What Sin? - Psalm 103:10

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. - Psalm 103:10

    If we were to sit down with a pen and a pad of paper, and we took our time; could we list all the ways in which we have sinned in the past week or day? Most folks wouldn’t even know how to start counting the many ways we sin in our daily lives; after all, what is sin? “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent . . . .” - Acts 17:30.
    In response to the question, we see the look of confusion. What is he talking about? What sin? From the unbelieving, it is easy to understand such a question. But if you are a saved Christian, how could such words ever part your lips?
    As per definition - Sin is the breaking of God’s law, failing to do what God wills, or rebellion against God. Still confused? Jesus Christ said that it is not only the overt act of deliberately breaking God’s Commandments which results in sin but even the thoughts associated with such violations. Sin manifests itself first in the heart and the mind even if we never follow through with the acts. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” - Matthew 5:27-28.
    Ever had unkind thoughts about someone? Ever envied anyone? How about wasted time or stolen time at work? Ever told a “fib?” Ever “compromised” your heart by considering a wrong deed even though you didn’t act on it? I know it sounds daunting when you look at it this way. One might ask the question, “Well, who hasn’t committed a sin when you use these criteria?” It’s a good question and a fair question. The answer is just as transparent: there is no one who hasn’t sinned. “ . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” - Romans 3:23.
    A reasonable follow-up might be, “If everyone sins why doesn’t God immediately punish them?” That is nearly as dangerous an approach to the holiness of God as suggesting God isn’t “fair.” Trust me, brothers and sisters - when it comes to God’s judgment, you don’t want what’s fair; you want God’s mercy! Which is precisely why we should be “down on our knees grateful” that He hasn’t dealt with us according to our sins and iniquities.
    Speaking only for myself, I praise God for His merciful patience with me. I am thankful for His bountiful love for me as His wayward child. The “Prodigal Son,” has nothing on me. I have broken every Commandment, if not in action, then in spirit. When I see Christ Jesus hanging on His cross, I know that my sins helped make up His crown of thorns. I know that my sins helped push Him along the road to Golgotha. My sins helped drive the nails into His flesh. And my sins were upon that pointed spear. Dare I ask, “What sin?” And in so doing, am I not crucifying Christ again? “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.
    Obviously, as long as we remain in this life we will be prone to sin. While we are still in this world, on this side of glory, we will still have to deal with our sin nature. But rather than ignore our sins or pretend that we don’t “really sin,” we need to remember the words of 1 John 1:8 - “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  We only deceive ourselves! God is not fooled and His righteous anger is inflamed. Yet we can still feel the mercy of God. In Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, his number one position should be the life of every believer - “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ``Repent'' (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” Let us never ask in our ignorance, “What sin?” A life of repentance is a life lived acknowledging the holiness of our heavenly Father and a life lived in His mercy.
  

Mission Field or Killing Field? - Joel 3:9-10

Proclaim this among the nations: consecrate for war; stir up the mighty men. Let all the men of war draw near; let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” - Joel 3:9-10

    We often hear contemporary pastors and ministers talk about our “mission fields.” A mission field could be anything from our workplace (though most employers frown on sharing the Gospel on company time), to school, to our neighborhoods, to the sports team we play on ( see Tim Tebow), to the homeless shelter or prison ministries. In fact, our mission fields could come from any variety of sources. And we have been commanded to -  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” - Matthew 28:19.
    Unfortunately, contemporary evangelical churches most often fail to meet the criteria set by Jesus for the preaching of the Word, focusing on the singularity of love for everyone rather than focusing on the Cross. Even Jesus recognized that there would be areas of the mission field where the Word would be scattered atop barren ground. “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.” - Matthew 10:14.
    I differ from many of the pastors when it comes to referring to the most dangerous places on earth for Christians as our mission field. When faced with imminent threat of bodily harm or death I think it prudent to consider the value of allowing ourselves to be murdered merely for our identity as Christians. Yes! There will be times when our lives are required of us for the sake of the Gospel and the holy name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And when such a time may come upon us I would pray we all have the fortitude of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us for the persecution. But not all the time nor every time. Even Christ foresaw times when we would be less than judicious if we were to throw all caution to the wind. “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.’” - Luke 22:36.
    There are plenty of ministers who will claim this passage was meant by our Lord in a figurative manner, a most convenient exegesis to avoid the possibility of misinterpretation. When we read the whole of the passage from 22:35-38, we see that Christ was clearly telling His disciples that they would indeed need some worldly supplies after He left them. The sword was included. Period. It is not that Jesus was advocating for aggression and violence. He was merely informing the disciples that there may indeed come a time when weapons of war would be called for in the life of a Christian! “He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” - Psalm 18:34.
    As Christians, we are not under any command to willingly sacrifice the lives of our loved ones and our own lives as long as we can defend them and ourselves from physical violence. The painfully difficult act of becoming a martyr is being carried out across the world as we speak. And the exemplary blood of our martyred brothers and sisters is to be admired and commended, not re-mixed with our own blood unless absolutely and unavoidably necessary. But as long as we have the Spirit of God coursing through our souls we have a responsibility to do all in our power to avoid being murdered by the godless forces assaulting us. “A righteous man who falters before the wicked is like a murky spring and a polluted well.” - Proverbs 25:26.
    We must remember that God has given us both the power and the ability to defend ourselves from physical assault and we are to use both rather than squander the gifts that He has given us in time of need. “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” - Psalm 144:1.
    God has used men to further His decrees since the dawn of time. Dare we think the unchanging God of the Bible has changed? Will we go so far as to say, “God doesn’t work that way anymore?”“For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” - Malachi 3:6.
    So in what manner are we destined by God to defend ourselves when necessary? How are we to discern between the mission field where we preach the Gospel and the killing field where we lay down our lives in the name of Jesus Christ? Let us remember the great and Godly men of the Bible when we view the field in question. Men like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David. And remember most of all that God has ordained our actions from before the beginning of time. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: . . .  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8.
    There is no further need for self-sacrifice in the name of God. Our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ made the final sacrifice that guarantees the believer’s salvation. We can add nothing to the loving act of our Savior. Our actions can in no way assist in our salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9. May we always know the difference between our mission field and a killing field.

