Confessions

"How shall we say that we are dead to sin live any longer in sin?"(Rom 6:2)"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with the Lord and walk in darkness, we lie and do not tell the truth." (1 John 1: 5-6)The bible is quite clear that we are fooling ourselves and are lying to God when we continue to practice deliberate sin. This may seem obvious but many including me discount even the slightest of transgression because we do not want to admit that our sin is "as serious" as the other guys. How wicked we are!
Consider, 1 Peter 1: 13- 2: 19. "…You were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ…see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently: laying aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings."Yes even these "harmless sins, malice, guile, evil speech and envy ( like you see on E! and Entertainment Tonight). No matter the sin, it is all disgusting in God's eye and we are all GUILTY!

"How can I put such obedience to work in my life? What am I doing that displeases God? What work of my hands brings dishonor to His name? Am I setting a good example of Christ for my family? Is my walk with the Lord a good example for a non-believer? Does my life look any different than it did before I believed that Jesus died on a cross for my sins? Does my faith have evidence? (James 1:22; 2: 20)

I am too busy to pray; too confident in my own understanding to hear God. I believe others have to live their relationship with God like I do. Worried about the splinter in my brothers eye rather than the log in mine. My life in Christ is different and improved but I have room for growth. My faith has evidence, but I lack grace.

Prayer: Lord, I am growing in you-thank you for your grace while I stumble. Father please forgive me for my arrogance and my lack of grace, thinking that my life is a model for others. Help me please, help me humble myself and learn to draw my strength to be obedient from you and please help me extend grace to others as you have poured your grace upon me. Jesus help me!

Yielding: Always give grace when someone's action bothers me. Three times before I react and three more opportunities to change before I walk away and yet three more before I ask God to continue to be patient with me. May I never give up on anyone, just as my Father never gave up on me!

Blessings

The Response

“Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Luke 7:22-23)

Last week, nine men and women were brutally murdered while attending a bible study in their downtown Charleston, SC church. Immediately, the country was, once again, thrown into another “racially motivated,” incident as the national media trucks rolled into our small town by the sea. Sensing blood in the water the “usual suspects,” began to circle the Holy City to make a buck on the emotions of a group of people who were hurt and angry at the senseless violence perpetrated upon them over the color of their skin. The world was ready for another month of violence in the streets, burning building, endless talking heads espousing every opinion under the sun, while the listening public tuned out and dug deeper into the holes they had dug for themselves to silence the endless chatter. But this time, the “victims,” were different, the unfolding story was fresh, and the reaction miraculous.

I awoke Thursday morning after the shooting, made coffee and prepared myself for another work day. Our daughter called to give her mom an update as usual, but this time she asked, if we had heard of what happened the night before. We quickly turned on the local news and soon became entranced in the unfolding story the brought back memories of Ferguson and Baltimore. “Could this be happening in our little corner of the world,” we thought.

This time, however, we soon would discover, the violence would not spill over like it did in those other places. The darkness that came to Charleston on June 17, 2015 came to the wrong place. The victims in this case were children of God and the darkness could not extinguish their light. The brothers and sisters of Emanuel AME churches and thousands like them in Charleston knew that their Shepherd would never leave them nor forsake them. We (the true Body of Christ) understood, what the Enemy had meant for an evil purpose God would use for his good purposes.

It was not surprising, that ten dour days before this tragedy, South Carolina held a statewide call to prayer called The Response. It was not surprising that our omniscient Father would have seen Rev. Clementa Pinckney (a Response leader and participant) gunned down along with eight of his parishioners. It was not surprising that our God would hear the prayers of his people and strengthen those left in the wake of the violence, giving us the courage and the protection of God’s armor to resist the “wiles of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:11).

Just as Jesus sent comforting words back to John the Baptist who would soon lose his head at the hands of his jealous captors, the Father sent comfort ahead of this tragedy as thousands of praying Christians obediently reached out to God to “heal our land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) The Response, in Charleston was, in God’s timing, made in advance of the tragedy! Those who prayed on June 13 were led by the Holy Spirit to return our country to the greatness lost because many in our church family have turned their backs on God in favor of worldly pursuits (I include myself). However, God had another purpose, to strengthen the faith of the believers in Charleston, who would soon face tragedy, to show the world how the love of God trumps the schemes of the devil and the violence perpetrated in the hearts of men.

As I watched more than ten thousand people from all walks of life, tourists and locals, men and women, black and white, stream across the Ravenel Bridge to form a human chain of unity in ninety degree heat, I was amazed how God worked out all of these events in advance to show the world His love. The next time you feel compelled to pray or to do something kind for another, remember Charleston and remember God’s response may be coming in the future to your act of obedience in the present.

Blessings!

Be of Good Courage – The fight continues

“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:…I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Joshua 1: 5)

The storms of life are all around us especially in these days. One need only turn on the evening news or search the news feeds from around the world to see chaos and trouble around every corner. One can easily be overwhelmed without a firm foundation in the Truth. Like Moses successor, Joshua, we are called into a land that is dangerous and full of darkness that is designed to overwhelm us with fear. God knows the Enemy and he knows our fears. The comforting and inspiring words He gave to Joshua before crossing the Jordan and into the Promised Land can be a comfort to us as we enter into life challenges that bring us anxiety and fear.

