The Christian's Response.

You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Exodus 23:9 NASB)

     How do we put into practice the words of Jesus in these dark days of fear and hatred? What is the Christian's response to those who would close their hearts against another who is in need (1 John 3:17)?  When others around you are demanding to close the borders against Syrian refugees, how do you respond? Could it really be true that terrorists are coming into this country in this way, or are we really being overly suspicious?

     Look at the words of Jesus very carefully, because what He teaches us speaks to this situation. What He says goes completely against the ways of this world, yet it is a standard that He holds His followers to!

     "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

(Matthew 7:12 NASB)

     "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also. And whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

(Luke 6:27-28 NASB)

     "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
(Luke 10:27 NASB)

     This is just a sampling of Jesus' teaching on love. Notice that Jesus does not limit love to those who love us back, but He extends it to all, even those who are our enemies (Matt 5:43-48). We are to treat everyone in the same manner that we would have them treat us! We are to love our neighbor in the same way that we love ourselves. And who is my neighbor? Your neighbor is anyone with a need that you can meet. This is not something that is defined by political or racial lines. A neighbor can be anybody, of any ethnic or religious background. He may be your enemy, but Christ calls us to love them. The true neighbor is one who shows mercy to one in need (Luke 10:29-37).

     This is how the Bible defines love.
           Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NASB)

     According to this, love gives people the benefit of the doubt. Love is not suspicious of others, yet this is what we are seeing of so many people today, even among those who call themselves Christians. Is it possible that a terrorist may try to sneak in as a refugee? I imagine so, but yet, put yourself in the shoes of a refugee who is fleeing for his life. Wouldn't you desire help if you were in that situation? There are thousands upon thousands of people who are in this situation today. Yes they are Muslim, but they do need help, and they do need the Savior! Perhaps this is an opportunity to reach out to them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
     The teachings of Christ run counter to the way we are used to doing things. In the natural, we are bent on self preservation, but Jesus calls those who would be His disciples to lose their lives for His sake (Mark 8:34-35). The follower of Christ understands that this world is only a temporal thing, and that if he or she was to die in the service of Christ, they have an eternal home with Christ. They understand what it means to lose all for Him. It is a different principle entirely from that of the world. Jesus calls His followers to selfless love, not self preservation. This be the response of all who name the name of Jesus.

     

     

    

Paul's Prosperity Preaching.

     Paul, in his first epistle to Timothy, warns him that anyone who advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, including the sound words of Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, such a person is conceited, and lacks understanding. These individuals cause controversy and divisions, envy and strife, and friction among men of depraved minds who are deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain (1 Tim 6:3-5). 
     Indeed, there are those in ministry today that teach this. Their message appeals to the carnal flesh of man. In their greed they will exploit you with false words (2 Peter 2:3). The heart of selfish man is aroused by the promise of money and possessions, given to us by Christ if we will only believe. Of course, they are the only ones getting rich as they exploit others with this false gospel.
     Paul goes on to say this about godliness and gain,

     But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 
                                                  2 Timothy 6:6-8 NASB

     Paul speaks of contentment. We came into this world with nothing, and we will leave it in the exact same way. We need to be content! Can we say with Paul, that we too are content with the bare bone essentials of life, namely, food and covering (KJV translates this as raiment)? Would we still be content in Christ if we lost everything we owned? Now to be sure, there were New Testament Christians who owned homes and had other possessions just as is the case today as well. But we must also take notice of the fact that these Christians lived with open hands. They claimed nothing as their own, always ready and willing to give to a brother in need (Acts 2:44-45). To them life did not consist in the possessions they owned, but in loving others for the sake of Christ. To them, Christ was all! They knew how to be content (Phil 4:11-13).It is quite certain that the Apostles knew nothing of a name it and claim it, bless me, gospel. Consider the following,

     But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.
                                                             1 Timothy 6:9-10 NASB

     This is the exact opposite of what is being taught by prosperity teachers today. Paul warns us that those who desire to become rich fall into temptation and ruin. It is a trap that will destroy your soul. The one who loves money is a covetous being, and the covetous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Such a one is an idolater (Eph 5:5). The love of money lies at the heart of much of the evil in the world, and yet we see so many in the professed Church pursuing it as a "blessing" from God, twisting scriptures to somehow justify a teaching that is leading men into greed, and ruining their souls.
     Paul warns Timothy to flee these things! What would he say to us today? Flee the prosperity preachers? Turn off TBN? He urges Timothy to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness (1 Tim 6:1). That is what we are to pursue as well. This is the opposite of the materialism and worldliness that has caught so many in the Church today.
     He instructs those who are rich in this present age not to be conceited or to fix their hope on their riches. Instead they are to place their trust in God, and live lives full of good works, generous and ready to share, laying up treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of life indeed (1 Tim 6:17-19). This is in keeping with what Jesus teaches about laying up treasure (Matt 6:19-20). Are we living for the temporal and material things of this present life, or are we living with eternity in view, letting go of the material things that will weigh us down to this earth? 

     

     

The Prosperity Gospel According to Jesus.

     Listen to these words of Jesus found in the Sermon on the mount,

     Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
     But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
     For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
                                                   Matthew 6:19-21 KJV

     Jesus teaches us the uncertainty of riches. They are only temporal things, here today and gone tomorrow. The markets may crash, thieves may steal, a valuable object may rust or be destroyed in some other manner. Yet we as human beings place such a high emphasis on the material things of this world. We live as if we must accumulate as much as possible. We stockpile things, we work hard to make more money just so we can buy more. We put away money and just sit on it, because it is ours and we might need it for a "rainy day." 
     Jesus knows the heart of man, that it is deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). It is so easily drawn away by things. Our stockpiles of material things are the proof of our allegiance to these things. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
     Jesus has a financial plan for us so to speak. He calls us to lay up treasure in heaven. He shows us how this is accomplished.

     Fear not, little flock; for it is the Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
     Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
     For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
                                                        Luke 12:32-34 KJV

     Instead of accumulation, Jesus says to give it away! He tells us to sell our possessions and give to the poor. This is how we are to store up the true riches in heaven! This does not sound like the prosperity gospel that so many follow today. You see, we can't take it with us. We are entrusted with money and possessions in this lifetime to be used for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom. There is a saying, "Only one life will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last." This is what Jesus is talking about. We are blessed in this life to be a blessing to others. The scriptures abundantly teach us that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. This involves the giving of ourselves, our time, our money and possessions, to live this out in our day to day lives.
     Jesus is teaching us that to cling to our material possessions will bankrupt us in the end. It is a law of the kingdom of God that we lose ourselves for Christ's sake if we would find life. This includes our possessions. Christ commands us to renounce all that we have if we would be His disciples (Luke 14:33). 
     True sowing and reaping is not about sowing a financial seed into a ministry so that we can get more money back; it is about making the kingdom of God our priority, evidenced by our giving of what we have to others for the sake of Christ. After all, isn't it the Fathers good pleasure to give us the kingdom?
     
