He Knows!

I do my best stay calm, cool, and collected in regards to my habit of reading the news online every morning.  But, when I read a story this morning about how the financial worth of the common person and that of our elected representatives is growing farther and farther apart, it was hard to stay calm.  Then I started thinking about the One elected by the Father to represent me, and started comparing how His 'style' of representation varied from that of our politicians here on earth.  A point to be made here is that the representation of the Messiah wasn't a one time thing, it never has reached a point in time that it was over and done with.  His term [of office] never expired, nor will it so long as we're still on this earth. 

'without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.'  (Hebrews 7:3    NKJV)

This fact, the unending of our relationship with God the Father through Jesus the Son, is most often given the proper Scriptural description of 'eternity' with never a thought of how much of a change this was to the status of man before God.  It doesn't take much time studying the days of the public ministry of Christ to realize that He had at least as much resistance from the Jews themselves, who'd been waiting for the Messianic prophecy to be fulfilled for almost four thousand years, as He did from the Gentiles.  A lot of the Jewish 'establishments' resistance was over this very issue, the changes to how God was worshipped and how man worshipped.  The whole concept of not having a new bunch of priests every ten or twenty or thirty years wasn't welcomed.  The priests, and their supporters, didn't want to give up their positions, and when the time came to step down, they already knew who would be taking their seat, which most of the time would be a blood relative.  This is the same situation we have going on today in our political systems, with the same abuse and corruption, and with the same resistance to any type of change.  Also, just as happened in the land of Israel and beyond back in what we call Biblical times, every time there was someone new in the limelight, they came with promises of how things were going to be better than before.  Things will be changing though, but not in any way that those of the world will like.  When we have people, who are supposed to be our elected representatives, who have no idea what the shrinking middle-class, or growing lower-class (however you want to say it), lives with on a daily basis telling us what we need, we have major problems.

I remember several years ago when the 'Big Four' oil producers were in front of some committee in Washington D.C. and one of the politicians asked one of them what they should tell the American people about the cost of gasoline.  The guy from the oil company started his answer with the assurance that he knew exactly what the American consumer felt like every time they pulled into the fuel pumps.  The politician interrupted with the remark that anybody who makes tens of millions of dollar a year in salary has no idea what the average American felt like.

The moral of my little story here is that when our newly elected Representative [before God] accepted the position, and let's never forget that He had that choice to make, before He said a word, or undertook an action, He lived the life that those He represents lived.  He was cold and hungry.  He felt thirst and pain.  He suffered emotional anguish and frustration.  Let's not make an all too common mistake and say, "If He were here, He would do this or that..."  Let's get it right and say, "Because He is here...." 

'by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.  Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.   For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;  who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered Himself.'  (Hebrews 7:22-27    NKJV)

What it all boils down to is that Christ, as each and every ones of ours  Representative before God, eliminated the space, or gap, between us and God.  When He stood before man, He did so by choice, which is another things we loose sight of sometimes.  When we come to Him in prayer, needing to be counseled and comforted, and we need someone to understand what we're going through, He does.  He lived our lives, He felt our hunger and pain, and that's the only way He could stand before God as our Representative.  We know that the ways of the world are contrary to the ways of God.  While a lot of our worldly politicians talk about getting out and meeting the people, name me one who got out and bled and died for the people. 

We are always hearing someone say that "We [I] know just how you feel" when there is no way they possibly could.  So who do you choose to rely on, someone who only says they know how your life is, or Someone who really does know? 

 

 

Christmas Day, 2011.  While I'm not particularly fond of all of the commercialism that grows more prominent every year that's associated with this time of year, I do celebrate this day.  Just what is it that I celebrate?  The Birthday of the One  who is as important to me as life itself is, and I mean this quite literally.  Now before any of you who dig deep looking for just about anything to find some kind of fault with, yes, I know that there has been considerable arguments put forth contesting whether or not December 25th was the actual day that Jesus was born.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Galatians 5:19-21    NKJV)

