Denomination Blues and other miscellaneous thoughts. I have been around the church scene now since 1974 and along the way I have seen and heard about everything you can imagine. The consistent theme I have seen is how every sect of Christianity claims to have the truth and how arrogant this has come across to me.
Lately I have seen a methodical plan of attack against all Protestant and Catholic beliefs by the “Messianic” sect of Christ followers. Its no different than the others when they claim all truth or pure truth and that all others are misguided at best and not even saved at worst. I remember when the Reformed Theology bunch started their militant Calvinistic attacks against their non-suspecting brothers and sisters who like me believe that as much God is Sovereign and calls me it is also partly my responsibility to recognize, validate and answer that selection or call of God.
The argument that if God has not elected me or called me as part of his Kingdom that I was doomed to hell no matter if I recognized who He is and surrendered to his call of salvation or if I was not part of the “elect” few than it was hopeless for me. If that is indeed how God works then how can one be sure they are in that group? And sure we all use scripture to back all our points of view and the church we attend stance and dogma but is it total truth? Can any of us say that for sure on each stance we so forcible take? O, we are so good at drawing lines in the sand.
I'm tired of peoples opinions and even their ideas of Gods Kingdom and am only interested in the Bible from God's point of view. But here is my argument today to all my brothers and sisters of all different denominations and sects if you will follow this blog entry just a bit further. How can we know in such certainty the things of God that we would heap hot coals on or at another believer if they do not believe exactly as us??
Indulge me further for arguments sake. I have been married to a wonderful woman for 23 going on 24 years now. Before marriage she and I dated for 5 years. During this entire 28 year process I have tried to get close to and know this woman that I have covenant with and yes even love with all my heart. We have spent countless hours on the phone, writing letters, and talking. We have been through thick and thin and back again, with lots of laughs and tears. We have gone through raising 3 children and taking care of and watching loved ones die. We have struggled in many areas and also have been mightily blessed. My point is this....after all these years I still don't know this woman in all she is and she does not know me entirely. The point could be made who can fully know a woman....lol! But I have devoted my life to this woman and yet can I fully speak for her or know her every word of intention or purpose even when it comes to me? NO WAY! Now before you say Brian you need help in your marriage I would ask you to say what other person in life do you really know fully? Do you even know who you are in all things?
We are so complex and also so mortal. Who can speak for God? Who can be so arrogant as to say I have total truth? He sits outside of time! He knows the end from the beginning! He knows the hairs on your head and every little detail not just about you but every man, woman and child breathing, not breathing and not yet breathing as well as every living and dead thing here and in the entire universe.....and YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHAT HE THINKS AND SPEAK FOR HIM?????
This is the same arrogance of the first sin and that is one of PRIDE! Are any of you greater than the Apostles? They confessed to only know in part and to not have a clear picture of all the things of the Kingdom. We are lucky when we get glimpses! We are blessed to be invited to start with God and see where this journey of walking out and working out our salvation takes us. Let us remember that our ride on this planet is exactly that.....uniquely ours and my walk with fear and trembling into the call and purposes of God most likely will not look like yours. Sorry if that makes you conformist uncomfortable. We are not to conform to a system or style but to our maker. We are not going to be satisfied in any yoke other than that of Christ! So be ready to give an account and stand for what you believe and don't stop the journey. But in all things show love to your brothers and sisters even if they don't agree with your position. Give them the grace to hear you and your point and then to let God be God. Pray and Fast for them if you really are worried about what they believe or practice but you can't be the Holy Spirit for me or anyone else. More important though is to remember that all of us have been shown so much love and grace from heaven even in our ignorance, our sin, and our foolish pride that we should not be so unloving and so provoking to others. That is how they will know we are Christians not in what we agree but in how we act in disagreement. In a moment we all we be transformed into perfection and we will know Him as He is......Until then, let love prevail!
