I Am A Disciple

The Last Decade In Retrospect

2010-01-17T23:07:00.002-05:00

I would like to share the following video I put together to reflect upon the major events of the past decade, and what I believe the Lord has been saying through those events. In light of the recent devastation with the earthquake in Haiti, I believe this to be a very timely video.

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkwSViAVMJE

A Summary of Ephesians 1-2:10

2009-10-28T06:42:00.003-04:00

Recently in an online discussion, I gave a summary of Ephesians 1-2:10. Being that Ephesians is one of my favorite books in all of the Scripture, and also one of the most in-depth and difficult to interpret, I thought I would make available to you my brief summary of this portion of Scripture for your edification.

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Ephesians is an epistle of the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus. After a general introduction and salutations, Paul immediately begins the task of combating some false ideas that had begun to make inroads into this church. To do this, he shows the ovearching predetermined plan of God for all of history, and how that relates to Christ and how that relates to the Church. He shows how all things are ultimately summed up in Christ, and how we as believers fall into that ultimate summation in God's redemptive plan for history-- which has as it's chief end the resurrection of the dead. Paul says that the down payment and proof of this future plan that we can count on God bringing to pass is demonstrated by the gift of the Holy Spirit, who serves as a fortaste of the fullness that will eventually come.

Paul goes on to thank God for the church at Ephesus, and prays that their eyes might be enlightened so that they can have a personal revelation and insight into these precious truths. For if they do, it will revolutionize their lives. He then goes to assert the greatness of Christ, and shows how Christ is above every order of every created thing, things in heaven and earth.

In chapter 2 Paul continues on this theme of the greatness of Christ, and shows how Christ rescued us while we were dead in our sins and the worldly and demonic forces and influences we were subjected too. Prior to this supernatural and divine rescue by the risen and exalted Lord, who is greater than all these forces, we walked as the rest of the children of wrath, who we were part of by nature. For apart from being resecued by the supreme and exalted Lord who sits above the forces that rule over and enslave mankind (the prince and the power of the air) to their wicked nature, we would still be in that state.

"But God" made a difference in this, and shined on us His great love and mercy, rescuing us not only from these cosmic forces, but also rescuing us while we were dead and in our sin. And when He rescued us and saved us from all this, He lifted us up out of the mire and clay, and has caused us to sit with Christ in heavenly places in order to demonstrate the riches of God in us in the ages to come. He did this apart from anything we did, He did it by grace working through faith. With that, all credit belongs to Him, and we have become His divine workmanship, so we could walk in the good works God has prepared for us.

Re: Earthquakes, Tsunamis and the Love of God

2009-10-04T12:56:00.002-04:00

I offered the following thoughts in reply to Ron Baily's comments on the "Biblebase Second Thoughts" blog: http://biblebasesecondthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/10/earthquakes-tsunamis-and-love-of-god.html

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Good thoughts Ron. I think there is always a temptation to speak too soon on these matters, a "running of the feet" to speak by those whom God has not sent to speak a direct word over a situation. No doubt, I have my thoughts and insights on matters like these, things I believe God has shown me over the years personally and through the Scriptures. But even with such things as that, I have found that there is no answer that can satisfy the mother robbed of her young through such "acts of God."

Indeed, I have found that for all of our prophetic and theological answers to these things, emotionally speaking, no answer ever satisfies, even if the answer is true. Ultimately such situations I believe are calculated to draw us to God and cause us to flee to Him for the salvation we need. And by 'the salvation we need,' I don't simply mean a conversion experience. Rather, 'the salvation we need,' can be any circumstance in which we need a special touch from the Master, and deliverance from.

Again, I don't think an emotionally satisfying answer will ever be supplied, not even in the ages to come. Rather, 'the Lord will wipe away every tear,' simply from being in His presence. He alone can be our satisfaction. Ephesians reminds us that we can know the love of God in a way that is beyond knowledge. Whatever unique interpretation we might declare over a situation, I think God aims to communicate something of Himself in a way that no utterance will ever be able to communicate.

God bless,

Jimmy Humphrey

The Greatest Sinner I Know

2009-08-30T22:45:00.002-04:00

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of who I am chief" (1 Timothy 1:15, KJV)

If you regularly study the writings of the apostle Paul, you'll find him say some pretty amazing things. Here, like as many other times before, he does not disappoint. He says some things so bluntly and plainly, we think, "surely to God he doesn't really mean that." Often he makes these seemingly random, mother-load sized statements, and simply moves on without so much as offering a simple reflection on what he just said. Though sometimes such proves to be a source of frustration to the student of the Scriptures, in reality, I think I really like that. Instead of looking to dot every "i" and cross every "t," Paul sometimes simply spoke the word that was on his heart, and figured if you didn't understand it, that word would eventually do a work in your life, because that word was nothing other than the Lord's.

Here we have such a statement by Paul. After giving some practical pastoral exhortations to his fellow apostle Timothy, Paul recalls his life before he met the Lord. Specifically, he recalls how he acted out of ignorance and unbelief, and persecuted the Church of the living God. Paul then recalls how the Lord touched him and showed him mercy. Paul then goes onto say that the Lord came into this world to save sinners, of who he is chief.

Such a statement offends many. So much so that some preachers and commentators attempt to explain such a statement away as something Paul was simply saying about his past. And, contextually speaking, I can see how one might arrive at such a conclusion. But his statement about being the chief of sinners is not in the past tense. It is present. And this truth, unfortunately, has caused many preachers and commentators to draw unfortunate conclusions. Paul here, in his present tense confession, is not confessing to continually struggling with besetting sins in his life, or knowingly living with some skeletons in his closet.

Rather, I see it different. Paul's confession to being the chief of sinners is not simply a statement about his past, nor is he admitting to regularly sinning in his life. Rather, his confession to being the chief of sinners is made by a man whose eyes have seen the Lord, and based on this revelation, has come to understand that he is the greatest sinner he knows. Indeed, for anybody who has truly had a revelation of the holiness of God, one cannot help but see the monster they actually are.

They in fact, become the greatest sinner they know. This knowledge is not based on comparing one's personal sin record with the sin record of any other person. Rather, this knowledge comes from a personal and experiential knowledge of God, whereby when one gazes upon Him in his holiness, they cannot but help have an Isaiah 6 vision of God and cry out "Woe is me! I am undone!" When one truly sees the Lord high and lifted up, sitting upon His throne, one is not overly aware of who other men are in relation to God. One only sees God, and as a result of seeing God, they see themselves, and the ugly monster they really are.

Today I stood in Church and testified, I am the greatest sinner I know. Have I ever, or am I presently living in gross immorality? No, not at all. Even when I was unsaved, I still lived a relatively good and moral life. I have never killed anybody, done drugs, or slept around. Comparatively speaking, I can think of a lot of other people who have done far worse things than I have ever done. Yet even armed with this knowledge, when I stand before God, I see who the Lord is, and I see who I am and what I am capable of doing.

What I believe Paul ultimately wanted us to see in his statement, is what I have come to see of myself. I am utterly and entirely dependent upon the grace and mercy of God for my salvation. For apart from that precious grace and mercy, in and of myself, I have come to see the depths of my own personal depravity. I have come to see, like the apostle Paul, that I am the greatest sinner I know. Indeed, in me there is no good thing. Only rot and filth. But thank God, the Lord did come to save me, and as a result of His saving me, I can now be a demonstration of His perfect patience, and an example for others to see of God and His saving work. After all, if the Lord could save me, the greatest sinner I know, then He can surely save others.

The Essential Gospel Elements

2009-08-18T23:37:00.006-04:00

The following is an excerpt from an e-mail discussion between Eli Brayley and myself. I thought this would be profitable for others to read, so I have decided to share it here. Please forgive me ahead of time if all of this letter doesn't make complete sense. It is definitely ad hoc in nature, and I don't attempt to plug in all the gaps in my argument, or make things very smooth.

Many blessings,

Jimmy

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Hey Eli,

Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been pretty busy and haven't had much chance to respond.

Indeed, in Jesse's theology, "grace and mercy" is merely talk. Indeed, without believing in imputed righteousness, that is all grace and mercy can ever be. Paul's understanding of grace is entirely built upon the framework of what Christ did for us on the cross and in His resurrection. The same goes with his understanding of "faith." In his theological system faith is really reduced to mere mental assent, "I believe the Bible." That's dead creedalism really, and that's all that a moral government theology can offer. But Scriptural faith is something beyond this mental assent, rather, it is grounded in a radical trust, that what "God said He is also able to perform," just as Abraham "believed God" in regard to the promise made to him concerning Isaac. Abraham truly had to "trust in God" to bring about what he himself could not: the issuing of life from a dead womb.

Abraham could obey God all he wanted, but no amount of obedience or repentance could bring this act about. Only God could, who calls "the things that are not" into being. Abraham's faith, which serves as a model of saving faith, is a faith that brings an end to self. It's a complete and wild abandonment to the God who created the heavens and the earth, and raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It's a taking of Him at His word, and trusting Him in His power to come through just as He said. It's a faith in the God who acts on our behalf, doing for us what we cannot in anyway do ourselves. Abraham tried to do for himself, but that simply resulted in the birth of Ishmael. Indeed, until the very end, even after Abraham obtained his Isaac by faith, was put in a place where Isaac could only be kept by faith: Abraham put Isaac on the altar believing even should he kill him, God would raise him up. This, I believe, is a precious type of how our salvation comes through faith, and is maintained by God through faith, and faith alone, and is not in anyway by works. Abraham had no plan B for Isaac, he only had God to trust.

In accordance with Deuteronomy and the teachings of Paul, I believe God raises up false prophets to test us, and ultimately expose our own condition and show us where we are missing it. False prophets can only allure those who already have ears that can be itched. Moral government proponents such as Jesse, I believe show us even how we as evangelicals have lacked. Even though Jesse is not teaching a "cheap grace" or "easy believism," his "gospel" message is plagued with the same problem you find in the church today. His gospel doesn't give you anything to actually believe in, or trust God for. His preaching, like the preaching of so many others, is merely an attempt to get you to buy into a soteriological plan for salvation. As important as that is, such is not gospel preaching, and such never gives anybody something tangible to actually have faith in. As the old saying goes, you are not justified by believing in justification by faith, but you are justified by faith.

Faith in what? As Paul says so clearly in Romans 10:9-10, "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." How many preachers out there, who lead sinners in a prayer, ever brought these sinners to this crucial point? How many out there have repented of their sins BECAUSE they were convinced that Jesus is the Lord, and that GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD? Rather, we have an evangelical Christianity where people have come to God without even believing and trusting in this great message, that God raised a dead man named Jesus from the dead. If you examine Jesse's moral government theology, or most evangelism programs out there, including such great ones as "Evangelism Explosion" or "The Way of the Master," you will find all these are all horribly lacking in this department. Most of these programs out there are mainly geared to convince people that they are hell deserving sinners who need to repent of their sins, because the Jesus who died for those sins is coming back soon. Really, that's no different than what Jesse does. Some simply offer a difference doctrine of assurance than Jesse does. But either way, neither truly brings one to "faith."

I'm convinced there will be a lot of people who wake up in hell one day who believed Jesus Christ died for their sins, and prayed the sinners prayer. I cannot ever speak on this topic enough, as it is near and dear to my heart. Maybe we can talk again by phone sometime so I might better convey to you my understanding and passion in this. I believe I have spoken to you about it before. But honestly, I believe we as evangelicals have made salvation into nothing more than what Jesse has made it into. It's a mingling of "faith" and works. Jesse teaches you have to mingle faith plus works to be saved. This is clear error. But when we as evangelicals say "believe and say this prayer..." it seems escape our notice that we have done nothing different. Jesse's assured he's probably going to heaven because he is going to obey God the rest of his life. Many evangelicals are convinced they are going to heaven because they prayed the sinners prayer one time, and meant it from the heart when they did. I fail how to see these gospels are different?

If the gospel message is not centered in convincing the sinner that they must believe and trust in the risen Lord Jesus Christ alone for their salvation, then it is not the gospel. The gospel message is that Jesus Christ, the son of God, who was crucified for our sins, was brought back to life after three days, and will come again soon. But this Jesus, who was risen, and will come again soon, can and will utterly save sinners who put their trust in Him for a salvation that He alone can give. And He can only do that, because He is alive in bodily form. If this is not our understanding, and if this isn't our message, then God is reduced to a mere abstract cosmic deity. But when we assert that God was incarnate in Jesus Christ, and raised Him from the dead, God is no longer something for philosophers to debate about. Rather, He is somebody tangible, who actually has intervened in history, and can intervene in our lives.

Regarding "the new perspective," I have to admit that I'm still coming up to date on it. I had started reading N.T. Wright's "Justification" that he just released that seeks to dialog with those who are critical of his system. I must say, there are indeed some very bad errors in that system, though, I can't say I've yet fully grasped what it is he's trying to say. He seems to be circling around what he wants to say, but never gets around to saying it. Though it is clear he doesn't truly believe in a foreign righteousness that comes through imputation. And though he says he believes in imputed righteousness, he definitely doesn't see righteousness as something that can actually be imparted to us. As a side note, I must say, some of what he says is absolutely excellent, and I would commend to further studying, especially since he seems to, interestingly enough, embrace a Ben Israel perspective in regard to his eschatology of the Jews, especially in regard to the messianic claims of Christ. But, he should be taken with a great grain of salt, as it is obvious not all is well in Kansas with him, and I clearly do not fully grasp his theology.

Concerning the issue that Jesse takes up, asserting the false (though common) dichotomy between the moral and ceremonial aspects of the law: Romans 7 very clearly teaches that we have died to the law-- ALL of it. The law is an all or nothing deal. Romans 7 also clearly links that the law we have died to, includes the moral law, not just the ceremonial regulations. For Paul says in that chapter, "the law says you shall not covet." It is this very law he says we died to, and had to die to, so that we could obtain the freedom and life that is in Christ, and be joined to Him. So long as we marry ourselves to the law, and seek to "obey" it, we will forever remain it's slave, and as a result, a slave to our sinful flesh, being unable to set our mind on God. Yes, we are to "obey" God, and we definitely should not be breaking any of His commandments. But, this issues out of participation in the divine life, as being led by the Spirit of God, not even the moral letter of the law.

We are "keepers" of the law, not because we seek to perfectly obey it, but rather, because of the changed nature in us naturally keeps it. We know very well only one man ever perfectly obeyed the law, and that was Christ. The law, Paul told Timothy, is made for sinful men. It is made for murderers, adulterers, and drunkards. Murderers, adulterers, and drunkards need a law that says "don't do that," because men by their fallen nature, they WANT to do those things, because they are sinners. But we who have received a new nature, as new creations, as saints of God, don't need a law that says "don't do those things," because, by our regenerative nature, we don't WANT to murder, commit adultery, or get drunk. Thus, unless we choose to give into the lusts of our flesh, we will not carry out the lusts of the flesh. Which is why we must give heed to the Spirit (not the law!), and set our mind on the things of the Spirit, so that we obey the Spirit. We thus, "keep" the law through the new nature that has been created in us, not out of a sense of moral obligation, let alone as a means of salvation.

Forgive me if this e-mail is a little choppy. I didn't get to sit down and write it in one sitting and make it as smooth as I could in response to your points.

Many blessings to you. I hope to hear from you soon.

Jimmy

Sermon Index "Revival Conference"

2009-07-26T07:41:00.001-04:00

Important Revival Conference Events in Indiana, Wales and Ireland

Contact: Greg Gordon, SermonIndex.net, 571-563-5211, sermonindex@gmail.com

FREDERICTON, July 26 / Will God send an Spiritual Awakening? Yes, is the resounding answer from the 30 year old Greg Gordon who is the founder of SermonIndex.net an online digital tape ministry spanning the world. A quote by Andrew Gih from one of the Revival Conference brochures reflects this optimism "God's time for revival is the very darkest hour, when everything seems hopeless. It is always the Lord's way to go to the very worst cases to manifest His glory."

Over the past 3 years there have been revival conference events that have been held in Ohio, Atlanta, Oklahoma, Scotland and now planned in Wales, Ireland and Indiana. And more planned for next year in Canada potentially. There were over 1000 in attendance at each event to date and attendees from over 30 countries and all different denominational backgrounds gathered together. But if you are thinking these are typical "revival meetings" are you in for a surprise. The vision of the conferences on the website RevivalConference.com reflects this:

"There are over 10,000 conferences that happen every year. The 'Revival Conference' is not to be just another conference but a honest, sincere, earnest plea for the desperate need of revival. There is no cost to attend the event. No materials will be sold. There will be no big bands. The conference will have the chief object to be God-glorifying. The speakers will come on their own accord trusting God for provision. There will be no emphasis on money during the event. The event will be a simple, apostolic, yearning for a genuine biblical revival in our day. The conference is hosted by the ministry of SermonIndex.net and is a inter-denominational event."

Greg shares, "I personally believe some of these events have become historic in my mind. For instance in Atlanta last year Paul Washer delivered a message called 'Ten Indictments Against The Modern Day Church.' As soon as this message was delivered I knew this was going to spread around the entire world, and it did! This message has been viewed now by over 1 million people across the world." Paul Washer will be speaking in Wales and Ireland this year and there is a real expectation of what messages he will deliver in the UK.

For more information, go to www.revivalconference.com, where you can view the live webcast as a individual or church and also register for the conferences.

Called by God

2009-07-17T08:45:00.002-04:00

The following devotional I received in an e-mail from Zac Poonen, an elder in the Christian Fellowship Church of Bangalore, India. Be blessed.

