Category: Discipleship Essentials

The Inexhaustible Kindness of God

 

What we believe about God’s kindness will greatly influence how we experience him.

If we think he is hard to please, judgmental, and angry, we will relate to him based on that lens or filter. (Luke 19:20-23) Conversely, if we understand just how much he loves us and the inexhaustiblity of his kindness, it will transform our lives. (Psalm 18:25-27)

Paul wrote about God’s kindness in the first chapter of his letter to the church located in Ephesus in what is now Turkey.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5  that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NLT)

One of the ways to understand the depths of God’s kindness is to contrast it with his wrath. Kindness toward us is only possible because Jesus absorbed God’s wrath against our sin on the cross.

Paul explained it like this.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7  Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10  For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:6-11 (NLT)

But what about when life is difficult and if we get wobbly in our devotion to God? Paul wrote in another place.

Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. Romans 11:22 (NASB)

Depending on our theological perspective, we may understand this verse as a threat that God’s child can be separated from God’s goodness and kindness by falling from grace. It is certainly a stern warning to us all, but there is another way to view what it means. Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:39) Even when we are running from God, we can never get away from him. David, who spent at least nine months rebelling against God, wrote the following:

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8  If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 9  If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10  even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. 11  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— 12  but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. Psalm 139:7-12 (NLT)

We may encounter God’s stern discipline, if we continue in rebellion, but we will never exhaust his mercy and kindness.

What is called the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints teaches us that God’s grace and Spirit will work in us so that our faith will not fail when we are tested.

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. Jude 1:24 (NLT)

The apostle Peter verbally denied even knowing our Lord when he was put to the test during Jesus’ passion. He even spoke a curse over himself on the third time. But Jesus had foreseen Peter’s failure, warned him that it would happen, and promised him that he would eventually come around and be restored.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32  But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32 (NLT)

After Jesus’ words came true, Peter was devastated by the revelation of his own weakness and faithlessness. He could have despaired and given up on God, but he did not because Jesus had given him a reason to hope. Peter never ceased to continue in faith in God’s kindness toward him, and when the opportunity came, he ran to the Lord to get things right with him again.

Judas Iscariot, on the other hand, had no such hope. After betraying the Lord for money, upon realizing the gravity of his sin, went out and committed suicide. I am convinced that, in spite of being with Jesus for three years, he never really understood who Jesus is or believed in him. Therefore he had no anchor, nothing to fall back on, no revelation of the inexhaustible kindness of God. In his hopelessness, he took his own life.

Another great example of the inexhaustibility of God’s loving kindness is the parable of the prodigal son. This young man cared little for his father or brother. He only wanted to have a good time without regard for God or family. In other words, he turned his back on his father. Nevertheless, he was a son; so, the father never turned his back on him.

Nothing can break the relationship between father and son, even though we may go through times of difficulty and separation.

Ultimately, sons will come back to the loving embrace of the father and be fully restored. Those who are not sons, such as Judas, have no anchor, no confidence in being restored, because they do not know the loving kindness of God.

If we wander away from God, we will find out that we are on a hard path of our own making. (Proverbs 13:15)

If we backslide, we will eat the fruit of our rebellious ways (Proverbs 14:14), but even this is a kindness from God. Our pain wakes us up and reminds us that walking close to God is much better.

The prodigal son finally had enough of the suffering he brought upon himself and returned to his father’s house. Little did he expect the warm welcome he received. His father’s kindness exceeded anything he had imagined.

The elder brother was put off by his father’s extravagant show of love because he had not yet come to grips with his own need for mercy.

God is so great that he can take even the worst things that happen to us and work them for our good and his glory. (Romans 8:28) The prodigal son could have beat himself up for wasting his father’s money and treading upon his love, but that would have been counterproductive.

The only way the prodigal could receive the revelation of what his father was like was through his own failure. On the other side of his sinful wandering, he had a better understanding of his father’s love than the ever faithful elder brother.

This is not to say that we have to sin extravagantly to know God’s mercy. Far from it. But we do have to come to grips with our need for God’s kindness on a day to day basis.

How do we see God? Is he an austere demanding judge who always finds fault with us, or is he a loving and kind father who delights in us and encourages us to trust in his unchanging love and faithfulness? If you wish to know him better as the latter, Jesus will show you.

No one has ever seen God. God's only Son, the one who is closest to the Father's heart, has made him known. John 1:18 (GW)

Nothing makes Jesus happier than to tell us all about his Father’s amazing love and the inexhaustible riches of his kindness.

Prayer

Father in heaven, I want to experience your love and kindness. Jesus,  you are the One who knows Abba perfectly. Please reveal him to me so that I can trust him completely. Teach me always to rely on God’s loving kindness. Amen.

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Believing a Lie Can Kill Us

In the 1970’s many experimented with LSD, a popular psychedelic drug. It caused users to experience strange mental fantasies. Some even believed they were butterflies and jumped out of windows to their deaths. Believing a lie can kill us.

Adam and Eve believed the serpent’s lie that disobedience to God’s clear command would not result in death. Believing and acting upon that lie killed them and introduced death into the human race. Jesus taught that Satan’s mission is to “kill, steal, and destroy.” (John 10:10) Our Lord’s purpose, on the other hand, is to provide us with a rich and satisfying life. The only way we can have the latter is by believing the truth of the gospel message and declaring allegiance to the One called “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

Satan’s lies always lead us down a destructive path. He is never satisfied unless he can destroy what God has created. His main weapon is lying. Jesus called him “the father of lies,” saying that no truth resides in him at all.

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 (NLT)

If we have been paying attention, we have observed that lying has become an art form in the mainstream media, Big Tech, Big Medicine, Big Pharma, and our government. And it’s not the sort of lying that we have always known. In the past, politicians have always been dishonest, saying what they think we want to hear in order to secure our vote, while having no intention of following through. Today, however, the lies we are told in some cases are much more sinister.

We were told that there was no help against Covid except the government’s “safe and effective” experimental vaccine. The safe and affordable interventions discovered by some doctors were maligned and resisted, resulting in the deaths of many whose lives could have been saved by using hydroxychloriquine and ivermectin. When the so called mRNA “vaccine” was rolled out without going through safety trials, our government, doctors, the mainstream media, and Big Tech all collaborated in promoting the big lie that “nothing could go wrong.” Many who believed this lie are now dead as a result of various reactions, myocarditis, immune system malfunctions, blood clots, and runaway cancers. And we do not yet know what long-term side effects the jabs may have. Yes, believing a lie can kill us. (To watch Dr. Peter McCullough, a widely acclaimed and published cardiologist, testify before the Pennsylvania Senate, click here. Dr. Ryan Cole, a renowned pathologist, testifies to the link between “turbo-cancers” and the vaccine here.)

Not only are we being inundated with medical lies, we are now having transgenderism rammed down our throats by the government and a complicit media. No amount of lying to ourselves about what gender we are can change the gender God gave us. Surgery, hormone therapy, and pretending cannot transform anyone at the chromosomal level.

We are who God made us to be.

Suicide among those who have tried to change their genders is through the roof.

Data indicate that 82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide, with suicidality highest among transgender youth. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32345113/)

Believing a lie can ruin our lives and kill us.

