WordTalk Ministries

The Winds Blew and Beat Upon that House

2010-05-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The idea of judgment is the same idea as a test. The nuance buried within the word judgment as opposed to test is that of dividing between two kinds of things. Test has to do more with the quality of things. Nevertheless practically they are the same. We often speak of God sending judgment in a sense of a catastrophic event such as the recent disaster in New Orleans. But the judgment of God is any test of the faith, whether a crisis of one’s marriage or of nature’s fury. The issue of judgment is always “preparation.”

The fact of the matter is that a day of judgment is certain. The test of one’s work or lack there of is as certain as the sun will arise and set on the morrow. So judgment is never a question of “if” but a question of “when.” There is a storm with your name on it. It will test the “for better or for worse” of one’s marriage vows. It will test the integrity of one’s ethics. It will test the wisdom of one's decisions. It will test the profession of one’s faith.

As we have stated the issue of judgment is always “preparation.” As Jesus so eloquently put it, one man swiftly built his house on sand while the other dug and worked until he hit a rock and thereon he built his house. Then the storm came. The failure of the house simply reveals the work one did before hand. Therein is the idea of judgment. Judgment tries the quality of the work. Again Paul says, was it built with gold, silver, and precious stone or wood, hay, and stubble. He hails the importance of this because it will be tested in fire to reveal the character and quality or the lack thereof. It reveals the virtue or villainy of one’s effort and use of time.

So then judgment itself is neither good nor bad. The same judgment that damns some vindicates others. For instance, in the case of the ten virgins, five were found to be wise and five were found to be foolish in the same judgment day, pictured in the bridegroom’s return. Or in the case of the talents, judgment was a time of reward for the two faithful servants, while it was a time of condemnation for the unfaithful servant who spent his time hiding his talent.
Judgment by nature will and can never punish the righteous. Judgment must at the very least vindicate the righteous and ideally reward them.

Judgment comes at various degrees. Sometimes judgment reveals error and affords one another chance, while a other times judgment is severe and final. Though we refer to judgment that allows for another chance as "a warning", it is none the less judgment, in that it allows for discernment of one’s present condition for correction. It is in fact the chastening of God,

We often refer to God’s wrath with anthropomorphic language like “God got tired” or “God sent a storm.” While not always, more often than not God’s judgment is in the normal course of nature. The point is not whether or not the Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans was God’s doing, but that every storm is God’s doing regardless of its destination. It is His judgment, that is, His decision to allow it to occur. And that is no matter what “it” may be, from the death of the infant to an eruption of a volcano that claims a city and its inhabitants. It’s all God’s decision. To believe otherwise is to not be a Judeo-Christian, and believe something akin to Deism, believing that nature is independent of the dictates of a sovereign God.

At the end of the day, judgment will come, the only question to ponder is will you be ready.

The Spirit and the Bride Say Come

2010-05-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

What an invitation? - to drink water. And I've found it somewhat difficult to drink water when one is not thirsty. I know we often flavor our water with sugar or perhaps lemon in order to make it palatable. However, this is only necessary because one is not thirsty. And when the scorching, searing, desert sun in the heated days of life have so sweated your brow as to leave you dehydrated of all of the waters of men you'll seek another fountain. And I been there, empty, depleted, to where all of the philosophies, the isms, the books, the back wood sayings of the country folk and the old timers provided no relief for my dry mouth, parched tongue, and chapped lips. I could say nothing to another because nothing had been said to me of any consequence.

I was in a conference when a fellow walked up to me and proceeded to tell me he was a prophet of God and continued to speak on and on about what the Lord was going to do - how he would curse this and bless that and all that there... and when he took a breath, I broke his monologue and asked, "What church do you belong to?" He answered, I used to belong to "Bishop so and so" and went back to his speech. I interrupted abruptly this time saying "I did not ask what church you use to belong to, I asked, what church do you belong to now?" He answered, "None! …but God is in my heart." I said, "If you don't belong to a church, God is not speaking through you." And there is a lot of fellows that are speaking today who have not heard the Spirit and the bride. They've heard the sayings of men; they've read all the books; and that is all they have some men and some books.

Well preacher how do you know they have not heard the Spirit and the bride? - Because they're message is not the same message as that of the Spirit and the bride. They have construed a message for itching ears rather than thirsty souls. They don't tell men what they need to hear; they tell men what they want to hear.

Well why does their preaching draw so many people? They draw people who are not thirsty with sweeten water. They foster cravings for their manufactured drink mix. They draw men who are not thirsty… They are not told that Christ is all, but that Christ is the means to all you want. They are told if you have not been able to obtain it, come to church and I'll tell you how to get it.

Thirsty people don’t need flavored water…. Thirsty people don’t need sugar…don’t need lemon… don’t need cool aid…. They don’t need a promise of earthly health and wealth… Thirsty people don’t need a lot of fanfare… they don’t need a great cathedral… they don’t need light and cameras… they don’t need professional singers… they don’t need a huge choir… but the running water is music to their ears, a melody to the heart, an ensemble to the soul.

And I heard the voice of Jesus say come! And I came to Jesus just as I was… In my weariness... In my woundedness... In my thirst... and I came... The spirit and the bride said come and I came... And He opened my dumb mouth... And I learn His dialect; I learned His language. And I spoke the same thing I heard... Come!!! Come ye who are thirsty... scorched... seared... parched... dried... dehydrated... The elders used to sing that song… Whosoever will let him come, let him come... Whosoever will let him come and be saved… Whosoever will let him come, let him come... and drink from the life giving stream…

When We Remembered Zion

2010-05-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. (Psalm 137:1)

Their disobedience had brought them to Babylon. The river is indicative here of Babylon’s best. They were in the most plenteous, pleasant, pristine, productive place Babylon had to offer. The Babylonian’s first methodical philosophy was not oppression but one of impression. They sought to woo their captives into service. But when you belong to God, you can never feel comfortable in the world. You may ride in the best Bentley… You may live in the palatial Fifth Avenue Penthouse… You may party with a president and a princess… But the world’s prosperity cannot compare to being blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. All of the world’s blissful places cannot replace the peace of God that passes all understanding. All of the world’s recognitions and accolades cannot measure up to one “Well done thy good and faithful servant”.

While in Zion, they worshiped the gods of Babylon: Baal and Ashtoreth… They demoralized their own priesthood… They persecuted and kill the prophets… Jeremiah prophesied, “I see a boiling pot tilted to the north”… In other words, the Babylonians are coming for us… and God’s going to step back and let them have their way. God gave them all the Babylon they wanted. And they did not like it!

And here they were in Babylon sitting down. “Sitting down” shows inactivity and deep reflection. The flesh fest was over. The fruitless festivities had ended. The stench of sin had reached heaven. And now in exile “they remembered!” As they wept, “they remembered!” Not in Jerusalem, but in Babylon, “they remembered!” Not by the Jordan, but by the Euphrates, “they remembered!” While being offered Babylon’s best, they were contemplating the high cost of their low living.

Saints, if you keep on playing with the world, God will let you have all of the world you want. He will exile you from a place of pleasure to a place of pain. That’s why they are there – Because every now and then, God will turn things upside down; He will put the world on top of the church for a season. He’ll let the sinners dominate the saints for a season. How long is that season? Until He stamps out the mess in you that won’t let Him bless you. How long is that season? – Until you are ready to show forth the praises of Him who has brought you out of darkness into the marvelous light. How long is that season? – Until there is no more you but only Him living in you, living for you, and living through you.

The Fullness of His Goodness

2010-01-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him (Genesis 2:18.)

God created a lack of good that we might know the fullness of His goodness. Here Adam was as good as any man has ever been, save our Savior. After much benediction in chapter one, here in chapter two is a malediction, “It is not good that the man should be alone”. It is an orchestrated condition in the order of God, “the good” experiencing the “not good” to bring about the perfect good.

