Jesus Exemplified!!!

click here to view the first youth camp album (don't forget to check out days 2-6 as well)

1Timothy4:12

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

Last year, i wasn't able to join Youth Camp because God had better plans. This year, i prayed long and hard to be able to join, and amazingly, God's confirmed it to me time and time again that it is in His plans that i would join.

So i was so excited about camp, that i packed most of the stuff i knew i needed about a month before Camp was scheduled, and yes, you read it right, ABOUT A MONTH. I was so excited because i knew i would come out changed just like the Sweetly Broken Camp. Little did i know just how i was going to be changed. I also praise God that He planned for my brother to go as well.

Okay, so i heard that a bunch of the youth planned to meet up at church and go at 1pm on the day of Camp, so my brother and i were ready to go about half an hour before the time. Unfortunately, our mom and aunt were (yes, and i really DO mean what i say) a bit TOO PARTICULAR with our stuff even though we were all set. We arrived at church at around 1:17, and nobody was there. Thank God that one of the people there whom i knew offered to help us get to the vicinity because none of us knew where CCTC was. Mom gave us some money to get there. We arrived at 1:42, and we both got registered. They all gave us free time because Camp starts at 4:00pm. While there, my brother started taking pictures, and he met Kuya Michael (who is, btw, a cool photographer), and they both started talking about photography stuff that would just leave me bleeding at the nose. Anyway, me and some girls practiced the dance we prepared for Talent Night which would be on Friday.

At 4, KG welcomed us at Camp, and we proceeded with the Icebreaker games. First game was to give up one of our slippers, pile them up, grab one that's not yours, and get to know the owner. It was real fun (and thank God, not as smelly as expected). Next was rock, paper, scissors, dragon where everyone plays rock paper scissors with someone, and the loser goes to the winner's back, until we all fall in one large dragon of a line. Kuya Miggy won. He (Kuya Migs) then borrowed my guitar pick because it was the one thing he forgot to bring. The worship team the proceeded with teaching us all the Camp songs, Your Name High, and No Reason to Hide. Really cool songs, but since it was still the first day, everyone was just standing, clapping, and looking at the lyrics. We had dinner at 6, where afterwards, Kuya Migs broke the news to me that he lost my pick. It wasn't a big deal, but i still decided to test my acting skills, convincing him i was really upset, and that it would take time to get over with it. He was real depressed, until i told him i was just acting, which, i'm sure, he was very relieved with.

We then had our first session, "From the Inside Out" led by Pastor Jo in Ephesians4:29-30. The message was all about speech, and that what we chose to say really affects everyone around us, including ourselves, and that a Christian should strive to be set apart from the rest of the world, speaking things that build up and glorify our Creator, and be like Jesus, since from the beginning, though technology and styles have changed, never has the heart of man because the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. It takes a live fish to go against the flow, and it takes a dead fish to go with it. i love that line. Eye openners for our blind faiths. It was awesome.

We then had our counselor hunt, a way of knowing what team you belong to. All lights were out, and we should be able to find the leader (not exactly counselor, but yeah) we were assigned to. Problem was, CCTC was a wide place, so it was a lot like looking for your keys in the grass. i think none of us (in our team) was able to find our counselor, but time ran out, and we had to stop. So i belonged to one of the six teams called Gideon, composed of Kuya Aaron (team leader), Kuya Cole (team counselor), Yana, Alex(o), Alex(a), Anjo, Bangs, Ronna, Shay, Moymoy and Brian. Afterwards, lights out. Awesome first day.

i had a terrible night, trying every position i could think of to just fall asleep. That nightmare went on for hours, until i decided to check the time, and discovered it was 3:44, which got me tossing and turning a while after. Not until 5:30 when i woke up that i discovered i had slept just over an hour. Anyway, we then had our devotion, then breakfast (sit with your team, which, btw, was the noisiest table in the canteen), then a game called DODGEBALL!!! Teams had to partner up to form just three teams. Our team won second. Lunch was served, our table being the (proud to be) noisiest in the canteen, then we had free time. After that, the Workshop started, led by Kuya Mike, the topic being Devotions. Though much of it was covered during the Core night prior to this, i still learned a lot about devoting time to God, where it's all about Him. It was great.