There are three important issues we'll take from this Scripture for our purpose today.  First, we have a whole list of what we can label as bad habits, character flaws, personality traits, or any one of what could be an infinite list.  Or, we can call it like it is, and call the things on this partial list what they are, sin.  It's important in a situation like this one in which we have a list that we keep in mind that the order has nothing to do with the value, or severity.  Fornication isn't a worse sin than adultery, or the other way around.  Excluding the sin of blaspheme of the Holy Spirit, sin is sin is sin...... Notice that dissension is listed right there in the middle of things, and keep that in mind while we take a look at a couple of other issues.   Next, we're told outright and point blank that all of these things are works of the flesh.  For those of you out there that like to argue every little point, just go on and grab onto this one!  There is no doubt that the apostle Paul knew exactly what he was trying to get across, and in my mind, he did a fine job of getting his point across.  Lastly, if anyone decides to persist in doing any, or all, of these things, these sins, then they will not inherit the kingdom of God.  How much plainer does it have to be? 

Now let's tie our understanding of these three verses into the purpose of my sitting here at this desk today.  So if someday somebody can prove without a doubt that Jesus was born on December the 24th or maybe the 26th, what changes?  What if evidence is presented that He was born on November 25th, or January 25?  Again, what changes?  Is your salvation any less permanent or meaningful?  Would this mean that Christ suffered any less, or shed fewer drops of blood? 

I guess that my whole theme today is that each of us needs to keep our [Spiritual] focus on target.  It's so easy to get sidetracked, and once it happens, it's never easy to get straightened out again.   We need to start out by being sure that we understand the basics, like who Jesus is.  What was His purpose?  Why did He make the choice(s) that He did?  How does our relationship with the Father change with salvation?    These few questions are not conclusive, not by any means, they just barely scratch the surface.  It's kind of sad that these questions, along with many others, even need to be asked.  What makes it worse is that a great many Christians cannot answer these basic questions, much less the many more that are more difficult. 

How about you?  Can you answer these basic questions?  Hey, don't let it get you all down and depressed if you can't.  Instead, why don't you do something about it, like find the answers.  Leave me a comment with contact info, and I'll help you find the answers. 

Be Blessed, and have a very merry Christmas!!!

Terry & Faith and the family.

 

Whose Authority?

Turn your television on at just about any time of the day on just about any day of the week and you'll be able to find some preaching going on.  Now this, in my opinion, is a good thing, or is it?  If you've spent much time in your Bible the longer you listen to some, not all but some, of the preaching on the television the more disturbed you will get.  Notice that I didn't say the more disturbed you might get, but the more disturbed you will get.  For any  new readers out there, something you'll come to learn about me the longer we know each other, is that I don't play word games, or mind games.  If I say something a certain way, there is a reason for it.  There are very few tv preachers I'll waste my time with. The main reason for that is because after my disgust reaches a certain point, then the frustration kicks in. I get frustrated over two different issues. First, how any man who identifies himself as a man of GOD could preach what is exactly opposite of what Scripture teaches. Second, I get frustrated to the point of wanting to jump right into the tv right into all the people sitting home listening to this guy and tell them, "Read you Bible!" Here is the point I'm headed for today, nowhere in the Bible have I ever found that GOD promises that any thing we ask for He'll automatically give us.  One thing you'll not be told is that prayers being answered is based on a couple of things.  One, that you've reconciled any differences between you and anybody else.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."  (Mark 11:25    NKJV)

Next, are what you're petitioning the Lord for something that you would honestly expect to be in His Will for you?

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  (James 4:3    NKJV)

I was asked to leave a church one time, and it was because I asked a simple question.  This wasn't even Sunday morning services, so it wasn't like I interrupted or anything.  This was on a Wednesday night adult Bible study, and I had been told when I was invited to come by the pastor himself, that it was an open forum, and that if I had any questions at all, to just go ahead and speak up.  So when the pastor began to teach the class, from a denominational magazine, and he began by telling us that GOD wanted us all to be good (he named the denomination here)'s.  He paused for a breath, and me, not having a bashful bone in my body I just jumped right in there and asked (and yes, I was polite) just where that was in the Scriptures, that we all were supposed to be good ------'s.  The pastor got a little red, and then asked if he could have a word with me in private, so we stepped out of the room and he asked me to leave.  So I left. 

