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Category: Theology

Read Time: 14 mins

Faithful with Little

How often have you heard the phrase, "a penny for your thoughts"?

Particularly in my younger days, I frequently found myself immersed in my own little world. Yet, have you ever pondered the true significance of a penny?

Regardless of whether it's a small amount or a substantial sum, what is crucial is how we steward what is entrusted to us.

Today's message on stewardship and heavenly storehouses finds its foundation in a specific biblical narrative. Let us explore Luke 16:1-13 from the Amplified Bible, where Jesus narrates the story of a rich man and his estate manager, who was accused of squandering his master's assets. The rich man demands an accounting from the manager, leading to a cunning plan by the manager to secure his future by reducing the debts owed to his master. Intriguingly, the master commends the manager for his shrewdness. Through this parable, Jesus imparts lessons on the importance of being faithful in small matters and the impossibility of serving two masters – God and wealth.

"Also [Jesus] said to the disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a manager of his estate, and accusations [against this man] were brought to him, that he was squandering his [master’s] possessions. And he called him and said to him, What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management [of my affairs], for you can be [my] manager no longer. And the manager of the estate said to himself, What shall I do, seeing that my master is taking the management away from me? I am not able to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have come to know what I will do, so that they [my master’s debtors] may accept and welcome me into their houses when I am put out of the management. So he summoned his master’s debtors one by one, and he said to the first, How much do you owe my master? He said, A hundred measures [about 900 gallons] of oil. And he said to him, Take back your written acknowledgement of obligation, and sit down quickly and write fifty [about 450 gallons]. After that he said to another, And how much do you owe? He said, A hundred measures [about 900 bushels] of wheat. He said to him, Take back your written acknowledgement of obligation, and write eighty [about 700 bushels]. And [his] master praised the dishonest (unjust) manager for acting shrewdly and prudently; for the sons of this age are shrewder and more prudent and wiser in [relation to] their own generation [to their own age and kind] than are the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), so that when it fails, they [those you have favored] may receive and welcome you into the everlasting habitations (dwellings). He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]? No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely)."

This parable reveals several profound truths. First, it challenges our ability to handle greater responsibilities if we falter in managing smaller ones. Second, it underscores the impossibility of serving two masters with equal devotion. Third, as also illustrated in the parable of the talents, it emphasizes our role as stewards of what we possess, as everything ultimately belongs to God.

The narrative suggests that earthly connections and resources are of little value if we fail to be good stewards of the modest amounts that God entrusts to us. How, then, can He trust us with the riches of heaven?

Mismanagement and failure to yield expected returns can indeed be viewed as a form of theft. Relying on our own riches leads to an uncertain future.

Let's reflect on some enlightening proverbs, which I highly recommend for their wisdom.

Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV) instructs us to honor the Lord with our substance, promising abundant blessings in return.

"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

Proverbs 10:2-3 (AMP) contrasts the fruitlessness of ill-gotten wealth with the life-saving power of righteousness.

"Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the [uncompromisingly] righteous to famish, but He thwarts the desire of the wicked."

Proverbs 15:6 (AMP) speaks of the great treasure in the house of the righteous, while Proverbs 18:10-12 (KJV) contrasts the security found in the Lord with the deceptive security of wealth.

"In the house of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is great [priceless] treasure, but with the income of the wicked is trouble and vexation. The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility."

These scriptures underscore the importance of obedience to God and being excellent stewards. counting the pennies 2023 11 27 04 51 13 utc Good stewardship involves taking ownership of what is entrusted to us, treating it as if it were our own. Reflecting on our theme scripture from Luke 16, we realize that time is one of the most valuable assets entrusted to us. Even a minute, seemingly insignificant like a penny, adds up over a lifetime. The average American life expectancy is 76 years, and if we start making conscious decisions for Christ at 16, we have 60 years of service. Consider the cumulative impact of how we spend each minute of our day.

Let’s have a closer look, as said at 16 years of age we are old enough to drive, thus let's take this age to make an honest decision for Christ which gives us 60 years in His service.

In a day we fool around for about 4 H a day, we sleep 8 H and we have 12 H of productivity or semi-productivity. A minute here and a minute there over those twelve hours is 720 minutes in 12 H.

Which comes down to 262,800 Minutes per year thus 60 Years is 15,768,000 minutes. oh yes, I almost forgot, in 60 years we have 15 leap years, which adds an additional 15 days, thus it makes in total 15,778,800 minutes, or? would we say just a penny.

Luke 16:11 (CEB) challenges us: If we are not faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust us with true riches? God, who exists outside our temporal constraints, sees our full potential. We are of immeasurable worth to Him, far beyond mere monetary value.

"If you haven’t been faithful with worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

Our God, in His omnipotence, transcends the confines of human time. He is intimately familiar with every moment of our lives, from the instance of our birth to the inevitability of our passing. He is the Alpha and Omega, embodying both the beginning and the end.

In the eyes of God, our value far surpasses the triviality of a mere penny. He perceives us not as we perceive ourselves, limited and insignificant, but in the fullness of our true potential. To Him, we are infinitely more precious than a mere collection of coins, be it 15,778,800 pennies or even a billion. Our worth, in His divine estimation, is immeasurable and incomparable, far exceeding any earthly treasure.

Matthew 10:28-33 (CEB) reminds us not to fear those who can harm the body but cannot touch the soul. Instead, we should revere God, who cares for us deeply, valuing us more than many sparrows. Acknowledging Christ before others ensures His acknowledgment of us before the Father.

"Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Aren’t two sparrows sold for a small coin? But not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father knowing about it already. Even the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. Therefore, everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. But everyone who denies me before people, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."

Being good stewards of God's gifts – our time, talents, and lives – opens up heavenly riches. The prophets have declared it, and God reaffirms it repeatedly. Time spent for God, labor in His service, and love shared with others are investments in heavenly treasures. The dividends belong to the Lord, and when we need them, He will unlock the storehouses of heaven to shower us with blessings.

Malachi 3:10-11 (CEB) and Deuteronomy 28:12 (KJV) echo this promise, inviting us to test God's faithfulness.

"Bring the whole tenth-part to the storage house so there might be food in my house. Please test me in this, says the Lord of heavenly forces. See whether I do not open all the windows of the heavens for you and empty out a blessing until there is enough. I will threaten the one who wants to devour you so that it doesn’t spoil the fruit of your fertile land, and so that the vine doesn’t abort its fruit in your field, says the Lord of heavenly forces. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow."

