Can God Still Use Me Even after I've Sinned?

“Help, I Messed Up!”

I don't know any other way to say it. I messed up! I blew it! I'm guilty! No excuses! I let a situation get to me that shouldn't have and I responded in a very childish and inexcusable way. In the heat of the moment, I instinctively tried to defend myself against what I had considered to be a personal attack on my integrity. The truth of the matter, however, was that I completely misjudged the motives of the others involved and subjected them undeservedly to my vitriol. Besides disrespecting and demeaning them, I also made a complete fool of myself.

Following my mess-up, I spent several days agonizing about how a professed 'follower of Christ,' one who wears His name, could have behaved in such an ungodly and selfish manner. More important than trying to figure out how or why it happened, however, was to determine what I could do to ensure that it never happened again. Ironically, this incident brought to mind a blog which I had written not too long before this titled, 'The Importance of Well-Chosen Words.' I almost felt mocked by my own words. I wish I had remembered it before this incident and had followed my own advice.

Following my meltdown, I spent hours in prayer, asking God to forgive me and to show me the root of the sin that triggered my inappropriate reaction. As I prayed, the Holy Spirit gently, but firmly guided my mind back to several incidents from my childhood in which I had been denigrated and made to feel that I didn't matter. Evidently, it happened enough times that though I knew the Truth—that I am created in God's image, that He has a blueprint for my life, and that He loved me enough to send His only Son to die for my sins—those feelings of insignificance remained, ready to surface at the least provocation. I continued praying, asking God to remind me to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) and to replace each negative or untrue thought with the Truth of His Word.

It necessarily takes time for us to work through all the unresolved issues from our past, but it must be done for our sake as well as for the sake of others. No one should have to endure the kind of abuse I meted out on undeserving individuals, unintentional though it was. I wasn't aware of the unresolved issues in my life until I began searching my heart following the incident. Count on the devil, however, to find your weakness and exploit it when you are trying your best to serve the Lord. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming the devil for my bad behavior. I was totally responsible. I’m just saying that it irks Satan no end when we honestly desire to serve the Lord and he will do everything in his power to stop us or at least render us less effective.

I will, no doubt, be learning from this experience for quite some time, but here are some of the things I've learned so far:

1.    I must admit when I'm wrong.

Nothing takes the impetus out of an apology like trying to offer justification (excuses) for why we wronged someone else. The fact of the matter was that I offended others! Trying to rationalize or justify my wrong behavior would only have made the situation worse. Following egregious sin is necessary to humble ourselves to get right with God and others. This doesn’t guarantee instant exoneration, but in time, God will restore us. God’s forgiveness was given at the cross, but our maturation takes time.

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you” (1 Peter 5:6 NLT).

2.    I must confess my sin to God.

I had to realize and acknowledge that all sin is against God. In this case, I sinned against others, and it was important and right to ask their forgiveness. Before I could ask their forgiveness, however, I needed to acknowledge that I’d offended holy and righteous God and ask His forgiveness first. King David set the example for us following conviction of his sin with Bathsheba. Once we’ve settled the matter with Holy God and gotten our hearts right, we are in a much better frame of mind to ask forgiveness of those we’ve offended.

“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just” (Psalm 51:4 NLT).

3.    I must confess my sin to those I’ve wronged.

I had barely ceased my tirade before the Holy Spirit’s conviction struck me right in the heart! I knew instantly that I needed to confess my sin to God and to those whom I had offended. Confession exposes sin to God’s light which neutralizes it and makes it less likely to reoccur. Confession is different from apology. We should always confess first to show that our hearts and attitudes are right before God. Confession doesn’t allow for excuses, and only when we’ve confessed our sin will our apologies ring true.

Sometimes it behooves us to confess our sins to other believers whom we can trust and who will pray for us and hold us accountable. Accountability is one of the best ways to keep from sinning. Having others pray earnestly for us can give us the power to avoid sinning in the future.

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

4.    I must never let down my guard.

I was in the midst of preparing to serve and honor the Lord when I was blindsided by the enemy! I shouldn’t have been surprised. The devil likes to attack us when we're least expecting it, which is often when we’re attempting to serve the Lord. Think about what threatens him the most. He knows that he can’t steal our salvation, so the best he can do is seek to render us ineffective in doing God’s work.

What made this whole episode most egregious to me is the fact that it occurred at church with other believers in a situation where I was genuinely trying to serve the Lord. When God is (or should be) our primary focus, Satan gets jealous and will do everything in his power to distract us. I don't find him messing with me much when I'm involved in mundane things, but the moment I set forth to serve, honor, and glorify God, he throws his worst at me. We can never let down our guard. We must always remain aware and vigilant against the devil’s schemes.

