Run With It

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Give God the Glory

From the very beginning of creation God has put within mankind the knowledge of God. God made himself known through his created works. When we look at the sun, the moon, the stars, the heavens above us, the trees, flowers, birds of the air, the sea, and man, we can see God, not that God exists within all of his creation, but rather that his creation reveals his divine character, being understood through what he has made. We see all his beauty, his love and his power, etc., so that mankind is without excuse, even though he may claim he did not know there was a God who created all this. It is not that mankind does not know, but rather that he chooses to suppress what he does know about God, exchanging the glory of God for an image in the form of corruptible man, etc. (See Romans 1:18-23 NASB)

So, the heavens above proclaim to mankind that we must give God the glory, and we must honor his name as holy. He has given man a free will to choose him or to not choose him. If we choose to live in the image of corruptible man, in which we were born into sin, we will die. But, if we choose, by God’s grace, through faith, to exchange the corruptible man for the glory of God, i.e. to accept God’s invitation to his great salvation, then we will live. He will light our lives with his righteousness, give us his wisdom, refresh our souls, and give joy to our hearts through his pure and enduring word, which is more precious than gold. When we keep his word, we receive great spiritual rewards. So, we should pray that we would continue in Christ, in keeping his word, and that we would not allow sin to rule our hearts ever again, so that we may walk in all of his ways from this day on and forever more.

Give God the Glory / An Original Work

Based off Psalm 19 / March 10, 2014

All of creation now proclaims:

“Give God the glory; honor His name!”

Each day the stars in heav’n above

Show forth His wisdom; tell of His love.

They do not speak. They have no voice.

Yet, they declare we have a choice:

“Worship the God of heav’n above;

Believe in Jesus; trust in His love.”

God’s word is perfect, just and good,

Refreshing souls who trust in the Lord;

Makes wise the simple; radiant -

Lighting our lives with God’s righteousness.

Joy to the heart His words now speak;

Pure and enduring, now we seek.

They are more precious than our gold;

Sweeter than honey; never grow old.

Keeping the word brings great reward.

By the word Jesus speaks and He warns,

Convicting hearts of all their sin;

Forgiving all who call upon Him.

Praying You keep me, Lord, from sins.

May they not rule my life again.

Then will I walk in all Your ways,

Following Jesus all of my days.

http://originalworks.info/give-god-the-glory/

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

In Whose Image?

Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 9:10 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “Near the Cross.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 2 (NIV).

How You Loved Me

“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,

how as a bride you loved me

and followed me through the wilderness,

through a land not sown.

Israel was holy to the Lord,

the firstfruits of his harvest… vv. 2-3a

When I read this passage of scripture concerning how the people of God were devoted to the Lord in their youth, and how, as a bride, they loved the Lord and followed him anywhere, and how they were holy to the Lord, yet how they strayed from the Lord, it reminded me of the letters to the seven churches in Revelation (See Rev. 2-3). Jesus told the church in Ephesus such things as were praiseworthy about them, but then he said that they had forsaken their “first love,” or the “love you had at first.” He asked them to consider how they had fallen, and he called upon them to repent and to do the things they did at first. And, then he warned them that if they did not repent, he would come to them and he would remove their church (lampstand) from its place. Yet, for those who are victorious, he said he would give them the right to partake in all the richest of blessings in heaven.

When we come to true faith in Jesus Christ, forsaking our former lovers of sin and self, being transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God, and being born of the Spirit of God to now walk in his righteousness and holiness, in the power of the Spirit within us, we are like a new bride completely in love with our Lord. He is the only one who satisfies the deep longings of our souls. None other will do! We have entered into a covenant marriage relationship with Jesus Christ and he is now to be our only husband and Lord (master). The desires of our hearts should now be for him, to live holy lives pleasing unto him, and to walk in all of his ways. And, yet, we still live in flesh bodies which have the propensity to sin and to rebel against God, and to forsake our Lord and to follow again the ways of our flesh.

Broken Cisterns

This is what the Lord says:

…But my people have exchanged their glorious God

for worthless idols.

Be appalled at this, you heavens,

and shudder with great horror,”

declares the Lord.

“My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me,

the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Vv. 11b-13

Sometimes, although we may begin our journey with the Lord with the enthusiasm, love, trust, excitement, devotion, commitment and faithfulness of a new bride, we begin to drift away or to be led astray from our pure devotion to the Lord by the things of this world or by the teachings of humans, which sound pleasing to the ear, but which are filled with all kinds of lies and deceptions of Satan. We get bogged down with the cares of this life and we begin to adopt the ways of the world and the philosophies of humans and their humanistic ways of thinking, and thus we forsake our Lord, his truths and his ways in order to follow after what is not of him; what is not founded in the truth of God’s word, and which will never satisfy the deep longings of our souls; and that which will only lead us back down the path of sin.

The Lord Jesus has recently led me to examine the writings and teachings of one humanistic author-counselor-teacher, because his teachings and his books are sweeping across America’s evangelical church, and many are adopting this man’s teachings in place of the teachings of scripture, and some even strongly defend this man and his teachings without truly examining against the word of God what is really being taught by this man. His teachings and writings are a prime example of the “broken cisterns that cannot hold water” over which God’s people have forsaken their Lord in order to run after these “other gods.”

