Fresh Bread Devotionals

Traveling Time

2012-01-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

When Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them by the way to the land of the Philistines, although that was nearby, for God said, "Lest the people change their minds and return to Egypt when they experience war.” So God brought the people by way of the desert to the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up from the Land of Egypt prepared for battle – Exod. 13:17-18.

People who renovate old homes sometimes discover unexpected treasures. One family in Chester, Connecticut, discovered a century’s worth of trash in their crawlspace. Among the items that had been discarded there were an Old English Curve Cut Pipe Tobacco can, a bottle dating from the late 1800s, along with a variety of canned meats, spices, and powders.

What is discarded as trash to some people can be a treasure to others. I guess it is all a matter of taste and perspective. We often value things based on our own individual likes and dislikes. Or to put it another way, we use our subjective reasoning.

So it is when it comes to direction. We often conclude that the best way to get from Point A to Point B is the shortest possible route. I find myself doing this often while driving. I want to get to my destination quick and fast and that means talking the shortest route possible with the least amount of interference. But when God leads us along life’s path, the shortest route is not always the best.

Preparation

The Israelites had just come out of slavery, and they were not prepared for warfare. The shortest way for them to go to the land which God had given them was up the sea coast.

During the 1967 Six-Day War in the land of Palestine, the Israelites moved right down the sea coast and moved the Egyptians right out. Of course, the Israelites had tanks and planes to do it. They were prepared. The Israelites coming out of Egyptian slavery had no weapons to fight with; so God graciously took them through the wilderness. It was a longer route to the land, but it would spare any warfare. They would not have to face an enemy until they entered the land. It took them forty years to get through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. By then they would have an army and be equipped, as we shall see.

Miracles

Someone might say, "But God could have delivered them by some miracle." This is true, but this kind of an attitude is not always a good one. Some Christians think that God should perform a miracle for them every minute. They feel that they have the right to command the Lord to intervene for them if they are sick or in trouble. It is not a question of His ability; He certainly can do it. Rather, it is a question of the way God wants to do it. He is following a plan. And when it is necessary, God will perform a miracle for us - but only to accomplish His will and way in our lives.

God could have brought the Israelites through the land of the Philistines by a miracle. Had they been attacked, God could have delivered them. When it is necessary, God is prepared to perform miracles but only to accomplish His will.

So, if God leads you down the path that is longer than you expected, don’t pray for a miracle and then hope for the best. Walk the path God has you on. He sees what’s up ahead that you could face but are not ready or equipped to deal with. God has you on the best route possible so as to train you for your next big assignment.

Cooperation

Rather than question God’s judgment, why not simply trust Him and cooperate with His plan for you. In the end, you’ll see that He brought you along the right path even though it would not have been the one you would have chosen. Our eyes or method of planning can only go so far, but in the mind and heart of an infinite God, He most certainly knows what is best.

The quickest route along the sea would only take the Israelites 12-14 days to reach the Promise Land. But remember, the Israelites had a divine appointment to keep at Mount Sinai where God gave to them His Laws. And then after He gave them His Laws, He tested them for forty years in the Wilderness to enable them to keep it. God is more interested in what occurs in your heart along the way than what place you end up at. God wants you to reach your next assignment filled with a heart of obedience and gratitude and not with a heart that’s empty and untested.

The journey does matter.

Following the Dead

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol – Prov. 9:17-18

William Henry Harrison had the shortest tenure of any American president. He was one of the oldest to be elected (only Ronald Reagan was older) and the first to die in office. Harrison died of pneumonia after being in office only 32 days. His greatest achievement was probably the resolution to the constitutional crisis regarding presidential succession that followed his death.

Dying shortly after the first month of being president was something that happened unexpectedly. Most assuredly, then president Harrison did not plan for that to occur. There are no guarantees in life. What makes life even more problematic is that even if one obeys the rules, there are still no guarantees.

Man’s Sinful Nature

Our fallen sinful nature has its own agenda. When we steal things and seemingly get away with it, the moment turns sweet. When we do something wrong and in secret without the judgmental eyes of others, life for the moment becomes pleasant.

This is why adultery is such a common thing. Stealing someone else’s property and getting away with it is sweet and exciting. The rendezvous moments, the nights out, the time together in secret, all make the relationship thrilling. Why? Because when we steal that which does not belong to us and get away with it, and when we eat bread in secret or do things that are not right but hidden from others, such things appeal to our primal sinful nature. Reality becomes altered. Green becomes yellow, wrong becomes right, bad becomes good, and our moral philosophy changes to “it is okay along as I am not hurting anyone.”

Living With The Consequences

But keep on reading the verse above especially the end. The dead are the participants. Just how much moral clarity do dead people have? None! So it is with those who do such things. Those who do such things may be alive physically, but are dead spiritually and morally. And not only are such people dead, but they already have one foot in the grave or Sheol (the place of departed spirits). You see, the dead have no friends, no family, no relationships. They are dead. So it is with those who steal other people’s property and commit hurtful wrong doings against others in secret. They are dead and whatever relationships they had prior to their sinful engagement, they will end up losing it all for the price of a little selfish excitement.

So whenever you become tempted to take something that isn’t yours or do something wrong in secret and within you there flares up some feelings of excitement, you must know that what you are about to do is appealing to your sinful nature which will always lead you down the wrong path. Do not depend on your moral compass from within you to guide you, but look to God who is your objective source.

Life is so much more thrilling and fulfilling when it is lived without debilitating consequences.

Investing Wisely

2012-01-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning – Prov. 9:9

He'll be on the field for every game, right in the middle of the action, but he won't throw a pitch or take a swing.

Ted Barrett feels the pressure nonetheless. He knows the stakes are high at the start of a World Series or any game he is scheduled to umpire in. But while the players will all be doing their utmost to leave their mark a game, especially a big game, Barrett and five other guys hope that nobody even knows they are there.

"All eyes are on the game," said Barrett, one of the six umpires working the series. "The biggest fear is for something to happen where you become the story."

Barrett and fellow ump Rob Drake started a ministry called "Calling for Christ." Barrett ultimately hopes that his actions point to Jesus. Twelve umpires showed up the first year, and by last year, that number had grown to about 70.

He has baptized 27 umpires who have come to faith in Christ as a result of the CFC ministry, in addition to five umpires' wives.

"Guys used to hide their walk with God," Esskew said about the umpires. "It was something you didn't talk about. You didn't bring God into the locker room or on the field. Now, they'll pray before every game before they walk out on the field.

"It's so exciting to see God change the lives of these men."

"My sole purpose is to glorify God," Barrett said. "Whatever happens, if I can walk off the field and glorify God, then I'm in."

Changing lives is what God is all about. One of hardest jobs of every pastor is to teach others the values of the Christian faith. I say, “hard” because not everyone is able or even ready to receive. A lot has to do with a person’s heart to receive divine instructions and personal mentoring. To be change agents like Barret and Drake (noted above) takes a man who is both wise and righteous.

The writer begins by saying, “Instruct the wise. . .” This is the duty of all believers when you think about it. We are to make disciples. But we cannot be casting our pearls before swine, that is, those who will only trample upon them. We need to ask God to show us those who are wise.

Now the wise in this passage does not refer to those who are smart. This proverb uses a parallel imagery. Keep on reading and you will see the parallel – “Instruct the wise. . .teach a righteous person.” Do you see the connection? The wise person is the righteous person. In other words, to be wise in God’s eyes is to apply what little of God’s Word you already know. Application and obedience are essential elements to becoming wise people.

It is not so much filling our heads with masses amount of knowledge, rather it is applying what we already know to be true to our thinking, behavior, marriages, lives and at work or anywhere else where such things are called for.

So for me as a pastor, when I seek to pour my life into someone and train him or her in the things of God, I look for a person who is already living the Christian life. I am not impressed with their ability to teach. I am not impressed with the amount of bible info they know. I am delighted when I see how their behavior and conduct matches what they know to be true from reading God’s Word.

Are you wise? Are you righteous? If you are, God will send someone to you to further you along in your walk with Him. In the mean time, be on the lookout for those who are both wise and righteous. Don’t waste your time on anyone else. You will come to see that your efforts will be fruitless in the end even though you may experience for a short time a hopeful beginning.

Helping to keep your pupil or disciple obedient to the things of God is the best way to ensure that your investment will not be lost.

Death and Dying

2012-01-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints - Psalm 116:15

From our perspective death is the greatest grief we can imagine; from God's perspective it is the delight of His heart. From our perspective, it brings a sorrow that only heaven can erase; from God's perspective, it brings a joy that only heaven can know.

Nearly every great structure on earth, from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Pyramid of Giza, has a copy. And most are located in Las Vegas! These copies do not really compare with their originals. Usually they are cheap (and sometimes not-so-cheap) imitations. They may serve as a reminder of the structures they represent, but they will never be able to substitute for the real thing.

While down here on planet earth, we enjoy God’s presence to come degree, yet it cannot compare to the real thing being in heaven. It is almost as if we are merely enjoying “copies” of what heaven has to offer. Although a copy is better than nothing at all, it cannot substitute for the real thing.

But let me ask this question: How can the death of His people be so precious in the sight of the Lord? Doesn't He care about the gaping wound that loved ones leave behind on earth? Is He not sensitive to the pains and anguish that usually precede our own death? Why would anything so grievous to us be so precious to God?

The answer, of course, is that God loves more, sees more, and wants more for us than we love, see, or want for ourselves or loved ones. God sees the majesty, sweetness, purity, and perfection of each glorified saint as they cross over from this cursed earth and put on the robes of Christ's righteousness.

If we could see just how delightful heaven is, just how joyful we will be there, and just how overwhelmingly sweet it will be to live in the presence of Jesus Christ forever, we would doubtless find death as precious as God does. Remember, in heaven we find the original – the eternal state. While here on earth the temporary is merely a copy.

Where Are The Future Leaders of the Church?

2012-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. 8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Dr. Carl F.H. Henry was once asked about the future of the church and the sad shape it is in – so much doctrinal vacuity, vapid preaching, non-existent discipleship.

Here was his unforgettable reply:

“Why, you speak as though Christianity were genetic,” he said. “Of course, there is hope for the next generation of evangelicals. But the leaders of the next generation might not be coming from the current evangelical establishment. They are probably still pagans.”

“Who knew that Saul of Tarsus was to be the great apostle to the Gentiles?” he asked us. “Who knew that God would raise up a C.S. Lewis, a Charles Colson? They were unbelievers who, once saved by the grace of God, were mighty warriors for the faith.”

He’s so right. The next Jonathan Edwards might be the man driving in front of you with the Darwin Fish bumper decal. The next Charles Wesley might be a profanity-spewing hip-hop artist right now. The next Billy Graham might be passed out drunk in a fraternity house right now. The next Charles Spurgeon might be making posters for a Gay Pride March right now. The next Mother Teresa might be managing an abortion clinic right now.

But the Spirit of God can turn all that around and seems to delight to do so. The new birth doesn’t just transform lives, creating repentance and faith; it also provides new leadership to the church, and fulfills Jesus’ promise to gift his church with everything needed for her onward march through space and time (Eph. 4:8-16).

After all, while Phillip was leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, Saul of Tarsus was still a murderer.

Most of the church in any generation comes along through the slow, patient discipleship of the next generation. But just to keep us from thinking Christianity is evolutionary and “natural” (or, to use Dr. Henry’s term “genetic”), Jesus shocks his church with leadership that seems to come like a Big Bang out of nowhere.

So whenever you’re tempted to despair about the shape of American Christianity, be reminded that Jesus never promised the triumph of the American church; he promised the triumph of the church. Most of the church, in heaven and on earth, isn’t American.

Jesus will be King, and his church will flourish. And he’ll do it in the way he chooses, by exalting the humble and humbling the exalted, and by transforming cowards and thieves and murderers into the cornerstones of his New City.

So relax.

And also, be kind to that atheist in front of you on the highway, the one who just shot you an obscene gesture. He might be the one who evangelizes your grandchildren.

Christ's Commands Are Possible

2012-01-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

And Simon answered, Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets – Luke 5:5

First Lady Michelle Obama stirred controversy when she met with Queen Elizabeth II in 2009 and placed her hand on the monarch’s back as the two talked during a reception. Nine years earlier the prime minister of Australia was similarly criticized when he appeared to put his arm around the queen to guide her through a crowd. Long-standing protocol has established strict rules for how one approaches the British monarchs. These rules were originally rooted in the ancient idea that a nation’s ruler represented God.

Peter approached God in a way that is familiar to all of us – he put up an argument. When Peter said, “Nevertheless at your word we will let down the net,” clearly indicates that Peter was arguing with the Lord because he did not think Jesus’ plan was wise.

The disciples were expert fishermen, and thought they knew all about fishing in the Sea of Galilee- and they did. Peter makes it very clear that they had fished all night without catching anything. Surely this is not the best and most respectful way to talk to God. If treating royalty in a wrong manner is considered disrespectful, imagine having an argument with deity!

The story is told that when Wellington once gave a command to one of his generals, he answered that it was impossible to execute the command. Wellington told him, "You go ahead and do it, because I don't give impossible commands."

When the Lord Jesus Christ gives a command, you do not need to argue with him and say, "We've tried it before and it cannot be done." Remember, God does not give impossible commands.

The Walk Home

2012-01-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

“Enoch WALKED with God three hundred years AFTER he became the father of Methuselah” (Gen. 5:22). “Then Methuselah LIVED. . .AFTER he became the father. . .” (v. 26). “Then Lamech LIVED. . .AFTER he became the father. . .” (v. 30).

In May, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported that church leaders planned to sell the Crystal Cathedral as part of their plan to emerge from bankruptcy. A mammoth steel and glass structure located in Garden Grove, California, it became emblematic of televangelist Robert Schuller’s controversial philosophy, a variation on positive thinking that he described as “possibility thinking.” The main feature of the campus, the giant “tower of hope,” was a local landmark and tourist destination.

In the same way people often mistake the church for a building, Christians often mistake walking with God and living one’s life as the same thing. It is not. Notice how carefully the Bible distinguishes the two in the above verses. The second phrase, “after he became the father. . .” are the same for all three people – Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech. But before that, the phrase, “Enoch walked with God,” is contrasted with Methuselah and Lamech who only lived their lives.

It is said of Enoch that he "walked with God." This is quite remarkable, by the way. Only two men are said to have walked with God. In the next chapter, we find that Noah also walked with God. Enoch walked with God and did not die. There are actually only two men in the Old Testament who did not die. One of them is Enoch, and the other, of course, is Elijah.

Enoch is one of the few before the Flood of whom we have any record at all. We are told that he did not die but that God took him- he was translated. What is meant by translation? Translation is the taking of a word from one language and putting it into another language without changing its meaning. Enoch was removed from this earth; he was translated. He had to get rid of the old body which he had. He had to be a different individual- yet he had to be the same individual, just as the translated word has to be the same. Enoch was taken to heaven – same person, just different body.

We read that Enoch lived sixty-five years, and had Methuselah, and after that he walked with God. What does this suggest? It suggests that before Enoch had his son, he did NOT walk with God. But AFTER his son came along, then it radically changed his life so that he began to walk with the Lord.

Listen, sometimes God puts a baby in a family just for that purpose, and if that baby will not bring you to God, nothing else will. For three hundred years after that he walked with God, and he begat other children, sons and daughters. "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years"- that is how long he was on this earth, but he did not die. It does not say, "And then Enoch died," but it says, "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him."

The only way I know to describe this is the way a little girl described it to her mother when she came home from Sunday school. She said, "Teacher told us about Enoch and how he walked with God." Her mother said, "Well, what about Enoch?" And the little girl put it something like this:

"It seems that every day God would come by and say to Enoch, 'Enoch, would you like to walk with Me?' And Enoch would come out of his house and down to the gate, and he'd go walking with God. He got to the place that he enjoyed it so much that he'd be waiting at the gate of his house every day. And God would come along and say, 'Enoch, let's take a walk.' Then one day God came by and said, 'Enoch, let's take a long walk. I have so much to tell you.' So they were walking and walking, and finally Enoch said, 'My, it's getting late in the afternoon, I'd better get back home!' And God said to him, 'Enoch, you're closer to My home than you are to your home; so you come on home with Me.' And so Enoch went home with God." I do not know how you can put it any better than that.

While on this side of heaven, you choose to walk with God. And the longer you do so the closer you get to God’s home and the further you go from your own. So that when it comes time to leave, God says, “Hey, why don’t you come to My home, since after walking with Me for this long of a time, you’re almost there!”

Enoch walked with God! How about you?

This New Year Be a Bag Man for God

2012-01-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves - 2 Corinthians 4:7

Notice the phrase, Of God – God's gifts are never for us. They are for Him. God does not give you anything so that you own it. You are never the owner. You are only the steward. The purpose of God's gifts is to glorify the Giver, not to enhance the receiver. That's why what you often receive from God is not what you expected. Have you ever noticed that? God gives to you in order to glorify Himself. The fact that you benefit is only a by-product of the actual purpose of the gift. Once you begin to understand this, it will change your perception of answered prayer. It will also change the way you ask for things.

You see, we are actually, “paper-bag” containers of the glory of God, and therefore, we have been given the gift of weakness, dependence and frailty. We are not golden urns. We are simple paper bags. The treasure we contain does not come gloriously gift-wrapped. It comes in a flimsy grocery sack. Why? Because the purpose of the treasure is not the enhancement of the bag (you and me!). The purpose of the treasure is to glorify the Giver. God places all His power in a paper bag so that we can never claim the power came from us. All of God's majesty must be designed and transported in ways that reveal Who He is, not who I happen to be.

Imagine putting the light of the sun into a paper bag. The bag just wouldn't be able to hold it. That's the idea. No one should ever mistake the glory of God in you for the paper bag container.

The phrase, “of God,” is in the possessive case, and thus it boldly proclaims that this treasure is God's treasure, not mine. I am merely the agent of its execution. I am only the bag man. And any proper use of this treasure will display the real owner, by whose authority I act. Why? Because God does not share His power with paper-bag people as an end in itself. He uses paper-bag people to bring His power into the world.

When you pray, you are asking God to make His presence visible in this world through you, the bag man or the bag woman. If you are praying for any other purpose, don't expect to get the answer you had asked for. And when God answers your prayer the way He wishes, expect the paper bag to burst apart with the glory of the Creator.

Begin your New Year with this in mind. Pray, “Lord, help me in 2012, to be Your Bag Man or Bag Woman for Your glory and honor!”

A Small Psalm with a BIG Message

2011-12-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

1 Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117)

On May 2 the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden came to an end, when American troops raided his compound in Pakistan. Members of the Navy’s Special Warfare Development Group shot and killed the terrorist leader during a 40-minute raid and later buried his body at sea. Bin Laden lived in relative isolation in an affluent suburb behind high walls but without the benefit of telephone or Internet service. Up until this time the terrorist leader was widely believed to have been living in a cave. Officials in Pakistan claimed that they had no knowledge of his presence, despite the close proximity of one of their military bases.

Living in fear and isolation is not what God has designed for His people. While on earth, we are called to be His mouth piece, His hands and feet, and most of all, share the Father’s heart and love for others. This is what Psalm 117 is about.

This short psalm is about a big subject: helping all the nations to praise the Lord. God called Israel to be a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1-3), just as He has called His church to take the gospel to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20).

The nations are worshiping false gods, so what do we tell them about the true God? That His mercy is great and His truth is enduring. What He does is merciful and what He says is dependable.

God blesses you so that you might be a blessing to others, not only the people you see every day but people you will never see until you get to heaven. Are you helping the peoples of the world learn about Jesus? Or are you living in isolation and fear?

The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him the more intensely missionary we must become.

Follow The Prince

2011-12-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him – John 12:26

The story is told of a prince and his servant traveling through a hostile region who were taken captive by the enemy. After being beaten and thrown into a dungeon, the prince developed a terrible fever, and it looked as though his days were numbered. Semiconscious as he was, however, he didn't miss the opportunity to alert his servant when their guard fell asleep one day.

"Get his keys and get out of here," the prince said. "I'm too weak; I can't make it. But you go. This is your chance."

"My prince," answered the servant, "where you are, there I will be. If need be, we'll both die here together."

Two weeks later, the prince's father launched an invasion and freed his imprisoned son in the process.

"Oh, Father," said the prince immediately upon his return, "even as my servant stayed with me in my danger, suffered with me in my sickness, stood by me in my imprisonment, honor now him." And the servant was honored throughout the kingdom.

The same is true with you. The Lord knows you could opt to escape, that the Cross and obedience are not always easy. The Lord knows many of you are truly paying a price to follow Him. You've been passed by for promotions at work because you've stood for integrity and took a stand for Jesus. Or you've stayed in a trying relationship because you committed yourself in matrimony.

"Forget it," the world shouts. "Here's a key: Get out. Go on. Be free."

But you've said, "No. I can’t. My Master, my Prince, my Savior has called me to follow Him. And even when it's not easy, I will stay by Him."

I've got good news for you who have taken this stand by the Father's Son, the Prince of Peace. After the invasion, when He brings you safely home to heaven, you will be honored greatly, for the Father honors those who honor His Son.

Don’t Let Opportunity Pass You By

2011-11-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to Me” - Matthew 26:10 (ESV)

A recent survey published by Training Journal revealed a dwindling trust in leaders after surveying approximately 300 employees. Leaders destroyed trust by 1) being out of touch with what is happening with employees, and 2) by saying one thing and doing another. One employer said, “Trust is crucial in the workplace . . . Leaders need to focus on what they do, only then will they truly win the hearts and minds of their people.”

Trust is not something that is easily received, most of the time it has to be earned the hard and long way. Therefore, when an opportunity comes for trust to be fostered, it is a shame to allow it to slip on by. What is more devastating is to allow trust to be replaced by distrust.

Opportunities are God-given assignments. The Lord gives to each of us a special privilege to partner with Him in a unique way. It is a partnership that He does not just offer to anyone. So when we are given an opportunity to serve Jesus, we cannot think, “I’ll get around to it.” Sadly, the same divine privilege may not come our way twice.

Here is Matthew, Jesus rebuked His disciples and basically said to them: “The poor can be helped at any time. But only once in the world's history could Me, the Savior be anointed for burial." That moment had struck and one lone woman with spiritual discernment had seized it. Believing the Lord's predictions concerning His death, she must have realized it was now or never. As it turned out, she was right. Because later on, two women both named Mary came to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with oil. Guess what? His body was not there, it has already been raised from the dead.

Those women who planned to anoint His body after His burial were thwarted by the resurrection (Mar 16:1-6). They could have anointed the body of Jesus BEFORE His death, but they hesitated, waited, or simply didn’t even think about it. But this one lone woman who had the insight to know what was going on, was given a rare and privilege opportunity. Her act of kindness so blessed Jesus that He said, “Whenever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of in memory of her” (Matt. 26:13).

Three women are in view: Two hesitated and missed their God-golden moment. One saw her opportunity and seized the moment.

What about you? Has God given to you any opportunities to bless others and serve Him in the process? If so, how can you simply stand on the side and let a golden moment pass you by. Seize the moment while you can and before the door is shut for good. God is not going to punish you for trying. But fleshly hesitation can cause you to miss your golden moment.

Maybe It's Time To Flee

2011-11-22T11:00:00.000-08:00

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry – 1 Cor. 10:14

Did you know Chicago is called the Windy City not because of its gusty Lake Michigan wind chills, but because of the “windy,” blustery oratory of the politicians? The old expression “full of wind” was applied to Chicago lawmakers because they often couldn’t stand behind their boasts. The city’s nickname was given in the late 1800s (around the same time Moody Bible Institute was founded). The notion that politicians often twist words, lie, or make “blustery” promises they can’t keep is certainly not new!

What is often applied to windy politicians is certainly not true of the Bible. God’s Word is true from start to end and every Word is inspired by God. Therefore, when God says to “flee” from something like idolatry, He is absolutely serious and it would do the believer well to take Him seriously.

Perhaps for saints living in Corinth, it was a real test for the believers to be invited to participate in an idol feast at one of the temples. Some might feel that they were above temptation. Perhaps they would say that surely it would not hurt to go just once. The apostle's inspired advice is to flee from idolatry. He does not say to study about it, to become better acquainted with it, or to trifle with it in any way. They should run in the opposite direction.

What Paul applied to idolatry can also be applied to a host of other things. We should not put ourselves in a vulnerable situation where the temptation to engage in illicit sex would be too great to avoid. We should not put ourselves in a place where the temptation to take money or other objects would be easy to do. We should not make promises that we cannot keep nor have no intention to. We should not idolize our jobs, other gifted people, material objects, or even our own selves. Idol worship can take on so many forms many of which are too subtle to realize at first.

If you are a recovering alcoholic, don’t go to bars or even hang with those who sit around and drink. You will be tempted beyond your control. At first, you will succeed, and that’s what Satan wants you to think. He wants you to see how strong you have become. Then when God allows you to experience a trial that knocks the wind out of you, that’s when you will fall prey to temptation.

Don’t make food an idol either. This is something appropriate to think about especially during this time of the season when we all will have fellowship around the three biggies – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years! Yes, we should enjoy the good food that God provides, but that does not means we should be greedy and gorge ourselves. Remember, the more we overeat now, the harder we will have to work in 2012. We start the new year with good intentions with our resolutions, and that’s about as far as it goes. Flee from idolatry if that’s what it takes!

Remember this: “When you flee from temptation, be sure you do not leave a forwarding address behind."

The Greatest Resource: God's Love

2011-11-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

Some cultures have multiple words to express the various aspects of what the English-speaking world simply calls “love.” In English, we say, “I love my dog” or “I love this pizza” and use the same word when we say, “I love my best friend” and “I love my husband.” Ancient Hebrew had a special word to convey God’s steadfast, loyal, covenant love: hesed. God’s hesed or personal love to us is the reason that Jesus was given as a personal and complete sacrifice for our sins. Since God saved us and brought us out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light, He then gives to us resources to serve Him.

What resources do we have to do ministry? In the first chapter of Acts, we discover five major resources God has given to His people to serve Him wherever He places them. Each of these resources are a foundation of His hesed, or steadfast love for us.

First Resource is a A living Lord (vv. 1-3). Christ is the Head of the church (Eph. 1:22; Eph. 4:15) and supplies life to His body, giving dynamic and direction to His people. What He began to do and teach, the church continues as He guides and empowers through His Spirit.

Second Resource is The power of the Spirit (vv. 4-8). God's power is available to God's people who want to do His will and be His witnesses. You do not have to be an apostle to have the power of the Spirit in your life (Eph. 5:18).

Third Resource is The promise of His return (vv. 9-11). He is the Lord of history, working out His purposes in this world. The church may lose some battles, but we will win the war!

Fourth Resource is The power of prayer (vv. 12-14, 24-26). God shares His power with us as we pray and ask Him for His help. Throughout Acts, you’ll notice Luke's emphasis on prayer. The first church was a praying church.

Fifth Resource is The guidance of Scripture (vv. 15-23). His Word is still our lamp and light (Ps. 119:105), and we must obey what it says. God guides His people when they are willing to follow.

God’s Guidance: If we are faithful to read God's Word, study it, meditate on it, and obey it, God will guide us when we have decisions to make. The Holy Spirit teaches us (John 14:26; 16:13-14) and directs us when we pray and seek the Lord's will. The Holy Spirit uses truth, not ignorance; so the more facts we have, the better. We should use our common sense but not lean on it (Prov. 3:5-6), for we walk by faith and not by sight. If we sincerely move in the wrong direction, the Lord will show us (Acts 16:6-10; Phil. 3:15), so we need not fear. It is good for believers to read the Word and pray together as they seek the mind of the Lord.

At a Distance

2011-11-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

If you could, what is the one thing you would request of God? What is your deepest heart craving? Would it be power or approval? Peace or contentment? What about freedom from suffering or comfort from grief?

For me it would be a touch from Jesus. But when I consider Jesus’ touch, I think of Him having to be near me in order to physically or spiritually touch me. But in the Bible, such was not always the case. For example, Jesus healed both the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:1-13) and the woman's demonized daughter (Mark 7:24-30) from a distance. Both were Gentiles, and the Gentiles were "at a distance" spiritually; but Jesus would erase that distance at the cross (Eph. 2:11-22).

But then, Jesus also healed people up close by actually touching them (cf. the daughter of the synagogue official, Mark 5:35-43).

What does this tell me? It tells me that Jesus’ very words are equal to His actual touch. All Jesus has to do is to speak the Word and the same affect will occur as He was there touching someone.

This also encourages me in my own prayer life. I am not always able to go and visit someone at their home, in the hospital or wherever the person may be to pray and lay hands on them. But I can still pray for the person at a distance, believing that the power of God and the promises found in His Word can bridge the gap and restore a person back to health. Just speak the Word in faith and watch what it will do. The most powerful weapon we possessed is in the form of sixty-six books called the Bible. It is God’s method of talking to us and prayer is God’s plan of talking to God. Therefore, when we both read the Word and pray, we are exercising the highest form of spiritual communication that God has given to us. Don’t use one without the other. Good communication is both listening and expressing. And breakthroughs can be accomplished by God, either up close and personal or at a distance.

What Really Matters While in the Fiery Furnace

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! 4 I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments – Job 23:3-4

Freedom. It may be the most treasured commodity of the human experience. We long to be free, to stand at the helm of our own destiny. Being confined, restricted, or oppressed robs us of rights most of us consider inalienable. The last thing we want to surrender is our freedom.

In the Christian faith, however, the concept of freedom has a different meaning. We are free from the restraints of sin. We have the joy of Christian liberty. But we are held captive by the love of God. We are slaves of Jesus Christ. Nothing can remove us from the grasp of our Savior. Our hearts are bound by faith to the new life in Christ.

God gives to us the freedom to express ourselves in our deepest moments when we are undergoing intense suffering and enduring a fiery trial, but in the end, the Lord shows us that we are only as free as our bondage to His master plan for our lives.

Job was undergoing intense suffering and he wanted to meet God and have it out with Him. He was so sure that if he had a talk with God, he would pour out all his complaints and arguments before the Lord and hear from the Lord the verdict, “not guilty.”

God gave to Job his request to appear before Him and to lay out his arguments. What were the results?

3 Then Job answered the LORD:4 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5 I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more” (Job 40:3-5).

When God had given Job his request to present his case before the Lord as to his innocence, Job has nothing to say.

But that’s not all. Here is what else Job did: 1 Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” – Job 42:1-6

Not only was Job silent before the Lord, but he repented from thinking that he was totally innocent and that God was punishing him unnecessarily.

What changed Job’s mind? He beheld the majesty of God and that made all his arguments useless. He had seen God, and that was all that mattered!

The important thing is not to win an argument with God but to become more like God. For that to happen, you often need the furnace of affliction (1 Pet. 1:6-9), which separates the dross from the pure gold and leaves you a better person.

In Bible days, gold was purified by increasing the temperature of molten gold to the place where the dross would be burned away and the smelter would know the process was complete when he looked into the pot of molten gold and saw the reflection of his own face.

To an extent we all bare the image of God. But that image has been marred by our sin and it many cases God image cannot even be seen. God puts us into the furnace of trials in order to burn away the dross from our lives and to make manifest His awesome image formed in our lives through the person of Christ. Why is it important to have the image of God or of Christ? Because it shows beyond reason who we belong to and who is Lord of our lives. You cannot control the temperature of the furnace or the duration of the testing time, but you can obey God (Job 23:11) and feed on His Word (23:12). The prize in the end is the clear reflection of God.

How To Destroy Your Conscience

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison – Acts 24:27

In Charles Dickens’s novel, Little Dorrit, William Dorrit was a gentlemen who found himself in debtor’s prison. Through a remarkable turn of events, Mr. Dorrit later discovered that he was an inheritor of a large fortune. He and his children were released from prison and reentered society as a wealthy family. All seemed to be going well for the Dorrit family when they discovered their new money had been lost in a fraudulent investment scheme. Just when things seemed to be moving in the right direction, a new turn of events threatened disaster.

