Life

DISRESPECT…


Spiritual Blog - Respect

Ephesians 6:2-3 – “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”  NKJV

A few days ago I was in a store and heard a child demanding a particular item from his mother and when she resisted he sat down on the floor and threw a temper tantrum.  She soon acquiesced and gave him what he wanted.  Later that same day I was in a restaurant and a father told his little girl to sit down and eat her food and she told him, quite loudly and without any trepidation, “NO! You can’t make me!”  He let her continue what she was doing.  I won’t say I was shocked but thought back to my childhood and thought about what my parent’s response would have been.  You really don’t want to know because I probably wouldn’t have been able to sit down for a week.  They would have busted my rear end right then and there and virtually nobody would have thought a thing about it but would have acknowledged approval for the discipline.  I respected my parents and knew that there were boundaries that I had to stay within or there would be consequences that I did not desire.  My respect for them, their enforcement of discipline (consistently), and my love for them motivated me to do what they approved when I was with them.  I confess I broke their rules when away from them but I “honored them” while in their presence and as I grew older out of their presence as well.

I lay the blame on parents for not enforcing consistent discipline.  I lay the blame on society for adopting the ideology that discipline (biblical) cannot be used.  I lay the blame on the children for being disrespectful.  Everyone has some blame to share!  My children will tell you that we did not allow them to pull the stunts mentioned above.  In church, while I was preaching my boys knew that if I snapped my fingers it meant, “Stop what you are doing now!”  They may not remember how effective it was but believe me the consistent enforcement of discipline on that front make that an effective method of getting the desired and necessary response from them.  I am reminded of one of the church members in one particular church telling the story of how their oldest son was acting up and the mother picked him up to take him out of the sanctuary and fully intended to give him a spanking.  As she was going down the aisle he said where everyone could hear, “Somebody help me this crazy woman is going to kill me.”  The entire church erupted and she got so tickled that while she still disciplined him she could not help but find it funny.

But, for all of us who have parents, or children, we should remember this verse and the additional benefit it contains.  It is a reference to the Ten Commandments and Paul says that “honoring your parents” carries with it the promise of long life on the earth.  Do I think that someone can honor parents and die young, of course, I do. However, I also believe that many live long and fruitful lives largely based on this promise and their truthful honoring of their parents.  My grandfather on my mother’s side was 9 days short of being 101 when he went home to be with the Lord and I know he honored his parents as did his children him and my grandmother.  My mother was 95 when she went home to the Lord and I watched her honor her parents.  She cared for her own family and carefully ministered to her parent’s needs.  It is more than just doing what they say it is a mindset and attitude.  It is a relationship.  It is an expression of respect and love.  It carries with it a desire to please them biblically.

I see disrespect in public.  I’ve seen it in homes.  I’ve seen it in schools.  I see it in every aspect of our society and goes way beyond just honoring parents but that is my focus here.  Let’s get this part right and I believe many of the other areas will come into harmony with the biblical guidelines.  Proverbs 13:24 – “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”  Some might be troubled by the idea of using the rod of discipline on their children, but discipline is a very good place to begin.  My dad could quote and believed an earlier verse in that chapter and practiced it.  Verse 14 – “You shall beat him with a rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell.” Actually, I’m glad my parents disciplined me and it did not make me a warped individual.  If I’m warped I did that on my own their discipline didn’t cause it.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

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CHRISTIANITY IN A MICROWAVE WORLD…


Spiritual Blog - Microwave

Luke 21:19 – “In your patience possess ye your souls.” KJV

I am fully aware of the context of this passage but want to use it to speak to a particular issue that I have been aware of in my life and in much of the Christian world – IMPATIENCE!  We have been trying to live as Christians with a “Microwave Mentality” for way too long.  We have been spoiled with the instant everything in our lives.  Unlike our parents and grandparents generations where they had more of a “Farmer Mentality,” we have a “Magician’s Mentality.”  We want it yesterday!