“For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

5.    I must embrace godly sorrow as necessary and beneficial.

I quickly realized and admitted my sin and was instantly forgiven, but I still suffered a godly sorrow because of what I had done. Godly sorry is necessary, but temporary. It reminds us of the consequences of our sin which helps us to be less likely to sin again in the same area. Godly sorry helps turn us away from sin and back to God.

“For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT).

6.    I must acknowledge and received God’s forgiveness!

It’s human nature to feel that we are undeserving of God’s forgiveness and to want to do penance for our sins. It's an insult to the Lord Jesus, however, for us even to entertain such a notion. Self-pity is ungodly and only makes the situation worse. Godly sorrow isn’t feeling sorry for ourselves. It’s silly and useless to wallow in self-pity once we’ve been forgiven. Any guilt we feel after we’ve been forgiven is 'false guilt' because true guilt, the result of sin, is dealt with completely through confession and repentance. I had to realize and admit that there was absolutely nothing I could add to Christ's completed work on the cross to earn forgiveness for my sin to be able to fully receive God’s forgiveness.

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (1 John 1:9 NLT).

7.    I must move on, once I’ve been forgiven.

According to Scripture, once I'd repented and sought forgiveness from those I’d offended, I was free to receive God's forgiveness and cleansing and move on. It wouldn’t have honored or glorified God to continue beating myself up and rejecting His perfect sacrifice for my sin. It’s dishonoring to God to ignore His Word and heap condemnation on ourselves when He’s made it clear that we have been justified.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NLT).

I have to admit that even after I had dealt with matters following this incident, I was a bit fearful that I might somehow inadvertently commit the same sin again. God dealt with my fear by reminding me of the following truths:

"He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT).

“As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3a NLT).

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13 NLT).

Next time you mess up (and there will be a next time), remember that there is no sin so big or so horrible that God will not forgive if you confess it to Him and repent of it. And also remember that you are in good company. Moses, King David, the Apostle Paul, and Simon Peter all sinned egregiously against God, but not only did God forgive them; He also restored them, strengthened them, and used them mightily for His glory. By the same token, God can still use us ever after we’ve messed up.

“So receiving God's promise is not up to us. We can't get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses” (Roman 9:16 NLT).

How Can I Know that God Is Real?

Is there conclusive evidence to prove that God exists?

This is a question commonly asked by those who choose not to believe in God to challenge those who do. According to their irrational thinking, if there is no conclusive evidence that God exists, then there can be no God. The problem with this flawed reasoning, however, is that a lack of conclusive evidence cannot prove whether or not anything exists. To be absolutely certain that God does not exist one would have to know everything that can be known. Since no one knows everything, a reasonable atheist must admit that even without definitive proof, God could possibly exist. When all available evidence is considered, it indicates that not only does God exist, but that He is currently and actively involved with His creation. According to Scripture, those who say that God does not exist are fools!

“Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; no one does good!” (Psalm 14:1)

The truth is that God does exist. He Himself declared this to Moses.

“God replied, ‘I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS. Just tell them, I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14).

The Hebrew verb hayah (hayah) translated “I AM” in the above verse literally means “to be” or “to exist.” It is in the present progressive tense, which indicates continuing action. God’s reply to Moses above indicates not only that He is but that He always has been and always will be. This is evidence of God’s eternal nature. God’s declaration that “I AM” indicates that He is self-existent and that no one created Him.

Other evidence for God is that He is knowable and wants to be known.

“Your Name, O LORD, endures forever; Your fame, O LORD, is known to every generation” (Psalm 135:13).

“If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;…” (Philippians 3:10).

God does not play hide and seek with His children. He wants to be found by us and known by us. Most of all He wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us. For this to happen, we must put forth every effort to get to know Him.
 
To truly know Him, we must first learn about Him. We can learn about God through His attributes. An attribute is whatever God has in any way revealed about Himself in His Word. Attributes are not merely qualities which God possesses, but actual revelations of His character.

Here are some things that can be known about God:

• He is self-existent; He exists totally in and of Himself. (Exodus 3:14)
• He is not like anyone or anything else. (Exodus 15:11)
• He is infinite, and therefore incomprehensible in nature! (Romans 11:33-36)
• He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omnipresent (everywhere all the time). (1 John 3:20; Matthew 19:26; Psalm 139:7-10)
• He is transcendent (beyond all comprehension). (Hebrews 1:7)
• He is sovereign and rules over everything and everyone. (Isaiah 45:7; Colossians 1:16)
• He can be known only through revelation by the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 2:10, 14)
• He can be understood through His attributes and through His Son. (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9)
• He fills heaven and earth: He dwells outside of time and space. (1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:24)
• He is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 4:24;)

It is important for us to know God, because our concept of Him affects every area of our lives:

• What we value
• How we act and think
• Our attitude toward ourselves and others
• And, ultimately, the degree of success we will attain in life

We can never progress beyond our concept of Who God is! The better we know God, the more effectively we can live for, serve, and glorify Him.

