The John the Baptist Challenge

Posted by Keith Dollar

joshua-hoehne-666188-unsplash Last year, many people — including me — dumped buckets of ice over their heads in response to the “Ice Bucket Challenge.” They recorded this feat, posted it on social media, and challenged others to do the same. Or they simply donated $100 to help defeat ALS. Over $100 million was raised for the cause, and thousands had fun cooling off in response to a meaningful charge. Ultimately, the awareness of Lou Gehrig’s disease was raised, and new donors were tapped.

There’s another, more elemental disease I’d like to raise the awareness of. It’s something that affects each and every one of us. Many die daily and countless families are destroyed as a result of its effects. It has led to the murder of millions of children — in the wombs of their mothers-to-be. It is at the root of all sexual abuse and the exploitation of women and children. It has led to the oppression of the poor and to the neglect of the disabled. Many are unaware of just how damaging it is, and the vast majority deny being carriers of it, although they’ve been clearly diagnosed as such (Romans 3:23). The disease is sin and it carries the death penalty for all who are touched by it (Romans 6:23).

John the Baptist was a prophet who called people to repent of their sin. He argued that everyone everywhere needed to turn from their sinful condition, and that after they did so, they should be baptized as a symbol of the forgiveness they were granted (Mark 1:4). In his role as an Old Testament prophet in the New Testament world, John the Baptist warned those who would hear and meet the Messiah of His coming and of His purpose — to serve as the ultimate sacrifice and final payment for the sins of the world. Jesus Christ came to reconcile us — a sinful people — to a holy God who is unable to look on sin without pronouncing judgment on us. Jesus offered His own life as payment for the death sentence we deserve. He not only died a terribly painful and humiliating death by public execution, but He was buried and resurrected from the dead a few days later, to the surprise of His disciples and more than 500 witnesses. He has promised to return, but this time as the judge of all still alive and of those already deceased (2 Tim 4:1).

The message of John the Baptist is that we must prepare for Christ’s return. How? By repenting of (grieving and turning away from) our sinful condition, and receiving (by faith) His perfect sacrificial death as the substitution for our own (John 1:29). John the Baptist challenged the indulgent, the immoral, the unjust and those who denied the needs of the poor. Jesus called him the greatest man, (Matthew 11:11) yet John lived the life of an ascetic, wholly set apart for God’s service. He fasted, and when he ate, subsisted on a diet of wild honey and locusts (Matthew 3:4). God filled John with the Holy Spirit — even before he was born (Luke 1:15) and he lived a holy life (Mark 6:20). He was a humble man who rejoiced to see Jesus exalted and His ministry increased even as John and his own ministry decreased in numbers (John 3:27-30). John was an honest man who boldly proclaimed the truth of Scripture at the risk of his own life (he, too, would be executed, see Mark 6:16). John the Baptist was unconcerned about being politically correct. His focus was on living a life that was pleasing to God. He wasn’t overly concerned with the details of his life or his own comfort. His eyes were fixed on the future — the coming of the promised One — and on making sure everyone was prepared for His arrival.

What is the purpose of this challenge?

The aim of this challenge is to raise awareness of the necessity for personal repentance in order to prepare people everywhere for the second coming of Jesus. With each second that ticks on the clock, sin kills more and more people. Yet God calls all men everywhere to repent of their sins — or to prepare to face His judgment (Acts 17:30). The aim of this challenge is to point people to Jesus — like John the Baptist did — by announcing Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

How do I accept the challenge?

Find a locust or locust-type insect (grasshopper, cricket) and eat him with some honey. Record the event and post it on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or another social media site, and include this hashtag: #johnthebaptistchallenge. Then challenge five others to do the same. If you can’t find a locust (or locust-like critter) a second option is to preach a prophetic message like John the Baptist. It doesn’t need to be long — one to three minutes works. Record your message and post it on social media with the hashtag #johnthebaptistchallenge. Then challenge five others to do the same. If you need an example, or could use some direction on what to preach, see my video and sermon below

Will you accept the challenge?

