Matthew 12:44 – “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.”  NASB

Not only did this individual have the Fatal Misconception that Harmlessness was Holiness but He failed to realize another truth.  Not Only Does Emptiness Fall Short of Holiness but Emptiness is or can be Sin.

Please tap the brakes just a moment and not go wild with that statement.  I do not believe that just being busy is a sign of godliness.  I do not believe that being busy equates to salvation or purity.  I wrote a book detailing that problem entitled, “Too Busy With Busyness To Hear God.”  Therefore, I would never suggest that we be busy for the sake of being busy but that our busyness be God directed. 

We could bestow all our goods on the poor and needy and still not be profited spiritually.  James 4:17 informs us, “Him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  I do not believe that anyone can stand amid a needy world and not be guilty in the eyes of God if we remain idle or empty.

That Truth is Emphasized Time and Again in Scripture.  Jesus taught it and it is visible when He cursed the fig tree for emptiness.  He did not curse it because it did harm but because it was empty and bore no fruit but testified of having fruit.  Trees in the garden were removed because they were empty or fruitless. 

Let me make a shocking statement for some.  “In order to be lost it is not necessary to do wrong; it is only necessary to be useless.”  That is to miss the mark and fail to be obedient to God.  Remember the parable of the talents and the one was cast out not because of his act of wickedness but his failure to use what he had.  The man at the wedding feast that was cast out was not cast out because of his wickedness but because he did not have a wedding garment.

I heard of an engaged couple who had gone to a movie and during the movie, a fire broke out.  He ran away and left her behind.  Later he returned and sought her out, but she refused to acknowledge him. Why?  Because he ran away without doing what he should. She called off the wedding. 

Not only Is Emptiness sin (Sin of Omission) but it often leads to positive sin.  The only cure for emptiness is fullness.  Jesus said, “Out of your innermost being will flow rivers of living water.”  We are instructed in Ephesians to be “filled” or “crammed full of the Holy Spirit.”  The only real foe and defeat for darkness is light.  The only way to truly destroy error is with the truth. 

The parable of the tares and wheat is a powerful declaration of this truth.  Jesus taught a unique lesson in that account.  The focus is on the health of the wheat, not the tares.  It is better to have some tares in the wheat than to uproot the wheat.  Paul addressed this truth to a semi-barbarous tribe in Galatia who had been converted. They were having difficulty with self-control.  He did not say, “Set your face and make up your mind that you are not going to do wrong.”  No, He said, “This I say, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” 

We cannot win our world by simply doing no harm or wrong.  We must be filled with Christ and invest ourselves in His service.  We cannot simply be emptied of sin, we must be filled with Christ and His Spirit.  There is a work for us to do.  There is an assignment each of us has from God. 

We do not know how long we must work but we know we have work to do.  We have a community to reach, a world to tell about Jesus, lives to edify, disciples to teach and train.  Now is the accepted time and today is the day of salvation.  Refuse to be an idler and seek to be filled with Him and His Spirit.  If we ask, we will receive.  If we seek, we will find.  If we knock, He will open the door. 

God bless you as you enjoy His blessings, His Person, and His Power in your life today!

Matthew 12:44 – “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.”  NASB

I realize that this passage is talking about unclean spirits returning to the house (person) they possessed and reoccupying.  But I want to use it as a catalyst and spring into a different direction and hopefully, you will not consider me violating the scripture in doing so.  I ask that you give me a little latitude in this discussion and see if you can receive what I am offering.

I suggest that this could also describe the man or woman that is “empty.”  Their hands are not dirty, they are not full of filth, they are empty.  Consider for a moment the situation in which a person has had a phenomenal experience in God and received deliverance.  The problem with this person is that they did not progress and allowed their cleansing to become more foul which results in a greater foulness than before (v.45).

This person has been set free but allows his freedom to be turned into far worse bondage.  How could that happen?  How could anyone allow that to happen?  It is not by drifting into gross or blatant sin.  It is by simply allowing himself to remain empty.  The spirit returns and “finds the house empty.”

I have several questions regarding this person.  The first is “Why did he remain an idler?”  “Why did he allow his life to remain empty?”  Those are questions that demand an answer if we are to avoid a similar peril.  I am not suggesting that you are, have been, or will be demon-possessed but you can be influenced by the devil and even demonized if you allow the enemy to steal your blessing.

Did this transpire because the man was lazy?  Probably not.  Was it because there were no worthwhile tasks he could have pursued?  Hardly.  Was it due to indifference?  Possibly but probably not.  Okay, then “Why?  What was the root cause?”  I suggest that it is very possible and even probable that he, like many others, allowed a fatal misconception to rule in his heart and mind.  A misconception as to what it means to be a follower of Christ and a Christian.