God’s Word tells us that He knows everything about us.

“O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me” (Psalm 139:1b).

Since God knows everything about us, should we not also take the time to get to know all that can be known about Him?

Evidences for God’s Existence

We can know that God exists because He has revealed Himself to us through three distinct means:

1. Through His creation
2. Through His Word, and
3. Through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

God Reveals Himself through His Creation.

“From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20).

The most obvious evidence for God is His creation. Anyone can look around and see God’s handiwork. There is design in virtually every aspect of nature, and when we see design it follows that there must be a Designer. No one looks at a precision engineered sports car and believes that it is the result of some random spontaneous process. We do not admire a beautiful painting and attribute it to an explosion in a paint factory. God’s creation provides magnificent physical evidence that there is a Creator.

“The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display His marvelous craftsmanship” (Psalm 19:1).

God Reveals Himself through His Word.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…” (Genesis 1:1).

God reveals Himself from the very first verse in Scripture. He was there before the beginning and He will be there after the end.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the One Who is, Who always was, and Who is still to come, the Almighty One.” (Revelation 1:8)

According to God’s Word, there is:

• None before Him (Isaiah 43:10)
• None above Him (Psalm 95:3; 96:4; 97:9)
• None beside Him (Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 44:6)
• None like Him (Exodus 9:14; Deuteronomy 33:26; 2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:5,9; Jeremiah 10:6)
• None good but Him (Matthew 19:17)

Based on attributes listed in His Word, God is:

• Compassionate (2 Kings 13:23 )
• Eternal (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Revelation 4:8-10)
• Faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 4:19)
• Glorious (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 145:5)
• Good (Psalm 25:8; 119:68)
• Gracious (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 116:5)
• Holy (Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 5:16)
• Immortal (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16)
• Immutable (absolute) (Psalm 102:26-27; James 1:17)
• Incorruptible (Romans 1:23)
• Invisible (Job 23:8, 9; John 1:18; 5:37; 1 Timothy 1:17)
• Jealous (Job 24:19; Nahum 1:2)
• Just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 45:21)
• Light (Isaiah 60:19; James 1:17; 1 John 1:5)
• Long-suffering (Numbers 14:18; Micah 7:1)
• Love (1 John 4:8, 16)
• Merciful (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 86:5)
• Most High (Psalm 33:18; Acts 7:48)
• Only-wise (Romans 16:27; 1 Timothy 1:17)
• Perfect (Matthew 5:48)
• Righteous (Ezekiel 9:15; Psalm 145:17)
• True (Jeremiah 10:10; John 17:3)
• Unsearchable (Job 11:7; 37:23; Psalm 145:3; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 11:33)
• Upright (Psalm 25:8; 92:15)

God Reveals Himself through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body,…” (Colossians 2:9)

Scripture makes clear in the above declaration and in the verse below that there is no spiritual distinction between Jesus, the Son and God, the Father.

“The Father and I are One" (John 10:30).

Jesus stated emphatically that He was inextricably connected to His Father, God.

“But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own” (John 5:30).

Just as Jesus always followed His Father’s leading, so should we.

“Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children” (Ephesians 5:1).

That God exists is self-evident. He can be seen in everything He created. Everyone knows that God exists. He does not need to prove Himself to anyone.
So how is it that so many people claim that there is no God? The passage below describes the process by which rebellious individuals (v. 18), who instinctively know that God exists (v. 19), reject Him (v. 21), and choose instead to believe lies (v. 25). According to Scripture, these people are fools (v. 22) who have no excuse for not knowing God (v. 20).

“18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. 19 For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead, 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes. 24 So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. 25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever" (Romans 1:18-25).

There is no question that God exists. There is more than ample evidence to support that He exists. If God is Who He says He is, then His Word is Truth. If His Word is Truth, then we have only two choices in this life and two concerning the next.

In this life we can choose to live for Him or strive against Him.

“Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me” (Matthew 12:30).

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).

Concerning the next life we can choose to spend it in either heaven or hell.

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).

“For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard” (Romans 3:23)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

Beyond the shadow of a doubt God exists! The question is how will you respond to Him?

How Can I Know the Bible Is True?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

According to John 1:1 above, God’s Word is more than just words printed on pages. Logos (logos) in Greek, rendered word in English, can literally be translated as “the sayings of God.” In the Greek language, logos implied two distinct meanings: 1.) “the word conceived,” and 2.) “the word uttered.” In the verse above, we see logos beginning with capital letters. This is an indication of personification, which in this case, represents the Person of Jesus Christ. In this sense, the first phrase above “in the beginning was the Word” indicates that the Word (Jesus Christ) already existed. This gives credence to the eternality of God and the fact that Jesus is God and was with Him at Creation. These points alone guarantee the veracity of Scripture.