That night, we had our second session, "Shine" with Pastor Jo in Matthew5:13-16. To be honest, i was drowsy during much of the session because (not to make excuses but) of the night before. The topic did not only concern being set apart from the rest of the world, but also about us influencing those who are in the world, and not being influenced. We (young as we are [and in a lot of years, were,]) are to be as Salt and Light, preserving, cleansing, adding to life, thirsty, dispelling the darkness, exposing truth, and leading to the way out of Satan's grasp. So dear flock, step up, step up, for Jesus is near!

Afterwards, we had the Life Game. A game requiring incredible teamwork where we are all one body to get the parts of the key and set our tied up leader free. Anjo played the eyes, Tiyan, the ears, me the mouth, Moymoy and the girls, the hands, and Alex and Brian the feet. We had to perform all tasks blindfolded, eyes excluded where the eyes whispered the commands to the ears, then the ears to the mouth. The mouth was the one who spoke out the instrucitons, and the only one allowed to speak up (and yes, i was very comfortable with that position, especially with the food part!). Sadly, our team didn't finish on time, and our poor leader, who was the most secure just sat there waiting. We all still had a blast, especially what happened in the horror chamber, right guys? After that, lights out.

This time, i had the sleep i needed. Didn't take a bath though (and no, i didn't stink, coz i asked a few people), becaus i knew we were eventually going to get down, dirty, sweaty and messy after the morning. We then had our devotion and individual devotions. It was awesome having alone time with the One who created all things. After that, we had breakfast, then the game VOLLEYBALL!!! No, we didn't win again, but since during our game, the opposing team only had a point more than we did, we were thankful for the really close fight. We then had lunch, then rest time (which, btw, we usually used for dance practice), then the Workshop, led by Kuya JB, concerning FRIENDSHIP. Concerning this, it was a really good and encouraging workshop. It's really cool to know that when you're building up someone, you sometimes fail to realize that you too are being built up as well. After that, i was really encouraged to encourage.

We then had dinner, then our third session, "Unashamed" led by none other than Pastor Jo taken from Daniel3. It was an awesome message because i really don't like comprimising about my faith, because, sad to say, that's where most of us tend to fall when we pud down our shields. I want to strive for the Saving Faith that puts all hope and trust on things that are for eternity, and not the Demonic Faith that only believes with the mind, nor the Temporal Faith that focuses only on things that are on this earth. It taught me that we should have faith NOT in God's answers, but in His person, that whichever way He chooses to lead us, we would accept it, be it a walk on the beach, or a boatride in the storm, we would accept it the way Job accepted his trials in Job1:21 because God is a God who know what He's doing. Afterwards, we then had a short movie. After that, God reminded me that one of the reasons He placed me at camp was because there was a problem that needed to be solved in me. i then went over to talk with Kuya Cole since he was the one i was most open to at the moment. We talked, and God just revealed to me that i was still in shackles, because for a long time, i noticed i was fearful with getting real close to people. God showed me that it was because of all the pressure i was putting on myself not to mess up, or sin, or cause anyone harm, partly because i did hate it when people get hurt because of me, and because of the fear that they would condemn me or do harmful things back, and that this has caused me to be too serious for my own good with a lot of things. But the truth of the matter is, i'm still made of flesh and bone, and as willingly as God has gifted me to forgive people, so has He gifted every sibling with the same willingness to forgive. God wanted me to be free during that period of time. Free to unload my burdens, free to express myself, free to not think too much, free not to worry, free to make friends, free to teach, free to be taught, free to breathe easily without paranoia, and free to just be in awe of Him without any distractions. An awesome night.

Next day, we woke up, did our awesome individual devotions, ate breakfast, then had our third game, popularly known as KICKBALL!!! We had fun, but this time, most of us were in un-Christ-like mode. i could clearly see some of the rules being broken, some of us not saying things encouraging, and we had the least cheers that game. That wasn't right. So to make fair, fair, we all decided to give all the teams the same number of points. After lunch, we were all encouraged to take a break since later that night, we were going to have the AFTERGLOW, so that meant no practice for our little dance group. It was fine though. We sure needed the rest.

After that, we had our third workshop concerning PURITY. It was convicting, especially for us guys (btw, KG lectured the guys, and Ate Abba lectured the girls separately). Anyway, the message was awesome, changing, and fun. We then had dinner, and then the fourth session, "Sacrifice" in Luke10:25-37, and 1Corinthians13. It was a very cool message. Pastor Jo talked about the four loves, Eros, Estorge, Phileo, and Agape (the most important). I began to see more of the unique beauty in each of the four loves, especially the wonder found in Agape, which requires no condition, no task, no reward or anything. How God loves us oh so much.