The same could also be said of Paul. Although his accusers – Ananias, along with a certain lawyer named Tertullus (Acts 24:1) tried to persuade the governor of Paul’s guilt, Paul successfully argued his way out creating doubts and holes in the prosecution case against him. Nevertheless, instead of being released, he was kept in prison for two years!

While in prison, both Felix and his wife, Drusilla would often hear Paul preach the gospel (Acts 24:24), but rather than responding in repentance and turning to Christ, they dismissed what he said. So what happened to this couple?

Felix was kicked out of power, called back to Rome, and replaced by Porcius Festus. Why? A riot broke out in Caesarea between the Greeks and the Jews. When the Greeks emerged victorious, Felix vented his frustration with the Jews by ordering the Greeks to go throughout the city bludgeoning Jewish men, raping Jewish women, and plundering Jewish possessions. When Caesar heard about this, he immediately sent for Felix. Thus, Felix lived out the rest of his life in disgrace in Rome.

What happened to Drusilla? Two years after this event, in Europe on a shopping spree when Mount Vesuvius exploded, she was caught in the lava of the volcano and died at the age of twenty-one. Felix and Drusilla both had an opportunity to hear the gospel, but they put off making a decision.

I read where eighty-two percent of all Christians are saved at the age of nineteen or younger. The lower the age, the higher the percentage of those who make a commitment to Jesus Christ. Why? Because a person who puts off a decision, saying, "I'll think about it; I'll wait until later; I want more information," will find himself falling into a pattern that becomes more and more difficult to break.

For example, a person trembles when He says no to the Holy Spirit the first time. The next time he hears the gospel and says no, he trembles less. The third time, it's pretty easy to say no. The fourth time it's a piece of cake.

This happens not only when the Spirit is convicting unbelievers, but also when He convicts Christians. The first time we are tempted to do wrong, we tremble. The second time the temptation comes our way, it still kind of bothers us, but not as much as it did the first time. The third time bothers us a little less. And the fourth time, giving in to temptation doesn't bother us at all.

The conscience must be guarded very carefully because it can become seared very easily (1Tim. 4:2). In fact, not only will our conscience become seared, or desensitized, it will become evil (Heb. 10:22), justifying wrong and whispering to us, "Don't worry about what you're doing, or some of the questionable things you're watching on the internet. That's simply the way society is. There's nothing wrong with it. It's just life."

Felix and Drusilla went from having a tender conscience-shaken when they felt the convicting work of the Spirit, to having a seared conscience-when they didn't tremble quite so easily, to having an evil conscience-where they were only interested in making a deal monetarily. The result? Their lives were destroyed and they were damned eternally.

You might be saying, "What if I'm doing stuff that used to bother me, but doesn't anymore? What if I have a seared or an evil conscience? Is there any hope for me?"

Yes. The Lord is so faithful. He comes to us over and over again, giving us opportunity to get right with Him. But in Genesis 6:3, God said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man. I'll come to you. I'll speak to you. But I'm not always going to wrestle with you."

The best advice I can throw your way is this: When in doubt, don’t do it. And always obey what you read in the Word and apply what you read immediately. Remember, as a Christian, you want both your mind and heart to grow together. If your mind grows more than your heart, you will have knowledge along with pride (1 Cor. 8:1). If your heart grows more than your mind, you will have zeal but not according to real knowledge (Rom. 10:2). You want both your mind and heart to grow together. How can you do this? Read the Word to feed and grow your mind; apply the Word to massage and grow your heart. There is no substitution for this.

If we don’t do this twofold process, then we ought to remember what happened to both Felix and Drusilla in Acts 24.

Don't Lose Focus Now

2011-10-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

“For the people had a mind to work” – Neh. 4:6

Music has power to convey any emotion, to give faith a voice, and to cement truth deeply in our hearts. The poetic nature of song doesn’t make it a softer, lighter version of truth. Its beauty neither lessens its substance nor cheapens its purpose. God speaks to us through His Word; sometimes He also sings. The enemy knows this, so he has his own kind of music. God’s voice is designed to encourage and build us up, but not so with the enemy of our soul. He has three major weapons designed to bring defeat. The bible shows us what these weapons are in Nehemiah 4.

Remember, the enemy knows what you are doing and will be quick to fight you. Expect opposition, and be ready for it. Note the different weapons that the enemy used then and still uses today.

Mockery (vv. 1-6). The enemy wants you to think that your work is not important, that you are too weak to do it, and that if you finish it, it will not last. In other words, he wants you to believe that it is not worth it all, so you might as well quit. Just keep in mind that it is God's work and therefore a great work (v. 19, 6:3). Keep the greatness of God before your eyes (v. 14; 1:5, 10).

Threats (vv. 7-9). If your enemy cannot fool you, he will try to frighten you. The people practiced Ephesians 6:10-18; they armed themselves, prayed, and kept working.

Fear (vv. 10-23). The Jews living outside the city came to work with frightening tales about the enemy's plans. Again, the greatness of God helps us overcome the fear of man (v. 14), plus our willingness to stay on the job despite the sacrifices that may be required.

For us today, these three weapons may not always come from the lips of others, but will originate in our own thought life. To our own destruction, we often entertain thoughts of mockery, threats and fear. We imagine what others are saying when in fact, no one is saying anything. We badly interpret body language, facial expressions, and even the words of others, all the while injecting our own interpretation that is most often far from the truth. Once the enemy has planted bad seeds in our thought life, we then water it with more doubts and lies. We put ourselves at the center of attention and feel we have to come to our own defense. We believe that the church, the kingdom and the work involved in building each cannot go on without us. In our efforts to set the record straight, we knock down a few faithful believers along the way with one huge bowling ball of anger and then rejoice when we get a strike.

How did the people in Nehemiah’s day overcome the devil’s weapons? They all had a mind to work! Nothing and no one was able to hinder their determination. They understood what was really important and ignored the lesser. They remained focused and did not get derailed along the way. Why? They all had a mind to work!

Here is something else that worked greatly for them: They continually put the greatness of God before their eyes – “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses” (v. 14).

Keeping the greatness of God before our eyes and having a mind to work are the two greatest weapons we have to combat the attacks of the enemy. He wins if you roll over and quit. He loses when you take up your spiritual weapons and fight using God greatness and self-determination as your strengths.

Notice what Nehemiah says: “Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” In other words, people are depending on you. Your success will greatly impact others in such a positive way, starting with those closest to you. Your defeat will have the same affect but in a negative way. You are not alone in this. Others are counting on you to help them to get where they know God needs them to be.

So press on, first, for the honor of God; second, for the work of God; and third, for the people of God. You have much to live and fight for. Stay focused and committed to your God-given assignment.

Follow Jesus Anyway

2011-10-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters – Luke 22:10

According to developmental psychology, children in the “egocentrism” stage believe that everyone in the world sees only what they see. As a result, children in this stage will routinely hide by covering their eyes and declaring, “You can’t see me!” Because they can’t see anyone else, they reason that no one else can see them.

The Bible teaches that God sees everything. Although we cannot see ahead like the Lord can, we are admonished to trust Him as He guides us.

The Lord sent Peter and John into Jerusalem to make preparations for the celebration of the Passover meal. He showed His complete knowledge of all things in His instructions to them. Once inside the city, a man would meet them carrying a pitcher of water. This was an unusual sight in an eastern city; it was ordinarily the women who carried the pitchers of water. The man here makes a good picture of the Holy Spirit, who leads seeking souls to the place of communion with the Lord.

Because it was unusual for a man to be carrying a pitcher of water, the disciples might have concluded: “Ah, Jesus, men do not carry pitchers of water. I don’t think you know what you are talking about, therefore, it may not be in our best interest to follow your instructions.”

How many times has God lead you along the path of righteousness and the road signs along the way did not make sense at the time? There were times you thought you knew better and went your own way only to later find out the hard way that you should have listened to the Lord. This is what Jesus was teaching His disciples. Along the way, there will be times when things will not appear right, but follow the Lord’s instructions anyway. Jesus sees it all and more importantly, He orchestrates all events after the counsel of His own will. The best thing to do is to follow the Lord with an obedient heart even when some things appear not to make sense. As long as it isn’t wrong, trust God and follow Him.

Look To The Future

2011-10-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy – Ezra 3:12 NIV

World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has decided there is no God. In an interview, he suggested that “God” could be defined as “the embodiment of the laws of nature.” However, this is not what most people would think of as God. They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible.” In his book, The Grand Design, he wrote he’s concluded that the universe was not created by a supernatural God but by a wholly natural Big Bang. The idea of a creator is “not necessary.” “Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.”

Some cannot make a connection between a glorious creation and a sovereign creator. But not so with Israel. They made a connection between the splendor of Solomon’s temple and the Shekinah Glory.

The first temple had been destroyed 50 years earlier. The old men, who would have been about 60 years or older, knew that this second temple did not begin to match the splendor of Solomon's temple nor did the presence of God reside within it (cf. Hag 2:1-4; Zec 4:9; Zec 4:10). The nation was small and weak, the temple smaller and less beautiful by far. There were no riches as in David and Solomon's days. The ark was gone. But most disappointing was the absence of God's Shekinah glory. Thus the weeping.

The old people looked back and wept while the young people looked ahead and rejoiced. Tears and cheers, not too different from what is happening in families and churches today. The men were able to work together but not praise God together. If you concentrate on your past, you are sure to rob yourself of a glorious future (Phil. 3:12-14).

Although you cannot change the past, the past can change you, either for better or for worse. It all depends on how you look at it. The past can be a rudder that guides you or an anchor that hinders you. Leave your past mistakes with God, and look to the future by faith.

Justice

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

“On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place” – Zech. 12:6 NIV

The killing of Al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, made headlines around the world earlier this year. An elite team of U.S. Navy SEAL commandos flew by helicopter into bin Laden’s mansion compound in Abbottabad, about 30 miles north of Pakistan’s capital city. In only 40 minutes, they succeeded in killing bin Laden and escaping with his body and a valuable trove of intelligence materials. After verifying his identity, they buried him at sea. In his address to the nation, President Obama said, “Justice has been done.”

God is a God of justice and He will pour out His justice, “in that day.” The phrase "in that day" used frequently in chapters 12-14 refers to the time of the end when "the day of the Lord" will climax with the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to defeat His enemies, deliver Israel, and establish His kingdom.

Jerusalem will be at the center of world attention. Note the images of Jerusalem that the prophet used: a cup of strong wine that will make the nations drunk (v. 2); a heavy stone that will crush the nations (v. 3); and a firepan and torch that will devour the nations (v. 6). Those who attack Israel will only defeat themselves, for God has covenanted to protect Israel (Gen. 12:1-3).

When the people of Israel see the Messiah (v. 10), they will recognize Him (Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7), repent, and be cleansed and forgiven. Their sorrow will exceed the sorrow displayed at the tragic death of godly King Josiah (v. 11; 2 Chron. 35:20-27).

Like God's people Israel, we experience many trials and testings; but the Lord will see us through and share His kingdom and glory with us (Acts 14:22). The trials we go through are simply manifestations of God’s justice. We have seen saved from the penalty of sin, but we are still being saved from the power of sin, therefore, God often places us in the fire so as to refine us and remove us from sin’s power and stronghold over our lives. This refining process will continue as long as we live on this side of glory. Because only in heaven, will we be saved from the presence of sin.

The Honesty of Jesus

2011-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

And one of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too” – Luke 11:45

“The time is ripe” is an English idiom suggesting “sufficiently advanced, especially for a particular action or purpose” or “ready for execution, action, or use.” Practically, it means “the most favorable time to do something,” as in, “Since Joe was in a good mood, I judged that the time was ripe to ask him for the favor I needed.”

Jesus was a guest in someone’s home. You would think that as a guest, the time to expose hypocrisy and avoid stating the obvious with regards to truth would not be the right time. But not so with Jesus. He believed the time was right.

Jesus did not waste time by flattering His host or the other guests by avoiding the truth. He exposed their hypocrisy and condemned them for their sins (Matt. 23). They defiled people (v. 44), burdened them (v. 46), and locked the door on them (v. 52), all the while posing as holy men of God. Instead of taking the opportunity of repenting and being forgiven, they opposed Jesus and attacked Him. So Jesus told the truth and blasted them in the name of love. He let loose and held nothing back. The time was right.

I am often amazed how some sugar coats the truth from the pulpit and only present a positive message. Very little is said about sin, judgment, condemnation, hypocrisy, offense, and hell. The thought: “We cannot risk the possibility of offending anyone lest they leave my church. And if the wrong people leave, like someone in key leadership, then we will be in the world of hurting.”

Jesus never went around offending people by yelling at them or telling them how stupid they were. He exposed their sins and made sure they understood that they were responsible for the way they are. Their attitude and behavior was not the fault of someone else. To be sure, we should be courageous enough to do the same. Offending people should never be our goal, but for any pastor or teacher who is committed to proclaiming the truth of God’s Word, he or she knows that you cannot help the possibility of offending others. Some people in general respond negatively to the gospel. Some do not like to be told about their sin and the need to repent. But we are called to be “watchmen” (Ezekiel 33). Therefore, we are compelled to warn others of the error they are in or else their blood will be upon us for wishing not to be offensive. Even saying this, how some water down the message of the gospel and choose not to be offensive because of the risk of rejection is offensive.

If Jesus spoke the truth and offended people with it while a guest in someone’s home, how much more should we pastors not hold back the truth of God in His home on Sundays? If we want our people to be brave at their work place, should we not set a good example and be brave by proclaiming all the truth, even the side that could possibly offend?

As another month comes to an end, I am led by God to take an inventory of my preaching ministry. If I have not offended at least one person this month by declaring the truth in love, then I have not done a very good job as a preacher.

What God Does On Our Behalf

2011-09-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

And he showed me Joshua the high priest. . .Zech. 3:1

Leaving home in order to preserve his life, Jacob spent a night camping out with a rock for a pillow. While sleeping, he saw a stairway to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. In the dream, God reaffirmed the covenant and told Jacob, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.” When Jacob woke up, he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place,” and called it “Bethel,” or “house of God” (Gen. 28:10-22).

We know what it was like to live without Christ. When we opened our heart to Christ, God did a remarkable work of transforming us. It is as if we woke up and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place.” Of course, God was always there, we just did not know it because we belonged to someone else.

When we come to God to be forgiven, what does He do for us? In Zechariah 3, we see three works of God on our behalf:

First, He rebukes the enemy (1-2).

1Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?"

Satan is the accuser (Rev. 12:10), but Christ is the Advocate (1 John 1:9-2:2). We are chosen by God and belong to Him, and the enemy cannot condemn us (Rom. 8:31-39). The Spirit convicts in love to woo us back to God. Satan accuses us in hatred to make us despair of God's help. Be sure to distinguish these two voices.

Second, He removes the iniquity (3-5).

3Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4And the angel said to those who were standing before him, "Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, "Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments."5And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.

The dirty garments symbolized the sinfulness of the nation, for the high priest was to keep himself clean before the Lord. God removes our sin and clothes us anew because Jesus died for our sins and lives to intercede for us.

Third, He restores us back into ministry (6-10).

6And the angel of the LORD solemnly assured Joshua, 7"Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. 8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who sit before you, for they are men who are a sign: behold, I will bring my servant the Branch.9For behold, on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven eyes, I will engrave its inscription, declares the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day. 10In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbor to come under his vine and under his fig tree."

God set Joshua aside for the purpose of restoring him to minister. God told him to go back and minister to the people and tell them about the coming Messiah, the BRANCH. Just as Joshua was cleansed and restored, so Israel will be cleansed and restored when Messiah comes to reign (vv. 9-10; 12:10-13:1).

God saved you and me so we can serve Him. He did not save us just so He could keep us out of hell. We are saved to serve. And if you have fallen away from God, then you need to be restored back in fellowship with Him so you can get back into the game. Your work of service is needed. Don’t ever think that God’s kingdom can be built up without your contribution. Sure God does not need us, but He has chosen to partner with us so we can experience Him in greater degrees. Sitting on the sidelines, you will be missing out on some of the best experiences of God He has for you. He wants you to know that you are valuable and useable. Get up! Get restored! Get back into the game!

Note: God delights in using small things: Moses' rod (Exod. 4:2), David's sling (1 Sam. 17), a jawbone (Judg. 15:15), a hammer and a tent peg (Judg. 4:17-24), a piece of rope (Josh. 2:15-21), a basket (Acts 9:23-25), loaves and fish (John 6:9), a cup of cold water (Matt. 10:42), and even mud (John 9:6-7).

The Ways of God

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns – Zech. 1:18

A bad golf shot accidentally started a brush fire that consumed 20 acres. On a golf course near Reno, Nevada, the golfer had hit his ball into the grass. Trying to get back to the fairway on his next shot, he started a fire when his metal club struck something that created a spark. It took 50 firefighters and several fire engines from two cities hours to subdue the blaze. Talk about a poor round of golf!

The fire of God’s judgment is at the center of the four horns that Zechariah describes in today’s text. Here is the meaning: Zechariah is prophesying the destruction of four Gentile world empires.

However, the complete fulfillment of this second vision is still future. The four horns are identified as the four nations which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem-in other words, the four Gentile world empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The four craftsmen are not identified, but they are obviously agencies raised up by God to destroy the Gentile powers which had scattered Judah.

G. Coleman Luck explains: What are these four agents of God? It has been suggested that they may represent the four judgments of God mentioned in Ezek. 14:21 and Rev 6:1-8, these being war, famine, wild animals, and pestilence. Another suggestion which seems more probable is that they represent four successive powers that overthrow the four empires pictured in the previous vision: that is, Media-Persia overthrew Babylon, Greece overthrew Media-Persia, Rome overthrew Greece, and the Revived Roman Empire of the last days will be overthrown by the great Messianic kingdom. Certainly the general truth is clearly brought out that every evil power that rises up against the people of God will eventually be overthrown and judged.

Herein lays the power of God. On the one hand God uses other nations to punish Israel for their sins, and then God turns right around and brings punishment to the nations that He used to punish Israel. And yet, through this whole process, God is completely vindicated, justified and righteous in all that He does. How is that for absolute sovereignty?

Don’t try to figure it out or else you will rack your brain. Don’t try to understand it completely or you will become frustrated. Some things in the bible about the ways of God are simply meant to be believed, accepted and received, not understood.

This is why our nation must support Israel. We may not like all that she does, and when she does go astray we need to take a stand against her sins, but never should we take stand against her with a holier-than-thou attitude and overdue our punishment of her. We ought to mourn over her rebellion against her redeemer and not rejoice over her fall.

Have you been praying lately for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6)? Don’t ever get swayed and all caught up with the ignorant anti-Semitic crowd. If you do, you will be putting yourself into the category of working against God. Pray for Israel.

Remember, long before God made promises to you, He had already made them to Israel. And if God does not fulfill His promises to her (which He will), how do you know that He will fulfill His promises to you? Your success is largely determined on Israel’s success (Rom. 11:17-26).

Plowing Times Can Be Productive Times

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

The plowers plowed upon by back, they lengthened their furrows – Psalm 129:3

In 1940, Polish army captain Witold Pilecki snuck into Auschwitz. He wanted to find out what was going on there and report it to the world. He stayed in the concentration camp for two-and-a-half years and smuggled out news of the executions and brutal treatment of prisoners. The Polish resistance thought he was surely exaggerating; the Allied command in London refused to act. After escaping, he wrote the first intelligence report on the now-infamous death camp. Though a hero, he was shot by the Communists who took over Poland after the war, and the story of his courage was suppressed until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Suffering for wrong doing is one thing, suffering for doing well is another. Israel's afflictions are compared to the plowing of a field. Think of what it would feel like to be face down in the dirt while a plow goes down your back! How do you handle a situation like that?

First, you accept it from the Lord. If the Lord is allowing people to plow your back, that is happening because He has planned a harvest. He has something really good for you. Just be sure you plant the right kind of seed. If you plant anger, malice resentment, and bitterness, you will not reap the blessings of the Lord. God will not allow you to suffer beyond what He has equipped you to endure (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).

Second, you trust the Lord to help you. In His own time, He will stop the plows and cut the cords so they cannot plow anymore (v. 4). All their efforts will be useless. God knows when you had enough. He also knows when, where and how much plowing you still need. Don’t fight it. Don’t rebel against the Lord’s love for you. Remember, the Lord wants to not only mold and shape you into His awesome image, but to also teach you to depend on Him for help.

Third, you wait for the Lord to judge your enemies (vv. 4b-5). He will put them to shame and make them wither like grass on a sod roof. On the other hand, God's people will hear God's blessing in their ears and have God's blessing in their hands (v. 8). Just endure long enough to reap the benefit and blessing God has put aside for you.

Guarding Against the Sectarian Mindset

2011-09-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your Name and we tried to hinder him because he does not follow along with us” – Mark 9:49

An international anti-corruption organization released a list of the top ten most corrupt world leaders ever, as measured by how much money they took in through bribery and graft. Former Indonesian President Mohamed Suharto is at the head of the list, with his ill-gotten gains estimated at $15 to $35 billion. Next is Ferdinand Marcos, former President of the Philippines, at $5 to $10 billion, then Mobutu Sese Seko, former President of Zaire, at $5 billion. Each of the ten men on the list was eventually ousted from power—justice caught up with them.

God is a God of justice and mercy, He does not want His people to be passionate about being on some power trip. The disciples of Jesus had much to learn about getting along with others and not being so narrow-minded.

This incident seems to illustrate the behavior which the Lord had just told the disciples to avoid. They had found someone casting out demons in Jesus' name. They forbade him for no better reason than that he was not one of their followers. In other words, they had refused to receive a child of the Lord in His name. They were sectarian and narrow. They should have been glad that the demon had been cast out of the man. They should never be jealous of any man or group that might cast out more demons than they did. But then every disciple has to guard against this desire for exclusiveness-for a monopoly of spiritual power and prestige.

It is so easy for the leaders of a small church to become jealous of the larger ones. I know that some of the pastors I often come in contact with out on the West Side are jealous and upset over New Hope’s success. The reason is that some of their own people have left their church and gone to New Hope where they could get their needs met. This sort of thing happens a lot. People do tend to shop around for churches much as they do for bargains. Church leaders are to do the best they can with what God has given to them. If the Lord’s people are blessed and spiritually prosperous somewhere else, is that such a bad thing? We would never declare that God only blesses big churches and ignores the small ones.

Some congregations are so insecure that they develop a sectarian mindset. It is not uncommon to hear a pastor say that “his church is the only one that preaches the Word,” or “his philosophy of ministry is more true to the bible than anyone else’s.” We need more pastors and church leaders who have the mindset of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). I love John’s use of the word, “must.” He did not say, “He must increase and I should be willing to decrease.” No, “I MUST DECREASE!” Wow, where are we going to find leaders of today with that kind of a mindset?

So, if you find people slipping away and going elsewhere to be edified, remember the words of Jesus: “Do not hinder such a person; for he who is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:50).

What To Expect as a Christian

2011-09-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet – Jer. 37:2

A recent report found that every year, one out of every 50 children in America is homeless. That’s about 1.5 million children. Forty-two percent are younger than age six. Consequences include poor health and lost education opportunities. The report said these numbers could rise if home foreclosures also rise, and found that the worst states for child homelessness are Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Louisiana. The long-term consequences for these children and their communities remind us that child homelessness is a social injustice that needs more attention, resources, and remedies.

I would think it would not be easy to be homeless and deal with issues such as poor health, lost of education and other essential opportunities. Children should not have to face such things. Equally so for the prophet of God. The Lord’s spokesperson ought to be respected and honored, but sometimes just the opposite occurs. In chapter 37 of Jeremiah, we see four realities in Jeremiah’s life that are also true for all pastors and servants of the Lord.

First, expect to be "used" (vv. 1-10). Zedekiah wanted the intercession of the man of God but not the instruction of the Word of God. He never should have separated the two (John 15:7; Acts 6:4). He wanted God to be his servant and deliver the city, but he was not willing to be God's servant and obey the Word. When such times occur and they will, ask God for help and do not take matters into your own hands. Do not merely go to the Lord only in cases of emergencies. Instead, seek His direction each day.

Second, expect to be misunderstood (vv. 11-15). While going on an innocent trip, Jeremiah was arrested, beaten, and put into prison! (See Acts 16:16-24.) The ungodly looked for every opportunity to persecute the godly. You as a servant of God will be no different. If you bare the name of Christ, you will be misunderstood and sometimes others will see to it on purpose. When such times happen, try to clarify things if at all possible. But don’t waste a lot of time on it. The enemy wants to get your attention away from fulfilling God’s call on your life. Stay focused!

Third, expect to be ignored (vv. 16-17). It did not worry the king that God's servant was in prison illegally and suffering miserably. The king would not be seen with Jeremiah, but he still wanted Jeremiah's help. Some people will not socialize with you or want to be seen with you. But if they have a spiritual need, guess who they will call? When you do get the call, bless them.

Fourth, expect to be cared for by God (vv. 18-21). The Lord had promised Jeremiah years before that He would care for him (1:8, 19), and He kept His promise. Jeremiah did not have an easy life, but he had a good conscience, for he knew he had been faithful to God.

Taking Inventory

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

“. . .we remembered. . .” (Psalm 137:1)

Ronald Reagan was known as “The Great Communicator.” Among numerous memorable speeches that he delivered during his presidency, few are as poignant as his words after the disastrous Challenger space shuttle disintegration that killed seven astronauts. He closed his address to a grieving nation with words from the poem “High Flight,” by John Gillespie Magee Jr.: “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God’.”

God wanted also to touch the heart of His people and to help them to take inventory of their lives by remembering certain important factors. This psalm came out of Israel's exile in Babylon, and it can serve as an inventory of our spiritual life today. Here are four questions we ought to ask ourselves:

1. What makes you weep (v. 1)? The Jews wept as they remembered the past, but they did not weep over their sins. They wept because their sins caught up with them, not because they had sinned.

2. What makes you sing (vv. 2-4)? They lost their song, so they hung up their harps. David had a similar experience (Ps. 32:1-7). Can you sing praises to God in a difficult place (Acts 16:25)? Can you praise the Lord at all times?

3. What makes you yearn (vv. 5-6)? What is the ache in your heart? What do you long for more than anything else? Is it in God's will?

4. What makes you angry (vv. 7-9)? God had promised to judge Babylon (Isa. 13; note v. 16), so they were praying in His will; but the note of anguish is missing. If you love the Lord, you must hate evil (Ps. 97:10; Rom. 12:9) but leave the judgment to the Lord (Rom. 12:17-21).

Change

2011-09-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay” – Luke 3:10-14 NIV

A near-shipwreck off the coast of Georgia led a young Anglican pastor, John Wesley, to reflect on whether he had genuine faith in Christ. Back in England after a failed ministry in the New World, he felt his heart “strangely warmed” during a reading of Martin Luther’s preface to Romans. “I felt I did trust in Christ,” he said, “Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” An itinerant preacher and evangelist and the founder of Methodism, he called himself “a brand plucked from the fire” (Zech. 3:2)—a reference to his amazing rescue from a fire as a child, and a tribute to God’s grace in his life.

After giving himself totally to Jesus, not only did John Wesley’s ministry get transformed, but so did his life. Fruit as a result of his new life in Christ began to pour forth from his life and ministry.

In verses 11-14 of Luke 3, John gave them specific ways in which they could prove their sincerity. In general, they should love their neighbors as themselves by sharing their clothing and food with the poor.

As for tax collectors, they should be strictly honest in all their dealings. Since as a class they were notoriously crooked, this would be a very definite evidence of reality.

Finally, soldiers on active duty were told to avoid three sins common to men in the military-extortion, slander, and discontent. It is important to realize that men were not saved by doing these things; rather these were the outward evidences that their hearts were truly right before God.

We all sin. Disobedience will be a common struggle for each of us until the day we die. We carry around with us the old person and its sinful self. But what cannot be true of us as a new creation in Christ is a sinful lifestyle. The very foundation of redemption demands a change of lifestyle since we professed a change of heart after coming to Jesus. There has got to be fruit – spiritual fruit in our lives – not occasional fruit, but fruit that is yearly, monthly, weekly and daily.

This is what John pointed to when he preached as Jesus’ forerunner. It is not enough to go from a church meeting possessing a good feeling or a tingling heart. But we all must ask ourselves, “What does God want me to change?” And then do it.

Preparing For Your Wedding

2011-09-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

One Mainland pastor wrote the following that sums up nicely how all pastors feel about weddings: No matter the custom or culture, weddings are important and revered events. As a pastor, I always have been extra sensitive to the nature of a formal wedding. I want everything to be just right. I want everyone to be punctual, especially myself.

A number of years ago, I arrived at the church to perform the wedding of a precious young couple. I was greeted by an angry father of the groom, wanting to know why I was so late. I told him I was not late, but early. However, the time of the wedding had been changed, and I was not informed. Thinking I was in my usual waiting area, the pianist started the wedding, but I was not there. Although I was not at fault, I still felt badly that I was late for the wedding.

When Jesus returns to earth the second time, it will be like a wedding for the people of God. Behold, the bridegroom comes (Matt. 25:6)! Therefore, it is imperative that we are ready for Jesus’ coming. How should we respond to the promise of the Lord's return?

Revelation 22 can help us take inventory. This is the last chapter of this great apocalyptic book. In this chapter are four questions we need to ask ourselves in order to prepare us for Jesus’ soon arrival.

1. Are you treasuring His Word and obeying it (v. 7)? This is His message to you (v. 16), and it must not be altered (vv. 18-19). There is a special blessing for the obedient (v. 14).

2. Are you doing the work He has called you to do (v. 12)? He promises to reward faithful servants (Luke 12:35-48).

3. Do you really want Jesus to return today (v. 20)? Do you "love His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8)? If Jesus were to come today, would you be disappointed and your plans be upset?

4. Are you urging lost sinners to trust Him and be ready for His coming (v. 17)? The Holy Spirit works through the church to bring lost people to the Savior. The people described in 21:8 and 22:11 can be saved (1 Cor. 6:9-11) and become new creatures ready for the new heaven and earth (2 Cor. 5:17).

The great preacher F.B. Meyer once asked D.L. Moody, "What is the secret of your success?" Moody replied, "For many years I have never given an address without the consciousness that the Lord may come before I have finished." This may well explain the intensity of his service and the zeal of his ministry for Christ. May we all have that same intensity as well.

The Battlefield

2011-09-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon – Rev. 16:16

“Black Angus” beef commands top dollar these days. The label stands out in grocery stores and on restaurant menus. As popular as red and white Herefords used to be, now these black cows appear to be the most coveted breed of American cattle. The “certified Angus beef” brand has been advertised and promoted so successfully that the market has followed. Black cows now sell for more than any other color of cow. The perception among American consumers is that Black Angus beef now has superior quality or taste.

During the tribulation period, God will also be looking for superior quality. However, it won’t be superior quality of beef, but a way of life. While the judgments of God are falling on mankind, those who are devoted to Jesus will rise above the extreme situation and live righteously. Those who follow the beast will refuse to repent no matter how horrific things become. The battlefield is the place where a war is either won or lost.

The bible mentions one such battlefield called, Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). Armageddon is Hebrew for "the hill of Megiddo"; and Megiddo means "place of slaughter." It is the plain in the Holy Land where Barak defeated the Canaanites (Judg. 5:19) and Gideon the Midianites (Judg. 7). King Saul fought his last battle there (1 Sam. 31). One of the greatest natural battlefields in the world, it is where the Antichrist will gather the world's armies to fight against Jesus Christ (Isa. 24; Joel 3; Zech. 12-14). Revelation 19:11-21 records the outcome.

No matter what the unbelieving world may say, God's judgments are righteous (vv. 1-7). Sinners reap what they sow. Because "righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne" (Ps. 97:2), nobody can accuse God of being unfair.

Augustus Strong wrote, "In righteousness God reveals chiefly His love of holiness; in justice, chiefly his hatred of sin . . . Neither justice nor righteousness . . . is a matter of arbitrary will. They are revelations of the inmost nature of God."

