Discernment

Over 40 years ago, the late A. S. Worley told me, "I marvel at the lack of discernment in the Body of Christ." It was during a season of great revival.  You would think that revival would be a time of great revelation and discernment.  Revival is usually an emphasis on a particular theme.  There have been revivals of repentance, revivals that focused upon backsliders returning to the Lord, and revivals emphasizing the works of the Holy Spirit. These types of revivals are not necessarily balanced in Christian doctrine.  They are works of God that are magnified but not the complete work of God. They are not all we need to develop to our full potential in God.  When we are in the river of revival, we are flowing in a particular strengthening of an area that has lost its fervency.  Therefore, it is needed to be brought back to the fore.  The problem, especially for those who are converted during these special seasons, is that they assume they are enjoying all they need to live the overcoming life in Jesus.  That is all they have known.  They find themselves at a great disadvantage. They need their sails enlarged and their vision sharpened.  They need an exposure to a larger portion of Truth beyond the stream of which they are a part. It is not that what they are experiencing is wrong, it is just incomplete.  The result of this limited exposure to truth is a limited discernment.  They are like a child with a limited world view.
Romans 12: 1-2 tells us there is a renewing of our mind in Christ that leads to knowing and doing the will of God.  Verse 2 tells us that "by testing you may discern what is the will of God..." Then in Philippians 1:9 the Scripture says that "your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve what is excellent..."  Discernment is a process that comes through living in the wide exposure to the Scripture and not a limited emphasis of some group or stream. It actually is a dangerous thing to feast only upon the words of a single view of God and his word.  We must study for ourselves the entire Bible.  Read the Bible with prayer for the Holy Spirit to direct us.  Our minds will be renewed and discernment will be enriched.  Discernment here is not the same as the gift of discerning of spirits which is quicker in its operation than daily discernment. Daily discernment like faith comes and develops slowly and regularly as it is under the influences of the living Word of God and the active Holy Spirit within.  Let me encourage you to move beyond the stale emphases that were living in the past and seek the Lord for His current living Word for you today.  You aren't looking for a new emphasis but a broader expression of who He is in a fuller revelation of His truth.  Be courageous enough to let his full truth adjust your past partial truth.   By partial past truth, I mean the partial truth of some past experience or movement.  We must always approach the throne of grace with an adjustable heart toward God, His Word and the Holy Spirit. We must rid ourselves of spiritual preferences and be willing to be changed, strengthened and expanded, always growing into a larger understanding of God.  A greater discernment will be a part of your progress.

A Legacy of Hope

The great depression took place primarily between the years of 1929 and 1939.  One fourth of the American workforce was unemployed.  Those numbers are still deceptive because many that had work had their pay reduced or their hours cut to part time.  During those meager years for the average citizen their motto became: 

“Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.”

My paternal grandfather was born in 1900. 1929 came as he was just starting to a see a better life ahead for his family. With the stock market crash came the loss of his income with a wife and family for which to care.  I can’t imagine the stress and pressure of such a time. I have searched vintage black and white photos of that era. What struck me most, once I got beyond the poverty, was the difference between atmospheres of differing families.  The looks in the faces seem to tell a story.  Some homes seemed blighted, filthy and hopeless. Others were spotless and there seemed to still be joy.  Certainly every family has its on story and some had it worse than others.  However, having been born just a decade after the great depression I vividly remember the stories of the difficulty and even the humor of the time.  One phrase seemed to be uttered over and over again by those who were children during that time.  “We didn’t know we were poor.”  That simple phrase speaks volumes to us.  I can’t count the number of times I have heard it nor the many different families that said it.  I noticed in the photos that when the parents of the family looked depressed, the children looked depressed as well. While most people that I have talked with about their great depression childhood have said, “we didn’t know we were poor”, many must have had their lives wrecked by the devastation that was upon their family life. Possibly the greatest damage done to these children was the absence of hope. One photo that struck me most was a poor family sitting around the kitchen table waiting for breakfast. The father was present, holding a small child on his lap and the rest sitting patiently as the mother rationed out the limited portions.  All were very clean, the house spotless and the father had a pleasant demeanor.  Heralding from that photo came the message to me “a legacy of hope!”  We often talk about the responsibilities of parents to their children. Certainly, food, clothing and shelter are the basics.  Providing safety, decency and identity are crucial as well.  May we not forget to instill in our children and grandchildren a legacy of hope.  A legacy that says, we will make it through difficulty.  We will weather the storm and we will arrive safely at a better place. It is that steadfast inner strength that has seen our Nation through many dark hours.  At the center of real hope is our faith in God.  It is much greater than wishful thinking. True hope is solidly sitting atop a truth of knowing personally the One who is committed to the hope for our future.  Interestingly enough statistics tell us that the great depression did not see a huge increase in faith and church attendance. You would think that it would. Evidently when the calamity came on the heels of the "roaring twenties",  many had no Rock upon which to stand and no hope in which to believe.  We must build in prosperity that which will stand during difficulty. Let us not forsake our children and grandchildren by not preparing them for difficult days.  Every generation will see them.  While giving them happiness, may we also teach them to hope.  

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Degeneration

 I can think of nothing worse than violating our calling as shepherds, serving the Lord Jesus, and preying upon the weak in His Church.  As pastors we are often trusted in the Church because of our position before we are evaluated by our behavior.  I have seen it all too often as ministers are suddenly revealed as predators, wolves among the flock.  It appeared to be suddenly but it is never a sudden condition.  There were signs along the way but a lack of true accountability left the minister unguarded as a city without walls.  You cannot hear these stories without asking the hard question, "could I become that?"  Could I fall to such a low place in my relationship with God that I wouldn't realize it or not know how far I had fallen.   The Catholic Church has been uncovered in recent years and even recent months revealing hundreds of priests accused of sexual sins and many as predators of children and adults who were in vulnerable situations.  I'm not writing this to condemn the Catholic Church.  They are the largest denomination in the world so obviously by sheer percentages they will have more bad apples.  I'm sure the large majority of Priests are dedicated men of God following their vows and calling.  Every denomination has dark stories of ministers who have left the straight and narrow and wandered back into the world by their actions and sins. What is the process that leads to such debasement from the Holy Call of God?

