Month: December 2016

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FAITHFULNESS – Learned…


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2 Timothy 1:3-7 – “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  NASU

 

There are several sermons or devotionals in these few verses so I will lump them together and hopefully encourage you in your daily walk and pursuit of your ministry and assignment in life.  Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son and someone he had learned to rely on for encouragement, loyalty, faithfulness, and prayer support to name a few.  In Paul’s address to Timothy, he reveals his heart and the upbringing of Timothy and how important godly examples are in life.

Paul expresses his overflowing heart of thanksgiving declaring that he serves God with a CLEAR CONSCIENCE.  I could spend enough time here to write chapters on the matter of conscience and how powerful this declaration is especially when coupled with a demonstrated life of faithfulness and godliness.  Paul not only addressed his own heart but reminded Timothy of the importance and power of PRAYER telling him, “I constantly remember you in my prayers day and night.”  It was not a “God bless Timothy” passing mention but testifies of intercession out of love and longing to be reunited with him.  He reminds Timothy of how powerful Timothy’s own tears and love touched the great apostle.  Then, Paul calls to remembrance the heritage of faith that Timothy had in his mother and grandmother.  He was raised in a godly home and that is a powerful testimony to the directive of Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Your influence and impact on your children are far greater than you might imagine or believe.  You are sowing seeds in them that will produce a harvest so ensure you are sowing to godliness.

Then the apostle reminds Timothy of the gift or gifts of God in him and the power of being ordained of God to function in a particular area of ministry and life.  Then, Paul calls to attention the gravity of this ministry and the reality that not everyone will willingly accept the Gospel message.  He says, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  The KJV says, “sound mind” or “committed/fixed mind” which can be understood in Isaiah 26:3, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.”  We become like a nail driven in a sure place because of our commitment to and devotion to the Lord.  Our minds are stayed on Him and we bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

We are more than conquerors in Christ and as we are nurtured and developed by godly parents and godly mentors we find that we gain strength for the struggle and power to overcome.  Righteousness begets righteousness and faithfulness begets faithfulness.  We can learn both as the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  So, allow your heart to be nurtured and become a nurturing example to those under your care.

God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

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SETTING THEM STRAIGHT…


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1 Timothy 1:3-5 – “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. 5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”  NASU

 

In Church, I have witnessed some incredibly zealous people who believed it was their God-given assignment to ‘Set People Straight’ when in doctrinal error or perceived doctrinal error.  They believed they were operating as the Church of Ephesus of Revelation 2, not tolerating evil men and putting to test any who claimed to be an apostle and finding them false.  No, they were equal opportunity correctors of anyone and everyone who strayed from their doctrinal path and they SET THEM STRAIGHT.  There were times they would use Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1 to justify their actions as well as using the words of Jesus.

However, before we condemn this action or defend it we should consider a key statement by Paul regarding Timothy’s assignment and their ministry.  In verse 5, Paul says, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”  Simply, the objective in correction is not SETTING THEM STRAIGHT but leading them to the truth so that restoration can transpire.  That is always the objective in dealing with sin or error.  It is not simply putting people in their place it is leading them to the light.  I am reminded of the ministry of Priscilla and Aquila in dealing with Apollos in Acts 18.  They led him to a more complete understanding rather than attempting to put him in his place or set him straight.  The objective, as in all ministry, is reconciliation and restoration.  It is bringing people to their fullest potential in Christ and the Gospel.

Paul addressed some of the areas these false or deceived teachers were engaging in and identified their ignorance as well as malice.  He does not trash the Law but identifies the truth that the Law is not for the Righteous but the Unrighteous.  He testifies of his own ignorance and persecution of those who believed and rejoiced in the Mercy of God.  He recognized that it is possible for a person to drift into error and through love be led back to the right path and restored.  I have heard preachers preach hell and judgment so powerfully that one could almost feel the flames of hell leaping at their feet.  When that transpires under the anointing of the Holy Spirit out of a heart broken in love it is incredibly powerful and beneficial.  However, I have known some who preach hell as though they enjoyed it and demonstrated a Pharisaical attitude looking down their noses as SINNERS!  That is not the heart of God nor was can it be found in Paul’s instruction to Timothy.