The Common English Bible translated verse 10 of Malachi 3 with the phrase, Please test me in this.

Our God is an awesome God, and He has placed this challenge in front of us. Do I trust Him enough to cut up the credit cards, to get rid of all the debt and to not take on any more. He has already given us so much, our talents, our time, do we test Him on this?

First Lady Wilma and I have embarked on a journey of faith, continually testing the Lord's promises. Yet, we often find ourselves reverting to old habits. Our contemporary society has shifted away from the godly principle of accumulating wealth through saving and giving; it now leans heavily towards accruing wealth through borrowing. This raises a pertinent question: who truly benefits from this system? Is it the individual, or is it the credit card companies reaping the profits?

Indeed, as I mentioned earlier, our trials have revealed God's unwavering faithfulness. The storehouses of heaven have opened in response to our faith. However, we recognize our human frailty and the need for persistent prayer to strengthen our resolve. Our ultimate aim is to place our complete trust in the Lord, dedicating a portion of everything we have – our time, labor, and finances – as a tithe to Him. This aspiration is lofty and challenging to achieve. We are far from reaching this goal, but we are committed to striving for more, to do better. I long to witness the gates of heaven's storehouse swing open for us. What about you? Are you prepared to experience the miracle that even a minute of your time, a small act of giving, can bring?

I propose a challenge: if you possess four credit cards, focus on paying off one and then cut it up. If you're accustomed to paying $100 monthly on a card, redirect $50 of that amount into savings and allocate the remaining $50 to pay off the next card. From your savings, dedicate 10% to God – not merely because the church needs it, but as a gesture of gratitude for His blessings. Continue this process, creating a snowball effect, until all your debts are cleared. You'll be amazed to find yourself with more financial freedom than ever before. And in doing so, God will bless you, for your focus is on His plan, not merely on worldly gain.

This strategy is not a whimsical idea; it aligns with God's plan for our lives, teaching us to be prudent stewards of the resources He has entrusted to us. Our journey is marked by both growth and setbacks, yet I am confident that with the Lord's guidance, we will ultimately succeed.

God knows each of us intimately; He understands our hearts. When we commit wholeheartedly to His path, He recognizes this dedication and blesses us accordingly. This path is not a shortcut to wealth but a long journey towards recovery – recovery from negative thinking, from mismanaging our talents, time, and finances. Participating in God's recovery program is challenging, but the rewards are profound and lasting.

The Apostle John captured the essence of this journey in the words of Jesus, reminding us of the deeper purpose and the eternal value of our endeavors.

John 6:26-29 (AMP) records Jesus' words about seeking Him not for material benefits but for the eternal sustenance He offers. Believing in Him and trusting His word brings a fulfillment that never disappoints.

"Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied. Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him. They then said, What are we to do, that we may [habitually] be working the works of God? [What are we to do to carry out what God requires?] Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent [that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger]."

In conclusion, being a good steward of what God has given us is a journey of growth, trust, and obedience. It's about managing our resources wisely, not for immediate gratification, but for eternal rewards. Let us embrace this challenge, trusting in God's plan and His unfailing provision.

Amen.

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Category: Theology

Read Time: 4 mins

Charisma: A Distinctive Understanding

Charismatic Christian Beliefs

The Charismatic Christian conviction is founded on the belief that the spiritual gifts (Greek charismata χάρισμα, from charis χάρις, grace) of the Holy Spirit, as depicted in the New Testament, are accessible through the infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit. This may happen with or without the laying on of hands.

These spiritual gifts manifest themselves in the forms of signs, miracles, and wonders, including but not limited to speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, healing, and discernment of spirits. While Pentecostals and Charismatics adhere to these beliefs, distinctions are present.

Differences Between Pentecostals and Charismatics

Many within the charismatic movement have intentionally distanced themselves from Pentecostalism for cultural and theological reasons. Key among these reasons is the tendency of many Pentecostals to assert that speaking in tongues is consistently the initial physical evidence of receiving Spirit baptism.

While specific doctrines may differ among groups, Charismatics usually assert that the baptism with the Holy Spirit takes place at the new birth, referring to subsequent encounters with the Holy Spirit with alternative terminology, such as "being filled." Unlike Pentecostals, Charismatics are inclined to recognize one or all of the supernatural experiences, like prophecy, miracles, healing, or other physical manifestations, as indicators of having been baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit.

Pentecostals are distinguished from the charismatic movement not only in belief but also in style, with a strong emphasis on evangelization and missionary work. Charismatics, conversely, view their movement as a catalyst for revitalization, renewal, and spiritual growth within their existing church traditions.

Personal Insights on the Neo-Charismatic Movement

Within the neo-Charismatic movement, I maintain the perspective that a person receives the Holy Spirit at the precise moment they are born anew in Christ. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, or in other words, the outpouring of grace gifts on one's life, may or may not follow immediately upon this conversion.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (AMP) eloquently states, “Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.”

These spiritual gifts must not be confused with the gift of the Spirit. While the gift of the Spirit is bestowed upon all believers, and each member should appropriate this gift, the gifts of the Spirit are dispensed as He determines to each person. It's vital to note that these gifts do not necessarily involve the gift of glossolalia (Speaking in Tongues). The Spirit of God grants freely, to meet each need, ability, and understanding.

1 Corinthians 12:10-11 (AMP) confirms, “To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues. All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.”

In sum, Charismatic belief represents a multifaceted and nuanced understanding of the Holy Spirit's work, celebrating the diversity of spiritual gifts while recognizing the uniqueness of individual experiences and interpretations. It invites both unity and diversity within the broader Christian tradition.

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Category: Theology

Read Time: 8 mins

William's Fear

Topic: Thoughts on Psalm 49
Presenter: Christiaan de Ruiter
Document Title: William's Fear

A song, titled “How Precious is the Ransomed Soul,” written by Mother and Son Krommenhoek from the Netherlands, has been resonating in my William Booth mind for a considerable duration. The profound notion embedded in this simple sentence has been recurring.

Recently, my friend Femmy from the Netherlands shared a picture of the Salvation Army founder, William Booth, accompanied by a quote that reads: “The chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and Heaven without hell.”

This quote has gripped my consciousness, compelling me to share it. These words encapsulate my deep concern and grief for our nation, leadership, churches, and society at large.