In Romans chapter 1, Paul tells us of a process of degeneration that leads to corruption.  He tells us of a people who chose to look away from God, the Creator, and worship the creation.  They chose to follow the temptation of sin and to resist the corrections of God through the Scripture and the internal working of the Holy Spirit.  This is at the heart of the matter.  The voices in our minds.  The voice of God and the voice of Satan.  Righteousness or sin.  Three times in this chapter we read, "God gave them up to..."  He gave them up to "impurity, dishonorable passions and a debased mind."  There is a point when, if we continue to resist the correction of God,  he releases us to the worst of all of our enemies, ourselves, to our own lusts and temptations.  When that happens it results in a fast downward spiral.  Our faith connects us firmly to the righteous hand of God.  Our unbelief is a sin that is struggling to get a release from God's law.  In Romans, we see a principle that gives explanation to most if not all of the shocking headlines in our day.  A rejection of God and/or a resistance to his loving correction and adjustment always degenerates into moral decay.  Backsliding almost always ends in some form of sexual sin.
That principle is not only an answer for the crisis in the Catholic Church but in other groups as well.     There is a definition of degeneration in Pathology that is striking in this study.  "A process by which a tissue deteriorates, loses functional activity, and may become converted into or replaced by other kinds of tissue."  Degeneration is a process of deterioration that causes a loss of function and can even be converted into something else!  Even in true believers this degeneration can occur.  To avoid it we all must remain constant in the Scripture, prayer and fellowship in the church.  This was the pattern of Acts 2.  This surrounds us with the right guidelines of living, personal daily relationship with Jesus and the loving encouragement and accountability of living among true believers.  Ministers too often cool down in fervor and back away from these things that they preach for others to follow.  From the pulpit to the pew we must all take heed and hear the clarion call of heaven to practice what we preach.

In What Do We Rejoice?

The motivation of our heart seems to be the most important thing to God.  I have always felt this was true but the older I get the more I believe it and believe it even to a greater degree.  We know that man looks on the outside of a man but God looks upon the heart.  We have learned that the mouth speaks words that in time reveals the motives of the heart.  Even if a person is trying to cover the secret thoughts of the heart in order to get their way, if we listen closely long enough we will hear the true motivations in their lives.  We need to be careful with whom we align ourselves.  We need to make sure that we don't join the ranks of those in whom we sense or discern dishonest motivations.  It can be tempting to do so and especially if it could mean a promotion for us personally.  But the Lord will see to it that sinful ways will come to an end and all those supporting these activities will fall with the false leadership.  In 1 Kings Chapter 1 we read the story of one of King David's sons, Adonijah.  While David appeared to be on his death bed, Adonijah acted to take by political maneuvering and manipulation the throne of his father.  It has to be noted that he was a spoiled child. David the king seemed to be inclined to use his great wealth to spoil his children.  Spoiling our children is a form of child abuse in light of the life ahead of that child and the repercussions in store.  Adonijah invited a very special list of guests to his self directed coronation as King. He invited his closest allies and those who would benefit from his gaining the Crown.  He did not invite Solomon his brother who was the rightful heir or Nathan the prophet who had no problems confronting sin and exposing lies.
A great party convenes around Adonijah's self appointment.  The Scripture tells us that Adonijah was very handsome, he surrounded himself with chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run before him.  He set up outwardly everything possible to demand respect and to cause the "Wow" factor to come into play. It worked at first and many people gathered around him to feast and celebrate.  They rejoiced in the elevation of the new king.  He had done everything possible to gain the throne outwardly or in an earthly manner but it didn't make it happen.  Heaven still held the keys to the Kingdom!  Now there would be a reckoning.  Where would the reckoning come?  It would come to those who rebelled outwardly and inwardly against the will and plan of the Lord.

We live in a day of grace, mercy and forgiveness.  However, even in an hour of grace the plans of the Lord still come to pass.  There is a price to pay for hidden motivations of the heart that are wicked and steeped in rebellion.  Men follow men to ruin.  Wrong motivations are attracted to wrong motivations in order to fulfill aspirations that are not in God's choosing.  We must not be deceived by artificial anointing.  We must separate ourselves from a spirit of antichrist and accept God's destiny upon our own lives.  Be careful with whom you celebrate and rejoice and remember that God requires wholehearted devotion.

Artificial Anointing

I had the privilege of taking part in a Conference of Pastors numbering in the thousands from around the world.  It was held in the old Georgia Dome which since has been imploded to make room for a newer, more modern stadium.  During this conference a Communion Service was held.  I was amazed at how efficiently a stadium filled with pastors could be served communion in a matter of minutes.  Then, I vividly remember receiving the elements of the Lord's Supper.  There was such a powerful manifestation of the Lord's Presence that we all began to bow at first and then stretch out as best we could on the floor.  There was a uniform experience of humility and awe as we all sensed God's Holy Presence.  I believe it was God's favor on unity.  This meeting was not a single denominational gathering but rather churches represented from all the major groups.  We were not worshipping in any earthly liturgy but purely from an instinctual response to God's obvious Presence.  I glanced up at one point and really thought I saw smoke or a thin cloud above the congregation.  My reaction was to get back on the floor again!

