When Trials Rock the Very Foundation of our Soul

Life is funny sometimes. Other times not so much. We go through this life focused on what is in front of us. Sometimes giving width and breadth to occurrences that do not even deserve a blip on the radar. Then one unsuspecting day something happens that rocks the very foundation of our soul and it affects everything we do and think. It could be the loss of a child, a life threatening accident, or the diagnosis of a life threatening illness. The last has happened to my family. My brother has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. He is 46 years old, is married, and has a 14 year old son. The ripple effects of this are endless. I look in the face of my parents and see the pain in their eyes. I hear the stress and sorrow in the voice of his beautiful wife. Thoughts that we are not supposed to think raced through my mind. Like, he may miss my nephew's graduation, his wife may end up being a single parent, my parents my have to attend the funeral of their eldest child, and on and on. I even hesitate to admit I had these thoughts but I want share so you will know you are not alone in thinking these things when tragedy strikes. Fear tries to consume us. Then I remembered the post from 11/24/14 entitled "No Place for Fear." As all kinds of fear rose and tried to suffocate me, I  felt like my organs had become liquid and run down into my legs. I prayed. I also had a talk with myself and wondered (and still wonder at moments) if I will be able to take ahold of and apply the truths in that post to my own life.

Fear can be absent from the equation. It is not because we are oblivious to the magnitude of the situation or because we have some secret or preferred access to Christ. It is because fear is not to be confused with pain, dread, grief, suffering, or  any multitude of other emotions. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7. Not allowing fear to consume us is an intentional yet challenging practice. There have been all kinds of "what ifs," but my family knows this is God's will for my brother's life. We can wrestle with "why" and "what now", but facts are facts. My brother is a devoted child of God and is very deeply rooted in his faith. He has been a light to multitudes of what the life of a godly man should look like. His circumstances are being used by God to bring glory to God in the eyes of throngs of people. Here at Christmas time I cannot help but make the comparison between him and It's a Wonderful Life's George Bailey. Literally, hundreds of people are praying for him. God has been faithful to answer every need we have lifted up to Him at every single turn. He has heard and answered in splendor. So, as we pray and not only trust, but KNOW, that God hears, we have the knowledge that God is accomplishing His will in the life of my brother. We live in hope and pray for healing. We know God is more than capable. Regardless of whether He saves him and he lives a long and healthy life, or He determines that his life's work will be short we know Christ will be glorified. This is where we all come face to face with life's purpose.

When we accept the excruciating pain that comes with this life we yank Satan's biggest weapon out of his hands, fear. When we step back and acknowledge God's sovereignty over our lives we realize that the control belongs to God for the glory of Christ. "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10. Notice we are not told that we will not suffer. We are being told not to fear it. Listen my friends, there are times of immeasurable suffering, consuming pain, and unimaginable grief. We can dread it, be angry about it, feel desperate, insecure, and vulnerable, and have sadness deeper than the deepest ocean, but when we know who sees and hears us, loves us to the level of sending His son to die for us, and is more than able to accomplish His will in our lives, the fear is gone. We will wrestle with God, pleading for what we want and what we feel is best. No one wants to suffer or see their loved ones suffer. But when they do, if we are close to Christ we can accept it.

So this new journey begins. It is a road none of us want to walk, least of all my brother and his little family, but we will. We will walk it with faith and strength that can only come from Christ. "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6. No one can do this on their own and my family is no exception. But our position in Christ equips us for the task to which we are called. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8. When we see this life as poured out for the glory of Christ and nothing more, we have the strength we need to persevere. We are also encouraged to share our burdens with fellow believers so we can pray and help carry the heavy load. "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2. We will make it. There will be scars and pain but our reward will be worth it. God is faithful.

Having learned of my brother's condition a couple of weeks ago it is only now that I am able to share it. It is raw and personal and it is still painful and hard. But I very much wanted to share the truths of God's promises with you. We are not watching the battle through field glasses on the bluff but down in the trenches with you. There are moments and even days we struggle and fight the fear. I am sure that will continue.  But we will not concede to it and give Satan the victory. The closer we are to Christ the better we are able to manage this road of hardship and the more glory Christ can bring to himself which is what it's all about anyway. We will all find the strength we need when we seek it in Christ. God bless.

Christ Always Fills in the Gaps

I was privileged to attend my brother's deacon ordination last week. The picture of service and dedication was painted beautifully as the godly men, determined qualified by their church, sat in humble acceptance of the task before them. The most impactful part of the service was when all previously ordained men in the fellowship lay hands on these men in prayer to bless and charge them with the responsibility of the torch they now carry. My dad was one of these men. He struggled to his feet with cane in hand and tottered over to the line to stand, longer than he is comfortably able, to pray for his son. It was one of those moments that shifts a paradigm on its axis, realizing on a new level how short life is.  And wondering in a new and deeper way, 'What are we doing here, really?' As we live this life, purpose and priorities ebb and flow in and out of focus. And it is flashes like these that snap what is truly important back into focus. We are only here for a short time and the lives we touch are forever changed in some way, whether good or bad. I pray for my own kids, that God take my and Kevin's meager attempts to train them and shape it into something beautiful, of which only He is capable. Life is hard, and we all know it. Yet, for some strange reason we hesitate to let others help us. And are often too busy to help others. I guess, even though we know life is hard for everyone, we would like to convince others that we are the exception. God does not expect us to walk through this life alone.  He doesn't even expect us to walk this road with only Him. He gives us each other, His bride. Make no mistake. It does NOT take a village, but it does take the body of Christ.  

 

By definition, a healthy and functioning body takes care of itself. When we are hungry we eat; tired, we rest; broken or hurting, time to heal. This is true of a healthy and functioning body of Christ as well. We all have our individual purpose, and gifting to which we are to serve each other. The mouth is fed by the hand and all parts must be still to achieve rest. The feet transport the ears to the place where listening is needed for compassion to be shown. We are not as individuals capable of accomplishing all things. With changing jobs and changing circumstances we often we feel we cannot follow the calling of Christ on our lives because our family, finances, job, etc. will suffer. But Christ will NEVER let following Him prevent His perfect will in all these areas from happening. Christ always fills in the gaps. "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands." Psalm 138:8  And He allows us the privilege of participating in His plan.  My family has been blessed by one willing to pour himself out to fill a gap, to allow himself to be used, so that God's will be accomplished in the life of our son. "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." Romans 12:4-5. We all have this call, we are to use our gifts to fill in the gaps in the lives of others. Not because we are better, but because we are different. We fit together like a beautiful tapestry woven by the Master. My iridescent thread is woven throughout to enhance the lives of others as theirs, of complimentary color, is woven through mine.