My mother and grandmother cooked most things from scratch, as they called it.  I well remember the first time my mother bought an “instant cake mix” and baked a cake with it rather than from “scratch.”  Then we were introduced to “instant potatoes” rather than real potatoes that had to be peeled cooked and mashed.  Next was “instant coffee” which didn’t make it in our house because my dad could not tolerate the thought of not having his coffee brewed or boiled.  He normally would take a stove top percolator and remove the insides leaving just the pot, put his water in and then pour in the coffee grounds and boil the coffee.  That was fine until you got to the bottom of the pot and your cup would be filled with those pesky coffee grounds.  He did graduate to the more modern coffee makers such as Mr. Coffee and that was a major step for him.

The farmer knows that the seed he plants today will not be harvested for weeks or months and has no expectation of waking up the next morning and having corn ready to harvest or any other crop.  Today we expect our food and everything else to be virtually instant.  We don’t like to wait!  I am probably one of the world’s worst when it comes to waiting especially at a restaurant.  I don’t like to sit and wait 30 minutes or an hour for a table.  I’d rather go somewhere else.  I don’t like waiting at the doctor’s office or in the examination room.  I want my computer to operate with blazing speed and when I go to the ATM I expect my cash to be instant.  Unfortunately, that also spills over into our relationships with others and with God.  I am virtually NEVER late unless it is beyond my control and then I do everything within my power to notify those who are waiting for me.  I don’t like waiting for someone who habitually arrives late because I consider it inconsiderate and an expression of the lack of value of my time.  I like meetings to begin on time and when I pray I want an immediate answer.  God works on me on that part quite a lot.

We need to learn the value of a patient spirit.  It will help you eliminate frustration and even enhance your health and well-being.  Amazingly, with my lack of willingness to wait on many things I love to fish and can sit all day long fishing without getting a bite and be content.  I’m patient.  I can hunt the same way.  So, I realize that it is a mindset that I can change with regard to other things that I cannot control.  I can choose to learn patience and in so doing learn to rest in the confidence that God is in control and I can trust Him.

If you are an “impatient” person then you need to hear what I’m saying today and as I’ve been told before “chill out.”  I know that’s not a term used today and dates me.  I remember once when I was single before my wife and I got married I was out on a date and the lady with me slapped my shoulders and said – “Roy, relax.”  I had no idea that I was tense but apparently, it was so obvious that she did that.  God has done the same thing to me on more than one occasion. 

So, as you go through this day ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be patient.  I know that in developing patience you will encounter things that test your patience and you may not like my advice but it is worth it to LEARN PATIENCE. 

May the Lord be with you as you go through your day!

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CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?


Spiritual Blog - Harmony

1 Peter 4:7-8 – “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”  NKJV

 

I do not mean to make light of that phrase and the answer is “Yes” and “No.”  We could all get along but we won’t all get along because we are not all believers with the love of God shed abroad in our hearts.  Even when we are we don’t always get along as is evidenced in the many different denominations, sectarian schisms, and divisions in the Body of Christ and within local churches not to mention those outside the church.

The admonition of Peter here is that “the end is near” so we are to be serious or sober or sound in mind and judgment and watchful or aware so that we know how to pray and pray fervently.  Intercession is a vital part of the life of a Christian of any age but in these last days, it is even more important.  He then gives us another directive that sadly is overlooked or excused by much of the Body of Christ – “have fervent love for one another.”

That is love that is “burning and constant.” It is a never-fading love and one that “covers a multitude of sins.”  It doesn’t excuse sin or justify sin but love covers it in that it takes the sinner or brother/sister in Christ and reaches past the flaw to bring them to restoration.  Restoration to Christ if that is the need or restoration in our relationship if there is offense.  If we practiced this passage of Scripture we would see a unification of the church in such a way that it would send shock waves through the world and produce a revival and harvest like we have never seen.