God, in this verse, reveals His concern for Adam’s need and His intention to supply His need: “I will make him a help meet for him.” Yet with an infallible objective to supply, God does not supply in the most immediate way. God contemplates our needs constantly. He has in mind at all times what He desires to do for us. This is the relationship with God we were created to enjoy. Like a man contemplates what he wants to do for a woman, God has us on His mind. And He gives it to us so that we will know Him, so we will love Him, so we will see His glory. Such requires His arrangement, His plan, His time, and His way, His will, and His work that we may come to know the fullness of His goodness.

He situates Adam in a position to view his own need and his Lord's supply of his need. Adam must first look for provision where it cannot be found, to come to know where all he needs can always be found. And there among the animals, his needs were not provided for. Provision comes not from that which is below but from above. In our day of great disdain for order; moreover God’s order, we do well to note that the river never flows up from the valley but down from the mountain.

Man alone is not good, yet it was good that God made him alone for therein God made opportunity to glorify Himself. And herein the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is answered in the only instance where a common man can truly be said to be good. Simply put, His people are not yet as good as they can be and they need experience the fullness of God’s goodness that they may become better and better.

And that is God, working the “not good” all together for “the good,” that we may experience His goodness. He has for us a holistic intent. Jeremiah writes, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Shattering the Images

2010-01-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. (Deuteronomy 5:8)

What drives the worship of men? Is it not what they want; that is, what they want to be. Yes the Israelites made golden calves. But why? Because they really believed God looked like a cow? No! Because they wanted to become a nation like Egypt, they did what Egyptians did. The image of a perfect, prestigious and powerful nation was resident in their minds and they pursued and worshipped that image until it manifested two things: golden calves and the anger of God. They did not worship bulls they worship Egypt. Yet they did not worship Egypt, they worshipped the likeness of Egypt, which likeness they wanted to assume.

The real image resides where the graven image originated: in the mind of the worshipper. More existential than the idol itself, is what one believes about the graven image, for this mental idol drives the worship of any physical idol: what one sees himself as, or where one conceive herself as being: the possession, the posture, the prestige. A young man plagued by the abandonment of his dad is on the search for his perfect dad which reality resides only in his mind. Yet it drives his rebellion toward all authority figures. A longing to be married guides a woman into promiscuity, as she stares at herself being married to each man she encounters. That adulterous guy who always imagined himself to be the lady's man has never settled down in his own marriage, wagering the wellbeing of his family, as he exploits woman after woman. And where did that image come from? It was made up of three components: lack, want and hurt. And that idle is often walled in by the sentimental belief that lack, want, and/or hurt legalizes the idol.

Like Christ, the image demands faithfulness, shamelessness, and yet therein is found not the bliss and satisfaction imagined, but only the momentary pleasure of sin that quickly fades into a lifetime of pain. One is sold a scourge, the curse, an endless cycle of hurt, a hopeless hope, shameless shame, and a dead dream that will let him die desperately wondering and looking outside the will of God for fulfillment in a place where it can never be found. Oh yes he will find something: wasted time, wasted opportunities, wasted relationships, wasted resources, wasted efforts and energy. Driven to exponential sins by an idolatrous image that is now set before God, above God.

We, the saints, the warriors of God, must with the power of Christ destroy this false god that has gained dominion over the life of this man or woman. And replace that image with the image of Christ. Paul writes "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." It has been made number one, above Christ and to the consequential detriment of the person.

War must be waged to destroy that image as God destroyed the statue of Dagon in the pagan temple. And who is this person, but the temple of the Holy Spirit in whom God will stand alone in? God will cleanse and claim every place of worship by the entrance of His presence, for therein is light and thereby darkness is gone. The glory of Christ is revealed and the pretention of the idol is exposed and the power of the idol is expelled.

It’s Me, It’s Me O Lord

2009-12-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

What is the tendency of the heart? Is it not to look around and blame others for one’s own situation? If she wasn’t so… If he would just… If they had only… and on and on it goes. However, if my relief is so contingent on the conformity of another to what I feel he or she should be or do, my hope is bleak at best; because, I can neither control nor change others. What if the perpetrator will never confess their responsibility in the matter, or moreover what if they are incapacitated or even dead? If once future hope is contingent on the confession of the perpetrator, there is no hope at all. What happened happen and it happen to you; nothing can make the past different.

This is why the psychology of the world is virtually useless; because, they want to lay the cause of one’s pain in the past and not in the present. Their diagnosis is present pain rooted in past events; rather than, present reaction to past pain causing present pain. At the risk of sounding a bit overly simplistic, “let it go is not far from the biblical prescription.” At the risk of sounding insensitive, “get over it!” Yet the former I say in the spirit of “God’s forgiveness” and the latter in the spirit of “God’s overcoming power.”

Rest assured, this is not a denial that the event happened. This is not a denial of the fact that you were wronged. This is not a denial of the hurt and pain as a result of the experience. This is not even justification or vindication of the perpetrator.

Yet, what if the problem is not the past? What if my problem is the present? What if the problem is not the perpetrator? What if the problem is much more personal? The power to control or change others does not reside with me; but what does reside with me is the power to control or changed me; the power to change the choices I make rest with me. YES! Now, my hope has been exponentially increased. And Solomon has well said, out of the heart flows the issues of a person’s life. It is not what was done, but how one deals with what was done to him that continues to pain, paralyze, and pursue him. Yes that person may have pained you, but make no mistake about it, you perpetuated the pain.

Let's face it! Whose fault is it that you were born in the family in which you were born or the environmental situation? Did not God know He was giving you to abusive parents or among perverted uncles? God knew and God did it; He allowed the situation to be in spite of His knowledge thereof. So one’s bitterness about the results of his or her life is a fight with God. It is hatred for who God made you and it flows out of one’s own irresponsibility toward God.

So the advice of the proverb writer is, “Keep thy heart with all diligence.” First, I will address the last word, “diligence”. This indicates the need for consistent and constant effort. Secondly, the word “keep” means to govern or control. The object of this need for constant control is the heart’s passion. The word passion means intense and increasing desire for “relief” or “accomplishment”. We have focused in this work more on the idea of relief, vindication or liberation.

Lastly, how? How does one keep his heart? First, one must stop looking around at others and look up to God. That is, count all situations as the Sovereign will of God. Note the scripture, “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?” (Exo 4:11). One will find permanent relief only in the proper response. And what then is the proper response? Again the scripture says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1Th 5:18). While others may indeed be a problem they are never my problem... my problem is always me!

A Setting For A Coming

2009-12-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:13-14)

Seeds of ambiguity have been sown among believers, as to whether Christians should observe the Christmas celebration. Some have gone as far as deeming it a pagan practice, yet a look at history will not affirm this. Christmas has its origin, not in paganism, nor in edicts of Emperor Constantine, but in the church. That's right! The church has always set aside a day to celebrate the birth of Christ. While no one knows the day that Jesus Christ was born, the day of observance was not first December 25th, but January 6th. Some say it was a syncretistic change of date, meant to merge Christian and pagan worship. However, history does not produce the outrage, debate, division, or bloodshed that such a motive would have occasioned. Rather history is more aligned with the idea that, in agreement, the church sought to counter pagan observances by moving the Christmas celebration. This seems clear not only by the absence of resistance, but confirmed by the fact that this was not the only holiday moved as a counter measure to pagan observances.

While history of this sort is very meaningful and one should be careful in either contradicting or abandoning the long standing traditions of the church, there is still a higher authority that sets forth a pattern of celebrating the birth of Christ.

