needs, and to fulfill their desires. Just like Christ, you are called to lay down your desires for your wife’s desires, and your life for hers. You are called to sacrifice! If you are the head, the relationship begins with you! You are the captain of the team, and a captain plays right alongside the rest of the team, always thinking about what is best for each team member and the team as a whole.

Teamwork

If we consider sports teams, they have coaches and captains. These people are not better than the others, they just have added responsibility and serve the team for the team’s best interest, for the well-being of each athlete, and with the goal to win the games. If the coaches or captains didn’t have players, there wouldn’t be a team, and if the team didn’t have coaches or captains, it would probably become disorderly and have much fighting and bickering. The team would become weak and most likely, with time, cease to exist.

If the whole team thought they had to plan the practices, set up games, pay the refs, get the gear out, schedule the bus, order the uniforms, and line the field, everything could get out of order pretty quickly, not to mention, not be very efficient. Actually, focusing on practicing and becoming better for the team and focusing on playing and winning, would slip away.

God’s Same Spirit Given to All the Church

Our foundation as believers is that God’s spirit is given to all who will believe, men and women.  “Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of holy spirit.  For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” (Acts 2:38-39)

All believers are given the same spirit, but there are different manifestations of God’s spirit working in and through us. As it says, what body would function well if all were feet or all were a mouth?!

If we lived alone in the woods there wouldn’t really be a need for leadership.  But since we interact and meet together, God has established positions in the local churches and family to help them function best for all people, to protect and to make sure everyone’s needs are met.

Headship and God’s Spirit Given to the Church Make it Stronger

When you come together, each one (men and women) has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all these things be done for the strengthening of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)

When the early church followed this guidance and did these things, the Lord made the church grow! If we want church growth, we ought to look at this example!  Every person is important and each one has gifts and ministries to encourage and make the body stronger.

The Living Church

It says that they were “devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need.  Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and having the goodwill of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42- 47).

This was not a liturgical service. They were coming together to fellowship with one another, to worship, and to study. They met outside of the homes and at people’s houses where they had meals together. They were a living organism thriving as each one did his part. They were a family!

Needs Met

As the church grew, deacons were put in positions of leadership to care for the physical needs of the body and make sure the elderly and those who had physical needs were getting those needs met. Just like a family, the church had a responsibility to make sure everyone’s spiritual and physical needs were met. (On a side note: it says that the deacons were added as a result of needs not being met because there were so many people. These roles are for each individual’s benefit, not to have someone lord over people. They were added to the leadership team so that the elders and overseers could focus on their appointed service to the body.)

We will continue to take a deeper look at these roles later on in the series.

In part three we will explore the gifts and ministries that are given to all believers, compared to certain roles given to only some, to those who hold an office.

Jesus’ Ekklesia

Jesus’ Ekklesia

by | Aug 9, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Jesus’ Ekklesia

Jesus’ Ekklesia

This blog is part one of a ten-part series on the church.  We will explore the church and the believers that make up the church, and how the local body should function biblically. I will list the passages of Scripture in the description below that I reference throughout this series.

Questions about the Ekklesia

Have you ever wondered if women should be pastors or elders? Or who can, or should, teach and manifest the other gifts given to the church? Or, what should a healthy church look like today?

There are many questions people ask today and we must seek our answers in Scripture, not according to traditions or what the “church” has evolved into, today.

The True Church – People

I would like to propose that we take a fresh look at the church from Scripture, the church as God’s people, compared to the organization that is has become today. Please be a Berean and search to see if what I am saying is true.

Unfortunately, most people today equate a “church” with a building, a denomination, or an organization. The church in Scripture is the people. There is a global church (ekklesia), that includes all believers all over the world and Christ is the head. Then there are many local churches/ekklesia, where Christ is still the head, but he has delegated headship to local leaders and gives them authority to “govern,” protect, and keep order in the specific body for the well-being of that “ekklesia.”

Gifts, Ministries, & Offices

We will take a look as we go as to who biblically has been called to these positions and what the qualifications are for this role in the church. We will also consider other aspects of church life in regards to gifts and ministries and believers in general because they are what makes up the church.

1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, “out from and to” and 2564 /kaléō, “to call”) – properly, people called out from the world and to God.

One Body, Many Parts

We are one body, yet there are parts of that body that meet in different places, like the church in Corinth, the churches in Asia, or the church that meets in Nympha’s house. And we know where two or three are gathered, the Lord is there (Matthew 18:20), even with the church that meets online!

