Spiritual

CONSIDER ANOTHER HE MIGHT BE A WEAKER BROTHER…


Spiritual Blog - Weaker

1 Corinthians 8:9-13 – “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” NKJV

The matter of personal liberty has always been and will always be an issue in the Church and the conscience of a weaker brother or sister.  How far do we press our liberty before we become a stumbling block for a “weaker brother”?  Is there a time to say, “Grow up and realize that different people have different convictions”?  Is exercising our liberty worth causing another to stumble?  How you answer those questions will determine how you relate to those around you.

There was a time in my Christian walk that I felt that everyone should hold the same convictions that I did and if they did not they were “carnal” at best and “backslidden” at worst.  Most of the time I considered that one and the same and was a Pharisee of Pharisees!  It took God rattling my cage in a major way to cause me to rethink my way of thinking and to understand that I am not God’s Fruit Inspector He can handle that job just fine.  Likewise, I had to learn, although in my heart I knew it that most of what I called “convictions” were simply “opinions” and did not have the weight of Scripture.  An opinion is just that and is something that may and should change if new light is brought.  If God “convicts” your heart over an action, belief, or anything you should follow what God says implicitly and explicitly.  Yet you must always remember that what God “convicts” you of He may not convict another.  Many times the roots of that conviction stem from something within you or the geographic region in which you live and the mindset of those around you.  God will bring conviction to your heart for your benefit not so you can attempt to impose it on everyone else that would be what a Pharisee does.

There have been times that I could have done something but knew that there were those around me who would be hindered in their Christian walk if they saw me.  So, in the interest of another, I choose to abstain.  In traveling to other parts of the country and world I have found that there are many differing views on various things that Christians do or do not do and sometimes the dogmatism is so strong that no amount of reason or biblical teaching can break it.  Unless God brings light to the heart, that person or persons will remain as they are.  Attempting to legislate to them a particular mind-set or lifestyle would be futile and brings to mind the old saying:  “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”  They may yield to your insistence but their hearts and minds have not truly changed.  You are not God so why try to be?

As you go through your day realize that what you do and say will have an impact on others so choose your words and deeds carefully considering another for your liberty is not worth hindering another in their pursuit of GOD and His GRACE!

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

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THE LIVING DEAD – – Alive But Dead…


Spiritual Blog - Dad

Romans 8:10-12 – “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh….”  NASU

 

We are the “Living Dead” and I’m not talking about Zombies as Hollywood seems to be obsessed with these days.  When I say the “Living Dead” I am talking about people who have “died to sin” and “risen to life” in Jesus Christ through the Power of the Blood.  It is a beautiful place to be – LIVING DEAD!

Paul informs the Roman believers that IF the Spirit of God, that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us that same Spirit will give us LIFE in our mortal bodies.  We are then DEAD but ALIVE and that is because we are not controlled by the “flesh” but the “spirit.”  As a result, we are no longer under OBLIGATION to Live According to the Flesh.  That leads me to my next question – “Why do we?”  Why do we allow the FLESH to have so much power in our daily lives?  Why do we allow the FLESH to be such a dominant force in our lives?  WHY?  There can only be one of a few possibilities.

  • We are uninformed as to our position and condition in Christ.
  • We are willing participants with the FLESH.
  • We are so underdeveloped spiritually that the devil easily sways and overcomes us.

None of those are conditions that are required.  We are not OBLIGATED to live that way.  When Jesus came, lived a sinless life, died sacrificially on the Cross, rose the third day, and is now ascended to the Right Hand of the Father – the devil was defeated.  That is not a maybe or someday, somehow when we all get to heaven he will be – HE IS DEFEATED NOW!   Jesus said that ALL POWER or AUTHORITY in heaven was given to Him and He gave that to us.  Therefore, we have authority and power over the devil which would mean that the FLESH is to be subject to the Spirit of God not, vice versa. We are under NO OBLIGATION to succumb to the temptations or whims of the flesh.  We are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Jesus and We CAN do all things through Christ!  That is our Covenant, Heritage, and Promise from the Lord Himself so why not employ it and enjoy it?

Therefore, as you go through this day go in the strength of the Power of the Spirit of God and walk in Victory!  God bless you richly is my prayer!

