Nuff said
The Blizzard of 2018: theunfetteredpreacher
Nuff said
Walking with God
Bricks without straw -4- theunfetteredpreacher
The Lord charged us with building His Kingdom, here on earth. He gave us the tools, in the form of the Ministry Gifts.
First Apostles: These are the people that start new churches, Luther, Calvin… ect…
Secondly Prophets: These people, share the mind of Christ, to exhort, to build up and encourage the body. Franklin Graham…
Evangelists: Preachers who move around, touching and leading more people to the Lord, than they could Pastor. Billy Graham.
Today we are looking at Pastors:
Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
In my experience, most Pastors, long to be Evangelists. Their true desire is to preach the word, to see souls saved and keep going.
Unfortunately, the Pastors life, has you dealing with God’s people.
It is not enough just to bring them to God.
The Lord calls His people, sheep. Pastors Shepards. Sheep have needs. (Continually).
They need to be fed, led, sheared, loved, looked after. A Shepard needs both a rod, (for correction, and protection), and a staff, (to guide, and direct).
He deals with the same sheep, (Daily), he is responsible for their growth and health in the Lord.
The Pastor, has the more interactions and responsibilities than anyone else,ith his flock, he needs to feed them the good food of the Gospel.
He is held responsible for their growth.
Truly the most difficult job, in the Ministry. They are always criticized, talked about and not respected.
The Sermons are too long, or don’t challenge us in any way. He didn’t visit Joe at the hospital, rehabilitation center or home.
He didn’t pray with me, he’s meddlesome, doesn’t think we should live together, smoke or drink.
Who does he think he is? My mother?
What makes it worse, a lot claim the calling. Sadly the numbers or results of their preaching calls, their calling, into question.
It is a thankless job,
How much, is too much? theunfetteredpreacher
Lately it seems many Americans think we are too Patriotic. Love of country, and flag is not good.
They say it is dangerous.
I have heard Christian leaders, spout the position, that believing the Gospel as written is a problem.
We must not walk in love, doing good, expecting God to confirm His word.
They say it is dangerous.
It is better to question, then to accept all we have believed, as a people for over 200 years.
It is perfectly normal for men to believe they are women, and women men.
There is no need to honour our country and flag by standing in respect for our National Anthem or the plege of allegiance.
Babies are not yet humans, they are just useless tissue to be thrown away.
Police and the Military are racist pawns of the government, surely not to be obeyed or respected. Resist, we must….
How much is too much?
All of this malarkey…. is too much.
We live in the greatest country on God’s green earth.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Police and the Military are here for a purpose.
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;”
Our lives are not quiet and peaceable, because we have thrown out the acquired wisdom and knowledge of the ages.
We think we know more then those who came before.
Unfortunately, the more information is available to us, the less we seem to know.
We are so uninformed on political issues, scientific truths, (man made globel warming… men are women, and can use the same public rest room…. lol), how silly we have become.
The ant (human beings), are destroying God’s creation. Let me take you to New York Staste, or out West, we can try to find the many man made towns, that once were and are no more.
Grow up, read, outside your liberal reading list, think, instead of feel….
Patriotism is good, needed, otherwise the next generation will not fight for our country.
Religion, the belief in and trust of Jesus, is needed for our eternal standing, as well as our interactions with the people around us.
Rant over, Amen
A sign of our times: theunfetteredpreacher
The life we lead, gives us the character lines people see. They are a road map of our pains, joys, love and disapointments.
We have toiled all the night: theunfetteredpreacher
The Church has toiled, worked to build the Kingdom of God. With mixed results.
Many Churches, hold their own, at 30 to 60 attendees. The faces change, the numbers remain the same. Why?
The Pastors know and love the Lord. The people are saved and on the way to heaven.
Yet, nothing changes. There is no desire to fast, pray, to change how we live, what we do, how we Worship. (Our Church Services).
If we would look in the Word, believe the Word, Walk in the Word, we would experience change.
