We Have to Care

My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.

— Romans 9:2–3

 

Why is it that Christians don't share the gospel? Is it because we are afraid we may not have the right answers? Perhaps. Is it because we don't know where to start? Maybe. Is it because we think we may get shut down? It could be. But maybe we don't care enough.

I suggest that one of the reasons we don't share the gospel is because we don't necessarily care that much about lost people. Only one in 20 Christians have ever shared the gospel with another person, and only one in 10 think they should. A study by researcher George Barna found that only half of the people in American churches today can even articulate the gospel.

D. L. Moody, the great evangelist, once said, "Winners of souls must first be weepers of souls." Preacher and evangelist George Whitfield said, "Lord, give me souls or take away my soul." The idea is that we have to care.

After Jonah reluctantly preached to the people of Nineveh, he sat down outside the city and waited to see what would happen. He sat in the blazing sun, just hoping that God would still destroy Nineveh. God graciously provided a large, leafy plant to grow over Jonah, which provided him with some shade. But early the next morning, a worm came and ate the plant. Jonah was so upset about losing the plant that he wanted to die. But God told him, "You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?" (Jonah 4:10).

If we are ever going to be used by God to reach out to people, then we have to care.

Ready to Answer

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

— 1 Peter 3:15

 

As Christians, the Bible tells us we are to give an answer to every man who asks us: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). That phrase "give an answer" is from the Greek word apologia, from which we get our English word "apologetics." It means a legal defense, as in a court of law.

But we are to keep in mind that as we make our case in the courtroom of public opinion with those we are speaking with, we are not there as prosecuting attorneys, but as witnesses. And witnesses simply testify to what they have seen.

Yet sometimes Christians, armed with all the information they can get, assault unbelievers with what they know and effectively blow them out of the water. They have won the argument but lost the soul, and that is not the objective. Even though we may know a great deal, we should present the information with love and humility. In 2 Timothy 2:24–25 we are reminded that "a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition. . . . "

When you are telling others about Christ, often you will be barraged with questions. Sometimes people ask questions they actually want the answers to. And sometimes these questions are intended to get you off track. They are intended to get you to go away. So when we are dealing with these questions, it is important to address what we are being asked, but also remember that our core message for the unbeliever is the gospel.

The True Gospel

 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.

— Galatians 1:6

 

What is the gospel? I don't think most people know. Some people may think most Americans have heard the gospel, but I beg to differ. I don't think they have. I have heard a lot of preachers talk about the gospel and not give the gospel. We have to be very careful that we give an accurate presentation. Otherwise, it could have a disastrous effect. We don't want to edit God's Word. We don't need to try to make it more appealing by taking things out of it. Nor do we need to make it more complex by adding things to it. We just need to declare it for what it is and let God do His work.

As much as possible, we should seek to build a bridge and be tactful. Then, having established that, we need to share the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ. The Bible warns of a different gospel that people can believe. The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6). Let's make sure we give out the true gospel.

Here is the problem: People are not going to fully appreciate the good news until they first know the bad news. The bad news is that we have all have sinned against God and have fallen short of His standards. And if we don't turn from that sin, the Bible says that we will spend eternity separated from God in hell.

Someone once asked C. H. Spurgeon to sum up the Christian faith in a few words. C. H. Spurgeon did it in four: "Jesus died for me." If you know that much, then you are ready to share the gospel.

The Man Who Forgot God

"This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?"

— Luke 12:20

 

Here is the story of a man whose date with death came unexpectedly. He wasn't prepared. He was the man who forgot God.

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry." ' But God said to him, "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16–20)

There are many commendable things about this man. He apparently was a hard working farmer. Jesus does not criticize his success. This man got up early. He spent time watching his crops. He worked hard. And he made a good living. His mistake was not success.

His mistake was that he failed to plan ahead. He had all his bases covered but the most important one of all: he had not considered eternity. He had forgotten God. And he died a fool because he died unprepared. It's important to know that heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.

Are you prepared?

Make a Choice

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

— James 4:4

 

Lot was the nephew of the only man identified in the Bible as the intimate friend of God, Abraham. Abraham essentially wanted to walk with God, but Lot did not. Abraham was a man who possessed a deep friendship with God. Lot was interested in a friendship with God, but he was also very interested in a friendship with the world. The Apostle James asked the question, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

James is saying that if you are going to follow Jesus Christ, you can't be a friend of this world. And "the world" means this world system that is hostile to the truth of God. In case you haven't noticed it, this culture we are living in does not promote Christian values. In fact, if anything, this culture promotes the opposite. It seems at every turn there is hostility toward those of us who believe there is right and wrong, morality and immorality. In a day when anything goes, people don't like those who hold to a set of standards and are unshakeable in them. So if I want to be a friend to this world, if I want to go out there and do whatever my little heart desires, and engage in any pleasure that interests me, I cannot be the friend of God.

It's like having a foot on the dock and a foot in the rowboat that is beginning to drift away. You are going to have to make a choice. You can't live in two worlds. You need to walk with God, as Abraham did.

Suit Up for Battle

The day you believed in Jesus was the day that the real battle began. For just as surely as there is a God who loves you, there is also a devil who hates you.

It has been said, "Conversion has made our hearts a battlefield."

So we have a choice in this spiritual battle. We will either win or lose—gain ground or lose ground.

You can't be a "spiritual pacifist." To fight a spiritual battle, you need spiritual armor. It's time to "man up" (or "woman up") and put on the whole armor of God.

The apostle Paul lays out the components of our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:13–18, using the various pieces of armor that a Roman soldier would wear to make his point. Having spent a lot of time being chained to them, he probably asked a lot of questions, and had an excellent working knowledge of ancient weaponry and warfare.

Each piece of the Roman soldier's armor is interconnected to the others; all of it must be used. In the same way, it is not for us to "pick and choose" what pieces of armor we want (or don't want) to wear.

First, you need to put on your "utility belt of truth." As Ephesians 6:14 says, "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth."

When I was a little boy, I remember being amazed by Batman's utility belt. It had his Batarangs, Batcuffs, rebreather (for breathing underwater), night vision goggles, and much more—all the things that the "Caped Crusader" needed to fight crime.

Problem is, both it and he are not real, so let's consider the belt of real crime fighters: policemen.

Officers refer to this belt as their "Sam Browne." It consists of their radio, handcuffs, holster and gun, Taser, chemical spray, flashlight, holder for extra magazines, baton, etc.

The officer needs that belt when he is out and about, doing his duty, and the same was true for the Roman soldier.

The belt was essential. Why? Because the breastplate and the sword's sheath were attached to it. It also held up his tunic, giving him freedom of movement. If the Roman soldier's belt came off, his breastplate would fall off, along with his tunic.

So what does it mean to "gird your waist with truth," practically speaking? The utility belt of truth represents a life and mind that is pulled together and is ready to serve for the glory of God.

The utility belt of truth speaks of having integrity and truth in your "heart of hearts." David said, "Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6 NKJV).

