Return, Revive, Repair, Restore

The Truth WILL Set You FREE, But It WILL Lead To Our Death; and that is a GOOD Thing.

Posted on September 15, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

In the wake of the assignation of Charley Kirk, there is much fear concerning what it means for those who are willing to speak truth, biblically. This assassination has revealed maxim of life for Christians: The truth will and still does set us free (John 8:32), but the truth is designed to lead to our death.

When I write “the truth is designed to lead to our death”, that may mean physically and so much more as we creep closer to Christ’s return. Yet, the statement is much more defined by a death, which is necessary, for us to actually follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:23-26 ²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

For the follower of Christ, born again supernaturally by the Holy Spirit, has a faith which calls him to deny the life we desire, for the purpose of God’s will. This is a choice to die to oneself—to die to self-seeking and self-protecting—to glorify God.

The call to take up one’s cross is a call to die daily. This means to live by the leading of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the word of God. To die our desire and wants, for the will of God, and the praise of Christ’s glory.

Charlie Kirk, Christian and truth teller understood this and walked in the joy of this truth.

Make no mistake about it, the truth of Christ set this man free, and led him to pronounce the truth of Christ to the young adult population of the United States, on college campuses. Charlie did this through encouraging and challenging those who did not know the truth to have a discussion with him.

Although the topics ranged through many hot button topics, Charlie was gracious, humble and merciful, yet almost always undefeated in presenting a pathway to the truth, who is the Christ, which still sets humanity free.

The truth of Christ, through seeking God in the Bible, was used by Charlie Kirk to reform his mind to where his wisdom was not his, but the wisdom of God, as he was led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14; Proverbs 3:5-7).

Charlie Kirk sought to use the wisdom of God pertaining to political issues, as the leaping off point of sharing why he thought the way he did… because Jesus Christ saved His soul from eternal separation, through the cross.

Although his debating and leadership of young people have had vast effects on the young adults of this nation, inherently Charlie new political discourse would not change the sickness of the American culture.

He knew, as many of us do, that like Israel in the time of Isaiah “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up or soothed with ointment” (Isaiah 1:5-6).

The Gospel is the foundation of truth, with the full counsel of God in the Bible, for the purpose of healing those made in the image of God. To do this truth must first expose the sickness of the abominations against God.

Charlie Kirk did this and God worked through him to move millions of young adults to search for the Truth, to find freedom.

Charlie tried to lead college students to God’s word and Christ ultimately.

Charlie Kirk was killed for speaking the truth in love. He knew the risk and accepted it, because of his love for Christ, who set him free form sin and the fear of death, amplified his faith to joyful boldness.

Charlie Kirk was great in this generation, not because of inherent greatness, but because of his faith in Jesus Christ, who alone is the Great God and our Savior.

THE TRUTH STILL SETS US FREE, BUT WILL LEAD TO OUR DEATH, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

Many conservative commentators and Christians who live sharing the truth of the Gospel, are experiencing trepidation and fear, wondering if they will be next. They will either continue to throw themselves in with Christ, receiving the risk and denying themselves, or they will become silent.

As Christians in America, we must be led by the fear of God and our overwhelming desire to be lovingly devoted to our Savior’s testimony, and the truth which sets us free, rather than the fear of man, shrinking back into irrelevancy.

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Matthew 10:28 ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

As Christians we are called to die to our self and not worry about the risks, for the truth does set us free, but calls us to deny our self-seeking disposition.

Christians in America often cry foul in situations such as this assassination, declaring “it’s not fair”. This is an egregious and harmful error, because our Lord told us we would face this.

John 15:18-20 ¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.

John 16:1-3 ¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. ³ And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

2 Timothy 3:12 ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM CHARLIE KIRK?

Being a Christian means surrendering our life, for the purpose of living out God’s will, THE CAUSE, that is greater than our own life.

American Christians tend to take their Christian faith as we do most other things; a thing that benefits the person who holds it. This is an error. Our life with Christ, is about our love for Him, because He first loved us.

Like Charlie Kirk we need to understand that saying “Yes” to Jesus is not about the proliferation a better life for us, in the way of our material life being easier. Saying “Yes” to Jesus Christ, means He purchased us with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

What are the implications of Christ owning us?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Let us remember, the two previous scriptures were not written to those who are ministers or public facing Christian people only; but to all those who are followers of Jesus Christ.

Our life, what we want and think we need, is no longer the life leading principle. Because we are given the Spirit of God, as our resident president, we are to lovingly and with joy, want to walk in God’s will, regardless of the risk.

Christians must learn that as Christ followers we are all to be salt and light in our own sphere of influence (Matthew 5:13-16). To be salt and light, we must engage with the people of the world around us and bring down the lies which keep people in bondage rather than free. This is inherently life giving and risky at the same time.

We must use effective Holy Spirit empowered communication of truth, in a gracious manner, to glorify God and be a source of truth setting captives free.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Let us understand that the strongholds, arguments and high things, are ways of thinking, speaking and living, that are in direct opposition to God’s word and will. They are prevalent throughout society, and this is what pastors, evangelists and regular Christians must meet head on with truth.

Charlie Kirk was able to discern, by the Holy Spirit, what was truth from error and how to dismantle those strongholds, through God’s word. We must pursue this path as well, to know God’s wisdom and the truth, found in the Holy Bible, which brings freedom, through destroying Satanic lies.

Make no mistake about it, today’s woke ideology, sexual perversion as acceptable, diminishing and destroying the reality of our being made in the image of God, and the removal of the fear of God, is what we are call called to battle against. These things are inherently in opposition to the Gospel.

All Christians are to function as vessels of discernment and truth telling and when not employed in this path, we are immature and able to fall away.

Hebrews 5:12-14 ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

We must actively seek the reformation of our minds, to think as the Lord Jesus thinks.

Romans 12:1-2 ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

When the soul is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, He (The Holy Spirit) remains to comfort, lead and teach us. In this ministry, we enter the renewal of the mind. This takes place as we judge and discern the information we received, considering how scriptures define it.

We are no longer seeking the accumulation of knowledge, but to think as Christ Himself thought and thinks. In fact, we are to have the pause of distrust of our own thinking.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

When we chose to live in this manner, we are living in the wisdom of God, therefore we must accept…

To live for Christ is to be at risk from the very people we are attempting to reach.

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

This is where we see the graduation of the faithful to their purpose and ultimately their eternal reward, just like Charlie Kirk.