Here is a sermon I preached on Johnny B last Sunday:

The Forerunner; The Marks & Message of John the Baptist

The Beauty & Goodness of God’s Design in Marriage

Posted by Keith Dollar

Marriage is good, marriage is beautiful and marriage is honorable. Marriage is good, beautiful and honorable because God made it and designed it and all that He does is good. In his wisdom and creativity God came up this beautiful design we call marriage. In the beginning God created all of this creation good, lovely and beautiful. After God made all that he made He saw that it was good. He made the heavens and earth and everything on earth and in the heavens. Then He made mankind in His image. He made male and female in His image (Genesis 1:27). Mankind was made to reflect and represent God here on this earth especially through the design of marriage. The greatest beauty and goodness seen in marriage is when a husband and wife reflect and display God’s love and faithfulness. That is when they both reflect the good and glorious character and nature of God towards one another and others.

God’s beauty and goodness is put on display through the COMMITMENT of Marriage. In the bible God likens himself to a faithful and loving husband that is committed to the good and wellbeing of his bride. And so often His people had been unfaithful and disloyal to Him, turning their backs on Him and going after other lovers or gods. However, God has kept on loving his people, providing for their needs, delivering them from their enemies and afflictions. God is committed to His people He is committed to loving, caring, providing & protecting His people. One of the most frequent words that the bible uses to describe God’s commitment to His people is the word covenant. And God keeps his covenant with his people. He has made covenants with his people throughout history in which He has been faithful to keep. God is a faithful, covenant keeping God. He is SO committed to doing good to His people that He sent His Son Jesus from heaven to earth to live as a human and lay down His life sacrificially in death in order that His people would enter into an everlasting covenant with Him. Jesus established this everlasting and new covenant through His body broken for us and His blood shed for us. That is love!

This is the kind of sacrificial love and faithfulness that the Apostle Paul exhorts husbands to show towards their wives. He wrote ^“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The ultimate purpose and meaning of marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the church. I think it is worthy to note here that at the beginning of the bible there is a marriage (Genesis 2:21-24) and at the end of the bible there is a marriage (Revelation 19:6-10). Marriage is foundational to God’s design in human society and an important aspect of redemptive history. At this point I think it is appropriate to define what marriage is and what it is not especially in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to institutionalize so called same-sex marriage in the United States of America.

Marriage is not merely two people living together having sexual intercourse.

Marriage is not merely a contract or piece of paper that you sign that the state recognizes.

Marriage is not merely a social transition that advances you and your family’s social and financial status.

Marriage is not just a positive feeling that you get for another person when you’re with them.

Marriage isn’t merely a means to make one happy.

Marriage is not merely two people of the same sex who are committed sexual partners.

Marriage is: a physical and spiritual union between one man and one woman in which they share all things, based on a lifelong covenant commitment that is designed to display the covenant relationship between Christ and his bride the church. -Sam Storms

Many under the influence of the American culture have rejected this good and beautiful design created by God. They earnestly have sought to redefine and redesign what their creator has made good. They are like the clay saying to its potter “why have you made me like this? What are you doing? I don’t like your design!”. This is pride indeed to reject your creator and lean on your own understanding of what is right and wrong, then to accuse God of being wrong. It is arrogant to not rely on your Creator for everything in life including guidance for how to live morally. Does not the One who made you know what works best for your life? Does not the manufacture of a vehicle know how the vehicle works best? Why not humble yourself and read the owner’s manual of life, namely the bible, and let the Creator of your life guide you in what’s best for you. God loves you more than you comprehend and His design and plan for you is good. His design for marriage is beautiful and is a good gift. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.James 1:16-17 ESV

Edited with BlogPad Pro

Fathers Reflecting the Heavenly Father

Posted by Keith Dollar

Fatherhood and family is a God thing; it reflects the image of God and it was delightfully designed by God, as an expression of His love and glory. Fathers have the awesome privilege and responsibility of reflecting God to their children. They are to reflect God to their children by being loving, gracious and kind. They are to reflect God to their children by being a provider and protector. They are to reflect God to their children by being humble, gentle and wise. They are to reflect God to their children by being righteous, just and blameless. Now those are some great shoes to fill and great steps to walk in walk in! To be an imitator of God is no easy task. We all fall short of the glory of God. We all fall short of reflecting God’s glorious character and image well. And most Father’s that I know are aware that of the fact that they don’t measure up to reflecting God perfectly or properly to their children. Even the best of earthly fathers end up disappointing and wounding their children at some point because dads are sinners too.

