Monthly Archives: July 2016

Don’t Be Trampled

Luke 14:33-35 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. 34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

When God puts a passage in front of you three times in a week, you had better pay attention. When we ask God for a sign, we had better be prepared for it. Sometimes it is like a whack on the head, always in scripture, and prayer and time there bring revelation. God is NEVER going to give you any revelation that is not confirmed in his Word; how will you know it is from God if you are not seeking him there? How will you feel this powerful word from the Lord, this great thing that has stirred you, if you don’t look to the Bible for confirmation of this epiphany? Your revelation is not heavenly if it is not found in the Holy Book.

Sometimes the things that have stirred us bring convictions; these can be heavenly reminders of sin, and the solutions found to them in Jesus. These revelations many times are pointing out where our relationship is faltering with our Savior; the One who gave his life for us, wants the same from us. That is where many of us fail. We add Jesus to our checklist; praying some prayer and going to church, but even if he is at the top of our checklist, we have moved on to something else, considering it completed. Pray and read and study the Gospels where Jesus talks about the cost of discipleship; forsaking all for him, just as he did for you. So many times we forget that Jesus stepped down from heaven to die an unthinkable death, for those that hated him. Stepped down from heaven………let that sink in. Forsaking all to be his disciple is a matter of the heart; not necessarily selling all and living a life of the missionary (but to some he does call; “rich young ruler parable, and lovers of money). Forsaking all means in your heart you love and will follow him with a daily life of seeking him and his will for your daily life. (Repetition of daily was intentional.) An abiding soul is a soul that seeks God every single day in prayer and his Word. If you are not, you are not abiding, and if you are not abiding, you are not in the will of God. John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Yep…..if you are not seeking him daily, you are doing life on your power, and failing without his power.

Our nation is crumbling currently; poor leadership and division at all levels; Satan is getting victories because of the judgement of God on our sin as a nation. Many a pastor has kept silent in their pulpits and not preached on sin and the hell that awaits the sinner. We have become a spineless society bending continually for the fear of offending someone. God called prophets throughout the Bible to preach repentance to sinful nations. If you are spending daily time seeking God in prayer and his Word you will recognize the state of society. He is calling you to be the salt of society as his disciple; point our sin and point them to Jesus who will forgive their sin. As Jesus sent his Apostles out, he sternly warned them of the opposition they would face, and the reward of their obedience. Matthew 10:26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. You have nothing to fear in life, life or death, or persecution, or earthly condemnation when you abide in Jesus, as Jesus’ disciple. He wants you to seek him daily in prayer and his Word; to build in you a testimony to him, to be the salt and light to a dark world. He want to use you for this short time here to draw others to join you in heaven with him. How will you ever experience true heaven, heavenly paradise, if you are not able to live this life for the One who died to give you eternal life? There is peace amongst the chaos when you truly live in no fear of what others think, say, or do towards you, because you know God called you to preach from the rooftops a gospel of repentance, to a nation that needs to hear it.

Just don’t eat the bugs

Matthew 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ “

I never really cared what people thought; in the days before Christ it lead to a life of freedom in sin, deep in sin, and speaking my mind came easy. In these days after Christ, I have come to realize that same character trait, He is using for good. I have the freedom to understand that I only answer to Jesus eternally, and I will answer for all I say, do, and think; even those same things in omission, where I was too scared of what I might say or do, for fear of what others might think. Sadly, many of us, including many pastors, mold our life around what others think of us. It weakens our faith and it causes many to stumble. Many a pastor will answer to God about why their sermons were so watered down with a soft gospel. You must ask yourself if your preacher ever talks about Hell, the place God made for the evil to reside for eternity. You must ask yourself is it really Good News, if you don’t have a true understanding of the bad news.