In Christ Jesus we are all sons of God through faith and heirs of the Kingdom.  When we are baptized into Christ, we have clothed ourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29).

Equality

In regards to worth, faith, and salvation, all believers are equal. Having appointed elders in local churches, or appointed leadership in a family, does not change that fact. Consider, during the millennial Kingdom, people will be appointed to different places of leadership and ministry. Will we be complaining then or fighting what will be instituted? Headship or leadership should not be taken as something negative or demeaning.

The First Will Be Last

We see from the discussion with James and John’s mother with Jesus, that the answer is simple, God has chosen some people for certain positions in the Kingdom, and for various Kingdom roles, so why would it be odd to have designated roles today to keep things running smoothly and to be as effective as possible?

Jesus’ disciples even argued over who was the greatest.  But Jesus told them if you want to be elevated, you must be willing to humble yourself to all. If you want to be first, you must be willing to be last and put other people first.  You are there to serve, not to rule over people.

Local Leadership

Not simply those using their gift of leadership in the church in various ways, but those that take on local leadership roles, have greater responsibility and will have to give an account as to how they served in the office they held.

The Bible, I believe, says that men are appointed to elder/overseer positions in the local churches (elder/overseer and deacon). I will discuss this further in subsequent videos, but it should not be on a “women’s rights” agenda to disprove for the sake of “equality.”

Leadership is Beneficial, But it Doesn’t Have to Be You

When you join a club or another organization, do you feel less of a member just because you are not serving as president over all the organization, or do you enjoy what they have to offer and contribute as you are able?

We all know that when people come together there tends to be differences, and having a peacemaker and leader is beneficial for all.

Jesus is the Head of the Ekklesia, But All Must Serve

So, to lay the foundation of the church we must recognize that even though God set Jesus up as the head of the church, and in local bodies positions of leadership for the benefit of the church, every member of the church is equal in worth and salvation, and every member is called to serve with his or her gifts.

In part two we will focus on the fact that God’s spirit is given to all believers, no matter their gender or position in the church, and will consider how God still instituted headship for the care and well-being of His people

Allegiance

Allegiance

by | Jul 28, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Allegiance

Allegiance, Olympics, & Jeremiah 13:7-11

Sports are a big part of life for many people, Christians included!  And since the Olympics are once again upon us, they can be used as a good illustration of a Christian’s allegiance to God’s country, otherwise known as the Kingdom of God.

As a Christian, we are running a different race with different rules than the rest of the world. Even if we are temporarily a part of their races and their countries, we still give our sole allegiance to our King, and not theirs. In doing so, we honor our King and we please the rulers of this world by living how they want us to.

Honor & Respect

Think of your parents, or how you feel if you have kids when they are polite or rude. When children behave and are respectful, people compliment the child AND the parents for raising such a good son or daughter. We must ask ourselves if we are bringing this same honor and praise to our heavenly Father?

Olympic athletes participating in the games represent their country of citizenship and should act respectfully so as to bring honor to their country, and not shame, just like Christians should bring honor to God’s name. It’s a pity today that almost every area of personal and public life, especially sports, is being politicized and their propaganda is spewed everywhere! No matter how bad this gets, as Christians, we cannot let this affect our thoughts and actions! We must truly have our armor on and rightly fitted and keep our eyes on Jesus.

Patriotism

Many people are patriotic and proud to be a citizen of their country, especially if they are representing it in the Olympic Games. If you are on Germany’s team, you don’t wear a uniform from France or carry a flag for England.

As an Olympic athlete, your allegiance should be to your country. If you are not proud of your country or don’t like your country, you can choose not to participate, or you can always find another country, although not all can if they live in a country like North Korea.

Allegiance

As an athlete, you only represent one country, even if you have dual citizenship.

Some countries don’t even let you have dual citizenship because they want your total allegiance. Even if you have dual citizenship, you ultimately have to choose which country and government you will give your allegiance to.

If they go to war, which side would you be on? If to cheer for a team in the Olympics, which colors would you wear to the game, and which side of the stadium would you sit on?

It shocks me that many professing Christians think they can wear two jerseys and carry two flags.

Only One Master

As the Bible says, you can’t have two masters. You must choose one or the other. There are too many professing Christians clinging to their passports that will one day pass away. A vast majority of Christians are overly focused on the kingdoms of this world, rather than on proclaiming the Kingdom that won’t pass away.