The opposite of integrity is duplicity. Duplicity is hypocrisy—trying to lead a double-life.

The person who tries to live this way is a "sitting duck." But a true soldier of Jesus Christ cannot live that way. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:4, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."

I encourage you to put on your belt, and live truthfully.

Tell Your Story

"Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

— John 4:29–30

 

One of the most effective tools you have in your evangelistic toolbox is telling your story, your personal testimony about how you came to believe in Jesus.

After a conversation with Jesus at the well, the Samaritan woman—minutes old in the faith—immediately went out and told others. The Bible tells us that "many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, 'He told me everything I ever did!' " (John 4:39).

It is the power of a changed life. Use your story, because it is a way to preach to a person without preaching at a person. People don't like to be preached to. Your story is a bridge. You can say, "Let me tell you my story. I didn't always believe these things. Here is what I used to be. Here is the way I used to live. Here is what I used to think. But here is what I heard, and this is how it changed my life." They can argue with a sermon, but they can't argue with your story. They can't argue with what God has done for you. So use that story to build the bridge.

Telling your story is a powerful bridge for the gospel message. It is merely a bridge to tell His story. It is not about you; it is about Him. So when you tell your story, don't glorify or exaggerate your past. Sometimes I have heard people give their testimonies, and the story gets more dramatic with the telling. Sometimes Christians want to make their story more dramatic to be more impressive. Just tell the truth.

Don't boast about what you gave up for God, but about what God gave up for you. We gave up guilt. We gave up judgment. We gave up hell. And in their place, God gave us purpose and meaning and heaven. And remember, it is not about you. It is about Him.

Suit Up for Battle

The day you believed in Jesus was the day that the real battle began. For just as surely as there is a God who loves you, there is also a devil who hates you.

It has been said, "Conversion has made our hearts a battlefield."

So we have a choice in this spiritual battle. We will either win or lose—gain ground or lose ground.

You can't be a "spiritual pacifist." To fight a spiritual battle, you need spiritual armor. It's time to "man up" (or "woman up") and put on the whole armor of God.

The apostle Paul lays out the components of our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:13–18, using the various pieces of armor that a Roman soldier would wear to make his point. Having spent a lot of time being chained to them, he probably asked a lot of questions, and had an excellent working knowledge of ancient weaponry and warfare.

Each piece of the Roman soldier's armor is interconnected to the others; all of it must be used. In the same way, it is not for us to "pick and choose" what pieces of armor we want (or don't want) to wear.

First, you need to put on your "utility belt of truth." As Ephesians 6:14 says, "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth."

When I was a little boy, I remember being amazed by Batman's utility belt. It had his Batarangs, Batcuffs, rebreather (for breathing underwater), night vision goggles, and much more—all the things that the "Caped Crusader" needed to fight crime.

Problem is, both it and he are not real, so let's consider the belt of real crime fighters: policemen.

Officers refer to this belt as their "Sam Browne." It consists of their radio, handcuffs, holster and gun, Taser, chemical spray, flashlight, holder for extra magazines, baton, etc.

The officer needs that belt when he is out and about, doing his duty, and the same was true for the Roman soldier.

The belt was essential. Why? Because the breastplate and the sword's sheath were attached to it. It also held up his tunic, giving him freedom of movement. If the Roman soldier's belt came off, his breastplate would fall off, along with his tunic.

So what does it mean to "gird your waist with truth," practically speaking? The utility belt of truth represents a life and mind that is pulled together and is ready to serve for the glory of God.

The utility belt of truth speaks of having integrity and truth in your "heart of hearts." David said, "Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6 NKJV).

The opposite of integrity is duplicity. Duplicity is hypocrisy—trying to lead a double-life.

The person who tries to live this way is a "sitting duck." But a true soldier of Jesus Christ cannot live that way. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:4, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."

I encourage you to put on your belt, and live truthfully.

Go Where They Are

 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.

— John 4:3–4

 

No orthodox Jew would ever go to Galilee through Samaria. In fact, he would avoid that area altogether. It was faster and more direct to go through Samaria, but the Jews did not want to go that route because they hated the Samaritans. They already disliked the Gentiles, but in their minds, a Samaritan was even worse, because the Samaritan was essentially a Hebrew who had intermarried with others. And so the Jews wanted nothing to do with them.

So where did Jesus go? He went to the place that no other Jew would go. And who did Jesus go to? He went to a woman. Today that doesn't seem like a big deal, but in this culture, the Jewish men often looked down on women. And this woman not only was someone a religious Jew wouldn't talk to, but she was an outcast among her own people because of her multiple marriages and divorces—and the fact that she was living with a man at present.

I love that the Bible says Jesus needed to go to Samaria (see John 4:4). Why? It was because a woman who needed to hear the gospel was there. We need to go as well. We are to go whenever to whomever to wherever God directs us. Long before Earth was even created, a decision was made in eternity that Jesus Christ, God in human form, would have an appointment with a burned-out, immoral woman of Samaria and unfold the gospel to her.

We need to go to where people are. Jesus did not say that the whole world should go to church. But He did say that the church should go to the whole world. And so we need to engage people and reach them with the gospel.

An Essential of Evangelism

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

— Colossians 4:5–6

 

Jesus, the master evangelist, used something that many Christians seriously lack today, which is tact. Tact has been defined as diplomacy, sensitivity. One definition of it is skill and grace in dealing with others. Isaac Newton defined tact as "the art of making a point without making an enemy."

There is a built-in offense to the essential message of the gospel, but we don't have to make it worse by being insensitive to people. And far too often this happens. I have watched it. You probably have too. A Christian will walk up to an unbeliever and start the conversation with something like this: "Hey, heathen. Did you know you are going to hell?" That is not the way to build a bridge.

When Jesus approached the woman at the well in Samaria, He asked her a question. He drew her out. He engaged her. Evangelism is a dialogue, not a monologue. And the best way to engage a person in a conversation is to listen. In starting a conversation, the objective is to build a bridge. That is what we want to do. Ask people about themselves. Everyone's favorite subject is themselves. And as they talk, engage them. Ask them questions. You don't have to cut people off. You don't have to contradict them. You don't have to insult them. Just listen.

Sure, there is a place for point and counterpoint. Sure, we need to defend our beliefs. But no one has ever been argued into the kingdom of God. And I have seen Christians win the argument and lose the soul. But I would rather win the soul and listen and engage and give and take. As you do this, you will know from the conversation how to respond with the gospel message. Listen patiently. And then respond appropriately.

God's Deliberate Plan

Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

— Acts 2:23–24

 

If you have ever lost anyone suddenly, unexpectedly, you know exactly how devastating it is. It tears you up inside. You don't even know if you will be able to survive it. It can seem like a fate worse than death.

This is how the followers of Jesus felt when He was taken from them and murdered in cold blood before their very eyes. We have the advantage of knowing the whole story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. But these first-century followers of Jesus were living it in real time. It was their hope that Jesus would establish His kingdom on earth, and they would rule and reign with Him. He was their Lord. He was their Master. He was their everything. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, without understanding why, He was betrayed by one of their own. And when Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished!" that is how they felt. It was finished. The dream was over. The end had come. But really it was just the beginning.