John the Baptist, in Jesus’ words, was the greatest man who ever lived. He came to prepare us to hear of the coming Lord Jesus. His message was very simple to a sinful society; repent, turn from your sin, and live your lives free from sin in faith in God. It was not only to the sinner, but a message to the religious. It was a message for all those people that thought they earned their salvation through their works; Sunday church attendance will not get you into heaven. Heaven is found in the heart, a heart softened by God first, many times through trials, and how you respond will determine your eternal destiny. All those questions that arise about God and eternity, that is God with his plow tilling the soil of your soul. You can be the most prideful Pharisee of your family, Bible knowledge full, and in church every Sunday, then one day you get whacked on the head with the reality of the Gospel; you can’t earn it without that humble heart that understands Jesus did it all. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

I don’t mind, and consider it a humble honor, to be called by God to preach repentance to those in my circle of influence. I have no problem pointing out sin, because my list of sins is extensive, and I can show you the freedom from them now. God has likely built a similar testimony in you; you have a life before and after Christ if you truly know him as your savior. Be bold in your faith; care not what others think, but only what Jesus thinks. He died for you, to save you from sin, just as he did those people that are before you every day. How much would you have to hate them to not share that Good News with them. Be like John today, a prophet in the wilderness, crying our for repentance; just don’t eat the bugs.

Overcoming Daily Struggles

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I am no different from you. If you had any idea the level of my personal struggles and sins, you wouldn’t listen to me. If you thought I had all of life together, a perfect family, a stress free life, a life of blessing that God poured out on me, or dare I say prosperity that is preached today, you would be totally wrong. The level of my sin before Christ, means my daily battles with sin are still great. The perfect family relationships do not exist, for Satan seeks to divide the family, and he is very good at it. The stresses of life are compounded daily because I try not to seek the stress relief by means that the world condones, and proclaims falsely will help. Satan has such power in sin, there are days he seeks diligently to persuade me life was better before Jesus. Sometimes I think of how he did the same with Jesus at the top of the world; “look at all this you can have…..now.” Temporal pleasures with eternal consequences; you must understand that. All of us put on our Christian smiles and greet each other with smiles and hugs hiding the truth that lies within. Satan has victories in the church hiding behind those smiles.

John understands the life of Jesus’ disciple; he understood these words that Jesus spoke to them and to you now. Your life is going to be difficult as a disciple of Jesus. This entire chapter of John is about an abiding relationship with Jesus; someone who truly seeks to live their daily life with Him. Jesus tells us of how we can truly do nothing without him, without that type of relationship with him. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. So many times we don’t grasp that statement; even in our pride of religion, we loose the humility of a humble hearts understanding. Jesus goes on with the incredible realization of election; of the understanding that God chooses us, we do not choose God; he knows the plans of our lives outside of the limits of time, which our limited minds cannot comprehend. Jesus tells them and us of how the world is against us, because we are living against the world. He came to save us from the punishment of sin that the world proclaims is such a false pleasure. So, Satan, and all those with him, hate us, for as Jesus’ disciples, we proclaim the rescue from Hell that awaits those who do not know or deny the Gospel. That eternal war in the spiritual realm, is what is played out every day in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a war, and war has consequence.

Daily time in prayer and God’s Word is the only hope to maintain the abiding relationship Jesus speaks about. The less time I spend there (such as recently), the greater victories Satan has in all aspects of my life. Jesus spoke of the heart’s benefit in that relationship; 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. Only the heart that is truly seeking him each day, sees through the pain to the eternal victory, the victory at the cross and the eternal reward to those who abide. Separate yourself from society; seek God today with all your heart, mind, body, and soul. Live out the greatest commandment and seek for him to grant you wisdom to face the daily struggles that will come, with the strength of the One who has overcome.

