teaching

GOSPEL

Posted on June 13, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

The Gospel is under serious attack in today’s secularized church. It’s impossible to properly stress the imperative need of getting the Gospel right … understanding both the person, the message, and the completed / finished work of Jesus Christ. In addition, we must permanently lock-on-to the personal dimension of how we, as individual believers, benefit from the Gospel through the means of GRACE (unmerited/undeserved/unearned favor) combined with genuine FAITH.

Preachers, Pastors, Evangelists, Bible Teachers, etc. say they “preach the gospel” — but if one listens carefully, with a biblical mindset (world view), we may find very little “Gospel” in what’s being presented. The term “Gospel” has become a nickname for preaching almost anything, rather than something with definitive scriptural-based content and objective. The word for “GOSPEL” comes from the Greek word euangelion. Notice it has the prefix “eu” which is translated into English meaning something “good” or “pleasant”. The Greek word angelos or angelion is translated into English as “message”. Combined, euangelion, basically and simply means a “good message” or “good news”. Matthew 4:23 declares:

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

In ancient times, when armies marched out into battle, the people waited anxiously for a report from the battlefield concerning the outcome of the conflict. Once the results were known, a highly skilled / trained marathon runner would dash back and give a report. This is the concept found in Isaiah 52:7 when God’s prophet penned:

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness!

The watchman in the tower would gaze out as far as he could see, hoping to catch a glimpse of the runner. Eventually he would see the dust flying as the runner approached the city, and an excellent watchman could even tell by the way the runner’s legs were churning whether it was going to be good news or not. If the runner was struggling, it indicated a grim, forbidding report, but if his legs were flying, with dust kicking up, that meant good news … which is the fundamental concept of the Gospel!

While the term “Gospel” may be used in literature referring to the first 4 books of the New Testament, as previously stated, Gospel means good news. Christ’s forerunner, John the Baptist, boldly proclaimed as good news, “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” Putting it simply, nonetheless, the Gospel (good news message) is Jesus Christ!

The announcement of MESSIAH, who He is, and what He accomplished, is the pinnacle, as well as the culmination of GOOD NEWS! If we share our salvation testimony with others saying, “I became a Christian last year, or I gave my heart to Jesus,” we are certainly and unashamedly bearing witness about Christ, but we are not sharing the Gospel. The gospel is not about us! The gospel is only about Jesus Christ – all that He accomplished … His sinless life of perfect obedience, His atoning and sacrificial death on the cross, His victorious resurrection from the dead (conquering forever sin and death), His ascension into heaven, and the powerful outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit upon Christ’s Church on that glorious day of PENTECOST!

These crucial elements are the objective aspects of the Gospel as presented and reiterated time and time again throughout the New Testament scriptures. So as believers, will we be determined to stand with the Apostle Paul and the pure good news of Christ’s message, or yield to the influence of another or different gospel? (See Galatians 1:6-8)

It’s certainly time to consider and verify your position.

His & Yours, Pastor Frank

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,
“BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Romans 1:16-17

SPRING

Posted on May 3, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

The idea of spring brings pleasant thoughts to most of our minds … new growth, fresh flowers, enjoyable temperatures, smiles for the delightful season and sometimes even a lift in one’s human emotion and attitude. In Zechariah 10:1, Judah and Ephraim are instructed to ask the Lord for rain in the season of spring (translated “latter rain” in NKJV and KJV). Perhaps April showers truly do bring May flowers! The scripture goes on in this verse to declare,

… the Lord who makes the storm clouds; and He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to every man.

Certainly if one lives in an agricultural community, rain is absolutely essential. Even for those that don’t, the ground must be watered if fruits, vegetables, and grains are to be planted, grown, harvested, and distributed for food. It’s interesting to note that they weren’t instructed to sow seed or remove weed. That’s a given, but they were directed to seek the ONE who makes the storm clouds for the rain needed to water all they had planted, the actual works of their hands. These showers not only were critical for their crops’ development, but also an indispensible benefit/blessing for the entire society. The well-being of the people is in play here, and God’s mercy is needed — in fact categorically and undeniably expected. Here we see human dependence in its simplest form, and God’s trusted design and creation bringing provision and prosperity to His people.

See, all was ready on God’s part, “ask and ye shall receive!” (See Matthew 21:22, John 16:24) God’s blessings are usually both temporal and spiritual, but in this case the people of God were to call upon their ONE, TRUE, EVERLASTING, LOVING, OMNIPOTENT, IMMUTABLE Lord in order to fully receive His promised blessing. Why call upon the teraphim or a diviner, as they had done in the past according to Zachariah 10:2-3? (See Hosea 2:1-13, Jeremiah 44:15-28) Instead, ask Him who had made a covenant and promise like that found in Deuteronomy 11:13-15.