Many children have been wounded by their earthly father either by something he did or didn’t do. Those wounds are often carried from childhood into adulthood and many dads find themselves wounding their own children in similar ways that they were wounded by their own father.

Fatherhood has a way of magnifying just how great of sinners dads are and magnifying how far short they fall of reflecting God’s sacrificial love. For many dads this leads them to great despair and defeat. Yet for others it leads them to diligently seek their Heavenly Father and intimately know His ways that they may be transformed from glory to glory. These dads seek to be changed by beholding the glory of the ONLY PERFECT FATHER and as they behold His glorious character they become like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Dads, if you want to be a better father then you need to get to know your Heavenly Father better. God fathers his children perfectly. Read and meditate on the Scripture which gives us beautiful and glorious descriptions of how God has fathered His people well throughout history. Ask for the Spirit of God to lead you into intimacy with your Heavenly Father. For the Scripture says “you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15-16 ESV). The Holy Spirit is the one who pours out into our hearts the love of our Heavenly Father (Romans 5:5). And that perfect love from our Perfect Heavenly Father brings healing to our broken and wounded hearts, so that we are made whole and are able to love others, especially our children, with the same love that we have received. Child of God you are loved and accepted by your Heavenly Father and you can confidently approach Him knowing that He will give you what you need (Hebrews 4:16). We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

If you’re not a Christian and you don’t know God and his great love for you then consider reading some of these passages in the Bible; John 3:16-21, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 10:9-10, 1 John 4:7-21.

Learning Evangelism From Jesus

Posted by Keith Dollar

In John chapter 4 we see Jesus get into an evangelistic conversation with a Samaritan woman. The woman’s life is greatly impacted and as a result many other Samaritans are become believers in Christ (John 4:39). There is a kingdom domino effect that took place through Jesus evangelizing this one Samaritan woman. And in the middle of this work that Jesus is doing his disciples come up to him and urge him to eat something assuming that he must be hungry and this is the response of Jesus:
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” John 4:34-38 ESV
Here are a few things we can learn from the evangelistic work & words of Christ here in this passage of Scripture:

Evangelism is the will of God.

It is God’s will for every Christian to be involved in the work of evangelism. Jesus said that this is one of the reasons he came (Mark 1:38). And Jesus described the will of God as food. What does food do? It gives nourishment, pleasure and sense of being satisfied. This is what the Christian should experience in doing the will of God because we are fashioned and designed for the will of God much like God designed food for the human body. There have been numerous times that I have engaged in an evangelistic conversation about God and before that I was having a mediocre day and after sharing the gospel with someone my day turned into a great day, marked with sense of purpose and excitement. Sharing the gospel with people shouldn’t be merely a duty for the Christian it should be a great delight, something that we are eager and ready to do on a daily basis. Sometimes it just takes one or two good experiences in evangelism to get you hooked. Much like it may have been for you when you discovered your favorite restaurant. You went and tasted the food and now you’re sold on going back there (if your budget permits). John tells us before Jesus even had that encounter with the Samaritan woman that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). It seems that John is giving us some insight here as to God the Father directing the steps of his Son. The Net Bible commentary notes says this about that statement: “Although some take the impersonal verb had to (δεῖ, dei) here to indicate logical necessity only, normally in John’s Gospel its use involves God’s will or plan (3:7, 3:14, 3:30, 4:4, 4:20, 4:24, 9:4, 10:16, 12:34, 20:9)”. It is God’s will and God’s plan for you to share the gospel with others.

Evangelism can seem awkward & feel uncomfortable.