There is a lot of difference between "a profession" and"a calling". Let me explain what I mean. Suppose there’s a sick child in a hospital and a nurse looks after it for 8 hour son her shift-duty. That nurse then goes home and forgets allabout that child. Her concern for that child was only for 8 hours. Now she has other things to do, such as going to the movies and watching television. She doesn’t have to think about that child again until the next day when she goes back to work. But the mother of that child doesn’t work 8-hour shifts! She can’t go to the movies when her child is sick. That’s the difference between a profession and a calling. If you apply that illustration to the way you care for thebelievers in your church, you’ll discover whether you’re a nurse or a mother!
Paul said, in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, "We proved to be gentle among you as a mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well pleased to impart you not only the gospel but also our own lives because you’ve become very dear to us". Paul not only imparted the gospel of God to those Christians but his life as well. Any ministry that is not done in this way is not really Christian ministry. Paul served God like that becausehe had a calling to the ministry. He didn’t take it up as a profession.
It’s wonderful to serve the Lord. It is the greatest thing in the world. Nothing on earth can be compared with it -but only if you’re called. It cannot be reduced to a profession. God called me to serve Him (full-time) on May 6, 1964 whenI was an officer in the Indian Navy. I handed in my resignation then to the naval authorities. But it was like Moses asking Pharaoh to let the Israelites go! The Indian Navy wouldn’t release me. It took two years and repeated applications before they finally released me - miraculously- in God’s perfect time. Being called of God has made all the difference in my life. First of all, it doesn’t matter to me now, what people think about me or my ministry, because Someone Else is my Master and I have to answer only to Him. Secondly, I can trust God to stand by me and give me grace whenever I face any trial or opposition in my ministry- and that happens often. Thirdly, it doesn’t matter to mewhether I receive any money or not, and whether I get anyfood to eat or not. If I receive food and money, well and good. If I don’t get any food or money, that’s fine with me too. I cannot stop serving the Lord, just because I didn’t get money or food - because God has called me.
I can’t get rid of my calling. I’m not a salaried employee who can stop working when I’m not paid or fed! It’s like thecase of the mother and her child. A nurse will stop working if her salary is not paid one month. But a mother can never stop. She doesn’t get a salary in any case! And she’ll look after her baby even if she doesn’t get any food or money!That’s how the apostles served the Lord. What a glorious thing it is to be called of God! You can never do the Lord’s work, the way God wants you to do it, if you do it as a profession. It has to be a calling or nothing. Every other job in the world can be done as a profession. But not amother’s, or a father’s, or that of a servant of the Lord! All these are the result of a calling. Paul told the Corinthian Christians that even if they had 10,000 teachers, they still had only one father (1 Cor.4:15). Paul was both aspiritual father and a mother to his flock. His was not a profession but a calling.
"Take this child and nurse him for me and I shall give youyour wages" is what the Lord has said to me (Exod.2:9). He said that to me first of all concerning my own physical children. And then He said that to me concerning myspiritual children too. When we take care of God’s childrenHe’s the One Who is responsible to give us our wages, not man. If we serve men, then let us look to men to pay us. But if we serve the Lord, then let us look to Him alone toprovide us our needs, in whatever way He sees fit. And let Him also decide how much we should receive each month. There is a dignity about a true servant of the Lord. "Take these children and nurse them for Me", says the Lord, "Bring themup for me and I will give you your wages". Those wages willnot be in terms of money, primarily. I believe the Lord takes care of our earthly needs, since He taught us to prayfor our daily bread and He has ordained that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. So He will takecare of all our earthly needs. But there’ll be a far greater spiritual reward, in addition. Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica that they were going to be his crown and his joy when the Lord returned (1 Thess.2:19). He found his delight in them, just as a father finds his delight in his children.
An elder (who is a spiritual father) will be delighted whenhe sees that believers, who came as raw material to hischurch once, have now become men of God. This is something akin to the delight a sculptor has when he has fashioned a shapeless rock into a human form. He had to chip away atthat block for many months and years before the face andfigure of the man came out of it! That is the work that God has given us to do too. We must never be satisfied with merely having instructed people correctly. If the image of Christ has not come forth in their lives, we have accomplished nothing at all.

Pride - To whom belongs the glory?

2009-06-27T22:25:00.002-04:00

In light of a recent gift, I have decided to add a new feature to the I Am A Disciple web site. Going forward, from time to time, I will be now making some short video devotional thoughts available through YouTube. All future video's will be available on the "apostolicXitianity" channel on YouTube.com

The above video I did at the request of a friend, who thought I should preach a message on pride. Such was used by the Lord to spark some inspiration in me on the topic of pride. In the above message, I examine the judgment on King Herod in Acts 12, and the humility of Christ in Philippians 2. I show that pride is about the glorification of self, and that humility is about the glorification of Christ.

Be blessed.

Thoughts on Personal Words of Prophecy

2009-06-26T07:08:00.003-04:00

Recently I found myself in a discussion through e-mail concerning personal words of prophecy. I simply thought I would share with you some practical considerations I made for handling such words. Be blessed.

If I might, I would like to contribute some to this discussion. First I would like to share a "cute" story from my own personal experience. In the last days of Bible college, I was starting to seek direction from the Lord as to "what's next" in my life. After all, I had gone to Bible college as I believe the Lord had led me to do. Now I needed to know what came next. As I walked across the stage and received my degree, I expected some great prophetic word from the Lord as to what direction I was to take. No such thing happened. All that happened was I walked across stage, received a handshake, my degree, and a Bible. I felt very disappointed. No word! This deeply bothered me! I sought the Lord over the matter, and a few months later he finally spoke to me on this issue, rather playfully the Lord said to me one day, "Jimmy you idiot, I gave you a Bible!"

Not to by any means sound like a cessationist-- As you know, I fully believe in the prophetic gifts being for today, and believe myself to stand in the prophetic tradition-- but I believe we as Pentecostals/Charismatics put way too much stock on "personal prophecy." Whether it be a word given through another person, or a direct revelation through the Spirit. The fact of the matter is that we have been given God's word, which is more than sufficient for all that we need pertaining to life. Indeed, while personal prophecy and revelation has it's definite God ordained place and function within the body, I believe it to be much more rare than many so-called prophetical schools would have us to believe. I've been a Christian for about ten years, and called by the Lord into a prophetic ministry for about 7 or 8 of those years. Personally speaking, in these years as a Christian and as a minister of the word, I could probably count on one hand all the direct words the Lord has given me through the Holy Spirit about things getting ready to happen in my life. Likewise, I could probably count on my other hand all the personal words of prophecy I have given to specific individuals. And even then, those words were usually just a citation of a passage of Scripture.

Not to by any means hold myself up as the perfect model for this, as I have been weak in my faith at times these ten years, and each believer has a unique gift of grace and measure of faith given to them that differs from my own, but, generally speaking, I think my experience is meant to be normative. Proverbs 3:4-6 comes to mind:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

When this is the case, I have found that I really seldom am in need of a personal word from the Lord in my own life. When I simply seek the Lord with all my heart, and seek to walk according to what is already written in the word, I have found that He simply works things out in my life without needing to tell me anything that is not already contained within the Scriptures themselves. No doubt, sometimes He will actually tell me something that is getting ready to happen, or will give a word to another brother or sister for me. But what I have personally experienced, especially in regard to a word from another brother or sister, is that such a spoken word is usually (though not always) something in regard to what the Lord has already been dealing with me about.

Ultimately God wants us to put our trust in Him through a heart that has abandoned itself to Him. And sometimes I have found that the only way He can do that is to remain utterly silent on many issues. He simply wants us to get out there and walk. When we walk in the reality of Psalm 23, with the Lord being our shepherd, we will find that He rarely has to speak to us. Indeed, He really doesn't have to, as we are walking in the reality of Christ and life in Him, and trusting in Him to guide us to the still waters. What more need He to say to us other than what has already been said in the faith once and for all handed down to the saints?

Many blessings,

Jimmy Humphrey

What Are The Odds?

2009-05-03T08:13:00.002-04:00

We live in a world that is convinced that life is simply a random series of events. Much of this thought can be tied to the theory of evolution, which states that life itself spontaneously and randomly generated quite on accident. And sense its generation, life has randomly mutated and evolved into the world we live in today. This seemingly random nature of life is enforced by man's own observations, as he sets goals and looks to accomplish them, only to have them radically altered (for better or for worse) along the way.

How many people can honestly testify that the goals and plans they had in life have always worked out exactly as planned? Who has not had a curve ball thrown their way? Who has not set out to accomplish one thing, only to have something else entirely "random" happen, which forced them to adjust their goals?

Think of the high-school or college athlete, who has an amazing talent and ability, one that may make a champion out of them one day. Yet while driving down the road one day, they suddenly get into a car accident that renders them disabled, and smashes all the hopes and dreams they have of stardom and making it big in the pros. Or, in a more positive light, think of the man in the 1800's, while traveling through California, simply was digging in the dirt and struck gold. Such a random thing was something he probably never set out to do, yet this random "luck" came his way.

Recently, God has reminded me, however, that to look at life in such a random way is contrary to the Biblical perspective. Such a secular outlook is contrary to the Divine outlook. Indeed, by assigning "randomness" to life, we attempt to rob God of His sovereign power and rule of creation. Our God is the Alpha and Omega, who declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). There is absolutely nothing that happens in this world by chance, and there is absolutely nothing in this world that happens without God being intimately involved, and as a result, there is absolutely nothing that happens in this world that is somehow devoid of purpose.

The apostle Paul says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God." (Romans 8:28) We should be encouraged by this. Far from life being a random series of disconnected accidents, God causes all events "to work together." There is a "together" quality about seemingly random events, that God ties together, ultimately for our own good. Life may be beyond our own control, but because God is sovereign, we can be assured that it is within His own control.

Such is ultimately what we learn from the life of Joseph. In Genesis we read how God gave Joseph a dream about his own destiny. Yet, life happened, and everything seemed to move Joseph away from fulfilling his reason for being. Life was not easy on Joseph in his path to greatness. Indeed, immediately after his dream, his own brothers in jealously trapped him and sold him into slavery. When things were starting to look better for him, Joseph ended up in jail. Only after rotting in jail for a long time was Joseph released and moved into the place where he could fulfill his purpose. Finally, as we all know, Joseph and his brothers met up again. And instead of being hateful and bitter towards his brothers, Joseph was able to deal kindly and gently with them. For in all the tragedies of his life, Joseph declared that what was meant for evil by others, God meant for good.

Joseph knew through all his seemingly "bad luck", God was with Him through it all. Oh, such might cause many to reason about the philosophical ramifications of such things. Was God the author of all these bad things? Or was it the devil? How does free will play into all this? Interestingly enough, while we might attempt to abstractly answer such great questions, and do so reasonably based on other verses in the Bible, I don't believe the Scriptures ever set out to give us a definitive answer to such idle speculation.

Rather, far from seeking to give clear cut answers to these questions, I believe the Scriptures want to create faith in us, so that we might see that whatever situation we might find ourselves in, and no matter what surprises may come our way, that God is in control through it all. Nothing happens by chance. There are no odds. Rather, all things are the working out of God's predetermined will, which He purposed before the foundations of the world.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

2009-04-12T09:08:00.004-04:00

Central to the claim of the gospel is the belief that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Without this event, our faith is worthless. It's such an amazing fact in the history of the world: a dead man came back to life, and lives forever more. Yet for many today, on Easter Sunday, more thought will be given to egg hunts on Church lawns than this most wonderful news. While there is certainly nothing wrong in and of itself in participating in Easter Egg hunts, I think such is often symptomatic of the numbness we have towards the heart of the gospel message itself.

Indeed, the "good news" of Jesus Christ is that though the King of kings was crucified and murdered at the hands of His own people, that this dead man literally and physically came back to life. It is the message that the prophesied kingdom of God which He established through His ministry did not disappear with His death, but was victoriously established by His resurrection, and continues on to this very day. Indeed, His resurrection demonstrates that because He lives, we will also. Thus, though we suffer death one day, the power of His kingdom will triumph even over death, putting an end even to it, by means of our literal and physical resurrection one day.

The heart of the gospel message is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet so often, we neglect this fact, and preach a crippled gospel as a result of it. For many, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a mere doctrine that is stapled on to the end of a sinners prayer. It is merely part of a magical formula that one is prompted to recite so as to secure their salvation. Yet, unless an individual realizes that this is the heart claim of the gospel message itself, and absolutely unequivocally the central message they are to believe so as to be saved, then indeed, a person cannot be saved.

For Romans 10 teaches us that salvation comes through confessing that Jesus is Lord, and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. Yet we waste so much energy going around trying to convince men that they are sinners in the hands of an angry God, or the other extreme, that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their life. Indeed, both these doctrines are true, and firmly taught in Scripture as being part of the gospel message. But they are not the essence of the gospel message, and have made false prophets out of us all. Indeed, if you were to closely examine the book of Acts, and the messages that the apostles preached, you will find that though those these elements were present in their preaching, the thing that made the gospel message unique was their persistent claim that they were eyewitnesses to a dead man who came back to life by the name of Jesus.

Such is the message, that turned the world upside down. The question is, has it turned your world upside down? Has it truly sunk into your head? Have you truly had a revelation of it? We as Christians claim to have Jesus living inside of us. And we think about it in very mystical ghostly terms, as if Jesus were some mere force in the cosmos, or some deep inner strength rooted in our humanity. But the Scriptures think about this much more concretely than we often do. Our minds are far too "spiritual." Have we failed to realize that the inward spiritual experience we have as born again believers is reflective of an actual physical and historical reality? A dead man lives!!!

My life is different today because this dead man named Jesus came back to life after three days. Indeed, to believe such a radical claim must challenge, change, and transform one. To be unchallenged, unchanged, and be just the same as you were yesterday is only proof that you have not truly believed this message. You mentally agree with the claim, and don't disagree with it as you are in some sense a "Christian."

But has this claim revolutionized your life? How is it that you continue on in the same old sins day after day if you believe this very thing? Why are you not transformed? Why do you not abound with zeal for the Lord? Why is it that you lack joy? Why is it that you lack peace? Why is it that you lack love? If you truly believe Jesus is alive forever more, this claim should touch every aspect of your life.

A dead man lives. Such news is merely old to many, and fails to grab the attention of the masses. But for those who truly believe it, then they realize that though today is yet another day, it is yet another day that Jesus Christ is still alive. Such news is just as good, just as sweet, and just as fresh as when it was first proclaimed 2,000 years ago today.

Don't Make the Cross an Inch Shorter

2009-04-11T07:48:00.002-04:00

Recently I was told by one well read and informed saint that in the best-selling Christian novel, "The Shack," teaches that Christ wasn't really forsaken by God on the cross, he only mistakenly thought He was. I did not know that "The Shack" taught that about Christ's being forsaken on the cross. I think such reveals the sentimental attitudes we as evangelicals often have towards God. We do whatever we can to soften our views of the cross, and refuse to see it for the horrible event that it really was. And anytime we soften our view of the cross, we become more crippled as Christians. For in the ways of God, death must always precede resurrection, as Passover must always precede Pentecost.

Every time we make the cross an inch shorter, we decrease in our ability to partake in resurrection living and power that Christ wants us to walk in. We substitute goosebumps for power. But I promise, Christ experienced no goosebumps on the cross. It was "for the joy set before Him" Hebrews reminds us, that Christ despised the shame and embraced the cross. In other words, Christ experienced no joy while hanging on that cross, he only hoped for it. There were no goosebumps. There was only death, and death in its ultimate sense: being forsaken by God-- having no consciousness whatsoever of His presence.

Indeed, the saint who truly knows the Lord and what it is to suffer and die to self understands this very thing. He understands that even when he is doing something very spiritual, as our Lord was doing on the cross, that even though he be a son of God, he may have no awareness of God's presence whatsoever. Indeed, trials are a suffering, not because of the physical or emotional stresses it may put on a man, but they are a suffering because in them one has no consciousness of the divine presence. It's a suffering "of the ultimate sort." But this is designed by God, to make us sons in the fullest sense.

Pull Up A Chair: Dining With the Apostles and Prophets

2009-04-06T22:44:00.003-04:00

Some of the best conversations I've had in my life have been sitting around a kitchen table, breaking bread while devouring the thoughts of another. Are you familiar with such a thing? Do you know what it is to pull up a chair and linger at a table with another for hours without end? Do you know what it is to freely pick the mind of another, asking question after question, and re-examining their answers?

I think we can all recall such experiences. Usually such conversations are with people who we truly have great respect for, and in some way look up to an admire. Why else would one linger so long? We linger because we believe the individual we are dinning with-- be it a friend, family member, or mentor-- has something truly important and insightful to say. We find their conversation a source of tremendous blessing.

How is it then, when we read the Scriptures and teach on them, that we do so in such a careless and casual way? We often skim through the "fly-over" territory of many of the Old Testament prophets and their endless series of woes and national aspirations. Likewise, with our poor brother the apostle Paul, we bumble, choke, and sputter our way through his writings, afraid to ask him to define important terms like propitiation, redemption, adoption, and impute. We nod and amen him sure enough, feigning understanding, but seldom ever grasping the essence of what he said. Instead, we search for cute little phrases that we can recite when we feel down, tempted, or want to invoke an amen from the back corner of the congregation.

But how often is it that we truly pull up a chair, and sit down with the apostles and prophets? How often is it that we linger over a verse, chapter, or book, and truly try to wrestle with and grasp just what it was they were saying? Do you try to get at what they were trying to get at? Do you attempt to wrap your mind around theirs and try to swallow, digest, and process what their message was? Do you take it home with you and try to sleep on it, only to find that you can't sleep because of the revelation you had from the message?

Brothers, let me encourage you to really linger over the Scriptures when you read them or when you preach them. It grieves me to think of all the bad teaching that is out there these days. And by bad, I don't mean teaching that is false and contrary to the Scriptures. By bad I mean teaching that merely dabbles with cute verses found in the writings of the apostles and prophets. It's bad because it's cheapening the fullness of what these men had to say, and robs others of true understanding. Pull up a chair, kick your shoes off, and rest a spell. Truly dine with these men. As the Spirit brooded over the surface of the deep when the world was created, so we should linger over the depth of these men and their teachings.

Redemption, Resurrection, and Reward

2009-03-29T15:39:00.002-04:00

I recently taught a Sunday school lesson at church speaking on the above subjects in a clear and straight forward manner concerning these three themes as taught in Ephesians 1, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15, and 1 Corinthians 3. This message seeks to show that there is great practical application in the here and now for these great eschatological (end-time) subjects, and how they should find a central place in our hearts and minds. Be blessed by the following MP3 download:

Redemption, Resurrection, and Reward

In my lesson I made use of PowerPoint, and am offering my presentation for download as well.

PowerPoint presentation accompanying lesson.

Some original Christian music..

2009-03-23T22:29:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to take some time and share a web site where a brother by the name of Doug Tanner has freely made available the music the Lord has inspired him with. Please check out his music. So far as I can tell, all of it is original, and I personally find it very refreshing. It is by far not your typical pop-Christian radio music. May the Lord minister to you through the songs of his servant. All songs are available in mp3 format.

http://www.dougtanner.com/

So Today I Felt Encouraged...

2009-03-13T22:46:00.003-04:00

Needless to say, there has been a lot of bad news in recent times. We hear everyday about the state of our union and the economic turmoil we are facing. The future is often bleak, and the word of God that is going forth, even prophetically, doesn't do much to cheer us up. Indeed, it is hard to find much in the way of encouragement these days when there is so little to be comforted by. But today as I was on a long road trip, I briefly meditated upon an old devotional I gave at church several years ago.

I recall speaking on Mark 11:24, where the Lord says, "...All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." Additionally I quoted James 5:16, where the apostle says, "...the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Meditating on these verses, I thought about all the godly men who have prayed in faith for our land over the years, that it would one day see a great revival. The faith of many of these men would qualify them for the Hall of Fame of Faith should the author of Hebrews have written that epistle in these days. No doubt, he would have made mention of them.