The angels celebrated the birth of Christ, for they sang "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Not only did the angels celebrate the birth of Christ, but the shepherds celebrated the birth of Christ, "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen." Not only so, but eight days after Jesus was born, there in the temple, Simeon the priest celebrated the birth of Christ saying, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." And after him, a widow who served continually at the temple, the prophetess Anna, she celebrated the birth of Christ, as she gave thanks "and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." About two years later, the wise men arrived at the home of Mary and Joseph and they celebrated the birth of Jesus, "and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Is this not a pattern of celebrating the birth of Christ to be imitated?

For 400 years God had shut up heaven. Since the prophet Malachi, there was no word, no revelation, no prophet, and no preacher. Isaiah described the conditional context of the advent of the Savior as a drought, dry and unfruitful ground, a land filled with crusting and cracking river beds. And then an emerging greenery came into view, a shoot out of the parched dirt, and the consoling sight of life, the hope of fertility.

This is the setting, circumstance, context, background of Christmas. The setting for the coming of Christ is the extended silence of heaven broken by the heralding voices singing angels. For the one who understands the setting in which the birth of Christ occurs, it not only commands the celebration of Christmas but it demands the celebration of Christmas. Moreover such shallow religion that does not affirm the celebration of Christmas, one may rest assured that it is neither biblical nor Christian.

A Sound Basis for Confident Living

2009-12-15T10:04:00.001-08:00

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

The Psalmist, David here brings to mind a little child that talks big noise. The subjects of his rant and raving no doubt are left wondering, how and where did such a little person gained so much boldness, life, vigor and vitality? Only to realize that the child’s daddy standing there right behind him is the source of all of his boldness. ...And that is the case here in this psalm: None of the confidence, themed in this passage by the writer is self-sourced or self-sustained.

David declares His power; the Lord is light, liberty, strength and courage. Yet let us not fall victim to admiring the power without first examining the person. The first word that arrests my attention is "Lord". It begs the question, is this "Lord" lord of some, or Lord of All? While the use of the definite article is conclusive, a bit of rationale may provide for a more firm footing practically. If He were merely "a" lord, there may be other lords on His same level; on the other hand, if He were merely "my" lord, then He may not be able to master my enemies. However, since He is "THE" Lord; that is Lord of "ALL", then He can make the wicked cease and the weary rest.

It is His Lordship from whence His power flows through the life of the believer. David says, from Him I gain light, liberty, strength, and courage. He gives light to clearly see what I should do and that I'll be ok in spite of the limitations of my own sight, liberty to not remain under the bondage of fear induced by the rumors of my enemies, strength to press forward regardless of the apparent obstacles and obstructions that lay in my way, and courage to confidently employ this equipment in the realities of everyday life.

Yes one can consider the possibility of His promise, you can walk through the fire and the fire won't burn; you can walk through the flood and the waters won't overcome you; however, unless He is Master of all, one is hardly compelled to wager his life on such absurdity. Moreover if He is THE Lord, then He can temper the heat of the fire and the wetness of the water.

Thus the Psalmist rightly declares that when enemies realize that our confidence is in God fully, finally, and forever, they stumble and fall before the fight even begins. Then in verse 4 he moves to the application of the Lord's person and power as observed in this passage: a slim focus, a solitary desire, a single practice. He states it simply, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."

My whole desire and duty is to stay in His presence. Isn't that simple, just make sure daddy is behind me.

The Missing Link

2009-11-23T06:10:00.000-08:00

By Yuri Solomon

The daughter of a dear friend of mine, complained to her mom about having to go to the museum of natural science to see “Lucy.” She asserted, “Mom I don’t believe we come from monkeys, so why should I have to go see Lucy.” “Lucy” is the name given to the famous fossil skeleton that American anthropologist Donald Johanson found in Ethiopia in 1974. Lucy purports to be the so-call, and dare I say mythical, "missing link." The missing link is the long sought after transitional form between species that evolutionist count on breathing the breath of life into their theory on the day it is discovered. Specifically, scientific proponents of evolution claim that Lucy is a 3.2 million year old hominoid bearing the cross features of primates and Homo sapiens (or humans.)

The exhibit has now made its way to our city and is on display in the museum of natural science. While many Christians may have little interest in this, the fact is we need to pay attention. They march our children down to the museum and fill their heads with these God-denying fables of man evolving from apes. Christians certainly should be concerned about this, yet not fearful. It merits our concern, first because Satan specializes in the tactical use of schemes to capture the attention of unsuspecting victims of his temptation, as he did Eve in the Garden of Eden. The hook line, “Has God said that you shall not eat of any of the trees of the garden,” was extreme and meant to make her more susceptible to subtler ideas that opposed God’s word. Secondly, as we are concern about teaching and training children, and perhaps many adults, in the difference between a Christian/Biblical worldview and a secular worldview.

So in light of these concerns, what simple things should Christians remember when approaching this subject? First and foremost Christians must realize, although passed off as science, evolution is not science. This statement may be surprising; however, science is definitively a hypothesis which can be empirically proven in a laboratory repeatedly. Evolution stops at being a hypothesis, and moreover falls far short of even being that, given the weight of evidence to the contrary (which evidences will not be discussed in this article.) Evolution fails every test of any sort that may be called legitimate science. Evolution is an unobservable theory, a belief, which its proponents desperately want to prove true, and the present hope of their glory is in Lucy. Christians can rest assured that evolution is only a belief and not a fact. Christian faith is in the words of scripture concerning creation, while the evolutionist trusts in their own unfounded reasoning and rationale about creation.

Secondly, Christians may find assurance in the fact that biblical truth cannot and will not ever be discredited. No one in all of history has ever proven that the assertions of scripture err. The opposite is true of these supposedly transitional forms. The reality is that Lucy is the latest attempt to substantiate the clearly defunct theory of Darwinian Evolution. She is in the back of the line of a long list of frauds and failures. There was Piltdown Mann (1890s), Peking Man (1912,), Homo erectus (1927) and the list goes on, always ending in virtual scandal to the dismay of the proponents of evolution. So Lucy is certainly not the first and probably will not be the last of these futile attempts at proving faulty theory. The reason the proponents of evolution are so oppose to our view being voiced in the public forum is because they know that their evidence is lacking; therefore, if your argument cannot be proven true, then the next course of action is to keep your opponents from asserting their position.

Lastly Christians should not inadvertently adopt their approach, seeking to forcefully silence the evolutionist. The truth will stand all on its own, and bring falsehood to shame. So then the appropriate response is to be bold in faith, allowing what they believe to be tested for its soundness, so that their faith will be increased by seeing the truth stand against its critics. Encourage our children to hear out the world’s rationale, especially while they have you by their side to help them reason well. Allow the light of God’s revelation to shine brightly against the dark theories of the world. It is the divine cultural mandate that our faith is placed on display in the market place of ideas. So go to their exhibitions. Hear the theories of the world. Test them in light of the scripture and hold on to what proves to be true. Tested faith is real faith.

Darwin predicted that the fossil record would either prove or falsify his theory; over a century later, the missing link remains undiscovered. Lucy is but another attempt at saving this doomed theory. The missing link is not a transitional form of any species; the missing link is "faith" that God created the heavens and the earth and he made every kind to produce after its own kind. The Christian may be confident that these words of scripture will always be true and no human theory can or will make this brilliant reality fade.

Playing to Win

2009-11-21T20:46:00.000-08:00

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. (1 Corinthian 9:19)

My friend Joe asked me, “How do you get passed the attitudes and hurtful dispositions of others?” To which I replied, “I play to win.” In other words, I try to keep my mind on what it takes to get a “well done” from God in every situation. That is the defining trait of a matured believer; every situation is an opportunity to profit eternally.