Jesus was sold out to the will of God and was willing to press through any barriers that might get in the way of him doing his Father’s will. And in the context of John 4 we see him so committed to doing the will of God that he was willing to talk to a Samaritan woman. First of all Jews didn’t spend much time having any peaceful conversations with Samaritans. There was much hostility between the two groups. Secondly, Jesus was a male Jewish Rabbi speaking with an immoral Samaritan woman. If Jesus was concerned about image before man he wouldn’t have been talking with this woman, even the disciples of Jesus marveled and questioned why he was talking with this Samaritan woman. Evangelism will require you to get out of your comfort zone and let go of how you want to be perceived by people. Jesus took the risk of being viewed as an ungodly sinner by spending time with such people as tax collectors, sinners and this Samaritan woman. So much so that he gained the reputation of being a “friend of sinners”. Would that be said about you? Are you willing to befriend sinners in order that you might win them to Christ?

Evangelism is to be done through conversation not just giving a presentation.

Jesus initiated and engaged in a conversation with this woman who was even surprised herself that Jesus would talk to her. The conversation started around a common interest, namely water and then Jesus directed the conversation from the natural to the spiritual, that is “living water”, which is what the Samaritan woman really needed. She had sought fulfillment through immoral relationships in which Jesus seemed to prophetically call her out on. Remember to address the issue of sin when you are evangelizing and don’t beat around the bush being afraid to talk about sin. Jesus talked about it and he called people to repentance of their sin. Evangelism is incomplete if you don’t address sin and the need for repentance. And most important of all, talk about Jesus the Messiah, the Savior, the one who saves His people from their sins. Talk about the eternal life that he provides through faith in him. Talk about the reality that he is the only one who can satisfy the deepest longings of the soul (John 6:35), because we are created from Him, to know Him and be known by Him, to love Him and be loved by Him.

Sanctified By Gospel Truth

Posted by Keith Dollar

One of the specific prayers that Christ prayed for His people was “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 ESV). Jesus prayed this with the awareness of the reality that His disciples would experience much opposition as they embraced, lived out and proclaimed the truth of the gospel. Jesus knew that there would be many philosophies and false teachings that would defile many and lead many astray from the truth. He was aware of the connection between what we believe to be truth and how it affects the way we behave. Jesus said that “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 ESV). Sanctification and freedom are experienced by those believe and know the truth of the gospel.

The gospel reveals to us who Jesus is and what he accomplished to make us forgiven and accepted Children of God. Knowing these gospel truths are foundational to experiencing freedom in Christ. Through the gospel we know who we are and whose we are because we know who God is and what He has done to make us His very own by His grace. We don’t have to live under the heavy burden of trying to earn favor or acceptance from God. That is freely given to us in Christ! As beloved children of God we are to pursue God and Christlikeness with the awareness that we already belong to Him (Philippians 3:13). We are not to labor for our position in Christ but rather from our position in Christ.

If you need to be strengthened by the truth of who you are in Christ then spend some time reading and meditating on Ephesians chapter 1. And let Christ sanctify you “by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26 ESV).

In the World But Not of the World

Posted by Keith Dollar

You and I are called to live in this world but not be of the world. God has not called His people to live in some monastery away from the brokenness of the world. He has placed His people in various secular vocations in order that they may shine as lights in the darkness and be faithful to the truth of the Gospel not compromising their biblical convictions.
This is what Jesus prayed for His disciples: I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world (John 17:15-18 ESV).
Notice Jesus didn’t pray that His disciples be taken out of the world but on the contrary He sent them into the world to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel.
Pastor Mark Driscoll in commenting on this prayer petition wrote; “In reality, in his magnificent High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed against us either becoming liberals who go too far into culture and act worldly, or fundamentalists who do not go far enough into culture and act pharisaically”
There are two extremes here that we must avoid, with God’s help.

We are not to be conformed to the world by taking our cues from it’s influences, values and immoral practices. The Scripture exhorts us not to love the world, that is don’t love the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). This how we are not to be of the world because we are of God and thus we love God. When the Apostle John wrote “do not love the world” he was not referring to the not loving the people of world. If that were so, then it would contradict the rest of his letter and the rest of Scripture. So there must be a way to be in the world, loving the people of the world yet not become worldly and infatuated with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life”. And Jesus is our perfect example to study and imitate of how to be in the world but not of the world.