It is one thing to destroy our physical lives, which are going to end eventually anyway, and quite another to destroy our eternity.

One of the devil’s favorite lies is to tell people that there is no God and no ultimate accountability to anyone but ourselves for what we do with our lives.

Believing this lie will ruin us in eternity. The Bible says that only a fool believes that there is no God. (Psalm 14:1) Fools can be extremely intelligent and well-educated, by the way.

When any of us abandon God’s truth and cease having a proper respect and awe for our Creator, we become biblical fools.

Jesus told us that God hides himself from the arrogant but reveals himself to the humble.

Then Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I am thankful that you have hidden these things from those who are so wise and so smart. But you have shown them to people who are like little children. Matthew 11:25 (ETRV)

Multitudes of those who smugly trust in their own intelligence have rejected God and doomed themselves to hell.

No amount of believing that there is no God or hell can save us from the truth.

Jesus said:

Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5  But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. Luke 12:4-5 (NLT)

These words from our Lord tear down another favorite lie of the devil. Many have fallen for the idea that God is so loving he would never consign someone to hell. What right do we have to declare that another person is wrong since God approves of everyone and everything they do? Paul warned us that in the last days people will not be open to the truth, but will gravitate toward those who teach them what they want to hear.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT)

The truth will stand on its own two feet. God’s truth is embodied in a Person, who is the Truth, our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

When we believe a lie, it is a form of idolatry. Lies are intended to destroy us, but the truth sets us free.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32 (NASB)

Jesus is the Truth. (John 14:6) When we invite him to be Lord of our lives, the Holy Spirit, who is also called the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), comes to live inside us. The Bible says that he will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). One way he does this is by opening our understanding to the truth found in the Bible, God’s Word (John 17:17). Only those who love God’s truth can be saved.

This man (the antichrist) will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10  He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NLT)

Satan has been allowed to test humanity with deception to reveal those who love God’s truth.

It will probably only get worse as we draw closer to the end. Make the decision to become a lover of truth and a follower of Jesus, who is the Truth. Here is a prayer you may wish to pray right now.

Prayer

Jesus, please forgive me for rejecting you in the past. I now come to you and acknowledge that you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Forgive me for embracing lies and trying to live apart from you. I ask you to come into my life right now. I declare allegiance to you. Holy Spirit, please help me to live for Jesus every single day for the rest of my life here on earth. Thank you for the gift of eternal life and the promise of being with you forever. Father God, thank you for accepting me into your eternal family. I want to know you and your amazing love in an ever increasing way. Use me to help others come to know you, too. Amen.

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The Chicken or the Egg?

 

Those who enjoy conundrums love to pose the question, what came first, the chicken or the egg? For those of us who are creationists, the answer if easy. God created chickens, giving them the ability to reproduce themselves. We face a similar question when it comes to our relationship with God.

Does Father God delight in us because we do the things that please him, or do we do what pleases him because he delights in us? The Bible gives us the answer: the chicken comes before the egg.

John tells us that we are able to love God because he first loved us.

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NLT)

Paul wrote that God loved us when we were still his enemies.

For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. Romans 5:10 (NLT)

In fact, God loved us before he created the world, predating anything we might ever do to win his favor.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)

There is only one way for us to be without fault. God exchanged our sin and guilt for Christ’s perfect righteousness.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

Since God accomplished all this on our behalf before we were ever born, we know that his delight in us has nothing to do with our performance and everything to do with his beloved Son. God first loved us to enable us to love him back. The chicken came before the egg.

Father God declared his delight in his Son before he began his public ministry.

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Matthew 3:16-17 (NLT)

Father God’s love and delight in his Son launched him into a ministry that further delighted his Abba. Jesus delighted to do Father’s will and only did what pleased him. (John 8:28)

When we are born again, the Spirit of Christ indwells us, motivating us from within to please God, but first we must understand that we are already pleasing before we ever do anything.

Our ability to bring pleasure to our heavenly Father is based on the perfect right standing we have with him because of our position in Christ. What is true of Jesus is true for us.

God delights in us because he delights in the One who lives inside us.

The Holy Spirit works inside each born again person transforming us into people who love God and desire to please him.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

We try to please God, not to gain his favor, but because we already have his favor.

This is the profound difference between grace and legalism. Legalists become weary and frustrated by the vain attempt to be good enough to please God. God renews the strength of those who trust in his free gift of righteousness and operate out of the resting place of faith.

When we learn to rejoice in God’s delight in us, we will be motivated to serve him.

Likewise, we parents must make it a first priority to let our children know how much they delight us just because of who they are. We may not like everything they do, but our love for them transcends all that. The better job we do at communicating delight to to our family, friends, and co-workers, the more likely they are to respond positively. All of us desperately need to be loved. Do unto others…

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Escaping the Trap of Other People’s Expectations

 

Paul the apostle once wrote that it is unwise to compare ourselves to others. (2 Corinthians 10:12) In another place he said that he formerly evaluated people based on human judgment, but now he made it his goal to see people according to the Spirit.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NLT)

When we evaluate people improperly we can fall into two traps. On one hand, we may assume, based on outward appearances or first impressions, that they are more than they really are in the Spirit. On the other hand, we may focus on their faults and end up seeing and appreciating less than God has put in them.

It is sad and potentially devastating when we fail to recognize what is good about someone because we only see their shortcomings.

We may unintentionally communicate that we are less than pleased or delighted with them because they are not something, instead of letting them know that we appreciate who they are. This is especially prevalent when we relate to those who are very much unlike us. Sometimes we do not even know how to help and encourage them.

None of us can be who we are not, and we may never flower into who we are without the proper encouragement and love.

If we fail to delight in someone, we communicate judgment instead. It’s one thing to correct someone who is obviously sinning, but it is quite another to communicate a general or even subtle dissatisfaction with someone because they don’t measure up to some standard we set for them.

It is pointless and self-defeating to try to live up to other people’s expectations. Ultimately, we have only one person to please, the Lord, and he delights in us based on what Jesus did for us.

Paul wrote:

As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4  My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5  So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 (NLT)

A good friend of mine once told me that what other people think about us is none of our business. Yet we may fall into the trap of allowing others to determine how we see ourselves.

The only safe way for us to view ourselves is through the lens of who we are in Christ.

If God is pleased with us, nothing else really matters. Jesus was able to endure the hostility of the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities because he was firmly convinced that his Father loved and delighted in him. He knew this because the Father told him so.

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Matthew 17:5 (ESV)

What was and is true about Jesus is now true about us. The Father delights in us as much as in Jesus because we are now one with our Lord. We have been given Christ’s right standing with the Father. When we come before Father God, we come clothed in his righteousness. We are fully accepted in the Beloved Son.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:3-4 (NLT)

We cannot afford to allow others to define who we are. We must decide that God alone defines our acceptability. None of us are perfect. Most of us have glaring weaknesses, but God is still fully pleased with us in Christ. The Holy Spirit is transforming us on a daily basis, but he does so in light of our being already fully acceptable to him because of Christ.

God wants us to do the same for others. Most of us can see where we and others fall short, and the Accuser of the Brethren, the devil, will help us out in this area, if we need it. Only the Holy Spirit can help us see people through the eyes of faith.