 

This is accomplished in a couple of ways. First, we must draw closer to Christ in order to hear his voice when He calls us to minister to others. We live in a society full of noise and chaos. This is by the enemy's design. Among the roar of life it is challenging to hear the soft call of the Holy Spirit on your heart. He seldom yells over the bedlam to demand your attention. We must spend time talking with Him and learning the sound of His voice. Turn off the television, the radio, and put the devices, that connect us to everything except God, down. At least for a time. We need to teach our children to honor times of quiet and peacefulness. "Be still, and know that I am God;" Psalm 46:10a. Second, to pour life into someone, we must have the time to invest. We must guard our hours and minutes. I struggle greatly in this area. I go from one task to another with little thought of over extending myself. This often leads to days of frustration because I have left important tasks undone. It even leads, at times, to substituting time with Christ, for doing things for Him. Do not misunderstand, we should be actively working to accomplish God's will for our lives and the lives of others. But there must be time spent with Christ alone and time available to devote to the lives of others. I pray that one thing our son learns from this man is to be available and willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of someone else.

 

The body of Christ in all of its beauty, is to be awed. When functioning properly the give is balanced by the take and every member benefits. This should be normal and commonplace within the church, but sadly it is not.  Be encouraged to offer to lend a hand, be a guide, or stand in the literal gap. And when the offer is made, do not be too proud or ashamed to accept it. This is how the love of God works. "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." Galatians 6:2-5. The closer we draw to Christ the closer we will be to those who He calls His children. While looking outwardly to share His love with those who do not know Him, we also must be tending to the needs of our brothers and sisters. We are so much more than the sum of our parts. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13.

 

 

Coinicidence, I Think Not

The events of this world are often the focus of our attention. We watch the news and see events to celebrate as well as matters which cause us to grieve. We are present in our thinking and if we value the opinions of C. S. Lewis, he says we should stay in the present mentally. "The duty of planning the 'morrow's work is today's duty." Screwtape Letters. We cannot comprehend God and the fact that He is outside of time. Creating the earth and everything around it, me writing this post, and His culmination of earthly events is all present time to Him. He established time for us and placed us in it and obviously values time as a great organizational tool. He reveals many things to us in scripture by the use of His timetable. He is clear in His description of many things by the use of time in parameters He uses for us.  And many are tripped up by Peter's description of time regarding God. "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." 2 Peter 3:8. This is a reminder to us that God stands outside time. But He gives us consistent timetables to function in and so we have information He wants us to have. So often we are looking at what is right in front of us and not recognizing the mighty obvious workings of the hand of God on a worldwide scale. My suggestion is that we step back, WAY back, off the porch, across the street, out of the neighborhood, and just keep widening our scope until we can see with our finite little minds the world and all its workings from a god-like perspective. He is showing us some amazing things but are we looking.

The events going on today are not things we will hear about on the news. Very few will recognize them on their own and most will discount them as pure coincidence when they are pointed out. But we, who are children of God, are seeking His face, and daily seeking to move closer to Christ, have understanding that cannot be explained to secular society.  "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:12-14. It can be intimidating to acknowledge the spiritual world around us. That concept is usually perceived as wacky and we might even be whispered about as "unstable." This is how the enemy wants it to be. His biggest fear is us tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit within us and living our lives confident in our position in Christ.

There are very significant events taking place around us which indicate God is moving. He wants us to know. His word clearly warns us, not to frighten us. On the contrary, He wants us to be ready. Every seven years God declared would be a Shemitah year. This is a Sabbath year or year of rest. Significant historical events, too many to list here, come about in connection with Shemitah. One recent example took place on September 11, 2001. This was the last day of the Shemitah year. Also, during the Shemitah year which just ended, Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of Congress and warned the United States.  He conveyed that Israel will be safe with or without the help of the United States but compared the U.S. to Esther who intervened for the Jewish people and warned us to choose our friends wisely. Rosh Hashanah, celebrating the Jewish New Year, was September 13-15, 2015. This ushered in an even more significant event from the perspective of our Lord. It begins the year of Jubilee. Even more momentous is the year of Jubilee than the Shemitah year. It  happens the year after each seventh Shemitah. It is a Sabbath of Sabbaths.  In scripture God designated specific time for work and time for rest, time for restoration, as well as time for liberation. The year of Jubilee was the time designated by God to wipe the slate clean, cancel all debt, and restore everything and everyone to their rightful place. The year of Jubilee that began on September 15, 2015 will be significant for mankind. It marks the 70th Jubilee year and the 40th since the crucifixion of Christ. Both numbers, 70 and 40 hold special meaning in scripture and are used many times for Christ to chronicle important events.

 

In addition to the calendar marking yearly milestones, for those Christians who are watching, the skies also give a glimpse into the working of our Lord. His word teaches that we are to be mindful of celestial events and spoke of their significance. "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring" Luke 21:25. When He set the path of the sun, moon, and stars, He made them to cross paths to coincide with His mighty plan. Do not confuse this with the practice of astrology. These are strictly coordinated with events orchestrated by God our Father and Creator. During the Shemitah that just ended and the year of Jubilee there is a Tetrad. A Tetrad is when four blood moons (lunar eclipse) occur within an eighteen month period. This has happened many times since Christ's death. But  in the past 2000 years, this is the first time it will have happened during the Shemitah, Jubilee cycle. Also, all four of these blood moons happened on Jewish Feast days. In addition to the blood moons, two solar eclipse have occurred. One on March 20, 2015, all these things also occurred on this day:

• A Solar Eclipse in the North Atlantic. 
• The exact center day of the Jewish Shemitah Year. 
• The Vernal Equinox marking the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. 
• Moon at "perigee in its orbit markings its closest point to Earth, which many people call a Super Moon. 
• First Day of Nisan on the Jewish calendar.

God's word is clear. "The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord." Acts 2:20. These are not to be dismissed as random occurrences. Do not be deceived, these things are no coincidence. The almighty Creator is at the helm as always and He is sending us messages.  Are we understanding them?

 

These events are significant but are not intended to make us afraid. We are to be looking with anticipation for what Christ is doing. It should excite us as well as give us a sense of urgency to share the gospel with a hurting world. Please notice that this post is not predicting specific events such as Christ's return, economic collapse, or foreign military oppression. Any of these things could happen along with multitudes of other scenarios. But be confident that God's hand is moving. There has never been a more important time to make those strides to be closer to Christ. Right by His side is always the best seat in the house. He is preparing quite a show.   

