Thanksgiving wasn't so happy for everyone

More Volunteers Needed To Serve The Homeless

All Year, Not Just During the Holidays

by Rev. Paul J. Bern

Another Thanksgiving has gone by, and I have once again seen the usual fanfare on various media about hundreds of volunteers coming out to feed the homeless this past week. It then occurred to me that, besides Thanksgiving and Christmas, what do all these homeless people do the remaining 363 days of the year? Before you say, “Get a darn job!”, allow me to point out that I once wound up homeless myself. I never thought I would end up homeless. I thought I was well educated and diligent enough to avoid that fate. I also had the opinion that, since I was in the computer field, there would always be plenty of work. It used to be that a busy man was a prosperous man, but that's no longer true. It's been over 7 years since I have been in that kind of potentially dangerous predicament, but the memories are still fresh in between my ears. After spending the final 7 years of my former IT career working a series of 'temp' jobs that eventually ran out in 2008, I wound up homeless after using up the last of my resources. I am far from being a lazy man – I worked for 35 years. But I developed significant medical problems when I hit my fifties, so now I'm semi-retired while trying to carve out another career as a writer and minister. But my point right here is that homelessness can happen to nearly anybody, except for the rich. My 21 years in IT and the technology businesses did not exempt me or insulate me from the effects of an American economy that has been in a tailspin for years. My current home and office, along with the church I attend, are located in what can only be described as a blighted neighborhood about 2 miles west of downtown Atlanta. I am seeing encouraging signs lately that this run-down area where I live is slowly undergoing a gradual transformation that will someday convert this area into a live/work/play green space surrounded by residential streets lined with newly remodeled houses, many of which date back to before World War II.

Unfortunately, the reality today is that about one third of the houses I just mentioned are currently boarded up, and some of them haven't been lived in for many years. Since there are a lot of transient and homeless people in this poverty-stricken area, a lot of them are currently living in these abandoned homes with no electricity or running water. Consequently, we have men, women and children living in third-world conditions right here in the United States, even in our midst! The primary cause of this can be laid at the feet of the public education system in America, but also because of institutionalized racism. Over 95% of the homeless people in this area are African-American, and it is minorities and people of color who are being cheated out of higher education or vocational training opportunities. This is a social injustice, and my ministry is devoted to helping out those that I can, either on my own where possible or through my church. Are you going through hard times yourself right now? I'm now living in some HUD apartments and I'm still in recovery from my experience. I am where I am because Christ was with me every step of the way, and if He can do that for me, He can accomplish that for you too.

America was once called “the land of milk and honey”. It was so named for the prosperity and promise associated with the opportunity that was once available to anyone who, when willing to work, could acquire a piece of the America Dream. In contrast, the old notion of hard work in the 21^st century seems to mean little in our current system, where the elite control all the money. The associated greed so intrinsic they have robbed good, hard working Americans of their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness just so they could squander the money on endless wars overseas that are becoming increasingly dangerous. After a lifetime of effort in the chase for their piece of the pie, some Americans are finding themselves out in the cold, having lost their jobs and their dreams in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Some have fallen victim to not only Wall Street's criminal over speculation in a system that could not support such monetary betting, but to a banking system that committed wholesale mortgage fraud when looked to and trusted by home buyers for professional guidance! Many of these unfortunate people are quickly finding themselves added to the homeless numbers of America. Many are trying to survive the current economic depression by seeking federal assistance but have found, much to their dismay, that government programs, one of their only rays of hope during their time of tribulation, are being taken by the same group of people who assisted in their demise: Congress.

Those responsible for 2008's economic plunge and the ensuing chaos are trying to phase out social systems that provide those who are suffering a lifeline in the ocean of betrayal they are drowning in. Even worse, it seems to not matter to those surviving the current economic disaster. The top 1% of America's wealthy are scrambling to protect their own by supporting a political bureaucracy that has abandoned the remaining 99%. Like prisoners protecting their plate of food, these people are surrendering conscience for three squares and a warm cot of their own. In light of the actions taken – or inaction in some cases – by our governmental representatives, those from rural and suburban areas have had no choice but to abandon their townships and move toward the cities in search of shelter and whatever government aid they can get. They have migrated from everywhere to the urban centers of this nation in search of the remnants of their national security. But in place of the Golden Lamp, they have only found iron bars and cold, impersonal streets. In lieu of allowing the preservation of their survival, cities are beginning to enact anti-homeless initiatives to drive them back to where they came while those responsible for this treachery receive record bonuses and wallow in ill-gotten gains. St. Petersburg, Florida is a prime example of such inhuman approaches. The City enacted new laws back in 2011 towards the criminalization of homelessness. A report that same year by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and the National Coalition for the Homeless, tells much about the current war on these unfortunates:

• Since early 2007, St. Petersburg has passed 6 new ordinances that target homeless people. These include ordinances that outlaw panhandling throughout most of downtown, prohibit the storage of personal belongings on public property, and make it unlawful to sleep outside at various locations.
• In January 2007, the Pinellas-Pasco Public Defender announced that he would no longer represent indigent people arrested for violating municipal ordinances to protest what he called excessive arrests of homeless individuals by the City of St. Petersburg. According to numbers compiled by the public defender's office, “the vast majority of people booked into the Pinellas County Jail on municipal ordinances were homeless individuals from St. Petersburg."