What Are We Made Of?

John Eldredge, in his book “Wild at Heart,” speaking of Adam (in Genesis), said that Adam was created outside the Garden, and it was only after he was created that God placed him within the Garden of Eden. Biblically speaking, that part appears to be accurate. God created Adam and then he placed him in the Garden. Yet, then Eldredge goes on to make a parallel between Adam and all of men, and to suggest that, ever since God placed Adam within the Garden of Eden, “boys have never been at home indoors” (in Eden), and “men have had an insatiable longing to explore” (outside the Garden), and that man longs to return from whence he came, i.e. to the natural state from which he was first created. He said that is where (or when) “most men come alive.” (Ref: chapter 1, pgs. 3-4 in W.a.H.)

Then, in chapter 2 of his book, he said that “A man has to know where he comes from and what he’s made of” (pg. 21). “Who is this One we allegedly come from, whose image every man bears? What is he like? In a man’s search for his strength, telling him that he’s made in the image of God may not sound like a whole lot of encouragement at first” (pg. 22).

It is true that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. They were perfect in holiness, righteousness, immortality, love, truth, and purity. In the Garden of Eden, before their fall into sin, they lived in perfect fellowship and harmony with Almighty God. That is the state in which Adam and Eve were created. They had no sin. Yet, God had also given them a free will, and he gave them opportunity and a choice to obey him or to not obey him. They chose to disobey, and so God banished them from the Garden because of their sin. And, ever since then, man (i.e. all humans) has been born into sin, NOT created in nor bearing the image (likeness; character) of Almighty God. Only Adam (and Eve) and Jesus Christ came into this world without the curse of original sin (See Is. 53:6; Jn. 8:44; Ro. 3:10, 23; Ro. 5:12-21; Ro. 6:20; and 1 Co. 15:22).

So, in essence, what John Eldredge is suggesting here is that Adam was always unsettled in the Garden of Eden, where he was in perfect fellowship and harmony with God, and that he longed to return to where he was outside the garden. For him, though, that was still in perfect harmony and fellowship with God until after he sinned, which is then when he would have gotten his wish, if we believe what Eldredge says. Yet, to parallel him with all of men, knowing that the “natural” state in which all of humankind since Adam and his fall is that of being born with a sin nature, is to suggest that ALL humans are born in the likeness of God, which they are not, and that all Christian men are unsettled with their pure fellowship with God, and with living in harmony with his divine character, and that they long to go back to their natural state of living in sin and separation from Almighty God and to wander there.

In The Image of God

So, if a man needs to know where he comes from and what he is made of, he needs to read the whole Bible, not just the story of creation, and he needs to realize that he comes from Adam and that he is made of original sin, which thus separates him from Almighty God. And, if he wants to know whose image he bears outside of the Garden, i.e. outside of relationship with Jesus Christ/God, then he needs to read the whole of scripture, not John Eldredge, who is teaching what is false about the origins of man and what man, in the flesh, is made of. We are not born bearing the image of God, but we are born bearing the image of Adam (See 1 Co. 15:49) who sinned against God and thus was banished from God’s presence. John Eldredge would have you believe that all of mankind, saved or unsaved, bears the image (likeness) of Almighty God. And, many false beliefs have been built off of that lie.

Yet, all is not hopeless! Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth in the likeness of human flesh so that he could become our perfect sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. When he died and was buried, our sins were put to death and were buried with him. When he arose from the dead, he conquered sin, death, hell and Satan so we could go free from eternal punishment and banishment from God; so we could be free from slavery to sin day-to-day, and so we could walk freely in his righteousness and holiness. And, when we enter into such faith with him, it is then that we can begin to bear the image of God, but not in absolute perfection until we reach heaven.

So, the way in which we (only true followers of Jesus Christ and not all humans) can now bear the image (likeness) of God is through the cross of Christ. Col. 1:15 says: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 1 Co. 15:49 says: “And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” We, the redeemed of the Lord, have been predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son (See Ro. 8:29). We, who are in Christ, “are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Co. 3:18). So, although we are not created (born) in God’s image, as was Adam originally, yet through Jesus Christ we are being transformed into his image (his likeness, character, holiness, and purity). It is a process, though.

Yet, if you are among those who think you bear the image of God just because you are human, then you need to come to the cross of Christ. And, if you are among the “fallen” who have forsaken their first love, as did Adam and Eve, and you were once in sincere and unadulterated fellowship with your Lord, but you have since wandered off to follow after the gods of men, or after the teachings of those who give you the messages your itching ears long to hear, then I pray you would repent of your sin, and that you would return to your Lord, and that you would do the things you did at first. God is going to judge one day. He will bring judgment upon the unbelieving world, but he will also judge his idolatrous church (See Rev. 2-3), so don’t play with what is not of God and think you are ok. Be back in fellowship (in Eden) with him today while you still have today.