I believe he was likely void of true understanding or right understanding of what sainthood involved.  He may have been eager to reach the goal of pious living, but his approach made that reality an impossibility.  I believe there are some key elements and warnings that, if heeded, will prevent us from suffering the same plight.

His First Blunder Was in Thinking That Harmlessness is Holiness.  He confused emptiness with saintliness.  He appears to have thought that goodness consisted in doing no wrong.  His mistake was a common mistake.  There are many whose greatest satisfaction and testimony are they ‘do no harm.’  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been told, “Well, I’m not hurting anyone and I’m a good person.”  Some seem to expect to sprout angel wings at any time because there are so many ugly things they do not do.  The list of sins they do not participate in would fill a small encyclopedia, but the list of burdens and useful tasks they are doing would be a blank page.

That is not a picture of Christian living and Christlikeness.  A bee is not prized because it does not sting but because it produces honey. A garden is not treasured because it has no briars or weeds but because of its flowers and fruit.  A rose is not sought after simply because of a lack of thorns but because of the beauty of its roses and their fragrance.  If doing no harm made one a saint, then we could make another Paul from a wax statue because it does no harm. 

Jesus said, “Take up your Cross and follow Me.”  He said, “Take My yoke upon you.”  Christianity is action-oriented and following Jesus involves action.  Jesus said, “If you love me, Keep My Commandments.” 

The misconception of ‘doing no harm’ never seems to die.  The Pharisees in Jesus’ day formed a religion of “Do Not” rather than “Do.”  The “thou shalt not” were so voluminous they required experts to define and determine them.  They were heavy burdens that no one could bear.  There were so many things you could not do on the Sabbath that a man would have to be a virtual computer to keep track of them all.  In fact, you could not even catch a flea without being guilty of hunting on the Sabbath. 

This mentality and misconception produces ‘monasticism” and plunged the church into the dark ages of idleness.  People sought to live a life of “sanctified selfishness.”  This man’s evil was two-fold.  The world needed the light He now possessed but he kept it hidden.  He lost the strength and power he could have brought by giving light, but he kept it hidden. 

I realize that I am being frank, and some may even consider me harsh, but we have a mission and a commission.  Freely we have received, and the requirement of God is that we give freely.  Peter and John said to the lame man, “Such as I have, I give.”  Luke 6:38 tells us to give and it shall be given.   What we give we get and the more we give the more we get.

God bless you and I want to address this a bit more in the next devotional.  Have a fantastic day!

Mark 11:12-14 – “And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry. 13 And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And He answered and said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.”  NASB

As we continue our our consideration of a Life that is Nothing but Leaves let us recall some important points. First, the precept that “God Has A Right to a Reasonable Expectation of Fruitfulness from All His Creatures.”  Second, I call to mind the precept, “God is Mocked by Mere Professions Instead of Fruitfulness.”  Jesus had come for figs but found only leaves.  His response indicates the view of God on hypocrisy.

It is possible to appear religious and feign, imitate, or counterfeit all the commonly identified things of a Christian life, yet possess none of those qualities. When fruitlessness is present that sin is often aggravated by bold hypocritical professions and pretense.  The fruit is the product of proper conditions, not pretense. 

For a fruit tree to bear fruit it must have care and nurture. It must endure pruning, enjoy fertilization, watering, sunshine, and all the other required ingredients that make for a fruitful condition.  That is true in our lives as well.  It is vital that we remember that Fruit comes from God and is not something we produce on our own.

Third, I want us to address the precept that “God, in the End, Will Give All False Professors a Fitting Retribution.”  I realize that sounds harsh and is somewhat ‘hellfire and brimstone’ preaching but it is an unavoidable truth in the Bible.  We are told in Hebrews 9:27 that all of us will die and after death, there will be God’s judgment or examination of our lives here on earth.  If we sow to the wind, we will reap the whirlwind.  If we sow to the flesh, we will of the flesh reap corruption.  That decision will be final and there will be no appeal. 

We are God’s workmanship.  We have been created by His own hands and He has a reasonable expectation for us to produce fruit according to the talent and ability He has deposited in us.  That is not a penalty but a privilege and should produce joy and rich blessing.  When we make Him Lord of All and bear fruit our lives take on a new radiance and joy that draws people to Him.  It is then and only then that we find true fulfillment and completeness.

God does not expect us to produce something according to what someone else has done or is doing.  Yet, He does expect us to bear fruit according to the deposit He has placed in us.  The answer does not lie in the plans we have made but, in the actions, we take along His planned pathway that produces the Victory. 

2 Corinthians 6:2 advises that “Now is the accepted time.”  There is no promise of any more tomorrows so we must work while it is yet day for the night is coming and we will no longer be able to work.  God desires total commitment.  No, God demands total commitment and has endowed each of us with certain talents, abilities, gifts, and opportunities.  Let’s purpose in our hearts to be useful and bearers of His fruit in our lives.

