What Child Is This? - Matthew 1:21

 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21

    Assurance. By any definition the word means certainty. And in this day and age certainty is hard to come by. With the fleeting pace of modern life we can never be sure what the next moment holds for us. Relativism has humanity wrapped in the grasp of its gnarly talons and those who are without Jesus Christ know nothing of their future. Is it any wonder that so many people’s live are filled with fear, anxiety, an indecisiveness?
    Joseph, the husband of Mary, found himself in a similar predicament. It was revealed to him by Mary that she was with child and they had not yet “been together.” The situation was precarious for his wife. Who, after all, would believe that she had conceived a child through the Holy Spirit? What was he to do in an age when women who found themselves in such circumstances were routinely “put away” by their husbands? This was the biblical way of describing a divorce and the public shaming of the woman. But Joseph was a just man and not quick to shame his young wife. Thus, he was full of fear, anxiety, and indecisiveness. Enter, an angel of the Lord: “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’” - Matthew 1:20.  An angel of the Lord? A heavenly being authorized by God to give Joseph the go ahead in his betrothal to Mary. How much more certainty would you need to accept that the message received was from God, Himself? God knew of Joseph’s human dilemma and He sent word to him that THIS was His will!
    Joseph was assured by an angel of the Lord to set his mind at ease. That assurance preceded something even more certain: the Child would be a Son and that Son’s name was to be “Jesus.” And that particular Son was to be named that particular name for great reason - He was to be the “Jesus ,”  - “And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6b) the Savior, the Messiah of His people!
    I can only speak for myself but I am certain that if an angel of the Lord told me that my wife would give birth to the Son who would be the Savior of His people it would certainly create a “assurance” in me that would relieve me of all fear, anxiety, and indecision for the rest of my life.
    What that angel had to tell Joseph was not a suggestion. It wasn’t optional. It wasn’t discretional. It was a series of three commands from God Himself! She WILL bring forth a Son. You WILL call Him, Jesus. And He WILL save His people from their sins! Still need assurance?
    What is in a name? Scripture makes the promise of God crystal clear - “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12. “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” - Romans 10:1.
    This Christmas let us remember the assurance and the certainty of the only name by which we can be saved: “Jesus”: the Son of God, the Christ, our Savior!

Joshua’s Spear - Joshua 8:26

 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. - Joshua 8:26

Sin. It is the hated enemy clawing at our gates. Temptation scouts out our most vulnerable places and sin rushes forward, an army of death attacking us in our vulnerability.
John Owen once said, “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” ( John Owen, “The Mortification of Sin.”) It was Owen’s point that sin, even in the saint, still has deleterious effects on our lives.
Yes, we must be constantly at it . . .the determined and deliberate destruction of sin in our lives. Utterly destroying it just as certainly as Joshua destroyed the inhabitants of Ai.
“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” - Colossians 3:5-8. We know that sin is of the world, the flesh, and the devil. We know it. We recognize it; so we must do everything within our power to eliminate it from our lives. We must not draw back Joshua’s spear until sin is utterly destroyed. The importance of the mortification of sin in our lives can never be over-emphasized. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” - Romans 8:13.
While it is true that we are saints being sanctified, sin remains a part of our humanity until we are joined to Christ’s everlasting love in our eventual and certain glorification. “Moreover whom He predestined, these He called; whom He called, these He justified; and who He justified, these He also glorified.” - Romans 8:30.
To live and enjoy communion with our Lord and Savior we must be mindful that sin will forever condemn us and separate us if we are not in Christ Jesus and He, in us. Listen not to the world and its silvery promises of our best lives being here and now. Promises of “the here and the now, of the world and the flesh” are fulfilled only by the guarantee of the devil: spiritual death and eternity in hell!
Let us mortify our sin before the Lord.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. May the power of the Holy Spirit give us the strength to hold forth our spears until we have utterly destroyed sin in our lives.

“Access . . . Denied” - Deuteronomy 29:29

 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” - Deuteronomy 29:29

    The Holocaust, 9-1-1, war, famine, pestilence, disease . . . death - why does an almighty and loving God allow such tragedies? We hear accusations of unfairness leveled at the Creator of the universe. Is He unfair? Is He unjust? What is fair? What is justice? We want justice? Believe me; justice is not what we want. Justice places us all squarely in the jaws of hell for all eternity. Why? “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one . . .’” - Romans 3:10. No, justice isn’t what we want. We want “grace,” undeserved and unmerited grace because without grace we would all be given the harsh and hellish justice we deserve!
    So beyond erroneous notions of justice we wonder why God sometimes allows the worst possible outcomes to some of the most unexpected situations involving people who, for the most part are relatively benign. From unexpected childhood diseases to natural catastrophes to local, national, and global disasters the nagging question remains - why? I can’t tell you why because I don’t know why, but I can tell you this: there is no access code to God’s hidden will. There is no password that will allow us to see inside the mind and heart of God. The error message continues to flash: “Access . . . Denied!”
    Certainly, sometimes what takes place in our world is a judgment from God; sometimes it is not. The fact is: we just don’t know and no matter how hard we search for an answer or accountability - there is none. Access . . . Denied!   
      “ . . . then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.” - Ecclesiastes 8:17
    Our title verse explicitly tells us that God’s hidden will remains hidden, but we are not without certain knowledge of God’s revealed will. It has been given to us through His holy scripture. Perhaps our time would be better spent immersing ourselves in His revealed will rather than stumbling along, attempting to decipher His sovereign or decretive will.
    “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?” - Romans 9:20-21.
    Let us all pray for the wisdom to understand that we cannot presume to know the mind of God nor the reasons for His will. Let us instead learn to accept it.

“This Is A Test” - Matthew 10:34-37

  “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” - Matthew 10:34-37

     “This is a test.” I remember hearing these words when I was a child. It was the TV network’s way of testing the EBS, or Emergency Broadcast System. It was a system designed and used during the Cold War (I’m sure some of you remember . . .) to alert us to an impending nuclear attack. I’m not even sure it’s used anymore. Nevertheless, the system was tested daily to insure that it worked. It was tested daily because an attack could come any day, unannounced, and unprovoked, not necessarily when we were “on guard”, but at anytime. We had to be prepared for what could possibly come.
    God still employs the EBS. Of course it’s not the kind that we hear over a TV or radio but a spiritual variety and it’s not the kind that warns of an impending nuclear attack, but of the satanic variety.
    When Christ told His disciples that He came to bring the sword and set a man’s household against him, He meant it in a figurative sense. Luke’s gospel is even more perilous -  “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.” - Luke 14:26. Obviously we aren’t being called to hate our family members or anyone for that matter but we must be prepared to make a stand in case division arises within our homes over the gospel of Jesus Christ! We must be ready to defend the faith even to our own mothers, fathers, children, and spouses. Matthew 10:34-37 is our spiritual EBS. Be prepared. For if we fail to defend the gospel in our own homes how can we ever hope to defend it anywhere? And if we fail to defend it, we fail ultimately. Let us not forget the warning of Jesus Christ in the previous verse - “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” - Matthew 10:33.
    As I said, we are not being literally called to hate our mothers and fathers, etc. but we must always be ready to defend the gospel . . . even to our families!  “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” - 2 Timothy 4:2.   
    May we be granted peace within our homes and families at all times but especially when we share the word of God.