Nations change one soul at a time

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

I truly feel this is where our nation is at; so far from God, so openly mocking God, turning our backs on him, that he is giving many of us over to our sins, from the top leaders of our nation down to us little people. We as a nation are beginning to feel, what fills the pages of history in the Bible, in the Old Testament when God judged sins of our fathers. The warnings are clear, the proofs are written in black ink on white pages, God will not put up with it but for so long; we must give an account to, and we will pay for turning our backs on God. The leaders of our nation are far from God fearing people, they are many times what fills this context of Romans 1 passage; the travesties of justice seem unfathomable, the lines and laws are changed to fit the corrupt; law becomes law no more when necessary to change the law to protect the crooked. Even God has allowed these people into power, to use them in judgement of our sin. The OT speaks clearly of kingdoms God raised up to judge other kingdoms sins. God also used the power of peoples prayers to heal kingdoms; those who listened to prophets warnings and repented were many times spared God’s wrath; sadly some times it was only postponed because of the lure of sin was so deep into society.

It is truly sad how so many of us think we control the political realm; it is sad how we get wrapped up in the contests of those we think when elected will become saviors of our nation. The two we likely will choose from will either lead us into war with his proud tyrants, or weaken us so deeply at the core that we will be overthrown within. If ever there was a time of two evil choices, that is where we are at; all we can do is pray for our nation to repent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Paul writes in Romans one here, an unpopular passage because of the direct addressing of homosexualities sin, but also a list of many of our deep sins of idolatry, (anything we place above God). 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. We as a nation idolize self at the top of our list; we do whatever makes us feel good, and sadly the heresy of universalism is growing (all paths lead to God). Never, ever, ever believe that lie (COEXIST) – John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. When you began to pursue God with all your heart, he will open your heart to the truths of his Word. When you began to seek God in prayer and his Word each day, he will begin to show you things about himself, and yourself, you did not know before. A true relationship with him begins in your heart, and changing your heart, is how he changes a nation, how he changes history, by one humble soul that truly seeks him above all else. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Front End Alignment

Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

It was only a few days ago, while sorting through a backlog of 400 emails early one morning, that God spoke to me about how far I had strayed from him. He showed me how the world had taken away my focus, exhausted me physically and mentally, and even hidden in the financial blessing was the curse of a heart focused on the world and not eternity. It was a slow fade into where I have found myself; trying to solve worldly problems, setting worldly goals, and full of worldly disappointments. I was blessed to glimpse the level of spiritual warfare in these things, the timing of many things, but I tried to not let Satan take me down the paths of depression and defeat that he desired in the spiritual realm of this realization. Satan will gladly use that tug of God’s blessing of discernment, to tug your heart into the pit of depression. When you feel the convictions of sin, a humble heart of agreement that leads into repentance, is the wheel that changes the direction of focus of one’s mind. I cannot imagine the level of a heart of pride that does not understand the cleansing of repentance before our Lord; it is not the pride of life that believes we can fix it, but the humility that realizes we can’t without Jesus. The level of your relationship with Jesus is clearly evident in the gauge of your humble spirit in life.

I had seen parts of this passage above in a daily scripture this morning. In prayer the word “align” came to me, and I began to look it up, but to no avail. I remembered this passage, and it clearly spoke of one’s heart aligned to God. As I read at the beginning of chapter four, I saw of the struggles of anxiety and depression the world brings; I saw the peace of the heart that truly seeks God, and the blessing of God found in that heart that seeks him. I have many times quoted Philippians 4:7, the peace of God that the world desires, yet pursues by worldly means, never finding peace or happiness without Jesus as their focus in life. Paul is writing of this focus, writing of our hearts desires, writing of the blessings of God found in the hearts desire of one’s focus on the things of life found in prayer and his Word. The time spent in both directly relate to the peace found in life; the time in both allow you to see the good in things, to see the sovereign hand of God in situations that the world condemns; to know that everything in life has passed through his permission. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

This world is falling away from God, but at the same time in that tragedy, is that many are returning to God. God is raising up people like you to speak the truth, to prophesy to the world of their need for repentance just like in the Old Testament. This nation is about to suffer the hand of God’s judgement, and God is likely stirring many of you to come to him. The decisions you make when you feel the tug of God on your heart have eternal consequences. Do not let this crazy messed up world take your eyes off the next. Do not let your alignment with God, be off so much you can’t remain in the center of the road of life with him.