by Caleb Gordon | Sep 30, 2014
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence — 2 Peter 1:3
We are in a strange place in our culture.
There are a lot of churches that say in their mission statement that they want to help change the world.
I know a lot of Christians who say they want to change the world…but when opportunities come, we shrink away.
I can think of at least four times last week where I could have shared my faith with someone who I knew was lost, but I did not.
WHY???
I believe with every fiber of my being, that Jesus is the one who could totally transform and revolutionize their lives. Why am I silent?
I’m so guilty of doing just this very thing: Having a desire to change the world, but not really wanting to act on that desire. How horrible is that?
I mean, come on!! God has granted me everything I need when it comes to knowing about ‘life and godliness’ …why in the world do I not yell it from the tops of building that I have the answer? It’s gotta start somewhere…
I really want to change the world. But how can I do that? Most people think that when it comes to changing the world we must go to Africa or some other country in order for that to happen. Actually, it needs to start in my circle of influence. It needs to start with people I know. I need to share the Gospel with people I’m around, and let it build and go out from there!
I actually need to show people I love them, rather than just saying it. This is easier said than done. Nevertheless, I need to begin here and actually invest in people’s lives with my life, so that they can see the love of Jesus Christ rather than just hear about it.
I need to extend a helping hand rather than a judgmental hand, not saying that we excuse sin, but we need come to realize that we are all sinners, and we all need to find the grace and mercy of our Savior and our Lord by confessing and repenting of our sins. If Christians were more concerned with people’s futures rather than their pasts, the church would be more likely to make a lasting and ETERNAL impact on their lives.
Pray for me as I walk in and through this.
I don’t just want to love an idea…I want to live that idea out in my everyday life!
by Caleb Gordon | Sep 17, 2014
I have a desire to help people. I have a desire to see people come alive.
I want to help motivate and inspire folks to live for God. I know that sometimes the things I say don’t always seem to inspire. Sometimes there has to be a balancing act that happens.
My heart’s true desire is to see God’s glory shine through the lives and hearts of men and women.
But I see a problem…
I look around the world today, and I see a growing apathy for the things of God. I look around the church and see no real desire to wage war on SIN.
I see so many people who would rather try to justify their sin rather than putting it to death. I even sometimes fall into that category.
Why is it that the human race shuns the things of Jesus Christ? Why is it that the church refuses to take a bold stance for the Gospel?
Why is it that people inside the church shun accountability, yet say that they long for it?
Why do I still struggle with sins that plagued me when I was in my teens and 20s?
The simple answer is that we need to rely more on Jesus. But when we are in the middle of our struggle and our sin…that answer seems so far away.
Here is the thing… I think that if we want to change things in our culture and in our world we are going to have to do just that. We are going to have place our sin, and our struggle at the feet of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can overcome that ‘issue.’ When we try and overcome our sins on our own works or activities, all that will breed is frustration and anger.
I think this is why we have so many people showing an apathy for the things of God… because they can’t fix themselves. And when they do try so desperately to fix themselves, it never works, and that just makes them more upset. Then what happens is, instead of running to the feet of Jesus, we run away from Him, into a state of anger and resentment.
So what are some ways that we can avoid such things as have been mentioned in the above statements?
#1. Pray, I know that’s sounds simple, but I think it the most important thing. Read Acts 12. Prayer changed everything in Peter’s life. I firmly believe that prayer can and will honestly change everything in your life.
#2. Dig into God’s Word! The answers we are needing and looking for are held in this book we call the BIBLE. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:3). Where do we find “knowledge of Him”? In HIS WORD! We should pour over this text like a love letter..because that’s what it is. He loves us and wants us to know Him more intimately.
#3. Plug yourself into a BIBLE-centered church that will love you and hold you accountable. Heb. 10:23-25 says:
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
There is no such thing as Lone Ranger Christianity. We are called to be in community. Don’t try and do this alone. It will never work.
The reason I write this is to encourage you and me both to look at Jesus as the answer rather than the problem.
by Caleb Gordon | Aug 19, 2014
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say
what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
I love Christian music! In fact, I’m in a Christian worship band. We lead worship all over the country. In fact, I am the worship pastor at my church!
Music has been an important part of my life, so my issue is NOT with Christian music. The issue is with modern day worship leaders. I have been noticing a trend with Christian artists in the last two months.
The trend is now to take a stand against a biblical worldview. Here are a couple of examples:
- Jars of Clay lead singer says that he’s now OK with gay marriage.
- Gungor states that they no longer believe the Bible, and they have a song out now that is called “GOD OUR MOTHER.”
Here is a line from the song:
‘God our mother…leading us into peace, leading and comforting all those in need… hallowed be thy name in all the earth.’
These are just a few things that are happening inside the world of Christian worship leaders. It’s sad and concerning. Worship leaders are to prepare the hearts of the church (people) to hear God’s word. Or help the church respond in worship after hearing the Word of God proclaimed. But if you have worship leaders who A. Don’t believe the Bible is inspired and B. Don’t believe in a biblical worldview, then what in the world are they doing in the business of leading people in worship to the GOD OF THE BIBLE?