 

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WANTED – – Truth Tellers…..


Spiritual Blog - Truth

Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.” NASU

I don’t want to get political or go on an all-out attack on religious hypocrisy but will say that what we need in this present world is men and women of THE TRUTH.  Paul tells the Ephesian Church that they are to “lay aside” FALSEHOOD and “speak the truth.”  He reminds them and us that we are not isolated from each other but as members of both the human race and the family of God we are part of the same fabric and while we sometimes are guilty of lying to ourselves or distorting reality in our minds we do not practice that regularly, at least I hope we do not.

My grandfather and father always told me, “Tell the truth it is easier to remember than a lie.”  They usually told me that when I attempted to pull the wool over on their eyes and they saw through it with amazing clarity and regularity.  Neither would tolerate laziness or dishonesty and were truthful to a fault and even if telling the truth brought them personal or financial difficulty.  They believed and so do I that “honesty” is not just the best policy it is the “only policy.”  If we are truthful then we do not have to worry about being exposed and that in itself brings a certain sense of peace and security to the heart and mind.  We have all known people who it seems would climb a tree to tell a lie when they could have stood on the ground and told the truth.

My children know that I told them, “If you lie to me and I catch you it will be far worse than if you tell me the truth.”  If they remember they can recall sometimes when they told me the truth and escaped punishment and times when they didn’t and the punishment or correction was stepped up a notch.  If we encounter someone who tells us untruths on a regular basis, no matter how hard we try not to label or characterize them as being a liar we still do so, at least in the back of our minds and it affects our relationship or prevents us developing one that is positive.  No one wants to do business with a person that distorts the truth or facts.  No one would want to sit under a preacher who told fabrications.  As a friend of mine had a member of his congregation asked him, “Pastor was that story you told the truth or were you just preaching?”  What a statement and while she may not have meant it as it came across that she would even entertain it is a tragedy.

You do not want anyone to tell you anything but the truth so why practice telling others something that is not truthful?  You would not want your doctor to tell you something that was not true regarding your health because that could cost you your life.  You would not want your banker or financial adviser to misrepresent your finances that might cost you your possessions.  In life (all of it) let’s be PEOPLE OF THE TRUTH!

May God bless you as you go through your day!

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SLAVES NO MORE…


Spiritual Blog - Heirs

Galatians 4:1-7 – “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ” Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” NASU

Paul’s way of explaining our relationship with God is powerful.  He brings to mind that a child although a member of the family and ultimately owner of all the family fortunes and worth is little different from a slave because the child is under the authority of his/her parents or those whom the parents have placed over them.  They are not allowed the privilege of operating as an “owner” until it is deemed by the father that they are ready. Owner of all but the authority of a slave is the condition described.

Then he declares to us that we are “sons” (a non-gender term as used here) and because of that truth God has sent the Spirit of God into our hearts crying “Abba! Father!”  As a result, we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters and if we are sons and daughters we are HEIRS OF GOD!  Oh my friends, how often do we as children of the Most High live beneath our privilege?  How frequently do we live as slaves rather than sons and daughters?  It is time that we assess who we are and whose we are.  It is time to reread the Bible and determine what this “New Covenant” that is established upon “Better Promises” is all about and what it affords.  It is time that we reevaluate our relationship with the Lord and that we have authority and power to not only overcome the enemy of our souls but the grace to live the Abundant Life that Jesus promised.  You are not a SLAVE you are a CHILD OF GOD and an HEIR according to His Promise!  We need to remember that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and what He did He still does and can do!

Let’s move from a slave mentality to a son and daughter mentality.  Let’s move from timidity to boldness in our relationship, heritage, and covenant.  Let’s begin to live as HEIRS and bring real hope to this hopeless world outside of Christ.

God bless and keep you as you go through your day!

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STRONG IN GRACE…


Spiritual Blog - Grace

2 Timothy 2:1, 11-13 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus…11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” NASU 

How about you, do you want to be “Strong in Grace?”  I believe that I can answer that for you without violating your right to make the decision for yourself and say YES!  Paul identified in verses 11-13 some truths regarding our walk with Christ in this life by saying:

  1. If we have died in Him we will also live in Him.
  2. If we endure we will reign.
  3. If we deny Him, He will deny us.
  4. If we are faithless, He will remain faithful
  5. God cannot deny Himself.

