Think Twice

“That’s between me and God.” If that phrase has ever been quoted to you, I can almost assure you that unpleasant circumstances were present. This phrase is generally used when someone decides to cling to sin and reject anyone attempting to hold them accountable to the standard of God’s Word regarding the sin they’re cling to. What’s ironic about this is in their “This is between me and God” declaration, they are actually rejecting the God they imply is blessing their position.

I firmly disagree with the notion that sin is something between me and God. Now, to be totally transparent, there are times when I wish that to be the case but as a wise man once stated, “While sin may occur on an individual level, it always carries collective results.” The sting of that truth has remained with me for many years as it is totally true. In case we need biblical validation on that principle, just consider the fall of Adam and Eve. From a collective standpoint, it literally impacted HUMANITY.

Another validation for this is found in Joshua 7 regarding Achan’s sin in the accursed thing. It is an event recorded and preserved in God’s Word that causes me to think twice about giving in to sin as the “collective” consequences were devastating.

The accursed thing taken by Achan was part of the spoil that had been conquered by Israel and was to be dedicated to the LORD. God was specific in Joshua 6 that they were to keep themselves from the accursed thing and if they failed to do so, they would make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it (Jos 6:18). Although Achan personally violated God’s command, notice the plural tone in Joshua 7:1:

Jos 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Achan’s choice to sin led to a compound of casualties. Consider the collective results:

                1.            God withdrew His favor from His people (Jos. 7:11-12).

                2.            36 men died in battle at Ai (7:5).

                3.            Achan and his family were stoned w/ stones and burned w/ fire (Jos. 7:25).

This all happened because of one man felt his sin was worth placing others at risk. God continues to teach me about the high price of sin. I continually discover that cost so much more than it’s worth. It wrecks my relationship with God and puts distance between me and His favor which I desperately need. But it places others in jeopardy as well. I wish it were just between me and the Lord but this is far from reality. The sobering reality is when I chose sin over obedience to God’s Word, I place my family and my local church family at risk. The Spirit of God uses this to help me think twice.

If more men would respect this truth, it might lead to a different outcome while surfing the internet or manipulating the tax forms for gain. Because after those choices are made, God will make His choice and it is sure to impact those closest to the one who chose against God’s Word.

Sin is never just between you and God. This has to make us think twice!

Feed Me!

 

A few months ago, my son prayed to receive Christ as Savior. It was a highlight as I was entrusted with the privilege of leading him to Christ. It is a day I’ll remember until my last breath. The excitement was tethered quickly by the sobering reality that many young children “pray a prayer” without truly meeting a person. I began praying and seeking the Lord about this. I wanted the Lord to confirm if my son truly met Him or if this was some type of an emotional act. I realize that ultimately, my son will have to examine whether he be in faith but studying my children is something that I feel is extremely important to the training ministry that has been given to me by the Lord. Their spiritual growth is of immense importance to me so I’m constantly monitoring how they respond in certain situations.

I could share many points of confirmation that I believe the Lord has given me regarding my son’s salvation. I’ll share one from this morning as I returned from a prayer walk. As I walked by the dining room table, I noticed my son reaching for his Bible and grabbing mine as well. He handed me my Bible while proceeding to the table taking a “feed me” position at the table. We had prepared breakfast for the kids already so I knew that he wasn’t positioning himself for Cheerios. He wanted me to feed him the Word of God. Praise the Lord!! By the grace of God, this is not uncommon with my son. Recently, he asked if I would explain faith from Hebrews 11:1. This type of behavior is evident that the Holy Spirit of God indwells my son. Again, what I think about his salvation is secondary to what he will think about it as he grows. However, it does give me direction and clarity on how to proceed with his training.

Speaking to a group of Jews who had believed on Him, Jesus said this:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

For doctrinal clarity, we must point out that the Lord was not teaching salvation by works. The point here is simple and clear. What proves salvation is not the prayer that one prays, but the life that one displays over time that proves the sincerity of the prayer that was prayed. One of the most obvious signs of salvation is an ongoing appetite for the Word of God.

Parents of infants and toddlers become extremely concerned when there is a lack of appetite in the child. The Bible teaches that newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby (1 Pet. 2:2). Desire and growth go hand in hand therefore, when there is a desire to feed, there will be growth. As a leader having spent time with many people over the years, the lack of desire to feed on the Word of the God sets off a loud alarm to me because without that, one of two problems are on the table and in some cases, both:

                1.            The individual is out of fellowship with God.

                2.            The individual is not saved.

Like a parent of a small child, if there is a lack of desire for the Word of God in our lives, we should be very concerned regarding the state of our walk with God. This should lead to a careful and prayerful examination of where we be in the faith and if we are, then the cry ought to be, “Lord, whatever it takes, I beg You to revive my desire for Your Word.”

Disaster at Tenerife

 The date was Sunday, March 27, 1977 in Tenerife in the Canary Islands in Europe. Planes had been diverted to the Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife due to a bomb explosion at the Gran Canaria Airport. The Los Rodeos Airport sits in a valley in the shadow of one of the largest volcanoes in the world. It was not uncommon for low-lining clouds to roll down the mountain and cover the airport with fog.

