Tag: holy

Jesus Doesn’t Save Everyone

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I know, you read that title, and now you’re ready to argue. But, please hear me out. I’ve been wrestling with this for some time, and I believe it needs to be said. Not everyone who meets Jesus Christ is saved.

Refer to Matthew 19:16-22 for the story of the rich ruler (this is also found in Mark 10 and Luke 18).

This guy calls out to Jesus, “Hey! Good teacher! I want to know what I have to do to be saved.”

Jesus began reciting the ten commandments, “Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal;…” The rich guy interrupts and says,”Yeah, yeah. I already do ALL of that. In fact, I’ve been doing all of that since I was a kid. So, really, what must I do?”

He wasn’t prepared for Jesus’s answer, “Yes, you have. But, you’re missing one thing. You must sell everything and give to the poor so that you will have real treasure in heaven. Then, come and follow me.” And the rich guy just turned and walked away, saddened, because he wasn’t just rich, he was very rich.

The rich ruler met Jesus. But because he cared more about his riches, Jesus wasn’t able to save him. Jesus will NEVER force you to accept him. God simply doesn’t work that way.

We see this attitude in so many ways today. People choose their lifestyle, their sin, their job, their status, etc… over what GOD says.

Some of us are sitting here today, and we’re thinking of certain individuals or groups that this applies to.  We grew up in church, or we have been saved and sanctified for so long that we’ve become petrified, and we’re just certain that we can’t be guilty of this thinking.

Sadly, I have to say that even many of us who have claimed to be Christians for a long time have become very adept at trying to twist the scriptures to excuse our own choices.

“Hey God, I know what your Word says, but hey, you know my heart, right? I mean, you don’t REALLY expect me to be able to change, and be obedient. After all, YOU MADE ME THIS WAY.”

I can hear The Father reply, “No. I created you to be perfect. But sin entered in and corrupted everything. However, I did make a way, through My Son, Jesus, to bring you back onto the right path. All you have to do is accept Him. Choose HIM as your Lord and Savior. And my Holy Spirit will guide you, and give you the ability to be obedient.

Jesus can’t save those who refuse to accept Him. He only saves those who choose Him. He already chose each and every one of us. We can choose to walk away sad and even heartbroken. Or, we can choose to follow Jesus.

Which do you choose?

My challenge for 2014

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (Colosians 3:12-15 NLTse)

My challenge this year is to put the above passage into practice. What would happen, first in our individual lives, then in our local churches, then in our communities, if each of us who call ourselves Christians would seek to put this passage into practice? If instead of seeking to condemn another person, we simply forgive them. I suspect that there would be a gradual transformation that would spread, and we would become even more effective than ever at reaching those who are lost.
Now, I am certainly not going to claim that this is an easy thing to do. Forgiveness is not for wimps. It’s actually one of the hardest things to do, and even when we manage to forgive, the memories creep up on us when we last expect it. But it is possible. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to work within our hearts, He will transform us into more Christ-like individuals, who are able to share the love that Christ has for is with those whom we may otherwise find unloveable.

Also notice it doesn’t say forgive if the other person asks you to forgive them. It says we are to make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends us. Further, this isn’t a suggestion. It is an order, a command. Paul goes on to say that we must forgive others.

I admit, I have felt some serious conviction over this. Forgiveness does not come easy. But I must. Because God demands it. Because Christ forgave me. And because, if I want peace in my own life, then I have to be willing to let go of the garbage that comes along. It doesn’t say forgive only if the offense was unintentional. And it certainly does not say it’s ok to hold a grudge if the other person purposefully offended you.

Further, it is love which binds us together as believers in Christ. Can you, or I, truly love others if we refuse to forgive? I don’t think so. In fact, I’ll change that to a straight “no, we cannot.” Because when we refuse to forgive we allow our hearts to begin to harden. A hard heart is simply not capable of love, or peace.

Finally, be thankful. When? Always. I’ll be honest, I think Paul was a bit off his rocker here. How am I supposed to be thankful when so much of life gets in the way? You know what I mean. How am I supposed to be thankful when all the bad things like bills, accidents, sickness, death, foreclosures, and disasters seem to be an endless cycle? I have to honest here too, this is also a tough one for me, and probably for many people. But I think I have a solution. Instead of waiting until Thanksgiving to figure out something to be thankful for, think of at least one thing each day. I don’t care how depressed you get, and I am talking from experience, if you ask God to name just one thing that you have to be thankful for, and listen to Him, He will show you several things.

So I think I can sum up this challenge with just a few words: forgive, love, peace, and thankful.

Will you accept this challenge? Or maybe God has a different challenge for you this year. Whatever He asks of us, may our Heavenly Father bless us, and help us to grow stronger in our faith, and in our love for one another this year.

What kind of fruit are you?

/ CD Hamman / 1 Comment

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” ( Matthew 12:33-37 NLTse)

I would venture to say that there is a good chance that for most of us who read this passage our thinking goes something like, “This doesn’t really apply to me. I’m a pretty good person. I attend church and tithe my ten percent and even give a little extra for missions and youth. And I’m even nice to that nasty old so and so who’s always off key and just wants everyone’s attention. Yep, I’m good. This passage is for those overly judgemental religious people like that mean old pastor of ours who’s always preaching right at me.”

The pastor’s version of thinking might be something like, “I know who needs this sermon. That old busy body, who sits second row, organ side, always telling me what I ought to be preaching. Then there’s that worship leader. I know he ain’t doing things right. He doesn’t agree with me on anything.” And the worship leader’s thinking, “That pastor of ours just don’t have a clue. He’s mean, he’s too old fashioned. And we really need a new sound person; someone who understands physics and technology.”

