Finding Our Identity In Christ - Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God . . . - Ephesians 2:19

    The current political trend is for people of various persuasions in America to identify themselves as members of a particular group, ergo we often see the term in the news and on the internet, ‘identity group’ in relation to ‘identity politics’. The group itself can range anywhere from climate-change warriors to racial pride entities to non-binary cliques to wealth redistribution associations. In fact, the variety of such diverse factions creates quite an antagonistic environment politically, socially, and culturally. It seems that there is always one identity group pitted against its opposite. And we shake our heads, wondering why we just can’t all get along. Apparently, we have forgotten -"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. We are all, men, and women, rich, poor, Black, White, Asian, and every other race, and ethnicity, created in God’s image.
    People today spend far too much of their time arguing and disputing over worldly issues that no child of God should ever entertain. We seem to be at odds with one another again, in spite of Christ’s own admonition to us. “Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:29-31. Clearly, most of us are not doing this! For instance, when we seek to circumvent or ‘step around’ God’s designs by delving into sexual ambiguity or outright opposition to His plan for mankind, both in terms of sexual behavior and in terms of defined gender, we are committing a direct transgression against God. We are insolently telling Him, “No, we will not accept your disposition for our lives. We know better than you do!”
     On the other hand, when we are pitting ourselves against one another, trying to gain an advantage, and take more of God’s providence than we are blessed with, we are not loving our neighbors as ourselves. I can reasonably assure you that should one group attain supremacy over all the others, it would not be long before there would be a schism within that group, where brother would be fighting against brother. This is the ultimate conclusion to human identity politics; there is no reconciliation among godless men and there never will be. Sinful man, by his very nature, will never know peace through legislation, coercion, intimidation, threats, or terror.
    So I challenge you to think of a world where every man and woman finds their identity in Christ Jesus. In this ‘best of all possible worlds,’ we would find agreement through forgiveness - “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:31-32.   
    There is only one way we could ever hope for such a world, rid of prejudice and hatred, and that is through our identification in Jesus. “. . . for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:26-28. Our true ‘identity’ is in Christ the Lord and nowhere else! If we refuse to identify with Jesus, we are revealing our collaboration with the devil.
    What would it take for men and women to become part of this identity in Christ? We must acknowledge the truth in our minds before the truth can pierce our hearts. “Do not be conformed to this world, but, be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”- Romans 12:2. The Apostle tells us not to be conformed to the ways of this world and that we are to be changed to know what is good,  not according to our will but to the will of God.
“But that is not the way you learned Christ!—  assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” - Ephesians 4:20-25.
    We must all begin to abandon ‘identity politics’ and the divisiveness it insists upon and start identifying with Jesus Christ, the only true source of the brotherhood of man.


                                   

