Fight the Good Fight

1 Timothy 6:3-4 ESV

 

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.”

 

A Different Doctrine

 

What is the predominant doctrine being taught today in the gatherings of the church, which is also being widespread on the internet, but which does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness?

 

It is a doctrine which teaches a faith in Jesus Christ absent of repentance, obedience, and submission to Christ as Lord (owner-master) of our lives. And/or it is a faith in Jesus Christ which teaches that our lifestyles do not impact our salvation from sin and our eternal life with God.

 

They promise those who will profess faith in Jesus Christ, or who will repeat words after someone in a prayer, that they are now part of God’s family, that they are saved from and forgiven their sins, and that heaven is now guaranteed them when they die, no matter what.

 

But is this biblical? No! It isn’t biblical if you remove Scriptures from their context and you don’t teach them in the context in which they were written and if you isolate particular Scriptures from the Bible, as a whole, and then you twist them to say what you want to say about them.

 

Now, I understand when we teach the Scriptures that we can’t give the whole context, but we should be diligent to teach them in the light of the book and chapter they are written in, as a whole, comparing Scripture with Scripture to make certain that we are teaching sound doctrine.

 

But let me say this: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16), so we may, at times, teach a passage out of its original context, as a whole, but which is still sound in doctrine and true the Scriptures, as a whole.

 

For, the New Testament, as a whole, teaches that we must be crucified with Christ in death to sin, that we must be born again of the Spirit of God, that we must be transformed in mind and heart, and that we must now walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh.

 

For, if we continue living like we did before we believed in Jesus, if we did in fact believe in him, and/or if we continue living in sin, still engaged in habitual and deliberate sinning against God, and if we refuse to live in obedience to him, the Scriptures teach that we will die in our sins, not have eternal life (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8).

 

Teaching False Doctrine

 

So, if you are teaching this false faith and this false doctrine of salvation which requires no repentance, no obedience, and no submission to Christ and/or that even teaches against these requirements of God and of the teachings of his word, then you are teaching what is from the flesh and not from God.

 

For, the word of God is firm on holiness, godliness and righteousness being how a believer in Jesus Christ is to live and conduct himself/herself.

 

Yet, many people are teaching the grace of God as though it is carte blanche to keep on living in sin now that one is “under grace.” But the teachings of Paul in Romans 6 alone nullify such as notion as that.

 

“How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom 6:2)

 

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Rom 6:6).

 

So, the goal of our salvation from sin was not just to forgive us our sins, to free us from the punishment of sin, and to promise us eternal life with God. The goal of our salvation was to free us from our bondage to sin so we could now live as bondservants of Christ and of his righteousness (Rom 6:1-23).

 

1 Timothy 6:11-12 ESV

 

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

 

Now, the context of this chapter in 1 Timothy is that of bondservants and their masters and of the importance of bondservants to treat their masters with honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.

 

And the context of the different doctrine has to do not only with things which don’t agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus and the teaching that accords with godliness, but it has to do with pride, controversy, quarrels about words, envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.

 

So, these are some of the things taught against in Scripture which we, as the people of God, are to flee from. There are multiple lists in the New Testament of behaviors which we are to flee from, and some which also list alternative behaviors conducive to those believing in Jesus Christ (Gal 5:16-24; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Eph 4:17-32; Col 3:5-11; Tit 2:11-14, etc.).

 

Then we have an exhortation about godliness with contentment being great gain, “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (v. 7). So, if we have our basic needs met, we are to be content with these, “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (v. 10). And some have wandered from the faith due to such cravings (v. 10).

 

So, instead of living to the flesh, to do what our flesh desires, we are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. And we do this by surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ and by yielding to his Lordship over our lives, and by walking in obedience to his commands in the power of God’s Spirit living within us (Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9).

 

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to fight the good fight of the faith, and we do this by standing on the word of God, by not compromising with the world, by resisting Satan, by fleeing temptation, and by walking in obedience to our Lord day by day, and moment by moment (Rom 8:1-17).

 

For, Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave himself up for us. And he shed his blood to buy us back for God so we would now honor God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15, 21; Lu 9:23-26; Eph 4:17-24; Rom 6:1-23).

 

Seek the Lord  

 

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

 

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

 

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

 

https://vimeo.com/379408296

Love God and Hate Evil

Psalms 97:1, 6-7 ESV

 

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;

    let the many coastlands be glad!