After waiting for hours and the getting restless, the pilot of KLM flight 4805 carrying 248 passengers and crew, requested permission for take-off. His instructions were to proceed to the end of the airstrip, make a 180 degree turn, and wait for clearance to take off. Visibility on the ground at this point was down to 300 meters. One of the passengers was quoted as saying, “You couldn’t even see the cement.” Although the captain of the KLM jumbo jet was told to wait, he ignored the order and after a three and a half hour delay, the captain of the KLM released the brakes and began accelerating the 300,000kg jumbo jet down the runway. What he didn’t know was 1400 meters ahead of him in the thick fog was Pan Am flight 1736 carrying 394 passengers and crew. At 290km per hour, the KLM smashed into the Pan Am. There were no survivors from the KLM and most of the people on the Pan Am died. In all, 583 people died Sunday, March 27, 1977. It is the worst aviation accident in history.

This historical incident has always moved me and it still does. It moves me because it strikes real close to home as I identify all too well with the captain of the KLM. Simply put, I struggle with waiting and I think many of us do if we were to be honest with ourselves. We live in an “instant” society and we bow at the altar of convenience. The concept of waiting or being inconvenienced has become an insult. We want what we want and we want it now! Is this not the mind set of many?

If many people struggle with waiting then the stage is set for great conflict with God. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about waiting on the Lord it is this: In God’s mind, the only timing that matters is His. In other words, God is going to do WHAT He wants to do WHEN He wants to do it WHERE He wants to do it and HOW He wants to do it. And here’s another reality that we must learn, we cannot make Him move earlier than He has chosen but we can cause Him to delay. What we’re getting at here is when we allow impatience to take over all we’re doing is making matters worse which pushes God’s date to act further out. I cringe in saying that because I’ve experienced the pain of that lesson more times than I care to mention.

I used to have a very childish view of waiting on the Lord. It went something like this, “If you’re God and can do all things and is powerful over all things then what’s the point in all this waiting?” or, “I need something by this date and if I don’t have it by that date then this outcome happens and that date has passed so I’m going to have to own the situation now since You chose not to help me!” Ever play those cards? Truth be known, all I was doing was attempting to manipulate God into surrendering to my timing and when He didn’t, I foolishly took-off without clearance headed for disaster!

Here’s what I’m learning and have learned about waiting and we would all do well to embrace these truths:

1.            Waiting is Designed to Increase Your Knowledge of God.

Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

There are wonders about God that we simply cannot and will not learn while we’re moving and God wants you to know these things because they are necessary for you to know.

Know this, from God’s perspective, the outcome of your knowledge of Him after waiting is of greater concern than the outcome you are concerned about. Why is this? Remember, there is no outcome that is greater than God! This is the lesson we miss when we steam down the runway without clearance.

In an instant, fast-moving world without realizing it, we forget who God is and in our wheeling and dealing we become God. This is why God will introduce seasons/situations in our lives that mandate stillness so that we can know that He is God.

                2.            Waiting is Designed to Increase Your Faith in God.

                                Psa 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

                                Psa 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Albert Barnes articulated well on the phrase “And now, Lord, what wait I for?” He stated: “means, what do I now expect or hope for; on what is my hope based; where do I find any cheerful, comforting views in regard to life? He had found none in the contemplation of the world itself, in man and his pursuits; in the course of things so shadowy and so mysterious; and he says now, that he turns to God to find comfort in his perplexities.”

David declares that his hope was in God alone. Part of what God aims to accomplish in us in waiting is that our confidence rests in no one or nothing except Him. One of the greatest enemies to waiting on the Lord is our plans or improvisations which always fall miserably short of what God has for us. This is one of the things that extends the waiting period. God will not place the last period on the trial until He is satisfied that He alone is your hope.

                3.            Waiting is Designed to Increase Your Love for God.

Psa 40:1-4 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

First of all, waiting on the Lord is never a vain act. God hears the cry of His own and He moves on their behalf and when He does, it sets off praise from us to Him.

When you’re in situations that are dire and God moves specifically on your behalf, not only do you praise Him but you love Him more than you ever have.

In closing, waiting has nothing to do with God being bored and then deciding to pick on you for a little entertainment as He sits back watching you squirm in tough circumstances. In the case of the disaster at Tenerife, had the captain of the KLM waited, it would’ve spared his life and many others. Sometimes, God wants us to wait because He desires to protect us from danger ahead that He sees that we cannot see. Whatever the reason, God knows what He’s doing and He has your best in mind. If you wait you’ll experience the blessing, joy, and peace of that. However, should you ignore the instruction to wait, it will only be to your detriment.

Wait.

Living In The Now

Row by row.  Row by row.  That was me, Thursday afternoon, lost in thought while mowing my lawn.  I like to keep the rows straight as I push the mower up one end of my yard and back the other.  It looks better and of course it’s quicker.

As I ended one row and did my end-of-row pivot to turn around, I saw someone approaching me from the side.  I looked up and saw my daughter, with a big, cheesy grin on her face.  She kept trying to shout something over the sound of the mower and I kept ignoring her.  She just laughed.  I knew what she wanted, and she knew that I knew it. She just turned 16 this week.  I saw my wife come out a few seconds behind her with a camera and I turned off the mower.

“Dad, can I have the car keys?”  Gulp!  A few minutes later, I watched her for the first time ever, drive away all by her self, ever so cautiously down our street and out of sight…  Wow! And that’s how a new era began at my house on Thursday.  We had trained for this moment for a while with plenty of Saturday afternoon drives.  It wasn’t a surprise, but I can’t deny that it’s going to take some getting used to.  For the last 16 years, she’s relied on me to take her everywhere.  Not anymore.

As she drove off with her new found freedom, I couldn’t help thinking about a starkly different conversation I had that morning about a friend of mine facing the looming reality of being forced to give up their own license due to the natural inability to drive that comes with age.  After decades of navigating the roads with ease, coming and going as they pleased… poof! Gone.  What a contrast in realities between that and what my daughter is experiencing right now.  It got me thinking about how precious our time is on this earth and how unyielding it marches on.

