Is Religon Just Going to Church?

Jas 1:27; Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.   (NIV)

According to the above verse, if we think that just going to Church on Sundays is all the religious activity we need to perform in order to please God, we're grievously mistaken.

This morning I listened to a Focus on the Family broadcast about a ministry known as New Commandment Men's Ministries. They understand both aspects of James 1:27. Look after those who are in need, such as orphans and widows, and keeping oneself from being polluted by the world.

The way their ministry works is that groups of 4 men each form within a church. One Saturday each month the groups get get together for prayer and Bible study for an hour. Then for the next couple of hours each group goes out to hep a particular person or family. They help widows, single moms, disabled individuals, and others in need.

A primary focus of the ministry is to help do basic chores such as fix a leaky faucet, clean windows, or haul trash. When the work is finished, the men take time to pray with the person they helped.

The same group of men goes back to the same home each month to build a relationship of friendship among themselves and the person they help.

By going regularly as a group it it helps avoid improper relationships from forming which could happen if a married man kept going alone to help out a widow or other single woman in need.

I believe that New Commandment Men's Ministries is something every church should take a look at and pray about whether something similar should be established as part of the Men's Ministry in their church.

Going to church to sing praises and hear good preaching and teaching is certainly important for those who want to grow in their understanding of the One who has authority over everything. But we need to do more than give Him an hour or two of our attention once a week

If He also wants us to help those in need, like widows and orphans, then we'd best seek to both do it and do it in a way that will be in keeping with the upright way He wants us to live.

Obey Jesus? How Much?

 Mat 28:18-20  Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."   NIV © 1973, 1978, 1984

The book of Matthew tells of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It concludes with these three verses.

In  this passage Jesus tells His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. In essence, Jesus was saying that He was the boss. He was in charge. Of what? Of everything in heaven and on earth.

He then instructed His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything He had commanded them.

If all authority belongs to Jesus then He has the right to instruct all of us and teach us to obey everything He has commanded us. He even has the right to command others to teach what He wants taught.
 

If anybody is going to know what Jesus wants us to do, we need to be taught. Jesus taught His disciples. They taught others, who then went out and taught others.
 

Teaching (and learning) to obey everything Jesus commanded is just as important today as it was when Matthew wrote down those words.

I hope this blog will be a small part of carrying out this great commission. I invite you to join me as I seek to grow in my understanding of what Jesus wants me to learn and to obey.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

What Do You Think of My Blog Title?

Have you ever spent much time reading the Bible?

Do you think you know much about what is written it the Bible?

Have you formed opinions about the Bible without taking the time to read it?

Well, I believe the Bible is an amazing book. That's why I'm starting this blog which will be about the Bible and what is in it.

If you are already interested in the Bible, or think it might be worth giving it a bit of your attention, I invite you to visit my blog in the coming months.

The primary question I'll be looking at in regards to the Bible and life in general is -- who's the boss?

The "boss" is the one who sets the rules. The "boss" is the one who determines how things should be done. IIn this blog I hope to examine "who's the boss" from a Biblical perspective. I hope I can do it in a way that is interesting and can benefit myself and maybe others as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this first post of  Biblically Speaking - Who's the Boss.