 

“The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

    and all the peoples see his glory.

All worshipers of images are put to shame,

    who make their boast in worthless idols;

    worship him, all you gods!”

 

What are worthless idols? They are anything of this world to which we give our hearts and our devotion, which we seek after and long for, and which we spend our energies, time, and affections on, which then end up stealing our hearts’ devotion away from the Lord, and which have no eternal value to us.

 

They don’t all have to be bad things, either. They don’t all have to be sinful, in and of themselves. They could be good things. They could arts and crafts, sewing, woodworking, reading, listening to music, riding bikes, exercising, and the like. But if they consume our time, and if they rob us of our devotion to the Lord, and of obedience to him, then they can become worthless idols.

 

Certainly, sinful practices fall into the category of worthless idols, too – such things as sexual immorality, impurity, gossip, slander, hatred, violence, lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, trickery, and abuse and the like (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Eph 4:17-24; Col 3:5-11).

 

Also, things like social media, the news media, talk shows, TV, movies, games, and anything which entertains or which has the potential to entertain us and to suck up hours of our days can also be worthless idols and stumbling blocks to our walks in holiness and in righteousness.

 

So, it is important that we examine these things in our lives in prayer before God and that we inquire of him to show us what worthless idols exist in our lives so that we don’t allow ourselves to be captivated by them. Again, some of these may not be wrong in themselves, but they can be wrong for us if they rob us of the lives God has for us to live on this earth for his glory.

 

So, instead of letting the things of this world reign in our lives, we must submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ in our lives, die with him to sin, and live to him and to his righteousness in his power and strength (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Lu 9:23-26).

 

Psalms 97:8-9 ESV

 

“Zion hears and is glad,

    and the daughters of Judah rejoice,

    because of your judgments, O Lord.

For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;

    you are exalted far above all gods.”

 

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to rejoice in him, in who he is (God), and in his divine will for our lives. For Jesus is not just the forgiver of sins and the one who promises us eternal life with him, but he is a God of justice, too, and he is a God who makes and who executes judgments.

 

And this is because he is a righteous and holy God who has laid down for us what his will is for us. And his will is that we should all die with him to sin and that we should live to him and to his righteousness. His will for us is that we live holy and godly lives, pleasing to him (Tit 2:11-14; Rom 12:1-2).

 

So, his judgments regarding sin are for our good. The boundaries he set down for us are for our good, not to spoil all our “fun.” Thus, he says we are to forsake our former lives of sin, and that we are to be renewed in our minds, and that we are now to follow him with our lives in obedience to his commands (Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 2:3-6).

 

Psalms 97:10-12 ESV

 

“O you who love the Lord, hate evil!

    He preserves the lives of his saints;

    he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Light is sown for the righteous,

    and joy for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,

    and give thanks to his holy name!”

 

Amen! If we love the Lord, we should love what he loves, and we should hate what he hates. If we love the Lord, we will also walk in obedience to his commands. Righteousness will be what we practice, but not necessarily in absolute sinless perfection. But lack of perfection is not an excuse for deliberate, premeditated, and habitual sinning against God.

 

If we hate evil, evil will not be what we practice. It will not be our habit, our “go to” whenever we feel life is not treating us fairly. It will not be what we run to when things aren’t going well for us in this life. And it will not be our automatic response to temptation to sin or to time alone by ourselves when we think that no one else is watching what we are doing.

 

For, when Jesus died for us on that cross, he died that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died to deliver us from evil and from slavery to sin and the control of Satan over our lives. For, he is the preserver of our lives from evil so that evil will have no more sway.

 

So, that is why, when we believe in Jesus with God-persuaded faith in him that we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and that we are raised with Christ to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Lu 9:23-26).

 

And that is why we are now able to walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit of God and not according to the flesh, because of God’s grace, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross, and because, through faith, we now have the Holy Spirit living within us empowering us to walk in holiness and godliness and to say “No!” to fleshly lusts (Tit 2:11-14).

 

So, we thank him and we praise him for all that he has done for us. We no longer walk in darkness, but we now walk in the light of his truth for his honor, glory, and praise. To God be the glory! Great things HE has done!

 

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

 

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

 

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

 

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg

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A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

The Apostle Paul wrote this as a letter to Timothy, but that doesn’t mean that some or all of it can’t be applied to our lives in some way.

 

For, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV).

 

1 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV

 

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,  through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.”

