American Idols - Joshua 24:23

  
 “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel.” - Joshua 24:23.

    I have heard it said that Christians in America suffer from circumstances  similar to the Jews in Egypt. Personally, I believe the parallel is dubious at best. In particular, I cite one major reason for the failure of this example. Idolatry.
    In Egypt there was a pantheon of idols. The Egyptians called them “gods,” but make no mistake: they were nothing if they weren’t idols. Even the Pharaoh was worshiped as a god. But who did the Israelites worship? “And he blessed Joseph, and said: ‘God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” - Genesis 48:15-16. Clearly the God of Abraham was the sole focus of the Israelites in Egypt. It was indeed the clearest indicator of an Israelite; so clear that the Pharaoh was easily able to identify the Chosen People and thus mark them for bondage. “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage - in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.” - Exodus 1:12-14.
    The Israelites in Egypt were set aside (made holy?) for persecution and enslavement because they were fruitful and mighty . . . and they worshiped the one true God of Abraham. So how does this concept translate to modern day America? The fact is - it doesn’t; it can’t because Christians today are barely distinguishable from the idol worshipers of this nation. Remember: the Israelites were easily recognized and easily observed because they worshiped the one true God, not idols.
    While we no longer worship the gods of rain or the gods of prosperity or the gods of health, we still worship enough idols in America to be virtually indistinguishable from those who we dare call “unbelievers.” Face it, unless we speak of our faith in Jesus Christ how many of us would actually be perceived as such based solely on our outward behavior?
“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” - Romans 13:13-14.
    It was by the way the Israelites walked that the Egyptians were so easily able to ostracize them and enslave them. They walked as Abraham and Isaac walked before God. Are we not called today to do the same? “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” - 1 John 2:6.
    No, the Israelites in Egypt were not perfect, nor are we but we have been called to make such perfection our sanctifying goal. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” - Matthew 5:48. Can you imagine the effect on this nation if just we Christians could walk as we have been instructed to walk? “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?"  - 2 Corinthians 6:14.
    Let us today put away our American idols so that all the world can see us as a people set apart by God almighty. “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” - Colossians 2:6-7.

The Hand Of God - Isaiah 43:13

“Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it? ” - Isaiah 43:13.

    I have deliberately declined to post anything for the past week to allow for the post-election hysteria to level off. Apparently, a week hasn’t been enough. Will it take a month? A year? I can’t answer those questions nor do I care to. What is more important to remember is that God has ordained a new President just as He ordained the last President and every President since the inauguration of George Washington. Despite our hopes and votes the man or woman who sits in the Oval Office must, by virtue of God’s sovereignty, be His choice and not necessarily ours. “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” - Psalm 115:3.
    There will be times in our frail human lives when it seems God’s presence is lacking. Be assured: it is not. He is here with us. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10. He is always here with us.
    Despite what we may perceive as a setback or as a blessing we must be assured that nothing takes place that is not within God’s will . . . nothing! Still, we fret, we worry, we have anxiety. What are we to do? “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7.
    And should the outcome of your concerns turn out in a way that pleases your heart, remember - “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” - Philippians 4:4. Let us all find peace and solace in knowing that nothing that comes to pass ever happens without the hand of God behind it.

On The Authority Of Scripture - Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. - Isaiah 40:8

    Four hundred ninety-nine years ago a German monk nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, starting what would become the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther had no idea what his actions on that day would bring. What he did know was that the Roman church was claiming for itself what belonged rightfully to God and God alone! “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
    Luther’s blunt and often crude style was merely grist for the Roman clergy, including Pope Leo X who lashed out at the Augustinian monk, charging - “Lastly, arise, ye assembly of saints, the holy Church of God, and intercede with the Almighty! There is a wild boar in the vineyard of the Lord." Personality and manners aside, Luther was hardly a ‘wild boar.’ Martin Luther was a man possessed by the knowledge of what Holy Scripture had to say regarding justification by faith and by faith alone. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” - Romans 3:28.  Regardless of the legalistic smoke and mirrors put forward by the Roman church, Luther saw that it was indeed faith that justifies and not works nor the purchase of indulgences as prevaricated by “church authorities.”
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God . . .” - Ephesians 2:8. Scripture is replete with the truth of God’s grace; a grace that can neither be earned nor bought nor sold. God’s promise is His word. We need nothing more. We can only accept His grace and praise His mercy upon us sinners. Have a blessed Reformation Day!