God bless you as you embark on His journey for your life!

Mark 11:12-14 – “And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry. 13 And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And He answered and said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.”  NASB

For those who have read “Pilgrim’s Progress,” you will remember that the interpreter took Christiana and her family into his ‘significant rooms’ and showed them the wonders he had formerly exhibited to Christian.  The story proceeds:

“When he had done, he takes them out into his garden again and had them come to a tree whose inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew and had leaves. Then said Mercy, ‘What meaneth this?’  ‘This tree,’ said he, ‘whose outside is fair, and whose inside is all rotten, is that to which many may be compared that are in the garden of God, but indeed will do nothing for Him; whose leaves are fair, but their heart good for nothing but to be tinder in the devil’s tinder-box.’”

This was John Bunyan’s way of putting into allegory what he had preached in his sermon on the ‘Barren Fig Tree.’  There are numerous facts that need to be observed and considered.

First, God Has A Right to a Reasonable Expectation of Fruitfulness from All His Creatures.  I believe that is an undeniable truth presented in Scripture.  On one occasion our LORD informed His disciples that they should go and bring forth fruit and that their fruit should remain. (John 15:16). 

This story teaches that God expects only what is appropriate to the nature of the person.  He expects nothing out of harmony with the way He has made you.  God expects that every person should bring forth his own fruit.  It is not the vineyard that bear grapes, it is the vine.  It is not the orchard that bear figs, but the tree.  God expects a proportionate quantity of fruit from each person.  That could easily be reckoned based on their personal ability and circumstances.  God is never unfair and always righteous!

Let me illustrate in a way that hopefully will resonate with each person.  Suppose a lone fig tree was standing in a little better position to receive sunlight.  Suppose that fig tree is able to receive a little more moisture, the soil is better, and the fertilizers is more evenly applied.  The Rule would be, the higher the favor the richer must be the fruit.  God gives us talents and expects us to use them to the fullest of our ability.  It does not matter what that ability or gift is, do it with your all and do it your best.

Another clear precept is that God always looks for Fruit at the Appropriate Time.  In the case of the fig tree in our text, “the time was not yet.”  Figs come before leaves on this type of tree.  Therefore, Jesus had every right to expect that the tree had fruit because it had leaves.  But, in the examination of the tree, there was no fruit only leaves.  If you will, the tree was a hypocrite.  By its outward appearance, it professed to have fruit, but it had none.

Jesus used this example to teach His disciples the peril of mere profession without fruit.  He did not ask fruit as soon as the tree was planted.  He respected the Laws of Growing and Ripening.  He waited for fruit in the time of fruit.  I will pause here and address more in the next devotional and hopefully help each of us move beyond leaves to bearing fruit in our lives.

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

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” NASB

I suggest reading through verse thirty-four in this chapter for the full view of what I wish to address.  The Bible is a Book of Precepts and Principles!  Here in the heart of the Sermon on the Mount our LORD addresses a powerful issue of provision and opens the door to a tremendous truth regarding His love and care for those who follow Him.  He exposes the sham and fallacy of following or seeking anything above Him.  He addresses the issue of trying to use God for personal gain. 

The principle and message are clear, and we dare not misunderstand or misapply this revelation.  The principle taught throughout the Bible is, “God Must Be Lord of All or He is Not Lord at all.”  That shines forth brilliantly in this passage and provides some wonderful insight into God’s heart.  Deuteronomy 5:7 instructs that we are to have no other gods before Jehovah God.  Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; and Luke 10:27 advise that we are to love God with our entire being, body, soul, spirit, and mind. 

The Precept is “God Must Occupy the Top Place in Our Lives.”  His character, nature, justice, love, mercy, holiness, and righteousness will allow nothing less.  There can be no cohabitation of the Spirit of God and the spirit of darkness.  [James 4:10-12].  The Evidence that God Occupies the Top Place in Our Lives is found our Love, demonstrated love for Him. 

In John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  That indicates that if I love God with my all then I will do all that is within the realm of my ability and power to do that which He desires.  In 1 John 2:15 we are directed, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”  That is painfully clear and wonderfully promising.

The evidence that God does not occupy the top place in our lives is evident in the converse of those passages.  We do not love Him with our all.  We love the world and what it offers more than we love God and His kingdom.  We pursue things over Him and His kingdom. 

I ask that you note the order and emphasis that our LORD places in His discourse.  He gives commands to refuse and then to receive.  He gives actions to be taken, principles are explained, dangers are explored, and the victory that is available is highlighted. 