The Authenticity of Scripture

From a purely material perspective, there is more evidence to support the authenticity of Scripture than there is for any other literary work in existence. Over 24,000 manuscript copies of the New Testament still exist from Greek, Latin, and earlier sources. Some of these were written within 20 or 30 years of the original autographs. Each of these manuscript copies has been subjected to the same historical analysis and physical examination as all other literary manuscripts, and all have been compared for consistency. After all of this careful examination and analysis, the entirety of these manuscripts has been found to contain less than one percent textual error. This is fewer errors than have been found in any ten other manuscripts that have been examined using the same criteria. No other single document even comes close.

By comparison, the second oldest and most well-documented manuscript is Homer’s The Illiad. Only 643 manuscript portions of it exist and they contain a combined total of over five percent textual error. Few consider this percentage to have any significant impact on the accuracy or meaning of the text. Considering that the New Testament is historically the oldest and most accurate literary work ever written, it stands to reason that it can be considered authentic.

The Historicity of Scripture

The Bible is historical in general, though it contains poetry and parables, and it provides historical and geographical data that can be substantiated through other sources. Those named in Scripture were real people who lived in places that can be found on maps today. Many historical figures mentioned in Scripture can be identified in other historical literature. As a matter of fact, much of the ancient history that is still in print today was based on the Old Testament historical accounts. Much of what we find in Scripture has been verified by archeology. Events and accounts mentioned in the Bible have been confirmed through other sciences such as biology, geology, and astronomy. As Dr. Henry M. Morris, founder of the Institute for Creation Research, once said, “There exists today not one unquestionable find of archaeology that proves the Bible to be in error at any point.”[1]

Much of Scripture was written as eyewitness testimony of events that took place in history.

“1 Most honorable Theophilus: Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us. 2 They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. 3 Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, 4 to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught” (Luke 1:1-4).

In the very first verses of the Gospel of Luke, we find him authenticating his writings by telling his readers by what means he gathered and compiled them. In verse three, he declares specifically that he “carefully investigated” everything he was about to write. In other places in Scripture, we find the authors giving forensic explanations of times, places, and reasons for what they are writing. Another example is the Apostle Paul, who wrote many of his epistles while in prison.

“1 This letter is from Paul, in prison for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. It is written to Philemon, our much loved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia and to Archippus, a fellow soldier of the cross. I am also writing to the church that meets in your house” (Philemon 1:1-2).

The Veracity of Scripture

In addition to its verifiable historical accuracy, the Bible contains a significant number of fulfilled prophecies. There are around 2,500 prophecies in Scripture, the vast majority of which have been fulfilled precisely as foretold. The mathematical odds of  a person or persons making this number of predictions and having every one of them be fulfilled in this way is beyond the realm of possibility, much less comprehension. One would have to surmise that fulfillment of this many prophecies is miraculous and could only be accomplished by a supernatural being. The Bible makes clear that this supernatural being is God.

Of all books ever written, the Bible has transformed more lives than any other book. There are countless accounts of transformed lives in Scripture, but many thousands, perhaps millions more from those who have been transformed from having read it. Only a book that is God-breathed could have this kind of impact on mankind.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16).

God’s Word is Truth. Jesus, Himself declared this in his prayer to God in the Gospel of John 17:17.

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17 NKJV).

Since Jesus is an historical person and given what claims He made about Himself, either we can take Him at His Word and believe what He said, or we have to write Him off as one of the worst liars or the most evil individuals in history.

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell.”[2]

As with any evidence, we each must consider the evidence for the authenticity, the historicity, and the prophetic accuracy of Scripture and make a determination of whether or not we will choose to believe it.

Why Should I Believe the Bible?

The Bible claims to be the inspired Word of God. It tells us about creation and the Creator, the origin of life, the history of nations and languages, and most especially about the life and death of Jesus Christ. If these accounts are true, then the Bible is the single most significant book ever written. Obviously, we cannot substantiate everything written in Scripture, but a lack of evidence is not evidence of a lack of authenticity. I have never seen a Northern Hairy Nose Wombat before, but that does not prove that there are no Northern Hairy Nose Wombats in existence. Given the best evidence available, we each have to make up our own mind whether or not we will believe the Bible.

The writers of Scripture make numerous claims that the Bible is God’s Word. Paul wrote to Timothy that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV). Jesus confessed to His Father that “Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17 NKJV). The apostle Peter wrote that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21 ESV). Peter’s description indicates that the writing of Scripture was directed by the Holy Spirit. This indicates that the Bible is the literal word of God which gives it not only His stamp of approval, but also His authority.