This is not the only American city to turn its back on those in need. Across America, the painful cries of economic injustice coming from America's working people is being called to the forefront as the newest form of white-collar crime. Many laws have been put into place to criminalize people living in the streets, thereby dissuading them from coming to their cities at all. Both sides of the Congressional aisle have argued the semantics of the deficit crisis and the current economic strife, but the blame for the downfall of this once great nation means nothing when one is huddled beneath a dirty blanket trying to survive the cold or going hungry. The homeless only know that their basic American rights have been denied. Even cave men lived in caves! Are they better than us? Adding insult to injury, those Congressional representatives who were put into office to ensure the continuation of our American system, are trying to take even more from them.

Many conservatives have complained that the US has become a “nanny state”. They expound upon the belief that we must no longer allow the expenditure of US tax dollars to go to those who supposedly will not help themselves. This may have been a valid approach in strong economic times of yesteryear when work was plentiful and the American Dream was alive but now, in the shadow of Bush Era gluttony and growing neo-liberal faux patriotic oligarchy, it stands as a slap in the face of hard working Americans waking to the American nightmare. Some on the left, voted into office by an American public that needed to be protected, are making deals to further empower the elite in order to acquire their own earmarks and campaign contributor benefits. They too, seem to have lost sight of what America used to stand for. The only security this country seems to care for anymore is the one that allows for funds to be taken from social services and used for illegal and unnecessary wars, Patriot Act driven oppression and corporate welfare entitlements. Those unfortunate souls who have to stand in line for a warm bed in an overcrowded dormitory or in a food kitchen line to get a modest meal, are painfully finding that many of their lifelines are being denied by the very country they pledged their allegiance to. Instead of solutions, politicians are only delivering rhetoric, excuses and false promises. In this, our country's greatest time of need, they would rather protect their own than fight for proper provision for the American people.

Many try to ignore these people as they represent the errors and gluttony of a nation lost but they are still American citizens and need to be cared for. The religious right and their Tea Party counterparts vehemently expound upon the protection of our borders against illegal immigrants, terrorists, foreign influences and protecting the Constitution for the preservation of America's citizens, but in the same breath they condemn or cut funding to social services that support Americans in their time of need. The simple reality is this: American governance has become detached from the lives lived by those whom it has been charged the protection and care of.

In America today, people who have been misguided enough to believe in the American system and lost their piece of the “American dream” because of it, are now increasingly angry and have become significantly more demanding about implementing some sorely needed reforms. We are insisting on genuine, authentic reforms to a broken government and to our economic system, which seems to work very well but for only an elite few. We as a nation are quickly falling into the realm of the second world – we are no longer a superpower. Those who continue to blindly follow the myth of American exceptional-ism will end up starting World War 3 and charbroiling the entire planet. The future of this nation and the world will indeed be dim if this bloodthirsty insanity is allowed to continue. The book of Isaiah says, “'Come now, let us reason together, you and I', thus says the Lord.” This is perfect advice for our modern times. All of humanity had better stop and think about what we want to do next.

Let's take a look and see what the Bible has to say about all this. First, an example from Christ himself. “Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?' 'Why do you ask me about what is good?', Jesus replied. There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments,' 'Which ones?', the man inquired. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.' 'All these things I have kept', the young man said. 'What do I still lack?' Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible'.” (Matthew chapter 19, verses 16-26)

Now let's look at what the apostle James had to say about homeless people. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed', but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James chapter 2, verses 14-17 NIV) Homelessness has in the past been viewed as a state of laziness, but today it is a growing condition that represents a dying world power. The elite persist in the denial of this national illness, since its recognition would admit fault. At the end of the day, ignoring it will not lessen the inevitability that this, our once great nation, is now a declining empire. Many are on the brink of bankruptcy in this country – so are many small businesses – and where once lay the promise of prosperous times for all, there now exists the reality that we are all only one paycheck, one medical emergency or one misfortune away from being homeless in the land of milk and honey. Plus, one out of every four homeless people are minors under the age of 12. This is no way to run what is allegedly the greatest country in the world. Homelessness in America is inexcusable, and it's the government's fault.

BIble study this week will be the first half of 1st Timothy chapter five

Giving Proper Respect To Women and the Elderly

[1^st Timothy chapter 5, verses 1-15]

Last week when we finished chapter 4, we read the apostle Paul's warning to Timothy about false prophets, phony healers and deceitful teachers. Do not hesitate, Paul wrote, to put these individuals out of the church, and to warn everyone he knew about them as well. Having instructed Timothy about how to treat those who preach a gospel other than that of Christ, as we begin chapter 5 we find him shifting his emphasis to internal matters within the church. This, Paul wrote, is how we should treat each other.

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than the unbeliever.” (1^st Timothy chapter 5, verses 1-8, NIV)

Here is practical, everyday advice from the apostle Paul on how to treat others. Remember what Jesus taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. These are very good examples of how to do so. There is also considerable advice and admonition about widows. Remember that this was written at a time when the average life expectancy was about 40-50 years of age, and sometimes much younger. So, there were more than enough widows to go around as it was. Paul is very clear about the dignity and respect that should be given liberally to widows, especially those with children. But Paul is equally adamant that any widow's children who are old enough to work should support their mothers in their time of need. He finishes the thought by stating unequivocally that any professing Christian who does not care for his widowed mother or sister is a phony and self-deceived Christian. How can we profess our love for God and our faith in the salvation of Christ while simultaneously turning away immediate family members who need help most urgently? To say the least, I would call that a glaring contradiction, and it's just as applicable today as it was 2,000 years ago. Now let's hold that thought as we continue at verse 9.