Near the Cross / Fanny J. Crosby / William H. Doane

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BasJqHsCIo4

Monday, March 10, 2014

Emergency!

Monday, March 10, 2014, 9:11 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Courageous!” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Jeremiah 1 (NIV).

Not Afraid!

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Truly this was Jeremiah’s specific call to ministry by God Almighty, and yet there are aspects of this call which are not peculiar to him alone, but which contain the essential elements of God’s call on the lives of all of his followers. We are all to be his witnesses, his lights to the world, and we are all to go and to make disciples of Christ of all peoples, baptizing and teaching them to obey all of Christ’s commandments. And, all throughout scripture we are urged to not be afraid of man and what he might do to us, but we are to put our trust in Jesus Christ alone. As well, we learn in the NT that each of us is to exhort, instruct, encourage, counsel, correct and to build-up other followers of Christ in the faith, as these are our working parts within the body of Christ, and for the edification of his church.

Idol Worship

…I will pronounce my judgments on my people

because of their wickedness in forsaking me,

in burning incense to other gods

and in worshiping what their hands have made.

In yesterday’s devotional, “Insults to God,” which you can read here - http://originalworks.info/insults-to-god/ - the Lord Jesus led me to begin to look into the teachings of John Eldredge – Christian counselor, teacher and author – because there are some very disturbing aspects of his teaching which are greatly troubling me. Today, I believe, God would have me share a little bit more of what this teacher is spewing forth to Christian men (and women) in the Evangelical Christian churches here in America. In his book, “Wild at Heart,” on pgs 7-12, Eldredge said some more disturbing things:

“And then, alas, there is the church. Christianity, as it currently exists, has done some terrible things to men… I believe that most men in the church believe that God put them on the earth to be a good boy. The problem with men, we are told, is that they don’t know how to keep their promises, be spiritual leaders, talk to their wives, or raise their children. But, if they will try real hard they can reach the lofty summit of becoming… a nice guy. That’s what we hold up as models of Christian maturity: Really Nice Guys. We don’t smoke, drink, or swear; that’s what makes us men. Now, let me ask my male readers: In all your boyhood dreams growing up, did you ever dream of becoming a Nice Guy?” (WaH pg. 7)

So, what’s the underlying message here? I believe the message is clear: Being a “good boy” or a “nice guy” who keeps his promises, who is a spiritual leader, who talks with his wife, and who raises his children is bad. He is not a “real man.” A feeling of shame is thus attached to the image of the “nice guy” who does what is right; who obeys the word of the Lord, walks in the Spirit and not in the flesh, and who loves his wife and who honors his God. On the other hand, if you smoke, drink and swear, then you are a “real man.”

“God meant something when he meant man, and if we are ever to find ourselves we must find that. What has he set in the masculine heart? Instead of asking what you think you ought to do to become a better man (or woman, for female readers), I want to ask, What makes you come alive? What stirs your hearts? The journey we face now is into a land foreign to most of us. We must head into country that has no clear trail. This charter for exploration takes us into our own hearts, into our deepest desires. As the playwright Christopher Fry says, ‘Life is a hypocrite if I can’t live the way IT moves me!’” (WaH pg. 9)

I agree that God created both male and female, and that we are distinguished from each other in personality, drive, thought, and in the particular Biblical roles each one of us is to fulfill. I concur that men are generally the “hunters” and women the “nurturers.” I do also assent to the fact that men should be men and that women should be women. I, as well, grant that there has been too much blending or even switching of roles in today’s society, and that can lead to much confusion and, yes, even to the emasculation of men.

Yet, I don’t believe that the Bible distinguishes the heart of males from that of females. Whether male or female, we either have sinful, unbelieving hearts, or we have regenerated hearts by the Spirit of God living within us because of God’s grace to us, and through our personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives. As followers of Christ, we should now have HIS heart within us, and it is HIS heart which we should now seek to discover, not our own hearts, which, since we still live in flesh bodies, can still give way to the desires of the flesh. We should not be asking what stirs our hearts, but what stirs the heart of God, and then we should ask God to put that same stirring within us. This journey of the Christian faith and practice and walk in the Spirit has a clear path we must follow, not one where we aimlessly wander and explore trying to find our “true selves.” It is not “Life” that should move us, but what should move us is the Life of God within us.

The danger I see in much of what I know and have read of Eldredge, and others like him, is that he seems to be leading men more toward self-discovery rather than God-discovery, and more toward a thought that somehow men don’t have to follow the same Biblical standards as women, because they are men, and so they are exempt. Oh, how wrong!

“There are three desires I find written so deeply into my heart I know I can no longer disregard them without losing my SOUL. They are core to who I am and yearn to be… they are a clue into masculinity itself… In the heart of EVERY man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue… a yearning… to find a place where he can be all he knows he was meant to be. To borrow Walter Brueggeman’s description of God: ‘wild, dangerous, unfettered and free’.” (WaH, pg. 9-12)

Granted, Eldredge was probably speaking metaphorically when he said he could not disregard these three desires without losing his SOUL, and yet doesn’t this speak volumes to us about this man who, as a Christian, would use such language to describe the degree in which he holds these humanistic desires in such high esteem, and in level of importance in his life; that if he lacked them he would feel as though he would lose his very soul? Wow!