It is important for us to communicate in words, attitude, and demeanor that we love, appreciate, and delight in who others are in Christ, instead of judging them for what they are not.

We do this even when we must administer correction and discipline. The choice is ours. Will we receive God’s delight in us or the disappointment that may come from others? Will we choose to communicate love, acceptance, and delight in our brothers and sisters in the Lord and our natural children, or will we let them know that we are somewhat disappointed in them? Do unto others…

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Receiving and Giving Away Three Spiritual Treasures

 

 

 

 

 

When Jesus was transfigured before three of his disciples, they heard God the Father speak from heaven about his Son, Jesus.

While he [Peter] was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" Matthew 17:5 (NASB)

What Abba Father spoke over Jesus communicated three spiritual truths or treasures that God wants every person to receive.

Jesus heard that he was loved, delighted in, and important. Another way to put this is that Abba told Jesus and his followers who he was (a beloved son), that he was accepted (well-pleasing), and that he had significance (listen to him). This provided Jesus with a sense of identity (part of the family), security (delighted in), and significance (has something important to say). Parents, especially fathers, are meant to communicate these three things to their children, too. If they do, they will equip their offspring to succeed in life. If they fail in this regard, it can create a void or wound that will need filling by someone or something else.

Identity

Knowing who we are is a foundation for successful living. We draw our identity from our parents, especially our fathers. We carry our parents’ DNA and are shaped by their example, words, and values. It is important for children to know that their parents “claim” them or acknowledge that they belong to them. Too many children have absentee parents today, leaving a void in their sense of identity. Abandoned children will likely infer that they are unworthy of being loved, establishing a negative identity and creating a deep wound in the heart. When fathers are poor examples of Abba, it leaves the child identifying with the bad example or trying to be not like their father. To be not something is a poor substitute for a positive identity.

When parents tell their children that they are beloved sons and daughters, it communicates a spiritual treasure and sets them on a solid foundation for future success. 

Security

It is one thing to be loved and quite another, sometimes, to be delighted in. Have you ever heard a parent say about his or her child, “I love him (or her), but I do not like him.”? Often parents love their children in the sense that they provide for, protect, and claim them as their own, but they fail to act as if or communicate that they delight in them. Children pick up on this, and it can create a deep sense of insecurity. All of us need for someone to delight in us, and, if parents fail to delight in their children, it sets the stage for them to seek for that elsewhere, making them vulnerable to those who wish to manipulate or abuse them.

However, when parents show their delight in their children, they communicate a second great treasure to them, which will make them secure as they launch out into life and in their dealing with others.

Significance

All of us want to feel significant – that we count for something or are important in some way. Abba Father told the whole world to listen to this Son, affirming his paramount importance. Every child needs to know that his parents regard him or her to be significant in some way. We all are; although, how we are important varies and sometimes may be obscured by our obvious defects.

The gift of encouragement is able to see by faith what is hidden beneath the surface and can assist in bringing it forth.

If parents communicate indifference or even negativity toward their children, it creates a wound and sets up a lie that promotes failure in many cases. Those with a more combative temperament may use such negativity as an incentive to succeed, but not from a secure position.

When parents affirm their children and help them to identify their areas of significance, it will help them to succeed.

The Source of All Blessings

The Bible teaches us that God the Father is the ultimate source of every blessing.

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 (NLT)

Those blessings that come through people originate in him. Earthly fathers are meant to imitate Abba by allowing His blessings to flow through them.

When earthly fathers speak blessings over their children, it opens a conduit from heaven in their lives.

When earthly fathers are passive or indifferent, it can prevent the desired blessing from being passed on to their children. If earthly fathers or mothers speak curses over their children, such as “You will never amount to anything.”,  it will create a wound and set up a lie that will likely be believed and acted out.

Ideally, natural fathers will bless their children and give to them to three spiritual treasures outlined above. Eventually, earthly fathers will be able to lead their children to put their faith and allegiance in Christ who will reveal the heavenly Abba to them.

The more faithfully natural fathers imitate Abba, the easier it will be for their children to receive Abba’s love.

The more natural fathers fail to imitate Abba, the more deformed will be their children’s concept of God.

The Remedy

Whether or not we were privileged to have fathers who blessed us, the ultimate blessing always comes from Abba. He gives us all that we need in Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3 (NASB)

Even if we had terrible earthly fathers, Abba can more than make up for their failures. Jesus came to forgive us for our sins and restore us to a right relationship with Abba. Our Lord promises to reveal Abba’s heart to us. All we have to do is ask him.

No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known]. John 1:18 (AMP)

If there is a hole or wound in our soul, it is important for us to make it a priority to allow Abba Father to speak into our hearts as he did over Jesus. His words bring life, healing, and faith.

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63 (NLT)

His words to us can undo the damage created by the neglect or evil done by our natural fathers.

Abba’s words can put within us a proper sense of identity, security, and significance that will propel us into our destiny.

Jesus was able to endure the hostility and attacks of his detractors because he had complete security in God. So can we with God’s help.

Prayer

Jesus, I did not receive from my earthly father all that I needed. I thank you that you died for my sins and reconciled me to my heavenly Father. I ask you to reveal our Father’s heart to me in a way that I can understand and receive. Help me to receive from him all I need to be all he wants me to be. Amen.

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:27 (NLT)
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The Spiritual Roots of Abortion, Homosexuality, and Transgenderism

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual authority derives from God alone, who created all things and consequently has every right to do with his creation as he sees fit. In his wisdom, our Creator delegated some of his authority to Adam, when he commissioned him to govern the earth.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28  Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it...” Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT)

Adam was responsible to use this God-given authority for good, just as his Creator does. Satan, who has no inherent authority, since he is also a created being, desired to have the authority delegated to Adam in order to use it destructively. Satan is a hater and loathed the humans God had created. Perhaps he had an inkling that they were destined to share God’s throne one day, something Satan tried to snatch for himself.

God gave Adam the choice to love and work in harmony with him or not. He put both the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden. He was free to eat the former but forbidden to eat the latter. The tree of life would impart eternal life; but the other one, death. Sadly, Adam and Eve chose to go their own way, swallowing the serpent’s lie that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would make them like God, allowing them to be independent from him.

The essence of sin is found in this lust to be independent from God.

By submitting to Satan instead of God, they relinquished the delegated authority God had vested in them and turned it over to Satan, thereby becoming his slaves.

Satan uses usurped authority in a completely different way from God. Whereas the Creator imparts life and blessings, the devil only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

Once Satan acquired authority over mankind, he set about to destroy us. Since he cannot possibly harm God, he attacks men, women, and especially children, the most defenseless and guileless. He is working to deform and pervert us through sin and deception in order to eliminate as many people as possible from earth and heaven. Essentially, he is working to nullify God’s very first commandment, which is to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

Those who actively serve Satan today are doing everything possible to keep people from bearing children and raising them to glorify God. Instead he is trying to kill, pervert, and recruit children into his service.

Never before have we seen such things.

Satan can employ his stolen authority and power over us when we surrender to his lies and temptations.

He must continually convince us to chose him and his ways over God and the good news of the gospel – lies over truth and death over life. A case in point is the abortion issue.