 

*http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-current.html

*http://www.shemitah-blood-moons.net/

*http://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/year/2015/jewish/2015-holidays.htm

 

 

I will

It has been a few weeks since my last post. I have spent time thinking and praying about what the message should be. I could tap, tap, tap away and put together something but no one needs to hear what I have to say. I wait until God lays a word on my heart and gives me a directive. Only then is there anything of value. So this is what is on my heart. It seems fairly clear that the spiritual atmosphere around the world is ripe for war. God's army is being slowly awakened from our slumber to stand and defend the honor of Christ. Our enemy is coming from many different sides and even though we know the battle is at hand and are willing to fight, we are still groggy from our deep sleep, and groping for our plan of attack. It also seems however that there is confusion and disarray in the ranks. One officer may be insistent that our victory can only be won in the Battle of Homosexuality. While another officer is adamant that we must focus on the Battle of Islam. And still a third says our greatest adversary who must be defeated in the Battle of U.S. Government. All of these flanks are advancing at a rapid rate on the church of God. Who do we listen to?

 

To be the warriors we are capable of being we must be prepared. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." 2 Timothy 2:15-16. We are to approach God as workers, soldiers, to receive our instruction from Him. And the only way we can do that without shame is to be diligent in our service to Him. As individual soldiers we must be responsible for our training, take seriously our own spiritual discipline and be educated in the tactics of the enemy. We must study intentionally and be purposeful in teaching our children. It is not the church's responsibility to prepare our children for spiritual warfare. It is ours. "And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up:" Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (1599 Geneva Bible) I usually use NKJV but just love the picture this gives us to continually rehearse or drill for the purpose of being prepared. The church is to assist, supplement, and reinforce our teaching but we will not be nor will our children be soldiers ready for battle only being trained an hour or two a week. 

 

As a soldier I must take an active role in preparing for the tasks to which I am called. I want to be the warrior capable of facing the fiercest fight, all the while tending to the wounded along the way. In order to do that I will pledge my life to Christ and move as close to Him as possible, for safety as well as positioning myself to hear every word of instruction. "But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil." Proverbs 1:33. I will exercise taking every thought captive to eliminate pride in my heart and distractions of the enemy's lies in my ear. I will continually die to my selfish desires. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." 2 Corinthians. 10:4-6. I will study my masters words as well as His voice so I will not be deceived by impostors. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27. I will work diligently and make the advancing of His kingdom the priority in every area of my life. "But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:62. I will not accept cultural norms as a reason to dismiss God's word. "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8. I will stand firm with Christ even if I am the only one. "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made  heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2. I will be a contrast to secular society even if it costs me relationships. I will not participate in foolish, crude, unkind, ungodly, or reckless talk. "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." Ephesians 5:3-4. I will focus my thoughts on higher things being sensitive to the Spirit and be prepared to respond to His slightest instruction. "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:5.

 

When I am diligent to my call and faithful to serve the call of Christ my every foot fall will be in time to the master. When we focus our ear to the one who leads the whole army our stride will move to be in lock step with each other. God's instruction to me will never be in conflict with His instruction to another soldier. We all will be in harmony when we follow our directives. Like never before we must be listening to His voice. We cannot see those who are far ahead nor can they see us but the Father has His eye on all, and is the only voice that can orchestrate the entire body. When we listen,  the chaos and missteps will fall into rhythm and will crescendo into the thunderous pulsating boots of His army finally roused from sleep and marching into battle. The ear of all the spiritual world will hear its cadence and feel the vibration in the earth. Make no mistake, this battle will be won by our leader. He will be victorious. We each must listen to the master. We must put His objective above our own. It must begin as individuals listening and obeying our commander above all others. Christ uses those who will be steadfast and zealous. I will. 

 

What are we doing wrong? Part 3

 

This last entry in this series has been weighing heavily on my heart. It is so important, possibly the most important message for the church today. Literally today in the sense that the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of same sex marriage on this date, June 26, 2015 and figuratively today in this time of degradation of the church. That's right, not society, the church. The idea of this post is very clear but articulating it has been a challenge. It has not been until today that God revealed this message in a way to be conveyed clearly and lovingly yet with confidence and strength. The sadness is heavy and real and is neither directed at homosexuals nor at the Supreme Court or our government. The grief is for the church, which represents God's physical presence on earth whose purpose is to defend His honor, glorify His name, and advance His kingdom.  We have neglected our responsibility in not only proclaiming the truth but more importantly living out the truth in our lives, publicly and privately.  We have adopted the line in the sand determining which sins are intolerable in the life of a Christian. And those sins are painfully few. We have proclaimed that homosexuality is one of the few. We have embraced sexual perversion in multitudes of ways in our private lives and many times even in our public lives yet the line in the sand is homosexuality? Christianpost.com stated that among Christians surveyed in January of 2014, only 11% say they save sex exclusively for marriage. Christianpost.com also reported that a study conducted by the Barna Group found that nearly two thirds of Christian men view pornography monthly. Sexual contact with anyone who is not our spouse is a perversion. You may be thinking that is harsh. Many are arguing the definition of marriage but lets examine the definition of perversion. Oxford defines perversion this way: the alteration of something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended. And this entire concept just addresses sexual perversion. Unfortunately, that is not the only issue.

 

The church has embraced or at least become tolerant of lying, fleshly indulgences in regard to what we allow in our homes through the television, we allow unqualified teachers, elders, deacons, and leaders of the church, who do not manage their homes in a manner which honors the Lord. We laugh at sexual innuendos and cheat God out of His portion not giving our tithe, modesty in appearance as well as attitude is lost, and submitting to leadership is substituted for pride and an attitude of 'I deserve better.' It is a fine line to walk, that ever present argument between being judgmental and embracing sin. The church has been so bullied into believing that proclaiming the truth of sin of all kinds equals being judgmental as well as hypocritical. But when the message is, all of these things and many more are okay, how are we to convince anyone that obedience to God must be priority?  We have lost our way but the truth is still the truth and if we seriously want God's will done in our churches as well as our nation this is what we must do.