When that revival will come, I don't know. But I live in anticipation of it, because men prayed in faith believing God, and I believe He will be more than happy to answer that prayer. He will not answer their prayer because they were godly or because they had faith, but He will answer their prayer because He is God, and delights in doing such. If the children ask for bread, He will not give them stones, will He?

So today, I felt encouraged...

Further Reflections on "An Urgent Message"

2009-03-13T01:00:00.004-04:00

In my most recent post, I offered up some reflections upon David Wilkerson's "An Urgent Message" blog. The message he gave in that post has caused some controversy, of which I ventured to give some input on in recent discussions elsewhere on the internet. Many people believe it to be a genuine word from the Lord, others are far more reserved. The following "critique" I gave I believe to be applicable to aid believers in their discernment not only of this word, but any other words given out that are passed along as being prophetic. May the Lord help you to discern true prophetic words from false words.

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Let me say outright that I have mixed emotions concerning David Wilkerson. In many things, I admire this man. No doubt, he has been awesomely used of the Lord over the years, and few ministries that I know of in America can even begin to compare their fruit with his. I very much appreciate many of the stern messages brother Wilkerson has given over the years, some of which have shot an arrow through my own heart. With that said though, I have personally heard Wilkerson say some things "prophetically," in speech and in writing, that clearly were not from the Lord, and indeed, the Lord used time to show they were not of Him.

Personally, I can point to some things Wilkerson has said that indeed came to pass. Likewise, I can point to some things Wilkerson has said that did not come to pass. Some of these things though, I have heard him publicly repent of from his own pulpit. How closely he monitors such predictions, I'm unsure. But he does seem to hold himself accountable for whatever he says just the same. He is one of the few prophetic people I have known, that when "missing" a word by speaking presumptuously for the Lord, actually has confessed to doing such. Instead of blowing off a failed word as being from a "immature prophet," as many do so easily today... and in private at that, he openly confesses to such sin before the entire church. And of course, whatever he says before the entire church quickly is transmitted through the world wide web, newsletters, the radio and television. Whatever one's opinions, his speaking, no matter how right or wrong, always seems to be accompanied with a sense of integrity about it.

Thus, while I always have some reservations concerning our dear brother, I do take him very seriously, and always seek to carefully weigh his words. As I said, I do believe he has been mightily used of the Lord in the past, and still is today. Even though I have my reservations in regard to Wilkerson, without reservation I have distributed some of his sermons to others in the past, and have used "The Cross and the Switchblade" as an evangelistic tool in my area... and plan to continue to do such in the future as well.

When judging a prophetic word though, while it is important to consider a prophet's history, each word must be weighed on its own individual merits. If each message is to be a once and only "event" as Art Katz used to say, then each unique event must be judged by its uniqueness, and whether it stands up to the scrutiny of the Scriptures and the Spirit as He indwells other believers.

As far as Wilkerson's usage of Scripture as found in this word, I personally can find no fault with it. No doubt, not every citation stands up to the rigors of the historical-grammatical rules of interpreting the Scriptures, though much of it does. While not wanting to slight the importance of using the historical-grammatical method of exegesis, if you really closely study the Scriptures you will find that this method was not always used by the Lord, the apostles, or the writers of the Gospels. Indeed, without getting caught up into a full-blown discussion of the issue, you will often find NT citations of the OT do not follow this rule, and sometimes even deliberately break such a "rule" of interpretation (even in Messianic fulfillment passages!) Indeed, sometimes all a citation of the OT in the NT is looking to do is take the "spirit" of what that passage was saying, and apply it to whatever situation is being addressed. For example, Paul cited an OT law about not muzzling an ox while it is threshing to prove that one should financially support those engaged in ministry. From the historical-grammatical method of interpretation, this is simply irresponsible on Paul's part. But what he quotes is in keeping with the "spirit" of what is being said, and thus, none of us find fault with the apostle. Such examples could be multiplied by the dozens for those interested in a real in depth Bible study. But, I will not belabor this point any further...

As far as the scrutiny of Wilkerson's word against the indwelling Spirit of other believers, while this word does not seem to be hitting a home-run with everybody, I do find that this word is in keeping with the spirit of many other such words currently being proliferated across the body of Christ. Indeed, the church being the prophetic body it is supposed to be, seems to have been anticipating the current events and other things that are to come quite well. Such a word that Wilkerson has published here is indeed in keeping with the words many other sober minded God fearing individuals have been saying for some time. Of course, that is not to say the church hasn't had some measure of failure in regard to these things... indeed it has. But at least in my own personal network, locally and across the country, this seems to be a message that many in the body of Christ have been preaching. Indeed, even in my own local fellowship, which has had some flirtations with the Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel message, this word about difficult days ahead has been sounding much more loudly than anything else, and even in direct contradiction to things previously said. The Lord started waking us up a couple years ago about some of these things.

Personally speaking, the Lord has been saying to me for quite some time, "Violent days are ahead." I know, one needs no personal prophetic word from the Lord to know such. Undoubtedly, the Scriptures teach that violent days will be merely a characteristic of the age we live in. But with that in mind, I believe the Lord has "quickened" what the Scriptures clearly teach in a general sense, for my personal application and for those within my sphere of influence. Indeed, such is clearly in keeping with the prophetic tradition which we as a church are all part of. Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc., were not innovative prognosticators in their predictions. They were individuals who were simply echoing what Moses had said long before them, and in his words found soon-coming applications for the age they were a part of. They "found" these applications in the Scriptures through the "quickening" of the Spirit of God within them. If such were a characteristic of the old dispensation, how much more then should this characteristic not be a defining mark of our present dispensation, in an age which God has poured out His spirit on all flesh?

As to the specific things Wilkerson is predicting, while I believe his words are probably of the Lord and will probably come to pass, we must ultimately objectively weigh such with a "wait and see" attitude, as Deuteronomy 18 demands such. Even if Wilkerson's specific word does not come to pass, and he spoke this word presumptuously and in error, I think his message is still in keeping with what God has been echoing throughout the body of Christ in America and abroad. He may not have received this message from the Lord and heard from heaven the things written in his article, and the Lord may not have sent him to speak this message to the nations, but I think he still has heard one way or the other what God has been saying to the church in large. And indeed, many even in the secular media have picked up on this message, as I believe they have heard something of the Lord in it too.

Reflections on "An Urgent Message" by David Wilkerson

2009-03-07T10:45:00.003-05:00

I'd like to make a reflection on something David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge and Times Square Church, recently posted the following comment on his blog:

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE - EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US. (Read full article: "An Urgent Message")

The Lord has been pounding something in my heart like this for the past few months as well. All I keep hearing in prayer is "Violent days are ahead." But don't be troubled, have faith... for the just shall LIVE by faith (Habakkuk 2:4) Increased savings, perishable goods, etc., are a good idea. Joseph used the seven years of abundance to prepare for the seven years of famine.

However, depending on the severity of the things to come, no amount of preparation will be sufficient save for being spiritually alert and ready. Be sure to not have a false confidence in the things you can store up for yourself. Barns full of stuff can burn down overnight. Just make sure your trust is truly in the Lord. Cast your lot with Him.

Violent Days Ahead

2009-02-09T18:45:00.001-05:00

Saints, can I say something to you that I believe the Holy Spirit keeps fluttering around in my heart? I don't have time to say much. Indeed, I don't have very much to say. I say it in all humility before you all. Please judge if you think the Holy Spirit is indeed in it. The thing I believe I keep hearing from God over and over is this: Violent days are ahead. Please be prepared in your hearts for the troubles that are coming. Don't be troubled by the things that are coming. But, do prepare yourself for it.

The Saint Walks Alone by A. W. Tozer

2009-01-24T00:11:00.002-05:00

Most of the world's great souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be one price the saint must pay for his saintliness.

In the morning of the world (or should we say, in that strange darkness that came soon after the dawn of man's creation), that pious soul, Enoch, walked with God and was not, for God took him; and while it is not stated in so many words, a fair inference is that Enoch walked a path quite apart from his contemporaries.

Another lonely man was Noah who, of all the antediluvians, found grace in the sight of God; and every shred of evidence points to the aloneness of his life even while surrounded by his people.
Again, Abraham had Sarah and Lot, as well as many servants and herdsmen, but who can read his story and the apostolic comment upon it without sensing instantly that he was a man "whose soul was alike a star and dwelt apart"? As far as we know not one word did God ever speak to him in the company of men. Face down he communed with his God, and the innate dignity of the man forbade that he assume this posture in the presence of others. How sweet and solemn was the scene that night of the sacrifice when he saw the lamps of fire moving between the pieces of offering. There, alone with a horror of great darkness upon him, he heard the voice of God and knew that he was a man marked for divine favor.

Moses also was a man apart. While yet attached to the court of Pharaoh he took long walks alone, and during one of these walks while far removed from the crowds he saw an Egyptian and a Hebrew fighting and came to the rescue of his countryman. After the resultant break with Egypt he dwelt in almost complete seclusion in the desert. There, while he watched his sheep alone, the wonder of the burning bush appeared to him, and later on the peak of Sinai he crouched alone to gaze in fascinated awe at the Presence, partly hidden, partly disclosed, within the cloud and fire.

The prophets of pre-Christian times differed widely from each other, but one mark they bore in common was their enforced loneliness. They loved their people and gloried in the religion of the fathers, but their loyalty to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their zeal for the welfare of the nation of Israel drove them away from the crowd and into long periods of heaviness. "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children," cried one and unwittingly spoke for all the rest.

Most revealing of all is the sight of that One of whom Moses and all the prophets did write, treading His lonely way to the cross. His deep loneliness was unrelieved by the presence of the multitudes.

He died alone in the darkness hidden from the sight of mortal man and no one saw Him when He arose triumphant and walked out of the tomb, though many saw Him afterward and bore witness to what they saw. There are some things too sacred for any eye but God's to look upon. The curiosity, the clamor, the well-meant but blundering effort to help can only hinder the waiting soul and make unlikely if not impossible the communication of the secret message of God to the worshiping heart.

Sometimes we react by a kind of religious reflex and repeat dutifully the proper words and phrases even though they fail to express our real feelings and lack the authenticity of personal experience. Right now is such a time. A certain conventional loyalty may lead some who hear this unfamiliar truth expressed for the first time to say brightly, "Oh, I am never lonely. Christ said, `I will never leave you nor forsake you,' and `Lo, I am with you alway.' How can I be lonely when Jesus is with me?"

Now I do not want to reflect on the sincerity of any Christian soul, but this stock testimony is too neat to be real. It is obviously what the speaker thinks should be true rather than what he has proved to be true by the test of experience. This cheerful denial of loneliness proves only that the speaker has never walked with God without the support and encouragement afforded him by society. The sense of companionship which he mistakenly attributes to the presence of Christ may and probably does arise from the presence of friendly people. Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart. Society has turned against him; otherwise he would have no cross. No one is a friend to the man with a cross. "They all forsook Him, and fled."

The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. A certain amount of social fellowship will of course be his as he mingles with religious persons in the regular activities of the church, but true spiritual fellowship will be hard to find. But he should not expect things to be otherwise. After all he is a stranger and a pilgrim, and the journey he takes is not on his feet but in his heart. He walks with God in the garden of his own soul - and who but God can walk there with him? He is of another spirit from the multitudes that tread the courts of the Lord's house. He has seen that of which they have only heard, and he walks among them somewhat as Zacharias walked after his return from the altar when the people whispered, "He has seen a vision."

The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Savior glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none, he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else. He learns in inner solitude what he could not have learned in the crowd - that Christ is All in All, that He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that in Him we have and possess life's summum bonum.

Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.

The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the brokenhearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised. Because he is detached from the world, he is all the more able to help it. Meister Eckhart taught his followers that if they should find themselves in prayer and happen to remember that a poor widow needed food, they should break off the prayer instantly and go care for the widow. "God will not suffer you to lose anything by it," he told them. "You can take up again in prayer where you left off and the Lord will make it up to you." This is typical of the great mystics and masters of the interior life from Paul to the present day.

The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.

The Vocation of the Natural Life

2009-01-17T14:39:00.003-05:00

The following is a devotional from the pen of Oswald Chambers. I added a few italics for emphasis sake. Be blessed by it.

The Vocation of the Natural Life

"But when it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . ." Galatians 1:15-16

The call of God is not a call to any particular service; my interpretation of it may be because contact with the nature of God has made me realize what I would like to do for Him. The call of God is essentially expressive of His nature; service is the outcome of what is fitted to my nature. The vocation of the natural life is stated by the apostle Paul - "When it pleased God to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him" (i.e., sacramentally express ) "among the Gentiles."

Service is the overflow of superabounding devotion; but, profoundly speaking, there is no call to that, it is my own little actual bit and is the echo of my identification with the nature of God. Service is the natural part of my life. God gets me into a relationship with Himself whereby I understand His call, then I do things out of sheer love for Him on my own account. To serve God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is expressive of that which is fitted to my nature: God's call is expressive of His nature; consequently when I receive His nature and hear His call, the voice of the Divine nature sounds in both and the two work together. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in the ordinary ways of life out of devotion to Him.

Knowing Beyond Knowing

2009-01-04T07:13:00.004-05:00

"...to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge..." (Eph 3:19)

Recently a difficult trial has come into my life. It has caused me great personal pain, and is perhaps one of the greatest upsets I have ever experienced. During this trial, I have cried like I have never cried before. I am experiencing a pain like I have never experienced before. While seeking the face of the Lord, the verse above came to mind.

I consider myself pretty well versed in the word of God. I have spent countless hours laboring in the study of God's word. For about 7 or 8 years, I have made it a point to read the Bible at least once or twice entirely every year. While doing such, I have taken time to study individual books many times over. One Bible I own I have handled so much that in the 3 years that I have owned it, the acids and oils on my hands has visibly worn the leather covers out in many places. Furthermore, I have a degree from Bible college, and spent a year in graduate school studying the Scriptures, translating many verses from the original Greek.

Yet for all my studying of the Scriptures, reading of commentaries and other theological and devotional literature, I am reminded here by Paul that there is a knowing beyond knowing. There are some things in our faith that simply cannot be known through reading the Scriptures. There is a knowledge of God so intimate that, while known, it has yet to be and never will be articulated. It is a knowledge of God that we simply cannot wrap our minds around. It is a knowledge that can only be experienced through our union and fellowship with Him. Paul says it's a knowledge that surpasses all knowledge.

There are some things we are simply blessed for not being able to know. There is a blessedness of not knowing! For in trying times we often look for answers and explanations as to why we are going through what we are going through. We all know Job's wonderful friends had no shortage of things to say to him while he went through the trial he went through. We all look for explanations, and try to form some sort of theology that explains our suffering. Indeed, there is an entire field of theology known as "theodicy" which tries to explain why God allows bad things to happen.

But, I think that instead of trying to paste together some fancy theological explanation behind why we are going through what we are going through, we would be better off to simply accept our situation for what it is, and simply seek to walk with God through it all. In doing that, we will enter into the blessedness of not knowing... yet knowing. In such times as this, God simply wants us to experience Him, and find comfort in the shadows of His wings. In that place there is a love and mercy which we cannot explain, yet for all who have fled there for refuge, it is a place that is cherished and well known.

Happy Ramahanukwansmas?!?!

2008-12-20T09:39:00.003-05:00

Here in America, great sensitivity is taken by many businesses and politicians to avoid "offending" customers and alienating voters. After all, nobody wants to "push" anything on anybody that may cause them to take their dollars and their votes elsewhere. At risk of wishing the wrong person "Merry Christmas!" businessmen and politicians revert to "politically correct" greetings and salutations at this "holiday" season. Such manifests itself in sayings that are "inclusive" in nature. "Happy Holidays!" or "Seasons Greetings!" is now heard from the lips of many. Realizing the plurality of religions that celebrate various things at this time of year, "the least common denominator" is used in order to avoid saying something that puts one in a sticky situation.

Radio personality and future FoxNews host Glenn Beck has created a rather clever phrase that I believe really pokes great fun at the entire situation. He has actually coined several terms, but one in particular sticks out the most to me. And that is "Happy Ramahanukwansmas!" The satirical phrase almost has a prophetic quality to it that I believe exposes the shallowness of the hearts of many, if not outright hypocrisy.

For those who truly believe in the "real meaning of Christmas," namely, a celebration of the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ, how can such a person wish anybody anything but a merry Christmas? Where is there any room for the Christian to wish anybody a happy holiday for any other faith but their own? I don't wish anybody a happy Ramadan, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. In fact, I hope people who celebrate those days have a miserable Ramadan, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. How can I wish somebody a happy "holy day" for any religion but my own? To do such is to bring a level of justification to what they blindly celebrate in their spiritually dead state. That would be like wishing somebody well who was taking a goat to sacrifice to an idol.

Deliberately wishing somebody a "happy holidays" in order to avoid possibly offending the wrong person is simply a compromise. It shows that you really do not celebrate the story of God made flesh. It shows that you may not even truly believe the true story of God being born in a manger some time ago. If anybody should have been offended, it was God, who denied Himself the glory that was rightfully His, and instead clothed Himself in humility. The Creator of the heavens and earth was born where beasts slept, ate, and used the bathroom!

You see, I personally hope that when I wish somebody a merry Christmas that it deeply offends them, especially in the atmosphere of today. I hope I come across a Jew who is offended by my wishing them a merry Christmas. And naturally, they should be offended. After all, they reject the idea that their King was born 2,000 years ago. They aren't so much offended at the notion that He was born of a virgin 2,000 years ago. Rather, they are offended that He who was born their King 2,000 years ago was later crucified on the cross, and that the guilt of that crucifixion is held by God over their own heads.

In reality, the issue of Christmas is really the issue of the cross. At both places was God shown as humble. It's a very offensive idea. Men hate crosses and run from them at all costs. Is it no wonder then that today men are deeply offended at being wished a merry Christmas? I think it is personally a good thing that our American culture is trying to purge itself of the Christmas holiday in the public square. For when society is "Christian" in the cultural sense of the term, then it cannot be offended by the One who intended to offend them with the foolishness of the cross. But when a culture is no longer "Christian," as ours is quickly becoming more and more every day, then it should be no surprise that an awakened culture that "gets" what Christmas is about attempts to purge itself of this offense. For it represents something they are actually against.

So, happy ramahanukwansmas? Not on your life. Rather, happy Christmas! If that offends you, good, I hope you get saved.

In Wrath God Remembers Mercy

2008-12-13T23:00:00.002-05:00

The word of the Lord that came to the little known Old Testament prophet, Habakkuk, often has been found to echo in my head in recent months. Indeed, considering the times we are living in, I think you would do well to become acquainted with this prophet and his message, and give him a much needed hearing. Many consider his short book "fly over country," pausing only very briefly when coming across a passage that happens to be quoted a few times in the New Testament. Yet, I believe his message deserves much more attention than we have customarily given it.

Habakkuk's lived about a generation or two prior to the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 B.C. He was a forerunner to the prophet Jeremiah, bearing a message that God had enough of the sin of Judah, and had ordained that in the not-too-distant future God would raise up the Chaldean people to invade Judah and destroy it. The prophet was astonished that God's threshing work would be done at the hands of a people more sinful, spiritually blind, and more deserving of judgment than those who were being judged. The prophet actually protested this word he received from the Lord, saying such simply was unfair and unjust. God assured Habakkuk that a day of reckoning would eventually come for the Babylonians. However, that would not absolve Judah from the punishment that they must receive.

The book closes with a highly emotional prayer that the prophet utters, in which Habakkuk truly has a revelation of God's righteousness in doing things this way. I have left out much of the prayer on purpose. I would encourage you to read it all when you can. But I want to draw your attention specifically to the following two verses:

Habakkuk 3:2 Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy... 16 I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I quietly wait for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us.

Habakkuk resigned himself to God's justice. Having heard God's report, a holy fear entered him. Many people today protest God's judgments, and some preachers today even pride themselves on not being "hell fire" preachers and the like. Such people don't know God as they ought. Habakkuk had this revelation that he did not know God as he ought. For once he truly "heard" the report of God, a change occurred in Habakkuk. No longer did he protest God's judgments as being unjust and unloving, but rather, his simple plea before the Lord became, "In wrath remember mercy!"

We need to be such a people that learn to "hear" the things we don't necessarily want to hear. For refusing to hear will leave one with an inadequate knowledge of the Holy. "That offends me!" Well good, the message was designed to do that. It is a message calculated to offend your sensibilities, likes, and dislikes. Our, "My God of love would never do that," attitude is a barrier that often keeps us from having a true knowledge of God.

Only when we come to the true place of "hearing" can we become God's spokesman. But what a horrible task one is given. The offended hearer must now become the offending messenger. You can be sure if the message offended you it will offend others. After all, you are a man just like any other. But, now that you are no longer the offended, you are in the place as God's messenger to patiently deal with those who are turned off and offended by the message. You are in the place to be an agent of mercy, as you can relate and sympathize with the fool who cannot receive such a message.

Perhaps that is why Habakkuk was reduced to a "God have mercy!" in his prayer. For he realized that his message was a bitter medicine for the man who would take it. And such a message would not be received without protest. But it is that very protest of offended men which puts them in danger of impending judgment. Men don't like the idea that they must be saved, let alone "saved from the wrath that is to come." God have mercy indeed! Lord, in your wrath remember mercy, for as you say, unless those days be shortened, no flesh would survive.

Jonathan Edwards' preached in his famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," that men are suspended by a thin string in the air above the very pits of hell, and the only thing that keeps them from dropping in at any moment is God's grace and mercy. People today look back and scoff at Jonathan Edwards for being a crazed preacher who held too closely to puritanical ideals. Say what you want about that sermon, but I believe he was right in what he said. Not only was he right about such in relation to the eternal fate of men in regard to heaven and hell, but I believe what Habakkuk said and what Edwards said can be applied to the present state of America and the world, and the judgments the nations are presently experiencing.

That's right, I said it, America and the nations are currently experiencing judgment. You may or may not accept this thought. But I believe it to be of the Lord. You may want to explain the present situation away by various "natural factors." Sure, you can point to problems with the ways banks and nations do business with each other, and point the greed of capitalist nations, republicans, democrats, or whomever. Be aware though, that people have even offered "natural" explanations as to why Israel fell in 722 B.C. to the Assyrians, and why Judah fell in 586 B.C. to the Babylonians.

After all, Israel and Judah "just happened" to occupy the land most convenient for accessing Egypt, which is who the Assyrians and Babylonians were really interested in. Israel and Judah were, as some would say, just two of many nations standing in the way of the conquering armies of the North trying to go South to get the treasure they desired. "Such wasn't really the judgment of God," some say, but Israel and Judah just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

But if you see things as God sees them, you will see these "natural factors" as merely manifestations of the judgment that is actually going on. Such is simply the outworking of what God is doing. Sadly though, many people do not see as God sees. Which makes the message we have been given as the Church all the harder to bear. They only see what is happening in the natural, but we must see what is happening in the spiritual.

Real economic factors are definitely at play. Real political factors are definitely at play. But much deeper than that, what we are seeing play out in America and the world right now is sinful men "receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." (Romans 1:27) God's judgments are not merely reserved and stored up for some future great day of wrath, though, there certainly will be that. What we are seeing now are the preliminary judgments of God that precede that time. We are seeing the shaking of all things that can be shaken, as God's predestined plan unfolds before our very eyes.

But who can hear that? Tell that to the man who lost his job and is unable to find work to support his family. Tell that to the family who is being kicked to the curb because they fell behind on their housing payments. Tell that to the people who are dependent upon foreign aid from America in order eat or receive basic medical treatment, but are now unable to do so because monetary support has vanished. Tell that to the people who see their loved ones murdered before their very eyes during the days of violence that are ahead. Tell that to the people who are gripped by fear and are panicking from the things about to come upon the Earth.

God, in wrath remember mercy! But for those who are willing to receive it, the preliminary judgments of God are intended as a mercy. They are intended to awaken you and instruct the rest of the world in righteousness. "For when the earth experiences Your judgments, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9) And when we can accept these things, then will we only truly know God as He actually in fact is. God is seeking to instruct us. The question is, will we receive such instruction?

If there is any "hope" we can offer people in this world regarding the days ahead, it is this: that God does in fact remember mercy in judgment. As awful as things may get, all of God's judgments will be restrained to the degree they must be restrained in order to further His ultimate purposes. We read even in the book of Revelation that God's preliminary judgments do not kill everybody, nor do they destroy everything. He does restrain His hand, for as Peter said, He is willing that none should perish, but that all would have everlasting life.

Let us therefore, as much as possible, use the present times to reach out to the people within our sphere of influence, and educate them in the ways of God. Be prepared for such a message to deeply offend the sensibilities of many. But be prepared to deal with them patiently in the same manner which God has dealt with you. And if and when God awakens them, be prepared to lavish the rich grace you have received from the Lord upon them. For ultimately, our purpose is not to offer men hope in this world (though, that's not to say they will be devoid of such), but rather, our purpose is to offer men hope in the world that is to come. But they will not see that there is a world that is to come that they may hope in, unless they see that this world is presently under judgment, and is passing away.

The Parable of the Sheep and Goats

2008-12-06T23:46:00.002-05:00

Matthew 25:34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

In Bible college at Lee University's Charlotte Center, Dr. Tom Tatum frequently encouraged us to consider the "context" of any passage of Scripture we studied. Of course, there are so many different angles to look at a passage from. Without getting bogged down in technicalities, I would like to look at the parable above, which I have quoted in part, from the perspective of "redaction criticism." Simply speaking, redaction criticism seeks to gain a greater understanding of a passage of Scripture by its placement within a single book of the Bible. One might better understand redaction criticism as seeking to understand a passage, "by reading the chapter before and the chapter after it."

So, what is the greater context that the parable of the sheep and goats is spoken in? If you step back and look at it, you'll see that Jesus spoke this parable in an eschatological (last days) context. In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of the fall of Jerusalem, the last days, and His second coming. From there the Lord moves into two parables before speaking on the one at hand. In Matthew 25, the Lord takes up a discourse on the parable of the ten virgins, which places an emphasis on the faithful to continually remain alert. Immediately after this, the Lord gives us the parable of the talents, which teaches us about making use of the things the Lord has given to us, and being good stewards of what He has put us in charge of.

Finally, we come to the parable at hand. The parable of the sheep and goats. In this parable, the Lord teaches us that by taken care of our brothers in Christ, we take care of Him. And we all know this story well. It is a Sunday school type lesson for many. But I believe the Lord has shown me that we often take for granted this passage, and do not consider the implications of it in light of its greater context. Once again, what is that greater context? This parable is spoken of in the context of the last days-- when there is great trial and tribulation, violence and chaos in the Earth. It is spoken of in light of a future time when one could quite literally declare: the sky is falling!!! the sky is falling!!!

When understood in this greater context, I believe the cute attitude we have towards this passage will vanish, and we will begin to understand that the parable of the sheep and goats in a way far beyond whatever we have learned in Sunday school. Indeed, at a time when the love of many will grow cold, and mankind will be looking out numero uno, opportunities will exist where we will discover our brother or sister in need, and are asked by the Lord to meet that need. But instead of allowing our love to grow cold, we must respond towards our brothers and sisters as we would Christ Himself. By doing such, we will take great risks. After all, the world will be in shambles, violence and chaos will abound, and the "security" we've long enjoyed will be removed.

Could you imagine living in that time, when resources are scarce, and coming across a hungry and thirsty brother? While you may at that time have food and water that you could share, you would be all too aware that the supply you do have could quickly be gone tomorrow. Could you imagine coming across somebody that was homeless and had nowhere to turn to for shelter but you? In those days, which will be violent days, to take a stranger in could mean certain death for you and your family. Doing a criminal background search on somebody through the internet will probably be impossible. Imagine having to explain to your frightened wife at that time that she will have to prepare the guest room for a complete stranger to stay in, and that she should be good with it because "you've got a feeling" from the Holy Spirit that this person is no wolf in sheep's clothing.

All the things of Matthew 25 are spoken in the context of Matthew 24. I believe by speaking in this way, Christ summons us to be spiritually alert and aware of the times we are living in. In doing such, we must be good stewards of the gifts and talents that He has given us. The stewardship we have been given will be tested, and Christ lets us know ahead of time that this testing will happen the most in the difficult days that are to come. The first two parables ultimately have the third parable in view. For if you are not spiritually alert, then you will look out simply for number one. And instead of being a good steward of God's talents, acting on your own self interest, you will simply bury your talent in the sand where nobody can profit from it, which will leave Jesus out in the cold, exposed, hungry, and unloved.

I believe with all my heart that it is important that we get these things. We don't know for certainty where all the economic situations in this country and the world will lead us. It is possible that these things will eventually lead us into the last days of this age. Whether they do or not remains yet to be seen. But one thing seems for sure, and it is something I believe the Lord has shown me about the immediate future: Violent and difficult times are ahead. Change is indeed coming.

However, it deeply grieves my heart to think that we as the Church are not as prepared as we ought to be. My heart is heavy to think of the things that have already begun to overwhelm the Church, and will continue to take many by surprise. We have bought into this false notion that the show must always go on. We don't think our lives are about to be greatly interrupted. We are far too American. A lot of pain and suffering is getting ready to come our way. And much more than is needed will come all because we have not and are not living our lives in light of eternity. We are not living our lives in light of the last of days. We are not eschatological enough in our thought.

Therefore, in light of these things, might I ask whoever maybe reading this short essay the following questions: Are you a Matthew 25 Christian? Are you spiritually alert and prepared for the things that are coming? Are you a good steward of God's talents? In the exercise of your stewardship, is your heart in the place before the Lord where you will be willing to risk your own skin to use the things God has given you for the well being of your brethren?

Whatever your condition may be, may you resolve in your heart to be what the Lord is calling you to be in light of Matthew 24 & 25. Much is a stake, and as Christ reminds us at the end of each parable in Matthew 25 that how we respond to these things is of eternal significance. These things are no small things. Rather, these are the things of life and death, heaven and hell, righteousness and unrighteousness.

"Lord, touch our hearts! Stir us in our depths! Wake us from our slumber and give us eyes to see! May eternity be stamped upon our eyes as we prepare ourselves before You to be the men of action that you have called us to be. Let us once and for all be done with a cute Sunday school theology that leaves us informed but unchanged. Whatever the cost, give us a greater revelation of You and Your word. Be glorified by what will happen, from now and unto eternity!"

C. S. Lewis on Thanks

2008-11-26T11:53:00.002-05:00

I once watched a documentary that surveyed some of the thought of the famous Christian writer, C. S. Lewis. For those of you who may not know much about Lewis, there was a time in his life where, as an Oxford Professor of English, he was an avid atheist. However, along his journey towards Christianity, Lewis spoke of a time where things were going quite well for him. It was during this time he suddenly felt very appreciative for the life he had, and he wished to express thanks and gratitude to some One for it. This inward desire to give thanks puzzled him. For he thought, "To whom would I give thanks?"

This sudden inward compulsion to give thanks to his Creator was one of the many things that eventually moved Lewis from atheism to Christianity. I believe God created us to be creatures that are thankful. For "thanks" issues from an individual who recognizes that they are one who has received something, and appreciates what they have received. Indeed, the Scriptures remind us: "What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7) For no matter how little or how much you have, there is nothing you have that you did not receive from your heavenly Father. During this holiday season, and throughout all the year, I would encourage you not to dwell on what you do not have. Rather, dwell on what the Lord has given you. As the old saying goes... count your blessings. And whatever you have received, be appreciative, and thank the Lord for it.

Indeed, it is especially important at the holiday season to be thankful. For the spirit of thankfulness will choke the spirit of covetousness and greed. Thankful people are people who are content. For the covetous never give genuine thanks. They are always wanting more and more. Their hunger is never satisfied. No sooner do they get one toy than they want another. Such people are fiercely independent of God, not recognizing anything as coming from Him, and will work themselves into the grave so that they might so much as obtain "just a little more." Such may help stimulate the economy, but such only invokes the displeasure of God. Therefore, let us be humble before the Lord, acknowledge Him as our source of everything, being content with what we have, and give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Now is the Time for the Righteous to Flourish

2008-11-13T12:00:00.005-05:00

Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. 8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

The notion of "being blessed" in the Scriptures is tied to the idea of being fortunate. This "fortune" isn't due to luck or chance. Rather, it is a grace that is freely and richly lavished upon the man or woman who has found favor with God. Here, Jeremiah declares that it is the man who trusts in the Lord that is blessed.

If you notice, verse 7 repeats itself: "...the man who trusts in the LORD...whose trust is the LORD." This is no mere Sunday religion sort of trust. This is a radical sort trust and sense of dependency upon no other than LORD Himself. Here, lordship and trust go hand in hand. You trust Him because He is the Sovereign Lord of all the universe. All things are in His hands, and He is the One in control. Whatever happens, whether good or bad, He is Lord, all things are His, and all things are at the disposal of His will.

Therefore, as we submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and trust in Him, Jeremiah reminds us that even when times are tough, the blessing we have received enables us to flourish during difficult times. He compares the righteous to a tree planted by water that has dug its roots deep into the ground, so that even when times are dry and hot, the tree will not suffer the stress of such an environment, but that it will still remain green and continue to produce fruit. I believe such is a word for our time as well.

Then, like now, is the time for the righteous to flourish. The nation Jeremiah spoke to, like ours, was a nation under judgment. They, like us, were troubled by wars, a faltering economy, and other "natural" phenomenon. Times were tough then, but the LORD was bigger than all their tough times. And through it all, the LORD promised that even in the midst of judgment, the righteous would continue to flourish. No, then, like now, that doesn't mean the righteous would see great material prosperity. But what it does mean is that even through a fiery ordeal, the righteous can expect God to act on their behalf in whatever situation they go through. The righteous know that their afflictions will be many, the righteous know that the wind and the waves will assail even the homes they have built, but through it all, the righteous know that God is with them, and for that they are blessed.

So my brethren, trust in the Lord, dig down deep, and do not give up. The Lord says now is the time for the righteous to flourish. Even while living in the midst of a land under judgment, continue to sprout, continue to grow, continue to bear much fruit. Things are getting hot, and will continue to get hotter. But there is a river that flows, that makes happy the city of God.

Being "Used" by God

2008-11-08T23:45:00.011-05:00

I stumbled across a most precious saying from a saint 30 years in the faith tonight:

"I often say that in the past, I worked for God; now I walk with Him."

I think if you can grasp this statement, you will instantly grow 10 years older in the faith. One sister said something like this to me several years ago, but I did not get it until now. She said the above a little differently, but the essence of it was the same-- she said she had come to the place where it was no longer her desire to be "used" by God, as if she were some sort of gardening tool in God's shed. The young pup I was in the Lord at the time, I simply did not comprehend that. I was burning on fire, ready to tell the world about Jesus, and greatly desired to be "used" by Him. My youthful zeal blinded me from such a revelation as that.

Indeed, now I see that for all my zeal I was wrong. Instead of seeking to be "used" by God, as I often have, I pray that it is now enough that I simply "walk" with Him. We are told in Genesis that Enoch walked with God, but it was not until Jude wrote his epistle several thousand years after the fact that we find out that Enoch had a wonderful prophetic ministry. So far as can be discerned, Enoch was the first prophet to announce the second coming of Christ. An amazing thing considering Christ's first advent had only vaguely been spoken of at this time. Yet for all this, the thing that set apart Enoch, was not the dynamic prophetic ministry that he had-- though he most certainly did have that-- but rather, the thing that set him apart was, "that he walked with God."

When one walks with God, ministry just happens. In such a context, ministry becomes as natural as breathing, and is simply something you do along the way. Much like how Samuel in the Old Testament was serving the Lord night and day in the temple. Samuel simply sought to know the Lord, and commune with Him. And while doing that, he gave a few words along the way. The same goes with the little known prophetess, Anna, of the New Testament. She was simply a widow who walked with God, serving Him in the temple night and day. Then one day Jesus suddenly showed up in the temple, and Anna used that opportunity to show others the Messiah. Saul (Paul) and Barnabas were merely local ministers at the First Church of Antioch, when, while they were serving the Lord in fastings and prayer, the Holy Spirit spoke to the Church that they should separate these two men apart. Together these two men would plant some of the first Churches in the Gentile world, and one would go on to write a great portion of the New Testament.

For all the "activity" recorded of these ministries, and the much that is said about them, the thing they all had in common was the characteristic that defined them not only from the beginning, but also all the way to the end, and that was their simple walking with God. We often overlook that. Instead, we focus on all the great things they did, and seek to be equally as active and equally as great. As a result, we end up creating all sorts of great ministries with all sorts of programs, and make everything look "professional" along the way. I believe these holy men of old would be greatly perplexed about us today. I dare say they would call us an abomination. Professional? Are you kidding me? They could be no more professional ministers than they could professionally walk with God.

In all this great activity, how many of us are seeking to be as great as they were in prayer? Why is it that we seek to emulate the acts of the apostles, yet we do not seek to emulate the lives of the apostles? I believe if we honestly answer this question, we'll find that our hearts are not where they ought to be. Have we loved the work of the Lord more than the Lord of the work? That is ultimately where this boils down to. The result of this is that we get more out of doing the Lord's work than He does-- and anybody else for that matter. Brothers and sisters, it ought not be this way!

