Whom Shall I Send

Short but powerful word.

Is. 6:8, "Whom shall I send,, and who will go for us? Then said I; send me "
God did not address the call to Isaiah; Isaiah overheard God saying, "Who will go for us?". The call of God is not for a special few; it is for everyone. Whether or not I hear depends upon my disposition. "Many are called but few are chosen," that is, few prove themselves the chosen ones.
Isaiah was in the presence of God and he overheard the call. His response was, "here am I send me." get out of your mind the idea of expecting God to come with compulsions and pleadings.
If we let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God, we too shall hear what Isaiah heard, the still voice of God, that my friend is when you will say, "Here am I, send me."

Transformation vs. Reformation

2 Corinthians 3:18

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

 

In our western culture we think more in the sense of reform rather than transform. Reform means “to improve (someone or something) by removing or correcting faults, problems, etc.: to improve your own behavior or habits. “We watch TV shows, read books, hear teachings and sermons on how we can correct our faults and improve ourselves, our marriage, our children, our job, and our church. While these are good, God desires to do something much greater than what we can produce ourselves.

 

The emphasis in Scripture is on transformation. Transform means “to change (something) completely.” The word in Greek is metamorphoo from which we get our English word metamorphosis, as a caterpillar changing into a butterfly. When Nicodemus came to Jesus in John chapter three, his mind was so bound by the reformation of religion that he could not grasp the metamorphosis of the new birth.

 

For many becoming a Christian is adopting a religious belief and lifestyle. But, from its inception Jesus demands the transformation of a new birth. The reason we embrace reformation rather than transformation is that we can reform ourselves or attempt to reform ourselves, while transformation is supernatural and requires a yielding to and submission to God. We struggle with the supernatural because it is beyond our understanding and capability, requiring faith in God to do the impossible in our lives.

 

The other issue we face is that transformation requires dying to ourselves. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:24-25 Dying to self releases the transforming and explosive growth of the Spirit in our lives.

 

The wonderful thing about transformation is that it moves us from the natural into the supernatural, from our ability to God’s ability, and from provision to the promise. Transformation happens as we take our eyes off of ourselves, others, and the world and begin fixing our gaze on the Lord of glory, allowing His Spirit to transform us from glory to glory into His image.

Receiving the Promise

In Genesis 26:3-5 God reaffirms to Isaac his covenant with Abraham, “Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

 

Over six hundred years later Israel stands on the bank of the Jordan River preparing to receive the promise God had given Abraham. For forty years they had walked under God’s provision in the wilderness, but now was the time to move from provision into promise. They faced great challenges of fortified cities, giants and great armies with chariots. Forty years earlier their fathers had stood on the banks of this very Jordan. But because of a bad report of ten spies, they retreated from the promise back into the comfort of provision.

 

Oftentimes in our lives we fail to move from provision into God’s promises for us. As I mentioned last week, we often let the promises that God gave us die in us because of time and circumstances. The challenges of entering into the promises seem often times overwhelming and impossible. God intentionally makes His promises too great for us because He wants to fulfill the promises as we trust and obey him. Notice God’s word to Isaac, “I will be with you, I will give you all these lands, I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham, and I will make your descendants multiply.” To receive the promise, we must maintain faith that He who is faithful will fulfill the promise. Because it is only out of that position of faith that we can be led by the Spirit to walk out in obedience today what God wants us to do in order to receive the promise.

 

God told Isaac, “I will give your descendents all these lands --- because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge.” Abraham was not some great preacher or evangelist. He was a herdsman who most of his life led a nomadic life like many in his day. But when God asked him to do something, He immediately did it whether it was leaving his home and country, or being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. In the midst of all Abraham’s wandering, he never forgot his charge, what God had charged him to do, his destiny. In all the places he traveled, all the challenges he faced and things he did, he never lost sight of the faithfulness of God and the promises God had given him.

 

As Joshua stood on the banks of the Jordan facing the giants of Israel’s past, the Lord appeared to him and said to Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. --- Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you. --- Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:3,6,9

 

“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” Heb. 10:35-36

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”         I Corinthians 1:20

Take Your Place

Psalms 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”

 

The table of the Lord is a place of abundance, a place of peace, and a place of communion. David draws this picture from the ancient Near East custom, where covenants were often concluded with a meal expressive of the bond of friendship. The head of the honored guest at the banquet was customarily anointed with oil. The cup running over was a sign of abundance. What an awesome picture of the relationship God wants to have with us!