He continues by saying these three masculine desires are core (essential, central, basic, and at the heart and center) to who he is as a person and what he yearns to be. Where is God in all of this? Where is John’s hunger and thirst for God - to be the man of God that scripture teaches he ought to be. Oh, how he hates that word “ought.” It appears from what he says that he doesn’t want to be what he “should” be, but who he wants to be, in his own flesh.

So, what is this battle to fight, and adventure to live, and beauty to rescue which he believes is so valuable to his life that he would lose his very soul if he did not do these things? He says “little boys” yearn to know that they are “powerful, dangerous and someone to be reckoned with” (pg. 10), that “aggression is part of the masculine design” (pg. 10), and he says that “a boy wants to attack something – and so does a man...” (pg. 10). His description of man as a warrior includes his thirst for bloodshed, danger and competition. He has to win, even if others have to die (see pg. 11). So, he quotes from and shows movie clips from such movies as “Braveheart,” “Saving Private Ryan,” the “Die Hard” films, and the like, in order to encourage men to be brave, strong and fierce warriors. Wow! And, he uses his own twisted perception of the divine character of God to justify this, too. Yet, God is not like us, though Eldredge tries to make him like us, and we are not God.

Get Ready!

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

So, is there a battle that must be fought by us? Most certainly! Yet, it is not peculiar to just men, and it is not fought with the weapons of this world – not with guns, knives, fists, bullying, or the shedding of human blood. It is fought on a spiritual battlefield with the spiritual weapons God has given to us. Jesus Christ already won this battle for us via his death and resurrection. We just have to put on (apply to our lives) what he has already done for us (See Eph. 6:10-20). We are to fight the good fight of faith, and we are to resist the devil and his lies - which Eldredge is spewing forth - with our faith, our salvation, Christ’s righteousness, the truth of God’s word, and with the true gospel of salvation. Yet, when we stand up for what is right, and we expose what is evil and wrong, there will be those who will fight against us, yet we should not be afraid, for God is with us.

Courageous! / An Original Work / December 24, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

The Word of God throughout taught.

Some people heard, but did doubt.

Still others had faith in Christ.

By grace He purified them.

They turned from sin

And they obeyed Christ.

He opened up their blinded eyesight;

Turned them from darkness

To the true Light;

Forgave their sin by His might.

He strengthened them in their faith.

He said, “Remain my faithful.”

He called them to obedience.

By faith, they were so grateful.

By faith, they were to follow Jesus;

To daily sit and listen to Him;

To have such faith

That mountains could move;

To love those whom He gave them.

Be on your guard; courageous.

Stand firm in faith. Be thankful.

Take up the shield of your faith;

Protect against all evil.

Do not move from

The hope that you have.

Your faith in Jesus let it endure.

Hold to the truth;

Your conscience be clear.

Endure with perseverance.

http://originalworks.info/courageous/

http://youtu.be/KdIaWkPBnLo

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Insults to God

Sunday, March 09, 2014, 3:25 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song “Only In Him” in mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 65 (quoting vv. 1-10 in the NIV).

Here am I

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;

I was found by those who did not seek me.

To a nation that did not call on my name,

I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’

As I read this passage from Isaiah, this passage in Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) came to mind:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Their Own Imaginations

All day long I have held out my hands

to an obstinate people,

who walk in ways not good,

pursuing their own imaginations—

a people who continually provoke me

to my very face,

offering sacrifices in gardens

and burning incense on altars of brick;

who sit among the graves

and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;

who eat the flesh of pigs,

and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;

who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me,

for I am too sacred for you!’

In the past several years I have become somewhat acquainted with the teachings of John Eldredge. Eldredge is a counselor-teacher, primarily focused in ministry to Christian men. Yet, there are some very disturbing aspects of his teaching which are greatly troubling me, and which fit under this subject of “pursuing their own imaginations,” as well as with this scripture. He is a popular author-teacher among evangelical Christians. His teachings and writings are being taught in many churches here in America, particularly in men’s groups. Yet, I am just beginning to scratch the surface of this man’s heretical teachings concerning the characters, mind and heart of mankind and of God/Jesus Christ, and concerning God’s relationship to humankind and what our relationships to God/Jesus should look and act like.