The Salvation Army and Early Charismatic Movement

In its early days, the Salvation Army was akin to a Pentecostal organization, although not explicitly labeled as such. It could even be considered an early form of the Charismatic movement. I believe it is crucial for them to return to these roots, despite some contemporary perspectives that might dismiss certain manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

Our Troubling Times

This year has been fraught with challenges not only globally but personally for many individuals. People's lives have been impacted negatively in various ways. I see this as a reflection of William Booth's words – our world is losing its true focus.

John Adams, in a message to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, stated: "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”

The Complexity of Modern Religion

Today, there is confusion about different religious traditions, including various Christian denominations. The true purpose of religion is often overshadowed by the institution itself. This trend is concerning, as it diverges from the essence of faith.

William Booth's observations, articulated in the 1800s, resonate even now, as morality has become relative, and genuine repentance has lost its significance.

A Plea for Authentic Faith

The translated Dutch lyrics of the song I mentioned say, “One soul is worth much more than anything on this earth.” Is this still true for the modern Christian?

William Booth expressed his readiness to appear foolish if it would save a soul. Would we do the same?

Psalm 49:9 (TLV) reads:
“For the redemption of a soul is costly—so, one should stop trying forever.”

If we isolate this verse, it might seem we are finished with our message, yet we must explore the context and allow God's words to convict our hearts.

Psalm 49: A Universal Message

Rich and Poor Alike

For the music director: a psalm of the sons of Korah.
²Hear this, all you peoples. Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,³both low and high, rich and poor together.
⁴My mouth speaks wisdom, My heart’s meditation is understanding.
⁵I will turn my ear to a proverb.
I will utter my riddle on the harp: ⁶Why should I fear in evil days?
when the iniquity of my deceivers surrounds me?
⁷Or those trusting in their wealth, boasting about their great riches?
⁸No man can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him.
⁹For the redemption of a soul is costly— so, one should stop trying forever.
¹⁰Will he live forever— and never see the Pit?
¹¹Surely he must see, even wise men die.
The fool and the brutish will alike perish, leaving their wealth to others.^[a]
¹²Their inward thought is: Their houses are eternal, their dwellings for generation after generation.
They name their lands after themselves.
¹³But the pompous man will not endure— he is like the beasts that perish.
¹⁴Such is the way of the self-confident, and their followers who approve their sayings. Selah

¹⁵Like sheep they are destined for Sheol.
Death will be their shepherd and the upright will rule over them in the morning.
Their image will decay in Sheol— far from its lofty place.
¹⁶But God redeems my soul from the power of Sheol— for He receives me. Selah
¹⁷Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when his house’s splendor increases.
¹⁸For when he dies he takes nothing away.
His splendor will not follow him down.
¹⁹Though during his life he congratulates himself, and men praise you when you do well for yourself— ²⁰He will still join his fathers’ company, who will never see the light.
²¹A pompous man, without understanding— he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49 speaks not just to a specific people or era but for all times and all individuals. It beckons us to listen carefully and offers wisdom.

We must ask ourselves why we should fear what William Booth talked about. Our churches, constrained by time and ritual, often restrict the movement of the Holy Spirit.

God's Desire for Communion

We have a loving, mighty, and powerful God who desires communion with us. Time spent in the Holy Spirit is time spent with God.

John 14:16-17, 26-27 (CEB) assures us:
“I will ask the Father, and he will send another Companion, who will be with you forever [...] Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Verse 6 of Psalm 49 asks why we should fear, and Verse 27 of John 14 answers with Jesus's words, "Don't be afraid."

Knowing the Holy Spirit

holy spirit sky Why must we comprehend the Holy Spirit? Because the Ruach Ha'Kodesh—meaning "the Breath, the Spirit of God" in Hebrew—has been given to us. Many fail to recognize this divine force, leading to fear and confusion in the face of worldly events. Lack of understanding of the Spirit of God makes us more vulnerable to fear, unable to compare our mortal struggles to His almighty power and strength.

A. The Reality of Faith with the Holy Spirit

The presence of the Holy Spirit can be seen in those who face grave challenges, such as the Christians martyred by ISIS. Their calm reflects the eternal strength of Christ within them. William Booth aptly stated that faith without the Holy Spirit is empty. Without this connection, fear takes over, as illustrated in verses 6 to 9.

B. The Sin and Redemption

We live surrounded by sin, whether it's our own or that of our loved ones. Within God's covenants were rituals for soul redemption, many of which have been lost. We may question our connection to these covenants, but they continue to be sealed by the blood of Yeshua. Through His sacrifice alone, we are saved from eternal damnation.

C. Accepting the Covenant

Each person must individually accept Christ's covenant. William Booth understood this, recognizing that it's the task of the faithful to bring others to God's love and forgiveness. Current trends in Christianity that focus on feel-good messages instead of repentance threaten the true path.

D. Riches, Comfort, and Sin

We must recognize that being comfortable in sin is the real wrong, not wealth itself. Sin in all its forms—lying, cheating, perversion, and more—is an affront to God. True repentance requires a complete turning away from sin.

E. The Importance of Repentance

Booth's warning of "Forgiveness without Repentance" rings true. Salvation needs regeneration. It requires a continuous process of striving for holiness. Churches that offer salvation without regeneration fall into the trap of a religion without Christ.

F. Leading People to God's Truth

Our hearts must guide us to lead people to Messiah Yeshua. It's a task to be taken on by each believer, one soul at a time. The preciousness of a ransomed soul outweighs all earthly value.

G. Politics and Salvation

Politics without God reflects a societal issue that begins with individual salvation. Progress must be made one step at a time, valuing each soul.

Heaven, Hell, and the Comforter

Heaven without Hell is a delusion, stemming from the misconceptions Booth outlined. We must be thankful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter promised in John 14:16, to lead us on the path of righteousness.

Sermon Notes by Pastor Christiaan J. de Ruiter are licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Note: The content provided here represents the foundational notes for a sermon or teaching, and should not be misconstrued as a complete transcript or a fully articulated sermon.

It is our profound belief that the Holy Spirit operates through the preacher, guiding and inspiring the delivery to resonate with the needs and convictions of the congregation.

These notes typically form the basis for a 30 to 45-minute sermon or teaching, allowing the Holy Spirit's guidance to shape the specific message and application to the gathered believers. The essence of these teachings is not merely in the written words but in the inspired delivery and connection with the congregation, led by the Spirit.

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Category: Theology

Read Time: 2 mins

The Importance of Theological Underpinning in Pastoral Teachings: A Comprehensive Perspective

Introduction

Within Article Zero of the series on theology, I would like to introduce the reason for this writing.