The Gift - John 4:10

  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

    I overheard someone the other day complaining about Thanksgiving. He shrugged his shoulders and asked what we had to be so thankful for. I didn’t know the man personally so I reserved any thoughts of judgment. Then it struck me like a bolt from the blue. I didn’t know him personally! And therein lie his problem. Not that he and I weren’t personally acquainted but that perhaps he had yet to receive the gift of grace from God and the contentment that proceeds from the gift of  “knowing Christ, personally!” He certainly didn’t talk like he was blessed by the gift of salvation through Christ. His discontentment gave me pause to think more about my own disposition and if I were resolute enough in my own thankfulness.
    Grumbling about our lives is far too common, even among those of us who are saved through the gift of God’s grace. I catch myself complaining about “this or that” far too often. And it is only the refocusing of my attention on that unmerited gift of grace that stems the tide of my discontentment. Careful inventory of our blessings will often quell our tumultuous hearts. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” - Matthew 6:27. I find I am most at ease; I am most content, when I forget my anxieties and rest in the Lord.
    May we all find our place of “rest in the Lord” through God’s gift of grace on this Thanksgiving Day. And may we learn to extend that contentment to each and every day of our lives. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” - Psalm 118:24. Happy Thanksgiving!

There Is Indeed A King - Judges 17:6

 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. - Judges 17:6

    Ochlocracy: the rule of the mob. This archaic term is seldom used anymore. Most people mistakenly confuse it’s concept with that of anarchy, which is no rule or order of law at all, i.e. chaos, disorder, mayhem. Don’t be confused. In an ochlocracy there is most definitely a rule of order. As it’s definition states; it is the rule of the mob. And that rule is anything that runs counter to a systematic rule of order either via legislators or individual ruler. As opposed to such systematic paradigms, the ochlocracy ostensibly runs about on its own power rather than that of well-defined moral principles or a subjective rule of law; in our case, the bible. Certainly ochlocractic rule manifests itself in a variety of ways, depending of course, on what “the mob” sees as tolerable, in the least respect, or desirable at worst. But one thing is for certain: no ochlocracy has ever or will ever use the holy law of God as an manifestation of their behavior.
    As our title verse states, “In those days there was no king .  . .” This is a prerequisite for an ochlocracy: there can be no individual ruler, otherwise it’s a dictatorship. So there is no ruler present in a ochlocracy. In such a situation it is inevitable that men will then do what is right in their own eyes. Herein lies the fallacy that an ochlocracy runs about on its own power. It does not, for we know from Romans 14:23 that whatever does not proceed from God is sin. If God is not the prime motivator of your thoughts, words, and deed then Satan is! There are simply two ways and only two ways. The mob sees the worship of God as some type of pathological sickness. But there is nothing pathological about worshiping God; it is man’s greatest purpose!
    The problem inherent to ochlocratic thinking should be obvious, especially to believers. Since man has walked the earth he has not known a day when there was no king! “For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.” - Psalm 95:3. Therefore, we indeed have a sovereign king and we must obey Him. We cannot afford the mistake of doing what is right in our own eyes? If we believers know what God’s law demands it is just as certain that unbelievers know the law too; it is their choice, their deliberate choice to disobey Him and do what is right in their own eyes. Whether it is abortion, same-sex marriage, sexual promiscuity, or moral relativism in general they know the law of God and still refuse to obey.“But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine . . .” - 1 Timothy 1:8-10.
    We know what God has ordained. We know what God expects from us. All of humanity does. We have seen His revealed will. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” - Micah 6:8.
    Make no mistakes: there is indeed a King, a King of kings, Jesus Christ. And we know that those who prefer to do what is right in their own eyes rather than obey the law of God will wage war with the King of kings, but they will not prevail. There is no God-given right for a woman to kill her unborn child. There is no God-given right for men to have sexual relationships with other men. “You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.  You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” - Leviticus 18:21-22. No matter how loud they scream. No matter how many law-suits they initiate. No matter how many judges they have in their pockets. No matter what their celebrity-gods declare . . . they will not prevail! “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” - Revelation 17:14.
    Let us continue to pray for their souls that they may see what the called, the chosen, and the faithful see, that Christ is King! May the Holy Spirit of God fill their hearts as He has done ours and may we always bow down on bended knee to Christ Jesus, our Sovereign Lord, Savior, and King of kings.

“Go . . . AND SIN NO MORE!” - John 8:10-11

  

 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
 - John 8:10-11

    In the social media there has been a recent spate of posts suggesting that Jesus hung around with tax-collectors, drunkards, and prostitutes. “Hung out?” I’d suggest that such a description is hardly scriptural. Jesus didn’t commune with unrepentant sinners; allow me to offer the scriptural evidence.
    No where in the bible do we get a picture of Christ running around with sinners. No where! We see Him in encounters with sinners and when our lord Jesus Christ encounters the sinner in his or her sin He demands they cease and desist their sinful lifestyle; as the example in our title verse clearly depicts. Where the said sinner repents Christ welcomes them into His Holy company. But no where in scripture do we see Christ welcoming and continually communing  with unrepentant sinners. . . no where! Just as Jesus washed the dirt from the feet of His disciples (John 13:3-5) we are washed clean of our sins by His holy blood. What, to return to our worldly filth again? And then what: Christ is to die that agonizing death for us over and over again because we want to remain in our filthy circumstances? Christ even admonished Peter that he must be washed to enjoy the salvation He was to provide for him - “Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’” - John 13:8. No! Jesus did not “hang out with sinners!”
    The woman about to be stoned left her sinful life behind as did Levi (Matthew) the tax-collector. They left their sins behind to follow Christ! Consider how she responded to Christ when He asked, “Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, LORD.” “Lord,” she said. In her moment of tribulation she recognized Christ as the Lord! What fool would dare suggest that this woman left the scene that day and returned to the life she had before Christ’s intervention? And an “intervention” is exactly what it was. Christ intervened in a life  that cried out for forgiveness and that is why He said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
    In another instance of Christ’s “questionable associations” we find Him calling upon Zacchaeus , yet another tax-collector and sinner. “And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”- Luke 19:5-7. Zacchaeus made hast, came down, and received Him joyfully. Again, here is a sinner who recognized Christ as the Lord and not merely received Him but received Him joyfully! Verses 8 thru 10 detail the effect of Christ on the man and the salvation that accompanied his faith in Christ: “Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham;  for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.’” Zacchaeus restored what he had taken unjustly; he didn’t remain in his sin.
    Again the scriptures tell us - “And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, ‘How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” - Mark 2:16-17. This was the very reason Christ came into the world - to save us!
    If your will is to save someone from a raging inferno you have go to the fire. You can’t save them from afar as you watch the flames consume them. Jesus seeks to save those who need saving, so in effect, He goes to where the fires are burning. “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” - Matthew 18:11.
    Christ’s first words in the Gospel of Mark set up the purpose of His entire ministry here on earth: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,  and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” - Mark 1:14-15. Jesus never said or suggested that it would be just fine for us to remain in our sins. He never said he would accept us in our sins. He came to save us from our sins. And anyone who preaches another gospel is a liar and a wolf in sheep’s clothing!
    May the Holy Spirit of God grant us discernment enough to know the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ from the post-modern heresy that tells us Jesus accepts us and our sins and does not require repentance from us.