Timothy was given an assignment that would be difficult.  Often false teachers have a devoted following and when you counter their tenets you encounter the wrath of the devotees.  However, if we walk, as Jesus walked and manifest His heart, character, love, and righteousness the Holy Spirit brings conviction to hearts and people are brought back to the right path and enjoy restoration.  Our objective is not to present ourselves as ‘holier than thou’ and our assignment is not to SET THEM STRAIGHT but to speak the truth in love and lift up Jesus!

God, bless you as you embark on today’s leg of your life’s journey in Christ!

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GOD IS NOT BLIND, DEAF, DUMB, or UNCONCERNED…


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Micah 2:1-2 – “Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds!  When morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands.  2 They covet fields and then seize them, And houses, and take them away. They rob a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.”  NASU

 

I don’t care if it is a political figure, world leader, businessman, religious leader, activist, or anyone else, God sees what we are doing!  There are those in our world, not unbeknown to other times, who fit this description perfectly.  They scheme incessantly how to rob, steal, deceive, and manipulate for their own purposes and gain. They have no concern for the safety or welfare of their targets only the amassing of fortune, fame, position, and power.  The prophet warns, “Woe to you!” 

Some politicians, unscrupulous businessmen, and various others appear to be notorious for scheming ways to infringe on our inalienable rights, confiscate our property, wealth, and entrench themselves in the pursuit of their ideological agendas.  They plan, in the night, behind closed doors, in the shadows and then step forth into the morning light and enact their schemes.  I have heard the lament of many who have been trampled by this type of iniquitous scheming and some have become disillusioned and confused even to the point of being angry with God.  I have heard some accuse God of not caring and even relegated Him to being an ‘absentee landlord’ who birthed us then allows mankind to do his worst with no interest or involvement.  GOD IS NOT BLIND or UNCONCERNED! 

There is coming a “Payday, Someday,” and I can assure you, that is not an experience you would relish.  Sometimes, we feel powerless to address the wickedness, schemes, and travesties that occur in our world often by the hands of those supposedly operating in our best interest.  Sometimes, we feel God has abandoned us, forsaken us, or is blind, deaf, dumb, or unconcerned about our plight.  HE IS NOT!  When will God act?  I cannot answer that in a way that would be completely satisfactory to anyone experiencing this type of drama in their life.  I can say, that HE WILL even if that is in Eternity.

There are those who practice such debauchery and wickedness defiantly believing and expressing they believe they are getting away with it.  They laugh at the devastation caused by their evil schemes and self-serving pursuits. They have no compassion for others and continue in their lawlessness, robbing (often legally), stealing, and destroying.  They seem to be exempt from judgment and the Law of Sowing and Reaping does not seem to apply to them. They continue with their blatant disregard for God’s moral laws and principles seemingly unscathed.  That can cause one who seeks to be faithful to lose heart and lose sight of God’s truth, principles, promises, and warnings.  Dear heart, take the counsel of the Psalmist in Psalm 37 and “DO NOT FRET because of evildoers…”  “DO NOT BE ENVIOUS of those who commit such acts.”  Their day is coming and it will not be pleasant.  They have not escaped the view of the Righteous and Holy Creator of the Universe, Jehovah God.  There is coming a payday and an accounting for their actions.

Remember the words of Jesus and take heart, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”  [John 14:1-3].

I pray that God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him and never let the wickedness of the wicked prevent you from rejoicing in God and His Promises!  Be blessed and be free in Jesus!

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THE OPEN DOOR TO THE COMING CHAOS…


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2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 – “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”  NASU

 

Through the years, the church has branded various world figures as “The Antichrist” only to be proven wrong.  Some have insisted that Barack Obama, the current president of the United States is the “Antichrist” but again, I believe they are wrong.  “The Man of Sin, The Lawless One, or the Antichrist” is probably alive today somewhere on the planet.  Regardless of your belief as to who he might be or where he might come from, the fact that He will come should be foreboding.  There is a move by the outgoing president of the United States to allow a UN Resolution that would return Israel to Pre-1967 borders and effectively cripple the nation’s ability to defend itself.  Could this open the door or facilitate Israel being forced into a peace treaty that would appear good but prove to be catastrophic?  I do not know but believe that any such action would not be in the best interest of Israel or the Free World including the United States of America.