Believe it or not, my little story here, which is true, illustrates two important things about the point of today's ramblings.  One, a lot of teaching and preaching is presented as being supported by Scripture, and two, if it's tested by the truths found only in the Scriptures it'll fail every time.  It says nowhere in the Bible that GOD wants us each to prosper and be wealthy, healthy, and wise here on earth.  Jesus taught that it was literally impossible for a rich man (by worldly standards) to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

"And again I say to 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.”  (Matthew 19:24    NKJV)    See also Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25

Another thing He taught was that we should lay up our treasures where it counts, in heaven.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."  (Matthew 6:19-20    NKJV)

And yet another bit of knowledge that our Lord God felt we needed to know concerns a problem the apostle Paul identified in the [Early] Church there in Colosse.

"For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now this I say lest anyone deceive you with persuasive words.  For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.    As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.  Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."  (Colossians 2:1-8    NKJV)

Colosse to beware of a couple of things.  This tells us that should we encounter any of these things, that we too should beware, in a big way.  The things the apostle told the congregation to watch for started with persuasive words, and if persuasive words come from someone, then there will be deceit intended.  Let's look at that for a minute, just how will we know when we come face to face with 'persuasive words.'  We actually have it easier than those early Believers because we have the Bible to check things against.  I call this the test of the Scriptures, and I've always advocated testing everything by the Scriptures.  When I'm teaching I want everyone there to have a Bible in their hands, and as I go from passage to passage I slow down and make sure everyone is able to keep up.  I do this not because I'm some kind of 'super' teacher or 'one of a kind' preacher.  I do it because when I was called into ministry I made a vow to GOD, and I take my vows to GOD very seriously, that I would never teach anything without making sure that Scripture supported it, and I want people to check me against the Scriptures.  The early Believers didn't have the Bible to do a test of the Scriptures, so Paul told them to stick to what they'd been taught.  Look back at verse six again;

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him."

What Paul was telling the people was that the message of the cross doesn't change, that what they had been taught when they were saved was still so.  God is consistent, He doesn't  change His expectations from us, nor His promises to us. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.  For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.  (Hebrews 13:8-9    NKJV)    See also Hebrews 1:12.

Any time we hear people making statements about having some kind of  a 'new' message from God, or a 'new' understanding of any certain Scripture, watch out.  I'm not saying to just turn the channel or leave the church.  I am saying to test every word you hear by the Scripture.  For those who've studied the history of the Christian church, you'll remember that it really hasn't been all that long ago that the established churches actually forbade their congregants to even own a Bible, much less read one and seek their own understanding.  If you're in any kind of a study group and something doesn't sound right, ask for clarification, say, "Hey, where in the Bible is that?"  Don't be bashful.  Tell them that I, Terry Keiner,  said it was okay for you to ask where that was in the Bible. 

The bottom line is this, God has made a number of promises to us, and sealed those by the blood of His Son.  When you get a package all ready to send off to someone for Christmas, or a birthday maybe, after you've sealed it up and sent it off, you can't add anything else to what is already sealed up.  So with that in mind, ask yourself, just whose authority are some of these folks who preach stuff that isn't in the Scriptures doing this by?  It isn't by the authority of God, His package was sealed up and posted two thousand years ago.  While it does happen that we'll sometimes forget something we intended to put in our package or letter, I'll promise you that God didn't forget anything.  Another thing I'll promise you is that He doesn't need any one of us to take up His slack.

By the way, whose authority do you claim your promises by?  Under whose authority do you live your life? 

Be Blessed my Brothers and Sisters before the Lord!
I pray you'll have many Spiritual Blessings with those close to you over these holiday times, and that His love will continue to grow in you!

Terry Keiner, being Blessed in Montana!

It's Time!

When we read about the formation of what we call the 'Early Church' in our bibles, we see repeated over and over again that those first Christians had a sense of urgency about them.  In reading the apostle Paul's epistles, or letters, to the different churches and groups of Believers, we can almost feel the importance he attaches to getting the Word spread as quickly as possible.  In both the Old and the New Testament books, we can find references to 'end times' or the 'Day of the LORD.' 