Faith Stronger Than Fear - Psalm 11:3

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? - Psalm 11:3

    Indeed. We are at once assaulted by the possibility “If” the foundations be destroyed, what can we do? When the truth and the basic moral fabric of our society fall to those who would seek our harm, what are we able to do? When the very foundations are perverted, inverted, and subverted, where can a righteous man or woman turn to seek remedy? At first look, we are confronted with the implausible, the impossible, the improbable, yet there it is, staring us in the face. What are we to do? David knew what to do.
    “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.” - Psalm 11:4-7. David looked to heaven where he beheld God in His glory testing the righteous and punishing the wicked. David held tight to the one true thing of his faith - trust in the Lord. Despite the calamity surrounding him at every turn, David knew the righteousness of God would triumph. “In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness.” - Psalm 31:1.
    This is where our trust must be today - in the Lord. Despite what is happening around us, we must never lose hope in the righteousness of God. He will always prevail! For us to lose hope and faith in the righteousness of God is sinful and will not go unpunished. Our faith must be stronger than our fear! “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” - Psalm 23:4.
    Our heavenly Father has not left us in a state of perpetual fear. He has not abandoned us even in these last days. We are forever protected by His promises and because we have received His promise we can believe Him. “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.
    In this godless day and age, we are prone to see and hear the very worst the world has to say both about us and our sovereign God. If the world mocks us it is because they mocked God first. If the world insults us it is because they insulted God first. And let us never forget the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” - John15:18.
    God’s truth is what provides us with our strength. It is His truth and His truth alone that inspires our faith. It is the same strength that inspired Joshua to drive the Israelites across the mighty Jordan and conquer the Canaanite tribes in the Promised land. “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” - Joshua 1:5. God’s word is the truth and feeds the faith that is stronger than fear! Even when the foundations are destroyed, the Lord is sovereign upon His throne in heaven. And this alone is enough for the faithful in Jesus Christ!
    We must constantly remind ourselves that God has not given us up to confusion or fear. He has, in fact, done just the opposite - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” - 2 Timothy 1:7
    As we walk with God in our present lives we walk with the greatest power in the universe. What have we to fear? What could possibly shake our faith? “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” - Psalm 56:11. Where we have placed our trust is where we place our faith. And if we place faith front and center then what do we have to fear?