To determine whether or not to believe anything that is written one needs to examine all the evidence, internal and external, concerning its authenticity. The Bible is no different. Its unique message, its authoritative narrative, and its accuracy in the areas of history and prophecy should cause the reader to at least consider that it is valid. The ultimate test for its veracity, however, is its capacity to change lives.

Another consideration for the authenticity of Scripture is the unity of its message. The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,550 years, by at least 40 different writers from disparate backgrounds, on three different continents, in a variety of environments, and in three different languages. Despite all this, there is a consistency and harmony in Scripture that defies all odds.

A careful reading of Scripture will unveil passages that have since been confirmed by science. Matthew Maury, a 17^th century oceanographer, saw in Psalm 8:8 a mention of “paths of the seas.” Being a believer in the veracity of Scripture, he assumed that there must actually be paths in the seas and he began searching for them. His research led to the discoveries of specific ocean currents (the Gulf Stream being one of them) that became shipping channels and are still in use today.

Sir Isaac Newton, perhaps the most influential scientist of all time, believed from reading Scripture that God ruled over and held together the entire solar system as it says in Colossians 1:17. Dr. Henry M. Morris, the Father of the Modern Creation Science Movement, so strongly believed in the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture, that he set out to prove that science affirms Scripture, particularly concerning the Great Flood of Noah. Dr. Morris and Dr. John Whitcomb collaborated to write the book, The Genesis Flood. To this day, this book is considered by most to be the “founding document of the creationist movement.”[3]

Finally, when tested, the veracity of Scripture is proved true every time and in every area. Though the Bible is true in many historical and scientific areas, its most significant area is in the realm of the spiritual. The Bible tells us “For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard” (Romans 3:23), and that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). If these things are to be believed, then we realize that we desperately need a Savior. Thankfully, the Bible also tells us that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8), and that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Believing and responding to these verses could be the difference between heaven and hell.

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[1] Morris, The Bible and Modern Science, 95

[2] Lewis, C. S., Mere Christianity, London: Collins, 1952, pp. 54 – 56.

[3] Morris, H. M., Thinking God’s Thoughts after Him, Dallas: ICR, 2009, p. 17.

What Is Love?

"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NLT).

One of the most misunderstood concepts in Scripture is the concept of love. If you were to ask ten random individuals to define love for you, their answers would range from infatuation (a mere feeling) to sexual relations (an actual physical act). A recent online survey included the following answers to the question, "what is love?"

• sharing common interests
• attraction to another person
• an emotional bond
• thinking of someone all the time
• having an amazing time with someone
• the desire to be desired
• when someone makes your heart beat faster
• compassion for another person
• when you want what's best for someone
• trusting someone else with your life

While some of the above definitions contain an element of Truth, none of them fully describes the kind of love that God ordained and defines in His Word. C. S. Lewis, in his wonderful book, The Four Loves, defines the following four types of love:

1. Storgé (affection) - fondness through familiarity (as with family members or very close friends)
2. Philia (friendship) - a strong bond between those who share common interests or activities
3. Eros (being in love) - distinct from sexuality, an appreciation for the beloved without expectation
4. Agapé (unconditional love) - love and caring that is not dependent upon any lovable qualities possessed by the beloved and regardless of circumstances

These definitions give us a better understanding of the various kinds of love we share with others, but for a complete understanding of the true meaning of love, as defined by its Author, let's break down the Scripture passage above and see how God defines love.

Love is patient...

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines 'patient' in the following ways:

1. bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint;
2. manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain;
3. not hasty or impetuous;
4. steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.

True love is steadfast and forbears under all circumstances. It doesn't rush into things, it doesn't complain, and it remains calm in all circumstances.

Love is kind...

Kindness also includes forbearance coupled with compassion. True love demonstrates compassion and is helpful in nature.

Love does not envy...

To envy is to begrudge or resent someone for something they have that you don't have. True love never resents another person for any reason.

Love does not boast...

True love has no need to 'toot its own horn,' or to call attention to the good it accomplishes.

Love is not proud...

True love demonstrates humility. It does its work quietly and without drawing attention to itself.

Love is not rude...

True love is never discourteous or offensive, but is sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.

Love is not self-seeking...

True love is selfless, always looking out for the interest of others.

Love is not easily angered...

Because true love is patient and kind and expects nothing in return, it has no need to react even when neglected, abused, or not returned. "Love is never wasted. If it is not reciprocated, it flows back to soften and purify the heart." (author unknown)

Love keeps no record of wrongs...

It is easy to want to make mental lists of all the times when we are wronged, but doing so only hurts us. As my pastor said recently, "holding a grudge is like drinking rat poison but expecting the rat to die." True love has a short memory when it comes to being wronged.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth...