We are dead in Christ through the “new birth” and have been made a new creation through the gift of Salvation and one day we will live with Him eternally.  Jesus never hid the fact that we would face difficulties in life and in the Christian walk and neither does Paul.  He tells us the end of that enduring is reigning with Jesus.  He warns that if we deny the Lord, God will deny us on that day and that is not something that any of us desires.  He tells us that we may be less than faithful but God will always be faithful because He cannot deny Himself and He is faithful.

So to be “Strong in Grace” is to embrace the faith that is in Jesus Himself.  It is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is to allow the Holy Spirit to shed the Love of God abroad in our hearts and to teach us all things that Jesus said.  It is to allow the Holy Spirit to quicken our mortal bodies so that we shake off the shackles of carnality and move into the realm of the spiritual.  It is to become focused on the King and the Kingdom of God as paramount and supreme above all else.  It is to TOTALLY SURRENDER our life, all of it to GOD!

It is in that condition and position that we become “Strong in Grace” and no matter what comes we come out the other side IN CHRIST and therefore VICTORIOUS!

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

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MOUTH AND HEART CHRISTIANS……


Spiritual Blog - Words

Psalm 19:14 – “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” NASU

 There have been times in my life, Christian walk, and ministry that I have either found myself out of harmony with these two or have encountered others who were so conditioned.  What does it mean to be out of harmony between the “mouth” and the “heart”?  It means that what you are saying is not what you really believe or living and that would fall under the definition of “hypocrisy”.  None of us wants to be a hypocrite.

David’s prayer is one that I pray regularly and with earnest because I recognize that if “my talking the talk” does not line up with “my walking the walk” then it is like “rain on a tin barn” and is only noise but no substance.  There will be no impact on lives for the good and God only repulsion and rejection of both the message and messenger.  But, it goes deeper than that because if my “words” are not in harmony with the “meditation” of my heart then I lose out in my relationship with God and do not develop or enjoy the bountiful benefits of walking with Him.  I am, at best, out of fellowship with my Lord and at worst in a rebellious state and in danger of being spewed out of His mouth.

I want my words to PLEASE THE LORD as well as my thoughts, heart, and action.  I want my actions, which spring from a pure heart to be pleasing to God and productive for the cause of the Kingdom of God.  I believe that the vast majority of believers desire the same thing ALL THE TIME.  Therefore, the question arises – “How Do We Ensure That Is the Case?”  I believe that Jesus said it best in Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” NASU  Paul echoed that in a different fashion in 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 – “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” NASU If we are to have our “words” and “meditation” or our MOUTH and HEART be in harmony with the pleasure of the Lord we MUST make Him first above everything.  We MUST take proactive steps to ensure that NO THOUGHT that is out of harmony with His Word is allowed lodging in our hearts or minds.  We MUST become people of PRAYER, PRAISE, and PURSUIT of God.  If we do that I am convinced that God will step into our situations and maneuver our “words” and “meditations” so that they are in complete harmony and pleasing to the Father!

May God be with you and guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord as you go through your day!

 

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SOMETHING THE WICKED CANNOT HAVE…


Spiritual Blog - Wicked

Isaiah 57:19-21 – “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.”  20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”  NKJV

Jesus said in John 14:27-28 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” NASU Paul later wrote in Philippians 4:7 –“And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” NASU The Lord, through Isaiah, declares that He creates the fruit of the lips and grants peace to the one who is near and the one who is far off.  God promises to bring healing to those and I personally believe that means physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, and economically.  Then He says something that should catch our attention if the first part did not.

God identified that there is something that the wicked cannot have or possess – PEACE.  The wicked will toss and turn on his bed at night troubled by shadows of things they fear whether real or imagined.  The wicked will always be looking over his shoulder because of the vileness of his heart and the corruption that proceeds from it.  He will never trust anyone because he cannot be trusted.  He is like a troubled sea that dredges up filth and pollution and THERE IS NO PEACE.  So, if your life is marked by the absence of peace you might want to examine your relationship with our Lord.  I am not saying you are wicked but suggesting that if you allow the Holy Spirit to develop your relationship with Jesus PEACE will become a natural product of your life and its continued absence is a definite sign of a problem.  On the other hand, if you are engaged in wickedness then you cannot expect to experience true peace or continual peace it is not something that God will allow you to have.