Theology, the study of the divine and religious beliefs, practices, and experiences, is the backbone of any religious teaching. For a pastor, the theological ground from which he or she teaches is not just a matter of personal belief but a guiding principle that shapes the congregation's spiritual life. This article explores why it is essential for a pastor to provide this theological underpinning for the congregation and the importance of prayer, preparation, and making it publicly available.

Part I: The Significance of Theological Underpinning

1. Consistency and Clarity in Teaching

Ensures teachings are consistent with core beliefs.
Provides a clear framework for interpretation and application.

2. Personal Integrity and Authenticity

Fosters integrity and authenticity.
Builds trust in spiritual guidance.

3. Cultural and Contextual Relevance

Ensures guidance is relevant and meaningful.
Recognizes unique needs and challenges.

4. Fostering Spiritual Growth

Provides a roadmap for spiritual development.
Encourages deeper exploration and engagement.

5. Unity and Community Building

Promotes unity within the congregation.
Avoids divisions and conflicts.

Part II: The Imperative of Prayer, Preparation, and Public Availability

Prayer: Seeking Divine Guidance

Aligns theological beliefs with God's will.
Opens the heart and mind to divine revelation.

Preparation: Crafting a Thoughtful Framework

Ensures a well-thought-out and comprehensive understanding.
Demonstrates responsibility and accountability.

Public Availability: Transparency and Accessibility

Fosters transparency and builds trust.
Makes information accessible to all.
Serves as an educational resource.

Conclusion

The theological ground from which a pastor teaches is a vital aspect of spiritual leadership. It provides consistency, fosters integrity, ensures relevance, promotes spiritual growth, and builds community. Defining and sharing this theological underpinning is a sacred task that requires prayer, preparation, and a commitment to public availability.

In a world where individual perspectives and interpretations can vary widely, and spiritual guidance is often sought and scrutinized, these principles serve as a compass, guiding both the pastor and the congregation toward a shared understanding of their faith. It is a reflection of the pastor's commitment to the spiritual well-being of the community he or she serves, and a testament to the profound responsibility that comes with the calling.

By understanding and articulating this theological foundation, a pastor can lead with clarity, authenticity, and relevance, nurturing a faith community that is united, engaged, and growing in their spiritual journey. It underscores the multifaceted role that theological underpinning plays in pastoral teachings, reflecting the complexity and significance of the pastor's role in guiding and nurturing the faith community.

Pastor Chris

Category: Theology

Read Time: 23 mins

Twisting And Turning

Some time ago I read the most horrific little research that you can find.
Two researchers linked crime rates to heaven OR hell. Research published by the Public Library of Science.
Believing that you are on a “highway to hell” could impact whether or not you commit a crime.

A study published in the scientific journal PLoS One by the University of Oregon’s Azim Shariff and the University of Kansas’s Mijke Rhemtulla.
It finds that people who believe in hell are less likely to commit a crime while people who believe in heaven more likely are to get in trouble with the law.
The two professors collected data for belief in hell, heaven, and God from the World and European Values Surveys that were conducted between 1981 and 2007 with 143,197 participants based in 67 countries.
They compared the data to the mean standardized crime rate in those countries based on homicides, robberies, rapes, kidnappings, assaults, thefts, auto thefts, drug crimes, burglaries, and human trafficking.

“[R]ates of belief in heaven and hell had significant, unique, and opposing effects on crime rates,” Shariff and Rhemtulla found in the study.
“Belief in hell predicted lower crime rates … whereas belief in heaven predicted higher crime rates.”

Then suddenly a couple of statements are made.

A recent social psychological experiment found that Christian participants who believe in a forgiving God gave themselves more money for the study.
“Participants in the punishing God and both human conditions overpaid themselves less than 50 cents more than what they deserved for their anagrams and did not statistically differ from the neutral condition, those who wrote about a forgiving God overpaid themselves significantly more-nearly two dollars,” the study found.
Shariff and Rhemtulla believe that the study raises “important questions about the potential impact of religious beliefs on global crime.”
What anagrams are they talking about, what money and payment are they talking about?
What do you mean by a recent social psychological experiment, is this the same study, or something different?

In the study mentioned earlier, we throw up a very important question; Which Christians only believe in Heaven, or only believe in Hell?

What Christian do you talk about, I know, that a Christian believes in heaven and hell, there is no or.

A Christian Believes in the sixth commandment, Do NOT murder
A Christian Believes in the seventh commandment, Do NOT commit adultery
A Christian Believes in the eighth commandment, Do NOT steal
A Christian Believes in the ninth commandment, Do NOT lie
A Christian Believes in the tenth commandment, Do NOT covet

oh, and while we are at it, A Christian does also Believe in the first five commandments;

Do not have other gods before me
Do not make any graven images to bow too, or to serve
Do not use the name of the Lord your God in vain
Remember to keep the Sabbath day Holy

And let's not forget number 5

Honor your elders.

So, my dear researchers, I do not know out of what hole you've crawled, but you've not talked to any Christians.
Christians are the followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God YhWh, and who are filled by His Holy Spirit.
They do everything they can to improve their relationship with their God by following His laws and Christ's example.
They do everything they can to improve their role in their personal lives, their family, their jobs, their church, their society, being a role model for the young and honorable and respected person to their peers.
The eyes of a Christian are set on the price, of eternal life in heaven, helping to find others their way to this wonderful place instead of the destination called hell.

My dear friends, I know where this kind of trash research is coming from and I know its goal.
It was given media attention by CBS in Seattle Washington, one of the most liberal states in our nation and the focus on this is clear, it is creating a view that makes a Christian look ludicrous and in the perspective of the tolerance and politically correct crowd, makes Christians look greedy, backward and stupid.
I have some news for you CBS, Seattle Washington, and PloS. We know your agenda, we know that Christianity will be ridiculed and frowned upon, and we know that the world agenda will not have any place for our high morals and standards.

But we also know that while you might be successful for a little, your scheme will fail.
How do we know, because we read the book, we know how the story ends, and for us, how it starts.
I do however thank you for another confirmation of the truth of God's word.
Oh yeah, let me give you another thing to love about when you read the book, WE ARE THE BRIDE OF CHRIST.