 

This passage gives examples of these liars who depart from the faith as those who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. That is just one small aspect of the lies being taught, though.

 

There are so many liars and deceivers out there teaching so many different false doctrines and false gospels, that it would be impossible to cover them all in a single devotional. And I am certain I am not even aware of a lot of them, so I can only share what I have been exposed to and what I know.

 

The most grievous of them all, I believe – though I know that there must be many out there that are extremely Satanic and which do much harm to people – is the cheap grace gospel. The reason it is the most grievous is because it is lying to people, and it is sending them to hell, but while it promises them forgiveness of sin and eternal life with God.

 

God’s grace is not cheap. It cost Jesus his life on a cross so that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now honor God with our lives (1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15, 21).

 

And God’s grace, which brings salvation, trains us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return (Tit 2:11-14; Eph 4:17-24).

 

But many of these liars are adulterating the gospel, and they are teaching that God requires no turning from sin, no obedience, and no submission to him as Lord of their lives, or else they are implying that God’s salvation is secure regardless of how we live our lives. But that is a lie from hell.

 

1 Timothy 4:6-10 ESV

 

“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

 

Paul was talking here to Timothy, who was a man, and who was a fellow worker in the ministry of the gospel who had divine authority over those whom he taught in the faith. Most of us are not in that position, and I believe Scripturally that women are not to be in authority over men.

 

Nonetheless, we are all encouraged in the Scriptures that we are to instruct one another (women not instructing men in positions of authority over them), that we are to use our gifts God has given us to minister his grace to the body of Christ, and that we are to exhort one another so that we all reach maturity in Christ as each part (all of us) does its work.

 

So, we all have a responsibility to share with the body of Christ what God has given us to share in the Spirit, to use the Spiritual gifts given to us to edify, to urge, to exhort, and to encourage our fellow believers in their walks of faith. And we are to speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, too (Rom 12, 1 Co 12, Eph 4-5).

 

We are all to be salt and light in the world, and to share the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. We are not to be ashamed of our Lord or of his gospel. We are to speak truth to one another in love. And we are not to participate in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather we are to expose them.

 

We are also to guard our own hearts against false doctrines and things made up by these liars and deceivers, and we are to train ourselves for godliness, which holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. For, without it, we will not have eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:16-21; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Gal 6:7-8).

 

So, it is to this end that we should toil and strive in the Lord, and not for ourselves and for the things and the pleasures of this sinful world.

 

1 Timothy 4:11-16 ESV

 

“Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

 

Again, we are not all in positions of authority over others to where we can command others to do what is right and to not do what is wrong. But we have the authority of the Scriptures which we can speak to others and they command holiness and godliness and the forsaking of our sinful ways.

 

God has put his word and his Holy Spirit within each one of us who are in genuine relationship with him via faith in Jesus Christ. And we are to give out that word, not hold it inside us. And we are to share with one another what the Lord is teaching us and what he is doing in our lives, too.

 

And we must not let others intimidate us or make us feel less valuable or as though we have not a voice or as though we must remain silent so that we don’t offend others with the truth. The Spirit gifted us all, and it is God who assigns our body parts and who has called us and equipped us to specific areas of ministry God prepared for us to do.

 

But it must not be all talk. We must be walking the walk and setting the example for others in how to live the Christian life. Not one of us will do it perfectly, for we are mere clay vessels in the Potter’s hands. But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate habitual sin. We must walk (in conduct) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

 

Seek the Lord  

 

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

 

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

 

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

 

https://vimeo.com/379408296

He Turns it Wherever He Will

 Proverbs 21:1-4 ESV

 

“The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

    he turns it wherever he will.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

    but the Lord weighs the heart.

To do righteousness and justice

    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

    the lamp of the wicked, are sin.”

 

As followers of Jesus Christ, our hearts should be being directed by God. We should be living our lives by God’s design for our lives. The Lord Jesus should be the one directing our thoughts, our ways, our inner purposes, and our preferences, that we might please him in all that we do and say.

 

But just know this. If we allow the Lord to direct our hearts and to turn them wherever he will, and if we truly follow him in his ways, according to his will and purpose for our lives, we aren’t going to please a lot of people. Many people may not want to be with us because it makes them uncomfortable.

 

Yet, it is the Lord Jesus who examines our hearts, not because he doesn’t already know what is there, for he does know. But it is for our sake, to show us what is there, and to reveal to us either where we are doing what is right in God’s eyes, or to show us any areas of our lives where we are doing what is right in our own eyes, instead.