One True God - Exodus 20:1-3

And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.” - Exodus 20:1-3

    I guess it just comes with the territory. Being a Reformed Christian I am daily faced with the erroneous pontifications of delusional people who fabricate their own versions of God. From the rosy-cheek happy-go-lucky “older gentleman in the sky” to the laid-back sandal-wearing bearded hipster preaching “peace, love, and climate-control.” I have heard it all and I have had it!
    You know, if I wanted to learn fly-fishing I would read everything I could get my hands on about . . . fly-fishing! I would consult those who are considered proficient fly-fishermen. I would learn everything I possibly could about the subject, the nature, and the substance of fly-fishing. I certainly wouldn’t attempt to make it all up or to reinvent it myself! So why do people insist on making up their own personal versions of God?
    I seldom hear anyone describe the God of scripture. I never hear them describe the God who hung from a cross and gave His life so that we sinners could find comfort, grace, and salvation in His self-sacrifice. I never hear them describe God as being jealous and capable of wrath. I never hear them describe a God who demands righteousness and holiness . . . even though these descriptions of God are the way holy scripture depicts Him! So where on earth did they get their vision of God?
“The folks who make up God as they go are side-by-side with self-proclaimed believers who claim the Christian label but shed their ties to traditional beliefs and practices. Religion statistics expert George Barna says, with a wry hint of exaggeration, America is headed for ‘310 million people with 310 million religions.’"
"We are a designer society. We want everything customized to our personal needs — our clothing, our food, our education," he says. Now it's our religion.” - USA Today, 9/13/2011
    So why are so many people attempting to take this imaginary route to heaven? I believe it has a great deal to do with the term “Systematic Theology.” Most people don’t like systematic anything! They want to do things at their own pace, in their own time, and in their own way. And if that includes inventing their own “designer god” who is basically a sappy milquetoast being who would never get mad at us and send us to hell, then so be it. This simply betrays the fact that these individuals do not know (let alone understand) what God’s relationship to man is. As our title verse states without ambiguity - “I am the Lord your God!”
    Scripture clearly says that man will be inventors of gods they choose rather than the one true God and it is equally clear how true Christians should respond. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” - 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
    True Christians know and understand that there is one true God. Even Jesus Christ spoke directly to the idea of knowing the very words of God and believing in them - “But He said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” - Luke 11:28.
Let us pray that we are never so fallen that we feel the need to invent a god who doesn’t care.

God’s Choice; Not Ours! - 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. - Genesis 1:27

    The myriad of expositions on this one verse alone is almost inexhaustible. But in this post I will address the subject of ‘trans-genderism:” those hapless individuals who’ve decided against God’s natural order that they, not He, will decide which gender they will claim.
    The current tide of progressive public opinion favors the individual’s right to claim whichever gender they choose for themselves as opposed to what their own DNA has determined. I see this as not only the end result of sinful pride but also as the sinful machinations of those who would usurp the roll of God Almighty.
    “Male and female He created them.” I don’t understand the confusion. Six simple words here; what’s so hard to understand? Among lower primates there is no confusion as to gender identity. There is a submissive roll as opposed to the “alpha roll,” but that regards the member’s social status. . . not its sexual identity. No, among the lower primates male gorillas remain male gorillas from the time of their births until they die, just as God intended . . . as GOD intended!
    So aside from the psycho-babble that we hear from the purveyors of the personality disorder circus what possible reason could there be for such a bizarre psychosis? “Professing to be wise, they became fools . . .” Romans 1:22. Obviously there will always be an apologist for even the most profoundly disturbing behaviors. Even murderers have their defenders! But what is the deep seated reason for this maladjustment? Godlessness, pure and simple. If Godlessness is the reason then what is the solution? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6. I defy anyone to put a trans-gender personality under the microscope and not find a Godless individual who leans on his or her own understanding (or that of the psychiatrists) and one who neither acknowledges God nor trusts Him! They will ask, “prayer? What is prayer?”
    Going back to Romans 1 - “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” - Romans 1:26-27. “For this reason-” God allows them to continue on their course of spiritual self-destruction - because, “professing to be wise, they became fools!” No, the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Trans-gender) community purports to be wiser than God and in their finite wisdom they are nothing more than fools hell-bent on destruction. And they will find it. Make no mistake: the rise in sexual deviancy in America is directly proportionate to the degree which we acknowledge and legitimize these “alternative lifestyles.” The courts, the legislators, even the President of the United States may defend their “right” to be whatever they choose to be but they will have no defense before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ! “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” - 2 Corinthians 5:10-11.   
    May we all be wise enough to recognize that the will of God for man will not be perverted without judgment and cost.