 

Jesus reinforced this at the Last Supper with His disciples. In Luke 22:15 Jesus says, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.” (NKJ) In the Message Bible it says, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you.” Then just as the honored guest would have his head anointed with oil in David’s day, Jesus in the custom of his day honors his disciples by getting down and washing their feet.

 

Sometimes we fail to understand how much Jesus desires to fellowship and commune with us. We become so busy running here and there, trying to meet our needs and the needs of our family, when He already has a table of provision set for us. We are desperately trying to prove ourselves and to demonstrate our value or worth, when He desires to honor us. We struggle with worry and fear in an uncertain world and struggle with the attacks of the enemy, when He has already set a table for us in the presence of our enemies. We struggle in our own might to serve Him, when he wants to anoint our head with the oil of His Spirit to empower us to do what we cannot do in ourselves.

 

Stop struggling and running and take your place at the Lord’s table. “In His presence is fullness of joy;

at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalms 16:11) The God of the universe “fervently desires” your presence. He has prepared a table for you and for me. He is honored to have us as a guest at his table. Even more than that, He wants to honor us. We are the apple of His eye, His joy and His desire. He wants to give us honor even before our enemies, for we are His treasured possession and he has redeemed us from every tribe, tongue, and nation by the blood of His Son. He wants to fill your cup until it runs over.

 

The one thing our Lord seeks above all else from his servants, ministers, and shepherds is communion with Him. His table is vast and is never lacking. This table is a place of spiritual intimacy and is spread daily with all that we need. David said in Psalms 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”

 

May you be blessed, encouraged, strengthened, and satisfied in the presence of the Lord today.

Like A Child

Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven in made up of people who are like children. (Matt. 19:14) Also, in Matthew 18:2, Jesus says, only those who are child like will enter the kingdom of heaven. If this child likeness is so important for our salvation. It surely worth while to reflect on it meaning.

In Matthew 18:3, Jesus mentions one of the child like characteristics. It is humility. Some would dispute the fact that a child is humble, but it seems in Jesus day they were. The child of the past may not be the same as the child of today. It is pride that keeps us from coming to Christ and bowing down before him. Pride breeds self-reliance. We think we can do it on our own. A child may become selfish, but he knows that he depends on his father and mother for his food, clothes and everything he needs. He knows that he can't care for himself. A child who tries to be independent will bring all kinds of trouble on himself. He will stumble and fall. He will have to eventually turn to someone for help, even if it is not his father.

Another characteristic of a small child is faith or trust. A child trust his parents fully until proven otherwise. Even when a parent fails the child several times, a young child still tends to believe in them. Often a young child will trust their teachers, friends, and even strangers to their own harm. We can have full faith and trust in God because he never fails us. We can always count on Him. Even when we feel like He has failed us, He has not. We just don't understand what He is doing. God requires full trust.

Another characteristic of a young child is hope and joy. Most young children are very positive. They may have moments of sadness, but rarely despair. These usually are short lived. With this, they are not very big worriers. They don't worry because they know that their parents will care for them. They don't worry, because they are unaware of the challenges and evils that may lie ahead.  Jesus said that we must be as innocent as a dove but as shrewd as a viper. (Matt. 10:16) We are to have the innocence of a child, but the shrewdness of an experienced adult. Yet, we must maintain our hope and joy in the Lord.

Another characteristic of a child is they are dreamers. They are always dreaming about one thing or another. They always have big ideas. They usually have dreams and ideas that are bigger then them. Yet, believe that they will obtain them one day. Even though they may be limited any many ways, this doesn't stop them in believing in the impossible.

Another characteristic of a child is freedom in worship. (Matt. 21:15-16) They have a freedom in self expression. They are often uninhibited. They usually say what they think. Many times they say the first thing that comes to their mind without even thinking about what is coming out of their mouth or the consequences that might follow. Yes, they often get themselves in trouble because of this, but being uninhibited in our worship of God is a good thing.

Along with this characteristic a child is usually passionate about things. They are passionate about what they believe, and are passionate about what they do. They usually don't do things half way, unless of course it is something they don't like or it wasn't their idea. Along with this passion comes high and may emotions, not always good. How often do I see a believer come to church on fire for the Lord, and he becomes a sanctified dead beat.

The Cave

1 Samuel 22:1-2

“David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.”

 

It was God’s anointing on David’s life that enabled him to kill the lion and the bear, to kill Goliath, and bring great victory to Israel. It was the anointing that enabled David to play the harp in worship to God to quiet the tormented spirit of Saul and enabled him to become the greatest general in Saul’s army, so that the women of Jerusalem sang, “Saul has killed his thousands and David his tens of thousands.” It was that same anointing that protected and sustained David as a refugee in the cave of Adullam.