 

First, God's word is very clear and His promises are eternal. "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14. I have said before, God does not expect people who do not know Him to live godly lives. His word, his instructions are for His children. Those who do not know Christ cannot understand His ways. But we who have given our lives to Christ are expected to be obedient to His word. We are His people and He tells us here that we must turn from our wicked ways. We must purify our hearts from our own selfish desires as well as purify our bodies and minds from all types of sexual perversion. And when we do that along with humbling ourselves, seeking His face, and praying, God will forgive His people (that's us!), and heal our land. We must live the lives we are called to live and get rid of the sins that we have allowed to take up residence in us. We will stumble and repentance is necessary but this 'everyone sins so it's ok, no big deal' attitude has to stop.

 

Second, we must be obedient in purifying the church. ANYONE can come to salvation through Christ Jesus. It matters not the magnitude of sin in their lives. Christ's blood is enough to purify the most wretched sinner of ALL sins. The most beautiful picture is the heart that has turned from those things, but the key is the turning. When we are broken, filthy, and vile in our own sin, and accept the gift of life through the forgiveness of Christ, we leave the filth behind. That's the deal!

Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,  they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:2-12

We will make mistakes but to embrace a sinful lifestyle in a pattern of habitual sin must not be tolerated by the church. Not just homosexuals, but adulterers, liars, slanderers, wife beaters, those who stir up strife, and on and on must be dealt with by the church. The message must be: Our sin is forgivable but we must acknowledge it as sin and turn from it. To be a part of the church, sin is not embraced and if we do not accept the values of Christ then the church is not the place for us. There is a road map in Matthew 18 to restore those who have fallen to sin and be restored to righteousness in the church. But if restoration is not sought then the person refusing to acknowledge their sin must leave the church. So when we pray for God's will to be done in the church, church discipline must not be ignored. We can no longer use the excuse that church discipline is too hard and the fall out too great to actually implement it. It is necessary for a healthy church. The lack of church discipline has allowed sin and corruption in the church to create so many holes in our obedience bucket that our homosexual argument doesn't hold water. We must patch all the holes. We cannot get out of bed with our neighbor's wife to stand up and argue against homosexuality.

 

The lackluster obedience of God's people has gotten us where we are today and the consequences may be severe. We are faced with breaking the law to obey Christ. When push comes to shove whom will we obey? The government or the God of all creation who will not keep us from all discipline but WILL bless obedience. We must return to the feet of Christ, grow closer to Him, and turn from all our wicked ways. He is and always will be on His thrown and ready to forgive His children when we humble ourselves and ask. Please Lord, reveal yourself and give us the strength to follow you, regardless the cost.

 

What are we doing wrong? Part 2

The gospel is unchanging. The church, however, needs to consider what to change about the delivery of the gospel message to make it more clear while not changing the content of it in an attempt to be less offensive.  We also need to find practical ways to demonstrate the message of the gospel. It has not and will never change. We must however be very specific in our aim. Satan is the target and the goal is to release his captives with the truth. This is not done by attacking those who do not know the truth. We must have genuine concern for the lost. When we see every human as souls with an eternal destiny, then the importance of sharing God's truth becomes evident. We must do our part. Being an athlete in high school and college the times of sitting on the bench were frustrating. Whether it was due to inexperience, needing rest, or injury, the lack of ability to contribute to the success of our team was not pleasant. Yet, in our Christian lives we often are content to sit on the bench and let other players do all the work. Maybe we watch from the sidelines because we are not sure of what we are to do. If we were truly confident of our purpose we would eagerly live it out, determined to make a difference in the outcome. Our purpose is to share truth lovingly and yet unapologetically leaving the acceptance of truth to the individual. This is done in a couple of ways.

 

First, it is imperative we share what we are FOR because most of the world is very familiar with what we are against. Our message has been received by many as a bunch of legalistic rules that must be followed in order to be a good Christian. And anyone seen breaking a rule is deemed a hypocrite. We have all heard that argument. When in reality it is not about the rules at all. What?!?! That's right, the rules are for our protection not for our saving. Once we experience the love of Christ and give our lives to Him, we know that His guidelines are for our best interest. Sovereign God established the parameters of righteousness and morality when He laid the foundation of creation. These parameters have not shifted or evolved with society. What children of God are FOR is a loving relationship with the sovereign God who in turn is our guardian and provider. He has written a love letter, the Bible, to us guiding us to our best life possible. Obedience to Him results in blessings. "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth." Deuteronomy 28:1. We need to share that not only do we obey out of fear of the almighty, (“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Deuteronomy 6:1-2) but more importantly out of love for Him. These scriptures are being spoken to the Israelite people. Those who worshipped Him already. Following His statutes does not result in salvation. True salvation produces following His statutes. 

 

I recently asked a class of Christian teens if they thought it was fair for a person who accepted Christ as an elderly person to receive the same reward as the person who gave their life to Christ at a young age and lived a life devoted to Him. They all felt like the life long servant of Christ should be rewarded more. This is a common misconception in the church, that even followers of Christ feel they are some how short changed during this life by lifelong service and sacrifice. When the definition of sacrifice is "the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim." (dictionary.com) What we give up is insignificant in comparison to what we gain in return. The much greater reward is having the Holy Spirit, God Himself, residing in us to comfort, guide, provide, and protect us from all things throughout this life, as opposed to facing it all in our own strength.  That is the message we are to understand in our own hearts and to convey to others. What an immeasurable blessing to walk though this life, which is filled with trials and pitfalls, with the creator of all things by our side and in our hearts.

Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.”

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill.

I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around. Psalm 3:1-6

How can there be any negative to that?!? The power and wisdom who created all things, loves us enough to guide, to let us know what is best for us and bless us when we are faithful. "A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished." Proverbs 28:20. When we acknowledge the sacrifice Christ made to redeem us unto Himself by His death on the cross, our overwhelming gratitude and undying love compel us to obedience trusting His way.

Second, we often express truth as if we are in some kind of contest with others to prove them wrong. As if we are waiting for some dim light bulb to go off over the head of the unbeliever, with a heart ready to think, if not say, 'I told you so!' The unbeliever would be very reluctant to offer any satisfaction to such a condescending approach. We, who are blessed enough to comprehend the truth, are responsible for releasing the captive from their chains by handing them the keys of truth because we care for their souls. We must understand that God does not expect those who do not know Him to be obedient to his precepts. But the church must not embrace sinful behavior and lifestyles. We must stay true to God's word out of love and devotion to Him as well as to not lead others who do not know Him astray. What draws the lost to saving knowledge of Christ are faithful examples being lived out in front of them. Lives that demonstrate grace and piety along with maturity that does not rate one sin as smaller than another. The piety is necessary for demonstrating in practical ways our love for Christ and obedience to Him, as well as an unwillingness to question His wisdom.