The world my beloved friends, is making the same mistakes again, and again, there is no lesson learned from history, and when a small group opens up their mouths and they are loud, then it must be true.
In the past, I have told you a little about Hezekiah and how he was saved from Moloch.
I see Moloch as a king of the underworld, Moloch the name comes from Melech which is the Hebrew name for King.
Hezekiah's brother was burned up in the fire of Moloch, and as you can imagine God and His prophets spoke harsh words against this.
Hezekiah was 25 years old when his reign as king started and he started to restore the commandments of God in his kingdom.
Hezekiah reigned for 29 years, he became very very ill in the 14^th year of his reign.
God restored his health and gave him another 15 years of life.
Hezekiah's son Manasseh inherited the throne at age 12, so we know that it took Hezekiah and Hephzibah at least 2 more years to get pregnant.

Why is all this important, why am I sharing all of this with you?
The reason is that irritating little piece of research, and what we learn from it.
What we learn from it, is that we still haven't learn a thing, after all these years people keep on repeating the same mistakes and history, and with that God's word is time after time discarded.
So let's go far back in time and travel to the kingdom of King Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 29:30-36 (TLV)

30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to Adonai with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah responded and said, You have now consecrated yourselves to Adonai. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the House of Adonai. The congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.
32 The number of the burnt offerings that the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs all of these as a burnt offering to Adonai.
33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep.
34 The kohanim, however, were too few to flay all the burnt offerings, so their kinsmen, the Levites, helped them until the work was completed, and until other kohanim had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the kohanim.
35 There were also a great many burnt offerings, along with the fat of the peace offerings and the drink offering at every burnt offering. Thus the avodah of the House of Adonai was reestablished.
36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had enabled the people to accomplish, because it happened so suddenly.

Hezekiah restored the worship of God YhWh and he restored the Holy days like Passover/Pascha and the day of atonement/Yom Kippur.
But then he fell into the same trap as we have seen happening time and time again.
The Evangelists keep on saying it, do not trust upon your own understanding.
Times are going bad; “Woe is me, God, what is happening to me, help me”
Times are going great, I don't need God, I can go to the temple next week, and I can go to church next week.
Oh, I will pray for my food tomorrow, I can skip it today, just do not have the time, I still need to do this, I still need to do that.
The result is that people are placing themselves, their status, their property, or their worldly possessions above God, they have created themselves a graven image.
What happened to Hezekiah is that God removed His blessing from him and he fell seriously ill.
Hezekiah had become very loved and very powerful, and then scripture tells us.

2 Chronicles 32:23-26 (TLV)

23 Many brought offerings to Adonai in Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded in the eyes of all the nations.

Hezekiahs Pride and Humility
24 In those days Hezekiah became deathly ill, but he prayed to Adonai who responded to him and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not respond according to the favor done to him. His heart became haughty, so wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem.26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride in his heart both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the wrath of Adonai did not fall upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

After Hezekiah had become so wealthy he had trouble staying thankful to God for all he had.
He became prideful in what he had. God stayed the hand of the adversary from his life and Judah because they humbled themselves before God.
They realized their error and repented.
Hezekiah's transgression is also mentioned in Isaiah

Isaiah 38:9-19 (TLV)

9 A writing of King Hezekiah of Judah, after his illness, when he recovered from his illness:
10 I said: In the prime of my life, I am to enter the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the rest of my years.
11 I said: I will not see Adonai, Adonai, in the land of the living. I will look on humanity no longer among the inhabitants of the world.
12 Like a shepherds tent, my dwelling is pulled up and carried away from me. Like a weaver I rolled up my life. He cuts me off from the loom. From day until night You make my end.
13 I stilled my soul till morning. Like a lion, He will break all my bones. From day till night You make my end.
14 Like a swallow or a crane, I whisper, I moan like a dove. My eyes are weary, looking upward. Adonai, I am oppressed, be my security!
15 What should I say? For He has spoken to me He Himself has done it! I will wander about all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
16 Adonai, by such things men live, and my spirit has life in them too. Restore me to health, and let me live!
17 Behold, it was for my own shalom that I had great bitterness. You have loved my soul out of the Pit of destruction! For You have flung all my sins behind Your back.
18 For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You. Those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living they praise You as I do today. A father makes Your faithfulness known to his children.

God delivers him from death and covers Hezekiah's sins.
Then, what a wonderful statement, the grave cannot praise God, and death cannot celebrate God.
When we are in the grave we cannot praise God, when we are dead how can we celebrate His greatness?
Those who have died can no longer learn of the truths of God's Word.
It is the living, the living shall praise God and it is the fathers that shall make known the truth to his children.
Then after about two years, Hephzibah comes with a child.
Hezekiah as a king was in great need of an heir and being without a child, being barren was seen as a curse or punishment from God.
We know that Hephzibah was an Ashira worshipper and that she also fell back to that kind of worship.
But all of that is for another time.

There is something else going on, something else that is wonderful.
As many of you know, names have meanings, at least in the Hebrew language, and the names in our language are derived from those names.
The word Hephzibah is found in two places in the Bible.
The first place is in 2 Kings 21 where we learn this name as the name of Hezikiah's wife and in Isaiah 62 verse 4.
It is not uncommon for husbands and wives to have pet names for each other.

Terms of endearment.

Words that are very exclusive and private.
Terms that would be inappropriate for anyone else to use.
So also does God, for us His bride, the church.
He has a word that expresses the tenderness of His love for us.
It is "Hephzibah," which means, "My delight is in her." The love that God has for His bride, the church, gives Him delight.
When you read in the Bible in the book of the Song of Solomon, you read of God's love and His delight for His church in terms that almost make us blush.
Just like your children, perhaps, when they see Mom and Dad hug and "be silly," and a smile comes over their face when they see the tenderness of that love, so also God has a tender and wonderful love for His people.
He calls us "Hephzibah, my delight is in her."
At Mother day we talked about respect, honor, righteousness, and godly love.
At Father day we talked about truth, setting and being an example, and follow God, giving our life for our bride.
Today we see God and His love for His bride, I bride that follows, does not forsake, and repents from her sin. And yes we are talking about God and the Church, Jesus and His Bride.

Isaiah 62:2-7 (TLV)

2 Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which Adonais mouth will bestow.
3 You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of Adonai, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will you be termed Forsaken, no longer your land termed Desolate. Instead you will be called, My Delight is in Her and your land, Married. For Adonai delights in you, and your land will be married.
5 For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
6 On your walls, Jerusalem, I have set watchmen. All day and all night, they will never hold their peace. You who remind Adonai, take no rest for yourselves,7 And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

God loves us so much, that He gave His son for us.
He loves us so much that He has given us a perfect plan for our salvation, our joy/happiness, and our physical, social, and mental prosperity.
In Isaiah 42: 2 – 4 it reads

Isaiah 43:2-4 (TLV)

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, or through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flame burn you.
3 For I am Adonai your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you are precious in My eyes, honored, because I love you, I will give a man in exchange for you, and other peoples for your life.