 

It was in the cave of Adullam that God begin to pull together the men that would make David’s army. David’s mighty men started out as poor, disgruntled refugees, the outcasts of Saul’s kingdom. They went in the cave defeated and came out with the shout of victory because they had joined up with David’s cause and vision. It was in the cave of Adullam that they were trained for war and galvanized together as one to become David’s mighty men who would one day conquer and subdue kingdoms.

 

It was in the cave of Adullam that David wrote the Psalm of praise in 2 Samuel 22.

"The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation.

He teaches my hands to make war,

So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;

Your gentleness has made me great.”

 

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon our lives not only to enable us to worship God in the good times and to bring us victory over circumstances in life, but also the anointing of the Holy Spirit is upon our lives during our time in the cave, when no one sees us, and the enemy surrounds us and seeks to destroy our souls. It is in the cave that we truly discover God to be our rock, our fortress, our shield, and our salvation. It is here that our true character is tested and our hands are trained for war. It is in the cave that our vision is sharpened, and deep, life-long relationships are formed.

 

May you discover today the greatness of our God; may His anointing sustain you and renew your strength and vision for all He has for you.

 

Fear and Faith

Matthew 8:26 - "He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."

Often we may not think about the fact that faith and fear are connected. A sign of lack of faith is fear. If we do not have faith in God's goodness, mercy, grace, love and power, we will be fearful. We will fear His condemnation and judgement. We will be fearful in the circumstances that surround us because we doubt his ability to watch over us and care for us. We will be fearful of the future because we forget and/or don't have faith that God is control of the future. We will fear sickness and harm because we don't have faith in God's protection and healing power.

Where there is faith and love, there will be no fear.

In Christ

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as I look around today, I see so many facing challenges in their lives, whether it be with health, finances, family issues or ministry. I want to look at some promises today that will help you walk in victory whether facing the fiery furnace or a den of lions that seem to be ready to devour you at any minute.

 

Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”

 

This promise of overcoming circumstances and people that may come against us is based on two godly principals. First, as children of God, being more than a conqueror is our heritage. Because Christ overcame we will overcome also. He has defeated the powers of death, hell and the grave. We walk in His resurrection power. God does not promise to keep us from attack of the enemy, but the attack will not prosper because of who we are in Christ Jesus.

Secondly, God declares that our righteousness of from Him. We do not stand in our righteousness but in the righteousness of Christ. This promise is not based on our goodness or our ability, but on who Christ is and what He has accomplished for us. We often fail to overcome because we are so aware of our weaknesses and failures, and we lose sight of who we are in Christ. Romans 8:1-3 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

 

I like to illustrate the principle of Romans 8:1-3 by placing a hanky over my fist. My fist represents my sinful nature, and the hanky the righteousness of Christ. The accuser of the brethren, other people, and even we ourselves often focus on what is under the hanky, while all God only sees is the hanky. I then begin to stuff the hanky into my fist to illustrate that over time as we walk in the Spirit, the righteousness of Christ that covers us begins to fill our life as we are changed from glory to glory in the image of Christ. However during the transformation process we are constantly covered by and stand in the righteousness of Christ.

 

Christ is our salvation, our healer, our provider, and our deliverer. God loves you not because of who you are or what you have done, but because of who He is. He is love. Victory is His because He cannot fail. Defeat is not in His nature. He has peace in the midst of conflict and turmoil because He is the Prince of Peace. As a born again believer, you are in Christ and it is out of your relationship with Him that you overcome and walk in love, peace, and victory no matter what circumstances you face.

 

Whatever weapon has been formed against you today cannot prosper because the God of the universe declares over you “this is their heritage and their righteousness is of me.”

Let Your Light Shine

Matthew 5:13-16, talks about us being salt and light. It says if we lose our saltiness we are good for nothing. Salts purpose is to bring change to what it comes in contact with or impact that which it comes in contact with. There is much to be said about salt which I am not going to delve into here. Yet, God is saying that we should impact those around us for Christ. Then Jesus goes on and says that we must be a light. The world is in spiritual darkness, and we must be a light that leads them unto Christ. Yet, the verse that struck me the most when I read this passage is Matthew 6:16.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

What the Lord showed me here is that our good deeds are to glorify the Father in heaven. There are many believers and non-believers doing good deeds. Yet the question we must ask ourselves, is God being glorified through there good? Are their good deeds showing Christ? Are they bringing people closer to God?