“No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over 60, and has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity to slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.” (1^st Timothy 5, verses 9-15, NIV)

This was written during a time period when women going off to work each morning was nearly unheard of. Those who are widowed – and there were a lot of those by today's standards just because life back then was really, brutally difficult – lost their sole source of financial support. The best way to get that source of income reestablished was to go out and find someone else to marry. Apparently people married for practical as well as emotional reasons, a practice that continues to this day in many countries around the world, including the US. We already know from our previous studies on Paul's letters that he thought women should be subservient to men, and he once even wrote that women were to be “silent” in the church. Times sure have changed since then, and for the better, I think. Equality, as I posted on this website awhile back, is Scriptural (2 Cor. Chapter 8, verses 13-15; Acts chapter 4, verses 32-36). Although the apostle Paul was certainly entitled to his opinion, I have always treated men and women as equals and I always will.

Paul also wrote about “helping those in trouble and devoting (ourselves) to all kinds of good deeds.” Let's ask ourselves this very question – when was the last time I helped someone in trouble? Did you ever pull over to the side of the road to help a stranded motorist? When have any of us stopped to help a handicapped or disabled person cross the street at a busy intersection? Just think of the most dangerous intersection you know of in your hometown, and then imagine your elderly mother or grandmother trying to cross that street at rush hour. Here in Atlanta where I live, I would either drive her to wherever she needed to go myself, or I would hire a cab for her. I'm sure you would do the same, even if you're not on the best of terms with them. I think elderly people have earned that privilege out of respect for their advancing years. “As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves...”. To a skeptic, this could very well read as if Paul were saying, 'If you're a widow and under sixty, go and get another husband because you will get only limited assistance from us'. By today's standards that would seem very chauvinistic to many, or even sexist. But please remember that there was no such thing as political correctness in Paul's day. Also, let's give the apostle Paul a little slack when it came to his attitude toward women, because he was a product of his own environment. I do not believe as Paul did about women, and I stand up and applaud those ladies who find themselves widowed or divorced and who decide to shake off their misfortune and go it alone in spite of the setback they have endured. 

 

“So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity to slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.” I think it's sad that these were the only options available to “younger widows”, and that Paul made the age limit sixty at a time when the average life expectancy including men was two thirds that much. Had I lived back then, I think I would have taken a more liberal or progressive approach to addressing this issue within the early Church. Apparently women going to work or starting businesses was offensive to the apostle Paul. In that respect, I continue to hope that we live in a kinder and far more tolerant society today than was the case during Paul's lifetime, and I am doing everything I can to bring it to fruition. And next week we will finish up 1^st Timothy chapter five. Shalom!

World War 3 is Coming - Shocking Predictions Coming True

John Paul Jackson - END TIMES Prophetic Warnings to America 2015-2020

The Real Origins of Thanksgiving

The True Origins of Thanksgiving

by Rev. Paul J. Bern

Each one of us was taught back when we were kids that the tradition of Thanksgiving has its origins dating back to the early 1600's when the Pilgrims celebrated it for the first time. But did you know that the first Thanksgiving celebration was based on the Bible due to the deeply held Christian beliefs of those Pilgrims? There are many examples of Thanksgiving throughout the Bible dating all the way back to the ancient Israelites, and the first Pilgrims were drawing on this religious heritage, using it as a frame of reference for their own celebration back in 1621. Allow me to elaborate, using the Bible as a backdrop in order to bring these examples of thanksgiving into the light. As you will see, there is more to Thanksgiving than its first celebration near Plymouth, Massachusetts. We can start with the Old Testament first, starting near the front of the Bible and working our way back.

“Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.” (I Chronicles 16: 8-9 NIV)

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, 'Save us O God our savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to His holy name, that we may glory in your praise'.” (I Chronicles 16: 34-35 NIV)

In these examples, the praise and thanksgiving is so strong that the Israelites are literally begging God to give them a reason to be thankful so they can praise Him all the more. “Gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to His holy name...” And now I will give two examples from the book of Psalms.

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving, and extol Him with music and song.” (Psalm 95, verse 2 NIV)

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” (Psalm 100, verse 4 NIV)

Notice that coming to the Lord's temple to worship is predicated on being thankful. The thankfulness comes first, followed by entry into the gates of the temple at Jerusalem. Entry into the inner courts where worship was held came last. One cannot enter the temple courts without a thankful heart, otherwise one's worship will not be acceptable to the Lord. One cannot worship God in the truest sense of the word without first being thankful. So now we can see that the tradition of thanksgiving dates back as far as the early settlement of what is now modern-day Israel, and that thanksgiving to God was incorporated into their praise and worship. At the very least it dates back to the time of King David approximately 3,000 years ago, around the time David was writing the book of Psalms. Let's go now to the New Testament where we find even more examples among the early Christians.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12: 28-29 NIV)

Once again we see thanksgiving coming before worship in this example (“let us be thankful and so worship God...”). This quote, written by the apostle Paul, sets forth the proper priorities for having a thankful heart. As you can see, Paul reiterates the same spirit of thanksgiving used in the previous Old Testament examples. In so doing, we “worship God with reverence and awe”, which is just as it should be whenever we worship or pray. Now let me give you three more quotes from Paul's letters to the Corinthian church of the first century, and these date back to approximately 60 AD.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (First Corinthians 15:57 NIV)

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.” (2nd Corinthians 2:14 NIV)

And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2nd Corinthians 9:14-15 NIV)

The phrase 'thanks be to God' is prominent in all three of the above verses. It proves that thanksgiving in the early church was a prerequisite to worship as well as prayer, just as it was during the days of Israel's golden age and the first temple in Jerusalem. It reaffirms Thanksgiving as being a time-honored tradition that is much older than what is being “taught” today. 