And to make it even more interesting all of these people are talking to each other about each other, as well as talking to others about each other. I’ve watched it happen probably ever since I was a kid. (Folks, kids see a whole lot more than we realize. Not to mention, you just never know whose watching, and listening.) I’ve seen pastors complain about their congregation, congregants complain about the pastor, ministers complain about other ministers, and the list is probably endless. Sometimes we even complain just because that’s all we know how to do anymore. But in the midst of all of our running each other, and everyone else, down have we ever stopped to listen to ourselves? For people who claim to follow Jesus Christ we can be some real jerks. I’m including myself here too, people. I’m guilty of carelessly speaking words that hurt, teardown and destroy just as much as those who have done it to me. If I’m really honest I’ve even been guilty of lying to make myself look good or to make another person look bad. And I have to ask myself, “Where is the grace that I was supposed to give?”

As I’m writing this I am reminded of a phrase I heard in an anger management course I went through once. The minister, Dr. Teresa Davis, who led the program, reminded us more than once that “Hurt people hurt people.” Let that sink in for a minute. Hurting people hurt other people. In spite of all our claims to the contrary, I suspect we have not really allowed God to heal us, so that we can stop the hurt. I’m sure we meant it when we asked forgiveness and for God to rule our lives, but for some reason we may not have allowed Him to begin the true healing. So we claim to belong to Jesus, but we hold on to the hurt. Which means we then go on to hurt others. It’s a vicious cycle. One that I cannot break on my own. And, frankly, neither can you. But there is hope. If I want to be capable of producing good fruit, I have to be good fruit. I have to let go of my hurts and give them to Jesus. I have to allow the Holy Spirit to have complete control. When we allow God to cut away the hurts and the rough edges, he can actually remove the rot, the sin, the anger, the hatred and make us to be good, holy fruit.

When we allow the Holy Spirit to make us into what God desires, then we can stop hurting others. We learn to pray for each other, lift each other up before God. That nasty and mean person who may still hate us becomes someone we pray for. You can’t pray for someone you hate. I know; I’ve tried it. It just doesn’t work. You also can’t change someone else. But you can pray that they will let God truly transform them, as you continue to allow Him to transform you.

Who Needs Transformation, Anyway?

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I need transformation. I can sit here, and pass judgment on everyone else, but I still have to start with myself. It does not do any good to pass judgment if nothing changes. I cannot have a positive impact on those around me if I am not willing to allow myself to be transformed by the Holy Spirit.

Too often, while the world goes on looking for fulfillment in sex, drugs, alternative lifestyles, and even alternative religions, we who are supposed to have the hope of Jesus Christ sit in our beautiful houses of “worship,” singing praises with our lips, yet condemning, even hating those who most need our love. We worry about the specks in the eyes of those around us, while we ignore the massive logs that invade our own eyes. We piously, and often proudly, let everyone know how holy and sanctified we are because we don’t use certain words, we don’t eat certain food, we don’t drink certain beverages, and we don’t participate in certain activities. Yet, at the same time we show absolute contempt and even hostility and hatred for those around us; sometimes even for each other. We take pride in our works around the church, and we neglect to truly share Jesus Christ with those who need Him. We do not want to lower ourselves and befriend those who need to see Jesus.

I have been guilty of this far too often.  If I am completely honest, sometimes I still am. I truly want to lead the lost to Christ. But I am often afraid of getting dirty, afraid to associate with sinners. Jesus got dirty. Jesus associated with sinners. Jesus loved sinners, and I believe He still does. I cannot lead anyone to Jesus until I have allowed the Holy Spirit to transform me from a mere religious person into a true disciple of Jesus Christ. You know, someone who acts and behaves like Jesus. Before I can do His will, I have to let Him start working in me. So I come back to the question: Who needs transformation? We all do. More importantly, I do.

My Challenge

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

I admit to cheating for this first post. The following was first posted in January to my status on Facebook. However, my initial goal is to simply get started. Over the next several months I plan to begin using this forum for everything from my required journaling for classes to sermon ideas, to random thoughts, with the ultimate goal being to remind me to keep my focus on Christ.

I have a challenge for the Church, and all those who profess the name of Christ. My challenge is this… Instead of focusing our blame for sin and our nation’s decline on the sins of others, spreading emails and FB posts that blame our government leaders, or other religions, or people who do not accept the truth of God’s Word; How about instead focusing our attention and energy on something radically different… PRAYER. Yes, many of our leaders are screwing things up, and there are groups who have come out strong against Christ and His Word. But I do not believe that focusing our attention on them and arguing with or against them is doing much good. Because I believe that we have forgotten about prayer, and repenting of our own sins.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God clearly commands us to pray: At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NLT)) And Paul’s first letter to Timothy tells us to pray for all, including those in authority: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. (1 Timothy 2:1-6a (NLT))

While I admit I have not gone through line by line of the Bible, I have done a thorough enough search that I believe that I can honestly say that nowhere are we commanded to complain about other people to God. Nor are we told to complain about our government. Complaining will not change things. But prayer… prayer is the most powerful weapon we have in our arsenal against the Satan. Our war is not with men and women, but it is a spiritual war. We cannot win this war by complaining, and finger pointing, or judging. We who proclaim the name of Christ know that the victory has already been won through Christ’s death and resurrection. So let’s re-learn to fight this war like men and women of God, on our knees with holy hands lifted to God.