Everything was going according to plan—God's plan. The incarnation was for the purpose of the atonement. Jesus was born to die that we might live. When the wise men came and brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child Jesus, each one of those gifts had significance. They brought gold because He was a King. They brought frankincense, or incense, because He would be our high priest, representing us to God. And finally, myrrh was an element used in embalming, because Jesus was coming to die for the sins of the world.

Much has been said about who was responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. But it was the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God for Jesus to die—and to rise again.

Unlikely Candidates

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

— John 20:1

 

Maybe you are one of those people who was always the last picked for the team, the one who was always overlooked. I have good news for you: God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people. And God loves flawed, ordinary people.

They didn't come any more flawed or ordinary than Peter, Mary Magdalene, or John. Peter denied the Lord three times. Mary Magdalene was once possessed by seven demons. John, one of the Sons of Thunder, had his flaws too. But God used these three people as the first missionaries to go into the world and tell everyone that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead.

God also blesses those who seek Him with all of their heart. Mary put it all on the line for Jesus. The Bible tells us that while the others stood at a distance during the crucifixion of Jesus, Mary stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus could visibly see Mary, this woman whom He had cast seven demons out of. She was the last at the cross. And she was the first at the tomb.

There is a blessing for those who take time to seek the Lord. The Bible tells us, "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6–7). We need to seek God with all our hearts. That is what Mary did, and how she was blessed. As she was seeking the Lord early in the morning, she found the risen Christ. And if you will make time for Him, you will find Him too.

The Multi-Dimensional You! (3)

(Family Matters)
 
It's a new day. Welcome to your season of grace. The Lord will perfect all that concerns you in Jesus name. I started the series of Multi-dimensional You! by laying the foundation of your position in God's creation. Also, you did not just drop from heaven to earth but God channelled your coming through your earthly parents, to whom you are obliged to respect and honour.

This week, I will be teaching You As Husband / Wife. If you are yet to be married, one day, you shall be and this truth will set you free from every marital crisis.

In this dimension, you are a wife to your husband and a husband to your wife.  At your marriage, your husband/wife relationship is established. I want to encourage us to ensure that you maintain a healthy husband/wife relationship. The success of this dimension of your life has a lot to do with you, and not with the priest, the pastor or minister that joined you together.

Gods' Word in Matthew 19: 4-6 says: ...that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'  and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate (NIV).

The issue of leaving and uniting with your husband / wife is not just on the physical or following each other about. But let trust and good communication be in place, this will establish your marriage and success in your home.

Most times, due to your Adamic nature, you tend to look up to your spouse seeking for what you can grab and what you can get. Not necessarily in terms of physical or material things, but you seek for attention at all times. Instead of seeking for what appeals to your selfish nature, seek on a continuous basis what you can contribute to your spouse's life. 

What can you contribute?  One question I often ask myself which I think will be helpful to you is, "What can I do today to add to my husband's life?"  I don't have to meet him physically and ask "What can I do to add to your life today?" You don't necessarily have to do that, but there is nothing wrong, if occasion arises, and you ask what you can do for him.  Ask yourself what you can do as a plus before today runs out. 

 As you call on the Spirit of God inside you, He will guide you and show you a particular thing.  It may look seemingly little, but as you do it, you may find out that that thing you are doing is actually making the husband/wife relationship between you stronger by the day. 

The Bible says: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again(Luke 6:38). This scripture is not just applicable to giving offering in the church or for welfare services, it can be applied in your day-to-day husband and wife relationship.

As a wife, if it means getting hot water for him in the bath, you are adding something to him physically. Whether he thanks you or not, the day you are not there, he will remember, "Oh! If my wife were here now, this water would have been here before I get to the bathroom".  So, he is remembering you for good.

As a husband, when last did you tell your wife her that hair is looking nice? As little as this could sound, you are adding to her up-keep and she goes out thinking of your compliment all day.

Spiritually, pray for your spouse and you will realize that you will enjoy this dimension of your life which many dread so much. Marriage is to be enjoyed and not to be endured. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor (Eccl 4:9 NIV).

The first step to take, in order to receive grace to effectively be a good spouse as expected by God, is to give your life to Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Do you want to be born again? Why not say this prayer in faith and you shall be born again! "Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner.  I believe You died for my sins and rose on the third day.  Forgive me my sins.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today".

Congratulations! You are now a child of God!

Growing Children Of Destiny! (3)

(Family Success)

 

Welcome to a fruitful time in the presence of God. Last time, I shed light on The Rod Of Discipline. Let me make it clear that undisciplined parents cannot discipline their children effectively. You must be careful to practise what you preach.  Remember, an ounce of example is worth a ton of preaching, and children have more need of models than critics.

If you tolerate a flaw in a child, it will remain.  A child, unlike an adult, does not see far enough to produce his own self-control. Therefore, this week I will be discussing: The Rod Of Discipline (2) and I will be looking at the Types of Rods of Discipline.

The Spiritual Rod: The spiritual rod is the Word of God. It is the strongest rod you can use in disciplining your child. The Word has the in-built capability to change and transform life. The Word of God can reach into the soul and spirit of a man, penetrating deep into places where a physical rod cannot go.

 The Bible says: For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4:12 NIV). What a great tool for discipline!

How can the Word of God be effectively used for discipline?

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (2Timothy 3:16-17)

If your child misbehaves, rather than beating, locate an appropriate scripture and sit him down. Show him from the Word of God why his deed or attitude is wrong and why he must change. Trust the Holy Spirit to give you the right words and appropriate illustrations.  This is essential, because the child needs to understand that his negative action is displeasing to God and that there is need for him to repent and ask God for forgiveness. 

Give the child room to accept his fault, all the while trusting the Holy Spirit to convict him. If you do that, even when you are absent physically, the Spirit of God will keep working on his conscience.I want to challenge you to use more of the spiritual rod than the physical; it has a more lasting effect.

The Physical Rod: The physical rod is the cane. There's an adage that says, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." The Bible also supports the use of cane. Prov 23:13-14 says: Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Please note, never form a habit of always beating your child with a cane. But spanking a child should be very occasional, or else the child becomes hardened. You must never beat your child out of anger; otherwise it would be just to placate your anger. If you have to beat your child at all, make sure you explain to him the reason for your actions.  Make sure he knows love is behind it. At all times, the spiritual rod (the Word of God) should be applied first before you ever think of applying the physical rod (the cane).

It takes being a child of God to truly comprehend how to grow your children into destiny. If you are not yet born again and you would like to, please pray this simple prayer: Dear Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner needing Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in Your Book of Life. Thank You Lord for saving me.

Congratulations!  You are now born again and a child of God.

Wanted: Authenticity

"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."