 

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 NIV)

“Give thanks in all circumstances”. In the Christian faith, giving thanks is not something that is reserved for Thanksgiving day. Giving thanks is done on a daily basis out of habit through prayer. It also means that we are to be content with little or with much, understanding that the sum total of our material possessions is meaningless in the overall scope of life, not to mention in the sight of God. It's a lot easier to be thankful if we detach ourselves from the material world and begin to live a simpler life. It comes automatically to true Christians, but it is something we must work on every day as we exercise our faith. In a modern society that is obsessed with materialism and the accumulation of wealth, maintaining our focus on Christ can be challenging at times. But the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that happens when we ask Him to come into our hearts gives us the supernatural ability to endure anything, especially temptations.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6-7 NIV)

In this passage, look what happens when we are thankful. When we are thankful on a daily basis for whatever we obtain or receive, it is impossible to be anxious or worried about life and what the outcome might be from day to day. Peace will guard our minds and our hearts, and tranquility will replace worry. Peace and long life are the natural outcomes of being thankful, as well as being the end result of having a closer walk with Christ. So it works both ways, you see. Moreover, this same peace transcends all human understanding.

“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” (I Timothy 4: 4-5 NIV)

All things are to be received with thanksgiving because the earth belongs to God. He made the earth and everything in it. Therefore all things ultimately come from God. That's why we are to be thankful and we must maintain a thankful attitude towards God at all times. So now you know the true tradition of Thanksgiving, and that the whole idea dates back at least 3,000 years. Keep this in mind as you celebrate the holiday. It's the best place to start on the way to achieving internal peace. Be thankful at all times and you will have the peace of Jesus Christ that is otherwise incomprehensible. This is one sure way to make life noticeably better. Everyone wants a better life. Why not try this starting today? Life truly is much better when we live it with continuous thanksgiving towards God.

This week's Bible study will be 1st Timothy chapter 4

Warnings About Organized Religion

[1^st Timothy chapter 4]

Last week as we closed out 1^st Timothy chapter 3, we found the apostle Paul giving Timothy, his former understudy and pastor-in-waiting, additional pointers about church administration as well as the fine points of choosing those who were to be serving under him. The qualifications for such men (since women were not allowed to serve until the 20^th century charismatic movement came along, but that's another topic) are spelled out in unmistakable clarity. But there is also an prophetic warning about the End Times that we are living in today, and it reads as if the apostle Paul was prophesying about the future church that he could only see from a distance. So let's begin our study starting at verse 1.

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer. If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the teachings of the truth and of the good teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales; rather, train yourself to be Godly. For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy chapter 4, verses 1-8, NIV)

Paul pulls no punches from the very start, and he was speaking in the Spirit when he wrote, “… in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons”. What was Paul writing about here? For the answer to that we only need to look 2 sentences down, where Paul wrote, “They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving ...”. Let me be clear that Paul wasn't writing about any particular religious denomination or teaching or faith. Paul was writing about the newly planted seeds he saw all around him that would later become organized religion as we know it today. For example, Jews, Muslims and at least a few Christians don't eat pork. I will decline to comment on that one way or the other, but the Catholic church says their faithful must abstain from meat on Friday, and on and on it goes. In modern times we have, as another good example of what Paul wrote about, the “prosperity gospel”, which I have written about at length in the past. For my newer readers (and thank you so much for taking time out to read this, by the way), the “prosperity gospel” basically says, “If you want anything from God, you must plant a seed because believers reap only what they sow. So if you're finances are in a bad way, send me/us a love offering of 'x' amount of money and God will bless you for it in such-and-such a way”. What this “teaching” actually amounts to is a perversion of the true Gospel. Certain elements are correct and quite Scriptural, such as the part where 'we reap what we sow'. Jesus did say that (in all 4 Gospels to the best of my recollection), but it was in a completely different context. In this instance, Jesus wasn't talking about money, he was talking about our deeds and how we treat other people. Therefore, this amounts to a twisting or warping of the true gospel of Christ, which is the cleansing from all sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. This false gospel won't cleanse anyone, it will only make them worse, because Jesus said, “You cannot worship both God and money” (Matt. Chapter 6, verse 24 NIV).

“If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus...”. Paul was writing these things at a time when the illiteracy rate was well over 90%, so the only way to teach about the Way – as Christianity was called back then – was verbatim from memory. Paul is telling Timothy to keep up the good work, and to never slack off the pace of his work in the Lord knowing, as we know today, that by doing so he was building up an eternal reward for himself in heaven. “ ...Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” This is confirmation of what I just wrote above, and on further thought that works both ways. Cling to Christ, the only hope of those who believe! As these Last Days unfold before us, the world around us is perishing before our very eyes. We are entering into the tumultuous “end times” that have been prophesied about for at least the last 3,000 years, and possibly as much as 4,000. After pausing to consider that pertinent fact, let's now finish our today's study beginning at verse 9.

