Spirit of Fear?

Spirit of Fear?

Paul’s last letter was to Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith and a younger preacher who had been the apostle’s companion. Read the following words carefully, and discover a problem many Christians face. “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord” (2 Tim. 1:7-8). Timothy knew the truth, but circumstances in his life had caused him to withdraw because of his fear.

Do you stand for the truth or cower in fear?

Do you stand for the truth or cower in fear?

Think of the many examples found throughout the Bible where God’s messengers boldly stood for their God and were not at all timid to openly stand for heaven’s saving message. We may not know what caused Timothy’s timidity, but we know so much about others who boldly spoke for the Lord.

Elijah was not afraid to stand for truth. Who has not stood in amazement at the confrontation he had with the 450 prophets of Baal? How can anyone forget his mockery of them when Baal would not send fire to consume their sacrifice? Paul’s words to Timothy describe him so well—he was not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

Nathan was not afraid to stand for truth. His friend, King David, had done wrong and had successfully hidden his sins from an entire nation. The king was a lying, adulterous murderer. God’s messenger, Nathan, went into the presence of the king who had already shown he would kill others just to cover his sin. What difference would it make if he murdered the only man on earth who knew all the details of his evil actions? Yet, Nathan courageously said, “Thou art the man.” These four words could have cost the prophet his life, yet was not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

John the Baptist was not afraid to stand for truth. The Jewish world knew how Herod had taken the wife of his brother, Philip, to be his own wife. John confronted the king. John told him that he had violated the law of God in his actions. The Greek indicates that this was not something he said just once, but over and over again he reminded the king of his sin. It cost John his life, but he was not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.

Are we afraid to stand for truth? Our nation has decided that it will openly redefine marriage and kill the innocent souls in the womb. Led by ungodly men in Washington, values which once were sacred, as we sought to be one nation under God, are now cast aside. It is not that His laws are just being ignored. Laws are being passed which unashamedly permit men to mock God. How do many Christians react? With a spirit of fear, they truly are ashamed of the testimony of the Lord. We ask, “How long, O Lord, how long?” Are you ashamed?

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The Enemy Within

The Deadliest Enemy – Destruction From Within

If history is any indicator – and it surely is, for as someone once said, “If we do not learn from history we are bound to repeat it”- then the most deadly and destructive forces and threats to any established institution, no matter how powerful or dominant they may have been at some previous point in time – often come from within the group itself and not from outside forces!

Is your heart your friend or enemy?

Is your heart your friend or enemy?

For example, throughout the ages several well-organized world superpowers (similar perhaps to the iron-fisted Roman Empire of the first few centuries) were incrementally eaten away at from inner decay, corruption, in-fighting and divisive power struggles. These inner contentions, which at the very most weakened, divided, and did to them what no other, outer force could ever hope to accomplish, and/or at the very least, softened them up, caused the cracks, and laid the destructive groundwork for the fissures which then allowed for said less-powerful outer forces to infiltrate, overcome, and annihilate them.

Many of those today who are predicting and seeking to prepare for the demise and fall of the American Empire as the current world superpower readily acknowledge and insist upon the fact, that due to her far superior military firepower over all the nations around her, her fall will not be the result of outside nations defeating her, but will instead result from her increasingly ungodly nature and the subsequent corruption, division, and ruin from within.

This truth is evident in epic biblical proportions as well. Go back and re-read through Deuteronomy and several of the O.T. history books chronicling the rise and fall of the Israelites as the people of God. It wasn’t all the nations around them that God drove out before them that got them; it was their own decided rebellion and disobedience to God’s commandments that got them. In other words, their demise and downfall wasn’t due to simply being overpowered and overcome by the onslaught of superior outside forces – even though God finally used outside forces to physically discipline, dominate, enslave and destroy them as His people. But that would have never been allowed by God if they had but simply repented and obeyed Him instead of foolishly and fatally following the prideful dictates of their own selfish and stubborn hearts, minds, and wills!

The Apostle Paul made it abundantly clear to the elders of the first-century congregation of the church of Christ in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-32; See Ro. 16:16) that one of the greatest dangers they would face – in their case, from the outside at first, but then, once again – would arise from within (vss. 30-31).

Fast forward even so far as to the N.T. church of our Lord and Savior today. Let’s face it – news flash folks: In today’s America the greatest enemy of the Lord’s church is neither the government nor all the denominations around us despite what some might like to think. Let’s be honest; as much as some of us might like to point the finger of blame towards them, neither one of those anti-biblical groups or entities is going to waltz in here this coming Lord’s Day and either divide or destroy the Lord’s church. They don’t have to. Our clearest and most present danger is not from without, but from within; as each and every day, each and every member of the Lord’s church has at their constant and continual disposal, beck, and call, the ultimate weapon of mass destruction and division, which is able to divide, destroy, and annihilate entire congregations, reputations, and the relationships that have taken many decades to build and develop… and to destroy them in but one, single, satanic, seconds-long swipe. This is why James says: “See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell… [The tongue] is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:5b-10).