— Matthew 5:13

 

There is a difference between a believer who is seeking to live a godly life, but struggling, and the person who claims to be a believer, but blatantly disregards what the Bible says and chooses to live a lifestyle out of God's plan. My request of those in the latter category is to please do us all a favor and be quiet. It sounds surprising to hear an evangelist ask someone to not tell others about Christ. But the key text of the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 6:8, when Jesus said, "Don't be like them. . . ." Essentially, Jesus was saying, "Don't be like this world. Be different. Don't be like them."

So what are we to be? We are to be salt. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless." In Jesus' day, salt was a bigger deal than it is now. The Romans believed that except for the sun, nothing was more valuable than salt. It actually was used as a form of currency, and Roman soldiers would sometimes be paid in salt. Hence the expression, "He is not worth his salt."

We are all going to have moments of hypocrisy. If I said I have never been a hypocrite, then I would be hypocritical for saying that. Believers have not always practiced what they preached. That is called humanity. Every Christian will fall short.

But if you are a Christian and are living a lifestyle that is contrary to what the gospel teaches and what the Bible says, then please don't talk about Jesus. Because the world needs authenticity today.

A Preserving Factor

 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

— Ephesians 5:15–16

 

In the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth . . . " His listeners would have immediately understood what He was saying: "You are a preserving factor in the culture today."

Salt not only was a valuable commodity in the first century, but it also was used as a preservative. In the absence of refrigeration or ice machines, salt would be rubbed into meat to keep it from the process of putrefaction. Also, meat would be sliced into slender strips, dipped into a saline solution, and thereby preserved until a later date.

In the same way, Christians can act as a preservative in the culture. As a representative of Jesus, you, as a believer, can change the dynamic of a room. That very tension says that you are a representative of Jesus Christ, and people know it. Your presence makes a difference.

But we can't sting the world's conscience if we go against our own. We cannot be an influence for purity in the world if we are compromised in our purity. We cannot be used by God to stop the corruption of sin in others if it has corrupted us. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men" (Matthew 5:13).

It is the Christians who stand up for what is right. It is the Christians who speak out against what is wrong. It is the Christians who are always at the front line of every effort around the world to help people who are hurting, regardless of whether they have faith. That is what Christians do. We are the salt of the earth.

Shine Your Light

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

— Matthew 5:14

 

When you are living for Jesus Christ, your very presence will sometimes bother others. And the more godly a person is, the more obviously this will take place. Few things are more difficult to put up with than a good example. And when you live this way, it really gets the attention of people.

Light reveals things. We have all heard the well-worn excuses as to why people don't believe in Jesus. But the real reason people don't believe is they don't want their sin exposed. They don't want to acknowledge their shortcomings. The Bible says, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19–20).

Light not only exposes what is hidden in the darkness, but light shows the way out. In the same way, the light that shines from Christians shows people not only their shortcomings and their sins, but it shows them the way out, the way to Jesus Christ.

What kind of general opinion do you think people would have of Christianity if you were its sole representative? What if every Christian lived exactly like you? How many would be attracted to or turned off by the gospel? Jesus said, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). You may be the only representative of Jesus Christ that your friends, your family, your coworkers, and your neighbors may ever meet. And they will evaluate the whole idea of Christianity on the basis of what they see in you. They will form an opinion about what they think about God based on you. So let your light shine.

"Father, Forgive Them. . . ."

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

— Luke 23:34

 

Can you think of someone right now whom you cannot imagine ever being a follower of Jesus Christ? I would challenge you to start praying for that person by name. No one is beyond the reach of God's hand. Jesus prayed for the very people who crucified Him. Can you pray for someone who has wronged you?

In one Gospel account, we read that both criminals being crucified with Jesus joined in the mockery from the onlookers. The King James Version calls them thieves, but the word that was used to describe the kind of criminals they were is far more severe. These men probably were insurrectionists or murderers, engaged in trying to overthrow Rome. That is why they were being dealt with in such a harsh way. The Romans wanted to make an example out of anyone who dared to defy their power.

These two hardened criminals had heard it all, seen it all, and probably had done it all. But then Jesus made His first statement from the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). And right there on the spot, one of those hardened criminals believed. He had never seen anything like this before. Think of all that he had been exposed to during his life that brought him to the place where he was now, where he was dying for his sins and crimes. Yet to hear someone who had been treated even worse than him, who had been whipped and scourged and beaten—in addition to being crucified—actually pray for His enemies caused this man to believe. He turned to Jesus and said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

No one is beyond the reach of prayer. Who needs your prayers today?

Beware of Snakes

Have you ever seen a baby rattlesnake? They are actually kind of cute. Everything is miniaturized. They get that menacing look on their face, bare their fangs, and shake that rattler, warning you of impending doom.

You might look at it and think, "What harm could a little snake like this do?" The answer: plenty!

Did you know that the venom of a baby rattlesnake is more toxic than that of an adult rattlesnake? The best thing to do if you see a baby rattler is either kill it yourself or find someone who can.

I know they play their part in the balance of nature, etc. But they also play their part in biting people—sometimes with very unpleasant results.

The Bible compares Satan to a snake:

"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden"?'" (Genesis 3:1).

Satan often gets us with the "smaller sins" that turn into larger ones. In other words, "little" compromises lead to big consequences.

He knows what he is doing, and has honed his craft of temptation for many years. He knows that if he can just get you to "think about it," then he has a foot—or a fang—in the door!

When Satan wanted to lead the first man and woman into sin, he started by attacking the mind (in this case, the mind of Eve). Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:3, "I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ" (NASB).

Why? Because it is here, in "command central," that we reason, contemplate, and fantasize. Your mind can reach into the past through memories, and into the future through imagination.

This is why the Bible says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not physical but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!" (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Satan, the Deceiver, wants to get you to "just think about it," and to say, "What if . . . ? I mean I would never do this, but if I did, what would it be like?"

To accomplish his purposes, though, Satan needs help. Many times, we say, "The devil made me do it." But the fact of the matter is the tempter needs cooperation from the tempted.

Scripture tells us that every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed, and baited by his own evil desire (or lust or passions). (See James 1:13–14).

Remember, it's not the bait that constitutes sin; it's the bite!

God's Deliberate Plan

Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

— Acts 2:23–24

 

If you have ever lost anyone suddenly, unexpectedly, you know exactly how devastating it is. It tears you up inside. You don't even know if you will be able to survive it. It can seem like a fate worse than death.

This is how the followers of Jesus felt when He was taken from them and murdered in cold blood before their very eyes. We have the advantage of knowing the whole story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. But these first-century followers of Jesus were living it in real time. It was their hope that Jesus would establish His kingdom on earth, and they would rule and reign with Him. He was their Lord. He was their Master. He was their everything. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, without understanding why, He was betrayed by one of their own. And when Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished!" that is how they felt. It was finished. The dream was over. The end had come. But really it was just the beginning.

Everything was going according to plan—God's plan. The incarnation was for the purpose of the atonement. Jesus was born to die that we might live. When the wise men came and brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the child Jesus, each one of those gifts had significance. They brought gold because He was a King. They brought frankincense, or incense, because He would be our high priest, representing us to God. And finally, myrrh was an element used in embalming, because Jesus was coming to die for the sins of the world.