I know the PEACE OF GOD that goes far beyond what the human mind can comprehend or imagine.  I know what it is to be completely calm, collected, and restful in the midst of a situation that would cause any heart to be completely hysterical.  I know what the infusion of GOD’S PEACE can bring to any situation and any heart in the most difficult of times.  That place of peace is a place that I desire as my permanent residence.

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

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YOU ARE NOT A SHOW PONY…


Spiritual blog - Show Pony

Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”  NASU

Most if not all of us know or have known of people who relished the spotlight and attention.  They did philanthropic deeds, put their best foot forward, and put on the dog (so to speak) when they knew they were being observed but when no one was looking they were quite different.  I observed a professional athlete once that when the cameras were on him he was smiles and courteous even signed an autograph or two but when the camera crew went to another location he was rude, arrogant and dismissive of anyone trying to get near him.  Another athlete in the same event continued for a full hour talking to the spectators and fans signing autographs and learning something about the people.  One was all show but no substance the other was genuine on or off camera.  I gained respect for the one and lost all respect for the other.  I won’t tell you who they were it is not important what they did is.

In Christianity, the Lord Jesus advised that if we practice our righteousness or ‘Faux Christianity’ to be seen and lauded by men we will be genuinely disappointed on that final day when we stand before God.  The words ‘well done my good and faithful servant’ will not be heard.  Jesus said that there will be no reward from the Father, the praise of men is all we will get in this life or the next.  You are what you are when no one is around.  It would be far better to be real, honest, and who you really are all the time.  That way you never have to be afraid that someone will see or hear you out of character or costume.

That is a philosophy that I adopted a long time ago for my life.  I am what I am at all times!  What you see is what you get.  I don’t change when in the pulpit, sitting in the pew, at a party, prayer meeting, or in the woods hunting.  I’m the same all the time.  That has not always been the case and I would put on a mask when I went to church because, after all, I was the preacher and could not have problems, be down, disappointed, or ever battle depression. I was trying to be a spiritual superman!  That became so tiring that one day the Holy Spirit arrested me and said, “You Phony, stop it!”  Of course, I protested and gave my well-rehearsed argument about why I had to be like I was only to hear the Spirit of God say, “PHONY! PHONY! PHONY!”  It took a few encounters like that for me to fess up and repent.  From that day to this, I am what I am.  You either like me or you don’t.  But one thing you will always find is that I am the same on a consistent basis.  I try never to wear a mask, hide behind some religious cliché, or perform.  It is too tiring and too hard to remember how you are supposed to be at different times and different occasions.  I just let the Holy Spirit reveal who I really am flaws and all.  I’ve been happier that way and frankly more effective than ever in my labors for the Kingdom.

I am not and you are not a ‘Show Pony’ we are real human beings who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and we have flaws and shortcomings.  We face problems like everyone else.  You fail at times and you make mistakes.  Be real!  Be who you are at the level you are spiritually.  You are a work in progress and never forget it.  Ultimately people will appreciate your honesty and while there may be some super religious people who will be turned off by the way you are living in the real world but they did the same to Jesus so don’t worry about it.

May God be with you as you go through your day

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CAN I GET A WITNESS…


Spiritual Blog - Witness

Romans 8:16-17 – “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” NASU

 

Amen!  In this Passage you have it!  When the Holy Spirit witnesses to your human spirit that you are a Child of God rejoice!  That means as a child of God you are an ‘heir’ and beyond that, you are a ‘fellow heir’ with Christ.  We will not only suffer with Him but we will be glorified with Him.  Fellow believers, there is a better day coming!  There is a day of ‘triumph’ coming for those who are faithful until the end.  There is a day of ‘glory’ coming for those who endure to the end.  There is an ‘eternal day’ coming for those who are washed in the blood of Jesus and have their sins forgiven.  What more do you need to give you the courage to stand firm and stand true than the witness of the Holy Spirit that you are ‘indeed a child of God”?