The Book of Acts is filled with expressions of God's power and presence among his people following Pentecost.  The progression of these events is important to see.  There is usually a seeking of God by man.  There is some expression of looking to God for help or wanting God's direction in some life event.  Humility seems to prick heaven and the answer comes!  Man responds with humility, thankfulness and obedience.  Man has looked to God as his source, God has lovingly responded to man's approach to heaven and man moves in obedience to God's provision or direction.  A charlatan is defined as one who claims to have special powers or abilities.  He bypasses the Biblical pattern of the relationship between God and man.  He might orchestrate events or apparent experiences to make the people believe God is doing supernatural things among them.  These acts are very deliberate efforts at deceiving God's people for personal gain.  Then there can be another type of deceiving not intentional at all.  It can be something as simple as in an instant of human excitement declaring that God is about to heal a person.  Certainly God can give a word to someone that healing is about to happen and the healing flows.  Yet, what about when in human zeal healing is declared and no healing follows?  This is a kind of charlatanry that seems innocent enough but charlatanry none the less.  It is wanting to see God work without the relational aspect between God and His people.  There is no faith, no relationship and certainly no humility.  It is like Simon the magician who wanted the power Peter represented and offered to buy such power.  Peter made it clear that Satan was behind such a desire for artificial anointing.  I once told a minister that I didn't want to see "wild fire" in the church to which he said, "I'd rather have wild fire than no fire at all!"  Wild fire,  strange fire or artificial anointing confuses the people of God.  When the genuine anointing comes it won't be appreciated and possibly not even recognized.  In the church we need to be very careful in our zeal and efforts to fill the house with people, that we are preaching Jesus and not promoting hype.  That we are standing strictly upon the Word of God and not upon what we would like it to say.  Once we align ourselves as individuals and as the Church in humility and awe at His goodness and grace, the real anointing will come and it will break the powers of darkness.  The house will be filled with the true restoration Glory and with those seeking a relationship with Him.

The Purpose of Titles

There is deep within all a desire to be recognized.  The yearning to be admired by peers and to be seen as greater than ones own accomplishments.  I am reminded of King Saul when he was confronted with his sin by the Prophet Samuel.  Unlike the brokenness of King David when he found himself in a similar situation, Saul acknowledged his sin but had a request of self interest.  He asked the Prophet to go with him before the elders and Israel an an act of personal honor. "Honor me" he said.   How can one be honored when he has dishonored himself and most of all God.  Yet, this was very important to Saul.  He was more interested in looking like a righteousness man than being a righteous man. What a terrible thing Saul asked, "Honor me now!"  The cry came from deep within his own heart and deeper still from within the corporate heart of mankind.  We all, regardless of how we resist it, have an innate yearning to be exalted.  It took it's origin in Lucifer in heaven and was cast out of heaven to find a new lodging on earth in human form. " Honor me now" has been echoing throughout the universe ever since.  It even can be heard in the church.

In the early 1970's I was first exposed to what was called the five-fold ministry teaching based on Ephesians chapter 4.  I saw a powerful explanation of a functioning model of Kingdom Building in the earth through the Church.  It revealed the uniting of spiritual gifts in the church that could be identified, trained and activated by the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, the five fold ministry.  I was having coffee one day with a man who said the Lord spoke to him and told him that I was not a true pastor but that I was an apostle.  I had already started two churches as this point and was on my way to begin a third congregation.  I hadn't had a title up to that point.  The name or title bothered me internally and even embarrassed me.  Yet, I must admit that it felt good in a deeper place.  Too good!  Through the decades since I became known and was even introduced in meetings as an apostle.  It always was a bit troubling and yet it seemed to be the way the church world was going.  I did see that it could be a positive thing in the sense of having recognized leaders that could function and help build the church.  If it could help me serve the Church in a better way then that would be a good thing.  However, the discomfort never went away.  Once it was even suggested that we apostles be called Bishops and be ordained as such.  I couldn't even be a part of that discussion.  Looking back now I realize that these titles, at least for me, were not helping me to be a better servant but actually creating an elevated position where I could be better served.  I must say this loud and clear; I am not saying that others who are carrying titles are wrong or desiring elevation or to be served. I cannot judge others but I can judge my own heart.  Many years ago when others of my peers were choosing to wear clerical collars for a sign of humility was for me a sign of pride.  I wanted to do it and wanted to justify it.  For me, and me only, I could not.

Where has it taken us?  Again, I can't answer for any heart but my own.  My heart apart from Jesus is an evil thing.  It desires recognition and elevation all the while wanting that true motivation hidden from man.  Why does it matter?  It matters because Jesus has redeemed and emancipated His Bride, His Church.  Leaders in the Church must be men and women who desire from the heart to help liberate, equip and activate with no provision for self exaltation.  It seems to me that titles have not truly helped in that cause.  We all must decide for ourselves but many good lives have been ruined and many humble servants have become proud because of a simple Title.  Our heart cry must be, "EXALT HIM!"  It must not be honor me.

Is There Anything New...Really?

"What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun." Ecc. 1:9 ESV

I was lost in the Okefeenokee Swamp for a day when I was about 12.  I grew up just a few miles from the center of the famous "land of the trembling earth." That is the meaning of the Indian word Okefeenokee.  I went into the swamp in a truck with another guy and we "stuck" the truck in the mud and decided to walk out.  We started walking out in the middle of the morning and were still walking without any idea of where we were when the sun set.  We thought we were making progress until we looked down and saw our our footprints from a few hours earlier.  Interestingly enough, until we saw the footprints we thought we were actually covering new ground!  It is possible to be lost and think you are making progress.

There was a time back into 1980's when it became popular to teach "new revelations". Familiar teachings from the Bible became a little out of vogue.  Of course no one would admit it but you could feel a little boredom with the old paths.  The way we became lost in the first place in the swamp was when the older guy I was with made the decision to leave the familiar way by which we entered the swamp in order to find a shorter route home.  I remember asking, "are you sure we should leave the way we know?"  He assured me he could get us home via a shortcut. Well, that didn't work out so well.  Of course the only damage done was our pride and a few scrapes and bug bites.  What made us decide to leave the old paths that had been used since the ancient tribes made them?  Laziness was a big factor but I think pride was the motivating force.  We left our pride in the great swamp that day.  

When it comes to Christian Doctrine and Biblical interpretation much more is at stake than our pride.  It is a dangerous thing to walk away from the ancient paths of our forefathers to find a shortcut to the Kingdom of God.  The old paths of hundreds of years have been established by devotion, spiritual hunger and Divine revelation.  They have been received in the atmosphere of humility from a stance of neutrality.  Pride causes man to believe he has a new revelation that history never saw or understood. Even as I write that last sentence I think, "what arrogance!  Certainly there are new lessons to be learned and new revelation to be gained. But what a frightening place for the preacher of the "new" and for those accepting it because of their faith in the preacher.  I'll leave you with an ancient path to trod. 1 John 4:4 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world,"

Nothing Needing Doing

[1Sa 12:16 ESV] 16 "Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes."