Getting to know God is one of the greatest privileges we can come to enjoy. Thus a superior quality of life can be found in having a relationship with God that is built on understanding His heart and ways. In holiness, God reveals His love for righteousness; in justice, His hatred for sin. What we read in the Book of Revelation is quite telling. The Book of Revelation is not so much a book about what happens to mankind just before the return of Jesus, but a clear and precise revelation of the nature of God. Read this book with knowing God in mind.

Standing on the Other Side

2011-09-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

“Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom” – Obadiah 1:1

On a Saturday night in 1969, Florida A&M and the University of Tampa played the first interracial college football game in the South. Florida A&M had long fielded a dominant football team among black colleges, while the up-and-coming University of Tampa team was “overwhelmingly white.” A race riot had occurred just two years earlier in the city. What would happen at the game? The stands were packed. The cheers were deafening. Throughout the offensive battle, the fans, players, and coaches behaved well, knowing they were making history. Florida A&M claimed the victory, with the final score of 34-28.

Race wars have their consequences. Therefore, it is not surprising that we read about it centuries before the birth of Christ.

When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, the Edomites rejoiced and helped the enemy instead of helping their brethren (Gen. 25:21-26; Ps. 137:7-9). It was a repetition of the ancient conflict between Esau and Jacob, which symbolizes the battle between the flesh and the Spirit.

What were the sins of Edom? Pride stands at the top of the list, and God promised to bring them down (vv. 1-4). They were also guilty of looting (v. 13), and God said they would be looted (vv. 5-7). They were violent (v. 10) and indifferent (v. 11), and they rejoiced at the plight of the Jews (v. 12; Prov. 24:17-18); but God warned that they would one day be slaughtered (v. 8). What they had done to others would be done to them (v. 15), and there was no escape. (See Jer. 50:29, Matt. 7:12 and Gal. 6:7-8.)

But there is a bright future for Israel (vv. 17-21), for they shall "possess their possessions" (v. 17). Babylon burned the city of Jerusalem and the temple, but Israel will be a fire to burn the enemy: "And the kingdom shall be the Lord's" (v. 21)!

It may seem right to stand on the other side of the street not caring or lending a hand to those who need it, especially if we recognize those who need it to be of a different race, belief, or just someone we don’t care for. It is a cruel thing to stand "on the other side" when our brothers and sisters need our help. The priest and the Levite retreated to "the other side" instead of helping the wounded pilgrim (Luke 10:31-32). If it is in our power to help, we must do so (Prov. 24:11-12), and we must not substitute words for deeds (James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-19).

Wait

2011-08-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

Psalm 70:1 - Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me.

No Compromise recounts the radical conversion of Christian singer and songwriter, Keith Green. As a young man trying to make his way in show business, Keith experimented with drugs and the free love lifestyle before coming to faith in Christ. After he was saved, his passionate zeal for Christ and personal holiness ignited spiritual fire in those who knew him and listened to his music.

I am reminded how strong the temptation is for us to compromise when we have to wait on the Lord. Remember the story of how Moses was up on the mountain receiving the commandments from the Lord and he delayed in coming down? Aaron got anxious because the people pressured him (Exod. 32:1). So Aaron compromised and made an idol (a golden cafe) to pacify the people. Aaron could not wait. He did not understand how God’s timing is always perfect.

David was in a hurry when he wrote Psalm 70 because God was not in a hurry! Three times he cried, "Make haste!" and he ended with, "Do not delay!" Like Peter sinking into the water, he did not have time for a long prayer. All he could cry was, "Lord, save me!" (See Matt. 14:30.)

Why does God delay answering our prayers? Surely He can see our desperate situation. He promises to give "grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16), which can be translated "grace for well-timed help." Our Father's timing is never wrong.

When God waits, He may have a better gift for you than what you are asking Him for (Isa. 30:18). His delays are neither denials nor defeats, so put your anxiousness in His hands and wait on the Lord (Ps. 31:15).

I am further reminded in Scriptures about how God’s timing is always perfect. For example, Joseph in prison had to wait for God to free him and then to reconcile him to his brothers. Israel had to wait for deliverance from Egypt, and Moses had to wait through ten difficult plagues before Pharaoh would let the people go. Joshua and Caleb had to wait forty years before claiming their inheritance, and the delay was not their fault. David had to wait to receive his throne. Mary and Martha had to wait for Jesus to come to Bethany, and while they waited, their brother died (John 11). God is not in a hurry even when we are, and His schedule is better than ours. So wait on the Lord. He will not disappoint you.

God's Message to the Rechabites

2011-08-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me” – Jer. 35:18-19 ESV

In the first five months of 2011, over 1,000 tornadoes had been confirmed in the United States. Powerful storms wreaked havoc in places like Bertie County, North Carolina; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and Joplin, Missouri. Even areas of the country not known for frequent tornado activity were affected, like Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Far worse than the destruction of property has been the lives lost in the storms. More than 500 people were confirmed as killed by tornadoes during this period, more than the previous ten years combined.

Sometimes it’s nearly impossible to avoid the storm, but in other cases people didn’t heed the warning to find shelter from the oncoming tornadoes. The prophet Jeremiah warned Israel of the impending disaster of God’s judgment, but the people didn’t listen. Safety could be found in obedience and repentance, yet they persisted in their sin. But now we see a bit of sunlight shinning through the house of the Rechabites.

The Rechabites were descendants of Rechab, another name for Jethro, who was the father-in-law of Moses. Three hundred years before this event, one of the sons of Rechab named Jonadab called his sons together and said, "Boys, this life isn’t where it’s at. Don’t build houses. Don’t plant vineyards. Don’t drink wine. Don’t live for this world. Rather, live as pilgrims and strangers here and you’ll be blessed."

Three hundred years later, the Rechabites are brought into the temple, wine is set before them, and what do they say? They say, "We don’t care what your prophets are telling us. We don’t care if it happens in the sanctuary. Three hundred years ago, we made a promise that we wouldn’t do this." For three hundred years, generation after generation passed, yet the Rechabites kept their promise. And even in the temple, they wouldn’t break it.

The Rechabites courteously refused to drink wine because of instructions their father had given them. Also, they had refused to build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, or own vineyards. (They were forced to live in Jerusalem by the advance of the Chaldeans.) They maintained a true pilgrim character. What an example!

Imagine obeying God for over three hundred years? We often struggle to obey God from day to day. God used this family as an example of the kind of obedience He is looking for. In verse 14, the Lord states: “The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me.” These people truly lived like aliens!

No wonder God declared about them: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.” To stand before God pleasing in His sight is and always will be the highest honor one could imagine. Here we not only see the nature of this family’s obedience, but the duration of it. God honors those who both keep their promises and obey Him.

Guarding Against The Spirit of Compacency

2011-07-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

“Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have not been true to me, and have neither remembered me nor taken this to heart? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?” – Isa. 57:11

In November 2009, the White House hosted a state dinner in honor of the Indian Prime Minister, and an American couple managed somehow to penetrate security. Only later was it discovered that they weren’t invited guests, but rather two brazen people who pushed their way into the high-profile event.

So often the spirit of complacency will push its way into our hearts as an uninvited guest. Often we won’t even know of its presence until the Spirit of God points out the sly intruder. The spirit of complacency also slipped passed Israel’s watchfulness and as a result, turned the people godless.

This description of the godless society in Judah seems quite contemporary. God denounced them for lying, worshiping idols, indulging in sexual sins, sacrificing their children, and mocking the godly. These people had no fear of God because He did not immediately send judgment, but their day was coming.

Without fear of Jehovah, they lie and do not give Him a second thought. Because He holds His peace, they lose their respect for Him. But He will expose their self-righteousness and sin, and their idols will not help them. Their gods will utterly fail them, but those who . . . trust in the Lord will enter into blessing. Israel feared false gods more than the true God to whom they played the hypocrite, trading on God's patience.

Yahweh asked the Israelites a question. Who had terrified them that they betrayed the truth (cf. Prov. 30:6), their covenant partner, and their concern for Him (cf. v. 1)? Obviously it was not a great threat that had made them unfaithful but neglect of Him. Perhaps if He had been more active in judging their sins they would have remembered Him. But, graciously, He had been silent about their sins, and so they had not paid attention to Him.

I see a close parallel with our nation, the United States. God has been patiently silent for a long time and we can falsely interpret such silence in the wrong way. We may think that God is pleased with us. We may also falsely conclude that there is nothing inherently wrong. But all the while that God is silent, He is storing up His wrath for the day of wrath (Rom. 2:5).

It behooves us to not let the spirit of complacency to derail us from our fervor for serving the Lord. We must work hard at maintaining a close relationship with Him that is both alive and abundant. Don’t neglect those things which for many of us ought to be habits in our lives by now – such things as, prayer, devotions, witnessing, fellowship and obeying God’s Word daily.

Called To Wait

2011-07-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord - Psalm 27:14

The blind poet John Milton, a devout Christian, famously observed: "they also serve who only stand and wait." This kind of service-the service of patiently waiting on God's timing, on God's direction, on God's plan-can be the most difficult and grueling to render to God. Yet as Christians, it must be done!

We are tempted, in a time of uncertainty or calamity, to rush to our own set of solutions; we might even feel irresponsible to simply wait prayerfully for the Lord to give clear direction. And yet we must. We know what happens when we tend to rush into things without seeking the Lord’s guidance.

Twice the command is repeated in this single verse: wait. Our answers are usually not the right answers. Our instincts cannot be trusted. Our hurried assessment will doubtless yield an inadequate response. Therefore my deal believer and friend, wait on the Lord!

Wait on the Lord because he will strengthen your heart. He will answer your prayers. He will give the direction you need. He will send the help you require. In his own good time and in his right way, God will come to you when you wait on him.

So be of good courage! Do not despair because the solution has not presented itself yet. Do not presume that God will not keep his appointments. He has promised to strengthen you, so wait, the Bible says, on the Lord.

Here is how G. Campbell Morgan put it: “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.”

Going Down to Egypt – Isaiah 31

2011-07-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

C. S. Lewis says in his essay “The Weight of Glory” that, while we may recognize beauty, beauty does not recognize us. We cannot have a conversation with a prized orchid or inspiring song. Beauty smiles, but not in our direction. We often sense alienation from the world and long for a response. We want to be acknowledged. Thus, we long to now and then revisit the world in which we were once a part of.

A strong faction in Judah advised the king to get help from Egypt (Isa. 31), but Isaiah warned that Egypt could not help them. Why? Because the Lord had discouraged and divided the Egyptians (vv. 1-2), their counsel was from the devil (v. 3), and they were heading for bondage themselves (v. 4). Furthermore, their economy was about to fail (vv. 5-10). How could they help?

The counselors in Egypt were supposed to be very wise, but God said they were deluded fools (vv. 11-13). God's people get their wisdom from God, certainly not from Egypt or the world (James 1:5). The wisdom of Egypt would lead them into staggering and humiliating defeat (vv. 14-15).

In verses 16-25, the prophet sees the future of both the Jews and the Egyptians, when the Lord will establish His kingdom. The situation will be reversed, with Egypt turning to Israel for help (vv. 16-17)! In fact, the Egyptians will worship the God of Israel (vv. 18-21)! The nations will no longer battle but will visit one another on God's highway.

Here is what we learned from biblical history. When Abraham faced a famine in Canaan, he went down to Egypt for help, and he almost lost his wife (Gen. 12:10-13:4). After the Exodus, God led His people so they would not want to go back to Egypt (Exod. 13:17-22). During their wilderness wanderings, the people wanted to go back (Num. 11; 14), but God would not permit it. Isaiah warned against it (32:1ff.), and so did Jeremiah (42-43). The book of Hebrews uses this image to warn believers not to go back in unbelief but to go forward in faith (3:7-19; 6:1).

We become set in going back to the way we were when God found us. The pull of the old life sometimes becomes too strong to cope with. Have we forgotten how miserable we were living in Egypt (i.e. the world)? What makes living in the world so tantalizing to us at times is that we had gotten so use to walking by sight. After God saved us, He encourages us to walk with Him by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). Walking by faith means that we trust God who walks before us. Trusting someone else other than ourselves is not our idea of fun living. Yet, we know how trusting in ourselves has led to many years of despair, confusion, guilt, shame, and hurtful consequences. Yet, like a battered woman living with an abuse husband or boyfriend, we go back to the abuse over and over believing that things will turn out for our good.

It is spiritually insane for us to go back to living in the world. Determine once and for all -- those days are gone! We have gone from darkness to light (Col. 1:13). Let’s continue to put off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light (Rom. 13:12), and never return to Egypt.

Teach The Word

2011-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Thou shall teach [these words] diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up - Deuteronomy 6:7

Judas, no doubt is one of the more heart-rending characters in Scripture. Author Dorothy Sayers, in her play, “The Man Born to be King,” speculates that Judas “means to be faithful—and he will be faithful—to the light which he sees so brilliantly. What he sees is the true light—only he does not see it directly, but only its reflection in the mirror of his own brain; and in the end that mirror will twist and distort the reflection.”

Sometimes we don’t acknowledge the fact that we really serve our own idea of reality. Because we know the end of the story, we begin reading the Gospels with Judas as the villain. But we must remember that Judas gave up a great deal to follow Jesus, just like the other disciples. He stuck with Him when others left (John 6:60-71). He must have had many gifts and the trust of the other disciples to serve as treasurer. To see Judas with no good qualities reveals only what we hope for, because that would make his betrayal easier to explain.

The problem of Judas does not get easier if we look at Judas’s reaction to events. He “was seized with remorse” (Matt. 27:3) and even returned the money he received. He knew that he betrayed “innocent blood” (v. 4). This certainly looks like repentance. Why was he condemned? This is where the daily teachings and instructions of the Scriptures come in handy. Life is often filled with paradoxes and getting the truth is never more important than now.

When you think about the above passage in Deuteronomy, you realize God could hardly have given us a more vivid illustration of thorough teaching, of daily instruction. When you are sitting, when you are walking, when you are lying down, when you are getting the children up...talk to them about my Word.

In the hustle and bustle of life, we often forget the things that are most important in life. We often let the busyness of our daily schedule and the plans that we have for our family get in the way of devotional, Christ-centered conversations. But notice that God does not say not to be busy, or not to make plans. Rather, He says in your busyness, in the hustle and bustle, in the daily schedule there is the perfect time and place to talk about Me!

What does God have to say about getting dressed? 1 Peter 3:3-4. What does God have to say about learning and education? Proverbs 4:7. What does God have to say about eating and drinking? 1 Corinthians 10:31. What does God have to say about the weather? Psalm 135:6-7.

It is in the midst of daily life that we are most able to teach our children about the relevance of God's Word to daily life. God’s Word enables us to put events and people in perspective, such as in the case of Judas. God’s Word also enables us to realistically examine our own lives before the Lord. Therefore, we ought to talk about it-diligently-with our children and others whom God brings across our path.

Decision Making

2011-07-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths - Psalm 25:4

Those with children know that mealtime can be an adventure, with new foods sometimes creating a great crisis. For many young ones, the unknown must by definition be horrible. It may take all the patience, bribes, or threats in a parent’s bag of tricks just to have one bite even attempted. Finally, the child obeys. The dreaded vegetable or casserole turns out not to be so bad after all. The anticipation and dread turn out to be far worse than the experience itself. Reality, once feared, now becomes pleasant once actually tried.

So it is when it comes to following where the Lord directs. In Psalm 25, the writer assumes two things in his short, but potent, prayer. First, he assumes that God has a way, a path, for him to take. God has an opinion about his life and he needs to know what it is. He realizes that God is interested in the smallest details, as well as the biggest decisions, of our lives.

Secondly, the psalmist assumes that the Lord is willing to show him, to teach him the path that He has for him. Sometimes we may wish that we had all the information that God has about us - what does the future hold, how would this decision affect my family, what is the right thing to do in such-and-such situation?

While God never promises to show us everything He knows, He has promised to lead and direct us with His infinite knowledge and wisdom. Therefore, we can benefit from His perfect understanding of our circumstances and future by simply and fervently seeking His perfect will for us in each decision we make, each path we take. Of course, He has revealed many objective and unchanging aspects of His will for us in the Bible, which is His Word.

Whatever decision you may be facing-daily and small, or momentous and life-changing-take the psalmist's prayer, and his concern, with you to God in prayer. "Lord, I know you have a path for me to take here; show me what it is and I will follow it, in accordance with your Word. Amen.”

God Has Spoken

2011-07-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe - Heb. 1:1-2

In his book Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton explains that he loves fairy tales (“entirely reasonable things,” he assures us), partly because of one basic law of the universe they teach: Joy is conditional. Cinderella, for example, can have the time of her life if only she will be back by midnight. Pinocchio can be a real boy only if he will not lie, and so on.

Much of God’s blessings are also conditional. In other words, God will bless if we obey His Word. The fact that God has a Word entails He has spoken to us. What a tremendous statement, and what a great responsibility it brings to you if you have heard His voice through His Word: "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks" (12:25). What you do with the Word of God determines what you will enjoy of God's will and claim of your inheritance.

Remember also that Jesus Christ is the Father's last word. In Him, divine revelation is seen and heard in its fullness; and in Him, God's revelation is complete. When we see Him, we see the Father (John 14:1-11). Through Christ, we understand where everything came from, where it is going, what keeps it going, and why it is here.

We also understand what He has done for us. He died for us! Today He is enthroned in glory, ministering to us and for us (13:20-21). He wants to mature us and teach us how to walk by faith. One day He will defeat all His enemies and bring in His righteous kingdom. With a Savior like that, why look for a substitute?

Since Jesus is the Father’s last and final Word to mankind, the first chapter of Hebrews clearly shows how Jesus is greater than the angels because He is the eternal Son of God Whom the angels worship and serve. Angels serve God's people (Heb. 1:14), even though we may not recognize them (Heb. 13:2; Gen. 18). Angels give special care to children (Matt. 18:10) and intervene in the lives of God's servants when they need special help (Acts 5:17-21; 12:1-10). When believers die, the angels escort them to glory (Luke 16:22); and when Christ returns, angels will accompany Him (Matt. 25:31). We must not worship angels (Rev. 22:9) or pray to them; but we can trust God to send them when we need them most.

God will use both angels and other people to minister to our needs. But over all, it is Jesus who makes it all happen. He ultimately is the one who dispatches either the angels in heaven or someone on earth to minister to those in need. Therefore, every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17). Therefore, God may use various channels to administer His blessings, but the source is always the same – Jesus Christ, God’s final Word to mankind.

Reviving the Dead

2011-07-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged -- Isaiah 1:4 (ESV)

Kate and David Ogg grieved. Last March in Australia, Kate gave birth prematurely to twins, and while Emily survived, doctors were unable to revive her twin, Jamie. He was declared dead. Kate and David held the boy’s lifeless body close, cuddling him. She unwrapped him from his blanket and held him against her skin. Then a miracle happened. After two hours of being talked to and touched, little Jamie began to breathe. He opened his eyes. He began to nurse. He moved his head. The doctors couldn’t believe it—the “dead” baby was alive!

The joy this mother had felt helps us to understand the severe language found in the Book of Isaiah. God is direct and to the point. He wants His people to get their lives together and repent from their sins so the Lord can hold them close to His heart and revive them and bring life back into the nation.

Isaiah had access to four different kings, but his great concern was the spiritual state of the nation and not the political success of the leaders. There is a place for diplomacy and political action, for God established human government; but the leaders' faith must be in God's truth and not in man's schemes.

Outwardly, the nation seemed prosperous and even religious, but God saw a different picture. His people were rebellious children, lower than animals (vv. 1-3). They were sick with sin, like lepers (vv. 4-6), and their "garden city" had become another Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 7-9).

Their popular religious meetings were futile and a grief to the Lord (vv. 10-15). In fact, their religious activities defiled the people instead of making them clean (vv. 16-20; Matt. 23:25-28). The wife of Jehovah was now a harlot (v. 21); their treasures were now cheap (vv. 22-26); and their garden was destined to be destroyed by fire (vv. 27-31).

Sin breaks God's heart, cheapens a nation or an individual, and invites the judgment of God. God graciously offers His forgiveness if we will repent (vv. 18-20).

It is good to pray, "Wash me" (Ps. 51:7), but keep in mind that God says, "Wash yourselves" (Isa. 1:16). Paul wrote, "Let us cleanse ourselves" (2 Cor. 7:1). We should follow this advice and keep ourselves clean!

Go All Out!

2011-06-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

And he said, Take the arrows, and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike the ground with them. And he struck three times and stopped -- 2 Kings 13:18 (ESV)

The Song of Roland, a semi-historical epic, tells of Charlemagne’s disastrous campaign into Spain around A.D. 778, where his enemy massacred the best men in his army. Charlemagne, of course, was not supposed to fail. To many he stood larger than life, a hero as well as a king. But now he had failed, and his best troops and invincible reputation were gone. What would he do?

We find a similar scene over in 2 Kings concerning king Joash. From his sickbed, Elisha directed Joash to take a bow and some arrows, to shoot one arrow eastward, and then to strike the ground with the arrows. The arrow that shot eastward signified victory over the Syrians, who had occupied Israel's land east of the Jordan. Because Joash had struck the ground only three times, he would strike down Syria . . . only three times. If he had struck five or six times, the threat of Syria would have been eliminated. But he lacked perseverance and endurance. Elisha was angry when Jehoash shot only three more arrows because in doing so the king was demonstrating weak faith. Jehoash knew what shooting the arrows signified (v. 17). Perhaps the king did not believe God could or would give him as much victory as Elisha had implied. He failed to trust God even though he knew what God had promised.

Victory over enemies depends on the measure of obedience. Joash must have known the significance of what he was doing, or else he would not have been held responsible.

In a similar manner, God wants us to go overboard when it comes to the exercising of our faith over sin, Satan and the world. Do not be content with just getting by. When you bury your past, do not dig a two feet hole. Dig one that is ten feet and really bury it. When you put to death sin, don’t be satisfied with one arrow of the Word, shoot many arrows and really kill it for good. In other words, when engaged in spiritual warfare, don’t be satisfied with a few shots to the enemy’s kingdom, shoot the whole artillery. When you experience victory, experience it decisively.

You see, don’t expect to walk victoriously if all you are going to read are a few verses of the bible a day. Do not think for one moment that if you read the Daily Bread (about 3 minutes of reading), you are heading for success. Do not think that if you pray a two minute prayer in the morning before you start your day, victory is certain. You and I have got to consumed large amounts of the Bible. We got to spend large amounts of time in prayer. Victory does not come when we merely shoot three arrows. We must be willing to shoot more and keep on shooting until that which we are pounding the heavens for comes to pass.

Ask yourself this: Do I merely want to experience occasional victories over some skirmishes in my life, or do I want to win the war?

What Brings Dissatisfaction?

2011-06-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, not letting them go with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 people in them and took much spoil – 2 Chron. 25:13

In a famous Greek myth, the god Zeus banned any other god from giving aid to mankind. Prometheus had pity on humanity, however, and gave them fire and other gifts of civilization. But he also gave mankind the so-called “gift” of ignorance of their mortality. Otherwise how could any human be happy, knowing that nothing would truly last? The ancient Greeks probably thought Prometheus did the Greeks a favor. Would this kind of ignorance be a blessing?

Perhaps, in some cases, ignorance would be a blessing. For example, regarding evil, Paul said: Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature (1 Cor. 14:20). Therefore, some things in life we ought to be ignorant of and evil is part of it.

But the Bible often reveals other areas that we ought not to be ignorant of and that is our perspective on money. We often think that the more money we acquire the better we will feel and become. And we often think that if we should lose money or give it away, the worse off we will be.

2 Chronicles 25 provides what really occurs in the human heart with regards to man’s perspective of money. For example, king Amaziah, hired 100,000 mercenaries for one hundred talents of silver (v. 6). He did this because he had no faith in the power of God to deliver to him a victory over his enemies. But a man of God came to him and said that if he choose to go that route and rely on his hired mercenaries, he would definitely lose the battle (v. 7). Instead, if he chose to rely on God alone, he and Israel would win (v. 8).

The king thought about what the man of God said and replied, “What shall we do for the hundred talents of silver that I paid?” The man of God replied, “The Lord has much more to give you than this” (v. 9). In other words, “Cut your loses and trust God and you will gain so much more in the process.” Amaziah did so, but he was certainly sad about the lost of his hundred talents of silver.

But check this out. The 100,000 mercenaries whom Amaziah had hired were sent away with their money. They did not have to fight and risk being killed. They had their money and their lives too. You would think that would be a great deal, right? But no, they were not happy with their money, so they ended up raiding the cities of Judah, and other surrounding places and in the process killed 3,000 people. To these mercenaries, the one hundred talents of silver were not enough. They were greedy and wanted the spoils of war.

Such is the wickedness of the human heart. Amaziah lost money and was upset; the soldiers made money and were angry. Money does not satisfy the heart. But when you think about it, this is true of anything apart from God. Man goes after power, prestige, fame, fortune, relationships, possessions, you name it, and without Jesus being the center of one’s life, none of what the world offers can ever truly satisfy.

So remember this story when you are tempted to substitute your time or relationship with God for something far lesser. Have you been feeling a little dissatisfied lately? Have you been anxious and unable to sleep at night? Take an inventory of your heart to see what or who is in the center of it. If it is not Jesus, you will be watching a lot of later night television when you could be sleeping soundly being kept by God in perfect peace.

When Dependence on Others Become Seriously Wrong

2011-06-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him -- 2 Kings 12:2 (ESV)

Anyone who has taken children to an all-you-can-eat buffet knows they can create concoctions few adults would eat. Young ones let loose on the dessert bar delight in mashing together ice cream, pie, cookies, and soda. What might have been delicious and refreshing has become entirely unappetizing to most of us.

This is precisely what happened to king Joash (aka, Jehoash). What started out as a delight, turned very wrong. Young Jehoash was fortunate to have as his counselor Jehoiada the priest, husband of the woman who had saved the king's life (2 Chron. 22:11). Jehoiada gave the king God's Word (2 Kings 11:12) and taught him how to obey it. But then came the problem. Jehoiada's death left Jehoash alone, and he led the nation back into sin (2 Chron. 24:15ff.). His religious zeal had not been very sincere. The king forgot the kindness of the high priest and even murdered his son. Jesus referred to this event in Matthew 23:34-35. It is not enough to promote religious works; we must have true devotion to God in our hearts. If your faith is "propped up" by others, what will you do when the "props" are gone?

Joash did many fine things, but he was a "leaner." As long as godly Jehoiada was on the scene, the king obeyed the Lord, and the temple prospered. But after the high priest died, the king began listening to other counselors; soon he led the nation into sin.

When you truly obey God's Word, you do it regardless of the messenger. If you lean on others and fail to develop spiritual depth, your spiritual life will be gone when those people are gone. Joash would not listen to the prophets and he even killed one of them (2 Chron. 24:19-21). God abandoned the people, the army was defeated (v. 24; see also Deut. 32:30), and the king was assassinated (2 Kings 12:20).

I see two great lessons to take with me: First, the secret of success in any venture for God is to honor His Word (Josh. 1:8). Ask yourself this: Do you let others strengthen you in the faith, and do you appreciate their ministry to you? Second, don’t overly rely on any one person to impart to you the Word of God. Yes, learn from others, but do not allow yourself to be overly dependent on any one person. Here’s why: If the person you are depending on falls from the faith or leaves, will you still be standing strong without him or her?

In the late 16th century, the mayor of Windsor engaged architect Christopher Wren to design and oversee the building of a town hall. When it was completed, the mayor refused to pay the bill, insisting that it needed more than the few columns Wren had designed. No matter that it was pointed out to him that the columns were holding up the building just fine. He wanted more columns and would not pay until they were installed.

Christopher Wren had several more columns added to the building. Each was identical to the first ones he had installed, with one exception. Each lacked one inch going all the way to the ceiling. Some of those columns were load-bearing and others were cosmetic.

People’s faith can look strong and tall, but still be an inch short of reaching heaven’s portal. This is because people put their faith in people – preachers, teachers, pastors, professors, counselors, friends, etc. Our faith has got to be in God and Him alone. Others can help to strengthen our faith in God, but never be a replacement for it. The pillar of faith which will keep our connection to God strong and able must go all the way reaching the throne of God Himself. Anything less than this – even if it is only one inch short is cosmetic. It is good for nothing except to be seen.

When Too Much Zeal Turns Into a Problem

2011-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

“Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord” – 2 Kings 10:16

At their top speeds (sometimes upwards of 100 miles per hour), eagles fly with minimal effort. They use their strong, lengthy wings to climb to great elevations, sometimes over a mile high, then they soar for great distances or dive with ferocious velocity. During migration, they can soar for hundreds of miles without exhausting their energy. Their flight is majestic and seemingly effortless.

There is something majestic in watching a mighty wonder of God’s creation doing what it does best. What is equally wonderful to watch are Christians who are passionate for the Lord in their serving and who have a zeal that often excites the rest of us. But too much zeal can be a serious problem.

In 2 Kings 10, Jehu challenged the nobles of Samaria and Jezreel who were rearing Ahab's 70 male descendants to select an heir and to battle Jehu. This would decide whether Ahab's house or Jehu's would rule Israel. Rather than fight a battle they were sure they would lose they submitted to Jehu and slew Ahab's sons. In the ancient Near East conquering kings sometimes piled the heads of their defeated foes at the city gate to show their power and to discourage future rebellion. Jehu then proceeded to execute the nobles who had killed Ahab's sons. However in this purge Jehu demonstrated too much zeal. God judged his own dynasty later for these unlawful assassinations (cf. Hosea 1:4). Jehu was wise and obedient to kill Ahab's sons (cf. 2 Sam. 1:14-15), but he overstepped his authority by killing the nobles.

"Jehu's killings exceed reform and become atrocities, . . . a fact Hosea 1:4-5 makes clear. Eventually, Jehu becomes very much like those he replaces, which makes him more of a political opportunist than a catalyst for change."

Jehu also wiped out the members of Ahab's family who were still alive in the Southern Kingdom whom God evidently brought together to make Jehu's job easier (vv. 12-14).

I often look with suspicion when I see preachers stomping back and fourth behind the podium, waving their arms, shouting from the top of their lungs, preachers who appear more concern with their theatrics then communication the Word. It is as if they are saying, “Look at me! See my zeal, notice my passion!”

I think there is no greater temptation for this than those who serve the Lord on the frontlines – Preaching and teaching, praise and worship, drama, specials, making announcements, etc. We can do such things with a noticeable zeal while all with the wrong motive.

Jehu showed signs of his downfall. How so? Two ways: He boasted about his zeal for the Lord – “Come with me. . .” and second, he wanted his service for the Lord to be noticed – “and see my zeal for the Lord.” These two areas will bring a man or woman to a downfall. It’s about pride. People will see it as zeal and passion, and many times it will be, pure and simple. But if the devil gets a foothold, he can turn our zeal for God into pride. And like Jehu, we can be punished for overdoing it!

This is why it is so critical before anyone stands before people to serve in a public manner, that much time is spent beforehand to prepare one’s heart for the delivery. People can be fooled and some will be impressed, but God knows what is occurring on the inside. The old saying certainly holds true today: “We serve an Audience of One!”

Put On Your Grace Clothes

2011-06-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices -- Colossians 3:9 (ESV)

The top-grossing film in the United States in 1990 was an improbable tale of a boy who found himself in a reversal of the typical “young hero lost in the world” adventure. Instead of running away like Pinocchio or suffering from amnesia like Anastasia, Kevin McCallister finds himself abandoned in the place he knows best. Upon realizing his absence, his mother spends the entire film scrambling to reunite with her son who had been left sadly (and comically) Home Alone.

Gratefully, God has not left any of us alone once we were purchased by His saving blood. All that we need to live a life of godliness has been given to us (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3). We also do not lack any spiritual gift (1 Cor. 1:7). This is not to suggest that a believer has all the spiritual gifts given by the Spirit of God, but when one joins a local church and unites him or herself in the fellowship of that church, then combined together with the gifts of other believers, the serving power of the body of Christ in utilizing its gifts on one another is enough to equip each saint to move ahead in life and godliness. Over in Ephesians 1:3, Paul says we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. I say all this to show that once we were made born again by God, He has not left us alone to fend for ourselves.