 

For, the Lord is not interested in what we are willing to sacrifice for him, thinking he will be pleased with our sacrifices. He chided the Israelites of old on numerous occasions, for they were making sacrifices to God, and even fasting, but they weren’t living in obedience to the Lord, but in sin.

 

What the Lord wants from us is our hearts committed to him, moldable to his will and purposes for our lives, willing and obedient to doing what he desires of us and what he requires of us, too. For, he has called us to be a holy people, different (separate) from the world, becoming like Jesus.

 

We aren’t supposed to live our lives in the pride of our own flesh, doing what our flesh desires, living in sin, doing what the ungodly do. For our Lord delivered us from our slavery to sin that we might now be for his glory and praise, now living in slavery to him and to his righteousness (Rom 6:1-23).

 

Proverbs 21:7-8, 10, 16 ESV

 

“The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

    because they refuse to do what is just.

The way of the guilty is crooked,

    but the conduct of the pure is upright…

The soul of the wicked desires evil;

    his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes…

One who wanders from the way of good sense

    will rest in the assembly of the dead.”

 

There are many people today claiming faith in Jesus Christ who are refusing to do what is just and what is right in the eyes of the Lord. For, they are convinced they don’t have to. They have bought into the lies which tell them they can be saved and have eternal life but they don’t have to obey God.

 

So, they are living in hostility towards God. “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:7-8).

 

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom 8:12-14).

 

So, if we want to be saved from our sins and to have eternal life with God, we can’t be like those who are living in hostility towards God because they refuse to obey the Lord and to do what he says we ought to do (Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; 1 Co 6:9-10; Rom 6:1-23; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 1:5-9).

 

Our conduct, as believers in Jesus Christ, is to be pure and upright, and not mixed with the world of sin. We are to be holy (separate from the world) in all of our conduct, living godly lives, pleasing to the Lord. For Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness (1 Pet 2:24; Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Lu 9:23-26).

 

So, know this. If we live to the flesh, making sin our practice, we will die in our sins no matter what we profess with our lips or think we believe in our hearts. We will not inherit eternal life with God (Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8).

 

Proverbs 21:25-27, 30 ESV

 

“The desire of the sluggard kills him,

    for his hands refuse to labor.

All day long he craves and craves,

    but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

    how much more when he brings it with evil intent…

No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

    can avail against the Lord.”

 

There are many people claiming faith in Jesus Christ who may or may not be living in gross and immoral sin, but who are lazy gluttons, living mostly to please and to entertain themselves. They may not be lazy with regard to working in this world, but they are slothful when it comes to serving God.

 

Their cravings and their passion are focused mainly on themselves and on pleasing themselves rather than on pleasing God, on serving him, and on serving others. But they may be ones who make a show of righteousness, who go through religious rituals, thinking God will be pleased.

 

This show of righteousness, as well, may be a cover for evil, masking evil behaviors, trying to look good in the eyes of others, or trying to deceive others into thinking one is living right while he or she is secretly engaged in all sorts of sinful, wicked, and deceitful behaviors.

 

But the Christian is not to live like this. This describes the lives of many of the ungodly, but it should not define those who are believing in Jesus. For, the life of one believing in Jesus Christ should be a life surrendered to Jesus Christ who is walking in obedience to the Lord, but not necessarily in absolute perfection. But lack of perfection is never an excuse for willful sin.

 

We are to be people who are listening to the Lord and who are following him with our lives in surrender to his will for our lives. Our purpose should be his purpose. And we should be operating in his wisdom, not in the wisdom of humans and the flesh. For the wisdom of this world is opposed to God and to his purposes for our lives. So, we must do what the Lord says.

 

What the Lord Says  

 

An Original Work / February 24, 2014

Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

 

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

 

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

 

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

 

https://vimeo.com/87634334

In the Midst of Trouble

Psalms 138:7-8 ESV

 

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

    you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

    and your right hand delivers me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

    Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

 

Opposition to the Gospel

 

Life has its ups and downs. Some people will like us and they will be encouraged by us and by our ministry to them while others will hate us and will find us and our ministry an offense to them. Jesus faced this when he walked the earth.

 

If we are walking closely with the Lord, doing his will, saying what he gives us to say, sharing his gospel and his messages to his church – messages which are found in the Scriptures – those who are also walking in close fellowship with the Lord should be united with us in heart and mind (Phil 2:1-2).