In the Church world we talk a great deal about all we need to do as Believers.  It is true that we need to practice our Faith in real tangible ways.  Obedience is the true mark of faith.  However, there are times when that "going" mentality can actually serve us badly.  For example when we are instructed by the Lord to "stand still!"  In the verse above the command goes out to "stand still".  I must confess that I don't do too well standing still.  I never did!  As I view the church world today I'm not sure very many Christians do as well with standing still as they do with going forth.  We like the activity of going with the drive to complete a task. It is exhilarating. In all honesty much of the church world is what my Grandmother would have called "fidgety."  If you study the book of Exodus you get the idea that Israel sat or camped before the Lord a lot more than they moved before the Lord.  A fidgety spirit is probably a symptom of a lack of faith on the part of the fidgety.  A spirit of rest is a part of the foundation of our stance of faith.  From our foundation up the rest in our feet will affect the success of our hands.   There are a lot of "stand stills" in the Bible once you start searching them out.  I'm learning (and I never stop learning) that I can only really stand still when I am standing in faith in the last instruction I heard from the Lord.  It might have been a Bible verse, a quiet whisper heard in prayer or a word from another believer that rang the bell of Truth inside my heart.  

Recently Teresa was given the diagnosis we all never want to hear.  Oh, I have been there when many others heard that simple word.  That simple word of cancer.  As a supporter of others I have been there to pray and encourage.  But when I heard it regarding Teresa it shook my spiritual equilibrium a little I must admit.  It took about a day or two to regain a focus of faith.  I don't mean that "regain" in a doing sense but in a "standing still" sense.  Then after a few days I heard that small voice say, "there is nothing you need to do in this."  I'm not sure I have ever heard those words in the face of a crisis before.  In the past I have had "regrets", "I wish I had" and "I'm going to do more now" moments that bothered me and added to the load of the moment.  This time I had this anointing to stand still.  Now we are resting in His peaceful words of stand still and see!  Where does this apply to you today?  Just remember that the stand still in God's plan is always followed by , "and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes!"

Christian Martyrs

Tortullian an ancient theologian said, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."  That has been accepted as fact until recently when statistics and graphs have been compared to question the validity of the statement.  Of course we know from the book of Acts that it was persecution of the first century church that drove the church outward from Jerusalem taking the Gospel message to a non Christian world.  If it is not true today then it might be an indictment upon present day believers and our level of faith and devotion to Christ and His Kingdom.  Are we willing to die for our faith and are we willing to live for our faith.  Living for our faith may be more difficult at times than actually dying for it.  Then the question arises, "can you live for the Faith without dying for the Faith?  I am writing this as one who has been young and now I'm older.  I once trained teams to go out into the "highways and hedges and compel them to come in." This phrase is taken from Luke 14:23,
"And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled."  The word here for "highways" mean a well traveled path.  We can see the secular world going about their busyness without much knowledge of God, His ways or His desire to become a part of their lives or endeavors.  The word "hedges" used here is a really interesting word.  The Greek definition for this word is something that hinders crossing or preventing from coming together.  The world and it's busyness and/or business and enterprise must be entered in order to bring the Gospel to them and present to them the Kingdom of God.  We must get through the hedge and not be afraid of it.  

My old way was to take disciples out on a planned adventure to confront people in malls and street corners in an effort to see them accept Jesus Christ as savior.  Some did!  Forty years ago the culture was more conducive to such tactics than they are today.  But is it possible that I was a little off even back then?  It is hard even to write that.  I'm so called "retired" now and have been for about 3 years now.  I still give pastoral input to some spiritual sons, I still preach some and teach discipleship classes, etc.  But what I am really enjoying is living outside the laboratory environment and living out in the highways and hedges.  I'm living among and enjoying friendship with people the likes of which I haven't had relationships with since I was saved several decades ago.  In honesty I didn't have time for the people of the world because I was busy running the church. I was always telllng people to get out there "among them" and make a difference.  Some did and some didn't.  Maybe most didn't.
After over 3 years now of living this life I'm seeing the fruit that comes by affecting people without a plan but by just living, talking and listening. Listening is more important and I'm not that good at it but I'm working on it.  It is hard to just live the life you believe in and let the Holy Spirit work through you as His vessel day by day.  Why should that be so hard?  Because we have been trained and conditioned to stop being who we are a night a week or for a week once a year and put on our missionary hat.  That was never God's intention.  From the beginning it was about me being changed/converted, growing in my love for Jesus and His Word, living among the world, out in the highways and hedges and serving them there.  Yes, serving the world!  Serve them away from the hedges and serve them to Jesus himself! Acts 1:8 tells us,But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  This verse tells us that it will be the Holy Spirit that empowers us to be witnesses.  The Greek word here is martyr.  The Holy Spirit will empower us to be martyrs for Christ to the world.  There will be days when that may mean knocking on the doors of strangers.  The balance of that is that every day we are already commissioned and empowered to be martyrs to the world.  We are servants to the world in the name and power of Jesus the Supreme example of servant hood leading to redemption.  As I leave my home these days I find myself praying less for converts and more that the Holy Spirit will help me prefer and serve others.  Guess what?  It ain't easy!  It involves death to self!  I believe in this sense that the "blood of the martyrs (servants) is the life of the Church!

The Burden of Prayer

My wife Teresa's Mother was a woman of prayer.  I could write a number of examples of her being awakened in the night or remaining awake for hours with the burden of prayer for someone.  One such occasion was a burden in the middle of the night for a missionary and his wife stationed on the other side of the globe in Singapore.  She prayed for them for hours.  She recorded the date and time of the burden and prayer.  This was before the days of social media or email.  She wrote a letter and asked the missionary about the time and date she had recorded.  He wrote back  and said, "Oh yes, that was when my wife was in labor with our daughter.  The Doctor told us that he was concerned that complications required that we make a decision to save either the mother or the child!"  They told the Doctor that they could not make such a decision.   Both mother and child came through the trial without harm!  Praise God for his power and intervention!  Praise God for His praying saints!