I’ve heard people brag about “running their preacher off” as though that were a good thing.  I’ve heard people brag about “starving their preacher out” as though that were a good thing.  I’ve heard people, Christians say, “I don’t get mad I get even” as though that were a good thing.  When people tell me “I can forgive but I can’t forget” I always tell them God doesn’t expect you to develop Divine Amnesia he expects you to make a conscious decision to not allow that event to be a factor in future decisions and actions on your part.  He expects you to love with UNCONDITIONAL LOVE or AGAPE LOVE and that is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit.  I cannot love you “unconditionally” without divine help.  My humanity would step in and although I do not have a large overbearing ego I do have one as do you.  I am not prideful but I do have pride and have to deal with it from time to time as do you.  Our humanity hinders our ability to fervently love each other and should identify to us the need for diligent fervent prayer for the help of God to allow Him to LOVE THROUGH US. 

There was a time in my life that if someone disagreed with me I considered them an enemy or an adversary.  If someone did something to me I would retaliate and give them back double what they gave me.  Then when I  was rescued from myself by the Lord I realized that my actions and attitude were producing a harvest that I did not want to continue in my life and have diligently sought Him to help me, LOVE.  Some have accused me of “hating” the certain politicians, but I don’t.  I detest some of the policies and where they desire to take this nation but I do not hate them.  I pray for those charged with the responsibility of governing and regularly and ask God to bring their hearts to that place that God desires and allow them to know, if they do not, the Love of God.  I won’t be their judge in that regard nor anyone else for that matter.  My greatest concern is the condition of my heart toward fellow believers and my fellow man.  If God gets me right I can impact the lives of others in a positive and powerful way and even if they do not turn to Him I will have manifested Him and His love for and to them.

We must realize that not everyone will agree with us, like us, or even love us, be we can LOVE like Jesus!  So as you go through this day ask the Holy Spirit to help you in that regard!  May God be with you as you go through your day!

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DON’T CONFUSE ME WITH THE FACTS…


Spiritual Blog - Facts

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 – “Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.” NKJV

The old saying, “Don’t confuse me with the facts my minds made up” is applicable here and I find it more in Christianity than I’d like to acknowledge even among preachers and teachers of the Word.  We develop our “rabbit trails” through Scripture and our “pet doctrines” and are so locked into those that when someone presents TRUTH we can’t hear it because we’ve already made up our minds.  I was one of those!  I could answer every objection to what I had to say with my little trail through Scripture and would not be shaken or allow anyone to cause me to deviate from my designed and determined path with partial quotations and half-truths.  Understand I didn’t realize that I was giving “half-truths” until the Holy Spirit arrested me and challenged me to allow Him to go through my entire theology and belief system.  That was neither fun nor painless because I had so many “sacred cows” that were slaughtered in the process and I still find another one being offered up from time to time.  But, I have determined in my heart that I will not be “closed minded” to what the Bible has to say and will “test all things” and as I find something to be proven truth I will “hold fast to it” until and unless the Lord opens a new dimension that I have not yet seen.

Paul instructed Timothy to “study to show himself approved” in 2 Timothy 2:15 and in so doing would be able to “rightly divide” the Word of Truth.  The believers in Berea were commended over the Thessalonians because of their diligent daily receiving the Word with the readiness of heart and mind and searching them to prove that which they had heard.  Sadly, I’ve seen people so taken through the emotional presentation of a preacher that they ran with what he said as though it were “Law & Gospel” when, in fact, it was only partial truth.  Had they searched, studied, and proven the message they would have been spared much heartache but they didn’t.  Once they heard it they could be identified as those who would say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts my minds made up.”  I tried earnestly to point out to them some additional information but they were of no mind to hear anything different.

We need to always be ready to HEAR the Word of God and then know that TRUTH will stand up under examination and investigation.  The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and instructed me that Truth was like a diamond with multiple sides or facets.  That only as I could view the Diamond from God’s position would I know ALL THE TRUTH and therefore I should realize that looking at it from my earthly point of view I must always be ready to allow an expansion of what I understood as a new facet or side of that truth was revealed.  There are times that it takes me months if not years to settle an issue within my heart regarding a new perspective on a particular doctrine.  I will doggedly pursue the mining of that nugget until I am totally convinced that I have reached the foundation and the Holy Spirit has confirmed it to my spirit.