A careful reading of the Book of Genesis describes the migration of the forces of darkness from the post flood period to the land of Canaan as a supernatural army that would oppose the God’s plan for the nation of Israel and ultimately the plan of salvation. The story told in the Book of Joshua, describes the obedience and victory of the Jewish people over the demon-influenced inhabitants and of the land God gave them across the Jordan River. The promises of the Lord were clearly demonstrated to his people and were not lost on those to whom God gave victory (read Joshua 2: 9-11); Rahab the Gentile harlot who helped Joshua’s men declaring, “the Lord your God, ‘he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath’.” Not only were the promises of God for the nation of Israel, they were clearly influencing and recognized by the Gentile world.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews establishes mankind’s place in God’s hierarchy, “You have made him (mankind) for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.” (Hebrews 2: 7-8) This fact was not lost on the fallen angels that ruled the geography surrounding Jerusalem. The spiritual battle that began in the Garden was on display as God lead Joshua and his followers into battle after battle set forth to completely destroy all who opposed them, not because God was bloodthirsty as many who oppose the faith proclaim, but intent on wiping out the darkness in the land. God, as did Rahab, knew Joshua was fighting in the spirit realm the very battle that continues in ever-increasing intensity today.

Brothers and sisters, in these last days, the same darkness faced by Joshua and the Jewish people continues. The war of our LORD against Satan and his fallen angels intensifies as the time of the end draws nearer. The consequence of the watering down of the Truth by an apostate church serves only to encourage the Enemy and his forces to increase the intensity of their fight. But, “be of good courage,” God has already won this victory in Christ Jesus and we must declare that victory in our hearts and with our voices especially now.

Praise Him always!

Falling Away

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” (2 Thes 2:3)

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” (1 Tim 4:1)

My wife and I spent Christmas visiting family in Asheville, NC. Away from our traditional surroundings, we took the opportunity to try a different church to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I searched the web for a place of worship that looked as if it was Spirit-filled and honored Jesus Christ and we readied ourselves, put the address in our Garmin and headed out. What we discovered in the next two hours opened our eyes to the truth of God’s word in these last days.

After returning to the hotel, stunned, my wife and I agreed that the two hour talent show filled with professional musicians, comedians and a husband - wife pastor team was entertaining but devoid of the reason we were led to go to church on a cold mid-week evening. Jesus Christ was not celebrated nor was the Holy Spirit, present in that place. The time when many unbelievers find themselves in a church was in this place a missed opportunity to tell a lost person why the Son of God came and why he or she needed to receive the gift he brought.

Since that day I have been thinking about the sad state of the American Church and wondering, if we were witnessing the “falling away,” spoken of by Paul in his letter to the church at Thessalonica?

“Ye adulterer and adulteresses, know ye not the friendship of the world is emnity with God? Whosoever, therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

A.W. Tozer in his marvelous book, God’s Pursuit of Man,” strongly declares, “(God’s words) are not for us for consideration; they are for our obedience and we have no right to claim the title of Christian unless we follow them.” The 21st century church has (at large) turned its attention to “world friendship,” in an effort to attract the masses and attract donors willing to be entertained in exchange for “tithes and offerings,” to make pastor payroll and cover overhead expenses of massive church “campuses.” Churches of a few hundred are closing their doors as their aging congregants, are left behind by fleeting millennials, seeking to find a different “experience.”
New Age philosophies, eastern religious practices such as yoga, contemplative prayer, chants and the like have infiltrated many churches and blended with worship services pushing out the bible as the single source of Truth. Musically gifted “worship leaders,” empowered by high tech sound, video, and lighting produce a multimedia experience designed entertain and attract young people and those looking for “a feeling” from their “worship experience.” Combine this sensory deluge with widespread bible illiteracy, and the congregation finds itself being led to the slaughter like a heard of bewildered cattle. Years of attending church on Sunday without any effort to go deeper in prayer and bible study has emasculated church members and prepared them to be deceived by anything that stimulates their emotions. When the Holy Spirit prompted John to warn his flock to “try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world,” (1 John 4:1) he was warning them of this very deception that has befallen the twenty-first century church.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Tozer is right; we have no right to claim the title of Christian unless we obey God’s word. If we call ourselves Christians (God’s children), and deliberately disobey His Word, it is sin and we are taking God’s name in vain. Whether through ignorance, defiance, or fear unchecked leaves us open to further deception and eternal separation from God in hell. Sadly, many who believe they are saved will die and go to hell because they did not follow Christ.

Jesus said plainly, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) Clearly, Jesus demands action from us. Christianity is not a spectator sport. If we are not actively growing in your faith, we are not following Christ and are being deceived into falling away from the faith. Please repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help you before it’s too late.

We cannot go it alone (Ephesians 4:11-16)

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

Everyone in the Body of Christ is to have a role according the gifts and grace God has given to us. Paul clearly spells out that we are to learn and grow within the roles and according to the skills God has granted to our members. This order is provided to “perfect us” in order that the work of the ministry is performed properly and effectively ( giving due glory to God) and in such a manner as to benefit the entire Church along the way.
‘Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

We are to continue Paul writes, until all of us are unified in our faith and in our understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what he has done for us and in us. Continuing in our apprenticeship according to this learning structure until such time as we emulate Christ in all our ways! (In other words until we see Him face to face).

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Once the Holy Spirit convicts us to make a statement of faith and declare Christ the victor over sin and death and receive his free gift of salvation because we know that we are sinful and on a path to eternal separation in hell without His death and resurrection; once we have this understanding and accept our need for it, our journey of growing from childhood to maturity begins. Our faith demands that we grow. If we do not Paul writes we are subject to “the sleight of men,” (deception and trickery – “think magician”), false doctrine (so many to count) and those who “lie in wait to deceive.” How many have been deceived by false doctrine, accepting a twisting of scripture as the truth because it came from a favorite preacher without discernment and self-study (consider Act 17 and the Bereans who were diligent in their study so as not to be deceived). Believers must learn to learn using their own intellect, prayer, wise counsel and the Word of God to guide them from infancy to adulthood in the faith or face eternal separation from God because they were deceived by one they trusted but did not take the time to verify what he/she said. Our walk with Christ is personal and our responsibility. Remember, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME…” (Matthew 7: 21-23)

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

The Church will grow and sustain itself as each member begins to pray for wisdom and understanding and diligently pursues a relationship with Jesus Christ using the members of the body so gifted and matured in their faith as support. Together we will grow in Christ and as we do our Body will flourish and attract others to Christ as they see our example.