True love never wishes bad things to happen to anyone for any reason. The Truth says that we all deserve death and hell, but thanks to the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross of Calvary, we don't have to suffer what we deserve. Jesus' ultimate, undeserved, but willing sacrifice for all mankind was the ultimate demonstration of true love. This is a truth we can rejoice with.

Love always protects...

True love always looks out for others' best interest and is willing to make sacrifices in order to protect them when necessary.

Love always trusts...

Trust is, unfortunately, almost a lost commodity in this day and age. True love, however, is willing to trust even when its object seems untrustworthy.

Love always hopes...

We live in a world and an age and a circumstance that sometimes seem hopeless. True love, on the other hand, always hopes in the Truth.

"So I pray that God, Who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13 NLT).

Love always perseveres...

To persevere is to persist in the face of opposition, discouragement, and even seeming failure. Since God's Word states that His "plan...can be thwarted" (Job 42:2b), true love has ever incentive to persevere, no matter what.

Love never fails...

Because true love makes no conditions and expects nothing in return, there is no reason for it to ever fail. True love is eternal!
When asked by a religious expert which was the most important commandment, Jesus replied,

"37 You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40 NLT).

The Apostle Paul defined Agapé in the passage from 1 Corinthians, but Jesus' summary of the commandments tells us how to put it into action. I challenge you to examine your own definition of love and measure it against God's definition of true love.

"5 So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. 6 Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7 Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone" (2 Peter 1:5-7 NLT).

Who Is a True Christian?

It is important to note that only God can definitively determine who is His and who is not a Christian, for we judge appearances while He judges hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). That being said, I do believe that there ought to be visible evidence of Christ-likeness in the life of anyone who claims to be a Christian.

“You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles” (Matthew 7:16 NLT).

Since so many people today, from Oprah to our president, claim to be “Christians,” I thought it judicious to list some Biblical criteria for how to identify a true follower of Christ.

• A true Christian, first and foremost, is one who has believed in and confessed publicly that Jesus is Lord!

“9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who acknowledges Jesus Christ and the only way to salvation.

“Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who holds to the Truth in love and becomes more like Jesus Christ every day.

“Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT).

• A true Christian is one whose attitude is the same as Jesus’.

“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who bases what he believes, who he is, and what he does on the inerrant, infallible, and eternal Word of God.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17 It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT).

“Forever, O LORD, your word stands firm in heaven” (Psalm 119:89 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who follows God’s example in all that he does.

“Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children” (Ephesians 5:1 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who loves what God loves, hates what He hates, says only what God says, and does only what God wants.

“Jesus replied, "I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does” (John 5:19 NLT).

“But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own” (John 5:30 NLT).

• A true Christian is one whose life is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God and who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit.

“22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” (Galatians 5:22 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who loves God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength.

“37 Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment’” (Matthew 22:37-38 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who exemplifies Agapé love and lives out what Jesus called the 2nd greatest commandment--to love his neighbor as himself.

“A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who loves others in the same way that Jesus loves him.

“I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you” (John 15:12 NLT).

• A true Christian is a servant of God who boldly proclaims His Word persistently regardless of the time or circumstance, and who corrects, rebukes, and encourages other believers using God’s Word as his basis.

“Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who obeys God rather than man.

“But Peter and the apostles replied, ‘We must obey God rather than human authority’” (Acts 5:29 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who obeys God and by so doing has the assurance that they belong to Him.

“And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. 4 If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth” (1 John 2:3-4 NLT).

“This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another” (1 John 3:11 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who follows the example of Christ.

“And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ's” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who does not copy the world’s ways, but has allowed God to change him and the way he thinks so that he always does what God wants.

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is” (Romans 12:2 NLT).

• A true Christian is one who hates the world and rejects what it has to offer.

“Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you” (1 John 2:15 NLT).

This is by no means a complete list, but it should help one to identify what I call the CINOs (Christians in name only) of the world. Jesus, Himself said that not everyone who claimed to belonged to Him would make it to heaven. What matters is obedience to His commands.

“21 Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. 22 On judgment day many will tell me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' 23 But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized'” (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)

We Need to Stop Playing Church...

…and start BEING the church!

I have always been somewhat of an individualist. I got much of that from my dad, who never cared one whit what anyone but God thought of him. I am sure that deep down in his innermost being he carried a few scars inflicted by the unkind,  unnecessary, and likely untrue words of a few fellow believers. None of us is totally immune to hurt, but other people’s opinions never seemed to dissuade Dad from being the man God made him to be. He would never have made anyone’s top ten list of best-dressed, most likely to succeed, most charismatic, or most diplomatic, but everyone who really knew him loved him. Probably because they knew that he was what I call a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) kind of guy. Of whatever flaws Dad might have exhibited, pretense was not one of them. He was true to his word and he did what He felt was right regardless of the consequences.