Citizenship in Heaven

The Bible says that even though our citizenship is in heaven, we are still not of this world. Think of Jesus holding our passports in heaven, so to say, until he returns to wake us up from the dead or change us and give us our “documents” so we can get into God’s Kingdom, the country, or actually the whole world, that he will rule and govern on behalf of his Father.

Even though our citizenship is in heaven, for now, we must still live as Kingdom citizens and follow God’s rules, and obey Him. Consider the shame many Americans bring to their country when they travel abroad. I experienced this many times when I was living in Russia. On the metro when there were loud and obnoxious people, you would often hear someone say, “They must be Americans,” and almost every time they were right.

Obey World Rulers

One thing Christians are told to do is to obey the rulers of this world (Romans 13:1-7). Believers should follow the laws of their country. This, of course, is only if you are not told to do things that would be contrary to what God says is right or wrong.

We are told that this is for our own benefit so that we may live peaceful lives. Also, we are told it is so that we may silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. (1 Peter 2:15)

We must also remember that life in this age is TEMPORARY, just like the present governments. Also, the Bible does not distinguish between good governments or bad ones. No matter what country we live in or how we suffer under bad rulership, we must do our best to obey their laws, again, unless they go against what the Bible says to do or not do. We can do this KNOWING that justice will come and we will be set free from any bondage or ill-treatment that we face today. We can look forward to a day when a righteous King will govern the whole world!

Giving Up Your Life

If you choose to follow Jesus, then your allegiance must be to him, and not to any particular country. He said that you must be willing to leave behind everything in this world in order to follow him. Jesus said willing because you have a choice. Sometimes he will require you to leave things behind, other times he will let you keep them, but you must be willing to give them up and put them on the altar.

I was an athlete and I was asked to leave that life behind. I do not regret that decision at all! The life I live in Christ and the hope I have for God’s Kingdom far exceeds what sports or this world could ever offer me.

Now in saying this, I am not saying that you cannot participate in the Olympics and wear the uniform of a local team. You can still enjoy the freedom your country offers you, but you must remember that your allegiance is to God and Jesus, not to a school, a team, a state, or a country.

Loyalty

Of course, like any job you hold, you should be loyal to your school, state, or country if you are participating on their team. But, if you are asked to do something that would go against God’s rules, you must decline, even if it means you are kicked out of school, off the team, or out of the country.

Loyalty to the almighty God and His Messiah should always trump loyalty to someone or something else. If you know there will be a conflict of interests, then you must decline to participate or take on those responsibilities.

Allegiance, Trust & Confidence

Allegiance in the Bible means trusting in or relying upon someone or something. It is a bold confidence in whom or what you are giving your allegiance to. It is absolute trust. It also means to go after or follow.  If you swear your allegiance to someone or something, you are binding yourself to it or to them, essentially taking an oath that you will obey and follow them.

Are you willing to put absolute trust and bold confidence in an earthly country? Are you willing to bind yourself with an oath to follow after those leaders and give your total allegiance to them? Basically, are you willing to sell your soul to a flag or political ideology?

True Freedom

True freedom is only found in Christ and it is that freedom we ought to fight for — on our knees, with our finances, and in our service. It is the only freedom worth dying for and it is never worth killing for.

So again,  allegiance can only be given to one person or one thing. You cannot swear allegiance to God and to your country. You will love one, and hate the other at some point, as the Bible says (Luke 16:13).

Allegiance Can’t Be Split

Jesus told us not to swear oaths. Our “yes” should mean yes, and our “no” should mean no. We are told that our words are powerful and we will have to answer to Jesus for each word spoken (Matthew 12:36). You can’t say things flippantly and think that they don’t have any meaning. If you pledge your allegiance to something other than God, you are stating that you give your total allegiance to it. Allegiance cannot be split between things or people. You must choose.

You cannot wear shorts from China and a shirt from the USA team. You cannot be in two armies. When you join one, you give your total allegiance to that army and you can have no other commander.

Life Application

So, how should all this apply to us in school, work, or as an Olympic athlete?

When I was an athlete or would attend events, out of respect for the country I was representing or living in, I would stand for their national anthem. We are told to honor the king and show respect. But I would not sing their songs as if in agreement with what was stated in them. I would never pledge allegiance to a flag or a country. My allegiance was solely to God.