Father, we have gone it alone for so long and we have not matured as imitators of Christ as you have provided for us to do. We are truly sorry for our sin and desire to change. Lead us in your ways Lord and help us to develop the discipline to pick up our crosses and follow you using the resources you have given us. In Jesus name I pray.

The death of a friend and the sovereignty of God

“…in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Ephesians 1: 10-12)

Last week I gave a testimony for a longtime close friend who died after a year-long battle with cancer. His death brought me face to face with the reality that God is sovereign and that his purposes on earth will be fulfilled no matter how much we pray against it and no matter how it often hurts. “Your ways are not My ways," says the Lord,” comes to mind. (Is. 55:8)

There is a popular worship song that reminds us, “Who am I that you are mindful of me?” The song declares a friendship between God and the believer exists that to me seems unfathomable. When I consider the creation account in Genesis 1 or the fear and awe that overcame Isaiah when he encountered God (Is 6: 1-6) and the words of this song burn in my soul. Job captured the experience of confronting the power and sovereignty of God saying, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1-6)

Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians that we are believers because God gave us the faith to believe. We live, move, and breathe at his command and according to His purposes and for His pleasure. Everything that happens to us, every illness, accident, birth, relationship works together for the good for those of us who love Him. God did not take my friend from me, he allowed him to come into my life for His purposes and to enrich my life in Christ and now he is home with the Lord.

Today is not a day to weep; rather it is a day to celebrate life in Christ and the Sovereign King who is both mindful of me and big enough to use all things together for the good of we who believe and to bring the whole world to its knees in worship. God allowed my friend to have cancer and gave him the faith to say he was thankful that God allowed him to have cancer! Why? Because he knew that God would use this terrible disease to bring another man closer by increasing his faith.

“Praise God from who all blessings flow!”

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day." (Gen 1: 1-3)

This passage of scripture, probably one of the most widely quoted and referenced yet the depth of which so least understood. As I contemplate the work and suffering and beauty of Jesus on the cross, I am drawn to Him and the depth of love and intimacy he desires to have with us. God looked at an amorphous ball of gas, dark and empty (void) of any material that would distinguish it as a planet and His Spirit, His Essence, hovered over its surface and it somehow entered into its essence and gave it light and life.

At that very moment of creation, God breathed life into our earth and its form began to emerge from the emptiness of its previous existence. Just like when the Holy Spirit does a work in one who believes and he is born of water and the Spirit; new life had begun in the ball of gas now called Earth.

He also did something that would take even more time to realize, He "...separated the light from the darkness." The emptiness and void which had been the soul of the ball of gas and debris was now filled with God's Essence, God's Creative Force, His Holy Spirit and now (only now) would the darkness stand separately from the light. No longer would it keep the material dead and lifeless. Light had invaded the emptiness separating the darkness from it forever.
As we contemplate the death of Jesus this week, let us consider this creation event. God’s Spirit in the person of Jesus Christ hanging on a cross yet his healing Spirit hovering over our own dark souls, our emptiness, our formless lives. Consider the transformation we experienced as we put our trust in the gift of salvation in Christ; how our lives began to shed the darkness, the emptiness became full and our lives began to transform into the image of Jesus. The recreation of our lives being reborn in Christ Jesus is an image of how all things began and also an image of a beaten and bloodied body hanging on a cross that would rise from the grave in three days fully alive and available to transform you and me into His image.
Praise God for our Savior and the power of His creativity and his infinite mercy!
Happy Resurrection Day!

Holy unto God!

“He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.” Deut 26:19

Moses spoke to the people a little while before they would enter into the Promised Land 40 years after leaving Egypt set-free by the LORD yet wandering all those years because of their own disobedience. He reminded them of what the LORD first told them. He reiterated the details of the sacrifices and festivals and of God’s requirements for personal and moral conduct, reminding them what was good and pleasing to God and what He abhorred. Moses declared in their hearing to follow all that God had commanded through him, saying to them, “You have declared…that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him…”

All of this is familiar territory to most who read the Bible on a regular basis and to the wandering people of God, Moses words must have seemed a formality to them like another sermon on another day of worship. But the last thought in the chapter, caught my eye like it never did before as I drank slowly from the days first cup of coffee. God spoke with such awesome words this most precious of promises, “…he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.” Take a moment dear reader and prayerfully digest what God declared, what the Creator of all things just promised to those who are obedient to Him – I will set you in praise, fame and honor above all nations….AND I will consider you holy to Myself! AMAZING!

If we are zealous in our obedience to God, he will hold us in higher esteem than any nation he has previously honored. To be considered Holy and set apart for God first demands our desire to completely give ourselves in obedience to the Father. The rewards are great and the sacrifice is only giving up selfish desires in favor of serving the One who has done so much to save us from eternal darkness and separation from Him. As we come to understand how much God wants us to be holy to Him, it will become clear that if we make an effort to move toward God in obedience, he will draw us to Him making it ever easier to be obedient and receive the Father’s reward. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

God's favor for those who listen

“… to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:19)

Jesus after, reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” The crowd amazed by the confidence and authority of Jesus’ words knowing fully that when Isaiah wrote these things it was a prophecy of a coming King who would lead the Jewish people out from under the captivity of the Babylonians and give them liberty lost through years of worshipping false gods and neglecting the word of God. But, “what now,” is this amazing man telling us when he claims, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (v21) They must have been confused in their amazement, knowing their history so well, how could Jesus tell us this Scripture is only now being fulfilled? Bestowed, however, with the gift of hindsight, we can look back on Isaiah 61:1-3 and see its double meaning as the Great Expositor reveals this second prophecy of God’s son, “the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus declared two very important things in verse 21. First, "THIS DAY” (Isaiah 61) “… is fulfilled." But equally important he elaborated with the three word phrase “in your hearing.” Jesus made a declaration that on that very day He was the Messiah! He was telling an awestruck audience who had heard this scroll read many times before the synagogue priests that today, the promised “Anointed One” was standing in their midst. Their reaction, however, solidified the caveat, “in your hearing.” The words still reverberating in their ears, several (likely most) immediately began to question Jesus. Despite what they had seen him do, the miracles he performed and the sinless life he had demonstrated, many doubted Him. “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.” (v 22) Jesus defended himself quoting scripture and explaining their spiritual blindness. The conversation ending as the crowd erupted in anger driving Jesus to the outskirts of town and the edge of a cliff and cast Him to his death. (v 28-29)