Here are some quotations from John Eldredge’s book “Wild at Heart” (pages 3-6), and also from the book’s introduction:

“Man was born from the outback, from the untamed part of creation. Only afterward is he brought to Eden. And ever since boys have never been at home indoors, and men have an insatiable longing to explore. We long to return; it’s when most men come alive… The core of a man’s heart is undomesticated and that is good… Never stop exploring… Men have an insatiable longing to explore… Deep in man’s heart are some fundamental questions that simply cannot be answered at the kitchen table. Who am I? What am I made of? What am I destined for? It is fear that keeps a man at home where things are neat and under his control… If a man is ever to find out who he is and what he’s here for, he has got to take that journey for himself. He has got to get his heart back.” (Pages 3-6)

Men “need permission to be what we are – men made in God’s image. Permission to live from the heart and not from a list of “should” and “ought” that has left so many of us tired and bored…” This book is offered as a “safari of the heart to recover a life of freedom, passion and adventure… it will help men get their heart back.” (Intro)

Sounds good, right? On a surface read it sounds like he is merely encouraging men to be men and to enjoy God’s creation and to, perhaps, exercise their freedom in Christ and to not be brought underneath the bondage of legalism. But, is that really what he is saying? Look with me carefully at the not-so-subtle message being given to men (and women) here:

Men long to be untamed (wild, natural, unsettled, uncontrollable, unsubmissive - sinful), undomesticated (uncomfortable, disinterested, not devoted and/or uninvolved in the affairs of marriage, home and family), and to NOT be in Eden (symbolic of mankind’s pure and sinless relationship to God where he walked and talked with God in perfect fellowship). They want to leave Eden (purity, righteousness) and go back to their natural state of mind and heart (the heart given over to sin). In this wild and natural state of heart and mind is when men truly come alive. The core (central, foundational, essential and/or enduring part) of man’s heart (the emotional or moral center of his life; the center of love, affection, and his innermost character, feelings or inclinations) is undomesticated (unconcerned with home, marriage and family) and that is good. Men have an insatiable (incapable of being satisfied) longing to explore, i.e. to pursue, go on a quest for, search out, and/or to scout out what is outside the confines of home and family and is outside his intimate relationship with God.

Man’s deep need to know who he is, what he is made of and what he is destined for cannot be discovered at home where things are neat and orderly. It is fear that keeps man at home. He has to adventure outside the confines of marriage, home and family and Eden – his intimate and pure relationship with God - and take his own self-journey to get back his sinful unbelieving heart. He needs to give himself permission to be what men are… permission to live from his wild, untamed and undomesticated (and sinful) heart and to not live in Eden – in pure, unadulterated relationship with Almighty God; not from a list of “should” and “ought”, i.e. not in submission, surrender and obedience (in the Spirit of God) to Christ’s commandments for holy and godly living, because that just makes him tired and bored. He needs to venture outside of these confines of home and “Eden” to find his true self and to discover life, love and true happiness. It is outside these confines of home and “Eden” where man will find a life of freedom, passion and adventure, and it is there men will get their (wild, untamed, undomesticated, natural and out-of-Eden) hearts back. Wow!

It gets much worse the more one reads of his writings, but I am just beginning to do the homework on John Eldredge and his heretical teachings – teachings which continue to support the central ideas presented in just these few quotes at the beginning of his book. And, the sad reality is that so many people are buying into this type of teaching which, by the way, is not just peculiar to him. There are many, many teachers in today’s evangelical church who are teaching out of their own imaginations rather than from God’s word, and whose teachings are in direct contradiction to the teachings of scripture. The result is that many people are abandoning the faith, i.e. they are abandoning the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and they are, instead, following after teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear – feel-good messages that give them permission to keep on in sin.

Yet, God continues to hold his hands out to his obstinate, rebellious church, and he continues to make calls to his adulterous and idolatrous church to return to him (to “Eden”).

God Will Judge

Such people are smoke in my nostrils,

a fire that keeps burning all day.

“See, it stands written before me:

I will not keep silent but will pay back in full;

I will pay it back into their laps—

both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,”

says the Lord.

“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains

and defied me on the hills,

I will measure into their laps

the full payment for their former deeds.”

God will judge, not just the world of sin, but his own people (see Rev. 2-3) for their idolatry and spiritual adultery. The prophets of old, most especially Isaiah, prophesied of the final days before the return of Christ when the church will have largely abandoned the true faith, and the people will have run after other “gods” of men to satisfy what their sinful hearts desire. These prophecies of scripture describe how God loves his people so much that he pursues them (chases or runs after them out of mercy), calling on them to repent of their sins and to return to their pure and unadulterated relationships with Jesus Christ. And, he is calling out to his church today, yet many are not listening. Many of those who are listening are calling out to God in prayer for revival of the church and the salvation of souls from sin.

On Behalf of the Lord’s Servants

This is what the Lord says:

“As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes

and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it,

there is still a blessing in it,’

so will I do in behalf of my servants;

I will not destroy them all.

I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,

and from Judah those who will possess my mountains;

my chosen people will inherit them,

and there will my servants live.

Sharon will become a pasture for flocks,

and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds,

for my people who seek me.

In the past several days, especially, God has been encouraging me through the reading of Isaiah that his judgments (divine discipline and correction) will result in the revival of his church and the salvation of many human lives. God will answer the prayers of his servants for God to intervene on behalf of the people and to deliver them out of the grasp of these false teachers who lead the people astray, and to draw the people of God back into pure (unadulterated) fellowship with their Lord and Savior once again. And, in that hope I rest.

ONLY IN HIM / An Original Work / February 19, 2014

Based off Isaiah 30

Woe to those who look to man’s help;

Who turn away from Jesus Christ;

Forming an alliance not in step with God;

Making their own plans, and praying not.