“This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. 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. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4, verses 9-16, NIV)

“...we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things.” Christians are people who have no confidence in the world that surrounds them. There are those who put their hopes in stocks, bonds, money markets, futures and other investments, others who put their hopes in their careers (I freely confess that I was once one of these individuals), or in their houses and estates, and still others in just plain useless junk made somewhere in China. First of all, for all those people who go to the mall and pay retail prices for everything from shampoo to a winter coat – you are spending way too much money! Get a grip already! Reject the empty pursuit of wealth and possessions and embrace Christ instead! Our only real hope is in the living God, whose only Son was crucified, died and was raised from the dead on the morning of the third day. Jesus is our only hope and our only salvation. Besides Him there is no other – period. 

 

“...set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” Here, in just one chunk of a sentence, Paul spells out with crystal clarity how Christians should carry themselves and conduct themselves in an exemplary way. We are supposed to be setting a standard by the way we talk, how we live, by our unconditional love of others, and by our uncompromising purity – in this context meaning that we have pure motives – and the strength of our faith. “Do not neglect your gift...”: Evidently Timothy's gifts were preaching and teaching. But what is your gift? What talent, ability or specialty do you have that you can contribute to your church or community? For me, it's writing and music in no particular order. For others, their gifts are what Paul called “helps” in his Corinthian letters, meaning people who do pretty much whatever needs to be done, such as cleaning, or baby sitting. For others there is the gift of administration, or still others being a singer or other musician. The most important gift we have besides the salvation of Christ is prayer – that's one thing everyone can do. Whatever gift you have, give freely to God through the Prince of Peace just as God has freely pardoned all our sins through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” When in the Lord's service or not, guard your heart with your life, and your life with your “shield of faith” that we studied back in Ephesians chapter 6. Those of us who teach and evangelize Christ are charged with the duty to watch what we teach and how we teach it closely and at all times, because we are being watched more closely by God. But if we persevere, as Paul wrote, we will save not only ourselves, but more importantly those who we are teaching and evangelizing. Pastors are charged with the duty to save their entire congregations, and evangelists their viewing audiences, by watching closely to make sure the real and true Gospel is being made to known to all who can see and hear. Rest assured that this is something that I take very seriously as I write and blog each week, so as for me let it always be. Next week we will finish up with chapter four. Until then, be blessed in Jesus' mighty name.

Exhortations and Rebukes From the Savior of the World

Of Blessings and Warnings [Luke chapter 6, verses 17-26]

by Rev. Paul J. Bern

There are a lot of afflicted, hurting and just plain exhausted people in the world today. People whose lives are filled with sadness, who are poverty-stricken, as well as the tremendous number of people who experience loneliness. The world we live in today is one filled with war, destruction and killing. It is a world full of people who are viewed by an elite few as being nothing more than commodities at best, which is financial slavery, and human traffickers at worst – who will sell another human being for the right price. We live in a world where over 50,000 children starve to death each day. The world is a really, really ugly place. A famous musician named Louie Armstrong, who died back in the 1980's as best as I can recall, once recorded a fondly-remembered song back in the 1950's that you can still hear occasionally on the 'easy listening' radio stations. The lyrics to the first verse were, “I see seas of green, red roses too, God made it all for me and you, and I think to myself 'what a wonderful world'”. Lately I have come to the sad conclusion that the world Louie Armstrong sung about back then no longer exists.

But it is good to know that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has already addressed both sides of these issues. To find out what He said, let's go to Luke's gospel chapter six, starting at verse 17, and I quote, “He went down with them and stood in a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to heal their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Looking at his disciples he said: 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.'” (Luke 6: 17-26, NIV)

To get the right context for this event, Jesus had just previously called the twelve disciples, and this was one of his first public speeches since then. As you can see from the text, large crowds gathered whenever and wherever Jesus spoke, so let's consider the power of that statement. Remember, this was 2,000 years ago. There was no media as we know it today, no internet, radio, television, or printing press. Needless to say, since there was no advertising back then, I find it all the more remarkable that Jesus was able to attract crowds that were interspersed with people from what must have been at least 100 miles away. This goes to show you the kind of awesome drawing power that real truth possesses. “Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.” Besides being evidently the greatest orator the world has ever known, Jesus put action behind his words. He didn't just stand up there and talk, he healed people. Jesus didn't only cure the physically sick, he brought Spiritual and mental or psychological healing as well. There was unimaginable power in Jesus' touch. Being “troubled by evil spirits” (the word 'evil' in the original Hebrew within this context is 'unclean spirits') is just another way of describing mental illnesses such as clinical depression. 

 

But look at what Jesus said next; “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” There are an awful lot of people in the world today – far too many in my opinion – who are desperately poor to the point that they are living on less than two dollars a day. One fourth of all the homeless people in America are children. Assembly line workers in mainland China – you know, the multitudes that replaced their American counterparts whose jobs were outsourced overseas – average an incredibly stingy 26 cents an hour. So by the world's standards, the poor are all cursed all over this planet. But by God's standards, they are blessed. Does this mean God wants us all to be poor? No, not at all! It's just that Jesus defines wealth differently than we do. True wealth is an abundance of peace, first and foremost. True wealth means family and friendship. True wealth means having a livelihood, whether it is having job or a trade or owning a small business, even a tiny little one-person enterprise. Never mind how much money you make, or how big your house is, or what kind of vehicle you drive, your investments or the clothes you wear. All that is just icing on the cake. If all we ever ate was the icing off the cake, we'd all turn into diabetics!