     

The Law and the Conscience.

     In John 8:1-11 we read of the scribes and Pharisees bringing a woman whom they caught in adultery, before Jesus. Hoping to catch Him in a trap, they wanted to know His opinion on what they should do with this woman. Should they stone her according to the law of Moses? What was Jesus' opinion?
     Jesus stooped down, and with His finger, he began to write on the ground. We do not know what He was writing, the scriptures do not tell us. Many people guess He was writing down the ten commandments. Once again, we do not know this for certain, it is only a guess by some commentators and teachers, but it could be a possibility.
     The men were persistent in asking Jesus what they should do to this woman. Rising up, He told them that the one without sin should be the one to cast the first stone. He again stooped down and wrote on the ground. 
     At this the men began to leave one by one. 

     And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. John 8:9 KJV

     There is an important thing to observe here. These men were convicted by their consciences. As Pharisees, they placed high value upon the praise of man. They went about appearing righteous to others, even believing they were good in the eyes of God Himself. Yet something happened during this confrontation with Jesus, that spoke directly to their consciences. All of their goodness, their self righteousness was stripped away in a moment as they were convicted within their hearts, and they walked away.
     Paul speaks of the judgment of God as being impartial (Romans 2:11-16). There are those such as the Jews who had the law, they knew it inside and out. They would be judged by the law; did they obey it or not? This is the standard. Think about those in the western Church today who have many bibles, and go to church, and hear thousands of sermons. Just like ancient Israel, we have much light. Many of us are familiar with the commandments of God. We have a good understanding of right and wrong.
     Then there are those who have no bibles. They have never heard of God. They know nothing of Jesus or the gospel. What happens to them? Can they be judged for something that they have never heard?
     Paul tells us that they have the law written upon their hearts. They have a conscience!

     For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves. which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. Romans 2:14-15 KJV

     Deep inside, we all know right from wrong. We have a sufficient moral understanding. Someone living in a remote place, perhaps deep within a jungle, has the same guilty conscience when he has done wrong, that someone living in a "Christian" nation has when he has sinned.
     We can harden our hearts however, and as a result, sear our conscience (1 Tim 4:2). We no longer hear our conscience accuse us when we sin. We may become self righteous, just like the Pharisees. We trust in our "goodness" and shut out the voice of our conscience. We no longer hear it when we sin, because we have convinced ourselves otherwise. 
     This is a dangerous place to be in, as our conscience is given us by God as a warning to us that we are not acting right in the things we choose to do. A guilty conscience should drive us to the Savior, but if it is seared, if we no longer hear it, we will be content to persist in our lost condition.
     Before I go further, I want to make clear that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin (John 16:8). Without the work of the Spirit in the life of a sinner, that individual will never repent of his sin and come to Christ. It is absolutely essential that the Holy Spirit is at work to convict and convince someone of their lost condition and desperate need. 
     That being said, let's now look at the law. David tells us that the "Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (Psalm 19:7). Paul tells us that the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith (Gal 3:24). He also tells us by the law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).
     The law (moral law/ten commandments) speaks to our conscience. As we have seen, we have a conscience, we have a sense of moral right and wrong. We know when we have sinned, and we know when we have done right. Our conscience tells us. Everyone of us has experienced this. We can all relate to that guilty feeling we have when we know we did something wrong. Again, many of us tend to shut out the voice of our conscience. We persist in sin, ignoring the guilty feeling we have until it goes away. We may convince ourselves of how good we are. We may justify our wicked deeds until our conscience is silent.
     When someone is confronted by the law however, it awakens that voice of conscience. It begins to plow up the hard ground of the heart. A hardened sinner may once again feel guilty, gnawed by an uneasy dread of their sin and its consequences. A self righteous person now begins to see that they are not good, that they do indeed fall short of God's glory. They see by the work of the law in their hearts that they are not good, they are sinners, they do deserve the just wrath of God. The law Stops every mouth so that the world may become guilty before God (Romans 3:19). In other words, we have no excuse, no self justification, we stand guilty before God, and we know it! We have been confronted with God's righteous standard, not our own idea of what is right and wrong. Our awakened conscience agrees with God's standard and convicts us of our guilt. 

     A man may consider himself a good person, but when confronted with the fact that he has told lies, he now realizes that he is a liar. The same with theft, or adultery, or using God's name in vain. Paul was convicted as a lawbreaker when He realized he was a covetous individual (Romans 7:7). An individual may look at a woman with lust, but think there is nothing wrong with that as long as he does not commit the physical act. Jesus however declares this is adultery as well (Matt 5:27-28). All of a sudden, when confronted with God's perfect standard, a man's goodness fades away, and leaves him with the knowledge that he has violated God's law.
     It is just like a man on trial who hopes to get off the hook. He may have rejected a plea bargain. He believes he has an air tight alibi. He is sure he will get away with his crimes. His hope is completely dashed when the prosecuting attorney confronts him with the irrefutable evidence of his guilt. So it is with the law of God. We may fool others, we may fool ourselves, but we will never fool God.
     God's word is living and active. it shows us the truth about ourselves, the things that we hide deep down inside. Like a mirror, when we look at His law, the perfect law of liberty, we see what we truly look like, who we really are in the eyes of God (Hebrews 4:12; James 1:22-25). 

Following Judah's Lion: How Whole is Your Eye?

     Here is an interesting perspective on Christians and politics. I think this is timely, as is seems that many evangelical Christians are being "swept off their feet" by Donald Trump. There are many questions that one could ask about politics and voting. Should we support "Christian" candidates only? What do we do if there are no godly candidates running for office? Do we then vote for the "lesser of two evils?" What if a candidate supports moral issues, but is not a Christian? What about voting for a Mormon? Thousands of evangelical Christians threw their support behind one in the last presidential election because he was the lesser of two evils in their sight. Yet most of us should agree that Mormons are not Christians by the biblical definition of one. Do we still get behind him or her with our support? What about the fact that we as Christians are in reality citizens of the kingdom of God, living as pilgrims and strangers here? Do we still get active in politics and civic duties, or fight the good fight of faith in other ways? The early church spent their time on their knees in prayer, and gave their lives in the spreading of the gospel, and saw far more results than we seem to be seeing. These are honest questions that Christians should ask themselves before jumping on the next candidates bandwagon. Check out this article by clicking on the link below.