I think Jesus reveals at least two things in His prayer that are crucial to being in the world but not of the world. The 1st is that we be sanctified by the truth of His word. The truth of God’s word, the gospel is to so influence our hearts and minds that it leads us into godly thinking and living. Just before Jesus prayed this prayer he told his disciples “you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3 ESV). The word of God has a powerful cleansing effect in the lives of those who are influenced and immersed in its truth. The 2nd thing is that we are to be on mission with God, carrying the truth of the gospel to the lost. Notice how Jesus in His prayer said “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18 ESV). We must always remember that we are to be on mission with God. There is purpose and significance in why God has placed us where we are. Whether its our family, job, city, town, neighborhood, school, Etc. God wants us to be salt and light in those places.

So lets be about our Fathers business. Let the message of the gospel and the mission of God influence how you live your life in this world.

God of the 2nd Chance

Posted by Keith Dollar

God had been very merciful to the Prophet Jonah by sparing his life but also by giving Jonah another chance to fulfill the mission of God. It is clear that Jonah did not deserve to get a 2nd chance but God graciously extended another opportunity for Jonah to be an instrument of mercy for the city of Nineveh, with the mercy he himself had received. Jonah ran from God and experienced divine discipline through a great storm & a great fish which God appointed. He spent three days and nights in the belly of that great fish and “then he prayed” and cried out to God. The Lord spoke to that fish and it vomited Jonah out on dry land. “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time…” (Jonah 3:1 ESV).

Notice that God used a man who was significantly flawed and underserving to accomplish His mission. God used his life to bring one of the greatest revivals ever recorded. God granted him a 2nd chance and entrusted Jonah with His message to speak to the Ninevites. Jonah had been humbled by the merciful discipline of God and expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life. God is the God of the second chance. Throughout the Bible there are instances of God granting mercy and grace to his servants who had failed to obey Him perfectly. Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul … God’s ability to redeem & restore is greater than our ability to mess things up. Rest in God’s grace that He grants you and respond in obedience to His will by His grace.

Running From God: Learning from Jonah

Posted by Keith Dollar

Since the fall of mankind at the beginning of creation sinful man has tried to run and hide from God (Genesis 3:8-10). It is the natural thing for sinners to do. Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1) and our running from God reveals that we have sinned.

Running from God is vain – Jonah 1
Jonah discovered that he couldn’t win at the game of Hide & Seek with God. God sees and knows everything (Prov. 15:3, 1 John 3:20). God is everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12) and is All-Powerful (Revelation 19:6). There is no place that we can hide from God that he cannot see. God declared this through the Prophet Jeremiah saying “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD (Jeremiah 23:24 ESV).

Running from God is tiring – Jonah 1:5
Jonah “laid down and was fast asleep” not because he had a perfect peace but because he was exhausted from running from God. Any person running from God and resisting His will is going to get tired and weary. It is exhausting of one’s strength to remain in sin. David wrote about his experience with this drain of life and strength because his sin saying “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer Selah” (Psalm 32:3-4 ESV).

Running from God may lead you to a storm – Jonah 1:4
Sometimes storms and trials come because you’re walking upright before God and sometimes they come because we rebel against His will. So whether you’re right with God or running from God storms and trials will come. But often we find ourselves in a storm or trial because of our disobedience and this was the case with Jonah.

Running from God will result in divine discipline – Jonah 2:3
God was not going to let Jonah live comfortably in a state of rebellion towards the will of God. God lovingly made Jonah miserable. Charles Spurgeon said “God never allows His children to sin success-fully, and Jonah is proof of the truth of that statement”. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6 ESV). Like a loving father who disciplines his children, so God does with His own children who rebel against Him.

Running from God affects those around you – Jonah 1:5-16
Even the pagan sailors on the ship Jonah was aboard discovered somebody on that ship was in sin. Your sin affects those around you, and especially those closest to you. Often your friends and family can tell something is wrong when you are running from God.