The Bible . . . Redacted - Jeremiah 26:2

 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.” - Jeremiah 26:2
                   
    According to Merriam-Webster to redact something is: to select or adapt (as by obscuring or removing sensitive information) for publication or release. Coming from the Latin redactus, it’s original meaning was to “drive back.” To obscure (hide) - remove (edit) - or drive back. This is the very essence of the word, redact.
     We’ve all seen reports or documents which have been redacted. We see that where the pertinent information originally was there is now only a blackened space amongst the words, thus effectively obscuring, hiding, removing, editing, and driving it back from revelation. Can you imagine reading a copy of the bible that has been redacted? That is exactly what far too many evangelical churches are doing to the holy words revealed in the bible these days.
    There is no discussion of hell or judgment at Sunday service any longer. Yet the bible is full of such discourses on these very issues. Jesus Christ, Himself, had more to say on the subject of hell than any other figure in the bible - Old or New Testament! Jesus warned us of the coming judgment against mankind. Yet the evangelical pulpit remains curiously silent on these subjects today. Ask yourself: why would a Christian pastor purposely refuse to deliver the unbridled and entire word of God to his flock every-time he stepped up to the pulpit? Calvin certainly did! Edwards did! Spurgeon did! Does yours?
    In our title verse God speaks to the nation of Israel. His command is to stand in the Lord’s house; to speak all the words he has commanded, and do not diminish a word! Take a moment: are you hearing the undiminished word of God in your church on Sundays?
    Have you ever heard evangelists like Pat Robertson, Joel Osteen, or any of the other “popular TV evangelists” speak on the coming judgment of God? On the pain and eternity of hell? On any aspect of the gospel that doesn’t start off cheerfully, continue cheerfully, and end cheerfully? Is this a problem you encounter in your own church? Are you hearing far too much about your best life now and not enough of the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit in your lives? Are you hearing what Christ said about taking up our crosses and following Him? Are you hearing about how truly difficult it is to be a Christian in this Godless world today?
    “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” - Deuteronomy 12:32. Is there something inherently difficult to understand about that particular command of God?
    The dangers of “Sunshine and Rainbows Evangelism” ( i.e the Emerging Church) are a greater threat to true Christianity than the dangers of secular progressives and Muslim extremists combined! No outward attack on the true word of God has ever succeeded in destroying the core doctrines of Christianity. The church has survived thousands of years of persecution only to arrive at a place in time when we have to fear those who call themselves “Christians” more than we have to fear those who would legislate us into hiding or attempt to kill us off!
    Perhaps the apostle Paul said it best: “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” - Acts 20:27.  Tell your pastors today to put down their lattes and pick up their bibles! Let us always seek the whole counsel of God rather than the vain imaginings of men who would rather redact His holy word than speak all He has commanded.
       

Flesh Works - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

    I really should be hesitant to approach this subject yet once again (http://maranathia.blogspot.com/To Tattoo Or Not To Tattoo - 1 Corinthians 10:23, Sunday, September 1, 2013)  but upon seeing the multitude of people walking around exhibiting the most garish artwork (tattoos) on their bodies I feel compelled once again to speak out. The subject is sensitive, I know, and to those I offend I would beseech you to do as the Bereans did - “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” - Acts 17:11. Please remember: this post is not addressing what we did yesterday; it addresses what we do today and in the future.
    The commonality of tattoos and body piercings today is out of control.  One need only attend a large public event or work in a retail business to see the sheer number of individuals sporting these violations of the body.  The immediate defense is that such practices are culturally accepted today more than in past years. That is tantamount to using the same rationalization for the increase in abortions or the homosexual lifestyle. Cultural acceptance? Scripture warns us of seeking cultural acceptance, of being part of this world - “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’” - Revelation 18:4. Are we aligning ourselves with “the world” when we engage in worldly practices which no reasonable Christian would suggest is edifying to other Christians?
Let’s not forget that tattoos and body piercings were originally condemned by the bible because they were pagan practices! (Leviticus 19:28) For those of us who counter that Jesus did away with the Old Testament “ceremonial laws,” remember that a sin so abhorrent God specifically prohibited it has probably not taken on a new-found holiness. That would be the same as submitting that worshiping a golden calf is now allowable under the doctrine of grace found in the New Testament! Remember: there is no where in the New Testament that Christ said, “Oh, and those tattoos? They’re okay now.” So at the very least we have determined that tattoos and body piercings are “of the world.”  “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 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 2:15-16.
    God has spoken to us in no ambiguous terms regarding being a part of the world -  “Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.’” - 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. The follow-up lies in the very next chapter, verse 1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” - 2 Corinthians 7:1.
    Perfecting holiness. It is a God-given command - “ . . .but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” - 1 Peter 1:15-16. Holiness as defined by the Greek term “hagiŏs” means “clean.”  “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:7.
    We must ask ourselves (as we should with anything we are about to think, say, or do) - “Does this glorify God?” It’s a simple question, the answer to which can have dire effects if we choose wrongly because it could most certainly determine our commitment to Jesus Christ! Would we carve our initials into the bible? Would we frivolously take a crayon or marker to its pages to mark and deface the holy word of God? Don’t our bodies deserve as much consideration? Do we really believe someone with a tattooing instrument can improve upon what God has created when He knit us together in our mother’s wombs?
    As a final consideration allow me to add just a bit more fuel to the fire: the tattooing of images of Christ, the cross, or other images of heaven are expressly forbidden by the 2nd Commandment of God -  “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth . . . .” - Exodus 20:4. Obviously those of us who insist upon having a tattoo of such nature on us have either(1) never read the Ten Commandments; (2) don’t understand the Commandments; or (3) simply don’t care. Either way, in all three possible cases it is apparent that God is not being glorified. The only thing being glorified is the ego of man!
    At this point I would like to add that aside from the theological implications involved there is the consideration of one’s health. Study after study has been done regarding the dangers of both tattooing and body piercing. The best news for those inclined to engage in such practices is that the jury is still out on many of the perceived health threats; however, there are very clear indications that there are numerous and often fatal Transfusion-Transmitted Diseases (TTDs) including Hepatitis and HIV associated with both tattooing and body piercing. Google “The European Commission’s Review of Health Effects from Tattoos, Body Piercing and Related Practices,” for a completely secular, eye-opening, and unbiased report on the possible physical dangers involved.
    Then there is the issue of “risk-taking behavior.” The study (and similar ones) concluded that those most likely to engage in tattooing or piercing their bodies also tend to engage in risky behavior, i.e., drugs, binge drinking, smoking, criminal behavior, and sexual impropriety. It doesn’t take a strong set of eye-glasses to see how such behavior is “of the world,” and NOT “of God.”
    As I said to begin with: this is not about what we did yesterday; it IS all about what we do henceforth as Reformed Christians. Lord knows we don’t have enough space here to devote it to past sins. Mine alone would fill the Encyclopedia Britanica . . . and then some!
    So let me close now with a verse from the Letter of Paul to the Romans: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” - Romans 12:1-2.
    Each and every day may we place the glorification of God and the edification of our brethren at the forefront of all our thoughts, words, and deeds. May God bless us all.

