Insecurity… Why? Who’s your Daddy?

Posted: November 8, 2013 | Author: Marcus McCord | Filed under: Bible, Faith, Religion | Tags: doctrine, faith, trust, truth | Leave a comment

Romans 8:14-16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

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I think one of the greatest problems facing the Church today is insecurity. This has been caused by denominationalism and becoming secure in ones doctrines, theologies, traditions and ceremonies. It presents itself as dogmatic reliance on a system of beliefs, rituals and practices which provide comfort and security because we believe we are doing it right, and God is pleased with our way of doing it…

Most all of the Christians who are part of this Protestant denominationalism claim to be saved by Grace through Faith, but equate faith with believing that their particular brand of worship, doctrine and theology is superior to other Christian denominations. This faith in ‘what one believes’ is the culprit of anger, argument, disunity and insecurity in the Body of Christ…

I am not going to write another thesis on this problem, many have already been written and apparently to no avail. The problem continues to grow and more and more folks are choosing to leave Main-line Denominations and attend non-denominational or home and organic fellowships. Worst still, many are giving up on God altogether, assuming He is as hard to please as all the other pagan versions of god who require this and that from humans in order to achieve divine favor and protection… much like it was in biblical OT Israel’s time, each having their own local version of gods who must be pleased.

If you believe you may have fallen into this delusion of denominationalism, I am sure the Spirit has already pricked your conscience by now so I do not need to go on. I will offer one true test of insecurity for you to judge your reaction against or agreement with.

If you strongly disagree with the following statement and refuse to even consider that it may be true, you are most likely very secure in what you believe, but very insecure in Who you believe and in Who believes in you.

“Jesus Christ has already done anything and everything required to save the world and everyone in it from beginning to end and everywhere in between.”

How you receive and answer this statement will reveal where your trust actually lies. It is either in Christ alone or it is in what you believe about Him… Your choice?

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Acts 3:17-21

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷“Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. ¹⁸But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

Love in Him!

Truth In Perspective

Posted: October 28, 2013 | Author: Marcus McCord | Filed under: Bible, Religion, Truth | Tags: doctrine, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers, theology, truth | Leave a comment

Please Read the following devotion slowly and carefully.

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My Utmost for His Highest — Oswald Chambers

Justification by Faith

October 28, 2013

If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life —Romans 5:10

I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.

The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

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“Repent and ask to be saved and forgiven…then by your obedience to the laws of Christ, prove your salvation…”

These are some of the most misinterpreted, misapplied and misunderstood principles in the modern day Church in America. I will leave it to you to do your own investigation into where, how and when these misgivings entered into our modern day doctrines and theologies. Oswald Chambers wrote prior to and in the beginning of our modern evangelical movement in the Christian Church today.

Please read what Mr. Chambers wrote carefully and prayerfully. He disputes most, if not all of our modern day qualifications for salvation. AND remember, Jesus is the Salvation of God!

Love in Him!

Deceiving and being Deceived..

Posted: September 27, 2013 | Author: Marcus McCord | Filed under: Bible, Preaching, Religion | Tags: deceived, deception, truth | 2 Comments

Please read carefully, slowly and preferably without any preconceived notions, if possible… The Apostle Paul is giving instructions to his young student in the simple Truth of the Gospel of Faith.. Paul is trying to convey to Timothy what will SOON begin to take place in the Newly formed Christian Church.. Paul IS NOT necessarily looking forward two thousand years to today.. however truly it does apply to today! .. Paul is warning Timothy how to avoid being deceived as well as deceiving (as a result) of being deceived himself.

I have deliberately used the Message Translation hoping you will not just skim over the text because it is so familiar to you… Many are using these very verses today and deceiving multitudes of people, and especially believers and non-believers alike.. and these are only a few scriptures that are being twisted today.

When free people will not take the incentive to freely explore the truth for themselves they will be taken captive by those willing to explore and explain the truth to them for profit.. This is happening today in all aspects of religion and government worldwide and it is TIME we wake up……..

Since it not my intentions to convince you but only to interest you into discovering the “truth” for yourself, I will not go on much further. I would much prefer for you to freely make up your own mind and freely decide what these few verses speak to you..

I am resisting my temptation to highlight anything or emphasize anything other than the insinuations I have already employed..

Have a great weekend and please enjoy, your freedom to Just Think for yourself..

Love in Him!

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1 Timothy 4

The Message (MSG)

Teach with Your Life

4 ^1-5The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they’ve lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They’ll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better! Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God’s Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.

^6-10You’ve been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you’ll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

^11-14Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.

^15-16Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.

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CHURCH??

..OR..

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WORSHIP??

…OR…

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ASSEMBLING??

…OR…

–

………AND THE ANSWER TO ALL OF THE ABOVE IS YES……..

it never has to be either or

it is always

YES and AMEN

The Word of God… a book? a man? a message? a manual?