Just a quick point to be noted here is that the writing of the New Testament books, which were mainly letters, journals, and diaries, didn't even begin until between thirty and sixty years after the Ascension of CHRIST.  The reason for this was because a great many of those early Christians, including some of the original apostles, thought that the next coming of Christ was going to happen just any day.  With that thought in mind, the Believers didn't feel that there was any reason to create a written record of the days of CHRIST, because there wasn't going to be any future generations of Christians to read it.

Another term we can find throughout both Testaments is 'the Day of the LORD.'   Often, and wrongly so, this term is used with the connotation of the next coming of CHRIST.

What I'm working towards here is that NOW is the Day of the LORD, and mankind has been right in the middle of the end times since  CHRIST walked on this earth as GOD in the flesh.  So many people keep putting off any kind of a commitment with GOD, figuring that they'll wait until it's a better time, or maybe until it's closer to HIS next coming.  I've got news for those people, NOW is the time.  It's time right now to get straightened up with GOD, not some distant point in time that is constantly pushed back as it gets closer and closer.  Right now is the time.  Look around you, look at all of the weird weather going on all over the world.  Look at what's happening with the global economy and politics.  Look at the worlds leaders who came promising change for the better, and instead have delivered more misery and poverty to the people who elected them.  After you've looked at all of this, then sit down and do what I've always told people to do; READ YOUR BIBLE!  If you've been waiting until just the right time to begin your life with CHRIST, that time is today.

Don't wait any longer, it's time!

Which Day Is Thanks Giving Day?

Just so we get off on the right track here, I'm all for Thanksgiving Day.  I've traveled to other lands and have a better idea than most of just how much every American has to be thankful for.  A lot of citizens of the United States of America take this great country for granted.  A good many people enjoy every benefit this country offers, then turn right around and ridicule and publicly advocate against the U.S. for giving everyone the same right(s) they use to speak out against our country. Go figure!

My point to be made today sort of goes along with, yet is separate from, the issue(s) I mentioned in the first part of this post.  Just like on Sunday mornings, people all across this country of ours will sit down today [it's already Thanksgiving Day in some parts of the country!] and give thanks to our LORD GOD for the bounty before them.  Most people will thank HIM for this great country we live in, and make mention that there are a lot of other countries in which people don't have the [legal] right to offer thanks to GOD, or to live freely.  This Thanksgiving Day I'm confident that quite a few prayers will be offered up for the Ministers of the Gospel in China and Iran who were told the only way they could avoid execution for the crime of being a Christian was to recant.  I agree with everybody doing every single thing I've mentioned here, and that leads right up to my point of today's ramblings.  Before I get going and forget, there's something I haven't mentioned in quite a while that I need to get out in the open here.... Yeah, I'm a Believer! 

Is this day the only day of the year, excepting every Sunday, that should be a day of thanks for those of us who claim the Blood of CHRIST as atonement for sins?  Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm as guilty as anybody, so don't think for a minute that I'm putting myself up on some kind of pedestal.  I'll tell you what my excuse that doesn't work anymore used to be [funny how that works when GOD gets involved, isn't it?] Something along the lines of, "Just because I don't say 'Thanks' everyday doesn't mean that I'm not thankful."  Or, "It's in my heart, and GOD knows what's in our hearts, right?"  I could go on and on with the excuses, but I think you probably know where I'm going with this, don't you?  Yes, the FATHER knows what's in our hearts, and yes, HE knows when we're thankful even if we don't come right out and say it.  The thing to remember here though is that HE didn't just 'think' about sending HIS Son to die on the cross.  HIS Son didn't have it in His heart to obey the FATHER's will just on that life changing [did I say 'changing' or 'giving?'] day on that hill overlooking Jerusalem, now did HE?  When we get ourselves into some kind of a bind, GOD doesn't just think about giving us a hand our of our trouble and forgiving us for whatever bone-headed stunt we've pulled this time only on a certain day of the week or year, now does HE?  Neither is HE only available for us to come to on Sundays and the last Thursday of every November.  When we do come to HIM, whenever that is and for whatever reason, HE's always there, any time of the day or night, every single day of the year. 