Clearly the message of God through Jesus Christ is as dependent today on hearing ears as it was then. Almost 2000 years later, "the acceptable year of the Lord," continues as good news goes out to the spiritually poor; healing for the brokenhearted; deliverance for those enslaved by sin; restoration of the spiritually blind; and liberation for those oppressed by darkness. But, where His presence is rejected, and the Jesus of man’s creation does not fulfill expectations, Jesus cannot show God’s favor. While the season of God’s favor remains there is time to hear but Jesus will not force Himself upon the spiritually deaf. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door (to your heart) and knock…” He is ready to release God’s favor in your life and set you free. Open your ears to His call, before Jesus completes Isaiah’s prophecy and proclaims, “the day of vengeance of our God.” (Is 61: 2) On that day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD, (Phi 2:10) and no one will be hard of hearing!

Examine yourself

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Cor 13:5

Each new year most of us take a look in the mirror or the numbers on the scale and turn immediately toward the gym to shed those holiday pounds. However, most of us neglect what is most important our spiritual health. Let us consider the condition of our spiritual fitness and meditate together on the words of Paul, writing to the Corinthian church as we “examine (ourselves) to see (if we) are in the faith…”

When I read this and considered what it said I was troubled in my spirit as I understood the gravity of the apostle’s words. Is Paul really challenging our salvation here? Is he saying that salvation is more than saying a prayer and believing in Jesus? What does the evidence of our commitment to faith in Jesus look like? How do we know we are saved?

How can "we" examine ourselves?

I believe Paul is talking directly to believers who have grown comfortable in our decision to follow Christ. We may have been convicted of our sins perhaps during a sermon at church or by the words of an evangelist at a conference. We may have publically prayed the “Sinner’s prayer,” but since then perhaps our lives have not changed since making our decision to believe in Christ.

Today’s church is filled with men and women who consider themselves believers but who’s lives look like the secular world. The divorce rate among Christians is just as high as the rest of society, Men in the church still struggle with pornography and infidelity while the women continue to gossip under the popular excuse “we have to know so that we can pray for you.” Teen believers continue to struggle with sexual sin, drug and alcohol abuse, and class consciousness.

Sadly most American Christians, do not know the gospel, do not study the bible on a consistent basis and do not regularly pray. Often it seems our decision to follow Christ has not positively impacted our lives, leaving us ineffective “kings and priests” powerless to tell others the good news. Perhaps we should reflect upon Paul’s advice and examine our commitment to Christ first in the light of our personal conduct.
John’s first letter to his disciples and followers, provides some excellent “test questions” for believers who desire to examine their faith.

• “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth….” (1 John 1:6) Are you walking in darkness (sin) yet claim to follow Christ who is light? What sins that you know are wrong do you regularly (perhaps deliberately) commit? True faith in Christ actually changes your heart such that you “hate” sin. Therefore, a vital component of our receiving Christ is genuine repentance (turning away from your life’s direction) as we are convicted of sinfulness. A new believer begins an iterative transformation process as he draws closer to God through prayer, daily study of His word and repentance of sin as God reveals it.

• “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”(1 John 1:8) “There is no one righteous, not even one...” (Rom 3:10), we are all guilty of sin. If you think you are innocent you’re wrong. Repent and confess your faults one to another and be healed (James 5:16)

• “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar and the truth is not in him.”(1 John 2: 3-4) John states it simply, if we are followers of Jesus, we must read, understand and obey what God commands. If we are deliberately disobeying God, we are walking in darkness.

• “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.”(1 John 2:9) Are you holding a grudge against a fellow brother or sister in Christ? Jesus said, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Jesus raised the bar from physical murder to hatred in the heart. If you are gossiping or holding something against a fellow believer, you are hurting him or her and you are murdering them in the eyes of the Lord. We must love one another as Christ loved us.

• “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”(1 John 2:15) Is your bank account, IRA, house, car, girlfriend, television, or favorite sports team more important to you than God? Do you spend more time waxing your car each week than you do studying the bible or having fellowship with other believers? Do you put watching television over going to church? If you answered yes to any of these, you may want to reconsider the health of your relationship with Christ. If we love Him, put Him first even above family relationships.

Soon the end will be upon us and like the “thief in the night,” Jesus’ return will be upon us and the rapture of the church will leave us behind. Brothers and sisters when the master returns be sure that you are honoring him with your life and not be found doing something in secret that you would be ashamed of being discovered.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

“He went down with them and stood on a level place.” (Luke 6:17)

Jesus, Emanuel (God with us), walked the dusty roads and climbed the hills of Judea and tended to the hurting and the broken, to the sick and the lame. Not from on high did he minister as an overlord, but rather eye to eye and heart to heart on a level place. Unlike the gods of this world, Jesus meets us in our valley. As he stood on that level place, “those troubled by impure spirits were cured,” and those who were sick received healing. (Luke 6: 18-19)
Jesus Christ came for all mankind, atheist or priest, free or slave, Muslim or Buddhist. He came that we may have life and have it abundantly but more than that he came because without him we are destined to spend eternity without him in a place where the bible says that are everlasting tears and anger at the thought of a lost opportunity forever!. Our God wants to meet all of us on level ground, no matter where we stand. Please reach out to Him and touch his garment, He is standing next to you.