In His Service and Under His Mercy! Brian
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Muslim Center near 9-11 site
I've been in many discussions lately over the issue of a Muslim Center near the World Trade Center site better known as Ground Zero in Manhattan. I've been shocked by the anger, venom and hatred spewed by my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I'm shocked by how distracted the church is today in the politics of man and forgets the teachings of the head of the Church. Muslims are at this very time more vulnerable to the testimony of Jesus Christ more than any other time in History. In a time when we we as Christians are called to love our neighbor as Jesus summed up all the law into love your Lord with all your heart, and to love your neighbor as yourself, we find a way to get caught up in politics.
I get all the arguments, really I do. But, how does this show them, our neighbor and maybe even our enemy the love of Christ? How does opposing this give the power of the gospel any chance to glorify God in this situation? If we believe the words of Jesus, and I do, then how can we add the rhetoric up and justify the hate through our saviors message of how we are to win them over??
Who is our neighbor? Just the ones that look and sound like us? Agree with us? Dress like us?? Are they not also created in the image of God and didn't the blood of Jesus spill out for their salvation as well? Let us not also forget the blood of US young men and women in the armed forces that have died to give all citizens an equal opportunity for enjoyed freedom in this great land!
I say we win them over with the love of God! I say we show them the power of forgiveness as Christ has forgiven us and first loved us. I say to let the testimony of the only God that has given His life so we can live be shown to them as living testimonies. Our lives need to be grounded and led by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by Fox News or Facebook Groups that want to stir us up in our emotions.
We as the church need to do a better job when the world gives us an opportunity to shine in the crisis. 9-11, Katrina, etc. etc are all opportunities for us to show the real power of God alive on earth today and yet we sit by passively and let the government take front row center leadership. Let us respond to the call of action by showing our love for the Lord Jesus Christ by being his ambassador's and doing His will here on earth as it is already in Heaven.
In His Service!
Brian
I'm shocked by how distracted the church is today in the politics of man and forgets the teachings of the head of the Church. Muslims are at this very time more vulnerable to the testimony of Jesus Christ more than any other time in History. In a time when we we as Christians are called to love our neighbor as Jesus summed up all the law into love your Lord with all your heart, and to love your neighbor as yourself, we find a way to get caught up in politics.
I get all the arguments, really I do. But, how does this show them, our neighbor and maybe even our enemy the love of Christ? How does opposing this give the power of the gospel any chance to glorify God in this situation? If we believe the words of Jesus, and I do, then how can we add the rhetoric up and justify the hate through our saviors message of how we are to win them over??
Who is our neighbor? Just the ones that look and sound like us? Agree with us? Dress like us?? Are they not also created in the image of God and didn't the blood of Jesus spill out for their salvation as well? Let us not also forget the blood of US young men and women in the armed forces that have died to give all citizens an equal opportunity for enjoyed freedom in this great land!
I say we win them over with the love of God! I say we show them the power of forgiveness as Christ has forgiven us and first loved us. I say to let the testimony of the only God that has given His life so we can live be shown to them as living testimonies. Our lives need to be grounded and led by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by Fox News or Facebook Groups that want to stir us up in our emotions.
We as the church need to do a better job when the world gives us an opportunity to shine in the crisis. 9-11, Katrina, etc. etc are all opportunities for us to show the real power of God alive on earth today and yet we sit by passively and let the government take front row center leadership. Let us respond to the call of action by showing our love for the Lord Jesus Christ by being his ambassador's and doing His will here on earth as it is already in Heaven.
In His Service!
Brian
Friday, July 23, 2010
An Open Letter to the Church
AN OPEN LETTER FROM BRIAN WINOGRAD OF IN HIS SERVICE MINISTRIES, INC.
I have been in much prayer and sorrow for the mechanism of the church for many years now. The Lord has used me from a young believer until now to be part of pioneering three different churches at different stages of my life. My eyes have witnessed much and sadly the testimony and witness of these three places of worship have fallen short of the purpose, calling and instructions of whence they first began.
This letter is not to go into any details of the negative experience’s or to judge, condemn or crucify my brothers and sisters in the Lord. In His Service Ministries seeks to find the truth and teach on those findings from a Biblical perspective. I hope this paper encourages you to ignite a conversation within your church to come back to the heart of the function of the body of Christ.
