How to set a good example...

Titus 2:7-8 "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us."

Our ability to set a good example depends on consistency, attitude and healthy speech.

Consistency
The if the integrity of a structure is compromised the building will collapse. A structure must be able to with stand the pressures applied to it by outside forces or load bearing weight. Similarly, our teaching must be able to withstand the pressures of those who would test it's reliability, strength, and connections. Is the logic good. Can it with stand the scrutiny of the sincere soul's probing questions. Or do we contradict ourselves or the Scriptures which are the only sure foundation of the truth. Or do our words contradict our actions? Too often mine have and and it ruins our ability to set an example. 1 Timothy 4:16 says, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." What we say must be consistent with the Bible, our other teachings and our lifestyle. That is integrity.

Attitude
Salvation and religion are serous things. They matter. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and when speaking of about it, we must be serious. That doesn't mean we don't ever joke or be light hearted. But it does mean that we have attitude that takes doctrinal maters seriously. There is a pervasive idea today that as long as you believe Jesus existed that is all that matters. But a whole lot more than just calling Him "Lord" matters. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." We need to take doctrine and the teaching of Jesus from the Scriptures very serious. Jesus asked in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" We better take the Word of God which we teach very serious, too the point we put it into practice.

Healthy Speech
When someone is of "sound mind," it means they have a healthy mind. Soundness of speech means healthy speech. If our speech is not healthy, we can't win the people with the truth. They way we talk and the attitude we have with others will determine if our conversations about Jesus are healthy and fruitful or negative and harmful. Sometimes it's not what you say but how you say it. It is better to say to your wife, "when I look at you time stands still," then to say to her, "your face would stop a clock." It's the same thing but it makes a big difference how you say it. I often flub up here. Often because there are unhealthy things in my heart like pride, competitiveness, jealousy, or rage. Jesus said, Matthew 12:34 "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." I can never clean up my mouth or speak the love of Jesus until I purify the impure motives of my heart.

So if you want to set a good example, teach with consistency, take it seriously, and use healthy speech from a pure heart. Remember James 4:8 says, "Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

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Some of you are trying to carry too much on you

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Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Dad left us kids in charge of the house

The earth is not my mother. There is no "mother nature." She does not exist. The earth is our temporary residence, a gift from God, which he has made mankind a steward of.

Isaiah 45:18 says, “For this is what the LORD says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: "I am the LORD, and there is no other.”

There is no other source of life. There is no mother nature. There is no other power, force or will which formed this earth and all we see. There is only our loving Heavenly Father. And it was not formed to be empty. It was not God’s desire or intention, when creating the earth, for it to be uninhabited or unused. He made it to be lived in, and it’s resources to be wisely spent and replenished.

In our world today, some get the idea that the world should be left alone in pristine perfection. This neglects the understanding that it was God's intention that we fill the earth with our presence. He wants us to tend it like a garden and lord over its animals like a shepherd protecting his flock while utilizing their resources.

Genesis 1:27-28 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

We are to fill the earth with our presence. There is not now, nor has there been an over population problem on the earth. God wants us to repopulate and fill the earth with our presence. Life of mankind is sacred. It is in the image of God. It is to be protected and multiplied. That is God’s command.

Also, we are to subdue nature and rule over it. We are in the image of God and are to rule over his creation which is not in His image. We are to tend to the earth as a caretaker tends to the garden of his king. The earth belongs to God, but he has given mankind dominion over it. We are to subdue and rule it.

Psalms 115:16 says, “The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.”

That is why it is NOT wrong for us to develop land, eat animals, or utilize natural resources. But it IS wrong for us to deplete resources in a way that destroys the life or beauty of land permanently. It is not wrong to subdue nature, control the animals, or utilize mineral resources but it is wrong to pollute, destroy and other wise waste natural resources. The Bible teaches us that the agenda of radical environmentalism is wrong. But it also teaches that wanton waste, abuse, or pollution of land is also wrong.

Here are some examples of God’s stewardship rules for natural resources.