This season when someone wishes you “Happy Holidays,” respond with joy “Merry Christmas!” Why? Because it is for our politically correct neighbor who unknowingly hides the free gift of salvation as he falls in line with the mantra designed to keep people in darkness. Christmas is a gift that should be shared with everyone because when it is opened reveals “God with us,” ready to take us to an eternity of joy and peace and rescue us from “weeping and gnashing of teeth forever.”

Who would not want to give such a gift?

Merry Christmas!

Be Merciful this Holiday Season

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6: 27-31)

As we look to the last week of 2013 the anticipation of Christmas, the start of a new year, and the accompanying thoughts of family gatherings begin to stir memories of past circumstances good and unfortunately, bad. Getting together with family and friends not usually around most of the year often creates anxiety and tension. In the midst of the holiday stress, inevitably old personal wounds will be exposed resulting in potentially angry words and hurt feelings. What we choose to do in Christ when these events overwhelm our holiday gatherings is critical to quelling potential arguments and showing the love of Jesus Christ to an unbeliever watching from the sidelines “how Christians conduct themselves.”

Jesus’s words in Luke Chapter 6, like much of what He demonstrated and demanded from us are easier said than done. “If you love those who love you, Jesus said, what credit is that to you?” (Luke 6: 32) In other words, He understands it is not easy and I feel certain that it will only be in His power that we can have success. “And,” He continues, “If you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.” (6:33)

No, this year when tensions get high in those family gatherings Jesus has a higher standard for you to meet. “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
(6: 34-36)

Bearing in mind however, that when you fail, (His) grace is sufficient for you and His power is made perfect in our weakness,” (2 Cor 12:9) and that crazy uncle may see Christ in you and perhaps next year, he will be living a higher standard helping you make the family gathering more pleasant. Merry Christmas!

Revival Starts with Me

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 Chron 7:14) NIV

It is no secret that America is in trouble. The foundations of this once great country are collapsing around us; with each passing day the outlook is worse with no solution in sight. The moral fabric of a land first settled by European Christians seeking religious freedom is now in decay. Churches are largely corrupted through the preaching of a false gospel that promises “Your Best Life Now,” while enriching the “shepherds” at the expense of the sheep.
George Barna, Focus on the Family and other religious culture researchers note a great departure from organized religion primarily because most “30 something’s” raising children consider religious people “hypocritical, judgmental or insincere.” And while I can agree with their assessment, abandoning a relationship with a sinless and faithful God because a brother or sister is imperfect is bad decision.

The situation in which we find ourselves is not a surprise to God; He warned us clearly in 2 Chronicles this would come, and He gave us a solution to the problem. Recall these words, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people….. “My people…repent and I will heal your land.” As you read this, the locusts and plagues are invading our land and your Heavenly Father is prompting us (Christians and Jews – “called by His name”) to repentance. Herein lies the problem and the lesson I pray the Holy Spirit will convey in the next couple paragraphs.

When God gave us (the people called by His name) the Ten Commandments, He included a command NOT to misuse (take in vain) the Lord’s name. However, I believe most who call themselves “people of Jehovah,” (Christians and Jews) take His name in vain! By that I mean to misuse or to take lightly that we are associating ourselves with the Creator of all things who is sinless and above all reproach, without any consideration of how we obey his commands! Jesus warned us clearly about this when he said, “if you love me, obey my commands,” yet despite many reminders and reprimands, we continue misusing God’s name through our hypocritical behavior, our church posturing and false worship!
We deceive ourselves in our religious circles by blaming the atheists, the homosexuals and other religions for our country’s problems, when, in God’s eyes, our problems lie squarely at our feet; the result of us turning our collective backs on God in favor of our own desires and worldly pleasure.

The Church behaves, as God describes, like Gomer, the prostitute whom God commanded Hosea to marry. (Hosea 1:2) We have chosen to sell ourselves to the pleasures of our flesh and to use God’s grace and mercy to make us feel better on Sunday as the moral fiber of our once great land slowly erodes and the mantle of our world leadership status is removed. Our current situation is not the result of a political, financial, or security problem, it is completely a spiritual one. We are seeing the result of years of spiritual decay brought about by our propensity to sin and or drive to satisfy our selfish desires under the veneer of religion.

Consider a few issues:
 With the exception of the Catholic Church most Christians and Jews have ignored and some sadly agreed with the abortion of 50 million over the past 40 years.
 On the issue of pre-marital sex and divorce for that matter the Church has turned its head; the congregation’s statistics look like the world.
 On the issues of Christian persecution and human trafficking we hear mostly silence from the pulpits with only a few groups bringing the issue to light on the internet.
 Pornography continues to be a huge problem among Christian men and young people while being ignored by the leadership in the churches.
 Most of the outreach to the nation’s poor and hungry still comes from the government; widows and orphans left as wards of the welfare system rather than the “hands and feet” of the Church.


Revival Starts with Me

It is not hard to see why the researchers find so many leaving churches citing “hypocritical, judgmental or insincere” behavior in the pews. While I am not claiming perfection here, what I am saying is that we must look at ourselves with unbiased eyes and recognize our sinfulness. (2 Cor 13:5) Jesus came that we may have life and “have it abundantly” and if we confess our sins, he is our Advocate with the Father and is “faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (John 10:10; 1 John 1:9) Denial that we have taken the Lord’s name in vain is no longer acceptable; we must be honest with ourselves, be humble before His throne crying out to our Father in repentance if our land is to be healed. Neither the President, Congress nor anyone inside the beltway can solve our nation’s problems, only God’s chosen, on our knees turning away from hypocrisy and insincere behavior will capture the Father’s ear, and urge Him to begin changing our situation.

Revival starts with me and you, right now….