Willing not to listen to truth,

They close their ears to what is right.

Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;

Feel good messages that bring cheer.

Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.

Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.

Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.

Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.

Your Lord will be gracious to you.

He cares all about you, ‘tis true.

He forgives you all of your sin

When you give your life up to Him.

Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be

When you bow to Him on your knees;

Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.

He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.

Now you will sing praises to Him.

He delivered you from your sin.

You’ll tell others now of His grace,

So they may see Christ face-to-face.

http://originalworks.info/only-in-him/

http://youtu.be/CUQfD0Ordgk

Friday, March 7, 2014

Good News

Friday, March 07, 2014, 4:25 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Songs in the Night” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 61 (NIV).

To Proclaim Freedom

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news…

What is this “good news”? Jesus Christ, the one to whom this passage is referring as being anointed of God to proclaim the good news, is the Son of God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He left his throne in heaven, came to earth, took on human flesh, suffered as we suffer, and was tempted in like manner as we are tempted, yet without sin. He was despised and rejected of humankind, a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering (See Is. 53). He was hated so much by the religious leaders of his day that they had him hung on a cross to die, as though he was a criminal. Yet, when he died, he took upon himself the sins of the entire world. He crucified and buried our sins with him, and when he rose from the dead, he triumphed over Satan, hell, death and sin. Amen!

… to the poor.

So, who are the intended recipients of this “good news”? This passage indicates that they are the poor, but did Jesus come only for the poor of this world? – No! God so loved the world (that is everyone) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him might have eternal life (See Jn. 3). God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (See 2 Pet. 3:9). As well, in the book of Hebrews we read over and over again that Christ died “once for all.” Jesus died for the sins of the entire world, not just for a select few. So, who are these “poor”? The word translated as “poor” here literally means “meek” – humble, afflicted, needy – i.e. those who recognize their need for God. Did Jesus preach only to the humble, though? – No! Yet, it is those who are humble and meek of heart, who know they are in need of help, who will be the ones to receive the gospel of salvation, so in that sense, those are the intended recipients of the “good news.”

… He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted…

Jesus was also sent to bind up the brokenhearted. This word literally means “broken; crushed; in pieces; shattered (in heart).” If something is broken it can be lacking parts necessary to be complete; lacking order or harmony; imperfect; not whole; not in working condition; lacking continuity; destroyed, etc. (See Encarta Dictionary). Truly this is a picture of all of us when we are still in our sin. We are destroyed, split apart, separated from God, not in harmony with him, and spiritually devastated without him. Jesus came to heal us, to make us whole, to restore us to himself, and to secure us in Christ Jesus unto salvation from our sins. And, he continues to encourage, strengthen, help, guide, nurture and comfort those of us who are his in our times of sorrow, grief, and in times when our hearts are broken - hurt by the sins of others, or even by our own sin and rebellion against him; hurt by death or illness of loved ones, by injustice or betrayal, or over the sinful condition of mankind, or the adulterous condition of Christ’s church, or just generally by the trials of life.

… to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners…

He was also sent to proclaim freedom and release for captives; for those who are prisoners to sin, who are still walking and living in darkness, and who have not yet come into his light. This message of freedom and release is the essence of the gospel of our salvation. Jesus Christ did not come just to give us the hope of heaven, but he came to set us free of bondage (slavery) to sin, so that we may be free to walk in victory over sin, and be free to walk in fellowship with him, in obedience to his commands, and in his righteousness and holiness daily, while we still walk the face of this earth. If we are not getting this message, i.e. that the purpose of our salvation is not just to give us the hope of eternal life in heaven, but it is to release us from our prisons to sin while we are still here on this earth, then that is truly not the “good news” we are hearing, but is a false gospel and a false hope, too.

… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God…

When Jesus quoted this passage of scripture, during his time of ministry on the earth, he left out this last sentence concerning vengeance (judgment), yet he did not leave that subject out of his teaching. He spoke of it often, warning the people that false religion, commitment to forms of religious practice only, good works only, hypocritical faith, and/or no faith at all would land them in eternal punishment or in the lake of fire, without God, and without hope if they did not come to him in true faith, forsaking their lifestyles of sin, and if they did not give HIM their lives in submission to his will, surrendered and obedient to his commands (See Mt. 6:13-14, 24-27; 11:20-24; 12:38-45; 13:36-43, 47-50; 15:1-20; 18:1-9, 21-35; 21:33-44; 22:1-14; Mt. 23-25, Jn. 9:23-25, etc.). And, there are many more passages of scripture, where he gave similar messages, which are not listed here.

So, when people tell you that Jesus went around just “loving on” everyone, and that he accepted everyone right where they are, for who they are, and that his message was all love and grace, don’t believe them. Jesus told his brothers that the world hated him because he told them that what they did was evil. That is why the people killed him. His message was grace to the repentant and to the humble of heart (good news to the poor), but it was a message of judgment to the religious hypocritical liars, to those following the gods of humankind, and/or to the unbelieving. And, that is still his message today.

