It’s important to understand our situation, circumstances and prospects. Jesus exhorted the Pharisees and Sadducees to be alert and aware of the existential Signs of His Presence. Indeed, He went beyond exhortation to overt Rebuke and Warning...
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the Signs of the Times.”
The “Sign of the Times” in those days was the physical Presence of the Messiah. It was a Sign that had been prophesied repeatedly since the Garden of Eden. Yet the religious “experts” missed it altogether. The Sign for today is different, but no less obvious. It’s not that Jesus has come. It’s that He is Coming again quickly. Many of today’s religious “experts” are speaking and acting as if they’ve also missed the obvious.
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed [is] he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. ...Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is Righteous, let him be Righteous still; he who is Holy, let him be Holy still. ’And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to give to every one according to his work.”
These were not words of gentle exhortation. These were clarion counsel and dire warnings to those religious leaders...and to us today. Perhaps we’re “resting” in our Salvation so much that we’ve become spiritually fat and lazy. There is an appropriate “rest” in our Salvation. But it is not enough to be merely awakened to reality, and then granted His Gift. We must move on with His Mission...His Purpose...His Plan, which extends beyond our own Redemption.
Spiritual discernment serves no Purpose if it does not translate into appropriate Christ-like behavior. God calls this Holiness. He commands us to walk in Holiness, pursuing Perfection...before His eyes, for His Purposes, and His Pleasure.
These things are rarely spoken from the pulpit these days. Endless “come as you are” messages culminate with mild mannered invitations to “simply believe.” The vital First Step is missing: Repentance. That is, completely Severing ourselves from our sinful past life. The vital Last Step is equally absent: Following!
“But be Doers of the Word, and not Hearers only, Deceiving yourselves.”
Fulfilling God’s divine Purpose for our life is not a one-time transaction. It’s takes a lifetime of Yielding to the Grace of God. Yielding, however, does not negate our individual effort.In fact it requires it!It requires finding biblical balance amongst the competing priorities, necessities and constraints of everyday life. We live in a Physical world...we are constrained to react and interact with that world Physically. But just as Jesus did. We have Emotions...let us reign and rule over them just as Jesus did. We have a Mind, imaginations and aspirations...let us exercise them as Jesus did.
At the DSM Bible Institutes, we only accept Pastors and Ministry Leaders. People already in positions of spiritual leadership. People already positioned to influence many others. That’s good...if they are influencing in what God considers “holy.” But if they are not, then they are influencing in a manner that directly opposes God. It may be hard to believe, but at least 80% of our new students (all “Pastors” and “Ministry Leaders”) are unsaved. They believe in a “Jesus” and a “gospel” that consistently contradict the Word of God. Their preaching, practices and fruit give ample evidence of such waywardness. Such “leaders” are not only disqualified, they are harmful. This is not a judgment of them. This is a Reality from which we minister to them. To leave them in such spiritual deception would be scandalous.
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be Accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be Accursed.”
It is our reasonable response and duty to Pursue Holiness in our own life first and foremost. That is the basis of Biblical Application at the Bible Schools. We do not fault anyone for coming in with the wrong gospel, the wrong attitude or sinful behaviors. But we don’t tolerate it from day one. We get the real Gospel in, get them saved, and set them on the lifelong straight road of Sanctification. Nothing less fulfills the Purposes of God. We encourage the Pastors to drop those things which hinder their walk “at the gate on your way in. If you want to pick them up again on the way out, then do so at your own peril.” What is their response? They love it! The crave it! They ask for more! The question remains: “What about me?!” Do I tolerate such teachings? Better yet, do I pursue such teachings? Best yet, do I teach such a gospel?
The comfortable gospel of this age breeds weak congregations. There is so much comfort to “come as you are” that most never hear the message “but don’t dare stay as you are!” Many imagine they have picked up a “Get Out of Jail Free” card at the altar call, and have nothing left to do. No divine purpose to fulfill. No battle to fight. No enemy to resist. No tower to build. No price to pay. No disciples to make. No Messiah who is Coming Again to Judge, Rule and Reign.
By the time our Pastors and Ministry Leaders finish the Bible School program, they understand this intimately and personally. They understand they must be personally “Fit for Service”...one day at a time. Title, positions and responsibilities in a ministry do not offset spiritual deficiencies. Nor do penance, tithing or church attendance. Holiness is God’s unchanging standard...
“‘For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore Consecrate yourselves, and you shall be Holy; for I am Holy.”
Salvation is not something to be trifled with. One received, it must be exhibited and exercised for the Pleasure and Purposes of the One who bestowed it. Our walk should Shine...like a light on a hill. Our witness should be Tasteful...not tasteless, tacky or trivial. Our gospel must be on target...straight, narrow and uncompromising. Our behavior must be Christ-like...in grace, truth, love and practicality. Without any of these, we are mere trumpeters in a faltering, fickle and false army of religious do-gooders, humanitarians and Pharisees. Jesus said as much. More than once.
At our most recent (Dec 2019) DSM Graduation, 55 Pastors and Ministry Leaders received their Diplomas. While mere paper documents, the Diplomas truly represent much more. We do not graduate every student who has completed their coursework. Every year there are several who have yet to consistently display the character of Christ in their lives. Their lives rebelliously remain “out of balance” by God’s standard. They are not only ineligible for the Diploma...more importantly, they are Unfit for Service in His Name. They have more work to do. Again, we don’t condemn them. We minister to them. We encourage them to embrace more Yielding to God’s all sufficient Grace. Almost all return...to Him, and the next semester, to us.
We’ve all been there ourselves. Stuck in a spiritual neutral gear...or worse yet, the reverse gear. Let us soberly judge ourselves quickly and truthfully. Perish the thought of remaining disengaged or disqualified a day more. After all, the Signs today point to His imminent Presence once again. Our Pastors are fit, ready and busy about His business.
Let’s join them in Spiritual Fitness...and Function.
We have a Mind, imaginations and aspirations...let us exercise them as Jesus did.
We are grateful to God about the level of commitment of our Missionaries, as well as the field volunteers. This is what we are doing in Liberia. We are engaged with intensive discipleship ministries with people who are desperately in deed of mentors.
Let our God continue to bless His work through your hands.
Amen,