Let us pray: Father, we have sinned against you in so many ways in our thoughts, in our words and in our deeds. We have clothed ourselves in your name but we have not followed your commands and lived like Jesus demonstrated. We have allowed our land to be corrupted by worshiping the idols of money, luxury, and excess and have neglected to love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We have put our personal interests before our neighbors and we have tarnished Your Name in the process. Forgive us please as we humble ourselves before your throne in repentance from our wickedness and asking once again for your mercy. Heal our land Father as we prostrate our hearts before your authority and love. Change us and heal us making us less like us and more like Jesus. Fill us now with your Holy Spirit and send us out into the world to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. In Jesus mighty name I pray!

Whom will you serve?

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13)
Jesus emphatically said, "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Paul the apostle writes to the church in Rome, “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.” Bob Dylan reminds,
“You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody….”

There is no way around it. Whether atheist or agnostic, priest or convict, rich or poor we are all prisoners of our sin nature or freemen through the blood of Jesus Christ and bound to his ways. Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commands.” (John 14:15)

You may be a construction worker working on a home
You may be living in a mansion or you might live in a dome
You might own guns and you might even own tanks
You might be somebody's landlord you might even own banks.
But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.

The choice laid out is clear either we are slaves to our flesh or we choose to obey the commands of God. The difference, however, is that now through the blood of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit received when we (with faith) ask Jesus. We are now able to cast off the chains of sin that held us captive and become slaves of His righteousness recalling the promise, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)
The question now before you and me now that we are free from sin, how will we use our freedom? Will we love the Lord with all that is in us? Will we love our neighbor as our self? Will we tell others? Will we make disciples? Or like the dog will we return to our former sins? (Proverbs 26:11)

You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, you may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody's mistress, may be somebody's heir.

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
“Gotta Serve Somebody,” Bob Dylan

Father, help us to understand that what the Son sets free is free indeed. We are free to tell the world through our actions and our character that we no longer are slaves to sin but rather servants of the most High God, to the glory of Your Name! Let us never forget. Amen.

Nothing hidden from God

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

Psalm 19 is one of the greatest declarations of the sovereignty of God in the Bible. David writes the words to the Choirmaster of the great ancient hymn,

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above] proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.” (v 1-3)

Nothing is hidden from God, our words our thoughts and even the meditations (intentions) of our hearts are in full view of our Creator and our Father. Jesus reminds us of this in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7), that God’s law extends to the intent of the heart and sin is committed in the meditation of the heart whether or not that intent becomes action.

David did not need to have Jesus tell him this truth. He understood that God was with him always and he knew his very thoughts. In yet another hymn David writes, “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me….Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” (Psalm 139:1-4) Who can escape from God’s omnipotence and omnipresence?
This fact should give us both fear and comfort. Fear that our Savior is one who our very thoughts should at all times revere and comfort in knowing that he loves us so much that he gave His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of our hearts before we were born. It is out of fear and reverence that we should strive in His grace to be more like Jesus and less like ourselves with each passing day. And as we continue to understand more fully how important and impactful our words and actions are the attitudes of our hearts will continue align more closely with the words of Jesus as he spoke to the crowd, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

Father thank you for your word and your ever-presence around us. Pour out your grace upon us as we are humbled by Your holiness and offended by the words that proceed from our mouths out of impure hearts. Cleanse us all in the blood of Jesus as we grow in thought, word and deed. In Jesus name we pray and in the power of the Holy Spirit we learn.

Is your tongue a gateway for good or evil?

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Prov 13: 3 NIV
In his commentary on this verse Adam Clarke writes, “The government of the tongue is a rare but useful talent.” How true and yet how rare is it that mankind takes this wisdom of God through the pen of Solomon to heart. The bible virtually screams the value and danger of improperly governed speech. According to one count, there are 46 verses that warn the believer about gossip and lying alone and from Genesis to Revelation the Holy Spirit cautions of the tongue’s ability to hurt whether it be through complaining (Num 11:1); lying (Ex 20:16, Titus 2:3, Prov 12:22); profanity (James 5:12); or disrespect toward parents (Pro 20:20; Deu 27:16). The issue of improper speech is clearly very important to God, but why?

When the devil led Jesus “up to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, he tempted Jesus by saying “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours,” (Luke 4: 5-7) Jesus responded from Deuteronomy chapter 6, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” It is interesting in this dialog that Jesus did not deny the devil’s claim about his authority rather he chose to confine his response to what He knew from God’s word, “Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you…” (Deut 6:13-14) And although he did not include 6:13 in his response, I believe the Spirit is saying here that the devil has been given some latitude by God to continue at work in our day and our speech, may be a gateway into our lives whether for good or evil depending upon how we choose our words.
The scripture here says, “take your oaths in (God’s) name, do not follow other gods.” This fits quite well with what Solomon tells us about speaking rashly. When we do so we fail to speak in accordance with God’s requirement and we leave ourselves wide open to the ruin found in “other gods.”
Father your word reminds us, “out of the abundance of our heart’s our mouths speak.” Help us therefore through your Holy Spirit to keep our new hearts clean so that we remain vigilant of our tongues and the speech that pours forth from them. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Amen!

The Conundrum of sin

***Conundrum – “an intricate and difficult problem” (Miriam Webster.com)

Mankind’s confrontation with sin through the centuries has been the subject of countless debates, the endpoint of millions of relationships, and the downfall of many of our most famous. Our prison systems and graveyards are filled with men and women who have struggled and lost to sin. Psychologists, pastors and parents are bombarded with endless concerns and every week billions flock to churches, synagogues and mosques seeking answers.

Some, like Ayn Rand, see no issue with sin declaring it “virtuous and necessary” for mankind to be fulfilled, “Man’s fall, according to your teachers, was that he gained the virtues required to live. These virtues, by their standard, are his Sin. His evil, they charge, is that he’s man. His guilt, they charge, is that he lives.” Others, such as Pastor Ravi Zacharias, who answer to Higher Authority, see sin in the light of God’s holiness:

“…good, says Zacharias, is the original of which evil (sin) is the counterfeit….Evil is an aberration.”