Whatever happened to that kind of conviction? Where are those in the Body of Christ who will do what is right; what God desires of them no matter what it costs? Unfortunately, many believers have fallen prey to the false gospel of the ‘church of the status quo.’ We have so entrenched ourselves in our comfortable pews and mesmerized ourselves with creature comforts and entertainment that we have lost sight of the whole meaning and purpose of the word “church.”

I have been studying the origin of the church—the Body of Christ, to be more precise—in the New Testament, and it’s amazing to me (disturbing, actually) how little most contemporary entities that bear the name “church” resemble the church that Christ established here on earth. Read the following descriptions of the New Testament church.

42They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer. 43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – 47all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Initially, New Testament believers met at every opportunity, in homes, at the Temple, whenever and wherever they could for the primary purpose of worship, fellowship, sharing about what God was doing among them, and praying for each other’s needs. They were eager to get together with other believers and joyful when they were together. They shared not only meals together, but everything, including their material goods. No one in the New Testament church had unmet needs for long. The early believers took care of each other. They truly loved each other and they spent most of their time living out that love in practical ways.

God’s response to their heartfelt and joyous celebration of Him and His gift of salvation was that He added new believers to their flocks ‘each day.’ When was the last time you heard of a church that brought a new believer into their fellowship each day? Probably not since Jesus’ day! And why not? I contend that it is because we’ve stopped functioning like the Body of Christ. We have gotten so sidetracked by our efforts to be relevant and contemporary that we have neglected doing the things that actually work.

26…When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. 27No more than two or three should speak in an unknown language. They must speak one at a time, and someone must be ready to interpret what they are saying. 28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 29Let two or three prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can wait their turn. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the other churches. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33)

What if your church did away with the weekly bulletin and in its place adopted the above as its order of service? I would be surprised if you did not immediately begin hearing directly from God. Unfortunately, there is no real opportunity in the format of ‘worship services’ in most churches today for God to speak to His people. Plenty of time for the pastor and often, other staff members to speak, but little, if any time for God.

Read carefully the passage below.

Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.(2 Timothy 4:2)

Understand, this admonition was not given to the pastor of a local church. It was given by Paul to Timothy, his spiritual disciple. Timothy represents every believer who is called to minister and serve in the Body of Christ today. According to Scripture, every believer is a priest who can boldly proclaim the Word of God. We ought to look for opportunities outside of our structured Sunday services to "preach, patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage" others.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful. (James 5:16)

Following James' admonition is another way to stop playing church and to be the church. Many churches are full of unrepentant sinners because they have ceased practicing James’ instruction to “confess our sins to one another and pray for each other.” We have given accountability a totally humanistic meaning and forsaken its true meaning. Biblical accountability is being open and honest before the Lord and before our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is trusting each other enough to share our struggles, knowing that we will be prayed for, encouraged, and supported as we turn them over to God. It does not mean subjecting ourselves to some self-appointed, holier-than-thou inquisitor to be chastised and condemned each time we slip up.

18…let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. 19Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. (Ephesians 5:18b-19)

Imagine a group of believers filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. It boggles the mind. Unfortunately, most believers in institutional churches are too busy planning and perpetuating programs to have time for the Spirit of God. I cannot speak for everyone, but I am dying to be free to “make music to the Lord in my heart.” And what unbelievably beautiful music that would be.

The church that Jesus established was not a building, not a program, or even a specific doctrine. The church is the collective fellowship of true, born-again believers (i.e., every Biblical Christian). We are the church. The church is who we are, not something we do or some place where we meet. Being the church today is following Paul’s advice to the Christians in Colosse.

Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

Hopefully, at least some of the activities that are mentioned in these verses still happen in the place you call ‘church,’ but sadly, too few of them do. Even sadder, many of them have all but disappeared in most traditional places of worship.

Understand that my bone of contention is not with established religion or traditional denominations, per se. What I quarrel with is how believers, especially those who identify with specific denominations, have allowed denominationalism, tradition, liturgy, and in some cases, pure heresy to replace the original doctrines of the church as established by Jesus, Himself.

I challenge all true followers of Christ to put aside tradition, preconceived notions, prejudices, dogma, and personal preferences in deference to the Spirit of the Living God and begin to pray for the Spirit to come and make His Presence known among us each time we gather together in His Name. When we truly experience His Presence, I believe that we will see people being drawn, convicted, forgiven, healed, filled, and empowered by the Spirit of God. And after all, is not this what the Church of God is supposed to experience?

Is God Jealous?

Read the excellent article by Pastor Greg Laurie at: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51689 and ask yourself how many 'other gods' you have in your life right now. Read the actual second commandment below:

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or 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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."
(Exodus 20:4-6)

Do you think God was serious about NOT wanting us to put anyone or anything before Him? Think about your friends, your activities, and the things that consume most of your thoughts and time. Are there things that could be consider 'other gods?'