 

But not all who profess faith in Jesus Christ are walking in close fellowship with their Lord. Many are worldly, and so they think like the world or they think with human reasoning and understanding, and so they end up missing what the Lord is saying to his church.

 

When people who profess faith in God-Jesus Christ are living in opposition to the word of God, they aren’t listening to the Lord. They are not in tune with the voice of the Holy Spirit because their minds are set on the things of this world instead of on the things of God and his kingdom.

 

Many of them are like the church in Laodicea who are neither totally opposed to Jesus nor are they on fire for him, but they are lukewarm, going through the motions of religious practice, but lacking in vital relationships with the Lord Jesus in pure (unadulterated) fellowship with him.

 

So, those who are lukewarm in their faith, and/or who are living in direct opposition to the teachings of Scripture, who are living worldly lives, and who are thinking much like the world are not generally going to be receptive to hearing the truth of the gospel or messages of exhortation to the church.

 

In the Midst of Trouble

 

So, again, if we are walking in close fellowship with the Lord, and if we are doing what he has called us to do, and if we are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ (the whole counsel of God), and if we are sharing messages to encourage the body of Christ, some people are not going to receive us.

 

Some of these people who are either totally against us, or who are just not comfortable talking about the Lord and the Scriptures on a daily basis, will just ignore us, while others will outright oppose us, and some of them may oppose us vehemently, too. I have faced all these responses.

 

Another factor here, which Jesus and Paul both faced, is that those who are opposed to us may attempt to or will be successful in turning others against us because they will slander us and convince others that we are saying or doing what is wrong, or that we have false motives, etc.

 

Those who believe the lies against us will thus turn against us based on lies they believed from those who oppose us strongly. This is one reason why gossip is so dangerous, because when people gossip about others they give their own opinion of them which may sway other people’s opinions, too.

 

But nothing is going to happen to us that Jesus didn’t experience first. He had people hating him for no reason or because they were jealous of him or they felt threatened by him. He had people falsely accuse him of wrongdoing who turned other people against him, too.

 

And Jesus said that how they treated him they will treat us, so we should not be surprised if we face the same kind of treatment that he faced, and that Paul and the other apostles faced, too. And it isn’t easy to be hated and to be lied about. It hurts. But we have to give those hurts to the Lord.

 

He Preserves our Lives

 

When others reject us, our Lord receives us. When they speak evil against us, the Lord comforts us. When they ignore us, the Lord listens to our hearts and to our cries for mercy. When they attack us, our Lord protects our hearts with his love and kindness.

 

When they shut doors in our faces our Lord receives us into his arms and he opens doors for us that no man can shut – not until the Lord shuts the door. For though they may have no use for us, God does if we are willing to be used of him for his purposes and for his glory.

 

No matter what happens to us or what comes our way, God is still sovereign over all things which he made. He is still in control. The enemy cannot thwart God’s purposes for our lives. The enemy cannot defeat us unless we choose to give in to him, for he has no power over us.

 

Yes, it will be painful to be hated, rejected, ignored, gossiped about, and to have people think evil about us because they believe the lies being told them about us. And it will be painful to be attacked verbally and vehemently, especially by others who call themselves Christians.

 

But if we are at peace that we are walking in fellowship with our Lord, and that we are doing his will, as best as we understand it, according to God’s word, and not according to our own opinions of ourselves, then we can rest in the Lord when the enemy attacks us, knowing we are blessed.

 

Also, the Lord has a purpose for each one of us, and his purpose for the lives of his followers includes suffering for righteousness’ sake. So, suffering for the Lord and for his gospel is something we must accept and we must be willing to even thank the Lord for.

 

If we don’t let other humans discourage and dishearten us, and if we don’t run away from following the Lord when persecution does come our way, but we allow the Lord to deliver us from discouragement, and we allow ourselves to be used of him despite being rejected by humans, that is good.

 

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for us who submit our lives to his purpose. He will not forsake us or abandon us. Yes, the trials may get much more severe, but the Lord will strengthen and help us and he will see us through to the end if we will just trust him with our lives.

 

What the Lord Says  

 

An Original Work / February 24, 2014

Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

 

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

 

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

 

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

 

https://vimeo.com/87634334

We Wait in Hope for The Lord

Psalms 33:4-5 NIV

 

“For the word of the Lord is right and true;

    he is faithful in all he does.

The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

    the earth is full of his unfailing love.”