God intends that we be blessed.
God intends that we know that we are His delight, that we enjoy His love and grace and faithfulness.
This is also the truth that must be reflected in a Christian's marriage.
Also the Christian man and the Christian wife, before the face of God, are to say concerning each other, My delight is in her/him.
Do you experience that blessing?
That your love for each other causes a delight to be in your heart, a joy?
If not, why not?
Is yours a happy marriage?
Or have you secretly, at times, given up and resigned yourself to a life of disappointment in each other and perhaps said that to yourself and maybe even verbally to each other?
Have you concluded, "Well, I can't change her/him"?
Do you find yourself living with resentment, frustration, distance, and the inability to communicate?
Do you feel trapped in your marriage?

God intends that the marriages of His children be a means in His hand to teach us and to convey to our hearts something of the truth that God takes pleasure in us - that He loves us, not only, but that He delights in us and is speeding the days when we shall be with Him in the fullness of joy, in the fullness of His joy.

That is the blessing, of a godly marriage.
The blessings coveted by so many today, are the microwave blessings of what this person does to me in the thrill of a moment - these are not the blessings that God has in store for a Christian marriage.
No, the blessings of God in a Christian marriage are deep.
They are abiding.
And, therefore, they are slow-working.
They are forged blessings.

God blesses you, as a child of God, in your marriage. He blesses you more than you realize.
God has blessed you more than you even know.
The blessing of God is to be found in a marriage, in a godly marriage.
But then to experience those blessings there are several things which we must follow.
The first is obedience.
A principle of the Scriptures is that obedience is the way that God is pleased to show us His favor.
Our obedience to His Word and commandments are not the condition of merit.
We do not earn God's blessing by our obedience.
Jesus Christ earns our blessing, alone on the cross.
But our obedience is the response of thanks to God.
To obey is the way whereby we thank Him and also the way whereby God is pleased to have us experience His blessings.
In the old covenant, Moses would remind the people of God in the book of Deuteronomy time after time in forceful words that the commands of God which were set before them must be obeyed in their life in Canaan. Then, in that way, God would shower the heavens' blessings upon them.

There is an important truth here.
The blessing of God is to be found in the way of humble obedience.
The important truth is this: happiness never comes by seeking it.
But happiness is always the by-product of obedience.
Happiness is the fruit of obedience.
Obey and you will be happy.
But seek your own happiness, seek your own emotions, and you will not be happy.

Obey your God.
That means do not look at the other person in your marriage and talk this way: I will if you will.
Do not make your obedience to God in marriage conditioned on the actions of the other.
Have you ever said, "Well, I could be more loving, dear, if you…"?
Have you ever said, "Well, I could submit to you and I would be a whole lot more pleasant around this house if you…"?

Oh, no.

The blessing of God is to be found in the way of obedience.
And the commands of God are so very clear!
Husbands love your wives.
What is the command of God?
Love your wife.
How?

As Christ loved the church: sacrificially, exclusively.
He loved the church.
He gave His life for the church.
He emptied Himself.

To what extent are you to love your wife?
In everything.
That command is very clear.

Now do that!
Obey God without any conditions.

Do that!
Love your wife.

And the command of God for wives?
That is very clear, too.

Wives, submit to your husbands.
What?
Submit.
How?
As unto the Lord, as the church submits to Christ.
To what extent?
In everything.

Obey that.
Not only if you feel like it first.
Not conditioned, first of all, on the worthiness of your husband or wife because you think they are worthy to love or because you think he is worthy to be submitted unto.

They are not worthy.
There is not one husband, not one wife, who is worthy in himself or herself.
You must obey God even if there is no guarantee that the other person is going to change at all.

Obey God.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way; to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey!

The world just doesn't seem to get it right, and then we come forth with another flake research, we bent the questions, the numbers, the results and we can say, you see how right we are.
We don't need God, the proof is in the numbers.

God calls His bride to Him, to come closer to Him, to be ready for the parade into the marriage banquet hall.
Can you hear the call of my bride, Hepzebah, (my delight is in you) the lamps are full.
Our hearts are full, with the Holy Spirit. Ready to shine His light.

Revelation 19:7-9 (TLV)

7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready,
8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and clean! For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the kedoshim.
9 Then the angel tells me, Write: How fortunate are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb! He also tells me, These are the true words of God.

AMEN

Sermon Notes by Pastor Christiaan J. de Ruiter are licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Note: The content provided here represents the foundational notes for a sermon or teaching, and should not be misconstrued as a complete transcript or a fully articulated sermon.

It is our profound belief that the Holy Spirit operates through the preacher, guiding and inspiring the delivery to resonate with the needs and convictions of the congregation.

Pastor Chris

Category: Theology

Read Time: 24 mins

Someone needs to pay

Somebody is surely paying for it.

Yes indeed, I do not know if you have been able to get the message last week, but in case you did not, you will have this wonderful opportunity to still get the main lines of it in this message walmart revisited.

So what about the weather?
We had some winter, didn't we? You know in the garden of Eden it was just perfect.
The morning mist watered all that needed to be watered, peace was all over and streams, brooks, rivers took care of everything else.
But then it happened mankind was kicked out due to something stupid. Oh yes, Eve and Adam, they paid attention to God, but then their attention was diverted by something different and satan had his hook in them. Whispering sweet words of distraction and diffusion.

So our last winter caught a lot of people inside and with elevated heating bills, we also saw our quality of life drop and with that thefts go up, gas prices go up, and so forth and so forth. But you know somebody must pay for that what is/was stolen if it is the lost lives in the garden of Eden or the stolen, warm slippers at Walmart, some-one has to pay.

When you get something from a store, you need to pay the price, correct!!
Otherwise, you end up like the man on our picture of today, in jail.
So what has this to do with church?
Scripture tells us in something we call the ten commandments, “Thou shall not steal”.

When then does it become for Christians ok to lie, lust, covet, idolize, disrespect, sleep around, or even murder.
Those are some, seven that is, of the ten commandments that are being broken more than frequently in our churches, or maybe even in our own families.