When Pasor Jo closed the session, we then had the AFTERGLOW. We all felt God's presence crash on us. It was an array of unexplainable moments where you would just feel His love pour out on you. i (and a lot of us, if i might add) found our eyes soaked up in tears. I fell on my face just praising the MIGHTY ONE who lives. It was too beautiful to be called beautiful. Barriers were broken, hearts and lives were changed, thoughts were expressed, and to think, Jesus would give us the freedom just to be in awe of Him! It was an awesome night, and afterwards, i lost a portion of my voice. We then had a bonfire where we took pictures, had fellowship, and just had fun. Eventually, we had to sleep.

Next day, we had to rise up early and have an early breakfast. After that, we crammed into the rides because we were going to the beach that day! When we arrived, we gathered next to the water, under a tree to discuss the rules, and have our devotion. KG called those who wanted to be baptized in the biblical way. He explained that baptism was an act of symbolically showing your love and devotion for Christ publicly. i decided to do so. Others also decided, and i was surprised to see my brother freely allowing himself to be baptized. i mean, i didn't even have to talk to him about it. They all prayed for us, then we began. It was awesome! Well, except for the part that i expected to be submerged in the water much longer, KG, Lolo Lloyd and Kuya Cole pulled me out and my head sort of got left behind a bit. i laughed when i saw the picture.

Anyway, after that, they prayed for us one more time, then we had our Relay Race! KG explained to us the rules, the tasks and the parts of the game. Each of us would be assigned to a different task. First, Yana and Bangs would do the three-legged race, then Anjo would do the army crawl, then Moymoy would do the back crawl, then i would swim around the far off buoy in the water, then Shay would skip rope to Brian who would walk with coconut husks under his feet, then Alexa and Alexo would do the death crawl then last, Ronna would do the pingpong ball balance to the finish line, passing the bug along the way. When we did the race, it was very exciting because we were far in the lead! We won 8000 points for our team that morning. It was really fun! Then we had free time until 3pm. We had real fun with the underwater cams, the boats, the fellowship, and (of course, never to forget) the FOOD!!! It was an awesome day. One really cool part was when schools of fish started to jump out of the water! It was SO COOL to see the little guys just doing what God made them to do! Eventually, 3pm came and we had to get back to CCTC.

When we arrived, we had free time, which we spent for practicing for what would happen that hight. After of which, we had dinner, which was a bit nerve racking since we were having TALENT NIGHT afterwards. I also met up to pray with the girls because i knew we didn't practice enough for the dance, but we reminded each other that this wasn't a competition, just an intermission number, and more importantly, we were dancing for God, just lifting back up our desire and our talents to Him.

When we all gathered there, the parents were already finding a place to sit, and we soon discovered that we were going to be the fourth group to present, so we readied all our stuff, our parts, our talents, and our hearts. The first three groups were really good and funny. Me and the girls were then called to do our dance, so we did. i cannot tell you how much we messed up. i loved every bit of it. TIJOC (Treasure In Jars Of Clay from 2Corinthians4:7) had a blast that night! After that, we were up! We gave each other last second reminders of what to do, where to go, and when to move. We then started. We all just had a blast performing what we came up with. For the most part, we were really glad to hear the laughter of everyone in the room when we presented. It was cool. Same can be said about the other teams. After the whole thing, when they announced the winners, our team really didn't expect anything, until Kuya Popong announced that we won first place, CD's of the Camp Tracks, stickers, and 10,000 points! We were so happy! We also won best props since we decided to get up in costumes, and use what we had. Awesome night.

After that, we had a second bonfire, then the TRIBALISTA presentation. You'll have to view the pictures to find out what happened. It was a really funny night. Then we roasted marshmallows and hotdogs until the night was over, though none of us wanted it to.

We rose up later than the usual 6am the next day, then we had our Community Devotion, then breakfast, and then the fifth session, "Jesus the Ultimate Example" in Psalm119:9, 1John3:16-18, Ephesians5:1-2, and 1John2:6. During the worship part of the session was different (like last night). We were just pouing our our all into worship, jumping, singing (a few of us off key, if i might add), dancing, and just being free, unlike the first time we arrived. Here's what i got: We as Christians need to have that ability to trust and surrender ourselves to the Living God, being set apart from the rest of the world, trusting in God's person, letting Him pour out His love on us, spreading it, growing, knowing, seeking, believing, reflecting, persevering, and just let Jesus in so we would be more like Him. We then had a communion.