Early in my ministry, I attended a meeting in Tyler, Texas of the Church of God In Christ organization.  There were probably a couple of thousand people in attendance and the speaker was a pastor from Houston.  The elders were sitting at a table in the front on the floor level directly in front of the pulpit and the Evangelist was charged with receiving the offering.  After well over an hour of testifying, preaching, singing and motivating the congregation to give, which they did almost to a person by coming down the aisles and standing in front of the elders putting their offerings down and the elders recorded it in their books.  He turned to the choir that was seated on the floor level at that time and as they began to come forward he stopped them saying, “Unh Unh honey, some of you women are too dressed up to be puttin’ them quarters on the table.”  Then he turned to the preachers on the platform and yelled, “Can I get a witness?”  The place erupted with clapping and shouting.  I left the meeting at almost 11 PM that night and they had just finished taking the offering.  I don’t know what time the service was over but I had a blessed evening but had to go to work the next morning so I could not say.  I was preaching and working a secular job too while going to college so my time was precious but I would not trade that night for anything.  I learned something about enthusiasm for worship and willingness to be open and direct with regard to what people were doing.  It was refreshing then and is now when I see it and experience it.

The only real witness we need concerning our spiritual condition is not the testimony or accolades of men but the witness of the Holy Spirit.  If our hearts condemn us then we need to take stock, but if the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God then stop fretting, doubting, and worrying and REJOICE!  Your name is in the Book of Life and that is the most important thing.

As you go through your day go in the witness, comfort, and encouragement of the Holy Spirit.  God bless you richly is my prayer!

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HUMILITY HAS GREAT REWARD….


Spiritual Blog - Humility

Psalm 25:9-10 – “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.  10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”  NASU

 

Although the focus of my message is humility, I feel I must address the fact that the KJV renders the word “meek” and when you go to Strong’s to examine it you find that ‘meek’ might just be the best translation for it appears to be focused on the poor and distressed and the idea is that God will lead them or direct their case toward justice and guide them into His Holy Paths.  Yet ‘humble’ is also a very good rendering of the word in that it speaks of the condition of the heart in which the person is devoid of ‘self-exaltation’ and ‘arrogance’ and demonstrates a propensity to ‘totally rely on’ the Lord.  That person will be rewarded greatly in their time of distress or stress.

We know that the Bible declares ‘vengeance is Mine says the Lord’ and that the ‘meek shall inherit the Earth.’  We know that Jesus and the disciples spoke much about the condition, mindset, or character trait of ‘meekness’ and by that I do not mean ‘timidity’ but one that demonstrates patience, gentleness, submissiveness although some render it to be ‘spineless’ and ‘docile’ easy to be imposed upon.  The Bible’s definition of ‘meekness’ seems to be more of a willingness to ‘turn the other cheek’ although at times the ‘meek one’ does appear to be ‘weak’ and unable to fend for themselves.  But regardless of which rendering you choose in this context listed in the passage listed whether it is ‘meek’ or ‘humble’ it is the identification of a condition of heart and mind where the individual needs God’s guidance, knows it, and relies on it.

Justice directed by God will never satisfy the human thirst for vengeance but will be redemptive in nature and scope.  God’s end is always redemption.  Admittedly, there are times when there is such a refusal to repent that ‘judgment’ involves punishment, not restoration but God will exhaust all avenues to bring about redemption and restoration before rendering the verdict ‘guilty’ and ‘condemned.’ 

The Holy Spirit reveals to us through the words of the Psalmist that if your heart is ‘humble’ God will lead you and direct your case or cause in ‘justice’.  We also read that for the ‘humble’ God will teach His Way!  It is one thing to know the ‘acts’ of God and entirely another to know the ‘ways’ of God.  His ways speak to His character and nature and can only be known through such a deep interpersonal relationship that we develop a unique oneness with Him.  God’s paths are love and truth and if we are a ‘Covenant Keeping People’ and walk in ‘humility’ we will find the Holy Spirit willing to lead us from victory to victory.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  If you sense any self-exaltation or inappropriate pride residing in your heart run don’t walk to the Cross and law it at the foot of the Cross.  Cry out to God for His cleansing and ask Him to purge your heart of that dross and allow the purified gold within to rise to the surface.  Allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to walk in ‘humility.’

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

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