Blessed Conclusions - Psalm 31:14

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” - Psalm 31:14

    I have been asked by some, “But what are we to do when things just don’t work out to our benefit?” I asked them to elaborate just a bit. They responded, “You know, when after all our prayers our loved one still dies.” I agree that during these times our faith is truly tested.  During these times our faith can suffer bruising and unexpected damage. We can become shocked by the outcomes we prayed would be different. “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.” - Job 3:25. Though not to lend doubt to God’s beneficence, it is easy to understand the bewilderment that accompanies such conclusions.
    I’m not talking about the events that transpire in a lukewarm Christian’s life.  I am talking about the tribulations that true believers will face in their lifetimes. I am talking about those events where blessed conclusions were prayed for diligently and with great fervor by Christians of the strongest faith and yet, the end results were not what we so diligently prayed for. It is during times like these that many sound Christians question the purpose for praying at all. “What was the point?’ They ask. “I prayed for the very best and look at what I received.” Such tribulation will send even the strongest Christian into the valley of doubt. “And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?’” - Luke 24:38.
    We call on Christ and weep out in our pain and discomfort - “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?” - Psalm 22:1. And I know that for most us, even the most devout Christian, we can become truly distressed and question the very foundations of our faith when the very worst thing we can imagine happening takes place in seeming spite of our prayers. It is at these times that even our very assurance of salvation leaves us in a bitter hurry along with our faith - “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” - John 6:66.  What those who turn from faith in Christ have either failed to learn or never held in their hearts is this: God has a plan and whether we trust Him or not, His plan will come to pass exactly as determined. His will cannot be limited by our desires or our prayers. This is certainly a hard thing to accept, especially in light of some of our deepest longings. But make no mistake: God will not be denied.
    What so many of us have erroneously come to believe is that our faith in God promises us a life free from tribulation and loss. We come to the false conclusions that God will empower us, enrich us, give us boundless prosperity and a life full of milk and honey. But Christ, being the only begotten Son of God, was not spared the pain of death by crucifixion, and we take offense at picking up our own crosses to follow Him into eternal glory? “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” - Luke 14:27.
    The late and great R& B artist, Ray Charles, penned a song called “Drown In My Own Tears.” And in even such a secular setting, the sense of loss permeates everyone’s life at some point, even that of the Christian. Charles sings, “I know it's true into each life some rain, rain must pour.” The sentiment is not lost on nor does it fail to reach into the life of a prayerful Christian as well as that of unbelievers. So with the knowledge that none of us will escape pain and loss in our lives, it becomes more a question of how we will deal with such pain and loss.
    The answer to this perennial question lies at the heart of our faith in God. Christians must understand and accept one of the Bible’s hardest sayings - “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.  No matter what pain or loss befalls the believer, it is because God has determined to bring good out of it. We may not know how or why but that again is where faith plays a vital roll in such losses. And our job, our requirement? “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. The faithful must remember: God is not finished with us in this lifetime. No matter what befalls us, as believers, we can only try to imagine what great and wonderful things God has in store for us. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9. We must simply trust in God to bring our lives and the lives of those whom we love to a blessed conclusion.
    As for the bitterness and rancor of the unbeliever? In truth, they didn’t have faith in God in the first place so any remonstrance coming from them is merely a display of their anger and hopelessness. Let us pray they see and take the patience of God as a profound blessing and come to Jesus Christ before it truly is too late for them to reach the blessed conclusion of their lives.

Lost & Found: Our Cultural Mandate From God - Genesis 1:28

Lost & Found: Our Cultural Mandate From God - Genesis 1:28: 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 s...

Our Cultural Mandate From God - Genesis 1:28

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

    Often referred to by the late Dr. James Kennedy as our “cultural mandate.” Genesis 1:28 has been largely forgotten by 21st Century Christians. Especially by those Christians who insist that since God is sovereign, the standing command to either multiply, subdue, or have dominion is now moot. These Christians use the same rationale to avoid evangelization, since, after all, God is sovereign and His purpose will be accomplished. “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” - Psalm 115:3.
    Let us not fall into the mistaken notion that for God’s will to be fulfilled, man must play some vital role. God’s determinations will come to fruition either because of us or in spite of us. We are but the mere agency He sometimes uses to accomplish His desires. With us or without us, God shall come to see His will done!  “In this manner, therefore, pray: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” - Matthew 6:10.
    Another command from the very mouth of Christ. He tells us how to pray just as He blessed us and told us to multiply, subdue, and have dominion over the earth. And just as He told us to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20.
    Two distinctive commands from God; one from the beginning of the Old Testament and one from the beginning of the New Testament! Both were commands; neither was a suggestion! So how are we doing with the Evangelization Mandate? From the looks of our world and nation, only slightly better than we have done with the Cultural Mandate. And we dare wonder why God has been taken out of the public square. Out of our schools? Out of our courts and government? Out of our marriages and even out of our very values? Again, we dare to ask ourselves where God was after a tsunami or a school shooting?
    The worldly society has never been a friend of God. Neither have our media moguls, nor our lawmakers, nor our teachers, nor celebrities. In our calloused society, we see how we have failed miserably to follow our Cultural Mandate. When we sit back and allow our medical professionals to determine when life begins and when it is okay to snuff the life out like a barely lit candle flame. The forces of darkness who perpetrate such horrors will certainly be called to pay for their inhuman and ungodly crimes. Their sins are those of commission. But what of our sins; the sins we commit when we turn our heads away from such Satanic barbarity and refuse cry out for the innocents? “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.” - Ezekiel 3:18.
    We cannot neglect our God-given duty to stay the hand that would sin. As Christians, we are called to defend innocent human life from those who would spoil for it. That is part of subduing the world! And even if the wicked still refuse to heed our warnings, we are required to stay their hands as part of our Cultural Mandate! God’s will be done! And so that there is no confusion: there is no greater love that we can show our fellow men and women than to try to keep their feet from slipping into the abyss because of their unrepented sin. It is the greatest act of love to keep one’s neighbor from a descent into perdition. They may not see us as practicing Christian love but what loving act would merely whisper, “Fire” to one who was in danger of being burned? True Christian love requires that we toss a brick through a window and scream out the warning, “Fire!” There is no guarantee that a brother or sister in sin will hear us or respond even if we do. But it remains our God-given duty to try.