The more I think about it, the sillier it seems.  It's like you have a perfectly good car in the driveway.  But five days out of the week, you walk right by it on you way down the drive when you're setting out on your eight or ten mile walk to work.  Then maybe on Saturday you pass it by on your way to the grocery store, I'll bet you really hate your grocery [shopping] day, don't you?  When Sunday comes, it's time to save the old shoe leather and fire the old heap up and off to church you go!  I know this sounds a little silly, but is it?  What has more meaning to you, GOD or your car?  Has your car ever not started or had a flat?  Especially with the price of gas, does it seem as if you're always pulling into either the gas station or the mechanics shop?  How about my wife's pet peeve, having to scrape ice and snow off the windshields? [It doesn't help when I explain that it only happens in the winter.]  Now, take a [long] minute and compare that to GOD.  HE's always there and HE's always ready.  We never get a busy signal or a voice mail.  HE never puts us on hold.  Never any 'low fuel'  or 'check engine' lights.  But a good many Christians only have any time for HIM on Sundays and Turkey Day. 

Every day is HIS day, or it should be.  Every day is a day of thanksgiving, or it should be.  I was talking with someone, and I probably shouldn't admit that I can't remember who it was, about marriage and I made the statement that when someone tells me that their marriage is a fifty-fifty deal, with each of them contributing fifty percent to the marriage, then my response is that the marriage is already in trouble.  I mean BIG TROUBLE!  Now I want you to think about this, if people are willing to contribute fifty percent of themselves to their marriage, but only thirteen days a year, and those days aren't usually the whole twenty-four hour days, to GOD then something is seriously wrong, with both that person's  marriage and their relationship with GOD! 



My prayers are for you all to have Happy Thanksgivings, and that you have three hundred and sixty-five of them a year!

Faithful in HIS service,
Terry & Faith
Absarokee MT

Why Wait?

There comes a  certain point in time for everyone, even Christians, when we all ask ourselves if we've made the right decisions.  Sometimes this certain point in time is at the end of our lives. I've seen in dying peoples eyes, who were not Christians, the fear of death overshadowed only by the terrifying certainty that what they've denied GOD their whole lives HE now might deny them.  In so many ways, the fear of imminent death is the great equalizer.  When someone knows that their time is short, all the posturing and worldly based arguments against either the existence of and/or the need for GOD are discarded.  It's sad to say that this doesn't happen all of the time, there are people who are so deeply saturated with satan's poisons that even the certainty of death doesn't faze them.  Then there are the times that death comes in an instant, like in a car wreck or some other kind of accident or when someone is killed by another person.  Of all of these situations in which [physical] death is the end result, it's when a non-Christian dies instantly or without a last chance to come to the Throne of Grace that bothers me the most.  I'll give you a good example of why I feel so frustrated and helpless during these times.  A couple of years ago, a good friend of ours learned that a friend of hers who had been sick for several years had passed.  I knew the fellow, and he was a real piece of work to say the least.  Because of the kind of man he was, this friend of ours asked me to pray for him after he'd passed.  It surprised her when I refused, but I believe it also shocked her into reality when I explained that if he didn't make the decision for Christ before he died, no amount of prayers would do him any good at all.  If you'll remember, Jesus told one of His disciples to 'let the dead bury the dead.'  His point was that we serve a living GOD, and we are a living people.  The frustration and helplessness I mentioned earlier is because GOD has made it so easy for us to come to Him through His Son, who even died in our place.  The 'new and better Covenant'  undid all of the restrictions and biases held by the Old Testament Worshipper so that all can equally come to the Throne [of Grace].

'Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'  (Acts 4:12    NKJV)

For such a relatively short verse, this piece of Scripture is loaded with information, literally life-saving information.  First we read about the exclusiveness of Christ as Savior.  Then we have the equally good news concerning the inclusiveness of His life-giving act.  Like I stated earlier, all of the restrictions and biases established by Old Testament Scripture and traditions of man were washed away by the same blood that washes away the stain and condemnation of sin from the New Testament Believer.