Attempting to demolish the strongholds, demonic arguments and thinking which elevates itself over God’s wisdom, can be thwarted, but the risk it real. Those who are on the wrong end of God’s wisdom, often seek a means for eradicating the message and the messenger of God’s wisdom, because they cannot overcome God’s wisdom.

This occurs in churches and the world at large. Are we willing to stand as light in the darkness, seeing our life in Christ, for His glory and purpose alone?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Charlie Kirk, followers of Christ, Luke 9:23-26, The Truth will set you free | Leave a comment

Have We Become A Lovely Mausoleum? (Matthew 23:27-28; Revelation 3:1-)

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Family Mausoleums - Gravestones and Memorials - Quality Memorial Products and Cemetery Memorials

What kind of church is being built in the world today? One need only to look at chapters two and three of Revelation to see that the kind of church being built, is in the hands of those in leadership and laity, in each assembly.

To be truthful, we must remember that God’s design for His church is the same, fellowship to the fellowship. Yes, there can be colloquial differences, ethnic differences and language differences, but each fellowship is to be growing towards maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16).

When considering kind of church, who would want to be in a DEAD church?

Many would categorize a dead church as having boring music, little social activity, few programs, or milk toast preaching. To follow that line of thinking would imply that a living church is full of program, in the way of cool music, atmosphere, hip preaching and cool connective activities.

In this diagnostic, we can see the flaw of improper judgment. as activity does not always indicate life. Consider for a moment a person who has died of a heart attack, one hour earlier. Once at the hospital, a doctor may attempt to revive he who has died by using a automated external defibrillator.

Even if the body is dead for an hour, shocking it with electric current makes the body move, and if you hold the paddles on the body for a time, it would appear there is life, even though it’s just a dead body being moved by electricity.

Our Lord Jesus warned the pharisees, lawyers and religious of His day, that they were individuals, who thought they were alive but were actually dead.

Matthew 23:27-28 ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

These people believe themselves to be righteous, by their adherence to their own theological norms and practice, which added to the Bible doctrine and theology; and eventually superseded it. Jesus declares to them not so fast… you are like nicely painted tombs, looking beautiful and good, but still filled with death on the inside.

To them the word “tomb” meant, an above ground sepulcher, like the picture on the side. In many places in our time, this is the case as well. These sepulchers were used for common people and as you can see are uninformedly white. The reason was to point toward their being with God, clothed in righteousness.

For those more well off the sepulchers were much more fancy, as seen below.

The point, Jesus was making, was that the apparent righteousness of the religious leaders of His day, was only makeup on a structure holding the decay of death, with no ability to give God’s life to a soul.

This meant they pretended to love God and follow His word, yet were lawless or disobedient to God’s moral law.

Our LORD Jesus’ point was that no matter how reverent, holy, or prettied up the religious leaders pretended to be, they would never be able to give God’s life to others, because they were spiritually dead. Although they appeared to be righteous and set apart to God, they were merely pretenders, either knowingly or unknowingly.

The religious leaders were…

hypocrites, acting to be followers of God
The played at outward devotion like tithing, praying and fasting; but it was only a for a show, to impress others.
They exercised no love, justice, mercy, or faith.
Although they looked as if they had the key to God’s live, they were empty wells, with no river of living water to even entice another soul to God’s love, in Christ.

Most Christians would not see the warning in this for themselves, but I assure you there is a warning. Christians can be accountable for the very same sin. Consider a few passages.

John 7:37-39 ³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Let us not miss Christ’s point… It is His intention that each Christian, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit of God overflow our inner life, to be experienced by others. To say it another way, we are to have the Holy Spirit overflowing our life, with God’s life, for others to desire God’s life giving water.

It is possible for Christians to fall short of this consistently, or to never experience the fulness of the Holy Spirit at all. For the follower of Christ, both are untenable situations.

Ephesians 5:15-21 ¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God.

The complete translation is “be being filled with the Holy Spirit”. This means continuously. Is it possible to stray so far from Christ, while thinking we are close to Him, to where we are devoid of the life of God, in His Spirit? Yes.

We need only to look at the church of Ephesus or Laodicea, in Revelation 2 and 3, to see this danger. Yet, there was another church in Revelation 3, which was an actual lovely mausoleum, which may aid in our understanding even more.

Revelation 3:1-3 ¹ “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. ³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.

Before we break down this passage, it is imperative we acknowledge how church-like a mausoleum looks like a modern church building. It really is uncanny. Behind the house I live in, is a cemetery, and in that cemetery, there are two huge mausoleums, which are beautiful and reverent looking, but still only filled with the bones of the dead.

That said , our LORD Jesus states “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive…“. To translate this into modern speak, Jesus is saying “I know your works, that you have a name and that has convinced you that you are alive”. It would seem that because they had a unique Christian name associated with their fellowship, they believed they were a church alive in Jesus Christ.

This shouldn’t shock us, who have been formed in the church in America. In the United States, there are two things, which fellowships believe they need, in order to be an actual church: a building and a really good name. This may seem silly but it is true.

When it comes to a building, let me ask how many house churches there are in the United States, as opposed to church buildings. We are so focused on the spaces we worship in, that we make silly statements, like “I’m going to church” and that almost exclusively means a building.

This thinking is entirely unbiblical, for the church of Jesus Christ is not a building or worship space we meet in. The church is living stones, you and me, being placed next to other living stones (Ephesians 2:19-22; I Peter 2:1-10).

American Christians are also obsessed with choosing the correct name. Consider some of these names and how they are really marketing realities more than character definition…

Velocity Church
Little Hope Baptist
Church by the Side of the Road
Church of the Living Bread
Cowboy Church
1st (insert your favorite denomination)
Scum of the Earth Church
Elevation Church
Transformation Church

An article I found on church planting declares that naming a church is the most public and consequential decision a church planter will ever make. I find this kind of thinking so unbiblical and unnecessary.

In this logic we see the Church of Sardis, as not being far from our own obsession. Like the thinking that if there is activity it signals a living church, so Sardis believed that because they had a Christian name they were alive.

How wrong they were for they had little work of the Spirit that was maturing the body of Christ, ““I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. They were dead as Jesus declared “for I have not found your works perfect before God“.

Therefore, the Church of Sardis was a lovely mausoleum to those inside and outside, as it lacked progressive sanctification and the ability to give life.

Despite is dead nature, there were a few souls, who were alive, but being crushed by the deadness of the majority of the Church. Therefore the LORD instructs the messenger of the Church to “strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die“.