In I Corinthians 9, Paul lays out three contests that believers of the faith must overcome in order to bear fruit as a father (soul-winner/fruit bearer) in the faith. They are in reverse order in the text; because, his focus is ultimately on winning people. However, there are two prerequisites to winning people: winning against your body, and winning against the culture that has the person imprisoned. So the goal is winning against the person, which requires winning against the culture, which requires winning against one’s own flesh.

First of all, if we do not discipline our own bodies, (i.e. attitude, arguments, and actions) we can hardly hope to endure the difficult course of successfully infiltrating a culture that holds a person hostage or winning against the resistance of the person you are intending to win. Worse even, Paul says it is possible to win, and after having run the course to win, one ends up being a cast away; because, the person sees hypocrisy.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1Co 9:27)

Paul points out potential loss; because, the person one seeks to reach views a weakness in behavior because of a lack of discipline over the body against sin. That's right; you won the battle but lost the war; because, your vise has outshone your virtue in the eyes of the person you sought to win.

Secondly we must overcome the culture that holds them captive. This involves what I call the “art of condescension.” Paul says,

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (1Co 9:19-22)

It is to become not sympathetic but empathetic with a person for the purpose of winning them over. The difference between sympathy and empathy is this: sympathy sits down at the foot of a mountain and weeps with a person about the difficulty of climbing the mountain; empathy on the other hand, puts its arm around the person and says I understand, but come on let’s climb the mountain together; “Condescension = humility + compassion + edification.” In other words, one becomes a servant to another in his area of weakness by entering into his situation. As someone aptly put it, "compassion is your pain in my heart".

The culture is a stronghold, a wall, which must not be assaulted by carnal combat, but marched around in faith and obedience, trusting and depending on the word of God to make the difference.

Now we are ready to win against the person, (i.e. against his ideology), armed with goodness against disorder, knowledge against tactic, temperance against attitude, patience against obstinacy, godliness against worldliness, kindness against weaknesses, and love against debt. This will enable you to pull down the stronghold that encompasses the person and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

The Divorce of Marriage

2009-11-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

We have moved beyond the need for mere "marital counseling" to a need for "marriage promotion." People are not getting married. Extreme secular culture has even gone as far as declaring marriage as old fashion, obsolete, and antiquated. The results are live-ins and/or disposable marriages. This cancerous ideology is metastasizing among heterosexuals while those who promote the gay agenda are seeking to distort the definition of marriage beyond that of a covenant relationship between one man and one woman. Simply put this most primary and historical institute of humanity is under attack on every front, whether divorce, abandonment, or perversion.

What havoc has this phenomenon wrought on our communities and society at large? The degradation of the sanctity of marriage is the source of the unwedded and unwanted pregnancy epidemic, teenage delinquencies, increased child abuse and molestation, continued propagation of divorce, the embrace of homosexuality, and countless mental, emotional, and spiritual wounds to the posterity of the broken marriages. Marriage may be optional or disposable in our minds, but this is anything but a reality. The pain is real; the cost is high, and the pathology is virtually unstoppable.

The most extreme consequence being realized today is that it is becoming more in vogue to simply not get married: sometimes out of fear, after experiencing the horrific details of the divorce of their parents, and sometimes out of seeking a personal lifestyle of convenience, not wanting the difficult challenges of this covenant keeping task; moreover, in a culture of "feel-good seekers," either motivation serves as a catalyst for abandoning marriage.

Lastly, long-term effects of a self-serving, self-esteem seeking, and self-gratifying culture is that our children are taught to enter into marriage with as much independence and autonomy as possible. The idea being, establish one's self firmly before entering into marriage. Parenthetically, one need only to converse with a few average adults passed age forty-five to quickly surmise that personal establishment is a life-long task which is refined and/or re-defined every decade of a person's life. Additionally, such establishment faces added difficulty and slower progress apart from a context of marriage and family contrary to popular credence. Moreover, even when the bonds of matrimony after this so-called personal and career achievements are met, the bonding glue on the tape of marriage is hardly sticky; rather, interdependence is thwarted by separate bank accounts, separate friendships, separate visions and ideals for the family, attending separate churches, and even separate lifestyles. When marriage in youth is postponed for social and material achievement, there is practically nothing left around which to build and grow a marriage.

All the ideals mentioned are sourced in man's cognition and not God's word. We've abandoned the instructions of the one who invented male and female, instituted marriage, installed its purpose, and informs its success: "And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them: and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion" (Gen 1:27-28).

This is the sole purpose of marriage: the propagation of God's image in the earth. Whatever pleasure we find in it is an incidental fringe benefit to the duty of faithfulness to God's word.

No doubt this does not sit well with our epicurean culture; however, rest assured that the Christian life will always bring us to the choice of seeking our pleasure or seeking God's glory, and both cannot be sought simultaneously. The glory of God still remains in the promotion of youthful, fruitful, faithful and dutiful matrimony, which will in turn provide for a more blessed and stable society.

Come After Me

2009-10-28T15:04:00.000-07:00

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24

What a revolution; to find personal fulfillment in cross-bearing; to attend to all things which are contrary to one’s old self. This cross we are to take up is neither for you, nor is it for Jesus. He bore all your sins, and He is in no need of any sin-sacrifice Himself. So for who are you to carry this cross, in which its prerequisite is self-denial and its duty is likened unto that of Jesus; “follow me” He said.

There is first in the verse a desire, a willingness, to in one sense ascend to Christ likeness but in another to descend to Christ likeness: “If any man will come after me.” It is a lofty goal of lowliness. In other word’s Christ did not just die for others, but He lived for others. And that is the point. The work of the Christian is that of carrying the faults, failings, and frailties of others through an ever-increasing life of personal subjection to the will of God in the image of Christ. That is the only true path to personal development.

Yet today, church involvement has often degraded into nothing more than self-help, self-serving, self-seeking flesh-fests, where the real work of being “others-mindedness” through a Christ-center focus has been lost in the shuffle. People come with the religious paraphernalia of “getting me a word”, “getting my praise on”, etc… They convene at the church house to be emotionally charged and intellectually stimulated, thinking this is the formula to a more pleasing walk with God. The sad reality is, it is anything but that.

And I’ve been there, confused! I thought I needed to sit and work on myself. I did not understand that serving others was the way to work on myself and persevering in the service of others will in effect be self-denial. I did not understand that loving unlovely folk was learning the love of Christ; I did not understand that enduring impossible people was gaining the patience of Christ, or that bearing with painful accusations and lies was to participate in the suffering of Christ. I did not know the work of God is people and servicing people will work you into what God wants you to be.

A more careful look at this verse reveals that the great exercise of Christianity is not building our intellect but our character and that through cross-bearing experience. The Christ-likeness formula is contained herein, the first of which is not self-service but self-denial. In fact the entire tri-fold directive may be understood as 1) forsake your desires, 2) attend to the desires of others, 3) by imitating me. Even church life can be an exercise in carnality when we don’t pay attention to Jesus’ instructions. So challenge yourself about your idea of church involvement by asking yourself, “What are you coming after?” and “How do you obtain it?” Come! Come after His will. Come after His way. Come after His work. Come after His compassion. Come after His sheep. Come after Him with a cross likened unto His.

WORLD WAR OR CIVIL WAR

2009-10-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Where is the real battle?

The recent ruling to uphold the band on gay marriage in California should be a reminder of many things. This conservative victory in the most morally liberal state of the union is a reminder that the majority of the people in the U.S. do not support gay marriage; however, it is also a reminder of how irrelevant this fact is to the persistence of those pursuing the gay agenda. It is a reminder that when traditional families speak up, victory is assured, yet it is a reminder of how often those who oppose traditional moral values are willing to stand for immorality. It is a reminder that the struggle is constant, and also it is a reminder of how consistently the adversaries of Christianity strive to promote evil. While a reminder that victory is possible, the ever narrowing victory in California is also a reminder of how much more methodical the enemies of righteousness are. These facts beg the question, “where is the real battle?”