“For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.”  Ecclesiastes 9:12

Paul offers us encouragement. Although time marches on and often catches us off guard in its evil net, those who will, can cash in on the goodness of God’s mission at whatever stage of life they are in.

           

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” Ephesians 5:15-16

That passage has always given me pause.  On the one hand a blessing, that no matter where I’m at in terms of my past, I can move forward in God’s grace from that point forward.  On the other hand, a dire warning that the days are evil and I’m going to be daily under attack going forward whether or not I redeem the time.  Sobering thought.

My natural thoughts often take for granted that I will be able to work, do, think… just as I always have for the foreseeable future.  Sure, there is the occasional reminder by way of a sore knee, or bad back that life marches on.  But do I really take God’s Word seriously in redeeming the time every evil day I live? 

My inclination is to make sure my heart, mind and body are in the game – now!  Certainly Paul is saying to do so.  Let me encourage you to begin by investing the Word of Life into another person.  It’s a great place to start that will begin an outpouring of the characteristics of God in your life as you grow in your ability to share Truth with others.  If you’re not investing God’s Word in another person, are you truly walking circumspectly like the verse in Ephesians 5 says?  I think an honest, circumspect evaluation of mankind in light of the Word of God would say no.  How could a believer passively go through life knowing the end state of mankind without a pattern of warning others of hell and preaching the good news of the gospel?  Of all things after all, Jesus is “Whom we preach…” Col. 1:28.

I hope that most of you are already engaged in the mission.  For me, the battle is often embracing the place I am at in my life right now, with the Biblical understanding that the time is short.

“Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

Proverbs 27:1

Are you fully engaged in God’s Word in a way that lets it work through your heart and mind throughout the day?  Are you thankful for where God has you right now?  Are you self-aware of the roles God presently has for you as a minister, husband, father, son, worker, student…?  I am reminded, thinking about that older friend about to lose his license, that as time goes, so does every man’s ability to engage in those roles that would be easy to take for granted right now.  Once my friend loses his license, he’ll still be able to apply Ephesians 5:15-16 just like he can right now.  But he’ll enter a new stage, with new roles to engage in.  Are you living in the now with God’s Word in mind?  If not, start today.

A Line in the Sand

A line in the sand is an expression that captures a definitive point where one chooses to not go beyond a fixed boundary or one chooses to proceed beyond a certain point regardless of what that decision brings.

One of the greatest weapons in Satan’s arsenal happens to attack one of the greatest weaknesses of a man. I’ve met few men (including myself) that have not acknowledged the war of sexual temptation that is waged day in and day out. It is a war of wars, it rarely takes a day off, it pursues us like a heat-seeking missile, and it is merciless when an opportunity presents itself.

After I trusted Christ as my Savior and Lord, I was amazed at how quickly my speech changed, how quickly my friends changed, and how quickly the interest to drink a 12-pack on a Friday night vanished. But one very noticeable desire remained – the desire for a woman. The war was on and even though I’m married to a wonderful bride that has not deterred my adversary one bit unfortunately. He still brings it any way he can, always looking for new angles to try and take me down. He will not stop.

God in his grace and marvelous wisdom brought me to a very key place in the war. It was a place that I believe every man MUST arrive at or he will go down extremely hard. It is the place where a man very definitively draws a line in the sand. It’s a moment where a man accepts the reality that the war will always be there therefore, there is not a moment where he arrives and says, “I’ve beat it. It’s over. I can get on with life” That is insane and is accompanied by failure. Well intentioned yes but failure lurks right around the corner.

The line in the sand moment I’m getting at here is when a man does what Daniel did in Babylon as a teenager when he was surrounded by gross paganism and ungodliness:

        Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel had a made-up mind that defilement was not an option for him. Paganism was not going away, ungodliness was not going away but neither was Daniel’s conviction. He had drawn a line in the sand. The late Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “One big decision takes care of a lot of little decisions.” A man who fails to purpose in heart that he will not defile himself, will defile himself.

There are two promises I can make regarding your tomorrow, the sun will rise and you will be sexually tempted as a man and that will be true six weeks from now as well. What it comes down to is have you drawn a line in the sand that says I WILL NOT DEFILE MYSELF? Have you determined, “It doesn’t matter what the enemy throws at me, I will not cross that line even if it kills me.”

A man who fails to do this is hopeless in his hotel room on a business trip. A man who fails to do this is a sitting duck while surfing the internet while his wife is visiting her parents for the weekend. A man who fails to do this will entertain flirtatious attention that advances to adultery.

The mind must be made up before the moment of attack arrives and when a man has drawn a line, it doesn’t not matter what/who comes his way, the response is premeditated.

Men will read this and agree but wonder how does a man draw a line like that and stick to it? The answer is fairly simple but the problem is application. Men will read the answer given and blow it off before finishing the answer but here it is nonetheless:

Psa 119:9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

A man must feed on the Word of God. It is that simple. Listen, bondage only needs one condition to exist: REJECTION AND DISOBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD!

Jesus said, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. So if a man is enslaved to any device of Satan, it has to be a result of not taking heed to God’s Word, hiding it in his heart which makes him free.

I’m not saying it’s easy but when that line is drawn and reinforced daily, it gets easier.

Have you drawn the line?

God's Specific Call to Strength

Huffing and puffing up and down the hills around my neighborhood, I found it challenging to keep my heart rate up tonight.  I was using one of those fancy heart rate monitors and tonight my plan was a ride in the somewhat cooler evening air. 