And most, including the Apostle Paul himself, acknowledge their struggle with sin passionately crying out with Paul in their collective hearts, “For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate….. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:15-24)

In fact, a war has raged within us since time began and if we are truly honest with ourselves, all of us struggle with something on a periodic basis. To follower of Jesus Christ, sin is a conundrum (a very difficult problem) which often leaves us “on our heels,” dumbfounded and longing for resolution.

From a secular and physical perspective, it appears easier not to follow God’s law and continue living life as one pleases. Why would any rational person want to be “saved,” yet live permanently engaged in a war between mind and body, trying to live within God’s standards of holiness? Isn’t it folly, living in a constant state of struggle, while unbelieving by-standers are poised for the believer’s inevitable fall waiting to cry “hypocrite” at the first sign of misbehavior? To the non-Christian these questions are valid; however, the natural man is unable to see God’s salvation and justification often choosing to see a God who cannot keep his children from immoral conduct!

It is true, a believer will struggle to resist temptation, but he or she should find peace in the knowledge and assurance of Jesus’ completed work on the cross for the forgiveness of all (past, present and future) transgressions. Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “…For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly….but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5: 6-8) Burdened by the weight of our sinfulness and in humility we all come to Jesus amidst transgression to receive the free gift of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Immediately forgiven, the believer steps onto a faith journey in which the Holy Spirit reveals his sins (drugs, alcohol, pornography, gossip, greed, envy, and the like) along the way. As sins are discovered and outwardly confessed the believer continues on a path of recovery and healing called sanctification. (James 5:16)

Throughout the journey the new believer is planted firmly on the horns of sin’s dilemma, his Christian mind speaking, “I am a slave to God’s Law,” while his human nature cries out, “I am a slave to what feels good.” Our sins are unknown to us unless God reveals them through His Word. Once revealed sins are dealt with through humility and confession as when we first believed. Considering our fallen nature, a Christian is at risk of falling into old habits along our faith journey (Psalm 51:5; Psalm 58:8; Ecc 7:20; Jer 17:9; 1 John 1:8). We walk a thin line between former self and new creation. When we take our eyes off Jesus on this tightrope we tend to stray from our path. Paul aptly reminds us however that eliminating sin in our lives is never by our own effort, “so that no one may boast. (Eph 2: 8-9) Actually, the centrality of our walk of faith and our resolution to the conundrum of sin is humility and complete dependence on Christ. Pride caused Satan’s fall and the subsequent fall of mankind, when we listened to the lie and consumed the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3). Jesus reminds:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

(Matt 5: 3-5)

We are blessed and free of sin’s unrelenting pull only when we humble ourselves before a merciful God and say, “I am a sinner and I need the blood of Jesus to make me whole.” Only then will our difficult problem be solved and only then will you and I be able to reach out to our lost and hurting friends and neighbors and lovingly say, “I know someone who can help you with that.” “Turn your eyes upon Jesus” and praise God, His grace is sufficient to save us from ourselves.

Blessings!

Examine youself Church

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 2 Cor 13:5 Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, closes his letter with what I believe a very challenging statement to “examine yourselves, to see (if) you are in the faith…” When I read this and considered what it said I was troubled in my spirit as I understood the gravity of what the apostle said. Many questions came to mind: Is Paul really challenging our salvation here? Is he saying that salvation is more than saying a prayer and believing in Jesus? What does the evidence of our commitment to faith in Jesus look like? How do I know I am saved? How can I “examine” myself? I believe Paul is talking directly to believers who have grown comfortable in their decision to follow Christ. They were convicted of their sins perhaps during a sermon at church or by the words of an evangelist at a conference. They went forward and prayed the “Sinner’s prayer.” Since then, however, their lives look the same as they did before their “decision for Christ.” Today’s church is filled with men and women who consider themselves believers but who’s lives look like the secular world. The divorce rate among Christians is just as high as the rest of society, Men in the church still struggle with pornography and infidelity. Women in the church continue to gossip under the cover of “we have to know so that we can pray for you.” Teen believers continue to struggle with sexual sin, drug and alcohol abuse, and class consciousness. Most American Christians, do not know the gospel, do not study the bible on a consistent basis and do not regularly pray. It seems as if our decision to follow Christ has not changed our lives much, weakening our effectiveness as “kings and priests” and rendering us powerless to spread the gospel. Perhaps we should all heed Paul’s advice and examine our commitment to Christ in the light of our personal conduct. John’s first letter to his disciples and followers, provides some excellent “test questions” for believers who desire to examine their faith. “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth….” (1 John 1:6) Are you walking in darkness (sin) yet claim to follow Christ who is light? What sins that you know are wrong do you regularly (perhaps deliberately) commit? True faith in Christ requires that you “hate” sin. There must therefore be repentance when you are convicted of your sins and begin to walk with the Lord. You should be transformed as you draw closer to God through prayer, daily study of His word and repentance of sin as God reveals it to you. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) “There is no one righteous, not even one...” (Rom 3:10), we are all guilty of sin. If you think you are innocent you’re wrong. Confess your faults one to another and be healed. (James 5:16) “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2: 3-4) John states it simply, if we are followers of Jesus, we must read, understand and obey what God commands. If we are deliberately disobeying God, we are walking in darkness. “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.” (1 John 2:9) Are you holding a grudge against a fellow brother or sister in Christ? Jesus said, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Jesus raised the bar from physical murder to hatred in the heart. If you are gossiping or holding something against a fellow believer, you are hurting him or her and you are murdering them in the eyes of the Lord. We must love one another as Christ loved us. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) Is your bank account, IRA, house, car, girlfriend, television, or favorite sports team more important to you than God? Do you spend more time waxing your car a week than you do studying the bible or having fellowship with other believers? Do you put watching sports over going to church? If you answered yes to any of these, you may want to consider your salvation again. God must be the most important thing to us over even family. If we love Him, put Him first. The last days are upon us and we must be in relationship with God. Soon the end will be upon us and like the “thief in the night,” Jesus’ return will be upon us and the rapture of the church will leave us behind. Brothers and sisters when the master returns be sure that you are honoring him with your life and not doing something that you would be ashamed of.