Much has been said about who was responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. But it was the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God for Jesus to die—and to rise again.

Remember to Forget

Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

— Micah 7:19

 

Have you ever done anything that you are ashamed of? Have you ever done things you wished you had not done? If you have repented of those sins and have turned your back on them, the Bible clearly teaches that you are forgiven.

There is something in us that wants to keep dredging up our sins. Maybe we feel that by doing so, we are somehow making amends for the wrong that we have done. Maybe by punishing ourselves, we think we are somehow appeasing God. But this is wrong and thoroughly unscriptural.

Acts 13:38–39 says, " 'Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.' "

Speaking of our sins, God said, "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins" (Hebrews 8:12). And Micah 7:18–19 says,

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

Have you ever lost anything in a lake or in the ocean? It is pretty much a lost cause. Once it goes down, it goes way down. God has taken your sin and has thrown it into the deepest part of the ocean. Simply put, it is gone. Therefore, we should not choose to remember what God has chosen to forget.

When Christians Stumble

For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

— Romans 4:3

 

Contrary to what some might believe, the Bible doesn't teach that if you are a Christian, you will never stumble. It doesn't teach that if you are a true believer, you will not periodically make a mistake or fall short. But it does teach that if you are a true believer and have had a lapse or a stumble, you will always get up and move forward. That is the way to truly determine whether someone is a real believer.

Although Abraham was a friend of God, which Scripture specifically mentions three times, it is also clear that he had his lapses of faith. Yet the Bible says that "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3). Does this mean that Abraham was declared righteous because of the good things he did? Did God justify Abraham because he lived such a holy, pure, and flawless life? Hardly. Any honest look at the life of Abraham would clearly show that he was a flawed man.

Having said that, it is also important to point out that although Abraham deviated occasionally from the straight and narrow, he always came back.

If someone says he or she is a Christian but falls away and never returns to the faith, then he or she was not a believer. As 1 John 2:19 says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us."

True believers will be miserable in their sin and will eventually beat a quick path back to the cross of Calvary.

Ability vs. Availability

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

— 2 Corinthians 4:7

 

When Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin, it was a source of complete amazement that these untrained laymen could be so well-versed in the Scriptures—and more importantly, in their understanding. They were ordinary fishermen, salt-of-the-earth-type people. This doesn't mean they were illiterate. But they had not attended the rabbinical schools or spent their lives in the study of the Scripture.

Acts 4:13 tells us that when these religious leaders "saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." These simple fishermen appeared to be better-equipped than the professionals were. How did this happen? The disciples had been with Jesus. They were boldly sharing their faith. They knew the Scriptures. They were men who prayed.

This should give hope and encouragement to those who think of themselves as ordinary people. Maybe God has not called you to be a pastor, a missionary, or some professional ministry position. But God can use you too. It is clear that He is looking for ordinary men and women to bring the gospel message to others.

God can use you where you are. The opportunities are there. There is a mission field where you work. There is a mission field where you go to school. There is a mission field in your neighborhood. You are God's representative, and He is calling you to go into this world and speak up for Him. God is not looking so much for ability as He is looking for availability. So make yourself available to Him.

The Lust of the Eyes

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

— 1 John 2:16

 

Why do we get tempted in our minds? Because it is command central. It is here that we reason. It is here that we intellectualize. It is here that we contemplate. It is here that we dream. It is here that we fantasize. The Bible tells us, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3–4).

That is how Eve was tempted—through the lust of the eyes: Eve, check it out. Have you ever seen a piece of fruit like this? Satan attacked Eve's mind. The lust of the eyes is mental temptation, temptation that comes through the realm of the mind.

As the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3).

It is in our minds that we can commit horrible sins. We can reach into the past through our memories. We can reach into the future through our imagination. Often, the devil will get us to just think about it: You don't have to do it. Just think about it. That is all. It doesn't have to go any further than this. You can handle it.

But after a while, thinking about it isn't enough. After a while, fantasizing about it isn't enough. We want to take it to the next level. So we start flirting. We start touching. We start tasting. We start playing with it. Then, the next thing we know, we are caught in it.

Use What You Have

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

— Romans 5:18

 

When God released the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, it took them a while to get to the Promised Land—a lot longer than it needed to. When they finally arrived, Moses had died, and Joshua had been appointed to lead the Israelites into this new land. God said to Joshua, "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you . . . " (Joshua 1:2–3).

The Israelites could have stood at the border of the Promised Land and said, "Will you look at that? Wow. Isn't it nice?" But they had to go in and possess their possessions.

In the same way, sometimes we will stand around and admire a certain thing, but we don't actually utilize it. It is like buying an SUV, but never actually taking it four-wheeling. In the same way, we can stand around and admire biblical principles like justification and say, "Isn't it great what God has given to us?" But do we actually use it? Many times the answer is no.

We have to possess our possessions. Justification by faith is not just a simple legal matter between God and us; it is a living relationship. Therefore, we don't have to pray for victory. We need to pray from victory. We don't fight for success. We fight from it. We don't need to go out and win the battle. The battle has been won. So we need to go in the authority and power of our Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ.

Don't Look Back

One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 3:13–14

 

The apostle Paul said, "one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead . . ." (Philippians 3:13).

Paul had committed horrible things, hunting down Christians and throwing them in prison. Yet he said, "I am forgetting it. I am not going to be crippled by my past."

The devil desires nothing more than to cripple you with your past. "Remember what you used to do. Remember the sins you committed. Remember the horrible things you did," he says.

Paul put his past behind him and moved forward as a new person in Christ. You can do that, too. The Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

You say, "I have done some pretty horrible things." Welcome to the club! We all have sinned. We have all fallen short (see Romans 3:23).

But God can change you and make you a different person on the inside. It's so great to say, "I'm not looking back. I am moving forward as a Christian."

Lot's wife looked back. She was led by the angels and actually left Sodom and Gomorrah with her family. She was almost out of that place. But she didn't get far enough. She just had to steal that one last backward glance.

The lesson of Lot's wife is clear: don't look back. Don't let that happen to you. You can be crippled by past failures and past sins. Or you can put them behind you as you start over again and follow Jesus Christ.

A Preserving Factor

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

— Ephesians 5:15–16

 

In the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth . . . " His listeners would have immediately understood what He was saying: "You are a preserving factor in the culture today."

Salt not only was a valuable commodity in the first century, but it also was used as a preservative. In the absence of refrigeration or ice machines, salt would be rubbed into meat to keep it from the process of putrefaction. Also, meat would be sliced into slender strips, dipped into a saline solution, and thereby preserved until a later date.

In the same way, Christians can act as a preservative in the culture. As a representative of Jesus, you, as a believer, can change the dynamic of a room. That very tension says that you are a representative of Jesus Christ, and people know it. Your presence makes a difference.

But we can't sting the world's conscience if we go against our own. We cannot be an influence for purity in the world if we are compromised in our purity. We cannot be used by God to stop the corruption of sin in others if it has corrupted us. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men" (Matthew 5:13).