As I was riding and struggling to get the most out of my time in the saddle, a verse came to me that I often think of during a workout -“For bodily exercise profiteth little…” I Tim 4:8a.  Paul refers to physical exercise to teach us by comparison that while working out is good, there is something even more profitable -- godliness.  I don’t want you to miss the greater truth there, but tonight I honed in on the first part of the verse and encouraged myself that there was at least some profit to what I was doing while I dodged cars and watched for potholes in the dark.

Somewhere around mile three I began thinking about the discipline required to really make an exercise routine work.  If I am to really become a strong cyclist, or strong runner, or strong ______ (insert your sport of choice) I have to do it on a regular basis, and from time to time stretch myself.  I started thinking about how similar my spiritual life is.  In the spirit of my workout, when I got home I set aside what I was planning on writing and did a short word study…

Did you know in the New Testament, we are told to "be strong" only three times?

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. I Cor. 16:13

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Eph 6:10

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. II Tim. 2:1

That blew me away!  Of all of the directives and important plans our Father has for us in the New Testament, only 3 things warranted a command to be strong in them.  What exactly does it mean to be strong in: faith, power of the Lord, grace in Jesus?  Let me encourage you to study these passages out on your own, but to help you get started here are some tips:

Be Strong in Faith – I Cor 16:13

The Corinthians had a crisis of faith when they stopped adhering to the word of God and ended up in a carnal way.  Paul wrote I Corinthians in order to correct their actions according to what the word of God said.  Faith, essentially is knowing what God said, and realigning your life to do what God said.  In a word faith is obedience (to his word).  For a whole list of examples see Hebrews chapter 11.  Are you strong in your obedience to his word?  Keep in mind willful ignorance of what God says is not an excuse.

Be Strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might – Eph 6:10

Sounds good.  What does it mean?  A key to understanding this passage is to follow through with the passage and look at the context of the last half of chapter 6.  Essentially, Paul is instructing the church in the warfare that is Christianity.  Don’t fool yourself, there is a war going on for your consecration and for the souls of men.  Failure to see this will lead to weakness in this area and certain injury on the battlefield.  To be strong in the Lord and suited for battle requires arming yourself with truth, righteousness, preparation of the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God and watchful prayer.  Whoa!  That’s a heavy list.  I guess warring in the name of Jesus involves more than just snatching a verse a day from the clutches of my morning routine.  Are you strong in the Lord and ready for the battle?  Know that the enemy certainly is.

Be Strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus – II Tim 2:1

Unfortunately, many of us jump past this verse when reading chapter 2 in anticipation of the famous discipleship verse found in verse 2 where Paul commands us to invest in faithful men who will also invest in faithful men.  Did you ever notice that verse two of II Tim. 2 starts with the word “And?”   Paul is continuing his thought from verse 1 where he tells Tim to “be strong in grace.”  What does that mean?  Good manners, elegance of movement, sophistication?  I think you’ll find if you study the word out that there are spiritual elements to all of those things relating to grace, but at the core I think you’ll find something more.  You see the discipleship, taking place in verse 2, has to come from something substantive in your own life.  What is that substance?  It’s you living verse 1.  In other words you have to be strong in grace (v.1) before you have anything to really invest in anyone else (v.2).  Without living verse 1, you will be investing a very limited amount of goodness into others, if anything good at all.  So what does being strong in grace look like?

Here’s a clue -- Chapter 1 drips of the condescending act of Jesus to save mankind.  Chapter 2 then continues with “thou therefore” (pointing back to the act of Jesus) “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  Here’s another clue, Paul, in the book of Ephesians tells us that “unto everyone of us is given [the gift of] grace” in his famous list of spiritual gifts.  Grace, simply put, is the act of condescension unto others for their eternal benefit.  It’s you arresting the will of the flesh and maybe even forsaking what is rightfully yours (condescending) in order to preach the good news of the gospel to someone in need.  What’s that, your gift isn’t evangelism?  No problem.  If you’re saved, you’ve got the gift of grace (Eph 4:7). Be strong in it.

How do I get strong in these areas?  Daily Exercise. Your faith stance strengthens with each obedient step you take as you witness God honoring his promises and you develop a track record of success with God.  Your power in the Lord surges as you consistently arm yourself and become skilled with the weaponry and armor that God provides.  And you become stronger and stronger in grace every time you say no to the flesh and yes to opening your mouth with the good news of the lowly Jesus.

Know this – the enemy would love to see you wallow in weak faith, weak power and weak grace.  I believe that there must be something particularly special about those three areas to be singled out as they are. This week I’m making sure these three workouts are part of my regiment.  God forbid I am weak in any of them!

Bored

Over the years, I’ve grown to recognize the look and the speech of the believer who has grown bored with God and His Word. I recall a man saying to me once after reading Psalm 119, “It was boring. He just kept repeating himself over and over again.” I was stunned and speechless to say the least. How does one generate that type of response after reading PSALM 119?

The reality is that many believers have been deceived into believing that the acquisition of Bible knowledge means they have discovered all there is to discover and know about God. How foolish and sad. I love the Word of God but the Word of God cannot contain ALL of God. This is not to say the Bible is lacking or incomplete as that would be a lie. The issue is simply this: God is too large to be totally contained in a book.

