Oh, How It Drives Me Nuts!

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Adam Proux

Don’t you just love it when you hear someone use scripture out of context? Isn’t it great when people distort God’s word, twisting one scripture after another, until the Bible appears to line up with their belief’s? I know of a person that is obsessed with revenge. I’ve tried desperately to reason with them through scripture to put it in God’s hands and let Him repay, but to no avail. This person’s thoughts are paralyzed by a verse of scripture found in Exodus 21:24 “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” They took that verse out of context. They reasoned within themselves that God’s word said they could take an eye for an eye, so their actions are justified! Sadly, to this day this person has not been able to extend forgiveness to the offending party. Ironically, the offending party has been forgiven by God and prays for the one bound by desire for revenge. We live in a world today that is appalled by correction, especially when it requires us to give up an emotion as powerful as revenge. God’s word, The Holy Bible, should be studied in whole, not in part, lest we mis-interpet what God would really have us to believe and do. The Bible is indeed good for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. Do you mold the Bible to fit your beliefs, or do you allow God to mold you through His word?

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What’s that image in my mirror?

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Adam Proux

(The following comments are not an attack on the Church but rather an appeal to evaluate one’s self and current position. I need to improve myself and hope what God is revealing to me will help you too.) 

Lately, I can’t help but feel concerned about how the Church is being represented. When I step back and look observantly (not judgmentally) at the church, I don’t see to much that reflects what the bible describes a New Testament Church as being. Since the Church is made up of Christians, shouldn’t the Church look like a Christian? Shouldn’t the Church act like a Christian? Shouldn’t the Church live like a Christian? Shouldn’t the Church be a direct reflection of the Christians that make it up? That’s the part that concerns me. Is the reason why the Church is in the shape it’s in because it’s simply reflecting what it’s made up of? Christians are not suppose to be selfish or self serving, but rather servants of others. Christians are not suppose to be only concerned about themselves but should reach out to others. Christians are suppose to “owe no man nothing, but to love him” and yet the majority of Churches today are in debt up to the steeple. It seems to me that a cleansing is in order. In our individual life first that will result in a cleansing and renewal of the Church. What do you think?

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What is the purpose of Preaching?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Adam Proux

A farmer plows and prepares the ground before he plants seed. The ground is not just turned on the surface, but deep down so that the seed can have a proper foundation to take root and grow. If the seed “falls by the way side” fowls devour it. If seed falls upon “stony” ground it spouts up quickly and dies when the sun comes up because it has no root. If seed falls among “thorns” it becomes choked and withers. But when it falls into “good” properly prepared ground it brings forth fruit, thirty, sixty and some even an hundred fold. The heart of man is just the same, it must be prepared properly for the seed of God’s word to live and grow. Truth, is the only plow that properly prepares a heart for God’s Spirit. That my friend is the purpose of preaching. When done correctly, it plows up the fallow ground of a person’s heart and properly prepares them for Christ. Passive “socially correct” preaching is more like a rake than a plow. It scratches the surface but the ground is not properly prepared. Preacher’s need to be like farmers, concerned and passionate about the fields they’ve been called to labor in. If farmers approached their job like most of us preachers do, we would starve to death! Are people literally starving to death spiritually in the field you’ve been called to labor in? God help me preach the truth, in love, with boldness, plowing up the hearts hardened by sin. Strengthen me to plow my own heart first, in Jesus name. Amen.

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Easter Sunday, A day to remember.

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Adam Proux

Praise the Lord! I’m already hearing the reports of hundreds that have accepted Jesus Christ as savior on this Easter Sunday. Truly this is a time to reach many souls for salvation! The prayer of repentance draws Jesus to the door of ones heart, how they live from that moment forward determines if they let Him in or not. Remember Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Knowing this, we must learn what it means to be “born again”. It’s more than a few minutes of tears at an altar telling God how sorry you are for the sin that’s convicting you. It’s more than a verbal profession that you accept him as savior. It’s total and complete surrender to Christ for the price He paid for you! Being “born again” means old things pass away (old habits, speech, attitudes, desires) and ALL things become new! Contrary to popular church belief, sometimes this takes time to cultivate in ones heart. However, an instant change is realized by one being filled with the Holy Spirit of God. No longer will you be able to sin without Holy conviction immediately sounding a trumpet of warning to your soul! If Christ is in you, you will repent and walk righteously. We who know Christ, should pray earnestly for all those who prayed for salvation today. Pray that they were indeed “born again”!

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Helper or enabler? You decide.

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Adam Proux

How should a Christian respond to someone who will not work?

Please understand, I’m not speaking of a person that may be temporarily un-employeed. I’m not talking about someone with physical or mental limitations. I’m not speaking of those young in age or well up into years. I’m speaking of those who simply wait on others to provide what they need because others will. I’m speaking of the ones that are strung out on drugs and alcohol that continue to make decisions that lead them into great despair. I’m speaking of those that have enormous amounts of pride that keep them from submitting to the rules of a shelter or recovery house. I’m a very compassionate person and it’s hard for me to see someone in need and not give them at least something. But lately God has really been stirring in my spirit the question, are you helping or enabling? I want to serve God. I want to live a life that’s pleasing to him. I want to minister to others physically and Spiritually. However, I don’t want to be the one that keeps someone in a destructive pattern because I enable them to survive there.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

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