We must not see the lost as our enemy. The enemy is Satan. Our life with Christ is a blessing and we must humbly share that blessing with others. This does not guarantee that all will accept Christ. His word tells us not all will. If it were simply a matter of doing everything the right way EVERYONE who came in contact with Christ would have followed.  We will be hated and persecuted but our confidence in the truth we profess, and the one who protects us, gives us the strength to share it anyway. The church must not stay silent on morality for fear of alienating some. The church is to be a living representation of Christ on earth and is to be accepted as such. If not it is not the church. It is some twisted conformation of what society wants it to be.  The truth IS Christ. "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6. If anyone rejects the truth of God's word it is the same as rejecting Him. We must first believe that a life devoted to Christ and obedience to Him is the optimal life to live. Second, we must convey that the obedient life is inclusive of anyone and welcomes all who will choose it the way it is and the parameters it has.

 

What are we doing wrong? Part 1

The body of Christ is a beautiful thing. I am awed at how Christ molds us together to be used for His glory. We are instruments in the hands of the master each with individualized skills and gifts designed for a specific purpose capable of the super natural. Nothing is lacking in ability only availability on our part. I am so grateful for it. There are a couple of things, however, that are imperative  we as a body need to do better, not only as an individual church or denomination, but world wide and as individuals. People are lost and dying all around us, our society world-wide is spiraling into a depth of degradation I never dreamed I would see in my lifetime. The church has become mute in providing the moral compass for the world. We have become afraid of the pushback from the secular world as if the secular has become stronger than us. What are we afraid of?  Here are the two messages we must convey.

 

First, we must attack the enemy without attacking his captives. Most people do not make life decisions for the purpose of angering God. They are not setting out to self destruct their lives, they truly feel they are making the very best decision for themselves. The enemy has deceived all of us at some point. We are inexperienced tenderfoots in the crosshairs of Satan. The only wisdom we have comes from Christ. Without Him we are helpless at the hands of the enemy. We must have a heart of caring for the defenseless. We must realize and convey to others that the only thing that differentiates us from the lost is Christ. Without Him, we are no better than the vilest offender. "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of ALL." James 2:10. We who are saved by grace often feel we have been forgiven of those sins we consider "forgivable." The gossiping, the occasional lie, being selfish, and occasionally prideful, because we haven't been so bad, right? Many seem to feel it did not take as much of Christ's precious blood to save us. James, the brother of Jesus, lets us know that we all are just as vile as the next. The selfish prideful and haughty are just as perverse as the homosexual-murderer-child molester. We are guilty of it all. We must not be deceived to think our sin is more forgivable than those of others. When we are humbled by our position before Christ we see others with empathy who have also been deceived by the enemy. We are to hate the evil and the enemy but must not demonstrate hate for his captives. "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;" Romans 12:9-10. We deliver a devastating blow to Satan, the captor, by speaking the truth to his captives in love. Truth is what sets them free. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. That is our purpose, to be instruments used by God to set the captives free. We have been freed. Therefore, there is no greater calling than, having experienced freedom ourselves, to share that freedom with others. We too were once deceived and bound by the enemy. We must be sure of who our enemy, Satan, is and set our sights on him, knowing he is using his hostages as a shield.

 

The second message we must convey is, our opinion of right and wrong, good and evil is completely irrelevant. God Almighty and Most High, is the only one who has the authority to determine what is righteous or perverse, what is virtuous and what is corrupt. He established it all when He created the universe and His word is final. We cannot add to it or take away from it. Even our questioning of it does not alter or affect it. It is complete and everlasting. How foolish would it be to think that even though God created us to be and have intelligence that the intelligence given to us by Him could alter Him or what He has established in any way. And thank you Lord that it does not! God does not change even though circumstances do. When we speak truth it is not "our" truth. It is God's and it is not ours to explain why. We are simply to proclaim the truth and know that Christ's great love for us is at the root of all instruction. His love for us is so great we cannot even comprehend the depth of it. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Romans 5:7-9. We do not speak truth because we hate the one who does not know it. That would be ridiculous. We speak truth because we are compelled to speak it, because we abhor evil, and out of love we want others to know what the truth is.

The enemy wants us to keep silent. He has trained and deceived his captives to lash out in anger when truth is spoken because he knows truth is what will free them. We should not be surprised by the venom spewed when we stand on God's word and are faithful to spread His message. The truth terrifies the enemy. We have nothing to fear and must not keep us silent. There are too many captives who depend on us. We must however remember these two things. Our crosshairs must be squarely leveled on Satan and not his hostages. Our goal is to free them. We also need to step out of the argument by expressing what we believe to be true. Our acceptance of truth does not validate truth. It is God's truth and it is up to the individual as to whether or not they accept it. Truth is not subject to time, circumstances, or popularity. It is not graded on importance by percentage of acceptance or rationalization. It is truth, it is Christ, and in order to accept it you must first accept Him. We must not be mute out of fear of persecution. People's eternity is at stake and as we move closer to Christ we must share so others can also. 

 

 

 

 

Virtues: Nouns or Verbs?

There are lots of terms commonly used in the church today. We hear about values such as love, faith, and patience and the importance of such things. When we consider these virtues, then take inventory of them in our own lives, often we feel comfortable and confident of our mastery in these areas. For example, we have love for others and for Christ, we have faith in Him and the promises in His word. Love, faith, and patience (and there are others) are considered virtues, qualities to be had. They are listed in the dictionary as nouns. In grammar class a noun is defined as a person, place, thing, or idea. These virtues are ideas many feel we possess in living an honorable Christian life. There is one challenge with this principle. The classification of these ideas is wrong. They must be verbs, actions to be lived out in our everyday life, even in circumstances when it seems impossible to be portrayed. It is only in Christ we can demonstrate these qualities. We do not possess these things unless we demonstrate them.

Let's look at faith as an example. There are many times faith is described as something to be had. However, when faith is something we possess it is demonstrated. It can be seen. "Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2. Our faith is evident to others by living out our salvation in practical ways. When we have faith it is not something we need to expound about. It is visible to those around us. "For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." 1 Thessalonians 1:8. When we face trials, are pressed on every side, broken and poured out, yet can remain faithful to Christ and praise Him for the sole reason of, He is worthy, our faith is on display to others. Not for the purpose of showcasing our faithfulness, but to showcase the worthiness of Christ. If we truly have faith in our lives, it is acted out, demonstrated. "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 2:17. James, the brother of Jesus, explains this simple fact. If we have faith we will have works as well. And then he tell us, when our faith is tested it produces patience. 