As the Holy Spirit led me to Nehemiah 9:6 recently, I instantly recognized that this was an encounter that demanded intense meditation and prayer for days on what I read and I’m still soaking in it as I type this blog. Let’s consider it:

Nehemiah 9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

From time to time, my children are eager to remind me of what they’ll say or do to Satan if he dare bother them. It’s obvious to me that in their minds he’s nothing more than a lightweight character like one the cartoon characters they’re familiar with. When it comes to Satan, believers tend to go to one of two extremes. Either we fail to give him enough credit or too much. The reality is one-on-one we’re no match for Satan but he is no match for God either because God is the LORD alone. He is self-existent while Satan is a created being and so are all other “so-called” gods. How can the one created overpower its creator? This gave me a refreshed perspective of the omnipotence of God. He is more powerful than my imagination can comprehend. What are my problems in His sight? NOTHING! His work in creation reinforces His total rule in and over all things visible and invisible to us. The fact that our minds are unable to fully comprehend or grasp God ought to fuel the pursuit of Him not lead us to boredom.

At the end of this verse, it says, “and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” The word worshippeth appears in the present tense here. I guess if anyone would be justified in growing board with God it would have to be the angelic host who have been worshipping God for thousands of years but as I type this, they are still worshipping Him and will continue to do so with us throughout eternity. What do you suppose this teaches about God? He is AWESOME, INCOMPREHENSIBLE, INEXHAUSTIBLE, & INCREDIBLE and to be bored of Him is a signal of something deeply deficient in us.

The Scripture declares He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. He is the reward! But to the carnal mind, that seems to be a futile and wasted pursuit.

To discover more of Him moves us unlike any pleasure or experience we can fathom. If we would come after Him, He promises not to disappoint. Any man who believes he’s mastered God is a carnal fool and what follows spiritual boredom plays out like a spiritual horror film. Boredom with God is a very tantalizing invitation to Satan and he RSVP’s with rapid response because any man who has grown bored with God will eventually put down the Word of God and it’s downhill from there.

Have you grown bored with God? If the Holy Spirit has just judged you guilty, seek Him now for grace to repent and come after Him. He wants to show you so much more!

Leaving the Old You Behind

Today I came across a familiar passage in my reading.  I shutter to think how often I skim over “familiar” passages and take them for granted.  Thankfully the Holy Spirit prompted me to meditate on this one:

1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;

                        Genesis 12:1-4a

This is the famous call to Abram who would become the father of Israel and eventually, Abraham, the friend of God.  What an amazing journey!  I often go to the life of Abraham for inspiration in my own journey as a father, husband and man of God.  Abraham experienced great struggle, loss, failure, sacrifice and incredible victory.  All of which speak volumes about how everyman is able to do the same simply by trusting God.  His incredible account is found in Genesis chapters 12 – 25.

As I read over how it all started in Abram’s life it occurred to me what God was asking of Abram.  This father of Israel, and eventual friend of God started out just like you and I – just like everyman.  But before the great promise of blessing in vv. 2-3, God asks Abram to completely shed his identity.  Look at what God instructs him to do in verse 1:

#1 – “Get thee out of thy country.”

What’s in a country?  Here in the U.S., citizens proudly wave their banner year around for the old red, white and blue.  It happens in other countries too.  It’s natural and whether by favoring your country’s soldiers on the battlefield, or rooting every four years for your favorite national athlete in the Olympics, it’s just built in to a person – the country they come from.  It is predictable and at some level, safe, even for those in repressive regimes.  How important of a connection is a person’s country to their identity?  Apparently deeply important, as it is the first layer that God commands Abram to shed.  I wondered how willing we as men would be to completely shed our national identity to follow God?  Does my patriotism and reverence for the Constitution and Founding Fathers compare to my devotion to the cross of Christ?  God forbid, but I think sometimes it is much easier to embrace the nature of our heritage as countrymen then be willing to shed it if necessary for the cause of Christ.  Would I be willing to leave it behind to follow God to another part of the world?  What if it required giving up that part of my identity permanently?

#2 – Get thee out “from thy kindred.”

If a person’s country is important to their identity, then a person’s kindred, is even more intricately woven into the fabric of a person.  Many people associate kindred with family, but it means something slightly broader than that.  It contains the root word, “kind,” and essentially encompasses those things or people that are similar.  God was asking Abram to not only leave his national identity, but also leave behind everything similar in kind to those things and people who were kindred in his old spirit, old attitudes, old beliefs, old values, old feelings…  As God continues to peel the layers away from the old man, Abram, the challenge becomes more intense.  As you obey the Lord, have you noticed the people and things you surround yourself with changing?  Have you left behind that which was kindred to the old, pre-Christ you?

#3 – Get thee out “from thy father’s house.”

Finally, in this short, compact list we see God asking Abram to shed the most intimate layer of identity, his family.  This probably doesn’t need a lot of elaboration, but to say that it involves the foundational layer of a person is probably not a stretch.  I can think of no other connection so close as a person’s family.  God designed it this way for our good that we might be protected and provided for.  And that relationship you have with your mom, dad, aunt, grandparent, child, brother, sister, nephew, niece… is a powerful bond, sealed by shared experiences and sealed by the shared interest of preserving the all important family (and thereby yourself) that naturally exists when you share the same name.  I know that I would do anything for my family.  But am I as a man willing to shed my old  foundational identity for God’s?  As you read Abram’s story, you’ll find that he had to come face to face with that very question.