So instead of being “closed” to the possibility of something more than what you now see on a particular issue be “open” to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, in the Word more fully.  It will enhance your spiritual walk and enable you to walk in greater light and fullness than ever before.

May God bless you richly as you go through your day!

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FEAR NOT…


SPIRITUAL BLOG - Fear

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’  NKJV

Years ago I had an individual tell me that there were 365 “fear not’s” in the Bible, one for every day of the year.  Imagine that, if it were true but after doing some diligent research I was unable to find 365 and in many versions not even 100.  However, that is not a problem because ONE – “fear not” from Jesus is enough right!  Although this is some almost worthless information the following has been found:

KJV – 74 “fear not”; 29 – “be not afraid”  NASB – 4 – “fear not”; 57 – “do not fear”; 46 – “do not be afraid”

The word “fear” in all of its forms is only listed 314 times in the original languages, which also includes words translated as terrible, dreadful, reverence, and terrible acts.  As per www.blueletterbible.com, we find the following:

NKJV – 129, NIV – 66, NASB – 127, ASV – 148, DBY – 155, HNV – 44, NLT – 38, ESV – 137, RSV – 139, YNG – 115, WEB – 144.

 The truth is that if it was in the Bible just ONE TIME that would be enough because as we find in Genesis God only had to say, “Let there be light” one time for it to happen.  It didn’t take 365 to cover every day of the year.  God said it and that was enough to bring it into existence.  What we need to do is “believe” what He says about this and everything else.

As Christians, we DO NOT FEAR or do not have to fear!  We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus and transferred from the kingdom or domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Light and Love!  We are more than, conquerors through Him who loved and loves us!  He has overcome the World and He lives in our hearts so we are overcomers!  We have nothing to fear because God is with us! 

I am concerned about the condition of our nation but not fearful.  I am concerned about many things but not fearful.  I refuse to allow fear to have dominion in my life because I know that God has promised to “never leave me nor forsake me.”  Fear would be an expression of doubt in the promises of God and I choose to believe His promises!  When “fear” raises its ugly head and tries to gain a foothold in my thinking I run to the Cross and look at the finished work of Jesus and fear dissipates.  Worry is a by-product of fear so I choose not to allow worry to have any place in my thinking.  I do not try to justify worry or fear by saying “I’m just concerned.”  I am concerned about many things but confident that no matter how they turn out God is still God and will be with me through it all and in it all.   That brings peace to my heart and gives me the confidence and strength to face each day and all the struggles that that day might contain.

So as you go through this day go with the confidence that God is with you!  Walk in freedom, not fear!  May God be with you as you go through your day!

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HAVE WE LOST THE URGENCY WE ONCE HAD?


Spiritual Blog - Midnight

2 Peter 3:8-9 – “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

 

When I first began in the ministry there was an urgency and expectancy that the LORD was about to come.  We thought it so imminent that some foolishly sold all they had and went into hibernation waiting for the LORD’s return.  Others, however, felt the urgency and expectancy as a compulsion to SPREAD THE GOSPEL to everyone and anyone who would listen fully believing that there might, not and likely would not be a tomorrow.  As time has passed I have witnessed a loss of that urgency and expectancy because as Peter described in the preceding verses people lose the urgency because they kept hearing it but nothing happened and time just kept rolling along.

Today some are beginning to feel a resurgence of the urgency and there is a growing anticipation that something is about to happen in the spiritual realm.  Our world has evolved to a place where more and more things are in place for the fulfillment of biblical prophecy concerning the end times.  There is legitimate cause to be concerned about things in our own government as well as in the world overall regarding the opening of the door for the Anti-Christ to come on the scene.

For some time I have been sensing an urgency from the LORD and a reminder that just because it has not happened doesn’t mean that it is not going to or that it is necessarily sometime in the far distant future.  I don’t know when the LORD will return and neither does any other human on planet earth.  Yet, what I want to say here is less about the delay or the imminent return of the LORD, but more about the last part of verse nine.  That thought being that the LORD is longsuffering or patient with us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  That is the heart of God our REDEMPTION.  That is why Jesus came the first time, lived as He did, and went to the Cross.  We have been God’s focus from the beginning and sadly we have, at times, lost a sense of that and the urgency of God’s heart regarding the lost.