Proverbs 12:10 “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”

Thought we may utilize animals for our benefit, because that is what God made them for, we should not be cruel to beasts which feel pain and can suffer. We should treat our animals kindly as we utilize them for our benefit. Yes, we can eat them. Yes, we can control them. But no, we should not be cruel to them as we use them for our benefit.

Deuteronomy 25:4 “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”

We should care for their needs and sustenance. We should not take from them without replenishing their needs. This rule is as much for the human as the ox. An underfed ox who is not compensated with feed for his labor will not be as productive.

Proverbs 12:27 “The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.”

It is wrong to kill for killing sake. If we harvest an animal, there should be some purpose served in the death of this creature. Some animals may be killed for pest control or overpopulation that is throwing off the natural balance. That is a practical purpose. That is man having dominion over nature and being a good steward of what God place in our care. Some are killed to be eaten or for the products we derive from them. But what seems wrong is to kill an animal for the mere fun of the hunt. Animals should be roasted and eaten or utilized for their practical purpose such as fur or leather.

Deuteronomy 20:19-20 “When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them? However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.”

Even in times of war, we are to consider the long term environmental impact of our choices. God did not want the fruit trees which provide food for mankind to be destroyed. This would throw off the balance of nature and make the land uninhabitable. Unfortunately the Israelites disobeyed this command. Much of Israel and the Fertile Crescent were full of trees, vineyards and orchards. But they were destroyed in times of war. This caused a loss of topsoil which hurt the agricultural productivity of the whole region. Lebanon used to be famous for its forests. Not now. We have to consider the long term effects of our harvesting of natural resources and manage it well.

Leviticus 25:4-5 “But in the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath of rest, a Sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.”

Over use is one way in which man is a poor steward of our natural resources. God gave rules about the over used of land in farming. The earth is His. He gave it to us to manage and tend. We should listen to His warning about over use. Just as we need to have sufficient rest to be at our most productive state, so the land needs rest as well, or the minerals will be depleted, the top soil will erode, and the land will become unproductive.

Leviticus 19:19 “Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.”

I believe that genetic engineering is mismanagement. When God created the earth, after each day he said it was good. When it was completed, He said it was very good. The earth is good in it’s genetic engineering and we can’t improve on that. It’s human arrogance and Scriptural ignorance that lead us into the folly of genetic engineering.

Deuteronomy 22:9 “Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.”

Notice that the fruit of mixed seed is defiled. What does that tell you about genetic mixing and tampering? I think it is a dangerous road we are going down.

Deuteronomy 23:12-13 “Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.”

Notice that it is God’s desire for us to have designated places for waste. And this waste is to be buried. In the middle ages these rules were largely ignored. Waste was thrown in the street and in the gutters. It polluted the water supply. It caused disease in pests and domestic animals which transferred was transferred to human via contact. Their ignorance caused the bubonic plague and killed 1/3 of Europe’s population.

God’s rules about creation are for our good. He has made us lord over His creation. He created it not to be empty but inhabited by humans who were to care for it. Genesis 2:15 says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” It has always been God’s design for us to care for the earth, which we are to live on, to rule over, and subdue. But it is an abuse of that power and a neglect of our responsibility to waste, mismanage or abuse those resources.

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Here's to your health

1 Timothy 4:8 says, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Being godly is the best way to good health. If you work out and exercise each day, but are not godly, it holds very little value.

For example, exercise will do you little good, if you are getting drunk regularly. Running wont help your health, if you're smoking. Eating healthy won’t keep you from disease, if you are “sleeping around.” Physical exercises wont keep you from an ulcer, if you are constantly worrying and don’t know the peace of God.

Good health requires godliness. So, if you are godly it not only gives you good health here on earth, but prepares you for eternity.

Free speech may cost your church.....

Jesus said in John 15:20 "Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also."

The U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights says: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The IRS says: PS> We will tax the snot out of you though if you say something we don’t like!

Go here to read about the IRS intimidation tactics to keep churches and church leaders silent. Click here to read more.

It seems the modern “wall of separation between church and state” keeps the church out of all public or secular life but won’t keep the government out of the bank accounts of the church. That is one funny wall.