What Is Truth? - John 18:38

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. - John 18:38

    Perhaps the most demonized man in history asked the most fundamental question any man has ever asked: “What is truth?” His question still resonates today in the shrill voices of unrepentant relativists. Even in Christ’s day relativism held a firm grip on the hearts and minds of humanity. But let us see the question in the context it was presented - “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’”
    “Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’” - John 18:37. Christ stood before Pilate accused of claiming a kingdom for himself. As it happened, Pilate didn’t understand the truth because the truth so often eludes those who are blinded to it. This is the curse of relativism: the inability to recognize the truth when we hear it or see it!
    Truth isn’t malleable; it isn’t putty, to be shaped and reshaped again to suit the moment. Truth is the rock upon which actuality rests. Truth is reality. Truth is insensitive. Truth is harsh! Truth is the brightest of lights shining in the darkest of nights. Christ is truth! “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” - John 14:6.
    This is what inflames the post-modern relativists into anger and accusation. The relativists today submit the same question Pilate posed to Jesus, in the same accusatory tone. “What is truth?”
    They tell us that we cannot know the truth, that the truth is incomprehensible. But that is exactly what Satan tells us! Christ called out the relativists in his time. He had a just response for them when they questioned the truth - “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.  Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” - John 8:43-47.
    What is truth? Christ is truth. He is the only truth, the only way, and the only life. May God grant us the discernment to always know the truth from the lie, especially in these post-modern times.
   

Bad Company - 1 Corinthians 8:9

 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.  - 1 Corinthians 8:9

    This post is directed not to the weak but those who believe they are strong in the faith. As a Christian blogger I watch the news for stories that deserve Christian scrutiny. I also observe the popular culture to see how many and how awful the things are that we replace God with. And I am specifically referring to Christians here, not unbelievers. Those who have no belief in God never surprise me with the levels of debauchery they sink to. It is the behavior of those who claim the mantle of “Christian” that astounds me.
    In an earlier post this year I wrote that we shouldn’t over-emphasize the small differences between our Christian brothers and sisters. If scripture doesn’t specifically deal with an issue on moral grounds then the chances are we need only use the litmus test of edification to determine whether or not the thought, word, or action is appropriate for a Christian.  “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”  - 2 Corinthians 13:5.
    How often is it that we partake in an activity (i.e speech, movies, television, books, magazines, music, socializing, etc.) that we should take a step back and ask ourselves - “How will what I am about to say or do influence another Christian?” Will it weaken the brother’s or sister’s resolve because they look to me as an example? Perhaps even more important: how will it influence an unbeliever? Will it further distance them from God? Will it further encourage them to mock God? “How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?” - Psalm 4:2.
    As Christians we simply must adhere to the words of Isaiah - “Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.” - Isaiah 52:11. If our words and deeds don’t edify then neither do they glorify God Almighty. Let no man ever scoff at God because of our words or behavior and may we always present ourselves as holy before men and our Lord.

True Faith Remains - 1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:6-9

    Our lives witness many trials, Some we barely escape, others force us to hold onto the moorings of our persistent and trustworthy true faith in God to get through them. These are the trials I address in this post.
    The death of a loved one, a parent, a spouse, a child, a dear friend. These are experiences that test even the strongest faith. When the dead are buried, true faith remains!
    National tragedies like 911, Columbine, or Newtown test the strength of our true faith. But think of faith as “knowledge.” We know the sun rises every morning. Some days there are clouds but we still know that the sun is rising on the other side of that obscurity. Even on the cloudiest of days, true faith remains!
     “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” - 1 John 5:4-5. The victory that overcomes the world is true faith; faith in God. We face a myriad of worldly obstacles on a daily basis. Some are minor irritations while others may mean life or death for us or our loved ones. Such is the nature of the modern world, a world steeped in wickedness and depravity. What greater weapon do we have against such utter destruction and perdition than our true faith in God?
    “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” - 1 Timothy 6:12. We are tested by the Great Deceiver, Satan, on a daily basis. Each day he throws his worst at us trying desperately to bring us down into smoke and ruin. To deny his presence in our lives is to place ourselves in denial and denial leads to corruption. We must fight the wiles and the methods of the devil if we are to stand strong in true faith.  “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one”.
 - Ephesians 6:14-16.
    No matter what we face in our lives; no matter what fears or realities we are forced to deal with, true faith will bring us through it. We may not come through unscathed . . . but we will come through to the glory of God which most assuredly awaits us on the other side. “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” - Psalm 62:8.  In the face of our worst trials we must always remember - true faith remains!

Inseparable - John 3:16-18

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” - John 3:16-18

    When we at first read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12), we hear Christ teaching us how we are to behave as believers. His teachings are recognized and respected by most rational human beings around the world. When Christ teaches us the two greatest commandments in Matthew 22:36-40, we again hear Him declare what our purpose and duties are as believers. In neither instance does He ever mention HIS purpose for coming into the world. Both of the above mentioned instances describe Christ’s teaching. In a word, “love.” Love is the core of Jesus Christ’s teachings to the world: love of God and love for our neighbors. But His message differed from His purpose!
    Christ came into the world so that by his death we could have eternal salvation. He came to die for us. His death was the propitiation demanded by a just God for the sins of the world.  No mere mortal could ever have accomplished what Christ did by His death on the cross. As our title verse states, “He did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world.” God’s purpose was not to have his Son come down to convict and condemn mankind. The conviction of men was reserved for the Holy Spirit. The condemnation, as our verse tells us, was already in place. It has been in place since Adam and Eve ventured forth from the Garden of Eden at the command of God. No, God didn’t send His Son to condemn us; He sent Him to save us.
    So on one hand Christ is teaching us how we are to behave towards God and our fellow men. On the other hand He has a more dire mission to accomplish: his own death as a substitutionary payment for the sins of the world.  So, yes -  Christ’s teachings were important enough for Him to spend the last three years of His life drumming them into us. If His teaching were unimportant then he could have just as easily come into the world and immediately died for us. But it was not so. Christ spend endless hours teaching both His disciples and the crowds that came to hear Him speak. He was, as I implied earlier, an accomplished teacher of men. Yet, His teachings are not he reason He came to us; our redemption through belief and faith in Him is!
    So to understand - Christ’s teachings and commands in Matthew 5:3-12, Matthew 22:36-40, and His final command, Matthew 28:19-24, were all vitally important to us as believers. Though His teachings represent the sinless obedience of His life and set forth the example we are to follow it is His death which atones for our sins and gives us the assurance of our salvation. In His life we find the example of sinless obedience to God. In His death we are blessed by grace with our redemption and salvation. The one we must strive for; the other is a gift from God. Both are entwined in what we call belief, and belief leads to faith in God. Belief and faith: different yet inseparable. Should we ever attempt to separate the two than we are no better off than the demons. “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!” - James 2:19.
    Faith implies belief in and assent to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May our actions always be seen in such a light.