The Church in America, as a whole, and this is a broad brush stroke, is very much like Sardis. The Church in the U.S. is very immature in our needed sanctification, because we lack he fullness of the Holy Spirit. Without this sanctification, which comes from obedience, and brings the reception of the Fulness of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32), we are in a precarious and perilous position.

Which brings us back to the core of the what makes a church, a fellowship of Christians, a life giving entity; that of being filled with the Holy Spirit…

John 7:37-39 ³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Let us leave behind distinctive doctrine on how we are filled with the Holy Spirit, for another discussion and focus on the results of being a Spirit filled person. The Spirit filled person, has the Holy Spirit, as a river of grace, love and power, flowing from them, to the other living stones and those who live in the world; a world which is a desert of sin.

Our greatest decision is not the name of our church, but are we going to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into fullness, which takes our meager lives and makes them meaningful to those around us.

This is accomplished because we are not only those from which the Living Water is supposed to flow, but also fruit bearing trees, which they are to sample and tase and see that the LORD is good.

Psalms 1:1-3 ¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

This jibes well with the imagery in Revelation 22, which speaks of our proximity to God, and our fruitfulness to heal the nations.

Revelation 22:1-2 ¹ And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ² In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The Church in America needs to take stock inwardly, as to if we have life, or think we have life because of we have a name or a flurry of activity; but are actually devoid of life.

Our greatest decision is to deny the desire for name recognition or marketing, that we can embrace sanctification and discipleship, leading to effective gospel ministry among the lost.

That decision will mean the difference between death and our being those who give the life of Christ to a dying world. Sooner or later, the LORD will judge us as He did Sardis.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged John 7:37-38, lovely mausoleum, Matthew 23:27-28, Revelation 3:1-5, Sardis, sepulcher, the dead church | Leave a comment

FEAR GOD ALONE

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

During a 1933 speech, concerning the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. The former president’s point was we ought to be very concerned about being controlled by fear.

In his mind fear would stifle creativity and paralyze the country into inaction, when action was necessary to get the country out of economic disaster.

Whether or not we agree with Roosevelt’s actions to get the United States out of the Great Depression, matters little, his statement is a true statement; except when the fear we have is the fear of God.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Some, in discussing the fear of the LORD, desire to distill it down to being simple reverence for God. Although there is reverence in the fear of the LORD, the truth conveyed in the word “fear” is much greater than that, meaning “being in awe or terror concerning something, which produces reverence”. Reverence itself is “a deep feeling of respect and awe, which causes veneration or bowing adoration”. The fear of the Lord is the only fear we are to have in our Christian life.

Often Christians, at least in America, diminish the awesome, immeasurable, holy and terrifying nature of GOD, who is larger than the universe He created, yet so close to humanity, that when we sin, He is present to see it (Psalm 51:4) We forget that…

1 Timothy 6:14-16 ¹⁴ that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, ¹⁵ which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

We are to have no fear of death—no fear losing our jobs—not fear of not having the daily needs of our body—NO FEAR, NO ANXIETY (Matthew 6:24-33), only to FEAR GOD.

THE FEAR OF MAN IS A SNARE

Proverbs 29:25 ²⁵The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

Rising fear from what men can do to us, is a terrible catalyst for life choices. The passage above reveals this truth. The word for “fear” means quaking or trembling anxiety caused from what unpleasantness men can do to us, in the future (either immediate or in the distance). The idea is whatever the threat is, it is to cause us to change life course, from God’s will, to the desire of the person making the threat.

When we operate under the fear of man, it becomes a snare to us, which like a bird snare, with a noose, tightens with each movement made to avoid what we fear. The classic commentary “The Pulpit Commentary” gives us great insight.

“He who, through fear of what man may do to him, thinks or says of him, and does what he knows to be wrong, letting his moral cowardice lead him into sin, leaves his duty—such a man gets no real good from his weakness, outrages his conscience, and displeases God”

The fear of man presses us to avoid the terror of what men can do to us, which leads us away from God and His will. The decision to move at the fear of man, makes us more susceptible to the fear of man in the future. We are warned by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, to fear only God.

Matthew 10:27-31 ²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

FEAR ONLY GOD, FOR HE VALUES YOU!

Jesus acknowledges that people, wicked people, will often have power over the saints, in the way of hurting us physically, emotionally, financially; even to take our lives. The New Testament has many passages revealing this to us, the list below is a small sample size.

John 15:18-6:4
II Timothy 3:12
Revelation 13:5-8, 7*

Despite this truth, we understand, we are not to seek to save our lives, but lose them for the sake of Christ (Luke 9:23-26), and lay hold of eternity with Him, by faith. Jesus tells us do not fear those who can kill the body but fear Him who after the body dies can place our souls in Hell.

Interestingly, that fear of the GOD is equated with trusting that He is with us, has His eye on us, and will bring us through this life, no matter what we face, until we are with Him forever.

This simply call to trust in the LORD, who is master of the soul and decider of where we spend eternity, is through out the entire written word of God.

Ecclesiastes 12:12-14¹² And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. ¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

The simple command to fear God, will become so very important in the very near future for Christians, in Western countries. Soon and very soon the governments of the world will seek to implement, “their” new economic system, of digital currency and identification, which is very close to the end times antichrist one world economic system.

In this system, if you do not participate, you’ll be nonexistent and shut out of all essential services. DO NOT FEAR THOSE WHO CAN ONLY KILL THE BODY.

We must remember that God is present with us, in the temptation to fear man, because He loves us and we are valuable to Him, even precious in His sight.

Titus 2:11-14 ¹¹ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

1 Peter 2:9 ⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Acts 20:28 ²⁸ Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

The fear of man, presses us to forget that we belong to GOD, through Christ’s shed blood—to forget that GOD is present with us—to forget that God is sovereign over us, and those who are exercising terror over us, and the situation we are in.

Remember that if God is our Father, and He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, He is not surprised by our situation, but has allowed it or ordained it, for our good and His glory.

Romans 8:28 ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

LET US CHOOSE GOD NO MATTER WHAT

Early in the history of the church they were under persecution, where they were commanded two times, to stop preaching in Jesus’ name, or else. Their responses were awesome.

Acts 4:18-20 ¹⁸ So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:23-31 ²³ And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? ²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ.’ ²⁷ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. ²⁹ Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 5:29-32 ²⁹ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. ³¹ Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

In the coming days, months and years, chose to obey God out of the fear of the LORD and love for GOD. He is always with us. This world is not our home but a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness .

2 Peter 3:11-13 ¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Do not fear those who can kill the body, fear God, Matthew 10:27-31, Matthew 6:24-33, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 29:25, the fear of man is a snare | Leave a comment

LEADERSHIP or BUST? Are we creating false hope? Part II

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

In Part II of this series of articles we are going to discuss three phrases often associated with leadership development, in the church and in the secular world. From the outset, its needs to be understood that theses phrases have arisen from secular leadership development programs.

That does not mean they ought ought to be dismissed out of hand, but that we must understand their foundation. Secular modalities and programs are not always bad, if they are virtuous and can be executed within the confines of scriptural authority, but they must not ever replace God’s word, and His ways and will. Below is the list of phrases. These phrases and modalities can be stated many ways.

1. If you are leading and no one is following, you are not leading.
2. Pastoral and leadership difficulties arise from an incompatible leadership style.
3. Leaders must learn to lead with “spiritual capital”.

IF YOU ARE LEADEING AND NO ONE IS FOLLOWING YOU’RE NOT LEADING.

Years ago I heard this statement from a mentor of mine, and it really shook me. I willingly admit, that this statement can be true in some cases. There are poor leaders and good leaders, who need to learn lessons of leadership. Yet, to use this statement as a maxim is damaging, because good biblical leadership does not always produce results, which please the world’s definition of succuss, or our own definition of success.

Consider Moses, chosen by God, equipped by God for the task of shepherding Israel. By faith God accomplished wonderous miracles through this man. Yet it was only a small amount of the people who were truly following God, through Moses. So little followed his leadership, that the entire generation of adults, who came out of Egypt died in the wilderness.

Consider the prophets, who led exemplary lives following God in the Old Testament especially Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The bulk of the warnings and calls to repentance were unheeded, as these calls to repentance and warnings turned into judgments. Were these poor leaders? No, they are models, for us, of leaders called to difficult situations, where few follow their good leadership. Consider Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 2:2-8 ² Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. ³ And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. ⁴ For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ ⁵ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them. ⁶ “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. ⁷ You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. ⁸ But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Ezekiel 3:4-9 ⁴ Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. ⁵ For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, ⁶ not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. ⁷ But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. ⁸ Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. ⁹ Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”

When considering this, leaders who lead and few follow, we must consider the Greatest Leader, our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that our Lord led the disciples for three years, performed miracles never seen, spoke the truth, loved His enemies, and proclaimed God’s kingdom. Yet on the day of His death, His most intimate followers all abandoned Him, in fear and unbelief, and exercised zero faith in His resurrection, having to be reminded by the woman, who were first to the tomb, they were supposed to be in Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7).

Let us consider that 500 brethren saw the Lord Jesus alive together and at one time, prior to His ascension (I Corinthians 15:6), yet only 120 were present on the day of Pentecost. If we were grading Jesus Christ, that would be an “F” at 24%. I only did this percentage because if we looked at the follower rate of His disciples, after His death, Jesus would have gotten an “F” with 0%.

To reiterate, there are leaders whom few follow and they may be poor leaders, but a large group following someone does not automatically equal good leadership as a maxim, it may or may be not the case.

The circumstances a leader may be in, could be very similar to another successful leader circumstance, yet different on a few points, which make the similarities less important.

PASTORAL/LEADERSHIP DIFFICULTIES ARISE FROM IMCOMPATIBLE LEASHERSHIP STYLE.

Once again, the above statement may be true, but it is not the issue or an a key contributing issue in many cases.

The way pastoral leaders arrives with a church for ministry, can have a ton of variables. Some fellowships and pastors will be at odds. In some cases it may be a pastoral leadership style, that is stuck a rut. In some cases it may be a church leadership structure (elders, deacons, teachers, board members), which is stuck in a rut. In many cases it has nothing to do with leadership style, which is not biblical phrase, but with the enemy attempting to bog a church down in division (Romans, I and II Corinthians, II Timothy, James, Hebrews).

That being said, speaking from a pastoral perspective, there is way too much emphasis, placed on the leadership style of pastors, even before they arrive. I have been asked in almost every interview with a church board, what my leadership style is. My answers frustrate many, but it is my answer “I prayerfully considering how to be all things to all men, like Paul” (I Corinthians 9:22).

I have been asked “Are you authoritarian?”

My answer is ” If I need to be, as led by the Holy Spirit“.

I’ve been asked “Are you democratic or participatory leaders?”

My answers is “Sure, if the situation dictates and the Holy Sprit is leading in that manner; I am participatory.“

I’ve been asked “Are you a delegating leader, who allows for those with gifts and talents to use their gifts?”

My answers is “So long as those folks are teachable and understand ministry is not an entitlement, but gift and accountability, exercised under duly ordained and godly authority.”

I’ve been asked “Are you a visionary and transformational leader?”

My response is “I hope to be and pray for vision to lead His church, but He is the one who transforms, not me.“

Pastoral leadership is difficult at best and impossible, without God’s help in its worst times. All leaders must deal with their own weakness and strengths, which need to be tempered by the Holy Spirit. Pastoral leadership is fraught with the expectations of other leaders, congregation members, as well as there own. These expectations may be biblical or unbiblical.

Besides that, leaders are expected to adjust to at least tens of tens of people in most cases, with little thought to how the others adjust to their personality, experience and understanding. This is not a complaint, but a hard reality.

I personally have benefitted from some leadership training in learning about myself, and how to prayerfully walk out being a leaders in Christ’s Church. That being said, the most important aspect of Christian leadership is how the leader follows the Holy Spirit, personally and in other Christians, who model the Christ life (Romans 8:14-16, I Corinthians 11:1).

If we are to be all things to all men, there aren’t enough training materials in the world to fill that gap, but by the Holy Spirit, we can be what we need to be.

LEADERS MUST LEARN TO LEAD WITH “SPIRITUAL CAPTIAL” OR “POCKET CHANGE”

The modality of leading with “spiritual capital” or “pocket change”, originally came from leadership gurus of the church, who were trying to figure out why the church had stalled. They followed a closely crafted idea, that has been stated “They do not want to know what you know, unless they know you love them”. This statement is at the head of what we used to call the “seeker sensitive church” and later repackaged as the “emergent church”.

To be clear, the seeker sensitive church or emergent church movement, was a response to the church losing its foundational call to make disciples by sharing the gospel. It happened slowly, but the church in America became an attempt, in general, to do what was necessary to get people into our buildings; rather than us being those who followed Christ’s command to “Go, and make disciples” where the people were at.