Therefore, let us resolve in our hearts to do nothing more than walk with God. If that means we have obscure and little known ministries as a result, even if we have great giftings (such as Enoch did), then so be it! For if you think about it, there can be no "greater" ministry than that of simply ministering to the Lord. For when all is said and done, He is the only one that ultimately matters. I would rather serve the Lord, than all His subjects and slaves.

Closing Prayer: Lord! Thank you for tipping over my apple cart today! Change my heart Lord, so that I might be a man like Enoch, known simply for only knowing you, and walking with you. Let that be my reputation. May I follow you all the days of my life, with a singleness of heart that desires you, and you alone. "Who have I in heaven, besides You?" Change the way I think about ministry. May I never again desire to be "used" by You, but may I simply desire to walk with You instead. Make it so that I don't simply desire to walk with you so that I may "grow" my ministry. Rather, may I always desire to walk with You for the sake of simply being with You alone. I thank You and praise you! Touch all the saints that read this short devotional thought today, so that they might receive what this word says. In Jesus precious name I pray. Amen!

Obama's Election: The Coming Persecution

2008-11-04T23:52:00.004-05:00

The above video was taken during a Q&A session at the recent revival conference hosted by Sermon Index in Atlanta. Paul Washer, a missionary who has served the Lord in Europe, South America, and is the founder of the HeartCry Missionary Society, prophetically warns the Church of a persecution that is coming to our country.

Brother Washer warns how a "net is closing around you, your children and your grand children," all while we are mesmerized by the things that are in this world. He says we will further be isolated from society, falsely accused, denounced as biggots and haters. He says up until now that these things have been happening slowly, but will be quickly increasing, and unless God intervenes to stop it by means of a revival, these things will come upon us suddenly before we even realize what is happening. In response to such, brother Washer says we must fill our minds with the Word of God and live our lives in light of eternity, for we will have to be dependent upon God for a radical grace to make it through such times.

With all this I must concur. And I would like to give an exhortation to you and your local Church, that you especially focus not only on your growing in the knowledge of the word of God, but also in the spreading of it. Put aside many of your silly games, programs, and building projects. For in light of the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, we can be sure that apart from God's intervention, we will see our nation turn all the more against Evangelical Christians. If Obama lives up to his socialist tendencies, there can be no doubt that the state will greatly assault the word of God, as it seeks to contradict and oppress its message, and ridicule those who hold to it. For socialism brings with it the tendency to allow only one voice, as all other voices that contradict the state are seen as a threat to its own well being.

Therefore, we must seek all the more to do those things which ultimately are eternal in value, and will survive the fires by which all things will be tested (1 Corinthians 3). For the fires that are coming will show what works were truly made of gold, silver, and other precious metals. The fires will reveal those things which were merely wood, hay, and stubble. Though the apostle Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 4 not to judge which is what before the day in which the Lord reveals those things Himself, we should determine in our minds to the best of our abilities to do those things which we truly believe to qualify as doing a work that is truly eternal in value.

Building programs and such may have some eternal value, but being that we can find no instance of the Church building "houses of worship" in the New Testament, we can probably be pretty sure whatever value such edifices may have, they are rather small in God's eyes. One task we can be sure that the early Church was engaged in that was of great eternal value, was the active spreading of the word of God. Therefore, while there is still ample opportunity to do such with little hindrance, let me encourage you once again to put as much time as you can into openly spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As much as possible, share the gospel at work, amongst friends, amongst family, and even in the streets. As much as possible, preach, publish, and defend the gospel. For the time is coming where we will lament the days that we did not take the wonderful opportunity the Lord has given us in this present time. For unless the Lord intervenes, the time is coming where to openly share the gospel maybe difficult, and result in great personal loss.

Politics-- And the Powers

2008-11-02T22:40:00.004-05:00

The following is a partial snippet from a forum in which I was discussing the previously referenced article from my most recent blog. Forgive me that I have ripped this posting out of the larger context of the discussion that was available. If you wish, you can go HERE and read the threaded discussion in full.

In summary, I attempt to discern the possible political and spiritual ramifications of Tuesday's election here in the States.

---post #1---

I'm an independent, who typically votes "for the Republican of your choice" (my Dad's philosophy). But this year while I voted Republican most of the time, there were a couple times where I voted with the Libertarian party. I voted Bob Barr for President.

Will he win? Not a chance. As it is, the electoral college is made up of mostly (if not entirely) Democrats and Republicans, who are mostly going to vote along party lines as it is-- which leaves no room for a third party candidate to emerge victorious.

The issue is ultimately that of power. The two party system we have in place now swings in the favor of those in power staying in power. That's why a lot of Senators are able to make a life-long career out of being a Senator. A decent sized--but not quite large enough-- third-party candidate (like Ross Perot from back in the days of the first George Bush) also more-or-less furthers the two party system. For such a candidate always seems to undermine at least one of the parties from whose "base" they come. Thus, while many people are open to a third party, they ultimately look at a vote for a third party as "wasted," because when push comes to shove, failure to vote "for the lesser of two evils" results in what one deems to be the "greater evil" winning the election. Thus, had many of the Republicans voted for Bush instead of Parrot back in the 90's, it is possible Clinton never would've won office. As a result of his winning of office, a lot of laws and appointments were made that Republican-minded voters did not care for over the course of 8 years.

It's really all a sad state of affairs. I've said all this because I ultimately believe the Devil is very glad there are only two "powers" (politically speaking), for it is much easier to consolidate two powers into one power. For the Devil is intoxicated with power, and wants political "unity," through which he can ultimately rule as an arrogant oppressor. A one-party system, which tends to exist under socialist states-- and absolutely under communist ones-- allows him the most leverage to accomplish what he seeks to accomplish in history. Patriotism and nationalism then come together to make for a deification of the state. Alternative messiahs, instead of Jesus Christ (anti-Christ), thus become a very real possibility over night.

Sadly, the thing that is supposed to drive men to God, the "eternity established in their hearts," that God-sized question mark as it were, when it does not find its fulfillment in God still seeks its fulfillment just the same. The absolute dedication of some Obama supporters is almost without precedent here in America. I've literally heard people say that if Obama is elected, they'll not have to work and struggle to pay for this, that, and the other... rather... the State will simply take care of it. I've yet to come across anybody, though I'm sure they exist, who have such a "worshipful" spirit in regard to any of the other candidates. A "change" is most definitely coming.

---post #2---

Karl Marx once said that religion is the opiate of the masses, and was strongly against it. Yet it is very interesting that even though communist states are atheistic, they manage to produce a cult of the state. I think such is so telling of human nature and God's design. Fundamentally, we were created to worship. We are religious creatures by nature. Yet, even the sternest of atheists turn their hearts towards something and serve it.

Even in a Capitalist society such as we are (or used to be??), even the hardcore atheist bows before the almighty dollar. In a Socialist society, the hardcore atheist bows before the state. In a Capitalist society, since the dollar is worshiped, then we simply toss money at all our problems in an attempt to fix things. In a Socialist society, where the state is worshiped, another government program becomes the solution to everything, since after all, the government can fix everything.

Both systems, because of man's fallen nature, tend towards some form of idolatry. Man is designed to worship, and will worship something even if it is not God. Personally though, if I was able to choose which system I'd rather live amongst, I think I'd rather have everybody worshiping the almighty dollar than the state.

America Asks For A King

2008-10-28T17:48:00.002-04:00

I came across the following article "America Asks For A King"by Laura Hollis at TownHall.com. I thought this article was very insightful concerning the present political climate in America. I hope you enjoy:

"America Asks For A King"

Laura Hollis

I am an attorney and professor of law and entrepreneurship, so I usually confine my commentary to matters of public policy, and leave theology to those who have chosen that field of study. But since today is Sunday, I will take the liberty of making an observation with a more Biblical bent.

As one who has taught entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking for nearly ten years, I am distressed by the apparently overwhelming sentiment sweeping Americans that they must now be taken care of. I know from years of studying the matter that a society in which most members are – or can be – entrepreneurial, is a society where upward mobility is the rule; where wealth is created – not just “spread around”; where hope is common currency; where the inevitable problems are viewed as opportunities to find sustainable solutions, and where those solutions are typically new industries, new companies, and new jobs. An entrepreneurial society is a society where most people wish to, and know they can, take care of themselves, their families, and even others in need. Where charity and philanthropy are fellow-travelers with success.

Joe the Plumber’s exposure of Obama’s “spread the wealth” philosophy exploded like a flash fire, not only because that philosophy is utterly anti-American, but because it is shortsighted, and immoral. It is short-sighted, because in an economy that is a bit battered and fragile, what we need are more businesses, more workers, and more wealth creation in the private sector, not more government programs and more people dependent upon them. It is short-sighted because it is a failed business model. And, as we saw with the collapse of major lending institutions a few weeks ago, a failed business model, made larger (or “spread around,” if you prefer) by government, is not just a failure, but a catastrophic failure. So it was with the irresponsible lending practices foisted on American banks by the government, and so it will be with the irresponsible spending and doomed reliance on government largesse that Obama and the Democrats are peddling as salvation.

And the inevitability of its failure is why Obama’s philosophies are not just foolhardy, but immoral. It is immoral to deceive well-meaning people about what you intend to do with their money. It is immoral to take by force from those who produce, give to others who do not, and call it “charity.” It is staggeringly immoral to create an ever-larger class of dependent, helpless people who will be doomed to starve when the unsustainable system you have created collapses. And most of all, it is profoundly immoral to set yourself up as a secular messiah of sorts, assuring people that you will take care of them, eliminate hardship, heal the planet, and hold enemies at bay by the sheer force of your own hypnotic rhetoric.

Obama’s economic and social theories have been debunked and disproven (at great human cost) so many times over the past 100 years that it’s laughable anyone still believes in them. But at least his designs on the country are understandable. Those who crave power will use any tactic, as long as it works.

It’s the fact that it’s working that is inscrutable to me. And this is where the Biblical references come in. Americans’ attitude toward this posturing, self-important, political zealot remind me of the Israelites’ demand for a king, as recounted in the Book of Samuel:

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots … He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." (1 Samuel 8:1-22)

The comparisons are telling: Americans are understandably fed up with corruption, greed, and perversion of justice in our leaders. But till now, we have asked for no king, because we could take care of ourselves, and because we have always been a godly people. But look around now – our children languish in failing, crumbling, unsafe, and undisciplined schools, many of which are merely bastions of social experimentation. Our cities are riddled with crime. Our families are devastated by divorce, abuse, illegitimacy, absent fathers, and definitions of “marriage” that fluctuate with the sexual predilections du jour. Our culture – books, films, music – is saturated with violence and perversion that even the smallest child is exposed to. And of course, one cannot forget – the high watermark of freedom and femininity, and the litmus test of liberty for the Left is the unfettered right to kill our own children in our wombs (or leave them to die outside of them).

This is what we, as a nation, have brought ourselves to. These are problems that no amount of social spending will cure, and any promise to do so is a lie, because no amount of money will change people’s hearts. And yet, instead of reaching deep within ourselves to find the solutions, we now whine and mewl for someone to save us.

And here he comes, Barack Obama, on a “righteous wind.”

As with anyone who would be king, Obama will take our money and our property in ever-larger amounts. Our children will be saddled with debt and beholden to a bloated government that will enslave the very people it promised to help. We will be at the mercy of our enemies. And no matter how bleak or desperate our own lives becomes, the leaders in Obama’s government will always thrive; such people always do. Nor is any of this is unique to Obama; it is in the nature of every king, and every government, which is why our government was originally set up to be limited, both to protect us, and to ensure our own self-reliance.

John McCain will not be a perfect President. But it is not necessary for the leader of a free, righteous, and entrepreneurial people to be perfect. I can support John McCain because he asks only that I vote for him, not that I worship him. And I will vote for John McCain on November 4th, not because he would be a better king, but because he does not claim to be one at all.

Neither McCain nor Obama is a king who will save us; we must turn instead to the only One who can.

Justification By Faith

2008-10-23T20:09:00.002-04:00

Recently I published an essay entitled, "Justification by Faith: It's a Matter of Life and Death" over on the web site. I would encourage you to check it out. In Romans 1:17, the apostle Paul establishes the doctrine of justification by faith with a quotation coming from Habakkuk 2:4. Many often overlook this quotation, especially in regard to how Habakkuk used the verse in the context of the judgment of God upon Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. In my essay, I seek to explore just how it was "the just shall live by faith" in those days. I argue since justification by faith was a matter of life and death in the days of Habakkuk, then it is all the more a matter of life and death in our own.

Everything That Can Be Shaken (Sermon)

2008-10-15T22:53:00.001-04:00

I would like to call your attention to the following sermon. It is a riveting sermon from Hebrews 12:25-29, understanding the present economic situation in light of eternity. Be blessed, even if I preached it :-)

Everything That Can Be Shaken (36 minutes - 4.1 MB)

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My People...

2008-10-12T23:15:00.003-04:00

Recently at church, I had the opportunity to teach a group Bible study during a cell group. The passage we explored was 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says:

If My people who are called by My name would humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land.

I would encourage you to listen to the following teaching along with the discussion that took place (due to a number of factors, the group discussion was edited/compressed). If there ever were a teaching we need to grasp in America, I believe this is one we ought to grasp and hold on to:

Reflections on 2 Chronicles 7:14

Let every word count for something

2008-10-06T12:11:00.005-04:00

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (KJV)

The lucky guy that I am, I recently I found myself driving a van full of teenagers on a youth outing for church. While on the bus, there were some sharp words exchanged by a few of the teenagers towards one another, and even towards a few of the adults in charge. Having been a teenager not too many years ago (I'm presently 26), I found myself able to identify with the ability to randomly run one's mouth and say some pretty awful things. God knows I've said my fair share of stupid things, not only as a teenager, but even as an adult. Does that sound like you?

The Lord's teaching on how one ought to speak is always rather simple and straightforward. Indeed, I know of few easier principles to grasp and easier commandments to understand, such as, "out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks... be quick to listen, slow to speak... a gentle answer turns away wrath... let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth... etc." Yet, as simple and straightforward as these things are, I believe it is the common confession of mankind that these things are some of the most difficult things to control.

Indeed, James says every beast in the world has been tamed... except for the tongue. And why is that? For it is as the Lord said, the words we say and things we talk about ultimately show the spiritual state of our heart. For it is out of the things that overflow the heart that a man speaks. Harsh, sharp, and profane words ultimately show that we have a harsh, sharp, and profane heart. When you chew out the "idiot" who cuts you off in traffic, don't take such words as you spoke so lightly. As one preacher once said, "If there is a cuss in there, a cuss will come out!" Only once our hearts have been tamed will our mouths be.

Meditating on these things today, I thought, if our Lord will count every idle word, we should make every idle word count. If such were the condition of our heart, I believe we would see the things we say, even in the heat of a stressful moment, radically change. Indeed, we would probably find ourselves talking less and less, for which we would be all the wiser to do.

Uptown Charlotte Open-Air Prayer Meeting

2008-09-29T22:41:00.003-04:00

In light of the recent troubles that have fallen upon our nation, I feel the Lord is leading me to start a prayer meeting in the heart of uptown Charlotte during my lunch hour (11:30-12:30). The prayer meeting will be held open-air on the street at the corner of Trade & Tryon, outside of the Bank of America corporate center. If you work in uptown Charlotte, come and join me as we pour our hearts out to God in intercession and repentance!

Everything that can be shaken...

2008-09-28T22:54:00.003-04:00

(A continued thought from yesterday's post)...

It is interesting to see how these events shock us so much. I think part of the problem is that we haven't learned to really think Biblically. As Art Katz used to say from time to time to a congregation: "You are far too American." Instead of seeing a clock that is counting down in this world, to the end that all things that can be shaken will be shaken, we are much more optimistic that the world system will succeed. "Historically, in the long run, the stock market has always gone up!" While true, as investors are also fond to point out, past returns do not guarantee future returns. Yet, we act as if the show will go on forever, as if there will be no sudden violent end.

In light of the recent turmoil in our country, I am so shocked that so many are so shocked! If when such events transpire, we are shocked, amazed, and taken off guard-- then how much more do these events show us that we are not prepared for the great and awesome day of the Lord, in which everything that can be shaken will be shaken, and that the elements will melt from fire? If we are not prepared for further financial market meltdowns, devastating hurricanes, etc., then how can we be prepared for the day of the Lord? There is a slumber amongst many in the church that surprises me.

In God We Trust?

2008-09-27T23:11:00.004-04:00

The phrase is as American as apple pie, "In God We Trust." It is a bold confession printed upon U.S. currency that declares our dependency upon a sovereign and all powerful God. A God whose eye is upon the sparrow and the grass of the field. If God so takes care of them, ought He not take care of us? That is the essence of this confession.

This week we have witnessed the largest bank to ever fail in U.S. history, Washington Mutual (WaMu). This is the capstone of a large line of failures in recent weeks and months. 13 banks have failed this year-to-date. Experts expect more to follow. The President and other government officials are now proposing a $700 BILLION bailout for our failing economy to prevent future failures and to stabilize the economy. The stock market is up one day and down the next. Families are foreclosing on their homes. Gas shortages are reported throughout the country. The storm surge of countless more economic woes threatens to breach the levies that have been designed to keep the waters out.

Indeed, the statement printed upon the backs of our dollar is beginning to look less and less like a confession, but more and more like a question. "In God We Trust?" would be a far more fitting statement for our currency. Indeed, perhaps the present economic crisis has revealed that "In God We Trust?" has been our true motto all along. Indeed, perhaps all along we have put far more of our trust in our jobs, our retirement plans, our capitalist system, and our government than we have God Himself? Perhaps that is why presently we are so distressed over this predicament?

For instead of having looked unto the Lord as the source of all that we have, we have looked to other things. And I suspect, perhaps now, the Lord is using this economic shakeup to show us just how dependent upon things other than Him we have been. For if we have truly been dependent upon the Lord in times of prosperity, then perhaps the only increased inner turmoil we ought to experience during times of collapse, is the heavy burden we carry for the spiritually blind men of this generation who are drowning in the sea of distress? For the Lord changes not, and neither should we. For if we have truly been dependent upon the Lord, then we will recognize that the God who took care of us in good times will also take care of us in bad times.

Indeed, what have we ever received that we were not given? If He gave to us in the good times, then He will surely give to us in the bad times. God changes the economy-- it's not the other way around. So many Scriptures come to mind: God owns the cattle on a thousand hill... the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof... If God so clothes the grass of the field which is here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He not clothe you... etc., etc.