Before I moved on in my reading of Genesis 12, I had to ask myself whether or not I’ve turned over each part of my identity to God.  In Luke 14:26 Jesus lays out what it means to be a true follower of his by talking about what it means to turn over your identity,

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Fortunately the love that God gives you is unending so that there is exceeding more than enough to spread around between your country, kindred and family.  All the same, don’t diminish the fact that Jesus, here in the gospel of Luke, illustrates the nature of what your devotion to anything else in this world must be like compared to your devotion to the Lord.  Oh, that we as men might be that type of Disciple!  The road to this sort of life starts one way.  Abram believed and obeyed.  He may not have understood at that early moment of his journey the depth of what God was asking of him, but what he did understand he moved on:   

 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;

                        Genesis 12:4a

This week I want to encourage you to listen to the Word of the Lord to identify ways you might depart as the Lord speaks to you.   This week, be sensitive to what God would have you shed literally and comparatively so that Jesus might be magnified in you.

To deny the LORD

I've been studying Jude in our bible study when I came across this verse;

 Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our god into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now there is plenty of stuff going on in this verse and we could probably spend weeks alone in this verse.  But what really stood out to me was "denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."  As a godly man I instantly would say "Well I would never!!"  I could never deny my God and my Saviour, you might be saying that same thing right now.

Matt 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in      heaven
So we all know better then that, and in our relationship with God we don't deny him we accept, love, and proclaim his name to the world.  What should we deny?

Matt 16:24  Then said Jesus uto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.
So we are to deny ourselves.  We are to deny the flesh.  We are to put away everything that this earthly body has an urge to do, everything this earthly body thinks is right we should deny.  Because the flesh is sin and to be IN the Lord is holy.  
So of course we wouldn't deny God that means eternal seperation from him, we learned that in Matt 10:33.
  
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 
There it is again deny yourself, but there is something else in this one.  Take up his cross DAILY.  
I was at a christian function a week or so ago and I heard one of those "that's what she said jokes".  It came out of a strong christian mans mouth.  I don't find them funny.  I don't appreciate them.  And I find them quite degrading to women and I'm sure God doesn't like the sexual connotations that it implies about a child of his.  So that got me thinking, how does something like that get into the vocabulary of a man of God, how does something as vile and degrading as that creep in unaware and become a part of our daily lives.  

2 Peter 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  

DENYING THE LORD, that's how that slips into our world that's how it slowly creeps in and after a while it seems to be ok.  We already know we won't deny God, but how about your daily walk your daily cross bearing walk where are you denying Christ?  Everytime you sin, Everytime you let something into your life that you know you shouldn't you Deny Christ and take on that sin acceptingly and knowingly.  You watch that dirty movie, you are denying God and letting sin in your life.  You listen to vulger music, you deny Christ and let sin in.  You do, look, participate, listen, read and willfully sin against God's will, You DENY him.  And as you deny him in the small things you will eventually become numb to those and allow more and more into your life.  Until someday it's part of your life and it flows from your mouth and it flows through your mind and it's ok.  It's just ok, part of life and you have no conviction about the sin, the denial of God that you now participate in.   

So to wrap it up I earge you to get that conviction and when sin (denial) creeps up in your life you will have the knowledge of God and the eyes of Jesus to know and recognize it.  HOW?  Well by being IN the Lord thy GOD.  By being IN the word everyday, by being close to GOD by haveing an intimate relationship with him.  If your not taking some quiet time and drawing near to GOD praying reading his word then you have no defenses Ephesians 6:10-18.   
 

Get Up Man!

           Failure is a scary place for a man. Men love to win and to a man, most often losing is representative of one thing: FAILURE. After all, it has been said that, “Winning is not everything, it’s the only thing.” I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard men quote those words uttered by Vince Lombardi many years ago. I remember as a freshman in high school watching seniors on the varsity basketball team sob in the locker room after a tough loss in the state tournament. On campus, they had a bigger than life persona and seemed somewhat immortal to me as a freshman. They were popular, very talented, and even had their names in the newspaper. But in the locker room that night, they felt like losers as they failed to win it all.

                Failure can be defined as something that falls short of what is required or expected. Students of Scripture immediately hear bells ringing when considering that definition.  Romans 3:23 declares, “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Tucked away in this gem of a passage we encounter a very necessary reality: EVERYBODY FAILS (Including men). Before we can ever learn how to properly manage failure we must embrace this reality. Failure to do so only intensifies failure.

                There’s a belief held by many pastors that it is too risky to expose their failures to people. Now, I do believe a pastor or Christian leader should maintain a right testimony (1 Timothy 3) however, if they are human, then failure is as much a part of their journey as it is with those they are privileged to lead. As a matter of fact, the great Apostle Paul admitted the following to billions:

             Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

I have a suspicion that the Apostle Paul missed the memo advising pastors not to admit their failures.

                When all is said and done, I do not want to fail. I want to thrive and hit God’s standard each and every time. But Romans 7:19 and 1 Timothy 1:15 speak to my reality. In the seventeen years that I have walked with Jesus Christ, I have had to accept that not only is failure a part of the journey, it is NECESSARY. Though I hate to fail, one of the best things failure does for me is ground me.  Failure brings me face to face with my insufficiency and total inability to meet God’s standard in my flesh. I need this reality.

                Another blessing in failure is that it serves as a safeguard in ministry. Our brightest attributes are usually exposed in ministry. This is especially true for those who serve in a more public capacity. Public gift sets tend to attract compliments, respect, and immediate acceptance. If not careful, one can get inflated. Failure comes along and reinforces a Romans 7:19 and 1 Timothy 1:15 reality! As much as I hate to taste failure, there have been times where I’ve found myself caught up in my own press to only fall very hard days later and be brought back to reality. So I’m thankful for how the Lord uses failure.