I pray to God that I never become so calloused regarding the Gift of Salvation that I lose the sense of urgency that comes with it.  If somehow tomorrow a vast fortune came into my hands and I could do with it whatever I choose I believe and hope that I would instantly seek to bless those I love and care about.  Following that, I would seek to help as many ministries as I could to further the cause of the Kingdom of God.  Yet, we have been given this Great Treasure of salvation and often seem to take it for granted and appear calloused with regard to those who have not received this gift and do not know our LORD.  As I heard early in my Christian experience the words of a man who did not believe tell a chaplain, “Sir you do not believe in hell.”  The chaplain was astounded and protested but the unbeliever said, “If I believed in hell, though this land was covered in broken glass I would crawl on my hands and knees, if necessary to warn people to flee it.  You, sir, are not telling anyone so I must conclude you do not really believe it exists.”  That should give all of us a reality check!  If we see real danger we do not hesitate to warn people about the danger, yet how many times are we as guilty as the chaplain in this regard?  I’m not trying to turn everyone into an Evangelist but we do have a commission from our Lord to share what we have received and to take this message to the ends of the earth.  It is not your job or responsibility to “win the world” but it is your responsibility to share your gift within your sphere of influence and where the Holy Spirit affords you the opportunity.  If salvation is as great as we KNOW IT IS then how can we not speak of it to others?

            May God be with you as you go through your day!

 

[Thanks to my dear friend Tim Malone for causing this to rise up with a renewed freshness in my heart.]

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PROSPER AND BE IN HEALTH…


Spiritual Blog - Health

3 John 2-4 – “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”  NKJV

 

 In a world today where we are facing difficult times and uncertainty with regard to so many things this is a powerful reminder of God’s desire for us.  As John says in verse four “I have no greater joy than to hear that God’s children walk in truth.”  John says his children but I did a Roy paraphrase to bring it into the perspective from which I speak today.

John’s prayer is a reflection of the heart and desire of God for all His children.  He wants us to PROSPER in everything, not just an occasional victory.  He also wants us to be in HEALTH and walk, in WELLNESS and WHOLENESS.  John makes the connection to our spiritual condition in both of these things because our spiritual condition will determine what we do with what we have.  It will determine if we consume it upon our own lust or selfish desires or if we utilize it for the Kingdom of God.

I’ve been blessed of God to have experienced the miracle of healing in my physical body more than once.  I have documentation to prove some of those miracles and the testimony of medical doctors, x-ray technicians, and other people who witnessed the occurrence.  I am a cancer survivor solely because of God’s healing power and as my surgeon said, “This never happens medically so someone higher than you and I had a hand in this.”  The radial head in my right arm was broken and depressed enough to cause the doctors to consider surgery.  However, through the prayers of God’s people 10 days after the first x-ray a 2nd x-ray was taken and read by a doctor who knew nothing of the situation and he declared my arm to be a normal arm with no evidence of any fractures or previous fractures.  I know what it is to have someone walk up to you and place a sum of money in your hand that met a financial need although they knew nothing of my situation.  I know what it is to have job interviews changed so that the interviewer would be a person that would be favorably impressed with me and offer me the job.  I know that because I was told later that the original interviewer had already decided that I was not the right candidate but God intervened and gave me someone else and they sold my value to the committee selecting the candidate for the job.  I know what it is like to experience God’s favor with man and it was directly connected to my spiritual condition and mindset.  Please understand I’m not saying that because I am or was super-spiritual I received God’s blessings and those that did not, were not super-spiritual.  NO! NO! NO!   It was all Grace, not Merit. 