One Pledge, One Allegiance

We can only pledge allegiance to one king and to one kingdom, and it must be to God and to His King and His Kingdom.

My children were never allowed to say the pledge of allegiance. What child even knows what that really means or what they are doing? Just like you don’t baptize an infant or a 6-year-old! I personally consider forcing the pledge on children to be early brainwashing, just like all the gender talk these days.

Even that has changed and many states don’t even want you giving your allegiance to your country; they just want your hearts and minds given to their sinful ideology. They desensitize children, and even adults, with their words, pictures, social media, TV, and news. They shame them and try to scare them into their beliefs and worldview, telling them that they are racist or haters if they don’t agree or comply.

Bold Confidence in What or Whom?

A Christian should never put his trust in a worldly government or country. We cannot rely on them or give them our absolute trust. When you give your allegiance to something, you must have bold confidence in it because you are binding yourself by oath to follow it, or make it your hope. (Biblehub)

Do All As If To The Lord

But we do live under worldly governments now, so what should we do? We are told in the Bible that we must respect their authority and follow their laws unless they go against God’s laws. If we choose to participate in sports or other things, we must show loyalty to the team, because we are representing God as well in everything we do. If we shame the team, we bring shame on God by our actions because we profess to follow Christ.

That is why parents want their kids to behave in public. They do not want to be shamed by their bad behavior. But in the end, how anyone behaves, is really shaming themselves and shaming God. We must always remember that our ultimate loyalty is to God. Children should obey their parents because they are obeying God. You follow the rules and worldly laws because you are following Christ.

Dirty Underwear

I’ll end with a short story from Jeremiah…

Jeremiah was told to get some new underpants and bury them in a hole. Later he was told to go dig them out. When he took them out, they were dirty, ruined and good for nothing. Can you imagine what they looked like or how they would feel if you had to wear them?!

God told Jeremiah that this was an example of how He will ruin the wicked people who do not obey Him, and instead, follow their own hearts and desires and give allegiance to other gods by worshipping and serving them.

Rebellion

Have you ever told your parents or God, or said in your heart, “I don’t care what you say, I’m going to do what I want anyway!” Do you choose to worship sinful movies or games by watching or playing them, even though you know Jesus wouldn’t? Do you serve your friends or co-workers by listening to what they say, even though you know it is not right in God’s eyes?

These are all ways that we give our allegiance to other things and they are ways we worship and serve other gods and not our Father in heaven who is the only true God.

Worship: Time, Money & Devotion

What we give our time, money, and devotion to, is the god we worship, and that is also how we worship the one true God.

God told Jeremiah that He binds us close to him, like clean underwear close to our bodies. He intends for us to bring Him fame, honor, and praise, but if we disobey Him, we cannot, and we are then like the dirty, ruined underwear.

Be Respectful to All, But Don’t Compromise

I encourage you to be respectful of all people. Be committed to whatever you choose to do, unless of course, it is something that will take away from your commitment to follow Jesus, and, keep your underwear clean!

Worship Jesus

Worship Jesus

by | Jun 20, 2021 | Bible, Simple Bible Truth

Worship Jesus

Can We Worship & Pray to Jesus?

There is much confusion about worshipping Jesus or praying to him. Many people struggle with those questions, especially those in the biblical unitarian faith because they don’t want to show confusion, which could lead some to think that they believe in the trinity.

Unfortunately, trinitarians don’t differentiate the worship of the Father, Jesus, or even holy spirit (which isn’t even a being!) They believe they are worshipping God no matter who they address.

God Desires That We Worship Jesus

From my study and understanding, The Father, God, desires that we give his son, the Messiah, honor and praise. Philippians 2 tells us that God, his God, has given him the name above every name (except His own, of course) and has exalted him because he was humble and obedient.

We see in 1 Corinthians 15 that God gave Jesus authority to put everything under his feet (even with the clause in case people would be confused, except the One who gave him that authority.) But, after that work is done (after the Great White Throne judgment since then death will be conquered and it will be no more – thrown into the Lake of Fire) Jesus will give everything back to God so that the Father may be all in all.

Worship Jesus (Just Not as God)

The Bible shows us that we are to give Jesus honor and praise for WHAT HE DID, not because we think he is God. We are not praising him as almighty God, but as Messiah.

Back in Philippians, we see that when we do this and exalt him, just as God did, ultimately glory goes to God, the Father, his Father, and ours.  When we praise Jesus, we are giving glory to God for what Jesus did, as well as to God for giving us His son. We are letting Him know that we accept His Messiah and are thankful.