Churches were overrun with people who knew very little of the gospel, and the call for a person to repent and be a follower of Christ. Pastor’s and denominations had to pivot, and into this we come to leading through spiritual capitol or pocket change; meaning build up good will, before you say or do something that may trouble the person we are ministering too.

Keeping building good will, before you correct a person, change a ministry, or teach something they may not be ready for.

Being mindful of a persons disposition is not unbiblical.

Romans 15:1-2 ¹ We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

This is a call to leaders and laity, to be mindful that some peoples scruples or “hang ups” about particular things, which are perhaps not in line with the scripture or Christian maturity. Those more mature in the faith, ought to allow for these things, so long as they are not overtly sinful, or placing Christians doctrine or practice at risk. We aren’t to encourage them, but are to patiently give them an opportunity to grow into the deeper things.

In these cases being right is not the point, but allowing for the person to come to understand the biblical pathway as they are able. This does not mean forever, but allow time for them to consider the biblical pathway.

II Timothy 2:23-26 also alludes to this in the case of the need for repentance and correction in behavior or practice. Verse 25-25 of that passage declares “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition“.

The word for “gentle” carries with it the idea of considering how a person needs to hear something. In another place in God’s word this is phrased “speaking the truth in love“.

When considering the Lord Jesus Christ anyone can see, He is THE most “speaking the truth in love” Person ever. Yet, some of what he said and did was said an done without any mind as to how much spiritual capital He possessed or burned.

In John 11 after finding out Lazarus was sick, and knowing his friend would die, He waited four days. This behavior, blew a lot of the good will He had built up with Mary, Martha and some of the bystanders, yet God had a plan and He followed.
In John 4 Jesus ministers to a Samarian woman He had never met, and share a lot of difficult things for a person to hear. He did not consider how well she knew him, or if what He said was offending her, but spoke the truth in love, in some very abrupt ways.
Matthew 15:12 reveals the disciples were worried that Jesus was not building spiritual capital with the Pharisee’s and thereby putting the disciples at risk.
John 8:1-11 is the testimony of the woman caught in adultery. Our Lord had very little relationship capital with the pharisees and religious, yet challenged them with “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone“. He was the only one who could, and He could have for her violation of the law. Rather He lead with mercy and then told her to “go and sin no more“. None could conjecture Jesus did not have an ongoing relationship to her.

The gospel and new testament are littered with accounts like this, If you would like a list, let me know an I can provide one for you. Our Lord did not do things in mind with spiritual capital, because as He stated, He did wat the Father told Him to do, as a model for us to follow.

That being said leaders ought to have a built i heart which values relationship; understanding that all truths and godly actions are not meant to be spoken or executed, as soon as they are known. Yes, there are times for good leaders to pass on their knowledge to those who need to hear it and there are times when the Spirit leads in those things at a later hour.

That said, the best leadership training is to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). That is a lifetime lesson, one the church in America needs sorely to focus on.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christian leadership development, Christian leadership training, Christian living, Follow Jesus, pastor leadership | Leave a comment

LEADERSHIP or BUST? Are we creating false hope?

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Let’s talk about the Christian fixation, at least in America, on leadership and leaders. This topic may not interest you, but I assure you, it is relevant to every true follower of Christ.

Note that I said, “relevant to every true follower of Christ”, not every true “leader” who is Christian. Why is this noteworthy?

It is noteworthy because for most of the last two generations, Christians with a calling (pastors per se), have been overwhelmed with the call to be better leaders.

You may be thinking, but is that a bad thing, aren’t good leaders a biblical demand and focus?

Yes and no.

As I was speaking to one of the pastors in my life, today, I was reminded to note, that I am not against good leaders, or necessary and biblical leadership development. As The scriptures offers how step by step instructions for pastoral ministry (I Timothy and II Timothy; Titus, I Peter 5:1-3 and others).

That said, I do propose that an improper focus on producing better leaders in the American Church, where much of the information is not coming from God’s word, but business and secular psychological modalities, is at times counterproductive to producing Spirit filled and transformed followers of Jesus Christ.

It is also my proposition that not only have leadership training materials, conferences, pod casts, and the like, fleeced millions of dollars from people desperate to succeed, they also raise hope for false messiahs to save the church from irrelevancy and death by attrition.

Many Christians worship false messiah pastors, who are great leaders and produce numbers, but are poor at producing disciples, who are faithful to Christ. These false messiah’s sell many books, have exponentially large YouTube and social media followings, and are lauded at Christian leadership conferences.

Their materials are sold to pastors, who are convinced if they can be like these great “leaders”, matching the leadership and ministries paradigms, they too can be relevant successful leaders.

When one enters a disposition of seeking to be a better leader, they are brought into a world of unnecessary self-examination, by men and women who believe themselves to be good leaders, based on business and success modalities of the secular world.

In this trap a person can become immobile in analysis paralysis, or worse yet believe if they have the correct leadership style, they can save their dying church or ineffective ministry.

This kind of thinking is alien to the word of God, and places and unfair emphasis on pastors and Church leaders, who need to show their leadership credentials, rather than being qualified for their ministry, by what God’s word declares is important.

It is important to remember that although Jesus Christ is THE LEADER of the Kingdom of God, He did not care about the leadership “essentials” of the leadership class of His day.

John 7:14-15 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

The Jews believed that learning to minister the way a particular sect teaches was correct and acceptable, made good leaders. This is not the case in either testament.

Ecclesiastes 12:10-14 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

It seems that Solomon, who tried all the world’s wisdom and came up lacking as a leader, settles on this one truth: great leaders are those who are unconcerned with the convention of the day, and are concerned with following God and His word alone (Fear God and keep His commandments).

It is difficult enough to hear the Holy Spirit over the loudness of the world, the flesh, and the Devil; and impossible if we are listening to the voices of “leadership gurus” of the American Christian church, who teach repackaged leadership development from the world.

Consider the Greatest Leader ever, Jesus Christ our Lord. What leadership training did He have?

He was raised by two normal humans, with unremarkable skills, however necessary they were. Our Lord learned the lessons of Judaism from His local synagogue, like every other Hebrew boy in Nazareth. He learned faithfulness and hard work from Joseph, which I learned from my own father: no class necessary.

What was Jesus’ leadership training? NONE to speak of, but He who is the Great Leader of all men, was that, because He is THE GREAT FOLLOWER of His Father and the Holy Spirit.