Look at verses 19-20 of Matthew 6 and see the order of priorities in life.  I ask that you refer to the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12 for confirmation and clarity.  In verse 21 we have His explanation of the commandment.  This is a true revelation of the condition of our hearts and the genuineness of our love.  What is most important to us will be most sought after by us.  What is most important to us will command and hold our love and loyalty. 

In verses 22-23 we find the results of the placement of priorities.  In verse 24 we find the contrast and challenge that it is either God or the world.  In verse 25 we read the words, “For this reason…”  For this reason, do the following which details the total commitment of the total man.  It frees from Fear, Worry, Carnal Lust, and enables us to totally pursue the purposes and work of God.

In verse 30 we see God’s supply and in verse 32 we hear our Lord’s exhortation to avoid worldliness and in verse 33 we discover the solution.  God wants the best for our lives.  Jesus powerfully declared in Luke 12:32, “Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

God wants us to seek that which He wants to give. He will give the desire and when the conditions are met give the provision.  God wants to supply all our need and equip us for service and life.  To have the Perpetual Provision of God we must allow Him to occupy the top place in our lives. Please do not make God an afterthought or an addendum but the focus of your life!

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

1 John 4:16 – “And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”  NASB

The question asked in both Psalms 15 & Psalms 24 regarding the Presence of God is one that needs to be asked today.  Who can enter the presence of God?  How can we enter the presence of God?  Are we relegated to momentary flashes of His glory or can we establish permanent residence in His presence?  If we can, I want that!

There is a Jewish ritual that helps bring understanding.  In David’s day, the priest had to be cleansed by blood at the brazen altar and by water at the laver, before he could enter the Holy Place.  The blood was for cleansing of the guilt of sin and the water for service.  If he was cleansed without and within, he could enter the Holy Place for a veiled encounter with God.

In Hebrews 10:22 we read, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”  That speaks of today!  What they were expressing in that ritual was “Grace at work.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 informs us, “For by grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” 

God’s Grace sought us, bought us, and has brought us into His presence at the Cross.  It did that for us while we were still in our sins, defiant, degenerate, and defiled.  1 Timothy 1:14 declares, “And the grace of our LORD was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”  Then in verse 16, we discover Paul’s revelation of his own experience and God’s incredible grace. 

Saul of Tarsus before he became the apostle Paul was a religious zealot bent on destroying this new wave he considered hypocrisy and heresy.  But God’s Grace transformed him, and he became a brand-new man, totally transformed.  When grace comes and we receive it we are candidates for a supernatural encounter with God that is transformational.  It is at that point we are ready to ascend into His presence.  The fact that we do not remain there is explained in attitude, not His purpose.

Back to the question, “Who Can Ascend into God’s Presence?”  I suggest that we could rightly say, he who has applied God’s means of Grace and met God at the altar and laver receiving His Pardon and His Grace.  I am Hungry!  I am Thirsty!  I want more than momentary flashes of God’s Grace, Person, Power, and Presence! 

Psalm 42:1-2 is the cry of my heart, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” NASB Matthew 5:6 reminds us, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

When we cry out for God and desire Him more than life, He responds.  When we have that longing that can only be filled by God, He responds.  Many have ascended, momentarily, into His presence only to move back into the valley of despair and emptiness.  In that encounter with God, when we truly came into His presence it touched something in us that can only be satisfied with more of Him.  We never forget that encounter and long for it.  The only question is will we commit ourselves to and believe that He wants to elevate us into His presence continually?

The spiritual life should not be a roller coaster ride.  If this cycle of up and then down is all we can have, it is a miserable life.  I believe it is God’s desire to bring us into His presence and let us abide there.  I believe that He wants an abiding intimate relationship with us.  He wants to give us the Kingdom.  He wants to walk and talk with us, as He did with Adam in the garden.  He wants us to enjoy His presence as did Enoch.  He wants to communicate with us daily, as He did with Moses.  I believe He wants to abide with us, as He did with Abraham. 

There are over 160 times, in the Bible, that the declaration appears that we are “in Christ.”  Not simply touched by Him, stood before Him, seen Him, experienced Him, or encountered Him but we are IN HIM!  In 1 Corinthians 6:16, we find the quotation, “I will dwell in them and walk in them…”  God wants to be more than our Savior, Healer, Baptizer, Deliverer, and Provider.  He wants to have continuous fellowship with us.  He wants to dwell among us, walk among us, and commune with us.

I am not satisfied with occasional glimpses of His glory, I want permanent residence there.  I don’t want memories but a current reality.  I don’t want to testify of God has done something in my life, I want Him to be doing something all the time.  We cannot be content to have ascended and then descended back into the valley, we need to go beyond that and learn to Abide!  “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?”  Let it be me!

God bless you as you press into His presence and abide in Him and His words abide in you.  Have a fantastic day!