 

In today’s world, especially, it is difficult to discern truth from lies, for so many people are lying to us from church pulpits, from seats of government, from the news media, and coming from ordinary people, in general, who have been taught lying as a normal way of life.

 

If what they are lying about can be tested against Scripture, then we have a good way of discerning truth from lies. But if what they are lying to us about are things which can’t be tested in Scripture, then we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us discern truth from lies.

 

Now many people today are using what they call “fact checkers” to help them know if something is the truth or a lie, but there are so many liars and deceivers out there, there is no way we can be certain that the fact checkers aren’t lying to us also, so again, we go to the Lord for discernment.

 

There is not much in this world we can rely on for truth, especially not other humans, no matter who they are. But the word of the Lord is right and true and on it we can depend. But we need to study it in context and we need to compare Scripture with Scripture to make certain we are getting the truth.

 

It is so encouraging to me that the Lord loves righteousness and justice and that the earth is full of his unfailing love, for it appears today that not many humans, including many who profess faith in Jesus, are lovers of righteousness and justice who love one another as God loves us.

 

Psalms 33:6-9 NIV

 

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

    he puts the deep into storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord;

    let all the people of the world revere him.

For he spoke, and it came to be;

    he commanded, and it stood firm.”

 

Our God is all powerful and completely sovereign and in control over all that he has made. The same world that he created he still controls. But he does allow evil to exist, and he does allow people to make their own choices and to sin against him and to reject him, so we aren’t puppets on strings.

 

He makes himself known to us and he makes his will known to us, too, but then he lets us choose if we will serve him or not, or if we will submit to him and obey him or not. He calls us to repentance, though, and to obedience to him, and he calls us to honor, revere and respect him as our sovereign God.

 

And he makes known to us, too, that there are consequences if we choose not to surrender our lives to him, and if we choose to live in sinful rebellion against him. He says that if we walk in sin we will die in sin, not have eternal life with God (Rom 6:16; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8).

 

Psalms 33:10-15 NIV

 

“The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

    the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the Lord looks down

    and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches

    all who live on earth—

he who forms the hearts of all,

    who considers everything they do.”

 

The Lord does allow, for a time, for nations to conquer other peoples and other nations, to go to war with one another, to take advantage of people, to lie to them and to cheat on them, to steal, to kill, and to destroy one another, and to usurp totalitarian control over many people (Rev 13).

 

But they have no control but what God allows for a time and for his purposes, and God still maintains the control and the power to stop them and to destroy them at any time, too. At any time, he will step in and thwart the plans of the nations, as he determines.

 

God’s will is going to be accomplished. What he promised he would do, he will fulfill. No human and no nation on this earth will be able to thwart God’s divine will and purposes for humankind. So, even when things are going crazy in this world of ours we can be at peace in knowing that God has all things under his control. For his plans stand firm forever. Amen!

 

So, we are blessed who put our hope and our trust in the Lord Jesus – we who truly worship Jesus and submit to him as Lord (master) of our lives. We are blessed who have followed him in obedience in dying with him to sin and in living to him and to his righteousness, in the power of his Spirit.

 

We are the people chosen for his inheritance. We are the children of promise. Only those who believe in Jesus believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are true Israel who worship Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth and who submit to him as Lord of our lives.

 

Psalms 33:4-5 NIV

 

“No king is saved by the size of his army;

    no warrior escapes by his great strength.

A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

    despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

to deliver them from death

    and keep them alive in famine.

 

“We wait in hope for the Lord;

    he is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

    even as we put our hope in you.”

 

If we are looking to kings or queens and princes, to presidents and congress, to prime ministers and members of parliament, or to whatever form of government we might be under to save us, it is a vain hope. The same is if we are looking to our military to save us from our enemies.

 

God-Jesus Christ is our only hope for ails this world of ours because what ails us is sin, and Jesus is the only one who can deliver us from our sins. He is the only one with the power to deliver a life from bondage to sin and to empower any of us to walk in purity of devotion to him.

 

So, we wait in hope for the Lord. He alone is our help and our shield. He alone has the power to save us from our enemies. In him we rejoice.

 

What the Lord Says  

 

An Original Work / February 24, 2014

Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

 

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

 

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

 

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

 

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

 

https://vimeo.com/87634334

My House Will be Called

Mark 11:15-17 NIV

 

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, ‘Is it not written: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it “a den of robbers.”’”