The Christian Resistance: A Biblical Mandate - Psalm 30:9

“What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” - Psalm 30:9
                  
    With the Presidential Election right around the corner, there has been a plethora of sermons and messages by many pastors, both mainstream evangelicals and reformed, even (dare I say it) Calvinists, who are again preaching God’s ultimate sovereignty. Let me stress this point immediately: I agree whole heartedly! There is no argument against God’s sovereignty here. But while I agree with that message there is still an undefined and, for reasons still unknown to me, pervasive refusal on the part of these pastors and men of God to preach that there is no Biblical mandate for any of us to become dead martyrs.
    While dying rather than denying our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a Christian duty, we don’t have to willingly drink the Kool-Aid or walk the plank. Certainly, there may come a day when we are called to become martyrs for Christ and it is my fervent prayer that the Holy Spirit would then bless us with the fortitude to suffer torture and/or death, even a terrifying death for the sake of our faith. But if fighting for our lives is a viable option then I would also pray that all of us would be willing to do so. “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.” - Proverbs 25:26.
    God has called us to do many things in this life, our present life in the flesh. From mankind’s very beginning God commanded us to “live,” not die - “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:28. And what was man to do here in this earthly life?
    The very first question posted in the Westminster Larger Catechism is -
Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. To glorify and enjoy God, breathing life is an absolute requirement for us if we are to carry out this commission - “Will You work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise You? Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” - Psalm 88:10-12.
    One of our primary duties in this life is to praise Him. And while we will certainly sing praises to God when we are glorified we are also called to do so now, in this life of the flesh. If we are dead and in the grave we can no longer witness to those who remain -  “The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.” - Psalm 115:17. “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?” - Psalm 6:5.
    So it is clear from Holy Scripture that man is not called to be a sacrifice for the Gospel . . . but to live and preach it! But what of the coming persecution of the Church? We have ISIS murdering Christians by the thousands in the Middle East while one of the candidates running for the Presidency of the United States said the following on 6/10/16 at a Planned Parenthood fund raiser -
— "I would like to see Planned Parenthood even get more funding."
— "Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed."
— "The unborn person doesn't have Constitutional rights."
— "The only people that I would ever appoint to the Supreme Court are people who believe that Roe V. Wade is settled law."
    Persecution is a real possibility . . . even in this country. So what are we Christians to do? The Bible offers us these words of wisdom - “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” - Romans 12:18. The issuance is certainly clear: as long as we find it possible to remain at peace, we should do so. But what if we are finally pushed against the wall and told to surrender our belief in Jesus Christ . . . or die? Well, our Lord Jesus has His own words of advice for us as per Luke 22:36 - “Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.” A sword? What are we to do with such a weapon of war? “And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’” - Nehemiah 4:14.
    In a post from 1/8/16 on the blog, “Answers In Genesis,” author Steve Ham (brother of Creationist, Ken Ham) wrote - “This is not to say that the only option a Christian has when being faced with persecution is to kneel and die. Seeking appropriate aid or fleeing, for instance, are options, and other times Christians may need to take up arms to defend the weak. But when the only option left is renouncing one’s faith in Christ or facing death, a true Christian, as many have in the past, would be enabled by the Holy Spirit to face the consequences as a possible martyr for Christ.”
    What we Christians may face in the very near future could be a level of persecution not seen since the genocide committed against our Jewish brothers and sisters in Nazi Germany. Should defensive options be denied us and we be called to lose our lives rather than deny our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, then may we be empowered to give our lives for our faith!  But should we find the opportunity - “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” - Ecclesiastes 9:10. And praise our almighty God - “For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father shall make known Your truth to the children.” Isaiah 38:18-19.

Christ’s Winepress - Revelation 19:15

Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  - Revelation 19:15

    The next time you hear someone minimizing the attributes of Jesus Christ by erroneously limiting Him to love and mercy alone, you might want to point them to the title verse of this post.
True, our Lord and Savior is indeed a God who loves us immeasurably and by His grace grants us sinners his mercy. Our entire salvation is built upon God’s love and mercy. However, that salvation is granted only to those who obey His words - “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” - 1 John 2:3-6. Yes, love plays a great role in our salvation. Yet, for those who do not keep His commandments there is wrath -  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” - Matthew 7:21.
    Many “professing Christians” are all about “the love.” Not many prefer to consider the winepress of fierceness. And yet it is all there in black and white, repeated plainly and boldly throughout the Holy Bible - “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” - Matthew 3:12. “I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” - Revelation 2:23. Kind of empties that “all love and no wrath theory,” doesn’t it?   
    No, the composition of the 66 books known as the Bible, still make up one story - the story of God’s love and compassion for His creation and the covenant of grace that He, out of that infinite love, offers to us. As the Holy Spirit enlightens our hearts and the blood of Christ Jesus covers our sins we are forgiven by God’s mercy. But we must accept our salvation on God’s terms, not our own. We don’t define our Savior nor do we choose Him: He chooses us! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love . . .” - Ephesians 1:3-4.
    So you see: God is love, the ultimate love, but His love does not come without a cost -
 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.” - Luke 14:28. The cost. Counting the cost; and that includes carrying our own crosses so that we can walk just as he walked in obedience. Try to keep this item in mind: all of the verses I have used to illustrate God’s wrath come from the New Testament. Many folks claim that the New Testament and its emphasis on love replaces the Old Testament and its stories of genocide, fire, and brimstone. Well, based on the verses above and scores more, that simply isn’t a tenable position for a true believer to take and try to defend.
    God indeed has expectations of us. He has even given us His commands. Perfection He does not expect but “direction” He does! That is why, “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. The implication is undeniable: we are to walk in the way, the truth, and the life. We must all stop this nonsense of believing in a God who is nothing but love, for that is a God of our own invention. The one true God has described Himself; He has spoken to us clearly and decisively . . . in both Old and New Testaments -  the Bible; His word in its entirety!