Yesterday Mike and I were out to quickly get some groceries for Ice Cream.
Yeah, yeah I know, I do not need any more ice-cream, but you know, strawberry ice-cream, or peach ice-cream it does sound really good, doesn't it?

So we were out and I thought it necessary to purchase an item at the sports counter.
Never done something like that at Walmart I was in for a surprise. Knowing exactly what I wanted we went for the counter and told the sales representative what it was and all of that.
Oh yes, sir, we do have that, in the back, let us check.
Do you have a minute?
Yes ok, we have a minute.

So we went off to get our groceries and then we came back, filled out some paperwork, and with that came to the conclusion that in a new store, not everybody necessarily knows how things should be done.
Through some back and forth, we finally came to the point of ringing up the goods purchased.
The assistant manager walked out with us, holding our newly purchased item.
Then in the car. Hey Mike, did I just pay for this, something does not make any sense.
Mike said, "now, I don't think that you did."

Oh, so still filled in the back of my head with some unbelief about this gross oversight we headed back.
Again at the counter, the salesperson didn't feel so good about the mistake.
The assistant manager was called again and through the making of some jokes I tried to diffuse the situation and we resolved the issue.

Now you tell me, how many Christians would have gone back with a purchase, carried out by the assistant manager for you with a price over 100 dollars.
Hey, you didn't carry it out did you, and the assistant manager handed it to you. Was that not what happened.

OK, yes 100 dollars, we might go back.
But what if it is $50.00, or maybe $10.00.
Would you say, ok it is only $10.00 they won't miss it?

You know that many people need to work for 1,5 or 2 H to have $10.00 in their pockets.
Yeah, they forget tax and insurance etc. you might make 10 dollars an hour, but how much do you take home from that.

Ok, we get it right.
But what when it is $1.00? What about 25c
Isn't a sin, a sin, doesn't matter what it is.

Oh but wait, we, that is the Christian church is not in agreement on that.
According to the Catholic church and some other liturgical churches, there is a difference, there are mortal sins, and there are minor sins.
However in my book, a sin, is a sin, is a sin, is a sin.

Leviticus 26:14-16 (CEB)

14 But if you do not obey me and do not carry out all these commands—
15 if you reject my rules and despise my regulations, not doing all my commands and breaking my covenant—
16 then I will do the following to you:

I will bring horrific things: wasting diseases and fevers that make the eyes fail and drain life away.
You will plant a seed for no reason because your enemies will eat the food.
Oh but that is old testament, that is for people under the law, uurrgghh, yeah OK??

James 2:8-12 (AMP)

8 If indeed you [really] fulfill the royal Law in accordance with the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as [you love] yourself, you do well.

9 But if you show servile regard (prejudice, favoritism) for people, you commit sin and are rebuked and convicted by the Law as violators and offenders.

10 For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.

11 For He Who said, You shall not commit adultery, also said, You shall not kill. If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become guilty of transgressing the [whole] Law.

12 So speak and so act as [people should] who are to be judged under the law of liberty [the moral instruction given by Christ, especially about love].

This was sent by Paul to his beloved friend and worker in the faith Jacob (Ya'kov).
You break one commandment, you might have well broken all of them.
Thus, even walking out of the store with an item worth a nickel is still stealing and with that the same as murder.
Did you know that it is really important for us Christians in these last days to come to the truth of the word of God.
It is very important to come to the truth of the word.
When we read the old testament and we read “the Word” we can replace this with Yeshua, Jesus.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God.
In the beginning was Yeshua and Yeshua was with God.

We need to come in the body of Christ to a consensus to remove, and delete, no let me restate this,
we need to come to a consensus, to re-instate into its full Glory the true and unadulterated word of God.

But when we just look at the ten commandments and see that there are at least seven schools of thought on what they should be, how they are ordered, and if something belongs in it or not.
We have a long road to go.

As in EWCMI we are following the order and text of the original Hebrew and with that follow the order of the Torah.
We can see in many of the theologies that are out there the influences of supersessionism and the political manipulations of the times past, especially in the versions of the Septuagint, Philo, Augustine, the Catholic and Lutheran catechism.
What a horrible mess we are in.

You know that even in John's vision, the words of Christ are pointing out the grave error of the church concerning their love for Christ and the obedience to His will which we also know as the word of God.
How is it possible that for so many times we as the church, that is we in general, are throwing away the sacrifice that Jesus made for his bride, as it was never made.

Revelation 3 :1-6 (AMP)

3 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Sardis write: These are the words of Him Who has the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] and the seven stars: I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead.

2 Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen and invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; for I have not found a thing that you have done [any work of yours] meeting the requirements of My God or perfect in His sight.

3 So call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey them, and repent. In case you will not rouse yourselves and keep awake and watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know or suspect at what hour I will come.

4 Yet you still have a few [persons’] names in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes, and they shall walk with Me in white, because they are worthy and deserving.

5 Thus shall he who conquers (is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge him [as Mine] and I will confess his name openly before My Father and before His angels.

6 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).

We need as Christians and with that as the church be obedient to God and not work for our salvation, but work in His love as a result of our salvation.
We do the good things we do and obey and walk-in Obedience to our father, not because He saved us, or that He will save us because of it, BUT because we love Him and want to be in obedience to Him through this love we have for Him and He has for us.

Don't we understand as the church that we are the bride of Christ and with that, that our first love needs to be Him.
Jesus tells us to obey the law, He has never said which one we can obey and which one we should not.
Jesus always talked when talking about the law and keeping it, about the laws of God the Father, and not about all the addons from the rabbis and other teachers.
How many laws are there then we need to hold on to?

10 or 367, hmm more than 10, way less than 367.

A lot of people now will start telling me that we are saved by grace and not by the law, but yes we already addressed that didn't we.
What is it that we want to obey, what do our parents expect from us.
How do they want us to follow their will and in what measure?

How much do we want to obey Abba's, the will of our heavenly father?
Jesus said the following on a question of what was needed to get eternal life.

Matthew 19:16-22 (CEB)

A rich man’s question

16 A man approached him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?”

17 Jesus said, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There’s only one who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.”

18 The man said, “Which ones?”

Then Jesus said, “Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. 19 Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

20 The young man replied, “I’ve kept all these. What am I still missing?”

21 Jesus said, “If you want to be complete, go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come follow me.”

22 But when the young man heard this, he went away saddened, because he had many possessions.

Now then the question is this man didn't steal so he was fine, right?
He didn't commit murder or dis-obeyed his father and mother, which makes him fine and ok, right?
He also didn't lie, which makes him ok then, right?
Did Yeshua ask him about all the commandments that we should honor the heavenly father with obedience?