After of which, we (sadly) had our last meal together, then we packed our things, distributed the shirts, had fellowship and picture taking, then we said our goodbyes.

Jesus continues to be awesome. He changed both me and my brother at camp. May He continue to do so for the rest of our lives. We're ready to exemplify Jesus!!!

Christians in Danger of God

this entry was written by a good friend of mine. now i won't promise that your reading this will be easy, but hopefully, i pray that God will reveal something to you.. i also pray for your sensitivity to His truth, the only truth.. God bless

link to the original blog: http://micahdagaerag.multiply.com/journal/item/14/Christians_in_Danger_of_God

Christians in Danger of God

Matthew 7:13-27 

It is a great privilege to be here before all of you this morning. I am deeply humbled and honored for this sacred opportunity to preach the Word of God to this church. But this morning I’m going to share with you a warning from Scripture.

 

Now let me say this before I begin. There are issues lying deep under our church’s spirituality that must be addressed and brought to the light. There is so much at stake this morning that many of you don’t understand. So let me tell you where I’m coming from as I preach to you. I will preach as a dying man, to a dying people. I will preach as though I will never preach again. I will tell you things that have been misunderstood. I will tell you things that have caused so much anger against me. I will tell you things that have been denied. And I will tell you things that you say I don’t have a right to tell you about.

 

You see, preaching is a very dangerous thing. It’s dangerous for me, because Scripture says that false teachers will undergo a much greater condemnation. And so if what I’m teaching you is not true, I am in a great deal of trouble and have every right to do this with fear and trembling. But if what I tell you is true, then you’re the one with cause for fear and trembling. Because if I interpret this Scripture correctly, it will be as though God was truly speaking through a man, and your problem will not be with me. It will be with God and His Word.

 

Now, it may be true that you can accuse me of arrogance, or that you will not like my delivery. I have many times been arrogant, and I have many times delivered God’s Word in a wrong way. But don’t use that as an excuse for you. The question is: what I am saying, is it true? And if you don’t like what I am saying, is it because I am offending God’s thoughts, or your personal thoughts? Because if I do this right, my friends, I will not be preaching my own thoughts, but God’s. So that if you find yourself offended by my preaching, I will be the least of your problems. Because it will show that you are in rebellion to God’s Word, and are answerable, not to me, but to Him.

 

But there are some of you who will listen to this, and you will say Amen, and think “Yeah, these people need this kind of bashing from the pulpit.” I advise you to be careful about your heart, my friend. Though you may have certain grievances against this church, you have to realize that all of us bear a measure of blame and guilt for the current spiritual condition of our church. And it is not good at all. So if you have attained to some spiritual maturity, what do you have that you didn’t receive from God, and if you have received it, why do you boast? That’s what the apostle Paul advises us.

 

Post-Intro

 

This past year God has carried me through the hardest struggles I have ever had to go through, in my heart and in my mind. And now I realize that all of them have been in preparation for the great burden that He has given me to preach today, which is this: in the Philippines, the great majority of the so-called Christian population is in danger of God. Many, if not all of us who are members of a church, believe ourselves to be in a right relationship with God, and we actually believe we will go to Heaven with the Lord when we die.

 

But herein lies the burden and the heaviness of what I am about to preach: the alarming reality that we need to face as Christians is that when we study the Scriptures, it will show that there is an overwhelmingly great number of us whom the Lord will say to in the Day of Judgment, “'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Do you see what Jesus is saying? We owe it to ourselves to check whether or not we are part of those the Lord will dismiss on the last day. Our eternal security depends on this.

 

Now, at this point, some of you will think, “What right does this guy have to question salvation and bring doubt into the faith of his church mates?” “You shouldn’t judge anyone’s salvation. It’s between them and the Lord.” My friend, I would like to submit to you that the Bible actually demands this very act of checking personal salvation. In 2 Corinthians 13: 5 the Apostle Paul commands the church in Corinth, saying, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Why does Paul write this? Because of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7!

 

Verses 13-14

 

Let’s start in verses 13 and 14. Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

 

First observation: Jesus says that for each and every person alive in the world today, that person can walk in only one of two gates: one narrow, and one wide. He says that the majority of people go through the wide gate, and it has an easy way, or path. If you take a good look around you, this means that most people in this church, most people in your office, most people in your school, are all on the wide gate leading to destruction, probably including yourself. It would seem that our general direction in life is through that wide gate. Every single person is born by default heading into that wide gate of destruction.