Patience is another virtue we can look at to prove this point. To have patience, it must be exhibited, otherwise it is a statement which could be made by anyone. Words are easy. It is not to be proclaimed, it is to be demonstrated. The only way it can be demonstrated is by our faith being tried. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3. To possess patience is to bear out patience in our daily lives. True patience is not simply maintaining proper behavior in our job, or in challenging circumstances in public, where we know there will be consequences for our rash behavior if we do not. True patience is in our hearts, in addition our actions, in private with our children or even our friends or loved ones.  Patience is loving, having kind words or thoughts in trying times. It is not popping off and then feigning sincerity. Patience is acted out, demonstrated. It cannot be possessed without being lived because being lived is how it is possessed. But patience is not the greatest of these things.

. . .The greatest of these is love. This single word in the English language is used to describe many different characteristics. The Bible has four different Greek words for different types of love. The entire Bible is the love story. Yet our culture has minimalized the word to describe how we feel about ice cream. It is the most powerful virtue we can exhibit. It changes lives and hearts, ends war and heals wounds. Love breaks chains and strengthens the soul, and yet without Christ we are not capable of possessing or showing it. It cannot exist without being demonstrated. In relationships with others we can know if we are loved by peeling away all the words and looking at the actions. Being told we are loved is no proof. We can only know if we are loved by how we are shown. Christ's love for us unmistakable, not only because he told us, but because he showed us. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. If we love, it is demonstrated. "And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it." 2 John 1:5-6. We cannot have love for Christ or for others without it being acted out. Christ declared that the two greatest commandments are to love Him and to love each other. It is not enough for our love to be spoken, it must be shown. "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."  1 John 3:18. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. It explains how love is to be manifested in our lives to be seen by men to glorify God. Manifestation is a must regarding all virtues. They are to be acted out to touch the hearts of men for the glory of God.

As we take inventory of faith, patience, love, as well as other fruits in our lives received by the Holy Spirit, we must first determine if we demonstrate those virtues, and if so, how. "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God." 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. These virtues are not strictly nouns to be held or possessed. They must also be verbs which are evidenced to others. Our faith will have works and be tested to produce patience. Our patience exists only in trial. Love is shown as well as spoken or proven untrue. Virtues do not exist to be had but to be shown. A virtue with no evidence has no purpose. Christ has made us what we are, the noun. Then comes our purpose, what we do, the verb. When we show these traits as true representations of our hearts, we draw closer to Christ. 

   
 

More than Grateful

This has been a crazy few weeks for our family. There have been job changes and schedule changes, meeting new people, and new opportunities. Summer is quickly approaching so, like for many, the school year is also winding down. My family has been spending time reflecting on our life over the last few years. Mistakes we have made and challenges we have faced. Times of being faithful and triumphant over the enemy and times when we have failed miserably. There have been friendships lost and relationships blossomed into true camaraderie and Christ has been by our side through it all. We have been awed by the blessings poured out on us. Prayers answered beyond our wildest dreams. I am sure if you have a pattern of wrestling in prayer over life's challenges you have seen it too. God is faithful. Those times when God has delivered us or delivered TO us exactly what we need often surprise us. I have also had the privilege of praying for the needs of dear friends who are struggling to make it from day to day, to see God hear our specific prayer and intervene in ways only He can. As I think about it all in context to God's word I realize that we are deserving of NONE of it. This is not minimizing our worth. In God's eyes our value is such that He sent Christ to suffer a martyrs death to redeem us. We are however, undeserving.

 

I am not a fan of the word deserve. Our culture throws it around a lot. We tell ourselves, we deserve a vacation, we deserve a pedicure, we deserve a new car, or we deserve to be treated better, and so on. This is not a biblical perspective. In reality the only thing our sinful, self-centered souls deserve is hell. "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6. We cannot understand the gravity of our relationship with Christ until we acknowledge this fact. We are not good, righteous, loving, or anything holy apart from Christ. And when we give our lives to Him we are still not righteous, it is only Him in us that is righteous. To understand that is key to drawing closer to Him. It creates and overwhelming gratitude for every blessing from Him. I am humbled at the thought that we even know His name and He allows us to speak to Him! That is only because He has chosen to reveal himself to us and allows Himself to be known. "John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” John 1:26-27. When we realize our position before Christ we are humbled and awed by the blessings and rewards from Him. No accomplishment is strictly from our own effort, it is a reward from Christ. Consider the meaning of the doxology so often sung in our houses of worship.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

 

We are nothing without Christ which should not make us feel sorry for ourselves. On the contrary, it makes us grateful and humble that, as Horatio Spafford so eloquently penned in the lyrics of It is Well with My Soul, "Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul." Our estate was more helpless than we can even fathom yet he shed His precious blood for our souls.

 

When we process the facts this way it makes it hard to utter a word about what we deserve. Satan tries to convince us of what we deserve because it is always more than what we have. It produces an attitude of being discontent. We have  more than we need and infinitely more than we deserve. Being content is the last thing Satan wants however. When we inflate our position it produces an attitude of entitlement equated with what we in our deceived minds feel we deserve. "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities." Psalm 103:10. We are quick to assess our position before others when the only position to be measured is the position before Christ. We are completely indebted to Him for our very existence. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17. Christ commands that we work hard, to be diligent in our labor, but the fruit produced from that is a reward, God's blessing to us. It is by His strength we are able to work at all.

 

So as we look at our lives, let us be faithful to see all the gifts from above. Let us be grateful acknowledging that we are not capable of success without Christ. May we be humble knowing that whatever we have that is good comes from Him and we are utterly undeserving. Also, let us not allow Satan to distract us by pointing out what we do not have and by doing so create a heart that is discontent. Our savior's sacrifice to redeem us is enough and our eternal gratitude will never be. Whatever we think we deserve, we do not. This mind set will create a thankful heart and will bring us closer to Christ. So, my family is exceedingly grateful for this time of transition, for the trials we faced to get here, and all the blessings that have followed. We are truly undeserving.