What’s the point? Seriously? How did we get here?
I think one of the major problems inside of Christendom is that we (as a culture) have placed Christian artists and worship leaders on a platform that they really should have never been placed on. As a result of placing them on this platform, we have, in a way, defined them and given them an influential place at the table. This is not always a bad thing, but fame and money have a strange effect on human beings, and if you’re not in a solid Biblical community of accountability, it can go dark fairly quickly. These people who have been given a gift by God to lead folks in worship can get a ‘ROCK STAR’ mentality.
As a result of having this mentality sometimes what happens is people don’t think they need to be in church or any type of biblical community with ‘normal folks’, and as a result they surround themselves with people who think this same way, and this in turn becomes their community. This can become dangerous.
How do we fix it?
We need worship leaders who have a SERVANT’S heart and leaders who desire to live out a biblical worldview on and off stage, not a rock star’s heart. I know that most folks start out with a servant’s heart in mind, but somewhere along the line we start to think too highly of ourselves. And we’re all in danger of being a part of something like this, if we are not careful.
I have strategically placed people in my life to keep me humble. I have friends and family who don’t think I’m a rock star. They know me as a flawed human being who needs God’s grace daily.
I am a member of a local Bible-based community (i.e. The Church) where people see me every week in a normal capacity and not just on a stage. I’m not unwilling to step up and clean a bathroom or help in a Sunday school class (as the background man) if need be.
Now, I know what some people will say, ‘Well, you’re just bragging’. Nope! I’m simply saying these are helpful ways to keep us humble.
We need leaders in the Church who actually believe the message of Jesus, and not just some of the message, but all of it.
I think we’ll see solid and long lasting growth if we actually do it this way.
by Caleb Gordon | Aug 1, 2014
I have written a blog on my thoughts on gay marriage and Homosexuality in general.
It’s an issue, but I think there is a bigger issue.
But the bigger issue at hand is the evaporation of men and women getting married.
We have tons of (heterosexual) people who just live together. With no thought of getting married. (This is called sexual immorality in the Bible.) Several of these couples claim to be Christ followers.
This is a problem.
God is against men and women ‘shacking up’ before marriage. Many ask why? What does it hurt? If you look at the statistics and the outward evidence men and women who live together have more emotional issues and relationship problems than those who chose NOT to live together before marriage. But overall the major issue is that God forbids it. That should be more than sufficient.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 6:18-20
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Heb 13:4
God has a creative order. He wants men and women simply to follow and obey Him.
So is gay marriage an assault on the idea and institution of marriage? Yes! But the bigger issue, and frankly what has brought us to where we are, is men and women choosing to ignore the mandate of God to become man and wife, and saying ‘I think my way is better.’
It’s not better, and honestly it’s one of the main reasons why our country and our world is in it’s current moral state that it’s in.
So…I’d like to give us a few simple ideas on how to get out of this mess.
1. If you are living with your boyfriend/girlfriend and you’re not married. STOP IT!! Repent. Ask Jesus to forgive you.
2. If your boyfriend is sleeping with you, but refuses to marry you. LEAVE HIM! He’s not worth your time. Any dude that won’t commit to marry you, but wants your body does not really care and/or love you. Period!
3. Just get married. Don’t waste your time on long engagements. Those are just silly.
Here’s the deal…if we continue in sexual immorality, God promises us that we will not make it into heaven. ( 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 )
So if you’re sleeping with your boyfriend/girlfriend does that mean you’re done in God’s eyes? NO WAY! There is always a glimmer of hope.
1 John 1:9 says: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we repent there is always forgiveness and there is redemption. Why would you not want God’s grace in your life on this issue?
by Caleb Gordon | Jul 17, 2014
I have friends who say things like: “I want my kids to decide for themselves about God.”
I have always struggled with this idea…well lo and behold, my pastor (Josh Eaton) recently did a sermon on why that’s a bad thing.
Here are his five reasons those are bad ideas:
1. It assumes they are not sinners and can figure it out on their own.
2. It assumes you don’t really believe God is the only way and others go to Hell.
3. It is disobedient to God’s command NOT to teach and train your children in his way.
4. You don’t have that attitude toward other lesser things.
5. It is assumes that you think God’s ways aren’t that important.
You (as a parent) are to be the primary BIBLE teacher for your children. Not your pastor, youth pastor, or your child’s Sunday School teacher. You are the one that needs to be teaching them about God.
If you don’t teach your child to love God, someone is going to teach your child to not love God.
Step up and start talking to your children about God.
Step up and start PRAYING with your children.
If you don’t know what to do, start with something video based. Just be present with them while you’re children are hearing about God.
IF they ask questions and you don’t know the answer, tell them you don’t know, but you’re going to find out the answer together.
Are you going to do it perfectly? NOPE! But that’s OK. It’s a process. Just do it.
Your child’s eternity is on the line. Be proactive in teaching your children the Gospel.