From the beginning of time God looked to bless the world through His people. We see a picture of this in the story of Joseph saving Egypt and also Israel. Romans 1:21 says in the NLT, “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.” We often look upon this writing as for the “unbeliever” but lets for this papers sake look at it as where the nation of Israel was spiritually when Christ arrived and then apply it the mechanism of the church today.
Israel had traded the intention of God for relationship with him and also being a blessing to the nations for religious ceremonies and sets of human structure. The law was given to Moses when Israel rejected the offer of relationship and to worship him in spirit and truth after being taken out of slavery. The law as we know was a taskmaster to show our need for Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that he came to restore that which was lost. What was lost from Adam, to the Sinai failure till then was that relationship for a called out people of which God looked to bless the world.
Enter the church age! That is the purpose of the mechanism of the church today. We are called corporately to worship in spirit and truth and to be a blessing to a dying and lost world! The church then is God’s appointed society whose main function is to bless the world! As Joseph was used for the salvation of Egypt so are we to bring God’s saving truth, love, grace, mercy, compassion and so much more to all of mankind. Instead what man has done is once again fallen into ceremonies and human practices and doctrines of man.
The society of the body of Christ, the church, is supposed to be then a place of equipment of the saints for the salvation of the world. One might say from that statement that I believe Evangelism is the work of every saint and I would say, yes and amen. Are all evangelists? No! Are all Prophets? No! Are all Pastors and Teachers? No! Are all Apostles? No! But all are to be ready to give an account of the good news that is in them. All are supposed to be salt and light. All are supposed to live in such a manner that when we lift Jesus up people can’t help but come to us like an insect is drawn to a bright light.
Isaiah 56 gives us a harsh picture of what happens when the leaders of the church are not in tune with what God’s purposes are. God is always calling and wooing people to His Mountain with the same offer of relationship, worship and salvation. The people suffer from well and ill intentioned leaders that have lost their way from the basic purpose and truth of what they are made to be. We are, as I heard a good Biblical teacher named Eugene Smith, say,” The current representation of Jesus Christ alive on earth today”!
Jesus did not stay inside the walls of the temples and synagogues only being with the “healthy”. Have you noticed how weak and impotent the mechanism of the church body has become from staying inside her walls? Remember King Zedekiah had to watch his own sons being put to death and then had his own eyes gouged out? How many leaders in the church today are watching their own being killed and are blind to the reasons or the remedies? Or worse….assigning the blame of their spiritual defeats on the congregation as if they are purposely trying to thwart them from succeeding.
Paul teaches us that the purpose of the church is to be the holding place of the love and grace of God poured out to all in a very apparent way. This is how I see Ephesians 3:10-11. We love the verse that says we can now come boldly in verse 12 but forget that it’s not for us to feel good about our position in him but to be a visible proof that the one we profess is manifest in our midst. Amen!
Another great picture of the church walking in its purpose can be found in Ezekiel 47:12 which paints this image of a healthy, vibrant body,” All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing." Let this be so even in our day is my prayer.
Let us repent of making the church about buildings, programs, leader’s ministries or anything other than to worship him, have fellowship with him and complete his work of freeing the captives from the gates of Hell. Let us get back to the encouragement of the Apostles to train, equip and send out to do that work. Let us lift our stiff necks up to heaven and also to the cross. Let us be the people that bless the nations with the God of our salvation.
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian Winograd
I have been in much prayer and sorrow for the mechanism of the church for many years now. The Lord has used me from a young believer until now to be part of pioneering three different churches at different stages of my life. My eyes have witnessed much and sadly the testimony and witness of these three places of worship have fallen short of the purpose, calling and instructions of whence they first began.
This letter is not to go into any details of the negative experience’s or to judge, condemn or crucify my brothers and sisters in the Lord. In His Service Ministries seeks to find the truth and teach on those findings from a Biblical perspective. I hope this paper encourages you to ignite a conversation within your church to come back to the heart of the function of the body of Christ.