Child sacrifice was long ago enshrined in the worship of Chemosh and Molech in the Old Testament. We know from Scripture that such gods or idols represent demonic beings hiding behind the facade. (1 Corinthians 10:19-21) These evil beings have not gone away. All demons serve Satan, including those connected to Chemosh and Molech. They demand the blood of infants. People then willingly sacrificed their children in order to gain some sort of occult spiritual advantage. There is one particularly intriguing passage at which we should look.

When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he led 700 of his swordsmen in a desperate attempt to break through the enemy lines near the king of Edom, but they failed. 27  Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would have been the next king, and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall. So there was great anger against Israel, and the Israelites withdrew and returned to their own land. 2 Kings 3:26-27 (NLT)

In this instance, evil power was released against Israel when the king of Moab sacrificed his eldest son to the devil. This man willingly killed the heir to his throne to enlist Satan’s power to defeat God’s people, which apparently was granted. This was an extreme case which we may consider barbaric, but was it any less gruesome and horrific than modern day mothers choosing to execute over 60 million of their own unborn babies in the United States alone since 1973? The king of Moab wanted victory over his enemies. What do modern Americans want? Most of the time mothers kill their unborn babies to avoid embarrassment, inconvenience, career interruptions, or economic hardship. Most of these women probably have been deceived, as was Eve, into thinking that these babies are not really human beings at all, just blobs of tissue. They do not understand that God says he knows us before the creation of the world and personally forms us in the womb. (Jeremiah 1:5) Those unborn infants may be just tissue to these mothers, but to God they are beloved children. Some have declared that they rejoice in their abortions, but many others rue having aborted their child or children. Thankfully, God offers forgiveness, if we turn to him with a repentant heart.

Not only does Satan kill and destroy, he also steals. One way he accomplishes this is through homosexuality and transgenderism. If we accept the premise that God created us to bring glory to himself and joy and fulfillment to us, how could we ever believe that he would create humans who somehow were mis-sexed or mis-gendered? It is not surprising that atheists might come to such a conclusion, since they believe humans are an imperfect accident of evolution. If we came to be purely by random chance, how can we have any confidence at all that we are what we are supposed to be? In fact, how can we have any confidence in anything? But if God created us, as the Bible records, and what he created was “good,” then we have been made perfectly in line with his benevolent will and purpose.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16  You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! Psalm 139:13-18 (NLT)

It is obvious to any thoughtful person that our reproductive organs were given to us to bring new humans into the world. In the process they also bring pleasure, joy, and fulfillment to us, a wonderful blessing from a gracious Creator. Their chief purpose is the multiplication of humanity, as commanded in Genesis.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28  Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT)

It is obvious that abortion is a blatant attempt to circumvent this commandment. Homosexuality, on the other hand, is a more roundabout way to defeat God’s purposes. Sin has caused a great amount of trauma, damage, and perversion of God’s creation and purpose. As a result of Adam’s first sin, because of the nature of inheritance, we are born into this world with a predisposition to sin called the “flesh” or sin nature in the Bible. Some of us are bent toward anger, fear, alcoholism, etc.

All of us are skewed sexually by sin, some more than others. It’s all part of Satan’s evil scheme to pervert what God made beautiful.

To take the “easy” way out by claiming that God deliberately created some of us with a desire for others of the same sex makes him appear to be unjust and slanders his integrity. Sin has done this, and the lie is being propagated that this is normal and a good thing. People are enormously susceptible to lies, especially when they allow us to do what we wish. These lies are designed to convince us to give ourselves over to sin instead of resisting it with God’s help. The warning issued to Cain still stands.

You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” Genesis 4:7 (NLT)

We all must engage in resisting whatever sin easily besets us. We all have some areas which are more troubling to us than others. In the case of homosexuality, using basic logic, God would not create people in a way that sets them up to violate his first commandment to be fruitful and multiply. This is a ploy of the devil, which seems to be gaining momentum, which must be renounced and overcome with God’s help, just like any other sinful propensity. I am not making light of this. Sin is a human condition. Overcoming it cost Jesus his life, and it will cost us as well, but with God’s help we can be victorious.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13  Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14  Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Romans 6:12-14 (NLT)

The claim that God puts the souls of men into women’s bodies and vice versa also takes a swipe at God’s benevolence and wisdom. God would not do that, but the devil seeks to convince us that this is the case. Pagan religions have long promoted transgenderism. We know that the demons behind these false gods report to the devil. Ashtoreth, an ancient female deity whose worship and cult goes back thousands of years, claimed to have the power to transform men into women. Her followers engaged in all sorts of sexual perversion. The devil seeks to take God’s benign and beautiful purpose for sex in marriage and mutilate it into something ugly and defiling, just as he promotes the mutilation of sexual organs in the quest for abandoning how God made us to become something else.

When we rebelliously or naively abandon God and the purpose for which he created us, we open the floodgates of evil and confusion.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25  They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26  That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27  And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Romans 1:24-27 (NLT)

That being said, there is hope. God cannot be defeated, and his plan for the people he created will yet come to pass. That is why he sent his Son, Jesus the Messiah, to wrest delegated authority back from Satan into the hands of man once again. The Book of Revelation gloriously announces this turn of events.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” 16  The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17  And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. Revelation 11:15-17 (NLT)

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus shares this authority with his born-again people in the church. Consequently Satan no longer has authority in our lives, and his influence in the rest of the earth will soon be terminated.

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18  “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19  Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 (NLT)

Let us remember that our ultimate battle is a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12) between the kingdom of God and the realm of darkness and evil ruled by Satan.

We understand that even though Christ dealt a death blow to Satan and his kingdom when he rose from the dead, God in his wisdom has permitted us, his people, to be part of the “clean up operation” here on planet earth. It is our Lord’s intention that we his people will have the privilege of crushing Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20), just as he used Moses to crush Pharaoh.

All will be over when Jesus appears in the clouds with great glory, just as he promised. Until then, we are living through an intense contest between two opposing kingdoms for the hearts and minds of people. Each kingdom is enlisting the consent of people to be governed by their respective kings. 

God’s kingdom is enlarged as more and more people declare allegiance to the true King, Jesus the Messiah.

The gospel is a proclamation that God will forgive the rebelliousness of those who repent for serving self and Satan. He will transfer them into his glorious kingdom, if they will accept his offer to be reconciled to God through Christ.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12  always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13  For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.Colossians 1:11-14 (NLT)

The acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord, therefore, is the goal of the gospel and the undoing of our alliance with Satan.

As more and more people consent to be governed by the Lord Jesus, Satan’s power and authority on earth is further weakened. Therefore, the proclamation of the gospel is our greatest spiritual weapon. The door is still open for people to change sides and come back to God. Which side are you on? Time is running short. When Jesus appears in the clouds as he promised, the time for deciding will be over. Choose life and God now, before it is too late.

Prayer

O God, forgive me for allying myself with Satan. I did not understand what I was doing, but now I see. I choose to surrender my life to the Lord Jesus. I receive forgiveness for my sins, eternal life, and reconciliation to you, Father God. Thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit to live in and through me. Use me to help others escape from the kingdom of darkness. Amen.

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Can We Know if We Are Going to Heaven?