No, surely He didn't.
He knew the rich man's heart, He knew what was on his mind.

Therefore He asked him to give all his riches away and follow Him.
The rich man couldn't do it, he might have worked real hard for it.
Or maybe he inherited his richness.
However and whatever it might be, he did one thing, he idolized it and with that he placed something, his wealth, on a pedestal over God, breaking the commandment not to have any idol besides the worship of God almighty.

Because of this verse, there are now churches that say, “if you want to be in the ministry, you must give away everything you have and swear a pledge of poverty”, how can they misinterpret God's word, wow.

Jesus never told us, keep this law, and break that one. Jesus never told us, to throw everything we love away.
No, Jesus did re-establish the truth to not have any God's beside Him.
Our first love is God and our obedience to Him.
Yes God; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In the book of Isaiah, we see the prediction of Christ as the keeper and fulfiller of the law.

Isaiah 42:21 (AMP)

21 It was the Lord’s pleasure for His righteousness’ sake [in accordance with a steadfast and consistent purpose] to magnify instruction and revelation and glorify them.

Isaiah 42:21 (CJB)

21 Adonai was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake,
to make the Torah great and glorious.

The word Torah means Law, but it also means instruction, or maybe you would call it, a guide to live by.
Which for our Jewish brothers and Sisters in the days of old was the way that made them stand out from the other tribes and people.
It was that that made them more healthy in times of limited supplies and higher demands.

If we just as a church would be able to come closer together on the fact that it does not make a difference that it is a penny or a hundred dollars, a theft, is theft, is theft.
If we just as a church would be able to come closer together on the fact that Jesus came to fulfill and completely enlighten us on the law instead of what some think to provide us with a free pass to do whatever we want.

Because (and this is sarcasm), “because, we have been forgiven already, for our sins past, our sins current, and our sins in the future.
Bringing these sins to God and asking for forgiveness is just denying his sacrifice for us.”
Jesus showed and told us that

1 John 3:15 (AMP)

15 Anyone who hates (abominates, detests) his brother [in Christ] is [at heart] a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding (persevering) within him.

Matthew 5:27-28 (CJB)

27 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28 But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

It is not that the sin of the church and its people starts in the act, NO, it already starts in the heart.
When the foundation of the doctrine is wrong, the heart of the church, the whole church is sick and filled with sin.
So then, is it hard to correct your heart?
No, it is not. But I keep on sinning you might say.
Yes, I do too, but then we also need to bring it to Christ, ask for forgiveness, tell Him that we do not want to commit this sin anymore, work hard for it not to commit this sin anymore, and ultimately ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in this task.
As the church, we also should do the same and look into our own heart, our doctrine and stop and remove the lies that have crept in over the centuries.
We need to come back to obedience to the father and realize that sin, is a sin, is a sin.
We need to purge ourselves, that is us the church, we need to purge ourselves from the world, stand out and with Daniel.

Daniel 1:8-14 (CEB)

8 Daniel decided that he wouldn’t pollute himself with the king’s rations or the royal wine, and he appealed to the chief official in hopes that he wouldn’t have to do so. 9 Now God had established faithful loyalty between Daniel and the chief official;
10 but the chief official said to Daniel, “I’m afraid of my master, the king, who has mandated what you are to eat and drink. What will happen if he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men in your group? The king will have my head because of you!”

11 So Daniel spoke to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 “Why not test your servants for ten days? You could give us a diet of vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance to the appearance of the young men who eat the king’s food. Then deal with your servants according to what you see.”

14 The guard decided to go along with their plan and tested them for ten days.

We need to stand out in the crowd with Daniel, as the church, look stronger, look healthier, be wiser, be more successful.
Why, because we love the Lord, and in His wisdom, we will stand out once again and glorify Him for His goodness and His mercy upon us.

Oh it is only a dollar, I don't have to go back to pay for this.
Sorry church, you need to stand out, GO BACK.
What will the church, what will you hear.
Wow, thank you, I wish more people would be that honest.
How do a lot of people see the church now?
I can tell you; as a bunch of hypocritical, lying, cheating, adulteress, that are totally good for nothing and completely taken in with themselves.
Wow, the church, the bride of Christ is seen that way, you might as well call her then the whore of Babylon.
Yes indeed, the leftover church, not raptured, following false doctrines and with that the idolater of the antichrist.

Then now we finally see the total picture of the title of the message.
Someone needs to pay!!!
Or with other words;

You as an individual, or the church in general,
you shall not leave this earth without paying.
Are we living by, in, and for our first love, Christ.
Are we following Him in spirit and in truth.
Or are we adhering to the doctrine that is watered down scripture and adjusted to our times and worldly relative truths.
Are we moving forward to the New Jerusalem on the price that Yeshua Ha'mashiach Jesus the Christ has paid for us already.
Or are we realizing, hey we left without paying and we must go back to pay the price (because you know it is not to late yet)
Or are we just plain ignorant and we keep on going with the now then stolen goods and still expect to find our way into heaven.

You are not able to pay your way into heaven you need to accept the payment that has been made for you, you can not steal your way in, or smooth talk your way in.
Paying your way in does not work, it has tried before, scripture also tells us this in Acts 8

Acts 8:17-21 (AMP)

17 Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 However, when Simon saw that the [Holy] Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he brought money and offered it to them,

19 Saying, Grant me also this power and authority, in order that anyone on whom I place my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

20 But Peter said to him, Destruction overtake your money and you, because you imagined you could obtain the [free] gift of God with money!

21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is all wrong in God’s sight [it is not straightforward or right or true before God].

When the core of your life, your heart, that place where the sin, but also the love and the truth start.
When that core, your heart is wrong and not in the right place, you need to make amends with God right now.

If you want to do that I would say pray this with me right now.
For those that are saved and in right standing with God the Father, pray for those who are asking for forgiveness and salvation.

Dear God in heaven,

I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen

And for those that have prayed this prayer for the first time or by renewal, I would say, welcome to the family of Christ.

Amen.

Note: These are notes, this is not a transcript nor a written out sermon. We believe that it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through the preacher and it is that Holy Spirit that convicts and leads to what the congregation needs to hear.Note: These are notes, this is not a transcript nor a written out sermon. We believe that it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through the preacher and it is that Holy Spirit that convicts and leads to what the congregation needs to hear.On average these notes provide a 30 to 45 minute sermon/teaching.