Following Judah's Lion: How Whole is Your Eye?: HOW WHOLE IS YOUR EYE? Matt.6: 22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be ful...

Food for Thought.

     Read Matthew 5:1-7:28. This is what we often refer to as the sermon on the mount. Jesus ends this sermon with this illustration,

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears theses words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall."

Matthew 7:24-27 NASB

     We often look at this illustration in a general way. To build upon the rock means to "trust Jesus"; to be saved, etc. We would agree that a wise man would obey Jesus, and anyone who did not would be considered foolish, and is building upon sand. However, we sometimes tend to be abstract with vital scriptural truths.

     Remember, Jesus has been teaching the crowd. We might say He has been preaching a sermon. He has made many points, some of them shocking, even unsettling, and now He is wrapping up His message with the application.

     When He speaks of "hearing these words of mine, and acting upon them," He is referring back to what He has just spoken to this crowd. It is true that Jesus taught many things on other occasions as well, and discipleship demands we obey His words, but lets just look at a few things that Jesus taught in this portion of scripture.

     Look at what we refer to as the beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-10. He speaks of humility and poverty of spirit, gentleness, purity and righteousness. We are to be merciful, and are called to be peacemakers. Persecution is the lot of the faithful follower of Christ, and will come as we let our lights shine in this world.

     But what do we believe about these things? Do we agree with Jesus really, or does our pride betray us? So many act as if these words meant nothing. Where is the mercy, where are the peacemakers, where are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness? Is purity still important to those who name the name of Christ, or has it been set aside lest we offend someone with this high standard?

     One does not have to deliberately seek persecution. You only need to publicly live in such a way that lifts Jesus up for the world to see. Open up your mouth to witness for Him, declare your allegiance to Him, and break with the sins that those around you walk in, and persecution will come naturally. Yet we see so much compromise, and so little conviction, and so much fear of man in much of what we call Christianity today.

     If we go on we come to Jesus teaching on hatred and murder, making things right with an offended brother, adultery, divorce and remarriage, and honesty (Matt 5:21-37). Notice how Jesus condemns the sin in the heart. You may not have committed the outward act of murder or adultery, but cherishing anger in our hearts, looking with lust (even if we do not touch), is still sin. Yet so many believe that what we think to ourselves does not matter if we do not actually do the deed. Jesus tells us to get ruthless with sin, to go to great lengths to avoid it and get it out of our lives. He does not intend for us to justify our actions, and presume upon His grace, while our lives are still filled with immorality. How many people will offer an apology to someone they have offended? We so often let our pride get in the way, excusing our anger and actions, instead of seeking reconciliation.

     Jesus goes on to speak on love and non resistance. Love your enemies, turn the other cheek, do not demand your rights to property, go the extra mile, etc (Matt 5:38-43). Many professed Christians today follow an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. We demand our rights, we fight for our things, we hate our enemies, we refuse to forgive. Jesus makes it clear, but we so often cloud His words because we believe that this can never work in our society. God never meant for us to follow this teaching did He?

     Laying up treasures, living for our basic needs, and serving two masters, are where you will find large numbers of so called disciples. Many like to quote Jesus words about seeking first the Kingdom of God, but are not willing to actually put it into practice. There are pastors and teachers who promote wealth and possessions as a sign of God's blessing. "Name it and claim it," they say. Their theology only caters to our selfish nature. This goes against what Jesus teaches about wealth, and what we are to do with our material things (Matt 6:19-34).

     Jesus tells us that there is a broad way leading to destruction, filled with multitudes. There is also a narrow way, with only a few on it. This however, is the way to life (Matt 7:13-14). We must be discerning. We must be careful to heed these words of our Lord and Savior. Many, many people who call themselves Christians are living in opposition to these basic teachings of the one they claim to follow. A wise builder will listen and obey, no matter how unrealistic it may seem. Humility, and self denial go against the grain of this world. We have been programmed so to speak, to demand our rights, to enjoy pleasure and possessions, to lay up treasures in this life time, to hate our enemies, and so on. Yet to disregard these things is to build on sand, and fall into spiritual ruin.

Ten Shekels and a Shirt (High Quality)

This sermon confronts the humanism that has crept into our modern gospel presentation. We are guilty of making our happiness the chief end of our christian experience. This is nothing more than using God as a means to an end. Please listen to this with an open heart.


Ten Shekels and a Shirt (High Quality)

The God of Creation.

Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seeds in them, on the earth"; and it was so. Genesis 1:9-11 NASB

 Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." Genesis 1:20 NASB

When one looks at the beauty of God's creation, it is evident that this did not happen by chance. There was no cosmic explosion millions of years ago, that brought all of this into being. The creation itself reveals God to man. His invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature are clearly seen, and understood by what He has made. (Romans 1:20)

The Nature of Biblical Faith.

     And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
                                                              Hebrews 11:6 NASB

     For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
                                                                Ephesians 2:8 NASB

     Faith is one of the most important, yet one of the least understood elements of Christianity. If it is through faith that we obtain saving grace, and if it is impossible to please God without faith, it is of absolute necessity that we have a good working knowledge of what true faith really is. We cannot afford to be wrong in our definition of faith; there is no room for error. Our very souls depend upon our having a solid biblical understanding of what constitutes faith.
     I would like to look at some very important elements of faith as found in the scriptures; elements that are sadly overlooked, or often explained away, yet these things are found in scripture nonetheless.
     
     1. Faith is taking God at His word.
     2. Faith is active.
     3. Faith leads to obedience.
     4. Faith works by love.
     5. Faith overcomes.

     1. Faith is taking God at His word.
     We read of faith in Hebrews 11, and discover right away that one must believe that God exists, and rewards those who seek after Him. If we are to exercise faith, we must start here with the belief that God means what He says. His word is filled with warnings and promises, blessings and curses. If we have faith, we will believe what God says to us. To ignore or disregard what He says, is to lack faith. The Bible tells us that faith comes from hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Many people make the mistake of thinking that faith consists in believing what they want, and God is bound to honor that faith. This is not so. True faith believes what God says, no matter how unrealistic it may seem. Take Noah for example. God told Him that He was about to destroy the world with a flood as a judgment of its sin. He told him to build an ark for the salvation of his family. As absurd as this might have seemed, Noah took God at His word, and did what he was commanded to do (Genesis 6:5-21; Hebrews 11:7). He believed the word of the Lord. We too must believe the word of the Lord as well. Imagine what it must look like to God when He fills His word with promises and commands, but we fail to believe what God says. Unbelief in effect is calling God a liar.

