Author: rbeaird

THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…(Part Three)


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

There is a warning that must be sounded.  You dare not go out, in this hour, without the FULL ARMOR OF GOD.  The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  Spiritual Warfare is enacted and engaged in and through PRAYER!  We do not fight with swords, shields, missiles or spears we fight with Spiritual Weapons of God’s design.

Some today have made leagues with the forces of hell without even being aware of it.  Why?  Because they did not and have not really prayed about the alliances or compromises.  PRAYER must precede everything, jobs, moves, houses, lands, cars, purchases, relationships, etc.  This is Spiritual Warfare and the objective of the devil is Deception.  He will destroy those in his control to discredit or hinder you, even it is just a little.  You are a threat to him and he will spare nothing to hinder or harm you.

In 1 Samuel 15:3 they were instructed to utterly destroy the Amalekites (a type of the flesh) and spare them none of them.  In Deuteronomy 7:2 they were instructed to completely destroy the enemy and make no covenant with him.  In v.6 they were instructed to consume all the people and have no pity.  In 2 Samuel 3:3 we find David marrying a foreign king’s daughter in violation of the directive of God.  Guess what came out of that union?  ABSALOM.  This is the son that rose up and drove David from Jerusalem and brought about tremendous heartache and havoc in the land.  In 2 Samuel 11:3 we discover that Bathsheba and her husband were Canaanites.  When David got involved with her in adultery it brought about incredible disaster to David’s family from that time forward.  In 1 Kings 11:1 we find Solomon turning away from God because of his intermarrying into heathen nations.  God said DON’T DO IT and HE DID IT.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27 that he disciplined his body strictly and made it a slave to God to ensure that he would not become a castaway.  Spiritual Warfare!  The flesh cannot be trusted or allowed to govern our lives.  We must PUT ON CHRIST and the ARMOR OF LIGHT so that having done all to stand we can stand and always be ready!

Another truth is when we fight we must FIGHT TO WIN!  One of the reasons that America is in much of the difficulty she is in is because God’s people have become PASSIVE.  We have allowed the enemy to walk over this land without saying a word.  We have sat silent and when the Church is silent evil prevails.  It takes endurance to fight Spiritual Warfare.  In 2 Kings 13:15-19 we discover another truth.  The truth that we must understand is that we must persevere and fight to the finish.  We cannot be satisfied with partial victory!  In this account, the prophet instructed the king to strike the ground.  The literal language is to BEAT THE GROUND or aggressive striking not just strike but PULVERIZE!  The arrow shot out the window came with the promise of deliverance.  However, the directions of the prophet were either not understood or ignored because the king only struck the ground 3 times.  He was passive and failed to follow through.  The prophet was angry because God was heartbroken and angry and said, “I told you to beat the ground, but you have been passive and therefore you will not have total victory.”  Syria stands today as a nation and a thorn in Israel’s side.

We must be aggressive in our pursuit of victory and we must endure to the end accepting nothing less than COMPLETE VICTORY!  God is not looking for improvement but cure.  He does not want to just make it better it wants to make it perfect.  We resist the devil UNTIL he flees.  We must remember our covenant is with God not the devil and God is making no deals with the devil.  In 1 Kings 13, we realize that when God puts us into the battle He does not want us to stop UNTIL the enemy is fleeing and destroyed.  We do not stop until God says ENOUGH.

I  do not want to spend too much time on this but it is so important I must address it a bit more so we will pause and pick up here next time.   May the Lord richly bless you, empower, and equip you for your journey. 

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…(Part Two)


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

God has no real interest in simply improving us, He wants us cured or transformed!  Improvement is nice but we have experienced too many wars in the natural where there was no real pursuit of winning and the result is a world in chaos.  I believe that we have missed a vital truth that if something is worth going to war over it is worth WINNING! 

Spiritually, God wants WINNERS!  He wants warriors who will fight to the finish, not people who seek a league or a covenant with the enemy.  He wants those who will stand in the face of the flood and say, “ONLY UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” is acceptable.  Cure is required and nothing but the total package of God’s Promise will be accepted.  NO COMPROMISE!

In Scripture, we have examples of people who missed this principle and the ramifications of that failure.  In Joshua 9 we find a people who had heard of the terror of the people of God as they entered Canaan.  As Israel journeyed through and drove out all the inhabitants, fear gripped the hearts of the enemies.  The Gibeonites heard of their exploits and devised a scheme to secure a treaty or a covenant.  They dressed in ragged worn clothes to appear as though they had traveled from a distant land.  Their shoes were worn, clothes were tattered, bread was stale, and used old wine skins.  They planned deception which is a perpetual tactic of the devil. 