The burden of prayer is not intended to cause worry and dread.  Yet, it can seem that way when a believer becomes aware of a concern.  It is troubling because it can come without a shred of physical evidence of anything wrong.  There are times when you can sense a burden for someone without knowing any circumstances or details.  For the new intercessor it can be a troubling pattern of thoughts that is simply cast aside into the busyness of the day.  Each time we neglect the stirring of the Holy Spirit in our thought life we desensitize our spirit man even more.  But when we bring the thing to the Lord in prayer, even without understanding, we qualify for more usefulness to God.  How long should you pray about the burden or what feels like heaviness?  Until the burden is lifted!  That is what past generations of intercessors called "praying through!"  The lifting of the burden could be a momentary thing.  At times it might be a continuing prayer reminder that resurfaces for days in the Spirit.  The important thing is not to just suppose you are having random thoughts.  Your random thoughts may be very strategic leadership of the Holy Spirit enlisting you to enter spiritual warfare prayer on behalf of someone else in need.  Who knows how many others may be fighting the same spiritual battle for the same need you are engaging in prayer?

May we slow down today in our busy lives and keep an open ear to heaven for Kingdom purposes and assignments.

Misplaced Trust

Much has been said about covenant relationships among believers. We are reminded of David and Jonathan, Paul and Barnabas and others.  Some have taught this covenant principle to the point of trusting others to the point of death.  This sounds noble and conjures up scenes of a Navy Seal episode, but is the concept to trust another person to the point of death really Biblical?  My first thought as I write this is that even with Paul and Barnabas they actually split up with strong disagreement.  Two deeply committed men of God who were filled with the Holy Spirit had their bond tested and divided.  Before I proceed along these lines I must say that I am not writing this out of bitterness or disappointment from some past experiences.  Rather than leading you to distrust those around you I am seeking to motivate you to place your trust correctly and in the right direction.  

Because I was taught to build relationships with developing leaders to the point of covenant, that would make you think it involves total trust.  That total trust in any man will almost always lead to disappointment.  Any person on this planet has days of loyalty and days of failure.  We all have within ourselves a breaking point, a point of breaking trust.  I remember starting a church in a certain city once and one man in particular stood out as my greatest supporter.  From his words I was the greatest preacher he had ever heard and ready to become a superstar in the church world.  I trusted him so much that I asked him to be the treasurer for our newly formed church.  This particular church was in a town down the road from my home and my home church.  After a few months this man became disillusioned by my performance for some reason that I can't remember.  He left the church and no money was left in the treasury!  I had trusted him unconditionally.  The Bible calls us to love unconditionally but it does not teach us to trust man unconditionally.  Trusting man without limitation is "misplaced trust."  You can't trust any man, including this writer, unconditionally.  Trust is measured by the level of the Lordship of Jesus in the life.  And that unfortunately can be a moving target based on the day that you test it.  

Psalm 118:8 tells us, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”  Isaiah says it this way, “Both he who helps will fall, and he who is helped will fall down…”  None of us has the ability to stand on our own.  Then Jeremiah drives it home.Jeremiah 17:5 and 7,  “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD…’”  That is very interesting and enlightening.  Two words stand out here.  "Trust and hope."  The problem with trust is when we place it in someone we also attach hope with it.  Then, when a person fails us we also lose our hope.  When we lose hope we are in a real mess.  Lack of hope brings personal implosion.  There is a "curse and blessing" in this verse.  The curse comes from trusting man and the blessing always comes from trusting completely only the Lord!  Many churches have as their motto these days, "Love God, Love Man!"  That is a good general visionary thought.  But don't take that to the point of "Trust God, Trust Man."  God will NEVER fail you!  Man will fail you.  As you read this you may be thinking of someone that you trusted without reservation.  You may still feel the sting of their failure, their betrayal.  As you enter this new year it is time to forgive and release them.  You expected too much from them from the beginning   You misplaced your trust in a mere mortal when only God can fulfill that trust.  After you forgive them then face this coming year with unconditional love in your heart but measured trust in man.  Clint Eastwood said, "A Man's Got to Know his Limitations!"  We all have ours!

The Reason For Your Joy

It's that Season again when shoppers enter stores to the sound of bells ringing and voices everywhere from the crowds trying to find a bargain.  It is a time when many are buying for others as the tradition of gift giving at Christmas is in full swing.  The atmosphere is one of excitement and hope.  I have always greatly enjoyed the season of Christmas. Yes, even with all the trappings I still enjoy the season and all the festivities.  Then the big day arrives, the gift wrappings are spread across the house, feasting has ended, the crowds leave and a kind of depression can come on the scene.  Now a return to work and the routine is imminent and the bills must be paid.  Where did the joy, excitement and the hope go?  How could it vanish so quickly?  Are we really so shallow that our energy is controlled by superficial hype?  Now here is the really painful part.  What I just described is the condition of most Christians as well as the world who knows no Christ.  This observation demands a closer look at our lives and even the motivation of our hearts.  Many years ago a Pastor described a friendly man in a way I have never forgotten.  I have revisited his description many times as I examine my own life and the reason behind my motivations.  The man he described always seemed happy with a big smile upon his face.  He almost vibrated with energy and joy!  He said of the man, "he seems to be filled with unenlightened enthusiasm."  That would imply an outer excitement without an inward reason. The conclusion we must draw is that unenlightened enthusiasm leaves as quickly as it came and disappears with the decorations of the event.  In my lifetime I have watched as advertisement never stops from season to season.  There is always something we are told to celebrate.    Stores take down decorations from one season only to put up the new decorations of the next season.  It is now possible to live in a perpetual excitement, an artificial enthusiasm without any idea of why we feel excitement.  God has designed us to live from the inside and not the outside.  The outside can be artificial and relates to reason.  The inside cannot be be fooled.  The inside knows even when it doesn't truly understand.  The inside, the spirit man, is the abode of the Spirit of God.  The new birth through faith in what Jesus has done for us brings an internal inflation.  All that Jesus has is now on the inside and His Joy brings His fullness into man's emptiness.  That "Christ in Us brings the hope of glory!" As followers and disciples of Jesus we must maintain the friendship connection with Jesus throughout and above all seasons and events.  Isn't it sad that Christmas can actually become a distraction to our internal life.  When this happens our joy and hope suffers.  We may not appear any different from a lost world.  On the contrary, what a wonderful season to "shine".  This is our season to check our connections and make sure our true internal source is healthy.  We want people to see that we are different from the inside out!  Who knows, they might even ask about our difference?