     2. Faith is active.
     Look at the example of Noah again. Noah believed what God told him. He believed that a flood was going to destroy the world. He also believed that God would spare him and his family if he would build an ark. this belief caused him to act. As ridiculous as it must have appeared to those around him, Noah began to build an ark, a task that took around one hundred years to complete. There was plenty of time to get discouraged, and plenty of time to decide that maybe God was going to change His mind and not send a flood. Noah believed God, and acted upon that belief. He persevered over a period of one hundred years, and at the command of God, he and his family, along with pairs of animals entered the ark, and were saved. When the multitude asked Jesus what they must do to do the works of god, Jesus responded by telling them that the work of God was to believe upon the one that He sent (John 6:28-29). If they had truly believed in Christ, that faith would have manifested itself in works. James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). A man sitting in his recliner, reading the paper is suddenly interrupted by a pounding on his door, and cries of "Fire! Get out, your house is on fire!" If he has faith, he will put down the paper, get out of his chair, and escape his burning house. It is that simple. James gives us several examples of men and women who acted upon their belief, as does the book of Hebrews in the eleventh chapter. (James 2:21-26; Hebrews 11:1-40).

     3. Faith leads to obedience.
     Paul refers to the obedience of faith in Romans 16:26. What is this obedience of faith? Jesus asks "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) We are called to obey Jesus Christ, to follow Him, and to walk as He walked. This amounts to us living out our faith in Him with an active obedience. The true disciple hears the commands of Jesus, and believes what he hears with an active faith. It is futile to say that we are Christians, followers of Jesus, yet we balk at His commands. Just as a soldier obeys his commanding officer, or an employee obeys his boss, we are called to obey Jesus Christ, if we are going to follow Him.

     4. Faith works by love.
     We read in Galatians 5:6, that what really counts in the eyes of God is faith working by love. This is the opposite of dead works-things that we do to earn God's favor. Legalism, the keeping of commandments, observance of rituals or traditions, is based upon selfish motives. An individual who "obeys" God out of a sense of obligation or fear of punishment cannot please God, as this individual is merely serving God for reward. True faith is motivated by love for God. This is why Jesus could say that those who love Him will obey Him (John 14:23-24). Love will motivate us to what Jesus commands, not for our sake, but for His. This is the difference between a "legal" salvation, which is no salvation at all, and a salvation where the law is fulfilled in those who believe, through love (Romans 8:4, 13:9-10).

     5. Faith overcomes.
     We read in 1 John that if we love God we will keep His commandments. The passage goes on to show us that those who have faith, who believe in the Son of God, overcome the world (1 John 5:3-5).  It is impossible to love the world, and yet love God at the same time (1 John 2:15-16). The world will throw every temptation and trial at us with the intention of drawing our hearts away from Christ. Here is where the grave danger lies. If we are not overcoming, we are being overcome. Only the one who overcomes will inherit eternal life in the end (Rev 21:7). Once again, this is not legalism; trying to earn salvation by works. Jesus came to deliver us from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4). By faith in Him, we overcome. It is by faith we win the victory over sin and temptation. It is by faith that we stand strong in the face of danger and persecution. If we do not overcome by faith in Christ, we are then ensnared once again in this present evil age. Jesus came to destroy the devil's works (1 John 3:8). By faith in Him, we walk this out in our daily lives. The one who has become aware of the depths of depravity in his unregenerate heart, will by faith, cast himself at the feet of the one who will deliver him from the power of sin, and then continue to trust in the Savior moment by moment until this life is over.

     There is so much more that one could discuss concerning faith, but I hope that this will encourage you to walk in the power and victory that God intends for each one of us, as we walk by faith in Christ Jesus.

     

     

The Prosperity of the Wicked.

     But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
                                                              Psalm 73:2-3 NASB  

Read Psalm 73:1-28

     Sometimes it seems that everyone around us is prospering, while we struggle. There are those who seem to live luxuriously, never in need of life's basic necessities, who always appear to succeed at everything they put their hand to. We may feel as if the wicked are prospering in this life in spite of their wickedness, as if God does not see. It can be easy to look at our hardships and struggles in comparison with the ease of the wicked, and say as the Psalmist did, Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence" (Psalm 73:13 NASB).

     But this Psalm goes on to show us that what may appear to us as an unfair situation is not what it seems to be. While the wicked go on in their prosperity, they are actually in a very slippery place. Their life will not always go on as it has. Just like the rich man whom Jesus described in Luke 12:16-21, life is uncertain. As this man was preparing to retire in his abundance, his life was required of him. Things may go smooth for a season for those who live apart from Christ, but it will always catch up to them one way or another. Ultimately, we will all stand before God someday, and then it will be worth it all to follow Him now. 

     As for the hard times and struggles that so many Christians seem to face, these are for our good (James 1:2-3). The writer of Hebrews encourages us with the fact that God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:5-12). Discipline is not fun to go through, but it is the means by which God keeps us close to Him. Much like a parent who lovingly corrects and disciplines a child to keep that child safe, and to train him to grow up into a godly individual, God also uses trials and testings to keep us from straying after the things of this world. It is better to face discipline, and thereby grow in grace and holiness, than to be allowed to persist in worldliness and sin, and ultimately go lost.
Psalm 73:1-28

     

The Sin of Grumbling.

Then they despised the pleasant land;

they did not believe in His word,

but grumbled in their tents;

They did not listen to the voice of the Lord,

therefore He swore to them,

that He would cast them down in the wilderness,

and that He would cast their seed among the nations. Psalm 106:24-27 NASB

     It is easy to get into the habit of grumbling and complaining about the various twists and turns of life that befall us. It is just as easy to downplay it as no big deal. In fact, many of us perhaps are not even aware that we are complainers! But it is a big deal, and instead of downplaying it, we should take a careful look at ourselves to see if we are guilty of this sin, and then forsake it.

     Look at the above verse, and you can see what preceded the grumbling mentioned. God had promised the nation of Israel the land of Canaan. He would go before them and give it to them. They only had to go in and take it. It was a pleasant land with all they needed. The bible describes it as a land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 13:27). However when they learned that the land was inhabited by giants, they were afraid, and began to weep and grumble.