The Door to Lawlessness is open in today’s world and it has largely resulted from SILENCE by the Church on too many fronts.  Paul advises or prophesies in our text passages that this one will not ascend to his ultimate position of power UNTIL or UNLESS there is widespread ‘apostasy’ in the church and the world.  I have contended for a long time, based on my understanding of the Bible and observation of human nature, that when the Church is silent evil grows strong and often prevails.  When the Church is a strong force in voice and demonstration of purity, righteousness, and holiness evil is suppressed.  The Antichrist, the Man of Sin that Lawless One cannot find acceptance without the Church drifting from its biblical and moral mooring.  Tragically, too often, that is visible in today’s world.  Deception cannot prevail when there is diligence in prayer and commitment to God, His Kingdom, and His Word.  When the Church’s voice is strong, society, as a whole, resists deception, suppresses selfishness, and maintains moral sensibility.  That is not a conducive for the diabolical scheme of the devil so he has worked tirelessly to erode our commitment, tarnish our convictions, and encourage us to adopt the worldview of ‘tolerance.’  

Tolerance is a biblical concept but only to the degree that it does not violate the core principles of God’s Word and Righteousness.  The Bible is not Tolerant of Sin.  We are tolerant of sinners but not sin.  We are tolerant of differing views but not the Core Foundational Principles of God’s Word.  Jesus is the Door to Salvation.  Jesus is the Messiah who gave His life a ransom for whosoever will.  Jesus is the only begotten, sinless Son of God.  There are not many roads leading to heaven and there is none other name under heaven whereby we can be saved but the Name of Jesus.  Trying to be inclusive at the expense of conviction is not inclusive it is destructive.  The Coming Chaos is coming, in part, because the Church has opened the door.  The Spirit of Antichrist is and has been at work in the world and it is high time that we THE CHURCH, BELIEVERS, Members of the FAMILY OF GOD, and the BODY OF CHRIST stand firm and ‘seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.” 

God, bless you as you dedicate, rededicate, and anchor your hope in God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  

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GOD’S PART – MY PART…


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Colossians 3:1-4 – “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” NASU

 

Salvation is a supernatural work of God’s incredible grace and not of works, not earned, and not deserved.  So, when I say, “God’s Part – My Part” I want it understood that the New Birth is not something we can produce or earn but once we have been transformed and born anew into the family of God there are some things that God will not do for us but expects us to do for ourselves.  If that is problematic for anyone, I am sorry but, I truly believe that is the truth as taught in scripture.

Paul begins with the assertion or position of IF and once that IF is determined as fact and truth THEN there are some following steps to be enacted and embraced in our lives here on earth.  Paul’s statement is a suggestion that IF we fail to do what he follows with, there are significant and severe negatives spiritually which often translate or are felt naturally.  He tells those to whom he is speaking, “Therefore if you have been raised with Christ (born again, saved), keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”  He highlights a need for believers to follow the directive of Jesus in Matthew, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”  That is or should be the desire of all believers to ‘seek Christ.’  We should desire His presence, person, and power in our lives always and in all things.  That is basic Christianity, in my view.

Then, the apostle instructs as to how we can achieve that desire by telling them and us, “Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on earth.”  The focus is the prize, not the process.  If you were faced with crossing a wilderness or a burning desert, reaching the other side would be virtually impossible if you did not keep your eye on the finish line or the destination.  If you just wandered in the wilderness or through the desert you would succumb to the elements and perish, but as you keep the objective firmly in the forefront of your minds you keep reaching for that prize.  In keeping the prize before us we can take another step, resist the temptation to just give in and give up and keep moving one step or one day at a time.

Paul reminds them and us that this is possible for us to SET, an act of our will and flows out of a determined commitment, our minds on Christ because we are ‘dead’ and now our life is ‘hidden’ or ‘firmly fixed’ in Christ.  It is through our making Him the purpose of our lives that we will enjoy the promise of being revealed with Him in glory.  Our present position is not our destination for we are passing through.  We are in a wilderness and we can make it to the other side and reach that Promised Land IF or BECAUSE we have our MINDS STAYED ON HIM.

            God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

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RUNNING FROM YOUR ASSIGNMENT…


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Jonah 1:1-3 – “The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”  NASU

  

The story of Jonah is more than a little interesting and informative.  The word of the Lord came to Jonah giving him the assignment of going to the city of Nineveh and decry their wickedness.  He was to go pronounce judgment on that wicked city.  There are any number of possible reasons that Jonah found this assignment less than desirable and among them could be fear and his desire to not be identified as a naysayer.  Rather than doing what God told him, he booked passage on a ship to Tarshish.  During his journey the ship he was on came under siege from the elements and those aboard recognized that this was the hand of God, therefore they sought to determine who was the culprit.  In the process, they determined that it was Jonah.  Jonah instructed them to throw him overboard and they would be spared.