The reality is that Christians often are attempting to fight a world war, when the dominant issue is a civil war. The battle is much less against gay-marriage proponents than it is against the church’s apathy. It has been truly stated that evil prospers when good men do nothing. Many have wisely described the church as a “sleeping giant.” While pulpit after pulpit rhetorically proclaims us to be on the verge of revival, anything but revival is occurring. This is because optimism is not the answer to apathy. We may look at the proverbial glass as half full rather than half empty; however, that is futile when the water is being drained from the glass.

Among Christians who are actively fighting is the tendency to assume that the church is not fighting hard enough; however, the truth is when the church is faithful and pure in her disposition walls will come tumbling down with little human effort. The battle with the world is never our battle, it’s the Lord’s; however, our battle is to maintain our own personal and social faith and purity in the context of the church.

The church must become radically unique in her position, spiritual violent in her method, and mystically unpredictable in her response to sin. This must occur first in-house and then it will irresistibly spread abroad. We must remember the God’s thoughts and ways are not in concert with the ways of men. The church is guilty of attempting to eradicate sin from her mist with grace rather than law. She seeks to operate in sentimental wisdom that is carnal and unbiblical. This is nothing less than a misapplication of grace; actually, it is a perversion of grace, creating a license for lasciviousness. In the Old Testament the law demanded that the sinner be put to death. This was punitive, purifying, and preventative in affect. While death was literal in the Old Testament, it is symbolically accomplished in the New Testament through excommunication.

The Reformers defined a true church by three signs: 1) the true gospel is preached, 2) the observation of the sacraments, and 3) church discipline. The lack of this last sign in the church today is very revealing. The Old Testament nation of Israel’s bondage was always a result of abandoning the discipline of the law.

Simply put, the church cannot be tolerant of homosexuality and expect to triumph against the world. There are clear instructions in the scripture as to how [all] sin in the camp must be dealt with in order to maintain God’s favor. When the church is ineffective in battle, it is never the world’s fault; there is sin in the camp and we have become Achan’s Army. Our leaders, like Moses, are unable to hold their arms up and the people are defeated antinomians.

It is high time that the church concentrate on the in-house war more so than the worldly distractions that Satan has used to infiltrate the church and sow tares while believers slept. Only then will we become manifestly the church over which the gates of Hell cannot prevail.

Make Full Proof of Thy Ministry

2009-08-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry (2Timothy 4:5)

An encouragement and a warning to a young preacher/pastor, don’t get preoccupied cursing the darkness; rather, be busy shining the light. How often a man’s ministry is hindered by distractions. This must be, as I consider my own history at times, Satan’s number one tool. If our foot is not threatened by the prosperity of the wicked, then it is the apathy of the saints that puts us in danger of slippage. Here the temptation is for Timothy to be halted by the refusal of church folk to hear what is sound and true.

And isn’t it more than not that young preachers fail to heed this warning, even the scriptures, that the called to ministry comes with severe testing. The preacher/pastor is in the people business, and people will drive you crazy unless you stay focused. And I’ve been there; I was so angry and for whatever reason, I mentioned to my very own Pastor that I was going to manhandle this fellow, but in wisdom he said to me, “Don’t be distracted.” And that is what Paul is telling this young preacher, “You have a calling from God and don’t turn to the left or right glaring and staring at preachers who won’t preach, deacons who won’t serve, and saints who act like “aints”. Instead prove to all that your call is an effectual calling from the almighty God. The apostle said to Timothy, if these will no longer hear you, and in fact turn against you, “Do the work of an evangelist”; go get you some more people. Don’t talk about them; go get you some more people. Don’t stare at them; go get you some more people. Don’t fight them; go get you some more people. Do the work Timothy, do the work! Watch vigilantly and avoid some distractions. With determination endure painful distractions, but most of all keep working, thereby proving your ministry bears the mandate of heaven.

The preaching call is a burden that the truly called preacher must carry out at all cost. That burden is not to prove that he can compel or constraint any particular group of people, but that if he keeps on preaching and ignores the distractions all that God gave to him will come to him. I conclude with a word for the distracted from the old hymnologist, Charles Wesley:

A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill:
O may it all my powers engage
To do my Master's will!

They Shall Be My People, and I Will Be Their God

2009-02-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:20).

Not in position only, but in practice. The world will look at us and our true identity will be undeniable. Not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done. Daddy would say "Boy when you leave this house, you will act like you are a Solomon; folk will know you are my son." And that is in affect what God is saying here.

Israel is being chastened through exile from the land for their abominable and detestable practices. Ezekiel asked God if He will destroy them. Yet in the mist of their rebellion, God details His faithful intentions for Israel. God said: I will give them one heart; I will give them a new spirit; I will take out the stony heart; I will give them a heart of flesh. Notice the personal pronoun "I".

Just as He cannot save us without faith in His Son, He cannot bless us without conformity to the likeness of His Son. Yet He places both responsibilities squarely on His own shoulders. The one who justifies is in fact the same one who sanctifies. As Paul wrote, "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:6). He pushes, pulls, puts us out to bring us in. He molds, makes, and shapes us into that which brings Him eternal pleasure.

And that is the beauty of our redemption; we have been saved to the utmost. In spite of our present condition: abominable and detestable, we have been declared to be His people by His immutable voice. We will be indwelled with a passion for Him by His unquenchable love. We will be made His people by His unstoppable hand.

We may go willingly like Enoch or we may go kicking and screaming all the way like Samson, but our destiny is certain and sure; we will be His people and He will be our God. As William Cowper wrote in his hymn, "The Contrite Heart",

The Lord will happiness divine
On contrite hearts bestow;
Then tell me, gracious God, is mine
A contrite heart or no?

Oh make this heart rejoice or ache;
Decide this doubt for me;
And if it be not broken, break,
And heal it, if it be.

A Well of Water Springing Up

2008-10-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14)

As humans we dream of an endless supply of anything. Not a temporary thirst quencher, but a permanent alleviation of thirst. And what if God had created within our body the capacity to recycle our water? What if we would never have to head to the refrigerator to get a glass of water? Or what if we would never enter a building and have to inquire about the location of the water fountain? And God could have done that. He did it for the earth with the installation of a system of condensation and precipitation. There is not one drop of water in this world more or less than when it first begun.

And this woman came, yes for water, and yes with some problems. But Jesus wisely dives passed the surface and symptoms. The core issue was neither her marriage nor her need to come to this well, but the teaching that she had been exposed to left some ambiguity, some confusion. The well was deep, but the pots that carried the well water were finite, limited, shallow.

Make no mistake about it; God is please to use people as teachers. But every human teacher can only go so far. His capacity is only so much. By the Samaritan teachers, this woman had been helped but she was not whole; she learned something but not everything. She did not know whether the abode of God was in Jerusalem or Gerizim? Was God in the temple or the mountain? Are the Jews God's people or the Samaritans? Is the truth here or is it there. Her problem was that she had some water pots. Yet Jesus tells her of an indwelling source. He tells her of an endless supply. He tells her of a well of springing water. No more toting the buckets and no more drawing the water out of the hole.

And there is a teacher that is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. As John put it else where, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you...” (1Jn 2:27). If one is indwelled with spiritual water, he too will leave his water pots... They are antiquated, obsolete, and unnecessary... Again John says, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things (1Jn 2:20). One hymn writer caught the essence of this inexhaustible spring:

Holy Ghost, with light divine,
Shine upon this heart of mine;
Chase the shade of night away,
Turn my darkness into day.