My prayer for each of you is that you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.  I want you to enjoy a close relationship with the Lord because I know the benefit of that relationship.  I want you to enjoy the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that comes out of that relationship.  I want you to walk in the grace, peace, power, and provision of the Lord in all things and at all times.  I desire you to walk in His truth

My prayer as you go through this day is that you will go through it with the Power of the Spirit of God manifests in a noticeable way in your life!  God be with you is my prayer!

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A PIG IS A PIG…


Spiritual Blog - Pigs

2 Peter 2:18-22 – “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” NKJV

 

Peter is addressing false teachers and heresy but makes some very interesting analogies in this portion of scripture that I want to look at briefly.  We have all known or known of preachers and teachers whose lives do not match their preaching and teaching.  Some of them are charlatans who live in the prison of their lust for money, power, position, lasciviousness, and the like.  They come promising the hearer liberty but are bound by corruption so they can offer nothing spiritually that is liberating.  They offer words that are “empty” because their words are not backed up by their hearts.

Peter addresses the sad situation where one escapes the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then becomes entangled in those pollutions again.  He powerfully expresses that it would have been better for that person to have NEVER KNOWN the way of Righteousness than to have experienced it and turned back.  His picture is that of the natural inclination of a sick dog or a cleaned up pig returning to the mire.  I know that some will totally disagree with me doctrinally on this but Peter tells us that we have an individual or individuals who have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  They moved out of darkness into light.  He then addresses the issue of that individual or individuals turning their backs on what they have received and returning to the way of the world and compares it to a dog’s nature or a pig’s nature.  A pig cannot help being a pig but a person who comes to know Jesus has a “new nature” through the Blood of Jesus and does not have to return to the mire.  Just because temptation comes does not mean you are obligated to yield to it.  You are no longer a pig so get it out of your head that you are somehow obligated to wallow in the mire just because you are human.  That would diminish the power of the Cross and that is unacceptable to me.  If the Blood of Jesus can wash away my sin then the Grace of God can keep me walking in the way!  Of course, we may all and probably will, stumble at times but that doesn’t mean we return to the mire and allow the “old nature” to gain control.  No, we immediately repent and allow the Spirit of God to help us learn from our mistakes and mature.

I’ve known people that would keep succumbing to the same temptation time after time and come to me in tears.  I had one person tell me one time, “I can’t help it it’s the way God made me.”  That didn’t register well with me and I’m sure it didn’t with God because once we receive the knowledge of the Lord and are born into the family of God we are NEW CREATIONS so that is not the way God made us.  It is our responsibility to “resist” and in “resisting” the Bible tells us that the devil will flee!  Bullies only bully people who offer no resistance.  So, a pig is a pig but you are not a pig you are a child of the King and have been washed clean.  If you stumble you have an advocate with the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ!  You may experience that failure but you don’t have to take up permanent residence there.  God’s Grace is Greater than all our Sin!

May the Lord be with you as you go through your day!

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I HEARD GOD CRY…


Spiritual Blog - Weeping

Psalm 6:6-10 – “I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies.  8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.” NKJV

 

Some time back, in a time of prayer, meditation, and reflection on God’s Word while listening to the voice of the Spirit of God within my heart I distinctly heard the Lord weeping!  It was one of the most disturbing experiences of my life.  I’ve heard it before but never to the depth of the agony that I could hear from God’s tears on this occasion.  I was so moved that the floodgates of tears began to well from my eyes and my heart was shattered into a billion pieces as I listened in my spirit to the weeping of the Lord.  This went on for what seemed like hours but in reality, it was minutes.

Inside my heart, I could hear the Spirit of God asking, “Do you know why the Lord is weeping?”  I was almost afraid to answer so I sat silent for a few moments and heard the same question again and knew that I was to give a reply and would likely receive a correction or explanation that would be enlightening.  I responded with questions, “Is it because of the condition of our world, the church, or this nation?  Is it because of the blood of millions of murdered infants that were never allowed to become what God has destined and desired for them?  Is it because of the sinfulness of man and the slothfulness of the Body of Christ?”  Then I heard the agony in the voice of the Spirit of God saying, “He’s crying for you!”  Before I dared respond to that I heard within my innermost being, “He is crying for all His children!”