Ground zero mosque; America's Babylonian invasion

“The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger.…This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight... And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction. They set up their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination… Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, 'It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence': Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them.” (Jeremiah 32: 29-44)

Most Americans are deeply grieved and some outspokenly angry at the thought of New York City government discussing the building of a mosque at the site of the World Trade Center massacre (Ground Zero). The cowardice and complete disregard for the wishes of the majority of Americans by these elected and appointed officials is both appalling and disgusting. Building any symbol of Islam on the graves of fallen Americans is tantamount to celebrating the conquest of the “Great Satan” (America) by the god of Islam. This unconscionable action will embolden Muslims to continue their acts of terror and further reduce our level of security. In the physical realm, one would conclude in that government officials from “Ground Zero to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave” are either extremely corrupt or incredibly stupid. However, we believers must understand that God works in the supernatural and is already at work fulfilling His plans made manifest in what we see and hear with our natural eyes and ears.

In the sixth century before Christ the prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned and eventually killed for proclaiming what God had revealed to him regarding the people of Israel. God’s message to Jeremiah was simple: unless both king and people reformed their morals and returned to the true worship of God as taught by Moses, Jerusalem would be destroyed and its people killed or exiled at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians who were already laying siege to Jerusalem. God was using an enemy to bring his people back to Him. Fast forward twenty six centuries and the parallels between the Babylonian invasion of Israel and the Muslim invasion of America are striking. Could our present troubles be God’s judgment is at work again in the Big Apple? (Hmmm, forbidden fruit… how interesting) We will not know for sure what God is up to in our present natural state until we have the vantage point of our hindsight, however, we can now open our bibles and see how we should conduct ourselves in accordance with God’s will by looking at the book of the prophet Daniel.

Following the siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC many of the conquered Jewish people were exiled to Babylon to serve as slaves to the conquering kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, thought to be a young boy of twelve years, was taken captive brought to serve in the king’s palace. (Daniel 1:3-4) Daniel was of “nobility” and “without physical defect.” He and his fellow captives were taken into Nebuchadnezzar’s service because of their “aptitude for learning.”

As is common when one nation conquers another, the Babylonians immediately began to indoctrinate the best minds of Jewish society into their culture. “The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.” (Daniel 1:5) However, Daniel “resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.” (Daniel 1:8) Daniel knew that in this difficult situation his faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Joseph would sustain him. He refused to relinquish the Truth for a pagan religion. Daniel’s example is a lesson that God has provided as many will face similar circumstances under the rule of an atheistic socialist government likely influenced by pockets of Sharia law that will certainly infiltrate our statutes.

Christians must understand what Daniel faced and how he stood firm in his faith and the Truth of God’s word despite the specter of death that he faced daily. Whether escape from lions, or a smelting furnace, Daniel and his friends faced constant persecution and ridicule at the hands of pagan captors but did not forsake their God. This brothers and sisters must be our model of faith in the months and years to come as our “promised land” is systematically destroyed at the hand of our enemies. Perhaps God will help us turn things around in time to save her, but unless believers repent and seek His face, our chances to this observer seem dim. We all must choose to stand with God and the certainty of our salvation through Christ or be “numbered with the transgressors,” at the end of days.

Jesus said to his disciples, “you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake…and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10: 17-22) Friends, this does not sound like a picnic! Jesus has warned us all in advance. The time of easy religious acceptance and Christianity without real sacrifice is quickly coming to an end in this country. We must begin to exercise our “spiritual muscles” through daily prayer and bible study, corporate worship and fellowship with Holy Spirit-filled believers. We need God and we need each other to help us remain strong.
Jesus reassured them saying, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10: 19-20) God through the Holy Spirit will help us, if we remain strong and trust.

The best way to trust when times are tough is to trust when times are less challenging. Today will be the least challenging day you will face at least in the near future. Each day for a while will be more difficult to develop a trust in the Holy Spirit as the times will grow increasingly difficult. Please start now!

Who is your shepherd?

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...." John 10:14



I am convinced after 51 years of living that the Bible's multiple references to sheep, shepherds and flocks is not just a wonderful metaphor that brings truth to the widest possible audience; it serves to simplify our often confused and complex human nature. Like a sheep we by our nature are followers. Each of us tends to gravitate toward others with like interests, and in many cases we find ourselves blindly following the crowd at the risk of injury, ruined relationships or even death.

In John's gospel, Jesus refers to himself as the "good shepherd." By Jesus differentiating himself in this manner, he is warning us there may be other "not so good" shepherds along our journey. As believers, it is our responsibility to learn the masters voice. We must know what the Bible says so that we know when the "good shepherd" leads. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the middle of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16 He warned then that in our lifetime we would be tested and tried by those who looked like shepherds but whose motivation is to harm the flock.
If we love Him we will know Him and not be deceived by "other shepherds" when they call.

My prayer. Forgive us Lord, for those times when we strayed from the pasture and into harm. Thank you for being the "good shepherd" who cares for and loves his sheep. Thank you Lord for leading us beside still waters and for anointing our heads with oil. And, though we must dine at a table you have prepared in the midst of those who desire to destroy us, you always provide comfort, guidance and protection for your flock. I give you praise and glory in all things and humbly thank you for leading me even when I failed to follow, in Jesus name I pray. Amen!