It is the Christians who stand up for what is right. It is the Christians who speak out against what is wrong. It is the Christians who are always at the front line of every effort around the world to help people who are hurting, regardless of whether they have faith. That is what Christians do. We are the salt of the earth.

Warriors in the Battle

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood . . .

— Ephesians 6:12

 

A spiritual battle wages in our world today; and God is looking for men and women who are ready to go into that spiritual battlefield and make a difference.

The battle has been raging since the very beginning, as Satan has tried to keep us apart from God. The apostle Paul described this spiritual struggle when he wrote, "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

The devil has always opposed Christ, and he will oppose those who follow Jesus Christ.

One of Satan's strategies was to try to stop the Messiah from arriving in the first place. Remember in the book of Exodus when Pharaoh commanded all of the Hebrew baby boys to be killed? That was Satan's plan to wipe out the tribe the Messiah would come from. Satan tried again with Haman in the book of Esther and with King Herod who killed all those babies in Bethlehem, intending to stop the arrival of the Messiah.

Well, those plans didn't work, but the battle continued.

Certainly the devil was at work when Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. You might have thought that Satan was basically successful when nails went through the hands and feet of Jesus on the cross.

But as the devil hammered home those nails he was hammering home his own defeat, because it was the blood of Christ that redeemed us.

Thank God today for that redemption! Let's be warriors in the battle.

The Spiritual Soldier

"Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

— Luke 14:33

 

The people were following Jesus in great numbers, but for the wrong reasons. So He made a series of statements intentionally designed to thin out the ranks. He wanted to be left with those who really wanted to follow Him, truly committed disciples and soldiers.

Let's look at the qualities Jesus wants in the soldiers He is enlisting in His service. We can see just what He expects in the Gospel of Luke:

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:25–26, 33)

Jesus laid out plainly what is necessary to be His disciple, to be a soldier in His service. In essence, Jesus said, "If you want to follow Me, you must love Me more than anybody else."

If someone is trying to hold you back, say to that person, "I'm sorry, but I am following Christ. If you want to walk with me, come on. You can be a spiritual soldier with me."

A spiritual soldier must also forsake all he or she has for Jesus. That means you take everything in your life and say, "This belongs to you, Lord."

That is what it means to be Jesus' disciple. That is what it means to be His soldier: you love Him more than anyone, more than anything—just as He loves you!

Have You Been with Jesus?

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

— Acts 4:31

 

Just as with the apostles Peter and John, your relationship with Jesus should be apparent, even to your enemies.

What are the earmarks of a person who has been with Jesus? When you spend time with Jesus, you become more like Him.

A person who has been with Jesus will boldly share his faith:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

A person who has been with Jesus will be a person who knows the Scriptures. If you are walking with Jesus, you must spend time in the Word. Jesus said, " 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed' " (John 8:31).

The book of Acts shows us that a person who has been with Jesus will also be a person of prayer:

So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord. . . . And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:24, 31)

If you share your faith, if you know your Bible, if you are a person of prayer, people will know that you have been with Jesus.

They Had Been with Jesus

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

— Acts 4:13

 

The number of people who claim to be Christians today has never been higher. Yet our moral and spiritual climate has never been lower.

You see, most people don't understand what it really means to be a Christian, to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The apostles Peter and John were men who were like Jesus. One day, when they went to the temple to pray, they healed a man who had been lame since birth. Then they preached with such boldness that 5,000 people believed that day (see Acts 3–4).

The apostles were arrested and questioned, but those who questioned them—even though they were nonbelievers—could hear the voice of Jesus speaking through Peter and John. They could see Him in their eyes. They could tell that these were followers of Jesus:

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

It was unmistakable. Even their enemies could see that Jesus Christ had profoundly impacted these men.

Could a statement like that be said of you? Could it be said of you and of me that we have been with Jesus?

No Other Options

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

— John 6:66–69

 

"Where else can we go?" Peter says. He had come to realize that no one else could save him from his sin. He understood what Jesus was saying. "We get it, Lord. We know what you are saying. You alone are the Savior. There are no other options."

For many it is repulsive, even offensive, to think they are sinners in need of a Savior. They can live with religion. They can even live with the idea of having Jesus as an example to follow in life.

But He is more than that. He died on the cross because you have sinned and you need to cry out to Him. Some might say, "I don't need to do that." Oh yes, you do.

You don't realize how perilous your situation is. You don't realize how much you need a Savior.

You might think you are a good person. But the fact of the matter is that we have all sinned. We have all fallen short. We do not measure up to God's standard, which is perfection.

You're in need of Jesus Christ. He offers His forgiveness to you. What are you going to do?

Come to Him.

Alpha and Omega

 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

— Revelation 1:8

 

There are some who follow Jesus because they want God to conform to their plans instead of them conforming to His.

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is come into the world." Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to a mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:14–15)

They wanted to take Him by force and make Him the king. They saw the Messiah as a political liberator. They didn't understand that before He will come to reign as Lord of lords and King of kings and establish His kingdom, He would first suffer and die for the sins of humanity.

Sometimes people are that way with God today. They expect the Lord to conform to their conception of Him. They expect God to conform to their plans. They decide, and He is supposed to cooperate.

It doesn't work that way. He doesn't conform to your plans. You conform to His plans.

The only thing that is going to turn us around, conform us, is a change of heart, a spiritual awakening, and that can only happen through prayer and the proclamation of the gospel.

Jesus Christ is not a means to an end. He is the end. He is the all in all. He is the Alpha and the Omega.

More Bread, Please

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you."

— John 6:27

 

After Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000, He went across the Sea of Galilee. A crowd followed Him to the other side.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." (John 6:25–27)

Jesus could see right through them. These people had no real interest in the supernatural. Nor did they really have a desire even to know Jesus Himself. They just wanted their food. They wanted Christianity without Christ.

People want forgiveness, but they don't want to repent. They want to go to heaven, they want to wear the crown, but they don't want to bear the cross.

But it's a package deal. You don't get to pick and choose the things that you like. You may think, "I want forgiveness. I want to know I'm going to heaven. But I still want to sin." No. It's not going to work.

You have to decide—do you just want bread, or do you want the Bread of Life?

More Bread, Please

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you."

— John 6:27

 

After Jesus' miracle of feeding the 5,000, He went across the Sea of Galilee. A crowd followed Him to the other side.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." (John 6:25–27)

Jesus could see right through them. These people had no real interest in the supernatural. Nor did they really have a desire even to know Jesus Himself. They just wanted their food. They wanted Christianity without Christ.

People want forgiveness, but they don't want to repent. They want to go to heaven, they want to wear the crown, but they don't want to bear the cross.

But it's a package deal. You don't get to pick and choose the things that you like. You may think, "I want forgiveness. I want to know I'm going to heaven. But I still want to sin." No. It's not going to work.

You have to decide—do you just want bread, or do you want the Bread of Life?