Be sure, God is not a capitalist, nor is God a socialist. Be sure, God is not a republican, nor is God a democrat. Be sure, God is not voting for John McCain, nor is God voting for Barack Obama. Indeed, He may use any of these systems, parties, or politicians for various times and seasons so as to accomplish His eternal purposes. But in all these things you can be sure of one thing: God wants you to look unto Him as your sole source of salvation through it all. "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord endures forever..." There is only One who guarantees to be constant in a world of change.

So, moving forward, let "In God We Trust" become our confession, instead of a question.

Repost

2008-09-23T19:50:00.003-04:00

I originally posted the following on June 8, 2008. In light of the continuing economic crisis we are facing in the United States, I offer this again for your consideration.

This morning in church I had a vision. In my vision I saw a sky that was painted red. Then I saw a multitude of people from the world who trembled in fear at the things that are coming upon the earth. Then I heard the Lord say to me to fear not, that His name is Emmanuel, and that He is the God that is with us. The rest of the nations may shake and tremble in fear of the things that are coming, but for us to not worry, for He is able to make us stand by faith while the rest of the world shakes in fear.

Biblical Maturity

2008-09-06T23:12:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 4:14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.

17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

The more and more I think about it, the more and more I am driven to the conclusion that this passage is perhaps the essence of what it means to be mature in the faith. To the degree we imitate that which is apostolic, as exemplified in the apostle Paul, is the degree to which we are mature. Here, Paul sees himself as a paradigm for the Christian faith, whose way of life is to be imitated. Paul sees his life not only as a paradigm, but also recognizes that his life (which really is nothing short than the life of Christ) has been reduplicated in the life of his younger co-worker, Timothy, who was sent to Corinth to serve as a model of that life to a church who has departed from the example of Paul.

If Paul were to send Timothy to your church today, to remind you of his ways, what do you think would be changing in your personal life, and the life of your congregation? If the life and practices of Paul are a measuring stick for the church, just how tall would you measure? Would you be a giant or pygmy?

Persecution in Orissa (India)

2008-08-28T23:07:00.003-04:00

A great wave of persecution has broken out in Orissa, a province in India, against the Church, with many many Christians losing their houses of worship, their own homes, and even their own lives. Mobs of Hindu's are roaming about from city to city, after being incited by a violent militant anti-Christian group whose leader was recently assassinated. Though a Marxist group claims responsibility for this assassination, Christians are the ones ultimately being blamed. Please listen to the following video by K. P. Yohannan, the founder of Gospel For Asia, a missionary society that seeks to raise up native missionaries within the 10/40 window, namely in Asia. Many GFA missionaries are unaccounted for. Pray. Fast. Give!

Orissa Update Video - Gospel For Asia

Consider sharing this video Sunday morning at your Church. Move as many to prayer as possible for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for the sake of the gospel.

The Trinity: A Picture of Submission

2008-08-23T23:43:00.003-04:00

Recently I was reading a book that reminded me of an ancient theological picture of how each member of the Trinity relates to one another. Within the Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share a deep and abiding relationship to one another. Each member of the Godhead being God, they exist co-eternally with one another. By virtue of their being co-eternal with one another, they are also co-equal. Contrary to many heresies over the centuries that have attempted to say otherwise, no member of the Trinity is subordinate to any other member. That is, within the Trinity, there are no hierarchies. The Father is not greater than the Son, and the Son is not greater than the Spirit. Each member of the Godhead is co-equal to the others, for God cannot be lesser or greater than God.

However, the doctrine of the Trinity is clear, that while each member is co-eternal and co-equal, each member has its unique function. For example, one could say that the Father speaks the Word, whose actions are applied in power by the Spirit. In this example, no member of the Godhead is any greater than the other. The Father could not create without the Word, and that Word would mean nothing unless the Spirit carried out that Word. The "differences" in the Godhead then, have nothing to do with rank and file, but simply have to do with the relationship of one to the other.

Instead of thinking of the Trinity in "hierarchical" terms, where submission is a "top-down/ superior-to-subordinate" issue, theologians have offered a very vivid yet simple picture of what the Trinity looks like: that of a three-person dance, in which each person locks arms with the other and spins joyously about in a circle. Their "submission" to one another is in their mutual yielding to the dance steps of the other. No one person leads, they simply all follow. The general consensus of the church on this matter is, historically speaking, to say otherwise is heresy.

Yet I find it terribly interesting that our churches as institutions have not followed in this Trinitarian example. Instead, when we talk about "submission" to "authority," and "obeying those over you in the Lord," we don't have in mind how each member of the Trinity relates to one another. Instead, we see a hierarchy, where the "laity" submit to the pastors, and the pastors submit to the territorial bishops. Such is a clear violation of the doctrine of the Trintarian doctrine of submission. Therefore, should we not be as zealous to condemn such patterns of church government as heresy in the same way we condemn hierarchical subordination views on the Trinity? For, how can we believe that the church, which is the very body of Christ, be composed in such a way that violates the nature of relationship of one member of the Godhead to the other?

Instead of submitting to one another in the way the world patterns its governing structures, we should submit to one another as fellow members of the body of Christ. My submission to other believers, including those precious saints who are "over me" in the Lord, is not to be patterned after the world. Rather, it is to be patterned after the Trinity. For the world's way sees individuals as superiors and subordinates. But there are no superiors and subordinates in the Trinity, nor are there to be in the body of Christ.

As Jesus said, "you are all brothers." (Matthew 23:8) Our submission to one another is to be based on a relationship of brotherhood, not a relationship of rank and file. There may indeed be "elder brothers" within that relationship, but such eldership does not change the equality we are to have with one another as brothers. Like within the Trinity, I am to yield to you, but you are also to yield to me. In doing such, we do not create superior/subordinate relations, but instead, we come to recognize the unique and special function each one carries out. One may have a song, another a word, another a tongue. And it is from there that we are to learn to relate to one another, and to submit to one another. For such is the case within the Trinity, and such should be the case within the church.

The Lakeland "Revival"

2008-08-15T22:52:00.002-04:00

A number of years ago, brother Art Katz gave a profound message shortly after the fall of Paul Cain, who has been viewed by many within the church as a great modern day prophet. In this message, we come to understand the nature of "true sending" and the nature of prophetic ministry. Art shows that prophets are to be "the thing in itself," and that their character should be equal to their charisma. Indeed, unless their character equal such, then their gifting, calling, and sending is to be deeply questioned.

In light of the recent fiasco associated with the so-called Lakeland outpouring, and the ministry of Todd Bentley (who ended the "revival" by splitting up with his wife), I would like to put forth for your consideration the following message that Art spoke in regard to dubious prophets. It is an exposition on Jeremiah 23:

(The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy) Against False Prophets - Art Katz

Say what you wish about the Lakeland Revival, the message above will forever change the way you think about such things altogether.

Was Leonard Ravenhill A Pentecostal?

2008-08-12T06:56:00.005-04:00

I've noticed in studying the logs of my web site recently that many people have come to my site attempting to determine if Leonard Ravenhill was a Pentecostal. Very briefly, I'd like to give my thoughts on that. Having listened to 100's of Ravenhill sermons, and read pretty much every book he ever wrote, I'd like to give my opinion on the matter. Forgive me if I don't have any exact quotes or footnotes, as this isn't meant to be a scholarly in-depth treament on the subject.

Leonard Ravenhill was born in the early 20th century in England, just about the same time the Pentecostal movement was gaining great momenteum on a global scale. No doubt, the Pentecostal message had already made its way "across the pond" by the time Ravenhill was a youth. It would seem Ravenhill's father was involved in the Pentecostal-Holiness movement, as he recalls in one sermon of his father being gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. He also recalls having attended all night prayer meetings with his father-- definite signs of the Pentecostal movement.

Though I cannot personally recall Ravenhill having said when he was filled with the Holy Spirit, he did state once something to the the effect: "somebody can get saved and not know it, but you cannot get filled with the Holy Spirit and not know it." This shows, at least in part, that Ravenhill bought into a Pentecostal theology of "subsequence," and could (in theory) identify a time in his life when he was filled with the Spirit. However, keep in mind that Ravenhill had close associations with Weslyean-Holiness groups over the span of his life, whom also had a theology of "subsequence," which, ultimately concerned the doctrine of "Christian Perfection." With many individuals, there is quite a blurring of the lines between the two camps and theologies.

It is hard to say with exactness though, that Ravenhill was indeed, "Pentecostal" in the classical sense of that term. For classical-Pentecostalism teaches that the initial physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit subsequent to a clean heart is speaking in tongues. However, Ravenhill denied all through his life that he ever spoke in tongues. Yet he affirmed many times that, "the Pentecostal message is the greatest message" that one could bring the world. Indeed, so much so that Leonard Ravenhill partnered for a number of years with an Assemblies of God evangelist by the name of David Wilkerson, who founded Teen Challenge (at outreach to teens caught in gangs and drugs in urban cities). For anybody familiar with the book, "The Cross and the Switchblade," which documents how Teen Challenge came into being, there can be no mistaking the Pentecostal nature of that organiztion, which aggressively sought to see its converts baptized in the Holy Spirit. Leonard Ravenhill was a close mentor to David Wilkerson, and regularly partnered with that ministry and its efforts to reach the gangs of New York.

However it is also true that Leonard Ravenhill was a Christian who had fellowship with many ministers in a variety of Churches. Though never licensed/ordained, Ravenhill taught within Baptist churches (which he lamented that he often did "only once"), Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Methodist, Charismatic, Pentecotsal, etc. So, one cannot say that he was anything in particular simply because he associated with many groups. Indeed, towards the end of his life, Ravenhill had associations with folks involved in the neo-Pentecotsal movement a.k.a. "The Third Wave."

What is my personal conclusion on the matter? I believe Leonard Ravenhill was a Pentecostal, though, not in the "classical" sense. Indeed, it would be hard to doubt that a man who spoke with such "unction" could be anything but filled with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, he denied ever speaking or praying in tongues all his life, though never condeming the practice of it by others, yet he preached with power, with signs and wonders following. Indeed, it is reported (from his wife, Martha) that a little known fact about Ravenhill was that anybody who he prayed for with cancer always was healed of their cancer. So, if you wish to deny Ravenhill was a Pentecostal simply because he never spoke in tongues, then you can feel free to do so. However, keep in mind that as Ravenhill often said, "a man with an argument is no match for a man with an experience." While Ravenhill's theology might not agree with classical-Pentecostalism, his experience probably has outmatched many who claim to be filled with power from on high.

The Five-Hundred: Mass Evangelism in Atlanta

2008-08-06T11:33:00.002-04:00

On October 18th, there is going to be a mass open-air evangelism campaign in and around Atlanta. 500 evangelists are being sought for this event. The goal is for each evangelist to distribute 100 tracts. Such would equal 500,000 tracts, which is 10% of the suburban population. I am prayerfully considering going. Such also coincides with the Revival Conference that SermonIndex.net is putting on October 21-23. For more information, goto:

http://www.thefivehundred.org/

I wish I had a better story...

2008-08-01T21:37:00.003-04:00

Last week I broke my elbow and sprained my ankle. Naturally, people all week have been asking me, "What happened to you?" To such, I have given the same story time and time again: I jumped with a baby from the third floor of a burning building and used my body to shield the baby from the impact of the ground below. Of course, such was the super-hero version I jokingly told. What really happened, the klutz that I am, was that I was walking through a parking lot on the way to my car, tripped, and simply had a nasty fall. Such isn't nearly as interesting, and all I get is an, "Oh," in response to my story. "I wish I had a better story," I'd sometimes say to the person who asked about my injuries.

So I have found over the years, there is always the temptation when sharing one's personal testimony, to jazz it up a bit. Sometimes we act ashamed over our conversion experience, and wish it were a little more exciting. A little more raz-ma-taz... a little more of a Damascus Road type of encounter with Christ... a little more deep dark sin... a little more of something. And that temptation is real, because we know the person we are sharing our story with wants to hear something a bit over the top. That temptation is real because, naturally speaking, we are all man-pleasers by birth. We want to impress somebody with what we say.

Let me exhort you, simply be real about your testimony. Don't jazz it up. Don't make yourself out to have been the chief of all sinners if in fact you weren't. If, like me, you weren't much more than a sheltered middle-class white boy who never got caught up in gross immorality, then don't make it sound as if you were some thug standing on a street corner selling drugs. If no grand firework show went off when you gave your heart to the Lord, then simply say so. For to do such is to be ashamed of what the Lord actually has done in your life, and to cheapen the precious blood that He spilled for you. The Lord is not at all ashamed of what He has done for you, nor does He certainly wish you were a greater sinner who indulged in more of what the world had to offer you. He is quite pleased with the work He has done in you, so, will you simply not rejoice and be glad in it?

When your name is Dirt...

2008-07-27T22:52:00.002-04:00

Did you know that the Hebrew name for Adam literally means "Earth?" By earth, it is not meant the third planet from the sun. Rather, it has to do more-so with the very soil you I walk on-- that is, dirt. Pondering this little fact, I thought it odd how often we are tempted to think more of ourselves than we ought. How is it that we manage to become so prideful when our origins remind us that we are nothing more than dirt? Oh, great things can come from dirt. Great trees containing delicious and colorful fruit abound everywhere because of dirt. Likewise, you and I are capable of doing amazing things. Yet at the end of the day, you and I are still Dirt. Perhaps even our Lord, whom Paul calls "The Last Adam" recognized this of Himself. Therefor, when men came calling Him "Good Teacher," He would receive no such praise. Rather, the Last Adam, recognizing His own humanity, rebuked the man, saying there was none good but God alone. The Lord of Glory in His incarnation saw Himself as nothing more than merely Dirt. Ought we not do the same?

Personal Testimony: God's been good to Jimmy

2008-07-21T12:08:00.004-04:00

I just want to personal take a moment and testify to the goodness and faithfulness of God. It was a little over a year ago when I learned that my father's job was transferring to Richmond, VA. Such really shook my personal world. I simply could not imagine leaving the area I had called home for over twenty years. My life is grounded here in the greater Charlotte metro region. Here I have friends, family, church, and most importantly, my fiance. In spite of having Associates and Bachelors degrees, in addition to a Paralegal certificate, I was only working a small part-time job at a local Target store. I found myself suddenly faced with a horrible circumstance: being unable to provide for myself, I might have to leave all of this behind in order to move to Richmond with my parents.

I simply knew this could not be the will of God for my life. I simply knew that I could not go with my parents to Richmond, VA. Yet, I was faced with the horrible reality that said I would be going. After all, I only had a part-time job at Target, and was in no place financially to move out on my own. Nor did it look like I would be, as the job market in Charlotte was (and is) extremely unfavorable to people looking for entry-level work. I had already been to a number of job interviews and temp agencies looking for full-time work, but to no avail. Then to further make matters worse, my father was selected early on by his employer in their entire relocation plan to move to Richmond. Things were not looking promising to me.

When I requested prayer in church one night over the situation, my pastor responded such would take nothing less than faith in order to stay. I knew he was right. Assured this was not the will of God for me to be moving to Richmond, I simply believed God would do whatever He needed to do in order to keep me here. Within a few months, I found full-time employment working as support staff in a major international law firm. While the pay is decent, it was still not good enough for me to make it on my own. Rent in the Charlotte area is generally on the high side. I would need something more. Then within a few months, the Lord finally opened another door for me to work a part-time evening job doing data-entry for a trucking company, to help make ends meet.

I've received some criticism from people for taking the two jobs that I have, and working 60 hours a week. It is not necessary to name names or say the nature of their complaints. All that matters is that God has been good, and that God has been faithful to me. For I believe these things are ultimately of the Lord. For as of this past weekend, I was finally able to move out into a wonderful apartment within just a few miles of my previous home!

The timing hasn't been exactly as I would have had things. But, such ultimately is of no matter. For Hebrews says that it is by patience and endurance that we inherit the promises of God. I'm sure Abraham would've rather had the child of promise when he was in his prime. But God had other plans for Abraham. He brought Abraham through much dying before Isaac would be born. He brought him to a state of ultimate barrenness. Death and hopelessness always precedes life and resurrection in the ways of God. He does such so that we will not be confident in ourselves and our own abilities. Rather, He does such so that the excellencies of what is worked through us may be shown to be of Him.

If prayer is not first...

2008-07-16T23:01:00.002-04:00

There is a little story that a preacher once told that goes something like this: There was once a ship at sea that was being tossed around due to a violent storm. Things began to get really bad, and the crew began to toss everything overboard. In spite of their valiant efforts, things did not get better, but only continued to get worse. Finally, one of the passengers on the ship approached the captain and said, "Captain, is there anything else we can do?" To which the captain replied, "Pray!" "Oh my!" the woman said, "has it really come to that?"

Some people only pray with times get desperate. They turn to God only when they have done everything that they could do in their own strength and power. Such people fail to realize that if prayer is not the first thing you do, it will be the last thing you do.

Open Air Preaching on Hurricane Katrina

2008-07-11T12:16:00.003-04:00

I was stumbling through my records recently and came across an old street preaching tape of mine. I would highly encourage you to listen to this recording. The first 15 minutes or so was done a short time after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans. I long for the days of going back into the streets to preach. May God open such doors again!

Street Preaching: Hurricane Katrina

Preaching 101: What to preach-- Part 2

2008-07-10T12:05:00.003-04:00

It was not my intention to turn my original "Preaching 101" post into a series of any sort. However, as I was meditating on the things of God this afternoon, I couldn't help but dwell on preaching. My memory started to take a little trip recalling various sermons I have heard preached recently, both the good and the bad. As I was meditating, I thought about what really made a sermon good, and what really made a sermon bad. Then my thoughts locked onto some bad preaching I heard recently, and it really made me think, "How could that sermon have been better? What made it bad? What would've made it good?"

Now, by "good," do not think I envision somebody who has outstanding oratorical skills. I do not imagine a sermon that is well planned, though it might be. I do not imagine a sermon that has exactly three points, though it might. I do not imagine a sermon that has stories in it that will make you laugh, and stories in it that will make you cry, though it might have these as well. Rather, I imagine something else altogether.

It occurred to me that one of the last preachers I heard who did rather badly, he constantly talked about "some people" in his sermon. "Some people do this... some people do that..." I remember thinking to myself during that sermon while I was sitting through it, "For God's sake, stop telling me about some people and start telling me about Someone!!!" For good preaching, no matter what subject matter it might be on, no matter what stylistic features may compose it, should ultimately be preaching that is centered around who Christ is and what Christ has done.

For it says in 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (NASB) We are called, not to preach hell, fire, and brimstone (though we might), or how to be a better husband (though we might), or any other number of things (though we might). It should be clear that our preaching, no matter what topic we preach, is focused on proclaiming the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. For when we proclaim His excellency and His brilliant majesty, people will see just how bad off they are. The Light will shine on their darkness.