Over the years I have asked many people this important question. If you were to die today, would you go to heaven? The usual answers are: “I hope so,” “No,” and “Yes.” The follow up question helps me to know how to proceed in the conversation. “Why do you think that?” Some respond by saying that they feel that they are basically good people. Others say that they go to church or try not to hurt anyone. Those who have heard the gospel and understand it reply that they have put their faith in Jesus to save them. Some who say that they have believed in Jesus are not sure whether they will go to heaven. Does God want us to be sure, or does he hold us in suspense in order to motivate us to keep on the “straight and narrow?” This begs a larger question, can we be truly saved and then lose that salvation, or are we permanently saved once we are born again? If the former is true, then we cannot know for sure if we are going to heaven until our last breath is exhaled, even if we are believers. If the latter is correct, then perhaps our eternal destiny can be known while we still live and breathe here on earth. 

In his first letter, John wrote that we can know for sure.

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

This verse hinges on the meaning of two words: believe and eternal.

Faith consists of at least four components: revelation, trust, allegiance, and obedience.

It is not mere mental assent to a set of doctrinal facts, as some suppose.

Faith is the result of an interaction in our hearts between the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

The words of God carry within them an explosive capability to release revelation and faith. The Spirit of God takes the Word of God and “sparks” a divine internal “explosion,” which results in our being able to “hear” or truly understand, receive, believe, and respond to what God says or what is written in the Bible. Some people call this interaction the “rhema” word of God, as differentiated from the written or logos word of God. The key thing I want us to grasp is that people can read or hear what is written in the Bible without any attendant revelation or faith. Unless the Spirit of God is at work in a heart that is open and receptive, God’s words fall on deaf ears.

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ Matthew 13:15 (NLT)

When an open heart truly hears and believes God’s Word, a trust in God forms. This is because we begin to see or understand who God really is and what he has done for us and will do. Love for and loyalty to God follows, along with a developing obedience.

Real faith always produces obedience, even if it takes a while to develop. Faith without loyalty and obedience to God is not genuine faith. Probably it is mere mental assent or an emotional response without any substance. Jesus spoke of this in his parable of the sower and the seed.

The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. Luke 8:13 (NLT)

Since faith grows out of a revelation of who God truly is, faith results in our knowing God.

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NASB)

This is a spiritual knowing. It is one thing to know about God and quite another to truly know him. It is akin to how a married couple comes to know one another after making their vows. Sex in marriage results in a deep “knowing” that establishes a strong emotional and spiritual bond and, when everything is working properly, children or “fruit.” Our knowing God is in the spirit as a result of our spirits and God’s becoming one (1Cor. 6:17), which allows us to commune with him and know him.

Knowing God produces spiritual fruit in our lives called the fruit of the spirit. Our fruit will also be new people coming into the kingdom of God as a result of our testimony.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 (ESV)

When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives when we believe, he bears witness with our spirits that we are God’s children. 

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:15-16 (ESV)

Now that we have explored the meaning of “believe,” let’s think about the word “eternal”. Its meaning is clear based on other teachings of Jesus. On many occasions, he taught his followers that those who believe in him will never die.

Simply put, having eternal life means we will never die, or as our Lord said in John Chapter Five, we have passed from death to life.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)

This important verse also tells us that those of us who truly believe in him will never be condemned to death for our sins. Jesus already took our condemnation upon himself at the cross. A debt never has to be paid twice. As a result, we have already passed from the realm of death into eternal life.

Those who truly believe in Jesus already have eternal life and will never die.

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26  Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25-26 (NLT)

Even though our pre-resurrection bodies will eventually cease to function, since they are still part of the old order of things because of Adam’s sin, the spirit within us, the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) which has already been born into God’s kingdom, will never die. It cannot because it is united with God’s Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) It has passed from death to life and from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s Son. (Colossians 1:13) We are now seated with Christ at God’s right hand. (Colossians 3:1-4) He is in us, and we are in him. (John 14:20) As children of God, we are part of the family of God forever. (John 8:35)

The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of ownership that he puts on all who belong to him.

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14  The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT)

God knows those who belong to him.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29  for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30  The Father and I are one.” John 10:27-30 (NLT)

So do the angels and the demons.

Not only does the Spirit mark or seal us as God’s own possession, he is a type of down payment or earnest money guaranteeing that God will finish what he began in our lives.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

When we are born again, we receive the first installment of our “great salvation.” This part of our salvation might be called justification and is based on Christ’s past finished work on the cross. After being born again, we begin a daily process of being transformed so that our thoughts, words, and actions come into greater conformity with what is already true in our spirits. Some call this sanctification. It is a process requiring fresh grace or help from God moment to moment. The last installment will happen at the resurrection when our Adamic bodies will be transformed into new spiritual bodies that will never die.

The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46  What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47  Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48  Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49  Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 (NLT)

Ephesians 1:14 tells us that the Holy Spirit is given as a pledge to those who were purchased by God and who now belong to him.

God purchased us by using the precious blood of his Son. We no longer belong to ourselves.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

To conclude, our wonderful salvation consists of three parts that work together to convince us that we indeed have been forgiven, saved, given eternal life, and belong to God.

For there are three that testify: 8  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree... 10  Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself... 1 John 5:7,10 (ESV)

The blood is the price paid for our salvation. God the Father chose us from before the foundation of the world to be his children. (Ephesians 1:4-5) He sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins, shedding his precious blood in the process, which was the price paid to satisfy the wrath of God against our sins, provide forgiveness, allow Christ’s righteousness to be given to us in a great exchange, reconcile us to himself, give us eternal life, and make us his children.

The water refers to our declaration of faith and allegiance to Jesus our Lord which takes place at water baptism. God declared his love for us by sending his Son. (John 3:16) We declare our love for him by confessing him before men. This confession agrees with what God did for us through the blood of his Son.

The Spirit is God’s seal of ownership in our lives which inwardly testifies that we belong to him. He is the source of life and all blessings we have in Christ. He lives Christ’s life through us, something we could never accomplish on our own.

When we put our faith in Christ and his finished work, confess him before men, and receive the Spirit, these three things work together to convince us that we belong to God, have eternal life, and that God will indeed raise us from the dead as he promised.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4  and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5  And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (NLT)
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How Jesus Sets Us Free from Shame

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. Psalms 34:5 (NLT)

Shame can be either a painful negative emotion for having done something specific that was wrong of foolish, or it can be a general pervasive negative emotional state resulting from a chronic sense of self-reproach or sense of failure. The latter may originate in childhood and is more difficult to alleviate. Some of our shame is well-deserved. If we sin against God and others, shame can be the consequence. It certainly was for Adam and Eve.

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7  At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:6-7 (NLT)

Sin reveals the unseemly side of us that most of us wish to conceal, as did Adam and Eve.

When the shame of our sin is exposed, we usually try to hide.

This can make relating to others a big challenge, since they/we often go to great lengths to prevent being known in certain areas in which we might feel ashamed. We anticipate that, if we are truly known, we may be rejected, which is sometimes the case, it turns out. As a result, sometimes we grow to like or love someone based on the façade presented to us, rather than the real person. This is unnerving to the person who is hiding because of the fear of one day being exposed. This kind of hiding can involve big issues or small. Eventually who we really are will surface, however, and that is when relationships get tested. This process can end in disillusionment, when we get rid of our illusions about the person and face the truth. This is often a necessary step in building a great relationship or marriage.