 

 

 

Honor Above Self

It is challenging to articulate feelings we have about things in life that are important to us. Sometimes 'thank you' just does not seem like enough, 'I love you' seems inadequate to express the depth of emotion we feel. Our actions better express our feelings than our words. When we have loved ones who are hurting we ache with the need to do something.  We are diligent to pray and if only there was some practical way we could express our love and concern we would do it! The same is true on the other end of the spectrum. This is equally true in how we express our apathy and disrespect. We have all seen young people sitting in a classroom or in church slouching as if they do not have strength to hold their head up. We have spoken to others who barely grunt a verbal response, and the pants worn around the hips with underwear hanging out. Thinking about these types of behaviors, it is hard to know how to instruct, or even more, WHY to instruct against these behaviors. It is so prevalent to ignore these under currants of insolence in our children as well as in our own hearts.  The Bible does not address these specific nuances but it has a lot to say about honor. It is a lost virtue in our society today. We live in a culture that devalues the accomplished. Honoring and valuing others has been turned on its head. We are told from the time we are children, no one is better than us. It is done many times in a way that is translated, we do not have to respect authority. Just a minor change to the wording makes all the difference. Instead of, 'no one is better than us,' should it not be 'we are better than no one?' See how the idea of equality is the same but the perspective turns the whole idea upside down.

We are to honor others not just with what we say but even more with our actions. Research shows only 7% of communication is the words we say and 93% is our body language and our tone of voice.  Honor is not something we can pretend to have. As my husband has said so often, "you can't fake sincerity." Honor is a matter of the heart and we cannot help but express it, or express the absence of it. "As in water, face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man." Proverbs 27:19. Honoring others as created by God for a purpose just as important as our own purpose is expressing the love of Christ to others even if they do not know Him. As we move closer to Christ our goal is to be more like Him. Christ considered all others over His own desires. "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4. We have a hard time even putting people we love ahead of ourselves. And Christ put the needs of those who despised and rejected Him above Himself. We are called to love our enemies. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 'But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," Matthew 5:43-44. This is one way children of God can stand out as true examples fording a path straight to the cross. Express genuine value for others. Esteem them higher than ourselves and this is achieved in us by exhibiting genuine humility. We teach it to our children by modeling it in front of them. "And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all." 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14. We are failing to teach honor by not honoring others; we do not feel in our hearts, 'I am no better than you,' and are too quick to think, 'you are no better than me.' Explanations for disrespectful behavior are justified by excuses like: it is just society today, it is just the style, we must not be judgemental, and so on.  

We are living in a time when nothing virtuous is honored. Fame, money, indulgence, prideful lovers of self, and vanity are celebrated. Humility, meekness, purity, restraint, and submission are ridiculed. It is so offensive to our spirits in a slouching, non-responsive society. It is void of honor exhibited to others. It silently conveys a lack of value or respect that barely tolerates being inconvenienced. It evokes an air of superiority and is condescending to the recipient. This attitude is the opposite of the message we receive from God's word. "You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:32. The heart capable of doing this is humble and reverent. We even have a promise from God bestowed on us when we are reverent. "Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity." Proverbs 28:14. We must not shrink from teaching our children to honor and value others above themselves but also search our own heart to see to what degree we esteem others higher than ourselves.  It is a matter of pride. C.S. Lewis tells us in his book, Mere Christianity, he considers pride to be the greatest of all sin:

 

There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except  Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves. I have heard people admit that they are bad-tempered, or that they cannot keep their heads about girls or drink, or even that they are cowards. I do not think I have ever heard anyone who was not a Christian accuse himself of this vice. And at the same time I have very seldom met anyone, who was not a Christian, who showed the slightest mercy to it in others. There is no fault that makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, . . . According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.

Humility and honor are not virtues that we come by easily. I would argue they are the most challenging to master. It is seldom exemplified even in church leadership. This practice is not for the novice Christian and is evidence of moving closer to Christ. It is accomplished by the emptying of ourselves and dedicating ourselves to Him. It is deciding by the super natural ability of Christ in us to let Him be our example and honor that which HE honored above all else, the value of the human soul existing in others and personify that honor in our own lives. Honor, humility, and respect, are character traits vital to setting ourselves apart from society in order to live holy lives for Christ. Without Him they are impossible to achieve.    

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Do you Hear the Train Coming?

There are lots of changes taking place in my family these days. Our son is learning to drive, (any who have successfully navigated this feel free to send me words of encouragement) my husband is changing jobs after 25 years of working in the racing industry, we are entering into the phase of beginning to care for our ailing parents, and so on. Change can be uncomfortable and even scary at times and most of you have faced many of the same challenges. But these are not the most pressing changes we have to confront. The greatest deviation we face as Christians is evil itself. If we listen to our spirit we can hear it in the wind, and feel it in the ground under our feet. But please do NOT stop reading, this is not a gloom and doom blog. Hang in there with me! We must not stick our heads in the sand. As Christians, it is a call to arms! We are aware of the prophesies being fulfilled but are we aware and educated about what will happen as Christ's return approaches? It does not matter whether we believe the rapture will be pre-tribulation or post-tribulation, our involvement as Christians has been determined.  All of the Old Testament points to the coming Messiah, while the New Testament tells us of Christ's death and resurrection and then return. 

This is not a fictional tale. We are participants in a very real orchestration written by the creator of the universe and everyone plays a part. The master time keeper is counting down to the grand finale. Everyday is one day closer. Most of us either get caught up in the day to day events that seem at times too large or we refuse to acknowledge the global magnitude of what is coming. I know, we've heard it all before: We have been waiting for two millennia, people who believe the world will end are just radical dooms dayers, what happens on the news on the other side of the world doesn't affect me or my family.  Consider the fact that every last one of the 365 Old Testament prophecies regarding the birth, death, and resurrection, of Christ were fulfilled down to the very last detail. What in the world would make us believe the prophecies about His return would be different?  So what can we learn from the changes taking place in the world and what we can expect in the days ahead? And how can we really KNOW what we read in God's word is true? "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." 2 Peter 1:19-21. The assault on Jews and Christians is growing in volume daily. This offensive is not just coming from radical Islam, although theirs is the most thunderous. But possibly the most damaging influence is much quieter, coming from within the church and also prophecied in scripture. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5. We, as the church, when we embrace wickedness are allowing corruption to seep in and take hold like a cancer. The storm we see on the horizon is no more destructive than the termites silently eroding the foundation of the church. From sexual immortality of all kinds to entitled, haughty, lovers of self, we have lowered our standard to having no standard at all and that has castrated us as an influence in society.