Two examples come to mind of this very thing. Namely, that of the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 6, we read of how Isaiah had a revelation of a thrice holy God to whom the angels would not even look upon. When Isaiah had this revelation, he instantly saw not only his own corruption, but the corruption of the world around him. Or, one could compare it to a rich man living in a mansion inviting somebody who has lived in a trailer park their entire life to come over for dinner. The poor person will not need to be told anything of their condition, for when they see the excellencies of the rich man, they will have a revelation of their own poverty.

Therefore, whatever you preach and however you preach it, take great pains to exemplifying the excellencies of Christ. In doing so, no matter what you preach on, you will expose your hearers to His greatness, which will immediately cause them to see their own lack. Men will forever be lost so long as you proclaim what is wrong with them and what they need to do with their life. However, the lives of men can forever be changed so long as you keep your preaching focused on the excellencies of Him. For when His excellencies are proclaimed, your hearers are thereby called by Him to come out of their darkness into His marvelous light.

Update: New Website

2008-06-24T18:21:00.005-04:00

For the few of you that read this blog, I thought I'd inform you of an important update. In the next few weeks, this blog will be expanding into a full fledged web site. This blog will continue to exist and receive regular updates as part of a larger site. With the new site, I hope to expand some short blogs I have written on here into full-sized articles that really hammer away at some of the things pounding upon my heart. I feel such is necessary, because I believe blogs should, in general, be short sniplets of thought. However, the preacher within me can seldom be happy offering short devotional thoughts confined to a mere couple paragraphs on crowded page.

I hope to use the new web site as a means of building up not only the church at large, but, hopefully within the context of my own local fellowship as well. The web site I am launching, appropriately titled, "I Am A Disciple," is a resurrection of a site I used to operate called, "Christian Steps." While many parallels will exist between the two sites, I hope to remain much more focused as to the content of this web site. Whereas the previous site was simply nothing more than a random assortment of teachings, this new site will exist to promote the issues that I believe to be essential to genuine apostolic Christianity, and contain much more in depth studies concerning the word of God. This blog will continue to function, seeking to promote much of the same things contained within the web site, but, will serve much more of an outlet for things that are more "devotional" in nature, along with random happenings.

I Am A Disciple - http://www.iamadisciple.com

Preaching 101: What To Preach

2008-06-17T08:26:00.003-04:00

2 Timothy 2:2 The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Much bad preaching these days can be attributed to a simple problem: The preacher talks about whatever he wants to talk about, nevermind the passage of Scripture he is speaking from. His sermon would have been just the same should he have preached from either Genesis 1 or Psalm 23. In my decade as a Christian, I have heard many sermons, both good and bad. However, one thing I've noticed about almost every bad sermon I have heard is that the preacher refuses to let the text before them speak for itself. If they were to do this, there is no way they could deliver the same message from preaching out of Genesis 1 as they could if they preached out of Psalm 23.

Many young preachers are often at a loss for what it is they are supposed to preach. Indeed, many older preachers are too! However, I think the words of the apostle Paul above are clear enough: whatever it is we preach, we are to speak out of the content of the apostolic faith. The content of that apostolic faith is contained within the canon of Scripture. So, if the Lord leads you to preach from Psalm 23... preach from Psalm 23! Likewise, if the Lord leads you to preach from Genesis 1... preach from Genesis 1!

Whatever the passage you are preaching from says... say it yourself. Whatever the passage you are preaching from seems to emphasize... emphasize it yourself. In short, say whatever it says, and apply it however it says to apply it. Stick to the text! Let the text be your sermon outline, and pray that the Holy Spirit helps you to amplify the text to whosoever your audience may be.

A Vision of the Future

2008-06-08T22:39:00.000-04:00

This morning in church I had a vision. In my vision I saw a sky that was painted red. Then I saw a multitude of people from the world who trembled in fear at the things that are coming upon the earth. Then I heard the Lord say to me to fear not, that His name is Emmanuel, and that He is the God that is with us. The rest of the nations may shake and tremble in fear of the things that are coming, but for us to not worry, for He is able to make us stand by faith while the rest of the world shakes in fear.

"The Rejected Blessing"

2008-06-04T19:36:00.004-04:00

I recently stumbled across an article regarding the history of the early Pentecostal movement and how it wrestled with the Weslyean doctrine of entire sanctification and how it related to the newly forming doctrine on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I highly commend to you the following:

The Rejected Blessing.

Cosmic Evangelism

2008-05-29T20:54:00.008-04:00

Ephesians 3:7 ... I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

There is something horribly lacking in our evangelism today. Indeed, it is a consciousness that many generations of Christians have lacked, but something of which the apostle Paul was entirely conscious of. Indeed, Paul saw a purpose in evangelism and world missions much greater than trying to convince sinners that they were in need of a Savior. Read the above passage again. Do you see it?

Don't feel bad if you don't. I must say, until about a year or two ago, I never saw it nor was I even remotely aware of it. And I say this as one who has read many books and web-sites on evangelism. I say this as one who sat in on a class in Bible college dedicated to evangelism. I say this as one who sat in on a class in Bible college on Ephesians, having gone through it verse by verse with a very godly professor and outstanding Bible expositor. I say this as one who has read the book of Ephesians dozens upon dozens of times. I say this as one who has knocked on hundreds of doors, and preached to thousands of people in the open-air. Yet, I never saw it, let alone incorporated it into my ministry.

Let's flash this passage up again:

Ephesians 3:7 ... I was made a minister, according to the gift of God's grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

Paul saw his purpose as a missionary, not simply to preach the gospel to all of creation so that the Great Commission might be carried out, nor to save souls from hell. Rather, Paul saw his apostolic role entirely in a cosmic dimension. That is, he saw himself not merely preaching to men. Rather, he saw himself preaching to the wicked demonic forces that rule this world: the principalities and powers... wicked forces in heavenly places.

For God has a purpose in evangelism greater than seeing souls saved and revival breaking out. God's purpose in evangelism is ultimately not to testify to the world about Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Rather, His ultimate purpose is to announce to the demonic forces that rule this world that the wisdom of God has prevailed, and their tyrannical rule on the souls of men is about to come to an end. And this ultimate end is demonstrated and pronounced "through the church." For if it is not pronounced through the Church, it will not be pronounced at all.

It's pronouncement through the Church comes both in word and deed. Be encouraged brethren. Your witness is not in vain! Even if your words seem to fall on deaf ears, and people don't seem to be turning to the Lord as a result of your outreach, be encouraged... the effectiveness of your witness is greater than you know! For even if nobody should respond to your testimony and the gospel you so boldly preach, there are wicked and unseen spiritual forces in this world who have heard what you said! And they tremble!

But with this new understanding you now have, take care in how you witness. Indeed, if you truly grasp and have a revelation of this, you will begin to understand that evangelism is so much more than handing out gospel tracts, or modeling Ray Comfort's "Hell's Best Kept Secrets." Indeed, evangelism may incorporate these things. But what is important is that whatever means or method you employ in evangelism, that it be "according to the working of His power," (3:7) and not your own. For if it is not according to the working of His power, that is, the demonstration of the resurrected life of Christ, then no demonstration is being made of God's manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers. Without an accompanying demonstration of that power, then your witness is in vain.

Indeed, so much evangelism today, even by street preachers, is in vain. Just because you stand up before a crowd and rebuke them for their sin, tell them of hell, and tell them of Jesus, doesn't mean you have accomplished anything for the Lord. Indeed, you may have only set back the progress of the gospel by years! For the principalities and powers love to see nothing more than a hypocrite who has a form of godliness but denies the power thereof acting out for all to see. Indeed, over such men the principalities and powers rule! And when such a man takes up preaching before others, he only makes the veil between sinners and God all the thicker to pierce, for the hearers are given the impression that the man who is preaching thinks he is at least the real thing, when he is in actuality a fake. He pretends to demonstrate the power of God, when in fact he does not. And so men further believe the lie, and are further damned because of it.

Therefore, there is a necessity that an authentic expression of God's power and authority be manifested in order for the principalities and powers to take notice. "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?" (Acts 19:15) Indeed, the principalities and powers will recognize nothing less than the authentic, for nothing else intimidates them nor causes them to tremble. For what else can move these wicked forces in heavenly places but a demonstration of Him who conquered hell and death?

Therefore, in whatever witness we give to men, we must take care that is according the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the grave. For our ultimate concern is not to be our witness to men, but our witness to the satanic forces that rule this present world. Such ought to give you a lump in your throat and make it hard for you to swallow. No more should your evangelism consist of mere formulas and programs such as Four Spiritual Laws, Hell's Best Kept Secret, Evangelism Explosion, etc. While one might utilize such tools, they are to only be that. The backbone of our ministry is not to be the tools, but rather, the power of God through the Holy Spirit.

Replacement Theology: A Graceless Gospel

2008-05-28T22:22:00.007-04:00

Replacement theology, in a nutshell, teaches that the ancient Israelites were the people of God in some way, shape, or form. However, due to their turning aside from God and rejecting Christ, God has now done away with ancient Israel, and is instead doing a new thing with a new people of God, a new Israel, namely, the Church. The Church, because of her faithfulness to God, has replaced apostate Israel in the plans of God. Ancient Israel and whatever God was doing through it, has now been replaced by the Church.

However, it must be questioned, is this Biblical? It is beyond the scope of this post to explore this issue in its fullness. However, in my reading of Scripture recently, I stumbled across a passage that I would like to present for your consideration, as an example of why I believe replacement theology to be wrong.

In Exodus 32, we read of how Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain. The children of Israel grew impatient waiting on Moses to return. Their inability to wait on Moses' return is magnified by the sabbath day commandment given to Moses at the same time while on the top of the mountain in the closing verses of chapter 31. While Moses was receiving instruction on the sabbath rest in chapter 31, the children of Israel were growing restless in chapter 32.

Their restlessness finds its full manifestation in an idolatrous orgy that erupts at the bottom of the mountain. For such is in full keeping with man who has an innate inability to wait on God and rest. He must "do something." But when we would feel the itch to do something, God is attempting to show us we must wait and rest. For the itching to do something is the expression of man's constant desire and ability to do something in and of himself. Whereas the sabbath stands in stark contrast with mans nature, and is instead an invitation to be like God through rest.

To continue on with the chapter...

Israel takes its gold and gives it to Aaron to make a golden calf out of. The work of their hands is then attributed with the miraculous deliverance that God provided the nation from Egyptian bondage. Indeed, it is said of the golden calf, "This is your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" Israel has "quickly" (32:8) turned away from God in apostasy. We then read:

Exodus 32:9 The Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. 10 Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation."

Replacement theologians here would be tempted to give the Lord a great "Amen!" But not Moses. For Moses was no replacement theologian. Rather, in this outburst of anger Moses steps in and intercedes for the apostate nation:

Exodus 32:11 Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, "O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

So great was Moses intercession for his people that we read in the next verse, "So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people." (32:14) On what basis does God change His mind, and on what basis does God decide to continue with the nation and not start over with Moses?

In verse 12 Moses appeals to the fact that God did deliver the nation out of Egypt, and to destroy them would be to destroy the purposes for which He brought them out for. Such would be seen as God acting contrary to His purposes in the eyes of the nations, and to have done all that He did in vain. Then in verse 13 Moses appealed to the promises and covenant God established with the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. It is interesting here we read "Israel" instead of the normal triune formula of "Jacob." For here Moses did not appeal to the righteousness of the people themselves for why they deserve to be spared, rather, here Moses appealed to the righteousness of the patriarchs as the basis for their receiving mercy. "Remember... Your servants," Moses says! Moses appeal for their continuation as a nation depended not on their actions or their righteousness, rather, it depended entirely on the righteousness of another.

Such, ultimately is a type of Christ and the righteousness we have in Him. As sinners, we deserved the wrath of God. We, like Israel, quickly turned aside from God. However, we are made right with God, not because of anything we have done to deserve God's mercy. Rather we were made right with God, "through the obedience of the One." (Romans 5:19) Thus, the righteousness of another, that is Christ, is imputed (charged) to our account and is the basis of our salvation. Therefore, when Moses appealed to the righteousness of the patriarchs and the promises God made to them as the basis of Israel's salvation from God's wrath, he was asking God to impute the righteousness of the patriarchs to the nation. Such is no different than the appeal Christ makes for us as our Advocate to the Father for our salvation from His wrath. For we are saved not because of anything we have done, but because of the righteousness of Another. For we are saved by grace.

Thus, to suggest as replacement theologians have done, that Israel has fallen and is done with and that God has a new people, is the same as to say that salvation is not by grace, but rather by works. "After all, those apostate Christ killers deserve to be cut off!" And indeed, they do deserve to be cut off as a nation because of their crucifying of Christ. But Christ, who God raised up as a prophet "like [Moses]" (Deuteronomy 18:15), stands before the Lord to appeal to Him that the nation not be destroyed, for Christ came and confirmed the promises made to the Fathers (Romans 15:8), and appeals to the Lord for the continuation of the nation as the people of God, not on the basis of what they have done or their righteousness, but rather, on the basis of a righteousness entirely foreign to them... just like Moses.

Innumerable Witnesses

2008-05-25T07:54:00.005-04:00

Revelation 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

Does this passage not amaze you? We have a picture here of the end of the age, when all is said and done, we see a great multitude of people gathered before the Lord out of every corner of the world. Saints from the most populated regions of the world to the most remote, all will be present there that day. Here we see the harvest of all the souls of all the labors men have provided in the name of Christ. Here are those who were won in the largest of churches, as well as those who proved to be the lone convert of one missionary who gave his life for the gospel. All will be there.

And it is at this time you think God would number just how many those people are. For if every hair on your head is numbered by God, then numbering this great multitude would be a simple thing. But here it is at the end of the age, and God withholds revealing to John just how many people are before him. I think in doing that, God is saying that to know the numbers is a glory reserved for Him alone. This stands in contrast to man who wants to number everything. From David who took a census of the people, down to the present time where we count how many visitors and members we had attend our church service last week. We often glory and gloat around these things. Perhaps when a minister is asked, "How many did you run last week?" he should simply shrug his shoulders and say, "I don't know," and reserve that glory for God alone?

The Cost of Showing Mercy

2008-05-21T19:36:00.004-04:00

A excellent quote from the lips of Art Katz:

It cost God much to pour out and reveal His mercy, namely, the death of His Son in the most excruciating agony. What will it cost us to show the same? Is mercy still mercy if it comes without cost? Religious politeness we can perform. If mercy does not come at cost to the person giving it, then how will those who receive it recognize it as mercy?

I think often we attempt to show mercy that is really nothing more than sentimental pity. "Oh you poor thing!!!" But showing mercy is something much more than showing sentimental pitty towards some poor soul. Rather, as Katz elaborates above, mercy is something sacrificial that personally costs the person extending that mercy.

Pulling somebody out of a pit is never an easy thing. Such only comes through the physical strain somebody suffers in order to lift another out of their circumstance. Such mercy always puts an inconveience upon the one willing to help. They have to take time out of their busy day to stop, reach into the pit, and pull somebody out. Perhaps you might have to go out of your way to help somebody, and treat them much more kindly than their attitude or disposition says you should.

Take for example a homeless beggar. You might not have any cash on you to help somebody asking for a handout. But, chances are there is an ATM within a couple miles of where you are at. Why not go a few minutes up the road and come back with a few dollars? Perhaps he looks nasty, maybe he even smells a little drunk. Maybe you've seen him at the same location before begging? But so what! Show mercy to such a "slop" or "bum" just the same. He may not deserve the money you are going to give him, and may waste it just the same, but how is that any different than what Christ has done for you? Did you deserve His grace? Have you not taken advantage of that grace time and time again and gone back to your own habitual sins? Does Christ not show us mercy even though we might abuse and take advantage of that mercy just the same? Then who are you to take such a worldly attitude towards such a man?

Mercy does indeed cost something. It opens one to possibly being vicitimized by the one to whom you extend mercy. Much as a lifeguard that jumps into the waters to save a man from drowning puts his own life at risk. You might get taken to the cleaners, you might be taken advantage of, you might even put your own life on the line. But a mercy that does not come freely and with no strings attached is not mercy. For Christ shed His blood for us whether we would accept Him or not. Likewise, we must be willing to shed our blood if that becomes the cost of showing mercy.

Everything that can be shaken will be shaken...

2008-05-13T13:45:00.006-04:00

In light of the recent violent "natural" weather phenomenon that has occurred in the last couple weeks across the globe, I felt the Lord tug on my heart this morning to keep my eyes open and my focus on Him. No, I can't pinpoint to a specific event and give a specific pinpoint prophetic message and interpretation. However with all that said, I'd like to offer this powerful and prophetic message given by David Wilkerson a few days after the Twin Towers fell on 9/11 from TimeSquare Church in NY.

David Wilkerson: The Towers Have Fallen and We Missed the Message.

It's a very timely message. While he gave it specifically after the fall of the Twin Towers, I think the message can be applied to many such catastrophic events so that we can understand our times.

(Edit: The following content was written on October 16th)

In light of the recent economic turmoil in America, I would also like to call your attention to a message I recently preached on Hebrews 12:259-29:

Everything That Can Be Shaken (36 minutes long, 4.1 mb, mp3 file)

Psalm 23: My cup runneth over...

2008-05-05T09:06:00.006-04:00

Last night at church was perhaps one of the greatest services I have ever participated in. Throughout the service, I was a witness to what can happen in a church in which Jesus Christ is truly in control. In it we truly got to see what happens when the Lord is our Shepherd. For when we throw off the brakes, drop the formalities, and simply let the Lord have His way, He will do great things. As our pastor stepped aside and simply encouraged the body to minister to one another as the Spirit guided us, Christ took the reigns and showed Himself as Lord of the church.

The meeting was very much along the lines of the apostolic pattern given to us in 1 Corinthians 14, where each had opportunity to contribute to the building up of the body of Christ according to the gift bestowed upon them. There was some teaching, some exhortations, some singing, some confession of sin, testimonies regarding the sovereignty of God, some prayer accompanying the laying on of hands, etc. Signs and wonders followed.

A woman was healed of what appears to have been a chronic hip problem. She testified to having had much pain for some time, but, after we prayed for her she said she felt entirely well. There was one man who was seeking for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He testified before the church that he believed that baptism was for him and that he wanted to receive God's wonderful gift. He said,"Some have likened it unto receiving a Christmas present... well I'm here to say I want to receive my present." Shortly after laying hands on him he began speaking in tongues and fell to the floor like a dead man.