Deep friendships and great marriages can happen when people take down the façade and continue to love one another despite knowing the other person’s weaknesses and sin.

Conversely, friendships and marriages can rip apart if the deception and resulting disillusionment are too great. This can also happen in a church.

Most of the time we do not truly know a person until after we have a disagreement with them or go through a crisis together. How we weather those storms can more perfectly reveal the nature and depth of our relationship. One of my mentors once told me that he never truly trusted a person until after he had a fight with him. Whenever a new person or family joins our church, I am usually excited to get to know them. My hope is that they will prove to be good friends and valuable assets to the kingdom. In the back of my mind, however, is the realization that one day they may turn out to be just the opposite.

Disappointment and disillusionment are risks we take when we dare to love people.

There are countless numbers of believers who are drifting with no church home because at some point they were hurt and disillusioned by members of some local church. This is a very sad commentary. Part of the problem is that they were not prepared to encounter these things. If we are going to survive and thrive in a very sinful world, we must come to terms with the fact that people are not always who they pretend to be.

One person who is incapable of being disillusioned is God.

God knows us completely and anticipates every thought, world, and action we will ever take. Nothing we ever do surprises him.

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2  You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. 5  You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! Psalm 139:1-6 (NLT)

God’s omniscience makes it even more remarkable and encouraging that he chooses people to belong to him even before they are born.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:3-5 (NLT)

Adoption is never by accident. It is an intentional act of love. Every child, whether biological or adopted, is a treasure. Parents may have some idea of who their biological children are, but the full revelation comes over time. Adoptive parents have less idea of who their children may be, since they usually have no idea what family traits may have been passed down. But God knows everything about all of us. He will never step back in disgust or disappointment after we make a huge misstep or sin, thinking that he made a mistake in choosing you or me.

God knew ahead of time all we would ever think, say, or do, and still chose to love us. This is a big antidote to shame.

Abandonment and rejection are at the root of much shame. These two things signify that the other person is of little value. Sometimes the reason for the abandonment or rejection is understood; sometimes, not. In the latter case, the affected person is left to imagine the reason. Little children are quick to assume blame, thinking that there must be something wrong with them. This can lead to the development of a pervasive since of shame mentioned in my opening definition.

Sometimes shame can be associated with sinful things we have done or were done to us. People who commit sexual abuse, for example, should feel shame for their actions; that is, until they experience the forgiveness and cleansing provided by our Lord Jesus. Children who are preyed upon also experience a sense of shame in many cases, even though the abuse was not their fault. Unfortunately, many predators tell their young victims that it was their fault, establishing a “lie-based stronghold” in that young one’s mind. This sort of lie must be replaced with the truth in order for shame to be eradicated.

Whether our shame was earned through our own sinfulness or improperly thrust upon us by some predator, Jesus has done everything necessary to set us free.

When Jesus hung naked upon the cross, enduring scorn, rejection, abandonment, injustice, and disgrace, he took that shame on our behalf, along with the shame attached to our sin. Just as He carried our sin and guilt to the cross, He also bore our shame there.

...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)

Because He carried our shame, we do not have to bear it. Here are some promises.

"Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. The shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood will be remembered no more, 5 for your Creator will be your husband. The LORD Almighty is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth. 6 For the LORD has called you back from your grief—as though you were a young wife abandoned by her husband," says your God. 7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great compassion I will take you back. 8 In a moment of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer. Isaiah 54:4-8 (NLT)

But the LORD will save the people of Israel with eternal salvation. They will never again be humiliated and disgraced throughout everlasting ages. Isaiah 45:17 (NLT) 

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 1 Peter 2:6 (NKJV)

But that is now. Did Jesus ever liberate anyone from shame during his three-year itinerant ministry? The answer is “Yes!” He set free the demoniac, who endured the shame and disgrace attached to his condition. He was forced to live alone in the tombs away from society. Jesus healed lepers who had to isolate themselves and cry out “unclean” whenever they moved about. Jesus allowed the adulteress in John Chapter 8 to walk away forgiven and with dignity after rescuing her from those who would have stoned her to death for her publicly exposed sin. He forgave and restored Peter, who shamed himself and his Lord by denying him publicly three times. Jesus was big on delivering people from shame then and continues to be to this day.

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

Therefore, we who follow Christ must believe that our shame has been carried away by Our Lord Jesus Christ and we no longer must bear it. Jesus came to liberate his followers from shame. To believe and live out anything less is unbelief. We must throw off any oppressive weight of shame by faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Now we have the privilege of honoring the One who was shamed for our sake.

We should make it our aim to honor and glorify God by putting our full trust in him and his promises and by boldly declaring the Gospel and name of Christ without fear of any shame the world may attempt to thrust upon us for doing that. If we are proud of our Lord, he will return the favor at the Last Judgment.

Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33  But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33 (NLT)

Let’s trust the Lord to help us to be bold witnesses for Christ. Whenever we may fall short, let’s quickly repent and receive forgiveness and cleansing from our sin and shame and have another go at it.

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Can I Know If I Am Doing Enough for God?

Recently someone I know suggested that if one gets too involved in politics, it brings into question his or her devotion to Christ. My first thought was, “who authorized you to be the judge of another person’s heart”? All of us are prone to judge others. It’s part of the human condition. Here is what Paul wrote about it.

Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval. Romans 14:4 (NLT)

Paul said in another place that he did not even judge himself. He left that up to the Lord, the only one who sees perfectly into our hearts and motivations. (1 Corinthians 4:3)

At times we get the idea that other people must measure up to the standard we set for them. One definition of a legalist is someone who demands everyone else come up to the level of righteous behavior he thinks he has attained. We like to do that to other people, but hate it when it is done to us. But God makes it clear that only he can adequately see into the heart and properly judge us. (1 Samuel 16:7) We tend to judge ourselves by our good intentions and others by their actions.

Even a leader as great as Moses failed in this area. Let’s not forget how reluctant he was to take on the leadership of Israel to guide them out of Egypt. He came up with all kinds of excuses, but finally he agreed. He should have been merciful to his people’s reluctance to follow God, but he became judgmental of them toward the end of their desert wanderings, which cost him the privilege of being able to lead them into the promised land. (Numbers 20:10-13)

When leaders judge the the people under their care, they stop properly representing God and may reap the judgment they sow.

This begs the question, is it even possible to measure our own or others’ devotion to Christ? What standard should we use? A great diagnostic question I sometimes ask is, “Are you doing enough for the Lord?” The answer will tell a lot about how someone understands what Christ has done for them. A friend of mine recently told me that he believed he had done enough that day. Naturally I asked him how did he know? He gave the perfect answer: he felt he had done what the Holy Spirit showed him to do that day.

The Bible says that Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Law on our behalf. (Romans 10:4) He measured up perfectly to God’s holy standard so that we do not have to do so. Therefore, we begin each day with an A+ on our spiritual report card. Now all that remains is for us to follow the leading of the Spirit, not to measure up, but simply for the joy of it.

Have you ever noticed that people who really enjoy their work usually go above and beyond what is required or expected? I have a friend who loves woodworking. He builds furniture for people and charges far less than what one would expect considering his labor. He does it because he loves his work. He refuses to cut corners even though he isn’t getting a proper return on his investment of time and effort. He produces a very good product because he loves and is good at what he does.

