Back to the Basics, Part 2

In my last blog, I referenced something that the Lord spoke in Revelation, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen." I began to think about some of the things the Lord had done for me, not only recently, but also in my B.C. life (before Christ). He has always remained faithful to me, even when I haven't done the same.

You have to understand that when the Lord found me, He found me on the dump of life. I was in the gutter. So I began to recount where I had come from and reflect upon what I had come in to, and how remarkably my life had changed. I remember being baptized in the Holy Ghost on Good Friday of 1982, and almost exactly two years later found myself full-time on the mission field in Haiti. And then I considered some of the experiences I had in Haiti, and then again what my life looks like today. Wow! And again, not just what the Lord had brought me through, but what He had brought me to!

I was thinking about all of these things and then the Lord said, "Consider it. Think about it. Remember." And then He said, "Repent and do the first works." Repent. Now the Lord doesn't tell us to repent if we don't need to. I needed to repent on my behalf and on that of the church. Not an ambiguous repentance, "Oh Lord, forgive the entire Church." No, forgive Cliffdale. Forgive me as a leader."

You say, "Why did you have to repent?" Because we had stopped doing many of the works that we used to do that had such a significant impact on the lives of people in this community and around the world, and we had turned inward. We had become an introverted church, something to which I've always been vehemently opposed. We had become the very thing that we said we would never be. So I said, "God, I truly am sorry. I see." But repentance is not only words; it's a change of heart and mind. It's a change of direction, isn't that what we teach?

So we have to change direction. We have to go back to doing many of the things that made us strong, healthy, alive, and have made a difference in the lives of people, not only within our own community of faith, but also outside of our walls. I went into our Sanctuary and looked at the pictures of Thailand on the back wall. I think overall we helped plant/build over fifteen churches in the remote jungles of Thailand. Cliffdale did that! The people did that! Yes, God did it through us, but we had the audacity to believe God and say, "Yes, Lord, we will do this." And we did it!

And as a result, hundreds, even thousands of lives are being touched in the most remote areas of the jungle. These are places that previously did not have a church nor had ever heard the Gospel. Do we realize that there are some six billion people alive in the world today? Six billion people! And two-thirds of them do not know Christ! If we do the math, that is two-thirds of the world's population . . . approximately four billion people . . . who don't know Christ as "the way." They may have never even heard that there was a way.

I want us to be reminded today of the Words of Jesus: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." He didn't say, "I am one of many ways. You choose how you want to find Me." He said, "I am THE way." THE WAY! Not A way, the ONLY way. There's only one! "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh to the Father except through Me. I'm the only way you can truly know your Father in heaven."

Now folks, this is not a condemning word. I'm just sharing my heart with you. I'm simply communicating what I've been experiencing the last few weeks, perhaps longer. You can ask my wife. We've had several conversations in the last few weeks and months about doing some stuff. Changing direction. Changing course. Making sure that our lives are on track with the will of God.

The American church has preached a message of Christian comfort, and it's caused the church to lose its impact on the world in which we live. It's as though we believe that God blesses and prospers us just so that we can have more stuff and live more comfortable lives. Our purpose for being here is for glorifying God and influencing the culture in which we live. I submit to you that the first culture that has to change is the culture of the church. Remember from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first works, or else I'll come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place.

We are establishing some very clear core values here at Cliffdale, and I want every person who hears me to understand that. They are very simple and easy to comprehend. If we're going to be a Word church, then let's be a Word church! I'll write more about Cx3's core values in my upcoming blogs.

~ PG

Back to the Basics

Several weeks ago I was reading the Word and one phrase kept jumping off the page at me.

“If you’re going to be my disciples, then you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” We read this in every Gospel account. So this was something that Jesus wanted to be made abundantly clear to His disciples. If you’re going to be My disciple, then you must: “if” and “must.” Sometimes I wonder how serious we truly are about our discipleship.

I remember a few years ago preaching a series that lasted approximately six months regarding becoming and being a disciple of Jesus Christ. You would have thought that I was trying to preach the church empty because the Lord just wouldn’t leave me alone about this Word, “Being a Disciple.” And it was all from the red print in the Bible. We talked about the things that Jesus said we must do if we are to be His disciples.

Here’s what a disciple of Christ looks like. You’re going to have to be willing to do “these things” if you’re going to be His disciple. And one phrase that repeatedly shows up in the Scripture is that you’re going to have to deny yourself, take up your cross every day, and you must follow Him. Those are two powerful words, “Follow Me.” We read that when Jesus would talk to a potential disciple, it was ordinary for Him to simply speak two words. I don’t care if we’re talking about Phillip the fisherman, or the tax collector, Matthew. In every case, Jesus approaches them and says these words, “Follow Me.”

And then what does Jesus do? He walks away. He keeps on walking. He doesn’t say, “If you really want to know Me, come to My comfortable environment where you can sit in a comfy chair, with carpet on the floor, and with the air conditioning set just right. And if it’s too hot or too cold, just let Us know, because We are here to make you happy. We are here to make you feel good. Everything is okay, and it’s only going to get better.”

God wants to prosper us, but may we never be so deceived as to think that He wants to prosper us just for us. That is a deception that is running rampant in the Church. Jesus says two words, “Follow Me,” and then He keeps moving. And it’s pretty obvious that relatively few took Him at His Word and were willing to follow Him until the very end.

So I received this Word early in the morning that the Lord wants you and Cliffdale to know that you have left your first love. What is a pastor to do? Well, I don’t know what else I could have done, but the first thing I did was repent. But you see, repentance doesn’t only involve saying you’re sorry. Repentance doesn’t only mean “Oh Lord, I acknowledge that I, and we, have collectively left our first love. Therefore God, I’m asking You to forgive me, and oh, I thank You that when I confess my sins, that You’re faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, and today I’m forgiven,” and then I go about my merry way.

No, He actually brought me to the book of Revelation, chapter two. Fortunately in this case it was not the Laodicean church. But it was another church for which the Lord had a strong Word.

This church was located in Ephesus, one of the most influential cities in Asia Minor at the time. It was a port city that had been developed to accommodate a multitude of docks and shipping; hence, a lot of commerce, money, and people moving into the area.

Look at this portion of Scripture:

¹“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ² “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary” (Revelation 2:1-3).

So He says, “I know your labor, I see that you are working, that you are giving out, putting out.” He continues, “I see your patience, the fact that you are enduring, and you’re remaining constant and steadfast. And you’ve labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary in well-doing” (paraphrased). But then in verse 4 He says . . .

⁴Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. I see your works, and I am intimately acquainted with what you do” (Revelation 2:4-5).

You can still be engaged in and very active with all of these other things and perhaps not even realize that you have left your first love. In fact, it’s possible that your work and even your ministry have become your first love. It’s feasible that other people and/or things have become your first love. It’s possible for you to think that God has prospered you so that you can buy more cars, flat screen TV’s, bigger houses, and more new clothes. It’s just possible. So the Lord says, “You have left your first love.” And then He says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen.” Wow! Remember from where you have fallen.

I need to stop here for time’s sake, but I will continue with this story in a few days. Thank you for joining me on this journey; I am truly excited about what Christ is revealing and where He is taking us!

~ PG