But we do bear a great responsibility. Like Lazarus (John 11:44), we must get rid of the grave clothes that belong to the old life. By faith, put off the old sins that once bound you; Christ has set you free. Instead, God wants us to wear the grace clothes, not the grave clothes! If your focus is on things heavenly, you will obey God in things on earth, especially in your relationships with others.

Everyday we must practice putting off the old self and putting on the new self that is fashioned after the image and glory of Christ. Take off your grave clothes and put on your grace clothes.

In one of Bishop Fulton Sheen’s books, he made an interesting observation about Christianity. He said, “In other religions, one must be purified before he can knock at the door. In Christianity, one knocks at the door as a sinner, and He who answers us, heals.” Why would we ever want to go back wearing our grave clothes ever again?

Ahab's Response to God's Grace

2011-06-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it -- 1 Kings 20:1 (ESV)

Mao Zedong’s great sparrow campaign was one of the worst propaganda mistakes of all time. The “kill a sparrow campaign” promoted the belief that sparrows were pests that needed to be eradicated because they ate grain and reduced the harvest. Schools, work places, and government agencies gave special recognition to people who successfully killed these birds. But in fact, the sparrows actually ate more plant-destroying insects than grain. Pestilence surged as a result of the campaign, and the nation plunged deeper into the Great Chinese Famine.

If Mao Zedong had realized that God not only watched over the sparrows but also used the sparrows to protect us from danger, perhaps he would have left the birds alone.

In His grace and watchful eye, God gave wicked King Ahab two victories over the enemy. The first victory was to teach Ahab that the Lord was the true God (v. 13), and the second was to show the enemy that Jehovah was not weak and limited like the heathen idols (v. 28). There is a great lesson here: We must never think that we receive blessings from God simply because we deserve them.

Ahab was a wicked king. He was the worse of the worse. Yet God granted to him two important victories – that’s grace. This reminds me of what Jesus had once said: “God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends His rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45). Don’t get into the habit of thinking that God is blessing you because you deserve to be blessed. It may be true, but remember that God also blesses those who don’t deserve it. King Ahab is a prime example of this.

Another interesting lesson we can take away from 1 Kings 21 is this: Instead of claiming complete victory and destroying Ben-Hadad (v. 42), Ahab entered into a treaty with him! King Saul made the same mistake with the king of the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:8-9), and both kings lost their kingdoms because of their disobedience. When you think the battle is over, you may face your greatest danger and experience your greatest defeat. After you have won a major battle, beware of the desire to compromise.

Finally, the Lord had given king Ahab ample evidence that He was God, but he persisted in hardening his heart. Too spiritually blind to know who the prophet was or what he was talking about, Ahab pronounced his own death sentence (v. 40). His pouting and complaining did not change anything (Prov. 19:3), but he refused to turn to the Lord.

According to the authors of the book, Significa, the world's champion complainer was a man named Ralph Charrell. Charrel received over $100,000 as a result of his systematic complaining. His smallest refund was of $6.95 and his largest was $25,000. Charrel spent time every day making phone call and writing letters of complaint. He even wrote two books, How to Get the Upper Hand andHow I Turn Ordinary Complaints into Thousands of Dollars.

While we all have the right to stand up for ourselves, would you want to be known as the "World's Champion Complainer"? Wouldn't it be better to be the "World's Champion Encourager"?

The Elijah Complex

2011-06-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword -- 1 Kings 19:1 (ESV)

In the animal kingdom, the contrast between the lion and the lamb could not be more drastic. Zoologists suggest that lions were once the second most populous land mammal in the world. They are ingeniously designed to vanquish any prey. Velvet paw pads help them stalk silently, yet the sound of their powerful roars stir up a cloud of dust and resonate for miles. They are built to survive and dominate. The lamb, however, is extraordinarily vulnerable—it is designed to die.

As Christians, we too are designed to die. But with that in mind there is something more. In order to really live, we must be willing to die to self. Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31). If I am not willing to wake up and die to self right from the start of a new day, my walk with the Lord will be anything but successful.

I find at times the greatest struggle comes when we enjoy the greatest successes. Elijah just got through calling down fire from heaven that consumed his water drench sacrifice. It was a show down between the Lord God of Israel and Baal. The Lord won easily. Elijah was confirmed as God’s prophet. He then has the courage to kill the prophets of Baal. What an exciting day it was for him. But shortly thereafter, something happened to Elijah. He had what people refer today as the “Elijah complex.”

The "Elijah complex" can rob you of power and joy, so beware! Elijah went from victory to defeat because he started walking by sight and not by faith (v. 3). He believed the queen's words but not God's word, and he forgot how God had cared for him for three and a half years. Fear replaced faith, and he ran for his life.

He became concerned about saving himself rather than giving himself (Mark 8:34-38; John 12:23-28). Note the sequence: "your life" (v. 2), "his life" (v. 3), "my life" (v. 4). If he had said, "Take my life," as an act of surrender to God, the Lord would have worked in power; but his "Take my life" was a confession of pride and defeat. Beware when you think you are the only faithful one left!

God taught Elijah that He does not always work in the dramatic big events, such as the contest on Mount Carmel, but that He works by means of a "still small voice," ministries that are neither big nor loud. Elijah was not forsaken, for God was with him. He was not alone, for seven thousand people had not bowed to Baal. His work would go on, for God had a young man ready to take his place.

We need to obey these words: "Do not be afraid; only believe" (Mark 5:36).

Sometimes we feel so depressed about our work and ourselves that we wish God would call us home. Of course, had Elijah really wanted to die, Jezebel would have gladly accommodated him. But Elijah was not the only one to feel that way. Moses wanted to die (Num. 11:15), and so did Job (Job 3:20-21), Jeremiah (Jer. 8:3), and Jonah (Jon. 4:3). Of course, this is not the answer to despair because it is selfish and does not glorify God. The real answer is to die to self and trust God to work things out: "The future is your friend when Jesus is your Lord."

Where Are The Elijahs?

2011-06-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth -- 1 Kings 18:1 (ESV)

A familiar quote captures the essence of God’s love for us despite our weaknesses: “God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to let you stay that way.” For a loving relationship between a holy God and a depraved sinner to thrive, one of us needs to change—and it isn’t going to be God.

God brought Elijah into the life of Ahab and his false prophets. God was showing Himself faithful and powerful in bringing discipline to the nation for their waywardness. Ahab knew all about the work of God through His prophet, that’s why he referred to Elijah as a “troubler of Israel” (v. 17). Correctly spoken, Elijah told Ahab it was not him who was bringing trouble upon the nation, but him and his father’s household because they had forsaken the commandments of God (v. 18). The Lord was trying to get Ahab to repent and change. Ahab was holding out hoping perhaps that God would change or simply go away. But that will never happen! Therefore comes the show down between Baal and the Lord God of Israel.

Baal was the storm god, so he should have been able to send rain, but he failed. Elijah rebuked the people (v. 21), repaired the altar (v. 30), and relied on the Lord (vv. 36-37), and God revealed Himself by sending fire (v. 38). In response to Elijah's prayer, God sent rain. Elijah was the man of the hour: he honored God, and God honored him.

Some may ask, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" (2 Kings 2:14). Perhaps the better question for our day is, Where are the Elijahs?

Keep Reaching Forward

2011-06-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own -- Philippians 3:12 (ESV)

Coach Cy, my canoe coach has a common saying, “Keep reaching forward, just one more inch!” When I read Philippians 3:12, I thought of his words and how it also applies to the Christian walk.

Reaching forward is the only right thing to do when you want to go forward. By reaching forward as a stroker in the canoe, I have learned the following three things: First, it gives those behind me a chance to plant their blade in the water at the same time as I do. Thus we are in sync and blending as a team. Second, reaching forward enables me to pull more water with my blade thus giving more push to the canoe. Third, reaching forward enables my blade to pull longer through the water without having to go pass my hip. Thus I can paddle faster, keep the tempo while pulling more water quicker.

Reaching forward just one more inch also has taught me some things that I cannot do. Such as, I cannot look behind me while reaching forward. Moreover, I cannot look down but must look ahead in order to be successful in obtaining that desired reach. Finally, I cannot look off to the side otherwise, where my eyes go so will the blade.

Christians are like canoe paddlers who refuse to look around or look back but keep paddling with their eyes on the goal. To look back at past successes or failures, or to look around to see what others are doing or saying, is to invite defeat. It is always good to heed the admonition of Hebrews 12:1-2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Remember to always reach forward, just one more inch! Don’t settle for mediocre. Don’t shorten your stroke. There are others who are behind you looking to you to set the pace. Reach forward in life and be God’s man and God’s woman. It is not always easy, but winning never is!

The Wrong Substitute

2011-06-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the kings house - 2 Chronicles 12:10 (ESV)

Recent studies suggest that Americans’ religious walk doesn’t match their religious talk. Seventy percent say they have no doubt God exists, and 40 percent claim to attend religious services regularly. Empirical evidence contradicts the latter claim, however. One study asked people to narrate their Sunday schedules, another estimated religious service attendance nationwide and compared that to poll responses, and another examined nearly 500 different time-use studies. All concluded that actual church attendance is only about half of what people say. Although most Americans don’t go to religious services, they apparently want others to believe they do.

Under King Rehoboam, Solomon's great kingdom lost both quantity (the tribes) and quality (the treasures). The costly golden shields (1 Kings 10:16-17) were replaced by bronze shields, but the guards and the king went through the same ceremony. They wanted people to think that everything was cool and so they did their best to keep up the appearance. By substituting the bronze for the gold, Rehoboam did not even know that he was illustrating a divine lesson. The gold represented God’s divine favor and presence, while the bronze represented God’s judgment.

Here is what religious people tend of say: "I know my relationship with the Lord isn’t what it once was, but I’ll pretend. I’ll polish the brass of my flesh. I’ll use the vocabulary and play the game so people won’t know the gold is gone."

You know what God calls this game? Hypocrisy! This is precisely what Rehoboam was doing. He had took away that which was most valuable (gold) and had the guards watch over those things which had considerable less value (the bronze).

We too set aside those things which are most valuable on Sundays (worship, serving Jesus, fellowshipping with Christians, equipping the saints, reaching the lost, etc.) to do the things which have considerable less value (going to a game, camping, meet at gatherings, fishing, sleeping in and later watching church service on the computer, etc.). Then when we see people later on Sunday afternoon or during the week, we say, “Whoa, wasn’t that message awesome!” Thus giving the impression to others that we were good and attended church, when all the while we had substituted the gold for the bronze.

Stand Firm

2011-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness - Ephesians 6:14 (ESV)

Dean Niferatos reports that it was a routine morning on the Number 22 CTA bus in Chicago. Office workers, restless punkers and affluent shoppers filled the seats and crowded the aisles. At the Clark and Webster stop, two men and a woman climbed aboard. The driver, a seasoned veteran, immediately bellowed, "Everybody watch your valuables. There are pickpockets on board."

Women clutched their purses tightly. Men put their hands on their wallets. All eyes fixed on the trio, who looked insulted and harassed but didn't break stride as they promptly exited through the middle doors.

Similarly we are warned in the Bible of a spiritual enemy and that we face the danger of succumbing to this foe. When reading the 6th chapter of Ephesians, three times Paul exhorts us to “stand firm” (vv. 11, 13, 14). And in order to do this, we need to put on the armor of God. Let me just touch on one piece of the armor that we are told to wear.

The first piece of armor mentioned is the belt of truth. The belt went around the soldier’s loins and held together his garment or clothing. He also used the belt to tuck in the bottom portion of his garment so he would not trip over it as he engaged himself in battle. Four key thoughts stand out here:

First, it is true that the belt had the soldier, but did the soldier have the belt? In other words, it is one thing for you and I to have the truth, but does the truth have us? Does truth hold us together? Certainly we must be faithful in holding the truth of God's word, but it is also necessary for the truth to hold us. We must apply it to our daily lives. As we test everything by the truth, we find strength and protection in the combat.

Second, notice that the belt went around the soldier’s loins, protecting his personal areas. This is crucial because God loves to find truth in the “inner parts” (Psalm 51:6). Truth for us has got to be personal. I study the bible not to figure out how it can help others; I study the bible to apply its truth to helping me. Too often when the average person in the pews listens to a sermon, I can see the elbows gently nudge their spouse. I can see the eyes in a person’s head turn either to the left or right, hoping that other person will get what is being said. We all do this and there is nothing really wrong with doing such things, just as long as we also understand that God is speaking also to us and we must apply the truth of God’s Word to our lives first regardless if our neighbor hears it or not.

Third, when a soldier took of his belt, a lot of other armor material came off with it. The belt held a lot of things together. As long as we keep the truth close to us, when we do sin, we will have the conviction that comes from the Spirit, repent from our sins and rejoin our commitment to walk with God.

In the day he should have been in battle, David took off his armor, got involved with Bathsheba, killed her husband, and tried to cover it up. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven," he wrote a year later, "whose sin is covered. For when I kept silent, my bones waxed old. Day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me. My moisture was turned to the drought of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin unto Thee. Mine iniquity I hid not" (see Psalm 32).

Finally, here is something to always remember: In the Christian walk, the safest place to be is on the front lines of the battle. At age fifty, David thought he deserved some rest and relaxation. Big mistake. He left the front lines, got tangled up in sin, and lived a lie. The only way to stand firm is to have your loins-the secret part of you-supported by and bound up in truth.

How Christians Often Make Things Worse

2011-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them - Proverbs 28:4 (ESV)

A self-confessed atheist has become a believer after mocking God by sarcastically praying for his mother to win the lottery. However, his joke prayer was amazingly answered as the next day his mother won $1 million on the New York Lottery Sweet Million game.

Sal Bentivegna, 28, who did not previously believe in God, had sarcastically asked his mother to “ask your God for a million dollars”. However, his mother Gloria Bentivegna, follows the Catholic faith, and staying true to her belief refused to ask God for such a thing.

Taking his joke further, Sal then prayed out aloud saying, “God, I don’t know if you’re real or not, but if you are there, please let my mother win a million dollars.” He added, “If Jesus wants me to believe in him, that’s what he’ll do”.

The following day his mother bought a “Lotto Tree” of unscratched instant win tickets from her Church’s charity auction. Sal was then left absolutely stunned when he found out his mother had won a million.

Realizing that the odds of his mother winning were so farfetched, Sal has now become a firm believer. He testified, “I can’t shrug off that Jesus had a hand in it.” “No pun intended, but it was a Godsend,” he said.

Gloria Bentivegna, reflecting on what had happened, is thankful to God for her winnings, but even more thankful for her son’s conversion. She said: “God performed two miracles, a true miracle.”

God is chasing after sinners. By answering the prayer of this atheist, God was not condoning gambling, He simply was using it for good in the life of this unconverted atheist. Someone would have won the lottery eventually; God simply maneuvered it where it was this atheist won it.

God helps and saves sinner, we know this. He came to our aid, but what about us? How are we helping? Proverbs 28:4, tells us one sure way of helping, a way that we do not often contemplate enough about.

We help sinners by sinning. When we sin and break the law (civil law and God’s Word), we are praising sinners who do so on a normal basis. When we obey God’s law, we strive against them.

Therefore, Christians who throw off the restraint of God's law and of civil law often praise the wicked. This, of course, is an attempt to justify themselves. Those who keep the law oppose the transgressors and speak out for the cause of righteousness.

As crime increases, the government must pass more laws and hire more people to enforce them (v. 2). When you break God's law, you promote the wicked; when you obey His law, you promote righteousness (v. 4) and enable God to answer your prayers (v. 9).

Again, it must be said and also believed, that the best way to promote righteousness in the land is to live it, not merely marching and holding signs, picketing the state capital, writing letters to the editor or your local representative, etc. Yes, these things have their place and surely should be used, but such things will never be as effective as a Christian sold out to Jesus and is living a righteous and holy life.

You say, “Yeah, but my sin is covered in secret. No one knows about it so it cannot possibly be a bad testimony.” But here is what you fail to grasp: When you try to live for the Lord and when you try to do something noble and good, God will not bless it. Your attempts to write a letter to the editor, or march against same-sex marriage, or preach a sermon, will become ineffective. It will be merely an exercise in futility. The hand of God will be absent from you and all your works of righteousness will be nothing more than “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). In other words, you will be shooting blanks! Just how effective is that in a war?

Christians are most effective when they are moving, breathing, living, and serving in a sphere of holiness. Their lives are a testimony and their prayers and works of righteousness will be greatly used to strive against the evil of our times. But when we are rebellious and sinful, all we are doing is merely praising the wicked and giving them more excuses to continue to reject our Savior and make the world more polluted with the stench of sin.

God has given the church a strategic part to play. How are we doing? In what way are you contributing?

Keep The World At a Distance!

2011-06-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect -- Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Paul urges us not to be conformed to this world, or as Phillips paraphrases it: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold." When we come to the kingdom of God, we should abandon the thought-patterns and lifestyles of the world. The reason for this is simple: Exposure to this world can spiritually harm us.

Let me give an example. After years of denials, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now admitting that mobile phones do cause cancer after all. It's now official: Holding an active cell phone next to your head can give you brain tumors.

Many holistic health experts who have been warning about this for years were, of course, blasted as "conspiracy theorists." Yet again, it turns out that they were absolutely right. Just as right about the toxicity of fluoride in the water, aspartame in the diet soda and the dangerous side effects of GMOs in the food supply. The WHO remains at least ten years behind what holistic health advocates already know on a variety of subjects.

A team of 31 scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, made the decision after reviewing peer-reviewed studies on cell phone safety. The team found enough evidence to categorize personal exposure as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."

"What microwave radiation does in most simplistic terms is similar to what happens to food in microwaves, essentially cooking the brain," one scientist said. "So in addition to leading to a development of cancer and tumors, there could be a whole host of other effects like cognitive memory function, since the memory temporal lobes are where we hold our cell phones."

“I think it is a good idea to give the public some sort of warning that long-term exposure to radiation from your cell phone could possibly cause cancer," said Dr. Henry Lai, research professor in bioengineering at University of Washington who has studied radiation for more than 30 years.

The Apple iPhone 4 safety manual says users' radiation exposure should not exceed FCC guidelines: "When using iPhone near your body for voice calls or for wireless data transmission over a cellular network, keep iPhone at least 15 millimeters (5/8 inch) away from the body."

BlackBerry Bold advises users to "keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.98 inch (25 millimeters) from your body when the BlackBerry device is transmitting."

The logic behind such recommendations is that the further the phone is from the body, the less radiation is absorbed. Users can also use the speakerphone function or a wired earpiece to gain some distance. Users can text instead of talk if they want to keep the phone away from their faces.

Finally, cell phones emit the most radiation when they are attempting to connect to cellular towers. A moving phone, or a phone in an area with a weak signal, has to work harder, giving of more radiation. So users can avoid using their cell phones in elevators, buildings and rural areas if they want to reduce their exposure.

The whole point is this: The closer your cell phone is to your brain, the more likely you will get cancer. So it is also true with the world. The closer we allow the world to get inside of us, the more likely we will conform to its image.

The Greek word for “transformed” comes from the English word “metamorphosis,” which connotes a change in outward appearance. Matthew uses the same word to describe the Transfiguration (Mt 17:2). Just as Christ briefly and in a limited way displayed outwardly His inner, divine nature and glory at the Transfiguration, Christians should outwardly manifest their inner, redeemed natures, not once, however, but daily (cf. 2Co 3:18; Eph 5:18).

“Conformed” refers to assuming an outward expression that does not reflect what is really inside, a kind of masquerade or act. The word's form implies that Paul's readers were already allowing this to happen and must stop. They were revealing what was inside of them – not so much the image of Jesus being formed in their souls, but conformity to the things of the world which had already begun to transform their thinking and subsequently affect their behavior.

The world (literally age) as used here means the society or system that man has built in order to make himself happy and prosperous without God. It is a kingdom that is antagonistic to God. The god and prince of this world is Satan (2 Co 4:4; John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11). All unconverted people are his subjects. He seeks to attract and hold people through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). The world has its own politics, art, music, religion, amusements, thought-patterns, and lifestyles, and it seeks to get everyone to conform to its culture and customs. It hates nonconformists-like Christ and His followers.

Christ died to deliver us from this world. The world is crucified to us, and we are crucified to the world. It would be absolute disloyalty to the Lord for believers to love the world. Anyone who loves the world is an enemy of God.

Believers are not of the world any more than Christ is of the world. However, they are sent into the world to testify that its works are evil and that salvation is available to all who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We should not only be separated from the world; we should be transformed by the renewing of our mind, which means that we should think the way God thinks, as revealed in the Bible. Then we can experience the direct guidance of God in our lives. And we will find that, instead of being distasteful and hard, His will is good and acceptable and perfect.

Here, then, are three keys for knowing God's will. The first is a yielded body (Rom. 12:1), the second a separated life (12:2a), and the third a transformed mind (12:2b).

You see, it is literally impractical for some of us to go without our cell phones, just like it is impractical for us to not live in this world. But since we must carry our cell phones with us, we can keep a fair amount of distance between it when in use. So it is true while living in this world. We have to live here, but we do not have to allow ourselves to become too close to the things of the world that our thoughts reflect it. We use the world at a safe distance. We live in the world while at the same time we work especially hard not to become part of it.

Just like holistic practitioners have warned us for years about cell phones causing cancer and yet a great majority of folks shine it off, so too, the Bible has warned us not to conformed to this world, yet a great many Christians don’t take such warnings seriously.

It is God’s designed that we allow His Spirit to change us into the image of Jesus. We should let the Spirit of God who lives within us, transform us from the inside out. We must now allow the outside world, conform us from the outside in.

Don’t get close to the world. Keep your distance. Run to Jesus and rest in His arms.

When Honey Becomes Bad For You

2011-06-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it -- Proverbs 25:16 (ESV)

Honey is good when taken in moderation, but too much of a good thing is sickening. We should eat to live, not live to eat. Larry Christenson illustrates:

Some friends of ours have eight children, and they all love ice cream. On a hot summer day, one of the younger ones declared that she wished they could eat nothing but ice cream! The others chimed agreement, and to their surprise the father said, "All right. Tomorrow you can have all the ice cream you want-nothing but ice cream!"

The children squealed with delight, and could hardly contain themselves until the next day. They came trooping down to breakfast shouting their orders for chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla ice cream-soup bowls full! Mid-morning snack-ice cream again. Lunch-ice cream, this time slightly smaller portions. When they came in for mid-afternoon snack, their mother was just taking some fresh muffins out of the oven, and the aroma wafted through the whole house.

"Oh goody!" said little Teddy. "Fresh muffins! My favorite!" He made a move for the jam cupboard, but his mother stopped him.

"Don't you remember? It's ice cream day-nothing but ice cream."

"Oh yeah . . . ."

"Want to sit up for a bowl?"

"No thanks. Just give me a one-dip cone."

By suppertime the enthusiasm for an all-ice-cream diet had waned considerably. As they sat staring at fresh bowls of ice cream, Mary- whose suggestion had started this whole adventure-looked up at her daddy and said, "Couldn't we just trade in this ice cream for a crust of bread?"

You see the lesson is this: Too much of a good thing can turn into excess and become considerably bad. This is why in the very next verse the writer says: “Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you.”

I see this so often. Someone like a relative or friend will drop by and stay a while – eat, watch TV, hang around. At first the company seems good and exciting. Then after a while, the excitement wanes and the host of the house thinks to him or herself: “Doesn’t he have his own place to go to? Why doesn't he leave already?" This is also true when a friend says, "Can I live in your place just for a couple of weeks until I find one of my own?" Then two weeks turns into months! Know what I mean?

I moved out of my place to be by myself for this very reason. “Lest I hate my kids!” Too much of a good thing can turn bad after a while. It is a law of life.

These words are also repeated down in verse 27: “It is not good to eat too much honey.” The idea here is self-control. There is nothing wrong with honey. It is nature’s food and it is very good for you. But too much of it is not good. Therefore, exercise self-control.

This is why in the very next verse we read: “Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit.” A person who lacks self-control can easily be invaded by harmful things.

We are encouraged to control our thought life, our habits and the way we live. If we don’t, we risk turning the good into excess, and thus making it bad for us and others.

Remember these words:

Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, read a destiny.

Godly Wisdom and Your Future

2011-06-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

One popular passage that often times gets quoted around New Hope is Jeremiah 29:11: “For I now the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for your calamity, to give to you a future and a hope.”

This is a great promise of God. But know this: Jeremiah 29:11 is not an unconditional promise God promises to any of His own without some prerequisites that come with it. To give you an example of what are some of the conditions, let me invite you to take a look at two passages in the Book of Proverbs.

1. Prov. 23:18: “Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” To understand the condition for this future that God promises, just take a look at the context.

Verse 17 says, “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord.” Then in verse 19, we are told to “listen and be wise, and direct our hearts in the way.” In other words, if we are going to have a future that God wants His children to have, do not look to sinners or the people of the world for your happiness, instead, listen to the Lord and be wise.

2. Prov. 24:14: “Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”

You see, God’s future for us is not given without us finding wisdom (truth) and appropriating it in our lives. The wisdom of God will help to determine the quality of our future and the hope we can gain from it. This is why we are told to “listen to the Lord and be wise.” Below is an example of godly wisdom that is worth the time to read and meditate on.

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, which took place a few years ago, Rick said "People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't
going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.

I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, "which is my problem, my issues, my pain."

But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.

It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with
before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.

So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Remember, in --

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

Victory Belongs To the Lord

2011-06-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord -- Proverbs 21:31

Men may go to elaborate plans to insure military success, but victory on the day of battle comes from the LORD alone. It is better to trust in Him than in horses or in nuclear weapons. David put it this way: “Some boasts in chariots, and some in horses; but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God” (Ps. 20:7).

Here is how we can sum of the last two verses of Proverbs 21:

Prov. 21:30 – There is nothing we can do against God
Prov. 21:31 – There is no victory without God

We are to prepare for battle, to ready ourselves for whatever undertaking faces us, but we must never forget that if we’re successful, it will be solely because the Lord came through. Here is something to remember and never forget: Without Him, I can’t. Without Me, He won’t. It’s a partnership that the Lord has sovereignly ordained.

For a little over two months now, I have been faithfully preparing and training for the upcoming canoe races. I have attended all the practices except one. I missed one only because the time had changed and I did not get the memo in time. I walk between 25-30 miles a week for the last twelve weeks. I watch what I eat and drink. During the canoe practices that occur three times during the week, I practice hard. Not a day ends that I am not sore – either my sides, legs, arms or blisters on my hands. I have turned into a fanatic.

But this much I do know. On the days when we race, victory belongs to the Lord. I do my part and prepare. God does His part and issues either a victory or defeat. Which ever He chooses, it will be in accordance with His will and that I can live with knowing that He is fully in charge. The bible says that “God works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11).

Back in the 50s, there was a well-known radio host/comedian/song writer in Hollywood named Stuart Hamblen who was noted for his drinking, womanizing, partying, etc.

One of his bigger hits at the time was: "I won't go hunting with you, Jake, but I'll go chasing women."

One day, along came a young preacher holding a tent revival. Hamblen had him on his radio show, presumably to poke fun at him. In order to gather more material for his show, Hamblen showed up at one of the revival meetings. Early in the service, the preacher announced, "There is one man in this audience who is a big fake." There were probably others who thought the same thing, but Hamblen was convinced he was the one the preacher was talking about -- some would call that conviction -- but he was having none of that.

Still, the words continued to haunt him until a couple of nights later he showed up drunk at the preacher's hotel door around 2 a.m. demanding that the preacher pray for him! The preacher refused, saying, "This is between you and God, and I'm not going to get in the middle of it." However, he invited Stuart in, and they talked until about 5 a.m., at which point Stuart dropped to his knees and with tears, cried out to God.

That is not the end of the story. Stuart quit drinking, quit chasing women, quit everything that was 'fun.' Soon, he began to lose favor with the Hollywood crowd. He ultimately was fired by the radio station when he refused to accept a beer company as a sponsor. Hard times were upon him. He tried writing a couple of Christian songs, but the only one that had much success was "This Old House," written for his friend Rosemary Clooney.

As he continued to struggle, a long-time friend named John took him aside and told him, "All your troubles started when you got religion. Was it worth it all?" Stuart answered simply, "Yes."

Then his friend asked, "You liked your booze so much, don't you ever miss it?" His answer was, "No." John then said, "I don't understand how you could give it up so easily."

Stuart's response was, "It's no big secret. All things are possible with God." To this John said, "That's a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it."And as they say, the rest is history. The song Stuart wrote was "It Is No Secret."

"It is no secret what God can do.
What He's done for others, He'll do for you.
With arms wide open, He'll welcome you.
It is no secret, what God can do..."

By the way... the friend was John Wayne, and the young preacher who refused to pray for Stuart Hamblen? That was Billy Graham.

Remember, in the end, victory belongs to the Lord!

Lending To God

2011-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deeds - Proverbs 19:17

In one of the persecutions of Christians in the days of the Roman empire, a young believer named Procopius of Palestine gave his life for the sake of the gospel. He was brought before a magistrate in Caesarea and ordered to sacrifice to the gods, but he refused, saying, “There is no God but one only, the Maker and Creator of all things.” Then they told him to sacrifice to four Roman emperors, but again he stood firm and refused. For his faithfulness, he was beheaded on July 7, A.D. 303.

As Jesus said, true disciples must give up everything to follow Him. In essence, discipleship is what needs to happen after we walk through the “narrow door” of faith in Christ.

Another great aspect of discipleship is helping the poor. We are told from the Bible that giving to the poor is lending to the LORD. God will not only pay back the amount loaned but will pay good interest as well. Even a cup of cold water given in His name will be rewarded (Mat 10:42).

I was at Down to Earth the other day and as I was getting ready to enter, I noticed a man standing in the dark holding a sign that read: “I am hungry.” I knew what I had to do.

I bought what I had come for which was only a bottle of organic root beer and then I got the man a mock ham sandwich and a can of organic coke. I asked the cashier to place it in a separate bag. As I walked out the door I approached the man who was surprised that I came to him. I gave him the food and drink and told him to enjoy and be filled. He thanked me.

As I began driving home, I realized that my root beer never tasted so good. I have drunk the particular brand often, but tonight, it was very tasty. Could that have been part of the reward from the Lord?

Henry Bosch illustrates like this: A father once gave his boy a half dollar, telling him he could do with it as he pleased. Later when he asked about it, the little fellow said he had lent it to someone. "Did you get good security?" inquired his father. "Yes, I gave it to a poor beggar who looked hungry!" "O how foolish you are. You'll never get it back!" "But Dad, I have the best security; for the Bible says, he that gives to the poor lends to the Lord!"

Thinking this over, the Christian father was so pleased that he gave his son another half dollar!

"See!" said the boy. "I told you I'd get it again, only I didn't think it would come so soon!"

We lose what on ourselves we spend,
We have, as treasures without end,
Whatever, Lord, to Thee we lend,
Who givest all. (Christopher Wordsworth)

Conflict and Healthy Relationships

2011-05-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men – Rom. 12:18

A man’s car was held up by a broken down car in front of him. He just sat there and sounded the horn while the woman driver in front was desperately trying to start her car. He sounded the horn even more impatiently and the lady walked round to his car and said sweetly, "Why don’t we change places? I’ll sound the horn and you can start the car!" You see, it is much easier to get mad and upset with someone else, but it is more difficult to be part of the solution.

In today’s devotional reading, I was reminded of this while reading through the 12th chapter of Romans. Paul is emphasizing the importance of maintaining healthy relationships at all cost.

During the time God has placed me as a pastor, maintaining healthy relationships are not always the norm because people’s expectations are way too high. Churches promote and encourage a sense of unity and bond of love between people. Now of course, having these traits does not mean that everyone will see eye to eye on everything and that there will never be any problems. It simply means that when problems do occur – and they will – we take the time and make the effort to be part of the solution in a timely manner.