Luke 5:5-6
“And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.“
Will you do things God’s way? Or will we continue doing things our way?
We have toiled all the night:
and have taken nothing:
Nevertheless, at Thy Word,
We will try again, your way.
when they had this done,
They had caught,
a great multitude of fishes.
We could bring great multitudes into the Kingdom, if we would just do it in the Power and direction of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Happy New Year: theunfetteredpreacher
I pray it won’t be the same as the Old Year.
May we all be blessed with a closer Walk with God. A joyful time with others. Peace and Grace within. Amen
Why I Blog: theunfetteredpreacher
I thought I wanted to write a book. (About Jesus in the Old Testament). The woman I hired to proof read and edit, told me I should start a blog.
She thought the blog would help me correct my spelling and grammar. (If only it had. lol).
A blog? I had never read one, visited one or thought of bloggers at all.
Then I checked into it. Some wrote well, others, badly, but people read them, their voices were heard, Some had 12 followers, others had thousands.
Being the mighty man of Faith, I am, I decided if theunfetteredpreacher, was available, as a site, it would be a sign from God, to go for it.
I had bought a Tablet, so I could take pictures and write from my favorite chair, so I jumped in.
I desired to write, Biblical Teachings, that were not influenced by Denominational Rituals, Ceremonies or Doctrine.
I did not care what others taught, I longed to teach the Bible.
I believed then as I do now, the Church is Powerless, ineffective, and a hindrance to the building of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Why? We follow, Luther, Calvin or Wesley, when we should be following Christ.
People are encouraged to join a Church, a Denomination, a Fellowship, believe like us. We have the Truth…
No one has cornered the Truth, we all have a piece, a snippet, a revelation, that needs to be shared.
When we only deal with Our Denominations teaching, we miss out on so much truth.
Our God is bigger then what our Denominations teach.
We need to know what the Word says, not what anyone teaches.
The Word has to be the final authority.
Sadly, most of us do not search for ourselves, the truth of God’s Word. We rely on our Pastors Interpretation.
Very often, His Interpretation, came from another man. So you are learning something third hand, when we are responsible to know ourselves.
Let what you learn from others, spark your interest, to search the Scriptures to see if it be true.
Only then, do you become a follower of Christ, instead of following man.
The End is Near: theunfetteredpreacher
The End… of what?
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Or maybe just the year…
I’ve not written much the last month or so.
Bette broke her wrist, and is hoping to have the cast removed next week.
Her body is healing, her attitude is good, but she hurts from within. Please lift her up, in prayer.
As for me, apparently I am Iron deficient, I have gone for one infusion and expect a second soon.
They said, “I would have more energy. I would think more clearly…”
Well, I’ve not written, because I don’t seem to be able to study the Word, and follow through, by writing a Post.
I do not read, like I used to. I don’t even seem to keep up with politics like I normally do.
So if I haven’t visited your site lately, please forgive me. Maybe after my second infusion I will be in better shape.
Meanwhile, have a safe and happy New Year.
“May the blessings of God, keep you safe and encircle you, like a flood, with His Love and Grace.”
A sign of our time: 12/25/17 theunfetteredpreacher
Comet, Cupid, silly or stupid
The Great Holy Spirit Robbery: theunfetteredpreacher
An older post revisited…. What does Matthew 25 mean?
Merry Christmas: theunfetteredpreacher
Merry Christmas to all, I pray we all have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Let us go on unto perfection; theunfetteredpreacher
“Let us go on unto perfection; “
Hebrews 6:b
At our Tuesday morning mens group Pastor Nelson Hopkins shared from Hebrews 6:1-3
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.And this will we do, if God permit.
Almost seems like blasphemy, to leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ.
What the writer wants us to do is to GROW UP, IN CHRIST.
The problem is: “We must go on unto perfection;”
And our Churches have done a horrible job of teaching us these fundamental principles of the doctrine of Christ.
We do not believe or practice most of them.