In other words, all good deeds are not equal. Often peoples motivations for the good deeds they do are not right. Often they do their good deeds that people may see them. They do the good deed to bring glory unto themselves. Also, here is not only speaking of good deeds in the sense of helping others, but also in the sense of living righteous lives. We can do all kinds of good deeds, but if don't live righteous lives, our good deeds will not bring God glory. Our goods deeds will be tarnished by our ungodly actions.

Fruit Consistent with Repentance

While John the Baptist was baptizing people the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him and this what he said to them in Matthew 3:8 - "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham."

As a person who grew up in a Christian family and attended church faithfully as a child, we can not base our salvation on this. We can't base our salvation on another persons faith. As believers we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus the Christ. Yet, we must not rest in this fact and live like we want. We can't rest on what God has done in our lives in the past, but we need to daily live for Him. We need to daily seek his face and will. We need to live lives that are pleasing to God. We need to bear fruit.

John 15:1-5 says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

God is seeking fruit bearers, not people who  do good works. There is a difference. A fruit bearer does not actually bear the fruit but the vine or tree is bearing the fruit. It comes out of their relationship with Jesus Christ. While one who does good works comes from the flesh. It comes from their own strength. God wants us to bear much fruit that comes from us abiding in him, and yielding to His Spirit.

The many good promises of God.

I love Psalms 34, it is so encouraging. It has so many good promises.

1) He answers and delivers us from our fears when we seek Him. v.4
2) Those who look to Him are radiant and their faces will never be ashamed. v.5
3) The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him. v.7
4) Happy is the man who takes refuge in Him. v.8
5) Those who fear Him lack nothing. v. 9,10
6) The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry for help. v.15,16
7) The Lord is near the brokenhearted. v.18
8) All who take refuge in Him will not be punished. v.22

Our God is truly good and great. He is worthy of our praise. We have many wonderful promises here. Yet, all of them come with a condition. We have to do our part to receive the promises. Our part is to seek Him, look to Him, fear Him, be righteous, be humble, and take refuge in Him.

The Burden of Unrepentance

When we sin it takes a toll on our lives. It especially takes a toll when we try to hide it or unrepentant.

Psalms 31:9-11 says, "Be gracious to me, Lord,because I am in distress; my eyes are worn out from angry sorrow—my whole being as well.
¹⁰ Indeed, my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning;
my strength has failed because of my sinfulness, and my bones waste away.
¹¹ I am ridiculed by all my adversaries and even by my neighbors.
I am dreaded by my acquaintances; those who see me in the street run from me. 
(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

 I like how the HCSB translates verse 10 because I feel it truly communicates what David is experiencing. He has sinned against God and it is affecting him emotionally and physically. I don't believe that he is only speaking figuratively here but it literally has taken a toll on him emotionally and physically.

If our hearts have not been hardened by sins deceitfulness, we will be in great distress and sorrow and it will have a negative affect on our whole being. Also, we see that  when it is discovered by others,  we lose our good reputation. It can even cause others to avoid us, and separate from us. Sin has a way of racking havoc on our relationship with others. Especially if others consider it a great sin or greater than other sins. The consequences are often even worse.

Sin will take a greater toll on us when we hide it. David talks how his hidden sin caused his bones to become brittle, and how he groaned all day long under the weight of it. His strength was drained.  (Psalms 32:4-5)

Yet, if we look at all of Psalms 32, we see when he confessed his sin that they were forgiven and cleansed. Then joy replaced his grief and sorrow.  Repentance releases God's joy and peace in our lives.

Joy of the Journey

Psalms 16:11

“You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Our journey to the heart of God is a life-long journey of discovering the greatness of the God whom we serve. It is not a journey of works but a journey of faith and obedience that constantly yields new doors of blessing and fulfillment. The journey of works is a hard road to walk, filled with hills and valleys of success and failure. When we are successful, we feel great; when we are doing poorly, we feel discouraged, frustrated, angry or depressed.  We measure the progress of our journey by comparing ourselves to others and where they are on their journey.

The journey to the heart of God is a life-long journey of discovering who God is in all of His love, greatness, and power. It is an ongoing revelation of His awesome character and nature. This journey is not void of works, but these works are an outgrowth of relationship and not a proof of value or source of identity and affirmation. Our fulfillment and contentment is solely found in our ongoing relationship with the Father through the Spirit.

Look at the focus of the Psalmist. It is totally on God. “You will show me that path of life.” The path of life cannot be found in a do-it-yourself manual of ten easy steps to success. The path of life is found from beginning to end in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is cultivated on a daily basis in every aspect of life. The path of life is a discovery of Jesus in our marriage, family, and job. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) The path of life is found in Jesus Christ.

The Psalmist continues, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” When you are in love with someone, it impacts every area of your life. It puts joy in your heart, a spring in your step, and a smile on your face. It has nothing to do with performance but radically improves your performance. It changes your perspective on everything. You respond to people and circumstances with optimism and joy. It is contagious! When you are in love with God, you will have a growing awareness of His presence and incorporate Him in every decision, everything you say and do. He becomes the center of your life.

The Psalmist concludes by saying, “At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  It is only in His presence that we have access to His right hand, which is filled with blessings and pleasure forevermore. However, blessing and pleasure is not the source of joy. His presence is our source of joy. Pleasures and blessings are simply an outgrowth of our relationship. When we truly get to know Him, the greatest pleasure is spending time with Him. Enjoy your journey with God.

The Generation of Self

As I was reading the Bible today, I was reading out of Proverbs 30. Verse 11-13 caught my attention.

There is a generation that curses its father and does not bless its mother.
There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,yet is not washed from its filth.
There is a generation—how haughty its eyes and pretentious its looks.

I think that this so true of our generation today. Especially in the more advanced countries of the world like the United States and Europe. The new generation in general does not have the same respect for their parents as the older generation. Often, children are arrogant towards their parents and even hostile.

The new generation in developed countries think they can do no wrong. Everyone can live as they please. Whatever makes them feel good, and doesn't hurt others (at least in their minds), it is fine. What God calls sin or evil, they see no wrong in it. This generation is quick to criticize and judge others, but doesn't accept criticism or corrections well. Each person is a man or woman unto himself.

Basically, those from developed nations have become haughty and pretentious. Pretentious according to the Bing dictionary is - self-important and affected: acting as though more important or special than is warranted, or appearing to have an unrealistically high self-image.

Sadly to say, we often find these attitudes in the church. Lord help us to guard against this and walk humbly before you.

God's Unchanging Character

When we look at Psalm 22, we see that king David is in distress and he call out unto the Lord.

Psalm 22:1-2 - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest."

How often do we feel the same way as David. While in the midst of a trial we call out to God and we don't get the answer we want. It seems that God does not care or even powerless to help us. We can't understand why He isn't acting on our behalf when we know that he can. It can be down right frustrating and bring us to despair. We may even question His character, goodness, faithfulness and strength.

Yet, God's character does not depend on our circumstances, nor can we determine who God is by them. God is above our circumstances and in control of all things.

Psalm 22:3 - "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises."

He is saying to God even though I don't see your deliverance, it does not change who you are. You are still the God of Israel and remain on your throne.

He goes on to remember God's faithfulness in the past and how the fathers of the past cried out and He answered them. When we face times of great difficulty, we need to remember God is on His throne and He is love and faithfulness towards us has not changed. He is still the all powerful God who has compassion and delivers those who are in trouble. Reflect on how many times in the past that He has helped us and others. Praise Him for what He has done and trust that He will do it once again.

Like the Apostle Paul

Titus 1:1-3 - "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, ³ and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,"

When I read this verse this morning I was reminded of what God has called me to do. He has called me to build up believers faith, teach them the Word of God and to give hope of eternal life. I am not only to teach but preach the commands of God.

Later on in 1:9, Paul says  elders are to encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

I think these days, there is a tendency not to put such importance on doctrine. Many in the church would say, all that matters is that we are in  Christ Jesus. We have gone down this path because we have seen how doctrine divides the church. In the name of unity, we throw doctrine aside. It doesn't really matter what you believe the Bible says because no one really knows the truth. What is important is that we walk in love and be supportive of one another. This is all good, but it shouldn't make us sacrifice doctrine: sound teaching and the truth. There is one correct interpretation of God's Word, and we should seek to know what this is and walk in it. 

We focus today on practical application, but wrong doctrine will produce wrong application. With out a solid theory, application of that theory will not produce the desired result. We need to be balanced in this. Good theory (doctrine) without application is ineffective. Application without a solid theory is faulty. 

Measure of Christian Maturity

 1 Corinthians 13:11-13

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” NKJV

 

In this portion the Apostle Paul writes about moving from childhood to maturity in our speech, understanding, and thought. This transition is purposeful. We don’t mature naturally over time any more than a child growing big makes him more mature. It takes willful, intentional decisions with the discipline to carry them out. He says we have to “put away childish things.” This is a process from seeing dimly and knowing in part to seeing Christ face to face and knowing Him as He knows us. It is a life-long process that we must pursue with our whole being.

 

The measure of maturity is faith, hope, and love. The Apostle says, “now abide these three.” These are the three pillars of the Christian life that we should constantly be developing which produce eternal results. This is a progressive work that the Holy Spirit wants to do in us. Romans 1:17 says, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Unveiled faces mean that we have to be transparent before God, if this maturity process is going to happen.