     This verse tells us that they despised the pleasant land. It did not mean anything to them; they no longer desired it, in fact they preferred to return to the hard life of slavery that they had lived back in Egypt. They also did not believe the word of the Lord; that He would give them this land. They did not believe that they could take this land in His strength. And in this unbelief, they refused to obey Him, in going forward to possess the promised land. Instead, they spent the night, in their tents, weeping and grumbling about the entire situation.

     Let this be a warning to us today. It is no small matter to grumble and complain about the things we go through. It only shows our lack of faith in God. In fact, it exposes our unbelief; it is a good indicator that we do not take the word of God seriously. We may say we believe His promises to us; we may say we are willing to obey Him at all cost, but if we grumble instead of acting upon His word, we are deceived. 

Destroyed by the Destroyer.

Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 1 Corinthians 10:10 NASB

     The apostle Paul is here speaking of the sin and unbelief of ancient Israel, as a warning to us in this present day (1 Cor 10:1-12). This verse in particular is dealing with grumbling, and bitter complaining. From the day they left the hardships of Egypt, by God's own intervention on their behalf, they found occasion to complain. Time after time they grumbled that there was no food, there was no water, they were afraid of the people of the land, and so forth. They cried out bitterly, desiring to return to Egypt, rather than face death in the wilderness.

     At the root of their grumbling lay unbelief. They had quickly forgotten the God who had delivered them with awesome power. They forgot the ten plagues in Egypt. They forgot how God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground. They seemed not to understand that He was in their midst as a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day. They were not content with His provision; they were not satisfied with God, and how He chose to lead them. They could only look back and see in their own minds that the harsh slavery in Egypt was much better for them. 

     The breaking point came at Kadesh, when the ten spies returned from scouting the promised land. (See Numbers 13:25-14:36) Eight of the spies gave a bad report. "The land is good, but we are like grasshoppers in their eyes. We can never take this land." Joshua and Caleb urged the people to go forward in faith. God would be with them. It was He who gave them this land, and He would go before them. They could take the land if they would only go forward and do it. The response of the people was to cry and weep all night long. They lamented, once again, that God led out here to die; They longed to return to the "good life" they enjoyed in Egypt. In His anger, God swore that that generation would not enter the promised land. They were doomed to wander in the wilderness for forty years until they all died.

     This is a lesson for us. It is so easy to grumble and complain about the way we are treated; about our jobs; about our paychecks; about our neighbors; and numerous other things that don't go the way we expect them to. I wonder how many of us seem to live "cursed" lives, all the while wondering why things never seem to work out for us? Could it be that we are reaping the consequences of our complaining? Are we being "destroyed by the destroyer;" wandering around the desert of our own unbelief? 

     While complaining is a sign of unbelief, thanksgiving is born out of a heart of faith and trust in God. This is why Paul is able to instruct us to be thankful in every circumstance in life (Eph 5:20). When we have that confidence in God, that trust that knows He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28), we can go through life's hardships and valleys with joy and thanksgiving in our hearts. 

     Take a lesson from Israel's tragic decision not to believe God. Instead of unbelief, confidently trust in God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:17-18). Instead of complaining, give thanks to God, who is for us, and not against us. God gave up His own beloved son for us. How much more will he freely give us all things (Romans 8:31-32).

The Rejection of Wisdom.

     "Because I called and you refused,

I stretched out my hand and

no one paid attention;

and you neglected all my council

and did not want my reproof;

I will also laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your dread comes,

when your dread comes like a storm

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

"Then they will call upon me,

but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently

but they will not find me,

because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

"They would not accept my council,

they spurned all my reproof.

"So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way

and be satiated with their own devices."

Proverbs 1:24-30 NASB



       These are sobering words. One must ask the question, "How long can a person, society, or nation spurn God, reject truth, and remain willfully ignorant of true wisdom, before He casts them off and allows them to remain forever entrenched in their ignorance?"
     We read in Romans of the kindness of God, who is patient and long suffering with the wicked, in hopes that they will come to repentance. Yet there comes a point when people reach a place of no going back. By remaining stubborn and unrepentant, they store up wrath for themselves in the day of God's righteous judgment (Romans 2:4-5).
     These are not verses that we would commonly hear read in our Sunday services. Most Pastors would not pick this passage out of Proverbs to preach a series of sermons on, yet it is God's word to us, and a very severe word at that. We dare not trifle with God; we dare not reject wisdom when it calls. As we read in Proverbs 2:1-6, only those who diligently seek wisdom will discern the fear of Lord, and discover the knowledge of God, as wisdom only comes from God. 
     What a tragic thing to spend a lifetime rejecting truth in the pursuit of our selfish lusts, only to find that in the day of trial when we so desperately need wisdom, we are denied.
                                                                                                                                                                               

The Destruction of the Foundations.

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Psalm 11:3 NASB








     We see an unprecedented amount of ungodliness in our world today. Just as in the days of Noah, it appears that the thoughts and intents of the heart of man are only evil, all the time (Gen 6:5).
     It seems ironic that as I write this, that we are celebrating independence day, while in reality millions are in bondage to their sunken depravity. It matters not that freedom has been "legislated" for deviant sexual behavior; there is no freedom apart from the radical freedom from sin that comes only through Christ Jesus.
     I want to primarily address those who would call themselves Christians, as judgment first begins in the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). What we are seeing today, not only in our nation, but within the walls of the "professing church," is the result of building upon a faulty foundation. Many have chosen to build their spiritual house upon the sand, rejecting the rock that would ensure the true spiritual prosperity of those holding the faith "once delivered" (Matt 7:24-27; Jude 1:3).
     In what ways have the foundations been destroyed? In what ways have we been found to have been building upon sand? Let's look at some "basic" things in scripture, that have been neglected, and even rejected by generations of professing Christians, leading, I believe, to what we are seeing today.