Had God relented of His call to Jonah that would have been the end of the story but it was not.  The great fish God had prepared swallowed him and for three days and nights he was in the belly of that beast.  Then, after such a time and Jonah realizing he had been spared, repented and prayed.  God then prompted the fish to vomit him on shore and at that point the Spirit of God came to Jonah a second time instructing him to go to Nineveh.  This time he obeyed and preached the impending judgment on the city.  To Jonah’s chagrin, they repented!  That should have been his hope but after his pathway to obedience he now considered this a slap in his face, that he had preached judgment and no judgment would come.  He became angry with God and complained about the long-suffering nature of God and lamented, “This is what I feared would happen.”  What a man of God!  Rather than having redemption as his end view he had the accuracy of his word as the most important element.  Preaching hell without a broken heart is a tragedy.

God came to Jonah and used a worm and a plant to communicate His grace and remind him of the value of forgiveness and the power of love.  If you have every experienced the Holy Spirit prompt you to deliver a message that you knew would not be well received, you know a little of Jonah’s plight.  If you have watched those you considered wicked receive God’s mercy you have tasted Jonah’s plight.  God is not a man, does not operate according to the ideology of man or in the timing of man.  God’s ultimate desire is for us to be reconciled to Him and if He sends forth a word of judgment and repentance takes place we should rejoice in His mercy and the restoration.

I have uttered warnings that were heeded and repentance brought about restoration and I have uttered warnings that were scorned and ignored and watched the impending destruction that ensued.  I know what it is to rejoice in restoration and weep in destruction. I know what it is to hear a word from the Spirit of God and find the assignment so troubling I resisted and suffered in my heart, mind, and spirit UNTIL I repented and fulfilled my assignment.  In nearly all those cases my desire was to see the restoration, even when I did not fully trust those appearing to repent.  I was simply the messenger, not the judge and trusted God enough to respect His assessment of the situation.  If you have or are running from your assignment I call upon you to find a place to pray and repent before God for your rebellion.  Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you forth into the pace of obedience and rejoice in what God does.  You bring needless pain and suffering to yourself and those you were assigned to minister to in your disobedience.  Consider the eternity of others in your response.

            God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him!

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DEMONSTRATED CHRISTIANITY…


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Philippians 2:1-11 – “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  NASU

 

Many times, in my life and in studying scripture I am made aware of my personal deficiencies, spiritually.  That is not a shocking revelation but an honest assessment of my human frailty and the incredible need we have for God’s help in living this life He has birthed us into.  I love how Paul begins, “…if there is any encouragement in Christ…”  IF?  He is taking the obvious and using it to point out the incredible deficiency in humans and pointing to the higher plane, in God, that we can not only seek but achieve through the work of the Spirit of God in our hearts.  He uses contrast to highlight deficiency and objective and between position and potential. 

The prize sought is encouragement in Christ, consolation in love, fellowship in the Spirit and completeness of joy.  The danger is falling into the trap of seeking to achieve because of our selfishness, empty conceit, and self-serving pursuits making self, number one in all things.  We are reminded of the Life of Jesus and how He was opposite of those negatives and He provided a powerful example of the positives.  He ‘emptied Himself’.  That is an incredible statement and immediately calls to mind the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”   Jesus was so completely empty of self that He was willing to be the divine payment for man’s sin by going to the Cross.  The result is that the Father has given Him a name above every name and at that name, Jesus, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW and EVERY TONGUE CONFESS that He is Lord!  Even the unbelievers will be believers on that day!

But, what is our objective?  We all need to be encouraged from time to time and what better source of encouragement than Jesus?  We need to be consoled and where better to seek consolation in love than from LOVE HIMSELF?  We cannot thrive and survive isolated and need fellowship and what better source of fellowship than from the Spirit of God who knows the deep things of the heart of our Creator?  We cannot attain those if we are self-serving, filled with conceit, selfish, and lacking compassion on others.  The human heart is desperately wicked outside Christ and achieving those objectives is not possible by will-power, turning over a new leaf, or simply deciding that we will be that way.  It takes a supernatural act of God and then requires discipline to develop those traits in our lives while resisting the temptation to follow human depravity and being self-serving.