Pastors: Speak Up! - James 1:22-25

       
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

    Tuesday, January 23rd, 2019, is a day which will surely live in infamy. New York’s radical leftist Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a new bill which made it legal to abort viable living infants up to the day before birth. This stunning law provides for the murder of living babies for basically any reason the mother or her doctor chooses to give. Yes, there is some ambiguous language regarding the “mother’s health,” however; in reality, all that is required is the woman’s simple expressed desire to rid herself of the burden of giving birth to a living human being: her own flesh and blood. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.” - Psalm 127:3.
    Here lies the problem: the term “mother’s health” describes a very sketchy interpretation within a large field of definitions. In other words, we now run the risk that with the new law late- term temporary depression or anxiety could fall within the parameters of “a mother’s health.” Having a bad day in your third trimester? Abort!
    We know that rational thinking cannot be expected by men like Cuomo or the ilk he so proudly associates himself with. It wouldn’t surprise me to see in the future an even more barbaric law that allows for mothers to “leave their recently born children” to environmental exposure as a way of ridding themselves of the child. This was an ancient Roman practice which was finally declared illegal by 6th century Roman Emperor Justinian, thus ending the barbaric practice of simply leaving unwanted infants out in the elements to die of exposure or be eaten by dogs. We have now come nearly full circle. Thank you, Gov. Cuomo . . . may your soul rot in hell!
    But my anger is not piqued as much by savages like Cuomo as it is by men of the cloth who sit by idly, saying and doing nothing! This particular missive is aimed at citing both nationally recognized ministers and our own local pastors for their consistent failure to address the issue of anti-Christian culture in more than a cursory way. Just like the clergy during WWII, with few exceptions, our pastors are failing us by not publically rebuking the forces of evil at large in our nation. If there had been a universal outcry from a united Christian front during WWII, the names of pastors like Bonhoeffer and a few others would not be the only voices which rebuked the authorities for their barbaric methods. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6.
    To all of you men who represent the Christian Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, your silence is seen by your congregations as fear of the government as worst and sheer apathy at its best. We, the members of your congregations who look to you for spiritual guidance, are stunned by your silence! What are you waiting for, a lightning strike? Roll up your sleeves when you step up into the pulpit on Sundays and be more than just speakers of the Word. Be doers of the Word!
    When a celebrity or a politician or anyone for that matter, invokes God’s Holy Word to support their sinful and hellish desires, speak up! Your congregation does not live in a bubble. We read the news. We watch the news. We hear the news. It is as pervasive as the sin it describes in lurid detail every day and night. And yet when we come into the Lord’s house on Sundays, you remain silent. When a politician like Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Andrew Cuomo, Chuck Schumer or their cronies invoke your Holy Name to defend their evil causes, speak out! Respond to their lies and gross misinterpretations of God’s Holy Word. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” - Proverbs 8:13.
    When someone the likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna, or Pope Francis quotes the Bible to support some twisted and sinful notion, you should be the first ones out there to condemn their heresy. We are in the midst of a cultural war with secular society and the less you men of God speak out against it, the more traction it gets. Yes, we firmly believe in the truth of Christ’s words in John 18:36 - “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” But that doesn’t preclude taking a stand against the godlessness that permeates our world here and now! You have both the duty and responsibility to defend our faith and you cannot possibly do it in silence and obscurity. You must be seen. You must be heard!
    Will you continue to stand quietly while our politicians declare the God is dead? Will you allow them to remove Him from oaths of office? Write His Holy name out of government documents? How far will you allow these minions of Satan to remove God from our American life, from our very history? How far? It is your responsibility as our ministers and pastors to raise your voices against the voice of Molech and not be quieted by threat or warning. It is time for our pastors to pick up the spear of Joshua and put these evil ones on notice. Like God said to the sea upon its creation - ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!’ - Job 38:11. Your congregations are praying for you, pastors. Stand up and be heard!