For Those Who Grieve

…to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor…

Now, this is truly Good News! When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, and we allow the Spirit of God to transform our hearts away from lifestyles given over to self and sin to lifestyles given over to following after Christ and his righteousness, he changes our repentant sadness to joy, our grief over sin to peace in Christ, our darkness to light, our gloom to praise, our despair to hope, and our weakness to strength, endurance and steadfastness; and our bondage to freedom. We now live our lives, no longer for the praise of humankind, but for the praise, honor and glory of our creator, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Priests and Ministers

And you will be called priests of the Lord,

you will be named ministers of our God…

This is awesome! Not only does Jesus save us from our sins, give us the hope of eternal life with him, free us from our slavery, turn our sadness to joy, and our weakness to strength, and put a new song in our hearts – a song of rejoicing over his great salvation – but he then makes us into his kingdom priests and ministers of his love and grace. The Spirit of the Lord is now upon us, and is inside us, and is welling up inside of us unto eternal life. Now we have been anointed by God to preach (share) the good news with those willing to listen; to bind up the brokenhearted, to preach freedom to the captives, and to tell about God’s grace. We also must warn of judgment and hell, because his salvation from sin also means deliverance from eternal punishment.

In other words, we are to do what Jesus did. We are to give much the same messages as what he taught. We are not God, but we are his representatives here on this earth, thus we are his witnesses, commanded by God/Jesus to go into the entire world, and to make followers of Christ of the people of all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey Christ and all that he commanded us. So, this is what we must do.

And, all the glory and praise and honor are to go to God; to Jesus Christ, for all that he has done! Amen! He is our Savior, our Lord, our healer, our comforter and our joy!

Songs in the Night / An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God,

And the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

http://originalworks.info/songs-in-the-night/

http://youtu.be/yRujDmfS2qU

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Arise and Shine

This is a call to arise (get up; stand up), be steadfast and persistent, and to let our lights (Jesus Christ; our salvation; the gospel; purity; and truth) shine forth from us, so that those outside of faith in Jesus Christ may come to him and to know his saving grace.

We may need this call because we have recently failed in our relationships with God and/or with others, and although we have repented, we may feel unworthy to be his servants and witnesses again. Also, we may require this exhortation because we are complacent about the fact that so many are dying without Christ and are going to hell, and/or because we are unconcerned for the spiritual condition of God’s people, and so God is saying “Wake up!”

Or, this gentle encouragement may be necessary because we are disheartened over seeing so many lost without Christ, and over seeing the church in such a serious state of spiritual adultery and idolatry with no apparent end in sight; and/or because we have suffered much persecution, rejection and abandonment for our testimonies for Jesus Christ, and so sometimes it is just hard to stand when you feel as though you are often standing alone against the giants of doubt and fear, oppression and strong opposition.

Yet, this is to encourage our hearts that God has all things under his control, that he will not abandon us, that he has a plan and a purpose for our lives, and for all we are going through, and he will work it all out for the salvation of human lives and for the revival of his church, and we should thus rest in his promises, in his love, and in his sovereignty.

Arise and Shine / An Original Work

March 6, 2014 / Based off Isaiah 60

Arise and shine; your Lord has come.

Allow His light to flow through you,

For many walk in wickedness.

Show them the way to life anew.

Arise and shine. Your Lord loves you.

Lift up your eyes, and look about.

Some do believe, while others doubt.

Believe in all God’s promises.

The many will, In Christ, find rest.

Lift up your eyes, and you’ll be blessed.

Arise and shine; salvation comes

To all who trust in Christ, God’s Son.

Forgiven of their sins, they’ll be,

When they repent on bended knee.

Arise and shine, so all will see.

Lift up your eyes, and see your Lord.

He will revive his church, forlorn.

Though humans have forsaken you,

They will find Christ, and walk in truth.

Lift up your eyes; God honors you.

http://originalworks.info/arise-and-shine/

http://youtu.be/82MOI5MA0Gc

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

As You Please

Wednesday, March 05, 2014, 6:09 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put the song in mind, “Only In Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Isaiah 58 (NIV).

They Seem Eager

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.

Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion

and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.

For day after day they seek me out;

they seem eager to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that does what is right

and has not forsaken the commands of its God.

They ask me for just decisions

and seem eager for God to come near them.

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,

‘and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves,

and you have not noticed?’

Is it possible to seek the Lord, or even to think you are seeking him, but to not really seek him at all? – Apparently so! This passage of scripture gives us a clear picture of those who appear to seek (pursue; run; chase) after God, but it is in appearance (or form) only. They go through the motions of seeking God each day, perhaps even spending time in the reading of the word and in prayer, but it is all empty, because their hearts are far from him. They may even be faithful in church attendance, sing in the praise team, work in the nursery, lead a small group, serve as a deacon, and/or teach a home Bible study, and so they give off the appearance of godliness, but they may still be ones who forsake their Lord and who do not put his word into practice in their daily lives.