“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” Nobody knows exactly how many people die of starvation each day, but the numbers are in the tens of thousands – daily! Meanwhile, roughly one fourth of the food that is grown in the US each year gets thrown away, from the farm to the restaurant to the dinner table. My dear readers, we as a civilization must do a whole lot better than this! Does anybody seriously think that God is happy about this? No, He is outraged! We throw away food on one side of the world, while simultaneously starving men, women and children to death over on the other side! How much longer is humankind going to tolerate this? For as long as war still exists, that's how long. So the first step to ending poverty and hunger is to stop all the fighting. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” Blessed are you in God's sight who have lost loved ones tragically, who are homeless because they can't find work, or who are too sick to work. You may be crying about it now, but you'll laugh about it one day in heaven. Blessed are you who are depressed to the point of being suicidal, because you are now in a perfect position to receive Christ, because when one loses all hope Jesus becomes the only hope and the only thing we need.

“Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.” This verse right here is much of the scriptural basis for Christian martyrdom, but that's not all. This verse is for all the people who never really fit in, for the social outcast, for those who have been slandered and gossiped about to the point of ruining careers and marriages, for those who always got picked last at school sports (like me), and especially for those who hate you simply because you are Christian. Congratulations, God loves those whom the world hates no matter what the reason! From a Spiritual standpoint, being hated, rejected, falsely accused and persecuted for religious, economic, racial or ethnic reasons is like winning a Spiritual lottery as far as God is concerned. Your reward will be great because the prophets and followers who came before you were treated the same way by their ancestors.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” People who care about nothing but wealth, riches and material goods care only for themselves. To put it bluntly, they are all going to hell. If there is anyone reading this who doubts that, feel free to try and prove me wrong, but don't be surprised if you get way more than you bargained for. But those who placed others ahead of themselves in importance in this life will be well rewarded, you can all be sure about that. “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” All the kings, queens, noblemen, governors, presidents, and particularly the dictators who kept themselves and their inner circles very well fed while the rest of their countrymen starved, a day is coming very soon when the tables will be turned against you. The wealthy western nations, who throw away 25% of the food they produce while over 2 billion are going hungry in third world countries, will be the ones judged most severely. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” All the rich elites, you know, the top 1% who control the top 99% of the wealth throughout the world, are all feeling quite smug and secure as I write this. They laugh at homeless people, they attack the poor as if they were playing a contact sport, and they are proud of how greedy they are. But upon Christ's imminent return, their joy and contentment will turn into horror when they see their ultimate fate for the fist time.

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” Who are the false prophets of today? They're all over the place, in the sports stadiums, on the movie screen, on social media, and in the pulpit. They're in our colleges and universities, on TV, on those porn movies so many are addicted to, and in our advertising. False prophets are ubiquitous, just as they always have been. It's just that, since we're living in the Last Days, they are now more numerous than ever before. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 and verse one, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name and say, 'I am he', and will deceive many”. That's exactly the situation we are faced with today, with Islam being the greatest deception of them all. As such, and since the Quran condones the murder of Christians, I regard Islam as the greatest potential threat to the entire western world. So there we have it – blessings from Jesus, followed by stark warnings to those whose only pursuits are materialism, power and wealth. It's time to get our houses in order for Jesus, whether you belong to church or not. We are all running out of time.

This week's Bible study will be 1st Timothy chapter 3

Some Advice For Today's Church Leaders From the Apostle Paul

[1^st Timothy chapter 3]

Today we will continue our ongoing study of the apostle Paul's writings, taking up where we left off last week at the end of chapter two. In this letter to Timothy, Paul cautions him about certain individuals who crave to be in charge of a church, especially when it is for the wrong reasons. Notice Paul's terminology as he applies it to the church because it is different than today for the most part. So, let's explore the details of this chapter beginning at verse one.

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.” (1^st Timothy chapter 3, verses 1-7, NIV)

Notice Paul's terminology right here in the first verse. He calls the senior church leader an overseer. Not a bishop, an archbishop, or a pope (my apologies to all my Catholic brothers and sisters, but that's what the Bible says, I mean no disrespect). These are man's terminologies, and they should be viewed with skepticism. They weren't commonly used until at least 300 years after the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ. The head of a church, what we have become accustomed to calling pastor, reverend, or bishop, should have the title of overseer. And yet it is very seldom that we see or hear the senior leader of a church addressed as such. This goes to show you just how far off base the modern church has become – regardless of denomination – since that time. “If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach...”. Paul makes it abundantly clear that anyone who desires to be the head of a church had better not have any skeletons in their closets. But he goes much further than that. Divorced men and women, greedy people, heavy drinkers and others who “party hardy” have no business in the pulpit. Neither do people with overactive libidos, or who have a bad temper or a mean disposition, or who are recent converts. On this last point, this could include anyone who has been a Christian for, say, less than 5-10 years. 