It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Does the Lord want us, His followers, to simply ask? Perhaps God’s blessings are given not to supersede prayer, but rather to encourage and stimulate believers’ prayer. Consider this concept in relation to II Corinthians 6:18:

And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Doesn’t a father take great delight in fulfilling the request of his son or daughter when it’s exactly lined up with what’s good and right for his children? Recall the teachings of Jesus on prayer in Luke 1:1-13 when Christ’s disciples desired to learn about prayer, stating that John the Baptist taught his followers to pray. Consider the instructions Jesus Himself offered in verses 9-12:

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

Certainly as believers, we understand that the Lord knows our needs even before we ask. (See Matthew 6:8) In the same manner, spring is guaranteed to come around once a year, every year. Nonetheless, our Lord told His people to seek Him for the spring rain anyway! There is definitely a spiritual connection between prayer and promise … In this case, prayer and the process of nature put in place by the Creator, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit inspired writers of the Old and New Testament scriptures find no difficulty connecting prayer and the process of nature, spiritual impact, and/or the miraculous works of God’s Holy Spirit throughout history. This includes all Old and New Testament believers, Christ Himself, and those called according to His purpose(s). Do we suppose that when God promises or when He begins to bless abundantly, that we may then relax our prayers or cease in our efforts to please Him (bring Him glory through our words and deeds) 24/7 ?

Without question, the former rain did it’s work, all it was intended to do, but now the spring rain is needed. Perhaps this stimulates our sanctification, sweetens our fruit. Shouldn’t we ask of the Lord who brings greenness, who gives growth, healing, maturity, wisdom, and strength to all who ask? Matthew 7:11 reminds us:

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

John Osorius, a Spanish post-medieval preacher once stated, “He (Christ) exhorts all frequently to ask for the dew of the divine grace, that what had sprung up in a heart from the seed of the Word of God, might attain to full ripeness.” What a great thought for spring … may the showers of God’s promises and blessings bring forth much fruit!

Now, let’s consider the prayers of the saints (all true believers) as they come up before the throne of God. Are they not more significant than the seasons? The natural laws that govern our universe were set in place, and in motion, (study Psalm 104:13-35) by the same Lord who hears our requests and brings answers to bear. Sometimes those answers are even contrary to the laws of nature and the natural processes that He, in His immeasurable wisdom, divinely established! Just think … can you imagine … the God who gives rain to earth attends to human (believers’) prayer. In the eyes of God, is humankind greater than anything material? For us, as faithful followers of Christ, a cry to the Almighty, in celebration or distress, in joy or when encompassed by trouble, is the instinctual reaction of our soul/spirit — thanks to our spiritually acquired divine nature! Instead of interfering with nature’s law, prayer is the law of our new nature in Christ Jesus. While prayer for the spring rain, or anything else is an expression of our dependence, the act of asking our Lord is something much more. A precious privilege, an unsurpassed, sacred, incumbent duty for all His sons and daughters! (See John 9:31) – Pastor Frank

SALT

Posted on August 6, 2020 by West Oaks Fellowship

Have you ever heard the term, “not worth his/her salt?” That concept comes from the Latin word “salarium” from which we get the English word, salary. The “sal” of “salarium” actually means salt. A soldier in the Roman Empire might have actually have been paid in salt blocks due to the fact that it was a valuable commodity and could easily be traded or sold in any country or region’s market place.

In biblical times, salt was recognized as a necessity for life as referenced in the extra biblical writing, Ecclus 39:26:

“The principal things for the whole use of man’s life are water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing.”

In Judaism, according to Leviticus 2:13, salt was a required additive to offerings and was spiritually symbolic within a covenant.

“Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

In the Middle East, when men ate together, they became friends – thus the Arabic expressions, “there is salt between us” or “he has eaten of my salt,” which means partaking of hospitality which cemented friendships. Since salt was valuable, needed as a preservative, and used to enhance taste, it became symbolic of an enduring covenant relationship.

Abimelech, a judge of Israel, sowed salt over his own capital city, Shechem, after quelling a revolt against him around 1050 BC (See Judges 9:35). We know historically, that this became a common practice in the Roman Empire as well. They also used this same sowing process to sterilize soil and keep vegetation from damaging their roadways.

Turning to the New Testament, we find salt used practically, as well as symbolically. In Matthew 5:13, Christ Jesus declares,

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

It is clearly understood that sodium chloride is a stable compound that does not disintegrate … losing its “saltiness.” However, the common salt in Israel was primarily salt from the Dead Sea, aka Salt Sea, which was highly contaminated with other minerals. As a result, it would dissolve and could become (in the process of evaporation which was used to separate the salt from the water) a tasteless substance. These salts all diminished in flavor and/or usefulness over time. Therefore, this fact provides contextual understanding to Christ’s statement in this passage.

Here, our Lord is speaking to His followers and those gathered to hear Him teach, which is a Hebrew/Jewish audience. He also makes similar references in the other Synoptic Gospels (see Mark 9:50 and Luke 14:34). Jesus’ potential followers could/should have ultimately (as their faith developed) become like salt in that they would create a thirst in others for greater information and understanding … enhancing the taste. When one sees a unique individual, who possesses superior qualities in specific areas, one desires to discover why that person’s life is distinctly different from others in the world. It’s also possible that salt, as a preservative (a means and method familiar in that society – particularly among fishermen), means these individuals would/could/should serve as a preservative restraint against the evils in society. Whichever view is taken, the important and significant quality to denote in Christ’s teaching is that the salt must absolutely maintain its basic trait/characteristic. If, somehow it fails to be salty, then it has definitely lost its purpose for existence and should be discarded.

Is there a message here for believers in Christ’s 21^st century church? While I, personally, use little salt on my food, and frankly don’t understand why some people ruin an excellent food’s taste by over-salting it, or even salting before tasting — in this case the more salt/saltiness the better! Shake it out.

Are you salty? Think about it, pray about it … then do something about it. Let’s all agree to be — worth our salt!

His & Yours, Because of GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense)