The 'J' Word

JESUS IS LORD!

There, I said it, and I’m glad. He is Lord, after all, whether we submit to Him willingly or not. Before it’s all said and done...

10…at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10,11 NLT)

I’d much rather submit willingly to His Lordship and receive the blessings associate with doing so than to be forced against my will (as will the Devil and his demons) to submit in the day of judgment.

According to the Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, no one can say that ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

So I want you to know how to discern what is truly from God: No one speaking by the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one is able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3 NLT)

The fact of the matter is that Jesus is what sets Christianity apart from every religion and belief system on earth. Christianity is NOT a religion, despite the fact that demographers include us in their statistical records along with all the religions of the world. To be a Christian is to have a personal relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. Without Him, there would be no Christianity.

We live in an age when it’s perfectly acceptable to admit to belief in or acquiescence to God or to some ‘power’ greater than we are. We live in a culture in which many believe they are ‘Christian’ by mere virtue of the fact that they are American. (After all, doesn’t America claim to be a ‘Christian’ nation?) There are even those who would infer that all deities are equal, regardless of what name one gives to his ‘god,’ and that faith is all that matters, regardless of in what or in whom we place our faith. In the spirit of tolerance and cooperation, shouldn’t we all just try to get along?

In answer to that question, let’s read what Jesus said in response to a question from one of the religious leaders of His day.

28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' (Mark 12:28-30 NLT)

He couldn’t have said it any more clearly. “The Lord our God is the one and only Lord!” That leaves NO room for anyone to claim that we all worship the same god or all gods are the same. One either worships the God of Creation, the God of Abraham, the Great ‘I AM,’ or he worships a false god.

Many have criticized Christianity for being ‘narrow-minded’ in believing that there is only one God and that Jesus is the only way to salvation. So since when is narrow-mindedness a bad thing? Once again, read what Jesus said.

13"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. 14But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13,14 NLT)

Wouldn’t it be better to be narrow-minded and enter God’s eternal Kingdom than to be so open-minded that your brains fall out? God’s way to salvation may be narrow, but it’s NOT exclusive! It would be if He only intended for a few to find the way to salvation, but His Word says otherwise.

The Lord is not slow in fulfilling His promise, in the sense in which some men speak of slowness. But He bears patiently with you, His desire being that no one should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NLT)

Those who see Christianity as being exclusive do not fully know and understand the heart of the Christ of Christianity. He came to be the Savior of ALL!

16"For 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. 17God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”
(John 3:16,17 NLT)

There are those who would argue that they believe that Jesus lived and was a good man, or a good teacher, or even a prophet, but that He wasn’t the Son of God. I bring to your attention the famous ‘trilemma’ of C. S. Lewis.

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. 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 a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”
[C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book 2, Chapter 3, The Shocking Alternative]

From anintellectual perspective, to believe that Jesus was someone other than the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, is pure foolishness. From a Biblical perspective, however, such a belief would cost its believer his eternal salvation. The Bible is very clear as to the Way to salvation.

11For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' 12There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them. (Acts 4:11,12 NLT)

Our politically correct culture has so ‘sanitized’ our language as to have all but eliminated the name of Jesus from our vocabulary. I’ve seen high-profile Christians on talk shows, news shows, and in other settings speak openly of God, but avoid using the name of Jesus. Some rationalize that the name Jesus is ‘offensive’ to some and that they’d rather not offend anyone. I know of Christian organizations and ministries that are reluctant to use the name of Jesus in their brochures and on their Web sites in order to appeal to ‘the masses.’ Problem is, without Jesus, we have nothing to offer the masses.

Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.” (John 12:32 NLT) I believe that He was referring to His being ‘lifted up’ on the cross of Calvary, but I also believe that when we lift Him up by proclaiming His name and His Lordship, He will also draw people to Himself for the express purpose of saving them.

I just want to go on record as saying, along with Paul, the Apostle, that…

…I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – Jews first and also Gentiles.
(Romans 1:16 NLT)

I am a Christian because I have received Jesus Christ into my heart and life as my personal Savior and Lord. I wear His name proudly because of what He has done for me. The word Christian literally means ‘follower of Christ.’ That is who I am. I will NEVER use the name of Jesus flippantly or with the intension of offending anyone, but neither will I refuse to mention His Name. The Name of Jesus has the power to convict, to heal, to deliver, and to save. How can we, who call ourselves Christians—followers of Christ—keep from speaking His Name loudly and proudly? It is the ONLY name through which anyone can be saved.

There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for people to call on to save them. (Acts 4:12 NLT)

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, follow the simple directive in the following verse of Scripture so that you may be eternally secure in the arms of our loving Father.

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. (Romans 10:9 NLT)

Click HERE to request a copy of "The 'J' Word" in MSWord or PDF format (please specify), or if you have questions or comments. Click HERE (and scroll down) to view my blog, "How to Be Saved."

The Church in the World

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything, but for a very good reason. God has been working on me. I’ve always believed that Christians are ‘works in progress,’ as suggested by Philippians 1:6. “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” Until that day, we’re all ‘under construction.’

This latest chapter in my life began when I saw a headline on WorldNetDaily, a conservative news site on the Internet, about how the entire world will be Christian by the year 2032. Being somewhat skeptical, but at the same time hopeful, I read the related article by Jim Rutz, author of the book, Megashift, and founder of Megashift Ministries. In the article, Mr. Rutz stated that at its present rate of growth of eight percent per year (most everywhere in the world EXCEPT in the West!), Christianity could outgrow the entire world’s population in just 23 years. I'm not 100 percent sure how that measures up against Scripture, but the mere fact that Christianity is growing at such a rate has kept me awake nights wondering how I might become more involved in growing the kingdom of God on this earth.

I must confess that before reading Mr. Rutz’ article I had very little knowledge of how God was moving in the rest of the world. I’d been too busy complaining about how little evidence I see of the Holy Spirit working in the expressions of the Body of Christ of which I’ve been a part. Having read, however, documented accounts of miraculous conversions, spectacular healings, and even resurrections, I began to feel a stirring in my spirit to become an active part of what God is doing throughout the world. As I began to re-read the passages of Scripture describing the activities of the New Testament church in Acts and in Paul’s epistles and discovered that what is happening in other parts of the world is very similar to what happened immediately after Pentecost.

"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)

Compared to this passage from Acts, I see how very different the Church in America has become from the New Testament church, perhaps to its own detriment.

I’m not writing this to be critical of our Christian tradition here in America. Plenty of others have already done a noteworthy job of that. Neither am I complaining. I’m blessed to have been raised in good, Bible-teaching, God-honoring churches for most of my life. All I’m saying here is that for the first time in my life, I realize that the Body of Christ is MUCH bigger than I once thought and it encompasses many more flavors of style and function than I have heretofore been willing to accept. God is WAY bigger than any single expression of the Body of Christ. The First Community Church may have been the first of its ilk to open its doors in a particular community, but it’s only one of thousands of expressions of God’s Body throughout the world. And so is your church.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that we need to look beyond the walls of our church buildings to see all that God is doing. God is at work in the world, and like it or not, He seems to be freer to operate in third-world countries than He is in the West. The good news is that we can play a role in changing that. We can play a vital role in returning to New Testament principles in our expressions of our faith.

I believe with all my heart that God is about to pour out His Spirit upon America in a way we’ve never experienced before. I believe that everything that’s happened in this great nation since 9/11, including hurricanes Katrina and Rita, has been a part of God’s preparing us to receive His Spirit. It’s more than coincidental that the name Katrina means ‘purity.’ For reasons that I will never fully understand in this life, God allowed the enemy to unleash Katrina’s fury upon the Gulf Coast, but what the devil meant to tear down, God used for cleansing and to build up.

Prophet Kim Clement delivered a word from God on September 2, 2005 in Whittier, California, concerning what God intends to do in America. “‘And when the cleansing has taken place, there will be a mighty rushing wind that shall come in and restore this Nation back to order,’ says the Lord of Hosts.” God has not given up on America, and neither should we. We need to commit to pray daily for our nation, for our President, for our leaders, and especially for our church leaders, that they will submit to God and once again give Him sovereignty over ALL things.

I am losing my job as of the end of this week. Ordinarily, I would be in a panic by now, but this time I am uncharacteristically at peace about my situation. God has been preparing me for something, and even though I don’t know what, I am confident that He will bring it to pass in His perfect timing. I have been praying that God would give me a vital role in His what He is doing in the Church in the world, and I fully believe that this is all a part of His plan. I expect to have some incredibly exciting news to share with you in my next post.

Until then, remember than a true believer never stands taller than when he is on his knees.

The Importance of Well-Chosen Words

When I was growing up, my parents always reminded me that my words should always be chosen well because once they were out of my mouth, they could never be unspoken. To help me to choose wisely, they gave me a three-question test against which to measure any statement before I spoke it.

1. Is it true?
2. Is it kind?
3. Is it necessary?

The importance of choosing your words carefully is illustrated in the following parable:

A young man had spoken unkind and untrue words about several individuals over a period of time and came to realize that his words had hurt or maligned those about whom he had spoken them. Wanting to make things right, he sought the counsel of a spiritually wise man. The wise man advised the young man to go and gather a basketful of small bird feathers—one for each person he had offended with his words. The young man did as he was told and returned to the sage with his basket of feathers.

“Now,” said the wise man, “go and place a feather on the doorstep of each person you’ve offended, and then return to me for final instructions.”

Again, the young man did as he was told and then he returned to the wise man.

“Well done,” stated the wise man. “Now there is one last thing you must do. Go and retrieve every feather you have placed.”

“But, Sir,” the young man replied sorrowfully, “Surely by now the wind has carried them all away and I shall never be able to retrieve them.”
“Precisely,” the sage replied. “And so it is with the words we speak.”

The same is true for the words we write with one critical caveat—written words leave a “paper trail” that can often take on a life of its own. It is even more important that we carefully choose the words that we write down, because once they are published, they cannot be unwritten.

Below is some wisdom on words from King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4)

23From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive. 24Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.(Proverbs 16:23-24)

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27)

A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook. (Proverbs 18:4)

1Don't envy evil people; don't desire their company. 2For they spend their days plotting violence, and their words are always stirring up trouble.(Proverbs 24:1-2)

The Apostle Paul also had some things to say about the words we speak.

29Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. 32Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
(Ephesians 4:29-32)

James devoted almost an entire chapter to the subject of “taming the tongue.”

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (James 1:19 )

So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free. (James 2:12)

2We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. 5So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool.(James 3:2-12)

Don't speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God's law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it. (James 4:11)

Peter also had some things to say about why we should be careful about what we say.

For the Scriptures say, "If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies.” (1 Peter 3:10)

The most significant wisdom concerning words, however, came from the mouth of Jesus Christ.

33"A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad. 34You brood of snakes!How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. 36And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. 37The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:33-37)

Next time you’re tempted to say something unkind about someone, remember that the old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” is patently false. Words can and do hurt people. Verbal abuse can tear down and destroy an individual’s sense of self worth. As Solomon said, “A person's words can be life-giving water…” Or they can lead to death. The real significance of the words we speak, according to Jesus, is that they echo who we truly are on the inside.

“But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the person who says them.” (Matthew 15:18)

Make it your habit always to choose your words carefully so that you can speak life and peace to those around you. Then when you stand before Jesus on judgment day, you will have nothing of which to be ashamed.

Walking by Faith (part 4 of a 4-part series)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

What is Faith?

Webster defines faith as, “1. A confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. 2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. 3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance. 4. a. Belief and trust in God. b. religious conviction. 5. A system of religious beliefs. 6. A set of principles or beliefs.”

The Bible has a very different definition for faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Where does faith come from?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

…to another faith (is given) by the same Spirit...
(1 Corinthians 12:9)

How is faith manifested?

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith... (Hebrews 12:2a)

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead...Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:17, 18)

How significant is faith?

...everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b)

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.”
(Matthew 21:22)

…he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; (James 1:6-8)

How does faith work?

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(Galatians 5:6b)

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)

It is necessary for salvation! (Hebrews 4:2)

It is essential in spiritual warfare! (1 Timothy 1:18, 19; 6:12)

True Faith is Not Blind!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Another translation states Hebrews 11:1 this way:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Substance is the basis of everything that is. Evidence is what proves things to be true. Faith is NOT believing something that you cannot prove, but rather acting upon truth that you believe. The expression, blind faith is an oxymoron which has no foundation in scripture. Faith works according to whom or what it is based upon. Biblical faith is based upon the truth of God's Word which has been acted out and proven over thousands of years of human history. Since there is a solid basis for this kind of faith, it is neither risky, nor blind!

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:24-25)

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

We walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

The objects of our faith should be:

• God (John 14:1)
• Christ (John 6:29; Acts 20:21)
• The gospel (Mark 1:15)
• God's promises (Romans 4:21; Hebrews 11:13)

Results of faith:

• “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:17a)
• Salvation (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8, 9)
• Remission of sin (Acts 10:43; Romans 3:25)
• Eternal life (John 3:15, 16; 6:40, 47)
• Justification (Acts 13:39; Romans 3:21, 22, 28, 30; 4:3; 5:1; Galatians 2:16)
• Righteousness (Galatians 3:6; Philippians 3:9)
• Sanctification (Acts 15:9; 26:18)
• Assurance (1 John 5:1)
• Spiritual light (John 12:36, 46)
• Spiritual life (John 20:31; Galatians 2:20)
• Access to God (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 3:12)
• Adoption (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26)
• Preservation (1 Peter 1:5)
• Edification (1 Timothy 1:4; Jude 20)
• Inheritance of the promise (Galatians 3:22;
  Hebrews 6:12)
• The gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15-17;
  Galatians 3:14; Ephesians 1:13)
• Provides us with a defensive weapon (Ephesians 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:8)
• Overcomes difficulties (Matthew 17:20; 21:21;
  Mark 9:23)
• Overcomes the world (1 John 5:4b)
• Assures success (2 Chronicles 20:20)

The righteous will live by faith. (Galatians 3:11b)

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

Faith produces:

• Hope (Romans 5:2)
• Joy (Acts 16:34; 1 Peter 1:8)
• Peace (Romans 15:13)
• Confidence (1 Peter 2:6)
• Boldness (2 Corinthians 4:13)
• Patience (James 1:3)

Faith causes believers to:

• Live (Galatians 2:20)
• Stand (Romans 11:20; 2 Corinthians 1:24)
• Walk (Romans 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:7)
• Be commended of God (Hebrews 11:2)
• Overcome the world (1 John 5:4, 5)
• Resist the devil (1 Peter 5:9)
• Overcome the devil (Ephesians 6:16)
• Hope in God (1 Timothy 4:10)

Obstacles that test our faith:

• Discouragement (Luke 5:18, 19)
• Unbelieving friends (Mark 5:35)
• Scoffers (John 9:24)
• Divine delays (John 11:3-6)
• Lack of sympathy (Matthew 15:23; Mark 10:13)

...for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)

The rest of the above passage states that only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God can overcome the world. That indicates that for faith to work, it must be based on Truth. Only Jesus is Truth personified. Therefore, only faith in Jesus is sufficient for overcoming the problems of this world.

There is an illustration in a popular tract that depicts a train with an engine, a coal car, and a caboose. The engine represents fact; the coal car, faith; and the caboose, feeling. The idea behind the illustration is that faith fuels engine of fact and the caboose tags along. Too often, we allow ourselves to be ruled by feeling. It's a small wonder we run out of steam so often. Stated succinctly, function by faith on fact and feelings will follow.

Guidelines for walking by faith:

• Be sincere in your faith (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:5)
• Abound in faith (2 Corinthians 8:7)
• Continue in your faith (Acts 14:22; Colossians 1:23)
• Be strong in the faith (Romans 4:20-24)
• Stand fast in faith (1 Corinthians 16:13)
• Be established and firm in your faith(Colossians 1:23)
• Hold on to your faith (1 Timothy 1:19)
• Pray for more faith (Luke 17:5)
• Be assured by your faith (2 Timothy 1:12;
  Hebrews 10:22)
• Examine yourself in faith (2 Corinthians 13:5)
• Let your faith produce fruit (James 2:17, 20-26)
• Do everything in faith (Romans 14:22)

Faith in Jesus is:

• God's gift (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8; 6:23; Philippians 1:29)
• The work of God (Acts 11:21; 1 Corinthians 2:5)
• Precious (2 Peter 1:1)
• Most holy (Jude 20)
• Fruitful (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
• Accompanied by repentance (Mark 1:15; Luke 24:47)
• Followed by conversion (Acts 11:21)

By faith (Hebrews 11):

• Abel was commended as righteous (verse 4)
• Enoch pleased God and did not die (verse 5)
• Noah became an heir of righteousness (verse 7)
• Abraham received the promise of God (verses 8-19)
• Moses delivered the Children of Israel (verses 23-29)
• Rahab's life was spared (verse 31)
• Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets conquered kingdoms, gained the promise of God and were commended by Him (verses 32-40)

Examples of men of faith:

• Abraham (Genesis 22:8)
• Caleb (Joshua 14:12)
• Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:6)
• David (1 Samuel 17:37)
• Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:12)
• Job (Job 19:25)
• Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego (Daniel 3:17)
• Paul (Acts 27:25)

Examples of applied faith:

• The leper (Matthew 8:2)
• The centurion (Matthew 8:10)
• The ruler (Matthew 9:18)
• The blind man (Matthew 9:28)
• The diseased (Matthew 14:36)
• The Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:28)
• The afflicted woman (Mark 5:28)

Lack of faith (unbelief) produces:

• God's wrath (John 3:36)
• Rebuke (Mark 16:14)
• Eternal separation from God (John 8:24)
• Conviction (John 16:9)
• Turning away from God (Hebrews 3:12)
• Delusion and damnation (2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12)
• Wickedness (2 Thessalonians 3:2)
• Impurity (Titus 1:15)
• Double-mindedness (James 1:6)
• The spirit of antichrist (1 John 2:22; 4:3)
• Death (1 John 5:12)
• Destruction (Jude 5)
• Eternal damnation (Revelation 21:8)

Verses to bolster your faith:

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him. (Psalms 32:10)

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. (Psalms 125:1)

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3)

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

May God bless you and strengthen you as you seek Him with all your heart, know Him with all of your mind, obey Him with all of your strength, and walk with Him in faith.

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Obeying God (part 3 of a 4-part series)

It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deuteronomy 13:4)

Did you know that you cannot obey God? At least not in your own strength and power. God knew that we could not obey His Word on our own, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to obey for us.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

Jesus paid the full penalty for all our disobedience (even that which we haven't commited yet). As a result, all that God now requires of His children is that we walk in Christ's obedience. We have been made righteous by Jesus' shed blood, and because we are righteous, obedience ought to come natural to us. We can now obey God out of our love and gratitude for Him rather than out of a sense of obligation to Him.

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
(1 Samuel 15:22-23a)

Obedience can be considered a form of worship. It's a way that we can demonstrate our love to God.

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15)

Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will go to them and make our home with them." (John 14:23)

This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:3-5)

Why we should obey God:

• To receive God's blessing (Genesis 22:18)
• God commands us to (Deuteronomy 13:4; 26:16; 32;46)
• To be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8)
• It is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22)
• That it may go well with us (Jeremiah 7:23)
• We are exhorted to (Jeremiah 26:13; 38:20)
• In order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven
  (Matthew 7:21)
• To build a strong foundation (Matthew 7:24)
• To become a member of God's family (Matthew 12:50; Luke 8:21)
• It is the key to spiritual wisdom (John 7:17)
• It is essential for fellowship with God (John 14:23;
  1 John 2:17)
• It is our obligation (Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29)
• We are elected to (1 Peter 1:2)
• It is a characteristic of saints (1 Peter 1:14)

We must prepare our hearts for obedience ( 1 Samuel 7:3; Ezra 7:10)

We must pray to be taught how to be obedient
(Psalms 119:35; 143:10)

We must confess our failure to be obedient (Daniel 9:10)

Obedience should be:

• From the heart (Deuteronomy 11:13; Romans 6:17)
• Undeviating (Deuteronomy 28:14)
• Unreserved (Joshua 22:2, 3)
• Willing (Psalms 18:44; Isaiah 1:19)
• Constant (Philippians 2:12)

Obedience to God includes:

• Obeying His voice (Exodus 19:5)
• Obeying His law (Deuteronomy 11:27; Isaiah 42:24)
• Keeping His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
• Obeying the gospel (Romans 1:5; 6:17; 10:16, 17)
• Submitting to authority (Romans 13:1)
• Obeying Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 [Exodus 23:21])

The Bible is full of great examples of those who loved God and obeyed Him. Here are some examples:

• Jesus (Matthew 3:15; John 14:31; 15:10;
  Romans 5:19; Philippians 2:5-8;Hebrew 5:8; 10:9)
• Noah (Genesis 6:22)
• Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4; 22:2, 3, 12)
• Joshua (Joshua 11:15)
• Elijah (1 Kings 17:5)
• Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:6)
• David (Psalms 119:106)
• Joseph (Matthew 1:24)
• Mary (Luke 2:39)
• Paul (Acts 26:19)

God doesn't want us to obey Him for no good reason. Everything God does is for a purpose. His primary purpose in demanding our obedience is so that He can bless us. With every command of God in scripture there follows a promise. Obedience brings reward.

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.
(Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Rewards for obedience:

• We will be God's treasured possession (Exodus 19:5)
• So that God will fight our battles (Exodus 23:22)
• So that it may go well with us and our children (Deuteronomy 5:29; 7:12-15)
• So that we may be set high above the earth (Deuteronomy 28:1)
• In order to receive God's favor (1 Samuel 12:14)
• So that we may have long life (1 Kings 3:14)
• So that we may have prosperity and contentment
  (Job 36:11)
• So that we may “eat from the best of the land”
  (Isaiah 1:19)
• In order to be “God's people” (Jeremiah 7:23)
• In order to have authority (Zechariah 3:7)
• In order to be blessed in all we do (James 1:25)
• In order to receive from God (1 John 3:22)
• In order to have the right to the “tree of life” (Revelation 22:14)
• In order to enter into the city of God
  (Revelation 22:14)

Just as there are rewards for obedience, however, there are consequences for disobedience. Since obedience and disobedience are choices we make, we should expect to reap the results of our choices, good or bad.

Consequences for disobedience:

• We will receive the curse of God (Deuteronomy 11:28; 28:15-68)
• We will not enter into the “promised land” (Joshua 5:6)
• God's hand will be against us (1 Sam 12:15; 28:18;
  1 Kings 13:21; Jer 12:17)
• We will be “devoured” (Isaiah 1:20)
• We will experience God's wrath (Ephesians 5:6)
• We will receive God punishment
  (2 Thessalonians 1:8;Hebrews 2:2)

There's even more good news concerning the will to obey. It's one thing to know that we can obey, but it's yet another to realize that we can also want to. God doesn't do anything halfway. When He gave us the command to obey, He also gave us the will to do so.

Therefore my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

One day even those who choose not to will be made to obey God.

But the court will sit, and his [AntiChrist's] power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey Him.” (Daniel 7:27)

Wouldn't you much rather learn to obey God because you want to than because you have to?

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Seeking God (part 2 of a 4-part series)

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

Whatever we focus on the most is what we ultimately become.

“What gains and sustains our attention will ultimately control our lives.” (Gordon Allport)

To know God, one must focus on Him. To focus on Him, one must first desire to seek Him. To seek Him, is to find Him. To find Him is the greatest experience of one's life.

We only find what we genuinely look for in life. The problem for most of us is that we are too distracted by the things of this world to even want to seek God. That's why the Psalmist encourages us to "taste and see that the Lord is good." To want to seek God more, we have to whet our appetites. The good news is that once we've tasted and found Him good, we will want more and more of Him.

I have found a lesson in the law of aerodynamics that has helped me to want seek God daily. The law of aerodynamics, stated simply, is a principal whereby the forward thrust of an aircraft creates airflow over specially-shaped wings which in turn produces lift. In other words, as the aircraft is propelled forward by its engines, the air flowing over the wings produces a vacuum which literally lifts the plane into the air. The faster the forward thrust, the greater the lift. Since this is a law of nature, it cannot be broken. Therefore, as long as the aircraft moves forward and conditions remain constant, it will remain aloft. It cannot fall!

Walking in God's Presence incorporates a similar immutable, spiritual law. As we move forward in the pursuit of God, we are drawn into His Presence by our forward motion. The closer we move toward Him, the more of His Presence we experience and the more we desire to be with Him. As long as we continue to move forward, we can expect to remain in His Presence. In other words, the more we seek Him, the more of Him we will find.

If you seek Him, He will be found by you.
(2 Chronicles 15:2)

Seeking God results in:

• Restoration (Job 8:6)
• Praise (Psalms 22:26)
• Life (Psalms 69:32)
• Joy (Psalms 70:4; 105:3)
• Blessing (Psalms 119:2)
• Rewards (Hebrews 11:6)

Consequences of not seeking God

• Futility and terror (Psalms 78:33)
• Death (Psalms 78:34)
• God will not answer or be found (Proverbs 1:28)
• God's wrath (Isaiah 13:13)
• Disaster (Isaiah 31:2)
• Misery (Hosea 5:15)
• Alienation from God (Zephaniah 1:4)

One of the best ways to remain in God's Presence is to practice it daily.

“There is not in this world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.” (Brother Lawrence, from Practicing the Presence of God)[1]

Webster defines practice as “doing or performing habitually or customarily; making a habit of.” We need to make seeking God a daily habit in our lives.

One must also seek:

• God's strength (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 105:4)
• His commands (1 Chronicles 28:8; Malachi 2:7)
• His name (Psalms 83:16)
• His face (Psalms 27:8; 105:4)
• His precepts (Psalms 119:45, 94)
• His Word (Isaiah 34:16)
• To do what He commands (Zephaniah 2:3)
• Righteousness (Zephaniah 2:3)
• Humility (Zephaniah 2:3)
• Christ (Malachi 3:1; Luke 2:15, 16)
• His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
• His Righteousness (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31)
• Honor, which comes from Him (John 5:44)
• Justification by Christ (Galatians 2:16)
• The city which God has prepared (Hebrews 11:10, 16; 13:14)

“But when we are faithful to keep ourselves in His holy Presence, and set Him always before us, this not only hinders our offending Him and doing anything that may displease Him, at least willfully, but it also begets in us a holy freedom, and, if I may so speak, a familiarity with God, wherewith we ask, and that successfully, the graces we stand in need of. In fine, by often repeating these acts, they become habitual, and the Presence of God rendered as it were natural to us." (Brother Lawrence)

Seeking God and remaining in His Presence is the best way to enjoy Him and to keep from offending Him, but it's also the best way to ensure that all of our needs are met in Him.


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Knowing God (part 1 of a 4-part series)

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:7-11)

Our concept of God affects every area of our lives—how we act and think, what we value, our attitude toward ourselves and others, and, ultimately, the degree of success we will attain. We can never progress beyond our concept of who God really is.

The first and foremost thing we must know about God is that He is.

“I AM Who I am!” (Exodus 3:14)

God existed before there was anything. The first verse in the Bible begins with “In the beginning, God…” He has always been and will always be. No one and nothing preceded Him and no one and nothing will succeed Him.

“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)

The second thing we must know about God is that He is knowable!

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)

God does not play hide and seek with His children. He created us for His pleasure. He wants above all to have an intimate spiritual relationship with each of us. As such, it is incumbent upon us to put forth whatever effort is required to get to know Him.

We come to know God through His attributes. An attribute is whatever God has in any way revealed as being true of Himself. They are not qualities which He possesses, but how He really is as He reveals Himself to us. Since God is indivisible, His attributes function in perfect harmony and are never in conflict with one another! They are how we can know Him.

Here is what the Bible tells us about God.

• God exists totally in and of Himself!
• He is not like anyone or anything else!
• He is infinite, and therefore, incomprehensible in nature!
• He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omni-present (everywhere all the time).
• He is transcendent (beyond all comprehension).
• He is sovereign (He rules over everything and everyone).
• He can only be known by revelation through the Holy Spirit!
• We can only understand Him through his attributes!

There is:

• None beside Him - Deuteronomy 4:35; Isaiah 44:6
• None before Him - Isaiah 43:10
• 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

Important Characteristics of God

• He fills heaven & earth - 1 Kings 8:27; Jeremiah 23:24
• He is a Spirit - John 4:24; 2 Corinthians 3:17
• He must be worshipped in spirit and truth - John 4:24

He 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

Since God is knowable, there is no excuse for not knowing Him.

“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

Though this may sound like bad news, it’s really good news because it means that everyone everywhere can know God simply by choosing to. The truth of the matter is that God knows everything there is to know about us.

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

Since God knows everything about us, isn’t it only fair that we take time to get to know at least what we can know about Him?

So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. (John 1:14)

So that we could know and understand Him better, God limited Himself in the form of a human being and visited the earth for 33 years in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus made it possible for us to see the attributes and characteristics of God at work in His dealings with everyday people. He even was tempted so that He could show us that it was possible for us to resist temptation.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

THE NAMES OF GOD

The names used in the Bible to identify God are significant because they give us insight into His divine nature and character. They are some of the ways we can know Him.

The most significant name for God in Scripture is “I AM”(Exodus 3:14)

Some other names of God are:

ELOHIM - “The Strong One” or “God” (Genesis 1:1)
JEHOVAH - “The Self-Existent One” or “Lord” (Genesis 2:4)
JEHOVAH ELOHIM - “Lord God” (Genesis 2:4)
EL ELYON - “God the Highest” (Genesis 14:18)
ADONAI - “Master” (Genesis 15:2)
ADONAI JEHOVAH - “Lord God” (Genesis 15:2)
EL SHADDAI - “Giver of Strength” (Genesis 17:1)
EL OLAM - “Eternally Existing One” (Genesis 21:33)
JEHOVAH SABAOTH - “Lord of Hosts” (1 Samuel 1:3)
EL GIBBOR - “Powerful One” (Isaiah 9:6)

There are eight names for God used in the Old Testament that combine the name JEHOVAH with one of God's special attributes, such as JIREH, which means "God is our Provision." They represent aspects of God's character that can be called upon to meet virtually every need that we could ever have.

The compound names of God are:

JEHOVAH-JIREH - “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14)
JEHOVAH-ROPHE - “The Lord Our Healer” (Exodus 15:26)
JEHOVAH-NISSI - “The Lord Our Banner” or “Victory” (Exodus 17:15)
JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH - “The Lord is Holy” or “Sanctification”(Leviticus 20:7)
JEHOVAH-SHALOM - “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24)
JEHOVAH-ROHI - “The Lord Our Shepherd” or “Protector”(Psalms 23:1)
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU - “The Lord is Righteous” (Jeremiah 23:6)
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH - “The Lord is There” or “Ever Present One”(Ezekiel 48:35)

All of these characteristics are found in Psalm 23.

A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd (Jehovah-Rohi); I have everything I need (Jehovah-Jireh). He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams (Jehovah-Shalom). He renews my strength (Jehovah-Rophe). He guides me along right paths (Jehovah-Tsidkenu), bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me (Jehovah-Shammah). Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Jehovah-Rohi). You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies (Jehovah-Nissi). You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil (Jehovah-M'Kaddesh). My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever (Jehovah-Shammah).

Under the Old Covenant, people knew God mostly by His actions. Only a few were privileged to communicate directly with Him. Under the New Covenant, however, Jesus came to earth to live among us so that we could all have the privilege of knowing Him and experiencing more of what God was really like. Jesus was God incarnate--God, made flesh--so knowing Him was knowing God. Those closest to Him were able to see glimpses of God, the Father working in and through Jesus, the Son. The Apostle Paul summed up the importance of knowing Christ in Philippians 3:8-11.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that, somehow, I can experience the resurrection from the dead!

Knowing Christ, then, is the best way for us to come to know God. And knowing God should be the ultimate aim of every Christian.

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Praise God! It’s really NOT about me!

I recently had an epiphany that I felt was worth sharing. Thankfully, one never gets too old to learn. For a good part of my life I have wrestled with feelings of inadequacy and disappointment. Compared to many men my age, I felt that I had not accomplished nearly as much as I could or should have. I’ve always set the success bar relatively high for myself, so whenever I measured my progress, I always came up short. Now don’t get me wrong! There’s nothing wrong with setting lofty goals and high aspirations. If you don’t aim for the stars, you’ll certainly never hit them. It’s just that I beat myself up so badly for not measuring up that I couldn’t even see the progress I’d made.

I’ve always been influenced by successful people and those who teach success motivation. I love to hear inspiring stories about goal setting and realizing dreams. I’ve even tried to pattern my life after the successful people I’ve know or have read or heard about. Problem is, when I compared my life to theirs, I always came up lacking. On the spiritual side, I’ve looked up verses in the Bible about success and diligence, and posted them around my home and office, but even those began to make me feel inadequate. Add to that the fact that I’m not as young as I used to be, and you can see all the makings of a major meltdown.

Now for the good news: it’s not about me!

I was sharing some of my frustrations with my precious wife the other night, about how I felt that I needed to be the best at something and how I was still waiting for God to drop me in that “perfect position” that He’d surely had in mind for me since before I was born. She listened patiently as I ranted and raved about what a miserable excuse for a human being I had become and about how I had little to show for all my years on this earth. She let me get most everything off my chest, and then gently, she began to remind me of the truth I’d always known, but somehow forgotten. “Isn’t God’s idea of success in life doing whatever you do as well as you can possibly do it?” she asked. “Doesn’t He tell us in His Word that ‘we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us?’” she continued. “Isn’t God’s true plan and purpose for our lives to love and serve Him and others?” It’s not about me!

The truth hit me like a freight train and a light dawned, as they say. It was one of those “WOW! I could’ve had a V8” moments! (Sorry for those of you who are too young to understand what that last sentence means.) My problem was obvious. I had been distracted by the obstacles in my path and had taken my eye off the prize. I had shifted my focus from the Provider to the provision. God does say in His Word that He “shall supply ALL our needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus.” But instead of taking Him at His word and going on about His business, I had focused on the provision that I thought He had somehow forgotten about and I began to become disappointed with Him.

Now, please don’t think that I’m the first Christian to have ever become disappointed with God. I may well be one of the few who admits it, but I’m certainly not the first or the only one. To be disappointed with God is in NO WAY an indication that He has somehow reneged on a promise.

“For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in him. That is why we say ‘Amen’ when we give glory to God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:10)

Jesus Christ has never changed.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

To be disappointed with God is simply to have shifted one’s focus from God as the fulfillment of every dream, to the dream itself. Gordon Allport said it best:

“What gains and sustains our attention, will ultimately rule our lives.”

What I believe that means is that whatever we focus on the most is what will determine who we ultimately become. If we focus on provision, we will lose sight of our Provider. If we focus on health, we will lose sight of our Healer. If we focus on anything other than God, whose “divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3), we will be ruled by whatever else sustains our focus.

Focus is the key to our success in life. I understand that from being a freelance photographer. If I don’t focus on my subject, s/he will likely become lost in the background clutter. We’ve all seen photos in which it’s difficult to tell whom or what the subject is supposed to be. In a great photograph, the subject should capture the eye immediately. It should stand out from the background and its surroundings. Our relationship with God should be like that. God should ALWAYS be the focus of our lives, and everything else—success, fulfilled dreams, wealth, etc.—should remain in the background. It’s not about us!

Our pastor shared with us this morning about a pastor friend who has said to him on more than one occasion that he was hoping someday to do something great for God. Pastor gently reminded us that God doesn’t need our help, thank you very much. He doesn’t need us to do anything great for Him. What He wants, however, is for us to give ourselves wholly to Him so that He can do great things through us. Do you see the difference? It’s NEVER about us!

Think about what has your attention at any given moment. If you’re human, your attention likely shifts numerous times a day, and that’s okay, provided you’re only shifting your conscious attention from something like the song on the radio to the red light looming just ahead. The kind of attention I’m talking about is that “sustained” attention to which Allport referred. That’s what consumes your mind, fills your heart, and permeates your spirit, despite whatever else you may have to focus on during the course of a day. Sure, we have to focus on what we’re doing and where we’re going, but it’s what we think about when we’ve finished what we were doing and gotten to where we were going that really matters.

I see the Christian walk as a journey with Heaven as the destination. For every true believer, Heaven is guaranteed, so there is nothing more we need to do to secure it. We need only to think of our destination as an incentive to stay the course. That said, we are free to focus on other things, and that’s precisely the problem. We have so many choices of where or upon what to place our attention. The problem is that NOTHING or NO ONE deserves our sustained attention other than God. He is the only One who has promised to meet all of our needs. He is the only One who has promised never to leave or forsake us. He is the only One who can give us the strength to do whatever He calls us to do. Doesn’t it make sense then to focus on Him rather than on our problems, our failures, or even our so-called successes?I recently finished teaching my senior high boys’ Bible study class about what are often referred to as the “compound” names of God.

• JEHOVAH-JIREH - “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14)
• JEHOVAH-ROPHE - “The Lord Our Healer” (Exodus 15:26)
• JEHOVAH-NISSI - “The Lord Our Banner” or “Victory” (Exodus 17:15)
• JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH - “The Lord is Holy” or “Sanctification” (Leviticus 20:7)
• JEHOVAH-SHALOM - “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24)
• JEHOVAH-ROHI - “The Lord Our Shepherd” or “Protector” (Psalms 23:1)
• JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU - “The Lord is Righteous” (Jeremiah 23:6)
• JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH - “The Lord is There” or “Ever Present One” (Ezekiel 48:35)

(Psalm 23 contains references to all eight of these names.)

During the course of this study, we talked about how there is a name for God to meet every need we could ever have or even imagine. If God is our Provision, we have no need to worry about our needs. If God is our Health, then we have no need to worry about sickness. If God is our Victory, we have no need to worry about defeat. Do you see my point? If we have God, we have everything that we need. That frees us up to focus totally upon Him. And if God “gains and sustains your attention," imagine what a difference He would make in your life.

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What If I’ve Already Messed Up?

Virtually every time I speak to young people about purity, someone will ask the question (usually anonymously), “What if I’ve already messed up?” I’m happy to report that there’s good news for those who have committed sexual sins but who wish to be made pure and whole once again! God’s forgiveness covers all sin for all time, and He and He alone can restore a person’s spiritual purity. If you have any doubts, read David’s confession from Psalm 51 below.

For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night. 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. For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.

“Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that I may praise you. You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with worthy sacrifices and with our whole burnt offerings; and bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.” (Psalm 51 NLT)

The first step to being restored is to repent of your sin. To repent means to acknowledge your sin and to turn from it (literally to do a 180 degree “about face”). In verse three, David acknowledged his sin:

“For I recognize my shameful deeds – they haunt me day and night.”

He didn’t try to rationalize, minimize, or neutralize his sin. He looked it square in the face and admitted to himself and to God that it was shameful.

The second step toward restoration is to acknowledge that all sin is against God. In verse four, David admits this to God.

“Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.”

All sin is against God, no matter who else might be involved. And God is the only One who can forgive our sin. Others may forgive us for whatever offense we may have committed against them, but only God can forgive sin.

The next step to being restored is to apply your faith by accepting God’s ability and willingness to forgive and cleanse you, no matter what you have done. In verse seven, David confesses his faith in God to restore his purity.

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

Losing your virginity can never be undone. You can give all of yourself only one time to one person. There are consequences for all wrong choices in life, but God is bigger than your choices. He is gracious and merciful, and He chooses to use even our mess ups to help us to grow and to mature.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT)

God can and will restore your purity, just as He did David’s, if you admit to Him that you’ve sinned against Him and genuinely desire to be made right. Through the shed blood of Jesus, you can be made pure as the new driven snow in God’s sight. God’s forgiveness is like a pardon. Through Christ He offers justification—just as if you had never sinned. God want to remove your guilt, not just cover it up.

David cried out to God in verse nine,

“Remove the stain of my guilt.”

He acknowledged that God had the power to forgive his sin and remove his guilt. It is vital that we acknowledge this, too, so that we also may be forgiven and restored. David continued,

“Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.”

God never does anything halfway. Whatever He does, He does completely. When we mess up and genuinely ask God to forgive us, He not only forgives us, but He also cleanses us of every wrong so that we may once again stand righteous before Him.

“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)

But God doesn’t even stop here. His mercy and grace compel Him to renew our spirits, to restore His Presence in our lives, to restore our joy, and to give us the desire to obey Him, according to verses 10 through 12.

“Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”

In verse 13, David responded to God’s unfathomable mercy by committing to teach others how to avoid the pitfalls he encountered as a result of his wrong choices.

“Then I will teach your ways to sinners, and they will return to you.”

One of the best things you can do in response to your own failures is to help others to avoid the stumbling blocks that tripped you up. No sin can be undone, but once it has been admitted to God and forgiven, the best way to minimize Satan’s ability to use it against you is to learn from it and to help others to learn from it as well. Confessed and forgiven sin becomes a part of your testimony and can be used to keep Satan at bay. He can no longer accuse a believer who has fully appropriated forgiveness and cleansing from sin. If he even tries to remind you of past sin, you can refer him to your Advocate, Jesus Christ, whose shed blood literally blotted out any record of that sin.

David summarizes his confession and guarantees his forgiveness and cleansing in verse 17 by acknowledging God’s definition of true repentance.

“The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.”

God wants to know that our hearts are broken by our recognition of the sin in our lives. True repentance means turning our back on sin, and vowing to God that by His grace and with His strength we will never repeat our folly. God will always hear a genuine admission of guilt, and He will always restore a broken and repentant heart.

If you’ve messed up, I have good news! There is hope for you. God is in the business of restoring broken vessels and creating beauty from ashes. There is no sin you have committed that is so egregious that God can’t forgive it. Nothing you have done could possibly have thwarted God’s perfect plan for your precious life. It’s never too late to start fresh. If you really want to have your purity restored, follow the steps in David’s confession in Psalm 51.

1. Acknowledge God’s unfailing love and compassion and His power and willingness to forgive (wipe out) your sin (verse 1).
2. Ask God for forgiveness and cleansing (verse 2).
3. Admit your sin and agree with God that it’s grievous to Him (verses 3-4).
4. Accept God’s cleansing of your heart and the restoration of your joy (verse 10).

“yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” (Colossians 1:22)

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Better Than "Safe Sex!"

I just read a synopsis of the new “Real World” series in the Parents Television Council’s Weekly Wrap for June 17, 2005.

“Next week MTV will kick-off the 16th season of its long-running reality series, The Real World. This time the action takes place in Austin, TX. From hot tub threesomes, to night-cam sex romps, this youth-targeted series celebrates drunkenness and debauchery. This season's cast includes, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a self-proclaimed "nymph" who in the first episode alone can be seen streaking through the house nude and kissing another woman to the delight of her male housemates. Teasers hint at housemate hook-ups, and one 23-year-old cast member losing her virginity.”

Sexual themes abound in daytime and prime time television programs such as “Sex in the City,” “One Tree Hill,” “The OC,” “What I Like About You,” and others. Add to the mix sexy commercials and magazine ads, sexually provocative lyrics in songs, sexually explicit movies, and the latest “pimps and hos” fashion trends, and it’s no wonder that today’s teens have a difficult time keeping their sexuality in check.

According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet titled "The Truth about Adolescent Sexuality"

• 45.6 percent of high school students (48.5 percent of males and 42.9 percent of females) reported having had sexual intercourse
• 33.4 percent of students reported they were currently sexually active (defined as having had sexual intercourse in the three months preceding the study)
  
• 6.6 percent of students reported initiating sexual intercourse before age 13
  
• 14.2 percent of students (17.2 percent of males and 11.4 percent of females) reported having had sexual intercourse with four or more partners

The good news, if there is any in these statistics, is that the percentage of students having sexual intercourse is down almost eight percent since 1995. Slight though it may be, the trend is downward and I hope to see it continue in that direction.

One thing that may well have contributed to this decline is teen sexual behavior is the renewed acceptance of abstinence as a viable alternative for young people. Many church youth groups are challenging their young people to take a vow of abstinence or to sign a commitment to remain sexually pure until marriage. I believe that this is definitely a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, another contribution to this decline could be the blurring of the distinction between intercourse and other sexual activity by our former president and by the media.

The Alan Guttmacher Institute recently issued a special report titled, “Oral Sex Among Adolescents: Is It Sex or Is It Abstinence?” The reports title begs the question: Is anything other than intercourse really sex? Planned parenthood and our public schools seem to place virtually no prohibitions on any sexual activity for children, teens, or adults other than to use protection. In some circles, oral sex is virtually glorified as an acceptable alternative to intercourse. In others, it’s not considered sex at all.

I am a firm believer in abstinence before marriage not only for teenagers but for young adults as well. (And I’m talking about abstinence from ANY kind of physical intimacy; not just sexual intercourse!) True abstinence is the only true form of “safe sex.” One needs to go no further than the Bible to find the origin of this concept.