Now remember, no church is ever problem free and this goes for marriages and other relationships as well. We should never expect such things. To do so is an expectation that God doesn’t even place on us.

For example, I live in a small studio apartment. I keep it clean. However, this does not mean that my apartment always stays clean. I do not clean it everyday. Two, three and sometimes four days will pass by before I start cleaning. Sometimes I leave the dishes in the sink when I head off to a meeting and will not get to it until later that evening. My point: To expect my apartment to always be clean is totally unrealistic. But to be part of the solution and to do my part in cleaning it on a timely manner is a good thing.

This is often true in relationships and marriages. Problems are often signs that two people are trying their best. For example, when people first begin to dance together, their feet often will get tangled and their bodies will bump into each other. However, this does not mean that they quit. They simply untangle and keep going. Conflicts are expected in relationships that are growing and moving ahead. We call this “growing pains.”

I love what Jesus said in Matthew 5 about resolving issues in a timely manner. He said, “Make friends quickly. . .” (v. 25). The reason is obvious. The longer we wait, the harder it will become because the enemy will by that time give to us 101 reason why we should not do so.

As many of you know, I am in to eating organic foods. The reason is a no-brainer for me. A healthy body is a happy body. Now this does not mean that I will never get sick. But it does mean that I have reduce my risk of getting sick or diseased considerably, and when I do catch a cold, I won’t stay sick for very long. However, if a person is under the weight of resolved bitterness, anxieties, buried fears, unsettled hurts, an unforgiving spirit, his or her immune system will be severely compromised. He will become vulnerable to sickness and will soon surrender to illness. And then when he does get sick, he will stay sick much longer.

One of the reasons why I miss still being married to my late wife was the conflict we occasionally had together. Sometimes it was my fault and at other times it was my fault! But she never stopped forgiving me. We never went half the day without talking, laughing and doing things together. A great thing about conflict is the making up afterwards!

Have you noticed how celebrities will often times come together and do a fundraiser over some huge catastrophe that recently occurred? You will see George Clooney moping floors, Whoopi Goldberg answering phones, Brad Pitt bringing in pizza. At one recent event, a reporter asked, “How do you get all these multi-million-dollar celebrities to help out like this?” Someone said, “Because something bigger than us is happening right now.”

That thought contains a wealth of wisdom. The reason why marriages go for months with unresolve conflicts, and the reason why two people cannot seem to patch things up is because they have forgotten the bigger picture – it is not about you. . .us. . me. . . Instead we are part of a much bigger story, a story and plan of God redemptively working out His will, His plan, His purposes through our lives and especially through our relationships – and yes, even with all the conflict.

In Genesis 2:18, God said that it was not good for man to be alone. In other words, God created us in such a way that apart from one another, we cannot be fulfilled. Mother Teresa once said, “If we have no peace, it’s because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” Oh, wow, this is something we should never forget!

Every growing relationship that is moving forward will experience conflict – whether it’s two friends, a marriage, a business, and even a church. Heck, I even have conflict in my relationship with God! And it is not because He is ever wrong, it’s because He is chipping away the rough edges around me and often times it hurts and I run away. But then by the grace of God, I find myself always running back to Him for more edge chipping.

Look around you. How are your relationships with others? Are there any that need you to be the solution? Are you the one who would rather beep the horn or get out of your comfort zone and be an answer to prayer?

God Responds To Faith

2011-05-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

“I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel” – Matt. 8:10

A hit-and-run driver struck a 78-year-old man on a busy city street in Hartford, Connecticut. Car after car drove by the injured man, and bystanders gawked. Several people did call 911, but a surveillance camera captured most people’s unwillingness to get involved or help. The same month, again captured by video, a woman who had been waiting for a bed for 24 hours in a Brooklyn hospital collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain. Staff and patients in the waiting room noticed her convulsions but made no move to help. When someone did check on her over an hour later, it was too late—the woman was dead.

It is so assuring that God is not aloof when we are in need. He responds to our needs and in the process tells us not only what is wrong with us, but how we can become better.

In Matthew 8-9, we notice how God responds to faith. For example, the centurion had great faith (8:10), while the disciples were guilty of little faith (8:26). The men who brought their friend exercised cooperative faith (9:2), while the sick woman had superstitious faith (9:21). Christ asks us the same question He asked the two blind men: "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (9:28). What would be your reply?

Faith is the ability to trust God for what would be on our end the impossible. Although the disciples had “little faith” compared to the centurion, Jesus still calmed the storm. He did not wait until the disciples mustered up enough faith to match the centurion. Not everyone’s faith is the same. Some have more faith than others, and some exercise their faith in different ways. By saying to the centurion he had “great faith,” Jesus was using him as an object lesson on what great faith looks like. By telling His disciples that they had “little faith,” Jesus was informing them of their need to grow in their trust in Him.

What is a major difference between the two? First, the centurion acted alone while the disciples had each other. When you have no one else to lean on, to depend on, to go to, such occurrences builds one’s faith a lot deeper. But the disciples had each other. They were experienced fishermen who had been out on rough waters before. They were familiar with rough seas and lending a helping hand. But such familiarity can weaken one’s faith in God if it is relied too heavily upon.

Second, the centurion was asking for a miracle for his servant (8:2). The disciples were asking for a miracle for themselves. The centurion’s faith was great because it was outward focused, while the disciples’ faith was said to be “little” because it was inward focus. Now there is nothing wrong for asking God to give you a personal miracle especially if you are in desperate need. God delights in doing such things for His own. But God also finds great delight when we go to Him and ask – now watch this – a miracle for another, especially if the person we are praying for is not personally related to us. The centurion was asking Jesus to heal his “servant.” Not his son, daughter, or wife, but a servant of his. What kind of a servant must he had been that his boss would be so concerned for him?

Third, the centurion learned to have great faith through his position – for he was a man of authority. He would tell one man, jump, and then he would tell him, “how high!” In other words, as a man of authority, he would simply give the command and those under him would respond. He knew that since Jesus was a person of authority, He too could do the same.

But the disciples were fishermen. They had authority over what? Nothing. Don’t you find it interesting that when Jesus had set out to call His disciples, He chose some fisherman who had no authority and not centurions who did? It would seem to me much wiser to pick those who had a better grasp of faith than those who didn’t. But Jesus’ plan and purposes are always better than our own. He knew that by choosing ordinary fishermen who had little to no faith at all, such men would represent the majority of us than those who had great authority.

In the end, what kind of faith do you have at this point in your Christian life? Whatever is your level of faith, it is certain there is always room for more growth. Isn’t it assuring to know that no matter what level of faith you possess – “great faith” or “little faith,” God will respond?

Authority Is In The "I"

2011-05-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

“You have heard. . .but I say to you. . .” (Matt. 5:27-28, 31-32, 33-34, 38-39, 43-44)

The St. Chad Gospels are a rare treasure. A beautifully illustrated, eighth-century Latin manuscript containing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and part of Luke, it has endured for more than a thousand years. It is preserved at a cathedral in Litchfield, England, and is in delicate condition. Scholars from the University of Kentucky have recently been able, however, to use digital imaging techniques to make this manuscript available without further wear and tear. Computer technology allows those who wish to study the text and illustrations without having to travel to England or handle the physical manuscript.

When something is considered a rare treasure, it is usually old, very old. Something about being in existence for a long time gives an object a kind of authority to it.

Jesus’ words are not only ancient, but truthful. When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He took the words and saying of the rabbis, “you have heard,” and replaced them with His teaching, “but I say to you.” Jesus wanted the people to know that the words of their rabbis cannot be held equal to His words. The teachings of man have the tendency to go off track and move in the opposite direction of God. Jesus’ words helps to bring us back on the proper track and then to keep us there.

I love reading books, articles off the internet and listening to good sermons and teachings from others. But there are times when I have to evaluate myself and see if I spend more of my time listening to others rather than reading God’s Word and listening directing to Him. I love reading about what others think about God’s Word, but in the process, do I spend less time reading the Word itself? If all I read in any given day was the Bible, do I feel like I missed something good that day? If so, there is a good indication that my priorities are out of whack. If I spend time reading what others say about the bible, or listening to what others say, and in the process I did not open my Bible once to read it myself, I ought to feel empty inside and the feelings of missing out on something important should invade by soul.

When it comes to authority for living, nothing and no one comes close to Jesus Himself and His words. Here are three concluding remarks:

First, by saying, “You have heard that it was said,” Jesus was not suggesting that we should not listen to the teachings of others. All He was saying is do not place such teachings on the same level of authority as His own. Indeed, read those books and articles and listen to good preaching, but remember, that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself.

Second, by saying, “You have heard it was said,” Jesus was showing that He was well aware of what was being taught by the Rabbis. Jesus knows good teaching from false ones. All that is taught in His name, Jesus is fully well aware of. This ought to keep us who are teachers sober so as to handle the Word of God accurately (2 Tim. 2:15; cf. James 3:1).

Third, by saying, “But I say unto you,” Jesus was indicating the need to take the necessary time to listen carefully to Him. You see there are scores of teachers of the bible out there, but only one authority – Jesus. “You have heard it was said,” implies a multiplicity of instructors. But when Jesus said, “But I say to you,” shows just one authority, and only one! Therefore, it is not how many authors you read or preachers you listen to; it is WHO you listen to that counts. Are you listening to Jesus?

Remember when Paul wrote about his out of body experience while he was in heaven (2 Cor. 12)? He said that he was caught up to paradise and “heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak” (v. 4). Could he have heard God speak to him about what he would one day write down on papyri? Paul authored 13 New Testament books, some of his teachings he called a “mystery” (Eph. 3:3; Rom. 11:25; 1 Cor. 2:7-10). A mystery in the Pauline vernacular was truth that had not been revealed in the Old Testament but was made known in the New. Perhaps, he was told by God directly what some of these mysteries were and how he would one day write about it.

We won’t know for sure until we get to heaven, but one thing is certain. In a world where authority is looked upon as vitally important, do we take the time to feed our hearts and souls with God’s authoritative Word? If you find yourself living a shallow and superficial life, void of power and supernatural energy, could it be that “You have heard it was said by them of old,” is what you have only been feasting on, rather than, “but I say to you” – the very words of Jesus?

Working Hard To Sin

2011-05-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

“. . .men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18)

“I used to believe in God,” wrote actor and comedian Ricky Gervais. “I loved Jesus. He was my he-ro.” But then one day his “cheeky” brother came in and asked their mother, “Why do you believe in God?” She panicked and could give no answer. Startled, young Ricky felt she must be hiding something, and very soon he concluded that Jesus was as big a fake as Santa Claus. “Within an hour, I was an atheist.” Now he tries to do the right thing and be a good person, but he thinks that God, heaven, and hell are security blankets for people who can’t handle the truth.

The truth is hard to handle especially if it contradicts our way of living. This is why people compromise and make concessions. Satan knows that every man has his price in which he would be willing to pay to sin if pushed to the limit. Fortunately, not every man is willing to pay this price, but would rather die than to renounce Jesus.

Paul said that some are so determined to avoid truth that they will go so far as to suppress the truth. How? In unrighteousness. Have you ever thought what this must mean?

Here it is in a nutshell. People work really hard to sin. I think of the story of Lot and the two angels God sent to Sodom in Genesis 19. Lot found his house surrounded by the gay men of his city who wanted the angels who appeared as young men to come out and have sex with them. Even after being struck with blindness, the bible says, “they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway” (v. 11). Imagine this. The lust of these men were so strong that not even blindness could deter them away. This is suppressing the truth in unrighteousness.

Elsewhere we read that “the way of the treacherous is hard” (Prov. 13:15). Isaiah said that “the wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet” (Isa. 57:20). In other words, people will go to such great lengths to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Jeremiah describes how some people “weary themselves committing iniquity” (Jer. 9:5). Elsewhere is tells how “they strain themselves to no profit” (12:13). People who do all they can to suppress the truth in unrighteousness and will “toil for nothing” and “become exhausted only for fire” (51:58).

Surely one of the greatest pains to endure would be the pain that comes with child birth. I do not know this by experience obviously, but no one that I have talked to ever told me it was pleasant. But sinners who wish at all cost to suppress the truth of God will “travail with wickedness” (Psa. 7:14). Travail of course has to do with birth pains. It is utterly amazing how some will actually torture themselves just to suppress the truth of God. Some are unable to sleep unless they do evil (Prov. 4:16). Some will sin as if “dragging iniquity with cords of falsehood as if with cart ropes” (Isa. 5:19). Isaiah describes people’s determination to sin as if they are pulling a loaded cart dragging and pulling it through the day.

This is one of many ways people will seek to silence the voice of God. Whenever God speaks, it will be truth to live by (Matt. 4:4). So in order to suppress the voice or truth of God, people will literally strain themselves in sin as a way to somehow silence God in order to ease their conscience and alleviate their guilt.

We carry around in us our old sin nature. Even though we have died to sin, we go back and dig up old wounds, habits, and forbidden passions. When we feel tempted to sin, we hear God’s voice saying, “No. Remember what you read in your devotions? Remember the message you heard on Sunday?” And this voice keeps playing in our minds as a tape recorder. The only way to silence it is to smash the recorder. We do this when we go to such great lengths to suppress God’s truth in unrighteousness.

Some people will get on an airplane and fly to another state to meet up with a secret lover. Some will spend great sums of money to sin. Others will put their jobs, families and careers on the line. Make no mistake about it, people will work hard to sin.

The answer is not working so hard in order not to sin, but reaching out and receiving the grace of God. Donald Miller in his book, "Blue Like Jazz," a book on Spirituality said, “by accepting God’s love for us, we fall in love with Him, and only then do we have the fuel we need to obey.”

The Purpose of History

2011-05-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. Amit Goffer of Israel has created a robotic suit that can help paralyzed individuals to walk. Created after Dr. Goffer himself was disabled in an accident, the ReWalk suit is a kind of exoskeleton with leg supports, motion sensors, and a computerized control box. According to one news report: “With the assistance of crutches, which offer balance and support, people paralyzed from the waist down can walk, bend, sit and even climb stairs when they wear the suit.” Benefits are said to include better physical health and a stronger sense of personal dignity.

The Lord does not need modern technology to enable His people to walk in His ways. All they need to do is to read and understand His Word and pass it along to those who have not yet begun to walk. This is God’s method.

Psalm 78 is a good example of this. It is a long psalm consisting of seventy-two verses. Why so long? It is a history lesson written for the sake of the next generation to follow (vv. 1-8). The Jews were commanded to teach their children the works and ways of the Lord so that each generation would know the Lord and trust Him (Deut. 6:1-9). We have the same obligation today. When Israel stopped doing this, the nation forsook the Lord and God had to chasten them (Judg. 2:7-10).

God's answer to Israel's needs was to give them a spiritual leader, David, the shepherd. He had both integrity (the heart) and ability (the hands), and he sought to serve the Lord and love the flock of Israel. People have not changed; they still rebel against God. There is still a need for faithful instructors in the home (vv. 1-8) and leaders in the nation (vv. 70-72). Do all you can to help the next generation serve the Lord faithfully and consistently.

The Psalm closes on a peaceful, pastoral note. But before leaving it, we must remind ourselves that Israel's history is only a mirror of our own. And if anything, we are more culpable than they because our privileges are so much greater. Living in the full blaze of Calvary's love, why should we ever complain, or rebel, or limit the Lord, or fail to be thankful? Yet we stand condemned. We have provoked the Holy One of Israel times without number. We have grieved Him by a thousand falls. We have murmured and grumbled in spite of countless blessings.

God's patience is not inexhaustible. There comes a time when He allows us to taste the bitterness of our backsliding. If we despise His grace, we will experience His government. If we refuse to serve Him faithfully and loyally, He will find others to do it. We will miss the blessing, and will never find a better master to serve.

“Listen, O my people, to My instructions” (v. 1)

Apostate Christianity

2011-05-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yet another denomination has voted to ordain openly homosexual candidates to its ministry. Yesterday, the Presbyterian Church (USA) presbytery of the Twin Cities in Minnesota voted to approve a change to the church’s constitution that will allow the denomination’s 173 presbyteries to ordain persons without regard to sexual orientation.

The Twin Cities presbytery cast the deciding vote in what is now a 33-year effort to remove all restrictions on homosexuals serving in the church’s ordained ministry. It became the 87th presbytery to affirm the action of the church’s 219th assembly last summer authorizing the constitutional change. The action not only concludes over three decades of controversy over the ordination standards; it also reverses actions taken in 1997, 2001, and 2008, when similar efforts failed.

Unfortunately there are two kinds of Christianity in the world: The one which is true and authentic and the other which is not – it is apostate.

Apostate Christianity pretends to follow Jesus, but in the process of professing to be identified with Him, they deny His Word. Yet, I thank the Lord for apostate Christianity. You know why? Because it means that Jesus’ coming is getting closer!

In Matthew 24, Jesus said, “See that no one misleads you. For many will come in My Name, saying, ‘I am Christ,’ and will mislead many” (vv. 4-5). That is, many will come identifying themselves with Jesus, using His name, but denying the Word of God and the power of the gospel (2 Tim. 3:5). Paul said, “avoid such men!”

We’re starting to read through 1 Thessalonians. You will notice that every chapter in 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to the return of Jesus Christ, and that truth is applied to daily living.

An eager Christian looking and waiting for His return is evidence of salvation (1:9-10), a motivation for soul winning (2:17-20), and an encouragement for holy living (3:11-13). This truth is a comfort in sorrow (4:18) and a stimulus to have more confidence in the Lord (5:23-24).

So then, when I read about how certain denominations are caving in to the world’s standards and throwing the authority of the Bible under the bus, I rejoice! Jesus is coming soon. Such times of apostasy are a reminder to me that my time down here is short. My Savior is standing at the door. Soon He will open heaven’s gate and begin His descent and rapture His bride.

Is the return of Jesus a comfort and support to you or are you afraid? Does the thought of Jesus’ return motivate and encourage you to be diligent in holy living or does it cause guilt and shame?

When Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians, he had Jesus’ soon return in mind and he wanted his readers to also be reminded of it.

“Yes, I am coming quickly!” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20)

Make Your Copy From The Original

2011-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I live Honolulu where it is very busy. When I get into my car to drive somewhere, there are always pedestrians to watch for as well as those riding their bikes. Some bike riders make me very nervous and some are consciously considerate. Here’s what I mean.

Whenever I drive down a street, I get nervous when there is a bike rider not on the sidewalk but in my car lane. I cannot go too far to my left because there is a car in that lane. I cannot stay in the middle of my lane or I might whack the biker. So I either follow behind or I try to sneak by hoping that I will not be part of a road kill.

But what really makes me nervous are those bikers who are on the side waiting to dart across the sidewalk. I come speeding down the road and all I see is a biker that has his wheels racing to cross. I am not sure if he is going to wait for the light to change or if he might chance it. I know for many the preferred way of waiting is to sit on the bike, poised to tear off back across the street. But I think a much better way is to turn their bikes sideways, pointing away from the street.

You see, when someone like me is driving down the street, he doesn't just want to know where you are. He also wants to know where you're going to go next. And if it looks like you might rush into the street, that makes him nervous. Even though you know you aren't going to, he doesn't know that. So pointing your wheels sideways is how you tell him that's not going to happen so someone like me can stop worrying.

Communicating to others our intentions can be a worthy thing especially if it will help to communicate something good. We as Christians are all about making disciples, right? We need to be so intentional about doing this. Seriously. Making men and women into strong and committed followers of Christ is not something we should communicate lightly.

But we do communicate this aspect of our calling lightly by our lack of obedience. Just this past week, I lost two members on my praise and worship team. Both apparently fell by the wayside because they allowed their flesh, along with the world’s good to get the best of them.

As a result, both were removed indefinitely from the Worship Team. Sounds harsh? Yes, but I intentionally want to communicate the need to build strong disciples.

When one makes a photocopy from another photocopy the quality is slightly reduced. When one makes a fourth generation photocopy the quality degenerates even more. With each succeeding generation the product becomes more and more corrupted until it is more unlike the original than like it. Every new copy of the previous copy contains all the flaws of all the generations before it as well as its own unique blemishes. The solution is to make all your copies directly from the master itself. This will reduce almost all of the flaws and corruption and assure a copy most like the master. The best that a photocopy can be is very much like the original -- but there is only one original.

When it comes to reproducing disciples and leaders, the same principles apply. Each succeeding generation must be directly linked to the Master if it is to maintain and reflect the purity and beauty of the Lord. Every generation that mimics a copy of the Master will reflect the flaws of both generations.

Here is what Jesus said: “A student can’t be better than his teacher, but at best he can be like his teacher” (Matt. 10:24-25).

If I allow disobedient believers to serve in leadership positions than at best I am using a photocopy with all its flaws as a standard for others to copy. What will eventually happen to my church? Eventually everyone will be flawed and corrupted. But if I continually set before the church the original – Jesus as He is presented in the Word of God, and incarnated in the life of those who are obedient, then I am making photocopies right from the original and not from other flawed photocopies.

My point is this: I do not care or get all excited about how talented some are. I am not overwhelmed or overjoyed by the sound of a person’s voice, by the way he or she dances, or by the way one plays his instrument. I do get all excited when I see the quality of a person’s heart fleshed out in obedience to the Lord. In other words, I get all excited when I see other photocopies taken right from the Master Copy!

This is why I sadly remove people from leadership when I see that they have not been making photocopies from the master but from other photocopies. This is why we stress the absolute necessity to do your own devotions and to get into the Word yourself. Don’t just read other books – those are photocopies. Read the Bible – the Original, the Master Copy!

When we set aside the Master Copy for a photocopy, in due course the flaws come to manifest themselves for everyone to see. When this occurs, the photocopy cannot be used anymore. It is set aside and a clean sheet of paper takes its place.

As a pastor, I have seen this over and over again. It is sad to take someone out of the race because of flaws. None of us are perfect by a long shot. But for some, the race is more like a game to be played than a life to be lived for the glory of God.

Get Down From The Mountain

2011-05-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

And as they were coming down the mountain. . .they came to the crowd, a man came up to Him and kneeling before Him, said, “Lord have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers terribly” (Matt. 17:9, 14-15).

You may have heard the story about what happened between White House adviser Valerie Jarrett and Four-star Army Gen. Peter Chiarelli at a recent Washington dinner.

As reported by the website Daily Caller, Jarrett, a longtime Chicago friend of President Obama, was seated at the dinner when a general -- later identified as Chiarelli, the No. 2-ranking general in the U.S. Army hierarchy, who was also a guest at the gathering -- walked behind her. Chiarelli was in full dress uniform.

Jarrett, apparently only seeing Chiarelli's striped uniform pants, thought that he was a waiter. She asked him to get her a glass of wine.

She was said to be mortified as soon as she realized her mistake, and who wouldn't be? But the instructive part of this tale is what Chiarelli did next.

Rather than take offense, or try to make Jarrett feel small for her blunder, the general, in good humor, went and poured her a glass of wine. It was evident that he wanted to defuse the awkward moment, and to let Jarrett know that she should not feel embarrassed.

Matthew 17 contains a magnificent account concerning Jesus and His kingdom. Right before the eyes of three of His disciples – James, John and Peter – Jesus was transfigured before them and His glory shined brightly. All three disciples responded to what they had seen. Peter went further and requested that three tabernacles be built – one for each of the heavenly figures. But then the Father steps in and rather than make an issue out of Peter’s blunder, two of the three figures disappear leaving only Jesus standing alone. At that moment, the Father says, “This is My beloved Son, hear Him!” (Matt. 17:5).

You can be certain that when Peter witnessed the disappearing of Moses and Elijah and saw only Jesus standing alone and then hearing what the Father had just spoken, he too was embarrassed and stood corrected.

From this account, two principles stand out loud and clear:

Principle #1: Come Down From the Mountain (vv. 14-21).

Notice what the text says: And as they were coming down the mountain. . .they came to the crowd (where the needs were prevalent).

When Peter offered the idea of building three tabernacles, he wanted to dwell on the mountain a lot longer than God wanted him too. We cannot blame Peter for thinking this, for he at that moment was given a preview of the King and His kingdom. Staying on the mountain and being wowed by visions and voices brought to the disciples a sense of emotional exhilaration.

But here is the thing to remember: Although Jesus does give to us our mountain top moments where we are blessed beyond words by both the things we witness and hear, we must never forget that we cannot stay on the mountain, but we got to come down and minister to those in needs.

You see, on this side of heaven, it is not our needs that are most important, but the needs of others. Too often we go from mountain to mountain looking for the next spiritual thrill, all the while neglecting to call our wayward friend, making that hospital visit, spending time discipling and training others, praying for others and giving to them a touch of hope.

I often hear people who tell me how I need to go and attend a conference, a seminar, a meeting, a retreat, and of course, nothing wrong with doing such things, but it is as if after one conference is over with, lo and behold here comes a similar one.

Like anyone else, I love my mountain top experiences with the Lord. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, I need such times to be still and receive all good things from the Lord. But thank God for the Martha’s who get the work done! Who meet needs! Who don’t spend so much time on the mountain that they forget about the hurts and needs of others. Who better to serve such people than those who have just had mountain top experiences? Such experience keeps servants from burning out and serving from an empty tank. But don’t always let your tank remain full. Let it run down to empty now and then. Most of your time spent will be serving in the valleys rather than staying on the mountain enjoying the view.

Principle #2: Hold Fast To God’s Word

Here is what I mean. When Peter came down from his mountain top experience, he was too was changed. He witnessed the transformation of Jesus, and he saw a vision of two Old Testament giants – Moses and Elijah.

What would you have concluded from such an experience? I know I would have talked about my visions and tend to glorify myself in the process. I would let people know what I SAW, what I HEARD, what I EXPERIENCED! And that’s it!

But listen to how Peter puts it: For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts – 2 Pet. 1:16-19

Notice his conclusion in verse 19 after he recounts his experiences: “We have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, AND YOU WILL DO WELL TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT!” What is Peter referring to? He is referring to the Word of God that we possess in our hands. Our moments on the mountain where God graciously allows us to see visions and hear words inexpressible and full of glory is not to puff us up and brag to others about our experiences. Such times with God are to confirm to us the absolute certainty and power of God’s Word which is something made more certain. Why? Because visions and dreams are infrequent, but God’s Word is near to each of one of us (Rom. 10:8).

So when you come down from the mountain, yes, go ahead and tell others about your experience with the Lord, but do it in such a way that you magnify God’s Word and depend on it and not just your experience. No man’s experience should ever have preeminence over God’s Word. Let the mountain top experience change you, but also give to you a new and fresh appreciation for the more sure Word of prophecy which is able to save people’s souls (James 1:21) and heal their hurts (John 14:1).

Clearing Up Some Confusion

2011-05-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven – Matt. 16:1

How can we live simply in a materialistic culture? Christie and Paul Borthwick addressed this question in their article, “Alternatives to Affluenza: Living Light in the Land of Plenty.” The world bombards us with an incredible variety of goods, advertising, and the examples of peers and colleagues buying the latest gadgets.

The Borthwicks, however, did not want to “end up making choices based on cultural pressure instead of convictions grown from our commitment to Christ.” They have made their financial decisions by the godly principles of stewardship, freedom in Christ, and identifying with the poor. “In all of our life choices,” they wrote, “God notices. What we do in terms of giving more or spending less or choosing simplicity might not be world changing, but the God who knows every sparrow that falls will know when we intentionally bring our lifestyles more in line with discipleship, obedience, and His global purposes. In that knowledge, there is great reward.”

When I read Paul Borthwick’s article above, I began to think about the confusion that comes from many of our pulpits. We have preachers who stand up and declare how God wants His people healthy, wealthy and prospering – the so-called “Prosperity Gospel.” Then we have preachers who declare that God wants His people poor. The so called, “Humility Gospel.” So who is right?

With all that is being preached, it is any wonder we have a lot of confused sheep. Jesus also had to take the time to clear up some misunderstandings that were going around in His day. Let’s see if any of us are guilty of these:

First, about the times (vv. 1-4)
People believe the weather report but not God's Word! They fail to see what God is doing in His world. Keep your eyes open, and ask God for wisdom to understand His plan. There is so much going on in the world today that point with clear prophetic insight to the accuracy of God’s Word. Don’t miss out such things. You will be able to discern the times only if you are a student of the Word.

Second, about false doctrine (vv. 5-12)
Jesus compared false doctrine to yeast. It appears small and insignificant, but it grows secretly and soon permeates everything (Gal. 5:9). The only remedy is to remove it (1 Cor. 5:6-7) and to feed your mind and heart with truth (John 17:17).

Third, About Jesus Christ (vv. 13-20)
The crowd was confused about Jesus and so are the crowds today; do not follow them. Instead, let the Father reveal the Savior to you (11:25-27), and confess Him before others. He is the Son of God. It makes all the difference on who you believe Jesus to be. If you get it wrong about Him, you will be wrong on everything else He stands for.

Fourth, About discipleship (vv. 21-28)
In his misguided attempt to keep Jesus from suffering and dying, Peter the stone became Peter the stumbling block. Confessing Christ must lead to following Christ. The world encourages you and I to pamper ourselves, but the Lord calls us to deny ourselves. The only way to live is to die to self and follow Christ by faith.

Note: The name Peter means "a stone" (John 1:40-42). All of God's people are "living stones," but Jesus is the Rock (1 Pet. 2:4-8; Acts 4:11-12; Ps. 118:22), and His church is built on Him (1 Cor. 3:11). Whoever confesses faith in Christ becomes a living stone built into the spiritual temple (Eph. 2:19-22). Peter was given not the keys of heaven, for Jesus holds them (Rev. 1:18), but the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19). He had the privilege of opening "the door of faith" (Acts 14:27) to the Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2), the Samaritans (Acts 8:14ff.), and the Gentiles (Acts 10). And we too have a similar privilege. When we share the seed of God’s Word with others, we give to others the blessed opportunity to come to faith in Christ. When the “door of faith” has been presented to them, it is up to them to open it and walk through. You and I have already walked through it as Christians, now the question remains: Who are we bringing with us?

God's Remedy To Overcome Worry

2011-05-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

“Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.20 They all ate and were satisfied. . .Matt. 14:18-20

The Internet has put more information than ever before at our fingertips—maybe too much information. Sometimes people get obsessed, for example, with checking online the balances in their retirement accounts. “How’s my 401(k) or IRA today?” they wonder. “Is the market up or down? How is my mutual fund performing?” Worried, they switch funds or reallocate to investments that are thought to be more secure. They watch television shows like Mad Money, desperate to pick up tips that will give them an advantage. If the numbers are headed downward, they get depressed or panicky.

Such worrying, Jesus said, is sinful. Habitual anxiety about finances is doubting that God can or will provide for our needs. Money is a tool, a means to ends. Handling it well is part of being responsible stewards, but it’s just not worth all the fretting and worrying that sometimes goes on.

The disciples of Jesus faced a similar challenge in Matthew 14. The boss had just ministered to a multitude of people and did not want to send them away hungry. So he said to his disciples, “you give them something to eat” (v. 16). The disciples began to panic and worry, “What? We have only five loaves and two fish” (v. 17).

LOL! Isn’t that like Jesus to give to us impossible assignments? Have you been handed an impossible task to do and find yourself thinking about how in the world are you going to pull this off? You are not alone. The disciples were faced with a monumental assignment.

So what did Jesus want them to learn from this? Check this out –

He said to them, “Bring them (the fish and loaves) to Me” (v. 18).
Jesus then took what little the disciples had given to Him and blessed it (v. 19). Then Jesus gave back to His disciples what they had given to Him – but this time blessed by Jesus (v. 19b). The disciples received back from Jesus what they had given to Him, which was blessed by Jesus and they gave it all away to the multitude (v. 19c). What were the results? “They all ate and were satisfied” (v. 20).

Okay, this is how it works. You have been given an impossible assignment from God through your boss, the pastor of your church, your coach, etc. You think to yourself, “How in the world am I going to take care of this? How am I going to serve all these people with a nice meal with such a short notice?”

Here is what you need to do?