Humbled By Holiness - Luke 5:8

                   
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” - Luke 5:8

    What awe must Peter have felt for it to force his guilt to the surface of his conscience. His awe was inspired by the presence of the Lord. As Peter stood before Christ and felt the raw power of God in his midst his immediate response was to humbly admit that he was no more than a sinner, unworthy of Christ’s divine presence. Peter’s humility stood in stark contrast to his life  . . . before Christ. As a sinner Peter was constantly exposed to the pitfalls of a fallen world. As a sinner Peter constantly fell to the excesses of his own human pride, to the temptations and vexes of the world. But once in the presence of Jesus his worldly pride was ripped away from him as the angst of his guilt was fueled by the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. He stood, convicted of his sin before his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
     “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.’ ” - Matthew 8:8. Humility often manifests itself in our unwillingness to seek the presence of God for fear that our sins are too great. Guilt makes us shrink away from holiness because we have finally recognized its power! Repentance abides in a man who humbles himself before the Lord. Why else would we take such a submissive position before God were we not confessing our sins? And if we are confessing our sins are we not also asking for forgiveness? “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” - Psalm 51:2-3.
    Let us be clear: humility has never existed side-by-side with pride. It cannot; it will not. We must lay our proud hearts aside. But unlike Peter we should bid our Lord to come nearer to us rather than leave us. As in the words of C.H. Spurgeon - “Come near to me, Lord, since I am a man and, being a man, am weak—and nothing can make me strong but Your Presence. I am a man so weak that if You depart from me, I faint, I fall, I pine, I die! Come near to me, then, O Lord, that by Your strength I may be encouraged and be fitted for service. If You depart from me, I can render You no service whatever. Can the dead praise You? Can those with no life in them give You glory? Come near me, then, my God, though I am so feeble! And as a tender parent feeds his child, and the shepherd carries his lambs, so come near to me.”* 
    May we always prostrate ourselves before the Lord God in humility and leave the pride of the world behind us.

*“Peter’s Prayer”, C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon # 3407, delivered 6/10/1869

Baby Steps – John 3:3

 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3
    There’s a new baby in the house. And while we are racing about trying to cover all the bases, the child is just beginning to see, hear, feel, and taste the world around him. Every move; every sense; every experience is new to the child. And so it is with us when we are “born again.” To understand the concept of being born again we must first consider what is evidenced in the natural first birth of man.
    From the moment of his birth he begins to grow, to advance, to mature. He learns to go from milk to meat. He learns to go from crawling to walking. He learns to go from infantile utterances to articulate speech. And as his life begins in earnest he grows into an adult with an adult’s perceptions, understanding, abilities, and strengths. This is the linear process of human life.
    But what of our “spiritual life?” This is the subject of Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus. When we are born again we begin to see with a Christ-centered perception. Our hearing becomes Christ-centered. Our speech becomes Christ-centered. And our actions become Christ-centered. To suggest otherwise would be tantamount to saying that a child has advanced to adulthood yet hasn’t progressed from mother’s milk to solid foods, or learned to walk or speak properly, or heard the sounds of the world around him. And just as the child could not mature and develop without these advances in both his communicative skills and physical manners neither can a Christian mature who does not find himself Christ-centered!
    Being born again involves more than simply claiming the experience, otherwise merely responding to an altar-call or signing a salvation card would be enough for redemption. No, Jesus Christ requires more! He requires that we be like Him. “ . . . but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:15-16. To be holy is to be Christ-centered.
    Just as that new born is learning to walk we too are learning to walk . . . like Christ! We are learning to think and talk and react and perceive things like Christ would. All these things we learn anew. Our old ways must be put to death and our new ways must take seed, flower, and blossom forth. "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” - John 12:24. Our old selves must pass away for our new birth to take effect. “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.
    May we all recognize that we are new creatures in Jesus Christ and let that knowledge be reflected in our walk with Him.

The New and Improved Gospel? - Acts 13:45

But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. - Acts 13:45

    But why? Why would the Jews be full of envy, contradiction, blasphemy, and opposition to what Paul was saying? Perhaps the previous verse alone will provide us with a reason - “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” - Acts 13:44. Almost the whole city! It is clear that even in the early days of the church people hungered for the Word. Despite antagonism and persecution, people still wanted to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Is it possible then that the Word of Faith movement and the consequent Health, Wealth, and Prosperity ministries are filled with the same kind of envy today?
    It is clear that Paul taught a no-nonsense gospel which accurately preached the difficulty in following Christ. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:10. No where and at no time did Paul ever preach that following Christ would be as easy as responding to an altar call, signing a prayer card, or repeating a salvation prayer! Neither did Paul ever preach that as Christians we could have every expectation of worldly health or wealth if we merely “spoke” it into action. But almost the whole city came out to hear the word of God! So the wolves in sheep’s clothing say, “There simply has to be a way to capitalize on such a potential for our ‘personal aggrandizement and success.’ But then there is that pesky gospel which speaks of infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. That could certainly get in the way of our grand plans. Ahaa! We’ll simply change the message. We’ll ‘improve’ it to suit our needs. People will flock to accept our ‘proprietary brand’ of the Good Word. There won’t be any more needs or human frailties when they respond to our altar call. We’ll convince them that they can have it all.”
    And what happens when the health and prosperity is not forthcoming? These false teachers lead their followers to bitter disappointment when the promises given are not fulfilled. And it is usually blamed upon a lack of faith in the believer or at it’s worst - God! Men and women like Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Crefalo Dolar, Benny Hinn, and Rod Parsley cannot (and DO NOT) muster the providence of God Almighty and bestow it upon the deceived. These modern charlatans exhibit all the same satanic shortcomings that the Jews did in Paul’s day: envy, contradiction, blasphemy, and opposition to the true word of God, all because they recognized the people’s desire to know Jesus Christ! They recognize it and have chosen to market it! Is it possible that there is something they have missed, a point in holy scripture that warns against such bold and arrogant articulation of a false gospel?
    “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29.
    May we always keep our hearts and minds focused on the truly Good News of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, despite the satanic murmurings of false teachers.

Molehills and Mountains - Ephesians 4:14

. . . that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting . . . - Ephesians 4:14

    Thankfully I can say that it is not often that I see questions posted in this community which tend to be on the chaffing side of the Christian walk. These questions do not  outright challenge the foundations of our faith yet they are cleverly manipulated inquiries designed to sow discord. The answers to most of such questions are readily available in nearly any basic book on Christian theology.
    The test, as it were, seems to be either to draw us into a fruitless conversation about basic truths we all understand as Christians or to undermine and create doubts as to what we believe. For the life of me I cannot see how presenting such loaded questions accomplishes anything more than splitting hairs about the less important doctrines we either hold or reject. What kind of music is appropriate for worship? Which form of baptism is the correct form?  How often must we celebrate the Lord’s Supper? Is it sinful for a Christian to drink alcohol? These and a myriad of other inconsequential questions rise on occasion, and I thank the Lord it is only on occasion!
    Some might disagree with me that such questions have no place in the edification of fellow believers; however, when it comes to simple doctrinal disputes and differences,  molehills can quickly become mountains if we are not careful.
    “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” - Philippians 3:15-16. As believers we must concentrate on what Christ has provided for us through the grace of God: salvation! Edifying one another is not up for dispute; it is our role as Christians to encourage one another, not sow discord. “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” - Romans 14:19.
    And what of those who choose to distract us with their clever machinations?
    “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.” - 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
    May we always be more motivated by Christian love to move toward edification rather than conflict.

