Andrew Golden's Blog, page 42

Family Of Christ

Romans 12:5

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Yesterday I was invited to an Easter drama by a good friend of mine. When I got there, he started introducing me to people. What struck me was the fact that none of them treated me like a stranger. It was as if they were welcoming me into a family. That is how we are supposed to be as Christians. We are one big family of God. We should not be awkward when going to other churches. If that church is in the will of God, we should fill right at home. It is not just our home churches that is part of God’s beautiful family. We are the family of Christ.

Don’t Run From Your Calling

Matthew 26:42

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Jesus had first asked God if there was any way possible he could let the cup pass from him. He knew what was coming, but yet he knew it was God’s will and it had to be done. We are each and everyone chosen by God for a reason. Some of us struggle with that calling. At times we feel like it is a burden we cannot carry. I used to be one of these people. I struggled with being called to preach. I did not think I would be able to stand and preach against sin. The thought of upsetting people scared me. Then I remembered, Christ had a bigger calling than I could ever imagine. He took on all the sin of the world and became the ultimate sacrifice. Looking at it that way, I got over my fear and got to work. You are going to feel as if you are inadequate for your calling. You will feel as if you cannot do it. You will make excuses. If you are like me, you will ask God to remove your calling. But before you do that remember, God called you for a reason.

White Lies

Matthew 14:3-4
3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

John the Baptist stood before Herod and told him he was in the wrong. He could have told a little white lie and told the king he was okay. He would be thrown in prison and eventually beheaded for such a thing. He knew there would be consequences, yet he only cared about speaking the truth. Now I know I have spoken about telling the truth before but this time it’s a little different. It’s those little white lies. You know when you tell your wife that she looks good in that outfit when she does not. That little lie that you are running late because of traffic. That little lie that you already had plans. All of these are lies. Just because they are to spare people’s feelings, it doesn’t make them right. If your wife’s outfit does not look good, tell her. Your boss knows there was no traffic. Just tell people that you don’t want to hang out with them that day. Telling any type of a lie is a sin. Stop worrying about hurting someone’s feelings. Speak the truth.

Be Happy To Serve God

Keep His Word

Luke 11:28

28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

I know most go to church and hear the word preached. I know most crack open a bible at least once a week outside of church. We can repeat scripture, but are we keeping his word? Are we living the life. I know many that know the word. I know many that can tell you almost any scripture in the bible, but they are not keeping the word. The thing is, if you know the word, you should be living it. That means if you know Christ said do not look upon a woman with lust, then do not look upon a woman with lust. If the word said do not covet thy neighbors possessions, then stop wanting his truck. If the word says do not be a drunkard, then do not be getting drunk. You can know the word and you can recite the word, but until you apply it to your life, you have no idea the truth of the word.

He Is There, Ignore Him

Romans 7:23

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

I watched a video of a preacher preaching a sermon on giving the enemy a seat at the table. He had a table and everything set up on stage. It looked like it was going to be a good sermon until he said, “In order for the enemy to whisper things in your mind, you have to first give him a seat at your table.” First of all, if he has a seat at your table, he already has you. Second, the enemy will always whisper things in your mind to try and get you off track. Last, if you think because you give your heart to God the enemy is going to leave you alone, you got another thing coming. He is the great tempter. He whispers that it’s okay to sin. It’s okay to just do a little. He is the thing that makes it hard to get the flesh under subjection. I agree to never let the enemy set at your table, but to think he cannot whisper to you is wrong. When he does, do not let him set at your table. Do not even set a chair. When you stop listening to those whispers, it makes it harder for him to set down.

One God And Only One Saviour

1 Corinthians 8:5-6

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

In today’s time, many are falling into the mindset that maybe there are many gods. You have people saying that we all come from the universe. They will say the universe has been good to them. Then you have people asking for only positive vibes. Some people even claim that they are apart of God, which is the All. I will say this blunt and plain so everyone can understand it, there is only one God and only one saviour, Jesus Christ. The universe did not hang on the cross. Good vibes did not speak and create the world and give us a living soul. Stop falling into these insane beliefs. Stop thinking the universe is everything, because God created the it. God is eternal and he is the only God. Jesus Christ is the only way to paradise. Accept this and you can never go wrong.

My Rock And My Salvation

Psalms 62:1-2


1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

We have all been exhausted. We have all worked long hours. We wish we had the next day off but yet we have to be moved out of our bed and get ready for work. However, if it was our off day, we would become one with our bed. We would refuse to be moved. The world could be falling apart outside our doors and we would refuse to get up. That is how it should be with God. He is our rock. We should become so close to him that when the world sees us they see him. He is what gives us the strength and power to stand in defiance against the world. He is our back bone to stand against the evil that will
arise. When we become close enough to him we become as the mighty oak on the river bank. The river can rage but it refuse to let loose.

Call Me A Bigot

Romans 1:27-28

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

I have to admit I have avoided this subject for a while. I know in todays time we Christians are mocked for remembering Sodom and Gomorrah. So, let’s get into this. I have heard so many times God does not make a mistake by the all letters of the alphabet community, but then in the same sentence claim that someone was born the wrong gender. I have also heard them say, this is what God intended for us to be like. Apparently they never read the first thing he told us to do in Genesis, be fruitful and multiply. I have never seen two of the same sex be able to conceive and carry a child without the help of a third party. Then comes the verse that he made man and woman, not infinite number of genders. Yes, I know some people are already wanting to call me a bigot and claim that was in the old testament. I will not apologize because I am not sorry and this is out of Romans. The thing is, when we accept and agree to this insanity that this is love and God made people that way, we are going against the very principle of our walk with God. I know we are supposed to walk by faith but we also have rules to live by. If you think a man can be born a man and turn into a woman or woman turn into a man, then you believe that God did not make them the right gender. You are claiming he made a mistake. No, the mistake is feeding into someone’s imagination. God did create each of us in a special way and somehow many are becoming corrupt and giving into a thought pattern that is wrong and sinful. I am not saying run out there and throw holy water on them. I am saying it is time to pray God opens their eyes to the truth. Just because the ideology is being pushed on us does not mean we have to be quiet and accept it. We serve a great God who will protect us when we take a stand and say this is wrong.

The Camel And The Needle

Matthew 19:24

24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Many times I have heard that this means the people with riches cannot enter into heaven. The richest man to live was King Solomon and I am pretty sure he was wise enough to make it to heaven. So, what was Christ speaking about? I think it comes down to pride and the thought that you do not need Jesus in your life to make it into heaven. The rich hold to their possessions with their life. They think they are better than everyone else. Now I have met many wealthy people that are serving God. Their wealth will not stop them from entering into heaven. They have no pride, nor do they boast of their riches. They stay humble. One of them will tell you that if God told him to, he would leave it all behind and follow him. When we look at this from an angle of pride, we will see that even a poor man can be filled with so much pride that we never humble down to Jesus. We fall into a disillusioned thought pattern that we can make it to heaven on our own. We cannot. We have to be to the point that we will give up our job, homes, and all other worldly possessions for the kingdom. They do not matter and will fade away. All that matters is when we stand in judgment are we humble enough to make it in.