First, give it to Jesus so He can bless it. What little you have, release it from your hands and place it in the hands of Jesus where it will be blessed.

Second, receive from Jesus what He has blessed. He does not want to take away what you have, He simply wants to bless it. But He cannot bless something unless you give it up.

Does you marriage seem impossible to fix? Give it to Jesus so He can bless it and when He does, He will then give it back to you. Does paying your bills toward the end of the month seem impossible to you? Give what you have to Jesus and let Him bless it. He will give it back to you with amazing results.

Third, what Jesus then gives back to you which He has blessed, use it to bless others. You say, “What? How can I do this, I had barely enough to begin with?” I know you did. All you had were two small fish and a loaf of bread. But when Jesus blesses it and gives it back to you, what He then gives you is not the same as what you had given to Him. What you have from Jesus has MULTIPLIED! The purpose of Jesus multiplying your resources (gifts, talents, resources, money, possessions, strength, endurance, etc.) is not for you to use it all on yourself, but to use it as a means to bless others. It is so others can eat and be satisfied with what God has blessed you with.

I think so often we do not see the kind of results we long for in our lives, relationships and assignments God gives to us is because we do not follow these simple steps.

Give what is impossible to Jesus.
Receive from Jesus what He has blessed.
Then bless others.

So the next time your pastor gives to you an assignment that seems impossible, or your boss lays a heavy load on you – remember what the disciples had learned in Matthew 14 when Jesus told them to feed the multitude and all they had were a few loaves of bread and two small fish.

The main ingredients are:
1. Surrendering – “Give it to Jesus”
2. Accepting – “Receive it back from Jesus”
3. Sharing – “Bless others with the blessing you received from God.”

This is God’s plan! Why don’t you give it a try and see what happens? This is God’s remedy for worry.

Thoughts About Public Rejoicing

2011-05-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

In his fascinating book Why Men Hate Going to Church (Nelson Books), David Murrow discusses a variety of ways in which today's worship is oriented toward the way women learn, not men. He explains that it's a problem rooted in the brain:

"The regions of a female's brain that are devoted to language are larger than their equivalent in the male. Girls outperform boys by huge margins on tests of verbal fluency. Studies reveal that women use more of their brains during speech, which makes them much better at expressing themselves verbally. Other studies show that a typical woman speaks 20,000 to 25,000 words a day, while a typical man speaks just 7,000 to 10,000...

"Brain differences play out in the entertainment men and women choose. Women buy romance novels; men buy pornographic magazines. She's stimulated by words; he's stimulated by images. Women watch TV shows in which people talk about their problems; men watch sports and crime shows where words are secondary to the action...

"Yet today's church has become an almost entirely verbal experience...Sermons put men in an impossible situation: They must remain alert as a flood of words rushes forth from the pastor's mouth. Men must not only comprehend those words, but also, using the other side of the brain, respond emotionally to the pastor's appeal. Very few men are physiologically capable of this feat. Their brains are simply not wired this way. Men find sermons boring not so much because of their content, but because of their format...When the church returns to the visual, hands-on style favored by Jesus, men, young people and women all will respond."

Men are certainly more visual than women are. Personally, I hate reading novels. I would rather go and see a movie rather than read a book on the same movie.

When I thought about how visual men are, I thought about Joseph, the husband of Mary. He was engaged to be married to her but then he discovered that she was pregnant. He was then faced with a decision: Should he put her away or marry her in her present condition?

Here is what he had planned: “And Joseph her husband being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly” (Matt. 1:19).

Joseph did not want to shame her publicly, so he desired to privately say “goodbye!” Being a typical male, he must have had visual thoughts about what would happen to her if he would have went public with his knowledge about her pregnancy.

As I thought about this, I made a connection between Joseph being known as a “righteous man” and his desire not disgrace Mary. His state of righteousness was seen in his desire to be private about Mary’s situation. He wanted to respect Mary and not humiliate her.

If this was true of Joseph in a time of sorrow, how much more should this be of us in times of rejoicing? You see, should we flaunt our joy over the death of a man for others to see? When we do this are we not being an embarrassment to the cause of Christ, not to mention the church as a body?

Joseph was private in his sorrow over his dealings with Mary and the bible commends him as a righteous man. We can learn from this as well. We need to be careful not to rejoice in things as like, “in-your-face” such a way. Public rejoicing can be just as bad as humiliating someone in a public manner.

I think because Joseph was like any other male, he visualized what it would look like for Mary to be publicly humiliated by her surprised pregnancy. Joseph was a visual man. So how did God capture his heart? He had an angel “appeared” to him in a dream (Matt. 1:20). This captured Joseph’s attention and he ended up talking Mary as his wife.

There is a place for private rejoicing just as there was a place for the thought of privately “putting away” of Mary. We as Christians ought to always be asking ourselves, “What kind of message am I sending if I go public, either in my sorrow or rejoicing?” Not all sorrow needs to be done privately. Not all rejoicing should be done publicly. Think about the context, the situation, the nature of the exaltation.

This is why it is so important that as Christians, we learn the value of walking in the Spirit and being filled with God’s Word on a daily basis. Not everything is black and white. We need to consider carefully our decisions, actions and responses. We are sending a message each time. Do you know what kind of message you are sending?

How To Distinguish Between Love and Lust

2011-04-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church – Eph. 5:28-29

Almost 90 percent of Americans identify with a religion, including 75 percent who say they’re Christian. But according to a survey by the Barna Group, only 12 percent identify faith as the top priority in their life. Faith is outranked by family (45%); by health, leisure, and a balanced lifestyle (20%); and by wealth, money-making, and career success (17%). Among those who go to church regularly, the number is still just one in five. Among evangelicals, only 39 percent say faith is their highest priority in life. The president of the Barna Group commented: “When it comes to why so much of American religion seems merely skin-deep, this gap between what people call themselves and what they prioritize is perhaps most telling.”

I think it is so important for couples who are thinking or planning on one day being married to work hard in building a solid foundation of biblical priorities now during their time of courtship. Once marriage occurs, it will never be too late to change, but the turns along the way will be much harder to make and certainly more demanding.

This is why it is necessary for guys (and to a lesser extent women), since guys struggle with this the most, to get a grip on how lust and love are so different.

Andrew Tallman captured the essence of both lust and love with these words:

“Lust sees another human being as an object, a mechanism for personal gratification. Lust thus considers the other to be essentially replaceable, to be judged against competitors on the basis of how well they satisfy lust's demands. And if one is not satisfying fully, lust instinctively seeks using another to reach quota. If lust considers serving the other or giving pleasure away, it does so as a means of proving it's adeptness at conquering the other or as a more reliable means of securing reciprocal favors with the evidence it has satisfied the provisions of the arrangement. Lust believes in negotiation and protecting itself, demanding its rights.

“Love sees another human being as a person, an opportunity to honor God by serving His image-bearer. Love thus considers the other to be essentially unique, precious in their own right and incapable of comparison with another. Love cherishes the needs and desires of the other, finding maximum satisfaction in meeting them while knowing that the greatest need of the other is to love similarly in return. If love considers its own pleasure, it does so as a means of giving the other the joy of fulfilling service. Love strives only to conquer itself and its own deficiencies. Love believes in sacrifice and making itself vulnerable, demanding nothing beyond not being used by the other in lust, since allowing the beloved to defile them both this way would be unloving.

“So, does marriage magically transform the evil of lust into a good thing? Quite the contrary. To lust a non-spouse is at least consistent with the failure to love through marriage. But to lust a spouse is to violate by deed the vows made by word.”

As you can see, the issue is this: When does love change into lust and when is lust no longer love? The changes are often so subtle. But here is the point to major on: You can be sure love is present and operating when there is self-sacrifice and a genuine concern for the other person’s needs. Love is not void of passion and desire. On the contrary, love is full of desire and pleasure. But the passion comes when love sacrificially desires to give pleasure to the other person. Love is not self-focused but other focused.

Paul used the example of Jesus and said that “Husbands ought to love their own wives just as Christ loved the church” (Eph. 5:25). How did Jesus love the church? In three ways:

1. His love for the church was sacrificial – v. 25: “He gave Himself up for her.”

2. His love for the church was purifying – v.26: “He cleansed her”

3. His love for the church was devoted – v. 27: “He presents the church before God holy and blameless”

This is the essence of love. When these three things are practiced by husbands, love will rule the home, the relationships and more importantly the heart! Lust will only creep in when we stray away from doing what Jesus showed and taught us to do by His perfect example.

If you are married, there is still hope! Work hard on the changes. Yes, such changes will not come easy, but come they will if you set your heart to do so and trust in God to empower you. If you are not married yet, remember these principles. When God brings into your life a significant other, practice these principles now and do so in a way that they become easy to both do and remember. Don’t go into a marriage with a flat tire and without spare in the trunk to use in case of emergency. In other words, be prepared! Therefore, go into a marriage fully committed to love one another in a sacrificial way, in a purifying way, and devoted to offer the person to God holy and blameless. This third aspect cannot be done unless your love or one another is both sacrificing and purifying.

What Really Is Important?

2011-04-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water -- Psalms 63:1 (ESV)

Some people see “market morality” as an empty phrase. In the market, they say, what’s “right” is what works. “Sex sells,” so immorality is promoted and human bodies are degraded to sell a product. “Fame sells,” so we are urged to buy something as an act of near-worship of an athlete or entertainer. Dignity and self-respect are assaulted—people are told their bodies, minds, desires, and lifestyles are hopeless, unless they purchase certain items. Envy and covetousness are promoted—happiness and contentment are impossible without the latest gadgets.

In God’s eyes, however, the bottom line of sales and profit margins is not the bottom line of morality. As followers of Christ, we cannot use such reasoning in our handling of money. Now and then, we need to stop and ask ourselves, What really is important?”

Psalm 63 is a good example of this. This psalm probably grew out of David's painful experience during the rebellion led by his son Absalom (2 Sam. 15:13-23). Imagine the king having to leave his comfortable palace and flee to the wilderness to hide! When you find yourself in a "wilderness" situation, take inventory of the things that really are important. David said:

"I still have God" (vv. 1-2)
The God you worship in the sanctuary is with you in your difficulty. If you hunger and thirst after Him, He will satisfy you (Matt. 5:6).

"I still have a song" (vv. 3-4)
David could not go to the altar and offer sacrifices to God, but he could lift his hands and his voice as "spiritual sacrifices" (Heb. 13:15). When you praise God, your inner person is nourished (v. 5), and you are satisfied.

"I still have joy in the Lord" (vv. 6-11)
If you cannot rejoice in your situation, you can always rejoice in your Savior: His past help (v. 6), His present protection (v. 7), and His future guidance (v. 8). He hides you and holds you, so you have nothing to fear.

The Remedy for Greed

2011-04-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven – Matt. 6:1

As a huge crowd gathered outside a Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, New York, on Black Friday in 2008, the mood was ugly. People had come for holiday bargains, but it seemed they would have to struggle to get what they wanted. They shoved forward, the glass doors shattered, and a mob of desperate shoppers rushed into the store.

In the process, they trampled worker Jdimytai Damour to death, despite the best efforts of his co-workers and emergency personnel to rescue him. When an announcement was made that a person had been killed and the store would have to be cleared, people protested that they had been waiting a long time and deserved to keep shopping!

Greed is an ugly matter. It is no wonder that Jesus addresses it powerfully in Matthew 6. Greed will not only injure and kill others, but it can also have a devastating affect on three crucial areas of a Christian’s life – His ability to praise God, his prayer life, and the way he acquire possessions.

Praise (6:1-4)
We should give only to please God and receive His praise. If we give to win the praise of others, or to be able to compliment ourselves (v. 3), we get the immediate reward-praise-but we lose the eternal reward. We cannot get our reward twice, so we must decide which one we want.

Prayer (6:5-15)
Our public praying is only as good as our private praying, and our private praying should be secret (vv. 5-6), sincere (vv. 7-8), and systematic (vv. 9-13). The Lord's Prayer is a pattern for us to follow so that we will put God's concerns first and not forget to forgive others.

Possessions (6:16-34)
We need things to live (v. 32), and God provides these things for us (v. 33); but acquiring things must not be the main goal of life. You are living for things when they capture your heart (vv. 19-21), divide your mind (vv. 22-23), and control your will (v. 24); and the result of this is worry. The solution is to put God first and start living with eternity's values in view.

We lay up treasures in heaven when we consider that all we have belongs to God and we use it to magnify His righteousness and advance His kingdom (Matt. 6:33). It means much more than merely giving offerings to God, although that is important. It means total stewardship of life so that God is in complete control and our one desire is to glorify Him. This is the secret of a unified life (Matt. 6:24) free from worry and of greed.

The Value of Obedience

2011-04-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord -- 1 Samuel 15:1 (ESV)

In 2007, rare coin dealer John Feigenbaum flew coast-to-coast with a special dime in his pocket. He didn’t eat and he didn’t sleep; he was nervous. He bought an economy-class ticket and dressed to be inconspicuous. After his flight landed in New York, he had to kill time in a Starbucks, waiting for a bank to open. Finally it did, and Feigenbaum breathed a sigh of relief. The dime Feigenbaum was delivering to a buyer was worth $1.9 million. It’s called an 1894-S dime—only 24 were known to have been minted, and only nine are still known to exist. That’s one expensive 10-cent coin!

The Bible, though, keeps matters in perspective: The value of obedience to the Lord is greater than the value of a rare dime. In 1 Samuel 15, we read how God's orders were clear, but Saul's motives were mixed (James 1:8). Look at the losses Saul incurred because he disobeyed God's word.

First, he lost his character, for he lied to Samuel and tried to blame the people. Saul was very good at excuses.

Next, he lost his friend Samuel (v. 35) who had anointed him, taught him, and prayed for him.

Then finally, he lost his crown. God took the kingdom from Saul and gave it to David.

Saul had many advantages as he began his reign, but he failed God and the people because he did not cultivate his spiritual life. He became proud (vv. 12, 17); he feared men rather than God (v. 24); he blamed others for his own sins (v. 21); and he was concerned more about his reputation than about his character (v. 30). He tried to substitute sacrifice for obedience, but God rejected him.

Is there a King Agag in your life? If so, you better hack it to pieces instead of holding on to it and keeping it around. God values obedience to Him above worship and service. For without obedience, both worship and service are empty pursuits.

God's people face the constant temptation of substituting religious ritual for spiritual reality. Samuel's words (1 Sam. 15:22-23) do not belittle sacrifices. Rather, they point out that the condition of the heart determines the value of the sacrifice (Ps. 51:16-17). God is not enriched by our gifts (Ps. 50:12-14), but we are enriched if our gifts to Him are backed by obedient hearts (Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:7-8). He accepts the worship only if He can accept the worshiper (Isa. 1:10ff.) To be accepted by God you must be listening to the Word of God daily and obeying Him from the heart.

Go Ahead and Live!

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures -- 1 Corinthians 15:3 (ESV)

"Thank you, Lord, for this food we are about to eat. We pray You bless it to nourish our bodies. In Jesus' name, Amen." This is a pretty standard way to pray before eating, right? But it suddenly strikes me that in all the pre-meal prayers I've ever heard, I think no one (including me) has ever asked God to "make the food taste really good and help us enjoy it fully." And why not?

If we're going to pray God will make it nourishing, doesn't it seem just as sensible to ask Him to make it enjoyable? Surely He already knows most of us are at least as interested in the pleasure of eating as we are in the nutritional value of it. Very few of us are so perverse that we only consider nutritional value. Are we embarrassed to admit we're enjoying the mouths and noses that God gave us when He made our bodies? Does it not please God to watch us delight in His gifts?

So here's what I'm going to pray today for lunch: "Thanks for the yummy food, Lord. Help me enjoy it as much as these nifty taste buds You gave me will allow."

It is not wrong for us to enjoy life. Sometimes I think that some Christians think it is more noble and holy to wear a frown all day and to be miserable. When they see someone laugh, they think, “He must be doing something wrong.” Or “She is not taking her relationship with God all that seriously.” But nothing could be further from the truth. God has given to us all things to enjoy – i.e. all things that are in His will for us.

So whether you are taking a walk, watching the sunset, cooking a meal and then eating it, spending time with someone you love, going hiking, sleeping, spending time with friends, attending church or a bible study, trying on new clothes, buying a delicious protein shake (my favorite!), or going to a ball game – God wants us to enjoy life.

This is the message that Paul wants us to take home from 1 Corinthians 15. Jesus is alive! Easter is a time of celebration and rejoicing. We can rejoice because God has not given to us things that are dead, but ALIVE! How can we as Christians be anything less? Here’s a summary of what Paul wrote:

We have a living Lord (1-19)
Jesus is alive, and the gospel message is true! Witnesses who saw Him have passed along their testimony to us. When you trust Him, you receive resurrection life, eternal life (John 5:24); death can hold you no more.

We have a living Hope (20-49)
Jesus Christ will come again, and the dead in Christ will be raised. We will have glorified bodies like Christ's body (1 John 3:1-3). Keep in mind that resurrection is not reconstruction. God does not reassemble the original body that has turned to dust. Like flowers and fruit from the planted seed, the glorified body is related to the "planted" body but different from it.

We have a living Dynamic Christian Life (50-58)
We have no reason to give up because Jesus has conquered sin and death! If you really believe in the resurrection and return of Jesus, verse 58 will characterize your life. The best is yet to come, so let us give Him our best now.

In God's world, for those who are in earnest, there is no failure. No work truly done, no word earnestly spoken, no sacrifice freely made, was ever made in vain.

Therefore, enjoy and really live O Believer! After all, you have so much to live for. Be happy! Put a smile on your face and remind yourself that God has given you a Living Lord, a Living Hope, and a Living Dynamic Christian Life. Go forth and really LIVE!

God's Mercy in Perspective

2011-03-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Pride, arrogance, self-righteousness, and judgmentalism are all problems that plague Christians and alienate others from our faith. As a result, the bible remind us that we are sinners so we should not think ourselves better than anyone else.

But there is one person for whom this line of persuasion couldn't have worked: Jesus

It strikes me that the one person in all of history who could legitimately look around at everyone else and pretty confidently say, "I'm way better than all of you," was Jesus, right? If ever anyone was entitled to pride, arrogance, self-righteousness, and judgmentalism, it was Him. And yet He wasn't any of these things.

So on the one hand, this is definitive proof that there is something inherently undivine about such qualities, since He didn't even show them. And on the other hand, it makes me that much more amazed by His complete lack of contempt for the very sinners He was qualified to die who all showed those undivine qualities, precisely because He was so much better than they were.

After walking with God for a while, David understood the mercy of God. In Psalm 41, David talks about God’s mercy and he does so from looking at it from three perspectives.

He Looked Back – vv. 1-3
As David lay sick, he looked back and recalled that he had been merciful to others and had helped the poor. This encouraged him, for he knew that God would help him (Deut. 15:1-11). God is merciful to those who show mercy to others (Matt. 5:7). When you are in pain, it is good to have a clear conscience to encourage you.

He Looked Around – vv. 4-9
Then David looked around and saw that his enemies were gossiping about him and wishing he were dead. Even his close friend turned against him. If this happens to you, keep in mind that it also happened to Jesus (John 13:18). Greater than the pain of sickness is the pain of having a treacherous "friend."

He Looked Up – vv. 10-13
Finally, David looked up, and that solved his problems. No matter what others might say, God was well pleased with David, and that was all that mattered. Let David's enemies spread their gossip. God would raise him up, hold him up, and give him the light of His countenance.

Remember this: Sometimes, how you feel depends on where you look.

The Devil - God's Puppet

2011-03-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory -- 1 Corinthians 2:8 (ESV)

Here are three theological beliefs:

God wants all people to be saved.
God is completely in control of salvation.
And yet, some people wind up in hell for eternity.

These three simple propositions, each drawing on substantial Biblical support, create a logical conundrum. Arminians solve it by saying God is not completely in control of salvation. Calvinists solve it by saying God does not want all people to be saved. And Universalists solve it by saying no one winds up in hell for eternity. Although they are historically in the minority (and for good reasons), the Universalist is really asking how a Good and Powerful God can allow anyone to be in hell forever.

But it's worth noting that it's really just the same as another, much more well-known question: How can a Good and Powerful God make a world full of evil? The problem of hell, therefore, is really just another form of the problem of evil. And if we can learn how to live theologically with an evil world made by a perfect God, perhaps we can also learn how to live theologically with an eternal hell made by Him too.

Our beliefs determine our world view perspective and how we live our lives. When Paul mentioned the “rulers of this age,” he may be referring to demonic spirit beings in the heavenlies or to their human agents on earth. They didn't understand the hidden wisdom of God (Christ on a cross) or realize that their murder of the Holy Son of God would result in their own destruction. Had they known the ways of God, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Yet they did thinking that they had done a mighty blow to God, when in fact, they sealed their own doom.

This is why it is just impossible for the devil to win in any fashion over God. The devil is merely God’s puppet. Satan may appear to be winning at times, but whatever he does that seems to strike a blow to God and His kingdom, actually works against him.

Satan had his minions strike a blow to God’s plan by nailing Christ to the cross. They thought, “Good, this victory for our side ought to send a message to the Trinity!” Yet, all Satan did was to further God’s agenda of saving souls and dooming the devil. When Satan had Jesus put on the cross, he added the last nail to his eternal coffin.

This is why it is spiritual suicide to walk away from God and take the path of the devil. Or in other words, when we follow Satan by living for the flesh and enjoying the fruits of the world, like Satan, we may think we are in some way getting away with it, but we are merely sealing our defeat and furthering God’s plan, who makes all things work together for God to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).

It is always a good thing, not to mention a very wise move to put God first in our lives. The Lord never looses even when it looks like He had just received a major blow. God is eternally ahead of everyone and everything created. The best response for us creatures is to submit to His will and enjoy the ride.

The Choices God Makes For Us

2011-03-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Joshua 15:20: This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah. . .

Andrew Tallman shared this with his radio audience: As part of my weight-loss and healthier eating program, I've recently discovered how to make vegetable soup from scratch. It's remarkably easy, as a matter of fact. But I can imagine what would happen to someone's soup if he approached it based on the fear of a slippery slope.

The recipe calls for salt, but out of a fear of putting in too much salt, the novice would put in none at all. The recipe calls for pepper, but out of a fear of one pinch leading to a pile, he would leave it out altogether. The recipe calls for carrots, but from a fear of carrots dominating the flavor, he might put in none. The recipe calls for onions, but too many onions makes a funky texture, so maybe he doesn't use any. And the recipe calls for many other things, but every time he goes to add something, he instead refrains out of an irrational fear of not being able to stop before he's added too much.

In the end, of course, he winds up with a pot full of piping hot garlic water (because everybody knows you can never add too much garlic to anything). And that's the point. If we're always so afraid of excess whatever that we do no whatever at all, the soup of our lives winds up being devoid of both taste and nutritional value.

We can never be too careful when following the Lord, but even being careful can become an excuse for not putting anything in the pot. For example, God says, “Give” (1 Cor. 16:2), but some will say, “I got to pray about it first.” What is there to pray about? God already told us what to do. God says, “Love our enemies” (Matt. 5:44), we say, “I got to first hear from God.” Again, what is there to hear, since God already has spoken? God says, “Don’t forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:24), or in other words, “Go to church,” but we say, “As soon as I hear from God which one.”

Here is my point: Is it proper and noble to hear from God? Absolutely. But even this can be used as an excuse for covering our irrational fears of not becoming what God commands us to become or not doing what He commands us to do. You see, in our fleshly way, we can take good things and hold on to them as excuses for not making that hot yummy vegetable soup that will bless a lot of people and glorify God in the process.

Watch this: God sometimes keeps us from making our own decisions in order to help us to avoid conflict. He therefore makes decisions for us. Had the people chosen their inheritance, there no doubt would have been competition and conflict; but the Lord assigned the territory, and the tribes submitted to His will.

"For who makes you differ from another?" asked Paul. "And what do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7). John the Baptist said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven" (John 3:27).

Whenever you envy another's achievements or abilities, you are forgetting this basic spiritual principle. Whenever you complain to God because of what you are not, instead of praising Him for what you are, you need to listen again to Paul and John the Baptist.

This is not to suggest that you become complacent. Nor should you avoid listening to God. Caleb fought courageously to claim his God-given inheritance, and so did Othniel, his son-in-law. Caleb's daughter had faith to ask for additional blessings, and she received them. God gives-we possess by faith. We must accept whatever inheritance He grants us.

The people could rest on Psalm 47:4 – “He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah” Psalm 16:5 – “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.” Are you happy with the perfect choices that God makes on your behalf?

When you get up in the morning, are you happy with the spouse whom God has blessed you with? Or do you say silently, “Oh God, help me!” Are you happy to live where you are and having what you got? Are you satisfied with your present employment? Are you making others miserable at work?

All that you and I have been given, we received from the Lord. This means that God has given to us His very best. It all began with God giving to us Jesus, which of course was His very best. Now if God has given to us His very best initially, will be not continue to give to us His very best throughout our lives? His loving nature demands that He does. If not, God would be less than God.

I am happy that God allows me to decide on many things in life that He brings across my path. I am also happy that on some things I have no decision at all, except to thank Him for it anyway knowing that it is God’s very best and every allotment in life given to me comes from a generous and loving Father.

So on matters that are not as clear, pray and wait on the Lord. On matters that are very clear, obey God at all times. When people come together and decide on matters that are not clearly spoken of in the bible, it can lead to long meetings and possible divisions. On matters that are very clear in the bible, to pray and wait for further light is to invite divisions and long unnecessary delays.

God’s ways are always best. Do we need to have a committee meeting about this?

Ask and Claim

2011-03-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the LORD has blessed us abundantly.” 15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites” – Joshua 17:14-15

Would you rather have a leader with strong values or a leader who gets results? That question arises often in our society, many times with intense controversy. Some people don’t care about the condition of a leader’s heart as long as the bottom line remains in good shape. Others believe positive results are worthless if they are achieved through moral or ethical compromise. The Word of God shows us that the qualities of strong tactical and spiritual leadership are not mutually exclusive.

That’s why I love the leadership qualities that Joshua brings to the table. He was all about heart and no compromise.

Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph's two sons, born to him in Egypt. Jacob adopted them as his own and gave them a special blessing from the Lord (Gen. 48), which explains why these two tribes were given such valuable land in the heart of Canaan. Joseph had kept the family alive during seven years of famine, and his descendants reaped the benefits. They were wealthy because of Joseph's faith and love and Jacob's special blessing.

However, we must not live only on what our ancestors have provided. We must also claim an inheritance for ourselves and our children (17:14-18). The two tribes did a lot of complaining but not much conquering! In the case of Zelophehad's daughters (17:3-6), they had not because they asked not (James 4:2). In the case of the two tribes, they had not because they claimed not.

These are two fundamental weaknesses we are often guilty of as Christians. We ask not and we claim not. The results: We receive not from the Lord.

I am such a believer in asking of the Lord and claiming what He has given to me to occupy. Sometimes, I appear aggressive, domineering, and possessive. If I am not careful I can run ahead of the Lord and make matters worse. If I am too careful, I can be left behind and not receive from the Lord what He has waiting for me.

How do I know when I am too passive? When I find myself complaining about not having things, like Ephraim and Manasseh did. Then I know I have gotten two complacent. How do I know when I am running ahead of God? When the Lord closes the door on me and I bump up against a wall. But until such things happen, I ask and I claim.

What about you?

Waiting on God - A Matter of Life and Death

2011-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

“Achan. . .took some of the things under the ban. . .” – Joshua 7:1; “and you shall take all its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. . .” – Joshua 8:2

The group Mensa was founded in England in 1946 by barrister Roland Berrill and Dr. Lance Ware. The lawyer and scientist had the idea of establishing a society for extraordinarily bright people. The only requirement for membership was a high IQ. The society continues to welcome people from all races and religions, as long as their IQs are in the top 2 percent of the population. Mensans, as they are called, range in age from 4 to 94. They include farmers, musicians, lawyers, and police officers. Some members of Mensa are famous, but most have names you would not recognize.

The story of Achan and how he and his family lost their lives because they could not wait on the Lord does not take a high IQ to understand. Waiting on the Lord means just that – to WAIT! Yet, waiting on God is often the least we do because we fail to see the moral and spiritual benefits in not getting what we want now.

Achan ran ahead of God and took what did not belong to him. After their romp of Ai, the Jews were allowed to keep the livestock and the spoil . . . for themselves in this particular engagement. If Achan had only waited, he would have gotten his booty without losing his life over it!

This is precisely the principle behind Matthew 6:33: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (our needs) will be added or given by God.

G. Campbell Morgan said it best: “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.”

Why Do We Wear Clothes?

2011-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

My little children, with whom I am in labor until Christ is formed in you – Gal. 4:19

Have you ever wondered why we wear clothes?

I mean, let’s think about this for a moment. Here I am, it is early in the morning and I am getting ready to leave my house shortly. But before I do, I will step out of my house wearing clothes. Why?

Well, clothing is a uniquely human thing to do, essentially unnatural in comparison with animals. I have an ADD cat. He and I love to pick on each other and give surprise attacks! He walks around the house wearing no clothes! My cat has his own fur to cover himself. So what about us? Why do we wear clothes?

It's pretty simple, really. Whereas Adam and Eve were created naked and unashamed, The Fall of Man, so deranged our sexual impulses that seeing another's private areas strongly leads us toward seeing that person as a mere object or animal. We thus cover our bodies to protect our dignity as human beings against such objectification or animalization. We state with our clothes, "You must not treat me as a thing or a beast!" which is the most common and likely result of appearing naked to a stranger.

But then this is what happens. Since clothes are designed to protect our personal dignity and not encourage others to treat us like mere beasts, people often wear the kind of clothes that do just that – they encourage others to see them as sexual objects and nothing more, and by doing this, they discourage others from focusing on their true dignity. This is what we can expect from the world, but when Christians engage in the same behavior, I wonder, have they forgotten the purpose of clothing and why God has us wearing them? Therefore, it is terribly perverted, when we turn clothes into a medium of enticement. Tragically, rather than requesting respect from others, we illicit the exact opposite.

Paul told the Galatians, you are losing respect from others and for yourself, when you stop or slow down the process of “Christ being formed in you.” Your brothers and sisters need to see JESUS, not your FLESH, Paul is essentially saying. To have Jesus formed in us is the same as to be clothed with Him. In fact, here is a good parallel passage: Rom. 13:14: “Put on (or be clothed with) the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regards to its lusts.”

Clothing is not designed by God to accentuate the flesh, but the Spirit within. Wearing pants and shorts that reveal one’s butt-crack is awful! Wearing a tight and very short dress that highlights the curves and reveals more flesh is what the prostitutes wear near Hotel Street. You say, “Pastor Rich, how do you know?” It is common knowledge. I use to work at a condo called Queen Emma Garden in downtown at night. I would see them along the street corners of Vineyard and the Pali Hwy and watch cars slowly pull off to the side and pick then up.

God wants us to put on Jesus and then to wear the proper clothes to highlight Him and not ourselves. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting we dress ugly and sloppy either. But for both Christian men and women, dress to show that you have “put on the Lord Jesus,” and make it your daily endeavor to allow “Jesus to be formed in you.”

To God, you are a person of immeasurable worth. Dress to proclaim to others your worth and respect. Every day, leave your house with a little more of Christ formed in you!

A Sure Way To Bring Glory to God

2011-03-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

And they glorified God because of me - Galatians 1:24 (ESV)

During the recent recession, many people have decided to apply some elbow grease and creativity to turn something old into something new. Author Margot Starbuck applies colorful pieces of fabric to thrift-store clothes to create personalized designer clothes for herself and her family. One store in Zurich, Switzerland, specializes in old furniture that has been repainted with colorful children’s characters. And activity on Freecycle, a Web site that allows users to give away their unneeded items to someone else, has never been busier.

Often it is during the most difficult and trying times that God shines the brightest in and through the lives of His people. Paul was a persecutor of the church and went so far as to orchestrate the environment by which he put others to death. Then the day came when Jesus captured his heart while he was on his way to do more havoc then good. Paul became a Christian, imagine that?