Let me see my Savior’s face,
Let me all His beauties trace;
Show those glorious truths to me
Which are only known to Thee.

The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me

2008-10-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. What an anointing! And there are a lot of people who are preaching with no anointing. Yet you cannot speak for God without the Spirit being poured out upon you. You may speak, but it won’t be for God. You may speak but it is not authorize by God. God will never endorse anyone who the Spirit is not upon. Yet so many today claim to act in a manner pleasing unto God, yet they do not bear the identifying marks of His Spirit. And speech without the Spirit is no good, ungodly, and unproductive in kingdom business. One cannot do anything when the Spirit is not upon him.

So preacher how do you know that you have the anointing of the Holy Spirit? You know because the Gospel will be preached to the poor. Not the poor because they lack money, but the poor because they have no answer to their core issues in the treasure chest of men.

There was a woman with an issue of blood. She had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. She had exhausted the treasury of men. There was a woman at the well who had married five men and was now with one that was not her's she had exhausted the treasury of men.

And I’ve been there, where I was disappointed by everyone who had promised me anything, where my situation would exhaust the strength of my strongest advocate, where my help was beyond anything that men would do or could for me. But God had appointed and anointed a man, poured His Spirit upon that man. And by and with the power of God, that man preached the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to my impoverished condition. And that is what Spirit-empower anointed preaching does… it heals the broken-hearted… it gives liberty to the bruised… it speaks to your core issue… It speaks to whatever is holding you captive… It speaks to whatever is blocking you from God’s reward… It speaks to whatever has broken your heart… How does it speak…? It proclaims the acceptable day of the Lord. Can’t you hear the hammer ring - at Calvary… can’t you hear the hammer ring…? It rang because sin broke my heart… it rang because sin held me captive… it rang because sin bruised my life…

Calvary is the answer to whatever is ailing you. At the top of Moriah Abraham found the Gospel of a Substitute. At the Exodus from Egypt Moses preached the Gospel of the Lamb’s blood. At the destruction of Jericho Rahab heard the Gospel of the scarlet cord in the window seal. When the Spirit of the Lord is upon man… He’ll preach Christ heals the broken hearted…… He’ll preach Christ delivers the captives… He’ll preach Christ recovers sight to the blind… He’ll preach Christ sets at liberty them that are bruised… Jesus is all the world to me… my life, my joy, my all.

The Miracle of Twilight

2008-10-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? (2 Kings 7:3)

Why sit we here until we die? Before this question was uttered, these fellows were in a hopeless situation. They are leprous men, at the gate of a famished city, surrounded by a conquering army. In other words, there was death in the city, death surrounding them, and death within them. What ray of sunshine can penetrate the dark clouds of this dreary day? What glimmer of hope can be found in this midnight situation to prompt the question, "Why sit we here until we die?"

The asking of this question begs other questions. First, why the question? Then secondly, Why the question now? They had been sitting there, sick, dying, degenerating. And we have been there, sitting. We had heard message after message, invitation after invitation, and call after call. But we sat, sick, leprous, dying, decaying, degenerate, unable to respond, unable to see the point in responding. Paul says, That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. "Why the question?" and "Why the question now?"

Another way to put it is, "What can make a dead man seek life?" One may look at the text at a glance and consider these fellows simply applying prudential judgment; that is, they simply came up with a good idea. I may be inclined to such a view myself were it not for there being at least three miracles in the text. The miracle of revelation, the miracle of salvation, and the one we are most interested in at this point the miracle of regeneration.

Revelation: That the man of God had already spoken to the king and prophetically announcing the end of the famine on the morrow precludes the notion of co-incidence. Salvation: the empty Syrian camp that the four men are prompted to move to and therein find a great store of victuals is evidence that a divine way had been prepared. But what good are a promise and a provision without a prompting? And therein is the answer to our question, a third miracle, but yet the primary miracle, the miracle of regeneration. The same God that promised and provided prompted them to God's promised provision. Dead men don't move of themselves, by themselves, to save themselves. Dead men don't hear preaching. Preaching does not prepare a person for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit prepares a person for preaching. Only the Holy Spirit regenerates and enables one to seek life. Preaching is not nor has it ever been for the dead, but for the living.

Like these men we all sat there until foreknowledge sent predestination and predestination sent calling. We sat there until God blew again the breath of life in us. We sat there until we slid through the womb of a new birth. We sat until an east wind blew and the red sea parted. We sat there until degeneration gave way to regeneration and we could no longer hold our peace. Like these leprous men, we cried out "Why sit we here until we die? It doesn't make sense anymore as it once did when we saw no way to affect our salvation. But we can now see a glimmer of hope, the miracle of twilight in the night. No longer can we sit and die: got to get up now and seek life. Because life came in us and life began to live. Life began to seek life more abundantly. Paul exclaims, Even when we were dead in sins, [the Spirit] hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)

The Paradox of Abundant Life

2008-05-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (Luke 12:15)

How often it is that Christians say, “if I had more I would do more reverend.” And in some sense this is proper and well intended. However, few times do we consider that if God wanted us to have more in our current state and condition, God would have given it to us, as He did Solomon who never sought material things and was in fact commended by God for not asking for riches or wealth? Could not this somewhat sincere desire be full of waxed over cracks of covetousness. In the Old Testament covetousness is understood by the prohibition of desiring what belongs to one’s neighbor; however, under the New Covenant is not the higher spiritual understanding to be satisfied in the perimeters of life God has afforded you. As the author of Hebrews put it, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Does not our God own the silver and the gold, the cattle on a thousand hills, even the world and they that dwell therein? Is He not the God that gives the power to get wealth? Has He not promise that in His appointed time the wealth of the wicked shall be turned over to the righteous? In short, God is all sufficient? The fact is God does not call us to operate in His kingdom out of our excess but out of that which we have. Paul writes, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”

The fact is the call of God to help others will always cost a man that which he cannot spare. We often want to do for Christ and help others out of our abundance; however, such is not the nature of sacrifice. Jesus Christ had no abundance of lives to give; He only had one and He gave that life. Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” The paradox of abundant life is that it flows from the sacrificial death of a single life, that death has exponentially increased the worth of the life given. Contrary to popular belief today, life abundantly does not consist in an abundance of things, but an abundance of lives touched by giving all that one has to those who have not. Yet the “all” here is never quantified materially; rather, it is all of the spirit of Christ’s sacrifice which now indwells every saint, to hold back nothing for self, to regard nothing as his own, but to go unto death, even the death on the cross for the sake of his beloved brethren. In this right, one can be broke and bankrupt of this world’s wealth and give so richly to as many as are needful. The mindset of Christianity is not to have much to give, but to give as much as one has. For all that one has has been given him to give.

Sleeping through a Storm

2007-12-21T01:10:00.000-08:00

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? (Mark 4:37-38)

In Mark chapter 4 we find Jesus on a ship, sleep in a storm. We often overlook this revealed character trait of Christ for the more climactic one of the story. While everything around Him was frantic Jesus was at peace. The sea was raging, billows were rolling, breakers were dashing, waves were tossing and Jesus was sleeping. The ship was, no doubt, rocking and squealing in the rough sea, but Jesus is sleep. The disciples are working frantically to keep the water from filling and overcoming the ship, while at the same time trying to keep from being thrown overboard, and Jesus is sleeping. What a contrast to who we are and who He is. The disciples hold Jesus in contempt by accusing Him of not caring for them, when in fact He’s on the same boat they are on. He’s in the same storm they are in. What wisdom can we glean from this little encounter with a sleeping Jesus? Can we gather that an immediate response to the storms, boat rocking, chaotic confusion of people, is not always the best approach – that sometime we should remain asleep? Perhaps a Pastor should not always quickly intervene in church bickering? Or a parent should not always seek to quickly resolve sibling rivalry? This is surely not the course in every case, yet it should not be ignored that it is the course of Christ in this case. Sure, like Christ your incomprehensible peace of mind will be confused with not caring. But also like Christ, God just may be setting you up for glory, when you awake and easily speak peace to the tempest of turmoil you were calmly sleeping through moment ago.