It is my prayer that the LORD come to us and will touch our lives enabling us to respond to His conviction, in repentance and rise in His grace endued with power from on high to DEMONSTRATE CHRIST to the world in our daily lives.

God, bless you richly is my prayer!

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GOD IS NOT AN ABSENTEE LANDLORD…


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Daniel 2:19-22 – “Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20and said: 

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.”  NIV

 

I continue to be amazed at how many Christians and preachers seem to have adopted a theology, mentality, mindset, or ideology that relegates God to “absenteeism.”  I have had some tell me that God does not involve himself in political matters.  I will concede that God will not arbitrarily impose on us His will.  I sometimes wish that He did, but God gives us choices and out of those choices we reach our destination.  When Israel went to the prophet Samuel requesting and even demanding a “king” like all the other nations, Samuel approached God and the response of God is interesting.  God did not say, “NO!”  He said to the prophet, “Listen to all the people are saying to you; it is not you, they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”  He went on to warn, “…let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim his rights.”  (I Samuel 1:6-9).  God let them choose with a warning of the wrongness of their desire.

We seem to have adopted a mentality in America that churches, pastors, and religious organizations are prohibited from speaking out publicly on matters political.  I have resisted making political comments in a devotional but feel it imperative that I speak on this matter and call attention to the fallacy of this mentality.  This was a move designed and engineered by those who oppose the things of God and America as the Free Constitutional Republic the Founding Fathers envisioned and established.  The devil knows, only too well, that if he can cause the church to be silent he can impose his will on the nation, and restrict the church in its ministry and efforts in the world.  That is tragic!  We need to be reminded of the attitude of the disciples when incarcerated for speaking publicly in the name of Jesus.  Their preaching affected the political structure, the daily lives, and the spiritual lives of their nation.  Those in power, demanded they cease and suggested it was prohibited.  Their response was, “…whom shall we obey, God or man?”  That is the choice we face today!

If God is an ‘Absentee Landlord’ not interested or involved in the totality of our lives, He is not the God of the Bible.  God is also not an “Arbitrary Landlord” imposing His will on us in everything.  Before you chasten me thinking I am not recognizing and honoring the sovereignty of God, consider the words of Peter in 2 Peter 3 when he reminds us that God is not willing that any should perish, but sadly we know that not everyone is going to be saved.  Some do not accept the call and receive the Grace of God.  Remember Joshua’s challenge to the nation asking them, “Choose you this day whom you will serve.”  Jesus said, “Come unto me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”  What happens to those who reject that invitation? They remain weary and heavy laden and do not find rest.  Remember the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve rebelled in disobedience eating of the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  They had a choice, obey or disobey. 

Some would argue that they had no choice, but if they had no choice then what they did was not sin but simply operating as a puppet in the hands of an Arbitrary Landlord of the Universe.  What is my point?  Simply, that we, the pastors, preacher, churches, and Christians are charged to be ‘Watchmen on the Wall’ and when we see danger coming to ‘sound the alarm.’  That means, ANYTIME, and ANYWHERE, regarding ANYTHING.  If we know to do good and do not do it, God considers it sin and sin separates.

May God encourage your heart and inspire you with boldness to proclaim His truth everywhere regarding everything!   Blessings!

 

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SOME DEAD THINGS JUST WON’T STAY DEAD…


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Colossians 3:1-11 – “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.  

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and  abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him —  11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”  NASU

 

While struggling with some things in my personal life, I lamented to God, “Lord, I know you said these things are dead but they just won’t stay dead.”  It doesn’t matter what those things were, all of us have or do struggle with things, in our lives, that just won’t stay dead.  We find that we are faced with the need to keep putting them under the blood of Jesus and dealing with them far more frequently than we’d like or think we ought.