 

Now, you need to understand, and see that the wide gate, is what is easy. The wide gate is what is natural. The wide gate is what is worldly popular. The wide gate doesn’t want you to suffer, if in your suffering you end up drawing closer to God. The wide gate wants to give you your best life now, if that’s what it takes to get your mind off of God and on your material success and prosperity. The wide gate is what is theologically liberal, meaning it accepts that you can believe in any god or gods, but as long you are sincere and religious enough you can still make it to Heaven. I just recently discovered that Oprah herself believes in a unified idea of religion, the belief that Jesus is just a way, but not the way, and that Christ didn’t come to bring salvation, but a higher state of Christ-consciousness, which is based more on Indian mysticism than the Bible. And millions of people subscribe to her brand of religion all over the world, which doesn’t believe that Jesus is God and that salvation in the next life is possible only in Him.

 

The wide gate doesn’t want to offend anyone, but seeks to equate all religions as the same, and it means denying Christ as He claimed to be. It is often politically correct. The wide gate dismisses true spirituality as burdensome and unnecessary. It doesn’t like the idea of being serious enough in our spiritual life, because it thinks it’s too corny. The wide gate can also be false religiosity, trying to earn points for Heaven, and hypocritical and dishonest ways of being a Christian. And because it is wide and many enter through it, it is seductive. The wide gate doesn’t want you to leave it. It knows that it leads into destruction and it wants to trap and ensnare and devour as many souls as it can. If anyone tries to leave the wide gate, that wide gate will try to ensnare him back. It will fight to keep you. And it uses many ways of deception, just to keep you in what is popular, keep you in what is easy, and you don’t have to worry about how God thinks about your life and the true status of your eternal destiny.

 

But Jesus says it is a gate and it is a way that leads to destruction. People who live lives like these are going to Hell, whether they believe it or not. And this is not my word, this is Jesus’. We would do well to believe Jesus because He alone is called Faithful and True in Revelation. He is the perfect witness of the Father, and if He says so, then it is so. What keeps true preachers on their knees in prayer is the fact that in a hundred years, the great majority of the people in their church will most probably end up in Hell, unless he challenges them to make their calling and election sure, as the apostle Peter warned us.

 

Now, about the narrow way. Jesus says we ought to enter by the narrow gate. Now, by experience we know that a narrow gate is harder to spot, than a wide gate. A wide gate can just sit idly at the side and still be noticed by anyone passing by. But a narrow gate necessitates a search. A careful search. Anyone who is not looking for the narrow gate will never find it, nor even see it. So the question is, when was the last time you seriously, earnestly sought Christ? Because if you have no memory of ever wanting to seek Christ to believe in Him, you have never strived to get out of the wide gate looking for the narrow one, and therefore still are on the wide gate and are in danger of Hell. If there is no desire within you to seek and thirst after God, my friend, you better start mourning over yourself and seek God’s mercy. That He give it to you.

 

Let me ask you another question. We are all here as church members, and we identify ourselves as Christian in almost everywhere we go: birth certificates, application letters, résumés, clubs, and so on. You confess Christ, most likely because you were born into a Christian background, and born into a church background, and you confess Christ as of now. The question is, if you had been born a muslim, or a hindu, or a Buddhist, would you have made any effort at all to see and check for yourself whether the god you believe in is the real true living God, so that you will end up where you are right now, a Christian? And if you are here as a “Christian” and yet have made no real and serious inquiry as to whether or not the God you believe in is the one true God, you are in danger of being in the wide gate yourself.

 

Are you seeking Him? Before coming here to church, were you seeking Him? Yesterday, were you seeking Him? The day before that, were you seeking Him? Today, did you already have it set that you will be seeking after Him? Tomorrow, do you know that you are going to be seeking Him? Seek Him, find the narrow gate, for the narrow gate is Christ Himself. In John 10:7-9 it says, “Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.’” When we truly seek to know and obey and live for Christ, by faith in Him and repentance of our sins, we escape the wide gate, and enter through the narrow gate, which is Christ. And few, Jesus said, will find it. Few will want to seek Him in truth. Few will want to truly obey Him. Only a few will leave the wide gate of destruction, to seek after the narrow one. And few will be saved.