A Built in Prayer Partner

2007-11-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)

The Spirit helps us. What a prayer partner! A proper view of one's self must conclude that self needs help. A need for help is indicative of some sort of inadequacy, a weakness, a lack; here the scripture calls it "an infirmity." And if you don't know you are weak, God knows!!! The Spirit is not hired help. He is not help under our employ. He is the believer's built in prayer system.

In the verse the diacritical mark, the colon, makes "the weakness" an in ability to recognize one's own needs, "For we know not what we should pray for," Paul says. And how can we? I have often said, "If I knew as a young man what I knew today, how different I would be." But that is to know maturity without it; and such can never be. Maturity is the product of experience. And who can ask for the proper experience to bring about his maturation. But the Spirit stands between our pitiful prayers and God, interceding for us, with groans, pains, not that we will not utter, but that we cannot utter.

What person can request a trial? What man can partition God for pain? What believer could utter sincerely from his lips, "Lord, let me groan!" Yet groaning is what we need. Let me be the first to say, such an utterance is a chasm my prayers could never cross.

Yet in genuine efforts to offer comfort to hurting people, we've been there, put on the spot, with families and their love ones. They wanted prayer for the discomforts of life when we should pray for the comfort of death. They wanted prayer for the release of their criminal children, when we ought to pray that God will use the experience to deliver him from the demons that have brought him to this point. And many times in our own weakness and empathy, we submit those kinds of requests. But the Spirit will not accommodate the wimpy carnality of our flesh. The prayers of the Spirit will request for squash while I ask for cotton candy. The Spirit will pray for a mountain to climb, while I ask for a sliding board. The Spirit will pray for me to pump iron while I ask to blow feathers. I don't know what I ought to pray for, but the Spirit does. He utters prayers, on my behalf, in the throne room of God. Father, give him trouble and it will increase his faith. Father, give him pain and it will give him endurance. Father, make him wait and it will give him patience. Father, give him heaviness and it will increase his strength. Father, make him weary and tired, and he will learn to trust you.

Thank God for the Spirit, for His prayers. He searches me. He knows I am weak. He knows my praying falls short. And He utters in accordance with God's will for me. He utters what is most beneficial for my life. Thank God for the Spirit helping me, interceding for me, and uttering to the Father the need for trauma, trial, and trouble which I cannot utter for myself.

Apologize for Speaking the Truth

2007-11-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Nullified by the Weakness of One's Own Speech

When the sin of homosexuality is addressed, often Christians find the need to preface it with the notion "It is no worse than any other sin." Would those who say such things, say the same about murder, rape, etc... Do they really believe that all sins are the same? Of course not! What then is the reason for feeling the need to temper the truth with an apology? Is it compromise, sentiment, or fear?

A cop out! In other words, is it a way to not address the sin of homosexuality like many other blatant sinful practices by professing Christians are ignored in spite of Paul's clear directives, "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat?" (1 Corinthians. 5:11) So is it just an attempt to normalize homosexuality in the grand cesspool of accepted sins in the church?

On the other hand could this be an attempt to tolerate homosexuality? "it is not really ok, but who am I to say so." The popular way of putting it today is "don't judge." This is born not of the "scripture" but of "sentiment." This same false sentimental spirit had invaded the carnal Corinthian church of scripture. And Paul was very clear that we are to judge, "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things" (1 Corinthians. 2:16) Jesus himself says, Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine" (Matthew 7:6.) How can one know that a person is characteristically a dog or a swine, if not by making a judgment? So is this an attempt to ignore the orders of the scripture to judge and not tolerate such behavior?

I am glad to say that I do not believe that either of the above rationales is behind this need to apologize. Yet this should bring no sense of relief as the actual reason for this lack of boldness is far more sinister. The homosexual proponents have so demonized the bearers of biblical truth until they have managed to always keep them on the defensive. The subtlety of this approach by the homosexual proponents has been most affective. This unsuspectingly puts those who stand on the offensive against this sinful practice on the defensive as though a wrong has been committed in speaking against it. So then those who have the power to turn up the temperature of the church and even influence the faulty rationale of the two groups above is demonized in the face of others every time his mouth is opened. Christians spend more time apologizing for the message than communicating the message itself. The result is that the Christian's power to influence others to join the fight is nullified by the weakness of his own speech.

It has appropriately been said that "The Gospel is an offense." Every Christian that bears this message has first been offended by it, only to experience true consolation in believing it. The truth is instead of the church boldly taking them to Mount Carmel challenging, ridiculing and discrediting their voice before the people, they have done so to the church's voice by forcing Christians to wrap their speech in apprehension rather than boldness. Believers must offend the world with great boldness and be willing to face the consequences of the offense. The efforts of Christians must not continue to be spent trying to avoid being seen in this unavoidable light of offense.

The Feminized Man

2007-11-19T15:38:00.000-08:00

A Response to a Friend on Biblical Manhood

Generally men today have been emasculated by feminism. In the face of the lack of godly male role models, men have redefined a "good man" by a woman's perceived lack, as she would communicate it rather than the biblical definition of a man. Men and women are no more equal than Jesus and the church are equal. These ideologies have made haughty women very hard to get along with. A real man simply cannot put up with a rebellious woman. When women operate in their chaotic independence, there is no place for the man. If I perceive that I can provide all that I need in my life, then there is no place for God in my life. What can God do that I will appreciate? Furthermore, how can I appreciate Him as God? I cannot, for whatever He gives I can give myself, therefore I am equal to God.

This is the exact same problem with women being equal to men. The relationship between husband and wife is not a relationship of equality but of complimentary differences. In a crass since of speaking, a man needs to be trusted and needed; a woman desires security or protection by nature. Yet a woman attempts to be her own security thus the man provides nothing and is not "needed," but as it is said by the feminized culture, merely "wanted." Not only is this disorder destructive as evident in society today, but also both man and woman are left unfulfilled. Women are burdened and men are confused. We are not independent of one another. We are more than dependent. We are interdependent. However, the man and the woman bring two distinct things to the relationship. Biblically speaking, the woman is the weaker vessel (1 Peter 3:7.) It needs to be understood that a woman is not defined by God but by man. Not only does man name her,

And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Genesis 2:23

But she is made not for God but specifically for man and man not for her.

For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. either was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. (1 Corinthians 11:8-9)

This teaches us that the woman was provided by God to meet the natural needs of the man. Simply put, a man will be completely frustrated when he is subject to being defined by the views of the woman. The idea of the woman seeking a "GOOD MAN" is a farce. Until this last century, the father of the woman determined who was a "good man" and who was not. It is interesting that the men women choose on their own are often the worst of men. There is nothing in the bible about telling a woman how to choose a man. However, there is much telling a man how to choose a woman.