1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Culture, Taste and God

Acts 10:13 13And there came a voice to him: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
I do understand  that this verse takes place during a time of transition from law to grace.  Actually grace had arrived at the resurrection of Jesus but I'm sure the culture was still reeling trying to adjust from law to grace.  In truth the Church is still trying to get it right!  From Peter's perspective to accept the voice as God's voice crossed religious lines but it also challenged his tastes and culture.  Someone called me one day and asked me a question about a big decision they were trying to make as a church.  As soon as the person asked the question my thought process was, "what will people think?"  The very first thing I thought was PEOPLE!  The subject of the question was nothing sinful or immoral but it would probably arouse some to cast instant judgement.  As I ran my mental search for a reason why they should not do the thing, the person asked, "do you know of a Scripture that says to do this is wrong?"  Ah, that brought me to a different level of soul searching.  Certainly there is a time that I should make sure I don't offend my brother.  Peter could have used that argument to avoid eating that which was unclean to him and in doing so he could have avoided obeying the voice of God!  We all know that if there is a clear Biblical precedent in Scripture, there is our answer.  Yet, as I pondered the question I knew there was no verse being violated.  My sole reason for wanting the folks to say "no" was because of what I felt other people would say or think.  I know talking about this leaves a lot of room for people to wonder how far I am going to take this!  Relax, I'm simply dealing with our leaning toward judging others because of our culture or taste.  We do it with our music tastes, our cultural bias and many other areas.  One day I heard a brother talking about a new worship song he was learning and he said how much it made him feel close to God.  I hate to admit this but my deep thought was, "I knew that song 30 years ago!"  Not only that but I immediately judged the brother as less mature than me.  We see a car with a license plate and we make a judgment about that person based on their home State.  We hear an accent and there we go again.  It's all sinful!  All too often our personal tastes and cultural preferences  have more power over us than the Word of God!  Now, you may be reading this and thinking that this doesn't apply to you.  I understand and appreciate that.  However, I have preached myself under conviction.  Next Time!

Knowing God Is An Up To The Minute Relationship

While God is a God that doesn't change, he is in the business of bringing change everywhere he is allowed to go.  You might ask, "allowed to go?"  Certainly God can go anywhere he wants to go!  Yes, he certainly can because he is almighty God.  Yet, from a relationship perspective he seldom goes where he is not welcomed and shown an ongoing loving hospitality.  It is so interesting and even a little embarrassing to men to read of the Church as the Bride of Christ.  We read of a day coming when there will be a wedding feast and a bridal chamber.  Even as I write this I pause and look off in the distance in discomfort.  Yet, I know it is true.  To me it speaks to my need to learn how to walk with Jesus and live with him much like I have learned to walk with my wife Teresa.  We are in our 50th year of marriage as I write this.  There have been turbulent years, joyful years, adjustment years and fulfilling years.  After 50 years our marriage is so wonderful...more wonderful than ever before in every way.  Yet it has always been a learning process and a dying process or we would never have gotten to this place of reward, joy and fulfillment.  There was a time when it looked like we wouldn't make it. During that time our problem was not God not helping us, it was my lack of cooperation with God's plan of change leading to today.  Having said that, that doesn't mean that we have now arrived.  I remember walking through some very hard times in our relationship.  There were times when we didn't really like each other and even love had to be examined.  Don't let me stun you but walking with Jesus as His Bride isn't a lot different.  Walking with Jesus isn't like a wedding banquet everyday.  Again, Jesus doesn't change but when you are walking with someone who is bringing change in your life it can get a bit difficult at times.  There have even been times when I might question, "do I really want to do this?"

As I look back over the last 50 years I see clearly that all that I have experienced was necessary and not simply a bunch of mistakes.  This is true in my life, marriage and my walk with the Lord.  There are times when you have to get your head and heart clear and ask yourself the question, "what is the right thing to do at this moment in time?"  Don't rush the decision and be honest with yourself.  Then, do the right thing.  Seek with all your heart to do the best thing, the righteous thing.  You next step won't be any easier necessarily but it is the right decision leading to the right next step.  One day as you look back on you life map you will see that it was not a haphazard journey but a Divine plan with a Divine destination.  Every one of those course adjustments may have been painful but yet they were necessary to get you to today.  The worst thing is to enter into a relationship of existing.  You can do that in your marriage.  I refuse to live that way!  You can do that in your relationship with Jesus.  I refuse to live that way!  Today make a fresh commitment to welcome the loving hand of God that promises even more change ahead.  Oh yeah, before I forget...quit asking why?

Do We Need The Supernatural Gifts In The Church Today?