From the beginning of time God looked to bless the world through His people. We see a picture of this in the story of Joseph saving Egypt and also Israel. Romans 1:21 says in the NLT, “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.” We often look upon this writing as for the “unbeliever” but lets for this papers sake look at it as where the nation of Israel was spiritually when Christ arrived and then apply it the mechanism of the church today.
Israel had traded the intention of God for relationship with him and also being a blessing to the nations for religious ceremonies and sets of human structure. The law was given to Moses when Israel rejected the offer of relationship and to worship him in spirit and truth after being taken out of slavery. The law as we know was a taskmaster to show our need for Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that he came to restore that which was lost. What was lost from Adam, to the Sinai failure till then was that relationship for a called out people of which God looked to bless the world.
Enter the church age! That is the purpose of the mechanism of the church today. We are called corporately to worship in spirit and truth and to be a blessing to a dying and lost world! The church then is God’s appointed society whose main function is to bless the world! As Joseph was used for the salvation of Egypt so are we to bring God’s saving truth, love, grace, mercy, compassion and so much more to all of mankind. Instead what man has done is once again fallen into ceremonies and human practices and doctrines of man.
The society of the body of Christ, the church, is supposed to be then a place of equipment of the saints for the salvation of the world. One might say from that statement that I believe Evangelism is the work of every saint and I would say, yes and amen. Are all evangelists? No! Are all Prophets? No! Are all Pastors and Teachers? No! Are all Apostles? No! But all are to be ready to give an account of the good news that is in them. All are supposed to be salt and light. All are supposed to live in such a manner that when we lift Jesus up people can’t help but come to us like an insect is drawn to a bright light.
Isaiah 56 gives us a harsh picture of what happens when the leaders of the church are not in tune with what God’s purposes are. God is always calling and wooing people to His Mountain with the same offer of relationship, worship and salvation. The people suffer from well and ill intentioned leaders that have lost their way from the basic purpose and truth of what they are made to be. We are, as I heard a good Biblical teacher named Eugene Smith, say,” The current representation of Jesus Christ alive on earth today”!
Jesus did not stay inside the walls of the temples and synagogues only being with the “healthy”. Have you noticed how weak and impotent the mechanism of the church body has become from staying inside her walls? Remember King Zedekiah had to watch his own sons being put to death and then had his own eyes gouged out? How many leaders in the church today are watching their own being killed and are blind to the reasons or the remedies? Or worse….assigning the blame of their spiritual defeats on the congregation as if they are purposely trying to thwart them from succeeding.
Paul teaches us that the purpose of the church is to be the holding place of the love and grace of God poured out to all in a very apparent way. This is how I see Ephesians 3:10-11. We love the verse that says we can now come boldly in verse 12 but forget that it’s not for us to feel good about our position in him but to be a visible proof that the one we profess is manifest in our midst. Amen!
Another great picture of the church walking in its purpose can be found in Ezekiel 47:12 which paints this image of a healthy, vibrant body,” All kinds of fruit trees will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing." Let this be so even in our day is my prayer.
Let us repent of making the church about buildings, programs, leader’s ministries or anything other than to worship him, have fellowship with him and complete his work of freeing the captives from the gates of Hell. Let us get back to the encouragement of the Apostles to train, equip and send out to do that work. Let us lift our stiff necks up to heaven and also to the cross. Let us be the people that bless the nations with the God of our salvation.
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian Winograd
Monday, May 31, 2010
To Legit to Quit
That title is for all you MC Hammer fans.lol! Just a quick entry today to let everyone know that In His Service Ministries is now an offical 501c3 non profit organization. I have been blessed to have many speaking engagements and a 2 week trip in November to Ghana Africa. If your church or organization is looking for a speaker and a time of worship feel free to contact me at 717-515-0913. I have a new study ready to go on the Bride and the Bridegroom as well as the two other studies that have been well received, the Cannanites and Rebuilding the Walls. These are exciting times we live and I am blessed to be alive in this time.