 

An overseer must have a good reputation outside the church as well as within. Nobody wants to have a crook or a swindler as the head of any church. Contrast that to some churches today, who spend all their money buying TV airtime so they can beg or grovel for even more. I know of two Christian TV networks, whom I will decline to name, that have millions of dollars in the bank drawing interest. The interest alone on these deposited millions would generate sufficient income to keep most any church solvent. Yet they always beg for more. I know of two pastors right here in Atlanta where I live that do this very thing. One of them drives a Rolls Royce, the other drives a Bentley convertible (as before, I will decline to name them). The question in my mind is, what are these two “ministers” doing driving around in cars with six-figure price tags? That money should be given to the poor and needy, as well as to help fund outreach programs at the local, state, national and global level. The price of a Rolls Royce would be sufficient to build at least three houses for Habitat for Humanity. That's three more homeless families that could be taken off the streets. Those who squander their church's money on highly expensive cars, enormous homes, expensive clothes, boats and even airplanes (I'm not kidding, there are TV evangelists who have their own planes!) will be held accountable by God at the final judgment. Having said enough about that – at least for now – let's continue starting at verse eight.

“Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who serve well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” (1^st Timothy chapter 3, verses 8-16, NIV)

Deacons, for those readers who don't go to church much, are basically assistant overseers. They answer to the overseer and the church as a whole, and they are held accountable to one another. They must be respectable, having a good reputation both within and out of the church, and it is imperative that they take their limited authority very seriously. They can't be shady salesmen or unscrupulous businessmen or women, and their reverence towards God, combined with their faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ, must be at the forefront of their lives. “They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.” This point is simply non-negotiable to any serious Christian. Church leaders can't be compromising with God, they can't lead Jekyll and Hyde double lives, and they and their wives must remain faithful to one another to set a good example for the rest of the church to follow. “They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.” This brings to mind a couple of experiences from my own past. I first became saved by Christ and committed the rest of my life to Him back in 1992. Since then I have served as a musician in five different churches, but I never started off that way in any of them. I sat quietly and fed on the Word during my initial time with these churches. I quietly let them know that I was a keyboard player and that I was available if needed. Then, provided that the Lord led and encouraged me to do so, I continued to attend weekly while beginning the process of learning their music. On average, it took me as much as four to six months just to get myself to a point where I had learned their songs enough to be able to play them (I can read music, but I mostly play by ear). During this trial process I learned as much as I could about that particular church while giving them an equal chance to get to know me as well. This is how I allow myself to be tested by them and approved by God in that congregation. Deacons and overseers are similar in this regard, except that the process for them would be more rigorous than a musician. This is just one example of what it means “to be tested”.

“A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who serve well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” Based on Paul's writing, a divorced person can't be the head of any church. There's no telling how many people are breaking this law of God even as I write this. I can only tell you that the pastor at my church has been married to the same lady for 31 years. Besides my blogging, book writing and my website, if I didn't have those I would still settle for being just a musician, having all of my former sins from before I gave my life and my heart to the Lord washed away by the blood of Jesus. That is good enough for me, and I am contented with that. But I serve to the very best of my ability in order to receive “excellent standing” and “great assurance” in Christ, not just to make a good impression with other people. I encourage you all to find a way to do the same. It doesn't matter what you do or how you do it, just get it done with the knowledge that your service gives you the greatest assurance in Christ.

“...you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” The church, regardless of denomination, is God's household. Are we loud and boisterous during church (babies excluded)? Of course not, no one would do that. But order should be maintained, not because of man-made traditions but because God is present, or at least I would certainly hope so. The same goes for our everyday living. Let me ask this question, for example. When you are driving in your vehicle, do you drive it as if Jesus was sitting in the passenger seat? Because, you know, he really is whether one believes it or not. Think about that the next time you're stuck in traffic, or if somebody cuts you off or pulls out in front of you. That's the proper perspective on this entire issue, and on this particular chapter of 1^st Timothy as well. Jesus is both physical body and Spirit, and he “was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” He will be returning soon to take home his Bride, which is the church. His bride must be spotless and without wrinkle or blemish, as the Bible says in the book of Revelation. Since the time of His return is very nearly upon us, let's take today's lesson to heart. While you're at it, start warning people that His return is nearly upon us. Therefore, this is how we should be living. We're just about out of time.

Defining the word 'repentance' in modern terms

What Does 'Repentance' Mean?

By Rev. Paul J. Bern

Having spent last week commenting on politics as it applies to Christianity, it has come to my attention that more of my readers want me to focus on preaching and teaching the Word to the very best of my ability (so help me God) and a little less on the political stuff. So this week – after all, I work constantly at being a better listener – I'm going to write about repentance and what it means in a Biblical context. I have chosen repentance as a topic because I don't think there are enough pastors talking about this topic on Sunday morning, or any other for that matter. I'm seeing too much sugar-coated feel-good Christianity and insufficient genuine teaching on how to remain a Christian once one commits their life and faith to Jesus Christ. Anyone can profess their faith in Christ, you can even call yourself an 'apostle', 'bishop' or 'evangelist', or most any other title, but if we're not living our faith, our words – no matter how many – have no real meaning. As Jesus once said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will see the kingdom of God”.