COVID-19: “The Roaring Lion” - Jeremiah 14:7

“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.” - Jeremiah 14:7

    The fear is as real as it is current. Coronavirus or COVID-19, as the World Health Organization refers to it, is now making its way around the globe. I will not quote numbers of new cases as that number changes daily; however, the virus has made itself felt in no less than forty-nine nations as of today’s date. It is quickly reaching the likelihood of being called a pandemic. According to Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, “It’s a matter of time, but I think that it’s only days or weeks from the World Health Organization calling this [COVID-19] a pandemic.” So, without histrionics or over-dramatization, it is safe to say that the Coronavirus is becoming a disease of historical significance.
    Although the exact number of fatalities is impossible to estimate at this time, the best guess for the virus stands at about 2% according to the WHO; lower than for SARS (9.6%) but more than the Swine Flu (0.02%). So, with all that we know about this strange disease and all that we have yet to know about it, how should Americans view the threat? “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”- Psalm 34:17.
    Our title verse is a cry for help from God’s chosen people, the Hebrews. So while the situation doesn’t involve the gentile masses or unbelievers, there is still a profound lesson to be learned here by all. The Hebrews recognized their sinful transgressions against God as the source of their problems, they called upon God to act for His “name’s sake” so that the unbelievers wouldn’t be able to mock Him and ridicule His name because of the tribulations of His people. Now, if the Hebrews’ recognition of their iniquities were enough to bring them to their knees before God, what is keeping us from doing the same?
    I am not suggesting to anyone that prayer alone will bring the threat of COVID-19 to a conclusion because I don’t know the decretive will of God. Perhaps this is His way of chastening us. After all, it’s not like America, or the world for that matter “The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.” - Proverbs 10:27.
    The Hebrews, in their painful supplication, acknowledged their backslidings and their sins. Now, while the unbelieving public is not backsliding, they are sinning against God. How, you dare ask? Let me count the ways, and be assured that many Christians are guilty of the same; we advocate for abortion, homosexuality, immodesty in thought, word, and deed; idolatry, heresies too numerous to count; greed, laziness, pride, arrogance, adultery, loose sexual behavior; the list is far too grand to document all our iniquities. And we have the nerve to question why a good, loving, and gracious God would allow such a terrifying disease like COVID-19 to “prowl around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour?”
    So what is left for us to do? One might heed the words of Scripture, remembering when God spoke to His people - “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?” - Deuteronomy 12-13.
    We must continue to use the science God has graciously infused into our universe to combat, cure, and conquer this dread disease in addition to prayerfully seeking both repentance and the wise and righteous fear of the Lord. Only then will we be armed to courageously face that roaring lion!
is living a God-fearing life.
 https://maranathia.blogspot.com/

The Christian Sabbath Desire - Matthew 18:20

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” - Matthew 18:20

    I hear from a lot of nominal or ‘professing Christians’ that they don’t need to attend Sunday or Sabbath services. They confidently proclaim that God knows they are Christians and that God knows what is in their hearts. I, being a finite and fallen human being, do not. That being said, I turn to the pages of the Book of Acts to find their justification and I cannot find support for their assertions. In fact, I find support for their belief nowhere in the Bible. I find just the opposite - “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.” - Acts 2:1
    The Christian church has been in existence since before Jesus Christ declared its existence to His apostles. “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:18. And as surely as the church belongs to Christ, we as His followers are due bound to attend it. The notion that it is unnecessary to attend worship services is a heresy common in our age of distractions.
    The church has always existed, even before the beginning of time. We know this because from before the dawn of time, God chose His church. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” - Romans 8:29-30. The elect are God’s chosen people - “His church.”
    There is not one biblical description of a solitary follower of Christ who avoids or ignores fellowship with his Christian brothers and sisters and still maintains his status as a faithful follower of Jesus. Not one! The Bible instructs us that fellowship is equally yoked with the hearing of Apostolic teaching and the Lord’s Supper; the tri-fold definition of Christian worship. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” - Acts 2:42
    So why have these singular professors of the faith decided that weekly worship is not a requirement for the Christian? I’m certain that if confronted by a church-going Christian, these professors would react both defensively and with rationalization when they respond. Some of the mitigation would point to the fact that they have not found a suitable church. I agree; it took me years to find a gospel preaching God-inspired church that met my needs and core beliefs. But the answer is not to simply stop searching!
    Many will say that it is simply not convenient for them to drop all their worldly duties (or desires) for an hour or two each Sunday. I’m afraid I don’t even know how to respond to that. But to be fair, this excuse is often fueled by simply laziness.
    Some, if approached properly, will admit that they see a certain stigma associated with regular attendance to church. I would pray that there is. A Christian should be known as a ‘churchgoer’, exhibiting all the godly behavior that is associated with the name.
    One thing that such a person should avoid is spreading their heresy among others. Deliberately declaring the erroneous belief that weekly church attendance is unnecessary for a Christian may present a dangerous pitfall for someone seeking God. Let us all remember the words of Mark  - “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” - Mark 9:42.
    So we return to the initial declaration that a Christian need not attend weekly services.  This is a most deplorable state for someone who claims to be a Christian. It falls in with the suggestion that a Christian may sin as he or she will because ‘God knows my heart’. Indeed, He does. We must understand the gravity of that statement.
    Merely behaving in a civil manner doesn’t make one a true Christian any more than not killing your neighbor makes you a good person. Just being a good citizen doesn’t entitle one to a ticket to Paradise. Nor does weekly church attendance out of a sense of duty. There must be a true desire to be with the Lord! A day of worship should be the desire of every God-fearing Christian.
     We must celebrate church fellowship in the manner it was meant to be, “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:46-47
   