So, I'll wrap this up with a question, and I'm the first to admit that it's the same question that's been asked for the last two thousand years.

Why would anyone not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?  I've heard so many people justify their denial of Him with every excuse from they don't believe He exists to they'll check Him out when they're ready to settle down.  So many never have that chance to 'check Him out' because their life will end suddenly.  I'll leave you with this one last thought, and that is it isn't a safe bet to put off turning your life over to Christ until the last minute for at least two reasons I can think of.  First, you may not have a last minute.  Second, would someone coming to Christ at the end of their life still come to Him if they weren't facing death?  This is a question that could very well determine, for GOD, whether that person was sincere, or just trying to 'pad their bet'.

Motivation Counts!

I know that I've already talked about motivation in a previous post (Why We Do What We Do - June 11, 2011), but please go on and read this post because I've a different point to make today. 

'17Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the LORD GOD of Israel.  18But the LORD said to my father David, "Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for MY name, you did well that it was in your heart."'    (I Kings 8:17-18    NKJV)

What we have here is Solomon, the second son of King David and Bathsheba, with what is basically a sermon dedicating the new temple to GOD.  This was the temple that his father, King David, had desired to build years earlier, but had been told by GOD through the priest Nathan that this was something not meant for him to do.  The point here is that GOD was blessed by the fact that David had this desire, or need, in his heart to build a temple to house the ark of GOD.  GOD didn't need to see the temple built by David to be blessed by it.  It wasn't the temple itself, a stone and wood structure, that would be a blessing, or pleasing, to the LORD.  Now here is our lesson for Christians in today's world.  GOD has made it clear that temporal things, like stone and wood structures, and nice cars and trucks, how often we're in church or how much money we put in the offering, these things do not bless GOD.  While places of worship should be respected places, I can't find Scripturally that the more elegant or prestigious a building we worship HIM in, the more HE'll be blessed.  Neither can I find that the more chic or fashionable our clothes are the more HE'll be pleased.  Yes, we should show HIM reverence and awe by wanting to  look respectful  in a respectful-looking place of worship, if that is our motivation.  I read some time ago that one of the better known 'TV Preachers' in what we're calling 'Megachurches' now was given a $10,000 a month clothing allowance.  (This was in a taped interview, so I'm going to assume that if the dollar amount was inaccurate it would've been corrected before the piece was aired).  I'll tell you folks something, I don't know that I could except that kind of money from our ministry for any kind of allowance.  My first thought was something along the lines of how much we could do for how many people with ten grand a month.  This brings us back to motivation.  Just who is this TV Preacher trying to look good for?  It can't be for GOD, HE only sees our 'innermost' selves.  Is it for the members of the church he pastors at?  Now we need to look at their motivation for even being in church if something as useless [to GOD] as how their pastor dresses is that important to them, and it must be or the congregants would put a stop to that kind of money being spent on clothes.  In my first post on the issue of motivation, I made the point that what we desire to do for GOD brings HIM just as much blessings as what we actually accomplish.  Aren't we really trying to look good for ourselves?  Is this how we measure our success?  But whose standards are we measuring our success by?  This is where we can get into trouble real easy, even if we are careful.  Think about it for a minute, what 's the first thing people will respond with when they're invited to church, especially the women?  It'll be something like, "Well, I'll have to see if I have anything to wear."  The connotation is that church is the only place they wear clothes, they're running around naked the rest of the time.  Should we go to church in cut-off jeans and flip flops?  I'll not answer that one, except to say take it to the LORD in prayer, then dress however you're comfortable.  Just make sure that you're being led by HIM while you're laying out you clothes for Sunday morning.  Don't worry about what anyone will say, what do they know anyway?

Brothers and Sisters [before the LORD], make sure that your reasons for doing whatever you do are the right reasons, and yes, this does extend to every single part of your lives.  No, I'm not taking this 'motivation' thing too far, the only way that could be true would be if you felt that JESUS took HIS 'dying on the cross' thing too far.  Well, did HE?