They may hope their “good deeds” get them noticed with God, and that he should somehow approve of them because of all their “sacrifices.” Yet, the Lord says that he is not looking for what we are willing to do for him, but he wants our hearts on the altar fully surrendered to him to walk in his ways and in his truth. He wants us to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him (See 1 Pet. 2:5), and he asks that we be living sacrifices on his altar, holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service of worship to him. We are to no longer be conformed to the pattern (ways) of this sinful world, but we are to be transformed in the renewing of heart and mind – the working of the Spirit of God within us (See Ro. 12:1-2).

As You Please

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please

and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,

and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today

and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

only a day for people to humble themselves?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed

and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast,

a day acceptable to the Lord?

A lot of people feel that if they go to church, do some type of Christian and/or Community outreach and/or service, spend time reading the word and praying, attend Bible study, and even use their talents and gifts to minister to other people, that God should be pleased with them. Yet, again, what God wants is not what we choose to do for him, thinking we will then be acceptable to him. What he wants is our hearts fully devoted to him, walking in his love and righteousness, forsaking our lives of living for self and sin (See Lu. 9:23-25; Eph. 4:17-24; Gal. 2:20; Ro. 6; 1 Jn. 1-5; Tit. 2:11-14, et al).

I believe that it is culturally acceptable today in the church to separate our service to the Lord from our daily lives, i.e. to practice giving God only certain portions of our lives, time, talents, passion, etc. while basically doing what we please the remainder of the time, which in truth is truly all the time, because we are even deciding what we will do for or give to God. And, I believe this problem stems a lot from how the gospel is taught. In other words, if we teach people that saying a prayer at an altar assures them of heaven, but we fail to teach them that God’s grace teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (see Tit. 2:11-14); and/or if we teach them that church attendance is somehow proof of our spirituality, then we have enabled those who profess Christ in form or in appearance only to keep on that way, believing that everything is ok because they prayed a prayer and so they have heaven.

Set the Oppressed Free

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free

and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe them,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;

you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

There are many ways in which people can help others be loosed from the chains of injustice and be set free from the yoke of oppression, yet I believe the Lord Jesus would have me talk about this on a spiritual level this morning. A yoke can be a burden, bondage or a hindrance of some kind. Chains can be something which binds, restrains or hampers. A cord can be something that entangles or that constrains us in some way. All of this imagery describes our sinful condition outside of faith and trust in Jesus Christ to deliver us from the bondage to (and control of) sin over our daily lives. We, as humans, are held as prisoners to sin, slaves to unrighteousness, and so we need to be set free. This is why Jesus Christ died on the cross, so we could be free from bondage to sin and self (and self-pleasure).

Yet, much is what is passed off as truth and as the gospel in today’s modern church is nothing more than self-help, feel-good, motivational speeches intended to inspire, give hope (falsely) and help people feel better about themselves, but they do not confront sin, call for repentance, or encourage Spirit-empowered obedience to Christ and to his word.

As well, we should treat others with kindness and compassion, with mercy and forgiveness, and with tenderness and god-like love. We should not be hateful, spiteful or unforgiving towards others, nor should we feel as though we must get even with those who did wrong to us. We must be honest and show integrity in all our dealings with others and in all of our relationships. And we ought to share our food with those who are truly hungry. Yet, not everyone who asks for money is truly hungry, though, and not all of them spend it on food, so we must also exercise godly wisdom and discernment so that we are meeting legitimate needs and we are not helping to enable others to continue in sinful and harmful ways. We should be hospitable and considerate of all who are truly in need. Obviously we can’t meet the needs of all the people of this world, so we must, again, pray for direction and guidance as to what needs God would have us meet. Some may be obvious. Others may not. And, we should care for our own, and should work to meet their legitimate needs (not wants), too.

Away With the Yoke!

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,

with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins

and will raise up the age-old foundations;

you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,

Restorer of Streets with Dwellings…

First of all, we individually need to come to the cross of Jesus Christ, by God’s grace, through faith – a faith which submits to the cross of Christ and allows the Spirit of God to transform us in heart and mind away from living for sin and self, and to following after Christ and his righteousness. And, daily we need to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, and we need to throw off those things that hinder our walks with the Lord, and that sin which so easily entangles us, so we can run with perseverance the race marked out for us. We can’t help someone else be free if we are still walking in darkness. And, we need to make sure that our all is on the altar, that Christ has our hearts, and that our lives are personally committed, submitted, and surrendered to him to walk in his ways, and that we are not just going through the motions or giving off an appearance of righteousness.

Then, we need to commit ourselves to teaching what is right, to speaking the truth in love, to sharing the full gospel message, and not to espouse “gospel-lite,” which tickles the itching ears of those who want to hear only pleasant things but who do not want to be confronted with their Holy God. Feel-good messages lacking in true understanding of what it means to be saved from our sins and to walk in the Spirit of God and in HIS holiness only serve to keep us under the yoke of slavery, and do nothing to truly set us free. So, instead of doing what pleases us and/or what pleases human flesh, but which still leaves us and/or others under the oppression and weight of sin, we should yield to the power and working of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives, teach what is right, and cooperate with the Spirit’s work in bringing people out from under the chains of sin so that they can walk in freedom!