Running from God reveals a disconnection from God’s heart-Jonah 4:1-2
“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 4:1-2 ESV).
Jonah’s actions revealed where his heart was at and it didn’t line up with God’s heart. God delighted in showing mercy to Nineveh but Jonah had great displeasure that the city wasn’t destroyed.

If you are running from God right now stop and consider how good God has been to you. God has given you the grace of life, breath, food, health, family, friends etc… God has best displayed His goodness to you by sending His Son Jesus to suffer & die in your place and reconcile you back to Himself. Jesus experienced death on your behalf and rose from the dead three days later so that you may live forever with Him. Taste and see that God is good by placing your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Call upon Christ for Salvation. Let His goodness lead you to repentance. Run to the Father not away from Him.

The Heart of God & Mission of God

Posted by Keith Dollar

The gracious and merciful heart of God for people and cities full of people is revealed in the book of Jonah. God loves and cares much about people, thus He loves and cares much about cities which are full of people. God shared His heart and mission with Jonah by telling him to go and preach to “Nineveh, that great city” (Jonah 1:2 ESV). The purpose of God in sending Jonah to preach a message warning of judgment was to bring Nineveh to a place of repentance. Jonah would have preferred for a swift and sure judgment upon Nineveh. He knew that God is a “gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster”. So Jonah decided to “flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3 EVS). God’s heart of compassion for all peoples is great, which moves Him to give a great commission to His people. Those who are not connected to the heart of God will not partner in the mission of God. But those who carry the compassionate heart of God will be moved to pray for and proclaim the saving message of Christ to the lost. Christ told His disciples “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV).Then He sent out His disciples to be the feet to those prayers (Matthew 10). After Christ sent them out, He himself “went on from there to teach and preach in their cities” (Matthew 11:1 ESV).

God is moved with compassion for people, are you? Are you living more like Jonah who was disconnected from the heart and mission of God or like Jesus who did what pleased the Father?
Will you pray for laborers? And will you go to where God sends you to proclaim the gospel?

The Role of Reasoning In Evangelism

Posted by Keith Dollar

One important aspect in evangelism is the use of reason. This is something that God did with His people of Israel through the Prophet Isaiah. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson,they shall become like wool”(Isaiah 1:18 ESV). God is reasonable and He invites us to reason with Him. His desired outcome in reasoning with us is that our sins would be washed away.

This is also something that the Apostle Paul did in his evangelistic strategy.
“And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you” (Acts 24:25 ESV). The three things that Paul specifically reasoned with Felix about were righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment. It appears that Felix was feeling convicted of his sin and wasn’t ready to repent so he told Paul to “Go away for the present”. Reasoning with people who don’t know Christ about righteous, self-control and judgment can be the means that the Holy Spirit uses to convict and draw someone to Christ.
If you are going to reason with a person about righteousness, then the 10 Commandments are the essence of what to use for reasoning. The commandments show us what is right and what is wrong. I do this personally with those who don’t recognize their need to be saved from their sin. I learned it from Ray Comfort’s teaching titled Hell’s Best Kept Secret. It’s really simple to do but it is not comfortable for either parties. Talking about sin usually isn’t. What I do usually do is ask them if they have ever lied, stolen or lusted. Then I ask them what that makes them and if God were to judge them by that standard would they be innocent or guilty. Would they go to Heaven or Hell? All this can help prepare someone to see the good news of the gospel. For so many the good news makes no sense because they don’t understand the bad news.

Watch these two videos to see examples:

Making Disciples & Motherhood

Posted by Keith Dollar

God has given every mother a noble calling and a vital role in the lives of their children. I’ve heard numerous testimonies of wayward and rebellious children whose godly, praying mothers were instrumental in their coming to Christ. So many mothers have done an excellent job at making disciples by the influence upon the lives of their children. The Bible likens making disciples to the parental role of a mother. Paul, the Apostle, described his ministry to the Thessalonians as such: “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us”(1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 NASB).

Making disciples is an expression of love for the people you are leading. It is about imparting love and truth not merely through your lips but through your life. It is great to impart the gospel into peoples lives because they may believe and find eternal life through believing (John 20:31). Yet it is an even greater expression of love to impart and invest your very own life, like a mother who sacrificially gives her time, energy, love and affection to her children.

