My latest book #FOLLOW is here! I will be doing a book signing this Sunday after church in Parkersburg. For those of you outside the Mid Ohio Valley, the book is also available on Amazon.com (*see link and info at end)

I wrote this book because of a dream I had. In this dream, I walked into a room and saw two young men laying on the floor staring at the blank pages of a book, along with two angels standing there. I asked what they were doing and one of the angels answered “They are waiting for the book you are to write.” After the dream I received further instruction on the topic for #FOLLOW.

See, I have now lived as a Spirit-filled believer for nearly 36 years. Of those 36 years, I have served as a Senior Pastor, and planted Churches for the last 32 years. I have learned that there are principles in the Word of God that are proven and cannot be violated without consequence. I have watched thousands of people come and go in the Church, and today, I can truly bear witness to the fact: “There is a way that seems right unto man but the end thereof is death.” (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25) Every year that I live, I stand amazed at the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of man. I learned a long time ago, that while we hope for the best in men, we are to put our faith in God alone.

This short book reveals the reality, through the scriptures, of how easily we can be deceived by the enemy- and even be self-deceived by our own desires. It is not about starting the race, but finishing the race. I live in the blessing as well as the curses of the decisions I have made in my life. My intent is to save everyone I can from making wrong decisions and having to live with the consequences of those decisions. I hate re-inventing wheels and I want to learn everything I can from everyone I can, to avoid pitfalls in my life.

Life is too short to have to learn everything the hard way, because the hard way will usually be the long way. I have echoed a statement of truth daily that I heard many years ago. “Wisdom is the anticipation of consequences”.

Here is an excerpt:

Following the leader is a principle we should have learned playing as children. There is a reason someone is appointed leader. It is because they have either been granted authority by another, or their experience, wisdom, or strength has given them an authority to lead. Moses represents one who was granted authority by God to lead. He was chosen.

I learned long ago to stay in my measure of delegated or assumed authority. We truly will end up in the place of a fool if we cannot discern our measure of rule. Many cannot wait for their time of appointment from another so they go about trying to appoint themselves. The Bible stipulates such behavior as rebellion. Some think so highly of themselves they cannot submit under the authority of a leader.

Let’s look at the Apostle Paul’s declaration about staying in his own limit of authority:(read 2 Cor. 10:12-18)

So we should understand that we will learn and grow through leaders, and if we could have gotten further in our life without a leader, we would have already done it. There is an old saying around the camp of attorneys, “A man who represents himself has a fool for a client.” I follow Jesus first, but I have found He chooses to lead me through others a lot of the time. However, rebellion in the church says, “Jesus is my leader. I don’t need a man.”

Who led Israel out of Egypt? God or man? Who was Israel really following? God chose to bring Israel out of Egypt, but He called a man named Moses and told him to go lead his people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

I have many files in my desk, but the file I use the most frequent is a file called, “We won’t do that again!” Insight can give us foresight and deliver us from the mistakes we sometimes only see in hindsight. Cause and effect are revealed in the purest form by God’s word. If I cannot realize cause and effect, then I will not be able to control impulsivity or govern myself toward the reward of the blessing of God.
I would rather read a book on “what I should do” than write a book on “what I should have done” wouldn’t you?

See ya Sunday!
Pastor Dave

Order #FOLLOW

*For those of you who will purchase at church on Sunday, we are offering “Flying High” – Unlocking the Power of Effective Leadership for ONLY $5 when you purchase #Follow for $10. 2 for $15 – GREAT investment!

• Date - May 31, 2018
• Author - David Chisholm

1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death , he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death . There is sin leading to death . I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death . NKJV

There are degrees of sin with God, this is obvious. As we read through the scriptures, we find a common cause for the believer to strive to live above reproach and free from the bondage of sin.

1 John 2:1-7 The Test of Knowing Christ
2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin . And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 The Test of Knowing Him Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. NKJV

Let’s face some hard facts about our American culture. Most people believe in Jesus, but don’t want to live in obedience to a holy lifestyle. Is the answer to act like sin is no big deal to God, and tell people they can pretty much live any way they want? That’s exactly what many churches and church leaders are doing. Is that what Jesus would do? Their reasoning is that God loves people so much He is not going to condemn them over some sin practice in their lives. The problem is that it was reasoning like this that got us into trouble to start with.

Gen 3:1-6 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. NKJV

Did Jesus love the rich young ruler, whom he let walk away and did not go after him?

Mark 10:20-27 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him , and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” 27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” NKJV

There is a standard that the Lord will hold us to, and I for one don’t want to reason it out. So what sins lead to death? Here are a few:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. NKJV

Remember:
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. NKJV

Until Next Week – Be Blessed!

• Date - May 23, 2018
• Author - David Chisholm

Hebrews 11:1 NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. AMP

In the “media” church today, we hear the word grace non-stop. Grace, in a sense is God’s endowment to us, but faith is our response to Him. Maybe that is why grace is being talked about so much. Grace depends on God, but we have a responsibility with faith don’t we?

Hebrews 11:4-8 [Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking. [Gen 4:3-10.] 5 Because of faith Enoch was caught up and transferred to heaven, so that he did not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found, because God had translated him. For even before he was taken to heaven, he received testimony [still on record] that he had pleased and been satisfactory to God. [Gen 5:21-24.] 6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].7[Prompted] by faith Noah, being forewarned by God concerning events of which as yet there was no visible sign, took heed and diligently and reverently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of his own family. By this [his faith which relied on God] he passed judgment and sentence on the world’s unbelief and became an heir and possessor of righteousness ( that relation of being right into which God puts the person who has faith). [Gen 6:13-22.] 8[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go. AMP

Now, take notice in each of these testimonies of faith, we see man’s response to God’s grace, given as obedience, and thus proving their faith genuine. I was listening to a seeker friendly mega church pastor the other day, and he was telling his listeners that “because they were approved by God before they had done anything right or wrong, that they could not be disapproved by an act of sin in their lives now.” What heresy! The acid test of a tree is it’s fruit! He said that who you are as a born again child of God has nothing to do with what you do.” Really? I have a new testament that contradicts that statement on nearly every page!!!

I think a culture that wants to live carnally, and follow earthly pleasures and desires, has sought a license to do so, and called it GRACE. They love to say, no one is perfect so my sin is no different than yours. Again, that is heresy!

There are degrees of sin in the Kingdom of God just as there are in our earthly judicial systems. Let’s look at 1 John 5:16-17:

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death , he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. NKJV

What is the difference between sin that leads to death and sin that does not? Stay tuned until next week!

Be blessed,
Pastor Dave

• Date - May 16, 2018
• Author - David Chisholm