I spend quite of bit of time writing. For some people, writing is difficult and unpleasant; so, they don’t do much. For me writing comes fairly easily and is very satisfying. For that reason, I am happy to spend whatever time it takes to write and rewrite an article like this one because it brings me satisfaction and joy. No one is making me do this. I certainly am not getting rich. Because I love to write, I spend time to do it as well as I can and hope it benefits others and somehow glorifies the Lord.

Paul wrote that his labor in the gospel was done because of love.

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)

Certainly not everything Paul did was fun, but he loved what he did because he loved his Lord and deeply appreciated all that Jesus did for him. Paul said that he worked harder than his contemporaries, but gave all the credit to God.

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT)

Jesus also did his work for the joy of it. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote:

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)

Someone once said that, if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. Paul and Jesus worked very hard doing what they loved. Love compelled or motivated them to expend themselves for the Father’s and our sake.

I have never met a missionary who did not love missions. God seldom calls us to go against how he made us. Some women are tremendous mothers because they absolutely love being a mom. It is certainly not easy work, but love motivates them to be excellent. They take joy in their calling. Some fathers do a great job being a dad because they love their kids and greatly value having that role.

Those who resent what they do rarely go the “extra mile,” and they will certainly not inspire others. However, when someone loves what he does and goes above and beyond what is expected or required, his enthusiasm becomes contagious.

The elder brother of the prodigal son faithfully served his father, but not for the joy of it. His resentment bubbled up when his father blessed his younger repentant brother. Many of us Christians, sadly, are like the elder brother. We resent those in the church who do not seem to work as hard as we think we do because we are serving for the wrong reason. When love motivates us, we will joyfully serve whether or not anyone else does or not. We realize that we too are by nature reluctant to obey God at times; so, we extend mercy to others who have yet to “see the light.” People generally respond to our tone as much as they do to our words. If we are joyful in our service, we will more be more likely to inspire others.

No one likes to be “guilted” into obedience. God loves a cheerful giver, not someone who obeys merely because they are under duress. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

As a great man of God once said, “Expect the best from God and the worst from people, and you will never be disappointed.”

Can we know if we are doing enough for the Lord? By now I hope you see that this is the wrong question. First of all, Jesus has done it all for us already. Secondly, how can we even measure our devotion and performance, since only God can see into the heart? We are not even adequate to judge ourselves. Thirdly, what right do we have to make that judgment? Only the Accuser of the Brethren (Revelation 12:10) enjoys pointing out our deficiencies. God reserves to himself that responsibility, and the Bible says he is our advocate, not someone who condemns us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Perhaps a better question might be what is it that we truly love to do, and how can we translate that into blessing others and glorifying the Lord?

Do we love talking to people? How then can the Holy Spirit help us to nudge conversations toward the Lord? Do we love to be hospitable? How can that be used to make people feel welcome and loved? Do we love to fix things? How can we serve our neighbor in that way? Do we love to cook? How can we bless people with that gift and skill? Do we love to play golf? How can we use that sport to talk to people about Christ? Do we love to work with wood? How can we use that skill  to make connections with people and bless them? Do we love to kayak, camp, hunt, fish, sew, clean, do yard work… The list can go on and on.

You get the point. If we can serve others doing what we love to do, we will never resent or avoid it.

I have known someone who regularly shared the gospel in a public setting, who told me that seeing results was not his concern, only being obedient. I am fairly certain that he saw little fruit because people quickly pick up on whether or not we love them. His demeanor did not exude love. If we don’t care if someone comes to the Lord, why on earth should we bother? How can we properly represent Christ who laid down his life for his enemies? If we share the gospel out of a sense of duty, it will be less than inspiring to the one listening to our message. We need to realize that how we come across is an advertisement for what we share. We should never share the good news about Jesus merely to check off another task in the hope of eventually “doing enough.” We should share because we are excited about the Lord and want more people to know and love him as we do.

People will likely be more open to our message when they observe excitement and enthusiasm in the speaker.

Some of us pray only because we hope to get something from God for our efforts, and the Lord understands that. Sometimes our aspirations are quite noble and sometimes selfish. We may put in time in prayer in the hope that God will pour out revival. We may think that we have to earn it. But shouldn’t our motivation be something even higher? What if we prayed simply because we love to be in God’s presence? How would we like it if our spouse or child only came to us when they wanted ask us for something, but did not care to spend time with us otherwise? Isn’t that how many of us treat prayer?

It all boils down to our motivation. God’s motivation in all of this is crystal clear. He loves us past comprehension, wants to be with us, and wants the absolute best for us. King David discovered the joy of being in God’s presence. Here is a psalm he wrote, perhaps as a young man.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

These are not the words of a resentful, dutiful servant. David did not worship God when he tended sheep in the wilderness because someone made him do it. He did it for the sheer joy of being with God. Worshiping and spending time with God seemed to be one of his chief desires, at least when he was at his best. His love for God propelled him into worship, psalm writing, fighting God’s enemies, and government service. David was exceptional at most everything he did because, I believe, his love for God motivated him to give his very best. As was the case with Paul, he no longer lived for himself, but for God.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)

We see a progression here. Spend time with the Lord, in his Word and in worship, because we love him, and then we will be inspired and able to heartily and joyfully serve him and others as he directs.

Like us, David and Paul had their ups and downs. No one is perfectly consecrated all of the time, except for Jesus. We should not beat ourselves up when we fail. Since Jesus has already made us measure up, that is not a concern. The only thing we really should focus on is growing in our love for God and others. When love motivates us, we just naturally go the extra mile.

So instead of asking, “are we doing enough,” perhaps we should first thank Jesus for doing enough on our behalf and then ask him to so work in us so that we love him and other people more.

Perhaps we should follow David’s example and spend quality time with the Lord in the Word, worship, and prayer. Then perhaps we will find ourselves expending ourselves out of love for God and others, and no one will be able to rate our performance, because love cannot be measured, except by God, the one whom we serve and who loves us past comprehension.

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Finding Contentment in a Very Discontented World

 

 

Recently I sensed the Holy Spirit guiding me to read and study Solomon’s Ecclesiastes. It is a sort of “dark” cynical look at life from a secular vantage point for the most part, not a place you would expect to find something life giving. Was I wrong!

I have reached the age when I find myself looking backward in an assessment of my life, to some extent. Even if I reach the age of my parents, I am now in the last quarter of my earthly existence. Each day could be my last one here on planet earth; so, it’s a good thing to take stock of things in the hope of making my remaining days the best possible. In this Solomon and his father King David agree with me. We do not look backward in nostalgia or regret, hopefully, but to learn. I would like to think that what I have learned thus far has prepared me to finish well. How about you?

I have pastored Liberty Church / LifeNet for going on 34 years. Before that, I was an elder and assistant pastor at my father’s church in Greensboro for a number of years. In other words, I have been at this for most of my adult life. The church growth movement entered the scene during the seventies and eighties, which introduced a new sort of competitiveness among local churches. It became the goal of pastors to engineer a growing church, usually at the expense of neighboring churches. New Christians were not coming into the kingdom in record numbers; so, if a church enjoyed astronomical growth, it was because people were leaving their former churches to join the growing church. In general people want to feel good about themselves, and being part of a “happening” church can help with our self-image. It’s like pulling for a winning team. Everyone likes to win.