Posted: August 28, 2013 | Author: Marcus McCord | Filed under: Religion | Tags: Bible, truth, word of God | Leave a comment

~ and you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free”…

I love the Bible. I think most Christians love the Bible… but many of us have different views of the Bible! I am not going into who I think is right or wrong… or even if any of us are right or wrong! I am going to just post some of my own thoughts on the subject… You may agree or disagree, that is not the point. The point is; I think most, if not all of us share these same questions and sometimes we just do not allow ourselves the freedom to think outside of our religious upbringing.

So, here goes, if you are with me, keep reading, if not, that’s Ok too!

The Bible, I believe is first of all a history book. The history of a people whom God chose from the beginning to “begin” to reveal Himself to and through. Most of us today have come to think and believe that this people was/is the nation of Israel and that may be the case, .. but is that the whole story? Adam was not an Israelite, nor was Eve… Noah and his wife and sons and their wives were not Israelites… Abraham, Sarah, Isaac nor Rebecca were Israelites. Esau was not an Israelite and neither was Jacob, at birth… Jacob, “became” Israel when God changed his name! …Funny too, is that many times God identifies Himself as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” without making reference to the name change at all. Interesting don’t you think?

There is way too much theology to get into concerning the above information and that is not the point of this blog… But, what does this say to your thoughts concerning who God’s “chosen people” really are??? Am I saying Israel is not God’s chosen?… absolutely not, they are, and so are you and so am I. We are ALL God’s chosen people… The Israelites were just the first to grab hold of the idea and run with it, so to speak.

So, first of all “I believe the Bible is a history book.

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Secondly, Do I believe the Bible is a Man? … No, I do not. I do believe However that the Bible itself reveals that the “WORD OF GOD” is a man, the Man Jesus Christ… Read John’s gospel chapter 1… “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… He was with God in the beginning.” Later in the same gospel we read “and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” I believe the Bible itself is declaring that Jesus is the “Word of God made man”…

There is much debate today over the inerrancy and infallibility of the Scriptures and I believe this is the simple answer to this discussion. Jesus is the “Word of God” and He is perfect, without error and infallible in every way. There is no misinterpretation or misunderstanding in Him if we will only look at His Life and His ministry on earth.

That is as far is I will go on this post into this area… but I hope you will think about it as you continue to read and study the Bible… So, no I do not believe the Bible is a man, but I do believe the “Word of God” is the perfect Son of God and HE contains no errors and is perfect in every way…

Thirdly… I believe the Bible is a message. I believe it is a perfect message to an imperfect humanity, who happens to “all” be God’s perfect chosen instruments for conveying His perfect love to thousands and thousands who do not yet know this Man, Jesus.

I believe “we” who use the Bible, read the Bible and understand the Bible, should stop using it as a weapon of warfare and start using it as a “Peacemaker” … I believe “we” myself included have far too long used this “Love Letter” to a lost and dying humanity, to further our own causes and ideals, … to inflict pain and torment on lost souls seeking peace, love and grace in and through other religions and institutions who can only offer rules, regulations, creeds, moral and social codes as enlightenment, … leaving these poor souls empty and void of the “LOVE and Mercy and Grace” that the Message of this book, the Bible reveals… It should ONLY be used as a weapon for the tearing down of strongholds of powers, principalities and Rulers of Darkness in HIGH places…. and I will leave it to you to decide who and what this description reveals…

So, yes I do think the Bible is a message… whether it is Good News or bad news is more in the deliverer or messenger than in the message itself, which is the Gospel, the Good News… It has only become bad news because “we” have delivered it in the wrong spirit.

Now… Lastly. I do believe the Bible is an instruction “Manuel” … notice the pun? …not a book of rules and regulations and penalties and curses and such?… I believe the Bible was/is written to Humanity as a whole… and not just the Ancients or Barbarians, but to one and all of us. I do however believe the Bible was written in a society by those of that society and culture where things were much different than they are today… Not the problems and challenges that face us as humans, those are the same in every generation, culture and society… I mean the thinking, philosophy and superstitions were much different then and “we” should take these differences into consideration when we read, study, and most of all before we deliver the Message.

The reason for the “Pun” is this… the Bible is a book, a manual as it were about a Manuel, “Emmanuel” in fact, who came from OLD the beginnings, to show us the Message of who God is, how God thinks, how God acts and reacts to the mistakes and misunderstandings of mankind. … Jesus as the “Word of God” is God’s perfect idea of a man, a perfect man who will lay down His life so that the True Message of God’s Love can be heard in each and every generation since the beginning of time and eternity… He, Jesus is the perfect Messenger and the perfect Message for the World… Their world, your world and my world!

I could go on and on, but you would get tired of reading… and I would get tired of writing, but Thanks be to God, he does not get tired, ever, of us and He never, ever will and that is the Truth… forever

Hope this has helped with some of your questions… it sure has helped with some of mine!