Paul, speaks of our ‘death’ to the flesh and our ‘resurrection’ or ‘recreation’ in the Spirit or in our spirit.  He understands fully that, “Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without succumbing to them or falling into sin.”  He also understood the struggle of the flesh and the spirit in our lives, even after we have accepted Christ as our Savior.  So, to head that problem off at the pass he offers some valuable counsel and wisdom if we can receive it, implement it, and regularly practice it.  Consider his counsel:

  • Keep Your Focus on God and Spiritual or Heavenly Things in Christ.
  • Set Your Mind on Things Above, not on Things of Earth.
  • Understand and Keep a Regular Remembrance of the Truth that You are Dead but Alive in God.
  • Declare and Determine that Your Flesh is Dead to immorality, impurity, improper passion, evil desire, and greed, which translates to Idolatry.
  • Put Away Those Things including, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, and lying. 

Notice that many of those things are actions that we take, not gifts from God.  It requires us to impose upon our own fleshly lusts and mind the will of God, the pursuit of the principles of His Word, and to ‘bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  I am suggesting that we live by ‘will power’ but that we must maintain discipline in our discipleship.

If anger won’t stay dead, then examine your mind and thought life. If fleshly lusts won’t stay dead, examine your thoughts and visualizations.  If you find the overwhelming temptation to slander or gossip, examine your view of Christ and the work of Grace in your life.  Our minds are like a computer, what comes out is the result of what goes in and as they say in the technological world, “garbage in, garbage out.”  Let’s commit to making Matthew 6:33 the foundational pursuit of our lives and seek God first, foremost, and above everything else in life.  That does not mean, we do nothing but pray and read the Bible but in all things, we learn to pray without ceasing and in whatever we do we do it as unto the Lord and do it with our might.

God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

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GOD’S DEMAND FOR INDIVIDUALS and NATIONS…


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Amos 5:14-15 – “Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, just as you have said!   15 Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate!”  NASU

 

There are times when passages from the Old Testament resonate powerfully for today providing incredible revelation and motivation.  This, in my view, is one of those passages where we see a clear command and/or demand from God for us as individuals and as a nation.  In today’s modern world the mood of many is ‘self-centeredness’ and the pursuit ‘self-serving.’  The erosion of the moral fabric and foundation of our nation and many in the church adopting the ‘end justifies the means’ mentality and ascribing to a theory or thought that our lives are ‘compartmentalized’ have damaged our position and condition.  Too often, in today’s world, we allow evil to be called good and good to be called evil or we have become amoral and completely desensitized and no longer troubled by sin and evil.

In a very real sense, God has placed before us ‘life and death’ and it is incumbent upon us to make the right choice.  We are called upon and mandated by Scripture to ‘seek God’ and ‘reject evil.’  We are charged and urged to be people who ‘do the right thing’ in all aspects of life, not just our religious lives.  We are informed that this decision is the decision of ‘life or death’, as the prophet declared the Word from the Lord, “Seek good and not evil, that you may live…”  We are further told, as a people, to “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate!”  That is no small undertaking in a world living in disobedience to God and where the government has become so secularized that many, if not most, believe that God can have nothing to do with the political or government.  HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?  God never inspired or encouraged a mentality that separates Him from various aspects of our lives.  He wants to be “Lord of all” and if He is not then He is likely, not “Lord at all.” 

The call for us as individuals is to RETURN.  Return to the basic core foundational principles of the Bible and moral moorings most of us were raised to embrace.  Whether we did or not embrace them is not the issue, but that was our foundational base.  Those coming to the colonies prior to 1776 came seeking to establish a world in which God was the Lord of all and in which they could live under His guidance, do justice, love good, and have peaceful harmony with their fellow man.  Selfishness and Self-centeredness have pushed us away from those principles and pursuits into the world where we do not have as our cornerstones of life and government, morality, and rightness, but rather ideology and agenda.  When, the church fails to call for individuals to live rightly and the nation to seek good and not evil as well as hating evil, and loving good producing a society wherein justice is established in the gates we drift.  When we drift, evil, hate, envy, strife, and injustice prevail. 

If we want a world that embraces the best good for mankind, we must become people who follow the prescription or mandate of this passage and “seek good and not evil.”  We must return to our foundational principles and not manifest individually and nationally, ‘hatred for evil, and love for good’ and we must seek to be that which the Bible commands and the American constitution embraces.  We must become the people who truly believe that “all men are created equal” and exhibit the qualities called for in our Pledge of Allegiance that we are “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

If we want a better world the first place to begin is seeking to be better people individually and then collectively.  We cannot achieve it with elections or legislation but through commitment, repentance, and prayer!

God, bless you as you being your day in Him!

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