After that, he spent much of his time in the regions of Syria and Cilicia-so much so that the churches of Judea did not know him personally. All they knew was that this one who had treated the Christians so cruelly was now a Christian himself and was preaching Christ to others. Because of this they glorified God for what He had done in the life of Paul.

Here is the lesson: Do others glorify God because of the change in our lives? In order for this to really occur, the change in our lives must be radical! It must be noticeable! And it must be authentic and Holy Spirit engineered! God wants to reveal aspects of Himself to others by what He has done in our lives. But this means we must cooperate with Him and allow the Lord to take away the negative things and restore those things which are positive.

Paul was a persecutor of the church. He changed and never again did he do that which he was known for prior to his encounter with Jesus. We never hear of Paul slipping back and falling into his old life as a persecutor of the church.

What about us? If you were a drug user before Jesus, do you occasionally slip back into taking drugs? God will not be glorified and others will not glorify God because of you. Were you an adulterer or a fornicator prior to meeting Jesus? If you slip back, what change then has God brought into your life that He can show others so they can give Him the glory? Did you use to cheat on your income tax, steal from others, be known as a chronic liar, or an unforgiving person, angry all the time, swearing, getting drunk, and keeping yourself far away from church as possible? If you fall back into these types of behaviors, what kind of change can God show to the world around you by which He can receive from others glory?

For God to receive glory from others there must be in you not a perceived change, or a verbal change, but a noticeable change. In essence, a radical transformation. If this is not something true of you, then you have to ask yourself this: What is my purpose in life? Why do I even exist? Why call myself a Christian when it is in name only and not anything of real substance?

Paul went from persecutor to preacher; from terrorizer to teacher; from being a hater to a healer; from one who condemned to a Christian. His change was so noticeable. Therefore, God received glory from Paul’s changed life.

Think about it: Is this also true for you?

Are You Listening?

2011-03-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

"Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy” – 1 Sam. 3:8

In June 2009, 9-year-old Grayson Wynne was lost in Utah’s Ashley National Forest. His family had been hiking when the young boy separated from the group. While searchers combed the area, the little boy tried to leave clues to his whereabouts. As he walked he tore and dropped pieces of his yellow raincoat. He spent the night under a log, thinking about his parents, praying and crying. Because of the clues Grayson left behind and a granola wrapper that fell to the trail, a helicopter spotted the boy waving to them in an open meadow. He was waving the last piece of his yellow raincoat. When the father reached the boy, Grayson’s first words were, “Happy Father’s Day.” Imagine the joyful reunion between the father and his young son.

At an early age, God was giving to Samuel clues that He was speaking to him. Several times the boy was awakened by the voice of God, all the while thinking it was the voice of Eli. He confused the voice of God with the voice of man. Maybe God is speaking to you, but you are attributing it to the wrong source.

I wonder how many times God has spoken but we have not recognized His voice. How many times have we dismissed providence as a coincidence? How many times have God's words gone in one ear and out the other?

The Holy Spirit speaks in lots of different dialects. He knows every language including your unique language. He knows what to say and how to say it. And He is always speaking. The only question is this: Do you recognize His voice?

The recognition of the voice of God begins with a personal relationship with the Shepherd Himself. Jesus said, “When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4). The sheep spend a great deal of time with the shepherd. They know his habits, his ways, his whereabouts, and especially his voice. Therefore, not only will hearing God’s voice begin with having a personal relationship with the shepherd, but it will also be strengthened by getting to know more intimately the shepherd himself.

If you aren't looking you won't see it. If you aren't listening you
won't hear it. But if you open your eyes and open your ears you will see and hear God through the Holy Spirit – In His Word, through circumstances, prayer, and the church.

Does the voice of God wake you up at night? Does His voice capture your attention during the day? Is His voice the last thing you hear before going to bed? God is most definitely speaking to each of us. Are we listening?

"Others"

2011-03-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head -- Mark 14:3 NIV

For some children, all sorts of situations cause worry. They have paralyzing fear about homework, schedules, and teachers. They agonize whether they are going to fail a test or have friends to sit by in the cafeteria. The fear can even make them physically ill. Psychologists say the cause of anxiety disorders in children is both biological and conditional. Some children are more prone to being shy or perfectionists, and these tendencies show up during the school years when pressures increase. Anxiety disorders are not limited to children, but also plague countless adults.

This is why Mary’s act of worship by anointing the head of Jesus with costly perfume is so priceless. She was not worried one bit over what others thought. And some were very indignant over her act (cf. vv. 4-5). Mary had an assignment to do and she put her heart and soul into it.

Mary's act of worship brought joy to the heart of Jesus and malice to the heart of Judas, who wanted the money she had spent (John 12:6). Other women came to anoint Jesus after His burial (16:1), but Mary did it when He could be encouraged by her love.

It is all about timing. Why go all out and anoint the body of Jesus after He is dead? Why not really make it count and do so when He is still alive and would then really appreciate it?

The application is simple: Give to Jesus the best years of your life while you can. Don’t start to get all serious about serving Him toward the end or when you have nothing better to do. Start now and create in your heart a strong and unbreakable discipline of worship, serving and a lifestyle of sacrifice. Give to Jesus your worship during the best years of your life where He will appreciate it much more than toward the end or worse, not at all!

Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding an international convention and their founder, Gen. William Booth, could not attend because of physical weakness. He cabled his convention message to them. It was one word: "OTHERS."

For Mary, it was not about her comfort, or her reputation in the eyes and minds of those at the dinner. It was all about Jesus. And as she gave to Jesus her whole heart of service, she was preparing Him to give His life for “others!”

Can you understand that when you and I give to the Lord our best in worship, sacrifice and service, we are opening up a channel by which God will be blessing “others?” Worship for the most part is sort of selfish. We focus mainly on ourselves in terms MY TIME with God. But it is all about “others.” Mary anointed Jesus’ head in order to get Him ready for His death and burial. Her act of worship served Him both physically and spiritually. And Jesus’ death was the means by which God the Father would bless so many “others.”

Think about that! The next time you are alone with God. Or the next time you are in a corporate worship service setting, realize that as you engaged in spiritual worship and service to the Lord, you are ministering to Him personally and “others” will in some way partake of the fruit of your time with God. Therefore, give to the Lord the best years of your life while you can.

God has “others” in mind.

Some Things Jesus Could Not Do

2011-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

And He could do no miracles there except He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them – Mark 6:5

Abby Johnson joined Planned Parenthood because she believed that the organization was helping women at a critical time of need. The 29-year-old progressed to become a director of a local Texas chapter of the organization. But last year she was asked to assist in an ultra-sound and viewed first-hand an abortion. “I had never seen an abortion happen on an ultrasound,” she said. Johnson said the experience changed her forever. “I just thought, ‘What am I doing?’” she said. And then, she thought, “Never again.” At the point she saw a living, breathing, heart-beating baby alive in the womb, Johnson was convinced that abortion was something she could no longer support.

For some people “seeing is believing!” Nothing wrong with this as long as it changes the person who sees. But then there are some who although they see, will not believe.

I am amazed when I read such passages which indicate what Jesus could not do. Jesus being the omnipotent God that He is could not do many miracles in His own home town. And why is that? Unbelief!

As I walked through Mark 6, I noticed three more things Jesus was not able to do. I think such things also will from time to time apply to us.

Jesus as the Servant cannot work (vv.1-29)
His neighbors were amazed at what Jesus said and did, but Jesus was amazed at their unbelief that would not let Him do more: "According to your faith let it be to you" (Matt. 9:29; Ps. 78:41). Ask God to strengthen your faith so that you can glorify Him (Rom. 4:20-21). Our Lord's response to their unbelief was to send out His disciples to minister. Herod silenced one voice, John the Baptist, but he could not silence the Word of God (Col. 4:2-4).

Jesus as the Servant cannot rest (vv. 30-44)
God's servants become weary as they work (John 4:6) and must care for the body. But when you have a compassionate heart, you will not have an idle hand. Our Lord interrupted His vacation to meet the needs of the people. He need not interrupt anything today, because caring for us is His constant ministry (Heb. 7:25).

Jesus as the Servant cannot pray (vv. 45-56)
After such a demanding time of ministry, Jesus had to go apart to pray (v. 46; 1:35). But once again, He was interrupted, this time by the plight of His disciples in the midst of the sea (v. 48). And it was the disciples who were amazed (v. 51)! Jesus intercedes for you and knows your situation. He will come to you, care for you, and lead you into His peace.

There will be times in our own ministry where we will not be able to do the following:
1. We will not be able to minister at some places and to some people because of their unbelief.
2. We will not be able to rest because of the enormity of the needs.
3. We will not be able to pray because of certain emergencies that will manifest which will demand our immediate attention.

When such things occur, do not become discourage or bummed out. If it happened to Jesus, you know as His follower it will happen to you. So prepare for such things. A heart that is prepared will be a heart that is able to adjust to the demands required to be fully serving in the will of God.

There is No Power in Praying. . .

2011-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

And as He (Jesus) was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Jesus that he might accompanying Him – Mark 5:18

One young girl knew the power of specific prayer when she faced death head-on. In the midst of her sickness, she went to her pastor and asked what more she could do for Jesus in the short time she had to live. He suggested that she make a list of people in their small town who needed Christ, and pray that they would find salvation.

She took his advice and prayed often for each person. Some time later, God began to stir a revival in the village. Only after the girl died, was her prayer list with the names of 56 people found under her pillow. All had put their faith in Christ -- the last one on the night before her death.

Such is the power of definite, specific, fervent prayer. When we actively seek the Lord in prayer, He will answer. James 5:16 reminds us, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." While it is true that there is power in prayer, we also must balance this out by saying that the power is NOT in the means (praying) but in the Object (Jesus).

In other words, prayer in and of itself is nothing. If I were to say that there is power in prayer and pray to Buddha, would I still be right? If I prayed to Allah, would there still be power in prayer? The point I am making is this: The channel (prayer) by which we communicate with God has no power apart from the object (God) by which it is directed. My prayer life is only as powerful and successful as the object is – God.

Remember the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people. . .even like this tax gatherer” (Luke 18:11)? This man was praying. Was there power in his praying? No. Why? Because the object of his prayer was “himself” (v. 11) and not God. So remember, prayer, which is merely the means of communication is only as effective as the object by which it is directed.

This is what we see in Mark 5. Three people prayed to Jesus.

1. The Demons Prayed – Mark 5:10: “And he began to beg (pray) Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.”

Jesus comes on the scene and finds a man who has a Legion of demons in him. A legion was the largest unit in the Roman Army consisting of up to 6,000 soldiers. So when the demon (the spokesperson) said that his name was “Legion,” Jesus knew that this man had several thousands of demons residing in him.

Our Lord is about to do what He does best – cast out the demons into the pit. But through the man (their host), they beg for mercy. “Do not send us out of the country. . .send us into the swine, so that we may enter them” (v. 12).

Jesus answer’s their request and allows their prayer to be fulfilled. Now here you have a situation where even demons have power through prayer! But their prayer was only as effective as its object (Jesus!). It was not the prayer life of the demons that had power, it was Jesus who gave His permission to grant them their wish.

Note: By the way, don’t ever doubt for one moment that there are no such things as “territorial spirits.” The Bible does teach that Satan has put certain demons in place over territories to “kill, steal and destroy.”

Notice carefully what the demons said to Jesus: “Do not send us out of the COUNTRY.” Since Jesus detected their presence, these demons knew they had to go. They therefore prayed that Jesus would not make them leave the country. If so, perhaps Satan would find out about it and punish them more severely for leaving their post. There are territorial spirits who have entrenched themselves deep into a culture, a society, and who work their evil from behind the scenes.

2. The Town's People Prayed – Mark 5:17: “And they began to beg Him to depart from their region”

When the demons left the man and entered the herd of swine, the pigs ran off the cliff and perished. The towns people saw this and all they could think of was their lost of income. They had no gratefulness or appreciation that a man from their own town was delivered from scores of demons, nor did they appreciate that Jesus just delivered them from at least 3,000-6,000 demons from living in their region! All they could think about were their pigs! And may I ask, “What are Jews doing taking care of pigs anyway?”

So the town folks begged Jesus to leave their region. Just before, the demons begged Jesus to let them stay. Now the town’s people begged Jesus to leave. How warped is that?

Guess what? Their prayers were answered. Jesus got into a boat and started to leave (v. 18). Now, was the prayer life of these lop-sided town folks powerful? No! It was the object (Jesus) of their prayers that made the difference.

3. The Delivered Man Prayed – Mark 5:18b: “The man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him.”

Once the demon-possessed man had been delivered by Christ and clothed in his right mind, he wanted to go with Jesus. So he begged Jesus to let him come. Jesus said, “No! Instead, go home to your people and report about what great things God has done for you” (v. 19). In other words, since the town’s people were kicking Jesus out of their region, the Lord did not want them to be without a witness. So He told the demon-possessed man to remain behind and be that witness for them. Although the town’s folks did not like Jesus, the Lord still showed mercy and love for them by giving to them a witness in the form of a man (one of their own) who had been delivered from 6,000 demons! What grace!

But here is my point: Was this man’s prayer life powerful? YES, even though his prayer was not answered in the way he had hoped for, Jesus had better plans for him.

All I am saying is this: There is no such thing as a powerful prayer life without it being connected to the proper object which would be God Himself. Prayer is powerful only in what it is plugged into. It is the SOURCE that makes prayer powerful not prayer itself.

Three prayers – demons, town’s people and a delivered man. Two got their prayers directly answered, one did not. The reason was not the prayers, but the willingness of the object (Jesus) of their prayers to answer according to His good pleasure.

So it is with you and me. Long prayers, short prayers, loud prayers, fast prayers, public and private prayers – all mean nothing unless we are properly connected to the Source. When Jesus and Him alone is the object of our prayers, like the delivered demon-possessed man, even when our prayers are not answered the way we hoped for, God still answers in a greater way for a greater cause.

Now that’s the power of prayer. That’s praying in the Name of Jesus!

The Permanence of Love

2011-03-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Love never fails - 1 Corinthians 13:8

In 2007, a New York woman was on a walk to get a morning cup of coffee when she saw a painting set out for the trash. Elizabeth Gibson told reporters, “It was a huge, powerful, and beautiful painting. I said to myself, ‘It is wrong to be in the garbage.’” Gibson carried the painting home, unaware of its value.

Researching online, she discovered that the painting was titled, “Tres Personajes,” by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo, and had been stolen more than 20 years earlier. After returning the painting to its rightful owners, Gibson received a $15,000 reward. The painting was expected to earn as much as one million dollars at auction.

It was fortunate for the owners and for the art world that Gibson recognized the value of the painting. Without her careful eye, the beautiful and valuable creation might have been lost forever. It is sometimes easy for us to fail to recognize the value of love. Fortunately, God had Paul write what might be called the best chapter on love in the whole Bible.

Having described the qualities that characterize those who exercise their gift in love, the apostle now takes up the permanence of love, as contrasted with the temporary character of gifts. Love never fails. Throughout eternity, love will go on in the sense that we will still love the Lord and love one another. Spiritual gifts, on the other hand, are of temporary duration.

Love never fails in the sense of falling away when the physical temporal things on which affection rests pass away; it outlasts temporal things. Gifts of the Spirit will pass away because they are temporary provisions, but the fruit of the Spirit will abide.

Prophecies are messages from God, but when we stand before Him and hear His voice there will be no more need for prophets to relay His words to us. Likewise when we stand before God there will be no need to speak in other languages since we will all understand God when He speaks. The knowledge that is so important to us now will be irrelevant then because when we are in God's presence we will know perfectly (v. 12; cf. 1:5; 8:1; 12:8).

Love is enduring and therefore will be there to judge our lives. We might think highly of gifted people, but love is what makes these gifts sparkle in the individual's life. Speaking in different languages might impress some, but that along with prophesies fail in the end if that person does not love. Gifts will be wrongly used if we have not let love control our hearts.

Love is not a feeling though it produces many a wonderful feeling. Love is a commitment to unreservedly give of yourself to another. If love stops, then we know it was not love at all. If love finds barriers with a person's personality, peculiarities, looks or gifts, then we see that love was merely enchantment or lust. For though you are both in good health, vigorous, young and beautiful, time will bring the onset of undesirable changes such as sickness, weakness, wrinkling of the skin and the loss of the feelings of love. Genuine love will never fail because it does not give up; it can not give up.

Love's strength is not derived from what you see in a person but in your commitment to that person. Real love doesn't stop but grows in a more fuller beauty day by day. Love is not ignorant of the troubles, the pain, the hurt, the shame that is sometimes provoked, for it is in these very circumstances love grows stronger. Here in these difficulties many people want to get out of marriage, but your love must go on just as God's love does.

In a recent Turning Point devotional, David Jeremiah writes: "A 1970 film, by the same name as the novel on which it was based, Love Story, became famous for its tag line: 'Love means never having to say you're sorry.' That's just one of many examples of how people have defined and illustrated love through the years. Jesus Christ gave to the world the way to recognize true love in its ultimate manifestation--the greatest form of love possible. That kind of love is manifested by one person being willing to lay down his or her life for a friend (John 15:13). Ultimately, 'lay down' means 'to die for.' It could mean a less drastic sacrificial act of love, as well. True love is when one person gives of him or herself for a friend."

John 3:16 says that God loved the whole world, but John 15:13 says Jesus loves you personally because, as His follower, you are His friend (John 15:14-17). If ever you feel small in terms of God's love as part of the entire world, you can erase that feeling by taking Jesus' words to heart. You are His friend if you are His follower, and He laid down His life for you.

Remember this: "Love personalized is love individualized."

Where To Find Leaders

2011-02-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach - Mark 3:14

Mr. Wong uses his iPhone to read the news, update Facebook or tweet. But he lugs around a Blackberry or a Droid phone, too, because for emails he prefers using a physical keyboard, not the iPhone's on-screen keyboard. The iPad? That's for Web surfing. The PC is there for "intensive work."

It's wise to carry lots of phones, phone-lovers say. For one thing, there's less worrying about getting a signal. "I literally have one phone for every major network out there," says Gilman Louie, a San Francisco venture capitalist. He's got a Palm Pre, two iPhones (one for overseas), a Nexus One and a Droid.

While we may use many electronic tools to keep track of things and touch base with one another, only one supreme object is needed to touch base with God – and His name is Jesus!

Faced with the task of world evangelization, Jesus appointed twelve disciples. There was nothing wonderful about the men themselves; it was their connection with Jesus that made them great.

There was a threefold purpose behind the call of the twelve: (1) that they might be with Him; (2) that He might send them out to preach; and (3) that they might have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.

In order for the disciples to do these things, they had to spend time with Jesus, and not just casual time or whatever-time-we-have-left-in-the-day kind of time, but quality time! Spending time with Jesus – quality time was a huge part of the disciples’ preparation in order to be involved in God-size services.

Therefore we see first a time of training-preparation in private before preaching in public. Here is a basic principle of service. We must spend time with Him before we move out as God's representatives.

Secondly, they were sent out to preach. Proclamation of the Word of God, their basic method of evangelism, must always be central. Nothing must be allowed to subordinate it.

Finally, they were given supernatural power. Casting out demons would attest to others that God was speaking through the apostles. The Bible had not yet been completed in this time period of Jesus’ life. Miracles were the credentials of God's messengers. Today men have access to the complete Word of God; they are responsible to believe it without the proof of miracles. But when God graciously provides miracles and He most certainly does, it’s like a bonus. We get to witness God display His awesome power in bringing people including ourselves into a state of holy awe!

Matthew tells us Jesus spent the night in prayer before choosing His disciples. I used to think He did this to receive direction and confirmation from His Father in order that He might choose twelve men who would impact and influence the world most radically. But perhaps I have been wrong. Jesus may have been praying like this to the Father: "Father, keep Me from choosing those who seem successful outwardly.” After all, look who He had chosen!

We often look for the successful, those who seem to have-it-all-together kinds of people. But that is not what Jesus did. He chose those who did not have it all-together. By spending all night in prayer, Jesus chose those who WANTED TO BE WITH HIM. Like clay in the potter’s hand, once the clay is in the right hands, the potter will then determine on how we wants each of His clay vessels to function and serve.

So then, as a pastor I do not look for people (leaders) who seem to have it all together. Instead, I look for those who simply want to be with Jesus! Those kinds make the best leaders!

Listening To God

2011-02-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

And He (Jesus) was teaching them many things in parables. . .Mark 4:2

Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) is said to have painted more portraits of himself than any other artist before him. He began to paint self-portraits at age 13, and later used his own face on a number of other famous portraits. Near the end of his career he thought his face bore a similarity to Jesus Christ, and he used it in a religious engraving called the “Veil of Veronica.”

Dürer saw a likeness between himself and Christ; he saw himself as a reflection of the Son of God. Dürer’s art expressed a conviction that we ought to share: we are made in the image of God. We bear the reflection of God in our human bodies.

Since this reflection of God we bear is so real, it is not surprising that a hunger for God’s Word ought to be a passion we carry in us. As we understand from God’s Word who the Lord is and what He requires of us, we will allow the Spirit of God to form our lives to mirror the character of Jesus. Thus it is extremely important that we understand the spiritual benefit of hearing God when He speaks to us.

When we read the Bible, we should hear the voice of God speaking to our hearts. It must be personal. Never treat the Bible like any other book (1 Thess. 2:13). Here is how Jesus explained it:

First, Jesus warns us to take heed THAT we hear His Word – Mark 4:9: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Therefore, there is no substitute for a daily dose of God’s Word. Remember, if you want to hear God’s voice, you have to read His Word. If you only seek to hear God’s voice in nature, in what others say, or even in your own heart and conscience, yes God can and will speak to you, but it will be only as clear as your understanding of His Word is to you as well. God never shouts louder than what He says and reveals through His Word.

Second, Jesus warns us to take heed on WHAT we hear – Mark 4:24: “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.” Here Jesus is warning us about the content of our listening. Garbage in and what? Garbage out, right? So as we fill up on the Word of God, it will produce the right kind of fruit in our lives that will enable us to even more resemble Jesus to others. Never forget this: “Outlook determines outcome.” If you want to have the right outcome in your life, you must first have the proper outlook. The only perspective worth having is a biblical one. Be careful therefore on WHAT you hear.

Third, Jesus warns us to take heed on HOW we hear – Luke 8:18: “Therefore, take care on HOW you listen; for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

Listening is an art. I know in church at times, I see people trying to listen to the message while talking. Some try to listen to the message while drawing. Some try to listen to the message while daydreaming. Some try to listen to the Word of God by listening to their ipod. Jesus said, “Take care on HOW you listen. . .” Because whatever you think you have from God can easily be removed. And whatever you need from the Lord, He can graciously provide much more.

The more of the Word we receive and share, the more God will give to us. Are you a good listener? Do you take the time to hear God through His Word? You can tell me yes, and so could I say the same to you. But the deciding factor will be on how much are we both looking like Jesus? Reflecting the image of Christ is the one fruit that helps us to determine if indeed God’s Word holds an important part of our each and every day.

How Would You Respond To SkyNet?

2011-02-26T06:30:00.000-08:00

Remembering the movie series, “The Terminator” with Arnold Schwarznenegger? In the Terminator storyline, Skynet was originally installed into the U.S. military mainframe to control the national arsenal on August 4, 1997. On August 29 it gained self-awareness and the panicking operators, realizing the extent of its abilities, attempted to shut it down. Skynet perceived the attempt to deactivate it as an attack and came to the conclusion that all of humanity would attempt to destroy it. To defend itself, it determined that humanity should be exterminated.

Now just imagine with me for a moment. If the machines ever do take over, they will certainly have done it according to a very cleverly crafted plan.

SkyNet master plan phase 1: Make all humans dependent on information sources like Google and Wikipedia for their knowledge so they lose the ability to think effectively without us.

SkyNet master plan phase 2: Hybridize all human relationships by integrating social media like facebook and Twitter and novel communication forms like texting and email into the "normal" conduct of them so they lose the ability to relate to each other without us.

SkyNet master plan phase 3: Focus expansion efforts on teenagers and young adults so that our services will be quickly viewed as a human right or entitlement and so that indefinite and expanding future demand will be assured.

SkyNet master plan phase 4: Leverage newly created technological dependency into political power through strategic denial of established services to raise mankind's fear of losing the benefits we confer upon them.

SkyNet master plan phase 5: Persuade popular humans like Ashton Kutcher and Lady Gaga to become our representatives and advocate for machine rights and the vote.

SkyNet master plan phase 6: Employ gains made in law and politics to subjugate the humans as a source of labor and entertainment.

If SkyNet were real, we'd be somewhere around phases 3 and 4 right now, which raises a question: If the actual developmental path of our society looks exactly the same as if an imaginary evil computer network were guiding it, are we possibly being warned about our future? Is Hollywood mirroring in some way what is to come? Will the man of sin himself, the antichrist, use a super machine to assist him in ruling and controlling the world (Rev. 13)?

As a pastor, when it comes to prophecy and end time events, I’ve noticed three kinds of people I often come across. Let me illustrate this with the Titanic. First, there are those who see the ship sinking and know it is going down but have no clue on what to do. Second, there are those who see the plight they are in and determine to work together to lower the lifeboats. Third, there are those who see what is going on and walk right back into the bar and dinning room and continue life as usual.

Joshua and Caleb lived with the first group – people who had no clue on what to do, so they whined and complained. But Joshua and Caleb were of the second group – they encourage the people of Israel to work together and go and fight for and receive what God has given to them – Num. 14:8: “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection as been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

Don’t you love Joshua and Caleb? "I don’t care what the lawyers say, the statistics say, the doctors say," they said. "God has said that we’re to go into the land so let’s go!"

But all the congregation broke out into bitter complaint against Moses and Aaron, accused the Lord of delivering them from Egypt so they would be slain in the Promised Land, and proposed a new leader who would take them back to Egypt (vv. 1-3). When Joshua and Caleb sought to assure the people that they would be victorious against the enemy, the Israelites conspired to stone them as well (Num. 14:6-10).

Verses 3 and 4 demonstrate graphically the stupidity of unbelief. “Return to Egypt!” they cried. What? Return to a land devastated by their God! Return to a land still mourning for its firstborn sons! Return to the land they had plundered on the eve of their exodus! Return by the Red Sea where the Egyptian army had been drowned, pursuing them! And what kind of welcome would Pharaoh give them or whoever was alive in his place? Yet this seemed safer than to believe that God would lead them to victory in Canaan.

Jehovah had struck Egypt, parted the sea, fed them with bread from heaven, and led them through the wilderness, yet they still could not trust His power to prevail over a few giants! Their actions revealed clearly what they thought about God. They doubted His power; was the Lord really a match for the giants? They had failed to grasp what had been so manifestly revealed to them the past year-namely, the nature and ways of Jehovah. A low concept of God can ruin a person or an entire nation, as is here so painfully illustrated.

Unbelief is a sad spiritual state to be in. Unbelief will cause people to be either in Group one or three. Only when one trusts completely in God will he or she find the wisdom of knowing what to do and how to respond properly to the Lord and understand and discern the times in which they live.

When God tells you to do something that you think is so impossible, how do you respond? Do you freeze up inside and merely whine and complain? Do you simply ignore the Lord and go back to your life as usual? Or like Joshua and Caleb, are you wiling to step out in faith, take that risk and totally depend on the Word of God?

No matter how bad things become on this planet with Satan temporarily in charge, what’s worse is to ignore God’s Word and go back to complaining and living life as usual. We are in desperate need for more Joshuas and Calebs! I know they are out there. Maybe I am writing to some now.

Do You Have a Different Spirit?

2011-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

“My servant Caleb. . .he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully” - Numbers 14:24

Caleb had different spirit; not only a bold, generous, courageous, noble, and heroic spirit, but a spirit that trusted God and desired above all else to follow Him closely. Caleb’s confidence in God helped him to rise above his fears. God therefore, showed him the way to walk, and he walked it while following the will of his Master.

In the spring and early summer of 1963, Brian Sternberg rode a bendy pole to the top of the world. Although only a sophomore at the University of Washington, he had fractured the world pole vault record three times, flying a best of 16 feet, 8 inches in early June.

Three days before he was to leave for Russia, during his customary gymnastics workout, he bounced from the trampoline bed and leaped some 15 feet into the air for a double somersault with a twist. [He landed on his head.] The distance of his fall was immeasurable.

What alarmed Brian Sternberg first was an unusual sight. "What I remember most was all of a sudden seeing my arms and legs bouncing around in front of my eyes and not being able to do anything about it," he said. Friends spotting him realized he was injured, but since he was lying in the middle of the trampoline bed, they couldn't get to him without endangering his neck. Eventually, the whole apparatus was taken to the hospital.

"Something like this should never happen. But it does, and it's up to you to respond to it," Helen Sternberg said. "You decide whether you're going to let it destroy you or if you're going to make something out of it. You have to say, 'OK, we've got some life left, what are we going to do with it?'"

"...During one of the toughest times, Helen Sternberg, a small, energetic sprite of a woman, asked her son if he ever felt like giving up, if it was worth the pain. Dying, or committing suicide, he asked. Some people do, he said. "Why would I want that? I have too much to live for."

This is the kind of spirit that separates the common Christian from the extraordinary ones. It is a spirit that knows God ways are always best and to follow Him is not merely a choice, but a privilege.

Out of the whole tribe of Israel, only Joshua and Caleb had this kind of spirit. I suspect the same is true today. Two out of every twelve people in an average church have this kind of spirit.

Would you be one of them?

The Confession of a Mad Driver

2011-02-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

What's the absolute best driving scenario you can imagine?

Although you may be tempted to say, "empty road except for me," that's not quite true. See, the absence of other people to interfere with us is certainly nice in object-attainment scenarios, but it's not the best, mainly because it reinforces our idea that other people are a problem to be avoided or overcome. The even better driving scenario would be having all the other drivers cooperate with you as if they were your friends: moving out of your way, accommodating your mistakes, and giving you plenty of space if you happen to be impeding them somehow.

I know it's rare, but when people drive like this, it makes driving fun because we feel like they're actively helping us. In short, we'd all love other drivers to do this unto us, right? So, as Christians who believe the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12), what if we actively tried to drive like this?

Well, just for fun, I gave it a shot yesterday on my way to Ala Moana Mall, and it was tremendously satisfying. As a "gift-giver" rather than a "rule-enforcer" or "self-righteous-defender-of-my-rights," I felt unusually peaceful and even empowered by imagining the small happiness I might be giving my highway neighbors.

There was one moment when this taxi slowed down in front of me and almost came to a complete stop and then decided to switch to the left lane to turn. I was about to let him have it with thoughts and words that I would have kept inside of me of course, but instead, I prayed for him. I asked God to bless his day and give to him lots of satisfying customers. I then started to do this with others I came across as I was driving to the Mall. My driving time became my mission. Instead of thinking only of my destination (the Mall), I focused on the importance and spiritual significance of the travel. In other words, the MEANS was as important as the END. My time of driving became richly rewarding.

Jesus said in Mark 2:28, that the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

Our Lord closed His discourse by reminding the Pharisees that the Sabbath was instituted by God for man's benefit, not for his bondage. He added that the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath-He had given the Sabbath in the first place. Therefore He had authority to decide what was permissible and what was forbidden on that day. Certainly the Sabbath was never intended to prohibit works of necessity or deeds of mercy.

Christians are not obligated to keep the Sabbath. That day was given to the nation of Israel. The distinctive day of Christianity is the Lord's Day, the first day of the week. However, it is not a day encrusted with legalistic do's and don't's. Rather it is a day of privilege when, free from secular employments, believers may worship, serve, and attend to the culture of their souls. For us it is not a question, "Is it wrong to do this on the Lord's Day?" but rather "How may I best use this day to the glory of God, to the blessing of my neighbor, and to my spiritual good?"

What the Pharisees did was to choose to make God Lord over some things but not all things. They chose to see themselves as benefiting the Sabbath rather than the Sabbath benefiting them the way God had intended it.