 

And Jesus doesn’t just say that the gate is narrow, He also says that the way is hard. Acts 14:22 says, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Let me ask you something, do you have difficulties and hardships as a direct result of your faith in Christ? Do people ridicule and mock you behind your back because you are someone who sincerely wants to obey the Lord and live your life for Him? Have people slandered and maligned you because you couldn’t compromise the truth? Have you ever been made fun of, or lost opportunities or wealth or respect because you wanted to be a faithful witness to God? Or do people speak ill of you rather because you actually blatantly sin and do wrong?

 

Suffering and hardship are validations of a legitimate and true relationship with God through Christ. Obedience to God will always be hard because we live in a world that hates the God we want to obey. Just look at all those TV programs, those popular music bands, liberal teachers in your schools that make a mockery out of God. Jesus said if the world persecuted and killed Him, how much more will the world hate and persecute us, who are His servants? So that if you are not suffering or persecuted in some way by the world, something is wrong, and you need to check whether you are still a true believer or already a compromising one. If there is nothing wrong with your life because of your faith, something is wrong with your faith.

 

Hebrews 12: 3-8 says, “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” If you’re suffering as a Christian, rejoice. Don’t be surprised by it. But if your Christianity right now doesn’t achieve the slightest opposition from people who don’t know God, you’re probably still in the wide gate, and you need to repent, turn back and seek Christ and His mercy. Get to the right gate. Before it’s too late.

 

Verses 15-23

 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

 

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

 

In this next set of verses, Jesus addresses two kinds of people, both of them false, and it is implied that these people will find the biggest shock of all eternity: that of being found to being not a true Christian, and told by Jesus Himself to depart from Him. The two groups of people Christ rejects are these: false prophets, and false professors.

 

Let’s discuss these false prophets first, and I would like to use this as an opportunity to bring into light all the various ways our denomination as the UCCP should be afraid of this warning. Jesus says they come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. And the apostle Peter in his second letter clearly lays down what these false teachers, preachers and prophets do, and how they will be destroyed. I don’t have time to do another study of the whole chapter but here’s what I want you to see: wolves can come in many different forms, but all of them have this one thing in common: they care nothing for the sheep. And because they care nothing for the sheep, the sheep are never fed, or if ever they are it is so that those wolves can have a bigger feast on them. A pastor who doesn’t exercise church discipline, and doesn’t obey Scripture when it says in 1 Timothy 4:6 to point out the sins of the people, that pastor is going against the work of the Holy Spirit, and is among the wolves, whether they know it or not. Some pastors brag about not mentioning sin in their sermons, not realizing that Jesus said in John 16:8 that the Holy Spirit’s work is to convict the world of sin. So that a pastor who neglects church discipline actually goes against the work of the Holy Spirit, when he forfeits his flock from being convicted by the Holy Spirit so that they could mourn over their sinfulness and come before the cross weeping in humility and brokenness.

 

We in the UCCP have become too thin-skinned to be able to rebuke anyone of anything. Sometimes it’s because we leaders fear men more than we fear God. Sometimes it’s because pastors themselves are in sin, and their sins remain unconfessed and unrepented of, that they cannot possibly pray for the Holy Spirit’s conviction to fall on the congregation. And so you have this culture of “don’t ask, don’t tell” going on in the congregation with regard to what the Scriptures say about sin, and people get used to their sin. Sin becomes acceptable, immorality becomes acceptable, lying becomes acceptable, gossip in the church becomes acceptable, prayerlessness becomes acceptable, pride becomes tolerable in the church, because no one has the moral highground and the spiritual anointing to speak against all of the sins that the people are entangled in, when you see in the New Testament that this was the first ministry of the apostles and elders in the church: to point people and themselves to Scripture and bring each other to continued repentance and growing holiness. Look at Paul’s letters. Peter’s epistles. We need to know how God thinks of us. Hebrews 4:12-13 says,“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

 

There are also pastors in the UCCP who use God for their own popular and material gain. They are relatively worse than those are just afraid of pointing out sin. These are those pastors (not real pastors, by the way) who twist Scripture to play a guilt trip on the sheep and manipulate the people so that the offering will increase. They mangle God’s Word so that it fits their own ideas, distorting the real meaning of Scripture, for more money. You see many of these kinds of pastors (though may of them aren’t from the UCCP) on television. They make promises of prosperity and healing, if you give this much to their ministry. And yet these are people who have lawsuits filed against them because of unaccountable assets and questionable sources of wealth. They have the biggest mansions, and they never fly below first class. You see them on TV, but just because they appear on Christian TV, my friends, doesn’t mean they are from God. They take advantage of the sick, the elderly, the young, the newly saved, to intimidate them into sending money or whatever, making empty, boastful promises, that never do anything except lead people astray into hell. Many are turned atheists this way.