                In conclusion, in the journey to becoming the man God would have you to be, failing is as much of the process as succeeding. As a matter of fact, it is through failure that we most often learn how to succeed.  Here’s the key though, embrace the lessons and move on. Too many men fail and instead of learning and moving on, they move into a paralyzing state of failure which leads to more failure and literally years can be wasted. The Bible says it perfectly:

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

                I find great encouragement from the life of Peter who clearly has one of the darkest episodes of his life preserved in Scripture for all to see. But what a ministry God had for him after that! Peter fell but rose up again and so can you.

                Get Up Man!

               

Staking a Valid Claim on the Name of Christ

I was thinking the other day about the excuse that is often told when a person rejects Christ’s Lordship that goes something like this – ‘I would follow Christ, if it were not for all of the Christians and my fear of what it will turn me into.’ This is usually not meant to be flattering in a way that depicts a transformed life for good, but is instead a reference to the many vile and hypocritical behaviors that we Christians involve ourselves in, all while claiming the name of Christ. In fact, although the quote is typically taken out of context, it was Gandhi who stated something similar during an interview with a Christian missionary E. Stanley Jones.  Putting aside for a moment the problem of self righteousness that the quote creates, it did get me wondering about the validity of many people's claims on the name of Christ. Are there really that many messed up Christians?  Are they really Christians?

What does it mean to claim the name of Christ?

Back in the days of the settlers a claim was a way to ensure that a person was able to secure his property rights in a parcel of land.  It might start out with erecting a family flag or noticeable sign on a piece of land, and then progress with filing a legal claim back east, or at the courthouse so that the claim has authority and enforceability beyond just meaningless words.  Certain factual elements had to be in place for it to be valid.

You see a claim was not just a simple declaration that “this land is now mine.”  Can you imagine coming home to your house or apartment tonight and finding someone on your couch watching TV and as you ask what’s going on they reply, “This is now my house, I’ve claimed it.”  Just like in the days of the settlers, there has to be a way of proving that a claim is valid.  Many of the same elements of a legal claim still exist today – public notice, reasonable control, ability to exclude, ability to transfer ownership… The list goes on and on.  But if those elements aren’t met, then legally the claim on that property is not valid.  You don’t own that property any more then the next guy.

So how do I know my claim on Christ’s name is valid?  How do I know that I have rights in Christ’s identity so that I can call myself by his name?  It’s interesting how the law reflects God’s design for how things work.

According to John 15:19 a Christian’s property interests are “not of this world.”  That occurs when we stake a valid claim on the name of Jesus.  Just as a claim on property requires a valid claim with certain elements met to validate it, a claim on Christ also requires certain elements in order for a valid claim on the name of Christ to exist.  Here are the elements that Paul lays out in Romans 10:9-10 to “be saved” and “unto salvation”:

-          Law of the Spirit element #1:  Confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus

The first element for a valid claim on the name of Christ is a declaration.  While a declaration alone doesn’t secure a claim, it is required. Notice what the declaration requires, in that you must declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.  That word Lord denotes ruler of all!  All, in case you didn’t catch it, includes you.  So a declaration of Christ’s Lordship implies that you are declaring that Jesus Christ is the ruler of your life.  You are declaring that you surrender absolute and perpetual control of your will to him in all things.

-          Law of the Spirit element #2:  believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead.

The second element for a valid claim on the name of Christ is a heart belief that God hath raised him from the dead.  This separates the pretenders who merely want to claim Jesus with their mouth from those with a real claim on the name of Jesus.  Only God knows what a person really believes in their heart, but consider this - real belief results in behavior based on what is believed. James 2:17.

Those are the two broad elements of a valid legal claim on the name of Christ.  But just like the elements of the law today, often it takes an unwrapping of a lot of the key terms to fully appreciate what your valid claim has given you.  In the secular legal system, judges use case law to find out how the codes and statutes are to be applied and defined.  As Christians we look to the cases and references found in the scripture.  What words are important here?  Well, all of them.  God’s Word contains no filler and to properly understand your claim on Christ means that every aspect of those elements must be applied.  The challenge however is not in their complexity, for God’s way is truly simple and not meant to confound.  The challenge then is knowing and believing the meaning of these words.

Let me challenge you to study out the meaning of your claim this week by reviewing what the scripture says about the words: Confess, Mouth, Lord, Believe, Heart, Raised and Dead.  Spend some time on these words and let them saturate your understanding.

Perhaps you’re not sure if the claim you thought you had on Jesus is valid.  You need to find out.  Make sure your claim to Christ isn’t an incomplete declaration.  Make sure that your claim to Christ is based on real belief.  Don’t assume because you said a few words or gave mental assent to an idea that you have a valid claim.  If you want more information, send us an E-mail.  If you need prayer, send us an E-mail.  We’d love to hear from you.

A Real Friend

I’ve never been crazy about statistics. Primarily because they can be used to lead others to a premeditated conclusion set by someone anxious to make a point. They have their place but should always be used with caution and honesty.

It has been reported that 90% of men do not have real friends.  I’m not sure how the research was conducted but based on my own day to day observations, I’m inclined to believe that there is a great measure of truth in that research.

It is critical to establish the definition of a “real friend” as it can mean different things to different people depending on their perspective. As with all things, the Word of God provides invaluable insight regarding all matters and the Bible has much to say about friendship. While we could look at several references, let’s consider Proverbs 17:17:

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.  