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Shall a Man Rob God? A different idea
Keeping with my tradition of searching for truth in the scriptures I have to visit a most often quoted and in my opinion abused scripture. Malachi 3 is used to beat people into tithing money to a church or an organization. It has been used to bully people and guilt people into handing over 10% of their income to the church. I am not going to teach on the tithe and how we should support our churches today in this blog entry but to just hint that God was not talking about money here.
Let's go back and set a foundation. God created everything. We know the Earth is the Lords and it is also his footstool. We know he is the same yesterday, today and always. God in the creation week looked and saw everything was good except one thing. He said it is not good for man to be alone! Spiritually we know it is not good to be alone. God knows this very thing and has created mechanisms to bring his people together to celebrate with each other the fullness of who He is.
The tithe was a celebration and a feast all together. It was a way God provided for the sons of Aaron but also to draw close and gather the people he called his own together to celebrate and worship! Today we miss that part. We have made it all about money. Will a man rob God? Right before that the Lord charges that he never changes and that his people have constantly failed to obey his commands, laws and decrees. They had moved from this celebration to "religion" or a phariseeical approach to giving.
When we do the letter of the law without the spirit of the law we Rob God! We rob ourselves too! Those that fear the Lord talk with one another, pray with one another and celebrate the God that is inside each other with love. Remember Paul taught on this another way by comparing our corporate spiritual organization as a body? Pauls inspired of the Holy Spirit reiterates that it is not good for man to be alone and that we have need of one another. We have need for fellowship and need of encouragement and prayer. When we try God and not do what he has commanded and then complain we rob God of His Testimony on the earth as we are the current representation of Christ alive on earth today. How many have something the world would buy? Even have interest in?
Its not about money! Its about obedience to the decrees and laws of God in the spirit they were and still are meant to be followed today. When we disobey God we Rob him. And its not about the 10% you may or may not feel compelled to put in the plate. Its not about how many books you read or how many home groups or seminars you attend. It is letting Yeshua Jesus Christ be the focal point of who you are and what you do and what your world view is. It is all about him and zero about you. When we serve him with wreckless abandon and foresake all others we then become the bride of Christ and no longer the flirting woman who changes with every season. I encourage you today to re-think on how much we have robbed God and to come to Him in a pleasing manner.
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian Winograd
Let's go back and set a foundation. God created everything. We know the Earth is the Lords and it is also his footstool. We know he is the same yesterday, today and always. God in the creation week looked and saw everything was good except one thing. He said it is not good for man to be alone! Spiritually we know it is not good to be alone. God knows this very thing and has created mechanisms to bring his people together to celebrate with each other the fullness of who He is.
The tithe was a celebration and a feast all together. It was a way God provided for the sons of Aaron but also to draw close and gather the people he called his own together to celebrate and worship! Today we miss that part. We have made it all about money. Will a man rob God? Right before that the Lord charges that he never changes and that his people have constantly failed to obey his commands, laws and decrees. They had moved from this celebration to "religion" or a phariseeical approach to giving.
When we do the letter of the law without the spirit of the law we Rob God! We rob ourselves too! Those that fear the Lord talk with one another, pray with one another and celebrate the God that is inside each other with love. Remember Paul taught on this another way by comparing our corporate spiritual organization as a body? Pauls inspired of the Holy Spirit reiterates that it is not good for man to be alone and that we have need of one another. We have need for fellowship and need of encouragement and prayer. When we try God and not do what he has commanded and then complain we rob God of His Testimony on the earth as we are the current representation of Christ alive on earth today. How many have something the world would buy? Even have interest in?
Its not about money! Its about obedience to the decrees and laws of God in the spirit they were and still are meant to be followed today. When we disobey God we Rob him. And its not about the 10% you may or may not feel compelled to put in the plate. Its not about how many books you read or how many home groups or seminars you attend. It is letting Yeshua Jesus Christ be the focal point of who you are and what you do and what your world view is. It is all about him and zero about you. When we serve him with wreckless abandon and foresake all others we then become the bride of Christ and no longer the flirting woman who changes with every season. I encourage you today to re-think on how much we have robbed God and to come to Him in a pleasing manner.
In His Service and Under His Mercy!
Brian Winograd
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