God was greatly glorified as with great unity and joy we sang hymns and praised God for who He is and what He has done. Our service lasted nearly four hours, and we ended it by celebrating the best we knew how: through eating the Lord's Supper. After that, the congregation was in no hurry to leave. Many went to the fellowship hall afterwards and lingered for some time, eating, drinking, and fellowshipping with one another. Great joy was upon us all.

What I learned from last night is that when Christ is the Lord of the church and is free to shepherd His sheep entirely apart from man's interference, then we can confess with the psalmist, "...My cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5) Amen!

A New Race that God Calls Us to Embrace...

2008-04-25T21:29:00.012-04:00

Recently, through Ancestry.com and other sources, my mother uncovered a great secret in our family history: my great great great great grandfather was black. Isaac Slaughter was my 4th grandfather's name, and he fought in the Civil War as a soldier in the 5th Regiment Calvary, a colored group of soldiers in the Union army. The 5th Regiment Calvary suffered a horrible massacre in the battle of Saltville, of which my grandfather narrowly managed to survive.

My grandfather at some point in time married a white woman, and had children together. So far as I understand it, one of their sons would eventually go on to marry a white woman as well. But being that it was scandalous (not to mention illegal) for a interracial couple to be married in the United States at this time, at some point in time my great great great grandfather started to deny he was a mixture of white and black races, but rather, started to say he was white and Native American. Above is a photo of my great great grandfather James, who some relatives in the family called "ol' blackie." This in part was due to him working in the coal mines of Virginia. But, such seems to carry with it some racial undertones from relatives who knew the truth behind the family tree.

Needless to say, such is a rather shocking thing to some members of my extended family. It's almost quite humorous to some degree. Especially since a few of my uncles, who at one point of their lives went through a mid-life crisis, attempted to join a Cherokee Indian group, convinced they were getting back to their family roots!!! Other members of the family, such as my grandfather, due to prejudices he carries, would probably have a heart attack at the thought of being to a small degree of measure, black.

There has been a great identity crisis in this country for some time regarding race. You can see such especially in the larger cities such as Chicago or New York, where one is sure to find parts of town that are almost entirely Asian, Black, White, Latino, etc. People often even pride themselves on what race they are. Sadly, these racial attitudes so prevail in the American church
that one commentator once said something to the effect that 11 am on Sunday mornings are the most segregated hour in America!

Yet, this mindset is not in keeping with the Scriptures. In the eyes of the Scriptures, there are only three races in this world that matter:

The Jew
The Greek
The Church of God!

We see this mindset behind the apostle Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 10:32, where Paul exhorts his readers to do nothing that would offend either Jews, Greeks, or the Church of God. To briefly explain, the Jewish people are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom God entered into a unique covenant with, promising to one day give them and their descendants the land of Palestine. The Greek is considered by Paul to be anybody else who God did not enter into this covenant with. But more important is a new breed and race of people with whom God has relation with: the Church of God.

But how can the Church be a new race of people? According to Scripture, God's ultimate plan is to one day create a new heavens and a new earth, to take the place of the one destroyed by man in his fall. But before doing that, God created a new race of people who will one day occupy the new creation. It began with Christ, who is called "the firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18) by virtue of His resurrection. Revelation 3:14 further says of Christ that He is, "the Beginning of the creation of God."

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, serves as a prototype for all those who through faith in Him would become sons of God. Paul says presently that through the renewing work of God's Spirit in us now, we have become "new creatures" (2 Corinthians 5:17). For we have been "born again," not by flesh and blood, but by the Spirit of God. And through this new birth we have experienced spiritually, we have become a new race of people in Christ. We simply await the day when we, like Christ, will resurrected from the dead, and enter into that new creation.

Therefore, whatever race we might be through our natural birth, whether Jew or Greek, white or black, ultimately doesn't matter. And those who would continue to identify themselves as being either race, and pride themselves on their race and "heritage," are doing a great disservice to God and are corrupting the gospel. There should be no "black churches." There should be no "white churches." Instead of wrapping our identity around who we are by virtue of our first birth, we should wrap our identity around who we are by virtue of our second birth!

Many a preacher has pointed out that there will be no Baptists in heaven! no Methodists! no Presbyterians!... just Christians! If I might be at liberty to modify this statement: As there will be no denominations in heaven, so will there be no whites in heaven! no blacks in heaven! no latinos in heaven!... just Christ-ians! A new race of people that transcends all races, that is what the Church of God is called to be. Therefore, let us cast off our prejudices and racists attitudes, and embrace the mindset that God has called us to have, and be the people He has called us to be.

Revival... a revival of what?

2008-04-21T20:57:00.007-04:00

Often I have heard over the years that we need to seek God for revival. This has been encouraged both at the local church level, denominational meetings, and through various ministries such as Sermon Index. Many talk about revival and pray for revival. But I must ask, a revival of what? Briefly, I'd like to offer up the following meditation on the topic. Lord willing, such will give place to a lengthier message in the future.

As a starting point that many students of revival have pointed out, to pray and seek for revival is to admit that we need reviving. That somehow there is something deficient in our present Christian experience. That somehow things are not as they should be. Unless this is realized, then any "revival" we are seeking is simply a soulish frenzy of religious activity that we wish to add to our present religious diet that seeks to somehow excite and satisfy ourselves in some fashion. Such a mentality looks at revival as a blowing the lid off the church. When in reality, as Leonard Ravenhill pointed out, revival is not when the lid blows off the church, rather, revival is when the bottom drops out. But such is not something we are often willing to accept. For the proud people that we are, we simply are not willing to suffer the necessary humility that comes with the bottom dropping out. We want everything to go smoothly and easily.

So with this foundation laid, I would like to assert three principle things that I believe to be the aim of all genuine revival:

Apostolic Faith
Apostolic Practice
Apostolic Life

If you haven't noticed already, I've used the adjective apostolic to describe the things we are to return to. For if the church is to be anything, it is to be apostolic. Not apostolic in the oneness pentecostal sense of the word. Rather, apostolic is a word used to describe the quality and level of dimension to which we as the church are to aim to attain. For if the church is not apostolic in quality, then it is not the church its supposed to be. As Art Katz said time and time again, apostolic is a word we should salivate over. For if that word doesn't get our mouth watering, then nothing will. And if we do not hunger for that which is apostolic, then we will be all to easily satisfied with something much less that purports to be the real thing, but is in fact something entirely other.

In our aim for apostolic faith, at the most simple level we are talking about the doctrines of the faith, "once for all handed down to the saints." (Jude 1:3) That is, there is an actual body of doctrine that has been handed down by the Lord and the original apostles that is to be the basis for everything we believe. Apostolic faith has no room for novelties. However, apostolic faith is much more than ascribing to razor sharp orthodoxy. Rather, apostolic faith has to do with seeking to embody the reality of that faith. Just as the Word was made flesh in the incarnation of Christ, so it is to be made incarnate in us who believe.

In seeking to embody the reality of the faith, such will give rise to apostolic practice. Apostolic practice is the issue of walking out the apostolic faith. The apostle Paul regularly encouraged the church to, "walk according to the pattern you have in us." (Philippians 3:7) For Paul could so boldly state such amazing things as: "...it is no longer I who live, but Christ..." (Galatians 2:20) He didn't say such a thing as just some sort of theological truth as many preachers do today. Rather, these are realities which Paul walked in for all to see, and for all to follow. Thus he could say: "...be imitators of me, just as I am also of Christ..." (1 Corinthians 11:1). This imitation is to be a way of life by where we practice what was preached. It is the outworking of the gospel message, not only in our own personal lives, but also in the life of the church assembled.

Finally, apostolic practice is intimately tied to apostolic life. If apostolic practice were to be the wineskin of our faith, that outward thing that is visible to all, then apostolic life is the wine of our faith. The issue of apostolic life is ultimately the issue of resurrection. It is no longer I who lives, but Christ. And in seeking to live out the resurrection life, we will find that our old wineskins from the world and our denominational traditions are completely incompatible with the new wine we have received. To try and continue on in the practice of the old wineskin will lead to the spoil of both. For Christ wants to act no different in you then when He walked among the world. But sadly, we often want to have it both ways in spite of the Lord saying we cannot.

Much, much more could be said than has been said here. But to summarize, what is needed in our day and generation is nothing less than a revival of apostolic Christianity.

The Cross and the Principalities and Powers

2008-04-18T13:08:00.001-04:00

In light of the last thought I blogged on, "Into Thy hands I commit My spirit," I would like to offer up some brief thoughts concerning the principalities and powers, and how they relate to the cross, especially in relation to the Lord.

The apostle Paul wrote, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12, KJV) In this brief thought, Paul gives us a brief insight into "what's really going on" in this world. That is, there are wicked angelic forces in heavenly places that dominate the lives of men.

Having as their prince, the father of all lies, Satan, they feed on the thoughts of men so as to cause them to act like beasts rather than men created in the image of God. It is these forces whom we as Christians are really in opposition against. For being guided by the father of all lies, they cause men to believe lies so as to not believe the truth of the gospel. They are responsible for the veil that lies over the minds of many so as to darken them in their understanding. And the more they lie, and the more men believe their lies and act upon them, the darker things become.

However, in the cross of Jesus Christ Satan and his angels suffer defeat. For it was at the cross that Jesus proclaimed in His actions that everything they said was a lie. For on a cross one would expect to have no hope. There is no natural or rational reason to have hope on a cross. To be hanging on a cross means your life has come to an end. Yet our Lord hung on the cross, "for the joy set before Him." He never lost hope. Rather, against all the opposition of hell He believed the Lord that the God's holy one would not see decay, and that after three days He would be raised up. In that the Lord kept faith that He would shortly be raised.

And it is such a faith that ultimately all who would be a martyr people must possess. There is not a man or woman who has ever died by the hands of another for Christ's sake who did not posses this faith. A faith that says "though he slay me, yet will I trust Him." A faith that says that "they may kill my body, but the Lord will give me a new one, full of glory." It is a faith and confession that stands in violent opposition to the Satanic forces that rule this fallen world. For the Satanic forces would have you believe the lie that death is it, that there is no resurrection, and that there is no hope beyond the grave. They would have you believe what they say, instead of what God says.

But if such would ever become the confession of the church in a militant fashion, then perhaps we will indeed one day see the events of Revelation 12 take place, where the prince of this world is cast down from his throne, "because they loved not their lives unto death." For if you believe the lie, that this life is all there is, then you must shy away from the cross. But if you believe that there is something greater in store for us, then you will gladly embrace the cross, knowing that though they might kill you yet shall you live. And this is why a proper understanding of the cross is so crucial to the defeat of the principalities and powers. For if they cannot sway you in this one thing, then they shall not be able to sway you in anything else. For your life will no longer become dear unto yourself. Rather, you will be like the apostle Paul, willing to spend yourself and be spent, for the sake of the gospel.

"Into Thy hands I commit My spirit..."

2008-04-15T12:38:00.003-04:00

When hanging on the cross Jesus uttered words that have pierced many a man's souls. Just as He was about to give His last breath he cried out to the Father, "Into Thy hands I commit My Spirit!" As piercing as these words are, I don't think they have been understood by too many people. Indeed, until today I don't believe I have really ever understood them.

These words are radical words. Radical because they show the depth of Jesus' trust in God. They were radical because when hanging there on a cross, at a place where all victims of crucifixion lose any sense of hope for a tomorrow, Jesus still hung on the promises of God's word concerning His resurrection. He believed those promises to the uttermost. He believed them unto death. He never lost hope.

Think of it again, Jesus hanging there on a cross, knowing that He is getting ready to die. Death's rattle is quickly filling His lungs, with all hope seemingly lost, and with His last breath Jesus cries, "Father, I'm placing My trust in you!!!" If Jesus is to be the model of faith for all who believe, then I believe God wants to show us that He wants us to trust Him unto death. He wants us to wait on Him, being stripped of all means by which we could save ourself. For the only salvation that can come to a man on a cross is through resurrection. And resurrection can only come from the power of God working in us who believe.

Such a trust is the ultimate statement of faith. And unless we have such a trust, we do not really have such a faith.

Coddled or Crucified?

2008-04-14T22:41:00.003-04:00

A most worthy quote from the pen of A.W. Tozer's "Coddled or Crucified" chapter in "The Radical Cross" book:

Though the cross of Christ has been beautified by the poet and the artist, the avid seeker after God is likely to find it the same savage implement of destruction it was in the days of old. The way of the cross is still the pain-wracked path to spiritual power and fruitfulness. So do not seek to hide from it. Do not accept an easy way. Do not allow yourself to be patted to sleep in a comfortable church, void of power and barren of fruit. Do not paint the cross nor deck it with flowers. Take it for what it is, as it is, and you will find it the rugged way to death and life. Let it slay you utterly.

Not Pentecostal Enough!

2008-03-24T12:49:00.005-04:00

In his old age, Leonard Ravenhill once said something to the effect that he had never been to a Pentecostal church. Yet this was a man who was frequently invited to speak at churches that had signs in their front yard that identified themselves with that movement! I think what Ravenhill was getting at was that he had been to plenty of churches that were satisfied with their Pentecostal experience. That is, they were happy they were baptized in the Spirit and spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Maybe "happy" is not the best word for this. Perhaps "satisfied" would do better. That is, there are plenty of Pentecostal churches that are satisfied in their past and present experiences. And this satisfaction has kept them from going forward.

For if the church in Jerusalem was to serve as a sort of model for future generations, then indeed, Pentecostal churches have failed miserably, even with many individuals who confess having received a baptism in the Spirit (though sadly this number is shrinking). After all, do you know of any Pentecostal church that has all things in common? Do you know of any Pentecostal church that is seeing people saved day by day? Do you know of any Pentecostal church committed to apostolic faith and practice?

I believe Ravenhill if he were alive today agree that our Pentecostal churches are not Pentecostal enough. And the reason they are not Pentecostal enough is because they aren't Christian enough! And the reason they are not Christian enough is because Jesus is not Lord of enough!

Not responsible!

2008-03-14T15:12:00.003-04:00

Today on a courier run at work, I saw a sign posted in front of an Einstein's Bagel's: "Not Responsible For Personal Property." Instantly the Lord quickened to me the statement from Cain's lips: "Am I my brother's keeper?" Such a sign is in keeping with the spirit of the world's first murderer. "Not my problem!" And without a doubt, when push comes to shove, Einstein's Bagel's is ultimately not responsible for any personal items you may lose while visiting their establishment. You are ultimately responsible for the safeguarding of your personal belongings.

However, I believe such a sign creates a mindset where one feels no personal obligation to help and love perfect strangers. Such creates a mindset where you are looking out for numero uno, and ultimately, when push comes to shove, will cause one to not be vigilant in regard to watching out for somebody else's back. After all, you are not ultimately responsible! After all, you are not ultimately your brothers keeper! Perhaps such is why Cain could so easily murder his brother Abel? Perhaps such is why Cain could have the often joked about mentality of, "I'll kill him and tell God he died."

For if one has such a sense of disconnectedness towards somebody else who is created in the image of God, so as to not to be their brothers keeper, then murder is not too far around the corner.

Towards a Theology of the Cross

2008-03-07T11:56:00.005-05:00

At Lee University where I attended Bible college, we surveyed a number of different theological areas during my studies there. For example, we looked at issues related to soteriology (doctrines of salvation) and talked about things such as Calvinism v. Arminianism. We also looked at issues surrounding eschatology (last things), ecclesiology (church), harmatology (sin), and so forth. We read many books, heard many lectures, and had much debate regarding these issues. Yet in all this, as I recently reflected on my Bible college experience, I cannot recall a single time where we studied the theology of the cross. That's not to say we never talked about the implications of the cross in whatever branch of theology we were studying. However, in our studies we learned of no branch of theology that had at the core of its study the subject of the cross.

It is a rather ironic thing that at a place where one was to ever be a mathetes (Gk: disciple, learner) of Christ, the chief thing that Christ said we could not follow him without, never entered into serious and close examination as a valid branch of theology, let alone as one of the primary subjects! This should be nothing short of scandalous.

Perhaps this is unintentionally intentional? Perhaps the god of this world, along with the principalities and powers have deliberately set out to blind us to the study of the cross and its proper place in theology? For in the studying of the cross, not only do we learn what Christ accomplished in the great cosmic drama, but we also learn what was accomplished for us in that work He performed. Many of the ills of the church today can be traced to a deficient understanding in this area. And if those who would be its ministers lack a proper understanding of the cross, then what will be the condition of the rest of the church?

It is my hope that in the days and weeks to come that through this site a proper understanding of the cross will be set forth, where we examine not only what Christ accomplished on it in the cosmos, but what the cross accomplished in us who believe.

Your feedback is encouraged.

Isn't that beneath you?

2008-03-06T13:28:00.006-05:00

Recently I was in a discussion with somebody about my line of work. For those of you who might not know me, I work in a mail/copy center for a major international law firm in uptown Charlotte. The person proceeded to ask me, "Isn't that beneath you though?" Such seems like a fair and decent question. After all, I have earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, Bachelors in Christian Ministry, and have a Paralegal Certificate. Yet with all that education, I'm "just" working in a mail room... not exactly something one goes to college to do.

But such made me pause and think. Is it in keeping with the attitude of Christ to think of something as "beneath you?" And as I meditated on that statement, I was reminded of a verse in Philippians 2:5 that exhorts us to have the same attitude that was in Christ, who, although He was God in the flesh, "thought it not" (2:6). He "thought it not" so much that God was willing to become a man and suffer the humiliating death of a criminal on a cross. Contrary to being the arrogant self-absorbed dictator that many people have thought God to be, Christ demonstrated on the cross that God is far from arrogant, but rather is actually humble by nature.

The great Oswald Chambers rightly pointed out that such is the true essence of humility-- to think not. One ought not think they are above doing anything. There shouldn't be anything we will refrain from doing because we think it beneath us. If we think something is beneath us, we are thinking instead of thinking not. Indeed, if were were to think about some things, there might indeed be some things we find are beneath us. But when confronted with such a thought in our head, we need to be like Christ and humble ourselves to the point of death, even death on a cross.

To embrace humility and think not is to embrace the cross. Indeed, if we take Christ as our example, He shows us that there can be no humility without the cross. Indeed, the cross is the place where humility is taught. For on it the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the learned and unlearned receive equal treatment. The cross doesn't care who you are or what you think of yourself.

Mathetes

2008-03-05T18:18:00.001-05:00

The greek word for 'disciple' is 'mathetes' from which we get our word for math. The ancient use of the word is used in connection with individuals who sit at the feet of another and learn i.e. the disciples of Plato. However, the New Testament usage of this word goes another step further. A New Testament disciple of Jesus Christ isn't merely a passive learner who sits and listens, rather, a disciple of Jesus Christ is one who hears and follows.

"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:27

The school of a disciple is the school of the cross.