 

The Temple of God

 

We who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives are the temple of God now. His temple is no longer a physical building, for God does not dwell in buildings made by human hands. He dwells in the hearts of those who have trusted in him to be their Savior and Lord (owner-master).

 

Collectively, we are called the church, the body of Christ. But not everything that is called “church” today is, in fact, the church, Christ’s body. Much of what is called church today are institutions of man, corporations under the headship of the government (the state), in bed with the church.

 

Although the true body of Christ, to some extent, may have joined forces with these man-made institutions, the institutions themselves, although called “church” are not the church. For the true church is not of man, but of God, and it is a living organism not an organization created by man.

 

A House of Prayer

 

God called us to be a holy people, living lives which are separate (unlike, different) from the world, because we are being conformed to the image of Christ. It doesn’t mean we all go live in caves and that we have nothing to do with the people of the world, for the Lord has sent us out into the world with his gospel, but we are not to be like the world in mind and heart.

 

We aren’t supposed to live like we did before we believed in Jesus, if truly we have trusted in him to be Lord and Savior of our lives. For when we believed in Jesus we died with him to sin that we might live to him and to his righteousness. Jesus delivered us from our slavery to sin so that we would now become slaves of him and of his righteousness.

 

But it isn’t just that we aren’t supposed to lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, slander, and be idolatrous. But we are to live holy lives, pleasing to God. He is to be our life, and we are now his servants and he is our master. Our lives are to be about him and they are to be lived for his glory and praise.

 

We are supposed to be living like the Bible teaches we are supposed to be living, and as the body of Christ we are to be encouraging one another in the Lord in our walks of faith so that we are not hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We are to be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and in truth and in love for the mutual building up of the body to maturity.

 

And we are to be praying for one another and showing love and concern for one another in the Lord and fellowshipping together in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Too much of what is called “Christian fellowship” today is not Christian at all. It is the same as what the people of the world do when they gather together. But we aren’t supposed to be like the world.

 

A Den of Robbers

 

So, what changed? Well, first of all the church, the body of Christ, not all but most, decided to incorporate under the government and to become non-profit businesses. Then they all began following certain preachers who were promoting business models for how to grow their churches, across denominational barriers, and across the USA (and in other nations).

 

Now that they were marketing “the church” to the world, they began to make compromises with the world in order to attract the world to their businesses called “church.” So, they began following marketing books and marketing strategies on how to grow their churches (businesses) by drawing in large crowds of people from the world.

 

So, they became more worldly so that the world would feel at home among them. And thus, they also altered and adulterated the gospel of Jesus Christ to make it more appealing and attractive to the world and to the flesh. Thus, they removed from the gospel those components which made people feel uncomfortable or offended.

 

They turned the gospel into something it is not, which is the opposite of what it is, for their version of the gospel does not necessitate anyone dying to sin or living to righteousness and holiness. It merely forgives them the punishment of their sin and promises them heaven when they die, and good clean fun and entertainment while they live on the earth.

 

So, it is indistinguishable now between the church and the world, for the church has now blended in with and has become like the world. Not everyone has, mind you. There are still Christians who are living holy lives, pleasing to God, who are encouraging one another in walks of holiness and godliness. But we appear to be in the minority, not the majority.

 

It is really sad seeing so much of the church having gone the way of the world, talking, thinking, believing, and behaving not much different from those who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ at all.

 

He Overturned Them

 

The Scriptures teach that God will judge the unrepentant, including his church which has not repented of her idolatry and adultery. Some of that judgment will be in the form of disasters, military coups, false flag operations, tyrannical rulers, and a one world government and one world religion being forced on the people of the world (see book of Revelation).

 

I believe the Scriptures also indicate that through these judgments that we will see revival of some of those who call themselves Christians but who have been living like the world, instead (see book of Revelation).

 

And I believe we are in that time period now where the Lord is judging his adulterous and idolatrous church in order to bring her back to him in repentance and in renewed faith before our Lord comes back to take us to be with him forever. I believe God is presently cleansing his temple, his bride, to rid her of the thieves and robbers, to return her to being holy.

 

So, I also believe he is calling out to his adulterous and idolatrous people right now and he is calling them to return to him as their only God. He is saying, “Leave your idolatrous and adulterous ways behind you, and come follow me in my ways in holiness and righteousness and in purity.”

 

Seek the Lord  

 

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

 

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

 

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

 

https://vimeo.com/379408296