The Arrogance of Doubt - Isaiah 55:8

 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.”
- Isaiah 55:8

    Doubt. It was one of the most common human misgivings about God. For the unsaved - for those who do not believe - it is not unusual that they would question the very power, the very existence of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. And so when a tragedy like 911 occurs, or the shootings at Columbine or Newtown, or the beheading of innocent men at the hands of Muslim extremists . . . or the death of a loved one, many are quick to question why God would allow such things to happen.
    By our human sin-nature we have been programmed to believe that we can deduce the reason for anything that happens in the world; so when something happens that we simply can’t explain it is difficult for us to process. And far too often we avoid the old principle known as Occam’s Razor (and I am paraphrasing): when multiple explanations are given, the simplest (and most obvious) one is usually correct. The reason we avoid coming to conclusions based on the O.R. principle is because God is all too often the answer! But herein lies the conundrum for most people, believers included - why would an all-powerful and all-loving God allow terrible tragedies to occur? It is within these moments of doubt that our arrogance rises.
    ‘Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.’ - Deuteronomy 32:39. Never wonder; never doubt; never conspire to discover “why.” It is the epitome of arrogance for us to question God’s intent or motives. How dare we do so? Such behavior suggests we are sovereign, not God! Regardless of our pain, bewilderment, and anguish we must remember that God is in charge; God is in control; God has a plan and those plans often lead us to moments of consternation.
    Yes, God has ordains all that takes place in the universe . . . including the evil that overcomes us at times. The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. - Proverbs 16:4. We cannot understand it nor are we supposed to in our lifetimes. Lest we forget - there are many who will never understand even the obvious. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” - Deuteronomy 29:29.
    We must remember that God is all the time working for righteousness and goodness throughout His creation. If we remain faithful to our calling we shall also remember - 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. We may not realize it at the time but we must remain faithful to the end. God will never abandon those who have faith in Jesus Christ! “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” - 1 Peter 4:12-13.
    Jesus Christ has given us His solemn promise: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33. Have faith in the Lord. Those who don’t will forever flounder in the morass of doubt and condemnation. In their arrogance, they will shake their fist at heaven and demand answers that will forever escape them.
    The day will surely come when the faithful will find rest in God’s assurance - “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4.
    For those of us who believe and have faith in God we already have the answer that all too often eludes those who deny Him. God has already explained Himself, though he need never do so - “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:9
     May our doubts and misgivings forever be quenched by our everlasting faith in Jesus Christ.

To Glorify God? - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. -
1 Corinthians 10:31

    Indeed, what does it mean to glorify God? I think of the concept and even say it often enough but do I truly understand what it is to glorify God? The term “glorify” coming from the Hebrew and the Greek are reflected in the words: great, heavy, honor and magnify. Glory is therefore something of great value. Glory, in Greek, comes from dóksa (dokeō). This is where “doxology” comes from: to praise God.
    So when we worship or pray we are glorifying God, yes? But the apostle isn’t talking about worshiping or prayer. He is saying “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” and he prefaces this command with a mention of eating or drinking. So it is safe to say, in fact, it is crucial to say that everything we do should be done to the glory of God! Whether it is the way we eat or drink or speak or dress or conduct ourselves we are to do it all to the glory of God. And that, brothers and sisters, includes all modes of self-expression. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Colossians 3:17.
    So if we are to glorify God in all we do are we doing so in our daily lives or merely on Sunday, if at all? What ramifications does the command to glorify God have for us Christians in the 21st Century? Certainly there are many forms of  self-expression available to us in these days of Godlessness that in all probability do not “glorify God.” I believe it is incumbent upon us to re-evaluate those forms we deem harmless, or simply feel entitled to, despite scriptural notification. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. -
1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
    May we all begin again today to reflect upon the holiness and splendor of our God who has lovingly saved us through the blood of His own son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Blindfold of Satan - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

    It has been truthfully revealed to us that in the flesh we can do nothing to approach God. Our flesh is merely the outward sign of death, both physical and spiritual. This is the result of being born with “the sin nature.” Thanks to Adam’s failure to obey God’s command in the Garden of Eden we, as his descendants, all share one thing in common as human beings. It isn’t our language, our race, our ethnicity or any other physical human trait: it is the sin nature. So we are all born into this worldly life as equals . . . in sin. Unless we are quickened by the Holy Spirit we will all die in that sin. Why?
    First, as I stated , we all share the sin nature from birth. But there is another factor that stands in the way of our coming to Christ - the blindfold of Satan! Satan uses everything in his power to keep us from seeing the light of God’s grace. The devil knows that if he can keep us distracted with things of the flesh we will remain disinclined to seek God, and his plan has worked well since the dawn of time. “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” - John 1:5.
    So we run from the glory that is God because Satan has blinded us to “the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) When the holy Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to us we hide our eyes and close our ears and our hearts just as the devil has taught us. “Give me the world and the things that are of the world; things I can understand! We cry. Why? Because Satan has blinded us. We are born with no desire to see God and Satan reinforces that commitment to the flesh! “How then,” you ask, “is anyone saved?” - by the grace of God and only by the grace of God.
    Since we are dead in sin we cannot possibly do anything to save ourselves. God chooses to save us and accomplishes His heavenly will through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit quickens us and regenerates us into faithful believers in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Unless the Holy Spirit steps in to change our sinful hearts there can be no salvation.
This is the only way to salvation: the regeneration of the heart so that we come to believe and have a living faith in Jesus Christ. God chooses us; the Holy Spirit regenerates our hearts; Christ pays the price for our blindness and we are then free to see the glory of God! God - the Holy Spirit - Jesus Christ: this is grace. We don’t have to do anything; we can not do anything; we are powerless to do anything. The Holy Spirit, acting on God the Father’s behalf will open our eyes and our hearts to the saving act of self-sacrifice that Jesus Christ, God incarnate, provided for our eternal salvation.
    “How does this happen,” you ask? If your question comes from your sincere desire to know God . . . it has begun. The Holy Spirit has begun His work in you. Praise God for His love and grace! Others will walk away when you stay to hear that subtle voice in your heart. They will follow the flesh and blindly seek all the world has to offer. The blind of this world will walk unwittingly in darkness toward the pit, the lake of fire, but you walk in the light of Jesus Christ.
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),  finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” - Ephesians 5:8-10.
    May we all walk as children of light; it is both pleasing and acceptable to the Lord.
   