John 5:19-20 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel…

The Greatest Leader of all spent His time looking for where the Father was working and joined Him. That is very interesting. Yet further still…

John 12:49-50 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

Jesus’ testimony, from both passages lines up with a very real New Testament truth concerning Christians, in a passage which is one of the few using a word used associated with leadership..

Romans 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Those who are children of God, are good followers of the Holy Spirit, as He teaches us the word of God, and we hide it in our heart, using it to discern good and evil, in practical life (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Jesus, as the Son of God, was being led by the Spirit, as a Follower of the Father, as His chief priority. In John 4:34 He reveals to us that His food was to do the will of the One who sent Him and to finish His (the Father’s) work. He was unconcerned, whether He was lining up with the leadership modalities of His Day.

Consider how He carried out His ministry concerning mindset.

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The phrase “taking the form of a bondservant” is very important. A bondservant has no will of their own, even if their debt is paid and they choose to remain with their master. Christ was a bond servant paying off our debt, and His only desire was to fulfil the law and please the Father, by being perfectly obedient. That means His priority was following, not leading.

The word of God reveals He learned obedience through what He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). This means, as God, He learned the human lesson of obedience, which means what it takes to follow God, through suffering. He learned what it takes, not to be a great leader, but THE GREATEST FOLLOWER of GOD, as an example to us.

Remember His correction of the disciples when they were speaking about who would be greatest in the Kingdom.

Matthew 20:24-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ was leader over the disciples. He gave them commandments, which they did not like, yet He gave them. He did this because He was serving following the Father’s will, in His work. In that following His leadership was 100% about serving the disciples.

Was our Lord Jesus Christ the Greatest Leader? Yes, He is the Great Shepherd, but His concern in leading was being THE PERFECT FOLLOWER.
• Following His Father
• By Following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
• As the Holy Spirit leads by the Word of God hidden in His heart.

Nothing has changed and in response to the overwhelming denomination and Christian cultural pressure to be a good leader, we must align ourselves with God and His will.

Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

We need to rethink our fixation on leadership development, because what we ought to be training our called men and women to be is great followers of Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, rather than psychological tests, bent to place people in a four to six personality box; which is more new age and occult than Christian.

Consider that Pauls’ great call to the Corinthians, where sin and carnality abounded, was two statements, which did not consider how many would be offended by the truth He spoke.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate (follow) me, just as I also imitate (follow) Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Paul’s disposition of leadership was not training from other successful leaders, but being a spiritual father, who models the Christ life, teaching lessons of what Jesus did and would do.

Interestingly, Pauls’ words about ten thousand instructors in Christ, has come to pass. A search on amazon.com for “Christian Leadership” turns up 20,000 book offerings.

When considering the most popular Christian leadership guru, John Maxwell, we find he has published over 100 books dealing with leadership. When considering just a 250-page limit per book, that tallies 25,000 pages on Christian leadership, from one man.

How that number and volume does not trouble us, when most Bibles have approximately 1500 pages, is troubling; a Christian pastor (leader), has written 25,000 pages concerning a topic scantly mentioned in the New Testament.

If we take just half of the 20,000 Christian leadership entries and multiply that by 100 pages, that is 1,000,000 pages about Christian leadership. WOW!

With all this leadership development, for the purpose of saving the church, why are 1500 pastors leaving the ministry per month and 7000 churches closing per year?

Because leadership development is a parallel path to the narrow road, but it is not the narrow road.

In my next article we will examine three leadership statements that have been levied on pastors by leadership modalities.

1. If you are leading and no one is following, you are not leading.
2. Pastoral and leadership difficulties arise from his leadership style.
3. Leaders must learn to lead with “spiritual capital”.

Don’t miss discussing these current leadership modalities, which may or may not be true.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being led by the Holy Spirit, Christian leadership development, Christian leadership training, followers of Christ, John Maxwell, Romans 8:14 | Leave a comment

Jesus Christ our High Priest at GOD’s Throne (Hebrews 5:1-6)

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Below is a link to my preaching notes from Sunday’s message from Hebrews chapter 5 through chapter 9. Please click the link to download this valuable resource.

Notes From Hebrews 5.1-6

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Hebrews 5:-6, Jesus Christ our High Priest | Leave a comment

Have You Ever Felt Like This Little Guy?

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Have you ever felt like this little guy? I know, I know, this little guy could be a little gal, as I didn’t lift its tail to see. But for the purpose of our conversation, have you ever felt like this little guy. What do I mean? let me explain.

While walking at the local elementary school yesterday, I discovered this little faun, just sitting in the summer sun, almost trembling. This baby deer couldn’t have weighed more than 15 pounds, with gangly legs and little strength to stand or walk.

There were no other deer around, as far as I could see and this little guy was afraid.

As I walked up, speaking very gently, I talked with him. Despite the deer being very unsure of the hulking creature very different to him, he was drawn to the comfort of my voice; being alone and afraid without his mother.

Interestingly, I could have probably picked him up, but was concerned my scent would remain and when mother deer returned, he’d be rejected.

Let me ask, have you ever felt like him?

Have you ever felt like him, as a Christian? Alone, looking around for someone like you in your faith, that looks like you, behaves like you, thinks like you, in your redeemed and transformed mind?

Have you in your spiritual state felt your need to move, run from perceived danger, but being able to stand only, you simply want to lay down hoping for rescue?

The experience of the little deer, is more common place than we would like to admit, for those who really surrender to God’s love in Christ. Remember that Jesus declares the world will hate us, so we live in the valley of the shadow of death, with few familiar fellow’s of the flock, in the world and at times in the one place we ought to be safe… His church.

Jesus experienced at least the feelings that we have…

Isaiah 53:2-5 ² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. ³ He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. ⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Why is it that sincere followers of Christ often feel exactly like that little dear?

I can only speak concerning this question from what I know best; the church in America.

We often feel this way, because the Lord is shaping our faith to trust Him alone and that is rare in America, at least Christians who want only what God wants for their life.

Secondly, and connected to the first, is the fact that there so few sincere followers of Christ, we often lower our view point of what it means to be a Christian. There may no be many little deer like us, but there are more than a few, scattered for us to find, if we’ll wait on the Lord.

We must hold to what a Christian is supposed to be, biblically speaking, because if not, like the little dear with me, we will advance toward someone who looks friendly, but will be an existential threat.

Consider me with the dear. I could have picked it up, stroked its fur, comforted it in its anxiety. I would not have snapped its neck, cut it up for deer chops or deer jerky. Heck, I may have even given it some milk. The only problem is that it is prey and I am ultimately a predator. If my family had to eat, even if I raised that deer to a two-hundred pound buck, I would kill it to feed my family.