     1. What happened to the fear of the Lord?
     This is at the entry level. The fear of the Lord is basic to our knowledge of God, and the beginning of wisdom (Prov 2:1-5). With no fear of the Lord, it is impossible to be a true Christian, one who in truth, believes in, and follows the Lord Jesus Christ.
     Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. To fear the Lord is to take Him seriously. It is to believe what He reveals to us about Himself; His standards, His justice, righteousness, and holiness. It is to take His words seriously when He speaks of judgment and hell. To fear the Lord means that we take to heart what He tells us of ourselves; our sinfulness and rebellion, our lost condition; of our being dead in sin apart from Him. The fear of the Lord will cause us to depart from evil (Prov 16:6). This fear drives us to seek the Lord, and to live in obedience to Him (Job 1:8). It is a healthy fear, a clean fear, distinguished from a slavish fear that is based upon "performance," always looking for one more good deed to perform; always worried that there is one more thing to do to ensure our salvation. No, the true fear of the Lord causes us to take Him seriously; to believe what He says, and to act upon it. It causes us to repent and surrender; to give up our sin, and to submit our lives to Christ; to follow Him in loving obedience for His sake, not for what we can get out of Him.
     We have lost this fear. We would rather feel good about things; ourselves and our actions, even though they may deviate from scripture. We would rather have a god of our own invention; a god who does not punish sin, who does not convict us when we stray. We would rather have a Jesus who did not speak about hell and coming judgment; and many have twisted His words on these things to explain it all away. We would rather have a Jesus who bore the cross for us, and said nothing of our need to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). We say it is a finished work, and indeed it is. There is nothing we can add to the work of Christ on our behalf. Yet, He calls us to lose all for Him; to deny ourselves, and to follow Him even unto death if we would be His disciples. Why do we reject this today? Those who call Lordship salvation a heresy, are in effect calling Jesus a heretic, as He is the one who preached it first. Where is our fear of the Lord?
     You see, there is very little of the fear of the Lord in existence today. This is why so many of us can sin so easily, and come back with a half hearted confession, or no confession at all. This is why it is so easy to call ourselves Christian in name only, while our lives are filled with the devil. If we do not take the scriptural warnings at face value, and the New Testament alone, is full of them, we won't really care what our lives look like to God. That is why we can see so many "happy" people in Church tolerating any and everything that comes along; they worship God with their lips, while their hearts are far from Him (Mark 7:6-7).

      2. The scriptures have been explained away.
       The Bible tells us that scripture is God breathed. It is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). Jesus states that those who continue in His word are truly His disciples, and they will know the truth that can set them free (John 8:31-32). We have seen in the last several generations, an assault on the word of God, to make it of little or no effect. Men have placed doubt upon the inspiration of the scriptures, others upon the absolute truth of the scriptures. They have explained away the miracles, the commands, warnings and the promises of the word of God, in favor of mere humanistic "wisdom" and effort.
     Many people within "Christianity" believe that the Bible contains the words of God, but is not the word of God. Many others look at it as merely a cultural thing that has no real bearing on today's culture. They believe it is old and antiquated; it was for a different time, and it cannot work for us today to follow the principles found within it. So many of the promises and commands found within it's pages are explained away by the "cultural" argument. Once again, even New Testament principles are rejected by the modern "Church."
     There are those within the realm of "Christianity who reject the reliability of God's word. They say that you cannot believe everything that is in the Bible. These people believe that some things are true, while other things are not. This leads one to question the reliability of anything revealed to us by God, even the gospel. This also leads people to pick and choose what they will believe and follow as Christians; a dangerous concept indeed. Those who teach this are much like Satan when he placed doubt in the mind of Eve (Gen 3:1-5). We are warned: Do not add to, do not take away from God's word (Rev 22:18-19). The word of God is not subject to our own interpretation. We do not have the option to make it say what we want to hear (2 Peter 1:20-21).
      As I stated earlier, my purpose in writing this is to show us the dangerous ground we are on within professing Christianity. This is primarily addressed to those who call themselves Christians, not the world at large. These are common teachings within many of our churches and denominations today. Look it up. There are many polls out there that show the rejection by professing believers, of some of the most basic and orthodox beliefs found in God's holy, inspired word. How can we expect a Church to live according to the precepts and principles found within the pages of the sacred word, when it has been so thoroughly explained away by our modern pastors, teachers, theologians, and professors?

     3. There is very little love of the truth found today.
     The Apostle Paul wrote of a coming time when men would no longer endure sound doctrine. Instead, they would gather to themselves teachers who would teach them what they wanted to hear (2 Tim 4:3). We are living in an age where there is little love of the truth. Mega churches are filled with "seekers" desiring to have their ears tickled with soothing words. Pastors are busy dumbing down spiritual truths, choosing to give "uplifting" messages rather than confront the lost with the claims of Christ and the truth of the gospel. People do not want to hear of hell and judgment; they do not want to hear about sin and repentance. They would rather be soothed; have their ears tickled, and be encouraged to embrace who they are regardless of how wicked it may be in the sight of God. Pastors and modern evangelists have spread a gospel that comforts sinners in their sin. They have encouraged people to "come just as they are" with no sorrow, and no repentance. The modern gospel is more concerned with the happiness of man than the glory of God. Churches are filled with individuals selfishly seeking their best life now, using God for their own personal gain. But this is not how the Bible portrays salvation or true Christianity. The message of the cross is one of death to sin; of self denial and persecution; of trial and tribulation. The mission of Christ was to set men free from sin. The word of God assures us that those who are truly born again are overcomers. Their lives are no longer the same; they do not live how they used to live; they have been transformed (2 Cor 5:17; 1 John 3:5-6, 5:4-5).
     Those who reject the truth do so because they love wickedness. There is a strong warning of God's judgment for those who refuse the truth. God will send them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false (2 Thess 2:10-12). Those who are willfully ignorant, who choose to reject the truth for a lie, will be given over to falsehood, and go lost. This is a serious warning to those who seek out teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. As for those who teach a different gospel than what is revealed in the scriptures, they are under a severe warning as well. Paul says they are accursed; devoted to destruction (Gal 1:8-9). It is no small matter in the eyes of God when we exchange the truth for a lie (Romans 1:18-32).

     These may seem like hard words to many. It is not my desire to offend, but to speak up, to sound a clear warning; something is wrong! We are told that Christ is to come back for a Church without spot or wrinkle. He is looking for a Church that is holy and blameless. When He comes back, it will not be for a country club; a place where everyone can get together and have a great time feeling good about God, and themselves, and all of their sin. He is not returning to take home all of those who have used Him for the advancement of their worldly pursuits. He is not coming for the television hucksters who peddle a gospel get rich quick scheme, or for those who faithfully sowed a "seed" in order to gain material blessings. This is nothing more than the promotion of a god for hire, yet so much of our American Christianity is based upon these and other selfish principles.
     We need to get back to the basics. We need to cry out for wisdom, to seek it as we would seek silver and hidden treasure. We need to discern the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 2:1-5). We need to take Him at His word; to believe that He means what He has said. We need to come to Him in humble repentance, to submit ourselves to Him; to receive His word and obey it. We must love His truth, even when it is hard. And to love His truth means that we let it shape our lives, and we speak up boldly in defense of it no matter the cost. The church is to be the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). We must pray for strength and wisdom in these perilous days. We must pray for revival to shake us up, to awaken the sleepers, and to prepare us for the days ahead, that we would be found worthy of Christ at His return.
     