All sorts of methods and strategies were employed to insure growth, so much so that the idea of church franchises came into being. Church networks figured out how to blitz an area with advertising and launch a new fully funded church plant with a core of committed people which would be up and running in no time. I came to view these behemoths as “vacuum cleaner” churches because they were sucking up members of other churches by the droves. It would be like Walmart moving into an area and sucking customers away from the more traditional “mom and pop” stores. The movement toward huge has been a part of our society for a long time now.

For smaller churches to survive, they had to learn how to fill a niche, so to speak. For many, it was the promise of real community, which is more likely to happen in smaller groups. For charismatic churches, we could say that our churches were open and encouraging to the gifts of the Spirit, something megachurches shied away from to avoid offending the uninitiated. Every church seemed to be in competition for members, which harmed unity among pastors. Large church pastors sometimes looked down on small church pastors. Small church pastors were suspicious of the motives of megachurch pastors. Working together became difficult if not impossible. Even small churches competed among themselves for members. Among charismatic churches, following the latest spiritual “fad” might be a way to draw people. It had a wearying effect on me over the years as I watched people come and go in their search for something better than what we offered. Eventually I realized that I had had enough.

The last significant exodus from our church happened after we made the decision to become more “missional”. That is, we decided that making disciples would be our main thrust, since that is what Jesus commissioned us to do. We began to rethink how we did church and move toward a model that focused on helping people to become more intentional in their pursuit of discipleship. That required us to try to adequately define discipleship. What does it mean to be a disciple? I came to the conclusion that it meant following Christ and fishing for people.

We have been doing this for about twelve years now. Eventually we got rid of our building and began to meet in homes and other venues, believing that small groups offered the best opportunity to build solid relationships and influence our communities. We plunged into trying to impact our neighborhoods in various ways through friendship building, ministry projects such as doing yard work for needy people, hospitality, neighborhood watch creation, praying and ministering to people, etc. Over the years we saw some good fruit from this activity, but overall it was disappointing how few people seemed to want to join us in our quest to build an authentic community of disciples in a small group setting. Tradition is a huge influence, and not having a building made some regard us as a kind of cult. A lot of people expressed their liking for the idea of what we are doing, but few were willing to make the commitment. We grew little by little, but usually it was with people who just seemed to find us, rather than the people we pursued.

Then Covid hit, which effectively put an end to most outreach. People got used to being holed up at home and would look at you suspiciously if you simply showed up at their door. Our small groups continued to meet after a very brief time of Zooming, but some of our folks were still skiddish about going maskless and being in small groups. Many of us caught Covid and survived, even the ones who were jabbed. Eventually less people feared the dread disease and our groups are running as before the outbreak.

If Covid did nothing else positive for us, it got us all off the treadmill of trying hard to be a “successful” church. We were just glad to be with one another on this challenging journey called life.

This January we are in the process of fasting and praying for LifeNet. We are asking the Holy Spirit to speak to us as individuals, families, and as a church, and that brings me back to Ecclesiastes. I have been pastoring long enough that I have done most everything there is to do to grow a church. In fact, I am a sort of church growth expert, I tell people, because I have helped churches all over our area to grow. Many of our former members are happily ensconced elsewhere, as other churches’ members are now with us. We have tried most church growth strategies and found them wanting. Like Solomon, I can say.

Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. Ecclesiastes 1:8 (NLT)

I see people who are not content in their marriages, their jobs, their ministries, or their churches. I decided a long time ago that it is impossible to satisfy the needs of discontented people; so, I gave up trying. I truly enjoy being with people who are content in God’s love and how God made them, who they are in life, and with the people around them that they love. Yes, I still want to share the good news of what Jesus did for us to reconcile us to his Father. Yes, I still love teaching the Bible and ministering in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Yes, I still have a heart for lost and hurting people, but I do not want to try to make discontented people happy any more. Only God can do that.

This brings us to the whole idea of what it means to be content. Solomon shared what he thought brought contentment.

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19  And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 (NLT)

Some of us are so engrossed in the pursuit of what we do not have that we fail to enjoy and appreciate what we do have. What a waste. I could lament that our church has never grown very large or I can rejoice in the wonderful family of friends that we have become. We can see life as a glass half empty or half full.

Contentment begins with appreciation for what we have.

That is a huge key to relational happiness as well. It is a very grave mistake to focus on another person’s faults because, if we are not careful, that is all we will be able to see. Likewise, we can fault find at work and at church. It never ends well because we always reap what we sow.

When we know we are loved and make it our goal to love others, we find a large measure of contentment.

John wrote about this in his first letter.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17  And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18  Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19  We love each other because he loved us first. 1 John 4:16-19 (NLT)

Earlier when I tried to define discipleship, I failed to mention love, which is a surprising oversight, since Jesus said that people will know we are his disciples by our love for one another. (John 13:35) How could I have missed that? Was it because I was still too focused on doing the work of making disciples rather than on being one? Was it because I was still pursuing something God has given to us? Was it because I was still missing the main point? Most likely. I was focused on teaching people the mechanics of being a disciple without properly emphasizing the heart of it.

When we are not sure that we are loved by God for who we are rather than for what we do, it engenders discontent. Picture a cat purring as it nestles up next to his owner. That is a great example of contentment.

God wants us to be thoroughly content in his love for us. That is the foundation from which we can do the work of the kingdom without sending a mixed message.

John Piper once said that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in him.

There is a reason that Jesus rose from the dead on the day after the Sabbath. We begin our week resting in Christ’s victory. We start from a place of rest.

We are not trying to earn our victory or rest: it is a gift to us.

Jesus invited us to join him in his position of perfect contentment and rest.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

This is Jesus’ invitation to the discontent. Come to him to be set free from your wearisome pursuit. Learn what it means to be content in God’s love. Let that love overflow to those around you, including the lost.

When love is our foundation and the Holy Spirit is our guide, we will find contentment in whatever God gives us to do because we are content in who he is and who we are as his beloved children.

So don’t be surprised if I am not overly enthused with church growth strategies or methods to convince God to pour out revival on us. Been there, done that, and have the t-shirt. What makes me enthusiastic is being with my family of friends as we come together in God’s presence to talk about what it means to be God’s children. I am excited when the Holy Spirit opens a door to share God’s love with someone. We cannot orchestrate the Spirit of God. He orchestrates us.

I believe people who are searching for contentment will be drawn to those who have found it in God.

I also believe that discerning people will flee from any so-called gospel message delivered by someone who is using ministry to try and quench his or her desperate longing for acceptance by God. Why should I buy into a movement that makes its people discontent? When I came to Christ, he gave me peace and joy as I had never experienced before. When I share Christ, it is with the promise that he will open the door into the experience of God’s amazing love. Who we are is perhaps as important as what we say. People will pick up on our spiritual vibe as well as our words. If we carry in our person a different message from our words, people may doubt our words. It would be as if a harsh critical parent tells his child that he loves him or her. The mixed message inspires doubt instead of security. As we find our joy and contentment in God’s love, our demeanor will match the gospel message. People will be drawn toward the God who makes us content in his love.

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