There are two primary views concerning the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit today.  These two opinions are cessationism and continuationism.  Cessationism says that when the New Testament was complete there was no more need for supernatural gifts in the life of the church.  Continuationism teaches that those supernatural gifts never ceased since they were given at Pentecost.  One of the reasons given as evidence for cessationism, that God stopped using these gifts in the church after the canon of Scripture was complete, was because over time those primitive gifts were witnessed less and less in practice.  The most ardent theologians amazingly arrive at this conclusion with very weak, if any, Scriptural validation.  If you read many scholars you will find they will depart from Biblical proof and use as verification the ancient writings of "church fathers."  There is certainly another obvious reason as to why the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit waned after the first century church.  That reason is a loss of a "first love" experience mentioned in Revelation 2:4.  In Revelation chapter 2 we read that Jesus is affirming the testimony of the church in that they worked hard, they stood the test of persecution but they had "left the love they had at the beginning."  
When we weaken in our faith, we weaken in our practice.  I would suggest that a major reason supernatural gifts were seen less after the first century church was not at all because God was not intending them to be functioning but because of a faith and love crisis within the church.  When that happens it is very difficult for the next generation to rediscover what has been lost.  It has never been modeled or taught to them.  It is not presented to them as something to seek and often taught as not to be sought.  Yet, even among those who teach the supernatural gifts of yesterday are not needed in the modern church, they still teach about spiritual warfare.  They tell us how we must battle in the heavenly realm with demonic powers and principalities. Certainly the use of Scripture is essential in obtaining victory.  Yet, as Peter demonstrated in his ministry the Christian ministry help for the hurting must come from the internal spring of "such as I have."  It is Christ in us that is the "hope of glory."  Christ in us consists of the Life of Christ, the Words of Christ as well as the supernatural power and authority of Christ.  As we enter deeper and deeper into the last days we encounter an amplification of Satanic and antichrist activity in the earth.  No generation in history has ever needed the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit like this generation.  Why would God withdraw this power when it is needed most?  He did not! He has not!  There is written evidence in the second and third century of spiritual gifts and miracles still happening.  They never ceased but lukewarm Christianity quenched the Spirit.  There is a direct correlation between faith and spiritual gifts.  We prophesy according to our faith.  (Romans 12:6)

What is our answer?  We must return to a first love faith!  Jesus must become the focus of the Church even more so than mission or movement or reaching a generation.  As we seek Him He will be found.  When He is found in his fullness the Church will manifest Him in His fullness. When His Church manifests  His fullness the world will be saved, delivered from bondage and activated into like ministry.

"Yes, this old-time pow’r was given
To our fathers who were true;
This is promised to believers,
And we all may have it too." (Charles D. Tillman 1895)

Hebrews 13:8  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

For Glory and For Beauty

 Exodus 28:2 “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.”

I am studying in the book of Exodus right now.  I was struck as I read this verse in Exodus 28:2.  I wasn’t able to move beyond it until I gave it some thought.  Why would the idea that God would do something for the expressed purpose of beauty surprise me?  Like some of you I was a part of a renewal movement during the 1960’s and 70’s.  It was birthed by a hunger to know God in a more intimate way than the forms and rituals of religion alone.  It produced a radical pursuit of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  That spirit of yearning, motivated by the Love for God, created, in some ways, a disdain for the more formal forms of worship.  There was a “throwing out the baby with the bathwater” approach to this new era of church planting and Christian practice.  It was reflected in the architecture and quality of our meeting places, the lack of grandeur in our spiritual gatherings and even the clothes that we wore.  In many ways it was a necessary departure from the old norms in order to discover a more vibrant worship lifestyle.  We placed our emphasis on knowing God personally and worshipping from our hearts.  It was all centered around the indwelling, active, motivating Holy Spirit.  I have to ask if something was missing from our renewal journey?  Probably not in the sense of that time as that approach made the main thing the main thing.  Yet, God is bigger than our revelation of the hour.  He is always larger and grander than our present revelation and understanding. Now back to beauty.  God loves beauty and values beauty.  When I read of the plans for the tabernacle and the detail given to the garments of the priests I see over and again that God cares about quality and beauty.  We have almost come to believe that if the Holy Spirit does it that it must be crude with no thought of beauty being involved.  However, the first time the Scripture mentions the Holy Spirit filling someone it relates to God filling the artisans with the Holy Spirit to skillfully work on His designs in clothes and buildings.  Certainly these are Old Testament instructions and we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit but that doesn’t change God’s taste, His pleasure and His quality in all he does and leads us to do.  That brings us to appreciate His Glory and Beauty.  I visited the Louvre in Paris last winter.  It made me aware of how much of the old art had a religious theme.  Many of them were anointed to create what the Holy Spirit led them to design.  The same is true in music and much of the Arts.  That doesn’t mean that all art and all music are good.  It does mean that we need to open our minds to a broader appreciation to the work of the Holy Spirit.  May we release the gifts already given to the Church by encouraging those around us to discover their God given gifts and talents and use them for His Glory and Beauty. 

Have You Ever Seen A Miracle?

One of the most common questions I have been asked through the years is, "have you ever seen a miracle?" The short answer is Yes!  But then I wonder what generated the question.  The implication is that the person asking the question has not, or they don't think that they have.  You may not think that it matters in the world of faith.  It really does matter.  The foundational truth of Christianity is that the Christian life itself is supernatural.  There is a vast difference between joining a Church and becoming a Christian.  As a Church member I become a new attender, a rule keeper.  As a Christian I have become a new person.  The Apostle Paul describes it as becoming a new creation.  We struggle with the concept because we still see residual character traits of the old person and we are tempted to believe that we are still trapped in the old life.  The moment we truly repent of our old nature and ask God for a new nature He brokers a change of identity within us.  From that point on there is a war of identity, not in heaven but in our own minds.  Heaven knows our new identity and acknowledges it. Our names are written in the "Lambs book of Life" in heaven.   One of the biggest faith battles is the battle in our own minds.  Because the new identity or new creation happens the moment we ask God in faith, we have trouble believing it is possible with us.  We know us!  We remember the past and all our bad thoughts and evil deeds.  It can't be that easy.  Oh, it wasn't easy!  It wasn't easy for Jesus but He did the work once and for all on the cross as a sacrificial act for us.  However, we have to daily make the decision to believe that we are changed by the finished work of Jesus.  It would be easy to think that we are talking about mind over matter here. No, we are talking about a Miracle!  That's right, a miracle.  Every person who has ever become a Christian since Jesus died on the cross has become a miracle.  No miracle ever performed has come near to comparing to the miracle of you being made into a Christian.  It is an ongoing work for sure yet it is a completed work.  Romans tells us that we are transformed by the "renewing of our minds."  While we are a completely new creation we are still in process, we are in the renewing of the mind process.  The spirit man inside of us is a completely new creature and now our mind is gradually transformed to bring us outwardly in line with what has happened inwardly.  That means that you haven't just seen a miracle you are a miracle.  Keep cooperating with the inner miracle and you will continue to see and experience the outer miracle.   