Immediately we’re thrust into a necessary reality when it comes to friendship. According to this verse, friendship carries a real affectionate tone similar to what husband and wife might experience sensually. For the record, the Bible is in no way advocating homosexuality here. That is sin and God has been unabashedly clear regarding that (Lev. 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; Jude 1:7). The message here is that real friendship runs deep. It engages the head and the heart. This type of friendship propels us far beyond the shallow demonstrations that we’ve become so accustomed to.

Another observation we see is that friendship carries a rich unconditional undertone. The Scripture says a friend loveth at ALL times. In other words, a real friend is not someone who comes and goes and usually comes when things are good. One of the most painful realities to encounter is to realize that the real friendship you thought you had was not real at all. This always happens when the season changes for the worst and like the wind, they blow away. Job could tell you all about that one. A real friend is one who without hesitation, will climb into the foxhole of life with you regardless of the hardship involved. This is what is meant by a brother is born for adversity. It is in times of adversity that men become real friends. Men who have faced death together in war walk away from that experience with a bond that cannot be broken. This is true in other forms of adversity as well. I can say with confidence that the common denominator in every real friend I have has been seasons of war and adversity together. We’ve fought together and have demonstrated an unconditional commitment to friendship. For me, it is unlikely that one could be considered a real friend until we’ve bled together so to speak.

In closing, one of the greatest examples of real friendship preserved in the Scriptures is the relationship between David and Jonathan. When receiving the news that Jonathan had been killed in battle, observe the sobering words of David:

2 Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

Again, there is nothing dark or sinful about this expression. These were two men who had gone to war together and their souls were knit. Their relationship was not cheap and shallow. They were real friends.

Men, who is your Jonathan? Who is your David? To properly answer those questions I believe you have to ask yourself, “Am I a Jonathan” or, “Am I a David?”

Where you find a David, you find a Jonathan. So, if there is no David or Jonathan in your life, it is probably because you’re not becoming a David or a Jonathan and this is cause for concern.

Gaining Perspective - A Glimpse of God's Power, Protection and Presence

On Wednesday, work at the office was interrupted by what on most counts would’ve been considered a routine mid-west thunderstorm.  Work stopped and about a dozen or so coworkers and guys from the office took to the parking lot, eyes skyward.  It was dark and clouds were spinning and crossing paths.  Sirens were blaring all over the city.  Those who weren’t in the parking lot were glued to weather websites at their desks.  A local news station later reported that during that 2-hour period on Wednesday afternoon their website traffic was the highest ever recorded as people linked up looking for a tornado, and hoping for just enough warning to prevent a scenario like Joplin, MO experienced a few days earlier.  Over this past week it’s been difficult to get the images from Joplin out of my mind.  Details are still coming in, but what can be pieced together is that in mere seconds, and without much warning a mega-tornado that spawned several vortices touched down and wiped out a large part of that city, killing 139 so far with over 100 people still unaccounted for.

As I stood there in the parking lot Wednesday, I was reminded of a famous reference to a tornado found in Job 38-42 where God visits the earth and has a conversation with Job and a few onlookers out of the whirlwind.  As a quick summary, Job had experienced excruciating Satanic attacks in his life on his career, family, marriage and even his physical and mental health, all at the same time!  From the onset several of his friends, in self-righteous grandeur begin “counseling” Job on how to fix his problems by acknowledging and repenting from what they perceived were hidden sins that brought on Job’s affliction.  Job, albeit firm in his piety and attempt at blamelessness, was just short of wearing down and began showing hints of his spiritual frailty in the face of the enemy.   Standing there just in awe of the weather, I wondered what Job and his critics must have been doing when God showed up!

I sat down later and wrote out a few things about the whirlwind and how God was often associated with the appearance of a whirlwind in scripture.  Here are some general thoughts

• Whirlwind appears numerous times in the Bible and is often associated with God’s power, protection and presence.
• God’s power is evident in his ability to control the environment seen by witnessing his command of a devastating storm as his personal chariot.
• I am reminded of Jesus’ famous words in Matthew 8, “Peace, be still” that calmed the stormy seas in a moment.
• In Job and Ezekiel the whirlwind is God’s instrument of protection as God judges in order to preserve life.  God even reveals that Elijah’s promotion to heaven was through a whirlwind via heavenly chariot in 2 Kings 2.  This got me thinking of the many lives that were spared by the storm in Joplin.  We are quick to think of the devastation, but were it not for God who wills that none perish, what other destruction would the god of this world (Satan - John 8) work against mankind?  To those that for some reason by the grace of God were spared, I wonder for what purpose do they now owe a Christ-centered life for their ability to still live?  What about my own ability to still live and walk after Christ?!?  God’s grace is good.

A meteorologist I listened to later in the week was explaining some of the physics that operate in a tornado.  Even though I was only ½ paying attention I remember looking up when he began talking about the low air pressure that occurs when a tornado takes place.  As the air particles become more and more unstable, the air is literally sucked towards a dynamic point in space causing a vortex that we know of to be a tornado.  It’s the same thing that occurs in a hurricane, but much more concentrated.  Literally a vacuum is created.

He went on to explain how a person caught inside a tornado (see Wizard of Oz) would most likely experience the same feeling as a drowning man with the air sucked right out of their vacuum imploded lungs and with no ability to inhale the needed breath of life.  Whoa!  That is take-your-breath-away power.  Literally.  It is no wonder we see men freeze, fall down dead and go speechless when God’s shows up in the Bible.

How powerful is God!  And how much do we need him to sustain life!  This week I purposed to walk in the thankfulness of his grace that I have life.  This week I purposed to remember the awe inspiring, take your breath away presence of God that we see many times in the Bible when men came in to His presence.  I encourage you to join me in those purposes.