A Godly Civilized Life - 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. - 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

    Recent events reveal an America that no longer cares to work for its own bread. Street riots, violence for the sake of violence, destruction of other’s property, and the pillaging of other’s goods are earmarks of a society which no longer cares about the Godly ideas of living an orderly life, earning their own bread, or walking in Christian humility. And any man or woman bearing the Christian title, "Reverend" who supports such violent civil disobedience is no Christian, but merely a false teacher!
    Detractors of the above statement will be quick to insist that the law enforcement officers in the lead-up to such instances routinely overstep their authority and are prejudicial in serving justice. But if those citizens most often engaged in such disorderly conduct were to follow Paul’s straightforward and clearly understandable commands would such violent confrontations still occur? How? How could they possibly occur if people followed the simple rules Paul set forth in his letters to the Thessalonians.
    “ . . . that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:11 -12. Let’s take Paul’s message in its natural order: “aspire to lead a quiet life” - Paul is simply advising us that conflict and uproar do nor serve God’s ultimate purpose for our lives. “mind your own business” - more trouble is caused by people who tend to place their attention everywhere but where it belongs. We need to exemplify the Christian life by attending more to the Godly things in this life and less to the worldly! “work with your own hands” - every man or woman who is capable of working should be working, not making excuses why they can’t or won’t work. There is a  twofold result that comes from putting Paul’s advice to the test: first, not only do you show those around you that the Christian lifestyle is marked by responsible behavior including dutiful employment. Secondly, such a civil behavior and work ethic results in a man or a woman being able to “eat their own bread” as well as glorify God in the process. I’m sure that the smashing of windows and the pillaging of buildings has never glorified our Almighty God . . . and it never will! There is no social gospel at play in the world. There is no Black Liberation Theology. There is no Feminist Theology. There is no Gay Theology. God has never ordained such heresies. There is only the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that all those who seek heaven take 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 to heart so that we can be what we should be in the eyes of our neighbors, but most  importantly in the eyes of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Positive Gibberish - James 4:15

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” - James 4:15

    If you do any communicating on the social media I’m sure you have encountered something like this uncountable times: some computer enhanced photograph of a butterfly with iridescent wings and an elegantly written message overlaid upon the photo saying, “I am a good person.” Aside form being just one of thousands of inane ramblings the example represents what is known a as “positive affirmation.” Seems innocent enough . . . doesn’t it? But once again - the devil is in the details!
    The notion goes something like this: never utter anything negative and nothing negative can ever come into your life. Always think and speak positive thoughts and your life will always be positive . . ad nauseam.
    From a purely human point of view people who adhere to such nonsense are not only annoying but truly difficult to interact with in an adult manner. For example, they say “We don’t dwell on negative things.” The truth is - they never even consider the negative side of life . . . at least not openly, so a serious adult-oriented conversation is out of the question. They prefer to avoid conflict rather than to take a position and defend it. Their condescension usually precedes them into the room. And if, God forbid, you hold a different opinion than they do they will give you the impression they are merely tolerating your presence. Sound like anyone you know?
    Here’s the primary problem with these “New Age Thinkers” - and that’s what they are - these folks are the very ones who most often choose a “designer god” that they find appeals to them the most! “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”  -  Exodus 20:2-3. In addition to being a New Age product these positive affirmations are spiritually crippling and lead to more desperation when the desired results fail to materialize. Of course, the proponents of this satanic nonsense from Phineas Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy at the turn of the 20th Century to the modern Word Faith Movement - Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn - all subscribe to the erroneous notion that you can “speak” prosperity and health into your life.  The concept is also known as “The Law of Attraction” and has been spuriously promoted through people like Rhonda Byrne and her book, “The Secret”. From positive mental attitudes to mantra-like mindless repetitions, people are lured away from the only real source of truth and contentment: Jesus Christ.
    Those of us who believe in God’s Word know that regardless of our circumstances the will of God for us will triumph. “ . . . in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18. And why, as believing Christians would we not want God’s will to supercede our own worldly desires? Your kingdom come. Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:10.
    A young acquaintance of mine posted a “positive affirmation” by none other than Joyce Meyer the other day. I responded by suggesting that she pay a bit more attention to the belief systems of those she esteemed worthy of quoting: we are no longer “friends.”
     For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:11-13. May we always place our trust in God to see to our needs. Pray and accept that His will for us is part of His plan and His plan will not be thwarted regardless of any “affirmation” - positive or otherwise.

The Most Offensive Name - Acts 4:12

  “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12

    There is a word, a name, which the world finds so repugnant that it will seldom be tolerated anywhere in the public realm. It is a name that will get you removed from restaurants if you use it too often or too loudly. Castigation, rebuke, and ridicule will ultimately follow he who dares use the name without apology. Use this name at a social gathering at your own risk; you will soon find yourself carrying on a soliloquy rather than a conversation. It is a name so offensive that school boards have forbidden its use in the classroom and at graduation ceremonies. It is a name that is forbidden to be used in college debates. No politician today dares infuriate even a portion of his voter base by using it. State legislatures have been warned not to invoke this name prior to opening sessions. Military chaplains have been directed to refrain from using it as an invocation to our service men and women. What word, what name could possibly be so offensive as to be forbidden for use in the public and private sector?  There must be power and strength in this name for it to draw the ire and fear of those who oppose it’s use. What is this name which raises the hatred of the world at its mere mention? The name is JESUS!
    But why does the world hate the very name of Jesus? What is it about the name Jesus that raises the world’s animosity toward those bold enough to use it? In a word? Exclusivity!  “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” - Mark 16:16. How dare believers in the holy name of Jesus Christ suggest they have an exclusive engagement with salvation! “You shall have no other gods before Me.” - Exodus 20:3.
    In this post-modernist age which promotes tolerance of anything, multi-culturalism, and “diversity at any cost” the mere notion that there is only one way to do anything, especially one path to eternal salvation, is enough to start a riot among those who profane the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Christianity is far too exclusive for the modern mind-set. How dare we suggest that there is only one way to heaven!  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14. This is one of the lynch-pins to the offense of Christ’s name: it is HE who declares the exclusivity of the one path to salvation. We Christians merely echo it. In this lies the fundamental source of the world’s hatred for Christ and His believers. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” - John 15:18.
    One might question the world’s hatred for Christ. “Why would the world hate Jesus, whose message was one of peace, love and forgiveness?” It is because of Christ’s underlying message that salvation comes by Him and Him alone! What about Buddhists and Muslims and Mormons and Wiccans? See the title verse for the explanation - there is no salvation except through Jesus Christ . . . period! If in doubt, review Exodus 20:3.
    Do not misconstrue the message: you may believe what you like. You may worship as you please, but without belief in Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will not spend eternity in heaven. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” - John 14:6. Herein lies the blackened heart of the enmity between the world and Jesus Christ: the refusal to believe in Him!
    May those of us who do believe in the exclusivity of Christ’s assurance for our salvation pray that others also come to believe!