Before deciding that God is just too strict and unreasonable, remember that He wants ONLY the best for our lives. The ONLY reason He has for commanding us to do or not do anything is for our own good. He ALWAYS has our best interest in mind.

"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9a)

God is constantly looking to strengthen you, but He can't do it until you are fully committen to Him. And 'fully' means 'fully.' You can't be fully His if you have given even the smallest part of your heart to anyone or anything else.

My prayer for you is that you will let God's Spirit search your heart for any allegiances that might cause you to break the second commandment. I want God's best for you, too.

How a Youth Group Saved John's Life

I'd like to share with you the story of John. It's a true story. It was originally told by Ann Kiemel Anderson in her book, I'm Out to Change My World. I hope you'll take the time to read it through. It could make the difference between the life and death of someone you know.

John was one of those kids who always had his head down and never looked anyone in the eye. He was sullen and afraid and never allowed anyone to get close. One day at youth group, John wasn't there, so Ann asked the group if they'd like to perform a 'love experiment' and try to love John into fellowship. As you can imagine, the initial response from the other kids in the group was less than enthusiastic. But they went along, if only out of curiosity. The next time John showed up at youth group, everyone fought over who got to sit by him. They sent him letters and notes during the week. Some would stop by his house and pick him up and take him to get a soda. Whatever they could think of to do, they did for John...for six months. It got old! John didn't respond

Love was hard work. Maybe too hard. The kids wanted to quit. But Ann encouraged them to keep loving John. Then one day when he showed up at church, he smiled. It was the first time anyone had ever seen John smile. Everyone was elated. Then another time, John laughed out loud. Another first! Things were really looking up. Then John's mother called Ann.

John's mother told Ann about how when the family was on a weekend camping trip, John had kept to himself and then burst out crying and couldn't stop. She was understandably upset. When she asked him what was wrong, he replied, "I'm such a failure, Mom. I'm such a flop." His mother responded, "It's that church you're going to. They're not treating you right." "No, no. It's my only hope. They love me over there." pleaded John. The mother recounted how the instant he uttered those words, he seemed to find a peace he hadn't had before and his whole demeanor began to change.

After that weekend, in youth group John began to hold his head up. He laughed more, and he actually prayed out loud. He even decided to play with the church softball team and was one of the best players they ever had. He began to bring friends to church. Love changed John's life.

Do you know any Johns or Janes? Is there someone at your church or school or work that you could love back to life? I challenge you to give it a shot. God's love is amazing and powerful and there is NO limit to what it can accomplish.

"34A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)


For a complete definition of God's love, visit my blogpost "What Is Love?"

Living on the Edge

Have you noticed all the EXTREME reality shows on television? It seems the new drug of choice is Adrenalin. Folks seek out the feeling of having their hearts pound practically out of their chest, feeling blood rush to their brains, and gasping for breath. I've never been much of a risk taker, but even I can understand the underlying quest for excitement and the head rush that accompanies it. Interestingly enough, this is not a new phenomenon. It's a part of our human nature. The only thing that has changed is that there is a whole new variety of ways to pursue that Adrenalin rush.

Young people in particular seem to have a penchant for the extreme and one of the most extreme things that anyone can do is to live for Christ. I think of Christians in other parts of our world who are suffering persecution and even death in their attempt to live godly lives. I can't imagine that bungee jumping or hang-gliding could begin to provide the Arednalin rush caused by being chased by machine-gun- or machete-wielding Christophobes. We hear news reports virtually every day about persecution, beheadings, arrests of pastors, and the destruction of churches all over the world. We have no idea how very good we have it here in America, but in other parts of the world, living a life that is consistent with the teachings of Christ can and often does cost individuals their freedom and sometimes their lives.

I challenge all believers to consider pursuing the most extreme activity I can imagine--standing up for your faith 24/7. It's easy to be a good Christian at church, or when you're around your Christian friends, but what about when you're in school or at the mall or on the job? Despite the fact that we here in America are blessed with religious freedom, living for Jesus is NOT without consequences. Ask someone who's done it consistently. They will likely tell you that it's cost them friends and sometimes family. There will always be 'the devil's crowd' who will be more than happy to heap insults on you when you espouse your beliefs or take a stand for what's right. Jesus warned us that we would be "persecuted for righteousness' sake." He also reminded us, however, that we will be blessed in proportion to how much we endure such persecution. (Matthew 5:10-12)

If you're one who loves to live on the edge and who craves Adrenalin highs, let me challenge you to the ULTIMATE EXTREME! Try living for Jesus Christ just for one full day, in front of your family, your friends, and even strangers. Better yet, try it when NO ONE is around! That's the true test of godliness and Christian character. It's how you act when no one but God is watching!