 

Maturity in faith comes through the Word because “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Maturity in love is a development of our character. I Corinthians chapter 13 clearly demonstrates that anything that is done that does not spring from love has no value. Love is manifested in obedience. Jesus said in John 14:21,“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” The manifestation of love is in the fruit of the Spirit. Maturity in hope is demonstrated in ministry because hope exalts God and His kingdom. 1 Corinthians 9:10 says, “For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope , and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.”

 

Maturity requires that we grow in all three areas: faith, hope and love. Some people may exude love but have no faith or hope, and so produce little. Others may have great faith and hope resulting in great ministry, but their life is bankrupt of love. We often measure ourselves and others by our strongest area, when, in fact, our level of maturity is as great as our weakest area. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

 

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things….And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

 

Surprise

Luke 1:26-33

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her,"Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!.... Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

 

I know the announcement above was a huge, off-the-chart surprise to Mary, an unwed virgin from an unknown family of an unexpected village called Nazareth. In fact, the saying of the time was, “What good thing could come out of Nazareth?” But we serve a God of surprises, a God of the unexpected, who loves to do the impossible. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 says, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

 

The hall of faith in Hebrews chapter eleven is a chapter full of surprises. God creates a world out of nothing, has a carpenter build a huge boat on dry land for a flood that would cover the earth, and chose a barren woman to be the mother of a people that would be as numerous as the stars of the heaven and sand on the seashore and through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

 

If your life is kind of boring and mundane with no surprises, then you are not walking with the creative God of the unexpected. There are a few basic key elements to walking with the God of surprises. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

 

These surprises are for those who love Him. This love is a commitment to God above all others and above all things. It means putting God first and trusting Him all the time, no matter what happens in our lives. Secondly, we have to be in tune to the Spirit because God reveals these surprises to us by His Spirit, and they are fulfilled as we walk in the Spirit and not according to the flesh. These surprises are birthed into our life by the Spirit and always fulfilled by the power of the Spirit. They are impossible for man to understand or to fulfill.

 

Are you ready for a surprise?

7 Ways to Stop the Adultery Epidemic

It happened again. For the third time in six months, the pastor of a large church in my hometown of Orlando, Fla., has resigned from his pulpit because of adultery. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m sorry for the pastors, and sorrier for the congregations that are having to deal with the fallout caused by bad choices.
I’m also cringing because an increasingly hostile public sees these train wrecks as evidence that Christians are hypocrites who preach one thing and live another. We stand for biblical marriage between one man and one woman, but in many cases those marriages are failing. No wonder the gay community hates our flimsy platitudes.
Why are we witnessing this epidemic of moral failure? Many factors could be cited (easy access to pornography, sex-saturated entertainment, the devil and his demons, etc.)—but I don’t think we need a list of excuses today. I’m tired of excuses. The devil does not make us do this. It is totally possible for Christian men and women to live in holiness today. The power of His grace is not affected by social trends or hell’s attacks.
Maybe we’ve made this too complicated. Let’s go back to some basic ways we can stay pure:
1. Practice regular “fire drills.” Paul told Timothy to “flee” from youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:22). But you can’t flee a burning building if you don’t know where the exits are. If you don’t map out your plan of escape, you won’t run when you are confronted with a lustful glance, an X-rated website or a brazen proposition. When faced with temptation, don’t play with it, talk to it, stroke it, analyze it or revisit it in an hour. Just bolt for the door!
2. Don’t live in isolation. Many people are vulnerable to moral compromise because they spend so much time alone. God designed us to live in community. If King David had not left his brothers on the battlefield and returned home, he would not have seen Bathsheba skinny-dipping on the roof. You are less likely to succumb to temptation if you are surrounded by family or Christian friends.
3. Stay faithful in spiritual disciplines. Nothing makes the heart colder than a lack of quiet time with God. Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer will make you leave off sinning, or sinning will make you leave off praying.” If you have spent time with Jesus in the morning, you are not going to invite Delilah to cut your hair off that evening. If you are too busy with your work to pray and read the Bible, you are already headed for a spiritual train wreck.
4. Be ruthless with temptation. Today’s wimpish Christian culture encourages us to be soft toward sin. Yet the apostle Paul used athletic imagery when he taught about the strenuous effort of resisting sin. He wrote, “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27, NASB). If you can’t resist looking at a pornographic website, you are a spiritual baby. If you can’t run when Potiphar’s wife turns on her charm, you need to get your jellyfish spine in shape. Grow up and quit making excuses for your weak morals.
5. Confess your sins regularly. Last weekend during a men’s conference in Philadelphia, one brave brother shared openly how he had been molested as a child—and how the trauma of abuse led him into a pattern of fornication. After he shared his weakness, dozens of men felt the freedom to come to the altar and confess their sexual sins. Transparency is the path to sexual purity. You cannot expect to be pure if your inner life is a cesspool of ugly secrets. Tell somebody. Get the monkey off your back.
6. Keep the home fires burning. I’ve met many Christian men who struggle with all kinds of sexual temptation. But after talking with them, I learn that they have no regular intimacy with their wives. The apostle Paul taught that husbands and wives have an equal responsibility to fulfill each other sexually (1 Cor. 7:3). If the fires have gone out in your marriage, find a counselor or enroll in a marriage course in your church. God can rekindle romance and repair your communication breakdown before your chilly marriage freezes beyond repair.
7. Get regular spiritual checkups. Adults are supposed to see a doctor annually to prevent heart ailments, cancer and other problems. Yet many of us never open our lives to input from pastors or mentors. (And many pastors have no one to examine them!) Learn to ask for prayer and counsel. Share your struggles and weaknesses. If you detect a weak spot in your armor, don’t wait until the devil blows you out of the water to ask someone for help.
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma and the director of the Mordecai Project (themordecaiproject.org). You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady. He is the author of Fearless Daughters of the Bible and other books.