Motherhood is no easy job! Making babies may be easy but having them and raising them is a major commitment and investment. Waking up at various hours of the night to a crying baby who is hungry is not convenient. Changing dirty diapers and cleaning up blow outs while being away from home or in the process of leaving the house for an event is not pleasant. Picking up toiletries dumped out on the bathroom floor and trying to get tasks done around the house with fussy children is difficult. Caring for and comforting sick children, while feeling helpless to make them better is a tough trial. Though the task motherhood & making disciples is hard work that requires faithfulness and sacrifice the joys are great. The Apostle John wrote “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4 ESV). This is the great joy mothers and disciple makers experience.

My respect for mothers and the role of motherhood has significantly gone up since my wife and I have had children. The sacrificial service that my wife gives to our children has displayed a glorious reflection of the love of God. I am greatly honored and delighted to have such a godly wife who lovingly nurtures and cares for her children, seeking to raise them up in the ways of God.
I am also so thankful for my own mother who is a joyful follower of Christ. I have seen my mom sacrificially serve others in the name of Christ. She boldly reaches out to people with the gospel and loves to encourage other believers. God has so blessed my life through my own mother. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the sacrificial investment that my mother has put into my life. With Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday let each of us recognize and reflect upon the grace that has been imparted into our lives through our mothers.

Let’s honor our mothers for their God-given role and give thanks to God for the good and perfect gift of motherhood.

The Gospel of Peace in Marriage

Posted by Keith Dollar

The Gospel of Jesus Christ should influence every relationship and area of the Christian’s life, especially the marriage of believers. When one turns from their sinful, selfish ways and puts trust in Christ they find great peace (Romans 5:1), through the “Gospel of Peace”. Finding peace with God and no longer being His enemy effects the whole disposition of a person. And this peace carries over into every other relationship, especially the marriage relationship. The Gospel of Peace brings peace in our relationship with God and others by dealing with the problem of sin.

Sin & selfishness create enmity and turmoil in relationships (Romans 8:7, James 4:1-4) and the Gospel of Peace is the means of finding reconcilation. The Scripture says “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10 ESV). Think about how God acted toward you and I while we were enemies of God. He displayed love and kindness to us when we were disobedient, unthankful, unloving and unfaithful to Him. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ESV). Through the sacrificial death of Christ you and I can be forgiven of our offenses and find peace with God.

This mercy & forgiveness that we have experienced through the gospel should also be extended to our spouses. The Apostle Paul wrote the Colossians and said bear “with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13 ESV). Notice how Paul points to God forgiving you as the driving motivation behind your extension of forgiveness to others. Freely giving the forgiveness we ourselves have received is one way to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15 ESV). For when we withhold forgiveness from others there is deep distress and turmoil (Matthew 18:35). The gospel impacts marriage relationships bringing peace and reconcilation to the most broken and struggling marriages. If spouses followed the example of Christ then there would not be divorce, and much pain, stress and sorrow would be avoided.

There is a precious married couple that my wife and I are mentoring. They recently turned to Christ and have displayed beautiful fruits of believing and embracing the gospel. Their marriage relationship is being gloriously restored by the gospel. One of them recently told the other “we don’t fight like we used to” and the other responded saying “this is how it’s supposed to be”. There should be peace in every marriage that is truly gospel-centered.

Believe and embrace the truth of the Gospel and allow it to shape your marriage into a glorious reflection of the relationship between Christ and the Church. This is what God designed marriage to be, namely to display His glory. But every married couple has sinned and fallen short of displaying the glory of God in their marriage. God, however, gives grace through the gospel and by His grace He can make your marriage glorious. His strength fits perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

May God give grace & peace to you and your marriage.