The Right Reason

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

— Matthew 7:21

 

During His earthly ministry, Jesus faced the problem of people who would follow Him for the wrong reasons. He was constantly challenging them to count the cost and to make sure that their motives were right.

He wants us all to follow Him, but He wants us to do it for the right reasons.

To truly come to know God, I must come on His terms and not my own. I must do it His way and not mine.

It is not for me to pick and choose the commandments in the Bible that personally appeal to me or the attributes that I personally find interesting or appealing. It is for me to live life God's way or not to follow Him at all.

It is clear that there are many today who do not follow Him for the right reasons. Jesus taught that there would be those on judgment day who thought they were believers but really were not.

In Matthew 7:21, Jesus makes this radical statement, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

If you are primarily interested in what is cool or what is hip or what is socially acceptable, I need to tell you right now that following Jesus Christ probably won't work into your plans.

But if you are interested in what is right and what is the best way to spend your life, and if you are interested in the hope of heaven and a life with meaning, then there are no other options to choose from.

The Three R's of Revival

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works . . ."

— Revelation 2:5

 

Before we can ever talk about revival in the church, every Christian must ask themselves, Am I personally revived? Am I living as a committed, on-fire follower of Jesus Christ?

Ask yourself that question right now. If your answer is that you are not a committed, on-fire follower of Jesus Christ, you exist as part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Listen to what Jesus said to the church of Ephesus in the book of Revelation. He says,

"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." (Revelation 2:2–5)

Jesus gave the church of Ephesus the three R's of revival: remember, repent, and repeat.

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen," and then He says. "Repent." In other words, turn away from your sins. And finally repeat, "Do the first works." Get back and serve God like you once did.

Remember, repent, and repeat. Put the three R's of revival into practice, because we need to be revived before God.

Revival—One Prayer Away

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.

— Ephesians 3:16

 

The Holy Spirit typically uses one individual as the catalyst for revival.

The last great American revival was the Layman's Prayer Revival of 1857–1858. It began with a 48-year-old businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier.

He began a noon prayer meeting on Fulton Street in downtown New York. Jeremiah handed out flyers to downtown businessmen, saying, "Come to our prayer meeting when you are having a break for lunch."

Only a handful of people showed up. But Jeremiah persisted; and that handful of people kept meeting for prayer.

Then something dramatic took place. The stock market crashed. Suddenly, the prayer meeting grew. People fell to their knees, and then the prayer meeting exploded. Prayer meetings were popping up quickly throughout New York City.

Within six months, 10,000 people were gathering for prayer in New York City alone. They were renting venues, which Broadway normally used, and packing them out at lunch time with men and women who were calling on the name of the Lord.

Fifty thousand New Yorkers reportedly came to know the Lord from March to May. During that single year, the number of reported conversions throughout the country reached an average of 50,000 a week for about two years. Even a notorious criminal nicknamed "Awful Gardiner" shocked everyone when he came to Christ through the prayer meetings.

When it was all over, one million people had come to faith.

No one orchestrated that revival in New York. It wasn't a campaign planned by people. It was a work of God where He poured out His Spirit.

Jeremiah Lanphier was not a great preacher. He was not a famous person. Jeremiah Lanphier was an ordinary Joe—but he decided to pray.

You can do the same.

The Great Imitator

"I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son."

— 1 John 2:21–22

 

The first sign that something has been popular is when you start to see knock-offs or imitations everywhere.

It has been said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; but honestly, no one likes to be copied or ripped off. That's just a nice way of saying, "Don't feel too bad when someone copies you."

The devil is a genuine copycat. He has never specialized in originality. He has always seen the value of copying something and confusing the issues.

Whenever you see a genuine work of the Spirit of God, the devil will always have his imitation. Satan's business specializes in flooding the market with cheap imitations, thus clouding the issues. As a result, people have difficulty discerning between the truth and lies.

The explosion of religions in our world today stands as one example of Satan's work. The gurus, false prophets, and teachers, and psychics who claim to possess the hotline to heaven are simply puppets in the hands of Satan. They're his tools in muddying the waters of truth.

The end result is somebody who looks at all of the world religions and thinks, I just can't make sense of it all. They just want to throw it all out and forget about it. When that happens, the devil has accomplished his purpose.

Keep this in mind: if you see a lot of imitations out there, an original exists somewhere in the midst of all the copies. The devil only floods the market with imitations in order to keep people from the one and only true God.

Seek the original, open up God's Word. Only then will you discover truth.

The Secret to Life

Have you ever eavesdropped on someone's conversation? Not intentionally, of course.

Maybe you were in a restaurant, and you heard those magic words at the table next to you: "I am going to tell you a secret right now. . . . "

So what do you do? You listen more carefully.

We all love to hear secrets. We want to know the inside story, even if it is about a complete stranger.

I have news for you. God has a secret He wants to share with you. The Bible tells us, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him . . . " (Psalm 25:14).

In many ways, this isn't really a secret, because it is plainly declared in Scripture. It is a secret that can help you avoid untold misery and heartache.

You might say it is the secret of living, that is, of living life to its fullest and having the guaranteed hope that when you die, you will live forever in the presence of God in heaven.

We find this secret in the Book of Ecclesiastes, where the writer, Solomon, essentially shares what he has learned from life the hard way.

Solomon was someone who decided to go hog wild into sin. He decided to try everything this world had to offer. With unlimited resources and a lot of time on his hands, he was able to do what some people only dream about. This was a man who literally tried it all.

Solomon was highly educated, yet he went on unbelievable drinking binges. He chased after women like there was no tomorrow. He was an architectural genius and built incredible structures. He was worth billions of dollars. Yet he abandoned God in his search for meaning in life.

At the end of it all, here was the conclusion he came to: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NKJV). That is profound.

Solomon was saying, "Listen to a seasoned pro. I know what I am talking about here. If you leave God out of the picture, then your life is going to be empty, meaningless, and futile. But if you want to live a life that is full, a life with purpose, then here it is: Fear God and keep His commandments." That is what it all comes down to.

A lot of us, however, don't like commandments. We see them as restrictive. But if you want to live a life that is full, then you have to recognize that there are parameters. And there are absolutes.

It would be like someone saying, "I don't like traffic lights. I am not into those. They really bug me. I am not going to live by the rules. I am going to drive wherever I want to and go whenever I want to go. I want my freedom." But those traffic lights are there for your protection.

Yes, the Bible says we should not do certain things. But it is for our own good.

Someone may look at the commandments of God and say, "These are restrictive and they ruining my life."

But His commandments are not there to make your life miserable. They are barriers of protection. That is what Solomon was saying: Fear God and keep His commandments.

Of course, there are many who disagree. They are determined to live by their own rules. I guarantee that one day they will come to the same conclusion Solomon did: It is empty to break God's commands and try to live without them.

When the Bible tells us to "fear" God, this word could also be translated "reverence." We are to reverence God. Honor God. Respect God. It means that we don't take His offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ for granted.