Right Sacrifices

Are you making sacrifices for God and His kingdom. This is good if it is right sacrifices.

Psalms 4:5 - "Offer right sacrifices,  and put your trust in the Lord.

When we look in the Old Testament, they offered many sacrifices to the Lord. Yet, not all sacrifices were equal in the eyes of the Lord. Not all sacrifices were right and pleasing to Him. We this with Abel and Cain. 

Genesis 4:5-7 - "but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."

We could look at many examples through out the O.T. of sacrifices that were not pleasing to the Lord. As believers, it good when we are willing to make sacrifices, but are the right sacrifices. Some Christians make great sacrifices seemingly for the kingdom of God, but in reality they are doing it for their kingdoms. Sacrifice alone is not enough, but what is the motive behind the sacrifice. God was not pleased with many of the Israelite's sacrifices because they were given with wrong motives. They were given only to appease Him, but not in repentance. They were only giving God lip service. They often were not given in the manner prescribed by God. Often they would give the sacrifices to see what they could get from God.

Maybe you are making sacrifices for the kingdom of God, but in reality you are doing it please others, seek others praise or to build your own kingdom. God wants sacrifices that come from a repentant and clean heart. I believe sometimes we make unnecessary sacrifices, ones that He has not required.

Let us give right sacrifices.

Results of Expectation

1. Expectation causes us to seek God with persistence.

 

Psalms 123:2 “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.”

 

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

 

Luke 15:8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?”

 

2. Expectation causes us to believe God fervently.

 

Matt 17:20 “For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

 

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

 

3. Expectation causes us to yield to God.

 

John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.’”

 

The problem is that we want to bring God into the limitations of our lives. We expect God to do things in a certain way within the limitations of human thinking, understanding, and ability. We often want to maintain control. Do things our way. The only way to get out of our box into a limitless God is to totally yield to Him. When you get on a plane, you lose all control. If you are afraid to give up control, you will never fly.

 

Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

 

Let God do far above or beyond what you could ask or think by the power that works in you.

We are no longer our own

We live in a culture that requires that we get what we want, how we want it, and when we want it.  I was thinking of some very successful advertising slogans.  Here are a few:

·           Burger King -  “Have it Your Way”

·           McDonalds – “We Do It All For You”

·           Kit Kat  - “Give Me A Break”

·           Staples – “That was Easy”

·           Los Vegas – “What Happens Here, Stays Here”

·           McDonalds – “You Deserve a Break Today”

·           Loreal – “Because I’m Worth It”

Have you seen the theme?  It’s about me, the consumer.  It’s about my wants, my comfort, my appearance, me, me, me! We have become a very “me centered” culture.  Jesus, of course, had a very different message.  It was Jesus who said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” And amazingly enough, the response to this was, “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Matt 4:18-20)

The disciples had a choice to make. They could follow Him, or not follow Him. At the time they were invited, they couldn’t know to what they were following Him. What did it mean to become “fishers of men anyway?” Could they have known the long-term implications of this life-changing decision? There was no promise in the invitation other than that they would become “fishers of men.” Not exactly a complete ministry description! Had they know what changes their lives would go through, perhaps at that moment they may have declined.