Jesus made it very clear that what comes out of a person’s mouth is nothing more than the overflow from what is found in their heart (Matt. 15:18-19). James went on to say the same thing in James 3:13-18, when he indicated that those who constantly criticize, cut down, cause confusion and seek to divide, conquer, and/or condemn their brethren out of either envy, jealousy, or prideful self-promotion, are actually acting in a very worldly and/or other-worldly way. Let none of us as God’s dear children ever be found guilty of such ungodly evil.

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Death by Tomorrow?

Death by Tomorrow?

On Monday, December 26th, 2016, pop singer Britney Spears was reported dead. But, in unmistakable Mark Twain verbiage, may we respectfully say that reports of her death had been ‘greatly exaggerated,’ as Sony soon reported that their Twitter account on which the tweet was first posted had been compromised.

Death may come tomorrow. Are you ready to see the Lord?

Death may come tomorrow. Are you ready to see the Lord?

However, for many others, certain, sudden, and very real death came to claim their earthly lives in 2016. From singer-songwriters such as Glenn Frey of the Eagles, Oklahoma’s own Merle Haggard, as well as Prince and George Michael; to such sports celebrities and superstars as Arnold Palmer, Muhammad Ali, Jose Fernandez, Craig Sager, and Joe Garagiola; to Hollywood T.V. and movie stars including Alan Thicke, Florence Henderson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Kenny Baker, and Carrie Fisher; plus political personalities and people such as our former first lady Nancy Reagan, Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia, and former astronaut, fighter pilot, and U.S. Senator John Glenn, none escaped or outran death’s inevitable grasp.

And neither did some of those in, related to, or known by, those in the Lord’s church. From Warren and Marie Hazelton – two of the most faithful, knowledgeable, compassionate and sacrificially selfless saints I have ever had the privilege of knowing and loving in Christ; to our young 18 yr old Arkansas brother Caleb Bonde who died in a car crash on Christmas eve; to surely many other beloved brethren as well as many other friends and family members who could be mentioned from probably almost every congregation of the Lord’s church world-wide, many fell to the inevitable, insatiable, and inescapable grip of death’s icy hand and departed this earthly life in 2016. From the rich and the famous, to the poor and the afflicted; from the poorest of paupers, to the most popular of personalities; whether the young or the old; from the Master’s elect to the masses’ elected; from entertainer to entrepreneur; and from the least to the greatest; physical bodily death is the great and inevitable, all-consuming equalizer.

Why bring all this up now as we enter a new year? The answer should be painfully and blatantly obvious. As we officially end 2016 to enter and embark out into the new year, every single one of us should enter into every single day we are given by God, with the mindset that it might very well be our absolute last day on this earth in which to lovingly and faithfully serve, submit, and sacrifice ourselves to and for, both Him, His Son, and Their kingdom – because it just might be! Listen: God’s mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23)! But do you really know and truly understand exactly what that means? It means that every new day we are given by the grace of God, is another chance to either get right with Him, stay right with Him, and/or, to serve even better, and to get ever closer to and with, Almighty God Himself through our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 6:46)!

Someone has rightly observed, “Yesterday is gone; tomorrow may never be; today is a gift – that’s why we call it “the present.’” And the Bible concurs! “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psm 90:9-12).” As James says, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (Jms. 4:14).” And in addition, the apostle Paul further instructs the Lord’s church to: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:15-17).

You see, there are numerous “dead men walking” that many of us come in contact with on a regular basis whom the Lord wants us to seize the day to go seek, speak to, and seek to save with the grace-laden gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk. 9:57-62, 19:10; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 2;1-4, 5:6; 2 Ptr. 3:9). Even worse, there are still yet numerous other “dead men walking” even in the Lord’s church at times (Rev. 3:1-6)! And they too, must be turned back to life before it’s too late!Because the bottom line is this… There are no guarantees to any of us – not a one of us; no matter our age, gender, general health, worldly wealth, spiritual standing or social status – that we will make it through 2017 on this planet any more than there were any guarantees to any of those previously mentioned that they would make it through 2016 – there just isn’t. Never was; never will be. But one thing is guaranteed: Eventually all will pass away from this planet and answer directly to God. And when that time comes for you, will you be ready? What if it’s tomorrow? What if it’s today? Will you have made the absolute best use of your time in His service from this point forward that you possibly could with each new day in 2017 He gives you to be faithful, obedient, compassionate, and evangelistic – if He in His goodness even chooses to thus bless you with more days to devote to His service? Will He be truly happy with your daily efforts on His behalf, or wrathfully and regrettably heart-broken at your destructive excuses and flimsy attempts at self-justification?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” (Matt 7:21-27).