 

There are also those pastors whose thirst for more of the praises of men outweighs their thirst for more of God. They strive so much to look and sound good before people that they get in the way of God. The people see the preacher, but not Christ. The people hear the preacher and are in awe of the preacher, but not Christ. These wolves use psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy and the latest Wall Street self-help church gurus more than God’s Word. These pastors don’t believe that the Word of God is sufficient to know how to run a church. They use surveys and the latest tools and trends to make the Gospel more “relevant” to this generation. They want to be more “seeker-sensitive”. But my friends, we have to realize that Scripture says in John 4 and 1 Chronicles 16 that there’s only one Seeker, His name is God, and if you want to be sensitive and friendly to anyone, be sensitive and friendly to Him. It takes God to run His church. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

There are many pastors in the UCCP who fail this way. And I can say that because I am in the UCCP and have no intention of leaving it unless the General Secretary himself kicks me out. But I love this church, and would love to see it experience a revival and a reformation from within, according to God’s Word.

 

Now let me say just one more thing. Many, if not the great majority of UCCP pastors don’t like to be rebuked. And I say that with no ounce of pleasure at all. I say that with much bitterness and sorrow of heart. While many UCCP pastors squabble and quarrel over who gets the bigger church, who gets to preach to the bigger crowd, who gets to have the bigger position, who gets to be paid more, the sheep are neglected and left without a shepherd and they are dying. And pastors will be judged for this. They are hurting sheep whose owner is God and God will by no means leave that sin unpunished. These sheep are God’s beloved, this is His bride, and I’d be really careful how I treat His bride and His beloved if I were you.

 

But we have a lot of wolves hiding under the pastor’s cloak. Wolves who turn a blind eye to sin, wolves who steal from the sheep, wolves that want to popularize themselves and make a whole ministry empire with their names on it. But my dear brothers and sisters, we are not called to build empires. We are called to obey God, and be faithful to Him. We are called to glorify God. We must decrease, that He may increase. As spiritual leaders, we are called to be nameless and faceless before Him, so that if the people at the end the service remember you more than they remember God, you have stood in the way of God, and need to repent before Him.

 

Next set of verses. After talking the false prophets, Jesus then turns His discussion into something about false professors. Jesus Himself, knowing the events of the future, says that not everyone who names Him Lord will actually make it on the last day. It is not that these people were Satanists or atheists, these people were “Christians”, church people, and yet Jesus never knew them at all.

 

At this point, some of you will object and demand what right have I to judge anyone? You will even tell me that Jesus Himself said not to judge anyone. But my friend, when Jesus said that, He didn’t say don’t judge at all. Read that entire chapter where He says that and you will find that in context He said in Matthew 7:1-5, "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” He was actually talking more about hypocrisy, because He says later, “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” We are commanded to call each other accountable God’s Word.

 

Again, Paul even commands us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

 

My friend, when was the last time you actually went and sought to check whether or not you are a real Christian, according to how the Bible says. Scripture says one of the signs of a true believer is that he will actually seek to make his calling and election sure. If you are not caring about the real status of your salvation, you are one among those on the wide gate!

 

Let’s go ahead and try and do some checking right now. If I were to ask you how you can know that you are truly saved, what would you tell me? Some people say, “Oh, I’m saved because I believe in Jesus Christ.” That’s good, and that’s what Scripture says, but it doesn’t end there. The question is, my friend, how do you know that you believe? How do you know that you truly believe, and are a true believer? Because if all you have is mere intellectual or verbal confession of Christ, you will be rejected by Him on the last day. Jonathan Edwards wrote about the culture in his day that the people were all baptized, they were all churchgoers, they were confirmed, but they lived like devils.

 

Now, the verses we just read provide this clue: by their fruit you will know them.

 

By their fruit! Let me ask you something, and here I would like to focus a little bit on the youth. Young man, young woman, you may be part of a youth group in church. But what kind of fruit are you producing? What makes you so different from unbelieving youth? I’ll say this with much love, that the great majority of youth in our Christian Youth Fellowship are not real believers. You know why? Let’s take a look at the kinds of fruit they are producing: Many of them are there “just to have some fun.” And we can’t totally blame them for that because that’s what their leaders tell them, that they’re there “just for fun.” Many people question me on this asking what’s so bad about fun, and I say nothing is wrong with that. But if fun is all you’re after, you can go get fun anywhere else. In fact, you can honestly find so much more fun outside of the church youth activity. Youths come into our youth camps, they go through all of the creative and fun stuff we prepare for them but they are no closer to God at the end of it than they were before going there.