God is saying to you that you are not going to find the answers in success. You are not even going to find the answers in a good education, in a career, in a big house, in a marriage, in a relationship with a guy or a girl, in drinking and partying, or in whatever else it is you might be pursuing right now.

You are only going to find what you are looking for in a relationship with God.

That was Solomon's conclusion. You can either discover this the hard way, or you can take God's word for it.

I would suggest the latter. The choice is up to you.

God Works in Every Circumstance

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

— Romans 8:28

 

God, in His mercy, can also take the tragedies of life and use them. God can take the most evil deed and work in spite of it.

The apostle Paul made this point in Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Paul includes what we perceive as "good things," as well as the bad things.

It's hard for us to understand how a bad thing can ultimately work together for good. There is nothing good about what happened to the 150,000 people who died in Southeast Asia during the 2004 tsunami. It was tragic beyond belief.

But God, in His infinite wisdom and love, somehow takes all the events of our lives, both good and bad, and blends them together ultimately for good. The good He intends, that is.

After that tragedy, Christian organizations mobilized to send much needed help and resources to the hurting people of Southeast Asia. People received much needed physical and spiritual help. Back then and even now, God will work things together for good.

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

I heard about a mom and dad who decided to give their child the very curious name of Odd. Poor kid! Obviously that name invited ridicule and mockery all through grade school, high school, and college. But the jibes made him want to achieve, and he became a very successful lawyer.

Because people ribbed him his entire life, he decided that upon his death, he wanted an unmarked tombstone placed at his grave so that his name would never be uttered again. His wishes were honored. The problem was when people saw this tombstone without an inscription, they almost always said, "That's odd."

Jesus gave to His disciple Simon the new name of Rock. Why? He knew Peter would eventually grow into the name. His given name, Simon, means "a listener" or "a hearer."

Upon seeing him for the first time, Jesus essentially gave him a nickname—a new title to describe the person he was going to become. He said, "Your name is going to be Peter or 'Rock' (the literal meaning)."

I think the others might have done a little snickering at that point. If there was anything Simon was not, it was a rock. A rock is stable and solid. Peter was given to the emotion of a moment. He could be hotheaded.

But God saw him for what he would become.

We know Jesus knew what He was getting. He knew Peter would fail. He knew that Peter would fall short. He even knew that Peter would ultimately deny Him.

But Jesus also knew Peter would make a comeback. He knew that after his early failure, "the rock" would courageously serve the Lord all the days of his life. He looked right through him, and He saw potential.

Godly Resolutions

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.

— Romans 14:13

 

Many people make resolutions this time of the year. Right now, people are planning their New Year's Resolutions.

Some are going to swear off alcohol or smoking or television or overeating. Others are going to try to change wicked habits like gossip or worry or losing their temper.

Many people will try to start new habits like getting in shape physically. Health clubs love the first of the year, because people love to commit to going to the gym and working out three to five times a week.

But most of those people never follow through, because they were not serious in the first place.

There are different, more important resolutions you want to make for 2009. There are godly habits you want to start and ungodly habits you want to break.

It has been said, "A habit is like cable. We weave a thread of it every day until at last we cannot break it." That can be a good or a bad thing depending on your habits.

The Multi-Dimensional You!

(Family Matters)

 

Welcome to this fruitful month. This month shall be a month to be remembered for good in your family. It is the 'ember' period of the year, and you shall be remembered for good in Jesus' name. This month, I shall be considering the theme: The Multi-Dimensional You! I know that without any doubt, you shall be greatly blessed.

This week I will be shedding light on: You Are God's Creature.

God is your Creator. The Bible says in Genesis 1:27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. There are several other verses of scriptures that confirm this truth.  God is your Creator. He created you whole; He created you uniquely and complete.  He created you special. So, you are a special creation in the hands of God. There was no deficiency in you, when God your Creator created you. Your race, colour, or tribe is irrelevant you are one in nature.

What are His natures that He infused into you?

The nature of love: you are created to love; you have the capability to love others. The Bible says: ...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:31). You might be wondering that this commandment is too hard for anyone to obey, but the good news is His commandments are not grievous. The Bible says: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3)

The nature of Dominion: you are created to dominate. God created man in His image and the Bible says: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth(Gen 1:28). You are the crown of God's creation; you are not underprivileged, and you are a creation of value. So, begin to dominate in every facet of your life.

When you take another step of giving your life to Jesus Christ, He becomes not only your Creator, but also now your Saviour. As you advance and progress in your walk with God, He becomes not just your Saviour, He becomes your Lord. He is Lord over your life, your relationships, your home, your finances and over everything that has to do with you.

This dimension of your life is the most important and the foundation for other facets of life. If you fully understand your position with God, you shall be successful in your marriage, career and every other relationship that you might be into.

The first step to take, in order to fully understand your position with God is to give your life to Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Do you want to be born again? Why not say this prayer in faith and you shall be born again! "Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner.  I believe You died for my sins and rose on the third day.  Forgive me my sins.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today".
Congratulations! You are now a child of God!

Growing Children Of Destiny! (2)

(Family Success)

 

It is my privilege to welcome you again and share with you from God's Word. I began a series on how you can grow children of destiny. I laid the foundation of having to start with those areas of your life that you will not want your children to imbibe, as they grow into adulthood.

This week I shall be shedding light on what I titled: The Rod Of Discipline.
Discipline means training, especially of the mind and character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience, etc.

The Bible clearly put it this way: Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him (Prov 22:15). Disciplining your child is not in any way a sign of hatred, but a way to demonstrate that you want the best for your child. Prov 23:13-14 admonishes parents: Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

There are lots of young adults today, who would have being blessings to others, but because their parents do not discipline them, they end up with bad gangs and some losing their lives. This shall not be your potion. Your children shall not miss it in destiny.

Susanna Wesley, who lived two centuries ago and turned out two of that generation's most dedicated ministers - Charles and John Wesley, (as well as nine other children), had an interesting philosophy on rearing children.

The child who refuses to go to bed at night is the same child that refuses to learn scriptures and follow the Lord.  Just as surely as I'd see that child go to bed, I'd see that child come to God.

To refuse to discipline your child is to prepare him for destruction.  That was how Phinehas and Hophni, the two sons of Eli were destroyed.  Their father refused to discipline them. He knew about their immorality, yet he was complacent. This was his response as recorded in the Bible: For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not (1 Samuel 3:13)

One of the great men of God in our generation has this inscription written and displayed in their premises. He said, "It is better to train a child than to repair an adult". The day I read these words I decided in my heart that my children will not grow into adults that will need repairs. I will see to it that they are trained and disciplined and I tell you it pays. The best way to secure peace in old age is to raise disciplined children.

The Bible declares: Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul (Prov 29:17). Now that they are still under your roof, as much as you can, be firm in instilling good ethics and they will not miss their mark in life.

It takes being a child of God to truly understand how to grow your children into destiny. If you are not yet born again and you would like to, please pray this simple prayer: Dear Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner needing Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in Your Book of Life. Thank You Lord for saving me.
Congratulations!  You are now born again and a child of God.