Israel was deceived and took at face value the story told them without inquiring of the Lord.  That is a first principle in spiritual warfare, NEVER totally accept anything without first inquiring of the Lord – NEVER!  They came to Joshua and Israel and requested a treaty and he looked on the surface and thereby violated God’s Decree.  God said, “Drive out ALL the inhabitants of the land.”  When Israel discovered the deception the Gibeonites pleaded, “We will be your servants, just let us live in our land.” 

There is a painful truth to be gleaned.  You cannot pacify the devil and you dare not trust him to keep his world.  You cannot agree to let some devils stay and expect lasting peace.  You MUST DRIVE THEM ALL OUT!  You must dispossess to possess!  The real reason the deception worked was that Joshua and the elders did not inquire of the Lord.  They did not PRAY.  We are prime targets for deception if we fail to pray.  If we simply look at the external and pursue what seems reasonable striving for external peace WE WILL BE DECEIVED.  Peace will not be the result.  Satan’s goal is deception because that is the sum total of his power.  He has no other power over us except through deception and is a master at it.  The key to avoiding deception is PRAYER!

Today this is as vital if not more vital than in any hour.  In the last days, the Bible warns, there will be seducers waxing worse and worse not getting better or becoming more amicable and willing to co-exist.  In Matthew 24 we are warned against DECEPTION.  There will be false apostles, false teachers, and false Christs.  Beware, many will be deceived.  Romans 13 instructs that we need to KNOW THE TIMES and we need to PUT ON the Armor of Light.  We must be ready for spiritual warfare always.  The enemy will not wait for a time convenient for us to launch his attacks.  He is a coward and ambushes from the rear taking out the stragglers.  He is astute in Gorilla warfare, and the use of snipers.  Another reason to always be clothed with the FULL ARMOR OF GOD so that we are ready at all times for spiritual warfare!

I desire to address this just a bit more so we will pause now and pick this up in the next devotional.   May the rich blessings of the Lord always be upon you in all things and at all times!

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THE OBJECTIVE – Cure Not Just Improvement…


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Romans 13:11-14 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”  NASU

 

As I read this passage I discover there is the instruction to “put on something” in two places.  In (v.12) we are instructed to put on the ARMOR OF LIGHT and in (v.14) we are told to put on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.  That suggests that if we are properly armed we are armed with Christ.  He is truth and He is light.  We are to have His mind and if we have Him as our righteousness, peace, provision, power, and potential we are well able to face the enemies lurking in the darkness.  Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the “whole armor of God”.  I suggest it is important to repeatedly remind ourselves of what that armor consists.

Our loins are to be girded with truth – Jesus.  When we have on the breastplate of righteousness we have on Jesus.  That means we are not relegated to performance.  We put on the helmet of salvation – Jesus is our Salvation.  We take up the sword of the Spirit – (God’s Rhema Word as well as His Logos).  We take up the shield of faith remembering that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  We put on our gospel shoes our combat boots and thereby prevent the little stones from damaging our walk, work, or warfare.  We are ready for warfare!

            Ephesians 6:18 instructs us exactly how we are to go to war.  We utilize the weapon of prayer and engage in supplication in all seasons in the Spirit.  WARFARE is not that which as to do with ‘flesh and blood.’  God gives a picture of physical warfare so that we are able to understand how to fight in spiritual warfare.  We must never lose sight of the truth that the key and catalyst of spiritual warfare is PRAYER!  The FULL ARMOR OF GOD cannot be utilized effectively without PRAYER and that prayer is in ALL SEASONS.

Let me give you a little insight, which you already know, “the devil does not come around just in certain seasons or when it is convenient.”  Therefore, it is imperative that we are READY ALWAYS!  The ability of the Christian to overcome is not because you are a super-saint but because you have a warrior spirit.  There is no other way to overcome!  We must never forget that we do not and should not fight the devil’s way or on his turf.  There are some key truths we need to understand and implement in Spiritual Warfare.

  • We must KNOW we have heard from God and are on the side of Truth and Righteousness.
  • We must OPERATE in the Spirit of Love.
  • We MUST enter the battle prepared for and determined to win TOTAL VICTORY.

            We dare not engage in Spiritual Warfare in the manner some of the more recent wars America has fought.  In World War II the enemy made entreaties toward us seeking to negotiate a peace.  When an enemy knows, they are losing they often suggest a cease-fire, a plan they would have no interest in if they believed they were holding a winning hand.  The enemy seeks a treaty (covenant) and if the negotiations are successful fighting ceases.  However, in WW II we demanded UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER, unlike what we have recently done.  In spiritual warfare, it would behoove us to remember that we cannot make a pact, a league, or sign a non-aggression pact with the devil.  He is a liar and would never honor that treaty.  He wants to “steal, kill, and destroy.”  Therefore, if we are going to engage in War our mentality must be that we know we have heard God and are on the side of right and truth.  It must be that we never cease to operate in a spirit of love and we enter the battle determined that nothing short of TOTAL VICTORY is acceptable.

I want to address this further but for now, will pause and pick up next time!  God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

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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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