Heart Failure: Idolatry - Ecclesiastes 2:3

I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. - Ecclesiastes 2:3

    Despite the technological advances; despite the increased health and wealth of the last 200 years, we remain unhappy and unfulfilled. It’s like the fact that the U.S. has more home exercise machines than any other nation in the world and we are still by far the most obese people on the planet.
    Our restlessness engulfs us in spite of the innovations and inventions mankind has developed and we continue to futilely search for ‘the next big thing.’ How many times have we thought, “If I could only acquire this or that, I would truly be happy?” And the moment we obtain our heart’s desire - we begin to search for something else, something greater. We want more. Coveting is the drive-train behind our dissatisfaction in life. And we know what God’s word on coveting. It is clear. “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” - Exodus 20:17. Coveting gets us nothing but frustration and condemnation.   
    I have been to many a funeral and have never seen a hole dug large enough to bury the man and his possessions. There was no room for his expensive cars and toys. There was no room for his many relationships. There was no room for his successes or failures. There was no room for anything but him and his sin if he died unrepentantly. Are we all not the same? And what will we take out of this world that we did not bring into it? Our opinions? Our egos? I’m afraid a six-foot hole in the ground isn’t big enough. The fact is: we take nothing with us. “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” - Genesis 3:19.
    We are all constantly seeking; it is in our human nature to seek. But what we seek is what defines us both in the eyes of our fellow men and in the eyes of God. A self-aggrandizing man will be recognized by his contemporaries just as surely as a man who seeks God. So it is not the seeking that is wrong but what we in fact seek. “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” - 1 Timothy 6:9.
    How often can a man set aside riches and possessions before he realizes that seeking such worldly assets will never bring him the joy that only God provides? Jesus even extolled the idea of heaven as a greater dominion than earthly wealth. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” - Matthew 6:31-33. We have already been told that everything we receive in this lifetime comes from God. There is no confusion here. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17. No matter what it is, it comes to us exclusively from God, no matter what lies we are told by this world. “John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.’” - John 3:27.
    If all providence is bestowed upon us by God then why would we worship anything or anyone else? Jesus Himself warned us of the consequences of placing too much emphasis on our worldly possessions and by implication, our desires for them. “And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”- Luke 12:15.
    As fallen human beings we simply must keep focus on the things of this life that truly matter and not on those things we merely desire. We desperately need to discern between the things of this world and the things of God. “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” - 1 John 2:16.
    We would all be wise to remember the advice of Jesus Christ - “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21. Idolatry is truly a form of heart failure.

The Prayer That God Hears II - Isaiah 1:15

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. - Isaiah 1:15

    Stories of some curiously ‘Spiritless’ people praying to God have been in the news reports. When I say ‘Spiritless’ I simply mean people who, by their associations and in the case of politicians, their voting record are unabashedly unholy. Much like the Reeses© Cup commercials of late they are very quick to say, “Not sorry.” Many of these people proudly speak of their Christianity and boldly declare that they are “very good Christians” or that their “faith guides” their decisions. It is clear that these ‘clouds without wind and rain’ apparently hold a very low view of Holy Scripture. If the Bible is true (and I believe it is, every word), they are going to be in for a serious disappointment on Judgment day. “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works . . .” - Romans 2:5-6.
    So the cry goes forth - “Whose prayers does God hear?” Perhaps a bit more study of Holy Scripture would clear that confusion up for them. Whoever does God’s will is a sure indicator of whose prayers God hears. “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” - John 9:31. Not much ambiguity there. God has made it clear that we must obey Him and His law. We will slip and stumble at times but God knows our repentant hearts just as surely as He knows the unrepentant heart of a recalcitrant sinner. And that unrepentant sinner’s prayers will not be heard! “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” - Proverbs 28:9. The great Book of Proverbs goes even further - “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” - Proverbs 15:29.
    As God’s people, we are even cautioned about praying like the unrepentant do. No matter what such a man or woman prays; no matter how long their prayers happen to be, no matter how eloquent their words might be - God will not hear them! “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” - Matthew 6:7.
    We are told how we should pray. In ‘spirit and in truth.’ That is why unrepentant sinners are also ‘Spiritless.’ “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:24.
    We must come into God’s presence as we are drawn by the Holy Spirit, who is at work in our hearts. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” - James 4:8. We are told that we cannot entire into God’s presence if we are determined to remain ‘double-minded.’ We can’t ask God for His blessings if we continue to deliberately sin. We must be ‘in the Spirit’ for God to even hear our supplications. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
    It is simply not enough for a person to say, “Oh, I will pray for him, her, or them.” If the supplicant is a remorseless and unrepentant sinner, the prayer will not be heard by God in heaven! The Bible has made this point abundantly clear and we would be derelict if we were to ignore the warnings. When we come to God in contrite humility, He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:19. Until we are cleansed by God from our sins our prays will not be heard.
    Politicians would be wise to understand this eternal truth. We too can profit from such godly wisdom. Let us always remember the prayer that God hears.