Work Out Your Salvation.

     So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
     for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
                                  Philippians 2:12-13 NASB

     Many people become confused when they read the words of the Apostle Paul in this passage of scripture. They view salvation as something that cannot be earned or worked for, which is true. Paul states in Ephesians, that salvation is the gift of God and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9). He states in Romans that one who works earns his wage. It is not a favor, but what is due. However, the one who believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, is made righteous by faith (Romans 4:4-5). Salvation is the gift of God received by faith.
     To understand what it means to work out your salvation, it is helpful to have a good understanding of salvation; what it means and what it entails. Many of us understand the aspect of salvation that deals with the guilt of sin. We understand and believe that Christ has paid the penalty for our sin, and canceled the debt against us. We understand that we are justified in His sight, and freely forgiven, for Christ's sake.
     There is more to salvation however. The concept of salvation is that of deliverance. It includes deliverance from the guilt of sin, but goes beyond that to the deliverance from sin itself. Paul writes that Christ "Gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age" (Gal 1:4).  He also writes that we were dead in trespasses and sins, walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, and the spirit that is at work in the sons of disobedience. We indulged in the desires of the flesh and mind, and were by nature children of wrath. God who is rich in mercy, in love, has made us alive in Christ; raising us up, and seating us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ (Eph 2:1-7).  In Colossians He proclaims that we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness, to the kingdom of His Son (Col 1:13-14).  This is salvation; to be delivered from our sinful, rebellious lives. It is to be delivered from the lusts and desires that at one time controlled us, and to be set free to live for Christ. We were at one time slaves of sin, but we are now to present ourselves to God as slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13, 15-18). Our lives will be filled with works and deeds of some kind. Either we will live selfishly, fulfilling the lusts of our flesh and mind, or we will live soberly and righteously. We are controlled by our nature; the old man with his deeds, or the new man with his deeds (Eph 4:22-24). 
     The new birth is a change of nature. It is referred to as the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). The man who is born again is a new creation. The old is gone, and all things are made new (2 Cor 5:17). Again, this means that we no longer live the way we once did. We now have a new set of principles written upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This is the promise made under the new covenant (Hebrews 8:10). We are His workmanship, prepared to do good works (Eph 2:10). We read above that it is God who is at work in us to will and to do His good pleasure. This is what we must work out. We are to walk in this deliverance by faith. We are to follow Christ. We are to be led by the Spirit. This is what it means to work out our salvation. It is nothing less than living for the glory of God, surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
     We are admonished to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The idea of fear seems foreign to many of us. It is easy to focus on God's love and mercy, which is central to our salvation. If God did not love us, why would He show us mercy? We are also concerned that we do not slip into legalism; driven by a slavish fear of punishment. Many people live motivated by this kind of fear. They do things to earn God's favor; they avoid other things to escape His wrath. These individuals are only motivated by self preservation. They have no real regard for the will of God. This is not the fear of the Lord that we are called to by the scriptures.
     The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding (Proverbs 9:10 NASB). To properly fear God, we must have a right understanding of Him. If we focus only on wrath and judgment, we will be driven by slavish fear. The opposite of this is to view God as love, while neglecting the fact that He is holy and just as well. The danger here is that we begin to presume upon grace, and fail to live in obedience to His word. "After all", we think, "God is love, and understands our weakness."
     We need to understand, deep within our hearts, that not only is God love, but He is also righteous and just in all His ways. As the Holy God, He cannot tolerate sin. We do not always like to hear this, but His wrath flows from His justice. It is misrepresenting the character of God to declare that a loving God would never send anyone to hell. His holiness, righteousness, and justice, are just as real as His grace and mercy.
     When we look at God, and ponder the fact that He has existed from eternity, that He is everywhere present, that He is all knowing, we should be overcome by a sense of awe. There is not a thought in our minds that God does not know. He sees all; nothing is done in secret, that He is not aware of. In fact, from eternity past, God all ready knows the end from the beginning. The thought of this should make us feel very small in comparison to God, the maker of heaven and earth. When you look at the creation, you cannot help but know that there is a God who made all of this. In fact the Bible records that His invisible attributes, eternal power, and divine nature, are clearly seen in His creation (Romans 1:20).
     To fear the Lord is to understand who we are in relation to Him. We are His creation, made for His purpose and pleasure. We are not our own, but owe our lives in allegiance to God. It is only right and fitting that we yield ourselves to Him for His use. The proper fear of the Lord requires that we would stand in a holy awe of Him, to be deeply struck by His majesty and splendor; to understand that while this God loves us, and desires our love in return, yet in His holiness, He cannot look upon our sin. It is the dark stain of sin that separates us from this majestic God, and places us under His just wrath.
     Knowing this, we should have a dread, even a hatred for sin itself. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth I hate (Proverbs 8:13 NASB). This hatred goes beyond the fear of punishment, to actually hate sin for what it is: rebellion against God. Sin grieves the heart of God, and breaks our fellowship with Him, and one who fears the Lord, will learn to hate sin, even dread it, lest they grieve the Savior who gave Himself for them. By the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil (Prov 16:6)!
     Working out our salvation is to walk in the ways of the Lord. Psalm 128:1 declares that those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways are blessed. We are to offer God an acceptable service with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29).
     
    

Strangers and Exiles.