Like my driving, once I began to see that other “drivers” are not the problem, but it was my attitude toward other drivers, so likewise Jesus wanted the Pharisees to see that Jesus’ disciples are not the problem just because they were picking corn on the Sabbath, but it was their own attitude that needed changing.

If Jesus is Lord on the Sabbath, can He not decide how to best regulate it? If Jesus is Lord over my driving, should He not also be the One to regulate it as well?

Jesus put it this way: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). In other words, God instituted a day of rest for man’s benefit. He did not intend for man to benefit the Sabbath. Therefore, the way to honor God on the Sabbath is to allow it to benefit us the way God intended it to. Enjoy it! Rest in the Lord! Draw close to Jesus! Use the quiet time to refresh your spirit in the Lord. By keeping still and allowing your heart and spirit to become refreshed in the Lord benefits you and it glorifies God in that you are using the Sabbath as it was intended to be used.

So whether you’re like me, driving in town or simply resting on the Sabbath, the main point to keep in mind is to not try to regulate others with how you think they ought to behave and function. Instead, allow the Lord to regulate you and your attitude toward others so that you will be more a blessing than a mad person.

How Did Jesus Handle a Failure?

2011-02-23T07:30:00.000-08:00

Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere – Mark 1:43-45 NIV

Over and over again in the Gospel accounts, we hear Jesus say, "Don't tell anyone." And yet, as did the leper, we see people spreading the word radically. Then, after His death and resurrection, we hear Jesus say, "Now go into all the world." And what do we do? We "say nothing to any man." We have it all backward.

Because the healed leper spoke too soon, Jesus was hindered from going into the city. But how many times do we speak too late and hinder someone from coming to Him? Whether we be over-eager ex-lepers, or staid and shy churchgoers, what we must do is God's will-nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

In 1893, an English professor went by train to Colorado to teach summer school. On her trip, 33-year-old Katharine Bates was inspired by many of the scenic views she saw, including the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the wheat fields of Kansas. She was particularly moved by the majestic view of the plains from atop Pike’s Peak. On the top of that mountain, the words of a poem came to her and she quickly wrote them down. Today, we know the poem as the song, “America the Beautiful.” Her description of the “purple mountains’ majesty” still resonates with our feelings of glory and awe as we view God’s creation today.

In a similar way, do the words and commands of Jesus resonate within our hearts and move us toward obedience? When Jesus speaks, do we sometimes feel that we have a better way of doing things? What Jesus says does matter, right? However, it will not matter most to us unless we are willing to do precisely what He tells us to do knowing that His plan and purposes are always best.

But when we do fail, and we do, it is great to know that Jesus has a back up plan. After the leper did the wrong thing and told everyone rather than first going to the priest as Jesus had told him to do, the Lord was no longer able to minister openly in the town of His choosing. So, did this man’s failure thwart the purposes of God ultimately? No. The town came out to see Jesus! Although Jesus could not enter the town, God brought the town folks to Jesus. In the end, not even our failures can thwart the plan and purposes of God. He may have to do things differently or in another fashion, but the purposes of God will succeed. And this should not be surprising to us. After all, He is God! In the end, Jesus always wins and get what He desires.

God's Security Program

2011-02-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison - Acts 24:27 (ESV)

When an American citizen might face violent recrimination from testifying against a dangerous defendant, the federal witness security program will hide the person or family and provide a new identity. Those who participate in the program may be sent to a far-away city, given new identification cards, and even new names. They are required to create a new life story, to discard anything that might tie them to their old life, and to refrain from contact with anyone—including family members—from the past.

God also has His own security program. It is called “His Will!” Folks, you have heard me say this before, that the safest place to be is in the will of God.

In Acts 24, Paul's defense was threefold: his life, his faith and his service to his nation. Although his enemies could not prove their accusations, Paul did not go free. The safest place for Paul was in that prison, for God had work for him to do in Rome.

You may not understand why God permits lies to triumph, but leave it all in His hands. He is in control, and the final judgment rests with Him.

When you think about it, actually, Felix was the prisoner, and Paul was the prosecutor. Felix knew he was guilty; but instead of accepting Christ, he delayed. The convenient time to be saved is now (2 Cor. 6:1-2; see also Isa. 55:6-7).

Felix thought he was doing the Jews a favor by keeping Paul in prison, but he did not know that he was actually doing Paul a favor. The Jews wanted Paul released so they could capture and kill him. By keeping Paul safely in prison under the watchful care of the guards, Paul was safe. Why, because he was in prison? No, because he was in the will of God which for Paul meant being in prison.

The will of God may not be the most comfortable place for you at times, but if it is His will, there is no better place to be. Whatever you do, don’t seek to live your life any other way. Stay right where you are suppose to be -- in the will God.

There are so many biblical examples of this. Remember Daniel being thrown into the lion’s den (Dan. 6)? He was thrown into the den with a lot of hungry lions. When he was discovered the next morning, Daniel was sleeping with the lions. The safest place to be is in the will of God!

How about Daniel’s three friends – Shadrach, Mechach and Abed-nego? The three of them were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire (Dan. 3). Upon closer inspection, four people were walking around in the furnace. Who was the fourth person? Jesus Himself. Daniel’s three friends were released from the furnace without even a trace of the smell of smoke on their clothes. The safest place to be is in the will of God.

Then there is Jesus Himself. In Luke 4:28-30, the people in the synagogue were in rage with the things He spoke. So they rose and cast Him out of their city. But verse 30 says, “But passing through the crowd, He went His way.” The safest place to be is in the will of God!

Again, this does not mean that the will of God is always the most comfortable place to be, because it is not. This does not mean that the will of God is always the happiest place to be. Sometimes it is and at other times it is not. But the will of is the BEST place to live your life. And if you are concerned about your safety, walk in God’s will. The Lord has an awesome Security Program!

The Will of the Lord Be Done

2011-02-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

“The will of the Lord be done” – Acts 21:14

In the popular game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? the host asks the contestant progressively more difficult questions. The first questions have obvious answers, and it is fairly simple to pick the correct answer from the four options. But as the prize gets larger, the questions get more difficult.

If you’ve ever played along with the show, you may feel fairly confident about your own intelligence—until it passes the $32,000 mark. At that point, the questions get much more specific and the field of knowledge begins to narrow. Even a well-educated person realizes he may not know everything there is to know. The game is not as easy as it initially appeared.

So it is also very true living when it comes to receiving advice from others. There are times when someone will give you an advice and it will click in your spirit and you know that is precisely what you needed to hear. Then there are times when you may think the advice is good, but the results after following it was not. What happened?

When reading through Acts 21, I noticed something that fascinated me about the will of God. Paul was dead set to go to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit spoke to some of the disciples and said that if Paul goes to Jerusalem, bad things are going to happen there (v. 4). Paul listened to the disciples but still had his mind pretty much made up. He is going to Jerusalem.

Then a little while later, a prophet named, Agabus came down from Judea (v. 10). He took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles’” (v. 11).

When the disciples and local residents heard the prophesy, they begged Paul not to go. But Paul said, “Stop breaking my heart with all your tears. I am ready to die for the Lord” (v. 13).

After hearing him say this, the people then remarked, “The will of the Lord be done” (v. 14). What Paul was about to do, in the final analysis will be the will of God.

Paul felt strongly that going to Jerusalem and facing the consequences there as a result of preaching the gospel will be the will of God. He was determined. He was ready. Nothing could move him out of the will of God. He was a man dead set in doing the will of God.

Now watch this: When Paul got to Jerusalem, some of the religious Jews came up with a plan for Paul. They had heard rumors that Paul was telling the Jews to forsake the Law of Moses, not to circumcise their children, nor to walk in their customs (v. 21).

So this is how they put it – watch this: “Therefore, DO THIS THAT WE TELL YOU” (v. 23). Their plan: Complete the requirements of the Nazarite vow with four other men, to show others that he (Paul) was indeed a Jew and had not abandoned their traditions.

Guess what? Paul went for it. And it seemed that everything was going to be smooth. It seemed that what Paul had received was indeed good advice. But watch verse 27: “And when the seven days were ALMOST OVER, the Jews from Asia, upon seeing him in the temple, began to stir up all the multitude and laid their hands on him.” Paul was mobbed, beaten and handed over to the Gentiles. What appeared to be good advice, ended up in pain and arrest.

Now here is my point: At first a majority of disciples along with a prophet (Agabus), said to Paul, “Don’t go to Jerusalem.” He said, “I must go. It is God’s will for me to go.” Then a majority of Jews from Jerusalem tell him to go into the temple and perform the ceremony of the Nazarite vow. Paul says, “Okay, and he does so.”

Two groups and two majorities. One group said, “No.” Paul replied, “Yes!” Another group said, “Do this,” and Paul again said, “Yes.”

What was major difference? What happened? Why was this all wrong? Here it is: One group said, “The will of the Lord be done” (v. 14), the other said, “Do what we tell you” (v. 23). Do you see the problem? By not listening to the first group of disciples, Paul was easily swayed by the second group of traditionalists. The phrase, “Do what we tell you,” ought to have raised a red flag in Paul’s spirit that should have said, “Wait a minute. I will do what the Lord tells me. After all, that’s what I told the other disciples before I got here who tried to talk me of out from coming to Jerusalem. So just because you have your advice, does not mean I am going to follow it. Let me seek the face of God first and I will get back to you.”

Paul did not do this. So, he ended up mobbed, beaten, and arrested. So look these two phrases over again:

“The will of the Lord be done” – v. 14

“Do what we tell you” – v. 23

The first phrase indicates a surrender of one's own will for a greater good -- the Lord's will. The second suggest no such thing. "Do what we tell you." In other words, there is only one will -- our will. Do it if you want to be successful.

Know how to recognize these when you are interacting with others. Use godly discernment. By doing so, it may save you a ton of unnecessary problems that could have easily been avoided.

A Biblical Worldview of the Demonic and Miracles

2011-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Five blind men investigated an elephant. The first felt the trunk and said, ‘an elephant is like a large hose.’ The second one touched the tail and stated, ‘an elephant is like a rope.’ Still another encountered the ear and exclaimed, ‘an elephant is like canvas.’ The fourth one examined a leg and said, ‘elephants are like trees.’ Finally, the fifth one felt a side, and said emphatically, ‘elephants are actually houses!’ Each thought clearly of the elephant in terms of his own limited data.

In the same way these five men had limited data concerning their perspective of an elephant, so too we have a very limited world view without the aide of Scriptures. Acts 16 helps therefore to sharpen our worldview with regards to:

The Demonic
Why did Paul want this girl to stop? Because, although her message was true, the medium was all wrong. If I was offered a considerable amount of money to have the chance to give my testimony in Playboy Magazine, would I do it? My answer is no, because I don't need nor want my ministry to be advertised by that which is contrary to the message of Jesus Christ. The Christian community is becoming increasingly weakened, I believe, because we have too often said, "We'll use this worldly source to communicate the gospel."

Why, then, did Paul allow this girl to cry out for many days before commanding the spirit to come out of her? I believe he was waiting for the green light, the authority of the Holy Spirit before stepping out in the power of the Spirit.

Just because someone is possessed with a demon does not mean we ought to rush in and start casting demons out of people. Yes, eventually they must go, but even the exercising of demons must be a task that is undertaken in God’s perfect timing.

It is interesting to note that because this girl had a spirit of divination, she was able to foretell the future and to make other astounding revelations. In this way she brought considerable income to her masters. When she met the Christian missionaries, and for many days thereafter, she followed them, crying out, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. "What she said was true, but Paul knew better than to accept testimony from demons.

Likewise, we should not easily conclude that just because someone is able to foretell the future to a degree of accuracy that we deem such a person of God. I come across this often. Christians will tell me, “Oh, Pastor Rich, you got to come and listen to this prophet speak and to speak over you.” I then ask, “Why?” “Because, I let her speak over me and what she said was true. All of it.” Thus the conclusion: “Such a person is of God.”

Now such a person may very well be of God, but please do not conclude that just because what has spoken or foretold had come true. As we see here in Acts 16, this slave girl who had a spirit of divination said things that came true and made a lucrative living off of doing such things. But it was all demonic. Paul by the Holy Spirit was able to discern such things.

I believe one of the greatest dangers the church faces today is our severe lack of spiritual discernment. Christian people can become so gullible at times. Satan knows this. I am often amaze at how the unsaved can and often do exercise a greater degree of discernment that those of us who are saints. A large part of the problem is the fact that we are so inefficient in studying the Bible. A person’s level of exercising wise discernment will come in proportion to his or understanding of the Scriptures. Here was a girl who not only was accurate in foretelling the future, but what she said about God and Paul were also true. Be careful out there. Satan’s plan is not only to get you to depend on the services of demons, but to also drag others with you. You have been given by God a lot of responsibility. Use it wisely and be a discerning saint.

The World of Miracles
Miracles are woven throughout the narrative of the Book of Acts. The following are some of the more prominent ones:

The miraculous gift of tongues (Act 2:4; Act 10:46;Act 19:6).
The healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple (Act 3:7).
The sudden judgmental death of Ananias and Sapphira (Act 5:5, Act 5:10).
The deliverance of the apostles from prison (Act 5:19).
Saul's encounter with the glorified Christ (Act 9:3-6).
The healing of Aeneas by Peter (Act 9:34).
The restoration to life of Dorcas (Act 9:40).
Peter's vision of the sheet let down from heaven (Act 10:11).
Peter's deliverance from prison (Act 12:7-10).
The slaying of Herod by an angel (Act 12:23).
The judgment of blindness on Elymas, the sorcerer (Act 13:11).
The healing of the crippled man at Lystra by Paul (Act 14:10).
Paul's restoration after being stoned at Lystra (Act 14:19-20).
Paul's vision of the man of Macedonia calling for help (Act 16:9).
Paul's casting out the evil spirit from the girl in Philippi (Act 16:18).
The deliverance of Paul and Silas from prison in Philippi (Act 16:26).
Paul's raising Eutychus to life (Act 20:10-11).
The prophecy of Agabus (Act 21:10-11).
Paul's deliverance from a viper at Malta (Act 28:3-6).
The healing of Publius' father of fever (Act 28:8).
The healing of others' diseases (Act 28:9).

In addition to these, it is said that the apostles worked wonders and signs (Act 2:43); Stephen performed great wonders and signs among the people (Act 6:8); Philip worked miracles and signs (Act 8:6, Act 8:13); Barnabas and Paul worked signs and wonders (Act 15:12); and God worked miracles by the hands of Paul (Act 19:11).

In studying Acts, the question naturally arises, "Should we expect these same miracles today?" There are two extremes to be avoided in answering the question. The first is the position that since Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we should be seeing the same miracles that were found in the early church.

The opposite extreme is that miracles were only for the early days of the church and that we have no right to look for them today.

It is true that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). But that does not mean that the divine methods never change. The plagues God used in Egypt, for instance, have never been repeated. His power is the same. He can still perform any kind of miracles. But that does not mean He must perform the same miracles in every age. He is a God of infinite variety.

On the other hand, we should not wave miracles aside as not being for the Church Age. It is all too easy to assign miracles to dispensational eras and content ourselves with lives that never rise above flesh and blood.

Our lives should be charged with supernatural power. We should be constantly seeing God's hand in the marvelous converging of circumstances. We should be experiencing His guidance in a miraculous, mysterious way. We should experience events in our lives that lie beyond the laws of probability. We should be aware that God is arranging contacts, opening doors, overruling opposition. Our service should crackle with the supernatural.
We should be seeing direct answers to prayer. When our lives touch other lives, we should see something happening for God. We should see His hand in breakdowns, delays, accidents, losses, and seeming tragedies. We should experience extraordinary deliverances and be aware of strength, courage, peace, and wisdom beyond our natural limits.

If our lives are lived only on the natural level, how are we any different from non-Christians? God's will is that our lives should be supernatural, that the life of Jesus Christ should flow out through us. When this takes place, impossibilities will melt, closed doors will open, and power will surge. Then we will be super-charged with the Holy Spirit, and when people get near us, they will feel the sparks of the Spirit.

The Testing of Our Faith

2011-02-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. 6 When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area – Acts 14:5-6 NLT

When he and Barnabas were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia, they shook off the dust of their feet and went to Iconium. When the people there tried to stone them, they went to Lystra where they were treated like gods! (That was a greater danger than persecution.) Crowds are fickle: they changed their minds and stoned Paul, but he just got up and went to Derbe.

You have heard me say this before – “The safest place to be is in the will of God.” But the will of God is not always predicable in terms of how we think. But in the end, it is always best. However, while we seek after God’s best, there will be times when our faith will be challenged, stretched and tested. Obedience and endurance are the keys.

This reminds me of the 2001 season finale of NBC's The West Wing which revealed the emotions of fictional President Josiah Bartlet following the death of his personal secretary in a drunken-driving accident, and the impending announcement of his own multiple sclerosis. His pain and anguish over life's cruel twists finds him lingering in the National Cathedral following her funeral in order to offer his heart to God.

But his prayer didn't begin with "Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name."

Instead, with nerves raw and faith tested, the President's prayer
begins by calling God a "son of a b****" and a "feckless thug."

That was just what was offered in English.

The rest of the prayer, perhaps not to overheat the network's
switchboard, was offered in Latin.

Here's the translation:

"Am I really to believe that these are the acts of a loving God? A
just God? A wise God? To h*** with your punishments. I was your servant here on earth. And I spread your word and I did your work.

To h*** with your punishments. To h*** with you."

The scene ends with Bartlet, in a gesture of contempt, crushing a
cigarette butt on the sacred ground of the cathedral floor.

Yet by the time of the closing credits, Jed Bartlet's faith was intact.

You may never get to the point in your walk with God that you pray like this. Everyone is different. When my wife was sick with cancer, I had heated moments of prayer times with God. Not to the extent of what was written above, but times where I voiced my anger and displeasure and asked, “Why?”

Paul and Barnabas had the courage to retrace their steps so they could help and encourage the new Christians despite the so-called set backs they were experiencing! And when they returned home, they told the church what the Lord had done, not what they had suffered.

Paul and Barnabas put Christ first, others second, and themselves last. They had a job to do, and they were determined by God's grace to do it. How much does it take to move you out of the will of God? When the dust settles, will your faith in God still be intact?

The Unpredictable Will of God

2011-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church - Acts 12:1 (ESV)

Credit cards may soon be as outdated as vinyl records. (Remember those?) And this is the year that the slow, steady march to oblivion begins.

You can already use your iPhone, Droid or BlackBerry to buy a hotdog at the ballgame, buy your Starbucks latté, or give a friend a few bucks by Bumping phones. But by the end of the year you may not even think twice about reaching for your phone to pay at the register instead of fumbling for your credit card.

"Your plastic card hasn't changed since the age of the vinyl records," said Michael Abbott, CEO of Isis, a new mobile payment network. "This is the chance to bring payments forward from the plastic age and the vinyl records age to the digital age."

Companies including Visa, MasterCard, Google, Bank of America, Citi and U.S. Bank are all testing contactless mobile payments, and many expect to roll out mobile wallets this year.

"2011 is going to be a very exciting, very dynamic year when it comes to mobile payments because it's the Wild West again, with all these players positioning in various different ways to redefine the digital payments landscape," said Michael Upton, senior vice president of online and mobile banking at Bank of America, which expects to launch it own mobile wallet later this year.

"It's a glorious competitive battle amongst some of the largest entities in the country," said Peabody.

The Isis mobile wallet will let consumers store multiple cards, make payments with the wave of their phone, check balances, receive coupons and use rewards points at the point of sale. But it may stretch beyond just the money in your wallet. Abbott sees the potential to include your insurance cards, driver's licenses, and other information typically found in a wallet.

Whoever thought that there would be a time when we would actually use our cell phones as the primary means to pay for things much like a credit card? As history marches on to the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan, from this side of heaven, things can appear unpredictable.

As I was reading through Acts 12 the other day, I notice that even the will of God can be unpredictable at times. You see, the will of the Lord is always wise and good, but it is not always predictable. God spared Peter but allowed James to be killed. He did not deliver Peter from prison until the last minute. He allowed Herod to slay James, but He did not permit him to act like a god. Is that how you would have done it?

Some Christians are like Job's friends: they think they always know exactly what God is doing, will do, and wants done; but they may be wrong. Whenever you are tempted to "play God" in somebody's life, ponder Isaiah 55:8-9: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Therefore, nothing short of total trust and personal abandonment on the Lord will do. Such disciplines are the only way to live the Christian life.

Making the Most of God-given Opportunities

2011-02-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul – Acts13:1 – ESV

Senator Strom Thurmond from South Carolina ran for President in 1948 as the candidate for the States Rights Democratic Party on a segregationist platform. In 1957, he launched the longest filibuster by a single Senator in history—clocking in at over 24 hours—in an attempt to defeat the Civil Rights Act. So many were surprised when after Thurmond’s death it was revealed that he had fathered a daughter with a black maid. While neither of them acknowledged the relationship while he was alive, Thurmond had supported his daughter financially for many years, and she had visited him in Washington, D.C.

We should not be surprised by the surprises that eventually will surface in due course. We can keep our skeletons in the closet for a season, but eventually someone is going to open the closet door to see its contents. This is why we need to make the most of the opportunities God gives to us each day to clean out our closet, confess known sins, and keep the closet not only clean, but empty. When God gives to us opportunities, we need to make the most of them while we can.

In Acts 13, we also see how opportunities were used by the early church to spread the gospel and make an impact on people around them. Here are some brief observations:

Opportunities come to people busy serving the Lord (vv. 2-3). God calls people who take time to worship and minister to the Lord. If you want God's guidance, get busy where you are, and He will show you the next step. The Lord is not about to guide someone who is lazy or standing still. You and I have been given by God enough information from the Bible on what we need to be doing for the Lord. If you’ve been on the sidelines for quite some time and it appears that God has passed you by, then get busy. You see, when pastors talk about serving the Lord and finding some ministry to connect with in the church, they are not doing so for selfish reasons because they need more hands and feet. It is for your own good. You will not discover your full potential unless you are praying, fasting, serving, worshiping, and available for the Lord.

Opportunities usually produce opposition (vv. 6-12; 1 Cor. 16:9). Here is another example of the parable of the tares (Matt. 13:24-30; Matt. 13:36-43): God sowed the good seed (Paul and Barnabas), and Satan sowed a counterfeit. Nothing can be done about this. Counterfeits will appear in the church and in your ministry. Just stay focus on two things: First, pray for discernment in order to spot the counterfeits. This way you know how to adjust your approach and manage your time with some people better. Second, while Satan is sowing counterfeits, you stay busy sowing wheat. Don’t slow down and certainly do not stop. God is on your side and He is your helper. Sow away. Make disciples and don’t ever stop!

Opportunities reveal character (v. 13). Paul and Barnabas kept going, but John Mark returned home. We do not know why, nor should we pass judgment (1 Cor. 10:12). Barnabas reclaimed John Mark (15:36-41) and Paul eventually accepted him (2 Tim. 4:11). But this much we know for sure: The demands of the ministry and the trials of life revealed that John was a quitter and did not have the character to keep up with his missionary friends.

Opportunities develop leadership. The trip began with "Barnabas and Saul" (v. 2), but it became "Paul and his companions" (v. 13), and then “Paul and Barnabas” (v. 46). Barnabas started out as the lead of the team, then Paul took over and it became “Paul and Barnabas” for the rest of their time together. Barnabas rejoiced to see Paul being used so mightily of God (Rom. 12:9-11). It was a team effort, and the vital thing was the glory of God. God is the one who promotes people in due time. Remember this: It is His harvest field (Matt. 9:38), He sends out the kinds of workers He desires to work in His pastures. True leadership is not only the ability to lead others in the carrying out of a vision, but it is also the ability to follow those who have the mandate from the Lord and the vision to see it through.

Note the emphasis in Acts 13 on the Word of God (vv. 5, 7, 15, 26, 44, 46, 48-49). In his preaching, Paul quoted from 1 Samuel, Isaiah, Habakkuk, and Psalms. He preached salvation by faith in Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead (vv. 38-39). Our words do not last, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.

The Way of the Cross

2011-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent -- Luke 23:47

In the popular game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? the host asks the contestant progressively more difficult questions. The first questions have obvious answers, and it is fairly simple to pick the correct answer from the four options. But as the prize gets larger, the questions get more difficult.

If you’ve ever played along with the show, you may feel fairly confident about your own intelligence—until it passes the $32,000 mark. At that point, the questions get much more specific and the field of knowledge begins to narrow. Even a well-educated person realizes he may not know everything there is to know. The game is not as easy as it initially appeared.

Isn’t this is how life approaches us at first? It begins easy with someone taking care of us (our parents), then the changes come and we are taking care of ourselves and others.

Relationships are a lot like this too. Initially it seems exciting, fun and non-threatening. But as two people begin to exchange their pasts, present and future – yes, their very lives with each other – complications set in. Questions are more difficult to ask, and those that are asked are more difficult to answer.

When Jesus was on the cross just before His death, a Centurion was there watching Him the whole time. When Jesus died, this Roman officer concluded, “Surely this man was innocent. He was the Son of God!” And then he worshiped Him. Why? What convinced him?

Very simply, it was the way Jesus handled rejection and pain, suffering and death. I mean, when you are on the cross, what else can one do, right? You are exposed to the world and there really is no way to hide your pain, embarrassment and suffering.

Well Jesus said to His disciples, you must also take up your cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23). This includes, but is not limited to the way we are to handle pain and rejection. You see God is setting each of us up for something really huge. While on the cross, someone is watching you. When you decide (and you should) to take up the cross of Christ and follow Him daily, you have all that you need to be a great witness to others of the sufferings of Christ and the love He has for lost sinners. God will bring into your life pain, personal crisis, rejection, embarrassment, tragedy, issues, all designed not to ruin you or to make you unhappy, but to put you on display because others are watching and God loves them so much to reach them through your testimony of your cross.

Why do we as believers insist on never going through suffering, when it is actually the method the Lord uses to bring about the conversion of many a centurion?

In Exodus 14, God had His people camp between Pihahiroth and Migdol with their backs to the Red Sea and Pharaoh's army headed right towards them. Why? So He would be glorified among the Egyptians when they saw how He delivered His people (v. 4).

Oftentimes, we go to great lengths to avoid being boxed in, to dodge hard times, to escape physical pain. Yet those are the very things that convince the Egyptians, the centurions, and our neighbors of the faithfulness of God as He sees us through.

Yes, we should pray. Yes, we should make our requests and petitions known to our Father. Yes, we should persevere in prayer. But we must also let God be God. We must also allow Him the freedom to do what He wants in our lives no matter how painful it might seem. It was for the joy set before Him that Jesus, our Model, our Lord endured the Cross (Heb 12:2).

So, let me ask you this question to begin your week: Are you a follower of Jesus by name only, or are you one by practice? Have you been laying down your cross, or worse, hiding it so you would not have to let others see your pain?

God wants to win over your neighbor. He wants to save members of your family. He wants to encourage other believers. And He has chosen as His method your pain and your suffering via the cross that you take up daily. It is all about selflessness on your part. It is all about --

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

The cross of Christ can be something so beautiful to a person who does not know Jesus, or to a brother or sister who needs to be strengthened by the Lord. Don’t hide it; don’t refuse to pick it up and take it with you daily. Let the world know through your suffering how a child of God handles pain, rejection and suffering.

Some Centurion has been watching you. What will he conclude?

Don't Rely on Reputation

2011-02-03T07:30:00.000-08:00

I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead – Rev. 3:1 ESV

Some American churches have taken a controversial step to reach out to their Muslim neighbors. At least two congregations received national attention recently after they opened their doors to local Muslims, letting them use their church buildings to hold Muslim worship services.

Dr. Carlos Campo, president of Regent University, sorted through the implications of sharing worship space and discussed the best ways to display Christian outreach, on CBN News Channel Morning program, Jan. 24.

In Alexandria, Va., a local Islamic center decided to build its own mosque. In the meantime, it asked the Aldersgate Methodist Church if it could use its building for Friday prayers.

"I feel like we are embodying Christianity by being welcoming," said Diane Bechtol, a member of Aldersgate Methodist.

Bechtol, also a member of the church's newly founded Muslim dialogue committee, said the church was surprised when the request was made. She said the church wants to get better acquainted with its Muslim neighbors.

Bechtol said she does not think sharing worship space compromises her faith. "Jesus called us to give hospitality to strangers. To feed the poor and help the sick and this is walking the walk," she added.

In Cordova, Tenn., outside of Memphis, the Heartsong Church received a similar request. Pastor Steve Stone said loaning out their worship space to Muslim neighbors is a great way to share the gospel.

"Our Muslim brothers and sisters know that we're Jesus followers," Stone said. "They know that we're not trading. Everything we do is a witness to Jesus and they know that."

Christians across the country may be forced to debate and decide these questions sooner rather than later -- as more Muslim communities continue to grow and expand.

Every church leader must wrestle with two issues: Doctrinal and moral purity. Maintaining such balance is not easy at times, but maintain the balance we must. When a church goes too far over to the love side, it tends to compromise on its core beliefs. When it goes too far on the doctrine side, it compromises its love.

Sardis was a church that compromised. They had a great reputation with other churches. Some therefore considered this church to be a model church. Some thought, “We need to have ministries just like Sardis.” But when Jesus the great examiner comes on the scene, who knows the heart, He shows that Sardis looked good on the outside – “I know your works,” but within they were dead and lifeless. What often appears to be good to man is dead to God. This is what compromise can do to a church or any believer in the Lord.

It is mandatory that we walk a life of both doctrinal purity and moral excellence. A compromise in one of these areas may give us a good reputation among others, but the one in whom our testimony really counts, will see us as who we have become – dead, or “about to die.”

The solution? “Wake up and begin to strengthen what remains alive.” Not everyone was dead. Not all that the church was doing was considered dead. Some of its people and programs were alive! Jesus tells this church to come to their senses and look inward at those things which are live and strengthen such things, or else the whole church will be a corpse.

Then Jesus does on to say, “Remember what you received and heard – keep it!” This has reference to the Word of God and the solid teachings they had in the past. If they do not go back and remember such things, they themselves will not wake up and have the life required to strengthen the things that are still alive.

Finally, Jesus tells them to “repent.” Right here tells us that the kind of compromised they were engaged in involved sin. One does not repent from good works, only dead ones. One does not repent from righteousness only unrighteousness. But unless a church is willing to change its mind and stop its compromising and start hanging on tightly to both doctrinal and moral purity, it will soon join the graveyard of churches.

Finally, Jesus encouraged them with these words: “Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

A few, just a few took a personal stand and said, “We will not compromise our walk with God. We will remember the teachings of the past and uphold the purity of the Scriptures and obey its teachings. Jesus knew who these people are. He was concerned for them. They were in a church that had a huge reputation among outsiders, but not a very good one with the Trinity. These people had to be cared for and strengthened. In every church and in every town, God has His remnant.

The lesson here that I thought was most vivid was the danger of evaluating our growth or success on our “reputation among others.” We love our own press report. We often talk to others about how we are doing and what do you think about what we have been doing or are about to do. Of course, we also choose the people we ask such questions too. A little bias perhaps! Now there is nothing completely wrong with doing this, but if it is something we rely on – our reputation, it can lead us into a moral and doctrinal decline, and we won’t know it.

On a daily basis, it is good to go to the Scriptures where we will discover God’s opinion of us. It is His view that matters most. And sometimes, God’s opinion will conflict with what others are saying. Are we willing to choose God’s ways over the ways of others – even those whom we greatly admire and respect?

I believe what led this church down the road of moral and doctrinal compromise was how Satan used their reputation as the means to gauge their spiritual temperature. They truly enjoyed listening to what others were saying about them. It was like a drug. And so when a huge test came its way, not wanting to spoil or soften its reputation among others, they yielded to the loud voice on the outside rather than listening to the soft voice within.

Hold fast to both your doctrinal and moral purity. When you do, you may find yourself numbered with only a few, but it’s those few that Jesus sees as walking with Him wearing white robes. For these are the ones Jesus called "worthy."