As we roll speed through the annals of time, each day getting closer to the much anticipated returning of our Lord, these are changes taking place in our world, our country, our churches, and even our homes. So far it seems pretty doom and gloom but hang on. As individuals we possess the supernatural power of God. We must  draw closer to Christ as individuals as that is the only way the power of God's church will be empowered to rise against an enemy who seeks to destroy us. In order to stand strong in face of the enemy we know is coming, we must devote our lives to the events taking place on the main stage. We must be diligent in the training of our own heart and stop focusing on the hearts of others. We have to recognize that our pastor, reverend, or priest, is talking to "me" and not everyone else. It is time we stop looking at what "they" should do and judging the heart of "them". Rather, we should look at what I should do and begin judging MY own heart. We must be willing to serve in whatever way is needed and make Christ's return our first and foremost priority. We must leave behind the piddly distractions.

On this grand stage, moving toward the final act, we are playing whatever game entertains us at the time. Many use the excuses: I have no skills, my job is too demanding, our schedule is too full of activities, or that is family time, so we have no time to serve. None of these hold water, not one. We all are given skills by God to be used for Him. Nothing should demand your time more than your service to Christ. Any job has requirements but it is by God's grace you have that job and nothing He calls you to will prevent you from serving Him. If your activities keep you from serving Him, you are over-scheduled because His priority for your life is not a game - it is HIM. Lastly, your family is not reason enough to not  serve Him. "Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:61-62. And not only does Christ come first, we should be serving the Lord in tangible ways as a family in order to teach our children how to serve and to show them the importance of living a life spilled out for Christ. "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9. Our lives are to be consumed with Christ and serving Him. However, we live in a time when the church fits Christ in to the left over time in our schedule while the enemy from outside and from within are dismantling our framework. But be faithful, the cornerstone will stand. "So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic." Isaiah 28:16. This is the peace that comes in the midst of chaos. There is no need to panic.

If we find our hearts convicted and realize we are not serving Christ the way we should it is not too late. We can always move closer to Him and allow Him to equip us for battle by emptying ourselves of our own desires to be used for His purpose. We must make Him our priority over everything. If we are the ones who see the signs, hear the train coming, feel the earth shake under our feet, and feel like we are screaming (one of those silent screams that are so terrifying in nightmares), for God's army to wake up may this be our prayer.  Pray for God to move in the hearts of His people and until then humbly request that He be merciful to those who are faithful and do not automatically assume that is you. We must search our hearts to be found faithfully devoted to Christ and ready to go to battle in the face of the enemy for Him. Strap in, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. But do not lose heart we are on the winning team. 

The Elusiveness of Joy

It is the desire of all mankind. We seek it for ourselves and desperately want it for our children. On some level we pursue it everyday, joy. We pursue it in innumerable ways. Society chases after joy by living in the most desirable neighborhood, driving a fancy car, or wearing the latest trends. We also clamor for time away, from our spouse, our children, our work. We engage in hobbies, carve out time alone or time with our friends to entertain ourselves. Church members spend time and energy serving at church, and ministering to those in need knowing that true joy comes from serving others. Humanitarians work in soup kitchens, donate to charity, serve in the Peace Corp., and on and on. There are as many ways to strive for joy in our lives as there drops in the ocean. There are two challenges we face when obtaining joy is a priority in our lives.

 

First, the obtaining of joy as an intentional undertaking is a fruitless task. To pursue joy for the sake of obtaining joy is by definition self serving. True joy cannot be achieved through selfish means. It is contrary to the law of God. "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." Galatians 5:16-17. "The flesh" is the term used in scripture describing the pursuit if our own desires. Here is an example. As a child of God, and out of love for Him and having been called to serve, we may spend time volunteering in the choir.  Singing hymns of praise and symphonic melodies stir our hearts, and the melodies and rhythms bring pleasure to our soul. We experience joy. Joy was not the goal but was experienced by focusing on the service and the love of worshipping our Savior and glorifying Him in song. When the focus shifts inward to ourselves and it becomes a selfish activity by which conditions have to be met in order to maintain a level of enjoyment to make it worth while to US, it by definition can no longer produce joy. Whatever our pursuit, how many times do we ask ourselves why do I bother? Whether it is serving on a committee or going to church,  playing golf or pursuing a romantic relationship, if the purpose is to achieve joy it is not going to happen. When we ponder why we bother the focus has become, 'what benefit am I getting?' and joy cannot exist in a self-centered heart. "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24. Satan has done a better job convincing people in today's culture than ever before that we must pursue what makes us happy. We are even taught this in many churches. We must put ourselves first and our own joy so we are fulfilled in order to be what we should to others. If we are not fulfilled then we do not have the resources to be what others need. It is a BIG lie. We are a society constantly checking the gauge on our joy meter. When in reality every time we check it the reading goes down! This obsession with making our own happiness priority #1 is causing the breakdown of society. Remember our lives do not belong to us anymore. Therefore, as we love abundantly the Savior who has freed us, we find pleasure and strength serving Him and joy is one of the many rewards we receive from it.

 

Second, joy is not a destination we can achieve, stake our tent, and hang out there. It is not a tangible commodity. Those who have suffered, or who have loved ones who have suffered from macular degeneration can relate to those who focus on achieving joy. The result is very much the same. Those who suffer from the blinding disease know that the center of the field of vision is lost and only what is in the peripheral vision can be seen. This is an image of what people who have macular degeneration see.

This is what focusing on our own joy does to our field of vision. As soon as our eyes turn to examine the level of our joy meter we lose focus on everything. It is like going on a snipe hunt. We can only receive true joy as a reward for living a life for Christ. "For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind." Ecclesiates 2:26. Becoming a Christian brings about an indescribable spiritual transformation but the journey does not end there. Our true joy comes from laying down our own selfish desires and living our lives for the glory of Christ. We all know Christians who are chasing after what they are convinced will make them happy and the harder they run the more miserable they are. Whether they are expecting their spouse to fulfill them, or are single and chasing one relationship after the other, or even serving at the church for the end purpose to achieve joy when it should be out of devotion to our Lord, joy is elusive. It vanishes. We are never fast enough to chase after joy and catch it. It always comes up behind us and embraces us as a reward for focusing on Christ and if we turn to see it, it disappears.

 

We live in a society of the great disappearing joy. I have even been guilty of wondering 'what about me?'  Dear friend, nothing good ever comes from that question. Sometimes situations do change but whatever the cause the focus should be on Christ and the question must always be, 'What would YOU have me do, Lord? and whatever it is, it will be all for your glory.' With Christ always desiring what is best for us, we do not have to worry with, 'what about me?' because that is always Christ's focus. When we focus on Him our joy will be great as a reward.