Even the disciples “worshiped” Jesus, yet he did not deny it or correct them.  But again, they were not worshiping him as God.

Can I Pray to Jesus?

In regards to prayer, many ask if we can pray to Jesus. I talk to both, although probably more to the Father.

We must remember though, that God made Jesus head of the church so we can and should talk to him as well. 

Jesus also said, “ask me…” and that is a petition, and so a prayer. He is our high priest and he goes before the Father on our behalf.

“In Jesus’ Name”

When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” it isn’t so much just concluding our prayer with those words (which we certainly can do so those listening know that we go to the Father through Jesus), but it is with that mindset we pray.

We have accepted God’s gift and bow our knee to Jesus, again, for what he did, his sacrifice for us, not because he is God or a god. It is in his “name,” or the authority of his name, that GOD GAVE him, that we pray.  So, the mindset is that we acknowledge his given authority and trust him as high priest to represent us.

We can now go directly to the Father (the veil has been torn) in Jesus’ name, with his authority.

Worship Both God & Jesus

So, the bottom line is, we can and should worship them both for WHO they are, the Father as Almighty God, and Jesus, the son, as Messiah. When we accept the son we can go to the Father in the son’s name because of the authority he was given.

We must remember that it was God, the Father, who exalted Jesus. He didn’t exalt himself. Jesus opened the door and we may enter in.

by | Apr 25, 2021 | Bible, Youth

The Prodigal Son, or The Foolish and Wayward Son & the Compassionate and Forgiving Father

The Foolish and Wayward Son and the Compassionate and forgiving Father is an amazing illustration of humility and true forgiveness. Most people know this parable as the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)

Unfortunately, many refer to this parable as the “Prodigal Son,” but the real focus is on the compassionate and forgiving father!

I’m going to paraphrase this parable for 2021 and see what we can learn from it today.

The Foolish Prodigal Son Takes the Money and Runs

There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, what do I get when you die? The father didn’t have his will made up yet so he made a will. Then the younger son said, give me my money (as with many, he had a problem with delayed gratification.).

A few days later the foolish son packed his bags and left home so he could do whatever he wanted. (Isn’t that what a lot of children want to do?!) So, he traveled to another country and wasted everything his father had given him on wild living. He didn’t think about still needing a place to stay and food to eat, so he spent it all girls, partying and playing games.

Life in the Pig Pen

After he spent every last penny doing what HE wanted, a famine hit the land and there was a food shortage. He couldn’t even call home and ask his dad to wire him some money since he lost his cell phone in all his foolish activity.

After a few days he realized that he was hungry for food, not just a fun life. So, he decided to try to get a job. It was hard to get a job because of the famine, but he finally got hired to take care of a farmer’s pigs.

As he watched the pigs get fed, he got even more hungry looking at their food, but nobody would even let him eat any of the pig’s food!

The Prodigal Son Comes to His Senses

He started to come to his senses and he thought to himself, “My dad has hired workers on his farm and they even have extra food, but I am starving to death on this pig farm and can’t even at their food!

So, the young man decided that he would head home and tell his father that he was wrong to have done all the bad things that he did.  He knew these bad things offended God and that they would hurt his father too if he knew what he had done.

The boy decided he would even tell his dad that he didn’t have a right to be called a son anymore but would ask to be hired on as a worker, just so he would have food to eat.

Anticipated & True Forgiveness

Since he didn’t have any bags to pack, the foolish boy got up and took off for home right away.

His father was out working in the fields and saw someone approaching his land, and although the boy was far away, the dad could tell that it was his son coming. Even though he didn’t know if he would ever see his son again, he still hoped that he would and his heart leapt for joy!

He was so happy, he jumped off his tractor and ran out to meet his son. His heart was filled with joy, but also compassion. When he got to his son he hugged and kissed him, it didn’t even matter that he smelled like a pig!

Time to Celebrate

The son was ashamed of what he had done and how he smelled, but he was amazed that his father was still so happy to see him. He said to his dad, “I was selfish and greedy and sinned against God and against you and I am no longer worthy to be part of the family…”

But his dad didn’t even let him finish. He told the hired hand to go buy the most fashionable and best clothes and put them on the son. He told him to get a ring for his finger and get him some Air Jordans while he was at it.  And on his way home to pick up some of the best steaks, and don’t forget dessert! Daddy wanted to get this party started!