Yes, we accept the truth that we are saved by Faith, that Christ died for our sins. We are made blameless, only by being covered by His blood.
Yes, we believe in being Baptized. A symbol of our death and resurrection with Christ.
Then we go off the rails. At the time of water Baptism, Christ was also Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
~ THE DOCTRINE OF BASPTISMS.
Of REPENTANCE, IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
For this to happen to us, we need to first realize the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, is not automatically given.
Paul and Peter both asked believers if they had received the Holy Spirit. They then received it. (Acts 10 and 19) They also had the evidence of speaking in Tongues. (Two separate Baptisms).
So Saints, one step towards perfection in Christ, is Believing the Word over BAD CHURCH DOCTRINE.
We need the Holy Spirit and His Power to build the Church. The Baptism is a Fundamental building block of His Body.
~ THE DOCTRINE OF LAYING ON OF HANDS.
FOR HEALING, AND TO SEND OUT FOR MINISTRY.
We lay hands on the sick. (James 7). The elders lay hands on those chosen to go out in the work of the ministry. (1 Timothy 4)
~ DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. (This includes both dead in sin, and dead as in lifeless, no breath left).
~ DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL JUDGEMENT
Where will you spend Eternity?
Are you on the path to perfection? Do you believe and practice these truths?
Hebrews 6:4-6
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.“
If you hope to grow in and receive the Power of the Kingdom, to grow the Kingdom, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT TEACH YOU THROUGH THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD.
“ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.“
(Romans 12:1-2, my prayer for you). Amen
We must build on the FULL COUNCIL OF GOD.
If we stop before we accept these first things, how do we grow in Him?
Christmas Shoes: theunfetteredpreacher
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ej03qf15f6a0ska/20171217_114724.mp4?dl=0
The Franklin Memorial United Methdist Choir, helped me to sing this heart wrenching Tune.
The Certainties of Cerimony, the Righteousness of Rituals: theunfetteredpreacher
When did the Cirtainties of Ceromony and the Righteousness of Rituals, replace the Foolishness of Preaching, in our quest to bring the lost to the Lord.
I am disappointed, disturbed, and defeated.
We have lost the ability, the desire, and the need to experience the Presence of God.
We sing many Hymns, without any attention given to the meaning.
They are just tunes we sing.
We recite many Scriptures, with no thought given to the significance of the Words.
They are just Words we recite.
We repeat, the Lord’s prayer, never learning, ‘How to Pray.’
Church, has become a meaningless exercise, a duty to preform, not a joy to experience.
We have a form of Godliness, that denies God’s, Presence, Power, and Peace.
We find comfort in the Dignity of Duty.
The Joy of the Lord is absent.
The Truth isn’t preached to set us free.
The Peace that passes understanding, can not be found.
It is all buried in Rituals and Cerimonies, our reciting, rather than living, the Word.
No thought is given, no attempt is made to call down the fire of God, to purify our lives, to become vessels of God’s love, healing powers, or saving grace.
We are not challenged to grow, to give, to become the image of the One we Love.
Then we wonder that our pews are empty.
Please, Throw Out, the Comfortable Orders of Service.
Learn to:
Sing the Word of God, to our God.
Sing until it becomes real, until you are filled with His Presence, until He surrounds and meets your every need and desire.
Cry and repent, as He brings your faults and sins to mind.
Laugh as you are touched by the Spirit of the Living God, when you realize you are forgiven and blameless in the Beloved.
Allow the foolishness of God to rule and reign in your life.
Our natural man, cannot accept this, we do not understand it, we build our services so to bypass, to negate, and ignore, the Spiritual.
We cheat not only ourselves, but those who came hoping to find the Truth of the Gospel.
The Foolishness of God is Wiser than the Wisdom of man.
Please, I beg you.
Quit going to Church.
Start to Seek His Face. To Experience His Presence. To Recognize, the Power of the Spirit in our lives.
1 Corinthians 1:21
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
theunfetteredpreacher 