In similar fashion, false teachers, ministers of the devil and tares among the wheat, who profess to know Christ, present themselves as a comfort to us in our fear. We must stretch to find our comfort in Christ alone or what He provides, rather than listen to the soothing voice of charlatan Christians.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 ³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

1 Peter 5:8-9 ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

It is certainly human and part of our Christian experience to feel like that little dear from time to time, but we cannot remain in that feeling. We must grow in knowing Jesus is always with us and will never leave nor forsake us. We must remember we are not deer, but children of God, who are called to be led by the Holy Spirit. Therefore we are never alone, never lost and never so weak as to move at His direction and run to safety.

Even that little deer, didn’t stay put for long in its fear. By the time I came around again, he had moved out of sight and was hiding in the shelter of the forest. We never have to hide in a forest, for He hides us in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91).

Let’s grow up into mature children of God, not overcome with fear or despair, because the alternative is to be meat for the enemy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged I Peter 5:8-9, II Corinthians 11:1-3, overcoming fear | Leave a comment

Increase Our Faith? Why? (Luke 17:1-1-5 and the Impossibility of True Forgiveness)

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

(Luke 17:1-5) 1Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Faith and Duty 5And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

After reading the passage of scripture above, with its degree of difficulty (in executing forgiveness), it is possible to miss the point our Lord Jesus Christ is communicating.

Informed Christians, can honestly agree that forgiving a one day seven time offender, who says “I repent“, can be a difficult task. When combining that with how our Lord articulates the same point elsewhere “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22), we feel the degree of difficulty increase to potential impossibility.

When considering that we tend to read the Bible in paragraphs, and snippets, with the addition of artificial chapter headings (which can be seen above “Faith and Duty“), it is easy to understand how we can miss the point.

Consider our Lord Jesus statements in verses 1-4 and from Matthew 18:21-22

Forgiving a person who offends us seven times in day and returns to us, in godly sorrow, declaring “I repent”, may not seem to be an impossibility, until we experience it, repeatedly. When considering the 490 times from Matthew 18:21-22, we may begin to sweat with roiled intestines.

(Remember that 70 times 7, for 490, is not meant express a limit, but a heart that is always prepared to forgive offense, indefinitely.)

Forgiving a person that offends us just one time in a day can be tough, because offenses are not personality conflicts or mistakes, but soul hurtful acts against our person and and ultimately God’s moral Law and His Person. More on that later.

In response to Jesus command we read the disciples request in Luke 17:5 “And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

Years ago when I first read this passage, I thought why would the disciples ask such a question, to such a clear command. I thought, perhaps a question on how to forgive, like an equation of sorts, or perhaps a question concerning the nature of the offense and when an offense to great to forgive.

Jesus example of a child being soul hurt, by an offender, which most would agree the highest degree of sin, is for a specific reason. To let the disciples know, they are not children, so no matter the offense, followers of Christ are to forgive, for few have been offended as greatly as an abused child.

The disciples knew this, therefore their desire is that Jesus increase their faith, because who wants really wants to forgive even a repentant person, when offended, when we understand what forgiveness is from God’s perspective?

FORGIVENESS

What is forgiveness? In the first place,, forgiveness is not forgetting. We romanticize the forgiveness of God as forgetting, in popular Christian culture, by misusing three particular verses.

Micah 7:18-19 He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. ¹⁹He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Jeremiah 31:34 For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 10:17 ¹⁷ then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Let us remember that when God is described as not remembering, it does mean He forgets. God is omniscient, all knowing, He does not forget. He chooses not to bring a sin back for justice, once it has been dealt with by His grace in the cross.

For us forgiveness is not forgetting either.

Forgiveness, defined by the word in our passage, means to send forth, as the Old Testament scape goat, was sent forth into the wilderness. In the Old covenant, there was an animal sacrifice, where blood was shed to cover the sins of the people, which pointed to the atonement to come in Christ, where all our sin would be washed away.

Once a year, there was another vicarious action, where the high priest would confess the sin of the people, while placing his hands on the head of a male goat, thus transferring the sin of the people to the scape goat. This goat would then be led out into the wilderness of Sin. There the sins of the people had been sent forth, never to come back.

Forgiveness also means the offended party, with the offender having repented, chooses to let the sin go forth not to bring it back up, even if the offender fails seven times more in that day, and continues to say “I repent“.

What did this mean for the disciples, what does it mean for us?

It means no penalty or sanction against the offender. It means no seeking of personal justice. It means we treat them as if they have not sinned; if they have truly repented. The disciples were beginning to understand the cost walking after God… Leaving justice to Him alone. Now we see the impossibility of it all. Ah, but with Christ, nothing is impossible. This is why our Lord responds with these words…

Luke 17:6 ⁶ So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

It was of no consequence to the Lord Jesus Christ that the disciples were basically telling Him, his command was impossible, for He says it is more than possible even with the smallest amount of faith in Him.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus described a most IMPOSSIBLE and UNECESSARY miracle, as within their ability, with the smallest amount of faith? Think of it. With faith we can command a mulberry tree to be uprooted, float over to a lake, sea or ocean and be planted in the water, as if it were dirt, and grow mulberries.

Why did Jesus use this example? Because forgiveness is a most NECESSARY and EXPECTED MIRACLE. When we complain forgiveness is hard we are walking out unbelief, which is a faith killing sin.

His answer to the disciples and us is no excuses, because we do not deserve His forgiveness and its wonderful end of being reconciled to Him.

Now as the disciples were prone to doing good deeds and believing they deserved a special reward or place in Jesus Kingdom, so we can think this as well. This is why Jesus gives His next lesson concerning forgiveness.

From reading Luke 17:7-10, we understand that forgiveness is simply what Christian do. It may seem remarkable to the lost world around us, but for us it is as normal as breathing to serve others and to forgive. We ought not to believe there is anything special about us, for forgiving the repentant, even if we have forgiven 490 times in one day, is not more that He has forgiven us. As He deals with us by grace, we ought to do so with others, knowing we are still unprofitable servants, even though we are beloved as His children.

Forgiveness is our duty, and it reveals God’s ultimate end in forgiving…

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The reason for forgiveness is reconciliation, which simply means through repentance and forgiveness the relationship between God and the man or woman is restored. As the passage declares, this is why the Word of God became flesh, died with our sin upon Him, willingly allowed His blood to be spilled and rose from the dead; THAT WE WHO ARE FORGIVEN CAN BE RECONCILED TO GOD.