It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
(1 Corinthians 7:1b NASB)

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. (Genesis 2:24 NLT)

Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery. (Hebrews 4:13 NLT)

In a world where we’re bombarded with sexual images and where television shows depict normal teenagers as sexually active and only geeks and losers refraining from sex, kids get the impression that “everybody’s doing it” and are pressured to join the crowd. Peer pressure is brutal and the consequences of not fitting in are devastating at best. Truth is, however, more than half of the young people in the U. S. are NOT having sex!

Campus Life magazine, in its September/October 2002 issue included an excellent article titled, “Everybody’s Not Doing It” by Stephanie Sheaffer. In this article, Ms. Sheaffer confesses,

“I'm glad I grew up in a family where my parents cared about what I saw and did. I'm glad my parents never let me watch PG-13 movies until I was 13. I'm glad my parents wouldn't let me go on a date with the boy I'd just met at a fast-food restaurant. I'm glad my parents told me it's not OK to have sex before I'm married. I'm glad my parents told me to keep certain things private. I know they love me because they give me standards to live by.

“They told me that some things are not to be shared with everyone. They taught me it's OK to blush. Some people may whisper about how I'm repressed and not experiencing life to the fullest. I disagree because, remember, I'm not the one who's pregnant. I don't have a sexually transmitted disease. I'm not concerned about birth control. I simply refuse to buy into the idea that sex is all that matters.”

Part of the payoff for being “sexually free,” according to Ms. Sheaffer, is the possibility of getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease. The best way to NOT worry about pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases is to NOT have sex in any form! And while abstinence is a way to accomplish that, it may seem to some like a difficult discipline depriving them of normal pleasure.

I have an even better idea, however, for Christian teens to consider—one that involves more than just a person’s abstinence from sexual behavior. This is the concept of chastity. Chastity is the spiritual condition of purity that has to do with the body, the soul, and the spirit. The Bible has much to say about purity.

Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you. (Psalm 86:11 NLT)

Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart. (Proverbs 17:3 NLT)

We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
(2 Corinthians 6:6 NLT)

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God. (2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT)

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NLT)

Treat the older women as you would your mother, and treat the younger women with all purity as your own sisters. (1 Timothy 5:2 NLT)

And I command you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey his commands with all purity. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns.
(1 Timothy 6:13-14 NLT)

God’s Word gives us good incentives to remain pure. No where in the Bible does God demand anything of us without also providing us with a benefit in return. Chastity is no exception. Its demand is preceded by sufficient motivation and power from God to make it not only possible, but profitable. (See 2 Peter 1:3) The payoff for being pure and chaste, besides being free from worry about pregnancy and STDs, is the ability to stand blameless before God and to receive His favor. Abstaining from sex is something you do, being chaste, however, is part of who you are.

Dr. Richard D. Dobbins, in an advice column for CBN.com, titled "Why Shoiuld I Save Sex for Marriage?" stated that,

"Certainly the greatest reward of confining sexual fantasies and practices to marriage is to have a conscience free from devastating sexual guilt, disappointment, and regret. I believe that more self-respect is sacrificed at the altar of sexual indulgence than in any other activity in modern America."

Chastity allows you to preserve the one thing that you have to offer that one special person who God brings into your life to be your help mate--yourself! You can only give yourself completely to one person one time. In God's grand scheme of things husband and wife were to save themselves for each other and then at the right moment, under the right circumstances, they were to give themselves totally to each other for all time with virtually no restrictions.

Young people who engage in sex before marriage cheat their potential life partner out of the one thing that would make their relationship unique and special. There is only one first time, and that should be experienced by two people who have committed to each other "'til death us do part." Young people who engage in sex with multiple partners before marriage give pieces of themselves to each person with whom they have sex, so that whomever they marry, at best, gets only leftovers. What kind of marriage could be built on that kind of a shaky foundation? It's no wonder half of all marriages today end up in divorce.

Lauren F. Winner writes in "Sex in the Body of Christ" (Christianity Today, May 2005):

“Sex is, in Paul's image, a joining of your body to someone else's. In baptism, you have become Christ's body, and it is Christ's body that must give you permission to join his body to another body. In the Christian grammar, we have no right to sex. The place where the church confers that privilege on you is the wedding; weddings grant us license to have sex with one person. Chastity, in other words, is a fact of gospel life. In the New Testament, sex beyond the boundaries of marriage—the boundaries of communally granted sanction of sex—is simply off limits. To have sex outside those bounds is to commit an offense against the body. Abstinence before marriage, and fidelity within marriage; any other kind of sex is embodied apostasy.”

Sex outside of marriage is clearly NOT a part of God’s plan for any believer’s life. It is the joining of Christ’s body to that of another without His permission or blessing. Within marriage, however, sex is a physical demonstration of the kind of intimacy God wants us to share with Him spiritually. The oneness between husband and wife during sexual intercourse represents the degree of spiritual oneness God wants us to have with Him.

Sex is not wrong when experienced in the context of marriage. It is to be celebrated by husbands and wives as a gift from God and an example of how very much He loves and wants to be intimate with us. Christians need not be ashamed of or embarrassed by the thought or mention of sex. God created and approved of it.

C. S. Lewis wrote in his Mere Christianity[1]:

“I know some muddle-headed Christians have talked as if Christianity thought that sex, or the body, or pleasure, were bad in themselves. But they were wrong. Christianity is almost the only one of the great religions which thoroughly approves of the body—which believes that matter is good, that God Himself once took on a human body, that some kind of body is going to be given to us even in Heaven and is going to be an essential part of our happiness, our beauty, and our energy. Christianity has glorified marriage more than any other religion: and nearly all the greatest love poetry in the world has been produced by Christians. If anyone says that sex, in itself, is bad, Christianity contradicts him at once.”

God never created anything for our good and then withheld it for no good reason. Sex is no exception. God created male and female, and He created sex as a means of pleasure as well as procreation. When we commit to indulge in sexual intimacy ONLY within the God-ordained confines of a marriage relationship, we are laying the groundwork for the most gratifying and fulfilling sexual experiences possible. Even secular statistics point out that the most fulfilling sexual experiences are had by married, religious couples. Chastity is not denying oneself of all sexual pleasure, but merely postponing it until the time and under the circumstance where it can be enjoyed the most.

For more excellent biblical teaching on chastity and abstinence, visit http://www.chastitycall.org/.

[1] Lewis, Clive Staples. Mere Christianity. Macmillan, Inc. 1952