The Right Person For The Job - 1 Kings 5:6

   
 Now therefore, command that they cut down cedars for me from Lebanon; and my servants will be with your servants, and I will pay you wages for your servants according to whatever you say. For you know there is none among us who has skill to cut timber like the Sidonians.
- 1 Kings 5:6

    I have always been a firm believer that God chooses and uses people from a variety of backgrounds to accomplish His will. From Rahab, a harlot, to Pilate, a Roman governor, God has used people of varying beliefs and unbelief to work His sovereign  plans.
    When Solomon began building the Temple, he enlisted the help of King Hiram of the Sidonians, a people who made no bones about worshiping Baal among others in their polytheistic religion. This Phoenician religion often included temple prostitution and child sacrifice. And while there existed a friendship between Hiram and Solomon’s father, King David, there was never any suggestion, stated or implied, that the Sidonians considered the God of Israel to be among those they worshiped.
    So why did Solomon enlist the help of a people who worshiped Canaanite gods; especially when Joshua had been given the command to slaughter these very people without mercy and to utterly destroy them? “So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.” - Joshua 10:40.
    Using the Bible to discover the intent behind Solomon’s contract with King Hiram and the Sidonians, the only plausible reason was because as our title verse contends - there were none among the Hebrews who were as skilled at cutting wood as these people from the area known today as Lebanon. Solomon’s desire to build the most magnificent temple for the one true God required the use of those who were the very best artisans to do the job, regardless of either their beliefs or reputations. Solomon looked beyond the headlines of the day. He looked beyond the religious shortcoming of Hiram and his people. He looked at the big picture. “Then Solomon sent to Hiram king of Tyre, saying: ‘As you have dealt with David my father, and sent him cedars to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me.’” - 2 Chronicles 2:3. Solomon looked at the overall ability of King Hiram and his people. He looked at what they had done in their previous dealings with King David and the Israelites. Hiram and the Sidonians had proven themselves capable of fulfilling a contractual agreement. As a result of Solomon’s choices, the magnificent temple that rose was to become his crowning achievement.
    Of Hiram, all we can say is that while  the Bible does not imply he was a true believer, he did at least respect the God of Israel and there was never any recorded enmity between himself and King Solomon or the people of Israel. Hiram was a Phoenician and practiced the religion of the people he ruled. Solomon in his wisdom knew what Hiram represented but he also knew that their deal was for wood to be harvested and sent to Israel . . . period! Solomon wasn’t hiring a “Sunday school teacher.” Sometimes, when it comes to the people we have to work with, our choices are limited, especially when getting the job done is the priority.
    Selecting the right person for “the job” may often include vetting many of dubious character, based not so much on their religious convictions, but more on their innate ability to accomplish and follow what God has declared right for the people of a nation. Solomon used a pagan to help build a temple to our most holy God.
     On November 8th, 2016,  I leave it to you to decide for yourself who the right person is for the job of leading our nation into the future; who the right person is to protect our nation; who the right person is to protect our religious convictions; who the right person is to protect our children’s lives; who the right person is to defend our God given liberties.
    May the Holy Spirit Himself drive our understanding and our discernment on that momentous day for the future of our nation. God bless us all.

Shelter From The Storm - Mark 4:39

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. - Mark 4:39

    After leaving work to prepare for Hurricane Matthew, I set in to put my steel awnings up around the windows of the house. My wife and a neighbor lady assisted me as we separated the awning pieces then hung them in a deliberate manner until the house was secure. We then went to the neighbor’s house and helped her do the same. Despite the growing threat and the natural anxiety I faced, I have continued to pray for God’s blessing of safe passage for us all. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7.
    There are times when, like Christ’s disciples, we experience fear and trepidation during stressful times in our lives. For anyone who has ever had to stay in place during a major hurricane in Florida I’m certain you understand the feeling. But with diligence of heart and faith in Christ we need never fear - “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” - Psalm 27:1.
    We need not fear the storms of this life if we trust in God. “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.
    And while we find ourselves floundering in a tumultuous sea with the wind howling about us, we must 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. God Himself has assured us of His continuous presence in our lives - “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9.
    Let us always remember that in God we truly have shelter from the storm.