Why is Forgiveness so difficult, even when we have GREAT FAITH?

We forget we are unprofitable servants, because we judge ourselves by our standards of righteousness. This is a dicey place to remain, where grace and holiness are misunderstood (Isaiah 64:6).
We lie to ourselves, in saying “I can forgive, but I can’t forget”. WE do not need to forget. It is love in the remembrance of sin, which exhibits Christ’s love and life, through us best.
We forget how offensive we can be to God and others, apart from Christ.
We are insensitive to the Holy Spirit’s influence, so our carnal emotions take over, when we need to put them to death and take them off (Colossians 3:1-8).
We lacking scriptural understanding of what a real biblical offense is (Matthew 18:15-20). In this error we hold onto personality differences, as offense and a whole bunch of other junk as well. A biblical offense is one, whereby if not repented of, the offender is kicked out of fellowship.
We are not really offended but projecting our own flaws on others and being the offender unwittingly.
We forget that forgiveness is not the end, but a means to the end of reconciliation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged faith and a mustard see, forgiveness, Luke 17:1-5, Matthew 18:21-22 | Leave a comment

True Faith is More than an Open Mouth! (Hebrews 3:1-12)

Posted on April 27, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Below is a PDF version of my notes from this Sunday’s morning message (4/27/2025). Please click on the link below and download the notes.

#8 Hebrews 3.1.12- Faith is more than an Open Mouth

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged and evil heart of unbelief, Hebrews 3:1-12, provoking the LORD | Leave a comment

Rend the Heavens, Oh GOD #2 (Isaiah 64:1-5)

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Isaiah 64:1-2 ¹Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—²As fire burns brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—to make Your name known to Your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Your presence!

Ultimately, the cry of Isaiah’s heart, for the LORD to “Rend the heavens! That You would come down“, is fulfilled in Christ.

Last week we began to examine why Isaiah was so desperate in His prayer, and how the sinful disposition of the nation of Israel, against the LORD, can be found in us, when we are not walking soberly in our faith.

This week we will look into how Christ’s present with us is the fulfillment of the prophet’s prayer, and causes real shaking events in our lives, which will bring greater faith and sanctification.

“That the mountains might shake at Your presence“

The above call for GOD’s presence to shake the mountains, calls to mind YHWH on Mt. Sinai, after the exodus from Egypt. The mountains indeed shook at His presence. Despite this imagery, the result of the mountain shaking, was to humble the proud of Israel and bring them to holiness before the the LORD.

Throughout Isaiah’s prophecy he uses natural imagery to communicate God’s desire in humanity. Consider the prophecy concerning the ministry of John the Baptist.

Isaiah 40:3-5 ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; ⁵ The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

It is obvious the word of God is using metaphor to reveal John’s ministry of preparing a road for Christ to travel over. That road is into the heart of man, where every weakness (valley) of man will be lifted, while every pride (mountain) humbled–every place iniquity (crooked) holds sway will be made straight–and the wounds (rough place), self-inflicted or other wise, will be paved smooth.

All this road work done by the Baptist, that Christ would have a smooth road, a Kings Highway, on which to travel into the heart of man.

Likewise, God’s presence in Christ, by the Spirit of God with those who follow Christ, shakes our pride, arrogance and the fear that fuels it; reminding us that humility is foundational to intimacy with our God and Father.

James 4:6-8 ⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

1 Peter 5:5-7 ⁵ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

When God rends the heavens over our lives and comes down to us in Christ, He shakes our pride and fear to the ground. Our responsibility is to step into the shaking rather than avoid it. Next we will see how God’s presence affects the body of Christ, both negatively and positively.

“As fire burns brushwood“

Brushwood is simply that which is used to kindle and fuel a fire. Gathering brushwood means, breaking off low hanging dead branches and picking them off the ground. These fruitless branches have one purpose and that is fire wood.

In considering, what causes these branches to burn, God’s presence coming down, we are drawn to John 15:1-6. Let remember that Jesus is the fulfillment of God rending the heavens and coming down.

John 15:1-6 ¹ “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

A couple of things to be noted, both fruitful branches and dead branches are personally handled by God and secondly both types of branches are said to be “in” the Vine, who is Christ. What are we too make of this statement?

When Christ is in the midst of His church, He is there to cause growth and multiplication of fruit. This fruit in not that of numeric growth, but that of growth in the character of Christ, His commitment to the Father’s will, as we absolutely surrender to Him.

Interestingly, during what may be termed as revival, the first hit of God’s presence almost always begins with the confession of sin, repentance in the saints, as they are convicted by the Spirit of God, and absolute surrender in the congregation to God’s love and chastening; hence the pruning.

In the others, God’s presence, will reveal the true and sad state of their hearts; that they are dead to God and dead to the life of the Spirit. Truth told, this is occurring in the church throughout the world, and is God’s preparation for the return of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:17 ¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

In every church I have pastored there is a clear delineation, between those who love God’s word and His Son, who abide in Christ, and those who have not received the love of the truth that they might be saved, being saved (II Thessalonians 2:9-12).

Just as God’s rending of the heavens and coming down, through Christ, produces a positive negative effect in those not producing fruit, so it dos in those who are, but need a catalyst to advance.

“As fire causes water to boil“

This is an interesting statement, for boiling water was important to those living at the time of Isaiah. Remember the first reason to biol water is to kill that which lives in it, that can kill the one using the water.

God heating us up, is a New Testament principal, which carries with it the same idea of why we boil water.

1 Peter 1:6-7 ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Although the metaphor used in the passage above is different, that of a gold being super heated, where the dirt and impurities rise to the top, for the purpose of purifying the gold; the reason is the same.

When Christ comes into our lives, He comes with His presence and He is a consuming fire. We feel this in the joy and passion we have to serve the Lord with all our heart, at the beginning of our walk. The hard part is maintaining that heart of fire, amidst other Christians who want to diminish your faith, as your life makes them feel weak–or dealing with continual attacks and temptations–or being wounded by other Christians.

What ever the reason, there are times when we need to come face to face with Jesus again, for our faith and practice has grown weary and cold.

The conclusion of the matter is to ask, where are you?

Are you fruitless?

Are you pruned?

It is not too late, call for God to rend the heavens that God would come down and change your life.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Isaiah 64, John 15:1-6, the prophet Isaiah | Leave a comment