Domestic Abuse of Spouses - Colossians 3:19

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. - Colossians 3:19

    The subject of domestic violence is one that turns the stomach of anyone decent human being whether they be Christian or not. No rational or considerate person can look at the emotional or physical abuse of another human being without it deeply affecting his or her sense of empathy and compassion. Scripture is especially clear when it comes to the mistreatment of one’s spouse whether it be the wife or the husband. Both harsh words and physical treatment of one another violate God’s perfect plan for marriage.
    Holy Scripture explicitly tells us of God’s position on abuse. “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.” - Psalm 140:12. A spouse need not concern themselves with a marriage covenant made with the offending mate when they are the victim of such abuse. Abuse, no matter what form it takes, violates the sacred bond of matrimony as biblically defined. A battered spouse or mate can no more be expected to remain in an unsafe environment than they can be expected to deliberately submit themselves to physical or emotional torture. Such brutish treatment is not only a game-changer; it is a game-ender. Any person who physically batters or emotionally tortures another has effectively ended any relationship that previously existed!
    Scripture has declared to us what God’s view of marriage is and God’s view is not to be scoffed at or ignored. “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’” - Ephesians 5:28-31.
    One has to wonder if a man and a woman become one flesh, why would either so blatantly disrespect or abuse the other? It isn’t rational for a person to deliberately abuse themself. What kind of convoluted logic would one have to engage in to justify this kind of abuse?
    The bond that is formed between a man and a woman in marriage is precious - it is invaluable. Why would a person break something of value in their lives, unless, of course, the item had lost its value or it was simply no longer precious to them? When a person abuses their marriage partner, it becomes clear that, in both heart and mind, they are loveless and have already left the marriage covenant. In the case of a Christian marriage, the abusing mate shows such a low view of God’s design for marriage that he or she might as well be an unbeliever. Remember, the oath of marriage includes providing for our spouses both physically and emotionally. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” - 1 Timothy 5:8.
    Following this line of logic, two distinctive characteristics can be seen by what has taken place; one, the offending mate has shown beyond a shadow of doubt that they are not true believers and two, in their minds the marriage is, for all intents and purposes, over. At this point, short of an intervention that results in a ‘miraculous’ positive attitude change in both heart and mind, the marriage is finished. The victim of the abuse, though physically and emotionally pained and heartbroken, may walk away from the failed marriage without fear of violating God’s covenant and turn to Him for strength and support in their tribulations. “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” - Psalm 9:9
    No one would ever suggest that a marriage is so trivial a relationship that it can be skipped away like a stone across the surface of a pond. The civil magistrates hold that marriage is a legal institution in addition to or in place of any religious consideration. Marriage, separation, and divorce are all costly both in the short term and the long. Marriage should not even be a consideration between two people, let alone faithfully and /or legally entered into unless both a man and a woman are committed to one another for life. Perhaps it all goes back to Paul’s spiritually discerned description of  true Godly love. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
    To the victims of domestic abuse - turn to God and do whatever you must do to separate yourselves from the physical and emotional danger of a loveless and violent partner.