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Peace and Holiness

Peace and Holiness

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

Jesus said that the peacemakers will be blessed (Matt. 5:9).

Jesus said that the peacemakers will be blessed (Matt. 5:9).

Jesus said that the peacemakers will be blessed (Matt. 5:9).  The Holy Spirit commanded us to be at peace with all if possible, so far as it depends on us (Rom. 12:18).  Jesus implied that being peaceable was an indicator that you are the salt of the earth (Mark 9:50).  The kingdom of God consists of peace along with righteousness and joy (Rom. 14:17).  Christians are commanded to live in peace by aiming for restoration, comforting one another, and agreeing with one another (2 Cor. 13:11).  Division and contentiousness are condemned (1 Cor. 1:10ff; Tit. 3:9-11).

In like manner, holiness (being different, set apart from the world) is essential for salvation.  That sanctification comes only from the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17), which is holy itself and which will be rejected by those who are not peaceful (Matt. 7:6).  Dedicating our entire lives to God is what makes us holy and acceptable to him (Rom. 12:1).  He chose the church before the events of Genesis for one purpose: to be holy (Eph. 1:4), and that was also why he died on the cross (Col. 1:22).

To be at peace.  To be holy, different from the world.  That’s a big part of what true Christianity is all about.

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Spiritual Nutrition

Spiritual Nutrition

If you’ve watched the news any time lately, you’ve probably been aware of the new “epidemic” in our country. This epidemic isn’t caused by a virus; it isn’t caused by a bacteria; it isn’t caused by any “disease” at all. The new epidemic in our country, say the experts, is obesity. We are being told that we have a fat problem and that our society needs to do something about it! Much of our problem, say the experts, stems from poor nutrition: an imbalance in our diet, too much sugar and fat and not enough fiber and healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Another problem, they say, is that we eat too much and as a result of overeating we multiply pound upon pound.

What is your source of nutrition? Are you healthy?

What is your source of nutrition? Are you healthy?

In contrast to our burgeoning physical waistlines, we are spiritually wasting away. Spiritually, we need to have a balanced diet as well; we need less spiritual sugar and fat; we need more spiritually healthy choices. It isn’t easy to give up a diet of sugar and fat, after all, they taste so good! Similarly, it isn’t easy to divorce ourselves from spiritual sugar and fat (i.e. the “feel good” approach to spirituality). So, how can we improve our spiritual diet?

First, we need a daily serving of prayer. We begin to grow weak spiritually when we think that we are self-sufficient and have no need to depend upon God. A daily serving of prayer is packed with the daily essential vitamins of humility, selflessness, and thankfulness. We need these to fight off the potential bulge of pride, selfishness, and arrogance. Paul wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Second, we need a heaping portion of God’s word. Every day we make decisions in our relationships that affect our family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances. We need nourishment of God’s word to guide us in such decisions. We also face temptation of one sort or another and we need the fortification of God’s word to help us to overcome. Jesus quoted scripture to Satan when he was tempted and we know that God’s word will help us overcome temptation (Psalm 119:11).

Third, we need a regular dose of service to others. There are many around us who need help. It’s not enough for us to sit back and relax and wait for them to come to us. We need to be active in going out and seeing how we can help others. Galatians 5:13 says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Exercising service in our life will keep us spiritually fit.

Finally, we need to pour ourselves several cups of a good attitude. Attitude makes all the difference in our daily walk with God. Regardless what we may believe, we have complete control over our attitude regardless how things are going in life and we must conform our attitude toward God’s will. What must we do? Show love toward our fellow man, exercise patience, practice longsuffering and generously give forgiveness to those around us. Jesus said, “In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:19). We need constantly drink from the water of life to help our attitudes!

So many in today’s spiritual world want to satiate themselves with spiritual soda pop and candy. And while there certainly isn’t anything wrong wtih having soda pop or candy on certain occasions, a regular diet of it will cause sickness and mal-health. Such is also true spiritually; spiritual fast food may taste good at first, but cannot ultimately satisfy. Exercising spiritually healthy choices, however, will maintain a healthy spiritual life and fortify us with the basic essential spiritual nutrients. This will go a long way toward our spiritual health and well being.

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