January 30th "Take the land"

     In Deuteronomy chapter 34 Moses dies. For 40 years Moses and the Israelites wandered in the desert. After Moses death God spoke to Joshua, Moses aide, saying “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:2-9).

     In other words, God was commanding godly people to “Take the land.” He wanted the people to lead in a way that pleased God. But remember that not everyone was willing to go. In fact, in Numbers chapter 32 we read that the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manaseh stayed east of the Jordan. In other words, they refused to go. This must have broken God’s heart. Some of God’s chosen people were unwilling to lead. It was all about what they wanted instead of what God wanted.

     God still commands godly people to “take the land.” In Matthew chapter 5 Jesus calls us “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” Salt preserves decay and so Jesus is saying that we are called to slow the moral decay in our culture. Light illuminates dark places and we are called to be light in a dark world. In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” In other words, we are commanded to “take the land.” Things have not changed though. Still, people refuse to go. Even people who claim to follow Christ refuse to go.

     So what about us at the Valley. God wants a healthy church that is united to “take the land.” Are we willing to go or do some refuse to move forward because they want to stay where they have been? God does not want a church that wanders. Instead, God wants a church with vision that is willing to “take the land” for Christ. Lives depend on it!

 

Stay faithful,

Greg Edens

 

The Dangers of Easy Believism

     One of the most devastating things to plague American Christianity is the teaching of  “Easy Believism.” This is the belief that all one needs to do in order to have salvation is believe in Jesus and say the “sinner’s prayer.” Many of us know it as an “altar call.” This false teaching was first developed in the mid-19^th by Presbyterian evangelist Charles G. Finney and became more popular through the teaching of D.L. Moody. All you have to do is pray a prayer, nothing else, right? In other words, easy believism teaches people that all you have to do is pray a prayer and there does not have to be any life change, no repentance! But is this what the Word of God teaches us?

     James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:19-25).

     Does this sound like that all we have to do is pray a simple prayer and we are saved? James says that when someone truly experiences Jesus there will be evidence. There will be a desire for changes. It is called repentance. You have heard the saying “actions speak louder than words.” Well, when someone claims to have surrendered to Jesus as Savior and Lord, the evidence will speak for itself.

     So what about us? Do we fall into the trap of “Easy Believism?” Do we believe that all we have to do is pray a prayer and go on about  life unchanged? God wants commitment. He wants lives changed. He wants us moved to the point of repentance so that we can become holy people. He wants holy people to advance the kingdom of God, not simply by what we say, but by what we do! Scripture says that the world will recognize believers by their fruit! Join me as we confront the scam of easy believism in our culture.

Stay faithful, 

Greg Edens