 

In fact, they usually end up getting closer to someone else. They develop relationships with someone they meet at camp, and their relationship with God is completely forgotten and sidetracked. Their reward is not a more intimate relationship with God, and they have used God as an excuse. And what fruit do they produce? Nothing. Except worldliness and deceit. And yet they would describe themselves as Christians. Why? Not because they bear the fruits of being a Christian, but because they simply believe themselves to be Christian.

 

My fellow youth, when people look at you, can they honestly see Christ? I’ll make this simple for you: if your life bears more of the fruits of an unbeliever’s, rather than the life of a believer’s, you are a so-called Christian in danger of God. Look around you. Do you do the same things as the world does? Do you dress like someone who doesn’t know the Lord? Do you talk and use words like someone who doesn’t know the Lord? Do you entertain yourself and live your life like someone who doesn’t know the Lord? Galatians gives a clearer list of clues as to how to know a bad tree that will be thrown into the fire. Paul says that the fruit of an unbeliever are these. Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.”

 

Now, 1 John says that real Christians still sin. 1 John 1: 8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” But does it say that Christians still habitually practice sin? No. Chapter 3: 6-10 says, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

 

If there are any sins in your life that you are deliberately allowing or just letting happen, not confronting it and not getting spiritually mature people to help you against it, John says you’re not a child of God. You’re a child of the devil. Christians make mistakes, and sometimes some really big ones. But they by no means let it remain unconfronted, unconfessed, unrepented of. The child of the devil either just doesn’t care about sin, or knows the sin and yet does nothing because he or she is just having too much fun in it. Are you one of them, brother and sister in the Lord? What sin are you cherishing in your heart? Forsake it, repent from it and turn to God for mercy, and He will give it. There is no hope except to turn to Him in repentance and faith.

 

Some people say the Cross is proof of how much we are worth. No, my friend, the Cross is proof how wretched we are, that it took the violent butchering death of the Son of God Himself to remove it. There is Grace offered now unto anyone who truly repents from his sin, and surrender himself to Christ. Surrender his total self, no holding back. God brings relief to the guilty, and is close to the brokenhearted. God's conviction is bitter and painful, and yet His comfort is sweet and beautiful. There is precious hope, amazing grace. There is forgiveness available to those whose hearts and souls are troubled by their sin. 1 John also says in chapter 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confess before Him, repent, and seek His forgiveness. And He WILL forgive you. God is not greedy about forgiveness. 1 Timothy 2: 4-6 says that He is a God “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

 

The fruits we ought to produce are in Luke 3:8-9, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Your life should reflect Christ, bearing fruits of righteousness, purity, holiness, obedience and discipleship. When people look at you, they shouldn’t see you anymore, but Christ’s power changing who you are, more and more into who He is. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” How often do you end up talking about God with people around you? What abounds in your heart? Is it Christ, or something or someone else? But we are called to bear fruit in repentance, reflecting Him, pointing people to Him. How is your life in regard to that? How much of your life is dedicated to reflecting Him? Your answer will determine the kind of fruit you produce, and what kind of tree you are, and whether you will be thrown into the fire or not.

 

Conclusion

 

If you find yourself to be a false believer, it ought to be a most bitter revelation. But here is His promise: Final set of verses, Matthew 7:24-27, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

 

Sadly, after preaching all of the things I’ve preached there will still be those whose hearts are hardened and will turn even further away from Christ. On these people is the Scripture fulfilled in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that “we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

 

Preaching, for me, is the most important vocation in the world. For upon the words of a faithful preacher, the eternal destinies of men are determined. That Scripture says that to those who are repenting from their sin after this message, they will be given life. But those who hear the message and the call to repent, and yet reject the Gospel and keep rejecting it all their lives, they are already dead. I pray, don’t be among those who are dead. Examine yourselves, if it be well with your soul. Which gate are you in? Are you a bad tree? What kind of fruit are you producing? Examine yourselves.

 

Don’t be like the foolish who hears His Word and completely disregards it, ignores it, does not nothing about it, forgets all about it. But if you obey His Word, that is when you truly make a foundation for yourself, so that at the end of your life, you will have had set yourself on the Rock, and are therefore saved from the great crash on Judgment Day.