Men are hurting because they are trying to operate like women. They are trying to fit in the feminist mold of a man. Men are now adorning themselves for the woman. They are now trying to be the quintessential househusband. A man is now required to give up his vision or at the very least compromise it for the aspirations of a woman. A man is built to be a leader, yet he has no follower. Men are allowing women to neglect in every way the very needs they have been put here to fill. They can't cook, clean, iron, and wash, which things are the nature of a nurturer. They are inadequate at properly raising kids alone, (which is the problem with the kids today,) and a woman should not be left to herself in this endeavor. The ultimate failure of the man is to leave a woman to her own thinking whether he is present or absent. To be passive on the important issue of the order that God has intended is wicked. Thus his frustration is at his very own hand. The man hurts, fails, and even leaves because he has failed to define his manhood by God's word. He allows women to define him and cast the burden of their expectation on him, yet to attempt to meet this expectation contradicts his nature. Then when he fails he thinks that something is wrong with him and feminism defines him as "NO GOOD." A man/husband must find his definition and purpose in God and God alone. Then he must take on the burden of conforming his wife to the image of his vision.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church. (Ephesians 5:25-29)

For a man, loving his wife is an endeavor of wisdom, just as Christ deals with the church in wisdom. In 1 Peter 3, we are told that a man must deal with his wife according to insight. A man should listen to what his wife may have to say concerning matters. However, she is not to challenge his authority as the Church does not challenge the authority of Christ. In other words, when her husband has determined not to do as she would like, then she is to abide in her husband's decision. Yet a husband must understand the difference between his wife's inability to comprehend his vision and rebellion against his vision, and then rule and lead accordingly. There could be a lack of knowledge, a lack of understanding, a lack of faith, or the anti-husband desire to take leadership, which is rebellion, yet all of these issues are to be dealt with differently.

I would be remiss if I did not say, that in dealing with your wife in understanding, there must be the consideration that you could be a contributor to your wife's area of lack or rebellion. If you are a terrible leader, lacking in genuine vision, while this will not at all excuse her rebellion before God, it is logical rebellion to not want to follow bad leadership. If a man never accomplishes set goals, and abandons every idea for the next, then her lack of faith is logical. You, as a man are failing at sanctifying your wife and presenting her blameless unto yourself. Again the church has faith in Christ because Christ is faithful. His track record provides the church with the proof of his character. He lavishes the church with the knowledge and understanding of His vision [Heaven]. Christ does not demand our faith without reason, but He earns faith by undeniable means. So much so that to not trust Him is condemnation unto such a one. This same high standard that Christ has met before His bride, the church, is the same one that a man must strive to obtain before his wife. No one may say that his lack of knowledge, lack of understanding, or lack of faith is due to Christ. No one may blame his rebellion on Christ's lack of good leadership. A man must strive to be blameless before his wife as Christ is blameless before the church.

A wife is never told to understand her husband, but only to be subject to him. There is no room left biblically for her to maneuver or do anything but submit. However this submission is a powerful influence for a woman and is in accord with her nature, as a woman is very influential without words. The approach of the man is far more direct, as he is to teach her. It only makes sense that to teach her he must understand her and deal with her accordingly. He must understand that she is his help and he cannot go on without teaching her his vision. This is what "heirs of grace together" means. Men will often mentally, if not physically, try to abandon their wife to accomplish there gold, however a man's prayer will be hindered by such an approach. Hindered spiritually, because God will not bless a man’s abandonment of His provision (a helpmeet) for his assigned work (It is not good that man be alone- Genesis 2:18.) Also hindered physically because we all know that wives want attention and want to be a part of their husband's activity, as they should. Peter is saying that we must include them by teaching them and dealing with them according to knowledge. Not overburdening them with responsibility, as they are the weaker vessel. As Ephesians 5:25-29 goes on to say, a man's duty concerning his wife is to sanctify her unto himself. That is, he must teach her to know him, his spirit, his character, his desires, and his vision. She must fit into his plan, and indeed contribute to that plan in a way that he himself is incapable of doing alone. "For it is not good that man be alone." He must present her to himself as a glorious wife, without blemish and blameless in his sight. She is to deny herself and take up his cross [vision] and follow him daily. She must abandon her own aspirations that conflicts with the vision of her husband, just as the church must abandon all that is in conflict with the agenda of Christ. When she does anything besides that, just like Peter she becomes the adversary to the husband's vision, thus she is anything but a helper.

It begs to question, if she is not helping, what is she doing? This is where men are afraid and sometimes just ineffective at carrying it out. There is help at getting this done in the proper church. In such a church, the women will help a wife understand her role and the men will help a husband define his role. God has the perfect wisdom. Men just will not hear it. They must overthrow the rebellion of their wife and lead. That's what men are too scared/passive/ignorant/or whatever the excuse is, to do.

In closing, I need to say that I do not believe a woman should be treated inferior by her husband as Christ never treats the church as inferior. He is indeed the LORD/MASTER, yet He is our brother. The marriage relationship is that of co-laborers, brother and sister in Christ. Yet just as the church is co-laborer with Christ, there is no misconception on the proper roles on the part of each party. In the same way, the Bible leaves no room for error concerning the role of the husband and that of the wife. A husband should always remember that he wants his wife to willfully and totally obey his God-given lordship. She should, in the most primary sense, love him because he first loved her.

Sealed Unto the Day of Redemption

2007-11-17T18:29:00.000-08:00

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

What a notion - That the Holy Spirit can be made sad. And we are always making Him sad. So much effort He makes, to help, to guide, often met with so much waywardness. But as much as He is grieved by our practices according to this verse, let me stress out of the same verse, He is never grieved in our position; For He affected that and it can never be unaffected. We are saved, the old songwriter said, “to the utmost” and He [the Holy Spirit] knows that, because He did it. And when he did it… He did it right. What did He do? He took me down low, when I thought I was something, and showed me I was nothing, - a transgressor, a lawbreaker, an evildoer, a worker of iniquity, a man of unclean lips, a blasphemer, wicked... Who you? Yes me! And if you’ve been done, He told you that too, about you. But here is the good news, He called me righteous, placed me among the saints, called me a son, made me an heir and joint heir… but most of all, in this text He sealed me. Like a gang, I’ve been initiated in and I got the tattoo on me. I’m in and there’s no getting out. I'm in unto the day of redemption.

You know, in my childhood, Church would start on Sunday morning, in that shot gun house of a building, turned into a church house, and my old great uncle Charlie, would get down on his knees, in that old wooden folding chair, and he would pray, “Lord, when I get down to that old Jordan River, stick my sword in the sandy banks of time, to study war no more…” Yes unto that day, I’ve been sealed. He got His mark on me. I can’t be put out. I can’t fall out. I can’t be knocked out. I can’t wear out. I can’t bow out. I can’t walk out.

Wait-a-minute! Can’t you mess up? Won’t God get tired of us? The text answers that in the three clauses of this verse. In the first, Paul points out what is possible in the present and the future – we can, and often do brethren, make the Holy Spirit sad. However, in the second clause he points out the irreversible past work of the Holy Spirit – He has sealed us – that is done and can’t be undone. That is Paul says, “Don’t grieve the One that has already sealed us.” Then in the third clause Paul tells us the extent and intent of the sealing – “unto the day of redemption,” not “until”… but “unto.” “Until” indicates “extent” alone. But “unto” indicates extent and intent. You were not only sealed to the point of the arrival of that day, but you are sealed for the purpose of that day as well.

One morning, my wife and I were just about ready for church. We had put my one and a half year old son on a little two piece suit, a nice little tie and shoes. But when we were ready to go out of the door we found him, in the bathroom playing in the toilet, soaking wet. He had so disappointed us, as we really had dressed him up for that day. Yet he had no regard for our intent, or that day.

That’s what Paul is saying, The Holy Ghost is not made happy in the fact that he has dressed us up for that day and we go and play in the toilet. He sealed us – that is His job, our job is to act like we’ve been sealed… look like we’ve been seal… walk like we’ve been seal… talk like we’ve been sealed…. But here’s the good news, if you fail to do your part, his part will never fail… He’s grieved but He’ll hold you… He’s saddened but He’ll hold you… He’s displeased but He’ll hold you… Unto the day of redemption… unto the day of glory… All the way… The hymnologist appropriately penned...

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee;Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.