Relationship Restored

Now we might think the story ends here and there is no more to learn from Jesus’ parable other than it is never too late to wise up and change and repent and seek forgiveness; or that we should have compassion on people and forgive them as God does, and restore the relationship when the person confesses their wrongdoing and asks to be forgiven.

We also see here that the Father had already forgiven his son because he was not holding on to resentment, when he saw the boy, he was very happy.  But, without the boy returning to him to seek forgiveness, the relationship could never be restored and total forgiveness given.

But the story continues…

Life isn’t Fair

The older hardworking and faithful son heard all the celebrating, and he wanted to know what the special occasion was.  When he heard that his dad was throwing a party because his foolish little brother came back smelling like a pig, he became jealous and resentful. (Can you relate to that?)

We can surely understand why! He had stayed home to help work on his father’s farm and never even got a little party, and now his brother who wasted half his father’s fortune running around chasing girls, and playing and having fun, came back and his dad was throwing a party! It just wasn’t fair!!

A Hard Heart

He went and complained to his father and threw a fit and wouldn’t even go say hi to his brother, and refused to go to the party.  He told his dad that he faithfully worked like a dog every day for him and obeyed and did everything he asked him to do, and never even got anything extra to have a party with his friends. It just wasn’t fair! (Do you ever say that to your parents?)

His dad just reminded him that everything else he had was his and the reason he was happy about his foolish brother coming home was that he had been lost and didn’t even know if he would ever see the boy again. He thought he was dead, but he was still alive!

Heaven Rejoices for Each Prodigal Son or Daughter that Returns Home

The Bible tells us that there is great joy in heaven over every sinner who wakes up, turns around, and seeks God’s forgiveness. There is more joy for this one sinner than for hundreds of righteous people who don’t need to repent. (Luke 15:7)

Now, this isn’t saying that God isn’t happy about those who obey and love Him. God knows that they already have a great reward when Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom; but the sinner is one wayward and foolish child that has changed his ways and has chosen to return to his Maker, his Father, and will now to be in the Kingdom.

God is that same compassionate and loving Father who is faithful to forgive any sin if we confess it, repent (turn away from it and stop doing it), and choose to obey Him.

It is Never Too Late

It is never too late to come home as long as you are alive. Our Father in heaven also runs to meet His humble and repentant wayward children with open arms, even if they smell like pigs.  He will help clean them up and there will be great rejoicing!

Now is the time to return home before it is too late.  Jesus told another parable about a wedding and how some foolish people missed out because they didn’t wise up and get ready in time and missed the banquet.

No matter what you have done, are doing, or will do, you can always make the choice to STOP and return to your Father.  Don’t wait until you are forced to feed pigs.  Stop running from home, from God, or even from yourself.

Choose Forgiveness & Cleansing

Admit your errors and all of your rebellious sin and fall on your knees before your Father and ask to be forgiven.

He is faithful and will forgive your sins as far as the east is from the west. And even though you smell like a pig and are stained with the blood of sin, He will clean you and make you like fresh snow.  Humble yourself and come into your Father’s embrace, living in a pigsty is not that great! (Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1:9)

Righteous Children Rewarded Too (You don’t Have to be a Prodigal Child)

And to you good children, the righteous ones who have chosen to do what is right and obey God, this pleases your Father very much, your Heavenly Father and your earthly parents. Just don’t let your heart become prideful and become eviler than the ones who are living in sin. You have a great inheritance and a Father that loves you as well, so keep living that way!

And for the fathers, mothers, or anyone who has the power in their hands to forgive and restore, make sure you have a humble and forgiving heart. No offense against us is greater than our own offense before God, our Heavenly Father.  Forgive as you have been forgiven, or in the same way, you will be judged. (Matthew 6:14)

The Grace of the Compassionate and Forgiving Father

And the last thing to remember, the Father didn’t HAVE to forgive the son, even if he was broken and asked to be forgiven. We see God’s GRACE here. God doesn’t HAVE TO forgive us if we ask, but when we acknowledge our sin and repent and seek His forgiveness, HE CHOOSES to show us grace and wants to forgive us and have a relationship with us. It is by His grace we are forgiven, not by us asking. But in order to receive His grace, we must ask for it. It is there for everyone. Jesus wants everyone to be at the big party when he returns; do you want to be at it? Just quit rolling with the pigs and go to your Father! It is as easy as that!