Saul of Tarsus had his life in order.  He was a rising star among his peers.  He was a leader whom men would follow. One day, he met Jesus.  On that Damascus road, in a blinding show of glory, Saul came face to face with Jesus.  His response was to ask two very important questions. Those two questions were, “Who are you, Lord?” and “What would you have me do?” (Acts 9:5-6)

Jesus never came to fit in with our plans.  He came to change our lives, and with that, change our life’s direction and goals. I can say with 100% certainty that before I met the Lord, the last thing in the world I would ever want to be is a proclaimer of the Gospel. Yet, it is now a call that I embrace with all my heart.  There was no negotiating with Saul.  Saul had a created purpose, and his choice was simple.  He could embrace it, or reject it.  There is no modifying it.  Let me say here that Saul’s life was not going to be an easy one.  The Lord gave a glimpse into Saul’s future as a follower of Christ with the words He spoke to Ananias regarding Saul.  He told him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:15-16)  Saul’s life was mapped out before he was even born. His choice was simple.  He could say yes to it, or he could say no.

For some, every new opportunity is met with a process of determining whether to say “yes” or “no.”  Questions like, “what’s in it for me?” and “does this fit into my plans?” are asked to determine one’s availability.  When you leave your nets to follow Him, when you ask Him “what would you have me do?” or when you say, as Isaiah did, “Here am I, send me,” you have put your future choices in His hands. A simple yielding to the Lord’s leading is all that is required.

God is not looking for endless negotiations with His people.  He wants us to embrace the reality that we are no longer our own, we have been bought at a price, and we are to glorify God in our bodies! (1 Cor. 6:19-20) We accept that we are members set in the body as it pleases Him! (1 Cor. 12:18) This makes our lives so much less complicated. We said yes to Him, now we do as He instructs.

There was a time when starting our first church in Buffalo, NY, that I was being called upon to go full-time.  The church was an inner city church, and it required that I leave a secure, very well-paying job, and accept a 2/3 annual pay cut, and lose all benefits.  It was a serious decision.  I remember coming to Elim for a week to pray and fast, and seek the heart of God on this.  During that week, I heard absolutely nothing!  I was totally frustrated when I got into my car to drive back to Buffalo. When I made the turn on Rt. 20, I clearly heard the Lord speak to me.  I remember it as though it had just happened.  He said, “If you are looking for me to promise you security or position, I won’t do it. But, if you want to serve me, I promise to let you.”  Not only did I have my answer for the issue at hand, I had a word that would guide me through the rest of my life.  My choice is as simple today as it was back then.  I can say “yes” to Him, or I can say “no.” I can’t negotiate for better terms!

It was in the opening session of Paul Johansson’s class on the Book of Romans that I received what I call “my life’s verse.”  That is, a verse that gives me guidance and perspective in the most confusing of times. “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.” (Rom 1:1) All at once it all became so clear, so simple. It’s not about endless choices, do this or that, say yes or no, follow or not follow.  It’s about one basic decision.

This verse says three things:

1)    Paul, a bond slave - Slave by personal choice

2)    Called to be – A divine decision

3)    Separated unto the Gospel – He has a plan for me

We can choose to serve or not to serve.  That is our right. But if we choose to serve, we cannot choose how to serve.  That is His choice.

“Have it your way,” “That was easy,” and “Because you’re worth it,” are not slogans that support a life sold out to God. The choice is simple, as it has always been. Each of us must make it for ourselves. Saying “yes” never was a promise to ease and comfort.  On the contrary, it’s through many tribulations that we enter the Kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22)

As you face the choices and decisions of your life, face them with the conscious awareness that you gave your life to Him, you are His bond slave, it is His decision how and where you will serve Him.

The Glory of Christ

The book of Revelation is a revelation of Jesus Christ and we have glorious description of Him in chapter 1:12-16. Here the apostle John describes Him. Let us look at these verses and see what insight we can gain into who Christ is.

    1) He sees Christ in human form, even as we will see Him when He comes for us.

    2) His kingship and wealth is shown in the gold sash wrapped around His chest.

    3) His holiness represented by His white hair.

    4) His penetrating eyes that burn everything hidden away.

    5) His feet like fine bronze fired in a furnace speaks of His strength.

    6) His deafening voice. No one can stand against their power.

    7) His sharp edged tongue that brings life and death.

    8) His face radiates His glory, and those who look on it can find strength and consolation or be   

        scorched by its glory.

Now there may be other symbolism in this description. Yet, when all is said and done. We serve an almighty God who is multifaceted. Who can fully know Him? Who can fully comprehend the length, width and depth of Christ?