Repentance simply means to have a change of heart and a renewal of the mind. It means that while we were once acting in a negative, destructive and self-centered ways, we are now conducting ourselves in a positive and uplifting manner that benefits others first and ourselves second, or third if you're raising kids. Can we do this by ourselves? How about with the help of others? The answer to both questions is no. The simple fact is that nobody in and of their natural selves can be nice to everybody all of the time. And then there are those who simply refuse to be nice to anybody, but that's a separate topic. The only way we as humans can accomplish this is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Can the Holy Spirit come in and dwell within anyone's heart on his own volition? No, because Jesus is always the perfect gentleman. He never forces his way into anyone's heart. We have to ask Him. If we have never asked Jesus to come and live in our hearts before, he's not yet there. But if we ask Him to come in and make his home within us, not only will he take great pleasure in doing exactly that, Jesus stays there for our entire lifetime on this planet. Jesus stays with his children like a doting parent until it's time for us to go and meet the Father and to live forever with his Son.

How is all this accomplished? It starts with a simple prayer: “Dear Jesus, I've been a sinner because of my lack of commitment to you, as well as because of certain bad things I have done in my past. I'm really sorry I did all those things, and for not believing in you with all my heart, mind and soul. Please forgive me, Lord Jesus, and come into my heart to live forever. Let the indwelling of your Holy Spirit change me forever. Help me to better live the rest of my life for you as best as I can. In Jesus' mighty name, amen.” For those reading this who have never given their lives to Christ before, pray the prayer I wrote above if you have not already done so. You have now professed your faith in Jesus Christ, who is God's only Son, and you have basically dedicated the rest of your life to serving Him first before anything else. Does this mean we all have to become religious zealots now that we have done this? Not at all! Being religious means being an adherent to a set of beliefs, such as Catholicism, some of the Southern Baptists, the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and all the other cult churches that are out there. Like it or not, too often there are certain religious people who follow a certain faith instead of the Man who was the very origin of it – Jesus Christ the Lord of all. Being a follower of Christ means we follow Him alone. We don't follow the cult churches – and all denominations have elements of cultism within them to varying degrees. This is quite the contrary of what organized religion ('Church, Inc.') teaches, which is that they have the only correct answer when it comes to the interpretation of the Gospels. Yet I continue to insist that if everybody else is wrong but one, then no single church is completely correct in their interpretation of the Scriptures, starting with the four gospels. This is a regressive teaching, whereas what I teach as the Lord commands is progressive teaching. They are polar opposites of one another.

So after making our commitment to Christ, the next step is repentance. I'm going to use a small portion of Luke's gospel today to illustrate what repentance actually means. For some people, it's not going to be what you think. Let's go straight to the Source for the answer to this question. “After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. 'Follow me', Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' They said to him, 'John's disciples always fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking'.” (Luke chapter 5, verses 27-35 NIV)

The first thing I want to point out is how Levi the tax collector reacted when Jesus called him. Let's pause to get a clear picture of what's going on here. Did Levi follow Jesus just because his mom and dad always taught him to 'do as you're told'? No, there was something intangible in Jesus' voice that beckoned Matthew, or that attracted him to Jesus right from the start. The flavor of that moment has been lost to antiquity, but it can still be read in between the lines. When you prayed the prayer I composed earlier in this posting, I was beckoning you in the same way as Jesus did for Levi. We can all see what happened next. Levi was so 'amped' about his new calling that he threw a banquet for him and invited everybody he knew. But there is so much more to this, and it has to do with the way I'm defining repentance here through Levi's actions. Levi was a tax collector. He had a function similar in some ways to the Internal Revenue Service that we have here in the US today. As the text says, Levi was sitting in his tax booth minding his own business when Jesus walked by and simply said 'follow me'. Levi immediately got up and left his tax booth. He willingly walked away from what must have been a very successful career by modern standards. He wasn't worried about losing his job. He didn't get very concerned about walking away from his little one-man business. He didn't care about the loss of income like we would today. Levi placed his complete faith and trust in Jesus, no questions asked. If Jesus returned today, I wonder how many would actually do that.

There is something else going on here that continues unabated in some churches to this very day – religious snobbery. The Pharisees of Jesus' day literally thought they were better than the common folk because of their alleged religious superiority. Certain hyper-religious individuals that we have the misfortune of running into occasionally have no problem conveying their smugness and spiritual snobbery to anyone who has low enough self-esteem to listen to such nonsense. Just look at the Pharisee's questions they were asking. Hey Jesus, how come you hang out with tax collectors? Other religious folks fast, so why don't you? You appear to eat and drink to excess, don't you see how bad that looks to us? Why do you talk to sinners (nonreligious people)? Jesus' response is spot-on, as always: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus didn't come to save the merciless, the arrogant, the conceited, or the snobbish. Jesus came to save those who were man enough – or woman enough – to admit they didn't have all the answers! Jesus came for those who have come to the realization that they were sinners in need of real salvation. This salvation of the individual man or woman, as opposed to members of entire denominations, comes from a personal commitment to have a personal 1-on-1 relationship with Jesus Christ. He's the Son of God sure enough, but Jesus also wants to be your best friend and confidant. The Pharisee's response to this was to accuse Jesus and his disciples of eating and drinking excessively. It was easier for them to condemn than it was to consider Jesus' words. There are churches today that are still the same way. Make no mistake – there will be no 'holier-than-thou's' in heaven. God has a special place for those people to spend eternity in, and it won't be paradise. So let's all be sure and repent of our old ways and our sinful natures. It's the first step after believing, and it's how we get close to Jesus.