Considering Death In Light Of Boston Bombing

Posted by Keith Dollar

One of the most heart aching and fear gripping realities for many people in this life is the fact that we will one day die. We are all apart of the ultimate statistic, namely that 10 out of 10 people die. For some death is a slow and painful process and for others it happens suddenly and peacefully. Nevertheless death is a problem that we all face and it isn’t healthy to avoid thinking about it and act as if it doesn’t exist. That is why the bible says that its “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NLT). It is good for us to think about the reality that one day we will all die and stand before our Creator, to give account for how we have lived our lives (Hebrews 9:27, Acts 17:31…) We all have an appointment with God that we won’t miss.

The terrible acts of violence that we recently saw take place in Boston are an unpleasant reminder of the reality of death and present evil of this world. When we see such wickedness and evil intent to destroy lives we are grieved and angered by the injustice that has taken place. And so is God. God will punish those who do such things along with those who practice various other kinds of sins (Romans 1:18-32, Revelation 21:8…) The punishment of God is called Hell and is described as the “second death” and the “lake that burns with fire and brimstone” (Matt. 10:28, Rev. 21:8). This evil has not gone unnoticed by God. God sees everything and nothing gets by Him. And He will take action.

God has taken action to help mankind with their problem of sin and death. In the beginning when God made everything, it was good, there was no death and suffering but mankind disobeyed God and brought death and suffering into this world (Genesis 1-3). God did give Adam & Eve a command and a warning of what would happen if they disobeyed. The consequences of sin was and is death (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve aren’t the only ones who sinned and disobeyed God, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That means you and I are both deserving of death. The Scripture says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV). The bad news is that you and I deserve to die and go to Hell because of our sins but the good news (gospel) is that Christ took the death penalty for you and I that we might have the free gift of God, namely “eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”. God the Father took action by sending Jesus to rescue us from the penalty of our sin (Matt. 1:21, John 3:16). Jesus came and lived a sinless life and died in our place bearing our sins on the cross, was buried for three days, and rose from the grave on third day, defeating death. Christ conquered the grave. Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10 ESV).

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live'” (John 11:25 ESV). If you trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior then you need not fear death. Christ will release you from living life in bondage to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14) because He defeated death. As it is written “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV).

One day Jesus will return and “make all things new”. There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4-5).

May God comfort those affected by the the Boston bombing with this gospel truth that Christ has died in our place, conquering the grave and defeating death once and for all. May each person be comforted by the hope of Christ’s return to make all things new and ultimately remove death, sorrow, crying and pain.

God At Work In You

Posted by Keith Dollar

One of the first things we learn about God in the Scripture is that He works (Genesis 2:1-3). Not only did God work in creating but He also works in sustaining and caring for His creation (Psalm 147). The theological word for this is called providence. All of God’s work creating and caring for creation is good (Genesis 1:31, Psalm 145:9). But there is another good work that God has begun in every Christian that He will certainly be faithful to finish. The Apostle wrote about this good work in addressing the Philippians saying “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV). The good work that God has done in every believer is called salvation. Just as God spoke creation into existence He has spoken to each believer through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and has made us come to life from the dead. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV).
God is also currently working in the lives of every believer whether they sense it or not. Paul also wrote the Philippians saying “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 ESV).
This should be a great word of encouragement for every saint because we know that God has not left us to serve Him and stand in this evil day with our own mere willpower or strength to do His will. We need God’s grace to do what He has called us to do (1 Cor. 15:10).

Recognize that God is at work not only in creation around you but He is also at work in you who are called “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). You are His “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10)
Rejoice in the wonderful works of God!

“For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy” (Psalm 92:4 ESV).

The Gospel’s Influence On Our Work

Posted by Keith Dollar

For The Gospel's Sake

The very first mention of work in the bible is of God’s work in creating the heavens and the earth, from which rested on the 7th day (Genesis 2:2-3).
God works and He made man in His own image and gave man work to do. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:2). The Lord did not leave mankind idle without direction or purpose. God blessed mankind gave them a responsibility to be fruitful & multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:28). God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it and freely eat it’s fruit (Genesis 2:15-16).
Man by God’s design is made to work and God gets glory from His intended purpose being fulfilled in man. As image bearers of Almighty God whose work is faithful and good (Psalm 33:4, Genesis 1:31) we reflect His glory as good and faithful servants or workers. The biggest problem…

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