Street Beggars

It is a difficult thing to see beggars on the street corner.  All that we say we believe flashes before our eyes and burns in our hearts.  I was raised in a hard working blue collar world that rewarded the industrious and penalized the lazy. More often than not when I see one of these unfortunates, I'm not moved with compassion but with indignation.  (Please don't write me to correct me as I already struggle with what is right!)  I often think of the words in Scripture, "if a man won't work, neither let him eat."  I see those asking for handouts and I study their appearance. Some of them are obviously well fed, smoking expensive cigarettes and have fat well fed dogs with them.  Then the inner war begins.  Are these folks con men and women?  Out on the streets taking advantage of our Christian compassion?  I have seen some reject food, refuse to work even while holding a sign, "will work for food!"  I have seen teams of them unloading from vans, working an area in the city and regrouping later to share their spoils!  My humanity wants to scream, "Get a job, you bum!"  Then as I drive away the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit begins to seep into my consciousness.  "How do you know the truth of this person's condition or need?"  They may be whole physically but crippled emotionally.  Then I am reminded that we might be "entertaining angels and not be aware."  Certainly there are professional beggars who learn to play upon our Christian conviction and conscience.  But what if our turning away from them has calloused our hearts to the point that we are now insulated against genuine needs or even angels?  The enemy has now positioned us into a place where we may be robbed of a "God event" in our future.   What a difficult dilemma!   I believe the Holy Spirit can reveal to us the difference between the real and the fake but how good are we at discerning in this way?  I'll leave you with words from the Bible commentator Matthew Henry who lived between 1662-1714: 

"It is better to feed five drones, or wasps, than to starve one bee."

 Matthew Henry

IS THE NEW THING REALLY AN OLD THING?

I must admit that I like new shiny and up to date things.  I don't have to have them but I do prefer new.  That isn't always a good thing.  I have to be careful not to go on the Amazon website too often because I always see something new that I think "I really need!"  Advertising has mastered the art of appealing to the "lust of the eyes."  I remember a time about a quarter of a century ago I witnessed as a traveling preacher a great appetite within the church world for something new.  There was a pride that said, "ho hum, I've heard that before."  There seemed to be professional hearers within the church.  Of course we all know that hearing is not possessing.  To possess Truth we must seek it, comprehend it and draw it into our hearts by faith with a desire to live it out in our lives.  We must understand that we cannot attain Truth without a humility that knows that truth is not ours for the taking.  Truth becomes living truth when we humble ourselves and seek to be conformed to it.  There is a negative and positive aspect to being changed by truth in actual life.  The negative aspect is a realization that we don't possess it, we can't obtain it in our own efforts and we are destitute without it.  The positive aspect is that embodied truth comes and takes shape in us only after we have stood in the naked reality of our need of Him.  From this we see that the "negative" isn't really a negative but a launching pad for the positive, obtaining truth.  There is therefore a negative and positive aspect to preaching or sharing the Gospel. Certainly there is the "good news" that Jesus has already settled the sin problem and He freely offers that cure to all of sin-sick mankind.  Yet, before any man can obtain the personified truth in the form of Salvation he must first recognize he is eternally destined for hell and a separation from God.  I can't remember when I last heard that coming from a pulpit.  It is sometimes alluded to but not clearly communicated.  There is a vast overemphasis on God's forgiving nature with little emphasis on the penalty for those who have not truly repented.  Certainly none of us want to return to the "hell fire and brimstone" sermons of times past.  Certainly the "kindness of God brings men to repentance" but there must be the understanding of the negative before the positive can become a reality.

In this era in church history where a strong desire exists to become more relevant to the world in order to win the world, preachers and teachers stand precariously on the edge of  a slope of a false gospel.  In our efforts to reach the new generation we must be careful not to leave out the ancient Truths of past generations.  It is not knowledge or behavioral changes that sets the captives free but only Truth, God's Truth.  As we seek to reach a new generation we must remember that the new thing is really an old thing.

May the Word of God and the guiding light of the Holy Spirit empower us to reach our generation with Truth that brings men to true repentance and salvation.  Truth must be embraced before it can bring transformation.  

Mystery of the Gospel

"The mystery made known to me by revelation..." Ephesians 3:3

The word "mystery" refers to something that is hidden.  Why would God want to hide Truth from people?  Even that thought is something of a mystery.  Having had a personal friendship, relationship with God for most of my life I still stand amazed at the ever unfolding discovery of His identity.  The deeper I travel into the knowledge of Him the more I discover His vastness.  Who He is doesn't change but it expands.  It is like walking down a street and getting familiar with all the sights and sounds on that street and you might think that is the entirety of a town.  You may live on that street for years and one day you venture around a corner to find that the small town is really a large city.  It goes on and on.  How sad it would be to live on one street and experience the limitations of that short street, never knowing that with exploration there is much, much more to experience.  Paul's words here in Ephesians 3:3 and in other of his writings reveals to us that there are mysteries to be discovered.  It seems that the Word of God itself and the life giving power of living in that Word is a great mystery to most of the world.  True believers read the Bible in faith and a supernatural impartation occurs within them.  A non believer may pick it up without faith or without interest and it might be just another book to them.  

The late Derek Prince was a Kings Scholar from Eton College in England.  He was a philosopher who began to read the Bible to disprove it.  He said that as he read the Scripture something amazing happened.  He started changing on the inside.  He said it was the only book that he had ever read that was a living book.  As he read, something living was happening on the inside.  That is a part of how revelation is experienced and how mysteries are revealed. We have heard it said that some people say, "when I see I will believe."  Believers in Jesus know that "when we believe we will see."  God wants to make his Truth known but not to intellect alone but to the spirit man first then comes the understanding.  Faith comes first and revelation will follow.  As we face ongoing mysteries may we approach them in faith.  Then and only then will we see new revelation.  
What question is troubling you now?  Don't approach God with an eye of distrust but settle it in your heart that God is for you and your ultimate good.