My first thought was, why isn’t God crying for the lost?  Why isn’t God crying for the nation?  Why isn’t God crying for the condition of man?  Then suddenly I realized that He was!  In crying for me and all His children He was weeping for the world!  He was heartbroken over our slackness and attempts to be politically correct biblically.  He was weeping that we have come to a place that we are not disturbed by the things that rip His heart out and in many ways have become calloused to sin.  He was weeping for the trampling of the Blood of Jesus under man’s feet.  He was weeping because we are not weeping and as the above passage describes – “groaning” and “making our beds swim with tears.”  Throughout the Bible we find it repeated time and again that when God’s people became repentant, were alarmed at sin, and turned to Him with a whole heart that He responded.  I knew in my heart that the weeping that I was hearing was because our Lord wants to move mightily in this world but because we, too often, have chosen the path of least resistance instead of intercession He is waiting for us!  His broken heart broke my heart and as sat and wept.  I have renewed my commitment to not be so anesthetized to ungodliness that it doesn’t break my heart and propel me to the prayer closet to intercede on behalf of others.  I have renewed my commitment to pray for this nation because I sense that incredible persecution is coming if we do not RETURN TO THE LORD!  Persecution is coming even if we do but if we return now we can see a harvest that will preserve multitudes for eternity.

I know today what my mother felt, at times, when I was rebellious and wandered in a direction that she knew was destructive.  I know what my earthly dad felt when I exhibited character traits that were foreign to all he’d tried to instill in me.  I know what it is to weep for your children and want to intervene on their behalf but could not because some decisions have to be made by the individual and God allows us to make choices.  Choices have consequences.  My choice is to follow the Lord with a whole heart!

May God be with you as you go through your day

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GOD WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY…


Spiritual Blog - Glory

Acts 12:20-24 – “Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.” NKJV

 

I had a man of God stand before me years ago in a public meeting and as he was ministering to people he said over and over, “Flattery, flattery, flattery,” then walked away.  Later he came back and said, “My brother God wants me to warn you not to listen to the flattery that people have, are and will give you.  Keep your focus on Me and know that all that you have, all that you are, and all that you will ever be is dependent upon Me – THE LORD!”  I took that to heart and have always grown very uncomfortable when people begin to flatter me.  I know that sometimes it is a genuine expression of respect and they are giving me honor but I NEVER want to take credit for what God does through me.  As the song of old – “Without Him, I could do nothing.  Without Him, I’d surely fail.  Without Him, my life would be hopeless like a ship without a sail.”  I take that as a staple in my life.  I’ve had people tell me you need to learn how to take compliments and maybe I do but I am NEVER comfortable with words directed toward me for things God has done.

I believe the following quote by Vance Havner is totally accurate – “Popularity has slain more prophets of God than persecution ever did.”  I’ve seen preachers, individuals, businessmen, and most assuredly politicians succumb to this type of thing that cost Herod his kingdom and life.

I suppose that is one of the reasons that I have always tried to teach those I have led to “Follow me ONLY, as I follow Christ.”  I’ve always told the Churches that I was privileged to lead that if they depended on me they would be disappointed because I am human just as they.  My philosophy has always been to get the focus of every person and congregation upon JESUS, not man!

I confess that it is nice to hear complimentary words from time to time but sometimes those words or expressions go beyond what I’m comfortable with and feel that if I allowed them to continue I’d be treading on God’s turf and taking honor to myself that belongs only to Him.  I have great respect for many men and women of God and hold them in high esteem but I always keep in mind that they are human just as I.  I don’t want to find myself or any congregation in the condition of the Corinthian church who were saying, “I’m of Paul, I’m of Apollos, I’m of Peter, or I’m of Christ,” and thereby dividing the Body.  Christ is not divided and only Jesus died for us!  I cannot save anyone God can.  I am a member they are members of the Body of Christ just like everyone else.  Their gift and calling may place them in a position of public recognition but IT IS STILL CHRIST!  So long as we remember that we will be fine!

May God bless you as you go through your day!

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