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.
                                                               Hebrews 11:13-14 NASB


    

     There are two kingdoms. The kingdom of this world, and the kingdom of God. These two stand in stark opposition to one another. The one is built upon selfish principles, the other humility and love.
     Jesus tells us that unless one is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3-5). The thing that keeps us out is our pride. As selfish individuals we live for self, at the expense of others. This pride ultimately refuses to submit to God, shutting us out of His kingdom. Only through the new birth, the washing of regeneration, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5), can this selfish principle be eradicated from our lives, making us fit for the kingdom of God.
     Those who have entered Christ's kingdom, through the new birth, are now at odds with the kingdom of this world. It is true, that by our physical birth, we are citizens of this world; we live in the various nations that make up this world, but now we reside in this world as strangers and exiles. We are like pilgrims passing through a strange land. This world is not our home.
     As followers of Jesus, we now live for a different purpose, and have different motives for our actions. This is clearly spelled out for us in the teachings of Jesus, in particular, the "Sermon on the Mount" found in Matthew 5-7. Jesus shows us that the things esteemed by the world, are worthless by the standards of His kingdom. As a result, those who would live by the principles Christ set forth, will find themselves at odds with this world. In fact, they will be rejected. The world in all of its pride, has no room for the meek and humble, no room for those who love their enemies, and who willingly forgive those who wrong them, and despises those who value purity over the pleasures that it has to offer.
     The Apostle Peter addresses the recipients of his first epistle as aliens (1 Peter 1:1). They were not only strangers on this earth, but were also driven from their country as well, because of their faith. Jesus warned us that we would be persecuted for his sake. Just as the world rejected Him, it will also reject His followers (Matt 5:10; John 15:18-20). As the Apostle Paul says, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12).
     In our "American Christianity" we are suddenly becoming aware of a great dividing line. As we see the blurring of truth, and the mass acceptance of sin in our culture, and even among those in the "professing" church, we are forced to either blindly conform to this evil world, or go against the current. It is becoming painfully evident that those who choose to stand alone on the side of righteousness, are in the minority. It is unpopular to stand for Jesus according to biblical principles, and those who choose to do so are finding out that the world does not understand them. In fact we see true Christians being slandered and maligned, in the things they say and do (1 Peter 3:16).
     Peter tells us that as aliens and strangers, we are to abstain from the fleshly lusts that war against our souls. We are to keep our behavior excellent among the inhabitants of this world, so that although they may slander us as evildoers, our good behavior will cause them to glorify God in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:11-12).
     We are called to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. This verse tells us that we stand out as lights in this world (Philippians 2:15). Jesus has called us to be light in a dark world. We are to let our light shine before men, so that they may see our good works, and glorify God (Matt 5:14-16). Paul tells us to expose the deeds of darkness (Eph 5:11-14). We have a purpose in this world, to point the way to Christ by our witness, and by our lives. This is why we must not compromise, not give way, and not shrink in fear. Even though we are strangers here, we are ambassadors for Christ, God working through us, to reconcile the world unto Himself (2 Cor 5:19-20).
    
    
   
    

You Must Be Born Again!: A Good Person?

You Must Be Born Again!: A Good Person?:      We seem to have the idea that there are "good" people in this world. We look at those around us, and see the good husband who...

Trusting God Wholeheartedly.

     Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
     In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
          Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

     If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
              James 1:5 KJV
    
                                                                           

Whole hearted trust
     What does it mean to trust in God with the whole heart? It is one thing to believe the promises we read in the word, but quite another thing to fall upon Him with an active faith when called to do so by the circumstances of life. It is easy to identify with Peter, sinking, as the wind driven waves crashed around him (Matt 14:28-31).
     James tells us that if we lack wisdom, God is more than willing to give it to us, if we will only ask. However, we must ask in faith,

     But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
     For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.
     A double minded man is unstable in all  his ways.
                                         James 1:6-8 KJV

     Peter was able to walk on the water, at Jesus command, as he kept his eye on Christ. When he looked at the storm around him, Jesus grew dim, and he lost his faith. Likewise, we are tossed about like waves of the sea, if we are double minded. A double minded man is a man who is not committed. This kind of person has no settled convictions or principles. He might have a half hearted commitment to Christ, but in reality, he is on the fence. It is impossible to have a living vibrant faith in Christ, if we are not surrendered to Him. This is why we see so many individuals falling apart today. They cannot trust Christ, if they do not really know Him. They are tossed about in all areas of life. Their opinions waver as the tossing sea. As the storms of life buffet them, they find it impossible to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7), and to look at what is unseen, rather than what is seen (2 Cor 4:18). 
     We are exhorted to come boldly to the throne of grace for help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16), and to draw near to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith (Hebrews 10:22). This is trusting God with all of your heart. It is to be confident in Him; that He is good; that He is dependable; that He can be taken at His word; that He desires our highest good. 
     To trust Him with all the heart implies that we mean business with God; that we are serious in our pursuit of Him. Diligence is a forgotten word nowadays, but it is something that God desires us to be. We are to be diligent, making every effort, in our knowledge of Him. This includes our trust in Him as well. Proverbs 2:1-5, gives us a good idea of what it means to seek wisdom with diligence. It involves a conscience effort to hear; to apply the heart to understanding, to cry after knowledge, to lift up the voice after understanding. a diligent effort is compared to one seeking after silver and other treasures. This is what it means to trust in the Lord with all of the heart.

Our faulty understanding
      We must forsake our own understanding, if we would truly desire to know the way of God. Take a look at Abram and Sarai (Genesis 15:1-6,  16:1-4). God had promised Abram that he would have an heir. In the natural this would seem impossible, as both Abram and his wife Sarai were past child bearing age. After a long while, Sarai, decides to take matters into her own hands, and gives her maid Haggar, to Abram as a wife. They leaned unto their own understanding, and tried to bring about the promise of God, through their own efforts. This resulted in disaster, as so often happens when we decide to do things in our own way, instead of waiting on God. I admit, it can be difficult to trust God, when things do not seem as they should be. We often face impossible situations, and feel that the odds are insurmountable, but does not Jesus tell us that if we have faith, we can move mountains (Mark 11:22-24)? When we have a promise from God, we need to cling to that by faith, and forsake our own natural reasoning, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).
    
Acknowlege Him in everything
     We often want to trust God with some things, but not everything. However, we are to acknowledge God in all of our ways. Every decision we make, every obstacle we face, every plan and purpose that we have, should be placed in God's hands, if we would want to walk in His will. James tells us that it is presumption to make plans without considering God (James 4:13-15). We often take things for granted, but we do not know what tomorrow will bring. Once again, this is often where our own understanding of things gets in the way. It is not a matter of God's plans that we will follow, and then our own plans that we will also pursue, but God is all. Too many people are guilty of merely adding Jesus to their already full lives. He says make Me all! This is what self denial is about. It is losing our lives for His sake (Mark 8:34-35).
     If we do this, trust Him with all of our heart, forsake dependence on our own understanding of things, and consider Him in every area of our lives, God promises to direct our steps. His wisdom will flood our hearts and minds, and we will find ourselves walking in His perfect will for our lives!